The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga

by Summer Lee

  “I understand.”

  Salinger looked into Sam’s eyes for the first time since they had entered the chamber. He saw something foreboding in Sam that he had never seen before. It did not look like the wide-eyed adventurous young man that he asked to accompany him to Israel. There was something darker about him now. “Sam,” said Salinger. “Don’t let them get to you. Stay strong.”

  Aviela stepped to Sam’s side. “I’m still with you. Don’t be afraid.”

  Salinger lifted his head and allowed himself to fall into the darkness after Achava.

  Chapter the Fifteenth

  SALINGER OPENED HIS EYES.

  The sharp pains had returned to his chest. The light slowly came back to him. He blinked a couple of times to make sure he was now awake and not dead. Sensing that he had become unconscious when he fell, he looked about at his surroundings. He was lying in a large alcove. There was sand underneath him, and, most importantly, he still wore the backpack.

  A corridor of sorts with rock walls was just outside the alcove. There was a lit torch directly across from him sitting in a cast iron torch holder. It sounded like he heard voices coming from one end of the corridor. Yet, there was no sign of Achava.

  Sam obviously did not jump, and he had the medication in his backpack.

  Salinger looked up and saw that the alcove had a roof. He must have been moved. How else could that be?

  He managed to stand and check for bruises or broken bones. He smiled when he realized that his aged body was unharmed. If only his heart was better. Should he venture forth? No! There was a lack of knowledge of his surroundings, and he felt fear.

  Having a chance to think caused him to be cautious. At that point, two muscular men with dark hair entered the room. Each grabbed one of his arms. It hurt and took away his breath. They were not gentle about seizing him and he realized that the little bit of fight he could muster would not be enough to overpower these two. The men were dressed in sleeveless black shirts and blue jeans. They had long dark hair and were solemn. They escorted Salinger down the rock corridor until they approached a large room lit by several torches.

  Salinger looked the other way to see what was down the opposite side of the corridor, but could not see anything. Suddenly, he was pushed into the large round room and landed on the floor on his hands and knees.

  The two men who brought him stood guard at the entrance to the room.

  Salinger looked up and there before him were three more men with black sleeveless shirts. Something else was now visible as well. Tattoos. They each had tattoos on both arms. One tattoo of a club and on the other arm, a tattoo of a spear that extended up into the form of a tree. He thought, These men are evil Canaanites.

  One man stood out from the rest. He wore a long ebony robe with a deep hood. He was taller than the others and walked in a way that showed Salinger that he was the leader. He had dark foreboding eyes. Although the sleeves of his robe covered his arms, Salinger was positive that this man had the same tattoos as the others.

  The robed man came up to Salinger. “Do you know who I am, Dr. Albert Salinger?”

  Salinger was shocked that the Canaanites would know his name, but he had to play it off until he found out where Achava was.

  “I don’t know if you want me to be impressed. If so, then ‘bravo.’” He was not going to say that he had heard that voice before.

  The Canaanite slapped him across the face. “Smart aleck.”

  “We are gentlemen with apparent different desires, but that doesn’t mean that we have to be enemies,” said Dr. Salinger. “We can work together.”

  The robed man smirked as he jerked Salinger up. “We did not survive all of these generations by working with others.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t.”

  “Only speak when you are spoken to,” the Canaanite leader said, breathing his foul breath into the professor’s nostrils. “We survived by staying apart so that the world would not know of us until we’re ready to strike.”

  Salinger listened to the robed man carefully. He attempted to discern the origin of his accent, while at the same time, remaining quiet.

  “The Curse of Ham is a not exactly what people might think. Noah did, in fact, curse Ham’s son, Canaan, but what most people don’t understand is that it was not God who cursed him. Noah’s power was limited to building the ark and taking care of the animals. You see, Professor, Canaan believed that the curse from a man was actually a curse from God. The fact that he believed that he caused his entire line of descendants to be servants was more than enough to direct his actions.”

  Liar! Salinger believed the Canaanite was lying. He listened intently while wondering why he was the recipient of this weird knowledge. “What do you have to say?”

  “Nothing,” said Dr. Salinger.

  “You have a saying in your tongue. I believe it is called the power of suggestion.” That’s right, Professor. My ancestors took the curse of a drunkard and made it real! Generations of Canaan’s family were needlessly locked into slavery by the rantings of a madman! We were followers, not leaders, because of a lie! So, we decided that if we were to follow someone, it would be Baal!”

  “Baal! You are evil,” Salinger could no longer hide his anger. “Noah was not a drunk. He had not yet learned the power of the wine, the one time he got intoxicated. As a man of God, he had power to curse one who had wronged him.”

  “You know nothing.”

  “I am a Bible professor.” He decided it was time to tell his captor how he felt. “I really am not interested in who you are or who you worship. I have accepted the fact that I will not be getting out of this alive. I have no idea as to why I am the one that you feel the need to come clean to, but I am just interested in one thing at the moment.”

  The robed man appeared to have respect for Salinger being honest. He said nothing with anticipation of the completion of Salinger’s thought.

  “I just want to make sure my friends are all right. You have your agenda and it obviously means that you want to hurt someone who doesn’t agree with you. Well, welcome to the world. Isn’t there enough killing because one faction believes something and tries to impose their will on others who don’t agree with them? I have seen worthwhile causes get lost amid wars and people lose sight of what it was that they were fighting for at the outset. So, go ahead and blame society or Christians, or whoever you choose to push the blame on just so you can justify your cause. I’m a tired old man who wanted one last adventure before permanently retiring. One thing I didn’t sign on for is a load of bull stuff from you Canaanites.”

  The robed man glared at Salinger with no readable expression. He then walked off without saying a word. Two of the three men in the room grabbed Salinger by the arms and dragged him along behind the man in the hooded robe.

  The robed man walked past two guards. They waited until the other men dragged Salinger past them, and then they took up the rear. They walked past the corridor where Salinger had awakened. He glanced into the alcove, but Achava was not there.

  The corridor turned smoothly left at a 45-degree angle and continued for another hundred feet. There were lit torches every fifteen feet or so on the wall. The two men who were dragging him dropped him. They then turned back.

  “Come!” ordered the man in the robe.

  Chapter the Sixteenth

  DR. SALINGER still remained silent as he followed.

  The robed man moved closer to the visible entrance of a much larger chamber. He stopped just before entering and turned to face Salinger. “What you are about to witness will be etched in your memory for as long as you live, Dr. Albert Salinger. Feel privileged that what you will see, you have no right to see. And yet, we will allow you to see.”

  “For that I am grateful.”

  The robed man narrowed his eyes as he turned back toward the inner chamber.

  Salinger followed with shivers of fear creeping up his spine. When Salinger stepped across the threshold into the corridor, his mo
uth dropped open in astonishment.

  There was an archway where the corridor opened up into a huge cavern. He carefully followed the robed man inside. The ceiling was about three hundred feet high and the cavern extended out for almost the entire width of Mt. Nebo.

  Part of the ceiling was missing, so Salinger could see up into the treasure room where his team had first entered the cave. He looked around. All of the treasure from the upper level was now scattered on the floor amid debris at his feet.

  Against one wall was a solid gold statue of King Herod, about 30 feet high. Several alcoves had ancient books and scrolls stacked according to weight. There were pillars every fifty feet or so from the floor to the ceiling, spaced from the center of the chamber. Directly across from the statue of Herod was a statue of Moses. It was only about seven feet tall. Moses had his arms spread as if he was parting the Red Sea. A plain wooden staff with a shepherd’s crook handle lay at the feet. There were small pedestals placed against the walls with various vases and other antiquities.

  The Canaanite who was holding Salinger prisoner released him as five of the other Canaanites spread out throughout the cavern. The robed man took off his robe and placed it at the foot of the statue of Herod. His arms were large and he looked athletic. Grinning, he entered the middle of the cavern.

  At the same time, Salinger scanned the room, keeping his eye on the way out.

  Aviela clasped Sam’s hand. “We must find my daughter. Will you come?”

  “Yes.”

  “Jump with me,” she demanded. Sam looked disoriented and did not change his expression when Aviela nodded to him. She jumped and he jumped as well.

  “Look for Achava.”

  “What about Dr. Salinger?”

  “He is in another room.”

  Sam went over by the statue of Herod and climbed up on the foot to get a better view. Achava was noticeably absent. He followed Aviela, as they walked down the corridor and back. He asked, “Do you hear voices?”

  “Yes. They are the Canaanites.”

  They stood outside the room and listened. One was making a speech. “My brethren! The day of the Canaanites is nigh! We have waited too long and the day for us being followers is over!”

  The Canaanites cheered. The leader sauntered over to the statue of Moses and picked up the staff. He said, “We have been held down too long! I have waited an eternity for this day to come! Behold the magical Moses Staff!”

  ***

  SALINGER TURNED and saw Sam and Aviela. He looked at Sam and nodded his head to one side toward the Canaanite.

  Salinger’s eyes lit up when he saw the staff being held high over the head of the Canaanite. He held it with both hands—his eyes glowing black. “Canaanites, we have had a faction known by another name,” he said. “But now, it is over.”

  The formerly robed man slowly grew bigger and taller, into a Nephilim. Salinger rubbed his eyes to see if they were deceiving him. They were not.

  “I was the one who brought Ben-Tzion to Mt. Nebo all those years ago! I was the one who trapped him, hoping that he would find the Moses Staff!” he said, his voice deep and boisterous.

  By now, the Nephilim was over ten feet tall. “I am the one who will lead the next generation of Canaanites into Israel!”

  His soldiers applauded, as he grew even taller.

  Fifteen feet tall! How did that happen? Salinger wondered.

  “I was the first of many! I will lead you, my Canaanite brethren! I am Anak the Great! The first Nephilim in Israel!”

  “I know you are not the original Anak, let alone the first Nephilim,” Salinger muttered. He was shocked when he realized he had spoken his mind. He felt another slap across his face.

  “So you think.”

  He looked at Sam, who looked pale. He realized that he and Sam were now in over their heads. When Salinger looked up again, he saw Achava crouching near the shoulder of the statue of Herod. She nodded to him so he knew she saw him as well. She placed her index finger against her pursed lips to silence him. He nodded. He would never betray her.

  Anak was now an impressive seventeen feet tall. He held the Moses Staff in one hand over his head, and his followers bowed before him as they would a god. A false god.

  His voice changed as well, sounding like one that was demon possessed. He spoke in a deeper, scratchier tone.

  “We will use the treasure of Herod to finance our mission,” said the evil one. “The world is ripe with potential followers. We will eventually seize Israel for our own. No one can stop us!”

  At that moment, Achava jumped down to the floor from the dizzying height of the top of Herod’s statue and landed safely on the floor in front of Anak.

  He gasped in surprise.

  She asked, “Don’t you ever watch movies where the villain makes the same proclamation, only to be beaten by the good guys?”

  His eyes widened in surprise. “No. What is a movie?”

  “Never mind.”

  Achava stood toe to toe with the giant. Salinger imagined that it must have been similar to David’s fight against Goliath. He had high hopes that this battle would end the same way.

  Achava looked at the staff in the hand of the giant and then winked at Salinger. She then turned her attention to the followers of Anak who surrounded her. She inhaled deeply and readied herself for the big attack. Anak’s laugh was a hideous sound. The events transpiring caused Anak to gloat. “This will be the massacre of one headstrong woman,” he shouted.

  The man stepped toward Achava. Salinger realized that was all she needed to break into action. She closed her eyes briefly as if saying a silent prayer. Then her entire body began to glow with a golden hue as she attacked. Achava had her hands full with the evil Canaanites.

  Achava’s fists moved like lightning as she punched the throats of each Canaanite when she got close enough to them. They each grasped at their necks and dropped. They were dead before they hit the floor. She soon dispatched most of them and only had three more to deal with. Achava locked her legs around one Canaanite while in mid-air. She snapped his neck, flipped her body, and landed safely on the floor.

  The remaining Canaanites ran toward Achava from each side as she lowered her head. They converged on her, as she jumped into the air with the grace of a ballerina. She immediately spun into a twirl-kick that knocked down two of her pursuers.

  Anak’s eyes opened wide and evil. “Those were to be the leaders of the new Canaanites in the restored Land of Canaan, Israelite!”

  Salinger leaned over and whispered to Sam. “I have a feeling that it will be our responsibility to remove that staff from Anak’s possession.”

  Sam looked at Anak and then back at Salinger with a confused look. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, Sam.”

  “My mind is having trouble processing all of this power, Professor!”

  Salinger felt disappointed when Sam backed away from him. But then Sam broke into a run and headed straight for Anak. Salinger wanted to cheer, but had to stay quiet. With broad steps, Sam moved toward Anak until he was standing directly behind him.

  Anak clung to the Staff of Moses with his right hand. Salinger assumed by the way the giant stood so straight that he was confident and consumed with ego.

  Salinger’s heart was racing wildly now. He wasn’t sure what Sam was going to do against the hideous monster, but he knew if he would pray, God would help Sam. If they would be patient, an opportunity would surely turn up.

  At that moment, more Canaanites appeared out of nowhere. Aviela came swinging down on a long rope and kicked several Canaanites in a row. She then swung back up to the ceiling and down again. She moved so rapidly that it appeared none of the enemy knew what had hit them.

  Achava’s golden aura became stronger as she lunged toward her adversary, taking down the last one. With the army down, she then turned her attention to Anak.

  Anak growled out his next words. “You cannot defeat me, Israelite! I have lived too long and have come t
oo far to be overcome now! I am immortal!”

  “I am Achava! Daughter of Aviela! Descendant of Achsah! I am an apparitional being. I can destroy you, foul beast! It is not your beginning that you will find here, but your end!”

  Salinger heard her proclamation. So, the woman who had guided them on this quest was definitely a relative of the biblical Achsah—who was her great-grandest grandmother. Salinger turned his eyes toward Sam. Each had a different reaction to this new information. Sam was amazed. Salinger’s determination and strong courage increased, knowing that he had been fighting alongside someone so close in biblical heritage.

  Anak appeared to be infuriated with Achava. “Deceiver! You will die with no honor in this pit!” His anger toward Achava blinded him and he lost control of the staff.

  Salinger grabbed the Staff of Moses. When he did, he felt a tingling going up his arm and coursing through his body, giving him new power.

  Anak was staggering toward Achava. Not wanting the Canaanite to harm her, Salinger hit him in the back with the staff, but it flew out of his hand. Anak looked as if he was just attacked by a fly. He threw back his head and laughed uproariously. “Ha-ha! Little man, you are nothing to me!”

  Anak backhanded Salinger, knocking him across the room and into the wall near Sam. Achava pulled herself up and faced Anak. “Now, you are in big trouble.”

  “You know nothing.”

  “I know you’ll never win.”

  Aviela swung down again and grabbed the staff. As she swung by the Canaanite, she clobbered him in the head, while blasting him with a silver ray of lightning.

  He staggered backward, screaming.

  Salinger knew he would remember that scream for the rest of his life.

  While Anak roared out an evil growl at Achava, Salinger looked for the elder woman. He wondered why Aviela had disappeared when they needed her the most. He spotted her crouched on top of Herod’s statue. She winked at him. He winked back.