Tora (The Tora Trilogy Book 1)

Prologue

~†~

Dusky amber sunset relieved shadows cast upon the luminous valley below.  A seam of faint feather soft clouds hovered amid the glow of blazing sun. Tentative rays rested on the bonnet of the lonesome black Sudan, hauling up the steep prominence. The rusty old engine rattled as the car swerved around yet another windy road and laboured against the sharp incline. Stiff shift into fourth gear, sent the car sputtering. 

As soon as Daniel slammed the car to a halt, he leapt out.

Time was slipping away.

Daniel’s stormy eyes searched the eastern horizon. The sunset was all too distant now. A thick haze swept across the sky, reflecting Daniel’s unpleasant mood like a mirror. His eyes were as grey as the clouds which trailed behind, tugging on lazy sky. Abrupt as the engine faded, the sky’s warmth culminated, dissolving beneath dark clouds. The weather was descending quickly into turmoil – along with the girl.

Daniel’s eyes scanned the plateau desperately, for the girl he had met once before.

And there, she was.

Enveloped in a beacon of iridescent light pouring endlessly from the heavens, the girl in the distance was stooped over with her back to him. Her smooth black hair flowed from the crown of her head to the small of her waist.

An angelic sound rang in Daniel’s ears.

She was singing.

Her melancholy voice penetrated his soul. Pulled on the tendril strings of his consciousness. It echoed over the hills, silencing the drone of the valley.

Something soft brushed Daniel’s back, distracting him. A slight pull tugged at his shoulders. He arched the muscles in his back as his wings extended.

Throosh
of wings beat overhead.              

Daniel glided smoothly over ground. The cool wind brushed with an almighty
whoosh
over his skin as he soared through the air.

As he touched down, he shielded his eyes from a belt of light leaking through a pocket in the sky. Yellow glare rained down, bursting through the clouds, tinged with red flames. 

When Daniel reached her, she didn’t turn. She was still and quiet. She gazed solemnly into the distance. He noticed her wings, white and fluffy had broken free. When Daniel reached out to touch her hair, she flinched away. Her wings were trembling. Daniel sat down and pulled her in for a warm embrace. She didn’t pull away, but she buried her face in Daniel’s arms and whimpered softly.

Daniel knew the girl was in danger, but he didn’t want to panic her. The best way was to calm her down quickly and convince her to trust him so he could lead her away. She was vulnerable here. The outcasts would soon catch on. As soon as a young mortal transformed into an angel, a strong scent would carry. The last thing Daniel needed was the outcasts. When they interfered, a bloody and brutal battle ensued.

“Who are you?” The girl said quietly in all innocence, lifting her head away so she could see Daniel. Her voice was jaggered. She wiped tears away from her eyes and sniffed. Her face was pale grey – ashen and her pensive bewildered eyes were a dazzling shade of emerald. The girl chewed on her lip nervously.

Daniel smiled and bowed his head down briefly. He had contemplated telling her before the truth behind her existence, but he knew that she wouldn’t understand him fully – until her wings unfurled. Up until this moment, they were worlds apart.

“I’m an angel, like you.” He whispered softly back, turning his head toward her. Daniel squinted his eyes as pure light stretched to blind his eyes.

He watched the colour drain from her face.

Daniel knew it would take her time to accept her new future. It wasn’t easy for a mortal to transition to a world she never knew existed.

Lucille clasped her head in her hands for a moment, letting the thought sink in. Her long hair wavered in the breeze. She looked up. Her face was pale, her lips were trembling and she shuddered.

“I wouldn’t expect you to…..”

“No Daniel.” She said. “I think I’m going mad. I am drifting into mortal toil.” Her voice was grave.

Tears pooled in her eyes. Daniel watched nervously and waited …..

Above them, the clouds shifted and swirled through the dark sky.

She looked into his eyes.

“How do you know?” She asked, curiously, leaning closer to him. Reading the determination in her demeanour, he approached the answer cautiously.

“It is my duty, to preserve and protect you.” He explained, turning away, then pausing in doubt.

He could feel her eyes drilling into the back of him.

Something tugged at Daniel’s heart that told him he was pushing the envelope. But suddenly it didn’t matter to Daniel. If it meant breaking another rule, it would have to be. He decided he couldn’t hold back. He was with her and they were together. And for that moment, he couldn’t see anything else. Foolishly, selfishly, his greedy heart wanted her. Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat.

He continued. “But, that isn’t the only reason. I love you Lucille, more than anyone in the world.”

The sky clamoured.

It burned, boiled and churned. The feathery clouds frayed and the twinkling stars were no longer visible.

Daniel had seen this sorry sight before. And he instantly regretted it.

Every fallen angel that had ever been cast down from heaven had gone through this experience.

In plight of Zeus’ outrage, a tumultuous storm was nearing.

Another angel would fall – and tumble into the agony of the underworld.

“Daniel.” A low voice chuckled mirthlessly, sending a chill down Daniels spine. His wings naturally tensed.

Daniel’s heart raced. What had he been thinking? To declare his love? It was
forbidden
to go against Zeus’ wishes. His mind had been hanging in a faraway place. His words had tumbled out of his mouth like a stream spilled over the edge of a bank, before he had a chance to take them back.

“Lucifer.” Daniel said in disgust. The word tasted bitter in his mouth.

“You have failed to fulfil your duties once again.” Lucifer’s voice was stone cold.

“I’m not giving you any chances Daniel.” The voice boomed through the clouds.

“No! Please!” Daniel pleaded desperately, dropping to his knees, and extended his arms, trying to grab hold a piece of distant pastime.

“I’ll do anything, if you don’t hurt –” He swallowed.

His eyes flitted sparingly over to the girl. How could he have pulled her into this? He thought.

But it was too late –

Lucifer was gone.

He pulled his head back, devastated. When he looked back to the place Lucille had been standing, he was surprised to have found her still standing there. She looked far away.
Impossibly
far away. Their eyes locked and a jet of warmth cursed through him. Standing in the midst of a fierce black storm, clouds swirled around her. The length of her tender trance-like gaze, made him dizzy. He was powerless.

Gazing into her walnut coloured eyes, he saw a speck that reminded him of that island he dreamed about as a boy, the place he had always yearned to be. A dream that now felt like a distant past time. Glowing recognition sparked in her walnut coloured eyes. Even a small smile was working its way into her cheeks.

He felt numb. Daniel jerked his head away, realising what was happening. But before he could reach her - the world sank like a heavy heart. Then he heard a howl, the agonising cry of a burning soul and he could almost feel the pain. Understand the pain. Because he had felt it before.

Jet of black ink spilled across the firmament.

A popping sound radiated from the clouds.

And in a crescendo…………

Lucille burst into flames.

Then the world lit up like the blaring light of the brightest star …………. And blacked out like a lamp.

One

~†~

Daniel’s mind was clouded with anxiety.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to cast away his peripheral visions. He clenched his eyes together. He couldn’t think straight.

There was only one person who could revoke his anxieties. A girl whom he glimpsed through the scope of his imagination. When damning thoughts flitted through his mind, her presence caused them to drift, like dissipating clouds.

Day by day, night by night, he’d studied her complexities. Feline, quick tempered and half-determined. Her personality at last was beginning to take shape. The demeanour he had waited his whole life to see, was unravelling – quickly. In a narrow space of time. And now……he was preparing himself to take on the world. He was about to turn over a fresh leaf into a new chapter, a new journey, a battle he would never be able to prepare himself enough for. He was ready to risk
everything
- for her.     

As time was lost like the waves which crashed back to the sea, new things transpired, revealing more about her identity. The knowledge he had gathered from just observing her – was priceless. But this was not sufficient – it wouldn’t be enough – until he saw it with his own eyes. To confirm his suspicions.

Daniel noticed a small wooden sign standing amongst tufts of dead grass. It looked out of place, out of context. It was nothing special, and nothing short of welcoming. Ancient, but distasteful.
What era were we in?
Daniel thought. The letters vaguely spelled
Florida.
One thing was certain. They were heading in the right direction.

“GPS?” Drake smirked, seeming to sense Daniel’s frustration. His tone hinted sarcasm, as if he understood it would be an impossibility.
It wasn’t.
But they were expected to
know
their sense of direction by now. What good would a GPS offer them anyway? The monotone was irritating and assumed the basics. Yet, if another issue cropped up, they would be left to fend for themselves? Or worse – the outcasts? 

“What will we do now?” Drake asked diffidently. Daniel leaned forward.

The Sudan had been going 60.

In the churning vehicle for half an hour. Chewing 9km into the journey. They had endured the bumps and potholes of rugged, country terrain. Coupled with frequent stops to allow absent minded cows to cross a seemingly invisible road. They didn’t have time on their side.
Daniel
couldn’t afford to mess around. Daniel ran his hands through his dishevelled brown hair and concentrated in thought.

“Call them.” He said finally. “Tell security we need a Jeep with enough diesel to last the journey, right away.” He felt his body tense.

Daniel’s eyes blazed. Like the fiery intensity of the never where sky. His head was lost in the clouds. He watched.

Charcoal clouds smothered the waning sun. A swarm of lively birds swooped across the sky before a dark blanket crept over, swallowing the livelihood of daylight nature.

Then – silence enveloped the valley.

He blinked and turned to face Drake.

“Actually.” He paused. “I’ll see what I can do.” He loosened his seatbelt and opened the car door, allowing an unpleasant stench to waft and overpower the scentless air inside. He wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction and walked up to the bonnet of the Sudan to examine it. The tinny metallic sheet was reluctant to budge until the screeching of rusted old metal joints pierced Daniel’s ears. His muscles pulsed as he heaved open the car bonnet. A Cloud of smoke leaked from the tattered engine, polluting the cool, breezy air. Burning embers punctured the remaining fragments of machinery. Oil sizzled over the pipe work. It was evident, that Daniel could do nothing. Except – wait, patiently for external help.

He sensed the scene had changed. The essence of light – from a dismal grey to a thin, airy layer – almost transparent – the colour purple.  He tilted his head towards the sky.

The sky was changing. Clouds steamrolled in front of the sinking sun. A purple haze crept over, shedding incandescent light on primrose tufts anchored in small garden beds arranged towards the edge of a cliff. Daniel wondered why they flourished here, out of all places – on the edge of a brittle cliff that no one stopped to appreciate – to pause and behold.

Daniel shrugged and looked to Drake through the windscreen. “This baby won’t cut it.” He forced the bonnet shut, and a large crack appeared, exposing layers of derelict rust which had accumulated. How did this car become so unreliable all of a sudden? Daniel had been the first to use it? 

But then it dawned on him. The enemies. They had the power to change almost anything. He thought bitterly back to the last heated battle he had with them. He reviled in the pride they took in the cold hearted killings of other innocent lives. They relished their own ruthless actions.

Skilfully mastering the art of the supernatural.

Daniel hoped to avoid them this time. But he was wrong to think that – they would
always
come back. They were always on his tail end, making their dark presence known. The car wouldn’t have burned itself. He was as certain as the rigid foundations of concrete, that there was an iffy nature surrounding it. He could feel the blood in his veins pumping harder, his cheeks glowing redder, could even hint the scent of their trail. It had become gleamingly obvious to him. The outcasts were near. The outcasts were behind this. If Daniel didn’t take extensive measures this time, another innocent person would suffer at the mercy of cold hearted killers. It had pained him to see one girl go. And – he wasn’t prepared to sacrifice another. 

Dishevelled brown hair, tanned physique, luminous eyes of the ocean. Daniel’s youthful form was an accessory to his reputable reputation. His duty was before everything else. Though his history, he was mostly successful in bringing young Nephilim back home. But it wasn’t always trouble free. Fair looks lured girls in, and it was difficult to steer them away. It was like deceit; shedding false appearance and concealing the truth of reality.  

This wasn’t just another errand. It held the utmost value to South Valley and its civilians. He feared, if he made one fatal mistake, the lives of innocent civilians would be forsaken. Everything always came at a hefty price – a burden he couldn’t afford to repay.

Doubt consumed him. His experience that he believed would only help him – only seemed to hinder him. But today, he was certain, that the task on his hands was far more complex. A deep history was embedded in it – full of twisted truths and hidden secrets. Families had placed their trust in him to look after them. They were hanging on to their lives like a needle thread. One mistake could shatter their lives into shards of glass – into crystal splinters. Regardless of his experience, nothing could prepare him for what he was about to encounter.

Everything seemed as obscure as a black haze. Nothing in the past, he recalled was as burdensome as this. 

Even though Daniel couldn’t foresee the future, he wasn’t naïve that there was only a matter of time before his enemies would find her. He wouldn’t have been as concerned for the fate of one girl, if it didn’t mean all citizens of the secluded ancient province would be impacted severely.

Before Daniel had entered the world, he was predestined to become a tracker. It was encrypted into the family blood line. His ancestors had immersed him into the complex history of the past so he could retell and preserve their rich culture and traditions for future generations. They were always looking for ways to safeguard their tribe from attacks from the enemy.

Daniel was one of the most experienced trackers they had; but his honour came at a hefty price, which meant putting his life on the line. He was there to shelter others from the enemy. They cast a shadow on their livelihood; their unique civilisation.

Daniel leaned his body against the bonnet of the car. His eyes scrutinised the steep twists and turns of the mountain. Dark shadows swept vertically from the mountain’s crest down to the dense forestry which filled the vast landscape below. It was as if cold hands had robbed Mother Nature of its harmonious features. A group of white birds fled the cruel nature of the scene. Daniel didn’t have to think. There was aura, a filthy vibe to the air that said it all. Danger was near. 

The panoramic view of the landscape unfolding into the distance, was now obscured beneath a thick blanket of shadows. Secluded forest, beautiful in its rare essence stretching for miles, subtly blending into the horizon, Daniel had admired only moments ago. The dim headlights of the car barely lightened the eerie atmosphere which engulfed him. 

Heavy boots pounded against the gravel. A shadowy figure lurked over Daniel and enlarged as the footsteps progressed. Daniel felt his whole body stiffen. If he was right about who was lurking behind him now, he didn’t want to face him. He had enough to worry about. His hair wavered in the breeze.

The footsteps came to a halt abruptly. 

“And we meet again.” A snide voice boomed from behind him. Daniel stepped away from the car bonnet and turned to face the familiar voice. His eyes settled on the dark, smooth Italian boots and followed the pressed line of dark trousers up to the matching suit – connected to a face obscured by shadows. 

“What’s the occasion Alex?” Daniel growled, eyeing him suspiciously.

He was disgusted in the recent pride Alex took in his own appearance. His matted dreadlocks were gone. His blonde slick hair was smothered in a layer of gel and combed back neatly. Alex’s skin had darkened a few shades since his last meeting from a pale deathly white to a sun kissed tan. His face was cleanly shaven around the jaw and he took on a new fashion sense. But the usual flare to his black eyes hadn’t changed. They were as hard and cold as he remembered.

But he wouldn’t appear for nothing. There was always a reason – an explanation for his sudden arrivals. What was he after this time?

Alex was always looking to cause a stir. He liked to remind him the tension was still high. Daniel really didn’t want to get involved in his antics. They were always intended to divert him off his target. The worry that Alex would come back at some stage to cause a stir, was instilled firmly in the back of his mind.

Alex’s smiled broadened. “Lighten up a bit, mate.” He snickered. “Can’t you complement the fact that I went to all the trouble to find this smart outfit?” He said. Alex smoothed over his suit and grinned at Daniel.

Daniel ignored Alex’s remark.

“Where are you going wearing something like that?” He asked. The soft tone of his own voice surprised him. He had meant to sound demanding.

He knew he had simply rephrased the original question, but Alex hadn’t supplied him with a reasonable answer.

“There is no occasion.” He said. “I’m just keeping myself sharp and sleek.” He laughed.

“Why should I lighten up?” Daniel grimaced. He took a step back to widen the space between them. “You killed her.” His voice was jagged. “A member of my family.” Daniel swallowed and narrowed his eyes, meeting Alex's imposing demeanour evenly. 

Alex chuckled. “Oh, I would do anything to keep the conflict in the air.” He said darkly, diverting his attention to something hidden in the shadows. 

Daniel’s agitation was mounting. “Don’t ever come near us again!” Daniel yelled. A few months ago he had lost one of his most promising changelings to the hands of a monster. It was a steep learning curve for him to never abandon anyone in his care away from him. He reviled over Alex’s fascination in human bloodshed. 

His eyes glowed crimson red. “You look terrible Daniel.” He tried to insult him, but Daniel remained firm. 

“Don’t try that on me.” Daniel grumbled. “I’m sure I don’t appear as terrible as you do underneath that deceiving outfit.”

“Nice come back.” He smirked.

“You’re a traitor.” Daniel said irritably. “Now what do you want.” He folded his arms and glared at him.

“You’re lucky I wasn’t in the mood for hunting today.” He said darkly, staring at the ground. Alex was keen on taking his time. 

But his patience was wearing thin.

“I know who you’re hiding Daniel.” Alex spat suddenly. His demeanour was cold and dark rims circled his dark eyes. 

Daniel cursed under his breath. He dipped his head down. This was the last thing he needed. 

“And I won’t stop until I find her.” Alex snarled.

Daniel had had enough of his remarks. His clenched fist slammed hard against Alex’s right arm.

He appeared alarmed, but he held him back rigidly. 

“If you hurt me, I’ll hurt her.” Alex said simply. He met his gaze evenly.

“You’ll never keep to the contract.” Daniel replied bitterly, avoiding his eyes.

Alex’s grip tightened. “Lose the anger, or you’ll lose everything.” He said, glaring at him. “But it’s your choice.” 

Daniel didn’t have a choice. He wouldn’t risk it, even if it meant compromising with his enemy, his family’s enemy. 

“Fine.” Daniel yanked his arm free from Alex’s harsh grip and backed away. “But don’t want to see you around anywhere.” He said stiffly. 

“You can count on me.” Alex said. He’d surprised him. But Daniel couldn’t be sure if that wasn’t one of his sarcastic remarks.