The three of them sat in the white-walled hall, the cold silence pressing in on them as if the house had been cut off from the world outside. Aws was still unsettled by what he had witnessed that morning—the heavy book Hilal had carried, the strange aura surrounding it. He turned to him suddenly, speaking with hesitant curiosity.
"Master… forgive my intrusion, but what exactly were you doing when we met you this morning? And what was that book you carried?"
Hilal's lips curved into a knowing smile, as though he had been expecting the question all along.
"Well… you already know that I study the Divine Path, and that within it lie marvels beyond ordinary people. I've told you about the demons, and the hidden ways they poison human lives. People strive hard to drive them out of their homes, but they lack the knowledge the specialists possess. That's why we dedicate ourselves to studying the Divine Path. Yet it is true—such a life brings no worldly profession, no salary. So I sustain myself by reciting invocations for others, and in doing so I help them."
Aws frowned in thought, while Shams fixed her gaze on Hilal's hands, as though the very lines of his palms held secrets. Hilal continued:
"As for the book… it contains the words of God. Sacred words, every one of them. Yet some passages carry a particular effect: casting out demons, removing spells, healing illnesses, increasing provision. It is not whimsical—it is all bound to Divine Providence, and its power varies from person to person."
Hilal laid his hand upon the book beside him and opened it briefly. A pale shimmer escaped the pages, as though the ink itself pulsed with breath. He shut it again quickly, before the moment stretched too long.
"Because we cannot see the demons," he added, "people perform these rites regularly, just to be sure. Prevention is as important as expulsion; one must recite certain invocations before entering the home, to keep the demons shut outside."
Shams lifted a brow.
"Then why are people so desperate to drive them out?"
Hilal smiled, the smile of a teacher whose student has touched the heart of the matter.
"A good question. Demons cloud the human mind. They stir quarrels, drain the will to obey God, lure people into sin. They are a plague upon those who walk the Divine Path. Their presence is like slow poison—unseen, yet corrupting everything."
The hall grew quiet. Somewhere in the house a faint rustle stirred, though no leaves existed here. Hilal rose, stretching his arms.
"Very well. Rest a little. I will perform the prayer, and afterward… we begin the rites of your initiation into the Divine Path."
He left them in silence. Aws felt the weight in his chest grow heavier, while Shams closed her eyes, her head tilted back as though seeking refuge deep inside herself.
Soon Hilal returned. He lay upon the couch, closed his eyes, and quickly fell into deep sleep. Shams soon followed, her head sinking into the cushion, her breath steady. Aws remained alone in the dimness.
…
A light touch, a voice muffled as in a dream. Aws stirred, opened his eyes slowly, and saw Rose guiding the sleeping Shams out of the hall. On the low table food had been set. Moments later Shams returned, her face damp with fresh water, as though she had washed away more than weariness. Hilal led Aws to wash his face as well, the cold water striking him into full awareness.
They gathered at the table. Each clink of the spoon against the dish rang louder than it should, for what filled them was not only hunger but the sense of something vast drawing nearer.
…
Later they sat before Hilal, like students awaiting a final word. His voice, calm yet piercing, broke the silence:
"The first condition… is that you believe in your hearts that God exists, and that there is no god but the One I worship, and His name is God. In time, through study and knowledge, your vision will change. But the beginning lies in the heart. Take a minute to gather this truth within you."
The minute stretched endlessly. Aws heard his own heartbeat as if it filled the room. Shams fought to steady her breath.
Hilal raised his hand.
"Now… repeat after me. I bear witness that…"
Their voices, low and trembling: "I bear witness that…"
"There is no god…"
"There is no god…"
"Except God."
"Except God."
The instant the last word was uttered, the air shifted. It grew heavy, yet somehow purer. Stillness wrapped the room; even the lamplight seemed to freeze. Aws felt warmth flood his chest, as though an unseen hand was cleansing him from within. Shams, eyes closed, glimpsed behind her lids a faint light displacing the dark shapes that had haunted her vision.
Hilal's eyes gleamed, and his smile held both joy and gravity.
"You are now upon the Divine Path. The first level of Providence has awakened within you: Submission. Its signs will touch your bodies first—your movements, your stillness. At times the flesh may feel heavy, or the spirit suddenly light, for the scales within you are being rewritten."
Aws bowed his head, struggling to understand the turmoil within. Shams pressed her hand to her chest, her heartbeat deeper, slower, but steadier.
Hilal shut the book with a gentle firmness.
"Submission comes with duties: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, pilgrimage for those who can. They are not mere rituals—they are pillars. Without them, submission withers, and the soul collapses back into dust."
A strange breeze rose from nowhere, the candles flickering wildly. Upon the wall a shadow formed, shaped like a door opening into another world. Aws gasped softly, his breath sharp. He knew then this was no inner illusion, but the crossing of a threshold.
Hilal's voice deepened, solemn yet calm:
"The door is open to you. But know this—the demons will not remain silent. From this moment, you are more of a target to them than ever. They will try to burden your hearts, to sow doubt, to drag you back into your old ways. But if you hold fast to your duties, you will remain within the shelter of Providence."
Aws lowered his gaze, fear and serenity locked in struggle upon his face. Shams lifted her eyes, her voice trembling:
"I feel… as though I've awakened from a long sleep. I am not the same as I was."
Hilal's smile returned, soft yet radiant.
"And that is the meaning of submission: that the heart bows before the body does, that the spirit wakes before the eyes open. The Path is long. What you have witnessed tonight is only the first step. Beyond it lies Knowledge, and then Insight… each with its own price."
Silence filled the hall once more—not emptiness, but a silence alive, charged with presence.