Nubia: The Reckoning

Informationen zum Autor Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes Klappentext The sequel to Nubia: The Awakening, the epic fantasy from actor and producer Omar Epps and writer Clarence A. Haynes! A powerful saga of three teens, the children of refugees from a fallen African utopia, who must navigate their newfound powers in a climate-ravaged New York City. Leseprobe Chapter 1 Uzochi Hey, Uzochi, you with me? For a moment, Uzochi didn't realize he was touching his cheek. He blinked a few times, quickly understanding that the air around him was dry, not a drop of moisture to be found falling from a sunny, bright sky. He was whisking away a phantom raindrop, something that was no longer part of reality. Uzochi, said the voice again, softer now. He turned to its source, finding the strong, warm eyes of Zuberi looking back at him as they crouched in a narrow alley across from one of the entrances to Central Park. He readjusted to his real-­world surroundings, noting that Tasha, his former classmate from HS 104, was with them as well. Both of the girls were dressed in all black in a militia-­style vest, shirt, and pants. Zuberi's locs were pulled back and covered by the standard cap that most St. John Soldiers wore. She had a backpack by her side that he knew carried her trusted staff, which had been modified so that it could be collapsed into three parts, making for easier transport. Even if Uzochi hadn't had the power to read her thoughts and experience her emotions, he'd have known how to discern the determined expression on her face. She reached out and touched his hand, and he gripped hers in return. Another vision, buddy? Zuberi asked. Yes, Uzochi wanted to say, a vision more confusing than any of the others. He could only hold on to scraps from this one, bits of memory that made no sense even as he tried to put them together. Still, he could feel the sensation of sand between his fingers, the smell of the ocean invading the alley where he and the girls hid. In the memory, there was a figure on the beach . . . Adisa, the great Nubian elder who had shared his consciousness with Uzochi in the moments before he died. Adisa's memories had risen often, random and unbidden, in Uzochi's mind over the past several weeks since the elder had passed on. And he wasn't sure why. I'll take that as a yes, Zuberi said, her soft lips curving to a half smile that drew Uzochi's attention back to her. You're right. Yes, Uzochi said, straightening up. Like Zuberi, he was cloaked head to toe in militia black that allowed them to blend into the shadows of the alleyway. He found the thick padding on the clothing bulky and cumbersome, not at all to his liking, but he didn't complain. He knew why they had to appear to be St. John Soldiers. Once they moved from their spot in the alley, they would need to be able to get to the massive elevator towers that would ferry them to the city's wealthy Up High quadrant with as little drama as possible. They had gone over the plan extensively and trained and drilled and practiced and trained some more for days, practically to the point of exhaustion. Don't worry, Uzochi told Zuberi, dipping forward so that their foreheads touched. I'm here. We'll get Vriana. I promise. Zuberi clutched his hand just a bit more tightly. Even though she nodded her head and gave a faint smile, Uzochi was an empath. He could sense her concern that his eerie visions were becoming a distraction right as they were embarking on their mission. He would never intentionally read her thoughts without her permission, but he felt her pressing other emotions toward him. Emotions she wanted him to feel. Gratitude. Trust. Worry. A sense of it all being too late. A sense of it all not being enough. Your plan, it's a good plan, he reminded her, even though he ...

Autorentext

Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes

Klappentext

The sequel to Nubia: The Awakening, the epic fantasy from actor and producer Omar Epps and writer Clarence A. Haynes! A powerful saga of three teens, the children of refugees from a fallen African utopia, who must navigate their newfound powers in a climate-ravaged New York City.

Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho have awoken to their powers, and now they're members of a new generation of Nubians--the first to connect to their gifts since their parents fled their island home decades ago. But though they're learning to control their powers, the battle to free their people from oppression is far from over.

The people of Tri-State East are wary of the newly powerful Nubians. Are they agents of good--or are they only out to use their gifts for themselves? And the Sky King Krazen is bent on harnessing the Nubians' powers for himself. He already started assembling a Nubian Militia. Now he intends to put them to work.

There are secrets Zuberi, Lencho and Uzochi's parents are still hiding from them--truths about Nubia's history that have long since been buried. And the Children's gifts aren't the only things that have awoken recently. An ancient force is on the hunt for power--and it won't stop until all of Tri-State East is under its control.

Leseprobe
Chapter 1
****
Uzochi

“Hey, Uzochi, you with me?”

For a moment, Uzochi didn’t realize he was touching his cheek. He blinked a few times, quickly understanding that the air around him was dry, not a drop of moisture to be found falling from a sunny, bright sky. He was whisking away a phantom raindrop, something that was no longer part of reality.

“Uzochi,” said the voice again, softer now. He turned to its source, finding the strong, warm eyes of Zuberi looking back at him as they crouched in a narrow alley across from one of the entrances to Central Park. He readjusted to his real-­world surroundings, noting that Tasha, his former classmate from HS 104, was with them as well.

Both of the girls were dressed in all black in a militia-­style vest, shirt, and pants. Zuberi’s locs were pulled back and covered by the standard cap that most St. John Soldiers wore. She had a backpack by her side that he knew carried her trusted staff, which had been modified so that it could be collapsed into three parts, making for easier transport. Even if Uzochi hadn’t had the power to read her thoughts and experience her emotions, he’d have known how to discern the determined expression on her face. She reached out and touched his hand, and he gripped hers in return.

“Another vision, buddy?” Zuberi asked.

Yes, Uzochi wanted to say, a vision more confusing than any of the others. He could only hold on to scraps from this one, bits of memory that made no sense even as he tried to put them together. Still, he could feel the sensation of sand between his fingers, the smell of the ocean invading the alley where he and the girls hid. In the memory, there was a figure on the beach . . . 

Adisa, the great Nubian elder who had shared his consciousness with Uzochi in the moments before he died. Adisa’s memories had risen often, random and unbidden, in Uzochi’s mind over the past several weeks since the elder had passed on. And he wasn’t sure why.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Zuberi said, her soft lips curving to a half smile that drew Uzochi’s attention back to her.

“You’re right. Yes,” Uzochi said, straightening up. Like Zuberi, he was cloaked head to toe in militia black that allowed them to blend into the shadows of the alleyway. He found the thick padding on the clothing bulky and cumbersome, not at all to his liking, but he didn’t complain. He knew why they had to appear to be St. John Soldiers. Once they moved from their spot in the alley, they would need to be able to get to the massive elevator towers that would ferry them to the city’s wealthy Up H…