The Grim Reaper || Technoblade (Old)

20: Mania

I stood frozen, unable to move or speak as Technoblade left. The weight of the moment pressed upon me, leaving me bewildered and unable to process what had just transpired. Not strangers? What were we then? Allies? Acquaintances? Friends, even? My mind grappled with these questions, struggling to find clarity amidst the confusion.

Slowly, I made my way to the kitchen, leaving the coffee-soaked towel in the sink. I knew I needed to step outside, to talk to someone, I was so confused. Yet there was no one, I wouldn't make the trip to L'Manburg and leave Technoblade undefended, and I couldn't talk to him if he's the one I wanted to talk about in the first place.

That left one option.

I opened the door and stepped into the snow. Concentrating, I opened a portal, a rift leading to the afterlife. A chill ran down my spine as I stepped through, the darkness calling me forward.

In this dead, dark realm, I found myself face to face with Wilbur. He sat on the floor, engrossed in a game of solitaire, his eyes reflecting a mixture of intense concentration and an unspoken sorrow. As he noticed my presence, his gaze met mine, revealing dark eye bags and a wild grin on his face. So he had deteriorated when I was gone.

I tensed, it was a random choice to come here, he was the only other mortal I knew and could talk to, but he was dead, stuck here for eons, and I came here to talk about my problems, selfish.

"Hey there," Wilbur greeted me, his voice tinged with melancholy. "What brings you to the never ending train of torment? It's been years! Seeking answers or just in need of a friendly face?"

My eyes softened, years? I hadn't been gone for that long, had I? Time worked differently here, and I hadn't meant to leave him for so long. I opened my mouth, "I just wanted to check up on you.. I'm sorry, I hadn't noticed I'd been gone for so long."

Wilbur's eyes widened, and I could see a part of him crack, it had been a while since anyone was truly genuine with him, even before he died. He probably didn't expect what I had said.

His hands clenched as he looked at the floor, speaking in an empty voice, "You had to have had a reason, no one would willingly come here, not for me, not just to chat."

I sat down next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder as he moved different cards in his game, "I did come here for a purpose, but that is not important now, I've seen as time chips away at empty souls and sends them tumbling into the abyss, talk to me, about anything, anything to keep life in you."

Wilbur turned his head to look at me, his grin dying on his face, he stood up and sat on one of the seats, looking at the ceiling, "Why me? Why not the asshole over there? Or any other person?"

I sat next to him, "Schlatt doesn't interest me, honestly, his type of character isn't appealing to speak to, you're more of an interesting person, and.. well, your dad and I go back, I wouldn't want my friends son to suffer."

"I'm already suffering, there's nothing you can do about it." Wilbur whispered and looked down, putting his face in his palms. He seemed close to crying, before turned back to me with a face of confusion, If you and dad go way back? Why has he never mentioned you? I'm sure I'd remember if he spoke about knowing The Grim Reaper."

My brows furrowed as I figured out how to respond to that, did Wilbur know the role his father played? Had Phil ever told him? "That's an old name, it's.. complicated, you see, time can get a little.. weird for Philza, he's been alive a long time, and sometimes he forgets stuff."

Not that he'd ever forget me, hopefully.

Wilbur chuckled darkly, speaking more to himself than me, "That sounds like good ole' dad. Forgetting everything, forgetting me and Tommy's birthdays, forgetting promises, forgetting me."

I sat a little straighter at that, "Forgetting you?" I muttered, appalled at even the thought, "Phil would never forget you, I've talked to him and all he speaks is of you."

He looked at me again, his eyes brightening for just a moment before darkening again, "You haven't known him as long as I have."

I almost burst into laughter at that, if only he knew, if only he knew.

Wilbur stood back up and crouched over the cards, straightening them out after being slightly rearranged from the moving of the train, "So, what's the reason you came here? What would you like to talk about?"

Oh yeah, my original reason. It seemed so trivial compared to the actual conversations we were having, "It doesn't matter, just a trivial matter, I'll get it sorted out." I leaned back in my seat, "What would you like to talk about?"

Wilbur turned his head to look at me, just relaxing in my seat, "I know you said it wasn't possible but there must be a way, bring me back, I want to breathe fresh air and smell the flowers and say something to everyone. I'll do better, just give me a chance."

I stood up, shoving my hands in my pockets, I should've known this was going to come up, "I already told you, I can't do that, not unless someone of the living realm revives you. I just can't."

Wilbur's eyes widened, a flicker of desperation replacing his wistful thinking. His voice trembled as he pleaded, "But you're there aren't you? You go to the living realm, you can revive me!"

I shook my head, frustration starting to brew, he wouldn't get it would he? "I wish I could" I said softly, trying to let him down without any commotion. "I cannot, it is outside of my abilities. There are some thing that I cannot do."

Wilbur's gaze fell to the floor, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his unfulfilled wish.

Suddenly, a wild glint sparked in Wilbur's eyes, his demeanor shifting from resignation to a twisted determination. His voice, once filled with longing, took on an unsettling fervor. "No," he said, his tone growing increasingly unhinged. "I refuse to accept this fate. There has to be some way! You said that revival is possible! So go tell the living people to revive me!"

I watched with growing unease as Wilbur's expression contorted, his laughter echoing through the room in a haunting cacophony. His erratic movements filled the space, a dance of madness and defiance. He paced the floor, messing up his game in the process.

"Bring me back!" Wilbur's voice boomed, his eyes wild with desperation. "You can do it! Find a loophole, find an exploit, whatever it takes!"

I clenched my jaw and decided to try another time, "Wilbur, I understand your pain, but this obsession will only lead to more suffering. You can't stay here and become tortured with tragic wishes."

But Wilbur's laughter grew louder, his voice tinged with madness. "No no no, you don't understand! You'll never understand, being trapped here every second of every day of every week, of every year! For years and years and decades of time" He turned, his eyes blazing with a manic fervor.

Oh how he didn't know how much I understood. I stepped back as he reached a hand up, wiping his face which currently had tears running down his cheeks. I took another step back and his eyes widened as he realized what I was doing, he reached out and opened his mouth, only to be too late as I left the portal.

I was back, how long I had been gone I couldn't tell, but it was early morning, and I trudged back into the cabin, hoping it had only been a few days.

I climbed the ladder, lifting my mask to rub my face before putting it back down and flopping down on the couch to sleep.