Raz'Kul looked up at Genie as he spoke those words and choked bitterly. Just as he'd suspected Genie's mouth re-appeared in a broad grin. He hissed through his teeth in frustration. “I knew it! You tricked me into making that wish. You CAN still speak!”

“And do you want to know what the worst part is Genie? When you were blown away? And that was some very convincing effects by the way! Do you know I was actually concerned for you, not for losing my wish!” 

“I should have known better! All the stories say the same, never trust a Genie. My mother always said I was too trusting!”

Genie seemed taken aback by Raz'Kul's concern and his grin softened. “Raz'Kul I can assure you that was no trick! I was genuinely silenced and could not speak again until you had formally made your wish. A Genie is forbidden from influencing someone's choice of wish.”

“Even worse is for a Genie to even hint at the reason for, and therefore imply the solution to a wish - before it's been made. It is very rare for a Genie to be silenced, and I will be called in for severe punishment after your wish is delivered.”

Raz'Kul felt marginally placated by Genies words - though he was still somewhat dubious.

Genie continued. “However Raz'Kul, your wish has been made! So here is your riddle...”

Raz'Kul burst into laughter. “A riddle? Seriously? You never said anything about a riddle! You could at least make it sound impressive? Here was me expecting claims I was fates harbinger? For you to intone prophecy? For you tell me this was my destiny, and my coming was foreseen a thousand years ago?”

“Maybe some flashing lights or a bolt of lightning? You know, all that sort of thing? But all I get is a riddle?”

This time the purple lightning in Genie's eyes crackled more fiercely as he boomed out in fury.

“PROPHECY? FATE? DESTINY? HOW DARE YOU!”

“Do you think I'm some cheap street performer Raz'Kul? I see almost everything but NOBODY, not even a Genie, can see into the future with any certainty. Everyone crafts their own future, just as I do, just as you do. To even think otherwise..?”

“I work with fact, and I calculate! I work with probabilities, and I predict. But nothing is certain, and nothing is fixed! If everything was pre-destined, well what would be the point in anything?”

“There are limitless possibilities, and as you so neatly put it - a butterflies fart could change the outcome.”

Anyone with any sense might have tried to calm this all powerful being who looked more than capable of (and very close to) shooting lightning bolts from his eyes.

Instead, realising he'd hit a sore point, Raz'Kul decided to press it. “So basically what you're telling me here Genie, is that you just guess?”

The lightning in Genie's eyes strengthened with his fury until Raz'Kul could taste the electrical charge in the air, and felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

Genie seethed. “I'd rather you call it a guess than FATE, PROPHECY, or DESTINY! Yes I guess, but it's an educated guess! It's a guess based on proven mathematics, a lot of hard work, and study!”

“It's a guess based on statistical analysis, probability matrixes, and chaos theory. It's a calculated guess based on past examples fed into multiple databases and thousands of simulations!”

“So call it a guess if you will Raz'Kul, but do not dare call it prophecy!”

Genie calmed a little, and the lightning in his eyes faded a fraction. “However, I can assure you Raz'Kul - you wont find a better guess anywhere!”

Raz'Kul made a mental note to find out what all of that actually meant, but he had to admit - it sounded impressive.

It was Genie's turn to rant, and Raz'Kul felt he owed him that much, and besides he might learn something.

Genie continued. “Prophecy? Fate? Destiny? Sheer nonsense! Nothing but tools of religion and the charlatan! Tools to manipulate the weak, or to give substance and meaning to their own failures.”

“If that's what you want I could recommend to you 'The Oracle Of The Glowing Quill'. She lives just three streets down and will give you a prophecy, tell you your fate, and intone your destiny.”

“All three in one for a single silver coin!” 

Genie mocked Raz'Kul. “And funnily enough you will find a single silver coin you forgot all about in the lining of your cloak. There's a hole in your left pocket. You should really get that mended.”

“Now how's THAT for a 'guess'? Oh, and you get that one for free as well by the way!”

“The Oracle claims to have the finger bone of Altimus Tiertia himself. Actually it's the finger bone of her deceased husband Wilfur.”

“It's really quite a sad tale, but let's not get sidetracked. If it's prophecy, destiny and fate you want? Well she'll spin you a pretty one!”

Genie seemed to find his calm, and his chimes settled as his mischievous grin returned.

“However Raz'Kul, as you have made your wish, and just for you. Seeing as you made a special request...”

The candles were snuffed out and the single lantern dimmed as the edges of the room were wreathed in shadow.

There was another resounding boom, the appearances of multiple mirrors, flashes of lightning, a lot of smoke - and those blasted chimes.

The Genie intoned in a deep voice which seemed to come from both everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

“Raz'Kul! Here in lies your pre-ordained destiny. Your fate is sealed as written in the eternal stones of the infinite ether a hundred thousand years ago. I fore-prophesize (I just added that to the dictionary by the way) that you will do great things, and you will indeed...”

There was a pause as trumpets appeared behind Genie and dramatically started playing a ridiculous fanfare, somewhat out of tune.

“SAVE! THE! WORLD!” 

“Looking into the future? I can see sunshine, flowers, and cute little bunnies dancing with butterflies - all farting under a rainbow!”

As the fanfare ended, the trumpets burst into tiny multi-coloured fireworks that sputtered and died most unspectacularly.

If it was possible for a trumpet to have a head, then the final out of tune trumpet most definitely shook that head - right before it exploded.

Raz'Kul was laughing so hard at these over the top theatrics he now had tears streaming down his face. He was really starting to like Genie!

Genie grinned, and one again Raz'Kul knew that grin was genuine as it reached Genie's sparkling purple eyes.

But as their eyes met Raz'Kul realised Genie's mockery hid not only a genuine warmth and humour - but all that bluster was a means to hide a darker secret? 

Raz'Kul had been trained since childhood in misdirection and deception, so he recognised the ploy all too well. It was in fact the exact same trick he used himself.

Genie's smile faded and his purple eyes brightened to an almost white as he intoned the riddle in a flat voice. There was no mock theatrics this time, and no lightning or smoke.

Yet despite that, the words carried so much more levity.

And the first few lines were enough to wipe the grin from Raz'Kul's face as well...

Chapter 4