SOUL SNATCHERS

Chapter 14

Roland meticulously searched every corner of the adjacent room, desperately seeking his wife, Edna, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Edna!" he cried out, his grip on his son Julius tightening in fear.

With a mix of anticipation and trepidation, he retraced his steps back to the room where Asmodius had made his haunting presence known. The odor of sulfur and decaying flesh lingered, permeating the air with an unsettling heaviness. Roland's gaze fixated on the exploded TV screen, which had previously displayed the image of his former friend and comrade in their mutual struggle. This friend, once considered a prince of hell, now stirred a deep unease within him. Yet, the exploded TV screen no longer revealed that ominous entity, leaving Roland feeling even more unsettled and uncertain.

For a moment, Roland's mind appeared to separate from his physical self, overwhelmed by what he had witnessed in the room. His daughter's haunting tales of shadows and a hooded figure, along with memories of a man with a shattered helmet, flooded his thoughts. The room still carried the putrid odor sulfur and rotten flesh, a lingering sign of a malevolent presence. Roland couldn't deny that he had seen and felt these entities, and he was deeply troubled by the realization that his children might be the targets. The aggression he witnessed was unlike anything he had encountered before, leaving him to wonder if someone had summoned these dark beings. Now, his worst fears were beginning to consume him.

To confirm what he had witnessed, Roland closed his eyes and uttered words tremblingly from his lips. These were words that no mortal had ever heard before. His foremost concern was to ensure the safety of his family, particularly his children, in their current location. Even though it had been a significant amount of time since his last encounter with Asmodius, Roland still possessed the ability to communicate with the demon he had previously trapped in the depths of the abyss. However, he never anticipated the sight of Asmodius, now free from the very same abyss where Roland had once confined him.

Upon completing his prayers, Roland opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on the partially litted room. Gradually, he began to perceive eerie shadows forming near the bed. Among them was the familiar figure he had seen earlier on the dark TV screen. Roland's suspicions were confirmed; the ominous presence of darkness continued to linger in the room.

Unaware of the unfolding situation, Julius clung tightly to his father. Seeking solace and protection, he buried his face in his father's arms, apprehension flooding over him once again.

Within the shadows, Roland's gaze fell upon a face he knew all too well - a former friend and comrade. They had fought together during the war until their loyalties and beliefs tore them apart. The hooded figure sneered mockingly, his bald head shrouded in darkness. From within his hood, countless anguished souls pushed against the fabric, their screams echoing in Roland's mind. He stood frozen, torn between dismissing it all as mere imagination or accepting it as their dreaded nightmare. Without uttering a word, the man turned away from Roland and, along with the shadows, vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a dissipating cloud of black dust.

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Edna, her face etched with worry.

"What's going on?" she asked, her confusion evident as she glanced into the room. Julius cried out, running towards his mother at the sight of her.

"Oh, my sweetie, another nightmare?" Edna asked with concern, her voice laced with worry. She noticed her husband standing in front of the flat-screen TV, seemingly unaware of her presence.

"Hey! What's happening?” she inquired, wrinkling her nose at an unpleasant smell in the room. She searched for its source as her eyes darted around. Roland remained motionless unresponsive. "Should I call room service?" she asked, her attention still focused on her husband.