The Demon Spirit

The Demon Spirit is a fantasy novel by the American writer R. A. Salvatore, published in 1998 and the second book of the first DemonWars trilogy.

The first book ended with the destruction of the dactyl at the cost of a monk's life, and this one is about what happens when the evil turns out to have been distributed rather than defeated. Elbryan teaches Pony the sword-dance of the elves, and the two of them gather allies for the rescue at the abbey while the countryside is raided around them. The other plot runs inside the church: Father Abbot Markwart, admired for most of his life, works towards a revenge that requires him to misuse the institution he runs. Salvatore writes the fighting in detail and keeps his magical rules consistent, and the novel also introduces a northern ranger whose arrival widens the map.

It followed The Demon Awakens, and it is one of seven books in the combined saga, with the third volume concluding the first trilogy before the saga moves on to a new generation.