Danny rushed out into the garden after watching in astonishment as Sam became swallowed into the soil below. All that was left was her night shirt.
"Sam!" He hollered as he darted for the night shirt on the ground. Ignoring the dirt soaking the knees of his jeans, he desperately clutched the fabric in his hands. "Sam?"
"Insolent child!" Agatha stormed up behind him and pinched his ear.
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" Danny whimpered as he was hoisted off the ground.
"You're lucky the ritual was completed," Agatha hissed. "One moment later, and you would have breached the sacred circle and left us vulnerable to wicked influence."
"Some ritual!" Danny cried as he yanked his ear away. "What the hell was that? Where is she?"
"That we do not know, ghost child. It's up to the earth where she is heading," she stated. "The growth probably takes her to the concealed rift."
Danny looked down at the night shirt in his grasp. "Will she be able to get back on her own? Sam said that something horrible happened last time she did this."
Agatha's eyes had finally softened on the boy. She gently placed a hand up on his shoulder. " You won't be able to go after her; she has become one with the growth. Having completed the ritual properly, we must trust that our power will protect her and return her safely."
"So," he muttered. "There's nothing I can do?"
Agatha looked at the empty patch of grass where Sam once laid. "I'm afraid all we can do now is wait for her."
Tucker and Jazz came up behind Danny.
Said techno-wiz glanced down at the night shirt. "Why did her clothes stay behind?"
It was like revisiting a nightmare. Sam was in a complete state of panic; it was dark and no matter where her bare feet took her, she didn't recognize anything.
Where am I? Where's Gramm? I want to go home!
It was no use. She just kept running and running, but didn't get anywhere. She finally fell to her hands and knees, sobs wracking through her. She was too terrified to go any further. She could practically feel the revolting heat of that beast on her neck.
A witch's duty comes before her fear, Samantha. Her Gramm's voice graced her ears, blocking out the nightmarish silence.
Gramm? Sam wiped the tears that fell down her cheeks.
You must not move through the growth with fear, Button. It will cloud your way, leaving you open to the darkness.
The growth? Yes, she remembered now. She was looking for the hidden rift. She had to save Amity Park. There were too many lives at stake to give into fear.
Sam sat back on her knees, closed her eyes, and took calm breaths. She focused on her intentions, her goal.
Trust where you want to go, and the growth will take you there.
Sam continued her breathing before speaking very clearly.
"Take me to the hidden rift in Amity Park."
On her command, the growth began to twist and turn, taking her with it. It was a like rollercoaster.
Sam hesitantly opened her eyes. It wasn't so dark anymore; many hues of green, brown and purple flashed around her. What truly captured her attention was the blazing red trail out in front of her.
It was searing and stunk of sulfur; she could even feel the familiar burning sensation from her scar. It stunk of the demon realm. It reminded her of what Barb claimed to have seen when they were hunting for the rift in New Orleans.
Sam grinned. Barb's power is coming back into play.
She followed the red trail; it twisted and turned through the growth. She had been so focused on the trail that she was taken by surprise when the textures around her started to feeling like stone, concrete. But it was blazing hot! She could feel the roots around her beginning to weaken from the intense heat. And then, in a flash, the growth showed her the location of the rift.
Considering the growth had not let her go, she assumed wherever she was, it was underground somehow. When her vision came into focus, she noticed the scene before her was oddly familiar.
The cracked brick walls, the rusty pipes, and even the consistent sound of water dripping brought her back to that awful dream she had just the other night.
It was a vision of the rift's location, she thought to herself. Possibly even a warning.
She even saw the large door, but this time the door was wide open. Inside, just like in her dream, it reeked of brimstone and blood.
Within, she was the exact same blood written demonic symbols on the wall, but underneath on was what appeared to be a huge crack in the floor. Hellish flames blazed from the portal.
The rift! Sam's brain was screaming. I found it! Where is this place? I have to tell Danny and the others!
Even the man standing in front of it looked familiar, however she could make out his features this time. He was no taller than Danny, but he stood straight. He wore a white cape with a high collar, and his black boots stood firmly on the broken floor. His black hair was fashioned like two vampiric horns and his skin was ghostly blue green. But what stood out to her the most were his ruby red eyes!
No doubt the same red eyes she saw in her vision her first morning in Amity Park.
A sinisterly debonair smile stretched on his face.
He finally spoke; voice orotund, honeyed, and, again, familiarly suave.
"The time grows near," he announced. "It's only a matter of weeks away. Are you ready,…partners?"
Partners? Sam questioned.
A large, burly, dark red skinned arm flung out of the portal and grappled its black clawed hand on to the stone floor.
Sam had felt like a huge boulder had dropped in her gut. No…no! No, it-it can't be them…
The being that climbed out of the portal was a face she had seen in the Grimoire multiple times. In fact, had things been different, she would've seen it in person all those months ago in New Orleans.
He stood at a striking 9 feet in height. His skin was an incredibly dark, blood red. Protruding from his head were large black stag antlers, sharpened to the touch. His large build was clothed black robes and his long black hair hung loose on his shoulders. Underneath said robes were not human feet, but hooves like a huge horse. His face would be more human, if not for the large tusks sticking out from under his lower lip.
His bright yellow eyes burned like sulfur.
Fates, help us… Sam prayed.
"Plasmius," the demonic creature spoke. His rough and throaty voice vibrates the whole room. "You have prepared well."
The man named Plasmius bowed. "Of course, Lord Balthazar," he marveled. "Just you today? Where is Lord Beelzebub?"
Balthazar sneered. "He was feeling a little weak. He's still recovering from the encounter with those disgusting little nymphs."
"My condolences," Plasmius spoke. "Worry not, however. You both may rest easy; the rift is growing steadily. In a matter of weeks, our time will come."
Balthazar's eyes flashed. "Do not speak so confidently," he hissed. "It's why I have come. Word has reached me that one of those nymphs is within your city, as well as a particularly troublesome urchin. Phantom, I believe you call him? Ghost King? I have heard he's been a thorn in your side for some time."
Sam shuddered. Just the very idea of this monster even speaking of Danny made her feel sick to her stomach.
She didn't miss Plasmius' brow twitch. "Just an insignificant splinter, my lord. Certainly no king. No concern of yours, either. Once the rift is complete, he will be taken care of, along with your…nymph problem."
"Yes," Balthazar grows a trepidating grin through his tusks. "In a matter of time, my brother and I shall lay claim to this pathetic mortal realm."
A fearful and lambasted vibration radiated from Sam's core. Not while I'm breathing, you grotesque behemoth.
"And in return for my assistance, the Ghost Zone is mine?" Plasmius inquired.
Balthazar chuckled. "A buffer zone such as that is of no use to us. It's all yours."
Sam could see Plasmius' glimmering fangs in a toothy grin. "I'll gladly take it off your hands."
The damn fool, Sam growled. Danny's going to flip a shit when he hears this. I have to get back.
Just as Sam was about to head out, Balthazar's words left her frozen in place.
"I'm sure you'll make better use of it, Mr. Mayor."
What?
Sam slowly turned back to see Balthazar leaving back through the rift, just in time for a flash of rings to engulf Plasmius. In place of a vampiric ghost, stood the dapperly dressed, Vlad Masters.
His human blue eyes gazed down at the portal. "Pleasure doing business with you, my lord."
Oh, gods. What in the actual hell?
Sam couldn't get out of there fast enough. She allowed the growth to pull her away, back out to the cool, fresh soil. Not stopping once on her way back to the house.