Chapter VI: Demon Bridge

The story still continues in Solomon's wonderland. Will Drake be saved or will Alan fail in the exorcism.

Chapter VI

Demon Bridge

 

The scene picks off at the wonderland. The group walks through the dark woods. The red moonlights up the path for them. Alan pulls out his alcohol and drinks it. Marie and Nebula walk holding hands and Limbo walks on the cobblestones.

Voice 1: Welcome to wonderland Alan. We are glad you made it

Voice 2: Be careful! Don’t get yourself killed

Voice 1: Oh don’t worry, if he can survive other exorcisms, then I am sure he will get away with this one.

Voice 2: No…this one is different. It has Solomon as the manipulator. Stay sharp Alan. That thing will take you down if you lose.

Voice 1: Isn’t that what all demons try to do?

Voice 2: Of course. He is an exorcist. Every demon wants to kill him.

Alan: Why don’t you both shut the hell up…okay?

Suddenly torches appear on the sides of the cobblestones. They align parallel from each other. The smoke begins to form into skulls and float on midair. Some trees begin to sink instantly and the floor parts away. The cobblestones turn into one bridge for them to walk on. Water gets formed from the ground and slowly turns into crimson. The end of the bridge stops through a mansion.

 

Solomon: Sooo…. Do you want a big work out Dark Exorcist?

 

Alan: Yeah…. I could use some. I would probably go crazy if I just continuously walked through the boring woods!

 

Solomon: Ha ha ha ha ha ha! That’s funny.....really funny. You go crazy through the woods? How ironic for you to say that!

 

Alan: Really? Well I hope you are pissing yourself Solomon, because I have killed demons. As I get closer, you should know that you are the next one to die!

 

Solomon: Mister Harkison…..I know how you do it with one, but not with many at once. Shall we find out?

 

            The bridge begins to split apart. One end has Alan and the other has Marie, Nebula, and Limbo.

 

Limbo: Whoa! What’s going on now?

 

            Once they are far enough from each other, dark figures crawl from the legs and get closer to Alan. Large paintings levitate on the air that are pictures of the woods. Demons can be seen from the paintings and jump onto the bridge. Their eyes are glowing yellow. Their giant muscular bodies are clearly visible, and their sharp teeth can be seen. Their black nails scratch the bridge. Several more climb up onto Alan’s end of the bridge. Suddenly the same end of the bridge extends and bends. It starts to form hurdles, and gaps. As the path becomes intricate like a maze, Alan pulls out his hatchet and palm blade. Demons start to growl at Alan.

 

Alan: What? What are they doing here?

 

Solomon: I’m not the only demon here. The boy has many evil spirits and demons inside of him.

 

Alan: (smiling) This is going to be awfully a lot of work Solomon….and that’s the only thing I like about this wonderland!

 

Solomon: Good!

 

            The demons pull out cleavers, axes, and whips. One demon attempts to whip Alan but he dodges it and shoots a blade into the demon’s shoulder. He shoots more onto its face. Alan jumps as soon as one demon swings its blade at him. Alan chops the demon’s neck off. He cuts off one leg from another and stabs its spine. He runs on the obstacles. Alan jumps over the pegs and the gap. The demons follow him as he smashes a demon’s face. The blood splatters on the bridge.

 

Solomon: My oh my, what a bloody mess you made!

 

 Alan runs on the curved end and shoots chained blades on a demon. He pulls himself onto it and kicks it. The demon grabs him with one hand and holds a spiked bat with the other. Right before the demon strikes Alan, he stabs the wrist with his blades. The demon loses grip and Alan chops the stomach. Alan jumps onto a demon and cuts off the arm. More aggressive demons crawl around the multi path bridge. Some of them have a hammer and some of them have swords. One demon attempts to hit Alan. However he notices the hammer wielding demon and jumps away. The demon smashes a chunk of the bridge with its mighty strength. Alan chops off its arms and it’s scalp. Alan throws a chained blade on a peg and pulls himself away from the demon. He lands on the peg and shoots multiple blades onto the demons.

 

Solomon: Are you sure you don't work for the church Mister Harkison?

 

Another group of demons with cleavers begin to wreck the bridge. Alan ducks when one of them swings its blade onto Alan. He rolls under the demon and strikes the left thigh of it. The demon kneels down screaming. Alan climbs onto it and sticks two blades into it’s shoulder blades. He steers it onto another. The other demon tries to grab Alan but he expels himself from the mounted demon. He pulls out the palm blades that are chained.

 

Solomon: Come on...quit!

 

Alan swings them around cutting up several demons at once. Alan then throws his hatchet on a demons face, charges back at it, pulls it out and chops a demon’s neck. He then dismembers the remaining demons on the bridge. More limbs fly and the heads roll on the surface. The blood rains and splatters onto the bridge. When he chops the last demon's scalp into two, the bridge then reforms. The obstacles and hurdles sinks into the surface and both ends of the bridge meet. Marie, Limbo, and Nebula all meet up with Alan. He stands with the bloody hatchet on his hand.

 

Solomon: Impressive Alan…my oh my that was impressive!

 

Alan: Yeah, but you are going to drop harder than those demons….witch hunter

 

Solomon: You know I am not the only part time witch hunter. Say hello to your old friends that you killed!

 

            Several voices can also be heard from the sky.

 

Russell: HELLO MISTER HARKISON!

 

Elaine: It’s been such a long time.

 

Gunsche: KILL HARKISON!

 

Wisher: Dark Exorcist. Do you remember me? Actually, do all of you three remember me?

 

Limbo: (surprised) Wisher!

 

Wisher: That’s right cat, you do! And same for you Nebula! I remember the times where you never had your….”abilities”

 

Nebula looks up on the sky.

 

Wisher: Yyyeeessss….those were such nostalgic times. What do you say?

 

Alan: I say that you all are abominations.

 

Russell: THAT IS NOT A VERY NICE THING TO SAY TO US! NOW I JUST WANNA KILL YOU MORE BADLY RIGHT NOW! SOLOMON… CAN I TORTURE THIS ONE? This one is…getting in my nerves!

 

Solomon: Oh don’t worry, we will. But he has to find us first.

 

Wisher: Nebula….poor sweet little Nebula…..what’s your next wish?

 

            Nebula begins to look down. She comes up to Alan’s arm and holds it tightly. She leans her head on Alan’s shoulder.

 

Wisher: (laughing) And as for you Limbo….. are you loving your new species yet?

 

Limbo: SCREW YOU!

 

Wisher: Aawww you learned how to talk childishly using that cat tongue of yours. Aren’t you happy that you are not one of those miserable humans anymore?

 

Alan: Yeah, but your face was a lot prettier when I chopped it!

 

Wisher: DARK EXORCIST, YOU KNOW YOU AREN’T GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS! YOU WILL DIE HERE IN THE WONDERLAND!

 

Solomon: We will be back but we are always watching you….Alan…Harkison!

 

            The voices disappear laughing. Alan holds Nebula tightly as well.

 

Nebula: Wisher……

 

Alan: Nebula…..it’s okay.

 

            Alan lets go of Nebula and walks on the bridge. Nebula does not walk as she still looks down. Marie holds her hand.

 

Marie: Nebula…what’s wrong?

 

Limbo: Marie, don’t….! Let’s just go.

 

            The group walks through the bridge. When they enter at the front of the mansion, the doors open automatically. There are several people walking in the big mansion. Marie hides behind Nebula as the people talk to each other.

 

Alan: Don’t worry, they are just spirits. I suggest that you don’t attract a lot of attention.

 

            The groups walk through the halls. They look to their left and right. The floating candles light up the path. Angel statues can be seen mounted on the walls. Organ music can be heard from a distance. Limbo walks cautiously behind Alan. The hall curves to the right. The doors begin to merge with the walls. The hall no longer has any doors. The floor ahead of them turns into stairs that lead into the basement. Alan walks down the steps first. The others do like wise. After they walk on the stones, the stairs begin to flip and merge with the surface above them. The darkness isolates the group until more floating candles light up. The basement is big as a stadium. The pillars have candles being mounted on them.

 

Marie: This place…..it’s…..it’s scary.

 

Limbo: Alan, are you sure that those people back there are spirits?

 

Alan: Yeah, they are.

 

Limbo: Then why are they following us? It’s really scaring me.

 

            Alan turns around and sees the spirits moving slowly at them. Marie, and Nebula do likewise.

 

Alan: Yeah, they are just angry ones….that’s all.

 

            One of the spirit’s face has an angry mood. The eyes are rolled back and fangs start to form. The texture of the skin becomes hardened. The spirit begins to charge at Alan as the spirit screams in a high pitched voice. Alan decapitates the spirit with his palm blades.

 

Alan: Limbo, can you release?

 

Limbo: Sure thing!

 

            Limbo’s cat form begins to grow larger. Suddenly he stands on his back legs. His front paws turn into fists. His ears begin to shrink and his arms have bigger muscles. Limbo’s fangs increase in size. Limbo is now double the size of the average human. Marie becomes surprised by Limbo’s new appearance.

 

Marie: LIMBO?

 

Limbo: NOW LET’S GO!

 

            The angry spirits charge at Limbo but they get punched down instantly. The limbs get popped off from every punch that he makes. Limbo steps on a spirit with his hind leg. Limbo growls at the other spirits. He crawls on the ceilings with his nails and grabs a spirit’s head. He crushes it. The blood splatters from the skull. Limbo crawls swiftly around the ceiling and smashes multiple spirits that fly at him. In the meanwhile Alan dismembers the spirits. He smashes one of their faces with the end of the hatchet. Alan turns around and cuts off both arms and then disembowels the spirit. One spirit begins to charge at Marie and Nebula in anger. Right when the spirit is a centimeter away from them, Alan throws his chained blade on the spirit and pulls it back. He curb stomps it and resumes to dismembering more spirits. Limbo grabs a spirit on each hand by their heads and crushes them with his palm and nails. Their faces fall in pieces. Marie can be seen hiding behind a pillar seeing spirits fall down with blood spraying from their wounds. The dead spirits then begin to disappear. Nebula holds Marie in her arms. Limbo then shrinks back to his cat form and walks casually. Marie gets up and leaves Nebula.

 

Alan: Come on Marie let’s go.

 

Marie: But…but…they are human. They looked just like us. And….they lived like the way we use to.

 

Alan: (slaps Marie on her right cheek) MARIE!!! ARE YOU BLIND? THOSE THINGS TRIED TO KILL US!

 

Marie begins to look away.

 

Alan: IF WE CONSIDERED THOSE DAMN SPIRITS TO BE JUST HUMAN, THEN WE WOULDN’T HAVE ANY TIME TO DEFEND OURSELVES! DON’T EVER FEEL SORRY ABOUT KILLING ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD! THEY ARE ALREADY DEAD! DO YOU WANT TO BE THE ONE DRAGGED DOWN TO HELL AND THE ONE TO LOSE YOUR SOUL? OR DO YOU WANT TO BE THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD CAN NEVER CHANGE, NOT EVEN MAN, NOR DEVIL!

 

            Marie holds in her tears. She looks back at Alan. Nebula and Limbo do likewise.

 

Alan: Now we are here to save your brother. It’s time to teach you how to fight and adapt to this world.

 

Limbo: What?

 

Marie: Really? Is that possible? We don’t have much time.

 

Alan: Yes we do. In this world, anything is possible. It’s just that things can be stronger than the other. The laws and physics in the world that you are familiar with barely applies to this one, if you can recognize that.  

Marie: (with a straight face and standing tall) Okay Mister Harkison, but can you promise me something in return.

Alan begins to kneel down facing her.

Alan: What is it?

Marie: (closing her eyes) I don't want you to drink anymore.

Alan takes out his alcohol flask from his trench coat. He stares at it for a while.

Marie: Please...

Alan crushes it with his hand. Some liquor soaks his glove. Alan drops it on the ground. Nebula smiles as she sees the crushed alcohol flask fall. Marie turns to Limbo and stares at him. Limbo looks back at her.

Limbo: Oh, were you impressed from what I did back there?

Marie: What, are you? Who are you guys?

Limbo: I'm sorry, how rude of us. We never even said who we all are. Nebula is our medium and psychic, and I am an exorcist, just like Alan.

Marie: An exorcist?

Limbo: Yup.

Marie: What happened to your human form Limbo? The spirit from the bridge said something about....

Limbo: Oh that spirit was very difficult to take out back then. He was the reason why I lost my body. The closest way I could ever feel human again was what I did to those spirits just now. Exorcism is a very dangerous job Marie. But I hope you are prepared for that especially for this one. 

Marie: So Alan said that anything is possible here. Does that mean that I have a special ability too?

Limbo: Any one that enters through the mind of a person has an ability. 

Marie: Why didn't you tell me this? I could have helped you guys!

Limbo: Honestly, you wouldn't have. Those spirits and demons are the last ones that I would have sent any rookie to face. Alan wouldn't have sent you to defeat them either. For now, we need to find some freaks if you want to fight. But this place is filled with many spirits and demons. It's really a bad sign if one demon can bring all those souls to one boy. But don't worry Marie, you will at least have the skills of an average exorcist if you spend quality time with us.

Marie: Really?

Limbo: Yeah, but it's just that an average exorcist wouldn't survive here. 

 

To Be Continued

 

 

 

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay in uploading this one. Are there any flaws? How did you think of Limbo's ability and new form?

Reviews

[Writer #00]

AWESOME!! I loved this chapter, it really helped clarify the "wonderland" of the mind that the Dark Exorcist and his team fight in. At the same time, though, it rose more questions. Poor Limbo (is he called this because his soul (inside of a cat) is in limbo between earth and the afterlife?)! Maire's becoming an exorcist?!--I didn't see that coming. I thought she'd sort of be a burden, but you added a nice twist. GREAT!

[Xerclipse]

questions? what questions do you have? I guess Limbo's name is fitting and wait until you learn more about him. I had to give Marie something than be a burden otherwise she be annoying.

[Writer #00]

Nebula's past and that of the other witch hunters. I assumed this would be explained as I read on.

[Writer #00]

"Voice 2: No…this one is different. It has Solomon as the manipulator. Stay sharp Alan. That thing will take you down if you lose.
Voice 1: Isn’t that what all demons try to do?
Voice 2: Of course. He is an exorcist. Every demon wants to kill him.
Alan: Why don’t you both shut the hell up…okay? "

[Writer #00]

Was the above a pun?

[Xerclipse]

a pun? what do you mean?

[Writer #00]

Well, the two voices were talking about the fate of exorcists being being sent down to hell, and then Alan says "shut the hell up...". I thought it was a play on words. It could be, literally, shutting the gates of hell because he doesn't plan on going there and as be quiet.

[Xerclipse]

ooohhh i get it, Well I never thought about it as a pun. good catch

[Anubis]

Limbo!
Definitely my favourite character. The whole new twist with him is great. Beast of a cat!

[Shep]

Shrinks back to his cat from ( form).

There was a repeat pragrarph dealing with skull candles at walkway. Break that huge pargarph where the first fight scene takes place. Great story so far. Moving on to the next one.

[Xerclipse]

that has been fixed

[Shep]

But you didn't break up the huge paragraph where the first fight scene takes place.

[Xerclipse]

wait it didn't do it? Well at least I obliterated the first paragraph. let me try it again. hopefully it will work.

[Dean Kuch®]

The new twist with Limbo threw me for a loop. I just suspected that Limbo was once a human and relgated to feline form, much like Thackary Binx in the movie Hocus Pokus. But Limbo appears to be much more than I originally thought initially! A few of Alan's arsenol of weapons are reminiscent of the ones seen in the SPAWN series by Todd McFarlane. I think we both know which ones I am referring to. The action is vividly written and realitic. Well...as realistic as one could hope for given the situation. All around, great addition to the series...

[Xerclipse]

honestly, I never read any of the Spawn series but I have heard of him. I read what he has and it's so similar to what Alan has. An axe and chains. Well Alan's axe is like a woodsman one or a fire axe. Well all the other characters including Limbo have natural weapons. Except for Marie which you will read later on.

Now the thing with Limbo....I decided to add something special with him to make sure he wasn't too much of a bystander. Being a big hulking half cat and man creature is pretty bad a*s to me.

[Xerclipse]

thanks by the way ;) Your reviews never fail to make my day

[Xerclipse]

posted 7 chapters by the way