A certain feeling is still in the air, but the author obviously wants us to read the book, not just stare at it. So Tarna opens the next page. Instead of some picture of a terrible monster, there's a drawing of some gem with writing next to it.

"It's like the P.A.T.H.," Person notes.

"Well, it is by the same guy," I reply. Then I return to looking at the book. The page has a title- Cathtonite- and is pretty calm for some book of the apocalypse.

Cathtonite was previously thought to be a incredibly sturdy mineral. While this remains true, it now has a far more important use. The monster Knor- I shiver again at that name. Knor. Why is it so threatening and terrible? The monster Knor appears to have a weakness to it. Previously thought to be utterly invincible and all-powerful, there may be a way to wound the beast. If a large quantity of Cathtonite was to be gathered, it could be forged into a weapon that could be used to attack Knor.

"You guys getting this?" Tarna asks. "Apparently this stuff is powerful."

"Yeah, but who and what is this 'Knor'?" Person asks. Everyone shivers at the name.

"I don't know, but just the name makes me scared," Cass says. "Plus, listen to the book. Previously thought to be utterly invincible and all-powerful? I don't want to mess with this thing."

"Of course, the book makes it sound like we're supposed to stop it," I add. "Remember the first page?" Everyone nods, imagining the terrible creature that this Knor must be. Tarna turns the page of the book.

Knorspawn, I read. People who devote their lives to Devil's play and Knor's horrible plans. Even before his existence, these people were obsessed with bringing him into the world. Among the Knorspawn are an organization called Ultra Tech. I gasp and keep reading. They serve him by working toward his ultimate goal. Unfortunately, they are very successful, and I fear that eventually they will accomplish their goals.

"U.T. is with Knor?" Cass asks in disbelief. "So this guy is the reason we were locked up?"

"This guy is why my mind was wiped?" Person asks angrily.

"Us and hundreds of other kids were tortured because of this guy!" Tarna exclaims. We keep reading, wondering what other secrets this book will reveal.

If the Knorspawn and Knor himself accomplish their goals, then I will be forced to activate my Apacolypse-Plan. In that case, you will read this book, and you must turn the page. You'll need some information. Tarna turns the page again. I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I turn to see Shawn.

"Wive?" he says. "I can't read. What does Mr. Bookie say?"

"Oh," I reply. It hasn't occurred to me that Shawn wouldn't know how to read. How could I explain our current situation to a young kid? There's no way.

"Well," I begin carefully. "The book says that something very bad is going to happen soon, and we need to stop it."

"Okay!" Shawn exclaims, making a superhero pose. "We're good at saving stuff. Like ourselves!" Content that he's up to date, Shawn spreads his arms and "flies" away, ready to save an imaginary world. How can something so terrible and real be happening to Shawn? I turn back to the Book Of Knor, one more trouble added to the list. The two new pages have two well-drawn pictures on them, like the ones in the P.A.T.H. One image shows a human-like creature with claws and only a single eye. The eye is blank, just completely black without pupils or anything.

Knormite, Land, the title reads. Some notes are scribbled by it.

The most common of the Knormites, the Land class is obviously built for walking on solid ground. This beast has a small laser attack that uses its single eye. While the Knormite shown here is weapon-less, some carry swords, axes, spears, and daggers. Others prefer to rip at victims using only their claws.

"Wonderful," Tarna groans. "Now we have minions to worry about." The other page shows a small fish, again, with only a single darkened eye. The title reads Knormite, Sea. The rest is similar to the land Knormite's page.

The aquatic version of the Knormite, these are significantly smaller than their land allies. They lose the arms, legs and hands of their above-ground brothers, which makes for less weapons. Their only attack is a bite, and although these creatures are small, the bites can be deadly. It's easiest just to avoid water,and you'll be safe. Shawn returns from "saving the world" and looks at the drawings.

"They don't look good," Shawn notes disapprovingly. We all shake our heads. "Hey," he says to the drawings. "You're very un-pretty, and you need to find yourself an eyeball!" Them he sticks his tongue out at the pages and walks away. We all laugh, which is very much needed. Then Tarna turns another page. The two pages now visible show another creature with a blank, dark, evil eye, and the other page has a map. I study the creature first.

Knormite, Air

This species keeps to the air, as it is physically incapable of landing. Perhaps the easiest of the Knormites to deal with, this creature has no defences and only shoots lasers occasionally. Luckily, it must "recharge" after firing, so simply dodge one shot and attack. Next, I look at the map. It looks familiar, somehow. It's a rectangle, made of six boxes. The boxes probably represent rooms. Six rooms... I suddenly remember.

"Guys, the map! It's of Ultra Tech!" I exclaim excitedly.

"Okay, but we already know our way around," Tarna says impatiently. "This doesn't help us."

"Maybe it does," Person pipes in. "Look, that room has a star in it." Indeed, one of the rooms has a star drawn in.

"Okay, which room is that?" Ray asks. We all think for a moment.

"The mystery room," I realize. "They had it really heavily guarded, remember? Those kids' eyes turned black, and they turned evil."

"Black eyes!" Ray exclaims. "Think about it. The evil kids' eyes turned black, your buddy Allen's eyes are going crazy with blackness, and the pictures of the Knormites have black eyes." We all nod, excited.

"It's like Knor's motto or symbol, I guess," Cass says. We all keep nodding. We now know Knor's name and symbol. Plus, his weakness! Maybe we have a handle on this "end of the world" thing after all. We all feel proud, and powerful. But whenever you're feeling sky-high, the world reminds you of your place. Today, we're reminded with a scream. A scream that can only belong to one person.

"Shawn!" I cry, and begin rushing toward the noise. I see my friend a little distance away, and another person. The other person is dressed completely in black, with a robe that hides the stranger's face. Shawn lifts his arms, and the man in black begins to hover. Cass and the others arrive, then.

"Dusk Walker," Tarna breathes. The Dusk Walker lifts an arm of his own, and his gloved hand flashes red. Shawn does, too, and is thrown down, although the Walker never touched him. Coming to my senses, I take action. I launch a darkness-blast which nearly hits the Walker completely unawares. But at the last second, the Walker looks straight at me, and the chills run through me. He's too late to do anything, though, and is thrown backward by my attack. I grab for my sword, but, of course, I don't have one. I moan and can only watch as the others go to work. Ray follows my attack immediately with a wave of flame. Person launches his lightning through the dying flames, and there's a flash as the bolt hits, although it's impossible to tell if it hit its mark. Tarna raises up a wall of stone and it falls on the place where we last saw the Walker. My friends breath hard as we wait. Finally, the smoke clears and flames die, and the Walker stands there, not a scratch on him. He brushes off his arm like we did nothing, and we can only stare.

"He's invincible," Cass says, eyes wide. The Walker's hand flashes red, and we all dive in different directions. The place Tarna was just standing flashes red, and there's a hiss as the Walker's strange power hits.

"There's only one of him!" Tarna shouts, rolling into a defensive stance. "We can take him." From the fog around the graveyard emerges three more Walkers.

"That's not one," Shawn objects, confused. The lead Walker points a finger at me as his hand flashes red. I dive, and when I roll into a standing position, another red flash appears around me. I dance away as more red appears, and I'm forced to run as the endless flashes ignite.

"They're targeting Wrive!" Tarna panics. "But it's okay."

"Speak for yourself!" I protest as I drop from a run into a slide to get under a red explosion.

"Okay, guys. Everyone take a Walker to free Wrive up. Shawn, you just lift them randomly. Got it?" Everyone nods as one and charges toward the Walkers. Immediately, the red flashes disappear, and I relax. But only for a moment, as Person goes flying back and the lead Walker looks at me. He draws his sword and approaches. I blast darkness left and right, but he simply ducks or steps in a direction, and my assault misses. He's now close enough to use the sword, and I duck the first swing. He switches his sideways swing into a downward cut, and I block with an imaginary sword. The Walker's sword flies down, and I close my eyes as the end hits with a- clang! I look up, surprised, and see the Walker stumbling back. And in my hands is the sword from Nothing Land.

"Yeah!" I yell in triumph, raising the sword. The Walker, seeming mad that I got a free sword, comes at me again. This time, I meet his swipe with a sturdy block. I turn that into a series of strikes, and the Walker is forced onto the defensive. I grin as my blade flies in my hand. It's lighter and stronger than any other sword I've used, and I use everything in the sword to my advantage. The Walker comes again with the sword, and instead of blocking, I step out of the way. The Walker is unbalanced and stumbles. I take this opportunity to blast him with darkness, and he goes flying. The others are finishing their Walkers off, too, and soon they've regrouped. The leader raises both hands, and red surrounds the group. When the red disappears, the Walkers have vanished. My new sword begins to dissolve, but I'm not worried. It'll be there when I need it.

Everyone is okay after the battle, except maybe Person, who hit his head pretty good. There's a lump beneath his hair, and while gently touching it, Person's fingers emerge from his hair with a little blood on them. He seems fine, though, claiming that it doesn't hurt too bad. The sun is setting, and we couldn't read without light if we wanted. So, we all settle down.

"I think tomorrow we should head back to the forest," Tarna says with a yawn. "This attack proved that we're exposed. Back at camp, we can keep reading the Book Of Knor." It sounds like a good plan, and besides, I'm too tired to argue anyway. It's been a long day of secrets and Dusk Walkers. Tomorrow is another day of secrets and surprises, I'm sure. But we're ready. With the Book, we're ready for anything. Including the apacolypse, which is good, because according to the Book, the apacolypse could be tomorrow. And we have to stop it.