Rebellion
Rebellion
By J.D.Netto
Copyright 2014 by J.D.Netto
Cover Copyright 2014 by Untreed Reads Publishing
Cover Design by J.D.Netto, JD Netto Designs
The author is hereby established as the sole holder of the copyright. Either the publisher (Untreed Reads) or author may enforce copyrights to the fullest extent.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, dialogue and events in this book are wholly fictional, and any resemblance to companies and actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental
Also by J.D. Netto and Untreed Reads Publishing
The Whispers of the Fallen
Rebellion
J.D.Netto
dedicated to those who are not afraid
to fight for their dreams
God, any talent that I possess was given to me by you.
I am forever grateful.
It would have been impossible to finish another novel without the support of my friends and family.
Mom, Deborah, Carlos, and Dad, thank you for always believing in me. Your support has been an anchor to me during times of confusion and doubt.
I started writing this novel on a flight to Denver, Colorado on January 15th, 2013. As I typed the first chapter, I was sitting next to some of the people I love the most in this world.
Henrique and Maile Siqueira, thank you for always believing and for always listening. I love you.
Marcos and Mariana Debossan, Joel and Hannah Lemes, Katharine Siqueira, Filipe Catarcione and Mariana Novaes; the laughter, the jokes and the countless hours we spent together helped shape many of the characters in this novel.
I will never tell you which ones!
Ronaldo and Jaise Alves, thank you for your friendship. It must be a terrible burden to bear being friends with me for over twenty years!
Fernanda and Gleison, thank you for always believing in my potential.
Your friendship is precious to me.
Flavia Duddey, this is another opportunity for us to look back on the days we used to daydream together and see one of those dreams completed. You are awesome.
“Though our dreams may have one thousand reasons to fail, believe in the one reason why they should succeed.”
Thank you, Cristiano Piquet. These words will be carried with me for the rest of my life.
Sasha Alsberg, words fall short to describe how thankful I am for your love and passion for this series. You have helped these books reach so many different readers.
I am forever in your debt.
Jay Hartman and the Untreed Reads team, you have taken amazing care of the world I created. Your efforts are appreciated more than you will ever know.
I honestly believe that my fans, the Army of the Fallen, are the most devoted, passionate, crazy and creative people in this world. Thank you for all the tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram pictures, drawings and fan accounts. I wish I could hug each and every one of you. You inspire me every day!
“We are each our own evil,
And we make this world Our Hell.”
Oscar Wilde
ISAAC
I
Darkness—that was all I could see. I looked down, trying to catch a glimpse of my feet as they trampled upon the unseen ground.
An invisible force pulled me while I listened to the sound of many voices. It was bitter cold; my fingertips grew numb with every step I took. It was quiet here—too quiet. My heartbeat sounded like drums softly played by weak hands.
Something lay in the darkness ahead of me. My eyes squinted in an attempt to better visualize the unrecognizable. My breathing failed once I realized it was her—it was Nephele.
Emotions stirred within me; rage shadowed my mind as I approached her body.
She attempted to stand to her feet, feebly moving her arms. It was apparent that an invisible power pinned her down. My wings made their way out of my back as rage continued to take over. I grasped my sword, marching in her direction.
I knelt next to her. Our eyes met.
Without hesitating, I pierced her left hand; blood flowed like a waterfall. Her body trembled as she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came forth.
You deserve to die
, I thought, standing back on my feet. The memories of all the pain she had caused me played over in my head. I placed my right foot on her skull, pressing it against the ground.
I sank my sword into her chest. I was clueless of my whereabouts, but happy to know that my mortal enemy lay here, defenseless.
The sound of her slowing heartbeat invaded my ears. I lifted my foot from her head, kneeling next to her once again.
“You see,” I whispered in her ear. “Even with all of your dark powers, Nephele, in the end, you will never win.”
“How are you feeling?” I heard a faint male voice say. The image of Nephele faded rapidly.
With unclear vision, I tried to make out who it was.
“I will survive.” There was a rasp to my voice.
I felt the mattress rise as whoever was next to me stood back up on his feet. It wasn’t long until I recognized him.
“Nathan.” A feeling of relief overtook me.
“I am glad to see you are well. I was worried about you.” His lips curved into a narrow smile. Dark circles rested under his hazel-green eyes. His fair hair was tied back; cuts and bruises adorned his pale face and sharp nose.
I rested my back against the bed’s wooden headboard. My muscles ached. My eyes surveyed the room, absorbing every detail. The dark wooden bed was ornamented with floral carvings; the carpet was a shade of purple, stretching throughout the entire room; matching curtains draped around the mullion windows. The fireplace burned and a fresh scent of cinnamon lingered.
“When did we get here?” I asked with a broken voice, confused.
“As soon as I rescued you from Erebos’s attack, I flew to Bellator.” Nathan paced around the room, his hands crossed behind his back.
“How are the men that aided us in battle?” Vivid images of the battle of Justicia invaded my mind. For a moment, it was as if the screams of those men were as audible as my own voice.
“Many perished against the Nephilins. The men of Aloisio knew they marched to their demise once I mentioned where we were heading.” Sorrow flowed with every word he uttered. “They cared not if they walked to their doom…they just wanted to avenge those that the Nephilins and the Fallen Stars had taken from them. They also sought vengeance because of King Marco’s decision to side with Lucifer.”
I wanted to remember the face of every man that had fought alongside us, but that was not something that I could do.
“They were not warriors?” My eyes narrowed as some of their faces appeared in my mind.
Nathan bowed his head, pressing his fingers against his chin.
“War brings out the warrior in all of us, does it not?”
I knew what those men would become. The thought that their souls would be controlled by the Fallen Stars once they turned into Shadows ignited rage inside of me. For a moment, I was tempted to think that all was in vain. My journey through the Wastelands of Tristar had been dark and perilous. I had seen more than I could ever fully fathom.
Amidst the chaos that crowded my mind, I remembered the words Raziel had spoken to me once he found me:
“Death is conquered. One greater has come.”
Those seven words resounded in my heart like a loud horn played in the battlefield. Regardless of how triumphant my return may be, my heart ached at the thought that the Aloisians were fooled by King Marco and were murdered by the Fallen Stars and Nephilins.
A sharp pain invaded my head. Nephele’s face flashed in my mind once again; her piercing blue eyes gazed at mine. I grunted, pressing my hands against my skull.
“Are you alright?” Nathan’s brows furrowed. He darted me a concerned stare.
“We have not been anywhere else besides this room since our arrival?” I quavered as I composed myself.
Nathan approached me. “No,” he affirmed. “Is everything alright?”
“I am not sure,” I said after a brief silence. “I saw…her.”
Creases appeared on Nathan’s forehead.
“Her?” His voice was deep and filled with worry.
I shared with him what I had seen. To me, it had been more than just a vision or a dream. As my words painted a vivid image of Nephele, Nathan’s expression grew bitter.
“That cannot be true, Isaac.” He scowled, nodding his head. “It must have been a dream. We have not been anywhere else besides this room since our arrival.”