Shadow Healer [The Blood Phoenix awakens]

When trouble comes knocking

“Akira, what do you think about the quiz this time? It was too difficult.” Brad whined, his shoulders slumped as he made his way through the courtyard.

“Difficult?” Akira echoed, his brows slightly narrowed in confusion. “It was very simple. I wrote everything.”

“Hey!” An excited voice shouting interrupted them.

Akira turned to see Michael waving at them. He had run all the way to the medical college from his business faculty to go home with them. Another boy was behind him, Gavin, Michael’s good friend and course mate.

They finally caught up with them, with Michael panting. “I thought I wouldn't catch up.”

He finally noticed the stunned expression on Brad’s face, and his brows slightly furrowed. “What's wrong, Brad?”

“Akira was saying the research methodology quiz was too simple. I didn't write half of it!”

Michael shrugged. “Well, Akira has always been intelligent—almost genius level.”

Brad sighed helplessly. “He didn't sleep last night. Wasn't Akira the person who couldn't function properly without a good night's rest? But he's actually fine, and even wrote well.”

Akira coughed, subtly changing the topic.

“Um, I'm hungry. Guys, there's this new restaurant I saw on the notice board a while ago. Why don't we go check it out?”

Their faces fell, and Gavin smiled wryly.

“That place is really expensive. One meal there would be several months of school expenses.”

Brad smiled broadly, placing his arms around Akira and Gavin. “Let's go to the noodle shop. Their noodles are always the best.”

Akira turned to him, confident and relaxed. “Let's go to the restaurant, my treat.” The excitement on Akira's face was palpable.

“I can also get some for my mom, I heard their pork knuckles…” Akira's words trailed off, and the light in his eyes died.

His roommates froze, giving him cautious glances.

Akira's heart felt heavier than lead, the excitement seeping out of him. He totally forgot his mother was dead and cremated. Even with tons of money in his bag, he had no one to spend it on.

His mother, the one person who should matter, was no longer with him.

“Yo! Isn't that the thieving pauper who was fired by City hospital?” Marcel's loud voice made everyone change focus.

People in the courtyard turned to watch the drama. Akira turned too. His eyes flashed a frightening russet, and rage boiled over in his veins. Here comes the chief culprits behind his mother's death.

They still dared to show their faces after everything they've done. Totally shameless. Remorseless.

If he didn't tear them apart, he wouldn't be reconciled.

Evelina chuckled on seeing Akira's furious expression. “Oh? You're still alive? How's your bitch mother? I heard she couldn't make it.”

“You!” Akira snarled, low and animalistic, his hand going straight to Evelina's throat.

His eyes flashed a deadly russet, and he raised her up, his arms getting tighter and tighter around her neck.

Evelina’s legs left the floor, her eyes bulging, face turning flushed from asphyxia.

Marcel’s arrogant smile froze as he beheld the scene with horror. The rest were transfixed to the spot, like an unknown being was holding them down.

“You bitch!” Akira growled. “You stole my money. You killed my mother. And you dare to taunt me about it? How about I send you to keep her company? Disgusting leeches like you do not deserve to live!”

Marcel finally snapped out of his initial shock, and pointed at Akira with trembling hands. “Let her go immediately, or I make you suffer the consequences.”

Akira turned to look at him. Marcel gasped and staggered back, his legs going weak. That look in Akira's eyes… like he could devour him whole. He's no longer human. He's a monster!

With shaky hands, he reached for his phone, placing an urgent call to his family's guards.

Brad grabbed Akira by the arm, urgently tapping the hand holding Evelina by the throat.

“Akira, calm down. You might kill her!”

“She deserves it! She killed my mother and still dared to taunt me about it. How dare she?”

“He's gone crazy! He's lost it! What's he doing?” The passers-by went into a frenzy, speculations rolling over each other.

His friends were shaking with fright, but they managed to grab his hand, whispering calming words till he released Evelina and staggered back.

Akira exhaled a deep shuddering breath, trembling. Tears clouded his eyes and Michael supported him from behind.

His chest rose and fell. He grabbed his chest, feeling the searing pain from when his mother died come back.

“Don't do this.” Brad muttered. “Murder is a capital crime. And Marcel’s family will come after you.”

The words had barely left Brad’s mouth when the thugs Marcel called arrived in trucks.

“Who dared to mess with young master Keith?” Someone roared from the van.

Burly men numbering twenty-five jumped down from the vehicles. Two rushed to help Marcel up.

“Young master, are you alright? Who did this?”

The fear in Marcel’s eyes transformed to rage, and his stance regained their usual arrogance.

He scoffed, and pointed at Akira.

“You stupid bum! You pauper! You suddenly think you're hot stuff, don't you? How dare you raise a hand against my woman?”

“Your woman?” Akira scoffed, disdain dripping from his words. “Figures. Trash keeps trash.”

“You!” Marcel's face contorted into something frightening, and he pointed at Akira, trembling. “Get him. Cripple his limbs and make sure he will never speak again.”

Evelina finally regained some semblance of normalcy and made her way to Marcel, still shivering. When she looked at Akira, it was a mix of fear, disdain, and hatred. When did that loser suddenly get so strong and fearless?

Akira's companions shook behind him, dread wrapping around their spines. They were severely outnumbered.

“Akira,” Gavin whispered urgently, tugging on his arm. “Let's run.”

He was barely pulled two steps before the thugs Marcel called surrounded them.

“You want to escape?” Evelina sneered, finally regaining some parts of her courage. “It's too late.”

“Break their legs!” Marcel ordered, his lips turned up in a smirk, eyes shining with malicious glee.

“What are we going to do?” Brad muttered, looking around, panic making his hand shake.

“We're outnumbered.” Michael noted.

Akira sighed and shoved his backpack into Brad's arms. The spectators were already moving away as far as they could. No one wanted stray weapons to inadvertently come for them.

Akira cracked his neck, and stepped forward. A thug roared and swung a club at him. He caught the club and slightly twisted his wrist, snapping the thug's arm off. Screams of pain and horror resounded in the courtyard.

A light palm strike from him sent the thug flying while his elbow hit the one sneaking up on him from behind.

In mere seconds, the expressions of Akira’s friends changed from apprehension to shock, then awe.

The eager smirk froze on Marcel’s face, and Evelina gripped his shirt, fear and horror tearing through her insides. When did he get so dominant?

“Marcel, do something. Half of them are gone.” She was trembling as she spoke, her hands tugging at Marcel’s clothes.

In just three minutes, the team of twenty-five men lay on the ground, groaning with varying degrees of injuries.

“What just happened here?”

“How did he become so strong?”

“This… this.”

Akira looked at his blood soaked hands, his heart pounding. He wasn't even out of breath. Nor did the blood disgust him.

Instead he felt exhilarated, and a heavy weight seemed to have been lifted off his chest. He raised his head, and his eyes went straight to Evelina. She gasped and staggered back, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.

“What's going on here?” A booming voice echoed. It was the Dean, faculty of medical sciences, Sun City university, Doctor Franco.

He took in the damages done with a sweep of his eyes, and made his way towards Marcel. “Young master Marcel, are you alright?”

Marcel’s nose flared, and he nodded, his eyes blazing as he glared at Akira. “You little thing has grown wings, huh?”

He pointed at Akira. “That's him. He went wild, hitting and injuring people. If students like him are allowed to remain in Sun City, where's the century old prestige of our school?”

“Dean, that's not true.” Brad quickly cut in. “Marcel brought thugs to beat Akira. He only acted in self defense.”

Dean Franco pretended not to hear what Brad said and gestured to his secretary.

“Inform the authorities, student Akira Luxon is permanently expelled from university, never to be admitted again. All his accomplishments so far are nullified.”

The words landed like a thunderbolt. Akira's lips trembled. He knew Franco was the Keith’s family lapdog but never imagined he would be so blatantly biased.

He scoffed, and licked his lips, looking up at the sky. Anger smothered him, making it hard to breathe. “So because he's director Keith’s son, I should allow him kill me without defending myself? He and Evelina connived to steal my research yesterday, yet I'm the one being expelled?”

Doctor Franco's eyes hardened as he faced Akira's accusations. “How dare you point fingers at me?”

He turned to the secretary. “Blacklist this disrespectful imp. He's never to be admitted in any medical school in all of Zoria, nor granted employment in any medical institution.”

“Yes sir.”

Brad gasped, disbelief and agitation coloring his face. Michael’s hand clenched so tight his fingers dug into his palm. Gavin’s jaws ticked. Even among the spectators, there were varying opinions.

This was blatant bullying and favoritism.

As for Akira, he stood calmly, watching the farce, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“Dean, Akira really wasn't at fault. Even if he was, this punishment is too much for a fight. He has been a model student for…”

The dean glared at him, cutting him off.

“Oh? Do you want to be expelled alongside him?”

“That's right!” Evelina shouted, pointing at Brad. “Expel him too. He's Akira’s accomplice.”

Murmurs floated around. From beginning to end, Brad didn't do anything. This was a clear abuse of official power for personal vendetta.