Introduction

Planet Earth is in peril, and only the few who take the ancient Mayan prophecies of 2012 seriously stand a chance to survive.

In the weeks before December 21, 2012, most people dismiss the pop-culture hysteria over ancient Mayan apocalypse predictions as little more than a reason to have another holiday party. Harried office drone Steve Soto doesn't think much of the end-of-the-world frenzy either -- until his life takes a series of bizarre turns. Mysteriously growing stronger and experiencing the best luck of his life, Steve finds himself cast in the role of protector when his girlfriend becomes the unwitting target of a ruthless assassin. As he searches for reasons why anyone would want to kill her, he discovers that he too is linked to the ominous plans of an unstable billionaire tech mogul.

Intertwined is a parallel storyline millennia removed from 2012, as a young warrior-prince grapples with the enigma of a mysterious glowing rock and a neighboring clan that seems to possess powerful and destructive magic. As both stories barrel toward explosive collisions, the fate of humanity remains tied to a nearly three thousand-year-old prophecy.

Author Robert Zitella delivers an epic, action-filled tale that will keep readers guessing until the world-shaking conclusion.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Rocks the size of small moons spiraled toward the silent blue planet. These were no ordinary asteroids. These jag¬ged behemoths were as close to the origins of the universe as anything that still existed. They contained the essence of the universe, the building blocks of all life. They were a part of God. They came from the beginning, the beginning of every¬thing, when the darkness turned to light.

Most of the asteroids’ original energy had been spread thinly across an ever-expanding space, but here, in this group of rocks, it was concentrated into a force as powerful as a thousand suns.

The largest asteroid of the group hurtled toward Earth; the others continued their never-ending journey through space. This largest asteroid plummeted through Earth’s atmosphere, breaking into thousands of pieces. But its core remained intact, glowing fiery hot.

RObERT ZITELLA

The rock continued to fall, silently drawing closer to the planet, which was teeming with life. With a shrieking explosion the rock plunged into the ocean, evaporating it in seconds.

A blast of energy spread from the rock in every direction at the speed of light, bringing death in waves.

The energy contracted as quickly as it had spread, returning to its source, back to the remains of the once great asteroid, transforming the rock at an atomic level. The ancient material briefly experienced a mingling of its existence and the destruction it had caused.

The birth of this new entity brought death to an uncountable number of beings instantly; nearly every creature that survived the impact died within weeks due to the massive amounts of debris that shot skyward and blocked the sun that had sustained the flora at the bottom of the food chain.

The core of the killer asteroid remained hidden in a massive crater. Now only a foot or two wide, it glowed a shade of purple that had not previously existed on this planet. The rock lay cooling, its glow dimming but never dying out completely. Time covered and uncovered it. It waited, hidden, incomplete. Calling. Waiting. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. What was your first impression of the sibling rivalry between Tec and Que?

2. What effects do you think Ted’s troubled childhood had on his adult life?

3. What similarities do the present-day characters share with the warrior-princes?

4. What was the final straw that caused Ted to turn against his boss after working for him for so many years?

5. Why do you think Ted decided to tell Steve about the asteroid and save his life?

6. Why do you believe Ted made the final decision to stay above ground with Mr. Vega?

7. What do you imagine will happen to Steve and the 300 people living underground?

8. What is the significance of the final ambush before Tec becomes king?

9. Were you surprised by the ending of The Return of Ixtab? Why or why not?

10. What are your thoughts on the Mayan Prophecy? Did The Return of Ixtab change your opinion about the prophecy?

11. If you knew the world was coming to an end, how would you spend your final days?

Weblinks

»	Author Robert Zitella's web site

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