When they get back to Carmlien's museum, most still felt a bit dizzy going through a portal for their first time. But later Lensfer, and Annie had to leave early to make sure Lensfer uses his insurance to get himself a new boat as well his stuff he brought through the portal. Sarah had to soon leave the others as well as she got bored and need to spend time with herself, but slightly waved goodbye to Max before leaving. And soon Max is confronted by Orlov bowing down before him for respect.
"You seemed to have a quick learn from your abilities." he sighed a bit "perhaps Max I think it's time you don't need my help anymore"
"What why like your not going to be a part of me?" Max suddenly was confused.
"You've already are a fast learner young one, though you were earned for the powers over crystals and worthy, and learning the enhancement of the minerals. But you need to find your own purpose"
"Purpose... I thought I was Minrallia's champion, wasn't that the reason your people kept calling me that. wasn't that supposed to be a sign of worthiness?" he question.
"True but as to all human will say, nothing last forever. Most of your knowledge was given by me, and thus you need to forge your own path with your new found strength. Not by ones who called you and what they want from you."
Max give it a bit of thought, but wondered to himself even more confusing himself about what he wants to do now since getting his arm crystallized. "Wait if I go on without you, then what will happened to you?"
"Till Spiral sprouts to anew in Miss Bling's museum I will stay here in the meantime"
"Wait you mean in my family museum, wouldn't customers or others see a tall crystal being"
"Not to worry miss Bling I have everything cover, and I will protect this museum from bandits as it did before" as Orlov gets onto a nearby podium and slowly forms himself into a glass sculpture.
"Till see meet again Max, till the time is right you will need my assistance once again, till I am needed"
Then forming himself completely into a glass sculpture. "You guys better go, I still need to put Spiral in a good place so nobody will ever touch her" Carmlien still holding Spiral's core still afflicted by the amber. Max and Rayn both agreed with Carmlien, before they both hug Carmlien then leaving her museum quickly Max covers his arm in bandages again as soon the get outside.
"Didn't think you brought more bandages"
"Rayn you should know better. I have a crystal arm to hide" as they both look at each other seriously before laughing jokingly at the same time. As they both walk they head towards the park sitting down on a bench nearby.
"So, Orlov mentioned purpose did that mean anything to you bud?"
"Surprisingly yes, he once told me a story about Minrallia and where she also lost purpose once. But found the reason do so"
"Interesting hope you find your reason"
"But that's not all, she lost interest in her purpose after crystallizing a whole planet and couldn't bring her people to life at one point. And I worry that it was due to a long lasting depression she must experience and I wonder if I might go through that path too" as tears suddenly started to fall from Max's face.
"Hey Max don't cry. When your best friend Rayn Garnet is beside you. You won't need to be sad"
"Thanks Rayn. You'll always have my back" he giggled a bit.
"No matter what". As they bump fist with each other. Later Rayn walks along with Max back towards his house before he went back to his house and Rayn carefully drops his bag and pulls out an egg of an Auro-amity and puts it near an incubator as he begins to observe the egg preparing everything that is needed to take care of any birds. But suddenly he already sees a crack on its shell as it begins to crack even further eventually shattered. Rayn's eyes were horrified from the sight of the egg of an Auro-amity already hatching in such short time, and is in wonder as to how he would help himself for the Auro-amity right at his face.
Meanwhile back at Max's house he notice from a mirror his jacket was ripped by his fight against Spiral. He groans at the sight of his clothes being ripped, Max then removes his ripped jacket due and places it onto a chair near by. But he grabs the amber from his ripped jacket's pocket and hold the amber he got from Carmlien in his hand and takes a good glimpse at his crystal arm for a moment before he attempts to crush it in his palm ready to feel his arm become normal once more.
But he suddenly gets a call within his mind "Orlov is that you?" Max puts down the amber on the table, as he tries to call out Orlov name in his mind, repeating his name over and over.
Would you be quite mortal! And no mortal this isn't my hubris brother you're speaking of.
Max suddenly gets a chill from his neck, his voice was heavily different from Orlov's voice, instead of being calm and wise. The strange voice he's hearing is more force and strict, but Max suddenly knew who he is from the memory displayed a while ago my Orlov.
"Your Quartez, Orlov's brother"
Ah you not so block headed as you seem to be. Quartez chuckled
"What do you want, I know who you are, and I already defeated one of your warriors" Max trying to act confident.
Warriors ha! You must be so confident as you speak of Spiral as you think, we are on equal footing now, mortal. No, I am much more powerful than you realize. You think you've won your little charade, but just now, I will be coming for you and there will be nothing there for you to stop me!
Quartez suddenly then cuts his connection within Max mind as he suddenly started to feel a sharp pain in his mind feeling a massive headache. He felt the pain shortly as it faded quickly from his mind almost falling to his knees by the pain but he grabbed onto his table to stabilize himself.
"So that was Quartez, Orlov's brother, and here I thought my life was only getting started" he thinks to himself as he suddenly notice a dark reddish spark surging around his arm,
"Weird, never seen that before" as he remembers it was the same spark of electricity that he somehow used during his fight against Spiral.
"Was it the crystals that did this? I don't know what it is but if it could give me the edge and I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try." Max trying to think of how to utilize the same power surge he got before as he begins to focus.
But his time was cut short as he soon hears a knock on the door, he looks at his arm to see the warning, but it wasn't flickering brightly this time. Max thinking it was one of his friends. Slowly walks towards the door and is hesitant to open the door. But he does so anyways and to see from the door he witnesses a stranger at his porch but recognizes who he is from his familiar yellow sharp eyes, and grey silver short tied hair.
"Hello Max Rexxine, descendant of Venny Lensharth. I am Ezrael Fendrick. May we have a discussion".
Max's eyes are widened in shock as he once again met a friend of one of his friend's fathers of none other than Akaumo Fendinna's father Ezrael Fendrick.
(End of chapter 20)
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(End of book 1)