It was a quiet day when everything went to hell. You hear it in stories and see it in movies but it's something completely different when it's actually happening. A lot of people describe it as the calm before the storm, and trust me, it was one hell of a storm. Everyone was having a nice day, the weather around the world was perfect, ideal even, but I guess that was our subconscious telling us something's wrong but we didn't want to admit it. My friend has a theory, he thinks that "Before Chaos, the world mimics the perfect world for one day and it wants us to savor it. Because after that day, everything and everyone will be gone. As humans we would usually question such an event but our brain makes us enjoy it because no matter how much we fight in the apocalypse, that day was our last good day."
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's go back to before all the bad stuff happened.
It all started on my sixteenth birthday, which was also the first day of school.
"Happy Birthday Mathew," my mother said bursting into my room with my stepdad in tow. "Today is the day that your entire world changes!"
"You said that when you married Markus," I groaned getting up. "And look at where we are now, in a new house in the same old city that we've lived in for seventeen years. Oh yeah and dad turned into Markus with magical fairy dust."
"Mathew," my mom sighed. "We talked about this when you were nine. I married Markus because your dad was an ass and he has a great ass."
"Mom," I laughed. "Let me sleep!"
"Son," she started. "If I have to go to work you have to suffer with me so go to school, learn things and become a better member of society than me."
"Fine," I groaned.
"But text me," she said before leaving with Markus. "We'll suffer together!"
That's my mom. Weird, sarcastic, childish, and full of puns. When I was little, my mom was married to my birth dad who was in the mafia. When someone ratted him out, he was arrested for murder and drug trafficking. When he was placed in jail my mom made him sign the divorce papers. Then a year ago, Markus started coming over a lot, I know he seduced her with puns and Apple Juice. Then they got married. I'm fine with Markus he doesn't overstep with me and I acknowledge his existence. Sometimes.
I got out of my bed and got dressed in a hoodie and jeans. I slipped on my shoes and my backpack before heading to the kitchen. I walked in and found my mom at the table and my stepdad behind the counter in an apron. "What's for breakfast," I asked.
"Cupcakes," my mom sang before Markus could say anything.
"No dear," he said in his deep voice. "I have made pancakes and waffles for our breakfast."
"Sorry Markus," I said grabbing my lunch. "But school's soon so I'm going to go a head and go. See you guys later."
"Wait," my mom said drinking her coffee. "I need to give you something. A birthday present if you would." She took her necklace, that she always wore, off for the first time. It was a simple chain with an odd key attached to it. The key was old and had a dragon's head at the top. "This is our family heirloom, given to the oldest child of our family on their sixteenth birthday. Seeing as that is today I am giving it to you now. Keep it with you. Always." That rare serious tone in my mom's voice put me on edge. That key was always important to her but I didn't think it was that important. Reluctantly I took it from her and headed out the door. I put the key around my neck and went off to school.
School was the same as ever, I just kinda floated around and did my work. It wasn't until lunch came around that anything interesting happened.
I was sitting at my table when I heard a tray being slammed onto it. I looked up and saw this tall boy with short brown hair with his bangs tossed up. He wore a black shirt with a hand print on it and the words "We Know," he had fingerless black gloves on his hands, and wore glasses. I looked at his attire then his smiling face over and over again. He looked like a completely different person than the cloths he was wearing suggested him to be. "Salutations," he said finally.
"Uh," I started. "Hi. Why are you here?"
"Well," he began while sucking in a lot of air, I immediately regretted my decision. "First off let me introduce myself, I am Jace Franz. I am in your History, English, Math and Science classes and I've realized that you aren't very social in those classes. I just assumed that none of your friends were in your class but seeing as you usually end up scowling at people when they approach your table, yeah like you're doing right now, anyway, I figured you didn't have any friends so I decided that we'd join you for lunch today!"
"Woah wait," I said trying to calm him down. "We?"
"Yeah," he said plainly. "We: noun meaning two or more people. Usually used in place of you and I or him and I or, as in this case, her and I." He laughed as he sat down and revealed Kyra Santiago standing behind him. This girl was notorious for hating basically everyone in the school except for one person that was apparently this Jace boy. She sat down next to him and he immediately gasped. Great another speech.
"What is that," he asked pointing at my mom's key.
"Uh my mom gave it to me today," I answered.
"Oh my Goddess," he sighed. "That's one of the twenty God Keys! Specifically the Key to Apocripha, the Dragon God of Apocalypse's realm! Awesome it must've been a family heirloom right? I'm right. I can see it in your eyes! Before you ask I can answer easily, mine was too! As was Kyra's!" He pulled a key out of his shirt, attached to a chain like mine but his had a book at the head. Kyra tapped her earring which was a key with the shape of an owl head at the head. "You see," he continued. "A long time ago there were three Titans!"
