Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller by Brandon Ellis (easy to read books for adults list txt) 📕

A hefty cheer engulfed the area and Grenik dropped his hand. “Proceed to the coffer and when in East Rise, may the Law of One be with you. Defend yourselves and defend those of our friends in need, and bring them all to safety.”

The soldiers spun on their heels and marched to an opening at the base of the pyramid, their gold clad armor shimmering brilliantly from Jupiter’s light and the light of Jupiter’s innermost moons. The troops held energy spears and tridents as they traversed across the gray, white land.

Twelve stayed put and Grenik Star motioned to them. “Do you wish to proceed, Rivkah?”

“Where’s Jaxx?” she asked.

Bogle looked down, gathering information through her head phones. She shook her head. “He chose another route.”

For a moment, Rivkah wanted to pick up something and throw it across the room. She should have known he’d chicken out and ditch them. It was nothing new with Jaxx, especially in her life. The asshole always had a way of throwing her to the wolves.

Grenik rested his hand on her back. “He would have given his life, had there not been another option.”

Rivkah shot him a look. “I’m giving my life right now. My other option was to run, but I decided against. Obviously Jaxx hasn’t changed.”

“Either option he chooses has the slightest chance to save us all. He has chosen wisely, my friend.”

“Says you,” replied Rivkah, calming herself, something a captain that has been in charge of many people learned to do over time, especially in the Secret Space Program where people died left and right and the only thing keeping the survivors alive was a calm, cool, and collected leader.

And, truth be told, Rivkah was happy to take her anger out on the Kelhoons rather than Jaxx. She’d be calm until those pricks were in her crosshairs. “So be it.” She made her way past Grenik, picked up a helmet attached to the wall, and walked out into the cold air. They were in a crater, three pyramids on hills stood before her, an obelisk to her right and Lady of Atlantis to her left. She trudged toward the warriors that headed to the biggest of the pyramids.

A cold wind blew against her, but her suit of armor somehow kept her warm. Her ears and face, on the other hand, felt the touch of the arctic-like frost.

She put her helmet on, her head and face instantly warming.

Grenik caught up and handed her a rifle. “Here you go, Captain Rivkah Ravenwood.”

She looked down at the rifle in her hands, studying it. “A PR-8. Where did you get one of these?”

“We have several we recovered that were floating undamaged in space from Star Warden’s demise.”

She patted the rifle. “At least you found something good out of it.” She looked through the scope. It still worked. She glanced behind her. “What are they waiting for?” Tos Team, her team, was huddled together.

“A pep talk, of sorts. Usually the team leader does that.” He gave her a wink.

“Nah, not me. No more. Let’s get this shit done and over with.” She faced her team. “Hey, Tos Team. Get over here. We have Kelhoons’ brains to smash.”

Tos Team looked at each other, obviously not expecting their leader to be so harsh. They dipped their heads and began their walk.

“Let’s go,” Rivkah waved them forward.

They tread to the foot of the Great Pyramid. Rivkah stopped at the entrance, gazing at the top of the pyramid. Its golden apex glowed, lighting up the sky, electricity flamed outward like lightening at the pyramid’s uppermost point. What was she getting herself into? She was going to teleport? Literally?

Vzzzoooom!

Rivkah fell back as the pyramid’s apex let out a beam of golden light and a craft, approaching at a ridiculous speed, plummeted straight into that beam, a white flash enveloped the sky, then the electricity died down and the craft vanished.

She pushed herself to a standing position. “What was that?”

“Jaxx,” said Grenik. “Pray that he completes his mission successfully.”

She waved a dismissive hand. She didn’t care. She had other things to worry about. “Jaxx, you coward.”

She stepped inside the pyramid, ducking her head when she entered a narrow and shallow tunnel. Several soldiers were in front, waiting their turn to enter the coffers and teleport to East Rise’s Akmon Pyramid. By now, Din Team were in combat with the Kelhoons. And, as if on cue, a dozen almond shaped starfighters zoomed by, zipping toward East Rise, ready to pin the Kelhoons to the ground, if everything went right.

In war, nothing goes right.

“It’s our turn,” said Grenik. He gave Rivkah a slight nudge.

“What?” The long tunnel was empty. “Scotty beamed them up that quickly?”

“Who beamed them up?”

“Never mind.”

Rivkah walked up a long ramp, almost crawling she had to bend down so low. “Who designed this piece of shit? You could have made it a little easier to walk through.”

“It’s designed by our master engineers. This isn’t just a passageway for people. It’s for energy, water, and orb clusters to enter and exit. It’s made perfectly to create conductivity—”

“Okay, got it,” interrupted Rivkah. “Let’s skip the quantum physics.” An opening came into view and Rivkah entered a wide, deep room, surrounded by black granite walls. An empty, stone sarcophagus, otherwise known as a coffer, sat in the middle.

“Everyone place your hands on the coffer,” ordered Grenik. “And, for those that can’t, put your hands on our backs.”

Rivkah placed a hand on the coffer while holding her rifle in the other. Grenik stood next to her, doing the same. One by one, the rest of the team placed their hands on the stone coffer, except for two who didn’t have room. A hand touched Rivkah’s back.

“Hi Rivkah,” said Bogle, booming into Rivkah’s mind.

Rivkah jerked back, startled. “Don’t do that.” She looked at everyone, pointing to her head. “Bogle’s on the line.”

Bogle spoke. “I guess I just press this button and—”

Everything went white and Rivkah watched as her hands faded in front of her, then