Apocalypsis 1.05 Island of the Light (5 page)

The prayer leader ended the chanting with one simple gesture and began to speak.

In a language that Peter had never heard before.

In a language which was, nonetheless, frighteningly familiar to him.

»Ol sonuf vaoresaji, gohu Balata elanusaha iad caelazod.

Sobrazod-ol Roray i ta nazodapesad Giraa ta maelpereji da hoel-qo qaa notahoa zodimezod, od comemahe ta nobeloha zodien. Soba tahil ginonupe pereje aladi djem vaurebes obolehe giresam. Casarem ohorela caba Pire da zodonurenusagi cab, erem lodanahe pilahe farezodem zodenurezoda. Adana gono Iadapiel das hometohe soba ipame lu ipamis. Sobolo vepe zodomeda poamal, od bogira aai ta piape Piamoel od Vaoan! Zodacare eca – od zodameranu odo cicale hoathahe Saitan!«

I reign over thee, you seraphs, in power exalted above and below by the seal. I hold the sun like a glittering sword and the moon like a blazing fire, which draw you together like pearls in the palm of my hand. Follow the law of the light, the law of the highest knowledge. Lift up your voices and vow obedience to me and to the light, which can have neither beginning nor end. For my flame burns in the midst of your palaces, and reigns amongst you as the balance of righteousness and truth! Move, therefore, and show yourselves, you seraphs! Open up the mysteries of creation! For I am the same as you! The true worshipper of the most high and ineffable king of the light!

… Damn it, why do I know what he is saying?

Peter was still sheltered in the protective darkness of the colonnade but the more he focused on the occult ritual before him, the blurrier the border between reality and delusion became. What he was witnessing was as sinister as it was surreal. A terrible nightmare with no way out, no hope.

The prayer leader fell silent and turned to the monks. He made an imperious gesture and the monks opened the circle and stepped back. Peter saw two other monks come out of the passage that he had used to get into the hall, and these two monks brought in a man who was in the most miserable condition. He was naked, unspeakably filthy and neglected, and his entire body showed signs of abuse. Scars and fresh wounds covered his skin. They led him in on a leather leash, like a dog. And he walked like a dog, on all fours, growling and snarling like a vicious and frightened animal.

Peter was shocked when he saw the emaciated man, whose age he could not guess. The prayer leader took the leash from the monks and yanked the man violently to his feet. The naked man could barely stand on his legs, bared his teeth, and wobbled his head uncontrollably.

»Sobame ial!« the prayer leader shouted at him, and suddenly the naked man was calm, just trembling slightly.

I know this man! Damn it, how do I know this man?

»Torezodu! Gohe-el zodacare eca ca-no-quoda!«

After hearing this command, the naked man threw his head back and fell into some kind of trance. With his head bent backwards, he was now standing upright in front of the table with his eyes closed.

They are using him as a medium!

The monks resumed their chanting. After a short while, the naked man began to sway back and forth and then to convulse. And then he spoke. In a voice that did not sound human.

»Micama! Zodir Saitan azodien biabe. Zodir Norezodacahisa otahila Gigipahe elonusahiod. Vaunud-el-cahisa ta-pu-ime qo-mos-pelehe telocahe, dasata beregida od torezodul! Ili balazodareji od aala tahilanu-os netaabe. Micama! Yehusozod ca-ca-com! Od do-o-a-inu noari micaolazoda Vaunigilaji. Ananael Qo-a-an.«

Master! You are the ruler of the light! You are eternal balance. The creatures of the earth and of the light bow their heads to your power. Yet the circle is not closed. Master! Bring us the stone! And kill the man who is hiding in your midst. The lost soul in the darkness!

With these words, the naked man collapsed to the floor and returned to the miserable and demented creature that he had been when they led him into the hall. At the same moment, Peter noticed that there was suddenly a commotion among the monks who were standing in the circle. They were craning their necks and looking around. They were looking for him. Time to get out of here.

This was the moment when the monster hit him. It had waited long enough, now it was hungry. Peter felt the pain in his head expanding like an exploding sun. But before he was plunged into darkness, he saw something. The naked man was still squirming on the floor in front of the stone table with the Sigillum Dei, and Peter saw that he had only one ear. And suddenly Peter knew that he recognized this man.

He even knew his name.

He knew it well.

His name was
Edward Kelly
.

Ellen’s murderer.