Hunter

by Joanna White

  All kinds of equipment and countless rows of tables just like the one we had put Jared on were scattered all around the room. Every single one of the tables had restraints on them. Each one had a monitor beside it, with wires and machines. We ran through the room and into another hallway. More Gredi came spilling out of a split at the end of the hallway, coming in from both the left and the right sides.

  Jared ran toward them so fast I couldn’t see him until he stood behind them. He grabbed the back of a neck of a Gredi and picked him up. We all watched-opened mouthed, as the Gredi fell on top of three other Gredi on the left side. One was able to move out of the way and throw a dagger at Jared.

  Sine darted that way and pushed Jared out of the way as Jared fought with two other Gredi from the other side. The dagger had landed in Sine’s left bicep, but we charged forward to protect him.

  Axe swung and severed the head of the Gredi who had thrown his dagger at Sine. I blocked a sword from a Gredi that swung down to attack Jared and Sine. Quinn jumped over the headless body to slice through the throat of another one.

  I stared in shock for a minute, before someone shouting at me alerted me into action. Ducking under the sword of a Gredi, I slid toward him and embedded my sword into his stomach.

  “Let’s go!” Municx shouted. Axe pulled Sine to his feet and Municx had taken the dagger out of his arm. Sine grabbed his arm to stop the bleeding, as Jared darted to the left hallway, and we all followed him.

  At the very end of the hallway, there was a huge metal door, but it was open, and someone stood inside it.

  Jared cursed under his breath. He jogged to the door and we all followed him, cautious.

  A man in a lab coat that I didn’t recognize had a couple of bombs in his hands and there were four more on the floor. He laughed. “Well hello, Jared, so good to see you again,” the man said, placing the bombs on the floor. “When we heard there was an intruder after Hindah and Zagerah had not heard from you in a day, we had a feeling you would be here. I knew after you found a way to rid Zagerah’s hold on you, you would try to destroy this place.” He smiled, and it made me shiver. The air felt heavy as if I couldn’t breathe.

  “Nahkx,” Jared hissed. He lunged for the man, who slid out a knife, and swiped for Jared’s face. Jared’s quick reflexes almost had him out of the way in time, but his left eye was slashed, leaving a gash down his cheek.

  He cursed and swung his sword to slice the man’s shoulder. The man sprayed something toward Jared. Without thinking, I dashed toward him, shoving Jared out of the side. The gas slammed into my face, burning and searing it. I collapsed onto the ground, screaming and rubbing my eyes to make it stop.

  Jared roared in fury and I heard a thud. There were two more grunts, a gurgle, and then silence.

  “Averella,” Jared called. I felt his hands on my face, holding me gently. He smoothly moved my hands away from my eyes and I blinked. My eyes were watering and still burning badly, but I could see blurs.

  “If that had been me, I wouldn’t be able to see right now.” Jared’s hands tightened as they held me.

  “That’s why I pushed you out of the way.” I attempted to smile, but it ended with a wince. He helped me stand.

  “You okay?” Sine asked me.

  “My eyes burn, but let’s get this lab destroyed.” That time, I was sure I forced a smile.

  “The bombs have been disabled,” Lehlax said in a hopeless voice.

  Jared bent down near them. “Not quite, only the auto-activation which sets them on a timer. Someone will have to set these manually.” Jared’s tone sounded just as hopeless as Lehlax’s had.

  “I will. I’m the oldest and I’ve lived my life.” Municx stepped forward.

  Jared stepped back, glancing down at the bombs, before he turned back to Municx. “Father, no. I will. I’m by far the fastest. I’ll have time to run away before the bombs explode.”

  Municx thought for a moment but eventually nodded. “Be quick, Son. We will be waiting for you.” They embraced, and unshed tears glistened in Municx’s eyes.

  Jared nodded and squeezed his father’s chest. “I will.”

  His eyes met mine. I darted toward him, slamming my arms around him furiously as I jumped into them. With all the strength I could muster, and all the fear that pulsed through me, I pressed my lips against his. His hands wrapped around my neck and his fingers slid along my jaw. Gently, as if I would break, he rubbed my cheek with his thumbs.

  “Come back to me,” I murmured against his skin.

  “I always will, Av,” he whispered back, kissing me once more before he released his hold on me. “There’s an entrance back down the right side of the split in the hall. Just leave through this door and follow the hallway until you reach the exit. There are stairs, but you will be back outside. Get far enough away where the explosion won’t reach you. I’ll meet you by the entrance to the path.” Jared looked at the rest of the group as he explained.

  Axe gave him a nod, Sine pat him on the back, and Lehlax put his hand on Jared’s arm and nodded at him. Then, we all darted out the door and ran down the hallway.

  “I love you.” The words were a whisper, one that I knew floated across the air from me, through the door to reach Jared’s ears.

  It could have just been me, but I was sure I heard back a reply.

  “I love you, too.”

  Chapter 18

  JARED

  All the relief at finally being released from Zagerah’s control, at having my memories back, and being reunited with my father would have to wait. After a harsh goodbye with my father and Averella, I darted through the hallways as quickly as I could.

  I knew the lab’s weakest spot was down in the basement where the main structure was located. If that exploded, the rest of it would collapse and the labs would be destroyed. To get the plan to work, I’d have to place other bombs throughout the lab, scattering them.

  Within seconds, I stood inside the basement. All the bombs were connected, so as soon as I set one off, they would all explode together. Placing two near the main columns in the basement, I darted back up to the second floor and hooked another one there. After leaving one bomb on the third floor, I zipped to the tower in the middle of the whole building and climbed to the very top.

  Waiting there for me was Zagerah. “I knew you would be here.” He glared at me.

  I had the bomb behind my back.

  “Don’t even try to release that. I’ll just stop it before it will go off and you will have failed,” Zagerah said.

  I stayed perfectly quiet, but he could see the anger in my eyes. Peering through him, I looked inside him, prying inside his mind, finding out what he planned to do.

  Then I saw his plans. If I released the bomb, he would dart around behind me before I could react, and he would stop it.

  So, I did the only thing I knew I could do. It was a split-second decision, one that Zagerah didn’t have time to read because I made it last-second.

  I jumped off the tower, as hard as I could, falling toward the lake, four stories below us.

  Zagerah roared and I pushed the button on the bomb. Beeping echoed from it to my ears, slow at first, then frantically until it buzzed. Throwing it as hard as I could, I watched as it landed in the tower just before it exploded.

  I could see Zagerah’s face and feel his shock, then anger, followed by hate. Soon, fire consumed Zagerah and the tower until they were nothing at all.

  The glare from the explosion sent a bright light that flared away from it. I winced and felt a surge of pain in my eyes. I tried shielding them, but the glare was too much.

  The fire reached me, and I could feel it in my chest, on my legs… all around me.

  I slammed against the water hard as the fire completely consumed me and then my world went from red to bright white, and then faded until it was completely black.

  ***

  AVERELLA

  We dashed down the hallway and rushed down the stairs. As we shoved open the exit d
oor, we walked out onto a deck overlooking the lake and more docks on the level underneath. Crossing the stairs as quickly as we could, we darted across the dock, heading straight into the woods.

  We were on the wrong side to find the path, but all that mattered was getting far away from the blast. Jared would only give us about a minute. Once we were about seventy yards away, Sine stopped, and I bumped into him.

  “Look!” He pointed to the tower.

  I turned and followed where he pointed. All I could see from here were two figures, one too far away to see, but the other, I could see, was completely purple.

  “Zagerah,” I whispered.

  “Jared’s up there.” Quinn squinted as he watched the tower closely.

  “We have to help him!” I charged that direction, desperate, pleading, terrified.

  Municx grabbed me around the waist, wrapping his arms around me. For a man his age, he was stronger than he looked.

  I thrashed and kicked, but his hold never faltered even as he stared at the tower in shock.

  Suddenly, Jared leapt off the tower. Instantly, the entire tower, all sixty feet of it from top to bottom, was engulfed in flames. There was a light so bright, I winced and we all turned our eyes away from it. The rest of the building collapsed and exploded in flames bursting all around. At first, I thought maybe Jared would escape the blast, but then the flames reached him, going all around him so that I couldn’t see him anymore.

  The sound came then, ringing in my ears and the force of the blast knocked us all to the ground hard. Debris flew in every direction and rained down upon us like hail.

  Something stuck in the back of my right shoulder, but I forced myself to my feet. Wobbling, I ran forward and collapsed to the ground. I pulled myself up again, screaming, calling out Jared’s name, and knowing that he would never answer, he would never say my name again.

  I would never see him again.

  I screamed and screamed and the world around me faded away and all I could see, all I could hear was the sound of the explosion and somehow, I could hear Jared’s screams and I could see the red flames taking the place where Jared should have been.

  Epilogue

  RADON

  Radon portaled in, praying to his Father that he was not too late. By the time he arrived, the labs exploded into flames. Running as quickly as he could, Radon continued to pray to the Father. Father, if it be Your will, let me save Jared.

  Radon could feel Jared, knew his sacrifice and the last decision he made. No greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

  The emotions of those around him easily reached him; Municx’s pain and shock, the agony he was facing. The total shock the others felt before they collapsed to the ground.

  Averella…

  Even though she was badly wounded, she stood up and darted forward, desperately trying to reach Jared. Radon could feel her agony and hear her screams, hear her calling his name, and feel the harsh revelation when she realized he would not be answering her.

  Then…

  A tiny, weak heartbeat.

  Jared.

  He was on the edge, being consumed by darkness. There were only minutes before he completely faded. Radon hurried to the lake.

  He dove into the water and grabbed Jared’s body.

  The Father’s grace had kept Jared alive. Radon sent the Father a special thanks in gratitude. There were only minutes before Jared’s heartbeat stopped, before his lungs collapsed, before he was lost to the darkness forever.

  Radon moved quickly and efficiently. Calling to the Father’s love, presence, and peace, white light formed in Radon’s hands and he washed them over Jared’s burns, his broken ribs, inside his nose and mouth to help him breathe.

  The light, given by his Father, would sustain him until Radon could take him to an infirmary back on his homeworld. The others would have to trust and follow him.

  Jared would live.

  For some, this would be the end of a long and harsh journey, but for others…

  For Jared and Averella, this would be…

  Just the beginning.

  Three months later

  DORMOND

  A single bead of sweat fell from Dormond’s brow, trickling down his face at an alarmingly slow pace. He shook where he knelt beside all the other lab workers. Two men came on either side of him, yanked him to his feet, and threw him down on the ground before a nameless, faceless man they all knew as the Dark Master.

  “M—Master!” Dormond’s voice trembled just as much as his body.

  “Tell me of the events that transpired.”

  Dormond dared not look upon the face that had spoken. The voice was not what one would think: not menacing or gruff, but light and formal. Perhaps that was what frightened Dormond the most.

  “A Hunter rebelled. He freed the other Hunters, destroyed the labs, and eventually Zagerah itself. I offer my humblest apologies, Master. I take full responsibility for everything that has happened.” Though his hands were tied behind his back, preventing any movement, he bowed as low to the ground as he could reach.

  The Dark Master glanced past him, smiling warmly. “We know that the Hunters themselves were flawed in the first place. Nahkx may have been trying to fix the problem, but we all knew it was a hopeless cause.”

  At last, The Dark Master’s eyes found their way to look upon Dormond. “Raise your head.”

  On the command, Dormond lifted his head, though he still did not look upon The Dark Master’s face. “What transpired was not your doing. It was outside of your control, and I understand completely.” His voice held not a hint of malice nor anger but was filled only with sympathy and understanding.

  Dormond felt his body relax in relief. He breathed for the first moment since he entered the room. “Oh, Master. T—thank you.”

  The Dark Master turned his back on Dormond and the other Aretul lab workers. He started to cross the doorway but paused at the last second. Calmly, he rested his eyes on a man to his left, the most powerful and vicious of his Corrupted, a barely-controlled, demon of a man named Skull. “Please execute them all.”

  Skull nodded once and flicked out his sword.

  Congratulations. If you are reading this, you have made it this far. You were the brave soul who turned the page and found out the truth.

  There is something more, something darker controlling the Aretul. Destroying the labs is but a small pinprick in hope of bringing the Aretul down.

  But their power comes from someone, and something far greater.

  A darkness is growing, spreading throughout the galaxy. Jared and Averella are just two out of dozens of people who will fight back. Two of a dozen Chosen, part of the ones who will help defeat the darkness.

  Radon’s search continues. Will you be next to join him?

  Author’s Note

  The Biblical parallels with Hunter focus mainly on Moses. Jared was chosen by Radon to set His people free and help them escape from Zagerah. Averella felt like she was just one girl, a reckless one who had no hope of surviving. Like her, many of us feel insignificant, like the problems in our lives are too big for us to handle them or maybe God is calling you to do something and you feel like it’s too big. God is with you.

  Jared and Averella went through many bad and difficult things, but they were stronger in the end. God always turns the bad in our lives around for good. That is the message that I hope inspires you after reading Hunter.

  God wrote this book with me and it was my first major one in the Valiant Series. I never realized the entire series paralleled with the Bible until I wrote the last two books: Valiant Part One and Two. I want this series, and Hunter, to encourage, inspire, and uplift people, to bring them closer to God. I also wanted to write books to give readers something good to read that they can enjoy, a clean book which is often hard to find these days.

  I hope this book has touched you in some way. If you want to know more about God or have any questions or comments, please fe
el free to email me at starwarsFAN316@gmail.com.

  For more information about the Valiant novels or me in general, visit and like my Facebook Author page at www.facebook.com/authorjoannawhite, or my website at www.authorjoannawhite.com.

  God loves you very much no matter who you are, what you have done, or what you have been through. He will never leave you or forsake you. He sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins and Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus lives!

  Thank you so much for reading and buying Hunter. If you read it this far, please consider leaving an honest review.

  The Valiant Series continues through Shifter. God bless you!

  Sneak Peek at Shifter

  Chapter 1

  Beroan

  Flying was the only time I experienced true freedom. It gave me a chance to feel distanced from the earth, distanced from the endless fighting and destruction. During the time when I soared through the sky, I saw the world from a vibrant perspective.

  I gazed at the clouds swirling in the air around me. The sky was a pure blue; the perfect shade that felt comfortable and light. The air was cool and crisp, yet damp. My eyesight was rather intensified, allowing me to see everything with crystal clarity; from horizon to horizon. As a result, I was able to view the massive pack of wolves hunting below. Some were gray, others were white, a few were black. They were together running in perfect harmony, one body, which flowed and moved together.

  In that same manner, all of us were as they were; to each other loyal, placing others above ourselves. Loyalty to our clan first and then to other shapeshifters. Those beyond the clans, such as humans, were not worth our time or loyalty.

  I was of the Dragon Clan, those who could shift into the form of a majestic dragon. I preferred my dragon form because it allowed me to view the earth at a distance; to see it as a whole, than as separate pieces. My father had always reminded me to view the world as such, a puzzle that had been fashioned by God.