Love's Continuum Seguir historia

You would be safe to call me a cynical man and please understand I have never been accused as to even allude to love. I've always found it shoves in the face of common sense oftentimes at one's own expense and henceforth would shoo it away if it ever attempted to stay. But, I can tell you a tale of a man to whom I once called my good friend. He defended such a fool-hearty task as to attempt to outlast death to his very last breath for one second of love from a certain little dove he put above all else.

Nevertheless, you may ask why would a sane man willingly die to pry but a moments peek into the heart he did seek? I cannot speak for him when such grim circumstances ensued but will elude you to the day his heart was taken away.

In 1943 myself being a professor of biology and my friend Henry Cahill, had just signed on as our archeologist lead of an impending dig. Bringing immeasurable wit with him we all knew that to sit as the Yale department lead at only twenty-nine years old he was lucky to hold such a position. We were on a mission to retrieve an ancient artifact that dated back over three thousand years. It had endeared known only as the Pulchra Stone. To own such a treasure it was said without measure that ownership of time would be the divine result. Though to catapult one's belief to be a thief of time that was more suited to ones of more a religious incline.

Our team set out to South America devout to route the university's meager funds to ensure we were the ones to find it. Not traveling blind with an ancient scrap of a map as our guide to find this stone that Henry had shown seemed to be in an abandoned mine. Our align with the local tribe after bribing them with cases of rum quickly had us coming down a secluded jungle path directly into quite a conspicuous spathe. The victim of the previous miners' wrath it was obviously stripped mined long ago showing us to behold any remaining stone unturned was likely adjourned long ago. But Henry did insist we must enter the mine to reach the temple shrine.

The inscriptions on the ancient map being that of an Incan derive so old even before Christ's arrive didn't sly out our lead. His conceive was that we must go at least 5 kilometers below to find where the Pulchra Stone was stowed. The downward road showed us no mercy the curvy cave was inlaid with dangers every way. As we walked I felt as if we were being stalked from behind. Henry said it was my mind running away but I distinctly heard footsteps we didn't make. My take was one of the villagers had stowed away neath our jeep. As we did sweep further below we finally came to an enormous hole. The whole mission now was at risk of being scrubbed but Henry dubbed that we two slew a rope to interlope with the stone. My moaning fell on deaf ears as he proceeded to climb down not caring about my frown. Once we were down about one-hundred feet we were greeted by my ghost posted at the top apparently intent to stop us he cut the line thus realigning our fate with a date for death. With my last breath you could hear me contest "NO!" but gravities tow quickly sucked us both below.

We fell for what seemed an undreamed time but finally, we did find the bottom. The outcome was an unbelievable twist of fate as we fell into a massive underground lake. It's make though, we were in the dark seemed to be miles across. We were at a loss for words when Henry lit a flare and there staring us in the face was a quite out-of-place shrine. It shined seemingly on its own glowing a bright white it might have been our only saving grace from drowning in this lake. Making our way onto shore I implored Henry to stow the map, break our contract, and concentrate on just getting back. But he wasn't having it. Sitting on the Temple stairs he dared to read the hieroglyphs inscribed on the outward design as an attempt to get us inside.

Applying his knowledge of Quipu an ancient form of storing data for long periods of time he began to realign several lengths of knotted rope attached over the slope of the locked front door. Once more he began to twist them into one like he has done this before then, with a stout tug and a smug look on Henry's face the door opened up displaying quite an ancient place. We entered slowly braced on our guard and were immediately bombarded with what looked like a mausoleum of open graves. Skeletal remains buried in the walls of an enormous hall is what we saw as made our way through the gateway. Further, into the fray, we walked I prayed that none of the bodies came to life. They seemed to stare at how we dare tread in their eternal beds but we plebs were in dire need of shelter. Both helter-skelter we were treading on new ground bound to find a way out of this questionable route our lives had taken.

Misshapen demons carved from slate stood beside a gate. Henry quickly cried "Don't make any sudden moves!" "See those grooves!" "It would behoove you to stand back!" "Let me take a crack!" Grabbing a walking stick from his pack he pryed at the floor tiles I had almost attempted to tred. Then, instead it unlocked a trap with a giant "((THWAK!!))" The swords the statues held were wielded towards the floor. It would have tore me in two if Henry hadn't shooed me away. My need to proceed after almost being incised in half didn't last. But I know turning back wasn't the feedback Henry would entertain. I abstained from my complain and feigned courage to not discourage our aim.

The floor then became more of a downward slope evoking more fear as I peered down the upcoming hallway. Its display seemed to be our doomsday. There was an array of spikes secured tight against the aplite walls. We might have called it off to figure a cutoff on the map but a trap boulder dropped from the ceiling reeling towards us to crush our bones obviously zoned to protect the Pulchra Stone.

Henry yelled "RUN!" but I refused to see my undone on the spikes. Despite my fright, I grabbed from my pack a large bushwhackers blade. My machete aide didn't let me down as I jammed it into a crack in its surface. Its purpose to crush our bones would now be postponed as it came to an immediate stop locking up against the floor. Henry still in shock commented on my block "Good save!" "I never would have thought to use a blade as an aide." "Way to go chap!" and promptly slapped me on my back to show appreciation for stopping the boulders attack.

As Henry shined his light down the shaft that was meant to cast us to our undone he said "Well, looks like this isn't going to be fun." One by one we could see sharpened spires pointing ever higher into the gap. Both not ready to call it a wrap we strapped on a repelling rope and doted our recent life choices. The slope soon turned straight down leaving us to hang bound to gravities pull. Down below a roomful of dark that was beyond impart. Our flashlights seemed to depart from use. The light diffused into a murky black that absorbed any incandesce transgressed into its darkness. I insisted we slowed down but Henry refused to come down slow so me being below him on the rope I was doped into his excessive elope.

We scoped our surround as we tamped down on the bottom. Flotsam from what seemed to be an ancient ship slipped into our view with white sand the type only found in Egypt which gripped us quite surprised to realize this ancient tribe must have been worldwide. As we strode through the sand my foot landed on something stranded neath the surface. Quite nervous I picked up my foot and there neath the soot was an enormous King Cobra. It then did quickly string its tail around a pillar. Its killer stand now daring us to land within its strike waiting to take our life.

With knife in hand, Henry tred ahead not a shred of fear in his eyes looking toward the skies but then I spied what he saw and my mouth dropped in awe. Voila! it was the Pulchra Stone standing all alone at the top of the column. The unlucky fate we had befallen suddenly changed. But, our aim to climb to the top was now being stopped by the vicious viper. It took every fiber in my being to step closer myself never being a fan of snakes. Make no mistake I would do what it takes just to escape this crazied maze but in my days as a youth, I was ruthlessly pursued by a brood of adders which later scarred me for life against their kind. My mind was now racing away of how to stay out of its play. Henry, not being swayed by its display attempted to circumvent it from preventing our further proceed by grabbing its nape but its head magically reshaped as if made from sand and quickly landed its fangs into his hand. Us being stranded far from help I knew well time was not on his side dealing with the venom coursing deep inside. But after Henry's initial cries of pain the snake faded away. No more to stay blocking our path just nothingness to show except the two small marks it bestowed onto his hand. Henry manned up and said he was fine and immediately entwined his grip around the stone shaft to make a mad dash towards its peak.

Gently, he unseated the stone which seemed to be honed from crystal. Then, a bright white glare a trance-like distal stare seemed to ensnare his attention losing all mention of his grip he immediately fell back down into the sanded surround. He pounded hard falling at least twenty yards. Not seeing obvious marrs I immediately went to his side to see if he survived the fall. In all my years of having Henry as a peer, I have never known him to loose his grip. This slip didn't sit well with me and I asked him "What did he see?"

Henry: "I saw, beauty that has no define." "Aligned into the form of an angel." "She touched my hand and made me understand I would meet her again."

I saw the resplend from the stone but we were still all alone. No angel made itself known to me and I thought "Could this be a head injury?" But, such witchery would have to wait my questions satiated at a much later date we had to immediately make our way back out of this quite elaborate trap.

Our attack on our return spurned immediate results as Henry somehow felt out a hidden path that quickly cast us back to the surface. Our purpose was now fulfilled everyone was thrilled to see us come out alive. Contrived poorly perhaps but we still came back out with our lives intact. Henry just sat there slack staring at the stone the entire plane ride home. The drone of the engine lulled me into a deep sleep keeping me dreaming of a scene not filled with elaborate traps waiting to call my life a wrap.

It was early spring when we returned back to Yale. With mail piled high greeting us at the door but more pressing matters were in store. Before we could even settle in, the school's Dean wanted us to be seen in his office immediately. His expectancy to see the rock apparently got the best of him akin to a child wanting to see the presents early from neath the tree. As Henry and me entered his office I could tell he was being quite cautious about the stone his ownership of its find would be denied by the school's derive. The Dean dived right in and stated "I'm elated you survived despite my prior advise about this contrived quest." "I'm guessing you came back with this stone intact?" Packed in his pocket Henry pulls out an inoxuious rock he must have picked up from the garden of spartan stock roughly honed to look like the Pulchera Stone. I disowned his play and gave him a stern look about this path He took. Henry looked at me back quite ready to attack my honor if I didn't sponsor his ruse. Choosing to stay quiet my compliance wasn't without defiance as I stated "The slated stone almost looks like as if it was from home." "Ha, ha, ha."

Henry, quite known for his wit committed to his guise by pointing out the amount of bauxite mineral deposits upon its surface. Well, his lip service sold the naif Dean Warner who was quite keen to get his name in the paper even after we were the ones who endangered our lives to provide it for the school's pride. Henry's lies still didn't sit well with me so I proceeded to take my leave since that eve's sun was already below the horizon. "Well, this was fun but I have my students' papers to grade, and midterms aren't far away."

Dean Warner: "I won't delay you from your duties." "Henry can fill me in on these compounds the Pulchra Stone holds." "Go take care of your classes their passes are crucial to our communal progress and the school's success."

Now, blessed to leave I quickly proceeded out the door. Pouring all my energy into widening my stride I decided to take a shortcut down the backside of the school. Once a shining jewel these old halls were now old and forgotten. Sentenced to rotten long ago though its mold was something to behold in its day long before decay took its hold. As I rounded a tight threshold I took sight out of the corner of my eye a man knelt on the floor. I immediately felt as if I knew him though his face was interlaced betwixt his knees my curiosity needed to be appeased. I cautiously heaved out the words. "Sir, I don't want to disturb you but, are you ok?" Nay, not a single word was heard. Fear now stirred from within my soul. Who was this I did behold? I strolled closer though my composure was apprehensive to oblige I dived in and touched his shoulder. Then, I became the beholder of a ghost the most unexpected thing to see was... HENRY!

When he turned his head and our eyes met I was beset with confusion, what was this illusion? I immediately loosened my grip on his shoulder whilst images of demons began to smolder in my mind. Being quite disinclined to stay I began to step away not willing to be prey for this entity's play. My sway was immediately stopped by him interlocking my arm. No harm was delt but I felt his firm grip slip me in much closer. Over and over he yelled "Time!" "I need more time!"

My eyes aligned on his hand as I pulled away and spied the snake bite bright red as if the venom had spread in his veins. It looked as if he was in pain a slain look of defeat was firmly seated upon his sweaty face. Braced across his chest the Pulchura Stone was set aglow as if bestowed an inner light. My fight to get away finally splay us apart. I immediately darted in the other direction into the older section of the school but, in lieu of running and shunning this demonic creation, there was too much temptation to look back. When my gaze finally sat on the spot he was squatted I spotted nothing, Henry was gone.

Not easily drawn to conclusions but my confusion about what I had just seen started to glean in my mind. Myself, never easily inclined to assign unscientific define of supernatural events was presented with a quandry a laundry list of hypotheses flooded my psyche but no matter how unlikely I was visited by a ghost I refused to host such nonsense the concept was below me and I insisted to see for myself what the fates had dealt to my lot. While still being very much in shock I immediately ran back to the Dean's office block.

Knocking into students as I ran they didn't understand what was at hand so their demands to know where I was going in such a hurry were going to be left blurry as I scurried past without casting any apologies. The strict no running policies didn't apply at least as far as I was concerned since recent turn of events spurned common sense.

Arriving at his door my energy stores greatly depleted from recently becoming a track star. It was already ajar so I let myself in and there in the skin was Henry. No friendly greeting cast I just stood there to amass what I was seeing. My well-being was immediately put into question though as the Dean mentioned.

Dean Warner: "Are you ok?" "I thought you were weighed down with work?"

Not wanting to be perceived as a shirk I immediately jerked at his desk drawer and made an implore for the spare keys.

"If you please I seem to have lost my keys to my office."

Dean Warner: "The raucous out in the hall." "The students call for someone to slow down." "Did you see this culprit around?"

Though I was drowned in sweat I Iet out a firm "No!" Hoping he would let it go.

Henry: "Whoa!" "You look as if you've seen a ghost old chap." "Wrap up your work and have an early nap."

I replied: "Perhaps you are right I'll turn in early for the night."

My fright still evident on my face and wanting to erase this day from recent memory it was elementary that rest might be the perfect remedy.

I respectfully took the keys and my leave to perceive of what had just happened to me. I proceeded down the hall again only much more slowly this time. My thoughts now aligned to the works of the divine because scientific definition of what I saw kept drawing to the same conclusions. This illusion must be a message of something that went terribly wrong.

Months later, after the danger of Henry's ghost had been coaxed out of my mind you could find me hard at work doing research perched on my window seat. The winter's retreat is now well underway and the scent of spring's new blooms fill the room. A tune of Bach can be heard being whirred from my phonograph. The past now cast away we are all looking forward to a new day.

Suddenly, Henry burst his way in past my locked door the privacy I adored was now made to be no more. He immediately started to roar something about a girl he had met in Connecticut.

Henry: "Get set for some good news you old prude!" "By the way sorry for the intrude."

"My solicitude towards your news won't prevent me from kicking you out no matter how devout I am to your account."

Henry: "Ha!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "No rout!" "I have no doubt you would kick me out." "Anyway, I'd like to announce I'm getting married before you bury your face back into your book."

"What?" "I mistook?" "This must be a mistake." "Did you relate you are getting married?"

Henry: "Yes," "I realize I'm sharing this rather late but I would like to make you my best man." "We plan to wed in July down by the shore."

"Of course, I would more than happy to step in you must have been busy." "Can I be privy of her name?"

Henry: "Sadie Baldwin."

"The Governor's daughter!"...."I hear she is much lautered for her beauty." "Hmm..." "Isn't she is more suited to men of her own class?" "I'm sure there must be a mass of them waiting to upend your intentions."

Henry: "Yes, Sadie can afford to be choosy but she said she doesn't want to loose me." "So we agreed to be wed and homestead on her family estate."

"I won't berate you anymore for intruding through my door." "I assume you're going to introduce me to your Sadie so I may be able to meet this woman you couldn't resist?"

Henry: "Of course!" "I'll see her tomorrow at noon at a tea room called The Gold Doubloon." "Why don't you come too?"

"I have my student's reviews so I may be a few minutes late is that alright?"

Henry: "Quite." "I might be late as well to surprise my mademoiselle with some flowers."Well, the hours are ticking away I won't daunt my stay any longer."

"Before you saunter away I pray you would find maintenance to realign my broken door."

Henry: "My implores." "I'll ensure it's restored."

As the doors weathered boards creaked and cracked as they were forcibly seated back into place I tried to efface my thoughts and glanced across the room to something new sitting quite askew on my desk. A grotesque piece of paper but I was not its curator. An indicator maybe Henry left but my uninvited guest immediately pressed to the other side of the room so whom did it belong to? A strong odor of decay emanated from its stay as I made my way to view this sheet but I was greeted with a familiar sight and I immediately recognized the write. A mighty old version of Aramaic it was the map we used to sack the Pulchura Stone. But, why was it away from its home? It belonged in the school's catacombs locked away to stay. To whom may I attribute uprooting this from the vault just to drop it off on my desk?Lest I yet again upend common sense preventing commence of rational thought I really ought to find from whence this came and make it my primary aim just to prove I am not well.. insane.

My eyes strained to focus amidst all this hocus pocus on the script sitting on the page it's advanced age waged war of clearly seeing nor even reading the words. Then it occurred to me it's was writing upside down but I was astounded by what I saw. Called an ambigram by some it strung out the words upside down so something else could be spelled. I held it closer but me, not being its composer I struggled to ascertain through the ancient script to what seemed to be an encrypted warning.

~The viper's kiss resists the stone's ability to return home." Disown its use or be diffused into time eternal.~

Now my yearn to learn what it said was met with yet more questions instead. A dread filled my soul. Henry was bestowed the bite but to use the stone could invite an eternal time suspension? Not to mention the tension felt from being delt this map without so much as even a scrap of evidence who nabbed it from the safe but....wait? It occurred to me could it still be in place?

I immediately ran out my broken door thus, breaking it even some more. Focused only on what was in store waiting for me sitting in the vault. I assaulted running at full pace yet again squeezing into any available space through the student maze. Their angered gaze, as I ran by, turned into cries of "Don't run!" but this mystery that was spun in my mind needed to be more clearly defined.

Quickly finding the stairs I took care to hold on tight to the railing despite my speed. I proceeded to fly down the stairwell and almost fell headfirst. Immersed too much in my head into what lied ahead not minding my steps instead. Coming to a dead stop at the bottom I was presented with a large cast iron door our misbegotten relic from the War. It roared with cracks and creaks as I bore its weight to unseat. As my motion headed me straight down an underground hall my footsteps echoing off the walls as I walked. I finally came to stand in front of our vault. My thoughts coming across all this supernatural design whilst I tried to remind myself of the combination. To my elation, I was right on the first try. As I pulled the door back I was immediately attacked by a blast of air. Preparing myself for a surprise my eyes scanned to where it should stand and there it was perched on a shelf. Personally, I was stunned and immediately thumbed through my coat sleeve to retrieve the map from my office not being cautious at all I grabbed and pawed at my coat. But that seemed to be all she wrote because it was gone.

Withdrawn my perceive, this was too hard to believe. I could not conceive of where it went did time somehow circumvent preventing the two from existing next to each other? This discover only lead to more questions instead. I just couldn't wrap my head around what was spread out before me. I receded back to my office being more cautious of mind. Was this the divine trying to give me a sign?

Still unable to define the missing map The next day I aimed to meet Henry at noon at the Gold Doubloon. Soon enough I was packing up my stuff and running late as anticipated. Quite irritated by the traffic downtown I frowned upon our lack of headway as it seemed we stayed still for five minutes until I told my driver to let me out. A stout walk would do me some good and ensured his payment was procured. Assured I would make better time on foot I hoofed it the rest of the way and finally came to stay at a horrible auto wreck that sent chills down my spine.

Intertwine the twisted steel, blood spilled out on the ground. Drowning out the grayish tone of the street's cobblestone. My own knees became weak after seeing mangled bodies leaning out of what was once a large bus. Plus some of them were still alive screaming to be provided help.

Yelping at the top of her lungs a young woman screamed "My baby!" "My baby!" Maybe if whatever sliced this child's skull had been dull but he was now just a lifeless hull. Quickly pulled from her hands by a well-intentioned man he tried to help her understand her baby was dead and yelled "Lady he is gone!" Spawned from the pits of hell this sight was too gruesome to tell.

I fell to my knees to conceive of such grotesqueness indeed it would impede into a man's eternal soul. To behold such loss of life nary could one invite the devil to take his fill. My will to look any more strained. I aimed to walk away as my stomach churned. More concerned with keeping my lunch down I found the strength to move around the length of the bus and adjusted my stride to guide me towards the front and that's when I was confronted with Henry.

He knelt in a pool of blood embracing his beautiful dove. His love was crushed head-on. Too forgone for breath, death had taken Sadie first. The reaper's thirst this day wouldn't be swayed. As he laid her body down her gown soaked in crimson red the roses meant as her present glowed incandescent in the sun as one by one they were blown away. Today Sadie's spirit was delivered from whence it came. Claimed way too soon many would later come to say.

The portrait of a crushed man Henry could barely stand. Lending him a hand I assisted him to the sidewalk. While he talked in a gasping tone repeating "No!" "No!" "No!" Being bestowed a twist of fate he wasn't ready to take my thoughts were this might mentally break him. Such a sin to lose the one that won your heart well before you two could even start.

Imparted such a loss Henry started to slowly grow detached from faculty and friends extending no effort nor perceive of comradery towards them. Condemning himself to his study he uttered barely a word when I would turn to him to say.

"How was your day?"

Instead, he would just stay behind closed doors and ignore the rest of the world. So one day I decided to hurl myself past said door just as he had done with mine only months before and what was in store well, I was not quite prepared for. Before my eyes wad the Pulchura stone sitting aglow on his hearth emanating forth a light brighter than the sun. It seemed he had begun to open a portal to, I dare say another time and place. Displayed before my eyes was a different skyline defined by its own sun. None of it looked familiar. Figures of humans went about their day walking every which way completely unaware they were being stared at. Unprepared to look into another time my mind was unable to define what I saw.

Henry was desperately pawing through a book looking quite bedraggled. His dabbling in this sorcery scared me. He had the map sitting at his side so I decided to stride in with an attempt to win out his mind with a plea to his rationale side. Sliding it within his view I skewed the map upside down and cried aloud.

"Unshroud your mind what you are doing will redefine time!" "If you climb into that portal your mortal soul is at risk from the vipers kiss!" "Here!" "Forming amidst the script is advise you remain out of the tear."

But Henry didn't care, his mourning was too strong. Apparently all along he had known something would go wrong.

Henry: "That day when I first grasped the stone it was Sadie I saw and knew I needed to atone for her death." "And it will be done to my last breath!" "I will fetch her from the busses path just before the reaper's wrath."

"This scath cannot be undone what has begun will come into fruition!" "Position yourself in gratitude instead of this crazy latitude of changing time." "I can't even define what you are about to do." "Also, conclude the snake bite will invite your doom."

Henry just quickly resumed his tasks intent to prevent Sadie's death. The depth of his love was put above even his own life. His design to change time itself could well be considered insane but his aims were steadfast despite their vast ramifications they would most certainly make.

Taking the stone, the map and an ancient scroll wrapped up in a sack he said "goodbye" whilst applying his firm handshake in which to take his leave and stepped into the portal to weave a time of his own design. A sublime flash of light blinded my sight then he was gone. Drawn to fix an unkind twist of fate for a love that had no relate.

Nine months had passed since I saw Henry last and then as if happenstance an article was plastered across the front page of that Sunday's post. Governor Baldwin was hosting a celebration to toast his daughter's marriage to a Mr. Arthur Locke Esq. and I was immediately shocked. Henry had obviously knocked Sadie out of the path of the bus but what became of him?

Though a slim chance of me getting in I crashed the wedding party anyway. Staying off to the side as to not provide any signs I didn't belong my dress was well out-classed for all the invited aristocrats. As I sat in the church pew Sadie finally came into view all dressed in white she was really quite the sight. All the hype was right, a real beauty that would ignite the heart of any young man able to stand in her presence. The essence of a perfect woman I'd dare say, but to pay the ultimate price just to suffice fate I couldn't relate. Secretly I prayed Henry was awaiting her hand in some faraway distant land.

I scanned the room presuming he may be watching from afar when I spied a bizarre man standing between a Duke and a group of his guards. A hard stare was needed but it was Henry secreted behind the collar of a thick pleated coat seemingly devote to remain aloof you could barely see his face with dark sunglasses strategically placed to displace any account of his attendance. It took tremendous will for me not to immediately spill out of my seat and not greet him. But, instead, I went ahead and waited for the ceremony to be vacated. Then I wasted no time climbing through the stragglers. Once through the laggers, I immediately stopped and was shocked Henry was gone. Though my brawny stare hadn't withdrawn but an inch it was though he did know I was coming to bestow greetings and reputed us meeting or seeing each other though we were considered as brothers.

Suffering the next morn was difficult my emotions very worn from losing a friend. On my way to attend that morning's meeting for a fleeting second, I passed the faculty pictures cast on the wall but Henry's was completely gone. Thereon its place was yet another man's face. A Reginald R. Johnson replaced Henry's spot. I was shocked, to say the least, but then I asked myself was his presence completely ceased? I Immediately policed the school files dialing through every scrap possibly attached to Henry's name and I came out null not a single record to pull.

Full of woe realizing no one would know Henry's sacrifice to keep the status quo. I lengthened my post-meeting stroll back into the old wing of the school to cool my mind and try to realign with this daily grind though secretly hoping to find my old friend extend one last appearance before his story ended. Just then, a wad of paper presented itself on the floor. Unencumbered to explore I bore its unexpected weight and to satiate my curiosity. The impossibility I saw left me in awe when I realized it was the Pulchra Stone but... but.... how did he get it home? Combing through the paper scrap used as a sack I was taken quite aback when I read the wraps contents. It was context was written by Henry.

~I owe you my life, without you pointing out the warning advise. I would have arise every day trying to push Sadie out of the way for an eternity to stay. I played the stone's game and came to one conclusion. My exclusion from this time made it realign without me I would have to stay away from my love living another day in with me in play. In fact, you may be the only one to remember what I have done to allow Sadie to continue on. Don courage for I will be fine but to keep this timeline define I ask that you crack the stone never again allowing someone else to own this future I have alone have grown.~

Being shown these words I couldn't help turning my concerns towards Henry. In what century did he now exist? Was he adrift in some ancient time trying to redefine our current line? Or resigned from participating at all just stalled in some distant place just waiting for natural death to take its place?

Well, I wouldn't debase his devotion so in one quick motion I slammed the stone against the floor but I was quite unprepared for what was in store. Moored within its crystalline cage was an enraged serpent demon. Steaming as it unfurled its wings it did sing an ungodly tone as a portal opened up to take it home to hell. It didn't sell on its new destination and the devil's creation grabbed my leg attempting to peg me within its reach. I unseated its hand and quickly landed on the other side of the hall falling on some unused lockers. They rocked as I fell and came to dwell on top of me. My attempts to free myself now were in vain as they lay on top of me the entity still coming to take me away. Then, as if laying in wait from behind Henry showed to turn fate's incline. He grabbed the beast by its tail pulling it down into the abyss from which he was avail. Permitting the portal to quickly close before my eyes.

It was then, I realized that the Pulchura stone's magic came from the devil's aims. Sadie's twist of fate must have been by a deal Henry had made with it to steal her away from the reaper's stay. Not ok with the sacrifice that upended my best friend I knew it was then that I would have to repair the stone in order to throw myself back into a forbidden time crack.

So the next time an offer to give you divine powers comes your way I'd offer you stay true to yourself no matter the wealth or what the past has put you through. To pursue such folley will volley misfortune in your path and could cast you to an eternity lashed into fire.