The Young Lion - The opening to my Sci-Fi Fantasy Novel
By Carlos D'Angelo
Here is the first couple of pages to my novel. I am in the middle of a re write and wanted to share it on here as well. If you like it and want more upvote and comment. I will share a few pages every week.
Chapter One - The Young Lion
“Momma, can I hear another story about granddad?” Ari asked as he climbed under the covers of his cot.
“No more stories tonight. You need rest, you have class early.” his mother replied.
“I want to go to the fighting grounds and watch the fighters.” Ari insisted.
Sarahanna knew the fighting grounds were no place for a nine year old, especially her nine year old.
“Ari, listen to me. One day you can go watch the fighters on your breaks from the kitchen, but tonight you are going to get a good night’s rest for school tomorrow. Not every slave gets to go to school. You are lucky Master Aza’el likes your father. One day you will be able to write these stories down so your children and grandchildren can read them.”
“Okay momma, but promise me, tomorrow you will tell the story of how granddad beat the Luciferian army in New Orleans.”
She knew her father in law died that day in New Orleans, but he saved hundred of Americans. While most of them became slaves, they lived and some of them had children.
“Okay, you got a deal kiddo.”
“I love you momma!” Ari said almost boasting.
“I love you to dear boy, sweet dreams.”
Sarahanna gathered herself in the hallway. It had been 25 years since the day the Luciferians came back to claim earth. 50 years since the truth about the orgin of the Earth and man came to the surface.
The earth hasn’t always been this hospitable to life. Over 65 million years ago a meteorite hit the Earth igniting a oil reserve the size of Texas underground. The repercussion of the impact destroyed all life on Earth leaving it barren and uninhabitable. That is when Anu the 1st discovered the planet and it’s gold content. There was enough gold in the earth to maintain the Luciferian atmosphere for many generations. The Luciferians are an advanced alien life from a planet 92.5 light years from earth and they are believed to be almost as old as the universe itself. They call themselves the 1st civilization. Anu the 1st wanted to terraform the earth so his people could survive indefinitely whilst mining the gold. The gold would be then be broken down to a subatomic level and dispersed into their atmosphere. He set out to convince his council back home of the undertaking the project.
“Sarahanna, get in here! The guards are about to make their rounds.” Ari’s father loudly whispered from across the hall.
“I am coming” Sarahanna replied as she whisked across the hallway. “It’s just hard leaving him to sleep alone over there.”
“I know love, but you have got to be strong. He gets to go to school tomorrow.They only picked 10 slaves to be educated. He will be able to read and write. They can never take his knowledge from him. Education is key for us to remain hopeful.” Arius insisted.
“ I know. But rebellion runs in his blood.He insisted another story about your father tonight.”
“What is wrong with that?” Arius asked a little perturbed.
“I just don’t want him picking up where anyone left off. Education is always the 1st step to revolution”
“Ari is 9 years old Sarahanna, he won’t be leading any rebellions anytime soon.”
“We are lucky to have him. Just knowing if we were owned by another house he would have been sold or worse.”
“By the Gods of Eden, He will be fine. He is going to learn calculus and grammar, not how to overthrow an alien regime 101” Arius said with a stern tone.
“I know that.” Sarahanna replied.
“I love you both with all my being. You are the beat of my heart and the breathe in my lungs. I will not allow him to lead an armed revolt against Master Aza’el. Now let’s go to bed, Master Aza’el wants me to take a load of grain to a vendor by the southern fort after breakfast.”
“You are so lucky that you get to get from behind the walls of this steel and marble prison.”
“Maybe one day Master Aza’el will let us go on a picnic.” Ari said as he laid in the bed.
“My father use to take me on picnics before the wars and invasion.” Sarahanna said as she walked over to the lantern and blew out the flame.
The next morning Ari woke up extra early to meditate with his father. The sat on the floor in their slave quarters. The smell of mildew was in the air but they had grown use to the danky smell that typically forced the Luciferian guards to hold their breath.
“Ari, are you excited about school?” Arius asked his son as they finished their meditation.
“Yes Papa.” Ari replied, but he didn’t sound excited.
“What are you looking forward to the most?” Arius asked his son.
“Lunch and learning to write” Ari had excitement in his voice now.
“What’s for lunch?” Arius inquired.
“Well Malcolm told me that they were serving pork, but that isn’t why.” Ari told his father
“Then why?” Arius asked.
“We can see the fighters train from the lunch tables. We might get to see Ivan the Russian training with his battle axe.” Ari said with a huge smile on his face.
“You know they train with wooden weapons.” Arius told his son.
“Whaaat? Why?” Ari asked his father a little let down.
“If the fighters used real weapons they could suffer serious injury. Then they couldn’t fight in the arenas and would have no value to the masters.”
“That makes sense Papa.”
“Go put on your shoes, you have to be down stairs in eight minutes”
“Yes sir” Ari hopped up from his mat and took off running down the hall.
To Be Continued….