Second Chance Series 4: Revenant

By Paul Green

Death has entered the world. And both the cause - and the hope - unknowingly lie in the hands of three children. Yet the hope does not come without a terrible price. Remember what it was like to be eleven years old again, as Part Two begins with the end of innocence and the launch of an incredible journey too vast to be confined within the covers of a single volume. Spanning three volumes and culminating in Book Six, REVENANT begins the journey with a gripping tale sure to pull at the heartstrings of any parent. Or any child. Enter once again into the world of the Second Chance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Green
• Release date: Jan 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458047946

Paul Green

The author’s three children had grown up and his eldest had two of her own, Isobelle and Oscar. Their imagination knew no boundaries. Every cupboard was a ‘den’, a sheet draped over objects, a tent, not to mention the fun they had with their toys! The author worked on this and wrote several books around them. What a joy.

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Second Chance Series • Book Four

REVENANT

paul green

Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright Notice

Second Chance Series

Reader Recommendation

Acknowledgements

What Has Gone Before ...

Cover Page

From the author ...

Dedication

~ Prologue ~

~ The End of Innocence ~

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

~ Aberration ~

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

~ First Contact ~

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

~ Snowfall ~

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

~ The Instructor ~

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

~ Final Contact ~

Chapter 42

~ Trust ~

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

~ Adieu ~

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

~ Epilogue ~

Notes to the Reader

Preview of Book Five: PRODIGAL

Second Chance Series

Tales From Camelot Series

About the Author . . .

Copyright Notice

Second Chance Series

Book Four: REVENANT

Copyright © 2010 by Paul Green. All Rights Reserved.

First Printing: February 2011

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

For further information, contact [e-mail]

www.SecondChanceNovels.com

Second Chance Series

Part One

Book 1: BEGINNINGS

Book 2: AWAKENING

Book 3: PROPHET

Part Two

Book 4: REVENANT

Book 5: PRODIGAL

Book 6: AVALON - Part 1

Book 6: AVALON - Part 2

Part Three

Book 7: TRIBE

Book 8: SEED

Book 9: ENDGAME

www.SecondChanceNovels.com

www.TalesFromCamelot.com

Beginning 2013

Prophet Chronicles series

For further information contact [e-mail]

Reader Recommendation

Due to the unique subject matter, this series will appeal to a very broad audience: teen to elderly, male and female alike.

Although some parts may be considered to be too intense for pre-teen or younger readers. Ages 13 and up recommended.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to all my reviewers. Your input has been invaluable.

Thank you to my son Christopher for his help in designing the covers.

And extra special thanks to the One who gave me the desire to write.

What Has Gone Before ...

Second Chance Series: PROPHET

A Brief Synopsis of Book Three

Book Three is the climactic final book of the first trilogy. However the story doesn't end there, as the story continues on in Book Four of the second trilogy.

Book Three: PROPHET opens with Elias and Shira as teens, just prior to their wedding. While the exact time period is uncertain, it will be soon discovered that this event takes place - at the very least - more than two thousand years ago.

Having escaped the ever-watchful eyes of their parents, the two young lovers are sitting in a cave by a river, about two miles from their village. When suddenly they are surprised by a multitude of terrifying, whispering shadows that cause them to flee for their lives. They escape to safety just outside the cave, but only in time to see their village being attacked and burned by invaders on horseback. Everyone they know and love are killed, leaving them all alone in the world.

The next scene has Elias standing atop a tall, high-rise building overlooking a freeway, somewhere in the middle-east. The building is in the same location where his village once stood long ago. He is looking off in the distance towards the same river, some two miles away, remembering. He is then joined by a man, whom the reader presumes must be the same man from the heavenly scene in Alana's dream vision from Book Two: AWAKENING. Together, the two men decide it is finally time to deal with what still resides within the cave.

The next scene finds Alana suddenly waking up at her ranch in Hawaii in the middle of the night.

She knows that something has happened to Elias, but is unable to reach out to him in Dream. It is now six months later since the events of Book Two. Early the next morning, Alana and Michael tell Ben and Susan of her concern, and the four of them ride off to the cliff, where Alana believes that they are supposed to go.

Alana was correct, for they have a visitor waiting for them. And it's none other than Shira, herself; Elias's wife from the mysterious heavenly scene in Book Two. Shira is real - and apparently, quite human. She tells them Elias is lost.

When the companions ask where Elias went, Shira tells them that he had gone to deal with the creature from the cave. The creature was a demon named Legion.

The next section continues the story of Elias and Shira following the destruction of their ancient village. After burying each and every person from their village, they travel on foot for several months, until finally reaching a small and beautiful valley that Elias had learned about from a stranger in a nearby town.

Though still in deep mourning, they also know that this particular day was to have been their wedding day. Elias surprises Shira with her wedding garment that he had kept hidden away during the entire trip. Though they were now all alone in the world, they choose to continue with their marriage ceremony, and begin their lives as husband and wife in seclusion within the security of their intimate little valley.

Two years later, they learn that Shira is pregnant. They are also visited by two strangers on horseback; Kemuel and Eddi.

Kemuel was the stranger who had first told Elias about the hidden valley. Eddi was the one who had first told Shira that she was with child. Thus they stayed with Elias and Shira throughout her pregnancy.

Kemuel had an odd, striking feature - long, pure white hair. During that time, Kemuel told Elias that he was aware that Elias occasionally had dreams and visions of the future; as he himself did.

Tragically, one of Elias' visions was what would happen to Shira; for Shira died during childbirth. But ... she was miraculously brought back to life. Thus, with Shira's gift of a Second Chance, and their brand new daughter, Chaya, they would spend the next five blissful years with their closest friends in the small and beautiful valley.

Elias and Kemuel seem to be polar opposites. Where Elias is generally more 'straight-up' and serious, Kemuel tends to be more of a jokester and provides much comic relief throughout the book. They often refer to themselves as the 'smart one' and the 'funny one'.

Elias knew he would be leaving the valley in five years. But shortly before their departure, Kemuel and Eddi shocked Elias and Shira with the knowledge that they would never age; and that they would live for thousands of years. Though they would someday eventually die - when it was their time.

Chaya however, would live a normal life span; as would her daughter, and so on. But Chaya and her descendants would always have only one child, and always a daughter. A mark of Chaya and her descendants, would be the color of her hair. For it was jet-black; so black it almost seemed blue. The same color as Alana's hair.

When the time finally came, they sadly parted ways and Elias, Shira and Chaya headed west.

Back in the present, the companions learn a lot more about Elias and Shira. And Alana. Not only do they learn Alana is Elias and Shira's 'granddaughter', they also learn that she has the ability to travel in memory and in Dream; just as Elias.

With Shira as a guide, Alana is able to transport them through Dream to the cave on the other side of the world. There they discover Elias' body. Although he is barely alive, trapped within his own nightmare inflicted by Legion. There is no further sign of Legion within the cave.

Eddi then shows up and reveals where Elias is within his nightmare - he has gone back in time to the valley, where he believes that Shira had died from childbirth, along with Chaya. She reveals that the only way to rescue him, is for Alana to take them back to the same time and place.

Eddi also explains that Kemuel knew Alana was coming, and he believed that she would be able to handle Elias' rescue.

For he had to suddenly leave on another emergency mission of his own.

Now we arrive at George's part of the story. It turns out that George had left Hawaii months earlier, when Julian had begin getting too serious in their relationship. She had taken a promotion and was now overseeing the Hilton Corporation for all of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. But unbeknownst to George, her assistant and best friend, Maggie, had secretly flown Julian over to be her guide on an expedition to the same cave by the river! For this was where George had been planning a construction project and the cave had only been recently been discovered.

Due to time constraints, George reluctantly agrees and together she and Julian drive out to the dig site. But things go amiss. For when Julian hears her scream upon finding Elias' body, Julian panics and falls from a rope - and is killed when he is impaled on a stalagmite.

Fortunately, Kemuel popped in when he heard George's scream.

And just as fortunately, just moments before Julian actually died, Kemuel takes both Julian and George ... back to a time prior to these terrible events ... in order to stop Legion, and to save Julian.

Unfortunately, because Kemuel had 'sealed' the cave centuries earlier, they had to return to a time before the cave had been sealed in order to put an end to Legion once and for all.

That time was 472 A.D. - during the time of King Arthur. Thus, Kemuel, George and Julian end up in Camelot of all places.

Back to Alana and her companions, they are successful in rescuing Elias. But when they return to the present cave, they discover to their horror that the cave is no longer 'sealed' and thus Legion is now free. They must now quickly find Kemuel.

But then Legion returns to the cave and the companions can find no way of escape. Alana is shocked to learn where Kemuel has actually gone; but they have no choice. Thus Shira, Eddi and the four companions end up in Camelot as well, after only just barely escaping Legion.

Many things happen during their visit to Camelot, including many unexpected surprises and revelations. For the time of Arthur is what is known as a Conflux - a time where world-changing events take place. A Conflux occurs when the families of Elias and Kemuel are joined in marriage. In this case, Elias and Shira's descendant 'daughter' is Guinevere, and Kemuel and Eddi's descendant is none other than Arthur, himself.

Gwen bears a striking resemblance to Alana. And Arthur bears a striking resemblance to Ben, who is also discovered to be a descendant.

And of course there is George, who is also a descendant of Kemuel and Eddi and therefore a 'cousin' to Gwen and Arthur. And Ben.

Then there is the mysterious dark wizard, Merlin, who returns home in the middle of the night and nearly kills the uninvited companions in a furious firestorm. At the last moment, he sees Alana and stops. Then in a stunning surprise, it is revealed than Merlin is none other than Elias himself, but from 472 A.D.

But he is a very dark and a very bitter Elias. He is not the same kind and loving man that they all know from their own time. For it is also learned that during this time, Shira and Eddi had been captured by a neighboring kingdom, and sentenced to be burned as witches. Merlin had arrived in time to rescue them, but not before the scorching fire had already begun to burn them, leaving horrible scarring on their legs as a terrible reminder. It had taken centuries for Elias to get over what had happened. The Kemuel from 472 A.D. had gone on to Rome, while Shira and Eddi had remained behind in the valley. Thus there are two now Elias's walking around in 472 A.D. - their friend, and the dark and angry wizard who shuns everyone.

Then we learn the truth about Julian. For because his body had actually died in the present time, he is therefore unable to return to that time. Thus he must live out his remaining years in the past.

George, of course, actually loathes being there; for she is a city girl, through and through. But when she discovers that Julian can't go back, she snaps. In truth, she loves Julian. Thus she cannot allow herself to return without him; but neither can she stay behind with him, for that would mean a confession of love. Distraught, George runs off.

Several hours later they finally managed to track down where George had disappeared to. Upon reaching the base of a steep, two thousand foot tall mountain cliff, they recall that she is an avid rock climber. Obviously that didn't stop her and she went straight up.

The companions take their horses on a back path and several hours later finally reach the summit. But only to discover to their horror that George did not make it. She had actually fallen several hundred feet, and had landed on a ledge far down the cliff face. Elias climbs down and 'transports' her back to his cottage home, while the rest of the companions ride back down the mountain.

When they finally arrive back at the cottage, they discover that even though Elias was somehow miraculously keeping George alive, she is nevertheless on the verge of death, with very little time left. Her body is broken and mangled and continues to lose blood fast. Having no other recourse, Elias, Kemuel and Eddi return her to the present time to receive proper medical attention and hopefully save her life.

Julian of course is left behind, with no hope of ever seeing George again. For even if she somehow survives, Kemuel confirms that George would never be happy there. And Julian can never return.

Also left behind are Shira, to watch over Ben, Susan, Michael and Alana, while George is being treated; for they still have Legion to deal with.

By now they have been befriended by Arthur, Guinevere and several knights, who keep them busy with battle training while awaiting news of George.

The companions also learn the true and terrible reason behind George's actions - which also explains why George was unwilling to love.

Her mother was none other Selena, Vincent's mother from Book One: BEGINNINGS. Even more horrific was the fact that when George was only seven years old, her father - the real George Croft - was murdered by Selena and Vincent's father, Victor Antonescu. Fallow, the influencing demon behind Vincent, had been behind these tragic events as well.

This also explains why George eventually adopted the name of her father for herself. After Victor and Selena fled the country as fugitives, George was left to grow up in an orphanage. George herself, also feared that she was somehow cursed, and could end up like her mother. Or Vincent.

And thus, since George could not reconcile leaving Julian behind or stay back with him, she snapped.

In the present time, Kemuel and Eddi watch over George in the hospital. Finally after two weeks and several surgeries later, George is stabilized. But she awakes to find herself held together with rods, screws and wires; and thus because of the tremendous damage, Maggie observes that she looks like 'Frankenstein'.

During the next four years, we follow George's slow but sure recovery. We also watch the warm and growing relationship between George and her 'grandparents', Eddi and Kemuel. They become her family; the first family she has ever known. And in time they are able to help heal George from her many long years of mental torture from what had happened to her as a child.

Though she makes a full recovery - both mentally and physically. She is still heavily scarred physically, and will remain so for the rest of her life. No longer the beautiful woman she once was, George is still a strong woman, and learns to deal with it.

But one day while she is relaxing with Eddi and Maggie, they hear the whispering of Legion approaching the hotel.

Meanwhile, back in Camelot, Elias has returned to lead in the battle against Legion. But the battle is very unusual. Elias and Kemuel had been too cavalier during their previous encounter with Legion; they had underestimated the shadow demons working with Legion, resulting in Elias' setback and personal nightmare. This time however, Elias takes a much more serious and well thought out approach. Elias and the companions, including the women, Arthur, Guinevere and fourteen knights, will sacrifice themselves to Legion to serve as a distraction.

But the consequences were horrific, as each person was forced to wander within their own nightmares: Alana falls to Pele's torment behind the door, Michael suffers a second car accident and is dying of cancer, Ben dies without defeating Vincent resulting in the world's destruction, Susan kills herself when Ben dies, Elias had been unable to rescue Shira from being burned at the stake, and Shira herself finds Elias dead back in their home village.

But as awful as their torments were, their plan succeeds. For while Legion was distracted, it was Merlin who came up behind her and was able to put an end to the demon Pythos once and for all. Thus everyone is saved, including Eddi and George in the future time.

Back in the present time, George's 'grandparents' have continued to teach George many things over the past four years. Not the least of which was acceptance of the fact that she still loved Julian. Eventually George makes the decision to return.

When Kemuel, George and Eddi finally return to 472 A.D., it is only two weeks after her initial fall from the mountain top.

George surprises Julian, just he was preparing to set sail for travels abroad. Julian is shocked to see her again, shocked to see her recovered, and shocked to hear her tell him that she loves him. George admits that she won't be happy in 472 A.D. But she also admits she won't be happy in a future without him. But she can be happy with him; provided he can live with a 'malcontent'.

But Julian is quite able to see past the scars and very happily agrees. He is then shocked once more - when George pulls out a ring and proposes marriage.

Ben and Shira both end up confronting Merlin, resulting in some tender moments and marking the beginning of a slow turnaround for the dark wizard. Eventually he decides to take some time off and travel. He leaves Camelot and returns to Shira in the valley. The present Elias and Shira have agreed to stay back in the past to cover for him, until such a time as he decides to return; for Merlin is still needed in Camelot.

The story begins to draw to a close with the medieval wedding of George and Julian. In a surprise move, Elias also brings Stuart, Zagnut, Roxanne and Michelle back for the wedding.

In addition, due to George being a 5th degree black belt Master and weapons specialist, she is knighted as 'Sir George', and is awarded the post of official Weapons Master for all of Arthur's knights. Of course, her favorite student is Julian, who now becomes a knight in training.

The wedding itself is a fun event, with many unusual things happening. Not the least of which is George and Julian getting their own castle. George had often complained about bathrooms, and Kemuel noted that it was the closest home with plumbing.

Also, Elias pulls off his customary wedding miracle by miraculously healing all of her scars.

The book ends with the companions returning home, just hours after they first left.

But they were also shocked realize an important fact from Alana's vision in Book Two. Elias' descendants always and only had one child - and always a daughter. Alana's vision had revealed that she was going to have three children. Which could only mean one thing: they were themselves living in the time of another Conflux. Michael and Alana's daughter Jenny, and Ben and Susan's son Daniel, would once again join the two ancient families. Which as in times past, would once more bring about global changes.

Coincidently, 'Jenny' is the modern variation of Guinevere. And Daniel's middle name is Arthur.

The book ends several months later, when they are surprised to discover a couple of unusual items left on Ben's porch: a pair of shoes that he had lost 1600 years ago just outside of Merlin's cave, and a diary, belonging to George. As they begin reading, while there are some humorous parts, they are also horrified to learn that she has also met Fallow, the demon from Book One - who was still around in her time. But of course, George deals with him in an interesting way - she shoots him. She didn't catch his name, however or find out who he really was - the entity behind what had happened with her parents. Which was probably for the best. Maybe. Of course she also knew that he wasn't dead, for demons cannot die. But at least he was gone for the time being.

In the final scene, the companions learn that it was Merlin himself who had left the two surprises on Ben's porch. Somehow, someway, the dark-robed wizard was now in 1976.

Thus ends Part ONE of the Second Chance series.

From the author ...

Well, here we go again ... round two.

Part Two of the series will be different from Part One in several ways. For starters, books 4 - 6 are really one, continuous story divided into three sections. Earlier in Books 1 - 3 (Part One), you really had no idea where the next book was going.

Not so in Part Two. By the time you finish Book 4, you will know exactly where the overall story arc is going.

There are now also children involved in the plot. But adult readers need not be concerned; this is not a children's book.

I hope you are enjoying this journey as much as I am.

Paul

Dedication

Dedicated to . . .

Fathers

~ Prologue ~

A DARK SHADOW moved slowly through the cemetery, concealed behind a curtain of stealth and secrecy. Aided by a new moon, the shadow wandered amongst the tombstones, searching.

The still, cool air was as barren of life as the graveyard itself, as not even crickets dared interrupt the silent intruder.

Unseen by any other living soul, the shadowy figure continued to pause at each grave until finally discovering the one it had been seeking. Approaching the headstone, it reached out and rested a hand atop the marker.

After some time, the figure knelt beside the dusty epitaph, now placing its hand on the face of the memorial. And the figure began slowly tracing the words etched in stone with a finger ...

Life is not measured

By the number of breaths we take

But by the moments

That take our breath away

In loving memory

Julian Marquis Dupré

1950 - 1977

The visitor remained at the graveside for over an hour before finally rising to their feet. Looking around to ensure they were still alone, the figure quietly disappeared into the darkness.

But the visitor had not been as alone as believed. From a short distance away, stood another dark figure; one that had been patiently awaiting the arrival of this visitor for a very, very long time.

For not all living things have souls.

~ The End of Innocence ~

Chapter 1

Happy Birthday to you! You live in a zoo! You look like a monkey, and smell like one too!

MOM! HE'S DOING IT AGAIN!

Shut up, Sara! You're gonna get us both in trouble!

Daniel Arthur Davison! Do you need some extra chores to do!!?

No.

Then knock it off! And be nice to your sister!

Be nice to your sister. Daniel repeated under his breath with a sneer.

I heard that!

Daniel sighed.

Are you dressed yet? We're leaving in ten minutes!

Yes.

Is your hair brushed?

Yes.

Shoes tied?

Yes.

Shirt tag in the back?

Yes.

Are you sure?

No.

Double-check.

All right.

Did you remember socks this time?

Mom! I'm eleven years old! I know how to dress myself!

Susan came out into the living