The Lion Vrie

The Lion Vrie is the second book in the White Lion Chronicles by Christopher Hopper. It was published on June 15, 2007 after Rise of the Dibor and before the series' final book, "Athera's Dawn", which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2010.

Summary

Luik slowly heals in the security of Mount Dakka, a stronghold where the remaining forces of good are attempting to gather. Luik, once healthy, sets out on a mission to find Anorra, whom no one has seen for a time. He finds her in the ruins of Adriel, almost entirely crazy as she fights off crows from her father's corpse. With his friend Luik returns to Mount Dakka, where Anorra's mind soon returns to normal.

After a winter has come and gone in the mountain stronghold, Luik receives a mysterious message asking him to come to the secret dwarf city of Ot. He sets out with Anorra and, after many difficulties, locates the place and is greeted by Li-Saide and the missing portion of the Dibor, all alive and well.

A day or two later, a hasty council is held to determine Dionia's new king from among the Dibor. Luik is unanimously selected, and to his double shock, Li-Saide reveals that Luik is not the son of the late King Lair at all; rather he is that of former King Ragnar. His lineage had been disguised to protect him from Morgui's attention, which would have been drawn because of a prophecy concerning Luik.

Li-Sade also tells Luik of another much older, much more important prophecy; that the Most High will allow his Son to die in order to redeem the people of the alternate world Earth, and possibly those of Dionia as well, from their fallen state. When exactly this will happen, Li-Saide is not sure, but it seems that it will be soon. Linked with this prophecy is another disturbing one that Luik also will likely die.

Reunited with the Dibor, Luik returns to Mt. Dakka and there receives a hero's welcome. He crowns new kings over all the territories of Dionia; King Brax of Tontha, King Jrio of Trennesol, Cage of Jahdan, Fyfler of Somahgaurd, and Gorn of Bensotha.

Setting out on yet another journey, the Dibor, Kings, and Anorra travel to the city of Narin to look for survivors. Instead they find a horrible carnage, women and children slaughtered. In the midst of the terrible grief there is a spot of life; Anorra's two sisters are found mad yet alive. With these two the group returns to Dakka.

Luik has been accepted, along with the other Dibor and many other valiant knights in Mt. Dakka, into the Order of the Lion, the Lion Vries. Among them is Ragnar, who was resurrected by the Most High and remains for now in hiding in a secret chamber beneath Dakka.

At this unlikely time, Hadrian returns, haggard and different from when Luik last saw him. Fane seems mistrusting of their old friend, and Luik is torn between both his friends. After a slightly heated quarrel between the High King and Fane, the latter disappears from Mr. Dakka.

In response to messages from some of the old cities calling for help, Dakka's armies divide into contingents. Luik's group travels for days towards the islands of Somahguard and are rapidly weakened by poisoned water. Devoid of the precious substance for days, they nearly fall into a trap of Morgui's to fall under his power.

After many perils and after at last finding clean water, Luik and his army arrive at Somahguard and in enter into a fierce battle against an army of "the taken", fallen men who no longer serve the Most High. In the fight first Gyinan and then Najrion fall. The latter is the first of the Dibor to die. The remaining men engage in a furious boat race against the taken to the safe haven of Kirstell. As Luik and his men land upon the shores of Kirstell and unload their wounded, the taken who had been following behind for days come within arrow range, draw their bows, and fire a barrage of missiles at the helpless warriors.

Meanwhile, at the besieged Mt. Dakka, Anorra is picking off demons and taken from a distance when she hears, via a special tool of the Lion Vrie, that Luik is dead. In sickened, mad rage she leaps onto the ramparts and fires with crazed accuracy at the enemy until, having been singled out by the enemy commander as a target, a catapult shatters the wall beneath Anorra. Broken-boned and half-dead, demons surround her.

Characters

Dibor

Luik - a remarkably talented young warrior.

Jrio - son of King Naronel of Trennesol. Jrio is Rab, Najrion, and Naron's brother and a good friend of Luik.

Rab - rather smallish boy that Luik frequently saves. Brother of Jrio, Najrion, and Naron, son of King Naronel of Trennesol.

Najrion - son of Naronel of Trennesol; brother of Naron, Rab and Jrio.

Naron - son of Naronel of Trennesol; brother of Najrion, Rab and Jrio.

Fyfler - son of Nenrick, King of Somahguard. Fyfler is smallest of the Dibor and brother of Naffe, Kinfen and Fallon.

Naffe - son of Nenrick, King of Somahguard. Brother of Fyfler, Kinfen and Fallon.

Fallon - son of Nenrick, King of Somahguard. Brother of Fyfler, Kinfen, and Naffe.

Kinfen - son of Nenrick, King of Somahguard. Brother of Fallon, Fyfler, and Naffe.

Boran - twin of Brax, son of King Purgos of Tontha. Also brother of Benigan.

Brax - twin of Boran, son of King Purgos of Tontha. Also brother of Benigan.

Benigan - a bearlike fighter. Son of King Purgos of Tontha, brother of Brax and Boran.

Anondo - son of King Thorn of Ligeon. Brother of Thero and Thad.

Thero - son of King Thorn of Ligeon. Brother of Thad and Anondo.

Thad - son of King Thorn of Ligeon. Brother of Anondo and Thero.

Quoin - son of King Daunt of Jerovah. Cage and Daquin's brother.

Cage - friendly, strong boy. Son of King Daunt of Jerovah. Quoin and Daquin's brother.

Daquin - son of King Daunt of Jerovah. Cage and Quoin's brother.

Other

Anorra - One of Luik's childhood friends. She is fast and talented, especially with the bow. Luik loves her deeply. The daughter of King Thorn, she is Anondo, Thad, and Thero's sister.

Gyinan - Anorra's former teacher who trained her for battle.

Hadrian - Another of Luik's past companions. Hadrian is a stocky, thoughtful boy who had been missing for years.

Fane - A red-headed friend of Luik's, who trained for a long time under Li-Saide the dwarf.

Li-Saide - A wise dwarf of Ot. He is able to sense thoughts has taught Fane many valuable lessons.

Gorn - Strong, short, scarred, dark-skinned man who has obviously seen battle before the one arising now. Silent, particularly AbOUT his past, he has several moments of odd humor.

Morgui - Villain who, once a servant of the Most High, revolted and now leads an army of demons against Dionia's people.

Resources

The Lion Vrie, by Christopher Hopper