The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga

by Summer Lee

  Sam tried to refrain from laughing. “Just hold the hand out that will fit into my hand. Well, outside of the size, we should be okay.”

  Mordechai held out his hand and Sam shook it firmly, yet gently. “That is a mutual sign of respect, Mordechai.”

  Mordechai beamed. “Thank you again.”

  “Mordechai, tell me, are you related to the priest by the same name in the scriptures?”

  “Not at all. That Mordechai was a righteous king.” He then helped Sam down the path, as they made their way to the outside.

  Sam looked apologetically at his new friend. “I want to apologize for mentioning your children. It’s obviously a touchy subject with you.”

  Mordechai laughed. “That’s not a problem. I’ll let you in on a little secret. I don’t have children. Ha ha!”

  “How so?”

  “Nephilim are like mules. They can’t reproduce.”

  Sam frowned and nodded. “I can see that. A horse and a donkey give birth to a sterile mule. The same would go for a fallen angel and a woman.”

  “That’s right,” he said. “So many people have tried to upset me that I feel I should give them what they want. Yeah. We’re good.”

  Sam looked briefly at Mordechai and then busted out in hysterical laughter. He couldn’t remember the last time he laughed that hard. He was laughing so hard, that not only did it bring tears to his eyes, but he had trouble catching his breath.

  Mordechai put his arm gently around Sam and laughed with him. “This is great! I have never had anyone to laugh with before! So what are we laughing at?”

  Sam stopped briefly and looked at Mordechai with a puzzled look. He shrugged his shoulders. They both then roared back into hysterical laughter again.

  When Sam wiped his eyes and was at the end of his laughing spell, he looked up to see Achava and Anthea standing a few feet away from the men with puzzled looks.

  Sam winked at them. “All is well.”

  A huge smile spread across Achava’s face. “I see you made a new friend.”

  Mordechai looked at Sam. “Are we... friends?” he asked, anxious for the answer.

  “I’d say we are,” Sam answered with a smile. “Mordechai. This is my wife, Achava, and her sister, Anthea.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” he replied politely, while holding his hand out.

  They both shook his hand cautiously.

  Sam gave Achava a big hug. “We made a new friend! Can you imagine that?” He looked like he couldn’t believe it himself, as he looked back at Mordechai. “Mordechai. I know you have someone helping you...”

  “Not another word, my friend,” the giant interrupted. “He taught me several things, but I do not betray my friends. As far as I’m concerned, I will not even speak to him anymore. He wasn’t my true friend anyway. He just wanted to use me to hurt people. I’m tired of hurting people.”

  Sam looked serious. “Is his name Man?”

  Mordechai nodded.

  Sam turned back to his wife. “You are the smartest woman I have ever known.”

  Achava blushed. “I appreciate that. I really do. What did I do to deserve that compliment?”

  Sam snickered. “You knew that Mordechai and I would be friends. That’s why you set up everything the way you did.”

  Achava smiled, as she shook her head. “I appreciate that, but that’s not what I planned. I wanted you to eventually knock him off the mountain path. I think your plan worked out much better, though. You’ve turned an enemy into a friend.”

  Chapter the Thirteenth

  ACHAVA LAUGHED TO HERSELF when she thought about Sam giving her credit for the friendship that he developed with Mordechai.

  She still had her doubts about how quickly the giant came around to their side. She had to get Sam alone to voice her concerns. That would be difficult, because Mordechai made it a point to be around her husband, as much as possible.

  She almost forgot about her telepathic link.

  Sam? Can you hear me?

  There was no response.

  She became frustrated at the inconsistency of her telepathic link.

  Anthea?

  Yeah, sis?

  I need you to distract Mordechai, so I can talk to Sam alone.

  Okay.

  Achava watched as Anthea went over to where Sam and the giant were talking. She could not hear what Anthea said, but they all seemed to laugh, as Mordechai walked off with her.

  As soon as they were a safe distance away, Achava went to her husband and gave him a big hug and kiss. “I almost thought you forgot about me.”

  Sam smiled knowingly. “I take it our telepathic link is on the fritz again?”

  She nodded, with some embarrassment. “I still am having trouble comprehending it sometimes working. That’s not why I wanted to talk with you.”

  “You have to trust me, Achava,” he said, without warning. “We’re married now and I know you trust my judgment. Common sense used to be something that I was lacking when I was younger. Since I’ve accompanied you on our missions, I believe that has been corrected. You understand what I’m trying to tell you. Right?”

  She looked puzzled at first. Then she realized that Sam answered her concerns before she spoke them. She forced a smile. “I do understand and I do trust you.”

  “Good,” he replied, appearing relieved. “I’m going to need the backpack.”

  ***

  Anthea returned with Mordechai just as Sam was adjusting the pack on his back. Achava kissed his cheek and looked at the two approaching.

  “Let’s get this show on the road, Mordechai,” Sam announced, boldly.

  It was Mordechai’s turn to look puzzled as he walked up to Sam. “I’m... not sure I understand, Sam.”

  Sam held his hand out to the giant. As soon as Mordechai completed the connection, by shaking his hand, they both disappeared behind the trees, toward the mountain. Anthea stood, stunned. “When did Sam get so mature?”

  Achava shook her head slowly. “He grows at his own pace, dear. I’d say that he is going to trick the giant. He must have known that Mordechai was up to something. Something that I suspected as well.”

  Well, yeah,” Anthea snickered. “Anyone would have had to have been born yesterday not to see that the big guy was up to something no good. We have both been around long enough to know that someone just doesn’t change who they are that quickly. It was nice acting, though.”

  Achava hugged her half-sister. “My husband has grown.”

  “He is a little taller,” Anthea joked.

  “He has grown into a warrior,” Achava corrected, slugging her arm. “A warrior that will one day be a great father to our child.”

  “You’re not...!” Anthea exclaimed, without being able to finish her thought.

  “No,” Achava laughed. “Not yet. When I am, we will continue the tradition.”

  “The missions?” Anthea queried.

  “Yes,” Achava said, with a smile. “She will make us proud. Just as her father does now.”

  Chapter the Fourteenth

  SAM AND MORDECHAI climbed the mountain and entered a large cavern with no discernible exits. “I am familiar with this place,” said Sam.

  Mordechai acted surprised that Sam was so wise. He relinquished the handshake and backed away. “You knew? How? I was assured that you would fall for my ruse, being human and all.”

  Sam smiled. “You hoped to play on what you believed to be the human weakness of thinking the best of their fellow man, didn’t you?”

  The giant nodded. “That’s right.”

  “You either obviously haven’t learned much about human nature, or you’ve been set up to fail,” Sam answered, confidently. “Man played you, I’m afraid. If you knew anything about human nature, then you would know that humans, today, usually don’t care about anything but themselves. At least that’s what I’ve learned over my lifetime.”

  “Liar!” Mordechai bellowed.

  “The motto for many is, ‘Get yours.’”


  “I was told...”

  “If that’s the only way you learned,” Sam interrupted, “then you really don’t know how to learn. Experience, my friend. Experience. You were supposed to whisk me away to destroy me. My surprise was supposed to be one of the biggest factors of your victory. I have only one thing to say to that. I stopped allowing people to bully me a long time ago.”

  Sam switched his pack and jumped toward Mordechai. The giant’s subconscious reaction was to back up. As soon as he did, Sam kicked him in the gut with everything he had. The giant’s own momentum, along with the attack, sent him to the ground.

  “You knocked me down!” Mordechai boomed. He jumped back up and rushed toward Sam.

  Sam easily dodged the clumsy giant. Once Mordechai had stumbled past him, he kicked him in the back of the knee, causing his leg to buckle underneath him. There was a loud sound. Pop!

  Mordechai hit the ground. Again.

  The giant slammed his fists on the ground in frustration. “No! You are nothing! How can you put me on the ground, twice?”

  Sam didn’t answer, as he prepared for his next attack. Confidence flowed through the shorter combatant, as his eyes sparkled. He was thinking about his wife. This one is for you, dear.

  Mordechai pushed himself up with fury. He was angrier than Sam had ever seen a Nephilim get. He held his massive arms out at his side, as he rushed Sam again.

  The newlywed dropped to one knee and swept the giant’s feet out from under him. Mordechai’s momentum again was his own worst enemy, as he tumbled for a third time to the ground.

  There was one difference with the third fall for the Nephilim. When he looked up at Sam that time, he had a different look on his face. One of apprehension. Perhaps, even one of fear.

  “You’re used to having the advantage over your opponents, because of your size,” Sam said. “There was once a giant named Goliath who thought the same thing.”

  “Who?” Mordechai replied, with a puzzled look.

  “Goliath.” At the same time he pulled the sling out of his backpack.

  “I know who he was. He was killed in battle.”

  “By a young warrior with a sling.”

  “It is not going to happen this time.”

  Sam was almost caught off guard, by his lack of giant knowledge. “Oh. I guess Man didn’t want to tell you about that giant. He must have only taught you what he wanted you to know. Your ignorance appears to be bliss for him.”

  “I give up!” Mordechai yelled. “You win. I have been humbled by your knowledge and prowess.”

  “Prowess?” Sam replied. “You do have some knowledge. Don’t you big guy? There are just a few problems with you giving up. You did it too quickly and it won’t get me to the next step in finding the Staff of Moses.”

  “The Staff of Moses?” Mordechai looked shell-shocked. “You’re supposed to be going after the Ark of the Covenant!”

  “Thank you,” Sam replied. “Now I know you have too much knowledge for a Nephilim.” He turned, pretending to walk away.

  The giant smiled, as he shimmered. His massive frame started to change. His face started to grow hair in overabundance, as he aged. He clenched his fists.

  Sam turned to face him. Mordechai swung with one fist toward Sam’s face. Sam ducked and swung the straps of the sling around the Nephilim’s legs, tripping him. Mordechai hit his head on a rock, knocking him unconscious.

  Man suddenly appeared and shouted, “Drop your weapon.” When Sam looked up, Man tilted his head, as a cracking sound whizzed by Sam’s head. Man shot Mordechai—dead. Sam pulled his sling free, but did not drop it. He recognized Man as the one he met in a cave when he returned from Noah’s Ark. Sam had been looking for Mordechai at the time, but found Man instead. Man had given them the magic cloak.

  Yes, this was the one who had called himself Man, but he was dressed differently. His clothes were replaced with animal skins. He had animal skins for shoes as well.

  “You shot him. He was your friend.” He killed him right before Sam’s eyes. Mordechai was dead. Now Sam had a new enemy. The giant was replaced with another. Man stood before Sam.

  “Very good, Samuel,” he said, with some disappointment. “You got it right.”

  “So I take it, you kidnapped Mordechai as soon as he arrived from Noah’s time?” Sam wasn’t prepared for Man to pose as the enemy, but that is how it was. He had to think fast, he didn’t want to give him the upper hand.

  “You’re smarter than what I gave you credit for. You’re also braver than I had anticipated. Just to warn you though, that’s all of the praise you will get from me.”

  “You tried to give me the impression that you were someone righteous when we talked in the cave,” Sam responded. “I now know who you are... Man.”

  Man laughed a hideous sound as he gave the appearance of becoming more comfortable with the conversation. “Who am I, Samuel? Do you think that I might be a certain fallen angel? Am I to assume that you have deduced me to be the grand Lucifer, himself?”

  “No.” Sam stayed emotionless, as he attempted to figure Man out. He didn’t want to be led into a verbal corner by the person in front of him. He knew he wasn’t who he claimed to be, but that didn’t mean he was the other side of the coin either. He had to play it smart and make whoever it was, standing in front him, think that he had the upper hand.

  “We both know the stakes,” Sam answered, hoping to draw out some information.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Man replied, while moving his index finger back and forth. “You really are fishing now. Aren’t you?” His eyes turned solid red as he sported an eerie grin. His tone turned serious, yet calm, as his voice deepened. “You have no idea what’s at stake, Samuel. It’s funny that you mentioned the Staff of Moses, because you will need that for the final act. All of yours and your wife’s preparation has come down to one final mission.”

  “One final mission?” Sam rebutted. He wanted to verbally tear into his boastful foe, but he knew better.

  Man nodded. “I am not your enemy, Samuel. Not now, anyway. I am merely an interested observer. I am curious how you will handle the next obstacle. I will be watching. You and Achava are safe from my expertise.”

  “I’m curious, Man,” Sam answered. “Why are you willing to give me all of this information, when you had to deceive me into thinking you were a friend of Mordechai? The dots don’t connect in the right places.”

  Man laughed. “Deceived? Oh my dear Samuel. You really do need to keep up. I wanted to see what you were made of. Unfortunately, I underestimated you, Samuel. I thought you would cave in to the pressure of all of those memories where you were bullied by those who were larger than you. It appears that you have added some new layers since you’ve been hanging out with Achava.”

  Sam tried to contain his anger. He knew that Man wanted him to lose control. He wasn’t going to give in to him, no matter what. “You sure like to drop my wife’s name a lot.”

  Man shook his head, as he sighed. “I can’t reveal everything. Can I? Suffice it to say that I desperately am rooting for team Godfrey.”

  Sam narrowed his eyes at Man. “Are you trying to confuse me? Now you’re saying that you want us to win.” Sam was confused as to what Man wanted them to succeed at.

  “Is it really so hard to understand?” Man said, nonchalantly. “Was it not I, who gave you the robe, which led to you going on your quest for the Coins of Judas? Was it not I, who let you keep that extremely handy robe?”

  “So you’re taking credit for us finding the shekels?” Sam asked in disdain, as he remembered the search for the coins that Judas had received for selling Jesus.

  “Would you have gone after them, if I wasn’t there to give you a much needed push in the right direction?” Man stretched and then sat down carefully on a nearby rock. “You can’t be too careful with these things, you know, Sam. Sometimes there might be a jagged edge that could ruin your day if you sit on it.”

  Sam decided to alter his line of
questions. “Why do you feel the need to help us?”

  “Good question,” Man replied. “You’re beginning to understand me. Once you leave here, you and the missus are going to be going through a lot of bad hokum. That’s the easiest way I can explain it. The good thing about it all, is that you two will be responsible for supplying me with my greatest challenge.”

  “So, we’re not challenging enough for you?” Sam answered.

  Man sighed. “I’m sure you would have been, had I met up with you in your heyday. You both are coming to the conclusion of your perspective careers and I need some... fresh meat. If you will.”

  Sam tried to decipher Man’s words: you two will be responsible for supplying me with my greatest challenge. He wondered how they would do that, if Man wasn’t going to attack them directly. Another riddle for him to solve. Later.

  Sam was tired of the back and forth conversation. He needed to get back to Achava. “So what if I didn’t know how to beat Mordechai? Would you have continued to have the giant fight me?”

  “I don’t think that far ahead, Samuel,” Man replied, with an air of arrogance. “Always deal with the hand that you are playing at the time. If you try too hard to look ahead, then your attention will be lost on the present. Remember my words, Samuel. We may meet again, but right now, you have to get back to your wife.”

  Sam couldn’t hide his worried look. “What did you do to her?”

  Man laughed. “Are we on that again? Ha ha! Please. Give me a little credit. I do have more important things to do than to bring you here while I attempt to attack your wife. That’s very cliché. I consider myself far more original than that. Since you have proven yourself worthy, I felt the need to give you clues as to what the future holds. I will send you back to your wife now, though. I’m afraid our conversation is over. It’s a pity, because I do so love a good conversation. Thank you, Samuel. We will probably see each other again, but not too soon from now, I’m afraid. Go to your wife and prepare for what is to come.”

  Man grabbed Sam’s arm, without warning. As Sam started to fade from the cavern, he saw Man grin. He appeared to have been satisfied with the outcome. That left Sam with more questions than he showed up with.