Raz'Kul was never one for being quiet, so he'd never really understood the expression “the silence was deafening”. 

Well not until that very moment anyway. Raz'Kul realised he had tuned out the ever present (and thoroughly annoying) background chimes that accompanied the Genies every word and movement. Those chimes had stopped in a heartbeat at his last words, and that in turn silenced Raz'Kul mid-rant (which was an impressive feat in itself).

The thief paused to look at the Genie in confusion. The Genies form seemed to have frozen in place, and that relentless tornado had stopped spinning? The multicoloured lights had paused - still bright, but no longer flickering to cast ever shifting rainbows across the walls. 

It was as if the ethereal wind that caused those ripples of smoke and colour, or the power that fuelled that miniature tornado...

...had just stopped?

It was almost as if the Genie held its breath.

After a moment there was the slightest movement, and the Genie smiled at Raz'Kul. And Raz'Kul realised it was the first genuine smile he'd seen from the Genie, without even a trace of mockery. It was the first smile to reach the Genies glittering eyes.

Then incredibly this being of extreme power (who Raz'Kul had no doubt could destroy him with a flick of its fingers) bowed its head to him in respect.

After a few seconds the tornado, the sparkling lights, and the chimes - all resumed as if they had never stopped.

Raz'Kul felt a shiver run down his spine, but ever mistrusting quickly shook it off. With a somewhat unconvincing laugh Raz'Kul continued. “Oh don't be ridiculous! The world always needs saving from something...”

“Mostly from itself to be honest! And what could I do? There are already wars aplenty as I said. Human nature is human nature! I couldn't implement world peace even if I was the King.”

“And I most definitely don't wish to be the King!”

The Genie opened its mouth to reply but seemed to falter as the chimes drifted slightly off-key and the ethereal wind grew in strength, distorting its features. “Raz'Kul, I cannot give you any information unless you wish for it. I cannot even hint at it until you make the wish.”

The chimes drifted further out of tune, and the music became jarring. The Genie's every word seemed pained. “As you said Raz'Kul, human nature is...human nature...”

It was as if the Genie was fighting against something and struggling to keep itself together. Its entire body rippled as that ethereal wind grew stronger still, blurring its face. The Genie continued. “But perhaps? Perhaps what you...what you need...”

There was a resounding thunderclap and the desk mirror shattered sending fragments flying across the room. The shock wave threw Raz'Kul backwards into the wall as he clapped his hands over his ears at the deafening sound. 

The Genies form was swept away in what seemed like a hurricane, leaving nothing but the sound of hundreds of chimes rattling in its wake. 

And after a few seconds those chimes reverberated back into silence...

Raz'Kul looked around in shock. The Genie was gone! All that was left was that battered copper lamp, which was now spinning furiously on its side in the middle of the room.

He rubbed his bruised shoulder and clambered back to his feet, then took a step forward to check the lamp. It looked like it had a new (and very impressive) dent in its side.

Raz'Kul hesitantly moved forward to investigate, but as the lamp spun to a halt, the magenta smoke started flowing once more.

The Genies form slowly pulled itself back together and the chimes returned, though this time  they sounded more subdued than previously. The Genie however was silent. Where its mouth had been, there was nothing but smooth skin!

He queried in a whisper. “Genie? What happened? Are you well?”

Raz'Kul was surprised by the strength of his concern, and realised that within the short hour he had known this Genie, he had genuinely grown to like it.

Not it? Him! Despite Genies arrogance (or perhaps because of it given it mirrored Raz'Kul's own) he liked him. He enjoyed Genies company and found in him a cleverness and humour that matched his own. He enjoyed arguing with him, and suspected that might even be part of the reason he was delaying his wish.

Raz'Kul said with more authority. “Genie? I demand you speak to me!” 

But Genie was silent, simply looking at Raz'Kul with pleading eyes. After a few seconds Genie shrugged his shoulders in defeat, gazing back at Raz'Kul. Waiting...

Raz'Kul sat at his desk, absent mindedly picking shards of the shattered mirror from his clothing as he considered his wish. He remained deep in thought for several minutes, occasionality glancing up at Genie suspiciously.

Finally Raz'Kul seemed to come to a decision as he looked up at Genie, who's eyes had never once left him.

Raz'Kul grimaced. “I really can't believe I'm even considering this. If this is some sort of trick Genie? I'll throw you - lamp and all, into the very Void itself!”

Those words seemed to strike Genie like a physical blow, and for a second a look of terror clouded his features. This served only to further unsettle Raz'Kul, who after a pause glanced down as he laughed at himself. “Very well Genie! I formally wish for you to tell me...”

He stopped himself short. “No! I can't even believe I'm considering this? It's absolutely ridiculous...”

However Raz'Kul's mind was set, and he continued regardless...

“Genie! I formally wish for you to tell me...”

“...how to save the world.”

Chapter 3