Memoirs of a RAFian

[Underseen]

The island is giving off a Percy Jackson vibe... I love it

[Cloak]

Since I'm feeling extra creative -- and I got to a chapter I was looking forward to writing.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
That Thing Has A Name?

The trio followed Demos into the cave, but it wasn't a very long trip. Within the cave, it seemed to be illuminated by an unseen artificial or mystical source.

"What in the world . . ." Ash said with hushed awe.

Underseen spoke hesitantly, "Someone doesn't seem to like you, Demos."

That was putting it mildly. It was like some put up a museum or shrine to Demos, and then deliberately and viciously desecrated it. Topping it off, there was a hideous portrait of what Cloak could only assume was one Demos's monstrous creations. With its potato-like proportions and orange fur.

"Where are you?!" Demos screamed. "Give me back what you had no right to take!"

"I liberated my siblings from your hold," came the voice. "And I shall free them from their spherical prisons."

"Show yourself!" Demos roared savagely.

Suddenly, the figure in the portrait moved as a two-dimensional figure. Then, with amazing fluidity from a two-dimensional image to a being of three dimensions -- the creature leaped off the wall, and out of the empty portrait.

"You . . ." Demos growled.

"The escapee, I take it," Cloak said drily.

"Ah, Demosie," the creature said, his regal voice ill-befitting his hideous body. "We meet face-to-face -- for the last time."

He snapped the fingers on the limb that doubled as an arm or leg.

"It's gonna be a song, isn't it?" Underseen asked rhetorically.

Then the music started up.

"Yep, definitely a song." Underseen sighed in confirmation.

"Hi, hi, hi, to you all.
Who am I?
Just call me Maul.
Who made me
So ugly?
Gotta be Master Demosie.
Oh, you're the Great 'Creator',
And you really rock --"

He seized Demos and slammed him headfirst into the rugged rock wall.

"With your magic talk,
Magic talk."

Maul slammed Demos into the wall twice more before releasing him. But Demos's regenerative abilities healed the damage in a thrice, though the black demon blood lingered.

"But when it came to me
It's plain to see.
You made a monstrosity!"

"Well, duh." Demos muttered, wiping away the black blood. Maul seemed not to notice this remark.

"What am I?
I DON'T KNOW!!
Creepy guy or potato?"

"I'd say both." Underseen said.

"Well, I got news
For you all.
I'm the boss,
Now crawl
For Maul."

He looked at them expectantly as the song ended.

"You don't honestly expect use to do that, do you?" Cloak said scornfully.

[redtailedsaffa]

I've heard the chapter name somewhere before, I just can't place where...

[Cloak]

It's a direct quote from Hermione in the "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" film, Saffa.

[redtailedsaffa]

Ahh, yes! Fluffy!

[Cloak]

Yes. Now, I'll try to post another chapter later. I need to rest today in preparation for work tomorrow.

EDIT: New book idea -- though an out-of-continuity one.

• BOOK CCXVI: "An Incredible Story" -- Out-of-continuity. The RAFians are forced into hiding, only to be picked off by robot prototypes controlled by a rival of Richard's.

I know it seems similar to one book because of the premise, but they are different. I hope so anyway.

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Tantrums and Transports

Maul continued to wait expectantly, but the quartet had faced far more fearsome foes than this sad, pathetic potato-man.

"Crawl!" he whined. Suddenly, it seemed the regal, lofty demeanor morphed into that of a bratty, spoilt, demanding child. "Do it!"

Ash wore a look that said,Is this guy for real?, while Underseen looked simply perplexed at Maul's sudden change in attitude. Cloak wore a look that clearly conveyed, You cannot be serious, while Demos wore an expression of deepest scorn.

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" he said stamping his foot childishly.

"Tantrums rarely work, you know," Ash said.

"Fine! I'm still the boss here." Maul said, approaching a box and removing something from it.

"That's a child's answer!" Cloak snarled scornfully.

"Well, he is nearly five and a quarter years old," Demos muttered very quietly.

But Cloak heard him, and narrowed his eyes. "We're gonna have words about that later."

"Crawl! Crawl before me peons!" Maul said, with an abrupt return to his Machievellan self.

"I'm sensing some mental instability." Underseen commented in a low voice. Demos glowered at him.

"Do as I say, or I push this button!" Maul threathened, with a grandiose flair. Cloak wondered where Maul's cape was.

"Oooh -- scary." Ash said, unsympathetically sarcastic. Apparently Maul's antics were wearing on her patience.

"Fine. So be it!" Maul said, far too overdramatically.

CLICK!

Cloak felt it before any of the others due to his Earth sympathies. The ground lurched and wobbled.

"What's happening?!" Underseen shouted.

"Isn't obvious?" Cloak said, far more calmly then he felt. "The island is airborne."

"I'm starting to see why its called the Island of Screams." Ash said dryly.

[redtailedsaffa]

You mean the thing had been sitting in a cryogenic tube for five and a half years?!

[Cloak]

Perhaps.

Remember, his secret lab was found by me, and Earthsight is a relatively new skill -- not to mention we usually have a lot going on -- what, with the Phalanx, the vampiric take over, the Ooze, etcetera, etcetera.

Anyway, I'll try to post another chapter soon. It's Monday, and I'm exhausted.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Holy Lake, RAF Man!

"Surrender your wills to me," Maul said, actually sounding menacing for once. "Surrender, and you may survive."

"So you made the island float. Big deal!" Underseen said.

"We're not just floating. We're heading somewhere," Maul snarled.

"Vegas?" Ash guessed sarcastically.

"No," Maul sneered. "There was a man of the cloth who liked waterskiing so much he decided to bless his favorite lake."

"What does --" Demos snarled before realizing and having all the color drain out of his face.

"That's right, Master Demosie." Maul said. "Death awaits, unless you comply!"

Cloak was hesitant. He didn't mention to whom Death awaited. Surely, Maul knew such a fate would only be lethal to Demos? But Maul, while he can be Machievellian one moment, he could prove to be quite immature and ignorant.

"Time for your compliance is elapsing," Maul said. "Decide. Decide now!"

Ash and Underseen looked at Cloak, clearly hoping for a magic answer or a clever solution, while Demos looked petrified with shock.

"Not to mention my patience is waning!" Maul said.

"Good, sweet Nexus," Cloak swore quietly, "Grow up, Maul!"

"How dare you --"

"Shut up." Cloak said. He radiated power, so his patience had obviously been stretched to the breaking point of tolerance. "I've had just about enough of your posturing. I've grown tired hearing you prattling about trival matters, like mere appearance."

"I'm the boss here! You do --"

"You're not the boss of anything." Cloak cut across him. "Only a child cares about who's the boss. In the grand scheme of things, leaders -- or bosses -- are not the ones who demand to be one, but ones who do not desire it."

"Huh?"

Cloak sighed deeply, attempting to keep himself calm and centered.

"Don't you realize that you'll be dipped into the water, too, right?" Cloak said. "A fall from this height would kill you."

[redtailedsaffa]

Badass line back there, Cloak.

[Cloak]

 Thanks, Saffa. I think.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Flight of the Monstrosity

Maul recovered his poise at this observation. He lost none of his immaturity or arrogance however. "No, I won't. I'll watch your destruction from afar."

Then he whipped out a cape and donned it with flair that was really unnecessary and flamboyant.

Cloak held his tongue, and sent a urgent glare to the other three -- a look that said quite clearly, Say nothing! -- in hopes that the message would be clear. Maul had fouled up. He had overlooked a major flaw in this plan.

It is true such a plan would be fatal for Demos. But the other three were unaffected by blessed water. The fall itself, while potentially fatal to Maul, wasn't so for the two shapeshifters and a Master of the Six Elements. It was vital that Maul did not become aware of this fact or he might prove to be more pestilential.

"Yes," Maul gloated, misinterpreting the exchange of looks that had passed between the quartet. "Yes, wallow in despair from your impending doom. Fret about your demise."

Will you just leave already?! Cloak thought savagely. The Realm Walker strongly suspected the monstrocity loved to hear the sound of his own voice. It was very difficult hiding his irritation, but Maul seemed to mistake this for haughty acceptance of a terrible fate.

The temptation for all four to collectively roll their eyes was great.

"Now, I take flight!" Maul said, lifting his cape it the billowing breee from the opening of the cave.

FINALLY. Cloak thought.

"A-doo-doo, chumps!"

Closk supposed that he meant "adieu".

"Well, that's one problem solved," Underseen summed up, "but how are we going to stop this thing?"

"We could just abandon it, and fly away," Demos suggested.

"There are people who live there, Demos."

"And?" Demos asked. He looked slightly perplexed -- ah, demon sensibilities.

"And that would be bad, Demos." Ash said, with biting sarcasm.

Cloak was just glad that the demon seemed to have forgotten about that container of monstrocities. But he knew it would eventually turn up and bite them in the butt sooner or later.

"Point is," he said, "I needed that malignant miscreant gone so that could concentrate."

"Concentrate?" Underseen asked.

Cloak took a deep breath, and said, "I'm gonna try to tap into the power that I'm always afraid to tap. It's much easier to lose control . . ."

Suddenly, just then, Cloak could feel the island begin to plummet.

[redtailedsaffa]

PLOT TWIST!

[Cloak]

Not really. I'm not going to exhibit a new power -- just a power level that I'm terrified to tap into.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Crisis Averted

"We're falling!" Demos said.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Cloak snapped irritably. It was, after all, because of Demos and his obsession with those Veil-forsaken monstrocities of his that they were even in this mess. But the Realm Walker shrewdly did not bring this up, as the demon had seemingly forgotten about it, what with his life in peril and all. "I am slowing the descent, but only just."

"You can't stop it?" Underseen said.

"Ever try to stop an aircraft carrierer from falling seven hundred feet?" Cloak shot.

Underseen conceded the point.

"Now," Cloak said, the strain started to infiltrate into his voice, "I need to concentrate, to focus my energies."

Cloak closed his eyes, slowed his breathing. He focused his mind to the enormous task at hand.

He had doubts he was sufficiently strong enough to accomplish this task. His grandfather would have completed it in a thrice . . .

He gave his head a quick shake. Such thoughts weren't helpful or productive. He couldn't allow them space in his head right now.

Suddenly, Cloak opened his eyes and they glowed scarlet-gold. But it wasn't the out-of-control suns with tendrils of energy leaking out, but more like the slow burn of a kerosene heater. It was controlled -- but this power . . . it still terrified the Elements Master. It was something he would never willingly revel in.

***

Outside, a huge orb of wind -- a gargantuan Air Scooter -- appeared beneath the island, buoying it up. Slowing its descent to an easy-surviveable speed. The island set down in the large lake, lazing atop like leaves on an unattended pool. Suddenly, the ground beneath the island shot up, firmly attaching the island to the ground.

It was done.

***

"Cloak?" Ash said, concerned.

Cloak took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and then opened them, revealing the normal amber color.

"The island is now anchored here," Cloak said. Then he fell to his knees, exhausted from the effort. But before the others could speak, he said, "Never mind me, go destroy those flight mechanisms. stop this from happening again."

[Cloak]

Sorry if there are any errors. Still rather tired. Gonna be a short chapter.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
A Miffed Maul

The three decided to take Cloak at his word and each sought out the flight mechanisms while Cloak sought to recoup the energy lost. Within three seconds of each other, each of the flight mechanisms went up in a explosive blaze. The island would never fly again.

Watching all this, while he glided like a leaf to the ground, was Maul. The misshapen monstrocity was mighty miffed.

"No!" he snarled as he angrily ripped away his cape. "The plan was perfect! There wasn't one flaw to exploit!"

"It would seem," came a voice from the shadowed wood behind him, "that there was one considerable flaw you failed to consider."

"How dare you speak to me that way?! Who are you, anyway?!" the immature monstrosity demanded.

"All things in good time," the voice answered cryptically. "I'm just a tad curious, though. How will you react to this rather significant setback, hmm?"

"I will kill Demos! Mark my words, I will kill him!" Maul snarled bestially.

"Ah," the voice said, taking a condescending edge. "I see. Vague threats and plans you don't really think through. A simply superb combo."

"Don't speak to me like that!" Maul raged. "Don't you dare speak to me like that!"

"I'll speak to you in any way I please," the voice said in a rather dismissive, bored way. "You'll never achieve that ambition, you know."

"Shut up! You don't know! You don't know anything!"

It's amazing how quickly Maul's regal mannerisms had dissolved into childish bawling.

"I know more than you could even bother to guess at." The voice now had a dangerous lilt to her voice.

"Show yourself coward!" the monstrosity demanded with ringing force.

"Coward, am I?" Malice said, stepping into the light. Ravager padded softly behind her, looking rather larger and strangely bulkier. "Perhaps. But at least I'm honest about it."

Maul was foolishly distainful, "Am I supposed to be impressed, or something?"

[redtailedsaffa]

*dramatic background music plays*

She's baaaaack!

[Cloak]

Yep. You knew she wouldn't be away for long, right?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Maul and Malice

Malice only showed the subtlest, most minimal signs of haughtiness, smugness, and condescendation at these foolhardy words of the monstrosity. She lost none of her poise or cunning.

"Whether or not you are impressed with me is immaterial. In the grand scheme of things, it matters very little." she said.

"You talk like that other defiant know-it-all." Maul muttered. "You both think you know more than you do, when you know NOTHING."

Ravager snarled, but Maul -- whether by stupidity or arrogance or some infusion of both -- felt no fear or intimidation from the metal beast.

Malice placed her hand upon Ravager's head, and addressed the beast, "Calm yourself, Ravager, you'll have your pleasings soon enough."

Then she turned to Maul, standing up a little straighter, giving off haughty body language. "You'd do well to not only watch your words, but your tone, monstrosity." Then her eyes took on an intense edge. "You'll find that my kind know vastly more than any mere Dweller."

She practically spat the last word. Maul did not understand the meaning of the term "Dweller" as Malice used it. But he didn't care. He didn't need her help, he didn't need her.

"What do you want?" Maul asked, rather snottily.

"Oh," Malice said, turning back to her more blithe demeanor rather abruptly, "to see if you would be interested in joining my, heh, organization, as it were."

"Why would I possibly be interested in something as stupid as that?" Maul said, mulishly. Then he -- rather stupidly naive -- turned his back to Malice. But she did nothing, and Maul trotted in the direction he saw Demos go.

Ravager growled softly.

"I know," Malice said, conspiratorially, "I was surprised that went as smoothly as it did."

She watched Maul disappear from sight, and she smiled. She knew he would be back -- and she smiled as she examined the capsule that contained all of Demos's other monstrosities.