After Vickie had left, Erik walked out to the patio, where Dovecrest and Mark waited.
“That was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said.
Dovecrest nodded. “I’m afraid we have something even more difficult ahead. But first we must prepare. We must renew our strength and our faith. Pastor, we must rely on you to help with this.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You must lead us in meditation and prayer. I will prepare the ancient rituals and we will renew our strength.”
“And if that thing comes here before we’re ready?” Erik said.
“We must trust God to guide and protect us,” Mark said.
Dovecrest opened the box containing the old manuscripts and instructed them to sit on the floor in a small circle. The Indian lit some incense and prepared a strong brew of herbal tea.
“This will help us to relax and open our minds,” he explained. “I will begin with some ancient prayers of my people. You won’t understand them, but that doesn’t matter. Just listen to the rhythm and relax your mind.”
Erik sipped the hot tea and immediately felt the sweat begin to bead up on his forehead. It tasted sweet, but pungent at the same time, as if it had a tint of mushroom,
“What’s in this stuff?” Mark said.
Dovecrest laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing illegal. Just a mixture of herbs.”
After they had finished their tea, Dovecrest instructed them to close their eyes.
“The brotherhood of the red and the white man can be strong in faith and understanding,” he said. Then he began to chant in a deep, melodic voice. Erik felt his muscles relax for the first time in weeks as he listened to the sound, not understanding the words, yet understanding the meaning just the same. Dovecrest’s voice was as smooth as honey, rich and resonant. It filled the room, and Erik felt all of the barriers of his mind being lifted, opening himself up to truth and meaning. The tension in his shoulders and neck evaporated. His worries and troubles melted away. Though he sat here on a hard wooden floor in the face of unspeakable danger, he felt peace and comfort take over his body and soul.
He had felt small and weak-now he began to feel strong and powerful. He felt his isolation disappear. He felt an acute kinship with these men, a Baptist pastor and an ancient Indian medicine man. He felt the bond between them grow strong. The three of them were drawn together in faith and in goodness, in the need and desire to do the right thing. He felt himself as part of the larger world, felt the three of them as a strong force that drew from the power of heaven and earth. He was no longer just a man, but an instrument of God Himself….
Erik did not know how long the ritual lasted. It could have been minutes or hours. Then the Indian stopped, and the trance was momentarily broken. Silence hung in the air.
Pastor Mark’s voice broke the spell.
“Lord, we feel your presence with us today and we thank you for your strength and comfort,” he said.
Erik experienced the sensation of ultimate peace filling his soul with a determination and fortitude that he didn’t know was possible as the pastor continued his prayer. He felt empowered to deal with anything that came his way. Confidence replaced his fear. Brotherhood replaced his isolation.
The pastor ended his prayer with a final appeal for protection and strength against the ancient enemy, and the three men sat in silence with their heads bowed. Finally, Dovecrest spoke.
“We’re ready. We know what we have to do.”
And even though they had not planned, had not thought this through, Erik was aware of the fact that he did know what had to be done. He and the Indian would travel the most difficult journey, into the very reaches of hell itself. Pastor Mark would banish the demon from this world, and they would battle it in the other. He could see the plan clearly in his mind. He did not know if they would survive. But he felt more sure that they would prevail.