The Artifact of Dissium (Demona Book 2) (6 page)

Demona and Felix leaned against a wooden fence. Benen climbed the fence and teetered on the top board as he watched the action. The three of them cheered as the two leather armor clad men parried back and forth.

Demona recognized their movements were similar to what she had been taught by Kerrick not that long ago. She bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to focus on something other than those painful memories. Soon, the men had tired and they cleared the field. Demona hopped over the fence and grabbed a practice sword from a barrel.

Felix looked at her in surprise and hopped over the fence to join her. “Alright warrior princess, teach me a few moves.”

“Are you going to fight?” Benen asked.

“That’s the idea,” Felix said. After picking a sword of his own, he joined Demona in the center of the field. She stood in the position that Kerrick had once taught her. The memory again burned in her mind. She pushed the thought away. She had wanted to train with Felix and was excited to finally have that chance.

“Don’t hurt her Felix,” Benen said. He shook a finger in Felix’s direction.

Demona raised the practice sword and watched Felix mirror her position. “Pretty good.”

“I trained with a staff remember,” Felix replied. He twirled the sword in his hands.

Demona raised her eyebrow. “Impressive.”

“Awesome!” Benen shook his fists in the air with excitement.

Felix grinned, “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

They slowly approached one another almost as if they were both afraid to be the first to attack. Demona took the chance of swinging her sword, but Felix blocked. Demona stepped backwards to decide on her next move, but Felix approached and swung his sword in her direction. This time she instinctively blocked.

Felix grinned and made Demona momentarily falter with his playful look. Before she knew what was happening Felix’s sword was coming down on her, but she quickly recovered and blocked once more.

“You’ve got great reflexes,” Felix said.

“Okay, since you are obviously a natural at this, let’s take it up a step.”

Demona swung at Felix and their swords clanged together. She sliced at him and he blocked. She blocked his advances and allowed herself to get lost in the motions. Felix’s sword struck lower and she jumped over the blade landing perfectly on her feet. She quickly struck at Felix, while he was marveling at her maneuvers.

“Whoa!” Benen yelled from the sidelines.

Felix rubbed the sore spot. “Oww! That hurt.”

Demona smiled. “Poor baby.”

Benen chuckled at their banter. “Yeah, big baby!”

They resumed sparing and danced around the field. Felix managed to strike Demona’s side with his dulled wooden sword. Demona’s skin rippled with the impact. Her
kataphraktos
took on its metallic scaled texture to protect her from anymore harm. Benen and Felix both stared at her in amazement.

“One of the perks I still have from being a TGHC field agent,” Demona said.

“Amazing. That’s some perk,” Felix said.

They slashed and parried at one another. Felix landed a few more blows, but Demona did the same. They were both panting before long and took a moment to catch their breath. Their eyes met and they smiled at one another.

“Your staff training must have been really good, because I had trouble keeping up,” Demona said.

Felix glanced at the sun. “We better get back to the Gleann Tower. Molony is expecting us.”

“That was cool!” Benen said. He tugged on Felix’s shirt and looked up at him bashfully. “Will you teach me to fight?”

“Sure kid, but you need to wait till you get a little bigger,” Felix said.

Benen looked down disappointedly.

Demona watched the guilt cross over Felix’s face for turning the young boy down.

“You know, you can always start practicing on your own until then. If you look for a nice thick stick and hold it just above the end. Then, you can start practicing by hitting trees with it.”

Benen still looked slightly disappointed, but he seemed thrilled with this new idea.               Demona thought she saw a mischievous smile cross his lips. She could only imagine what ideas had just popped into the boy’s head.
That’s not going to end well.

“Come on kid, we’ve got to get back to Gleann Tower. You coming with us?” Felix asked.

Benen nodded his head while chewing on his upper lip. Instead of running ahead of them this time he tagged along behind Demona and Felix. They walked in silence for a while.

“Are you his girlfriend?” Benen asked.

Felix snorted.

Demona elbowed Felix. “No, I’m not his girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Benen grew quiet. “You’re pretty.”

Felix looked over his shoulder. “I know, man. That’s what I keep saying.”

Demona looked towards the modest houses as they walked past. She hid her face from the two charmers and silently blushed.

Chapter 6:

The Council

Demona, Felix, and Benen approached the tower to find Molony
patiently waiting outside the thick wooden doors. The three dodged people as they rushed in all directions heading down different docks. The docks seemed to spoke off of the rounded platform around the tower. Finally, they made their way through the crowd and joined Molony, with Benen close behind.

“What have you three been up to?” Molony asked.

“We found the practice field,” Felix replied.

“Ah. Well, the Council is ready to hear us now. Benen, why don’t you run along and tell Oakley that he should be there for the meeting.”

“Yes, sir!” Benen said. He ran in the direction of the guard towers.

Molony turned and pushed against one of the oak doors with all of his might. The heavy door slowly swung open to reveal a much larger room than Demona had anticipated. The room was circular like the tower, but was lined with shelves. Scrolls and leather bound books filled each shelf to the point that they were over flowing. Centered among the room were several display cases that held perfectly preserved manuscripts. Many of them had been elaborately decorated with pictures and fancy lettering.

“Illuminated manuscripts,” Molony said.

A few tables and chairs were scattered about the room. Several people were situated in the seats. They seemed to be intently studying the antique documents. Other people stood at the shelves searching for something in particular. It reminded Demona of the library she once visited in Terra Hollow.

Along the side of the room was the entrance to a stone spiral staircase. It wound both to the floors above and below and wrapped around the supporting exterior walls. Molony began walking up the stairs. Demona and Felix followed Molony upwards. A breeze swept over Demona and a pair of barely visible wings fluttered past her.

“Don’t mind the fairies. They just enjoy mocking us bipeds when they get the chance,” Molony said. He glanced upwards. “She’s probably already at the top of the tower by now.”

“Mona, why don’t you whip up a whirlwind and have it carry us the rest of the way up?” Felix said.

“You would love that, wouldn’t you?” Demona replied.

They continued to climb up the tower stairs passing floors filled with many wondrous things. The floor directly above the first was filled with more shelves upon shelves of documents. The third had even more display cases, and wooden benches lined the whole room. Demona had counted to the one thousandth step and stopped at another floor.

Molony was bent over and held himself up as his hands rested on his knees. He breathed several deep breaths and looked up the flight of stairs once more. “We’re….almost…there.” Molony struggled to catch his breath.

Demona peeked out the narrow slit of a window, in the stone wall at the scenery. The mountain peak was still much higher than they had traveled up in Gleann Tower. The overcast sky darkened the valley below. Demona watched as clouds passed not too far from the tower’s peak.

Demona turned to find that the floor they now stood on contained a centered circular room, with small offices around the outside wall. Some chairs sat nearby and a desk was placed up against the wall where a woman worked busily at her desk. A few people waited, while men and women in white robes exited the offices and called names.

They ascended the stairs once more and emerged at the topmost level, where it seemed as if they had met the sky. The ceiling above was nothing but clouds and patches of blue sky. They were only separated by a sparkling film that looked as if it floated in the air.

Molony moved to stand beside Demona and Felix, while they marveled at the shimmering substance. “We call this the Sky Level. It’s a force field. Some of the beings in GLC are equally as powerful as those among TGHC. This wall, while made of magic, serves not only to protect us from the weather, but would prevent any form of physical or magical penetration.”

“But outside it looks like there is a peak and everything,” Demona said.

Molony nodded. “What you see outside is an illusion. It is all part of the magic intertwined with the force field.”

After Demona was able to tear her eyes away from the sparkling wall, she glanced around the room. There were auditorium seats lined along the curve of the wall on one side of the room. On the other there was a series of three raised platforms. Demona counted seven podiums staggered on the platforms. One was positioned at the top platform, two on the one below and four on the bottom.

Demona spotted a couple of fairies seated around the room among the other light beings. They fluttered their wings, with veins that ran through the translucent material, as they talked to those around them. Demona and the rest of her group found seats and waited for the meeting to begin. Demona stared at the podiums across the room and waited anxiously.

Masses of people began filing into the room from the spiral stairway and the seats began to fill in around them. Soon, several very old and wise looking men and women entered from the stairway. Each of them wore flowing robes made of white silk. They approached the three platforms and took their designated places behind the podiums.

The room grew quiet and still as all eyes turned towards the elders.

The woman that was seated at the highest elevated podium began to speak. “We begin this council with news from the outside world.” She paused and her eyes scanned the stadium seats across from her, until they rested on Molony. “We have grave news about one of Constantine Caro’s prophecies becoming fulfilled.”

The intimidating old woman paused. Her demeanor demanded respect and attention. Her dark mid length hair was streaked with grays and whites. A murmur echoed through the room. The elder folded her hands upon the podium before her and she waited a moment longer. Demona watched as all members of the audience whispered to one another in disbelief.

The murmurs dwindled slowly and the woman dared to speak again. “An afreet has possessed a priest, one of our ordained.”

Gasps rose from the mouths of those seated around them. Women covered their mouths with their hands in shock and some of the men seemed to straighten up to prove their fearlessness. The voices of those in attendance were now rising far above a whisper.

“Hush!” one of the other elders yelled.

The council leader waited for the room to settle before continuing with her speech. “We have guests here to tell us about the situation in our northeast headquarters. I ask that you all direct your attention to Alistair Molony and hear him speak.”

Molony stood and went to stand in the center of the room. He pivoted in place to take in his whole audience. “Thank you, Madam Elder. I am Alistair Molony, as many of you know. We have recently had a unique situation occur. One of our local volunteers, a priest, was possessed by an afreet demon several weeks ago. We have been working with what resources we have to determine the best course of action.

“Along with this unique situation, several other strange events have been taking place. The demon that has taken possession of the priest calls himself Abd al-Malik,” Molony said, “This vile creature has broken into the TGHC headquarters and released all of the demons that had been held captive inside the demon vault. Our town has been overrun with demonic activity.”

Everyone in the audience hung on Molony’s every word. Several people inched closer to the edge of their seats as they listened to the disturbing details.

Molony pivoted in position to look into the eyes of more of his listeners. “During the escape from the TGHC prison, this demon attempted to drain the power from one of the vampires in TGHC. This vampire’s name is Demona Brennan.”

“Good, let them steal their power!” A man yelled.

“Are you crazy? That thing has enough power to kill us all.” A woman retorted.

A man stood. “What are you talking about?”

“The priest was connected to
Aleph
. He has great power,” the woman replied.

“Quiet!” Madam Elder shouted. “You are correct. These events are very worrisome and need our full attention before the situation becomes out of hand.”

Molony nodded and turned his attention to the man who was in disbelief of the demon’s power. “I can sympathize with your opinion, sir. However, this vampire is unlike any dark being to ever exist.”

“Please explain,” a male elder said.

Molony turned back to the elders. “This vampire possesses elemental power—”

“Impossible!” a fairy shouted from behind Demona.

A woman rose from her seat with clasped hands. “Is it the
Tzadekas
?”

“Do you have proof of the existence of such a being?” one of the other elders asked.

Molony looked at Demona. “I have brought the proof to you today. Demona, please come forward.”

I guess it’s show time
? Demona stood and walked to meet Molony in the center of the room. All eyes focused on her with intent curiosity. She looked up at the curious faces.

“Demona, would you please provide us with a demonstration?” Molony asked. “I ask that you all refrain from using your own abilities, so that we may prove the legitimacy of her
mageia
.”

Demona could feel the weight of the situation on her shoulders, but she closed her eyes to escape the stares and shut out all thought from her mind. She felt for the energy within her. Sounds of shock and awe ricocheted off of the shimmering walls and into her eardrums. Demona opened her eyes to see the sentiments of the voices reflected on their faces.

Then, the snowflakes began to fall lower and the GLC members looked on in wonder. Some stuck their hands out to touch the flakes that floated in the air in order to confirm what their eyes were seeing. The audience was convinced. The curious looks grew more interested, but others seemed more fearful.

“This is something the Council will need to discuss at length, after the adjournment,” Madam Elder said.

“Thank you, Demona. You can go sit down,” Molony said. He turned his attention back to the audience. “The demon priest has formed an army out of the lesser demons that he helped to escape. The situation in our town grows worse by the day. No being is safe!

“We have had reports that they are attacking not only humans, but dark, light, and neutral beings too. We have been successful in preventing any possessions, at this point, but it has been very difficult. We have had our team out at all hours of the day and night, and they grow weary of the constant battle. We need support.

“Ezekiel Holmes and I have been attempting to find a solution to put an end to the growing danger. We have been reviewing Constantine’s journals and found a reference to an artifact that will stop the flow of power from
Aleph
to the possessed. We have come here to seek further information on this referenced artifact.”

Several members of the audience murmured and nodded.

“In light of the situation, the Council has agreed that we shall send volunteers to the northeast outpost to assist the current members as they continue to fight this demon,” Madam Elder said. “We would like volunteers for healing and defense to report to Molony following this meeting. We also ask that any available scholars begin searching through the records immediately, for any reference to this artifact. We suggest that you look through all documents written prior to Constantine’s writings.”

Molony looked at the elders respectfully. “If I could, I have one more thing I think needs to be addressed.”

“Proceed,” Madam Elder said.

“Thank you,” Molony bowed to the elders. “We are attempting to form a temporary alliance with TGHC. Demona is a former field agent and has agreed to work as liaison between our two groups. We are currently awaiting an answer from Darius Grier himself.”