Living Among the Northern Lupani: Guardian Angel Book 1

By Jake Shadow Wolf

The story is about Jared Angelus, a young man who travels the world after his parents take part in an experiment to help cure every disease in the world. This book, the first in a series, covers Jared's leaving of his home in the human compounds, meeting with the warrior tribe known as the Lupani, and learning their ways. Jared eventually joins

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacob Fedor Publishing
• Release date: Oct 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9781962569743

Book preview

Dedication:

This Book is dedicated to my parents David and Brenda Fedor, my friends who've been with me over the last few years, and my dog Smokey. Each and every one of them has helped me through the good, the bad, and the ugly during working on this book. It's also dedicated to so many other authors who inspired me to pick up a pen and paper and start writing. I just wish to say, Thank You. Thank You to All of you who inspired, supported, or helped me when the times got tough, and when I really need it.

Chapter 1:

The end, and the beginning

It all started ten years after Genetech released their serum that would supposedly cure all diseases. My dad was the head researcher for them and my mother was a medical examiner at the local hospital. Therefore, we got first dibs on the vaccine, as most of Genetech’s employees did. The drug had shown no side effects when tested on animals. Well, other than to completely protect them from any sort of pathogen, even rabies. My dad had gone over the results of the tests about a thousand times before finally agreeing that the vaccine was safe for public use.

I was somewhere around, six, maybe seven years old when my dad decide to give it to me. As you could probably guess I was scared to death of shots. My mom had to promise me a bunch of things to get me to sit still as my dad injected the needle into my arm. Then she had to soothe me for a good five minutes to keep me bawling like a baby. I’ll admit it, when I was a little kid I was a bit of a wimp.

After that though, everything seemed alright. When it was proven that Genetech employees had no side effects whatsoever after five months. The vaccine was finally fully released to the public. Seven months later, it was a required for children around the world to be vaccinated with it before they could go to school. It was a onetime only shot though, so most kids already had it by this point. After that first year time went on and everyone, other than parents of newborns, and those in the medical field, forgot about the vaccine which had come to be known as the Sanctus Sanitas vaccine. It did what its name implied, which was to create what many of our forefathers would have called Holy Health.

However over the next nine years, the vaccine started to go through an incubation process in those who’d been injected with it. No one except the team, who’d started research on the vaccine, and the occasional medical examiner like my mother, paid any mind to the changes. However during the fifth year, when I was about to turn twelve or thirteen my father sat me down in his office and handed me a journal. I stared at him with a confused look and he said Jared, you know our family’s motto is ‘tego tectum’ which means to shield. I want you to follow that motto and shield my notes from everyone. They may be the only clue the world will have on how to deal with what’s coming our way. Our family name is Fines Umbra, which means to honor or trusted shadow, though since then your grandfather simplified it to Shadow. We are the guardians of any we choose. Remember that, for it will be what saves you. I nodded taking every word to heart.

Afterword my mother walked up and kissed me on the forehead and said softly My sweet little Angelus, I love you with all my heart. Sadly your father and I are going on a trip and have to leave you with your aunt. We’re leaving several things specifically for you here in the house, and when the time is right you’ll have to come get them. I nodded again feeling tears well in my eyes for the first time since I was eight or nine and said softly I love you Mom, take care of yourself. She smiled lovingly at me and kissed my cheek then her and my father packed up their gear and walked off to finish packing.

Three days later I aged another year and celebrated it at my aunt’s house feeling sorrow about my parents not being there to celebrate it with me. My Aunt Laura saw the sad look on my face and convinced my cousin Joshua to play with me, which he did for the next five or six hours. However when we were inside taking a break a car with the Genetech logo painted on it arrived and started asking my aunt questions.

She answered them honestly and they asked to see me. My aunt came and got me then I told them what I knew, leaving out the stuff about my dad’s notes, and my mom telling me about what they hid in the house. After they left I turned to Aunt Laura and asked if she told them about the house. She shook her head and said softly That’s a family secret that my father left for both your mother and I. However I wanted no part of it so I let her take it. She said she’d find a use for it someday, and I guess she meant to leave it for you all along.

I nodded and went back to playing with Josh, trying to relax and act like everything was ok. I knew it wasn’t, but back then it was fun to pretend.

The next four years flew by, however toward the end of that ninth year things started to change. Some of those originally injected with the Sanctus Sanitas vaccine were started to feel some strange side effects. At first it was nothing more than flu like symptoms, which made everyone assume the vaccine was just starting to weaken a little bit. However as time went on the symptoms started to get worse and become more widespread. People started mutating into strange beasts with six or seven limbs. Others developed animalistic traits, or became full animal human hybrids. Others still developed strange powers that made them different, while a small percentage saw no change.

Those that remained human in appearance, whether it was by just gaining ears and tails, strange powers, or not changing at all, started to be hunted by those that had mutated into monsters. Those that were a mix of human and animal joined what was left of the human race and prevented the monsters from overrunning and killing them all. Eventually the humans built a huge complex beyond the reach of the beasts. When it was finished the more animalistic groups went their own way. What no one seemed to notice was that animals were also being affected by the vaccine. They’d gained intelligence and were now picking sides. Many chose to stay and guard the humans, while a few chose to join the beasts and try to destroy them. Those that didn’t pick either side chose to wander the land among the humans who’d been changed.

Not all humans went into the compound, for many of those with powers refused to be bottled up, so they became nomads. The beasts, with their main enemy and food supply locked away from them, turned to destroying the land around them. They quickly devoured trees, plants, and any animals that crossed their path before starting to turn on each other. This made the environment, which we humans had already polluted, a lot worse. This in turn made many wanderers start making more compounds with even more animals choosing to guard them. Eventually the creatures started attacking the compounds, wanderers, and even the more animalistic cousins to the human race. This is where my story truly begins.

Chapter 2:

Angel of Shadow

Now then, let's get to my own story, shall we? As I said earlier, my name is Jared Shadow Angelus. My father was Damien Shadow, and my mother was Sierra Angelus. Genetech used their disappearance five years ago to call them the masterminds, of the, Exordium Omnigenus Omega, which is more commonly known as The beginning of the end of all life. My aunt was accused of helping them escape justice, and was hung as a traitor. This was because they needed someone to blame, and her family and I, all tried to live a peaceful life within the primary Genetech compound. Watching her death, and seeing her corpse, convinced both my cousin Joshua, his girlfriend, and I, to leave the compound and avoid the others that were of a similar nature. However, sadly, when we got to the gate there were guards everywhere. Joshua and his girlfriend smiled at me, before he told me, softly, Jared, only one of us can make it through. So, Amira and I are going to lead the guards away.

They both hugged me gently, then ran out, attracting the attention of the guards. AS they ran out, Josh pushed Amira into a building before she could attract the guards attention. After pushing Amira out of sight, Josh smirked at the guards as he ran past them. Josh's smirk enraged the guards, causing them to focus, on and chase after, him while shouting, IT'S THE TRAITOR, GET HIM, HE'LL KNOW WHERE THAT BASTARD SHADOW AND HIS WIFE ANGELUS' CHILD IS!!!!

As he ran in the opposite direction, Josh smirked at me over his shoulder, followed by the guards, who, in their enraged state, left the gate completely unguarded.

I quickly got Amira from the building she'd been pushed into, and we slipped through the gates together. After we got through, she said she was going to the nomads, since she had nothing left for her in the Compounds. She started to ask me to come along, but rather than listening to her, I started running into the wastes around the compound. As I ran I swore to get revenge on my family's murderers, and any who supported them.

As I ran into the wastes, my companion Luna, a wolf who had above human intelligence, ran out of the gates and started following me. Seeing her out o f the corner of my eye, I turned and motioned for her to turn back. She shook her head at me, as if to say No, we are pack. I sighed before saying, It's going to be a hell of a journey Luna, you sure you want to come along? She nodded and the two of us ran further into the wastes around the compound. The two of us were thinking about how this had once been a lush vibrant land surrounding the city, well I thought about that, while Luna merely seemed to think the wastes were a literal waste of land since there was very little prey.

After about an hour of running the two of us stopped, and I started considering my situation. The first thought to pass my mind, was I had no skills in surviving in the wastes around the compound. I had never been allowed outside it's walls, unlike the scavengers who were trained to work through in the wastes. Realizing this I swore as I admitted I knew nothing about the surrounding area thanks to the deforestation by the beasts, and nature itself seeming to turn against the humans who lived in the compounds. Ironically, if you were to go anywhere on the continent outside the central area, and other areas compounds were found in, you would find lush vegetation, fresh water, and so much more. Scavengers were trained to go to these areas while surviving the threats, monsters, and people of the wasteland.

I considered that a while, then dropped to my knees realizing my situation, and whispered I'm just a young guy, alone in the world with nothing, and no one to support me. Josh, why'd you have to do that? Why'd I have to shun Amira in my anger, and why did Mom and Dad leave me? I felt the tension flowing through my body and closed my eyes.

Luna looked at me and whimpered softly. I closed my eyes as they filled with tears and whispered Luna, I don't know what to do. I don't know where we should go, how we're going to survive out here, or even what the future holds. So, you know what for the first time in my life, I feel like I have to ask this of whatever powers that be. Can someone, no better yet, can anyone or anything, give me a sign as to what I should do?

Almost as if in answer to my prayers I heard my mother's words echoing in my mind Jason, we left something important for you at the house, when you get the chance go ahead and retrieve it. I whispered to myself, Thanks Mom. I opened my eyes and turned to Luna then asked, Do you know the way to Sena City Luna? She nodded with a wag of her tail then her ears started to droop and she growled. I blinked and asked, So, you know the way, but it’s infested with beasts? She nodded causing me to swear softly then say, That is going to be a problem. However, it's the only place we can go at this point, can you lead me there Luna? She nodded with a soft whine and gave me a look that basically asked if we were seriously doing this.

Luna set off at a brisk pace, and I raced after her before dropping to a light jog as I caught up to her. She let out a soft growl as if to tell me to stay at the rear, since I had no way to defend myself. We dropped from a jog to a slow walk. Over the next twenty minutes we didn't really see much worth noting, After the first hour we saw our first signs of life. It was a small shoot sticking up out of the ground straining for the light of the sun. I sighed softly before whispering, What a miserable world those in the compounds have to look forward to. I at least grew up in a time when they weren't needed, and the world had so much more greenery, large animal life, small animal life, and even insects. Man it's a sad day in the world when you wish you could see normal sized ant mounds, or those damned squirrels who threw nuts at me.

After my comment Luna let out a woof, that sounded as if she was asking why I left the compound. I sighed softly and said, They would kill me if I were to return to that compound, or take my most prized possession. After saying that, I pulled out my dad’s journal and showed it to her then put it back in my shirt and continued, "I’ve been that journal's guardian for quite a few years now, and I can’t let it fall into anyone's hands.

I'll hold onto it until I see my parents again, and I can give it to them. Saying that I should admit I haven't even read it yet. That said, just because I can't go back doesn't mean you can't. Whether you decide to go with me or not, you need to go back and at least say goodbye to your old pack." She considered my words a while and nodded then nuzzled me and started to head back toward the Central Compound. I prepared to move on, when I heard the sound of something approaching from behind me.

I slowly turned around, only to see Luna behind me growling softly and crouched as if prepared to fight. I quickly picked up a nearby stop sign and turned to face whatever she was growling at. Luna was staring at the ground a few feet in front of us, with her ears swiveling then let out a loud bark as if telling me to move. I jumped to the left, just before a beast suddenly jumped out of the ground right where I'd been, it's eleven limbs moving so fast, the light seemed to flash off them because of their blinding white coloration. I slowly got to my feet and studied it as it turned to me letting out an evil hiss.

I could see that it stood about ten feet tall, had eight blade like legs coming out of its sides, two large claw like arms, the head of a human with warped and twisted eyes, a mouth that was full of serrated edged teeth, and it's body ended