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

Abdu took a steady breath, gathering himself, and pulled the trigger several more times. The Kelhoon with one arm jerked back as a bolt, then another, landed square in his chest. It lost its balance and dropped its rifle, going listless and falling to the white, snow-covered terrain. It lay motionless.

A Kelhoon came from behind, snagging the fallen soldier’s rifle. It now held one in each hand.

Bogle pushed off the dome and thrust her hands outward. The land around the Kelhoon exploded. Snow-covered rock and soil erupted, throwing the Kelhoon several yards back. “Go, go!”

Rivkah turned, rushing past the building and out into the open. A camp wall was only twenty yards away. To Jaxx, it would be an easy run, an easier jump, and the best means to escape. They all could do it, even Bogle. All they needed to do was not look back.

Abdu and Bogle moved, their feet pounding against the earth.

Fox shoved a Kelhoon out of the way and came to a stop, placed his rifle in the crease between his shoulder and pec, and targeted Rivkah. He shot.

She glanced over her shoulder.

The charge sunk deep into Rivkah’s back. She stumbled forward and crashed to the ground.

Jaxx gasped and opened his eyes. “Fox! You piece of shit.”

Kiyo-zan pressed his hands on Jaxx’s shoulders. “Daijōbudesuka?”

Jaxx was filled with fury. He clenched his fists. “No, I’m not okay.” No more being nice. No more trying to find his way with his magic, his powers, his Chi. He was going full force now. Screw the Kelhoon, those lizard-headed pieces of shit. Screw the Agadon, the artificial intelligence assholes. Screw anyone standing in his way.

A rumble pierced the sky. A ship, black and diamond-shaped, ripped through the dark clouds. Lightning struck the craft, illuminating it in a brilliant silver glow. It was the Agadon, the galaxy killers, the race destroyers. They were here by way of a glitch in their central processing units, programming them to rid the universe of anything breathing, anything sentient.

“We need a ship of our own,” said Jaxx.

“We need to find the Kelhoon base camp, Jaxx. We need to make them understand that they have to fight with us to defeat the Agadon threat. That is our next mission, our next prophecy to fulfill,” said Zara. She stood proud and tall, her whiskers twitching as she stared Jaxx deep in the eyes.

But his mind was on Rivkah. He couldn’t turn from her. And it wasn’t just because she was the love of his life. If they were to save the Atlanteans and secure Callisto, he and Rivkah had to be reunited. “The prophecy is nothing without Rivkah, Fox, and Bogle. Those are our targets. We’re heading northeast, then we fulfill whatever the prophecy wants us to fulfill.”

The prophecy was a thorn in Jaxx’s side. He had to give his entire life, all his new-found energy, to ridding Callisto—and perhaps the galaxy—of the negative Beings, namely the Agadon, from invading planet upon planet, and decimating race upon race. But that was cosmic justice in action.

He hung his head. It was his fault this pestilent scourge had been let loose. He’d opened the pyramid network with Rivkah and Fox, but not with Bogle. The prophecy had been clear: all four of them were required to work together to open the network. Only then would the Light and Bright Beings, with positive and peace-loving vibrations, be permitted to travel the pyramid network at will.

Jaxx straightened himself and faced his fate, head-on. It was what he was created to do, it was the reason he was born—to fulfill this prophecy. The combination of his human and Atlantean DNA sequence was the key to the network.

“Get the Kelhoon on your side. I am telling you that is what is most important right now,” explained Zara.

Jaxx gave her a sharp look, a look that would shatter most human souls. It didn’t faze Zara in the least. “Trust me, Zara. The Kelhoon will never be on our side. No convincing will do any good.”

Remnants of the glass dome that had once encased Flood of Dawn’s lush, fertile city, were broken and smashed throughout the grounds. The glass was the barrier from Callisto’s cold, outside environment—an environment that had now stolen the life from the vibrant trees, rivers, and plants that had once thrived there.

Jaxx could barely contain his disgust. His stomach flipped and he bit back the urge to vomit. He bent down, touching the dead sabretooth tiger’s head. It was Queen Liberty Speidel’s pet and companion. He closed the majestic creature’s eyes. “Where is your master?” He knew the animal was dead, but the tiger’s body still held cell memory, even if its brain wasn’t functioning.

An energy swirled into his hands like electricity. He stiffened, and his arms went rigid. Static filled his ears. To his surprise, Liberty spoke through her animal. I’m in my palace, Jaxx. I know you’re searching for your friends, and a ship. Rivkah is still alive. I know you feel that. My transport ship is in the palace with me. It’s yours now.

Liberty’s energy was low. Too low. The transmission quickly faded and Jaxx was left staring at his hands. He stood and waved his friends forward. “Follow me.”

They hurried up the hill and around a murky pond filled with rotting pine needles and bloated fish.

Zara dashed forward, her long legs pushing her past Jaxx. “I can feel the Queen, Jaxx. We need to get to her quickly.”

They ran for several minutes, dodging debris and circling columns and obelisks until they rounded a corner and came upon the palace. Its crystal structure spiked toward the heavens, the immense building’s translucent walls gleamed, and its mighty towers reached far beyond the city’s rooftops.

They burst through the two doors, moved past the great hall, and into a dome chamber. Liberty was on the floor, her body bloody, her clothes half torn. Fresh slash marks riddled her chest and face. A transport craft was next