Synergy (See #3)(83)

In my mind, I saw this white, glowing energy. I saw it all around me, then I called it to my hands, using the image Monroe had shown me.

“Done,” I said breathlessly.

I felt her grip my wrist. “Open your eyes,” she said.

I did as she said. She pushed my hand forward at the man. “Now send it. Push the light - the music!”

I did as she said, and I saw a light come from my hands. I could hear the song as it rushed toward the man that was in front of me. The energy circled him, pulling black ash from every part of his body. Blood spilled from his ears as he fell to the ground and erupted into flames. The girl turned me and held my hand out toward another man, and the same powerful thing happened: the light, the music reached the man and pulled black ash out of him. The girl moved me again, pushing the light at men that were even further away, then finally to the men that Madison and Aden were fighting. Within a minute, they were all gone.

With a racing heart, I turned to see who had helped me and saw a beautiful girl with pale green eyes that were glowing slightly. She was small like me, with short dark hair and beautiful olive skin.

“Who are you?” I asked as she gently let go of me.

Aden and Madison had cautiously come to my side. The girl looked over each of us carefully.

“Clarissa,” she said quietly.

“You’re ... you’re not his sister, right?” Aden asked with a tone that was full of dread.

I looked up at him quickly. I hadn’t had the time to see as deeply as he had into this family, and I was really bad with names. I had no idea who he was talking about.

“Whose?” I asked instantly

Clarissa nodded. “Landen’s.”

Instantly, I felt sick to my stomach. I knew without a doubt that this family wouldn’t be prepared for this; they loved each other too much. Even though she was undead and they could still see her if they wanted to, it would be too much for them to accept.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I tried to tell him to stop it,” I said as anger for Silas came to me.

“He couldn’t have. If Silas wasn't there, it would have been a goodbye forever. Now I can protect them,” Clarissa promised.

Fantastic. She had obvious respect for Silas. “So what? He’s mad at me because of some illusion Bianca showed him, so now you’re going to protect us? Thanks, by the way. How did you know to do that?” I said.

“He’s fighting for you,” she said as she nodded to the horizon.

I turned to see a mass of dark ash rising to the orange sky in the distance. I couldn’t clearly make out Silas in the shadowed images, but I felt him.

“We need to help him,” I said, turning back to her, prepared to use this new gift she’d shown me.

“You need to wake Landen. We’re holding them off. These men were the ones that broke through the barricade Silas and others have made for you ... Landen’s there,” she said as the large Estate I’d seen before appeared half a mile from us.

“Come with us,” I said, reaching for her. “He’ll wake if he sees you.”

She moved her from head side to side as what looked like sadness came over her. “He has seen me; that’s why he’s close enough for you to wake him now. You have to hurry. There were some memories I couldn’t correct, and they’ve begun to move, change places. The longer they sleep, the more irreversible it becomes.”

She stepped cautiously toward Aden, and her eyes filled with respect and remorse. She bowed her head slightly. “I’m afraid that your hidden soul, purpose, is now known. I cannot prepare you for what you’ll see, but I’m going to tell you how to protect yourself. Hopefully, it won’t be as painful as I think it will be when the wall you’re behind finally crumbles.”

“The past isn’t what matters,” Aden said, locking eyes with me. “Even...even if that had any truth to it, it wouldn't matter.”

“Spoken like a true blind man,” Clarissa said under her breath. “Close your eyes.”

Aden refused.

“Stop fighting. I’m trying to help you!” Clarissa demanded.

I nudged Aden, and he grudgingly closed his eyes.

“Feel the energy of your soul,” she said.

After a second or two, he nodded.

“Feel it all around you, your aura...find a shield,” Clarissa ordered.

As she said the words, I saw a faint white haze appear around him; it was a lot like what I saw Willow standing in when I first arrived in Esterious.

“We are more than a body. We are a soul, moving energy. Never see yourself as someone who’s imprisoned in flesh; your energy is your shield, your weapon,” Clarissa said confidently.

Aden opened his eyes slowly, and the energy I saw around him remained.

“You knew that from before, when you were alive,” I said quietly. “How did you know how to help me, what Monroe had told me?”

Clarissa’s eyes met mine. “The awareness I feel now is too new for me to explain it clearly to you. I’m still grieving for my life. My family will help you open your mind to the power that lies within all souls, and you’ll help them see, see all that they’ve been blind to - that is, if we survive this. Go,” she said, nodding toward the Estate. Her eyes moved to Madison, to her side where the wound was. “I wish you the best of luck.” At that second, she vanished.