We have a short transition through the day with the German class as the only detail. Asmodeus comes to visit that evening. This is an example of focusing the storyline only on the important details that move it along.
Asmodeus came to visit that evening. He knocked on the sitting room door. Natalya opened it for him. She curtsied. Asmodeus strode into the room, “Countess, are you ready to make a visit to your house?”
“If I must.”
Natalya looked on with curiosity.
Aksinya went back to her reading.
Asmodeus blinked, “The time to visit is now.”
Aksinya yawned, “The school and convent is locked and the hour is late. How do you expect us to go visiting now?”
“I suspect I will not get your help in concealing the both of you, but I can do it for now. I insist you go.”
“You insist?”
“Your acquiescence now will mean a lot less pain and suffering for you later.”
Aksinya tuned a bored look at the demon, “Are you threatening me.”
“Whenever did I not?”
“You are always lying to me, but because I don’t perceive any harm in seeing my own house...”
“Yes, countess. It is your own house. I procured it for you.”
“Then servant, demon, let us see my house.” Aksinya levered herself off the small couch and Natalya went to get her mink coat. Natalya tied it for Aksinya. Natalya put on the heavy woolen coat Aksinya gave her at their first meeting.
Asmodeus looks like a courtier. Did you forget? I tried to remind you with Natalya's response--she curtsies. He looks like a demon to Aksinya. The demon demands that Aksinya come visit her house. She isn't very interested. She knows the house will lead to problems for her. How right she is, but she is still tempted anyway. Natalya watches everything. The demon gives a temptation to sorcery in the comment about concealment, but backs off quickly--remember, the reason for the house is so Aksinya may practice sorcery. You should also note, the demon used the jewelry box incident to draw Aksinya to the house--she can't have the jewelry box in the dorms, only in the house. Still, Aksinya ignores the demon. She makes excuses. They are good ones. Then the demon threatens Aksinya. You knew it would get there eventually. That is how the demon treats her when he gets to that point. There is a fine turn in the conversation about the demon threatening her and his response--when did he not threaten her. This is a blatant lie and Aksinya picks up on it.
About lies. The demon doesn't lie all the time, but he lies a lot of the time and perhaps most of the time. If you didn't notice, Aksinya never lies. She is absolutely artless. She couldn't hide a blemish especially her own. We can't forget the cloaks. Aksinya's and Natalya's are significant to them for different reasons. This sets us up for the trip to the new house.
Showing posts with label threat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label threat. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A New Novel, Part 72 The Demon's True Purpose
We heard yesterday that Asmodeus has procured the house across the street for Aksinya to practice her sorcery. Now we get a little more of his plans.
“I don’t want the Lady Natalya involved in this.”
Asmodeus lay on the bed and idly wrote with his clawed finger on her pillow, “You are too late to stop that also. She has such a strong desire to be like you, just like you. She is your apprentice. You will teach her sorcery.”
Aksinya held her head in her hands, “She must learn Latin first.”
“She is a very adroit study. You will find that she will master the language quickly. You are good to have concern for the Lady Natalya. She might have problems in this German school, this gymnasium.”
Aksinya raised her lip, “Why is that?”
“She doesn’t speak German. If you wish her to succeed and not be left behind, you need to help her.”
“To help her study?”
“I would suggest a little help in what you are the best at. That will go a long way to meeting all our goals.”
“You mean use sorcery to help her? Can’t you understand? I don’t want to meet your goals.”
Asmodeus voice was tinged with false despair, “Why should you meet your goals, and I not meet mine?”
“I have no goals…”
“Other than to be rid of me. I understand you perfectly, Countess. Now listen to me and listen well. You experienced the suffering of your soul in the church today. That guy rejects you. The church will eventually vomit you out. I suggest not going at all—otherwise your secrets will be revealed to all the world. Your sweet helper won’t be spared either.” Asmodeus turned his eyes on her, “Second, do not confess to anyone, anything. It might do your soul well, but it will cause you immense suffering.” The demon sat up, “I do have an instruction on a positive note. The Sister Margarethe is a special person whose attention should be encouraged. She will help you and she will help the Lady Natalya because of you.” The demon gave Aksinya a large fang filled grin.
“Is that all you have to tell me, demon?”
“Do you want more? I can certainly give you more instructions. I really wanted to wait a while.”
“You infuriate me. What if I won’t do as you ask?”
The demon examined his claws, “You have already proven to me, a little pain and suffering goes a long way to encourage your compliance. Beyond that, the Lady Natalya is a very gentle girl who has faced much suffering. You haven’t made her suffer much, yet. That can quickly change. Then…this school is filled with mostly innocent beings whose only guilt was to be in the wrong place with a sorceress as their classmate. The sisters of this convent’s peace is also at risk. Frau Drescher is a sour woman whose life has been very unpleasant for a long time. She hides the excesses of the students because she is truly indulgent and kind—she could change. You see, Countess, I brought you here to this place at this time to give special attention to your and my special abilities. We shall work together to promote evil and we shall bring much evil to these innocents.”
In answer to the demon's demand that Aksinya teach sorcery to Natalya, her apprentice, Aksinya responds, that she doesn't want Natalya involved. The demon his been working hard at his temptation. He already set up a situation that Aksinya can't control or stop. Aksinya set up Natalya as her apprentice and Natalya expects training. We will later see how much Natalya expects. Aksinya caves into the demon's expectation, but we shall see she fights him to the bitter end on this issue.
Then the demon brings in a new temptation. He hasn't been so direct or conniving, that we have seen, but now, temptation is back and it is ugly. The temptation is to Aksinya's sense of duty. If she doesn't help Natalya, Natalya will fail at school. The demon suggests Aksinya use sorcery to help Natalya. All he really wants is for Aksinya to cause herself problems by spending all her time teaching Natalya. If Aksinya uses sorcery so much the better, if she doesn't...we shall see.
The conversation turns to Aksinya and all the things she has been thinking or exposed to that is to be rid of the demon. The demon reminds her that God has rejected her and the church has rejected her. He threatens that her secret sins will be revealed and that Natalya will be harmed. He tells her to not confess to anyone, then he adds something that should make you and Aksinya wonder. He tells her to cultivate friendship with Sister Margarethe. We will find out later why this is so. It should worry you.
So Aksinya throws down the gauntlet again, and we get a complete statement from the demon. He lifts up Natalya, the girls in the school, the convent, Frau Drescher all as potential targets for his attacks. Aksinya, we know, can't face the suffering of others. We know she will abide by the demon's decrees. More tomorrow.
“I don’t want the Lady Natalya involved in this.”
Asmodeus lay on the bed and idly wrote with his clawed finger on her pillow, “You are too late to stop that also. She has such a strong desire to be like you, just like you. She is your apprentice. You will teach her sorcery.”
Aksinya held her head in her hands, “She must learn Latin first.”
“She is a very adroit study. You will find that she will master the language quickly. You are good to have concern for the Lady Natalya. She might have problems in this German school, this gymnasium.”
Aksinya raised her lip, “Why is that?”
“She doesn’t speak German. If you wish her to succeed and not be left behind, you need to help her.”
“To help her study?”
“I would suggest a little help in what you are the best at. That will go a long way to meeting all our goals.”
“You mean use sorcery to help her? Can’t you understand? I don’t want to meet your goals.”
Asmodeus voice was tinged with false despair, “Why should you meet your goals, and I not meet mine?”
“I have no goals…”
“Other than to be rid of me. I understand you perfectly, Countess. Now listen to me and listen well. You experienced the suffering of your soul in the church today. That guy rejects you. The church will eventually vomit you out. I suggest not going at all—otherwise your secrets will be revealed to all the world. Your sweet helper won’t be spared either.” Asmodeus turned his eyes on her, “Second, do not confess to anyone, anything. It might do your soul well, but it will cause you immense suffering.” The demon sat up, “I do have an instruction on a positive note. The Sister Margarethe is a special person whose attention should be encouraged. She will help you and she will help the Lady Natalya because of you.” The demon gave Aksinya a large fang filled grin.
“Is that all you have to tell me, demon?”
“Do you want more? I can certainly give you more instructions. I really wanted to wait a while.”
“You infuriate me. What if I won’t do as you ask?”
The demon examined his claws, “You have already proven to me, a little pain and suffering goes a long way to encourage your compliance. Beyond that, the Lady Natalya is a very gentle girl who has faced much suffering. You haven’t made her suffer much, yet. That can quickly change. Then…this school is filled with mostly innocent beings whose only guilt was to be in the wrong place with a sorceress as their classmate. The sisters of this convent’s peace is also at risk. Frau Drescher is a sour woman whose life has been very unpleasant for a long time. She hides the excesses of the students because she is truly indulgent and kind—she could change. You see, Countess, I brought you here to this place at this time to give special attention to your and my special abilities. We shall work together to promote evil and we shall bring much evil to these innocents.”
In answer to the demon's demand that Aksinya teach sorcery to Natalya, her apprentice, Aksinya responds, that she doesn't want Natalya involved. The demon his been working hard at his temptation. He already set up a situation that Aksinya can't control or stop. Aksinya set up Natalya as her apprentice and Natalya expects training. We will later see how much Natalya expects. Aksinya caves into the demon's expectation, but we shall see she fights him to the bitter end on this issue.
Then the demon brings in a new temptation. He hasn't been so direct or conniving, that we have seen, but now, temptation is back and it is ugly. The temptation is to Aksinya's sense of duty. If she doesn't help Natalya, Natalya will fail at school. The demon suggests Aksinya use sorcery to help Natalya. All he really wants is for Aksinya to cause herself problems by spending all her time teaching Natalya. If Aksinya uses sorcery so much the better, if she doesn't...we shall see.
The conversation turns to Aksinya and all the things she has been thinking or exposed to that is to be rid of the demon. The demon reminds her that God has rejected her and the church has rejected her. He threatens that her secret sins will be revealed and that Natalya will be harmed. He tells her to not confess to anyone, then he adds something that should make you and Aksinya wonder. He tells her to cultivate friendship with Sister Margarethe. We will find out later why this is so. It should worry you.
So Aksinya throws down the gauntlet again, and we get a complete statement from the demon. He lifts up Natalya, the girls in the school, the convent, Frau Drescher all as potential targets for his attacks. Aksinya, we know, can't face the suffering of others. We know she will abide by the demon's decrees. More tomorrow.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
A New Novel, Part 27 Abuse and Disguise
The last time the demon tempted Aksinya, he used physical discomfort and threats to "win" her over. If that works, why not use it again. As I mentioned, the "puppy" method is very effective. One of my readers noted that the demon and Aksinya have a classical abusive relationship going. Ah, yes, so it is. Is temptation any different than such a relationship. If you think about the similarities, you will see amazing parallels. There is much more in the writing that I have not revealed to you. That wasn't intentional or unintentional. It's just that I am really busy and sometimes I have more and less time to spare on "revelations." Plus, some of the revelations of the multilevels of the writing should be obvious.
They only had to walk about a block before the railway station came into sight. It was brightly lit and filled with activity. They approached the station from the rail side. At the sides of a set of tracks, the demon stopped suddenly. He laid down the chest and turned, “The trains are especially dangerous for you, countess. They will be equally dangerous for your lady-in-waiting.”
“Then why did you bring us this way, you fool?”
“I brought you this way to give you yet another opportunity.”
Aksinya’s head dropped, “What do you want me to do this time?”
“My request is simple. I wish you to make an enchantment that changes both of your external appearances. This way you may travel in safety and comfort.”
Aksinya put her hand over her eyes, “If I won’t do it?”
“If you don’t make this magic, you could walk all the way to Austria. Or, I could strip you like I did before.” The demon grinned around his fangs, “I could strip your lady in waiting. Perhaps I could tempt you to whip her. That would be something she is very used to.” Asmodeus leaned against the chest, “In any case, if you don’t make an enchantment, a group of young Bolsheviks will soon come along these tracks. They have been drinking since noon. They will rape your lady-in-waiting and attempt to rape you. I will have to step in to protect you and do your bidding. I suspect you will be so mortified you will ask me to kill them. For rape, I can even torture them in front of you before I kill them.”
“You are cruel, demon.”
“I have been called that many, many times, so it must be true. Quickly, what is your decision?”
Aksinya whispered, “I will do as you ask.” She spoke more loudly, “What of Lady Natalya? Didn’t she hear what you said to me? How you threatened me?”
“Only what I allowed her to hear. She will be very pleased to see you make such a great enchantment. And it must be great. You must make it strong enough to last seven days.”
Aksinya spat at the ground, “Get my things and my book. The great brown one.”
Asmodeus obliged. Natalya stared as Aksinya drew a magic circle large enough to encompass them both. Aksinya placed candles at the five corners of the pentagram. She gathered wax and clay then bits of cloth from a box. She shaped them a little with heads and arms and legs then stuck sprigs of an odd herb in them. She lit the candles and a brazier of incense. When she was done with her preparations, she sat in the center of the circle with Natalya beside her and the book on the stolen stand before her. She closed her eyes, “Listen, Lady Natalya, you must not say anything. No matter what you hear or what happens, don’t make a sound from your mouth, from your vocal cords. This is very important. I will be speaking in Latin. The forms and the words are very important. It is like a word and sacrament in the church. The words are those I must say for the enchantment to work and the implements are sacraments. They are the corporal things that will cause the world to change. Remember don’t say a word.”
Natalya nodded.
Aksinya began to speak. The great book was opened to the correct page, but she didn’t need to look at it. She knew the words to say, knew them by heart. This was one of her favorite enchantments. She could make herself look any way she wished for a long time. The enchantment could easily last at least a week if she desired. She had done that before—tweaked her clothing and her face. She once changed the color of her hair for over a month.
Aksinya moved her hands and touched the clay and wax models she had formed. The words she spoke endued them with the clothing and characteristics she wished to place on herself and Natalya. She picked up her dagger and nicked her finger. She let a heavy drop of blood fall onto one of the wax models. Aksinya grabbed Natalya’s hand. Natalya had been holding it out to her, ready. Aksinya cleanly sliced the lady’s index finger and gently milked a drop of blood from it. It fell on the other piece of wax, clay, and cloth. When Aksinya released her hand, Natalya stared in amazement at the newly healed cut.
Aksinya lifted both wax models and placed them in the brazier. Immediately it began to pour out heavy smoke. She censed Natalya then herself. The scent of the incense was thick and cloying. It smelled of cheap perfume and age. It was heavy like the scent of an old woman. Under that was the smell was sweat and dirt. Aksinya repeated the censing and impressed the words on them both. The brazier suddenly stopped and slowly the thick smoke rolled away.
The demon uses threats this time. He doesn't even have to force her. Aksinya acquiesces on her own. This is the primary teaching of resistance training: don't let your antagonizer, your torturer have easy victories. Aksinya has given the demon an easy victory. We will see that this a prelude to some of her resistance. Don't forget the sewing case.
I also hope you like the revelation of the way sorcery works. This is designed in the classical understanding: words of power and items of sacrament. In this we have a reference to the Church. Obviously, what propels the demon and Aksinya is the world with God. How would the sorcery work, if it was not a rejection and sin against God. How can there be demons if there isn't God. This is the obvious logical conclusion--Aksinya even said it once before. We will continue to see this theme--it is the point after all.
They only had to walk about a block before the railway station came into sight. It was brightly lit and filled with activity. They approached the station from the rail side. At the sides of a set of tracks, the demon stopped suddenly. He laid down the chest and turned, “The trains are especially dangerous for you, countess. They will be equally dangerous for your lady-in-waiting.”
“Then why did you bring us this way, you fool?”
“I brought you this way to give you yet another opportunity.”
Aksinya’s head dropped, “What do you want me to do this time?”
“My request is simple. I wish you to make an enchantment that changes both of your external appearances. This way you may travel in safety and comfort.”
Aksinya put her hand over her eyes, “If I won’t do it?”
“If you don’t make this magic, you could walk all the way to Austria. Or, I could strip you like I did before.” The demon grinned around his fangs, “I could strip your lady in waiting. Perhaps I could tempt you to whip her. That would be something she is very used to.” Asmodeus leaned against the chest, “In any case, if you don’t make an enchantment, a group of young Bolsheviks will soon come along these tracks. They have been drinking since noon. They will rape your lady-in-waiting and attempt to rape you. I will have to step in to protect you and do your bidding. I suspect you will be so mortified you will ask me to kill them. For rape, I can even torture them in front of you before I kill them.”
“You are cruel, demon.”
“I have been called that many, many times, so it must be true. Quickly, what is your decision?”
Aksinya whispered, “I will do as you ask.” She spoke more loudly, “What of Lady Natalya? Didn’t she hear what you said to me? How you threatened me?”
“Only what I allowed her to hear. She will be very pleased to see you make such a great enchantment. And it must be great. You must make it strong enough to last seven days.”
Aksinya spat at the ground, “Get my things and my book. The great brown one.”
Asmodeus obliged. Natalya stared as Aksinya drew a magic circle large enough to encompass them both. Aksinya placed candles at the five corners of the pentagram. She gathered wax and clay then bits of cloth from a box. She shaped them a little with heads and arms and legs then stuck sprigs of an odd herb in them. She lit the candles and a brazier of incense. When she was done with her preparations, she sat in the center of the circle with Natalya beside her and the book on the stolen stand before her. She closed her eyes, “Listen, Lady Natalya, you must not say anything. No matter what you hear or what happens, don’t make a sound from your mouth, from your vocal cords. This is very important. I will be speaking in Latin. The forms and the words are very important. It is like a word and sacrament in the church. The words are those I must say for the enchantment to work and the implements are sacraments. They are the corporal things that will cause the world to change. Remember don’t say a word.”
Natalya nodded.
Aksinya began to speak. The great book was opened to the correct page, but she didn’t need to look at it. She knew the words to say, knew them by heart. This was one of her favorite enchantments. She could make herself look any way she wished for a long time. The enchantment could easily last at least a week if she desired. She had done that before—tweaked her clothing and her face. She once changed the color of her hair for over a month.
Aksinya moved her hands and touched the clay and wax models she had formed. The words she spoke endued them with the clothing and characteristics she wished to place on herself and Natalya. She picked up her dagger and nicked her finger. She let a heavy drop of blood fall onto one of the wax models. Aksinya grabbed Natalya’s hand. Natalya had been holding it out to her, ready. Aksinya cleanly sliced the lady’s index finger and gently milked a drop of blood from it. It fell on the other piece of wax, clay, and cloth. When Aksinya released her hand, Natalya stared in amazement at the newly healed cut.
Aksinya lifted both wax models and placed them in the brazier. Immediately it began to pour out heavy smoke. She censed Natalya then herself. The scent of the incense was thick and cloying. It smelled of cheap perfume and age. It was heavy like the scent of an old woman. Under that was the smell was sweat and dirt. Aksinya repeated the censing and impressed the words on them both. The brazier suddenly stopped and slowly the thick smoke rolled away.
The demon uses threats this time. He doesn't even have to force her. Aksinya acquiesces on her own. This is the primary teaching of resistance training: don't let your antagonizer, your torturer have easy victories. Aksinya has given the demon an easy victory. We will see that this a prelude to some of her resistance. Don't forget the sewing case.
I also hope you like the revelation of the way sorcery works. This is designed in the classical understanding: words of power and items of sacrament. In this we have a reference to the Church. Obviously, what propels the demon and Aksinya is the world with God. How would the sorcery work, if it was not a rejection and sin against God. How can there be demons if there isn't God. This is the obvious logical conclusion--Aksinya even said it once before. We will continue to see this theme--it is the point after all.
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