Chapter Fifteen:
Altoda's Gift

"Mute!" Reno yelled, "You won't touch him until I'm finished with you!"

The silver disks sprung out at Mute, who got a bunch of them in his chest. He fell hard to the ground, but as he did, he sent a wave of blue light at Reno. Reno staggered back, blinded, as Mute struggled to get up. Neither was very successful in their efforts.

"Get out of here while you can!" yelled Reno. "Get your friends and go! I can take care of this!"

Elrik ran off to find the rest of the group.

"Why did Reno tell us to go?" asked Mekae.

"I don't know, but we should at least listen. Besides, I need to see if Elephande has anything new going on outside of this planet," explained Richard.

"I'm up for a vacation," laughed Blair.

"Mekae? You know where to take us," said Richard.

"Right, here goes."

They appeared on the bridge of the Zalendaria II, Afrin's command ship. Their arrival went mostly unnoticed.

"Hello, may I help you?" asked a sarcastic voice.

Suisune-Patriarch-Suligan greeted them with his usual air of sarcasm.

"Suligan, where is Afrin?" asked Cyrus.

"In his office, where else would he be?" replied Suligan, smiling and laughing.

"Suligan, I do suppose Afrin told you that the patriarch is supposed to be mature?" asked Richard.

"He did, but he's boring now because of that."

Altoda walked up, and he looked at Suligan like he was an idiot.

"You know, you are the saddest excuse for a patriarch that I've ever seen!" he yelled.

"Have you worked yourself into that equation?" Suliantig replied.

The group stepped back. It was easier to anger Altoda than it was to make money.

"I should kill you right here, but I shall only correct you. I am Istean-Elder-Altoda. I was never a patriarch, but I am more powerful than you will ever know!"

"Oh really? And who would testify to that?" Suligan sneered.

"I would," replied Elephande, looming almost right behind the young patriarch.

If Suligan's look had been placed on a news show and transformed into words, it would have the form of a nonstop hour-long censure.

Suligan did the only thing he could think of – he backed a long way away, very fast.

"I shall take you to Afrin," remarked Altoda, very bitterly.

"No, I haven't heard of anything unusual around there," said Afrin with a cross look on his face. "But I do think I can handle Suligan."

"I guess then, we should go," said Mekae.

Altoda stopped Richard. "It is finished," he said. "Wear this, and most physical blows cannot harm you."

Altoda gave Richard a simple gray shirt, one that looked like a toothpick could pierce it. But if Altoda made it himself, it had to have a lot of hidden power.

"Thanks," said Richard, "but this doesn't look too powerful."

"It is, and you'll be surprised how powerful it can be."

Richard put the shirt on under his mail, and left silently.

The group arrived back in Anegon at midnight, and the town, surprisingly, was wide awake.

Mute stood, waiting for them in the center of the town, with a large smile on his face. He looked very bloody, but still a large threat.

"So, welcome back. How do you like your town now?" he laughed.