For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.
Aksinya is locked in a cold dark cell under the residence of the Cardinal of Wien. Asmodeus comes to visit Aksinya in the depths of the night...
Aksinya was breathless, “You let them murder my family? You were sworn to obey me.”
“Never sworn to obey you. I swore to do evil in your name. You are such a fool, little girl. You tried to negotiate with a demon. My purpose is temptation and evil. I have no other purpose in heaven or earth.”
“So… I see.”
“Too late. Always they understand too late.” Asmodeus stretched to his full height, “Ah, evil is so liberating, but you have chosen a different path, haven’t you.”
“I have chosen.”
“With all the pain and suffering you will know. I could offer you life, liberty, freedom, sorcery.”
“It wouldn’t help my friends.”
“I could continue to lie to you and tell you it would. Would that change your mind?”
“I have chosen.”
“I must be completely clear because I don’t wish to lose all the potential of evil within you. If you determine to follow me, I will save you from all this pain and suffering.”
“But you won’t help my friends.”
“I will not help your friends or your enemies. I offer you evil and only evil.”
“You offer me relief now and eternal suffering later. Christ offers me suffering because of my own actions now and eternal life later. In either case, I can’t help my friends…or my enemies, and I don’t wish to bring any more evil into the world.”
At the word, Christ, the demon cringed. He frowned, “Very well. You will not know peace until your dying day, and I shall reap your soul in any case.”
Aksinya’s teeth chattered, “You will not have my soul. I am marked by Christ as His own.”
Asmodeus snarled, “Shut up, Countess.”
“I am His. I am Christ’s.”
“Shut up.”
Aksinya hugged her naked body more closely. The rosary pressed solidly against her chest. She pulled it out and raised it up, “In spite of all the pain and suffering I might face because of this decision, I choose Christ. You can’t do anything about that. My mind is free of you. I am Christ’s, not yours. I can swear, and I can hold onto the promise that is mine. I only wish I knew this before I knew you. Begone.”
At that moment Asmodeus was gone. All that was left was an acrid stink. Aksinya wondered if her confession had sent him away or something else.Asmodeus, the demon, is tormenting Aksinya. He told her he killed her family. He restates his purpose--evil and temptation is his only purpose. Then we get to the choice. Aksinya has chosen something other than evil. The demon tries to tempt Aksinya again. The demon wants to be certain of Aksinya's choice--and I want you to hear it too. The choice, to Aksinya, is Christ. The demon promises that she will not know peace until your dying day. He claims that he will reap her soul anyway. Then we get the whole confession from Aksinya: “You will not have my soul. I am marked by Christ as His own.”
This irritates the demon because he knows it is true--except the question of who owns her soul. This question is still up in the air. Aksinya confesses again (I don't want you to miss it): “In spite of all the pain and suffering I might face because of this decision, I choose Christ. You can’t do anything about that. My mind is free of you. I am Christ’s, not yours."
At Aksinya's claim, the demon retreats. Like I said, the question of the ownership of her soul is still in the air. Further, the demon could still tempt her back to evil. They still have a contract--it has not been negated. Tomorrow, the morning.
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