Chapter one: Helen

The soft sound of violins floated across the back yard as Helen and her mother practiced the duet for the concert on the eightieth of that month.

Helens cell phone rang; she stopped playing and picked it up excitedly. It was a text from her friend Morgan, 'hey, you've practiced enough come hang out with me and Annie.'

Helen smiled put violin on the table, picked up her bag and ran across the lawn. "Bye Mom." She called over her shoulder.

Her mother sighed, she knew her daughter had memorized the piece but Helen was too sure of herself and there were still a few parts she tripped over. She looked at the calendar on the table, one more week.

Helen and her friends walked down the side walk, eating ice cream and talking happily. Something caught Helens eye, she looked. In the window display there were three Beautiful violins, Helen sighed with regret, I'm sorry.

She looked away from the display ashamed. She heard the glass crack and turned and image of her mother, horribly contorted, stared back at her she shrieked, stumbled back and fell as the glass of the window shattered and fell around her she looked to her friends they twisted into horrible shadowy nightmares. Helen got up hurriedly and ran from the things that had once been her friends, everything melted into blackness around her, there seemed to be no escape when a bright light appeared warm and comforting she spread her arms wide welcoming her savior and then began to fall, softly, down to earth.

She landed awkwardly on her feet and fell backward to the stone floor. She sat on the cool stone floor and looked at her surroundings just beyond there was a gate and beyond that some sort of plaza with a fountain in the center and surrounding all of it was a forest.

She got up and cautiously walked through the gate into the plaza.

"Hoo?"

"Oh there's an owl here." She thought to herself.

"Hoo, hoo?"

"No that can't be an owl it sounds to…to."

"Human?" An owl in a shirt and suit coat appeared in front of Helen. Helen squeaked and fell over again.

"Hoo, you gave me quite a scare as well young visitor."

"Wha…" Helen was too stunned to speak, but the owl seemed to know all of her questions.

"You have traveled to what your kind call the world of dreams, not to say this place is fake just another dimension; we who live here call it the night dimension. Your kind travel to this world in your sleep."

"I'm asleep?" Helen asked, finding her voice.

"Yes my dear you are, by the way my name is owl."

"I'm Helen." Helen said Getting up and holding out her hand owl held out his claw and they shook hands.

Something cut between Helen and Owl leaving purple and gold sparkles in its path. Helen covered her eyes and stumbled back, trying not to fall over again. When she looked up she saw what looked like a lanky young boy, but it didn't look quiet human, its head was a little to round with huge blue-purple eyes that took up most of its face, it lacked a nose, ears, and eyebrows, she would of thought its purple jester hat was covering its eyebrows if the hat didn't look like it was part of its body.

"Oh Nights you know you shouldn't scare people like that." Owl said dusting his suit coat with his wings. The boy called Nights just sat in mid air shaking his head and smiling.

"What are you laughing about?" Owl asked irritated.

"I was just thinking that maybe are young visitor would rather hang out with me then listen to your incessant squawking." The boy's voice was young, happy and had a slight echo to it.

"Incessant squawking? Hoo, didn't you ever learn to respect your elders?"

"So little visitor," Nights said, holding out his hand and ignoring Owl, "Would you like to duelize with me and try your hand at flying around?"

"Duelize, Flying?" Helens head reeled.

"Yes, Nights can duelize, or assimilate, with visitors," Owl explained. But Helen was still confused; Owl must have seen the confusion on her face because he continued, "Well I guess the best way to understand it is to try it yourself come over and touch nights and you'll understand better."

Helen looked hesitantly at Nights' outstretched hand. "Don't worry," he said cheerily, "I won't bite."

Helen reached out and touched Nights' hand with hers. She felt warmth growing from inside of her the same warmth the light gave her in her nightmare. Light engulfed her and Nights, it was so bright that she had to close her eyes. She felt the light dim and as it dimmed she felt pure joy lifting her making her too light to touch the ground she opened her eyes and saw the stars and then she looked down, her stomach did a summersault, she was high above the ground, to high, she felt the joy inside her turn to panic and she began to fall.

"Ahh!" she screamed as she fell.

"Watch it." She heard Nights' voice come out her mouth and felt herself flip over so she was falling feet first and then she stopped, inches from the ground. The joy she felt earlier flooded back through her, she sighed in relief.

"Pleas don't do that again." Nights said breathing heavily.

"What happened?" Helen asked.

"You panicked," Nights explained, "and it took me awhile to take control and stop us from falling."

"Take control?"

"Yes when I duelize with people either They have control or I do, but you have to give up control if I want to take it and visa versa, And if something happens while your in control and you cant give me control I have to take it by force which takes awhile and hurts me so try not to get into that type of situation O.K."

"o.k."

"Now, I'm going to give you control ready on three, 1…2…3." Helen felt Nights let go and she wobbled in the air for a moment then flew forward slowly then sped up, soon, she was flying in graceful circles around the plaza.

"You learn quickly don't you," Nights said pleasantly, "what's your name, anyway; I can't keep calling you visitor."

"My names Helen." Helen said flying though the forest surrounding the plaza, she picked up speed as she swerved around the trees she couldn't help it she was just so happy. She spun out of the forest laughing excitedly; she never knew she could be so happy.

"What hold on a moment, there's something I forgot to tell you," Helen stopped and Nights took over, "You see that black ocean down there, you'd be best of if you don't go anywhere near it."

"What is it?" Helen asked anxiously.

"I don't know exactly what it is myself, but, they say it can take away a visitor's soul and they wouldn't be able to come back here."

"That's awful."

"Yes it is," Helen felt Nights falter a bit in the air, "But, it's just a story, come on, lets get back to the dream gate."

When they got back to the dream gate Helen saw the same light she had when she had duelized with Nights envelope her ounce again and when it faded away she saw Nights floating next to her.

"How curious, Owl said, "The door to Nightopia has appeared."

Helen and Nights looked around and saw a door standing alone on the edge of the cobblestone plaza.

"What's Nightopia?" Helen asked.

"Nightopia, Owl explained, I the paradise that Nights and I call home, It is kept alive by the Ideya of a visitor."

"Paradise?" Helen asked, it sounded wonderful, but was an Ideya?

"Oh enough with the explanation," Nights said excitedly, "let's just go check it out!"

Nights herd a familiar sound and looked to the source with horror; he was thrown up against the door to Nightopia and held there by his neck.

"Hello Nights," his attacker sneered, "long time no see." He laughed cruelly digging his makeshift golden claws into Nights' flesh.

"Reala." Nights gasped trying to break Reala's choke hold.

"Hey, leave Nights alone!" Helen ran to help Nights but Owl got in her way.

"You'd better not visitor."

"Yes listen to the old bird; we wouldn't want to wreck that pretty face of yours."

"Leave her out of this Reala!" Nights struggled.

"Oh yes," Reala choked Nights till he stopped struggling, "I almost forgot about you, The master is very cross with you Nights he has asked me to bring you to him, Say good bye to you're little visitor friend." Reala lifted his free hand to the sky and, with a pulse of air and a piercing sound like Reala had ripped a hole into life itself, they were gone.

Helen fell to her knees and put a hand to her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

"Oh that was terribly frightening," Owl said soothingly, "That was a Nightmaren one of the worst in fact, Reala."

"What is he going to do with Nights?" Helen whimpered.

"I don't know," Owl sighed then said excitedly, "what is that crimson light?"

Helen looked down at her hands red lights swirled and danced around her hands.

"Could that be the red Ideya?" Owl sounded delighted, "then Reala didn't take all your Ideya away!"

"What is Ideya?" Helen asked exasperated all she wanted to know was what was going to happen to Nights.

"Ideya resides in the hearts of visitors and keeps Nightopia and all its inhabitants alive, but the Nightmarens take the Ideya away from visitors to destroy Nightopia, and that crimson light is the Ideya of courage it just might be enough to save Nights."

"Really!" Helen sighed with relief she could save Nights.

"I'll meet you on the other said of the door." Then Owl disappeared with a pulse of air.