Of Kings and Demons (22 page)

Mathew fell asleep, overcame by fatigue. In his dreams he saw his father,
his sister and the dead grandparents who died tragically from the hands of the
familiars. When he woke, Mathew felt awashed with emotions. He was a wreck.

On one hand, images of an abducted Sarah
fanned the fires of angst in him, and on the other hand, the thought of unseen
Demons lying in ambush put ants into his pants.

With Sarah kidnapped barely a day after the
death of his grandparents, Mathew lingered on the edge of irrationality and
sensed himself sliding into sublimal rage. Rationality and prayers were no
longer sufficient to rein in the beast of anger that thirsted for revenge.

He was ready for combat, wars, and murder
and his vibes had alerted Maganus. The Angel walked over but Mathew preempted
him. “Save it, Maganus. Sympathy is not what I want. It is Sarah that matters.”

“That’s blunt.”

“I’m sorry,” Mathew regretted. “My rudeness
was uncalled for. Without you, we would be dead at the old parish.” Mathew then
lowered his voice. “Though I wish Granny had survived.”

Jin rode forward. “Anxiety and despair take root, and eventually anger
will grow in you, Mathew,” he said. “Therefore, I urge faith.”

“Guard against fear, Mathew. That is the
fountain of your negativity, all negativity,” Maganus reminded him.

“If Sarah is dead, I don’t want to
continue. Sarah was my anchor after my mother died. I thought of those summers
when we spent in the fields behind Grandaunt’s home. The tree-house we built together
and…once when we were lost, after wandering in the woods behind our estate, I
was worried she would cry. She was only six but she held my hand like an adult
would to a child and told me to take it easy.” Mathew’s face contorted. “I
cannot imagine anything terrible to happen to her. If anyone hurt her, I will
take his life!”

Maganus patted him on the shoulder.
“Mathew. Calm your fear like you would a wild monkey. Do not let it possess
you. Demons thrive on your fear and ...” Maganus raised his eyebrows. “It will
destroy you.”

Jin added, “Fear is like a serpent that
slides its way into your heart and it will strangle your soul and crush your
senses. Do pardon my forthright words.”

Mathew asked, “What is it?”

“Even if Sarah dies …” Jin said, letting
the words sink in. “You must live on. This war is about all of humanity, and
our mission is to keep you alive. You are not allowed to die.”

“Jin, I am only human.”

“After the demons found you, your choice
for a normal existence is no longer possible.” Jin explained.

Maganus added, “Summon the goodness as you
will with friends. You are capable of a miracle.”

“Miracle?” Mathew whispered. “If I could
create a miracle, nobody needs to die and Sarah is still with us.”

Maganus smiled. “You have not appreciated
the meaning of a miracle eventually.”

Mathew was puzzled as Maganus continued. “Miracles are special. They
happen for a special reason. They occur to special people. Only those possessed
the power of faith and clarity of thought can create a miracle. It is a
phenomenon that happens when that one audacious wish in your heart happens
because your will is so strong that obstacles get mowed down. Kings of Men have
that quality in them. Mathew, you might just be capable of that. All you need
to do is cultivate that thought and will. ”

“Wither not, my friend,” Jin added.

Mathew bit his lips. “Then let’s just move
on. We must reach our destination before darkness falls,”  

The group trudged on and as they moved
deeper into the woods, a heavy mist began to envelope them. Visibility dropped
significantly until they could not see beyond an extended hand. Darkness
descended but looked artificial, as if the light had been stolen.

Knowing such moments were ripe
opportunities for a Demons’ ambush, Father Bellator had prepared three fire
torches and handed one to Mathew. However, it was Jin who provided adequate
illumination. He raised his hand and rubbed the brooch ring on his right index finger.
A light shined through the ring, illuminating the distance ahead. But at that
moment, countless ravens dropped in a boisterous frenzy and accentuated the strangling
ambience of darkness.

Gradually, the woods thinned away to uneven
ground covered with balding trees and ugly branches. A thin mist drifted above
the ground, obscuring vision.

Mathew then spotted the castle, built at
the foot of high ground. He stopped and pointed. “Valmar?” he asked.

Maganus nodded. “Valmar.”

“It looks so out-of-place, so … it does not belong here and …” Mathew
struggled for words and Father Bellator completed his sentence. “So ugly?”

They nodded in unison.

“This is where they are keeping Sarah?”
Mathew asked.

“Yes, this is their playground,” Maganus
said.

The group continued on and as they neared, Mathew
inspected the ancient edifice. “It is actually magnificent,” he said. “Just
look at the sculptures and the beasts carved on the walls.”

He pointed to the elaborate figures—gargoyles, ogres, serpents, and evil
familiars of various forms.

“It is,” Maganus said. “They
were built by the best artisans of the age of

Renaissance. A bad thing the Demons commandeered it for their cause.” He
sighed, which drew a quip from Father Bellator.

“Mathew, you wouldn’t say that after you
see what is inside,” the priest said. “The sculptures that you see now
represent animals that belonged to the seven classes of beasts that make up
Lord Barbatos’s demonic armies—two classes of familiar spirits, one class of
troll, two classes of goblins, and two classes of demons. They are very nice as
just architecture, but when you actually encounter them, you wish they had
stayed just as they are now, decorative mantelpieces. ”

“I can imagine,” Mathew replied.

Maganus crossed his chest, then said, “They were once beautiful creatures
of God but they lost themselves in hubris and hatred. The Demons hijacked their
souls and immersed them in hatred and darkness.”

Jin dismounted and gave Mathew the final
word of caution. “Fear is your worst enemy and their best ally. Keep a pure
mind and unshakeable faith, these are the best swords to slain them. That is
the real blade of light against these elements of darkness and fear.”

Mathew repeated the line.

As the group neared the castle, Mathew’s
attention turned to the main doors, which were built to the height of the roof.
I could see an intriguing creature engraved on the wooden surface and he peered
at it intently. “What is it?” he asked,

“It is a Manticore,” Father Bellator said.
“Ever heard of that name?”

“I didn’t know they really exist. I had
read about them in fantasy books.”

“It is a hybrid composed of demons, part-man, part-lion, and part-time
scorpion with a fatal stinger as its tail. This demon is sustained upon the
soul of a dead but cruel human being.”

“A fearsome opponent, I guess.”

“It is Barbatos’s favourite. If you ever
get to see it … well, I hope that moment will not come,”

Jin said. “These creatures originated from the era of the ancient human
civilizations. They used to reside in the Ural Mountains, far beyond the reach
of the boldest man. Lucifer discovered these winged lions and stole a specimen.
In the depths of Hell, he raised them to be loyal servants of the demonic
cause. He took the evolution a step further by infusing the creatures with the
most ferocious souls, condemned to Hell, and produced the Manticores. These are
prized creatures given to Lucifer’s trusted generals.”

“Barbatos,” Maganus murmured to Bellator,
but within earshot of Mathew.

“Who is this Barbatos that you speak of in
whispers?” he asked.

“Wicked ears you have got,” Father Bellator
said. “A much-feared name that is seldom whispered of in the arena of Heaven
and Earth.”

“Pray, tell me more.” Mathew looked
intently at Maganus.

The Guardian of the Woods hesitated before narrating, “He is a powerful
leader of the Demons who carried the title of Duke of Demons. He is most likely
to be the man responsible for the misery of your family.

The words brought out rage in Mathew who
clenched a hand into a fist and punched the palm of the other.

“Barbatos commands legions of the demonic
army, a great manipulator of the emotions and thoughts of man. He has been our
greatest foe for centuries, an opponent that many Angels fear. His audacity,
cunning, and steadfast faith in the dark side has caused the demise of many
Angels.”

“I sense not just fear but a grudging sense
of admiration for him, Maganus,” Mathew said.

Maganus shrugged as he refilled the pipe. “He was once so golden, pure
and faithful. The soldier, the comrade you will feel proud to call your own. He
was so handsome and young, and…”

“And what?” Mathew asked.

“And we lost him. Lost him” Maganus
whispered as his eyebrows drooped. “We all have unpleasant memories of him. I
cannot explain further and it is plain pointless to reminiscence.”

“We should really worry about what he is
now, a highly regarded by Lucifer and the preferred executioner for schemes.”
Jin interrupted “Don’t underestimate Barbatos. Mathew, he has the capability to
destroy human civilization.” Jin enunciated. “
Entire civilizations
.”

His pipe relit, Maganus added, with eyes
shut in intense concentration. “He had inflicted such damage in the past that
it had changed the course of history. There were many civilizations that were
extinguished in their infancy and were never recorded in history. Victims of
betrayal, stupidity, and selfishness of man, the scheme of annihilation were
all orchestrated by Lord Barbatos.”

        “I wish I can meet him.” Mathew whispered.

        “You will get your chance.” Maganus winked “We should have sensed
his involvement in the events of the last three days. We thought the last
defeat, two hundred years ago, had him confined to the depths of Hell. We were
so wrong.” Maganus paused. “So naïve of us.”

        “The only thing I need is the truth behind his recent campaign of
attacks,” Jin said.

“You think he is going to invite us for
afternoon tea and then let us know about it?” Maganus puffed on his pipe.

Jin smiled. “We are already at his
mansion.”

“Good idea, maybe he would offer wine?”
Maganus teased.

“We are likely to first taste the blade of
his sword than sample his cup of wine,” Jin warned.

Maganus said with a shake of his head. “The Acerbas needs fresh victims.”

“You mentioned that before.” Mathew looked
to Jin.

“His sword, the Dark Soul—Acerbas. The weapon
was forged from a unique iron ore dug from Mount Arafat. It was a sword owned
by a famous general of the Byzantium empire, Belisarius and eventually landed
in the hands of Lucifer, who gave it Barbatos.”

“It has claimed the souls of many of our
warriors.” Jin added as the pair of Angels bowed their heads in silent
remembrance.

The Angels were shaken from their poignant
mood by sudden tremors.

“They had sense our presence,” Maganus said
and summoned his battleaxes.

Jin unsheathed his sword and Father Bellator raised his shotgun. Behind
them, the ground gave way, and willowy trees, dark and lifeless, begun to creep
towards them. The movement halted when a barricade had been formed across the
path they came by.

“There goes our option for withdrawal,” Maganus
said.

As the Angels assessed the situation, a movement caught Mathew’s eye. By
the entrance of the gates to the castle, he could see a figure. Mathew edged
closer and saw it was a small girl, dressed in white. He hadn’t realized the
doors were ajar.

He inched towards and whooped for joy.
“Sarah!”He sprinted towards her without second thoughts as the girl disappeared
behind the huge doors.

“Sarah! Don’t go!” Mathew’s shouted as he
sped through the opening between the doors. 

Father Bellator tried to catch Mathew, but
the boy outran him.

Maganus was alerted and Father Bellator explained. “I think Mathew was
bewitched. He was calling for Sarah.”

Jin’s bushy eyebrows rose in disbelief.
“Run after him!”

Maganus said to Jin, “You will stay
behind,” before headed into the castle.

        “I worry for Mathew. His willpower has been distorted,” Jin said.

“I will get him back” Maganus said and
palmed the golden cross at his neck.

Mathew stared down a hall that seemed to
roll as far as his eyes could see. Illuminating the space were countless wall
torches, spaced at regular intervals. The space and limitlessness lent an
ambience of secrecy. Mathew felt a chill wrapping his torso. A ting of regret
lingered in his heart as he realized his rashness.

He was all alone.

Mathew struggled to breathe, the air was thin, and his heart pounded
against his ribcage with a heavy rhythm. He paced down the hall and studied the
large, over-sized paintings lined the walls at regular intervals. They depicted
magnificent scenes of men in battle action, and of images of courage and glory,
in livid colours.

He was tempted to take a closer look but
remembered Sarah who was nowhere in sight. Mathew began to retrace his steps,
Maganus’s nags were ringing in his ears He heard the footsteps and quickly
unsheathed his sword with the other.

“Sarah? Sarah!”

He got no response. Further down the hall, the corridor narrowed and
under the dim light of a wall torch he saw a silhouette. It appeared to be a
girl standing next to the pillar, and there was a pair of stone statues by each
side of the corridor.

His heart pounded in his chest as he neared
the figure.

“Sarah! Are you alright?” Mathew cried out,
but the figure remained motionless. Fear began to creep up his throat, but he
kept up his steps until light fell on the figure’s face and he saw it was
Sarah.

She smiled at him. “Mathew.”

Mathew recognized the voice. “Good
gracious! Sarah! It’s you!”

Then he froze. The smile began to transform, drawing wider as the teeth
grew until they were like daggers. Mathew heard sound of skin stretching and
breaking. The Sarah-like figure’s ears also grew through the hair, becoming
long and pointed. The cherubic face crumbled into a mask of anger with a
greenish complexion.

A demonic Familiar imp!

A trap!

The demonic imp lunged at him and Mathew turned but the imp had already
got him by the right leg. It’s claws sank into the fabric of his pants and
Mathew could feel the sharp edge of the nails on his flesh. He kicked the imp
away. It released a sharp squeak before becoming motionless.

Mathew struggled to his feet and swiftly
hobbled down the corridor.

He looked for the main door? His heart pounded as he searched. Mathew
heard sounds of things, creaking and breaking. Beyond his wildest imagination,
the grotesque statues in various parts of the hall were coming to life.

The figures leapt from their pedestals and
flexed their long and sharp claws. Their eyes burnt like gems of fire as horns
sprouted on top of their heads and their wings sprung to their full length. The
cacophony of heart-wrenching shrills left him weak in the knees.

Mathew turned and ran without caring much
about his orientation. He was not sure whether he was retreating or advancing
deeper into the castle. He slipped and fell and turned to find murderous talons
inches away. He withdrew his limbs in time, and the talons hit the concrete
floor, shattering the tiles upon impact.

The other demon landed just yards away and
lunged at Mathew, its bulging arms extended.
I’m a goner,
he thought.

Then he heard a hissing sound and the Demon
was smashed to smithereens. There was a ring of light that spread over him and
Mathew soon realized Maganus had arrived.

It was Maganus’s battleaxe that hit the
Demon and it boomeranged back to the Guardian Angel. Maganus was heading for
him with Father Bellator close behind.Mathew had no time to cheer, however, as
the other Demon cuffed him by the collar. Mathew swung his Telum backward and
smashed the arm to bits of clay and Bellator’s shotgun took care of the rest.

Mathew turned to Maganus. “Glad you came.”

The Guardian Angel nodded. “Not the end
yet, my friend. Look behind you.”

Mathew did and saw the pieces of the shattered Demons rolling back into
their former selves. They had been resurrected and looked nastier, with their
powerful huge claws crackling.

Mathew shot Maganus a bewildered look as
the Angel stood passive, like a spectator. “Are you going to help?” Mathew
shouted.

The Guardian Angel shook his head.
“Matthew, before you fight them, I need to let you know that they are formed
from your vibes.”

“My vibes?”

“These demons belong to a class called the
Senium
.
When you are in Valmar, humans are trapped in the dimension of their emotional
world. Demons take the form from the vibes of humans. Hence only those purest
in their hearts will be unharmed. ”

“Senium?” Mathew asked as he engaged in
another round of sparring.

“Melancholy!
Senium
means
melancholy. These demons found strength in your vibes, and were resurrected
from their emotions.”

Father Bellator cried out, “Control your
emotions and forget your sorrows, especially your worries for your sister.”

“How do I do that?”

“You own those vibes. You know best!”
Maganus remarked wryly.     

Mathew shook his head.
I have to do this
on my own! How?

He ducked the swinging arm of one creature but was hit in the tummy by
the other. He waved his Telum to put the creatures at bay. He stepped back and
sucked in a deep breath. Then he did it again. He calmed.

The creatures hesitated, as if they waiting
for Mathew to make the next move.
Bellator was right, anxiety and worry have
clogged the depths of my subconscious.

“Think of something,” Father Bellator
shouted. “Think of someone. Think of …”

 The Demons began to creep towards Mathew. As perspiration streaked down
his temples, an idea bounced into Mathew’s mind.
Think of a King
. He
turned to Maganus and winked.

Then he shut his eyes and focused. The
sharp talons came within inches of his throat but stopped. Mathew opened his
eyes gradually, afraid to be confronted by the Demons. He was amazed to find
the ferocious creatures disintegrated. The pair of stone demons, which was a
moment earlier lusting for his blood, was now just a heap of dust. Harmless.
Mastering his emotions works!

“Good work” Magnus praised. “All demons feed
on the negative vibes of any human forms. They will haunt the owner of those
vibes until he dies. In Valmar, altered dimensions allow you to see these
demons. In real life, they are invisible to the human eye, but Seniums are
responsible for hijacking the souls of foolish men who died from suicides. The
only way to counter the influence of negative vibes is to calm those vibes with
faith.” Magnus explained.

Mathew remained amazed as he tried to calm
his pulse.

“Who were you of thinking anyway?” Maganus
asked as he looked at the heap of dust.

“Fear only fear itself—Roosevelt.” Mathew
said, and winked again.

#

Gwyneth circled the air in disbelief at the
impenetrable darkness of Castle Valmar, which sat like a cancerous tumour
consuming the essence of the natural forest. Her heart stirred again as she
grasped the true shape of Barbatos’s ambitions. The attack on the Kings was
just a prelude to a scheme to unleash the frightening forces of darkness on the
human race. It had happened in the past, during the Dark Ages, the horrific
One-Hundred Years War and two world wars, instances of the Demon army running
amok on Earth. The Demon’s presence might not be visible to humans, but their
invisible presence had infected mankind with the bloodlust to conquer, destroy,
and obliterate. Human civilization had been set back by centuries, and the
accompanying mind-boggling loss of human lives and property.

Valmar served as a portal to release the
hordes of Demons on Earth. Before the Demons could totally subvert the souls of
men, they had to control a key member of the human race, a potential King of
Men. Although such attempts had been rampant in the history of human
civilization, they did not always succeed. But once the Demons did take charge,
it will set on course a sequence of history-altering events that will fundamental
change the fate of mankind.

The entire human race could be polarized
along the lines of race, religion, and geopolitical interests. In place of
dialogue, communication, and cooperation there would be dark conspiracy and
seething hatred.

Barbatos has embarked on such a high-stake
venture?

After she landed on the rooftop of the castle, Gwyneth surveyed the
scene. A heavy fog hung over the structure like a canopy that hid the castle
from the outside world. The castle was a realm in itself, where the powers of
Demons are at their zenith, shielded from the dissipation into the realm of
humans. Angels will find it hard to exercise their powers.

As she forded into the realm of darkness,
Gwyneth sensed the lurking evil which rolled over her skin like a chill slime.
The White Angel tried to locate Maganus, or the presence of other Guardian
Angels with her sensory abilities but she felt nothing. Her natural ability to
sense a fellow angel was being eroded by the demonic cloud.

Gwyneth tried again. She knelt and
stretched her willowy hands, they were her feelers. She focused. There was
darkness initially, and then it dissipated, light fell on her and she could
glimpsed the interior. It was not instantly clear, but she detected a room and
a girl. The girl was beautiful as a rose and encased in a cocoon of light whose
strength flickered and soon faded away.

Gwyneth opened her eyes again. The girl is
Sarah Springs and Barbatos had captured her.

She must find her quick.

#

Eugene worried about the relative calm and ease at which the convoy had
reached Washington, D.C. They had encountered angry breaks of snow, which he
attributed to the mood changes of Lady Gwyneth. He worried but had no success
in communicating with her, or any of the other Guardian Angels.

Had something happened to the rest? Jin had
promised they would rendezvous or send news, but no tidings came.

“Eugene” Governor Walter asked.

“Governor?”

“You’ve been quiet.” The Governor’s voice
was crisp, free of worry.

“It has been a smooth ride. Too quiet…”

“The lull before the storm?”

Eugene swallowed. The governor was nonchalant, an equanimity that
impressed.

“Let it be and come what may.”

The governor and his entourage had just arrived at Capitol Hill in preparation
for his press conference. He had plans to make an announcement at the stairs of
Congress. However the environment was stifling with heavy security.

“We have to enter the building.” Eugene
murmured, his eyes scanning the environment.

“Do I just walk in?”

   Eugene nodded.

“What about you?”

“The security cannot see me. You head back
to the office. You should be safe there.”

The Governor nodded and headed up the
stairs. He stopped midway and turned around.

“Eugene, thank you.
The Angel was silent and then bowed “It has been an honour.”

“I could not have made this far without you.” Walter Johnson said with a
wink.

                                                         #

Jin sighed and patted his trusty companion, Dilu, on the shoulder. “I’d
be lost without you, old boy.”

The stallion sniggered and tossed its head
in response.

“It was wrong to let them go in,” Jin
continued as he eyed the castle.

He sat beside the horse and crossed his legs. As he meditated, a slight
chill crawled over him. Jin raised his head, a lock of hair falling over his
crumpled forehead.

Then it came. An alluring scent, pregnant
with dark seduction, curled around his nostrils with a melody of flute
accompaniment.

His eyelids became leaden, and he began to
witness kaleidoscopes of light, and images of Maganus and Mathew. Jin shut his
eyes, clasped his hands and prayed.

He had suffered from delusion? Angels
seldom suffered such mental distortion.
What is happening?

Jin tried to stand but found his limbs
welded to the ground. Creepers twined around his boots.
When did that
happen?

He sniffed a dose of the seductive
fragrance and realized a powerful spell has been cast. Only a Demon Lord has
those powers!

Movement on the grass heralded a new
arrival. Jin tried to turn his head but realized his reflexes had been locked.
He heard a familiar voice.

“Jin.” Her perfume assailed the Guardian Angel’s
nostril and he coughed.

“Seraphina!”

“My dear friend, I reside in your memory.”