(CHAPTER 25: A NEW GANG, A NEW JOURNEY)

"It's a parasite."

The next morning, after nearly ten hours of work, Murphy and the rest of the people exited out of the surgery room. All of them look tired, worn out, and the looks on their face hinted the result of the surgery.

"A parasite?!" Norman seems shocked by the result. He've never know that his friends have parasite in their head, until now.

"It was an implantation. It have been in their brains for years, rooted completely within it. I cant take it out with force, only apply some holy herbs on it to ease the process and pain." Murphy took out some herbs, Hero recognizes one of them from the jungle, it is used by him back in the days to keep the undead from his area, at least for a few days.

"So what could we do?"

"Nothing. As I've say before, it has already rooted into their brains. If we pull it out forcefully, or maybe cut it out, it will deal too much brain damage. Even if we cut out the upper body, the lower body will continue to grow." Murphy let out a sigh. "It is like a ticking bomb."

"Why I don't have it? And why it triggers now!?" Norman questioned, these information are too much for him to handle all at once. "Any why did they never realize about it until now??!"

"This is the problem about this parasite." Murphy said seriously. "This parasite seems to take the form of a spell, unlike normal parasite, they are like a controlling device, triggering when needed. That's why it is unmovable, that's why it is able to trigger according to the conjurer's will."

"Johnny that bastard." Norman let out a curse beneath his breath. "But that doesn't explain why I am not affected, I must have one in my head right?"

"That was true." Murphy signaled the nurses to move the unconscious duo to the emergency ward. "But maybe the hit, Hero deal to you, killed it. That was pure luck if you ask me, he have inserted the perfect amount of force to kill the parasite without damaging your brain. Consider yourself lucky lad."

"So I am just going to watch them die?" Norman was desperate. "There has to be a way right?"

"..." Murphy shook his head, he is a medic, a good doctor, but when it comes to face with spells and magic, he has no idea at all.

"Actually there is a way." Suddenly a voice interrupted as the door swing open. A figure walk inside the medic as she let out a cackle. "Just like any spell, all we need, is to kill the conjurer."

"Rose!" Norman turn his head around, he seems surprised just like any people in the ward except Hero. "Why are you here?" The witch of the east swamp has left its hut? That seems bizarre, for everyone.

"I hire her." Hero fess up as he stood up from his bed and unwrap his bandages, his wounds are almost fully healed. "I guess it could really help if there is someone who know spell around us." He took out his emeralds sack and toss it towards her. "This should be enough."

She caught the sack, open it and counted before letting out a smile. "More than enough to assure you towards there safely." "I don't know you are "hireable." Norman laughed sarcastically.

"Ingredient for spells needs money boy." She rolled her eyes and toss the sack back into his backpack. The cat on her back let out a hiss. "Besides, I have been dealing with the illagers to know clearly about every single scouting route, time, as well as clan outpost location. Consider me nothing much as a guide, a help. Nothing much than that."

"So you're in?" Hero carried his backpack and stood beside her.

"Definitely. But why are you in too?" Norman questioned, it was his business with Johnny, not Hero's.

"I wanted to find a place to settle down the girl, and this desert village isn't one of them. It will get better day by day, but definitely not after years." Hero replied. "And besides, I also got some job to do with Johnny boy, seeing his inhuman act got me a little off the limits. I can help you finish him off, you got to save your friends, I got to get my revenge." He swing his obsidian saber and let out a grin.

"The more the merrier I guess." Norman took his newly stitched banner and joined the gang as together they went out of the medic cabin. "Hey." Murphy called as the trio stopped. "Take the horse, I don't like to take care of my patients for that long." He smiled as he pointed. "Yeah thanks." Norman smiled back.

They arrive at the place where the horse was tied against the fence in the stable. "So who get to ride the horse?" Hero asked after he unloaded all of his cargo on the chest at the side of it, he was not putting down armor around it, he knows how dangerous the outside world was. "I am still young, and riding ain't my favorite hobby" Norman let out a fake gag. "Especially this guy."

"Me too." Hero has finish armoring the horse, it was leather horse armor, not the best, but at least some protection. "How about you Rose, they say we need to take care of the elderly." Hero joked.

Rose rolled her eyes and scuffed: "Elderly my foot, leave the horse for young weaklings these days, I can walk."

Suddenly, Brine arrived at the stable with Anne. "She wanted to join." Anne explained. "She thought that spending time with you would jog up her memories." The other three agreed, and without wasting much, they mounted Brine onto the horse and headed out the village. Rose also hand Anne her cat. "Take care of her." She advised. "Take good care of it, if not you will be cursed by my soul." Anne let out an awkward chuckle and hug over the black cat from Rose. As they headed out, the villagers walk out of their house and gather at the front gate, waving their hands and bidding goodbye to the gang.

"Take care of my friends doctor Murphy!!" Norman formed a trumpet with his hand and screamed on top of the sandy dunes. "We will be back!! I promise!!!"