Chapter 164: What Little Remains (2/2)
Zinnia was slightly taken back by this. She had no idea why the figure brought her here, but she needed answers. Zinnia darted up the stairs, almost falling through one continuing to yell. ”Hello? Alton?! Is this you?”
”She's lost her mind…” Jinx whispered.
Gale gave a concerned look. ”Let me talk to her.” Gale walked up the stairs avoiding the cracks seeing Zinnia standing idly in one room. ”Zinnia… I think it's time we give this wild goose chase up?”
Zinnia turned around, holding a small box with made up playing cards. ”Alton's been here.”
”What?”
”These cards. I made them for him as a Christmas present. They shouldn't be here.”
”That's not possible. You heard it from Alice herself. The Child of the Garden has been secured. Alton can't be here.”
”I followed someone here Gale, someone wanted me to see this. They wanted me to find Alton's home.”
”We should just get out of here.”
Zinnia ignored his pleas running around the house. ”Alton! Alton! Where are you?!”
Zinnia stopped in her tracks, feeling cold breathing down the back of her neck. She froze, knowing all too well someone was behind her. The person leaned in whispering directly in her ear. ”Tell my son, I'm coming for him.”
Zinnia took a while but spun around to find no one there. The door to the end of the corridor slammed shut. She rushed over katana at the ready. ”Gale… Someone's here.”
”For real?”
”I'm serious. They are just behind this door.”
”Stand behind me.” He ordered cracking his knuckles, moving his hand to the door. The moment he touched it, the door swung open as everyone fell to the ground. The others charged up the stairs as Gale was screaming. ”You'll never take me alive!”
Scarlett stared at them lost only to be even more confused. ”Iris?!”
Iris lay on the floor in pain whimpering. Zinnia stood up dazed. ”But how? Where's? How did you get here?”
Iris rolled around, wiping her eyes staring at an unstable portal. ”Did? Alton was captured, I ran and then a portal suddenly… Did I make it?”
”Wait if Iris came from Rhinefield this could be our way back!” Emil argued.
”It's worth a shot…”
Iris stood up, staring at the unstable portal looking sick. ”This is Ali- No. The Gatekeeper's powers. Does that make me…”
Zinnia placed her hand on Iris' shoulder. ”You are you, and nobody can take that away from you.”
”You're right… My father has Alton we need to hurry before he fully resurrects Salvation.”
Everyone began moving through the portal as Morto stopped glancing at Iris. ”Just as I expected. You're one of them too.”
Iris covered her eye, looking disturbed, standing idly. Zinnia stared at the house feeling anxious she imagined Alton living here, happy with his family. It hurt more to see it the way it was now. As she was about to leave, she saw something in the corner of her eye. A small recorder with a countdown installed on it. Picking it up the countdown was two weeks from now the caption sent chills down her spine. ”Two weeks until the death of Alton Brantley…”