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

Laughter filled the forest. Laughter that wasn’t human.

“Where are you?” asked Jaxx.

“Over here.”

Jaxx turned, seeing a figure in a dark blue robe, hood draped over his face.

“I’ve been waiting a long time, Jaxx. You’re in the prophecies. You’re loved by many. Hated by more.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m someone not in the prophecies, someone more powerful than you in every facet of life, in every way of being, someone who deserves a place in our galaxy’s Akashic records, records of everything that happens in our galactic life.”

Jaxx shifted from one foot to the other, watching and waiting for the robed man to make a move.

The Agadon waived a hand and the ground in front of Jaxx exploded, lobbing clumps of dirt at him. Ineffectual, but startling.

“What do you want?”

“Why did you follow me, Jaxx?” The robed man floated forward, gently landing on his feet a few meters from Jaxx.

“I—”

The man put his hand up. “I know why. You wanted to know how I can do what you can do. You want to know how I can do even more than you. Isn’t that a little naive, though, Jaxx? You thought you were the only one in the galaxy who had these powers?”

“I’m not—” Jaxx stopped himself. If this guy assumed that Jaxx thought he was the only person in the galaxy with these powers, then all the better.

“You’re not the only one?” The man took another step forward, shaking his head. “Your thoughts reveal too much.” He looked up. “Rrriivkahh. Is that how you say her name?” He lunged forward, pushing out with his hands, throwing an energetic force against Jaxx, hitting him square on the chest. It picked him up, tossing him against a tree.

Jaxx grunted on impact and slid down the trunk and onto his backside. He pushed himself up, bringing up all the energy he could muster. Any emotion he could dig up—the anger, the pain of being abused by Slade and being shot by Fox while inside Underfoot Black. He pushed his palms outward, moving energy like it was a toy and threw it at Taz.

Taz sliced the air with his hand, dissolving and dissipating the energy to a mere breeze. He chuckled. “I’m not as easy to push around, am I, Jaxx?”

The Agadon jumped and spun in the air, performing a flying back kick, focusing his energy through his legs and out his feet.

Jaxx went into a defensive crouch. The energetic kick landed against his side, toppling him over. He rolled on the ground, holding his abdomen, cringing in pain. He tried to get up, then a sharp, unforgiving knife lunged into his lower back. He yelped like a dog as a burning sensation ran up his spine. He arched and fell on his stomach, reaching for the knife stuck in his back.

It wasn’t there.

Was the knife energetic? Ethereal? No blood. Only pain.

Jaxx took a deep breath and went to his feet, his arms up, hands in fists.

Taz leaned back against a tree. “It’s just energy, Jaxx. See?” The Agadon showed his palms. He twirled his hands like a magician. “It sure felt like a dagger, huh?”

Jaxx touched his lower back, nodding, sweat dripping off his chin.

Taz clapped his hands loudly and Jaxx lifted off his feet, slamming him onto his back. He slid ten meters across the forest floor and toward the Agadon until he stopped at Taz’s feet.

Taz sighed, wiping his hands together. “I thought you’d be more of a challenge.” He circled Jaxx. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. You bested me in our starfighter battle, but how well did you do on the ground? Not so good, Jaxx. Not. So. Good.”

Jaxx crawled backward, closing his eyes, conjuring up energy, heating his hands until he couldn’t take it anymore. He yelled, lashing out, throwing the energy through his palms and at Taz.

The Agadon flinched for a moment, then snorted. “That was a good one. It almost felt like a baby slapped me.” The ground stirred and Jaxx was thrown. Head over heels, he belly-flopped onto the forest floor, knocking the wind out of him. He rolled to his side, sucking in as much air as he could, his spasming diaphragm making it difficult.

The Agadon pulled a long sword from behind his robe. “I like the old fashion way of killing. Don’t you? There’s such a satisfying crunch, when steel meets bone through flesh and gristle.”

Jaxx pressed his hand against the soil and pushed onto his knees, coughing. “Don’t...”

“Don’t what?”

A branch cracked and the Agadon went rigid, his arms stiff at his sides.

“He doesn’t want you to hurt him anymore.” Abdu walked form behind a tree, his paws aimed at the Agadon.

“Unwrap me, you filthy Leonian,” yelled Taz.

Abdu leaned over and helped Jaxx up, still keeping one paw on the blue-man. “As you wish.” Abdu dropped his arm and Taz went limp, falling to the ground.

Taz threw off his hood, revealing a bald, blue man snarling with blood-shot eyes. He windmilled his arms, thrusting energy at Abdu.

Abdu stood his ground. He put his hands together and bowed. “If you leave now, I’ll let you live. If you don’t, then I’ll defend myself and my friend. You’ll not live through that exchange.”

The Agadon paused then backed away through a throng of trees, slithering into the shadows.

Abdu grabbed Jaxx’s arm and pulled him to his feet. “We better get going before he brings some of his friends.”

Jaxx nodded. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. I haven’t done that in eons. It was fun.” He slapped Jaxx on the back. “Now, let’s get going.”

They rushed through the forest and entered the meadow, the grasses stirring in the wind.

Jaxx glared at his hands. “Why didn’t my powers work on him?”

“You and that Agadon have one thing in common. You think the energy that courses through you and out of you is power, and only power. You think the power is to defend yourself and do harm to those you’re defending yourself against. You and your mortal enemy have no idea what Chi