Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 3

"Just concentrate," Zoe told her. "Let the energy emanate from the blade."

"I'm trying," Muriel protested.

"If you were trying, you wouldn't be talking right now," Zacharias snapped. He had been sitting on the ledge of the roof, tossing a red apple up in the air.

How annoying. Zoe rolled her eyes. "Just ignore him."

Muriel held her shimmering sword up high. A small electric umbrella had materialized above her head, but flickered like a bulb losing its source. Muriel's face was contorted as if in pain. Zoe knew it wouldn't last long. She remembered the first time she attempted to manifest the celestial shield. Zacharias was a jerk back then too.

Then the field blinked out of existence. "Darn," Muriel said, bringing the sword down in defeat. "I just can't do it. You make it look so easy, Zoe." She was the youngest of the three, but to the humans she looked older than Zoe, a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. Muriel was only just over one hundred-years-old.

"It's okay, Muriel," Zoe said, walking up to her. "I think you might be trying too hard."

"Trying too hard?" Confusion shone in her eyes.

Zoe smiled. "Remember that you're not the one creating the shield. You are only harnessing the celestial energy coming from the blade." She pulled out her katana from its sheath. "Let's do this together. Okay?"

"Don't do it for her," Zacharias warned.

Muriel looked up, worry in her face.

Zoe placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't listen to him. He's just jealous that he can't hold his shield longer than a minute."

"Whatever," Zacharias replied. He tossed the apple again in the air, this time higher and waited for it to land in his opened palm. "Might as well show her, Zoe. We really don't have any leads right now."

Like detective work, an angel watcher need to be patient until a lead could come up, some clue as to where the next scion target was. Needless to say, watchers did a lot of waiting. Zoe hated this part of the job most. Too boring. However, even Zacharias admitted that the sheer volume of scions unlocking their powers in the past six months was astounding.

"All right," Zoe said, holding her sword above her head. She looked to the afternoon clouds and then closed her eyes and whispered the prayer, "Oh, Heavenly Father, bless this blade and fill it with the presence of the Holy Spirit and all the powers of heaven." Then like a match igniting, her blade came to life. Electric energy. A flash like lightning, she thought. Ezekiel, 21:5.

"Your blade is brighter than mine," Muriel observed.

"Don't worry," Zoe said. "Your blade will get just as bright. Its strength comes from your faith and connection with God. In time, yours will be just as strong. Takes practice." Zoe motioned Muriel to hold up her sword. "Okay, just relax. Inhale and exhale. Gently."

Zacharias chuckled, and Zoe gave him a death stare. Some angel he turned out to be! "Close your eyes and focus on clearing your mind." Zoe could tell that Muriel was finally relaxing. "Imagine a bubble. Like a soft soap bubble, round, but strong. Beautiful. See it in your mind. Let it float on its own."

Muriel's breath slowed, and her muscles relaxed. "Floating," she mouthed without a sound. The umbrella formed again, a thin electric field of energy.

"Soft," Zoe continued. "Round. Beautiful. Let it float. Feel it floating."

The field grew around her until at last it enveloped her, much like a soap bubble, round and shimmering.

Zoe's shield had also manifested itself, much thicker, stronger, glowing and flexing like waves in the ocean.