Despite trimming the candle wicks almost too short, they still ran with vigor. Twice, even! This is a different brand of candles than what I had been burning before. I’m still collecting the dripped wax just the same.
All else went without incident until I spoke the summoning words and tried to immediately visualize a scene. A massive pressure squeezed my head until I stopped trying to visualize anything. [Patient Caller’s] presence gently surrounded me then, with the greatest sense of his presence coming from the small table.
It took me some time to realize that the quality of the presence I was feeling from him was the same quality as being in the presence of someone praying in their faith. I was almost embarrassed to be there, as if I had interrupted him.
«Have you a question?»
“Eh. No. It felt like you were praying there, and I didn’t want to be rude for no reason.”
«I was. Indeed, I have never stopped praying for you.»
“May I ask what you were praying for?”
«That you continue to care for yourself.»
For some reason, that made me uncomfortable. “So, tell me more about the ring.”
I was sitting with my hands on my knees. Suddenly, I felt my hands held together by a larger pair with metal bands on the fingers. I looked down and saw the spirit’s hands holding mine. He allowed me to turn his hands this way and that to better see the rings, but of all the rings he wore, only the right pinky finger ring was something more substantial than smoke.
Too bad the symbols kept squirming as I tried to view them clearly.
«The symbols I carry are unique to me. You will obtain your personal symbols in time.»
His hands dissolved into smoke and flowed out of my grip. «You have many tasks today and no small amount of fortitude to call upon. Release me.»
Yea. It’s going to be a very long work day. I spoke the license to depart and ended the ritual.
Total time feeling awkward as hell: 9 minutes.