Spring Showers Box-set

by Avell Kro

  survive. He pulled two daggers from his vest as a demon approached his lieutenant. The officer

  lunged with his sword, but the monster batted it away with his arm. He swung his large axe in an

  arching loop, slicing through the man’s sword arm and cleaving a deep gouge at his waist. The

  lieutenant stood there in shock, holding his insides from falling out. His face paled and he looked at Raphael.

  “Run!”

  Raphael froze in fear for a split second, until the demon turned towards him. The monster’s deep,

  burning red eyes bore into Raphael. His knees felt weak under the demon’s hateful gaze, but he

  managed to find enough strength to turn and run. A deep howl followed him as he crashed through

  the nearest briars. He could feel the demon close behind him, spurring his flight onward. He

  weaved between the trunks of the massive trees and cried out when he nearly ran over another

  man. He twisted to avoid him and stumbled to ground, smashing his knee against the root of a

  nearby tree. He flipped over to find the blond-haired scout from the Dutch army.

  “Run! I’m pursued by a demon that will kill us both!” Raphael called out, struggling to his feet.

  He could hear his pursuer crashing through the jungle. It would be upon them at any moment.

  Raphael grabbed the man’s arm, trying to encourage him to run, but as soon as he did the jungle

  around him burst into a blinding light. He covered his face and cried out. When he turned back

  towards the scout, the demon’s head rolled to a stop at his feet with a look of shock on its dark face.

  Raphael pulled his gaze from the gruesome sight and looked at the man before him. In his left

  hand was a sword, glowing so bright it appeared to be made from light itself. The scout stared back

  at Raphael with confusion and wonder. He raised the blade of light in his hand, gazing at it with

  reverence. Then it disappeared.Raphael gasped. He had no words for what he just witnessed.

  The man spoke, but Raphael didn’t understand what he said. He shook his head.

  “Raphael?” the blond scout asked.

  Raphael looked at him in surprise and nodded. “How do you know my name?”

  Frustration returned to the scout’s face.

  “Mikel,” he said, tapping his chest.

  Raphael understood that was his name. Mikel motioned for him to follow, and Raphael was

  overwhelmed with a compelling feeling to obey. He took one last glance at the headless demon at

  his feet, then followed the stranger who beckoned him forward.

  Chapter 18

  Mikel

  Mikel and Raphael made camp in the small cave that Mikel had been using for the last several

  days. Raphael successfully snared two rabbits, which were now spitted and roasting above their

  small fire. Mikel’s mouth watered at the thought of food. He hadn’t eaten in almost two days, and

  even though his hunger subsided slightly after his encounter with ‘the voice’, his stomach rumbled

  in anticipation.

  Mikel looked at his new companion. A dozen questions filtered through his mind, and he sighed in

  frustration at their language barrier. Mikel knew very little Spanish, enough to know that the

  Portuguese language was similar, but not the same.

  “Do you speak English?” Mikel asked.

  Raphael shook his head. “FalaPortuguês?”

  Mikel knew enough Spanish to guess that Raphael was asking if he spoke Portuguese. He gestured

  his linguistic limitations with his thumb and index finger “Espanhol,” he replied.

  Raphael frowned and pulled one of the rabbits from the fire to cool.

  “Por que tôaqui?” Raphael asked, questioning why he was here.

  Mikel shrugged. “Because I was told to find you,” he said in English, unsure how to translate so that

  the man across from him would understand.

  They sat in silence as they ate, each frustrated by their inability to question the other.

  Raphael pointed at Mikel’s left hand with a questioning look. Mikel followed his gaze to the glow

  around his hands. It had not faded, even after the sword vanished from his hand. He was certain

  his strange visitor had something to do with the changes he was now experiencing and wished the

  man would return to explain it. He’d done as he was told. He found the scout named Raphael, but

  he had no idea what their purpose was now.

  “Então? Agora,” Raphael asked, how.

  Could his companion see his hand glowing as well? Or was he asking how he summoned the

  sword?

  “Do you see the light around my hands?” he asked. “Um, luz namão?”

  He nodded in agreement. “Vejo.”

  Mikel looked at him in astonishment and noticed the same expression in Raphael’s eyes.

  “Como?”

  Mikel shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Mikel finished eating and sat in silence, listening the numerous insects and nocturnal birds calling

  to one another in the night. He watched Raphael rise and move towards the mouth of the cave,

  unraveling a thin rope that Mikel had not noticed was wrapped around his waist. He pulled a

  pouch from his belt and dumped a pile of small, dry bones on the rocky ground. Mikel’s curiosity

  surged as he watched him attach the bones to the rope at regular intervals, then stretch it across

  the opening of the cave about knee height.

  He turned and looked at Mikel with an embarrassed grin, that shed years from his features.

  “Puma.”

  Mikel nodded with understanding and appreciation. It would warn them if something approached

  the entrance to the cave while they slept.

  The Englishman’s emotions flared as he realized this man knew how to live on his own in the

  jungle. Mikel would’ve been killed by predators or starved to death if he had not met this man. His

  thoughts returned to the mysterious voice that visited him the night before.

  What did he mean, he would lead us to the mountain? What is his purpose for us, and what did he do

  to me? Will I ever be able to leave this place or see my family again?

  He thought of his friend Harry dying at the hands of the demons that Mikel refused to believe

  existed. His heart ached with loneliness, and he held back the tears that threatened to spill from

  his eyes.

  Did Raphael’s fellow soldiers meet the same fate? Did he feel Mikel’s hopelessness? Or was he the only

  one struggling with this situation?

  He looked over at the man who was now dowsing the fire and stripping the meat from the rabbits’

  bones. Mikel realized he would add them to his collection and envied his ingenuity and

  resourcefulness.

  No, Raphael was not suffering from the same loneliness and loss.

  Chapter 19

  Raphael

  A cool breeze whispered across Raphael’s face, waking him instantly. He opened his eyes but

  remained motionless as he looked towards the mouth of the cave. The string of bones swayed

  gently in the breeze, but nothing else moved. He laid there silently for several minutes, deciding

  there was nothing amiss. He rolled onto his back listening to the rustle of bats wings and chirping

  insects. Thinking over the events of the past few days made him wonder why he was here and not

  back at the fort.

  Why did I follow this stranger into the jungle? He asked himself. Where did his sword of light come from, and what is the soft glow surrounding him? He shook his head and continued his silent

  conversation. I should g
o back to the fort and report to the commander. He needs to know that we

  lost another platoon. But what will he think of me, if I’m the only one to survive yet again? Maybe I

  wasn’t the only survivor. Maybe someone else can confirm my story.

  He sat up and stretched, trying to make as little noise as possible. He turned towards the sleeping

  figure across the cold firepit. Sweat beaded on the man’s forehead and a wrinkle formed on his

  brow. He mumbled incoherently, then yelped softly. His dreams appeared as unpleasant as

  Raphael’s own nightmares.

  Raphael looked up as a faint light danced just outside the cave’s entrance. He reached for one of the

  long daggers lying next to his bed roll and silently fel back into the shadows. He snuck over to

  Mikel’s side, nudging him in the ribs with his bare foot. Mikel grunted, sitting up suddenly. Raphael

  laid one hand on his shoulder and pointed at the advancing light with his other. To his surprise,

  Mikel just stared at the light, almost becoming mesmerized.

  He turned back to Raphael, asking him a question that he didn’t understand. The same frustrated

  look consumed each of their features over their language barrier.

  Mikel stood, trying to straighten his clothes like he was preparing to meet someone very

  important. He gave Raphael a reassuring nod. Raphael’s wariness didn’t subside, and he gripped

  his weapon tighter. Did Mikel know who was coming? The seconds turned into minutes as the light

  continued to brighten. The bats in the back of the cave stirred, then rushed towards the entrance

  in a flurry of screeches. The two men ducked their heads, trying to avoid the swarm of leathery

  wings above them.

  Raphael moved further back into the shadows, becoming more fearful as the light continued to

  brighten.

  They should’ve entered the cave by now. That light’s been approaching for several minutes already.

  One man would only be carrying a lantern, which would not cast that much light. Unless- Realization

  struck Raphael like a hammer. He must have led me to a trap. Only dozens of lanterns would emit so

  much light that it would be seen from such a distance. How many are there and why can I not hear

  them? A group that size could not hide their approach.

  The light at the entrance suddenly blazed, forcing Raphael to cover his face. He tried to peer

  between his fingers, but the brightness burned his eyes.

  “I see you have found one another.” A deep voice resonated through the cavern.

  The scout tried to look at the intruder once more but was still unable to endure the piercing light.

  “Come, sit with me so we can discuss the future.”

  The glare subsided as suddenly as it appeared, and Raphael tentatively moved his hands from his

  face. He gasped as his eyes settled on the being before him. He was in the image of a man, but

  clearly so much more.

  A soft light surrounded His lean frame. Even sitting, His height was wel above Raphael’s. He had

  strong, square features set around deep, glowing eyes that appeared as several colors; blue, green,

  brown, gray – all in constant motion around each other. The entity leaned forward and rested His

  elbows on His knees.

  “Please sit.” He gestured for both men to join Him in front of the ashes of their fire.

  Raphael glanced at Mikel and noticed that their reaction to this newcomers’ presence were not

  the same. Mikel carried a knowing, but anxious expression as he moved to sit down. Raphael

  joined him on the opposite side of the fire and they both looked at the being in front of them.

  “I assume you both understand me,” He began, not waiting for a response. “One of the Overlord’s

  has emerged from hell once again, making your commitment necessary. I will guide you south,

  into the mountains, where you will find a dormant volcano. There you will build a fortress for the

  warriors that are needed to fight against the evil you saw today.”

  “Who are you?” Raphael asked. “What is an Overlord, and what were those monsters we saw

  today?”

  “How are you speaking English?” Mikel asked with an astonished look, drawing Raphael’s

  attention. “I thought you could not speak it.”

  “I was not speaking English,” Raphael replied defensively. “Yet I understand you perfectly.”

  A deep laugh interrupted their confusion and they turned back to their visitor.

  “A language barrier will only slow down your progress, so I eliminated it. Now, to answer your

  questions. The Overlord’s name is Zar’Asur. He is a demon that was summoned from hel by a

  group of cultists called the Csökkent. Normally, they cannot summon demons without the power of

  an Overlord, but apparently some greater power has intervened.”

  “Why have we not seen them before?” Mikel asked. “Why are they here now, and what is their

  intention?”

  “The demon Overlords were defeated centuries ago and have remained in hell since then. The

  Csökkent should have disappeared with them, but their faith in their evil masters is stronger than

  anticipated.” He leaned back and folded His arms against His chest. “Their plan has always been to

  subjugate humanity. The Overlord will kill everyone who does not bow before him.”

  The being turned towards Raphael and he found himself the subject of an intense gaze. He could

  not pul away from the colors that swirled in those eyes. It felt like someone intruded into his

  mind.Strange images formed before him, sketched into his memory as their meaning was forced

  upon him in waves. He grasped the sides of his skull as more visions bombarded him in a

  torrential storm of understanding. He cried out in pain and felt Mikel catch him as he fell to the

  ground.

  “What did you do to him?” Mikel asked. Raphael heard the tension and fear in the man’s voice.

  “Open your eyes, Raphael and look at your friend. Tell me what you see.”

  Raphael pushed himself to his knees and slowly looked up at Mikel. He felt a subtle pulse behind

  his eyes as he gazed at his fellow scout.

  “His body is surrounded by a soft glow, much like your own.” He paused as his gaze bounced from

  Mikel to their visitor. “But not like yours. Who are you?”

  “I’ve been called many things throughout the ages, but I’m most commonly referred to as God.”

  Raphael’s thoughts warred with each other. He wanted to deny what he saw, but deep in his heart

  he knew it was true.

  “Mikel, summon your sword,” God commanded. “Raphael tell me what you see when he does.”

  Mikel looked at his hand with uncertainty, his brow furrowed in concentration, but the sword of

  light did not appear.

  “I cannot,” Mikel said. “I have no idea how I did it last time. It seemed to appear when I, we were

  threatened by that demon.”

  “I think you should try again, Mikel,” Raphael said, still amazed that he could communicate with

  this man. “I saw something happening, almost like the light around your hand changed.”

  Mikel’s brow furrowed as he tried again. Raphael focused on his companion’s hands and watched

  tendrils of light emerge from his fingertips and snake towards his wrist. They disappeared

  suddenly and Raphael looked up into Mikel’s face. He noticed for the first time that Mikel’s eyes

  were a deep gray. His fierce look of concentration withered into disappointment.

  “That was amazing,” Raphael said and Mik
el’s disappointment turned to annoyance.

  “How was doing nothing, amazing?”

  “Did you not see the tendrils of light spreading from your fingertips towards your wrists?” Raphael asked.

  “No, I saw nothing but failure.” Mikel shook his head.

  “I think you almost had it. I could see strands of light snaking up your hand, Mikel. They didn’t fade

  until you stopped trying.Remember what you felt the last time the blade emerged.”

  “Alright.” A look of determination crossed his face and he closed his eyes.

  Raphael watched the tendrils appear again, winding around Mikel’s fingers, along his hand then

  circling his wrist and forearm. When they reached his elbow, their light flared and they surged

  back towards his hand. Raphael fell backwards as the sword of light surged from Mikel’s palm. It

  quickly disappeared again and Mikel cursed.

  “You did it!” Raphael exclaimed, pushing himself to his knees.

  “Yes, and I think I know how. It startled me and I lost it.” Mikel smiled self-consciously.

  Raphael watched him focus again. This time, he didn’t have time to watch the light travel up

  Mikel’s arm. The sword appeared instantly and Mikel’s smile grew wider. Raphael gazed at the

  sword in wonder. The hilt’s white surface shined and the clearly defined blade swirled with the

  same colors of light as God’s eyes. Raphael turned his gaze to the being still seated near the cold

  fire. He watched the two men with a smile.

  “Why us?” Raphael asked.

  “I need men and women whose hearts are true,” He replied.

  Mikel flushed and the sword vanished. “I wouldn’t say that about myself. I’ve done many things

  that would not be considered true or correct,” he said, unable to look at God. “I suppose you already

  know that.”

  “I didn’t say I needed perfection.” He rose to His feet, towering over the two men. “These demons

  will not stop until they’ve thrown the world into chaos. I need people who will protect humanity

  and ensure their future does not include being enslaved by Hell. I have given you the gifts you will

  need to start an army capable of defeating the demons you fought today. Will you join me?”

  Raphael looked at Mikel, who held his gaze for a moment then looked at the dirt beneath his feet.