Dark Calling (novel)

Dark Calling is the ninth installment in Darren Shan's Horror/Adventure book series The Demonata.

Plot

Kernel Fleck is used to his life, fighting demons and forming windows to other worlds, within the Demonata’s universe, out of lights only he can see. But after he encounters the demon Spine and his eyes are torn away from their sockets, he has to rebuild them so that he can see again. With these new eyes in place, he begins to see some new lights that he cannot move, and which seem to be whispering to the Disciples, manipulating them. However Kernel realises that he is unable to tell anyone of his concerns as no-one else can see the lights. When the whispering lights lead them to a ship where the groups most terrifying foe yet “The Shadow”, Kernel guards the portal and is approached by a ball made up of the whispering lights, which tells him to leave his friends and follow it. Kernel is unwilling but is forced through the window by the sphere of lights. The lights take the shape of Art - the boy Kernel once thought was his brother - to gain Kernel's trust.

"Art" then tells Kernel that he is needed to save the universe and is taken to the point where the Demonata's and humanity’s universe meet. Kernel is told that the universe used to look like a chess board, the white squares belonging to the demons and the Black belonging to the Old Creatures, with the sections being separated by the Kah-Gash. However the demons broke down the Kah-Gash and its soul split into three pieces. He also learns that the Kah-Gash will not destroy a universe, it will bring it back to its original state, thus wiping everything in our universe out. Having learnt this Kernel tries to escape, but “Art” is killed and another light sphere appears, who takes the form of Raz, another dead disciple. He tells Kernel that he has been chosen to be "Noah" and protect a vessel holding the best of each intelligent species in the universe. Kernel chooses to go back and help Grubbs and Bec beat "The Shadow" now revealed to be Death. However before Raz leaves he warns Kernel that Bec's piece of the Kah-Gash may have been corrupted by Lord Loss' possession of it (Bec’s piece was stolen from Lord Loss in the fourth book of the series) and to beware of her. Kernel returns in the midst of a huge battle between the disciples (including Bec and Grubbs) and an army of the Demonata. He is initially frightened of Grubbs' newly wolfen form, but soon grows used to it. Everyone exchanges stories, but Kernel senses that Grubbs is hiding something. The band of fighters and mages decide to try to use the Kah-Gash against the oncoming hordes of demons. This plan is an amazing success and the three pieces of the Kah-Gash (Kernel, Bec and Grubbs) defeat the oncoming demons.

Bec and Grubbs begin arguing over whether or not to search for Beranabus' soul, and when Kernel thinks of Beranabus some lights begin to pulse - indicating that his soul can be found. Grubbs is still not happy about the idea, but when Bec reveals that Bill-E Spleen may also be there, Grubbs jumps at the opportunity to save his brother. Kernel begins opening a window, but also catches a glimpse of a world where Lord Loss is talking to millions of demons. He shrugs this off and continues to build the window which leads them to a world engulfed in shadow, which they then find out is death itself and that the windows led right into its 'body'. The disciples realise that their magic does not work here, and that sound does not travel. However they discover that magic just works differently and that they can communicate telepathically thanks to Bec. Kernel can see differences in all the shadows, which then turn out to be the spirits of people, all of which seem to have gone insane, all screaming "free me!" Kernel then sends out a sort of sonar bleep and calls out to Beranabus, he follows Beranabus' "voice" and they talk about how to defeat Death, They are told by the ancient magician that it is impossible, Bec and Beranabus then have a private discussion, which makes Grubbs and Kernel wary of her. Beranabus tells them how to set the spirits free, thus unraveling death's physical form, but says that it will come back stronger. When Grubbs asks Kernel where Bill-E is and if Kernel could lead him to him, when Beranabus tells them quite flatly that it has taken all his effort for him not to go mad in Death and it is impossible for someone with such a weak mind to stay sane. Grubbs is extremly angered and upset with this and tells Kernel to tell him where Beranabus is so he can [...] him again. Death then becomes aware of their precence inside it and begins to attack them, the heroes run to a side of death and begin to claw and attack it, death unravels and the spirits trapped inside quickly escape including Beranabus and whats left of Bill-E. The shadows disappear and the heroes fall into the world Kernel had seen before. They are surrounded by demons, with little hope of escape. Bec, Grubbs and Kernel join to form the Kah-Gash, and create a shield, however Grubbs refuses to give it more power as it would mean he was no longer in control of it. So they fight the demons. Kernel begins working on forming the window back to their universe, whilst being defended by Dervish. Meera Flame is fatally wounded but as her final act, kills herself and Juni Swan, who now has no hope of return as Death is incapacitated. Kernel opens the window and calls to everyone to follow, however Bec is in the clutches of Lord Loss and tells them to leave her.

Before they escape Kernel notices that Bec and the demon master are not fighting as violently as before, and suspects Bec of betrayal. When the remaining warriors return Dervish is in very bad shape, and asks to be taken outside to die. Kernel tells Grubbs he is returning to the ark. Grubbs says he understands and asks if Kernel would save the world "regardless of the consequences" Kernel agrees. Grubbs tells Kernel that he will hate him for what he is about to do, and then destroys Kernel's magically formed eyes and tells him that he needs him to stay. Kernel begins to warn Grubbs about Bec, but Grubbs has taken his uncle outside. The story ends with Kernel blind and alone, imagining Beranabus telling him that this is the end of the universe.

Cover Competition and Revelation

In May 2008, Darren Shan ran a competition in which he asked fan's to describe a demon in which he will use in the book. Since that was the first time that was offered to fans, the response was overwhelming. After the submissions were over, the staff at Waterstones and HarperCollins narrowed the entrants down to a shortlist of ten finalists. After Shan himself read through the final ten entries, he chose the winning Demon created by Tom Woodhead. The winner created the Sligstata, which is featured on the front cover of the book.

Shan decided to put the demon on the cover; due to its interesting look, its name will be released when the book is published. The runners-up for the competition are:

• — Craviji
• Jaspreet Manoor — Abnormula
• Dennis Wisdom — Scalefang
• Josh Walker — Grendulamb
• Elizabeth Dunford — Vaeloch
• Claire Reeves — Quietus
• Jacob Baylis — Intestine
• Amanda Parker — Tourniquet
• Alessandro Luca Pozzolo — Butterfang

The signed copy of the book had a typing error in the last few words and has become a collectible together with the first books sold before the error was corrected.