A Sudden Change of Mood

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 15539

Synizn scowled. "You are in no position to bargain, my little demifox," he said. "If I so chose, I could make you convulse in agony with just a gesture of my hand. And you needn't think that you can use the Crystallic against me. It needs an experienced mage to use it safely. If you were to try, most probably nothing would happen, but if you were unlucky you might easily destroy yourself."

"So why don't you just take it, then?" Fred asked. "In fact, since you obviously have great power, why did you need my assistance to get the thing?" "Those who created the Crystallic knew that it would present a great temptation for mages to try to steal it. Therefore they made it impossible to transport it by means of magic, though - as you have seen - it is possible to transport an individual who is holding it. But I have better things to do than to complete your education, and my patience is running out."

Fred feared that he had pushed the mage too hard, and he tensed himself, though rationally he knew that bracing himself against the sort of magical power that Synizn had would be totally ineffectual. But then the werebear sighed and, to Fred's surprise, adopted a more conciliatory tone. "Look," he said, "you have done me a great service, whether you were willing or no. I am not an unreasonable person. I will take you to see your friend, who is now awake. I confess that when I heard about her biting Ringroot I could not surpress a chuckle. I can imagine how he must have been sweating afterwards. Clearly neither of you is lacking in spirit. But I can make no promise about restoring either of you. Even with the Crystallic, that is not likely to be a simple matter, for Minestus will not have wanted his magic to be easily undone. And of course there is an added complication in your friend's case."

As Synizn opened a door leading from the room and ushered him along a passage, Fred wondered what could have prompted Synizn's sudden change in attitude. Did his werebear nature lead to an instability of mood, or could he be frightened that Fred might be able to use the Crystallic against him, in spite of claiming that was next to impossible? Or was Synizn just trying to keep him off-balance?

  1. Then, before the surprised Fred could react, in a lightning movement for so big a man, Synizn turned and grabbed the Crystallic from him.
  2. Fred decided that desperate measures were called for, and attempted to use the Crystallic while he still had it.
  3. Synizn brought Fred to a stout door, and unlocked it.

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JH

3/24/2001 2:18:10 PM

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