- "This is my gift to you. To know with such clarity, such pristine intuition, the immaculate violation of each particle of your flesh -- that truly is transcendence!"
- ―Grillard
| "The Canons of Pain" | |
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| "The Canons of Pain" | |
| Title: | "The Canons of Pain" |
| Author: | Erik Saltzgaber |
| Country: | USA |
| Genre: | Demonic |
| Published in: | Clive Barker's Hellraiser #1 |
| Publication date: | March, 1989 |
"The Canons of Pain" is a comic book story and the first story featured in issue #1 of Clive Barker's Hellraiser. It was written by Erik Saltzgaber and featured painted illustrations by John Bolton. Lettering was provided by Bill Oakley. The story was reprinted in Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Collected Best, Volume 1.
Synopsis[]
In the kingdom of Carillion in France during the 14th century, Lord Carillion goes off on a Holy Crusade, leaving his wife, Lady Carillion back at the family castle to tend to affairs of state. She is assisted by Monseigneur Robitaille. While the Lord is away, Monseigneur Robitaille warns Lady Carillion of a disturbing dream, and fears that her husband will bring back something evil from the Crusades.
After vanquishing the last of the Pagans, Lord Carillion marches into a temple where he expects to find God's treasures. Instead, all he discovers is an ornate puzzle box. Confused and disheartened, he declares an end to the Crusades. He brings it home and presents it to his wife. The Lord cannot divine its meaning, and his lack of understanding causes him to grow despondent.
Lady Carillion takes it upon herself to study the box, and believes that she can use it to do God's work in her husband's name. She solves the mystery of the puzzle, and summons a demon, whom she believes to be Satan. Rather, it is a Cenobite, who is a accompanied by a Hell Hound. Her efforts to vanquish the creature fails and the Cenobite summons metal spikes, which impale her husband. Monseigneur Robitaille and Lady Carillion dispel the Cenobite, but this is only a temporary respite from madness.
In the weeks following her husband's death, Lady Carillion and Monseigneur Robitaille combat evil wherever it arises. They prepare themselves to once again summon "Satan", so that they can vanquish him once and for all. The Cenobite appears, but once again, the case of mistaken identity catches them off-guard. The Cenobite summons more spikes, which impales the Monseigneur. He then offers Lady Carillion a choice as to who his next victim will be.
Lady Carillion suddenly awakens in her room as if the entire affair had been some sort of nightmare. She is pregnant with the late Lord's child and eventually gives birth. The baby is born with the same birthmark as his father, and is fated to walk a dark road for the rest of its life.
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 This article relates to short stories set in reality of Clive Barker's Hellraiser mythos. |
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