"I am sorry, Linda," Eric said while patting her head. He realized that his friends' attitude towards him had changed not because of his graduation failure but due to the complications of their cursed blood, and he felt a sense of remorse.
"Don't you dare say sorry? It's my fault that you also awakened the cursed blood. If only we weren't together, you wouldn't have awakened cursed blood. Cursed Blood can be awakened if a normal person stays together with a Materializer for a certain time," Linda admitted with a heavy heart.
"Wait... wait, Linda..." Eric interrupted, "Why are you blaming yourself? It's not because of you! It's because of something else." He didn't want her to blame herself for his actions.
"Something else!" Linda muttered and took her arms off Eric, asking for an explanation.
"Well, I encountered a beggar before. I suspect he was a zombie. He killed my landlord's two dogs brutally," Eric narrated, explaining everything that had happened at that time. I had also taken a red crystal when the dogs were fighting!
"Zombie? You encountered a zombie? Eric, are you okay?" Linda said in worry. Her eyes gleamed as she gazed at Eric's body from head to toe, sighing in relief when she couldn't find any signs of harm.
"Wait! What did you say you had taken?" Linda asked to confirm his words. Caroline and Leo also listened attentively.
Eric takes out something from his coat's inner pocket, covered by a piece of black cloth. He slowly unfolded the cover, revealing a red crystal.
"This!" All of them froze. A chill ran down their spines, as if a predator was staring at its prey. They gulped, sensing an ominous presence.
They stopped like a statue starting at the red crystal. It seems that their thoughts and bodies have frozen.
Seeing them frozen like statues, Eric quickly covered the red crystal. Shortly after, all of them regained control over their bodies, when the crystal was covered from their eyes.
"What was that?" Linda asked, turning towards Caroline and Leo, why did she felt a fear towards that 'Facet'? Wasn't it just a normal 'Facet'?
Eric was also confused, seeing them shocked. "Isn't it just a red crystal? There might be hundreds of them in the supernatural world, right? Why do they look stuck?" he wondered.
"How did you find it, Eric?" Caroline said, her expression filled with shock.
"I took it from the dogs while they were fighting. They had stolen it from that beggar (Zombie). I thought it was a diamond and picked it up," Eric explained.
"What is this red crystal?" Eric inquired.
"Well, how should I say this?" Caroline hesitated, appearing afraid to speak. Her expression seemed to be, shocked, fear and excitement.
"Huh!" Eric was confused. Why was she afraid?
Then, Leo suddenly said, "How are you still alive?"
"Huh! What do you mean?" Eric said, looking confused.
"Well, this is 'Facet' used for the Tenth Form of Materialization. And it will have a certain sentience. It can corrupt the person holding it in different ways, and they will have only one end: death," Leo explained. Maybe this 'Facet' is purified, that's why Eric is still alive, Leo thought.
"But I am confused, why the hell didn't that zombie take it back?" Leo pondered aloud. Of course, taking back means, Eric will go to Goddess's embrace. This 'Facet' is used for the ritual of Tenth Form Of Materialization. The top powerhouses of the supernatural world will fight just for this.
"What?" Linda was shocked. "It is so dangerous," she said, turning towards Eric with gleaming eyes, but still didn't find any abnormality. There weren't even any signs of a zombie's aura.
"Maybe he is unique!" Caroline thought, "The Wishing Mirror seems interesting."
So, it's name is 'Facet'! Eric pondered.
"So, what should I do with 'Facet' then?" Eric said, not wanting the crystal 'Facet' with him for even a second. If he takes the crystal with him, that zombie might sense it and finish him. No, He mightn't even be alive to be killed by the zombie. Although he haven't encounter any dangers from the 'Facet', his fear has been unlocked by Leo's words.
"Leo!" Caroline called Leo. Leo went inside the room. After some time, he came back with a small black wooden box in his hand. Put it inside, Caroline said.
Eric placed the 'Facet', covered in a black piece of cloth, inside the box. The box itself had some symbols and runes inscribed around it.
"Now, it's safe," Caroline sighed in relief holding the box. "Don't worry, you will get rewards for this," she assured Eric.
"As long as my life is safe," Eric said. Then he pondered about the rewards, wondering if they would be useful to him. Perhaps he would receive a way to gain superpowers for Materialization.
Did the captain Arrived? Linda asked.
No, he hasn't arrived yet. Caroline replied.
"Eh," Linda wanted to ask about the escort mission, checking if everything was fine. "He went to escort someone her friend,"
"Guys, you haven't told me about the Ten Forms of Materialization yet?" Eric inquired slowly.
"Oops, we forgot to mention!" Caroline laughed.
"Well, for now, just remember the lower forms of Materialization. The first Form of Materialization, Sense Enhancement. The Second Form of Materialization, Body Enhancement. The Third Form of Materialization, Spirit Awakening."
Sense Enhancement Ritual won't do much to the human body, but it helps enhance their five senses. It can also sharpen their sixth sense," Caroline added.
"Body Enhancement Ritual helps humans reach the limit of their human bodies. The potential needed for the Third Form depends on the Second Form,"
"Spirit Awakening Ritual is the true starting point for the Form of Materialization. You have to awaken a spirit from your cursed blood. This will depend on the potential you possess,"
"The Lower Form of Materialization needs to have a perfect ritual and perfect ingredients. I can't disclose the details of the Upper Forms of Materialization, ingredients or ritual; I have taken an oath in the name of the Goddess," Caroline explained. Don't worry you will have them in the near future, she chuckled.
"Ohh," Eric remembered these Forms in his mind. Although he didn't know how much time it would take for his rewards, he hoped to gain supernatural power.
"Of course, who wouldn't want to have superpowers? Only lunatics who think the world is flat," Eric chuckled inwardly.
"Now, I will go to my work," Eric said and went inside his room. The room was filled with boxes and documents. He was relieved that he didn't have to deal with the boxes; the stacks of documents on the tables were the only things he needed to calculate. The other boxes would be delivered to the Capital in a few days.