Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

Ah. Well, this isn't really dealing with physical pain, but the one that comes from the heart, from emotional wounds -- emotional hell (which, sad to say, I actually know a thing or two about). Not to be insensitive to your plight, Saffa.

Anyway, three more book ideas:

• BOOK CCXXVII: "Bezoar Galore" -- The RAFians must deal with a buried Bezoar queen and her brood.
• BOOK CCXXVIII: "The Other RAFians" -- Shenmue gets trapped in a distorted part of the realm.
• BOOK CCXXIX: "That's Jacked Up" -- The RAFians must deal with the consequences of three body-jackers.

Okay, I don't think I've repeated or rehashed anything.

CHAPTER FIVE:
A Stellar Summary

"Hullo, Esty," Saffa said dully, as Esty entered the cabin of Yarin's ship. "What's the good word?"

"Why are you talking like that?" Underseen asked.

"Just bored, I guess."

Laserbeak hopped over to Saffa and Esty, looking quizzically between the two. He was definitely the "Momo" of the group. Gaz giggled a bit at this.

"The disappearances were in this neck of the woods," Esty said pensively. "But I haven't found any evidence of this 'pain reliever'."

"Tylenol?" Saffa guessed.

"Alieve?" Underseen inquired.

"Bayers?" Gaz smirked.

"Ibuprofen?" Yarin said noncommittally.

Estelore and Cloak were not amused.

"You know very well that's not what I meant," Estelore scolded. It was remarkable how much like Molly Weasley she was when she scolded like that. "This is no time for levity and flippancy."

"Yes, this must be taken seriously." Cloak said, moodily. His arms were folded tight againsted his chest, giving a unyielding vibe. "Remember that these disappearances were linked to some legends of a creature that kills people, attracted to them by their . . . their inner turmoil."

The lighthearted atmosphere all but evaporated right then and there. Laserbeak was the only one that was seemingy indifferent as he fluttered back to Gaz's shoulder, nibbling her ear affectionately.

"Buzzkill," Demos muttered.

"I heard that."

"I know."

Cloak would have retorted, but Yarin announced, "Wait, guys, I'm getting something at two o'clock."

Cloak looked through the window, as it drifted aimlessly into view. It did not move, but Cloak recognized its species.

"An Orthropterran?" Cloak said.

"A what?"

"Ever wonder what your Mucillator morphs eat?" Cloak said, quickly. Then another form drifted closer.

"A Conductoid!" Cloak cried. He could not keep the horrified tone from his voice. "This . . . this is convenient."

"Perhaps too convenient," Esty said darkly, reading Cloak's mind.

[Cloak]

So, without preamble, another chapter.

CHAPTER SIX:
A Terrible Tangible Trail

"I really don't like this," Underseen said, his very form rippling with anxiety. He referred to what had appeared to be a virtual landfill of Spixson corpses. They had followed the line of death, followed the corpses of a Necrofriggian, a Gelchone Aerio, a Methanosian, a Talpaedan, a Vaxasaurian, an Orishan, an Arachnichimp, an Amperi, a Tetramand, a Kineceleran, and a Arburian Pelarota. They followed the grisly line to this . . . this . . . this death mound.

"They must corporeally fissioned into this mass at the point of death," Cloak said, hollowly. He failed to hide how much these lifeless bodies disturbed him. Realm Walkers do not leave such remains -- when they died it was . . . well, cleaner. As if the Realm Walker souls saw fit to clean up their remains (other than the cloak, of course) before ascending to the Beyond Life. He could barely look at the grim spectacle, unable to stand it. "I've . . . I've never seen a Splixson . . . d-die."

"Hate to be soullessly pragmatic here," Gaz said, looking faintly sick. "But we lost the trail."

"Perhaps I should mention," Yarin said, holding head with his upper right hand, "that, though dead, there is easily detectable psychic residue on these vacated vessels."

"Residue?" Estelore asked, curiosity piqued slightly.

"Yes, apparently all -- and I do mean 'all' -- of these poor individuals were feeling powerful emotional pain. It's dissipating slower than usual. . . ."

"As if someone's deliberately leaving us a trail to follow," Demos said. He alone looked undisturbed at the carnage, due to his demonic nature.

<Yes, but for whom?> Noelle added. She had determinedly focused all four of her eyes elsewhere, rather than dwell at the body mound. <We do not know if it is us that this 'pain reliever' of legend is attempting to lure. Or if, indeed, that is his or her intention.>

"But why leave these . . . these bodies in such away if this guy wasn't baiting a trap trail for someone?" Saffa asked.

"Carelessness," Cloak said.

"Come again?" Gaz asked, ****ing her head, as Laserbeak mimicked this.

"They could have simply jettisoned the bodies off the ship -- assuming, of course, who or whatever this 'pain reliever' guy is requires a ship." Cloak elaborated.

Estelore nodded, "It happens more often than you know. Can't list the number of times I've seen floating bags of garbage in my travels."

"There's the trail again, a Galilean corpse," Yarin said.

"Follow it," Cloak said at once. "Let's get the Veil out of here."

[redtailedsaffa]

Funny, I was watching an X-Files episode yesterday featuring some ectoplasm that was apparently telepathic residue.

[Underseen]

These chapters were a good Christmas present to read.

[Cloak]

Well, this residue isn't tangible like that, Saffa.

You're welcome, Underseen.

And I suppose it's a bit ironic to be talking about this stuff on Christmas.

CHAPTER SEVEN:
Trails and Tractor Beams

So, the followed the trail. Corpse after corpse, each a different species from the last. Cloak was so disgusted he felt that he might be sick, but he disguised it as being stoic.

"Whoever this guy is," Underseen said thoughtfully, "he's been at this for a while."

"Clearly," Estelore said, mirthlessly and somberly.

"Uh-oh," Yarin muttered.

"What? What is it?" Cloak asked as one.

"A ship," the Nyac replied. "But one I haven't seen before."

It was a large ship. Proportionally, if Yarin's ship was the size of an ordinary aircraft, then this ship would be an aircraft carrier. The top portion looked like a red shrine with gold trim. The bottom half looked rather cobbled together, the gutted remains of hundreds of ships. Yet it looked remarkably airtight and up to code.

"Looks like its dead in the water. Scanning for lifeforms now," Yarin said.

Something on Cloak's gut said that this wasn't something wise to do.

"Yarin, don't," Esty said, having the same instinct.

Too late. The shrine ship brought itself around to face them. Yarin gasped as he seemed to have sensed something on the ship that the others didn't -- or couldn't sense.

"There is a powerful telepath onboard that ship." Yarin elaborated.

"This 'pain reliever', no doubt." Aquilai said. "I wonder how we could sneak onboard."

"I don't think that will be a problem, Aquilai." Yarin said, apparently struggling with the controls. "They've got us in a tractor beam. We're being pulled into the conglomeration below the shrine."

"Just lovely," Gaz said drily.

"Better come up with a contingency plan," Cloak said. "And real quick."

[redtailedsaffa]

Lovely.

[Cloak]

Yes. I would post another chapter, but I'm more tired than I thought, so it'll have to wait until after work tomorrow. I have Creative Writing in the morning, it'll be after work.

Well, enough formalities. Here's a chapter . . . this book might be longer or shorter than normal, I don't know. I've done a mental rewrite of this book.
 

CHAPTER EIGHT:
A Captive Audience

They were encapsulated into the capsule-like undercarriage of the shrine part of the ship.  The place was dark -- an absolute darkness.  The lights in Yarin's ship failed to dispel it.  But the surface on which Yarin's ship lightly hovered was smoothed with precision.  Cloak could easily tell that it was metal, so he was undaunted.  He could Metalsight, after all.
 
The gangplank decended into the open area after Yarin determined the air was breathable.  Cloak and Estelore let the others out.  Cloak noticed that the others tended to stick to Estelore, who emitted a faint aura of light that illuminated a fraction of the darkness.  Cloak had no need for it, so felt more at ease than the others . . . Cloak noticed that Underseen was in a Vulpimancer form.  Vulpimancers are blind, so he thought that he could use the radar that they have.  Apparently, Underseen could mimic a creatures sensory input powers.
 
"I'm getting a serious 'axe murderer behind me' vibe here," Saffa said, her voice echoing ominously.  As if this entire capsule-like pod thing was completely empty except for them and Yarin's ship.  Cloak found that eerie and sinister at the same time.
 
He shut his eyes, focused his mind.  But the shrine part of this ship was out of the range of his Metalsight. He muttered, "Gateburst."
 
"What exactly do we do now?" Aquilai asked. "We can't exactly wait around here, until the air runs out."
 
"Calm yourself, Laserbeak," Gaz said, attempting to placate her Cybertronian pet, who was getting quite agitated. His eyes emitted a faint glow. "It's alright."
 
"There are people aboard this ship . . ." Yarin said, concentrating.  "But it's like trying to hear faint voices that someone's trying to cover up."
 
"The Pain Reliever is a telepath, then," Estelore said. "He used the tractor beam to bring us in here, yet he delays in revealing himself or his plans for us. Highly suspect."

"We're a captive audience," Cloak said.  "I could free us, but, I don't know if it would be wise.  I might kill the others on this ship accidentally, as well as you guys."

Just then, an ample rectangle of light flooded the empty cargo hold (at least that is what Cloak assumed to be it's purpose).  In the doorway, the shadow of a Triceraton stood, adorn in robes of gray.  Cloak narrowed his eyes.  He knew of Triceratons, albeit not too intimately.  He knew this ship was not of Triceraton design -- as they favored far more triangles and edges in the design. Also that they breathed nitrogen and sulfur. This one must have had some environmental equipment devices beneath his robes.

"Welcome, honored guests. Your journey of pain has joyously ended." the Triceraton bowed.  "I am Kuzon. I will guide you to the great Pain Reliever."

[redtailedsaffa]

*eyeroll*

[Cloak]

Okay, let's give this a shot. Damn AutoCorrect.

CHAPTER NINE:
Meaningless Motivations

"You're kidding," Saffa said drily.

"Yes, I understand, "it's quite difficult to believe that your trevails have reached such a blissful conclusion."

"We hadn't a choice, and you know it!" Gaz snarled, as Laserbeak squeaked in agreement. "You tractor beamed us in here, and are now keeping us against our will!"

Kuzon conveniently did not seem to hear this. Withouyt any better alternative, the RAFians followed him, albeit mistrustfully.

***

"I thank you for coming here," the hyper-evolved Vulcan said when they arrived to his sanctum. "You may go Kuzon."

"As you wish," the Triceraton said. "M'lord."

He left. The RAFians were not impressed with all this cultlike behaviour and procedure. Yarin looked at him strangely.

"You're a hyper-evolved Vulcan," the Nyac said. "You were exposed to the Darwin Gun! You were on Earth!"

"Bold claims," the Pain Reliever said. "So, my hopes about you lot were prescient."

"I don't think you used that word right," Aquilai taunted.

But the Pain Reliever pay this jibe no mind and continued without interruption. "You very well may allow me safe passage into into the Anomalous Nebula."

"And it was a trap after all," Demos said. "How delightful!"

"You wanted something from us," Cloak said tirelessly. "Big surprise."

"Hmmm . . . If that is your attitude," the hyper-evolved Vulcan said, "perhaps your hearts are too bogged down to help me. Perhaps a little relief is in order."

[redtailedsaffa]

Things are getting bad fast.

[Cloak]

Oh, this isn't the worst of it.

CHAPTER TEN:
Demonic Relief

"You're buying into your own hype," Demos said, in a bored, offhand way. He fretted more about the lapel of his powder blue silk suit.

"I cannot believe that you have the audacity to assume that we would help you. You kidnapped us, you killed all of those . . . those people we saw floating out there." Saffa scolded, voice breaking when she thought about the careless, disrespectful way that these bodies were treated. "And you don't care do you?!"

"I offered them relief the Pain they suffered, that they endured," the Pain Reliever said simply, as if he was talking to a young child. "They sought me out. Not the other way around. I simply gave them what they wanted, offered the peace they desired."

"You killed them," Demos said, still more concerned with his suit than the events occurring. "Your platitudes and rationalizations mean nothing. At the end of the day, you're a murderer."

This, the Pain Reliever took offense to. But he lost none of his poise, none of the openness to his voice. They were going to lead him through the Anomalous Nebula to his prize, whether they wanted to or not.

"And you know it." Gaza said, shrewdly with an aghast tone. "Don't you?"

"Perhaps the demon's pain should be relieved first." the hyper-evolved Vulcan said, but there were the subtlest traces of threat in his tone. Not many would have noticed.

Demos was not intimidated. He looked from his suit, and gazed balefully at the Pain Reliever. "Sure, give it a try. Pain doesn't affect demons in the same way as other species. As such, your attempts would prove quite ineffective and a pathetic waste of energy."

"So I see." the Pain Reliever said, waspishly. "But can you same the same of your friends? Your thoughts may be masked from me, but your pasts -- all your pasts -- are as an open book to me. Such long lives some of you have had . . ."

He glanced derisively at Laserbeak, and spoke in a subtly haughty way, "And one rather short."

"Leave Laserbeak alone!" Gaz said defensively.

"Very well," the Pain Reliever said, "then you shall be next."

[redtailedsaffa]

Crap.

[Cloak]

And we haven't even got to the worst part yet. Maybe. Don't want to oversell the ending. Anyway, New book idea . . .  these particular books of the series are rather interconnected.

• BOOK CCXXX: "Torn" -- Nyx's love is being torn apart as she desperately tries to save him.

I post another chapter shortly.

[Gaz]

I'm on the edge of my seat!

[Cloak]

Good, Gaz. That means I'm doing my job.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
The Vampire Direly Sees

"Uh, let's not be hasty, now," Gaz said, not wanting to end up another link in the corpse trail. "Let's just, uh, not be brash."

"Ah, I see now," the Pain Reliever said, "still harboring the guilt, are you?"

"Shhh!" Gaz said, as if she didn't want the others to know this truth. Cloak, however was well aware of it.

"Well, it was you're fault, you know." the hyper-evolved Vulcan said. "The Madre de Vampyra's thrall. You didn't fight it hard enough, did you?"

"I -- I --"

"That's enough, Spork!" Cloak said, flat out refusing to call him the Pain Reliever. His actions her proved that he didn't have any intention of healing anyone. Everyone was expendable to him. "Do you hear me, Spork?"

"That is not my name. My name is the Pain --"

"The Veil it is!" Cloak snarled. "If you were true to that name, you wouldn't revel in the pain of others! You wouldn't be so dismissive of the others pain! You wouldn't work to exacerbate it!"

"You presume much." Spork said in a low, dangerous voice. "Perhaps you should go first instead."

Cloak scoffed. "You won't kill us. You need us to help you see through this ridiculous scheme."

"Cloak's right. You would've tried to kill us already if you didn't need us." Estelore said. "Besides, I tumbled around in the Anomalous Nebula before. There's nothing there."

"Wrong. God is in there!" Spork said, delusionally desired devout.

Silence met these words. Cloak was the one who broke it.

"You've gotta be kidding me."