Daemons Are Forever

“Let us discuss what we know of the Loathly Ones,” said William, in full lecture mode now. “They don’t just move in and take over their victims like most demons, or devils from Hell.” There was a slight pause while everyone looked at Roger, but he had nothing to say. William sniffed a few times, and then plunged on. “No; these demons infect their victims, through simple proximity. They implant a mental/spiritual embryo into the human body and soul. The invading presence then uses the human as food while the embryo gestates, before finally hatching into a complete Loathly One.

“Demonic cuckoos, as it were.

“First come physical changes. Warpings of the flesh, strange mutations in the body, all concerned with making the host strong enough to hold and contain the Loathly One embryo that’s forming. As this grows inside the host, it eats into the mind and soul, changing the thoughts and personality of the human host, who can feel themselves going mad, becoming alien…but is helpless to stop or even slow the change. We can only imagine the kind of hell these poor unfortunates go through. Thoughts, emotions, beliefs, all change…until nothing is left but a new Loathly One drone. The human is gone, replaced.”

“So essentially,” I said, “once infected, their victims die by inches, day by day, losing every bit of themselves to become the thing that infected them. Just more drones for the Invaders. Right; that’s it. Kill the poor bastards on sight. No exceptions. We’ll be doing them a favour.”

“The really worrying thing,” said William, “is that there exists a small but definite possibility that some, perhaps even all, of those who survived the battle of the Nazca Plain could themselves have been infected. And are now becoming traitors within the family. They might not even know themselves; they could have been made to forget. The Drood armour should have been protection enough, but we don’t have enough data yet to know if the new silver torcs are as powerful as the old gold ones.”

Harry frowned. “Shouldn’t we be able to see the infection in a person, using our Sight, or through our masks?”

“We should,” said William. “But the records say no. It would seem the infecting presence is just too…other.”

I looked at the Armourer. “We need a test, some way to find out the truth. Something that can detect an infected person. We have to be sure of who’s who. And what’s what.”

“I’ll get right on it,” said the Armourer.

“We need a test that can be applied to the whole family,” said Harry. “We need to know who we can trust.”

“Couldn’t agree more, Harry,” I said, looking straight at him. “Anything else, William?”

“The next logical step for the Loathly Ones has to be a full summoning,” William said heavily. “Once enough of the structures have been completed, they will attempt to bring the Hungry Gods through into our world. To consume everything that lives. I think we can assume that our destruction of the tower on the Nazca Plain has shown them the dangers of trying to do this with just the one, isolated structure, so that should buy us some time. But how much…”

“Ready for some more bad news?” said Callan. “Intelligence seems pretty sure, thanks to some intercepted communications, that to get this far the Loathly Ones made use of a Judas goat. They made a deal with Truman, and his Manifest Destiny organisation: for money, technical supplies, concealment, and so on. Apparently Truman believes he can use the Invaders to take control of our world, and then force them out again. The idiot actually thinks he’s using them…”

“Shows how desperate he is,” I said. “Well… we wanted a big battle, to show off our renewed strength and power to the world, and now we’re facing the biggest fight of our lives, with the whole world watching and the whole world at stake. Be careful what you wish for… All right. That’s it. Everyone in the family gets a new silver torc. As soon as possible, no exceptions. I’ve already talked with Strange, and he doesn’t see any problems. He’s just waiting to be asked. If this family is going to war, I want us all in armour. Because we’re going to need every fighter we can muster. Sarjeant-at-Arms; you’ll have to take sole charge of the training, at least until Janissary Jane shows up again. I have to say; a lot of them looked pretty good, even without armour.”

“The family will be ready,” said the Sarjeant. “I’ll see to that, Edwin. No damned cosmic locusts can hope to stand against the Drood family in its armour.”

“All very rousing, I’m sure,” said Harry. “But I have to ask; is this wise? Putting us all in armour before the Armourer’s had time to come up with his test for possible traitors within the family? Do you really want to give Drood armour to a potential traitor or assassin?”

“You’ve changed your tune,” I said, just a little amused. “Only this morning you were calling me every name under the sun because I hadn’t already made the armour available to everyone.”

“That was then,” said Harry. “This is now. And I’m not convinced we can properly train so many people in time anyway. The Sarjeant can be very…inspirational, but untrained agents in the field can be a danger to themselves and their companions, never mind the enemy.”

“This family has more trainers and tutors on hand than ever before, thanks to me,” I said. “And we won’t launch another attack until I’m sure we can win it. I won’t lose any more good men and women. Fortunately, I’ve already made certain…arrangements, to bring in expert help. Advisors in the art and practice of war.”

“Oh God,” said the Armourer. “I know that look on your face. You think you’ve done something really clever. What have you done, Eddie? And why do I just know I’m not going to like it?”

“Probably because you know me so well, Uncle Jack,” I said. “You all said I didn’t have the relevant experience to lead this family into the war that’s coming; and you were right. But since no one else in the family does either, I was forced to go further abroad to find people who did have the experience and the expertise. I asked the Merlin Glass to find me the two most suitable members of the family, one from the past and one from the future. And it did.”

“You did this without consulting the I

“I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d try and talk me out of it,” I said calmly. “And I didn’t intend to be talked out of it. And anyway, it worked. William, have Rafe bring our visitor here, so everyone can meet him.”

“I’ve got him standing by,” William said dourly. “I knew you’d get to this point eventually.”

The living Jacob stepped into view beside him and smiled cheerfully at the dumbfounded faces before him. He had a glass of wine in one hand, and he must have found some food, because he’d spilled half of it down his front. “Greetings to my noble descendants! I am Jacob Drood: soldier, philosopher, and bon vivant!”

The Armourer and the Sarjeant-at-Arms, both of whom had good reason to know the ghost of Jacob, both looked equally shocked and appalled. Harry and Roger and Callan all recognised the name, and looked at me sharply. The Sarjeant, not surprisingly, put it into words first.

“Have you gone stark staring mad? Does he know about…?”

“No he doesn’t,” I said quickly. “And I really don’t think we should tell him just yet. It’s the kind of thing you need to work up to.”

“Tell me what?” said Jacob, immediately suspicious.

“Does the other Jacob know?” said the Armourer. “How’s he going to take it?”

“He does know,” I said. “And he’s taking it… as well as can be expected. He approves, though. He says it’s…necessary.”

“What other Jacob?” said the living Jacob. “Edwin, is there something thou’rt keeping from me?”

“Oh, lots,” I said. “You know how it is in this family.”

Jacob sniffed, and drained his wineglass.