The Complete 8-Book Guardians Adventure Saga

by Summer Lee

  Anthea faced the soldiers with the RPG launchers, just as they each fired their weapon.

  In an instant, Anthea went down. The impact was devastating, as Anthea was blown back onto Achava. Sam saw her eyes widen as she took a nose dive toward Achava, landing on top of her. At the same time, two rockets whizzed over their heads, just missing them. He reached out for Achava. She was protected.

  The resulting explosion caused an immense ringing in Sam’s ears. He was blown away by the concussive force of the explosion.

  There was dust and dirt being blown all around him in clouds. He was completely disoriented, as he tried to stand.

  He only had one thought—Achava!

  Sam spun his head around, which caused him to fall. After numerous attempts to walk, his frustration increased. “Achava! Honey! Where are you? Please talk to me!”

  When he realized that walking was out of the question, he crawled toward her last known location. As he crawled along, he would periodically wipe the dirt and dust from his eyes. There was some blood mixed with dirt, but he couldn’t think about that now. He had to find his wife. He didn’t care if he was killed on the way, but he had to find Achava.

  When the smoke and dust cloud subsided, he heard sobs, but saw no one. He blinked his eyes several times and tried to refrain from rubbing them. He knew that would only irritate them further.

  He coughed and tried to clear his lungs of the dust he had inhaled. As the dust cleared, he could see the destroyed military vehicles, along with many of the soldiers who were now dead, littering the surrounding area.

  As he got closer to Achava, he heard the crying was louder.

  Please let Achava be alright! Please!

  He managed to stand. He arrived at a scene that would be etched into his memory, as long as he lived.

  Achava was sitting on the ground, cradling the bloody body of her sister. She was rocking back and forth, as Anthea wheezed.

  Sam rushed to the two women and dropped to his knees on the ground next to them.

  Achava looked at him with pleading eyes, as her tears flowed, nonstop. Anthea barely moved, trying to speak. She whispered, “Ach... ava,” she said weakly. “You... were my... redemption. I... will take my... love for you... with me. Until we... meet again. Take... care of her... Sam. Don’t let... Israel... stop the... mission. Please...”

  She coughed and gagged. Then she was gone.

  “No!” Achava yelled, as loud as she could. “Anthea!” She kissed her cheek and rocked faster. “Not my precious Anthea!”

  Anthea lay dead!

  Sam was not sure what to do. He teared up as well. He realized that Anthea had given her life to save them. She also took out most of the attacking army by herself.

  Sam picked Anthea up, removing her from Achava’s arms. He placed her on a bed of orange and yellow leaves. Using his finger, he closed her eyes. He kissed her forehead. Momentarily, he remembered a time when he and Anthea considered becoming an item. “Thanks for protecting us,” he whispered.

  He then gave weeping Achava his full attention.

  Sitting on the ground, he pulled Achava onto his lap, and wept with his wife. The two stayed there for several hours mourning the loss of Anthea.

  Chapter the Seventeenth

  ACHAVA REMAINED SILENT, as Sam gave an amazing eulogy. They buried Anthea where she died. He handed the small cross to Achava, and she placed it on the grave.

  “I think she would have wanted to be buried in Israel,” Sam said, quietly, so as not to disturb Achava. “She sacrificed herself for us. That’s because of you Achava. You set her on the right path.”

  Achava narrowed her eyes at Sam’s words and nodded. She knew he was just trying to be sensitive to what Anthea meant to her.

  She knew that he felt it too. She liked his words, but nothing could calm the burning ache in her heart from the loss of her sister.

  She looked at the makeshift grave and wondered if that would be all that was left of her after all was said and done. Somehow it didn’t seem like it was enough to honor the memory of Anthea.

  Sam was right, though. Despite the fact that Israel had seemingly turned her back on them all, Anthea would have still wanted to be buried there in the land. She was an Israeli.

  Achava cuddled into Sam’s arms and started to cry all over again. She realized that Anthea would never know the power of true love. She would never be able to show love as she received it from the person she gave her heart to. But all was well. She died doing what she loved.

  Fighting.

  Dozens of memories bombarded Achava, as she remembered the times when she battled her sister and the times when they worked as a team. No matter what Anthea did to her, she wouldn’t kill her. As long as her sister was alive, there was hope for her to change for the better. Hope for her to work on the side of the righteous. Hope to see Anthea make her peace with God and enter the Kingdom of Heaven with a clean slate.

  Yet Anthea had the same aggressive spirit as her birth father. After Achava’s father was killed in battle, her mother had married again. Anthea was then born.

  Achava managed a smile, thinking about all of the trouble Anthea was possibly giving the angels in heaven at that moment.

  Achava promised herself that she would not harden her heart, no matter how she felt. She knew that Anthea was an adult that lived on the edge. There was always a chance that she wouldn’t make it.

  Her friends knew that as well. They all accepted it as a calculated risk. To actually see one of their numbers cut down was going to be another matter, though. To know that she wouldn’t be able to hear Anthea’s sarcasm anymore, brought more tears.

  She tried to reassure herself, in hopes that she would one day see her sister again in Heaven, if God was truly in her heart.

  She nodded, as she believed God had been with them. She may have lost her beloved sister, but nothing could take God away from her.

  Romans 8:38-39 kept going through her mind.

  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor thing present nor things to come, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  Achava sighed, knowing that God was softening Sam’s heart as well. She saw that he tried to do everything he could to help her ease the pain of the tragedy she had just endured. She realized that Sam was doing the best thing he could do. He remained quiet and took care of the grunt work.

  She saw him perform every chore with the Sling of David clutched tightly in his grasp. For some reason, seeing that gave her the courage to stand.

  Sam stared at her, waiting for her to make the first move, or say the first word.

  “We...” Achava cleared her throat. Talking was harder than she thought it would be. “We still have each other. Although my world seems to be crumbling before me, it is not over. We still have a plan and a mission.”

  “We’ll do whatever you decide,” Sam replied, encouraging her with his tone. “You call the shots, Achava.”

  “If that were so, but it is not,” she responded, with a heavy heart. “That item that you hold in your hand is the key to the beginning of the end. We have one more battle to fight, my husband.”

  Sam gulped. “Final battle? As in...?”

  She shook her head. “No. Not that kind of finality. I am tired and we must rest before we proceed. Ben-Shahar will be back to hinder us and I’m sure he will have reinforcements.”

  “We’ve never had to go against Israel before,” he said, playing the devil’s advocate. “There’s a chance that we might not make it, Achava.”

  She smiled. It wasn’t a forced smile. It was the first smile since Anthea’s death. She had no idea that she would be able to smile again, so soon after they laid her to rest, but there it was. “You are the keeper of the sling, Sam. What do you feel compelled to do?”

  “Besides sleep for a month?” he answered. He tried to break the heavy atmosphere with a little
levity. “I’m actually feeling compelled to get the Staff of Moses and then find the Ark of the Covenant. I have a feeling that this whole thing is coming full circle. Since the ark and the staff are from the same Biblical icon, I figured it was an easy guess.”

  “The Sling of David is the key to finding the ark, as you well know,” she said. “We would be lost without it... without you. I would be lost without you.” She rose up and kissed his cheek.

  Sam smiled reassuringly. Her words inspired him to action. “Well then, let’s make sure you never get lost, because I would be lost without you. You have taken me to a new level that I never thought was possible.”

  She hugged Sam, tighter than she ever had before. “Onward to the house then. We have to be careful, just in case there might be trouble when we get there.”

  “We wouldn’t be who we are without someone attacking us,” Sam replied. “Once we get home, we should also get some rest. I believe we deserve it.”

  Chapter the Eighteenth

  SAM COULDN’T BELIEVE that it had been three months since they got back from burying Anthea. He was shocked when Achava Soul Merged both of them back home. He didn’t say anything to her about it, because he didn’t want to question her at that time. But he was proud of her.

  He was glad when they agreed to wait until the war between them and Israel died down a little bit. They figured that it might make their enemies think that they had fallen off the face of the planet, or were just too scared to resurface.

  He also wondered why no one had attacked them or looked for them at their house. That would have been the easiest place to find them.

  They enjoyed the time they spent together. Sam didn’t know if they would survive an all-out war with Israel. It was surreal to think that they might be killed doing God’s work.

  He searched the Internet and found several instances of people dying for their Christian beliefs. It never hit home as much as it did at that moment. He admired anyone who could look death in the face and admit that they would never relinquish their faith. He wondered if he could do the same. He knew Achava could in a heartbeat.

  His wife could do anything she set her mind to. She was near perfect in his eyes. He was on track to achieving her confidence. It was a slow process, but he felt more confident than he ever had in his life.

  He noticed that as soon as they came back home, Achava was able to relax. It had been like pulling teeth before to get her to take a break. He knew that if she was willing to rest, she was resting for a good reason.

  Nighttime came.

  She scooted over, making room for him to lay by her. With the stars and moon shining through their bedroom window, he stripped to lay by her nude body. This was his wife. Their marriage bed brought no shame. Once she fell asleep in his arms, he closed his eyes to sleep as well.

  He prepared eggs over easy and French toast for his bride the next morning. He laid it all out on a tray, with a bud vase and a yellow rose. He knew she didn’t care too much for coffee, so he made her freshly squeezed orange juice.

  He walked into the open bedroom and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen resting in bed. She had two pillows propped up against the headboard and leaned against them in a sitting position. He smiled, as he realized how natural she looked. She was able to fit into any role. Warrior. Avenger. Now wife.

  He watched as she adjusted herself to make room for the tray. He saw her smile and wished every day could be like that. They were on a honeymoon for the past three months. He had never been happier in his life. “Good morning.”

  She looked so happy. “Morning.”

  “Breakfast, my love,” he said, softly. After he set the tray down over her legs, he kissed her gently. “How are you this fine morning?”

  She narrowed her eyes, as she smiled at her husband. “Some would think I am a queen, with all of this attention.”

  “You are my queen, Achava,” he responded with a grin.

  She blushed. “You make me feel like one, Sam. You do know that we can’t stay here forever. Don’t you?”

  The air was let out of his positive attitude with just one thought. He was reluctant in voicing his next statement. He took a deep breath. “Why not?”

  She gave him a puzzled look. “Are you serious, Sam? I hope that my taking a few months off, was not a sign to you that we are pulling ourselves out of the fight.”

  He couldn’t make eye contact with her. “Well... I thought maybe...”

  “No, Sam,” she replied, with conviction. “Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert, strengthening Himself for the battle to come. He strengthened His faith and prepared for His path in life... and death. I was simply doing the same.”

  “Why?” Sam exclaimed, showing his frustration. “Why does it always have to happen to us? Why does it always have to be you?”

  Achava patted the bed to let Sam know that she wanted him to sit down next to her. After he did, she said, “Our battle is not over until someone comes to replace us. We cannot just sit out the biggest battle of our lives, because we are enjoying each other’s company.”

  “I know,” he replied, while gritting his teeth. “This is the first time that we’ve had this long to relax without any interruptions. That is strange, by the way.”

  She shook her head, as she chewed and swallowed some eggs. “No it isn’t, Sam. Not strange at all. God has allowed us time to strengthen ourselves for our final battle. The same way that He did for Jesus. He has removed any interference, so that we can be ready.”

  “Final battle?” Sam shrieked in a panic. “That means that you think we’re going to die!”

  She burst out laughing. “Your paranoia. Ha ha! I’m sorry for laughing, Sam, but you should really see your face. It is our final battle. Don’t you feel it? It is to us, what the battle in Herod’s Treasure Chamber was to Dr. Albert Salinger. It is our grand farewell. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we will die, but it will be the last one.”

  Sam scratched the back of his head, as he was about to admit something, he didn’t want to admit. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. We may not die, but it’s going to be hard.”

  “The most difficult battle we have ever faced, together or separately,” she replied, nonchalantly, as she cut a piece of French toast with her fork and placed it in her mouth. When she closed her mouth to chew, she smiled with a wide-eyed look at Sam. “You knew that we risked our lives on a daily basis when you started going on missions with me. Why is this battle so different?”

  “I figured I would die, because of my lack of experience,” he said, frowning. “I accepted that possibility. It’s me I’m worried about. I somehow knew that you were going to survive all those other times. It seemed second nature for you to waltz into extreme danger and come out smelling like a rose. This battle is different. We lost An...” He choked up and stopped himself. He did not want to reopen the wounds for her, of seeing her sister cut down before her eyes. “I got worried and excited at the same time, when you suggested we take some time off. You never explained why, but I was hopeful that it was because you had decided not to go back. I never dreamed it was only to get fortified.”

  She tilted her head, as she showed that she understood. “Then it is my fault for not making that clear. We are bonded in our souls, and I took several things for granted. I apologize for that, my love.”

  “Don’t apologize for being you,” he said, while shaking his head. We might not make it out of this battle with an entire country.”

  “Then again, we just might,” she replied, with a sparkle in her dark eyes.

  Sam looked at her suspiciously. “Your optimism is a little frightening, but I do have to say one thing. You are absolutely glowing.”

  He looked closer, as she had a golden glow all over her. He stepped back and realized that she wasn’t the only thing in the house glowing. Everything was glowing. The furniture, walls, floors, and even the tray of food. “Something may be wrong.”

  “I agree.” Achava looked ar
ound and saw it for herself. She had a concerned look, as she jumped from the bed in her nightgown, knocking over the tray. That was the least of her concerns. Sam saw his wife look toward the closet.

  He rushed to the back of the closet to get to the secret room. The glow was brighter, as he opened the secret room. The glow was extremely bright, as he used his hands to shield his eyes. “Don’t look, Achava! It’s blinding!”

  She entered the closet slowly and squinted to see through the glow. She walked, as if she was entranced. She passed her husband and entered the secret room. After a brief moment, the glow started to fade.

  Sam blinked several times to clear the spots from his eyes. He tried to focus on the secret room that held the Staff of Moses, the piece of wood from Noah’s Ark, the Sling of David, and the eleven Shekels of Tyre.

  When the glow faded, Sam saw his wife standing in front of the table that had the artifacts on it. He felt drawn toward the sling as he inched his way to the table.

  Achava turned to look at him and backed away from the small table to allow her husband the room he needed.

  The only objects with the hint of a glow to them were the Sling of David and the Staff of Moses. Sam headed straight for the sling. When he picked it up, he felt and energy surge through his entire body. It happened so quickly that he almost dropped the artifact. He thought he was being electrocuted at first. Once he clasped the sling, he turned his attention to the staff.

  Achava gathered up the shekels and took the piece of Noah’s Ark. “We can no longer hold onto any significant Biblical items, Sam. The exception would be the shekels, since we already used the thirty to find the sling. These are extra.”

  “I know,” he responded, calmly. “Let’s take the shekels to the bank and put them in a safe deposit box. I take it that someone up there wants us to have a little savings. I guess that means maybe we won’t die in the final battle then.”