by Lynn Landes
“Hunter, I wish things were different. I wish I had met you first, but I will not lead you on. He is a part of my soul now. I can’t breathe without this need for him. I can’t give my heart to you because it is no longer mine.” Staring intently at him, she hopes she has not hurt him.
He smiles gently touches her cheek gently, “Thank you, Elsbeth, for the truth. I had a love once and she was my world. I never thought I would be able to find that again, but meeting you gives me hope for more. I think she would want that for me.”
“I believe she would too, Hunter. You deserve that. Okay then, when should we start?” She asks, stepping back from his embrace.
“Right now,” bending down to the ground, he unrolls the mat and Elsbeth stands back. Rolled up in the mat is the sacred tools needed to fight the demons. A large wooden stick lies in the center, with feathers of various shapes and colors hanging by leather strings tied with beads. There is a leather shoulder bag filled with various tools, stakes, a hammer and a lighter. Finally, a clear bag full of ancient tobacco and an old black pipe wrapped in a sacred cloth.
“When I am finished offering my prayer to the Great Spirit, I will go into the woods. Wait five minutes, and follow the path to the church. Do not run, Elsbeth. Fear fuels them. I will follow you in the trees along the path.”
From his position on the ground, Hunter lifts his hands to the sky. Raising his face to the moon, he begins to chant. Elsbeth stands quietly, somehow comforted by the rhythm of the words. Hunter stands and fills the pipe with the tobacco, then hangs the leather bag around his neck. He takes off at a run, not looking back at Elsbeth. As he rushes through the woods, he stops every eight feet and shoves a sharpened stake halfway into the ground. He has done this many times before, but never with so much to lose. The urge he feels to protect Elsbeth is strong. As he runs down the path in the woods, he creates a circle of protection using the stakes. Inside the church, the others are creating a spiritual circle, to protect them once they enter the circle.
Back at the beginning of the path, hidden in the trees, he watches as Elsbeth pauses at the entrance to the woods. When she looks back at the house, she hesitates for only a moment before taking a breath and stepping forward. Hunter lights the pipe and walks alongside her, puffing on the old tobacco and blowing smoke in every direction. Hating to leave her, but needing to follow tradition, he continues puffing out the smoke along the path of the stakes he drove into the ground. Soon the circle of protection has a layer of smoke hanging like fog in the night air. Coming full circle once more, he wraps the pipe carefully in the sacred black cloth and hurries to catch up to Elsbeth.
Elsbeth pauses at the entrance to the woods, and lifts her face to the stars above praying for courage. “Father, I ask for courage tonight because I seem to lack it. Help me stand before the threats to come. Give me the courage to fight against the demons and, against the darkness looming before me and the false lights, Strengthen me with your love and grace so I will know the difference, Grant me the courage to fight the fear and persevere, Until I am with you forever in heaven. Amen”
As she steps onto the path, Elsbeth takes a breath and starts her journey. Inside the house, Jake lies on the couch. As he leaves his physical body, his spirit is strong. He sees Elina waiting and they begin looking for the demons that will come. Existing in the spiritual plane is like walking among the heavens. Each glimmering light is a soul. Some are weak, blinking like a light bulb about to burn out while others flash bright like a shooting star. Those are the new lives being created. Elina is looking for a specific thread; golden threads indicate Watchers or Keepers. Her job is to find more and unite them for the battle to come. Elina spies a strong golden thread and decides to investigate. She sends a thought to Jake and tells him she will be back. In a blink, she is gone. Jake watches for Shadows that might attack.
The demons come drawn by the mark of the one who bares it. Slithering under the earth, they burrow beneath, following the scent that calls to them. Elsbeth picks up speed, sensing them closing in on her. Hidden in her pants leg is her gift from Elina, her small black dagger. Feeling the weight of it comforts her. She knows Hunter is with her, and as she walks, she sees the church ahead glowing like a beacon calling her. The call of a wolf breaks the silence of the night and Elsbeth’s heart stutters. An answering howl to her left causes her to break into a run, all around her the answering calls grow louder. Chills break out on her body and she begins to panic.
Elsbeth can see the church, and Polly waiting in the doorway calling to her. As she tries to take a step, the largest wolf Elsbeth has ever seen leaps in front of her. His glowing red eyes and long dripping fangs tells her, he is a demon wolf. She tries to sidestep him but the skinless, hairless canine stalks her emitting a low growl.
“Why is it always wolves?” Elsbeth groans. Leaping from the woods, eight more wolves join the first, and surround her. She freezes, unsure what to do.
A melody dances upon the night air as Hunter steps behind the leader, playing a flute. The beauty of the song fills the air, and the unholy glow of their eyes dims and they seem frozen, unable to move. Polly waves frantically for Elsbeth to come to her. She advances slowly through the pack, brandishing her dagger in front of her. Elsbeth is terrified as she maneuvers between two of the large beasts. Hunter nods at her in encouragement, giving her the courage to continue.
A rumble beneath her feet begins and the earth rolls like a wave, exploding open in front of her. Thrown to her knees, Elsbeth watches as serpent’s pour of the crevice, intent upon her as their target. The wolves explode into action, refusing to share their prey, and the war begins. Hunter begins fighting his way towards her.
Frantic to get to the church, Elsbeth crawls along, hoping to pass unseen. She screams when a demonic snake coils around her leg and drags her backwards. Elsbeth looks at the creature in horror. The large, reptilian demon has a bony, stone plate, which runs from the top of its eyeless head, to the tip of its tail. Rows of teeth with two large fangs appear as it hisses at Elsbeth, and she waits for it to strike. With a scream, she sinks her black blade into the snake’s tail, and earns her freedom. Her relief is only momentary, as it lunges at her, attempting to capture her again. Again, she screams and stabs at the snake, this time hitting a soft spot below the bony plate destroying the demon.
Free now she runs toward the haven of the church, pausing to look for Hunter. Another tremor occurs, and she watches as Hunter falls to the ground. Fighting off a wolf, Hunter does not see the serpent behind him, until it is too late. He fights, struggling to break free of its unholy embrace, as it coils it way up his body.
He watches Elsbeth pause, and he screams with the last of his breath, “NO, Get to the church!!!” but her only thought is to save him.
Jake watches from above as his sister turns from the path of safety, to help Hunter. Elsbeth’s aura glows golden, flashing like a beacon, attracting the demons in to her like moths to a flame. Jake drops down in spirit form, wishing he were in physical form. The moment the thought occurs, he physically transports. To his surprise, he finds that he is standing directly in the path of two large wolves, pursuing Elsbeth.
“Come on, then!” he screams, and visualizes a moat around Elsbeth as she reaches Hunter.
Elsbeth sinks her dagger to the hilt, and frees Hunter. She turns in shock, and watches Jake fighting two wolves. Jake uses his whip of energy to snag the leg of one wolf, lifting it into the air and slamming it hard into its partner. He uses the distraction to advance on the demons and kicks one over the edge of the moat. With a crack of his whip, he destroys the second demon. Breathing hard, he looks around and sees the chaos of snakes and wolves fighting over Elsbeth. She is the prize they all want. The reigning panic and chaos provide a distraction, so Hunter grabs Elsbeth’s hand, looking at Jake, and nods in thanks. Jake closes the earth in front of the couple and watches in relief as they run towards the church. In unison, the reptiles and canines all follow Elsbeth, ignoring Jake as he att
empts to stop them.
The snakes circle to the left and the wolves flow to the right effectively closing Hunter and Elsbeth inside. Surrounded on all sides, they can’t reach the church. Polly sees what is happening and steps outside chanting; “Earth as body become me, Air as life breathe through me, Fire as spirit consume me, Water as blood flow through me, Spirit as guide, lead me.”
Polly knows what to do by calling on the power of heaven; she calls down lightening and obliterates the snakes and wolves. Hunter covers Elsbeth’s body with his own, throwing her to the ground he protects her from the lighting raining down from the sky. As suddenly as they appeared, the snakes and wolves are gone. The night air clears as Ruby uses her gift to cleanse the woods with a soft breeze.
The couple looks up slowly at the Polly and Ruby with a new respect. Wrapped in each other’s arms, Hunter and Elsbeth look at each other and Hunter cups her cheek in his hand and asks, “Are you hurt?” With a nod of reassurance, they start to rise and Jake rushes past laughing.
“Polly, you have to teach me how you did that!” Jake wraps her in a hug, and squeezes her tightly. Elsbeth senses the evil before the others.
“Get inside quickly!!!” she yells. Forcefully, she pushes Jake and Polly inside, Hunter follows knowing to trust her instincts.
“He is coming now!” Elsbeth says shaking with fear. Hunter pulls her inside hoping his traps work to slow the creature down.
“Who is coming, Elsbeth?” Ruby asks. As they look through the broken windows, a massive demon walks slowly forward from the trees.
Illuminated by the red flame hovering above his clawed hand, he walks unhurried toward the run down church. He is a muscular creature with the body of man. He wears no weapons save one of his brother’s severed tentacles which he holds like a whip in his other clawed hand. Hairless he is burnished with red skin and rippled with muscles. He looks at the church with a grim smile on his bat like face. His black eyes are sunken deep into his face above slits where his nose should be. His ears are slanted like those of a bat and his teeth are like tiny razors.
“Elsbeth, save me the trouble of coming in after you and I will spare your family!” he roars to the sky.
She jumps in Hunter’s arms, and looks at the faces of those she has come to love. She will not sacrifice them to save herself.
“Elsbeth, he cannot cross the circle,” Polly tells her, hoping she is right. They form a circle around her, Hunter, Elsbeth, Ruby, Ronnie, Polly, and Jake join hands and Ronnie begins to pray.
“Asa sends his regards, Elsbeth. Do you miss him?” he asks laughing in a deep voice. A red flame erupts from his clawed hand, exploding like a bomb it crashes through the window of the church. Fire bursts against the back wall. Ruby quickly breaks away from the circle throwing water on the flames.
“I promise we will have fun together. Come out and play, little mouse!” he calls again. “You smell so good; I can taste you from here!” The demon laughs as another bomb explodes through what remains of the roof. Flames drop down on top of the people inside causing them to jump apart. When the demon closes in on the church, he walks into Hunter’s trap and screeches when the spikes are triggered. They fly out of the ground puncturing into his neck, legs and arms. He rips the spikes out of his body, and then tosses them on the ground.
“Surely you can do better than that!!” demon rages and detonates the church roof and windows with bomb after bomb of fireballs.
Backed into the four corners of the church, they hear the demon call for Elsbeth again. She freezes as she looks at the sanctuary around her burning in demonic flames. Hunter is speaking to her, Ruby and Ronnie are stomping out flames and Jake is helping Polly who was burned in the attack. Not seeing a way out, she steps forward.
“I will come to you.” Everyone freezes as Elsbeth makes a break for the door. She throws open the door and looks at the creature waiting for her. “Promise you will not hurt them.” Jake’s scream of rage is heard echoing through the night as Elsbeth steps out of the safety of the circle. The demon throws his head back in ecstasy, as he tastes her fear in the air. When she starts to walk towards him, he whips out the tentacle sinking its hooks into Elsbeth’s neck.
In her mind, Elsbeth hears Asa’s voice saying, “You are mine again!” Jerking her towards him, he laughs as she screams in agony. Hunter and Jake burst from the church as a holy beam of light shines on Elsbeth from above. Rocketing from the sky in a furious blaze, the Archangel Simeon detonates the earth beneath his feet. Raining debris, he slices off the arm of the demon attached to Elsbeth. As he pulls Elsbeth into the safety of his arms, his light brown eyes glare at the Keeper as she returns. Enraged, he leaps to the sky leaving those below to face their fate.
The poison seeps through her system and Elsbeth reaches up caressing his face in wonder. As she smiles, she surrenders to the blessed darkness again.
Elina watches stunned as the angel drops in and saves Elsbeth. She was just about to step in and destroy the demon when the angel came. “Malach,” she thinks, “I need your help. An angel just took Elsbeth. I think it was Simeon and I have no way of tracking them.” She trusts him to help her she turns back to the task at hand.
Hope fills Elinas soul as she drops down in front of Hunter and Jake. When she looks at the bleeding demon, she smiles before rendering him immobile. Yes, she thinks! This is what I was hoping for. Hunter screams for Elsbeth, and Elina looks at him saying, “He will not harm her. He came to save her Hunter. It will be okay. Help me get this thing inside.”
“Inside?” Jake says furious, “I’m going to kill him!” Jake moves forward.
“No! I need to question him Jake.” Elina says stopping him. “We need to know what he knows.” With a quick glance, she sees Ronnie and Ruby come out of the church. Ronnie moves to help Jake drag the demon inside.
“How will we tie it down?” Jake asks as they struggle to pull him inside the church. They drag his massive, bleeding form over the entrance of the church, they drop his bare muscular legs, and Hunter takes a closer look. It has the face of a bat, with pointy ears, sharp teeth and enormous muscular arm and legs.
“It smells awful!” Ruby says gasping for air.
Elina knows what she has to do would be best done alone. “Aunt Polly, I need you to take the others and go back to the house. We will have to figure out what to do about Elsbeth when I am finished here.” Polly gladly leads Ruby away, while Ronnie, Jake and Hunter stay to help.
“I am not leaving you alone with that thing.” Ronnie states.
She looks at Jake when she hears him say, “Don’t even think about it Elina!”
Throwing up her hands, she looks at Hunter, “You do not have to stay, Hunter. I can handle this on my own.”
Hunter looks at the thing that almost took Elsbeth; he wants to see what secrets it holds. “I think if anyone should be here, it should be me. After all, I will be going after the father of them all. Any insight I can get may help me defeat him.”
“Alright, let’s do this, then.” Jake says walking up to the monster and kicking him in the face. Elina releases her mind hold, keeping his body frozen. The demon growls at Jake, and smiles baring broken, bloody teeth. His pointy black tongue snakes out, licking the blood off his teeth and lips.
“Thank you, human.” Turning his now glowing red eyes on Elina, he smiles and says, “Hello Keeper. My father is on his way to meet you. Are you scared?”
Elina feels no pity or fear as she looks at the bloody demon. She wonders what that says about her, is she changing.
“No demon. I’m looking forward to it. Let’s stop that hemorrhaging, I want to keep you around for a while.” Lifting her right hand she creates a flame. Walking around the demon, she sends the fire over the bloody stump, searing the flesh closed. He does not scream but instead throws his head back, red eyes closed as if in pleasure. He arches his back groaning in ecstasy.
“Again, Keeper, Again!” stepping back, Elina shows no reaction. She is not quick enough to st
op Jake.
“Allow me!” he says disgusted and grabbing a large football sized rock, slams it into the burned stump. Roaring in pain, the demon arches again unable to move. “YES! More, human, more!” Chuckling loudly he smiles at Jake.
Unable to believe what he is seeing, Hunter pulls Jake back as they watch the demon’s body break out in a sweat.
“MMMMM, Yeeeess that was good.” He says moaning, “It is a pity Elsbeth is not here to join us, I was so looking forward to spending time with her! I was going to show her all the pleasure that pain can bring.”
Hunter releases Jake in a fury saying, “My turn.” He circles the beast he begins to chant, calling on the spirits of the sun. The darkness of the rundown church begins to glow softly at first, like the glow of a candle. Turning its massive head, he watches Hunter and his smile fades. The demon begins to struggle to break free. He cannot stand the brightness of the slowly emerging sun. Frantic he turns away from the searing heat of the sun to seek Elina. He asks desperately, “What do you want Keeper!”
“I need your mind, demon,” Elina says over the sound of Hunters chanting. “Your Father has a book which belongs to me. I want it back. Where is it?” The sacred sun begins to sizzle his skin and the demon begins to screech. Calling on his sons to aid him, he hears the sound of flapping wings fill the night as bats swarm overhead to block out Hunter’s sun. Screeching again, they dive straight at Hunter, forcing the group to defend themselves. The glow fades as Hunter dives to avoid the swarm. The bats can enter the protection of the circle, but not escape. One by one, they explode to dust, as they circle trying to escape the church.
Ronnie grabs one by its feet. Looking at it in horror, he holds the two foot long bat over top of the demon, dangling it.
“What are you doing?” Jake asks Ronnie.
“I may be able to get some answers from this thing. It has a swarm mentality; if nothing else, it will show us the location of their roost.” Jake jumps back, avoiding a claw from the creature as it tries to break free. Ronnie swings it smacking it on the wall, knocking it unconscious for the moment. “That’s how the Marines do it, PJ!” Ronnie says with a laugh.