October 31st Halloween
The streets are already filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Orange and black ribbons are hung between the lamp posts. Some doors also have hollowed-out pumpkin lanterns hung in front of them. Spider webs woven from cotton are also very popular decorations.
Children all know that tonight will be a day of candy harvest. They just need to walk to their neighbor’s door, knock on the door, and shout “Trick or Treat” to get a lot of sweet candy or fruit.
For the adults, preparing a sumptuous Halloween dinner is the first priority, with pumpkin soup, finger biscuits and other exquisite snacks and dishes all over the table.
As the night progressed, people who had been out partying gradually returned home.
Arnold had already started making preparations at Joseph's house, and tonight's exorcism ceremony was about to begin.
Salt from the Red Sea was evenly sprinkled on the floor of Annaliese's door to ensure that the evil spirit would not escape; in addition, if an accident occurred, the symbol of salt would allow Annaliese to maintain the last bit of humanity, just as the Gospel of Matthias in the Holy Book of Light said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its taste, how can it be made salty again?"
In this passage, salt symbolizes believers, who come to bear witness to the Lord and uphold their own character in a world full of sin.
Three silver wind chimes were hung on the main door, Annaliese's door and window. If they made a sound without wind, it meant the coming of evil.
Arnold placed two glass crystal balls in the left pocket of his robe. If he saw anything unusual, he would smash them immediately.
In his left hand he held an ebony cross, and in his upper right he held the Holy Light Book, with the Veronica scarf placed in his right pocket just in case.
After everything was ready, Arnold only left Joseph in the room, and the rest of the family temporarily lived in the homes of relatives and friends to avoid being affected.
The midnight bell rang, dong dong dong, it struck twelve times in a row. It was the beginning of a new day, and a new day, which was Halloween, officially arrived.
Annaliese, who had been tied to the bed for a long time, suddenly bent up as the bell rang, and her head moved slowly with the top of her head facing downward, looking at the fully armed Arnold with contempt. Large patches of twisted black lines appeared on her body. They were not blue veins caused by excessive force, but the words of the devil.
The tightly closed mouth expanded to an inhumanly exaggerated degree, ahhhh!
Annaliese's childish voice was now mixed with the roar of wild beasts and the whisper of demons. The wind chimes hanging in three places were shaking wildly. They were coming!
"I'm so scared, Reverend." This was Annalise's plea in German.
"Let's start the game." This is a deep male voice, speaking in ancient Greek.
"Oh, servant of God? Nonsense." This is an extremely ancient language, Aramaic.
"Degradation, what a wonderful word." This is Latin.
"I have done nothing wrong! It is not my fault!" This is Hebrew.
"Shut up, I was supposed to go to heaven, why did hell become my destination!" The last sentence was in English.
②
Six voices came out of the mouth at the same time; this was not something a human could do. Even the distorted posture revealed the horror of supernatural power.
Seven means sacred, blessed, complete, and perfect, while six means incomplete, imperfect, and extremely incomplete.
The simultaneous appearance of six voices represents the devil, Satan and Anti-Jidu, which is an extreme evil and a blasphemy against the Creator.
Arnold took out the crystal ball from his robe and threw it to the ground, and the holy water of the Jordan River splashed on Annaliese.
When the holy water came into contact with the body, most of it was instantly evaporated by the magic patterns on the skin. The few that dripped onto Annaliese's body made a sizzling sound like barbecue. Along with this sound, a rotten and burnt smell floated in the air in the small room.
"Damn ant, how dare you destroy my joy!" The Hebrew voice echoed in Arnold and Joseph's minds along with Annaliese's screams. At this time, Joseph was so scared that he dared not make any sound. He could only be a witness.
Arnold had faced many exorcism rituals, but such a weird scene was frightening.
He quickly opened the Holy Light Scripture in his hand, turned to the chapter of Revelation, and read quickly.
“And unto the beast was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies: and authority was given to him to do whatsoever he pleased for forty-two months.
He opened his mouth and uttered blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling place, and blaspheming those who dwell in heaven.
It was permitted to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority was given to it over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
All who live on earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. He who has ears, let him hear!
If someone is destined to be taken captive, he will be taken captive; if someone is destined to be killed by the sword, he will be killed by the sword. Here lies the patience and faith of the saints. ”③
Annaliese trembled and screamed as the scriptures were recited quickly. The corners of her mouth, which had been growing bigger and bigger, were cracked, and blood was left on both sides.
"Stop! Stop!" This was Annaliese's voice, and her voice trembled along with her body.
If someone is not aware of the situation, they would definitely think that this is the girl's own will.
But facing Arnold, who was experienced in exorcism, this cheap trick commonly used by the devil could not deceive him.
He turned a few pages with his fingers and continued reading amidst the pleading.
"Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, and nothing is hidden that will not be known. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot destroy the soul!"④
Arnold was very confident at this time. These were words of encouragement, words spoken by the Son of God Yesu, but the next moment his confidence was defeated by reality.
Annalise stopped her useless yelling and body movements and looked at Arnold without saying a word.
With contempt in her eyes, she spoke softly,
"Matthew Chapter 10, Verse 28, why don't you continue?"
Arnold looked stunned. How could the devil remember the contents of the Holy Light Book? It should be avoided. Every word carries the majesty of the Lord, because it is the power and authority bestowed by the Lord on the Holy Light Book.
"Since you won't say it, I'll say it for you.
Only fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell."
Annaliese's abnormality made Arnold lose his composure. Such sacred words were actually used to blaspheme the majesty of the Supreme Creator.
The rhythm that was originally in his hands has been completely disrupted. Arnold could feel a seed of fear sprouting in his heart. He took a deep breath and tried to adjust his state, but the burnt and rotten smell in the air irritated his nerves all the time.
Arnold resolutely raised the ebony cross in his hand, and a domineering light shone from the cross at this time.
This brilliance made Joseph unable to open his eyes. He could not look directly at this light with divine power.
Mont Saint-Michel, the place where Archangel Michael descended, is a holy place in the hearts of believers.
This cross was an item carried by Archbishop Robert in those days. After the bishop's death, it has been enshrined in front of the portrait of Michael. Hundreds of years of worship by believers have brought a part of Michael's power to the cross, which is the judgment of absolute justice and a force that no evil spirits can resist.
"Say your names, demons! I command you in the name of the Almighty Creator, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!"
In the dazzling light, the figure of Michael appeared, holding a scale representing fairness in one hand and wielding a flaming sword in the other.
"No, no, no, I'm not a devil! I am a believer abandoned by the Lord, Frederick! Cardinal Frederick!" The English voice said this, and then a black line on Annaliese's body disappeared, evaporated by the light of Michael.
"Archangel Michael, why did you abandon me! As one of the twelve disciples of Jidu, why did you abandon me! I hate it!" The traitor Judas spoke in Hebrew through Annaliese's mouth, and another black line disappeared from Annaliese's body.
"Michael, seeing your glory again reminds me of the past, my father Adam and my foolish brother Abel. I will be waiting for you in hell." Cain, the parricide, speaking in Latin, took the initiative to push away from Annaliese.
At this time, Annalise said this in ancient Greek:
"Lowly slave, kneel before your lord!"
Joseph, who was already frightened and unable to move by what he saw, knelt down upon hearing the voice. The ancient Greek language was accompanied by great majesty.
Arnold was also affected at the same time. An invisible force passed through the shadow of Michael and enveloped him. His body, which had been standing straight, slowly bent under this pressure. Just when his knees almost touched the ground, the Veronica scarf in his pocket automatically floated out, and the kind face of the Son of God Yesu emerged from the scarf, protecting Arnold from this disaster. Because once both of them knelt down at the same time, the devil would succeed and corrode the souls of everyone present.
"Tsk, boring. Ants, remember my name, I am Caesar, I am the emperor of Rome, I am Nero. I am the beast that rebels against God."
Nero left after he finished speaking, leaving only the last black line on Annaliese's body.
Although the situation has improved, Arnold knows that he no longer has any trump cards in his hand. His physical strength is on the verge of collapse and he may fall down at any time.
On the other hand, his most powerful holy weapons and scriptures posed no threat to the existence of the last demon.
As a priest, an exorcist, and one of God's messengers walking on earth, Arnold understood that the exorcism had failed, but he could not easily give up on a devout believer and allow him to be attacked by the devil and fall into hell.
"Even if it means burning my own life, I must fight!" Arnold thought to himself, and took out the silver dagger he carried with him, trying to learn from Jidu to sacrifice himself in exchange for Annalise's freedom.
Michael's shadow was still shining in the room. The last demon possessed Annalise and looked at Michael calmly and said,
"Stupid brother."
Arnold paused. He was familiar with all the scriptures in the Bible and finally understood why the scriptures of the Holy Light Book and all the holy weapons on his body were ineffective against him. He could even read the Holy Light Book fluently.
Simply because He is the fallen morning star, Lucifer.
As an angel who once served God, he naturally knew everything about the Holy Light Sutra. Even after falling into hell and becoming Satan, he was still one of the beings who understood everything best. ⑤
"Haha, useless struggle." He spoke in a lazy voice in the ancient language, Aramaic.
The possessed Annaliese waved her hand lightly, and all the ropes broke. The salt scattered on the ground was gathered into a salt ball by an unknown force and flew out of the window. The hanging silver wind chimes all shattered and turned into useless silver blocks that fell to the ground.
Annaliese opened her arms, closed her legs, made a wild and solemn crucifixion pose, and then floated into the air.
At this point the exorcism ritual had completely gone out of control. As Annaliese's body turned in the air to form a blasphemous inverted cross, Annaliese, who was hanging upside down, opened her mouth and blew a breath. A strong airflow knocked the two people in the room away.
Joseph, who was not in front of Annalise, was just knocked against the wall by the aftermath. The impact made him dizzy and fainted. Fortunately, he did not see the next scene.
Arnold, who had been facing Annaliese, was not so lucky. That breath not only blew away Michael's shadow, but also broke the ebony cross. The fallen part pierced into the outside of his left thigh.
Arnold was hit against the wall by the shock wave. The wooden wall behind him shattered due to years of disrepair and the impact, creating a large human-shaped hole.
Arnold's back was pierced by broken wood thorns and he fell on the side of the sofa. Fortunately, the sofa took a lot of the impact for Arnold, so Arnold did not die immediately.
Lucifer spoke his last words to Arnold through Annalise's body.
"No one can take away the servants I choose."
Then the black magic patterns on Annaliese's body began to expand, soon covering her thin body.
After his entire body was covered with delicate magic patterns, an evil flame began to burn from his eyes and then quickly spread to his entire body.
The inverted cross in the sky was burned by the flames of hell, and along with the screams of the pure soul that was slowly stopped by corruption and depravity, Annalise Mitch disappeared from the world forever.
Arnold, bleeding profusely, finally lost consciousness in despair and frustration, and closed his eyes with reluctance.