Jessica's Ritual

The air in the abandoned church was thick with dust and the scent of decay, a stark contrast to the sterile, metallic tang that had clung to the air after the cafeteria attack. Rain had led us here, to this crumbling sanctuary on the outskirts of town, a place he claimed offered a temporary reprieve. Kelly, bless her loyal heart, stayed glued to my side, her usual bubbly demeanor replaced by a quiet, watchful tension. Jace and Star, their earlier bravado softened by the stark reality of our situation, kept a perimeter, their eyes scanning the darkened corners of the cavernous room. Jessica, however, was already at the altar, her fingers tracing the worn carvings of the stone.

"This will have to do," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper against the vast emptiness. Her brow was furrowed, a familiar intensity burning in her eyes. "Noctis's influence is strong. He’ll be searching. We need to create a barrier, however brief."

I watched, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach. The word "Noctis" still sent a shiver down my spine, a chilling echo of the shadowy figure that had materialized from nothingness. Rain had explained, in his clipped, urgent way, that Noctis was the source of the shadow creatures, a being of pure darkness that craved… something. He hadn't been clear on what, but the predatory focus on me left no room for doubt.