For strengthbeyond

[antichrist_ceo]

It was late at night in Seattle. A young man in a black business suit, who was barely just 21 years of age, a person who didn't look dangerous or a threat to anyone. Or even powerful. Ohh, but appearances can be quite deceiving. None would guess that such a charming, seemingly innocent man as this had the power to literally tear the world in two. That he had the potential to one day rule it all. Or destroy it all. Ahh, one day. This trip to Seattle, though, was different. It wasn't to start a business. Well, it could be. At some point. But something else had his attention. He had earlier found a few amateur student videos sent to Youtube, mostly showing differing points of view of the same event- a high school talent show.

Most of it was mediocre, but the performance of Andrew Detmer had caught his eye. Some of the tricks might be explainable, but some... well. Damien suspected magic or superior science at work. He decided to meet him. But tonight, as the helicopter flew him into the city limits, he received a call telling him it may be tool late. Followed by some footage that was sent to him phone. Utter chaos. Andrew floating in mid air. Fighting with another. Flying debris at each other. The area seemingly turned into a war zone from the use of powers. And the end of the battle, with a long pole slamming down into Andrew, killing him. "Huh, that seems familiar," Damien mused, remembering a priest who once died in a similar fashion.

"Sorry, sir, it's too late," his contact had said on his phone. Damien nearly snarled, clearly unhappy. And then smiled. "I think you forgot who I am," Damien responded, reminding him who and what he was, and what it meant. "It's never too late." And so he had made it a day later than he wanted, but he wasn't as worried as most people would be. To someone liked Damien, death was just a minor obstacle. He knew ways around it. He quickly found the morgue and walked in like he owned it. "Oh, right on time," he said, seeing a man about to do the autopsy on the young man, still in hospital gown. "You can leave. Now. Forget I was here." Damien stared into his eyes, and the mortician dropped his scalpel, eyes blank. Then he nodded, walking out of the room.

Damien sighed, alone at last. "Andrew, we meet at last. A shame it isn't under better circumstances." He came to the table, which the currently deceased Andrew was laid upon, in hospice wear. Arms bandaged from burns, but one more bloody then the other. A scar on his head, missing hair due to the operation. And a hole near his upper front shoulder, with a similar one on his backside - the killing stroke. "Terrible," Damien said, looking him over. He had a fleeting thought briefly that Andrew looked cute too. If only there wasn't so much injury to ruin it. "I can fix you," he said to the body, touching his head, fingers moving in his hair. The stitch was gone and scar instantly sealed. And hair had grown back, making him seem normal on that part at least. His hands then slowly moved to unwrap the arm bandages, slowly running his fingers over the forearms, and within moments? The burns were gone. No blood. The arms were clean, healed perfectly.

He then slid his hand slightly under the gown on his chest, moving to the wound on his upper body. Cells then were suddenly rebuilding, tissue reforming, vessels connecting. On both sides of the wound, and between, til it was filled. Until it was no wound at all and nothing left but unblemished skin. The stiffness of death, the blue lips and rigor mortis condition even seemed to be gone as well, the dead body now only having the appearance of a man in sleep. "There now, looking much better," he said with a grin as he rested his hand on the male's forehead. "Okay. Looks like you're ready now. Come back, Andrew. I am the resurrection and the life, and so I command life to return. Arise. Live. Live. I command the body to live, the soul to return. Now." Focusing his supernatural power, as he willed him to come back to life, and then waited.

Comments

[strengthbeyond]

The awareness was sudden. First there was only blackness and nothing, then all the sensations flooded back in. He inhaled sharply and opened his eyes, sitting up suddenly as he patted at his own body.

He remembered pain and anger. He should be injured. There was nothing there.

He turned to look at the only other person who was there with him and asked, "who are you?"

If this was weeks ago, Andrew would never believe a human capable of such things, but after coming across that strange rock that day, well.

[antichrist_ceo]

Yes. Yes! Damien was pleased to see that this actually worked. Not that he wasn't sure. Of course it would, he's the Antichrist, so naturally it had to be possible. And now, seeing the young man breathing, sitting up, and speech, that just confirmed it. Damien answered with a light grin, "Your savior, of course. Literally. I raised you back to life."

He paused. "..Oh. You mean my name, right? Damien Thorn. Head of the multinational company Thorn Industries. Though I'm actually so much more than that. After all, how many people do you know of that can raise the dead, heal wounds, or walk on water? I'd wager not many." He approached closer then. This was amazing. The person he wanted to meet was alive again, all thanks to his power.

"I was supposed to meet you before, but.. well. You getting impaled by a pole complicated that. I didn't just bring you back, I.. well, you can see and feel for yourself. You looked.. really bad. Burns all over. Scars. Blood. I can't imagine how much pain that was to endure. But I fixed all that, and now you definitely look a lot better. But how do you feel now, though? Everything normal? Healthy? I think I got everything, but please let me know if I anything else needs restoration."

Sorry for the delay! Lost track of the tag in my inbox

[strengthbeyond]

Yeah, he definitely noticed. It felt like waking up a new man, which probably wasn't too far from the truth now. He held out his hands, turning it over to study them and his arms.

"I feel fine." He stuck his hands under his arm pits and drew his legs up. "Do you have any spare clothes on you?"

[antichrist_ceo]

"Clothes?", Damien asked, absently for a moment and then realized. "..Oh! Right, yes. Of course. I did actually anticipate you might need those. So, I brought some. I.. hope you don't mind dark colors. I happen to like it." He smiled and set a bag on the table, pulling out a few items of clothing, all high end designer brands. A few black shirts, blue jeans, silk boxer shorts, pair of shoes.

"Oh, and also this," he added, pulling a pair of shades and leather jacket from it as well. "I bet you'd look totally badass in this. Alternatively, a trenchcoat might be an option if you like." He glanced around then and gestured to a door. "So just pick whatever stuff you want from the pile, and you can change in that room there for privacy if needed." He figured that would help make him more comfortable too, and give him some time to think and adjust while dressing himself alone.

[strengthbeyond]

"Jesus. These are expensive," he couldn't help but exclaim as he looked through the bag, glancing up at Damien briefly. "You don't look like you're in your 30s." How did he get all that money? It was almost unfair. But, then again, life had proven to be very skewed against his favor.

He picked out what looked like the simplest clothes he could find in there and took them with him to the door. As he closed it, he risked another glance at Damien. He half expected the other man to be gone by the time he came outside and he'd realize he'd actually been locked up in an insane asylum.

[antichrist_ceo]

Damien laughed when asked about his age. "Oh no, definitely not 30s, I'm actually nearer to your age. I'm 18. Most of my money.. well, I inherited it from the family I was adopted into. I know, 18 is pretty young for someone to be in charge of a company." He smiled then and added as a comparison, "But then again, Alexander the Great had conquered most of his known world by the time he was 18."

He watched as Andrew picked his chosen clothing and departing to the other room. Normally when he planned to resurrect someone, this would be the end of it and he'd be on a plane back home. But this one time was a special case. He didn't just bring a young man with powers back to life, only to just leave him alone afterward. No, he had plans. He had read up on some of what happened to Andrew, from medical and police files, and such. Damien actually wanted to help him improve. Maybe even make things better for them than they had been before. And of course, he was also curious to learn more of the powers too. And so, when Andrew would finish and come back out, he'd see that Damien was still standing by the table.

[strengthbeyond]

That was nice. At least it won't feel like he'd been abandoned again. He came out, looking and feeling rather awkward in the expensive clothes. He tugged at them as he came out, giving the tag that was formerly on his body a look.

He should feel more about having been dead but after everything that had happened...

"So what now?"

[antichrist_ceo]

Damien had patiently waited, and sure, enough, Andrew had come back out, wearing the new clothes. He could tell it was new to him. Well, maybe in time the young man would be more used to it. But as soon as he saw him, Damien couldn't help but grin. "Oh, wow," he said, giving an approving nod, "you look even better now. Very nice."

He thought for a moment. What now, indeed. So many things. But this was at least a beginning. "Well, now.. now is where your life gets better. I wish to help. But right this moment, I have to admit I'm very curious. I'd seen the footage of how you died. Of everything that happened around it. Special powers, which, I must admit, were far more impressive than a high school talent show. I mean, you flew. And could stop bullets. How did you get those abilities? Was it from birth or was it given to you? Like maybe magic, or aliens, or a science experiment... whatever."