Blood of the Imagined

By Rayna Johnson and Dwayne Scott

A brother possessed by darkness and driven by jealously commandeers a rival city ran by drones (humanoid robots) in order to annihilate his older brothers beautiful city of Sunshine Valley and the magic-wielding freaks who live there. The children, being more gifted in their magical abilities, must fight for their city, putting their very lives on the line against the darkness-wielding Jacob and his drone army. The children, eager to fight for their home, soon find that war is far bloodier than they imagined through death and hardships.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543423006

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Rayna Johnson and Dwayne Scott.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017907612

ISBN:       Hardcover           978-1-5434-2299-3

                 Softcover             978-1-5434-2298-6

                 eBook                  978-1-5434-2300-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 06/16/2017

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

720959

Contents

Chapter 1 Welcoming Committee

Chapter 2 The Actual Story

Chapter 3 The Road To War

Chapter 4 The Inevitable

Chapter 5 Protect Us

Chapter 6 Surrounded By Darkness

Chapter 7 Jacob’s Fate

Chapter 8 Ending Credits

Chapter 9 It Isn’t Over Yet?

Steel, a tan skinned, shaggy haired boy of twelve crawled out of a manmade tunnel and peeked around the battlefield. Thousands of Drones, mechanical humanoids, lay dead around the perimeter. His own troops outnumbering those of the Drone’s in casualties, all aging from six to eighteen. The landscape itself was unrecognizable, at first glance, it seemed as if a slice of hell ripped from the bible’s pages and slapped in the middle of their shaken world. Rivers of fresh blood divided the landscape in two, while mountains of corpses; both enemy and comrade stained the once lusciously green meadow. Steel hid among the dead and reviewed his surroundings. His eyes caught sight of a miniature house guarded by two specialized Drones.

That must be where they’re keeping their leader, Steel thought aloud. Steel stared down the two Drone guards, already knowing that if he could not take them down silently, he will fail his mission.

You’re orders are to take Jacob down and end this war. Are you sure you can handle this alone? Tye worried.

Too many soldiers would bring unwanted attention to ourselves. Its better if I just go alone, besides I got this, Steel grinned smugly.

If you go alone, a simple ambush mission will turn into a suicide mission. There’s no need for you to sacrifice your life. Our magic is no match for Jacob’s dark magic, it literally feeds off of negative energy, growing stronger from any negative thought that may creep through your mind, Tye warned.

Yes I know how dark magic works; I took dark arts class too and if I remember correctly I had the top marks in the class, Steel bragged. I got this.

If you must, Tye sighed. Here. Tye handed Steel a metal ball. It’s just like Cookie’s E-bomb; once you press this button it’ll release a small electromagnetic pulse that’ll momentarily disrupt a Drone’s hard drive. It’s only big enough to affect one Drone, but at the very least it’ll give you a couple minutes to take it down while it’s immobile. I’m sorry that I can’t do more.

You’ve done plenty, now leave this to me, Steel urged.

His last conversation echoing in his mind.

I got this, Steel reassured himself. He hoisted himself from among the dead and silently crept on the side of the safe house, right behind the two Drone guards. Steel transformed his arms into thirty-two inch twin blades. He lifted his blades up to the sun, allowing for the suns beams to reflect, causing a glare to bounce off his blade and onto the ground. One of the guards glanced down, its robotic mind analyzing it. Steel jerked his blade up, causing the glare to sprint across the ground. The guard followed it instinctively.

What is the meaning of your actions? The second guard asked, watching as his comrade ran around in circles.

This beam of sunlight is under the control of the enemy, the first guard answered, still chasing the beam of light.

You imbecile, it’s just a glare from one of our soldiers, our metal exteriors reflect light remember? The second groaned. Now stop running around like a headless chicken and come back to your post. The first guard ignored the second and continued to chase after Steel’s glare. Steel guided the glare to himself, poised to strike. As soon as the first guard disappeared behind the safe house, Steel plunged his twin blades into its chest cavity, making sure to destroy its motor generator. In one swift motion, Steel removed his blades and sliced off the Drone’s head. Steel stepped out from behind the house and faced the second guard.

You should have listened to your friend, Steel spoke with a grin on his face, he shook the motor oil from his blades and charged towards the remaining guard. The guard’s arm swiftly transformed into a laser cannon. Steel pressed the button on his mini e-bomb and tossed it over to the Drone. In seconds, electric currents snaked through the Drone’s immobile body.

What have you done? The Drone murmured, amazed at his defeat. Steel rammed into the Drone, his blades piercing its seemingly indestructible shell.

I just killed you, Steel whispered, whipping his blades from the Drone’s corpse. And your boss is next. Steel retracted his blades and knocked on the door of the safe house.

What do you imbeciles want now? Jacob roared, placing a tin bowl of kitty chow in front of his cat. The bowl suddenly coiled around the cat, acting as a python, putting more pressure on it until its tiny bones crushed, killing it instantly.

Mr. Whiskers! Jacob shrieked, surprised of his beloved cat’s sudden death. He scooped the cat into his arms and tossed it into the trash. What a waste. Steel bulldozed the door down and stood before Jacob in his semi empty room.

You show no compassion for the one creature that loves you, Steel uttered, disgusted by him.

Why have compassion for the insignificant? His life had no meaning other than the meaning I gave it, Jacob shrugged nonchalantly, sitting down in his love seat.

You really haven’t realized it yet, Steel began. You’re just as insignificant as that cat. The metal piping from Jacob’s chambers rose, acting on Steel’s orders, all aiming for Jacob. Maybe even more so. Jacob’s nonchalant posture grew stiff, his face growing red.

That’s what I hate about this damn city, Jacob groaned. You fucking kids think you’re so grown. Changing your ages at will, using your abilities without direction, disrespecting your elders. You think you run this city, but that’s where you’re wrong, a child can’t run this world! Only an experienced…

Shut up already, Steel interrupted. You murdered my father, its time you pay for it. Steel signaled to the pipes. The pipes flew towards Jacob, each aiming to kill. Jacob’s nonchalant demeanor returned. Suddenly a strong gust of wind tore through the metal piping, reducing them to medal shavings. What the… A dragon made of pure dark energy rose in front of Jacob. It spread its cimmerian wings and threw its head back. Steel stood in awe, too shocked to try to escape. The dragon reared its head, opening its death trap of a mouth and launched a missile of pure dark energy at Steel. Aah! Steel screeched, only being able to watch as his doom approached. The blast obliterated Steel’s tiny frame; a raging inferno of black flames engulfed the entire battlefield, creating a sea of flames that whipped around the other child soldiers.

Steel failed, Tye murmured solemnly.

. . . . .

Weird intro right? Let’s try this again, Clay grinned.

CHAPTER 1

Welcoming Committee

Hiii. Clay here. Nice to meet ya. So you’re about to read this crazy story about a bunch of magical people we call Freaks… Yes being a Freak is a good thing…unless you’re a super freak and that’s just gross. Anywho so before you take a stroll in my world, you need to understand a few things, so you don’t go around setting people on fire yelling REPENT!!!! So the first thing you’ll notice is…we’re all young. Once you hit twenty-five years old, our Death comes from his high places and kills ya! Whether you’re ready or not, happy or sad, diseased or…

They get it Clay, Devin interrupted. And shouldn’t I be the one telling the story? I am the first you know.

Like I care, everyone likes me better so I should be the author, Clay grinned, his grass green hair slipping over his shimmering emerald colored eyes.

Narrator. When you’re telling a story that you didn’t create, you are the narrator, Devin corrected. Clay’s grin melted away.

Hello I am Stupid Devin Patterson…but my friends just call me Devin, Devin smiled; his ocean blue eyes smiling as well. Before I continue…yes… my first name is Stupid.

Hahahaaa! Clay chuckled. Dad named him that on account of when he was born he thought the oxygen receptacle was mom and sucked from it until he was twelve! Hahaha!

It was a confusing time, Devin whined, scratching at his blonde hair, still confused of the concept of nursing.

You two are taking too damn long, Trey growled, appearing from nowhere. Trey’s long silky black hair forced into a messy ponytail, his dark eyes concentrating on his brothers.

Aah! Clay screamed falling into Trey’s arms. You frightened me. Clay murmured seductively. Mmm such plump biceps, Clay purred while stroking Trey’s arm. Trey untangled Clay’s arms from around himself and took a step back allowing Clay to fall to the floor. Clay immediately stood back up.

Get on with it we need to finish signing up the new recruits, Trey reminded them.

Oh yea, so we die at age twenty-five so if you can imagine we have to live our lives pretty quickly, Devin explained. So by age fifteen you should have already had two children. The females here are called Ultra’s. They get pregnant easily.

When he says easily he really means easily. Like they’ll get pregnant if they think about having a baby. Figuratively speaking, go figure, Clay shrugged.

The second thing you’d notice about us Freaks is that we all pretty much have weird names. You’re probably thinking you three don’t…but we seriously know a guy named Funk who smells like a skunk, Devin winced.

The third and most important quality us Freaks have is our magical powers. We were all born with a special power that relates to the name our parents gave us, Clay stated. That guy Funk my brother was telling you about? Well his power is to overwhelm his enemies with his ripe stench…breaks me down every time.

Another example. If your name is Wind, you’ll have the ability to control the air currents. It’s as simple as that, Devin shrugged.

What else do you need to know…hmm, Clay thought aloud. Oh yeah we’re imaginary!

How could we have forgotten to tell them that? Devin shrieked. A girl named Rayna imagined us when she was six years old, but we didn’t make ourselves known to her until she was in middle school. She tried sharing us with her friends but they all called her crazy, laughed in her face, and turned their back on her.

That was a dark time for us, Clay sighed. But one friend, Charisse, stood by Rayna’s side. The once overpowering darkness chipped away.

But the darkness was so thick that some of us couldn’t separate ourselves from it and were engulfed by its presence, Trey interrupted.

Jacob, Clay whimpered. Clay and Trey both began recalling the moment Jacob lost his mind.

Hey guys let’s not think about this right now okay? Cheer up, Devin smiled weakly.

We have to talk about it, Trey began. For the readers to fully understand.

Fine, Devin groaned. Clay, Trey, Jacob and I are brothers. I’m the eldest, then Clay, then Jacob and last Trey. While Rayna suffered from loneliness, we suffered in this type of suffocating darkness. When Charisse proved she was a true friend, the darkness ceased, but Jacob had already become possessed by the darkness. He lost his mind and began plotting to cause destruction and pain everywhere he went. So, we banned together and threw him out of Sunshine Valley; but the city on the outskirts of ours longed to be us, to have our resources and special abilities, so they follow Jacob blindly on the verge of war to eliminate our city and all who inhabit it. Jacob now rules the city of Shadow Valley and they made an alliance with the city of Drone to bring us to our knees. But it’s okay, we can hold our own.

If we can hold our own uncle Devin why did daddy go to Neon begging for their help? Clarisse butted in, now realizing that she said it aloud and hid behind the doorframe.

Clarisse this is an adult discussion get out of here! Clay demanded.

But daddy why does the kids fourteen and older have to join the military? Angel pondered while he peaked through the doorway.

Because…because… Clay struggled to think of a valid reason.

Because dad needs more man power, Codiac stated while strolling into the room.

How many of you are out there? Clay shouted. All ten of Clay’s children, including Charisse, and Rayna came out from behind the doorframe and entered the room.

I didn’t know we had company, Rayna stated. Hi I’m Rayna…well that’s my real world name. Call me Iggy; Rayna is my sister that split from me once I entered Igoine…a bit confusing I know. We’re basically two different people now. Iggy grinned; her short dark brown hair outlining her perfect caramel toned skin. A small beauty mark rested under her left eye.

This isn’t your story Iggy back off! Clay snorted.

Yes it is; there’d be no you without me, so you back off! I’m just trying to be nice to the readers! Iggy snapped.

It’s a waste of your time because they can’t even answer you, you twit! Clay argued.

Doesn’t mean I can’t be nice to them! Iggy screamed.

I’m Charisse hi, but you can call me Squidz. Clay gave me that name; said I looked like a Squidz so it stuck, Charisse shrugged. Charisse’s long black and blue dreadlocks slid down her brown shoulders and rested on her large bosom.

I’m Clarisse the most beautifulist girl in the world! My daddy’s the president of Igoine and my mommy…well she struggles to keep her lawyer job, Clarisse butted in once again.

It’s hard coming to the imaginary world to work when I’m always in the real world in class, Charisse complained.

Excuses, excuses, Clarisse teased.

Can we please get the introductions out the way so we can start the freaking story? Clay bellowed.

My daddy has control issues, Clarisse stated.

And a short fuse, Angel added.

Don’t forget his big head! Cheri giggled.

BEGIN! Clay roared.

Codiac, call me Cody. I’m fifteen. Occupation, solider in the Sunshine Valley infantry. Power, demonic cannot use them do to the danger.

Tye and Tye’N. Twins aged thirteen! Power, mechanical geniuses! Tye and Tye’N chimed simultaneously.

Chance twelve; naturally curly hair but I prefer it straight. Power, telekinesis!

Reality. Call me Real, twelve also. Adopted. Power, entering and controlling dreams.

"Silver-mist. Call me Silver. Call me Misty and your ass is mine. Age eleven. Power, water manipulation.

Cloud. Age seven. I can eat anything and everything due to my nineteen stomachs; I’m never satisfied. Aspiring chef so I can be around food. Power, psychic and weather manipulation.

Clarisse.

Angel.

Cheri. We’re triplets all age six. Power, frostbite.

Power, flight and heavens light, Angel stated.

Power super sexy! Clarisse cheered.

Clarisse! Charisse shrieked.

Alright, alright I don’t quite know my power yet. Okay? Happy now?

Where’d Iggy go? Charisse wondered.

Here I am. I went to go get my kids! Iggy panted as her and her children entered the room. Say hi to the readers.

Greetings. My name is Cookie. Age eleven. Power, random combustion and explosives.

T.k. Age nine. Spawn of Death. Power, soul collection and raising of the fallen.

Hi, hi hira! Emo exclaimed.

She said her name is Emo she’s eight years old and her power is electric shock, Cookie translated. She doesn’t know how to speak normally.

Eth, Emo nodded.

I’m Tiger and that’s my twin sister Tigger, Tiger introduced.

Hi. We’re six years old and we have the power to transform into anything in the feline family, Tigger smiled sweetly.

Me Constantine. Me four. Power, super nova! BOOM! Constantine giggled.

Finally we’re done. Can we start the story now? Clay complained.

I’m Mystic I’m the head psychic in Sunshine Valley. If you need anything, anything at all, I’ll charge you for it.

Mystic get out of here! No one wants to hear about the future! Clay yelled.

Wouldn’t it be smart to know the enemies battle strategies so we could avoid them and win the war with no casualties? Iggy reasoned.

Then it’ll be boring for the reader. Now start the damn story! Clay roared.

But daddy they didn’t hear about you and uncles powers, Cheri reminded him.

Shut up Cheri! Clay growled.

I’m not loved, Cheri cried. Clay’s face softened, then hardened again.

Right now you’re not. End chapter one! Clay shouted.

"So welcome to Sunshine Valley, the happiest