The Revenge of The Nemesis of Ray!
Backstory
It came to pass that Ray the Wanderer made some enemies.
Not, horrible, ugly, nasty enemies: but nice, cute, quite acceptable enemies. They were the type of enemies that if you had them, you would think: well they are quite nice, I could have done worse.
Dropbear was one enemy of Ray. Yet, Dropbear had a selection of qualities from the nice sort of enemies, and some from the not-so-nice sort. As with everything, Dropbear pretty much broke the mould when it came to being an enemy.
Now, it is probable that the fellows of the Fellowship of the Ring, which Ray headed as Supreme Ruler, all thought that Ray was good and wholesome and had never done anything bad in his short life. As Dropbear knew, this was far from the truth.
Dropbear knew with a cold certainty that Ray held his evil megalomania tightly bound inside. For had not Ray once said: “MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA, FEEL THE WRATH OF THE WHITE COUNCIL...Oops, sorry guys, the evil megalomaniac in me got out again. Cheers, have a nice day...”
And had not Ray once stated: “Just sign this contract swearing everlasting fealty to the White Council. And there is no need for you to read the 100 pages of small print attached behind.”
Had not the Wizard once sported his evil moniker with shame, before quickly covering it?
There were many more examples.
Yes, thought Dropbear: Ray too is evil, but cannot bring himself to admit it. And there was one more evil deed that Ray had done: he had turned Chris into- a dropbear! He had also turned Wombie into a sheep, but Wombie had managed to reverse that spell with alacrity. Poor Dropbear was not so alacritious (if not a word, it should be), and he yet dwelt as a pathetic and little, although, adorable animal.
Dropbear had the goods on RayChua the Wizard, but made the mistake of telling the Wizard that he was about to be unmasked before his beloved White Council. This clearly led to RayChua disappearing and going into hiding. Long had Dropbear searched for RayChua, and one day, he knew he would find him, and extract the cruellest and most savage revenge.
Yes: revenge by The Nemesis of Ray!
Revenge Is Best Served Cold
Ray the Wanderer sighed. ‘It is lonely at the top’ he thought, on a whim.
This line of thought got him thinking about the management of organisations and perhaps better models of corporate management. After a half hour of pleasant daydreaming, he got out of bed.
Ray’s sleep had been poor. The inn’s goose down mattress contained bed bugs and this had caused him to develop an itchy rash. Ray’s asthma from the dusty room started soon after he placed his old head on the pillow made of stale rags and other things. The room was cramped, with a draughty open window, and the stone floor was damp with rotting rushes.
Although Wizards don’t take baths and such, Ray was a bit of a modern Wizard and did usually at least spray cold mountain river water on his face and hands. Not this morning! The water brought to the room was carried by the innkeeper’s very ugly wife, whilst the keeper’s nubile daughter looked after Kit the Warrior. The water had clearly been pulled from the fetid, boggy river that also collected the town’s sewerage. Still, Ray carefully washed, for he was a creature of habit.
Ray eventually turned from his wash at the dresser, and froze. Fear clenched his stomach and shook it.
Dropbear chuckled and waved his deathray zorcher. Neither said a word, for there was nothing to say.
Ray: The Very Young Child
Ray the Wanderer looked his mother in the eye.
He had had a revelation at school that day and wished to share it with her as soon as his little legs could get him home. “Mother” he said, “I have decided what I wish to be when I grow up”. With pride, Ray’s mother knelt and smoothed his hair: “What do you want to be my little boy: a doctor, a scientist, a manager?”
Little Ray shook his head firmly: “No mother, I want to be a zoo keeper and feed the animals and sweep their cages!”
Ray’s mother looked with horror at Ray. “Ray, take that gum from your mouth, now!”
Ray Pleads For His Life
“But Dropbear” Ray whined, “I didn’t do it to you. It was Eldin, I tell you!”
Dropbear shook his head for the thirtieth time. Ray had by now implicated the whole Fellowship in the past events. Gengsta had formulated the plot; Keith had made the polymorph spells etcetera etcetera. When would Ray accept full responsibility?!
“And what of my good works! My leadership and strength! Why, people respect me, they look up to me! Please don’t do this!” he said, wringing his hands. Dropbear looked down at Ray: he chose his words carefully, for this was a day he had long envisaged.
Ray: The Student
The lecturer droned on.
Ray finished drawing his picture of a teenage boy riding a white dragon. He had just finished reading The White Dragon and was about to start The Riftworld saga. He so wished he could leave his mundane life and fulfil his dream. Not for the last time, he wondered what it would be like to be a dragonrider of Pern.
Dropbear Touches Ray
Ray was deeply touched by Dropbear’s long tirade.
It was a speech that brought tears to his eyes. Ray realised how badly he had wronged the other man. The weeks of humiliation and shame: the anal jokes; the dags; the constant shaving. With all his being, Ray wanted to right the wrong. The magic that Dropbear wove was strong indeed.
Ray: The Young Man
The office gathering crowded around the teapot, slowly sipping their teas and chatting. Young Kylie was flicking through her magazine with an occasional snicker. Jason was rearranging the office footy table.
“Strewth Blueie. Do ya reckon tha Swannies can go all the way, like”.
“Nah. Prooblie not Sharkie. But me Mum reckons the Port will, like.”
The gathered crowd nodded, thoughtfully. “Hey, Spacie, have ya heard ‘bout this here special offer? Ya join some special group and ya can geet free tickets to the Grand Final!” Spacie looked interested, although he was kept busy with his wife and children and he was a Carlton supporter.
Now, the gathered ‘workers’ were innocent of the ways of the world. But something in the body language of the strange man with the clipboard, making notes, made them uneasy. He didn’t seem to know any footy teams and rarely drunk tea. To no avail they had tried to include him in their morning and afternoon teas, office gossip sessions and long lunches. Eventually, doubtfully, they went back to their desks, the better to read the footy news.
Ray Gives In
But Ray was not a top administrator for nothing. He was, after all, Supreme Ruler of an oligarchy. He had slipped away from assassination attempts before and he had the power to do so again. It was just that, this time, he didn’t have the will! He wanted to pay the ultimate price for his treachery!
Ray reached into his gown and took out a delicious piece of chocolate: “Here Dropbear, I have wronged you. If I must pay the ultimate price, at least take this small gift from me before you exact that price”. Ray’s eyes glinted in the morning light. Dropbear he knew, adored chocolate, and could certainly not resist delicious chocolate.
Ray: The Supreme Ruler of an Oligarchy
Ray the Wanderer looked around the White Council Fellowship Ethics Committee meeting, listlessly.
‘How did I get here’ he thought. His dreams of mucking out dragon pens or caring for little creatures of the wood now seemed a distant memory. What funny paths we walk, as we walk life’s star trek. The bright future we see in our childhood, leads to something completely different by the time that old age beckons.
Too, the problem of Dropbear and Dropbear’s nearing expose weighed heavily on his mind. How could he escape the shame of Dropbear’s expose? Why had he cavorted with those semi-clad elf maidens?
Ray glanced out the window and briefly watched the fellow fairies dancing in a fairy ring. He had an idea.
Treachery Of course
Of course, as you have guessed, Ray was again treacherous. The chocolate was drugged. Dropbear was now the one who whimpered in fear.
Ray poked Dropbear with his pointed boot: “Dropbear, Dropbear. How do you think I became Supreme Leader of an oligarchy? By being nice?” He laughed. A quite pleasant laugh: “hahahaha”. Unlike the usual laugh of megalomaniacs which normally go like: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Even brave bears who have faced death and keelhauling, can feel fear when a transparently evil Wizard Ray stands over them truculently, nudging them with an iron-tipped boot, and holding a deathray zorcher. Dropbear, despite himself, looked forlorn.
Now Ray was cruel, and he was Supreme Leader of an oligarchy too. Yet he had genuinely felt guilty about his past deeds, although he had always justified them in his own mind. He had, for a minute, wanted to recompense Dropbear for the pain and suffering the small bear had suffered. And finally, he was deeply touched by the cute and cuddly bear who was slumped at his feet, forlornly.
Ray paused and shook his head: “I know not why I do this little bear, but I yet have some goodness in me still. I shall let you live today little fella. But do not cross my path again”.
With that, Ray the Wanderer passed from the room and descended into the inn’s common room, his good and nice face firmly in place.
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