The Way To Dawn

By Charles Lee

It’s not often that a vague, ill-omened dream begins to dictate your life. But dreamers become believers when their life is on the line.
Greyshio and Demeseus experience a conjoined dream with the given option to choose a mystical weapon. Soon after receiving this power, they awaken to a nightmare. Their hometown is torn to shreds by demonic creatures being led by a mysterious man with unrestrained hate for anything human. Once separated through the use of his dark magic, the two of them are forced to come to terms with their untapped gifts and the meaning of loss...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles Lee
• Release date: Feb 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9780998738604

Charles Lee

Charles Lee has always been a fan of stories with greater meaning than what the surface portrays. His love for profound fantasy began at a young age. His growing interest in thought-provoking stories ranged from a gamut of different areas of literature. These are experiences he’s cherished and evolved with for over a decade. It’s his key drive for creating compelling, unique, philosophical stories.When he decided to begin his own novel, The Way To Dawn, he originally had no intention of pursuing writing as a career. But when he fell in love with his own characters, he became inspired. He was so proud of his creations that he wanted to share this part of himself with others. In no time, writing soon became more than just his way of expression, it became his wings.

Book preview

Chapter One: Their Blissful Misery

I awake in a dark place with vision as far as my nose. Upon standing, I hold no form over this bumpy ground. I look around trying to find a wall with my hands stretched deeper into the black. The ground starts to rumble and collapses from underneath me.

As I fall deep within the darkness, everything around me feels amplified. The sound becomes the darkness. The darkness becomes absolute. I feel hands of various sizes trying to take me whole. As soon as they shield my eyes, I awake once more.

Where am I? I ask, as I lie there feeling unusually heavy. Was it a dream, or am I still dreaming?

Lying on a cold, rough surface, I sit up, still unable to see anything. Wanting to panic, I fight the rising lump in my chest and remain calm. Suddenly, I hear two loud crashes not far from me. Mildly bright lights illuminate two stone altars holding floating swords. I stand up and walk in between them, gazing at the mystical aura they’re producing. One is shrouded in light, the other in darkness.

What are these? I ask before nearly touching the light.

The Empyrean Blades, a low, masculine voice replies.

I pull back. Who’s there?

It’s time to choose, and choose wisely.

I look to my right and see a dark, cloudy aura shadowing the blade. I feel as if the black blade is calling to me. I almost can’t resist. I glance to the left, squinting at the light surrounding the other sword. It is painful and hard to look at. And while it’s rejecting, it’s also strangely inviting.

However, the darkness suits me more. Whenever my life became unbearable, at least the darkness was there.

Unloving, everlasting, dark.

If this is a dream, then taking this blade shouldn’t mean nothing more than a means to wake up. Expecting a response, the voice remained silent. I grip the blade and remove it from its altar. Its weight is more than I anticipated.

Slowly, the surrounding area begins to turn white. You made the right choice… Derexen.

Intrusively loud, the young man awakes abruptly from the loud shrieks of his mother calling his name. Derexen! Derexen, get up!

Derexen sits up and lets out a heavy sigh. He falls back and stares at his paint peeled ceiling. What I wouldn’t give to never wake up to this godforsaken place…, he mutters aloud.

Derexen!

I’m coming!

He gets up and stands in front of his bed. He puts his hand over his face, then over his mouth as he looks around his room. This small junk-filled room housed bookshelves, toolboxes, plastic bins filled with his mother’s clothes, cinder blocks, and many other items that should be in a basement. Not uncommon living standards for people of low income.

Only his white-sheeted bed and the mirror-mounted dresser with deep scratches in the wood from wear and tear hold his personal belongings. He grabs a uniform off his bedpost and leaves his room to get ready for school.

Derexen lives on a small island called Twilight View. Although it isn’t connected to the neighboring island, it’s still considered the ugly sister of the two. The less financially successful live there while the wealthier ones live on the larger island, Berlin Waltz. Twilight View is basically the boondocks of the two locations with a beautiful appearance from the outside.

The major decisions that are made on the main island are supposed to also take affect at Twilight View. However, that happens less than half the time due to politics, money, and lack of priority.

Derexen brushes his teeth before combing through his mid-length bleached hair. He styles half his hair to hang low past his left eye, thus complimenting his olive skin to bring focus to the natural glow of his cyan eyes.

He wears an average school-boy uniform; consisting of black slacks and a white button shirt with long-sleeves and a navy blue tie. His black dress shoes have the island emblem of a setting sun on the outer heel of each shoe. Evident by the noticeable muscle flex as he folds his collar, Derexen’s slender body is well-sculpted for a young man.

Derexen walks lifelessly downstairs and spots his mother on the couch watching television. Bye, Mom, he says with masked ill.

She waves him off, as if he’s nothing more than a gust of wind passing through. Seeming irritated by her gesture, he slams the door behind him and walks the two miles to his school with the same leave-me-alone look on his face he always wore for the world.

As a nineteen-year-old college freshman, Derexen never found a need to further his education. Though it was what’s expected of someone of his exceptional grades throughout his academic career, it was not a true representation of him. If anything, it was just him going with the motions of letting the waves of this world carry him wherever they pleased.

Derexen sits in the back row of his first three-hour class, not paying the slightest bit of attention. He stares out the window as he watches students enter the building.

This place, he thinks. Why the hell do I even bother to show up? No one gives a fuck whether I do or don’t. He turns his head toward two girls who are smiling and talking about a previous party. This world. It sickens me. I can’t stand how these imbeciles go on with their meaningless lives just to walk blindly to their ends. Life is meaningless. Why bother trying to give it meaning when it never began with any? Blissful ignorance…, narrowing his stare at students down below LARPing on the campus grass.

Derexen, the professor calls. Derexen, up here.

Oh, sorry, Professor Flores. I wasn’t paying attention. What was it you were asking?

I didn’t ask you anything. I’m just sick of you sitting in my class not paying attention to anything I have to offer you. Honestly, why do you even bother to show up to class if you’re never going to put any effort into it?

You know what? I was just asking myself the same thing. Derexen gathers his things and begins to leave.

Let this be a lesson to you, class. Watch closely as our country’s millionth janitor is born, Professor Flores crudely says.

He stops at the door and turns to the professor. Is that what you think? Just because I don’t want to reduce myself to fit into the lump of crap you all call society, doesn’t mean I will be the clean-up man for you blissful idiots.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

And don’t let the weight of reality crush you on the way to your next funeral. He shuts the door behind him and walks toward the student library.

Derexen isolates himself in the far back of the room. With him is a stacked variety of reading books on psychology, crime, infamous criminals and war heroes. Hours after reading and deciding not to continue his school schedule, he goes deep into thought about humanity again.

Till this day, it still doesn’t surprise me when I observe the insensitive and idiotic actions of human nature. It does however make me wonder… Why must the end result have a sinful action behind their motives? It’s always a plot to either further their own needs, their own goals, or to even bring down the competition. Friends or foes, people treat one another the same, regardless of how the other may feel.

Off in the distance, he hears a couple of college students talking loudly about an upcoming event. He stands up and slowly sneaks over to the bookshelves to listen in on the students.

Hey, the male student says, check this out. It’s that time again.

Wow, they’re still holding this thing? the other young man replies, Twilight View Vs. Berlin Waltz. I remember the days when I wanted to be in that, but it’s really not worth it anymore. The prizes were much better when it started. Now it’s a measly five hundred dollars.

If they want to make a prize worth fighting for, then they should give someone the right to make one political change for their home.

Keep dreaming.

The two boys walk off as Derexen emerges from behind the shelves and reads the flyer to himself. Do you have what it takes to be the best? Then come to the village, Berlin Waltz and strut your stuff. You must be ages sixteen and older.

Hmm, Derexen thinks. An annual tournament held at Berlin Waltz. A week from today, huh? Usually I wouldn’t attend something like this, but I’ve been meaning to leave this island for quite some time. Derexen rips down the flyer and stuffs it in his pocket. I look forward to seeing the island next to ours.

Miles away from Twilight View, the students of Berlin Waltz are also intrigued by this year’s festivities.

Berlin Waltz is a small town built on a giant sloping incline of dirt roads and basic technology. The schools and businesses are at the highest points while small shops and food stores are built near the beach shore. Most homes are set toward the center of this massive hill, but others who can afford it live at higher points, making class wealth hard not to notice.

Since Berlin Waltz is a lonely island, most of Terra’s governments rarely thought of its existence as something to count as a place that mattered. This made its livelihood a miracle it wasn’t a chaotic nightmare upon gaining independence from any superpowers. Instead, it was what many residents would call home.

At Flanten High School, the school’s bell has rung and the students have gathered in the cafeteria to eat. Sitting alone at a small table, a young man eats his lunch as he waits for his friends to arrive. He waves his hand at a buzzing fly over his head before swiping at his lengthy black hair.

His blue eyes and black hair nicely complement his lighter-than-olive-white skin. He wears a casual school-boy uniform and a white short-sleeve shirt with his school’s name stitched on the left side of his chest in blue. His school pants are a faded gray color, and his shoes are black leather.

Before the young man could begin eating, a nearby student starts to call out to him. Hey, Greyshio! Greyshio!

A young man holding a lunch tray while waving a flyer rushes toward the table. His short, dirty-blond hair willows as he rushes toward Greyshio. Quite excited, his brown eyes, are wide and joyful as he smiled like he just found gold. Being a bit tanner and more muscular than Greyshio, his white button-up shirt is only half buttoned as his tie hangs loosely around his neck.

The hasty student plops down next to Greyshio, spilling some of his milk onto Greyshio’s tray. Come on, Demeseus! Greyshio says. I’m trying to eat my lunch. Not my lunch with a side of your milk.

Man, calm down. Listen, guess what—?

Greyshio! shouts a young schoolgirl with a slim, tight, body frame and shoulder-length black hair.

She wears a short, navy-blue mini skirt, along with a white, short-sleeve button shirt, and a small, navy-blue bow tie. Her fair peach skin give her bright green eyes a hopeful elegance. Seeing Greyshio as she nears, little dimples appear in her cheeks.

After dropping her tray on the table, she squeezes herself next to Greyshio. Hello, baby, Greyshio greets. Oh, just a salad?

Not just any salad, she replies. It’s a chicken salad topped with walnuts and raisins, she says cheerfully.

Demeseus scornfully stares at the happy couple, You and your damn diets, Sophia. Look, I admit you got some big tits, but you’re lacking in ass. Maybe you should eat more, like a burger, or some fries dipped in cheese.

Oh my God, how rude! She gives her boyfriend the puppy face. Greyshio?

Greyshio smiles nervously, He’s just playing.

No, I’m serious, Demeseus says. She has a pretty face and huge tits, but a tight and small ass.

Okay, now you’re going a little too far. You really shouldn’t be looking at her like that. She’s my girlfriend, you jackass.

Sophia hugs Greyshio tight and sticks her tongue out at Demeseus, That’s my man. Always looking out for his baby.

You two make me sick, Demeseus says. But now that I’ve got you guys’ attention, guess what—?

Hey, Grey! shouts another young man from the distance.

For the love of God, God, God! Demeseus whines while slamming his head on the table.

The young man with dark brown hair and an above average build approaches the table in a hurry. Being a bit taller than the other two boys, his navy-blue school jacket was slightly shorter, evident from his cuffs being exposed. His unbuttoned school shirt reveals the tank top underneath where he’s grown some chest hair on his fair skin.

He sits next to Demeseus and stares at him with his dark brown eyes, Sup, Demeseus?

Hi, Brad, Demeseus says in a disappointed tone.

Looks like the gang’s all here. Oh, does anyone want half my turkey sandwich?

No, Brad! No one wants half of your damn turkey sandwich!

What’s your problem?

He has big news and no one will let him speak, Greyshio answers in a lighthearted chuckle.

Demeseus sighs, If you don’t mind, I would like to finish what I’ve been trying to say since the dawn of time. Guess what time of the year it is? Sophia’s about to speak until he puts his hand in her face. It’s time for the annual tournament. She makes a ‘whatever’ expression and continues eating. We only have four days left till winter break. Guys, we’ve been waiting for this all year. No one here has excuses. We’re all of age, and we have been training for this. The best part is that the winner gets not just a trophy, but prize money.

Brad smirks, I guess it would be nice for one of us to win that cup and have people around us take notice. I mean, we are the future of Berlin Waltz.

Exactly, and with that money, we could put that toward the college of our choice.

How much are we talking?

I forgot. I think it’s five hundred.

That’s good money!

Greyshio puts his hand in the middle of the table, For the Wings of Waltz.

Demeseus and Brad do the same. The three of them simultaneously break into shouting, For the Wings of Waltz!

Ahem, Sophia says abruptly.

I’m sorry, is there something in your throat, your highness? Demeseus asks with blunt sarcasm.

She stands up and glares at Demeseus before looking to her boyfriend, Umm, Greyshio? Can I speak to you for a moment? The two of them walk from the table and Sophia leans up against the lunchroom wall. Greyshio, are you really going to go through with this despite how I feel? she asks with worry.

Well… Sophia, I’m not doing this to make you worry. I’m doing this because this is a long-time plan of ours. Things like this gives us drive. Even if it has nothing to do with our long-term goal, it’s still something we want to do. It’s childish, but it may be the last few things we do as boys before we’re men. And if we can do this, then we can do anything.

I think you’re trying to over glorify mindless brutes beating each other to death. She looks down, toying with her hands. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.

Greyshio grabs her hands gently and puts them to his mouth, giving them a soft kiss. Then I won’t get hurt. For you, I will be flawless. As long as you cheer me on from the crowd, I will not lose. Give me your love and I’ll be invincible.

She blushes before he lays a long, romantic kiss on her.

Sophia looks up into his eyes, still blushful. Okay, I will cheer you on at the top of my lungs. Because I believe in you.

They hold hands as they walk back to the table. So, what will it be, Grey, you in? Brad asks.

Greyshio smiles, Just tell me where to sign.

I’m shocked your queen allowed it, Demeseus crudely remarks.

You know, sometimes you can be a real jerk-off, Sophia says. Why don’t you take your backward way of life elsewhere?

It just so happens that I do have other things I need to tend to. But first. He snatches both halves of Brad’s sandwich. I will be taking Brad’s turkey sandwich to go. Demeseus hops out of his seat and runs off.

This guy! Brad says before chasing after him.

Greyshio looks over to Sophia and kisses her on the cheek. I’m gonna head to my next class, he says while grabbing his book bag.

But the bell didn’t ring yet, Sophia says as she sits.

I know, but I need to get some one-on-one time with the teacher or I’m never going to get this work down.

Okay, I’ll see you after school then?

You bet. Wait for me out front and I’ll walk you home.

Okay, see you at four.

Greyshio walks away while Sophia watches him. She smiles and shakes her head before digging into her salad.

The giant clock above the school hits four as Sophia waits out front on the school steps. She watches the lingering students that remain near the school take their leave once their friends arrive from inside. Being happily patient while finger tapping the books on her lap, Sophia notices how the sun shines off the balcony rails of the houses leading downhill.

She watches a woman take her dry blankets off the balcony and her husband soon coming up behind her to give a scare. The woman jumps and turns to him, slapping his shoulder before they kiss. Sophia smiles more once a little girl comes up behind them roaring like a dinosaur.

Soon after, Greyshio comes out the school with his bag over one shoulder. You ready? Sophia asks with a cheery smile.

Yeah. Here, let me take those. He grabs her books and they begin their walk home. Have you been waiting long?

Not really, just the same thirty minutes on top of the extra ten.

Sorry, I got held up. My teacher wanted to make sure I really gripped the subject.

As they stroll down the cobblestone streets with the sun setting on them, Sophia looks to Greyshio. Greyshio, do you see kids in our future?

Greyshio becomes nervous and gives her a sideways look as he swallows spit. Uh, you want kids?

Yeah. Well, I want kids with you. I don’t want a lot, just one.

Gee, Sophia, we’re kids ourselves. Isn’t this kind of mature thinking of you?

She stops suddenly. He turns around, concerned he may have upset her. You’re right, it is. But I can’t imagine my life with anyone but you, Greyshio. Sometimes I think I love you more than you love me. But it’s okay, I’m a girl. I tend to take things to higher emotional levels compared to boys, sarcastically downplaying her own words. Forget I said anything. I’ve just been sitting on these thoughts for too long, that’s all.

He walks up to Sophia and hugs her. Your thoughts are not foolish. I value every single thing you can possibly think up. The fact that you can think so far ahead and plan before I can even see a glimmer of it makes you even more amazing every day.

She looks up to him and begins to smile before hugging him tighter. I love you, Greyshio! Can we have a son someday?

Of course we can. And he’ll have your beautiful green eyes, he says with an earnest smile.

Not long after leaving the school, the couple arrives at Sophia’s house much further down hill, hand in hand.

Okay, this is me, Sophia moving ahead of him while taking his other hand. Will you be picking me up tomorrow?

Yup. I’ll be here around eight in the morning. Come here so you can get your goodnight kiss, Greyshio says with a charming smirk.

She giggles as she walks slowly to him. They stare into each other’s eyes and slowly lean in before kissing. They pause, and just before their lips touch, he makes the final move.

Sophia slowly pulls away with rosy cheeks. Mmmm. Goodnight, my sweet prince.

Night, my angel.

She walks up the four steps to her house and goes inside. Greyshio takes his leave and soon makes it to his street where the town hill has a reduction in steepness. At the front of his house, he sees Brad and Demeseus sitting on the stairs.

Hey, guys, Greyshio greets. Why are you sitting at the front of my house?

We’re heading to the beach for some tournament training and wanted to see if you wanted to come along, Brad says.

Oh, um, I don’t know. Maybe another time.

Stop being such a wuss and get your ass to the beach, boy, Demeseus says roughly.

Look, we have time. Can’t we begin training this weekend?

No. I want to be prepared so that the only time any of us lose is against each other.

I guess that’s understandable.

It is, and besides, this is a good opportunity for the future mayor to gain some popularity as a youth.

That’s true, but is this the kind of light I would want?

No such thing as bad publicity.

Greyshio chuckles. Okay, you guys, I’m in.

Great, Brad says, then it’s settled. Let’s get going.

A frail boy from downhill comes up to them with an uneasy smile on his face. Clear neglect, he has on a dingy white shirt and battered brown jeans. His old gray shoes emit a mildly foul odor people can smell when near. The boy’s dark brown eyes are sunken, adding to the ill appearance of his sickly, dirty white skin. His nasty white and gray hair looked to have never been combed.

Hey, guys, the boy nervously greets. Hi, Demeseus. Your wooden swords are almost done, but I need more time. Maybe by next week I’ll have them finished, half turned from him like he was about to get beat.

Demeseus walks up to him, You little shit. I said have them done by today, not whenever you fucking feel like it. He punches the boy in the chest, making him whimper a little. I’ll meet you guys at the beach, he says to his friends. I need to see how much this kid has done so far. You’re being a very bad dog right now, intimidating the child, and I won’t stand for it. Come on! Demeseus says as he pulls on the collar of the little boy’s shirt.

Nice seeing you again! the boy says to Greyshio and Brad as he’s tugged away waving goodbye.

Brad and Greyshio begin to walk to the beach with looks of disappointment until Brad’s face becomes angry, I’m really getting sick of how he’s always bullying that kid around.

It is disturbing. We’ve tried everything to make him leave Lex alone, but it would seem our words don’t reach him.

We haven’t tried everything. I’m thinking about kicking his ass so he can really see what it’s like to have a bully on you every day.

No, Brad. You’re just going to make things worse for Lex. And I can bet it will become an unwanted chain of events for others.

Brad sighs. Yeah, maybe you’re right.

Meanwhile, Demeseus continues to impose on Lex at his house by using his unjust cruelty. Well, this is my house, Lex says as they enter the front door. I think it’s so cool that you’re in my house, speaking gleefully.

Lex’s house is rundown and dirty. There’s a stained, raggedy couch and a small television on a wobbly table in front of it. The kitchen has a small stove and an even smaller sink. The floorboards are creaky, the walls are peeling, and the air is stale. The house has virtually no sense of style, due to the lack of furniture and worn-out decor.

Demeseus looks around, Really? Because I think your house is a dump. Ever heard of a broom, or a mop?

He-he, nervous laughter, sorry. I didn’t expect company.

"For how long, the