The Harvester warns you that not all spirits are peaceful. Some of them burn with a rage they did not come by on their own in life. One night, you encounter a spectral animal – a Courser, you think at first, but no. This is no Courser, but a monster in Courser shape. Its eyes glow red with malice; its skull is gaunt, its movements predatory, more wolf than equine. You can feel its corruption. Its wrongness. Do you attempt to help the Harvester apprehend it, or do you flee?

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Hsin is very much familiar with the spirits roaming the dungeon.

Harvester’s warning does not surprise her – as a Spirit Soother, she had met many ghosts in the past, some were more docile, even engaging in short talks, as much as their nonphysical form allowed them to, some were more aggressive, full of rage, agony, pain; filled with negative emotions, like a kettle about to burst. Most of the time they were able to calm them all with the soothing melody of their instruments, whether it was a drum, or a spare, lonely guitar that she repaired one time, and it has served them ever since. Hsin understands that most of the spirits are chained by emotions they suffered from while they were still alive. She does not judge, nor does she allow the venom of corruption to spread through the dungeon. They take care of The Moor of Sleep like it is their own garden; she waters the precious flowers, playing the drum to calm down the spirits, to soothe them and bring them a moment of respite, at least in the afterlife. Wandering through the caverns, seething and full of anger – a cruel fate, indeed. When she stands in front of the spirits, she can feel their emotions soak up into her own skin; something the Courser is accustomed to. The ghosts hiss, curse, lunge at her and try to hurt her, yet she does not relent in her pursuit as a savior. As long as the claws of destruction do not reach her garden, they will continue in their duty, holding it dear and close to their own heart.

But sometimes, gardens are starting to grow weeds. The weeds bring pain and hurt the precious flowers, making them wilt and suffer a calamitous fate. And once all flowers are long gone, the weeds are able to thrive, having overtaken the purest sanctuary of them all.

“Naughty child.” Even now, their voice is calm and steady, as they stand right in front of the spectral creature; a monster, one could describe it as such. She narrows her gray eyes. It is not one of the precious flowers, or one having a chance of blossoming beautifully. Hsin, who is able to find beauty in any ghost roaming the dungeon, now feels its corruption soaking their light coat, clawing at their heart. It does not belong here, nor is it capable of salvation.

There is not much time before she is meant to become prey. The red eyes are watching her carefully, saliva dripping down and seeping into the moss that soaks it all up. The wolfish Courser lets out a growl; first warning. The gaunt skull hovers over her, saliva almost dripping on her own forehead. She does not feel fear, yet a ripple of shivers run down her spine. That is no Courser, yet it is not a pure spirit either. It is a corrupted being, not meant to be in this place.

And when your garden grows weeds, you rip them out before they can fully take root.

“May the dungeon lead you to your rest.”

Hsin takes up a quick pace, running in circles around the monster and to ensure it has no time to react, they swing their long tail – the bells attached to it make a loud, yet melodious noise, and the spirit lets out a loud howl, their panting and growls only becoming louder.

They were gentle, always have been. Yet they have always strived for their soul to be even more pure, extending judgment to even herself. If she were to fail in her tasks, there would be a need for a new Spirit Soother to take over The Moor of Sleep. 

When The Harvester told her about the dangerous, bubbling with rage, spirit, she knew it was a task she had to take on. To protect the garden, the silent ancient battlefield that was a cemetery, yet bustling with adventurers’ need for exploring nonetheless. To save the heavy part of history, buried deep underneath the surface, with so many questions, yet with a lack of answers. 

Hsin proceeds to further overwhelm the sensitive spiritual being of the ghost, shaking her tail to make the bell ringing louder. While running, they grabbed a big drumstick, part of their equipment from the ground, and quietened the ringing bells. The terrible creature, corrupted spirit, still hazy; started running after her. Now slightly dazed, it was in perfect condition to fall into the trap the Spirit Soother prepared, along with The Harvester. 

One could say that they do not feel remorse - their teeth are gritted, with gray eyes narrowed and completely focused on their tasks. Yet the heavy burden on their heart stays; even if they are perfectly aware that there is no way for the spirit to remain in this place. The weeds need to be taken out of the garden, for a weed they will always remain. One could only pray for the lost soul, for it to have a chance at redemption and rebirth anew. 

The Spirit Soother mentally counts down the time, feeling the growling behind her getting louder, and her grip on the drumstick tightens. She had prepared a rather easy trap with the help of The Harvester; it was a being more powerful than her, yet she wanted to help nonetheless, heavy responsibility on her shoulders urging her further forward. 

They see the dry leaves on the ground, and they focus their gallop to that spot; cloven hooves don't make a sound on the soft surface, the only noises of the deadly gamble being the spirit’s angered, rabid howls and growls, their teeth yearning to sink into the soft flesh and rip it apart, feeling the muscles twitch beneath the canines as its prey lets out its last breath. 

Hsin makes a strong turn, at the same time hitting the drumstick against the nearby drum on the ground with all she has. The strong, loud sound resonates through the surroundings, and with a rustle, branches start moving from underneath the moss, right in front of the spirit's hooves. Due to the magical nature of the dungeon, and special preparation from both The Harvester and the Spirit Soother, the creature's hooves catch onto the branches, and if the current scenario was not so dire, the trap would be almost comical in her eyes. For the spirit had fallen into the hole dug up beneath the dry leaves, the angry barks slowly silenced by the rustling of dry leaves. 

“May the Mother take mercy upon your soul and allow you to repent.” Hsin said a soft prayer, looking down into the pit of darkness, not seeing the spirit anymore. From now on, it will be in The Harvester’s job to take care of the sinner. 

The Courser took one last look at The Harvester, and bowed down in respect. A powerful being, she was not going to underestimate. They turned around, heading for their place, where they would recuperate mentally from everything that had happened. Her task was successfully done, and she could only hope that in the future, the abhorrent ghost would be able to blossom in the precious garden as a flower, and be granted a seat in the theater of the Ruined Kingdom.