Initiation Ritual

“Do as thou wilt. That is the one and the entirety of the law. Man’s soul is not tied to the machinations of this world or others. It is not a fragile being beholden to the context of reality. It is alive and has a force of will. It is the master of its own domain. It is the traveler on its own path.​“You are not a peasant in this village. You are not confined to the rock you call home. You all are unbound, full of love, energized by determination. Do not fear rejection. It hides the truth others hold behind their faces. Do not fear bridges burning behind you. Its degeneration began a hundred years before you were born. You all have the tools to build anew. Heed my words, and we will traverse this century together.”​Jodie Kelly’s words rang out through the night forest. Though cicadas and crackling brush softened her voice and the wind pushed at her words, her message was unmistakable. I focused on it, letting her aide guide me as best she could. Still, I was not the easiest prisoner to handle.​“Now, I promised to go over Enochian Magick tonight,” Jodie said, her accent leaking into her Japanese. “But we have a surprise guest today. Are you lads excited for an impromptu initiation party?”​The small crowd seemed excited, raucous, like I was entering a gambling den. It was mostly men, with maybe one or two women. Their voices were getting closer.​“Sheesh,” she smiled, leaning up against a post. “I wish you got that excited for my usual lectures. Anywho, I’d like to welcome my newest disciple to the order. Ladies and gentlemen, Matsumoto Junichi.”​The crowd gave a polite round of applause as I stepped onto the wooden platform. Their warm acceptance continued until they turned around and actually saw me as I moved between them. Their applause stopped abruptly. The horror set in. ​“What the hell?”​“Excuse me?”​“Look at the size.”​Now I was aware of how I looked. From their perspective, they were gazing upon a gangly, two-meter-tall, skeletal ghoul of a man wearing bondage fetish gear and nothing else. I could not see due to the blindfold. I could not speak due to the gag. My arms were restrained behind me, and a long leash kept me from running far. The tiny goth girl next to me fidgeted.​“Don’t look at me.” Her voice was high and nasally. “He asked for this.”​“Oh,” Jodie blinked. “We don’t have-.”​“We don’t have robes for his size.”​“I see.”​At that point, it hit me. Everything came flooding in. Flashes of images and emotions overloaded my senses. I fell to the floor, convulsing, twisting into impossible positions, my screams muffled by the ball gag. I knew it. I knew these people would be capable of a reaction this strong, but the images were clear. Her. I was seeing Jodie the most.​After a moment, it ceased, and I could catch my breath.​“Uh, are you okay?” Mei asked.​I nodded. ​“Bring him forth,” said Jodie. ​The small girl had to drag me to the altar as my knees struggled to crawl forth. I figured I’d get a reaction, and wasn’t any happier for it. Everyone was gossiping to each other under their breath, some amused, others concerned. A wave of shame struck me.​“Junichi,” Jodie continued. “Tell me, what did you see?”​Mei unfastened my gag, and I could breathe properly for the first time. “It was you…brandishing a bloody sword…It had the engraving ‘Silver Points Upward.’ You said something in Spanish I couldn’t understand.”​“Latin.” She smiled. “Yes, you are just what I wanted. I have no tests for you.”​“Hold on! I got a test for him!” A rough voice said from behind. “Seriously, Jodie. How are we gonna respect this pervert if he doesn’t earn it?”​“What are you suggesting?”​“Combat?”​“Ah, combat.” She poked my face, suggesting that I turn around. “Very well. Junichi, you must battle our secretary, Igarashi Goro.”​It was as if I could feel the shrine shift in nature to something more intense. I focused. Through my sixth sense, I could perceive a small, stocky guy with a shaved head ahead of me, crackling with yellow energy. I recognized him from my visions.​“Alright, I’m ready,” he said, flipping open a book.​“Yes, please, go ahead,” Jodie nodded.​And nothing happened. He remained perfectly still. I didn’t know how to proceed, so I stood up, stumbling about on my long legs.​“I-I don’t like fighting,” I muttered. “So, if we need to settle this, I can-.”​“Hey,” he said.​“Yeah?”​“Come over here.”​I was convinced. “Okay, I-.”​He kicked me in the balls so hard I almost threw up, and his book bashed over my forehead so hard I almost collapsed. I’m pretty sure the man practiced martial arts, because for the next 30 seconds, I was trapped in an endless barrage of kicks and punches like a villain of the week in shonen. The pain numbed halfway through.​“90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99!” He roared, knocking me flat. “100! There, he’s in.”​The congregation applauded. Why?​“Very good,” Jodie said. “Here, let me reduce the swelling.”​My head twisted under her warm hand’s guidance, and with an icy touch, I felt her knife cut into my cheek, unleashing a pool of blood into a brass cup. The pain was almost relieving.​“Everyone must make sacrifices to achieve their goals,” Jodie proclaimed. “I know you all understand that. The Japanese have an inherent sense of self-sacrifice that impresses me greatly, but I worry for you all, I really do. Do not sacrifice yourself for others. Do not sacrifice yourself because you were ordered to. Do you understand?”​I gritted my teeth. “I already know. I’m prepared for anything.”​“Good.” Her breath faltered, a slight twinge of pain. She had cut her own hand to add to the cup. “The Order of the Waved Serpent has expectations of you. You must vow to practice magic from here on out. You must walk your path without the fear of others and achieve your goals. Do you accept?”​“I do.”​“Do you promise to listen to my teachings, to accept my aid where I may provide it, and to heed the words of our superiors and our authors before us?”​“I do.”​“Do you promise to uphold the Order above all else. Will you renounce your faith in other gods and dedicate yourself to the life of-.”​“No.”​“Will you accept the Pantheon-.”​“No.”​“Our gods, Ra-Hoor-Khuit, Nuit, and Hadit-.”​“No.”​“Why? What’s wrong?”​“I won’t turn my back on him.”​“Him?”​Though my body hurt, I clenched my fist and held it to my chest. I turned my body toward her so that I was as forward as I could. “My heart,” I coughed. “My heart and soul only belong to one man, and that man is Jesus Christ, our savior.”​I could hear that everyone went stone quiet, a mix of apprehension and pure confusion. I could hear the girl thinking in front of me. Her eyes squinted as if she should be offended.​“You are following your own will,” she said, but was not entirely sure of her words. “You don’t have to prove anything else. Will you at least continue the ritual with me?”​I thought about it. I already knew what it entailed. “Yes.”​“Thank you.” ​A new liquid was added to the chalice between us. I never figured out what it was, but it was thick and bitter alongside the blood. It left a strange taste in my mouth. As I drank, Jodie cited prayers and incantations to perform a spell. A chill went down my spine. I could feel a sort of binding, a thin blue string in the blackness of my vision connecting Jodie Kelly and me. My mind calmed and became quiet for the first time in months. Through blackness, I could see her soul twinkling like a star in the sky, surrounded by a calm, blue mist. Her hands reached for my eyes.​“I accept responsibility for you, Matsumoto Junichi. You are now a novitiate of the Order of the Waved Serpent. What do you see?”​She lifted the blindfold, and I was dazzled by gold. The chalice, the torches, the lining of Jodie’s ceremonial robes, the glow of her short blonde hair encompassing a face so beautiful my heart skipped a beat. Yes, I knew everything about her. Jodie Kelly, age 21, English, daughter of a Lord, multilingual, Thelemite, and master magician. Her lips were stained red, and below, her robes were parted to reveal her as naked as I was. There was nothing to hide between us. ​“You’re beautiful,” I answered.​She nodded knowingly. “Welcome to my Order, Junichi.”​And with a kiss, my journey began.