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VRDET-OP: The Marraketh Connection
      "Obstacles" Part 2/2
        by: Red Paladin
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"Nothing is ever easy."
	-Richard (Cypher) Rahl, _Stone of Tears: Book two of the 
         Sword of Truth_, Terry Goodkind.

	Exactly half an hour later, Red awoke, and alert. The 
confrontation was about to begin. Into the distance, the spongin 
forces began to appear, obscuring the horizon. He judged they 
should have seen his "dragon" by now. He Shadowslipped[tm] and 
quickly halved the distance between the two opponents. Hiding in 
some bushes, as his Crimson Cloak[tm] would interfere with his 
control, he concentrated, as his magical abilities would be 
tested almost to its limits tonight.
	The Fire[tm] raced through his blood, as he searched and 
quickly found his illusion. He unbound the stationary object and 
made it leap into the air. Still in its inverted form, the 
tapestry of magic would not be seen as trickery. The crimson 
creation landed, reducing the distance drastically. Naturally, it 
did not disturb any of the sand, but the spongin were too in awe 
of its size. They kept staring until the dragon's mouth open to 
reveal a burst of flame... or so it appeared. Physical damage 
could not be done because of it ethereal construction. The flame 
"hit" the sand a few metres in front of the closest Sponge. The 
rest of them began to flee like the birds on a telephone wire 
being shot at. Red would have been content but he was too self-
absorbed in concentration.
	All of a sudden, one of the braver spongin took aim at 
the dragon with its brightly coloured crossbow. The shot went 
straight through.
	It shouted frantically to his brain dead companions that 
it was trick. A few heard of his companions heard, and began 
telling those beside them. Word spread like wildfire that it was 
only an illusion. Sponges slowly recovered from their panic and 
starting running the other way.
	*Damn!* thought Red as he also heard the announcement. He 
briefly concentrated and dispersed the energy. Instantly, the 
dragon vanished. The spongin forces began looking for the illusionist 
who had done the 'mean', 'cruel' trick. With his last ounce of 
strength, Red quickly put the hood up on his Cloak[tm] and 
disappeared. Unfortunately, the magic had taxed him severely and he 
would require half to an hour to recover or even move.
	*Damn! Hopefully they won't find me. I'm in way over my 
head here* he thought as the enemy scoured the area. The 
Cloak[tm] prevented him from being seen by normal, electronic, 
and magical sight. They could still possible touch him and that 
he would need to avoid. The need though could not be carried out 
because he was so weak, he could not even move.
	Red's eyes searched calmly, knowing full well, that if he 
was found, the consequences would be severe. Occasionally, a 
Sponge did come close to finding him, forcing Red to shallow out 
his breathing. This did nothing to help his healing process 
except allowed it to continue. The ever mounting tension grew in 
him. He closed his eyes as he waited for what seemed an eternity. 
He retreated into his mind as his final refuge.

                             * * * * *

	Red's minded wandered again. Several months ago, his 
attempts to win her had it own problem as she already had a 
boyfriend. It looked like another obstacle in Red's path and very 
big one at that. 

Music: Invisible Man, 98 Degrees

	"I wish you'd look at me that way
	 Your beautiful eyes
	 Lookin' deep into mine
	 Telling me more than any words could say
	 But you don't even know I'm alive
	 Baby to you all I am
	 is the invisible man"

	-98 Degrees, Invisible Man _98 Degrees_

	She looked very happy with him, from what Red saw, (from 
the shadows, of course). The thing that intrigued him the most 
about her was her energy and spirit for life. She participated in 
many sports, and was average to excellent in all aspects. In 
fact, she had won first at the city's swim meet. This was not to 
say that she was not physically attractive, but only in a down-
to-earth sort of way, as opposed to the transcendence of 
Valeriana.
	Some time near Christmas, Red sent an anonymous note
with a candy cane, that the school was selling to raise money, 
with a passage from a song that Red thought best described his 
feelings [above] Unfortunately, she had left for a vacation early
before it was sent, so Elaina did not receive it. Yet.

[Sometime in the new year, she would get it but it would not have 
the effect that Red intended.]

	About a month later, Red, accompanied by one who is known 
as "Slash" were on their way to a local Walmart for McDonalds for 
some after-school snacks, talked about various subjects. Red had 
given up on the idea that she would get it.
	"... she didn't get the Candygram then?[Get it? Telegram 
with a candy cane?]" Red asked casually.
	"No, she did," Slash replied.
	"Oh.... What!?! I thought you said she didn't!"
	"No, she did. She told me on the bus when she was on her 
way to swimming."
	"Really? So what did she think?"
	"She was a little freaked out. She said, 'Who the heck 
sent this!?!' I suspected you, but I didn't say anything. And 
then you just confirmed it." Slash explained. "She also she was 
scared that it could be a lesbian."
	"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not a lesbian, though I do 
like women," Red joked, trying to ease his own tension.
	"Yeah..." Slash replied, smiling slightly. "Anyway... I 
hear that she might be breaking up with her boyfriend."
	"Really?" Red asked with obvious interest.
	"No. I just thought I'd trick you."
	"Hey!"
	Slash just laughed. "No, wait. Seriously though, she 
might break up with him."
        "You better not be kidding me," Red said in a non-
threatening tone that seem unnatural for the assassin.
	"I'm not."
	"Alright then. Well, too bad... for him."
	Red continued walking as he thought. He should wait a bit 
still, just so she doesn't feel uncomfortable with going out with 
another guy so soon. He sighed, thinking. He felt both sad and
happy at the same time. He was happy he would have a chance, but
was still unsure on how to go about approaching her. He had only
talked to her that one time in the hallway between buildings, not
including the questions she asked him in class about the work. He
sighed mentally again.
	A few minutes later, they arrived at McDonald's and 
ordered Big Mac Combo for Slash, and McChicken Combo for Red. As 
they waited, they talked about other things.
	"Y'think Gabriel really has a girlfriend?" Red asked.
	"Nah, he's probably just making that up," replied Slash. 
"Who would believe that!"
	Red chuckled. "You're probably right."
	"I heard that!"
	Red turned around still laughing. He knew Gabriel was 
there and listening.
	"So, come crawling back, eh?" Red finally said, naturally 
quoting Simpsons. Their food then arrived and they went to sit 
down. Gabriel followed but remained standing.
	"I didn't go anywhere."
	"I know..." Red replied. "Don't just stand there. Sit 
down. We were just talking about you." Red continued to smile. 
Gabriel did not make a move.
	"Yeah. Saying bad stuff about me again. And leaving the 
school without me," Gabriel complained.
	"Well, ya found us didn't you?" Slash said.
	"So sit down already!" Red repeated.
	"Wait. I going to order something first." Gabriel 
replied. 
        "Always the Big Mac Combo with only ketchup and cheese,"
Red said to Slash, as Gabriel went to order. "Why doesn't he just
order a Quarter Pounder?"
        "Who knows," Slash replied and shrugged slightly.
	After a few minutes, Gabriel return with his food. He sat 
down and the conversation struck up again.
	"I do so have a girlfriend," Gabriel said, defending 
himself.
	"Yeah, Christie. Right?" Slash smiled as he said this.
	"No! I told you I don't like her any more."
	"Sure, sure, sure," Red replied. "We believe you," he 
continued sarcastically, even though he knew it was not true.
He was pretty sure he didn't have a girlfriend at all.
	"Oh my God, why do you guys keep bugging me about that."
	"Alright, we'll stop. For now."
	Slash burst out laughing before realizing the other 
customers were staring at him. As always, he paid them no heed.
	"How 'bout we talk about you now." Gabriel said to Red.
	"Nah, let's not."
	"Oh, come on."
	"Alright, but quit your whining. So..."

                             * * * * *

	Footsteps echoed near him. This time they were coming 
straight for him. They had found him, and he knew he was going to 
die.
	Red struggled to open his eyes. He found himself faced 
with a group. *Damn!*
	One of the group kicked him, which he yield to, taking 
the full force of it.
	"Well, he didn't cry out so it must be him," a familiar 
voice said. 
	"Bryn?" Red asked weakly.
	"Yeah, it's me. Get up already. We got a lot of work to 
do and we don't have time for games," Bryn replied.
	"I.. can't... too tired... too weak," Red managed to 
utter. "Give me... two minutes."
	"Okay. Only two though."
	Red continued his regeneration. Further action did not 
come and he began to wonder where the enemy had gone to... and 
how did these four got around them. He did not doubt their 
skills, just the numbers of Spongin.... Probability alone made it 
almost impossible for them not to be seen at least by one. On the 
other hand, there were only four of them...
	Exactly two minutes later, Red got up groggily to his 
feet, before stretching his aching arms to the sky. The Fire[tm] 
flared in him. His fellow team members looked at him in a weird 
way as his pupils glowed with shadows. The seeming infinite 
strength flooded him once more.
	"Okay. I'm ready. Let's go."
	Red starting walking in the direction where he felt he 
was supposed to go, with everyone else following. It was a few 
hours till dawn. Suddenly, he stop and turned around.
	"Wait a minute, how did you find me?"
	"Actually, it was Bryn that found the magical residue,"
Calculus began explaining, somewhat angrily. "You must've used a 
lot of energy back there. There was an enormous amount of 
elemental energy that she thought could only have come from you."
	"Suddenly, I found this hole where the energy did not 
seem to go into," Bryn continued. "I thought,'That's weird'. Then 
I remembered your Cloak[tm] that we used to sneak up on the 
tower. I just guessed it might be you."
	"Oh.... Well, did you have to kick me?"
	She smiled. "That's the best way. If it was a Sponge, I 
would have hurt it. If it was you, then you deserved it."
	"For what?"
	"For leaving me to wait in the tower by myself."	
	"When you put it that way..."
	"'Course. What other way would I put it." Red shrugs.
	They stopped walking and turned around when someone 
behind them coughed intentionally. 
	"Now about that stunt you tried to pull back there..."

To be continued in "Reprimand"

(C) A Neutral&Chaotic Production, 1998.

Neutral&Chaotic Publishing since 1997.
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The preceding segment is a work of fiction. Names, characters, 
places and incidents are either the product of the author's 
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual 
events or locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely 
coincidental.