Introduction: The Fall of the First
As hard as the Watcher tried, she could not overcome the obstacles of nature. One too many snow days caused the heir, Lisa Bellator, to age without making the honor role. The heirs in this dynasty needed to excel in life so that their power would be strong enough to hold off the dark forces threatening the entire Sim World. This failure had grave consequences...As Lisa Bellator blew out the candles on her birthday cake, a giant knot formed in the pit of her stomach.
She tried to shake off the guilt. After all, the Watcher could just find another dynasty, it was no big deal...right? But an uneasy feeling began to overwhelm the former heir. She ran into the back yard for some fresh air. And that was when she saw it. A portal from another dimension.
As Lisa's eyes widened in fear, she heard a panicked cry from above her, "No! No! This can't be happening!" Lisa had never heard the Watcher so frightened. And in a second, she understood why.
"Eric! We've done it!" Belladonna cried out in delight.
Eric smirked in response, "And we didn't even need to use the lamp. I knew they would fail in the end, I just knew it!"
Lisa stepped forward. "Excuse me?" She asked, trying to hide the fear in her voice, "Who are you?"
The Watcher's voice echoed from above, "No Lisa! Stay away from them!"
Belladonna looked up. A cold smile spread across her face. "Sabrina," she called," My dear little sister, it's been a long time."
"You are no sister of mine!" The Watcher replied in disgust.
Belladonna's smile was immediately replaced with a sneer of pure hatred. Eric put his hand on her shoulder. "If we're going to do this, we have to do it now," he murmured to her. She nodded, and he turned back to the portal. "Come, my friends. Let us take this world!" he called in a commanding voice.
Then they came, faster than lightning. A huge mass of red eyes and pointy teeth. Lisa screamed as two of them came at her. They grabbed her by the arms and dragged her into the portal. "No!” the Watcher cried, "Please!" But Eric only answered with a high, cold laugh.
A great thunderstorm let loose as, one by one, the people of Sunset Valley were dragged into the portal. The Watcher stared helplessly as Christopher went through, screaming, "It can't be! Not my dream! No! I thought I stopped it!"
After Christopher left, the Watcher felt her strength begin to drain. "Do you feel that, sister?" Belladonna called, "As your sims leave, your power leaves with them!" But the Watcher was determined. She turned away from the orb that allowed her to see Sunset Valley. There was a small chance, a last resort, a final hope. But could she get there in time?
The Watcher stumbled through the house, heading for her mother's old room. She flung open the door and fell to her knees in front of a very old chest. The Watcher's vision started to blur as she rummaged through the chest. She cried out in relief as her hand closed around a flask with a golden potion.
The Watcher fell to the floor, no longer able to sit up. She used every ounce of her remaining strength to open the flask and hold it to her lips. She swallowed the potion quickly just before her arm fell, smashing the flask against the floor. Darkness closed around her vision. She managed a small smile of satisfaction before she became unconscious.
The Watcher woke with a start, her head pounding. She stood quickly, a little too quickly. Spots appeared in front of her eyes as the room started to spin. She sat down on her mother's bed until the dizziness faded. "Please let them be okay," she whispered frantically as she rushed back to the orb. What she saw made her sigh with relief.
It was Sunset Valley, whole and unharmed. The Potion of Time had worked. It had reset the clock to before Christopher had been chosen. The Watcher felt a surge of determination. This time will be different. This time the dynasty will succeed and the Dark World will be defeated. But the Watcher had to be more careful this time. She would have to guide with a more forceful hand. And she would have to record everything in a journal to make sure nothing would go wrong. The Watcher still wanted Christopher to be the founder, after all, the problem had been with her, not him. The Watcher closed her eyes and focused on what had just happened, how Eric and Belladonna had almost won. Her memories traveled through the orb and into Christopher's dream.
It was done. The Watcher sat back, feeling a small sense of doubt. She had used the last of the Potion of Time; there would be no going back. If they failed this time, the Dark World would take over Sunset Valley along with all the other Sim Worlds. But she shook of the uneasiness. This time would be different. The dynasty would succeed. The Bellators in Mortis would prevail. The Watcher turned back to the orb. It was time for a fresh start.
