The Rite

That morning, the house was still wrapped in cold mist. Lucy sat in the living room, flipping through her mother's journal again. Each word felt like a thorn stabbing her heart, but she knew this was the only way to understand her fate. On the next page, a note made the hair on her neck stand up:

"To master the power, one must go through a series of rituals. Not everyone can survive."

****

"Lucy, we need to talk," Uncle Wiryo's voice suddenly cut through the silence.

Lucy quickly slammed the journal shut, staring at her uncle, who was now standing right in front of her. "What now, Uncle?" she asked, her voice bitter.

"It's time for you to accept it. If not, that power will destroy you," Uncle Wiryo said.

"I don't even know where to start," Lucy replied, frustration clear in her tone.

Uncle Wiryo pulled out an old piece of paper from his jacket pocket.

"This is the guide for the first ritual. Tonight is the full moon. We need to do it."

Lucy swallowed hard. "What ritual, Uncle?" she asked.

"Bathing in seven-colored flowers. This is to cleanse your soul and connect you with your ancestors," Uncle Wiryo explained.

****

That night, in the backyard, Lucy stood shivering. A large tub filled with water had been placed in the center of a circle of candles. Floating on the surface were petals of seven different colored flowers.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Lucy asked, trying to hide her fear.

"If you don't start now, the energy inside you could tear you apart," Uncle Wiryo said sternly.

Lucy kicked off her sandals and stepped into the tub. The cold water immediately hit her skin, making her shiver.

"Close your eyes," Uncle Wiryo ordered. "Think of your mother, your ancestors. Ask for their permission."

Lucy obeyed. With her eyes shut, she tried to focus, but suddenly the air around her felt heavier. The wind howled, and the sweet smell of the flowers turned into a foul stench.

"Uncle, something's wrong," Lucy whispered, her voice trembling.

"Shut up! Focus! Don't be afraid!" Uncle Wiryo snapped. opened her eyes and saw a large dark shadow standing before the tub. Its red eyes locked on her.

"You're not ready. You don't deserve this power," the voice boomed, deep and menacing.

Lucy wanted to scream, but her body felt frozen. Her hand reached for the pendant around her neck, gripping it tightly. Then, her mother's voice echoed in her head:

"Be strong, Lucy. Don't let them control you honey."

With what little strength she had left, Lucy summoned all her courage and focused her mind to finish the ritual. The shadow slowly faded like smoke, and the air returned to stillness.

****

After the ritual, Lucy sat on the porch, trembling. "What was that, Uncle?" she asked, looking at Uncle Wiryo.

"That was the first test. That shadow was negative energy trying to stop you. But you fought it off," Uncle Wiryo said.

"What?! Fought it off? I almost passed out!" Lucy exclaimed.

Uncle Wiryo chuckled softly. "That was just the beginning, Lucy. The next ritual will be harder."

****

The second ritual came quicker than Lucy expected. This time, she had to drink the blood of an ayam cemani, a sacred black chicken from their family tradition.

"Next, you'll drink the blood of an ayam cemani to stabilize the power inside you," Uncle Wiryo said, his tone firm.

"This is too much, Uncle," Lucy protested as Uncle Wiryo explained the ritual.

"This is part of the process. You want to understand your power, don't you?" Uncle Wiryo said, staring at her intensely.

In the middle of the night, they ventured into a small forest behind the house. A black chicken had been prepared, its blood collected in a small bowl.

"You must drink this while chanting the ancestor's prayer," Uncle Wiryo instructed.

Lucy nearly gagged just from the smell of the blood. "Uncle, this is insane," she muttered, but she knew there was no turning back. With trembling hands, she took the bowl.

"Recite this, Lucy..."

ꦄꦮꦶꦒ꧀ꦔꦩ꧀ꦄꦱ꧀ꦠꦸ।ꦄꦏꦸꦠꦸꦩꦩ꧀ꦥꦫꦶꦁꦫꦃꦥꦿꦩꦤꦥꦸꦤꦶꦏꦩꦶꦤ꧀ꦔꦏꦥꦿꦠꦤ꧀ꦝꦠꦸꦫꦸꦤꦤꦶꦁꦏꦸꦭꦮꦒꦿꦏꦸꦭ.ꦱꦏꦠꦶꦥꦸꦤꦶꦏꦲꦶꦁꦒꦶꦃꦏꦒꦸꦔꦤ꧀ꦏꦸꦭ।

"Awighnam astu. Aku tumampa ring rah pramana punika minangka pratanda turunaning kulawarga kula. Sakti punika inggih kagungan kula"

("I take this blood as the mark of my family's legacy. This power is mine.")

Lucy repeated the prayer, her voice trembling... "Awighnam astu. Aku tumampa ring rah pramana punika minangka pratanda turunaning kulawarga kula. Sakti punika inggih kagungan kula"

Then, she drank the blood. The rancid taste flooded her mouth, making her pale and nearly throw up. But before she could react further, her body suddenly felt hot, like fire igniting within her.

"Calm down, Lucy. Let the blood merge with your power," Uncle Wiryo said.

Lucy shut her eyes, trying to hold on. But in the darkness of her mind, she saw her mother standing there, smiling faintly.

"You're strong, Lucy. Don't give up honey," the voice echoed.

When she opened her eyes, the heat had subsided, replaced by the sensation of power flowing through her body. She felt better than ever, no more heat, no more heaviness, and no more suffocating feeling.

****

The following days were filled with more rituals. Lucy had to meditate in a cave for three days without food, fast, and chant ancient Jawi mantras. Each ritual brought new challenges, and every night, the dark shadow returned to haunt her.

On the last night of her meditation, Lucy sat in the cave's darkness, trying to control her mind. Footsteps echoed closer, and the shadow appeared again, bigger and more terrifying than ever.

"You don't deserve this power! You're not that great!" the voice boomed.

"Nooo... leave me alone!" Lucy screamed.

The shadow laughed coldly. "This power will destroy you and your family."

Lucy lifted her pendant, which suddenly glowed bright. "Go away!" she screamed.

The light from the pendant struck the massive shadow, making it vanish like mist. But at that moment, Lucy collapsed, her body weak and covered in cold sweat.

****

The next morning, when she exited the cave, Pak Wiryo was waiting for her. "How does it feel, Lucy?" he asked.

Lucy looked at him with sharp eyes. "I don't fear this power anymore, nor the creepy creatures that haunt me. I feel... relieved, like it's not a burden anymore," she answered.

"Good," Uncle Wiryo said with a small smile. "You've started to accept your destiny."

But deep down, Lucy knew this was just the beginning of a much darker path she had to walk.

Uncle Wiryo looked at her seriously. "Now, you've passed the first trial. Your power will continue to grow, but remember, this power doesn't just give you benefits. There's a price to be paid."

Lucy stared at the night sky, as if trying to find answers to her uncle's words. "What do I do now, Uncle?" she asked, her voice calmer, though the mixed feelings inside her hadn't completely faded.

Uncle Wiryo took a deep breath before speaking. "As your power grows stronger, you'll face harder choices. The world needs your power, Lucy, but it can also ruin your life and soul if you're not wise."

Lucy nodded slowly, realizing that this was just the beginning of a far tougher journey ahead.