The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"I was invited by someone far greater than you," Haniel said, looking at me briefly. "She holds more power than you could ever dream realize."

"You think you can defeat me?" Victor asked, glaring at Haniel with hatred.

"You are already defeated. I am merely here to send you home," Haniel said as the quaking beneath our feet intensified.

I watched in amazement as the concrete flooring in the center of the room gave way, sinking into oblivion below it.

Join the others, I heard Haniel's thoughts in my head.

I glanced at my friends and was relieved to see that Haniel's appearance had spared them from the Daemons onslaught. John and Jacob clutched their unconscious Guides, dragging them to where Mark stood on the far side of the room. Using the wall for support, I slowly crept along the perimeter of the room as the flooring in the center of the room continued to sink away.

"You think I will just jump in there willing?" Victor asked belligerently, inching toward the doors that led to the lab.

Knowing his intention, I reversed my direction and headed toward the doors to ward off his escape. I was so intent on my mission that I gasped when a hand snaked out and grasped my own. Glancing down, I saw Mark's long lean fingers wrapped securely around my wrist.

I don't think so, his thoughts flashed through my mind. Haniel has this.

Looking up, I saw he was right. Haniel continued to stalk Victor, closing in on him.

"You are nothing Angel," Victor said as he finally reached his destination and grasped onto one of the door handles behind him.

I wanted to shout out a warning to Haniel, but saw he was one step ahead of me as Victor pulled on the doorknob in vain.

"You will not be leaving the mountain that way Victor. The Light has made a deal with The Dark One," Haniel said, continuing his slow advance.

"The Dark One does not make deals with The Light," Victor said, looking scared for the first time.

"He made an exception this time. You see, he feels that someone like you must be stopped from ever walking in the earthly realm again."

"What could The Light possibly offer The Dark One that he couldn't obtain himself?" Victor asked.

"The Angel that watches over his most treasured celestial beings," Haniel answered, finally reaching out to grasp Victor.

Haniel's words took a moment to sink in.

"No!" I screamed, trying to break Mark's hold on me so I could race to Haniel's side. How could The Light offer up Haniel for us?

Mark's grip on me tightened, holding me in place.

"No, no," I said again as tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I struggled against Mark, trying to use my new gifts against him to break his hold, but realized his gifts matched my own. I could not break away from the one person who was equal to me. I watched Haniel with grief-stricken eyes as he slowly dragged Victor across the floor.

Haniel's eyes met mine as he held a vice-like grip on Victor's flailing body.

"It is the only way Krista," he said sincerely before he jumping into the empty space, dragging Victor with him.

Victor's screams slowly faded away, but mine remained as I watched Haniel disappear into total darkness.

Mark released his hold on my wrist as I sank to my knees sobbing. Disbelief flowed through me as Haniel's death pierced through me like a sword. How could The Light value Haniel's life so much less than ours?

Through dazed eyes, I watched as Mark, John and Jacob used their strength and Mark's new powers to shove the Daemons down the gaping hole in the floor. None of them put up much of a fight, confused that their master had disappeared on them. Within seconds, only our group remained in the huge room. The floor began to shake and shudder again as the hole in the center of the room began to grow. I approached the hole in the floor, wanting to jump in myself.

Mark jerked me backwards just as the floor collapsed where I had stood. "Dying won't bring him back!" He yelled over the deafening noise of the building caving in around us.

I looked at him blankly, trying to make sense of what The Light had done.

"We have to leave!" Mark said, shaking my shoulders.

I nodded, knowing he was right. Even if I jumped in the hole that took Haniel, it wouldn't change anything.