Studies in Demonolgy: the complete series

by Nichols, TJ

  Everyone looked at Angus.

  “Chased by what? Look at that thing.”

  The third-year student laughed, but he fixed his gaze on Angus. There was no smile in his eyes. “That thing isn’t scared of anyone.”

  The school rugby shirt said his name was Erikson. Angus had seen him play. Angus didn’t watch the rugby games because he loved the sport. He liked watching the men in shorts. He suspected that many of the female spectators felt the same way.

  Angus frowned at Erikson—he couldn’t remember his first name since he wasn’t one of Angus’s tutors, which was a pity. Although right now Erikson was giving out a weird vibe. What that vibe meant, Angus had no idea—perhaps he secretly agreed with Angus, or perhaps he was trying to remember Angus’s name so he could report him.

  He returned his attention to the TV and the animal. The demon was in a strange place and wounded. It was probably running from the warlock who had opened the void and summoned it. Was it someone’s demon, or had a warlock demanded that their demon supply a sacrifice. How much control did a warlock really have over their demon? In Angus’s case it didn’t appear to be much. But then Saka was a mage.

  Most of the warlocks in his class had ended up with animals, not people. After being told all of his life that a demon was just a demon, separating them out into different groups should’ve been hard. However, his twenty-four-hour stay in Demonside had given him a glimpse into what it was really like. They were not that different than humans. They had families and they ate and drank and sang and bathed and followed the will of their leader.

  They also had heat and sinking rivers. Magic was part of their world naturally. Magic had to be brought here. Who was the wizard who had first stumbled onto demon magic?

  As he watched the reporter and the warlock talk, he realized that no one wanted the truth revealed here. The warlock was lying, and everyone in the room believed him. Angus glanced over his shoulder at Erikson. He wasn’t joining in the talk. Erikson looked at Angus, and in that moment Angus was sure that there was an understanding. Neither of them was buying what the college was selling.

  In Angus’s case he wasn’t supposed to remember. He shouldn’t question what was being broadcast unless he wanted people to start poking around in his head again. Which he didn’t. He looked away, determined not to make eye contact with Erikson again. Angus had to fit in, not stand out.

  Was there something wrong with him that he couldn’t accept what he was told as the truth? Did believing the words of a demon make him gullible and weak-minded? And worse he listened to the wizard underground? The warlocks painted the underground as a dangerous organization full of rogue warlocks and untrained wizards. If not for Jim, Angus would’ve never opened his eyes. If not for Saka, the truth would have remained hidden.

  The more he watched the news, the more he wanted to believe that the warlocks were right—there was clearly magic behind the warlock’s words or the broadcast. He fidgeted, not wanting to be even in the common room anymore. Logic twisted and turned like a leaf in the breeze. Who did he trust?

  Surely the body governing the use of demons and magic wouldn’t fabricate such lies? What would they gain? What would they lose?

  He rubbed the scar on his chest.

  The news topic changed to the thickening of the arctic sheets and the heavier than usual snowfall in northern Vinland.

  Around him the other warlocks were talking about the increase in the numbers of demons breaking through. He wanted to tell them that it wasn’t possible. That the void could only be opened from this side, but that would mean admitting to remembering his time in Demonside.

  Better to stay silent.

  He stared at the TV without seeing. Had he already said too much? He wanted to turn and glance at Erikson again, but resisted. He didn’t want to give the senior student any reason to remember him. He had to pretend to be an obedient warlock. But he also had to do something about what was happening. The student that had been taken and the rampaging demon were all connected. Trouble was he was a first-year student with a powerful demon he had no control over. No one would listen to him and take him seriously. Not even his fellow students.

  “Angus.” Someone snapped their finger in front of his face. “We’re going to get a drink unless you’re too scared to go outside.”

  There was laughter.

  “I’m not scared of demons.” He knew exactly what would happen to him in Demonside. It was the warlocks that he was worried about. He stood up. He needed to fit in and be one of them on the surface, even though his blood was churning and his mind was a dangerous storm full of bits of information, but not enough to make sense. As he left he stole one last look at Erikson. Erikson was watching him. There was no way he was going to forget Angus.

  Ellis had agreed to meet him, but meeting her wasn’t a simple process. Getting there had involved a car ride and a blindfold. He had no idea where he was, but he was acutely aware that if the Warlock College discovered he was fraternizing with the underground, they would throw him out before he could take the blindfold off.

  Someone pressed him into a chair, a soft armchair with cold leather that wanted to suck the heat out of him. The room smelled faintly of sandalwood and something else. There was talking, three maybe four people, but he couldn’t quite hear what they were saying.

  If they were talking about him, he hoped they were saying nice things.

  Someone cleared their throat. They were much closer now.

  There was a tug as they removed the blindfold.

  In front of him sat an older woman with stark white hair, wound loosely into a bun. She crossed her legs up on the chair and rested her hands on her knees. It was clear that she was a magic user of some power from the way she held herself and the aura around her.

  “I am Ellis. I’m not going to apologize for your treatment in getting here as it is necessary.”

  Angus nodded. Ellis had been to Demonside. The thought consumed him. This was someone who would understand what he knew… maybe knew more and be able to answer questions.

  Then he became aware of the demon in the room. A tall elegant demon with wings, a tail, and a snout, and yet it was obviously not an animal. It would be a dragon according to the official warlock books. They were supposed to be powerful, even though they were only a little taller than a man, scraping in at seven feet.

  “He looks young. Is he a child?” The dragon-demon drew closer. Why was there a demon here? Was the underground planning on sending him across the void again? If the underground didn’t like what he said, that was probably a reasonable expectation. He hadn’t realized how closely the underground was working with Demonside.

  Despite his curiosity he was starting to regret making contact with the underground. This was becoming dangerous. He didn’t like danger. He didn’t want to be mixed up in any of this. But that moment had passed when he’d summoned Saka.

  His dreams of a nice, normal life had been stolen when he’d started at Warlock College. Maybe even earlier, when his father had realized Angus had magic.

  He was in too deep to walk away. He wasn’t even sure that he’d be allowed to if he tried. The college wouldn’t let him go, and there was only one way he was getting free of Saka. Angus shivered and blamed the cool room, not the fear that was lodged in his stomach and twisting with every breath.

  There was no one else in the room now except Ellis and her demon. Angus tried to look relaxed, but he was worried. No one knew where he was, and he was putting his trust in people he didn’t know and who received a whole lot of bad press on a regular basis. He fidgeted while the demon and Ellis assessed him.

  “Angus, this is Guda. My demon,” Ellis said as though it were obvious.

  He blinked. Ellis had a demon. “You’re a warlock?”

  “I am. I work in the medical industry.”

  Angus was still processing that information. She was in the underground and a practicing warlock. And a doctor. For a moment he glimpsed a possible future
for himself.

  “They told you that you would not be able to speak of this meeting to anyone outside of this room?”

  “Yes.” He nodded too. He was getting very good at keeping secrets and lying. He didn’t want to be that person either, but he had little other choice.

  “It will be a magical binding. I have to protect my position.” She smiled. “I can do more work for the underground by continuing to be a warlock respected by the college. It is something you should consider—there are risks of course.”

  “I am aware.” It seemed, no matter what he did since his trip across the void, there were risks. Getting out of bed to go to school was a hazard. One wrong comment and people were looking at him funny. He hadn’t forgotten Terrance Erikson—he’d looked him up. But no one had come to speak to him so maybe the rugby player had said nothing. Which made the thing that had happened between them extra weird.

  “Good. Then tell me about Demonside as I’m sure it has changed since I was last there.”

  Guda snorted. “I can tell you that.”

  “I want to know what he remembers, and I want to know who his demon is.” She smiled again. It wasn’t any friendlier. It felt a lot like the retrieval squad was once again grilling him about his visit to Demonside.

  This time he was more cautious. “You aren’t going to make me forget?”

  “No… although I am curious about how you remembered.”

  Angus told her about Miniti and what she had done.

  He’d barely finished speaking when Guda spoke. “I know Miniti’s tribe well. Who is your demon?”

  “My demon is a mage, Saka.”

  Guda clapped her hands and purred as though thrilled. “Saka is a good man. A strong mage and very level. He will work with us. I vouch for him, and if he let Angus live, then we can trust Angus.”

  He relaxed a fraction. Getting the demon’s approval was obviously important—that and there was more to demon society than what he’d learned. Were there demons who would refuse to work with the underground? Who weren’t level? He was assuming that level meant something like cooperative, but he wasn’t going to ask for a definition.

  Ellis nodded her head. “No one gets out of Demonside untouched. You still have your soul… so tell me, Angus, was it blood or sex?”

  Angus swallowed as his face burned. His heart beat a little faster. He’d kept that a secret from the warlocks, and he didn’t want to be sharing it now. He went with the simple lie and opened his shirt to reveal the mark.

  Ellis and Guda studied it for a few seconds.

  “He signed his name,” Ellis said. “That isn’t the magic you participated in. Like I said every human in Demonside is used in a ritual. It’s why they leave us there for twenty-four hours.”

  Guda opened her mouth and laughed. “I know Saka, and I know why the young warlock is changing color.”

  Ellis gave a small chuckle. “Is it so hard to say you joined in sex magic…, or is your embarrassment because you enjoyed it?”

  “He should enjoy it; that’s the point.” Guda crossed her arms, her wings moving as though she was still silently laughing.

  “When I was in Demonside forty years ago, small rivers cut the red sand. Oasis weren’t rare, and small forests grew around them. It was very beautiful,” Ellis said. There was a touch of wistfulness in her voice.

  “Were you in a different part of Demonside?” The whole continent couldn’t be desert. He didn’t even know how many continents there were.

  “The sand now stretches from coast to coast. I talk to the mages in all the tribes, Angus. There are no surface rivers anymore.” Guda’s voice was soft.

  “Their world grows hotter while ours grows colder… coincidence? Where do you stand on the use of magic and the balancing of magic between the worlds?” Ellis leaned forward, her gaze piercing as though daring him to try to lie.

  He wasn’t that brave. “If Demonside dies, then there will be no more magic.”

  “That isn’t true. Wizards draw on nature and themselves. They can do sex magic.” Ellis dismissed his reasoning.

  Angus had to do better. “There will be no warlocks without demons, but if Demonside dies, will our world freeze over? The worlds need to be in balance. There is no need for the rivers to be sinking.”

  Ellis gave a harsh laugh. “No need. Just the desire of a few to want more power.”

  “They must know what is happening.” The warlocks at the top couldn’t be blind to the reality. Their demons must say something.

  “You would think, but if they know and they choose to ignore, then they are guilty of a greater crime—genocide of all demons,” Ellis said.

  “It’s not just the damage done to our world, Angus. There is anger among my people. They talk of going back to the old ways—of grabbing a herd of humans and using them in a ritual to balance. They blame the unwritten rules for this disaster. Your warlocks take too much. And for what? Why do they need so much magic? They suck their demons dry. Demons fear getting a warlock where once it was something to be proud of.” Guda spoke calmly, but there was a bite to her words. “When the level mages lose control, there will be trouble on both sides of the void.”

  Angus didn’t think the mages would be messing around with anything less than soul magic—and they would be going for quantity.

  “I’m only a student.” And not a very good one. “I didn’t even want to be a warlock, now I’m part of this mess. I don’t know what I can do.”

  Ellis smiled; her lips were narrow as she considered him. “There are others who walk this fine line, but we must move softly. We relay information to the underground but often do not act ourselves or draw attention.”

  “My friends knew who you were.” Her identity wasn’t that secret.

  She nodded. “They know a name. It is not my real one. You will remember my name, but little else.”

  “Who do I trust at the college?”

  “No one in power. They want to keep the lies watertight and educate young warlocks that demons are disposable.”

  “Do you know who is bringing the demons across to rampage?”

  “No… not yet. But we have suspicions. But there will only be one chance to act. The underground must get it right.”

  Angus glanced at Guda. “Would their demon not give the warlock up?”

  “Some of the most powerful warlocks have animals. They select them because they don’t argue and their large size contains a lot of energy. I would get no more sense from a scarlips than you would a cat.” She shrugged, her wings lifting in a shrug.

  “I didn’t choose Saka.”

  Ellis and Guda laughed.

  “Of course you didn’t. You wouldn’t know how. Saka chose you,” Guda said as if that should’ve been obvious. “The mages knew we needed a warlock. Saka’s previous one died, so he knew how to secure another.”

  “His warlock was killed by humans.” He hadn’t just died. Prickles ran down Angus’s spine. Would he be next?

  “His warlock wasn’t careful. Don’t make the same mistake, Angus. You cannot be seen with the underground.” Ellis’s voice was firm.

  “Then who can I talk to?” He couldn’t connect with the other warlocks in his class because they had swallowed the lies and were happy to be blind. He needed someone who understood. A tiny part of him wished he hadn’t remembered what had happened to him in Demonside. Then he could go back to quietly failing until the college kicked him out and his father left him alone. That was never going to happen now. He couldn’t walk away and live with the knowledge that Demonside was dying and would take the world as he knew it with it.

  “I will put someone in contact with you. A mentor, perhaps? You are struggling with some subjects, aren’t you?”

  Was there anything Ellis didn’t know about him? He nodded.

  “Good, then. Our meeting is done. I shall erase it.” Ellis stood up and walked over to him. “Don’t worry. I’m not a hack like the retrieval squad. There will be no echoes or headache
s.”

  He shrank back into the chair. “I’m just getting really wary of people messing with my mind—it can’t be safe.”

  “It’s not. If it is done too many times, people develop holes in their memories. I have seen it too many times.” Ellis didn’t seem particularly worried.

  “Punch too many holes in a cloth and it falls apart,” Guda added unhelpfully.

  “Can you not touch my mind?”

  Ellis considered him for a moment. “It would be easier for you if I do. You already have to keep your knowledge of Demonside a secret. You know how the warlocks deal with traitors?”

  Angus nodded. “They send them to Demonside to balance the magic.”

  “They know it needs balancing, but I don’t think that they realize the scale. After all they have never been there.” Guda bared her teeth.

  “We do the same, Angus. People who betray us are sent across the void. The criminals on death row… sent across the void.”

  That was common knowledge, but the media made it seem as though the demons demanded humans. As though human sacrifice was what kept the demons from crossing the void and killing them all.

  “Even if they appear in the desert alone, their death still helps Demonside?”

  Guda nodded. “Much less effective than a ritual.”

  The interaction between the two worlds was more complex than Angus had thought. Those in power were either willfully ignorant or gleefully corrupt.

  How many were involved?

  “I will remove only my image from your mind.” She didn’t give him a chance to disagree. She placed her hands on either side of his temple. “Close your eyes.”

  He couldn’t resist as his eyelids became heavy.

  Then he couldn’t remember what the person he’d been talking to looked like. And while he thought that there had been a demon in the room, he couldn’t be sure. He tried to recall exactly what had been said, but couldn’t. With his eyes still unable to open, a hood was placed over his head. It was only once he was escorted from the room that he was able to force his eyes open. Not that it mattered since all he could see was black.