Ascendant

Chapter Twenty-Five ⚜️ Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Five

Our footsteps echoed as we continued our descent. Flickers of white fire illuminated the tunnel. My hand gently trailed along the stone wall, feeling every curve and bump as it scrapes my palm. Neither me or Clary said a word, as we held our bated breaths in anticipation of what was to come. What was to come?  

Chunks of rock from the ceiling lay waste on the steps and we both carefully avoid them as I keep brushing thick cobwebs out of my way, the thick wiry substance sticking to the palms of my hand. I shiver on instinct, the thought of spiders terrifies me. Damn crawlers. 

"Look Tamora! What is that?" Clary's voice echoes in the passage.

"What? Where?"

"In front of you! Look down, what is that?" Her voice sends chills down my spine.

Looking downwards I see a minuscule flickering neon green light. I increase the speed of the walk, my heart beats in anticipation. Blood raves in my body, as the sound of it pumping is the only thing that could be heard apart from the scuffling of our feat. 

Bringing out my knife, I slash quickly through the cobwebs as the light has grown ever so closer. It taunts me, begs me to come. Spitting out a stray cobweb, the tunnel grows darker but I continue my hack and slash mission until I am only a footstep away from the green light; the only light now left. Scrambling for my phone in the pocket, the torch flickers on and I bend down to examine it.

Clary falls into line with me and she voices her thoughts, "What is that? Some kind of panel?"

"I-I am not sure." My hand gently wipes the dust off the metal box protruding out of the wall. "It definitely seems like it."

My fingers hover over the green button, "Should I press it?" I warily say, anxiety runs through me. Clary sighs in response.

"Do it."

So I did.

I press the button in. I feel a rumble deep beneath the surface of the ground, causing my knees legs to shake. 

"What is going on?! What is happening!" Clary grips onto my arm, her voice filled with fear.

The walls around us shake, trimmings of rock fall onto the ground as we hold each other tightly. We both look up suddenly as a large rock falls from the ceiling and I feel Clary trembling in my arms at our inevitable crush. I push her to the floor and out of the way.

"Tamora! NO!" She screams.

Is this how it ends? 

No.

Not like this.

A surge of power rushes through me and just as the rock was about to hit me, a barrier of luminescent white halts the rock in place. Sweat drips down my forehead and I am pushed down onto my knee with the sheer weight of the rocks I am holding up. My arms tremble and with a cry I throw it to the side, sending dust and shards of rock splattering across the floor. 

I feel the energy sucked back inside my body and I shudder.

"That was soooo cool! Did you know your eyes glowed this white when you used your power? I mean you have these amazing ice blue eyes anyway but they go full white! Damn!" She rants, clearly out of breath.