Welcome to the Point: A Point Epoch Tale

by Cloud Riser

  Chapter Twenty

  Rebelling for the Heart

  And of course, I got to my room, and I couldn’t sleep. Despite my body begging me to lie down and close my eyes, I ended up pacing the floor. When I got tired and dizzy from going in circles, I left the room to wander the halls of the house instead. I made it a point to stay as far away from Belinda and Damion as possible. At least I understood why Lucretia wouldn’t talk to me anymore. If I could get her alone…maybe…

  Turns out, she found me—on accident, but it counts. We literally ran into one another as we each turned the same corner going in opposite directions. Her nose bumped my chest, and my elbow hit her shoulder.

  I uttered a curse, and she squeezed back tears. Once I actually processed that I’d hurt her, I leaned in to investigate her injuries. “Are you bleeding? It’s not broken is it?”

  She shook her head. “No, the only thing injured is my pride, I think.”

  “I didn’t think anyone was out,” I whispered.

  “I was on my way back from Walter’s room,” she also spoke in a whisper.

  Heart crushed. I tried to shrug it off. “That is your business, I suppose.”

  “It’s not…” She sighed and ran a hand through her dark locks.

  “It’s not your business?” I chuckled, desperate to make things light.

  “It’s not what you think,” she said instead.

  I folded my arms in front of me. “And why should what I think matter?”

  No answer. Not helpful in the slightest.

  Exasperated, I faced away, hoping that by not seeing her beautiful face I could express myself effectively. Watching the pain on her face was always too much for me to take. “All you have to do is tell me you prefer him over me, and this awkwardness between us will end.”

  “I can’t say that.” The words came out so quickly, they blurred together. I almost didn’t understand them.

  Slowly, I spun, so I could gaze down into her eyes. “Your guardians told me why they don’t want us together. I told them they have no control over me. Or my heart. Why can’t we at least see if this is a relationship worth pursuing on our own terms. If we fail, they can always say ‘I told you so’.”

  “I don’t think we’ll fail, but our time together will not be as long as you’d like.” The tears filled her eyes again, and I hated that every time we were together, she cried. Every. Time. Once again, I felt on the outside. I was the one guy who didn’t know the big secret. “William, the hope was that our relationship stopped before it got out of control. There is no denying our attraction. I see us working beautifully as a couple. I also hate saying goodbye. Saying it to you might kill me.”

  When I gazed deep into her soul, I saw the longing and desperation. I saw just how much she held back when we were together. She wanted to fall in love with me. How could I deny her anything she wanted? I didn’t hesitate. I closed the gap between us, and I kissed her fully on the lips. Her body went rigid at first, and I wondered if she’d reject my advancement. Then her fingers tangled in my hair as she kissed me back. Just as magical as the first time.

  “Fight with me,” I begged. “Even if we have to say goodbye eventually. What time we have together will be worth it.”

  Lucretia chewed on her lower lip. “I…” She then took a moment to stare into my soul. Whatever she saw made her smile. “Yes, it will be worth it.”

  Our fingers laced together. If only I’d fully understood just how brief our time would be.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lots of Dots, None Connecting

  At first, we kept our romance subtle. Stolen kisses here and there. A few small touches. Getting caught was both scary and exciting. I half expected to be kicked out of the house as soon as Damion and Belinda caught wind of what we were doing. Until Belinda saw us holding hands and flirting in the kitchen.

  We both froze. Belinda narrowed her eyes as she analyzed the situation, then her shoulders fell. That twitch of jealousy showed up again, and she went about her business as usual. No reprimanding from her or Damion. After that, Lucretia and I were less careful.

  A couple more weeks passed, and the three young ones of the group: Lucretia, Walter, and me, were all tasked with researching the next steps for opening up the portal. Apparently, just making it wasn’t enough. Not if we wanted it to last for eternity.

  Walter was by far the most studious of us all. He enjoyed reading, which surprised me a lot. In modern terms, he came across as a jock, yet had the heart of a nerd. The more time I spent with him, the more I started to enjoy his company. His acceptance of Lucretia and me being together helped with that. Every so often, he still gave her a longing look, and I chose to ignore them.

  “Have you found anything new?” I asked. We all sat in the study that afternoon, Walter read while Lucretia sat on my lap. “I feel as though you’ve read nearly ten books already yet discovered nothing.”

  In truth, Walter uncovered a lot. The more he read, the more he learned the truth behind Damion and Belinda’s intentions. I, of course, was completely oblivious to it all. Lucretia made for a wonderful distraction from reality.

  “There is a prophecy I’ve stumbled upon that predicts Hades winning against his siblings in the great power struggle,” Walter said. He glanced at me and then added quickly, “Or whatever you wish to call him in this realm. The name isn’t important.”

  They all still thought I was the incarnation of their supreme lord, and I felt more than a little uncomfortable about that. How could I be their lord, the head boss of the production when I knew hardly anything about what went on?

  Walter cleared his throat. “It seems this is the world we succeed in. Great accomplishments, and the rewards will be given once he feels whole. That wholeness comes when he finds true companionship. The details are a lot more specific, of course, but that seems to be the general idea.” He gave me a weak smile. “I know that’s all you’d like to hear for the moment.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate that,” I grumbled. Not to say I wasn’t grateful; I was. Because he knew how I felt about everyone treating me differently because they thought I walked on water. Belinda gave me the heart filled eyes because I think in her world, she and whatever version of me was there, were a thing. Took forever to figure out why there was so much jealousy. Just about everyone in the house treated me slightly strangely. Except for Walter, so yes, I did truly appreciate him not diving into all of the grand words written on the page. The gist was more than enough for me, even if knowing might have prepared me for what lay ahead.

  Lucretia leaned back against me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “That sounds awfully romantic. Being whole once your one true companion is by your side.”

  The way she said it should have been a clue. Unfortunately, I was too lost in her eyes to see anything else going on around me.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Final Touches

  “This is the final step. After this, the permanent portal will be in place, and we can be a sanctuary to all,” Damion said, his eyes alight with excitement.

  Lucretia let out a happy sigh. “Perhaps I can convince some of my friends and family from home to join us here. If they know there is a safe place where they can be themselves, they might be persuaded to leave the monsters they serve.”

  “We will talk about that once we are positive the portal is stable.” Belinda grabbed Lucretia’s hand from across the kitchen table and gave it a squeeze. “We must only take one step at a time.”

  “Yes.” Damion gazed at me next. “You and Walter will do as before. The extra pieces are a bit more complex, however. The obsidian you created from your last spell was just the beginning. Walter will go early, so he can begin. I know you don’t enjoy standing around with nothing to do, William.”

  I didn’t; though it felt more like he was trying to keep me away than a courtesy. Did I dare argue, though? “If that’s what you wish. I’m happy to keep Walter company as well.”

  “He will be fin
e,” Damion stated. “Arrive just before three in the morning. The spell must be cast at exactly three. Do you understand?”

  So precise. No pressure, right? I nodded. “Yes. Understood.”

  Whatever prep work needed to be done for that next portion of building the portal, Damion and Belinda had to be a part of it, too, along with Walter. Lucretia and I remained behind. We had the whole house to ourselves, and I should have been taking full advantage of that. My frustration distracted me from appreciating my time with her. She tried to reassure me with kisses, and it did not help. My heart wasn’t in kissing her back.

  Have you, dear reader, ever had your gut tell you everything was wrong? To be ready because you were about to face something huge? That’s what mine told me that night. A lot weighted on my doing the job correctly.

  At fifteen minutes before three, I joined the others at the farm, in the exact same place I’d set fire to the crop. As I walked out to the center, that pit of dread grew. A slick liquid decorated the surface of the obsidian circle. Swirls and lines that almost looked like a form of writing were there. I leaned down a little, trying to decipher what the strange substance was. Not water, I figured that out right away. Too thick. Paint? No, the smell didn’t match. A metallic, slightly sweet, smell.

  “Blood…” I whispered.

  The closer I got to the center, the more I noticed dark lumps spread in a line around it. Under the moonlight, their shape became clearer. Bodies of the dead. Eyes closed, blood trickling from their hearts and integrating with the design. I stopped. The bodies were of all ages and genders. One particular woman stood out to me. Her face was tilted away, dark curls covering her features. She seemed so peaceful, and the slightest crook of a smile was on what I could see of her lips.

  One lone figure stood in front of me. Damion.

  “They volunteered for the sacrifice. They believe in what we’re doing too,” he said softly. “When you light the fire, their souls will be freed, and they will be your greatest of allies.”

  I still wanted to puke. “Why?”

  “If we’d told you, would it have made a difference?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “It’s almost three. Please, don’t let us all down, William. If you miss the time, they will be trapped forever.”

  And then the sacrifice would be in vain.

  I swallowed, closed my eyes, and stepped into the center. My eyes stayed squeezed shut as I called upon my magic. I let the frustration and anger pour out along with the fire. Whispers filled my ears.

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m excited for this.”

  “I love you.”

  And so many other phrases. They could only come from the dead. As strange as it might sound, I hated the idea of letting them down. Whatever Damion said to convince them to sacrifice their lives for the creation of the portal, it rested on me to make their hopes come true.

  When the fire died, I was alone. The obsidian glowed a faint purple, and while still solid, it also had ripples constantly traveling across the surface like water being dropped into a pool. All the bodies were nothing more than sparkling dust scattered about.

  I took in a deep shuddering breath and fled. The second my foot stepped onto dirt once more, I was tackled to the ground with a hard thud.

  “William Hermanson, you are under arrest for murder in the first.”

  No, I was not surprised at all.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Interlude Four

  At the mention of the circle of dead found with me, Delia’s skin paled. In that moment, things got real, I suppose. The way Trevor told it, though, I killed all of those people. All of them, even my own mother. I acted alone, so I could unleash the power of black magic and make the portal open. My heart was stained with greed, etc. etc. When I get a chance, I’ll tell her the full version. Seeing the shock and horror on her face crushed me.

  “So he…really will do whatever it takes to get his way,” she said it as a fact, not a question. “And he wants to bring about the apocalypse, why?”

  “Because he’s demented, I suppose. No one actually knows why, but he promised he’d ruin the town. The world. All for power.” Trevor shook his head in disgust. “Why does anyone do anything terrible? It’s all about greed.”

  It’s not all about greed…not entirely. But I’ve established that Trevor knows zero things.

  Delia looked so…disappointed. “And here I thought he wasn’t a cliche baddie.”

  Ouch.

  “You focus on strange details,” Trevor observed.

  “It helps me process and not freak out,” her voice was so soft. “Because if I think about the horrible parts you’ve described, I might lose it. I don’t want you to see that.”

  “Why?” It was his turn to be disappointed.

  She gazed away from his sad, puppy-like eyes. “If I’m weak, you’re going to baby me. I hate that. Besides, the whole ugly cry thing is a huge mess to look at. And to clean up. And most importantly, I need to keep my head grounded in facts so that I can stay safe. This monster is after me, right?” Trevor nodded. “Then I can’t get all emotional. It’ll be too distracting.”

  Trevor wrapped his arms around her from behind. “You’re not alone. A lot of us are ready to protect you. It’s why we’re here.”

  “I know. I don’t like it.” She sighed. “Tell me how it ends.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  A Family Divided

  After my arrest, I got a lot of time to think in my cell. I’d been abandoned by my new family, the people who said I could belong with them. Furthermore, I was supposed to be the incarnation of their precious lord, the one whose will they wanted to obey. So naturally, I had a lot of questions, because their actions sure didn’t line up with wanting to make me happy. They wanted to please someone from another world. I was expendable.

  Maybe he wants to possess my body. I shivered at the thought, though I don’t if it was fear of losing myself or fear of gaining more power than I’d know what to do with. I’ve been sentenced to death by the judge. I’m not sure anyone is going to want to possess a corpse. Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that by killing me, they were making a path for their precious Hades to come through into the world I lived in.

  “I should have pushed for more information. I should have snuck around, read the books myself,” I whispered.

  The guard tapped on the cell bars, snapping me out of my pity party. “No talking to yourself.”

  I rolled my eyes but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want me talking. If I spoke, that meant I might have been using a scary spell. Even if I wanted to use my magic to bust out, I didn’t know what spell to use, nor did I have enough magic inside of me to unleash a massive explosion. And if I did…I don’t think I could go through with it. Too many people would get hurt or die. No one was supposed to die. All of those bodies. So many of them are people I might know. I closed my eyes.

  Another tap on the bars. I glared up at the guard. He shifted his weight between his feet. “You have a visitor.”

  “Tell them to go away,” I muttered.

  “It’s your father, are you sure?”

  Not at all who I expected to visit, though I can’t say I wanted to talk to him any more than I did anyone else. “Fine.”

  The guard waved him into the room. Dad’s gaze studied me as he entered. He frowned, and then he looked away before our eyes could meet. The guard stepped far enough away for our conversation to be relatively private, yet he never left the room. I’m sure he had strict orders to never let me out of his sight.

  For a long moment, no one said a word.

  “Are you simply here to look at me?” I asked.

  Dad’s gaze narrowed. “That’s what you have to say?”

  “I don’t have the time or the patience for pleasantries,” I snapped. “If you hadn’t heard, I’m on a bit of a timeline. I supposedly killed ten people, and I’m supposed to be executed in three days. Whatever you’re here for
, please, do it and go. If you have a heart, send Mother in so I can see her one more time too.”

  “Don’t speak of her,” he seethed. “You know very well she can’t…” He swallowed, his voice cracking. “She’s one of those you killed!”

  “What?” The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Pain, nausea, confusion. “That’s not…no.” And yet, as I reflected back on that circle of corpses, I thought about the one that looked so familiar, yet I couldn’t place because I couldn’t see her face. The dark curls, and that floral pattern on her dress. They had made me think… “No, that’s…they wouldn’t have…”

  Dad scowled. “Who is they?”

  I shook my head. “The real…” I laughed sourly. “It doesn’t matter. I used the magic, and I was the one seen. I will play the role of the villain for everyone. If I tell the truth, the only thing it does is kill more.” I sighed. “For the sake of dying with at least you knowing the truth, I wasn’t the one who murdered the people. I merely set them ablaze.”

  “And I’m sure you felt no remorse for that,” he said.

  “Only a little. I didn’t know people had to die, that blood was needed. All I was told was to start the fire. That the end goal would be worth it.”

  “Would it have changed things if you’d known that she was among the dead?” he asked. “Because you’ve brought out Hell with that spell. You know that yes?”

  I nodded. “It’s only a gate, and it’s not a gate to Hell. Don’t be a jerk to whomever crosses over. They’re seeking refuge from pain. That’s the point of what I did. I know it’s a lot for you to understand, but if you’d try…”

  “She’s gone. The one thing I’ve ever loved.”

  My body went rigid. “I see.” That made a lot of sense.

  Dad squeezed his eyes shut. “I won’t accuse you of being her killer, but I will forever blame you for her death. And I will fight what you’ve brought to this town until I join her on the other side.”