Dream Angel Novel

This is just a teaser to see if there's enough interest in what a potential publisher called "anime in novel format" and "experimental fiction" to prove there's a market for it. I'm also open to constructive criticism and ideas that might improve it.

One other little note: there's a hub containing photos of felt doll characters I use for descriptive aid and they're also on my site: club.dreamangelsparadise.com with character profiles. If there's confusion about my descriptions, or you'd like to help me improve the current descriptions, that's a good place for visual aids.

Perhaps with some help, this story can be made worthy of publishing as an e-book.

That being said, I hope everyone likes this little teaser!

======Begin Teaser======

Dream Angel

Chapter 1: The Present

“Let me out!” screams a red-haired girl of athletic build in an outfit consisting of a bra, a circle skirt, wrist-length feathery gloves, a mask with feather-like sides, and calf-height boots all matching saffron orange. She has broad, white, powerful wings coming from her shoulder blades and is about five foot six inches in height.

On this dark, rainy night, she has been trapped by her enemies at long last and is now forced to watch the end of her life as Arora Arum. Lightning flashes and the explosion drowns out the thunder seconds later. As she recoils from the light of the explosion involuntarily, she considers her feather blaster attack to escape the cage but notes the explosion in such a tiny cage would likely kill her.

“Let me out!” she screams again, this time at a passing Reprobate, who, although as drenched with rain as she, still looks like a huge, imposing bat-winged demon with his dark red skin, wild rain-drenched black hair, and glowing red and yellow eyes that give off a spine-chilling glare to the girl.

“Poor little caged canary,” he laughs and walks away. She gets a whiff of smoke and even on the rain-soaked wind, feels a small amount of heat from the wall of fire what used to be her house. She feels a pang of mourning knowing both her parents had been inside the house. She also knows what the news reports will say in the morning: “Arora Arum, 18, was killed along with her parents, Jake and Larissa Arum in an arson attack on their home in the Strepladd District by a disgruntled fan of one of Jake’s wrestling rivals.” Her eyes narrow as she looks in the direction the Reprobate had gone. This isn’t over, Leatherhead, she thinks to herself angrily as she recalls her past.

The Past

Three years earlier, a cheerful, bright and friendly girl by the name of Arora Arum is just turning Sweet Sixteen. She’s off from school for the summer and happily enjoying her birthday party. Her best friend, a tall blond girl with olive green eyes, named Elizabeth Amphitrite, Ellie for short, had been first on her invite list and is clamoring happily about how pretty her birthday dress is.

“Really Arora, where did you get that dress? I just love it! Did they have other colors?” Arora doesn’t quite know why, but she’s had a nagging uneasy feeling since the morning. Something feels drastically wrong but she doesn’t know what. Here it is, August ninth, her birthday and summer break from school but she can’t get over this nagging uneasy feeling that something, she doesn’t know what, is wrong.

“Arora!” Ellie exclaims, jerking her out of her thoughts. “Bartin City to Birthday girl, are you in there?” Ellie teases gently rapping Arora on the head with her knuckles. “It’s your party and you’re missing it!” Arora’s mind had been momentarily elsewhere as she recalled a legend that includes a Prophecy.

Many, many years before the joyful occasion of Arora’s sixteenth birthday, a war ravaged the land. Though the good people fought bravely in defense of their way of life, eventually, they were forced to surrender. The planet fell under the rule of Nyxus, who declared herself dictator and swiftly crushed any uprising destroying all hope that the people might one day be free to govern themselves. In spite of this, the planet continued to thrive much as it had before Nyxus’ viscous rule but a prophecy had been told of a shining golden light that would drive away Nyxus and her followers from South Bartin City forever.

Returning to Arora’s sixteenth birthday, the prophecy begins to surface in her mind as a mysterious package with no return address arrives. After opening it, she finds inside a round brooch with the symbol of the sun sign Leo and two wings in the center. The only clue is a note that reads: This may be handy should you take up the banner. Despite the mystery of the brooch, she sets it aside and the rest of the party is quite uneventful in its continuation.

About a week later, the brooch crosses her mind again when she meets the one who becomes the key to unlocking the Golden Light. Now, in spite of Nyxus’ rule, the planet of South Bartin City is teeming with life, which on Earth, would be considered fantastical. On this day, about a week after Arora’s birthday, she meets such a creature: a feroad. In terms of Earth creatures, it appears to be a balance of a light brown ferret and fire bellied toad with light brown wings not of a solid color, but several shades of light brown.

“Hello, Arora,” this one says to her. She is out on her own shopping for a get well present for Ellie, who is sick with the flu.

“How do you know my name, feroad,” she asks.

“Well, I should start with an introduction as you might think is proper, but my name is quite unpronounceable in your tongue. My name is of little consequence, however, Golden Goddess of the Dawn, bearer of the brooch.”

“Back up a moment, feroad,” she says in disbelief. “How do you know the true meaning of my name and that I have this brooch you mention?”

“The rumor that the Golden Goddess had again been born into this world has spread among what you call the “animal” world faster than wildfire for many years now. Your coming is foretold in the prophecy, Arora.”

“How is that possible?” She has started walking slowly down the street in an almost thoughtful manner.

“Think in a reasonable manner, Arora. You’re named after the Goddess of the Dawn and your last name means Gold…” He looks up without finishing the statement as she has stopped in surprise, shock and disbelief. He walks back to the shocked girl.

“Someone teased me about it years ago, but nobody took it seriously,” she says slowly.

“I’m not surprised by that, Arora. Of course I forgot your people have pretty much given up believing in the prophecy,” He nods in understanding as he continues. “Through my guidance and the power contained in that brooch, you will become South Bartin City’s champion of justice, Dream Angel. You are the one foretold to drive Nyxus away forever but you must also maintain the delicate balance of nature she has to heavily enmeshed herself within.”

“I don’t recall signing up for a rebellion against Nyxus. She may be a tyrant – “

“Shush! She might hear you!”

“Why should I fight against her? I don’t have any reason to hate her.”

“You may not have a reason to hate her, but you should have a reason to fight and it’s the same as everyone else in this city: family.”

“That’s true, but I’m only sixteen. What makes you think I or anyone can stand against her? She’s crushed all rebellion without mercy so far. What makes me so special, whatever-your-name-is?”

“Call me Breezer,” he sighs. “You’re special due to that brooch, Arora. With you at the head of a rebellion the Light would finally chase away the Darkness and this world would truly be flourishing. It’s only because of Stygere’s power of illusion that this world appears to flourish. In reality, it’s dying and very close to destruction.”

“How do I know you’re not some trick of Nosos’ to see if anyone might start a rebellion? I know you feroads are poisonous and that she controls poisonous plants and animals.”

“You are wise beyond your years, Arora,” he beams happily. “I’ll prove what I’ve been saying when you return home.”

Elsewhere, in a much darker and more desolate part of the city, in an old castle voices ring in frustration.

“How dare you return telling me you cannot find the Goddess?” shrieks a woman in a black leather dress, tall black boots, long black hair and flashing holly green eyes as she spreads her dark red leathery wings frightening the cowering Reprobate.

“She has been born into this world and I must destroy her and her bloodline forever to ensure my permanent rule over this world! All of you,” she screams causing Reprobates, Harpies, and giant cockroaches to scatter into corners. “Find and destroy the Goddess and do not return until you do!”

Arora is unaware of this as she now returns home followed by Breezer. In her room with the door closed, she pulls the brooch out from under her mattress. She didn’t understand why she had put it there, but something had told her to.

“Good hiding place,” Breezer comments. “But you’ll want to keep it with you constantly from now on.”

“I’m still not convinced, Breezer,” she replies.

“Okay,” he admits. “Put it on.” She puts it on and a surge of power shoots up from the brooch and changes her head first. She looks down at her new attire.

“All right you win, Breezer,” she finally says. “But what’s with this outfit? A bra and skirt? How is that supposed to protect me from Reprobate swords and Harpie claws?”

“Take a good look at yourself, Dream Angel,” he says. “Then prepare to leave. Your transformation has attracted unwanted attention.”

“What?!” she yells. “Why didn’t you tell me changing into this would attract unwanted attention?!”

“Calm down and stop yelling! You need only open the window and fly out. We’ll find some kind of open area for the battle. I’ll tell you more about your abilities on the way but they must not find your house and parents. Keep your identity secret!”

“What if they learn who I really am?”

“Then all hope would very likely be lost forever. Your parents would likely be killed and you would too. The creatures great and small will fight with you and possibly the people of this city but no one must ever know that Arora Arum and Dream Angel are one and the same. Nyxus wants nothing more than the end of the Goddess and her bloodline. To do this she needs only to kill you and your parents. You must not allow this to happen!”

The present

On that gloomy, rain soaked night three years after accepting the fight against Nyxus Dream Angel again considers her feather blaster attack but this time not aimed at the bars of her tiny prison. This time she considers the feather’s explosion as a beacon for help. She touches the brooch, thinking of all the trouble it’s caused but also of all the friendships it has helped build. She now thinks of it being like a double-edged sword; both good and bad in its own various ways.

“Feather Blaster!” she yells, launching several white feathers straight above her cage. The feathers rise a few dozen feet from the force of her throw and explode like fireworks. She immediately hears a distant roar, like a tiger’s.

“Good, they’ll get the message,” she thinks to herself. Much closer her exploding beacon has caused momentary turmoil among her captors as they try to figure out its source.

“Too late,” she thinks as they try to fortify defenses around their captive. “Outside the castle, you lose!” A second roar, much closer this time, causes her to grin darkly. A nearby Reprobate spots her expression.

“What are you –” he starts to ask as a blur of black and orange lands on top of him. With a growl at the fallen demon, a tiger man rises up to his full height of about six feet, eyes of watchful gold, jet black rain soaked hair and tail twitching angrily. He’s wearing a black costume similar to one an Earth ninja might wear with a quarter staff strapped to his back. As he spots Dream Angel he grins cheerfully.

“Hiya, Golden Angel,” he greets her. “Needed to share the fun, I see.” She grins back.

“Care to join me?” she laughs briefly before looking very somber.

“I heard the first explosion but figured you were just having fun beating the tar out of these turkeys. I saw the second and know that’s a rare distress beacon of yours,” he explains as he starts to use his claws to pick the lock.

“The first was Arora Arum’s house with Jake and Larissa still inside, Virgo,” she replies biting back tears as the realization suddenly hits.

“Oh, I see,” he says sadly. “Where’s Arora?”

“Right in front of you, Virgo,” she sighs. “Someone betrayed me and told Nyxus my secret.”

“They managed to capture you and blew up your home. I’m sorry, Arora,” he says looking downcast momentarily before returning to the lock. “You’re welcome in my village. It’s remote enough even Nosos would have trouble finding it and camouflaged well enough that it can’t be seen from the air. It’d be a good place to hide. I’m sure when the villagers hear about this tragedy they’ll help you as you’ve helped them.”

“That would at least be a roof over my head and I’m likely to be reported in the newspapers as dead anyway. Thank you Vir- WATCH OUT!” As she had spoken, the Reprobate Virgo had landed on was just about to attack when she yelled. With all the lightning speed and agility of a tiger, he dodges the demon and it crashes into the bars of the cage.

“Good call,” he laughs. “By the way, I’ve arranged an escort to safety should things go sour tonight.”

“What could be sourer than this?” she asks indicating the cage.

“Good point,” he laughs again. “You might want to cover your ears.” She covers her ears but his roar is still deafening. Moments later they hear several howls of pain from Reprobates and the clop of hooves nearby. Two centaurs appear with blood-stained swords in hand panting heavily from running hard. One is of strong and handsome build and half blood-bay pegasus called Tristen but prefers being called his nickname Kaida. The second is a smaller centaur of feminine build that appears to be closer to half deer by the name of Kiryoku. She is actually half Kirin, which on Earth is a Japanese unicorn that only appears to those of great virtue.

“You roared?” Kaida calls as he folds his large red wings and they approach with his silver and black leg guards flashing.

“Things were sour before I arrived, Kaida,” Virgo explains. “Can you and Kiryoku keep watch while I finish with this lock?”

“No problem,” Kiryoku replies. “Anything for you and Dream Angel.”

“I agree,” Kaida adds. “You two have saved our lives countless times.” Dream Angel smiles at the pair as Kaida puts away his wicked-looking well decorated sword and draws his long bow protectively while Kiryoku starts patrolling the open area doing her “helpless female” impression after putting away her own sword which blends nicely with her scaly body preventing the casual eye from seeing it until it’s too late. She chuckles to herself knowing Kiryoku is far from helpless, weapon drawn or not.

Fortunately the Reprobates in the area bailed shortly after Virgo’s attack but he was right to call in help as there is one who did not run away from the tiger-man’s roar. She’s about average height, thin, has dark hair and power over poisonous plants and animals. In the darkness, it’s difficult to see her clearly, and Dream Angel shifts uncomfortably in her cage as she senses the approach. Virgo looks up.

What is it?” he asks. He’s learned to trust her instincts. Nearby they hear the piercing whinny of a horse, causing both to look in the direction of the sound for a moment.

“That’s either Daybright or Firebright,” she acknowledges. “But that’s not what I’m sensing. Virgo, Kaida, Kiryoku, be on your guard. I think one of the Keres is approaching. I don’t know which one, but I’m quite sure it’s one of the Keres.”

“Are you fit to fight, Dream Angel?” Virgo asks.

“I suppose so. Why?” she answers. He chuckles as he gets up protectively.

“Because your door is unlocked,” he grins broadly, showing his feline canine teeth and laughing golden eyes, which considering the darkness in the area, is about all that’s visible of him. His magnificent orange striped fur is darkened by being wet making him appear to be almost completely black himself.

“It won’t be for long,” a new voice says. “And this time she won’t be alone.” Virgo turns and starts snarling to cover Kaida and Kiryoku moving closer toward the cage. Dream Angel slips out the door of the cage so she can help. In a flash of lightning they see five figures. In a second flash, Dream Angel spots the sixth in the air above the first five.

“Just great!” she thinks as a fairly loud crack of thunder is heard. “I’m grounded with wet feathers!” The heavy rain had thoroughly saturated her feathers, where a lighter rain would have rolled off, grounding her in battle, allowing for her easy capture due to large Reprobate numbers. Another loud roar is heard above the next rumble of the slowly passing storm.

“Wet feathers or not, at least everyone is close. That roar was Katrilina having her way with grounded Harpies. It’s just Reprobates and her. She’s my problem presently. She’s got a major advantage,” Dream Angel thinks. She leans close to Kaida and whispers something in his ear knowing Virgo and Kiryoku can hear as well. Kaida grins and gives her a horse bow.

“You got it!” he says and suddenly leaps right at the figures in the dark with his wings spread wide forcing them to scatter or be trampled by his powerful hooves and strong wings. Virgo and Kiryoku meanwhile had moved to the sides and made their leaps forcing the scattering to become worse. Dream Angel had remained where she was but now shouts a challenge.

“Are you so afraid of an eighteen-year-old girl, Nyxus that you have to send these losers after me? For a Goddess of the Night that is truly pathetic! I will force you to flee before the Light!” Though Dream Angel can’t see it, and in spite of the chill of the storm as the hour grows late, Nyxus’ face turns very red with anger at Dream Angel’s challenge.

On the ground, the five Keres are trying desperately to regroup and attack Dream Angel for insulting their mother. After a couple failed attempts Stygere finally lunges at Dream Angel, with his damp dark green one-shoulder cape flying up behind him as he arcs toward her, who darts out of the way causing the angry man to slip on the wet ground and crash headfirst into the cage she’d been imprisoned in only moments earlier.

“One down, four to go, Nyxus!” she yells up. “Are you going to fight me or watch your children be defeated?” Virgo is now shoving the unconscious Stygere into the small cage and keeping the angry man inside with a snarl.

“You have the advantage, yet you won’t fight me?” Dream Angel yells up. This causes the four remaining Keres sisters to stop in their tracks.

“You’re accusing Mother of being a coward?!” shrieks Ker.

“Uh oh,” Stygere barely has time to utter before an explosion rocks the street and knocks everybody but Ker down.

“Ker, how many times do I have to tell you not to do that so close to the rest of us?” groans Nosos as she gets up. “You singed my skirt that time!”

“Then don’t stand so close to me!” Ker shrieks back. Dream Angel hears giggling behind her and turns to see Teikou no Senshi. She’s a tall blond girl in sea-green in a fairly simple low-cut short dress with matching sling-back heels and butterfly-like mask. Her light blue transparent cape attached to her upper arms and wrists flutters limply in the wind behind her.

“Who started the fun without me?” she chuckles. In the cage, Stygere has covered his face with his hands as he listens to his sisters argue about Ker’s blast.

Virgo and Dream Angel are near the cage, Nyxus in the air above the Keres sisters clustered in a group arguing with Kaida and Kiryoku standing nearby ready to attack again. Virgo nods at the pair of centaurs and they leap right into the middle of the Keres sisters’ argument causing massive confusion as the girls scatter but continue to argue.

Kaida finally manages to give Anaplkete a mild kick knocking her unconscious temporarily. He quickly picks up her limp form, in its red low-cut short top and single slit red skirt, and takes her to Virgo who puts her in the small cage with her brother who’s not the least happy that he’s being crowded in that tiny space.

“Three left, Nyxus!” Dream Angel yells. “Are you going to fight or flee?” Nosos finally breaks away from the centaur-caused turmoil and moves to attack Dream Angel with vines in hopes of capturing the insulting youth again. She’s just starting to grasp the girl with her vines when another large cat lands on top of her.

“Good timing,” Dream Angel laughs. “I’d still give her landing a 4.0, Katrilina – it was a little clumsy.” The large panther changes into a tall black-haired woman with black cat ears, yellow feline eyes, cat teeth and a twitching white tail.

“I’ve warned you time and again about Nosos, but you never listen and nearly always get caught in her vines!” Katrilina grumbles.

“Give her a break, Kat,” Teikou no Senshi says soothingly. “She’s grounded by wet feathers.”

“Why didn’t you help her? You don’t have feathers!”

“Hey!” Virgo interrupts. “We can’t change the past. Maybe Teikou no Senshi didn’t want to risk being caught herself and was waiting for Nosos’ attention to be completely on Dream Angel before she attacked. No matter what, we need to focus on the here and now!”

“Virgo’s right,” Dream Angel confirms. “We need to finish this!” She looks up at the dark figure of Nyxus.

“Your move!” she yells. “Two left, what are you going to do?”

“Unleash the hells of the underworld,” Nyxus finally answers. From behind her appears a new figure glinting in the dim streetlights.

“You see, I already knew you’d defeat my Keres. He told me your every move before you made it. He knows what moves your friends will make and where they are right now.”

“I should’ve known my getting out of that cage was far too easy,” Dream Angel says as she now sees the trap that’s been sprung on all of them and why Nyxus had picked this rainy night to attack. She loved taking every advantage she could possibly get and Dream Angel being grounded by wet feathers was the best possible.

“All of you, RUN!” she suddenly yells knowing it’s already too late. In a sudden flurry of blurred motion, the new figure flashing as it moved, the world went dark.

As she wakes to a familiar voice calling her name, her eyes slowly open to the world around her but to her it’s spinning much more than it should be.

“Dream Angel,” a concerned voice calls. “Are you awake?”

“Barely,” she mutters as the world returns to normal vision. “Where are we?”

“My guess is Keres Castle,” Virgo says. “How’s your head? You took quite a hit.”

“I’ve been better,” she answers smiling a little. “I’ve been worse, too.” She finally tries to move her arms and legs only to find heavy shackles on them.

“Is everyone here or is it just us?” she finally asks.

“I’ll fill you in a little since you were the first one taken down. First, I’ll say this: none of us were able to defend ourselves – he’s that fast. Just after you yelled at us to run, he attacked. He took you down first in one swift blow to the head. Kaida, Kiryoku and Teikou no Senshi were next to fall but Teikou no Senshi managed to land a blow of her own before he got her. Her attack was completely ineffective, though. Katrilina and I were next to fall. Though we tried, we just weren’t fast enough to defend at all.”

“We’re all here,” answers Kiryoku finally. “Virgo’s right: this new ally of Nyxus’ is fast and potentially deadly. What puzzles me is why he didn’t kill us. No one’s been able to explain that one.” The noise of a door being unlocked causes all of them to fall silent and pretend to still be out cold.

“Don’t bother faking,” Stygere’s voice says. “I heard you talking.” They look up to see him standing in the doorway of the dimly lit room with a torch in hand casting eerie shadows on his face, making his maroon v-neck shirt a sickly red-orange, and his russet hair an even nastier shade of red-orange than his shirt. His brown pants and black boots are barely visible in the very dim light, making it appear as if he were a ghost, his skull belt buckle almost appears to be glowing in contrast to his belt, which also appears almost invisible.

“I heard you wondering where you are and why you’re still alive. I’ll give you those answers: you’re in an extremely heavily guarded cell of our dungeon and Mother was simply testing Hellbot’s abilities to see just how you’d fare against him. She got her answer: she could have him kill you any time she wants.” He starts to leave the room. “By the way, Dream Angel, you played right along with our plan from the start by making excellent bait.” He laughs at the shocked look on her face, leaves the room and the door is locked behind him.

“That just means tonight’s entire fight was a trap,” Dream Angel sighs wearily. “After three years, you’d think I’d be able to spot one of their traps by now, but present evidence says otherwise.”

“They might have blown up Arora’s house simply to get your attention,” Virgo suggests.

“No, they’d already gotten me when they did that. They blew up the house to attract the rest of you. When it didn’t, they let me send up a distress beacon and pretended to be surprised by the blast. I should have known it was too easy for you to get to me, Virgo.”

“Even I should have seen that but still, I called in the others. None of us saw this coming, Dream Angel,” Virgo confirms sadly. “They were expecting us to do exactly what we did.”

“We all played into their hands,” Teikou no Senshi says. “With the exception of Red Nite Soldier, Blue Nite Soldier, Daybright and Firebright.”

“They’re not crazy enough to attack this castle alone. They’d be killed immediately!” Kiryoku says. A loud whinny is heard outside the room and they all look at each other.

“Maybe not killed,” Kaida says. “But certainly in the same frustrating situation of predicted moves.”

“True,” Teikou no Senshi agrees. “But you notice there are no Reprobates in here with as they’re might be regularly. That might mean something in our favor.”

“They don’t need Reprobates. Just look in the corners of the room near the ceiling. They’ve installed cameras instead,” Katrilina points out unhappily.

Nyxus is watching the whole group and hearing the conversation. She’s been laughing quite a bit and now wears and evil grin.

“You’re starting to notice your cell is impregnable, aren’t you?” she says to the glowing screen. Her captives can’t hear her laughter and gloating as they continue discussing ways they might escape. Hellbot approaches Nyxus, his metal plated body gleaming even in the torch lit throne room.

“Why are they still alive?” he asks in a metallic voice. “They’re dangerous to you, Nyxus.”

“Nonsense!” she says. “You personally put them in that cell and you personally positioned the guards. How could they possibly escape? My victory is most assuredly permanent!”

“Be that as it may, there is still a one percent possibility of escape.”

“That’s long odds of them even getting out of those chains! Even if that happens, they won’t get out of that room or this castle, bounty hunter. If they do, you’ll just have more work. I have nothing to worry about!”

“Think again, Nyxus!” a voice yells. “You have plenty to worry about!” From the shadows of the throne room appears Dream Angel.

“HOW?!” shrieks Nyxus looking at her monitor and then looking back at the girl in front of her. The monitor showed the dungeon cell completely empty and only confirmed Dream Angel’s presence in the room.

“How’d we get out? Is that what you’re wondering, Nyxus?” Katrilina steps out of the shadows. “We like playing long odds.”

“Hello, Blue Nite Soldier,” Dream Angel greets Hellbot. He removes the robotic head revealing unruly black hair, laughing blue jay eyes and broad smile.

“Hello, Dream Angel,” he greets her back. “Hope that blow didn’t hurt too much.”

“You left a nice lump but I’ll be all right,” she laughs and turns to Nyxus to notice the shocked and confused expression on her face. “Now you’re wondering: Where’s the real Hellbot?”

“He’s probably in another galaxy by now. He may not have an easily accessible off switch but you’d be surprised what a universal remote can do! I’m certain he knew who I really am by matching DNA patterns. What he wasn’t counting on when he tried to attack my house a couple days ago was my father watching TV. Dad bumped the remote as I sensed Hellbot’s presence. What surprised me is the fact that Hellbot’s one weakness was his response to the remote: it shut him down completely! The easy part was sending him off-planet: we made him look like a time capsule and donated him to the space center. That ship was launched yesterday. To finalize the deception, I called Blue Nite Soldier here and we faked my capture with help from a few Reprobates who decided to defect and fight against you. I wasn’t counting on you blowing up Arora Arum’s house but everything else worked just as we planned. The trick was realism and making you believe you’d predicted our every move. This was done by way of that cheap Hellbot costume Dad helped us with. Now we must end this once and for all, Nyxus.” With a furious shriek of rage, Nyxus lunges at Dream Angel. Blue Nite Soldier, now back in his normal blue outfit with its red belt, diagonal shoulder belt and red cape, draws his sword from its red and purple scabbard at his side and moves to help Dream Angel.

“No!” Katrilina yells at him. “She has to fulfill the Prophecy alone. None of us can help her anymore.” The group of heroes watch as the battle between Dawn and Night is carried into the rafters of the room. Each throwing attacks at each other both physical and energy. Dream Angel’s Feather Blaster causes Nyxus to hit the floor hard, cracking the stone.

Reprobates and Harpies suddenly burst into the room. The small group of heroes who’d been watching the mid-air battle now begins battling the invading creatures.

No one had seen the dagger hidden in Nyxus’ black leather dress but they heard Dream Angel’s scream of pain. Of everyone among the heroes on the ground, Teikou no Senshi and Kaida are the only ones able to fly on their own but they find themselves nearly overwhelmed by Reprobates and unable to help Dream Angel who is now struggling against Nyxus’ dagger. Dream Angel manages to deliver an especially hard hit to Nyxus and sends her clear through the roof of the throne room and outside into the sky.

The storm is still audible to the pair, but they don’t pay any mind to it each having focused on defeating the other once and for all. The rain has stopped, but the sky is still dark.

Inside, the heroes are fighting hard to hold their own against overwhelming odds until more Reprobates show up and start battling Reprobates. The confusion causes all the Reprobates to start fighting each other without regard to whose side they’re on. Purple, green and black giant roaches enter the room, antennae waving wildly, and cause more trouble biting everything in sight with their vampire fangs. These creatures, with their brown legs, black wing covers, green head, purple antennae and body have proven time and again they’re formidable in the dark and in the dimly lit throne room their numbers make the fight very difficult as they use the lack of brighter light to their advantage.

“Time to make an exit!” Teikou no Senshi yells to the others above the noise of the battle. The group gathers together slowly and backs against the outside wall of the room. In one swift move, they allow the Reprobates to charge at them and quickly dodge out of the way. The Reprobates crash into the wall, creating a hole outside.

The battle spills into the courtyard of the castle grounds and above is Nyxus and Dream Angel having their own fight. In spite of their battle being private, Nyxus is starting to gain an upper hand on Dream Angel, who is panting heavily and hurting badly from wounds delivered earlier on.

“I’m winning,” Nyxus gloats. “Looks like I won’t have to flee before the Light you hold so dear.” Dream Angel is just barely staying aloft as it is and now stops panting for a moment as she thinks about her next move.

On the ground, in the midst of the battle, a new figure appears. She is tall, has brown wavy hair in pigtails and two purple stripes of hair. She wears a black leather body-suit type outfit of her own with a spiked collar around her neck and elbow-length black leather gloves. As she gently picks her way through the war zone of heroes and Reprobates, she looks up and spots the pair floating above her.

“I should get a good laugh out of this,” she says to nobody as she prepares a simple lavender-colored energy attack and sends it up to the two women above her.

“You will flee before the Light!” Dream Angel warns. “Day will come!”

“You’re bluffing, Dream Angel. I know you can barely stay up here. You’re on the verge of collapse. How could you possibly force me to flee?” Nyxus says. Dream Angel is about to answer when the attack that had been sent up moments before suddenly appears between them. It floats for a moment and then hits both women causing them to fall to the ground.

Their screams cause the battle on the ground to stop and spread so the two can hit the ground. Dream Angel and Nyxus both hit the ground at the new woman’s feet hard. To their cries of pain as they land, she starts laughing.

“Lauren!” they say in unison. To this, she laughs even harder. Their own battle with each other momentarily forgotten, they chase Lauren around the courtyard as she continues laughing. Teikou no Senshi finally ends the chase by catching Lauren off guard and hitting her right in the nose, knocking her out. She looks at Dream Angel.

“Haven’t you got a Prophecy to fulfill?”

“Oh! Right,” Dream Angel says and turns to Nyxus hitting her one in the face. The battle resumes as Dream Angel and Nyxus once again ascend to continue their private fight.

“You’re still on the verge of collapse, Dream Angel,” Nyxus gloats. “Won’t your parents be disappointed that you were defeated when you see them?”

“Now you’re getting personal!” Dream Angel yells launching an energy attack at her foe that neatly dodges it.

“Your power is dangerously low,” Nyxus continues. “You might as well admit it: I’ve won. You’ll never fulfill any Prophecy in that condition, but you will fill a grave.”

“As long as I take you with me I wouldn’t mind!” Dream Angel says as she tries to attack again. Nyxus neatly flies out of harm’s way and throws dirt from the courtyard in Dream Angel’s face blinding her temporarily. In that instant, Nyxus chooses to attack, causing Dream Angel to fall to the ground again.

“Dream Angel!” Teikou no Senshi yells as she flies up to catch her. She looks up to see Nyxus laughing at them. “This has to stop, Dream Angel! We need you!” Dream Angel looks up at her friend.

“Nyxus is right: I’ve spent my strength. I have nothing left to fight back,” she says weakly.

“Then take my strength, Dream Angel,” Teikou no Senshi replies.

“Mine too,” Kaida adds as he flies up to the two girls.

“I don’t know how or what it would do to you,” Dream Angel answers.

“Then we’ll give it to you,” Blue Nite Soldier replies from Firebright’s back.

“Take our strength as your own,” Virgo agrees from behind Blue Nite Soldier.

“We offer and give it freely,” Red Nite Soldier says from Daybright’s back.

“All of us,” Katrilina agrees from behind Red Nite Soldier. “I’ve been asked to speak for Kiryoku, too.” In response to their words, Dream Angel begins to glow a bright golden color that is nearly so bright it’s blinding.

When everyone dares open their eyes again, her outfit has changed from a simple bra and circle skirt to a transparent top with feathers on the shoulder in cap sleeve style over her standard bra and her skirt is now form-fitting with stitched slits up both sides. Her wings are narrower allowing for faster movement and her mask is gone. She watches as the group slowly descends back to the courtyard full of defeated Reprobates, Harpies and giant roaches to recover their energy. She looks up at her foe.

“I’m coming for you, Nyxus!” she shouts and flies toward her enemy at full speed. Nyxus, meanwhile, looks down in shock at her enemy who had been seconds away from defeat only a short while before and tries to brace herself to defend. Dream Angel’s attack comes fast, hard and heavy. Within minutes, she finds herself falling from quite a ways up toward the courtyard of her castle.

“I have lost, but haven’t fled,” she says seconds before hitting the ground head first. The impact appears to kill her as she sinks below the soft earth of the courtyard.

“I have lost, Dream Angel, but you still haven’t made me flee before the Light,” she says as she disappears. Dawn breaks in the sky above Dream Angel, who doesn’t appear as relieved as her friends. She now seems slightly disheartened by her victory, as if it weren’t fast enough to suit her as she recalls the night and the death of her parents. It’s a bittersweet victory in her eyes as the tears well up momentarily. She blinks them away as she notes the duties that lie before her in protecting the planet and all its inhabitants.

“She will be back,” she amends softly. “She will be back but for now, Night is over.” She flies down to her friends who are cheering happily as the new day dawns on South Bartin City.

=======================End Teaser====================

Okay, okay, it seems complete, but there's a lot more to it. This is just the first chapter! As I said above, my potential publisher considers this "experimental fiction" and "anime in novel format". They also mentioned their editors were "split" about publishing it. This implies to me that there might have been a few holes I didn't quite catch in the story since I self-edited it before submitting it to them. I'm open to thoughts that might solve the "split" editors problem. From what I've gathered through their vague emails, some of my problems lie with character and scene description. This is why I've provided the link to my club site that features my character dolls from this story that I use as a visual aid for descriptions.

I'd also like to note that I've tried my hand at self-publishing and gotten nowhere in the last 5 years, despite my efforts of self-promotion and such as suggested by several e-newsletters I get. I've got the publisher's interest, I just need a little help toward improvement to fully gain their acceptance.

I've been reminded of a favorite book I read as a kid: A Wrinkle in Time which has been made into a movie in more recent years. On the DVD of that movie, there's a rare interview with the author, who says that it's her very first to be published and was a major ground-breaking novel, but also an award winner. This, too, is my first novel and a major ground-breaker, but publishers, just like with A Wrinkle in Time seem to be afraid of it. By giving this hub a good reputation, commenting, offering thoughts, and showing that there's a market for it, this ground-breaking novel could someday be published (hopefully) win awards, and (someday I hope) be made into a movie. I'm making every effort I possibly can toward those goals, but I need your help, too. Help me prove that anime in novel format is ready to make the scene and become a whole new genre in novels!

I really want comments on this, but please keep them constructive!