Horde of the Demon Priest (Demona Book 3)

by Megan A. Hepler

  Demona sat beside Felix in his car, their hands clasped together tightly. Kaleb sat in the back with Ileana and Kearne. Hannah had remained at Roost Haven to assist in preparing for their return. Only a few people remained at the base; mostly humans, women, children, the elderly, injured, and those who remained behind to guard the base.

  They were just outside of the section of the abandoned road when the motorcade pulled off onto an unmaintained gravel lot. The militia spilled out of the vehicles and gathered together waiting for their orders. Molony and the other faith healers remained at the RVs where they could assist any of the injured parties. Barty had also joined the team in case his expertise could be used against the horde. He remained with Molony by the RVs, where he could also assist in helping the injured.

  The large gathering waited as patiently as their nerves would allow, when many large black vans arrived carrying the TGHC members and their reinforcements. Demona had attempted to count the number of heads in the large crowd, between the GLC and TGHC. She lost count after reaching approximately two hundred and fifty and gave up trying to keep track of the crowd.

  Kaleb stood on a large boulder so that all could see him. “Before we get started I want to say a few words. Looking around, I see a vast number of people prepared to battle this evil. I want you to keep in mind that while there are fewer demons and possessed, than there are of us, it doesn’t give us the upper hand. It is going to take working together in small groups to eliminate a single threat. We saw how successful the small group was in Melville a few days ago, but we also saw how easy it was for the demons to gain control and isolate members of the group.

  “TGHC field-agents will be coming in from the north. Their reinforcements will be stationed to the west. GLC’s defenders will be to the south with their reinforcements to the east,” Kaleb continued. “The two main groups will move in simultaneously, leaving the reinforcements to take out any possessed or demons that attempt to flee. If things go badly you will be called to step in and fight along with the main groups.

  “Our goal is to first separate the demon priest from the rest of the horde. Everyone should be keeping an eye on these three people.” Kaleb pointed to Demona, Felix, and Kearne. “They are the key to defeating the demon priest. If you see a threat to them, eliminate it immediately. Once the demon priest has been destroyed it should break the hive mindset of the possessed and help us to finish them off.” Kaleb paused. “One more thing, I would expect that any outside demons will be called back here when the battle begins. They’ll return to protect their leader, so keep an eye on your backs as well.” Kaleb stepped down. Afterwards, he relinquished control to two of the highest ranking defenders sent by the Council. Their expertise would certainly be helpful, while Kaleb would be off defending the wielders.

  Before anything else could happen, Kerrick took the spot where Kaleb had been moments before. “My fellow TGHC coworkers, Darius wanted me to remind each of you that the GLC members are not to be harmed and are to be allowed to leave peacefully after battle. Darius will not be joining us, but asked that I remind each of you what punishment awaits if you disobey his orders.” Kerrick stepped down and gave leadership over the field-agents and the reinforcements to Agrippa, since he would be accompanying the artifact and the wielders.

  It was time to go to war.

  Agrippa led those under his command to the north and sent the others to the west. One of the high ranking defenders led a group to the east and another moved forward into position. A third small group made up of Demona, Felix, Kearne, Ileana, Kaleb, Kerrick, and a few others moved behind the main GLC troops.

  When everyone was in place, the signal was sent out to prepare their march on the horde. The GLC group in front of Demona moved forward. Within minutes sounds of battle could be heard ahead. There were clangs, blasts, shots, and screams as the defenders and field-agents beat back the possessed, clearing a path. Soon the sounds of chants were heard as defenders began reciting the words to exercise demons from their hosts and the witches uttered spells to aid in the process.

  Demona watched ahead in astonishment as the demons swirled throughout the chaos. Some knocked GLC and TGHC members to the ground as they sped past. Others solidified and attacked the forces, of the dark and light beings, using their powers. Demona caught a glimpse of the demon priest in serpent form as he reared high above the battle and his large serpentine body crashed down upon his enemies.

  The GLC defenders moved onward. Demona’s group inched their way in the same direction. Their wait to join in seemed to be taking an eternity. Her heart began to pound as adrenaline rushed through her body. Demona wished she could be part of the fight, but knew that her task was vital. The allied groups split the horde in two. They had formed lines to push the possessed back and leave an opening so that the key members could make their way towards the demon priest. GLC members fought side-by-side with TGHC members in an attempt to separate the two groups of possessed, those living and those that were dead.

  As their group made their way through now clear passage. Demona watched them hold the line as the demons and possessed pushed back in response. Occasionally, someone would lose their footing and the passage would be temporarily blocked, until they were able to reform the lines. She caught glimpses of people she knew, Salina stood gracefully as a possessed charged at her and she opened her mouth and spewed flaming liquid onto the possessed. Demona momentarily wondered if she would have a chance to catch a glimpse of her in dragon form.

  The farther through the passage they moved they found more and more fallen soldiers. Demona tried not to lose hope. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that the line had collapsed behind them. Persephone and Claudia were standing side by side forcing the possessed backwards. Persephone’s hand was outstretched and she cast an invisible force field against several of the possessed that attempted to hurl themselves forward. Claudia lunged forward and her head went from human to wolf form and her long sharp teeth took a bite out of one of the possessed’s shoulders. There was only one way to go, forward.

  Demona muttered a quick prayer to Aleph that would have been impossible for others to hear over the chaos. She prayed for strength, courage, and patience during battle and for the protection of her friends.

  Demona and her group continued forward. Soon she caught a glimpse of the demon priest ahead. It seemed that he had become more distant than the last time she had seen him among his enemies. Demona’s group continued to march forward through the split in the horde and they noticed that the fighting was beginning to thin out.

  “We must be getting closer to the other side of the horde,” Demona yelled to Felix.

  Felix nodded in response. He pointed ahead to open space.

  When the group broke through to the other side of the horde they found that a small group of field-agents had isolated the demon priest and continued to force him away from the horde. Demona was relieved to see that she would not have to worry about any interference from the mob of the possessed. Just before turning her mind off to focus solely on the demon priest, she caught a glimpse of Lobo Blake lunging into the air and transforming into wolf form.

  What the hell is he doing here? What would possibly possess Darius to release him? Has he gone mad?

  Lobo had been the werewolf that she and Kerrick had to apprehend on her first field-assignment as a field-agent with TGHC, the day she found out about her mageia. He was one of the most dangerous rogues that TGHC has ever had to deal with, and this particular werewolf almost got one over on Kerrick. Back before Demona was even a vampire, Lobo had killed Kerrick’s former partner and severely injured Kerrick. Darius had made it a point to make sure that Lobo was off the streets, but Demona could not figure out why he would release him to fight the demons. He may be a good fighter, but the threat that he posed, being out to run free, was not worth the risk.

  Demona was unable to spare Lobo anymore thought before what lie ahead demanded her undivided attention. Her small group continued fo
rward much more easily now that they had passed through the thick of the battle. Those that accompanied Demona, Felix, and Kearne formed a circle around them facing outwards, away from the wielders. Their job was now to defend the three from any outside attacks. The field-agents that were pushing the serpent back halted and instead held position in order to keep the demon priest from moving in any direction.

  Chapter 20:

  Death

  Demona dug into her jacket pocket for the artifact and pulled it out. Felix and Kearne gathered around her and they looked up into the diamond shaped eyes of the demon priest in his serpent form. They steadied themselves as Felix and Kearne placed a hand on the other sides of the object simultaneously. With each of the three wielders holding onto the artifact the etchings began to glow instantly under the grey sky. They once again returned their attention to the massive snake-like form and waited for the artifact to activate. They centered the artifact in front of the demon priest so that the light could reach outward towards its scaled body.

  Almost instantaneously they heard the hissing response from the demon as the light extended outward and touched the serpent’s underbelly. The demon priest thrashed around wildly as the artifact’s glow impacted his scaled belly, but the group that accompanied the wielders held him back. He flung his slender tail from side to side, while continuing to project his hissing scream. The artifact was clearly having an effect on him and he continued to writhe in agony as the glow from the artifact seemed to stretch farther in his direction.

  The field-agents and defenders that guarded Demona and the other two wielders scattered, as the demon priest continued thrashing and they tried to avoid his flailing serpentine body. The defenders and agents that had stood guard were now useless in protecting the trio of wielders from the serpent, which now reared into striking position.

  With their defenses weakened the demon saw his opening and lunged downward with his massive fangs. The trio leapt out of the way moments before the serpent’s attack. Their quick decisions allowed them to dodge the fangs that almost impaled them. As they leapt out of the way their bond with the artifact was momentarily broken and what little progress they had made became undone.

  Demona, Felix, and Kearne scrambled back to one another and hastily regained their hold on the artifact and prepared for it to works its magic. Just as the artifact began to glow once more three demons spiraled towards them from the wilderness that surrounded them. The defenders and field-agents that had accompanied them were now faced with a new challenge as they battled the demons, whether they were prepared for it or not.

  As the demons hurled their shapeless forms toward the wielders and their guardians, the demon priest slithered away to recover from the damage that the artifact had done. The guardians quickly dispelled the three demons and followed the demon priest. Demona, Felix, and Kearne followed their guardians closely as they made their way around towering Elephant Ear plants in search of the fleeing demon priest.

  The demon snake rose into the air and swayed from side to side. He was preparing to strike at the group from a long distance. The look in the demon’s yellow eyes made Demona certain that he would be able to clear the space without a problem. He flung himself forward and struck directly towards Demona, which sent her and the other two wielders sprawling out of its way as their guardians attempted to injure it.

  “We’ve got to find a way to keep him off of us, so we can get the artifact working again,” Felix shouted.

  Demona nodded and held out her hand. The elemental magic that flowed through the earth went to her freely and she commanded the ground to buckle. The asphalt under the snake seemed to ripple beneath it and suddenly cracks spread like an eggshell through the darkened surface. The tiny web-like cracks dropped into gaping holes in the ground. The demon priest’s reptilian form was unable to prevent itself from falling into the deep pits. He let out an ear piercing, screaming hiss as he struggled to slither back up the jagged broken earth.

  “You will fail!” Abd al-Malik yelled from within the cracked surface.

  Demona was not finished with him yet. From within the gaping pits in the asphalt, flames burst upwards above the ground. The demon priest hissed in agony as the fire scorched his thick scales. He coiled in pain and lunged out of the crevice in the surface. Smoke rose from the fiery pit as the smoldering serpent emerged. Demona sent one final ripple through the ground creating the asphalt to rise and fall. Large chunks splintered and fell into the pit creating a ring around the demon priest’s body. The flames decreased in size as molten lava flowed into the cracks. The serpent turned in circles searching for a way to escape, but found none.

  “We won’t fail in defeating you!” Demona replied.

  Felix and Kearne had rejoined Demona where she faced the seething demon priest. They each placed their hands once more onto the artifact and waited for it to exert its glowing light. The demon priest once again screamed with panic as the object began to work its way toward him. The glow from the etchings once again emanated beams of light that wrapped around the serpent’s scaly skin and he writhed in agony.

  Through the demon priest’s pain, he managed to barely speak. “You will…not…fail in defeating…me. Master will make…sure you fail in defeating…evil.”

  He’s talking about the prophecy!

  The wielders felt the power coursing through them. Abd al-Malik writhed as he was wrapped in the brilliant glow from the artifact. Suddenly the demon priest reared.

  “Shit, he’s going to fling himself over the cracks in the road,” Kearne said.

  “We have to stop him. If he gets away we may never get this close to finishing this as we are right now!” Demona yelled.

  They tried to think of a way to stop the demon from escaping, while they watched the serpent preparing itself to make the jump across the twenty foot lava filled gap to the clearing on the other side of the ring. Some of the field-agents and defenders that they had left behind to battle the horde now filed into the road around them when they saw what the demon priest was planning. The three wielders looked to see their friends Ileana, Kaleb, and even Kerrick were still among them. Ileana gave a relieved smile when she saw that Kearne was still alive and well. He returned her smile with a smug look when their eyes met.

  Upon seeing the newcomers, the serpent hesitated in his task to fling himself across the gap. It gave the group just enough time to resume their positions, only this time they walked around to the other side of the lava ring. They stood guard around the demon and blocked his path. He slithered in a circle looking for another escape route, but he was trapped. The delay in his escape provided enough time for the glowing light to completely envelope his body. Some of their guardians took their defensive positions around the three wielders and the artifact.

  The demon priest was still injured from his fall into the flaming pit and his blackened scales continued to smolder. Despite that, he still thrashed around with an abundance of energy that was supplied to him by the connection from his host to Aleph. Suddenly power surged through Demona and her cowielders. It seemed as if somehow the artifact had picked up on the demon priest’s connection and rerouted the energy flow to the artifact.

  Felix grinned. “It blocked the energy that was going to him!”

  They watched as the demon priest grew weary with the lack of an energy supply to sustain his manifestation as a giant serpent. Soon the snake curled in on itself on the ground and began to transform back into the form of the possessed priest. They watched as the artifact continued to envelope him in the light that wrapped around the priest’s body.

  “You will fail, Demona!” Abd al-Malik yelled. The demon priest’s head flung back. A scream echoed around them and a dark misty form burst from the priest’s mouth. The demon, now without its host, was not limited by a physical form. He charged at Demona in a last effort to take her powers. Instead, the artifact with all of its spiritual energy from Aleph now being channeled to it sucked the last bit of energy from the demon. Abd al
-Malik stopped in mid air and the mist scattered into wispy swirls and then dissipated all together.

  “He’s dead!” Demona shouted. A grin spread across her face with triumph. She used her elemental powers to reform the ground where the lava ring and cracked earth had once been.

  Their small group walked to the seemingly lifeless form of the priest. As they grew nearer they could hear his ragged breathing and gasps of air between coughs. Demona and Felix knelt beside the priest.

  The priest’s eyes were merely slits on his head. He barely had the energy to breathe. They noticed the priest’s mouth moved and Demona leaned down to hear his words.

  “Is it gone?” the priest asked in just barely a whisper.

  Demona nodded. “Yes, you can rest now.”

  The priest closed his eyes and entered into eternal rest.

  Demona watched as his chest stilled and he ceased to cough and gasp. “He’s with Aleph now.” She had a sense of sorrow for the loss of the priest, but joy that Abd al-Malik was no longer a threat. She sighed with relief, until she heard the sounds of battle still coming from the direction of the horde.