Chapter 12: A Callous Old Hack

Kara said, "Byron, about my father's illness…" Byron turned to her. "I've only stabilized your father's condition for now. To cure him completely, I need a few supplies." "What do you need?" Kara asked, her voice tight. "Talisman, cinnabar, Amberbane Wine…" Kara blinked, taken aback. Remembering the uncanny skill Byron had just shown, she chose to trust him. "Alright. I'll have someone prepare them right away." The gathered physicians burst into laughter. "Hah! What kind of nonsense is that? You think you can treat illness with that? Pure fantasy." A gray-haired doctor laughed until he nearly doubled over. "Ms. Thubron, don't let him fool you. That stuff can't heal anyone. He's just playing at the occult," a young physician urged. Byron shot the physicians a cold look, a cutting smile curling his lips. "You're a bunch of small-minded fools. You don't know a thing." His words hit a nerve. Accusations flew. "Young man, don't be so arrogant. You think a few parlor tricks can fool us?" snapped a bespectacled doctor. "That scam of yours will be exposed sooner or later!" another shouted. The ward erupted into chaos. Kara stepped forward to stop them. Just then, the door swung open. An elderly man in a traditional jacket strode in, accompanied by several assistants. It was Scott. He surveyed the scene, frowned, and asked, "What's going on here? What are you doing?" The doctors straightened, respect on their faces, and quickly explained. Scott listened, brow furrowed, his gaze traveling up and down Byron. Contempt and anger flashed in his eyes. "Ridiculous. How can you let someone like this treat Mr. Thubron?" Byron met his gaze, voice icy. "You're the so-called divine healer, Scott Helwick? You hacks have been here all this time and still can't figure out what's wrong with Mr. Thubron, and you've got the nerve to stand here?" Scott's temper exploded. "You ignorant brat, what do you know? Mr. Thubron's condition is rare. You don't even have a license to practice. What right do you have to question me?" The tension in the room spiked. Scott glared at Kara and barked, "Ms. Thubron, throw this insolent boy out immediately! Otherwise, I'm leaving right now and won't treat Mr. Thubron anymore." Kara faltered, torn between the famed healer and the man who had just worked a miracle. She pressed her lips together, trying to calm him. "Dr. Helwick, please. Byron spoke in the heat of the moment. Don't take it to heart. My father still needs your care." Scott cut her off, his tone steely. "Hmph. I've practiced in Jenos for years and never suffered such humiliation. Either he leaves or I leave. There's no third option." Byron watched Scott's bluster and felt a surge of annoyance. Without another word, he lunged, grabbed Scott by the collar, and slapped him hard across the face. Smack! The sharp sound echoed through the ward. Eyes went wide, everyone frozen in shock. Byron glared at him. "You heartless old hack, you treat people's lives like they're nothing. You can't cure a thing, yet you strut around. What right do you have?" Scott reeled, head buzzing, never imagining Byron would dare. His face flushed, fury blazing in his eyes. "You… you dare hit me! I'm a master healer! A master healer!" Byron didn't hesitate. His hand flashed again. Smack! Even harder. Two of his teeth went flying. Byron kept slapping him, punctuating each blow with a taunt, "You call yourself the 37th-generation descendant of Master Helwick, and you can't even figure out what's wrong with Mr. Thubron." "You've wasted all this time and accomplished nothing. You can't cure him, and you won't let anyone else try." "Today, I'll smash the face of a fraud like you." With a shove, Byron flung Scott aside, disgust on his face. Blood ran down Scott's face. A few men hauled him up. He trembled, shaking with rage, jabbing a finger at Byron as he roared at Kara, "Ms. Thubron, why are you just standing there? Call the police and have him arrested! He dared assault me. He thinks he's above the law! He's insulted me, and he's insulted the entire medical profession!" Scott raved, "If you don't come down hard on this punk, I promise you, no renowned doctor in Jenos will ever treat anyone from the Thubron family!" Kara's expression turned grave. Scott wasn't bluffing. Crossing Jenos's medical community over Byron would be costly. "Byron, you were too impulsive. Dr. Helwick represents the entire medical community here. What you've done makes this very hard to handle." The cool, imperious CEO looked at Byron, a trace of blame in her eyes. "There's nothing to agonize over, Ms. Thubron. Trash is still trash; they're useless." Byron spoke flatly. "You punk, what did you just say?!" the doctors yelled. Byron's voice stayed calm. "Ms. Thubron, once the items arrive, I'll cure your father and prove that Scott and these so-called doctors are nothing but useless old hacks." Kara hesitated, then made up her mind. She met Byron's gaze and decided to take the risk. "Alright, Byron. I'll give you twenty minutes. I'll wait to see how this turns out." "Hmph." Scott snorted. "Fine. I'll watch and see how this charlatan cure Mr. Thubron." Soon after, Kara's people delivered the talisman, cinnabar, and Amberbane Wine. Byron took them and began. He laid the talisman on the table and ground the cinnabar. A hush fell over the room as everyone watched. The doctors whispered, exchanging glances. "What's he doing?" "He's going to draw a talisman." "Talismans cure disease? It's absurd." "Exactly. What era is this? He's still peddling superstitious mumbo jumbo." Byron ignored them. When he finished the talisman, he placed it in the Amberbane Wine and muttered an incantation under his breath. As he spoke, the talisman dissolved. The wine seemed to surge with an unseen force. "Go." He splashed a bowlful of the wine over Monty. "Ugh…" Monty's body convulsed uncontrollably, pain twisting his face. Kara's voice shook. "Byron, what's happening to my father?" "Don't worry," Byron said, "This is normal. The curse in his body is being cleared out." "Ah!" A piercing cry ripped from Monty's throat. A shadowy wisp, unseen by the human eye, was forced out of him. Byron flicked a finger, almost casually. The shadow collapsed at once, as if it had never been. The tension in the room spiked again. Everyone watched Monty convulse, then fall suddenly still. Kara's heart clenched. She rushed to the bedside, her hand trembling as she checked his breathing. Nothing. The color drained from her face. "Dad!" Her voice cracked with despair and grief. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She'd thought Byron could save him, but now he was gone. The doctors shook their heads and sighed. A gray-haired physician sneered. "Hah. I said the kid was a fraud. Now look, he's killed the patient." A young doctor joined in. "Exactly. Ms. Thubron, you shouldn't have trusted someone like him. What do we do now?" Their voices overlapped, thick with mockery and gloating. Byron remained composed. He simply watched Monty, as if waiting for something to happen.