Roar of the Dragon

By Michelle Mueller

When a band of powerful marauders plunder and ravage the villages of Toradi, an Irish Traveler risks his life to cross the mountains and warn King Lazar of Shalimar of an imminent attack. Once again, King Lazar leads the Knights of Shalimar in battle to fight the evil Dirks in a quest for justice. Along the way, they discover their battle is not against mere men but also against mystical beasts and come face to face with an old enemy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796069334

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Copyright © 2019 by Michelle Mueller.

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.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/30/2019

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Preface

Glossary

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Epilogue

All scripture is taken from The Holy Bible (KJV)

DEDICATION

T HIS BOOK IS lovingly dedicated to my family and friends who supported me in this journey. I cannot express in words how thankful I am for all of you and your prayers. You are the treasures in my h eart.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I AM ETERNALLY thankful to my Heavenly Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. I could not have written this book in my own strength, but with you, ALL things are poss ible.

PREFACE

M Y LOVE FOR the novels of J. R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis inspired me to continue the adventures of my beloved characters of Shalimar and write this trilogy. My desire in writing this book is to reveal the truth of the supernatural realm and God’s unconditional love for you.

For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

~ Luke 4:10-11

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

~ Micah7:8

GLOSSARY

Humans

Aaron (Air-in): Son of Ayden and Katrina; brother of Adalein and Daniel; grandson of Lazar

Adalein (Ad-a-leen): Daughter of Ayden and Katrina; sister of Aaron and Daniel; granddaughter of Lazar

Alannah: Wife of Shawn; adoptive mother of Nova (Atara)

Amarisa: Princess of Alcastar; daughter of King Davion and Queen Nadia; wife of Croloch; mother of Prince Leon

Atara (Ah-tar-ah): Name given to Nova by Croloch

Ayden: Prince and knight of Shalimar; husband of Princess Katrina; father of Aaron, Adalein, and Daniel

Betsabee (Bet-sa-bee): Rabbage’s beloved

Caitiff (Cay-tiff) Croloch (Crow-lock): Wizard; Husband of Princess Amarisa; father of Prince Leon; former knight of Shalimar

Cara (Care-ah): Wife of Ryke; mother of Dante and Nova

Daniel: Youngest child of Ayden and Katrina; brother of Aaron and Adalein; grandson of Lazar

Dante (Don-tay): Knight of Shalimar; son of Ryke and Cara; brother of Nova

Davion: King of Alcastar; husband of Queen Nadia; father of Princess Amarisa; grandfather of Prince Leon

Dirks: Marauders in the land of Toradi

Eon (EE-on): A holy man of Shalimar

Fergus (Fer-guss): Brother of Shawn

Grace: Daughter of Lord Lancelin and Lady Jordanna; younger sister of Ayden

Katrina: Princess of Shalimar; daughter of King Lazar and Queen Kaylein; wife of Ayden; mother of Aaron, Adalein, and Daniel

Kaylein: Deceased Queen of Shalimar; wife of Lazar, mother of Katrina

Kean (Kee-un) Clan: Family belonging to a Nomadic People known as The Travelers

Kor (Rhymes with door): Leader of the Dirks

Lady Jordanna: Friend of Queen Kaylein; wife of Lord Trevonis (deceased); wife of Lord Lancelin; mother of Ayden and Grace

Lancelin (Lan-sa-lin): Lord and knight of Shalimar; husband of Lady Jordanna; stepfather of Ayden; father of Grace

Lazar (La-zar): King of Shalimar; husband of Queen Kaylein (deceased), father of Princess Katrina

Leon: Prince of Alcastar; son of Croloch and Amarisa; grandson of Davion and Nadia

Malefic (Male-a-feck): Wizard of Cinomed; leader of Ords in the other world

Nadia: Queen of Alcastar; wife of King Davion; mother of Princess Amarisa; grandmother of Prince Leon

Nicolin: King of Zantar; father of Prince Terric

Nova: Daughter of Ryke and Cara; adopted daughter of Shawn and Alannah; sister of Dante

Ords (Oards): Giants who live in Cinomed, in the other world

Patrick: Brother of Shawn

Rabbage (Rhymes with cabbage): Little creature, known as a Zork in the other world

Ryke (Rike): Husband of Cara; father of Dante and Nova

Shawn: Leader of The Kean clan of Travelers; husband of Alannah; adoptive father of Nova (Atara)

Terric: Prince of Zantar; son of King Nicolin

The Travelers: Clans of nomadic people living primarily east of the Toradi Mountains

Rudi (Roo-dee): Little Zork son of Rabbage and Betsabee; brother of Tudi

Tudi (Too-dee): Little Zork daughter of Rabbage and Betsabee; little sister of Rudi

Yanzi (Rhymes with Pansy) Tribe: Indigenous people living on Dolphin Island

Zorks (Rhymes with Storks): Little creatures who live in Cinomed (Shimmerdale) in the other world.

Ships

The Infinity: Prince Leon of Alcastar’s ship

Angels

Aladio (Ah-la-dee-oh): Angel assigned to Fergus

Aloke (Ah-low-kee): Angel assigned to Kean Clan

Custos (Koos-tohs): Angel guarding the demonic portal

David: Angel assigned to Katrina

Elshanel (El-sha-nel): Angel assigned to Leon

Ezekiel (E-zee-key-el): Angel assigned to Croloch

Iri (Ear-ee): Angel assigned to Nova

Jakar (Jah-car): Angel assigned to King Lazar

Lekki (Leh-key): Angel assigned to Dante

Tekoa (Teh-coe-ah): Angel assigned over Toradi

Tikvah (Teak-vah): Angel assigned to Ayden

Trekon (Tray-con): Commander of Angels

Animals

Aven (A-ven): Unicorn of Brightendale

Creulon (Kray-lon): Dragon of Toradi assigned to protect Kor and his men

Grian (Gree-an): Ayden’s horse

Jubilee (Jew-ba-lee): Leon’s dog

Malum (Mah-loom): Dragon of Cinomed

Selah (Sel-ah): Cocker Spaniel belonging to Aaron and Adalein

Shannon and Shai: Katrina’s Irish Wolfhounds

Thunder: Croloch’s horse

Locations

Alcastar (Ale-ka-star): Motherland of Shalimar, an island west of Shalimar, across the Falcon Sea

Brightendale: A land of in the other world; home of Aven, the unicorn

Cinomed (Sin-o-med): A land in the other world inhabited by the Ords; formerly Shimmerdale

Dayshire: village south of Croloch’s cave

Dolphin Island: Tiny island southeast of Alcastar

Elkrin (El-krin) Valley: Eastern valley of Shalimar and Zantar, west of the Toradi Mountains

Falcon Sea: Sea to the west of Shalimar and Zantar

Kaldor (Kale-door): Village of Dante and Nova, east of Shalimar, across the Toradi Mountains

Murky Mountain: Home of Malefic, the wizard and the Ords in Cinomed

Ordaxis (Ore-dax-is): World of the Ords

Rainbow Mountain: Mountain in Shimmerdale before the invasion of the Ords

Shalimar (Shal-ah-marr): Kingdom ruled by King Lazar, south of Zantar, west of the Toradi

Mountains

Shimmerdale: home of the Zorks before invaded by Ords

Toradi (Tore-ah-die) Forest: Forest that runs through the land of Toradi

Toradi Mountains: Mountain range that runs north to south, east of the Elkrin Valley

Toradi River: River that runs north and south, east of the Toradi Mountains

Winwood Forrest: Forest that separates the kingdoms Shalimar and Zantar, west of the Elkrin Valley

Zantar (Zan-tarr): Kingdom north of Shalimar, separated by the Winwood Forest

PROLOGUE

A LONG TIME ago , beyond the Toradi Mountains, lived an ancient dragon known as Creulon. The dragon had been appointed by the Ruler of Darkness, Satan, as protector over blood-thirsty outlaws, known as the Dirks. With the aid of the dragon, they pillaged villages to the east, leaving behind a wake of destruction and d eath.

This day, their ruthless leader, Kor, sat on his horse at the top a hill gazing down upon their next intended conquest. The mighty dragon, Creulon, flew above them. Raising his sword, Kor gave a mighty shout and the band of marauders descended upon the tiny village of Kaldor in the land of Toradi.

Clutching his sword, Ryke looked out from the small window of their home and saw the dragon flying above the outlaws as they swiftly approached. Fearing for the lives of their children, he and his wife, Cara, opened the trap door of a secret tunnel beneath the floor for their small son and daughter. The tunnel led to the forest behind them.

Take Nova and go to the river, said Ryke to his son. The roar of the dragon and the sound of many horses’ hooves grew louder.

Da, I am not afraid. Let me fight, said nine-year-old Dante.

You must protect your sister, said Cara, weeping as they heard blood-curdling screams and shouts coming from outside. Hugging their children for the last time, Ryke slammed the trap door shut. Covering it with straw, he pulled a small table over it.

Hurrying outside, Ryke and Cara fought bravely against the Dirks alongside the other villagers, but they were greatly outnumbered. The outlaws swept through the village, ransacking it. The dragon torched the homes and barns, feeding on helpless victims. Kor rode up beside Ryke and Cara as they fought the outlaws. Grabbing Cara by the hair, he tried to pull her up on his horse, but she fought him. While they struggled, Ryke lunged at Kor with his sword. While the two were engaged in combat, one of Kor’s men rode up behind Ryke, plunging his axe into his back and slew him. Great flames of fire shot from the dragon’s mouth as it roared, igniting the thatched roof of their home. Spooked by falling embers from the roof, Kor’s horse reared up and struck Cara in the head with its hooves, taking her life.

Hand in hand, Ryke and Cara’s spirits rose upward into the sky. Looking down, they saw their lifeless bodies lying in the dirt next to their burning home. As black, billowing smoke from the flames rose into the sky, their lifeblood seeped into the ground, crying out to God.

Sparkles of tiny, brilliant lights crystallized before their eyes and the angel, Trekon, appeared before them, smiling. A glorious light emanated from him. The angel had shoulder-length, wavy, blond hair and piercing light blue eyes. He was clothed in a long, white robe and wore a golden sash around his waist. On his feet, he wore gold sandals and his translucent white wings shimmered with light.

Come, it is time, said the angel, tenderly.

Ryke and Cara smiled as they took his outstretched hand. Behind the angel, an ancient, winding stairway with translucent, pearl steps reached up into the heavens, disappearing into the clouds. Beautiful flowers of every color bordered the steps on either side of the staircase and a white dove hovered in the sky above them.

As Cara and Ryke slowly ascended the steps, Cara turned and looked up into the angel’s face.

What will become of our children? she asked.

They are in God’s hands, said Trekon, reassuring them.

Ryke and Cara nodded, feeling peace as the angel led them home.

CHAPTER 1

P LUNGED INTO DARKNESS, the air within the tunnel smelled dank and musty. It was hard for Nova and Dante to breath. Frightened, they fought claustrophobia as they began the long trek through the dirt passage. Crawling on their hands and knees, they inched their way along, rocks scraping the skin on their palms and knees. Nova’s sobs were the only thing they heard as Dante urged his sister for ward.

Do not stop, Nova. We must keep going, he said, urgently. Dante knew instinctively they had to put as much distance as they could between them and their village if they wanted to live. The fear of being discovered and the fate they would meet if found propelled them forward. Nova felt tiny legs crawling on her arm and cried out.

Shhh, they will hear us, said Dante, in a loud whisper. We are almost there, he said, pushing her forward. In truth, he had no idea how long the tunnel was or how far they must go.

The tunnel was carved out by the children’s father years ago as an escape route in the event of enemy attacks. It had taken Ryke three years to dig the narrow passage beneath their home. From the time Dante was five years old, Ryke had taken him through the tunnel many times. He showed the young boy how to cover the exit in the forest with brush so it was not visible to the naked eye.

Pay attention and do everything as I have instructed you, Dante. Your life and that of your sister may depend on it, Ryke had told his small son. Dante had heeded the words of his father, never forgetting.

Panting, at last they saw a glimmer of light up ahead and crawled faster. When they came to the exit, the children pushed against the thick covering of branches and crawled out into the forest, a half mile from their home. They were covered in dirt and their clothes were torn. Nova’s dirt-smudged cheeks were stained with tracks from her tears. Quickly, they covered the opening. The distant screams and shouts filled them with terror.

Hurry, said Dante.

Grabbing his sister by the hand, they raced through the forest down a steep slope to the river. There was no path and they fought their way through thick, overgrown plants, thorny bushes, and low tree branches. Nova tripped over a tree root and fell flat. Dante picked his sister up and they kept running, the cut on Nova’s knee bleeding down her leg. Finally, they reached the bank of the Toradi River. Dante looked for the tree that marked the canoe his father kept hidden. He spotted it a few yards to his left.

This way, he said, pulling Nova.

It had rained heavily the night before and the river was swollen. The banks were muddy and slippery, and they fought to keep their balance as they uncovered the canoe. Nova helped Dante push it into the river and he held it in place for her.

Get in, he said, helping her into the small craft.