Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter One

We are going to have peace even if we have to fight for it.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower

**H**

Six Decades Later…

August 7, 20XX

268 kilometers from Restriction Zone 001UK

"I don't think we're alone anymore, mi amiga. Ellos saben que estamos aquí. "

Eleutheria tiredly looked up from the book she was reading to glare at the cheap plastic walkie-talkie sitting above her on the window still. Gently setting the leather bound book next to her, Eleutheria grabbed the portable radio and placed it close to her scowling mouth. The young nation answered, "¿Tienes miedo de ser atrapado, Enrique?"

A long, frustrated sigh escaped from the walkie-talkie transforming Eleutheria's frown into a grim, little smile as she waited patiently for her friend to reply to her question. Closing her heavy eyelids, Eleutheria imaged Enrique's lanky body crammed into his hidey-hole among the branches of the few remaining trees in the area, watching intently, like a large bird of prey, for the enemy. She almost pitied the poor souls who had the misfortune of discovering the moody Enrique among the treetops.

"Well, it is a concern of mine, chica," the low, serious voice grumbled. "I don't plan on becoming a loyal citizen ofPangea tonight. It would ruin my reputation as a respected rebel."

Rolling her eyes in amused annoyance, Eleutheria snorted loudly, "Estoy de acuerdo. ¿Estás seguro de-"

"Sí," Enrique said as he cut her off. "I would bet my capital that you feel their disgusting presence too."

Eleutheria mumbled foul curses under her breath as she stared out of the cracked window of her isolated shelter. Even with the milky white moon high in the clear night sky, she couldn't make out much of the darken landscape behind the grimy window. However, Eleutheria didn't need her eyes to sense the danger that lurked outside the small abandon house. Even though she couldn't see them, Eleutheria knew that the Pangean army was traveling across the eerily silent countryside, searching vigilantly for the last three members of the GRU.

"Are you alright? How much time do I have?" Eleutheria asked in a controlled voice, pulling her messenger bag onto her lap. With great care Eleutheria picked up the book she had been reading and tuck it securely next to her other belongings in her bag, preparing herself for the last portion of her journey.

"I'm okay, but you need to get out of there. If you don't get to the tower in the next hour, its game over for both you and the GRU," Enrique's rough voice from the walkie-talkie said solemnly.

Eleutheria took a deep breath, calming the fears that now plagued her mind. "Understood. Hasta pronto, mi amigo," Eleutheria answered while she slipped on her bag.

""Hasta pronto. Good luck and don't get yourself killed," Enrique replied.

Turning off the walkie-talkie with a quick, thoughtless turn of the knob, Eleutheria added the portable radio to her messenger bag. She stared at the stained wall in front of her, hugging her bag to her small chest as she allowed her mind to reflect on her mission. Eleutheria grudgingly admitted to herself that she was terrified of being caught by General Balin and his troops. She wasn't frightened of what the bloody coward would do to her once he had her in his control, but of the fate of the rebellion if she should fall.

Eleutheria knew if the Pangean Empire absorbed Enrique, Uzuri, or herself, the other two countries along with the GRU would quickly crumble without much of a fight. They have fought for their independents for decades, yet with each painstaking defeat and the loss of numerous friends, Eleutheria could feel the sickening desire to give in poisoning her faith and determination and she was sure Enrique and Uzuri had the same emotion about the whole affair.

Rising slowly from the hard, cold floor, Eleutheria let out a groan as her stiff muscles protested for being force to move. It had been a rough three weeks of traveling from the safety house in Restriction Zone 001UK to the forgotten town of Location G51 and her small, worn body was starting to revolt against her commands. Her stomach ached, her hands shook slightly, her muscles burned, and her head throbbed nonstop. The feeling of helpless washed over Eleutheria, yet the nation opened the door of the house and step outside, knowing that she still had a mission to complete.

Despite having lived in the deserted town for a couple of days, Eleutheria was still greatly disturbed by the stillness of the town. Before Eleutheria had occupied one of the derelict houses in the town, nobody had entered the town since the collapse of the once powerful island nation over fifty years ago and the town reflected the chaos of that time. Mangled vehicles of all kind were parked all over the litter covered road, most with their doors flung open and surrounded by sharp, glittering pieces of their windows. In varying stages of decay, most of the houses and the buildings were damaged beyond recognition. As she walked down the street in the cover of shadows, Eleutheria kept her attention focused on the outskirt of the city so she wouldn't notice the beloved belongings of the citizens who once lived and thrived in the small town scattered all over the ground. She had learned her lesson of avoiding all reminders of humans her first day here when she came across a dirty, torn- up doll lying on the sidewalk. She had stare at the doll for an unknown amount of time, paralyzed with sorrow as she wondered about her own citizens.

When Eleutheria walked silently pass the thick stone barricade that encased the town, she found herself in the comforting shadow of an ancient giant. Before her, on the highest hill, stood a single stone tower from a time long since past. Eleutheria didn't know much about architecture, but she could tell the undecorated tower once was apart of a medieval church. Although she had seen far larger and more striking buildings in her travels, Eleutheria was somehow awestruck by the structure. Somehow the tower made her feel safe.

Checking the surrounding area for Pangean soldiers, Eleutheria made her way up the hill. The climb up the steep hill was agonizing for Eleutheria as her body screamed for her to rest, but she ignored it. She didn't have the time to think about the extent of her injuries or to conserve the little energy that she left in her weaken body. If she were to reach the top of the tower to complete her mission before the enemy found her, she would have to sacrifice her health.

Due to her exhausted body, it took Eleutheria about twenty minutes to make it to the top of the hill. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, Eleutheria reached into her bag and pulled out the leather book she had been reading earlier. Despite the warm night air, the brown, dull book's worn cover felt extremely cold against her hands, sending goose bumps up her arms. Eleutheria frowned at the book, staring at it with a look of disgust. She had spent about five years searching for the book she held in her hands and she still wondered if it was worth the lives of countless friends to obtain it. The simple-looking book housed terrible things between its feeble cover, horrific secrets and dark knowledge that should never be shown the light of day. Yet, desperation had forced Eleutheria and her allies to resort to using the ancient tome to gain some kind of advantage against their enemy.

Eleutheria cautiously opened the book and slowly turned to the page she knew by heart. The page was covered with weird symbols and words that had no meaning in the modern world, but that didn't discourage her as she ran her finger down the page, her lips mouthing the strange words as she searched for the passage that she needed. Her finger halted at the bottom of the yellow parchment, tapping at the incantation she was interested in. Eleutheria nervously swallowed as she stared at the sentence in front of her as the sudden urge to close the book and return back to her shelter in the town below enter her aching head. She was tempted by the thought of burning the book and returning to her shelter in the town below to radio to Enrique to inform him that the mission had to be aborted. Against her better judgment, Eleutheria closed her eyes and took a deep breath of air, preparing herself to begin the spell.

"Ad nos, rex quondam, rexque futurus, ad persequetur nostra dolor," Eleutheria read out loud. "Ad nos, rex quondam, rexque futurus, ut mundent terram tenebrarum et mortis. Ad nos, rex quondam, rexque futurus, liberare populum tuum a servitute. Arthur, rex quondam, reque futurus, videte vocationem populi tui!"

Just as Eleutheria finished the spell, she realized too late that she was no longer alone. A mind-numbing pain erupted in her chest, knocking the surprised nation off her feet. Bright, glistening blood sprayed from Eleutheria's tattered chest, staining the area around her as she slam into the unforgiving ground. As she laid flat on her back, choking on her own blood, Eleutheria could feel the alluring call of sleep seep into her damaged body. Eleutheria allowed tears to fall down her face as she stared at the dark structure that stood proudly above her. Illumined in the brilliant light of the moon, the single stone tower loomed protectively over the tiny nation and the fallen town, daring the evil that patiently lurked in the dark to attack its fallen comrade in its presence. Despite the comforting emotion that the ancient tower stirred inside her trouble soul, Luisa couldn't fight off the tiredness that threatens to plunge her into a final sleep. As she slowly closed her stormy blue eyes, Luisa wondered if her big brother ever felt as peaceful as she felt in the presence of the fable city of Avalon.

A/N: If you are curious and too lazy to look up the translation of the Spanish and Latin I used in the chapter, let me know and I'll post it. I'm not very fluent in spanish and I have never study Latin ever so no promises if my translations that I used in the story is correct.

Preview for Chapter Two: " Did you say Avalon?" America said with a huge grin on his face. "You're pulling my leg, England. Avalon doesn't exist and even if it did, this place couldn't be it. It's not an island."

England narrowed his eyes into a fierce glare, crossing his arms against his chest. " This is coming from the bloody idiot who's best friend is an alien. Maybe if you stop watching your deplorable television and picked up a book, you might have learned that this area was once surrounded by water."