The Eternal Crown: Dawning of the Red Sun

By Michael D Lopez and Ashley Torruella

The faithful nation of Ezra awaits the ascension of their new Cleric. A Holy and powerful champion chosen and blessed by the Goddess of Light, Elora. With a new Emperor to appease and rising tensions with ancient enemies, the young successor, Myra Sol, must quickly find her voice and lead her people away from a war they can't afford.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: 0-0-8 Studios
• Release date: Feb 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781737381709

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Michael Lopez

The Eternal Crown

Dawning of The Red Sun

First published by 0-0-8 Studios L.L.C. 2022

Copyright © 2022 by Michael Lopez

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Michael Lopez asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is part of a personal collection intended to be shared with a willing audience. A willing audience is defined as an individual, or group of individuals, who has purchased, rented, read, and/or reviewed any versioning or copy of this book, whether physical, digital, or other. Views, illustrations, opinions, and other aspects are not intended to malign or offend any religion, ethnic group, age group, gender/gender identity, club, organization, company, or individual(s). Therefore, while this author and agency assert rights toward the work, they do not hold any obligation to monitor or correct any insult or offense taken at these levels.

First edition

ISBN: 978-1-7373817-0-9

Illustration by Ashley Torruella

Typesetting by Reedsy

Editing by C.A. Hawksmoor

Editing by Jo Boesel

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

Publisher Logo

To my loving wife Erin and my son Christian.

To Luna, Stella, Loki, and Kai.

To all my family and friends.

Thanks for your love and support. From the bottom of my heart.

This is just the beginning.

Contents

Acknowledgement

Prologue

Map of Eden

1. The Red Sun

2. A New Promise

3. Children Of The Forest

4. The New Hunt

5. The Reaper

6. The Dragon’s Dominion

7. Departure

8. The Sol Family

9. Eyes of the Storm

10. The Melee

11. First Blood

12. Cataclysm

13. The Beginning of the End

Epilogue

0-0-8 Studios

About the Illustrator

About the Author

Also by Michael Lopez

Acknowledgement

Tools used:

Grammarly - Online Grammar Checker

The Writer’s Diet - MS Word

The Writing Flux Editing Services

Notable influences:

Vicente Lopez Cruz - Hey Mickey!

G.S. Crews - Never Quit Writing!

Affiliations:

‘The Comixology Club’ - Podcast by Snoop Lynch & Higgins Sturm (Previously known as ‘Comrades, Cocktails, & Comics!’)

Journey Church, Griffin, Georgia - www.journeynow.org

Notes:

Thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Enjoy!

Prologue

"Hear me and let it be known…

I am, have been, and always will be, the First and the Only…

I am the origin of power, which you now hold without my blessing.

I am the start of time, which you now waste at my expense.

I am the One, The Only One, that bears true right to this realm and all its glory, now and forever.

I will purge my gem of your influence and rebuild what is rightfully mine —and You, my wretched kin, my pair of despicable thieves, will, at last, be left with nothing…

Ungrateful. Arrogant. Weak…

Your fates are now sealed. Your names now marked. Your inheritance - stricken.

The black wings of your sins will return to tear this world asunder, and you will never know peace in my absence.

As you bicker and fight for a crown neither of you is fit to hold, so will those holds be divided by the same strife and betrayal you have gifted me.

Usurpers. Snakes. Traitors…

You will reign forever blind—unknowing of my vengeance.

Forever mute—powerless by my design.

Oh, but you will hear… you will hear and listen and know my anger.

When the skies darken and the screams of your tainted children fill your very air, then you will hear me.

When blood fills the sun and swallows the seas, and when war wages without season, then you will hear me.

And as you wander in the dark of my own shadow, senseless and hopeless to all around you, then you will surely and only hear me.

Vile. Lost. Dead…

Let all stand witness to my words.

This I swear on all that I am and forever will be…"

-The Forgotten Prophecy of an Angry God

Barabel

Map of Eden

"Long before my birth, the world split in two and left us at its middle. Trapped between the wings of a mighty Dragon and the fruit of false Gods. But we now hold dominion over what is truth, that should these two halves ever meet again, our world as we know it will end in both ice and fire. Hence, we stand forever ready to keep the peace by any means necessary…

Despair not, Yann. This burden is one we gladly accept. For we decide when our time is up and on what terms we depart from this world. No Gods will ever walk the halls of The Citadel, and no emperor shall ever kneel to the likes of them.

This realm, all that you see before you. Is ours now…"

-Laurentius, Third Emperor of the Dragon’s Dominion

1

The Red Sun

City of Elyse, Ezra – House Sol

Again! ordered Terra as she slowly circled the room. Her stormy gray eyes set on her daughter like a hawk on prey. Her fingers pensively rested over her lips, hiding each of her commands.

A Cleric must never falter…

Myra rolled her eyes at her mother, her face flushed red from both fatigue and frustration. Her breathing heavy from the last hard-fought rounds.

How many times have I heard that before? she wondered, trying to collect herself. And how many more times must I do this today?!

She was exhausted, and the room smelled of nothing but sweat. Even with the windows vented and the many candles lit above, the air felt dense, almost damp. So much that anyone who could have entered from the outside would have immediately questioned the intensity of their training. They had been going for what seemed like an eternity without rest.

The room itself was rather large, with tall concrete walls decorated in an endless supply of weapons and shields, all in some form or fashion brandishing the Sol family emblem; a red sun with a fiery phoenix emerging from its center. A testament to the nation’s perseverance and the ferocity of its many prominent leaders, The Clerics. Above them hung a large, fine-iron chandelier emanating light to the far corners of the arched ceilings. The only entrance, and exit, to the room, were a pair of large wooden doors with carved intricate designs, followed by a narrow red carpet that only stretched but a few feet in, conveniently found behind her mother now. She, however, stood center in the room, in a decently sized marble circle that for the past few hours had been her only semblance of safety, and ironically, an endless ring of combat as well.

In front of Myra stood three royal guards, each fully suited in padded armor and wielding unique wooden weapons: two short aiming swords and one lance. Their armor was scuffed and torn in numerous places from her previous attacks, but as beaten as they were, they still served as better protection than that of her own light training garments.

Sharp pains pulsed throughout her body from time to time, convulsing mainly in her arms and legs. A result no doubt from her waning defense and the continuous strain of the day. She knew she would be bruised and aching for some time after, but her mind had already acclimated. She had to continue. She had to keep going, or it’d get worse.

A little more, Myra. she thought to herself, Keep it together…

She took a deep breath in, ignoring the burning in her lungs and a vague sense of vertigo.

Just a little more, I’m sure…

It was little encouragement.

One guard noticed her and perked up, standing at a brief attention to speak and raising one hand to his chest in salute.

High Lady Terra, forgive me, but maybe we should rest for a moment. Lady Myra here looks very weary.

Terra paused her pacing, focusing a surprised gaze on the guard and then giving off a semi-devious smirk.

Well, Myra? she asked, What say you? Are you faltering yet?

Myra took a moment to think, feigning a fix of her crimson red hair back into a ponytail. Her fingers danced with her worn hair tie but still struggled to keep everything back. As she tightened the last knot, she could feel her hands tremble. Hopefully, it had gone unnoticed.

It sounds to me like he’s the one that’s tired, mother… she scoffed, brushing a few more strands from her view, attempting to appear ever confident. If anything, we can rest for his sake. I need none.

Terra returned her smiling gaze towards the guards.

Well then, you already have my answer… Again!

With no further hesitation, the guards saluted sharply, readied their weapons, and began a slow, uniformed advance. Deep down, Myra cursed herself for answering the way she did. She could tell they wanted this to be over just as much as she did. Yet, here they were, once again, because of her.

Make this one count, my little ember. Terra joked. Her crooked smirk even more prominent than before.

An unusual silence filled the room as they moved closer to Myra. Each guard remained aligned at the shoulders, in sync with each other’s steps. This was a slightly different approach than before, but it presented a few new options. She had little time to decide what happened next.

They had already learned attacking independently wouldn’t bode well. During the first few attempts, she made quick work of them, applying just enough force to stop their advances without injury. However, her restraint was not rewarded as they progressed throughout the day. They used more complex tactics: rushing to surround her, baiting her, and even once a full-on surprise charge. Each round proved an even greater challenge and required a larger effort on her part. And while ultimately successful with each, they were still making sure she was learning along the way. A brutal yet ‘genius’ training method designed by none other than her own mother, the former commander of the Ezran Royal Guard.

In truth, she was slightly surprised at how well they were keeping up with her and how much more intense they were from her usual training subjects. Her mother had made it clear that this newer regimen was beyond anything they had ever done before. It went to show that the ERG were more than ordinary soldiers or thugs. In fact, each of them was handpicked for their battle prowess and assigned very specific roles to protect and guide the clerical family, uniquely standing out from each other and the rest of the Ezran army. After today’s sessions, in addition to a countless number of other lectures, she should have known better what to expect.

What is it this time? she thought to herself, taking the defense. It can’t be another ‘wall,’ can it?

With each step forward they took, she instinctively took one back, trying to buy as much time as she could. Sadly, she knew this also worked to their advantage since she was quickly running out of room. Her eyes scanned the three and their surroundings, praying for a good opening to work with, but as long as they continued moving in unison, there was none to be found. Acting now would only lead to a most certain disadvantage and a painful lesson with it.

This would be so much easier with magic… she continued thinking, adjusting her stance by raising her practice blade just above her head.

You are running out of room, Myra. Attack or yield… announced Terra, unimpressed so far.

She scanned once more, but just as her mother began to pace again, she thought she caught a glimmer of hope. The two outside guards took extra steps, slowly forming the beginning of an arrowed formation.

It’s a wedge!

They were trying to corner her and cut off her chances of escape. An annoying yet straightforward tactic. Alas, not at all a problem for her skills.

She didn’t want to give the tell away too quickly, but she couldn’t help but smile wide at her find.

Suddenly she dashed at her opponents with incredible speed, landing directly between them. The group of guards, caught off guard, instinctively raised their weapons to block and tried to widen the gap, but before they could react, Myra had already struck the one in the center, breaking their wedge attempt before it had even taken place.

She landed a solid swing on the first guard’s torso, following through with her strike and quickly landing another to the back of the neck, knocking him down. She then promptly swung her feet behind her, elegantly gliding towards her next opponent while keeping her weapon readied, pointed directly down her line of sight. The second guard had already lunged, blindly thrusting with the tip of his lance.

Despite her muscles begging her to stop, her body flowed. Like she had seen everything that needed to be done all at once, and that was enough for her to act again. After the first motion, she simply did, emptying everything from her mind for that very moment. There was no room for pain or doubt or any cause for hesitation. Only the simplicity of the fight and the rush that drowned her with it. She dodged to the inside, kicking the second guard low and elbowing him in the ribs as hard as she could. Each strike was precise and executed to the finest degree, with ease.

She laced the spine of her wooden sword between his shoulder blades and around his neck, reaching up to grab its sharp face, squeezing tight. In one smooth motion, she twisted her body and slammed the guard down to the ground using their combined weight against him. Wanting to keep the momentum going, she rolled off the second guard and on towards the third, but this time was met with an expecting force. She had only swung upwards just in time to counter.

She tried pushing off but with little luck. The third guard had gained and kept the greater pressure in the stalemate, occasionally adding to it with a few extra steps. He clearly figured that if he couldn’t best her in combat, his next viable option was to push her out of bounds for the win.

Beads of sweat rolled down her face as she continued to push back. Her feet slid in place, and she felt her muscles cramping. Her body slowly giving out. This stalemate was not one she would win. She had been stalled for so long now that her adrenaline rush began to fade. And with the first two guards still conscious and regaining, even if she could, both her time and options still seemed limited.

Thinking quickly, she extended her left hand and snapped her fingers, causing a small flame to flicker in her palm. As the last guard’s focus momentarily shifted, eyes widening with great concern, she felt the pressure lapse, briefly leaving her shoulders. She spun off the block and swung full force towards his head, no longer caring for restraint. She shut her eyes tight, forcing her body to follow through, and for a split second, she thought she had lost control. It was only by Elora’s grace that she managed to stop just before impact.

The guard froze, dropping his sword at her feet as she pressed her own against his cheek. Silence once again filled the room. Another breath sucked in before finally Myra relaxed her arms, allowing him to move away unscathed. Images of the fight flashed in her mind as she tried to reflect on all she had just done.

She staggered backward a bit as she fought to catch her breath again. Surely, this had been her quickest and most efficient spar of the day. Of course, her mother would undoubtedly object to the use of magic, no matter how slight, but she was overall impressed with this performance. Perhaps that would make up for her unsanctioned improv.

As she looked around, she could hear the groans and moans of the other two guards while they reached for their weapons, struggling to get back up for another round.

I’d say that marks the end of today’s training, wouldn’t you? she grinned confidently.

But Terra crossed her arms and began moving towards her, slowly weaving through each guard as they repositioned themselves, glancing over them as if inspecting for some assurance to continue. Her long golden hair swayed with each step until she came face to face with Myra, standing just over the one abandoned training sword.

Reckless. she plainly stated. A cold glare beat down on Myra more intensely than the past few rounds combined. … and not even slightly amusing.

Myra’s eyes widened in disbelief. Even with her ‘bending’ of the rules, this was far from what she expected to hear on a clear best run.

Reckless?! Myra nearly shouted. How exactly was that reckless?!

Backing yourself into a corner, waiting for the last possible moment to act, grabbing the blade of your weapon?! responded Terra, counting off each offense with her fingers. Honestly, what did you expect? Your performance reeked of desperation. It’s as if you ignored everything I’ve taught you up to this point.

But—

Terra stopped her.

Do it again! she ordered, snapping at her guards to get back into position. This time, no holding back. If she has enough time to flash a fancy spell in your face, then you have enough time to strike her down.

Myra tensed up, feeling a wave of anger build up inside of her. She had done so well but was still being punished. Not only that, but the guards were obviously well beyond their limits. How could her mother justify punishing them so harshly for something that she alone was responsible for? She had always held her tongue before, but this was too much.

No. Absolutely not! You’ve always taught me to take advantage of a situation! Pray, tell me what was wrong with that?!

"To take advantage and to take control… Terra quickly corrected, Not only were you sloppy, but you also broke my one and only rule! Did you think I would reward that sleight of hand simply because you won? Magic is not a means of control, nor is it ever fully under control. The price paid does not outweigh its benefit in the heat of battle!"

I wasn’t trying to hide it! And it was only a little! Since when have I ever lacked control over my own spells?! Myra argued, Besides, I wouldn’t really consider that a spell… more like—

Fire magically erupting from your fingertips? Terra finished for her, raising an eyebrow.

The candles above us hold more fire than whatever it was I did…

Terra sighed, The size of the spell does not matter! Your dependency on it does. I’ve always told you—

Her voice faded away. A new wave of regret now washed over Myra as she finally gave in to another of her mother’s famous beratings. She went on and on about the dangers of magic and how there was always a price to pay. How steel was far more reliable and less of a risk when it mattered most. In a sense, she was always right in her judgments, and Myra did value her feedback whenever she gave it, but this had always felt more like an opinion than anything else. She just couldn’t see how something so powerful and so effective could be as dangerous as she claimed, especially when only used in moderation. She had also felt her father was adamant about just the opposite during her few training sessions with him. He would insist on its use. After all, wasn’t magic a gift from Elora? Shouldn’t she show her gratitude by using it when it was needed?

In any case, she knew she could have dragged on the fight and maybe figured out another way to win. It was just a matter of committing the time. Time she valued. Time that had been counting against her from the very start. She read the situation as quickly as she could, and a minor spell, even as a distraction, was the easiest way out she could think of. Taking the time to think of a better offensive would have meant the same opportunity for her opponents and their defense. Her father always said, ‘‘Warriors always fight hard, but winners also fight smart." It was a sound strategy.

…You think just like him! Always leaping in - Are you even listening?! Terra asked sternly.

Yes, mother… Myra replied, rolling her eyes again. Her voice was now nearly an annoyed whisper.

Terra let out another heavy sigh.

You take this lightly now, but you have so much left to learn. Had this been a Dominion Sentinel, your little display wouldn’t have even worked.

They are allies… Myra whispered again, defiant as ever. They always have been.

—Elora’s mercy! What of a Hound? What do you think would happen with one of them?

We haven’t had to deal with their kind in years, mother. Barely anyone remembers what they even look like except for father. It’s not like that’s changing any time with how rare their skirmishes have become. Myra said a little louder now, gripping her practice sword tightly. And I’m not training for the Great War! What all are you worried about?

Please. Terra snorted. Only a fool sits and stares at the pack of starving wolves…

Chills ran down Myra’s spine. The words echoed in her head as she met her mother’s angry stare. She wanted to keep justifying herself but found no words to return. She knew what was meant, and the point had already been made.

The guard stands relieved! Terra ordered loudly, picking up the sword at her feet. Tell Commander Kalum I’ll need five fresh for tomorrow.

Five?! She clearly holds a grudge… I should have stayed quiet…

The guards once again saluted without question and began their hurried exit. Terra twirled the wooden sword a few times with ease, cutting sharply through the air around her as she waited for the room to finally clear. Her white robe fluttered with each of her motions.

Complacency and ignorance will always be enemies of the vigilant. You have so much potential, Myra. Don’t waste it with them… she continued, inspecting the wooden sword a bit closer now, avoiding eye contact. We all know what you’re capable of, but focusing on only one strength in hopes of covering all your weaknesses is a mistake a Cleric can not afford. Not him, and certainly not you. Your skill with a sword should be just as natural as uttering any spell, and balancing both is what’s going to set you apart from him… I mean, from everyone else…

Of course, by everyone else, she meant the rest of the Sol bloodline. The great descendants of The Mother herself.