Demon Scroll

by Tim Niederriter

  Havindas retreated, unwilling or unable to attack.

  Saben pursued the maladrite into the tunnel. Folt laughed behind him. Black fire shot from the river to cover the end of the tunnel.

  Bane fire.

  Saben spun and shouted directly at Folt.

  The man and his dinghy blew toward the center of the river and fetched up against the hull of the fortress ship. Folt’s back slammed against the side of the larger vessel, denting the metal armor.

  Saben turned as the bane fire dispersed about him. He faced Havindas down the length of his blade.

  “Just you and me.”

  “You have come a long way, a little villager.”

  “I was only a boy when you destroyed my village.’

  “Yes, so was your sister just a girl. Now, both mortals are grown.”

  Ben grimaced, lips trembling with hatred.

  “My sister is dead.”

  “No,” said the maladrite. “No, I won't lie this time.” He set the cocoon beside the wall, propping the shape against the stone. “Stand aside. If I have to face you, I don't want our fight to destroy the reason I entered this cursed city.”

  Saben grunted.

  “No luck,” he said. “You’re a living curse, Havindas.”

  “How dishonorable. I would've thought a crusader like yourself would not want to destroy more simply to get his vengeance.”

  “You’re wrong.” Saben growled low in his throat. “I'll do you one favor, and not shout to destroy you yet.”

  “You may have to use everything you have. Even Hadrian could not defeat me.”

  “The immortal?”

  “He lived but he could not triumph.” Havindas drew back both arms. An aura of visible sprites danced about his limbs. “I will have my way. You will fall at last.”

  The maladrite crouched as if to leap forward. He waited for Saben. He raised the sword and slashed at the maladrite.

  Havindas caught the blade between both hands. His enhanced muscles powered by his aura kept the blade from cutting into his palms. He held the great sword over his head as if it was nothing more than a toy.

  Finally, he grimaced and a light flared in one starry part of his face. The flash of light sent Saben flying, burning, into the water. He kept his grip on the sword as Havindas released it.

  He hit the water, skidded and then struck bottom. He drifted beneath the surface, then touched bottom more slowly. Saben pushed off hard.

  He emerged from the water flying fast and found Havindas outside the ancient gateway once more. Saben’s blade sliced out, river water streaming from the blade. The maladrite side-stepped and the blade cleaved a gash through the bottom of the ancient gateway. Water began to well up into the smashed parts of the tunnel, rippling from below.

  “Look what you did?” said Havindas, “smashing the tunnel. You of all people should appreciate the history.”

  “History?”

  “Your sacra form was spawned of the demon who fell here all those ages ago.” Havindas smiled. “You could say Azel was born here.”

  Saben gritted his teeth. He lifted the sword and swung. Reinforcing sprites and Banes kept the blade intact as delivered blow after terrible blow.

  The maladrite avoided the weapon. He delivered a blow that sent Ben flying down the escarpment. He sailed from the gateway and skidded past the burning ship. The remainder the governor’s vessel began to collapse into the water.

  “I hope you can pray,” Havindas said as he floated over the wall toward Ben. “You are no longer the strongest one on the battlefield.”

  “Was I ever?” asked Saben.

  “Enough talk. If you do not take the form of Azel I will kill you where you stand.”

  “Good idea. I’m done waiting.”

  Saben called to the demon within himself and summoned the spirit of Azle to the surface. The demon leapt with eagerness into his body.

  He took the demon's form, growing and growing until he towered twelve spans tall, the blade held in two of his extended arms. His other two hands formed fists.

  He stared at Havindas. His burning demon skin shimmered as water ran from him and fell into the river. He raised the blade over his head.

  “Now,” he said in the guttural voice of those of Azel. “This time you won't survive, Havindas!”

  Saben shouted, using Azel's voice. The technique he had known ever since childhood, invested in him by his parents, roared forth. In his sacra form, the attack gained more power and energy than ever before.

  Havindas, floating in the air exploded into a shower of mist. His body reformed by the gateway. He shook, staggering to one side. Saben landed in the form of Azel beside him.

  Havindas gazed at him, then began to laugh.

  “It is not yet done,” Saben growled.

  Havindas looked at the sky. Rain began to fall from the clouds above.

  He drew back his arms, forming a cross over his chest. A bolt of pure black energy shot from the center of the maladrite’s chest and smashed into Saben and Azel, the body they shared. They flew backward, crashing upon the escarpment. They skidded to a stop half a mile away on the rough stones.

  Saben sank to his knees. Azel’s form flickered about him. No. As his heart jumped and skipped it beat even harder in his chest. No, he thought, I must not give up.

  “Azel.”

  The demon was ready.

  “What do you ask of me?”

  “You have more power,” said Saben.

  “You are channeling but a fraction of my abilities.”

  “Give me all you are,” said Saben.

  “Truly?” asked the demon.

  “Yes! I must defeat Havindas so I can find my sister.”

  “You will have my power for now.” Azel sent energy flowing through Saben’s frame. “But I will have your body and I will be reborn.”

  Before Saben could react, before he could think to fight the will the demon, darkness erupted at the corners of his vision.

  It wasn't void, but the demon's essence. They formed a shell about him. Azel’s power flowed through every limb, making muscles bulge and limbs writhe. Saben’s will failed. He watched, numb, as Azel stepped forward on the escarpment.

  Havindas disappeared into the gateway. Saben could not pursue him as Azel ruled his every action.

  Azel began to grow, towering first twenty then thirty spans tall. He strode from the river, leaving shallows behind.

  “Finally.” Azel laughed. He charged into the city.

  “No,” said Saben. “Don’t destroy for no reason.”

  “I’m here because you called me here. Now I will perform your task, but only once mine is complete. Here is where my ancestors fell, my noble origin, Gorsheva. Today, I destroy this city and finish his work.”

  Saben thought of Jaswei, and Rond, even Heen. These people do not deserve to die. Neither do Melissa or any of the others serving the governor. None of the people he met in the city deserved with the demon planned to do. He watched helpless Azel set about to destroy Soucot.

  Melissa

  Melissa felt the world shake. The tunnel rumbled around her. She glanced at Deckard.

  “What was that?”

  He grimaced.

  “We should hurry.”

  The two of them rushed for the light. They reached the end of the tunnel. The pale figure of a spindly maladrite landed on the nearby fortress ship’s back.

  Stumbling to a stop, Melissa in Fanhedon’s form gazed at the fortress ship. The vessel pulled out of the shallows. The figure on his back appeared carrying a cocoon the size of a person in his arms.

  “That's Havindas,” said Deckard.

  “He's fleeing,” said Melissa.

  “Maybe that's enough,” said Deckard. He pointed toward the city. A towering shape smashed through buildings. Easily over sixty hands tall. The shape towered over the streets.

  “What is that?”

  “I don’t know precisely,” said Deckard. “But I can tell it’s a demon.
”

  “Where could a demon that huge come from all of a sudden?”

  “I suspect a sacra form out of control,” said Deckard.

  “Saben,” whispered Melissa.

  “Perhaps,” said Deckard. He took to the air. “Follow me. We must intervene.”

  The two of them raced toward the demon as the monstrous form continued up the hill toward the palace. The city resounded with chaos and destruction. Rooftops and walls trembled at the demon's step.

  Melissa and Deckard made their way as swiftly as they could up the hillside. Deckard shot lines around the demon's neck. Melissa finally got a good view of the monster with its extra set arms, empty of any weapon. The demon tore through buildings with vicious claws.

  Melissa leapt toward the demon's back. Her spear embedded in the abomination’s hide, then pierced deep. The beast roared and shook. Melissa’s spear vanished up to the butt. She plunged her sacra form’s metallic hand, gleaming with steel, into the demon’s wound. She pulled the spear free.

  The demon swatted at her with its huge hands.

  She jumped from the demon’s back and landed on her knees in the street. She immediately bounced away, dodging more pounding fists.

  Deckard circled overhead, shooting bane darts and sprite strings all over the demon. His magic might be small, but it didn’t lack power. One line encircled the demon's head. Another string went around his arms. Deckard hurled his whole body at the demon’s face. His right fist delivered a terrible blow to the demon skull. The impact combined with Deckard’s feather touch and knocked the demon off balance.

  Deckard landed on one of the demon’s shoulders. Melissa sprang onto the other.

  “How did he get so large?” she asked.

  “No idea,” said Deckard. “I've never met this demon before.”

  “Do you know his name?” said Melissa. An answer came from within her at once.

  Azel

  “Azel,” said Melissa.

  “Did your demon tell you that?” Deckard shot a dart through the demon's neck. He tethered himself to it with a sprite string.

  Melissa nodded.

  “Azel isn’t an ordinary demon. He was born partially human.”

  “An ascended demon.” Deckard took a deep breath. “I've never fought one before.”

  “How can we stop him?” said Melissa.

  “Soucot was built as a fortress to stop the giant Gorsheva a thousand years ago.” Deckard grimaced. “Azel isn’t Gorsheva, but I’m not Prince Geldingstar.”

  Melissa glanced at the ruins of black stone looming over the city near the docks. She realized they were the remains of the ancient walls where Gorshva fell. Those walls were demon stone, all-but unbreakable. She glanced at Deckard.

  “I know how to stop him,” she said.

  Deckard grimaced.

  “Good, because I'm short on ideas.”

  “Follow my lead.”

  Melissa stabbed her spear into Azel’s shoulder, then ripped it out. Small claws emerged from the demon’s back and swiped at each of them. They jumped from his shoulders and glided through the air. Deckard and Melissa fell together as Deckard used his feather sprites to keep her from dropping faster.

  “Where should we go?” Deckard asked.

  Melissa pointed at the demon stone walls on the far side of the river.

  “Can we get him there?”

  “Demon stone,” said Deckard.

  “It's unbreakable, right?” said Melissa.

  “Near enough,” said Deckard, “We must get him close and use them as a trap to limit the damage.”

  Deckard and Melissa landed softly. Melissa turned.

  “Deckard, weave strings around my spear.”

  “Right. You reinforce it with your iron bane.”

  She focused her iron bane into the spear, then tethered the spear to her wrist with Deckard’s strings.

  “If you want to pull him with you, now is the time, before he reaches the citadel.”

  Melissa squinted at the demon. She hurled the spear.

  The weapon vanished completely into the demon's shoulder. The string went taut. She flew off her feet. Deckard grabbed her arm. The two of them hauled the demon backward. Melissa touched ground again. The demon staggered toward her. Deckard took to the air.

  “I’ll make him light,” Deckard said. “We move toward the river.”

  Melissa yanked on the demon using the strings. Azel roared with rage and turned toward her. She raced toward the river. With Deckard's sprite dragging his weight, the demon's rampage faltered. Fanhedon’s muscles strained. Melissa pulled Azel toward the water.

  Elaine

  She made her way out the palace doors to the horrible din of the sound. Her aunt’s treatment of her wounds left Lady Nasibron exhausted. The two of them and Lkses emerged from the palace overlooking the river. A swath of destruction cut through the city. At the center, a demonic form, dark and gray-skinned stumbled backward over the ruined streets, cracking rock and bending steel. Some rooftops shook. Others collapsed.

  “Melissa's down there,” said Lady Nasibron. She pointed. A tiny figure dragged the demonic giant through the streets. High above, by the monster’s head, another form flew. He darted back and forth but always keep in contact with the demon’s skin.

  “It's Hadrian,’ said Lakses. “He is lightening the load.”

  “We need to help them,” said Elaine.

  “Right.” Lakses nodded.

  Lady Nasibron shook her head.

  “No,” she said, “you must not go there.”

  Elaine shot a desperate look at Lady Nasibron.

  “Your training is incomplete,” set her aunt.

  “My training doesn't matter anymore,” said Elaine. “That thing will destroy everyone if we don't stop it.”

  “Leave the city,” said Lady Nasibron. “The cost will be too high even if you can stop the demon.”

  “You can't tell me to flee now!” She took a step down the ramp leading to the Citadel.

  “Students,” Lady Nasibron said, “don't make me...”

  Elaine glared at her.

  “Lady Nasibron, I may be your student but I’m also my own person. Lord Hadrian and Melissa need our help.”

  “If that's what you wish.” Her aunt’s lip twitched. “I must tell you something I've never told anyone before.”

  Elaine’s brow furrowed.

  “Tell me what?”

  “The truth,” said Lady Nasibron tears in her eyes. “You know, I'm not just your teacher. I'm your mother.”

  Elaine stopped, frozen in her tracks.

  “What?”

  “Your parents who raised you,” said Lady Nasibron. “Are not your real parents. It's me. Me and Deckard Hadrian.”

  “Deckard Hadrian?” Elaine stood frozen, blood pulsing through her veins. She heard every heartbeat. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am. Please, daughter. Don’t risk your life—”

  The sun poked through the clouds, casting rays through the storm.

  “Melissa is down there,” Elaine said.

  “I can't lose you.”

  Elaine grimaced.

  “You already have,” she said. “You lied to me.”

  “Please,” Lady Nasibron said. “Don't give up your studies.”

  “You’ve had other students,” the Elaine. “You’ll find more.”

  Lakses remained silent. Lady Nasibron’s lip trembled. She nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

  “Go. It's too late for me to stop you now.”

  Elaine ran toward the danger.

  Melissa

  She dragged the towering demon to the water’s edge, pulling Azel through the city amid a rain of destruction. The demon's arms lashed out in fury, claiming lives and destroying structures. With Deckard’s help, Melissa would bring a blessing by toppling the giant. The only way she could do that was to box him in.

  Deckard landed beside her.

  The demon turned toward them now totally e
nraged.

  “We’ll need to light him, said Deckard. “Then we get him across the water.”

  “Good idea,” said Melissa. “How will we do that with you down here?

  Deckard’s famous features formed a sly expression.

  “I have the plan this time. Once he’s in the water, be ready to drag him to the other shore.”

  “I think I could jump all away from here.

  “Here’s a feather sprite to make sure.” Deckard pulled one from the halo of sprites about him. The sprite’s song echoed with the songs of her sacra form.

  “Thanks,” said Melissa.

  “Not yet,” Deckard said. “Thank me when we’re done.”

  He took to the air, shooting darts at the Azel. He tugged the demon off balance. Melissa pulled the line attached the spear buried in the demon's back. Azel swayed, then toppled demon toward the river.

  With an enormous splash, he hit the water. Melissa jumped into the air, hung for a moment, then landed on the opposite shore. Her legs ached despite the feather sprite’s help. The demon bellowed as his head thrashed to the surface.

  The borrowed sprite fled to return to Deckard. Melissa turned as the demon rose from the water. His massive form might be eighty hands tall, with what was still submerged. Water streamed off his hide, a terrifying sight.

  “Deckard,” called Melissa. “What now?”

  “We have his attention now,” Deckard said.

  “For this insult, you will both be destroyed here,” the demon roared. “You will die as mortals must.”

  The two of them took off through the streets, Melissa pursued by the demon’s crashing feet. Deckard continued to circle Azel and harass him. Azel pursued Melissa with abandon, bellowing in rage.

  The massive demon smashed aside merchant stalls as they entered the district on the south side of the river where river merchants delivered their goods. Melissa hadn't been back here since she returned to Soucot, despite all her time in the city. She hadn’t wanted to visit where she’d grown up. She hoped Giles was all right.

  Perhaps, things could be better if they survived today. Niu already lay dead. Who knew how many others lay smoking or burnt or crushed in the slaughter?

  Melissa continued to pull, dragging the line attached to spear to spur the demon forward. Her spear worked free and fell. She drew it to her on the sprite string. She caught the weapon and continued to run from Azel.