Max heading back into his house Max tries to form a shield from his arm again as did before from the fight against Shard. But it would not form again no matter how hard he thinks.
"Come on does it have to every time I'm in danger... I guess we'll have to test that theory" walking upstairs then towards the balcony Max is going to jump off the balcony to see if when he is in danger is where his arm would protect him. Max attempts to jump off the balcony but his crystal arm grabs the railings on the balcony before pulling him back onto the floor.
"Seriously!?"
Then heading back downstairs then towards the kitchen grabbing a knife and placing his arm onto a cutting board he attempts to chop the crystal arm. As he swings the knife downwards his crystal arm reacts again and forms a shield causing the knife to shatter the blade.
"Oh come on, now it forms a shield".
Feeling disappointed Max needs answers about his arm "hey Orlov are you still in there? I need to talk to you" Max trying to hear a word from Orlov in his head, but gets no reply from him as he is talking to his own arm made of crystals. "Seriously Orlov the one time I need some advice and I don't even get a start answer" and still hears no reply from Orlov.
Max sighs "I suppose I should cook something for dinner". In the kitchen Max started to cook oyster stew "thankful I brought these for free thanks to Lensfer" first adding in the oysters into the pot and boiling the oyster Max thought of something "are crystals heat resistance" waiting till steam starts emerging from the pot Max killed the heat on the stove and prepares to grab a oyster from the pot, and puts his crystal arm into the boiling water and feels nothing not feeling the hot temperature from the boiling hot water which kind of surprises Max "to think it's connected to my nerves" then pulls out an oyster and then with one smack the oyster breaks "this can useful" he thinks to himself as he continues to grab more oysters from the pot and breaking it open one by one, the continues to cook the stew.
While Max is cooking his oysters stew his crystal arm started to glow flickering brightly "danger? What do you mean danger is in my house" then suddenly hears his doorbell ring. Quickly he wrapped his crystal arm in bandages before seeing who's at his door.
Opening the door Max sees Carmlien at his front porch with her hair a bit shorter, and still wearing her working clothes a vest and a long brown skirt.
"Carm? I didn't expect to see you here?"
"I thought I could just swing by and say hi. But I see your already cooking"
"Well you're welcome to come in and have a bite"
"Thanks Max"
Max then lets Carmlien into his home, "now why did my arm started to flicker? Did it see Carmlien as a threat... no it can't be perhaps it was due to her gallery of crystals. Could that be it was it frightened by those crystals, was it some form of dead friends or relatives... no Max you're thinking too hard just treat Carm like a friend" he thinks to himself
"Max are you okay?" Carmlien noticed Max standing still with a confused face as his attention was shifted towards Carmlien "nothing Carm, something just came in mind, but it's nothing" "okay, hope you're feeling well".
As Max finished cooking his oyster stew he then pours it into two bowls before serving one bowl to Carmlien, then one to himself and started eating.
"Hey Max I been meaning to ask about your arm"
"Ask away Carmlien"
"Since your arm is made of crystals I brought a few in my bag that I hope to see how would your arm react"
"Could that be why my arm reacted the crystals Carmlien been carrying in bag" he thinks to himself
"Max?" Carmlien notices Max is in thought again
"What? Oh right of course I would like to try."
Carmlien then shows all the crystals she brought from her gallery to Max "I only brought a few that I marked as not for display. There amethyst, quartz, opal, pyrite and even a diamond" "alright hand me the amethyst" Carmlien tossed Max the amethyst then he holds it in his palm and hears another voice, crystal compatible. Hearing this Max crushes the amethyst.
"woah Max what are you doing" Carmlien surprised to witness Max instantly crushing the crystal in his palm.
"Relax Carm this isn't the first time I've done it"
Then suddenly feels something within himself as his eyes and crystal arm turns into a bright purple "and for some reason I suddenly feel calm, and I mean really calm" "well amethyst is known to help with anxiety or giving a clear mind" "is that why I feel so relaxed" feeling relaxed due to the amethyst crystal Max started to think and his crystal arm started to form what ever Max thinks, forming into a frying pan, into a rolling pin, and even tongs.
Carmlien amazed to see Max in a calm clear stated. "Incredible Max can you try another one" Max nodded, "sure pass me another one to me" Carmlien then give Max pyrite, and Max crush the pyrite in his arm turning the colours of his eyes and crystal arm into a bright yellow as he feels his body getting stronger "for some reason I can now lift an entire car now" "incredible with every crystal you use not only your arm change colour so does your eyes in a yellow colour"
"Really let me see?" Carmlien then gives Max a mirror "holy hollow, your right my eyes were white before now its yellow but it looks like a bright gold" then testing Max own strength he went into the living room and tried to carry a couch and to his surprise he can lift the couch with only one arm
"This is amazing I perhaps it gave me a strength enchantment"
"There must be more possibility with your crystal arm its perhaps endless even"
"Carm, what does that suppose to mean?"
"Oh sorry for blabbering nonsense Max."
Max then looks at the time from the clock and sees it's already passed evening "hey Carmlien you should head back it's getting pretty late" Max carefully putting his couch back down from his grip "okay Max then I'll see you tomorrow" then Carmlien proceeds to leave Max house. And Max heading upstairs as he looks at his arm as he sees the colours from his arm fading back into its original colour soon lying on his bed as he begins to dowse till he sleeps then suddenly meeting up with Orlov again in his mind once more.
(End of chapter 9)