Death had faced him and he had faced death.
Atlantis Alta – the Atlantean name for Callisto – had needed him. Rivkah had needed him. And he rose to the occasion.
His pineal gland took over, his third eye opening. Through it, he saw the energy of everything in the pyramid he had just left: hearts beating rapidly in every Atlantean’s chest, more nervous than he was; rays streaming in from Jupiter’s light through a small hole in the pyramid’s apex; Liberty, the Queen of Flood of Dawn, was aglow, light pouring out of her skin, creating an aura of rainbows; and Rivkah and Fox channeling an energy he’d never experienced before, still rushing through their hands even though he was gone.
He blinked several more times. He was in a new place – on another center stone in another pyramid.
He twisted off the center stone, his boots landing on the hard, granite floor. He backed away, his hands up and butted against a wall. A breeze drifted across the front of his body, bringing the scent of nature – trees, flowers, wheat.
Wheat?
He glanced over the rock slab lying on top of the sarcophagus. He didn’t know if he was dreaming or dead. If this was death, it was a damn sight livelier than he’d expected. Got to keep moving. There was something he was supposed to do. A tunnel descended on the other side of the sarcophagus – his exit.
“Hello?” his voice echoed off the walls.
Karoooooj! Karoooooj!
The ground trembled and a sound erupted, penetrating the room. It came from outside.
He walked toward the tunnel, bracing himself against the center stone as the ground shook a second time. More explosive resonance shattered across the chamber. He crouched, ducking under the shallow frame that made up the tunnel’s entrance, and headed down, hoping to reach the outside – wherever and whatever outside was.
“Hello?” he called out again.
No reply.
Karoooooj!
The tunnel vibrated and Jaxx slipped, landing on his rear end, then slid down the passageway, pointing his boots out to catch him when he hit the ground.
Karoooooj!
He stepped through the opening and out of the pyramid, a bright yellowish-blue light shone everywhere. A village of white huts, made from a shimmering material; fields of wheat-like grain, tall as corn stalks, were laid out in front of him and went on for miles. A massive pyramid hovered twenty feet or so above the ground and spun in the distance, a red light blinking at its apex.
“Where the heck am I?” He turned and gazed up at the white pyramid he’d just exited. His pyramid’s capstone was golden and gleamed brilliantly under the two suns – one sun blueish-white, the other yellow-white, together casting a yellow-blue hue that suffused the air.
His mind raced, searching for answers. This must be the afterlife.
He stepped back, glancing around, his body heat rising from the humidity.
A hiss echoed across the land, loud and far away. He glanced in the sound’s direction. A pyramid was lifting off the ground, a sandy cloud curling beneath it. The pyramid spun and hovered twenty or thirty feet off the ground, its golden apex changing to a blinking red light.
He frowned, his jaw dropping. He’d never witnessed a freaking pyramid hover, let alone lift off the ground and off its foundation by even an inch. Who had? What was it doing? Were rocket boosters going to unfold from the bottom and propel it out of the exosphere?
He scanned the area, desperate to find who in God’s name was controlling that thing.
Karoooooj!
Jaxx jumped back at the deafening, unearthly sound, the ground rumbling. He looked towards the new noise. Again, his mouth fell slack, this time in horror, rather than awe. Large black combat-mechs with their thick, monstrous torsos and arms, giant legs, twin barrel cannons on their shoulders, and fire billowing out of their feet, were entering the planet’s atmosphere, leaving a smoky trail behind them.
Jaxx spun, eyes wide, and ran toward a wheat field, the stalks taller than him, something he wasn’t used to. Wheat never grew this tall on Earth.
His heart racing, his feet taking him as fast as he could go, Jaxx barreled through the tall grains, the sounds of more combat-mechs filling the air, the ground trembling under his feet.
His breaths came fast, his arms pumping up and down, his shoulders slamming against the hard wheat, granules splashing across his face and body.
He stopped, surrounded by the long, thick wiry grasses, their tan color matching the terrain. He didn’t know how long he had run or how far, but he was surrounded, lost in the sea of heavy stalks.
A crunch – the sound of someone stepping through the field. Then another crunch. Then another. The steps came closer, the wheat shaking as someone or something made its way toward Jaxx.
Another combat-mech ripped through the sky.
The footsteps stopped. The wheat’s movements ceased.
Something touched Jaxx’s sacrum and quickly ran up his spine, making his back tingle. He spun, staggered, feet planted slightly wider than his hips, ensuring his body’s weight was distributed fifty-fifty on each foot, ready for the coming fight. He brought one elbow and forearm close to his body, protecting his solar plexus, liver, and ribs, his hand in a fist. He brought the other fist close to his face, positioned on his jaw.
But no one was there.
He closed his eyes, observing the energy field around him. A Being was a few feet away, hidden in the vast field of stalks.
Jaxx opened his eyes, his boots were caked in dirt and whisks of grain. He dropped his arms by his side and straightened himself up. “Why don’t I fear you?”
The wheat rustled. A Being in a brown robe, a hood covering his head and face, stepped forward and came into view. The man was a good six feet taller than Jaxx and twice as wide, and reached just under the tip of the wheat stalks.
Jaxx stepped back in disbelief, shock pounding his core.
The Being dipped his head. “You know me, Jaxx.” The voice was low, almost a growl, but pleasant and welcoming, like a wise, old man.
“Where am I?” said Jaxx.
Another loud noise erupted in the sky, more combat-mechs on their way to do God-knows-what.
“You’re on Leonia, near the Dog Star, also known to you as Sirius, 57.3 stars of celestial navigation away from your Earth. We are in the constellation Canis Major within the Galactic Arm of our Milky Way. My people are energetically attached to a pyramid network grid, connecting many planets. The pyramid network has been closed since the ancient days. You’ve opened it back up. The network was closed for a reason, Jaxx. Of all people, you should have known this.”
Jaxx pointed to his chest, his heart pulsing, his mind opened to the pyramid network spanning from planet to planet, galactic arm to galactic arm. A wind swirled around him and he took in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. An orb of energy shot down from the heavens and penetrated him, downloading information into his body and mind, through his DNA, unwrapping more strands. “There is more to it, wise one. The hieroglyphs and scrolls on Callisto mentioned that I was the Atlantean’s savior. Yet, I missed a step, and so did my friends. A very important individual was supposed to be present during my ascension to another plane, a plane that would halt all negatives on Callisto to usher in a bright new age upon that moon. Captain Katherine Bogle wasn’t there. That was a mistake, a missing ingredient in the primordial soup. I opened up the network, yes. However, the missing ingredient would have created a secure opening within the pyramid network. Without Bogle, I opened up what could be considered the gates of hell.”
The old man dipped his head. “Ah, the gates of hell you say?” He gave a hearty laugh. “Not possible. There is neither a good or bad with this, only how you individually perceive the moment.”
Jaxx shrugged, took his eyes off of the old man and looked toward the sky. Combat-mechs were falling fast, and more were coming in. A ship crested the horizon, just above the exosphere. It was bigger than any ship he’d ever seen, including the Secret Space Prog
ram Star Carriers. “How should I perceive this?”
The old man bowed, uncovering his hood, revealing a lion’s face, huge purple eyes, a yellow mane, and a serious expression. “I’d suggest you run.”
2
J-Quadrant, Solar System ~ Flood of Dawn, Callisto
Rivkah leaped back, staring at where Jaxx had just been. He had disappeared right before her eyes.
Fox put his hands out. “Where the fuck did that guy go?” He turned, glaring at Liberty, gritting his teeth.
Rivkah took a step forward, wiping the mess from her eyes. Embarrassing, how could she let something like this affect her? Jaxx came back to save them all, and he did. Now he’s gone. Dead.
She fell to her knees, grabbing at her heart, and sobbed. Why did she have to have these feelings, this sensibility, this pain? In spite of all her good intentions that piece of shit, Jaxx, had grown on her to the point that she couldn’t help but long for him, think of him, and worst yet, cry for him. And, of all things, he just surprised the ever-living hell out of her by giving his life to these people, to her, for their ultimate survival.
Yet, he was gone. And no matter how much he bothered her and for so long, that bastard deserved another starfighter battle, another swing at someone’s face.
She wiped more tears from her eyes and nose, flinging the blubbering discharge on the floor. She grabbed her hair and screamed from her belly, a scream she held in since she was a child, since her dad first pushed her down and pulled off her pants. She screamed again. Harder. The pyramid shivered, dust falling from the ceiling and on top of her.
And then silence.
She was acting like a fool. She raised her shoulders and swallowed the last of her sobs. Her armor clamored. She’d almost forgotten she was wearing the Atlantean war attire.
She cleared her throat. She had to forget Jaxx. She had to fight every feeling she had for the son of a bitch who saved her one moment and screwed her over the next.
She wiped off her knees. Her voice cracked. “I don’t feel him anymore. He’s gone. Dead.” She shook out her hands in an effort to relax her body, hoping the initial shock of his disappearance would soon pass. In fact, she wanted to kick the shit out of the initial pain, throw it in the garbage, and burn it.
Liberty’s eyes widened, and Rivkah could see fear enveloping her. “Where is Captain Katherine Bogle? She did not bear witness to this? How did I let this happen?” She raced out of the chamber and down the steep tunnel.
Rivkah and Fox gave each other a look.
“Fox, what’s happening?” asked Rivkah.
“Don’t ask me something you know I don’t know, Riv. I’m going to find out.” He tipped his head to the side, gesturing for her to go down the tunnel first.
“That your idea of chivalry?” Rivkah’s lip curled. She did nothing to hide her derision. Fox was a steaming sack of crap and he didn’t care who knew it. She walked around the sarcophagus and into the shallow tunnel, inching her way down the descending grade. Liberty was already gone and the sound of her quick feet pounded on the ground outside. She made it to the bottom of the tunnel and looked over her shoulder.
Fox was on Rivkah’s tail, having a hard time, tumbling, his armor clanging like tin against rock, arms flailing. He tried and failed to stop himself from twisting and turning as he spilled out onto the ground.
Rivkah raised her eyebrow, giving Fox a glassy stare. “And you made it to Captain? How?”
“Oh, bug off.” He put his hand up for her to help him up.
She snorted and reached for his hand.
He swatted it away.
“Classy, Fox.” She turned her attention to the distant city, set deep in a crater and surrounded by a glass dome. The landscape was dotted with trees much like the blue atlas cedars back home, except their needles were tinged with blue, pink, and orange. Right alongside the evergreen-look-alikes were palm trees bearing orange fruit the size of watermelons. Yellow ferns sat atop hills. Waterfalls cascaded down the rocky hillsides, and cathedral-like palaces dotted the highest terrain in the city, almost overshadowed by the tree houses spread out everywhere, connected by a plexus of bridges.
Liberty was running toward the city.
“She’s headed towards Flood of Dawn,” said Rivkah. “Why is she freaking out?”
Fox swatted his pants and small poofs of dust escaped at every swipe.
The ground trembled and a gale-force wind lifted them up, slammed them to the ground, then pushed them head over heels away from the pyramid.
Violent, angry reds and yellows glowed upon the vista.
A cloud appeared to the east and mushroomed towards the heavens, beautiful but deadly.
Rivkah scrambled to her feet. “What the hell is happening? I thought we ended this. No more war. Especially no freaking nuclear war. I thought Jaxx’s death –” She fought the urge to scream. She had to get a hold of herself, to pry herself free from Jaxx. “We shouldn’t be having a war. He gave his life to end it.”
Fox clapped, perhaps to get her attention, perhaps in a show of bravado or machismo. He was annoying as all fuck. “Stop should-ing all over yourself,” he said. “Military life doesn’t have any shoulds, coulds, or woulds. Liberty just killed a Secret Space Program asset that the SSP very much needed. These Atlantean nutjobs know exactly what they’re doing. They’re looking to sabotage the SSP. We need to warn our people…”
Rivkah dashed toward Liberty. Liberty would know what to do. She was from Callisto. This was her home. She’d set them straight.
Fox followed.
“Liberty.” Rivkah was almost hoarse from shouting after the disappearing Atlantean, but the woman was fast and there was no gaining on her, no stopping her.
Finally, they passed through the doorway to the city. The horror of the mushroom cloud fell away and Flood of Dawn became a place of calm and ease for her again. The air was sweet, fresh, fragrant; even the oxygen was richer, more satisfying; Rivkah could feel the difference with her first breath. The door to the city shut behind them and they were enveloped in silence. Rivkah and Fox followed a path through a small wood. Birds, all purples, glowing greens, and sparkling silvers, called, “Nooo-ey Nooo-ey,” as they flew from tree top to tree top.
Flood of Dawn was designed to soothe the senses, but she couldn’t allow herself to fall into a beauty-stupor. She needed to hold on to her anger, her alarm, her sense that something awful had just happened on her watch. She waved Fox forward, her voice low and urgent. “Come on.”
“I do my own bidding, woman. If you want to catch her, then move it. To me, she is a traitor, just like Jaxx was. And, I say was. I have a new man in my sights, more treacherous than my...brother.” He rolled his eyes at his last word.
Rivkah imagined that Fox was probably thinking how could Jaxx truly be his brother. It sounded odd to her ears, as well.
The thought was ridiculous, but more than words – her feelings, these new powers surging through her – were telling her that it indeed was true. Jaxx and Fox were brothers, through and through.
Rivkah picked up her pace, leaving Fox behind. Whatever or whoever this new man was that Fox had in his sights could be explained later.
The cobblestone path opened up, widening as the forest ended. A palace was before her, crystalline in nature, like all the structures in Flood of Dawn.
Liberty was standing at the palace’s entrance, her long dress ruffling in the breeze. She was vocal, gesticulating fiercely, as she talked with one of her army commanders. She was confused, angry. Something Rivkah hadn’t seen from her in the short time she’d known her.
“Liberty,” Rivkah yelled. “What is going on?” She took long, confident strides toward the couple, readying herself for any attack, just in case she was being wronged in some way, something she was used to.
Liberty motioned for the commander to enter the palace, turned, and walked toward Rivkah, stopping a few steps in front of her. “Why didn’t you remind me?”
“Remind you
about what?”
“About Captain Katherine Bogle. As you know, she left us. We can’t locate her. Yet, I forgot. You forgot.”
“Forgot what?” Rivkah wanted to pound her in the face to just get it out.
Liberty crossed her arms at her chest. “You knew she was named in the prophecy. She was a major player in that prophecy.”
Rivkah put her hands out, palms up, begging for an explanation. “So? Spill it!”
Liberty’s stance widened and she put her fists on her hips. “She wasn’t in the vicinity, Rivkah. According to the prophecies, Bogle was supposed to be with us during Jaxx’s final ascension. Jaxx did indeed leave us us, but did not die, which is why the war is still happening. All Negatives are inbound and heading our way.”
A spark lit in Rivkah’s heart. Jaxx was alive? Her chin trembled, but she held it together. If she could jump up in relief, she would, but for some strange reason, this woman in front of her was like Fox and seemingly couldn’t care less about Jaxx being dead or alive.
“Death is nothing to fear. It’s moving from one vehicle to the next, only to enter another vehicle in time. There is no pain. It is all love,” said Liberty, as if responding to Rivkah’s thoughts. “I love Jaxx as if he were my own. Our bodies are priceless and I do not take what Jaxx attempted to do – give himself for the benefit of the rest – lightly.”
It was Rivkah’s turn to widen her stance and place her hands on her hips. “Where is he?”
Liberty closed her eyes, concentrating. When she opened them, her blue eyes were beaming. “I don’t know. I can’t locate him. I know Jaxx via his energy signature and he is a man who will be back. He will attempt the other path to save us, to save humankind.”
“To save humankind?”
“Yes. Humanity is in danger, as well, including all Postive Beings in the galaxy. But we must find Bogle. She is one of the keys.”
Rivkah huffed. “She tried to kill me. She killed Morning Star.”
Liberty lurched back, clutching her chest. “She was the one who killed Morning Star? I thought —”
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 49