REVENANT (Descendants Saga)

by James Somers

  At the time of the war with Anubis, we had all assumed that London would never be anything more than the burned and desolate city both vampires and pixies had made of it. However, the human government of the British Empire had somehow been preserved during that time. No sooner had Anubis abandoned London than a silvery tongued politician named Gladstone had sent what remained of the British military back into London to reclaim it.

  Donatus had known this politician. He was an elf who had gone out into the mortal world some time ago in order for elves to have involvement in the course of human affairs. Gladstone had quickly secured the city. He began a rebuilding project that was still underway ten years later.

  However, much progress had been made in restoring the jewel of the Empire in that time. Of course, an appeal to Donatus and the city of Xandrea for help hadn’t hurt London’s progress. Much of the work had been accomplished speedily by elf spell casters sent by Donatus to assist in returning the humans to their place as quickly as possible.

  And so matters went. We had somehow received a blessed reprieve from the former troubles. I, for one, thanked the Almighty everyday with the hopes that this time of relative calm might continue. But sometimes matters must occur in the grand scheme of things—events we wish we did not have to experience. And some situations we perceive as peaceful are only times when the enemy is plotting and preparing. Then is when we are most likely to be caught unprepared and unaware.

  The wind was growing cooler, but there was still some of summer’s warmth to it. This was the kind of storm that would produce much thunder and lightning, perhaps even some hail. I had searched the meadow, but had not found the person I was looking for. Scanning the tree line of the forest beyond the river, I saw some of Tidus’s citizens returning from hunting, but not the one I sought.

  I felt a sudden chill that had not come from the temperature of the wind. I started back toward the city wall, but the feeling grew. I was being hunted.

  Still I had not placed the predator, but they were there. The dark clouds blotting out the sun did not help with my ability to determine which direction my attacker was coming from. Searching would do me no good now.

  I broke into a sprint, trying to get back to the safety of the city as the thunderhead lowered over the city. Lightning came down upon the forest in places, even striking near to the city. Thunder rolled across the heavens, bellowing out the storm’s fury in waves that could be felt even in my bones.

  Just before I got to the main gate, the hunter appeared. A Lycan of particular ferocity had caught my scent. I knew that I was in trouble. I would never make the main gate in time.

  The werewolf came at me, running much faster than I could manage in human form. I decided to elude this predator with a bit of Superomancey, teleporting to zigzagging locations, forcing the confused werewolf to seek a moving target between dimensions while bringing me closer and closer to the main gate.

  Unfortunately, my pursuer was more adept at the chase than the average werewolf. She teleported in the same zigzagging manner, so that between us we appeared to blink in and out of existence until we finally collided. The predator had caught me despite my ruse. I was done for.

  I was lying on my back with a set of razor sharp teeth set just above my face. I tried to move, but a furious growl kept me in my place. Fearing certain doom, I said, “I surrender! You win!”

  The jaws snapped at me. She wasn’t giving in so easily. I reached up quickly to the werewolf’s ribs and attacked with a deadly tickle. Almost instantly, the werewolf relented, trying to get away. The wolf returned to her human form, struggling in the grass to not wet herself with laughter. “Stop it, Daddy! Stop it!” she giggled.

  I let her go.

  “Does that mean I win again?” I asked.

  “Not this time,” she reported. “I caught you even though you tried to teleport.”

  “True,” I said, smiling. “That was pretty clever of you. Where did you learn to do that?”

  “Uncle Laish taught me,” she said, standing up.

  “Sadie? Sadie, where are you?”

  “Your mother is calling you, young lady,” I said.

  It had begun to rain lightly by now and the lightning was increasing in intensity.

  “We had better get inside, before she skins us both,” I suggested.

  My ten-year-old daughter pulled me up to my feet. “I want a piggy-back,” she said.

  I rolled my eyes, but allowed her the ride anyway. She scrambled up onto my back as a downpour began in earnest, forcing those of us caught outside the wall to run for shelter. By the time we got underneath a palace awning, we were both soaked.

  “Do you think Laish will teach me that trick?” I asked.

  Sadie swept her golden hair over her shoulder, placing her finger on her chin, considering my options. “If I talk to him for you, he probably will.”

  MORE KINDLE NOVELS BY JAMES SOMERS :

  Serpent Kings Saga Omnibus Edition

  The Realm Shift Trilogy (Books 1-3)

  Percival Strange

  Perdition’s Gate: Inferno Edition

  Hallowed Be Thy Name

  The Chronicles of Soone (Books 1 & 2)

  A World Within

  Descendants Saga (Fallen/Descendant/Revenant)

  KINDLE BIBLE STUDIES BY JAMES SOMERS:

  What’s So Great About Salvation?

  Predestination, Election & the Sovereignty of God

  Can My Religion Really Save Me?

  What Does It Mean to be Born Again?

  About the Author:

  James Somers lives in Kingston, Tennessee with his wife and children. He serves as the Pastor of Ozone Baptist Church in Rockwood and works as a Surgical Technologist specializing in Eye Surgery. He has written many fantasy novels and Bible studies. For updates on upcoming novels visit www.jamessomers.blogspot.com or email James at jamessremos (at)yahoo.com