Verigas went about the room, making sure everything was as he’d last left it. He always kept the room prepared for summoning; one never knew when one might need a demon in a hurry. He lit the many candles in the room, pausing to say small prayers now and then as appropriate. Soon the room was filled with warm, glowing light. He then went to his wardrobe and began to don the proper vestments for the summoning.
It was nothing too fancy, simply the appropriate robes and a few specific talismans of power. He then cleansed his hands in the Basin of Purification, offering up a small prayer to Tiernon that his hands might be consecrated for Holy Action. At this point, he walked over to the main pentacles and began lighting the braziers, being careful not to break any of the carefully etched lines on the floor. Soon all was in readiness. The main brazier was burning, and his small votive brazier was also going.
He began with a small ritual to exorcise any evil spirits within the room, and then brought up the Immaculate Holy Wards of Lesser Demon Containment. The pentacles seemed to glow with power. It was time, Verigas thought. He began to chant, slowly at first and then with more vigor. Reaching out with his mind and soul, searching for the demon he was summoning. “Krysfalkenon, it is I thy Master Verigas, I summon thee. By the rites of high binding, thou art mine to summon. I summon thee. The angels of Tiernon witness my commands, I summon thee to this room. Come by thy true name Krysfalkenon! Come I conjure thee.” Vergias felt a slight stirring in the flames; the demon had been a bit reluctant; he wouldn’t tolerate that. The demon should know who was master.
“By the Holy Azrael and Azaphael, I summon thee. Comest thee, o demon Krysfalkenon. Thy Holy Master Verigas calls thee to do his bidding. Answer demon! The Lord Tiernon will not tolerate insubordination to his Blessed Priests. Come demon! I conjure thee by thy true name. Come demon, come now.” There! Verigas felt the demon. It was about time, he’d have to teach this demon a lesson. He stared into the primary brazier and continued. “I sense thee, demon, getest thee into this chamber. Come, come into this most Holy Place of Power!”
Verigas could feel the demon forming in the flames. Strangely, Krysfalkenon seemed to be manifesting a bit more powerfully than usual. Suddenly Verigas felt the demon backing off, as if it were changing its mind. “Arrestest thou demon. Thou canst not depart! I have summoned thee, thou must come!” commanded Verigas. He was tired of playing these games; why wasn’t the demon behaving in its usual manner.
Suddenly, a tremendously deep bass voice, like thunder on a cloudless night, rang through the room. “Don’t worry, I am coming.” Verigas nearly swallowed his brain. That was not, NOT the voice of Krysfalkenon. Krysfalkenon had a high pitched whiny voice. What had he done?
How could this have happened? He’d gotten the wrong demon! Tiernon’s mercy. He was doomed. This thing, by voice alone, by actions as well, had to be something seriously more powerful than Krysfalkenon. He’d seen warnings of such dangers in the wizard’s books, but never heeded them. Even though they said such an occurrence was extremely rare. What could he do?
Not knowing what else there was to do, he began reversing the spell. Trying to send the demon back. “Return demon, return from whence thou hast come!” This wasn’t going to work! He began chanting in the Holy Tongue of Tiernon. Saint Brian’s Exorcism should get rid of anything reasonable. The flame in the primary brazier didn’t shrink like it should have, instead it began to grow. Sweat began to drip down Verigas’ forehead. The center of the flame seemed to ripple, as if the space was being disturbed in some strange manner. The exorcism wasn’t working!
The only thing he had left was Exorcism True, it was supposed to work against any spirit or demon. Unfortunately it wasn’t a ritual he cast often. In fact, never before. It was in the Most Blessed Thirteenth Order of Holiness, more powerful than a Miracle even! If he could get it right, it would exorcise anything but a Greater Demon or Arch Demon, and it might even work on them. For the ritual, quite a bit of motion was necessary, Verigas was up dancing around in time with the chant. He’d never prayed so hard in his life. He glanced worriedly at his wards. If only he’d cast more powerful ones. He didn’t know anything better than Esther’s Holy Wards of Intermediate Demon Containment, but surely that would have been enough! If nothing else, it would have at least been better.
