The Wolf & Yearning

Chapter Ten

Yaowu, as if trying to climb the tallest mountain in the world, insisted WuguLang take part in an amputation.

    WuguLang, tears already starting at the corners of his eyes, said, "Why do we have to cut it off?"

    The victim was drowsy on the operating table, languidly moving her head from left to right.

    Yaowu said to the class of students, "A demon placed a curse on her. This was a higher demon. Anyone, how do we stop a demon curse?"

    In unison, the class chanted, "Have the caster terminate the spell or kill the demon that placed it."

     Yaowu marched across the front of the operating hall. "Neither of those options was successful. We have tried herbs, talismans and counterspells. Our best option is to get ahead of the curse, remove the infected arm before it can reach her heart."

    WuguLang put a hand over his mouth, fought the bile. The spell smelled like a love curse. Those were the worst.

    A senior student came forward with a bone-saw, a very non-magical item.

    The vomit in his mouth was rancid, but WuguLang refused to be known as the tempest of tears every time they had a patient. Even if the other students thought it was a joke.

    The woman screamed as soon as the student dragged the bone-saw over her arm.

    "You have to anesthetize her, at least," WuguLang protested.

    "Mr. Zhiming, are you serious about pursuing a healing career?"

    He bobbed his head, swallowed the acidic sludge invading his mouth. He pulled out a cookie.

    A condition had been added to his file. He was permitted to sooth his energy with confections when necessary. None of the Masters questioned when WuguLang produced something sweet. He nibbled the curve of a sour cream sugar cookie.

    "We've given her the most powerful herbs we have," Yaowu said. "I've given her a dose of spiritual energy. It's the demon rearing its head."

    With a deep breath, the tears cleared up. WuguLang nodded.

    But the woman screamed again.

    "I can't," WuguLang said, his resolve crumbling like his cookie. Beads of sweat were on his brow. "I'll do it."

    Yaowu crooked his head. The senior held the saw out to him, but WuguLang didn't take it. He took the woman by the arms, his right hand over the bloody wound, the left hand moved to her heart. His hands were in the curse formation, the index and middle fingers pointing spiritual energy into her, the ring and pinky fingers pointed back toward WuguLang to draw the cursed energy to him.

    WuguLang's nose was right. A love curse. This one wasn't going to go away until it was complete. Pity those who loved intensely, then cast their lovers aside. Great love was the worst for fostering deep hate.

    WuguLang sucked all the dark energy into himself. It thrashed and raged in him, but he suffocated the conceited little monster. The demon energy beat so hard against him, tendrils of hair came loose. To the class, it looked like a fierce wind was whipping him. He shook his head, tried to focus, repair. With his left hand completing the circle of energy, he shot the euphoric dream into the woman. Her mouth came open and she made little gasps. Everyone around him was virginal, didn't recognize the sounds for what they were.

    WuguLang closed his eyes when his energy spiked. It helped him visualize the damaged arm. Biceps, deltoid, brachielis. Radius, ulna. Metacarpals, distal and proximal phalanges. Veins and arteries, all had to be rebuilt. He squeezed his eyes tight, curled his back. His teeth were clenched, but he needed to focus. More of his hair came loose. His braid lengthened.