Jaxx lay on his back, his vision waning. Above him was a cavernous roof, but no opening or portal. It must have closed while he was on his fall down to wherever he was.
He inhaled and a sharp pain grabbed a hold of him. He grunted, tightening up every muscle he figured he had. “It burns.”
A hum filled the cavern and surrounded the stone pathway he was on. A prickly sensation moved up his spine into his mind. Then he could see and breathe and his pain was gone.
He touched his chest and looked around. The three children had their eyes closed and were sitting cross-legged, their hands on their knees, chanting something so angelic, Jaxx couldn’t help but tear up.
He reached out and touched Mya. “Thank you.”
She opened her eyes and the humming ceased. She smiled. “You did good, Jaxx. We’re heading to the key pyramid.”
He wiped his tears and stood, the burning still there, but much less so. He weakly muttered, “Do we still have to hurry?”
Damion shrugged. “Those mean, blue aliens may find a way in here.”
“Did the portal close?”
“Yes,” Lily chimed in.
“They most likely won’t get down here,” said Jaxx, hopefully.
Jaxx paced forward, following the faint light from the strange-looking torches that lined the stone walls. “What are those?” He stopped and observed one, touching the coned shaft. “That’s granite.” He lifted it off a holder that fastened it to the wall. The torch was heavy and there was some type of liquid inside of it. He stared into the light source atop the cone. “Is that an orbed crystal?”
To his surprise, it was.
The crystalline orb glowed brighter. “It’s free energy,” he exclaimed, studying it like a scientist would a brand new invention. “How does it do that? Maybe it’s like the Baghdad Battery?”
“The what?” asked Damion.
“An ancient pot found in Iraq that still, to this day, gives off energy. Perhaps this cone has the same properties inside it, much like the batteries, but —”
Rocks crumbled above and pebbles fell from the ceiling and down the cave walls, tumbling onto the pathway. One rolled to Jaxx’s feet.
Shit. The Agadon were coming, probably using some type of drill to get through the Sacred Stone.
“Let’s move.” Jaxx hurried down the pathway. On one side, the wall hugged the path, but on the other side, the cave protruded outward where rocks littered the ground.
His archaeologist-self wanted to stop and check out everything off the trail, and at this instant, being off the trail probably wasn’t wise.
He ran around a corner, keeping his feet smack dab on the path, the torch extended out in front of him.
More loud sounds echoed behind him and rocks cascaded down the wall, clanging against the stone ground. He turned another corner, the kids hurrying close behind.
The trail pitched downward and Jaxx slid, keeping his feet underneath him, balancing well against the sudden change.
“Be caref —” Jaxx took a step and his legs went into the air. He came back down, smacking on his side. He bounced and slid down a long, smooth surface, the wind rushing against his face.
A scream and Jaxx knew the kids were on the same downhill demise as he was.
“Hold on,” he yelled. “Make sure your feet are out in front of you.” He put his rubber soles against the ground to slow himself. It didn’t do any good.
His boots slapped against level ground, the sound vibrated off the walls. He came to a sudden stop, still somehow grasping the torch.
“Whoa,” came Damion’s voice.
Jaxx turned and braced. The three kids were barreling down toward him, sliding fast.
Jaxx grunted as Damion’s body pounded against his, and then two more thuds met his back, echoing in the cavern. It was Mya and Lily.
“That was fun,” cheered Lily, her hands in the air.
“Are you okay?” asked Jaxx, touching each child as if they’d just been in a car crash.
Damion pushed Jaxx’s hand away. “It was just a slide, Jaxx. We’re fine.”
Mya dusted herself off and stood. She pointed. “There it is.”
Before them stood an enormous black pyramid at the end of the cavern. It shimmered from within, projecting a glow across the cave walls. And, just like the pyramids all around the world and the galaxy, the land it was sitting on was raised. But how? This one was underground and it could only be raised by the gravity of the moon.
He put his hand to his mouth and nodded. “That’s how,” he said to himself, eyeing a stream of light trickling from a hole in the massive cavern – a hole just above the pyramid’s top point.
A blast shot outward, bringing Jaxx back to the moment. He immediately pushed the kids away. Rocks cracked apart as a bolt from an ion cannon hit the wall next to them.
“Go, go,” shouted Jaxx.
They ran toward the pyramid, Jaxx’s heart beating wildly as the sound of Agadon troops running pierced his eardrums. His goal was to keep the kids safe and he was failing at that.
They reached the pyramid and Jaxx looked over his shoulder. Agadon were on their way, their weapons extended.
“Crap.”
He touched the pyramid and electricity shot through him. His DNA activated and a hologram jumped up from the pyramid in front of him — his DNA strand.
The hologram lit up and the electricity-like feeling faded. A door opened, shifting inward, and then rotated, opening about four feet in width.
The kids moved into action, slipping through the large opening. Jaxx followed.
“They’re almost here,” shouted Damion.
Jaxx panicked, touching the wall everywhere he could, looking for a way to close it. “I can’t find it.”
The footsteps came closer.
“Get your Chi up,” ordered Jaxx, placing hand print after hand print on the granite wall. “We’re going to need it.” He took his hands off and stood in front of the kids, the door blocking their view of the oncoming blue assholes, but not blocking the sounds of their advancement.
Jaxx went into a defensive stance. The kids mimicked him.
“They’ll be here any second. Throw all the energy you can and —”
Jaxx fell to the ground. A dizziness overtook him and his ears rang like no other. He closed his eyes and watched as his DNA sequences synced up with the pyramid.
The door slammed shut.
“Jaxx,” said Mya. “Are you okay?”
Jaxx shook his head and held his hands over his face. “What was that?” He stood, feeling woozy. “I’m alright.”
A pound echoed in the room, the sound of Agadon trying to make their way into the pyramid.
“Over here,” said Lily. “Here is where you lay down.”
Jaxx eyed a sarcophagus. A granite slab lay across it, covering the empty coffer.
Another pound and the door shook, soot and dust shot from the seams and the door moved a few inches. Another slam popped against the door and the door moved half a foot.
“Shit,” said Jaxx. “It’s not going to hold.”
36
Machu Picchu, Peru
Jaxx hustled to the granite slab on top of the sarcophagus. “Hold my hand, Mya.” He hopped onto the slab and lay on his back, outstretching his hand and curling his fingers around Mya’s hand.
A ping resounded across the pyramid walls and the door to the coffer room shook and opened a crack more.
“They’re getting in,” shouted Damion.
“Place your other hand on your heart, Jaxx,” said Mya.
Jaxx nodded, his heart nearly beating out of his throat.
“Try to keep calm and concentrate.”
Lily nodded. “I feel it, Jaxx. The light is coming down.”
A pound rang inside the room and granite dust spurt out from the door. The door opened another few inches. They’d be in any moment now.
“Jaxx, don’t do anything stupid,” said Taz. “If you do this, you will no longer have the riches w
e’d grant you. According to the prophecy, you’ll be dead. Just another memory inside a sarcophagus, which the human race has deemed appropriate for the placement of mummified remains of important people. Don’t be one of those remains.”
Jaxx couldn’t help it. His archaeological mind kicked in. “They’ve never found a mummy inside a king’s or queen’s chamber, Taz. It’s not for the dead and never has been.”
“Then what is it if for, Jaxx?”
The door opened a few more inches. Thank God it was several feet thick.
Mya put her hand over Jaxx’s mouth. “He’s trying to take your focus away from what’s at hand. Don’t fall for it.”
“Right,” responded Jaxx. “I’m the key.”
He took in a deep breath, and unconsciously pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and rolled his eyes back.
“The light is here,” said Lily.
A beam of light came down from the pyramid’s capstone and penetrated Jaxx’s heart. He arched, the energy pulsing through every aspect of his body, activating all of his cells, infusing Jaxx with the essence of all ancient wisdom held by all Beings designated as the key DNA holder for the pyramid network in times past.
He sucked in a deeper breath and became lighter. He floated off of the coffer, moving toward the ceiling.
His vision filled with bright golden light and blasted out of his pours. He began to spin, twirling around faster and faster, moving closer to the apex.
A weight descended upon him, and he began to lower toward the sarcophagus, the energy changing from golden to muddied brown.
“What’s going on?” he said.
The door burst in two, rocking the chamber. A shock rushed through Jaxx and he fell on the granite coffer, the pops and cracks of his bones adjusting from impact.
He was no longer a Being of Light. He was Jaxx again. And when he slammed against the granite, the inflexible and harsh feeling of being inside a human body grabbed him for all he was worth, and shook him back to reality.
He stood, his muscles flexed, his hands in fists. “Back away, Taz.”
The children’s eyes were closed and Taz was in the doorway with several Agadon troops behind him. He held an energy weapon and lifted it, pointing it at Jaxx. “I’ve been meaning to do this all day.” He changed his aim and targeted Mya.
Mya opened her eyes. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Taz disagreed. He pulled the trigger and a flash of blue exited the muzzle.
Mya leaned to the right, the blast flying past her, marking the ground with a bumpy, singed smear. She jumped to her feet and thrust her hands toward Taz.
Taz pulled the trigger again, this time hitting an energetic wall that Mya had thrown his way, the ion bolt evaporating in a dying ball of electricity.
“No more,” growled Jaxx. He rushed forward, bringing up every ounce of rage that had ever clouded his heart. He lowered his shoulder and rammed Taz, slamming him into the soldiers standing behind him, knocking them clear out of the pyramid. They slid more than ten feet, their arms out, reaching for something to grab on to.
Jaxx twirled around and ran into the chamber. He dove on the sarcophagus as quickly as he could and took a hefty inhale. “Get back to your positions,” he ordered. “Let’s end this.”
The kids’ hum encompassed the room. A black swirl spun just outside the pyramid, and a vacuum-like energy took over. An Agadon scream stabbed the air, then more screams, and more.
“Don’t…do this…Jaxx!” Taz was swept off of his feet and pulled backward, his arms and legs kicking and punching, until his feet went through the vortex.
Taz gave up, letting his arms hang loose toward the floor, allowing the portal of swirling energy pull him in, followed by the rest of his soldiers.
Were they gone?
Jaxx looked across space, his mind carrying him from solar system to solar system to countless planets inhabited by sentient Beings being invaded by the Agadon. In a flash, chalk full of invading Agadon were sucked into the nexus, and like short scene after short scene from planet to planet, their body’s twirled into black vortexes that carried them somewhere he wasn’t allowed to see.
Then a flash of light and everything went white. Jaxx rose again in the air, hovering. He closed his eyes and rolled them back in his head, and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth.
“Thank you, Jaxx,” came a soft, angelic voice. And through his third eye, and while hovering, he saw several six-foot tall, bird-like creatures standing next to the kids and greeting them. Feathers covered their bodies. They bowed to Jaxx and the children.
“You have fixed the network,” one of them said.
Jaxx floated higher, syncing up to the golden light connected to the pyramid’s apex that spread out from pyramid to pyramid on Earth and the rest of the galaxy.
“Jaxx,” came a voice. “You have a choice. One that not many have experienced in life, but is always there. What do you choose? Ascension? Or physicality?”
He shook his head, not knowing what the voice meant by ascension.
“It is a crossing from one dimension into another. Your body will be a light body where no danger, harm, or disease will ever befall you and you’ll be traveling the etheric realms, learning, growing, energetically experiencing another way of life.
“Or, you can choose to remain in your current third dimensional body and reality, here to further expand the learnings and evolution of every Being you come across. It is a more difficult reality, though rewarding. Few in your position have ever taken the second option. What is your choice? To ascend or to stay?”
He could only think of one thing. He smiled long and wide. “To stay, but there is only one person I want to remain in the third dimension for. Take me to Rivkah.”
“Your wish is granted.”
He disappeared like a shadow in the night.
37
Andes Mountain, Peru
Drew awoke in a start. Or did he pop out of his body and now he was in heaven? Did he make it? For all he knew, he was a good person, so why not? A little dabble with weed here and there wouldn’t damn him to hell, would it?
He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
If he was in heaven, then why was he so groggy?
Something stirred next to him. A footstep. He dropped his hands to his sides, his elbows sinking into the dirt he lay upon. He lifted his head and gasped, then cringed from a pain in his stomach he was getting all too familiar with.
Looming over him was a Being covered in feathers. It had a yellow beak, beautiful oval eyes, and hands that extended out at the end of its wings.
He was hallucinating. Shit. He had to be. Or, this was it? The next stage of death? But was this an angel staring at him? It didn’t come across as a demon.
Drew flinched and did his best to move, but winced as a pain emanating from his abdomen zapped him from his head to his toes. He swallowed down vomit and fought a slow dizzy spell.
The bird pulled out a device and waived it over Drew.
“Please, let…me die…peacefully.” Drew touched his belly as a sharp stabbing sensation pierced him. He coughed and yelped, the ache taking over.
The bird nodded and continued waiving the device over him. Was that a crystal wand? Drew scrunched up his nose, not accustomed to whatever technology this giant hallucination was using on him.
The Being circled the wand and a flashing light pulsed from the device’s head. A mighty heat consumed his stomach.
Drew cringed. It hurt, but strangely he felt safe. And weird enough, he could not only feel the tissue repairing inside his belly, but he could hear it.
“Drew?”
A hand rested on his shoulder. It was soft, small, and healing.
Drew glared at the bird, thinking it had spoken his name. Drew was captivated by his own imagination. How could he think up such a strange scenario — a damn giant bird fixing his stomach?
Nonetheless, Drew replied, “Yes?”
He had ne
ver been on an acid trip before, but if he was on it now, then this was cooler than shit.
“This is Mya talking. I’m next to you, Drew. Above you is a Blue Avion. He’s healing you.”
Drew shook his head. “No, Mr. Bird, you’re not Mya. You are something in my kick-ass bird dream.”
“Drew, I’m kneeling next to you.” Mya tapped his shoulder. “You’re safe now. You will live. The Blue Avions are making sure of it.”
Drew blinked several times. He patted his belly, shaking his head in disbelief. “There’s no pain.” He sat up and touched Mya, making sure she wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.
She wasn’t.
“See? I’m real,” replied Mya.
“Thank God.”
The bird brought the wand to a pouch at its waist. It folded its wings over the front of its body. Drew leaned back, bumping his head on the downed tree. “Am I hallucinating or not?”
“That’s what I thought when I saw giant birds walking through the forest with Mya, Damion, and Lily,” laughed Megan. She was sitting next to Drew, her eyes as bright and beautiful as a rainbow. She turned her head to Mya. “Did they save Drew?”
Mya nodded. “Of course.”
Drew glanced around and then hugged his body closer to the tree, looking up at four giant humanoid birds staring down at him, all crossing their wings in front of them, and Mya, Damion, and Lily by their side.
“What happened?” asked Drew.
“The Agadon are gone,” said Mya.
Drew’s eyes darted back and forth. “Where’s Jaxx?”
“He moved on,” replied Mya.
“Died?” asked Megan, obviously being the first time she’d heard of this.
“Kinda,” said Lily. “It was what he was supposed to do.”
Damion put his hand in a fist and rubbed his knuckles with the other hand. “Yeah, he took care of those bums.”
Drew hung his head. “Damn. There was no other way?” He picked up a rock and lobbed it two feet in front of him. He was weak. He let out breath. “I live and he dies. That shouldn’t have happened.” A weight came over him. Jaxx did all of this to die? Fair wasn’t ever a word that described this world.
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 107
