Phantasm

by Debonair

In Death We Learn, Our True Purpose.

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Chrys ran over to her unconscious lover and went to work, she quickly changed and tried to start his heart. "Don't die on me, you can't." She encased her hand in a green ooze and stabbed her hand through him. The gel entered his blood stream and his heart started again. His ribs snapped back together, and the hole stitched itself up. "Thank the gods," Anton's eyes opened to her ecstatic face.

"You, saved his life, you wouldn't do that for a pawn."

"He's not a pawn, he's the only thing I have in this world."

"What is the favor?" Death helped Anton to his feet.

"But I lost." Anton asked confused.

"After five seconds."

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Did I really last five seconds? How the hell did I do that I should be dead. "Is it possible to return Chupa to normal?"

"That depends on your definition of normal, if there is such a thing."

"You don't have to do that, I am fine with living like this."

"I don't need anything, and there is nothing I want."

"I'm impressed, everyone else asked for money, power, babes."

"I'd love to hear about the whole list of what you can give, but we have to be somewhere, so adios amigo." I shook off the current situation, and turned my back to Death. I placed my finger and thumb in my mouth and whistled. "Oy Vamanos!" Chrys wrapped my arm in a hug,

"Did you really just turn your back to Death?" Her bedroom tone was back and better than ever.

"You may have hope, yet." Death laughed and disappeared.

"Why does he hate you?"

"He doesn't hate me, we had a falling out about three hundred years ago,"

"Really, what's the dish?"

"Well think of it this way, how would you feel if you couldn't do what you were born to do?"

"I'd feel worthless."

"If you have Immortality you can't be killed by disease, or poison, eternal youth grants you to not die of old age or be killed, but you can die from what immortality prevents."

"If you have both you can't die," That gave me an idea. "Wait, Chupa, Juan sorry."

"It's fine,"

"If we could get you immortality, it might get you human again!"

"But how?" Nina caught up with us. Chrys and I shared glances and we didn't have to read each other's minds to know.

"Pure Ambrosia, would give him temporary Immortality, until I can find Death again."

"You're not going to!" Chrys caught on to my stupid idea

"I can't let you throw away, the only thing keeping you alive." Chupa refused to take my offer. "You can't, you wouldn't last a week without it, you're a punching bag, and Immortals have the highest rate of survival." He started walking again.

"Multar ser esa manera."

"I will be that way, but I will take that God Nectar. Eternal youth is overrated, you won't die from a gunshot,"

"But you can die from the lead poisoning." Chrys finished. "You know a lot, for a salesman,"

"It's best to know who you're selling to, If a picture paints a thousand words, a thousand words can move a nation, an old friend told me that."

"My father told me that before he disappeared twenty years ago."

"I knew you sounded familiar, like I met you before."

"You knew my father, how long ago was this?"

"We met about thirty years ago, he said he had several people after him and needed a place to lay low. At first I didn't want anything to do with him, but."

"A thousand words can move a nation, my father had quite the way with words."

"Yes he has." Chupa smiled that toothy smile sending chills down my spine.

"Here," Chrys held out a vial. "Drink this,"

"Thanks." Chupa popped the cork and threw it back. In a flash of light he turned into a young man about my age is a black shirt and blue jeans..His stare remained blank as did his expression. "That Figures." His tone was cold and heartless, as usual. "I still lack sight." He raised his hand and waved it around like he was directing a choir. "But I've grown to live without it." Without so much as a crouch or tensing his muscles he shot onto the top of the outcropping. He ran his hand across the cold crystal. "It's here," He vaulted over to another cliff. "Brace yourselves," The ground shook beneath our feet and we heard the thumping of a slow stride. "Leave now,"

"What's happening?!" I shouted.

"He's coming,"

"Who's coming?"

"An old friend."

"We're friends, that's news to me." A young boy about nineteen years old stood upside-down on the ceiling his shoulder length hair dangled in front of his face. "It's been years old man, do you even remember who I am, or do you need a reminder?"

"Stow your tongue, or have you forgotten who I am, Gregory"

"What'd you say to con these idiots into coming with you." The boy flipped around and landed next to me. "Or did they feel sorry for the poor blind puppy?" Something about this kid isn't right. "They're a joke, they can't even stand up straight." He laughed right in my face. "And you want to play hero, when you're dating the villain!" His laughing was annoying. "You never read comic books. the bad guy is always right under your nose, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, the good looking ones are always evil." He strolled over to Chrys. "The world will never know peace, none of them will. And do you know why?" I had it, my fist flew straight to his face but he didn't so much as budge. He raised his hand and grabbed mine and twisted. "That's why, emotions run wild, the only way for anything to know peace, is to remove what makes you you."

That little twerp was right, what makes us human kills us. Well I'm not gonna let this little punk tell me I can't live life thee way I want to. "Tough talk for a tiny twit."

Gregory Battle Theme

"Look at that, the little man wants to go another round." His voice came from behind. "Are you sure you want to do that?" His voice shouted from above. "You gotta admit, he's right." What the hell is going on?

"Where are you!?"

"Behind you," I whip around, to find him lighting a cigarette. "No up above." He pointed up to another one standing on the ceiling. "Or am I right beside you?" A hand was placed on my shoulder. Each one wore a smile. "Which one, which one?" His fist slammed into my stomach throwing me onto my back. I look around to find they're just standing there, not moving with blank stares. "Does it even matter,"

"What have you done to them," I flipped over still reeling from the blow.

"Your eyes can play tricks on you," He took another puff from his cigarette. "So can your ears," Another one grabbed my leg and threw me into the air. "Pain is only as real as you make it."

=======(Manny's POV)=======

"Why aren't they moving, guys please talk to me." I shook my sisters. This isn't making any sense.

"Really, they can't hear you." That dude facepalmed. "Don't even try."

"Who are you?"

"That depends on who you're asking."

"What's with the mind games?" I readied my bow, and loaded a shadow arrow. "Tell me now or I'm gonna shove this right down your throat."

"An empty promise, the only thing shoved down my throat, will be your soul." A fist flew into my face as I let loose the arrow. I skidded back several feet. "That didn't hurt." I regained my compsure and saw I hit him, a long slit grazed his cheek, and I could see I drew blood. "Nothing you can do can hurt me." He took a step and disappeared into a grenade punch snapping my leg. The pain shot through me like it was being fileted. "But Everything I do can hurt you."

=======(Nina's POV)=======

"Two can play mind games."

"Really?"

"I hold the same power of persuasion you do." I hope he'll let his guard down long enough. "Yes I do." There was another me, wait more than one me, more than one him. "I'm dreaming!"

"Very astute, I like to call it the daydream state."

"Where your imagination runs wild,"

"Yet you are still connected to the real world still letting me dish out incredible amounts of pain." This guy's a genius,

attacking us where we're most vulnerable. My thoughts were interrupted by his one two kick combo, I raised to block it with my right arm which took the brunt of his attacks. His shin snapped both my Radius and Ulna bones. My foot swung around and was planted into the side of his face. I slammed my other foot on top of his, and grabbed his neck.

"You're the first one to catch on, the others have died already."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." My muscles tensed as I threw him through a cave wall.

=======(Anton)=======

It was all I could do to stay awake, he's just too fast. He's been brushing off everything I threw at him, then I noticed his face, a small slash scar had appeared. He dropped to one knee clutching his stomach, and vomited blood. "Looks like I may need more than I thought." His smirk grew demonic grin. "Restriction level two, released," His muscles began to convulse as the air around us grew heavy. What the hell is restriction level two? I felt something move at my feet the wind was picking up. He's a wraith, one of death's poster boys, don't let him get to number three or we can all kiss our asses goodbye. Let me help you may not be as strong as he is but, maybe I'm smarter. The voice in my head gave me an idea. The Buster-scythe must've caught on and lent me it's power. It flipped out into scythe mode as I scanned for anything, Stalactites. I traced a circle above him in my head and threw it. Just before they fell around him I felt sharp pain run through my heart, and I fell back to reality.

=======(Mari.)=======

I was holding my own just fine, I had him on the ropes, but his second wind is blowing like a hurricane. "What happened to him," He had strength but I had a leg up on him, speed. I had to charge, My feet took me in circles around him each of my steps left fire in my wake. "Hephaestan Furnace!" His skin began to burn away as his screams echoed throughout the cave.

=======(Juan Delatore, Chupa)=======

I could smell the burning flesh, Gregory may not be able to feel it but, the pain is there. He threw Haymaker after Haymaker, but I could in a sense see through his attacks. He was slow his attention was divided, and his maneuvers were easy to counter. I spun and grabbed his arm, and twisted. I felt the pop of his shoulder dislocating, I knew it wasn't real but the sound was comforting. "The Mind is a powerful weapon," With a well placed chop I dislocated his elbow, and Soldier Threw him into the air. "Howling Hurricane!" My fingernails sharpened and I luanched myself into a spin right above him. I could smell the fear, and that only intensified my bloodlust. "Soul Rend!" My feet brushed up against the ceiling and I sprang down as my hand grabbed onto his very being.

"You can't," His voice was one of desperation.

"I can and I will." The illusion shattered as he collided with the cold ground. He laid there unconscious as I tore my hand from his chest. The others returned to reality, but Anton wasn't doing so good.

==============

"Don't even try, he's long gone," Gregory stood holding his stomach with his left hand and his eye with his right. "Nobody's home,"

"No he can't be gone," The Queen was frantic, Gregory was right. Anton's soul has been snuffed out. "I can heal him." She tried to heal the wounds that weren't there.

"That crap can't help, he has no physical wounds it's all in his head." Gregory taunted as he fell to one knee. "But you did a number on me." His breathing was labored, and he felt incredible pain. "I could actually feel those." He coughed. "I've done what I came to do," Gregory slowly faded away into the shadows. "Good luck finding me Papi,"

=======(Anton's OOB)=======

What was I watching, am I dead? Where is Death I need some answers, I can't die I don't want to. "Where the hell are you, you Bony Bastard!"

"Well, well, well." Death appeared next to me, that same stupid file in his hand.

"Put me back or you'll be in that well." I grabbed him by his cloak collar. "Do it know!"

"I can't," He grabbed my wrists. "You suffered tremendous mental trauma, if I put you back now, there's a good chance you'll go comatose."

"¿Te parece que le doy el culo de una rata?"

"Sorry there's no going back."

"Time to cash in that favor, make me one of those Wraiths."

"How do you know about wraiths."

"One of your lackeys just made me muerto, so just do it."

"Which one?" Death took a serious undertone.

"Gregory,"

"Gregory Delatore," He rumaged through his briefcase, and pulled out another file. "Here he is, he's a lot like you, his father went missing, years ago. Hates to lose, his imagination is his most powerful weapon. I enlisted him after his death, Detroit, Michigan June 12 2012. Same alley as Tech."

"He actually killed one?"

"Not directly, when your gun was fired the second time the bullet passed clean through, and tada Greg's dead." This news made me cringe, I killed three innocents that day. He could sense my guilt. "It wasn't your fault, it was Etranek's. It's the strangest thing I actually feel sorry for you." He shuddered. "From now on you answer to me, understood?" I nodded. "Good, this gets you one step closer to your father." He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," I took his hand and we shook on it. I was thrown back into my body, and I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Chrys's eyes overflowing with tears.

"No lloren hijo, No lloren chica,

Únicamente sonríe, de ahora en,

por lo tanto siempre,

recuerdan,

a escucharme,

y para mantener esperanzas,.

Don't cry son, Don't cry girl,

Only smiles, from now on,

so always,

remember,

to listen to me,

and to keep high hopes." Her eyes lit up and so did the kid's, Juan just stood there arms crossed with a smile on his face.

Author's Note:

End of Shadows Arc.

Comments

[RonepoSentepo]

i enjoyed this immensely.