Daemos Rising

by David J Howe

  ‘I am controlled by the Sodality, rulers of Earth. Their power is older than time itself, from the shapers of Humanity. But you … with your inquisitive mind and acquisitive nature …’

  As the creature spoke, so Cavendish felt as though his life was draining from him. An immense tiredness suffused him, and he felt that trying to resist further would be hopeless.

  ‘That’s right,’ said the creature. ‘Let the power flow through me.

  ‘… you who were led to remove an ancient tract of summoning from where it had been secured … you have helped us release their power … and now … we want to reward you.

  ‘Now we need the Horned Beasts to grow.

  ‘We need life force to summon them. Their experiment was a triumph. We are the result. And this place shall be our temple to them …’

  ‘You’re insane,’ gasped Cavendish.

  ‘Not insane,’ retorted the creature. ‘We will have what we always deserved … total control … total power.’

  The creature noticed that Cavendish was not looking at it any longer. Instead the human was looking beyond, to the door to the cottage.

  The creature turned, and saw that the ghost and Kate were standing there.

  ‘You cannot stop us,’ said the creature.

  ‘Now I think you can hear me,’ said the ghost. ‘We have the book …’

  There was a ripple in the power field as the creature, and by reference, Eva and the High Executioner 583 years in the future, recognised the object.

  ‘The book is ours by right.’

  ‘But it’s not in your hands.’ The ghost nodded to Kate who held the book up in front of her. They both started to move slowly down the hallway towards the creature and Cavendish.

  The creature turned to face them and raised a hand. ‘By the power of the Sodality,’ it said, and then began the chant of power: ‘Regna nik cab koolt nod …’

  Kate felt the book start to get hot. She held it more tightly as yellow and gold light started to fleck the edges.

  A faint stream of energy could be seen flowing through the air from the creature to the book. They were draining it!

  The creature staggered, but found some purchase. ‘Regna nik cab koolt nod …’ it chanted again.

  At that moment, Cavendish, released from the drain of his own energy, launched himself at the creature and distracted it.

  Kate and the ghost, the book glowing brightly and emitting ice white mist from inside, hurried past the creature and the ghost opened the formerly locked door.

  It swung open revealing bright light and white mist which billowed around them.

  Past the door was a set of wooden steps leading down. Kate took one look back and hurried down, closely followed by the ghost.

  Back in the hallway, the creature rocked as it reorientated itself.

  Then, with a contemptuous glance at Cavendish who was still cowering on the floor, it too opened the door and descended the steps.

  This fight was not over.

  PART THREE

  1

  The Caverns

  Heading down the steps, Kate could feel the air chill considerably. No wonder the mist which came from here was icy! There was a frosty breeze from somewhere deep underground, and Kate’s flesh broke out in goosebumps.

  She reached the bottom of the flight of steps and paused.

  There was a tunnel leading further on, with rough, rock-hewn walls and ceiling. As though the very bedrock on which the cottage stood had been carved out.

  Behind her, the figure of the other Kate appeared, and Kate moved on quickly down the tunnel, clutching the still-warm book to her chest almost as a ward to the icy chill.

  The tunnel suddenly split and opened out, larger cave-like tunnels headed off in different directions, and Kate paused, not quite knowing which way to go.

  The ghost suddenly stepped from one side, and indicated a direction. With a hesitant glance behind her, Kate followed.

  After a few minutes, and more changes of direction as the tunnels split, Kate emerged into a much larger area. This was more like a cavern than a tunnel, and the ceiling was far overhead.

  To one side was a low, flat rock, and on it, the remains of what once had been an altar of some sort. There was a ragged cloth bunched up on one side, and some scattered black candles. Kate even saw what looked like a knife resting there.

  Everything was covered with dust and cobwebs. It was obvious no-one had been down here for some time.

  ‘What is this place?’ asked Kate.

  ‘It’s long been a magnet for those who would try and gain power,’ said the ghost, inspecting the paraphernalia.

  ‘What should we do?’ asked Kate.

  ‘Set the altar. Use the book. Try and stop the Sodality.’

  ‘Is that all?’ said Kate. ‘Not much then.’

  ‘Quickly,’ said the ghost. ‘I can’t touch anything, you will have to do it.’

  Kate set the book down and started to assemble the altar, straightening the cloth and setting the candles upright. She picked up the knife carefully.

  ‘As long as we don’t have to actually kill anyone.’

  ‘That shouldn’t be necessary,’ said the ghost. ‘Quickly … they’re nearly ready.’

  ‘I’m going as fast as I can,’ said Kate, placing the knife back on the altar and positioning the book between the candles.

  In the future, in the shell of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, the High Executioner of the Sodality grinned.

  In front of her, the two converted acolytes were focussing all the psyonic power on the portal, and the summoning rituals.

  Now their totem: the statue; was in the caverns themselves, the power was clearer, and the energy that they had absorbed from Cavendish had been enough to kick-start the ritual.

  The High Executioner remembered back to Venice, when they had been surprised that the Dæmon they summoned, Mastho, claimed to have been summoned before. This made no sense at the time – clearly no-one from the Sodality had summoned him, or they would have known about it.

  The only prior summoning on record was the one in Devil’s End around 1973, but that was the Dæmon Azal, and the man behind it, calling himself Magister, was not one of the Sodality, but a stranger to them. However it was he who consolidated the rituals and summonings and who created the book that they now used. Quite how he did this or how he knew so much, the High Executioner had no idea. Nor did she much care.

  All that mattered was that from the Dæmons’ point of view, this was to be the first arrival of Mastho on Earth …

  The creature that had once been Eva, and who was now connected to the totem in 2003 via the steadily increasing portal, moaned with pleasure, as the power grew, and her ability to operate increased with it.

  The creature wearing Kate’s body finally arrived at the same cavern where Kate and the ghost were setting up the altar.

  It laughed at them.

  ‘Ignore it, Kate,’ said the ghost.

  ‘The time is right,’ said the creature. ‘We shall summon the Dæmon now …’

  The creature straightened and closed its eyes, its mouth moving silently as the incantations to summon the Dæmon were intoned.

  Kate looked at the ghost urgently. ‘What now?’

  ‘We need to find the counter. Flip through the book!’

  Kate started to turn the pages of the book on the altar as the ghost watched and scanned each. After a moment he stopped her.

  ‘That one!’

  Kate looked at the page. ‘But that’s just a blur, the characters are all shifting about!’

  ‘Give it a moment,’ he said.

  ‘I can see it!’ said Kate. ‘I can read it I think!’

  She narrowed her eyes and started to speak the strange language that she saw. It was as though she thought the words and then found that she could speak them.

  ‘Llams dnat aerg serut aercl la … llal ufitu aeb dnath girbs gnih tlla.’

  On the other side of the cavern,
the creature started to frown and tremble.

  Eva frowned and started to struggle in her network of copper and cables. There was something battling her control of the creature in 2003.

  Her mind started to flood with images of normal life, of something she had never experienced: green grass; live animals; clean air; sunshine.

  ‘Fight it,’ said the High Executioner through gritted teeth. ‘Fight it!’

  Eva drew on more power from the circling acolytes, and fed it back through the portal to their creature.

  ‘It’s working,’ said Kate as the creature started to stumble.

  ‘Don’t lose it,’ warned the ghost. ‘Keep going!’

  Kate dropped her eyes to the page but the symbols were all over the place again.

  ‘Lla … lla … I can’t read it! I can’t see the words!’

  ‘Come on Kate. You can do it. The book will channel the power.’

  The creature smiled as Kate faltered, and then elegantly dropped to one knee in the cavern.

  Her form shimmered, becoming, briefly, the dust and fire image of the Dæmon before shifting back to the form of the gargoyle statue.

  As Kate watched, there was a wet, ripping, tearing sound, and the smoky form detached itself from the statue and rose, rippling, in the cavern.

  ‘We’re too late!’ said the ghost. ‘The portal is widening … the Beast is coming through!’

  ‘Not if I can help it,’ said Kate, picking up the book, and once again holding it in front of her. She approached the solid form of the statue.

  As she approached, so the words from the book formed themselves on her tongue.

  ‘Llams dnat aerg serutaerc … lla lufitu aeb dnath girbs gniht lla.’

  A line of power suddenly emitted from the statue, hitting the book square on. There was an orange flare of power, and Kate lost her footing, tripped and fell onto the statue …

  … and appeared sprawled on the floor of St Paul’s Cathedral.

  She scrambled to her feet and looked around.

  As before she was in a place lit with red. It was full of dust and noise. Chanting and movement of people.

  The scale of the building was lost in darkness, but around her Kate could see figures moving in a circle.

  To one side stood the slight figure of a girl, or perhaps a woman. She was wearing boots and some sort of tight outfit, and her head was partially covered with a velvet cowl. Kate could see her mouth though, which was curved in a cruel smile. It was obvious that she was somehow in charge here.

  A voice said: ‘The Dæmon has been summoned. Increase the power. Maintain the connection!’

  Kate turned to see who was speaking, and saw again the ‘person’ she had seen before. The shattered and broken remnants of a man held together with technology that she could not pretend to understand.

  Beside him was another figure, again broken and torn and stitched back together again.

  The girl/woman at the side brought her hands together as though she was praying. ‘The Dæmon … it comes …’

  Kate whirled again as the Acolytes increased their chanting.

  ‘Eco eco daha elttil bmal … eco eco daha elttil bmal … . eco eco daha elttil bmal!’

  Kate looked around, trying to see and make sense of anything here, but it was hopeless. There was too much confusion and pain.

  ‘Eco eco Mastho! Eco eco Mastho!’

  The woman’s cold voice echoed through the chamber. ‘As my will so mote it be!’

  Kate began to panic as the shattered man said: ‘She knows much, but not enough.’

  Kate struggled to her feet. ‘What is this place?’ she asked, more to herself.

  She moved over to where the acolytes were circling, and pulled at one of them. The person seemed to be in a trance or something and did not react.

  Kate looked around again. Her gaze fell on the booted woman who was watching the proceedings intently, a cruel expression on her face.

  She frowned when she saw that Kate had seen her.

  A voice behind Kate said: ‘She sees us!’

  Kate turned again to see that the shattered man had spoken.

  She moved closer to the man and the woman who were sitting in the nightmare of copper and wires, all of it intertwined with the skin and flesh of their bodies.

  ‘What do you want?’ Kate asked.

  ‘Question irrelevant,’ came the answer from the woman.

  ‘Locus point moving!’ said the man.

  ‘What is happening?’ said the woman standing outside the circle as the chanting faltered and broke.

  ‘The Dæmon is coming,’ said the shattered woman calmly. ‘But not to the intended date. The locus point is changing now to the date of this creature’s departure.’

  Kate shook her head. ‘Creature? I’m not a creature. I’m a human. Like … like you.’

  The chanting suddenly picked up again. It grew louder.

  ‘Locus point established. Now 2003. The Master is coming.’

  Kate looked around again. There seemed to be nothing she could do.

  The sound rose, an internal screeching which made her head hurt.

  Kate brought her hands to cover her ears against the cacophony, and then suddenly …

  2

  The Dæmon

  … she was back in the cavern. Cavendish was beside her and he had dragged her from touching the statue, which was still there, crouched and immobile beside them.

  The book was lying on the floor nearby, so Kate, shaking her head to try and clear it, picked it up.

  She looked at Cavendish who was pale and weak, but managing to hold himself together.

  ‘You okay?’ she asked.

  Cavendish pulled himself up and gave a curt nod. ‘Fine. Can’t let these things get on top of one.’

  He smiled briefly at Kate.

  They both turned and looked at the centre of the cavern, in which a whirling, roaring column of matter was coalescing.

  There was a roaring groaning sound, and a deep rumbling as though the Earth was groaning. There was a final shudder and the cavern fell silent.

  Before them stood the form of what Kate could only assume was a Dæmon.

  It stood about eight feet tall, a terrifying demonic presence shrouded in darkness. Its goat-like eyes glowed red, and it had curved horns set in a ring around its face. It had no mouth, just a pulsing dark set of vertical slits through which a yellow, sulphurous smoke or steam was being emitted. Smoke billowed all around it, making it seem far larger than it actually was.

  The creature cast its head around, looking at those in the cavern. There was a gentle hissing sound as it moved.

  Then. It spoke.

  ‘Who has summoned me here?’

  Its voice was loud and forceful, that of a creature not used to being challenged, or perhaps summoned.

  The air flickered, and Kate saw that the figure of the ghost, who had been standing, solid, before the altar, started to fizz and fade, as though he were a television picture which was rapidly being de-tuned.

  ‘No … no … there is … energy drain … I …’

  His voice faded in and out before he faded from view entirely, before returning again as a faint outline.

  The Dæmon watched all this, moving its head and arms as though it were an insect hunting for food. Still one moment, then fast and strong the next.

  Eventually, Kate found the creature’s gaze resting on her. She held the book protectively to her.

  ‘I sense the powers which have brought me here. They are from a distant time.’

  Kate continued to stare at the creature in astonishment.

  ‘You … you have the smell of power on you. Why have you summoned me? Am I to be questioned?’

  The Dæmon took a step towards her.

  ‘Who … what are you?’ she asked finally.

  ‘I am Mastho,’ answered the creature. ‘From a world many light years distant. My people watch as you puny humans play at life.’

  Behind Kate,
Cavendish seemed to come to his senses. He had been watching the Dæmon, and sensed that this was, in part, one of the powers which had sought to control him. But not the power. This was infinitely more dangerous. But he had played some part in this alien thing being brought to Earth, and he felt that he could also help stop whatever it was that it was here to do.

  He took the book from Kate, and, holding it in his arm, started to flick through.

  ‘Must stop this,’ he muttered to himself. ‘Must stop. All my fault.’

  The Dæmon looked at Cavendish with interest, and Kate, seeing the interaction, decided to try and distract the creature. It was all she could think of doing.

  ‘Who are your people? Have you been here before?’ she asked, stepping away to the other side of the cavern from Cavendish. The Dæmon’s head turned to regard her, and it stepped towards her once more.

  ‘We have been summoned many times. We are interested in how our experiment progresses. We like to see how this planet responds to our input.

  Kate was now getting very confused. Experiment?

  ‘But why are you here now?’ she asked.

  ‘It amuses us to indulge the whims and caprices of you humans. In other times we are worshipped as gods … I was summoned here by those who would perhaps seek to control me.’

  Kate reached the far side of the room, and she looked across to where Cavendish, and the faded form of the ghost were standing.

  Cavendish looked up in triumph. ‘No. I have it …’

  He smoothed out the page of the book, and started to read. ‘We must stop this … this evil!’ he said.

  The Dæmon, Mastho, swung its head back to regard Cavendish.

  ‘Evil? What evil? We do what we do for the sake of science … if there is some judgement over our interest, then that comes from the heart of man.’

  Cavendish glanced at the creature, then looked at the text. ‘Emac uoy ecn nehw mor fecalp eht ot nomead nruter nruter …’

  There was a grating sound, and Kate realised that the creature was laughing.

  ‘You, the one called Cavendish …’