Chapter 14
Weeks had passed and Aiden's flesh was well on the mend. Under the Abbot's guidance, he continued his studies in witchcraft and demonology. Soon, he would be required to display both his knowledge and skill as an exorcist and witch hunter. But first, he needed to develop a connection with God that would allow him to direct the flow of His power, to channel it at any source of evil. Again, the Abbot provided Aiden with the necessary guidance.
They began in a dimly lit room. Aiden was directed to kneel before a crucifix that hung on the wall in front of him. It bore the image of Christ, hanging by His wrists and ankles, His side pierced by the spear of destiny. Over his head was a small placard that read, 'Jesus, King of the Jews'. Contemplating it as a symbol of pain, sacrifice, and godliness, Aiden realized there was nothing you would ever experience that could compare with the agony of Christ's passion. Having also studied the mechanics of crucifixion, he also realized that this particular form of execution is a brutal and tortuous way to die.
As during his purging, Aiden recited the Lord's prayer. Motioning with his hands, the Abbot directed him to repeat it, while focusing on the image of Christ. Instinctively, Aiden raised his open hands above his head as the Abbot circled the room, lighting candles. The room was, essentially, a shrine. But unlike the chapel, its purpose was for the initiation of the one sent by God so many years ago, when Aiden was left to the monks by his parents. The shrine had been constructed decades ago, but only for him.
The room glowed eerily with the light of dozens of candles as the Abbot stood behind Aiden, his back to the wall. He felt his body warm noticeably as he became caught up in an emotional ecstasy, repeating the prayer over and over. A floating sensation began to come over him and as he brought his palms together, he was stopped by a slight resistance. It was as though a large ball of cotton had been placed between his open hands. His attention drifted toward the space between his hands, even though his eyes remained on the crucifix. Aiden felt himself getting warmer and for a brief moment, thought his mind might be playing tricks on him. But there it was, in front of his own eyes, a disturbance in the air between his hands had developed, looking like small ripples on a lake. Aiden closed his eyes as he continued to repeat the Lord's prayer. However, the next time he opened them, he discovered a blue transparent orb hovering between his hands. It appeared to have no edge but faded out into nothing from a glowing center. Aiden stared into it without fear. Only fascination. Was this the power of God, or merely an expression of it? Witnessing this left the Abbot with the certain realization that Aiden 'was' the one they had been waiting for, the one sent to act as the gavel of God's judgment, evicting evil from its human hosts. And when this could not be accomplished, the inhabited would be sacrificed for the greater good and the glory of God.
Not being able to control the softly glowing sphere floating between his hands, Aiden watched as it suddenly burst, sending out a visible wave that extinguished every candle in the room. Without windows, Aiden and the Abbot were left in complete darkness. But, the heaviness of the room's pitch blackness was soon broken as the Abbot opened the door. Still, in a state of emotional ecstasy, Aiden got to his feet and stumbled into the hallway. His mind had become filled with shapes, colors and indiscernible whispers. All of which he believed to be an expression of God.
The Abbot showed him back to his cell, with the understanding that what Aiden had experienced would leave him both physically and mentally exhausted. But as they neared the door to Aiden's cell, his knees buckled. Had it not been for the Abbot's quick reflexes, Aiden would have found himself lying on the cold stone floor. And even as the Abbot dragged him to his cot, Aiden continued to be caught up in the experience of what he believed to be the presence of God. In his mind, he was deeply and consciously connected to God's divine light and there was nothing that could convince him otherwise. Faith is indeed a strange thing.
The Abbot left him to sleep and as Aiden quickly drifted off, he found himself in a field of light, his mind filled with a chorus of unfamiliar voices. Never feeling frightened or confused, Aiden stood within the brilliant lucidity of the dream world. But, this was no ordinary dream. His indoctrination into the Urielin Order had been both complete and highly effective. His beliefs had, for quite some time, been consistent with those of the Order and led him to make the dream real. He woke within the dream convinced that he'd been to a place reserved for those who had received a small portion of God's plan. Not that he would be privy to any part of the overall intention for the world, but only a few frames of his own destiny.
Arriving back from his vision, he woke up later that evening to find the Abbot had left a large bowl of water, a loaf of bread and a few pieces of fruit. Exhaustion had led to hunger, and Aiden ate as though it was the last food the Earth would produce. The monastery's rations were usually not this generous, but the Abbot had, for quite some time, known what Aiden was going through. Everyone went through it. It was a process whose tradition originated with the Order's first Abbot. But, no one had been chosen. Until now.
By this time, Aiden had been allowed to keep books in his cell, but only those he was studying. The Bible, the Rite of Exorcism and the Malleus Maleficarum. 'The Witch's Hammer'. The Abbot would spend months guiding him on how to direct his newly given gift, how to bring it into being by seeing it in his mind. Before long, he was able to make the orb change color, and with more time, move it from one place to another. The Abbot simply stood back and watched, knowing that the prophecy, written by the monastery's first Abbot, was now a reality. And during the coming few months, Aiden would learn the practical use of his gift. Only after this, would he be released from the monastery and into the world, where he would carry out his divine orders to eliminate any and all evil he encountered.