Dantalion of the Goetia: Taste the Obsession of a Demon - Page 71/108

The Goetic demons called to Dantalion, and he heard their thoughts: "Dantalion, child of God, thee art condemned are thee not?" Count Halphas, the thirty eighth condemned demon of the Goetia asked him.

"Yes, I am condemned as thee, seventy first demon of the Goetia," Dantalion answered.

"How is it, then, that ye art not here, sealed among thy brothers within the first heaven?" Halphas questioned.

Dantalion's eyes filled with doubt. "They say it is an act of mercy!"

"All the demons must be purified. You are no different than we," Halphas argued.

"I have been condemned as you, yet as 'Incubus'," Dantalion reminded him.

"We must be brought forth to the Guardian who summons the four great Kings of Hell," Halphas continued.

"My brothers, twas my penance, that I remain of the second heaven. Purgatory is far worse than awaiting evocation for eternity," Dantalion went on.

The confined demons of the Goetia began quarrelling back and forth. Another spoke to Dantalion: "Dantalion, do you not hear of our brothers' envy of thee? They grow restless with the ages awaiting evocation," Prince Sitri, twelfth Goetic demon told him. "We were not shown the same mercy as thee. Envy, lust, pride. Each of us has been condemned for our actions."

"What of our fate?" Halphas asked.

"I have summoned my thirty six legions to assist in saving a mortal soul, it hath been stolen by Satan. I cannot set all of thee free. Only you can do that." Dantalion explained. His attempts with the blood of sacrifice only showed that they too, would have to be evoked by immortal blood.

"Betrayal! Ye who is one of us, demon of the Goetia! Turned against thy own brothers for a mortal!" Halphas shouted.

"Halphas, ye has shed blood upon thy own brother. That is of your own doing. Druitte now serves my thirty six legions on our quest to save the girl," Dantalion told him.

"Will thou confront our brother Satan within the fires of his third heaven?" Sitri asked Dantalion.

"We will try to reclaim her soul there. I am unsure if my powers are strong enough. Together we will try," Dantalion said confidently.

"The death of my brother was not my intent. It just…." Halphas' voice trailed off.

"We will await the four great Kings of Hell who will decide our fate over the infernal realm," Sitri went on.

"My brothers, they say even the fallen can reclaim their salvation with the passing of two ages, " Dantalion told them, thinking of what Gabriel had said.