Illumination

Chapter 7

The dangers of the demon are numerous. They seek to destroy, enslave, or corrupt everything around them. While nothing is truly safe from the touch of the demon, from the smallest of creatures to even the mightiest of mountains, it has been noted that the creatures of the Outer Darkness tend to seek out humans and their works, preferring to bring ruin to these above all others. This trait has been noted by numerous scholars and the reasons put forward as to why this is might be are as many as the stars in the sky. The most widely held theory however, is that demons are made from the echoes of horrific acts from eons past, the sins of mankind made manifest.

Alexander Markev, an excerpt from Excerpt from Mankind's Darkest Shadow: A Study of Demons and Their Ilk

Finding One's Conviction

Four bullets were left in the magazine of my Confessor and I could tell by the look on her face that Allana wasn't faring much better. We had taken refuge behind a large metal crates, in an attempt to stall the demon for as long as possible. Time it seemed, while a precious commodity in so many other situations, had now turned against us. Every second that dragged by was another one the demon could use to its advantage. It was wearing us down, forcing us to expend what little ammunition we had left in order to stay alive.

Allana peered around the corner of the crate “Praetus, I don't see it anymore. The demon has left. No, it didn't leave.” She corrected herself, swallowing the slight tremor in her voice “It's disappeared.”

A hunter who allowed a demon out of their sights was soon to end up dead or worse. Yet, I had made such a novice mistake, having spent too much time watching Allana. I knew if we were to stand any chance, I had to find the creature and fast.

I focused my mind, reaching out, desperate to find where the demon was hiding. While I was able to track someone by their heartbeat, the demon was a different matter. Lacking a pulse, I would have to locate the creature by the unholy energies it was composed of. I knew it couldn't have gone far, the taste of bile still hung in my mouth. I scanned the room, searching out that dark stain on reality.

It didn't take long.

“Saints alive! It's above us!”

Allana and I dove out of the way, each to a different side, as a set of fiendish claws tore into the spot where we had been moments before. It tore out chunks of the stone floor as a child might throw sand, laughing all the while.

The demon turned, fixing us with its unseeing gaze “Oh yess, wecan tassste itnow! That ssweet flavor of fear and helplesssnesss that comess from mortalss sssoveryoutmatched.” Like some great purple eel, its long serpent tongue darted in and out of its mouth, searching for its next meal. Then, with a shriek not of this realm, the demon lunged at me.

I fired off three shots at the thing's face in rapid succession, more in desperation to keep its mouth away from me, than from any hope I might hurt it. Though the first shot went wide, the second and third ones connected. Its neck snapped back, delaying it and buying me enough time to scramble to my feet.

“You still choossseto resssit? Your fate is alre-.”

The demon was cut short by a barrage to the back and head from Allana's .357 Benedictor. I gave a silent thanks to her for the distraction and used the time to put some much needed space between myself and the fiend, all the while keeping my gun at the ready.