Ansel was startled at first. His Guardian Spirit was speaking to him! Yet, a wave of calm washed over him. The fact that the Simurgh, wanted to communicate was both surprising and reassuring.
"This is my first time making Sigil. I know it's so messy." Ansel said with a sheepish smile. As he was glancing at the creature beside him.
After a moment of hesitation, he admitted his frustration. "How about you teach me how to create a Sigil?"
His confidence had waned; he felt utterly untalented in this delicate art and was ready to surrender to the wisdom of his Guardian Spirit.
Rhea simply nodded in agreement. "Okay. What sigil do you want to create?"
"I want to open the Immortal Realm Portal." Ansel replied. His voice was steady despite the challenge ahead. Then, remembering his earlier curiosity, he asked. "Anyway, what's your name?"
"Rhea." The Simurgh answered briefly. Her voice was carrying a quiet strength.
Without hesitation, Ansel tore up all the papers filled with his previous attempts. He said, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Well, let's start from the beginning."
"It's best to use Latin." Rhea's voice was calm but authoritative.
Ansel blinked in surprise. "Latin???" He exclaimed, utterly confused. He did not know Latin at all. "Why must it use Latin?"
"As far as I know in the world of metaphysics, everyone uses Latin. Have you ever seen an ancient manuscript about the Immortal realm? Don't they all use Latin? So, I think Latin will be much more effective." Rhea explained patiently. She hesitated, then asked. "Do you speak Latin?"
Unless Ansel just smiled by looking at Rhea who spoke at length.
Rhea gave a slight scolding tone. "How could an exorcist not understand Latin at all? You are an exorcist, aren't you? So, how can you not understand Latin?"
Ansel smiled gently, appreciating Rhea's concern. He admitted. "Actually I'm not an exorcist. It is my first time doing an exorcism. I don't intend to be an exorcist either. I do it just for training. Because someday I will fight a strong creature."
"It must be hard for you." Rhea's voice softened with empathy.
Ansel's thoughts drifted to Heka, a memory tinged with sorrow. "It is so hard. Moreover, I have to sacrifice the innocence of one."
Then, he quickly diverted the conversation, unwilling to dwell on the sadness. "It's better to finish this sigil."
Ansel gripped the pen tightly. His heart was pounding with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. He stared at the blank parchment before him, waiting patiently for Rhea's instructions. The room was quiet except for the soft rustle of the Simurgh's feathers as she stood nearby, watching him intently.
For two long minutes, Rhea remained silent, her eyes fixed thoughtfully on Ansel. The stillness felt heavy. And Ansel began to wonder if he had somehow startled her.
Finally, sensing the tension, Ansel broke the silence hesitantly. "How do I write it?"
Rhea's expression softened. And she tilted her head slightly, as if considering how best to help. Then she asked. "What do you want to do?"
"Opening the portal to the Immortal realm." Ansel replied firmly. His voice was steady despite his inner uncertainty.
Rhea nodded, then spoke the phrase clearly but deliberately: "Volo Aperire Ostium Mundo Immortali."
Ansel's eyes widened. The words sounded foreign and complex, and he realized he didn't understand Latin at all. His mind stumbled over the unfamiliar sounds. He found himself frozen, unsure where to begin.
"Can you say it slowly?" He asked. He hoped to catch each word carefully.
Rhea obliged, enunciating each word with deliberate clarity: "Volo... Aperire... Ostium... Mundo... Immortality."
Ansel carefully wrote down the first word: "Volo." He paused, looking up at Rhea with a puzzled expression. "Volo... then what?"
Before Rhea could answer, Ansel quickly added. "One word at a time, please."
Rhea smiled gently, understanding his need for patience and clarity. She said softly. "Aperire."
Ansel's hand moved slowly across the parchment, tracing each letter with care. The process was unfamiliar and challenging. But with Rhea's steady guidance, he felt a growing confidence. Each word was a step closer to unlocking the ancient magic he sought.
The room seemed to hum with quiet energy as the sigil began to take shape. A bridge between the mortal world and the Immortal Realm, crafted with care and newfound knowledge.
Ansel carefully wrote each word as Rhea spoke. His hand was steady and deliberate. He took his time, ensuring every letter was perfectly formed before moving on to the next.
The process was slow but methodical, and with each word, his confidence grew.
"Ostium." Rhea said. She watched him closely as he finished writing the third word.
Ansel nodded and prepared for the last two words.
"Mundo Immortali." Rhea continued, speaking the phrase smoothly.
Ansel noticed that the last two words were closely linked, and he combined them as one, understanding that the word for "immortal" in Latin was similar enough to merge.
"Done." Ansel said with a bright smile, feeling a surge of accomplishment. He had completed the first crucial step in creating the sigil. The transcription of the ancient phrase into its Latin form.
Feeling encouraged, he prepared to move on to the next phase of the process.
Rhea stepped back, her eyes scanning the pile of discarded papers from Ansel's earlier attempts. She said with a knowing smile. "The rest you can continue by yourself."
Ansel felt a spark of pride but also a hint of uncertainty. "Don't worry, my brother once taught me how to make sigils. You just need to throw away the vowels."
With that advice, Ansel set to work, transforming the phrase with newfound clarity and purpose.
He began by removing the vowels from "volo aperire mundo immortali." Then, he reduced it to a string of consonants: "VL PRR STM MND MMRTL."
Then, refining it further, he combined and simplified the letters into "VLPRSTMND."
This consonant cluster would serve as the foundation for the sigil's shape, a symbolic condensation of the powerful phrase.