//Best read while listening to 'For the damaged coda - piano'//
"Alright." answered Lucian.
He left the house, carrying all the necessary items for the ritual, along with his revolver and the silver knife used in such ceremonies.
The gas lamps illuminated the empty street, with only a few pedestrians in sight.
He spotted an unoccupied carriage passing by, signaling for it to halt. As he entered, he found the wooden seat rather uncomfortable. There was a small, empty window in front for the carriage driver to communicate.
"Where to?" inquired the driver.
Lucian took a moment before responding.
"Outside the city. How much will it cost?"
"It'll be 1 sunti." the driver stated.
Lucian handed over his last valka note and received one sunti in return. He then asked the driver, "Could you wait for me there, for 10 minutes please, and then drive me back here? I'll give you the remaining 1 sunti."
"Alright. But no longer than 10 minutes, or I'll continue on my way."
The carriage arrived on the outskirts of town, where dirt roads wound through agricultural fields tended to by the lower class. There were also open fields stretching into the distance. The journey was surprisingly swift, taking only about 8 minutes.
As Lucian gazed out, he could make out the vast expanse of land, its contours occasionally giving way to the shadowy embrace of the forest.
The landscape was dominated by roughly constructed wooden houses and structures that sheltered the lower classes. Despite appearances, the scent in this area was far from pleasant; it was quite the opposite.
The odors were even more pronounced than when the carriage passed through the lower-class district in town. Lucian's senses were assailed by the unmistakable smells of feces, urine, and scents from domestic animals.
He pinched his nose and addressed the carriage in a vibrating, altered voice. "I'll be back soon."
The driver chuckled. "Haha. You middle-class folks aren't accustomed to these scents like us."
Lucian stepped out of the carriage, offering the driver a faint smile. He proceeded to put some distance between them, descending down a small hill to ensure he remained out of sight.
The grass beneath his feet was long and untamed, leaving seeds and burrs clinging to his pants. Lucian carefully retrieved the paper and all the necessary materials for the ritual from his suit.
He carefully arranged the materials on the slightly shorter grass, then began to re-read the journal note to ensure he wouldn't make any mistakes.
27th July, 1445, Friday.
"Ingredients: Salt, one white candle, moonwater."
"Time: 28th, during a full moon."
"Procedure: Find a place where moonlight can touch you. Circle a small area with salt and light a white candle at the top, in front of you. Stay in the center of the circle. Sprinkle some moonwater on your face and chant whilst looking at the Moon."
"Gure na lente juter lunas. Serenfe rit'al veres. Bon merezd resve mires."
What I'm doing right now may seem crazy. But I have to.
With that resolve, he carefully circled a small area around him with a line of salt, using the matches he'd bought earlier to light a white candle at the circle's top in front of him.
He picked up the small glass container of moonwater from the ground and gently sprinkled it onto his face. With his nerves on edge, he looked towards a small orb of light on the sky, the moon.
"I know that performing this ritual ensures my survival. But what exactly does it do?"
After a few seconds, a soothing yet enigmatic female voice responded with clarity.
"It will help you in your battle."
Encouraged, Lucian mustered the courage to perform the final step of the ritual, chanting the incantation in an unfamiliar language.
His voice resonated loudly, as if he were invoking ancient powers.
"Gure na lente juter lunas. Serenfe rit'al veres. Bon merezd resve mires."
A small orb hurtled toward him, its outer layer a pale gray, while the inner core seemed like a boundless void, akin to a black hole.
Upon impact, it struck his forehead, sending him reeling. His eyes gradually turned black and the outer layer a pale gray color.
An excruciating, indescribable pain radiated from his forehead, and darkness overcame his vision. He lay slightly hovered above the grass.
A slightly deep, primal scream echoed through the stillness, startling birds in the surroundings, prompting them to take flight.
"Aaaaa!"
He clutched his head, which jerked back and forth from the searing pain. Then, his ears filled with a piercing, ringing sound, as if they were being stabbed.
In a surge of pain, he let out a fierce, warrior-like cry.
"Aaaa!!!"
Afterward, Lucian's senses returned, and he was free from the previous agony. His eyes were noticeably adapting to the dimness, granting him an almost night vision-like clarity.
A faint, bearable burning sensation tingled on his left hand. He examined it to find a black circle at its center. Suddenly, the mark dissolved, seeming to be absorbed into his skin.
"What the f*ck just happened? It felt like I was on death's doorstep. And why is my vision so much better in the dark?
Could it be that this ritual gave me some form of night vision? I'll need to find out.
He pushed himself up from the ground, feeling like he'd just run a marathon. He mustered the strength to ask, without concern for upsetting 'Her'.
"What the f*ck happened? You assured me the ritual was safe. I came close to dying!"
The female voice now started laughing a little, for the first time displaying emotion and told him.
"Haha. Don't worry, you wouldn't have died, I granted you some powers which you can use to fend the one who's going to kill you."
Now, Lucian's worry had turned into eager anticipation. He asked with excitement, "What powers? Night vision?"
"You'll discover them in due time. Besides night vision, you've acquired something more." responded the female voice, her tone returning to its customary calmness.
Lucian was so caught up in the recent events that he momentarily forgot about the waiting carriage driver.
Stuffing the remaining materials into his pockets, he sprinted towards the carriage, taking advantage of his newfound night vision. Thankfully, the driver was still there, curiosity etched across his face.
"Are you, by any chance in love with a lower-class woman?" the carriage driver quipped.
Lucian, still catching his breath, shot the driver an incredulous look. "What? No."
The driver, clearly amused, grinned and gestured towards the carriage. "Hop in."
Lucian settled into the carriage, the driver setting it into motion. He looked through the partially open iron window, marveling at his improved vision in the night
...
At the house, Lucian was exhausted from all of the recent events. He decided to address the unknown female.
"How should I address you?" he inquired.
After a long pause, a female voice replied, "Selena."
Lucian took note of the name and expressed his gratitude sincerely.
"Thank you, Selena."
The voice fell silent once again, but he caught a faint chuckle that faded quickly.
"So her name is Selena." Lucian mused, appreciating the beauty of the name. He couldn't help but wonder what she looked like.
He settled into bed, his mind swirling with thoughts about the recent events.
I've completed the ritual, but can I really rest easy now? Selena did say that I will use these new powers against the 'murderer'.
The ritual's origins are a mystery. How did I come to possess this power? Was it from that dark orb with its light gray outlines? And where did it even come from – the air?
Selena... Now I have a name, but her true nature remains unknown. Is she a ghost, a soul, or perhaps even a Goddess?
I'll have to put my faith in her and get some rest. I'll keep the revolver close, just in case.
Then Lucian hid the revolver beneath his pillow and fell into a deep sleep. This time his dreams followed a regular course.
Suddenly, a loud female voice, filled with concern, called out.
"Lucian! Wake up!"
Adrenaline surged through him, electrifying every nerve. He leaped out of bed, his body moving on instinct, fully awake and ready for whatever awaited him.