224 Cleansing

"Yeah sure, we'll grab you a spare," Pichard said heading into another room and coming out with a bunch of thick coats and tossing one to everyone.

As we made our way out of the church the crowd of homeless opened a pathway for us to pass bowing their heads in respect.

"So what happens normally in these ceremonies?" I questioned as we began making our way to the devastated area of the lower district.

"So purifying an area will rouse any lingering spirit which we will need to clear before Serra can bless the ground," Seraphine answered.

"Ohh okay, that makes sense." I nodded.

"So where will the cleansing going to take place?" Daisy questioned.

"It's going to bear near the front gates to the inner district where the last stand was made," Laila answered.

"So how many casualties were there?" I questioned quietly noticing the devastation Paul caused trying to defend the city.

"Luckily we only lost a quarter of our guardsman, mostly those that stayed behind to hold back the Dark Elves while the majority of Atlantis and guards retreated," Seraphine answered as we approached the main wall. Flashbacks began to fill my mind of Paul practically sacrificing himself holding back the large beams that were used against us. The scene was absolutely horrifying, frozen remains of Dark Elves littered the ground along with the remains of what used to be the lower district.

"Are you sure it's going to safe to cleanse this area, there are so many bodies," I questioned them.

"My mother told me it should be safe, Dark Elves souls generally return to their Goddess and don't linger since they died in battle," Seraphine answered.

"How long will it take to rebuild this part of the city?" I questioned.

"To be honest I don't even think I would see it rebuilt in my lifetime, I really doubt he would be able to move such a vast amount of resources and that's not even including the manpower to have it all built." She answered.

"Well he is the Black Dragon Slayer, I'm sure he has something planned." Pichard smiled.

"So Brother Ezechiel I noticed that you don't have a weapon, mind if I ask how you approach combat?" Daisy asked politely.

"Oh! I have a hand crossbow, with a side quiver of holy bolts. I also similar to your friend Emilia cast spells but they are normally Divine spells." He answered parting his robe and his leather cape showing her a small beautifully engraved hand crossbow strapped to his side and on the other side a small pouch of bolts.

"By the way, if anything goes awry, stand behind Pichard and me. We are trained in defence and keeping our opponents at bay." Seraphine ordered us, making us all nod in understanding.

"It's very big," I commented noticing the size of the cleared area was equivalent to a small pitch.

"Yeah, think the council also plan to erect a monument as well," Seraphine answered.

"So what shall we do?" I questioned.

"Just help with dispatching some of the spirits." Seraphine smiled.

I began closing my eye's focusing on everything around me, I instantly began to relax as a tiny spec of warmth only made noticeable due to the extremely cold weather, radiated from what seemed to the central point of the city. 'I wonder who is with him today....' I pondered.

"Okay everyone, into formations Daisy you take the central point," Seraphine ordered as her group began standing in what seemed to be a square with Daisy in the middle kneeling down and began to pray. Instantaneously a fair yellow golden aura began to radiate out of them and began filling the area with a very faint yellow mist, giving off a very slight warm and safe feeling.

"Back in my world, stuff like this doesn't happen," I said to Grace.

"What do you mean?" She questioned.

"Well, where I'm from it's like a faith, you just have to believe," I answered.

"Yeah like how Daisy and the others they believe in Serra." She answered not understanding what I'm trying to convey.

"What I mean is that in my world beliefs and faiths can't really be felt, like here." I tried explaining better.

"I'm not sure how your world works Emilia, but here once upon a time Mortals and Gods lived side by side together after defeating the Chained Oblivion the God's left the mortal realm forever sealing off themselves and all Deities from their mortal races. Maybe in your world, it's the same, your God cannot for some reason interact with its followers like how Serra can." Grace explained.

"Yeah, I think Jay already explained that to me." I nodded still wondering what it feels like to actually feel the presence of a God.

"Don't worry trust me, there are Gods out there looking out for us, even now they still send envoys and visions to save mortals from peril," Grace answered.

"They do?" I questioned.

"Yeah, it's a well-known fact that Svargmar is actual descendants of Celestial good beings and that often they will see visions and warning of upcoming events and what needs to be done," Grace answered.

"Do you know anything about seer's or fortune tellers?" I questioned curiously.

"Well there are many, whether they are real or not, I can't be certain." She answered.

"By the way, if we are fighting ghosts and stuff are you sure your arrows can hit them? ghosts being incorporeal and stuff?" I questioned.

"I haven't come across Ghosts before, but my bow is made from Enchanted Fey wood so arrows I shoot using my bow are enchanted a little." Grace smiled.

"Any my magic should be able to hit it right?" I questioned.

"Yes only mundane and nonmagical attacks would pass through them, that's why usually clerics and paladins are called upon for Exorcisms and cleansings," Grace nodded.

"I see, by the way, can you sense if Paul is here?" I questioned curiously.

"What you mean?" Grace questioned.

"You know when we get that feeling when we meet another Arcanum user....." I tried to explain.

"To be honest he gives off a very weird feeling like whenever I'm nearby he feels like a mundane human but I know he's powerful," She answered.

"Yeah, he explained that he's trained in masking his presence from others. I don't exactly know why but for some reason I can kinda sense him," I confessed.

"What like right now?" She questioned.

"Yeah, it's very faint because he's so far away," I confessed.

"Interesting and you're sure it's him?" She questioned curiously.

"I think so, it's weird ever since we first met he's always emanating this feeling to me, and for some reason, I can also to some degree tell how he's feeling..." I confeseed.

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of anything like that before." Grace chuckled.

"Grace mind if I ask another question?" I politely asked.

"Sure." She smiled still keeping an eye on the ceremony.

"So if you have a vision that predicted the loss of a friend, what would you do about it?" I questioned curiously.

"Have you had a vision of one of us dying?" She instantly questioned in shock.

"No not at all, it's just the premise of a story I've been reading and was wondering what you would do if you were in the same situation." I lied to her.

"Hmmm, that's a tricky one, on one hand, you can try and prevent it but in the process trying to prevent it ends up fulfilling the vision or prophecy. Or do nothing and the vision happens anyways..... fate and destiny are fickle sadly, but if I was given a vision of saying the passing of one of you guys, then I don't think I can just sit idly by and let it happen." She answered her chin resting on her hand pondering it for a few seconds.

I felt quite struck by her maturity at such an age, I couldn't even fathom the difference in upbringings and how different each of our upbringings and just how different this world is.

One by one Pichard, Daisy, Laila, Seraphine and Ezechiel stood up, each of their holy glow radiating outwards like the ground itself like a beacon of holiness shooting up into the sky. Reaching into their bags they pulled out a handful of what seemed like gold dust and tossed it into the air filling the sky with beautiful glowing gold particles. Each of their hands glow golden as they reached into their armour pulling out a small ornate dagger and plunged it into the ground.

The strong golden yellow glow was suddenly met with a dark greenish glow that began to crack out the ground like fissures. "This is the final step, be ready team." Seraphine order with a loud commanding voice.