72. Absolution

The group sat around the fire laughing for a while. The atmosphere got better and better during the evening. No one would have thought that the man whom Etele said was the cause that he become a ghost just because he wanted to get on his nerves could have such a good sense of humor, but they were all wrong. They laughed so hard that even they were surprised. Then the evening drew to a close, the ghosts slowly left the clearing. After a long time, Laik also stood up, but before he left, he spoke.

"Rahul." Hearing his name, the boy immediately turned towards the source of the voice. By this time, all members of the team had stood up to pack up and retreat. "Take out your sword." The request came from the mouth of the ghost. The chüvigh boy suspiciously reached for his belt, whereupon his sword immediately appeared, which he hung from his waist.

"What do you need a Ghost Bell for?" He asked the question, but then the ghost was only watching the sword, smiled faintly and held out his hand.

"I would like to give you a small gift." Said the ghost calmly, so Rahul put the sword in his hand. "I got this pendant from my master, it's a sign that they know I'm his student, but I don't need it anymore." Laik explained as he removed the pendant from his necklace and raised it above the crossbar of the sword.

"What are you doing?" Etele's question was heard, but his son did not pay mind to it, he just continued thinking deeply.

"I, Koál Laik, entrust this treasure to you, Koál Rahul. In my life, I have seen things that I shouldn't have, I have done things that cannot be forgiven. The blood of innocent people dries in my soul, this object in my hand is a symbol of their sacrifice. With this stone, Koál Rahul, I give you the power to see the truth with the blood of your enemies, as I have seen, which is invisible to others." He said his rhyme, and then the red stone flashed and became embedded in the cross iron of the Ghost Bell. When this happened Laik handed the sword to Rahul.

"Thank you." The boy blinked, but then a white light appeared around the ghost's legs. Everyone looked in that direction in surprise, even Laik himself.

"Oh..." Came out of the ghost's mouth.

"What, oh?" Rahul's eyes widened.

"I think the forefathers and foremothers really fulfill a request of the dead, they just didn't say when. Thank you for allowing me to atone for my sins. My time has finally come... Farewell." He whispered the last words before the light completely engulfed him. It was only then that Rahul realized that it was not just the team but everyone present who was looking at the ghost. However, after a moment, in the place of the ghost surrounded by white light, only a red butterfly remained, which fluttered a few times and flew away into nothingness.

"Farewell, my son." Whispered Etele. "Now you can be reborn." Said the ghost relative, and Rahul turned to him in surprise.

"What?" The boy frowned.

"The red butterfly indicates that the soul is on its way to rebirth. Apparently by handing you that stone." He pointed down on the sword. "He received the gift of men and was able to move on." Here he shook his head. "He wasn't as untalented as I thought. That summoning circle he put on your sword is one that even I don't know." He sighed. "I'm a little sad, just when I was making up with him." He closed his eyes and then raised his gaze to the sky. "I think I'll go and find my bird now." He attacked it quickly and he was already gone.

"He went to Riki to cry. He is mourning." Razvan answered the team's question before anyone asked the question.

"Riki?" Citar asked.

"He is talking about the bird from Heginjülin." Rahul waved.

"Is the turul bird of the hegins grandpa's?" Citar gasped in surprise.

"And mine. We saw it hatch, we raised it." Razvan shrugged as he entered the yurt.

"What is it that you raised?!" Citar asked, almost falling in the door of the yurt.

"I think that was clear, Citar, don't play the fool." Rahul rolled his eyes.

"But, but, but the turul bird of the hegins." The Bolacsuk boy mumbled.

"Yes, the bird who treated grandpa the way adults treat their parents when they scold them in front of the children." The chüvigh boy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think Riki will be the least bit pleased that he has to listen all the way through his mumblings." The boy yawned. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm really ready for tomorrow. It isn't full night yet and my eyes are slowly starting to live a life of their own." He rubbed his eyes with one hand as he collapsed onto his sleeping place.

"Rahul is right, we had a long day and we all need a nap." The leader of the team stopped Citar's opposition. Rahul nodded in satisfaction and stretched out on his sleeping place to try and get a good night's sleep. His dreams were initially as usual, a strange and exciting mixture of memories and fantasy. Until he ran off one of the paths to a place unknown to him.

His feet were rooted in the ground, he has never seen this place before. The yurts looked completely different from what he had seen and were arranged completely differently. Perhaps only the yurts of Inepta's team in the mountains were somewhat similar to these, that is, in terms of their layout. Rahul walked curiously through the unfamiliar yurts. There were crates, there were carts among the yurts, but there was not a soul anywhere. He already thought he was doing this unnecessarily when he saw a figure next to one of the fire pits.

He was a young man, about Rahul's age. A wide smile was on his lips and even his deep brown eyes were smiling. His long brown hair was held in a ponytail high on the top of his head and he was wearing the ornate dark blue clothes typical of Koáls. He pulled up half a leg and rested his arm on it. It was as if it didn't bother him at all that Rahul was here.

"Hello! Sorry it took me a while to get here. You have a strong sword, he didn't want to give in." The boy shook his head, and Rahul frowned, but in the next moment black smoke was suffocating the man in blue.

"Who are you and what are you talking about?" He demanded an explanation from the stranger.

"Koál Laik and let me go and I'll tell you!" He touched the edge of his neck, it was enough for him to say that and the smoke dissipated and Rahul sat opposite him on the other side of the fire.

"I'm listening!" He folded his arms in front of him.

"Don't tell dad, but..." He started and took a deep breath. "I decided I don't want to go on to an other life. My soul moved with the stone into your sword. You are strong Rahul, stronger than most of today's hegins, but you don't use your strength consciously. That's why I thought I'd help you."

"What does that mean?" Rahul snorted.

"That I will make you the strongest hegin that ever lived." Laik grinned.

"What?" Rahul blinked.

"You will be my student!" As soon as these words left hegin's mouth, the world blurred before Rahul's eyes and he sat up in his sleeping place taking a deep breath. Everyone around him was still fast asleep.

"Hooray! That was all I needed, one more dead relative!" He whispered to himself as he ran his hand through his hair.