Hopes and Dreams

Walking through an endless golden hall, Cain opened the door to Zeki's office.

"How'd it go? Did you get rid of that 'cancer' you hate so much?" Zeki's tone was filled with disdain.

"Yes, why? Does the cancer-loving clown feel sorry? Are you going to betray our Lord because I killed a few alley rats?"

Zeki frowned, "I would never betray our Lord. And I'm an entertainer!"

Crossing his arms, Cain scoffed. "Fine. Is there any new information? Lagus told me you just got the new files."

"Funny how we still use things like files. I guess it just reminds many of us about reality. A place we can never return to." Zeki opened his desk and took out a folder, throwing it down for Cain to see.

Cain picked it up and flipped through it.

"That Blood cult is still on the rise? Why hasn't anyone dealt with them yet?!"

Zeki shrugged, "Beats me. None of our people could find them after they go into hiding. Those we catch talk about some great god and retribution before committing suicide."

The hardest part when dealing with cults like these was that it was extremely hard to catch their members. Suicide was as easy as creating the thought, and for the authorities, it was hard to stop an instantaneous process like that.

"Well, we have to do something soon. They're growing."

Zeki gave a shallow nod. His body language showing hostility to Cain.

Cain noticed Zeki's attitude, how could he not?

Zeki's attitude finally triggered Cain. "Ugh! Why do you care about bettering this city? You've acted like this ever since I brought up the idea and the Lord agreed! What I'm doing is for the best!"

Taking the brunt of Cain's anger, the clown hopelessly fidgeted with a pen on his desk. 

"Maybe... but all those people you killed, they had lives. They had hopes and dreams. They were people.

"You might not understand, but I've been here a long time. I've seen many people have their dreams crushed, their lives stomped on! To you, you're making this city a better place, but to me, I just see you finishing off those that don't fit the proper 'criteria' you demand of this city."

He muttered a few more words, "We're all people. Don't treat them like trash."

'Stomping on them... I guess I am.' Cain's mouth crept into a helpless smile. 

"Nevertheless, Zeki, this needs to be done to create a place where everyone's hopes are fulfilled. Once that's done, people like them won't have to go through the soul-crushing defeat of their dreams shattering."

".....yes, I suppose."

Zeki continued to sulk. The room was quiet, Cain wasn't going to leave until Zeki at least understood him a little.

And the Clown indeed buckled, "Hah... fine. I won't bring it up anymore. Whatever you and the Lord do, I'm okay with it."

"Thank you."

The door quickly shut and Zeki was left sitting behind his desk. 

Gilbert swam out and tried to raise his master's mood. But to no avail. 

...

Cain spent the rest of the week going to different areas of the grand city, killing criminals and innocent vagrants who tainted the subconscious of everyone.

This was the only reason Cain had to kill them.

The slightest dilution of hope in the consciousness could ruin everything. The broken and twisted needed to be eliminated for the next step.

Zeki didn't know this, and he also didn't know such vagrants were not the only innocent targets.

With the use of Hope, Cain would also find many people in the city who had crushed hopes and dreams. Such people didn't turn sour like those in dark alleys, but they also restricted the success of Cain's Land of Hope.

So they were all killed without prejudice.

Some nights Cain would get nightmares, although he didn't need to sleep, he, like many, imagined tiredness to keep his sanity.

But ever since he began killing again and again, his mental state slowly crumbled.

Sometimes he would cry, and sometimes he remained indifferent.

But he always repeatedly reminded himself of his goal. He needed to sin to fix everything; he told himself everyone's sacrifice wasn't in vain.

His self-given false role of a messiah kept him together. This, with the Dream Lord's approval, even more reinforced his fracturing morality and mind.

Cain too had hopes and dreams, and he was required to devour and destroy the hopes and dreams of others to make his own shine bright.

It was all for a better future, it was all for a haven among havens.

It was all for Luna.

It was all for everyone.

Only when this Land of Hope was built could he rest; only then could he be at peace.

So he continued, he steeled himself against his fears and doubts. He eliminated all negative emotions.

He was the pinnacle of Hope, he was the burdened Messiah. He was Cain, the Servant of Dream.

'Hehe...I have to do this! I have to!'

It was unknown how far Cain had lost himself. Or maybe since the beginning, he wasn't quite "himself".

...

A young Dreamer ran down a hall constructed of grey bricks. The bricks themselves gave off a mesmerizing and mysterious aura that left everyone in awe.

"High Priest! High Priest!"

Leon stood at the end of the hall, surrounded by Knights draped in red. Some wore simple cloaks, covering their faces, while others wore heavy armor without helmets, their faces for all to see.

All of them looked like veterans of the battlefield, their clothes and armor stained in blood.

Leon turned around to look at his lamb.

"What is it?"

"The authorities have begun investigating us! They tried to question Tammy and Jacob, but they sacrificed themselves to the Lord!" The cultist gave bad news, but his demeanor was crazed and full of adoration.

"Ah, fear not. This is to be expected. We have become a large church now. We have constantly been expanding our facility. So many have joined us that entire communities have disappeared."

"Well, we had to take our families with us...."

Leon grinned. "No matter, young one. They will understand after the Lord comes. Keep them in the prisons, and when they finally realize the true path, release them. But remember to watch them; it could be a wicked trick!"

"Yes, High Priest, yes."

The cultist continued to bow and left.

Leon pulled one of the draped knights close to him, "Continue brainwashing the older Dream Folk. They can't resist all those different devices in the black market. Those that join without the brainwashing, keep a close eye on and brainwash them as well if you have to."

The cloaked knight nodded.

"Of course, Lord Leon. But the black market is being torn apart by the other half of the Lord."

Leon fell silent.

"Damn it, those damn Dreamers just continue to ruin everything. Thankfully this gray stone can prevent Hope from affecting us. Just wait until the Lord returns!"

"Yes!" The knights yelled in unison.

Leon then added, "Continue to master this Realm's power. We all need to have strength. Just keep training; we need to buy time, that's all."

Almost all the knights bowed and left, only two remained to protect Leon.

Ever since the day the Corrupt One was repulsed from the city, he grew weak, his body was that of a 90-year-old fossil. It was a strange condition he was still trying to cure to this day.

'It does not matter if I stay like this for eternity. The Lord is all that matters. He will put that dog of Dream in his place, and then we will leave to chase the goal he moves ever closer to.'

Leon returned to the altar plastered in blood. Although it was fake, it held the symbol Cain used in Netherane. It was never important, but Leon thought it could at least form a connection with his Lord, due to it being a part of an important stage in his life.

Thankfully he was deeply connected to his Lord anyway, being a part of his mist.

Leon felt comfort in praying, he would kneel every day before the symbol of destruction and rebirth.

The symbol was just a carving of a willow branch covered in blood and slightly charred.

To Leon and many others, it was the symbol of their god's rebirth.

And Cain would return. As God for some, and as the Primordial Horror of Unknown for many.

This was Fate.

This was Destiny.