(Note: special thanks to Galen for pointing out in Ch5 how I was neglecting to describe some characters in detail, I’ll do better to fix this in the future ? )
Despite the elderly appearance of the man his body radiated vitality as he moved with the energy of a young man. His grey, thinning, hair and frail body would be a poor way to judge just how truly powerful he was which is why when he had first seen the man earlier with Alexander, he had all but disregarded him as simply another servant.
It had been outside of Caspians' estimations that such a frail-looking man could become a threat to him but maybe that was where he had gone wrong, appearances could be deceptive and this was a lesson for him to learn from in the future.
Caspian sighed as he observed the old man with interest, he had stayed still for several seconds now but his mouth hadn’t stopped moving as if he was chanting something. He’d sent the demons to try and attack him several times now but there was now a seemingly more powerful barrier guarding him as despite their attempts they weren’t able to get within a meter of the man without having their own power rebound.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of three consecutive fireballs hitting the walls of the mansion as they were rebounded off whatever it was protecting the man rang out.
The room shook as the explosions burnt through the wall exposing an empty room, fortunately as the flames were formed from mana they dissipated after several seconds and didn’t cause any further damage, or their battle would have a new backdrop.
“What was that about showing me true power old man? All I see is a hermit hiding behind a shield!” He shouted in irritation at the old man, the old mans face twitched slightly as he heard this, but his low mutterings weren’t interrupted.
Caspian had a foreboding feeling that if whatever he was saying was completed then it wouldn’t matter if he had the Demons here to protect him or not, he’d still be in danger.
Something caught his interest however, the entire time the old man hadn’t yet blinked once – it was as if his eyes were glued open, as if he couldn’t close them even if he wanted to…
A devilish idea formed in his mind as he quickly ordered the demons in a hushed tone.
There was a look of indignity and unwillingness in each of their eyes as they surrounded the old man, he glanced at them with curiosity most likely wondering what Caspian was trying to do.
It should be noted that Demons were also lifeforms with basic needs and wants, they also possessed reproductive organs and ways to excrete the waste of what they digested although normally it could be converted into power to fuel their bodies they were unable to go against Caspians’ orders.
They looked at each other with pity as they reluctantly prepared themselves, they were seething with rage yet none of them were ready to face death for disobeying.
“Do it.” Caspian ordered grimly as he observed the old man.
The old man was suddenly forced to watch as the floor was dirtied with the excrement of the grotesque creatures; his indignation began to grow more when he spotted what looked like a human eye in one of the fresh piles on the floor.
His body began to shake as his eyes twitched, he was full of rage, yet he didn’t stop chanting for a moment much to Caspians disappointment. The Demons didn’t stop however and continued to drown the room in filth in full view of the butler.
Finally, despite his best efforts the moment Caspian was waiting for arrived, his eyes closed for just a second but no sooner had he done so did he realise he had made a mistake and hurriedly reopened them, but it was too late.
The five demons had passed the one metre threshold and were instantly in front of him, they ripped open his shoulder and bit into his neck as they tore him to pieces.
Caspian couldn’t help but pity him, if he had simply held out a bit longer and completed his spell or had chose to attack them with simpler spells then the battle would have been much harder.
He didn’t know that the butler had always been wary of him, if he had known that the only spell that Caspian knew was fireball then he would have simply wiped them out but because of his own wariness he had dug his own grave.
Caspian looked at the now filth-filled room in disgust and ordered the demons to keep a distance behind him as they walked now, they were covered in filth now mixed with blood. He would admit that even he felt this was a little too far, but he wasn’t ready to die just yet, ‘He was truly the strongest opponent I’ve faced so far.’
The old man was probably cursing him from the grave, but he didn’t care, he even pretended as if that had been a true battle to justify his actions further.
Finally, he was at Alexanders’ room. It had been a mere half-an-hour, but it felt much longer as he opened the door in anticipation.
Surprisingly, he opened it to find the man sitting at a table as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. His blonde hair was in disarray as if he had just woken up not too long ago, his eyes were drooping as he held a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a glass in the other.
Upon hearing the door open Alexander looked up, his brown eyes lacking the edge he had seen earlier. “Dennison?” He asked suddenly, a gleam of hope in his eyes as he stared up at Caspian.
“The butler? Dead.” He shook his head as he spoke, his words simply affirmed what Alexander had already guessed but that didn’t stop it from crushing him. “Why didn’t you run?” Caspian asked as he looked at the man, he’d obviously known what was happening and yet he didn’t even attempt to escape.
“What use would that do? My father left me with enemies all over this fucking kingdom, do you know how it feels? To leave your home and suddenly feel the gazes of dozens of spies in the shadows? Even now they’re probably still watching, waiting to see what comes of this commotion… Even if you don’t kill me now without Dennison, I’m as good as dead.” He said with a sad chuckle.
Caspian nodded in sympathy; he was all too familiar with such a situation but even if he told Alexander that it wasn’t as if the man would believe him.
“You think I’m arrogant right? A young-master who abuses the powers that come with his position as Lord?”
“You’re saying you’re not?” Caspian asked, Alexander shook his head. “No, you’re exactly right! I’m a piece of trash, scum worse than human! Hahaha!” He said with a maniacal yet pitiful laugh as he looked at Caspian.
“You fucked everything up you know? I was this,” He pinched his fingers together just so that they were barely apart, “this close from succeeding. Then you, an no-body Mage, comes out of nowhere. At first I thought you were a spy, someone they’d sent to investigate me in the open yet Dennison discovered in a single night that not only were you a nobody, no one had even heard of a Mage matching your description in the surrounding towns or cities it was as if you’d appeared out thin air.”
Rage began to fill his voice before it was suddenly quelled, his tone held a hint of despair as he stared at Caspian.
Caspian was simply listening without commenting but Alexander didn’t mind, he continued to spill all the details of his plan and how they’d been preparing to finally strike back; just another week and his enemies would be exposed in the open but without Dennison, his strongest helper, no one would believe what the small Lord of a City had to say.
Caspian sighed when Alexander finished, he couldn’t forgive the man for attempting to kill him, but he also couldn’t understand his line of thinking. He was desperate, someone who would do anything to achieve their goal and while he was arrogant, he was smart enough to use that to his advantage.
Maybe if he hadn’t appeared then he really would have managed to expose those out to claim his life, yet it was seemingly his fate to encounter Caspian.
Alexander sighed, “You can kill me now…” He said slowly, his voice shook as if he was unwilling but there was nothing he could do anymore – he no longer held any of the cards to fight back.
“Not yet.” Caspian said plainly, “Don’t misunderstand me; I still want to kill you, but I still have my uses for someone in your position even if you lack any real power as the Lord of the City.”
“I’ll come find you in the morning.” He said and simply turned to find a room to rest for the night in, Alexander looked at his back with drunken stupor and a complex expression as he tried to understand what was happening.
He expected Caspian to turn around and suddenly kill him in a change of heart but that change of heart never came, the door closed leaving Alexander alone in his room.
[Why did you spare him?]
The system appeared suddenly surprising him.
“If I kill him it’ll just plunge the city into chaos; if he fears me I can use his position to my advantage. Nothing more.” He muttered although even he was uncertain if this was the reason, he wasn’t made of stone and Alexanders drunken ramblings had been an unexpected, ‘For some people living is worse than death.’ He thought in his heart as he ordered the Demons to stand guard outside of a room he randomly chose.
Thanks for the chapter
he wasn’t made of stone
well actually he is made of marble and that is a type of stone so he is made of stone.
(I know what the author meant there)
...Well hoping 'these scenes' aren't too many either cause it seemed unnecessary although unique way of something..?