Prisms

Quincy held his palm open and the thing rotated slowly above it, suspended in thin air. As he moved, the Prism moved with him, as if it was tied by an invisible string to his hand. He turned to Ija, eyes wide.   "Uh... how do I make it... do things?"   Ija's face was unreadable behind her mask, but her tone was warm. Amused, but watching carefully. "Just think about what you want it to do. Be specific."   The ravens gaze turned back to the Prism and he frowned at it. For a moment, nothing happened; then, with a fluid motion, the solid mass unspooled as if it were liquid, wove itself into a complex pattern, and settled finally in a familiar shape- a near-perfect replica of Aysu, his traveling companion.   Ija tilted her head, the eye lenses of her mask widening. "Wow. That's impressive for your first try."   He beamed, and turned back to the tiny owl in his hand. "I thought these things were supposed to be extremely dangerous. I didn't know they could do anything like this."   "It's more like... in the wrong hands, they have an overwhelmingly dangerous potential." Her gaze seemed to go through him, as she became lost in thought. "By themselves, they are incredible tools, perhaps the most useful device one could hope for. But still... they are more than capable of killing someone with a single thought, if one isn't careful. They are given out very carefully, and the responsibility of keeping them is a sacred one." Her focus sharpened back to him. "Be careful with it. Never use it in anger, and don't make a show of having it. There are those who would take it from you who do not share our good intentions."   Quincy, feathers ruffled, looked back to the effigy of his friend rotating gently above his extended palm. "I'll do my best."