It all happened so fast. Last week, Blax found something interesting. Usually I wouldn’t care about it at all but he said it concerns about my magic. I got a little bit excited thinking that I would get my magic very soon but apparently it wasn’t. It was far more worse than that. We were having a small meal after school. It was there that Blax told me what he know.

“What do you mean, Blax?” I asked him.

He sips his cup of tea and said, “I am not joking. You are an orphan.”

Orphan. That’s what he said. I was an orphan. Why I didn’t know about this? How can he know about this? What’s going to happen to me? What about the Magic Duel? I asked all those questions to Blax but he didn’t say anything else. I don’t know what to feel now. I am confused, angry and also sad at the same time. Our talk ended just like that. Blax left me as I continued to stare at my cup that still filled with tea.

“Yeah…I knew this would happen…” I slowly said to myself.

Blax probably left so that I can think about it. He doesn’t want to bother too much about my problems but he tries to make sure I can make it. Blax was not a bad guy. He was just trying to help me. As I expected, Blax asked Rulend to investigate about my foster family and found out that I’m an orphan. I was shocked at first but somehow I already knew it. I just wasn’t sure back then. Now the proof has been shown, there was no denying it any longer.

I got into a fight with my foster family that night following the reveal. The household hasn’t been this gloomy since the first day I walk into this family. I got over it and settled it with my family. All that was left was to forgive Blax and thank him as well.

Today, I met up with him at the library. He was doing some work for the teacher when I arrived. I waited until he finished his work. By the time he finished his work it was already evening and the school was about to close. We walked together on our way home.

“Blax…” I initiated.

But then Blax stopped me, “It’s okay, Hosuke. I know what you are going to say. You don’t have to forgive yourself. I’m your friend. What friends are for if not to support each other, right?”

It seems Blax already knew what was going on in my head. I never knew he would be so caring about a nobody like me. There’s no other person except White who would understand me. Now I finally realised that all those people I called friend. They all tried to understand me even when I don’t want them to understand. They saved me many times. I wish I could count how many I was saved by all of my friends.

“How does Rulend do his Investigation anyway?” I asked Blax.

Blax simply replied, “I’m not sure myself. All I needed to know is that I can rely on his Investigation ability to help you. Besides, a friend in need is a friend indeed.”

I grinned and said, “That’s one way you can say about him.”

“Hey, have you heard about The Tale of The Sea God?” Blax suddenly opens a new topic.

I answered, “No, not really. What is it?”

Blax explained, “It was an old folklore about a God who controls the sea. The Sea God controls everything about the sea. The floras and faunas of everything under the sea. The Sea God also controls the wave of the sea. One day, as he was doing his duty he saw something. He saw a boat. He met with a fisherman who happens to be fishing around the area. That was the first time in many years that The Sea God get to talk. They talked and talked all day long until the fisherman realises it was getting late. As a parting gift, The Sea God gave him a bunch of fishes for him. The fisherman was very happy about it. Do you know what happens next?”

I tried to think of something but alas I failed to think of anything, “No, I don’t know.”

Blax continues, “The fisherman came back the following day. When it was time to go home, The Sea God gave him a parting gift like yesterday. The fisherman was very happy about it. The fisherman kept coming everyday until one day he stopped coming. The Sea God was lonely once again. At that moment he realises that the fisherman only come to him because of the fishes that The Sea God gave. The Sea God got mad and made the sea becoming far too dangerous to move with a boat. The Sea God was so angry that he was betrayed by the only friend he have.”

“That’s how I feel back then. Betrayed. Not just by my foster family but also my old ‘friends'” I said to Blax.

Blax continued to tell the tale, “Then, in that storm. A boat suddenly appeared. It looked like the same boat as the fisherman used. The Sea God became furious and destroyed that boat. But surprisingly, the fisherman was not there. Instead, it was a young man. The Sea God had no intention to harm him at all. He saved the young man and took him back to the shore. There, the young man revealed to be the fisherman’s son. The fisherman was sick at home and couldn’t go to the sea. That was the reason why the fisherman didn’t come back. The Sea God was wrong all this time. He made the sea back to normal and decided to meet the fisherman at his home.”

“And then?” I said.

Blax goes on, “The fisherman remembers The Sea God and forgave The Sea God for not telling him of his sickness. The Sea God then heals him with his ability. From that day, The Sea God will always come to visit the fisherman everyday.”

“That was a satisfying ending indeed. I get what you are trying to tell me, Blax. I understand.” I said as a tear started to come out of my eye.

But then Blax said, “Did you know they made a shrine for The Sea God?”

“Really?”

Blax then said slowly, “Today they are taking it down.”

What? Why would they take it down? I kept on asking questions to Blax but he only says that apparently they wanted to make a building on that land. How unforgivable. Disgusting. Just when I started crying now you are making me angry. Why are you doing this to me, Blax?

Blax suggested to me, “Want to go there for the last time then?”

I never expected Blax to suggest that to me but I accepted it immediately. We went to the shrine and when we reached the shrine we can see signs that the shrine was about to be put away. The workers were busy doing their preparations. We approached the shrine until one of the workers stopped us.

“Hold it, kid. This place is out of bound” said the man.

I felt like I wanted to punch him but then as I looked at Blax I calmed myself. I know what must be done.

I calmly said to the man, “We just wanted to pay our respects for the last time, sir.”

The man then let us in. As I walked around this shrine I see beautiful trees were placed around this secluded area. Blax told me that the descendants of the fisherman made this shrine. It is a proof of friendship made by the fisherman in return for all of those gifts he got.

“These are all beautiful trees.” I said as we walked around.

“The shrine is over there.” Blax pointed the shrine.

We walked to the shrine and stopped in front of it.

Blax then asked me, “Well then, what are you gonna do now?”

“Paying my respects.” I said as I closed my eyes and gave my respects to The Sea God.

As I opened my eyes I saw a shiny thing shining away my vision. It caught my attention. What kind of brilliant thing could be this shiny? It was that then Blax told me.

“Hosuke. Take it.”

I looked at Blax honest eyes and looked back at the shiny thing. Moments later I realised that it was actually an Infinity crystal which was placed on top of the shrine. Is this really it? Is it my time to shine? I couldn’t believe myself on what we have found. It was there all these years.

“But why? Why was it kept here? And why no one notices it?” I asked Blax.

Blax then answered, “Maybe its because back then, Infinity crystal are still sought out like today. Maybe it was kept so that one day it will be used. Maybe it was because…the crystal chose you. Maybe it was because The Sea God chose you.”

“The Sea God?”

I looked at the brilliant crystal as it shines in front of my eyes. I climbed on the shrine and grabbed it. I went back down next to Blax who patted me on the back. There, in my hand was an Infinity crystal. I couldn’t believe it. After knowing that I wasn’t born in a real magic family I believed myself to be magic-less. Talent-less. But I kept moving because of what White would of said to me. I know I cannot just sit still and do nothing.

I have to do something if I want to change my fate. I will change myself. I will be reincarnated. I will be someone that my friends can rely on. I will protect them. That was my pledge. As I looked at the crystal, I remembered back all the time when I was betrayed by everyone I know. Which was then fade away and made me remember all the good times I had been with all the new friends I had. I am grateful. I am very grateful.

I put the small crystal into my mouth and crunched it. I swallowed it. Then, that was the moment and time where I finally, reincarnated.

TO BE CONTINUE