Reincarnation

Dexter:

The dim, warm, golden lights of the ballroom shone brightly on the formally dressed bodies that inhabited the room. Many of these bodies had partners, and they were dancing to the waltz that the orchestra produced. Many of these creatures had someone to dance with, while others had no one.

Dexter locked eyes with one of those few who had no one. He was a beautiful young man with sharp, alluring facial features. His fine, muscular body looked like it had been sculpted by a God and was made in perfect image. He had to be someone’s favorite to be sculpted so perfectly. Dexter was drawn to this man’s ideal aura, and so he began his way towards this man’s direction.

The closer Dexter got to him, the more he recognized this mysterious man. His sent, his looks, his aura- it no doubt was him. Someone who he loved deeply, who had vanished off the face of every planet, space station, spaceship, and space colony- it was him; it had to be.

“Balor?”

“Excuse me?” The man looked at Dexter questionably.

Now that Dexter was standing close to him, he could see his features clearly now. He had dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t gotten a good restful sleep in days now, and he had grey and black hairs forming a stubble beard. He had more of a longer hairstyle that went down to the base of his neck and had a few stray black and grey hairs covering his face. And he wore a very tired expression that matched well with the dark circles.

“You keep staring at me. Have we met before?” The man questioned Dexter.

Dexter laughed dryly, “Don’t be silly, Balor, it’s me, Dexter.”

The man gave him a blank stare, “Nope, I don’t remember knowing or meeting anyone named Dexter.”

Something’s wrong; this man looks exactly like Balor, and yet he is completely puzzled by me. Is he some shapeshifter? No, I’m a Grade 2 Ghost I would’ve figured out if he was some shapeshifter by now; a clone maybe? No, clones share the same memories as the person they were cloned by; maybe he is a doppelganger? No, I would’ve sensed if he was a ghost long before this conversation started- plus, why would some lowly Grade ghost challenge a ghost who is waaayyyy stronger than them? He has to either be a skinwalker or a changeling.

“Can I have a seat and chat with you?” Dexter asked without an answer and continued to sit down anyway.

“Sure,” The man said in a monotone voice.

Hmm, he is very monotone and emotionless, like a changeling, but he isn’t pale and deathly like one. His skin is a golden tan, and it shines in the dim lighting. He is very lively, so he can’t be a changeling. Skinwalker might be the likely option. All I need to do is stare at his eyes long enough and see if they glow yellow.

“Hmm, you are a very fascinating man,” Said Dexter as he stared at that man’s deep brown eyes.

“Thanks,” He said, turning his head away to look at the people dancing.

“So, what are you?”

“Excuse me?” The man said, turning his back to face Dexter.

His eyes are so brown and divine that they can’t be the works of a skinwalker. He’s not a shapeshifter, or a clone, or a doppelganger, or a changeling, or even a skinwalker, but he looks exactly like that man I once knew- even his voice has the same deep melodic tone as Balor. What are you, you strange, mysterious man?… Ah, I almost forgot I have a third eye that I use to see the minds of those who won’t give me truth. But I need to get close to him so that I can even read his mind.

“This conversation has been weird, and I apologize for that,” Dexter said, lifting himself. “How bout’ I make it up to you with a dance?” 

Sebastian:

Sebastian looked at Dexter with a blank stare before he reached his hand out to grab Dexter’s. And with that sign, Dexter pulled Sebastian to the dance floor. They were so close now, and now Sebastian could see Dexter much clearer. Dexter wore a playful expression laced with trickery; he had white feathery hair, but he wasn’t old- no, he was young and angelic-looking. His eyes were an ethereal purple but looked like they lacked life. He had pale skin, almost as if he was a ghost… and his scent- it was a smell that Sebastian couldn’t describe; it was familiar, yet it wasn’t. The only thing he could give to describe it was that it was vanilla laced with something else. Was the smell death? Maybe…

They slowly danced in silence for a long while before Dexter had to break the peace.

“Oh, I just realized I haven’t even asked for your name.”

“I don’t just give out my name to anyone.”

“Oh? Why not? Are you some top secret agent?”

“If I was some secret agent, I could give out any name, and you wouldn’t know which is the real one.”

I don’t think he realized that I figured out he is a ghost. His pale skin, fake-looking eyes, and smell- the smell of death that I’m all too familiar with. He is undoubtedly a ghost; I just don’t know what Grade he is. He hasn’t done anything for me to see his power level, but I know he can’t be a Grade 5 or 4; he is too smart and has a physical body I can touch. Maybe a Grade 3 or 2; I need him to do something to me to see his power level.

“Just give me a name, even if it’s fake. I want a name.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t give out private information to a ghost.”

The corners of Dexter’s lips twitched upwards. They got closer to each other as the orchestra began to pick up the pace into a more horrific sound, the sound of cats being pulled on their tails or of someone being tortured.

“I see; you know what I am,” Dexter said with a gin. “But it’s my turn to find out what you are.” 

Dexter:

Dexter stared deep into this man’s hypnotizing eyes as a third eye formed on his forehead. He grew a wide grin while the man stared at him, emotionless.

“Why are you using Balor’s body? Are you some trickster? Are you trying to play games with me?”

“Why don’t you find out for yourself, ghost.”

With an eager laugh, Dexter opened his third eye and was immediately pulled into this man’s mind. Memories, thoughts, dreams, and the past flashed before Dexter’s eyes in a fast blur of light and color. Dexter didn’t know where to start as there were so many memories, and for some strange reason, he couldn’t read this man’s thoughts; it was like a wall, or a barrier was keeping him from entering, so the only thing he could do was enter a random memory.

He found a bright-looking memory with people in it and began to walk into it before he was forcefully removed from it and put into another one that didn’t seem too bright. This one took place in a dark hallway deprived of any light, and it smelled awful, like a mix of blood, mold, and other bodily fluids. As Dexter walked down the hallway, he saw blood smeared and splattered against the walls, and he began to hear the wails and screams of lowly Grade ghosts and the screams of a man he did not recognize.

As Dexter turned the corner, he was met with a horrific sight. The man he was dancing with was wielding two dual daggers that contained some sorcery magic, as once the ghosts were on the blade’s edge, they would let out an ear-piercing scream and then explode into a mist of nothingness. Someone else was in the room, too; a man was crawling behind one he was dancing with. Although this man looked to be in awful shape as he was leaving a trail of blood, and there were dagger cuts along his back, one of his legs looked to be broken, while the other had a piece of rebar sticking out of his ankle. The man with the dual daggers barely had a scratch on him; his face was beaded with sweat, making him look wet. He was composed and not even trying as he exorcised these ghosts; he even let out a few casual yawns like this was a normal, boring day. The man turned his head to look at the one crawling away.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked mockingly as he used his boot to slam on the rebar, hard.

The man let out a painful screech.

“Stop control of these ghosts! NOW!”

“And if I do, you’ll just kill me!” The man hoarsely spat.

“I probably will. I’ll make it quick if it makes you feel any better.”

“THIS IS NOT A QUICK-”

The man with the dagger’s horse kicked the man in the face. “Don’t yell at me, I’m right here!”

And with that, the ghosts disappeared, and the hallway went eerily still. The man who got kicked didn’t move; he was completely still and motionless. A cold chill went up Dexter’s spine, something he thought he would never experience again as he is a ghost, but the man he was flirting with, dancing with, and in the mind of, was someone who hunts and kills ghosts and monsters, and this man had power- he could eradicate more powerful level ghosts like Dexter himself. It was the first time he truly felt fear and dread in the longest of time. Only one thought raced through his head: I must get out of here.

Dexter tried to close his third eye, but it was as if he was stuck in place, unable to move a muscle. He was about to resort to using his other powers and force himself out of this man’s mind when suddenly the memory he was in began to contort and stretch; then suddenly, it felt like he was flying backward through space as lights flew past him. The horrific memories of this man flashed through his head as he was being forcefully pulled out of his mind. Dexter felt as if his head was being repeatedly smashed against a wall; the pain his head felt was unbearable. The horrible memories kept flashing through his head when, suddenly, there was one that he was only able to grasp a glimpse of. This one was bright, and there was some higher divine being standing in front of the man; the divine being said something about reincarnation and rebirth before he was forced out of it.

Dexter begins to regain his senses as he is no longer in the man’s head. His face appears through the dimly lit lights; beads of sweat drip down the man’s face as he stares through Dexter’s soul. If ghosts could sweat, Dexter would be sweating bullets; he had to get away from him. As he began to conjure up a plan, the man forcefully ripped Dexter off the dance floor and dragged him away as if he was reading Dexter’s mind. 

Sebastian:

Sebastian dragged Dexter into a secluded alleyway; he threw Dexter onto the ground and pulled out two rich-looking dual daggers from his suit. He was about to exorcise Dexter when he threw out his hands and crawled to Sebastian.

“WAIT!” Dexter screamed in a hurry.

Sebastian gave Dexter a cold glare.

“I have a few questions; are you a reincarnation of Balor or his clone?”

“I’m his reincarnation; I don’t share any of his memories or past. I was reborn into his body as a completely different person; the only thing that I share with him is his powers.”

Dexter let out a mocking laugh. “Kind of ironic that you’re exorcising ghosts and monsters when Balor was an overpowered necromancer, don’t you think?”

“Any more words?” Sebastian sighed.

“No… You can go on ahead and kill me.”

Sebastian paused and stared confusingly at Dexter. So, that’s it. Is he not even going to try and fight back? He’s a Grade 2; he could put up a fight, but he’s just giving up so easily. No fun…

“That’s it?”

“What’s it?”

“You’re not going to fight me or anything?”

“No, there’s no reason for me to fight. I’m just going to lose anyway.”

“But you’re a Grade 2…”

“You’d still beat my ass if I was a Grade 1.”

“…”

“Balor is gone, dead; there’s no reason to stay. So kill me however you want; I just want to be together with Balor in hell.”

“What makes you think he cared about you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Balor was a hoe; he associated himself with multiple people and would tell them the same thing, and he probably long forgotten about you.”

Long, painful silence.

“Since you didn’t do anything harmful and are quite boring, I’ll make your death quick and easy.”

Dexter didn’t give any objection but stared lifelessly at Sebastian’s boots. Sebastian pulled himself on one knee and faced Dexter emotionless as he stabbed into the back of his neck. Dexter fell over with a plop, his body misting away until all that was left was a black pool of blood and nothing more. Waste of power…

Sebastian pushed himself up and stared at the ground for a few seconds before turning away.