The Rise of Inferno

By A.J. Myrfield

Have you ever wished for a normal life, a different life, or a life other than your own? Have you ever prayed for things to change that were out of your control?

Mike Walters has.

In the second installment of this series, Mike is finishing his training with the Branden Police Service. Through training he becomes close friends with Andy O’Connor; an experienced officer from the United Kingdom. Together, they endure the stress of recruit class and Andy stands by Mike’s side as he longs for Megan to come out of her six month coma. The two friends soon finish training and end up working alongside each other in a patrol capacity. The day Mike puts on his uniform, he feels the dream he’s had since he was a boy has finally come true.

Mike soon learns that dreams don’t always turn out how you imagine as he see’s firsthand the corrupt behaviour of the Branden Police Service. The more he turns away the more he gets dragged into the fire

The day comes were Mike rouses Megan from her coma, by calling on the ancient powers of Serenity to save the life of his good friend Andy. With her abilities, Serenity is able to save his life; however, her return comes with a price. Mike soon finds his life out-of-control and begins to pray for a life other than his own.

With Serenity’s return Mike learns that she’s not the only elemental being in his path. There he meets Inferno, whose anger and regret from a past decision burns and torments within her, leaving her in a constant state of guilt. Her internal rage imbeds so deep she fears the day she will explode, igniting all in her path, ultimately causing death and destruction to surround her.

Travel with Mike, Megan, and Inferno as they discover the lies, the corruption, and the evil that surrounds them in Branden County. Witness Infernos self-destruction and pray for the characters you love, because in the end, not everyone will survive.

“When you look in the mirror what do you see?”
The Dagger of Souls – The Rise of Inferno – Part II

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.J. Myrfield
• Release date: Jan 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9780988109940

Book preview

Prologue

How many times have you asked yourself what if? What if I was there three minutes earlier? What if I had just stayed home? What if I had chosen left instead of right? Would the situation change? Would my loved one be alive? People around the world have always asked themselves what if. Some use it to blame themselves, while others use it to make excuses for a decision they regret, not wanting to face the truth.

Someone dear to me in Elementia had to make a grave decision—a decision that changed her life and haunted her to her grave. I looked up to her; she was confident, bullheaded, outspoken, and absolutely beautiful. She was the keeper of one of the most powerful elements on our plane of existence. It was an element that was mesmerizing and potent, an element that could be used for mass destruction. Because of this power, my father kept her close, making her part of his honor guard. He personally trained her. They bled together, they cried together, and when she completed her training, I had never seen my father so proud.

He called her his egg. I always assumed that she received this name because of her porcelain white skin and her strong personality; but the more I got to know her, the more I learned the truth. Though she appeared strong and hard on the outside—almost cold—on the inside, she was full of warmth, love, and hope.

She used her shell to hide the shining light within her, especially when she was working. She seemed able enough to deal with anything no matter how barbaric, how gory, or how horrifying it was. Yet on the day my father asked her to make that haunting decision, her shell began to crack. That warm centre turned into a fire that broke away her hard exterior, changing her into a different person, a person I thought I had lost.

She was my best friend, my father's chosen warrior, and the keeper of Elementia's first element—she was called Inferno.

Chapter 1

Dad? asked Mike.

Yes, son, replied Detective Jeff Walters.

Do you believe in God?

The detective was a little surprised by his question. His son had been through a lot over the past year. His girlfriend, Megan McAllister, who he was head over heels for, had been in a coma for over six months since their car accident. The doctors had run all the tests they could, yet she showed no improvements and they didn't expect her to wake anytime soon.

Detective Walters could remember that night as if it were yesterday. He could remember waiting downstairs at the main door with his son who was dressed in a black and white tuxedo with blue and purple orchids that was pinned ever so perfectly to his jacket. The matching corsage for Megan was sitting beside his son on the table.

He laughed to himself as he remembered asking his son, Why don't you hold the corsage, son, so she sees it as soon as she comes down the stairs?

Dad, I'm so nervous. I feel like if I hold onto it, I'll squeeze it so tight I might crush it. Besides my hands are sweating; and if I give her the box, it might be wet. Then she'll cringe in disgust and run away from me screaming.

Wow... you are nervous. Just relax, son. You two have been best friends since kindergarten. You've been through so much this year that you both deserve a fun night out. Detective Walters was now eating those words because just hours after that conversation, he received a panicked phone call from his son.

Detective Walters.

Dad! Dad! Oh my God, Dad! There's been an accident. Meg's hurt Dad. She's in the hospital. I don't know if she's going to make it. I don't know what to do. I need your help please.

Okay, okay, son. I'm on my way. You're at St. Martha's Hospital in Jorden, right?

Yeah, I'm here. Please come as soon as you can. Bye, Dad.

Before Mike hung up the phone, the detective could hear him call to Simon, a hospital volunteer they had met the previous year. Simon was with Mike when the detective arrived at the hospital. He was sitting with his son, awkwardly patting him on the back to help him calm down. Simon and Mike had become rather close over the past six months while Megan was in the hospital. Though Mike talked fondly of him, Detective Walters couldn't help but think there was something not right with the man. Though Simon had been through a lot—and it showed with the thick wrenching scar across his face, his zero self-esteem, and his quiet quivering voice and mannerism—the detective couldn't shake his hunch.

Dad? You still there? You haven't answered my question, Mike said. He stared at his father while he sat at the kitchen table, holding a coffee in his right hand.

Yes, sorry, son. I was just thinking on how I could answer that question. Why are you asking if I believe in God?

Well, I don't know. It's just that there are a lot of believers in my recruit class. I find them praying every once in a while, and not just when the training officers discuss hard topics. They pray for everything: To get them through recruit class, to help them pass their firearms training, everything. It seems to get them through the day.

The detective looked at his son. He knew something else was running through Mike's mind and that he was hiding something from him. He had been hiding something since the night Megan's house burnt down—the night Megan's father, Greg McAllister, killed her mother and attempted to kill her—the night that someone killed her father. The cause of his death was still unknown as no one could determine how the murderer burnt Megan's father from the inside out.

What's this really about, son? I feel like you've been distant for the past few months. You know you can talk to me about anything. Is everything going okay in recruit class? I know you say that becoming a police officer was your dream job; but if you're having second thoughts it is okay to change your mind. It's a pretty negative job.

No, Dad. That's not it at all. Tomorrow's my first day on the street, and I'm really excited to finish training and be a real police officer. You're right though, I was hiding something; I just didn't know how to bring it up. The reason I'm asking the God question is because of Megan. I don't get it, Dad. All these people all over the world believe in God; they turn to him in a time of need. They say he created everyone; but if that's true, he created people like Megan's dad and Jessica Sanders. Greg beat the hell out of Megan's mother for years before killing her, and he shot Megan twice. Jessica made it her mission to bully, torment, and destroy Sasha up until the day Sasha decided to kill herself.

Mike paused as he felt his anger and frustration from the past year fill into his chest. It's just not fair, Dad! How's it fair that bad things happen to good people? If there's a God, why did Sasha kill herself? Why did Megan's father go crazy and kill her mother? Why did we get in a car accident that put Megan in a coma? How does any of this sound right, Dad? I don't know. If there is a God, I think he's getting it all wrong.

He could feel the anger and frustration emitting off his son. Well, son, to answer your first question, I will say I don't know if I believe in God for many of the reasons you've mentioned. What gets me through the day is that I remind myself that people are responsible for their own actions. The Bible states that God created man, but it doesn't state that he controls man's decisions.

Greg made the decision to kill his wife and shoot his daughter. Jessica chose to be a bully at school and chose to harass Sasha. The drunk driver that ran the red light and hit you guys decided to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink. You see, son, God's not responsible for a person's decisions. People are in control of their own lives, and they decide what they're going to do with it. Whether they choose to hurt others or make decisions that could hurt others, in the end it's their choice.

The detective looked at his son and could see a single tear roll down his face. You all right, son?

Mike quickly wiped the tear away. Sorry, Dad. It's just that I've prayed for Megan to wake up for the past six months. Whenever class got hard, I told myself that it was going to be okay because when I looked into her beautiful eyes on graduation day, seeing how proud she was of me, I know it would be worth it. But I graduated on Friday, and my prayers haven't been answered.

I miss the smell of her dark brown, wavy hair, the touch of her smooth, soft porcelain skin, the way her tiny body fits in my arms, and her eyes; I haven't seen those beautiful ocean blue eyes in over six months. Those eyes used to warm my soul; they used to make my heart skip a beat. Without them, without her, I feel so empty, so lost. I need the love of my life back.

As Mike was in deep thought, he felt his father's hand on his shoulder.

It's going to be all right, son. Let's just take this one day at a time. Just think, tomorrow you start on the street, and you and your good friend—the one with the British accent from recruit class— ended up on the same squad. That's a good thing, right?

Oh, you mean Andy. Yeah, I think it's awesome, but it's so weird having a best friend the same age as my dad. You'd think with all the police experience he had in England, they wouldn't make him go through training again. Don't get me wrong, I got a really good friend out of the deal, but I do think the Branden Police Service could use him and the skills he has now.

Don't worry, son, they'll figure it out eventually. Until then, enjoy every minute you have with him. Good friends are hard to find.

Megan was in a place she knew all too well, a place where nothing seemed to exist. It didn't matter which direction she turned, the only thing she could see was darkness. Megan had been in this place once before: The night her father put two bullets in her chest and the same night she met Serenity or, as some called her, The Dagger, for the first time.

Megan looked at the emptiness that surrounded her, and she felt cold and alone. However, she knew for a fact she was never alone, and though she tried to run away from her fears a long time ago, she was now trapped among them. She was trapped with The Dagger.

The night of the accident, she begged Mike to kill her. She begged him to stop The Dagger and to stop her from unleashing her evil into this world. Megan knew it was a huge thing to ask; but in her heart, she thought it was the right thing to do. She feared The Dagger. She feared that she would take over her mind and her body. Serenity, which The Dagger preferred to be called, told her that's what she planned to do; but over the past few months, Megan appeared stronger then she expected.

You know every day you grow weaker, and every day I grow stronger. It's only a matter of time before you lose control, Serenity said.

I've held you here for six months, Serenity. What makes you think I can't hold you here for six more?

Is that your plan then? Lay in a coma for the rest of your life? What about Mike? He's come to visit you every day since the accident. He sits beside your bed, holding your hand, telling you about his day and how much he loves you. Don't you want to see him in his uniform? Don't you want him to hold you in his arms again? We both know how much he misses you. Even though you're in this coma, you can hear his thoughts, his wants, and feel his emotions. You know he misses looking into your ocean blue eyes every day. It kills him not to hold you in his arms and feel your lips on his. By choosing to stay in this coma, you're hurting him. Is that what you want to do?

Okay, just stop it! yelled Megan, feeling anger boil through her body. This is just one of your other tactics to get me to release you. You've already tried scaring me, threatening me, and now you're playing the guilt card. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not letting your evil into this world? You keep trying to convince me that you're a good person, but good people don't use The Dagger of Souls, stabbing them and making them live through and die from their greatest fear. You killed my father by burning him from the inside out so you could steal his soul. You can't tell me that a good person does that.

Your father's soul had turned black! Serenity yelled, returning the hatred Megan projected off her body. Your father punched your mother until her skin looked like it had been splashed with black, blue, and purple paint. He kicked her until her bones needed reconstruction. He tortured her with his words until she felt useless, alone, and empty inside. He did this until the day he held a gun to her head and pulled the trigger. Does that sound like a man who deserves to have his soul walk on Earth?

Megan was torn. She hated her father for what he had done to her mother. She hated him for shooting Mike in the stomach; and if it wasn't for Serenity healing Mike's wounds, he wouldn't be alive today. I do owe her that. I owe her for saving Mike. He's the only thing in my life right now that has meaning. Without him, there's really nothing else out there for me. I have no family, no friends; I have no one.

If Jessica had just left Sasha alone, maybe I'd still have my best friend. Maybe we'd be planning our futures together like university, careers, family, and kids. We could've been friends till the end, like we always planned—playing bingo and watching Wheel of Fortune when we retired. If Jessica had left Sasha alone, she wouldn't have taken all those pills.

This is exactly why I demand she takes responsibility for her actions, said Serenity.

Megan debated yelling at Serenity for listening to her thoughts; but in the end, she knew it was a moot point considering Serenity stated they are one and the same and they shared each other's thoughts.

I agree that she needs to take responsibility for her actions, but what makes you think forcing her to lose her mind will make her take responsibility?

I didn't make her lose her mind, Megan. I simply gave her a taste of her own medicine. If she didn't cut off Sasha's hair, there's a high possibility Sasha wouldn't have killed herself. By forcing Jessica to cut off her own hair, she'll feel the same kind of pain she put Sasha through for every waking moment of her life. Once she understands the pain she placed on Sasha, she'll begin to take responsibility and ownership for her actions. This epiphany will cause Jessica's pain to stop, and she'll heal.

Megan shook her head. Everything you say proves my point. You're evil, and you're here to destroy my world just as you probably destroyed your own. You'll never be released from here.

How dare you make such an accusation to a situation you do not understand? Serenity said with her voice low and authoritative. For your information, I didn't live in a different world. I lived on a different plane of existence. In the plane you call Earth, you believe in harvesting your elements, or what you call natural resources, to further your personal development. You chop down trees, dump oil in your oceans, build factories that create smog, and you build weapons of mass destruction for war that destroy all walks of life. What could I possibly do to your plane to make it worse?

Megan was in shock. She was hoping to make Serenity angry, but this wasn't the response she expected. Before she could speak, Serenity continued.

Our plane, which we called Elementia, was much different from yours. We believed that all elements must be in balance and that all elements had a specific purpose in life. As I'm sure you know, there are thousands of different elements in the world; but as long as you have the main four, any element can be created. Earth, water, and air can be used together to create food, hydration, and life. Fire, the most powerful element, can be used for warmth and can also be used for mass destruction. With these four elements in perfect balance, life in Elementia prospered.

This was the first time Serenity talked about her home. As she spoke, Megan could feel pain in her heart; and with every beat, the pain was worse. Megan held her chest. The pain felt as if a knife was entering her heart and twisting, cutting, and slicing with every beat. Megan could feel her loneliness, and above all, her guilt. At the same time, a single tear fell down both Megan and Serenity's face. Though their facial features looked identical, Megan's tear was clear like water from a stream; Serenity's, however, was a single drop of blood that matched the color of her hair and eyes. For the first time, she felt sorry for Serenity. What could've happened to put her in this much pain?

War, answered Serenity. "War happened. We were betrayed by someone we trusted, someone I idolized, loved, and would have given my life for. Similar to how your father betrayed you, I was betrayed by my uncle. We both held the element of life, and we could both heal the wounded. He was my mentor and taught me everything, including how to use The Dagger of Souls.

As you know, I now carry the dagger; but in Elementia, the dagger was carried by my uncle. What you don't know is The Dagger of Souls chooses its one and only keeper based on their soul. Only a person with the purest soul, one that's destined for greatness and that will better mankind, can carry the dagger. This described my uncle to a tee until he changed. Much like many people on your plane of existence, my uncle grew hungry for power. He put his wants before his needs, which clouded his better judgement.

He killed, Megan. He killed all of whom I've loved, all who were important to me. When he and I were the only ones left, he tried to kill me. Luckily, I won the battle against my mentor, but I had lost everything else. With no elements left, Elementia could not exist. I had no choice but to jump planes and come live on Earth. From the battle with my uncle, I was too weak to cross planes with my body; so I had to leave everything I had ever known and all that I had ever loved. This jump made me leave a part of myself; and considering that The Dagger of Souls followed me shows you that I'm a good person. I'm not here to destroy your world because if I was, I wouldn't be allowed to hold the dagger. One day I'll tell you everything, including what I have planned for your plane; but until then it's your decision on whether or not you choose to trust me."

Chapter 2

Well, this is it, thought Mike. He looked himself over in the mirror that hung on a wall across from his locker in the men's change room at the Northwest Division of the Branden Police Service. He analyzed his uniform just as he did in class, making sure every inch was clean, every crease was straight, and everything was starched to perfection. The dark blue uniform suited him. He gained a little weight in class, but not of fat, just of pure muscle. Because of the weight gain, he thought he filled out the uniform better. His thick dark hair was shorter than usual, styled high and tight, which was shaved on the sides, but longer on the top.

He stood up straight and put on his forage cap. This is it. Everything I ever wanted in a career is happening today. I've reached my goals, I look professional, and now all I can ask for is to do my job and do it well. Mike took a deep breath and turned away from the mirror, planning to head out of the change room.

As he turned, he couldn't help but notice a six-foot-tall, completely naked, thirty-year-old man covered in soapy suds standing directly in his path. Mike searched for a place to move, not knowing what to say and awkwardly trying to find a place to look.

Welcome to the squad, Recruit, yelled the man as he walked towards Mike with his arms stretched out to the sides. Mike was in shock as the man approached him and wrapped his wet, soapy, naked body around him, giving him a bear hug. Mike looked around while ten other men gathered around to watch the hug, and they began tearing up with laughter. He could feel his face and his ears become warm with embarrassment. He consciously kept his arms as straight as possible, not wanting to touch his naked squad mate anywhere that would make him feel uncomfortable.

When the hug was finally over, both Mike and his uniform was soaked and covered with soap suds while the sound of male laughter rang in his ear drums. A large smile spread across his face. "I