Chapter 13: Somnium Damnatorum (Part 4)
"You want to summon a demon to destroy Norfulthing?!" exclaimed Ann-Marie as Constantine drew circles and lines on the room floor using a piece of chalk, "That's crazy even for you!"
"Well, if you have any better ideas, luv," Constantine said with sarcasm as he momentarily stopped drawing a symbol to address the forty-year old woman, "I'm all ears."
Constantine's sarcastic reply was enough to silence Ann-Marie as the Liverpuldian went back to finishing his pentagram.
"You think this would work?" Judith asked with uncertainty, "I don't think you've ever summoned a demon before."
"Summoning a demon is like baking a cake. You just need to use the right ingredients." the Liverpuldian answered with assurance as he drew another symbol, "It's the binding part that's the most difficult. Only when you know the demon's true name will it fall under your command."
Constantine and his friends were momentarily distracted as Frank entered the room with five huge candles.
"I found the candles you asked for, John." Frank as he handed one of the candles to Constantine, "You're lucky I didn't bump into that terror elemental when I was out looking for them."
"Cheers, mate." Constantine thanked the Californian biker before handing the candle back to Frank, "Be a lad and give them to Judith. She'll know what to do with them."
Frank handed the candles to Judith who began to place them at the each corner of the pentagram. As the blonde woman began to light each candle, Constantine stood up to admire his handiwork. For the Liverpuldian's first attempt at drawing a pentagram, it didn't look too shabby. Constantine turned his head to Gary who was walking towards him with a book.
"Logue's copy of the Grimorium Verum." Gary said as he handed the book to Constantine, "Who are you going to summon? Astaroth? Beelzebub?"
"I need a demon that will follow my instructions and not kill us." Constantine answered as he flipped through the grimoire before settling on a page, "I think Sagatana here might just be the right one for the job."
"All done." Judith announced as she lit the last candle, "Whenever you're ready, John."
Constantine looked at Gary before giving a determined nod. Gary returned the gesture before joining the rest of the group who were standing around Astra. Benjamin continued to mumble unintelligibly as Judith held him close.
"This is a bad idea." muttered Ritchie as Constantine stood in front of the pentagram.
"Well, here goes." the Liverpuldian muttered to himself as he began to recite the invocation from the book.
The five adults could only watch in fear and anticipation as Constantine bellowed out the Hebrew incantation. As the Liverpuldian continued his recitation, a small fire began to form in the middle of the pentagram. The fire grew larger as Constantine continued to recite the demon-summoning incantation. The five adults shielded themselves from the bright flame's heat. Gary noted that the fire's heat seem to penetrate his entire body before noticing a shadow forming within the giant flame. The shadow slowly took the form of a winged creature with a cone-shaped head. As Constantine finished the incantation, the winged creature burst out from the flames; roaring. The Liverpuldian and his adult friend stared in awe at the tall winged creature as the flames dissipated from the demon's body. The demon gazed at the mortals with its yellow eyes as if memorising the faces of those who had summoned it. Meanwhile, Constantine began to recite a spell to bind the demon to his control.
"I, John Constantine, have summoned you, the demon Sagatana, to our plane." Constantine bellowed, causing the demon to stare directly at the Liverpuldian, "I hereby bind you to this plane until you have fulfilled the terms I have set for you."
The demon looked at Constantine with a confused expression before giving the Liverpuldian a strange smile. Slightly disturbed by the demon's actions, Constantine nevertheless continued the spell.
"You have been summoned here to destroy the terror elemental, Norfulthing." Constantine continued to bellow, "Only when you have completed this task will you be unbound and free to return to your realm. Do you agree to the terms?"
The demon raised its cone-shaped head as it gave a loud, deep chuckle. The Liverpuldian and his adult friends were taken completely by surprise as the demon continued to laugh before staring at Constantine once again.
"I agree." the demon said slowly in low deep voice before turning into a ball of fire.
"Look out!" yelled Frank as the demonic ball of fire suddenly launched itself towards the group. The adults jumped out of the way as the flaming ball whizzed past them and headed for the sleeping Astra.
"NO!" Ann-Marie yelled as the flaming ball entered the young girl's body, causing Astra to go into convulsions.
Astra's body continued to convulse as the adults watched her body levitate a few feet in the air before suddenly going limp. Astra's body then fell to the floor with a loud thud.
"Astra!" screamed Ann-Marie as she and the rest of the adults rushed to Astra's side.
"Dear God." Gary uttered as he watched Ann-Marie cradle the young girl in her arms, before turning to Constantine, "John, what did you do?!"
"I did nothing, mate." Constantine answered in defence, "I only told that the demon to kill that bloody elemental not possess Astra."
"Well, fix it then!" yelled Frank as Ann-Marie continued sobbing with Astra in her arms.
Constantine was about to take a step closer before his nose picked up the scent of rotting flesh.
"Oh, bugger." he uttered, turning around as Norfulthing crashed into the room.
The huge canine gave a bloodcurling howl as it charged towards the adults. Everyone leapt out of the way except for Ann-Marie who continued to hold Astra in her arms. Like before, the terror elemental stopped a few inches away from the forty-year old woman. Norfulthing remained where it stood with a neutral expression on its face as it stared at both Ann-Marie and Astra. Its neutral expression soon changed to malice as the terror elemental raised its claws to strike the forty-year old woman. Suddenly, Astra's eyes flashed open as a stream of fire emanated from the young girl's mouth; torching Norfulthing's huge genitals and burning Ann-Marie's cheek. The huge canine howled in anguish, staggering back with its burning loins while Ann-Marie screamed as she placed her hands over her burnt cheek. Meanwhile, the possessed Astra made her way to the terror elemental who was on all fours now.
"You are the creature John Constantine seeks to destroy." the possessed child said in a low deep voice as she got closer to Norfulthing, "A pity. You would have done so well in Hell."
Norfulthing glared malevolently at the approaching Astra. The fact that the young girl was its conjuror no longer mattered as the mindless terror elemental pounced onto the possessed Astra.
"Foolish creature." uttered the possessed girl as it grabbed Norfulthing by its neck before the huge canine could land on her.
Norfulthing looked visibly distressed as the possessed Astra tightened her grip on the terror elemental's neck. With an evil smile on her face, the possessed young girl ripped off the huge canine's head from its body. The now headless body of Norfulthing collapsed to the ground, blood flowing out from its neck. The possessed Astra took a moment to examine the terror elemental's decapitated head before tossing it aside.
"Child's play." the possessed young girl said mockingly.
Constantine and his adult friends stood in shocked silence as their minds tried to process what they had just witnessed. Ann-Marie lay unconscious on Judith's lap, her cheek severely scarred.
"I have fulfilled my end of the deal, John Constantine." said the possessed Astra, addressing the Liverpuldian, "As payment for my services, I claim this young girl's soul."
The adults couldn't believe their ears when the heard the demon's claim on Astra's soul.
"What?!" exclaimed Gary in horror, taking a step towards the possessed Astra, "That was never part of the terms."
"Foolish mortal." the possessed Astra said in a mocking tone as she made her way back to the pentagram, "You should have known that everything comes with a price."
As the possessed young girl made her way to the centre of the pentagram, Gary looked to Constantine; who was too horrified to speak.
"John!" Gary shouted, snapping the Liverpuldian out of his trance, "Do something!"
Constantine quickly leapt into action, determined not to have the demon take Astra's soul to hell as he followed the possessed Astra.
"Sagatana, vile demon of Hell," Constantine commanded, "I, who summoned and bound you to this plane, command you to release the girl!"
The possessed Astra burst out laughing, surprising the Liverpuldian and his friends.
"Fool!" the possessed girl bellowed, "You have no power over me! You never did!"
Constantine was confused at the demon's statement. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror as he finally understood what the demon meant.
"You're not Sagatana." the Liverpuldian said with horror, "You're someone else."
"Indeed." the possessed Astra said mockingly as the pentagram burst into flames, "When you recited the incantation, you made a mistake. So, instead of Sagatana, you summoned me."
Constantine stepped back, speechless and horrified that he had mistakenly summoned a demon whose name was still a mystery to him. His mind became increasingly unnerved as he realised that he was never in control of the demon from the beginning and that he had inextricably damned Astra's soul to Hell.
"I've enjoyed my little charade," the possessed young girl said in a mocking tone, "But now it's time for me to return with my prize."
"Take me instead!" the Liverpuldian desperately pleaded, "Release the girl. Let me take her place!"
"In due time." the possessed Astra said, declining Constantine's offer of his soul as the fire spread across the VIP room, "For now, let this be a painful lesson to you, John Constantine. You should never toy with forces you cannot comprehend."
The possessed Astra let out evil laugh as the burning room began to collapse around itself. Constantine attempted to run towards the possessed young girl in a futile move to save her, only to be held back by Frank.
"LET ME GO!" Constantine yelled as the Californian biker pulled him away from the possessed Astra, "I CAN STILL SAVE HER! I NEED TO SAVE HER!"
"It's too late, John." Frank yelled as he pulled the screaming Liverpuldian out of the burning room, "We have to escape! The fire's spreading throughout the nightclub!"
Frank's words fell on deaf ears as Constantine continued to struggle in the Californian biker's strong grip. Meanwhile, the possessed Astra continued laughing as she stood in the burning VIP room before the ceiling collapsed on her.
"ASTRA!"
"JOHN!"
Constantine rose up from the bed, his body covered in sweat. Sitting next to his bedside was a visibly concerned Hellboy.
"John!" the red-skinned paranormal investigator said anxiously, "You okay?"
Constantine turned to look at Hellboy before looking at his surroundings. He was in a room resembling a university accommodation for students. It was apparently en-suite as the room had its own shower. As the Liverpuldian occult detective looked outside his window, he saw a typical busy London street. Constantine gave a sigh as he ruffled his unkempt hair with his right hand.
"I'm alright, mate." Constantine replied, trying to assure Hellboy, "Just one of them nightmares."
"Looked like more than just a nightmare." the red-skinned paranormal investigator said, his expression still worried, "You were screaming in your sleep."
"I'm fine, mate." Constantine answered coldly and abruptly.
The Liverpuldian's quick change in tone was Hellboy's cue to stop asking.
"Alright, if you say so." the red-skinned paranormal investigator said, still somewhat concerned, "Anyway, you'd better get changed. Mission briefing's in half an hour."
Having delivered his message to the Liverpuldian occult detective, Hellboy turned and exited the room; leaving Constantine alone. Constantine remained in bed, silently contemplating on the nightmarish flashback he had just experienced. After pondering for a few seconds, the Liverpuldian occult detective gave a dejected sigh before making his way to the shower.