After they had eaten and chatted with the Čermák family for a couple of hours, the trio made their way to Laszlo’s hut.

“So, tell me something, Mr. Syvin,” Sinta began, attracting the attention of both of her companions. “Just what do you plan to do with yourself after you have done whatever you’re going to do with Risa tonight?”

Laszlo sighed. “Well… For starters, I have vowed that there will never be another attempt to separate the demon from Risa, if this fails. Or her family, for that matter. I have had…messages, we shall say, from Svarog Himself that this ends tonight. Regardless of how this turns out, I will tell you both of what I have learned. I…I dread what I am about to say, but Svarog preserve me, I think the demon must be present during the ritual,” he said as his stomach tightened up, feeling somewhat fluttery.

Risa stopped and stared at him. They had reached his door, and she was simply taken aback by his words.

“You mean… You want Katira to be there?” she asked breathlessly.

Laszlo sighed, his face betraying his worry and anxiety. “I think I do. From the records, it seems that none of my predecessors ever met…her. Him? It? I don’t understand your demon. I don’t know anything about it, and therefore I cannot guarantee that I will be as respectful as I should. I don’t want to die, after all,” he said, opening his door.

Risa giggled as they went in. “She won’t hurt you, silly. If she thought you were a bad man, she would have already come in and rescued me. I trust her, and you should, too,” she said.

Sinta closed the door behind them, and placed a hand on Risa’s shoulder. “Let’s not be rude to Mr. Laszlo. He has surprised me with his request, and I think it’s taken quite a bit for him to ask it. In fact, I would say that this is very difficult for him. So, let’s be nice to him, okay?” she said gently.

Risa nodded and Laszlo looked relieved. “So. Since we have a few hours before the moon has risen, let’s go over the ritual one more time, okay?” he asked. Risa and Sinta nodded, and the trio sat down to listen to Laszlo’s instructions.

***************

Once the sky had darkened, Laszlo dressed himself for the event, making sure his amulet hung squarely over the center of his chest, and that he carried the new dagger Svarog had sent to him. Sinta nodded appreciatively.

“You look fine, Mr. Laszlo. Here, let me,” she said, gently straightening his robe, unbinding it in places, and making sure the fit looked not only comfortable, but regal.

Laszlo felt his entire body grow warm at her ministrations, certain that her touch lingered longer than usual at his arms and hips. Almost as if she were taking a measure of him. “Um… Thank you, Miss Sinta. I’ve never had any assistance with this, and I hope I meet your expectations in my countenance,” he said nervously.

“Oh, you do, Mr. Laszlo. You do meet my expectations. Quite well, in fact,” she said, a soft smile gracing her lips.

Risa watched the exchange, her eyebrow quirked up in confusion. Grown-ups were so weird, sometimes. She gently tugged on Laszlo’s robe.

“Mr. Laszlo?” she prompted.

“Hmm? Yes, child?”

“How will we keep warm? The stream is bound to be icy cold,” she said, a frown marring her cherubic face.

“Ah. I prepared for that. A few days ago, I set aside a cache of firewood beside where the ritual will take place. It’s a shallow area; shouldn’t come up past your waist. We will set a fire, and use it before and afterwards to keep most of the chill away. Since Sinta is with us, we will have plenty of hands for the blankets we will need, too. Does that help with some of your concerns?” he replied, his face showing only care.

Risa nodded. “What about when you cut me? Where will it be? How bad will it hurt? I don’t want to be cut, Mr. Laszlo…” she whined.

Laszlo knelt and pulled her into an embrace. “Risa, I promise to make it as swift and painless as I can. The blade is already sharper than any knife I’ve ever had before. I will make the cut on your forearm, right here” -he pointed at a spot close to her elbow- “so it will hurt less than if it were to be anywhere else. All that is needed is a little of your blood on the holy blade, okay? In the past, there was no blade, and all we did was dunk the person in the water. This time, Svarog has made His desires known, and I will follow them. Does that help your fear somewhat?” he said gently.

Risa nodded and sniffled, her tummy doing flip-flops in her body. “Do we have to leave now?” she mumbled.

“Yes, Risa. We do. We must, if we are to get the timing correct. The moon should be at his highest, so as to bathe us in his light. Get your pack, little one,” he said, gently ushering her to her cot.

Risa trudged to her cot and put her pack on her shoulders. Since Katira was inside, she knew she had to have it on her. It would look mighty suspicious if a bear walked out of the hut a little later. She sniffled and rejoined Laszlo and Sinta.

Once they left the hut, with a pair of torches ablaze, and an army of blankets on their backs, Each of the adults took one of Risa’s hands, and together, they walked into the night.

Nearly a half-hour later, they arrived at the place Laszlo had mentioned. True to his word, the water did seem to be shallow there. The moon was just appearing over the horizon, giving them plenty of time to have a roaring fire going. They each set their packs down a fair distance from the pending fire, and Sinta set herself to the task of actually building it.

Within ten minutes, she had a cheerful little blaze happily eating its way through the wood, and the group paused to warm themselves at its light. Laszlo sat in a meditative silence on a couple of the blankets, as Risa anxiously watched the moon in his slow travel across the heavens.

After an hour or so of building the blaze up to where they had to back away, Laszlo announced that it was time. Her breathing coming in fast gulps, Risa stood, her back to the fire.

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“Should I call her now, Mr. Laszlo?” she asked.

Laszlo sighed, his stomach in a knot. “Yes, Risa. Please call her,” he said.

Risa took a deep breath and cupped her hands to her mouth. Before she could utter a sound, they all heard Katira’s voice ring out from the opposite side of the river.

“I am here, Risa. No need to shout. I am surprised, Holy Man. You desire my presence, yes?” she asked.

“Y-y-yes. I am told you call yourself Katira?” he said, his voice cracking.

“That is correct. What may I call you, Holy Man?” she responded gently.

Laszlo drummed up his courage and lifted his head. “I am Laszlo Syvin, Priest of Svarog. My purpose is to attempt to sever your bond with this child; with her family; with this world, and send you back to whatever realm you come from,” he said with authority.

Katira chuckled. “Well met, Laszlo Syvin, Priest of Svarog. You are the first I’ve met in a little over five hundred years. I am glad one of you finally has the courage to meet me. May I approach your fire? I swear I will not harm you. Not unless you harm Risa, Sinta, or myself,” she said.

Laszlo’s breath came in gulps, as his blood hummed in his ears. “Yes, please, Katira. I would see you,” he replied.

Katira waded into the stream, the water swishing and swirling around her legs as she made her way to the fire. Laszlo’s eyes widened as the massive form of a bear made herself visible to him. Slowly she padded to the fire, and planted herself between Laszlo and Sinta.

“Hello, Laszlo. I’m glad to finally meet you,” she said.

Risa began to run to her, but she looked sharply at her charge. “No, Risa. Stay where you are. You have a duty to attend tonight. I want you to do so with a clear mind,” she said, turning her head to face Laszlo. “Whether this works or not, I want you to know, Laszlo, that I am allowing this to proceed. I want you to do all that you feel you can before giving up. I truly do not wish for you to pass from this world regretting that you didn’t do enough. Is this to be the final effort of your order?” she asked.

Laszlo stared at her, his mouth open as he nodded. “You mean to tell me” -he slowly approached the massive bear- “that you want this ritual to proceed?” he asked, standing not two feet from her.

“Of course. I’m nothing like what your order thinks of me,” she said, then cocked her head. “I’d like to propose something, if I may,” she began. Laszlo nodded his assent. “If this should fail, how about you get to know me for who and what I am? If it succeeds, I will likely go…somewhere. Well? What say you? You have nothing to lose, and knowledge to gain,” she proposed.

Laszlo stumbled back a step. Get to know the demon? Sure, it seemed well-mannered, but it could simply be biding its time. He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “I accept. Should this fail, I will take the time to attempt to understand you. As far as I’m aware, none of my predecessors have attempted to do so,” he said, then looked to the sky. Almost time. Once more, he looked into the bear’s honey-colored eyes. “Just so you are aware, for this ritual, I must injure Risa. A small incision on her left forearm. I don’t want you attacking me in the middle of it,” he said.

“Ah. Thank you for being honest and forthcoming. It means much to me. I will wait by the side of the stream while you do this. I can hold the blankets and keep them warm, at the very least. Let us go, then,” she said, and stood.

Sinta layered the blankets over the large bear and stroked her smooth fur. “I truly hope this fails, Katira. I’ve come to truly enjoy being around you,” she whispered.

Katira closed her eyes and gently touched foreheads with the trim woman. “As do I, Sinta. As do I,” she murmured.

Together, the pair joined Laszlo and Risa by the bank and waited for Laszlo to begin.

As one, Laszlo and Sinta stepped barefoot into the sluggish, icy water. Instantly, the hems of their robes were soaked, and began wicking the water up their legs.

Undaunted, Laszlo guided Risa to the center of the stream, under the watchful eyes of the moon. Positioning Risa before him, he raised his arms to the sky, standing still for three long breaths.

Oh mighty Svarog, Ruler of the Heavens, Commander of the Sun’s life-giving disk, I beseech ye to watch o’er our task.

Tonight, I, Laszlo Syvin, will remove a dread demon from our world, and send it screaming back to its home. For five hundred years, we have tried and failed to cleanse and protect this family.

Tonight, I shall succeed.

Unsheathing the dagger at his hip, he held it aloft in both hands.

Mighty Svarog! Commit your essence into this Holy Blade, that it may cleanse this poor child’s blood of the taint of the demon known as Katira. For it is by blood she was bound, and it is by blood she shall be freed!

He stood for three more breaths, his mind razor sharp. He closed his eyes and willed the Fire of his god to enter the small dagger, and he felt…something shift.

Opening his eyes, he saw the world bathed in a gentle golden hue, similar to what he saw after his invocation. Maintaining a gentle focus, he took Risa’s left arm and drew a shallow cut into the flesh there, hearing her gasp with the shock, and the golden hue vanished.

Dark wisps rose from his blade as her blood met the iron, flowing down its length and into the stream. He watched, transfixed as the blood dripped into the water, swirling and diving into and within the currents.

As the tainted blood meets the life-giving water of our Mother, She cleanses this child of evil! She cleanses this child of the foul taint of Katira!

Laszlo placed his thumb gently over the cut he had made to staunch the slow flow, hoping to ease the pain. Together, they watched her blood dance in the stream, the darkness flitting from one form to another.

Suddenly, the words of the old seeress pounced into his mind. “When the buck’s bright gaze falls upon the river of life, secrets sealed in virgin blood shall stir. The dance of shadow and blood shall illuminate the path to truth.” he whispered, gazing in wonder at this child.

Shaking his head, he checked the wound and saw that the bleeding had ceased. Raising his now shadowy blade to the sky, he intoned once more:

Svarog, our ritual has concluded! I thank ye for your attention, and ask that if you must go, to go in peace and love.

Quickly he ushered a shivering Risa back to the bank, where Sinta was waiting with a warm blanket, which she immediately wrapped around the child, with help from Laszlo. Once Risa was seen to, Sinta wrapped one around Laszlo’s shoulders, as well.

“Katira?” Risa asked in a small voice.

Sinta pulled her to the cheerful blaze and sniffled. “Once you were cut, she walked down the bank, following something. I’m sorry, Risa,” she said softly.

Laszlo deflated, feeling the bottom drop out of his stomach. Falling to his knees, he wrapped his arms around Risa and began to weep. “I’m sorry, Risa. Dear gods, I’m so sorry,” he said, sobbing.

Risa’s breathing began to speed up. It couldn’t be. It simply couldn’t. Her bear couldn’t have left her. It just wasn’t possible.

“Katira?” she called out, her voice a mere shadow of itself.

“Katira?!” she cried, receiving no answer.

“KATIRA!” she screamed, and broke down, sobbing and pummeling Laszlo’s chest.

“Come back, Katira…” Sinta whispered, sniffling.