Ch5 - Failure

To fail yourself is to fail all those who supported you.

A young male, perhaps in his late twenties was shifting some papers nervously.
The male was rather elegantly dressed.
He finally sighed and entered a room.
Inside the room was a long table, with various other people all faceless people.
The male seemed oblivious to their facelessness, and simply sat down at the head of the table.

He set down the papers, and began speaking.
Suddenly others interrupted him before he could say a full word.
"The crop report shows that this year's harvest wont feed the entire city, likely do to your recent decisions regarding crops."
"The import countries have all declared they wont trade with us because of your new law."
"The export countries are all declaring that they will only pay half the agree upon price because you're a terrible negotiator."
"All of our export items are of low quality and no one wants to buy anything, they say they're doing us a favor by buying anything we make."

"Your recent decision to hold a ball to meet a potential wife is back-firing, as all the women of royalty have agreed you're the worst ruler they've ever heard of."
"You'll likely be resigned to marrying a common woman. But, given your recent laws none would ever desire to marry you."

"Your father would have been disappointed in the state of the kingdom."
"Your mother would have been ashamed of what you've done since her passing."
"Your brother would have made for a much better leader."

The male put his hands over his ears trying to block out what the others were saying.
They didn't stop talking, ignoring his obvious disdain and discomfort.

Lanz was sitting in a chair away from the table, in the corner.
He was watching, and listening.
Clearly this man's greatest fear was that he was a failure.
In many regards.
It almost hurt to watch, no one deserved to be blamed for everything going wrong.
That sort of pressure could drive someone mad.

Suddenly the man got up and hurried to leave the room.
But he spotted Lanz and stopped.
Suddenly the room was silent.
Lanz glanced about, the never stopped before unless he'd made it.
This was new.

"Who are you?" The man asked.
Lanz stood up, "I'm Lanz.
Sorry about... ease-dropping on your dream."
"How did you get here?" The man asked.
"Oh, I'm a nightmare demon.
I just-"
"Nightmare demon?
My adviser warned that a Nightmare demon was in the city."

Lanz gave a fake smile, "I'm truly sorry for dropping in.
I can't control who's nightmare I stop by."
"This is your fault."
"What- No, I didn't cause your nightmare."
The man looked furious, "Yes you did.
The nightmares have been getting worse and worse since you arrived."
"Well, that's... not something I can help."

The man looked completely enraged.
"He warned that allowing you to stay in the city would cause issues,
I didn't think it'd cause me issues."
Lanz scoffed, "I'm not the one afraid of failing.
If you can't deal with your own insecurities you'll never be a good leader."

The man gave an exclamation of anger.
Before reaching to grab Lanz.
Lanz let him and at that instance the dream shattered.

---

Lanz opened his eyes.
He was glad people didn't remember him from their dreams.
If they did, he would have just revealed himself and then ticked off the person who could order his execution.
He got up, having laid down on the couch.
He looked less skinny than before.
His teacher had been right, passively observing nightmares seemed to help.
He felt stronger, more powerful almost.
Also, from what he knew, after the first week there were no more suicides.

He had easily picked up almost every technique his teacher had insisted he learn.
Each seemed a natural ability he'd never realized he had.
He felt delighted to no longer feel like he was just taking up space.
Though he rather wished his specific skill set wasn't so vastly different than his family's.

They specialized in healing, both body and mind.
His grandmother was a healer, his mother had shared the gift.
His talents were in scaring, taring people down emotionally until they were constantly afraid.
As if exposing a dark secret about them even they didn't know.
It felt cruel at times, and often it was accidental.

He slipped on his shoes and headed outside.
The streets were cluttered with people.
There was no school today, it was a holiday.
He couldn't recall which holiday, he was fairly sure it was the city's founding day.
He walked along the street, and suddenly a woman screamed with fright before running away.
He watched her, then sighed a bit as he kept walking.

His recent growth in power had caused him to appear as a horribly frightening creature to those with weak minds.
Or was it weak resolve? Perhaps weak spirits?
He couldn't remember.
He just knew that occasionally people screamed, and ran.
Or fainted.

A large crowd of people was forming beneath the balcony where the city's lord would come out.
He'd give some speech, and the celebrations would begin.
Lanz had never attended any sort of big celebration before.
Kanzo had insisted he come out and at least see it.

Finally after a large mass of people had gathered, the lord stepped out.
Lanz recognized the man from the nightmare.
Even the powerful were fearful.
The lord began a speech about the founding of the city.
Occasionally saying things that made the crowd cheer.
Lanz pretended to cheer with them as to not stand out.

The lord continued,
"My gracious people.
I have something to share on a more sour note.
You see I was told that our fair city has been playing host to a nightmare demon."
Some gasped, others looked about. He continued,
"You see Nightmare demons exist to throw safe cities into places of chaos.
They create despair, and drive people insane.
Their only goal is to torment people.
My sources tell me that this particular nightmare demon has been plotting to overthrow the government here in an attempt to create anarchy.
We cannot allow this to happen!"
People were cheering.

Lanz felt sick to his stomach.
He started slowly backing out of the crowd, but he was deep in the crowd.
The lord continued, "I ask that you help to locate this threat to our city.
As such a sketch has been created in his likeness.
This sketch is created by a vision of the city's seer.
Gaze upon this sketch and if you see this man, immediately report him to the authorities."
A large scroll unrolled under the lord, for the entire audience to see.
Lanz felt even more sick, the scroll did show his exact likeness.
And audience stared, absorbing the image, burning it into their minds.

He didn't want to turn around, for fear that the people behind him would recognize him.
He just kept slowly backing out, trying to avoid touching people.
As he moved he brushed a small child.
A young girl, with small horns pertruding from her head.
She turned to look at him, less absorbed in the sketch.
He paused to stare back at her.

Her face looked apathetic.
She silently mouthed the word, "Run." to him.
A noise caught his attention, guards were moving thru the crowd, examining people.
Lanz turned around and realized the people were just examining the picture.
They were hypnotized by it.
Likely a spell had been placed on it to hypnotize people.

He glanced back to the girl who repeated her silent word.
And he ran.
He weaved thru the crowd, as fast as he could.
The guards were in pursuit.
Once he got to the edge of the crowd he sprinted as fast as he could.

He wished speed had been a natural gift.
He ran, and glanced back.
The guards were easily gaining.
They were gifted with speed and strength.
He wasn't sure where to go, home would endanger Kanzo.
The school would endanger... Everyone most likely.
He looked forward to see Kanzo standing in the middle of the street.
He stopped a few feet infront of Kanzo.

"What are you-" Lanz started.
Kanzo was watching the guards.
"I heard your heart racing, and decided to investigate.
Good thing I did."
The guards were beginning to encroach them.
A guard spoke, demandingly.
"Back away from the nightmare demon, by order of the lord."
"The lord?" Kanzo asked curiously, then looked to Lanz.
"What did you do?"
Lanz looked to him, "Nothing! He's convinced I wanna overthrow the government."

Kanzo shook his head, "This is just a big misunderstanding."
He looked to the guards, "Look, we will leave the city peacefully.
You can post our pictures at the gates so we can't return.
No harm, no fowl."
A guard spoke, "The lord's orders were kill on sight."

Kanzo sighed, "That's much to bad."
The guards started to encroach.
Kanzo put his hands out, "You have on chance to surrender." he offered
The guards laughed, as they approached.
Some with weapons, others claws, or various demonic abilities.

Lanz knew he could try to scare them.
But he knew those who were determined would often push thru their fears.
Also, he'd never intentionally fought anyone.
Once thru pure instinct, but he hadn't ever learned how to repeat such a performance on purpose.
Kanzo sighed, before focusing his hands on a guard, who's body suddenly became rigid.
The guard began moving in a strange broken puppet like manner.
Kanzo was focused intently before another guard lunged at him.

Kanzo clenched his hands to fists, and swung out at the guard.
The first guard collapsed, and Lanz went wide-eyed as blood ripped from the guard's stomach.
The blood flew and sliced the next guard's head off.
The guards were just as wide-eyed, and Kanzo took a more fighting position.
The blood moved collecting from both guards as it slithered up Kanzo's leg, and to his hands.
"He's a blood demon!" a guard shouted.

Kanzo moved quickly using the blood like a whip.
The blood hit and ripped thru the guard's stomach, before it pulled to the side nearly taring the man in two.
The rest of the guards were cautious, now frightened.
Kanzo motioned to Lanz.
"They're afraid." he muttered.

Lanz's mind suddenly went into high gear.
He stepped up, and fed on their sudden fear.
He focused on this fear, feeding the image of Kanzo ripping them each to shreds.
Having their blood wrenched from the bodies.
Whatever their fear was, it suddenly became all their minds could think of.
Most guards ran.
The rest dropped their weapons, shaking to much to hold them.

Kanzo nodded, the blood staining his clothing, before grabbing Lanz.
"Come on, we gotta get out of the city."
Lanz refused to move, "You're a blood demon."
Kanzo sighed, "Yes, can we go?"
Lanz was silent, staring at him.

A lord had just forcibly hypnotized his entire city, out of fear.
This realized kept Lanz from moving.
Fear was a horribly corrupting power.
It drove people mad.
"They know what we are." Kanz said.
Kanzo looked annoyed, "Yes, that's why we have to go."

"The lord has gone mad though.
He wont just let us leave the city in peace.
He'll tell everyone in power.
We'll no longer be safe no matter where we go.
People will start hunting anyone who even looks like us."
Kanzo looked aggitated, "I'm well aware, what's your point?"

Lanz smirked, "We stay."
"Why would we stay?!" Kanzo asked shouting as if Lanz had lost his mind.
Lanz smirked even more, "Because fear can consume anyone."
"That's a reason to leave."
Lanz began laughing, "He was afraid I'd overthrow him."
Kanzo shook Lanz, "Have you lost your mind?
He's gonna send for the royal family, anyone he can get to kill us.
We need to disappear."

Lanz stopped laughing and looked extremely serious.
"No. I need to overthrow a lord, who has gone mad."