The Chronicles Of Jenson Quest: The Cause

By J Bryden Lloyd

The warriors of the Great Drak are going missing and Jenson Quest and the remaining warriors face the task of finding them before it's too late.

A journey full of action and emotional upheaval begins as assassins come after Jenson and he goes in search of Mussa's son, and facing a terrifying new enemy.

But what of the Zyll, Va'kaar? Has the old enemy of the Keepers and the Drak finally been subdued?

The first trilogy of the international bestselling series reaches its stunning climax... in... The Cause!

• Language: English
• Publisher: J Bryden Lloyd
• Release date: Jul 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476156194

J Bryden Lloyd

John Bryden Lloyd was born in the village of Llay near Wrexham in North Wales in 1969. Now in his 40's, and married with 6 children and a couple of dogs, he still works as a contracting CAD designer. In 2011, The Rise Of Va'kaar was the first of the series of Chronicles involving Jenson Quest and the Great Drak. It took 18 months to write and although it was originally planned to be a stand-alone novel, the ideas and directions it inspired have spawned a possible 9-book series, the first trilogy of which is already available. Book 2, The Realms Of Jurrii, was published in November 2011 and book 3, The Cause, in June 2012. Along with the Jenson Quest series, he has also written The Zubot Master; a sci-fi series for younger readers. Part 1, Time Slip, was released in January 2012, and the second instalment, The New Age, is due out soon. For those who prefer shorter works, Meet My Shorts! (a Series of Short Stories) was issued in February 2012, and Meet My Other Shorts! (a Series of Short Stories), in March 2012. You can join the author at his blog http://bryvstheworld.blogspot.com/ or on Twitter : @JQChronicles or on Facebook : J Bryden Lloyd (Author) There are more projects on the horizon, including two further Zubot Master books and two further Jenson Quest trilogies.

Book preview

The Chronicles Of Jenson Quest

The Cause

by J Bryden Lloyd

Smashwords Edition

© J Bryden Lloyd 2012

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an addition copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

For Richard, Peter & Thomas

Acknowledgements

Firstly to Kristen Beltz and her infamous red pen. There are definitely times I don’t know what I would do without you.

To Toby, I have tried to make your character a little closer to the original character I had in mind, so I hope it’s alright.

To Dove, I think you have inspired a great character and I am delighted to be able to name such a character after such a good person. I hope I captured a little of you in the writing.

To my friends in the Writer’s Pad and the RAOK groups, every author thrives on support and you have all provided that in abundance.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1 Wish Upon A Star

Chapter 2 The Watchers

Chapter 3 Seeking Richard

Chapter 4 Forgive Me Father

Chapter 5 Choices

Chapter 6 Starting Point

Chapter 7 Losses

Chapter 8 Ceremony

Chapter 9 Interception

Chapter 10 A Friend In Need

Chapter 11 Inquisition

Chapter 12 Confronting The Enemy

Chapter 13 Blood

Chapter 14 Sweet Dreams

Chapter 15 New Arrival

Chapter 16 Alien Nature

Chapter 17 Meetings

Chapter 18 Hunter’s Moon

Chapter 19 Speed

Chapter 20 A New Front

Chapter 21 The Measure Of Success

Chapter 22 The Calm Before

Chapter 23 The Gauntlet

Chapter 24 A Promise To Keep

Chapter 25 The Cloud

Chapter 26 Prophesised

Chapter 27 Awakening

Chapter 28 The Last Line

Chapter 29 Crossing Over

Prologue

"There shall be one who rises above the ranks of the soul-bearers. He shall release his forbearer into peace and bring truth and treaty to his enemies.

The shadow of vengeance shall bring him to the defence of Aura in search of one lost to him, and those who seek to harm him and his people shall find no mercy at his hands.

And so it shall be, that in the time of joining of the moons of Galloth, the Great Shield shall fall for the final time.

The warrior of Aura shall emerge, with the light of the predator at his command, the power of many souls and many allies, and he and his shall lay waste to the Empires of his enemies, and his anger shall devour the ground on which we stand and the skies from which we breathe.

His vengeance shall know no end, and the soul-bearers he brings forth to do battle shall rain fire and death upon the worlds of the Empire."

The Prophecy of Sentriss

The Book of Galloth

1. Wish Upon A Star

He lay awake as he had done for the last several nights; staring at the darkness and making the same wish. His eyes remained reddened and puffy, not just from lack of sleep but also from the silent tears he wept when he was alone. Too soon would come the day of his scribing. The day when he would become a man, two full season-cycles before the celebration of his fifteenth anniversary; two full season-cycles earlier than he wanted.

The incoherent mumbling of the two voices carried to him as he lay in his bunk. The Regus of the Fourth Province was once again calling in to see how his father was progressing and despite being unable to make out the words, he could tell easily from the tone of the speech that it would not now be long before his deepest fear came to pass.

A shudder of pain ran through his lower arm and he placed a steadying palm on the wrist where the disc lay. Immediately he pulled his hand away and stared at the disc, his eyes fearful and wide. He had been given his disc almost three cycles ago but he had never known it to cause him any pain. He had also never known it to ripple between green and purple like it was now. He reached up and adjusted the airflow up by another setting.

The voices faded away and Mussa Kai turned over in his bed to face the wall. He drifted into sleep, fearing the return of the dream which had so often accompanied the bouts of nausea and insomnia. He filled his mind with happy, vivid thoughts of his father when he had been fully fit and the great, celebrated warrior that he would never be again.

The silence pressed in around him as he ran alongside his father in the memory he had recalled. The whole image began to twist and the colour was sucked from around him, dulling the features of the landscape and dissolving his father. The memory darkened and the silence thickened. Soon he was unable to see and the shouts he made were distant and without strength. He reached out with his arms hoping that this time would be different, that something was there; something to touch, to hear, to see. Anything.

Unlike all the previous times he had encountered this particular dream, Mussa Kai had never recalled feeling the pain through his arm which seemed to focus on the disc on his wrist and move out in ever-increasing circles. The air around him seemed to cool suddenly and he turned over again, flicking his eyes open as another twinge of pain shot through his arm. He glanced, half sleeping, towards the light around the door to his room. At first the lack of the familiar light caused a minor flash of confusion. After all, he was asleep, this was a dream.

He listened for the familiar sounds that accompanied the dream but his thoughts were sluggish and his hearing dull. The air cooled even more, pinging his senses and stirring him awake. He reached up for the airflow setting…

Mussa Kai’s eyes snapped open and he pushed himself into a sitting position. He could see nothing. The cot beneath him, no, it’s not my cot! Am I on the floor? Where am I? He moved his arms about him, feeling the cold hard floor. Reaching around him as far as he could in every direction until he began to over-balance, he found nothing. The dark was thick and impenetrable, there was sound but it wasn’t sound that was recognisable and the air tasted stale and thick. Wherever he was, he knew he was no longer at home, perhaps no longer on Naygara. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes and the fear rising up within him. Immediately he could feel the presence that was with him.

A single tiny point of white light appeared above him. Not enough to throw any light, but at least something to focus on. As he tried to concentrate on the point above him, pain suddenly surged through his arm. He cried out and fear rose within him once more as he realised that his voice sounded distant and muffled. He felt tears on his face and squeezed his eyes closed.

"My cousin, he whispered through his tears, my cousin, Jenson Quest. Wherever you are, I’m scared! I need you, he sobbed quietly as he felt the presence move towards him, Please hurry!" silently he moved himself backwards, feeling for a wall or anything he might use as shelter or concealment.

* * *

He threw himself into a sitting position and stared at his wrist. The ellipse showed the contrast of a glowing flesh colour for the part that represented the Earth realm, but the Naygaran part was rippling with dark green and black. His uncle Mussa was gravely ill, he knew that from being able to speak with Mussa Kai from his temporal shuttle, but he also knew that his uncle still had time and that he would be going to Naygara soon.

The sting of pain came again with a fresh ripple, this time of deep orange and red. Something was definitely wrong. He rubbed his face and pushed himself further upright. It was dark outside, a little after four in the morning according to the clock on the bedside cabinet. He reached across to the sofa-bed and slapped at Twigg’s shoulder.

His friend rolled slightly further away and grunted.

"Twigg, you awake?" he whispered.

Is it daylight? Twigg asked.

Not yet, couple of hours.

In that case, no I’m not! Bugger off!

Jenson sighed then winced as another sting came and went accompanied by a different colour display from the Naygaran part of the ellipse, Twigg, there’s something wrong. My disc is acting up!

Not a disc, Twigg mumbled, it’s a bloody ellipse-thing.

Whatever, Jenson rolled his eyes, Ow! another sharper pain came.

Toby Twigg turned his head and stared sleepily at Jenson through a gap in the covers. What are you ‘ow-ing’ about?

The disc… ellipse. It keeps stinging.

Has it hurt before?

It tingles sometimes, but no, it’s never hurt like this.

What time is it? Twigg’s neat, close-cropped hair and sharp features emerged from beneath the quilt. He regarded Jenson sceptically, rubbed his eyes and yawned widely.

Four-twenty.

For Christ’s sake, can’t it hurt at a reasonable hour?

Jenson sucked in some air as the sting came again, though it appeared to be subsiding. Now wide awake, he got out of bed and trudged towards the en-suite while his friend rolled away and stuffed his head beneath the pillow.

After dousing his face in cold water, Jenson stared at his reflection in the mirror. Another dull pain distracted him. They seemed to be getting weaker but that did not mean that all was well. He nodded decisively and stepped into the shower and then through the shimmering passway that took him to the shuttle in its orbit high above.

He stepped into the rearmost section of the shuttle, carefully ducked his way through the narrow craft and put himself into the pilot seat. A moment later the systems came to life and the shielding that blanked the viewports faded away. He looked out onto the beauty of the Earth below him and smiled gently as it hypnotised him with its serenity and innocence. For a few long minutes, Jenson watched the distant coast of North America. Through the intermittent cloud cover he could see the lights of the great cities on the East Coast and nodded appreciatively at the display. He looked directly upwards through the smallest of the viewports and watched the steady approach of dawn on the UK. Slowly the wall of ever-brightening light stalked his home far below.

A blue light flashed on the console and Jenson flicked his gaze towards it. Proximity warning? He frowned worriedly and tapped a few controls to scan the immediate area. There drifting a long way beyond his low orbit, was the new Russian space shuttle, Tolstoi… almost double the size of the old US shuttles and capable of carrying a vast array of payloads. He had watched the maiden launch on TV just three days earlier and whilst the NASA scientist and the BBC’s technology experts had discussed the remarkable leap forward in human achievement which this shuttle represented, Jenson shook his head and reminded himself how far human achievement had reached amongst some of the other realms. These guys know nothing!

He acknowledged and switched off the warning light and watched the small monitor as the shuttle flew by in total ignorance of his presence. Snapping himself back to reality, Jenson activated the comms system, Wing Commander Quest to Hegaran and Tooree… and Hik, he began his message, I am receiving unusual activity on the Naygaran section of my disc. Can you please confirm the status of my uncle and advise if there are any other issues I should be aware of, he sighed and thought for a moment, I shall be leaving my realm in three days to meet Yanna at Naygara to visit Mussa and Mussa Kai. If Tooree and Hik were available to meet us there, that would be good. Quest out.

The system confirmed the message had been sent and Jenson watched the line of the sunrise as it touched the eastern-most coast of Ireland far below. He blew out a long breath and closed down the unnecessary systems before heading back through the passway.

* * *

The yellow soulless eyes stared at the planet below. The deep grey face surrounding the eyes was distinctly human. Nose, mouth, ears, jet-black hair, that looked as though it had been engraved in nine evenly spaced stripes, starting from the front and tracing their lines over and around the head, terminating in a perfectly round tuft at the base of the back of the skull.

Silently he read the meagre data that confirmed the temporal drive of the Drak shuttle was somewhere nearby. The systems had been active long enough for him to get close, but not long enough to get the pinpoint fix he needed to destroy it. Instead he changed a few of his ship’s settings and began to scan the planet below for a similar trace pattern. If this warrior was using a Keeper passway, he could be found.

The scanning system picked up a trace signature almost immediately and he focussed his systems on the island in the northern hemisphere below, gesturing with a point of the finger to his almost identical partner who sat in the pilot seat alongside him. He prepared a signal beacon to transmit back to his employer, hoping that this would be the warrior he sought, whilst the other set about adjusting his shielding and power systems for atmospheric flight. The pilot directed the ship towards the landmass that his partner had indicated, where the trace signature was located, and engaged the engines.

* * *

Breakfast was a spread out across the table as if it had been thrown from a short distance. After returning from the shuttle, Jenson had found Toby up and about with a seemingly continuous frown.

Happy birthday, Twigg! he grinned, as he pushed a small box across the table.

Cheers mate. Toby smiled back through a frown, deep eyebrows furrowing over his bright blue eyes.

Good God, cheer up! It could be worse. Jenson met the frown.

Sorry bud, I’ve got a bit of a headache coming on.

You want something to take?

Already had some, just waiting for them to kick in.

Jenson picked up a glass of orange juice and moved around the table to sit nearer the majority of the toast and cereals. He poured some cereal and milk into a bowl and picked up his spoon just as Aunt Maggs danced in through the kitchen carrying a large box and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in the ridiculous squeaky voice both Jenson and Toby hated. With her five-foot-ten-inch muscular frame not really suited to the ballet style moves she was emulating, she resorted to adding in several flourishes of her shoulder length, deep-blonde hair.

They both laughed as she pirouetted and sat at the table on the last ‘you’, which she managed to stretch out to encompass the spin, sitting and the placing of the gift in front of Toby.

Thanks Maggs, but you didn’t have to get me anything.

Oh, cool! she grinned and pulled the box back in front of her, licking her lips theatrically as she moved in to unwrap the box.

"That’s not to say, Toby giggled, recovering the gift from her, that I don’t appreciate it."

Maggs sighed, Well I’m just hoping you don’t have one already.

Me too. Jenson added, eying up his small gift suspiciously.

Toby frowned at his friend and then at the small, badly-wrapped present. He picked it up and shook it. The tap-tap of something solid against the inside of the box increased his frown, and he began to unwrap it.

Ah… Maggs’ gift first, Twigg. Jenson insisted, snatching the small box away, If you don’t mind.

Okay, if you insist. he unwrapped the larger box with a flourish, almost knocking two boxes of cereal from the table, oops! he smirked as Jenson juggled them back onto the table and placed them a little further away.

He opened the box and gasped in awe as he pulled out a brown, antique leather, 1940’s pilot jacket.

I thought it was just you. Maggs smiled.

It’s brilliant! Cheers Maggs! he stood and gave her a hug before pulling the jacket on, Love it. he grinned as he sat down.

I know! Jenson announced with a smirk, "We shall call him Twiggles!"

Toby laughed with Maggs, before stopping abruptly and staring at Jenson, … yeah, and I shall beat your teeth out of the large noise-making device in the front of your face!

There was a momentary pause before all three burst into laughter.

Jenson wiped a tear from his eye and pushed the small gift forward. Toby took the box and unwrapped it. Within the paper was a plain box about three inches long and two inches wide.

If you’ve got me one of those ‘broken heart’ pendants, I’m gonna be really disappointed.

Nah, I couldn’t afford one of those, you’ll have to make do with that. Jenson huffed, Though it’s probably a bit lame after the jacket.

Toby smirked at the thought that Jenson, with four million pounds in the bank and the property management company with an additional two million pounds worth of assets, had remained so careful with his money, Fair enough mate. he said.

He opened the box and his eyes froze in shock. He stared at Jenson, who regarded him without emotion, then stared at Maggs, who winked at him from over her mug of coffee.

You’re not serious! he whispered, "I mean, you’re not serious!" he said.

It’s not what you think. Jenson said carefully, You’d better come and see.

Toby picked up the box as if it contained dynamite and followed Jenson out of the dining room, through the kitchen and out of the back door where they turned right and headed down the driveway that ran around the back of the house, their now identical six-foot-four-inch frames moving at a quick pace. There in front of the garage where Maggs’ Mini, Mylo was parked, was a dark green Mini Cooper with a convertible roof and cream leather seats.

It’s not much, Twigg, Jenson shrugged, but I cleared it with your mum and dad… and since you passed your test and…

Shhhh, Toby said, It’s great! I love it. I don’t know what to say.

I’ve seen your driving, Jenson chuckled, so just tell me it’ll still be this shape when I need a lift. In the meantime, it’s taxed, insured and ready to rock!

Toby grinned, I’m sure you’ll pass the resit, Q.

I hope so. Jenson said thoughtfully, I suppose I didn’t really get the chance to do much practice while I was off defending the universe… anyway, I’ve got my eye on a blue one for me.

They turned together as Maggs came jogging around the corner of the house carrying the phone handset, It’s for you! she breathed as she handed the phone to Jenson.

Hello? Jenson asked.

"Jenson, it’s me. Richard’s voice replied, How soon can you get up here?"

Huh? I… I guess I can get the train up this afternoon, I’ll have to check and call you back. Why, what’s wrong?

"It’s my disc. It’s really painful and I think I just saw a Ryuvian when I went outside."

What’s a Ryuvian? he asked worriedly.

"They are assassins from one of the Human Realms."

The Drak have assassins? Toby and Maggs stared at him as he said it.

"No, they’re not Drak… I don’t know all the history, but they refused the call when the Keepers approached their realm, and it’s a damn good job they did. They’re telepathic psychopaths, Jenson, they hunt for pleasure and they accept any job if the challenge is right… And right now, I think they are hunting for me, and they might be hunting you too."

Where are you now?

"Packing some things. I need to hide, but I need you and your weapons, especially the Sonic Propulsar. It will stop a Ryuvian better than anything else."

Right, how do I find you?

"Tap your disc and say my name. Once you’re close enough it should guide you."

Right. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Get out of sight. he ended the call and grimaced at Toby and Maggs, Richard’s in trouble. I need to get to Chester, he looked at Toby, I could use that lift if you can get me to the station.

Bugger the station mate, my mum and dad aren’t back for three days. We’re going to Chester! Get what stuff you need, while I introduce myself to my new baby. Toby turned slowly and began to stroke the front wing of the car.

2. The Watchers

The underside of the asteroid passed over the northern pole of the most distant moon, Thig, orbiting far above the planet Styra, so close in fact, that the surface was bathed with electromagnetic discharge as it glided overhead. The thirty scientists on the Styrani outpost had studied the trajectory and the massive deceleration of the asteroid as it had closed on the dark rock that was Thig, each offering varied thoughts on its strange behaviour.

It was not until the huge rock had got close, slowed right down and rotated forwards through ninety degrees that the structures became visible. It was not until communications had been disrupted by the electromagnetic onslaught that they saw what approached.

What the scientists had believed to be an asteroid was merely a leading face designed to shield and protect the massive structure that covered it. With the rounded rocky face now rotated downwards, the flat top surface was revealed along with the base which stood upon it.

Cut from the original rock and moulded smooth, the massive walls rose into two crescent-shaped buildings on either side of a central propulsion structure, which provided immense speed for the base when it was tilted with the rounded rock-face to the front. Now cooling after crossing four systems, white plasma and gases erupted from the top of the structure like smoke from a factory chimney. Equally spaced along the length of each crescent building were four towers, as tall again as the building they sat upon.

The open spaces between the ends of the two crescents contained huge hexagonal landing structures and within the crescent structures, on either side of the propulsion tower, were two tall, imposing command towers, one much taller than every other structure. From a distance the base looked no larger than a small fortress, but the flat face of the asteroid was the equivalent of almost a hundred kilometres across, and the tallest command tower was almost eighty kilometres high and twenty kilometres across the widest part of its base.

The storm of electrical energy hammered the prefabricated steel of the outer structure of the outpost, turning walls and floors live and killing the crew within.

On board the asteroid base, at the top of the tallest tower, silver slit-like eyes watched the readouts that confirmed the deaths of those within the outpost below. The creature has skin of luminous blue which was thick and rough. A short snout protruded above a jagged, rigid lower jaw which concealed the six blade-like teeth within. The top of its head, along with the upper arms and legs of the creature, were covered in small, oval, bony spores which acted as natural armour against any non-ballistic weaponry. At a little over three metres tall, he wore the spiked bandolier that announced him as the commander of this Domain Ship.

The Domain Ship finished its pass over the outpost and he regarded the holographic readout with disinterest. A second creature entered the room. Other than the lack of a bandolier, the two were indiscernible from one another. He stood in the pitch darkness behind his leader, gently glowing as he waited to be recognised.

The severe whisper of the Lumon Commanders’ speech cut through the silence and darkness like a blade through the thinnest paper, the leader glowing whiter as he spoke, You wish to report. It was not a question.

Sire, the children of Aura are now many. We have scanned the memories of those we have and it is as we have foreseen. They have become powerful through these many millennia. the subordinate said.

That is not of importance, the Commander replied, "These soul-carriers cannot be permitted to fulfil the prophecy. We must find them all. They are the cause of all that will be."

Yes, Sire. he acknowledged, We have located the soul-carriers on this world. There are two.

If both are capable, both are taken. You will wait until they are in their main rest period and act as before.

The subordinate turned and left without a word, his orders clear.

* * *

Mussa Kai wept in fear as he hugged his knees to his chest. Time meant nothing, there was no light, there had been no food, no water, no sound. Only the presence offered him any sort of focus, but all he felt from it was evil. For the third time, the point of light flicked off and he sobbed and stretched to alleviate some of the cramp he was starting to feel.

He froze and trembled as his fingers brushed against something ice cold.

* * *

Why have you isolated the young one? the Lumon in charge of the monitoring asked the operative.

His soul-trace is intriguing, the operator responded. He adjusted some readings on the holographic display which showed the data from the six inhabitants of the pit, See how his soul appears to exist in two definitive streams.