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.
Dobrushin and Aksinya married. They came to the room Dobrushin took in the hotel near the center of Wien. The demon, Asmodeus, appeared and attacked Dobrushin but mortally injured Aksinya. With the destruction of Aksinya's surety, the demon disappeared and Aksinya's long hair returned to her head. She lies dying in Dobrushin's arms...
“Not innocent,” Aksinya coughed, “Only forgiven.” Blood trickled from her lips down the side of her face.
“Please, dear God, she was forgiven. She is your child.”
A bright light flashed in the room followed by a low tone like a bell, and another being stood near the fireplace.
Aksinya shuddered, “Did the demon return?”
The creature was tall and bright. Its features were so bright they were difficult to discern in the darkened room. Still the being seemed to smile, “Do not be afraid.”
Aksinya’s voice came lower, “It is an angel. I can tell.”
The angel bowed to them, “Princess Aksinya, Dobrushin Lopuhin, I am the angel Raphael. I’m sorry I’m late, but Upper Egypt is much further from here than it was from Ecbatana
Dobrushin cried out, “Can’t you see she is dying. Heal her. Please, in God’s name, heal her.”
Aksinya touched Dobrushin’s face again, “My love, angels can’t heal, only God can do that.”
Raphael opened his hands and smiled again, “Only God can heal. Or that other thing.”
Aksinya’s eyes fluttered. She whispered, “I have renounced sorcery. I would rather die than ever use it again.”
Raphael glowed brighter, “In that case, I am allowed to reverse some of the actions of that demon in the world. He should never have been able to harm you, Princess Aksinya.” The angel stepped closer to her.
Dobrushin raised his hopeless face to Raphael, “Please help her.”
All right, did you read Tobit. If you did, you might have guessed what would happen next. In the Book of Tobit, the demon Asmodeus was forced away by the incense and fish organs being burned. The Angel in the story, Raphael, chased Asmodeus to upper Egypt where he bound him. Thus, after a proper amount of time, we have a visitation. The low tone and the flash are my own adds for the appearance of angels. Seems like a worthwhile image to me.
Aksinya can't see. She wonders if the demon returned. The first words of the angel are: “Do not be afraid.” These are important words since the messengers from the Greek gods were "hagios" awful beings, it is good to note that in the Greek New Testament and the Apocrypha, Angels announced themselves with: "Do not be afraid."
Aksinya gets this and thus her response: “It is an angel. I can tell.” The angel defered to them both. Then, to break the tension, I introduce some light levity. The reference is that from Austria to Upper Egypt is much further than from Upper Egypt to Ecbatana--Ecbatana was where Tobias and Sara were married. I use Dobrushin's words to escalate the tension in the scene.
Then the end of hope from Aksinya's lips: “My love, angels can’t heal, only God can do that.” This was one of the points made early on in the novel--demons can't heal. Likewise, angels can't heal--only God can heal. Or, if you remember, putting your trust in the world, that is, sorcery can heal. The angel doesn't want to use the word. You guess what it is.
The angel seemed to be waiting for Aksinya to denounce sorcery. The point I am trying to make here is that it isn't enough to say it in your mind. Words in this sense have power when they are pronounced--thus Aksinya's confession has real meaning. The angel immediately responds. We shall see tomorrow what the angel can do.
Very cool to share your process like this! Good luck as you go forward!
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