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Chapter 103 Ceremony
Green opened his eyes and finally decided to try to construct the simplest possible ritual.
Use the desk as a temporary altar, cover it with a clean, dark tablecloth that symbolizes secrecy and stability, and place the brooch and the back of the photo in the center as the core symbol and direction.
Two white candles, symbolizing focused thought and dedication, are placed on either side.
Then place clear water, representing purity and passage, in the small dish in front.
During the ceremony, concentrate on visualizing the image of "gray mist," chant the name of the deity in a steady rhythm, and add short and clear prayers. At the same time, gently infuse a small amount of spiritual energy into the brooch or the ritual space and observe the changes.
If any abnormalities occur, such as uncontrolled loss of spiritual energy, hearing incomprehensible ramblings, seeing strange hallucinations, or uncontrollable changes in the brooch, immediately stop reciting.
Cut off the spiritual supply, blow out the candles, and try to isolate yourself using the spiritual perception of an "apprentice," and if necessary, simply "open the door" to leave the room.
"place......"
Thinking about this, Green tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and the key question came to mind.
Where should we conduct this attempt?
"The room is fairly clean..." Green looked around.
The next second, he immediately dismissed the idea.
"No, not at home."
I realized I had overlooked this most critical factor in my contingency plan.
If the ceremony succeeds, perhaps everything will be normal and unaffected, or perhaps only he will perceive a slight change.
But what if it fails?
What if it attracts the attention of unknown entities, causes spiritual pollution to spread, or triggers an uncontrollable reaction from the brooch?
What if, during the escape through the "door," the spiritual disturbance alerts Emily, who is in a highly unstable state? Just like in the basement of Viscount Fairfax's manor, that would be a difficult situation to resolve.
He needs a safe house.
A place that is secluded enough, undisturbed, where the impact can be controlled to the maximum extent even in the event of an accident, and where he can easily evacuate at any time.
Almost instantly, a location popped into his mind.
The port authority's underground warehouse, his "office" arranged by Henry.
Clean, tidy, safe, and secluded. A perfect place.
"That's it."
......
Night had fallen, and the streets of Oberhafen were quietly covered with a thin layer of snow. The fine snowflakes fell silently, enveloping the entire city in stillness.
A figure wrapped tightly in a coat and carrying an inconspicuous cloth bag looked around before crashing into the outer wall of the port authority and disappearing silently.
The figure moved quickly, hugging the shadows on the wall; clearly, he was very familiar with the place.
Green timed it carefully, and after everyone in the house had gone to sleep, he cautiously conducted a search.
His goal was clear.
I found a fairly clean dark blue tablecloth in the storage room, and then took a small ceramic plate, a brand new soft cloth, white bread that I had just bought when I came home today, and some fruit from the kitchen. Finally, I took a bunch of white roses and lilies that the port authority had delivered that morning.
But Green searched the storeroom, kitchen, and living room but couldn't find any candles.
Without candles, the ceremony lacks the symbolism of 'light' and 'dedication,' which is a very important part.
Green hesitated for less than three seconds before making his decision.
He remembered a small pub near the docks that also sold general merchandise. It usually stayed open very late, and sometimes a simple shelf outside would be set up to sell things like cigarettes, matches, and cheap candles.
He took a detour and, sure enough, found the small shelf covered with an oilcloth under the crooked sign of the tavern.
With no one around, the noisy sounds from the tavern were blocked by the thick door panels.
Green quickly took four ordinary white candles from the shelf, thought for a moment, took a penny from his pocket, and pressed it hard into a crack in the shelf's wooden board.
Having done all this, he immediately turned around and quickened his pace to blend into the night.
"I paid...this is a purchase, not theft," Green said to himself as he walked away.
When he arrived at the entrance to the port authority's underground office, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
The door opened, and I walked down the stairs.
With a soft click, the office lights came on.
Inside the fireplace, the embers had not yet completely died out, emitting a warm red glow and a faint smell of charcoal.
Clearly, Anaïs stayed here very late today, probably getting used to the "peeping tom's" abilities, and didn't leave until it was time to go home. She even carefully kept the fire warm so the room wouldn't get too cold.
A smile crept onto Green's lips. He walked to the fireplace, skillfully added a few pieces of dry firewood, and poked at the embers with tongs. Soon, a new flame leaped up, crackling and popping.
Green turned around and looked at Anaïs's desk.
Several thick, old-fashioned books were neatly stacked on the table, with some handwritten manuscripts scattered around them. The handwriting was neat but slightly messy, clearly Anaïs's work.
These are likely occult manuscripts and reference materials she brought from home, left by her grandfather.
Green didn't touch them; now was not the time.
Anaïs is making a difficult start on this path. He has the support of the Church of the Night, but she does not. This knowledge is her foundation, and he cannot disturb her at will.
Green walked to his desk and took the items out of the cloth bag one by one.
He first carefully wiped the central area of the desk with a cloth to make sure there was no dust.
Then he unfolded the dark blue velvet cloth and laid it on the cleaned table. He had chosen this cloth because it was thick, dark in color, and had a sense of secrecy.
I placed the small ceramic dish in the center of the front of the velvet cloth, walked to a small water jug in the corner of the room, and poured some water into it.
The next step is the core items.
Green first placed the photograph face down in the center of the velvet cloth, behind the water dish. The three lines of Byron's script were clearly visible on the yellowed photographic paper under the light.
He then took out the dark silver Fool's brooch and solemnly placed it above the photograph, so that the simple 'eye' was facing forward, as if gazing at the ceremony that was about to begin.
White bread and a few fruits were placed around the central item, while white roses and lilies were placed behind it.
"I wonder if the Fool would eat it..."
Finally, he picked up four white candles and placed them in the four corners of the ceremony area.
Green took two steps back, examined his 'work', and nodded in satisfaction.
"I really am... a genius in the occult..."
A deep blue background, clear water dishes, ancient inscriptions, the mysterious Fool's Eye, and pure white candles waiting to be lit in the four corners.
A simple but relatively complete and clearly defined ritual altar was completed.
The room was unusually quiet, with only the crackling of the burning wood in the fireplace and his own gradually calming breathing.
Green took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to calm his heartbeat and his mind.
He walked to the front of the altar, struck a match, and lit the four candles in turn.
Green stood still, closed his eyes, and began to clear his mind and concentrate.
In my mind, I tried to visualize the gray fog that had once annihilated everything at Fairfax Manor, that indifferent, vast, seemingly all-encompassing yet indifferent image.
After a few breaths, he opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the brooch and the nameplate.
He began the recitation in a calm, clear, and sufficiently respectful tone.
"A fool who doesn't belong to this era;"
"You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog;"
"You are the king of yellow and black who holds the key to good fortune."
I beg for your response.
"I pray for your favor."
"I pray that you will guide me to find my way home."