The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

I saw John and Jacob scoop up Kieran and Kim into their arms, sprinting along the perimeter of the room toward us. Mark grasped onto my wrist and pulled me from the room toward the double doors. He used his broad shoulders to ram into the doors, flinging them open as we ran. John and Jacob sprinted behind us, cradling their Guides in their arms. Glancing back, I saw that the floor continued to crumble away, nipping at our feet as we raced down the endless hallway.

"Hurry," I yelled at Jacob, finally coming to my senses as I watched him struggle to keep up.

My words seemed to give him the burst of speed he needed as he caught up to us just as we burst through the heavy door, depositing us into the early dawn air. The door behind us collapsed as the mountain sealed itself away, leaving nothing but rubble behind.

Victor's lair had disappeared into where it rightfully belonged, taking the monster that had haunted us for so many years with it.

We sat on the ground that continued to rumble, trying to catch our breath. Glancing around at my friends, I was relieved to see Kim and Kieran starting to come around in the arms of their Protectors.

"Krista?" A voice called out behind us.

Turning around, I saw Lynn and Robert stepping out of the woods approaching us with their entire party still intact.

Jumping to my feet, I limped toward them as fast as my injured leg would allow.

"Are you okay?" Lynn asked, openly crying.

"Yes, are you?"

"Yeah, we never made it into the mountain. We got to the back entrance, but Haniel couldn't enter. He tried everything and finally disappeared for a while to confer with The Light. When he came back, he said we needed to wait until you called for him. He said once that happened, we were to make our way to this entrance and wait for you," Robert said. "Where is Sam?" He continued in the same breath.

"She's at the hospital with Shawn. I'm sure she's okay," I said, trying to ease his anxiety.

"Krista, where is Haniel?" Lynn asked, looking around anxiously.

I shook my head, unable to answer her question. Hot tears tracked down my cheeks as the impact of his death hit me full-on.

"No," Lynn said, unwilling to believe. She turned to John for a more suitable answer, but he merely nodded his head, confirming what I had been unable to say.

I closed my eyes as my friends expressed their anguish.

"What are you doing here?" I heard Lynn demand.

Opening my eyes, I saw her studying Mark harshly.

I started to explain, but Mark held up his hand. "Let me," he said, pulling me into his arms, giving me the comfort I so desperately needed. I sank back into his arms gratefully.

Mark plunged into an explanation, highlighting everything our group had missed. I watched the play of emotions cross their faces as they realized Mark had never crossed over, along with their pain when he explained the sacrifice Haniel had made for all of us.

We were here because Haniel had given his life for us.

Mark's words stalled as an imposing figure stepped out of the woods. For the briefest moment, I thought it was Haniel and my heart leaped to my throat, but to my dismay I could see it was a different Archangel.

"Krista, Mark," the stranger nodded, "you are to accompany me. There is someone who wishes to seek your acquaintance," he said formally, sounding much like Haniel had when we first met him.

My heart wept as the pain of losing Haniel hit me acutely.

"Why?" Mark asked.

"That is a question only he can answer," he said, waiting for us to join him.

Mark glanced at me. I shrugged my shoulders, grasping onto his hands. Was it even possible to say no to an Archangel? Stepping away from our group, Mark and I joined him as he reached out with his hands. Together, Mark and I grasped onto them as he slowly lifted our feet from the ground. I glanced back at my friends as we slowly Ascended away from them, toward what awaited us beyond the earthly realm.

Epilogue

There is no sense of time in the heavenly realm. When Mark and I returned back to our friends, we had no earthly idea that several days had passed. We weren't surprised though, to find them in the place that had drawn us all together.

They greeted us exuberantly as we suddenly appeared on the sand just beyond where they were all lounging. They jumped to their feet, taking turns embracing us as we were passed from one set of arms to the next.