The Sacrifice of the Almighty

Ru gave an Oscar-worthy performance. Not only did he make the witch turn into a crow and fly out the window, but he also took a souvenir from her.

"Got a witch feather!"

The doorbell rang, and there was a loud crash in the kitchen.

Ru headed toward the kitchen while Vaelan rushed to the door.

"Welcome, doctor," Vaelan said, inviting him in. "Come on in; let's have some cookies."

"I don't think Lirui wants me here. I should stay outside," Claude replied quietly.

"Rui's been in a bad mood lately. He needs you," Vaelan said, steering Claude toward the living room.

Ru found the kitchen in chaos and immediately got to work cleaning up while eavesdropping on the conversation in the living room.

"What happened?" Claude asked.

"He snapped at his aunt. They were just sitting here, but..." Vaelan said, glancing around.

"Oh, are these fortune cookies?" Claude asked excitedly.

"Yes, Rui's aunt brought them. Go ahead, try one!" Vaelan encouraged.

At that moment, another crash came from the kitchen.

"Don't eat it!" Ru yelled, sprinting into the living room at an inhuman speed. He snatched the cookies from their hands.

"Man, how'd you move so fast?" Vaelan asked, looking at him in awe.

"How did you do that, Lirui?" Claude asked, adjusting his glasses.

Ru struggled to articulate his thoughts. Instead of explaining, he grabbed the cookie box and said seriously, "You can't eat these without tea. Wait here."

"Oh, okay," Claude said.

Vaelan motioned for him to sit down with a warm smile. "Hey, relax, man! There's no problem at all."

"Your home is so lovely and tidy," Claude said, looking around with a smile.

"Rui's been really into cleaning lately. I think he's got OCD," Vaelan said with a chuckle.

"Is that so?" Claude asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he's been running around the house like a madman, cleaning non-stop," Vaelan said seriously.

Claude stood up. "I'll go check on him. Maybe he needs help with the tea."

"Sure, man. I'll just nap until the tea's ready," Vaelan said, sprawling out on the couch.

"Vaelan, don't get mad, but I have to tell you something," Claude said.

"What is it, man? Go ahead."

"You've gained weight, and it's not good for your health," Claude said, putting his hand on Vaelan's shoulder.

"I'll work out, bro. I'll get buff; you'll see," Vaelan said, giving his hand a friendly slap.

"I know you can do it," Claude said, walking away. Suddenly, he stopped and asked, "By the way, which way is the kitchen?"

Vaelan pointed in the right direction.

Claude walked for a good distance, still trying to figure out how Ru had managed to cover so much ground in so little time.

As Claude came into the kitchen, Ru was perched on the counter, swinging his legs.

"Oh Lirui, there you are," Claude said, looking around the kitchen.

"Mm-hmm. I'm just waiting for the tea," Ru replied, staring at his feet.

"You've done a great job; it's spotless. It's almost shining," Claude said, taking a few steps toward him.

"Yeah," Ru said, pulling his hood tighter to hide his face.

"Am I bothering you?" Claude asked.

"No," Ru replied.

"Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I wouldn't call it avoiding; it's more like hesitating," Ru said, swallowing hard.

"If you want, I can arrange for you to see another psychiatrist. You don't have to consult me, you know that, right?" Claude said calmly.

Ru shook his head. When the kettle whistled, he jumped off the counter. He was pouring boiling water into the cups he'd prepared.

Claude just watched him at this point.

Then Ru picked up the tray and said, "Tea's ready, let's drink."

"What about the cookies?" Claude asked.

"They were stale. They're in the trash now," Ru said, heading out.

"If you say so..."

As Ru placed the cups on the coffee table, Claude tried to get a glimpse of his face.

While Vaelan sipped his tea, he asked, "Where are the cookies?"

"In the trash," Ru replied, avoiding Claude's gaze and feeling for the witch's feather in his pocket. But it was gone.

"My witch feather disappeared," he said in a disappointed tone.

As Claude took the cup from Ru, he asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Oh yes, I need therapy," Ru said, collapsing onto the sofa.

"Anytime you want," Claude said, inhaling the tea's aroma. "It smells wonderful, almost magical."

Ru immediately sprang to his feet and snatched the teacup from Claude's hand.

"Lirui..."

"I... I..." Ru was on the verge of another breakdown. He was gripping his hood tightly and clenching his teeth. "I'm sorry, Claude."

"Why are you sorry?" Claude asked softly.

"For dragging you into this," Ru said, his hands slipping from his head. His gaze seemed to drift aimlessly.

"What exactly are you dragging me into?" Claude asked, looking toward the spot Ru was avoiding.

"The bad fantasies I create," Ru said in a strong voice.

"As long as no action is taken per these fantasies, they are of no consequence. It is not uncommon for individuals to engage in such fantasies," Claude stated, continuing to search for indications of schizophrenia.

"Yes, but that's not what we're discussing," Ru said, uncertain of the topic.

"Then what is the issue?" Claude asked, signaling Vaelan to leave with a hand gesture.

"The issue is him," Ru said, pointing at Vaelan.

Claude turned toward Vaelan with a hint of apprehension and saw his red eyes.

"Hello, doctor," Vaelan said in a little girl's voice.

Claude raised his hand to greet them but struggled to speak: "Hel-lo..."

"I'm Clockmaker," said the little girl, extending Vaelan's hand for a handshake.

"I'm Claude," he said hesitantly, shaking hands.

"Liru isn't crazy; I revealed myself to prove that to you," Clockmaker said, pulling her hand back.

"I must admit that I had a different impression," Claude said, his stutter evident as he searched for the right words.

"Why did you reveal yourself?" Ru asked, raising his head and crossing his arms.

"There was no other way. Vaelan and I don't want you hospitalized anymore," Clockmaker said.

"Vaelan and you?" Ru asked; now it was his turn to be surprised.

"Yes, buddy. We've come to an understanding," Vaelan said, his eyes turning blue.

"Wait a second," Claude said, looking for a seat as he was still in shock.

Ru took his arm and guided him to the sofa. "Are you okay, Claude?" he asked.

"Do you recognize that your emotional state shifts rapidly, Lirui?" Claude asked as Ru settled him on the couch.

"You're right, Liru. The doctor's eye color is changing, just like your feelings. That means he has mystical power, but I can't see his aura," Clockmaker said.

"What's happening to me?" Claude asked, panicking.

"Relax, man, at most you're a medium or something support class," Vaelan said, settling back into the armchair. "There was no magic in the cookies, and there's none in the tea either," Clockmaker added, sounding smug.

"He threw away those beautiful cookies," Vaelan said.

"But we're going to slim down, remember, buddy?" Clockmaker said.

"You two! Just pipe down!" Ru said, then sat down next to Claude. "Look, Claude. I'm not crazy. I know this will sound weird, but..." Ru paused and took a deep breath. "The apocalypse is almost here. This planet will be destroyed," he said.

Ru looked at his face. Claude had to be scared or shocked. At least he had to laugh. It shouldn't be this way. So why were his cheeks turned pink?

Ru's eyes shifted to his own hand. He had placed his hand over Claude's and hadn't even noticed.

"Excuse me," he said, withdrawing his hand.

Claude couldn't react.

Vaelan interrupted and said enthusiastically, "Welcome to the club, man."

Ru just looked at him. He couldn't understand how Vaelan had adapted to all this so quickly. "I'll talk to you two later," he said, in a tone that was a mix of scolding and concern. Maybe he had learned to act like a parent.

"What did we do?" asked Clockmaker and Vaelan at the same time, with the same mouth.

Claude was overwhelmed by the intertwined voices and the glowing purple eyes. He fainted in his seat on the couch.

Seizing the moment, Ru turned to Vaelan and asked Clockmaker, "Is Claude human, or something... else entirely?"

Clockmaker's eyes narrowed. "We don't know."

The room fell silent, the only sound the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock.

"We'll take my doctor home. But first, we'll wake him up. Meanwhile, you two must keep quiet."

“Okay,” they said, and they seemed a little offended.

Meanwhile—

Far away, in a realm beyond human comprehension, the Almighty Ru stirred within his crystalline prison. His ancient eyes, glowing with the light of a thousand stars, snapped open. He could feel it—the tremors of the approaching storm, the whispers of demons closing in.

"They come," he murmured, his voice echoing through the void. "The heart calls to them, and they answer."

Ru climbed to the highest level of the Crystal Tower, the wind softly caressing his exposed skin. He removed his garments one by one, leaving them scattered across the spiraling steps—like offerings to the gods, like remnants of a mortal self he was about to shed.

At the summit, the sky shed stardust, each silver droplet vanishing before it could reach him. Before him stood the altar—not a solid slab of stone, but an ancient basin, intricately carved into the tower’s peak. The surface glimmered with strands of moonlit crystal, a hallowed cradle poised for new beginnings.

Ru lowered himself onto its cool edge, his bare legs draped over the abyss within. His dark hair, long as eternity, spilled around him in waves of silk, reflecting the celestial glow above.

Slowly, he reached for the dagger—a fae blade, so sharp it could sever dreams. He grasped a thick lock of his hair and sliced through it in one smooth motion. The strands tumbled downward, and as they fell, they ignited—burning away not to ash, but to pure, golden light.

Then, with a steadying breath, he turned the knife towards himself. He made a deep cut on his stomach. His blood, dark as crushed rubies, spilled from between his legs and flowed into the altar alcove.

And then—he sang.

"Mother’s womb aches, deep and true,

To bring the stars and life to you.

Pain and light, blood and song,

My little one, it won’t be long.

Fly, my child, on wings so bright,

Drink the sky, embrace the night.

Breathe, awaken, come to me,

Your father waits—soar and be free."

Beneath him, the basin came alive. The blood and embers swirled together, forming a luminous pool—glowing, shifting, rippling like liquid starlight. Ru’s breath hitched as the light coiled and expanded, something stirring within the depths.

Then, the first pixie emerged from the surface.

Tiny, glowing hands grasped the edge of the altar’s hollow. Then another. And another.

Ru watched the birth, breathing hard. His body was throbbing from the magic that had left him. He smiled as his newborn daughters flew around him, their delicate, ethereal voices ringing out.

"Go," he murmured, his voice still carrying traces of song. "Find the last clone. Protect him."