Nia's screams were especially heart-wrenching and Sophia lost all her rationality on seeing her daughter in pain.
Forgetting Lionel's request, she hurried to stop him. But Phil was quick to hold her back.
"What are you doing? Can't you see our daughter is in pain?" Sophia thrashed in his arms while tears rolled down her eyes.
Phil was equally devastated, but he was sensible. He saw things that his wife had overlooked.
Nia hadn't responded to any treatment or care previously. She had remained unresponsive even when some of the best doctors in the town treated her.
However, now, Lionel had managed to wake her up from her slumber. Although she was screaming and in pain, it was still a development and he sincerely hoped for the young man to cure his daughter.
Phil didn't say anything but continued to hold his wife back, allowing Lionel to continue.
Lionel didn't break his focus and watched Nia thrash on her bed. Her miserable cries made him feel terrible. But he could do nothing either.
Soon, the talisman vanished, and immediately after, a black wisp of smoke escaped from her body.
While the black smoke wasn't visible to the Carlson couple, they were bewildered to see the talisman vanish. For a moment, they even wondered if they were imagining things. How could things disappear just like that?
Nia stopped screaming and her eyeballs moved behind her closed eyelids. It took her a few minutes to open her eyes.
While the couple was spooked, Lionel was surprised as well. He hadn't expected his talisman to work. Had he done a good job at it? Was it that powerful or was the dark energy too weak? He couldn't fathom.
Phil and Sophia were overwhelmed with joy and held their breaths as they saw their daughter's flutter open.
Phil loosened his arms around his wife, and Sophia dashed towards her daughter. "Nia, how do you feel? Are you okay?"
"Mom, I feel weak," Nia croaked.
Although Nia's face was deathly pale, she looked better than before. The couple were relieved and their eyes lit up in joy.
"I want to sleep," Nia continued, her eyes blurry with sleep.
Sophia glanced at Lionel, who was still observing her daughter. At first, she had been apprehensive about her student. What could he do when the doctors found nothing amiss with Nia?
But now, after seeing his skills, she had nothing but admiration for him. Lionel was her family's savior and she held him in high regard.
Sophia didn't know what to do. Was it okay for her daughter to continue sleeping? Will she fall into a coma again? The mere thought made her restless and she pleaded with Lionel, not caring that he was younger than her by a few decades.
Lionel touched Nia's forehead. Unlike before, he didn't sense any dark energy in her. The talisman had worked its charm. So, he nodded at his professor.
Nia was drowsy. Not knowing what was happening around her, she fell into a deep sleep in no time.
Lionel moved his gaze away from Nia and looked around the room. Although the dark energy inside her had been obliterated, he still felt some inside the room.
Recalling the instructions in the diary, he pulled out another Cleansing Talisman, the first one he had drawn successfully, and threw it in the air.
Sophia and Phil gawked at him with their jaws dropped at his magical actions. Again, the talisman vanished into thin air.
While the couple didn't sense it, Lionel felt the air to have turned less cold. This time, he didn't feel any dark energy inside the room.
"Lionel, what's happening? How..."
"Mr. Carlson, I need to inspect your house first. Is that fine?"
Nia and her room had been dealt with. But their house still had traces of dark energy and he had to eradicate all of it before his job was done.
"Sure, sure." The couple didn't have any qualms with his request. His actions had opened their eyes and they were willing to agree to anything he said.
Lionel walked out of Nia's room. He didn't examine any of the rooms on the floor he was in. Even without entering them, he sensed them to be fine.
So, he came to the ground floor and frowned instantly when he sensed traces of negative energy. Though faint, it was still present and he had to use another talisman to eradicate the negativity in the house.
This time, he didn't feel anything ominous. The house didn't have any more dark energy.
Lionel felt his heart bleed when he saw that he had used three out of four talismans he had drawn in such a short time. Vowing to become stronger, he finally faced the couple who was following him silently.
"I presume you have some questions for me, Mrs. Carlson."
"What was that?" Sophia finally managed to ask the question that had been haunting her for quite some time.
"Mrs. Carlson, my words seem ridiculous. But will you believe me if I tell you your daughter encountered something she shouldn't have?"
Sophia and Phil believed him instantly. There was no reason not to. His actions had proved everything.
"Is it true that she was being possessed?" Sophia asked with a shaky voice, dreading the answer.
"I wouldn't say so, Mrs. Carlson. It'd be more accurate to say she was being haunted. But I'm not an expert. So, I can't say for sure."
If he wasn't an expert, who was? Lionel was more of an expert than anyone they knew.
"Is Nia alright? Will there be a problem in the future?" Phil was worried for his daughter.
Lionel had managed to wake her up today. What if she was in trouble again tomorrow?
"Yes, she is fine and will wake up after a few hours. As for your other question, I apologize, Mr. Carlson, I can't answer right now."
The Carlson couple looked as if someone had punched their gut.
"Lionel, please, please save my daughter." Sophia held her student's palm and begged him desperately.
"Mrs. Carlson, it's not that I don't want to help. I don't know what kind of thing your daughter has encountered to tell you accurately."
"Then...then..." Phil understood the underlying meaning behind his words and his hope was ignited.
"I'll visit again in three days. But if you notice something strange about Nia in the meantime, contact me immediately. Also," Lionel pulled out the last talisman he had with him. "I'll give this to you, Mrs. Carlson. If you face a similar situation, you can use it."
"Lionel, may I have a few more of these?" Phil asked hopefully.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Carlson. I only have one with me. I'll bring a few more next time."
"Thank you, Lionel. Thank you so much." Sophia was grateful. He had helped them at their critical time for which she'd be eternally thankful.
"Lionel, please tell us your fees." Lionel had exhausted quite a lot of energy in helping them. Phil didn't know who else to pay him other than money.
"Mr. Carlson, it's up to you." Lionel genuinely hadn't thought about it. He hadn't fixed any fees for his services yet.
But he didn't reject Mr. Carlson's money. After all, he had worked hard for it, exhausting his spiritual energy and even putting his life at risk.
Moreover, he recalled what he had read in the diary.
Every action carries a price, bound by the laws of karma. To accept help without offering something in return was to invite unseen retribution, for karma demands balance in all things.
If Lionel helped without compensation, the imbalance would invite consequences—not for him, but for those he helped. As for what the consequences were, nobody knew.