It's been a long road, but this is the final chapter of Exile. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King.


Unlike the last area, this one was dark. Small flickers of red fire appeared.

"I thought hell was a big fire pit." Ryu said.

"It is. But, the hellion spirits give it the fire. So many have escaped, there's no fire to light." Exile said.

"So with no spirits, there's no light?" Tamao asked.

"Right." Exile said. He lit up his oversoul. "Everyone, light up your oversouls." Yoh, Horo Horo, Ren, Ryu, and Lyserg lit their oversouls up. Their field of vision increased and the view was significantly better.

"So, which way?" Ren asked. Exile scanned through the light and walked toward one of the small red flickers of fire.

"This fire shows signs of spirits present in here. It's best that we follow them. The more life we see, the more clues we may get to finding the key." Exile followed a thin nearly-invisible path of red fire. Everyone followed him. The fire eventually began to grow bigger and more visible, and then becoming one huge flame. "This is it. We should be able to seal it here."

"How do you know?" Kirol asked. Exile did not answer. He just raised his hand, creating a huge light, which showed all of the realm. The realm, after being shown in the light, was barren and empty. No spirit was existent in the area. But, in front of Exile, stood a gigantic Distorted Spirit, shrieking and flailing like a dying animal. It's eyes were low and its mouth was drooling. It wore a black uniform, one could barely tell.

"What is this thing doing here?" Exile questioned. "No Distorted Spirits can be in hell. It's just not possible." The spirit pierced everyone's ears with its screeching. Its jagged arm slashed toward Exile, but he dodged the attack and rushed in with a lit oversoul. Yoh and the other battlers rushed in as well. They bludgeoned the figure with repeated attacks. The spirit shrieked more and swung its disfigure everywhere, causing the fighters to be pushed back. Then, something happened which surprised everyone. A clear voice could be heard from the ghost. It clearly began to speak.

"Do not fight me." Exile stood confused, as with the others. "I have suffered so much." Exile and the others disintegrated their oversouls.

"Why are you here?" Exile asked it.

"I have come to find the source of the break." it said. "I have traveled over the barrier for years, and wish the planes to be safe."

"Did you vanquish all of the hellion spirits?" Exile asked.

"Yes. They planned to take advantage of the tear and escape. I could not let that happen." A pause ran through.

"Listen to me." Exile replied. "I can repair this."

"You can?" it asked. Exile took a deep breath, preparing to reveal his secret. But, before he could, the ground began to shake. Exile cringed.

"What's happening?" Yoh asked.

"It's time." Exile quietly said.

"What do you mean?" Kirol called.

"It must be completed. The key is so close, it's causing ruptures in the planes. If the door is not closed, everything will be gone. The spirit plane, the human plane, everything." He walked toward Kirol and the others. "I must tell you all something. I am a half-spirit."

"A half-what!" Horo Horo yelled.

"A half-spirit. My father was a human and my mother a spirit. I am of both planes. I am the cause of the tear." Kirol gasped. "I am what is needed to make the portal disappear."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kirol asked.

"Because if I seal the hole, I will not have any energy to live. I'm sorry." Kirol's eyes began to fill with tears.

"You promised..." she said. Exile looked away.

"Kirol..." he quietly said. "You know I don't want to. I'd rather not. But, you almost got killed because of the break. Hellion spirits almost killed you. You know...that it's for the best." Exile reached out and hugged her. Kirol could not stop crying. Exile then kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked to the flame.

"No!" she yelled. She tried to run to the flame, but Yoh held her back. "Let me go, Yoh!"

"You know he has to." he calmly said. Exile's image began to weaken. His body disappeared into the fire, and the shaking stopped. "Everyone! The portal is closing! Let's go!" Everyone, including Kirol ran through the portal, and eventually, back into the human world. Kirol was still crying and getting comfort from Tamao and Pirika.

"Please stop crying, Kirol." Pirika said. But, she couldn't. Kirol just kept crying. She cried the whole way back to the inn. Eventually, Pirika and Tamao just let her cry. They all sat in the living room, watching her cry. Yoh then spoke up.

"Before we left heaven, Exile told me something." Kirol looked up.

"What?"

"He told me that you would want it that way."

"I don't!"

"Yes, you do." Ryu said. "I can tell."

"Yeah, I don't think you want a world full of demons and hellions." Lyserg said.

"But, Exile sacrificed himself for me..." Kirol said. "I just can't live with that."

"Exile knew you'd say that." Yoh said.

"Then, why did he have to die?" Kirol's tears ran onto her kimono. A creak could be heard from the door.

"Stop crying." a voice said. A figure stood at the door. It was Exile. "Just stop crying." Kirol slowly turned around. She gazed at Exile's body; it was tattered a bit. She immediately wrapped him in a hug.

"How did you get back?" Yoh asked.

"Let's just say that the Great Spirit said that he didn't know where to put me." he said, smiling.

"You big idiot!" Kirol screamed. "You scared me!" She was still crying, but this time, out of happiness.

"Like I said, everything will work out." Yoh said, smiling.

"Yup." Exile replied.

"This calls for a celebration!" Ryu said.

"Do we get food?" Horo Horo asked, anxious to eat. Everyone then went into the kitchen. Exile and Kirol stayed in the living room.

"Why did you have to do that?" Kirol asked.

"I'm alive, aren't I? The point is I kept my promise to you. It's best not to tell you of past sorrows. Let's have fun with the others, okay?" Exile cracked one of his rare smiles. Kirol continued to hug him.

"Thank you, Exile." she said. Exile wrapped his arm around her as they went into the room with the others.

Everyone walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Kirol was still crying a little at Exile's return. Tamao and Pirika were cooking food.

"Seriously, Exile, how did you get back?" Lyserg asked.

"Do you all really want to know?" Exile said. Everyone nodded. "Well, I walked into the fire and felt my body begin to burn. The pain was intense, but closing the door was all that was on my mind. I slowly felt my spirit drift across the barrier and into the spirit realm." He placed his hands together and leaned on them. "The spirit world was exactly as we all saw it at first: a bizarre place full of color. I walked along the empty path of light. No spirits attacked me; the road was a peaceful one. I arrived back into heaven and the Great Spirit's judgement area. The bright light still rose at the altar. 'Judge me, Great One.' I said. The light manipulated back into the human-like form, then into a more familiar form. The light became all of you." The others were shocked.

"Why would the Great Spirit look like us!" Horo Horo said.

"The Great Spirit then said to me through the forms of you all that I needed to stay alive. That my life was important to you all and that if I died, it would only lead to more suffering. Through this, I was granted another life."

"So we helped you come back to life?" Kirol asked.

"Yes." Exile replied. "But I am still puzzled why I could even be alive with no spirit energy in my body. Without it, I'm just made of furyoku, and that could not make life."

"Don't worry about it." Yoh said. "That point is you're here and alive. No point in worrying about what you can't control." Exile looked away for a second.

"Yeah, but..."

"Exile..." Kirol said. "You're alive. You offered your life to protect us and the rest of the human and spirit worlds. Your generosity allowed you to get another chance, not us." Exile was still puzzled by all this, but Kirol's kind words always made him happy.

"I'm being a real idiot, with all this disappointment. Sorry everyone." he apologized.

"No problem." everyone said. As the food was delivered to the table by Tamao and Pirika, everyone began to eat. Horo Horo was scarfing down his food while Tamao was occasionally passing glances. Pirika was getting him to slow down while Ren was making smart remarks and Ryu was laughing. Yoh laughed at that too, along with Manta, Lyserg, and Jeanne, until Anna shut everyone up. Once everyone was done arguing, laughing, and fighting, Exile and Kirol began to laugh out of all the silence. The others looked at each other, completely confused.

"You all truly are my friends." Exile said. "I've grown accustomed to your fighting. Who would have thought?" Exile and Kirol stood up. "We should be going. It's a long walk home."

"Awww..." Everyone said.

"Don't worry. I have a feeling that our paths will cross again. Perhaps sooner than any of us think." The two walked to the door, followed by Yoh and the others. "Goodbye everyone." Exile said.

"Bye." Kirol said, waving. Exile and her began to walk, but Exile stopped sharply.

"Yoh..." he said.

"Yeah?" Yoh replied.

"Someday, I want to fight you again. But not for the title. Just a friendly battle."

"No problem, Exile." Yoh said. Exile and Kirol waved to the others, with Suke floating above them. Yoh and the others, along with their spirits, waved as well. As the shaman, spirit, and girl disappeared over the horizon, Kirol spoke up.

"Well, you didn't become Shaman King."

'Yeah." Exile replied. Kirol hung onto his arm.

"You'll always be my Shaman King." she said, smiling at him. Exile smiled back.

"C'mon. Let's go home." Exile said, as the three moved forward toward their home.

THE END


Thank you to all who helped me out with this story. Thanks to the reviewers: yoh no iinazuke, review lord, crazywriter, TrigunChic, YamiandAnzu4ever, catesy, and Glenn. But don't think this is the end of Exile: I already have a sequel prepared. I wish to make the sequel as good as the first. Look for it soon. Once again, thanks to the readers, reviewers, and all who made this possible.