Chapter 12 Monarch of The Dark Tower

Chapter 12 Monarch of The Dark Tower
"Let go!" Marvin screamed, thrashing wildly. His legs kicked at the sofa and the coffee table nearby, but Nolan didn't budge. He kept his palm clamped firmly over Marvin’s eyes and half of his nose, pinning him down.

"I’m going to ask you once. Where is the address for Harold, the man who bought my sister?" Nolan asked.

Hearing Nolan’s question, Marvin suddenly went still. Then, a repulsive, mocking smirk spread across his lips.

"So, you’re the snot-nosed brat who came to me saying you’d redeem your sister... did you forget the deal? If six months passed, your sister gets sold. Don’t you remember?" Marvin asked.

"There was no such deal. Back then, I asked you to put it in writing and you refused, so shut your mouth. I remember everything, and you clearly went back on your word. Now, before I crush your skull, you better give me the address of the Harold who bought my sister," Nolan answered, his voice calm even as he tightened his grip.

Marvin, writhing in pain, began to thrash again. His mouth hung open, but no sound came out, as if something were choking his throat. He tapped frantically on Nolan’s arm, and finally, Nolan loosened his grip.

"Okay... okay... I'll tell you! Just let me go first," Marvin shouted in a panic.

"Huh? Just tell me where you keep the files. I'll get them myself. I don't trust you," Nolan replied.

"You can't just get them yourself! All the data is in the office safe on the fifth floor. You'll never get in—I'm the only one who knows the combination," Marvin said desperately, clutching tightly at Nolan’s arm.

"So what’s the problem? Give me the combination. Now," Nolan replied, his hand clamping down on Marvin’s skull once more.

"Yes... yes... I'll tell you... let go... let go... it hurts!" Marvin screamed.

Nolan loosened his claws again. Marvin let out a small breath of relief before speaking.

"The combination... it's 3, 9, 0, 1, 7," Marvin said.

Nolan looked over at Rico, who immediately gave a quick salute before bolting for the elevator. Hearing the elevator doors slide shut, Marvin looked confused—he was still pinned to the floor with Nolan’s hand gripping his face.

"You... you're not alone," Marvin muttered.

"Don't talk so much. If that combination turns out to be wrong, you're dead," Nolan said.

"Okay... okay... I'm not lying. It’s the truth," Marvin replied.

"People who have to say they aren't lying are usually the biggest liars, so shut your mouth," Nolan replied, his voice calm but deep.

The room went silent again. Nina just watched, holding Nadine, who still looked like an expressionless robot. A moment later, "ting," the sound of the elevator breaking the silence echoed. Nolan saw Rico step out, holding several folders in his hand. Rico gave a thumbs-up, signaling that the combination was correct.

"Good. That means you were honest," Nolan said to Marvin.

"See? Now let me go," Marvin pleaded.

But instead of releasing him, Nolan tightened his grip until Marvin screamed in pain and thrashed once more.

"You... you lied... you... you promised to let me go!" Marvin shrieked.

"Hmm? Did I ever actually say I was going to let you go? I asked you for the address, but I never once mentioned releasing you... and sorry... I’m not a liar like you. So, if I promised I was going to crush your skull, I’m definitely going to keep that promise," Nolan said.

"Damn you... you—"

"Crack."

Before Marvin could finish his sentence, Nolan’s fingers pierced right through his skull, and he instantly went limp. Nolan stood up and wiped the blood off his fingers using a sofa cushion. He turned to see a shocked Rico and Nina, who was giving him a thumbs-up. Then, his gaze shifted toward Nadine, and Nolan immediately lunged backward. Rico, seeing Nolan jump away, turned around and blurted out, "oh shit," before pressing himself against the wall.

"Watch out, Nina!" Nolan shouted.

"Huh?" Nina slowly turned her head to look at Nadine. The girl’s head was hanging down, her hair draped over her arms. Suddenly, Nadine’s head tilted at a sharp, broken angle that was clearly unnatural. She was staring right at Nina with terrifying, pitch-black eyes that looked like a bottomless void. Nina instinctively shoved Nadine back. Nadine leaped away, landing in a crawling position. Her head remained tilted like it was snapped, her hair was a mess, and her smile was unnaturally wide.

"Huh... what... what are you?" Nina asked, backing away toward Nolan.

"Monarch... red... monarch... red," Nadine chanted like someone possessed, her entire body enveloped in a dark energy aura that looked like shifting shadows, while black lightning crackled from her eyes.

"Huh... are... are you coming for me?" Nina asked.

Suddenly, Nadine’s head snapped toward Marvin’s lifeless body. She instantly raised her hand, and the floor beneath Marvin transformed into a pool of thick, bubbling black liquid. Scores of slimy black hands reached out, dragging Marvin’s corpse down into the depths. Then, from that same "puddle" of pitch-black fluid, several zombies enveloped in dark auras and sporting void-black eyes began to crawl out. That wasn't all—more puddles of the same thick black liquid opened across the room, even on the ceiling, disgorging terrifying, dark-aura zombies with half-exposed skulls.

"Ugh... disgusting," Nina said, backing up next to Nolan and bracing herself.

"Oh... shit... I don't think we're making it out alive this time! Hey, do something!" Rico screamed in terror, clutching his folders tightly.

Nolan looked toward the window. He saw the Dark Tower outside emitting the exact same energy aura as Nadine’s body. In that instant, Nolan realized who Nadine truly was.

"Damn... she's... the Monarch of the Dark Tower," Nolan muttered in his head.

Rico edged along the wall toward Nolan and Nina. "Whoah," Rico gasped, startled as a puddle opened right on the window, and a zombie’s head emerged to stare him down.

"Holy shit!" Rico screamed.

"Clap." Rico jerked his head to the side and saw a skeletal hand shrouded in a black aura gripping his shoulder. He turned his head slowly, seeing another hole open right beside him. A creature—half-skeleton, half-flesh—was already crawling out. Its detached-looking hand gripped the shoulder of a trembling, pale Rico.

"Okay... okay... I’m dead... and this time, I’m not even sure I’ll land in hell," Rico said, closing his eyes.

"Hey, wake up!" Nolan said, appearing in front of Rico. He yanked the zombie off Rico's shoulder and kicked it away. Nolan looked at Nina, who gave a nod before rushing toward him and Rico.

"Monarch... red," Nadine rasped, spinning in place on all fours and tracking Nina as she moved, making the atmosphere even more suffocating.

"Uh... she’s following me!" Nina yelled.

"Get over here, fast... I’ll find a way to take her down," Nolan replied, reaching out his hand. But as Nina was running, a puddle suddenly opened right under her feet. Scores of slimy, pitch-black hands shot out, grabbing Nina’s legs and dragging her down into the depths.

"Nolan... help!" Nina screamed as she sank further in.

Nolan stood still, his mind racing for a way to save Nina and, more importantly, a way to stop Nadine—the Monarch of the Dark Tower.