Crusader of the Blight
Chapter 1: Deal with the Devil
The slow thumping of the old soul's heart was the only natural sound that could be heard within his rather splendor hobble of expansive hallways and decor made of silver and porcelain, the rest of the mansions ambiance consisted of life-monitor beats, the wheezes of oxygen tanks and the blubbering buffet of a personal heater.
The Old man laid in his bed, like a dead fish being displayed in a rural market, he was underneath thick covers of expensive-looking silk that was naturally hued in shades of ivory and pearl, thin but long surgical tubes and wires leaking out of the blanket as the Old man struggled to breathe in a cohesive and rhymic pattern.
The thick blankets engulfing the old man seemed to almost be crushing his weak and over-used frame, his wrinkly face displayed a somber frown as he seemed to be waiting for something, for someone in fact.
His helper should be here at any moment, the one that would make his last days a bit more accepting, the one that would make his broken-self a bit less frightened about his final destination which was arriving very soon.
His helper seemed to be late in the moment, it was enough for the old man to whimper in an almost-state of sorrow, to his mind, if he was going to die, he wanted to at least not die alone, his helper has been with him ever since the fellow was conceived and left right at his doorstep.
The life support that he has all implemented into his body could only ward off the threat of death for so long, he felt his heart slowing down, it lacked the strength to keep on beating, even with a pacemaker installed into the Old Man's inner cage.
Finally realizing that this will be the end, the Old man whispered an almost wordless prayer as he closed his eyes for the final time.
That was until he heard a distinct sound, it wasn't his now useless life support machines, it was something living, it was the sound of fluttering, wings beating against each other in a pleasing manner.
The Old Man had enough courage to open his weak eyes, to his astonishment, it was a single butterfly that seemed to be accompanying him on his final day, it was no ordinary butterfly though its wings and its tiny body were black like a sullen ink.
"...Are you...D-Death?" The Old man had to ask in a flayed whisper, not really knowing what a black-tinted butterfly would symbolize, it flew on the Old Man's blanket-covered chest before it reduced to mere pieces of black matter, the Old man gazed at the decaying butterfly, to him, it looked like the insect was giving its own life into the Old man, or maybe it was himself accepting death and the butterfly was his own version of the grim reaper.
"Hello there...Blightspawn..." The Old Man heard gasping from the sudden voice in the room, or perhaps...Head?
"Do not be alarmed, old man...I am Hawkmoth, you fear death for you think that your time still hasn't come..." The Voice said declaring himself as Hawkmoth, his voice was colder than ice and was more venomous than a black mamba, The Old Man didn't know how to react but he nevertheless reassured Hawkmoth's claims with a simple and little nod.
"Then I will give you a deal...In exchange for letting you live longer, and in a better form than you are now..." The Old Man absorbed the words, hearing the concept of living longer and better than before instantly garnered the Old Man's attention.
"You must defeat Cat Noir and Ladybug, and take their Miraculous..." Hawkmoth said, finally the Old Man spoke once more.
"I...Do not K-Know who t-those two are...But if means...Letting me live longer...So be it..." The Old man admitted, using all of his energy to let those words stream out of his mouth.
"Then Blightspawn...I will give you my part of the deal first..." Hawkmoth said before he laughed wickedly.
Before the Old Man could respond to Hawkmoth's words, he suddenly felt a deep pain in his heart and stomach, as if swords were being plunged right into his body like darts to a board, he tried to scream but no agonizing wail would come out of his old croaking throat, he sprawled out of bed, landing on the hardwood floor as he felt various parts of his body improve itself despite the agony.
His bones once brittle, felt like they were all made of hardened cement, his heart once beating like a song without rhythm, now beats as strong as a hotrod engine, his skin was once scaly like a dried lizard, was now smoother than an Elephant's ivory horn, his head of hair was once a bald cranium with several strands of grey hair, was now a short bush of silver.
The pain stopped abruptly, causing the Old Man to take the first test of courage and stand-up with his Helper's support, he did so with relative effort, catching his own self-off-guard, he even felt quite overjoyed from his regained ability to stand up without the need of someone else or crutches.
"To truly access your true form, you must bond with someone else...And Remember, if you fail to defeat Cat Noir and Ladybug...You will be back to your previous husk-like body..." Hawkmoth finished, leaving the Old Man to his new human body and his devices.
The whole Mansion was now silent once more, except for the hearty thumping of the Old Soul's heart.
"Master Willhelm? I'm here! I'm sorry for being late!" The Helper said as he entered into the mansion, bringing in a hefty basket that bore many items, mainly fresh produce and several lotions and ointments.
"I'm in the Kitchen Rowland! Hohoho! Come on! Let's have dinner together!" Master Willhelm responded back with a surprisingly loud shout, instantly catching the Helper off-guard, his Master would never speak in such a boisterous manner! And he would never be in the Kitchen! He should only be sunken down in his bed where it's comforting and safe.
With a sense of suspicion, the young Helper walked into the kitchen to see his Master, happily cooking his own meal. The mere sight of his Master cooking his own meal was enough for the Helper to have his jaw dropped.
"I know Rowland! A Miracle came to me before you came! I'm healthier than ever!" Master Willhelm said with a big smile, revealing that his teeth have somehow grown back healthier and whiter than ever.
"Well...That's great then! But...Where did you get all the things needed for such a dinner?" Rowland said as he looked at the dining table, it consisted of various plates of food, ranging from the simple soup to the rather complicated stuff gamehen.
"I wanted to test out my new strength! It's absolutely amazing! I ran! I didn't walk, nor did I use a wheelchair! I Ran! To the store!" Master Willhelm said with a gleeful voice as he twirled around rather comically.
"...That's fantastic Master Willhelm! That means you don't have to be cooped up in the middle of your room!" Rowland exclaimed as he dropped his basket nearby one of the dining table's legs.
"I know! But there is one thing I must ask of you, Rowland..." Willhelm said as his voice turned serious.
"What do you need Master?" Rowland replied obediently.
"You're savvier about today's world...Do you know what is this...Cat Noir and Ladybug?"
"Oh yes! Oh yes, Master Willhelm! Ladybug and Cat Noir are local heroes around the Francoise Dupont School! There is a lot of trouble there, to be honest...Glad I'm not a student there, to say the least!" Rowland said with an informative but joyous tone, happy to explain his Master several things he does not know due to his once-faltering health.
"Hmm...Well looks like you're going to be a new student there! I made a deal with this fantastic person, if we meet up with these two 'Superheroes' I'm assuming then I can even be healthier than before!" Master Willhelm implored towards his Teenage helper.
"Well, that seems kind of...Mystical, and a bit...Strange but nevertheless Master, but I will do it for you." Rowland said loyally. Master Willhelm smiled happily as he patted his Helper on the head.