Arach - Within Lie Dragons

By M.G. Schoombee

Vampires, werewolves, faeries, dwarfs and humans rise up to fight against the evil races of darkness, who are working together to push earth to its final stand. To the "Ragnarck" of all living things. Raphael has to discover the powerful being within, which will be the connection between all races in the end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9780620588805

Book preview

ARACH

Within lie dragons

Book 1

By M.G. Schoombee

For those who believe, no words are necessary.

For those who don’t believe, no words are possible.

(Inscription below sculpture of

St Ignatius in Brazil)

A 1962 VW kombi van, spray-painted with huge blue-and-white Harebell flowers and with ACDC’s ‘For those about to Rock’ blaring out of the windows and across the meadow, drives fast through the green countryside between Dublin and Darlington.  Suddenly it swerves over the road a few times, then straight through a Primrose hedge, stopping in the middle of the field.  Nearby a cow moos her disapproval and move closer to smell the Primrose-filled air.

Raphael stumbles out of the van and drops to his knees.  Drops of blood stain his favorite Guns T-shirt.  He falls forward, into the long grass.

Raphael opens his eyes reluctantly, Green, everything is green.

An enormous oak tree slowly takes form above him.  He is sure he can hear its leaves softly laughing at him.

What happened, where am I?  He sits up slowly, brushing his long black hair back, wincing as his pale fingers touched the gash across his brow, he slowly prods the open flesh.

Damn, that will leave a scar, Oh, what the hell, it’s not like I’m a supermodel.

He suddenly hears a buzzing noise.  O no, I hope my ears did not get damaged.  What!  Get away from me you bug from hell. What is going on, am I dreaming or what? 

He swings his arms around to try to kill the bug.  It’s that bug’s fault, it flew into my van’s window and SPOKE to me, o my god, that was some good grass, must make a note to get some more.

The small bug stops and places her hand on the tip of Raphael’s nose, disgruntled she says, I am a Faery, Yes a Faery, and I am very real.

She slaps his nose just to proof the point.

You are not high, anyway, you should stop using that stuff, it does not fit someone of your stature.

Raphael laughs, What are you talking about?  Why can you talk, what are you?  I don’t believe in Faeries and all that New Age-crap.

The faery jumps up annoyed and screams at the top of her voice.

Which is not very loud Raphael thought?

"You are one of us, you are a New Age-crap being.  Raphael, it is very crucial that you find your path into the otherworlds or all mankind will perish.  You must remember who and what you are, the whole world’s existence rest on that.  Please, you must believe me. YOU are the connection.  You do not have a lot of time.  The changes are already there for all to see.  We need you..Every soul on

this earth needs you.  Raphael, Please believe!" 

1

Rock star.

That’s it Raphael’s head jerked, as the earphones still connected to the computer pulled him back.

Damn, he pulled it off.  Running down the steps three-at-a-time, he screams, Mom, Mom!

Jo looked around the corner at her son running down the steps,What now? she wonders.

Raphael comes to a halt in front of his mom.  Mom, I have decided I’m going to be a rock star.  He yells at Jo.

Jo looks at him. Have you been listening to Guns and Roses again, too loud, I’m sure.

Yea, Yea MOM, whatever, I’m serious.  I want to...No, I am going to be a rock star.

Jo looked at him, although she’s heard those words a few times before, there was something else in his eyes, a hunger she has not seen there before.

Sure son, just remember to buy me a new house.

Suddenly he pulls her to him and swings her around the room, Ma, I will buy you any island you want.

Jo laughs and kisses Raphael’s cheeks.  I can’t wait.

Raphael runs up the stairs, first things first, he must phone his best friend Minos.  They have been friends for many years.  They met at the music shop were Minos works.  Raphael believes that Minos is a genius when it comes to music, you can ask him anything, and he will know it.

Minos’ phone rings twice before his gruff voice answers, Yo Bro, wat’z up?

Raphael yells, We are going to be huge, you and me. We are going to be bigger than the Guns, or at least we will try to be.

Minos laughs, have you smoked something, what are you talking about?

We are going to have our own band, I will sing and play lead.  You will play Bass, we only need a drummer and then we are it.  Just think of the chicks, Man, they will be all over you.

Yea sure Minos said, more like all over you, pretty-boy.

Raphael slams his fist into the desk and winces, shit that hurt, I’m in it for the music, always the music.

So how did you get to this revelation, listening to Guns again I suppose? Minos grinned.

You sound like my Mom he yelled.  Meet me at ‘The Skinny Pig’, Hey, maybe we can get Selene to join, she plays a mean guitar and she’s cool.  See you later.

Minos tries to clean the table he just sat down at, but to no avail, he catches Selene’s attention and calls her over.  Hey Selene, can you clean this table a bit, I’m meeting Raph here, he’s got this plan to start a band, crazy if you ask me Minos rambles on and on, very aware of Selene’s strange, but nice, earthy smell.

Selene smiles, That’s cool, looking for a guitarist by any chance? I can play some.

Well, Minos said, trying to sound uninterested, he did mention your name.

Selene shrieks and sits down, What, he really did mention me? WOW, like, do you think he will pick me?  WOW, he is such a great musician, it would be an honor to play with him.

Minos tries to calm her down, but the excitement starts to crawl up his spine.  Imagine they could do this Raph, me and Selene, and a drummer of course, a band.  She’s right, that would be cool, real cool.

Raphael opens the door to the dark and scruffy pub, their place ‘The skinny Pig’, owned by a tall, not bad looking, Scottish, not so skinny anymore, ex-cop Vinny. Raphael laughs, winks at Vinny, who smiles and nods his head, and walks to the table were Minos and Selene are chatting.  He hardly realizes the impact of his entrance on the pub.  People always seems to stare at Raphael, he is not altogether sure why.  Sure he is tall, nicely built and fair looking, but he would not stare at someone like him.

Selene looks around the room and sees the effect of Raphael. Woman stare and men get uncomfortable. He is gorgeous, tall, nicely built, a bit pale with striking green eyes that look through your soul, and that long black hair falling over his stunning face.  He looks like a Goth god.  He’s dressed in his usual black denims, black Guns T-shirt and leather jacket.  She smiles, she knows exactly what every woman in that room are thinking.  Women swoon over Raphael.

Raphael falls down into the booth and smiles at Minos and Selene.  Hi Guys, Selene please bring us some drafts and can you chat for a while?  We’ve got to discuss something with you.

Selene rushes off to the bar to get the drinks from Vinny, very excited, maybe this is her chance to get out of this place.  Minos’ eyes follow her and he wonders for the hundredth time, why it looks like she’s gliding when she walks. She is very pretty, with short curly blond hair, stunning blue eyes and an athletic body, with piercings and a few tattoos.  As usual she is wearing denims and a T-shirt.  Minos thinks she is very sexy and strange, very strange.

Raph kicks him on the shin. So, what do you think of my plan, Hey?

Minos smiles, It sounds cool man, real cool.  So what’s our next step?

First we have to get a drummer, obviously, and then some more equipment.  I wrote three more songs the other day, I think they’re OK, we will have to start practicing them.  A friend of my Mom has a pub in Swords Road, I’m sure he will let us play our first gig there, to just test the water, you know what I mean.

Selene joins them with the drinks, and shyly asks Raphael, "Do you think I can play in

your band?  I will practice real hard to get better.  It would be such a rush to play with you guys, and then maybe I can get out of here.  Do you think I could try out for your band?"

Raphael smiles You are in, girl, You don’t even have to audition. I heard you play at Amgoo’s birthday bash, you can tickle that strings, for sure, anyway you look good, that will attract the guys to the band and we have Minos here to get the chicks.

Minos grunts and takes a huge sip of Guinness.  Selene glances his way and smiles.  He sure is cute, very tall and bulky, dressed in a dark denim and T-shirt.  His long blonde hair always looks as if it can never be tamed.  His face is handsome in a rough way, but his eyes are soft and gentle and his smile is so warm and tender.  Everybody always likes Minos, but it’s Raph, who will get the girls, Minos is too shy, cute, but too shy.

Did you notice the drummer who played with me at Amgoo’s thing?  He was quite good, actually, kind of weird, very short, but he CAN play drums.  He works during the day in Dublin City for a plumber, but at night he hangs out at that sleazy pool joint across town.

Interesting, I do remember him, ugly chap, but good rhythm. Yea, that sounds cool, maybe we should go look for him tonight.

Minos only grunts his approval.

The joint is smelly and dark.  Selene moves closer to Minos, sure he will protect her if need be.  They spot the drummer at the pool tables and stroll over.  Ferin looks across the room at the strangers walking towards him.  He recognizes Selene and smiles.  He plants the eight ball in the pocket and straightens up.  Grinning, he takes the hundred Euros off the table.

Hi, do you remember me from Amgoo’s bash? Selene asks him.

Sure, you were the guitarist. The only good musician there except for me, of course.

Raph smiles, Well then you will fit in great, in our band.

Ferin frowns, which make his face, look even uglier.

We have a proposition for you.  How would you like to be a part of our band, we just started one?  I’m vocals and lead, Minos over there, bass, Selene, the rhythm guitarist and you the drummer, of course.

What kind of music?  I’m not into this gooey, boy-band stuff.

What are you talking about man, there is only one kind of music, the rest are crap. Only Rock, old school, hard rock, that’s all.

Cool, let me hear what you sound like, I’m not going to make a fool of myself.

No problem, meet us tomorrow night, at eight, at ‘The Skinny Pig’, I live close by, where we can practice.

Minos looks at the clock on the wall, ten past eight.  We cannot have a band member, that is not on time for gigs, where is he?

He will be here Selene sighs, not everybody is an hour early for things Minos.

I was not an hour early, just 40 minutes. I had to make sure the equipment are all set up and ready for us, who would have done that, hey?

Well, if we are famous, no when we are famous, we will have a roadie to do that, Raph laughs.

Ferin enters the pub, looking around uncomfortably. He quickly sits down low in the bench.  Hi, do you think we can leave, I don’t want that cop to see me, we have a bad history, he nods his head to Vinny chatting to some patrons in the corner.

He is an ex-cop, so don’t worry, what did you do?  Minos asked suspiciously.

This and that, let’s go.

They left the pub, Ferin looking over his shoulder, at Vinny, glaring at him, strolling to the bar.

Hi Mom, got some friends over, we are going to practice in the basement Raphael yells into the house on his way down the steps.  Minos arranged all the equipment on a makeshift stage.  Wow Minos, this looks great.  Let’s do this.  Raph hands each one the music sheet of their first song and picks up his Fender 60 Strat electric guitar.

Selene lovingly takes her Gibson Les Paul Robot guitar out of the case and stands next to Raph.

C-minor to start with, lets go!

Jo smiles as the music fills the air. Rock music, maybe a bit rough for the neighbors, but to her beautiful, because it is Raphy playing (if he had to hear her call him that, he would give her an earful again).

She glances at the striking woman seated across from her, sipping her tea. Do you really think he is ready, Murmura, he is so young and full of dreams?

He has to be Jo, don’t you think I would rather keep this from him, he needs the dreams anyway, to keep the magick in him alive.

When will you tell him the truth?

I will not, he has to find it out himself, he has to walk the road.

Will you help him?

I always have and always will, the group is gathering. They will soon realize their destiny is intertwined and much more than making music.

Jo sighs, and pours some drinks for the gang.

Minos rushes over to help Jo with the tray of drinks, Hi Jo.

Hi Minos, looking good, did you have a hair cut?  Much better than that scruffy wolf look you had going last time.

Minos laughs, Yea my mom, threatened me with the whip, if I did not cut it.

Raph laughs Yea, like your mom could whip you, you’re like ten times her size.

I know, but I will do anything to keep her happy, he sighed.

Yea, me too Raph grins, hugging Jo. Mom come meet my other friends. This is Selene.  She works at ‘The Skinny Pig’ and plays a mean guitar.

Hi, Selene says softly, wondering why Raphael does not look anything like his mom.

Hi Selene, what perfume are you wearing, it smells so earthy and homely?

I’m not wearing perfume, but you’re not the first to mention that.

This is Ferin, our drummer, he and Selene played together at another gig, I think we are very lucky to have him in our band, that’s if he wants to be?

Sure I want to, this band’s going places, that’s for sure, and I’m in it for the ride, Hi Mam.

Hi Ferin, please call me Jo, you to Selene.  Ferin, that’s a strange name, where are you from?  Jo says glancing at Ferin. He is very short and stocky, a little taller than a dwarf, she would imagine, with ginger red dreadlocks hanging to his waist, blue piercing eyes and a face that looks like it was carved out of...maybe a tree, Jo muses smiling.  He wore a denim, T–shirt and long leather jacket to his knees.

My folks are from a small island in Iceland, they are very old fashioned and the name comes a long way down the family tree, they are very proud of it, not me so much but hey, keep the mom happy, right guys?

Well, it’s nice to meet both of you and I’m sure we will see each other again.

They both nod in agreement and sip their drinks.  Well, I must tell you, you guys sound pretty good to me. I spoke to Manny, and he said you can play at his place any day.

Great, that’s the planning of our first gig out of the way.

He also said, if you need any, what did he call it, sponsorship, for equipment or such, to give him a call.

Thanks mom, you are a star.

Yea, I was promised an island, don’t forget.  Jo said walking up the steps.

They practiced for a few hours more, until the neighbors complained and Jo asked them to call it a night.

Raphael stares at the poster of Guns and Roses on his wall. His dream to be like them alive in his veins.  Everything is just starting to come together, like a giant puzzle.  Could it be fate that this is what should be?  Why the feeling that there is more to this, that he has something to do, something bigger.  Well, maybe we just have to be bigger than the Guns, he mumbles before slipping into dreamland.

The pub is packed. People are cramming the doorway to get in.  Manny smiles and rubs his hands, tonight he is making a killing.  He looks over at his daughter Zoë, she sure did a good job at marketing the gig.  If she could only get her act together and get these weird ideas out of her head, she could be good at something like this.  But, Zoë lives in her own world.

Zoë looks around at the crowd packing the pub.  She hopes the band is as good as her dad’s friend said, otherwise there might be a riot.  Maybe she made a big thing out of nothing.  She walks to the back to go speak to the band.

Raphael looks up as the pretty girl walks into the room.  She is short and tiny, with long curly dark hair, purple cat eyes and a smile that could melt chocolate from a mile away.  She is dressed like a hippie, a long skirt and lots of jewelry.  Hi I’m Zoë, I arranged your crowd for you.

Raph smiles, Well, you sure did a good job, hope we can keep them happy.  Hi, I’m Raphael, but you can call me Raph, like my friends.  He held out his hand to greet Zoë.

You better, or else, Zoë takes his hand and quickly pulls it away.  Staring into his eyes, she stutters but you are…, she suddenly turns and quickly walks out of the room.

Ferin smirked and I thought I was bad with the girls.

Minos laughs She’s probably already in love, that’s how Raph works.

Oh, get lost man, let’s get on stage and proof we are worthy of them.

WOW.  The crowd went absolutely mad. They loved us, I could get used to this.  Minos says, drying his wild hair with a towel.

That was magick man, I can’t believe it, our first gig, and it went so good.  We are it, guys.

Yea, Selene, I do believe we have arrived.  And you know what is funny?  We don’t even have a name yet.

Well, Raph, that’s your department, you come up with a name for us.

I’ll sleep on it, but now we have to go and celebrate the fact that we are going to be famous.

Yahoo, I’ve waited for this my whole life, Ferin yells and jumps into the colorful van.  He jumps out again.  Just one thing guys, we need to redo this van, man, come on, blue-and-white Harebell flowers, what were you thinking, or smoking for that matter?

Raph smiles Hey!  Watch what you say about Loola, she was my mom’s delivery van for her florist business, when that went bust, I inherited her, so I’m not complaining, but I agree we will have to redo her, as soon as we can.  Now lets party.

The weak sun peeks around the sides of the dark blue curtain.  Raph groans and rubs his head "Too much Tequila, when will I ever

learn? He slowly tries to open one eye and curses at the sun for waking him.  Damn, I could use a few more hours of sleep."

Jo walks in Thought I heard your voice. She hands him a large glass to drink.  Here, you know you have to.

Raph sits up and takes the glass from his mom.  You can’t be serious, even on a hung over tummy.

Yes, it will only do you good.

Mom, who is going to look after me, when we go on the road?

We will have to make a plan.

Raph smiles as the thick red gooey concoction slides down his throat, That tastes better and better each time, you will have to tell me what is in here, for when I’m on the road.

I will Jo says frowning.

Raph falls back onto the bed and tries to sleep again.  He drifts in and out of sleep with restless, strange dreams, of monsters and beings chasing him and the others through barren landscapes.  Suddenly Raph is flying through space.  He laughs and races through the cosmic field, rushing past planets and dodging stars like a pro-footballer.  Something is kicking him on his leg.  Raph thinks that strange, what in this wild cosmic wonderland would be kicking him.  Ouch, that hurt.

Raph sits up and stares at Minos preparing to have another go at Raph’s shin draping off the bed.  Enough beauty sleep, dear one, we have got work to do.

You asshole, you just interrupted a great dream, I was playing football in space, I was a cosmic kicker of stars. Wait a minute, how about that for a band name, ‘The Cosmic Kickers’, what do you think?

‘The Cosmic Kickers’, that’s got a cool ring to it, let see, we are going to be as huge as the cosmos and we are going to kick some rock star ass doing it.  I Like it, nice very nice, let’s see what the others have to say, OK?

Cool, what do you mean we have got work to do?

Zoë got us another gig, a big one, you know that club in Castleknock, near Phoenix Park.  She knows the owner’s girlfriend, so she mentioned us to her, and she spoke to him and Bob’s your uncle, we got another gig. We should recruit her as our agent or something, she’s got a thing for you, she might even do it for free.

That‘s great, but that’s quite a huge and very smart place, I hope we can at least fill it, I don’t know, say half full.  She does not have a thing for me, I kind of got the feeling that she was scared of me, why I do not know.

Scared of you, Oh come on, scared of what you might do to her, yes.

Yea, exactly, she looked at me as if I’m going to suck out her soul or something.

Well, I’m sure there will be quite a bit of sucking, but let’s get back to reality here, we need to get everyone together and have a few more practices.

You have a dirty mind, Minos, go get Selene and I will have a shower and meet you at Ferin’s spot.

Ferin lives on the other side of the tracks of Dublin City, although around here, there is not quite a defining line of where the track is supposed to run.

Selene walks close to Minos, feeling safer with his warm body close by, she wonders if he has a fever, but then he is always very warm.

Are you OK Minos, you seem to be too hot, like you have a fever?

I don’t know, lately my body does not feel the cold much.

Like me smelling earthy, to everybody.

I don’t mind, I kind of like your smell.

Selene blushes and moves a little away from Minos.

Minos chuckles and puts his arm around her shoulder, "O come on, you are like a sister

to me" but deep inside, his body cannot tell the lie, his mind is trying to tell.

They cross the dirty, smelly streets and walk down an even dirtier alley.  Selene looks at the dirt lining the walls and wonders why Ferin lives in this part of town.  They open the door to Ferin’s block and come face to face with trouble in the hallway.

Ferin was wrestling on the floor with a dark figure.  He was trying to pull the black cloak covering the man’s face off, to get a better look at him.  The figure jumped up, threw something into Ferin’s face and pushed Selene and Minos out of the door.  He froze for a second staring at them both, there was a trace of fear in his strange eyes, and then he disappeared around the corner.

What the hell is going on?  Minos roared.

Ferin sat on the floor, rubbing his eyes to clear the powder from it.  "He just attacked me, started asking all kinds of funny question, about us and the band and then he just grabbed me, nobody just grabs me, so we had a fight. I just wanted to get a look at his face, why wear a cloak like that, around here, during the