Jeremy Chikalto and the Demon Trace (Book III of The Hazy Souls) (2 page)

“Will someone put it out?” she asked
dreamily.

Jeremy began pacing his room. “You need
oxygen. I'm taking you outside.”

“Why is there a fire?”

Jeremy wrapped his arms around Maren and
pulled her through the Haze, popping out again on top of a patch of
weeds that had overtaken a garden of fissel plants. Jeremy lay
Maren on the weeds and squinted up at the inferno growing in his
castle. Thick plumes of black smoke stretched out across the sky.
Lyrna appeared beside Jeremy and mewed. "How is she?" said Jeremy,
pointing to Maren.

"Meow? Half plus half?"

"Be right back." In a flash, Jeremy was back
in his bedroom. He started grabbing supplies and tossing them
behind the air and into the Haze.

Now Jeremy was in his parents' room, and
soon family heirlooms were bobbing on rays of purple. On his sixth
trip, he spotted an armed guard running down the corridor. "What's
going on?" shouted Jeremy.

"Cajjez Jeremy!" stammered the guard. "I've
found Cajjez Jeremy!"

"What's going on!" demanded Jeremy, his
fists clenched. "What's happened here?"

To Jeremy's surprise, a pack of guards
rounded a corner down the hall with raised rifles. Jeremy
disappeared into the Haze and slumped onto a cloud. A demon buzzed
towards him and he swatted at it. “Pest.”

Maren
. He materialized back into the garden and landed on another
patch of weeds. The weeds were an eye sore and Jeremy took a moment
to trample them. “Maren?” He marched past a row of rose bushes.
“Maren, you good now?” Jeremy jogged towards the courtyard with the
fountain, where the sun was beaming through the smoke clouds. He
expected to find her resting on a bench. “Maren?” Jeremy froze.
Just beyond the first bench, past the thick hedges, someone was
whispering. Jeremy ducked low and crept to the hedges.

"We'll take her to Klav, then come back,"
said a deep voice.

"No, someone will intercept us. They'll get
the reward!"

"Well if she's telling the
truth
—
"

"I am. It was a very precious family
heirloom." It was Maren.

Jeremy crept closer and glanced around the
corner. He could see two pairs of tall, laced black boots and the
backs of men in uniform. Maren was just out of site.

Maren whispered and continued to reel them
in. "I dropped the pouch over there. If you leave it, someone else
will find the diamonds. Please, look again."

Jeremy heard an explosion to his left. More
smoke in the garden. Now was his chance to get to Maren. He jumped
to his feet and rounded the hedge, but wasn't the only opportunist
to seize the moment of chaos.

A stampede of men charged into Maren's
captors, brandishing clubs. Three bullets fired in quick succession
as bodies slumped to the ground. There was screaming and then
someone clubbed him on the back, knocking the wind out of him.
Jeremy lay in the grass for a moment, and then sprang up. The smoke
began to dissipate; Maren was gone.

“Maren!” Jeremy ran after a group of men in
the distance, but didn't see Maren, and then ran after another
group in the opposite direction. He caught up.

“Do you have Maren?”

The five men looked back at him in surprise.
“Get him!” shouted the largest of the five, and Jeremy entered the
Haze just as a bullet narrowly missed his shin.

"Lyrna! A little help? Lyrna!"

Lyrna appeared next to him. Jeremy's demons
chattered in the background.

“Someone's taken Maren. My parents' Kingdom
is in flames. My own guards turned on me!"

Lyrna mewed emphatically.

"I need more information.” Jeremy hugged
Lyrna, squeezing her tight. "Let me know if my dad or mom come
through the Haze."

Lyrna bowed her head. "Alive. No sense
here."

Jeremy drew in a sharp breath. "I'm going
back."

Jeremy landed on Watico just outside a
cottage to the west of the castle, set back into a thicket. The sky
was casting strange lights and shadows, and smoke was pouring over
the horizon in the distance. It was a short walk to the cottage's
front door. Jeremy pounded the door and then waited. White paint
was peeling off the door around the edges. If the door didn't open
in three seconds, Jeremy would gladly remove it from its
hinges.

The door swung open and there was a pretty
young woman with midnight black hair and sad eyes. "Cajjez Jeremy!"
She was dressed plainly, much like the interior of the home.

"What?" An older man appeared from behind
her. "Cajjez!" They gaped at Jeremy.

"I hope you don't mind if I come in." Jeremy
stepped past them. He fidgeted on their living room couch. "Where's
the remote?" Jeremy groped around the couch cushions. He found the
remote and clicked on the news. They all stared at the screen.

~

“
The Leveled Ground has
taken the Chikalto castle and crews are now dousing the flames and
searching for bodies. Cajjez Jeremy Chikalto was sighted in the
castle and is believed to be hiding in the North Tower. It has been
confirmed that Vor Wantoro and Vinya Raaychila have escaped in a
veiled spacecraft. Olgian Ambassador Mateo Nononia has also
escaped. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, please contact your
nearest militia. A reward of 50,000 Evems will be given to anyone
who leads to their capture. The demons are evidently working with
the royal family and are believed to be under the control of Cajjez
Jeremy Chikalto. Now to Historical Scholar Broderick Savante for
his controversial take on these disturbing events.”

A cut-to of Broderick A. Savante, Professor
of Religious Studies at Bristoli University, appeared on the
screen.

“
Controversial. I like
that, Cindy. The demons have some affiliation with Cajjez Jeremy
Chikalto. What we know is that in many incidents involving the
demons, witnesses have reported that the demons said 'Jeremy
Chikalto.' The family, of course, descends from the Vordin Chikalto
line, and what we're looking at here is a chance for scholars such
as myself to really scour some of our planet's early history to get
answers. In some of our earliest scrolls dating back to 210 GAN, we
read certain lines pertaining to demons, and in the Book of Gawain,
we are told that Vordin Chikalto was cast down from heaven. The
Book of Gawain is not considered part of the canon, but shouldn't
we revisit it? If Vordin Chikalto, founder of our galaxy, was
indeed a fallen angel, wouldn't that make him a demon? Suspend
disbelief, Cindy, for a minute here.”

“
I'm sorry, so you're
suggesting that there is some religious basis for what we're seeing
here today in the Farmoore Galaxy? I think it's more likely we're
dealing with some kind of genetically engineered soldier. Jeremy
Chikalto was always a disturbed individual, and this seems like
something he masterminded for his inauguration as Vor.”

Broderick laughed. “Yes,
that very well may be, but at Bristoli University tomorrow evening,
join us for a summit
—
”

~

Jeremy shut the screen off and turned to his
hosts. "So my family's been usurped?"

"Is it true about the demons?" The young
woman with black hair sat down beside him on the couch. Her father
tensed up.

"Cajjez Jeremy," he said, "please respect my
family and leave our house. If there's anything you'd like-food,
water, a change of clothes...?"

Jeremy looked down at his disheveled self.
He'd been awash on Leviathan Island, inside the mouth of a monster
submarine, and in battle against Mantel and his cronies. His pink
button-down shirt was well past its prime, and his jeans had large
chunks missing, revealing matte-black boxers. "Oh..."

"It's just that, Cajjez Jeremy, you're a
danger to us here. We're already on high alert because of the fire.
The guards could come here any minute."

"Take some food." The young woman jumped up
off the couch and ran to the kitchen. "It's an honor to meet you.
My name is Rita. Cajjez Jeremy, do you like cinkaar bars?"

Jeremy joined her in the kitchen. "I'm sorry
to bring your family trouble."

Rita turned to him, her eyes glassy. "Cajjez
Jeremy, please let me get you some new clothes. I'll check my
brother's room." She ran from the kitchen and up the stairs,
leaving Jeremy staring at the cinkaar bars. He realized he was
starving, tore open the package, and devoured the crispy oatmeal
snack. Next, he flung open the kitchen cabinets and poured himself
a glass of water. Two glasses later, and he moved on to the
refrigerator. "I'd like something hot, something I can cook up.
Quick!"

The father came into the kitchen. He held up
his hand to make a point, but it was shaking. "The news just
reported that you were spotted in the garden outside the castle.
There's a manhunt. They'll be here soon. Please, I beg you,
leave."

Rita emerged with piles of clothes tucked
under her arms. "He might be your size."

Jeremy eyed the frumpy pile.

"Cajjez Jeremy, once when we were little, I
was invited to a royal ball in your honor. It was held in the
concert hall and I remember you sang the song... what was it? 'Last
night a ball of flame crackled high overhead,' something about the
stars?"

Jeremy examined her brother's wardrobe and
rejected each mediocre piece in a state of irritation. Maren was
missing. He settled on a form-fitting navy sweater and jeans. "I
should probably get a shower," he mumbled.

When Jeremy walked out of
the bathroom a few minutes later, fresh as a daisy, he could hear
the helicopters approaching. The father began to pray. Jeremy
approached the man and his daughter and lay his hand on their
shoulders. "You'll be fine. I'm leaving soon, but before I do, can
you please tell me if you believe the reports." He gestured to the
helicopters outside. "I thought my family was loved. My
mother
—
how can
the people of Watico turn on her? My father? People are jumping to
conclusions!” Jeremy balled his fists up.

Rita looked out the window at the night sky.
"If you knew about the demons, why would you cover something like
that up? The Leveled Ground says that we have to band together
against the royal family because a darkness follows in their steps.
If you have nothing to hide, then why won't your family answer
questions?" Her eyes shifted to Jeremy. “Is it true? Are there
demons?"

"I suppose I could answer some questions.
Yes, there are demons. My family's only just learned of them, and
we're frightened and concerned, same as everyone else. But I think
we'll be okay. Thank you, Rita." Jeremy left the family hiding
behind their sofa, and entered the Haze.

Jeremy popped back onto Watico and strolled
up to a soldier who was standing beside the brook that ran to the
east of the castle.

"Excuse me," he said to the soldier. "I'd
like to turn myself in to the Leveled Ground."

Chapter 3

Leveled Ground

The soldier, after doing a double take,
called in an unnecessarily large group of back-up soldiers, and
Jeremy was handcuffed, deposited in an armored car, and transported
to the headquarters of the Leveled Ground. The headquarters were in
an old Church sanctuary, west of the castle. The church stood tall,
and had thick walls of limestone, with narrow doors and small
windows. A harsh wind from the sea blew the thin silver trees
surrounding the church back and forth. Jeremy was led through a
side entrance, passing quickly through the aisles and down a trap
door to a holding cell in an underground catacomb. There was a
gross amount of airborne allergens hanging out in the Leveled
Ground headquarters.

"A bit dramatic for an HQ."

"Shut it," snapped a guard. He jammed the
butt of his rifle into Jeremy's ribs.

Jeremy's cell was small and iron bars
separated him from his captors. His left hand was handcuffed to the
lowest bar, forcing him to crouch. It was a blow to his
well-cultivated posture. He flicked idly at the dust with his
fingers.

"He won't talk!" A soldier threw his hands
up and paced back and forth.

"He'll talk." A slender, tall soldier with a
neatly braided beard leaned forward, just inches from Cajjez
Jeremy's face. "I'll ask you one more time. How did the demons come
to Watico?"

Jeremy smiled. "You'll have to torture me
horribly. You'll be tried for treason, of course, and die. But go
ahead. You aren't skilled enough to make me talk." Jeremy nodded at
the row of torture devices set up beside his holding cell.

The bearded soldier held up an iron rod and
a subordinate wheeled over a portable fire pit. The bearded soldier
held the iron rod over the flame and watched it glow red. "I always
savor a challenge." He pushed the rod against Jeremy's forearm and
the flesh sizzled. Jeremy gritted his teeth through the pain.

"Tell me everything you know about the
demons." The soldier slid the molten tip of the rod down Jeremy's
arm and let it linger on Jeremy's finger. His nail began to melt
and he yelped. "Okay! I'll talk!"

"I overestimated my opponent," said the
soldier, disappointed with Jeremy's anti-climactic submission, and
traded his rod for a hammer. He bludgeoned Jeremy's knee. Jeremy
cried out.

"Okay! Let him talk!" Another soldier
stepped in to cool things down.

Jeremy was reeling now,
but held back his electricity. "I'll tell you everything. But
first, let me see Maren. I know you've got her.
Please
—
"

At this, the soldiers began to guffaw and
slap each other on the back. "She's a bit busy with our Captain at
the moment, if you know what I mean."