Of Demons & Corbanites

The reunion was tearful, joyous. They had no sooner rode up to the house before Anika had already jumped down and was making a mad sprint towards her family who had emerged from the house the moment they heard her voice. Hugs and kisses went all around before Petyr and Marjana bowed deeply before her liberators.

The family had bid them to stay but Konrad indicated they had to move on, but not before graciously thanking them for the offer. Word of Anika’s rescue had spread like wildfire and word of it soon reached the ears of a certain nobleman staying at the local inn. He immediately checked out and got on his horse to bring back the report of Korand’s success personally.

The ride back was quiet, Konrad could feel Sophia casting the occasional glance his way. She also hadn’t really spoken to him since the recent confrontation. Something he had fully expected to happen once he put his capabilities on display.

Rayk still nursed the phantom wounds slightly, but was getting used to the fact that there was no longer a gash that was so deep you could see his ribs. Konrad had to hand it to Sophia as her skills in the healing arts were just as capable as her martial skill. Even among viragos she was certainly foremost among her sisters.

As the Count’s estate was still roughly a day’s ride away, they decided to make camp and rest. Still exhausted from their endeavors the previous night and early morning. Rayk gathered wood and built a fire, Konrad tethered the horses and saw to their care while Sophia took up first watch.

***

Sometime later, Rayk was fast asleep. Both Konrad and Sophia had opted to let him and contented themselves to sitting by the fire. Sporadic snaps and crackles accompanied the sound of night-pipers serenading them with their nocturnal melody. For a while neither one of them spoke, until finally Sophia decided to break the silence.

“I always thought it was just idle rumors,” Sophia confessed. “Slander even. But bearing witness to what I saw last night, I’d be lying if I did not admit that I wonder if you are a man or a demon masquerading as one.”

Konrad said nothing, and stoked the fire with a stick to keep the coals burning brightly. Sophia decided to press further.

“How Konrad?” she asked. “How is that Corbanites are able to bend demons to their mortal will?”

Once again she was met with silence, whether he was ignoring her or simply could not answer her question she did not know. In her frustration she stood up from the log she had been sitting on and turned her back on him. Unable to look at those dark gray eyes of his anymore without seeing the crimson that had been there not long before.

“The reason they obey,” Konrad began, prompting her to look back. “Is because my soul is already marked the moment I take the rites of my veneration. I can never enter Elysium, nor can I be cast into Hades. For when I die I will remain in the eternal slumber, never to awaken during the call of the Final Judgement.”

Sophia turned, her eyes sorrowful as Konrad continued.

“Demons, as you know, who are in constant pain and agony since their separation from the Monad, are consumed with a dual purpose. To inflict that very pain and agony on others, and to corrupt as many souls as possible to drag down with them into Hades eternally when the Final Judgement is made. They know they lost the moment their rebellion began and their only means to slight the Monad now is to turn as many of his creations against him as they possibly can in what time they have left until the Judgement.”

Sighing, Konrad elaborated further.

“It is why they resist exorcisms so fiercely and very often kill their hosts so that they can return to Hades for another chance to manifest in the physical realm within a new mortal shell.”

Sophia sat down again, eager to learn more, to understand. What Konrad had said thus far was true, bearing witness to exorcism attempts where the demon destroyed it’s host body and departed the mortal realm before it could be utterly annihilated.

“That is why,” Konrad declared. “The demons I harness obey me and are deeply invested in my survival. For if I die it is the effectively the same as an exorcism, they will be forced into slumber along with me and denied their sport forever.”

He concluded, “The ones I harness accept their lot quickly. For them, inflicting pain and misery on their own kind is just as well. The rejoicing I hear whenever I bring a new one into the fold is almost deafening. It’s as they say: ‘Misery loves company’.”

The revelation struck Sophia like a hammer. It all made sense now, and also explained the curious habit of the Ecclesia prioritizing the use of Corbanites in exorcisms whenever there was one available. But with these answers came new questions and new concerns, concerns she decided to voice.

“So what stops you from becoming evil?” she asked plainly. “What stops you from using this unimaginable power to harm innocents?”

“Much the same as your powers,” Konrad answered. “It requires a great deal of faith and conviction to have true mastery over these fiendish spirits. The slightest hint of evil intent or selfishness and nothing will work.”

Sophia’s eyes drifted down, “So it truly all is in the service of the Monad.”

“Always was.”

A silence remained between them once again but this time the tension was gone. There was understanding and no longer any fear or dismay. What she saw the previous night was not a sorcerer or demon cloaked in righteousness, but a man true to the faith and to the Monad. After a while she decided to get up and sit down next to him. Leaning her head on his shoulder. He didn’t move and the two stared at the fire while Rayk snored blissfully away.

***

Ervin arrived at the Count’s estate past midnight. His father, who was still awake having slept earlier in the day, had been taking in the night air outside.

“Well?” Harlec asked his son. “What news?”

“Word from town is that they succeeded in killing one,” Ervin reported. “I came here the moment I found out.”

Harlec sighed and looked towards sky, observing the stars. “Very well, my brother will be pleased by this news.”

He then produced a letter and handed it to Ervin.

“Take this,” he instructed. “You know what to do with it?”

“I do.”

“Very good, now go. I will speak to Alarik in the morning.”

Ervin bowed slightly and left to go to his room, leaving Harlec alone again.

“Measures,” he said to no one but himself. “Measures must be taken.”

On his lips, the faintest smile appeared.