Chapter 221: Cracks

Walker had stored every vial of the pure water very happy with the amount they had. He wanted to save at least three hundred for any possible potions the party would need or make. This sounded like too much but he wanted to think long term, how many potions would they need if they reached a higher level. The battles they had been in so far they party had not used potions mostly because there would have been no time to stop and drink them. However Walker was thinking that as holders of the hero title they would often find themselves not in need of the potions themselves, but those they may save. How many people could they help with higher grade health or mana potions?

Asking himself that question Walker would sell two hundred and eighteen so that they could make a bit more gold. The pure water would also go in to circulation for alchemists in the kingdom leading to breakthroughs in potions and even higher grade potions reaching the markets. This may be a roundabout method to slightly strengthen the kingdom but it was enough. Their kingdom's economy was very important to everyone that lived within it.

"You two go off and bandage a few people up, I am going home to see my brothers and sisters!" Remey was already running off before Su and Walker could even reply. She was way too excited to go tell her stories to her family.

Su and Walker took a leisurely pace on the way to the cathedral, not having to rush somewhere was a gift. Taking their time to reach the cathedral, they soon found the familiar intricate stone building and colored glass windows. Walker could already feel his face heating up as they climbed each step. The door was open as usual for the public to come for prayer or for healing, the sight upon entering was unexpected. There was a large crowd of elderly people all trying to get toward the front of the cathedral where the large crystal was. The aura did not seem as strong as it had been when they were last there.

' Daily quest: Prayer troubles

The cathedral has been damaged causing the healing aura to slowly fade. Assist those who wish to repair it,

Requirement:

Heal those in need

Repair the healing aura light crystal

Reward:

300exp'

Walker read the system quest and immediately understood the situation, the elderly had come to be healed but instead found that they could not be healed at all. The effects of the healing aura around them were too weak to affect them, let alone the elderly who were dealing with their weary bones. 

Walker and Su made their way to the front of the cathedral, "Please be at ease, we are working to repair the damages done. We can still heal you given more time to rest. If anyone had a mana transfer skill or would like to donate mana potions this would greatly assist in the healing efforts." The high priest was trying to calm the obviously frustrated elderly who did not seem to understand why they could not get their usual healing. Many healers and nuns ran about focusing on a group of injured people, they were putting those with serious injuries as a priority. This made plenty of sense to Walker and Su, who were trying to get a mental handle of what was going on. 

The elderly continued to throughout angry phrases wanting to be relieved of their joint pain. Some even went so far to try and guilt the high priest by saying they could not even lift their grandchildren to hold them. The high priest was very pale and had used too much of his mana. 

Walker could not take this sight any longer, Su was of the same mind, bur before she could move Walker had already stepped forward. "Someone said that they need healing? Well I have some extra mana and a healing skill why not line up and receive my help!" His voice echoed through the stones of the cathedral silencing many of the frustrated voices. The high priest gave a pleading look saying thank you for diverting the elderly attention. "Su can you help out over there? Also gather some information on what exactly happened?" Su gave a sharp nod and headed toward the high priest who was in need of a seat very badly . 

"High priest are you alright? You are much too pale." Su was very soft spoken so that she would not draw any attention from Walker who now had a line in front of him. 

"Yes, I will be fine with some rest, it has been a very long day." He walked leaning on Su's shoulder to the nearest bench. After resting for a moment he gave her a small smile, "I am sure you two are much more worried than you are letting on, I am sorry to cause you some stress." The high priest in his old age was not the happiest when he found himself troubling the youths. 

"It is no trouble, you have used too much mana and deserve any assistance. If I could bother you, how did this happen. I remember the cathedral is always very well upkept." Su did not want to seem rude especially since she was worried the high priest could pass out at any moment. She was still allowing him a bit of support even though he had sat down on a bench.

"Well everything was fine until this morning, the healing light crystal was being polished to let the sun's rays shine through it better when the one responsible for the task slipped from their ladder. It was a surprise to those below him and in his desperate grabbing for support he slammed his head in to the crystal causing it to crack and leak its mana. It was an accident, since then he has been unconscious along with the three priests in training that tried to catch him." The four of them have been healed but not woken up, it is worrying, I feel it is because of the lack of healing aura they have been around for so many years now, their bodies are a bit weak." Even though I am affected by this, I do not often feel my true age because I am within the healing aura even when I sleep." The high priest sighed in defeat, he had no such knowledge how to repair such damage and could only try to pour his own mana in to the crystal to create the aura. The plan had gone well until he drained his mana to a very slim amount and the crystal returned to leading more mana. The mana that was leaking from it was indeed light elemental aura but without being channeled through the crystal properly it was not healing anyone.

"We are going to try everything we can to help! You can count on use, we would hate to see anyone suffer, and we know that every member of the church feels the same." Su reassured the high priest which was met with a sad smile, he wanted to hope that this would prove true but had his doubts. 

He leaned back letting Su be free from his added stress, he knew that she could do much more good helping take care of those with heavier injuries. Su gave him a reassuring look and moved to the groups of injured. She quickly found work in those that needed bandages changed and put her knowledge in to practice. She could not re apply bandages as fast as the nuns or other healers but she was able to make a large difference. She was very aware of her surroundings since she was always trying to block an enemy attack. Every time someone near her needed a bandage, water, or even another hand she was already there.

The other healers saw her efforts and silently praised her, they would not stop their missions to say anything but every single one of them had started to idolize someone who was not a healer doing something so amazing. This bit of inspiration motivated every single one of them to work ,more efficiently and heal more. Many were on the ends of their mana and could not use healing spells but did what they could. They would work while they waited for their mana to regenerate. 

Walker was still distracting the elderly who seemed to be more and more impatient the longer they waited in line. They had been relying on the cathedral for years and years but now it was unable to help them as it always had. Seeing this Walker started to look about for another healer to jump in so he could try to remedy the greater problem, His sights fell on an unconscious girl laying on a bench. "Alice!" Walker was worried that she was ill but watched carefully and saw that she must have used all of her mana, he felt silly for his sudden outburst. The old woman that had just stepped in front of him noticed this.

"Oh, dear are you worried about Little Alice? You should really let her know when she wakes up, I am sure she would be more than happy to hear it." The old woman gave him a wink. 

"Miss I do apologize but I have realized that I need to solve this problem at the root. Can you please wait just a bit longer?" The old woman only smiled more and with another wink let him rush to Su.