Books with author Matt Hebert

It’s been nearly a year since Sembado joined the rebellious Elephant’s Guild, and escaped his life-long home beneath the Pacific waves. Now he must infiltrate his way back into the sub-aquatic complex to discover his grandfather’s secret to defeating the government’s terrifying, flesh-eating energy. With the help of his enduring companion, Kaluna, Sembado will turn to balance rather than rage just as chaos threatens the entire complex.

Can the world be saved by a child warrior?They are the Arcana -- human beings plucked from their normal lives to battle an invading army of demons. Named after the major trumps of the tarot, they are endowed with magical powers reflected within the cards. They are Justice, the Hermit, the Chariot, the Moon, the Tower. Conscripted into duty and held prisoner within a towering enclave, they are sent forward against their will to combat an onslaught of monsters the armies of the world cannot stand against.And the price they pay is great.This is a 20,000 word novella with an occult-kaiju-superhero theme. Here is an excerpt:"...When I notice the new Justice, almost hidden in the crowd, something closes in my throat. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. She is a little girl. Not even a teenager. An American judging by her t-shirt and sneakers. I don’t breathe for several seconds. A child has never been chosen for the Arcana.The horrified look on my face is noticed by the new arrivals. It doesn’t help their anxiety. Borges comes up behind me.“Is this right?” he asks when he sees the girl.They ask me questions like that as if I know the answers. “How could it be?” I say.The others are all looking at me but I can only stare at the girl. She was about the same age as my daughter the last time I saw her.The sword of blue fire already glows upon her hip.“Welcome to the Arcana,” I say in our private language, trying to hide my duress. “We will try to answer your questions as best we can, but to be honest, there’s not much we can tell you. You already know what your powers are. You already know what role you play. You know why you’re here. Beyond that, I can show you where the bathrooms are. The rest is theory.”“Are we going to die?” The World asks. I meet her eyes and shake my head, helpless. “I don’t know.”