Villain Retirement

"Oh no, it's fine. We can talk while you're on your back…

…Death is your only rest, after all, I don't want to take that away from you."

Riley was really only staring at Nothing—that was all he could do in this place, after all. And after a few seconds of just watching Nothing do nothing, Riley just decided to lie back down in the darkness.

"Well…" And as soon as he did so, Nothing finally spoke, "...Your body here isn't really real, you're not really resting. But this is about being relaxed since we have a lot to talk about."

"..." Riley just ignored Nothing's slightly chuckling voice. Instead, he just stared at the endless ceiling of nothing; his breaths, truly completely relaxed. His death this time was probably the most peaceful way he had ever died before—of course, there was that time when he was killed by a super that produced venom from his fangs—but never once had he truly just lied down and died.

It was… a feeling that Riley didn't know he liked.

"Well, well. Look at you, look at you," Nothing then started walking around the darkness as it pointed at Riley several times, "Suddenly meeting Van out of nowhere, the Universe really has a way of putting you in places where you shouldn't be—that's your entire existence right there. You shouldn't exist in the first place."

"Hm…" Riley just breathed out as he closed his eyes, "He told me that the two of you have met?"

"Oh, yes," Nothing once again let out a chuckle as it sat beside Riley, "Angry little boy, that one. He's like you, a somewhat unique existence. He's not as unique as you, however. I know exactly where he came from—he was born from gods from 3 different universes. Weird, right?"

"He told me he was human," Riley slightly opened his eyes.

"You shouldn't believe anything that comes out from that guy's mouth. He's a little trickster and a pathological liar, he can't help it," Nothing sighed as it shook its head, "The two of you have another similarity—the two of you have tried killing me, you more than once."

"..."

"He has different reasons, of course. He's angry at the gods from the other universe for betraying him. But you…" Nothing then leaned over Riley; its face, now directly on top of Riley's face,

"...You just spawned out of nowhere and when you could already think for yourself, you just tried killing me because you're you. Meeting me and resurrecting might have triggered you to become a creature of pain and murder—but you are just… more than that."

"Hm," Riley pushed Nothing's face away with the back of his hand.

"Anyway," Nothing did not seem to mind as it just sat back down and shrugged its shoulders, "I'm the only one talking so I feel like this is my chance to apologize for last time—I got a little heated up when we last met—your fault, really. I was going to ignore you for a few more hundred deaths…

…but then you met Death herself."

"Only briefly," Riley shook his head as he was no longer in the mood to rest.

"Did… she say anything to you?" Nothing squinted its eyes.

"I was teleported away before we could form a conversation, Nothing," Riley let out a small sigh as he shook his head, "But I think I heard her mentioning that she doesn't know who I am."

"She… doesn't know you?" Nothing's body then suddenly dived down into the darkness, before appearing from slightly far away already walking around, "Things… are somewhat making sense now."

"How so, Nothing?"

"Everything is born, even the tiniest little thing—Death knows," Nothing started making his way to Riley again, "She knows because Death is also Life, they are one and the same. If she doesn't know who or what you are, then that just means your existence is something she didn't create…

…Is that why you do not stay dead, because you should not be alive in the first place? Perhaps the Universe does not know where to place you."

"..." Riley only tilted his head to the side as he let Nothing continue to talk to himself.

"Hm… So, what are you?" Nothing turned to look Riley in the eyes again, "It is always like this, you answer one question, and a hundred more questions emerge. No, this is worse—because we didn't get an answer in the first place."

"I suppose."

"Huh. Anyway…" Nothing then shrugged as he finally relaxed his shoulders, "Since we're technically like friends now, I feel like I should warn you…

…Death now knows you exist, she will start finding you."

"She seems to be busy chasing Van, Nothing."

"Ugh," Nothing rolled his eyes as soon as it heard Riley's words, "She might as well stand still, and it will be the same result. Van is already something that can not be held by anything."

"..."

"Well, I think that is all the time we have…" Nothing then started looking around as a certain noise started to seep into the darkness, "Death is stubborn, Riley Ross. And maybe this is good—perhaps she can find out what you are. Come to think of it…

…the two of you will make a nice couple."

[Riley, Riley Ross!]

"..." And with the darkness in front of Riley's eyes collapsing, everything around him became that of silver. He looked around, only to find himself back in the world of the living, or more specifically, Tedi's silver scalp.

[Good. You're finally awake,] Tedi's voice vibrated in Riley's ears, taking away any grogginess left in him, [I have been trying to wake you up for hours now. I thought you died.]

"I did," Riley sighed as he stood up, "I thought I would have already fallen from your head, Tedi. It would seem your head is too wide for me to even slide across the end of it."

[You… died? Did you meet Nothing? Wait, no. That doesn't matter,] Tedi pointed her hand forward, [Look.]

"..." Riley made his way through Tedi's silver hair and onto her forehead. And there, glowing in the distance, was Theran… and New Theran, which was now half the size of the planet it was cloned from.

It was multiple times larger than when Riley and Aerith left. That in itself is a problem, however. Now that it was at that size, they could no longer hide it from the rest of Theran.

And judging by the red streaks and beams that could be seen even from Riley and Tedi's position, a battle was already happening.

"Oh…" A smile started to crawl on Riley's face as his feet very slowly left Tedi's large forehead.

[Where are you going, Riley Ross?] Tedi blinked a couple of times as she felt Riley floating away from her, [Princess Aerith asked us to wait here. She said she was already on their way here with your sister and the others.]

"I'm joining the fun, Tedi," Riley glanced back at Tedi, "Tell them they can find me there."

[Joining the fun? But didn't you just come back from the dead?]

"Yes. That is why I am fully rested now, Tedi."

[Princess Aerith told us not to do anything, Riley! The war hasn't officially started yet, that's just the start of Aerith's rebellion!]

"You and I both know it's a stupid rebellion that will lead to a stupid war, Tedi," Riley shook his head, "Aerith may have lived long, but she is kind and too idealistic. This war shouldn't be happening in the first place—she should just eradicate everyone else that disagrees with her."

[...]

"But since it is here, I will gladly be her Executor."

[Do you even know which side is which?]

"Hm."

And as the smile on Riley's face grew wider and wider, several space rocks started gathering and compressing beneath him, quickly creating some sort of flat platform.

[What… are you doing now?] Tedi backed away a little bit as she saw Riley landing on the platform he made.

Riley did not really do anything else and just stood there for a couple of seconds as the platform he made became wider and larger. And then, when the platform was already the size of an entire skyscraper…

…Riley suddenly stretched his arms to the side.

"There is only one side, Tedi…

…Mine."

And as soon as he did so, several silhouettes instantly emerged from the platform.

The platform that Riley made, crumbling as several more emerged. And with each piece that was torn away, a clone is born.

"Everyone…" Riley said. And without even ordering any of them, his clones all lined up beside him—probably more than a hundred of them.

"...Kill."

***

"Caitlain. My people are saying a battle is already happening up there."

"Hm, let the Princess deal with that."

"And also, being exposed to the energy of several suns seems to be working for your husband—he might be waking up soon."

"Oh, that's good. He's been out for too long that I'm afraid the kids might have already forgotten about him."

"Caitlain, you have been digging for more than a month now. Just what are you trying to find here?"

Pirate Queen Xra and Diana were currently in the deepest parts of the Subtheran, or more specifically, they were already under the Subtheran. Diana's fingers, barely even enough to dig through the extremely hard rocks near to the planet's core.

"Who says I am trying to find something?" Diana breathed out as she wiped the dirt on her face, "I'm leaving behind a gift."

"...What?" Xra then watched as Diana pulled something out of the bag that she has been carrying since she found her. And as soon as she saw what it was, her eyes started to widen,

"That… looks like something that will explode."

"Oh, don't be silly…" Diana let out a small giggle as she waved her hand, "It's nothing like that…

…It's a Star Obliterator."