I do not know when this obsession started, I barely knew about the Knights Templar. I was not even a regular church-goer. However, a catalyst was unleashed in my being;  Moreover, it was the recurring dreams that led me to this place, in front of the little-known monastery of Saint Gerard.

I was instructed by a mysterious voice, hearing its adamant urgency with such an alacrity, I dared not refuse. With trepidation I rang the antiquated bell, and the massive four centuries-old door swung open. A hooded  face looked out upon me.

"We've been waiting for you," the friar emitted with barely an audible drone, "come in quickly!"

I sauntered in, following the brown wool-clad form, hardly seeing anything in the hypnotically flickering candlelight leaning on rusting sconces on the bare brick walls. I could hear faint singing in Latin echoing in the distance, but my own fear could not overcome my inner compulsions.

Suddenly we were passing through a tapestry embellished with armored figures on horseback, chests adorned with a large red cross on white. Upon entrance in a much larger room than the ones we passed by in the narrow hallway, the friar joined four others at an austere table, leaving me standing in front of a turned-collared clergyman of whose rank I was not sure, but obviously higher than the four other sepia-clad men.

"Let's begin." The middle man in black spoke sonorously, whose sullen words echoed with a cacaphony that made understanding difficult with my confused state of mind, "Are you interested in becoming a Knight of the Templar Order?"

Why I answered in the affirmative, I can only guess at some demonic reason; inexplicably they soon ushered me into an enclosed courtyard whereby bound and lashed to a stake, I could only scream as unspeakable agony raced up my feet to legs to my grimaced face....