Ravens Cove, An Iconoclast Thriller (Book 1)
The Spiritual Battle for a Small Alaska Town
By Mary Ann Poll
America’s Lady of Supernatural Thrillers
Chapter 20
HERALDS OF DESTRUCTION
Iconoclast stood with his back against the oozing, pea-green wall on the north side of the ravine. His most trusted fighters surrounded him in a semicircle, the growing number of demons encircled them, spanning the ravine to the slimed walls on the south side.
Iconoclast grinned. “Just like all good vultures, you smelled blood and came from around this puny world to feast on those who took it upon themselves to live here. This is very good!”
He looked at his captains—Gambogian, Caitiff, Venenose, Bruit, Trepaner, and Prevaricator.
Atramentous and Profligacy were absent by his orders, guarding Plotno and his assembly—a higher priority.
These eight were with him in defeat in Josiah Williams’ horrid small town and in near-victory over the village in China.
“One man of God stood between us and complete conquest at the battle in China. Not this time! Tomorrow we will feast,” he rumbled, the strength of souls taken carrying the growl high and far.
The twins increased his power threefold. They were considered as one, coming from the same egg, so he could take two at one time and be ahead of schedule. It did not break the rules, set so long ago, by Satan. Satan loved to test those under his command and demanded they follow the rules. And how I enjoy out tricking the Great Trickster.
“To ensure the desolation and so these humans will be given into our hands, I am required to have one join us, by this mortal’s own free will. One who I must wrestle from the Holy One’s hands. Without this fifth victim, we lose.”
The twins, now what some would term ghosts, along with John Doe (aka Theodore Dank) and Miggie, were among those who joined Iconoclast.
“Ah, the obedient slaves all mortals were intended to be.” Iconoclast said. “You dead souls will be useful in stirring up the terror and confusion needed to divide and overcome the inhabitants of Ravens Cove. Go out, visit many. You are the heralds of the destruction to come. If you find the one I speak of, bring the human to me.”
The ghouls did as commanded. They no longer possessed free will. Their days of choice ended when they allowed their souls to be tempted and tricked into service to Iconoclast.
Their main desire now, if you could call it a desire, was to have as many souls as possible join them in misery. They screamed and screeched, repeating the sounds made the instant they met their fates. The moment of death never left their tortured minds. The bloodied, oozing-eyed minions of Iconoclast flew upward in a purple haze, taking the deepening red mist with them, off to the town to wreak terror.
Atramentous settled over the door of the Congregational Alliance. Hearing the screech of the ghouls, his head-shaped fog snapped around until his chin rested on what would be a spine.
“Iconoclast took his fourth victim. Soon I will not cover this door. I will be released. Then I will take the entire church and its loyal patrons.” In anticipation of the feast to come, red saliva dripped off the one concrete thing in this monster, his knife-teeth.
The dark chasm of a mouth opened and screeched, “Go, my beauties, fly to your destinations. Wreak havoc; set fear in the hearts of these mortals, so much fear they are stricken and paralyzed. So much easier to take; so much easier to enjoy at leisure, with horror as the tenderizer.”
