Free The Light of His Sword by Alaina Stanford Page A

much
for Samantha’s benefit as Alyssa’s.
    “So, the truck is filled with frozen dead
animals?” Samantha wrinkled her nose.
    Gabe laughed and added, “Something like
that, they use them as decorations.”
    “I think a picture of a rainbow would be
prettier.” Samantha rolled her eyes and turned back to him.
    This time Gabe paid for the purchase, and
they headed around to the back of the building. The truck was a
short, boxy vehicle. It reminded Alyssa of the delivery trucks that
came to the compound once every few months. Gabe opened the door
for the girls and said, “It’s just a day cab, but it’s got a bench
seat so we can all ride comfortably.”
    Gabe helped Samantha climb in then turned
toward Alyssa and offered her his hand. “How are you feeling?”
    “Achy,” Alyssa admitted, “My headache is
better, but my back is stiff.”
    Gabe helped her climb into the truck. He
reached into his pocket and pulled out a white bottle of pills. “I
got you these, they should help.”

    ********
    Walton stood alone in the darkness before
the altar in the sanctuary. He placed both hands on the altar and
began to chant twisted words of evil. As his chant grew in volume
and intensity, his body took on the glow of a dark purple light.
Walton’s throat began to itch and swell as he struggled to
continue.
    Walton gagged and coughed as his voice left
him. The light engulfed him and spread across the altar growing
brighter. A burst of light exploded from Walton’s chest and landed
in the center of the altar. Walton’s lips turned blue, and his
tongue protruded from his mouth. Walton stood frozen before the
altar, his eyes bulging from his head. A tall figure appeared in
the light on the altar. It was a beautiful naked man with light
hair, pale skin and black eyes. A pair of giant black raven’s wings
sprang from his back and opened wide.
    He gazed down at Walton and smiled. He
whispered, “I long to be free of human form, but it is not
time.”
    Raising his hands high, he began to chant. A
foul black mist sprang from his mouth as he spoke an ancient
tongue. The shadows around him began to boil. The altar trembled,
bursting to life as a black fire exploded around him. All manner of
foul beasts crept from the fire; large and small, filling the
sanctuary with their evil.
    Ceasing his chant when the room could hold
no more; he lowered his hands. The fire vanished. Slowly his wings
sank into the flesh on his back. He floated inside the light moving
back toward Walton and vanished inside him. The spark of life did
not return to Walton’s eyes.

    Maxwell stood next to Orson in front of the
gathering hall doors taking in the sunshine as the cold wind washed
over him. Walton appeared from the gathering hall and came to stop
before him. Maxwell met Walton’s gaze, surprised by his calm
demeanor. Maxwell said, “We managed to slow their pace. Their
vehicle is all but disabled; they won’t get much further. They are
trying to cross over the Colorado border into Kansas as we speak.
He is still with them.”
    “I called on our Master for assistance. He
has answered. He’s gathered his forces and calls more to our aid.
The stranger will fall before our minions. We have only to choose
the time and place.” Walton began in a calm tone, “I will not
tolerate Alyssa’s betrayal. Samantha will be returned to me.
Soon Alyssa will watch her hero fall. Then she will beg for the
sweet mercy of death.”
    Maxwell forced himself to concentrate on
Walton’s words. Something had changed. There was something
different about him. All his emotion had vanished. Maxwell was
encouraged. “Have you discovered who the stranger is? Where he
comes from?”
    “It doesn’t matter,” Walton whispered
locking eyes with him, “He will die quickly beneath the wrath of
the reptilian demons.”
    Maxwell glanced briefly at Orson, who
refused to meet his gaze. He turned back to Walton and asked, “What
if he is a defender?”
    Walton’s eyes flashed