Chapter XVIII: Soul Exchange

Russell and Alan face each other at the bridge but casualties occur! Alan is getting closer and closer to Solomon

Chapter XVIII

Soul Exchange

 

         The scene picks off where Alan has a face off against Russell at the boat. When Alan shoots his palm blades at Russell, Russell dodges them at light speed. Ghost images and flashes can be seen past him. Russell runs vertically up the mast and onto the main sail. He jumps down doing a bullet dive at Alan. Alan sticks out his palm blades and tries to cut up Russell when he falls. Russell then disappears again and ends up behind Alan slicing him. Each sprint Russell makes, Alan gets cut. Russell then tries to do a thrust at Alan with his right machete. Alan catches Russell’s arm with his hands but Russell does a flip over Alan as his own arm is caught. Russell does a kick on mid air to force Alan away. He sprints to the edge of the boat and leans on it.

 

Russell: (singing) You may have some strength and endurance Dark Exorcist.....BUT YOU LACK SPEED!

 

         Russell smiles and strafes to the left and right to confuse Alan's aim. Russell does a flip kick on Alan's chin. Alan shoots two palm blades onto the ground that each have a chain connected to his palms. He then pulls himself down to create a big impact on the ground. Russell dodges the impact and Alan spins his chained blades around. He jumps over the chains that Alan swings around. Russell's acrobatic twists and flips flow through the air. 

         He then charges up to Alan and swings his machetes around. The chained blades collide with the machetes. Russell screams with all of his breath to kill Alan. Alan dodges the strike and slices Russell's left shoulder with his palm blade. Alan kicks Russell to the ground but when Alan steps on Russell, he does a windmill on the ground to trip Alan. Marie then appears to be shooting at Russell, however he runs away from them at light speed. Russell then holds Marie with his right hand and holds a machete with his left hand that points to her.

 

Russell: (smiling and laughing) You insect, how could you have possibly thought that you would win the fight?

 

         Marie tries to grab Russell's wrists that holds her. However Russell drops the machete and grabs both of her wrist.

 

Russell: Oh no.....no you don't little girl. You will not create any more demolition with your hands.

 

         A plant then grows from Marie's hands and onto Russell's neck. It has thorns and leaves. It wraps around violently to choke Russell. Alan shoots palm blades at Russell but he dodges them but his own movement makes the plant grip worse. Alan pulls out his hatchet to sprint towards him. Russell grabs his machete to slice the plant off from Marie's grip. Right when Alan swings his hatchet, Russell pulls out his other machete and blocks the strike. Alan and Russell clash their weapons against each other but Russell kicks Alan's left knee and stabs Alan's right shoulder. The blood sprays and accumulates onto the machete as Russell laughs. 

 

Russell: Aren't you getting old mister Harkison? You haven't got a gray hair yet! 

 

         He then blocks Marie's bayonet charge from behind. Russell does a big kick on her head that puts her down. Marie holds her head as she feels the pain. Blood drips from her scalp.

 

Russell: Now now little girl....you earn a time out for being such a brat!

 

         Russell kicks Alan down slices him.

 

Russell: (singing) Half a pound of tuppeny rice, half a pound of treacle. That’s the way the money goes…POP goes the weasel!

 

Russell then laughs as Marie slowly recovers from the injury by using the plants to heal the wound. She then attempts to fire at Russell but he picks up Alan before she pulls the trigger. He then kicks him towards the bayonet. Marie then drops the gun and creates a bean stalk to stop Alan. Russell puts his hand out. Suddenly the bow repairs itself piece by piece quickly and then rushes towards his hand. Russell takes an arrow and aims it at Alan. The arrow is fired but Nebula’s wave pushes it away. Nebula can be seen trying to get back up on the edge of the boat.

 

Russell: (in laughter) Up and down the city road, in and out of the eagle…that’s the way the money goes, POP! Goes the weasel!

 

         Russell fires another arrow at Nebula’s left breast. Alan screams uncontrollably and rages as he charges towards Russell with his hatchet. When Russell shoots an arrow at Alan, he endures the arrow on his arm.

 

Alan: YOU GOD DAMN MONSTER!

 

Russell laughs uncontrollably. The other arrow skids across his neck. Luckily it did not cut an artery, but it only cut the skin. Alan chops the bow in half but Russell dodges the next strike. Russell then runs away in light speed then ends up behind Alan. Russell has his two machetes and then begins to spin around. Alan then does an overhead smash, which is blocked by the machetes.

 

Alan: YOU DON’T EVER SHOOT HER! NOT NEBULA!

 

          Russell gives up one machete to stab an arrow into Alan’s leg that takes him down. Alan leaps upward to Russell and punches him pervasively.

 

Alan: YOU GOD DAMN WITCH HUNTER, I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN, I DON’T WANT YOU TO LIVE ANY MORE. BEGONE….BEGONE! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT TRASH AND SCUM OF THE UNIVERSE!

 

Nebula can be seen lying down holding the arrow that sticks onto her. She watches the violent punches and the grappling that occurs on the boat. Alan takes rips out the arrow from his arm and stabs it onto Russell’s chest. Alan takes out another arrow from his leg and tries to stab it onto Russell’s head. Russell tries to crush his wrist but Alan sticks a palm blade onto Russell’s left shoulder again. Alan is free from the grip and then punches Russell’s face. Marie still holds her head and recovers from the damage. She then witnesses the violent beat down. Russell grips onto Alan’s punch and onto his other hand. Alan head butts Russell multiple times. Alan gets up and grabs Russell’s body. He slams it down onto the deck which causes a great hole to form under Alan and Russell. Russell falls onto a barrel and onto the floor. Alan lands through the debris. Russell gets up wiping the blood from his mouth. Alan charges at Russell and slams him through a wall. It creates another hole. The boiling blood can be seen that is about their floor level.

Russell pulls himself back in before he comes in contact with the boiling blood but Alan shoots a chained palm blade at Russell’s right hand. The blood splatters onto the side edge of the hold. Alan pulls Russell out of the hole and holds onto the back of Russell’s head. He then faces his head towards the boiling blood. The chained blade that sticks through the hand is now placed into the ground.

Alan then dunks Russell’s face into the boiling blood. He holds down Russell’s body which violently struggles to get back up. Alan still presses his palm blade into Russell’s right hand and still holds Russell’s face down with his left. The legs keep on kicking the surface and Alan’s back. Several strands of hair are caught into the boiling blood. When Alan takes Russell’s face out of the boiling blood, the scream that went on in the river continues at the air. His eyelids are gone, and his lips are gone. The nose is now just one bloody hole. His eyes are wide and his cheeks are gone. The eyes are starting to drip and melt. The skull is burned and filled with red marks. Some bone marrow spills from the jaw. The teeth are bright white and red. The jaw does not close up, it only hangs from the skull.  Russell’s left hand slowly creeps up onto his disintegrated face as his right hand is still stuck by the blade. Alan’s rage starts to decrease when he lets Russell scream in agony and pain from the shiny melted face.

Several hands from the boiling blood take Russell from the hole. They pull him into the river. The rest of his body begins to boil and melt into the river but Russell’s other arm still tries to grip onto his impaled hand. Alan kicks Russell’s melted face that doesn’t stop screaming. The right hand splits in half since the blade is not out of the ground. The blood sprays from the hand. Russell’s full body is now in the boiling river. Alan then pulls himself up to the upper deck and sees Marie holding onto her head. She comes up to Nebula and places her hand on Nebula’s wound.

 

Alan: Nebula!

 

         Alan then comes up to Nebula and holds her face.

 

Alan: Marie….put pressure!

 

         He pulls out the arrow from Nebula’s chest.

 

Alan: Don’t go Nebula…..don’t go!

 

Marie: (bleeding from her nose and scalp) That witch hunter was too powerful Mister Harkison!

 

Alan: (beginning to tear) Nebula….don’t die….please.

 

Marie: (takes a pause and looks at Alan) It’s either going to be me….or it’s going to be her. The new ability can not save both.

 

Alan: MARIE….Don’t say that. You both are going to live!

 

Nebula: Save your brother. I can hear his voice. He is in happiness, and in joy. His soul tells me that he is fine, but Solomon confines him. He wants more freedom. Now Solomon’s grip is stronger and Drake’s happiness is gone!

 

Marie: Well….you two and Limbo have come a long way for this. That’s something you have to do for me! In fact, you know Alan would be more happier if you lived.

 

         Nebula comes up to hug Marie. She clutches onto her. Marie holds Nebula back.

 

Nebula: Don’t do this!

 

Alan: Marie…..come on, you still need training! You have to do this! Drake would be more proud if he saw you! You still want to become worthy….right? We can heal Nebula a different way!

 

Marie: Take my rifle! My mother told me that I would come to a situation like this. It was my fault that I summoned Solomon and made him trap Drake. Now this is the best thing I can do for an exorcist like you!

 

Alan: Marie…look! Remember when you promised me not to drink anymore?

 

         Alan opens his trench coat and takes every alcohol flask from it. He throws them overboard.

 

Alan: See Marie…No more drinking! I’ll do that for you!

 

         Marie starts to tear blood. Her blood begins to seep into Nebula’s wound. There are seeds that fall into Nebula’s chest. Flowers grow around her. Nebula begins to sit up but Marie collapses onto the ground.

 

Alan: MARIE…MARIE!

 

         Alan begins to shake her but she does not respond.

 

Alan: MARIE!!! Please…speak to me! Please! NO! Don’t go!

 

         Nebula holds Marie on her arms. She looks up at the sky and sees Kiara.

 

Kiara: My daughter now trusts you with her power Nebula, and her life.

 

         Kiara then turns to Alan.

 

Kiara: She also knows that you would be happy if Nebula lived.

 

Alan: She came a very long way to take me in this! We can’t let her leave!

 

Kiara: But haven’t you came a long way Alan Harkison? You must kill Solomon to rescue Marie’s brother. Drake is in danger and she loves him very much. After that, I can give you what you both wish. Thank you for killing Mr. Evanns Mister Harkison. You have freed me.

 

         Kiara takes Marie from Nebula and flies away. She disappears with Marie. Nebula and Alan stare at the area where she disappeared. Suddenly they see a tunnel with bombs under it. Nebula starts to create a botanical shield around her and Alan. It is a dome that covers them from any object from the environment. Flowers begin to grow on the surface. Alan comes up to Nebula and hugs her tightly.

 

Alan: We have to do this…for Marie!

 

         Nebula looks up to Alan and kisses him at the lips. Their lips caress each other for a while. Their eyes are closed as the bombs explode in the tunnel. They ignore the combustions that occur. The boat begins to shake violently but they stay stable onto the ground. The vibrations and knockings bother the dome but do not destroy it. The scene still lingers onto the kiss but the background noise is filled with chaos and destruction. It then switches to where Elaine is holding the pump that she pushed. She watches the tunnel explode into fragments and pieces. Several fragments of the boat float. The dome is hidden behind the fire and debris. She does not spot the botanical dome. Elaine walks away instead of looking at the destruction she caused.

         The scene then transitions to Solomon holding Drake’s leg and strapping him with chains. He is now back at the tower and sitting on a chair. Solomon looks at the explosion at the tunnel from far distance.

 

Solomon: The plan probably did go well methodically, but it did not kill the Dark Exorcist….yyyeeessss! Now if he survived that….I can have the revenge for myself!

 

         Several demons and freaks start to crawl around the monastery and tower. They stare at Drake and move closer. His fear increases as their noises get louder and their proximity is closer to Drake’s. The freaks twitch left and right and the angry demons slam their weapons onto the ground. Spirits roam around Drake scaring him.

 

Solomon: That is enough! You shall all leave! You are scaring the boy!

 

         All the demons, freaks, and spirits run away from Drake. Solomon still stares at the fire and destruction. He sees the botanical dome from far distance.

 

Solomon: That woman…..Marie’s mother! SHE IS FREE? WHAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY FREED THAT WOMAN? SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY IN HER HUSBANDS WORK!

 

Drake: Marie’s mother?

 

Solomon: Yeeesss….you know that Marie is adopted. I served her family to make the father’s fame work. However…… there is a price he paid…which was his soul and integrity! Now Marie has to pay the price for her service.

 

Drake: What service?

 

Solomon: (laughing) Don’t you remember…she told me to not leave you! I can’t do that!

 

Drake: Why not? Why do you have to be so evil? YOU ARE JUST A HEARTLESS DEMON!

 

Solomon: (laughing louder) Please be careful of your words my child!

 

         Solomon takes off his scarf and shows Drake the collar he wears.

 

Solomon: (in anger) This collar traps me more than those chains trap you! If you ever wear this collar, then you can never face the light ever again! You are forever in the darkness, and you have no free will. I wish I could kill you, I wish you were burning in hell like I did! BUT I CANNOT KILL YOU! I CANNOT LEAVE YOU ALONE YOU PATHETIC CHILD!

 

         The flames begin to accumulate on his bladed fingers. The fire begins to burn the top of the tower.

 

Solomon: You think a demon like me has no feelings? You think I love living at Hell? You think a demon has a happier life than roaming around the mortal world?

 

         Solomon screams in anger. The fire circles around Drake. Debris and fire rains in the tower. Alan and Nebula stare at the destruction that occurs at the background.

 

To Be Continued

Author's Note

The story still has a few chapters left. So what did you think of Russell and his end? What do you think will happen next?

Reviews

[Shep]

Now we are coming quickly to the battle that will be epic. Please give it me as quickly devored this chapter. Awesome fight scene as always. I can't wait to see what happens to Marie and the other characters. I wonder if Alen is going to lose his madness and live a happy life. The love scene was nice touch.

[Xerclipse]

then proceed to the next chapter if you wish to find out. I got one more chapter after that ;)
read morethen proceed to the next chapter if you wish to find out. I got one more chapter after that ;)

But thanks anyway Shep. Your reviews always make my day ;) !