Full Circle: The Magaram Legends 6

By G. J. Winters

IN THE MIDDLE OF A HUMAN WORLD WAR HIDES A WAR BETWEEN THE MAGARAMS
THE ADVENTURE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

From the Publisher that brought you popular short story series Witching Call, Hostile Hearts, Earthbound Angels, The January Morrison Psychic Files, Chains of Darkness, Friend Zone, and now, The Magaram Legends Series...

The epic conclusion to the Magaram Legend series, this book takes off right in the middle World War II, in the Pacific where the Japanese empire held sway.
When the Allied Forces entered the Pacific side of the Philippine territory, the war for the Pacific began. Julio, now known all throughout the capital as a Japanese sympathizer, becomes a guerilla.
Landing in the historic Red Beach of Palo, the Allied Forces were off to a good start -- but not for long. In their absence, the enemy had fortified all the defensive positions and it would only be a matter of time before they will be defeated.
Unless Julio gets there in time.
His extensive knowledge of the terrain and the Japanese’s strengths would be invaluable to the allies. With the help of a Monatson and Puiason, Magarams who are tree and animal guardians, Julio embarks on the final leg of his mission – to cut the war short. Battling soldiers, elite assassins, and Magaram alike, Julio fights every step of the way to fulfill his purpose.
But all the while, he only has one memory that keeps him going.
“And if I die?” he asked.
“Then I shall traverse the cycles in reverse to find you again.”
This is the epic finale to the Magaram Legend series. You would not want to miss this!

EXCERPT
“What is it?”
It... It’s powerful, answered the Puiason, as if in a daze.
Just then, Julio heard a low laugh that increased in volume as the seconds passed. Hearing the laugh with no face to pin it on while the voice was being tossed around by the sea breeze had a subtle paralyzing effect. Julio focused deeply.
Julio, called the Puiason.
Julio did not answer. He saw the mysterious signature slowing down significantly. Just like the Saro carriage he saw in the Magaram realm, as the energy started to slow down, the features were revealed.
Julio saw colorful robes first, then the general outline of the skin. Then, even in the faint light that signaled the coming sunrise, he began to make out the features.
Julio! called Masaru again, with terror in its call.
Julio focused on the face of his opponent as he began to gradually appear. A great anger rose inside him as the first twinkle of familiarity came to him. As more of the face was revealed, Julio saw a smile. When the energy of the mysterious individual settled down at a slower pace, the semblance was undeniable. In his head he asked himself how someone of such beauty could be so rotten at the core.
“You,” Julio managed to whisper, still unbelieving.

Magaram Legends Full Titles:

1 - Into the Unknown
2 - Braving the Fire
3 - Baptism
4 - Purpose
5 - Faith
6 - Full Circle (this book!)

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra Ross
• Release date: Feb 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311964922

G. J. Winters

G.J. Winters “fell into” writing when a well-meaning teacher of his submitted his Creative Writing assignment for publication in the school paper. The local paper picked up the article and asked G.J. for publishing rights, to which the young G.J. agreed with some hesitation, as he felt “that wasn’t one of my best writings at the time.” The reality was that this article was written when G.J. was a junior in high school.The article, which was a fictionalized version of a local myth surrounding a famous abandoned house near a swamp, was an assignment turned in as part of a mid-term exam. The teacher, Miss Mendez, thought G.J.’s writing was “exemplary” and showed “natural, raw writing talent for a person his age." The assignment called for “providing details to a local urban myth – provide background, using a local resident’s POV, and close with a vague hint of authenticity and realism."The story, entitled “The Old Mansion by the Swamp,” appeared in the high school paper as a short story, but was later serialized in the local paper in 6 parts. G.J. added more characters and even a sub-story (which later became a story of its own, “I Was Shirley Massey” – a story which centered on a member of the fictional family who resided in the Massey Mansion in the late 70s and disappeared without a trace).With the success of both of his original series, G.J. thought to venture into writing longer stories, this time with futuristic themes, as he has always been fascinated with travelling through time, future crimes, apocalyptic themes, and stories set in civilizations from the future.G.J. identifies with sci-fi writers such as Isaac Asimov (“Kept me awake through most evenings in college.”) and Margaret Peterson Haddix (“My girlfriend at the time had fits of jealousy over my fanatical tendencies towards this author.”).G.J. holds a degree in Chemistry, is an intern at the R&D division of a pharmaceutical manufacturing company, and lives with girlfriend Deidre, a magazine editor.

Book preview

Full Circle

By GJ Winters

Published by Publications Circulations LLC.

SmashWords Edition

All contents copyright (C) 2013 by Publications Circulations LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, companies and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

~ ~ ~ ~

Chapter One

THE DARKNESS WAS Julio's cover, the trees his camouflage. The shoreline was the obvious choice, but the path was wrought with danger.

All eight of the towns Julio had visited with the help of the two Magaram creatures had their arsenals trained at the sea, and it was more likely that the Americans would go that route. It was not an option, it was suicide.

As soon as the opportunity presented itself, when the guards had slightly thinned out, he slipped out. Earlier that day, he saw the General and many of his commanders hurriedly enter their vehicles and speed off in the direction of Tacloban. Three army trucks went with them-two were full of soldiers, one stocked to the roof with ammunitions.

It was at that moment he had sent the Monatson and the Puiason to scout ahead for a likely escape route. He sent them in different directions: the Monatson went for the hills, the Puiason to the shoreline.

He waited anxiously for their return. Although they were invisible, the Magaram creatures were not immune to harm. A stray bullet, for example, would effectively rob the creatures of life.

The roads were clear of activity, and for that Julio was thankful. There were no exchanges of gunfire. The only signs of war were the nonstop droning of planes, distant pops, and the undying chatter on the radio equipment that was becoming annoying. There were three communications booths in the encampment and all of them were abuzz.

Towards sunset, trucks coming from the more remote towns arrived at a rate of one every half hour. Each truck carried an officer, a driver, and six soldiers.

They came fast and departed just as quickly. All they needed were supplies. Once those were loaded, the vehicles departed speedily.

Hilario was nowhere in sight. The last he saw of the teacher was when a Japanese soldier called him, apparently to help with the preparations in the kitchen, which was located at the far end of the camp, towards where the trucks were speeding off.

As supper began, he too was called to help distribute the portions to the Japanese soldiers. Those who were on duty were not allowed to leave their posts, not even to eat. The food was brought to them.

Julio contained his smile. He had just found the perfect way to thin out the guards. He would start from one end of the camp to the other. Wrestling with the cart he was given, he made his way through the encampment to distribute food. He was instructed to give as much as each a soldier would require and, once he saw what he was giving them, it was obvious why.

Noodles-that was all they were having for the night. There were pieces of meat at the bottom of the huge pot but there wasn't enough to go around. It was basically all water and noodles.

He knew the soldiers would grumble and take it out on him when they saw what was in store for them. As long as he did not react, as long as he stayed humble, Julio knew he would be fine.

The soft seeds of the Calibanga shrub would take care of the rest.

Halfway through his rounds, Julio felt a prodding sensation on his head signaling that at least one of the Magaram creatures had returned. He tuned into their thoughts as he distributed the bowls of laxative-laced noodle soup.

It was Masaru. The Puiason reported that the way by shore was not to be taken. Guards were on patrol as anticipated and, in one place, the Japanese were setting up what looked like barbed fences.

A few minutes later, the plant tender arrived with news of a more favorable route: hug the hills a fair distance from the camp and be concealed among the trees under cover of darkness. Julio thanked them for their work and announced that he would depart in a few hours.

How do you plan to do that, asked the Monatson.

Just wait, he replied softly for fear of being heard by the Japanese soldiers to whom he was still serving noodles.

When he was done, he went back to his position earlier that day, where the drums of fuel were being stored. There were two Japanese soldiers there who didn't mind him as they were busy eating.

As he sat and planned his escape, Julio mentally rehearsed his route. A smile crept onto his face as he saw the soldiers starting to abandon their seats and making a beeline for the restroom.

When about half of the guards were experiencing the effects of the Calibanga seeds, the soldiers could not wait in line outside the four restrooms that were built alongside the camps. They raced towards the back of the camp to crouch among the bushes and relieve themselves of their burdens.

Meanwhile, the remaining soldiers who had stronger stomachs stopped eating. This part he already predicted. They would turn on him. That was the least of his problems.

He was afraid they would let him sample the food he had given them and by doing so, sabotage his own plan. Julio decided to preempt the suspicions and ran towards the back of the camp as well, holding his stomach for added effect.

He came back minutes later, walking with a slight forward bend to show the soldiers that he, too, was suffering from the same thing, though he had not eaten any of it.

This fact made it better than Julio had expected. As he was not supposed to eat until all the soldiers have had their fill, the Japanese immediately suspected that he had sneaked a few servings for himself.

The two soldiers where he was at mocked him and threw insults his way, calling him a thief. Their laughing was short-lived as they, being the last to partake of the laced noodle soup, began to feel the wrath of their bowels.

One went first and, after barely three minutes had passed, the other went too. Julio could have made a run for it right there and then but his escape route had just changed-Julio had just discovered a better way to disappear.

Knowing that the seeds of the shrub would take at least two hours before the soldiers had a rest from its effects, he was not in a hurry. Better that the soldiers take more trips to the restroom, as it would leave them weaker and less attentive to their surroundings.

He heard a loud argument from the other end of the camp. As it was already dark, the voices were carried effortlessly through the air and Julio could hear the soldiers blaming the cook.

While the two soldiers near his spot hadn't returned yet, Julio instructed the two Magaram creatures to scout for a way from the back of the camp where they had just been.

The two creatures were more than happy to oblige. It was their first taste of adventure with Julio since they agreed to help him. Julio was just happy to be able to let his warrior state down for a few minutes before he had to use it. Otherwise, he may be forced to let it down at a critical moment when his life depended on it.

The two soldiers returned with grim expressions on their faces. They did not talk, nor did they mock Julio again. Towards the other side of the camp, Julio saw soldiers who must have been on their third trip back to the restrooms. When the soldiers at the main gate vacated their posts to go about their business, Julio pretended once more that he needed to empty his bowels.

Once at the back of the camp, he proceeded to where the grass grew knee high and crouched, not that anyone was paying attention. But still, he needed to keep his deception as believable as possible. The two Magaram creatures were on their way back to his post when they detected him.

We have found a route, Masaru declared.

Is it good?

It's not convenient, but it's good, Kenji answered.

Not convenient?

You'll see, added the Monatson.

They went back to their position by the two Japanese soldiers. Using his warrior state, Julio began to