The doors behind him closed with a bang. He would be back one day, but not before he learned more about the Steelfords. Besides, perhaps there was something he could do with Xaviar’s coffin, seeing that it had been preserved for 400 years.

Presently, it was time to get paid. Using his new skill, he conjured Rex and allowed him to run wild between the abandoned buildings. Seeing him excitedly bring back a stick almost made him tear up. It was small moments like this that helped him forget about the horrors he had faced in his underground.

Very soon, he arrived at Prosperity Avenue. Daniel dismissed Rex when he saw the first throng of people, but not the ones he expected. Dark clothing and moon symbology was replaced with white and gold robes and the patterns of the sun. For some, it was a tattoo of the rising dawn on their foreheads. For others, it was excessive gold jewellery. Regardless, all those that walked by had earrings of a blazing sun.

“Look what the cat dragged out,” a young man poked an older one, pointing at Daniel and cackling like a hyena.

The younger man wore loose golden robes that left his shoulders bare. His hair was a brilliant blonde that Daniel couldn’t tell whether it was dyed or natural. A tattoo of a rising dawn and splendid earrings made his visage radiant, a thin golden chain across his neck and five different rings on his fingers. It all served to compliment his fierce red eyes and the two curved swords that rested on his waist, their hilts practically screaming the word magical.

In comparison, the older man was more modest. A white robe with lines of rich gold that ran across them obscured everything but his face. The man looked wizened with age, but also weary of something. Perhaps it was life in general. On the top of his head was a tiara with jewels the colours of the sun - yellow, red, orange and pink.

“Raph, stop agonising the priest of Morvina,” the older priest said, casting disapproving eyes at the one named Raph.

“Hah. Move along then. Unless you’d like to convert and become a priest of Croelius?”

He got aggressively close to Daniel, placing a hand on his shoulder. Raph’s eyes were practically shining.

“I became a priest only a few hours ago. I’m afraid Morvina would smite me if I converted so quickly,” he said, forcing a chuckle. She had done worse already.

“Wonderful news, priest. You can still be saved! As long as you haven’t already taken a class or a job associated with her. Have you?” he asked, to which Daniel shook his head in denial.

“My class is separate, and I still don’t have a job.”

Daniel wasn’t sure why he was sharing this information. All the talking with Xaviar had made him miss a relatively normal person, he supposed. Or, at least, someone his age.

“Great. Come, join us in our morning prayers. May I show him around, Aurius?” he asked the older priest, who had scrunched his brow at the conversation, respectfully. Aurius nodded.

And just like that, Daniel was forced to join the two as they started walking along the streets. The night was retreating, and very soon, the sun would rise. They went up to every house with a melting sun on it. He had noticed them before, but what he had missed was a tiny golden bell attached to the houses, which Aurius would ring as he passed by. It let out a melodious clang, pleasing to the ears. All through the street, he heard the symphony of bells, joining together in a soft song. Soon after, residents would emerge, joining the priests in a walk down the street.

“How much do they pay you?” Raph asked, a direct blow to his heart.

Daniel hadn’t expected him to be so direct.

“Thirty crowns per week, though it’s not a constant job,” Daniel said, reminded he had yet to receive his pay.

“Oh wow, that’s even less than I thought,” he said, a tone of genuine pity in his voice. “They sure are miserly over there. Come, I’ll train you to become a dawn warrior. You’ll be making at least double.”

Raph couldn’t imagine how much the offer impacted Daniel. His first job as an exorcist was beyond perilous, and the pay wasn’t even that good. Unfortunately, he doubted his class would work well together with Croelius, and being a warrior sounded even more dangerous.

Raph must’ve seen the dilemma in Daniel’s mind because he soon continued.

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“Well, even if you aren’t a warrior, you can still become a priest. They pay just as well, and you’ll receive discounts throughout the city. Our followers easily outnumber Morvina’s.” He glanced at Daniel. “After all, who would want to walk around during the night and miss the glorious sunrise.”

“Doesn’t sound very... holy,” Daniel muttered, and then stopped, realising he had just said it out loud. All of today’s events made him dead tired.

“I’ll have you take that back, dear priest,” Raph said, an edge to his smile. Daniel hastily apologised, which prompted a rant from the young warrior.

“Croelius is a mighty god, possessing many aspects. He is the embodiment of dawn, the ruler of the glorious sun, magnificent light and boundless wealth. Just like you worship the night sky, we worship gold that adorns our bodies.”

Daniel wanted to interject, but Raph continued, drawing the attention of other priests and residents.

“We work harder than anyone else to bask in the wealth, to be worthy of his blessing. To insult a day’s wage is to denounce our religion, and I sincerely hope you’ll keep that in mind.”

His speech attracted a great number of nods, which spiralled into each congregation further explaining the values of Croelius.

“I meant no offence, truly. I’m weary from battling spirits all night,” Daniel said, his feet aching from exhaustion. Still, he was in too deep now to back out.

“You can atone by converting,” he laughed, clapping Daniel on his shoulder, the offence seemingly forgotten. Was it all for show? He didn’t think so.

The rest of the walk was occupied with idle conversation. Daniel listened to Raph’s teachings, groggily committing them to mind. No matter what Daniel thought about worshipping gold, the faith only bolstered the city. After all, who wouldn’t want their workers to work harder?

Eventually, they arrived at a strange place. An entire square of the city was devoid of any features, except for a single statue which was obscured by priests surrounding it, reciting prayers to one another. Raph carefully motioned where to stand, during which Daniel noticed a grooved line on the ground begin to shimmer with light.

His stomach lurched as the massive platform began to levitate. It rose above the city buildings with a soft hum that resonated through his entire body. He made the deadly mistake of peering down, which sent a wave of fear throughout his body. Daniel absolutely despised heights.

The city below looked so small, yet so interesting. A dozen unique buildings caught his attention, but even they couldn’t captivate him long enough to forget about his fear. He nudged Raph, taking several steps back. In response, Raph roared with laughter, provoking a sharp look from Aurius.

Daniel calmed his nerves, deeply breathing in and staring forward to forget about the height. There, he saw the back of a golden statue with arms raised towards the sky, as if summoning the dawn. A set of golden wings, so exquisite that Daniel could see every feather, carried the god’s weight. A halo of fire was small in comparison to the three sculpted suns above the statue’s head, radiating majesty.

The soft murmur transitioned to silence as the platform stopped. The surroundings were filled with anticipation, a quiet feeling of something building in the air. Next to him, Raph opened his arms, and Daniel followed along, staring at the first rays of sunlight.

The golden light softly washed over the platform, a warmth unlike anything Daniel had experienced before. His fatigue melted in the sunlight. The longing in his soul dissipated. The fear of the night sky was replaced with a yearning to bathe in the sun’s rays for an eternity, and then some more.

Next to him, he heard soft words emerge from Raph’s lips.

“As the dawn unfolds, a new day is born

Grant us strength, wisdom, chase away that, which is wrong.”

All around him, prayers and chants filled the air as the sun ascended higher, casting its radiant light down on those who worshipped it. Daniel listened to it all, entranced by the moment. The city below came to life, and soon, the prayers stopped.

It was over way too quickly,

Talks regarding today’s work replaced the holy chants, and a much more playful atmosphere descended on the group. Most were craftsmen, working in various parts of the city. Being good at using your hands was an unofficial requirement of joining, or so some of the warriors joked.

“It seems I’ve managed to convert another one. The radiance of the dawn is something that will chase away all worries. Come see me at Dawn Citadel if you want to join,” with that, Raph rejoined the presence of other warriors, who teased him about being seen with Daniel, someone who was sticking out like a sore thumb in his purple robes.

And then, it was time to go back to the church. He wanted nothing more than to head back to the Crowned Dragon and go to bed, but several people warned him that seeing a priest of Morvina during the day would be extremely rare. Their voices betrayed hints of something unsaid, which made Daniel heed their suggestions.

Navigating the city was a practical nightmare. After several rounds of asking for directions, he arrived at the church of Morvina. At this time of day, it was practically abandoned, save for a single young boy sweeping the ground and taking care of various chores. He didn’t question Daniel’s presence there, only glancing at him with evident disinterest. Changing his clothes, Daniel neatly folded the exorcist's robe, leaving it there. He wouldn’t be needing it until the next nightfall.

When he arrived at the guild, an hour had passed since dawn. He was a dead man walking, fading in and out of sleep, dragging his feet to his destination. Daniel ignored all attempts at communication, not returning a single greeting. Instead, he shut the door to his room behind him and dove into his bed.

Sleep took him immediately.