When a cosmic accident transforms L.A. drug dealer Tyler Jensen, he finds the Universe to be stranger than fiction. Threatened by an alien presence and befriended by a god, his previous life on earth does not prepare him for the worlds he will discover. He is trapped as an eternal spirit, fighting to retain the only remnants of his former self—his memories. Forced to live through the lives of others, he journeys through the Universe seeking to build the family he was unjustly denied. Can Tyler recreate a ‘normal’ life as the hero of a warring planet or must he suffer retribution for the sins of his past?

Onyalum Retribution is the first in the Onyalum series.

After working many years in the high tech industry, NB VanYoos currently teaches high school mathematics. Following his passions to teach, he now applies that same passion to his writing. This is the first book published by NB VanYoos, and stands as the first in a multi-book series. The author currently resides in Colorado with his wife, daughter, and their two dogs.

Adanni didn’t know how far he’d come or whether it would be far enough. His unusual vision showed a three-dimensional map of galaxies in that region of the Universe. He chose one at random and transitioned into it quickly. Around him, bright stars and nebula swirled to the silent music of their galactic dance. He needed somewhere remote—somewhere that wasn’t jealously guarded by its creator. But where?

He feared retribution this time. He didn’t know how, but somehow he’d manipulated matter that went against everything he knew as Universal law. It wasn’t supposed to be possible, but somehow he’d done it. If only I knew how!

When he’d fled from the disaster, the creator had unleashed unholy wrath on all that remained. Adanni could only imagine the anger that must have erupted. How did I do it? He didn’t know but was certain the Universe would hunt him down. They would all hunt him down, so he kept moving.

Adanni was the name of the first being he’d ever inhabited. It had been a great life as Adanni, so he’d kept the name in memory of that wonderful experience. After so long, he only thought of himself as Adanni. He was an Onyalum. A being of pure ethereal form.

Onyalum were not made of matter or energy and so they existed between the material Universe and outside it. They were free spirits that traveled the Universe in search of adventures. The Universe had created them despite their reckless value. Onyalum lacked purpose and design but their effects on the Universe were profound.

How did I do it? Still nothing came. Because of their makeup, Onyalum could never affect the ‘real’ substance of the Universe, matter and energy. Likewise, neither matter nor energy could affect the Onyalum. Until now, it had been a fine balance.

Despite this balance, Adanni had unknowingly affected matter and energy. In a brief moment of anger and frustration, he’d ‘uncreated’ most of galaxy. The scope of the ‘mistake’ was undeniable. Creator’s would fear him, and the Universe would have little choice but to undo his existence. He was no longer an insignificant threat to their creations. He fled with fear for his very existence.

Focus, there must be somewhere to hide! He stared at the galactic core turning timelessly below him. Its spiral arms spun slowly about its center, trying to escape the inevitable pull inward. His special vision focused on an area in one of the arms. Within it, several planetary systems appeared remote yet capable of supporting life.

Perfect! He’d find a dying life form, take over and lie low for a few millennia. Perhaps that would be enough to escape the fate he feared. He didn’t know whether these worlds were guarded, but even if they were, he knew ways to get past. One blind transition into the world, bypassing the space in between, and he would be inside, undetected.

It was risky but the only sure way to avoid detection. He focused on the planet most likely to harbor life and made his jump.

Tyler walked cautiously down a sidewalk moving inevitably towards his car.  He was relieved to have completed the delivery, and looked forward to their trip to Mexico. The new supplier’s man had also been nervous, but like him, had maintained a cool exterior. They had both shown great relief when it was over.

These large transactions were notoriously dangerous. In that line of work, you never knew if the DEA had infiltrated one of the parties to set up a sting operation. Reduced prison time was a strong motivator to break even ‘unbreakable’ relationships or loyalties. The unknown was what everyone feared.

If the DEA weren’t enough of a threat, these large transactions also drew interest from rivals. The rivals employed many methods to gain information about large movements of supplies. If they thought it possible, they would use that information to ‘highjack’ shipments or raid deliveries. Those exploits typically involved gun play and death.

At least Raul had sent several men experienced in those types of situations. Although the men made Tyler nervous, he knew he had to rely on Raul’s trust. They were likely the best Raul employed. Tyler knew that at least one of the men was related to Raul, although he wasn’t sure how.

It was a dangerous business, and you even had to be cautious of your own staff. Power plays and hostile takeovers were very common. Any disgruntled member of the organization could easily cause havoc on operations, especially if a rival bought them off. Fortunately, no one in Raul’s organization had turned since Tyler had joined. Still, you could never rule out the possibility.

It didn’t matter now. Tyler had completed the transaction safely and would soon make his way south. He’d had one of Raul’s strong men drop him off blocks from his car. Always cautious, Tyler insisted on safety first. His knowledge of the product’s location was a valuable commodity, and he had no illusions that people would kill for that knowledge.

He turned off the sidewalk and down a back alley. The neighborhood he traveled through was reasonably safe at night, but he performed several jigs and backtracks to eliminate the possibility of being followed. As he came out onto another sidewalk, he stared intently at the small park across the street. It was empty, but Tyler used caution nonetheless.

He stared across the park and spotted his car still safe where he’d left it. He made sure the streets were clear before making his way through the park. He walked casually, trying to eliminate any suspicions from the neighbors. More than once, he’d had neighbors call the police because he’d parked on their street.

He walked beneath the large acacia tree dominating the center of the park, and moved slowly up the small hill to his car. The shade of the tree provided moderate cover from prying eyes. Nearing his car, he began to relax. He never let down his guard, but so far everything appeared to have worked. Nonetheless, caution was an ever present fact in his business.

He made his way up the small hill when a flash of bright light surrounded him. Blinded by the light, Tyler felt paralyzed by a searing pain ripping through his body. As quickly as it had come, the light faded, and with it, Tyler’s consciousness. The darkness enclosed him as a single word drifted through his mind, damn!