Painting Liquid
It's been years ever since Greyson's death. His family is still in pain. His girlfriend was deeply in sorrow that she didn't come to school for weeks now.
A few years ago, Greyson committed suicide by jumping off from the rooftop. Further investigations and several interrogations from the students have shown that this was the cause of bullying. But, I know why he had to jump off the rooftop, it was indeed bullying, but there is another reason he had to kill himself.
Greyson befriends a transferred student in our school who many other students constantly bullied because of the new kid being treated as a pathetic, cowardly, and weak person. The transfer student happens to be a professional artist that drew beautiful paintings. Greyson told me that this student had no friends. He has a complicated relationship with his parents because he doesn't want to talk about it because of some unstated reasons.
However, we never expected that the class bullies would bully him because Greyson helped the student who was looking down on by the whole class. The bullies in our school eventually target him for many reasons that are used as excuses for their own. This happens day by day until Greyson was told by one of the bullies that there is a sure way to escape this hellhole. He has to frame the new kid in our school. He had no choice. He couldn't take any of this non-stop torture any longer, I felt sympathy for him, but I couldn't step in. I was afraid I might become like him too.
It happened as according to their expectations, the new kid was scolded by the teacher before being sent to the principal's office after they all thoughted he was a theft that stole away an expensive item from one of the spoiled but popular students in our class. But, Greyson told me that he felt guilty for doing such, and he said he'll always live in regret, and that, is where he ends his miserable life.
We intended his funeral, and a few weeks later, Jenny transferred to a different school so she could forget all the pain from the loss of her boyfriend. I understand that we still keep in contact with each other.
Well, that was until I met "him," a few days have passed ever since Jenny has moved to a different school. I've recently gone on a Summer vacation with my family to Canada, one of our relatives, my uncle lives there with his wife, and two children.
During the night, when I just got back to the hotel after saying I wasn't going to have dinner with my family, to my shock, I found a strange man that is hiding his face underneath a hoodie sitting on the nearby couch in our room.
"Who are you?! And what the hell are you doing in here?!" I asked.
"Fear not, for I have seen everything," said the creature.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.
"You may not know me, but I know you. I know everything about you, your past lives, your family, your friends, the places of your relatives, and where you live," it said.
"What the hell do you want?!" I asked.
"It's obvious. I want to make a deal, of course. I recently heard that a friend of yours name Greyson has died, didn't he?" asked the creature.
"What on Earth are you talking about? Are you insane?" I asked.
Before I could say a thing, the light in my room started to flicker. The man got up and pulled his hoodie off, revealing that it was a shadowy figure devoid of all kinds of facial features. It has no eyes, nose, ears, and hair. The only thing I could see is a jagged mouth that is glowing in blue.
"Now, shall we continue?" it asked.
"Who are you?" I asked again.
"It's such a rude thing not to introduce myself. I am the Elder Lich, also known as Cosmic Death," the Elder Lich said.
"What?" I asked.
"Haven't you heard of who is Death? Do you know that famous folklore legend of the god of death, the grim reaper?" it asked.
"Are you Death?" I asked.
"Cosmic Death!" it said.
"What do you want from me? Are you here to collect my soul?" I shivered in fear and asked it.
The so-called "Cosmic Death" immediately walked and sat back on the couch. He looked right at me and smiled.
"Oh, no, I came here because, as I said, I want to make a deal; I want to bring your friend back to life," said Elder Lich.
"My friend back to life? Are you saying that you can resurrect Greyson back from the dead?" I asked.
"Indeed I can, only if you agreed to our deal," said Elder Lich.
"Your proposal?" I asked.
"Don't worry, nobody has to die, not innocent lives," said Elder Lich.
I take some time to think of my decision. I suddenly started to remember Jenny's sadness over the loss of her lover, he is Jenny's world, and she is his world too. I don't have any chance. I turned around and faced the Cosmic Death.
"All right, what will it be?" I asked.
"Shake my hand, that's all. I'm just a cosmic being who wants the world to be at peace only," said Elder Lich.
I slowly raise my hand forward and shakes its hand.
"Very well, the deal is formed, although I was planning to revive him back from the dead without your permission, but, since you've allowed me based on your caring for his girlfriend, I guess you do have a good heart after all, now, I will be get going," said Elder Lich.
Just that he disappears from the room, never to be seen again, a while after that confrontation. However, nothing changed over the past few weeks. The school, his family, Jenny, and I haven't seen him. I thought Elder Lich was supposed to revive him from the dead, then when would that happen?
I was walking my way down the streets back to my home when suddenly, I got a phone call coming from Jenny.
"What's up? I haven't seen you contacting me for a while now, is there something you wanna talk about?" I asked.
My expression suddenly changes as she told me that Greyson's body is nowhere to be found, I rushed to the church, and when I got there, I saw Greyson's parents and Jenny standing there and looking at an open coffin. I walked over and took a look. To my surprise, there was no one in there except for dirt.
I couldn't believe it; The Elder Lich did it, he revived Greyson back from the dead, but where is he?
The police later arrived and launched an investigation. There were no clues of whoever has taken his body away, but one thing for sure, I know he's alive now, but what is he doing now? Could the Elder Lich be keeping him?
A few days later, I was walking home after a long party I had at Jim's house, I saw a strange guy who walks right in front of me, he was wearing a bartender suit that is covered in color substances dripping off, it's like he just recently finished a game of paintball war.
His face looks identical to that of Greyson. He is good-looking and is seen wearing a pair of red glasses. He is smiling at me mischievously.
"Uh, may I help you?" I asked.
"Woah, that's a shame, you don't remember me, Danny?" the guy asked.
"W-what? G-Greyson?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's me here. I stop by and see how are you doing, my old friend," he said.
"Greyson, what happened to you?" I asked.
"Well, frankly, I recently was revived back from the dead by an old man, well, I guess you've met him, but, it doesn't matter, I felt like he's okay, but a bit annoying if you ask me," he said while turning away and look at the skies.
"Huh? Grey, what the hell is that on your hand?" I asked.
Greyson turns around and stares at me. He suddenly gave me a creepy smile.
"Huh? You wanna know what this is?" Greyson asked.
From a matter of seconds, my face turned pale in horror of what I'm seeing. Greyson is holding a dead human head in his right hand.
"Well, don't get the big deal, this guy deserves to die, Emmet Wardwell, he is part of a dangerous mafia-gang that rules over the slums down the city of Canto, Ohio, they've established a rule in which those who revolt against them would be killed immediately, as long as nobody tries to interfere their business, they are all safe, but the townspeople lived in fear, it was my decision to get rid of that mafia-gang, and end their horrifying deeds," said Greyson as he dropped the head of the dead man on the ground.
Beside Greyson suddenly appeared the Elder Lich.
"Hello, did yah miss me?" Elder Lich asked.
"You?! W-what the heck! T-This wasn't a part of the deal. You just made my friend convicted of murder," I said.
"Somebody didn't understand my words, huh?" The Elder Lich just laughed at my confusion. But, I later found out what it meant. Before the deal was made, it did say, "Don't worry, nobody has to die, not innocent lives," Elder Lich said only innocent lives don't have to die, but those who are sinners do.
Elder Lich immediately hands me a contract that he forgot to lend over to me after our deal. I read the whole thing, and that's when I noticed it.
As the permission of one of the dead soul's familiars, I hereby resurrect him back from the dead. However, he must follow the rules that I set.
- The resurrected soul feels free to do anything they want. Their lifespan isn't bound with me at all, so even if I'm dead, they and their powers won't perish from existence.
- The resurrected soul shall gain a new personality that they would tend to kill as many types of criminals, depending on their decisions. They may spare the sinful souls if they find their target's testimony as make sense to them.
- The resurrected soul can wish for any ability, or talents they desire, whether if it's martial arts skills, weapon proficiency, the ability to manipulate anything, or even omnipotence, and many more. However, it noted that it would only work if the soul is the pure heart because, after their resurrection, they shall have half of their humanity devour by the Cosmic Death.
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