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  Rendering Nirayel - Demons Dreaming

  Nathan P. Cardwell

  Rendering Nirayel - Demons Dreaming

  Copyright © 2007 Nathan P. Cardwell

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in Canada by Double Dragon eBooks, a division of Double Dragon Publishing Inc. of Markham Ontario, Canada.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from Double Dragon Publishing Inc.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  ISBN-10: 1-55404-473-1

  ISBN-13: 978-1-55404-473-3

  First Edition July 27, 2007

  Also Available as a Large Type Paperback

  Now Available as paperback and hard cover

  A Celebration of Cover Art: 2001 to 2006

  Five Years of Cover Art

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  "You're stalling!" shouted the brown suit. This was the one Sarah had come to think of as the bad guy brown suit. Actually, she knew full and well they were both bad. This one just seemed to have more natural ability.

  She couldn't see them, of course. She was in the same dark place as when this whole mess started. If she could have seen, she would have noticed the other brown suit sitting on the control panel next to her, currently studying the Doctor with an expression not unlike that of his associate. Occasionally, when he was certain that neither the Doctor nor his associate were watching, he would chance to glance appreciatively down the front of Sarah's blouse.

  "It isn't that simple!" Doctor Kwibee shouted back.

  Prior to making this rebuttal, the Doctor had complied without resistance. Sarah simply figured everyone must have a breaking point. In fact, she wasn't that far from her own. When she heard the Doctor match the Suit's tone, she wanted to stand up and cheer, and would have, if only she had legs. She knew they were still there, somewhere. She just couldn't feel them, or any thing else for that matter.

  "Looked pretty simple from the make-shift job you did at the Hoffman residence."

  "That was before you people tripped every alarm the program has to trip!" Orval shot back. Actually, he had a sneaking suspicion that IBOT's security might have become alerted when he advanced the gain on Mrs. Hoffman's filter. He had known at the time it posed a risk. Of course, there was no way to be certain, but the maneuver had been just prior to their connection loss. Nevertheless, there was no reason this goon had to know about it.

  [Can we just do this already?]

  "Take a look for yourself. No, not that. This," Kwibee said, pointing at the monitor, thus drawing the Suit's attention away from the lag flow meter.

  "What?" inquired the Suit, being incapable of distinguishing those squiggles from the others.

  "This is the original configuration," Kwibee continued, pointing to an area highlighted in green. "And this is what appears to be a new partition," he concluded, pointing at the yet growing area in blue.

  "All right, I'll bite. What's that supposed to mean?"

  "It means IBOT has setup a new security parameter, and then quarantined it to elude your…I mean, our influence," the Doctor explained, careful to include himself as a part of their association.

  [Hello? It's me again. You remember me, don't you? The guinea pig. Yeah, just thought I'd pass on a helpful tip. IT'S DARK IN HERE!]

  "Then set her down in the blue stuff."

  "We don't know anything about it. There's no way of knowing how the system will react to the filter in a partition we know was probably designed as a counter-measure to that filter. There are tests that must be…"

  "Do it!"

  Aside from a small bout of nausea at having just found herself on the same side of the argument as one of the Suit twins, Sarah was glad to be returning. The sooner she got back, the sooner this mess would be over with.

  "All right!" Doctor Kwibee shouted with enough shift in tone to suggest he was being offered some not so subtle incentive.

  "All you have to do is find two missing people," said the bad Suit. "Colonel Hereford, and Agent Dolen."

  "And remember, Kwibee," added the Good Suit. "We're watching you," he intoned gravely while chancing another glance.

  Chapter One-Demons And Crackers

  Borin Krue stood, or rather hung over the railing, near the bow, dark strands of sweat-soaked hair falling in his eyes, but unnoticed in light of other concerns.

  "Apple?" Jesse offered as he passed by with a sack full of food, and continued to pass by as an expression of ill intent became clearly visible on Borin's obviously nauseated face.

  "What's eating him?" Jesse asked, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, and then kneeling to place the entire knapsack on the deck to be divided among the others.

  ***

  [This is not Selina!] {I just told you that.} [No. You spewed a lot of garbage about template signal abortion, and I think there was something about blocking some sort of signature.] {Exactly.} [You're gonna have to learn English if you want to talk to me.] {That was…} [No, that was your usual Nerdonese!]

  "You all right, Ezy?" Jesse asked, remembering the nickname she had insisted upon.

  {The program has removed the Selina template from the available roster.}

  [It's Jesse! I take back every bad thing I ever said about you, Doc. Now hurry up! Finish the connection!]

  "You don't look so good," Jesse commented in reference to Ezlea's sudden absence of presence.

  "Ezlea? Are you quite all right?" Marcus asked, as her expression abruptly reanimated, briefly shifting to bear on him with something like alarm, and then quickly returning to normal.

  "Yeah. I'm fine," she answered absently while glancing around. "Just zoned out for a second," she assured him dismissively before noticing Borin.

  "You did what?" Marcus asked, quickly realizing he was talking to himself as Ezlea was now standing at the bow, offering Borin a therapeutic neck massage.

  "Oh… Oh, yes," Borin sighed. "That…that seems to be helping."

  Dieter never could endure ocean travel. Even on their honeymoon, he had spent the majority of the cruise in the bathroom. Even the seasick pills didn't help. The only thing that had ever offered relief was Sarah's neck rubs.

  "Oh, thank you," he sighed appreciatively.

  "You bet," Sarah smiled from behind him, simply grateful to be with him again.

  At the sound of her voice, Borin seemed to tense. Slowly, he turned, his eyes widening with apprehension as it became clear exactly who was rubbing his neck. "Aaack!" he issued in alarm while quickly wrenching himself from her clutches, snatching his gorget from the deck, and then scurrying to the other side of the bow to continue his retching in relative peace.

  What's up with him? [How 'bout those memories, Doc?] {Working on it. It isn't easy, you know. I'm having to reroute almost every single… There. That should do it.}

  [Whoa! Yeah, that… Okay, that explains… Ahh, hell, Doc! She's a Turb
o-slut!]

  "The Captain says we can leave on the next launch," Aqua informed the group as she joined them.

  "Good. All this ocean travel has my stomach a little upset," Selina replied. She finished off her apple, and tossed the core overboard while issuing a satisfying burp. "Scuse me."

  ***

  For some time, the launch was too far out for anyone to make out the person on shore who was currently jumping about in an excited fashion. As they drew near, it became clear it was no person at all, but rather a large monkey.

  Jesse had no idea what species of monkey it might be. There was nothing in his world that came close to its physiology. It was roughly the size of a Human, though its tail exceeded the entire length of its body by half. It had green and black stripes, three sets of hands, not counting its feet, and about two hundred eyes.

  "Look! It's a Giant Spider-monkey!" Aqua shouted. "Father says they are an endangered species."

  "Aqua?" Jesse asked, careful to keep the agitation from rising in his voice as he casually reached to hold his ringing ear.

  "Yes, Uncle Jesse?" she beamed, careful to use the moniker he had insisted upon.

  "When two people are as close as we are, it really isn't necessary to… Umph!" he exclaimed, suddenly finding himself between the tasks of remaining on board while coping with Aqua's adamant affections.

  "Oh, I feel exactly the same way!" she intoned with an enthusiastic volume into his other ear while hugging him tightly. "I knew from the moment we met that we would be very close!"

  Finally! she thought, nearly bubbling over with excitement. I knew it from the moment he asked me to call him Uncle, rather than Godfather! Deep down, he feels just as I do. He's just trying to distance us from that false label of kinship, slowly, so as not to seem improper. He doesn't want to tarnish my reputation. Oh, he's just so thoughtful, she thought dreamily while holding on that much tighter.

  "Actually, Aqua," he began again while gently prying himself free, "I meant that you don't need to shout." "It hurts my ears," he concluded while untangling himself from her grasp. I guess I shouldn't complain , he thought. At least she has stopped calling me Godfather.

  Although slightly embarrassed, Aqua's plan to alter their relationship from pseudo Uncle and Niece to wedded Squire and Mistress was neither daunted nor dented. It was all simply a matter of time and patience.

  "Oh! Oh, it is so wonderful to see you all again!" cried the monkey.

  "Spider monkey, my ass!" spat Jesse in recognition of a most familiar if not altogether welcome voice.

  ***

  "Oh, dear. I'm running low on both rouge and liner," Ezlea lamented softly."

  What a complete Prissy Butt , Selina thought with mild disgust.

  "Where have you been?" Marcus inquired as he returned with an armload of driftwood.

  "Making sure the coast was clear," quipped the Monkey, grinning expectantly. The grin dropped when Marcus failed to notice his witty comparison between the long stretch of beach that lay before them, and his recent attempts to determine what dangers might lie ahead.

  "It looks much like the coast we left before boarding that ship you insisted on," Borin commented with no small amount of resentment.

  "Well, after all, it is the same continent," returned the Monkey. "As for the ship, however," he continued defensively, "my insistence, as you put it, has removed more than a fortnight of travel from your Quest."

  "Along with a fortnight of food from my stomach!"

  "How far is it to Deja?" Jesse asked, while kneeling to assist Marcus as he stacked the wood in a circular cone shape.

  "Not far at all." The Monkey replied cheerfully. "If you leave at first light, you should be there by midday tomorrow."

  "Don't you think it's about time you tell us why were going there?" inquired Selina. "I've never even heard of the place."

  "All in good time," the Monkey answered, though he appeared to be addressing Ezlea, rather than Selina. "But now that we've come this far," he winked at her as though they were co-conspirators, "perhaps we should have a nice little chat to get better acquainted. Wouldn't you all agree?"

  ***

  "Are you certain it's all right? If you wish, I can ask someone else."

  "Just do it, before I back out."

  "You're a good man, Marcus Goodfellow," concluded the Monkey as he and Marcus returned to the others, now seated about the fire.

  The Monkey joined their circle while Marcus remained just outside, waiting while the entire group learned of what was to come. "Marcus has graciously consented to act as medium, that those of you who do not already know may be enlightened as to our problem."

  "What kind of medium?" Borin asked suspiciously.

  "What kind of problem?" Jesse asked suspiciously.

  "I thought we were all equally ignorant," Aqua commented.

  "What's this all about?" Jesse asked, being joined by Ezlea and Selina as they both nodded approval of his question.

  "All your questions will be answered quite soon," the Monkey assured them, raising his hands to return order, and then pausing briefly before turning his palms up in a questioning gesture while smiling slyly. "Well, most of your questions," he amended.

  "What kind of medium?" Borin insisted again, glancing at Marcus with a worried expression.

  "I assure you, no harm will come…"

  "Answer the question!" Borin boomed in a voice, more that of his father than himself. It was a tone that commanded immediate compliance.

  There were raised eyebrows from all those around him, including those of the Monkey. After a short pause, Jesse offered, "Yeah! You tell him, Bubba!" He accompanied those words with a crooked grin of approval.

  Surripere heaved a heavy sigh of resignation. "Very well, but you must remember, all is not what it seems."

  "You heard the man," Jesse added in support of Borin's command. "Answer the question!" He was thoroughly prepared to back anyone willing to put the Rabbit/Gull/Monkey in its place.

  "Marcus has agreed to lend himself to temporarily house a… Well… A Demon, of sorts," Surripere articulated cautiously.

  "Hold up!" Marcus joined them quickly. "You said that if I consented to a temporary possession, it would help to restore Arbitos. You mentioned nothing of Demons!"

  "No Demons!" Borin shouted resolutely.

  "Umm, Bubba?" Jesse whispered. "The Monkey is a Demon."

  At this, Borin slowly turned to Jesse with an obvious expression of anger. "You picked a fine time to say so!"

  "Demons are not exactly what you might think," Surripere started to explain.

  "Horns? Pitchforks? Pointy tails? Cloven hooves?"

  "Well, yes. In some cases, but…"

  "No Demons!"

  "We're not all like that."

  "No Demons!"

  "I'm here to help you!"

  "No Demons!"

  A long moment of silence ensued wherein all concerned found themselves at a loss regarding just how to continue. After a time, Sarah decided the time may have come to come clean. If she were to ever retrieve her family, much less find a way to free all the others trapped here, then she would need help to do so. The task was simply too enormous for anyone to take on alone, or so she assumed, not really knowing how to accomplish the task in the first place. Nevertheless, were she to ask for their help, then she should at least be honest about it.

  "Now see here!" insisted Surripere at last. "I am the only one here that falls under your preconceived definition of Demon, and the only reason I refer to myself in that vernacular is because I was created by Abhoron, a fact that has haunted me throughout more millennia than your poorly equipped mind can fathom!"

  "Poorly equipped!" Borin began before being interrupted as the Monkey continued.

  "The only characteristics I continue to share with your bigoted notions are my true form, and the simple fact that I originate from an incompatible plane of existence!

  "Bigoted! I'm not bigoted!" Borin shouted. "And I'm not poorly equi
pped!"

  "I agree," smiled Ezlea slyly, and then shifted to an expression closely resembling that of Selina's own alarm.

  "All of Abhoron's realms lay outside the natural laws of Nirayel, and therefore cannot produce any substance, living, or otherwise capable of true existence here."

  "I am not a bigot," Borin repeated in a lower voice, more to himself than anyone else.

  "That is why I refer to the person whom I wish to introduce through Marcus as a Demon. He simply hails from an antithetical existence, and therefore has no means to contact this reality unless through the medium of a native!"

  "Are you quite through?" Borin asked, his expression suggesting a great deal of suppressed hostility. He had more to convey, and thoroughly intended to give the Monkey a proper verbal spanking, but that was the point in which Sarah had chosen to confess her own secret.

  "I'm a Demon," she blurted, standing quickly to draw their attention, and then immediately losing sight of why she had originally stood at all. This was because she wasn't alone in her confession. Someone else had also chosen that exact moment to declare that she, too, was a Demon.

  Selina stared across the campfire at Ezlea, who was of a similar regard toward Selina. Everyone about them, other than Surripere and Jesse, now stood, eyes wide with expectation, and no small amount of trepidation.

  Marcus and Borin exchanged glances of concern as they both found themselves beset by a myriad of questions that neither could quite properly formulate, much less articulate without revealing certain sensitive subjects such as, Exactly how long has Selina been possessed? And, Was she a Demon when she and I were …

  Jesse was simply attempting to ascertain whether he was also a Demon, or just delusional. If he was in fact a Demon, he should probably say so, as now would appear to be the time for confessions. On the other hand, if he were delusional, it might not be wise to go about pissing off the delusions in question.

  "Surripere sat with a disgusted expression. So far, the situation was not going as originally planned.