The Ascended Read Free Page B

thought as I started up my mom's Focus.
    My nerves kicked into high gear as I navigated the streets. Haniel had mentioned "stipulations," and though I curious on what that might mean , nothing could stop the adrenaline that rushed through my veins. I wanted to go now, this instant.
    The scenery passed by in a blur in what seemed like the longest drive ever, until I finally pulled into the apartment complex my friends were sharing. The exterior of the complex was older and a bit dated, but the management at least did a good job at keeping up with the grounds and such. The inside had been renovated in the last few years so each rental was updated with new appliances, carpeting, and bathroom fixtures. The space was half the size of Mark's house, but was all we could afford by pooling our money together.
    I used my key to let myself in to find my motley group of friends already assembled and waiting for me with Haniel.
    "I thought you two worked today," I asked Sam and Robert as I plopped down on the second-hand sofa next to Sam.
    "We did, but Haniel caught us in the parking lot of Pizza Pete's after he came to see you," Sam said, smiling at me as she reached over to grasp my hand in hers.
    I felt the calming affects of her touch instantaneously as my frazzled nerves began to calm down. My extended family was well aware of the fact that I had been waiting for this moment, and they also knew exactly how I was feeling. They had all grieved over Mark's betrayal of our group, but had remained stoically supportive of any decision I made.
    "I have agreed to assist Krista with a rescue mission," Haniel said, answering the question of why we were all gathered here.
    I smiled in relief, but I didn't even need to use my ability to read emotions to see the mixed feelings coming from my friends. It was obvious from the looks on their faces. Shawn's emotions were the strongest, running the gambit between angst to concern for me. I knew he missed his best friend, but I also felt his stubborn determination to stop Mark at all costs if he had turned dark like his father. That was Mark's biggest fear when we were together. He had confided his disgust regarding his father's blatant disregard for the sacredness of human life to Shawn and me. I just hope I'm not making a huge mistake and that he still feels that way now.
    "With stipulations," Haniel continued, breaking into my thoughts.
    "What kind of stipulations?" I asked apprehensively.
    "You will not be alone on your quest. The other active bands will join you, as will I."
    "What?" Sam asked incredulously. "I thought the livelihood of humanity will be put at risk if you were to help fight with us."
    "The agreement has already been breached. Victor would not have been able to control and dominate so many Daemons without the direct help of The Dark One. The Light has given me the authority to make whatever decisions are necessary. Victor has been hard at work rebuilding his army, and his forces have grown."
    "So, you're telling us that the battle we endured two months ago was like a chess match?" Robert asked.
    "Chess match?" Haniel asked puzzled.
    "Like a game," Sam said, trying to explain Robert's analogy.
    "Ah, yes. Victor orchestrated every aspect of the last meeting. All except one," he said, looking at me pointedly.
    I blushed at Haniel's words. My friends had been awestruck at the power I was able to emit that saved us all that night. Haniel had told me weeks later that in all his years training Guides, he had never seen any stop so many Daemons at once. I knew he believed it was because I was special, but in all actuality, I knew it was something else. When Victor had stripped everything from me, something inside of me snapped and I was able to somehow harness all my power and use it against the Daemons we faced. I wasn't anything special, unless you counted the fact that I was the only Guide that had survived the separation from their Protector, and I wasn't sure if that could be counted