Storms

By Adam Williams

"When you hear thunder, he will hear battle cries. When you see rain, he will see blood. When you feel wind, he will feel the rush of angels. When you see storms, he will see us."

For seventeen years Alex was hidden on earth. Hidden away from his kind as they warred in the heavens above. His parents hid him in the basement anytime a storm cam through. Except one night. On the night of his seventeenth birthday an unexpected storm comes. On that night he sees what he's been hidden from for so long and, more importantly, they see him.

Since the dawn of time the angel-like beings known as Larks have fought and warred. Some have white wings and some have black. A Dai-Lark falls in love with a Nigh-Lark and they are banished. Both sides hunt them down as news of their child spreads. Both sides called the child tainted and fear that he holds all of their strengths and possibly none of their weaknesses. The two races agreed, despite their war, that the two traitors and their child must die. The father was found and imprisoned and the mother was never found. Presumed hidden on another star in the heavens. They have searched for years for the hybrid child, the one whose heart beats with the blood of the light and dark.

Now everything that Alex has ever known and loved is threatened. If he will not bow to the Larks then they will slowly execute his family and friends. He will hide no longer.

Storms are coming.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adam Williams
• Release date: May 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481732499

Adam Williams

Adam Williams, whose family has lived in China since the late 19th century, was born and raised in Hong Kong. He is a businessman who for the last 18 years has been Chief Representative in Beijing for a Far East trading and services conglomerate. He was Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in China from 1996-98. His books include The Palace of Heavenly Pleasure, The Emperor's Bones, The Dragon's Tail, and The Book of the Alchemist. He is married to Fumei and has two children. He lives in Beijing, China.

Book preview

Storms

By: Adam F. Williams

Copyright 2013 by Adam Williams

Published on Smashwords

Formatted by eBooksMade4You

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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/18/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3251-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3250-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-3249-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: PENDING

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Dedicated to:

My wonderful wife who has went above and beyond editing my novel, and everything else a great wife does.

To my mom and dad for believing in my dreams.

Most importantly my son.

Alexander, this is your story.

You are my inspiration.

I love you all.

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CONTENTS

1. How it All Began

2. A glimpse Into Heaven

3. Past and Present

4. Is This Heaven?

5. I Wake Up

6. Introductions and Gifts

7. Fear, Loss, and Hope

8. Directions to Nethermarsh

9. Journey to Nethermarsh

10. Journey to Nethermarsh

11. Journey to Nethermarsh

12. Journey to Nethermarsh

13. Journey to Nethermarsh

14. Returns, Hello and Goodbye

15. Promises

16. Malek’s Sad Story

17. Training Begins

18. Preparations and Arrival

19. The Final Battle

20. Goodbyes and Farewells

Epilogue

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1. How it All Began

It’s Saturday evening. The fifteenth of October. Lightning flashed across the sky. The autumn night was filled with strobe-like patterns looking almost as if the heavens were being turned on and off again and again. The rain seemed to echo the pattern by going from a misty drizzle to a steady stream. The wind was bending the trees until they were almost touching the ground.

A long stretch of blacktop ran for several miles outside a little farming town in South Georgia. On each side of the road there were two large fields. It was on this highway that a small red Volvo putted along. It was an early nineties model that had the wear and tear of a good used car. Fighting the wind and rain, its headlights blinked through the storm. The windshield wipers appeared to be losing the battle. A flash of lightning blinded the driver for a moment forcing him to slow the car to a crawl. He was sure that any moment the wind would blow his little car on its side. Thunder boomed in the sky shaking the car and its occupants. It was on that old blacktop highway in a little farming community out in the middle of nowhere that fate chose these two people. That night their lives would change forever.

Henry, we should turn around and head back. The rain’s really coming down. an elderly woman said.

I will in a few minutes, Abigail. I have a feeling we should be here. The old man’s wife said something else but it was lost as a crack of thunder sounded and a wide streak of lightning came down from the heavens.

In an old field to the right of the Volvo stood a massive oak tree every bit as old as the farming town around it. Its trunk reached twelve feet in the air to the first branch. Then it was like hands rose in the air and the tree blossomed out. It was eye-catching, even from afar. The lightning struck that old tree and for a moment, Henry could have sworn it turned gold. Then with an eerie creak the oak split right down the center.

Henry, what in Gods name are you doing? his wife called out in shock at Henry’s sudden urge to get out of the car.

There’s something out there! I have to see what it is! Fearing for her husband’s safety, Abigail got out of the car and went after him.

They made their way through the fields to the wreckage of the old oak, and there in center of the split at the base of the tree was the most beautiful angel they had ever seen. Her face was heavenly pure. Perfect white wings wrapped her body from neck down.

Opening her eyes she looked at the two humans staring at her. No, not at them. It was as though she was looking inside them.

My name is Arianna. Beware the storms. When you hear thunder, I hear battle cries. When you see rain, I see blood. My kind has warred with each other for ages. I fight on one side and my love on the other. Shuddering, she continued. We thought we would bring peace, but in the end it would not be so. My biggest regret is also my greatest joy. We had a child. He is neither Light nor Dark, but balanced evenly. His name is Alexander. Both sides fear him and call him tainted. In their haste of ignorance they ordered him to be executed, but we could not stand by and let our son be destroyed. My love drew their attention away by challenging them to fight buying me time to hide our child with his freedom and possibly his life as well. Please take him. Protect him where I could not.

Her wings slowly unfolded to reveal a tiny baby boy in her arms. The only signs he wasn’t a normal baby were his misty gray eyes and two silver wings were tattooed on his shoulder blades.

Once more the angel spoke.

When he comes of age send him to this tree. It will open only to him and he may receive his gifts. Guide him, protect him, and love him. Do the best you can but beware. When you hear thunder, he will hear battle cries. When you see rain, he will see our blood. When you feel the wind, he will feel the rush of angels. When you see storms, he will see us. My gift to you for taking this burden is youth.

That was the last thing she said as she handed the small child to the older woman. Then, creaking and twisting, the tree knotted up around her until it was nothing more than a crooked old oak.

Henry looked over at his wife now in her early twenties as she rocked the baby back and forth. Looking up at her once again young husband, she smiled. The gray was gone from their hair and they would be able to live another life together with a small addition to their family.

I’m glad we came out tonight.

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Eleven Years Later

A young boy sat outside an old white farmhouse. His eyes studied the hummingbird darting from one spot to the next. He knew this was not normal. Most adults couldn’t follow a hummingbird’s movement, but he was different. To him, they seemed slow, even sluggish. He could even follow a dragonfly’s course without much concentration.

He was only eleven and he knew this was part of the reason his parents hadn't wanted to send him to public school. He had been home-schooled, but had begged his mom and dad to let him go to a public school. This was his first day.

As soon as they agreed, they warned him, You’re different from other kids. Special. You have to hold back. Other children can’t run as fast as you or hit as hard. No fights. At all. Ever. Abigail stressed.

Your mom’s right son. You have to pretend to be normal, alright? said Henry.

He answered with a nod. Like he didn’t know that already. He wasn’t stupid. But there were several things he didn’t know. He didn't know why he had to go to the basement during storms. Or why he had never seen rain or heard thunder. Or why when they went to town he always felt pulled to that old wheat field. Yeah, there was a lot he didn’t know but he knew all about being different.

The old Volvo pulled up to the drop off zone. Alex got out of the car. He looked at his mom and felt the faint twinge of nervousness, but didn't let her see it. Bye, mom.

Have a good day at school, his mom said.

I will, then he shut the door and stepped back. He stopped after three steps and turned and watched the car drive away. When it was out of sight he let out a nervous sigh and turned and made his way under a metal overhang. He looked up at the school. Tri-Stone Middle School. He walked along the walkway to the entrance of the school. As he got close, he noticed two boys were blocking the door. From their size he figured they were older than he was.

When he reached then entrance the boy to the left asked, Hey, what’s your name kid?

It's Alexander, but I go by Alex.

Okay, Alex. You’re new here so I’m gonna explain things. You either give us your money or we take your money.

Irritated, Alex responded, Look, I'm not in the mood for stupid people so could you move?

Before the conversation could go any further, Alex heard a car door shut and footsteps approaching. He turned and saw a girl. She stuck out her hand when she got beside him and said in a very grave voice, Hi. I’m Sinthia Sinclair. Welcome to Hell. Then smiling, she winked at him to let him know she was joking. I’m Alex.

He liked this girl immediately. She was pale with short black hair that had streaks of blue and purple running through it. She wore black eyeliner and lipstick and Alex thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Dude, she’s a freak. Let’s get out of here! Yeah, Timmy can collect his own money!

Completely ignoring the two bullies running away, Alex asked, How old are you?

Twelve. You?

Eleven.

Cool. What grade are you in?

Sixth. You’re twelve, so that puts you one grade above me doesn’t it?

Nah, I’m in sixth, too. They held me back for not following dress code. Noticing her black mini skirt and black tank top