Spirits of the Earth: The Complete Series: (A Post-Apocalyptic Series Box Set: Books 1-3) by Milo Fowler (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📕

natural-born, we are all human. And while the evil spirits have sworn never to act against us directly, they obviously have persuaded Cain to act for them. To wield their sword.”

He gestures for me to join him as he breaks into a jog toward the retreating dust storm. I keep pace with him.

“Sergeant Bishop was taken up in a whirlwind, Samson said. But where to, I have no idea.”

“The spirits move in mysterious ways.” Luther sounds like he might actually be smiling.

When we reach the wall of rushing dust and plunge through without incident, we find Samson leading our fellow survivors northward with no destination in sight. But the air is clear on this side, and the people are sheltered from the sun’s harsh rays by the sand wall following us on our journey.

Rehana reappears as Luther sprints ahead to join Samson at the front.

“To answer your question,” she says, “the United World sergeant is in Eden. So is Milton. Together, they will protect your offspring from harm.”

“What about Cain’s people?” Why do I care what happens to them? Do I want them to die? “Will they be slaughtered?”

“You will see for yourself.” Rehana points as Luther, Samson, and Shechara approach, along with two dozen others. The rest of the troop continues to trudge northwest.

“They’re looping back around to the Homeplace.” Samson catches his breath. “If they’re lucky, they’ll miss the UW onslaught entirely.”

“They will,” Luther says without any doubt. “With the Creator’s blessing.”

I frown at the eager, well-armed group around me. “What’s all this?”

“We’re following Cain’s war party.” Luther rests a double-barreled shotgun against his shoulder.

“No chance we’re leaving those babies in his hands,” Samson adds.

“But the spirits said not to march—” I begin.

“We’ll let Cain do the marching,” Samson says. “He’s going at them head-on, and he’s going to meet the heaviest resistance. He’s got more men—”

“And women,” Shechara says, checking the clip in her semiautomatic.

“—and a lot of them are the Milton variety. Extremely fast. They’ll cut a swath through Willard’s daemons, but then they’ll be surrounded and have to fight their way outward. What we’ll do is drive in from the flank, pushing the freaks into Cain’s onslaught as we head for that parking structure we all remember so well.”

His plan is far too simplistic. “You don’t think Willard will have the whole place rigged with explosives?”

Samson shrugs his massive shoulders. “Another option? We hang back, let Cain’s warriors go in first and set off any booby traps. Then we follow.”

Rehana tugs at my sleeve. It never ceases to amaze me how the spirits can interact with us. “Cain must not reach your young ones first. He will destroy them.”

“What?” I face her.

“Daiyna?” Luther says.

Rehana continues, “Milton and Bishop are there to protect your offspring. When you arrive at Eden’s door, your friends will usher you inside.”

“How do you know they’re in control of the situation?”

Rehana almost smiles. “There is a reason we selected those two men. Nothing will stand in their way. Trust me.”

I frown at her. “So now you want us to go to Eden.”

“Samson’s right.” She winks. “Cain will do the marching. You’ll sneak in sideways.”

Luther clears his throat. “Will the spirits be joining us?”

Rehana nods. “Tell him we will. And we’ll protect the others on their way back to your Homeplace.”

“You can do that—be in more than one place at a time?” I sound like a child, full of curiosity.

Rehana grins, looking more like herself than ever.

Luther strides ahead, breaking into a jog again, and the others follow.

“Guess I’ll bring up the rear,” Samson rumbles, struggling to keep up due to his mechanical legs. “Again.”

We follow Cain’s progress at a distance, keeping to the northwestern flank half a kilometer behind and growing, as Cain’s warriors cut the distance in their vehicles. Luther refuses to let Samson lag too far behind. Rehana keeps stride with me, explaining the evil spirits’ desire to see the unborn children in Eden destroyed. Without them, the United World has no future; they will cease to exist after their youngest generation expires, leaving the gifted to inherit the earth. But of course the UW would retaliate in a major way after such a heinous act, ensuring the destruction of humankind as a whole.

“What do they have against us?” I ask.

“The other spirits? They want revenge,” Rehana replies.

That’s something I can understand. Arthur Willard and Perch deserve slow, agonizing deaths, but right now the only urgency I feel is to save the babies in those incubation chambers. There will be time for vengeance later.

I look at the group around me, recognizing most of them. They’re my like-minded friends who want nothing more than to see Eden obliterated. But I hope they’ll see value in rescuing the children first.

Shechara leads the way, her cybernetic eyes able to see farther than anyone else’s. Already she has spotted the city ruins, along with a massive number of daemons assembled to meet Cain’s advance. She sees the frontrunners of Cain’s ranks, the warriors gifted as Milton is with the ability to move faster than sound. They have already met the daemons with blades flashing, cutting a wide path through the middle of the horde. Just as Samson predicted.

“So many…” Shechara murmurs as she runs alongside Luther and me. “These daemons are stronger than any we’ve met before. Cain’s warriors are already overwhelmed.”

“They fight alone,” Rehana says to me. “Cain’s goddess will not fight with them.”

Would this change his mind about Gaia? If so, perhaps he will also change his mind about destroying the incubation units. I’ll never forget how Milton acted while possessed by that evil spirit. Is Cain being affected the same way?

To commit such an atrocity—it’s inhuman.

Shechara continues to brief us on the battle’s developments as Cain catches up with his advancing war party. The warriors in jeeps drive at the periphery, shooting as many of the daemons as they can. They have good aim, Shechara notes. Every round fired is a kill shot.

“Are Willard’s daemons armed?” Luther asks.

“No.” Shechara’s eyes