The Golden Dragon Emperor

Scroll 5: Unexpected Approach

“How pompous. I would love to watch as you cut your own hands off. Then only then will you learn your place…” The doctor chuckled as he watched Darius approach Arnold's family.

Darius stood there looking at them, then raised his hand.

“I need Mung beans, garlic, ginger, hot water, scalpels, towels, and steel bowls!”

Darius ordered, his voice making everyone watching shiver in fear.

The nurses present didn't move, nor did the doctor.

“You heard him, get what he asked for!”

His guards didn't even waste a second, bolting out of the room.

The doctor hissed, looking at everyone in front of him as they lost their minds.

“What is he trying to do? Prepare soup?” He didn't even want to see what Darius was doing.

Darius, right in front of the family, started humming something inaudible; almost immediately, the room’s pressure changed.

The guards returned with all the ingredients in hand.

They handed it over to Darius; he moved over to the people lying unconscious, and he made a cut down their chest.

With surgical precision, not to cut any important arteries, he crushed the mung beans, garlic, and ginger and placed them over their faces, with the hot water close to them and the towels covering their faces.

Using tubes from the room, he placed them exactly where he had cut open. He placed the tube ends into the bowls.

The doctor moved to Arnold, whispering to his ear.

“What in the world are you allowing this pest to do?” he was looking at the warden, who seemed to be muttering prayers silently.

“He is going to kill your family, and you will stand here watching with your hands together like a child.”

Darius stood there, staring at them with his eyes glowing bright emerald as he lifted his hands.

Their bodies began convulsing a bit violently.

“Damn it, this man is trying to kill them…” the doctor said, trying to push forward and check on the family.

“Don't let him interfere or they die!” Darius warned.

Arnold held back the doctor, his eyes fixed on Darius.

“Mr. Zigga, let me-” the doctor paused when he saw the determination in Arnold's eyes.

Darius took a deep breath, fixing his stance as he lifted both hands in the air. His eyes emitted a sharp emerald glow; the patients stopped convulsing, and then a black substance flowed right out of their bodies into the bowls. It was sappy and thick.

A grim stench filled the room, almost like a rotting carcass.

Each of the three bowls was almost half full when they stopped.

Darius then moved close to them and took off the towels.

He stepped back, turned, and gave Arnold a nod.

Then, Arnold's wife coughed.

The whole room broke the dead silence; Darius had saved them as he said.

Arnold stood there; his entire body felt lighter, almost like they had lifted a weight.

“He…did it!” he held himself together, looking at Darius as he cleaned his hands. “He really isn't someone like us!”

“Ho-honey…”

His wife called out; for the first time in weeks, Arnold heard something other than the monitors and beeping.

Arnold rushed to her side, about to touch her.

“Please be careful; their bodies are still stabilizing, since this is Arijuis, then we wouldn't want to send them into shock.”

Darius looked up; his eyes spotted the doctor who stood there in awe.

“Now, I believe there is a bet that needs to be settled.”

Every eye in the room fell on the doctor; they were heavy and demanding.

Seeds, garlic, and ginger?

Mere broth ingredients beat his three-decade dedication to his profession!

He gritted his teeth, looking at Darius with hate in his heart.

“Dont be so cocky, boy! You think I would give up my job because you managed to pull off some tricks? We obviously made a breakthrough and your little trick-”

“Settle the wager, doctor; there is no need for you to drag this out for long.”

Cole Zigga spoke up; he had been silent for a while, trying to make sure that he wouldn't interrupt anything.

But somehow, he had noticed the man's strange presence when he came in with his son. That was why he remained silent and let the man do what he came to do.

“How absurd, are you really going to make me succumb to the will of a prison rat?” The doctor turned to look at Cole, his brows furrowed.

“Yes, and you are going to do it…” Arnold spoke, as he glanced deep into the doctor's eyes.

“Why?” the doctor turned, still trying to defend himself. “And why should I be worried or even honor the bet of a prison scum?!”

His voice made every nurse and doctor in the halls pause.

“Because you were okay with him cutting off his hands if he lost, and knowing him, he would have done it without putting up a front…” Arnold spoke, walking up to the doctor to make sure he would show him where they stood. “I could have pleaded with him and told him to let you keep your job, but you dont deserve it too…so it's either you drop on your knees and apologize, or I charge you with defamation of character and threats on a citizen.”

Darius hadn't uttered a word; he watched Arnold speak for him, and it was different to see him act like that.

The doctor looked around and saw that no one was backing him.

For thirty years, he had poured his life away into this profession!

He was now kneeling to a boy who hadn't learned how to wipe his own ass.

Slowly dropping to his knees, he bowed his head down to the ground.

“I…” he paused, swallowing hard as he stared at the ground.

“I…am, I am sorry!” he blurted out, still facing down as he clenched the cold floor.

“Forgive me for insulting you, I will take my leave from this establishment!”

Nurse stared in disbelief.

Guards were embarrassed even to look.

Darius stood there, looking at the man with his empty eyes.

The whole issue with the doctor was insignificant; it posed no value to him if he was to dance around naked or roll on the floor.

He had done what he came to do.

Turning, he headed for the door, leaving the room to stand in the hallway.

Once there, Cole Zigga joined him. He turned to look at the older man, seeing the bags under his eyes; he knew the man had been caring for his daughter-in-law and grandchildren while his son worked to find help.

“Thank you, if ever you need help…” The man pulled out his card and handed it to Darius. “I will not hesitate to come to your aid.”

Darius looked at the card, hesitant to take it. But he saw the man's willingness in his eyes.

He took it and bowed his head down a bit.

The door opened again; Henshaw Kite saw Darius standing there. He walked over to him; he let out a sigh, then stretched his hand.

“Please, forgive me…!” he barked as his voice was subtly kept down. “I wasn't sure if you would be able to help my daughter and—”

“You need not explain yourself; your words were from a place of love and worry for your family, so I understand, and all has been forgiven.”

Darius shook his hand, a faint smile on his face.

The door opened once more; Arnold stepped out with a briefcase in his hand. He turned to Cole and Henshaw; both of them left without saying anything.

“Lord Winters, thank you…once again, I would want to thank you.” He spoke, his voice a bit cracked. Turning, he saw his wife and two children with their eyes open, and their lives returned to them. “As agreed!”

He opened the briefcase, pulled out two files and a CD.

“In this file, you will find everything you need to know about Sable, and his works…inside that file too you will find the names of the men who Sable was mentioned with in your family case file before it was made classified.”

Handing over the second file, “These are the statuses of all those men and the ones you should tread carefully while you hunt. And this…”

He handed over the CD, looking at it with weary eyes.

“This dont open this until you are sure that Sable is neutralized; it has information on the next few men…”

Darius stared at the documents given to him; finally, his wrath now had a direction to take.

“Mr. Zigga, someone is trying to kill your family; that poisoning isn't something contracted naturally. Someone planned that meticulously so that I will be a lot more careful.”

Darius smiled as he turned to leave.

“Wait…” Arnold spoke, almost grabbing Darius by the shoulder. “Why dont you come stay at my house? Where would you go?”

Darius turned to look at the warden, a smirk on his face.

“Dont worry, Warden, I will find my way. I'm not a crazy kid anymore…”

Arnold watched as the man slowly faded into a flock of people in the hall of the hospital.

Darius moved quietly; soon, he was outside the hospital.

Away from the stench of pills and tubes, he looked across the street to see that both sides were lined up with expensive SUVs.

Standing right in front of the cars were five people: a man wearing a forest-green suit and a black coat, with classy-looking glasses. Standing by his side were two women and two men, all dressed in black.

The minute Darius was spotted, they walked up to him.

Once they were in front of him, they put their hands together and lowered their heads.

Then they spoke all at once, in a loud, authoritative tone.

“Young Lord, the Order of the Nine Heavens has awaited your return!”