Echoes of Mortal Melodies in the New Realm of León

By Frank Spreader

In the midst of political turmoil and martial intrigue, "Echoes of Mortal Melodies in the New Realm of León" unfolds a tale of honor, betrayal, and redemption in the vibrant setting of Nuevo Reino de León. When Isabel de Montemayor, the governor's daughter, is kidnapped, a chain of events is set in motion, leading to a clash between forces vying for power. As the Dragon Warrior, Wintie Rayado, emerges from the shadows, his quest for vengeance intertwines with the fate of the kingdom, culminating in a showdown with the rebels' leader, Lyvonte Bicette. With stunning martial arts choreography and a plot filled with twists and turns, this story immerses readers in a world where bravery and skill determine the course of history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Spreader
• Release date: Apr 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224243389

Frank Spreader

Incurable writer. Creator. Extreme reader. Travel fanatic. Introvert. Friendly coffee junkie. Music ninja. Internet nerd. Unapologetic entrepreneur. Thinker.

Book preview

ECHOES OF MORTAL MELODIES

IN THE NEW REALM OF LEÓN

Copyright 2024 Frank Spreader

Published by Frank Spreader at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Encounter with Tequila God

Chapter 2: The Encounter at the Coral Rocks

Chapter 3: Angelyse and Wintie's Encounter

Chapter 4: The Ambitions of Chief Cacaxtli

Chapter 5: The Rebellion's Council

Chapter 6: The Secret Arrangement

Chapter 7: Shadows of Betrayal

Chapter 8: Ambushed on the Road

Chapter 9: The Dragon Warrior's Justice

Chapter 10: The Dragon Warrior's Encounter

Chapter 11: The Rebellion's Council Part Two

Chapter 12: The Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 13: The Intruder's Challenge

Chapter 14: A Night of Reckoning

Chapter 15: The Battle for Nuevo Reino de León

About the Author

Other Books by this Author

CHAPTER I

THE ENCOUNTER WITH TEQUILA GOD

Under the unrelenting glare of the midday sun, the landscape was swept by fierce, arid winds. The sand dust from the plateau rose into the air, swirling and creating a dense fog that momentarily obscured the scenery. Along the slope of the distant hill, a haunting, melodic whistle echoed, its tune elusive and ever-changing, seemingly at odds with the harsh gusts sweeping across the plateau. Suddenly, the eerie melody ceased, replaced by the echoing laughter of the hills.

The youth, dressed in white, glanced aside from his perch on the hill. Before the laughter could fully register in his ears, a fragrant liquid shot in his direction.

With a swift backward jump, he narrowly avoided a portion of the liquid splashing across his face. The rest struck a massive tree nearby. The impressive burst of liquid seemed more accidental than deliberate.

The young man was utterly taken aback.

Barely half a day into his journey, someone had emerged with deadly intent. His gaze locked on the source of the strange liquid spray. As he turned his head, a sudden cascade of hundreds of droplets streamed down from above, like rain driven by a fierce storm.

The youth cried out loudly and thrust his right hand upward. A multitude of liquid droplets erupted skyward, while another stream parted to the side. The tree leaves were left riddled with holes, and the wooden branches appeared as if impaled by spikes. Mirthful laughter once again reverberated across the entire peak of the hill.

The youth, scratching his head in puzzlement, surveyed his surroundings. His gaze locked onto a colossal tree that towered over the landscape, possibly exceeding a height of a hundred feet. The laughter seemed to emanate from the tree's upper branches, yet the individual responsible remained elusive, possibly hidden behind the wide, thick foliage.

The man in the tree! the young man shouted. If you're brave enough, come out, you bastard! With those words, he thrust his right palm upward forcefully.

A violent gust of wind, like a hurricane, attacked the towering tree, shattering its limbs and branches. Leaves fell in a flurry. In the blink of an eye, the once-colossal tree, reaching into the sky, was reduced to a bare skeleton.

Perched atop the sturdy tree trunk, an elderly man draped in a white cloth across his chest appeared. The tree's great height obscured his face somewhat, but his long beard, reaching his chest, swayed in the dry plateau breeze. In his lap lay a four-foot-long bamboo pipe, while another hung behind his back. These pipes contained a remarkably flavorful tequila, which he had used to douse the young man beneath the tree moments earlier. The young man's barehanded strikes, which had caused branches and leaves to fall, posed a challenge to the resolve of the white-bearded old man on the tree. At the very least, they would have left him with internal injuries.

However, in a peculiar turn, the white-bearded man remained seated atop the barren tree, leisurely sipping his tequila and chuckling as if nothing had happened.

The young man seethed with frustration, but he managed to resist the urge to act impulsively.

The elderly man with a white beard, perched atop the tall tree and holding two bamboo pipes of tequila, had been described by his mentor during his training at the peak of Cerro el Potosí.

His mentor had spoken of a skilled warrior from four decades past, rarely seen, who was aligned with the virtuous faction of martial arts. This faction was known for using martial arts and supernatural abilities for noble causes.

However, the young man with disheveled hair couldn't comprehend why the old man had wielded his tequila as a weapon. Hey, old man, the youth called out.

His lips trembled, imbuing his words with inner power, as if seeking to ascend to the summit of the towering tree, surpassing a height of a hundred feet.

If I'm not mistaken, ain't I standing in front of a renowned figure in the martial arts world, known as the Tequila God?

The elder in the tree stroked his beard briefly, took a sip of tequila, and chuckled once more. Young man, your eyes are sharp enough to spot an eighty-year-old like me. But would you consider joining me up here on the peak of this tree and sharing a sip of that heavenly tequila?

And so it continued.

Tequila God bestowed his tequila with a taste and aroma fit for the heavens, unmatched by any other.

The young man grinned, Viejo, you're mighty kind. I've got some urgent business today. Maybe some other time I can take up your invitation. Thanks for your generosity. It's a real pleasure to meet a martial arts figure whose name is known in all eight directions of the wind.

Ah, you're giving an old man quite the praise, responded Tequila God. I've had my eye on you since the edge of that arid plateau, waiting for you to make it over here. But now that you're in front of me, you turn down my invitation. Maybe my tequila ain't up to snuff or lacks a bit of fragrance.

The youth pondered briefly. It appeared that accepting the invitation from Tequila God and engaging in conversation with the old man at the tree's summit wouldn't be a hindrance. His mouth clamped tightly, his hands splayed out to the sides, and his feet pushed forcefully against the earth, propelling him upward like an eagle soaring to the tree's pinnacle. The summit spread out like a wide, round table. Despite being branchless and leafless, it retained a refreshing coolness at that elevated height.

I accept your invitation, Tequila God, said the young man, settling onto a jutting piece of the broken tree branch.

Hehehe, chuckled Tequila God with great joy. There ain't no harm in accepting my invitation, young man. The tequila is mighty fine, and the sitting spot is prime. You can see for yourself, clear across this whole stretch.

Perched atop the tree, the young man could enjoy a breathtaking view that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Tequila God deftly grabbed one of his tequila pipes and extended it to his guest. Are you accustomed to sipping tequila, young one?

The young man replied, Sure, I've had a sip or two, even though it was only that day he had first laid eyes on, bragged about, and was about to experience the drink called tequila. He accepted the bamboo pipe from the Tequila God.

As Tequila God fetched another pipe, he continued to admire the surrounding landscape. Come on, youngster, have a sip, he urged. You gotta know, my tequila's the real deal. If you ain't used to it, you might end up tipsy or dizzy and tumble down from this tree.

The youth chuckled and placed his lips on the bamboo pipe. As the tequila flowed down his throat, warmth enveloped his body. The landscape seemed clearer, and a sense of tranquility settled over his mind.

How's that sip treating you?

Your tequila is truly exceptional, old man. It's no wonder they call it heavenly tequila.

Tequila God chuckled with delight. Where do you come from, young blood?

I just rolled in from Dimmitt, the young man replied.

Dimmitt is a sorry town full of bandits, Tequila God remarked. And those bandits, they're your folks too.

The youth pondered: If Tequila God knew about the situation in Dimmitt, why hadn't he intervened?

Tequila God seemed to understand the young man's thoughts. He sighed. I'm tired of those sour dealings, so I've let things be in that town. The folks there don't seem too concerned about their fate, content to be trampled on. Eventually, the situation will sort itself out. He took another swig of tequila.

After a moment of silence, the young man inquired, Tequila God, is this massive tree your dwelling place?

Why do you ask?

Because if that's the case, I, the young one, have to apologize for making this tree bald like this.

Tequila God chuckled heartily, tequila spilling