99 A Fractured Empire III

Angelia's eyes looked cold as the night's breeze when she saw the mob of people outside the gate of the temple. It was difficult to tell what she was feeling or if she was feeling anything. With her index finger, she brushed her long platinum-colored hair behind her ear.

The first step was hers to take as she walked towards the mob of people.

There was only one entrance into the temple; they all knew that. The only thing was that these people were in their way of getting to it. With things as they were now, it was unknown if these citizens would lash out at Jacob's group. If that happened, he was unsure how he would act.

For now, he chose to remain silent and follow Angelia's lead. She may have a plan for how to deal with this.

Behind him was Matthew, who was on high alert, ready to cut down anyone that dared jump out.

"You! What are you doing here?"

A voice asked from within the mob of people, but Jacob could not determine who it belonged to. The voice caused the others to take note of Jacob's group.

"They are the ones who started this. They've looked down on us for too long! The world is this way because of them! We are like this because of them!"

Another voice shouted from within the crowd.

Jacob did not like this. Someone or a few people were riling these people up, trying to turn their anger into a weapon that was pointing towards them.

As one of the citizens holding a makeshift spear came forth. His large face was full of the red blisters that were starting to ooze white puss. His face was swollen, and his eyes bloodshot red.

Matthew seemed to move his right hand over his chest plate and clutched his hand tightly as he saw the man.

"May Nessa bless us."

He said softly, barely audible to anyone around, but Jacob still heard him.

Even Angelia halted in her footsteps for a moment.

"Ignorant."

Angelia said as she snorted.

"Look at them! See how they are not infected. It is because they poisoned us, infected us with some disease. These nobles always wanted us gone, and now they are finally doing it."

The man with the swollen face told the crowd as he pointed towards Jacob's group. All of whom were perfectly fine.

The man's voice lit a spark in the raging mob; his words were true. Why were these nobles not in pain? Why did they not have blisters? It must have been them who did this. If not, then who?

"What purpose would any noble have releasing Devils Dust in our city? Even if we did - which we did not do - Why would we waste it on any of you?"

Angelia asked as black mist started to twist around her, giving the commoners before her a fright.

Jacob shook his head as he clasped her shoulder.

"It's pointless talking to them at a time like this. Logic does not work."

Jacob looked at the crowd. He did not have a spell that could cure him, and his basic cure would not work. But he knew people that did.

If it were not for Angelia, he would not have even known what they had was Devils Dust. Now that he knew, he could relieve their pain and get rid of the disease.

"You all want to be cured, right? I can help you. It'll just take me a few moments. You need to let us pass so we can enter the temple."

Jacob told them, but Angelia looked at him with confusion. He was telling her that talking to them was pointless, so why was he even trying? That seemed a bit hypocritical to her.

"Why should we believe you? All the stores we've been to are closed, and we cannot find any ingredients to cure it! You lie, noble! You lie!"

Another voice yelled out.

"I'm not giving you a choice in this matter. You either move and wait to be cured, or we will cut you down. I prefer the former than the latter."

Jacob's eyes narrowed as he placed his hand on the hilt of his mace.

Behind him, Matthew released an overbearing aura that washed over them all. Jacob and Angelia stood tall just fine, but for the commoners, they found it hard to breathe, let alone stand.

The aura only lasted for three seconds, but for them, it felt like hours. Sweat dripped down their face, and their shirts clung tightly to their skin. As they looked at Jacob's group once more, they all took a few steps back.

Their group of three went towards the gate and entered the holy grounds of the temple with ease. A few commoners tried to rush in after them but were thrown back by the barrier protecting the place.

"Don't forget your words, or I will curse you and your family as I breathe my last breath. I will haunt you in death until you die. Do not forget what you have said."

Someone in a raspy voice called out.

Jacob heard him but did not fear him.

Inside the temple, he saw ten priests holding hands in a circle chanting. The white floor beneath their feet was shining gold. These ten priests were the ones conjuring the barrier that protected the temple and the ones that were keeping it going.

'It's not enough.'

Jacob thought to himself as he watched them.

Against the rebels, this was not enough to protect them. Jacob knew that for a fact. This temple fell along with the city, and there was little they could do about it.

"Lord Lezhalt."

A voice called out to him as he turned his head to find the owner. He knew who it belonged to before he even saw her face.

"Leah, just the person I wanted to see."

Leah was wearing her robes and veil, but even then, Jacob could see that she was taken back by his words.

"What can I do for you?"

Leah asked.

"As you have already noticed, things are happening within the city as well as outside of it. To sum up, what I need from you is simple, I need the temple's help."

Leah furrowed her brows slightly.

"Why... What exactly does that entail, and why do you need the help of our priests? I'm thankful for all that you have done, but... this is our temple. We cannot abandon it just because you say so."

Jacob feared this would happen, but he hoped it would not. His influence over the church in the city was significant but not that great. For Leah to help him was easy, but for her to have the entire church help him was not.

"There are injured people throughout the city, many of which are helpless and cannot seek help themselves. The soldiers that are still out there fighting need protection, and they cannot stand alone. Someone has to work to keep them alive because if they fall, then so does this place."

Leah raised her hand as she covered her mouth in alarm.

"Popostrious! Who would dare attack the dwelling of the devoted followers of the Mother Almighty?"

"Those who give a rats ass about the mother herself and her followers. The same ones the order has turned their back on time and time again, forsaken them because they were less noble or did not contribute enough. You are not to blame for this. Neither am I. Yet, we are going to face their wrath, and it is better to stand together than fight alone."

His words caused Leah to know who Jacob was referring to instantly. She knew it all too well because she had seen it many times. In her days as a lowly Adept that practiced the most basic spells, until now a full-fledged high priest. The commoners lacked the riches of the nobles but held the same faith as the priests. They were turned away many times in the past for simple healing spells that were a minor cost to the priests themselves.

It's been a while since she's turned anyone away from being treated, especially now that she was running the show.

"They would never. Even if I could, I can't. We are already providing the energy necessary to hold this barrier. Without it, people will rush here. You know what this temple holds. Those wishing for riches will surely come if they haven't tried to already."

Jacob nodded at this remark.

"Forgo the barrier. You need to send a few priests to Dauntless to provide healing for the knights. The rest can stay here until we secure help from the guards. That way, someone can protect this place while we divide your priests into groups to support the others."

Jacob paused for a second as he thought back to those outside the temple gates.

"Can anyone here cast Divine Sermon?"

Leah nodded.

"All of us high priests can cast it, but why are you asking? That's not something we use lightly."

Jacob hesitated in his response. This was something new to him as the spell was a high-ranked healing spell, but it was not the best one there was. It should not cost the priests anything to cast it.

Still, there were other differences between this world and the game, so he was not too bothered by it.

"Luckily, we do not need to cast it often. Right now, there is a mob of citizens outside the gates who want to come in. They all have contracted Devils Dust."

Jacob could not see it, but Leah's eyes widened. It was a normal reaction to have as Devils Dust has not been seen in years.

"You want us to cast a divine spell for that? Are you out of your mind?"

Jacob shook his head.

"We either do that or let those people die. You already know what happens if they die, right?"

Leah sighed.

It was out of the ordinary to use such a spell for a disease such as that, but in the time before she was born, that's precisely what the church did. Methods like that were forgone now that medicine has advanced to the point where normal elixirs and potions could treat most illnesses and diseases. It was also the main reason the order turned the commoners away from what she recalled.

The healing they asked for could easily be treated with a potion. Yet, that cost money which was not something they had much of.

"I will not let my priests remove the barrier, but I shall provide you with what you need. When someone comes to guard the temple, then I will send out more. Until then, they stay."

Leah turned to look at another veiled figure holding a hefty scripture. She nodded her head, and the veiled figure approached.

"Lord."

The voice said politely as they slightly bowed their head.

"Amelia."

Jacob responded.

"Amelia, inform the other high priests that their prime disciples shall head towards Dauntless to heal the knights. Emphasize that it is to our benefit that the knights do not fall or else our temple might not see tomorrow."

Jacob doubted those words were true as it would take the rebels some time to kill off everyone. Still, he kept his mouth shut.

With that out of the way, Leah looked back at Jacob.

"Let's go. I'll treat them right now."

As they walked out of the temple, Leah walked next to Jacob. Anglia and Matthew both followed behind them.

"Don't think I have not noticed what you are wielding. I do not know how you have it, but I will find out."

Jacob smiled wryly as he nearly forgot his mace was obtained here.

"I would also like to understand why you are emitting a holy aura. It is quite strange considering only Cardinals and Crusaders have it. You are not one of those..."

Leah commented.

Jacob had a feeling this holy aura was why people seemed to look at him with this newfound respect and awe. They all seemed to believe he was blessed.

"No idea."

Leah was silent for a second before she spoke again.

"You need to get it in check. Bishop Quayle already tried to force you to join the order. Now that the others have witnessed your aura, you can be sure that the templars will be on their way here. This is not something I can stop, nor can you scheme your way out of it."

Jacob groaned. He did not want to deal with the church. They were indeed a pain.

"Noted. We still need to survive before that."

Their group reached the temple gates, where the mob of citizens was still gathered. From his view, Jacob saw that more gathered here, and their symptoms seemed to progress even further.

"In the name that is holy!"

Leah yelped as she saw them.

They were beyond the first stage of Devils Dust. Leah feared that they were already nearing the end. She had to work fast if she wanted to save them.

Clutching the cross hanging from her neck, Leah started chanting. A light shone from her hand that gripped the silver necklace tightly.

A ten-meter white and gold circle emerged beneath her. There were words on the ring, ones that no one could even comprehend. The energy being released from it was warm and made Jacob feel as if he was a child in his mother's embrace.

As the light grew brighter, the energy being released tripled. Golden dust floated around all those present in the circle, landing on their skin, going in through their noses.

Their blisters were being healed, their swollen faces going back down to normal. Red dust slowly came out of their noses and floated into the air, vanishing from the world.

There was more to this spell than just a cure for diseases. It healed all wounds that were not life-threatening. There were only two spells above it, which could bring a person back to full health as long as they still had a breath left in them.

The divine spell lasted ten seconds, but it was well worth it. Jacob could see the smiles appearing on the commoner's faces, clearly delighted that they were helped.

This was how things were supposed to be. He was glad.