Seeking Help

Ghost Demon limped through back alleys heading to the one person he could always rely on. When he was a child a sickness spread through the city. To stop the spread before vaccines could be made the king ordered all those showing signs of sickness to be executed and their corpses burned. This was one of the many blows the king would give to the city after such a proclamation. His mother, desperate to stay alive, sought out ways to cure herself. She searched for a person in medicine. She was determined to find a cure. She learned medicine from the same man he was heading to. Sadly his mother didn't get that chance when a daily raid came through town catching his mother in the market. They executed her on the spot. They never had a funeral for her.

The man who tried to help his mother was Doctor Troy Gibson. He was a very skilled alchemist, pharmacist, and surgeon who lived in the lowest part of the city to help those in need. He was brilliant enough to live the high life, but held true to being a man who helps others. He instilled these very teachings to Ghost Demon when he would watch him for his father.

Perhaps he stayed relevant in his life out of guilt unable to help his mother achieve her goal before she was found and killed. His father kept money coming in by being a thief. When his father tried to steal a big score he was executed. They hung him in the streets for days. Ghost's memories of walking through the street only to see his father hanging there after searching all night for him. Everyday was an insult seeing his father rot slowly flies buzzing from his screaming skull as the jaw fell to his chest. One day the corpse was gone and that seemed to fill him with more anger now both parents were taken from him.

After this he lived in the streets till Doctor Troy found him and gave him shelter. He taught him all he knew about chi and the human body. Alchemy became a big part of Ghost's life and being able to create chemicals to crack safes he became quite the thief. Was recruited to the Ghost Hand and was taught to be a warrior along with being a thief. Even had a few kill jobs with them. Ghost thrived and always stayed in contact with Doctor Troy.

'He's going to chastise me to no end once I get there. "Always make enough healing elixirs on you at all times! I told you when doing this vigilante stuff I would support you if you took precautions with your safety"' his voice echoing in his head. He chuckled, this is what he was going to tell him the minute he saw his state.

'Electricity had done something to my chi circuits' he thought, still trying to circulate chi to help his body slowly heal. He had another block till he was on the street to the doc's house. He saw soldiers patrolling the streets with the symbol of the Blood Sword. With it being night and the streets empty he put two and two together. 'So they had to be the ones to attack me tonight. Members of the Blood Sword? Bastards…they are next on my list' he watched the walk away and kept moving, sticking to the shadows. He finally arrived behind a bunch of houses and approached a raggedy looking hut with wooden shutters shut. A single light flickering by the door. He loosened the bulb on the light and knocked on the door. He could hear the rumblings of a man startled awake. "Who the hell is it this time of night!" He screamed.

The door swung open violently and there stood an old man with a pointed nose, his hair had a widow's peak, and his flowing gray hair stuck out in a crazy perm. His face dropped when he saw the masked man standing in front of him covered in blood. "Hey doc" he then slumped to one knee catching the door frame for balance. "By the gods!" He scooped him up and led him inside. Ghost leaned on him for support and he was led to a table with a magic circle. He laid down flat on his back staring up at Doctor Troy who was rolling up his sleeves and then purifying them with a glowing liquid cleansing any germs. He put on gloves and had a surgical kit ready. He began helping Ghost undress so he could see the damage. Ghost removed his mask revealing an average looking young man with a shaved head. Dull grey eyes and a clean shaven face. He had an artificial element tattooed on the base of neck for Shadow Element. 

Troy got to work and activated the table with a snap of his fingers. He then began to remove shrapnel and bullets. He sewed a few wounds that needed it and began to make a paste with herbs and other chemicals. He swished it around and then began to lather the wounds with it. The paste then started to glow, "Keep circulating your chi to help along the process" Troy commanded as he applied the last of the paste. His body looked like it was covered in glowing mold upon his skin. The paste made his wounds numb and he could feel the comforting warmth from it. He kept his eyes closed as he circulated chi from his Soul Core throughout his chi circuits. The blockage from before seemed to subside and he was able to get control. 

Troy cleaned his hands with a rag and poured himself a whiskey taking a seat on a chair by the table. "So I assume you failed to heed my warnings on being prepared? You're getting too arrogant with this persona. You rush in lately rather than be prepared for any situation" Troy shook his head in disappointment. Ghost had his eyes closed so he didn't notice it, but he knew that the old man had that look. He used to give him that same look as a child. "I know Troy. I'm alone out there and need to be proactive. The tip given to me was corrupted from the start. I'll be sure to rectify that once I'm healed up" Troy downed his drink and poured another. "What is it you have accomplished so far?" This caused Ghost to sigh. He was referring to the deaths of many allies who were affiliated with him. He put a target on their backs simply for helping, or getting help from them. He carried that guilt all the time. "I know the blood that has stained my hands Troy. My allies have abandoned me except you of course thing is I don't blame them" Troy was blunt with his next comment to make sure it drove home. "Then quit?" he sipped his whiskey waiting for the answer he would give to such a comment. 

"I would if I could, but I need this just like the city needs it. It's who I am now and nothing will change that. I will continue to be the Ghost Demon long after this war is done. Nothing matters more than the mission to free the people from his grasp" Troy seemed to smirk at this. "Be more prepared next time. I won't be around forever. I'm not a high ranking cultivator like you. I merely took that up to study chi for my abilities in medicine. I will say your parents would be proud of you" he downed his glass and set it upon a table. He stood up and stretched, "I'm off to bed. Night kid spare room is yours like usual" he patted Ghost's shoulder and left. "Night" Ghost said back. He kept his eyes closed and began to feel the lull of sleep take him. He drifted away into a memory of the past. Same creeping dream always seemed to find its way into his sleep no matter what. He stood in the town square and he was a child in rags. He had dirt upon his face, and looked hungry. In front of him was a long hangman's pole and dangling from it was his father. The corpse of his father began to stir and the sockets started to glow blue. "Hello son" a raspy voice called to him from deep inside the corpse's throat, but the mouth did not move. It remained ajar and dangled open in front of the boy. 

"Why do you disturb my peace at rest?" Ghost asked the corpse. The corpse giggled, "Can a father visit his son?" the corpse giggled again. "You're not him. Your voice is wrong and you are nothing more than a figment of my guilt for letting him die" the corpse's broken neck snapped as its limp head faced the boy. "You are destined for more great things. If you accept my gifts and become the emissary to Death itself. You kid yourself playing a hero like your ordained by the World to be its slayer. You are neither" the corpse laughed. "Emissary to Death?" he ignored the taunts. They had gotten old and the corpse was always insulting. "You are the lone survivor of a great cleanse towards the Ghost Hand. You have cheated death your whole life from sickness to betrayal. You are perfect to serve Death" the boy turned and began to walk away. "Don't worry I will see you soon. We have all the time in the world! FATE WILL FIND YOU!" The corpse then started to laugh as he walked away.