[Chapter 9: Invocation of Sacred Authority]
With the rent issue settled, Daniel felt a newfound calm wash over him. That night, he slept deeper than he had in weeks.
The next morning, Daniel went to the bank and deposited the funds from the two checks directly into his account. Afterward, he returned home and began practicing drawing seals.
His predecessor's father had run a spiritual services shop, so Daniel was well supplied -- consecrated parchment, sanctified ink, and seal styluses were all neatly stocked. None of these materials possessed power on their own, but they were sufficient vessels for authority if used correctly.
Prayer seals fell into two categories.
The first followed a strict, standardized structure -- every line measured, every mark placed with intent, no deviation allowed. The second relied on intuition and personal authority alone, shaped directly by the practitioner's will.
At Daniel's current level, the second was beyond him. He could only attempt the first: the formally structured seal.
A standard prayer seal was composed of distinct elements: the Authority Mark, the Seal Name, the Judgment Phrase, the Binding Frame, the Upper Pillar, the Lower Pillar, the Declared Intent, the Reinforcement Lines, the Seal Core, and the Final Closure Mark. Each component had to be inscribed according to established doctrine, without hesitation or error.
But even if an ordinary person perfectly reproduced these forms, the seal would remain inert. The reason was simple -- without affirmed authority and proper consecration, a seal was nothing more than ink on parchment.
To empower a seal, one did not "draw power" from symbols. One affirmed ordained authority and sealed it into form.
Cross Hall, where Daniel currently stayed, sold such prayer seals. He took several from their shelves. The structure was correct, the materials flawless, but the absence of authority rendered them lifeless.
Traditionally, seal crafters underwent lengthy preparations -- fasting, purification, prayer, incense, and formal rites of consecration -- to still the mind and align themselves with sacred authority. Only then would they affirm their mandate and inscribe seals capable of holding power.
This "affirmation" was not a literal summoning. No being descended. No voice answered.
It was the deliberate alignment of will, discipline, and authority -- a recognition of mandate rather than a borrowing of power.
Once affirmed, the practitioner did not become someone else. Instead, they experienced a distinct internal pressure, a tightening clarity within the mind, as if responsibility itself had weight.
Daniel did not rush this stage. He spent days practicing seal structures without any authority at all. Attempting affirmation without mastering form would only waste effort -- failed seals, broken focus.
...
After three days of careful rehearsal, Daniel felt prepared.
He arranged his workspace, laid out his materials, stood before the alter table, and closed his eyes.
The traditional rites existed to help ordinary practitioners clear their thoughts and steady their intent. But Daniel, now a Senior Exorcist, could bypass such preliminaries.
He calmed his breathing, emptied his mind, and aligned his intent inward. His focus sharpened until nothing remained but clarity and control.
For a long moment, he stood utterly still.
Then his eyes opened.
Authority settled into him -- subtle but unmistakable, a firm pressure behind his thoughts.
He took up the stylus, dipped it into the sanctified ink, and began to inscribe.
Authority flowed through the stylus, locking itself into each stroke of the seal.
Drawing a prayer seal required continuous authority -- not necessarily a single unbroken line, but unbroken intent. The stylus could lift; the mind could not waver. A moment's lapse would fracture the seal.
Suddenly, Daniel's hand faltered.
The authority dispersed.
That seal failed instantly.
Daniel exhaled slowly. The mental pressure within him had noticeably diminished.
After steadying himself, he tried again.
Even after exhausting his focus again and again, success remained elusive. Seal after seal collapsed before completion.
"Sealcraft really isn't simple," Daniel muttered, his head beginning to throb.
After a short rest, he tried once more.
This time, as his concentration emptied completely, the seal gave off a faint pulse.
It was a Clarity of Mind Prayer Seal -- similar to one sold at Cross Hall.
The structure was nearly identical, but Daniel could feel a subtle authority embedded within his own work. The shop's version felt hollow by comparison.
A small smile appeared on his face as he held the completed seal.
As he continued practicing, his success rate slowly improved -- still low, but clearly rising.
"Clarity of Mind Seal, Couple Harmony Seal, Litigation Seal, Exam Blessing Seal, Child's Fear-Calming Seal, Spirit-Soothing Seal, Illness Alleviation Seal, Evil Suppression Seal, Household Ward Seal, Soul Binding Seal, Soul Guidance Seal, Corpse Restraint Seal, Body Protection Seal, Disaster Dispelling Seal, Disaster Invocation Seal…"
Daniel silently reviewed the seal catalog in his memory, struck by its breadth.
There was even a Disaster Invocation Seal -- one of the few explicitly malicious types.
But after repeated affirmations in quick succession, his mental reserves were fully drained.
He collapsed onto his bed, and before his head touched the pillow, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
...
Suddenly, clang, clang, clang -- the sound of the glass door being forcefully knocked awakened him.
Daniel's eyes opened, feeling surprisingly refreshed despite the disturbance.
Still, he was annoyed someone would wake him from such deep rest.
He rose, opened the door, and saw a dark-skinned man in his forties standing outside.
Daniel recognized him immediately: Lawrence, his next-door neighbor, who ran a spiritual supply store. But unlike Daniel's father, Lawrence specialized in goods for psychics and mediums.
He always wore a black robe, sported a distinctive afro, and claimed to communicate with the dead.
His store was dimly lit, bathed in low red light, exuding an eerie atmosphere that strangely drew customers -- far more than Cross Hall ever managed.
"Daniel, I'm glad you're still alive," Lawrence greeted with a smile, seemingly genuinely pleased.
Daniel asked flatly, "Lawrence, what do you want?"
Lawrence replied slowly, "I'm here to collect a debt."
Daniel frowned, racking his brain. "I don't recall owing you any money."
Lawrence said, "It's not you who owes. It was your father. Now that he's passed, the responsibility falls to you."
Daniel remained calm. "Do you have a written IOU?"
Lawrence smiled faintly. "I trusted your father deeply -- no IOU was ever made."
Daniel shook his head. "Then I'm sorry, but I can't pay."
Lawrence motioned with his hand, and three towering, muscular men appeared at his side.
All three were imposing, their fierce glares cutting into Daniel like a physical weight.
"Your father said before he died that if he couldn't pay back the money, he would offer the shop's inventory and what remained of the rent as collateral," Lawrence said. "Daniel, you don't have much rent left, and you probably can't afford the future payments. Taking over your shop now is actually doing you a favor."
Stepping closer, Lawrence added, "I'll give you one hour to gather your things and leave peacefully."
Daniel stared at Lawrence's darkened face, then a slow smile crept across his lips.
*****
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