Ascended (16 page)

She
didn’t get very far before she heard his voice again. It sounded like Carter and it froze her in her tracks.

I
t’s just my imagination.

She
continued to walk.

T
he voice followed her, calling to her. Vie stopped again and listened intently. That’s when she heard his sweet, unmistakable whisper, like music to her ears. It
was
Carter, and he was calling for her.

Vie ran back to the entrance of the
Gates and called back to him. “Carter, I hear you!” she said excitedly. But the words carried from his lips to her ears were not reasons to rejoice. She heard him say that her sister, Vivian, had passed away.

“No!” Vie shouted
, horrified at his words. Her immediate thought was to jump—to return to Carter and to avenge her sister’s death. She was almost ready to do it when she remembered the promise she’d made to Gabriel. She panicked, pacing back and forth in front of the Gates, not knowing what to do.

Just then
, the rainbow lit up like the flames of a fire. She looked back at the Gates, then again to the rainbow, knowing time was of the essence. She was afraid if she didn’t go, she’d lose her chance to be with Carter forever, and she’d be unable to seek her revenge against Lucian.

She took a deep breath and whispered in
to the wind, “I’m sorry, Gabriel!” an instant before she jumped.

Carter waited, feeling dismal. He kneeled down and hung his head, feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness settle inside him. He thought of Vie and what he would give to see her again, if only for a moment. Thinking about her unlocked a light inside his soul that glimmered outwardly.

He
could see the glow, like embers of a fire in the darkness, but he began to realize the light was being cast from behind him, not emanating from within him.

He
turned, his movements slow and calculated, afraid to move too quickly. His heart began to pound harder and faster with each step. He was awestruck by the bright white light that shined down on the other side of the Tower.

I
n a heartbeat, he knew it was Vie.

There she stood
, as radiant as ever, illuminated softly under the single ray of light. A smile flashed over her face like sunshine over a flower. Her vibrant violet eyes sparkled like amethysts.

Carter moved closer, one step at a time,
wondering if she were just a figment of his imagination.

W
hat if she’s not?

With that thought,
he took off like a rocket, running anxiously toward her before she could vanish from his sight.

Vie saw him coming, but true to form, she could
n’t wait for him to get to her. She took off running, heading for her destiny, straight to Carter.

They collided hard into each other’s arms and held on tight, both of them afraid to let go. Then Carter pulled away
the slightest bit so he could look into those beautiful eyes he’d thought about every single day since she had left. Carter put his hands on her cheeks, using his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that glistened in the corner of her eye. Then he smiled a grin so huge that it caused the corners of his eyes to crinkle slightly.

Vie knew she was home.

“Were you looking for this? Vie said, producing the violet and smiling that gorgeous smile he’d missed so much.

“As a matter of fact
, I was,” Carter said, swiping it from her hand. “Well then, now that you’ve returned the violet, I guess your mission is complete?” He waited for her witty response.

“That was your mission
, not mine. The violet, I mean,” she said, teasing him.

“Oh
, that’s right. Well, thank you for assisting me with my mission, Princess. I guess I can take off now.”

Let the games begin
, Vie thought, but in truth, she was too excited to play along. Their flirtatious game of cat and mouse was fun, but right now all she wanted to do feel the warmth of Carter’s loving arms wrapped around her. She reached for his arm but he was already reaching for hers, the two of them perfectly in sync, neither of them wanting to continue the game. What they both wanted was each other.

Their hands collided and Carter pulled her in tight
, gazing into her eyes. “Don’t you ever leave me again, Vie.”

She nuzzled his neck and was intoxicated by his familiar light scent
that lingered on her skin when they parted. He caressed her cheek and lifted her chin, their noses almost touching. She could feel the warmth of his breath brushing the top of her lip. She stared back into his piercing green eyes as he leaned in to kiss her.

Their lips locked
, fervent and impassioned, gentle and tender. Carter’s mouth moved to her cheeks, her eyes, and back to her lips, as if he couldn’t believe they were finally together again. In a moment when the earth stood still, he whispered in her ear, “I love you, Vie.”

“I love you more
, Carter.”

Ancient American Indian lovers believed a kiss would literally unite their souls because the spirit was said to be carried in one's breath. The Chief stood, perched on the plateau, and smiled at the light coming from the top of the Tower, knowing the two young lovers had been reunited at last. “The universe is in harmony. Our little songbird has come home,” he said to his wife, Matoaka, before taking her hand and walking away.

Chapter Fourteen

Fallen

Gabriel had searched everywhere for Vie but he couldn’t track her down.
Where are you, Vie?
he thought. Raphael and Fallon were searching for her, too. They had reported back to Gabriel but the news wasn’t good; neither of them had found her.

The three of them entered the arena
, hoping they had missed Vie, but they only saw Eli there. Gabriel asked him if he’d seen Vie.

Eli
could see the worry on his friends’ faces and asked what was wrong.

Gabriel offered nothing. Instead
, he repeated his question about Vie’s whereabouts. “Have you seen her?”

Eli
responded with a “Yes.”

Relieved that his worst fears were
unfounded, Gabriel took a deep breath, exhaling a sigh of relief. “Where is she?” he asked.

“I saw her just a little while ago at the entrance to the Gates.”

Fallon
interjected, “She couldn’t have been. I was just there, looking for her.” She saw Gabriel glance over at her, and she quickly shook her head to say no.

Suddenly
Gabe felt a sinking feeling again in his gut, one that alarmed him. He had a sudden thought that if Carter were truly communicating with Vie, as she’d told him, then it was likely he had tried to let her know about Vivian’s death. Gabriel knew deep down if Vie had that information, then it was certain she was no longer here at the Gates. For the first time in his existence, he hoped his instincts were wrong.

His thoughts were interrupted as
the alarms were sounded and chaos broke out. The Guardians began to systematically organize in the arena where Gabriel was standing.

“What is it? What’s happening?” Raphael asked one of them as he sprinted by.

The warrior looked at him and said, “A Guardian has fallen.”

Gabriel’s face instantly turned white and Fallon went to his side.

“Gabe?” she said, unable to break through his blank stare. “Gabriel!” she shouted again. “Did you hear what he said? Vie has fallen!” She waved her hand in front of his face.

“No
…she hasn’t. She wouldn’t. She promised me,” he replied in disbelief, shaking his head slowly back and forth.

“Gabriel
, I’m sorry, but I think we all know it’s Vie. You know it’s Vie. No matter what she promised, you need to accept the fact that she is fallen. AWOL. Gone!” she said, reinforcing that fact.

“Gabriel, you know Fallon is right,” Raphael chimed in
, trying to make him see reason.

Eli approached Gabriel
, knowing that he knew something about the fallen Guardian, and guessing that Guardian was the one he was searching for. “Is it true? Has Violet fallen?” he asked.

Gabriel looked at the three of them peering at him, waiting for a reaction
, but he felt emotionless and numbed by the news. Everyone was watching him, waiting to follow the orders of their leader. He composed himself, then walked slowly over to the podium. He stood before the warriors gathered in the arena and spoke to them.

“All of my existence I have lived by a
code, and that code is simple: you know truth—live it; you will meet temptation—withstand it; honor and dignity are nonnegotiable; and lastly, defend the Gates at all cost. Recently, the code by which I have lived has been challenged. I’ve wavered in some aspects of this code, and it has resulted in tragic consequences for all of us. Today, a Guardian, one of our own, has fallen. The portals are open and the Gates are at risk. We are not only going to battle; we are fighting a war against those who seek to destroy our world and the world beyond. I am resuming my role as commander, and chief of this mission. I am a soldier. I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight. Who will join me? Who here will accept the challenge so that he, too, can feel the exhilaration of victory?” he asked.

The arena was in an uproar with cheers inspired by Gabriel’s words. The Guardians were fired up and ready to make any sacrifice necessary to protect the
Gates. Gabriel was a man who evoked courage in the souls of his warriors and fear in the eyes of his enemies.

He
raised his arms to bring order back to the arena and then noticed a hand going up in the crowd. Gabriel had known the question would be asked eventually; everyone wanted only one answer, after all. He pointed to the anxious warrior and the man stood up.

“Sir, about the fallen one…do we know who it is?” he asked.

The entire arena fell silent as the Guardians awaited the answer.

“Yes,”
Gabriel said, looking toward Fallon and the others.

“Can you tell us who it is?
” the man questioned. “Who is the traitor among us?”

With a cold tone
Gabe announced, “It was Violet. Vie is the traitor!”

Immediately there was a gasp from the crowd
, followed by loud whispers among the troops. Gabriel knew he needed to take control, to say something before more questions came flying his way. Again he brought order back to the arena with just a hand in the air.

“I’m sure you
’re all just as shocked as I was by this news, but it is true. Vie has fallen, and she has jeopardized everything we seek to protect. Her actions were selfish and they are an act of betrayal, one which will bear grave consequences. The choices she made here today will echo in eternity.” 

Fallon and Raphael continued to watch
as Gabriel transformed right before their eyes. Something had changed in him. He spoke as if Violet were his enemy. They realized that was exactly what she had become to him: an enemy.

“Will we return her
? To the Gates, I mean,” the man asked.

Gabriel paused for a moment. He
thought back to his conversation with Vie, only a few hours earlier. He could hear himself asking her—pleading with her—not to do anything until he returned. He heard her words, “I promise, Gabe.”

It played over and over again in his head
.
I promise, Gabe. I promise, Gabe. I promise, Gabe…

“Sir?” the man said
, still looking at Gabriel and waiting for an answer.

Fallon and Raphael were w
orried about him, as were Eli and Camulus. They had never seen Gabriel at a loss for words. While he looked composed and ambitious to those who only knew him as their leader, those who knew him as their friend could see he was dishonored, humiliated, and disgraced about what had happened with Vie. She was his personal protégé, his apprentice, his model of excellence paraded throughout the Gates…but more than anything else, she was his friend.

Gabriel looked back over to where they stood and he could see the pity in their eyes. This angered
him even further. He was not a man to be pitied. Violet had brought that on him and he was not accepting it any longer. He shut her out completely. The Violet he knew was dead to him and his soul went cold.

“
Vie has unleashed hell! She will be returned to the Gates for atonement. There are NO exceptions to the rules here, NO explanations that will suffice for acts of betrayal, NO apologies accepted, and NO mercy will be cast on her soul. I will make it my personal mission to hunt her down and bring her to justice. You have my word; my promise,” Gabriel vowed.

“For the glory of the
Gates…we fight! Who is with me?” Gabriel’s voice rose to a roar.

Every Guardian was on
his or her feet in support of their leader. They began chanting his name as he walked through the sea of gatekeepers after turning the podium over to Michael to pass out assignment details to the rallied troops. He had accomplished something huge in those moments as he’d addressed his men. He’d managed to remove the personal attachment to Vie as if it had never existed.

Everyone in the arena
had believed it—everyone except those who knew him best. No matter what words he spoke, they were contradictory to his real feelings. Gabriel would never admit that he had these feelings because that would imply he was weak. But it didn’t mean they didn’t exist. The truth was, he was not going to war with Lucian. He was going to war with Vie, and that battle was being fought not on the ground but inside his soul.

Fallon,
Camulus, Raphael, and Eli assembled in the hall, waiting for Gabriel to join them. He pushed through the doors and moved quickly past the pessimistic onlookers.

He stopped, noticing their uncomfortable stares, and asked
, “What are you all looking at? There’s work to be done; we need to move quickly.”

Sufficiently scolded, t
hey all followed the determined Gabriel back to the chambers where the Council resided, and the talks began. A new mission was formed and Gabriel was leading it single-handedly.

Fallon thought
,
This is not a battle in which anyone will be victorious when it’s over. God help us all!

The meeting was underway. All the leaders sat attentively, listening to the fallout at the Gates. There had been only one other time in all of history that they had been faced with such danger, and it had been when Dimorte himself had fallen.

As head of the Council,
Camulus was in charge of the meeting; the others helped to formulate a plan of action for the mission to the world below. All of them gave their input regarding how to proceed with the plan of attack. Quickly and diligently they mulled over their positions before finally coming to an agreement.

Gabriel had gotten what he wanted
. He was to head the mission to locate the disloyal Guardian, Vie. He was asked to select a team to accompany him. Without hesitation, Gabriel announced that he wanted Eli, Raphael, and Gideon to join him.

Honored by the request, they all accepted. Fallon was brooding but was not terribly surprised by his selection. As much as she wanted to assist Gabriel
, she realized there was not a chance in hell he would allow her to be part of his team. The Council seemed miffed by Gabriel’s shun to Fallon, since she was one of their best warriors. One of them called him on it.

“Very well
, Gabriel. In addition to the three of you, I would like to add Fallon to the team,” Camulus said.

“No!” Gabriel responded immediately
, warning Camulus with his eyes not to push the issue. His quick response alerted the Council to conflict.

“Is there some reason you would object to having Fallon
on your team?” Marcus, one of the leaders, questioned. Marcus didn’t like the way things were being run up at the Gates, and wanted nothing more than to find a reason to have Camulus removed as the Head of Council. He waited for a reply.

Gabriel looked at Camulus, upset about
being blindsided, and stared him down to show his utter contempt.

Camulus waited for Gabriel to explain his objection.

Gabriel was angry, but he knew it would be unwise to address the issue at this time, especially knowing what Marcus’ agenda was. Danger was at their front door and time was of the essence. He couldn’t risk redirecting the focus of his troops. While loyalty was essential, his objectives had changed. The only thing he wanted to do was to get to the ground and hunt for Vie; the issue with Fallon would have to wait.

“No, there is no reason I can think of at the time. My team is solid
. We can do this without her,” he added.

R
egardless of his objection, the Council decided Fallon would accompany them as per Camulus’ request. It was a bittersweet victory for Fallon. She wanted to help Gabriel, but preferred the decision to have been one of his choice rather than force.

“Then we are adjourned?” Gabriel said
, anxious to get started.

“Almost,” Camulus said. “There is one more thing I would like to propose, one which is not up for debate
. I will be joining you on the ground.”

“What?” Gabriel stood up and shouted in disbelief.

“I know Dimorte better than anyone. This is a mission that could potentially cost us everything if we don’t succeed,” Camulus asserted.

“My team and I will get the job done
. Do you doubt my ability to find Violet?” Gabriel asked.

“No, I believe you will do as you say regarding Vie
, but I will not let this mission turn into your personal vendetta against her. This is so much bigger than simply finding her, and you and I both know it. Like I said, this decision is not up for debate, Gabriel. I am coming with you and that is final!” The look on his face was determined.

“I am not going to waste an
y more precious time arguing my point. I will accept your…how shall I put it…‘generous offer’ to accompany me on this mission, but only under one condition,” Gabriel stated almost diabolically. “Up here, you are the man in charge, but down there on the ground, you take orders from me. Agreed?” His tone as well as his body language challenged Camulus.

“As you wish
, Gabriel,” Camulus said, keeping his grin well-hidden. In truth, Camulus wouldn’t have had it any other way. Gabriel was a magnificent leader, and Camulus was going along to make sure he stayed that way. Gabriel was driven by his anger with Vie, or so it appeared. What Camulus was able to see was that it wasn’t anger he retained for Vie: it was fear.