Prologue

Dive to the Heart

So much to do…

So little time.

Take your time. Don't be afraid.

The door is still shut.

Who are you? What are you talking about?, Sean asked the mysterious voice as he sunk into the abyss…Or was he rising? He was unable to tell. All he knew was that he was completely surrounded by darkness, moving toward a gigantic glowing circle in the distance guided by an unknown force.

A lot of weird thoughts have gone through my head lately, Sean told the darkness. Are any of them for real…Or not?

His mind flashed through all sorts of faint memories and visions. He saw his two wolf friends lying in the woods, back when they were still pups. A young boy with spiky blonde hair was standing before them, and though Sean could barely make out his face or figure, he knew very well that it was himself. Where'd you guys come from?, the boy asked the little wolves.

Then he saw himself and his friends running through the woods, growing older with each passing second. Then the three were sitting on a small hill, watching the stars in the night sky. There was a bright, full moon above as well. All of a sudden, he saw his friend Blood at the bottom, beckoning him to come down. Just as Sean was about to jump down, the hill grew much taller and more dangerous to jump from. After seconds of hesitation, he did jump, realizing his possible fate but willing to take the risk.

He went through the ground as if he had jumped into a pool of water. Emerging from a creek in the deep woods, Sean saw his friend Rain beckoning him into the moonlight. He went towards her, and they greeted each other as they always did, with petting and licking. Then Rain looked toward the massive moon, noticing that it looked unusually close and bright. Sean then noticed himself being lifted off the ground and, shortly afterward, speeding skyward like a rocket. He was getting closer and closer to the moon and was just about to hit it straight on.

In a flash of light, Sean was speeding downwards – or still upwards? – through darkness and past visions of what was and possibly what was to come. He passed by mysterious stained glass windows showing what looked to be princesses. The first one was fair-skinned, with black hair and holding an apple in her delicate hands. The second one sported a beautiful silver dress, surrounded by images of pumpkins, glass slippers, and a man and a woman dancing. Then there was a blonde haired princess holding a rose and surrounded by thorns. And then, one after the other, one in a pink dress surrounded by mushrooms and turtle shells, one in a yellow ball gown alongside household items and some kind of furry monster, and one in a plain brown robe with a green dragon and eight colored orbs. As the last one passed by, Sean eventually slowed down and landed on a pink stained glass window showing the silhouettes of six other maidens.

As he was looking around and wondering where he was, Sean noticed that something strange was happening to his shadow. The closer you get to light, the mysterious voice said, the greater your shadow becomes. The shadow then struggled off the floor and started morphing, spreading around the platform. Sean, shocked and confused, tried to make a run for it, but the darkness was spreading fast on all sides. As the darkness engulfed the glass under him and crawled up his pant leg, the voice spoke again:

But don't be afraid.

Sean tried swatting at the tendrils of darkness, but soon he was completely enveloped in it, helpless to do anything. The voice spoke once more:

You possess the greatest weapon of all. And do not forget…

You are the one who will open the door.

As the voice finished, a blinding light pierced through the darkness. And then…Nothing.