In the light of the bonfires burning around them, the ritual in the woods was underway.
"We gather here, in these woods, before the Lord of Darkness, together with all the souls of our Coven—the Church of the Voice of Fear—whether living or dead."
The man the others called the Father of Magic stood beside the Stone Altar, chanting what sounded like an opening invocation. The words were not in some strange, unknown language, either. They were simply English verses that followed a set meter.
At that moment, the girl's family in the magical world removed her outer clothing and shoes, allowing her to receive her baptism in as natural a state as possible. She knelt before the Father of Magic, and blood was smeared on her forehead. Presiding over the ritual, he chanted, "Our Lord of Darkness teaches us that beyond him there is no law. We may do as we will."
He then led the girl to the Stone Altar, cut her left palm with a dagger, and let her blood drip onto a massive open book. "Child, sign your baptismal name, and accept the power of the Lord of Darkness to cleanse your soul."
But when she picked up the pen carved from an animal bone, the girl awaiting baptism hesitated.
She did not sign at once. Instead, she held the pen indecisively, looking around. It was as though she wanted someone to give her a push, whether to strengthen her resolve or to push her out of this absurd world.
The Father of Magic seized the girl's pen-holding hand and pressed the tip against the massive book. "Sign your name, child. This is how you dedicate your entire body, mind, and soul to the Lord of Darkness."
"But..." The girl tried to struggle, but she could