[Chapter 4: Ritual]
"Lord of Heaven and Earth, sanctify this place!"
"Lord, we ask you to deliver us from all entanglement of demons, from all webs of deceit."
"God manifests his majesty from the sanctuary; He bestows strength upon His people."
"All nations of the earth, sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord who rides upon the heavens."
"I command..."
With the blessing of holy water and the chanting of exorcism scriptures, the atmosphere in the room began to shift, as if the very air around them transformed.
But, suddenly, before Father Scott could finish his prayer, an overwhelming force erupted.
"Bang...!"
Father Scott was violently hurled backward, slamming hard into the wall.
"Pfft..."
He spat a mouthful of blood, his body sliding down, his face drained of all color.
Everyone present paled instantly at the sudden turn of events.
"This..." Gary stammered, stunned into silence.
Sheriff Ford and Lara exchanged looks of shock, mixed with a hint of dread.
A cold gust swept through the room, pressing Scott's priestly robes tightly against his trembling frame, whipping his thinning hair backward.
His mouth hung open, muscles twitching uncontrollably.
"Ah..." Scott's body convulsed as he emitted a piercing, desperate scream: "Don't kill me, don't kill me..."
"Retreat quickly!" Daniel barked, stepping back swiftly.
Lara and Sheriff Ford hurried after him without hesitation.
Even faster than the two, Gary took a few steps back, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the faltering priest.
The supernatural energy lingering in the detention room terrified everyone. Faces went pale; instincts screamed caution.
Gary instinctively drew his gun, aiming it toward the room. Sheriff Ford clenched his fists but held back from following suit.
The chill in the air was unnatural -- only Scott seemed affected, the rest of the room untouched.
Still begging for mercy, Scott suddenly revealed beneath his robes a wet stain where fear overwhelmed him utterly.
At that very moment, the cold wind abruptly stopped, leaving only an eerie stillness.
...
Disheveled and shaken, Father Scott scrambled to his feet, bolted from the detention room without looking back.
Sheriff Ford frowned, eyes narrowing at Gary. "Is this the 'master' you invited?"
"This... Sheriff, I..." Gary faltered, caught off guard.
Before he could continue, the sheriff turned to Daniel. "Please, Mr. Cross, you have to help us."
Lara looked at Daniel with a mix of apprehension and hope. "It's up to you now."
Seeing their respect for Daniel, Gary's face twisted with bitterness.
Daniel nodded slightly. "Help me prepare a long table."
Sheriff Ford immediately said, "Gary, get a table."
Gary dared not object and silently headed out.
...
With Gary gone, Daniel's gaze returned to the now empty detention room.
The dark energy inside thickened, heavier than before.
But with his Spirit Eye, he detected no malign presence -- something hidden was lurking just out of sight.
Soon after, a long table was set.
Daniel unfolded a consecrated altar cloth, its deep ivory fabric embroidered with four solemn words: Sanctum of Sacred Judgment.
Beneath the inscription, an imposing sigil of divine authority was stitched in dark thread, its lines interlocking in a pattern meant to command and confine hostile spirits.
He spread the cloth across the table with practiced care. One by one, he set out the instruments of the rite: a brass incense censer, blessed candles, a consecrated hand bell, an Exorcist's Sanctum Blade, sheets of prayer parchment, and sanctified offering tokens for the dead.
As Daniel arranged the items with precision, Lara and Sheriff Ford, though unfamiliar with the objects, felt their awe deepen.
Only Gary looked on with disdain, lips curled in silent scorn.
Daniel lit the candles first, then the incense, allowing the smoke to rise and spread evenly through the room. When the air thickened, he rang the bell once -- slow and deliberate -- to announce the beginning of the rite.
Then he placed one hand on the altar cloth and spoke the incantation:
By sanctified word and consecrated ground,By judgment entrusted and authority sworn,Let no restless spirit deny this call.Let the unseen hear, and let truth answer.
...
Sheriff Ford whispered to Lara, "He seems much more powerful than that Scott."
Lara's eyes widened. She had almost lost hope in Daniel, but now it seemed he truly knew what he was doing.
Gary scoffed. "It's all a trick. I've seen similar rituals before -- performed by other exorcists. They were far more professional than this, yet completely useless."
Lara shot Gary a sharp look.
She could doubt Daniel herself, but Gary's cynicism grated: "Better than your Father Scott anyway; at least he didn't wet his pants out of sheer terror."
Gary sneered, "It just hasn't started yet."
...
As the two bickered, Daniel finished his incantation. As the words settled, the incense smoke shifted, reacting to the presence of the ghost. Suddenly, the temperature plunged sharply, icy waves rolling through the room.
They hugged themselves involuntarily, shivering in the unnatural chill.
"Why is it suddenly so cold?" Sheriff Ford shivered.
Daniel took up a sheet of prayer parchment and inscribed the binding sigil with practiced strokes. Holding it between his fingers, he addressed the spirit directly,
Spirit bound to this place, you are seen.
You are called by rightful authority.
Reveal yourself, or be revealed.
Daniel rang the bell three times in succession, each ring sharper than the last. With the final ring, he raised the Exorcist's Sanctum Blade.
"You are already dead. This is not where you should remain; now depart."
...
"Who is he talking to?" Sheriff Ford followed Daniel's gaze but saw nothing. Yet the emptiness chilled him to the bone, heart hammering, complexion paling further.
Lara fared no better, staring into the abyss, swallowing hard, cold sweat beading her brow.
"Don't be fooled. This is just a common trick by these con artists. He can't see anything at all."
Gary's skepticism persisted.
...
Daniel's expression hardened. "Hmph. If you won't listen to reason, then..."
He stomped his foot and lunged forward, thrusting the sanctum blade fiercely into mid-air.
"Ah!"
A piercing scream rent the air, ears ringing painfully for Lara and the others.
Though nothing was visible, with that scream, the oppressive chill seemed to recede.
...
"Is this what you call a trick?" Sheriff Ford challenged Gary.
Gary, still obstinate, replied, "A trick, all trickery."
No sooner had he spoken than a sudden chill surged through his body.
He was slammed violently against the wall.
"Bang!"
Gary's face collided harshly -- forehead and nose breaking on impact, blood gushing freely.
"Bang!"
Again, his head slammed into the wall, blood pouring even more.
His face contorted in agony, eyes pleading helplessly, but he couldn't speak or control his body.
Lara and Sheriff Ford stood frozen, horrified.
Why was Gary suddenly hurting himself?
"Bang!"
Another dull thud.
This time, Gary wasn't hitting the wall -- gripping his fists tightly, he slammed both into his groin with all his strength.
Pain distorted his face, mouth agape but voiceless.
Relentless pounding continued -- bang bang bang -- until his eyes grew vacant, his legs weakening as if ready to collapse at any moment.
*****
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