Just as people were beginning to grow impatient, the tightly closed door of the small hut opened. Todd, dressed in a monk's robe, stood in the doorway and said to the crowd, "The exorcism ritual is ready..." Glancing at the eager crowd outside, Todd continued, "Once the ritual begins, I can't guarantee what will happen; it wouldn't be surprising if a demon were to devour people."
Upon hearing this, people quickly stepped back, and the thought of trying it vanished.
“From this moment forward, everyone must remain silent, or you will disturb the devil, and the Father will punish you! Also, only six people are allowed in the room; you can decide the list yourselves.” With that, Todd turned and disappeared through the door.
Ultimately, after some debate, the six people who participated in the exorcism were: Hudgens, Jerry Jr., Aiden Colm, Father Rupert, a knight-gentry who had served in the war and returned home, and a sheriff from a nearby town.
Village chief Ackerman and Edgar stayed outside to maintain order and keep the area absolutely quiet.
When the six men entered the craftsman's hut, they were so astonished by the strange layout that they forgot to speak.
Windows, stoves, holes—every crack in the house that leads to the outside was covered with black paper, and each piece was painted with a cross on it using white ash.
The craftsman's bed was moved to the center of the room. The unconscious cursed man was covered with a brown linen cloth with a white cross drawn on it.
Finally, with the bed at the center, a huge cross was drawn on the floor of the room in white lime, with seven candles placed around the four sides of the cross.
"Is this an exorcism ritual?!"
The priest raised the question first. He had participated in no fewer than a hundred exorcisms, and in the past, holy water and scriptures were mostly used as ritual methods. But he had never seen or even heard of such a scene!
Todd ignored him and led the six men to the craftsman's bedside, gesturing for them to stand at the left, right, and bottom ends of the cross. The seven candles corresponded to the seven men: Hudgens and Jerry were at the left end of the cross, the priest and sheriff at the right, the village chief and squire at the bottom, and Todd himself at the top.
“Before we begin the exorcism, there are some taboos I must tell you.” In the completely darkened room, under the dim candlelight, Todd’s face appeared somewhat indistinct, and his voice was low and chilling: “First, you must not make any loud noises during the ritual; second, until the ritual is over, stand where you are now, and no matter what happens, you must not leave; third, you must not touch these papers and linen cloths that bear the marks of holiness. If you understand and agree to abide by them, then please repeat them.”
Following the order from left to right, everyone repeated the three taboos. The sounds outside grew softer and softer, and an eerie atmosphere quietly filled the air.
Todd pulled the scriptures from his robes, glanced at the six participants who looked tense and on high alert, pulled the hood of his monk's robe over his head, nodded slightly, and said, "The ceremony begins."
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