Near the circle of six granite pillars behind one of the many dunes there was a strong flash, above the ground from four meters everything flashed for a moment and when it disappeared you could hear falling figures screaming uncontrollably, the first of them was a brown-yellow komodo dragon in a blue jacket and with a black trident in his hands, the Flying Dutchman fell onto the dune hitting his reptilian head, the next to fall was a man with black hair and brown eyes, a confident archaeologist in a black and yellow uniform, Kevin Jons, Kevin screaming uncontrollably hit the sand dune with his whole body and slowly slid down on the ground and behind his back a light brown dog in a sock fell out of the flash with cashmere wide eyes full of various emotions, Perrito landed softly on the man's back and on the other side the monitor lizard trying to pull its head out of the dunes was collapsed by black and white Kitty Softpaws appearing out of nowhere in a green cape and her blue eyes twitched slightly with each passing second until she fell on a brown-yellow lizard, burying its head deep in the sand again.
Couldn't it have been more gentle? asked the Flying Dutchman after pulling his head out of the sand, brushing himself off the sand and opening his blue eyes wide, then the komodo dragon shivered, but not from the cold, but from the image of the mirage desert and its harsh conditions for its reptilian skin.
- terrifying, I thought I'd never have to watch, to say the least, experience the horrific conditions of this place, it's killing my skin. Said Flying Dutchman stroking his right hand with a grimace and his face when he felt the first strong rays on him, not as much as they should be.
- a desert of mirages, so here we are, we made it. Said Kitty, looking at the great and inhospitable desert, at the same time the deepest depression in the world, because it is half a kilometer below the ocean level.
- but wait, what now?, and where is Love. Kevin asked, looking around.
- maybe she went somewhere. Perrito said, standing to the side of the archaeologist until everyone was startled by a sudden scream, Kevin only managed to turn around as a shadow covered his face, suddenly a red fox lady with a pink belly and pink hair in a blue kimono with white flowers fell on him from the sky, and suddenly Love appeared she fell on Kevin, crush him on the sand and he, making big eyes of a charmed man, first looked at her crystal pink heart hanging on her neck and then at her pink eyes that dreamed the same as her joy painted on her face.
- I'm sorry, it's not supposed to look like that, I must have made a mistake. Love she said as she got up from the archaeologist and helped him up.
- No, it's okay, it was nice. Kevin said as Love gave him her gentle hand and helped him up, actually Love felt more flustered than the archaeologist by now about all this, but everything was interrupted by the image of six pillars of granite emerging, which made Love shiver.
- but how, here, we were supposed to move directly to the circle itself, how?. Love asked.
- maybe something has already happened there. Said Flying Dutchman grabbing the trident with both hands ready to fight, and Kitty did the same, drawing her knife.
We won't know until the exams are over soon. She said Kitty running through the sand, which surprisingly did not burn and the conditions themselves, as it turned out, were not too different than the desert, which was quickly deciphered by Perrito, who was running next to her.
- but wait, can't you feel it, something is wrong here, shouldn't this sand be on fire and the desert steamy and hot. Perrito asked and his words will make everyone stop for a moment looking at him.
- right, this place should have a tragic effect on my skin, but it doesn't, why. Flying Dutchman asked, lowering his black trident for a moment.
- maybe it's also the reason why I didn't hit the right place, it's some anomalies, maybe this token. Love said, her pointed ears set high on either side of her head.
- I don't think it's just any anomaly, nothing is normal here, especially when I see him, look. Kevin said, pointing to one of the pillars where the Man in the Blue Suit sat with his back to them on a twenty-foot column of pale granite and watched with an inscrutable expression as the fight went on, a duel he himself had now provoked and demanded.
- hurry, let's run, maybe something happened there, something terrible. She said Kitty as her white mustache puffed up just as much as her fur from fear for the beloved with whom she was expecting a child.
Kitty ran up with Ina sewn to the top of the last dune and saw from the edge of the dune three pilgrims piled up in a great circle ready for a duel, a golden-haired man in a black martin uniform, a silver wolf in a black cloak and brown trousers Death, the painting standing on the landing was orange striped Puss in Boots in a black cloak of hats, there was something strange about the sight, something terrible but no more like the words of the man sitting in the recording column who demanded of them a duel to the death, a duel for the power of the gold token and his hidden dreams of lost or unattainable love.
- well, you don't want to see your beloved again Mr. Martin, you won't fight for your Death either, tell me today. Said the Man in Suit calmly and his words pierced Kitty's heart as well as Love's, practically everyone's but their hearts the most because here was Kitty in front of her dueling including her lover who was supposed to be the father of her child, now everything was put on the line between that and chance for the whole world.
The biggest shock, however, came to Love because for the first time she saw and heard the Man in the Blue Suit, and worse, saw how this man used her power to make everyone fight to the death, which was the worst thing she could not bear.
- what is he doing, why. The Flying Dutchman, horrified by this, also asked.
- I don't know what he's doing, he's probably playing with the world and all of us again, this man is a sadist, why is he doing this. Perrito asked horrified.
- no one knows, you heard it yourself, it's kind of like the cosmos, what you see in the night sky, but this, it's madness, you don't do that. Kevin said, and the next words of the Man in a Suit probably shocked him and everyone else even more, because time was running out for everyone.
- I gave you a chance to fight, I changed the conditions of this place, go ahead, you can cover yourself with clothes again and then fight as I want, go ahead, hurry up, he's getting closer, come on. Said the Man in the Blue Suit and his words inflicting fights between the three rivals forced them to fight each other and there was only one possibility, but both Kitty and Love, watching everything, couldn't bear to look any longer, rushed into the great granite circle to stop this madness and their the strong voice made a modest smile appear on the face of the Man in a Suit, and he looked back at what happened next, shocking everyone.
First, as Kitty lurched forward and her green cloak billowed, she suddenly hit what could be called an invisible barrier blocking not only her but also images and her own voice, Kitty slowly slid to the ground and stopped Love and hit the invisible wall gravity stared piteously at the monument, staring into the face of the man who was now looking at her turned and sitting on a column in her direction.
- you can't do that, Puss, you hear no!. Kitty screamed and after her others ran to the barrier, including Flying Dutchman hitting the barrier with a black trident, but again his trident was deflected from the barrier like thrown matches from a granite mountain.
- why are you doing this, who are you, tell me what your goal is. Love asked, looking at the modestly smiling mysterious Man in the Blue Suit.
- I don't have a specific purpose, maybe I don't have it all, maybe it's just a small element, because you are all just dust in the face of the cosmos of the universe, a simple process to be struck and broken so that no cycle again appears here, or maybe just an experiment, it doesn't change the fact that I gave them a real choice, it's up to them whether they choose or not. Said the Man in the Suit while sitting still with his arms folded.
- No, that's impossible, there's no one who's crazy about what you are. Kevin, punching, asked.
- you can't let that happen, don't take my adoptive father, it's not allowed!. Perrito shouted, scratching his front paws against the invisible barrier.
- I can do everything and I do it according to myself, after all, I give them the greatest treasure, free choice, apart from fear and lies, it's up to them whether they will do the right thing or not. Said the Man in the Blue Suit, speaking in a way that was difficult to understand, until Kitty herself raised her voice the loudest of all, falling to her knees in front of the barrier.
- please don't take my child's father, you can't, please. She said in a pitiful way Kitty, full of extreme emotions, looking up at the top of the pillar with her big blue eyes, Kitty clenching her bright paws tighter and tighter.
- I'm not running away from you, one of them will do it, you'll understand that when I do something, I'm never guided by what you mortals do. Said the Man in the Suit, causing both fury and despair in the heart of the black and white cat.
- enough of this, I'm tired of this, now you will know my power and finish, aaaaa!. Love screamed as she raised her pink amulet and used her magical power on the man sitting on top of the pillar and as she did all her power was broken and the Man himself gave her a vision of the cosmos, a vision of the cosmos and the human world from which Gary Williams had come.
Seeing the beauty of the cosmos as well as emptiness, sadness and perfection, fullness and all that she had never seen before in her world but ended with the worst image of a terrible human mesh, Love fell on her back grabbing her head, and these images wandered in her head for a while until they were completely extinguished leaving only memories.
Everyone immediately knelt by the red-pink fox checking what happened to her, at the same time anger directing the man sitting on top of the granite pillar and he himself stared at this sight with a blank look as if it did not make any impression on him.
- Love, what's wrong with you, what hurts you. Flying Dutchman asked quickly, lifting the fox lady's head gently.
It's him, it's all him, it's his fault. Kevin said angrily, looking up at the top of the column.
- it can't end like this. Broken inside Perrito said until Love suddenly sat up and looked at everyone in shock.
- everything can end badly, because what I saw, the cosmos, so beautiful, but only someone greater than a madman, above a madman can appreciate it, see this true beauty and live there forever, like him, but the human world from which Gary comes Williams, he's so sad, come on, he regained something precious like dreams, childhood dreams, memory, some kind of choice, still everything is ruled by fear, lies, or rather, it's an excuse, but why do you have to condemn us to the same. Love asked as she suddenly and abruptly got up from the ground and glared at the top of the column.
- I don't condemn you to anything bad, firstly, secondly, I give them a real choice, so that one of them can reach for real madness, a strength that, just like children's dreams and innocence, allow you to choose, drive away fear and lies, and of course choose well, at the right moment, choose a real opponent with six bullets and two targets. Said the Man in the Suit, turning his back on everyone with a view of the opponents prepared for the duel, and after that, they spoke one last time to the assembled, especially to Kitty Softpaws who was now seething with extreme emotions, despair, broken hopes to great indescribable anger, because she knew that there may be a terrible tragedy in a moment, but it will not be Death or Martin's fault, because the sewn-in was forced by him.
- I promise you if a tragedy happens. Kitty said before covering her ears for a moment as the loud and rumbling voice of the Man in a Suit rumbled through her eyes, ears, and heart.
- what are you going to do, chase me?, you know it's impossible, I live in space, so your attempts are useless and now enjoy your eyes, it's time to start the duel, look at it with love, may the craziest win, oh let hurry up, he's coming. Said the Man in the Suit as another roar of the newcomer and the tyrant was heard in the sky.
Meanwhile, in the very circle surrounded by the power of gravity blocking practically everything, a strange tournament of stares, growls and finger twitches was going on, the three opponents, Martin, Death and Puss in Boots held their right hands, silver six-shot pistols hung close by their paws, in front of them were two rivals who stood on both sides forced to fight, whether they were really ready to kill for love, it's hard to tell but their sharp looks, wildness and fear painted in their eyes made everything possible here, especially one.
Uncertainty before the opponent was the greatest force that shook everyone from the inside today. for example Martin wanted to stop and against all odds not to shoot he was unsure of his opponents decision. he didn't know if they would do the same or not, and their mutual silence made the moment more and more unbearable.
Death also looked at the screeners himself, unable to say a word, the silence was so strong and he felt a shiver down his spine of a possible end, an end that was never supposed to happen, but today it happened otherwise, Death stood in a big circle surrounded by six granite columns, in front of him in his heart was a gold token with the LV symbol lying on the podium, at the same time the power thanks to which he would be able to return to the world of the living his beloved for whom he would do anything, but did what the Man in the Suit demanded of him not change the fact that the pale eyes of the silver wolf saw the same intensity in the eyes of his opponents, slightly lowered eyebrows indicating only one thing, no one will decide to go back, no one will give up their own plans and their implementation as he himself wanted, and the silence itself became only a modest part of this great moment.
Death looked at his opponent again, into the brown eyes of the man who widened his eyes in a wild union as his hand and the hand of the silver wolf began to approach each other, it seemed that the climactic shot was almost a step away, all you had to do was grab your weapon and pull trigger, but when both opponents glanced at the orange striped cat standing on the landing, they saw the strange intensity of his squinted green eyes, his silence and focus, completely different from themselves, which could only indicate one thing, Puss in Boota took up the challenge and will not stop at nothing but to reach for the greatest prize.
In fact, Puss in Boots was very focused, his eyes quickly glanced at the two opponents, constantly evaluating the possibilities and chances, his own paw practically did not move to the weapon, which made a great impression on the two opponents, and they, accepting the challenge, withdrew their slightly trembling hands until their muscles became tense like a steel cable, there was peace because everyone already knew that in this silence there was a silent conversation, a debate, everyone decided to go on, to take up arms and shoot, the climax seemed to be one step away and watching everything with an inscrutable expression on The Man in the Blue Suit's face showed no emotion at the moment, if he was feeling something, and if he was, on a whole other level, because is someone a cat the All-Out-of-It-All, can such a person feel something, but his plan got everyone to that one point, one place, and one duel that the world will either forget or remember for eternity.
Time seemed to slow down, the first drop of sweat ran down the man's forehead, Martin closed his right eye for a moment as a modest drop of sweat ran down his eyelid, probably the last drop of his life, the last shiver ran down Death's spine looking at the approaching possible end, fulfillment his great wish to see his beloved again, just as his adversary Martin did, glancing now at him, now at Puss and his only unmoving eyes.
Puss in Boots was focused on virtually no one, his eyes were only examining the hands of his opponents, and what awaited him on the podium, he saw the delicate and nervous movements of his opponents' hands, he also saw the gold token glistening in the full sun and the one sitting calmly on top of one from the granite columns looking at everything as he wanted, as he provoked it himself, waiting for two shots.
You could say that was the moment when time really stopped, watching everything from behind the invisible edge of power, they could only watch and wait for the signal and it finally came, when the sound of the approaching man, the great tyrant, everything suddenly broke, everything collapsed, the whole thing moment, time began to rush, a hand launched to the weapon, a shot rang out, two shots, and everything hit like thunder, two figures fell to the ground and after them everything around, a powerful wave of power tore apart the granite pillars, turning them to dust crumbling into and everyone outside the circle, Kitty, Kevin, Flying Dutchman, Perrito, and Love, all hit the sand, pushed back by a sudden, all-hitting shockwave, except for one standing victor of that duel, and when that happened, the Man in the Suit with an unreadable expression on his face landed peacefully on looking at everything with his hands and hands behind his back looking at everything in a different way than before.
At the same moment, a bald man in a white shirt and black pants landed from the sky, Gary Williams, landing violently, pulled his blades out of his clenched fists and watched the result of the duel, unable to believe what he saw, just like a black hog appearing out of nowhere from the sky in a white suit with gold chains and diamond rings, the two stood close to the Man in the Suit, watching the standing orange cat as he held his weapon outstretched and stared at the fallen opponents.
Puss in Boots looked at the gun in his hand and the Man in the Blue Suit started clapping introducing everyone to the winner, Puss looking at his hand saw his gun first, the silver colt disappearing scattering like dust and he is back on the big circle after lowering the platform, after all, Puss looked at the pedestal where the gold token was broken, shattered into hundreds of elements, at the same time his two opponents began to stand up.
Both Death and Martin opened their eyes wide to see what their adversary had done, deciding to rebel against the conditions of the Man in the Suit by doing something completely different from what was intended.
- what the carnage did, madman, we lost everything, the token is gone, all because of you, now this world is in the hands of a tyrant!. Martin screamed in fury, but his anger was all gone as he looked down at his hands and realized that what his opponent had done was an act of mercy and mercy, and a rebellion against everything the Man in the Suit had prepared for him.
- no, you didn't break anything bad, forgive me. Martin said, getting down on both knees knowing that all he had fought for was lost, but he didn't reach for his gun because he didn't want to do something like that either.
At the same time, the rising Death also looked at his own empty hands, because he had never reached for a weapon either, but the question is whether he did not reach because he did not want to or because he was late and failed to shoot the mute, the fact that he also slumped again down to earth, knowing that everything he had fought for was lost and the more the whole world was in the hands of a tyrant, everything was interrupted by the scream of running black and white Kitty who rushed to the surprised orange striped cat.
- Push!. Kitty screamed hugging her beloved and he made big eyes trembled because he didn't think he would see her again.
- Kitty, what are you doing here?. Puss in Boots asked before being interrupted by Kitty kissing him and then delivering the most important message of his life.
- I was so afraid, so much, I didn't want to be a single mother, that's how you'll be a dad. Said Kitty a Puss, making his eyes bigger and bigger, almost popping out of his sockets, until he gasped with amazement.
- I mean, then, I, we, I will be dad. Puss asked, his joy suddenly surpassed by the cruel man's envious laugh.
- ha ha ha cha, how pathetic, you had the only thing that would allow you to summon to this world the only one who could defeat me but you all rejected it in your stupidity and for what?, out of your stupidity, pity, rebelling, what you are stupid. Gary Williams said as he folded his arms in front of him in victory like a loudly laughing black hog.
- pathetic, you are pathetic, with your pity you made everything lost for you, you will be slaves to all of us from now on, Mr. Gary, so what do you plan to do with them. asked Greed, looking at the villainy of Kitty who was quickly covered by Puss, Martin and Death.
- just try, I will fight for my friends to the end. Said Death, drawing his swords.
- everything turned out to be so different. The Man in the Blue Suit spoke up spreading his hands around and showing the broken gold token.
- you still don't understand it right, so I will enlighten you as he did. The Man in Suit added, and at the same time the broken token its shards began to spin uncontrollably until the token became what it had always been, showing everyone the same LV symbol.
- NO!. shouted Gary as he shot the token with his laser, but his laser bounced off the center of his eyes, knocking down the tyrant outside the granite circle, itself an indestructible element.
- the token allowed it, it's almost impossible to destroy it, only we can do it, now Mr. Puss, you did something really crazy, you reached for real madness like all of you, because you didn't reach for the weapon even when you saw your rival reaches for the gun and you turned the gun to destroy the token, you rebelled against everything choosing against everything and you chose being free, crazy, you reached for the power of the token and today it will happen, today this world will be a place of decision in the hands of two, maybe three, and even four minds, here comes the time of the next chosen one. Said the Man in the Suit raising his hands to the sky just like the opening portal of worlds that rose high into the sky over a hundred meters above the ground and was ten meters in circumference and waiting, waiting for something.
- does that mean?. Kevin asked, lifting his head high.
- I guess so, Gary will meet his equal today. Said the Flying Dutchman also looking up at the sky with wide blue eyes.
- no!, it's impossible, how could it happen no!, I don't believe it. Greed screamed furiously, taking a few steps back, for knowing what Gary was capable of with his power and what could be waiting for him when another of them came and worse, defeated his ally, how much is at stake.
- may thunder strike you, why, why, it was not included in the contract!. Gary Williams shouted as he got up from the ground full of sand and stared furiously at the sky at the open portal as the Man in the Suit pulled out a signed contract from behind his back which Gary had signed.
- remember, yes, I wasn't able to summon a man here, your competitor, but a token, yes, you never added it to the contract, you forgot, and now everything depends on only one thing. Said the Man in the Suit, still holding the signed contract in front of him, which could now be fulfilled to the last note.
- So what would happen if we shot each other?. Death asked, looking both with fear and hope at the man with the contract in his hand.
- there is no time to ask yourself such unnecessary questions, what if, no time because there is never time for that, you won, each separately, each showed off his own madness, and you Mr. Puss in Boots, you chose, you reached for power, and when it's all over you will be able to wish what you want, but now everything depends on one more thing, because the portal itself does, it chooses, but the final decision depends only on the chosen one, if it does not pass through the portal, then it will fall apart forever and everything will be broken, but when he crosses the portal, our agreement will start to fulfill to the last copy, now just wait. Said the Man in the Suit, looking curiously at the open portal that was waiting, waiting for his chosen one as well as everyone gathered.
Seeing the open portal, Kitty clenched both her paws tightly on Puss's left paw and he glanced at her first, still in shock at what he heard, his shock was divided between the fact that he was going to be a dad and what he had just seen in the sky above the desert at a height of one hundred meters , the open portal created by the power of the golden token, now everything lay in the hands of a man from another world, dear, who saw nothing good in his world except for a few exceptions, a man who saw the truth and knew what to do, all focused on one thing.
L
This is what the game master game looks like, the Man in the Blue Suit, also known as the Gray Man, because nothing here is as sure as the outcome, but what was supposed to be a race was also a test, and Puss in Boots passed that test, but what now and who will be the chosen one who will choose his way, because the Token gives you the choice whether you want to use the power of the portal or say no.