Jonis by Rowan Erlking (free children's online books txt) 📖

it a plague, gather a few men and set traps for them. If thirty people are dead, I can assure you that at least fifty more if not a hundred of people are carrying. That means, around a hundred people are already dead and carrying worm eggs. We cannot let them leave the city.”

With a nod, the captain leaned from Jonis a pace, perhaps the only indication to Jonis that the man was uncomfortable with his proximity to a Cordril. “I’ll call in someone to help you. Do what you can. They’ll follow your orders if I tell them to.”

Lifting his voice, the captain called near a shout, “Corporal Day, come in here.”

Jonis righted himself and stood to the side. His back nearly smacked against the bookshelf as the door handle turned.

The jaundiced-looking orderly entered the room, glaring at Jonis. “Yes, sir?”

“Get me Lieutenant Laslow. I need to speak with him,” the captain said.

“Yes, sir,” the corporal replied and exited the room.

“It is a good thing they can’t ask questions,” Jonis murmured under his breath.

“Yes,” the captain replied with a nod. “If they were to do anything out of the ordinary, they would be suspect. I suppose military order does offer some protection.”

Jonis exhaled. Glancing at the city map, his thoughts raced, asking what he had gotten himself into. His memories of demon hunting were nothing compared to the extent of this infestation. But as Jonis thought this, one memory recalled an entire city infected with walking corpses—but that city had been set on fire, burning them all to ash.

A shudder ran through his entire body. Jonis knew he didn’t want to see such a thing again.  

“What materials do you need? Most demon hunters come with a package of weapons.” The captain broke up Jonis’s thoughts with and incredulous gesture at Jonis’s sagging bag. “Don’t tell me all you own is in that duffel bag of yours.”

Grimacing, Jonis barely lifted the bag with a glance at it. “I’m sorry. I just came from Dalis Camp. I had no idea your problem was this extreme. I figured for a simple plague, all I needed was a kitchen and a city hospital. We’re going to need a lot more than that.”

“Like what?” The captain rose from his desk and walked around it to the young private.

Digging into his memory, Jonis recited under his breath, “White chalk or paint—chalk would be faster, but paint stays longer. Um, demon chains, a very heavy sword or axe, lighter fluid or alcohol. You know, something that catches fire very quickly and burns hot. Let’s see…uh, matches of course, and facemasks, which I see you have in abundance. Oh, and ear plugs.”

“Ear plugs?” The captain’s face contorted into a confused frown.

Jonis nodded. “Sometimes in desperation, a worm will try to enter through the ear. If they can’t get in through the nose or mouth they’ll take any hole they can find.”

Cap. Powal leaned against the desk, covering his mouth again. “I think I am going to be sick.”

“Oh, and maybe some black ink or charcoal to make a demon shield for you.” Jonis glanced around the office, looking to the desk to see if he had any ink. “I have a feeling they might aim for you next to get authority on their side.”

Going even whiter, the captain rushed to his drawer. He grabbed a black inkbottle. Shoving it at Jonis, he hissed through his teeth, “Do it! I don’t want to be worm food.”

Taking the bottle, Jonis set his bag on the captain’s desk and opened it, removing his calligraphy box which contained the brushes for his spell scrolls. Opening both the box and the inkbottle, Jonis also removed a compass from the bag with an assessing glance. He found north. Then he started to draw the circle on the ground.

“You asked to see me, sir?” Lt. Laslow said, opening the door and entering the room.

Jonis immediately stood straight, hiding the brush and ink behind his back. He peered right at the lieutenant’s face, inspecting his eyes.

“Come in and shut the door behind you,” the captain said with his former prominence.

The lieutenant obeyed, giving Jonis a slight look. He was a tall man with deep brown hair and equally dark eyes. His skin was lighter than most humans, though in his blue uniform he had an unusual earthiness about him.

“He’s fine,” Jonis said, nodding to the captain. He dipped his brush again in the ink and marked north in his head once more.

“What’s this all about?” the lieutenant asked, glancing from Jonis’s blue eyes to the captain’s worried gaze.

“This is Private Macoy,” the captain said in his formal loud tone. Then he whispered. “Ignore what he is doing and only answer to me.” Then louder, the captain continued, “He is here to provide a cure for the plague. See to it that you help him with everything he needs.”

Jonis nodded and bent down to finish the demon shield.

Following him as Jonis drew the black circle around the captain’s desk, muttering the words to the spell, the lieutenant shook his head. Yet he did as asked.

“Yes, Sir.” With another glance at the writing Jonis was putting on the wood, the lieutenant asked, “How may I best be of service? What exactly does he need?”

“Ingredients for an inoculation,” the captain boldly responded. He walked to his desk and took out a paper, writing down the list of things Jonis mentioned, hissing once for a reminder to Jonis.

Jonis lifted his right index finger, and placed the other on his lips, still reciting the incantation. He then stood up and clapped his hands, saying, “Protect.”

“What was that?” The lieutenant stared at Jonis.

Quickly walking over to the captain, Jonis tapped the paper and said in a regular tone, “I need milk.” He whispered, “a demon chain” said loud, “garlic,” then quietly, “chalk or white paint,” then loudly again so he could be heard, “and a few other things. Let me write them down for you.”

Jonis put his pen to paper and filled out the mock list. He handed it to the lieutenant, whispering to the captain the other things he requested. Both lists made it into the lieutenant’s pockets. “I’d hide the real one where it can’t be snitched.”

“Why are we whispering?” the lieutenant hissed back.

The captain nodded to him. “Do your duty and return quickly. Bring men you trust back here. I will have the private working in the upper room. There is a burner there he can use to make a potion.”

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant replied.

“Have the other men bring the real supplies,” the captain whispered again. “And be careful. The city is infested with worm demons. Don’t let anyone touch you who looks even slightly ill.”

“And don’t bring in anyone who is foaming at the mouth and has even slightly yellow eyes,” Jonis added.

“Thank you, sir,” the lieutenant replied loudly. “I’ll move quickly.”

“We’ll end this plague yet,” the captain said.

Both he and Jonis watched the lieutenant leave the office.

“I hope he doesn’t run into trouble,” Jonis murmured. “That entire office smells like one of the worms is ready to abandon its host.”

“Is that what that stink is?” the captain whispered.

Jonis turned and nodded. “I’m afraid so. I recognized it when I came in.”

The noises of the office outside echoed through the door. They could hear feet walk away and the scraping of the orderly’s chair. The floor under their feet creaked.

“What should I do?” The captain shivered.

Bowing to him, Jonis said, “Act as you always had. You can look concerned about the plague and show me to that room you mentioned. Whatever you do, do not get skittish. If they see you worried, they might attack.”

“What happens if they attack me anyway?” the captain whispered with agitation.

Jonis bit his lip and looked over and around the room. “Uh, well, you could order take-out that has lots of garlic in it. They don’t like to enter hosts with garlic. I’ll even recommend that everyone eats garlic. It sounds like an herbal remedy that won’t be too suspicious. Other than that, if you had a demon chain around you could put it on under your clothes around your neck.”

“But aren’t demon chains only for capturing and holding demons? What good will that do me?” The captain stared at Jonis, sweating as if he suddenly felt surrounded.

Patting him on the shoulder, Jonis said, “Yes, but a worm demon won’t be able to go past the throat if you wear one, and it may prevent it from infecting you if it gets that far.”

“I’ll order one immediately,” the captain whispered.

“Just don’t let them hear you have one. Then the plan will go bust. They must not know we are on to them,” Jonis said. “If they do find out, they will try to run, and we are not ready for them yet. The last thing we need is for these worms to get out of the city.”

“But how did they get into the city?” the captain snapped, trying to keep his voice low.

Jonis heard the orderly’s chair scrape across the wood. His feet barely sounded on the floor. The Cordril stood upright, whispering back into the captain’s ear. “I haven’t a clue. We have to kill them all to find out. Now, come with me and act like you are showing me around.”

He walked to the door. The captain drew in a breath and straightened himself out.

“Now, let me show you where you will work,” the captain said, keeping his cool better than Jonis had thought he could.

Jonis reverted to the obedient private, walking out after him. “Yes, sir.”

The orderly was standing right next to the door.

“Does he always listen at doorways?” Jonis asked the captain casually. “At Dalis Camp that would be considered a breech in security.”

The orderly flustered and stepped back to his desk. “Sorry, sir, but I thought I heard you scream. That man is a dangerous demon, a Cordril.”

Cap. Powel gazed down on the infested corporal as if he were being insolent. “Yes, I know. That is why he was sent here. He is a magister also. He will be administering a cure to you and your fellows tonight. His first recommendation is that we all eat lots of garlic. He says it purges the system of unwanted parasites that may be spreading the disease.”

Jonis felt that was too much information, so he followed up with it quickly by saying, “Yes, I plan on administering an enema afterwards to complete the purging. You will all come for the treatment this evening.”

“Now, come this way,” the captain said, leading Jonis up the stairs. “I have the perfect room for you to use.”

The two infected men watched them go up, then they walked towards each other as if to collaborate.

 

The room was pleasantly large. Jonis walked around it and nodded to the tables and chairs. “We’ll have to remove these. I need a clear space to make the circle.”

“Another demon barrier?” the captain whispered as soon as they shut the door.

Jonis shook his head. “No, a demon circle. We need to trap in the soldiers first. If we deal with them first, then we can send out the healthy men, ready and armed without interference. Have everyone report in. Send healthy replacements to the gates so that all are accounted for.”

He immediately dug into the drawers, opening them.

“What are you looking for?” the captain asked, watching Jonis go about the room.

“Chalk,” Jonis said. He felt around the drawers. So far he pulled out a set of paper plates, some silverware, and a large set of metal skewers probably for shish kebabs.

“I’ll get some,” the captain said.

“No, stay here.” Jonis shook his head at him. “No hasty movements. You must not rush around. If they see you are anxious—wait…are you always this nervous?”

The captain shook his head. “Of course not. But I have never dealt with demons before.”

Nodding to himself, Jonis went back to his first thought. “Yes, ok then, you definitely must take this slowly. Linger like you are still