The Demon Tamer

by user

  At every step the Behemot turned everything into desert, destroying everything in its path.

  «Soon let’s get down from here! We must escape!» Diosmed ordered.

  They descended from the height and rejoined with Emmanuel at the foot of Golgotha. The Behemot was a little over three hundred meters away.

  «What do we do now?» Shayla asked.

  «We must fight, we have no choice!» Mohat replied.

  «Who sent him here?» Emmanuel asked.

  «Naav. Its symbol sees everything. He understood that the Hell Gate was closed and sent him to destroy us!» Mohat explained.

  «Son of...» Diosmed said.

  «We have to escape!» Tanya suggested.

  «No, we cannot. He would destroy Jerusalem. I will fight!» Emmanuel replied, pulling out the sword stuck in the ground and his Power of Light enveloped him completely.

  «I will distract him, invent something!» Diosmed said, ready to fight.

  «Brothers of the Wind create the biggest tornado you can do. Emmanuel and you, Man of the Future, go with Diosmed!» Tanya ordered.

  The three went to the front lines, while Tanya and the two brothers created a tornado of wind and fire. The huge demon was approaching, it was thirty meters tall, its body was similar to that of a bison with a brown coat, it had four legs similar to those of an elephant and a gray mane that started from the neck and ended along the tail from the fan shape. His head resembled the hippopotamus, with large curved teeth, green eyes and two horns, golden and twisted, on either side of the head.

  «What would you like to do?» Gabriel asked.

  «Hit his legs and make him fall!» Diosmed answered.

  They threw themselves at the Behemot advancing towards them. Emmanuel and Gabriel stood on either side, while Diosmed stood in the middle. When the beast was very close to the three of them, he got up on two feet and knocked the front paws to the ground. A giant crack was created in the earth and the three jumped backwards. When the demon stopped, they took advantage of the break to hide behind rocks born of the crack he had created.

  «It’s not good at all!» Diosmed said.

  «We need to avoid getting near the city!» Emmanuel said insistently.

  «Then I’ll try to distract him, you attack one of his paws!» Diosmed said.

  They came out into the open, Diosmed ran as fast as he could and summoned the Power of Lightning, the Dragalòs was charged with green energy. He came before the Great Hippopotamus, charged with all the strength he had in his body and pierced his right front leg. Despite that power, the wound was not very deep and the Behemot responded by generating an earthquake with its legs, so strong that he launched Diosmed into the air. He took a flight of more than ten meters and fell to the ground. The damage was so strong that he spit out blood and lay on the ground breathless. Meanwhile, Gabriel wounded a finger on the left rear leg without success. The Behemot threw it into the air using the same paw and he too fell to the ground, unconscious. Emmanuel, on the other hand, began to climb on the right back paw.

  «It is the moment! Now!» Tanya said.

  «Tornado of Wind and Fire!» the three of them shouted together and hurled him towards the enemy.

  That tornado was as tall as the enemy, it incorporated the head and part of the body of the Behemot.

  «Grouuuh!» the Behemot raged with a rage that was so strong he swept the tornado away. He suffered damage to his face and body, but nothing mortal. The burns and wounds did not stop him.

  «Soon we are going to help others!» Tanya said.

  The three ran quickly, until they reached Diosmed who was lying on the ground.

  «It’s too strong...» Diosmed sighed.

  «Shii, don’t talk! Rest» Tanya said. She took some flasks out of her bag and started treating him.

  «Gabriel is there, but I don’t see Emmanuel!» Shayla said.

  The Behemot was about to reach those four, Mohat stood at the forefront to protect others. The earth trembled, the screams of the monster broke the eardrums.

  «Shraouuu» the Chief Demon shouted.

  The Behemot was about to reach them, when suddenly a flying object appeared, dividing the beast.

  «Dragon’s claw show your power!» Damian shouted.

  That scream was heard like an echo coming down from above. The Son of the Dragon held his new sword in his left hand, wrapped in dark energy, and with all his power he cut the left rear leg of the demon. The Great Hippopotamus staggered but did not fall, as he managed to stand on his feet using the other paws. Black blood escaped from the wound, the atrocious pain caused the Behemot to release all its dark force, causing an earthquake that destroyed another part of the walls of Jerusalem. Diosmed and the others were about to sink into the cracks, when the young hero, on board the flying carpet, saved the four friends and together they flew away, escaping the danger.

  «Damian! You’re back!» Diosmed.

  «Damian saved us!» Mohat said incredulously.

  «You had a rough time? Who’s this here?» Damian asked.

  They turned and noticed Gabriel unconscious behind them.

  «It’s a long story... Emmanuel has closed the Hell Gate and the Pharaoh has sent him, the Behemot, one of the Seven Chief Demons!» Tanya explained.

  «Your sword is fraught with darkness» Mohat noted, his eyes seeing that Damian’s darkness was in all his left half and extended along the sword, but it didn’t invade the right half.

  «It’s the Dark Power, I learned to control it. The dagger has become a sword, now I am one with every part of me and now it’s my turn to fight back!» Damian said vigorously.

  Damian quickly transported his friends to the walls of Jerusalem, then with his flying carpet he rushed into battle. The Behemot, despite having lost a leg, continued to advance and used the fan-shaped tail to balance itself. He opened his mouth and started shooting huge piles of earth towards Damian. They were powerful and precise shots, despite their enormous size. Damian, aboard the carpet, flew this way and that to avoid the masses of earth mixed with rocks that could be seen coming against.

  Meanwhile Emmanuel had managed to cling to the demon’s body, and after climbing he had come close to the Behemot’s neck. Damian saw the boy and for this he decided to distract the Great Hippopotamus, blindly trusting Emmanuel. On board the carpet, he dashed against the beast and with his right arm turned into that of a Blue Dragon, with scales resistant and sparkling claws, he grabbed the demon’s right horn and cut it with the Dragon’s Claw. The green eyes of the Behemot lit up and, with great anger, fired from the mouth a large quantity of black earth, equal to that of a mountain, against Damian who was struck and thrown away in that great valley outside the walls of Jerusalem. That was the perfect moment for Emmanuel, who, taking advantage of it, evoked his power and on the White Sword the words VRS lit up and with great force pierced the Behemot’s head.

  «Sharaaa!» the Great Demon cried.

  The beast, despite having the sword stuck in his head, kept moving. Then Emmanuel took from his bag the splinter he had found earlier.

  «Vexilla Regis Prodeunt!»

  He spoke those words with courage and struck the Behemot again with the Sacred Splinter. When the splinter pierced his head, the Great Hippopotamus exploded and became ash. The enormous explosion of energy was so strong that it blew trees and rocks into the air, and so powerful that it disintegrated all the demons in the city of Jerusalem and all those still hidden outside the walls. While Emmanuel was falling into the void, Damian’s carpet ran to his aid and saved him. Tanya and the others saw the great show and were shocked by what Emmanuel had done.

  The boy arrived on the walls thanks to the carpet and his friends rejoiced for him.

  «Hurray Emmanuel! Hurray Jerusalem!» they said in chorus.

  After that the carpet rushed into the void to save Damian from the rubble. Covered with soil, he climbed aboard and he also came to the turquoise-colored crenellated wal
ls.

  «You look good. Was the soil good?» Diosmed said jokingly.

  «Certainly it was for you!» Damian replied, then they laughed together.

  «We had rough time!» Shayla said.

  «And whenever they were good...» Tanya added with a sigh of relief.

  «Emmanuel, how did you do it?» Mohat asked.

  «I used the Sacred Splinter that I found on Golgotha and I pronounced the words my father taught me» the boy explained, tired but happy.

  They came down from the walls using stairs with rectangular steps, the flying carpet carried Gabriel still meaningless, while the others, even if with difficulty, reached the town square. Waiting for them were all the people of Jerusalem who threw flower petals and praised the saviors.

  «Thank you! Thank you for releasing us!» the people said.

  Aunt Magdalene and Shadim quickly ran to embrace Emmanuel.

  «You are safe! You don’t know how happy I am!» the aunt said.

  «And now we must celebrate!» Salakazula shouted.

  People began to bring great dishes for the saviors. A large banquet was set up in the main square, surrounded by palm trees, to celebrate. The Three Great Sages of the city, old men and skilled doctors, wearing blue linen tunics and a white miter on their heads, rushed to help the wounded. Damian had received damage to his back, ointments and bandages were placed on him, then he drank a bitter medicine. Diosmed instead had received damage to his legs and shoulders, he too was treated by the Great Sages and thanks to Tanya’s previous care he was soon able to recover. Gabriel fortunately had only small wounds, he woke up as soon as he was treated.

  «Where I am?» he said groggy in his fourteenth-century Italian.

  «In Jerusalem» Damian replied in the Language of the Gods and Gabriel understood it in his own language.

  «Did I come home?» he said in amazement, then stood up abruptly, but the Great Sages blocked him and made him lie down again.

  «No, you’re still in our age» Tanya replied.

  Tanya explained to Damian the story of the Man from the Future, while he took care of the commoners wounded by the earthquake and the rubble.

  «Time, what a mystery. I believe you. I cannot tell you who the Priest John is and I do not speak your language, but the Language of the Gods which allows those who speak with me to accept the message in own language, whether it be an ancient language or of the future. Thank you for helping my friends, now you’re free to go» Damian said.

  «I have to go there. Please help me! I don’t know your languages, I don’t know anything about this world. That cursed priest led me here by deception! I speak only a little Latin that my magister taught me and my native Italian language» Gabriel pleaded with suffering.

  Damian looked at Diosmed, who replied with approval.

  «All right then. Tanya later we will do the spell to teach everyone the language of the Gods» Damian said, and the girl nodded.

  The Son of the Dragon walked through the city and met Emmanuel with his family.

  «You saved us this time. Your sword has great powers» Damian said.

  «No, it was not the work of the sword. It is the work of this» Emmanuel replied, showing the wood splinter to those present.

  «And what would it be?» Shadim asked.

  «It is the Sacred Splinter of the cross of our Lord. I collected it on Calvary, I knew that this sacred place would give me something extraordinary. I hope that one day a beautiful church will be erected on that mountain!» Emmanuel said with joy.

  «How did you seal the Hell Gate?» Damian asked.

  «The Seal of Solomon. I copied it in my book from my father’s notes long ago. The idea came to me when I saw Gilgamesh seal Enkidu. I thought that this seal could have done the same thing, seal the evil and so it was!» Emmanuel replied.

  «Gilgamesh...» Damian laughed, pleased.

  «You are welcome in my house!» Magdalene said.

  The young heroes moved despite their injuries. Damian, who had bandages on his chest and arms, helped Diosmed walk to Shadim’s house. Once inside they sat at the table.

  «Before the festivities, we will teach the Language of the Gods to the two brothers and to Gabriel, who came from the future» Tanya said angrily.

  The girl invoked the magic words and then told Damian all that had happened, and he did the same, while the others listened.

  «The Pharaoh is very astute, his seal sees everything! That’s why he discovered our position in the village of Zikùr» Damian said.

  Shayla, looking at Damian, noticed something on his head. «Damian you have a white hair behind your right ear» the girl pointed out.

  Damian searched for it but couldn’t find it. Then Shadim handed him her small circular mirror and so the boy could see it at the level of the temporal bone, where the first white hair appears and when this happens, it means that time has really passed.

  «In fact, it’s like I’ve been on a 150-year journey» Damian said.

  «What? 150 years? You traveled through time! » Diosmed said incredulously.

  «The flying carpet was especially useful. Thanks!» Emmanuel interjected.

  «Son of the Dragon, you traveled in the past while he came here from the future. I don’t think this all happened by accident» Mohat said.

  “He is the Dragon. So lucky! I found him” Gabriel thought as he clutched his purple dagger, which vibrated in the vicinity of Damian.

  «Do you understand what we say?» Shayla asked him.

  «Yes» Gabriel answered.

  Magdalene and Shadim did not understand much, it was Emmanuel who translated them for them into Hebrew.

  «Tomorrow we’ll leave for Giza. The final battle is about to begin. We will also close the third gate and defeat Naav!» Damian said.

  «And we will save the Village Chiefs!» Mohat added.

  «Hey calm! I’m still hurt!» Diosmed complained.

  «Come on, the Great Sages have given you great care. I stocked up on medicines and potions from them. Rest will help you get back!» Tanya replied.

  «The Three Great Sages, now they will govern Jerusalem» Emmanuel said.

  «Magdalene! Shadim! Get out! There is a party!» Salakazula said, entering through the door. When he saw all those guys he was amazed. «Who are these here?» the man asked.

  «But how? You are already drunk!» Magdalene said, slapping him and the boys laughed.

  «I just don’t remember them...» Salakazula answered scratching his head.

  They went out and saw thousands of people and the whole city decorated with pink and yellow flowers. The victory of the heroes of Jerusalem was celebrated. There were tables laden with fish, fruit, wine and veal. Salakazula made his show among the people, everyone laughed and ate cheerfully. They danced together in the starlit night. They enjoyed that beautiful evening that passed quickly, like when the water in the desert evaporates to the Sun. Late at night, they went to sleep in a small two-story inn, made available specifically for them. Each had his own room and the bed with a wool mattress on the first floor. Very warm sheepskin blankets warmed them in the freezing night.

  When it was dawn, they woke up and went downstairs to have breakfast. They ate bread and drank goat’s milk in the inn’s main hall.

  «How are you going to travel to Giza?» Diosmed asked Damian.

  «We will use the flying carpet, it can take on large dimensions. We will all travel together at great speed!» the boy answered.

  «Let’s hope we don’t fall...» Tanya murmured.

  They thanked the commoners and went out. They found Shadim and Magdalene to welcome them.

  «Dear friends protect Emmanuel!» the aunt said, then handed Emmanuel a bracelet, «Wear it, it’s the “Hand of Fatima”, it will protect you»

  It was a silver bracelet with a particular symbol attached. A hand with the longest central fingers and the two at the shorter ends. At the center of the palm there was a large eye w
ith a black pupil. The aunt and cousin embraced him and then greeted the other boys, who returned the greeting.

  «Be careful!» Emmanuel said.

  «There’s Salakazula, he has a crush on Mom. He will protect us!» Shadim answered.

  Emmanuel and Shadim laughed together, then the boy joined his friends.

  «Stretched carpet!» Damian said and the flying carpet took four meters and three meters wide, so all seven managed to get on board. They sat cross-legged, while Damian stood right at the head of the rug.

  «Hold on tight! Carpet take us to Giza! Let’s go!» Damian shouted and they flew away.

  12

  The Egypt - The Pyramid of Naav

  «what is this sphere?» Diosmed said intrigued.

  He had noticed, at one corner of the carpet, a transparent sphere with a white light inside. He touched it and then tore it away. Suddenly a gray smoke enveloped the heroes and they found themselves on the ground, making a tumble in theatrical style.

  «What was it?» Mohat asked.

  «Diosmed! You always get us in trouble!» Tanya said, who had seen the scene, and gave him a slap.

  «But I just wanted to see the sphere!» Diosmed said embittered.

  «It was a magic sphere of Gilgamesh. The carpet has disappeared into thin air!» Damian said.

  «We are in Giza!» Shayla interrupted.

  «Look, the Nile is back as before!» Emmanuel exulted.

  On one side was the city of Giza, which stood on the western shore of the Nile river, while on the other was the necropolis with the pyramids. They had finally arrived at their destination.

  “Gilgamesh you knew everything and more!” Damian thought, with a smile on his lips.

  «Finally, we have arrived! Now we must infiltrate cautiously» Mohat suggested.

  «There is no need. He already knows we’re here» Damian objected.

  «The pyramids were not three? I see four of them!» Gabriel noted, looking at the necropolis.

  «Will the fourth pyramid be that of Naav?» Tanya guessed.

  From far away they could see the three pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure, along with the Great Sphinx. Then they saw the huge brilliant Pyramid of Naav, totally different from the others.