Sir Inkana's estate lay closest to the crystal fortress. While waiting for the other knights to rally, Sir Inkana's men encountered three terrifying demons in the lower woods. Immediately, they loosed arrows against them and felled one of them. The knights stabbed and killed it, and then gave chase after the other two.
They had just caught up with a second wounded demon, when a larger fiend came in fury and showed his supernatural power when he called forth lightning and thunder upon the knights, blinding them. When their sight returned, the demons were gone, leaving only gore on the ground that looked almost like blood. The knights believed that only their blessed symbols had protected them against the demon's full cursing power. Sir Inkana reported all this to the king and the priests upon their arrival.
"These demons bleed. They can be killed by ordinary weapons, even without the holy relics or the blessed fire." The king noticed. He turned to the two priests who had volunteered to come with his knights for this battle.
"Are you sure that these are the Kali, and not some sort of other creatures, who could perhaps be reasoned with?" The king questioned the priests.
The younger priest, Aquino, looked uncertain, but the older, named Ondesganos, firmly denied it.
"My king, they bleed, because they are forced to wear the lesser forms. It is well that even ordinary weapons so affect them. It means that without their full power, at this moment they are even weaker than the high elders thought they would be. They should be destroyed now, before they grow stronger. For soon, they will take their victims, if they have not already. Then, they will be able to walk hidden among us in the shape of men, for they can wear the bodies of those they slay like clothing. And each time they take a life, they will grow stronger, until it will become impossible to defeat them... You are responsible to protect your people, king Laoden. Do not let your heart be overcome by doubt." The priest's admonishing words strengthened Laoden's resolve.
The king then ordered his knights and men-at-arms to ride on to the crystal fortress. The demons already waited for them there. Several of them indeed already had the appearance of men, with grim faces and flashing, angry, black eyes. Many others became various sorts of fantastical animals never before seen in Pharshena. The largest and the most frightening were the two dragons, their scales shimmering with shifting hues. The king ordered his men to first pelt them from a distance with arrows, which proved very effective, and then charged in bravely with swords. The demons called down lightning and thunder, which paralyzed and felled some of the men, and the dragons breathed out fire and fetid smells.
Knights Raden, Ruben, and Tolen were among the bravest and the most skilled, who had won many royal tournaments. They chose to fight the dragons, from which the other men shied back. They fought fearlessly, but no matter which wound they dealt to the ferocious creatures, the dragons seemed at first to become merely more enraged. Finally, valiant lord Tolen managed to sever the head from one dragon's body. Seeing that doing thus had slain the creature, the other knights followed his example and finally succeeded against the other dragon. Then, they joined the fray against the demons.
By that time, only a handful of their strange enemies remained, all wounded, bleeding, and missing limbs. The three knights saw the few surviving demons retreat before the on-coming men, until they stood backed against the crystal fortress. The men charged at them, to finish them, and slowed in amazement when the beings appeared to melt back through the smooth and solid crystal walls.
"This is some evil sorcery!" The men cried out, and stood by the magical walls, murmuring, afraid to touch them. The priest grabbed the torch from the hand of one of the men, and brought it closely to the wall, studying it. Beautiful frost patterns veined blue across the surface of the crystal. He noticed that the crystal rippled slightly in the heat. Watching attentively, the priest purposefully leaned the torch closer to the wall. The wall grew transparent like water, and gave way before the torch.
"Bring the liquid fire!" The priest exclaimed. Moments later, the men doused several caskets of oily fluid upon the walls.
"By the power of Creators, may this wicked magic be broken!" The priest prayed and tossed the torch against the slick wall. The fire flamed up and outward and the men stepped back away from the heat. The entire outer wall of the crystal castle moved and shook, as though it was alive, and then melted in places, revealing cave like entrances within.
"Do not fear them. Their power cannot touch you now, because a stronger Power protects you." The priest encouraged the men, and they bravely charged into the dimly glowing caverns within the crystal fortress. They found smaller demons hiding within, which scattered away from the men farther into the passages. The men chased after them, and the echoes of their triumphant shouts and the sounds of striking swords carried along the glittering tunnels.
Knights Raden, Ruben, and Tolen came in last. They moved cautiously, wary of a surprise attack. Perhaps that was why they noticed a narrow, twisting passage that the other men missed in their haste. Together, the three knights followed the passage through the crystal catacombs into a small room. Lord Tolen entered it first. Within, a few steps from the entrance, lit by the same strange, glowing blue light that lit the rest of the Crystal Fortress, he beheld a torn monstrous body on the ground, its flesh dark and clouded.
A tiny demon clung to it. Seeing sir Tolen, it hid its face against its arm, trembling, but did not move away. Several more, of varying sizes, but all no taller than sir Tolen's lower breast pocket, crowded in the farthest corner in a tight group, their dark eyes watching the men intently. They shrunk back when Tolen stepped toward them, gripping his sword. One of them crouched to shield two of the smallest demons, who embraced their thin arms around it for protection. Their reaction discomforted Tolen, and he paused.
For a moment, the demons watched lord Tolen with their unblinking, black eyes. Then, all of them suddenly shifted their gaze to something behind him, and he unwillingly glanced back also. Behind him, Sir Ruben stood with his sword lifted over the head of the little one by the dead body, to strike it down. He gripped the hilt tightly, tightening and relaxing his hand, but seemed unable to slay it. Instead, he slowly lowered his sword and looked up at his fellow knights with doubt on his face.
"This is not right. These are only children..." He said incredulously.
And, sir Tolen at once recognized the reason for his own discomfort. These smaller demons did not fight, but ran and hid from them, much as frightened children might. Their size and behavior all suggested it. Sir Tolen looked sharply back at those who crowded by the wall, and also hesitantly lowered his sword. His eyes met their dark eyes, and held upon the face of the one who shielded the little ones. He thought he perceived a hopeful change in its expression. It straightened out slowly, watching lord Tolen, and lord Tolen noticed with fascination that the demon's jet-black eyes began to lighten, until they became a sunny green-hazel. The two little demons also dared to peek out from under its arms, the eyes of one turning similar green-hazel, and the eyes of the other slowly fading to a deep blue. Lord Tolen and the young demons watched each other, and Tolen was at a loss on what he should do.
At that moment, larger demons burst into the room and attacked the knights. They moved frighteningly fast. Sir Tolen felt a movement of the air, and then he was on the floor, sword less, an enraged demon's powerful hand chocking his throat. The demon's eyes were as black as the night and threatened death. Stunned, Tolen instinctively lifted his hands and tried to break the demon's iron hold. Within, he condemned his hesitation. Quick, disjointed thoughts brought images of his beloved wife, lady Rowena, and his young brave son, Riad. His wife had kissed him before he left, smiling, and, holding her hand to her belly, just starting to swell with child, asked him to return home safely, for the sake of their second unborn child. Tolen wondered if he would ever see them again this side of heaven. He worried how his children would fare without a father.
Tolen heard sir Raden grunting loudly close by, his sword striking empty air. Then, he felt the demon's hold on his neck loosen slightly, and his sight cleared. The young demon with the green-hazel eyes stood above him, gently touching the glowing hand that held sir Tolen down, and the larger demon's face was turned to it with a careful attending expression, as though listening. They both looked down at Tolen at the same time. The smaller creature's expression seemed expectant and its eyes were curious. The larger one looked tense, but no longer as enraged as he was several moments ago.
At yet another yell by sir Raden, they both looked up at the other knight, and the larger sharply gestured to the small one toward the passageway, where it immediately obediently bounded off. All the other ones were already gone, Tolen noticed, except for the lithe demon who yet danced around Raden and Ruben, avoiding their whistling swords with graceful ease, distracting them. The larger one then pointedly tightened his grip and pushed Tolen hard against the ground, only to abruptly let go when he deftly leaped toward the doorway. The other demon also abandoned teasing sir Raden and Ruben at the same precise moment, so both of them disappeared side by side.
Enraged, lord Raden growled and ran after them, stumbling over the body of the dead demon. Ruben followed him, but threw a quick glance back at Tolen, to make sure he was all right. Scrambling to his feet, Tolen saw a metal glimmer of his sword in the corner of the room, and grabbed it. He hurried after the two knights through the cavern pathway. Panting with the effort, he tore out of the crystal fortress just in time to catch a glimpse of the demons disappearing into the thick foliage of surrounding woods, far ahead of sir Raden and a few other men who tried to give chase. Tolen noticed the younger priest watching them. Timid minded Aquino had remained outside the magical caverns to tend to the wounded men. His questioning gaze met lord Tolen's for a brief moment, before the wounded man's grunting called his attention back to his healing work.
The other men who cleared out the caverns had not hesitated as the three knights did. They rushed into the rooms and quickly and easily hacked to pieces anything that still moved inside. The older priest, Ondesganos, stepped out of the caverns appearing satisfied. Behind him, lord Tolen saw the men drag out six of the smaller demons from the crystal castle, chained together. Upon seeing the older priest, Aquino hurried to him, and nodded his head as the older priest spoke to him. The youth spoke something quietly back to the priest, and lord Tolen saw them both turn their heads and look back at him, the older priest frowning. Just then, the king rode over to them and saw the demons.
"What is this?" He interrupted the priests and pointed at the black-eyed creatures that huddled meekly on the ground, their ugly, blotched bodies same color as the earth and pressing tight against each other.
"I wish to take them to Lunn, to study them." Ondesganos explained with a respectful expression. "Not all demons were present here tonight, my liege. Some have escaped." The priest glanced briefly in sir Tolen's direction. "More likely still remain in the woods. The ancient accounts about them are unclear. Truly, very little is known. Thus, I thought that it would be prudent to learn more of the extent of their powers, so we know how to fight our enemy best. For that purpose, I have ordered these young ones to be taken alive."
"Do what you think is best." The king approved the priest's request. "Do as he says." He ordered sir Remaud, who was lord of the province where Ondesganos was the laeden.
The priest bowed his head respectfully and gestured to the men, who stood watch over the demons, with their sharp spears pointing at the creatures, should they attempt anything. Lord Tolen watched the men pull on the chains to force the captives back to their feet. The men lead them away without any resistance. The king's eyes followed them, and his face reflected the same doubt that already bothered lord Tolen in his heart.
"They don't look dangerous." The king commented to the priest.
"Don't be deceived. These spawn may look harmless now, but in time they will become the vicious demons we've just fought, if not stronger. Their very nature is evil and will compel them to it. The only reason I spared them is because it is necessary for the study."
The king nodded. "Is there anything else that you need me to do?" He inquired tightly.
"The rest of these bodies must be burned. As you can see, ordinary weapons only temporarily disable them." The priest gestured to the field of battle. Tolen looked and saw that many of the demons he thought slain yet lived, some despite missing all their limbs and even half of their bodies. Lord Tolen's face reflected the disgusted horror that was also upon the faces of other men.
"Blessed fire will reveal and destroy their true form. Only then will their cursing power be broken. Fire must cleanse this unholy ground from corruption. But I will do that unpleasant task. It will not take long." He graciously promised. Lord Remaud's face took on a grim expression, since by volunteering himself; the priest also volunteered sir Remaud and his men for the task.
"Sir Inkazi, sir Raden, have your men assist in whatever the laeden needs done." The king commanded to the group of knights who stood closest. At their acknowledgement, the king turned his horse, and rode to the ranks of the rest of the men, who waited for further direction.
"Sir Raden, after this is done, if you may tarry a moment?" The priest requested politely and looked at knights Raden, Ruben and Tolen in turn, to let them know that the request applied to them all. "I would like to know more about what trick the demons used to escape from you."
"As you wish laeden." Lord Raden agreed. The knights watched their men follow closely behind the priest, while he walked around the field of battle, poking at the undead bodies. The priest chose several of those still-living to be taken back to the temple at his home city of Lunn. The rest he ordered gathered and burned.
Cheering at their easy success, the tasked men built a large fire upon the priest's order, gathered the chopped off pieces, some of which yet twitched upon being touched, and dragged them and tossed them into the fire. It was an eerie scene, where the glee of victorious men and the cracking of the fire were the only sounds to be heard. The dying demons neither screamed, nor spoke, even though their mutilated bodies spasmed and writhed in agony when committed to the flames. All of them reverted to their true form before their death, just as the priest said they would. The men jumped away from the fire, startled, when violent, blue flames burst out spectacularly around the blackened forms, just before they shriveled into fine, blue ash.
The three waiting knights did not cheer at the proceedings. After his grisly task was done, Ondesganos returned to them and questioned them on how it was that several demons managed to escape the bravest among knights, who earlier had so valiantly vanquished the dragons.
"Children, indeed..." The priest shook his head with disbelief, after he heard their reluctant accounts. "You should have drunk the blessed liquor." The priest remarked. "It would have protected you from their deception."
"True courage does not need to be helped by liquor." Sir Raden said angrily. The priest smiled with patient condescension.
"And overconfidence can easily lead into the sin of arrogance. You have fought admirably against the dragons, but now several more demons walk free in our world, because of you."
"I will not rest until I rid the world of every single fiend that escaped from me this day!" Sir Raden exclaimed in great anger, and the priest acknowledged the oath with respectful approval in his fierce dark eyes.
Afterward, the three knights took counsel together. They could not quite agree on the numbers of demons who escaped them. Tolen was certain that he saw only seven, two larger, and five smaller. Renad insisted that there were nine, with five young ones the knights found in the hidden cavern, and then at least four larger, who had come down viciously on him, of whom he claimed he managed to wound one. Ruben said simply that everything moved too fast for anyone to claim anything for sure, and advised that they should send word to get hunters and hunting dogs, so they could follow the demon tracks until they found and killed them all. Renad and Tolen agreed that it was the best decision, and sir Inkazi offered to provide more hunters and the dogs.
The king and the knights were guests at sir Inkazi's estates that night, where they celebrated their victory with a lavish feast. Most of men returned with barely a scratch upon them. The few who were paralyzed earlier in the battle regained their full senses shortly after the burning of the demons.
"Burning a demon breaks the power of his curses." Priest Ondesganos explained. The recovering men humbly thanked the priest for his wisdom. The king toasted everyone. Only the three tricked knights, who let the demons slip past them, with gloomy and determined faces refused to partake in the feast, despite priest Ondesganos' public assurances of their bravery, reminding others before the king of how they fought the dragons, who must have been the demon familiars. The knights gathered more men-at-arms, and hunters with their tracking dogs and early in the morning departed to search after the fiends who tricked them.