20  Different people have different ways.  What does this thing know?  All that IT has ever gotten, it has taken by fear and pain.  Nothing has ever been given IT freely.  Nothing has ever loved it."
    21  "Fool!" the thing cried, "Fool!  Someday you will surrender, also.  Your flesh will overcome you, and you will break your vow, as all your brothers have done.  How many of them give a widow more comfort than to hold her hand?"
    22  Both men had been completely around by now, their circles within one-another, and each stood on opposite sides of the thing.
    23  "I know of men," commented The Voice, "who turn away from the pleasures of this world. I do not agree with this philosophy, but I understand their idea.  If they falter now and then, and do what is natural to any man, it makes them no less a Servant of Truth, a Giver of Light.  Perhaps some day their people will realize that it is not natural for a man to be without a woman, and that they gain no special power by abstaining from the needs of the flesh.  That the Power they have gained is because they love their people, and will sacrifice themselves in their service."
    24  "You cannot win!" the thing screamed, "You cannot win!  I have allies.   Each passing moment I grow stronger while you grow weaker." 
    25  The Voice glanced towards the mountaintops in the east, but did not see what he awaited.  "Listen to this thing brag!" he taunted, "It is such a loathsome thing, hiding within that child, afraid to come out and face us by himself.  He must hide in her tender body, because it knows we do not wish to harm her to reach it."
    26  "Yes," added the Priest of The One, "it must be small and insignificant, so puny that it dares not show itself!  How pitiful it must be!"
    27  "I'll show you what puny is!" the thing roared.  "I'll show you what strength is!"  The girl gave a sudden cry, and fell to the ground.  Something came out of her.  It was like dark smoke. It grew and took form. It was twice their height, it appeared like a man, yet its head seemed to be only a bump on its shoulders.  Its arms and legs were short and stout, and its manhood pronounced.  It was covered with wounds and sores.  Its teeth were twisted and broken.
    28  The Voice knew this thing was not of his world.
    29  "This is your master!"  the thing cried, "The god of gods, what will rule your kind!"  A huge hand with claws as long as his fingers reached for The Voice.  But his staff came up and caught it.  There was a blazing light and the thing was driven back.
    30  It stumbled against the circle.  It, too, flashed.  It roared again.  "You can't fight me forever!" the thing screamed, "Your Power runs out!  Your circle grows weak!  Already my allies have entered!"
    31 The Voice had not been aware, but The Priest nodded to him.  "Of course they have entered," commented The Voice, "they are of this world."
    32  "The Power grows weaker to them, faster than it does for it," added The Priest of The One.
    33  "Of course you know what they are after," The Voice commented, looking toward the girl's body lying quietly on the ground.  "Isn't that what it has promised them, sweet young bodies, full of life, full of Power, for them to feed upon?  Has it not told them that it will give them such bodies?"
    34  The thing edged towards the girl.  "He doesn't need that one any more. Why doesn't he let them have her?" The Voice asked.
    35  Several demons appeared out of the darkness, licking their lips and looking at the girl.
    36  "Go ahead," encouraged The Voice, "he promised you; take her!  Or can he keep his promise?  Can he provide you with what he says he can?"
    37  One of the demons came closer to the girl and the creature reached out and knocked it away.  "No!" he roared. "She's mine!"
    38  The Voice edged towards The Priest and held out his hand, making a small circle with his fingers.  The Priest understood and slipped the small stone from his pocket into The Voice's hand.  "Take her!" The Voice cried again.  "We promised you!"
    39  "You promised!" screamed the demons, "You promised!"
    40  "Be quiet, you fools!" the thing roared, striking another demon that came too close.  "I told you, SHE is MINE!  You will get others, later!"
    41  "Now!" the demons screamed, "Now!  We are hungry!  Now!"
    42  The thing lunged at them and they attacked.  They were involved in a terrible struggle for several minutes.  Demon after demon jumped on the thing, biting and clawing while it bashed and battered them.
 
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