Ramin coughed up blood, crawling backward as sheer panic distorted his features: "Arius... please! Don't kill me... You wouldn't kill your closest friend and brother, remember everything we've been through!"
Arius looked down at him with a deathly coldness, blood still dripping from his wounded shoulder, staining the sand a dark golden hue. He spoke in a whisper dripping with venom: "My brother? Was it my brother who just tried to tear my body and my fiancée's body to pieces a moment ago? And now, with utter baseness, begs me not to kill him?"
When Ramin realized that the appeal to "brotherhood" was no longer working, his face twisted into an ugly grimace as he tried to exploit Arius's mercy: "You won't kill me... I have children and a family waiting for me! Would you deprive children of their father?"
Arius spat on the ground in disgust: "You are a vile creature... using your family as a human shield just to stay alive. I can't believe you are truly Ramin... the person I trusted more than my most loyal followers, the person I shared my very breath with and considered a true friend."
Ramin screamed in despair: "But I really was your friend!"
At that, Arius leaned down until his face was inches from Ramin's, hissed in a spine-chilling tone: "'That fool Arius thinks I'm his friend'... Weren't those your exact words to Nahira while laughing behind my back?"
The blood froze in Ramin's veins; he realized Arius knew everything. In a moment of desperation and madness, he tried to be clever: he pulled energy bombs and sharp weapons from his pocket and threw them with all his might at Arius. Arius didn't even flinch, nor did he attempt to avoid them. The weapons collided with his body and exploded, but he remained standing like an unyielding mountain, completely unscathed, as if his body had become a mass of solid energy.
Terrified, Ramin retreated, screaming: "At least remember the years we shared! 16 years, Arius!"
Arius finally snapped, and his Raizo exploded around him, shattering the nearby rocks: "16 years was one giant lie! 16 years of me being tortured and humiliated, while all you did was come to feed me empty words: 'Don't worry, you are the strong Arius,' and then simply leave to collect the price of your betrayal! Every time you said: 'We are with you, we are behind you, we are your support'... and like a fool, I believed you to my very core... I loved you, Ramin! I was ready to die for you, until I heard your filthy truth from your own mouth, you traitorous scoundrel!"
Arius raised his hand as strands of dark energy began to spiral around him, speaking in a voice that no longer sounded human: "Now... I will show you what happens to anyone who sells out 'Arius' for a handful of power."
Ramin coughed up blood as he crawled backward in terror, crying out in a hoarse voice: "Please, Arius! I had to... Nahira ordered me to, she threatened my family, she said she would kill me and them if I didn't! I didn't truly want to betray you!"
Arius looked at him with a cold stare devoid of any pity, speaking in a calm, terrifying tone: "And did you think your friend would forgive you, or that Nahira would spare you? You were a fool, Ramin... You are just a rabbit caught between two pits, one filled with sharp thorns and the other with blazing fire, and either way, you were doomed to perish; whether slowly or quickly."
Arius took a step toward the trembling Ramin and continued with bitterness: "So now, I give you a choice between the two: a quick death or a slow death... But tell me, when did you first betray me? Ah... let me tell you; the exact moment you fell into that black pit 16 years ago, my dear friend."
Ramin froze in terror upon realizing that Arius had uncovered the ancient origins of his betrayal, and he began to crawl, trying to flee across the barren desert sands. But Arius did not let him go; instead, he began to kick him mercilessly—a strike to the right, another to the left, tossing him aside like worthless debris.
With every blow, memories rushed through Arius's mind: "This is for Kane, who trusted you!" Another kick shook Ramin's body: "And this is for Rouge and that poor child whose innocence you exploited!" Then a kick that floored him: "And this is for 16 years of lies and falsehoods!"
Arius remembered every single time he needed a shoulder to lean on, while Ramin played the part of the friend only to drive the dagger of informant betrayal into his back. He beat him humiliatingly, taking no pity in the desperate begs for mercy that no longer moved his heart.
With features as rigid as stone, Arius raised his hand and conjured dozens of terrifying energy soldiers from his dark energy. Their eyes flashed with an eternal hunger, and at a mere gesture from him, they pounced on Ramin like beasts of prey.
Arius looked at Ramin as he was dragged and torn apart by the soldiers' teeth, saying in a voice hollow of mercy: "Good... now you have become the famous 'Ramen soup' that perfectly matches your name... my friend."
Ramin's screams pierced the silence of the desert—cries for help that found no echo but the sound of his bones crushing and his flesh tearing under the fangs of the soldiers who devoured him in utter humiliation and filth, until his voice died out and his presence vanished from existence forever. Arius left nothing behind but sands stained with betrayal, turned around, and took flight into the cosmos, leaving behind the corpse of the one he had once thought of as a brother.
When Arius broke through the atmosphere of the First World and touched down slowly in front of the palace courtyard, his royal attire was shredded and stained with both his blood and Ramin's. The moment his feet touched the ground, Clarice ran toward him frantically, throwing herself into his arms, hugging him tightly while trembling out of absolute terror for his safety.
"Arius! I thought I lost you... I thought that scoundrel had gotten to you!" she cried, examining his shoulder wound with shaking fingers, while Arius looked over her shoulder toward the high balcony of the palace, where Nahira stood watching the scene coldly.
Arius pulled away from Clarice slightly, wiped the blood from his face with his uninjured hand, then looked up at Nahira and spoke clearly enough to reach her ears despite the distance: "The play is over, Nahira... Your pampered 'dog' is no longer around to tell you bedtime stories."
Nahira's expression shifted for a fraction of a second, while Clarice tightened her grip on Arius's hand and said with malice: "Don't worry, my love... We have declared war on the traitors, and from this day on, no one will dare touch a hair on your head while I am by your side."
Nahira did not utter a single word; she simply turned her face away and left the balcony coldly, a volcano of fury boiling beneath her exterior. Arius and Clarice entered the luxurious hallways of the palace. Arius walked with light steps and an unusual burst of energy, laughing spontaneously as if a heavy mountain had finally been lifted from his chest.
Clarice watched him with an admiration mixed with bewilderment. She quickened her pace to keep up with him and asked, "Did you enjoy it that much?" Arius stopped abruptly, stared at her for a few seconds with eyes gleaming with an unfamiliar spark, then burst out laughing and began jumping around energetically, shouting, "Setting aside the cruelty of the scene... yes! It felt absolutely amazing!"
He continued on his way toward his private wing, but Clarice stopped him, catching his hand, and whispered in a possessive tone, "Stay with me tonight... don't go alone." Arius looked down at her hand, then removed it gently but firmly, saying, "We aren't married yet, Clarice... remember your own rules." He turned and resumed his confident stride until he reached his room, entered, and shut the door behind him firmly, leaving Clarice standing in the hallway, staring at the closed door with eyes full of pessimism and resentment; she was not used to being rejected, especially since she wanted to exploit his alleged moment of weakness to stay by his side.
Inside, however, everything changed. The moment the door locked, the forced laughter and fake energy vanished. Arius slid down until he sat on the floor right behind the door, as a suffocating silence enveloped the room. He slowly raised his hand—the hand still stained with Ramin's crimson blood—and began to stare at it coldly, as if looking at a foreign tool that didn't belong to him.
Minutes passed while he drowned in contemplation of those red stains on his skin, before whispering in a low, broken voice: "What have I just done?... Has everything truly ended this simply?"
He felt a desolate emptiness gnawing at his chest; killing the traitor had not brought him the peace he expected. Instead, it made him feel as though he was beginning to sink into the very same filth he had been running from his entire life.
Arius went into the bathroom and turned on the cold water to wash the remnants of blood and the traces of that long night off his body. He felt a heaviness in his limbs, as though the Raizo in his body had been drained by the sheer weight of his conflicting emotions. He whispered exhaustedly while drying himself off: "I'll go rest now... damn it, I feel completely shattered, as if I fought a cosmic war all by myself." He threw himself onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep, escaping the images of the past and Ramin's betrayal.
The next morning, streaks of sunlight began to filter through the window. Arius opened his eyes slowly, gradually regaining consciousness, but he felt something heavy pressing down on his chest. He froze when he realized that Clarice was sleeping right next to him—in fact, lying on top of him, holding him tightly as if she feared his escape.
Arius erupted into a roaring shout that shook the room: "Aaaaaaaaah!"
Startled, Clarice woke up lazily, then wore a soft smile and said in a sleepy voice: "Good morning, my dear... why are you screaming like that?" Arius pushed her off him, scolding her sharply: "What are you doing here?! How did you get in? And what makes you sleep in my room?!"
She approached him again and began to press down firmly on his body with a strange sense of ownership, preventing him from getting up, and said: "I missed you... I couldn't leave you alone after what happened yesterday. Besides, don't forget... you are my future husband, and soon I will have all the authority granted to me to do whatever I want with my husband... so I am practicing now, so we can get used to it quickly."
Arius felt terrified by her bizarre logic. In the blink of an eye, he used teleportation, vanishing from underneath her and reappearing suddenly on top of the high wardrobe in the corner of the room. He shouted, pointing his finger at her: "Crazy woman! Stop this right now! Get out so I can change my clothes!"
Clarice looked up at him from the bed, tilting her head, and said slyly: "Do you mean... that I should change your clothes for you?" Arius almost slipped off the wardrobe and yelled: "No! Impossible! Leave this instant!"
Clarice walked out laughing softly. As soon as the door clicked shut, Arius climbed down quickly and changed out of his royal attire, breathing a sigh of relief. But when he opened the door to leave, he found her pressed completely against it, as if she had been waiting right behind the wood.
Arius took a step back in bewilderment: "What is wrong with this stranger? She's going to give me a heart attack!" She grabbed his hand immediately and said in a demanding voice that mixed tenderness with insistence: "Let's go have breakfast together, come on, my love." Arius said in a desperate attempt to survive: "Fine... I'll come, just step back a bit and let go of my hand." She clung to his arm even tighter, tilting her head as she said in a sweet yet provoking voice: "Never!"
When they reached the vast dining hall, the atmosphere was freezing cold despite the luxury of the room. Nahira was sitting at the head of the table with pride, flipping through some documents with her coffee beside her.
Arius stopped suddenly and whispered to Clarice: "Let me go... I don't want to stay here." But Clarice's grip tightened even more on his hand, and she said in a tone that brooked no argument: "No... we are going to sit."
Clarice stepped forward, pulling Arius behind her, and said with a provocative smile: "Good morning, sister... how are you today?" Nahira raised her eyes slowly, looked at the pair of lovers standing before her with absolute coldness, and said: "I am at my best when I don't see you, sister... your presence ruins my appetite."
Clarice's features flared with irritation, but she composed herself and sat down, pulling Arius right next to her so closely that their shoulders touched. Clarice said, trying to regain her calm: "Very well... where shall we begin our breakfast?" Arius shifted uncomfortably in his seat and said in a low voice: "I'm not hungry... I'll go do something else."
Suddenly, with a swift movement, Clarice placed her hand on Arius's shoulder and pressed with terrifying accuracy right on the wound left by Ramin's dagger. Arius groaned in pain, while Clarice leaned close to his ear and said in a soft but chilling voice like the hissing of vipers: "When I want us to eat together... we will eat together. And when I want something... it must be done immediately. Do you understand, my dear?"
Arius's eyes widened in shock and pain, and he said quickly: "Fine... fine! Just let go of my shoulder!" Clarice immediately softened her grip and returned to her gentle smile as if nothing had happened. She picked up a fork and held it toward his face, saying: "Open your mouth, my love... taste this egg." Arius replied with aversion: "But I don't like boiled eggs!"
Clarice raised her eyebrows and said: "Oh... new information. Fine... what do you like then?" Arius looked around trying to find an exit, saying desperately: "Water is enough... I have no appetite for food." Clarice glared at him with an intense stare that sent a shiver down his spine, making him realize there was no escape. He backed down and said quickly: "Bread... bread with cheese would be fine."
Clarice took a piece of bread, spread the cheese with utmost care, and began to feed him with her own hands as if he were a small child. Nahira watched the scene from the corner of her eye while sipping her coffee in complete indifference, as though these two "lovebirds" represented nothing more than passing entertainment or a temporary nuisance not even worth commenting on.
Arius whispered to himself as he chewed the bread with difficulty: "I rid myself of Ramin's betrayal... only to fall into Clarice's prison."
While Clarice was absorbed in pampering and feeding Arius, Nahira broke the silence with a tone as sharp as venom, saying as she set down her cup: "Tell me, Arius... did my sister force you into this engagement? Or are you trying to hide behind her shadow like a little chick fearing the winter cold?"
Clarice's hand froze in midair, and she turned toward her sister very slowly. She looked at her with cold eyes—a look so harsh and unyielding that Nahira, despite her strength and tyranny as a ruler, felt a shiver run down her spine, as if she had committed a cosmic crime just by uttering those words.
Arius broke the tension with a decisive response and a firm voice: "Neither... I loved Clarice from the very first moment she came here."
Nahira raised her eyebrows in bitter mockery: "Oh... so this love has been building for a long time, and I am the one who knows nothing of what goes on in my own palace? And yet... you were going to betray your 'great love' for a bunch of vagrants?"
Arius's eyes burned with indignation and anger at hearing her speak of the rebels with such clear disdain. He stood up from his seat with a force that caused the dishes to rattle, and said in a voice filled with resentment: "I am not a traitor! And they are not vagrants either... they are people who refused to live under oppression and tyranny, that's all. And if I had known about them long ago, things might have been entirely different from what you see now!"
Arius didn't wait for a reply; he turned and stormed out of the dining hall with wide, angry strides, leaving a heavy silence behind.
Clarice watched Arius leave, then directed her gaze toward her sister, who sat in complete calmness, utterly indifferent to what had happened. Clarice erupted at Nahira, rebuking her sharply and shouting: "What are you trying to do? Does it please you to see him like this? I swear to you, Nahira, if you ruin my happiness with him or cause his anger again, I will make you regret the day you were born as my older sister!"
Nahira didn't move a muscle; she contented herself with a mysterious smile, while Arius had reached one of the palace's outer courtyards, trying to gather his thoughts and reflecting on his final words about the "rebels," and how the fires of revolution still smoldered in his heart despite everything.
Arius launched like an arrow, breaking through the planet's atmosphere, slicing through space at frantic speeds that turned galaxies and stars behind him into mere faint lines of light. He needed to escape, not just from Nahira, but from the suffocating confinement of staying in such a place.
As he traveled between universes, he spotted a strange planet shrouded in a warm, earthy color, and decided to land out of curiosity. The moment his feet touched the ground, he felt a completely different atmosphere; dry air, the smell of dust and burnt wood, and shabby buildings made of timber and mud brick.
Arius whispered as he looked around: "Wow... amazing! I feel as though I am in the old cowboy era... it seems the inhabitants of this planet are still living in the distant past." He saw children playing with cloth balls, and men wearing wide hats leading their horses, as if the technological advancement he knew in the First World had not yet set foot in this place.
Arius entered an old saloon; the creaking of the wooden door as it opened drew the attention of the few inside. He sat by the window watching the swirling dust outside, until a man wearing a soiled apron approached him and asked: "What is your order, sir? You look like a stranger to these parts."
Arius looked at him with tired eyes and said: "What do you have here that can make a person rest a little?" The man answered enthusiastically: "We have a new drink called 'power'... we discovered its seeds recently on the other side of the planet, and it gives you an energy you've never known before!"
Arius was surprised; the term was familiar but the context was bizarre. He knew from his studies that this drink (coffee) was discovered in a very ancient cosmic history and had been made for centuries, so he asked the worker curiously: "What year are we in now?" The worker replied in astonishment: "We are in the year 1888, sir. Have you lost your calendar?"
Arius realized then that this planet lived in a very backward time, and that the concepts of the twenty-first century or even cross-universe technology were a form of fiction here. He sighed and said: "I want coffee... and put a lot of sugar in it."
The worker paused and gave him a strange look: "We put sugar with coffee?! Who does that? Coffee is drunk bitter to wake the senses!" Arius replied with a faint smile: "Yes, try it... so it becomes sweet in taste and eases the bitterness of what we go through."
The worker went behind the counter doubting Arius's words, but decided to try it. No sooner had he tasted the mixture than his eyes widened in shock, and he shouted to his companion inside: "My God! Come and try this... this stranger is a genius! The taste is incredible!"
Arius laughed to himself, and for a moment felt a peace he had missed for a long time, far away from conflicts and malicious remarks, and away from the struggles of rulers, in a place where the highest ambition .