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Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6705 on: September 17, 2017, 04:40:13 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
More Than Expected

Something was most definitely wrong.

Thuban 9 was rather like Earth in terms of size and rotation, despite being the ninth planet around their star, Thuban. A Thuban 9 day was twenty-four hours, like Earth. Same with its hours and minutes. This is why the discovery of Earth was deemed so important to them, why the theft of Earth's rotational energy was even viable in the first place.

What happened next quickly turned Lol from the Thubanian savior into the most reviled individual on the planet.

Now the planet's rotation speed was about 22,000 miles per hour. Shortly afterward, it was 66,000 miles per hour. Then 330,000 miles per hour. A Thubanian day passed in the span of an hour. Then it passed within the span of a minute. Then it passed within the span of a second.

Then the next thing that the ailurosapiens knew was that their world was just a blur of movement. Their paws no longer touched ground. Their planet was now rotating even faster than Kinet, and that was something. Several unlucky ailurosapiens were flung into space, without atmosphere to breathe. They suffocated within minutes.

And yet, despite these sad deaths, Lol survived. He bore witness. He was confused -- his rotational harvester should have stopped the Earth's rotation. It should have stolen that capability. Why was the planet still spinning? That's the only possible explanation. It should have only been enough to restart Thuban 9's rotation. There was too much of the spiralling dark pink energy now.

Lol was now not being praised or lauded, but being cursed and maligned. He fell so quickly from grace, before the blurs faded into black. . . .

***

"Well," Goom said, cautiously optimistic, "at least we're making some headway now."

Four hours had passed since Lol had fled the planet that he presumed to be doomed. But he didn't anticipate Cloak or the RAFian's persistence or determination.

They only really make any headway when Aquilai had arrived after his communications duty had been completed, and at Goom's request. It was his sonic screwdriver that enable them to pull back the pink energy sheath enough to start working on the actual machine itself.

They found the connector ports that allowed the machine to latch on to the satellite. All six of the RAFians were surprised with just how strong and tightly affixed they were, and, in the end, decided that they had to deactivate the machine first before attempting to undo these connector ports.

"Hard to believe that a cat, of all things, could make such a sophisticated machine," Yarin commented.

"Hey!" FuBar protested, offended.

"I simply meant that you haven't any opposable thumbs," Yarin said, not quite reassuring FuBar towards the perceived insult. "Such precise manipulation and mechanical ingenuity would require opposable thumbs. If it --"

"'It'?" FuBar asked, with narrowed eyes.

"-- If he managed it," Yarin said, correcting himself rather frustratingly, "then that would be remarkable in and of itself."

"Guys, focus on the task. Cloak cannot --"

All six fell silent as Cloak pulled his arms back, shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Then then he thrust his hands out again, still somehow maintaining his apex tier of power. Such a thing was not an easy endeavor, and it would not be equally easy to recoup the expended energy.

"Cloak cannot keep this up forever," Gaz said. "We've only survived this long because of him."


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6706 on: September 18, 2017, 06:27:43 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
Done!

Thuban 9 was finished.

Even after the planet's rotation began to slow once again. Most if not all of the ailurosapiens were flung off or otherwise killed. The atmosphere was dispersed, so the planet only barely had an atmosphere anymore. The civilization was destroyed and post-apocalyptic.

And, yet, somehow, Lol seemed to have survived. But it wouldn't be too long. The salmon-chicken were all dead and gone. He hadn't any food. He hadn't any water, clean or otherwise.

All he had was time. Time to pick apart his folly. Time to wonder how he went wrong. Time, as his consciousness slipped once again, to wonder why. Why this was fair. Why did Thuban 9 have suffer when those goddamn primitives on Earth could survive.

He was there long enough to know that they greedily poisoned their own planet to gain wealth, prestige and power. Wealth was pointless and prestige was, in Lol's point of view, an in-born trait. Power was a stupid thing to seek out, he mused as he felt his life ebbing away. This time wasn't just a momentary blackout, Lol knew, it was the real deal . . .

He shut his eyes tightly waiting for death to come and claim him, and spare him from this suffering and this guilt . . .

Was this the reason that the last team never completed their mission? Were they . . . were they smarter than him? Did they foresee this . . . complication? They were all from the most habitable part of the Day Desert, and they landed in a desert place on Earth. . . .

Thoughts cloudy now . . . mind wondering . . . no, that wasn't right . . . his mind was wandering not wondering . . . but he supposed both were true.

***

"There," Aquilai said, as yet another panel dropped. "One more tweak . . ."

The last of the weakening dark pink energy dissipated. It was done. It was over.

"And we're done!" Xeno proclaimed.

"Well," Yarin said, "except for the clean up."

"Cloak!" Gaz said. "Cloak, you can stop now."

Cloak did, and the planet was rotating as did normally. He was out of his apex tier, now. Cloak's eyes were closed, and he was on one knee. He was bracing himself on his left hand. His breathing was heavier, and his body actually felt heavier. Even his tail felt like it was tied to a fifty-pound weight. He was exhausted.

Then again, he had just forced the Earth to continue to rotate. Despite it being a rather simple in concept, it was utterly, utterly exhausting. There was an extensive amount of energy that he expended. It was wonder how he was still upright. Destroying the Xenomorphic Brood ship did not take such a consistent expenditure of energy, and he didn't have to do it for eight or so hours straight.

"Cloak . . . are you . . . okay?" FuBar said, ****ing his head to the left.

"Tired . . ." was his only reply.

"Okay, guys," Goom said, "Gaz, Aquilai, Yarin -- get Cloak back to his thread. He needs to rest. Xeno, FuBar, and I will clean up here."


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6707 on: September 18, 2017, 07:27:18 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
Tinfoil

Cloak was safe in his bed, fast asleep. And, with sleep, came dreams. But why did he dream of Bern Bridges, sitting in a hole-in-a-wall restaurant? Singing?

"I never seem to finish all my food.
I always get a doggie bag from the huffy waiter.
So, I just keep what's still un-chewed
And I take it home, save it for later.
"

Then, as he got up and walked away, the restaurant pulled away, as if it were a movie set and not real.

"But then I deal with fungal rot, bacterial formation,
Microbes, enzymes, mold and over oxidation.
I don't care.
I've got a secret trick up my sleeve.
I never bother with baggies, glass jars, Tupperware containers,
Plastic cling wrap -- really a no-brainer.
I just like --
To keep all my flavors sealed in tight.
"

All of sudden he was in his radio studio, looking as if he took up a considerable quarter of the space. And, yet, he still sang (and not very well, mind you):

"With tinfoil.
Never settle for less.
That kind of wrap is just the best
To keep your sandwich nice and fresh.
Stick it in your cooler.
Eat it when you're ready.
Then maybe you'll choose
A refreshing herbal tea.
"

He slurped the tea very loudly and rudely. Just type of man he was -- loud and rude. He declared, "Mmm, splendid."

Then he sang, as the music took on a more sinister edge:

"Oh, by the way, I've cracked the code.
I've figured out this RAF organization,
And the RAFians know
That they're finally primed for world domination!
"

And there was . . . the true purpose of the song, despite this all just being in Cloak's mind.

"And soon you've got RAF helicopters comin' cross the border,
RAF puppet masters for the New World Order.
Be aware --
There's always a RAFian that's watching you,
And the RAFians still won't admit they faked the whole moon landing.
Mind control rays, full-body scanning --
Don't mind that,
I'm protected 'cause I made this hat.
"

Bern Bridges wore a ridiculous skullcap-like hat, crappily made of tinfoil.

"From tinfoil.
Wear a hat that's foil-lined,
In case an RAFian's inclined
To probe you, or read your mind.
Looks a bit peculiar.
Seems a little crazy.
But someday I'll prove --
There's a big conspiracy
"

And, like that, the dream ended. Almost as if it was interrupted by another dream, jockeying for position.

A lone figure with dangerous, glowing red eyes silhouetted by a blood red light. He seemed to have a humanoid body plan. His head and face seemed to to be made entirely of bone, with two devil like horns curling up from his eye ridges. Bone like shoulder pads and clawed grieves, which flowed red light of them like fiery smoke. He had lines of alternating red and black on his chest and upper arms.

He had red light constructs in hand, almost as if he was a Red Lantern. But he didn't wear the uniform. What could this possibly mean . . . ?

But, like that, this dream, too ended.



SOURCE SONG: https://youtube.com/watch?v=urglg3WimHA


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6708 on: September 19, 2017, 05:08:01 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY:
Tomahawk Tosses

Yunyun was dispatched to a Western-themed ghost town base. It was actually a long abandoned and long forgotten Cadmus base. They had a fair few of those littered about.

She began in the wilderness at her back. Then she had to go underground, where she had to deal with several minor annoyances. When returning to the surface, she had only a brief respite before going underground again and faces more mall inconveniences. Then there was a branching path. She decided on the northern most path, which led her to the fiend.

The creature was humanoid and the size of an average man. It had a leathery, human-like face with eyes (white sclera and dark purple pupils) to match. It had a headdress of green-tipped, feather-shaped quills which was an actual part of its body and not a hat. It had a light orange torso with a shaggy red abdomen. It had a large, silver tomahawk in place of a left hand, and its right hand, knees, elbows, and feet were black. Its forearms and shins were light orange, while its upper arms and thighs were white. On its shoulders and shins it had some ornate pattern, the design of which recalled Native American textiles.

It jumped across the arena to move. It has three types of jumps -- a high jump, a long jump and a fake-out jump, which was just a small hop to get near Yunyun. It attacked by launching its tomahawk hand like a rocket punch, regenerating the tomahawk hand within minutes, and by shooting three feather-like quills from its headdress. Both easily dodged by jumping or flying, which Yunyun quickly did when the fiend demonstrated these attacks, both perfectly telegraphed.

However, she thought it to do such when it was in such a close proximity to her, lest getting hit from the tomahawk hand or the feather-like quills. It was quite fortunate for her that these fiends were never really smart. They all tended to telegraph their moves quite conveniently for their opponents.

She drew one of her magical cards -- sure, she could have used magic through the more conventional means that the other magic-wielding RAFians do, but she preferred this magical methodology. It set her apart from the others.

It moved to attack again. It flourished its tomahawk hand -- it was going to fire it. As it did, Yunyun shouted, showing the card, "PETAL BARRIER!"

A spinning shield of green petals with purple spots appeared and, not only blocked the tomahawk hand and the two feather-like quills that followed, but absorbed them before fading away from existence with their card.

This took the fiend off guard. Giving Yunyun the advantage. She decided to capitalize on it, quickly drawing another card from her deck with seemingly infinite cards.

"PETAL STORM!"

A flurry of petals that were somewhere between blue and orange, had edges sharper than a razor and were as hard as diamond billowed up and rained down on the fiend damaging it. Only ending and dissipating when the card itself did.

Yunyun drew again. "PETAL FLURRY!"

Another razor-sharp flurry of petals, white this time, struck the fiend.

Yunyun drew five more times, and each time it was flurry based attacks of a petal motif. After this seventh attack, the fiend was no more. And Yunyun just flew away from the site, as the sun set in a gorgeous manner.

***

Demos called it a "tomahokusapien". He confessed that he made it with combat in mind.

***

But Malice wasn't watching this. She was quickly working upon her next scheme.


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6709 on: September 19, 2017, 07:00:54 AM »
New chapter.

BOOK CLVIII:
PRINCESS PEARLS

CHAPTER ONE:
Yamato Yoshi

GH was dispatched to a self-styled impregnable fortress. Which he entered easily -- not so impregnable, it would seem.

Then he came to the real problem with this facility. And, no, it wasn't the faded emblem of a strand of DNA within a beaker within an eye that marked it as a defunct, forgotten Cadmus facility. It was clearly broken down and the walls were left bare. But, with so many facilities with this emblem, it was a wonder why no one had put two and two together. Wonder why the government hadn't shut them down . . .

Unless they paid off the government. Unless Cadmus, perhaps under a different name, was a big party donor. Maybe in one of those Super PAC things. It would certainly explain just how much leeway they seem to have been given. How they seemed to fly under the radar so easily. . . .

Could also explain why there was a black market that existed under the government's nose. That it existed because the current administration refused to start sniffing around either the black market or Cadmus, preferring to turn a blind eye to it. Because they were paid to.

Granted, this was pure speculation, and GH wasn't really fond of politics or politicking. Perhaps someone more in the know would be able to determine the veracity of these guesses made in such mental parrhesia.

GH shook his head. He should concentrate on these labyrinthine corridors. The fiend would surely be at the center, like the fabled Minotaur in that Ancient Greek myth. Who was the hero that killed the Minotaur? GH felt like he knew the name, but couldn't think of it at the moment. He did remember that the hero used something like yarn to help find his way through the ludicrously difficult maze.

It was actually not that difficult to find the fiend. Because it actually found GH first. The creature had a head similar, if not identical, to a yellow kabuto-style samurai helmet with a purple crest, mouth guard, and highlights. It stood a little taller than five feet and its human-like eyes had pale yellow sclera and black irises. The rest of its body was strictly analogous to yellow samurai armor, despite carrying a wicked-looking spear. Its abdomen, thighs, and upper arms were white, while its knees, feet, and hands were black. The spear it carried was as tall as it was, had a black shaft, and an energy construct spearhead.

It used two different attacks: one on which it spins its spear and throws its main tip, then runs to retrieve it. GH has to jump over the spearhead, then again when the fiend approximated to avoid being tackled by it. Its other attack consists of jumping very high while spinning its spear and shooting a barrage of spearheads that spread out. GH avoided by moving through an opening between the spearheads.

GH turned his guitar into its battleaxe form, preferring to take a more "hands on" approach. He threw his guitar-turned-battleaxe (actually a bit out of character for him, throwing his favorite guitar). When it hit, GH rolled and slid out of the fiend's impact side, snatching up his guitar-ax.

Then they got into a close-quarters battle, with GH managing to get six hits off on the fiend. The sixth one slaying the creature, biting through the fiends thin armor, thinner than real samurai armor.

Then he walked away, shouldering his guitar.

***

Demos called it a "yamatosapien". Another one he created for combat.

***

Malice wasn't even watching. She was counting what appeared to be eleven marbles. . . .


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6710 on: September 20, 2017, 04:45:22 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER TWO:
Both of You

Shadow, wearing a sand-colored cloak, was inexplicably playing a piano. Cloak was pretty sure that she didn't know how to play that. As she began to play, he noticed his mother -- or rather an mental construction of her, like the Shadow was a mental construct of his niece. He was still asleep after forcing the Earth's rotation to stay normal.

The mental construct of Shadow sang:

"Why don’t you talk to each other?
Why don’t you talk to each other?
Just give it a try.
Why don't you talk about what happened?
I know you're trying to avoid it, but I don't know why.
You might not believe it.
You might not believe it but you got a lot in common, you really do.
You both love me and I love both of you.
"

Cloak said nothing, just glared at this mental construct of his mother with the utmost distrust. He said nothing, and did nothing. He had nothing in common with his mother . . . except an obstinate nature, perhaps.

He remembered with his sessions with Aniyu, but the thing about trauma like this was that no matter what you try to do to get past it, when wounds are this deep, they tend to linger. The hurt never truly goes away. You just become better at dealing with it, with managing it.

"I know you both need it.
I know you both need it.
Someone who knows what you're going through.
You might not believe it.
You might not believe it but you got a lot in common, you really do.
You both love me and I love both of you.
You both love me and I love both of you.
"

Cloak turned his back on his mother. When he said he was done, done with this, he meant it. He wasn't in the mood to be hurt again by that woman. It was one of the reasons, actually, that he truly feared getting into a serious relationship.

He didn't want to go through that kind of mistreatment again.

Suddenly, he was in a black void again. At roughly eight o'clock, he saw a figure silhouetted in orange light, with glowing orange eyes. He was human but with a grotesquely elongated face and a tongue like Venom, but forked. His body looked unnaturally thin and svelte, and his mouth was lined with sharp teeth. His hands had very lizard-like claws.

Then, suddenly, at roughly five o'clock, he saw a small figure silhouetted in yellow light with glowing, yellow, pinprick eyes. The figure sat rather like an imp, with a pointed chin and a mouth full of sharpened teeth. Other than that, his form was completely human -- almost looked like a child. A demonic child, but a child, nonetheless.

***

"Wow," GH said, having just got back from his fiend mission and noticing that Cloak wasn't around. "Cloak still asleep?"

"Yeah," Xeno said. "At least, I assume so. You can't just force the the Earth to maintain its rotation for eight to ten hours straight and immediately pick yourself up, fresh as a daisy."

"Yeah," GH agreed, "it would have taken a lot of energy to accomplish that. Not even Cloak could bounce back from something like that very easily."

"Hey, what's that?" Xeno said, noticing a slight shadow passing over them.

"Is that a . . . a Saiyan pod?" GH asked, incredulous.



SOURCE SONG: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lfFKgsyPNaw


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6711 on: September 21, 2017, 04:45:46 AM »
I suppose it is safe to say that the last book was based on the Futurama episode, "That Darn Katz".

New chapter.

CHAPTER THREE:
Drop the Pearls

GH and Xeno joined the throng -- Helen, Parker, Faerie, Azguard, Sakki, Demos, Horse, Blocky, Gaz, Shanker, Saffa, Abby, Bladeh, FuBar, Dino, Leatherhead, Melissa, Broken, Kelly, Quaf, SuperNate, and Shenmue -- as they watched this drone, shaped like a Saiyan pod roughly the size of a PokéBall, fly into the forum. This was an oddity, as Code Avalon should have prevented its entry.

Perhaps it was powered down for maintenance. Aquilai, Goom, Yarin, and Xeno had sent a memo to all the RAFians that the system needed some mandatory maintenance, and to install a klaxon alarm any time it fails. As with all things, it was not perfect and prone to faults and flaws. Prone to hiccups and snafus. This was apparently one of those times.

The drone flew into the middle of the group, where the most RAFians have aggregated. Then it just hung there for a moment or two, perplexing the RAFians. It did not have an apparently inherent dangerous appearance. It looked like a floating toy more than anything else, like one of those remote controlled helicopters. Harmless. Unassuming and unintimidating.

Of course, that's when it exploded.

Granted, it wasn't nearly large enough to do any substantial damage to the forum. It didn't even do any cosmetic damage. It wasn't nearly large enough to do that. But this explosion had another purpose -- a diversionary one.

No one seemed to notice that there were eleven strange pearls -- each colored white, blue, yellow, and pink in decorative swirls on the spherical body of the pearls -- that rained down from the explosion. The secondary explosion helped with that. Each pearl was small enough to be put on a pearl necklace or encrusted into a tiara.

But each hid a power behind this relatively unimpressive exterior. A power that most would believe was extremely dangerous, no matter who possessed it.

These pearls landed, unharmed and undamaged, upon the ground. They bounced up once. Twice. And on the third time, a brilliantly bright flash caused the RAFians to have to shield their eyes from it. . . .

***

Cloak walked through a void, his footsteps echoing ominously despite not appearing to be walking on any surface. He had a vague purpose for doing this. The Elements Master was vaguely aware that this was a dream, that he hadn't woken up since expending all that energy. That was what fuelled the purpose that he wasn't yet ready to reveal, as this was like a Truth Dream, but not exactly.

Suddenly, an immobile figure like a mannequin appeared roughly at five o'clock. It was as motionless as the others. It was silhouetted in green light with glowing green eyes to match. It had a humanoid form, but other than that, Cloak could not make out anything more.

Cloak had no idea what these immobile figures meant. If it was supposed to be for intimidation purposes, then it was a resounding failure. But the symbolism of the colors was not lost on him. Green, orange, red, yellow . . . willpower, avarice, hatred, fear . . .

And then, out of nowhere, at roughly ten o'clock another immobile figure appeared. It was silhouetted in blue light and with glowing blue eyes to match. The figures body plan was humanoid, but beyond that, Cloak couldn't say any more about the figure.

Blue light. Hope.

He shook his head, or at least his dream concept of his head. He was probably looking too deeply into. He had to press on. He had to do this. He had to do it. It would be too easy to abuse. Too easy. . . .


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6712 on: September 22, 2017, 04:57:01 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR:
The Distraction

"I was just trying to take my boy fishing!" GH was angrily telling a teenaged Leatherhead, as they floated, inexplicably, down a river on a purple car.

"I'm NOT your little boy anymore!" Leatherhead countered, equally angry. "I've grown up! I've got my own life now!"

"I know that!" GH said harshly, before softening and saying, "I just wanted to be part of it."

This stunned Leatherhead into silence, and GH continued, softly, "You're still my son, Leatherhead. No matter how big you get, you'll always be my son."

They sat in silence for quite a while, before the teenaged Leatherhead sang:

"There are times you drive me, shall we say, bananas.
And your mind is missing, no offense, a screw.
"

GH shrugged, "None taken."

Leatherhead sang:

"Still whatever mess I land in,
Who was always understandin'?
Nobody else but you.
"

"Your moodiness is now and then bewilderin'.
And your meter may be, so to speak, askew!
"

"Gesundheit!" Leatherhead said.

To which, GH replied, "What? Oh. Thanks!"

Then he sang:

"Who deserves a shiny trophy,
As we face each cat-a-strophy?
Nobody else but you.
"

Both sang in unison:

"Nobody else but you.
It's just our luck. We're stuck together.
Nobody else, but you,
Is crazy enough
To believe we'll come through!
"

Leatherhead sang:

"So your jokes are all, let's face it, prehistoric."

GH sang:

"And your music sounds like chimpanzees in a zoo."

Both sang:

"But when life becomes distressin',
Who will I be S.O.S'in'?
"

Leatherhead sang:

"If you're having trouble guessing, here's a clue!
Though he seems intoxicated,
He's just highly animated!
And he's nobody else,
But --
"

Both sang:

"Nobody else but you!
We've turned into, a true blue duo!
Hard times, we've had a few.
"

GH sang:

"Like we're thrown in the drink."

Leatherhead sang:

"Like we're tossed outta town."

Both sang:

"But when I start to sink,
Hey, I'd rather go down
With nobody else, but
Y - O - U!
"

GH gave Leatherhead a kiss on his scaly cheek, causing the teenaged crocodilian to respond, "Aww, Dad!"

Cloak shoved the scene away as a distraction of his goal. He had to put restrictions on apex tier. It was too much power . . . too much power for anyone to wield . . . too easy to abuse . . .

Suddenly, a motionless figure appeared silhouetted an indigo light with glowing indigo eyes. It had indigo tentacles coming out of either shoulder, chest and back. Indigo. Compassion. The figure was like a mannequin, and Cloak ignored it.

Priorities, after all. He continued in this void which he presumed was just in his mind.

Then another figure appeared silhouetted in violet light with violet glowing eyes, rather like Spider-Man eyes. It had clawed figures and what appeared to be sweeping shoulder pads. And its knees seemed to be spiked. It, naturally, didn't move, motionless as a mannequin. Cloak ignored it.

He had to find them. . . . had to ask them . . . had to find out. . . .



SOURCE SONG: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2ckq9vk5rAI


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6713 on: September 23, 2017, 03:49:59 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE:
Ch-ch-changes

When the flash cleared, several RAFians had the pearls, now all pink, about ten percent encrusted into their foreheads. These RAFians were all female and they were Bladeh, Dino, Faerie, Gaz, Helen, Horse, Kelly, Melissa, Saffa, Sakki, and Shenmue.

Helen was dressed in pale orange bodice with a high black collar; her short puffy sleeves are a darker orange color than her bodice and the green cloth poking through. The long and shapeless purple skirt has a black petticoat and flows right down to her ankles with dark brown pumps decorated with purple bows. She also wore a pink cape with a green interior. Helen's ebony hair was styled in a bob and parted in the middle. She wore a green headband with a matching bow. Her Star Sapphire ring was nowhere to be found.

Shenmue was dressed in a rather simple, pale orange dress with black at the elbows, shoulders and neckline. She wore well-worn leather shoes and had wild, flyaway hair.

Faerie was dressed in sparkling golden orange ball gown with a low-cut neckline, darker peplum, capped sleeves, opera gloves, a delicate laced black petticoat and glass slippers topped with sparkly hearts. Her hair is pulled up into a variation of a French twist that is complimented with a light gold band over it. She also white a simple white choker around her neck.

Kelly was dressed in a traditional German dress called a "dirndl", with a longer skirt than that of a normal dirndl. Her dress had a yellow theme with a brown accent. The dress consists of a periwinkle corset top laced with a brown ribbon. The skirt is yellow. It is decorated with swirling and floral designs in brown, pale yellow, and black. She wears a black petticoat underneath. The skirt's hemline is above her ankles, but well below her calves. Her sleeves at the top are short, puffed, and striped with brown and periwinkle; the rest are long and it is dark beige with a black lace at the hems.

Sakki was dressed in a chestnut brown ball gown with a petal overskirt, a ruffled black petticoat, and long triangular sleeves. She also wore a silver necklace and tiara.

Melissa was dressed in a red, sparkling, strapless, sleeveless ball gown. The gown's petticoat is a dark purple color. Along with the gown, Melissa wore dark red opera gloves, red shoes to match the gown, a dark orange diamond necklace with matching earrings, and a lily pad tiara to top it all off. With this outfit, Melissa's hair is pinned up in an updo bun.

Horse, now an anthropomorphic seal, was dressed in a dress with long dark orange sleeves, a light orange bodice, and a black shirt, along with white heels.

Dino, now looking as if she hailed from Reptilon, that is to say, an anthropomorphic ankylotyrannus and she was dressed in simple Chinese dress, or hanfu, which consisted of a creamy reddish purple dress, with orange overshirt, which has red sleeves, and a green band around her waist.

Gaz was dressed in a silver ball gown with a simply designed bodice, wrapped off-the-shoulder sleeves, long silver opera gloves matching her outfit, a silver wide-hemmed floor-length skirt made of eight triangular panels and a multiple-layered black petticoat with a scalloped edging on the hemline, and silver high-heeled shoes. She wore some of her hair in a neat bun, but the majority of it trails down her neck in a beautiful, flowing motion resembling a ponytail.

Bladeh, now an anthropomorphic cat, was dressed in beige dress with feathered earrings with leather cords and turquoise beads at the end frame her face. She also wore an ornate chartreuse necklace.

Saffa was dressed in orange, cropped tube top that revealed her midriff and her navel with sewn-in sleeves for her arms, matching pants, and dark orange curled shoes. With the outfit, her suddenly longer hair was tied in a ponytail held together by two burnt sienna bands, and ending in a small swirl. She wore a pumpkin orange headband that is centered with a ruby adorned into it. To complete her outfit, two large silver bell earrings that dangled from her ears completely covering them, and a matching necklace.

"What even are those pearls?" Parker said, flummoxed.

"They're no magic that I know of," Broken said, staunchly sure that the sudden change in attire was magic derived, "and, frankly, I find that quite alarming."


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6714 on: September 25, 2017, 03:15:01 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER SIX:
Personality Pearls

What were these pearls?

Broken found out through one of his most esoteric ancient texts. One he never perused with any frequency. He did this whilst Malice watched with rapt attention from her little, nearly microscopic camera drones.

They were some of the most insidious creations in existence. They were called personality pearls. They bore no sentience or mind of their own. They only existed to fulfill their programming, their protocols, their objective. Theirs was a single purpose. But no one knew precisely who created these pearls, nor how many that there really were in existence, or where they came from. They fell into the most obscure obscurity.

To supplant another's personality with another preprogrammed one. To alter it permanently. So that everything that made the host of the personality pearl before vanishes, replaced with the modified one within the pearl's perimeters. There was no known way to revert victims back to their previous state. And the pearls cannot be surgically removed and keep the hosts alive, as a failsafe of these phenomenally, unfathomably rare pearls.

There were said to be four phases before complete supplantion of the host's personality was permanent. The phase was determined by the color of pearl adhered to the host's body, along with the difficulty to come back from this. Even if a victim of a personality pearl was saved, this experience will leave an indelible mark on their psyche regardless.

When the pearl is swirling pink, blue, yellow, and white, only the host's attire will be changed, as if it was the Blessing of Aphrodite. The clothing can be removed, of course, but any other garment put on will be immediately transformed back into the pearl's preset attire selection. The pearl alters the host's form so as they can wear the attire. It is still easy to revert back to normal at this early stage.

When the pearl turns pink, the next stage has begun. The pearl's host's body becomes even more like the preprogrammed perimeters of the pearl. Even if it changes their species. Their personality hasn't begun to change yet, and all the changes are purely physical. This has conflicting reports of being painful and not being so. Removal of the pearl becomes harder, but still doable.

The next stage starts when the pearl becomes yellow. Then pearl's host's body gains the preprogrammed powers, losing any that they had before. This is only in effect while the pearl is still attached and adhered to the forehead of the victim. They still retain their previous personality, for the moment, while in this stage. While even harder than the previous stage, removal is possible, but being exceedingly difficult, but doable, and mildly traumatic for the victim.

The next stage is where it starts getting dangerous, where the pearl begins to turn blue. This is the stage where the personality actually begins to be supplanted and superseded. The original personality is permanently altered, slowly at first, but then with astonishing rapidity, until the victim's emotional responses matches the pearl's predetermined perimeters. Removal of the pearl at this stage is inexorably difficult, and impossible to do without the victim feeling some psychological trauma.

The next stage, when the pearl turns white, is arguably even more dangerous than the last. This stage affects the victim's mind and memories. Their very identity. It does away with any memory or knowledge that is outside the designated personality perimeters. It destroys any aspect of the victim who does not fit the narrative of the pearl.

The last stage was the most dangerous one of all, the one where there was no hope in saving the victim. Where the victim was essentially dead and long gone. It is when the pearl goes translucent, like glass. It doesn't show what is beneath the victim's forehead, however, as one may expect. Just the skin, fur, or scales, however the case may be. Within the clear, see-through pearl is a small flame of energy, like a will-o-the-wisp, of indeterminate color. The color of which mostly depended on the viewer --black if they thought the former personality was evil, white if they thought the former personality was good, and so on.

Although thankfully rare, these pearls were exceedingly dangerous. And eleven RAFians were afflicted with them. And this accused book gave no way to remove them other than simply cutting them out! Surgery may be an option, but what of Horse, Dino and Bladeh? The pearls made them anthropomorphic. The change would likely be permanent, and there was no guarantee that they wanted that.

If only Cloak was awake . . . he had tried to stir him once, but was unable to. He was just sleeping too soundly. True that he had basically kept the Earth rolling after that ailurosapien tried to steal Earth's rotational energy and that could not have been an easy task -- Broken found himself wishing that this whole "princess pearl" thing didn't happen as such an inconvenient time.

Hopefully, the Mark can interfere with this process.


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Gaz

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6715 on: September 25, 2017, 07:45:49 AM »
Yay I'm current on the story! Can't wait to read more. Gotta say, I like the sound of that outfit in the other chapter.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6716 on: September 25, 2017, 07:16:08 PM »
:)

And I'm gonna make you wait a bit longer. This book might exceed twenty chapters or it might not -- I'm kinda rewriting it on the fly because I find that I don't really how the outline came out (somewhere between being too simplistic and too convoluted).

Anyway, the new chapter.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Calling All the Past Masters

Cloak had approached what appeared to be still a black void. But it was here he would do what he had came to do. He took a stance as if he was going to use a Z-Move.

"I'm calling for the brave Masters," Cloak said, shifting his wait through the stances. "I'm calling for the playful Masters. I'm calling for the swift Masters. I'm calling for the Masters with lots of heart. I'm calling for the bright Masters. I'm calling for the loyal Masters. I'm calling for the proud Masters. I'm calling for the gentle Masters. . . ."

It appeared to have worked, as his grandfather, Sage, had appeared before him. He had his the hood down on his white cloak -- which signified his status as being Beyond the Veil. His white feathered head and yellow curved beak was all too familiar to Cloak. Sage was not only his maternal grandfather, but his Elements teacher. Granted, Cloak knew that he more than likely wasn't the most astute or the most tolerable student -- Cloak was a very timid, unsure, and impatient child.

Sage clapped cloak on the shoulder, reassuring. It was a bit odd, strictly speaking, in the strictest of Walker households to ever make physical contact with another. Cloak supposed this was why a lot of Realm Walkers had an almost unnatural detachment for species who had a more intimate physicality to them, considering them lesser. Perhaps it was one reason why Cloak was seen as a perverse pariah, a maligned maverick, in the eyes of those stuffy bigoted Walkers.

"They will come soon," he said. His voice was just as he remembered it so long ago. Wheeza, however, he knew, would not be one of them. She was not an Elements Master, though she did come to mean a lot to Cloak, just as Shadow and Faith meant a lot to him as well. "But I must say, I think I know what you're after, Cloak. And I must warn you -- don't get your hopes up too high."

Suddenly, a pegasus-form Realm Walker appeared, in a white cloak. Sage treated him with respect, but Cloak did not know their relation, though he was certain that it was a familial one. Then a female wild boar-form Realm Walker appeared, followes by a male panda-form Realm Walker, an ewe sheep Realm Walker, a giraffe Realm Walker, and a dog Realm Walker. Cloak did not know any of their names or relations to him or his grandfather. But it was clear that they were all maternal relations, as that bloodline was his mother's, the Truth Dreaming crap -- that was his father's bloodline.

Then a seahorse Realm Walker (which possessed legs and arms, by the way) appeared. She was followed by a raccoon Realm Walker, a piranha Realm Walker, and a penguin Realm Walker. Cloak didn't know the names of these ancestors of his, but he was really starting to appreciate just how many Realm Walkers were between his lifetime and Avatar's.

From there came a swan Realm Walker that Cloak recognized as Guardian, although he had never spoken to her. After her appeared a winged dragon Realm Walker, a Gila monster Realm Walker, a goose Realm Walker, an elephant Realm Walker, a frog Realm Walker, a rabbit Realm Walker, a rhinoceros Realm Walker, a snake Realm Walker, a stag beetle Realm Walker, a monkey Realm Walker, a seal Realm Walker, a bat Realm Walker, a rhinoceros beetle Realm Walker, a lion Realm Walker, a snail Realm Walker, a ram Realm Walker and an owl Realm Walker. All his maternal ancestors in some capacity. He didn't know if they were all direct ancestors, and did not think to ask, as his mind was on other matters. He didn't know if more had amassed because he had stopped paying attention to the new arrivals.

Except the last two.

Progeny, the unicorn-form Realm Walker who was the daughter of Avatar, the stag-form Realm Walker. Avatar -- the first Master of the Six Elements, who Cloak only spoke to once a long time ago now. Granted, it wasn't a full year, to the Realm Walker sensibilities, but it was in Dweller time.

"Young one," Avatar said, looking regal with his twelve point antlers, "not that it isn't great seeing the second youngest Master, but, if I may, why did you beseech us here?"

"I -- I have a request," Cloak said, all too keenly aware how childlike it came out.


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6717 on: September 26, 2017, 09:42:15 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER EIGHT:
Pink

Meanwhile, things were not looking good for the victims of the personality pearls. They all had just went from the shifting pink, blue, yellow, and white colors to coalescing into plain pink.

All eleven doubled over in pain, as their bodies contorted to match the perimeters preprgrammed into the pearls. Malice watched on, sadomaschistically enjoying every second of their agonizing pain.

But the changes were the most pronounced in Horse, Bladeh, and Dino. And Broken arrived on the scene too late to do anything about it.

Horse was still dressed in a dress with long dark orange sleeves, a light orange bodice, and a black shirt, along with white heels, but now her white seal fur was receding, apparently quite painfully, like morphing without the numbing effect. She gained long, thick, flowing red hair. She retained her soft brown seal eyes -- but she gained a broad human forehead, a small mouth, and a small chin. Her lips became bright red and human. Her figure was slim and her human skin was now fair. Her agony seemed to subsided, and her pearl was still pink.

Sakki was still dressed in a chestnut brown ball gown with a petal overskirt, a ruffled black petticoat, long triangular sleeves, a silver necklace and a silver tiara. Sakki's hair became as golden as sunshine and became waist-length. Her lips became redder than a red rose, and figure was tall and slender. Her skin became fair and without flaw. This transformation appeared to be less agonizing than Horse's, as she was closer to human than Horse.

Gaz still wore the silver ball gown with a simply designed bodice, wrapped off-the-shoulder sleeves, long silver opera gloves matching her outfit, a silver wide-hemmed floor-length skirt made of eight triangular panels and a multiple-layered black petticoat with a scalloped edging on the hemline, and silver high-heeled shoes. Gaz got off a little easy as far as the pink pearl agony went, as the only real change was her hair became brown.

Faerie was still dressed in sparkling golden orange ball gown with a low-cut neckline, darker peplum, capped sleeves, opera gloves, a delicate laced black petticoat, glass slippers topped with sparkly hearts, and a simple white choker around her neck. Faerie lost her wings and the pain was excruciating -- she would have much rather suffered the Cruciatus Curse, for the less pain it would bring her. Her skin became fair and flawless, her lips became pink, and her eyes remained the same. Faerie's hair became strawberry blonde, and medium-length with soft bangs. When the agony ended, she let out a very un-princess-like curse, and didn't care.

Saffa still wore orange, cropped tube top that revealed her midriff and her navel with sewn-in sleeves for her arms, matching pants, dark orange curled shoes, the pumpkin orange headband that is centered with a ruby adorned into it, the two large silver bell earrings that dangled from her ears completely covering them, and a matching necklace. Fortunately, she matched the human perimeters (by being human), and all of the other perimeters apparently, well enough to avoid any real agony.

Shenmue was still dressed in a rather simple, pale orange dress with black at the elbows, shoulders and neckline, well-worn leather shoes. Fortunately, she, like Saffa, was able to avoid too much agony by virtue of being human enough for the perimeters of the pearl.

Dino still wore the simple hanfu, which still consisted of a creamy reddish purple dress, with orange overshirt, which has red sleeves, and a green band around her waist. Dino was forced to suffer agony as all of her nonhuman traits morphed into human ones painfully. She really missed the numbing effect of morphing, though she hadn't morphed in literal years, being a nothlit. She gained waist-length, straight, black hair as her face rounded into that of a human face. Her eyes, however, remained the same. But her scales, claws, ankylosaur shell? All gone. She was now a human with ankylotyrannus eyes.

Bladeh still wore the beige dress with feathered earrings with leather cords and the turquoise beads at the end framed her face, and the ornate chartreuse necklace. All her feline fur forcibly retracted, feeling like needles were being pushed into her from all over her body. She lose her tail, and she felt every inch of it disappear into her coccyx. She grew to become a tall, slender, statuesque figure with broad shoulders and narrow hips, with bare human feet. She gained long ebony hair, as well. The agony was unspeakable.

Kelly still wore the dirndl, and the black petticoat underneath. Kelly's hair painfully became sunshine blonde, shiny as satin, and seventy feet long. Her skin became fair with a light tint of blush to it, and freckles around her nose. She was fortunate as the pain she had to endure was not that bad after her hair stopped growing.

Helen still wore the dress, as the others before her. Her skin became very fair, her lips became very red, her cheeks became rosy, and her hair . . . well, it didn't really change color. All these changes were agonizing in their own way, but it was a manageable agony.

Finally, Melissa, still stuck in the dress that she hated. She became taller and more slender with a sculpted figure. She gained medium-length, wavy, black hair, tied in a low ponytail, the same eyes with pinkish eye shadow, a brighter smile, and dimples. She wished she knew a magic spell to reduce the pain she felt.

"Damn!" Broken said, knowing that he was too late to stop the second stage. And he was not one to use profanities to excess. He had to somehow devise a solution, despite the ancient text not providing any answers or cures to this grievous malady.

However, he knew that time wasn't on his side. . . .


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6718 on: September 27, 2017, 09:36:22 AM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER NINE:
Recovery

"They've all been stabilized," Goom informed Broken, who again cursed his tardiness, and the mods. "If not for the Mark, maybe in conjunction with their sheer willpower, the macroalgia -- this great agony that they felt -- might have very well killed them. They were very fortunate in that regard."

"Well, we must be thankful for small favors, I suppose," Broken said, his concern having not ebbed in the least.

"Hopefully," SuperNate said, color had drained a tad from his face, "this was the worst of it, so we have time to find and develop a cure."

"Aquilai, Xeno, and Yarin are already working on it," Goom informed them. "I'd help them, but, with Kelly in . . . in this, uh, condition, I don't think that it is advisable to leave the infirmary unattended."

Ash sighed, "We do rely on her a lot for that type of thing, don't we?"

"She's our white mage, essentially," Terenia reasoned. "Her healing abilities were -- her healing abilities are essential. Still -- it isn't fair how much we're reliant on her, if I'm honest."

"At least we are working on a cure," Richard said, optimistically. "In time, we'll save them."

"Unfortunately, time is against us," Broken said.

<What do you mean?> Esplin said, with a slightly demanding tone.

"This was the second stage of five," Broken said, before launching into a hurried explanation of what he read in that old, leather-bound book.

<What are the timeframes?> Esplin said, at once, when Broken finished his explanation.

"The book didn't give any," Broken admitted. "It was rather frustratingly vague on that point."

<Wonderful.> Esplin said, sarcastically, swinging his stalk eyes in an overhead arc.

"There's really not much we can really do with that information without definitive timeframe," Ash said, worry creeping into her expression. "I'm assuming the book didn't list any cures? Of any sort?"

"None," Broken said. "None that I could make out or decipher."

"How encouraging," Phoenix said, dryly.

Broken acknowledged this with a slight nod, and said, patiently, "The scope of what we can do is limited, I know. But there is nothing that can be done scientifically or magically at the moment."

"Then how do you propose we save them?" Richard asked, very seriously. "Or are you suggesting that they were doomed from the onset?"

"The only thing that might save them is --" Broken said, but he was cut off as the eleven began to stir, not in agony anymore. Not any physical agony, anyway. There would be no way to heal the mental and psychological anguish that they would indubitably feel forevermore. This was not just something one forgot, even if a Memory Charm was used.

They would have to find some way to rectify this soon. These eleven lives, these eleven identities, depended on it. . . .


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.

Offline Cloak

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Re: Memoirs of a RAFian
« Reply #6719 on: September 27, 2017, 11:07:25 PM »
New chapter.

CHAPTER TEN:
The Request

"I -- I have a request."

Cloak hesitated for a moment before continuing. These were past Elements Masters, but Cloak only knew about four of them by name, and had only spoken with two, Sage and Avatar. It was still very intimidating for him. Intimidating in a way that was quite hard to describe.

"Which is?" said the lion Master. He clearly was a no nonsense type of Realm Walker.

"I recently accessed the apex tier of power, the zenith of power that an Elements Master can achieve," Cloak said, almost as if he was delivering an eulogy. In contrast, there was a smattering of applause and cries of congratulations. He did not quite like this reception. The apex tier of power was far too much power for any one being to have. The more power one person has the easier it is for that person to be corrupted. Cloak didn't want that burden to bear.

Perhaps that was selfish of him, as he wouldn't have been chosen to wield such power if he were unsuited, right? But he didn't believe in all that pseudo-religious stuff. He was not a "Chosen One". There were no prophecies of any sort that concerned him. That kind of trope was garbage, as far as Cloak was concerned. Something for people to say to make themselves feel important or claim that their despicable actions were preordained.

"You fear the power," Avatar said, quietly. Nonetheless, his voice carried and everyone else fell into immediate silence at the First Master's words.

Cloak hesitated with his response, choosing his wording carefully. He did not want to be hasty with his judgements and risk offending these past Masters, his Ancestors, whether direct or indirect. "Not exactly fear, Master Avatar. But I do feel as if it is too much. Too overpowered."

"Too easy to abuse," Sage chimed in, unintentionally.

"Yes," Cloak said. "I do fear losing control, of having the power go to my head. I fear it corrupting me, and losing myself in it. I fear it destroying me and all I hold dear."

"An understandable fear," the elephant said. His voice had a sort of old windbag bluster to it, somewhat like Hathi from the Disney Jungle Book animated film. "But I do not understand what you wish us to do about it, young Master."

"I wish to have it so that I cannot access it unless an emergency calls for it, like when the Dweller planet called Earth stopped rotating," Cloak said. "I request your help in restricting its access."

Silence met these words.

"Young Master Cloak," Avatar said, voice soft, gentle, and compassionate, "that is not possible."

Cloak fell dumbstruck for a moment. When he spoke, he was unable to hide his crestfallen tone. "It isn't?"

"Your power is not ours to give or take," the stag Realm Walker said, still with that gentle and compassionate voice. It was as if he knew exactly why Cloak did not want this burden, and could not blame him for it. "This power, the power that you've awakened has, and will always be, yours and yours alone. Just as was ours was ours alone."

Despite his gentle, understanding voice, Master Avatar's words did not comfort Cloak. Why did he have to be burdened with this power? He had really done nothing to earn such power, had he? He had not deserved to be gifted with such power, he still felt.

"You fear corruption," said Guardian, the swan form Realm Walker, sagely. The first time either he or she had direct communication with each other. "You fear the greater your power, the higher the likelihood of using it for maliciousness and selfishness. You fear consumption by the power."

Cloak paused for a moment be for speaking. And when he did it was a simple word, "Yes."


Book 189: "Shenecron's Pets"
Chapter 4: "First Attempt"
(January 7, 2020)

RAFians Referenced Specifically: Demos.