The Man In The Fields Ritual...

This ritual has been passed down through the centuries and originated in the British Isles during the Middle Ages, where it was viewed as devil worship by Puritans. However, it was a way to protect anyone's home by those who knew that what was really standing in their fields wasn't Lucifer himself. If completed successfully, the ritual will ensure anyone one year of protection, whether it's physical, fiscal, or mental, depending on the events during the ritual.

All of this is the reason why Rouge the Bat, a legendary thief amongst those who know of her, is about to perform such a ritual, as not only has she become sick from an illness that is life-threatening, but she is mentally worn down from her career as a wanted criminal, and she is also in financial danger. In order to perform the ritual, Rouge will need a house in the countryside with crops of field outback, which is where she's been laying low from whatever authorities are after her.

Rouge will also need either a candle, an oil lamp, or any tool of non-electrical illumination, as using a flashlight, cellphone, or any electric illumination will be unsuccessful, causing said tools to flicker and die within a few seconds. Rouge will also need a clock or a watch to carry around with her as her only tool for checking time.

To begin this ritual, Rouge would make sure it's late enough for no one around to be outside and make sure the sun has set. The being the ritual is based around will not appear if anyone other than the summoner is present to detect its presence. The earliest successful summon was at nine o'clock, which Rouge takes note of. Rouge lights the oil lamp she has, goes out into the yard, and whispers seven times while facing the house...

"But who will scare the crows away?"

On the seventh whisper, Rouge will hear from behind her...

"That's not your biggest problem..."

Rouge walked back to her house without looking back. As soon as she reached her house, she got inside and closed the door. The ritual lets Rouge know it has begun, as anyone that can open has opened. Rouge would have a crucifix with her and take her into a room with only one door. She would close the door and leave the crucifix there. The room would be Rouge's safe room in case the ritual went awry. Rouge will then make sure that all the doors, cupboards, and whatever else can open inside her safe room have been closed inside. If the being of the ritual gets into her safe room, Rouge will be doomed.

Rouge's goal is to close everything that's been opened inside her house before her watch reaches midnight. While it may sound easy in description, Rouge knows better when it comes to rituals. Every bag, door, window, and container in her house has just opened. The challenge isn't closing them all, as most people would believe. It's remembering them all. Rouge had started the ritual at 11:00 PM, so she would make haste about closing everything in her house ASAP. After all, she doesn't want the Man in the Fields in her house, or she'll suffer a horrible fate.

As Rouge made her way throughout her darkened house, she would notice that out of the corner of one of her eyes, she'd be able to see a man dressed in simple farmer clothing, and his skin would be ash gray. Rouge knows not to look at him, especially not directly into his eyes. But she also knows not to be afraid, as this man isn't the Man in the Fields. The man in question is merely a herald, a referee of sorts to make sure that Rouge closes everything inside her house. He'll be following the anthromorphic bat lady, but he won't get in her way.

Rouge would also remind herself not to look into the crop of fields in the back, for if she does, she will notice there'll be a scarecrow that was never there before. The scarecrow would have a cow skull for a head, and its limbs would be impossibly long versions of a human being's arms and legs. While the skin on the arms and legs is pale, they aren't skeletal. The only thing the scarecrow would be missing is a head. If Rouge fails the ritual or doesn't reach her safe room in time, He will take hers. The reason for any of this is that Rouge will notice the scarecrow, and He will notice her. He will then get off his post.

This is the Man in the Fields...

If Rouge doesn't look into the crop of field at the back of the house and doesn't see the post, the scarecrow, she'll have until midnight to complete the ritual. Rouge would be physically weakening throughout the ritual as she continued to close everything up, as her illness was slowing her down. Her mental state would also worsen from the fear of failing the ritual, in addition to her weakening body slowing her mind to a crawl. Once Rouge was 100% sure she had closed everything in her house that could open, she would make her way to her bed and finally go to sleep to allow her body and mind to recover.

For exactly one year, Rouge has gained complete and utter safety in anything she does, depending on what hour she started the ritual at. If she started at 9:00 PM, Rouge would only be completely physically safe. A lot of people used this ritual to elongate their lives past where they would normally end. People like cancer patients and the elderly, for example, which is one of the reasons why Rouge started the ritual in the first place. She completed the ritual to make sure she'd live long enough for a cure to be used and eliminate whatever illness she has that is currently plaguing her.

If Rouge started the ritual at 10:00, however, not only would she be physically safe, but she would also be financially safe. She could quit her criminal career as a Most-Wanted Thief and still never have a need for money; either she wins the lottery or people just feel compelled to give her things for free. However, Rouge does know she will need to set up a plan for the end of the year, as her safety will eventually wear off and she will lose all the money she would win. Rouge would decide to either start up a business or, at the very least, make smart investments in whatever interested her.

If Rouge started the ritual at 11:00 PM, on the other hand, and somehow managed to finish it, which she most definitely did and which would be highly unlikely normally, she would become completely and utterly safe for one year, all physically, ficsally, and mentally. None of Rouge's actions will have any repercussions. Anyone would tell her not to do anything immoral, but if Rouge was going to go through her entire house in one hour and somehow close everything inside, whether it'd be boxes, doors, windows, cupboards, bags, cabinets, or doors, then she might as well do whatever she wishes.

If Rouge did look out at the crop of fields in the back and saw the Man in the Fields, she wouldn't have gotten any of the rewards from the ritual, even if she did finish the ritual. If she looked at the back of her house, the Man in the Fields would've gotten off his scarecrow post. The Man would've looked at her, and he would've begun sprinting.

Rouge would've had a minute at most to get to her safe room, run inside and lock it tight, and double check to make sure everything is closed inside. Rouge would never want the Man in the Field getting in, for she would've had to endure him scratching and clawing at the door, shrieking threats and promises of mercy if she opened the door. Whatever he would say and do, Rouge would not have opened the door for him. There are no circumstances whatsoever in which she should leave her safe room to confront the Man in the Fields himself. Rouge would have herself get chills just by the mere thoughts of something like any of that happening to her.

For those willing to perform and complete this ritual, good luck and stay safe...