Hush
Chapter 11
A sigh left Samantha's lips as they reached the destroyed gate leading to the tower. Thomas, Henry, and Tina looked up at the massively tall tower, shaking their heads.
"I hoped it was only a few floors," Henry said.
"It's Veronica we're talking about here. Of course, it would be tall," Thomas said.
"Either way, we should get going," Tina said.
Annabeth and Grover, who had a sleeping Nadine on his back, followed behind the others in silence. They looked from left to right at the various warriors monitoring purple eyed people who were tied up.
Grover and Annabeth stopped when a yawn reached their ears. It was Nadine. She was finally awake. Nadine slid off Grover's back as she yawned again and stretched out her arms. She looked around, only to cover her mouth at the sight of the staff of the tower grounds tied up struggling to get free.
Moving closer towards a few of the maids, Nadine was pulled away the moment a maid growled and scooted closer to her. Nadine struggled against the person who held her as tears trickled down her cheeks.
"I am sorry, little one, but you can't do anything to help her now," the familiar voice said.
Nadine turned around and looked into the eyes of Samantha. A smile spread across her lips as she looked over at Thomas waving at her. Henry nodded, and Tina waved. Grover laid a hand on her shoulder while Annabeth gave her a pat on the back.
Nadine was glad that Samantha and Thomas were awake. The four Sensory's were back together again. But her heartache for all the people here. She thought if she touched them, maybe she could end their suffering. Nadine looked down at the pale pink light from her hands. She should try to help them, she thought. Looking at Samantha for an answer. She got it when Samantha shook her head and placed her hand over hers, causing the pink glow to disappear.
"Now is not the time. I want to stop and help these people as well, but you and I both know there is only one way to stop this," Samantha said.
Sighing, Nadine nodded. Samantha stepped away as Annabeth pulled Nadine into a hug as Grover gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Now come along, you three. We have a world to save." Samantha said.
Nodding, Nadine, Annabeth, and Grover followed behind Samantha as the four of them caught up with everyone at the entrance to the tower.
At the entrance, Henry messed up Nadine's hair while Tina gave her a hug. Thomas merely nodded as Nadine smiled.
"Glad you're awake. Shall we go in then?" Thomas asked.
Everyone nodded. Entering the tower, everyone looked around. From the massive amount of glass all over the floors and countless bodies hanging out of the windows, they knew the others had been here. Grover walked over. Looking at the elevators, he sighed at electric sparks rolling off them along with the dampness under his feet.
"Yup, Percy's been here alright," Grover said, followed with a sigh.
Henry and Tina looked around some more while Samantha and Thomas witness some warriors walk in with a lot of black bags. Thomas watched as the warriors pulled body after body out of the windows while Samantha glanced at the warriors, helping those who were still breathing. While the purple eyed warriors struggled against getting help, they were too weak to fight back.
Nadine and Annabeth joined Grover in looking for an elevator that worked.
"I wonder how many floors are in this tower?" Grover asked.
Nadine and Annabeth shrugged.
"Forty," a warrior said in passing.
Grover cringed while Annabeth laughed. "Too many floors for those hooves of yours."
"I would like to use the elevator for once," Grover said.
Nadine stopped at an elevator. She looked at it for a moment. There were no electrical sparks, or any pieces exposed. The sliver doors only had a few dents on it and the buttons hadn't been damaged.
"I found one," Nadine said, point to the elevator.
Grover smiled as he and Annabeth walked over to it.
"Finally, we will use the elevator instead of the stairs," Grover said, pushing the up button.
Annabeth pushed Nadine behind them the moment they heard scratching coming from behind the elevator doors. Within moments, a group of warriors ran over in their direction. Grover, Annabeth and Nadine backed up, bumping into Tina and Henry. The moment the elevator doors opened out jump a few more people infected people. Snarling and growling, they fought with the warriors.
"I saw that one coming," Henry said.
Tina scoffed as Samantha and Thomas stood by the emergency stairway door. Grumbling, Grover dragged himself to the door as Nadine and Annabeth followed. Henry and Tina smiled as they joined them.
Stair way after stairway, floor after floor. Each time the seven of them stopped, they were welcomed by more warriors. Some of them were fighting with ghouls and goblins, while others were circling around orcs. They even spotted a few demons as well. By the time they got to floor 19, Grover raced over to the bench and sat down. Annabeth and Nadine joined him. They smiled as a sigh left Grover's lips.
"Finally," Grover said, rubbing his hooves.
Henry smiled as he leaned on the wall. Tina joined him while Thomas and Samantha walked toward to the staircase leading to 20th floor. Thumping from above caused them to look up at the ceiling. They crouched down when the tip of the sword broke through. It was retracted as the sound of clashing of sword continued above.
Standing back up, Samantha and Thomas walked toward the stairway leading up to the 20th floor when two warriors stood in front of the entrance. They bowed to them, but shook their heads.
"Let us pass. We can help," Samantha asked.
"We were told not to let anyone upstairs," the warrior said.
"Who told you that?" Thomas asked.
"Vincent, sir," the warrior said.
Samantha sighed as Thomas nodded.
Walking back to everyone else, they all looked at them.
"Well, looks like we'll be here a while," Thomas said.
"Good, I could use the break," Grover said.
Annabeth and Nadine chuckled. Henry nodded, followed by a sigh. Tina looked over at him and lightly punched him in the stomach. Henry winced as he rubbed his stomach.
"It still hurt, you know," Henry said.
Tina chuckled. "Sorry… just don't do anything like that again."
Henry looked over at Tina. "I won't, I promise."
As more thumps could be heard above them, all they could do was wait and enjoy the much needed break.
On the 20th floor, Vincent and Valentino were clashing swords left and right. Both of them matching each other blow for blow. Vincent pushed his father in to wall while Valentino pushed Vincent back on to a bench. Vincent rolled away in time as Valentino sliced the bench in half.
Kicking Valentino back, Vincent readied his sword as Valentino jumped in the air. Vincent backed up as the tip of Valentino's sword went through the floor. Valentino pulled his sword up in time just as Vincent aimed his sword at his heart. Deflecting it, both men were at it again, keeping up with each other in speed and strength, neither one letting up.
"Come on boy, all the training I gave you is this the best you got?" Valentino said, deflecting Vincent's attacks.
Vincent remained silent. Deep down, he was happy to see his father again. He wanted to make this fight last as long as he could. If only they could be like this forever, but he had a world to save. It was time to show his father how much he has grown.
Valentino went in for a slash, only for Vincent to spin around him, slashing his back and hitting in the head. When Valentino turned around, Vincent speed picked up. Valentino smiled, as he had trouble blocking all the slashes and stabs his son threw at him.
Vincent's eyes held a mixture of joy and sadness the moment he slipped in close to his father, knocking his sword out of his hand and ramming his sword through his father's heart.
Pulling out his sword, Vincent watched as Valentino dropped to his knees with a huge smile on his lips. Coughing up a black liquid, Valentino continued smiling as a wonderful feeling washed over his body.
Vincent put away his sword. He looked down at his father, who steadily rose to his feet. Vincent's eyes looked on in confusion as a white light formed around his father's body.
"Father? What's going on?" Vincent asked.
"I have been waiting to fight you. The demon that killed me summoned me."
"Jeffery… but I thought you killed him.
Valentino nodded. "I thought so too, but he was too smart for me." So, when he killed me, he took my soul, but now I am free."
Vincent cleared his throat as he wiped away his tears. Valentino walked over to Vincent and pulled him into a big hug. Vincent hugged him back.
"I am so proud of you," Valentino said. "I know I didn't say this much but, I love you, son."
"I love you too, dad," Vincent said, hugging his father.
A light formed behind Valentino, and a woman with long brown hair and sea blue eyes emerged. With a smile on her lips. She walked over and gave Vincent a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Mom…" Vincent choked out.
"Linda" Valentino whispered.
Pulling away from Vincent, Linda put her arm around Valentino's and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Hello my jelly bean," Linda said, before looking at Valentino. "Come along dear, he has a world to save."
"That he does. Good luck son, until we meet again." Valentino said.
"We love you," Linda said, followed by a smile.
Vincent smiled tearfully, watching his father and mother disappear. Clearing his throat, he wiped away the last of his tears and took a deep breath. Turning around, Vincent was welcomed by Samantha, Henry, Tina. Thomas, Annabeth, Grover and Nadine.
"Henry, glad to see you back on our side," Vincent said.
"Glad to be back. Care to tell us what happen here?" Henry asked.
"Later, we have a world to save," Vincent said.
Nodding with Vincent in tow, the eight of them ran toward the stairway, climbing up the floors once again.
On floor 30, Percy ducked as Mrs. Dodds flew by. His eyes widen as he jumped out of the way, for The Minotaur charged at him as well. Percy watched as The Minotaur shattered the bench, broke vases and demolished trash cans as he kept running down the hall. Mrs. Dodds, in her fury form, kept flying around, trying to scratch at him with her large talons.
Keeping an eye on The Minotaur, the moment he turned around, Percy glanced up at Mrs. Dodds. She was flying toward him at full speed. Smirking, Percy's eyes flicker. The moment the both of them were about to reach Percy, he disappeared. Mrs. Dodds screamed as The Minotaur tore thought her and kept on down the hall. The Minotaur turned around expecting to see Percy, but he was gone.
Growling, The Minotaur walked toward the spot where he last saw Percy. Standing there, The Minotaur felt something wet under his hooves. Looking down, he noticed a puddle. Moving his head closer to the puddle, he didn't have a reflection. A pair of eyes looked back at him.
"Got you." Percy whispered.
Percy's body solidify with his sword pointing upward, going right through the Minotaur's head. Pulling his sword out, Percy cut through the rest of the creature's body. The Minotaur turned into dust.
Breathing hard, Percy sat down, wiping the sweat off his forehead. His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps. Jumping up with his sword ready, Percy narrowed his eyes. They soften at the sight of Annabeth, Grover and Nadine. The three of them ran over and hugged Percy. Tina, Henry, Samantha and Thomas smiled. Everyone's smile disappeared when a loud boom shook the tower. Another boom came right after, leaving cracks in the walls.
"What was that?" Annabeth asked.
"Veronica…." Percy said. "She must have reached the top of the tower."
The tower shook again and all the Sensory's felt it. Henry looked down at all the others, who nodded and took off running.
"We need to hurry," Henry said.
"What going on?" Percy asked.
"Veronica is not fighting just any creature, for there is only one person who we know can cause a whole tower to shake and collapse…. Vivian, the Goddess of Sight." Henry said, before running after the others.
Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Nadine followed behind Sensory's up the last ten flights of stairs. They all hoped they could reach the top in time. If they didn't, not only would the world be in trouble, they would be too.