Beyond the Rift ✔ (Completed)

Chapter 42: Flashback

I walk in the cafeteria and take a seat opposite Jake. Since, the dining area is an open area, people can view the entire campus, just by eating their lunch. The sun is mild today. The campus; quiet. Jake has totally ignored his meal and is busy reading the college magazine; too engrossed.

"Hey." I call him out.

He doesn't move.

"Hey, Walker." I call him by his surname. Still, no reply.

It is an odd day for sure. Not many students are to be seen. The general crowd is missing. A few jocks running around the basketball court, the janitor doing his job. In fact, the day is too strange.

I look at Jake. He is still glued to the mid-section of the magazine. How do I get his attention?

"Hey, look it's Damion. Holy smokes! What an outfit!" I squeal while pointing my finger at the open range behind Jake.

Instantly, Jake snaps his head, "Where?"

"I was distracting you, silly." I seize the paper from his grasp and slap it on his head.

"Why?" He looks at me, slightly annoyed.

"What were you reading?" I ask him.

"I don't know. People are disappearing. There are so many missing cases. All of a sudden the town is in a way, dying."

I look up at him.

"What do you mean 'dying'?"

"Our professors don't come to class. The students don't show up for lectures. The college might even be closing down. And, it's all going to end." He stands to leave.

"Jake? Are you doing fine buddy?" I get up to stop him.

"It's over Alexis, you can't stop it." His voice turns grave, he has his back towards me. "You can't Stop Asmodeus or the tridents. They have killed everyone. And, they are coming for us."

Asmodeus? What is that? Is that a person?

"Jake?" I place a hand on his shoulder while making him turn around to face me.

I feel my feet hit ice as I look at his deformed face. Blood covered half of his features.

I gasp and move backwards.

"Look what you did!" Jake howls in my face as he stomps towards me. Rage in his voice, fire in his eyes. I breathe heavily as I try not to look at the horrific view.

"This is what will happen if you don't submit yourself to Asmodeus." He screams.

No! I remember now. It was my birthday, when the club was wrecked by the trident Ramiel. I met Ethan. We escaped. We met the rest of the group. I learned about my father and the powers. We were hunting for the crystal. We find it. The crystal and Marty go missing. We suspect Marty, but the mole turned out to be Nick. He kidnapped me and took me into the woods. He made me open the porthole and let Asmodeus out. The tridents never held their end of the bargain, they killed Marty. Ethan and I had to leave or they would come for us too. We left Marty to die.

Marty's death is on my hands! I wasn't strong enough to save him. Nor was I determined enough to stop Asmodeus. The prime reason for Asmodeus' jailbreak is me.

"No!" I abruptly sit upright in my bed. The sheets are all creased. I am covered in sweat. My breathing; rapid, it feels like I have been running up several flight of stairs.

I look around the empty room. It must be the fifteenth nightmare in a row. Since the dreadful incident, my nights are like a stirring cauldron of grotesque things.

Not just me, but everyone's sleeps are disturbed.

Halitus spends half of her time locating Asmodeus and his lot. Ethan, on the other hand, keeps training pointlessly around the clock. I would occasionally try to calm him down, nonetheless, his fire keeps getting out of control. And Elvira, who we rarely find in her motel room, stays aloof and wanders in the nearby forest. She doesn't show up for lunch nor dinner. I realize that our lives are beginning to turn monotonous.

After realizing the fact that Marty was innocent, Ethan and the rest didn't waste any time tracking us down. Fortunately, my enochian locket was lost in the tussle, making it easier for Ethan and the others to track us down to a remote town in Wallaceburg.

I slide from the mattress and prepare myself for another day.

...

After walking almost six blocks, pass the parking lot and into the near-by forest opening, I spot Ethan.

His blade pierced the trunk of the tall tree. He is going for another hit.

"Hey." I call out in the silence.

"Alex." He tosses his blade to the side and runs up to me. As if I am a small kid who fell off the swing set and got a slight bruise. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"I'm fine." I wave my hand, but my effort is wasted as Ethan cups my face and begins to examine my wounds.

"Are the cuts healed? What about the headaches? You should get some more rest. You are sure you are feeling okay?"

"I just woke up. I'm okay." I assure him by holding his hands and pulling him closer to me. After the flashing lights and the ungodly nightmares, all I want is to feel his warmth against me. The pass few days have not exactly been easy for any of us.

He looks down at me and welcomes the embrace. I calmly rest my head on his firm chest as we dwell in the silence. Since we confessed our feelings for each other, things have been different in many ways. The unnecessary fights and misunderstanding are history. Ethan is freer and more easy-going. Also, his behavior towards me is gentler. I like this new Ethan. At least, he won't barge to the nearest bar, every time we have an argument.

I let go of the hug and ask him if he had seen Elvira today. He replies in affirmative.

"Look around. It's only getting worse." He gestures to the forest surroundings. That's when I notice the rotting leaves and bushes. Branches over our heads are beginning to shed their leaves. The small plants shriveled up into little twirled sticks. Elvira's earth essence is turning fatal.

"Don't worry, the wait is over. On my way here, I spoke to Halitus. She found him." I tell him. "Asmodeus and his goons are in suburbs of Omaha, Nebraska."

"Papillion." Ethan repeats. "That's where you live." His eyes widen. "Your family."

"Yes."