Two Souls, One Body

As Vaelan slowly lifted his head and said, "My sisters are dead..."

"What do you mean?" Ru asked.

Vaelan clenched his fists and hissed, "My sisters are dead because of you."

“Why do you sound like that, like a little girl,” Ru said, stunned.

At that moment he saw Vaelan's eyes were glowing red. Those eyes were fixed on him.

"You... You," Ru said, his voice filled with fear.

Vaelan shivered in pain, roughly wiped away his tears, and said, "They died because of you, Dad."

Ru looked into his eyes carefully. He had seen these eyes years ago, on that terrible night when he was attacked by demons at the scout camp. He remembered that night like it was yesterday.

“That was you, wasn't it? The one who saved me…” Ru asked softly.

As Vaelan paused and his expression softened, Ru realized he was on the right track and kept going with his speech: “You were the one who saved my life by shooting at the hellhound. That's why, after the incident, the noob doctor told me that Vaelan didn't remember anything. But you called me 'Rui' that night, asked me to bend over, and… Anyway, thank you for saving my life, little girl.”

In a little girl's voice, Vaelan asked naively: "Are you thanking me?"

Ru nodded slightly and said, “Yes, I thank you. And I'm sorry I couldn't do this sooner," he said.

"Are you sad?" asked the little girl. Vaelan's face was filled with surprise.

Ru said in a voice full of emotion, "Yes, I'm sorry. And although I don't know why, I'm sorry that I caused your sisters' death."

“Dad… Can you be sad?” asked the little girl.

Not understanding the question, Ru slurred, “I'm dead, but I'm sorry. So I'm a sad dead person... that's exactly how I am."

“You only love yourself, Dad,” said the girl.

“Wrong, I truly value Vaelan," Ru said solemnly.

"Who's that," the little girl asked naively.

"He is whose body you possess is my best bud," Ru said, pointing at him.

"Best? Bud?" said the little girl, placing Vaelan's finger on Vaelan's chest.

“Yes, you are in my buddy's body now,” Ru said.

The little girl hugged Vaelan with Vaelan's arms and said, "I'm sorry, Dad, but to save your buddy, my sisters took me... I..." she said with a trembling voice.

"You?" asked Ru.

“My sisters offered me as a sacrifice to heal your buddy. Otherwise, your buddy would have died and people would have thrown you in jail.”

“Looks like I owe you money for healing my bestie and bailing me out of prison,” Ru said with a crooked but genuine smile.

"Dad, are you going to give me money?"

Ru was taken aback. He waved his hands frantically and said, "It was just a joke! Sort of irony. Look at me, I'm completely broke and dead."

“I see you are stingy undead,” the little girl said.

Ru raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s your name?”

“I am the Clockmaker.”

“I didn’t ask about your job. I just wanted to know your name.”

“My name is Clockmaker.”

Ru smiled and said, "At least we're rid of 'the'."

Clockmaker tried to smile, “Uh, good.”

"I think we should call you Tick-Tock or Ticky. Because Clockmaker is long and I'm too lazy to say it."

"You're not lazy, you're just the most chatty and hard-working Ru I know."

Ru asked, "How many of me are there?" but didn't get a response. He then asked, "Time spells are your specialty, right?" with a hint of skepticism in his voice.

"Am I a mage?" Clockmaker asked.

Ru shrugged and said, “Tell me, Clockmaker. How did I kill your sisters?”

"When you died, he wanted us to resurrect you, and the only way to do that was to call the witch," Clockmaker said.

“I don't understand anything,” said Ru, staring blankly.

“The witch will come here and resurrect you. Don't be afraid, okay?" said Clockmaker in a reassuring voice.

“Who is 'he' who wants you to resurrect me when I die?” Ru asked.

Clockmaker looked anxiously left and right, mostly at the sky, and, hiding their lips with their hand, whispered: "He is your original, Great Ru."

"What is my original? Do you mean I am a copy of myself? Oh shit! " said Ru in a confused tone.

Clockmaker nodded Vaelan's head up and down a few times, showing her approval.

"I can't be. Oh dear, I'm already dead even if I'm just a copy," Ru stated, perplexed.

"The witch is coming, I can feel her lust. I have to go," Clockmaker said.

"What lust? Where does it come from?" Ru asked, sounding panicked.

“I told you, Dad, that the witch would come here and resurrect you.”

“Why are you leaving?” Ru asked, sounding worried.

Clockmaker said quickly, “The witch must not know me yet, and I think it's better that way. I'm telling you, Dad, she is a dangerous woman."

"What if she does something to me after she resurrects me?" Ru asked, still worried.

"I don't believe she will do that; she made a deal with our original father. That's why she'll be good to you,” Clockmaker said, looking around quickly.

"Could you just not go?" Ru asked, hoping for a positive response.

Clockmaker said, "Vaelan must mourn Mr. Thargata."

Ru's eyes filled with otherworldly lights: "Is he dead?"

“Yes, he was struck by lightning,” said Clockmaker.

Ru stood up on the tree branch, now ready to fly. "Great! I am so happy! I am so happy! I got rid of that pervert!” he ghostly hummed.

"I'll see you again, Dad, the good dad!" Clockmaker said with a big, warm smile and gave him a friendly wave.

"Goodbye," Ru said with a smile when suddenly an important detail came to his mind. He called after him, "Please get a share of the inheritance for me! I'd hate to be resurrected poor!"

Vaelan or Clockmaker continued walking. Ru was worried that his last sentences weren't being heard. He threw another pine cone.

Vaelan blinked in surprise, then stooped to pick up the pine cone. Despite the sting from the impact, a smile crept onto his face as tears welled in his eyes.

"Maybe it's your doing, Rui. Even dead, you're very naughty, aren't you?" Vaelan murmured, his voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and confusion.

"Is it possible to talk to Clockmaker, dude?” Ru asked, his gaze fixed on Vaelan.

Vaelan could neither see nor hear Ru. He just looked around.

"It's time to go. I hope to see you in the sky, Rui," Vaelan said, his voice full of uncertainty. Then he went back to those dishonest people.

"Which sky, bro? I just came from space," Ru said in a cocky way.

Ru suddenly froze. One word kept coming to his mind: space. That space had to be filled with something. But a gap had opened in his mind. He couldn't see any crystals or strings in the past scenes with starlit. Whatever he had experienced, he had forgotten or was made to forget.

"Whatever," he said, looking at his hands and then at his feet. Had he become transparent or what?

"Oh my gosh! Did I become a ghost? That's so cool!" Ru was thrilled about his newfound state. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. "Wow, I'll be able to fly!" he exclaimed.

Ru leaped from the tree without hesitation, expecting to float effortlessly through the air like a ghost.

His hopes were quickly dashed as gravity pulled him back down.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!"