Summoner: The Book of Dimension

92 Emma’s Punishment

After finding out Emma was actually behind all the things he wondered about—from the stain he found in the basement in the mansion of Edgar Lee’s villa to Josh’s death to the attacks of the shadow monsters. Emma somehow had her hands in those things that happened.

“Did you just kill Josh just for this role of yours?” Peter asked as everything just wouldn’t make sense in his mind altogether. “Did you really need to kill someone just so the book could be used again? Did you really need to use us as preys to the shadow monsters just so the book could be used again?”

He saw Emma’s eyes widened in fear. “Please, don’t kill me! If you’re in my shoes, you will understand,” Emma said. Peter scoffed.

“You’re still stuck to that role that you’re saying, huh?” Peter was close to losing his temper. “And don’t you worry, I won’t kill you. Well, maybe not? That depends on how you act. But I’ll make sure something will hurt from your body,” he looked at her without mercy. “Your arms? Your feet? Or your tongue?”

“Please—“

“Because of you, I needed to kill people!” Peter yelled. “I was pushed by the circumstance you made to kill people!” Peter yelled again, which silenced Emma. “Right now, I’m stopping myself to kill you, too,” Peter raised his hand to stop her from what she was about to say. “If I end up killing you, I won’t feel conscience. If I end up killing you, think that it’s your fault.”

Peter didn’t want to kill Emma. Throughout the whole year, he thought of everything that happened. Although he killed people either by the defense or because he wanted to take revenge for the people they hurt, he still regretted killing them. Letting them live and suffer as a consequence of their evil works could’ve been better.

That was why he didn’t want to kill Emma. Killing her would just end her life in an instant misery. Making her suffer could somehow make her think about what she had done. And by then, maybe, Peter thought that maybe, she would regret and repent for the things she had done not just for him but for everyone else, especially Josh.

“What are you going to do to me now?” Emma asked.

Peter chuckled. “No, I won’t do anything to you, Emma. How dare you think that I’m doing this to you? If it’s anything else, you’re doing this to yourself,” he said. “This is the consequence of all the things you’ve done to me. To all of us.”

Emma chuckled. “But tell me, Peter Cohen, you liked summoning, do you?” she asked and Peter’s eyebrows creased. “Did you like it? That you summoned again? That you used the book again? What does it feel like?”

Peter didn’t know what she wanted to gain by asking those.

“Because I know, and it always showed that your eyes would always twinkle because of the book. I bet that’s what you feel,” she said with her eyes squinting as if to provoke him even more. Peter clenched his fists. “How does being powerful feels like? You’re here now, you can control people, you know magic, that’s thanks to the Book of Dimensions. Shouldn’t you thank me? Because of me, you are here now. You’re powerful and you can become more powerful,” she said.

Somehow, Emma had a point. If there was one positive thing he could think of that he gained from the book, that was the power he had until now. Being the dreamlord, learning magic spells, and has a dynamic understanding of the magic that could exist in this world.

Emma laughed brightly despite being tied to the swivel chair after she noticed the expression on Peter’s face. “Right? You know what I mean. So if it’s something else, you should be thankful to me for leaving the book there. If I didn’t do that, you wouldn’t find it.”

Peter shot a look at her. “You’re right. If you didn’t do that, I wouldn’t find it,” he repeated and made Emma nod her head.

“Now, show your gratitude to me and untie me here,” she said.

Peter glared at her. “I’m not done,” he said. “If you didn’t do that, I wouldn’t find it. None of these would happen if you just didn’t leave the book there!” Peter yelled. “And don’t be too boastful about making me find the book. The book’s not even in my possession,” he sighed.

Emma froze in shock. “What? What do you mean?”

“Zack has it,” Peter said. “Now, don’t you understand? Because of what you’ve done, people have changed. Zack turned his back from his friends just because of that damn book,” Peter spat. “Zack is my friend, but what if the book gets in the hands of someone who could do a lot of evil things?”

Now those words backfired at him. If Beth, the woman she met who claimed herself to be a purifier who properly recycle the Book of Dimensions, was right, then what would that make him? He would regret not giving it to her. If only she showed enough evidence that she truly was what she claimed herself as then he could’ve turned the book to her.

That would probably solve everything.

But then again, he had decided that moment. “I won’t summon anymore, so stay clear,” he said. “I’m also warning you. If you ever meddle with me again, I won’t hesitate and kill you myself.”

“Please, let me go,” Emma pleaded.

Peter shook his head. “I won’t let you go that easily. Tying you in that chair isn’t enough to pay for all the things you’ve done, Emma,” he said and glanced at James. “You probably have the idea why I’m only facing you,” he said. “You’re smart to have CCTV in your office,”

Emma was surprised.

Peter sighed. “Too bad, it doesn’t pick up voices, does it?” he asked.

Emma stuttered. “How did you know?”

“I have my ways,” he winked. “Anyway, James here will demonstrate how I wanted to discipline you for your actions. It will hurt, but bear with it for a little while,” he said and rested his back against the wall and nodded at James, who was possessed.

The shadow creatures he called with his mind weren’t really bad, they were just too friendly to follow any orders in exchange for a very small part of spiritual energy. At first, Peter was uncertain about this kind of trick since he didn’t know how much they get from him. But after considering trying once, he realized it was so small for him to even notice a small part of his spiritual energy was taken.

With his mind, he ordered James to break two of her fingers. Emma watched as James started walking on her way. She had a very tense and feared expression on her face. “James, wait. Don’t be like this. What are you doing?” she asked when James held one of her hands as her wrists were tied on the arm of the swivel chair.

She tried to wriggle her wrist to take it off of James, but he gripped her hand too tightly that she didn’t want to move them. Her breathing started to pace up, almost sounding like a whine. She closed her eyes. James let go of her hand. Emma opened her eyes again in relief but to her surprise, James placed his hand with force on top of her hand while his other hand held her pinky finger.

Before Emma could protest, James—or possessed James—bent her pinky finger the other way, making her scream in pain. Her breathing was heavy and mixed with groans. Her eyes were welling with tears as she glared at Peter.

“Ah, I can’t watch this. If I continued to see that pain on your face, I won’t be able to do much to make us even,” Peter said and closed his eyes, already ordering James on the next thing he should do.

James went on the other hand. He was just starting to hold her other pinky when she cried, “Please, please. It hurts so bad. I’ll do anything to make up with everything,” she said.

Peter shook his head without opening his eyes. “No, sorry. It’s too late for that, we’ve already started. Bear with it, after that, there’s one last thing and you’re done,” he said and cue to Emma’s another scream.

Peter opened his eyes and saw how two of her pinky fingers were curled up. He grimaced. “That must hurt real bad,” he said and sighed. “It will take a few days or weeks to heal, but hang in there, there’s one last thing,” he said.

James looked at Peter in surprise. Peter just nodded. “Yes, now call your friends and feed on to her spiritual energy. Make sure you leave some, so she could still restore them,” Peter said.

James looked at Emma who was crying and was confused with what he was talking about. “This will be less painful, but it will drain you a little. Make sure you sleep a lot after this,” Peter told Emma.

Fellow friendly shadow creatures about thirty in number emerged from the ground. Emma couldn’t see them but Peter could.

He sighed and opened the door without getting seen on the CCTV. He looked at James. “I’ll be leaving, I have some things to do,” he said and left Emma there, scared and dumbfounded.