Chapter Seventeen

    All through the afternoon they prayed, blessed their strange weapons, and drew their Lords Power into their staffs.  Darkness came, and it was not a normal darkness.  Though there were no clouds, the darkness seemed to deepen, and the stars to dim.
    2  At the Circle around the farm it seemed quite normal, outside, but inside The Darkness grew deeper with each passing moment.  Even the light of their torches and the sacred fires did not seem to penetrate into the eeriness on the other side.
    3  At midnight, The Voice emerged from The Temple and came to the city gate.  There, The Priest of The One joined him.  They bowed to each other, the gate was opened, and they went out.
    4  "We must take our time," advised The Voice, "draw our strength. The attack will really begin when we cross the outer Circle.  After that, expect anything. It has drawn every demon in the area, and they will try to keep us out.
    5  Remember that a demon always attacks the one it thinks is the weakest.  If one attacks me, use your staff against it. If one attacks you, I will use my staff."
    6  "I understand," agreed The Priest of The One.  "When we confront it, we must only speak to each-other, never to it.  The worst thing you can do is acknowledge its conversation.  No matter what it says, ignore it.
    7  It knows our innermost fears, our deepest shames. If you try to defend yourself, it'll distract you, open you to its attacks.  Keep it occupied...wait for the dawn."
    8  "Agreed," replied The Voice.
    9  They walked leisurely to the bridge and halted for a moment at the outer Circle.  The people were singing hymns, their voices added more light than the torches.
    10  They crossed the bridge and had hardly taken three steps when the first demon came.  It leaped for The Voice, but The Priest of The One caught it with his staff.  There was a flash of light, it screamed and ran into The Darkness.
    11  Every few steps another came, but slowly, surely, the men made their way until they finally reached the gate of the farm. It was like a wall of darkness surrounded it. "Cross our staffs!" commanded The Voice.  When they did so, it was like many lanterns were lit. The gate unlatched itself and swung inward, a hideous cry pierced the darkness.
    12  They made their way to the prison.  As they approached, they saw a faint glow on the ground.  The circle The Voice had made was still intact!  They crossed it and found the door to the prison had been ripped out; it lay on the ground just outside.  Inside, the empty chains lay on the ground.
    13  "We are not a moment too soon," cried The Voice, "tonight it would have freed itself.  Stay here."  He slowly made his way around the building until he found it, hiding in the back..
    14  It backed away from him as he approached, speaking in the girl's voice.  "Don't hurt me," she cried, "don't hurt me like you hurt those other girls.  Don't do that to me!"
    15  The Voice just kept coming forward as it slowly fled around the building. Finally it found The Priest on the other side.  "Fools!"  it screamed in the man's voice, "You cannot defeat me!  Even if you destroy me, my children are ready to be born.  I have already put the seeds in their minds.  I have already taught them to hate.
    16  Soon, you will be at each-other's throats. The One will devour your petty spirits. The strong shall rule!  The powerful shall lead!  The weak shall be devoured, the timid will become the servants.  You are helpless!  Fools!"
    17  "We are so helpless," shouted The Voice to The Priest, "but it could not escape the circle I drew.  It was trapped within it, helpless in its power. Let us circle it again!"
    18  "You stupid perverts!" the thing roared, as The Voice and The Priest began to circle it, dragging their staffs on the ground, "Fools!  How can any like you stop me?  One so lusts for women that he takes whatever child is offered him, and makes it cry. The other is so afraid of them, that he would not even take a willing widow, fair and beautiful, when she offered herself."
    19  "I have heard of a man," commented The Priest of The One, "who spoke against his people's ancient customs, who returned young maidens to their villages and said 'this child is too young,' but who, when a woman offered him the greatest gift a woman can give, that when he was sure of her sincerity, and did not embarrass her by sending her away, but accepted her gift with tenderness and joy.

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