CHAPTER 7: THE PURGATION TRAIL

 Damian's struggle intensifies as he prepares to undergo the final purgation Ritual, a dangerous process that promises to aid him of the tenebris malum's influence, but at an unimaginable cost. Nerrisa became worried and concerned about the growing signs of possession in Damian, she walks up to Damian, she touches him by the shoulder abd said to him,". Damian! there is a hidden alchemical chamber in your grandfather's room upstairs", Nerrisa was afraid at what Damian's response would be because she has a lot of secrets to tell him but not yet. At the hearing of this words that there was an alchemical chamber that could be used for intense alchemy like the one he is preparing for, Damian hold her hands and said, "pls show me, I don't have much time". Witnessing the urgency in Damian's voice, Nerrisa finally discloses the location of the hidden alchemical chamber. They walked into his grandfather's bedroom, and Nerrisa chanted a spell which sounded so faint that Damian couldn't even hear the words that she spoke. Suddenly the wall opposite the bed in his grandfather's bedroom slides open and Nerrisa walked in, without any delay Damian followed. As the moved further, Damian couldn't see anything because it was very dark, Nerrisa castes another spell and the pathway beams with red glowing lights. The closer they got to the chamber Damian felt a slight pain on his head, and as they got to the entrance of the chamber Damian screamed and fell on his knees, he looked up and Nerrisa saw his eyes gradually turning plain white. During the eerie event Damian sees more visions of his grandfather, each more disturbing than the last. These visions kept taunting him, highlighting his weaknesses and calming he'll never succeed, Nerrisa understood that these visions are caused by the entity. After going through hell Damian crawled into the chamber and with the help of Nerrisa he stood up, inside the chamber Damian find the walls covered with cryptic inscriptions and diagrams, detailing the purgation ritual. Damian reads through them, realizing that this ritual might require him to sacrifice something of great personal value, his memories or a fragment of his soul, even his own life force might be lost after this ritual. With each inscription he learns more about his grandfather. His grandfather had failed multiple attempts, each attempt was carved into the walls of the chamber like a warning. Damian feels the weight of his family's obsession. As Damian studies the inscriptions carved on the wall , he begins to experience an intense immense vision, this time it was clearer than before, a memory of his grandfather, performing thesame ritual, but ending in failure. Damian feels the agony of his ancestors incomplete transformation, witnessing firsthand how his grandfather's life force was drained, leaving behind only madness and shadows. The vision slowly fades leaving Damian puzzled, but nevertheless he gains valuable insight, understanding how he might approach the ritual differently. In rare moment of vulnerability, Nerrisa tells Damian that completing the ritual would set her free, but if the ritual fails, it will bind her permanently to the tenebris malum, enslaved as a part of its twisted consciousness, the burden of success weighs heavier on Damian's shoulders.

 With a new resolve, Damian gathers the materials for the purgation ritual, following the instructions precisely. This involves mixing rare alchemical compounds which he's never seen before, chanting Latin words that blur the line between chemistry and dark magic. As he starts the incantation, the walls of the alchemical chambers begin to tremble, echoing with the essence of past failed attempts. Nerrisa stands by, holding tight her protective charm, her fears and hopes lingering as she watches Damian. Damian began to recite the spells for the purgation ritual ,Damian steadies his resolve and calls on his inner strength to anchor himself in his identity, protecting his mind as he begins the ritual.> Incantation:

"Ego sum firmamentum meum, voluntas mea non mutabitur. Lucem veritatis quaero, umbras meo animo expello."

("I am my own anchor, my will shall not waver. I seek the light of truth, expelling shadows from my mind."). Incantation:

"Ad lucem nigram invoco, animae obscurae ad meum circulum veniant. Transite limina, sed teneantur infra fines."

("I call upon the black light, let the dark souls come to my circle. Cross the threshold, but be bound within its limits.")

 *As Damian progresses in the ritual, he feels the Tenebris Malum stirring within him, resisting the Purgation process. Shadows writhe around the circle, and his grandfather's voice echoes in his mind, whispering of the power they could wield together if he abandons the ritual. Damian struggles to stay focused, but he can feel his resolve weakening under the spirit's relentless psychological attacks. Just as Damian's strength is failing, he reaches deep within himself and taps into the fragments of his grandfather's knowledge. This newfound alchemical mastery gives him a sudden burst of power, allowing him to complete the chant with a final line,

> "Ego te ex meo corde expello, sanguine meo, spiritu meo; solvo vincula quibus vinxi te, ad tenebras unde venisti redde."

("I cast you out from my heart, from my blood, from my spirit; I break the chains by which I bound you, return to the shadows from whence you came.") improvised from his own will and defiance of his family's cursed legacy. As Damian finishes the purgation ritual, a blinding light fills the alchemical chamber, the shadow dispersed at the sight of the light, the entity could be seen, struggling not to leave Damian's body, then Nerrisa ran towards Damian and placed a protective charm around his neck, the entity left Damian's body and rushed to enter Nerrisa's body but the charm repelled it away, the entity roamed about the room, Damian increases the tone of his chanting, the tenebris malum gradually fades as the light from the alchemical circle intensifies. The entity was successfully banished, so Damian stopped the incantation, the light in the room subsides, he looked at Nerrisa and smiled, "we are free!" , he said and he collapses to the floor, Nerrisa rushes to his side,to unsure if he has succeeded or if he has been completely overtaken by the Tenebris Malum. Damian's eyes flutter open, but it's unclear whether it's truly him or a possessed version!!!.