Chapter 4: Held Captive

The limbless being was still in deap sleep, dreaming his troubling dream when Betilla had slipped out of the Glade. She was going to meet with the Magician. She walked for miles and miles in the dark and eery forest, passing many felled trees and evening bugs, chirping along the ground. Once in awhile, there would be a break in the trees, and she would see the light of the planet's two moons. The light gave her comfort, as she walked through the threatening shadows. Every once in ahwile, when she became tired, she would sit on a stump or large rock and rest.

After a long walk, she finally came upon the entrance to the Magician's underground manor. Once she crawled down into the almost completely hidden hole in the ground, she was stopped at a wooden door. It was very dark, so she had to feel along the door for its handle. She said a silent curse when she felt a splinter enter her skin. She tried picking it out, but she knew it was no use - when the splinter was ready, it would eject itself out of her skin. No use in trying now. When she found the handle, she turned it and entered into an even thicker darkness. But she knew where she was. She walked down the long, dark hallway until she came to a door at the end of the hall. She entered it, this time letting light flood into the hallway. In the middle of the room was the Magician, sitting in a large leather chair. Along the walls were thousands and thousands of books ranging from local fiction to ancient archives.

"Sit down Betilla," the Magician stated, breaking the silence.

"I'll stand, thank you," she responded in a harsh tone, entering the room.

"A little feisty tonight, are we?" remarked the Magician.

"Let's just get on with the meeting."

"First off, do you have any news I should be aware of?" the Magician asked.

"An electoon has come to me very recently and given me news of the outside world." Betilla paused, then continued. "An electoon named Elion -"

"Ah yes! Noble Elion of the Adlig tribe," the Magician interrupted. Betilla gave him a glare for interrupting but left it at that and continued.

"Yes, well, Elion was on the Outskirts when he saw Mr. Dark and his army. They are coming into our regions to take over." When she finished, she rested her shoulders - they had been noticably uptight from the surprising news.

"Well then..." the Magician pondered. "I guess it was only a matter of time until he came into our parts - we've been hearing of him from the neighbouring regions for quite some time now. We must tell everyone to take shelter. It is the best I - We can offer," the Magician corrected. "Now we must wait and see what happens." He waited until she nodded her head and continued. "Well, I also have some interesting news... I'm sure you are familiar with the limbless being in your care. From the evidence shown... he is not the same one who has been plauging our world. He's completely harmless."

"But he could still be a threat!" Betilla added.

"Exactly," the Magician concluded. "I have arrange for the limbless being in your care to be... taken care of. Make sure NO ONE, and I mean no one, takes him before my plan hatches, for others may know of his power."

"Alright," Betilla agreed, "I'll do my best. We will meet again." She exited the room, leaving the door open, and walked down the all too familiar long, dark hallway and into the dead of night.

It was dark and the air was thick and humid when the limbless being woke up. It was so dark, that he could not even see his own body. He moved his feet and they made a light scratch across the stone floor. His hands were sore - he could tell he had been dragged a far distance. All he heard was the faint sounds of the evening bugs and then

KATHUD!

A large machine roared to life and he heard the sound of many cogs and little metal tools working together to do - who knows what? He looked around, but there was still only shear darkness aroundhim. He shook his hands that were behind his back and heard the rattle of handcuffs around them. Then, the machines just stopped. After a short silence, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The being squinted in hopes of seeing the person coming his way.

The footsteps stopped - he continued looking and saw some sort of lantern being lit. The footsteps proceeded and the light grew. Could this be a help? A way out? But the limbless being's heart sank when he found it was the dark figure who had come to him this morning - or was it yesterday?

"I see you've woken up, my little limbless poppet. Welcome to my humble abode," the figure started. "Please, sit down - Oh! You already are - and with some nifty bracelets at that. One of my own restraint gadgets."

"Who are you?" the being barked.

"Oh! We haven't been acquainted? I thought my attire would have explained myself. I am Mr. Dark. And you are..."

The limbless being blushed, "I - I don't know."

"Oh what a shame!" Mr. Dark barely sympathized. "And what was your little fairy friend's name?"

Ly" The being had forgotten al about her in his own distress. "Ly!" he exclaimed. "What have you done with her?"

"Do not fret - I left her right where her crippled body fell. She's probably getting her wrists taken care of. A shame she doesn't have a name to match her stability. Her parents should have named her 'Weak' or 'Unsure' or even 'Faulty.' I'm surprised your parents never named you," he ridiculed.

"Did you - did you know my parents?" the limbless being asked cautiously.

"I did... and I do." With that comment, Mr. Dark chuckled.

"You're keeping them alive!" the being exclaimed. "Where are they? Tell me now!"

"Now now, let's not get too hast-"

"Tell me NOW!" As the limbless being uttered those powerful words, two red beams shot out of his eyes and struck Mr. Dark's cape, just missing his body.

"Why you conniving little ray man!" Mr. Dark said, surprised at the being. "At this rate, you will NEVER learn more about your parents!" With those last words, Mr. Dark briskly turned around and headed back from where he came from, taking the lantern with him.

The "ray man" sat in utter shock, non-responsive to the darkness and silence engulfing him. As he thought about what had just happened, he faintly recalled a story told to him - by his mother? No matter. The story was about a man who found supernatural strength in a weakening situation. He wondered if that had just happened to him. But the harder he thought, the more he realized that the power had not come supernaturally but had come through his anger. This frightened the being - if he had nearly injured someone by simply getting angry, what could happen if he could harness his ability? Surely pain and suffering would follow.

Realizing the sadness and wickedness he could create, he vowed to never again use his anger-produced abilities to destroy. He decided a new name for himself as a reminder of what would happen if he let his anger control him. He would be called Rayman.