Demonata #9: Dark Calling by Darren Shan

Author:Darren Shan [Shan, Darren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

WORLD OF THE DEAD

WE return to the room with the garden and Raz constructs a new window. We travel for a long time

through the sub-universe of lights, finally emerging on top of a stone slab. The walls of this chamber are

dotted with holes and windows, through which I can see thousands of tombs and monuments, encircling

us like silent, frozen sentries.

Raz slips through one of the larger holes and I follow, gazing solemnly at the ranks of graves. Even

though the tombs differ in style and size to those on Earth, there’s no doubt that this is a graveyard. It has

the feel of death.

“This place is massive,” I whisper, goosebumps rising.

“It is a cemetery world,” Raz says.

“You mean everybody’s dead?” I gulp. “Was it a war?”

“There was never life on this planet,” Raz says. “But there are populated planets nearby, and advanced

beings move freely between them. For centuries they have been bringing their dead here, laying them to

rest on a world of their own.”

A world of the dead. My goosebumps spread. I’m not easily spooked, but this is creeping me out big time.

“By shaping the minds of this universe’s creatures, we hoped to cheat destiny,” Raz says softly, returning

to the lecture. “We knew we would die before the universe ended. We thought if we spread intelligence,

the beings we created might carry on the fight.

“There are now millions of races with the power of thought. Many are more advanced than your people.

But intelligence was never intended for this universe. The earliest creatures showed no signs of evolving

and developing souls.”

“What do you mean by that?” I stop him.

“Every intelligent being has a soul,” Raz says. “Animals don’t. A soul forms when a creature thinks for the

first time, when it reasons and makes plans. It is a fascinating process. In some species it happens in

every member at the same moment. In most, one of them makes a mental leap, then bears young and

they pass it on, intelligence spreading like a disease.

“We cultivated the disease. It was much harder than we imagined, but once we made the breakthrough,

we quickly mastered the arts of education, then split into small groups and set off for the far reaches of

the universe, sowing intelligence everywhere we went.

“We had no right to disturb the natural balance,” Raz sighs. “But you are a child of our meddling. Would

you rather exist as a mindless beast, running wild, no understanding of the past or plans for the future?”

“No,” I answer after a short pause.

“Nor do most others. They have the choice. We can’t force a species to evolve. Some fight it and return to

their simpler ways. But most rise to the challenges we set. Life is easier for animals, but so much richer

for those with the ability to love and hate, fight and make peace, dream and hope.”

Raz falls silent as we walk among the tombs and headstones. After a while I come to a small,

unimpressive tomb. I almost walk past, but Raz coughs softly and points towards the upper-right corner.

A tiny chessboard has been carved into it.

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