Chapter 1.
Transitional Phases.
"We didn't summon you here for nothing."
"A Catholic, a Jew, a Shinto priest, even a Zoroastrian… And now me? This is absurd."
"They are merely hoping for a miracle. But you—you can offer something more. A rational explanation. The kind of insight the rest of us have missed."
"But I’m no exorcist."
"You’re a metaphysicist."
"Technically… no."
The old observatory in Tokyo, a subterranean lab last used in 1948, had once again opened its doors to guests. Four individuals had gathered there today. After a brief exchange, the LED-lit corridor’s door creaked open, and two figures stepped inside.
Inside, four religious representatives already sat in solemn silence, each absorbed in their own ritual. A Catholic, a Jew, a Shintoist, and a Zoroastrian—each positioned around a circular disc, deep in their respective prayers.
The newcomers quietly took their places at the opposite end of the circle. One of them spoke:
"Per your request, we’ve prepared the lab—the lighting, the layout. I trust the conditions are adequate for the ritual."
"Adequate enough that we can’t even tell who’s sitting across from us," the second added dryly.
"Allow me to introduce: Mr. Shamsiddin, member of the Turanian Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan. He’s here to observe the phenomenon from a scientific perspective."
No response followed. The participants remained immersed in their rites.
Shamsiddin, slightly uncomfortable with the formal introduction, focused on the figures seated around the circle. He could already identify the Catholic exorcist without difficulty. His gaze drifted with curiosity to the others. Suddenly, one of them—seated directly opposite—clapped twice.
Shintoist, Shamsiddin noted silently.
Two remained. They faced each other across the circle. The one to Shamsiddin’s right murmured something softly. The other sat with eyes closed, in complete silence.
What is he whispering? Louder… just a little louder…
In the dimly lit room, it was easier to rely on hearing. Gradually, the whispered words began to form.
Drawing on his historical and religious background, Shamsiddin carefully echoed what he heard:
"Azi drafso dareni Anxra-Mainyu. Aena o razig rah fradaram…"
What does that mean? Loyal servant of Ahriman… I summon him through the unseen passage…?
The room's aura had grown heavier, darker. Religious rituals intertwined—colliding belief systems pulling reality in opposite directions. The very atmosphere bent beneath their weight, turning dense, distorted… unsettling.
Shamsiddin was not alone. Accompanying him was Yuichi Aizawa, the senior custodian of the very observatory in which they now stood. It was Yuichi who, acting on a special commission, had assembled this unlikely gathering of exorcists.
Wasting no time, Yuichi addressed the group:
"First and foremost, I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for making the time to be here. Today, in a break from tradition, we will also be giving space to the perspective of science—through the man who stands among us now. I urge you not to see this as a slight to your faiths or rites. His presence reflects a desire for a broader, more unified approach—a way of seeing what perhaps we have all missed. Your thoughts and practices remain equally valued."
He turned to Shamsiddin.
"Now, if you will, I’d like to show you what you came to see. This way—there’s a boy, just a little apart from the circle."
"Of course. No problem, Mr. Aizawa."
They approached a young boy sitting on a plain wooden bench. The child appeared frozen, his gaze fixed, unblinking, on a single point in the void. After a minute of silent observation, Shamsiddin saw no use in trying to "read" the boy any further. He looked away and turned to Yuichi.
