The Evil Within-The Final Showdown

Ruvik

The claws of fear that had been slowly wrapping their slender fingers around me had finally accomplished its mission of consuming me. The sight of Leslie, vulnerable to the manipulation of Ruvik was painful to process. His innocence and quiet nature had been annihilated and replaced with the cold, sinister presence of Ruvik. I had plans to grab Myra's hand and run but my legs didn't seem to work. His cold stare was enough to fix me in place. Myra took a step forward and pushed me behind her protectively, masking her fear behind a brave face.

"Oh, don't let me interrupt you," Ruvik took pleasure in the mixture of fear and forced bravery evident on our faces. "Love is after all one of the purest elements of life."

"Good afternoon, Ruvik," Myra spoke coldly. "I believe that body does not belong to you."

"Oh, I am only borrowing it for a while," Ruvik glanced down. "A state of disembodiment was rather restricting. It is a most exhilarating experience to be granted back a body. However, I must say I am disappointed. I expected a little more strength than what this young boy's form provides."

He rubbed a bruise that had been starting to form on Leslie's left wrist, frowning slightly.

"You should be a little more appreciative," Myra continued her cold tone of voice. "An innocent life was lost because of your selfish greed."

"Lost?" Ruvik questioned. "I wish that were the case. The boy is very much alive. I feel his unwelcome presence in the back of my mind. Yet another disappointment."

I felt a tinge of hope at the news that Leslie was still in some form alive. But the thought of him being trapped inside a body no longer in his control terrified me. We may have narrowly escaped Ruvik but Leslie was still very much in his grasp.

"It doesn't work that way, Ruvik," Myra explained. "Your system wasn't free of human error. It's a mistake on your part."

"You question my talent?" Ruvik seemed displeased with Myra's critique of his nightmarish invention. "I am one of the world's finest scientists. Willing to break the boundaries of human imagination! Not that my research provoked much appreciation. Why, the scientists of the world are much too scared to venture into the depths of the human mind."

"It's not science, it's cruelty," Myra fearlessly corrected. "You're responsible for the widespread torture and murder of hundreds of innocent people!  A city lives in fear because of you! You had to be stopped."

"And what a success that was," Ruvik laughed bitterly. "You are forgetting that an error was made on the part of Mobius. Their scheme to terminate me for good wasn't without its flaws."

Guilt coursed through me at the mention of the failure to put an end to him. I had set him free. Failed in my duty to kill him before he consumed Leslie. The vision that haunted my nightmares returned. Visualising Leslie disintegrating at the slight touch of Ruvik's charred, burnt hands.

"It won't happen again," Myra sounded sure. "Coming here was a mistake, Ruvik."

"Oh, please. None of that 'Ruvik' business," Ruvik rolled his eyes. "The name of your project is less than fitting."

"There are names that would be more suitable for you," I finally spoke up, taking a tentative step forward. "But none of them would quite encompass the false grandeur you've built yourself up to you in your delusion."

"Sebastian, I almost forgot you were here," Ruvik broke into a smile. "I was going to say I am truly glad you are alive. Oh, how I've missed playing with you. Forgive me for I have been rather occupied with the likes of Mobius. But all of that is set to change."

"You won't lay a hand on him," Myra said, firmly, pushing me back behind her. "Your downfall is approaching, Ruvik."

"Rueben," Ruvik corrected. "And is that so? And how exactly do you intend to wipe me off the face of this earth? My demise confirms Leslie's death also. Unless you are more than willing to take an innocent life away. But somehow I don't feel that is the case seeing as you are so indignant of my disregard of innocent people."