by Black, Chuck
Fang smiled. “You can’t escape, Guardian. I am the master of my domain, and no matter how good you are, you will die!”
“And so will you, unless you release them now!” Drew took two steps forward to punctuate his words.
Fang’s eyes widened—a flash of fear. He stepped farther behind Sydney and pressed the knife against her throat. “It is nothin’ to kill them, Guardian! Drop the guns, and I’ll let them go.”
Drew didn’t trust Fang for one fraction of one second, but he didn’t have a choice. Fang could kill one of the three and still have leverage. Drew had pushed as far as he dared.
He knelt down and raised his voice for all to hear. “You know I’m not human, Fang. You double-cross me, and I will return to hunt you and every last member of the Dragons until no one survives!”
The two guards holding the hostages glanced toward Fang. Drew figured many of the Dragons were having the same response. Some had seen Drew do impossible things. Undoubtedly, they’d told exaggerated stories to save face. All of that now worked to Drew’s advantage.
He set his guns down on the ground and slowly stood, listening, watching, feeling every move, whisper, and footstep. His mind saw the entire warehouse like a chessboard, locating every piece and calculating a dozen moves and outcomes with each passing second. Standing resolute in the legendary fear he had created, he glared first at the guards and then at Fang. Three large Dragons closed in, two with knives and one with brass knuckles. Drew had disrespected the gang. A bullet would be too merciful. His death would come through brutal beating.
Drew didn’t flinch. He pointed at Fang. “Is your word meaningless, Fang? Remember my warning!” He glared at the approaching Dragons. They stopped a few feet from him and looked to Fang for their orders.
Fang tilted his head from side to side, as if trying to decide which ice cream flavor he should pick. Kurgan walked behind Fang and began speaking to the invader inside him. Fang smiled as his eyes became black with darkness.
This was not going to end well.
Where were the light invaders? Were there too many dark invaders for them to even try to help? Drew prepared himself for the worst, calculating the method and the time it would take to recover the FNs, but then—something strange happened.
Sydney lowered her head, and wisps of bluish plasma swirled around her. Like suspended flames of a pure blue fire, the essence licked at the space around her and reached out to encompass Micah and Shana. Drew wasn’t the only one to notice. Kurgan turned and recoiled, covering his face from whatever it was that now engulfed the hostages.
Kurgan backed away, and so did other nearby dark invaders, all cursing and hiding their eyes. Drew thought he had seen all that this unearthly realm contained, but this was something new—and it emanated from Sydney! Once before he had wondered if she was more than she let on, but now he knew it to be true. In some unfathomable way, Sydney had discovered a weapon against the dark invaders.
But how?
As her bluish aura continued, the influence of the invaders over their human pawns vanished. Fang frowned and looked around, as if abandoned in his evil plot.
Drew stepped forward. “Release them, Fang! I’m the one you want, not them.”
Fang looked left and right, confused and distracted as the blue plasma flame swelled. His double-faced invader turned away and screamed. Fang nodded to the two Dragons keeping the hostages in place, and they let Sydney and the children go.
“Leave the building, Sydney!” Drew made his tone as commanding as he could.
Sydney gazed at Drew through the protecting flames of blue. She bit her lip. Clearly, she knew she had to get Micah and Shana to safety—and that to do so, she’d have to abandon Drew to an execution.
She led the children toward the doors at the front of the building. The dark invaders hid from the burning flames surrounding them. Kurgan recovered enough to roar his rage, both at Drew and now even more so at Sydney. He screamed at the invaders nearest Sydney, Shana, and Micah, and they tried to attack. Fang must have heard it too, for his blackened gaze returned, and he shook himself.
“Stop them!”
Two Dragons with switchblades intercepted them before they reached the door, and Sydney looked toward Drew, with Shana and Micah clinging to her side and fear swallowing them. Drew’s anger reached a crescendo. Only he could hear the distant approach of sirens, but it would be too late. Five minutes might just as well be five hours when facing the guns and knives of a ruthless gang.
“Now you die, Guardian!” Fang raised his fist in the air.
Kurgan came to stand before Drew and sneered. Drew raised his head as the massive dark invader lifted his sword above his head to strike him down. The three Dragons stood ready to close in on him, each one with an accompanying dark invader ready to amplify their power and their speed. At least five guns stood ready if by some fluke the Dragons’ intent on beating Drew to death failed.
Time stopped as Fang relished his power over the one who had dared stand against him and his Dragons.
In that moment—that moment of ending, of impossible odds and seemingly certain outcome—the invader realm erupted.
More than twenty light invaders burst through the roof of the warehouse, swords drawn and weapons firing as they charged into battle with the enemies of good. Wallace led the assault.
The invader inside Fang looked up and screamed, and so did Fang. “Kill him!”
Even as the dark invaders abandoned their earthly charges to engage in deadly combat with the light invaders, the three Dragons descended on Drew. He exploded into action with a spinning back kick that landed square across the closest knife attacker’s jaw. The Dragon’s head snapped to the left, and he dropped, unconscious, to the ground.
Wallace struck down two of the dark invaders nearest Fang, and Kurgan flew to engage him. The warehouse became a blur of battle in the invader realm as Drew’s combat instincts kicked into overdrive. He had to get to Sydney and the children!
Drew sidestepped the first punch from the brass knuckles, grabbed the Dragon’s wrist, and pounded a powerful front kick into his attacker’s chest. As the attacker doubled over, Drew used the movement and the momentum to throw him into the third Dragon, who was making a knife thrust at Drew. The blade cut into the thrown Dragon’s shoulder, and the two stumbled back and away from Drew.
Two light invaders focused exclusively on the Dragons—and their accompanying invaders—who had intercepted Sydney, Shana, and Micah. Then Sydney’s blue fire reached out for the light invaders and imbued them with extra power. Their ferocity was frightening. After just three quick but powerful cuts, one dark invader turned to green vapor and the other retreated with a severe wound to his sword arm. One light invader sliced through the nearest Dragon’s arm, and the man yelled and clutched his arm as his knife fell to his feet. He cradled his arm and backed away.
Drew dived and rolled toward the FNs lying just five feet away. The concrete around him shattered in spraying pieces of cement and white dust. Bullets ricocheted upward, zinging off in multiple directions. As Drew rolled, both hands found and curled around the grips of the waiting FNs. In near stop-motion framing, Drew came up on one knee, perfectly aligned for his first shot.
Target, front sight, squeeze, reacquire, repeat.
Both guns unleashed five rounds of revenge in less than two seconds. The entire gang froze at the sight of the Guardian in the middle of their lair holding weapons that none could fight against. But the invader realm still screamed with action.
Wallace was engaged in a deadly duel with Kurgan. Drew had seen many invader battles, but none as fierce as between these two warriors from this ancient realm. Swords flashed in a blur as they flew across the warehouse and off the walls, each trying to gain the positional advantage needed for a microsecond breach in the other’s defense.
Drew turned his focus on the Dragon still standing between Sydney and the children and the door to escape. He brought his right FN to bear on him, an
d fear filled the Dragon’s face.
“Run!”
At Drew’s shout, the Dragon cowered and withdrew. The light invader guided Sydney, Shana, and Micah toward the door, defending them with his sword as they went.
Drew caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Behind Fang, Drew saw the hideous monster of fur and scales charging Wallace’s backside. Every other light invader was engaged in battle and unable to help …
Drew knew, deep within, that Wallace would not survive. And there was nothing he could do to help.
Sirens filled the air outside the warehouse, and the Dragons scurried toward their escape routes.
“Behind you!” Drew screamed to Wallace.
As futile as it seemed, Drew charged toward Fang, unloading a continuous stream of jacketed lead from both guns into the air above him, directly at the attacking beast.
Wallace diverted a thrust from Kurgan just in time to see the beast lunging. He was impossibly out of position to effect any damaging cut to the beast, let alone recover in time to keep Kurgan’s blade at bay.
Wallace’s end was inevitable.
But the protecting light invader was more than just powerful, he was a tactical master. He parried Kurgan’s blade outward and upward, then passed the steel of his own sword into the path of Drew’s stream of bullets. Instantly, each one translated into the solid reality of Wallace’s realm. Thirty-five high-velocity bullets burrowed into the thick hide of the pouncing beast. Death enveloped the monster in a green vapor that spilled forward around Kurgan and Wallace’s ferocious duel.
Kurgan turned his head away to protect his eyes, and Wallace used it to his advantage, arcing his sword around in a brilliant flash of speed and cutting through Kurgan’s chest and abdomen. Kurgan turned back, eyes bulging in anger and disbelief, but it was only for a moment—for he too dissolved into green nothingness that fell into the earth.
Fang fell to the concrete floor and crawled away toward the back of the warehouse. Kurgan’s defeat turned the tide of the invader realm battle, and the dark invaders either retreated or were quickly dispensed.
Drew stood numb. What did it all mean? The police and the FBI were coming, but there was nowhere to run.
Wallace gave quick commands. One of the light invaders that Drew had seen a couple of times before came to Wallace, looked toward Drew, and exchanged what seemed to be serious words with him. Wallace’s stern reply didn’t seem to sit well with his comrade, but he turned and left. The warehouse emptied of all humans and invaders.
All but Drew and Wallace.
30
THE FINAL ENCOUNTER
The clatter of equipment and boots of law enforcement sounded just outside the front door as Wallace turned toward Drew and stepped forward. Drew swallowed hard, for the warrior looked as though he might not yet be done with battle.
As Wallace came, he stepped through arcing blue flames, out of the invader realm and into the world of humans. Drew’s skin crawled as the massive invader approached and stopped just a few feet away, glaring down at him. Wallace raised his sword—then sheathed it and placed his hands on his hips. He looked frustrated, angry, and hesitant.
Drew had been part of saving his life, but he felt like he was being judged for crimes he couldn’t understand.
“I am Validus.” Wallace’s voice boomed like thunder.
A thousand questions raced through Drew’s mind, but only one escaped his lips. “Where do you come from?”
The warrior’s steely eyes pierced Drew to the heart. “You had better figure that out quickly, for you are in grave danger. They know who you are, and they are coming for you. They are all coming for you.”
All? Was the LASOK that important?
“Why … why me?”
Validus hesitated. “There are things of which I cannot speak, but the answers you seek are near. Beware, Drew Carter.” Validus turned and took two steps, translating back into the invader realm just as the front warehouse door blasted open.
“Drop your weapons!”
Within seconds, Drew was surrounded by men in bulletproof vests emblazoned with FBI—and with an entire arsenal. After another face-plant into the concrete, Drew was handcuffed and whisked out the front of the warehouse toward one of five black SUVs.
“Drew!”
At Sydney’s scream, he looked and saw her straining to see him as she stood on her tiptoes. She peered over the roof of one of the other vehicles. It was impossible to read the expression on her face—relief, joy, shock, concern, angst?
“Sydney!” he called back.
She was being encouraged to get in the vehicle but with much less force than Drew was experiencing. The door opened before him, and two agents reached for his head to place him inside.
“I know what’s happening to you!” Sydney screamed. “You’re seeing—”
“Watch your head, Carter.” One of the agents bent Drew’s head low, sat him down, and closed the door.
The sounds of the world muffled to silence in the bulletproof glass of the FBI SUV. Visions of both realms washed across his mind, but one event stood above the rest …
Sydney Carlyle, wrapped in blue-plasma fire, battling the dark invaders and the Dragons in a way he could never do.
He had scoffed and ridiculed her for years. Could he be the fool after all? If she had that kind of power, why would the dark invaders come after him? Drew shook his head.
When would this freakish dream ever end?
VALIDUS WALKED THROUGH the warehouse walls and into the alley behind.
Tren was waiting for him. “Never before has an angel spoken as you have to an unbeliever.”
Validus looked at Tren and considered the warning. “You’re right, but never before have the forces of the Fallen rallied so fiercely to destroy one unbelieving man.”
Tren gave a slow nod. “What’s happening, Validus? Why this man? I’ve watched him since childhood. I don’t understand.”
Validus looked up and into the distant stars of the heavens. “I commanded a continent, and now I guard one man.” He looked back at Tren. “I don’t understand either, but Drew Carter’s life must be a pivotal force in both realms, and if we don’t figure it out soon, the Fallen may turn the war once again.”
Validus filled his lungs with a cleansing, deep breath, the pain in his chest reminding him of just how close he had come to dissolution. The battle to keep Drew Carter alive had been intense. He nearly smiled as he remembered how the man had taken action to save him from Durgank.
Validus directed his gaze back to Tren. “You know what to do.”
Tren nodded.
“Very well … then make it so.”
“To Elohim’s glory,” Tren proclaimed.
“To His glory,” Validus returned.
Tren flew through the warehouse, and Validus turned south, down the alleyway. There was perhaps one who could make sense of the actions of the Fallen, but there were risks … risks that might cause even the commander of the western continent to hesitate. He had to be careful. Every angel that fell in battle meant the forces of the Fallen would continue to rise, and the peril of humankind could come spiraling to a resetting demise as had happened too many times before. Somehow … someway … Drew Carter was in the epicenter of that spiraling vortex.
And Validus needed to know why.
God has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. He is the creator of the visible and the invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. He is before all things, and by Him all things consist, or are held together.
—PARAPHRASE OF COLOSSIANS 1
A NOTE FROM CHUCK BLACK
What does Jesus look like? If we don’t know what He looks like, should we allow an artist to speculate and paint a representation of Him? I have often gazed upon a painter’s rendition of the Lord and known with fair certainty that it was no
t an accurate depiction of our Savior. Nevertheless, such knowledge did not diminish the inspiration I felt from beholding the fruit of such gifted labor.
In similar fashion, one could ask, what does spiritual warfare look like? The Wars of the Realm trilogy is a speculative work of fiction that I’ve painstakingly written, not to contradict Scripture in any way but rather to inspire and challenge you to consider the reality of spiritual warfare in a whole new way. Though the story is intense and the liberties taken in regard to speculation are vast, the boundaries are the Bible and the purpose is to inspire men and women to glorify God. The true hope of this tale is found in the final chapters of the series, just as our hope is in the finished work of Jesus Christ, which will culminate in climactic triumph at the end of days.
The Readers Guide explains the biblical framework from which much of the speculation for this novel is derived. I hope you find it informative and helpful in your own investigation of understanding spiritual warfare.
READERS GUIDE
CHAPTER 1
The Sting of Death
Young Drew Carter and his mother experience the pain of losing his father. In 1 Corinthians 15:56, the Bible says that death has a sting, and anyone who has lived through the death of a loved one knows it to be true. But God promises for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ that there is coming a day when death will no longer be able to sting. That happens on the day of resurrection.
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54–58)
Thankfully, those who have a relationship with Christ can look forward to a new body—immortal and not subject to the afflictions of this world. Death itself will be eliminated forever.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 21:4)