The cataclysmic burst of light engulfed Ru. The world imploded in a blinding white. When his sight returned, a universe of gold unveiled itself.
Rebirthed in splendor, he sat enthroned.
A celestial explosion was his baptism. And now, he ruled.
Dazed, he blinked against the golden glare.
"The monarch, born of light," said the familiar melodic voice.
"Please don't tell me that 'everything is just a dream,' otherwise, I will kill you," Ru said.
"Just another fantasy, your fantasy," the familiar melodic voice explained.
Ru stood up angrily and shouted at the top of his voice: "Come out wherever you are because I will kill you!"
A bird landed on Ru's shoulder. The creature was a stark contrast of shadows and light, its feathers a shimmering blend of obsidian and moonbeam. Its eyes, deep and knowing, held the secrets of ancient forests and endless skies.
"Okay, you fascinated me. There's no way I can kill you. Now chirping, bird."
It stretched its beak towards his ear and chirped, "Do you hate yourself that much? I mean, enough to want to kill me, your reflection?"
"You are tormenting me in your infinite wealth," Ru began. Then he bowed his head and intertwined his fingers. This was not enough for him, he turned his back on his imaginary people. He stared blankly at the throne, feeling like a disgraced king.
He stood there for a while, imagining the spears stabbing into his back. When nothing like that happened, he broke his silence with a grunt: "What disgusting fantasies I have."
"It's okay, everyone can have dark fantasies," said the bird quietly.
Ru uttered an exasperated exclamation, "I am a pervert," he stated, gradually tilting his body in a backward motion and throwing himself down the steps of the throne.
The surface on which he fell was likely marble, but the golden palace was merely a figment of his imagination, so he fell backward onto pillows filled with bird feathers.
He stared impassively at the high ceiling. Maybe the huge chandelier would suddenly fall on him and he would die. What he wanted to accomplish in his dream was a quick suicide.
He realized that it wasn't working and he turned on his side and got into the fetal position. "I couldn't cast any spells. That was a fantasy too," he whispered.
"You've come a long way in magic," said the shadow falling on him, dark blue and sparkling as the night.
Chilling with the cool summer wind, Ru put her hands between his legs and closed his eyes.
"Don't fool me, all I did was create a sadistic fantasy and cum."
"It's a nice form of acceptance. However, it is not limited to this," the sparkling shadow said.
"But mostly I'm gay," Ru said in a tearful voice.
"I hope you're not ashamed of being too colorful, my Pantastic King," the sparkling shadow said and caught Ru's attention.
"Pantastic? Like pancakes? I like that description," Ru said with a cheerful voice. Then he turned around and stared. So the night reached out its hands and slowly pulled him in.
"Come with me, I'm," the night said.
"Just tell me how much of what I see is a dream," Ru said, struggling to fly among the stars.
"You let the witch take your djinn sultan from you through a police officer. This was the best move you could have made. Then Claude came and picked you up from the witch's cafe," said the night, with its velvet voice, hugging Ru and pulling him in with compassion.
"What are you? Are you my mother or my father?" Ru muttered.
"I was once like you. So I was pure, at least less evil and less dirty than the Great Ru," said the night and lifted its velvet veil.
Ru found himself in a vast whiteness. The only thing visible in this whiteness was a vertical line shining away.
"If you want to see me, go ahead. But if you want to go back, listen to Claude. After all, he's the one caressing your hair," said the sound, fading into the void like water droplets.
"Is Claude caressing my hair?" Ru asked, his cheeks turning pink.
"It's gratifying that you care about him more than yourself. It shows that we Rui are making progress," the rain said, as it poured into the void.
Ru scoffed, "Shoot the bull."
"I'm against killing animals," the rain said.
"I was just responding to your empty talk with an expression," Ru replied to the rain's comment. He whispered to the phantom sensation of affection brushing through his hair, "I'm sorry, Claude. I can't look at your face right now. I'm ashamed," before turning his full attention to the vertical line.
Even though it got close, the line was the line. The only thing he heard was the sound of pouring water. "Maybe I should change my perspective," he thought. He rolled over where he was. So he got back to where he was, the line.
Ru circumscribed the line in a series of vertical movements, alternating between an upward and a downward trajectory. However, the vertical line appeared to be infinite and static.
"Of course, it doesn't change," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Gotta find the right angle. A little math, come on!"
Ru had been on the side of the line so far, and the line had always remained vertical relative to his position. To change this, he extended his body parallel to the line in space.
Ru's body stretched and elongated until he felt like he was part of the fabric of the space. The vertical line, which had seemed like an insurmountable barrier, transformed into a shimmering expanse. Instead of a single, rigid structure, there was now fluidity and depth.
And there, suspended in the watery expanse, was a reflection. It wasn't just a mirror image; it was a deep, almost tangible representation of himself. It was as if he were seeing his soul laid bare, its essence distilled into liquid form.
As Ru got closer to the water, he realized that his reflection wasn't what he thought it was. A hopeful smile clung to his face.
"You are my magic power, aren't you?" he asked.
As their thoughts came together, Ru felt a strong sense of connection. Their forms blended seamlessly, like strands of cosmic light intertwining. The world went from bright white to an empty, dark place.
This void was a womb of creation and destruction, a place that existed beyond time and space. There was pure potential here, a raw, unformed energy. Then, like a cosmic spark, consciousness ignited. A universe unfurled, expanding from a singular point of light.
At its heart emerged a new Ru. He was a whole, complete, harmonious blend of shadow and light. He was the architect and the masterpiece, the sovereign and the subject. He was like a god, or perhaps just a being that transcended mortal limitations.
But then he confined himself within a gilded prison. "Why?" the question echoed through the emptiness.