Amadeus didn't hide his excitement. His eyes burned like a predator who had successfully trapped its prey. A satisfied expression was clearly visible on his face. With a snap of his fingers, blue flames erupted from the empty air. From the blaze, a brown leather suitcase floated out, as if it had come from another dimension.
"Alright," he said, his voice firm and controlled. He casually grabbed the suitcase, opened it, and showed it to Rudi. Inside, there were dozens of transparent cards emitting a faint glow. The edges sparkled like shards of crystal under the moonlight.
"Cards?" Rudi furrowed his brow, confusion apparent in his tired eyes.
"These are ability cards," Amadeus explained, his gaze like that of a chess player moving a piece into place. "They're the source of power and the mark that you're a player."
"Take one," Amadeus ordered, his tone commanding, like a king giving an absolute order to his subordinate.
Rudi extended his left hand, the only one left, and picked up one of the cards. The surface of the card felt cold against his skin, vibrating softly, as if it were alive. Ancient symbols, unreadable to Rudi, decorated the card. He had no idea what they meant.
Before he could react, the ability card in Rudi's hand began to glow. Its soft light suddenly struck his skin like a force. In an instant, the card merged with his skin, sinking through flesh and bone. It absorbed into his body without leaving a single mark.
Rudi panicked, unable to speak. His face reflected confusion as he couldn't fathom what was happening to his body. Heat spread from his hand throughout his body.
Amadeus grinned slyly, relishing the moment. He never got tired of seeing the awkward reactions of players who had just received their ability cards.
"Now the card is part of you," he said. "It won't leave, it won't disappear… unless you die. And when that happens, the ability card will exit your body on its own."
Amadeus smoothly closed the suitcase. Blue flames reappeared, disintegrating it as if it had never been there.
"The rules of Deus ex Desire are simple," he said, his voice cold.
"Fight," Amadeus continued, his tone sharp and commanding. "Defeat other players, destroy them, steal their cards, and collect all 18 ability cards. Only then can you become the champion."
His words hung in the air. Before Rudi could fully process it all, pain suddenly struck his head, as if a hammer had slammed into his skull. Rudi grabbed his temples, his body starting to heat up, releasing thin wisps of smoke from his pores.
"Oh, one more thing," Amadeus added, his voice lighter, as if the pain Rudi was feeling was trivial. "The power from the ability card... is random. You can't choose. They are born from desire, pain, and trauma. So, whatever power you gain, it will reflect who you are. Good luck. I'll see you again when the battle royale starts."
Blue flames engulfed Amadeus's body, and he vanished without a trace. The world, which had frozen in place, slowly came back to life. The once quiet city of Galam began to stir with the sounds of life—shouts, engine roars, and laughter. Drops of rain began to fall once more, one by one, before turning into thousands that slammed into Rudi's body without mercy.
Rudi was powerless, his body wracked with pain as it spread throughout him. He staggered, his body shaking violently, almost like Parkinson's symptoms. He hurried back to his room, stumbling down the stairs. Each step felt like walking on hot coals, his feet screaming to give up.
Room 8C, not far from the stairs. But in his current state, reaching it felt nearly impossible. His vision blurred, his hand groped along the wall, hoping it would find the door handle.
Rudi's body trembled. He had never felt a pain like this before. It was worse than the burns and torn muscles he'd endured. It felt like every nerve in his body was being soaked in acid.
Just as his fingers found the door handle, he twisted it roughly. The bed seemed like an oasis in the desert, and for now, all he wanted was to lie down. But his knees buckled, and he fell to the floor with a sound that echoed through the cramped room. Rudi lost consciousness, his body sinking into total darkness.
In the same darkness, Rudi fell into a deep dream. He found himself in an endless field of grass. Nothing, no one. Just him, standing alone in the gusting wind that carried the scent of dry grass.
The night sky stretched above him, filled with stars. Among them, some shone brighter than the rest. Their glow condensed, merging together to form the shape of someone Rudi knew all too well. Sinar.
She looked so beautiful, floating in the air, wearing a stunning white dress that fluttered like mist dancing with the wind.
"Rudi…" Her soft voice broke the silence, a voice so familiar and so deeply missed. "Save me…"
Rudi froze, his body as if paralyzed by her words. He tried to move his legs. The first step was heavy, but he kept going. Step by step, faster, stronger, until he was running with all his might.
"Sinar! I'm here!" he shouted loudly.
Rudi was almost there. He could see her right hand extending towards him, just a little more, her fingers almost within reach. Just one more step, so close.
But suddenly, his body staggered, and he collapsed onto the dry grass. He looked down at his feet and saw that his left leg was gone.
"No, no, not now!" Rudi's chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath panicked.
He crawled, using his remaining hand and leg, his broken body desperately trying to move closer.
His head tilted towards Sinar. His left arm propped his body up. He tried to reach out with his right arm to the woman he loved, but his right arm was gone too.
Rudi didn't give up. He stretched out his left arm. His body tensed, almost losing balance. "Wait for me. This time, I'll save you!"
But it was too late.
Blue flames erupted around Sinar's body, engulfing her alive. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened, letting out a horrific scream. A scream of pain that she couldn't bear.
"It hurts! Help me, Rudi…" Her cry hit Rudi like a hammer, each decibel tearing at his heart.
"No, don't!" Rudi screamed, howling into the sky with a hoarse voice.
The flames burned so fast. In an instant, Sinar's body turned to ash, scattering into the air.
Rudi reached up with his right arm, the one that was now just a stump, trying to grasp the remaining ashes of Sinar's body as they blew away with the wind.
But it was all gone.
Anger began to consume Rudi's soul. He screamed Sinar's name with all his strength.
His scream was so loud. Loud enough to spark consciousness back into his brain.
Rudi woke up with the same shout. "Sinar!"
He found himself lying on the cold floor of his room. His eyes opened, staring at the ceiling. His right hand was raised towards it, as if trying to reach the ceiling.
He froze, his mind still not fully aware.
His pupils widened. He looked at his right hand again, for the second time. His hand was whole again, as if it had grown back overnight.
His fingers moved, trembling, feeling the sensation so vividly.
He touched the surface of his right hand with his left fingers.
His nerve cells were functioning perfectly, delivering the sensation of skin-to-skin contact. It wasn't a prosthetic arm made of plastic polymers; it was an organic arm, made of bones, nerves, and muscle tissue.
Rudi felt the coldness of the floor tiles beneath his feet. He looked down at his feet. They were there, perfect. No scars, nothing missing.
His breath caught in his throat, and his heart raced faster. "What… what really happened to me?"