Inside the window, the bedroom was dim and sparsely furnished. Seth first retrieved the 'Shadow Gauntlet' and slipped it on. The extraordinary weapon blended seamlessly with the shadows in the room, so much so that even while wearing it, Seth could barely sense its presence.
Mrs. Paris was not one for cleanliness; the bedroom needed to be orderly. The bed was unmade, with the quilt draped haphazardly over the side. On the table to the right, a bundle of wool and crochet needles lay abandoned, as if she had once prepared for winter but had long since lost interest. The table was coated with a layer of dust.
In one corner, a basket of dried radishes sat next to a dilapidated cupboard holding a basket of eggs. Two gray mice, startled by the human presence, scurried into a hole in the corner of the cupboard and vanished.
Seth gently pushed the door open and exited the bedroom, exploring the rundown house. He inspected the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, finding each room neglectful and cluttered with trash and filth. It seemed Mrs. Paris hadn't cleaned in quite some time.
Seth couldn't help but wonder what could keep her so busy that she allowed herself to live in such squalor.
However, upon opening the utility room, he was surprised to find it immaculately clean. Everything was in perfect order, and Seth discovered a hidden basement in this room.
As he gazed down the staircase leading into the darkness, he could feel the cold, damp air emanating from below, as if the stairs descended into a bottomless abyss.
He found a lantern nearby, and after lighting it, Seth decided not to rush in. Using materials from the tool shed, he fashioned two simple traps. Though not harmful, they could be obstacles if something chased him back up the stairs.
Seth reminded himself of his role as a 'hunter.'
After setting the traps, Seth picked up the lantern and descended the stairs.
The descent was short, and the stairs did not lead to an abyss. Seth soon reached the basement floor.
The basement was spacious and well-ventilated. Wooden boards lined the walls, sectioning off a room. The door to the room was slightly ajar and cold, damp air seeped through the crack.
Holding the lantern aloft, Seth approached and first noticed a wooden cabinet where clothes, hats, gloves, and tools were haphazardly thrown.
The clothing varied in size and style, none of which seemed to belong to Mrs. Paris. Two blue work uniforms were among the garments, and Seth doubted the old lady was working in a factory.
In front of the wooden cabinet in the center of the basement stood a round table with a wooden statue on it.
The statue was bizarre, merging the concepts of a 'tree' and a 'woman.' It had roots, vines, knotted burls, and blooming flowers. Yet, it also featured feminine features—symbolic organs and a beautiful face.
The intricate carving was so detailed that every strand of hair appeared distinct. The eyebrows were deeply etched, the nose straight, and the lips full, exuding a soft yet seductive allure.
Upon seeing this strange statue, which instinctively radiated an aura of malice, Seth felt his heart race, and an overwhelming urge to give in to primal pleasure surged within him.
Quickly, he tore his gaze away from the statue. Nearby, he spotted a few candles with solidified wax at their bases, evidence of prior use.
Although Seth had not yet learned ritual magic, he could easily deduce that Mrs. Paris had performed a ceremony here.
And not just once!
The lantern light flickered, revealing a piece of parchment pinned to the round table by a dagger. The parchment, yellowed with age, was clearly out of place in the home of an old lady living alone. It immediately captured Seth's attention.
Approaching the parchment, Seth saw that it was inscribed with a spell written in Hermes script:
'Behind the light, there is no shadow.
You are the great, hidden, invisible one.
You are the ruler of desires; you hide in all things and spread white haze.
I pray to you.
I pray for the power of concealment.
I pray to the invisible power;
I pray for your favor.
Here, I offer you a sacrifice of flesh and blood, transmitting my devout faith through the spirituality of blood!"
Seth gasped. No matter how you interpreted it, this was not a prayer to the Evernight Goddess.
The magic was sinister and filled with evil intent. The mention of a flesh sacrifice and blood spirituality unmistakably pointed to an evil ritual.
Seth also noticed that beneath the spell, there was a phonetic transcription of the Hermes incantation in Loen's script. This meant that Mrs. Paris might have yet to fully understand the incantation's true meaning. Did she believe she was sacrificing to the Goddess of the Night?
Was someone spreading the worship of an evil god under the guise of the goddess?
Seth pulled out the dagger, rolled up the parchment, and tucked it away without hesitation. This needed to be handed over to the church immediately; the seeds of an evil god could not be allowed to take root in the town.
Just then, Seth heard a muffled sound—something between a woman's moan of pleasure and someone singing softly. The sound was ethereal and elusive, but just hearing a few notes triggered another surge of primal desire within him.
Thanks to his heightened hunter's senses, Seth quickly pinpointed the source: the strange statue on the table.
Suddenly, the eyes on the statue's female face moved, fixing their gaze on Seth. From its mouth, it exhaled a puff of pink smoke.
Seth instinctively backed away, covering his mouth and nose. Without hesitation, he drew his snake-scale pistol and fired repeatedly at the statue.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired four shots in quick succession, and the bullets struck the statue, splintering it into pieces and sending it crashing off the table.
As the statue shattered on the ground, a viscous red liquid resembling blood oozed from it.
When the statue broke apart, Seth heard a faint scream—not from the physical world, but something that echoed within his mind.
The scream vanished almost as quickly as it had come, leaving Seth with a sharp, splitting headache.
He clutched his head in pain, momentarily forgetting to leave. When the pain finally subsided, Seth raised the lantern and scanned the room, glancing toward the half-open door. He lifted the revolver, intending to investigate further.
Unexpectedly, he heard a faint cry from above.
It was the voice of Annabelle!
Seth immediately bolted up the stairs, through the bedroom, and out the window.
Outside, he found her leaning against the stone fence, her body trembling slightly. Her face was pale, and her pupils were dilated.
What happened? Seth anxiously checked her condition. Was she injured?
The noblewoman, disguised as a newsboy, slowly regained her composure. She shook her head, then pointed with a trembling finger at the massive japonica tree in front of her.
"There's a hole in the tree. I think... I think I saw someone inside."
Is someone in the tree hollow? Seth looked at the lantern in his hand, grateful that he hadn't discarded it earlier.