SOUL EATER: ~AFTERMATH~

Chapter 19 - A Trip to Hell and Back... The Story of a True Demon?

He approached the doors of the tall, black and twisted building. He stared for a moment before pushing them inwards and entering. All of the witches in the room shot their gazes to him instantly.

"What is a child doing in the Witch's Mass? Someone take care of him!" one of the head witches was pointing at the intruder. Two lesser witches rushed him only to be cut down in a flurry of slices.

"DOES HE THINK HE CAN JUST WALTZ IN HERE AND KILL US?" another witch screamed.

"No... he's here to help us..." spoke the witch Cecilia walking out from the shadows.

"You think you can bring a human in here without confronting the grand witch first?"

"He's not a human... he's a meister. He's a meister with the black blood coursing through his veins..."

Messor looked for a moment at the remains of the two witches he had slain before they vanished leaving souls in their place.

"Look Ryder... snacks..." Messor spoke coldly. Ryder reverted to his human form and swallowed the two souls like he hadn't eaten in days.

"HE JUST FED THEIR SOULS TO HIS WEAPON!" the witch from before was hysterical.

"And he's still hungry..." Messor stared her down causing the witch to back away. Cecilia took her place and began to speak.

"As I was saying... this young man has the black blood and through him we will be able to create more. Now all we have to do is-"

"No..." when Messor interrupted her Cecilia stared at him in shock.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"No... I don't think I want to do that..."

"YOU CAN'T JUST TELL ME NO! I GAVE YOU THAT POWER!" Cecilia was furious.

"Oh... let me try again then... No..."

The witches all gathered around him. Cecilia made her way to the center of the circle.

"I'm going to leave you with my sisters... then we'll see how willing you are to cooperate..." Cecilia backed her way out of the crowd. "I have other matters to attend to..."

Dani and Jake were on their way to Uncle Bob's Rumba Coffee when everything went dark... A tall black figure had stepped out in front of them. Cecilia fixed her hat then looked at the duo.

"So... how did you enjoy that reunion with you parents?"

"You had something to do with that..." Jake glared at her.

"You... sent my parents after me..." Dani stared at her with sorrow in her eyes.

"I told them to wait until you were older... You should be thanking me..."

"YOU'RE A MONSTER! WHY WOULD WE EVER THANK YOU!" Jake shouted.

"Well little boy, if it weren't for me you two wouldn't be together... that's the first reason."

"That's not true..." Dani started to cry.

"Also her parents would have killed her when she was younger..."

"Shut up!" Jake was practically growling.

"I wouldn't have been able to view the DWMA through my disciple's eyes."

"Are you talking about Messor?" Dani was still weeping.

"Yes, dear... I was rather disappointed when he didn't get to finish your boy toy off-"

"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!" both Dani and Cecilia stared at Jake when he yelled.

"My, my, what a mouth on you..." Cecilia smirked a smirk that made Jake sick to his stomach.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO DANI YOU BITCH!"

"I'd like to see you try."

Jake rushed towards the witch but to no avail, before he could get within range she blasted him back with a spell.

"Panther, panther, pan, pan, Panth!"

A black claw pierced Jake's shoulder.

"Jake don't do this!" Dani said between her sobs. He got to his feet and rushed her again with the same results. Cecilia turned towards Dani and raised her hand preparing to cast another spell. Right before the claw struck her Jake jumped into the way taking a hit directly to the stomach.

"Pitiful... Why do you continue to stand up for your weapon? Can't you be like any other meister and just choose another?" Cecilia was annoyed by Jake's constant interference.

"No... because it doesn't work like that..." Jake managed to pick himself up. "Dani's soul is the only soul I'll ever be compatible with... and I'd never let anything happen to her."

"Jake..." she was still crying but felt comforted by his words.

"That's a shame... Panther, panther, pan, panther, PANTH!"

A large black spike rose from the ground going straight through Jake's chest. Once again everything went black. When Jake opened his eyes he saw only flames. A devilish looking creature approached him.

"Welcome my dear boy, welcome!" said the strange little demon.

"Where... where am I? Where's Dani?" Jake asked oblivious to his new surroundings.

"Well... how do I put this lightly... YOU'RE IN HELL!"

"What?"

"Isn't it marvelous? Truly beautiful if you ask me."

"Why... why would I be in hell?" Jake had no idea what was going on.

"Don't you understand dear boy? Hell is where all demons go when they die."

"But I'm not a demon!"

"Oh... but aren't you?"

"NO! I'M NOT A DEMON! I'M A HUMAN... I'm... real."

"The sooner you admit it... the sooner everything will make sense..." the demon tried to reason with him. Jake sat down and scratched at his head. He started to tear up.

"But... I'm not a demon... I know I'm not... I... I..."

Dani was kneeling over Jake's body crying harder than she'd ever cried before.

"JAKE! NO! PLEASE DON'T DIE! PLEASE!"

"It's no use Dani... he's gone... and now I'll be taking your life as well." Cecilia raised her hand and pointed it at her. Dani didn't even look at the witch, she was too busy mourning Jake's sacrifice.

"Panther, panther, pan, panther, panth."

A black spike began to rise from the ground heading directly for Dani. She only caught a short glimpse of it before Jake's hand shot up grabbing it.

"WHAT? You're still alive?" Cecilia didn't know what to think. Jake rose to his feet and slowly opened his eyes. He stared a Cecilia for a moment.

"...I am a demon..." Jake spoke without the slightest bit of emotion in his words.

"What?"

"I am... A DEMON!" he ran directly towards Cecilia who fired one of her dark claws only to watch it bounce off of some sort of barrier. Jake grabbed her extended arm with the slightest twist broke it.

"AHHHH!" the witch screamed jerking her arm from his grasp and backing into the shadows. "This isn't the end... I WILL GET YOU!"

Jake turned to Dani. She looked at him through teary eyes. Something about him wasn't the same. Jake always stood up straight, and his hair kept itself up naturally. He was slouching and his hair drooped as if it were soaking wet. He slowly began to step towards Dani.

"Jake... what... what's the matter?"

"I am a demon..." he said ignoring the question.

"No... You're not... You're Jake... You're not a demon."

"No... I am-"

"JAKE STOP IT! You're not a demon! I would never love a demon!" she shouted her tears of sadness had been replaced by tears of anger.

"...L-...love..." the word seemed to reach him.

"That's right! I love you! And I would never let you become a demon no matter how bad things get!" she ran forward and hugged him. "Please... please come back."

"I... I'm not a demon?" his words sounded confused.

"No... you're not... you're Jake Expletus... the human..."

Jake stood for a moment as his thoughts returned to him. He raised his arms and hugged Dani back. They stood quietly in front of the coffee shop and didn't pay attention to any of the people staring as the passed by.

Cecilia returned to the gates of the Witch's Mass. She paused when she reached the door. Something didn't feel right. She slowly opened it to find that all of the other witches were gone and Messor was sitting in the Grand Witch's place with Ryder beside him. Ryder stood up and extended his arms.

"Welcome back babe! You wouldn't believe how rude the others were... but they're all taken care of... Say hello to your new leader..."

Chatper 19- FIN