The Guardian's Mark

I hadn’t noticed before but a multitude of lit candles surrounded where I’d fallen. The pain in my ankle was almost unbearable so I was hoping it wasn’t broken, just twisted from the fall.

“Ava.”

I quickly sat up and pulled my gun from its holster, pointing it in the direction of the voice. My arm was shaking but my finger was steady on the trigger.

An angel was chained to the far wall, his head hanging low. The chains were wrapped around his arms and legs, his wings pressed into his back. His white pants and shirt were torn and dirty. His blond hair was messy and when he finally lifted his head it took me a moment to process whose face was looking back at me.

I dropped my hand, barely breathing out the next word. “Cassiel?”

His face was as expressionless as I remembered but it was clear he was in pain. “Yes. I was hoping they wouldn’t catch you but none of us, myself included, expected Elyon to betray us.”

I immediately felt guilty. This entire time I’d been so sure Cassiel was the traitor, especially considering how he’d treated me from day one. Now it was painfully clear I’d underestimated Elyon.

I returned my gun to its holster and attempted to stand, putting weight on my foot. A searing pain shot up my leg, bringing me back down to my knees. I shouted a few expletives, beyond frustrated by the fragility of my body.

“It’s not broken. Give it a little while. You can also use the stone but if no one has shown you how, I wouldn’t try it now.”

“That would have been useful information days ago.” Kneeling was uncomfortable so I sat down, painfully aware of my ankle’s delicate state.

“You’ll get out of here. He doesn’t have too many guards. How many fellows are with you?”

“Thirty. We split up and took different entrances. I was with Rainen, Ullrick, Gavin, Zamira, and a few others.”

Rainen. Hopefully he was alright. If he was hurt or killed it was going to be all my fault.

“Good. Lucifer is prepared but not with that many. And you can certainly break out of here.”

‘Here’ happened to be a large cell with four stone walls and a stone door that clearly weighed much more than a feather. How exactly was I supposed to get us out of here?

“Cassiel, I’m only part angel. My strength is limited. What if I unchained you somehow? I could at least try to do that.”

“These are cursed chains. Neither you nor I can do anything to set me free. It would also be a waste of time. You have to get out and close the gates before Lucifer gets back.”

“He’s not here?”

“No. He only spends a few hours a day here. The rest of the time he’s out looking for you.”

That statement sent a shiver through me. I’d been hidden well at the fellow mansion but outside of it I was a sitting duck. Lucifer wanted me and now he had me.

“Is he coming back soon?”

“I don’t know. If he doesn’t know you’re here yet he will soon.”

Well, I didn’t plan on waiting around for him to get back. “How do I heal my ankle? Can you walk me through it?”

“It’s not safe. You would need to practice first.”

“Cassiel. We don’t have the time. I refuse to sit here and wait for Lucifer to come and kill me. I’ll figure it out on my own but I’d rather you help me so I don’t accidentally end up blasting off my foot.”

Cassiel didn’t respond immediately, narrowing his gold eyes. He waited a beat before speaking. “You have to follow every instruction I give. Understood?”

I nodded. “Yes, fine.” Adjusting myself, I moved my leg to a more comfortable position and took off my necklace. I looked back over at him, waiting for him to speak.

“Alright, the stone can allow you to see the deeper layers of the muscle. Touch it to your ankle and close your eyes. Visualize your skin becoming translucent. Once you have done so, the stone will allow you to see the damage and mend it.”

Well that sounded much more complicated than what I’d hoped to do which was just order the stone to heal my leg or else face my wrath.

“Okay.” Touching the stone to my leg, I tried to envision as he’d said and was surprised when the image appeared, immediately zooming in on the damaged muscle. The stone was warmer now and I could feel it beginning to act, the energy seeping into my leg and traveling through the muscle. The pain subsided immediately, surprising me with its quickness. I opened my eyes and saw that my entire leg was glowing. I pulled the energy back into the stone before putting the necklace back on.

Now it was time to test the finished product.

I wiggled my foot a bit, apprehensive. Confirming there was no pain, I slowly moved to stand. I placed a light amount of weight on my foot before standing fully.

“Wow... It worked.” I walked a few steps and still no pain. If anything, this ankle now felt stronger than the other.

“You did well.”

“Thank you.” I took my new ankle for a test drive, walking around the stone cell before returning to the center. “Alright. How do I get us out of here?”

“You can open the door. Use the stone. Have you considered bonding with it yet?”

Um, yeah that was a no.

I shook my head. “No. I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

The chains holding Cassiel seemed to be not only holding him hostage but also draining his energy. His eyes were sunken, his skin pale. “It could kill you, yes. That is the risk. But it would give you the power to defeat Lucifer should he come back and try to stop you. And I have no doubt he will. But I also have no doubt you will survive the bond. You’re capable Ava. Your power and control from the beginning have far surpassed anyone’s expectations.”

If Natalia or Gavin had been the ones telling me this I might have accused them of telling a white lie. Cassiel however had no issue being blunt and telling it like it was. If I could count on anyone to tell the truth, it was him.

I took a moment to consider his words. “Will I still be...mortal?”

“No. You will be immortal, as are all Elyon who have successfully bonded with their stones. Which is why the success rate is so low. It is a difficult process but not impossible. It is all up to the creator. He will decide whether you are worthy.”

As crazy as it all sounded, Cassiel’s words resonated deep within me and I wanted to do the bond now more than ever. If this was the only way to give us a fighting chance with Lucifer, I was going to do it. I needed to do it. To save Carter and protect everyone I cared about.

“Show me. I want to do it.”

I hadn’t seen Cassiel ever do much in terms of facial expressions but he looked surprised now. “Are you sure. I can understand if you have reservations-”

“Let’s do it before I change my mind. You can walk me through it.”

He nodded. “As you wish. It won’t take long but it might be painful.”

Information he could have kept to himself but okay.

“You have to follow every word I say. And whatever you do, do not stop, no matter what. The more you hesitate, the more painful it will be.”

“I can do it.”

“Alright...let’s begin now then.”

All sounds were cancelled out and there was blackness all around me. I’d laid on the cold hard ground and closed my eyes as Cassiel had commanded. I held the stone tightly in both hands, pressing it against my stomach.

“Rid your mind of any noise. Any thoughts. Positive or negative. Focus only on my voice.”

I did as he said, attempting to clear my mind of all the clutter. This proved difficult considering our current predicament but I managed to do it after a few moments, using my past experience with meditation to move the process along.

“Now focus on the stone. How it feels in your hands. The warmth. The energy. Let that energy flow out and into you, traveling through every nerve, wrapping around it and melting into it. Allow it to travel through your body. Through your legs to your feet. Through your arms to your hands. Into your chest. Your lungs. And finally, your heart.”

I did as he said, allowing the energy to flow through me and surge through every inch. I didn’t hesitate, fighting any insecurities or hesitations, continuing even as my body temperature began to rise. I had begun to sweat and my skin was warming as if I were lying beneath the sun on a warm summer day. Once the energy reached my heart, my chest lit up, warming much quicker than the rest of my body and for a moment I thought perhaps it was going to stop beating. Every nerve ending was now on fire and my skin had reached an above average temperature. It was beyond uncomfortable. It was excruciating and I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be able to stand it.

“Hold on Ava. You’re almost there. Don’t fight it. Let the energy take over. Let it become you. Let the energy feed you and encompass your heart, allowing it to beat harder than it ever has.”

As soon as he finished speaking my eyes flew open and the energy came bubbling to the surface. It exploded in a dramatic ray of blue light, burning itself into every inch of me. I was filled with an intense amount of energy and for a moment, time around me stood still.

A blinding light had appeared, blocking out everything else in my vision. For a moment, a brief one, there was complete silence. Peace. A feeling of love began to fill me, so heavy it was almost too much. I’d never felt anything like it before.

I relished in the feeling a bit longer before the light disappeared, sending me down a dark spiral into nothing.

“Ava?”

There was a rumble and the sound of rocks falling.

I’d passed out and now was regaining consciousness. But I felt strange. My ears were buzzing and my nerves still felt on fire. I opened my eyes slowly, allowing them a moment to adjust.

“There you are. I thought for a moment...Can you stand?”

I lifted my arm and brought my hand to my face. I still felt strange. Cassiel’s voice was elevated somehow, as if my hearing had improved. And my sight...well I’d had alright vision before but now...I saw everything so clearly. The fine lines on my hands. The blood pumping through my veins.

“You will get used to your new senses. Right now, you need to move. The fighting has begun.”

As if to prove his statement, there was another rumble and debris fell from the ceiling. The rumble brought me out of my stupor and I sat up much quicker than I thought I’d be able to. Surprised, I stood and was amazed by how agile and strong I felt. My body felt light and vibrant as if I’d been working out for years and was in amazing shape.

“They need you Ava.”

Save the world. Right.

I looked at Cassiel for the first time and was surprised to see him looking even more drained. “How long was I out?”

“An hour.” He was barely holding his head up.

I’d been unconscious for an hour?! How? It had felt like only a minute. Maybe two. “I’m going to get you out of here.” I walked over to him, determined to figure out how to remove the cursed chains.

“It’s no use. Only another fellow can remove them.”

I tuned him out, staring down the chains as if they were alive and taunting me. Cautious, I slowly reached out to touch one. It immediately burned me, causing me to yelp in pain and jump back, nursing my red hand. “There’s got to be a way...” I looked down at the stone and was shocked to see that it was no longer glowing. In fact, it looked void of all supernatural power. It looked dead.

“The energy is in you now. You no longer need it.”

I reached up to unclasp the chain around my neck. Staring at it cradled in my hands, I paused for a moment before tossing it to the ground. I knew what I had to do. “Turn your head away Cassiel.”

“This isn’t a good idea.” He seemed confused but did as he was told, surely a difficult task for him.

I took a step closer and hovered both of my hands over the part of the chain connected to the stone wall. The energy began to flow through me and I focused it, sending it through my arms and out of my hands. The blue energy wrapped around the metal and held onto it, crushing it. The chains fought back, igniting a bright red. There was a struggle of power for a moment before the piece exploded, ripping out a chunk of the wall with it. I used the energy to direct the flying rubble away from me, sending it to the side.

Cassiel turned his head back and as soon as he saw the chain was free he looked at me. “That’s impossible.”

I shrugged. “You ready to get out of here or what?”

He shook the chains off and they fell as if weightless now that they weren’t held together by the demonic energy. Cassiel slowly stood up, fully stretching his spine. There were red marks on his skin from where the chains had been but apparently they looked worse than they felt. He looked at me, his wings relaxing out. “Thank you.”

I smiled. “You’re welcome.” Uncomfortable with sharing a fuzzy moment with emotionally unavailable Cassiel, I turned and began walking toward the door. “Let’s see if I can get us out of here.”

Considering my new powers, I was pretty sure I could get this door open.

“Let me help you.” He followed behind.

“You’re weak, Cassiel. You need to save your strength. And I feel like I’m high or something. I need to release some of this energy.”

He stopped beside me, both of us about four feet from the door. “I’m fine. Let me- ”

Before he could finish, I’d sent a ball of energy through my hands and toward the large stone door. It blew a hole straight through it, knocking the door back an inch before it fell over, revealing the hallway behind it.

I smiled up at Cassiel. “Shall we?”

He narrowed his eyes at me before starting forward.

Guess our fuzzy moment was over.

I trailed behind him, distracted as we walked down the dark hallway. The energy coursing through my body was making me feel restless and ready for a fight of my own. I was terrified of what sort of battle we were walking into but also hoping we would get to it before this feeling wore off.

“We’re not far. We might run into a few possessed on the way so be ready for them.”

I nodded, pulling my gun from its holster and checking that it wasn’t damaged. After ensuring that it was fully loaded, I put it away and retrieved the sword from my back. It would be better not to draw attention to us with the sound of bullets since we were now without the support of a group.

“You need a weapon.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t. Difficult Cassiel was back.

We turned down another hallway and the sounds coming from the fight grew closer. The rumbling was growing and I realized it was probably the fellows in their angelic form. I’d only seen them in action a few times but I knew how powerful they were.

I realized we were there when we turned down the final corridor. It was the largest one and the end of it opened into a large room. We couldn’t see much from our vantage point but we could certainly see the fighting. Fellows were flying by while others moved with an unconceivable quickness on the ground. They were insanely outnumbered by the possessed but holding their own. It seemed there were at least ten to each fellow.

“Ava, stay behind me. The gates are through there and we have to figure out how to get you there without getting hurt.” He stopped once we were a few feet from the opening and backed up against the wall, pushing me behind him.

I was searching for a familiar face in the crowd and spotted Ullrick and Zamira first. They were fighting back to back and aiding each other, trading weapons as if connected mentally and anticipating each other’s moves. It was amazing to watch, not just them but all of the fellows. They were moving so smoothly and rapidly, much faster than the possessed that never saw any of their attacks coming.

“What now?” I asked.

“We need to get Ullrick’s attention.”

He seemed a bit distracted now. I wasn’t sure exactly how he intended to do that.

Cassiel seemed to stare down his comrade for a moment, causing Ullrick to throw a glance our way. “He’ll be here soon.”

“How did-?”

“Have you not figured it out by now? Fellows can communicate telepathically if in close enough range.”

Well he didn’t need to be rude about it. That explained a lot though. I’d always thought they could sense each other’s presence but their methods of communication were unclear. Could I perhaps do so now that I was bonded with the energy?

Ullrick fought his way toward a far corner in the room, disappeared, then appeared at the back end of our corridor. He let his sword hang at his side as we met him in the middle. Despite the intense fighting he seemed relaxed. “I’m glad you’re alive.”

“I am...” I wasn’t sure whether he was being sarcastic with his dull tone but I figured at least part of his statement he meant.

His eyes flickered. “And you bonded with the stone.”

“How did you know?”

“I can sense it. Your energy has changed.” He looked over at Cassiel. “Your doing, I presume?”

Cassiel showed no emotion as usual. “She was ready.”

“Good. I’m glad you’re alright brother.”

Instead of saying thank you, Cassiel nodded and moved onto the next topic. “Where are Gavin and Natalia?”

“They went in search of her,” Ullrick said. It was interesting how he used “her” as if I wasn’t standing right beside him. “They found Carter however he’s...not well.”

“What?” I stepped closer to Ullrick, forcing him to look at me. “What does that mean? Is he alright?”

Ullrick hesitated. “In order to have a chance at helping Carter, you need to focus why we came here. The gates are just through this room, down that far corridor. He’s in good hands for now so the sooner you close the gates, the sooner we can help him.”

I knew Ullrick was keeping something from me but if Carter was with Gavin I knew he would be alright until I got there. I needed to focus and end this. Now.

“Let’s do it. How do we get there?”

Ullrick seemed surprised by my lack of disagreement but recovered quickly. “The others will create a distraction, allowing us to make it through with less possessed in our way. Once we get to the other side, Cassiel and I will guard the entrance while you close the gates.”

Sounded easier said than done but it was our only option. “Alright. Let’s go before I lose my nerve.”

Ullrick nodded and turned to face the entrance of the room. A moment later Zamira turned and made a run for the far corner of the room. A mass of possessed followed her, assuming she was making a run for it. A few of the other fellows did the same, following her down a corridor in the corner furthest from the one we needed to get to.

“Now. Let’s go.”

Ullrick led us into the room, his sword out and at the ready. Cassiel had borrowed a dagger from him and I had my dagger out. Gunfire would draw the attention of the possessed and we’d be swarmed in a matter of seconds so for now my gun was secure in its holster.

There were still quite a few possessed in the way and they attacked without hesitation. Ullrick and Cassiel were prepared, slicing through most of them before they were even within a foot of us. We were running and I was right on their heels, dodging a few possessed and narrowly missing a dagger one attempted to throw at me.

The room we were running through was massive with a high ceiling and stone columns lining the walls. There were paths along the floor that led to each of the exits, intricate designs on them. The path we were on led straight to a large archway. Even from this distance I could feel the evil energy. It was also pitch black unlike the rest of the room which was lit by the candles that lined walls.

We were closing in on the archway when a hand grabbed my ankle, tripping me and sending me flying forward onto my stomach. I managed to hold onto the sword, cursing as I rolled over onto my back. The possessed crawled up over me, a large man whose red eyes bulged in a terrifying way. I slit his throat with a quickness that surprised myself and shoved him off to the side. A foot came flying toward my face so I rolled to avoid it and scrambled to stand. Unfortunately, I was only up on one knee when the same foot came again. I caught the leg of the possessed before it could touch my face and turned, flipping them over onto the ground with a surprising ease.

It seemed my physical strength had doubled, maybe even tripled, with the bond and I was able to move much faster.

I stood and faced my enemies but realized I was largely outnumbered. Ten or so surrounded me, ready to pounce. Ullrick and Cassiel had realized I wasn’t behind them and were fighting their way back but certainly weren’t going to make it in time. The possessed following the distraction were beginning to realize what had happened and were breaking off to run over. The group of snarling faces surrounding me grew until there were at least thirty.

I was alone and probably going to die.

Or at least the pre-bonding with a supernatural stone me would have been thinking that. No, the new and improved me realized that I had the power to do much more than before.

Focusing on clearing my mind of all the noise, I dropped my sword and spread my arms out at my sides, commanding the energy brimming up within me to come to my aid. It reacted immediately, shooting out of me from all directions, exploding in a ray of blue light as it had before when I’d bonded with the stone. It flew out at the possessed and obliterated them, turning them immediately into ash. The fellows within the radius of the blast were thrown back off their feet, some ricocheting off the walls. I dropped my arms as the dust settled and surveyed my handiwork.

“Maybe next time give us a little warning...” Zamira had spoken from behind me, causing me to turn around. Her uniform was splattered with blood but she otherwise looked alright. Her sword hung loosely from her hand as she approached.

“I’m sorry. Were you close?”

Her eyes danced playfully while her mouth stretched into a smirk. “Yes, but I’m fine. That energy can’t harm us. Although it does feel like getting slapped by a brick wall.”

I hadn’t known that was going to happen. I just wanted to hurt some of them and give myself time to get out but...surveying the room, it seemed I’d obliterated every possessed, turning them all to the dust that was now beneath our feet.

“You did well.” She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Let’s go before more come.”

I nodded and retrieved my sword from the ground before turning to walk toward where Ullrick and Cassiel stood, having regained their footing. I was feeling a newfound confidence so instead of seeking their guidance, I nodded at them and kept walking, knowing they’d follow. Soon all twenty-seven or so fellows were trailing behind me as I approached the arch. Unable to see into the darkness, I held my hand up and summoned a small ball of energy. It swirled and cast a blue glow over everything. The archway led to a long narrow hallway that opened into another room. A red glow could be seen, foreboding and unwelcoming.

Instead of hesitating, I started down the hallway, allowing the energy hovering just above my palm to grow. It was so quiet the only audible sounds were our footsteps...and the whispers.

A dark and sinister combination of voices had begun whispering in an unintelligible language all around us. It was almost as if the voices were in my head.

“Do you hear that?” I asked Ullrick who was just steps behind me.

“It’s the dark spirits attempting to break through the gates. Ignore them.”

I kept moving, ignoring the shiver that creeped down my spine. It was too late to turn back now.

When we reached the end of the hallway, I stepped out into the room and felt the evil energy triple. Only feet in front of me stood the gates...or gate rather. It was a large circular stone structure, at least fifteen feet high, and in the center was a swirling red portal. The malevolent spirits here had not had the opportunity to possess anyone yet and were floating around the room, smoky shape-shifting black figures. They would float near us or above us and then turn away, either uninterested or afraid.

Ullrick stood next to me, surveying the room for a moment. He turned back to Zamira then and told her quietly to tell the others to guard the entrance to the hallway. She left to do as told and he turned to me.

“No one can get in now. Don’t worry about anything else but closing this gate.”

“I thought there were multiple gates?”

“There are but only through this one. They head to multiple dimensions. Closing this one cuts off access to them all and their access to us.”

I was glad I technically only had to close one but now the question was how? Nakir had told me I would need to use my energy but she hadn’t said how because no one knew. I was going to have to figure that out on my own.

“Alright. I need some space. Maybe you should stand back.”

Ullrick moved back a few steps as I approached the gate.

And that’s when I heard him.

“I couldn’t have planned this meeting better myself.” It was Carter’s voice but different. And this time I was certain it wasn’t a hallucination. He was here in this room with me.

“Show yourself,” I demanded, commanding energy to appear in both of my hands and holding them at my sides, ready to defend myself.

“As you wish.”

The portal swirled and then turned clear, resembling a piece of glass. On the other side of it stood Carter in the black suit I’d imagined him in so many times, his dark hair slicked back. Except now he really stood in front of me, just on the other side of the portal. On either side of him were Natalia, Gavin, Elyon, and Rainen.

My heart dropped into my stomach at the sight of them. “Let them go, Lucifer.”

Gavin, Natalia, and Rainen were all chained and on their knees, looking angry rather than defeated. Elyon stood beside Lucifer, expression dull and nothing like the friendly and kind Elyon I’d come to know. My eyes landed on Gavin and my heart lurched.

If anything happened to him, any of them, I was going to raise hell.

Carter’s eyes were as black as the night sky and void of any of the man I knew so well. He smiled. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while now. And I’m thankful your friend, or lover, has allowed me to use him as a vessel. I’m sorry I can’t be here in person.”

I was fuming on the inside and the energy in my hands grew slightly. “How are you able to possess Carter? He’s only human.”

“Ah...so he hasn’t told you.” Carter, or Lucifer wearing Carter, began walking forward and stepped through the portal. Instead of being sucked into another dimension as I expected, he came through the other side unruffled and stood in front of me, clear as day.

“That’s close enough,” I said.

He stopped as told. “He isn’t who he says he is. Or what. I admire how much he cares for you. Even now he’s fighting for control.”

I didn’t want to hear this. Knowing that Carter’s subconscious was fighting for freedom from whatever darkness it was trapped in now hurt me deeply.

“He won’t win of course but it’s commendable he’s even trying. He’s been a great vessel. Being part demon as he is. And not just any demon but one of the originals.”

I narrowed my brow at him, rejecting every word. “I don’t believe you.”

“Whether you do doesn’t matter. It’s the truth. He’s known who you were this entire time but never told you. He did it to protect you of course but just think...all these years you could have known who you were. He’s been lying to you since the day you met. He’s part demon and you’re part angel. A match made in hell. Because at your core you’re destined to hate each other.”

I didn’t want to believe him. I didn’t even want to listen. But it did make sense. And if none of that did, the fact that Lucifer was able to possess Carter was further proof. I knew now that possession by Lucifer would kill any regular mortal. Someone part demon though...

“So what if I do believe you. What does any of this matter anyway?”

“Join me.”

Those two words were enough to send multiple shivers down my spine. A misty black malevolent spirit floated by and seemed to be laughing at me.

“Never.”

Carter took a step forward, his black-eyed gaze never wavering. “I can offer you more than they ever could. Power. And the freedom to use that power. You have no clue of the limitless power you possess. Let me train you, teach you how to truly harness your energy. You can be indestructible.”

“I don’t need you to teach me anything. I need you to let them go.” Gavin was watching me intensely and seemed unable to direct his eyes elsewhere. It was killing me to not return his gaze but I knew I had to keep my attention on Lucifer. He was trying to manipulate me and possibly distract me but it wasn’t going to work.

“If you join me, I’ll set them free.”

“And Carter?”

“He’s far too valuable to lose. You will be with us though so it won’t matter. Wouldn’t you rather have him close to you?”

“I would rather he have free will. I’ll give you one last chance to surrender. Let them go.”

He seemed be getting agitated now. “You will regret this decision, Ava. Think before you do something foolish.”

He may or may not have been right but I was willing to find out. “I’ll take my chances.” Instead of waiting for a reaction, I struck first, sending a ball of energy shooting toward him.

He was quick, stepping aside and dodging it as it hit the portal, causing it to shimmer.

Ullrick sprang into action, drawing his sword and rushing to intervene Elyon who had run around to protect Carter.

Thinking quickly, I placed a force field around myself and Carter, hoping this would give the others the opportunity to escape and give me time to force Lucifer out of Carter.

“You certainly are loyal to them aren’t you,” Carter said, looking around the force field before looking back at me. “Your loyalty will be your end.”

The force field rippled as my anger grew now that we were alone. “Get out of Carter or I’m going to make you regret it.”

“I would tread carefully if I were you. His life is holding on by a thread. I could take him in the blink of an eye.”

His threat was intended to scare me but if anything, it only fueled my fire. “You need him. I don’t know why but he would have been dead long ago if you didn’t. And using him means you can’t harm me. So, I’m telling you again: Leave him or I will make you.”

“And how do you intend to do that? You barely have a grasp on your capabilities.” His voice was growing angrier. It was hard to look at him and see Carter but hear such an evil voice.

I took a step forward, closing the distance between us. Through the rippling force field, I could see Gavin and Natalia were free and watching us, unable to intervene.

“We could be great together...”

I came to a stop a foot before him, allowing the energy to sail back into my body, through my hands. “I will never join you.” With that final word, I grabbed his wrists and sent the energy inside, closing my eyes. It burned me to touch him but his scream distracted me from the pain.

“You will regret this!”

I had no clue of what I was doing but I hoped it was going to work. The energy surged into him and his head tipped back, his eyes wide and now a bright blue. I was beginning to see images of my own memories but through another’s eyes. The night Carter and I had gone to the gala and he’d been standing inside my living room, looking at the yellow dress I’d been wearing. The day he’d come banging on Gavin’s door and seen me just inside over Gavin’s shoulder, looking disheveled and guilty. The night he’d been taken, sleeping in his bed in his apartment and a spirit had morphed out of the shadows and forced itself to bond with his body.

Tears began to stream down my face but I couldn’t feel them. All I could feel was the sadness and betrayal in Carter’s heart. It hurt me to my core. So much so I realized what I needed to do. I forced those memories away and began to force positive ones to mask them. Memories from all the years we’d spent together and the happier times. All the way down to that night at the club, which now seemed like ages ago, when we’d danced and finally let down our emotional walls again.

I could feel Lucifer letting go and Carter’s soul fighting to the surface. If I held on too long I would kill him but I knew I could do it. Finally, Lucifer began to slip away, his anger going with him, and Carter’s soul broke the surface. I immediately let go of his wrists, the exhaustion hitting me full force and forcing me to one knee. Carter fell, dropping to his knees and then his hands. He was breathing heavily and resembled nothing of the strong cold persona Lucifer had emitted.

“Carter,” I said quietly. “Are you alright?”

“Thank you,” he managed to get out after a moment. He sat back on his heels and looked up at me. Finally, his eyes were blue again.

I nodded and rushed forward, dropping to his level to wrap my arms around him. His weak arms lifted to wrap around me in return. He’d lost weight, the suit hanging loosely on his body, this realization causing my heart to lurch again. “Welcome back,” I whispered into his ear.

There was a loud bang outside the force field and I looked over at Gavin and Natalia. They were mouthing something but I was a novice at lip reading. I waved my hand and retracted the field, pulling the energy back into my hand which gave me an immediate energy boost.

I hadn’t realized it but the walls around us were shaking and dust was flying. “What’s going on?” I asked, pulling myself to my feet as Gavin approached.

“They’re fighting off the possessed but more have been coming and it’s making everything unstable. Ullrick and Rainen are out with them. Elyon escaped. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I can still close the gates.”

Natalia was helping Carter to his feet but his attention snapped to us when he heard my words. “You can’t. It will kill you. He told me. Lucifer.” His voice was desperate and firm as if he truly believed what he was saying. “It’s not safe, Ava. The amount of energy you’ll need...you can’t.”

I looked over at him. “I have to. It’s what I came here to do.”

His sapphire eyes were pleading. “You can’t do this. I won’t let you. You just saved my life only to sacrifice your own. You can’t do it.”

I wanted to hug him again as an appreciation for caring but I knew that if I did he might convince me not to do it. And I was going to follow through whether anyone approved or not. “I can do this Carter. I know I can. God wouldn’t have given me this gift if I wasn’t supposed to use it.”

He opened his mouth to protest but Gavin beat him to it. “She’s made her decision. We have to respect that.”

My heart swelled at Gavin’s support. Natalia nodded and lightly touched Carter’s arm. To an unknowing eye it would have seemed to be out of comfort but I knew she was attempting to influence him.

Carter pulled his arm away and walked up to me. “You had better come out of this alive.” He then stalked off down the hallway, Natalia following not too far after.

I turned to face Gavin who hadn’t moved. “What are you still doing here?”

He smiled lightly. “I’m your guardian. It’s my job to be by your side no matter what.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll be fine. Focus on what you came to do.”

I didn’t say it out loud but I was glad he was staying. I needed his support more than I’d realized.

“Alright. Stand back at least.”

He nodded and took a few steps back, watching me.

I faced the gate and stared into it, just noticing that it had turned a deep red again, swirling ominously. I could see the gates through the portal, malevolent spirits floating around them. They could see me and seemed to be watching, waiting. The ones in the room were floating high above us, almost as if afraid to be caught in the crossfire.

I narrowed my brow and raised my hands. Commanding the energy to flow out, it shot out at the portal and pierced it, rushing through portal after portal until it reached the last one, the sixth. The energy was so powerful and such a bright blue it was almost blinding. The spirits all scattered, rushing back into their demon realm as if the light burned them. The energy began to crawl over every edge of the swirling portal before me, eating up the deep red and taking over. It wrapped around the stone edges before working its way through to the second one.

By the third I was beginning to feel as if I might pass out. I was exhausted and short of breath, as if the energy of my soul was literally being sucked out of me. Once I hit the fourth portal, I opened my mouth to say Gavin’s name when a hand gently clamped down on my shoulder.

“You can do this. I’ve got you,” my guardian said in my ear.

I could feel his energy re-powering my own and sent a fresh wave of energy into the portal, reaching the fifth.

I was so close.

A moment later it hit the sixth, the final one, and spread like wildfire. I screamed, using the little bit of energy I had to send the last wave. It flew through and caused a ricochet effect. The sixth one exploded first, receiving the brunt of it, blue sparks shooting out like a firework.

The exhaustion hit me again but this time it was so intense my entire body went numb and my vision began to close in on itself.

The fifth portal exploded, the sparks dancing around in celebration. Then the fourth, third, second, and finally last one, the one only feet in front of me, exploded.

The blast blew Gavin and I off our feet, flying back toward the wall. My body hit the stone with a hard thud, my bones emitting a sickening crunch from the impact, before dropping to the ground. Everything around us was rumbling, pieces of stone falling from the ceiling as the cave began to fall apart. My vision continued to deteriorate, blurry and only able to see through a small scope-like tunnel. And I was paralyzed, unable to move no matter how badly I may have wanted to.

But I felt at peace. If this was how I died, I’d succeeded. I’d done what I had come to do and everyone I loved would be safe. In the end, that was all that mattered.

My vision was almost gone now, a slab of stone dropping just in front of me. I saw a flash of red hair, attached to a motionless body just feet away.

Gavin.

That was the last thing I saw before the shadows danced their way over my vision, reality vanishing as the darkness claimed me.

Epilogue:

I knew I was dreaming once it began but I didn’t care. I was just so content.

Myles stood before me, smiling. Beside him, my parents. And beside them, my friends. Everyone was happy and conversing, unaware of my presence. We all stood in the middle of a field, the sun beaming down on the dewy grass. It was truly a wonderful moment.

A hand touched my waist, causing me to look over and see Gavin’s face.

“You did it,” he said, smiling.

I returned the smile. “I did. I saved them...” A realization hit me then. “You said once before that you could influence my dreams. Are you really here now?”

He nodded. “I am.”

“Then you’re alright.”

He didn’t answer, instead turning his gaze out to look at everyone.

Panic filled me immediately. “Gavin...Tell me you’re alright.”

“What matters is that you succeeded. And you delivered the world from evil.”

Silent tears began to pour down my cheeks. “You can’t leave me.”

He slowly returned his gaze to me, his beautiful green eyes shimmering in the sun. “I never will.”

And then I woke up.

THE END