Descended

196

Preface

There comes a moment in every human life when you sit and wonder if you could have done one thing different to change the outcome of your situation.  That moment was now for Vie.  She was tortured by the decisions she made that landed her caged like an animal, expelled from her human vessel, and staring down at the lifeless body of the girl she knew as Vivian Thorne.  If she would have changed one thing, would it have made a difference?  Could she have saved Vivian’s life?

Vie couldn’t give up hope.  She was a Guardian.  She had to think.  She called down to Vivian, telling her to hold on and that help was coming.  Surely Carter would be searching for her.  Then she remembered the sequence of events that led her to this hell hole and realized that Carter Stone would not be coming to save her.  Suddenly, Vie heard footsteps.  Lucian’s men had come.  She watched helplessly as they entered the tunnel and dragged Vivian away.  Vie started yelling at them to let her go, but they didn’t even glance her way or flinch at her fury.

Ignited by her anger, she used every ounce of strength she had to try to separate the bars of the gilded cage she was imprisoned in.  It was hopeless.  Lucian had secured her in a place that rendered her abilities useless.  She fell to the ground, fighting back the tears.  She started thinking back to just a few hours earlier when she was at the dance in the arms of Carter Stone. The boy she loved more than anything else in the world, the one she called her soul mate.  Vie closed her eyes, allowing her mind to go back.  Back to where it all began, back to the very beginning.

Chapter 1

Wish Granted

“Violet…Vie…V…!” Gabriel yelled as he scanned the room looking for his friend.

“I know you’re here Vie.” His smooth voice called out to her. Vie was the nickname Gabriel had given to Violet when they met. Gabriel thought Violet was a name for a flower and Vie, a thorn perhaps, but a flower no way.

“How did you find me?” Violet stepped out from behind the large porcelain column in the corner of the room.

“Easy…he replied. I just followed the voice of an angel. Really not that hard to find you when you’re singing Vie,” Gabriel joked.

“Oh….I didn’t know you could hear me?”

“I guess I forgot I do that when I’m upset”, Violet reminded herself as she turned away.

“Yes, and we all thank those emotions that bring that joyous music from your lips to our ears.” He held his hands up in in air like he was delivering a sermon and continued on. “Our paradise here would be a little less perfect without your voice…that voice…simply angelic,” Gabriel praised.

“Very funny Gabriel!”
  She turned her back to walk away from her friend.

“Funny?” He pondered. “Not funny Vie…TRUE!”

“Besides, you have no reason to be sad,” he said approaching her with caution.

“Oh really?” she responded with a snarl while moving quickly to meet his gaze.

“You don’t understand.  They see you for exactly who you are and as for me, well no one sees me.  I can be great if they would just give me a chance.” She turned away again hiding her face from Gabriel, embarrassed by her sudden outburst.

“Violet,” Gabriel offered his hand to her.

“No!” she shouted.

“Don’t tell me I am not ready again or I am going to scream!”

“Vie,” he pleaded as she quickly interrupted him.

“This is my destiny…I can feel it!” her voice somber again.

“Gabe, did you ever know something so profoundly that it consumes your entire being?” Her beautiful, one of a kind violet eyes began to glass over. Those eyes were just irresistible. Just like the final color of the rainbow at the entrance of the gates. The color that connected both worlds was glistening in her eyes. When you looked into them, you knew you were home.

“Vie!” Gabriel matched her angered tone.

“Gabriel,” she interrupted him again. “You just don’t get it. I need to talk to them again… make them understand. They have to let me go, they just have to.” She shouted at him defiantly.

“Violet…” he bellowed with a new strong commanding voice. Not one Vie had the privilege of hearing often from her friend.

“Stop Talking!” he ordered. Violet’s eyes were wide open and she was still frozen by the tone Gabriel now took with her.

“Gabe.” She pleaded in a quite whisper “I just…” Violet stopped suddenly mid-sentence and lowered her head.

“Vie, I’ve been trying to tell you but you never let me speak.”

“Fine, say what you have to say and then go,” Violet demanded with hysterics building. “Leave me alone….just let me be.” Suddenly Gabriel put his hand over her mouth, looked her in the eyes and shouted “WISH GRANTED!” Gabriel stood back waiting for her response.

“What?” she uttered in disbelief of what her friend was saying.

“I’m going?” her voice began to quiver.

“Are you kidding?” she questioned him, her voice still in total disbelief.

“You better not be kidding.  Are you?” She looked at him with wonder in her eyes waiting for his response.  Hoping and praying that he was not kidding and that she was actually going to finally fulfill her destiny.

“No,” he finally replied excitedly.  “I’m not kidding you Vie.  The council has decided you are ready.” He stated with some questions still in his voice. “Well okay, not exactly ready. It took some convincing from yours truly but they have agreed to let you go.” he chattered on.

Violet could not believe what she was hearing. Although she dreamt about this day a million times and wanted it more than anything, she never expected the council to agree to it. It had been decided...she was going. After a few minutes of letting this new realization settle into her thoughts Violet asked, “How? When did they decide?”

“A few minutes ago…and we’re leaving now.” Gabriel replied with a charming smile.

“Now…like right now?” Violet was suddenly stunned by the realization of it all.

“Yes Vie.  Are you sure you want to do this?  You know the risks?” Gabriel reminded her sternly.

“I have never been
more sure
of anything in my entire existence!” Violet could feel the excitement return to her voice.

“Well then, let’s do this.” Gabriel announced like a line right out of a Hollywood movie.

“We meet Raphael on the ground at sunset,” Gabe said.

“How?
What do I do? Who will I be? How will I…,”Violet fired out questions frantically.

“Umm, Vie?” Gabriel touched her arm. “Calm down,” he replied in his reassuring voice. “It is just like we planned. You were there with us at the briefing. You know how this is all going to happen. It will be your job to find him, Carter Stone, and show him his destiny. Raphael and I will handle everything else.  Are you okay?” Gabriel studied her face to see if he could tell what was troubling her.

“But how will I find you there….I mean, will I know you?” Suddenly the realization of her mission seemed frightening without her friend by her side.

“I’ll find you Vie,” he spoke with utter confidence.

“You’re really not that hard to find you know
,
” he laughed at the irony of the moment.

“But I won’t be me, will I?” Stopped in her thought wondering about what she will know and feel.

“No.” he responded sadly like he was parting with his best friend.

“Well not completely.” Gabriel spoke with uncertainty.

“What do you mean?” Violet’s thoughts were a little confused now.

“You will appear physically as the vessel. You will enter her body, have her life and memories but you will still be you with all of your thoughts and attributes.  No worries there
Vie
.  But there will be a few exceptions.” He began to explain.

“Like?”
Violet’s voice started getting anxious again.

“Like…while you are occupying the subject’s vessel you will still have your mind, heart and soul in control.” Violet thought that sounded great.

“But,” Gabriel paused.

“But what?” she answered back. “Merging with another human has it complications Vie.” Gabriel quickly looked to Violet for a reaction. With no surprise to Gabriel, Violet was completely steady with this news still standing eagerly by awaiting more details about the said complications.

“Go on…go on,” she said anxiously.

“Well he continued, sometimes the soul of the vessel fights to maintain control.” He then added quickly “but it’s never able to hold on very long before it surrenders to the dominance…that would be you.”

“Okay, not sure I follow?” she said.

“Well, all you need to know is when you merge you may have some confusion from the subject’s heart and soul to contend with, but that’s nothing you shouldn’t be able to handle, right?  I mean you’re always going on and on about how prepared you are for this kind of stuff.” Gabriel tested her.

“Yeah, yeah that’s right. I can do this.  Piece of cake! I know I’m the best we’ve got.” Violet boasted.

“
Ahhh
, now there’s the Violet I know and love!” Gabriel said as he clapped his hands.

“Gabe?”

“Yes Vie.”

“Could you please not refer to her as ‘the subject’? It really diminishes the fact that she has a life and a soul completely separate from this mission,” Violet lectured.

“Sorry Vie, I’m in briefing mode.” Gabriel answered embarrassed by the words he used.

“Anyways,” Gabriel continued, “we usually have no trouble overcoming the weakened human state and our spirits are able to merge and remain in full control for the time that we are united. But…” Gabriel paused.

“But what?”
Violet inquired suspiciously.

“Well a secondary issue might be that no one has ever merged for this amount of time.  Our fear is, well to be frank, the unknown.  But we are fairly confident that this particular case should not offer much resistance with our mission because the subject, I mean ‘Miss Thorne’, Gabriel corrected himself for Violet’s benefit, is almost ready to part from her world.”

“Oh.” Violet looked at her friend with sadness glaring from those beautiful violet eyes.

“Don’t be sad Vie,” Gabriel reached for her chin and lifted it up to meet his eyes.  He could see that the idea of death from one world still saddened her even though rewards of an eternity in paradise would make one question this sadness. Gabriel quickly changed the subject.

“Look, I know you Vie.  You’ll have to keep both feet on the ground and move quickly with the plan. Always stick to the plan and be good. I trust you’ll pack your halo?” Gabriel joked.

“I never leave home without it.” Violet winked at Gabriel.

“Oh, so you still have one of those? A halo I mean? I would really like to see that on you for this mission. It doesn’t get much use here from what I can see.” Gabriel loved to tease Violet about her non-angelic behaviors.

“Remember Vie, we only have one year from today. On June 6
th
, our time will expire and so will his if we don’t succeed.” Gabriel returned with a stern glare of a true leader.

“I understand. 
Oh, and one last question if I may sir?”
Violet asked like a soldier speaking to her superior.

“What does she look like? Is she beautiful?” she asked with hope in her voice.

“Ah Vie, no one is more beautiful than you.” he replied.

Violet was physically magnificent. Not that she saw this about herself, but her real beauty lied in how truly unique she was. Gabriel always tried to make Violet see what he saw in her, but failed miserably at the task. It was something she would have to discover for herself he often thought.

Violet never really fit in anywhere except with Gabriel and the other Guardian’s. When Violet arrived unexpectedly at the Gates she took to Gabriel right away. She followed him around like a lost puppy. While Violet wasn’t hand-picked like the rest of the Guardians, she was proficiently skilled and determined to be a part of this special elite group. Once Violet got an idea in her head, there was no stopping her. She took every opportunity to showcase her top-notch natural abilities in training so the council would see just how truly valuable she could be to them. Even the council saw very quickly that Violet was a one of a kind rare breed deserving of a chance to join these privileged few warriors in their mission.

The Guardians were created, not born and they were each given special abilities- powerful ones to protect against the forces of evil. They were the “Gatekeepers” in their world but they also served as Guardians that kept a close protective watch over all of humankind, safeguarding it against evil. But that evil was about to be unleashed and what Violet did not know was that she was their best chance of stopping it…him…the “dark one” they called Lucian. His war started long ago when his father was cast out of their world. He swore one day he would have his revenge. The council was told that he was about ready to make good on his threat and both worlds were in danger.