Chapter 10: Mysterious Book 2/2
"Why is it always so dazzling?!" complained Etzell.
"This is more blinding than Tiwaz Re's barrier!" he continued.
The flash of light had been blinding Etzell for a while and according to him, the flash of light he was experiencing now was more blinding than Tiwaz Re's barrier.
"What's going on?!"
After there was no blinding light bothering him anymore, Etzell opened his eyes and he was shocked to find that the book had turned into ashes. As if it had been burned by something for a long time, the book left only a small amount of ash.
Now the book that Etzell had found on the shelf of his kitchen cabinet had disappeared and turned into ashes, then a moment later all the ashes flew away without direction due to the wind.
"Why, uh, oh! I think I've figured it out, about spirits, techniques, and everything else!" Etzell exclaimed.
Suddenly, Etzell felt that he knew a lot of things about everything that had been puzzling him lately. Things like spirits, spirit energy, techniques, levels, and so on.
"The bad premonition I had has also disappeared, but why? Everything is strange, it was even stranger when I saw my parents' names in the book earlier. Don't tell me, my parents can also see spirits?!"
Although Etzell was relieved that his bad feeling had disappeared, he was still confused as to why his parents' names were written in the book. Etzell even thought that his parents could also see spirits just like him, and that made him even more confused.
KNOCK! TOK! TOK! TOK!
In the midst of his confusion, someone knocked on his door.
"What now? Isn't it still early in the morning? Who's knocking on the door?"
Etzell, who heard the knocking, decided to open the door right away so that his question would be answered, so he walked from the living room to the front door which was quite close, so it didn't take long to open it.
"Okay, I'll open it!" exclaimed Etzell.
"Yo, Etzell! Sorry for the sudden visit!"
"Oh, Xoriz! No problem, what's wrong? Aren't you still in school right now?"
"I lied to the teacher that I was sick to see you!"
"Is it something important that you would lie like that?"
"Yes, of course! I have something to ask you right now anyway."
"I understand, just ask!"
"Why do you want to change schools, Etzell?!"
"Huh?"
As he opened the door, a male figure appeared before him. Etzell knew the man because he was his classmate and he intended to ask the reason for Etzell's transfer.
His name was Xoriz, he was Etzell's best friend and the relationship between the two of them was very close like best friends. With his height being lower than Etzell's, he was often strangled by Etzell as a sign of friendship.
"What the heck?! Why did you change schools all of a sudden? You didn't even tell me!"
Asked like that by his best friend in an urgent tone, Etzell felt confused.
"Umm... hei, let's talk about it inside! I'll make you some coffee!"
"You have to explain!"
"Yes, go inside first!"
"Okay."
Feeling that this conversation would not be over in a short time, to start with, Etzell invited his friend to enter the house and he obliged.
"Have a seat on that green sofa, I'll prepare coffee for you!"
"Okay, sorry for the trouble!"
Etzell led Xoriz to the living room. While Etzell prepared the coffee, he told Xoriz to sit on the green sofa where he had sat before.
Not wanting to keep his best friend waiting, Etzell sped up the coffee making. With the pot already filled with hot water, Etzell prepared two cups of coffee for Xoriz to enjoy together.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting!"
"Oh, warm coffee!"
After serving two cups of hot coffee on the table, Etzell also sat down next to Xoriz.
"Be careful, the coffee is still a bit hot!"
"Take it easy, I'm very strong!"
"What's the connection?"
Ignoring Etzell's warning, Xoriz immediately picked up the cup of coffee and intended to drink it directly.
"Ouch! It's hot! Hot!"
Then as Etzell had expected, Xoriz winced as his tongue felt hot.
"You're stupid as usual, huh? Didn't you see that puff of smoke in your glass? At least let it sit for a while!"
"Haha, sorry! I was too excited because this could be the last drink you serve me!"
Xoriz laughed lightly while apologizing to Etzell for his carelessness.
"Yeah, never mind. Then why did you think that I would change schools?"
"After all, when I saw a mysterious man coming to school, I followed him out of suspicion. And that's when I overheard the man's conversation with our principal."
"The mysterious man and the principal? What were they talking about?"
"I only heard a little, but it seems like I heard the main topic right away."
"Oh, what was it?"
""Cormac Etzell, I need you to take care of all the transfer paperwork," that's what the mystery man said, and the principal agreed."
"Why am I being transferred? Who was the person who did it? Was it Tiwaz Re? Gosh, I don't even know anything!" Etzell thought.
After Xoriz explained a few things, Etzell guessed that Tiwaz Re was the one who did it. Of course, Etzell felt confused as to why he was being transferred.
"Should I call Tiwaz Re now? No, Xoriz is still here!" he thought again.
Etzell wanted to summon Tiwaz Re by breaking the mirror he was given, but he decided against it because his best friend was still here. He didn't want his best friend to know some horrible things like spirits, so Etzell decided to do it later when Xoriz had gone home.
"So Etzell, why do you want to change schools?"
Once again, Xoriz asked the reason for Etzell's move.
"Umm..."
Being asked so seriously by his best friend, Etzell who didn't know anything was forced to lie and decided to confirm it later.
"Sorry, Xoriz! I'll be staying with my uncle, that's why I'm transferring to a school so far away."
Having no other choice, Etzell lied by answering that he was planning to live with his uncle. Of course, the uncle in question was Tiwaz Re.
"Is that so? I understand, you must be feeling lonely because of your parents' departure."
After hearing Etzell's answer, Xoriz understood Etzell's feelings of being lonely because his parents were gone.
"Sorry, Etzell! I haven't been able to be a good friend to you! Whatever choice you make, I will continue to support you!"
"Yes, thank you! We both need to move on and face reality!"
"But Etzell, can you promise me one thing?"
"As long as I can keep it."
"If we meet somewhere, whenever and wherever, you must still reprimand me!"
Then Xoriz apologized to Etzell for not being a good friend, but he asked Etzell to promise that the next time he met him, Etzell should still greet him no matter how many times it was.
"Yes, I promise!"
"Alright, since you forgot your habit, as a sign of farewell, strangle me now!"
Hearing Xoriz's request to strangle his neck as a sign of farewell, Etzell began to shed his tears.
"If that's what you want, I'll do it!"
"Egh! Why? Are you soft now?"
"Haha, sorry! I was hoping that I wouldn't forget you, that way I'd be able to keep reprimanding you."
Etzell felt sad about having to part with Xoriz, which was why he couldn't keep his tears from falling. The atmosphere was touching as the two had to part ways under circumstances that were not even known.
Although he didn't know whether he would actually transfer or not, Etzell was sure that there was an 80% chance that he would transfer schools. Because considering some of the previous events, the possibility was very high indeed. That's what Etzell thought.
"That promise must be kept!"
"Yes, I understand!"
Etzell accepted the promise from Xoriz, then he released his chokehold.
"Don't be too sad, Etzell! Like you said, we both need to keep going! In that case, I'll take my leave. Goodbye!"
"Yes, goodbye!"
After a few moments of touching scenes, Xoriz decided to go home and then the two of them said their goodbyes to each other.
"Gosh, he's spent it," muttered Etzell.
Before actually leaving, Xoriz had finished the coffee that Etzell had served first.
"Well, it was touching. But what can I do," he muttered again.
After dealing with Xoriz, Etzell immediately took Tiwaz Re's small mirror shard in his pocket and broke it just like that.