At the end of a cold day, Ezekiel found himself and his little brother, Nathan, holed up in a run-down motel in the nearby city.
The indifferent person behind the desk seemed unfazed by their presence, as if they had seen it all before.
Ezekiel made sure that Nathan was fed and had a chance to clean up, but getting a four-year-old to take a shower was a challenge, especially with Nathan viewing Ezekiel as a stranger and Ezekiel's own traumatic past.
Ezekiel was not about to let Nathan shower alone, not after his previous experience on Earth One.
He stood in the bathroom, angry, and asked Nathan to come in.
Nathan didn't want to change in front of Ezekiel, so Ezekiel started brushing his teeth to show Nathan that he wasn't looking. Only then did Nathan agree.
Ezekiel brushed his teeth for 30 minutes until his gums hurt, then made sure Nathan was clean before handing him a towel and stepping outside to give him some privacy.
Ezekiel listened at the door as Nathan complained about soap getting in his eyes, then checked on him to make sure he was okay.
With some time to himself, Nathan retrieved his bag and took out the grimoire he had found.
"At least that old witch left something behind," he said to himself.
"Who knows, it might be useful." As he opened the book, Ezekiel felt something strange.
The grimoire that Ezekiel found was a mysterious and ancient book of magic.
It was bound in leather and adorned with strange symbols and runes. The pages were yellowed with age and the writing was spidery and difficult to decipher.
Despite its apparent age, the book was surprisingly well preserved, and there were no signs of wear or damage.
The grimoire was different from other magic books that Ezekiel had seen, as it did not bear the serial code number of the government nor did it contain any laws or regulations about safe usage of magic.
Instead, it seemed to be a collection of spells and incantations, written in an archaic language that was difficult to understand.
Some of the spells appeared to be dark and forbidden, and Ezekiel could sense a powerful and malevolent energy emanating from the pages of the book.
Despite the danger that seemed to radiate from the grimoire, Ezekiel was drawn to its secrets, and he felt a thrill of excitement as he started to uncover its hidden knowledge.
He was aware that the grimoire could be incredibly dangerous, but he was determined to learn all he could from this ancient and mysterious book
"This... this is definitely what that old woman in that strange place said," Ezekiel muttered as he read a few pages.
Ezekiel was both intrigued and cautious as he began to study the spells contained within.
It was not that difficult to him, it felt like he was born to do this and heavily trained for this especially with all that stress for education that he dealt with on earth.
The language was archaic and difficult to understand, but Ezekiel was well-versed in magic and was able to decipher the symbols and runes on the cover and within the pages.
The spells and incantations were powerful and Ezekiel felt the pull of their potential.
However, he also knew that the spells contained within the grimoire could be dangerous.
He was aware that some spells could have unintended consequences and that others could be very easy for him to perform .
Despite the risks, Ezekiel was driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to unlock the secrets of the grimoire.
As Ezekiel delved deeper into the book, he became increasingly absorbed in its magic.
And even in that situation, he made sure that his brother is not bothered by that, he played with him, he fed him and even when he was caught up with reading and practicing he made sure that his little brother was not left all by himself .
He would spend hours poring over the pages, trying to understand the complex incantations and deciphering the symbols.
He was determined to master the magic contained within and to unlock its full potential.
Despite his determination, Ezekiel remained cautious. He would only attempt spells in private and only when he was confident that he understood the full implications of the incantation.
He knew that the grimoire was a powerful tool, but he was also aware of the dangers it posed.
There were a lot of attack spells that Ezekiel found very interesting compared to the bullshit that the government was making them use .
For example: The one using fireball,or lightening .
Fireball: This spell summoned a ball of intense fire that could be hurled at an opponent.
It was one of the most destructive spells in the grimoire and was capable of causing significant damage to its target.
Chain Lightning: This spell released bolts of lightning that jumped from target to target, causing damage and stunning opponents along the way.
But his favourite was the ice shards and thuder strike .
Ice Shards: This spell summoned sharp icicles that could be launched at an opponent. The icicles could penetrate armor and cause serious injury.
Thunder Strike: This spell summoned a massive bolt of lightning that could be directed at an opponent.
The impact of the bolt was devastating, capable of stunning and possibly even killing an opponent.
He was dying to use them in an open field but due to the cold weather and his brother accompanying him , he had to force himself to ensure that the time was good for the trqining outside ..
And the thing that bothered him all that time was the fact that Nathan was very amazed with each spell that he cast in front of him .
Ezekiel's parents likely kept magic hidden from Nathan because they feared that he might have supremacy signs .
" Do you want to see something cooler than this?" Ezekiel said after two days of being stuck in that place .
Nathan nodded.
" Your brother is going to show you something marvellous!"