Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller

by Brandon Ellis

  33

  J-Quadrant, Solar System - Namuh Farms, Callisto

  Jaxx stopped, his eyelids closing. He was receiving a message. His body shivered, his mind racing with hieroglyphs transforming into words. The pyramid was speaking to him, giving him important information.

  He opened his eyes and walked hastily into the pyramid. “Children. Things are going to be a little different in a few seconds. I need each and every one of you to hold hands with Rivkah and that nice fellow standing over there and make a circle.” He motioned toward Fox.

  Fox raised his hand shrugging, then grunted something inaudible. “What do you need from me now, Jaxx?”

  “Get in the circle.” Jaxx walked to the middle and sat down, his legs crossed like a yogi. The children surrounded him, most looking unsure, others stone faced, probably numb to everything in life following the Kelhoon’s treatment of them.

  Rivkah made her way to the circle as well, then held onto the children’s hands. Fox did the same.

  “We’re attempting to close the pyramid network now.”

  The pyramid hummed. Static electricity filled the room, sending shocks against the walls and across the floor. An energetic vortex circled Jaxx, twisting and turning, expanding his heart, opening him up to the Universe. Showers of golden light shot from the middle of the pyramid, through Jaxx. He relaxed, his body lightened, and he felt himself rise.

  A concussion burst in the structure, near the elevator, rocking the room.

  Jaxx didn’t budge. “Keep your focus. Pay attention to nothing but the hum.”

  Jaxx arched back, his heart opening even wider, and a bright light beamed through him and out into the cosmos, rocketing through solar system after solar system, connecting to every pyramid on every planet in the galaxy. He felt them all. He was them all. He was the beating heart of every pyramid ever built, from the smallest pile of rocks to the most majestic structures on far-flung planets.

  The lines connecting the pyramids were red, muddied. In Jaxx’s mind’s eye, he saw a key.

  The pyramid shook again as shell after shell detonated nearby and a Kelhoon entered the room. How it had found a way to the underground facility, Jaxx didn’t know. More Kelhoon boots slapped against the floor outside of the pyramid. He felt their anger, their heat. They readied their weapons.

  He brought his focus back to the network, the red lines growing darker. He energetically moved the key, twisting it in the vast macrocosm of space. The network connecting pyramid to pyramid shut off like a faucet.

  A wind picked up and Jaxx opened his eyes. He stood, looking over the children who still held the circle with Rivkah and Fox. Every pair of eyes was closed but Jaxx’s.

  The Kelhoon hissed and screamed, a mass of energy materializing behind them, twirling in a circle. It opened up wide and the Kelhoon were lifted off their feet and sucked into the whirling matrix. The darkness enveloped them and swallowed them whole. In the far recesses of his mind, Jaxx sensed the Agadon clattering and clambering and caterwauling in that same, dark void. The swirling mass of evil shrunk in on itself, folding and refolding, until it was so dense it became a single point of light. It blinked—once, twice, three times—then blinked out.

  The wind died down, became a breeze, then a wisp of nothing.

  He had rid the galaxy of two evil races. His heart pounded so hard, he thought it might burst out of his chest. The Kelhoon were dust, the Agadon scrap metal, and the children of Earth had been liberated. All because of his beloved pyramids.

  Jaxx stared at Rivkah. She had a tear streaking down her chin and dropping to her chest. He walked over, his mind clear, his job done. “I’m still here Rivkah. I’m still alive.” The prophecy said he would perish, but somehow, the prophecy was wrong.

  She shook her head slowly, her face as beautiful as ever, her eyes remaining closed. “It can’t be. How?”

  He leaned forward, bringing his lips to hers and kissing her gently. She opened her eyes, leaning in, her lips pressing tightly against his. She let go. “You have to go.”

  He dipped his head. “I know.”

  “What about the children?” asked Rivkah, her lips turning into a smile. “Are you taking them with you?”

  “They know what their path is now. Just like you do. And you are all here to stay. The children are to reseed this moon with the remaining Atlanteans and grow it back to its golden age.”

  A child stepped forward. “You are to help us, Rivkah.”

  “What about your parents. You’ll miss them. You have to go back to Earth,” said Rivkah.

  The children had a new glow about them, a new energy. They had been transformed by the light, by the hum, and by the pyramid. Jaxx didn’t know how, but it was true. He could see it. Hell, he could feel it.

  Another child spoke up. “Our parents are not alive on Earth anymore. They died during the Agadon invasion. I felt it and the rest of the kids here felt it. And if our parents were alive, we could still visit them from time to time.”

  “Why aren’t you sad?” questioned Rivkah. “And why am I sad?”

  Zara stepped around the corner and into the room. “Children have an easier path to evolution, to rising with the tide, than adults. You will get there Rivkah, you will help them grow as they will help you grow.”

  Fox leaned back against the pyramid wall with a smirk on his face.

  Jaxx paid him no mind and grabbed Rivkah’s hands. “Listen, I will be back. But I have to do one more thing. Earth is calling to me.”

  It was Mya, connecting through Earth, asking for Jaxx to return. It was an emergency. He had sensed she was the one to help Earth. Apparently, his feeling was incorrect, or something had changed and she needed him—Earth needed him.

  “What the hell?” came Fox’s voice. He was looking up.

  Above them the ceiling changed from black to purple to nothing as it vanished out of thin air, and a giant black ship descended. “Hold on,” said Jaxx as everyone parted to make way for the ship.

  He brought up his Chi and sent it to the pyramid’s apex. In an instant, the Chi reflected back to him with the pyramid’s response. He took a gander at the craft. “I’m supposed to take this back to Earth?”

  Fox puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head. He lifted his shoulders and dropped them. “Beats me.”

  Jaxx put his hands on his hips, looking down at his feet. “I have to go now.”

  Fox opened his mouth.

  Jaxx interrupted. “Where is the president?”

  Fox gazed around the room. “The prick ducked out on us.”

  “So be it. He was probably in on some negative scheme that Slade had.” Jaxx strode over to the ship in the middle of the room. It looked like a perched eagle with her eyes toward the sun, its wings outstretched and its wingtips touching the ground. Ion thrusters were under each wing and touching the craft’s body. Its nose was beaked, again, like an eagle.

  Jaxx touched it and from first impression, it felt like smooth granite. If so, and if this particular craft had been here for thousands of years, granite or limestone would have been the best choice to keep it weather and oxidation proof.

  Pfftcheeeee!

  Steam expelled from the craft’s belly and a ramp opened up. It slowly lowered to the ground, then clanked as it hit the pyramid’s floor.

  “I’m coming with you then,” said Fox, taking a step forward.

  Rivkah put her hand out. “You wouldn’t survive in that thing, dumbass.”

  “She’s right,” responded Jaxx.

  “My ass, I wouldn’t.” He took a few more steps.

  Jaxx turned to face him. “One, I’m the key. It’s in my DNA to step inside this craft. You, on the other hand, would die within seconds. Two, you try to get on that thing?” He thumbed over his shoulder. “Then you’ll have to come through me.”

  Fox lifted his fist.

  “And me,” said Zara. “I sure do like pouncing on prey, don’t you, Jaxx?”

  Jaxx slowly nodded his head. “Me kick
ing his ass is better than him stepping inside that ship and dying.”

  Fox let his hand fall to his side. He gestured with his other hand in a sweeping motion toward the craft. “Alright, have your fun. Enjoy Earth.”

  “You’ll help me here on Callisto, Fox,” said Rivkah.

  Fox huffed, biting his lip. He looked off, not happy about his current situation.

  Jaxx bowed his head, staring at Rivkah. “I’ll see you soon, I hope.” He took his first step on the ramp.

  “Hope is interesting,” said Zara. “Sometimes beyond all logic and all reason, you have nothing but hope to keep you going. The next step is faith. Know you’ll complete whatever task is next for you, even against all odds, and you will.”

  Jaxx held up a thumb. Easy for her to say.

  “Wait,” said Fox. He grunted, taking a reluctant couple of steps toward Jaxx. He held out his hand. “I know I’m a piss-ant, and I rather like it that way, but you’ve shown me that you’re not such a pussy after all.”

  Jaxx took Fox’s hand and squeezed, shaking it. He cocked his head to the side, smiling. “Brother?”

  “As screwed up as it is, we may actually be brothers. I don’t know anyone as bad-ass as you and me. You know, we’re pretty damn bad-ass.”

  “I know a few,” replied Jaxx. “Rivkah and Zara.”

  Rivkah moved with haste toward Jaxx. “You’re forgetting something.” She moved the hair out of her face and wrapped her arms around him. She brought her lips back to his, kissing long and hard. “Now, get up into that craft and finish what you need to.”

  34

  E-Quadrant, Solar System - Whitefish, Montana

  Drew stood inside the dispensary, or in Drew’s laymen terms: a pot shop. He was dog-tired, worn down to the bone. The shock of the bombings, deaths, and giant-ass ships was finally getting to him. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if he availed himself of a little weed. He needed to get out of his head. Not off his head, just away from his thoughts. He wanted to rest: no life-and-death struggle, no friends getting slaughtered, no little girls who were destined to save the world, no talk of him ruling squat. Just a nice couch and a bit of kush.

  He picked up a glass pipe from a shelf behind the counter and examined it, seeing the bright colors imbedded in the glass. He held it in his hand. It would be a good souvenir. Hell, he helped save the city of Whitefish—doing his little part—so what would they care if he grabbed a memento?

  On the counter was a pile of marijuana buds inside what looked like a glass cake display holder.

  “Perfect. Where the hell is a lighter?” He scrounged around the checkout stand and opened a drawer.

  Bingo.

  A bell jingled as the door opened. “What are you doing, Drew?”

  “Taking a load off.” He lifted the glass cover off of the pile of mary jane and grabbed a bud.

  “Do that later. We have to talk.”

  Great, the boy and girl relationship talk thingy. He’d heard of those before, but had never had a girlfriend long enough to ever have one of them. But this girl was not a girlfriend. Maybe it wasn’t one of those talks? “Yeah?”

  “What does Mya mean by ruling together?” She pointed at Drew and then to herself.

  Drew leaned on the counter, and breathed out a long, slow breath. “She’s only six years old. Maybe she’s mistaking rule for something else?” He wanted to get back to the task at hand.

  “Stop bullshitting, Drew. Sometimes Mya talks like she’s an adult. You know she understands what ruling is, and she has pegged you and I as ruling Whitefish and other places.”

  “Look, I don’t know.”

  Tsche! Tsche! Tsche! Tsche!

  Drew gave Megan a look, then placed the cover over the marijuana and the lighter back into the drawer.

  “Looks like a Marine is back,” said Megan, her brows furrowed, curiosity streaking her eyes. She glanced out the window.

  Drew sighed. He hoped it wasn’t Segarra, but it probably was. Reality was back, demanding he step up.

  Mya opened the door, her sweet innocent eyes staring up at Drew. “My daddy said I could stay with you and do what I have to do.”

  “You mean, to sit and chill for a while?” He knew that’s not what she meant.

  “To find the others like me and meet up with Jaxx.”

  Drew pursed his lips. Could he have a break for just a moment? He stared at the pipe for a few seconds, dreaming of wrapping his lips around the pipe’s mouthpiece and taking a nice drag. He glanced at Mya, her harmless glow flowing to him, whispering her courage, her want to help, her willingness to follow a mission to save the people of Earth—even though she didn’t know ninety-nine percent of those people. And this girl had some powers and secret insights that were more important than a puff of 420 Burnie.

  He walked over and put the pipe back on the shelf. “I don’t know how to find the others.”

  “I’m your protector,” said Mya.

  Drew leaned in more. “You mean, I’m your protector.” That’s why she was asking him to come along, wasn’t it?

  She shook her head ferociously, her eyes narrowing. “No, Drew. I’m your protector. You wouldn’t be able to protect me, or her.”

  Drew glanced at Megan then back at Mya. “What am I to do, Mya?” This was getting a little out of hand, and even wackier than what has been going on outside for the last few days.

  “Jaxx is on his way now. We walk that way.” Mya pointed at the wall behind Drew.

  “You want us to go south? I don’t want to go anywhere,” responded Drew. “Let’s rest up.”

  “Rest with her,” said Mya.

  “Me?” Megan touched her chest. “That ain’t happening.”

  “Yes, it will,” Mya replied.

  Drew liked the sound of that, but he didn’t think Mya knew what she was talking about.

  “So, let me get this straight,” said Drew. “Your dad has given you permission to go on a hike with me and Megan, outside of the shield zone, and to God-knows-where, in order to find other children like you?”

  “I won’t get hurt, I promised him.”

  “How did you do that, sweetie?” questioned Megan.

  “I showed him in his mind.” She waived Drew over to her. “Like this.” She reached up and touched Drew’s forearm.

  The chronic shop evaporated in front of his eyes and they were near a river. The Agadon were on the other side, standing like stone statues. A hand touched Drew’s. It was another little girl, smiling brightly up at him. A sensation ran from her hand and up his arm, and Drew’s body began vibrating, tingling. A heart-lifting awareness washed over him and he understood, for reasons he couldn’t explain, that Mya must go on this trip, must do this for the benefit of humanity.

  Another child clasped his other hand. He looked and it was a young boy, brown hair, his eyes bright and mischievous, like most boys. And down the line were more children, Megan, and Mya. Then Jaxx, at the very end. He winked at Drew and lifted his hand like a conductor at an orchestra.

  The river’s water rushed away from the shore, rising up into a massive wave, hiding the Agadon on the other side of the river. The wave broke and slammed on the Agadon’s position, but when it calmed, the Agadon were gone. They had disappeared.

  What was left was a large, golden key resting on dirt and rocks in place of the Agadon. A hand picked it up and it was Jaxx. He was on the other side of the river. He dipped his head and smiled, turned around, and walked off, fading until he vanished.

  Mya took her hand off of Drew’s forearm and Drew came back to the present, the smell of weed filling his nostrils.

  “That is why we have to go, Drew,” she said.

  Drew inhaled. He felt awake, revitalized—brand new. How did she do that? There was something not spoken or shown in the hallucination he just had. Yet, it came to him like the vision. “That’s only one of the many possibilities, Mya. We could also all die out there.”

  She shook her head again. “I will protect you. I can protec
t. You saw it.”

  “I also felt that nothing is set in stone.”

  “I say we go,” said Megan. “The Agadon have flown away. Eventually they’ll come back and if there is a way to stop them, then by God, I’m all for it. If we don’t try, then we will surely perish by their hands.”

  He walked around the counter and took Mya’s hand. “As long as you promise me you’ll be safe.”

  Mya nodded her head. “I won’t die.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. Will you be safe?”

  Mya shrugged. “I think so.”

  “Well, damn. That’s good enough?” Drew calculated every reason not to go. He calculated his risks, placing a child in harm’s way, and going south with a woman—Megan—he barely knew. There would be arguments, mistakes, wrong turns, and every other obstacle life throws at you from time to time. And what about the food? The water? Places to stay? Most importantly, where exactly were they going?

  But the vision. If they could get to the hallucination that Drew had experienced, then it would be all worth it. They could wash away the Agadon threat.

  Megan curled her fingers around Drew’s hand and reached for the door with her other. She opened it. “Lead the way, Mya.”

  “No, you two lead the way. You’re the next rulers.”

  Rulers? Drew still didn’t know what that meant, but there would be plenty of talking on the way—again, where ever the hell they were going. And supposedly, Jaxx was going to find his way to them.

  “Time to step up, Drew Avera.” It was his mom’s voice, kind but firm. “Time to step up and be who you were always meant to be. My son, a positive world leader.”

  Drew took a step onto the sidewalk. They walked around the building, still holding hands.

  35

  J-Quadrant, Solar System - Namuh Farms, Callisto

  Jaxx walked through the ship’s cabin. The walls glistened as if they’d just been shined and his shoes squeaked as he made his way to the cockpit. The ramp began closing, sending a slight hum through the craft. There weren’t any seats or windows in the cabin. Reaching the cockpit, he sat down, the chair immediately conforming to his body.