“Look, this here is a Winter Night Panther. They’re cuddly and ticklish, but they can also bite when they’re angry.”

Daniel squinted into the enclosure. Were those panthers swimming through the darkness? He jumped back as one of them materialised in front of the chain-link door, snarling at him. The panther had sleek black fur that his eyes couldn’t focus on and a shimmering blue tail that blurred through the air with a razor-sharp tip. It was also at the perfect height to tear out his throat in one single bite.

“Step a bit back. Drev here is friendly, but he likes to swish his tail around. If that thing even scratches you, you’re dead.”

He immediately backed away, observing from a safe distance of the other side of the room. She grabbed Grev’s head and gave him head scratches while introducing the other panthers in the enclosure.

As they patiently went through the beasts, Daniel asked a bit more about the shopkeeper herself. Her name was Lyra, and the store was passed down in the family for hundreds of years. She had only recently inherited it from her mother, who went out to explore the unknown wilds.

Irresponsible was what Daniel thought, but who was he to judge someone else’s life? Honestly, he was a bit disappointed in the selection. The only truly deadly beasts he saw were the panther and the sapphire tiger.

‘I apologise for eating one of your cousins earlier. Stop growling at me,’ was what he didn’t dare to voice out loud for fear of getting kicked out.

Eventually, he settled on three animals he wanted to observe the most. First was the Winter Night Panther, who was a great choice for both intimidation and combat. Then, a Swifttail Sparrow, which was only slightly bigger and much faster, capable of controlling the winds. If he could learn how to fly, it would serve as a wonderful scout.

Finally, a common Sharian Rat. Apparently, Sharian was a great insult back in the days, as these damn pests would destroy everything both above and below ground. Even now, they were common in every seedy tavern, capable of burrowing beneath the ground with ease.

What he needed was individuality. He chose one particular animal out of every group, trying to commit each detail to memory, spending hours observing how they moved, ate and play-fought. Daniel desperately wished to see the panther in proper combat, but he doubted he’d get the chance.

In the meanwhile, he talked with the ever-busy Lyra. Her skills helped her feed and take care of the beasts, but the store was simply too big for a single person. She helpfully answered questions about what they usually ate, their weird habits and their personalities. Every little bit would make his skill more vivid.

“Right, I think I should get going now. I have duties to perform,” he said, seeing the sun start to descend. “How much do I owe you?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I rarely get to talk so much with anyone about animals, and there are not many regulars yet. Do come back with some interesting rumours though,” she said, waving him goodbye.

She seemed sweet, but when she said her only friends were animals, he could only shake his head. Then again, she seemed happy.

As he walked outside the store, Daniel shifted nervously as several figures observed him from the depths of the fog. He picked up his pace. Even an idiot could tell there was something strange happening in this place, which begged a question. Where were the guards? Where were the night watchers?

When he stepped back into Prosperity Avenue, he breathed a sigh of relief. If there was a place to feel safe, it was here. With familiarity, he greeted some of the faces he had seen when walking with Tavian, wishing them Morvina’s blessings.

Daniel had once again arrived early, because only Tavian was present in the church. He was kneeling in front of the mural, reciting prayer after prayer. When he turned to face Daniel, his face brightened.

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“I had thought you were dead when you didn’t return at dawn. Then, I saw the clothes you had left behind.” Tavian walked next to him, clasping his hands. “Morvina has decided to not embrace your soul just yet.”

He said it so nonchalantly that it unnerved Daniel. He heard it before, but for Tavian, death was like a sweet release. It was good to keep living, but dying was nothing to fear as well. Such a mindset was prevalent among most of the followers.

“Why did you leave them here?” Tavian asked, his voice grave.

“It’s nothing like that, I promise,” Daniel responded. He had forgotten how it would look to Tavian when he placed down his clothes.

“It’s a very embarrassing matter. I left them here because I didn’t have anywhere else to place them,” he scratched his head, and upon seeing Tavian’s confusion, he explained further. “I came to the church for work because I have nowhere to stay for the night.”

Tavian’s face immediately softened. “How could we let an exorcist of Morvina live in squalor? Stay around for the sermon. Mellie here rents out the houses nearby. The old exorcist’s house is still empty.”

Daniel didn’t know how to feel about that. On one hand, they were practising the same craft, and whatever he had there would be useful to Daniel. On the other hand, the previous exorcist was died under mysterious circumstances, which could come back to haunt him. At least he would have somewhere to stay at night.

‘I’m more likely to be going to bed during dawn anyways. Goodbye, my sweet sleep schedule,’ he thought to himself.

“That’s wonderful,” he paused for a moment. “I’ve got another question - what do you know about spirits?” Daniel asked.

“You’d be best asking that question for a soul guide or a funeral ritualist. If you still wish to know, I can tell you what I’ve learned as a priest of Morvina.”

Daniel nodded, and Tavian pointed at the entwined souls in the mural. “Normally, when a soul dies, it leaves the body and floats up. It passes between the veil of our realms and calls out to the world. There, either a god will get them, or something else.”

Just as Daniel was going to ask a question, Tavian gave him a look that instantly made him think otherwise.

“If a soul is trapped in the body, it becomes a natural undead, which is dearly valued by necromancers. Normally, they would either reanimate a body with no soul or lure one down from the in-between, but I digress.

On rare occasions, a soul’s obsession is so much that it refuses to leave this realm. That’s when a spirit is born. It feeds off its own obsession and becomes stronger, but at the same time, more twisted.”

Tavian paused, and Daniel immediately butted in.

“Does that mean that not every spirit is evil? If so, why is there a need for an exorcist?”

“There can exist spirits that are friendly to us humans, but they are incredibly rare. In most cases, a spirit will mindlessly pursue its obsession, viewing our souls as nothing more than food. As an exorcist, it is your job to determine whether the spirit is harmful.”

Daniel sank deep into thought. He would never know whether the spirits in the tomb were hostile or not. An idea struck his mind - he could wait until constructing the Spirit Extraction Chamber and read a part of their memories. Still, it would take days, perhaps weeks to get that many Soul Points, and it was unnecessarily cruel to deny them their reincarnation now that they were truly dead. He had been delaying it for a reason, but he would lead them on their journey tonight.

“I hope I answered your question. Now, wait here. Let me get your payment,” Tavian said, slipping past a hidden door, leaving Daniel completely alone. He stared blankly at the mural.

Once Tavian came back, he counted thirty coins from a similar coin purse that Finnean had. Perhaps they were more common than he thought, though he didn’t have enough coins to even begin to worry about that. His new brand total was 75 crowns - enough to survive in the city for weeks.

“Congratulations. You can now be considered a proper exorcist. By the night’s veil,” he cupped his hands, and as he did, Daniel noticed a black box appear mid-air.

Job selection available.

He smiled and continued talking with Tavian about his duties once again. Only when Tavian went to light the incense did he parse through the status and check what he had gained.

Exorcist of the Night (Rare)

The one who deals with restless spirits. A protector of souls during darkness. As an exorcist under the domain of Morvina, the goddess of the night sky, the wielder draws power from soul, spirit, and compassion aspects through sacred rituals and the use of one’s soul.

Now, here was the real question. Did he want to take this job?