Someone once told me that reality was a state of mind. We create our own realities, our own dreams, our worst nightmares. It's true, we live in a world where we are our worst enemy. Our reality is what we feel, what we think, what we wish, what we fear and everything that comes with living. All of us are neither sane for we go insane trying to find what we believe is sanity. That is why this tale needs to be told. It is because of one man's "reality" that a group of young men, a young woman and two children were given a destiny or another reality so to speak. In a way, this answers why people create stories to tell because there is no other explanation for their reality. Or they sing songs, create songs, illustrate visions, danced a tale, expressed a tale to others by pretending upon a stage. Because of a "reality" we are given multiple "realities". Confused yet? You may as well stop reading. After all, an old woman's ramblings on a topic that is as contreversial and vast as reality could leave you twisted beyond human comprehension.
Oh dear, I'm loosing track once more. Hrm, where was I? Ah yes.

This tale that you are about to see for I'm sure you'll read this rather than hear it, started because of an old man and his eccentricities. This man was a smart one but because his "reality" was different from those around him, he came off crazy and well, many wanted him in an asylum for not being right in the head, but, he did not go for even after his uniqueness, he was gentle and kind. Now, it came to pass that he created a book that would become the very essence of his reality and the gate that would be the key in the destruction or salvation to the world that surrounded his existence. The man grew weak and weary of the world that he had been born into, so, the family he knew and the only family he had, took him in. This family could only wait as his health began to deteriorate but the book he kept with him close to his chest. It would take ten generations after his timely death that the book he had made would be opened at last on a day when the world was in danger and when danger brought villains and heros...

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April 24, 2018

Fear was in the air. It shrowded the world in a cloak of black ominosity and everyone knew it. It was like waiting in the midst of a quiet before the storm erupted. It was a time when war was coming and in the end, none would be alive. A war between two countries where peaceful negotiations would not even be enough to squelch the raging fire. The United States of America and the small country of Iraq were at war once more and the world was plunged into choosing which side to take. This time both sides thirsted for blood, more so than the "attack" on September 11, 2001 when the twin towers of the World Trade Center had fallen to the ground. Hope had faded and everyone knew that a time would come when the world would truly become destroyed and where all that was once good would be lost. None would survive this war for truly it was the war to end all wars. As soon as the war would start, chaos would break and as soon chaos broke, peace would become a memory that existed when the world once was good.

For the students, families and staff of St. Albert High School, the day of the war started on a day that was supposed to be perfect. A picnic was held by the students showcasing the many talents that the school had held. There were art students, musicians, actors, actresses, cheerleaders, sports teams and well, everything a High School showcased on occassions like these occurred. As the day came to a close, the war began. It shook the world as missiles hit each other and the shock occurred almost instantaneously. An eruption of debris flung everywhere and it was as an earthquake had been. People raced trying to find haven where there was none left. Peace was destroyed and it had occurred on the most innocent of days.

Nadia Martin looked around her in surprise and fear. Looking around for her family in the chaos she could feel the fear that consumed those around her. Her worry was enough to drive her to madness as she tried to keep her balance as she tried weaving her way through the crowd trying to find her mother, younger sister, her aunt, her uncle, her cousins and her friends. She had gone for one second and now her family was lost in the sea of frantic people and the hurtling debris that kept flying in the air. "Mom! Kit!" she yelled over the noise. Her voice going rough when she realized that she no one would have heard her. Running opposite of the sea of people, she was almost trampled upon because of the stampede. Children were screaming and crying. Adults were trying to get to safety either for themselves or for the children. Her heart beat faster when she saw two familiar figures standing clumped together. Running towards them, she was surprised when strong arms wrapped around her waist dragging her away and all Nadia could do was struggle helplessly in the arms of her captor. "Let me go!" she screamed hoarsely and watching hopelessly as the two figures were caught up by two others. "Kit!"

She struggled some more but her captor didn't let her go. With little effort Nadia was turned around and pulled towards a hard chest and a green shirt that smelled of cologne, a musky scent and the clothes softner people use when drying their laundry. She looked up with wide eyes. It was Dallas Morgan, her crush and he held her around the waist quite possessively as he looked around for a place to escape. Nadia couldn't see a thing except the cream color of his skin and his strong face.
Shaking her head reprimanding herself for thinking such thoughts, Nadia turned her head away from him and tried to find any others that seemed familiar. She didn't see anything with much detail for Dallas soon let go of her waist and took her hand into his. With a familiarity and oddly a comfort, he lead her away from the chaos and seemed to be following someone. Nadia then remembered that the Government had been preparing her country for the day that any possible war threat would happen. Local parks had been built to accomadate such occurrances. Bomb shelters had been placed strategically around the recreational lands that could hold large gatherings. Dallas and Nadia soon raced as fast as they could even though Nadia felt as if she was slowing her "captor" down. The pair went into the surrounding trees that encircled the park and made it near a path of bushes.

Dallas cursed under his breath and turned to look at the surrounding area. He had had stopped in the place where "porta-potties" had been set up. Turning away from Nadia, Dallas took in large breaths even as Nadia stood next to him catch her own. She tried to let go of his hand but found that she couldn't. She was glad that he wasn't looking her way because she probably looked as if she was blushing. Nadia pushed her wire-framed glasses up her nose. The optical abomination as she called it had been slid slightly down her face when they were running, blocking her view. It was then he turned back to her and Nadia felt as if her throat had turned into into ash.

"Okay I know you from gym, right?" he said in a soft timbre. Nadia nodded in response. He looked at her and smiled. "I know it sounds corny but trust me." Nadia nodded again and felt like sinking when she met his eyes. An azure blue set in peach-colored skin. His lashes looked soft and long. Is it natural for guys to have eyes like that? thought Nadia. Nadia snapp out of it! The ground had stopped shaking and all was quiet or at least seemed quiet. Then something happened that made their blood run cold. A high piercing sound was heard in the air and a hum of sound was heard overhead. The two teens were trapped. The Azion[1] army was flying overhead and with the technology they had, the two humans didn't stand a chance. Another sound was heard. Nadia turned away from Dallas and looked for the sound. She looked down the path that both of them had hastily took and saw with some relief and shock that it was Nick Baron, David Scaringer, Adam Kadan, a couple of guys that Nadia saw Dallas hang around with, her sister and her cousin. Her sister was clinging aound one of Dallas' friends' neck while Nadia's cousin carried Nadia's backpack.

"Nadia!" Kit said loudly with a smile on her face but Nadia saw the fear in her eyes. With a grin on her face, Nadia moved to her younger sister and the guy that held her. She didn't get far until another buzzing filled the air.
"We need to leave now." Nadia said and cringed slightly when she heard the rawness of her voice. She looked at the guy that carried her sister and smiled. "Thank you for carrying my sister but could you please hold her?" The guy nodded and Nadia looked at Kit with a reassuring glance. With that in mind, determination and adrenaline filled Nadia.
"We're not safe here. The Azions will be here soon and we could get killed. There's not a minute to loose. We've got to find a haven without them following or finding us." Adam looked at the group.
"Where would we go? There's nowhere to hide!" David said with exasperation.
"Yes there is. I saw something back behind the stalls." the voice that Nadia had familiarized herself with said. Turning around she looked at Dallas and he smiled softly. The young girl saw him smile and felt as if she could defeat a thousand Azion fighters if she had the strength.
"Follow me." Dallas said and with renewed strength the tiny group followed him. They walked deeper into the trees and Nadia wondered how Dallas could know where they would find safety. She slowed her pace when Dallas stopped and then she saw it. A door potruded from out of the ground behind under some bushes and then some. It was hard to see at first because of all the leaves and roots that covered it.
"Dude, what the hell?" Joe said. "It's a dead end!"
"Watch your mouth. We've got two kids with us and maybe Nadia." David muttered. Nadia rolled her eyes and turned her head slightly to glare at both guys.
"There's a door morons." she said to both of them. "Oh and you two," here she looked at Kit and Alex. "don't repeat what you hear." With that said she marched past Dallas and bent down on her knees near the door and found that it slanted upwards. Clearing the front of the door away from the leaves and bushes, she saw that it was slightly rusty and had a lock on it. Cursing under her breath she pulled the lock with her hands. Someone crouched next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look and it was once again Dallas.
"Don't. You'll hurt yourself that way." he said soothingly. Nadia nodded and got up and away from him. Dallas stood up and turned to the rest of the group. Joel had handed Kit over to Nick whom looked as if he had been handed a cobra. The other guys of the group had come up and Nadia understood instantly that she should move away. Walking up to Nick, she gave him a soft smile and he nodded. Nick quickly but gently placed Kit in her arms and moved to the others. Kit whimpered as Nadia tried to gently lower both of them down to the ground.
"Ow." Kit said loudly. Nadia placed a hand to her lips immediately and saw with fright that her younger sister had twisted her ankle. The guys stood by the door and where trying to break it open. Ignoring them, she turned to her cousin.
"Al, pass me my bag." she said. Alex did and looked to her with curiousity. Nadia quickly unzipped the bag and rummaged. Kit was uncomfortably heavy in her lap and kept squriming in her lap with multiple ows in between. Finding what she was looking for, she took out the first aid kit before a faint buzzing was heard.

The Azions were looking for them! Everyone went deadly silent before the guys renewed their attempts at cracking the door open. Adam and David came over to Nadia and helped her wrap a makeshift bandage around Kit's foot to make time go faster. As soon as it was wrapped, Adam picked her up from Nadia's lap and the guys had kicked the door through. The buzzing was louder now and the teens knew they would have little chance. Alex raced towards the other guys and went down through the door follwing Adam as he did so. No sooner did Adam go down through the door that the others came filing in one by one. Nadia was third to last to go through and was pushed suddenly by someone from behind her because the buzzing had grown to the sound of helicopters. She landed on her hands and knees and Dallas and Joe jumped in after her looking frightened. The guys that had busted the door quickly slammed it shut, just as the first of the Azion warriors appeared on the scene. Nadia sat up and saw that they had found a small unfinished Haven that was fortunately big enough for everyone. There was a round hole in the wall in the small dusty room that was big enough for a human person to go through. The others were already clambering through and Nadia followed. It was a miracle that Joe and Dallas figured out how block the entrance of the first door but Nadia put it out of her mind as she crawled through the small space. Someone came after her and she prayed that they could get away just in time. She was following Nick and in the long dark silence that passed in that dark, dusty tunnel, she wondered if they would truly make it out alive. For what seemed like a century though it was only ten minutes, the group managed to find their way into a smaller cavern that was truly unfinished for the walls was still a dark dirty color. Nadia crawled just enough that she got into the cavern and saw that Dallas' other friend had gotten out a flashlight. The cavern was slightly lit and Nadia crawled to where her sister and cousin sat next to Adam. She brought her backpack in front of her and sat there in front of them.

Dallas and Joe came in last and everyone had to catch their breath. Sounds of humming came from outside. Nadia felt terror sink into her heart but took one look at Kit. She knew she had to be strong and find what little hope she could find in her body. There was some silence as everyone tried to catch their breaths.
"How long?" asked Dallas' friend. Nadia looked sharply at him but he didn't notice. Dallas and Joe didn't reply and once again Nadia could feel her heart sink.
"Five minutes." Joe answered and Nadia knew that she would die surrounded by guys and she hadn't had a boyfriend yet!
What a way to go.she thought but shook herself mentally to remember the presence. Kit was crying and Nadia's heart broke.
"Nadia," Alex said softly and everyone looked at the little boy instantly. He looked shyly at the other guys and shut his mouth. Nadia smiled at him sadly.
"What's up?" she answered and her voice was almost comforting. As if the day had never been ruined. Alex swallowed some of his nervousness and continued.
"Do you think my mom and dad are okay?" He asked so simply and so innocently that Nadia almost cried. She smiled tiredly and looked straight at both Alex and Kit. Both kids were still little and believed in fairy tales and boogie men. Alex was only five and Kit was seven. Different in ages but closer than cousins.
"You betcha." she said with sincerity. "Our parents are definitely okay and safe." In her mind Nadia was thinking, Nadia, you wimp! Tell them the truth. They can handle it. Nadia looked at the two. No. They won't. Kit and I already lost a dad, we wouldn't be able to stand losing our mom.
The quietness in the room was defeaning except for the fact that the buzzing was getting louder. Adam put an arm around Kit who cried into his chest and Nadia couldn't help but feel gratitude for her classmate. Strong arms wrapped around her as well and she leaned into the comfort of those arms. Dallas held her almost gingerly and it was as if they were waiting for the inevitable. That they had given up. Nadia stiffened. No. Way. With an almost primitive determination she looked up at the ceiling and around their small space. They were sitting ducks and if they were going to escape where could they go? Like a beacon to her question, a soft glow emanated from the metal box. Everyone looked at it and Nadia crawled away from Dallas to the box. The lid that Dallas' friend had pushed aside was gone.
"What are you doing?" hissed that same friend. Nadia shrugged.
"I don't know but if it helps us in anyway, I'll take it." she replied. She reached into the box and pulled out whatever was glowing and the light stopped. A book?!
"Wasted." the friend said. "Fuck." Nadia glared at him and took a look at the book even as the humming grew louder.
"Well if we're going to die any minute from now, let me just say." The friend continued getting little gasps from out of both Kit and Alex.
"Shut up Lawrence." Nick said. "You're scaring the little kids."
Lawrence shrugged. "Whatever man. In a few seconds we're all going to die and like I said, let me just say, I'm dying a virgin."
The others groaned and Nadia blushed. Her sister and cousin looked like extremely confused and looked at Nadia. The mentioned girl had ignored everyone and turned the page of the book. The first words that she saw in the faint light of the flashlight were...

Where hearts are true and danger comes, let the magic of your mind do the bidding. Resist those that have come to do harm, Now listen to your heart's song.

Nadia hardly realized that she had spoken those words out loud when a rumbling came from underneath them. In a second the group were falling into a hole that had not been there before and screaming as they fell.

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Hi, I'm Little Owl and this is my second attempt at a fic. My first fic, no one reviewed so I took it off and decided to use some lines from it and incorporate it with this one. I think this is one of my best so far and I can't wait to write more of it. Um there's a couple of things you need to know with this fic that will be revealed to you as the story progresses so please, when you review, don't ask what some things are because it will be revealed to you. Patience is a virtue! =D
On a brighter note:

A vocab word you better get used to seeing: avion. An avion is an enemy/ally of earth and their purpose will be revealed throughout the story.

Later days! Oh and Review! -L.O.