Ritual

As soon as I got home, I called Ellie to ask her for advice. She didn’t pick up.

Then I remembered…work… I was so late.

I took a really quick shower, changed into workout clothes, and jogged to headquarters.

This was my first time being late. Everybody had already finished their training when I arrived.

Ellie chuckled at me when I entered the studio.

“Oh wow, the Princess is late,” someone teased.

“You look remarkably well, considering how much you drank last night. One could think you’ve had a potion?” Ellie said, winking at Alex.

He had missed out on all the weekend’s fun.

“You went home with a stranger?” Alex asked doubtfully.

“I tried to call. I might have learned of a sacrificial ritual taking place tonight,” I said, ignoring Alex’s question.

Ellie and Alex exchanged a look.

“If you know something of importance, you shouldn’t tell us. Tell Louisa,” Alex said, nodding toward the entryway, where Louisa stood and glared at us.

“For all you know we could be double agents,” Ellie agreed with a shrug.

I nodded to Alex and Ellie. Then I made my way over to Louisa.

“You are very late! Let’s go to my office,” she said, waving at me to come along.

***

“I understand Ellie brought you to Wonderland, so first things first. Are you okay?” Louisa asked once we were seated by her desk.

“Yes, I’m more than fine,” I chuckled.

It had been two months since she first took me there. Didn’t Louisa know?

“I thought this squad would suit you, even though you’re young,” Louisa said with a sly smile.

“So, did you learn anything I should know?” she asked.

“I think I might,” I said, grasping the opportunity.

“A warlock named Marcus talked about something happening at Crows Island, at midnight. I also heard something about him being in a demon-worshipping cult,” I said, feeling a little nervous.

I didn’t want to tell her about Erik, and prayed she wouldn’t ask me how I’d acquired the information.

Louisa looked at me with wide eyes and picked up her phone.

“Hold on a sec,” she said while she sent a quick text from her phone.

“You have been very lucky, or done remarkably well. I must say I am very impressed. It might be the same Marcus that we have hunted for months,” she explained, sounding excited.

“This is not a delicate matter. You could use the practice, hunting lawbreakers, so you are joining the first squad on this mission,” she commanded.

I looked at her, wide-eyed from shock.

I had not expected her to send me to hunt humans.

“You do not want to hunt murderous spellcasters?” Louisa asked, raising her eyebrows at me.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable hunting people,” I admitted, frowning.

“You need to learn then. Some of these rituals are worse than the work of many demons. You’re going, despite how you feel about it,” she said sternly.

“Got it,” I sighed and got up to leave, feeling nauseous.

“And, Bella!” She stopped me on my way out.

“I’m going to want to talk to you about how you came across this information when we have more time. We have reason to believe that Marcus is very dangerous. You might be lucky to be alive if it was him you heard. You understand?” she asked, looking at me very seriously.

“I do,” I replied, which only made Louisa’s glare sterner.

I’d accidentally lied. I didn’t feel like I was in any danger when I was with Erik, even though I should.

“We’re going to talk about this later!” she repeated and waved her hand to dismiss me.

I felt my tummy turn when I left her office.

I really didn’t want to tell her about Erik, and I felt uncomfortable about hunting witches and warlocks.

They were human after all, not monsters, and to hunt Erik’s brother…it just felt so dirty somehow.

***

I felt numb while gearing up for the hunt. Anna was there with me.

She didn’t know that I was the informant. She didn’t even know about Wonderland.

“Isn’t it so cool that we’re going out to hunt a cult?” she said as we were getting ready.

“I don’t know. I think humanoids are a bit more complex than demons,” I answered.

“Do you know this cult stands accused of numerous sacrifices, and even cannibalism?” Anna asked, giving me a confused look.

“Being accused and actually having done it is not the same thing,” I protested.

“Well, they are very sure this Marcus is very bad news. I was out on a mission where we cleaned up the aftermath of one of their rituals. It was gruesome. That’s why I was rude to that warlock we met. I know what they are capable of,” Anna explained, looking at me very seriously.

“That makes sense, I guess. I have yet to see the terrors of warlocks and witches. Don’t get me wrong, though, I have read what they are capable of,” I replied, still feeling torn.

“And that is why it is so very important you wear this!” Anna said with a smile. She handed me a bracelet made of bone bits.

It was a very strong charm against magic. Very rare and valuable.

We only got to borrow them when we really needed them.

***

We met up with the rest of the squads at the headquarters before the mission and rode together in big black cars. We had canoes with us.

All the others spoke to each other on the way, like it was totally normal to hunt humans. I couldn’t; I felt nauseous.

We stopped by a shore, close to Crows Island, where we all got into the canoes and paddled across as silently as we could.

When dealing with witches and warlocks, it was important to catch them off guard, so they didn’t fly away or teleport.

Not long after we reached the shore of the island and got into the forest, we heard incantations in the distance.

There was light from fire, glowing through the trees that we followed.

We silently succeeded in surrounding the gathering.

They hadn’t noticed us. Thankfully, they lacked the talent that we umbra had to sense energies.

I could see what they were doing from my spot, and I got sick to my stomach.

Anna’s reaction to meeting a warlock made so much sense now. If she’d seen this before, it explained everything.

The stench that lay heavy in the air was dreadful.

Intestines had been braided and placed in a circle. Inside the circle was an altar of stone, brown and red from dried blood.

Below the altar lay the body of a dead man, with his chest and stomach cut open. His head was missing.

On the altar lay an unconscious naked woman. She appeared to still be alive, as she still had color to her skin.

Around the circle were at least ten spellcasters chanting.

While inside the circle, beside the altar, stood a man with similar looks as Erik.

It was probably Marcus. He wasn’t at all as handsome as Erik and had his black hair cut so short it was hard to tell if it was curly like his brother’s.

I hoped it wasn’t.

He was reading from a book, and in his other hand, he held a knife.

I could see a demonic portal above the altar, and I stared into the cosmic abyss beyond it. It was already open. This group must be trying to summon a specific demon.

I made sure my hood was tightened, and my scarf was well around the bottom half of my face. I didn’t want to get recognized in case of survivors.

Had Louisa known there were this many, she probably would not have sent me along.

The general of the first squad suddenly gave the signal. The other umbra attacked the spellcasters. I had been a little slow to react but followed the others.

I didn’t feel wrong about it anymore.

I shot a spellcaster in the head, just like I’d shot a demon. Before they started to evade my bullets with magic and made my gun useless.

Minor demons escaped through the portal and assisted the spellcasters. I felt a cut to my side and swung around with my blade drawn, slashing my attacker’s throat.

I felt a little shocked over my own ability but didn’t have time to stop and reflect.

Right after, I watched as a huge demon descended from the portal.

The bottom half of the body was that of a snake, and the top of a woman. It had hair like Medusa and was making its way toward the unconscious woman on the altar.

I drew my gun again and shot it. I hit it right in the head, but it got back up.

It must be a very powerful demon. Its head needed to be severed before the body and the head could be burned.

I watched a man from the first squad dash toward it, sword drawn. He evaded its attacks, while another one from the squad jumped at it and severed its head.

I was amazed at how easy they made it look.

The people from the thirteenth squad were hard at work, closing the gate and trying to keep the spellcasters from escaping.

At the end of the battle, we had managed to kill every spellcaster except Marcus. He had succeeded in escaping, and we had lost a hunter.

I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous as I looked at the aftermath.

I threw up in a bush. After that, my vision started to fail me.

I heard Anna call my name before everything went black.