Part 2: Shinu De Nuevo. (To Die Again.)
Arc 8: Heart Shaped Prison.
Kuragari: (He summons the Scythe in his hand, the flames on his left arm burning ever brighter and stronger than before.) Now come, Azrael. Let's finish this Part of the story!!!
Azrael: Fine then, if you do not want to join Heaven's army then I will take you there by force!!!
Kuragari: And I'll give the demons your dead body to feast on!!!
(They rush each other, weapon in hand and begin their final duel. The sparks from their weapons flying. Kuragari blocks one of his strikes and moves along the spear, before throwing it out of Azrael's hands and stabbing him in the stomach with his sword, Azrael pushes through the pain and yanks the blade out and returns the favor to Kuragari by impaling him in the chest with it and punching him in the right side of his jaw. Kuragari tries to right hook Azrael, but he catches his arm and starts punching him in the face until he starts bleeding. Azrael grabs Kuragari's legs and gathers moment, when he has enough speed he flings Kuragari into one of the buildings, crushing it under him.)
Kuragari: (He burst from the rubble, warms up his shoulders and cracks his knuckles.) Gomi wo toridasu jikan. {Time to take out the trash.} And you're the first bag I see in the morning. (Azrael lunges towards Kuragari, but he just steps on top of the blade.) You've seen what I'm capable of, what makes you think a Cupid with a spear and a daddy complex can stop me?
Azrael: (He pulls the blade out from under Kuragari.) I do not even know what that is!!!
Kuragari: Well I would explain to you, but... there are kids watching.
(Azrael jumps into the air and catches a bolt of lightning on his spear, he hurls the bolt of lightning towards Kuragari who catches it midair and harnesses the lightning into the black fire of his Scythe, strengthening it. The two explode into a beautiful whirl of lighting and black fire, both fighting for superiority over the other, it reaches far into the heavens itself. Everyone stands in awe as they watch this beautiful, yet deadly force of Magica.)
Kane: Okay... WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING?!!! The Magica is downright chilling.
(Inside Musashi's Minka, he meditates, the crickets singing peacefully outside, he suddenly jumps up, sword in hand.)
Musashi: This Magica... it's shivering my spine... what's going on?!
(In places all over the world, Magica users feel the power coming from these two giants clashing to the death, some even crumble to the ground, weakened by the sheer amount of Magica pushed onto them. Inside the Ivory City, Heaven's capital city, some Angels even feel it, the same goes with Hell all the way down to the 6th layer.)
Micheal: (He is inside a bar, drinking, when suddenly he drops his glass in shock and stands up.) BROTHER!!! DON'T GO ALL OUT!!! (Everyone in the bar looks at him in confusion, he just sits back down.) Sorry... got lost in my thoughts there for a minute. I'll pay for the glass.
(Throughout the forest, the Reapers battle Kuragari's reinforcements. But little do they know, there is another "monster" loose inside it. Annah rampages through the forest, killing everyone in her way, Reaper or otherwise. She smashes the head of a Reaper into a tree, she is too fast for them to follow, she rips each of them limb by limb. Syra runs into Annah as she moves through the forest, she stares in horror as she sees Annah covered in blood, with nothing but dead bodies as far as the eye can see. She tries to run away, but is too late and Annah leaps towards her, pinning her down, she prepares to bite Syra in the neck, opening her mouth as wide as possible.)
Syra: Annah!!! Wait!!! It's me... Sam!!!
Annah: (The bloodlust starts to fade from her eyes.) S- Sam...?
Syra: Yeah, Sam.
Annah: (She starts crying and hugs Syra.) Sam, I've missed you...
(Syra starts hugging Annah back, but suddenly she is shot by a silver bullet from a Reaper above the trees.)
Syra: Annah...
The Reaper: I GOT HER!!!
(Just as the bloodlust fades, it kicks straight back in she jumps off of Syra and leaps through the trees, murdering every single Reaper in her line of sight.)
Syra: (She stands up and brushes the dirt off of her pants.) What's going on in this fucking forest? (She sees Kenji running through the forest, shirtless, while spouting something about Kuragari and freedom, she doesn't even mutter a word and just stares on with a face that can best be described as "what the fuck...") I need a vacation.
(Near the edge of the forest, Kane stands watching the cyclone of Magica, Able comes out of the fire, with a burnt lizard on a stick. Kane turns his head and looks at it.)
Kane: What... is that?
Able: Food.
Kane: ... You're dying, the forest is burning, the entire world is shaking, and the entire future is relying on God Jr. to defeat an Edgy man. And you... are eating a lizard? (Able bites into the lizard and shrugs, he starts to open his mouth, but Kane interrupts him.) Don't! Don't, don't! Just don't... tell me it tastes like beef or chicken...
Able: *Coughing* No, Kane. It's a lizard... it tastes like a LIZARD!
(Inside the cyclone, Kuragari and Azrael are evenly matched. Azrael, The Immovable Object, vs. Kuragari, The Unstoppable Force. The two of them slash and swipe at each other, but yet none of them falter.)
Kuragari: (Blocking all of Azrael's attacks.) How ya feeling, Jack?! Personally, I can go on for all of eternity. So why don't we?! Just you, me, and our weapons, until the light fades!!!
Azrael: You talk too much!!!
Kuragari: I KNOW!!! I just love the sound of my own voice!!!
Azrael: AGH, SHUT UP!!!
(The two of them jump backwards and start gathering all of the Magica from the cyclone surrounding them. Long, white ethereal wings appear on Azrael's back as he harnesses everything into his Spear. A black cowl and featherless, black wings appear on Kuragari's head and back, he holds his katana sheathed as he gathers his Magica.)
Azrael/Kuragari: FINAL ELEMENTA!!!
Kuragari: DARKER THAN NIGHT!!!
Azrael: DEUS EX MACHINA!!!
(They dash at each other, before attack, an eerie silence falls on the entire world, but then... an explosion of Magica, nearly as loud as that of the 1883 Krakatoa Volcano Eruption rips through the entire sky. Black fire and Lightning drift in the sky as Kuragari and Azrael stand in front of it, each with their weapon in hand, drained of their Magica, they start falling to the ground. Azrael catches Kuragari mid-air and starts punching him relentlessly, using him as a shield to break his fall. Kuragari catches his fist and kicks him away, they both crash onto the ground. They start crawling towards their weapon, Kuragari very nearly grabs hold of the Black Scythe, but then Kane steps on his hand and kicks the Scythe away.)
Kuragari: Kane...
Kane: I see... your wounds aren't healing. That means one of two things, you can only heal when you have enough Magica, or when you have the Scythe in your hand. Either, way, it's over Sam. Just admit it.
Kuragari: Oh it is... is it?
Kane: Yes.
Kuragari: (He rolls on his back.) I still have... one ace up my sleeve. (He reaches his hand up in to the sky.) *Softly laughing* The night isn't done yet, it's just... 3AM. You might wanna run...
(Kuragari starts gathering the Magica drifting in the air, Kane steps back as he gathers every single bit of Magica in himself, he starts laughing as he prepares to release it all in one large blast.)
Kuragari: You thought of everything now?! I'm always, ALWAYS one step ahead, brother!!! Haha... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
(Kane steps back powerless and uncertain, when suddenly Louis drops down and hits him in the shoulder.)
Louis: (He speeds away from Kuragari, into the forest.) C'mon you idiot, unless you wanna die here!!!
Kane: (He follows Louis, but suddenly inside of the forest, he sees Annah lying unconscious, with Syra next to her. He rushes over to them and picks up Annah.) Samantha?!
Syra: What's going on, Kane?!!!
Kane: (He runs through the forest, with Annah in his arms.) We need to get the fuck out of this forest, before Kuragari blows us ALL up!!!
Louis: (He slightly turns his head towards Kane, as they make their way through the forest.) Where's Levente?!
Kane: I don't know, I just... hope he makes it out, where's Able?!
Louis: He made it out... he's bad shape.
Kane: SHIT.
(Kuragari walks towards Azrael, he cuts his arm off right before he grabs hold of his spear.)
Kuragari: Well... Azrael... it was fun!!!
Azrael: ...Fuck...you...
(Kuragari laughs as he drives the Scythe straight into Azrael's back and explodes in a blast of Magica, that wipes out nearly everyone in his vicinity. They explode into blue and purple particles that all drift away into the air, Kuragari falls to his knees weakened and tired as everything is drained from him. If he dies now, then there's no guarantee that he's getting back up.)
(At Gabriela and Peter's resting place, everyone is sitting there, Able, Amelia, Carter, Gabriela, Peter and now Kane, Louis, Annah, and Syra too.)
Louis: Where's Kenji?
Peter: He... stood up and walked into the forest.
Louis: You're shitting with me, right?
Gabriela: He's right, his legs just healed and he ran in, he was looking for Kuragari.
Carter: Do you think he died in the explosion?
Gabriela: Most likely.
Syra: What about Dad-... Kuragari, did he die?
Kane: Did I just hear you say "Dad?"
Syra: No, my tongue slipped.
Able: You're not Sam, are you?
Syra: *Sigh* No... my name is Syra Reyes, daughter of Samuel Reyes and Fate.
Able: Fate?
Syra: You know her?
Able: Yeah, she's the reason I'm dying right now. (He stands up and starts coughing.) Listen, we'll dwell on this later, but right now... someone needs to go into that forest and kill your dad once and for all.
Kane: (Able starts walking towards it, but he grabs his arm.) And it's not going to be you. Look at you man. One stumble and you're dead.
Able: Listen, Kane. I'd rather die the way father would die... fighting. Not lying on my ass, coughing out my organs. I need to do this, please. (Kane looks to the ground and thinks for a moment. Able takes off his Dragon-shaped neck collar and puts it in Kane's hand.) Take that.
Kane: The last gift dad gave you, before he died.
Able: He said it would fit me perfectly someday, it was always a bit tight around the neck, but for you... (He takes it out of Kane's hand and puts it on his neck.) It fits perfectly. (Kane gives him a small punch on the chest.) You objecting against me?
Kane: (He turns his head up, revealing the tears that he's trying to hold back.) Give them hell, Cowboy.
(Able nods his head at Kane and runs into the forest. He looks up to the sky and sees the parting clouds.)
Kane: The rains clearing up... maybe our burden is over.
(Able reaches makes it through the forest once more, the rain has cleared out most of the fire at this point. He finds Kuragari leaning against one of the broken houses, staring out into the distance.)
Kuragari: You know what my favorite thing about this place is, besides it's history? It's this little waterfall, which makes a small clearing over here. I never paid much attention to it, but now that I look at it more with the sun starting to come over the horizon... it's beautiful. Also isn't it strange that the sun is rising at 3AM?
Able: (He sits down next to Kuragari.) Yeah, it is.
Kuragari: Kane send you?
Able: No. I came on my own terms. *Coughing up Blood* Remember when we were just kids, some days we'd sneak onto the roof and just stare at the sunset while talking about absolute nonsense?
Kuragari: Those were the best days.
Able: You're my brother, Sam. *Coughing* You of all people know, I don't want to do this.
Kuragari: Neither do I.
Able: Then, why are you fighting?
Kuragari: I guess I'm just... trapped in my little Heart Shaped Prison, unable to fight back against the warden and the guards. (He stands up and helps Able up.) Listen, Able, I know you're dying. But I can give you one final match, after all you did say you'd like to spar with me someday. (They both step back about 3 meters, he picks up his Katana and his wounds don't heal, proving that he needs Magica to revive. Able summons Excalibur and musters the last of his strength to hold it.) You ready?
Able: Born.
Kuragari/Able: (Both of them smirk.) Let's dance!
(They walk towards each other and begin their battle, no Magica, no Elementas, just two brothers, their swords, the dirt at their feet, and the sunrise. Kuragari strikes first, but you can tell he is holding back against Able, but Able fights back, no holds barred. Their blades cross each other, two brothers locked in a deadly, but fun sparring match.)
Able: If you kick dirt in my face then I'm chopping your head off.
Kuragari: (He gives a small wink.) Fine I won't.
(Kuragari's blade slips past Excalibur and he chops off some of Able's robotic fingers.)
Able: HEY!!!
Kuragari: Sorry, sorry! You can always buy a new one if I break this one!
Able: I didn't buy this one though!
(They continue their match, but outside of the forest, at a gas station, Levente stands in front of a phone booth and starts dialing Esperanza. He checks his watch as it rings.)
Esperanza: (On the other side of the phone.) Hello?
Levente: Hi, sis.
Esperanza: Oh, Levi, did something happen? How's the plan going?
Levente: Honestly... I don't know if Azrael killed him, or if he killed Azrael. I just got out of there while I could. I just wanted to hear your voice, in case something bad happens.
Esperanza: Listen, I'm sure everything is going to be fine. I have faith in it.
Levente: I wish I had.
(Back at the match, Able is getting weaker by the minute, he can't even hold his sword properly anymore.)
Able: Wait, just wait a minute? (He drops Excalibur on the ground and starts coughing profusely.) Well... I think you win, Sam.
Kuragari: (He catches Able as he falls.) Able!
Able: (Breathing heavily.) Just... put me down over there, next to the waterfall, where I can watch the sun please.
Kuragari: No, there has to be a way to-...
Able: Sam! It's fine. Thank you, for well everything.
Kuragari: No. Thank you, Able.
(Kuragari rests Able's head on the ground, Able turns his head towards the horizon, at the beautiful rising sun. Kuragari sits down in front of the house and tries to hold back his tears. Able takes one last deep breath... a smile on his, he closes his eyes and finally rests. He can't hold it back for much longer, Kuragari bursts out into tears.)
Kuragari: *Crying* It was supposed to be you, Able. You were supposed to be the one finish me off... (He slams his fists into the ground, he doesn't stop, even when his knuckles begin bleeding.) Why?! Why, Fate, why?!
(Some time later, Kuragari is sitting in front of the burning church, Kane and Annah made their way back here. They see Able's peaceful corpse gazing at the horizon, as well as Kuragari sitting there.)
Kane: Able, you've got to be...
Kuragari: Hey, Kane, Annah...
Kane: What does it take to kill you?
Kuragari: I ask that too... Annah, come over here please.
Annah: (She kneels down in front of him.) What is it, Sam?
Reyes: I've always been too afraid to say this... I love you Annah. From the moment I first saw you. I've loved you since that very moment... but I was too afraid to say it. Everyone I've said those words to have died, in front of me... no matter how much I try to save them, I guess I'm just a fool.
Annah: (She leans in and kisses Sam.) I know, but you're my fool... and I love you too.
Reyes: Kane... I'm sorry to ask this, (He points to the Scythe on the ground.) Can you kick that to me please?
Kane: (He kicks it towards him and sits down next to Able, taking a sip from his canteen.) Just do whatever the hell you want now.
Reyes: Annah, settle down, live your life, and forget about me, do you hear?
Annah: What do you mean?
(Reyes picks up the Scythe and starts fighting back against Kuragari, he stabs himself with it multiple times, and doesn't stop. Annah jumps back in horror as does Kane. He stands up and walks towards Reyes. Reyes reaches into his pocket one last time, he pulls out his journal and throws it in front of Kane.)
Kane: Sam?
Reyes: (He stands up and turns towards the fire, he turns his head towards Kane one last time.) Take care of Elizabeth for me, Kane.
(Reyes gives Kane one final salute, before he walks into the fire and continues stabbing himself with the Scythe, nonstop.)
(Annah begins crying and hugs Kane, Kane gives her a hug back as he stares into the fire.)
Kane: (Shaking his head.) Sam... you're full of surprises.
(The sound of sirens and alarms begin screaming from a distance as Kane and Annah start making their way out of the forest once and for all.)
(End of Chapter 71.)
(End of Arc 8.)
(End of Part 2.)