The Golden slab or the Haloheart doesn't grant one skill to more than one person.
If the Veil heretic had the skill of exploding someone, then why would he use it on himself?
If he wanted to use it on himself anyway then he would have used it after making his point or before being captured by the Wardens.
He was brought to the Altar and the sun beam was burning him but then he exploded.
The Commoner questioned, what if someone else who had the skill of exploding someone used it during the prayer to do what they wanted because they sensed that someone from the Veil religion was about to do something?
What if they did what they wanted with no fear because they knew that only the Veil would be blamed?
And then that same person exploded the hollow-eyed man because his work was done.
The Commoner's words were understood by everyone.
Zane found some sense in that theory but before speaking, he waited for the Priest's answer, who just smiled.
"You are too young to know about the world, son."
The Commoner frowned. "That has nothing to do with my question. Just answer what I asked."
Zane raised his brows.
Can Commoners talk like this to Priests?
As far as Zane knew, the way the Commoner talked to the Priest was considered… too forward? Zane didn't know the correct term but if he felt that the Commoner shouldn't be talking like this then the Priest must have felt it hundred times faster. The Commoner was outright demanding an answer after all.
The Priest faced the Commoner and Zane's eyes tightened. He felt scared for the Commoner.
But the common man stared back at the Priest, still holding the pieces of meat on both his hands.
"What is your name?" The Priest asked.
"Xavier Reivax."
"Where do you live?"
"Grover street. House number 2. Beside the Lumen Reservoir."
The Priest nodded.
He placed his hand on Xavier's shoulder and smiled.
"So, Xavier, you think it's only the Haloheart which people can use to get powers?"
"Yes?"
The Priest laughed.
"That's not true. There are ways you can reach for more powers apart from the mercy of the Haloheart. I won't say their names or discuss them here as it is unholy to utter them. That aside, that Veil follower,"
Father turned to Zane.
"You saw everything from up close, son. Tell everyone what he did? Step by step."
Zane took a deep breath and shared the actions of the Hollow-eyed man.
He kept quiet about the intent and revealed everything else.
How he bit his thumb, spat it, and jerked his hand to throw his blood at Zane.
And how that blood exploded someone just by touching them.
The explanation ended and the Priest looked at Xavier.
"You hear that? It was something to do with blood. Some type of blood curser he was, Xavier. His blood fell on the unfortunate and they died. The First Flame announced his verdict on the heretic and punished him the same way he killed that innocent man. His blood bursts others so the First Flame bursted him."
The Priest patted Xavier's shoulder.
"Your logic, your thought process, your ideology, everything is wrong. Just because you think something shouldn't have happened as it happened, it doesn't make you right. It simply makes you arrogant and a fool, Xavier. I'll go as far as to call you an arrogant fool. Haha."
The Priest laughed and removed his hand from the Commoner.
Xavier opened his mouth but the Priest raised his hand.
"See this."
The Priest walked a few steps away from Xavier and then slammed his leg on the floor.
The impact was loud but more than the impact, something else caught everyone's eyes.
Something leaped up from the floor by the impact of the priest's leg and landed on the top of his staff.
Zane instantly recognized that.
"It's the thumb."
The Priest nodded.
"Yes. It's the thumb of that heretic. I will show you one more miracle of the First Flame."
The Father closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath.
Everyone stayed quiet and after a few seconds, the Priest opened his eyes.
He raised his staff in the air and jerked it upwards.
The thumb on the top flew in the air, going up and up.
It stayed in the light of the sun and what amazed everyone was that it never came down.
It stayed mid-air basking in the light and the next moment, the thumb caught fire.
Before they knew it, the thumb turned to ashes and just like the remains of the hollow-eyed man, the ashes of the thumb went to the sky as well.
The Priest spread his arms.
"The First Flame knows everything, children. The First Flame is the one and only and true God. The First Flame…"
The Father flashed a grin and with his bloodied presence, he looked like a fallen deity.
"He Is The Highest Of Us All!"
Silence stayed in the church and the Priest turned around.
He walked to the stage, his staff vanished.
His legs moved towards the door beside the stage and like that, the bloodied priest made his exit.
Zane and everyone else stayed in their place until a voice broke out.
"What are we waiting for? The session ended. Let's go."
It was Xavier and his words pulled everyone back to real time.
Zane was already in real time. He just didn't understand the limits of worship.
How far can one go to impress the supreme?
He shook his head and turned around.
No intent was in the air.
The danger had been dealt with.
He can finally leave.
He walked towards the door and left the church.
Enough prayer for the whole week.
Zane walked with no sight seeing, his eyes looking straight ahead.
Heads turned to him as he walked and he expected that.
He was covered in blood after all.
I was worried about explaining my broken nose. Now how would I explain this blood bath?
"Where are we going?"
"First the shop to get food and the statue of the First Flame and then my hom—wait. Why are you walking with me?"
In his thoughts, Zane didn't register that someone was beside him walking along.
And it was the worst person to walk with.
Xavier. The Commoner.
"I saved your life." Xavier said.
There it is.
Zane knew how helping worked. A favor would be asked. And helping a Gutterborn? An even bigger favor would be asked.
Xavier had thrown a random Gutterborn at Zane. Yes, he saved his life. But that man died. Xavier had enough strength to throw someone and he was heartless enough to throw someone to their deaths.
Zane wanted nothing to do with someone like that.
[ Ding! ]
Hmm?
The system rang just after Zane left the church.
He believed it would be another quest but…
[ Mandatory Quest Accomplished! ]
A small smile appeared on Zane's face. He had forgotten about it.
And as he remembered this, he remembered the failure of the system inside the church.
His smile vanished but before he could ask about the failure…
[ Hidden Quest Accomplished! ]
Another window appeared.