Master Of None

Chapter 2210: 2210. Faded Light

The travel was quick as could be with walker's magic skills. He easily made use of both the wind mana and some earth mana to make a literal flying platform for everyone. This was more comfortable than being lifted and just floating along. Or at least that's what everyone told Walker.

It did have the downside of Walker needing to keep a closer eye on Erica though. When Alice had stopped showing her some of her light magic, Erica had begun to lean dangerously over the edge of their little platform. Naturally, Walker had used wind magic to stop her from falling here and there.

The look in her little dragon hatchling eyes captured the hearts of Alice's group though. They were completely captured by Erica and Walker had a feeling that she would end up with the cathedral more than what anyone else expected. As a babysitter for her, He wondered just how acceptable it would be if he left her with some of the training healers for a day or so to learn a bit here and there.

Regardless, when they arrived near Genesis, there was a little commotion since the guards were surprised that Walker was casually landing right in front of the cathedral. There were some rules to flying through Genesis now, and a large platform of earth floating raised a few worries.

Not that it all didn't work out. They saw Walker and understood that things were very safe. They even had a few onlookers move over for safety so that there was absolutely no risk to them being hit by any earth or wind that Walker controlled. Definitely a great perk of knowing the guards and having a good relationship with them.

The return of Alice's group made a bigger stir as the nuns, priests, and healers noticed them. They all rushed to ask how the journey was. Especially since they had traveled through some of the newly expanded wilderness and even encountered a few monsters.

The stories that they had would captivate their fellows for a while. Not that this was the priority. Walker knew very well that Alice had someone else to see.

The high priest.

While returned, the high priest was still pretty active usually. He would move about the cathedral grounds and the cathedral itself helping others. Once he had decided on who would take over for him and how, he had dedicated himself to being always available to give advice and show off methods he used to train himself in his skills. Hje even brought the newest healers together to give a lesson about how he first learned to use his healing skills.

This had allowed most of his knowledge to be sent down to others in a way. Living records of his lessons. It was exactly what everyone hoped to impart on to the future. On to the youngest generation.

The best part was, that the high priest had even seen a few new types of healers. He had been amazed when he saw them and even more surprised that they were able to use his meditation methods so that they could also grow in the same way he had while having different affinities.

When he had taken on a student with opposite affinity to almost every healer they had in the cathedral, many had been shocked. The shadow healer was not a normal healer at all. The dark mana that they sued was known for decay effects and not healing at all.

Yet, this shadow healer could use the decay to rot away at the injuries themselves, causing a flare in life mana which healed the body faster. While a delicate balance, it was astounding to many who researched healing overall. No one had expected that the concept of dark manas' decaying effects were not just in rotting something like plants or items. Instead, rotting the very existence of a wound was possible.

The wound itself wouldn't show decaying effects, instead it was the damaged areas that were decayed by the dark shadows wrapping it. Then as a natural resistance to being decayed while alive, the body would flare to life with more of the innate life mana within flowing through them entirely.

While this made the shadow healer rely on the strength of the one they were healing, it made healing deeper wounds possible. Especially internal wounds which were harder to see. The dark mana could more fluidly move through the body to find those damaged aspects compared to light which was better overall on visible injuries. Hence why healers took higher skills or longer time to heal deeper internal wounds.

Those thoughts aside, Walker found that the high priest was resting in his room. A few of the healers nearby clearly worried over him. They had water at the ready in case he asked along with a few small snacks too. They had been taking very good care of him since he had begun to say that he needed more rest even under the whaling light effects within the cathedral.

When he and Alice walked in, Walker noticed that the high priest was clearly more pale than usual. He also looked more tired too. It was in the circles under his eyes and the wrinkles from years of working hard to heal all those that came to him. Evidence of his struggles and

successes.

"Oh, you came back quicker than what I would have expected. How was it? Your adventure? Fight off monsters? Or did you sneak through the night to avoid a wolf pack or two?" the high priest laughed a little before leaning back again. Clearly, he was having some harder times staying away.

"Walker came to pick me up. I was able to come home to you sooner. He told me that you have been tired lately. I was worried." there was a feeling nagging at Alice. The same feeling nagging at Walker.

"Worried about me? It's me who worries about you... what would I have done without you in my life? Would I have managed to lead everyone properly?" The high priest wasn't looking at Alice. He was looking at what she had been in his memories. The little baby left at a church. The toddler that ran through the church hiding from him. The young woman growing in to a brilliant saintess that represented kindness itself.

"I don't need to worry though. You're too big for that. You have people to lean on." His eyes drifted toward Walker with a small smile. "I would prefer to see more though." He hadn't managed to see grandchildren, his daughter married, or what the cathedral would become as time went on.

So many possibilities and he might miss them because he was laying in a bed too tired to get up much lately. How annoying that was. It was the very feeling that many people his age had. A common feeling for all races when they got older.

"It's just what it is. Time is fickle and slips away from us like the bright sun setting." Walker felt that he was right. The high priest knew exactly what was happening. He knew that the high priest could feel it. That he might be healthy, but his time was reaching the end of what it should be on this world.

"Then can I ask you something?" the high priest smiled a little. Alice also looked at Walker with some curiosity breaking the sadness she had begun to exhibit as she understood the feeling she had when looking at the high priest.

"I know that you have trusted me to take care of Alice. To protect her whenever I can. And I fully intend to do that. But I am pretty dumb sometimes. I space out and miss things right in front of my face. I even let my emotions get a hold of me when I realize how I really feel."

"What I am asking is, can I have your honors to properly bond with your daughter in marriage when we are ready? Regardless of all that may affect us. Regardless of time itself. Can I have that honor?" there was unrestrained shock on Alice's face. She hadn't seen Walker asking this. But she had hoped she wouldn't ever lose Walker to anyone else. Unspoken feelings. "It took you a bit too long to ask that flat out. But I told you a while ago that I trusted you with her. I'm glad you understand now. It's better that you do. Especially since I have a ring in that side table drawer. It was one that my mother wore once upon a time. I intended to pass it down to Alice when she was older. This is better."

As Alice took the ring out, she held the high priests' hand. "And that smile is why I waited for the right time. It's the only thing I ever want to see..." the high priest fell asleep then and there. As if every bit of energy he had left was exhausted.

Even with the sun high in the sky, the night came quickly as the light had faded just a little more than normal that day. Some noticed it more than others. Some just felt that there was a cloud passing by. To some though, a piece of the light itself had gone missing.

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