"Hello, is anybody here?" called out Tracy Kendell.
She lay in the woods, all alone, with no idea how she got there. "Hello, is anybody here, here, here?" Her voice echoed, startling the birds into flight, their cries piercing the stillness. "What am I doing here? How did I get here?" she asked herself, frustration creeping in. After a few minutes of scanning her surroundings, she got up and began to roam through the dark, eerie forest.
"Hello, is anybody here? Can anyone hear me?" she repeated, her voice growing more desperate. As she wandered, she spotted an old cottage, its weathered exterior a dull brown-yellow. She knocked on the door several times, but when no one answered, she hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.
"Hello, is anybody here? Hello, hello?" she called, venturing deeper into the cottage. The space was bare except for an old armchair and a fireplace. The armchair faced the flickering flames, and Tracy thought that must be where the light came from, though surprisingly, the cottage was dim.
Suddenly, the armchair creaked, turning to reveal an old hag draped in a black cloak, her bug-like eyes glinting in the low light. Wrinkles marred her face, and as soon as Tracy laid eyes on her, she let out a blood-curdling scream.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Tracy screamed, her voice raw. The hag wore an evil smirk, her mouth revealing brown and decaying teeth.
"Welcome... chosen one," the old hag said, her grin widening.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Tracy continued to scream as she dashed for the door.
"Get her!" the hag screamed, pointing her bony finger at Tracy. Suddenly, three massive Hades appeared out of nowhere and raced after her. Tracy ran as fast as she could, but it wasn't long before the Hades caught up. She stumbled and turned to see a giant hand reaching for her.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" she screamed as she jolted awake, her heart racing. It was just a nightmare, she thought, another creepy one. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead as she gasped for air. Lately, these dreams had become more frequent, and she wondered what they could mean. Could they be a sign or a warning?
She looked out the window and saw the moon beaming in its full glory over the Earth. Sitting up, she rested her back against the headboard when a sharp pain shot through her shoulder. She had been experiencing these nightmares often, and they felt all too real. Each time she woke up with injuries mirroring those she sustained in the dreams. Clutching her shoulder, she walked to the mirror and removed her sleeve. To her dismay, a large scratch extended from her shoulder to her lower back.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.
"Tracy!" Mrs. Hayley called from downstairs. "Breakfast is ready!" She had prepared spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs. Tracy slipped on a black hoodie to cover her injured shoulder and to keep her clothes from sticking to the wound.
"Coming!" she replied. After last night's nightmare, combined with the excruciating pain in her shoulder, she struggled to keep her spirits up.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Mrs. Hayley asked, noticing her daughter's pale complexion.
"Nothing," Tracy lied, not wanting to burden her mother with her fears. Even if she did tell her, would Mrs. Hayley believe her?
"Honey, are you sure? You look pale," her mom pressed with concern.
"It's nothing. I'm okay," Tracy insisted.
"Alright, let's eat," Mrs. Hayley said, giving Tracy a gentle pat on her shoulder.
"Ouch!" Tracy groaned in pain. "It hurts."
"Honey, are you okay?" Mrs. Hayley asked, surprised. "What's wrong with your shoulder?"
Tracy didn't respond, merely clutching her shoulder and grimacing.
"Tracy, honey, take off your shirt," her mom commanded gently.
"Tracy, I said take off the f****** shirt!" Mrs. Hayley said, her voice rising with urgency.
When Tracy finally complied, her mother gasped at the sight of the large scratch running from Tracy's right shoulder to her back. "What the f***? Tracy, what happened to you?" Mrs. Hayley exclaimed, her eyes wide in shock.
"Mom, I think there's something you need to know," Tracy whispered.
Mrs. Hayley sat down next to her daughter, ready to listen.
"Lately, I've been having these creepy dreams. In them, I see different mythical creatures like dragons, werewolves, and vampires—things I've never seen or heard of in my entire life. And more importantly, they keep chasing me, like I have something they want. Every time I get injured in the dream, I wake up with the same scars in the same spots." Tracy explained.
"Tracy, I think there's something you need to know," Mrs. Hayley said, standing up. "Come with me."
Reluctantly, Tracy followed her mother into her room.
Mrs. Hayley opened the closet, revealing a box buried beneath a pile of clothes. "Here, here..." she said, handing the box to Tracy.
"What's this, Mom?" a confused Tracy asked.
"Open it," her mother urged.
Tracy opened the box to find her dad's old journal, but it was covered in dust. "Mom, isn't this Dad's journal?" Tracy asked as she wiped the surface clean. There was a symbol on the cover: two triangles, one facing up and the other facing down, crossing over the former, with a keyhole in the middle.
"Mom, where's the key?" Tracy inquired. Mrs. Hayley closed her eyes, fighting back tears.
"Tracy... you are the key," Mrs. Hayley replied.
"Mom, what do you mean I... am the key?" Tracy's voice shook.
"Let me tell you a story—one you might be familiar with, but it will surprise you to know it's only half the truth you're aware of," Mrs. Hayley added, her tone serious.
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, everything in it—men, women, plants, and animals. He also created angels. But something happened: some of these angels began to lust after the women of Earth and even had sex with them, getting them pregnant. When God discovered this, He was furious and cast them out of heaven. Tracy, do you know what happened to the children the angels had on Earth?" Mrs. Hayley asked.
"They became giants and caused havoc on Earth," Tracy replied, unsure of where her mom was going with this story.
"Now, that's only half the truth. The angels had different abilities and appearances, so their children inherited various powers and forms," Mrs. Hayley explained. Tracy was surprised but found it believable; she had seen these creatures in her dreams.
"But Mom, how do you know all this?" Tracy asked, confused by her mother's impressive knowledge.
"Because... your father," she hesitated before adding, "was one of them."
"What?!" Tracy shouted in shock.
"Calm down, honey," Mrs. Hayley urged. "Take a deep breath... One... two..." She counted as they both inhaled deeply. "Three... Good. Now listen carefully. They are coming for us... for you. We need to leave immediately." Mrs. Hayley rushed to pack their bags.
"Mom, who are they?" Tracy asked, still confused.
"Too late... they are already here," Mrs. Hayley gasped, grabbing the journal. "Run! Run! Run!" she yelled, pulling her daughter toward the door.
Two gigantic Hades—just like the monstrous creatures from her dreams—now chased them. The only difference was that these ones were even bigger and angrier.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Tracy exclaimed in disbelief. The Hades resembled werewolves, but with human faces and hunched backs, far more terrifying than anything she had seen in movies.
As Mrs. Hayley reached the living room, she pulled the family album from the wall, revealing a hole behind it. She reached into the space and quickly retrieved two hand grenades.
"What the f***? Those have been there all along?" Tracy exclaimed in shock, realizing how close they were to being caught.
Mrs. Hayley lit one and hurled it at the approaching Hades. "Run!" she yelled as they bolted out of the house. An explosion rocked the ground, knocking them both to the floor as the house caught fire.
"Tracy, Tracy, are you okay?" Mrs. Hayley crawled to her daughter, who lay unconscious. "Tracy... Tracy... get up!" she pleaded, finally waking Tracy from her stupor.
"Honey, we've got to go. They are coming for us," Mrs. Hayley said urgently as they rushed to the car. She sped off, heart pounding.
"Mom, what's going on?" Tracy asked, her confusion deepening.
"Your father was one of the descendants of the angels. After God cast the angels away from heaven, they formed an army with his archrival—the devil—to take over mankind. The angels continued with the plans of their ancestors," Mrs. Hayley explained as she drove.
" Your father, Kendell, was one of the strongest among them. As a necromancer, he possessed the extraordinary ability of mediumship—the supernatural skill to perceive and communicate with spirits. The descendants sought him out, hoping to join forces and resurrect their dead ancestors. But he refused. Kendell desired peace between humans and their kind, not war. When he turned them down...
Tears began to stream down Mrs. Hayley's cheeks. "...They killed him," Tracy whispered, her voice thick with sorrow. A storm of sadness and anger surged within her, igniting her blood. "But before they did, he cast a protection spell to shield you from his killers, knowing they would hunt you down as you are the key."
Tracy gasped in shock and disbelief. "But time has passed so much that the spell is breaking! We need to get you to a safe place—"
Suddenly, a chilling scream erupted from Tracy as a ghastly head appeared on the car windshield, its ghastly visage looming ominously. It reached into the vehicle, grabbing Mrs. Hayley. "Mom!" Tracy screamed, a mix of fear and terror clawing at her throat. She slammed the brakes and dashed out after the head.
"Tracy, run! Save yourself!" Mrs. Hayley cried out desperately.
In that instant, a cascade of colors erupted—a green, then red, followed by blue and white ball of light that lit up the darkened sky. A fierce wind whipped through the air, and the lights coalesced into a shimmering portal. From its depths emerged five children, all dressed in a distinct uniform. Three girls and two boys stepped forward. The girls wore white blouses with blue and black striped blazers, paired with black pleated skirts, black shoes, and white knee-high socks. The boys donned similar attire, with black trousers and shoes, all bearing the emblem of Wilmer Academy.
"Jason, now!" shouted a dark-skinned girl with bantu knots. With a swift motion, Jason raised his hand, and the car door was ripped away, sending it flying straight into one of the monstrous heads, which toppled to the ground.
The remaining heads lunged to attack Jason. "Rebecca!" the dark-skinned girl called again. Without a hint of fear, a slender blonde girl sauntered confidently toward the heads, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Plug in your ears, guys."
Everyone obeyed. One of the boys approached Tracy, handing her an earplug with a reassuring smile. "You'll need this." She quickly inserted it into her ear.
"My dear Hades, listen to my voice," Rebecca began, her tone soothing. Then she broke into song. "You don't want to hurt anyone or cause any more damage than you already have. So why not end it all by turning on each other?" As the haunting melody lingered in the air, the Hades plunged their hands into each other's hearts, blood splattering everywhere.
"Yuck," Rebecca grimaced at the gruesome sight. "Very fancy," the dark-skinned girl remarked. "Thanks, Daisy," Rebecca replied with a smirk.
Tracy ran to her mother, who lay bleeding profusely. "Mom!" she cried out, desperation clawing at her heart. "Tracy… I… love… you," Mrs. Hayley gasped, her voice barely audible. "Take this… it belongs to your… father," she added, managing to give Tracy a small necklace with a golden locket. "Always remember that you are my little sunshine." With those final words, Mrs. Hayley took her last breath.
"No, no, no! Mom!" Tracy knelt, tears streaming down her face. "Get up, Mom! Wake up!" She continued to sob, the others watching with sorrow etched on their faces.
"Daisy, we have to go. They're coming!" the last girl warned urgently. "Get her stuff!" Daisy commanded, and Jason quickly gathered Tracy's belongings with a wave of his hand.
"Girl, come on! We need to go. Crying time is over!" Rebecca insisted, but Tracy remained anchored to her mother, clutching her tightly, hoping she would wake. "Girl, don't make me hypnotize you!" Rebecca snapped, frustration evident in her voice.
A boy intervened, holding Rebecca back. "Calm down! Tracy, we have to leave. I know you just lost your mom, but you're in danger too if we stay here any longer. Please," he urged, extending his hand toward her.
Slowly, Tracy took his hand, her heart heavy with grief. Daisy opened a portal, and in a blink, they found themselves in a beautiful, lush school, surrounded by students clad in the same uniform as the five who had rescued Tracy.
"Wow… What is this place?" Tracy asked, wide-eyed and awestruck.
"Welcome to Wilmer Academy," a deep voice replied as a man stepped forward.
"Good day, Principal Wilmer," the five students greeted, bowing their heads slightly in respect.