The Darkening (Guardians of Ascension 6.50)

“But what about the ropes?” Her gaze traveled to the ceiling hook.

Samuel smiled as he started straining against the knots. “Here’s the good news.

The power inherent in these bindings, belonged to Sharav, now he’s dead. ” The ropes started to snap so that within a few seconds, he’d freed himself.

He crossed to Vela and ripped the rope bindings off her wrists, dragged her against his waist, and closed his eyes. He mentally sought for his sword and found it surrounded by a crew designed to salvage identified weapons. He folded the sword into his hand.

He heard running footsteps and watched as the grid wall began to close.

But the opening allowed him to do a last second fold and he took them both within.

“My turn,” Vela said. She put on her best speed and the next moment raced through the darkening.

Explosions sounded behind them and not far away at all.

Can I help? he sent.

Just hold me close. That’s helping.

Samuel let his power flow, but he sensed it could do nothing to aid with her speed, so he addressed another potential problem.

Merl, he sent. We’re on our way back to your house. Sharav laid a trap, but he’s dead now. Wreckers at our heels.

Got it. Calling in reinforcements.

On through dozens of criss-crossing tunnels, Vela never failing to make instant choices.

He felt them cross the dimensional boundary, like a preternatural speed- bump.

We’re almost there, Vela sent. But another explosion hit close and debris bit at his calves.

One more tunnel.

And damn would you look at that.

Where Merl’s wall used to exist, and just inside the darkening grid, stood an array of Warrior of the Blood power that not even a wrecking crew could withstand because each held one of the re-identified shotguns: Thorne, Leto, and this time, Luken, whose mere size would deter the best wrecker warrior any day.

Of course the explosions had also taken out Merl’s wall, but the bastard, standing in his living room beyond, grinned.

As Samuel and Vela passed by the What-Bees and essentially ran straight into Merl’s house, Samuel whirled and watched as a wrecking crew broke through the opposite wall. They met a hail of rapid weapon-fire as all three warriors, Luken clearly up to speed, unloaded their weapons and vaporized the enemy.

Yet even in the distance another explosion sounded as a second crew approached.

“We’ve only got a few seconds,” Vela cried out.

Merl shouted, “Move out of the grid now!” The three warriors turned and leaped. Just as Merl started closing up the darkening wall, an explosion ripped through the air as another wrecking crew arrived, shotguns at their hips.

Vela joined Merl, this time planting a hand on his shoulder, instead of on the wall, experiencing his power and reflecting it. As the second squad fired, her power spread over the darkening wall.

Samuel watched a golden aura pass over the wall, creating a seal even as the explosion sounded from the other side.

The air vibrated strangely.

The aura wavered.

Samuel held his breath.

But the wall held.