Chapter 13: Roommates

The room echoed with Eric's laughter. Clover and Onyx stared at each other with perplexed expressions before they stared back at Eric. Eric continued to laugh before he slowly calmed himself down.

"What is so funny?" Clover asked.

Eric grinned. "It sounds like Onyx stated at the church that I was not allowed to interact with him through the five years in Ueadora academy, right? However, it is impossible at this point when we are roommates. I find all of this extremely amusing."

"Amusing? Do you consider me a fool? Some fool you can make fun of?" Onyx snarled as he grabbed Eric's shirt collar.

Eric shook his head. "Of course not. My point wasn't to mock you, but rather to illustrate how events beyond one's control are seen as predestined by a supernatural force."

"Are you suggesting that our roommateship was not just a coincidence, but we were meant to be roommates by default?" Onyx scowled as he gritted his teeth.

"Yes." Eric smiled.

When Onyx's footstep echoed through the halls of the dorm, he turned to Eric with a sullen expression. He seemed to be blazing a trail of death towards Eric, as he presented a deathly presence.

Before he left, Onyx said coldly, "Don't touch my possessions, Brace."

Eric said, "I hadn't even considered it."

Clover asked worriedly, "Are you not going to mind having him as your roommate?"

"On the country, this excites me." Eric grinned.

[Later that day]

"Supper time!" Cody called.

In the dining area of Finch Dorm, a large group of students formed. Students of all ages, genders, and statuses were seated at a variety of tables in the dining area. A certain student was missing from the tables before Cody noticed. Onyx was the only person seated at the table when Cody approached it.

Cody called, "Onyx," before Onyx threw a cold look at him.

"Sorry for bothering you, but may I humbly ask you to fitch Eric. He doesn't seem to be here." Cody asked politely.

A harsh expression crossed Onyx's face as he asked, "Why me?"

Cody explained, "Because your Eric's roommate and I don't feel confrontable allowing someone else into a golden room."

Onyx groaned. "I see your point."

One picture Onyx had in mind was a student of the bronze class entering the room and attempting to rob him of his belongings without his knowledge. After leaving his table, Onyx walked out of the dining hall. As he approached the golden door, his footsteps echoed through the empty halls. As Onyx reached for the door handle, he heard a loud boom in his ears.

"What was that?" Onyx uttered before he swung the door open.

In a snapshot of shock, Onyx looked as his eyes saw an unfathomable occasion. Eric sat at his work area while hacking up residue and he was encircled by three gorgons. Eric pivoted with an ash-covered face and a bothered appearance. The gorgons slid away from Eric gradually before he got a meagre glass tube shut down toward one side that contained a green fluid.

"YOU IDIOTS! THIS IS SPECIFICALLY WHY I TOLD YOU TO MOVE AWAY WHILE I'M WORKING!" Eric roared as he threw the veil.

The gorgons slid around as the veil bounced off their tails and flew towards Onyx. Onyx attempted to dodge, however, he was unfortunately not fast enough. The veil then cracked as the liquid splashed over Onyx's body. A flash of light shined in the room when it faded, all that was left was Onyx's clothing. After a few short seconds, the clothes started to shuffle before two long black ears popped out of the covers.

"Oh no," Eric muttered before a small black rabbit hopped out of the pile of clothing.

"Oh, dear." Ash gasped as she covered her mouth.

"We're dead, we are so royally dead. Excuse me, while I try to pry our last line of mercy." Lux casually said before slid to a corner.

"I think I'll join you," Kai commented as he followed Lux.

Eric walked to the black rabbit as he picked it up along with Onyx's clothes. Eric then shuts the door and locked it. Eric placed the black rabbit on his bed and folded Onyx's clothes nicely. Eric watched the black rabbit curled up in his bed until it eventually felled asleep. Eric sat at his desk before he let out a deep sigh.

"Are you okay Eric?" Ash asked as she placed a hand on Eric's shoulder.

Eric shook his head. "I'm not assuming you will fully understand but... if anyone finds out about this. I will be expelled."

"So what are you going to do?" Ash questioned.

"Good question. What should I do?" Eric said as his body started to tremble.

"Can you turn him back?" Ash asked.

Eric shook his head.

"Do you know how long the potion last?"

Eric shook his head.

"Do you know if the potion is permanent?"

Eric shook his head.

"Oh... oh dear," Ash uttered before she fainted on the floor.

"If only Master was here," Eric muttered as he clenched his chest.

Eric's eyes widen when he felt something underneath his shirt. Eric went under his shirt's collar before he pulled out a golden locket. Solomon's words soon echoed inside Eric's head.

"Don't open it until you enter your room, okay?" is what Solomon said.

"I almost forgot about this," Eric said as he examed the locket.

The locket itself was a shimmering gold colour, well-rounded with no edges. There was a pendant that was connected to a ring. The ring was hooked onto a thin golden chain. Eric continued to exam the locket before his thumb accidentally pressed down on the crown of the pendant. The locket's lid fling opened, it revealed the edge of the locket's circle shape were numbers that counted from one to twelve, there were three black lines the pointed at the numbers. Two of the lines stood still while the third line sprung around.

"What is this?" Eric questioned.

Eric touched the two black lines as he moved them around while they pointed at different numbers. Eric chuckled as he was amused by Solomon's gift. It was only when he pressed on the pendant's crown again, the locket glowed a bright lapis lazuli-blue colour.

"What's happening?!" Eric gasped as he started to float out of his seat.

The locket swung Eric around while his head began to blur. His eyes were sealed shut before he heard Ash's voice called to him. Didn't Ash faint earlier? Why was did Eric felt head still spinning while his body remained still? Eric opened his eyes as he saw himself on his desk again. However, the veil with the green liquid was still there, as if it was never thrown. Eric's eyes widen before he turned to his bed. It was empty, Onyx and his clothes were gone.

"What's wrong Eric?" Ash asked as she leaned against Eric's arm.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Kai commented while he lied on Eric's lap.

"Ghost?! Where?!" Lux yelped as he held onto Eric's head.

"Go..." Eric muttered.

The three gorgons stared at Eric with worried expressions before they move off him. Eric stood away from his desk before he calmly placed the veil and the other things he was using. The gorgons only quietly stared at Eric.

Until Ash finally spoke. "Um... Eric, are you alright?"

"Go hide," Eric commanded.

Usually, the gorgons would question but at the current moment, they knew better to question Eric when he showed a serious expression. However, that still didn't a certain gorgon to speak up.

"Are we endangered?" Lux questioned.

"No. But no one is supposed to know you guys are in here." Eric stated and he searched for a book in his bag.

"But I thought no one would come in here," Kai said.

"My roommate is going to be here at any second, so go hide now!" Eric barked and the gorgons quickly slid away to hide.

A few moments later, Onyx opened the door. He saw Eric seated on one of the plum couches, with a book in his hand. Eric's gaze turned to Onyx before he closed his book a smiled.

"Onyx, as expected." Eric hummed.

"You were expecting me?" Onyx frowned while he raised a brow.

Eric sweated a little before he said. "Of course I did, I don't know who else they would send here to fitch me." Eric grinned nervously.

Onyx rolled his eyes. "Anyway, dinner is ready, but the time we get there it will probably be gone."

"I highly doubt that," Eric commented as he placed his book on the coffee table and left the couch.

"I wasn't asking for your opinion." Onyx snarled.

"You right, you didn't. My apologies." Eric bowed his head.

Onyx clicked his tongue. "Just hurry up, don't blame me if you get left behind."

"Coming~" Eric smiled as he closed the door behind him.

The room fell into silence until the sounds of hissing bounced off the walls.

"Are they gone?" Ash whispered as she poked her head from under Eric's bed.

"I think so," Lux said as he slid from behind one of the plum couches.

"That was too close," Kai said as he dropped down from the top of the tall curtains.

"His roommate really did came, how did he know?" Lux said as he pulled Ash from under the bed.

After Lux pulled Ash popped out of the bed and landed on Lux. "Was it spell?"

"We can save the questions for another time, for now, we need to leave without getting seen," Kai said as he opened the window.

"Okay~," said Ash and Lux.

The three gorgons slid out of the opened window before they whipped their tails and closed it. Their claws clung onto the side of the building as they observed their surroundings for any signs of people. When they confirmed the area was cleared, they dropped to the ground. They observed their surroundings once more before they quickly slid away and back to the Familiar Shack.