A Storm was brewing in England with rumors of the Dark Lord's revival. And although the Ministry and press tried persuading people of the opposite, more and more signs of his return started appearing across Great Britain. Moreover, the director of the greatest school in the country was accused of treason and attempt of overthrowing the ministry. Officials were sent to apprehend the criminal, but he was able to escape from them in the most incredible fashion possible. In a burst of phoenix flames.
However, that was the problem of European wizards. As for the rest of the world? The biggest reaction you would see is a title page in the Newspaper dedicated to this.
***
Beijing, China.
April of 1996
***
A middle-aged Chinese man with extremely pale skin was lying unconscious in the hospital ward, with members of his small but loving family around him.
*Knock**Knock*
The sound of somebody knocking the door reverberated in the quiet room, attracting everyone's attention.
A middle-aged woman, the patient's wife, told something to the young maiden sitting on the opposite side of the bed, after which the girl quickly stood up and went to open the door.
Although everyone present in this room knew that the situation of their patriarch is bad, they still hoped for some good news. News that everything here is just a bit of bad luck, and tomorrow he will be back to full health. News that this is just a bad dream.
But soon, their hopes were crushed, because the person who entered their room was the head physician of this hospital. And it was obvious, that the best doctor won't run around bringing good news to every family. He can be here only for one reason.
The doctor entered the ward, but he didn't say anything. He just quietly looked at the patient and moved closer to reexamine the patient.
"What do you think, teacher?"
A young doctor, whom nobody noticed due to the solemn atmosphere, suddenly asked. But the only answer he got, was a stern sign to stay quiet.
After a few more minutes of examination and thorough reading through the patient's card, the senior physician finally looked at the family members and solemnly asked:
"Who is this patient's wife?"
"It is me. Please tell me, what's with my husband? You don't need to hide anything."
On which doctor only sighed and said:
"Your husband is dying..."
What followed these words, was a heartbreaking scene and a lot of weeping.
***
After talking with the family for some time, the head physician left, leaving the young doctor behind.
Xu Bai was the name of the young doctor. He is a very kind and honest young man, whose name (Bai = Person of Purity) perfectly reflected his personality. Bai came into medicine to help and save people. But now more than ever, he felt that even the best doctor can't rescue somebody from the claws of the Reaper. And the more he looked at this sad scene, the more helpless he felt. Finally, he couldn't stand this atmosphere anymore and left the ward.
Even before he asked for advice from his teacher, he has already known that his patient is not going to survive next week, but he hoped that his teacher knew some way to...
*Sigh*
Xu Bai tiredly sighed, looking at the painting of Bian Que opposite of his table.
"If only I could see inside the human body as he did... I would have noticed the source."
For the last week, he desperately tried to find something that can help this family, but again and again, he was met with a dead end. Chinese medicine, Western Medicine, old stories and medical Compendiums from distant past. No matter where he looked there was no answer to this person's illness. It was clear that the patient's body was rapidly decaying from the inside, but there was no source or symptoms. Today, he even called for his teacher to recheck his patient, but he didn't know what could possibly be the illness.
"Moreover, what kind of answer is 'He could be cursed'? As if he expected me to believe that... I mean, magic is not real..."
Wait a second.
That's when something clicked inside his brain. Like the string being released from the bow, Xu Bai has run out of his cabinet looking for the oldest doctor in the hospital.
***
"Bai'er? What happened?"
"Grandpa, is magic real? Can a person be cursed to death?"
"Huh? Well, you certainly can curse somebody to death, but that person has to be very weak to words!"
Xu Bai was at first confused by his grandfather's words until he heard his hearty laugh. Did he just make fun of him?!
"Grandpa, I am serious! Chief Yang, said that my patient might have been cursed and now he is dying!"
Hearing his grandchild screaming at him, he wanted to reprimand him at first, but then his brain processed what Xu Bai said and he frowned.
"Bai'er, did that Yang boy really say 'cursed'? He must be just confused about the disease himself. Don't take his words too seriously."
"But I remember mother telling me tales about divine doctors and..."
"There is no magic Bai'er. And as a doctor, rather than finding excuses for not knowing, you should learn medicine and science to help your patients."
"But...!"
"No 'but's. Leave."
"Grandpa!"
"Leave!"
"But..."
"Xu Bai," elder hit the table in anger, "I said leave!" finally screamed the old man, "And on the way back think about your attitude young man."
But the boy already left, slamming the door shut on his way.
After making sure the boy has left, he quickly opened the drawer of his table and took out the phone and started typing.
After sending the message, he started waiting for Yang Chao.
Soon, the head physician came in and knocked on the door.
"Come in and sit down here. We need to talk."
"Elder Xu, I saw your message? What happened?"
"It is about the cursed patient. Why didn't you notify me?"
"You mean Xu Bai's patient? Well, I myself wasn't sure if he was cursed or not. But we did all the tests possible to be done in his condition, but we couldn't find anything. The only thing we could observe was the breakdown of his body, but we couldn't find the reason for such a radical cellular death. It is as if cells just stop working and die off quickly after. Moreover, it happens across his whole body, except for his brain. So, it can't be prions, because then the brain will be the first target. Other than prions, I don't know of anything that can resist all medication and bypass the body's natural defenses so easily, other than..."
"Magic." finished the old man for him, "Hmm... Who is the patient?"
"This was another issue. He is a famous businessman, who is supported by the government, but other than... 'them' nobody uses curses. Which made me have some doubts about this case. I wanted to talk with you after I find out all the details."
"Smart choice. Indeed, neither Sword nor Body fanatics like to use curses. I already contacted the Bureau, so a person from 'their' organization should be coming to personally check the patient."
"That's great, but I doubt the patient will live for more than 5 days."
"Well, that's not up to us. We are just simple doctors and fighting magic is not covered by our education."
"Indeed."
Silence followed their conversation. But after a few minutes, Chief Yang was first to speak:
"By the way, I saw your grandchild on my way here...", after which he meaningfully looked at the elder in front of him, "Even if you want to keep him in the dark to protect, sooner or later, he would need to hear the truth about the world. You can't hide something like this from him. Not with your work at least."
"You worry about your hospital and let me worry about my grandchild."
"Well, even if you say it like this, I am still his teacher and I worry about his wellbeing."
The old man wanted to reply, but after thinking about it, he only sighed.
*Sigh*
"You are right. I will tell him... Soon. But for now, I will just let him be a happy youngster for a bit longer."
"Your choice, but don't prolong it too much old Xu."
"Hmph, your generation! Zero respect for elders!"
But chief Yang only laughed merrily and quickly escaped the room.
***
In the meantime, inside the patient's ward.
Young Xie Lan was sitting near her sick father holding his hand and thinking over their last conversation. She didn't say how much she loved him. It was such a silly conversation. But now that conversation may be the last one they had.
However, she couldn't cry. She needs to be strong, as the only heir of their family. Moreover, now more than ever she needed to be a pillar that can support her mother through probably the worst time of her life.
"Lan'er, go home." suddenly her mother said, "Have a little bit of sleep, I will stay with your father."
"No, mom, I..."
"Listen to your mother. I can see how tired you are, both morally and physically. Have some rest. Lin An take her home and make sure she reaches it safely."
"Mom..." Xie Lan looked into the tearful red eyes of her mother, full of love for her only child, but also sorrow for her dying husband.
"Rest, dear. Rest while you still can."
The daughter didn't want to argue with her mother, so she complied and went home.
And indeed Xie Lan was truly tired. Studying in University, working on the side, news of her father's sickness and then waiting in the hospital. The girl was exhausted, so as soon as her head touched back of a car seat, she fell asleep.
But, in her sleep, she saw something very strange.