Falling Through Portals

Shattered Glass and Broken Hearts

Chapter 23-

The gun went off. Maxon closed his eyes, awaiting his end.

The shot missed him and shattered the window behind him. America yanked them down to the floor as the glass shattered everywhere. Maxon pulled her into his arms to protect her from the falling glass.

The room had turned to chaos. Maxon looked up and saw all the fruit punch bowls explode. Every window around the room blew out and the glass and water flew everywhere. The rebel that had tried to kill him was on the floor out cold. The rain was coming in through the open windows, soaking America and Maxon. The red fruit punch was stretching midair in a way that seemed natural until they began sorting into long, red tendrils. The tendrils found every rebel and encircled them. Within minutes every rebel currently in the room was shut down but fruit punch ropes.

Maxon's mouth was agape. It was . . . witchcraft. It had to be! Then Maxon looked to the two main doors that stood open.

A man in a rumpled gray suit stood in the middle of the doorway with his head bowed. His hands were raised in the air. The wind and rain from the window swirled around him. The rebels who had been incapacitated by the fruit punch ropes were all on the floor trying to free themselves to no avail. With a twist of the man's hand the tendrils became tighter and many of the rebels cried out in pain. Most of the other people in the room were cowering in fear against the walls.

More rebels poured in from outside the room. They all attacked the man in the gray suit. Without lifting his head the man defended himself. The first guy that got to him tried to kick in his knees, but it was like the man was expecting it. He slammed his fist into the rebel and he flew across the room and out a window. More men came upon him and he fought them with incredible agility and skill. When the number of opponents grew to an obscene amount the man threw his fist into the air and all the water in the room flew into the air. The men attacking stopped and stared at the floating water around them, but that was their first mistake. The man brought his fist down and the water flew towards him, grabbing his opponents and slammed them into the ground.

Bodies flew everywhere. Some went out windows, some landed in the shattered remains of punch bowls, some flew into the hall behind the man, and one even got stuck to the chandelier above them that continued to rock back and forth as the light flickered from the added weight. Every opponent was beaten by the mysterious and powerful man. The water, wind, and glass continued to spin around him at an incredible speed that was continuing to get faster at an alarming rate. It was like a hurricane was forming in the middle of the ball room.

America stood up slowly. Maxon tried to keep her down but she shrugged him off. She began trying to push her way towards the man. The winds spun faster and faster. Her wet, red hair was pulled out of its up do and was being whipped around by the wind.

"Percy!" she yelled into the eye of the storm.

She had a hand up to shield herself from the wind and rain. The man's head snapped up, he looked at her intensely. It took Maxon a moment to realize that the man was indeed Percy. His green eyes were almost glowing from rage. His hair was soaked and was being tossed miraculously in the wind. Anger pulsed from his entire being. "Percy! You saved us! You can stop now!" she yelled at him, the wind was getting so strong that Maxon was afraid that she would fly into the storm and end up on the chandelier too.

"NO!" Percy yelled back, his voice was deeper and louder, as if the whole storm was speaking for him, "SHE IS GONE!" the storm shook the building with an incredible force, "SHE IS GONE!" He repeated, Maxon watched the tears run down his face with anger.

"I know Percy!" America said, "I am sorry! But you are going to hurt us!" Percy didn't seem to hear her, "PERCY! That's not what Annabeth would want!" she said. Percy seemed to be shaking, "Annabeth would want you to protect us! Please Percy! Stop!" America begged. Percy grimaced through the storm. For a moment Maxon thought that he would continue to tear the roof off the place. But then the winds began to slow. The rain seemed to let up. Slowly the entire storm that Percy had made had dissipated. This left him standing, broken in the doorway. A shuddered violently and He swaying right before he collapsed. America rushed forward and checked his pulse. By the way she relaxed, Maxon assumed that he was fine.