The word "coward" echoed in the silent, empty void. It hung in the air between Riku and his other self. It was a poison dart, aimed at the very heart of his being.
Riku looked at the Grand Maximus. He saw the smug, triumphant look on the god's face. He saw the expectation. He was expected to break. To give in to the rage. To prove him right.
But Riku did not break. The anger that had been churning within him suddenly cooled. It was replaced by a quiet, unshakeable clarity.
"You're wrong," Riku said. His voice was not a shout. It was a calm, steady statement of fact.
The Grand Maximus's smile faltered. "Wrong? I have merely stated the truth. You are afraid."
"Of course, I'm afraid," Riku retorted. "I'm afraid of you. I'm afraid of what you would do to Lila, to Sherry, to everyone in Elowen. I'm afraid of losing everything I've built."
