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

“Care about what?”

Her shirt crinkled when she shrugged. “Everything. I’ve done what I thought I was supposed to do. I thought God planted me here to kill Grenik.”

Rivkah cocked her head to the side. What an intriguing answer. “Grenik was a good man. He did nothing to harm you. In fact, from what I heard, he caught you with his craft after Star Warden blew up just above Callisto’s exosphere. He saved your life. You repaid him by leading him to his death.”

Bogle looked down. “That was my error.”

“That’s not the only error. You left us all to die. You led us into a trap.”

“Do you know what Grenik means? Do you know the significance of that name?”

Rivkah stared into the fire, thinking.

“Don’t worry. You won’t be able to answer, Riv. Grenik translates to Morning Star. The devil was named Morning Star before he fell from grace. I thought I’d killed the devil. I thought I was doing right by God.” She shook her head. “No, I did wrong by him. Morning Star was the devil’s name when he was good. Morning Star was good, not yet broken by the evils of jealousy, of envy, of lust, and greed.” She paused for a moment, looking up at Rivkah. “I broke a commandment: thou shall not kill.”

“Are you—”

Bogle put her hand up, interrupting Rivkah. “I know what you’re going to say. And, yes, I was dumb, naive, bull-headed, and I am that word you were going to use—stupid. But I have changed. I ran, I learned, and I gained strength in the process. Psychic strength through our God Almighty. And, this...” She stood and closed her eyes, concentrating. The fire hissed as if water had been thrown onto it, then vanished. The cave was pitch black. A moment later, the fire rose to an enormous height, beating against the rocky ceiling, then died down to where it was before it flickered out.

Bogle opened her eyes. “Did you see that?”

“Well, hell yes, I did. You’re turning into Jaxx, but I haven’t seen him do that before.” Rivkah moved another few steps away. “You’re not going to do that to me, are you? I’ve already been burned to the bone. I don’t want to experience that again.” Chills ran through her body. The memory was still vivid in her mind.

“I’m not going to harm another hair on anyone ever again. That’s not the Christian way.”

Rivkah wanted to giggle. What another lame-ball idea posed by a religious freak. “Well, you do your thing and I’ll do mine. Anyone tries to kill me? They get killed first. That’s my motto, sister.” She inched her way toward a corner of the cave. “By the way, you need to come with me. We’re going to get Jaxx back.”

“I know where their camp is.”

“Whose camp?”

“The Kelhoon. The leader who took Fox. They’ve been moving closer to Flood of Dawn. They aren’t far away from this spot.”

“How close are we to Flood of Dawn?”

“Three klicks north.”

Rivkah caught her breath. That was too close. By morning, they could invade and kill off everyone inside the city. “We have to warn them.”

Bogle slowly shook her head. “Let’s get the Kelhoon from inside their own camp.”

“One against thousands?” Bogle had really lost her marbles. “I’ll pass.”

Bogle clapped her hands together and armor clamored as heavy steps came from the shadows. Men and women in Atlantean armor stepped forward, tridents in their hands, revenge in their eyes.

“Welcome the warriors of North Light, here to surprise the Kelhoon. They are the followers of the Law of One, but I won’t judge them for that. They come from the city north of Flood of Dawn. They know me and will follow me because they are told, in the prophecies, that I am their leader.”

Rivkah shrugged. “Okay, where exactly is the Kelhoon camp?”

“We’re in a passageway between North Light and Flood of Dawn. The Kelhoon are directly above us.”

Rivkah looked up. This was, undoubtedly, the weirdest conversation of her life. She gestured at the ceiling. “Right there?”

Bogle nodded. “It’s time to fight.”

“Wait, now? This very instant?”

Bogle closed her eyes and a blue light beamed from the fire. The ceiling where the beam penetrated began to smoke and small grains of sandy rock fell from the beam’s impact. The cave started to shake, then a blast from the fire shot through the ceiling, exposing the sky.

Bogle, eyes closed, lowered her hands, then raised them in one fast motion. Instantly, three soldiers burst up through the hole and above ground. Bogle continued her odd movement, pushing more and more soldiers through the hole.

Cannons began roaring across the sky accompanied with small explosions. A fresh battle was underway and by the time Rivkah had caught her breath, Bogle had magically lifted the last soldier out of the passageway to the battle ensuing above.

Rivkah puffed out her cheeks. “Well, it looks like you have everything handled.” She turned to leave, but her feet wouldn’t move, wouldn’t budge an inch. She was planted in place.

“Rivkah, they need you. We all need you.”

“Uh...I have no weapons.”

“You have the greatest weapon of all. Your Chi.”

And like that, in a flash, somehow Rivkah stood next to Bogle. “What the hell?”

Bogle closed her eyes and lifted Rivkah above the lip of the tunnel and into the open.

Bombs and plasma charges detonated everywhere, tracer fire hit trees, slamming against armored Atlanteans, and bloody screams from both sides filled the combat zone.

Rivkah went for her weapon. Still not there. Off in the distance, she heard a scream—a child’s scream, a little girl’s pleas for help.

“Not again.” She charged forward, heading toward the Kelhoon camp. Up ahead, Leaping Lizard starfighters, KH1 heavy tanks, and KH29 rocket barrages lined the camp’s perimeters.

She pulled up every emotion she could muster as she ran toward the encampment walls. Her hands burned hot, her central nervous system went into overdrive, and her mind cleared. Her sight was now like an eagle, her instincts like a cat.

She was ready to kick ass