Immoral Proposal from Heise

"That strange feeling again... Even feelings... What's happening to me? Are you the cause of all this?" The Great Ru asked, placing his palm on the crystal. In its reflection, he saw his last clone sleeping on an old bed.

"As far as I can see, it's daytime, and you're asleep," The Great Ru said, running his hand over the reflection of his sixteen-year-old self. "Why do you look so pale? Did that witch do something to you?"

The Ru in the bed slowly opened his eyes, as if he had heard him. His head hurt so much that he struggled to sit up.

"Damn it," the young Ru muttered through clenched teeth. "What did they do to me?"

The Great Ru raised an eyebrow. "Who do you mean by 'they'?"

The young Ru looked at his right wrist, which was bandaged. "They killed my girlfriend!"

"She wasn't worth more than you," The Great Ru murmured, leaning closer to the crystal. "You don't need to play the hero or seek revenge," he said sternly, tracing a sigil around the young Ru with his fingernail. "All you need to do is get away from danger."

"A voice inside me says I'm in danger," the young Ru said, still holding his head.

"Exactly," said The Great Ru, bringing his lips close to the crystal and sending his magical voice through the sigil. "Run!"

The wind, which slammed open the window, carried the most beautiful version of his own voice to Ru. Despite his initial disbelief, Ru trusted his instincts. He stuffed whatever he could grab into his backpack and jumped from the window to the tree, then from the tree to the street. He quickly distanced himself from the witch's café.

With the hefty sum and a few jewels he had stolen from the witch, he could live quite comfortably.

Ru had planned to check into a hotel, but when he remembered his age, he left the plan. He could move to Vaelan's house, but only one person could make that happen.

"Claude!"

He immediately flagged down a taxi.

"To the hospital, sir, quickly," he said.

Observing him through the rearview mirror, the hat-wearing driver said, "Of course," and pressed the accelerator.

Ru soon realized they weren't heading to the hospital. When the car stopped at a red light, he opened the door and ran. A drone followed him, but it was soon struck by an unknown electrical current and crashed to the ground.

"Damn technology," hissed Jasper as his screen went completely black. "I lost his trail."

"There are two places he could go," Heise said, stepping out of the bathtub. "Claude or Vaelan. Since he mentioned the hospital, he's definitely going to Claude." He gestured to Jasper with the towel. When Jasper ignored him, Heise used his telekinetic power to pull the towel to himself. As he dried off, he complained, "Didn't you keep your anger at me long enough, darling?"

"I'm a painter, not your slave," Jasper said, this time wearing a bird mask adorned with jewels and feathers and dressed in a navy-blue suit. "Besides, finding and bringing Ru back is your job, not mine. Yet I'm still helping you."

"Are you throwing shade at me?" Heise said, putting on his robe.

"Lord Dekaris Zharqasti is angry. You need to bring Ru back as soon as possible," Jasper said, slamming the door as he left the room.

"My love life has been quite troubled lately," Heise grumbled, looking at himself in the mirror. "As for Ru..." He paused and narrowed his eyes. "So, you're going to my Claude, you little slut. But I'll never let you seduce him."

Heise got dressed and left his room. He was about to use one of the magical portals leading to Earth when the day turned to night in his garden.

"Have you come again, Your Majesty?" he whispered, looking up at the dark clouds.

"It's not him," said the sorceress Amunet, emerging from the shadows.

"You always manage to startle me, my queen," Heise said with a mock bow.

"Lord Dekaris Zharqasti summons you for a special meeting," said Amunet in a cold voice.

"Jasper mentioned something about it," Heise said, unfazed, and he gestured for her to lead the way. "After you."

The two entered a portal made of red clouds and appeared before Dekaris.

"My lord, you summoned me," Heise said, bowing slightly. "I see you are a bit angry. Why?"

"Because you spend your days indulging in pleasure, I'm the one facing the monarch's threats," Dekaris said, his voice loud and overpowering.

"The monarch seems unusually impatient," Heise began, sitting in one of the chairs opposite Dekaris's desk. "We saw what he did to our seventh clone, after all. The last clone is still young. So..."

Dekaris raised his hand, cutting him off. "I don't want to hear it."

"Ah, you're right," Heise sighed. "Let's get back to the matter at hand. I was on my way to your manor to inform you that I had invited The Great Ru."

"I hope you've succeeded, Heise," Lord Dekaris Zharqasti said, resting his elbows on the desk and clasping his hands. He was staring into Heise's eyes. "Did you? Will he join my game?"

"I'm doing everything I can to make him join, my lord," Heise said, leaning back comfortably in the armchair. He gestured to Amunet to take the seat across from him.

"You don't seem to understand how serious this is," Dekaris said in a calm but cold voice. "His Majesty wanted to see the last clone up close and demanded he be brought to my manor. But instead of bringing him, you hid him from us for a long time."

"Is that what I did, my lord?" Heise asked, shifting his posture and leaning toward the desk.

"Yes," Dekaris nodded calmly, releasing his hands. He waited for Amunet to sit down. Then he slammed his fist on the table and roared, "You're doing everything you can to seize the genie!"

Heise didn't flinch for a moment. He locked eyes with Dekaris and spoke deliberately. "He's not just any genie; he's the lost sultan of the seventh genie kingdom. He's the most powerful wizard to ever exist."

"So?" Dekaris asked, leaning back in his chair. "Where are you going with this?"

"Another legendary guest for your show," Heise replied with a slight smile.

Dekaris narrowed his eyes and stood up from the desk, pacing the room in silence for a moment. "It sounds good, but," he said, turning to look at Heise.

Heise stood up from his armchair and said, "More than good." He stepped in front of the lord and began to explain eagerly, "The monarch and the sultan will clash over Ru. Thus, both will lose. Ru winning is already impossible. In the end, three ancient rulers will be ours forever."

"You sound so sure of yourself," Dekaris said, stepping closer to him. "And you say 'ours.' So, I'm supposed to share my harem with you."

"But my lord," Heise said, glancing at Amunet and then turning back to Dekaris. "Remember the seventh clone and that night at the Purple Velvet Venue..."

"Ahem!" Dekaris coughed into his hand and averted his gaze. His eyes wandered over the paintings and books on the shelves.

Amunet stood up indifferently and said, "Your private affairs don't concern me. With your permission," and headed for the door.

As soon as Amunet left, Heise placed his hand on the lord's shoulder. "A harem full of kings," he said with a cheerful smile. "Imagine, my lord, the pleasure. Think of the power you'll gain."

"A harem full of kings, ha!" Dekaris, laughing wickedly.

"I enjoy enslaving kings," Heise murmured, slowly sliding his hand from the lord's shoulder to his arm. "You know, I've always been on the side of the people."

"Yes, I know," Dekaris said, taking Heise's hand and removing it from his arm.

"What you're doing, though, I don't understand," Heise reacted, stepping back. "Why this coldness?"

"You're dangerous," Dekaris stated, his gaze still fixed on him.

Heise sat on the chair in front of the fireplace. "Anyone listening would think I've done something to you," he muttered.

"You haven't, but you will," Dekaris hissed, now a shadow standing behind Heise.

Heise gathered his hair and draped it over his shoulder. He tilted his head slightly, offering his neck to the lord. "How about a drink?"

"An offer that sounds like a confession," Dekaris said, brushing his lips against it. "But I have no intention of dying, at least not by poisoning."

Heise gently rose from his seat and said, "Tsk. I'll have to come up with new ways to kill you."

"Why not?" Dekaris asked, smiling. "But while you're thinking of ways to kill me, watch out for kings. Don't let them hunt you down."

"Once I have Ru in my grasp, their game will be over," Heise stated, crossing his arms and turning to face Dekaris again. "Trust me, my lord."

"I'll try," Dekaris said, gesturing toward the door.

Heise walked straight to the door. As he left the room, he paused and said, "Your moans still echo in my ears, my lord," with a smile.

Lord Dekaris smiled after him and watched the door close. "You, me, Claude, and the seventh clone," he whispered. As he returned to his desk, he sighed, "What a night that was."