Novels by Rachel Holt

The observation deck at the top of the crystalline spire had become Jack's favorite place to think. From here, he could see the entire city spread out below—rebuilt stronger and more beautiful than it had ever been, filled with people living lives that would have been impossible without the protection his network provided.But tonight, as the dual moons cast silver light across the transformed skyline, Jack wasn't admiring their achievements. He was remembering where it all began."Hard to believe it started with Charles Oliver's execution," he said aloud, knowing his friends would hear him through their permanent mental link even though they were scattered across different dimensions on various missions."You mean it started with a weak boy nobody wanted," Lucy's voice replied warmly through their connection, her protective instincts wrapping around the memory with fierce affection.Jack smiled, pressing his hand against the medallion that had become part of his chest. The golden sur

The war room deep within the crystalline spire had become the nerve center for the most ambitious defensive project in dimensional history. Holographic displays showed the status of their entire universal cluster—thousands of realities connected by the portal network, each one now monitored by their expanded consciousness.Jack stood at the center of it all, no longer the weak boy who had once struggled to survive in a world that saw him as worthless. The medallion had become so integrated with his being that its golden surface was visible beneath his skin, pulsing with the rhythm of dimensional currents across countless worlds. But unlike the corrupt artifacts that had consumed previous wielders, his medallion was sustained by the bonds that connected him to his friends."Protocol Seven is now fully operational across all monitored dimensions," Sierra reported, her tactical awareness coordinating defensive measures on a scale that would have been incomprehensible months ago. "Early w

Six months after the dimensional crisis, their city bore little resemblance to the place that had nearly been destroyed by Vale's invasion. The rebuilding hadn't simply restored what was lost—it had created something entirely new.Where the old council headquarters had stood, a crystalline spire now reached toward the sky, its faceted surface designed to detect dimensional anomalies from hundreds of miles away. The building served as headquarters for the Dimensional Monitoring Initiative, the organization Jack and his friends had established to prevent future crises."Seventeen minor rifts detected across the northern sectors this week," Sierra reported during their morning briefing, her tactical awareness processing data streams that would have overwhelmed any individual mind. "All within normal parameters, but the frequency is increasing."Jack nodded, his consciousness simultaneously monitoring the reports while maintaining awareness of dimensional currents across their entire real

As the final seconds of his transformation ticked away, Jack felt his consciousness crystallize around a revelation that changed everything. The medallions' power didn't have to choose between perfect guardianship and human connection—it could create something entirely new."What if the burden doesn't have to be mine alone?" he said through their shared mental link, his voice carrying wonder despite his fading physical form. "What if we've been thinking about this wrong from the beginning?"Through their psychic connection, his friends felt his idea taking shape—not one guardian managing impossible responsibilities, but a network of consciousness that could handle the dimensional network's complexity while remaining anchored to humanity."You mean permanent integration?" Sierra breathed, her enhanced understanding immediately grasping the implications. "All of us linked directly to the dimensional network?""The ancient guardians failed because they became isolated from the people the

Jack's consciousness spread like spilled mercury across the dimensional network, his awareness touching worlds he'd never imagined. He could feel the pulse of life on countless planets, sense the delicate balance that held reality together, perceive threats to dimensional stability that existed light-years away.It was overwhelming and magnificent and terrifying all at once.Through his expanded perception, he could see their own world as just one node in an infinite web—small, fragile, but pulsing with the fierce determination of beings who refused to surrender to despair. He could feel Mrs. Sophie organizing relief efforts in the ruined city, Lord Rasmus's surviving soldiers helping with rescue operations despite their old conflicts, even the corrupted treasure hunters slowly recovering their humanity as the dimensional toxins were purged from their systems.But he could also feel himself slipping away from all of it. His connection to individual human concerns was fading as cosmic

The moment Jack's hand closed around Vale's dark medallion, reality screamed.Two opposing forces—one meant to protect, one designed to consume—collided within his consciousness with the fury of colliding stars. Jack felt his sense of self being torn apart and rebuilt simultaneously, his awareness expanding beyond the boundaries of single-dimensional existence.Vale's eyes widened in shock as his dark artifact began resonating with Jack's medallion, the two pieces fighting for dominance within the same host. "What are you doing, you fool? You'll destroy us both!""Maybe," Jack gasped, feeling the competing energies threaten to tear his mind apart. "But at least I'll take you with me."The dark medallion's hunger crashed against Jack's consciousness like a tidal wave of pure malevolence. It whispered promises of power beyond imagination, showed him visions of ruling infinite realities, offered him the ability to reshape existence according to his will. The corruption was overwhelming,

Jacob stood in the center of an abandoned warehouse on Seron's industrial outskirts, watching Anna practice offensive energy projection. She had progressed from barely manifesting visible power to creating focused blasts that could dent reinforced steel. But individual ability, however impressive, was not their goal anymore."That is good work," Jacob said as Anna's latest energy strike punched through a concrete support pillar. "But we need to move beyond separate techniques. The historical texts describe Krigg and Chen guardians fighting as unified forces, their powers combining into something greater than individual abilities."Anna wiped sweat from her forehead, breathing hard from sustained energy channeling. "How does that work? Our abilities seem fundamentally different—yours are more controlled and tactical while mine are raw power.""Which is exactly why combining them creates something new," Jacob replied. He walked to stand beside her, raising his hand to manifest golden en

Anna sat back in her chair, overwhelmed by the weight of her newly discovered heritage. For twenty-six years, she had been Anna Tate—the scarred daughter of a middle-class family, defined by tragedy and rejection. Now she was learning she carried bloodline legacy that stretched back centuries."I do not feel like a legendary guardian," Anna said quietly. "I feel like someone who has been training for a few weeks and can barely control abilities I did not know existed a month ago.""That will change," Jacob assured her. "Your power is already extraordinary for someone at your training level. Once we develop your technique and tactical understanding to match your raw abilities, you will be formidable."Leo continued pulling up historical documents, creating a comprehensive picture of what Chen guardians had been capable of at their peak. The records showed warriors who could create energy barriers strong enough to withstand cannon fire, healers who could restore injuries that should hav

Jacob stood frozen, staring at the sketch of the medallion on the orphanage record. The implications cascaded through his mind like falling dominoes—each revelation more staggering than the last."Leo, search historical archives for Chen family records," Jacob commanded, his voice urgent. "Everything you can find about their lineage, their role in Seron's history, and what happened to them."While Leo worked, Jacob pulled up documents he had studied years ago during his research into the Krigg family artifacts. Ancient texts written in old Seronian, passed down through generations of his family, describing the guardian traditions and the families who maintained them."Here," Jacob said, displaying one document on the main screen. "This is from approximately four hundred years ago. It describes the founding alliance between the Krigg and Chen families."Anna moved closer to read the archaic text. Even translated to modern language, the words carried weight that transcended simple histo

Jacob spent the next morning in the communications room, surrounded by multiple screens displaying archived documents, historical records, and genealogical databases. Anna sat beside him, watching as he methodically worked through every available resource that might shed light on her mother's mysterious past."Start with basic records," Jacob muttered, typing rapidly. "Birth certificate, hospital records, anything that would show her maiden name or place of origin."The searches returned nothing. Anna's mother had apparently materialized into existence as an adult woman working at a charity event twenty-eight years ago. No childhood records, no school transcripts, no medical history before the age of approximately twenty."That is impossible," Anna said, staring at the empty results. "Everyone has records. Birth certificates are mandatory. How could my mother have no documented existence before meeting my father?""Because someone erased them," Jacob replied grimly. "This level of sys

Anna pulled her hands back from Jacob's arm as if the contact had burned her. Golden energy still flickered around her fingers like residual lightning, fading slowly as she stared at them in disbelief."What just happened?" Anna whispered. "I did not mean to do that. I did not even know I could do that."Jacob examined his forearm where the cut had been moments before. Not even a scar remained—just perfectly healed skin as if the injury had never occurred. He had witnessed mystical healing before, but never with such speed and completeness from someone with no formal training."You healed me," Jacob said, his tactical mind already analyzing the implications. "Not just closed the wound—you completely regenerated the damaged tissue in seconds. That level of healing requires both power and control that most guardians train years to achieve.""But I have only been training for three weeks," Anna protested. "And only in combat, not mystical abilities. How could I possibly—""Your guardian

Three weeks passed in a blur of exhaustion, pain, and incremental progress. Anna's body adapted to the brutal training regimen with surprising speed, her muscles developing the wiry strength that came from constant conditioning. More importantly, her mind absorbed tactical concepts that most students required months to grasp.Jacob stood across from her in the training room, watching as she flowed through a combat sequence he had taught her the previous day. Her movements were not yet perfect, but they showed understanding of principles rather than just memorized motions."Better," Jacob acknowledged when she finished. "Your weight distribution during the spin kick needs adjustment, but the overall execution shows you are thinking about angles rather than just copying what I demonstrated."Anna wiped sweat from her face, breathing hard but no longer gasping after exertion. Her cardiovascular conditioning had improved dramatically. "Show me the adjustment."Jacob demonstrated the kick