Chapter 7 Cheat Death

• An hour later, Clyde stumbled back home, soaked in sweat.
• Their house was a beat-up rental in a crowded neighborhood.
• The second he walked in, he saw his mother. Bertha's eyes were red and puffy, and she was on the floor beside the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
• Clyde's heart clenched at the sight. He rushed to her side and asked worriedly, "Mom, what's wrong?"
• Bertha slowly lifted her head, tears streaming down her face. She looked utterly defeated. Shaking, she grabbed Clyde and choked out, "Clary... she's gone..."
• The world spun for Clyde. His vision blurred, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. Clary, his little sister, couldn't be gone. It simply wasn't possible.
• He lurched towards her, his heart pounding in his chest. Grasping her wrist, he frantically searched for a pulse. But there was none. Clary was dead.
• Grief and disbelief slammed into him like a ton of bricks. He screamed, "No, this can't be happening! There has to be a way!"
• Ignoring the pain, Clyde tried to dig deep into his memories.
• A moment later, his face went hard. He turned to his mom and said in a rush, "Mom, stop crying! How long has Clary been gone?"
• Bertha, barely able to speak through her tears, said, "About an hour."
• Hearing that, a flicker of hope appeared in Clyde's eyes.
• Without a word, he pointed his finger at Clary's forehead. In that instant, the psychic swirl inside him surged forward, flowing into Clary's body through his finger.
• The Cosmic Monarch's Legacy held a secret technique called "Cheat Death." This power could snatch people back from the clutches of death, but only if they'd been gone for less than an hour.
• Clyde, desperate to save his sister, unleashed this forbidden power.
• As the psychic swirl surged into Clary's body, the color slowly returned to her face, and her body started to warm up.
• Thrilled, Clyde couldn't contain his excitement. He couldn't believe his new ability worked! But Cheat Death wasn't a permanent fix. It was just a stopgap measure. Unless they cured Clary's leukemia within the next hour, she was still doomed.
• Meanwhile, Bertha, bawling her eyes out, saw Clary changing, and her jaw hit the floor. She grabbed Clary's hand, felt it warm, and bawled happy tears.
• "Clyde, what the heck is going on?" Bertha asked, all excited.
• Clyde didn't have time for explanations. He brushed it off, saying, "Clary just fainted; she's not dead! Don't worry. She's got some time left. Let's get her to the hospital now."
• Without wasting another moment, Clyde scooped Clary into his arms and dashed out the door.
• Now, more than ever, Clyde believed that the Legacy of the Cosmic Monarch in his head wasn't just some crazy dream.
• If Cheat Death worked, surely there was a way to cure his sister for good. All he needed were silver needles, a specific type of tool, and he was determined to get them for Clary.
• He dragged Clary from pharmacy to pharmacy, but every shopkeeper looked at him funny when he asked for silver needles.
• Unlike everyday medications or tools, silver needles weren't exactly sought after by the average population. They were rare, carefully chosen for specific needs, and catered to a particular niche, so pharmacies didn't typically keep them in stock.
• Thankfully, a kind doctor pointed Clyde in the right direction. He directed him to Arcane Apotheca, one of the most significant pharmacies on the north side of King's Hollow.