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«Diosmed, what are you saying? He no longer speaks in Latin, I don’t understand this language» Tanya said.
The others also did not understand him, all except Diosmed.
«He’s saying very strange things about a Holy War and the Chalice. The city of Venice? I don’t even know where it is. Bah!» Diosmed answered.
«Venice, the city on the lagoon, rich in canals and beautiful people. Not even time to savor my return home, which the Black Death took with me. An epidemic struck the city and Europe, precisely in the year 1347. Seriously ill, I was taken away from my family and taken along with other patients to a small hospital. We waited for death as when a poor man waits, in vain, for food to come to the table. One day a priest arrived with a long white beard and a few hairs on his head. He wore a brown habit and sandals on his feet. He told me that he would save my life and that in return I would have to do something for him. I would have had to travel in the year 312 AD to find someone able to take me to the “Kingdom of the Priest John”. And when I came to that place, the great man’s kingdom would return me to the place from which I left, in my age in the arms of mine family and in excellent health. I accepted and bitterly every day, I regret my departure and this exile which is given to me. I come from the future!» the man said in Italian from the fourteenth century.
Diosmed didn’t believe any of those words.
«He’s a fool! He says he comes from the future! All lies!» the Demon Slayer said.
«No, in his voice I heard only a quiver of lies, for the rest he told us the truth. Even if it’s absurd» Mohat replied.
«I also heard him brother. He is not an ordinary man, he does not belong to this world. From his voice comes dark energy» Shayla said.
«A demon led you here? We already have so much to think about. Go where you need to go, don’t rob people and don’t harm them!» Tanya said angrily.
«I can’t speak. I don’t understand the words!» the prisoner replied.
«He says he can’t talk, he doesn’t understand anything. If what he says is true, he knows nothing about what life is like in our times» Diosmed translated.
«Then he’ll stay with us. We will wait for Damian’s return to decide what to do with him. We have other things to think about now. Free him» Mohat said.
They untied him and gave him two pieces of bread to eat, for he was very gaunt and suffering.
They returned to the table to eat and drink, while the prisoner sat on the ground.
«Aunt I have to go to the place of the Skull, to Calvary!» Emmanuel said.
«No! It’s dangerous! Filled with monsters outside the walls!» the aunt replied.
«Well, it’s not the first time for us, we’ve faced several demons. If Emmanuel has this desire, why not? Where exactly is it?» Diosmed asked.
«Just outside the city, using the Ephraim Gate, you can reach Calvary quickly. But the door is guarded by those men with sabers» Shadim said.
«I’ll go anyway, it doesn’t matter! I’ve wanted to go there for a long time!» Emmanuel insisted.
«All right», Magdalene said resignedly, «call him, Shadim»
The girl went out and returned after a short while. When she opened the front door, white powder invaded the house, then they heard the sound of a small explosion.
«Tadà! Salakazula is here!» a man said.
He appeared from nowhere, he had a blue turban on his head and a long white dress with folds on the sides and black shoes on his feet. He had a brownish complexion, brown eyes, a long nose, and a stubby beard ten centimeters long. He wasn’t very old, but neither was so young.
«Who is this fool?» Diosmed said.
«Salakazula, pleasure» he replied. He held out his hand and when Diosmed shook it, he found himself holding a rattlesnake.
«Aaah!» the boy shouted and let it fall.
«Come on, come in here» the man said, placing the snake in a small wicker basket.
«Salakazula you have to get them out of Ephraim’s Gate!» Magdalene said.
«Of course. The wizard Salakazula can do everything! And what will I get in return?» the man said and then tried to kiss Magdalene, but received only a slap.
«Please, this way» the wizard said bitterly, rubbing his right cheek.
«Good luck!» Shadim said.
«Thank you. See you later» Emmanuel replied affectionately.
They all left the house with the magician, including the prisoner.
«Come on!» Diosmed urged.
«I was not free to go?» the Crusader said, annoyed.
«No, until I say yes. What’s your name?» Diosmed asked.
«Gabriel» he replied.
They entered the underground tunnel again. This time they went through a narrower passage than the previous one, so that in some places they had to crawl on the ground. After a short time, they arrived at the exit, which was near some roman statues, just before the Ephraim Gate. Four armed warriors guarded the huge black arched door with the stone battlement above.
«Make me do it. At my signal, run!» Salakazula said.
«And what will the signal be?» Shayla asked.
«You’ll understand» Not even the time to answer, who assumed the appearance of one of those demonic warriors in the same black suit and with the saber. He came near the door, pretended to greet the other beings with his hand, then threw that strange white powder and the sight of the enemies was blurred. The magician lit fireworks, that was the signal. The six ran in the direction of the door, which had been opened by Salakazula. The Demons at that time understood nothing. They all managed to get out, while the magician remained inside and closed the door.
«He’s really crazy!» Diosmed said.
«Will he be okay?» Emmanuel asked.
«I think so. We continue quickly. This place is strange» Mohat said.
They walked into that small vegetation outside the walls. After a few meters they arrived at the foot of Mount Golgotha, called the Calvary, rocky and covered with grass on the top. The six climbed up the mountain following a long path through the shrubs. In the end, they reached the summit with little effort. Once at the top, Emmanuel knelt down, made the sign of the cross and began to pray with joy.
«All this labor for...» Diosmed complained
«And shut up for once!» Tanya scolded him, silencing him with her hand.
«Look carefully. I can see many demonic presences in the city and below this mountain» Mohat said.
«I hear a strange voice, something is about to happen!» Shayla warned them.
Suddenly the earth trembled and nearly fell to the ground. The sky grew dark, with thunder and lightning.
«Be careful! They are coming!» Mohat said.
A huge Black Sea appeared around the city and below Golgotha, so dark that not even Mohat could see the bottom.
«It’s the Hell Gate! He made his appearance!» Tanya said.
From it came demons of every kind. Skeletons with swords and shield, giant green earthworms, monkeys with half an intact and half rotten head. Then came the time of the half man and half animal beasts, the Anibri. There were those half scorpion and half man, half tiger and half man, and many others. Among them were also Mummy Demons, skinny beings with their teeth wide open and wrapped, from head to toe, with white or gray bandages. These had strange arabic numerals on their foreheads.
«Watch! That one has the body of a lion and the head of a crocodile! What weird demons are these here!» Diosmed said.
«Let’s worry about her, the boss. It is the demon with the body of a red scorpion and with the bust of a woman instead of the head» Mohat said.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel was still praying, it was Shayla who pulled him.
«We’re in trouble!» the girl said.
Emmanuel opened his eyes and saw from above the mountain all that was happening in the valley. First, he rolled his eyes, then looked at his feet and noticed a white light. He began to dig and fo
und a splinter of wood, ten centimeters long and two thick. He took it and put it in his brown bag hanging on his belt, where he kept his book. Then he pulled out the White Sword bearing the silver VRS inscription on the groove, which at that moment lit up as never before.
«I will use fire to create a barrier. You brothers use the wind and try to reject them as much as you can. Diosmed and Emmanuel fight against those who manage to pass the fire path!» Tanya ordered and the others obeyed.
They found themselves in a rectangle of fire, where in the center stood Tanya, in the west Mohat, south Shayla, east Emmanuel and north Diosmed. Gabriel remained motionless, not far from the center.
The horde of demons began to rise from every part of the rocky mountain, two hundred meters high. The Brothers of the Wind used their power to make them fall down, but they were too many, so much so that they had filled the whole valley situated at the foot of the mountain and around the city. The first to arrive were the skeletons that became dust when in contact with fire. Tanya’s fire kept the weaker red-eyed demons like the latter and the monkeys at bay. Suddenly a giant green earthworm with black eyes climbed so fast that it attacked Mohat.
«Wind of the North, on the attack!» the Wind Warrior shouted and the worm demon was thrown down the cliff.
Shayla had already removed ten skeletons with her abilities, while the others fought against more powerful enemies than these.
The small rocky hill, with a curved cone shape, was surrounded on each side. The demons climbed and fell in contact with the wind of the two brothers. At one point, a powerful demon managed to get through the fire unharmed.
«He came in!» Tanya said.
«I’ll take care of it! Keep the barrier alive! Emmanuel watches the two sides» Diosmed said.
«Give your help, don’t stay there!» Tanya said to Gabriel.
The Crusader, despite his weariness, took the place of Diosmed and extracted his weapon which he had jealously guarded until now. It was a medieval dagger that had a purple blade, twenty centimeters long, very pointed and with a sinuous shape on both sides, as if they were waves, while the eleven centimeters long handle was black and easy to grip. At the end it had a pommel bearing a purple bud inside. On the black guard were depicted golden lions arranged in a row, while on the brownish-colored sheath there were golden decorations depicting, from top to bottom, a small devil with horns and wings, then a dragon with wings wide open and finally the head of a lion.
At that moment a particular demon passed the fire barrier. It was a gigantic black fly that had seven yellow eyes, each consisting of octagonal ommatidia as if each eye were given by the union of seven hundred small eyes. It had seven legs on each side, two antennas on its head and four transparent wings to fly. His head had the shape of a chestnut and his seven eyes were arranged three in an upper row, three in the lower one and the last in the middle. As soon as he entered, the Demon Fly attacked Gabriel with his paws as he soared in the air. The Crusader skillfully managed to avoid the attack, but he realized that he had to fight if he wanted to have his life saved against that being.
«Be careful Gabriel! He is a demon fly, the “Son of Sevenless!” He belongs to the ranks of Beelzebub!» Tanya cried, but the man did not understand much of his words.
«Damn! They are the same flies that killed my mother!» Diosmed said angrily.
He wanted to kill that demon, but at that moment another enemy came and caught him off guard. The name Sobek was written on the forehead, as if it were a brand put on fire. It had a lion’s body with a yellow ocher coat and a dark green crocodile’s head. He had great strength and was not very fast, but he could make enormous leaps to land his enemy. His eyes were bright white, like those of the dead.
«Tanyaaa what is this crocodile? He has white eyes!» Diosmed shouted as he avoided the demon Sobek leaping at him. Tanya didn’t answer, she thought about keeping the barrier alive.
The enemy tried to grab Diosmed with his lion’s paws and tear him with his crocodile teeth. He was chasing Diosmed and waiting for the right moment to hit him. When he attacked, Diosmed avoided contact or countered his fierce claws with his sword. After the last attack, he summoned the Lightning Power and the Dragalòs lit up with green energy and emitted lightning and sparks of the same color. He used all his power against Sobek who attacked with his crocodile fangs, but Diosmed with his sword pushed back his jaws and destroyed his sharp teeth. The demon did not give up, he set off again with a huge leap and it was then that Diosmed stabbed him in the chest with the Dragalòs charged with the Power of Lightning. The great power enacted charred Sobek, made him explode and like black dust disappeared into the air.
Meanwhile Emmanuel was helping others when some demon passed the barrier. Suddenly, in an open area, passed the barrier the demon at the head of that horde of enemies. The fire tickled her, her scorpion paws received no damage. Her scorpion-like body had four legs on each side, the tail with a diamond-shaped spike and, where she should have had the head of a scorpion, she presented the bust of a woman with a light complexion. She had silver hair, white eyes and two black claws for arms. A dry, wrinkle-free face, with the Naav Symbol engraved on the bare chest and the name Selkis on the forehead, in the same way as Sobek. She attacked Emmanuel who promptly managed to avoid the attack of his right black claw.
«Watch out Emmanuel! That is Selkis, Goddess of the Duat!» Tanya said in amazement.
Emmanuel threw himself into the fight against the Scorpion Demon wrapped in dark energy, while the others continued to defend the fire barrier.
Gabriel fought against the Great Fly, preventing her from reaching Tanya who was in the center of the rectangle of fire. The Son of Sevenless used his legs as blades, Gabriel was wounded in the arms and his dress became even more worn than before. The Fly was very fast thanks to its wings, but the Crusader kept calm and studied the enemy. He noticed that when he landed on the ground, the central eye closed and the demon didn’t seem to see us as well as before. He decided to draw the Fly towards the upper right corner of the barrier, ran in that direction and was chased by the Son of Sevenless, who glided over Gabriel and hit him on the ground. The man was about to be attacked by the sharp legs of the demon, when the central eye closed and did not see the Gabriel’s quick attack with his purple dagger pierced him with great energy. The fly cried out in pain and then turned to dust.
«Well done!» Tanya said.
Gabriel smiled and lay on the ground because of fatigue and wounds, while the Wind Brothers chased away all the demons that climbed Golgotha. Emmanuel, on the other hand, with his White Sword fought against Selkis, who began to attack him with all his fury. He used both claws to attack Emmanuel, who promptly jumped into the air and avoided one bad end. With his blade he cut a scorpion’s leg, but since he had seven more the demon did not fall. Indeed, even more angry, Selkis used his sting to shoot a brown-colored poison at him. Emmanuel struggled to avoid all the attacks, one of which reached the bottom of his suit that melted instantly. Selkis started to sling back at him with her black claws and Emmanuel answered using his sword and managed to stand up to her, rejecting all her shots. Then Selkis responded by attacking with the claws and at the same time she threw her poison from the tail. Emmanuel avoided the poison, but it was a fatal mistake because the demon grabbed him with both claws and squeezed him tightly.
«Aaah!» the boy cried out in pain, in the grip of her claws.
«Noo!» Diosmed shouted, who could not intervene to help him.
The others were unable to move, they were surrounded by too many enemies. An entire valley was full of demons that kept leaking out of the Hell Gate. Emmanuel with his last strength, despite the pain, took up the White Sword and pierced the abdomen of Selkis, who, since she had suffered damage to a paw, fell over and fell off the cliff together. Out of pain, the Scorpion left her grip and Emmanuel was free. The boy as he fell saw the horde of demons below them. He was falling, he would have crashed on her and the other demons.
At that moment he thought of Gilgamesh and summoned his Power of Light. He created a circle of white light with his right hand and inside he drew a six-pointed star.
«Seal of Solomon!» he shouted and pushed that light plot against Selkis and the demons in the valley.
The seal gave off a white light so strong, that Selkis and the neighboring demons disintegrated and all that Black Sea started to shrink. The Hell Gate was sealed and disappeared along with all the demons that had not yet been able to appear on the surface. The valley returned as before, but the demons that had reached Golgotha were still there.
«Watch! Emmanuel made it!» Diosmed exulted.
«Take this Naav!» Mohat said, raising his left fist to the sky.
The Pharaoh would have suffered because the Hell Gate was the source of his powers. The boys fought against the demons left on the mountain, while Emmanuel, thanks to his power, reached the ground through a beam of light and suffered no damage. The White Sword remained stuck in the ground, as Selkis had disappeared into thin air.
Shortly after that event, a large circle of twenty meters in diameter appeared from nowhere, on the ground close to Jerusalem. Inside, the Symbol of Naav was inscribed in red, which lit up so much that it formed a column of red light. From it appeared a gigantic creature. The earth trembled, some pieces of the walls of Jerusalem fell. The remaining demons trembled with fear and fled, they disappeared so quickly that Diosmed was shocked.
«An immensely powerful demon shows himself to us this time!» Mohat said, who saw him from afar.
«What is that thing?» Gabriel asked.
«Is him! The Behemot! One of the Seven Chief Demons! The one who dried up the entire Nile! It’s huge!» Tanya said.
