Mourning then struck Max and for once he didn't see Orlov anywhere this time in his mind, Max expected for Orlov to show himself last night but he didn't appear, an odd thought stir into his head. But Max still did his normal routine getting himself ready for his mourning shift with Rayn as they deliver more packages to other houses. After their shift they both went towards they're agreed spot they told each other yesterday.
"So Rayn why did you need me here again"
"Well since you have some newly discovered powers thanks to the crystals how about we test those soon"
"Yeah how about not in a public area"
"Fair, fair I understand that secrecy is in order, how about we head to the tunnels almost no one ever goes there"
"The tunnels?"
"Fine maybe not the right place to go."
Then Max feels something in his mind again "that's right there's somewhere I need to be" "to where now?" "Follow me, Rayn I have been called".
Max starts to lead Rayn towards the forest "hey Max why are we going to the forest exactly?"
"I Know you sometimes a bit spectacular Rayn. But please let me show you first"
Max show his crystal arm to Rayn they witness that his arm is glowing more brighter the more further they go into the forest. "is this something you just discovered Max?"
Max stayed silent for a moment "hey bud what's wrong?" It took a minute before Max could come out his senses then suddenly he stop moving and looks towards Rayn.
"Okay Rayn I am going to tell you something you never gonna believe. So please as you best friends can you promise not to tell anyone"
"Max you know so well that I can keep any secret though tell me hidden" "thanks you"
Max quickly explains to Rayn about meeting the crystal king Orlov within his mind and told him more about the possibility his arm can do, and told him to go to the forest to find something he isn't sure what it is.
"This Orlov guy, you sure you can trust him?"
"A bit but he saved me, without him I would be just crystals"
"That is scary if you think about it. your whole body made of crystals."
As they walk further into the forest and using Max's arm as a compass as it glows brighter as to where they are heading "quick question Max" "what is it Rayn?" "When did you first meet this Orlov he helped you discover what powers lies in that arm right" "sums it up" "then could there be an endless possibility of what power you hold" "it's probably not to best to dwell on that for too long".
Still walking through the forest they soon sees Max's arm grow brighter "this must be the place. Look around there must be something my arm needs" "wait? We should be cautious what if we find this thing your looking for what if it happens again?" "I did not think that far" Rayn quickly face palm his face.
Then suddenly the bushes begin to ruffle Rayn screamed in fear and quickly goes behind Max "really?" Max cocked an eyebrow.
"Hey your the one with a weaponized crystal arm do something"
"I don't think it's lethal"
"What do you mean?!" Max shows his arm and it doesn't flicker "is there suppose to be a meaning" "normally the flickering flashes on my arm indicates that there's danger nearby" "you sure its a hundred percent right all the time" "Rayn relax you don't have to be negative all the time. All we need to know that its harmless."
Max his slowly walking towards the bush and sees a fox coming out the bush looking feral "hey its okay we're not going to hurt you" as Max lays down a treat then the fox takes it and leaves them "you have treats in your pockets" Rayn being curious "since when you have treats in your pocket?" "Remember the time we visit Akaumo's place a year ago" "misses stoic of personality. The pet veterinarian" "yup that's her" "can't believe you went to her place even with confronting her father" "I didn't confront her father I saw her at the cafe once and had a chat, thankfully she's the more willing to give good information about animals than her father" "yeah Mr. Fendrick himself being all mysterious as always. Hehe"
They both having a fun laugh with each other Max notice his arm if glowing brighter again pointing to that direction towards a rock "a rock well isn't that convenient" as Max walks towards the rock as is about to pick it up Rayn quickly stops him.
"Remember we should take caution" Max nods and tries to use his crystal arm to form tongs thinking what tongs looks like he manage to create them from his arm. A bit glad, as Max slowly grabs the rock but nothing happens.
"Do you think this rock was a dunce?"
"I don't think so Rayn my arm was glowing brightly when it was pointing towards this rock"
Then suddenly the rock begins to shake quickly Max reacted and drops the rock in disbelief then the rock stopped moving. Max tries to take a further look into the rock and sees a crack on the rock quickly grabbing a stick from the ground he poke the rock and it cracked even further revealing a small gem in the center of the crack rock.
"That's odd?"
"Max what are you going to do?"
Max reaches for the gem and as soon its in his clenches he hears a voice. Crystal compatible, crush it. Without second thought, slowly tightening his grip he breaks the gem then within his palm a glow started to appear moving through his arm. Max suddenly starting to feel dizzy in his mind he almost collapsed but Rayn catches him.
"Max are you okay?" Max quickly getting onto his feet "yeah I'm fine, just feel a bit light headed" "how's your arm" they both looked at Max's arm and see glow a bright blue.
"Hey Max wasn't you arm clear before" "not sure but I wonder" then suddenly Max's arm turns into a cannon and fires a crystal ball destroying a nearby tree "what the heck!" Shocking them both "did you just create that?!" "No I didn't" Max tries to reform his arm back into its original form but then form a sword.
"Come on arm you didn't do this before when I was in danger. Why are you acting like this now?!" Max trying to think of turning his arm back into a hand, Rayn sees something "hey Max stick your sword into this stone" without hesitation Max lounge his sword into the stone "hey Max did it work?" "I guess, but now I can't remove my arm".
Then suddenly on the stone crystals started to seep out within the sword "Max what is happening" "I don't know, it never did this before" "then pull it out already" Max tries to pull his sword out of the stone but couldn't move it "it won't budge" then Max tries to kick the flat side of the sword trying to break it.
"Rayn! Help me break this sword"
Rayn quickly grabs a branch and tries to take a swing at the sword but Max's arm quickly reacted on its own and pulls the sword out of the stone and breaks the branch before reforming back into Max's arm.
"Max what was that about?!"
"I don't know. I guess it was due to your attack that it reacted, that's all I know"
"all you know... it could've killed me! And you were the one who suggested the idea"
"of course I did what did else you wanted me to do let my arm crystallize this whole area?!"
As to their constant arguing they then see the stone where with in the crack had emerged with crystals "you think it can be revered" Max then hold out his arm towards the crystal and suddenly the crystals started to move and shaking violently as it fires a shard at them. Swiftly they dodge it but more shards keep firing at them but Max then forms a shield "great now you form a shield" as to the constant attacks from the crystals Rayn quickly gets behind a tree "Max quick over here."
Max continue to shield himself from the crystals then getting behind cover towards the trees but suddenly the crystal stops firing shards at them "did it stopped?" "Not sure let me check it out" still hold the shield he slowly goes out form the trees to see where it stopped but as he look where the stone where the crystals emits from to only see that the crystals are gone "Max what happen is it still there?" "No it isn't in fact it disappeared" "disappeared? Well maybe that's a sign, where we should probably escape while we can" "agreed". Quickly they ran as fast as they could out of the forest till they made their way back into their neighborhood then splitting up as they went back into their homes.
(End of chapter 8)