19 19. Powerless

"Boom! Boom!"

Golden waves of energy permeated through Popey's body as the healers used their stellar energy on him.

Vader just watched the scene unfold in front of him standing outside the healing theater wearing a dreadful expression on his face. He was disturbed and felt very tense and hoped for Popey's survival.

Abruptly the fat nurse opened the door noticing Vader peeping through the glass pane in the center of the door.

"Sir I kindly request you to take your seat until we return."

However, Vader didn't bulge from his location and continued to watch Popey struggling for his life. He knew that he cannot trust these men.

"Arghh! Arghh!"

A few groans expelled out of Popey's mouth.

Healing might seem a huge gift for the Nanorians but it comes with a hefty price. Healing leverages pain, an excruciating feeling of agony that deviates one's will to live. And only those with strong will endure such agony.

So, at the end of the day, it is Popey's decision to stay strong and struggle to make it back alive, only to live as a cripple for the remaining of his eternity. And none would like to do so.

For some reason, a peculiar man with a silver standing in the center and instructing people inside the healing theater gave out an eerie feeling to Vader.

So Vader decided to watch until the treatment is over.

Two hours passed in that due time Vader didn't take his eyes away from the theater but, he was tired and moreover, the screams and cries of Popey made him guilty. Guilty of trying to push him past without taking Popey's decision what he truly wanted from within his heart into account. It is for popey to decide to whether live or not.

"Fuck"

Vader cursed and slowly walked back to the seat and sat. And justly like that, another hour passed as Vader waited.

***

"Sir... Wake up!"

A feminine voice pierced his ears.

"Sir..."

The woman called him and gently shook Vader who was in a deep sleep.

"Uhh?"

Vader said slightly opening his eyelids and the first person that caught his eyes was the fat nurse who stood opposite him wearing a troubled expression on her face.

For two seconds, she just stared at him being unable to bring words out of her mouth however she had to break the silence since Vader just quietly waited for her since she was the one who approached him.

"Sir, can you meet with the chief healer?"

The fat woman said without making eye contact with him. Vader felt like something was off and when his eyes paced towards the healing theater he noticed the doctors leaving.

It was at that moment he came to the realization that the healing session has been ended. His senses were off and he was certainly tired as such he needed to take rest as his body and mind demanded. The recent speed of events and the things he faced were out of the ordinary that he' didn't dare to dream or expect.

A scavenger's life is certainly adventurous and interesting and he signed up knowing those full well. But at the moment he was just a student so the unprecedented things were hard for him a teenager to cope up.

"Yes," Vader said wiping the drool off his face. He was half asleep so he was felt a little out of sync.

He rose from his seat and walked towards the healing theater which now contained two people in it. One was obviously Popey who seemed unconscious and the other was a man in a white gown, a Priest, in the official terms of the hospital he is the chief healer.

"Greetings chief healer."

Vader greeted entering the room with a gentle smile.

"Greetings Mr. Vader Herko. I hope you've retained your energy."

The chief healer said with a smile.

Chief healers are the ones who sit on top of the hierarchy when it comes to medical treatment.

A Chief healer is a person selected by the Lumina church. A clergy who has dedicated their whole life to serving their god, Lumanon, and the people of Nanor.

Churches don't hold power in Nanor anymore however when it comes to healing they possess the upper hand.

Lumina church possesses a history of making miracles and most of those were the resurrection of the dead. It was no necromancy nor foul sorcery rather something godly, It was a stellar power passed down to the Lumina's authoritative figures, the three sages who are now rumored to be living in secret but in terms of history, they were killed by Fredor kleo, the last king.

There was a huge dispute between the church and the royalty hundred years ago which branches to several reasoning however after the passing of the sages the church lost its faithful followers and the peoples' trust yet, the medical treatments and healing were first discovered by the Lumina church so the government chose to follow the same medical practices passed down by 56thge lumina. However, the church still held on to secret arts that are known as resurrection which was heavily safeguarded and hidden by the authorities.

This led to the church grasping the ground by their roots over the government grasping the power of medical influence.

The man with white hair and grey eyes looked and Vader wearing a cold expression and began speaking after eyeing Popey whose body was covered by a dark cloak.

"I am sorry. The patient is no more."

The chief healer didn't mention the complications. He simply conveyed that he is no more. Vader felt like he was struck by a clap of thunder as his heart sunk. At the same time, he didn't feel anything other than feeling empty.

Popey had to go through immense pain and suffering until the very end. Justice wasn't served. Vader wanted to know the reason so he waited for the clergyman to talk.

"After removing his organs they seem to have injected him with Clandestine Resin, resulting in opposite reaction to healing."

"You speak as if you don't know what happens in this hospital."

Vader replied looking into his eyes.

The clergyman seemed to be around his mid-thirties and his skin was pale white. For some reason, he emanated an ominous feeling even though his face portrayed him as a charming person.

"My apologies Mr.Vader but, some things are beyond our limits. I believe I don't need to explain the ways of this crooked domain. I am truly sorry but, I am a mere priest what power do I have to dare go against them?"

'Them', the word possessed a hidden depth and multiple meanings. The clergyman just conveyed his honest opinion on the health care domain and the world.

The people of the Nanor know its ways and unfairness and by far they have adapted rather than causing a rebel against it. Rather they did not possess any power to do so.

Was this clergyman being open? Or did he just simple convey that this is something that happens regularly so just turn a blind eye on this. No matter what Vader felt nothing. He didn't feel sorry or enraged. At that moment all he felt was like he was no one. Who is he to go against these things?

A hero? No, he was clearly not a hero. He was just a regular guy one among the many.

"Can I receive his body to perform his last rites?"

Vader replied wearing a stern face. He didn't speak of the matter. It was blatantly known to people that the churches were in contact with the mongrels and Vader knew this as well. The clergyman just simply challenged him by his words.

Vader was not a typical savior but a cunning young man who plans before he faces. He knew full well that he is not in the position to go against the mongrels or the church.

"I apologize to scavenger Vader once again but we cannot hand him over since you are not related to him."

Now, this was a huge shock for Vader. He didn't expect the information to flow this fast. The insignia came with a price and the prices information. Scavenger's dominion wouldn't surely give advantages without collecting information.

And the Scavenger's Dominion is certainly not a noble organization. Information leaks and the interlinked connection between every domain was something huge so no wonder that the chief healer has obtained his information.

"Vader Herko of Golon village, The cursed one. You are a peculiar young lad. I pay farewell."

Paying Farewell with an evil smile the chief healer turned his back to the internal room of the theater.

Vader just sat on the metal seat next to the bed where Popey's body was in the empty room without any expression on his face.

He had it enough. Moreover being called by the nickname he had heard years ago just stormed his heart with the feeling of rage. At the same time, he felt uncomfortable and uneasy by a strange feeling. A feeling that made him feel useless. He was not able to do anything in the end.

"I am powerless..."

He muttered sitting alone in the room with a dead body looking at the ceiling.

****

A/N: And I am back again. The story is certainly drifting from the way it started but it will go back to the main in no time.