Chapter 1: The Visitor

       It was the middle of the night, about 10:37, when my life was about to change, forever. My name is Jason, I am 14, in high school and live on the island of Marian, it's more like a distant planet than an island, while it's part of America, it's very far away. Anyway, exposition aside, I was working on my book project, the book in question was Magnus Chase:The Sword of Summer, when I heard a distant sound in the forest. I looked out my window, searched the trees, and saw in the shadows, a figure wielding a shimmering object, that I barely was able to make out in the moonlight. I froze. Staring out the window, I held my breath. My heart beat faster, faster, even faster. I heard the door next to my room open, I received a jolt.

      "Are you alright Jason?" My Mom said as she came out of my brothers' room, catching my breath I said, 

      "Yeah, I thought I saw something, but I'm fine. Really, I am." She went to the window.

      "I don't see anything out there, Jason. It must have been the moon reflecting off of something, like a rock. Maybe you should get to sleep." I was still unsure but I decided to trust her "Okay, I'll just finish this paragraph." Little did I know, that one paragraph would never be finished, at least tonight. I started typing "Magnus was on lost posters put up by Annabeth and her father-" When suddenly I heard a floorboard creak. I turned to look out into the hallway. I was startled by the similar glint of the object, clearly now a knife. I saw a boy about the age of 14 with messy blond hair wearing winter clothing, weird since we were in the middle of spring, almost summer. He looked at me with anger, boredom, and disgust mixed together. He walked right next to me on my bed. In his hand was the knife, I could see a pattern on it. It had three purple triangles, like arrows on it. Above that was a circle, also purple.

      "What?" the boy stated, his voice was oddly smooth. I could catch a faint bit of humor in his voice. Not at all what I was expecting. "Do you think I look funny? Well so do you!"

      "N-n-no," I stuttered "Who are you? H-how did you get in? Is that a knife?!" I gasped almost too loud.

      The boy rolled his eyes "You should really keep your windows closed, ya know? My name is Chris, and yes this is a knife made of bone, now shut up and listen to me!" I nodded I didn't want to get impaled, and I don't think we could afford new bed sheets. And a trip to the hospital.

      "Ok, good. First off, you were chosen by your ancestry."

      "My ancestry?" I realized I should have kept quiet, the boy-Chris, was giving me the death stare.

      "Can I finish!? Anyways, your father was Yaban-blood, but he left for your mother," saying the next few words with disgust, "A Hiaban-blood." I threw these words around in my head Yaban, Hiaban, Yaban, Hiaban, Yaban, Hiaban. "You are joining our Clan to redeem yourself, family, and," almost to himself, "Help rebuild our clan." I was very confused at this point. I didn't really want to run off with someone who literally just broke into my house and was sitting on my bed.

      "But, what about my mother, and my two brothers? I have all A's in school as well! I can't abandon my future for some stupid 'Clan' and an old feud." I hadn't realized what I said, because his eyes darkened and they seemed to glow a terrifying golden color. I withdrew quickly.

      "You don't know what you are talking about. Fine, I will give you one day. Meet me by the back of your high school, by the cherry tree. Say goodbye or whatever. Take no electronics, bring a weapon," My eyes widened "Make sure no one follows you, and no, under any circumstances, at all, let a girl, with brown hair and blue eyes see you. Got it?" I thought about the description. Who looked like that?  Why her?

      "O-okay, but what if people begin to question my absence?" That seemed to be the logical way out. 

      "Hmm... We could have you get hit by a car." I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic, or what. 

      "WHAT!? NO!!" I said in a whisper yell. 

     "No, you imbecile! Not for real, a fake death! I'll stage it. Don't worry, just follow my instructions and you will be fine." He walked out of my room, but stepped back in for a second. "If you do join, I can promise you power and wealth, since you don't seem to care so much about redemption as you should."

     The next day, when I woke up, it seemed like the night before was a dream, but as soon as I got out of the shower, I found a note saying everything he told me to do and not to do. I realized there was no hope of getting out of this. The bus ride seemed like heaven, but it ended and I was at school. As the classes dragged on, questions filled my head. 'Why me, there must be more of these 'Yaban' bloods? What did he mean about redeeming my father? I barely knew him.' The hours seemed to be taunting me, some periods seemed faster than others, and then they were extremely slow. Finally the last few second of school started ticking down, soon my time would be up. There wasn't much I could do. I looked around the room. While other students looked gleefully at the clock I sat on in terror. None of the students in the class matched Chris's description. And then I heard the sound of Heaven to some, the roaring of Hell, to me. 

     "Finally!" I heard a voice behind me, it was Chris! 

     "How, what?!" 

     "Hurry up, we're going soon." I nodded solemnly. We walked out to the back of the school, "Ok, you wait right here and I'll go get the fake Jason and have it be 'killed' by a car, k?" 

     "Sure, and then they'll do an autopsy and I'll be found out." he smiled and my heart sank 

     "Don't you worry 'bout a thing Jace, can I call you that? We'll get it all sorted out." I was about to ask "We?" but he ran off. I was left alone wondering, 'Should I leave?'