Ascendant Saga Collection: Sci-Fi Fantasy Techno Thriller Brandon Ellis (ebook reader for comics txt) 📖

Grenik, Bogle, and Rivkah were nowhere to be seen.

Liberty ran her finger over a mass of Kelhoon troops and dragged an arrow near a hill. “Our transport crafts will drop Din Team here. Din Team will flank the Kelhoons at this spot, more or less to distract the Kelhoons.” She looked up. “We’ve found that the Kelhoons learn quickly and adjust appropriately, so this will need to be a fast hit.” She drew a line across the hologram and circled one of the pyramids. “Sey Team teleports and exits East Rise’s Akmon Pyramid. Once Sey Team is in position, we search for as many survivors as we can. We’ll have Ehep Starfighter Squadron inbound the moment Sey Team teleports in. Ehep will strike the Kelhoon from the rear and trap them in front of Din Team.” She glanced at Jaxx. “You’re Dut Team, if you so wish to join us in the fight. If you do wish to join us, then you’re on standby.”

“Too many names. Too much strategy. I’m not a warrior. I’m an archeologist…”

Liberty smiled. “You’re the key, Kaden Jaxx. You’ve always been the key.”

He didn’t want to join a war, a battle where his fate—his death—decided the outcome. “Why am I the key?”

“A half-human, half-Atlantean’s DNA. That’s the key.”

“You mentioned Fox.”

“There’s only two of you and Fox isn’t as stable as you. He’d create chaos. You’d create stability and peace.”

“What is it that I’d do?” He cut himself off, his eyes brightening. He remembered the loophole. “Fox isn’t here anymore and Dut Team—Second Team...” he wanted to remind her that he knew Atlantean, “can only work with Rivkah, Bogle, Fox, and me.” He tapped the book, telling her he’d read it. Well, a few pages, and with Fox out of the picture, his destiny to give his life to save theirs—the shitty plan he wasn’t at all thrilled with—would no longer be an option. He could go ahead with the other plan to follow the star coordinates and figure out his next steps after that. Perhaps they led him somewhere that had the alternate method spread out before him.

Liberty dipped her head. “He’s on his way back.”

Jaxx’s heart dropped. This wasn’t good. “Oh, I see.” Yet, it couldn’t be. Why would Fox exit the exosphere and come right back? He wouldn’t defy any higher ranked officer in the Secret Space Program. He was soldier through and through. He took orders from the SSP higher ranks as if they were straight from God.

All eyes turned to Jaxx, as if the commanders had also read what Liberty read—his mind. She spoke, her eyes calm and steady. “You do not wish to proceed with the prophecy?”

Jaxx shook his head like a wet dog. Hell no. Who would? “I wish to help in another way.”

Liberty snapped her fingers and the hologram disappeared. She took an elegant stride forward. “Perhaps if we showed you first hand the terror these Kelhoon have wrought upon our people, then you would change your mind and enter the pyramid coffer?”

“I understand your plight.” He didn’t. “But I just want to live a wee bit longer.” He put his thumb and finger up, showing her a small space in between them.

“You’ll live.” She touched her chest. “You’ll live in our hearts for eternity. Statues, bridges, and temples will be built in your honor. People will sing songs about you. Oh, you will live forever.”

“I understand and thank you. That’s flattering. I just have a few hang ups about it.” Jaxx went to walk away, but was held in place by some force of nature he couldn’t break. He winced, doing his best to trudge forward, but a paralysis set in, anchoring him to the floor. “Let me go.”

“I can’t, Jaxx,” responded Liberty. “Your DNA forbids it. It’s not only us who wants you to live your destiny. It’s your DNA. You’ve been programmed since you were a child.”

“Well, turn the program off. This book I’m holding says there’s another way.”

“We didn’t program it in you, Jaxx. The Law of One did. Your body knows there’s not enough time to go on a trip to the stars, flying from coordinate to coordinate and sector to sector.” She touched his back, her expression lack, her chin trembling. “You’re truly amazing. You’re the seat of our souls.”

“The seat of...what the hell does that mean?”

He tried to break free, he tried to kick out of this gripping force that rooted him in one spot. Nothing worked, nothing gave way.

A door opened and in came four people carrying an ornate chair on a platform, long wood rods were on each side and resting on their shoulders. Their shoes clacked on the tile flooring, getting louder the closer they came. They rested the chair on the ground and stepped to the side, smiling. The two men who Liberty had ordered to take Jaxx to the coffers lifted him off the ground and gently placed him on the chair.

“Please don’t do this, Liberty. I can help in another way.”

Liberty gave him an odd look. “Yes, this is the way you can help us. You’ve chosen.”

“I did not choose to die.”

“I know,” replied Liberty.

“Then what’re you doing? Let me live.”

She clapped her hands together. “Excellent.” The chair lifted in the air, this time hovering on its own. It turned, heading for the light seeping through the open doors. To Jaxx, living in infamy wasn’t by dying for people he barely knew.

“Don’t worry, Jaxx,” said Liberty, “I’ll be watching when you transfer over.”

“Transfer over?” The chair hovered through the doorway and out into an open meadow where an SF-13 Air Wing sat. Tall grass hid the landing gear and touched the starfighter’s belly. The chair descended to the ground.

Jaxx stood and turned, facing the temple. His body relaxed. He had read Liberty wrong. He was indeed going to the coordinates, and apparently in an Air Wing.

Liberty walked out. “Get into your Air Wing and you’ll be shown what to do next.” She bowed. “Thank you for