Firebrand (Astra)

New worlds get new kings, and that's exactly what Abby thinks she's found in her boss's hacked code. With a cataclysmic asteroid careening toward Earth, the VRMMORPG project Viridian Gate Online has become more than just a game, and Abby thinks her boss, Robert Osmark, wants to be more than just its founding father. Now, Abby holds a hacked key to the kingdom that could earn her a punishment worse than death. To uncover the secret that drug lords and corrupt politicians paid millions for, Abby must dive into the game she helped create and team up with one of its AI creations. It's a race against the clock as she tries to discover what's hidden in the secret code before Osmark can crown himself ruler over all that remains of humanity. From James A. Hunter-author of “Viridian Gate Online”, “Rogue Dungeon”, “War God's Mantle”, and the Yancy Lazarus series-and debut author J. D. Astra, comes an epic new entry into the expanded universe of “Viridian Gate Online” that you won't want to miss!

A single spark begets an inferno. The theft of the drug lord Carrera's Faction Seal has set Osmark's empire-to-be ablaze with the hunt for Abby and Otto's heads, but her quest to discover the truth about the ultra-rare item won't wait. There are only days left until Earth's destruction, and the Faction Seal plays some role in Osmark's plan to rule over Viridian Gate Online, the immersive VRMMO game turned humanity's lifeboat. With nowhere left to turn in Harrowick, Abby and Otto have no choice but to flee to the rebel undergrounds of Alaunhylles, a fading light that was once a beacon of hope in the Imperial aligned city. They come seeking answers in the Grand Archives, but the rebels have their own problems, and their own priorities... priorities that might just get Abby and Otto killed before they can find the answers they need. The enterprising rebel Firebrand will have to dig deep to complete her quest or see all her hopes go up in flames…

Can a single promise change the world? Even with the Crimson Alliance formed, Rowanheath taken, and Carrera dispatched, the onslaught never ends for Abby Hollander. Keeping the Spider Queen in check and handling water provisions was never what Abby wanted to do with her life, but it's what the war demands of her. To add to that never-ending list of demands, suddenly Naitee Mungal has need of Abby as well, and unfortunately, Abby already promised she would answer if Naitee called. Now Abby will have to go where no Traveler has ever been allowed before, face a series of grueling trials, and battle the gods themselves, risking everything to return balance and save her sorceric brethren. If she fails, the realm of Gaia could once again be overrun by the power of the elements. If she succeeds, she'll become the greatest Firebrand in all of Eldgard.