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(Xyrean Province- Inner Regions)

(The Mermaid\'s Lake- Unnamed Settlement)

"Good morning, Father Han! Bright sunny day today, isn\'t it?"

"Father Han! It is good to see you!"

"Praise the Lord… praise the lord… praise the lord!"

Father Han smiled warmly and waved as he walked slowly through the settlement that was still being constructed.

In ordinary circumstances he would be pleased with the progress that was being made. Several buildings had already been completed and now everyone seemed to be hard at work.

Those with abilities and those who did not have any gifts worked together side by side to create a better future.

Men and women standing side by side with a common goal.

It was a heartwarming sight.

Father Han let out a heavy sigh as he looked up at the bright sun that was covering the world with a soft gentle glow.

Despite the beautiful day… his mood was actually quite low.

The gorgeous woman with otherworldly beauty had somehow managed to escape from the church without alerting anyone.

Sister Guan had even been wandering around the church at night but did not hear any strange noises or report any suspicious activity.

It was a complete mystery how the pretty stranger had managed to disappear. Father Han walked towards the lake and sat down under the shade of a nearby tree.

A cool breeze blew through the clearing and gently brushed against the side of his face. The middle-aged man coughed twice and reached into his pocket for a handkerchief.

Father Han blew heavily into the rag and then placed it back into his black robes. The disappearance of Eve had led to an important question to linger on his mind.

Especially since he knew that he had given Eve an ability that was so strong that it caused him to briefly fall unconscious.

He had always assumed that those who received his gift became loyal to him but in that case why would Eve escape without his order?

Did his ability to give gifts not work in the way that he initially assumed?

Father Han felt goosebumps erupt on his arms as he thought of a terrifying possibility.

If Eve was not affected by his influence, then… what if others weren\'t as well? What if it was only a matter of time before these simple honest farmer folk decided to turn on him?

Paranoia and fear filled the old priest\'s thoughts as he watched the farmers build the settlement with an increasing amount of suspicion in his gaze.

No… what could he do? He couldn\'t die like this…

Father Han began to hyperventilate as images of zombies tearing into the flesh of screaming men and women resurfaced in his mind.

The middle-aged priest had only seen one instance of a zombie attack, but it was enough to cause him to have nightmares whenever he slept.

His life had turned completely upside down and the only thing that he had to rely on in this crazy new reality was a useless ability to give others special powers!

Why would God give his servant such a harsh trial?!

Father Han was so lost in his own thoughts that he did not notice the nun dressed in plain white clothing walking towards him.

"Father Han…" a soft voice whispered.

The middle-aged priest instantly adjusted the panicked expression on his face and turned to face Sister Guan with a look of confidence and serenity.

"Yes, my child?" Father Han asked with a warm smile on his face.

"My gift… it is getting stronger by the day… I feel god\'s blessing shining down on me," Sister Guan clasped her hands together and praised.

She failed to notice the ugly look that flashed across the priest\'s face as she excitedly talked about the changes to her ability.

"Why don\'t you use it so that I may see how the Lord has blessed you," Father Han gently suggested as he struggled to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

Sister Guan nodded and stretched out her right hand. Numerous spikes made from earth and rock shot out from the ground.

Each spike was around ten feet in length and their pointed ends glistened under the sunlight.

The plainly dressed nun slammed down her fist and the spikes broke apart into piles of dirt and rubble.

"Impressive… the lord… has truly…" Father Han reluctantly spoke as he closed his eyes and pretended to be speaking to God.

Sister Guan knelt down and muttered a soft prayer under her breath as she thanked the Lord for giving her this gift.

She did not notice or rather… she did not care about the heavy wrinkles that appeared on her face and arms.

The nun\'s use of her ability seemed to have aged her by around five years.

Father Han glanced at the piles of dirt and briefly imagined one of those spikes jutting out of the ground from under his feet.

Sister Guan could probably kill him with one thought. Such was the terrifying nature of those with abilities.

Zombies were scary but there was nothing more horrifying than the darkness hidden inside the human heart.

It was this fact that Father Han understood very well which is why he desperately tried to engrain himself in the hearts of these simple folk as their saviour.

"Sir… when will the next gifting ceremony take place?" Sister Guan asked politely as she stood up from the ground and brushed some dirt away from the bottom of her robe.

Another ceremony?

The warm smile on Father Han\'s face briefly cracked as a wave of exhaustion hit him all at once.

He had barely recovered from giving Eve an ability and now this woman wanted him to use his gift on more people.

Father Han took in a few deep breaths in order to calm himself down and then begun to think. It was important that he didn\'t act flustered.

Confidence was key in maintaining his image as a messenger of God and any hesitation would create cracks in the illusion that he created.

God was flawless and therefore his vessel also had to be flawless.

It was an incredibly difficult task but after a few weeks it had now become second nature to the old priest.

"My child… the ceremony will occur in one week from now. The Lord is pleased with the good work that his flock has done to create this paradise," Father Han slowly spoke.

"He rewards those who serve him loyally and faithfully. Your ability has only grown because you worship and serve him wholeheartedly."

"Spread this message among the other ability users that the path to gain more strength is only through good actions and thoughts."

Father Han could only hope that this speech would be enough to prevent any more unexpected actions or betrayals for the time being.