Fire and Fury: SWORD OF EXPULSION SAGA, #2

By D.A. Galante

Fire and Fury

Volume Two in the Sword of Expulsion Saga

An Adam Thorn Adventure

 

            After their attempt to rescue their captive priest Thorn and company are now faced with the challenge of evading the pursuing soldiers through the venomous swamp, a territory known for harboring deadly man-eating creatures.

 

Those who manage to survive must then return to the local villages and prepare for war against the massive force of invading heathen in a last stand embodied with intense suspense and action.

 

Don't miss the exciting conclusion in this epic saga!

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.A. Galante
• Release date: Oct 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393650171

Book preview

And so, one night in a dream, I saw an Angel holding a Flaming Sword. She spoke to me and said, "One day, Adam Thorn, you will be lifted up by the hand of God to wield the fiery Saber of Truth, serving as his trusted paladin in the eternal battle of good versus evil and become

A THORN IN THE SIDE OF SATAN!

Author’s Note

The Sword of Expulsion book series is primarily a work of fiction. While speculative fiction makes for great story telling, it is not unusual for fiction authors to capitalize on various liberties via creative license in order to manufacture certain effects. But be advised. While the author of this series has taken great care in portraying Bible quotes and historical references accurately, it is highly recommended that for the most accurate and reliable answers about our Creator, futuristic forecasting, the Millennium, and the truth about angels (and guardian angels) it is always best to seek out the word of God. That means scripture from the Holy Bible, for the good book never lies and all of its promises and forecasts tend to come true.

God Bless,

The Author.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Meet the Three Main Characters in the A Sword of Expulsion Adventure Saga.

1. ADAM THORN. Protected by his tireless faith, he is a loyal employee of God. No, he doesn't collect a salary, just blessings. A time jaunting champion for the oppressed who is not afraid to stand up and do battle when the forces of good and evil collide. Guided by his guardian angel and armed with his trusty cane which is blessed with heavenly powers, this gallant soldier is a student of history, master swordsman and skilled martial artist. Seasoned in both ancient and modern warfare, throughout the centuries he saw action as a Templar Knight, Army Ranger, and government agent. Thorn is a daring crusader who jets his way via a celestial powered time portal (a.k.a. chariot of God) all the way back from B.C. to modern times and on up thru the future. Thorn does not necessarily alter history, rather he helps usher it along in areas where it was in danger of not occurring. Proudly brandishing his cross, he’s known for wearing a long dark garment such as a cloak, duster, or trench coat which helps him blend in with the shadows of night.

2. GLADYS. Thorn’s guardian angel whom he nicknamed Gladys because he is always glad to have her watching over him. Seldom does she interfere in his assignments but appears when necessary to offer wisdom, guidance and encouragement for his protection and success in accomplishing his time travel missions. Her glorious and glowing presence, which is nearly beyond human description, is usually something that only he can detect, along with her calming voice.

3. WILL. Thorn’s heavenly powered walking staff. Adam has dubbed this tool Will because its potential is activated thru prayer and is unleashed solely at the will and approval from Almighty God. Crafted by angels from a meteorite that fell toward earth, it consists of a rare blend of elements which make it light as aluminum but stronger than any steel. Supernaturally this cane can convert into a majestic broadsword, one similar to the flaming Sword of Expulsion that guarded the Bible’s paradise of Eden. Even more impressive, it possesses the heavenly powers of fire and lightning which are capable of discharging an intense flame or thunderbolt.

FOR MORE DETAILS: SEE GLOSSARY AT THE END OF THIS BOOK.

Recap

IN CASE YOU MISSED BOOK ONE, HERE IS A RECAP

(Includes Spoilers) from Book One in the A Sword of Expulsion Adventure Saga. Titled: A Thorn in the Side of Satan:

WHEN THE SWASHBUCKLING time surfer Adam Thorn first arrives on the scene at the rural farming village of Eden Seven, he is accused of being a spy. The local inhabitants, who distrust outsiders due to the rising threat of bandits and rumors of an invasion, subject him to harsh treatment and an arduous interrogation conducted by the lady mayor Deborah. Not only must he convince her that he is no threat to their community, but that his tall tales about worldly globetrotting and valiant military experiences are no fabrication. The tension finally ceases when he persuades the mayor, he is a devout servant of God who is dispatched there by the Almighty to aid them.

DURING THIS INQUISITION Thorn develops a friendship with Solomon the Wise, the wisest man in the region. Unaware of his location and era because his guardian angel had kept him in the dark, Adam assumes that he had journeyed back into the past since the settlement appeared similar to a cross between a medieval and pioneer era. Then as clues begin to surface, he is hit with the startling revelation that he did not jaunt into the past, rather a thousand years into the future!

WELCOME TO THE TURBULENT 31st Century. Solomon explains to Thorn facts about the time frame and events that have transpired since his era of the 21st Century on up thru the confusion of the current tumultuous era. First, apocalyptic events occur (as symbolized in prophetic Scriptures) which cripples’ civilization. A harsh nuclear winter follows these End Time events, and a portion of mankind manage to survive by tunneling underground as they are reduced to a technology- challenged civilization.

HOPE FOR HUMANITY HOWEVER, was not entirely lost. Following the devastation of World War Three the Messiah claims his rightful throne as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings as he saves Jerusalem from destruction. Upon ending the worldwide havoc Christ imprisons Lucifer, then the Almighty restores the landscape to its original majestic beauty. In the Millennium, Christ reigns peacefully on earth for a thousand years during this tranquil period.

WE FAST FORWARD TO the end of that age, as a violent volcano erupts. Panic-stricken denizens worry about their safety, and wonder if God is going to desert them. Monks from the local monastery explain that this event occurred to mark the inauguration of the turbulent post millennium period where this story occurs. Christ sits quietly on the sidelines as an observer so that scriptural prophecy can be fulfilled.

UNCHAINED AND DIABOLICAL as ever, Satan is released from his confinement just as the Bible predicts. On the verge of generating major bedlam and dragging Earth thru a chaotic reign of terror, Lucifer establishes a tyrannical puppet leader known as Synmour the Tyrant who entices peasants with recreational sins of the flesh. By freely distributing a drug-tainted addictive meat, it allows him to dominate them as loyal, unquestioning subjects who aid in creating his kingdom with the ultimate goal of suppressing religion across the land.

SOLOMON GIVES THORN a tour of the village and the region. During a trip to the local museum (a cave filled with ancient relics of the past), they are attacked by several bandits, and this is where Thorn first demonstrates his honed fighting skills. Upon returning to the village, they learn that Synmour has captured Ezra the sacred high priest. During his imprisonment the tyrant forces him to renounce his religion under duress. Synmour is in the process of assembling a massive army with the goal of unleashing these heathens upon the passive God-fearing denizens who dwell peacefully in modest rural villages, such as that of Eden Seven which is the main focus of this story. In an uncultivated world where technology is at a standstill, the placid residents who are about to be besieged by the marauding savages are praying for a ray of divine hope.

THORN VOLUNTEERS TO rescue Ezra, their abducted high priest. First, he must recruit a handful of talented but untested volunteers to assist him in conducting a commando-style raid of the evil fortress of Synmour. There, Adam will search for both the priest and document that hold the key to the destiny of mankind; the blasphemous article the holy man was forced to sign under duress which denounces religion and the existence of God.

THROUGHOUT THE VENTURE Thorn has his doubts whether or not his handpicked crew of volunteers which he plucked from the farmlands are up to the task. While each was chosen for a particular talent, such as brute strength, distance running, javelin hurling, archery or other but when faced with the scathing reality of danger or brutal combat they are strictly amateurs.

ADAM’S NEW BEST FRIEND, Solomon the Wise, is shocked to learn that Thorn has a shady past from his earlier days before becoming a Born-Again Christian, that of a government assassin. Nearly ruining their friendship, discomforts are finally resolved as Thorn cites famed heroes of the Bible such as David, Joshua and Samson who boldly served God and did not turn the other cheek in battle.

ONCE THE EXPEDITION is underway Thorn and company are forced to overcome various landscape obstacles into uncharted lands where few men dare trod. A harsh desert nearly obliterates them at the start of their excursion, and an encounter with a squad of ruthless barbarians tests their mercenary skills to the brink. Then when trying to cross a gorge they confront a pesky troll who controls a bridge and unleashes an endless bombardment of rocks which delays their trek.

ARRIVING AT THE FORTRESS, they discover the weary priest suffering in an underground dudgeon. Aided by a well-calculated diversion of setting a storehouse fire while overcoming skirmishes with sentries, the holy man is set free. Before departing the area, Thorn is forced to demonstrate his elite fencing skills when pitted against the brutal warrior known as Brunus the Slayer. Wounded by Adam, the callous villain manages to survive the gripping clash, allowing him to continue his reign of terror as Synmour’s military commander throughout the final conflict.

DURING THEIR ESCAPE toward freedom Thorn and company are granted some welcomed assistance by divine intervention from angels summoned by Priest Ezra thru means of his supernatural angel dust said to be collected from the sand once walked upon by Christ. Amidst heavenly fireworks, the carnage collapses a portion of the wall and fortress, which causes a delay in their efforts to amass an army, but does not eliminate the eventual threat of an invasion upon the farmlands.

WITH BARBARIC FORCES hot on their tail, the rescuers are forced to escape thru an unforgiving and deadly swamp crawling with mutant predators; a route chosen strictly because it was a region their pursuers dared not follow.

PART SIX

TRIBULATION

The Continuation of the A Sword of Expulsion Adventure Saga

"Ye though I walk thru the valley of death I shall fear no evil,

for the lord art God is with thee." Psalm 23

43-Swamp

The Valley of Mutants was a nickname given to the foreboding swampland. In regard to it location, it was situated east of the farming communities, due west of the vast mountain range that dominated the center of the land, and was south of Synmour's fortress.

It was a region that any individual with common sense, including the barbarians, were known to stay clear of. The area was extremely unpleasant in regards to its abrasive landscape. According to the tellers of legends it was dominated by predators, often referred to as Satan’s Serpents. Supposedly, these detestable monstrosities were reptilian aberrations, a mutated and horrifying phenomenon presumably caused by one of two factors; either the toxic nuclear radiation left behind by the Great Apocalypse that occurred a millennium ago during the Twenty-first Century; or the fact that this swamp was also formerly a hazardous waste dump site for a nuclear reactor back in the Twentieth Century. It’s no secret that toxic waste can remain potentially destructive for thousands of years. Canisters that contain these hazards will eventually corrode and leak toxicity.

Regardless of which story was true, over the passage of time the beasts and reptiles that inhabited the region became mutated. Add to this the science of crossbreeding and the result was a macabre scenario. According to rumor, the largest and most terrifying of these swamp creatures were the Dragators, which were said to be a part dragon and part alligator beast that could dwell in water like an amphibian and walk on dry land upright like a human. Standing upwards of eight feet tall and powerfully built, it was a cold-blooded carnivore with potent snapping jaws that could crush a human. Sharp claws on short appendages could shred a man to pieces, and its broad whipping tail could generate enough force to snap a human neck or spine. Gory stories abounded how they patrolled the marshy regions of the shadowy swamp much like the predatory Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs that once dominated earlier prehistoric ages.

While these reptilians controlled the marsh land and waterways, the dreaded horror of the skies were said to be the hovering Vulbats, a cross between a vulture and a vampire bat. Supposedly these swooping bloodsucking scavengers with long wing spans lurked among the treetops, and were said to be capable of smelling the blood of a potential victim or dead carcass from great distances.

The creepiest of all of the mutants in the swampland were reported to be the Scorners. Kings of the insect world, these winged flying spiders were tarantula-size pests. Rumored to be venomous, if bitten the victim would likely succumb to a slow and most painful death.

Thorn and company rode much of the night on horseback. Taking few breaks and sleeping little, they made their way securely away from the turbulent castle grounds with their freed prisoner, the revered High Priest, safely in tow.

It was sunrise. Now they stood and stared at the edge of the foreshadowing swampland. Thorn managed to talk his companions into negotiating the swamp for the final leg of their journey back home, but not without great apprehension. It remained their best chance of returning safety back to their village because this was a region where few men dare trod, including the hunting party from Synmour’s fortress who were likely tracking them at this very moment.

Thorn’s band of fleeing fugitives courted this objective with much reluctance as they prayed that all the menacing rumors about it were untrue. However, they were fully aware that their journey thru the marsh would likely be a most uncomfortable one.

Thorn anticipated that regions which featured deep water or thick brush would promote maneuverability problems for their horses. It seemed more humane to leave them behind to roam free just outside the swamp rather than to drag them thru an area where they might get trapped. Therefore, prior to entering the muck and mire they were forced to abandon their mounts.

However, the monk petitioned on behalf of keeping Baily the burro, not only for helping tote supplies but also serving as a taxi for the aging priest who was in the process of recovering from his prison ordeal. His petition was aided by Eva, the animal lover in the crowd, and she assisted Manfred in pleading his case to keep the mule. Emphasizing how everyone had grown attached to the likeable critter, Thorn finally gave in to their relentless request. He did recall how a burro was highly valued for its ability to negotiate rough terrain in many parts of the world throughout history, often better than horses, and announced that the donkey could remain with their party as long as he proved valuable.

After unsaddling the horses to set the equestrians on their way to freedom they took time to sort thru their equipment, then kept that which they deemed essential and could sensibly carry on their backs while being forced to abandon the remainder.

Thorn and company took a deep breath in hesitant anticipation of what they were about to face, then ascended down the high sloping wall of an embankment that took them into the vast swamp. The weather was somewhat tolerable at the start, but the fog that arose from the swamp below warned them that things were about to get uncomfortably worse before they got better. They suspected the next leg of their venture would be hot and humid, muggy and buggy, and potentially fearsome by the uncertain dangers it might present.

After swapping their long robes for the cooler tunics worn underneath, Eva stood still for a moment and surveyed the landscape with a serious look of concern. Thorn witnessed her unusual behavior and approached.

What’s up Eva? I’m never seen such a troubled look on your face before.

She pulled Adam aside and spoke quietly. As you know, my dog Snow and my bird Blizzard come and go as they please. Yet they chose not to enter the swamp. They both fled the landscape as soon as we abandoned the horses. They’ve never backed down from any terrain before. They know something that we don’t, and I’m afraid it’s not good.

Well Eva, I guess we have no other choice but to proceed onward thru the swamp, now that we set the horses free.

Do you believe in dragons, Adam?

No. They’re just fairy tales. But I do believe in dinosaurs. Thank God they all became extinct eons ago.

You’re just saying that so I won’t worry.

Do me a favor Eva. Don’t tell the others what you just told me about your pets. I don’t want their spirits deflated any more than necessary.

Their journey proceeded on foot. The rough terrain forced plenty of short breaks, and that brought about abundant chatter to pass the time. Tall Paul asked with concern, Those rumors of savage swamp creatures, does anyone here think they’re true? 

Thomas replied, We heard that prisoners from Synmour’s castle who were banished to the swamp as punishment for a crime they committed actually got to see these creatures, but didn’t live to tell their tale.  

Eva stated, Well, if they didn’t live to tell their tale, then how would anyone know that they actually saw the creatures?

Young Saul added, And if there really are cold-blooded beasts lurking about then we are invading their territory, armed only with our puny primitive weapons.

Thorn replied in an attempt to calm jumpy nerves. Stone age cavemen killed wooly mammoths with ordinary spears and heavy stones. We are armed no worse than they, and I doubt we’ll encounter any creatures that large. Remember, all those rumors about swamp creatures are just hearsay, and stories like that are often exaggerated by storytellers.

Mister Thorn, are you suggesting we have nothing to fear?, inquired Paul.

"No doubt