CHAPTER I
The hut's interior was exactly as they had left it: the same stench defiled the air, and again Adelko found himself gagging on the foul atmosphere. The walls were daubed with dried faeces and blood; the young monk shuddered at the memory of the girl gouging strips of flesh off her body in a frenzy.
That had been three nights ago, when her condition was at its worst. He could not recall how many of the Redeemer's psalms it had taken to compel her back into bed on that occasion.
In the faint morning light peering through the single covered window Adelko could see her lying in bed, only her head discernible above the soiled blanket. In the half gloom it looked as though she were sleeping, though the novice knew that Gizel had not done that for a tenday now.
Only when his mentor lit the first tallow candle on the makeshift table near the entrance did the thing inside her show any sign of life. Hissing resentfully it forced the girl's head to look up at the two monks without moving the rest of her body.
The eyelids flicked open. Soulless orbs scrutinised the pair balefully. Her pupils were horribly dilated, the bloodshot whites flecked with an unnatural yellowish tinge. The suppurating skin on the girl's face began to twitch spasmodically, as though a thousand nervous tics suddenly consumed her morbid flesh.
Unperturbed, Adelko's mentor lit the second candle on the other side of the entrance. Turning to face the possessed girl, the adept brandished his circifix. It was a simple silver rood, depicting the Redeemer being broken on the Wheel – but there was power in such a thing, if wielded by a true initiate.
As it had done on previous occasions, the thing that was and was not Gizel flinched back, pulling up the dirty blanket to abjure the hated symbol.
With a deft movement of his other hand Adelko's mentor reached into the folds of his grey habit and produced a silver phial, flicking several drops at her green-tinged hand. A piteous cry escaped the girl as the drops burned her fingers, causing her to let go of the blanket. To Adelko's ears it sounded like an infant in pain, but he knew better than to fall for the deception.
Moving in swiftly, he presented his own circifix and before long the two monks had Gizel backed up against the wall, crouching feebly on the far end of the bed.
In a sonorous voice the adept began to recite the Psalm of Banishing: 'O Reus Almighty, in thy heavenly kingdom, we implore thee: grant thy humble servants the power to cast out this denizen of the Other Side! Palomedes, sacred Prophet and Redeemer, broken on the Wheel in mortal form for our salvation, grant us now the strength of mind to resist this chimera of wickedness! In thy name, and by the grace of the Unseen, let the servants of the Fallen One be driven from the mortal vale!'
The thing that was and was not Gizel squealed louder, writhing around on the filthy cot and trying in vain to block out the hated words. Flicking more drops at her, Adelko's mentor began to address the spirit directly.
'No more shall you torment this innocent creature of the earth! Release that which is not yours to own! The works of Abaddon shall melt before the burning zeal of the righteous, as tallow melts beneath the flame! The deceits of Sha'amiel shall be blown asunder as mist before a keen wind! Look on the Wheel, the unbroken circle of our faith, devil-spawn, and despair!'
Recognising his cue, Adelko stammered the appropriate response from his copy of The Holy Book Of Psalms And Scriptures.
'It is the power of the Redeemer that compels thee! His body was broken but through his death the Creed was born! The aegis of our faith shall turn aside the sword of Azazel!'
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Devil's Night Dawning
FantasyAs their kingdom erupts into civil war, two witch hunters struggle to identify a mystery warlock who seeks a power to rule realms. But with hired killers and a ravening demon on their trail, can they stay alive long enough to find him? When young no...
