The Baddest

"The Sultan, Seneca, Misha, and now my brother, whose name I don't know. I have so many enemies... I don't even know what I did to them," Ru murmured.

"Oh, I see you're starting to consider yourself like me," said a voice from inside him.

"You might be wrong. I'm still unique," Ru replied. He was lying on his back on the infinity rails of his lost world, arms under his head, watching the starry night.

Suddenly, he witnessed the night's veil tearing apart and something descending toward him. He didn't flinch or move. Instead, he blinked.

A shadowy figure, shaped by the silhouette of the gilded night, sat at his head. He didn't care.

"Let's just say I don't feel like turning into you, Alter Ru or Almighty Ru or Ru The Great. I'm fine like this... I'm just Ru."

"Not wanting to become a legendary being is, I don't know, kind of cowardly," Alter Ru said.

"A legendary being or a chaotic collage? Creature, hmm, that seems like a more accurate description," Ru said, tilting his head back and looking at him with questioning eyes.

"I'm a king," Alter Ru said, leaning over him.

"Oh yes, the king of little girls," Ru said, grinning.

Alter Ru let out a crackling laugh, "Did you say little girls? Hahahah!"

"Not funny, not scary either," Ru grumbled.

Alter Ru's laughter abruptly stopped. "Did you think they were little girls? How naive," he said seriously.

"Maybe it's a naivety caused by your reflection in the golden palace," Ru said mockingly.

"My reflection?" In a golden palace?" Alter Ru seemed shocked, judging by his cracking voice. "You saw something like that, and I didn't know about it?"

"I told you, I'm another Ru. So I'm not you."

Alter Ru leaned slightly towards Ru's ear and whispered, "Hmm... someone is playing with your mind."

"Oh yes," Ru said, then yawned. "That person is you." He froze as Alter Ru pressed a sparkling finger to his forehead. "Hey, what do you think you're doing, dude?"

"I take your stupid memory," Alter Ru said and stuck his finger into Ru's brain, ignoring his skull.

Ru wanted to move, but his body was paralyzed. "But that was my best dream," he lamented.

"Yes, I see it. Not bad," Alter Ru assessed and withdrew his finger. "Clearly, someone who wanted to catch the genie showed you this dream. Is it Anaxarete? No, I don't think so."

"No, that reflection was my magical essence," Ru insisted, straightening up.

Alter Ru pointed out his own radiant presence. "I am your magical essence. Don't you understand that yet?"

"You ended my life when I was a baby. You didn't give me any superpowers. And now you're showing off," Ru said, turning his back on him. He sat with his legs pulled up to his chest.

"I guess I pamper my clones," Alter Ru said, turning his back on Ru and assuming the same position. They were now sitting back-to-back on the tracks.

"I hate you," Ru said, glancing at the sky.

"What a coincidence! I hate myself too," Alter Ru said, glancing at the ground.

"Why, dear? Everyone says you're innocent," Ru said sarcastically, glancing over his shoulder.

"I was innocent," Alter Ru said, mirroring the movement.

"And then you became guilty?" Ru asked.

Alter Ru turned back to face forward and said, "I had to get stronger."

"For what?" Ru asked.

"To survive," Alter Ru said firmly.

"And I suppose you sacrificed your brother to survive," Ru said, shaking his head.

"I didn't sacrifice my brother... let's just say I couldn't save him," Alter Ru said, his voice crackling.

"If I asked what you couldn't save him from," Ru said, standing up. He looked around while he was waiting for a reply. He found nothing but rails and stars in that gray world covered with ashes.

Alter Ru's image exhibited a persistent tremor, akin to the intermittent fluctuations observed in the display of a malfunctioning television.

"You'd better answer my questions before you leave. Because every answer I get from you before entering the game is vital to me," Ru said, rubbing his foot in the ashes.

"When you enter the game, you'll forget everything so the answers won't matter to you," Alter Ru said, twinkling like a star.

"What about my powers?" Ru asked, turning to him in a panic.

"You'll likely gain more," Alter Ru said.

"That's good. Now answer my questions," Ru said, stepping in front of Alter Ru. He insisted, "What couldn't you save your brother from?"

"What do you think I couldn't save him from?" Alter Ru asked, narrowing his eyes made of light.

"Because of your ambitions," Ru said, staring directly at him.

"That's right," Alter Ru said as his image faded away.

"I'm glad you feel guilty," Ru said, turning back and smiling. "You killed and transformed human babies with your seeds. I was one of those babies, whoever I once was," Ru said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Human babies near death, especially orphans born sick and crippled. You were one of them. You owe your health, particularly your legs, to me, Mr. Questioning," Alter Ru said.

"I could have been myself even if I were confined to a wheelchair," Ru said.

"What you don't understand is that you are yourself, which means you are me, you idiot. The baby you're talking about has long since died. So it didn't have time to develop a consciousness," Alter Ru explained.

Ru put on imaginary glasses, took Claude's stance, and mimicked his voice, "Split personality, hmm... you need to face the truth, even if it's painful," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

"Facing the truth before the game starts will make us weak against our enemies. You know that only I know the name of our greatest enemy. And I have no intention of giving that name to you or anyone else until I die," Alter Ru said.

"Isn't that your whole thing? That genie sultan..." Ru stood up and dusted himself off. "I get it; you were raped."

In a flash, Alter Ru's image suddenly grew three times bigger than the original and yelled in a chilling voice, "Shut up!"

Although Ru retreated in fear, he could not hold himself back and shouted, "I knew it." Then he collided with the wall of truth and collapsed. "I was raped!"

"Brainless," Alter Ru said.

"Are you my father?" Ru asked, trying not to show his fear.

"I think I'm more like your mother," Alter Ru said, chuckling and crackling.

"Look, you keep changing the subject. If this keeps up, forget about merging," Ru said, waving his hand.

"Are you threatening me, or am I imagining it?" Alter Ru asked, growing even bigger.

Ru took a few steps back and joked, "Are you a woman or something?"

"I don't care about genders, doctor," Alter Ru said with the same mockery.

"At least tell me what the doctor really is," Ru said wearily.

"I simply don't know," Alter Ru said firmly and took a few steps toward Ru.

Ru closed his eyes and stayed where he was. As he felt a little chill, he opened his eyes again. He found himself surrounded by crystal shards and an infinite space.

"Oh, the place where I found the genie."

As soon as he uttered it, a bundle of strings reached out for him. Ru attempted to swim away, but he was soon captured and totally wrapped around. He was dragged into the unknown.

Then the strands left him rapidly, causing him to spin like a top in the air. Ru fell onto a transparent surface—a floor of crystal as thin as glass.

Ru had dizziness and nausea. He was initially perplexed as to his current location. But then he discovered a crystal balcony, and beyond it was a breathtaking vista of space.

"Wow!"

Then the light that fell on him was refracted. Ru instantly turned around. He spotted a magnificent figure behind the crystal wall.

This figure was tall and slender. He wore an ancient silver crown on his head. His hair was extremely long, and instead of dropping to the ground, it created a web of light about itself. He donned a black fabric with dozens of leather straps. The cloth stretched like a long skirt. His torso was partly naked. His pale skin was brilliant. Ru did not see its face clearly, but he recognized him—he was himself.

"I'm short, but you..." Ru, standing between admiration and dread, said, "What are you?"

Almighty Ru said in the most majestic tone of Ru's voice, "The correct question is, 'What am I?'"

"I don't know," Ru stammered.

"You still don't know yourself or me, do you?" Almighty Ru asked.

"Yes," Ru said, avoiding his radiant presence. Once he had gathered some courage, he looked up and was greeted with a smile. "Why are you grinning?" he whined.

"Because I don't want to remember. Not this time," Almighty Ru said sadly. As he turned towards his throne and started walking, he left a humid wind behind.

"What is this? Are you crying?" Ru asked, looking at the drops of water slowly floating in the wind.

"At times," Almighty Ru responded, perched on the throne step rather than his actual throne.

"You're the king," Ru said, busy catching water drops. "And you already know everything."

"I'll forget everything when you're done. If you don't know, I don't know either," Almighty Ru said, more tearful and more rainy.

"Stop crying!" Ru yelled loudly, already soaked from the rain. "Stop talking like you're going to kill yourself."

"I will," Almighty Ru replied, cold as ice.

Ru was swept into the unknown along with the blizzard coming at him. When the snow on his face blew away, he opened his eyes. He was sitting in a chair, and in front of him was Almighty Ru, sitting on the broken throne of the Crystal Tower.

They faced each other in a dual space made up of a dimly lit room and the crystal tower. The atmosphere was calm, and the setting was incredibly quiet.

Ru broke the silence, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I'm explaining how we're going to get rid of the burden of the past," Almighty Ru said, looking thoughtful.

"I don't feel burdened by the past," Ru said, leaning forward.

"If you keep playing with the genie, the golden cage will open, the past will collapse on you, and suffocate you," Almighty Ru said, raising an eyebrow.

"If I don't know myself and don't get help from the genie, I will start the game as a loser who doesn't even know what he is. And I will lose," Ru said.

"I've given you enough magic power," Almighty Ru insisted.

"Hey, I'm talking about losing the game here. I mean, I'm saying game over, Mr. Merciless Ancient King," Ru said, leaning back and taking a deep breath.

"You won't lose, I mean, we won't lose. Just trust us a little," Almighty Ru said.

"I get it, you're suicidal. At least don't drag me down with you," Ru said.

"The only way I can be freed from eternal captivity is if I die and merge with my last clone, you," Almighty Ru said.

"Will we be two consciousnesses or one? How can I ensure that my consciousness will not be consumed by you, Mr. Baddest?" Ru asked.

"Where did you get that I'm the baddest?" Almighty Ru asked.

"You ended up in a cosmic prison," Ru said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Almighty Ru showed his discomfort by turning his head and rubbing his forehead. After taking a deep breath, he said, "It must be because of that sorcerer... you're remembering things."

"The sorcerer who wants the genie's sigil?" Ru asked.

"Yes, him. He's the most dangerous because I know very little about him," Almighty Ru said, narrowing his eyes.

"What about Misha?" Ru asked, pursing his lips.

"A girl with purple hair, that's all I know," Almighty Ru said, raising his index finger. "We'll stick with Claude. He's the best option for us."

"Claude is good, but I wonder what he really is?" Ru asked.

"His aura is completely clean. He gives off the impression of a good being," Almighty Ru said.

"And he likes me," Ru said, then coughed, "Ahem!"

"No problem, sweet boy," Almighty Ru said.

"Who's the sweet boy?"

"Claude. But still, don't get too attached to him. Because aura masters can change their auras," Almighty Ru warned.

"Good to know," Ru said and paused a bit. Then he looked directly at Almighty Ru and said, "I can merge with you, but I have one condition."

"Vaelan and Clockmaker?" Almighty Ru asked.

"Yes," Ru said, nodding quickly.

"They must be alive. And as we know, they're invited to the game. Ask the vampire lord to save them both," Almighty Ru said.

"Then I'll find another condition," Ru said, putting his hand on his chin and starting to think.

"What a bad person you are." Almighty Ru said, then added, "We're both wicked and selfish."

"I've listened to you long enough, and now it's my turn," Ru snapped.

In the silence that followed, the rooms moved toward each other, and the objects partially merged.

Ru again broke the silence, "Were we raped?"

Almighty Ru nearly fell from his broken throne. "Ah!"

"I want to know, what's wrong with that?" Ru demanded. He couldn't help but speak out, adding, "Is it so hard to say, 'I was not raped'?"

Almighty Ru adjusted his sitting position and said, "Knowing something about this subject will not do you any good, stupid."

Ru quickly raised and lowered his eyebrows. "You can't say 'no.'"

Almighty Ru did the same, "But if you notice, I can't say 'yes' either."

Ru grinned, "Are you in love with the genie sultan?"

Almighty Ru slammed his fists on the armrests of the throne. "Yes, I was madly in love with him; that's why I destroyed him. Until you came along and discovered him!"

Ru leaned forward and asked, "How did I do that?"

Almighty Ru was looking up as if deciphering an invisible script. "I think you activated one of the seals while trying to sense and make sense of my fear."

Ru nodded, "Makes sense."

There was a brief silence. The duality of the space turned into a complex unity as the chair and throne pulled closer together.

"I have one more question. If you answer, I might agree to merge with you," Ru said.

"Ask," Almighty Ru commanded.

"When you merge with me, will the demon king's heart be mine?"

"Yes."

"Good."

In the silence that followed, the complexity blurred. The two Ru were almost intertwined. Though they faced opposite directions, they saw the same void.

Ru spoke, "Could you have taken anything from a dragon?"

Almighty Ru asked, "Like what?"

"A horn, a tooth, a scale, etc."

"Let's say a dragon gave it."

"Awesome! Because I love dragons."

"I hate dragons."

"Don't tell me you have a dragon enemy!"

"I slayed a dragon."

"Oh!"

"Other dragons hate me because I killed their king."

"Why do you always target kings?"

"Because I'm a king."

"Screw you!"

Two spaces dressed on four walls and weaved the thousand-doored corridors of the golden palace. Both Ru's disappeared at once, leaving only their voices to be heard.

"Ruling over dragons again would be amazing," one of them said.

"I want to ride a dragon," the other replied.

"Careful, the dragon may mount you," they both said simultaneously.

"What do you mean?" the unified voice asked.

"I'll speak however I want," Ru said, his voice coming from one of the thousand rooms.

"And I certainly don't need your permission to talk the way I want," Ru continued, unknown where and to whom he was speaking.

"Ah, yes. Go ahead, talk all you want. I wonder what other nonsense you'll spout?" asked the sorcerer Heise, tired of searching for and failing to find him.

In the end, "That's enough for today." Heise said, snapping his fingers and shutting all the doors of the golden palace at once.