Chapter 13 - Ryu Nakamura

Simon and I had a staredown that lasted what felt like an eternity before finally, Simon acted first. All around me, skyscrapers and towers rose. It felt like I was in the heart of Tokyo once more.

“Are you going to attack me or give me a show?” I asked sternly.

“Of course I will, but you can see it, right? Your brain does? I’ll beat you with your own brain.” Simon’s gloating got more and more irritating. He then vanished into thin air.

This was the attack I didn’t need to worry about. I knew he was just toying with me, and if I pressed his buttons enough. He will try to do the same attack on me as he did to everyone else. However, it seems Simon did a pretty good job, so good I could…

I punched him, right in the face.

…hear his footsteps.

“I could hear your footsteps on the pavement,” I admitted. “I’ll give you an ‘A’ for effort, but you need to work on your technique a little more.” The same tone I used multiple times when delivering a graded paper or test.

This seemed to strike a nerve. When Simon reappeared, his cheek looked bruised. His pride, likely similar.

“Seems I was right, there wasn’t so much a weakness, but a trick. Everything is an illusion, not real. Train your brain enough, and even your mind-altering tricks will hardly do a thing.” It was my turn to gloat. I placed my hands on my hips and smirked.

Simon didn’t react; he simply vanished. The buildings around me shifted, and the streets turned to narrow walkways. I stood before my home.

“Home?” I asked. I felt something touch my shoulder. I looked behind me to see Miko.

“Miko?” I was shocked to see her; I had momentarily forgotten my own advice.

“Welcome back, Razan. I heard what happened, you got stabbed. How horrible, but I’m glad you’re alright.” Her smile was heartwarming, and the worry in her eyes looked genuine.

“I’m alive, don’t worry. Nothing kills me that easily.” I reassured her. “In fact, I’m better than ever because…” I swung at her. The illusions, the games, all of it. Were over. Where Miko was, lay Simon.

“You, playing with emotions and memories to win a fight!” I glared at him. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” I reached over to him and grabbed him by the front of his mage robes. The colors, once vibrant, were stained with dirt and blood. “Do you?!”

Simon likely knew he had been beaten. But I was so pissed off, the only thing that went through my mind was getting back at him.

“I win.” Simon coughed. Before I could ask him what he meant, I felt his hand touch the side of my head. I had completely forgotten.

I felt my body lock up, my strength slowly leaving me as he began to suck everything from me.

“We didn’t have to fight, you know!” Simon shouted. “You could have joined us, the people of Oren! Lived with your precious Miko! Maybe you would be the longest surviving hero and just win by getting to a ripe old age!”

I could have, I really could have lived peacefully. Forgotten about this twisted competition. I wanted to speak, but I couldn't. But it was hard when I was slowly dying. Suddenly, Simon fell forward, onto me, even. From behind him was an exhausted Grace.

“Because you can’t just run away from your problems. Otherwise, what’s the point of living?” Grace replied.

Simon’s last trump card had been vanquished, and he lay there defeated. I pulled him off of me and got up.

“Why did you join this competition anyway?” I asked, a little curious.

“I joined it because I wanted to be reborn,” Simon grunted. “I was the youngest child, I lost my job, my girlfriend left me, then even worse. I got hit by a truck. I was offered a chance, and at the time, I took it. Because I had no other options and I wanted a do-over.”

“But I found it much easier to live it large here, pretend nothing existed, and I even gave the people of Oren a paradise in their time of need. I didn’t want to lose it. I wanted paradise.” Simon didn’t tear up I could tell he knew what was coming next. I had to kill him.

“There’s nothing wrong with escapism.” I admitted.” Hell, I’d be a hypocrite if I denied ever being tempted by your offer. But as Grace said, you can’t run away.”

I raised my sword high. The blade felt heavy in my hands, and my heart began to race. I remembered the way Lorelei begged, pleaded, and fought tooth and nail to live just a second longer.

Suddenly, before I could strike him down. I felt a cold, deep chill down my spine. As if I were being watched by something, someone.

I looked up, and on the very top of a ruined church stood a tall black figure, armored. His eyes could hardly be seen in the dark, and he carried a long, slender sword.

“You!” I realized who he was. “You’re the one!” I felt a sense of shock and anger; I had forgotten about Simon in that very moment.

“You were going to kill him, right?” The figure spoke. “Go ahead, do it. You defeated him; the honor is yours, Razan Hamada.” His voice was cold, uncomfortable.

“Then what? You’ll kill me, too?” I asked.

“Why would I do that? I need you alive. Why do you think back in Lakewest, I didn’t cut you down like that old fool?”

He wasn’t trying to kill me?

Simon looked over at the figure. I looked down at him. His eyes widened in fear as if he had been staring down the face of Death.

“Long time, no see, Simon. I see you’ve done exactly what I asked you to do. You’ve provided an excellent opponent for Razan. However, I’m afraid your usefulness has come to an end.”

The figure looked back at me. Did I hear that right?

“Did you goad him into doing all this?”

The familiar sting of my tattoo indicated he had to be an opponent, but for what reason would he pit someone against me?

“I did, now are you going to kill him or what? If you’re too much of a bleeding heart to do it.” He began. “Then I can do the honors for you, but I will be pretty damn disappointed.”

Knowing this, I had to stop him.

“If you want to get to him.” I stood between where the figure was. “You’ll have to kill me first!” If he were a competitor, then we would have to fight sooner or later. Given how many people got hurt because of him. The sooner I took care of him, the better.

Even if I had to let Simon live a little longer as bait.

“This guy seems scary. I’m not sure if you should fight him, Razan.” Grace warned.

I looked over at Elowyn. She said nothing. “Go ahead if you want, but you’ll probably lose. You should just count your blessings, he’s not after us.” Again, I detected a sense of familiarity in her tone.

I raised my sword. I wasn’t too sure what his ability was, but I was far stronger than I was in our last fight.

“I knew you would do that!” He jumped down before me, and I swung. However, it seemed as if something odd had happened. It felt like reality slowed to a crawl; my blade felt heavy in my hands. It was like the very world itself was telling me I could not hit him.

Before I knew it, I had missed completely, and the figure had gotten behind me. I felt the cold pinch of steel touch the back of my neck. Not far enough in to kill, but enough to teach a lesson.

“You lost before the fight even began. You cannot hope to hold a candle against my sword, for my ability is without peer.”

Simon, by now, had already gotten up and bolted. I couldn’t see him, but I could certainly hear him.

“No! No! Get away!” He ran for it; he was trying to reach for Brent’s horse.

“Come on, I’m not in the mood to play tag with you, Simon!” The figure chased. Though it was less of a chase and more of a quick bound and a stab before Simon fell to the ground. Dead.

“Still, you didn’t kill him. Maybe you’ll kill the next challenger I have set for you. I need you to be strong and willing to do whatever it takes. Wasn’t this your motto?”

“A real man does what he can and tries his best.”

The words repeated back to me from him felt like a cruel punch to the gut. I turned around, and the figure reached for his helmet. When he took it off, I was surprised at how elegant he looked. His face was smooth as silk, his eyes an emerald green, and his hair was neatly done like mine, but brown. His face, however, was marred by a clear tattooed ‘100’.

Yet worst of all, I felt like I knew him. But I could not point out where I did.

“You may feel some deja vu; that is normal. But for now, I must get going.” He put the helmet back on. “The name is Ryu Nakamura. Remember it well.” With that, he left.

As he did, I passed out then and there. The last thing I saw was Grace rushing towards me, the sounds of another horse, and the accompanying thoughts of frustration that I couldn’t even come close to hitting him.

Remaining participants: 71/100.

Game status: In progress.

Razan Hamada Status: Alive.