you”
A surge of energy hit the room, rocking me backward. The candle flames went sideways, incense smoke flattened on the ground in a spiral around the outer edge of the circle. This wasn’t typical. My breath caught in my throat before I managed to push the anxiety away and focus, pouring my energies into strengthening the perimeter. I shouldn’t have needed to do it, but something was wrong about the energy flowing into the circle.
I felt it, pressing against me, compressing my lungs to the point that I could barely breathe. One by one, the flames atop the black candles went out. The runes glowed bright white—the only light in the room. Dark as it was, I saw it. Smoke blacker than the darkness around me rose in a column from the floor, flowing outward only to be halted by the line of runes.
The pressure…it was as if an anvil were on my chest, as if the building had collapsed on top of me. I took tiny breathes, tried not to panic, and kept the circle intact. What was up with Vine? I’d seen him summoned twice before, witnessed three other demons being summoned, none of them ever appeared like this. And none of them ever put forth this amount of energy.
The black smoke coalesced into a bipedal shape. Eyes glowed like coals, blue flames around the edges. In the dim light of the apartment I could see the impressive horns rising from his head, the gnash of sharp, white teeth in a black snout. This wasn’t Vine. I’d copied the sigil accurately, summoned according to the most formal of methods. What in hell had responded to my summons?
“I respectfully request the presence of Vine. Any other demon is not welcome.”
That was a bit confrontational, especially given the type of runes and circle I’d cast, but I was getting scared. Where was Vine? Who was this demon and why had he responded? There were very specific rules concerning evocation and invocation and the dealing with celestial and infernal beings, and this flew in the face of all of them.
Vine is otherwise occupied, so I am here in his stead .
I fought back a wave of terror. Vine had never spoken. He’d always communicated his information either through dream or divination. Who was this?
Who is this Templar Knight who summons demons? Clearly your Order’s manifesto has taken an interesting turn.
Shit, shit, shit. I’d used an invocation, not an evocation because the Goetic demons were somewhat friendly and helpful. They responded best to polite respect, to offerings and requests. And they expected an open channel of energy with the mage. The circle I’d drawn was meant for balancing energies, not forcibly holding malignant spirits.
My mind was screaming a warning, but all I could do was focus every bit of my mental capabilities toward containing this being. I had an instinctive feeling this wasn’t a friendly or helpful demon.
“Thank you for attending, but your presence is not required. Depart to hell forthwith, not to return unless summoned anew.”
That was kind of the equivalent of saying “get the fuck out of here, please”. The response was a roar of power that knocked me backward. I lost focus. The runes dimmed, then darkened, plunging the entire apartment into blackness. Something cold brushed my side—icy cold, sharp pain, and then numbness.
“ T’voghnel anmijapes ,” I screamed, throwing all of my power into the banishment every Templar learned before they could walk.
The sound of small explosions all over my apartment had me curled in a ball, shielding my face. I felt the demon’s power like a vise on my head… and then nothing. I counted my breaths, waiting in case that metaphorical other shoe was about to drop. When I finally opened my eyes and rolled upright, the golden glow of a street light was streaming through a broken window into my apartment. Candle fragments, broken glass and wine were all over the floor. I got up and made my way to the light switch, careful to not step on any of the broken glass.
It was just
A surge of energy hit the room, rocking me backward. The candle flames went sideways, incense smoke flattened on the ground in a spiral around the outer edge of the circle. This wasn’t typical. My breath caught in my throat before I managed to push the anxiety away and focus, pouring my energies into strengthening the perimeter. I shouldn’t have needed to do it, but something was wrong about the energy flowing into the circle.
I felt it, pressing against me, compressing my lungs to the point that I could barely breathe. One by one, the flames atop the black candles went out. The runes glowed bright white—the only light in the room. Dark as it was, I saw it. Smoke blacker than the darkness around me rose in a column from the floor, flowing outward only to be halted by the line of runes.
The pressure…it was as if an anvil were on my chest, as if the building had collapsed on top of me. I took tiny breathes, tried not to panic, and kept the circle intact. What was up with Vine? I’d seen him summoned twice before, witnessed three other demons being summoned, none of them ever appeared like this. And none of them ever put forth this amount of energy.
The black smoke coalesced into a bipedal shape. Eyes glowed like coals, blue flames around the edges. In the dim light of the apartment I could see the impressive horns rising from his head, the gnash of sharp, white teeth in a black snout. This wasn’t Vine. I’d copied the sigil accurately, summoned according to the most formal of methods. What in hell had responded to my summons?
“I respectfully request the presence of Vine. Any other demon is not welcome.”
That was a bit confrontational, especially given the type of runes and circle I’d cast, but I was getting scared. Where was Vine? Who was this demon and why had he responded? There were very specific rules concerning evocation and invocation and the dealing with celestial and infernal beings, and this flew in the face of all of them.
Vine is otherwise occupied, so I am here in his stead .
I fought back a wave of terror. Vine had never spoken. He’d always communicated his information either through dream or divination. Who was this?
Who is this Templar Knight who summons demons? Clearly your Order’s manifesto has taken an interesting turn.
Shit, shit, shit. I’d used an invocation, not an evocation because the Goetic demons were somewhat friendly and helpful. They responded best to polite respect, to offerings and requests. And they expected an open channel of energy with the mage. The circle I’d drawn was meant for balancing energies, not forcibly holding malignant spirits.
My mind was screaming a warning, but all I could do was focus every bit of my mental capabilities toward containing this being. I had an instinctive feeling this wasn’t a friendly or helpful demon.
“Thank you for attending, but your presence is not required. Depart to hell forthwith, not to return unless summoned anew.”
That was kind of the equivalent of saying “get the fuck out of here, please”. The response was a roar of power that knocked me backward. I lost focus. The runes dimmed, then darkened, plunging the entire apartment into blackness. Something cold brushed my side—icy cold, sharp pain, and then numbness.
“ T’voghnel anmijapes ,” I screamed, throwing all of my power into the banishment every Templar learned before they could walk.
The sound of small explosions all over my apartment had me curled in a ball, shielding my face. I felt the demon’s power like a vise on my head… and then nothing. I counted my breaths, waiting in case that metaphorical other shoe was about to drop. When I finally opened my eyes and rolled upright, the golden glow of a street light was streaming through a broken window into my apartment. Candle fragments, broken glass and wine were all over the floor. I got up and made my way to the light switch, careful to not step on any of the broken glass.
It was just
Similar Books
