TheEvilBunny

Excerpt from Daemnos by Josh Brookes

It was quiet where he was. He wasn’t used to it. Where he’d positioned himself, the people he had to endure as he hid amongst them were always so very . . . noisy.

It was infuriating.

The demon savoured the quiet, with only the odd birdcall to disturb it.

He’d kill it if he figured out where the bird was. He could use some fun.

“Well?”

The demon ground his teeth with irritation, but turned back to his fellows nonetheless. He regarded them from underneath his skull-inspired helmet, wondering why he had entrusted these two pathetic Ordinarius as spies.

They were so ungrateful. They wouldn’t have even been able to manifest on Earth without his help. The first Ordinarius to walk the earth in their own forms, and all they did was moan and bitch and hide, too scared to attract the attention of those who would, and could, kill them.

“It will happen soon,” the demon snarled, his voice cruel and gravelly. “Have no doubts.”

“How can you be sure?”

He reached out and ran his hand across the rock of the cave mouth where he’d met the Ordinarius.

It was pitiful, to say the least. In Hell he’d had a huge chamber, filled to the brim with glorious death and decay.

Nothing could come close, especially not this dank cave.

“Daemnos is a powerful demon,” he told them, putting aside his memories of home. “He won’t be able to resist coming to this realm again.”

The second Ordinarius, the one who had yet to speak, scowled and scoffed, “If he is as powerful as you claim, how do you know you will be successful?”

“Daemnos may be powerful, but I am stronger. I am far—”

“And if he infiltrates the Daemonium? How will you get to him then?”

The demon couldn’t help but laugh. Could these two figure nothing out for themselves? Ordinarius were so pointless.

“I’m counting on that happening. In fact, I plan on doing nothing until he has done just that.”

“Your plan will—”

“My plan will not take effect for several more years. Ten, at the most. That is when—”

“That is ‘soon’ to you?”

The demon’s eyes flashed with fury, but, with effort, he chose to ignore the disrespect and allow it to go unpunished.

He could kill these two later if he so desired.

When they were no longer necessary.

“That is when Daemnos will most likely manifest and seek out the Daemonium. My plan is set to take effect the moment that occurs. It is that efficient.”

The less argumentative one, the Ordinarius who had spoken first, spat in disgust. “The Daemonium,” he snarled.

“Speaking of which,” the demon chuckled, grinning maliciously, “the Apostaticus plans on attacking them in three days. Sport, if nothing else.”

Much to his amusement, both Ordinarius shivered with fury. “Those pathetic creatures,” the second hissed. “What a ridiculous title. And they think it has some important meaning?”

The first remained more composed, and uttered a more intelligent sentence. “And if the Apostaticus destroys the Daemonium? Your plan will be rendered useless if that occurs.”

“Let them have their fun.” The demon openly laughed dubiously. “They’re nothing but mad dogs. They can’t do much.”

The Ordinarius looked at each other, communicating through expressions their lack of faith in the demon.
He did not care.

“Of Daemnos,” one of them said, “what is it you plan on doing with him?”

The demon grinned ever wider, taking a step forward and bringing himself closer to the shaking Ordinarius.

They truly were pathetic, terrified of his very presence.

“You’ll see.”

And he laughed.

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