The Adventures of Valery Callaghan Part III: The Demon’s Nest

Valery watched in terror as the man stalked toward her and Gavin. It was impossible to see his face in the low light, but she could see his eyes and was convinced it was the demon. He had come to collect the little flies that had fallen into his leafy web. 

She hid behind Gavin’s tall frame, but it was clear that the demon was taller and much bigger than Gavin, who was rather lanky in comparison. But Gavin puffed himself up and prepared for this newcomer all the same. He unsheathed his dagger. 

“I’m ready for you, beasty! Do your worst!” 

“Wait!” the stranger yelled in a surprisingly familiar voice. 

As the stranger came closer and raised his blonde head, Valery’s shoulders relaxed.

“Bryn?!” she exclaimed, “What are you doing here?!”

Bryn’s expression softened when he saw her, and he barely caught his breath before answering. “I found you!”

Then his eyes grew dark. “How could you?” he asked, “You could’ve been hurt!” 

She was flattered by his concern, but said, “I thought if I left early, you wouldn’t be able to catch up. You’d be safe…” 

He sighed in frustration. “After I saw that you left, I went straight to the stables, took a horse, and rode after you. I had to steal for you, Val! If you’d just let me come with you-” 

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to get hurt–not for me,” Valery said. 

Bryn’s expression softened. He took her hands in his. “I don’t care if I get hurt if it means I keep you safe. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.” 

Valery looked into his warm eyes and felt a tingling sensation in her stomach. She wasn’t used to Bryn looking at her that way. Yet, all the while, she was vaguely aware of Gavin watching them. She didn’t know why, but something felt off about him. She’d felt it before–when she had first met him–but never so much as at that moment. It was as if Gavin wanted to tear them apart, but instead, all he did was stare, letting some secret hatred boil deep within him. But Valery decided it was nothing but petty jealousy–and she let it go. 

After the reunion, the three of them continued the journey through the forest without any sense of direction. Even though Bryn had come all that way to help, he had no more information than the rest of them and no clue where the demon might be hiding. Valery worried that she had put all three of them in danger for nothing. What if the old witch was just a crazy old bat, after all? 

As they wandered around, Valery told Bryn all about her trip. She told him about how Gavin had saved her from the coyotes and had offered to act as her guide through the woods. Bryn thanked him for this, although she could tell he wished he were the one who had been there to protect her. 

All the while, she waited for the demon to appear at any moment. She looked around as she spoke, while gripping the Stone, and searched the underbrush for the slightest sign of disarray. Yet, there was nothing but trees, trees, and more trees in the stillness of the dark mountain wood. 

Soon they came into a large clearing where they could see the night sky in all its glory. Valery was sure they could get their bearings from them, but they couldn’t help them find the demon. She figured that the best plan of action would be to go wherever the forest was most dense, since that was where the demon would likely be, but they would also need an escape route. 

She explained her intentions to Gavin, who knew the woods better than most. He looked up at the endless mess of stars, in frustration, like he didn’t trust them somehow. Then he began to answer, “We should probably go North East. That’ll take us to the other side of the forest.”

“Alright, then. Northeast would be…” Valery said, pausing to consult the stars, “This way!” 

But as they set out to the Northeastern edge of the clearing, they heard a scuffling in the distance. They stopped to listen to the sound of stomping. It was as if a stampede was coming. Then, all of a sudden, there came a screeching sound from the edge of the trees. The sound got louder as it moved closer. 

Bryn turned to Valery and said, “Get behind me.” 

Valery did as he instructed, and they anxiously waited for the worst. She held onto him but was prepared to push past him at the first sign of the demon. She had the Spirit Stone close at hand. But the creatures that burst through the trees were not what they expected. 

A pack of silver elk ran out into the clearing and right past them, but it was only after they saw the elegant creatures disappearing into the trees that they realized why they had fled in such a hurry. The elk were being pursued by another creature–a beast, unlike any Valery had seen before. It was large and black, and it resembled a small bear or a large cat, on all fours but without hair. It had dark eyes and a large, heart-shaped nose like a bat–yet it didn’t have wings. Perhaps the most frightening part was the long fangs on the top and bottom of its snout. 

“What is that?” Valery asked. 

“Probably one of the demon’s minions,” Gavin guessed. 

“That’s not him?” 

“Of course not!” Gavin exclaimed angrily. 

“But that doesn’t mean it’s not a threat. Any creature of hell’s not to be trifled with,” he added. 

Just then, the beast advanced until it was right in front of Bryn. It sneered at him, not showing any sign of fear. 

Bryn gently pushed Valery back and took out a short sword from his belt. She hadn’t noticed it before, but it seemed Bryn was more prepared than she thought. 

He faced the wild beast, which measured up to the top of his stomach, and kept his weapon trained on its slinking form. However, the beast was not deterred. Instead, it reared back on its haunches and prepared to pounce. But Bryn was ready. He raised the sword in an arc above his head. 

“Stay back!” he yelled and smacked his blade against its hairless, black head. The monster looked up at him angrily and bared its teeth. But something changed: it peered behind Bryn, and just as quickly, began to whimper helplessly. Then, it turned and rushed off into the forest. 

Bryn stared after it in shock. Then, he called, “That’s right! You’d better run!”

Something about its sudden flight didn’t seem right. Regardless, it was gone, and Bryn had saved them! 

“Wow, Bryn! That was incredible!” Valery complimented. 

He blushed. “Really?” 

“Yeah! You kicked his butt!” she exclaimed. 

He laughed. “I guess I did!” 

Valery nodded and laughed with him. Even though she had gone without him, it meant a lot to have him there. She knew he would have her back no matter what, and that made her feel a lot more confident about what she knew was coming. 

While she laughed with Bryn, she became aware of Gavin standing off in the background, watching them again. He was laughing too, but not in a friendly way. His was more of a taunting laugh–like he was enjoying a joke the others weren’t in on. 

He laughed and laughed until he was practically rolling on the floor like a maniac. When he finally caught his breath, he wiped tears from his eyes and said, “You really think this dumb brute scarred my creature away?” 

“What?” Valery asked in alarm. 

“Oh, you’re adorable, Ms. Callaghan,” Gavin said. “I am laughing because you thought you were going to best the demon. You actually thought you and your friend could defeat me!” 

“It’s you,” she said. 

She surveyed him carefully. He didn’t look anything like she expected him to; he was just a normal man. 

“Yes, now you’re catching on! But my name’s not Gavin, and I’m not some half-wit farmer from the country. I’m Aamon, and I am the Prince of all Demons!” 

Valery stared at him in disbelief and then in anger. 

“You tricked me!” Valery exclaimed. “I told you… I told you everything…” 

Suddenly, Valery realized how stupid she had been. She had known somewhere deep down, all along, but had completely rejected her better judgment. She tried to make up for it by pulling out the Spirit Stone. 

She held it out at Aamon and demanded, “Tell me where my parents are!” 

“Your parents? Oh yes, I remember! They were the couple that wandered into my domain that night so many years ago,” Aamon said, “Do you remember that night? Well, I do. I watched you after I took them. Yes, I watched you, a sweet little girl who was so helpless and afraid. It made the perfect entertainment before I devoured your parent. Quite an appetizer too: your fear and loneliness. And the main course was even juicier! Their flesh was so perfectly raw and their blood so deliciously bitter!” 

“Stop it!” Valery cried. 

She covered her ears. She felt tears collecting at the corners of her eyes, but they quickly went away as her grief was replaced with rage. 

She held the Spirit Stone out and prepared to say the phrase that would banish the wretched demon for good, but Aamon was cunning. He took Bryn in his grasp–his fingers transforming into long claws that curled around the boy’s arms. 

“I wouldn’t, if I were you, unless you want me to possess your boyfriend,” the demon sneered. 

As he spoke, his form began to change. His human body became that of a large dog with black horns and long, sharp teeth. His face, which was the last to change, was the most horrible. His human flesh melted off to reveal a hard, black skull with canine features and red, glowing eyes. Valery felt her pulse quicken, and the Stone sliding through her sweaty fingers. The demon had Bryn, and if she tried to stop Aamon, he would die. Yet, if she didn’t, they would surely be killed anyway. The only thing she could do was plead. 

“Please! Take me instead!” 

“Val, don’t!” Bryn yelled. 

He struggled in the monster’s grasp. 

“Aww, how sweet! And how fortunate for me! What a catch! Two lovers so desperate to give themselves up for each other and so willing to become my prey,” Aamon said, and then in a deeper voice, “This is my lucky day!” 

With that, the demon held Bryn by the mouth, forcing it open, and kissed him roughly. Bryn struggled against it, but Aamon was too strong. Then, Bryn seemed to give in, closing his eyes in what seemed like a state of bliss. But when he opened them, they were not his eyes, but the red eyes of Aamon–and the demon’s body had disappeared. 

Bryn laughed, his voice distorted and wrong. “Now, come to me, Valery. Come to your Bryn,” the possessed Bryn ordered. 

Valery felt her heart full of despair. She had lost her parents, and now Bryn. She would rather die than live without him. That’s it! That’s the answer!

“Bryn? If you can hear me, there’s something I need to tell you,” she said. 

“Yes, my sweet?” the false Bryn asked. 

She forced herself to look straight into the glowing eyes. “I… I love you!” she professed.

At first, nothing happened, and the false Bryn looked at her in triumph and said, “Nice try, but I’m afraid that won’t work, my dear.”

But then, miraculously, Bryn’s body began to flail wildly, and he spun around in an internal fight. He moved all around, spinning, jumping, and swinging his limbs aimlessly. He ended up on the floor, where he rolled around in the dirt until he suddenly stopped. 

Bryn’s body lay limp, and his head fell to one side. Shortly after, Aamon appeared by his side, breathing heavily. It took him a moment to realize what was happening, but by then it was too late. Valery held the Spirit Stone high in the air and, in one swift motion, pressed it against the demon’s cheek. While watching the look of pure terror on Aamon’s now human face, she said, “Ad Profundis, Turpi Spiritus!“

The Spirit Stone cast a ray of light through the trees, as if straight from heaven, onto the Prince of Demons. The light illuminated his face, showing the black skull beneath the human mask. He let out a terrible howl and disappeared into a waterfall of falling embers. The scream hung in the air, echoing off the mountains ominously. 

Valery ran to Bryn, who was still unconscious on the forest floor. She tenderly touched his face. “Bryn?” 

He stirred and slowly opened his eyes. “Val? …what happened?”

“It’s ok,” she soothed, “It’s over.” 

He sighed in relief. “Good. I knew you could do it.”

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he added. 

“What is it?” she asked. 

“I love you, too,” Bryn confessed. 

He took her face in his hands and tried to kiss her. 

Valery pulled away in disgust. “Please stop! Can we wait until after you’ve washed your face?” 

Bryn wiped his mouth and found that it was covered in the demon’s slobber. 

“Oh, gross!” he exclaimed. 

Valery laughed as he fervently tried to wipe it all off. She smiled to herself and looked up into the stars peaking through the canopy. Mom, Dad, I’m sorry I couldn’t save you… but you can rest now. I’m not afraid.