Notes:

When I started this project I didn't expect to know anything about the four Alphas. I knew their names: Lazarus, Matthew, Cindy and Grace. I have also read about and seen the movies about the Alphas. Combing through the large archive I have been researching there have been many eye-witness reports from all over the United State. They talked about their deeds and how they helped people survive. But this does not give a clear picture as to who these people were and I didn’t want to become engrossed in the Alphas lives because I was focused on a written history during the Breaking of the Seals and thereafter. Except something happened last night and I am not sure if I can include it in this report.

Let me explain. After teaching my class on pre-history United States I was in my office and I found something on my desk. It was a small black book. When I opened it, the pages were blank. I was about to place the book back on my desk when words appeared. I couldn't read the script at first. It was written in some type of foreign language, but then it started to change into English. It was a handwritten account of an Alien race called the swarm, or the Magic eaters. I thought this was a joke, given to me by a gifted, fanciful, magical student. The book also refers to a group of people called the Atlanteans, who live in a magical city called Atlantis.

The book described the rising tensions between the Elves and the Atlanteans. I didn't have time to read the whole book and I fell asleep.

I had a dream, but I want to call it a vision. I was standing in the middle of a forgotten city. The buildings and pyramids were weathered down to the point of being unrecognizable and I had a fleeting notion that I was in the lost city of Atlantis.

The ground started to shake and a light as bright as the sun appeared on the far horizon. I looked up and I did not see open blue sky but a light green horizon.

I smelt the salty sea air and heard waves. I looked around but didn't see any water. Moving forward to the bright light, I thought this dream was more detailed than any I had before and felt a little trepidation as if I was trapped there and couldn't get home.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I felt the weight of ages past move through me in a span of seconds and I was breathless. I wished I had my notebook, paper and magical holo-recordings to note this and knew I could never find this place unless I had the key. The key the Alphas had.

I had wondered this through all the books and holo-movies written by the Alphas, why did we have all this information? The light became brighter the closer I got to the large pyramid at the end of this road. Then I realized the bright light was coming from the top of the structure.

As in all dreams, time flows in irrational ways. I was standing on the ground level and next I stood on top of the pyramid looking down to where I was standing a few seconds ago. I felt the magical tremors in my feet and in my bones. I don't have much arcane talent, but I can recognize raw power when it is laid out before me.

Suddenly, I felt people standing next to me. And I instantly recognized the four alphas: Matthew, the great, standing large and tall with a ruffle of dark brown hair; Grace, the sad, a short brunette with bright black eyes; Cindy, the beautiful, holding her arms around her waist as if she was cold, with her long blond hair flowing around and Lazarus, the Leader, a medium height man seeming neither young nor old. The sound of the ocean broke the mirage.

These people were not there. They were transparent and disappeared as soon as I saw them. I wanted to stare at them again and ask them questions about this place and what they did here because I knew this was the nexus, the goal where they had to repel the invaders. The bright light spilled from a round floating object. The object as far as I could tell didn't seem solid, but a force of nature.

"Professor Jacobs," the glowing object said.

The voice reverberated around me as if the voice was not in front of me but all around the valley.

"Yes," I said.

My mind reeled from the power before me. I had to place my hands over my ears.

"You have to prepare. They are coming."

"I don't understand. Who is coming?"

"You will need the help of the elves. They are still too far away. They have lost too much."

"I don't understand."

"I will tell you. Listen. You will have to fight the nothingness."

***

I awoke from my slumber and I don't know if all I experienced was real. Yet, I knew the swarm, the nothingness, was real and I have to tell somebody. The black book was in front of me and also a brown leather box.

My hand groped for the box and I opened it. Inside was a white glowing Crystal. This was the key.