Peter N Rendell

ZED An abuse of Magic

Zed was not blessed with long life like Merlin Parnassus but, by using the magic of a ring of Gaia, he had avoided his ‘Day of Reckoning’. With the ring held by Zed and a pregnant woman at 26 weeks term, Zed’s spirit moved into the new baby, his memories were saved in the ring, and his old body died.

Zed acquired the ring, in 1640AD; he was a lawyer, and the ring was a bribe to lose a case. Zed mistook the runes as hallmarks. He had a momentary thought, ‘I could wear it if it was bigger’. The ring expanded between thumb and forefinger, doubling its size. ‘Now, you are joking. I meant just enough to fit my middle finger’. Zed put the ring on; it shrank to fit and wouldn’t go past the knuckle.

‘It couldn’t harm him, could it?’