The night grew darker as Elias, now twelve, sat by his window. He kept his shotgun balanced on his knees and placed the devil's trap plank beside him. Outside, the salt lines shone faintly under the pale moonlight. They remained intact...for now.
Elias watched the darkness beyond the glass. Every sound in the wind made him tense. The air carried a foul odor that burned his throat. He had noticed the smell growing stronger throughout the evening, and now it was all he could sense.
Then he heard a sharp thud from the barn followed by another heavy impact. The wood cracked and splintered. Elias tightened his grip on the shotgun as his pulse thumped in his ears. A moment of silence passed before the window shattered inward. Glass pieces flew into the room.
A figure appeared in the broken window. It was tall and hunched. Its eyes were empty and black. Its lips curled into a snarl. Its fingers were unusually long with sharp, curved nails. The nails scraped against the salt line at the doorway, and the smell of sulfur filled the air. Elias did not hesitate.
The shotgun fired, and a salt round struck the intruder in the chest. The creature staggered and let out a high-pitched cry, but it did not fall.
"Elias!" Mara shouted with fear in her voice. Footsteps pounded down the hall, and she appeared with her rifle raised.
Another shot, using iron rounds, hit the creature's arm. It howled and jerked back, but Elias then saw movement outside the broken window. More figures were appearing.
There were more demons.
Daniel burst into the room with his shotgun roaring. He shouted, "They have breached the lines! The barn is down!" His voice was firm and full of urgency.
A powerful force slammed into the front door. The wood groaned under the impact, and salt scattered on the threshold. The smell of burning filled the air.
Elias scrambled after them with his shotgun clutched tightly. The living room was in chaos. Furniture lay overturned and books and salt were scattered on the floor.
Three demons now stood inside the room. Their flesh was twisted and marred with markings that matched the ones in Daniel's old photos. Their grins were broken and hungry.
Mara raised her voice, clear and steady. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus!" she commanded.
Her words rang out, and one of the demons jerked violently as black smoke erupted from its throat. It screamed and was thrown backward until it collapsed. However, the other two demons did not retreat. They charged forward.
Daniel pushed Elias behind him and fired his shotgun. "Stay back!" he ordered.
A shot hit one demon in the face, sending it sprawling. Elias's attention then turned to a figure standing at the doorway. This demon was taller and carried a cold presence. When it spoke, its voice was low and rough.
"Voss," it said.
Elias shuddered. The creature knew them.
"You torched our altar," it continued in a low, menacing tone. "You broke our kin. We have waited for thirteen years."
Daniel fired another shot. The salt round struck the creature, but it barely reacted.
One demon lunged at Mara and slammed her against the wall. Its twisted fingers with sharp nails dug into her throat.
Elias acted quickly. He drew the knife from his belt and drove it into the demon's side, aiming for its rib area. Black blood spilled out as the creature recoiled with a guttural snarl, releasing Mara.
Mara twisted away from the demon's grasp and raised her rifle. She fired, and the iron rounds tore into the demon's chest. The creature staggered and tried to recover, but it struggled to remain upright.
Daniel reloaded his shotgun and called out, "Mara!"
Mara moved quickly to pull aside a rug on the floor. Beneath it, Elias's devil's trap glowed faintly in the dim light. Daniel baited the leader forward by taking one step and then another until the trap activated. The demon froze, its face twisting in shock. It thrashed violently, but the trap held it firmly in place.
The remaining demons paused for a moment. Mara raised her voice again in a commanding tone. "Omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica!" she shouted.
Black smoke emerged from the mouths of the charging demons, and soon they fell to the floor, lifeless. The leader remained, its eyes fixed on Daniel.
"This is not over, hunter," it hissed. "We will carve you slow."
Daniel did not answer. Instead, he grabbed a gas can and poured gasoline over the demon. He struck a match, and flames burst forth. The demon screamed as it burned, its cries fading into the night.
Then silence fell.
Elias stood with his chest heaving, the knife still in his grip. Smoke and the smell of sulfur filled the room. Mara pulled him into a tight embrace, her breath heavy and uneven.
Daniel knelt by the scorched floor, staring at the remains. His voice was hoarse when he said, "They knew us."
Mara said nothing.
Elias tightened his grip on the knife and clenched his jaw. The markings, the attack, and the leader's words made it clear that this was personal. This was not just another hunt. It was a message.
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