'It's… actually real…' Murphy thought, withdrawing his gaze from the faithful, who now brimmed with a subtle vitality, and looking back toward the altar.
Pope Ete I had clearly felt it, too. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the sharp glint in his gaze seemed to have intensified, and his gaunt face had even filled out, taking on a faint, ruddy glow.
As the Pope, he was clearly receiving the most direct benefits.
HUMMM!
The ripples of the bell's toll continued to spread, crossing the square, flooding the streets, and sweeping through every corner of the Holy City.
In the eastern slums, an old man bedridden with illness suddenly found his breathing eased.
In a southern workshop, a craftsman discovered the scars from an old burn were fading.
Even in the northern stables, a packhorse, lame with age, seemed revitalized and gave a loud snort.
