Alina went to church with her parents like every other Thursday night. Thursday and Saturday and Sunday and Tuesday. Some people would have called them devout, but Alina called them batshit cultists. She had said almost as much to their faces and now she was branded as a problem child by the small congregation. Even though she was 20 and desperate to flee, her family still saw her as a girl to be passed on to a husband only -- never a person in her own right. Alina tried to make her plans and squirrel away money to somehow get away from them, but as the years ticked by she was starting to get desperate. Maybe that's why she could hardly keep her thoughts to herself anymore, no matter how much more difficult it made her life.
Earlier in the day, her parents had attended a meeting with the community elders and had come home with tears in their eyes. They would tell her nothing, but Alina was sure it had something to do with her and the problem of her rebelliousness they were desperate to stamp out. Oh yes, so rebellious with her inquiries into current events, her requests for an education, and to maybe just once leave their small remote compound.
As they walked up the gravel pathway to the church Alina felt a current in the air. There was a kind of energy usually reserved for special occasions like the solstice, and feast nights. Pushing open the heavy door, the room was packed with community members.
Alina wondered if it was some occasion that had slipped her mind. Before she could wonder too much, she found herself being pushed to the front of the church while the heavy doors were barred behind her.
"Alina, daughter of Anders and Hanna, do you wish to save your soul?" The church leader, whom she had always detested bellowed out.
Alina looked around, somewhat confused, "I am here four times a week... I do not understand?" Had her piousness been brought into question simply because she had dared to ask questions? Surely, they couldn't be taking her small crisis of faith this seriously.
"You are here yes, but do you still wish to be part of our congregation? Do you give your will over to that of God and your elders?"
The congregation swelled with chants as Alina looked over to her parents, their heads hung not daring to look at her.
"My will?" Alina felt disgust wash over her. Her parents, clearly ashamed of who she had become couldn't even look at her. And her punishment was this challenge from everyone she knew.
Holding her head high, Alina glared at the pastor, "No, I do not give over my will."
The congregation erupted as her mother collapsed onto her father sobbing.
"Very well," the congregation quieted down as the pastor spoke. "You will be subjected to the Evocation. In the morning, if your body lives, you will be reborn and live for eternity. If God does not see fit, may your sins be forgiven in death," he spat the words at her.
The voices of her village swelled as they spoke in unison, "Accept this tribute and cleanse her soul!"
Her community chanted over and over, and as the sound swelled around her, Alina felt herself pushed into the back office and the door locked behind her. The small room had been cleared of all furniture and was left with a pentagram marked on the floor and candles lighting the space.
Alina, confused, but hardly shocked by this turn of events could only wonder what fresh hell she had found herself in. She supposed she could just wait it out until morning - and pray none of the candles caused a fire. Then, perhaps she could beg forgiveness for her perceived transgressions until she found a way to escape this place.
Giving her head a shake and mumbling about her submissive idiocy, Alina started blowing out the candles. There had to be hundreds of them. She blew, and turned, and blew, and turned, making her way slowly around the room. After several dozen candles, she started to feel light headed. Alina sighed, resting on the floor, angry and frustrated and more than a little hopeless. Not really about her current situation, but more about what her life would be after this. She resolved that when she got out of the room, she would leave the compound, even if she had no money and no idea where she would go. She just needed to get away, or this would be her whole life. Superstition and subservience.
Feeling herself succumbing to exhaustion, Alina let her eyes close. As her body started to feel blissfully weightless, she let her mind quiet. The small church office started to feel further and further away. Alina felt a warm breeze on her cheek and smelled salt water and grass. The feeling was so welcoming she let herself fall deeper and deeper... feeling like she was swimming up towards the surface of a new world.
As she gave herself over to the warming air and scents her vision started to clear again. It felt like the most vivid dream. Alina felt the smooth stone platform under her and the light cotton of her white dress. She had to be asleep she thought. But yet everything felt so real. The ocean in front of her smelled salty and the warmth of the sun on her skin felt soothing. Even if this wasn't real, she felt comforted to know she could stay in this place awhile.
There was a rustling behind her and Alina turned to see two figures walking out of the woods. They were both tall men with longer dirty blond hair. Rather than being afraid at these strangers, Alina was curious. As they came closer, she guessed they were somewhat older than her, maybe in their thirties. She didn't feel threatened per se, maybe just wary. She hadn't been around strangers, let alone young male strangers, for her whole life. She found their figures intimidating, these mountainous men. Vikings she thought...that's what they reminded her of. At once, her thoughts were back in the church office... Was this where the congregation had sent her? Surely this wasn't the 'demon sacrifice' the pentagram had elicited in her mind. And yet, she had to admit she was transported to this place. This wasn't a dream or a vision. And if she was transported and these men were here...
"Hello?" Alina tentatively addressed the strangers.
"Hello, Alina," one of the men answered. They were directly beside her now, next to the massive stone slab. Alter? Alina felt her breath coming faster as she realized where she was and what was happening. No, a demon hadn't materialized from the pentagram in the church, but she found herself here, on a beach, on a stone alter, with two very imposing men. Were they men?
Alina swallowed hard, "Wh-what is happening? What is this place?"
The second man answered this time, "You were sent to us dear Alina, by those people you call family."