Prologue

My siblings and I were huddled together on the first bed, waiting for the dreadful moment that was going to happen to us and all of our species. Even Angelica, the bully that she is, was giving Hector a tight hug. Her wings were stuck to the back of her shell; an unknown force pulling them back.

My family was scared, but I don't think they were as scared as I was. I was crying in my father's arms, hoping his warmth and safety would calm me. But it did nothing. I was still terrified for my life. The king was coming. We were already poor. The king was coming. We couldn't live anywhere else. The king was still coming.

My heart hammered in my chest so my father gently stroked my hair. "Oh, dear Krystal," he said. "I know it's going to be hard, but somehow we'll find a way to get through it. We have lived through all of the king's tyranny, so we will live through this too."

"Your father is right, Krystal," said a voice. It was my mother. She hadn't said a word when she was packing our bags. "I know there are twelve of us, but we can make it. We'll find another place… Somewhere, where the ruler will be kind to us and give us the respect that we need."

I suddenly felt a little bit better. Even though King Bowser and his "subjects", more like minions, were threatening to drive us out, we had each other. Even though we might not have had access to food or water after we are driven out, we had each other.

The news of the drive-out was stated in the national newspaper, The Koopa Chronicles. I remember the day like it was just yesterday… Excuse me, but let me take you into my mind.

Pine was reading the daily paper and Zoe and Boulder were fighting over the phone. I was playing tea party with my stuffed animals; everything was normal. Pine let out a gasp when he read one of the articles.

We all looked at him in confusion. Angelica and Annie stared at him as if he were an idiot. Pine just looked back, terror readable in his expression.

"G-guys!" he shouted. A tear formed in his eye. "Y-you won't b-believe what I r-read in the paper!"

"What is it?" asked Drake. He was curious about everything and had wings, like Angelica. For once he looked worried. He had never looked worried before.

"Here… Just, take it. It's too depressing to read out loud…" Pine burst into tears, and flopped against the third bed. He buried his head into a pillow and bawled.

Drake only had the paper for a second before he dropped it. He stared blankly at nothing for a second before screaming "WE'RE DOOMED!"

Our mother walked into the doorway. "Kids, keep it down! Your father and I are trying to…" She stopped midsentence to look at the headline of the newspaper. "Is this the end of the Koopas? King Bowser plans to drive out entire species to make room for more henchmen," it read.

We all stopped our daily activities to read the headline. A lot of us started crying. No, all of us started crying. Then we all huddled up, picturing the wretched future that had yet to come to us.

Well, there I was again. All huddled up on the first bed thinking about this horrible future. The only difference was that it was closer than it had ever been before. I buried my head into my father's chest, hoping desperately that the drive-out would not be violent. My father patted my shell gently.

The cottage that we called home started to rumble violently. The king was here now. I squeezed my father tighter. He winced for a split second and I loosened my grip; I was holding him too tight; he just held me closer to him. I could hear his heart quickly beating, but slowly, and slowly yet, the rhythm slowed. I curled into a fetal position and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and it seemed to work. I could feel myself drifting off to sleep right in my father's lap; right in a time of turmoil. My father's hands were warm and they made me warm. My thoughts slowly faded away and I drifted into a heavy sleep.

My sleep was abruptly stopped when I heard a loud thumping noise. I half-opened my eyes and yawned, and I rubbed the sleep from them. "Huh?" I muttered sleepily.

"Get up, Krystal," said my mother hurriedly. "They're trying to break in. Get up!"

I crawled off my father's lap. I could still feel his warmth inside of me. My mind instinctively forgot about it as worry filled me. I knew what my mother meant by "they"- it was Bowser and his henchmen.

"Quick, all of you, we need to- "

My mother was stopped midsentence as the wall broke open, sending splinters of wood flying all over us. Some of Bowser's minions were breaking down the place. One of them ran inside. He was a heavily armored Koopa Troopa, and he was carrying a sword. He creeped towards us at a slow and steady pace. "You get out right now. Bowser has no need for losers like you, who don't work for him and have money anyways. You have no right to live here. So, get out or else!"

My father let out a deep growl, and his eyes held strong anger. He started slowly. His voice was icily calm. "No. You are wrong. We have every right to live here. Just because we don't work for a greedy king like him doesn't mean we need to leave."

Smoke puffed from his nostrils. That was a warning. Yet the brainless Koopa Troopa drew back his sword. He was going to kill my father, no matter what happened.

My father exhaled a huge ball of flame at the Koopa Troopa. A smile spread across my father's face as he lounged in his own pride. However, the smoke started to clear up and an unhurt soldier stood where it was. My father's expression changed to a scared yet confused one. The Koopa Troopa's face had a wicked smile plastered onto it. "Ha. Look! You poor, poor man. Must be hard managing ten, huh? Ten children? And, look around you! You don't have a home," he said.

I looked around at my surroundings and realized that our house was completely destroyed. All that remained of it was a smelly pile of rubble. My thoughts snapped back to the Koopa Troopa's words as he started to talk again. "So, now, you have no choice but to leave. You all know you're going to die in a hole somewhere, right? Well, you better leave now!" He put his sword by my father's chest. "Go, all of you. You don't deserve to be here! Go, right now, or I'll kill your saddening display of a father." He pulled his sword closer to my father and said, "Go," in a menacing, slow tone.

"I will not die now! I was born in this kingdom, and have lived an amazing life here. I want to die here, too. I have so much memories here. I would very much like to pass away peacefully here, with my children and my wife. I want my children to grow up here and have families of their own. I will not listen to you! I will not go!" roared my father back to him.

"Well, the law is the law. You have spoken against me for the last time. Hey lady!" the soldier called to my mother. "You better get your kids out of here. You don't want them to see this, do you?"

My mother just stared wide eyed at him, and so did all of us. My father, however, had a look of fiery determination in his eyes. "Kill me then," he commanded. "I said I wanted to die here, so I will. I will always remain here!"

"Samuel, honey, you can't!" cried my mother. She held Candy tightly, and we were all stuck to my mother like glue as well.

"I have to, Diana!" he called back. "I have to!"

"Well, die you shall," said the Koopa Troopa soldier. He drew back his sword and thrust it forward. It broke my father's skin and blood poured out of the wound. With the sword still stuck in his chest, he muttered his final words. "Diana… Kids…" he muttered. There was no time to say all ten of our names now. I could feel my eyes letting out waterfalls of tears and James crying loudly beside me. My father coughed up blood and spoke more. "I love you all… I want you to know that. And when I'm dead, just remember that… I always will." He fell on his knees, and summoned up all of his remaining strength to speak again. "Just remember that I died for us… Our future."

My father finished his sentence and collapsed to the floor. Blood stained it, and we all cried. The ruthless minion started to speak again. "Go now, or I'll have no choice but to kill you too. No Koopa deserves to be on this land."

My mother grabbed my hand and pulled it softly. It was almost like she was talking to me without words. Krystal, honey… she seemed to be saying, we need to leave. I obeyed her, and ran as far as my tired legs could carry me. We all ran far; we all ran quickly… And we didn't know where we were going. But like my father said, we might find somewhere… Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere where we can be… Respected. Somewhere where we can be free.