Morning began fairly well. Pietro got up and went to get Dima. By that time Dima was already set, with him all washed up, clothes changed and looking a bit better than the evening before.
"They seem to be waiting downstairs already." - Pietro said, as he checked Dima.
"Let's go then." - Dima answered, as he trotted after Pietro down the stairs.
In the bar there sat Bozhana, Luka, Milica and the Barkeep at the table.
"Good morning." - Pietro said, as he approached.
"Good morning." - Milica said, with a smile. Others followed suit in exchanging 'good morning's'.
"You sure seem to be set to go on a trip here." - Barkeep joked. - "I've seen many combinations, but this one by far is the most intriguing." - He laughed, as he got up and left. - "Good luck in there!"
"Could we all take your car, or should Boznaha get hers?" - Milica asked, as she looked at Dima and Pietro.
"Don't worry, I'll drive." - Pietro answered, as he held out the car keys Dima gave him and showed it to the others. - "Car's outside, let's go."
As they got up, they noticed that Boznaha and Luka had really big duffel bags with them, which seemed to be packed to the brim with things. Milica also pulled out the luggage bag she left near the bar.
"All of it?" - Pietro asked, as he checked the amounts of bags in front of him.
"We will need all of it, yes." - Bozhana answered. - "When dealing with such things, it's better to come really prepared 10 times over, than underprepared. Come on!"
They got to the car, the bags were put in the trunk, Luka pulled Dima to sit in between Luka and Milica in the back, whilst Pietro and Bozhana sat in the front.
"You sure?" - Pietro asked Boznaha.
"I need to see what I'm facing, as I get to it. I don't want to be too surprised." - She answered seriously.
The trip took a bit. Driving felt like forever, even though the road was not that far. Somehow they've stopped a few times along the road, as there was a fallen tree on the road, then there was a dead animal later on on the road, then they almost got in a car crash, as an oncoming car swerved towards them, but Pietro managed to evade that.
"The powers surely sense our coming closer. What dramatic bastards." - Boznaha let out, looking on guard and pretty fired-up.
Once they finally reached Rene, they went to the Academy town first. This time Pietro walked out, to go and ask about Aya. The department did the same to him as they did to Dima - denied that Aya Litatio was ever there to begin with. Pietro gave a nod and got back to the others in the car.
"Not working." - Said Pietro as he got in.
"Let us drive around the town. I sense there's something there." - Boznaha pointed in an odd direction.
Pietro agreed to drive about, where Boznaha pointed to, with others in the back sitting silently, looking out the window and observing the whole town outside the car.
Luka and Milica exchanged looks every now and again, like they mastered the communication in some odd silence. But that too - was somewhat understandable to others as well. The town looked like it was in a dream in a way. Sort of awkwards little things that made it feel unreal now. Out of place.
"Up there! Go up there!" - Bozhana points all of a sudden to a street leading up the hill somewhere.
Pietro changes up the gears and follows the request. They end up on the street with old buildings, a park which seems to stretch on for a while and a very peculiar Cathedral at the end of the road.
"That's it. That's the thing. Get us next to it!" - Bozhana looked battle ready, as she eyed the Cathedral.
Pietro drove to the spot which was not really a legal parking spot, but sufficed as one. The engine stopped. All five walked out of the car. Boznaha looked at the Cathedral. Up, down, around.
"What a foul thing." - Milica looked worried as she looked at it.
"It does not feel holy at all." - Luka added, as he touched the cross on his chest, then held it in his hand.
"I sense evil here. And the way souls are crowded inside - I sense some things that are gonna be tough to beat up." - Boznaha said. - " Let us go check it out first. There should be a way in somewhere."
It took them a bit to find the bent metallic net in the fence to get into the premises next to the Cathedral.
The building was sealed around with a fence. Some of it was wooden, some was metal, the place looked dilapidated and abandoned. Pietro checked for the cameras outside, if there was any security there - none. None were installed to monitor any break-ins even. How odd. Typically such places would have at least wiring to notify police or security company about breaking, to keep the place more secure, less vandalised. This place had no security installed - just the whole energy of it pushing people away.
"I found the entrance." - Dima called out, as he stood next to the narrow door, on the side of the Cathedral.
Others came by hurriedly.
"Let us go in." - Bozhana looked the most determined out of them all.
The door opened and they all walked in, one after another. The hall was small, dusty, there were old construction materials stuffed about the walls, leaning about, the mess left from possible demolition was scattered. Pretty dangerous to even walk through. Eventually they got to a doorway, leading to the cathedral's large hall area.
Some pews stood there, some were already broken into pieces, some rotted away. The mess from construction and destruction was around the premises. Some old curtains with holes, torn and worn out by the wind and sun were holding on here and there, looking like a theatre which lost all the luster.
As they all came in, standing at the entrance, looking into the area - Boznaha threw inside a handful of salt she held in her pocket.
"What's that for?" - Pietro asked.
Bozhana looked at him, then looked at Luka and Milica, then Dima.
"Pietro, Dima, you two walk further in." - Bozhana blocked Luka and Milica from walking in further with her hand. - "Milica, Luca, it's time you start praying." - She turned to them dead serious.
Pietro and Dima walked further in, as Luka and Milica began praying.
Pews were there, moss grew on top of some of them, in between them… It seemed like there was a hole in the roof, where all the rain would come in, making the place have some nature grow into it.
As Dima went ahead, he suddenly rushed forward, towards one of the pews.
"Aya! Aya! My love, Aya!" - Dima shouted, as he got on his knees, hugging a thin female body, naked, beat up, blue and cold.
Dima kept on calling her name, crying, howling in grief, pain and anger. She was found. His wife was finally found, but at what cost… Her body was in such a horrific state - it was painful to look at her. Frail, cut up, beat up, with so much… So much of her now a withered memory. Dima held onto her with dear might, kissing her cold forehead, her cheeks. She no longer answered, no longer with him. It ached the heart, it pained so much.
Milica walked over, taking her coat off, handing it to Dima. He used it to wrap his wife's body.
"Let her sit this one out." - Bozhana said. - "Sit with her, whilst I get all that's needed for the ritual." - Boznaha said, as she grabbed Pietro by the hand, taking him along to the car to grab things.
Luka and Milica stayed with Dima and Aya, praying on and on. Luka not once stopped praying, since the moment Bozhana asked them to.
Once Bozhana came back with the boxes, then Pietro and Milica went to grab other things. Bozhana began setting her ritual. She found a cleaner space, to make a circle in, enough to have all five of them stand in. Then started to place all the needed items around, inside and into the circle.
After a bit Milica came in with Pietro and the rest of the boxes and bags. Taking all that next to Bozhana, as all those items as well now were incorporated into the ritual. Luka walked around the perimeter of the space they were in. Having Bozhana say to his back loudly to be careful where he steps. As Luka walked slowly - he realized why Boznaha said so - the perimeter had places where bones of humans were. Just a pile of bones, skulls, torn items of clothing, chains, handcuffs, ropes… The blood that soaked into the floor making it black, the horrors just permeated the space. Luka kept reading the prayers, as he walked. Pietro walked towards Luka, but Bozhana grabbed him by the hand, making him stay.
"Just get those two into the circle, alright?" - Bozhana said to Pietro, as she nodded towards Dima with Aya in his hands.
Dima slowly came over after being called, Aya in his hands. Once the setup was ready, Boznaha called for Luka to walk back to her. Luka walked over. Others were already in the circle.
"Do not walk out of the circle until I allow you to. Don't you even dare have a single finger peek out of this circle. If you want to stay alive, that is." - Bozhana seriously said to all present.
The candles were lit, incense was smoking up the place, the consecrated items, the small altar that Milica and Bozhana put together was set and ready. The ring of salt around them all, the mixed herbs and incense which lined the perimeter of the salt circle, the items of magic placed by the corners of the circle. It all seemed to now be ready.
Bozhana, Milica, Luka held hands, starting to chant their things. At first it was a prayer that was sung by the three of them, then Milica and Luka began prayer songs, whilst Bozhana started a whole another chant of a song, which was not in line with godly words.
The air grew heavier, there began a breeze inside, which seemed impossible. The curtains which held by the last of their will started to fall down, the whole building as if began repelling whatever they were doing.
Pietro held Dima, as Dima held Aya. They sat in the circle, near Milica and Luka, as Bozhana was doing her thing with words, a drum, and smoking incense.
The voices started to come from all halls and sides. The crying, the pleading, the shouting, the cursing, the pain and suffering of all the souls which got to be stuck in here finally had their time to let it all out. It sounded absolutely mortifying. Wailing of women, children, men, elderly, young - all mixing into the blood chilling, bone shivering thing. Pietro, just like Dima, began to shiver from fear, as it was really something none of them ever experienced in their life.
MIlica, Luka and Bozhana kept on going.