Chapter One: Exorcism.

Preview on "NARIKA:The Ghost Bride".

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Country A.

11:30 Pm.

"It's happening again."

Mario shouldn't have made those  statements, it would surely have his wife worried over the impending doom, she feared were about to befall them all tonight.

But there wasn't anything anyone could do right at this moment, not including his sister-in-law, Rosa, who held his wife, Marya, from walking up to the scene right in front of them.

The constant drumming, and the shrill cry of an ancient song left the lips of the shaman, as she danced her way around the young lady, who lay in the middle of the circle making it known to the couples, that tonight was going to be a long one.

"Be strong Marya, everything will work out fine. He won't succeed in taking her away from you, Not now and not ever in the future to come."Rosa assured her sister, who held onto her arms for support.

Marya could barely stand as it is right now, and her swollen eyes as a result of crying screamed fear, exhaustion and many more to count, couldn't hide the fact that she didn't take her sister's words, nor her husband's words over the agility of the shaman.

They were all fake, none of them were sincere enough to tell her if they were capable of the work she had for them all. All they did was to extort money from them, and also  brainwashed them into believing that there was a way out for their child.

But as she watched the shaman do her Job, without any interference like the last time,  they had conducted an exorcism on Narika's behalf, she has hope that tonight might be it.

The end of everyone's suffering, and finally, Narika would be whole once again. She would be free from him.

Adrik.

The sudden pick up  in tonight's weather, dragged her attention back to what was going on, as they stood outside the circle.

The shaman had instructed everyone, to stay a few meters away from where the ritual was taking place. Mainly because the ghost was a hostile one, who wouldn't hesitate to take any host and do its unspeakable bids on them.

But she's lying, at least Marya had enough proof that he didn't  just want anyone, he wanted only one person and  that is her daughter.

So, there was room for doubt but for the fact that Mario hasn't said anything yet made her try to have faith in the shaman.

But she couldn't help it, and burst out of frustration. This was the calm before the storm, but she did not want to witness any storm.

"I don't think it's working, Mario. We have no time to waste…"

"Maybe you should reconsider looking at people in a different light, and start believing in their capacity, Marya. Stop talking already, "

Mario frustratingly advised her. He knew how hard it was for her right now, but feeding her mind with negative thoughts tonight wasn't helpful at all.

Marya wanted to speak further, but when she saw the shaman holding up a knife and walking up to where her daughter lay unconscious, she acted up instantly.

"Oh my God! What's she doing?''She pushed Rosa's hands off her, and ran up to where the activity was taking place.

At least not too close to walking into the circle, and ruining everything that the shaman had done in the first place.

She's not genuine.

She wasn't a real shaman, at least she should have known that her daughter doesn't bleed. 

It was a very faint but old tale around town which everyone knew of, Narika doesn't bleed, and that has been the case since she was born.

So, why was she holding a blade?

To kill her?

Well that wouldn't be surprising, everyone wanted her dead at all cost, especially tonight which was the day she clocks twenty three.

The day he promised he was coming for her!

"What the hell are you doing?!" She shouted at the shaman, who she doubted  didn't hear her because of the drumming sounds caused by her colleagues.

"Marya, don't cross the circle. Get away from the line and let her do her job, time is  against us!" Mario dragged her away, while shoving his watch right in front of her face for her to know what time it was.

"Narika.."She called, placing her hand on  her chest. It was difficult for her to breathe as it is right now, they had only ten minutes left.

It's either the shaman makes amends with the ghost, and at least have  him reconsidering his intentions towards their daughter, or they lose her forever to him.

No one has been able, not even close to knowing what he looks like, than to talk of holding  a conversation with him.

Judging from the count of Shamans he had killed because of their disobedience, the couple were considered outlaw's in  the community. As it stands but no one, absolutely no one was courageous enough to take it out with them.

"He will listen this time around, he has to know that my  daughter is not any weapon for any reconciliation of an old feud!"

Mario stood his ground, trying with all means to keep the positivity going on because of Marya, but deep within him, he's scared.

He's really scared, maybe more than Marya right now. Tonight was the last night to determine the fate of his child.

They had a lot of options for the angry ghost that had been haunting them, but the question everyone was asking was, would he give them a listening ear?

He's temperamental, and a brute when he's angry. Also, judging from the past ways they had treated him, when they learnt about his existence, it wasn't welcoming at all.

"O ye  evil spirit, listen if you have an ear, I pay homage to mother earth and other beings lying therein"

The shaman held Narika's hand, meanwhile the young lady was whimpering where she layed down as it wasn't any easier for her too.

She was barely unconscious, and was hanging within the edge of the living and dead, whereas she had no idea what was happening.

"Have mercy on this innocent soul,and ward off evil vices away from her…" The shaman was interrupted by the sudden kick in the air.

The calm weather tonight took a drastic change,  the moment she began her incantations.

"He's coming!" Mario notified his wife, while taking one last  look at the watch to see that they had only two minutes left.

"No!" Marya cried, trying to walk into the circle so she could be in close  proximity with her child, before he finally comes for her.

But the wind was harsher with time, it was so hard to see anything right now leaving them in the dark about what's going on.

But they could still hear the Shaman talking, and the moment it struck twelve, a heavy wind struck earth.

A tornado.

It flung the crying woman away from where the young lady was, a huge commotion ensued between the circle but it was too hard to tell what exactly was happening in there.

"Mario, my daughter!"Marya cried, holding onto the end of a tree tightly as she heard the screams coming from inside the circle.

The shaman voice wasn't heard anymore, so that did it for the couple and Rosa to know that something was off.

Mario dived fastly and held onto the nearest branch of a tree, as everything was being washed away with the wind.

"Nooo!!"

They heard an ear piercing scream, before everything settled down in a blink of an eye, so when they finally opened their eyes, they were dumbstruck.

He stood there, in all his glory.

He  was all dressed in a black cloak, designed with the finest stones that one could ever tell.

But apart from that, the only significant feature about him was his handsomely innocent face that did the magic, as to question why someone as beautiful as him is  filled with so much evil.

Adrik stood there in the middle of the circle, with his hand tightly clutching the Shaman's neck, he wanted to kill her.

Marya wanted to scream, but Mario was quick to read her mind as he covered her lips with his hands, while she fought against him.

"An evil spirit you say?" Adrik 's amused voice chuckled loudly, before his demeanor changed into something more deadly.

"I will show you evil".

He removed his hands from the Shaman's throat, and watched as her body floated in the air while she tried so hard to counter his attack.

The others watched from where they  lay low in hiding, he squeezed his hand which was pointed at the shaman, who in turn had her air circulation cut short.

It didn't take much, before the last remnant of life within  her was snatched away, and cut short by a heartless Adrik who flung her away from him, and looked at his front.

His gaze was on something else, no,  someone else. The woman lying semi unconscious on the floor of the circle.

He watched her, and before the unwilling  eyes of her parents who were watching him, he smiled at her.

Finally, Narika was his.

"Nooo!''Marya shouted, coming into his view and making him angry once again. She saw the shaman's body drop down dead right in front of her.

The two other drummers she had come with, were all gone with the wind.

"Please, I beg you. Leave her alone. She's all i have," Marya  begged, clutching her hand tightly as a gesture for her to stop panicking.

"She's all you have?," Adrik asked in an amused manner, walking up to her as she snuck in a breath, while keeping her gaze  down.

"What about me? I have.. nothing" He complained, his eyes changing color at the remembrance of his past, and just as she was about to talk.

He grabbed her neck, and hoisted her up in the air just like he did with the shaman not long ago.

She struggled with her breathing, which had Mario step into the game too, and knelt down.

"Please spare my wife,"  He  begged, watching as Adrik scooted Narika's  body into his arm.

"And what about your child? "He asked, pulling a  bit of hair away from her face, before pecking her cheeks to taunt her parents ."Aren't you going to beg for her too?"

Mario paused for a bit, he knew what dangerous game he was playing. He realized asking him to release Narika,  would also end with him being in the same position as the shaman.

"Please let ..my wife go," He in turn had no other choice, but  to drop asking about his child, and watched the angry face of the deranged man morphed into that of a happy face.

"Very well then," Adrik smirked, and before his eyes Marya was released, falling to the ground with a thud  but before they could turn around, he was long gone with their daughter… His bride!

"Nooo!"Marya cried, thrashing against Mario's hold, "He took her, he took my daughter!"

"We will bring  her back," Mario said, an attempt to calm her down for now, but  it's known to him that bringing her back was not going to be all that easy.

They thought they had everything in control, but not tonight. They weren't fully prepared, but one lives to fight for another day.

"It's all your father's fault!" Marya cried, pushing at his chest while Rosa tried calming her down.

"I will kill him, trust me Mario. If that's the last thing i will do just to have my girl back with me, I will kill Alex! 

A promise she intends on fulfilling just to save her child!