Lowly Ascent

Sarah, Borus, Cassian, and Austin sat in a room, waiting for their leader.

Cain had called a meeting specifically for these three and had instructed them to meet him in one of the main buildings of the merchant group, meant for guests.

When Cain entered the room in his usual black robes, with white fabrics wrapped around his shoulders and waist, reverent gazes found themselves on him. He looked paler than usual and had bags under his eyes, but his expression showed excitement and impatience.

He sat down at the head of the table, and his voice resounded through the room, ethereal and softly echoing.

"The time has come to make this city ours. Since you three hold positions for work like this, I will leave it to you. Over the next few months, slowly begin to acquire all business in Carc as well as 'dealing' with their leaders. I will be meeting the mayor for a similar purpose."

Cassian raised his hand. "Lord, why am I here?"

Cain responded with a smirk, "You will be in charge of installing a puppet mayor. I don't care how you do it, but get it done."

He then stood up, and Cain began laughing hysterically as he disappeared from sight.

Moments like this made Austin curious about Cain. He tried to understand how his lord could disappear so suddenly. He had used the same technique but never achieved such results.

...

A few minutes after the meeting, Cain appeared in front of City Hall. It was raining heavily, and he wanted to enter a warm building quickly.

He walked inside, wearing a wicked smile that he couldn't get rid of. Approaching the doors leading to Lugh's office, he tidied his appearance and entered.

Lugh, who was working as usual, didn't notice Cain. This gave rise to Cain's decision to scare him.

He used his daggers and technique to remain unseen. Walking behind Lugh, Cain tapped him on the shoulder.

"Ahhh!"

Lugh immediately jumped up and turned around defensively. He was startled to see Cain standing there with an ominous and foreboding smile.

"Cain? How did you... What is the reason for your visit?"

Lugh attempted to regain his composure in his fright, but his expression sank upon hearing Cain's next words.

Unaffected by the gravity of his words, Cain spoke as if pitying Lugh, "Apologies, Mayor, but for my plans to progress, it seems I have to kill you. You know how it is. Don't worry, I'll make it quick."

Instinctively, Lugh threw a punch at Cain.

Lugh was a grade 3 plague bearer as well as an augmenter in the mid-ranks. He was one of the most powerful people in the Kingdom that wasn't affiliated with any power.

In his youth, he made many contributions to the Royal Family. When he returned to Carc he turned away from his father's ways and became Mayor. 

Lugh's face turned ugly as Cain effortlessly grabbed his punch. He then slowly applied pressure, and Lugh felt his hand being crushed under Cain's strength. Making a split-second decision, Lugh threw another punch at Cain's head.

Cain went to grab it, but it was a fake! Lugh raised his leg and went for Cain's knee! Cain didn't respond but he let go of Lugh's hand and laughed lightly.

Lugh's kick landed, but Cain was fine! The mayor felt like he kicked steel. because he practically did!

Seeing this monster in front of him, fear swept over Lugh, and his plan changed to running for his life.

He burst through the side of the building and fell into the streets, debris flying everywhere. Cain smiled, showing his pure white teeth as he followed suit.

The battle quickly turned into a chase. Lugh was running while Cain chased, seemingly having fun.

Running through the streets, Lugh formulated a plan on how to escape the crazy lunatic behind him.

Cain would call out to him like a murderer chasing his victim. Every time he called out, he inched closer and closer to Lugh, causing the mayor to become more and more anxious as the voice got closer.

For the few people walking the streets, seeing a large well-built man being chased by a young man in what appeared to be ceremonial robes was odd. However, as the two picked up speed, they became a blur to the onlookers.

Lugh slowly started to exhaust himself as Cain chased him for hours on end throughout the city. Cain employed all sorts of tricks to scare or frighten Lugh.

Losing both mental and physical energy, Lugh slowly began to slow down and prepare to fight.

'I have to.....find a place to.....upper hand....haaa.'

Drained, Lugh led Cain to the back alleys where no one would be. He stopped and turned to see Cain smiling at him, water dripping from his hair.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I told you, to progress my plans. This includes a dead mayor, which is unfortunate for you, Mayor Lugh."

The mayor's face was solemn, he raised his fists to fight.

Cain laughed and raised his fists as well.

Cain rushed towards Lugh, and the two began to fight one-on-one. Lugh was far more skilled at this sort of combat, but due to Cain's physical abilities being far superior to Lugh's, he was winning the confrontation.

Lugh tried to aim for Cain's weak points, but it was like he had none. Every time he landed a clean hit on Cain, it was like he did nothing, and it even hurt him as if he punched the fleshy steel wall.

He was slowly giving up hope.

All of a sudden, Cain's smile disappeared. Lugh abruptly stopped fighting.

"Hey, why'd you stop? This is no fun, fight me!"

Lugh backed against a wall, his eyes glossy and his face somber. 

'Heh....this is it....to this bastard....'

Gaining a little light in his eyes, Lugh yelled out to Cain, "Just kill me! There's no point. I can't even hurt you."

Cain frowned and grew angry. It was an irrational anger. He moved in an instant and held Lugh up by his throat.

"Fight! Struggle! You're souring my mood, so fight! Make me killing you enjoyable at the very least!"

The mayor was like a ragdoll. He didn't move, he didn't blink. It was like he was already dead.

Cain was upset. He had been cooped up in his research and barely had any time to fight. His bloodthirst was unquenchable.

His mental stability had long since evaporated, but his current actions were not a result of that. He seemed to have become addicted to fighting and killing, which could be plausible given his mental state breaking from Victor's torture. 

Coming back from such a state always had repercussions. Scars always leave something behind. 

Cain wasn't stupid. He knew there was a problem with him when he conducted one of his regular mental checkups on himself, it was something that needed to be done when one was a murderer. 

When he first escaped from Victor and killed him, all he did was slaughter the faculty and prisoners. This action seemed to have made an imprint on his subconscious mind, resulting in his current state.

Over time, Cain would feel agitated, like a person growing hungry for food. He was itching to kill something, and no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to fix this mental impression. So he decided to let it all out when the time came.

That time was now.

Before he went to find Lugh, he let this hunger take control of him so he could return to a clear mind afterward. Lugh needed to die anyway. But with Lugh losing his will to fight, Cain's thirst couldn't be quenched, there were.....twisted conditions when he let it build up this long.

Veins bulged as Cain moved his other hand to Lugh's shoulder, squeezing and pulling. Flesh tore as Lugh screamed in pain, and his detached arm fell to the floor.

Cain once again smiled and looked the mayor in the eyes.

"Struggle!"

It was as if Lugh came to his senses and turned into an animal. His body acted instinctively, trying to escape Cain's grasp.

"Good! Good! Fight more! Struggle to live!"

Cain then put his hand on the mayor's thigh and twisted it off. Lugh screamed in agony as tears flowed down his cheeks, watching Cain in horror.

Seeing his fear-stricken prey, Cain felt better, and it was time to end this game of cat and mouse.

He let go of Lugh, and as the dismembered mayor fell to the ground, Cain unleashed a flurry of punches. He struck Lugh's stomach, chest, and head as gravity pulled Lugh to the ground.

Cain's thoughts drifted, 'Ah! Life is so beautiful!'

Eventually, Lugh's bruised and bloody head reached the pavement. Cain looked around him, regaining clarity.

'But life is the most beautiful when it ends....'

Cain turned back to the dead mayor.

Lugh's spine was embedded in the wall, and blood was splattered everywhere. Around him were intestines and blood, Lugh's corpse was a mess of squishy muddled flesh and blood seeping into the pavement.

This was the end of a Mayor, Lugh of Carc. One of the last Grade 3 Plague Bearers left in Netherane.

Cain sighed and left. Later, he made his way to the station where the local authorities were and slipped a note into an obvious location. The note detailed the mayor's location and state.

Cain hoped to read about the Mayor's death in the newspaper when he woke up in the morning.