The Angel's Covenant (The Covenant series)

by Lynn Landes

  "I am the keeper. I have come for the book, I mean you no harm" she says holding her hands up as she faces the radiant form in front of her. He swings his blazing sword at her and Elina deflects with a shield. The blows continue unabated, he is steadily backing her to the wall. Each blow is stronger than the last. The final blow splinters her shield into thousands of tiny particles, leaving her open to attack. With a kick straight to her chest he sends her flying to the cavern wall. Elina sticks like glue; shocked that her protection failed. She watches as the warrior marches toward her raising his sword over his head. Rolling quickly to the right, she peels the crystal from the cavern wall encasing her body in a thick layer of crystal. Just in time; as his sword glances off her protective shell. Thinking fast she sends herself slipping out of the bottom. Then rolling to the right she comes up with her sword and with no hesitation slices his head from his body.

  Breathing hard, she watches stunned as six more warriors step from the cavern walls. They circle her holding their flaming swords high. One warrior points his weapon at her; then bows on one knee offering his sword to Elina. One by one they fall on bended knee; each offering their blade. Elina puts away her weapon and waving her hand over top each sword, she searches for a different energy. Then reaching out she chooses a warrior, accepting the gift he offers. He rises and steps back disappearing into the wall, followed by the others. Elina looks at the sword in her hand; surprised she feels it vibrates, then change into a small wooden ark made completely of redwood. Arks were designed to hold scrolls and this one holds a small scroll made of parchment paper. Removing the wooden end cap she sees a parchment scroll inside. Slipping out the parchment, careful not to damage it she sees it is sealed with wax and stamped with a small flame. Elina feels a huge sense of relief mixed with wonder. She did it!

  Letting out a whoop of joy she closes the ark by replacing the wooden cap back and hugs it to her chest. She found the first part of the book, now what?

  Holding tight to the ark, Elina feels his presence before she turns. "Daniel, you should not be here." She tells him. In his astral form Daniel is no longer in his wheelchair. His wrinkled eyes are wide with shock and a little fear. Having astral projected into the cave; he watched the battle that unfolded before him in amazement. "I have waited most of my life for a chance to meet the one who would unite our people. The one the stones speak of,” he tells her in a soft voice.

  "The stones tell of the final battle Daniel, tell me what else the stones say," she says to him.

  "The stones speak of the book that holds the name of all the fallen and the one who will find it; the one who will reunite our people and fight a battle against the sons of darkness. You will see the twin stories printed on the walls in this cave," he responds gesturing to the walls.

  Elina turns to walk along the walls again looking at the images depicted through the crystal. With a heavy heart she turns to Daniel. "Who else knows of the book?"

  With excitement in his voice he approaches Elina saying "The book is the key to our freedom Elina! We should be celebrating its return, with the names of the fallen; the war will be over before it ever begins! It's what we have been hoping for our whole lives."

  "If only it were that simple Daniel," she says to him. Frustrated she knows this is only part of the book. A low hum fills her mind, disturbed and worried tells him, "Daniel they are coming, you have to warn the others."

  "I don't understand you have the power to stop them! Use the book!" Daniel says in his gravelly voice pointing to the ark. With a firm push she sends Daniel back to his body, knowing there is no time to argue.

  "Keeeeeper!" he screams as he returns to his chair.

  The hum becomes a vibration in her mind and body. Walking to the wall she prays for guidance and hopes this works. She knows they will not stand a chance against a horde of demons and she has to get the first part of the book to the light. Placing her hand on the crystal wall she pictures the warriors of light in her mind.

  "Brothers come to me! Here my call!"

  The walls in the cavern activate at her demand, lighting with a brilliant white light, illuminating the cave within. One by one the six warriors step through the crystal wall; encasing themselves in the fractured crystal. Where once they were made of light, now they are faceted warriors ready for battle. Their featureless crystal faces glow with a brilliant white light as they turn to the one who called them.

  "Excellent" Elina says. Channeling her power, she flows the heat to her right hand. Walking up to the massive warrior she says “Blade” holding her hand out. Offering his weapon hilt first, he steps back. Holding the sword in front of her she eases her power into it; mutating it into a demon hunter, capable of trapping souls in its volcanic blade. Looking up into his glowing eye sockets she returns his weapon instructing "Bring me the stones.”

  Five more times she duplicates the process giving each a black glass obsidian sword. "Protect the Watchers and Keepers!" Elina orders them and waits until they spin in a flash of light running from the cave. Time to return the first part of the book, she thinks as she ports out.

  Seventeen

  Daniels roar is the first thing the others hear as he is slammed back into his body. "Keeeeeeper!" he screams until his voice is hoarse. Hearing Daniel, Scott and Sophia run back into the room. Sophia runs to her father trying to calm him, only to be pushed back. Seth and Jake jump to their feet unsettled and notice Elina is missing. Heather grabs Seth's hand as a vibration begins to ripple through the group.

  "Oh no, not again" Heather cries out! Jake looks at Daniel and asks abruptly, "What have you done?"

  Scott turns with a look of fear on his face, "We need to move, now! Something is coming."

  "Dad, tell us what's going on?" Sophia says to her father. "I shouldn't have followed her, it's entirely my fault! I lead them straight to us," he says dropping his face into his hands in shame. "You lead who to us, Daniel?" Scott asks as the lights go out.

  Only the light radiating from the fireplace remains. "We have to move now; we are sitting ducks in here!” Jake tells the others. "What about Elina" Seth asks?

  "She is a keeper; she can take care of herself," Jake tells them. “Let’s move!" Seth says in agreement.

  "Dad, you and Mom need to get Grandpa out of here!" Heather tells them.

  Daniel looks at his family and takes charge. Pushing his wheelchair towards the bookcase he pulls a book and pushes his chair back as the entire bookcase lurches forward and slides to the right revealing a hidden door. "In here quickly this will buy us sometime! It leads to the old barn, move now" he yells! Jake and Seth are already in motion.

  "Seth take point," Jake urges. "I will take the rear!" Heather brings her Mother as Scott follows close behind. The tunnel is dug deep under the house and the walls are littered with tiny crystals. Jake sends a burst of power down the tunnel walls heating the crystals and lighting the way.

  "Nice one Cap," Seth says to himself. Bringing his power to the front Seth readies for a fight. "Scott how long is it from the house to the barn?" he asks.

  "About a mile," Scott tells them.

  "Cowboy I need you to help me set charges." Jake calls to him from behind. Seth moves quickly to help him. "I don't know if this will work but it’s worth a shot." Daniel watches as they pick up large rocks feeding them with energy. They are glowing red hot when Seth pushes them into the wall. Repeating the process around the entrance three times, they move on. Moving through the tunnel they randomly add charges along the tunnel. The others move ahead as Seth helps push Daniels chair through the rocky tunnel. A sound from behind has them all picking up speed.

  Sophia's whimpering escalates with every step. She knows what may be waiting for them and she's terrified for her family. "Scott, why can't we just stay here and hide. They will go away when they can't find us" she asks in a trembling voice.

  "You know they won't stop looking. We have to escape while we can" he says as he urges her along.

  "Mom we are going
to be okay as long as we do not panic. They feed off the fear and grow stronger from it" Heather tells her.

  After a few minutes they can feel a draft from ahead. Seth moves forward motioning for them to all be quiet. A sudden blast from behind sends them all running for the opening ahead. The concussion from the blast reverberates through the tunnel; causing Sophia to run screaming to the end of the tunnel. Scott quickly follows her and Seth helps Jake with Daniels chair.

  Scott pushes the hatch open and pulls himself through the opening. Quickly he scans the old barn for signs of danger, and then pulls his wife through. She moves aside as he reaches for Heather. Seth lifts her from behind to her father careful of her cast. The next one through is Daniel. Again Seth lifts him from his chair and Scott pulls him to safety.

  Another blast reverberates and screams of rage echo through the night. Jake hands the wheel chair through and climbs through himself, quickly sealing the entrance with more charges.

  Scott says, “We need weapons!” looking around he says “this is the original barn, where we store the old farm equipment. Maybe we can use some of this. If we are careful we could make it to the trees about a quarter of a mile from here." Seth looks around at the open timber, large beam construction. There is a small hole in the roof and piles of rusted tools and farm equipment.

  Jake takes in the barn scanning for any weapons they can use. The blasts will have pinpointed their location and he knows things are going to get bad quickly. Seth walks along the walls of the old barn locating antique farming tools and tossing them into a pile on the ground. Pitchforks, axes, scythes, machete, brush axes, hammers, shovels anything that can be used as a weapon.

  Daniel looks at the pile from his chair and asks "How are these antiques going to stop demons?

  Seth smiles a dark smile and says "like this," Closing his eyes he builds his power, pulling energy from the air he charges the weapons with all the power he can muster.

  "Dad?" Heather whispers pulling her father to the side, "If you trust me, I would like to try to make you a keeper." Scott thinks about it, and smiles "Heather, I would trust no one more than you. What do we do?"

  Dropping to her knees she pulls her Father down with her. Holding both his hands in hers she bows her head in prayer and says "Father your word says ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you, I humbly ask you now to gift this watcher with the power you deem necessary." As the last syllable is spoken Heather feels her hands heat up and a burst of power roll though her into her Fathers hands. He is blown back into a hay bale!

  Sophia rushes forward to help him, running her hands over him checking for injuries. Seth rushes to Heather lifting her up he kisses her and turning to her Father says "Quite a rush isn't it?"Smiling he stands up on shaking legs and with tears in his eyes her Father says "Heather...that was amazing."

  "It wasn't me Dad. Now you have to learn how to use it, tell this big lug to put me down now," she says as she shoves at Seth. Just as her feet touch the ground an explosion from below knocks them from their feet. They've been found. Heather's burst of heavenly power is a magnet drawing the demons to the barn.

  Seth grabs a two handed scythe and Heather grabs a rusted axe. "Remind me not to piss you off, beautiful," he says as the others all arm themselves. Standing in a circle, with Daniel in the center, they wait back to back for the first attack to come. They do not have to wait long for the first wave of demons rain down through the roof.

  They are ugly as expected, muscular, small hairless demons with skeletal faces, and sharp teeth. They drop from the ceiling attacking, fighting each other as they try to choose their victims. Heather slices through a few and one drops on her back with his hands buried in her hair screaming. Sophia uses a pitch fork and spikes the demon sending a charge into its spine exploding it to dust. "Stay away from my daughter!" she screams.

  They turn back to back and watch in horror as Daniel is covered in his chair trying in vain to fight them off. Seth rips two of the demons off Daniel and slams them together as they hiss and scream at him, "Cap, a little help over here!"

  Jake pulls his whip and snaps the demon on Daniels right leg exploding into fragments. The remaining demons drop off screaming and as they try to run, but Seth is ready for them with a two handed scythe. He slices through the group, turning them to ash.

  Scott holds dual axes and is busy keeping them away from Sophia. Relieved they watch as Seth herds them into a corner and Jake fires a ball of holy fire into the mass destroying them all.

  Another blast from the hatch blows them all to the ground. They all watch in horror as multiple, three foot long rats pour through the opening. These are not normal rats they are venomous, demon rat’s intent on killing them all.

  Seth knows they will not stand a chance if they stay; he turns to Jake saying, "We need an exit now!" Jake turns to the nearest wall as Seth tells the others to, “hold them off.”

  Scott, Sophia and Heather stand in front of Daniel, Jake and Seth providing cover as they work to create a hole. "Dad," Heather says "your faith can create whatever your mind can imagine."

  Scott nods to her and with a prayer of protection imagines a shield in front of them that the rats cannot get through. They throw themselves at it only to be deflected over and over again.

  Hissing and spitting two of the rats begin to dig in earnest trying to come up under the dome of protection. Others continue throwing themselves at the dome; while some break away from group running outside hoping to catch them as they come through. Sophia screams, "They are trying to come up under the shield!"

  "Together Seth!" Jake yells as he lays his hand on the back wall. Seth follows his lead and places his palm on the wall and together they blow the wall out and away from them exploding the rats waiting on the outside!

  Seth turns and picks up Daniel in his arms knowing they will not escape if they wait. "Put me down, boy! You can't carry me!" he says in horror.

  "No offense Gramps, but you don't weigh more than a sack of potatoes," he says as they all hurry out of the barn to a large group of trees.

  Jake takes the lead and urges them all toward the cover; hoping to regroup and figure out how to escape. Taking in the landscape he hears Sophia ask, "What about Anna and the staff in the barn Scott? They have no way to protect themselves!"

  He doesn't say what he really thinks, that it is too late for them. Instead Scott tells her "Pray for them Sophia, they are in God’s hands now" and he wraps her in his arms.

  "Gramps if we can make it to the caves, will we be safe?" Heather asks.

  "It's possible; yes I think that could work." He leans forward and looks at Seth, "except to get there from here is over five miles. If we keep to the trees we might make it, but it’s doubtful."

  "Sounds like a plan to me” Jake responds. “We are going to need a distraction; I will lead them away from you."

  "No," Daniel says firmly. "I won't have your death on my conscious. I know how to distract them."

  "Dad..."Sophia starts to argue but he raises his hand, "Enough! Let me fix this. I should not have projected from the house, I knew better. I followed Elina and it led them straight to us." Looking at Seth he says "Get my family out of here!"

  "Yes sir." he replies quietly.

  "Scott, what's happening? What does he mean?" Sophia says in a quaking voice, as he gently tries to pull her away from the group. Heather kisses her Grandpa quickly and takes her mother’s other arm to help her Father. "Let’s go Mom, hurry." She says urging her along.

  "What's happening!?” She questions louder this time, pulling away from her daughter beginning to panic.

  Scott steps forward as Seth gives Daniel an axe. "What's going on?! Sylvia screams, “I am not leaving him, Dad?” she yells trying to rush to him.

  A rumble beneath their feet has them all freezing for a moment. The vibration begins to grow, "Move now!" Jake yells at them. The rumble beneath their feet turns to a quake and the ground begins to crac
k open. All around them in every direction more fissures appear, with steam spurting toward the sky. The group starts to run towards to thicker part of trees and woods. Seth takes lead and Heather follows, while Scott pulls Sylvia crying and fighting him. Jake follows hoping they will make it to the caves.

  They only make it a few feet before they are thrown to the ground as the earth splits open in front of them, spurting an unearthly green steam. As the steam erupts it begins to take shape solidifying into night walker demons. They are enormous monstrosities with red glowing eyes and talons like claws on each hand. Liquid silver skin and reptilian eyes stare at the group, as though waiting for orders. All around them more demons sift out from new fractures in the earth.

  As Seth reaches for Heathers hand; the demons crimson eyes snap to his and a low growl erupts from its shark like teeth. Freezing Seth looks over at Jake. Scott moves forward as the women move slowly behind them. Daniel watches from his tree as more and more demons appear. By his count twenty-eight of the monsters have appeared, hoping Jake will take the hint he projects his soul from his body. The second his spirit leaves his body, all pairs of the demonic eyes follow him.

  The largest of the night walker throws his head back and roars, and one by one they join the chorus of their brother’s call. Daniel screams "Come on you ugly bastards, catch me if you can!" He takes the trees flying as fast as his spirit will allow.

  Dropping to all fours, five follow him into the woods. Jake turns to Scott and asks him "Can you shield us?"

  "I will hold it as long as I can Jake, but our only hope is to make it to the caves." he responds.

  "What are they waiting for, Seth?" Heather whispers. "Why aren't they attacking?"

  "Stay behind us, stay with your Mother!" Scott snaps at her. With her arms around her Mother, Heather is terrified. Sophia has gone oddly silent and shakes uncontrollably. Seth looks at Heather knowing he needs to leave her and lead some of the demons away. Jake looks at Seth and nods, they have fought together as brothers in war for so long they know each other’s thoughts.