Normally aconstruct would be imbued with a special ability or power but hehad too little power available to do that. So he modified theproperties of the container so that it could absorb the power ofmagic cast at it. That would mean that he and Yllandril wouldactually benefit from offensive magic or mental powers cast atthem. They would be able to use the absorbed magic energy toactivate their own powers.
The second bodyhe modelled on the memory of himself as a Newman. It seemed such along time ago that he was Newman. Then instead of stone he reformedthe clay as crystal. He knew everything about crystal. He breathedand thought and lived crystal. He could see the structure ofcrystal with his crystal sight.
He made hisbody of the aquamarine. Why that type of crystal? He wasn’t surebut it somehow felt right. It looked bluish in some light and atother times more green like emerald, it was physically hard,durable and would be immune to most magic except that designedspecifically to target crystals. His crystal body would hold,absorb and slowly regenerate lost magic essence until full. He wasecstatic.
‘The bodies areready. Do you want me to smash the soul crystal.’ askedGlammer.
He was suddenlyworried. Yllandril had been very quiet. What if she didn’t want hernew body? To escape, the soul crystal would need to be broken. Ifit was broken both of them needed a new body or they would die.
‘Are you readyto go Yllandril. I have made you a body.’
‘I’m not sure.I’m scared. I might die.’ she said hesitantly.
‘You’llcertainly die or go mad if you remain here. This is your chance tolive again. It’ll be different but surely any body is better thannone.’
‘I’m not sure,Aquitain.’
He was reallydisappointed. To be able to create such marvels then not have themused. It was the ultimate insult to the artisan. Yet he couldn’tforce her to go.
‘PleaseYllandril. I’ve crafted you a beautiful body. It would be a shameto waste it. Think of your children, your husband, and yourfriends. This may be your only chance to recapture your life. It’smy gift to you. I ask nothing in return.’
Yllandril wassilent for a while then said.
‘You’re rightAquitain. I’ve been selfish. I do want to live again. Smash thesoul crystal!’
Glammer heavedthe soul crystal off the shelf it was on. It tumbled as it droppedto the dirty stone floor then bounced over the top of the two smallbodies lying on the floor awaiting their owners. It bounced asecond time but never looked like breaking. It rolled and stoppedan arm’s length from the wire cage holding Ansidian in his snakeform.
He satdejected. He was annoyed with himself. He blamed himself forgetting caught in the first place and he blamed himself doubly fornot being able to help Aquitain. He had tried to warn him but thatwas not enough. The malign spirit had easily overcome Aquitain andnow he was trapped in the soul crystal. It was all his fault. Hehad failed Lithgala, he had failed AG and now he had failedAquitain. It was not one of his best days.
The sound ofthe crystal hitting the floor shattered the silence. He hadn’tnoticed anyone enter. He looked up and saw the soul crystal skid toa halt within arm’s reach but he didn’t have arms. He had a snakelike body and wings. If only he was in his Newman form he couldeasily have reached out and picked up the soul crystal. But whatthen? He couldn’t get Aquitain out.
Then again hehad heard the activation word the malign spirit had used. If onlyhe wasn’t in a dead magic area and had arms to reach the crystal hecould pick it up and swap his own spirit for that of Aquitain. Hewould willingly give Aquitain his body and await his own fate inthe soul crystal. In a fit of despair he shouted.
‘Gracious LadyLithgala, I implore you. Please hear me. Give me the power toovercome this dead magic area. Give me the power to change toNewman form so that I might absolve myself of the guilt of myfailures. Merciful Lady allow me to change form so that I mighthelp Aquitain escape the crystal prison. Let me suffer for myfailures.’
Glammer heardhis shout. She was invisible to him, but he wanted to help. He wastrapped in one of those silly fake antimagic zones and didn’t knowit. She could see he was bound by fate with Aquitain so why not lethim help. She loved these dramatic moments.
In a loudbeautiful melodic voice she said ‘Ansidian, this is Lithgala, Igive you the power to overcome the antimagic zone, change to yourNewman form, gather the soul crystal and smash it with all yourmight.’
Tears of joyflowed down his serpentine cheeks. She had heard him. She hadspoken and he felt energized. He changed to his Newman form reachedin and picked up the soul crystal and hurled the crystal at thefloor with all his strength.
There was abrilliant explosion. One moment Aquitain was confined in thecrystal prison then the next there was a bright flash of light andhe was floating free in the crypt. The light flash dazzled hissenses temporarily blinding him after the absolute darkness of thesoul crystal.
He couldn’t seethe small Newman shaped crystal body on the floor that attractedhis spirit like a magnet would attract iron. He floated towards itand was sucked in. The feeling was wonderful.
He had a bodyagain. He was almost overcome with the seductive sensory feel of itand he had only been out of one for a few days. He waited half aminute for his sense of vision to return. He was on his back so hestood up and the whole room spun around. He was disoriented.
He heard a cryof mental panic from Yllandril.
‘Aquitain, thisbody won’t work. The legs all move at the wrong time and I’m seeingtoo much. I can’t feel anything and I can’t smell anything.’
He gathered histhoughts. He could see and hear. He couldn’t feel his body and hecouldn’t smell anything. He quickly thought back about the designand remembered.
‘Yllandril,your new body is like that of
