The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"So, while Krista is leading us in to rescue our missing Links, you will be destroying Victor and his Descended?" Shawn asked, carefully skirting around using Mark's name.

"That would be correct." Haniel said without hesitation.

Sam came over to stand next to me. She placed her arm around my shoulder, offering moral support at Haniel's words.

"I'm okay," I said. I hope he can be saved, even if we aren't Links anymore.

"What?" Robert asked, clearly confused.

"Our Link was broken the moment Mark sealed his soul from mine," I said looking at Haniel for confirmation.

Once again being of little words, he merely nodded his head.

"So, all hope is lost?" Sam asked as her shoulders slumped.

"One can always hope, Sam. That is the privilege that all those in the earthly realm are given. Hope is a powerful emotion that should never be given up on," Haniel affirmed.

"Well, I don't believe it," Sam replied stubbornly.

"Sam, even if Mark isn't a Descended, our Link is gone. We no longer belong to each other."

Sam's eyes filled with tears at my words, but I kept the wall I had erected around my heart firmly in place. "It's fine guys. I've accepted my responsibilities as an Ascended and that's what matters now. It's my job to get us in there and rescue who we can," I said, addressing the group as one.

My words seemed to open the flood gates and for the next hour we discussed strategies. I could tell my Band still wasn't overly crazy about my part in the whole mission, but I stoically ignored their exchanged looks of concern.

By lunchtime we were famished, but at least we had a solid plan in place. Kieran and Jenna made a mountain of sandwiches out of the last of the bread and supplies. I loaded up my plate with chips and one of the thick sandwiches, before I settled on one of the logs. I balanced the plate on my knees just as the first snowflakes began to fall.

Glancing up at the sky beyond our protective tent, I could see that the heavy clouds had moved in over us and were rapidly dropping oversized snowflakes. The temperature drop from the night before made it so that flakes began to stack up on each other instead of melting, blanketing the area around us. I couldn't help wondering whether this was a gift from The Light or a curse from The Dark One. I could see the perks of leading our attacks that night when Victor might have his defenses down, although a frozen snow covered mountain would prove difficult for escape if the battle took a turn for the worse.

The conversations around me dwindled down as we finished our lunches, keeping our eyes on the snow that continued to fall. Each flake was roughly the size of a cotton ball making it tough to see much beyond our temporary shelter. The others did not voice their concern, but I could feel their mixed emotions rolling through the camp. Taking my new role to heart, I tampered their mixed emotions back easily and filtered them instead with courage and peace. The task was as easy as breathing to me and it felt second nature to do it.

I had discovered the night before that it was almost painful to be surrounded by conflicting emotions. Unanswered questions swirled around in my head. Did Haniel feel the same pain I did from negative emotions? If so, does that mean I'm now more a part of the Heavenly Realm than the Earthly one? What would all of it mean when the night came to a close?

Chapter 10

The afternoon slowly drifted into the evening. As the clouds finally parted, the moon and stars shone brightly down on the snow that was more than a foot deep. The snow made the night lighter than it normally would have been from the whiteness that surrounded us.

Haniel arrived as we were making our final preparations. He glanced at me appraisingly, obviously getting a feel for how I was feeling about the situation I would soon be facing. It amazed me how well I could read him now. I would have called it an out-of-body experience, but truthfully, I had never felt more in control of myself than I did at that moment. My heart still ached painfully for the love I had lost, but other things seemed bent on crowding that ache away. My love for my friends and their safety dominated every cell in my body. I could feel it radiating through me as the time of our departure loomed ahead.

Haniel flashed me a rare proud smile as he read my thoughts.

"The time has come," he said, addressing all of us.

His words triggered a flurry of activity as the Protectors swiftly removed the tarp above our heads and wrapped it around the backpacks we had piled up near the campfire. It was decided that the only commodity we would carry were flashlights and pickaxes for protection. The rest of the supplies would only weigh us down.

Once the packs were securely covered, Robert and Lynn came over to join Sam, Shawn and me. Lynn gave Sam a quick hug. "Be careful okay. Don't go off on your own like you've been known to do."

Sam blinked back tears. "I won't, not like Shawn would let me even if I tried," she said, trying to lighten the mood as she stepped back and turned to her brother.

"Stay safe," she said, choking slightly on the words.

Robert nodded and pulled her in for a gentle hug. "We'll see you soon," he promised, using his thumb to wipe away a tear from Sam's cheek.

Sam gulped back a half sob, burying her head in Shawn's shoulder.

Lynn turned to me, giving me her usual hard penetrating stare. "We need you," she said fiercely, giving me a hard hug. "Don't forget that," she added, making her point abundantly clear.

"I know, I promise this isn't a suicide mission for me. Maybe a couple days ago it was, but all of that has changed now," I said, finally coming clean.