The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"Yeah, I gathered that much,” I said sarcastically, “but I'm not overly crazy about us walking into an ambush."

"What choice do we have?" Shawn asked.

"I know, I'm just saying," I said, cutting my eyes back toward the door.

"Come on, let's go," I said, taking control over the situation.

My command prompted the group forward with the Protectors slowly leading us down the long hallway. I focused all my attention on trying to get a feel for the space in front of us. I could make out the presence of multiple Daemons in the vicinity, along with a dark evil essence that I hoped was only Victor. It was stronger than it had been in June, so either he was seriously more powerful, or I was sensing someone else with him, someone with the same dark emotions. My heart lurched slightly at the thought that it most likely belonged to Mark. Shrouded by the dark cloud of evil, I could also feel something else. Something like a beacon of light amidst a dense fog. It was faint, but it was definitely there.

It had to be the missing pair from our Band, I thought in satisfaction. Our rescue mission was not a waste. We would be saving what was stolen from us so many years ago.

I can handle this, I thought just before all the light above our heads went off.

Chapter 12

Sam screamed next to me as the massive door behind us slammed closed with a resounding bang. The darkness was so immediate, it left us all frantically trying to turn on our flashlights, but to no avail. For some reason, they wouldn’t work.

"What the Hell!" Shawn said loudly, making me jump.

His words acted like a catalyst in the hallway. Warm bursts of air moved rapidly around the space where we stood, bumping us from all sides. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as Sam screamed again.

"Everyone be quiet," I commanded, trying to get a gauge of what kind of evil surrounded us. "They're poltergeists," I told my friends, trying reassure them.

My words ceased the movement around us. "How do you know this angel girl," something breathed in my ear.

"What else would use these kinds of parlor tricks to try to scare us," I taunted.

My words triggered the response I was hoping for. The dark hallway filled with glowing light as the ghosts made themselves visible in front us.

"Parlor tricks indeed. How I would love to get inside that body of yours. Care to let me in?” he asked as if trying to be charming.

I cringed when I caught a whiff of his rank fiery breath.

"Try it and I’ll fry your already dead soul,” I said, trying to sound threatening. I wasn’t even sure my powers would work on a poltergeist.

"Ooh, still tempting,” he said, flying around the room, bouncing off every wall.

I focused heavily on the ghost as he sauntered around the room. What I was sensing was different than the emotional energy of living souls, but still something I felt I could manipulate.

"The Dark One would be angry for sure,” he sang as he pranced around in circles. “Oh, but this is too good to pass up,” he continued.

He was moving so quickly, it was difficult to maintain a read on his energy.

“No guts, no glory,” he said, flying up into the air in a summersault before making a beeline straight for me.

“Don’t!" I screamed, putting my hands up in front of me to try and protect myself.

The poltergeist came to a dead stop in mid-air, inches from my face. He was hanging there helplessly, unable to move. I moved my hands and stared directly into his translucent eyes.

“What is this?” he griped, trying to break free from the unseen force keeping him bonded. I continued my focus, using my power to keep him frozen. There were no human emotions to focus on, but I could sense a change in his force. The more I concentrated on that force, the brighter he illuminated.

“Noooooo!" He blared as he lit up like a bolt of lightning, disappearing into nothingness, leaving us in darkness once again.

"I wonder where the rest went," I asked, expecting my friends to answer. “Guys, are you okay?” I asked, getting no response. I was so wrapped up with the poltergeist, I hadn’t noticed where my friends went, but they were definitely missing. A cold dread suddenly gripped me. Some Ascended I was, I thought. I had allowed my friends to be snatched right out from under me. I sank down to my knees as the full impact of it hit me. I was utterly alone in the dark hallway. I started to hyperventilate when I realized the connection between my current predicament and the dreams that had been haunting me for months. The air around me thickened and I could feel the darkness pressing down on me.

After several minutes, I was finally able to get a grip on myself. This was different. I knew the dimensions of the hallway and also knew that I wouldn't fall into some unseen abyss. Sure, I didn't know what awaited me at the end of the hallway, nor did I know what had happened to my friends, but I was also a different person now.

I pulled myself up off the ground and slowly started walking forward. I kept my hands out in front of me to help alert me to any obstacle I might encounter. My pace was slow and cautious as I continued to proceed down the long narrow space. I used my gifts to see if I could sense the location of my missing friends, but felt nothing. This was not the way the plan was supposed to go. We had allowed ourselves to walk into an ambush. The question is why had Victor left me in the hallway alone? And why did he feel the need to mess with me?