The Girl in the Glass

Bob stared up at the giant crystal. The voice was gone, but the image was clear. A person. Trapped.

Traveller was still at the edge of the star pool, mesmerized by the swirling lights in the water. They had not seen it. They had not heard the voice.

Bob had to tell them.

He ran from the pool's edge, his small feet making soft slapping sounds on the stone floor. He tugged hard on the bottom of Traveller's robe.

"Up!" he said, his voice urgent. He pointed a shaky finger at the giant crystal point high above. "Up! Person... sleep!"

Traveller tore their gaze away from the star pool, confused. They followed Bob's pointing finger, their eyes traveling up, up, up into the glowing heart of the cavern's ceiling.

Their whole body went stiff. They saw it. A still, silent figure, floating in a prison of glass.

Traveller acted first. They did not draw their sword. They walked around the big crystal's base, their eyes looking for a crack. There were no cracks. A perfect prison.

"Stand back, Bob," they said.

Traveller raised a hand. A gold light grew in their palm. They chanted a single, sharp word. "Vex!" The word echoed in the cavern. The gold light shot out and hit the crystal.

DONG.

The sound was like a big bell. The crystal shook. But it did not break. Not a scratch.

Traveller tried again. Their voice was sharper this time. "Kael!" A flash of silver light, thin as a needle, shot from their hand. DONG. Nothing.

Bob watched. The person was still sleeping. He felt the 'bad feel'. Not for him. For the person in the glass.

"The power of this world cannot break it," Veilon's voice whispered in his head again. "But yours can. Touch the crystal, little one. Show it the warmth I gave you."

Bob understood. He walked forward.

"Bob, wait! It's dangerous!" Traveller called.

But Bob was not scared. He walked to the big, shiny crystal. He put his small hand on its cold surface.

The blessing inside him woke up.

It was not a gentle warmth. It was strong. From his back, white ropes of light came out. They looked like liquid stars. Six of them. They shot out and wrapped the giant crystal.

The crystal hummed. A high, singing sound. The light ropes pulsed. Brighter. Brighter.

CRACK.

A small crack appeared. Then more. The cracks spread like a spiderweb. The light inside grew very bright.

With a silent flash, the crystal shattered. It did not explode. It became a million tiny lights. They floated down like snow. Then they were gone.

The person inside was free.

They fell.

Traveller moved fast. They caught the girl. They carried her to the star pool and laid her down.

Bob walked closer. It was a girl. A little taller than him. Her hair was long and silver. Her eyes were closed.

Her right arm was gone.

Where her arm should be, there was only a stump. The skin was black. And cracked. Like dry ground. Strange lines were carved around the scar.

Bob stared at the wound. He stared at her bare skin. He did not think it was strange. He saw one thing.

"She... cold," he said.

He took off his grey cloak. His important cloak. He walked over. With Traveller's help, they wrapped it around the girl.

As Bob pulled the hood up, he saw something on her neck. Three small, black stars. In a line.

"Pretty... stars," he whispered.

He tucked the cloak around her. She was not cold now.

As he did, her eyes opened.

Her left eye was dark. Her right eye was bright red.

Her eyes, one dark and one fire, looked at the first face they saw.

Bob's face. Plain. Curious. Worried.

A small, scratchy sound came from her lips. One word.

"...You."