From the beginning, p.1
From the Beginning, page 1
Copyright
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FROM THE BEGINNING
Uncommon Bonds – Book 3
Copyright © 2023 William E. Noland
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ISBN (EPUB Version): 1622537181
ISBN-13 (EPUB Version): 978-1-62253-718-1
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Editor: Lane Diamond
Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Interior Designer: Lane Diamond
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE:
At the end of this novel of approximately 117,919 words, you will find two Special Sneak Previews: 1) DAY OF JUDGMENT by William E. Noland, the next installment (Book 4) of the “Uncommon Bonds” series of supernatural thrillers, and; 2) DEVIL’S DANCE by Jeff Altabef, the second novel in the multiple award-winning “A Nephilim Thriller” series of religious fantasy thrillers. We think you’ll enjoy these books, too, and provide these previews as a FREE extra service, which you should in no way consider a part of the price you paid for this book. We hope you will both appreciate and enjoy the opportunity. Thank you.
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eBook License Notes:
You may not use, reproduce or transmit in any manner, any part of this book without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews, or in accordance with federal Fair Use laws. All rights are reserved.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only; it may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to your eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.
Books by William E. Noland
UNCOMMON BONDS
Book 1: Playing with Fire
Book 2: Hammer to Fall
Book 3: From the Beginning
Book 4: Day of Judgment [Fall 2023]
Books 5-6 in planning and development.
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William E. Noland’s Website
What Others Are Saying About This Series
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PLAYING WITH FIRE (Book 1):
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“Playing with Fire by William E. Noland is a fascinating and exciting story that has depth and different cultural references. This shows how much effort the author put into the story and added to the already amazing writing and plot. I really loved how the narrative switches between Lotte and Eric to the creature, as we don’t often see the perspective of the monster in novels. It gives the story a unique edge and helped with the progression of the plot overall. The characters were also so well described, each with a distinct personality, but with plenty of room to grow. This was a fantastic story and I enjoyed it very much. I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of the fantasy genre.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Miche Arendse (5 STARS)
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“I seldom read a book and start laughing out loud, but with Playing with Fire... this happened more than once. If you like adventure and humor, you will love Playing with Fire by William E. Noland. The vivid descriptions of the characters in the plot make it easy to imagine everything; I really could see the monster before me. Eric’s inner monologue is extremely amusing and made it possible for me to feel a deep connection with this character. Eric also grew as a character immensely throughout the book and it was exciting to see who he became as a person later on. Waiting for the next book is going to feel like an eternity. I can’t wait to read more about these characters who later on felt like friends.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Antoinette Wessels (5 STARS)
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“Playing with Fire by William E. Noland started with the entity talking and, I must be honest, I was confused and also immediately intrigued. I wanted to know more about this entity. I just kept turning the pages and could not put it down. The chapters alternated between Lotte and Eric, and the entity, and flowed naturally into each other. The story was fast-paced and very interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat... I enjoyed reading Playing with Fire and recommend it to readers who love supernatural thrillers. You are not going to stop after this one; you are also going to want to read the other stories in the series.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Alma Boucher (5 STARS)
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“This is hard to put down. You just keep wanting to know what will happen next. An unlikely friendship develops into a story that keeps evolving as it goes along. Very imaginative and interesting writing. Somehow Mr. Noland seamlessly connects the past and present for an adventure that will keep you wanting more. A mixture of history, myth and fantasy that stands with any fiction writer today.” ~ Rick Moser
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“This was my first time reading something in this genre, and I really enjoyed it! Excellent writing, fast-paced action and great character development. Can’t wait for the next one!” ~ Robyn R. T.
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“I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s one of those novels that keeps you up past your bedtime because you can’t wait to find out what's going to happen next! The characters are rich and well rounded, and Eric’s internal dialogue often had me laughing out loud. I found myself really growing attached to Eric and Lotte, and even sympathizing with the monster. Overall, a great read. Looking forward to Book 2!” ~ J. V. Francescato
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“The story is split between today and a dark time in the past. I love Lotte. She is her own person. It is interesting to watch her transformations and how they affect Eric. He wonders throughout the story whether he is in love, or is it just a friendship. Either way, the author keeps you guessing because it always takes two to tango. Does Lotte feel the same way? The question should be CAN Lotte feel love? The storyline builds suspense and it is a mystery to the reader, you just know the two worlds eventually collide. And when they do! WATCH OUT.” ~ Michael N. Ruggiero
BONUS CONTENT
We’re pleased to offer you not one, but two Special Sneak Previews at the end of this book.
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In the first preview, you’ll enjoy the first chapter of DAY OF JUDGMENT by William E. Noland, the next installment (Book 4) of the “Uncommon Bonds” series of supernatural thrillers.
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Coming Fall 2023
FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:
UNCOMMON BONDS Series at Evolved Publishing
In the second preview, you’ll enjoy the First 4 Chapters of DEVIL’S DANCE by Jeff Altabef, the second novel in the multiple award-winning “A Nephilim Thriller” series of religious fantasy thrillers.
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GOLD MEDAL WINNER:
Readers’ Favorite Book Award - Fiction - Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
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OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!
FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:
A NEPHILIM THRILLER Series at Evolved Publishing
Table of Contents
Copyright
Books by William E. Noland
What Others Are Saying About This Series
BONUS CONTENT
Table of Contents
Dedication
FROM THE BEGINNING
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Special Sneak Preview: DAY OF JUDGMENT by William E. Noland
Acknowledgements
About the Author
More from William E. Noland
More from Evolved Publishing
Special Sneak Preview: DEVIL’S DANCE by Jeff Altabef
Dedication
To Nick, Sharon, Chris, Valerie, and Tess, and to bonds reborn.
Prologue
I am fleet as feather, fierce as flesh, staunch as stone.
Forged by a god, then gifted to his son, who became my master, I served both with savage loyalty. By their decree, thousands died.
Countless more knelt before our unyielding might. But fortunes change more rapidly than the surging eddies of the Southern Winds. When my master became imprisoned for his perceived avarice, all for me went still and silent... until now.
Once again, I am fleet as feather, fierce as flesh, staunch as stone.
This night, I am reborn.
Chapter 1
Radicofani, Italy (roughly eight miles west of Sarteano), August 2015
“Try to hold it steady! You’re wigg ling it around too much!” Lotte’s words resounded like the sound of dumpsters being loudly emptied by spiteful trash collectors at 4:00 a.m.
Eric took an extremely deep breath. This was not going as planned, but then very little had gone as planned so far on this, his and Lotte’s first big vacation together. He froze in place and glared at her where she crouched by the laptop and the rack of data collection equipment.
He struggled mightily to maintain his composure. “Can you remind me what this contraption is called?”
“It’s the WHG, Eric. You know this.” With her German pronunciation, “WHG” sounded like “vey-ha-gay.”
“Yeah, I do, but humor me. What does WHG stand for again?”
She heaved a great sigh of frustration. She was already covered with sweat, and it wasn’t even noon.
Under the Tuscan sun, indeed!
After three days of this, she looked like a boiled lobster. Even copious sunblock and an oversized Aussie safari hat couldn’t save her pale skin from the fierce solar bombardment, and it definitely wasn’t improving her mood.
“Alter! It’s the Werner Hand Gehalten! I’ve told you this before. Can you please just hold it steady? And remember, take exactly equal steps... one second each... and keep the sensor about six inches from the ground. Scheiße! We have to start this pass again!”
Not wishing to make the situation worse, he restrained a bitter laugh and backtracked to the starting point. “Well, reviewing our joyous German lessons, I seem to recall that Hand Gehalten means ‘hand-held,’ right? Last time I checked, hands tend to move around, particularly when you’re walking over rough terrain. In other words, I’m holding the damn thing as steady as I can while I help you get all these readings... sweetheart.”
Her tone changed to one of dismay as she fiddled with the settings on the computer. “Oh, I know! I’m sorry. This is all such a disaster. We were supposed to have plenty of time, but that ridiculous train strike threw everything off schedule. Stupid Italians!”
On this, she’s right. Well, about the train strike, anyway.
Eric had found the Italians to be lovely people, and he knew she was just venting. The WHG, however, was supposed to have arrived in Florence from Berlin five days ago. The plan had been to drive up from Murlo, near Poggio Civitate, where they were staying, get the device in Florence, and then go on to Sarteano.
The Werner Institut was sponsoring Lotte to give a talk at the upcoming WIA Conference in October, which would feature their new portable data collection technology. She got to pick the spot to survey, which was really too good to be true. Overtly, she chose Sarteano because of the ongoing digs around the Tomb of the Infernal Chariot, plus the fact that she and Eric had already planned a nice vacation in Italy. No matter that none of their intended program had included archaeological data collection, but that was a different issue.
Covertly, of course, this presented a perfect opportunity to survey the area around where Mason and Emilia had found Charun’s portal. Despite eating a good chunk of their vacation time, Lotte couldn’t pass up the chance. Even Eric had eventually agreed, if a bit begrudgingly, though he kept that to himself. Unfortunately, with the train strike, their schedule had been totally messed up. Things had gotten pushed back, and what was supposed to be done over four days had to be squashed into barely three, with only one day to get all the data around the once-buried temple.
The Sarteano samples for Werner had been collected over the past two days. Jose, who had taken over for Mason two years ago as Dig Supervisor, and some of his dig team helped out. All of them stood to benefit greatly if Lotte found anything.
Eric mostly just sat around and watched, sweltering in the intense heat.
Hey, if there were tents to set up, I’d have set them up.
Now, however, his services were required. They both worked secretly and frantically near the overlook that had washed into the river two years ago, hoping to find some indication where another nearby temple, presumably Vanth’s, might be buried, before the Werner equipment had to be packed up and shipped back.
“I know you’re frustrated,” he said, trying to calm both of them, “but this thing isn’t so easy to use, and we’ve been at this for hours. I’m getting tired. I really am doing the best I can.”
The WHG looked like a large metal detector, a square sensor about two feet on each side attached to a long pole with handles. The device was deceptively light, and an arm attached to a shoulder harness helped the operator with additional support, but it was still a tricky piece of equipment to wield manually. It could be mounted to a small chassis with four large wheels, but that only worked on pavement or extremely smooth terrain.
The WHG was essentially a feature-packed ground penetrating radar, or “GPR,” unit. It used triple-frequency stepped ultra-wideband electromagnetic pulses in the microwave band of the radio spectrum to map subsurface objects and structures up to almost fifty feet deep, depending on soil and other conditions.
Its sensors combined the advantages of pulse and stepped frequency radar, along with a magnetometer to measure concentrations of magnetic materials that might disrupt the radar readings, such as fine-grained clays and silts whose high electrical conductivity caused loss of signal strength, or dense, rocky, and heterogeneous sediments that scattered and weakened the GPR signal while increasing extraneous noise.
The device transmitted the data it collected to a nearby receiver, which was stored in a rack-case along with an amplifier, a specialized band-pass and spatial filtering module, and a spot for the removable laptop, with proprietary software that recorded the processed signals. The final scans would later be uploaded via an encrypted link to Werner’s mainframe in Berlin, for deep analysis by sophisticated artificial intelligence programs, and from which 3D stratigraphic models of the subsurface could be interpolated.
At least, that’s what Lotte had said. Eric didn’t pay too much attention to all the techno-geek talk.
Train strikes notwithstanding, the WHG was far cheaper and easier to employ than having to arrange aerial scans. The drawbacks were the relatively small effective range, due to the amount of data the device collected, and the fact that particularly rough areas might need many passes to get a steady and complete reading of the area. This made using the device somewhat tedious, but for taking detailed scans in the field, the WHG really was a revolutionary, reasonably portable, and imminently affordable apparatus. Werner had more powerful systems that operated on helicopters or drones, but they were vastly more expensive to set up and operate—not to mention less... well... secret.
“I know,” she replied. “I’m tired too. This is all I’ve done for the past two days. Thankfully, Jose and the others helped out so I could take breaks. You’re doing fine, and I really do appreciate it. I’m just so wound up.”
No shit.
She continued as she typed on the laptop. “You’re supposed to be able to make multiple passes to get a larger sample size, which Werner’s AI modeling can use to create the most accurate image. With all the delays, though, we just don’t have time. We’ve already cancelled Siena, and we have to be in Florence tomorrow. All you’ve done for days is sit in Sarteano and wait. I’m ruining everything for you!”
Eric halted once again. “Say what? What do you mean you’re ruining everything for me?”
She flashed him a look as though he was an idiot. “I mean this isn’t what we planned. It was already bad enough that Werner cut into our time, but this delay has been awful. If Alberto and I hadn’t driven to Milan to get the stupid WHG, we’d probably still be waiting. That was a whole day lost, and you had nothing to do, on top of the past two while you were just sitting around.”
“Well, I basically knew it was gonna be like this. I’d have helped you and Jose if anyone had asked, but apparently you all had it under control. If you recall, I also offered to go to Milan. I’d have even driven. We have the car.”
“I know,” she moaned, “but Alberto knew the way and how to avoid all those ridiculous speed traps so we could move fast. Plus, he knew who to talk to at the station, and how. It just seemed silly to have you stuck in the car for eight hours, plus all that insane running around trying to find what train the WHG was trapped in. I thought you’d be happier here. Really, it was quite hopeless either way.”
