In_Darkness_Dwells
Date: 3/11/2024,
Categories:
Fiction
Horror,
Non-Erotic,
Author: Sage_of_the_Forlorn_Path
... any remaining traces of wickedness. Then, they returned to Runa, and Volker and Sorine went to work deciphering the pages. After getting a few hours of sleep, Sam checked up on them.
"How is it going?"
"It certainly isn't easy. These pages are written in a mixed form of Vulgar Latin, ancient Romanian, and Celtic," said Volker. "And what we can read is awful, the most horrific knowledge mankind is capable of learning."
"Then I guess it's a good thing we have the Romanian daughter of a priest and a German intellectual. Have you found anything?"
"A little bit. I believe we've identified the demon possessing Danut, or rather, we know what Danut has transformed into. Its true name is Rathodor, the Devil's Seed, but that is a very rough translation. It feeds on people’s souls by devouring their brains. It also feeds on “knowledge” of some kind."
"Anything else? What about the graves?"
"From what I'm reading here, Rathodor uses dead bodies to form its nest, or something along that line," said Sorine. "Specifically, it uses the bodies of those who have already been buried by human hands. It needs the sin of burial desecration, to defile the remains of those who were loved and mourned, and to torment those who remember them."
"So that's why it didn't bother with those Romanian soldiers. Any idea on how to kill it?"
"I don't think so. There is something about Rathodor being unable to stand beneath the face of God, but not much else. If we want to kill this ...
... monster, I think we'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way."
"You two should get some rest. You've barely slept the past three days."
"But there is still so much to uncover, so much to translate," Sorine huffed.
"I can see the puffy veins in your eyes from a mile away. We have a long night ahead of us, and the two of you need your strength. If this monster doesn't show up again, then you can work on translating the rest."
Despite their desperation, the two knew he was right. They were both exhausted and could barely walk, let alone fight. All the men in the village were also using these daylight hours to regain their strength. It was late in the afternoon when they finally returned, surprised to find a funeral in the middle of town.
"What's going on?" Sorine asked as she walked over to Sam.
"We're burying those Romanian soldiers."
"Beneath the road?"
"It's as good a spot as any."
"You're using them for bait, aren't you?" Volker accused.
"You have a better idea? The only way we can kill this thing is on our own terms. If he's not going to come after the living, hopefully he'll come after the dead. It seems like he can tell where and when people have been buried."
"Have you no respect for these fallen men?"
"They're soldiers. It's their job to protect this country and its people. If it will help us destroy this evil, I'm sure they'd be willing to donate their bodies to the cause. Besides, I talked it over with the other men and they agreed. ...