Onyx had been going through what Ibis would need to know. He had secretly had copies made of all the books that he had found about abyssal serpents. He had also had some things written down that he had learned about himself as he grew. The same was set up for heavenly serpents but it was much less knowledge.


    "Alice, I think we will have more hatchlingster today." Onyx had checked the remaining abyssal serpent eggs. All appeared to be close to hatching in his opinion. The heavenly serpent eggs were also gathering light elemental mana at a decent rate.


    "Mhm." Alice was sitting after a performance softly stroking Arora''s head. Arora appeared to be very happy with this situation since she had gained a lot of light elemental mana on top of the attention.


    "I think so too. It will be very lively over here. Just watch out, by the time we are back from the volcanova fields they might have grown up." Walker''s smallment made Onyx''s eyes widen slightly. He didn''t want to think that the hatchlings would ever grow up and not need him. In the short time he had been teaching them, Onyx had be very attached.


    "They will always need family." The calm response from Alice was just what onyx needed to hear.


    "How am I supposed to tease my little brother if you are going to undermine me like that." Alice just smirked while Onyx felt he had witnessed a victory for Alice.


    "Brother, what are you here for today? Have youe just to see the hatchlings? They are resting now." Onyx wasn''t sure what Walker had nned.


    "I mostly came to see you two. I wanted to spend some time before we have to head off to the heat of the volcanoes. I know you are nning toe along since Ibis is here, but Alice is staying from what I understand." There was a little sadness in Walker''s voice. He wanted to spend more time with Alice as well.


    "I am staying…Near Genesis." She was shy. But she took a deep breath to prepare herself. "I am going to a nearby vige that had some problems." She was ready to take on such a task for herself. This was a very big deal for any member of the cathedral.


    "Is this what the high priest has spoken about before? Are you leaving on a healing quest the way other priests and healers do?" The excitement built in Walker''s voice. He wasn''t afraid that Alice would end up hurt. He was excited because he knew how big of a deal a journey like this was for any healer in the cathedral. This sort of quest was a major rite of passage.


    "Alice is! I helped her with the route nning."Onyx slithered over toward a nearby table and snatched a rolled up paper with his tail. He whipped it toward Walker who easily grabbed the paper out of the air.


    "Oh, I see. You are going a little closer to the demonnd border. But the vige is right near the start of the demonic forest. That must mean that the problem is demonic monster rted?" Walker''s eyes narrowed. He knew how dangerous demonic monsters were.


    Everyone knew how demonic monsters were driven by their desires. They had no chances of ever gaining sentience. Being able to control them was something many thought impossible. Walker could only recall one person he had met or heard of controlling demonic boars.


    After a deep breath of his own, Walker looked at Alice. "I shouldn''t be doing this since I was a little too energetic in my training yesterday, but show me what makes you think you will be safe going against potential demonic monsters." Without another word, Walker started to walk out of the cathedral. He was moving right to the back where there was a ce for him and Alice to train.,


    Since there had been so much destruction due to training. The high priest had broken and had the space erged. He hade up with a few ns to use the space to train the healers to avoid dangers while healing. It was a very bright idea since many of the healers would be out in the worlde the next few years. Genesis was growing and there had already been multiple healers that had gone out to face monsters.


    With the potential freeing of the demons soon, it made sense that healers would be in the midst of a real war. There were demons that like the corruption and evil within theirnds. They would fight to the death to defend that. No one could fault them for fighting for what they believed. But they could fault them for the atrocities theymitted in their lives.


    "Brother, Alice can go without-"


    "Onyx. this isn''t about whether she can or can not. This is about whether she will be able to protect others and herself." Holding a life in her hands was normal for Alice. But that life was one she might be healing. Not taking.


    The entire party had seen Alice defeat monsters. That was a fact. She had been able to steel herself and defeat them with rtive ease. Yet, none had put her against a sentient being. A demon arriving where she would be going was very low in probability. However, the chance that a corrupt demon leaving through the border would be there. Walker wanted to ensure that the woman he had just started to truly love would be safe.


    "You won''t win easily." The look that Alice was giving Walker would have caused most people to get chills. She knew that this was not aughing matter. She had even had Arora slither off of her arm toward Onyx. She was being extremely serious.


    …..


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