Chapter 29: True Face Unveils

As they exited the Mayor's mansion, Scholar Dwayne abruptly halted, his eyes narrowing as if he'd caught a whiff of something off.

Garret, noticing the sudden stop, turned to him. "What's wrong, Scholar Dwayne? Why did you stop?"

Dwayne glanced back at the mansion, a thoughtful frown etching his face. "Something doesn't add up. The Mayor's reaction seemed genuine, but there's an underlying tension that bothers me."

"Let's go back in, but this time, we remain undetected. We need to see what happens when he thinks we're gone."

Ruchir, Garret, and Alice nodded in agreement. Moving with stealth, they retraced their steps, slipping through the shadows and avoiding the guards' lines of sight.

The mansion, now quieter with the early dawn light creeping in, seemed almost serene, a stark contrast to the turmoil within.

The group managed to re-enter the mansion through a side door, their movements silent and precise.

They made their way to a dimly lit corridor, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows on the walls.

From their hidden vantage point, they watched as the Mayor, believing himself alone, walked into the grand hall once more.

The Mayor, unaware of their presence, threw the wine glass in his hand to the ground, the sound of shattering glass echoing through the hall.

His frustration was palpable. "Why do I always fail?" he muttered to himself, his voice filled with bitterness and anger.

They watched as he made his way to a hidden door behind a large tapestry, revealing a staircase that led down into the basement.

Dwayne motioned for the others to follow quietly. The four of them moved with the practiced ease of seasoned warriors, their footsteps inaudible against the stone floor.

They descended the staircase, the air growing cooler and more oppressive with each step. The basement was a stark contrast to the opulence of the mansion above. It was dimly lit, with rough stone walls and a faint smell of dampness.

The Mayor walked down a narrow corridor, finally stopping in front of a heavy wooden door reinforced with iron bands.

The Mayor pulled out a key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

The group waited for a moment, ensuring the Mayor was unaware of their presence, before slipping into the room behind him.

The room they entered was a small, cluttered study filled with ancient tomes, scattered parchments, and various alchemical equipment.

The Mayor stood at a large desk, his back to them, muttering to himself as he rummaged through a drawer.

"This should have worked," he growled, slamming the drawer shut. "Why did it fail again? The Magnolia was perfect... unless someone tampered with it."

Ruchir exchanged a glance with Dwayne, who nodded, signaling him to remain silent and keep observing.

The Mayor continued, seemingly unaware of his hidden audience. "I need to find a new way. The townspeople must believe the Blood Men are a real threat."

"Only then will they turn to me for protection... and only then can I gain the power I seek."

Alice's eyes widened in shock, and Garret's hands clenched into fists, but both remained silent, their faces grim with determination.

Dwayne leaned in closer, whispering to his companions, "We need to gather more information. If we confront him now, we might lose the chance to uncover the full extent of his plans."

They watched as the Mayor paced back and forth, deep in thought. His frustration was evident, but so was his resolve.

It was clear he was willing to go to great lengths to achieve his goals, no matter the cost.

The Mayor finally stopped pacing and pulled out a small, intricately carved box from a hidden compartment in his desk.

He opened it to reveal a collection of vials, each filled with a different colored liquid. "Perhaps one of these will work," he murmured, examining the vials closely.

Ruchir's eyes narrowed, recognizing some of the substances from his studies. "Those are dangerous," he whispered. "He's playing with forces he doesn't fully understand."

Dwayne nodded. "We need to find out what he's planning next and stop him before he can cause more harm."

The group slipped out of the room as silently as they had entered, their minds racing with the revelations they had just witnessed.

They knew they had to act quickly and decisively to prevent the Mayor from carrying out his dangerous plans.

Just as they saw the Mayor slipping out of the study, Ruchir, Garret, Alice, and Scholar Dwayne carefully followed him.

He moved with purpose, leading them through another narrow corridor before stopping at a heavy, iron-bound door.

With a quick glance around to ensure he was alone, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The group followed, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows.

Inside, the sight that greeted them was horrifying. The room was filled with corpses—people whose bodies had been drained, leaving them dry and lifeless.

The stench of death was overwhelming. Alice clapped a hand over her mouth, struggling to suppress the urge to vomit.

Ruchir and Garret, equally repulsed, turned pale, their eyes wide with shock and horror.

"This is monstrous," Ruchir whispered, his voice barely audible.

Garret clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "How could he do this?"

Scholar Dwayne's face was grim, but he remained focused. "We need to see what he does next. This might give us the evidence we need."

They watched as the Mayor approached a large cabinet at the far end of the room. With a twisted smile, he opened it to reveal five people inside—alive but unconscious.

Their bodies were gaunt, showing signs of severe malnutrition and abuse. The Mayor's eyes gleamed with a mad satisfaction as he looked at them.

"Soon," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm and cruelty, "you will meet your friends in the afterlife. And may they welcome you warmly."

Alice's eyes flashed with anger.

Unable to contain herself any longer, she stepped forward, drawing her weapon in a swift, fluid motion.

"Enough!" she cried, striking at the Mayor with all her might.

The Mayor, though taken by surprise, reacted with alarming speed. He parried Alice's attack effortlessly, his expression shifting from shock to a sinister grin. "Well, well," he said mockingly, "looks like we have intruders."

Alice stepped back, her face twisted with fury. "You're a monster!"

The Mayor laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "A monster? Perhaps. But necessary. The town needs a strong hand, and sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

Ruchir, Garret, and Dwayne rushed forward, joining Alice. Scholar Dwayne's eyes were sharp, calculating the best approach.

"Your madness ends here, Mayor. You won't harm anyone else."

The Mayor's grin widened. "Brave words, Scholar. But you're too late. The wheels are already in motion."

Garret drew his sword, his voice steady despite the anger boiling inside him. "We'll see about that."

The Mayor lunged at Alice, but she sidestepped, striking back with a precise, calculated move. The others surrounded him, their weapons drawn and ready.

The room's atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with anticipation and dread.

Ruchir, feeling a surge of determination, took a deep breath. "We won't let you get away with this. Not anymore."

The Mayor, realizing he was outnumbered but not outmatched, snarled. "You think you can stop me? You're just children playing at heroics."

Scholar Dwayne's voice was calm but filled with resolve. "We are more than that. We fight for the lives you've destroyed, and we will bring you to justice."

The Mayor's eyes flickered with uncertainty for the first time. "Justice? There is no justice in this world, only power."

Alice's eyes burned with fierce determination. "Then we will become the justice you fear."

The Mayor smirked, raising his hand and making a strange sign with his blood. "You think you can defeat me so easily? Let me introduce you to my children."

As he completed the hand sign, the corpses in the room began to twitch and turn a deep, unsettling red.

The transformation was horrifying. The bodies contorted and twisted, flesh melting and reforming into grotesque figures made of blood—Blood Men.

Garret's face turned pale. "This is how they come about? How could anyone do this?"

Alice, gritting her teeth, glared at the Mayor. "You're truly a monster!"

Scholar Dwayne, though appalled, remained focused. He knew the situation was dire, but he also knew the power of Righteousness Energy could turn the tide.

"We can still win," he said, trying to reassure the others. "We just need to—"

Before he could finish, a heavy longsword slashed towards him.

Taken by surprise, he barely managed to retreat, avoiding a fatal blow. The group turned in shock to face their attacker, their eyes widening in disbelief.

"Captain Braxton?" Ruchir gasped.

The Captain's once noble and determined visage was now twisted with a sinister glow.

His complexion was a sickly red, and his eyes, bloodshot yet lifeless, held no recognition of his former comrades. In his right hand, a red, shining stone pulsated with malevolent energy.

The Mayor laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the chamber. "Ah, you've noticed! My dear Captain Braxton is now my most loyal blood slave."

"Braxton, why?" Alice shouted, her voice trembling with a mixture of confusion and anger.

Braxton did not respond. His eyes were empty, devoid of the spark of life. The red stone in his hand seemed to pulse in rhythm with his movements, controlling him like a puppet.

Ruchir's mind raced as he recalled their previous encounter with the fugitive who had used a similar blood crystal.

"That stone... it's just like the one the fugitive used to break through to the Supernatural realm."

Garret, his sword at the ready, shook his head. "But Braxton's not himself. Look at his eyes. He's not in control."

The Mayor, reveling in their horror, stepped forward. "Correct. Captain Braxton is no longer your comrade."

"He is mine. His will, his thoughts, everything belongs to me now. That blood crystal you see in his hand binds his soul to my will."

Alice's hands trembled with fury. "You twisted his mind and turned him into this... this abomination!"

The Mayor's laughter grew louder, echoing off the stone walls. "Indeed, and soon, you will all join him."

Scholar Dwayne's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. "We need to take him down. We can't let him stay under the Mayor's control."

Braxton moved with unnatural speed, attacking Dwayne again with the longsword. Dwayne parried the blow, but the force behind it was immense. He staggered back, gritting his teeth. "He's stronger than before. Be careful!"

Ruchir, Alice, and Garret moved to flank Braxton, hoping to overwhelm him with numbers. But the Blood Men also closed in, their twisted forms lurching towards the group.

Ruchir swung his blade at a Blood Man, but his sword was almost knocked from his hand by the sheer force of its blow. "These things are relentless!"

Garret fought off another Blood Man, his movements precise but strained. "We need to get rid of them first!"

Alice, fending off a Blood Man with her staff, glanced at Dwayne. "Can you use your Righteousness Energy now?"

Dwayne nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "I'll need a moment to gather it. Keep them off me!"

The group formed a protective circle around Dwayne as he began to channel his Righteousness Energy. The air around him shimmered with a pure, golden light, pushing back the oppressive darkness of the blood magic.

The Mayor's eyes narrowed as he saw what Dwayne was doing. "No! I won't let you!" He gestured to Braxton, who lunged at Dwayne with murderous intent.

Ruchir intercepted Braxton's attack, his sword clashing with Braxton's longsword. The impact sent vibrations up his arm, but he held firm. "You're not getting through!"

Alice and Garret fought off the Blood Men with renewed vigor, buying Dwayne the time he needed. The golden light around him grew brighter, driving back the blood magic.

With a final, concentrated effort, Dwayne unleashed the Righteousness Energy. It surged through the room like a wave, purifying everything in its path. The Blood Men shrieked as their forms disintegrated, unable to withstand the pure energy.

Braxton staggered, the red stone in his hand cracking under the pressure. For a moment, his eyes cleared, and a look of recognition crossed his face. "Help... me..." he whispered, before collapsing to the ground.

The Mayor, now exposed, snarled in frustration. "You may have won this battle, but this isn't over. I'll make sure of it!"

As the Mayor retreated deeper into the mansion, the group took a moment to catch their breath. The immediate threat was over, but they knew the war was far from won. The Mayor's plans were more sinister and far-reaching than they had imagined. 

Scholar Dwayne, panting from the exertion, looked at his friends. "We need to stop him for good. We can't let this darkness spread any further."

Ruchir nodded, determination hardening his features. "We'll stop him. No matter what it takes."

Alice and Garret echoed the sentiment, their eyes blazing with resolve. Together, they would face whatever came next and put an end to the Mayor's reign of terror.