Authors note: Confused yet? If you are, good for you, thats the point. Things will be explained in due time, all in due time.
-The Leader of Talking Palmtree's
Part one: Prison
Little light showed through the cold iron bars of the Ark of Salvation's prison. It was an immense structure made of metal and order. The Council made sure that the order of their society was maintained by keeping all that would disrupt it in this prison and guard it so thoroughly. Every nook and cranny of the facility was full of armed guards and security cameras. One way in, no way out.
The cells were small but clean, not like the ones on the surface which had squalid living conditions crammed between cracked bricks and cement. To most of the prisoners, their cells seemed more comfortable and clean then their own home's. The food wasn't so bad, a small portion of meat with a side of mashed potatoes. Every afternoon, the prisoners were allowed to go outside to a walled off courtyard. The ground was green and fresh and many tree's stood strong and high above the walls, gently blowing in the breeze. A paradise within a prison was very odd indeed, but the prisoners enjoyed a chance to relax under the shade of the trees, smell the fresh air, and feel the blades of grass rub up against their skin. The Council made very sure that no prisoner would even think about escaping. This prison was a castle to the prisoners.
But every castle must have a dungeon, death row. There, the most dangerous and notorious criminals were kept. Death row, unlike the rest of the facility, was bitter and cold. There, no light ever shown, except through the flashlights of passing guards. The air was stale and contaminated, every breath anyone took felt like their last. No food was given since the prisoners would be sent to their death in a few days, no reason to waste money on such criminals. There, Soul Evan's rotted in his cell.
It had been three days since his trial. He sat in the middle of his cell floor, his limbs chained to the walls and a dirty blindfold over his face. His ability to change into a weapon frightened most of the guards, so they took the precaution to make sure he couldn't cut up anyone passing by. He was silent and still, almost like the Council that condemned him, except for a constant breath that poured from his mouth. In and out, in and out, in and out. Every time a guard passed him, he never spoke, just the sound of his constant breathing ever seeped from the bars.
His mind was a blur of mixed emotions. He knew that tomorrow, he would die. Everything in his life had turned to a bitter ash. The town he once protected now saw him as a threat. Old friends turned their faces in anger from him in court. The Shinigami even did the same.
"why" he thought. "why…why…why."
Suddenly, a light chuckle filled his ears. Its voice was small but threatening. "Oh Soul, look at us now. We are at the bottom of our game. Our record won't even play. What's wrong Soul? You bothered? You ashamed? Come on, you can tell me…I'm always listening."
The voice let out another chuckle. Soul remained silent.
"You see…its not too hard to break the rules. You did become stronger from it, didn't you? The little kid of death's soul was just so delectable, was it not?" Soul's lip began to twitch. A small bead of sweat ran down his face. "Come on now, let your fear go, dying is not too bad. Maybe there is a good bit of music in heaven…or hell."
The voice screeched with an unbridled and somewhat disturbing joy, laughing loud and hysterically. Soul finally opened his mouth and growled "shut up…" he said in a hushed voice.
"You know you can't get rid of me Soul…because I am you. Beside's, if you die…you could see your friends again. That crazy Blackstar…little Death…even…" Soul began to tremble, his heart began to pump faster. His rage was returning.
"…Maka…"
Soul violently threw his head back and screamed at the top of his lungs "shut up!" The voice disappeared. Soul was alone once again. The darkness was his only companion.
Soul gasped for air in the utter blackness, as if the darkness itself was suffocating him with large gnarled, black fingers. The only thing he could hear was the muffled beating of his heart in his chest. "What's happening to me? Why is this happening" he said softly to himself. He tilted his head up to the ceiling, "Maka…you could beat some sense into me, wake me up from this drea-…no…nightmare." Soul strained and listened for an answer, anything, but not a sound was heard. The silence remained, until the clattering of keys broke the silence.
Soul looked in the direction the noise came from. He squinted from behind his blindfold to see a small light bleeding through the fabric, most likely a flashlight from the guard. Soul held his breath, he knew what the guard was there for.
"So" Soul says to the guard "you here to take me to hell?"
The guard remained silent as the sound of Soul's jail cell lock latching open rang out. Another sound echoed from the darkness, it was a loud clicking sound, like the trigger of a gun being pulled back. To Soul's prediction, it was, as he felt the cold muzzle against his skull.
"Don't try anything funny" the guard hissed at him.
Soul nodded and made a small chuckle "don't get your undines in a bunch tough guy, I'll be on my best behavior." Soul expected that he could at least crack a few jokes and feel a bit humorous on his day of reckoning. The guard grumbled as he unlocked Souls hands and legs from the wall. The chains rattled and fell to the floor, coiling into large piles like silver snakes.
Soul stretched a bit and rubbed his wrists "about time bud, those things were getting a bit uncomfortable for my taste" he chuckled.
The guard grabbed him by his arm and lifted him to his feet, keeping the gun barrel glued to his prisoner's head. The guard then reached for Soul's blindfold and ripped it off. Soul blinked a bit, trying to adjust to the bright beam of the flashlight. He gazed at the guards face, he looked sweaty and a bit nervous.
Soul raised and eyebrow to him "what's wrong, you never seen the face of a dead man before?"
The guard gulped, feeling the tension Soul was putting on him. "J-just b-be quiet, will ya" the guard stuttered.
Soul smirks at him "ok boy, take me away" he says, lifting his hands up into the air.
Soul was escorted from the cell and began to walk down to hall. He wobbled, trying desperately to keep his balance. Being stuck sitting down, motionless for three days ran a number on his nerves in his limbs. Hoots and hollers of other death row inmates filled the hallway, celebrating Soul's "release" from prison. Soul looks forward, trying to ignore all the dirty, unshaven faces watching him. He saw the faint light of a doorway. It grew closer and closer until finally it opened and a ray of light poured from the opening, almost blinding Soul as he stepped outside.
Soul took in a deep breath as cool, refreshing air filled his lungs.
He gazed up to a blue sky and smiled "at least its a nice day."
Soul was lead into a walled courtyard, it had no grass or trees. Each of the walls had at least four guards, armed with heavy machine guns, ready to fire on any hapless prisoner who would dare try to escape. In the middle of the courtyard stood something that made Soul raise an eyebrow to. It was a wooden gallows. It's tight rope noose swung slowly side to side in the breeze. It was surprising to see such a civilized society, equipped with the most advanced technology, and yet, they execute people in such a barbaric and primitive manner. Soul shuddered, imagining the noose constricting around his neck until the life was squeezed from his body. Soul then felt large shackles clamp down on his hands, the guards were making very sure he couldn't escape in some daring stunt.
Soul was guided up the wooden creaky stairs of the gallows until he stood face to face with the noose. It swung back and forth in an almost hypnotic way, enticing Soul, wanting to take his life from him.
Soul sighed and once again looked up to the heavens "well Maka…I guess I'll see you soon."
The guards gun was removed from his head. The guard that lead him to the gallows then spoke to him. "If you have any final words, you may speak them now" he said in a hushed voice, he was shaking, he must have never seen a man hang before. Soul remained silent, not even glancing at the guard.
The guard nodded. He wiped the sweat from his brow and cleared his throat. "Soul Evan's, your death sentence will be carried out at the stroke of five, may god have mercy on your soul." Soul glanced up, he could barely see above the wall. Beyond it stood a tall skyscraper, upon its front was a large screen. The screen flashed in bright red numbers the time.
"Four fifty-seven".
The clock slowly ticked, the tension began to grow in the courtyard.
"Four fifty-eight".
Soul felt the wind brush against his face, so calming. He wished he could just become the wind itself and fly away into the sky, away from the world and all the saddened faces that populated it.
"Four fifty nine."
His time was up, the seconds ticked.
"forty-nine…fifty…fifty-one…"
Soul slowly closed his eyes, ready for his fate to take hold of him.
"…fifty-eight…fifty-nine…"
The breeze became more violent, the cold air gushed throughout the entire courtyard. Suddenly, the cold wind shifted. It quickly became immensely hot. Soul's eyes snapped open as he looked around, all the guards had turned their attention towards the Skyscraper clock. Soul looked up to it as well.
The screen began to flicker and flash, letting out small crackling noises. It suddenly went black. A few seconds passed before a large "K" appeared in the screen. Soul stared at it, awestruck at the sight he was beholding. He sighed, looking back up at the sky, thinking it was the last time he'd ever see it. The clouds twisted and curled as if they had been disturbed by some great force. The wind had been swallowed up by a haunting roar that ripped across the sky. Soul felt his ears sting at the immense sound. Soul made a small smile and a small chuckle passed through his lips.
"…I didn't think…I'd die this way" Soul quietly uttered as the roaring sound of a missile ruptured the air.