The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

The gap between us closed to less than five feet and I watched in horror as some of the bugs and insects crawled right into the fire as if it wasn't even there, burning themselves alive. Black smoke rose around us as the bugs began to make the fire smolder from the multiple bodies piling up. The fire slowly snuffed out as if a bucket of water had doused it as more bugs crawled over the remains of the charred bodies. Terrified, I backed up even further, taking care to keep a safe distance between my back and the bowed-in netting behind me.

Our Protectors lowered their torches to ground level, keeping the fire close to the dirt in an attempt to force the bugs back, but I could tell they knew their attempts were futile. The insects didn't appear to have any sense of survival left. Victor had instead turned them into mindless pawns that would all burn alive trying to get to us, and by the sheer number of them, it was going to happen.

"Shawn by your foot," I yelled, watching as a group tried to make their way between the narrow gap of Shawn's feet. Several escaped his torch and began to crawl up his legs. Sam reached down, knocking them away with her own hands. Shawn shot her a silent look that spoke volumes and I felt tears fill my eyes, their bond was undeniable. Looking around, I was dismayed to see that the insects had found ways around the torches and were now freely climbing over and between the Guides.

Amelia shrieked beside me as several started the journey up her boots and legs. Without thinking, I dropped to my knees, trying to knock them off her. I realized my mistake instantly as my dream from earlier crept in. Kieran stumbled into me, trying to stomp on the bugs at her feet and sent me sprawling face first into the dirt. Panicked, I frantically tried to get up as pandemonium took over our campsite. I could hear my friends screaming and Robert yelling for Lynn. I tried to raise my head to search for her, but saw nothing but the horde of bugs crawling toward me. Sickened, I curled up in a ball with all hope disintegrating like dust in the wind. I wrapped my arms around my head, trying to make myself as small as possible. I felt millions of tiny legs crawling over my body. All sound was drowned out by the chirping noises coming from the insects that covered every inch of us.

I felt multiple pinchers stinging me through my thick clothing and gasped as fiery heat raced through my limbs. The tender unprotected skin of my hands felt like they had been doused in acid. I heard a muffled scream off to my left and my heart went out to my friends. It seemed ironic that after facing true evil in the face, mere insects would be the downfall of us all. Though my body burned and I was terrified that I was being eaten alive, I found the willpower to cast out my very last blanket of emotions to my friends. I could at least give them comfort in our darkest hour, I thought to myself as I shifted my focus off my pain induced state and instead on easing my friends pain and grief.

Summoning enough of my new power to help all my friends wasn't as effortless as it might have been under less dire circumstances, but I was still able to assemble more than I would have thought possible. I couldn't help wondering briefly, as I cast it out with all my might, if The Light had bestowed my extreme gifts to me for a situation such as this. Was it his plan to make my final act one that would at least bring peace to those that he held in such high esteem?

I realized after several pain filled moments that my body had gone numb while I was focused on my friends. I could no longer feel the weight of the insects the covered me nor could I feel their painful bites. The end must be near and my only regret was that I would not see my love one last time.

I felt a tugging on my arm that was firmly wrapped around my head. Horrified, I pictured the monstrous bugs chewing their way through my arm and carting it off to the dark forest to never be seen again. A whimper built up in my throat and spilled out of my trembling lips. The pressure on my arm increased and before I could comprehend what was happening, I was hauled to my feet.

Strong arms encircled me.

"How the hell did you do that?" Shawn asked me incredulously, giving me a bone-crushing hug.

"Do what?" I asked confused. I pulled out of his arms and saw that everyone had encircled me, awe-struck. Lynn and Sam reached out and grasped my hands in theirs. "Where did they go?" I asked in a trembling voice, scanning the area around me, frantically looking for the loathsome bugs.

"You drove them away," John said, looking at me in disbelief. "I felt it when you cast it out. I swear I felt the ground move."

"So did I," Jaime piped in, standing close to me like she was drawn to me.

"I don't understand," I said, sinking down on one of the logs around the fire pit. "I was just trying to send comfort and peace to all of you."

"Well, you most certainly did that," Paul said with a laugh. "By ridding the camp of the bugs, you definitely brought peace and comfort to Amelia and me," he continued, dragging Amelia into his arms.

"So you guys think that I—was somehow able to use my gifts to drive all the bugs away?" I asked, my tone making it quite clear I thought they were all a little crazy.

"How else do you explain what happened," Sam asked, joining me on my rough seat.

I shrugged my shoulders as I fought the impulse to weep. My emotions were a mess from the energy I had exerted and the relief I felt that all my friends were safe was tangible. The whole experience felt like a dream if not for the multiple bites that covered my hands. I studied the bloody mess for a minute, sickened that chunks of skin were missing from my knuckles and the soft flesh that made up the back of my hand. I looked up at my friends and saw similar angry bites on the exposed chests of the Protectors in our group.

"When you expelled all that energy, what results were you trying to achieve?" John asked, not bothering to hide his intrigue.

"I only had one thought, which was to give all of you peace before you died," I said apologetically, realizing how morbid it sounded that I had contemplated their demise.

"Amazing," John said, deep in thought. "Obviously The Light felt the best solution to bringing us peace, short of killing all of us, was to use you."

"You are correct," Haniel's deep voice said behind me.

"Haniel, dude, your timing really sucks. Where were you like five minutes ago?" Shawn asked, not bothering to hide his disgust.

"I believe my whereabouts are no concern of yours," Haniel said, making the chain of command quite clear.

Shawn opened his mouth to retort, but thought better of it, snapping it back shut. He glared at Haniel though, making his distaste obvious before sinking down on one of the logs with Sam.

Haniel returned his stare before finally answering him. "My duties were to get all of you to this destination and to deal with Victor directly. Any further assistance goes against my instructions from The Light."

"So, we're just supposed to fend for ourselves," Sam asked quietly.

"You are not by yourselves. You have a Gift," he said looking pointedly at me.

"What?" I sputtered. "Not again with the gift?"

"Krista, how can you keep denying that?" Lynn asked me.