Memoirs of a RAFian

[redtailedsaffa]

Oh dear. Now what?

[Cloak]

Finished planning my way through "Project: Toon World", and have a bevy of new book ideas, which I'll probably post on Monday, when I have more time.
 
And, Saffa, you wanted to know now what, right? Well -- new chapter!
 

CHAPTER TEN:
The Confrontation

Cloak blasted by the others, scattering them, still encased in his sphere of wind. He had the other elements wrapped around the wind sphere in rings or tight orbits, like Orbitars from "Kid Icarus". Only Shadow remained standing after this, a bit speechless as her uncle's rather uncharacteristic recklessness.
 
"You still sure about your assumption, Shadow?" Gaz asked, peeking up to see if it was safe to stand.
 
"Yes." Shadow said, with unwavering, unerring conviction. Though it seemed to waver a bit when she spoke again, "He must sense something that I'm still too inexperienced to know."
 
"Who are you trying to convince," Sakki said, "us or yourself?"
 
Shadow said nothing, in rather perfect (albeit unintentional) mimicry of her uncle, if he were put in a similar situation.
 

***

"He comes," Garrotik said, his glowing eyes brightening excitedly.
 
The Herald held his leathery palm mere inches away from Faerie's cheek, and she looked rather ready to bite it, but not wanting to. She assumed it would taste like old, unwashed leather -- rather like a gym shoe. However, the Herald immediately forgot about what he was doing and turned to his master at the merest sound of his voice.

"He?" he squawked, still in that servile, sycophantic way. "Who he?"

"YOU . . ." thundered a powerful voice.

"Cloak!" Horse announced.

"Now you're in for it!" Underseen smirked, with a rather unusually large smirk.

"Cloak's gonna imprison you again!" Sakki sneered.

Again, Garrotik laughed that deep, disconcerting laugh. It carried far farther than it should have been able to carry. The Herald seemed to elate at its sound, while the RAFians (except Cloak) winced at.

"You pathetic peons," Garrotik said, with venomous relish, "you think that such a creature could imprison me? ME?!"

That laugh vibrated uncomfortably through the ground which seemed to shutter and sicken from it.

"YOU . . ." Cloak said, and it was rather strange to hear so much rage in his voice. "YOU caused this imbalance. There is only one way to correct it."

"Is there now?" Garrotik teased gaily.

"I must eliminate . . ." Cloak said, as if he was trying to convince himself more than anyone, "I must slay you."

"And what makes you think that you can?" Garrotik taunted.

[redtailedsaffa]

Somehow I get the feeling that Cloak isn't quite Cloak.

[Cloak]

Well, how irritable would you be if you had the equivalent of sixty or so constant, consistent car alarms never stopping, Saffa?
 
New chapter.
 

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Run! It's A Stampede!

"He nearly took our bleepin' heads off," Abby said, thoroughly irritated by it. That and she had absentmindedly dove into a mud puddle. At least, she hoped that it was a mud puddle. "Why is he even in this state to begin with?"
 
"There is some imbalance in the Six Elements," Shadow said simply.
 
"Yeah, we gathered that much," Sakki said. Then she added, pensively, "But there has to be more to it than that."
 
"What are you suggesting?" Wild asked.
 
"Think about it," Sakki said, thoughtfully, "think about just who was captured. Horse. Mithril. Goom. Phoenix. Underseen. Faerie."
 
"What's your point?" Saffa asked, always keen to not beat around the bush.
 
"I'll answer that with a question," Sakki said, not offended at all by Saffa's tone. "What do those six have in common? Other than being RAFians and bearing the Mark, that is."
 
A brief silence greeted these words, broken only by Saffa, who spoke with the tone of someone realizing something rather earth-shattering. "The Eternity Blades."
 
"Yep," Sakki continued. "Those six weren't chosen by chance. Whatever that thing was, it had planned this whole thing in advance. He had to have."
 
"Are you suggesting," Shadow said, "that he actually unleashed those nexus?"

"Unleashed, planted -- what is it?" Sakki began, before Shadow put up her hand.

"RUN!" she shouted suddenly.

"Why?" Abby asked.

"Just run!" Shadow said. "Or fly!"

The others complied, and they just barely missed being trampled by a stampede. It was a stampede of herbivorous megafauna. Megafauna thought to be extinct -- Triceratops, Brachiosaurus, etc. The frantic panic from the massive beasts was almost infectious.

The RAFians were eventually shunted to a small recess in the pathway's brush that allowed them a respite from fighting.

"But why are they stampeding?" Sakki asked. Then she turned round, and saw what could very well be the source of the fright. "Oh -- ask a stupid question . . ."

[redtailedsaffa]

I'm so confused.

[Cloak]

Yes, I suppose it's rather confusing right now. It's not for me simply because I know the outcome, or maybe that will be confusing too. I don't know, I haven't written it yet (yes, it's planned out, but not word-for-word.
 
New, shortish chapter.
 

CHAPTER TWELVE:
The Battle is On!

"Take this!" Cloak said, sending out a beam of golden-scarlet energy, a powerful stream of water, and convulsions of fireballs in a rather impressive mimicry of Triple Finish (Pokemon Trainer's Final Smash in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl"). It was truly an awe-inspiring spectacle to any spectator (like the others who blundered into the midst of this attack, explaining why the stampede veered away from this spot, although not why they were stampeding in the first place).
 
Garrotik survived the attack, laughing hysterically, rather like Jafar.
 
Incensed, Cloak performed a midair "Mario Finale", which he fired two long tendrils of fire which were intertwined in a double helix form. Garrotik said nothing, and, being in the state that he was, his face was inscrutable. But the "Mario Finale" did not even singe the stone.
 
Cloak was beginning to see Garrotik's mere survival as a personal insult. Realm Walkers can be very proud, and Cloak was no exception to this.
 
Cloak's eyes became like golden-scarlet suns -- always a danger sign -- and he tossed some formles golden-scarlet energy into the sky which exploded into large energy meteors that rained down upon Garrotik. Each and everyone made an impact. But Garrotik still lived.

Again and again, Cloak attacked and fought and poured enough of himself into his attacks as to not cause collateral damage.  And again and again, Garrotik survived each volley. While Garrotik seemed to notice the activity of the volcano several miles away, Cloak did not. Cloak was still in his air sphere, ground untouched by his feet. He couldn't Earthsight until he did. And he was too focused on what he was doing to realize that that probably would be a prudent thing to do.

"Is this the limit to your power?" Garrotik taunted.

"I'll show you!" Cloak said, charging himself with all six elements. He charged forward, a massive force of power -- though the small, unconscioius part of him that remained rational, still held back the full potential of the attack to relegate the destruction to an isolated area around Garrotik. Contact was made, and smoke billowed around the statue head.

Cloak stood upon the ground, narrowing his eyes at the smoke that billowed around him. Surely that did it. Surely that ended this threat.

"Is this the limit to your power?" Garrotik repeated, through the smoke. "For the Catalyst, I was expecting more. For the Catalyst, I was expecting better."

"Impossible," Cloak croaked out.

[Cloak]

As promised, new book ideas!
 

• Book DLXXI: "Morphing Masks" -- A man discovers a new way of identity theft -- a mask material with flesh memory capabilities.
• Book DLXXII: "Ancient Warriors of Garrotik" -- The RAFians learn about Garrotik's ten generals.
• Book DLXXIII: "Bastion Forms" -- The Warriors of Garrotik discover their Bastion Forms.
• Book DLXXIV: "Gotta Go Fast" -- The Warriors of Garrotik discover their Chase Forms.
• Book DLXXV: "Pursuit of Power" -- The Warriors of Garrotik discover their Attack Forms.
• Book DLXXVI: "The Warrior's True Purpose" -- The Warriors of Garrotik discover Garrotik's true purpose for them.
• Book DLXXVII: "Big Brother" -- Enemies of the RAFians attempt to discredit them with a "big brother" satellite.
• Book DLXXVIII: "Discredited" -- The man behind Morphing Masks comes up with a semi-new way of identity theft.
• Book DLXXIX: "Militants and Intrigue" -- The RAFians must prevent diminutive aliens from disrupting a delicate peace treaty signing.
• Book DLXXX: "Realistic Costuming" -- At a costuming event, a man attempts to sow chaos by turning everyone's costumes real.
• Book DLXXXI: "Severe Napoleon Complexes" -- The RAFians deal with microencelphalopoid s.
• Book DLXXXII: "Throwing His Hat into the Ring" -- The RAFians are dragged into a feud.
• Book DLXXXIII: "Tendrils of Romance" -- Underseen crushes on a Lenopan (Sludgepuppy) girl, who has a terrible secret.
• Book DLXXXIV: "Shadows of Malevolence" -- The RAFians must contend with the Malevolence Shades.
• Book DLXXXV: "Bizarre Starfish" -- The RAFians must deal with Starro drones.
• Book DLXXXVI: "The Psycho Strangers" -- The RAFians are discovered by the Psycho Strangers, leader of the Phantom Stranger creatures.
• Book DLXXXVII: "Silver Blinding" -- The RAFians deal with the Silver Psycho Stranger.
• Book DLXXXVIII: "Black Outted" -- The RAFians deal with the Black Psycho Stranger.
• Book DLXXXIX: "Are You Yella?" -- The RAFians deal with the Yellow Psycho Stranger.
• Book DXC: "Untrue Blue" -- The RAFians deal with the Blue Psycho Stranger.
• Book DXCI: "Painting the Town Red" -- The RAFians deal with the Red Psycho Stranger.
• Book DXCII: "Plague Prelude" -- The Dark Medallions are found.
• Book DXCIII: 'Plague of Cowardice" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Cowardice and saurian rakghouls.
• Book DXCIV: "Plague of Loneliness" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Loneliness and lupine rakghouls.
• Book DXCV: "Plague of Insincerity" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Insincerity and plant-themed rakghouls.
• Book DXCVI: "Plague of Hatred . . . Wait, Again?" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Hatred and avian rakghouls.
• Book DXCVII: "Plague of Unreliability" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Unreliability and marine-themed rakghouls.
• Book DXCVIII: "Plague of Hopelessness" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Hopelessness and rodent-themed rakghouls.
• Book DXCIX: "Plague of Darkness" -- The RAFians must deal with the Dark Medallion of Darkness and feline rakghouls.
• Book DC: "The Demon Duel" -- Shenecron has it out with his former Herald.

Which ends Year Six, and Year Seven begins here:
 

• Book DCI: "A.P.P.A" -- Despite hostile opposition, the RAFians manage to get the Alien Protection Protocol Act passed.
• Book DCII: "Opening Doors, Closing Minds" -- Two star-crossed alien lovers need RAFian help to protect them from the Knights of Humanity.
• Book DCIII: "Would-Be Assassins" -- The RAFians play bodyguards to an alien crown prince, disguised as an ordinary human high school student. They must protect him from assassination attempts.
• Book DCIV: "Star-Crossed Lovers" -- An alien man falls in love and marries a human, but fears that she'd leave him if she knew the truth.

There. I know it's a lot, and there's probably a few rehashes (or might appear that there are), but I think I can make 'em work.
 
New chapter.
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Dawning Realization

"Impossible?" Garrotik said, with mock incredulity. "For a god? No! No, nothing is impossible for a god!"
 
"You are not a god," Cloak snarled, as the others freed the bound RAFians. Cloak proved to be oblivious to this, he just attacked Garrotik again and again, with each volley doing nothing against the powerful entity imprisoned within the stone.
 
Cloak was not so easily deterred, as Shadow watched his efforts with something that was not quite awe, not quite worry.
 
In her observation, she noticed what her uncle had missed in his ardent, fervent crusade to bring balance to the elements. A certain something that was rather key, that was quite important.
 
"He's just making it worse," she said quietly.
 
"No kidding." Faerie said. "Garrotik isn't feeling his attacks!"
 
"No," Shadow insisted. "It's far worst than that, Faerie! Uncle's attacks are actually --"
 
A slight tremor under her feet went unnotice by everyone else. Shadow quickly looked over to the volcano, that was rather endemic to the landscape. Strangely, it's existence was easily forgotten. It caused the young Realm Walker disquiet and unnerved her for some reason she couldn't put her finger on.
 
"Cloak's attacks are actually what, Shadow?" Phoenix asked, although he had a shrewd idea where she was going with this.
 
'Uncle's attacks are doing nothing but strengthening Garrotik," Shadow said. "That's why they appear to have no negative effect on him. He's absorbing the elemental energy!"
 
"How is that even possible?" Saffa asked.

"How is half of the things we experience possible?" Sakki pointed out. "I think Shadow's right on this -- Garrotik isn't even flinching under that kind of punishment!"

"He's a stone head, he couldn't flinch if he wanted to." Abby countered.

"There's still not a scratch on him," Mithril said. "And if it is true that Cloak is just empowering Garrotik . . . I really don't want to think about what the ramifications of that could be."

"Maybe we could talk to whoever imprisoned him in the first place," Horse said, "maybe he'd know something about stopping him in his tracks."

"Great idea!" Faerie said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Any idea just who did that? Clearly Cloak didn't!"

Shadow wasn't paying attention to the arguments and debates. Something about that volcano was calling to her. She didn't know what. Was it the source of Garrotik's power? His weakness? What? But she knew something about it would eventually come into play.

[redtailedsaffa]

OMG the number of books. Looks like we get to know more about Garrotik in them!

[Cloak]

And yet -- I have more ideas. . . . Which will be posted at a later date.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
Foolish Folly

"If that did not finish you," Cloak snarled, baring his teeth with each syllable, "then maybe, just maybe, the full might of the elements will!!"
 
This snapped Shadow out of her reverie. She could not believe that her uncle was being this reckless. This wasn't like the man she knew. He often warned her against such impetuous acts, and now he was losing control over his emotions, over himself. Yet the power before had seemed restrained, restricted.
 
The secret was that Garrotik's taunts had a subtlety to them that was very triggering to Cloak. It was the same kind of taunts that his mother had always favored. A subtlety that Cloak never really developed a good defense for other than distancing himself from. In allowing himself to be triggered in such a way, he allowed his baser emotions get the better of him, and he felt a need to lash out.
 
And the fact that the elemental imbalance was driving him absolutely batty didn't help matters either.
 
"Uncle, don't!" Shadow screamed as loudly as she could. But even that seemed insufficient to reach her uncle, in the throes of an emotional upheaval. She was bright enough to realize this, and then used her mastery over the Air element to amplify her voice, and shouted, as if through a bullhorn, "UNCLE, DON'T DO IT!! GARROTIK --"
 
Shadow never got to finish her explanation. Why? Because it was at that moment that Garrotik's Herald, the anthropterosaur, reappeared and attacked. Shadow had managed to sidestep his charge, making it look rather like it was an early Death Battle.
 
"Silence, whelp!" he snarled, which one could see as impressive -- as the Herald had no lips. "The Catalyst should be grateful to be of use to the Great Garrotik!!"
 
"Oh, will you shut up?!" Faerie roared. She clearly already had had enough of the Herald. "You are more long-winded that Lord High Stoneface there! And that's saying something!"

The Herald reached out to slap Faerie, but this time . . . ah, this time she wasn't restrained. And if there is one thing in all the universe that you don't want -- it's Faerie Larka mad at you.

Meanwhile, Cloak was charging up in his ultimate attack, in which he would use his elements at his full zenith . . . but even now, he couldn't bring himself to use his full might, his full power.

But it would prove to be sufficient enough as is. . . .

[redtailedsaffa]

This isn't taking off the cloak, right?

[Cloak]

No. No, he's not doing that. In the terms of the narrative, that never crossed my mind.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
The Problem with Fanaticism

Cloak realizes too late that his ultimate attack (well, ultimate-attack-without-causing-any-undue-collateral-damage attack) wasn't the brightest thing to do. For all his power, he achieved nothing but the exact opposite of his goal. Garrotik's form shifted and warped, almost as if Proteus had regained his powers (although he apparently was learning to cope without them and making real headway in his psychological treatments).
 
Garrotik's true form was noting like what his imprisoned form looked like.  His head was like MaloMyotismon, with similar shoulders in black and red, with Apocalymon hair at the back. He wore a cape that was like both Mr. Sinister and Jafar, who he resembled from the waist down. His arms resembled the sleeves and cuffs of Lucemon in his Chaos Mode, but the hands themselves were more akin to that of a Celestialsapien.  He possessed no pupils in his eyes and he emanated power and fear from his very form.

Cloak felt highly abashed by this figure rising from the ground, which seemed somewhat molten and loose, but was not.  Garrotik paid no mind to the environment, which seemed to get colder and harsher all at once. Cloak, overcome by shame and regret, failed to notice this -- but Shadow was quicker on the uptake. But she could not know what it could mean.

"Master! You have risen to your former glory! Huzzah!" his Herald celebrated.

"Not quite, Herald," Garrotik said.

The anthropterosaur stopped his jubilation, utterly perplexed. His master was standing, whole and free, at his considerable twelve feet height. The Herald was towered over by his Master, and the anthropterosaur never thought to feel fear, to feel panic. He was fanatically devoted to the monster before him, and could not ever conceive of a betrayal.

"But . . ." the Herald spoke, making his confusion all the more evident, "but . . . Master -- Master, I don't understand."

"I never expected you to," Garrotik snarled with a startling grimace upon his grotesque face. "But you have served me faithfully, and devotedly."

"Yes!" the Herald said, in paroxysms of devotion. "Yes! I serve you while imprisoned, and I shall serve you even now that you are freed!!"

"Yes, I believe you shall." Garrotik said, humbly. Then his arm shot out so quickly that only Cloak's eyes could track it. Garrotik gripped his Herald tightly in his fist, with a malevolent grin on his face, rather like a child using a magnifying glass on ants would have.

"Master! Have I displeased you?!" the Herald shrieked.

"No," Garrotik said. "But you've something I need."

And before the anthropterosaur could lodge further complaint, Garrotik absorbed the life from the pitiful creature. Then he absorbed his substance, so not even a dessicated corpse remained. The RAFians were rendered speechless.

[redtailedsaffa]

That's the problem with false worship.

[Cloak]

It's the folly of any kind of fanaticism, especially to one person.
 
Sorry for the lack of chapters yesterday, I ran out of time. I'm rather irritated right now because of something at work, and I shan't go into it more than that.
 
New chapter.
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
The Ancient Warrior

Garrotik let out a peel of raucous, crazed laughter of which Jafar would be jealous. The sound carried a great distance and all life seemed to cower before him, except the RAFians. RAFians do not cower -- except Rotiart, of course. Garrotik held an aura of terror and fear -- he very well could have fathered Phobos and Deimos had it not been Ares.
 
"Free!" he elated. "Free to pursue revenge on he who imprisoned me."
 
"You wouldn't happen to want to say who that is?" Underseen said, with almost naive hope.
 
Garrotik ignored the shapeshifter. He stepped away from the spot where he reformed corporeally, and found himself staggering a bit. His breathing was a bit harsher and he felt bodily aches and pains. Garrotik was aware of the problem immediately. He was still cramped from his imprisonment, he reached over and -- in a rather eerie similarity to Syphoon -- absorbed a number of passing dinosaurs were weren't too big on the intelligence thing. A number had filtered over after the volcano had settled down a bit, much to their current detriment. He absorbed them like he was eating Skittles.
 
"Well," Sakki said, "we're boned."
 
Garrotik seemed to notice the RAFians were still present. "You still here?"
 
"You a problem with that?" Faerie said, with bravado she did not feel.
 
Garrotik did not react with anger, but indifference. "Your false bravado does no decieve me, fairy."
 
"WHAT DID YOU --" Faerie roared, her fury quickly outweighing her shocked awe.
 
"You puny nothings mean nothing to me," Garrotik continued, as if uninterrupted. "You aren't even worth my notice. The only one worth my attention is the Catalyst, but even he cannot hold it for long."

Garrotik seemed to be regaining his former strength and power with startling rapidity.

"You are beneath my concern. My only concern is for that ancient warrior, that foreign creature, that . . . that . . . that whelp that had the audacity to imprison a god like me!!"

Then Garrotik seemed to notice something about the RAFians. Something that piqued his interest, something he claimed only Cloak would be able to do moments before. "Whose Mark do you wear on your person?"

Silence.

"Answer me, you worthless ants!!"

Suddenly, Phoenix realized something. "You don't mean --"

"Me?" came a voice. "I believe so, Phoenix."

The RAFians whipped around to the source of the voice, and saw Richard standing there, with Helen at his left side, standing a little ways back.

[redtailedsaffa]

What an entrance!

[Cloak]

Yep. Now, new book ideas. Again.
 

• Book DCV: "Rise of the Metallo Men" -- A criminal cartel "resurrects" seven of their number into the Metallo Men.
• Book DCVI: "Upgrade Achieved! Metallo Men & Chee" -- The Metallo Men gain the Chee's holographic tech, only inferior to the genuine article.
• Book DCVII: "Emotional Drives" -- The Metallo Men capture and house the Emotion Entities.
• Book DCVIII: "Metallo Memories" -- The Metallo Men resurface, amnesiacs.
• Book DCIX: "Robo-Flu" -- The RAFians deal with self-aware Roboenza.
• Book DCX: "Boys 2 Hostages" -- A boy band (consisting of disguised aliens in exosuits) are taken hostage.
• Book DCXI: "Political Prisoners" -- A group of diminutive militants are impaled upon their own sword, so to speak.
• Book DCXII: "My Brother's a Ghost" -- The Specter Ring is discovered.
• Book DCXIII: "Super Swarm" -- The RAFians must contend with the Hivechips again.
• Book DCXIV: "An Unwanted Veneer" -- An old foe of Underseen's resurfaces.
• Book DCXV: "Nesk-y Swarms" -- The hivechips achieve the Nesk-like ability to come together.
• Book DCXVI: "Oriface, Back in Action" -- Another foe of Underseen resurfaces.
• Book DCXVII: "Metallo Swarms" -- The Metallo Men resurface . . . as hivechips.
• Book DCXVIII: "Aw, Bleeder 'Ell" -- The last foe of Underseen resurfaces.
• Book DCXIX: "My Best Friend is a Parasite" -- A teen is transformed into a corporeal parasite.
• Book DCXX: "My Roommate Loves to Tag" -- A young adult is granted the power to inhabit other bodies, which he abuses.
• Book DCXXI: "My Sister is a Survivor" -- A young woman is granted the ability to survive potentially fatal predicaments.
• Book DCXXII: "My Nephews Are Beastie Boys" -- A woman's nephews are granted Beast Boy powers.
• Book DCXXIII: "My Grandson Molts Everywhere" -- A man's grandson is granted the ability to change his appearance by "molting".
• Book DCXXIV: "A Weakness" -- An old foe of the RAFians discover a weak link in their defenses.
• Book DCXXV: "In the Wrong Hands" -- Very dangerous people get their hands on Zirkonian mind plug tech.
• Book DCXXVI: "The Manipulated Candidate" -- Some of those aforementioned people try to use the tech for world conquest.
• Book DCXXVII: "The Incredible Shrinking Man" -- A man being to shrink inexplicably.
• Book DCXXVIII: "Long Confined, Recently Unbound" -- Karaz becomes attached to his prison bottle.
• Book DCXXIX: "Kidnapped!" -- A criminal cartel kidnaps an old foe of RAF and a tweenaged boy.
• Book DCXXX: "The Skinny Is . . ." -- The "boy" is returned to his mother.
• Book DCXXXI: "On the Street" -- The "boy" is returned to his mother again.
• Book DCXXXII: "Gettin' in His Face" -- The "boy" is returned to his mother again.
• Book DCXXXIII: "Goin' Dave" -- The "boy" is returned to his mother again.
• Book DCXXXIV: "Rendered" -- The "boy" is returned to his mother again.
• Book DCXXXV: "Plugged In" -- The boy is returned to his mother.

Titles may change.

New chapter.
 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Battle of the Ancient Titans

"Whelp!" Garrotik said, regarding Richard. "Your efforts proved in vain!"
 
Richard was not rattled or worried. He remained calm and collected.
 
"Your endeavor was pointless!" Garrotik blustered grandoisely. "I am free."
 
"But you were imprisioned for centuries," Richard pointed out. "I say it was effective. Well, for the time being, anyway."
 
"'Centuries'? Wait -- just how old is Richard?" Saffa asked.
 
No one answered her. Everyone was staring in shocked silence. No one has ever seen Richard battle before, not really. And Garrotik was a self-proclaimed god. Saffa seemed a bit disappointed that her question went unanswered, and unheard.
 
"It was only a temporary solution!" Garrotik roared menacingly.
 
"It stymied you for centuries." Richard countered.
 
"Silence, Whelp!" Garrotik said, striking with his right arm. But somehow Richard wasn't there. He simply wasn't. It was inexplicable.
 
Then suddenly he was! He was moving like a blur to everyone but Cloak. But even Cloak was having a hard time tracking the battle of the two. He could only barely make it out every movement. Cloak had always considered that his power second only to Estelore's. The more he watched this battle, the more he was beginning to think that his initial judgement was mistaken. He was beginning to suspect that Richard himself was more powerful then either of them, but, for whatever reason, never accessed this power before now.
 
It was truly awe-inspiring, but neither one seemed to be triumphing over the other. Was Richard, like Cloak suspected, holding back his power?
 
There was collective gasp from the RAFians as Richard was evidently able to get close enough to lay his left hand upon Garrotik's face, giving him marks around his eyes rather like Sigma from the "Mega Man X" series. Garrotik staggered back as Richard landed lightly and daintily upon his feet.
 
"You . . ." Garrotik spluttered. "You . . ."
 
"Me me what?" Richard said, calmly flippant.
 
"You dared to attack a GOD?!" Garrotik roared with indignity. "A GOD?!?!"
 
That last outburst shook the trees, which Cloak noticed had seemed to begin to wilt. The trees looked rather sickly, he noticed. He couldn't imagine why, though.
 
"You gnawing at that bone again, Garrotik?" Richard said, with a bite of exasperation in it.

"What?" Garrotik snarled.

"Oh, come off it, Garrotik," Richard said, sounding impatient now. "You may be powerful, that I'll admit. But, Garrotik, you're about as much of a god as I am."

"I am a god!!" Garrotik roared loudly.

Cloak noticed that a lot of the trees were losing their leaves and becoming rather grayish in color.

"You can say you're a god all you want," Richard said, logically, "but that does not mean that you are one."