Act 3.7: Mired Shire

Tepid fluid ran along his body. 

Gan couldn't describe why but the taste of the rancid rain was delightful. Maybe he was going insane or perhaps the recent invigoration of his aura made everything taste much sweeter? A pondered question for another time. 

"Heh, another time." Would he be granted such a thing? Each foot that fell on that cracked road brought forth a second killed for a wasteful thought. 

Where had it all gone? The time allotted for their days of recreation, the time which ought to have remained when pressed to the edge of stress. The sun was missing from its home with a smoggy vapor replacing its beauty. Vapor smudged by a flicker of red stripes that dotted the encompassing result of humanity. In this hazy mess of dread was the boy lost. 

For quite some time he had been gripped by the feeling. There was never a lick of ambition behind his body since the moment of birth. Exiting the womb, Gan was already strong with his date of emergence occurring a month before expectation. Yet, the distracting event did not bring a single complication with the infant's health. The household he was brought to was always warm and loving. Each fleck of splendid light took him with a mother's embrace.

Therefore, he had no need for ambition. A year would simply pass by without a worry invigorating his mindfulness evermore. The first girl he ever asked accepted leaving not a worry for him to accept. It was a peace akin to some acceptable paradise. Even if he had to catch the sight of some beggar every now and again, that did not matter for he did not belong in their world. There was not a worry present in the facet of coin. His world was great and kind, as well as bathed in wealth, distorting a reality with some burning lies. 

Then, on the top of that hill laid before the gates of the academy, he met HIM. Someone with ambition, a deep unrelenting desire which could not be quenched. Such an ambition drew them all within earshot of this person's remarks. He sparkled with a brilliance which threatened to devour the world. Devour his reality, his lies, his mask. Despite the obviousness of the path surely paved, Gan paid less than a second of attention for he enjoyed himself. Bloodying his knuckles with the stain of sinners was rejuvenating. His life now held good acts in it thus now taken from the sinners into the heavenly. 

These fights were of course good. They beat down the criminals, the Villains, who wished to harm innocents; a belief still held deep in his heart. So, why was it crumbling? Why did he not recognize the painful form of his friend writhing in such a mess? What is to come next? 

'Is this ambition? Is this how it ends for those wishing for more? If so, then I wish I never discovered it, I wish I never met him, I wish for this all to be different. I want Kage well, yet why does he need such a decrepit fucking awful thing!?'

Gan wrangled his hands over each other searching for the answers. His subconscious was the first to recognize how awful ambition was. Recounting his initial thoughts on that boy, Daniel, he found nothing but merciless hate. Kage had constructed another puppet, was he no good anymore? If only he asked, would Gan have willingly given the others to him for usage. They could be abused without a worry while him and Kage stood by the sidelines grasping at that wonderful ambition. But, that boy had something that none of them could obtain. 

It was an unknown purity. That was the missing ingredient to himself. Since it was missing from him then the others surely lost their own. 

In the forefront of his mind, Gan spun half-truths with rationalizations all in an attempt to persuade himself from ruin. Just because he felt nothing when killing those people, capturing Daniel, sending him to die, deceiving his friends, burning Lisa, and wanting Kage… None of that could possibly be anything to fret over. He was still Kage's friend… so long as he never found out. 

There was no reason for thinking as Gan made his decision the moment the thought was produced. When they saved Daniel, he would kill the boy. Snap his neck then erase the evidence of his existence ever mattering. Next would be Sam, she had to go as well in a scourge of flailing limbs. But, Kage must still be angry at Jacob. Yes, if it appeased him then that selfish oaf should drown. Yet, even Isaiah invoked Gan's wrath. That fucker always got between them, he was too observant and could find out some day. Then what would happen? 

"Claire…"

"Yes, Claire."

Gan knew of her seduction. The glints behind the facade of those eyes that stole attention from Kage wavering his defenses. She was his girl but always looked toward their friend instead. That would be the last. The last that had to suffer a gruesome end in order for Kage's ambition to remain glorious. He didn't need THAT BOY! Gan could supplement just as he used to. Finally, could the two of them be happy as friends aspiring for what best eased their souls. Then no one would ever mutter his name in relation to the event again. Ambition would be restored and life could pass for decades until they both grew old enough to forget the atrocities. 

Glancing at his phone, the friend remembered the call from earlier. His family's butler had summoned him right after Kage suffered his seizure. Apparently his parents needed him urgently to return home to talk for a bit. The idea he would have to leave Kage to those unworthy of such commodation nearly opened an avenue for worry. Gritting his teeth, Gan clenched his hands fighting off the tepid sickness. After whatever they had to say, Gan would return and enact his plan against the others. 

By the end of this night, would the stains be gone. 

The sun shall rise over a new and forever still land. Peace instilled into the humble city. 

'Maybe when they're all gone, he will move in with us. His home was burned to the ground leaving him with little else.'

That's when Lisa appeared as a solitary image. He saw her mangled appearance in the hospital finally taking on some of her brother's features. Gan barely fought back a chortle when sizing the elongated burns which swept her figure. 

'Ah well. There could be a learning curve to her teachings. I can do that part, so Kage won't have to worry.'