Journey's End

Title:	Journey's End
Cover Artist:	Don Semora
Genre:	Christian, Scifi, Survival, Adventure
Series:	The Offworld Chronicles
Publication Date:	TBA
Media Types:	Print (paperback) and Ebook
ISBN:	TBA
Preceded By:	Troubled Waters

Journey's End is the seventh and final book in The Offworld Chronicles novel series and will cover the adventures of Simon and team as they close in on the end of the race, and take all that they have learned and experienced in the past two and a half years, and put it towards achieving the one thing they've been longing and striving for their entire journey: Winning The Race of Offworld.

Back Cover Blurb

Having conquered the Great Sea, Simon's team continues on their journey westward, through the Wendrock Mountains, and into the incredible dangers of the fifth hextant. But these are not the kind of dangers that one might expect. They are instead dangers of temptation, planted there to ensnare Simon and his team, and prevent them from continuing on. Will they be able to overcome these temptations, or will that land successfully trap them there forever? It's a struggle to the end, with freedom, victory, and a chance to return home to Earth awaiting them at the top of Black Mountain.

Summary

The story beings with a brief introduction to Rupert Wendle, and two of his traveling companions, Patrick Mackros and Clifford Pitts, as they begin their journey 17 years before the present day, showing that others went through much the same thing as Simon and his team did at the beginning. The story then flips over to Simon and his team as they're riding in the hybrid airship of Edias Carbuckle across The Giant Mountains. Along the way Sheobaal sabotages the ship, forcing it to land, after which he sends his Nephalim against it in an effort to exterminate Simon and his team as a means to raise his place within the Alien Brotherhood. However God, through the use of Aitok and Bathremel, foil this plan, allowing the airship to escape with all passengers and crew intact.

Upon landing on the other side of the mountains, Simon's team continue on until they come across the lands of the kingdom of Terifall. They are greeted at the gate, and introduced to Professor Beaufort Dodger, who requests that they join him at his estate. After being escorted by four soldiers of the kingdom to the valley in front of the city of Eryton, they meet up with the professor and follow him back to his estate. Along the way, and upon arriving, the team discovers that he knows way more about them than he should, or that they are comfortable with. There are other things that he does that also make them concerned as they seem odd and out of place. However, it's soon discovered that he's doing this to test them, and benefit them, as these things are for their good.

Eventually the professor offers to teach Simon's team anything they wish to know, in exchange for staying with him for the winter, as a means to protect them, as winter is not far away, and trying to traverse the Wendrock Mountains during winter, or even late fall, is difficult at best, and impossible at worst, and should they make it to the 5th Hextant shortly after winter begins, it would put them in even graver danger, as that hextant is best done in summer, as it's too dangerous to cross in winter, as one might become trapped there if they're not careful. Elsewhere Zek is busy preparing both Section 9, as well as his own kin, among others, for the great battle that is soon to unfold once Simon's team reaches the 6th hextant, and the Black Mountain as its end, where the finish line is located.

The following spring, after the snows had all melted, and it was once again safe to travel in the Wendrock Mountains, Simon's team takes off again and heads out towards the 5th hextant. However, upon arriving, they are blown away by what they find, which is that this hextant is a veritable paradise beyond words on par with the Garden of Eden. The team quickly understands the warnings that the professor gave them about the place, and become on guard about their journey going forward. They soon reach the little village of Yarwin where they're greeted by a city full of biomechanoids and other controller servants who introduce them to absolute luxury overload. Everything there is designed to entice the five senses and trap anyone who enters in a flood of boundless luxury and pleasure.

However, this instead puts Simon's team more on guard and, while they do avail themselves to the luxuries available there, it is only for a brief time, to rest and regenerate themselves, before escaping, and continuing on their journey down the trail. However, they know they can't keep going without being identified, and lured back in. So they stop at the next village and begin looking for disguises to help them out. As they do, God miraculously provides them with not only effective disguises, but He also blinds the eyes of those hunting for them. It's during this time that Rupert and his team first hear about Simon's team, and begin researching them, discovering that they may be the prophesied forebears, or even possibly the ones spoken of in the ancient prophecy about the race that speaks of the day the race will be won.

Simon's team continue on through the hextant, fighting relentlessly, every day, to hold back the temptations that are assailing them on every side, with their end goal being the 6th hextant, and the Black Mountain at its end. They eventually reach the final city in the hextant, known as Hartcroft, which is the gateway to the 6th hextant, and the final obstacle Simon's team must cross to reach it. Shortly after entering the city, Simon encounters Rupert, who leads them back to his house, where they begin plotting how both of them might successfully conquer the badlands of the 6th hextant, climb the Black Mountain, and win the race. Elsewhere, Sheobaal and other demons work frantically to locate Simon's team and stop them at all costs, but to no avail. Simon and Rupert's team soon head out into the 6th hextant, along with some biomechanoids that are loyal to Rupert, and begin the final 50 mile journey to the finish line.

The journey is brutal and unforgiving, with the lands of the 6th hextant doing everything they can to stop the team, but to no avail. Eventually the two teams begin climbing the mountain, with the two teams fighting the vicious, unrelenting elements, fighting with all their strength to advance, of which they make some, but very limited progress. Eventually the two teams reach the top where they encounter Adramelech his demons, and those loyal to him, who do their best to stop the two teams from completing the race. However, Zek and his allies, including soldiers and servants of Section 9, agents loyal to the Chief Director, Maul's wolves, and fight against the demon army to protect the two teams. Eventually, despite their best efforts, the two teams slowly suffer one loss after another until only Simon remains, with everyone else being either killed, or wounded to the point of being unable to continue.

Simon finds himself exhausted, and wounded to the point that his strength fails him, and he is no longer able to advance, despite being but a few dozen yards from the marker that denotes the finish line. However, in the midst of this, a miracle happens, as an announcement goes forth that the race has been won, which brings the battle to an immediate, and abrupt end. Simon then briefly looks on at five people, with Susan Wheaton being one of them, standing at the finish line with her hand on the marker, legally, and officially completing the race. Simon then passes out, only to wake up shortly after in a hospital back on Earth where he is told that only a few hours have passed, and everything he saw was just a dream; a result of him having collapsed in the parking lot from being overtired.

Simon eventually returns home to relax, and recover from his brief medical incident, questioning deeply within himself if what he'd experienced was real, or if it had just been his imagination, as so many had already told him it was. It is at this moment that a car pulls into the driveway, which Simon goes to investigate, only to discover that its passengers are Aria and Trevor, his adopted children, confirming to Simon that what he'd remembered had indeed been real. The three then go into the house to begin catching up on all that had happened to them since returning to Earth.

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