Dream No More: Rise of a Lion: Book II

By Marrio C. Mathews

"Dream No More: Rise of a Lion - Book 2" continues in this second installment of the epic Sci-Fi, High Fantasy novel. Following the hero's quest of a young black boy named Lyone, his party presses onward towards the truth of his dislocation and the captivity of his family by an all-powerful sorceress. Along their quest,

• Language: English
• Publisher: ARPress
• Release date: Jan 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9798893560855

Marrio C. Mathews

Marrio C. Mathews was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since middle school, he has completed several writing projects; none of which was published. However, after his family relocated to Texas as Hurricane Katrina Survivors, he vowed to turn his writings into a professional business venture. Once he moved to Seattle, Washington, he spent the first year of his life as a City-Year Seattle/King County AmeriCorps member. He would then hold two different jobs, attend Seattle Central Community College, and work on the Seattle Central Community College Leadership Board as the Executive of Communications while maintaining a scholarship. After gaining employment at a tech company, he developed the current iteration of Dream No More: Rise of a Lion - Book 1 and Book 2.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Marrio C. Mathews.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

ARPress

45 Dan Road Suite 36

Canton MA 02021

Hotline: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Ordering Information:

Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address above.

Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024904214

I dedicate this book to all of you, who believed in my ability to produce and prosper. To the people that constantly asked, "You finished that book yet?". To my friends, who grew up writing with me. To my family, who can never be replaced. To other producers, who helped mold and shape my thoughts. Lastly to my community, the Black Descendants of American Slaves, honoring the sacred lineage and history that flow through my veins. Everlast.

The little lion of my dreams continues his journey. Now being held captive by an unknown group of beasts, his party leader, Dior, races to find him. The other party member, Lisa, remains at the newly established Federal Union encampment, sheltering herself from an assault by a horde of monsters that attempts to overrun their position. It is here where the story continues.

Contents

Chapter 1. Tools of War 

Chapter 2. Invisible Scars 

Chapter 3. Remembering Fear 

Chapter 4. Living to Learn 

Chapter 5. Competing Together 

Chapter 6. Controlled Chaos 

Chapter 7. Blessed By Moonlight 

Finale 

Chapter

Tools of War

(Nightfalls on a valley plain named, The Valley of Hondra’s Breath. While have been undisturbed by the civilizations of man, a new Federal Union Military Encampment has been constructed. At this time of year, the sounds of wintery winds would be heard wiping about. However, they have been replaced by the alarming sounds of gunfire, erupting from high-tech machine guns mounted on the camp’s defensive walls. Hordes of tall, eight-legged spider like monsters covered in short yellow fur known as web spinners, relentless charges toward the encampment’s location. Yet, the Federal Union’s weapons holds back the horde with ease. The Federal Union Adventurer’s Guild Master, Alex and his troops brandishes their weapons and shields, anxiously watching the web spinners fall one by one before reaching the camp’s walls. Other web spinners stampede toward the camp, stumbling into small floating explosive mine devices camouflaged by the night. Many of the web spinners are blown away with each explosion.)

Alex: Unreal. Those weapons are amazing!

(Accompanied by the Federal Union officials Xia and Francesco, Lisa observes the battle from within the camp, amazed by the performance of the new Federal Union high tech weaponry.)

Lisa: Those weapons are crazy!

Francesco: Xia, has your team of researchers come across any monsters like these before today?

Xia: No. We’ve been collecting samples from the terrain, but we’ve had no contact with them. Reports say they came from underground. There may be caverns housing them under our feet.

Francesco: Either way, I’m just happy these monsters make for easy targets. A battle where my team is hardly needed is a true victory.

(At the top of a watchtower with the encampment, The Federal Union commanding soldiers, Usifkov, Gregory, and Caime gives orders and words of encouragement to the rank and file.)

Usifkov: Good job, men! Keep this up and we’ll clean out this valley in no time!

(Suddenly, the ground begins to tremble, placing everyone on high alert.)

Usifkov: The heck?

Gregory: Look!

(Off in the distance, a wave of scorpion-like web spinners with polished exoskeletons stampede toward their location. Everyone becomes astonished by the sheer numbers marching against them.)

Gregory: Ni have mercy.

Usifkov: Keep firing!

(The bullets from their weapons are deflected by the hides of the monsters.)

Usifkov: Hurry! Switch to heavy artillery!

(The Federal Union soldiers press a button on their weaponry, causing the barrels and magazines to glow red. Their bullets are ignited when exiting the barrel, exploding on impact, killing and injuring many of the type-B web spinners. However, the overflow of type-B web spinners continue their unremitting march.

Suddenly, the Adventurer’s Guild warriors cover their ears at the sound of launching rockets and large explosions. Alex take notice to the Federal Union soldiers wielding remote guided RPGs, amazed at the sheer destructive force of their weaponry.)

Alex: So that’s the type of weaponry the Feds have now? No wonder they aren’t afraid to invade and occupy uninhabitable zones.

(Caime stands alone in a watchtower, overseeing the smoke-covered battlefield with an uneasy feeling. The army of web spinners seem to have stopped their march, hidden within the clouds of smoke.)

Usifkov: Cease fire! Cease fire!

(Hearing Usifkov yell at the top of his lungs, the firing halts. Everyone peers at the battlefield, anxiously awaiting the emergence of their enemies, nervous due to the night decreasing visibility. Suddenly, a scream is heard by one of the Adventurers Guild officers, urgently commanding Alex’s attention. Alex immediately notices the guild member’s leg being constricted by the tail of a type-B web spinner, underhandedly surfacing from underground.)

Alex: They’re under us!

(Suddenly, many of the type-B web spinners emerge from the underground within the main camp, laying siege to the area.

As fighting erupts throughout the camp, Alex, with his giant sword drawn, runs over to aid the guild member. Alex jumps high into the air, crashing onto the ground, plunging his sword into the ground next to the soldier. The guild member’s leg is released from the vice grip, and Alex pulls his sword out of the ground covered in the hemolymph of the web spinner.

Alex cuts the tail away from the guild member’s leg, placing the guild member’s arm around his neck, helping him walk. But, the two find themselves surrounded by a group of type-B web spinners. Suddenly, a high-ranking member of the Adventurer’s Guild lands in front of them, slamming an iron staff on the ground, releasing a powerful shockwave, tossing the surrounding spinners through the air. The high-ranking Adventurer’s Guild member stands firmly on his hooves, wearing silver armor, a blue cape, and a helm crafted cover his face to accommodate horns that curl to the side of his head.)

Silver Knight: Get ‘em to safety, guild master. I got this.

Alex: Thanks, Benion.

(Alex retreats into the main camp, ready to defend himself with his sword, helping the injured guild member to walk at the same time. Benion focuses on the spinners charging towards him, attacking with their snapping claws. He deflects the monsters’ strikes with his iron rod, countering with hits from numerous angles. However, he inflicts no damage.

One of the opponents spinners attempt to sting Benion. He parries the strike with his rod, jumping away from the monsters with his Energy Stream resonating. Next, he holds out his left palm and unleashes a blast of pyro energy from his hand. The energy attack slams into the group of monsters, blowing them away, killing them instantly.

Benion is impressed by the effectiveness of the attack, quickly yelling commands to the surrounding Adventurer Guild members.)

Benion: Energy attacks, everyone! They’re weak to energy attacks!

(The guild members rally at Benion’s words, engaging more effectively, launching energy attacks from numerous places across the battlefield. Meanwhile, Lisa stands with Francesco and Xia, tensely guarding each other’s backs, surrounded by type-B web spinners.

Suddenly, one of the high-ranking Adventurer’s Guild members lands on the back of one of the monsters with a resonating Energy Stream. She swiftly unleashes blasts of energy from both palms, blowing away the surrounding type-B web spinners with ease.

Next, she jumps off the lone spinner’s back, flipping upwards through the air with her Energy Stream still resonating. Finally, she crashes down onto the monster with the heel of her right boot, shattering its armor with a heel strike reinforced by her Energy Stream.

Lisa takes a close look at the high-ranking guild member, excitedly noticing the armor accommodating her small, bushy tail covered in dark-brown fur, long ears that stand upright, and long whiskers that can be seen from behind her.)

Lisa: Oyani!

Oyani: That was easier than I thought it would be.

Lisa: Looks like these monsters are weak against energy attacks: challenge accepted!

(As Lisa steps forward, Xia pulls her back with a nervous laugh.)

Xia: Whoa, kid, the last thing we need is for you to get in the way.

Lisa: Get in the way? Please! These monsters are pushovers!

Francesco: Either way, we can’t let you fight. If something happens to you, Dior is going to kill all of us.

Lisa: Are you two serious right now? We can kick their butts! Stop being cowards!

Oyani: Listen to them, Lisa.

(Oyani looks over her shoulder, showing a small, pink button nose and confident smile.)

Oyani: More importantly, I need you to stay here and protect them. Deal?

(Lisa steels herself, punching her right fist into her left palm with a confident smile of her own.)

Lisa: Ok, then! You can count on me!

(Oyani gives Lisa a wink, swiftly jumping back into the fray. Lisa stands with great admiration, witnessing Oyani take off valiantly into combat.)

Lisa: She’s so darn cool!

Xia: Where exactly did you get the potty mouth?

Francesco: I’m willing to bet Dior has something to do with this.

(Meanwhile, Alex continues helping his injured guild member, walking him to safety with the battle erupting around them. Suddenly, three more type-B web spinners emerge from the ground, barring their path.)

Injured Guild Member: Guild leader, take them on. I’ll cover ya’ rear!

Alex: You sure?

Injured Guild Member: You have to fight, sir! Now go! I’ll guard ya’ back.

Alex: Ok!

(Alex releases the injured guild member, grasping his giant sword with both hands, ready to defend himself. While Alex fight off the three monsters, one of the Federal Union soldiers take notice, nervously aiming his semi-automatic rifle towards the monsters.

Suddenly, another spinner climbs out of the ground behind the soldier, vice-gripping the soldier’s legs with its claws, impaling the soldier through the shoulder with the stinger of its tail. Screaming in agony, the federal union soldier squeezes the trigger of his rifle, uncontrollably firing rounds. The injured guild member notices the danger, quickly moving to protect Alex, jumping in the way of the bullets.)

Injured Guild Member: Guild leader!

(Alex briefly looks over his shoulder to find the injured guild member on the ground unresponsive. He moves quickly to end the fight by jumping backward, creating distance between himself and the three web spinners with his Energy Stream resonating.

Alex slams his fist through the ground, releasing his stored energy, exploding the section of ground under the three web spinners, launching them into the air. Then, he punches in their direction from the ground, releasing more energy, blowing the monsters away.

As Alex quickly runs to the aid of the injured guild member, the screams of the vice-gripped Federal Union soldier screech across the battlefield. Suddenly, a blast of pyro energy slams into the type-B web spinner from behind, tossing it and the soldier through the air.

Freed from the vice grip, the Federal Union soldier falls helplessly towards the ground from the air. Benion takes off in a burst of speed, catching the injured Federal Union soldier. Alex checks the pulse of the fallen guild member, confirming his death, closing his eyes with a prayer in a different language.)

Alex: As you become one with our mother, you become one with us all. Rest in peace. Ni’Ador.

(The surrounding battle comes to an end with the forces of the Federal Union Encampment emerging victorious. As cheers erupts from the Adventurers Guild members, a group of Federal Union soldiers rush to the aid of their fallen soldier; saved and watched over by Benion.)

Benion: Ya’ gonna be fine. Hang in there, man! Crap, I don’t think he’s gonna make it.

Federal Union Infantry: Back off!

(While medics swiftly move to aid the dying soldier, Federal Union Infantry disrespectfully pushes Benion, pressuring him away.)

Benion: Hey, what’s the deal? I was just helpin’ out!

(Benion steps forward, irritated by their treatment of him. One of the soldiers turns his weapon towards Benion, causing him to raise his hands.)

Federal Union Infantry: I said back off, you nehoja.

Benion: Wait, I didn’t catch that. What c’ya call me?

Oyani: Benion!

(A furious Benion turns towards Oyani, noticing her slow head shake of disapproval. Benion takes a deep breath, walking backward with his hands raised, furious eyes fixed on the threatening soldier. Afterwards, the soldier places his weapon away, watching over the medics tend to the dying soldier. Oyani walks up to Benion, worriedly placing her hand on his shoulder.)

Oyani: You ok?

Benion: Idiot called me a ‘nehoja.’

Oyani: Hey, remember why we’re here. We have families to feed. Let’s not mess this up, ok?

(After a brief consideration, Benion reluctantly nods, taking deep breaths to calm down. Suddenly, everyone feels the ground trembling once again.)

Alex: It can’t be.

Caime: All troops move to reestablish battle positions! We have another wave of monsters incoming!

(Oyani and Benion rush back to the front lines, greeted by a swarm of type A and B web spinners stampeding towards them.)

Usifkov: Brace yourselves, men!

Oyani: Darn it, that’s just as many as the last wave.

Benion: We already got heavy damage to the camp and to our forces. This ain’t lookin’ good!

(Alex walks past Benion and Oyani, holding his claymore with a firm grip, ready to fight.)

Alex: Stand strong, everyone. We keep fighting until the end.

(All of the guild members rally on Alex’s command, readying themselves for another battle. Within the camp, Caime surveys the battlefield from a watchtower, giving orders in his earpiece.)

Caime: You’re cleared for engagement, HQ.

(Suddenly, a powerful mass of energy gathers above the clouds, capturing the awe of everyone.)

Alex: The heck is that?

(In an instant, beams of energy are unleashed from beyond the clouds, carving into the swarm of web spinners from the sky with massive explosions that can be heard throughout the valley.

Sometime prior to these events, Olivia and Dior stand in front a pool of water at the end of the path, deep within the underground cavern. Without saying a word, the two quickly prepare themselves to swim, tensely hearing small explosions from the surface.)

Dior: Let’s go.

(Olivia nods with both her knife and sidearm drawn. They jump into the pool, swimming forward as swiftly as possible, reaching the other side of the water in no time. Afterwards, they exit the pool, finding themselves surrounded by large half submerged trees with narrow patches of land.)

Dior: This is the swamp Caime wanted me to scout; east of the Valley of Hondra’s Breath.

Olivia: Is that also what Caime wanted with you? How thoughtful of him not to send the inexperienced to their graves.

Dior: As disconnected from emotion as Caime may be, he is no fool. They’re going to need as many men as possible to protect their outpost.

(While Olivia checks her sidearm and rifle, Dior watches her, unenthusiastically standing about.)

Dior: I doubt a little water would hurt your weapons.

Olivia: Proper equipment functionality is my concern. I’d rather take a moment to ensure that than to find out during combat, Ni forbid.

Dior: Fair enough.

(Olivia points her rifle off in the distance, examining through the scope.)

Dior: Aren’t you a Huma that has the ability to control their Energy Stream?

Olivia: Yes, I’m an endowed Huma. What of it?

Dior: Then what is the point of the weapons?

Olivia: These weapons allow me to conserve my physical condition and Energy Stream until I need it. Plus, they get the job done. Couldn’t ask for more.

Dior: So, quick results for little-to-no effort.

Olivia: Exactly. We’ll be on top of the food chain in no time.

Dior: Oh really?

(Olivia straps her rifle around her shoulders, carrying it across her back.)

Olivia: You didn’t seem so skeptical when I blew that serpent’s head off and saved your party.

Dior: True. But what will you do when your toys don’t work on your opponent?

(Olivia draws her combat knife with a firm grip, staring at Dior with no hesitation.)

Olivia: Don’t mistake me for a novice. I’m no stranger to combat. If it comes down to it, I’ll handle it the old-fashioned way.

(As tension between the two flares, Dior remains unimpressed.)

Dior: Top of the food chain, huh? You young folks are always in the kitchen eating all the food.

(He steps pass her, looking toward the ground, searching for the trail of their targets.)

Dior: Come. We need to get back on their trail.

(Suddenly, Dior and Olivia sense a massive surge of energy being gathered over the Valley of Hondra’s Breath. They can see the energy gathering above the clouds over the Federal Union outpost.)

Dior: What the heck is that?

(They both witness beams of energy firing from the clouds to the ground below. Dior notes Olivia’s anxiety.)

Dior: Major, we focus on our task.

(Olivia urgently looks over her shoulder at the energy beams, gathering her thoughts. Then, she turns away from the spectacle, resolutely walking past Dior.)

Olivia: Fine.

(Dior turns and follows Olivia, skillfully hiding his fears with a devotion of his own.)

Dior: Be safe, Lisa.

(Later that night, farther into the uncharted swampland, Lyone slowly awakens to faint voices speaking in his mind.)

Faint Voice: Can’t believe . . . happening . . . Lyone . . . We’ll get through . . . Promise . . . Hang in there . . . son.

(Greatly disoriented, Lyone regains consciousness, discovering himself held captive in a cage made of hard wood with his hands tied together by vines.)

Ericsson: Finally awake, kid?

(Lyone sits up with his back to the cage, shifting his attention to his left to find the captured Federal Union soldier, Ericsson. Ericsson is held in a separate cage with his hands tied as well.)

Ericsson: You alright?

(He watches the nauseous and disoriented Lyone vomit in his cage.)

Ericsson: Darn it. What a time to babysit.

(As Lyone lingers in his confusion, he soon falls back to sleep. Two of the frog-like beasts walks up to his cage, surveying him. One emits a dark-red glow from its body, and the other a blue glow. Another of the frog-like beast steps towards Lyone’s cage, placing fruit inside for him to eat. Afterwards, they walk away into a dark swamp village, glowing with lights from the other frog-like beasts scattered throughout the area.

Later that night, Lyone stand onto his feet, regaining his consciousness once again, holding his head with pain. He steps up to the bars of the cage, noticing two beasts with bright-orange glows standing guard.

Lyone takes a moment to survey the surrounding area: a dark swampland with much of the land submerged, peppered with tall trees. As cloud cover periodically steals the light from the three moons, visibility becomes extremely poor. Croaking noises from the many frog-like beast echo through the swamp.)

Ericsson: Awake again, eh? Feeling better, kid?

(Lyone looks over his shoulder to Ericsson sitting in his cage. He then turns back around, hanging his head in silence.)

Ericsson: Just how did you end up here, kid?

(Lyone doesn’t respond, looking around the area, planning his escape. As Ericsson becomes irritated at his silence, Lyone assess his situation further, looking at his holding cage and the constraints that binds his hands together Infront of his body.)

Lyone: I can break through these restraints and this cage easily, but I’d have to fight all those . . . things.

Ericsson: What’s the matter? Can’t hear very well?

Lyone: Shut up. I’m trying to think.

Ericsson: Don’t act like you can’t speak Aio, kid! You were mumbling in your sleep. I’m sure the words ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ aren’t the only Aio words you know.

(Lyone pauses briefly, turning towards Ericsson with a stern expression.)

Lyone: Do you know where we are?

Ericsson: How about answering my questions before I answer yours?

Lyone: Listen, we don’t have time to play around!

Ericsson: "As far as time is concerned, we’re not going anywhere anytime