1 Thou shalt die

Today was just a normal day, as most days are, a completely ordinary high school day, going through classes, complaining about homework, and talking about the latest episode of that show we all pretended to watch for the other, nodding along, praying they dont catch on.

today was probably supposed to continue like that, at least until 6th period, we should have noticed something was off. Out teacher was late, the sun was setting, the air was tense.

but we noticed it to late, the cloud of miasma forming in the back of the class, the ticking sound of the demon that was being raised drowned out by our unsure murmuring.

and then in happened.

a sudden "pop" went off, not un-similar to a ballon popping, we all turned as if in a tranced cue, we say it, that, *thing*

Then the concentrated, permeating miasma exploded and enveloped the class, the screams of my classmates loud and ear piercing.

-present time-

but now here i am, gasping for air like a pathetic fish, hoping i dont die, as i do this i look at the derelict yellowing hallway, the flickering fluorescent lights, and the cage drawn shoppes that fill it, i lay on the cold tile.

i claw at my throat, being filled with this unbreathable miasma, tears flow out my face 'why, why me!?!' I scream in my head, unable to speak in my current state

i see an approaching something, i turn over on my stomachs to get a better look

"bargains! Bargains!"

the thing yells in a gurgled phantomy tone, it looks like a white, pale skinned ghoul, its mouth unmoving to the words its spouting, it looks like a raisin in tatter rags.

i stop clawing at my lowly airless throat and get up, my vision blurring 'if i can just kill it, i can eat its core, force a technique awakening, now how do i do that before i die?'

I look around for a weapon, as i do, we make eye contact

"BARGAIN" it screams as it uncoordinatedly rushes at me, tackling me to the ground "BARGAIN MEAT"

'oh fuc-' my silent screams reach my own ears as in clamps down on my neck, i feel its neck tearing, my vision blackening

'FUCK THIS, IM TAKING DOWN THIS PIECE OF SHIT WITH ME' i grab its train paper thin skin around its neck and tear into it, ripping it out

it lets out a silent shriek as it slumps and slowly melts into miasma.

————

the cackling cat looks at where the faded string of a spirit disperses and sets its vision onto what killed it, a dead boy

"impressive impressive" it cackles "to bad your dead- oh?" He sees the miasma of his fallen soldier coagulate into a bead, it falling into the mouth of the boy wholly by luck "my my, i wonder what will-" a mass of connections gets cut off as he shifts his focus "aww maaaaaan, the party poopers are here" it cackles some more

————

[you are dead]

"the hell?"

[after death you have consumed and awakened]

"again, the hell"

[your internal energy has corrupted, your energy has become a mix of miasma and spirit energy]

"no idea what that means, dont care, I'm dead anyways"

[your internal technique has been corrupted]

"still dead"

[your title has been given]

"ok, so i fail to see why this matters"

[technique: (true name redacted)]

"ok, so what does that mean?"

[technique change: necromancy]

"that makes no sense whatsoever, i mean how does a necromancer become a exorcist"

[skill unlock: rise]

"yaaaaaaay, a skill i can't use"

[skill unlock: graveyard *(full potential sealed)*]

[*(*=will not be said again)*]

[skill unlock: necronomicon *(incomplete)*]

"yea yea just keep it coming"

[skill unlock: arise *(most power sealed)*]

"ok so now what"

[rise: every 24 hours if you die you may revive yourself *this costs a risen soul]

"wait, wait wait wait, so I'm NOT dead" i ponder my unusual situation "i think i can guess what graveyard does"

[graveyard: any risen spirits may be held within this skill *held number is limited]

"ok, so i know how this works from my basic theory class, check graveyard

[1/1]

"ok, show graveyard contents"

[1 ghoul of penny pinching*]

[*(information added to necronomicon)*]

"ok then, you know the drill"

[necronomicon: much like a bestiary this book holds information on all types of specters, rumor has it, it holds information on all of them *incomplete info]

"open necronomicon"

[penny pinching ghouls page selected: this is the coagulation of the absolute need to save and the unwillingness to spend, this ghoul is easily distracted and very weak as a result of its lifestyle in life, its weak point is its neck and —— *(more info needed). It attacks by ripping into its target with its throat, though its co-ordination is low, some may consider this one of the weakest specters, but in that hand, there is ——*]

"so i have to sacrifice this thing to revive?"

[as a result of death, enough stray miasma has collected in the vassal, and in turn, a condition has been met to use {rise} freely *cooldown still applies **the miasma collected will fade after 12 hours]

"So your a fucking conman then, got it, wait, before i forget, whats arise?"

[arise: call upon the slain and call them to your aid, you cannot exceed your current compatibility]

"let me guess, its one"

[1/10]

"ok, so it applies to souls in my graveyard, but it probably grows to hold more souls then i can carry, neat"

[revive Y/N]

"yes, use the miasma"

[use keyword: revive]

"ugh, revive"

————

My throat burns in anguish at the newly breathable air, the miasma now able to be seen in think strands around me.