Chapter 33
(No, no, no, Crayak!) the Ellimist cried as Crayak wove invisible threads to snatch up the fallen sword and plunge it into the human, Jake. (No direct interference! You made that rule yourself!)
Crayak, in a fury beyond control, screamed in rage. (I don't care! I don't care! I am the powerful one here! I will not lose because of the incompetence of lesser species! It's not fair! I want a rematch!)
The Ellimist knew deep down that this was it. Crayak was out of control, exactly the way he was millennia ago when they first battled. There was no way to settle this – Crayak had seen that the Ellimist was likely to win, so he broke his own rules and ruined the intricate chess match. He'd pounded his fist in frustration and scattered the checkers all over the place. It was ruined.
(Calm down, Crayak. I cannot let you keep doing this. You make rules, then when they are inconvenient, you break them. There is no fair way to settle this with you. You are totally irrational,) the Ellimist seethed.
Crayak turned his massive, red eye and settled it on the Ellimist. (You are nothing but a nuisance!) he screamed. (I will not let you stop me anymore! You're nothing more than a brake, and you've worn out! All you do is stop me from having fun because you are a stupid, moralizing fool! I'll kill you myself!) The Ellimist braced himself as he sensed Crayak gathering all of his strength for an all-out attack.
(YOU WILL DO NOTHING OF THE SORT, CRAYAK,) an immense voice boomed. The Ellimist, totally not comprehending the situation, gathered up all of his power and searched time and space for this new being. He caught a glimpse of it and realized that he'd been a fool. He'd assumed himself and Crayak were the only two supreme beings in this dimension. He'd never considered the fact that there could be interdimensional beings watching imperiously over their dimensions, much as he and Crayak watched over the humans, Andalites, Yeerks, Trunsk, Taruff, Skrit Na, Taxxons, Hork-Bajir, Kelbrids, Ri'shon'de, and countless other 'sentients.' In a second, the Ellimist understood that everything was out of his hands now. This new entity was obviously far more powerful than either of them.
(What? Who?) Crayak bellowed. He was angry, confused, lost. (No one tells me what to do! No one!) Once again, the Ellimist prepared himself for furious attack, but it didn't come. Crayak was being restrained. The Ellimist marvelled…not only was this new being restraining Crayak's incredible power, but he was doing it with ease.
(OF COURSE I DO. YOU ARE NOTHING TO ME. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS ENTIRE SHAMEFUL COMPETITION FOR FAR TOO LONG. YOU ARE A CHEATER. GAMES ARE FUN, BUT WITHOUT RULES, THEY ARE USELESS.)
(Who are you!) Crayak bellowed in impotent rage.
(WHO I AM IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHAT I WILL DO IS. YOU WILL COME WITH ME TO A NEW DIMENSION I WILL CREATE. THERE, I WILL TEACH YOU ALL ABOUT RULES AND FAIR PLAY. IF YOU DO NOT LEARN, I WILL DESTROY YOU. IF YOU DO LEARN, I WILL RETURN YOU HERE AND YOU MAY HAVE A REMATCH WITH THE ELLIMIST. A FAIR REMATCH.)
(No! I will not go! You can't make me!) Crayak screamed, but he was already being pulled to a place and time that the Ellimist could not begin to understand. In a matter of seconds, Crayak was gone and the Ellimist remained, stunned.
(YOU ARE WISE, FOR A PRIMITIVE,) the huge voice told the Ellimist. (I HAVE THE FEELING CRAYAK WILL BE A LONG TIME IN RETURNING, FOR NOT EVEN I HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE HIM REASONABLE. THIS DIMENSION IS YOURS, BUT BE FAIR. I WILL BE WATCHING.)
The Ellimist spent a short time contemplating what he'd just seen and could not even begin to understand it. Slowly, he shook his head and said one short human phrase to the now-empty galaxy – (I guess there's always a bigger fish.) He realized he had some wrongdoings to fix and set to work.