Ascension

by Sophia Sharp

  After a few moments, Selaine looked up. “He’s returned.”

  “My turn?”

  “Yes. You will enter the void alone, Laura. I cannot accompany you. Once you’re there, I will not be able to guide you, either. You will need to manipulate what you can to destroy the elders’ cluster of stars at once.”

  “I tried to use the darkness before,” Laura said. “To build it up so that it overtook the cluster. I stopped just before you brought me here. Is that the right way?”

  Selaine frowned. “I would not have done so myself, no.”

  “There is another way?”

  “You need to create a type of black hole, Laura. A special kind of emptiness, even greater than the void itself. You will need to do it in the middle of the cluster, so the elders’ stars collapse towards it. It has to be big enough to swallow the cluster, but not so large to disturb the delicate balance within the torrial.”

  “How?”

  “You will know when you get there.”

  “That’s not very helpful.”

  “It’s all I can tell you. I’m afraid the void behaves differently for different people. Any advice I give you based on my own experience will be of little use.”

  “So I have to go at it alone?”

  “I’m afraid so. You need to have faith in yourself.”

  “I do,” Laura said. She took a deep breath. “Alright. I’m ready.”

  “Close your eyes.”

  Laura did so. She felt an opening form in front of her.

  “Take care,” Selaine said. “What you do now will influence the state of the world for generations to come.”

  No pressure, Laura thought to herself wryly, and the next second was jolted through the opening. The sudden jerking motion caused her to gasp and open her eyes, but her body had already dissipated. She was floating, empty and free, in the dark river of black nothingness that stretched between the stars.

  Slowly, the stars around her ebbed into being. Laura recognized immediately where she was. Selaine had brought her right to the edge of the elders’ cluster.

  But things were different now. The wall of black she had built before had retreated slightly, and the elders’ stars had started to shine again. Without her there to strengthen the darkness, those stars were reclaiming their place in the void.

  She wondered if Gabrielle had had time to extricate the others from the elders’ dreams. She prayed he had. When she began what she needed to do, it would likely be too late.

  Create a black hole, Selaine had told her. How? Laura didn’t know. Perhaps she could move the cluster in some way.

  She concentrated on it. She focused her mind on the stars, on their place in the void, and on their manner of existence. To her surprise, she realized that she could… feel them. It was like her Vassiz gifts had followed her into the void. Except that it wasn’t like that before. Was it something Selaine did?

  She saw the stars not only as they existed in front of her, but as clear representations of the elders in her mind’s eye. She felt their perpetual struggle against the black, the uncanny and unnatural existence that gave them sustenance.

  And, right in the middle of them, she felt a deeper sort of void. It was like the black that cloaked everything else simply did not exist there. There was no perceptible difference between that area and any other that she could see, but with her newfound sensitivity she knew there was a difference.

  That difference was key to everything. Laura knew that if she could push the stars toward that one empty spot, it would create the black hole Selaine had spoken of.

  Logan’s star was there, though. She was very conscious of that. How would he make the jump to hers? How would he know when to do it? She had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

  Laura felt out, and reached toward Logan’s star. Her mind wrapped around it, and she embraced it.

  Laura? Is that you?

  Logan’s voice came out of nowhere to invade her mind. She panicked, and lost the connection she had formed.

  The cluster of stars flickered and waned. It was like they were readying for an assault. All of them did it, except for Logan’s. It shone effortlessly, its light unchanging. It looked like to be the only one at peace.

  Laura felt out again, and again embraced Logan’s star. This time, she was prepared for the connection that came along with it. It was something akin to what she experienced with the elder when she fought against him.

  Laura, Logan shouted out, there isn’t much time. You must do it now!

  “Will you know when to jump?” Laura screamed back. Her own voice filled her head.

  Yes, Logan shouted. But you need to do it. Do it now!

  Laura focused on the cluster. She felt each individual star in its own place in the void, felt how they fed off each other. Felt how they fought against the black. She felt the empty spot in their center. And with a flick of her mind, she tore that spot open.

  The cluster of stars started to spin, slowly at first, like leaves caught in an eddy. Bit by bit, they picked up speed. They were swirling around, but not getting any closer to the middle. Laura forced them to come together. It didn’t work. She tried again, this time using the darkness around them to push against them. This time, they started to move.

  Logan screamed in her head, frightening Laura. It was a scream of pain. Before she could stop, his voice invaded her mind. YOU’RE… AAHHH!!... DOING IT!

  Laura pushed the cluster closer together, tighter, tighter. Logan’s screams continued in her head. She braced herself and kept going. She was determined the see an end to the elders, but Logan’s screams frightened her. Yet, what she had started could not be stopped.

  The stars were spinning quickly now, blurring into a single streaking light. “Logan, you have jump!” Laura screamed.

  TOO EARLY! AAHHHH!

  His bellows of pain continued. Laura did not know if he was going to make it. The movement of the stars became more violent. Laura couldn’t control it anymore. The stars spun rapidly, and were quickly progressing to the middle. It was out of her hands.

  Something dark shot out of the spinning stars and flew into the void like a bullet. A heartbeat later a second object was spat out the same way. And then a third, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth. Laura couldn’t say why, but she was sure those were the representations of Alexander, of Madison, and of the four angels. Relief filled her. They had gotten out.

  Logan was still in there, though. His screams burned through her head, threatening to overtake her in their terror. If it were anybody else, Laura would have severed the connection long ago. But this was Logan.

  The darkness pressed in on the stars, pushing them toward the apex. They were almost there. If Logan didn’t jump now, Laura did not know if he would make it.

  “Logan, you have to jump! Do it now!” Laura screamed.

  TOO SOON! AAHHHH! OTHERS… MIGHT LATCH ON! AHHH!

  “There isn’t any time! You have to do it now!”

  His screams were the only thing that answered her. Laura watched, terrified, as the stars came closer and closer together. She could not let go of her connection to Logan. She felt the darkness pressing in on the stars. They were at the tipping point. One second more and they would collapse into the hole.

  Ka-boom!

  A giant explosion rocked the world. White, streaming light knocked Laura backwards, and she lost consciousness.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  ~Just a Dream~

  Laura woke up in a dream. She was in the forest outside her home. How did she get here? She wasn’t sure. Her thoughts were… hazy.

  The sun shone down from the clouds above her. Everything had an ethereal glow, a type of celestial shine. The air shimmered slightly wherever she looked, but it was peaceful. Laura felt whole.

  She got up slowly. She recognized the path in the forest. It was one she had run along many times as a child. She wasn’t far from home.

  She started down the winding dirt path. In the distance, sh
e could hear birds singing. Despite the shimmer to the air, it smelled clean. Pure.

  Laura walked along the path. Her mind was blank, but her senses active. She felt the soft ground beneath her feet, the slight breeze against her face. The sun overhead gave just enough warmth for her to be comfortable.

  Laura did not remember what happened to bring her here. But she felt at peace.

  She wandered slowly to the end of the woods. The forest opened up to reveal a familiar, peaceful street. She had to think hard to conjure the memory, but found it in time. This was the street she had grown up on.

  She began down the sidewalk. Everything was in place. She could see no cars, no people. Yet, everything was in peace.

  In time, she found herself in front of her old house. Her old home. A light was on inside. Laura walked closer and peeked through the window.

  Inside, she found her mother sitting at the dinner table. Beside her was her father, and her little sister. The family dog was curled up on the floor. Everybody looked happy. But there was one empty spot at the table. Her old spot.

  Laura looked over to the wall, and found her high school picture there. It stood by itself inside a dark wooden frame. She had not been forgotten. A tear formed in her eye, but she did not feel sadness. Her family was at peace, and that was all that mattered.

  Laura turned away and started down the short path to the school. That was where all this began. All this? All what? It was a stray thought, and Laura paid it no mind.

  Around her, the sun cast peaceful halos upon everything. The world shone gently with a calming glow. Laura felt happy, content. At peace. There was no more pressure on her. The burdens that had troubled her before were all gone.

  Laura wandered through the abandoned streets, stopping every once in a while to admire the calm serenity of the place. She let her feet guide her while her mind remained empty. Every step she took was blissful. Another stray thought bubbled up in her head, something about an injury she sustained, but she paid it no mind. Her entire body felt perfect.

  She didn’t know how much time had passed when she found herself at the lake. All she knew was the sun had not yet moved from its spot in the sky. She did not even know how she had gotten there – she thought back and could not remember the walk. She existed only in the present moment.

  She saw the spot where she and Logan… wait. Logan? She was not sure who that was. But thinking of the name made her feel all fuzzy inside.

  She looked up, and there he was. Standing at the edge of the lake, overlooking the water. He did not know she was here. She saw him in all his perfection. His straight back, his perfectly shaped shoulders. His dark hair that ran down his neck. She knew he was waiting for her.

  She stepped toward him, and he turned his head. A smile lit up his entire face. The sun shining down created a majestic aura about him. Slowly, as if moving underwater, he extended his arm to her. She came and took it, and he pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms. He did not say anything.

  “Did you do it?” Laura asked. Her voice was a whimper. She did not know what ‘it’ was, only that the words felt right.

  “Yes,” Logan answered softly. “I’m here now. With you. Forever.”

  “Good.” Laura smiled. “That’s all I ever wanted.”

  ~~

  The End.

  End of Book Bonus: Excerpt from Chosen, Book 1 of the Seeker Saga.

  Chosen

  Book 1 – The Seeker Saga

  By Sophia Sharp, writing as Sarah Swan

  Book Description:

  Could you live your whole life feeling empty?

  A New Life

  Seventeen-year-old Tracy Bachman feels that something is missing in life. Despite a normal upbringing, she can't help but yearn for more. That is why she decides to transfer to a new boarding school, in a move that takes her all the way across the country.

  An Unforgettable Adventure

  When Tracy arrives at her new school, she expects an ordinary enough life. But what she finds there instead changes her in ways she could never expect.

  A love interest she did not ask for.

  A power she does not know she holds.

  And a clique of mysterious, popular girls hell-bent on entangling Tracy in their affairs.

  A Hidden Purpose

  The girls Tracy meets all know she is different. Beneath their easy smiles lies a friendship laced with dark intentions. Will Tracy understand what they want in time to protect herself? Or will she find herself hopelessly ensnared in their web of secrets?

  A Forbidden Romance

  A suggestive glance. A secret rendezvous. In the midst of everything else, Tracy finds temptation in the very boy she is prohibited from speaking to. But as she pushes herself away, she falls right into the arms of another...

  A Mystical World

  Slowly, Tracy starts to understand that beneath her school's veneer of splendor lies a dangerous, secretive world brimming with supernatural powers. And before she knows it, she finds herself deep in the heart of that cryptic, mystifying world.

  All expectations are thrown to the wind as Tracy struggles to balance love, friendship, adventure - and her newfound power. But will she be perceptive enough to realize that there are those who would use her for that power, lurking closer than she can believe?

  --

  Chosen is the first book of The Seeker Saga, a new YA paranormal series. Look for the second book, Forbidden, to be available March 2012.

  Chapter One – A New Life

  September 23rd is the first day of fall. I know this not because I have some bizarre fascination with the changing of the seasons, or with watching the days of the calendar slowly creep by, but rather because this year, September 23rd happened to fall on a Friday. This is ironic to me, since that day of the week is typically reserved for marking the end of things, such as the working week, than signaling the start of something new. But for me, September 23rd marked not only the transition into a less prosperous season, when the last rays of sunshine from a glorious summer are taken away, leaving only memories of those warm, lustful days, but also the end of my previous life.

  I guess, from an even more pessimistic perspective, one would be justified in saying that September 23rd is also the end of the three most peaceful months of the year, a time when the entire western world shifts away from a recess of lounging and relaxing into a more high-octane way of thinking. New stresses and pressures begin to show themselves and become painfully rediscovered. At least, this is the way of things for adults, as I’ve come to figure out in my relatively short sixteen years on this planet.

  For a student like me, fall marks the beginning of a new school year. This is a time of great fascination and palpable excitement – about seeing old friends, and meeting new ones, and about discovering yourself for the umpteenth time in the first semester of school. But, this year, that beginning was slightly different for me.

  Thinking back, September 23rd was more than just the start of a new season. For me, it signified the beginning of a new life, one which would typically be thrown off as interesting and eventful only in the shallow minds of teenagers and (to be frank) the miniscule world they inhabit. But, my story is far from typical. While it may begin in a familiar setting, I can see now, in hindsight, that where it takes me is a place far and away outside the realm of familiarity.

  But I digress. The beginning of this story takes place in the backseat of a very cramped early 1990s Oldsmobile Bravada. If the make of the car doesn’t ring a bell, I wouldn’t blame you – the entire line was phased out of production sometime in the mid-2000s. But with my dad’s constant insistence that his car was just as good today as the day he bought it, only a few weeks after I was born, it was the only vehicle available to us for the cross-country trip that my family was just completing. After spending the better part of a week squeezed between boxes of nearly all my belongings, even my patience was starting to wear thin. And that’s fairly impressive, because, as you’ll soon see, I pr
ide myself on being a very patient and tolerant person. I’m kidding. That was just a lie I made up to make myself feel better about my impatience at the gnawing and very distracting feeling of being restricted to nothing more than a very small, very hard backseat in this rickety ride.

  “Look honey!” my mom exclaimed in her usual-but-completely-baffling cheery voice. “The sign outside says we’ve only got twenty miles to go!” She turned around from her copilot seat up front with a wide grin on her face. That quickly turned into a frown. “Tracy! How many times do I have to tell you to stop chewing your nails?”

  Abashedly, I jerked my hand away from my mouth. That was a habit I had been meaning to break for, oh, over two years now. I was actually feeling proud of myself for not succumbing to the temptation even once on this long road trip. But I guess it had become so ingrained that I sometimes did it without thinking. I resolved right there and then that this would be the absolute last time I allowed myself to do that. What better time, really, than the day before joining an entirely new school?

  “Sorry,” I replied cheekily, “I guess my mind just wandered.”

  My mom waved me away. “It’s for your own good, you know. There aren’t many boys who will like a chomper.”

  “Mom!” I exclaimed, feeling unusually embarrassed. “Can we not talk about that? Not right now?”

  “I’m just saying…” my mom replied, turning back around. “Isn’t that right, Dave?”