CHAPTER 60: CHAINED SOUL

CHAINED SOUL

Rachael can't remember when she became so close to the twins, one was charming and one was hard but soon those became labels that meant little to her. Recalling what they went through with Dracula one could say that destiny brought them together. There was no escaping it.

But if it is the same destiny that brought them together that took away her parents, that took away John and is trying to take away the twins then damned be destiny.

Even so, she is powerless against the threads of fate. She is but a human in a world bigger than the one she knows.

But this world has shown her a glimpse of hell; it lets you love and then it takes it away just like that. Like the air we breath, in and out; such is life, it comes and it goes.

Rachael kneels beside Samuel and Amanda as Amanda mounts pressure on the struggling sphinx. She takes his hand in hers and cries, "Please Samuel don't leave me," she says.

***. ***. ***

Gabriel struggles with the scythe as he feels his body heat like a burning pot but he doesn't give up. His palms begin to burn against the metal of the scythe as the reaper stares with no remorse in its burning gaze.

Gabriel screams and the reaper retracts it's weapon, he grips the chain and throws it around, lifting and smacking Gabriel against the ground. He feels quite thankful at the softness of the sand but the pains his body goes through is no joke.

"I have seen many like you who think they can tie the hands of fate and run from their destiny. Since you don't want to pass on peacefully I will let you in on a few things before I drag your wretched soul through the threshold," the reaper says as it floats toward Gabriel who crawls on his back and elbows.

"You and your brother made a mistake when you let the McQueen bloodline continue. It was destined that the family be wiped out but you brought her back. What do you think the price is? Your immortality?

You can't stop destiny, she will die and you will die with her," the reaper's husky voice becomes deeper.

"Why do you want her dead so bad?" Gabriel asks, "Me? I don't care about you or her. It is destiny and it is my job to take your souls through the threshold even if it is by force," the reaper says and swings it's scythe once again.

The burning sensation on Gabriel's palms settles with the gentleness of the sand rubbing against them but the sight of the scythe coming down on him makes him feel a fear like never before, almost paralyzing and maddening.

But Rachael's face flashes before his eyes, Samuel's face flashes before his eyes and all the memories of his 500 years journey play through his mind and the mental registration that this is the end hits like a hammer to a nail.

He can still feel the link between he and Samuel, so he knows Samuel didn't take his advice to destroy the link between them.

If he dies here Samuel will die in the real world and he refuses to let his brother down, not when he is trying his best to stay alive and bring him back.

He rolls away and dodges the scythe, "What is the use of this game? I already have you. Why do you still fight?" the reaper asks.

"I know it has been long since you felt what it was like to be alive. What it felt like to have people care and worry about you, to the extent that they would go through hell to save you.

But I can still feel it. I can still feel their love and even if I try to ignore it the people that care about me won't give up on me so why should I give up?

This is my life and yet people are fighting for it so tell me reaper why should I give up?" Gabriel says as he struggles to his feet.

The reaper stops and stares at him briefly like he connects to Gabriel's words; Gabriel stares into his eyes feeling like he as touched the soul of he who takes souls away.

The chains from his feet suddenly come off and he breathes out in relief, "Looks like you aren't going to cross the threshold after all. Since you were a sphinx who had the World Knowledge at his disposal you should have known that it is also the work of reapers to execute any wraiths they find in the spirit realm," the reaper says.

"I hereby deem you a wraith which must be destroyed. Now run for me," it says and throws it's scythe at Gabriel who dodges and begins to run. The reaper flies through the air and appears from the shadows to swipe the back of his hand against Gabriel's face and send him flying until he lands hard against the comfy floor.

"You are lucky we are on the path to the threshold where it is soft and gentle.

But it is okay, I will try my best to enjoy this" the reaper says.

The reaper snaps his fingers and the ground emits fire from his position, running in a line towards Gabriel, growing with distance and heating up with intensity.

Gabriel runs for his life. That has been the story of his short time in the spirit realm as a human spirit.

He misses the days he was a sphinx and not many creatures could intimidate him in the spirit realm but now he runs knowing that anything can kill him; from a demon to a reaper.

He doesn't see when the reaper appears by his side and his chain trips Gabriel over and he rolls onto the sand. He hurries to get to his feet but the fire comes regardless, merciless is its chase and burnt is that which lays in its path.

The flames burn the sand as it chases Gabriel while the reaper momentarily appears to smack him to one side. His mouth trickles with blood and it feels very much like when he was alive but weaker.

The pain is real, the blood feels real and his body shudders with each hit he receives. He coughs and blood paints the white sand beneath his feet.

He looks around and sees that the flames have form a circle around him with he and the reaper within it.

"Now where will you run to," the reaper says.

Gabriel stands wobbly and he takes a stance with his fists up and the sides of his face dripping with blood, "Come then reaper. I won't die without a fight motherfucker," he says.

The reaper stares briefly and suddenly bursts into laughter, "I didn't know reapers could laugh," "You are an entertaining personality Gabriel Stone. I can't remember the last time when a soul tried to fight off a reaper with such a strong spirit," the reaper says.

"Too bad this has to end. I will destroy you and every piece of your existence," it says.

"Forgive me Sammy," Gabriel mumbles as he takes a deep breath and prepares himself for the end that seem inevitable.

The reapers chain dashes toward Gabriel and he stand still, waiting for the right time to dive.

If he is going to die he has to at least put in some effort.

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes briefly, he opens them again and readies himself for the reaper's attack, "This is it Sammy," he mumbles.

A giant looking creature jumps over the flames and swipes the back of its paws against the chains and hitting it away from the human soul that stands determined.

The creature stands tall with a huge frame, a pair of horns and fierce looking wings with sharp golden edges that burn bright like flames. It has the head of a lioness and the edge of its tail carry a diamond-like tip that glitters.

Gabriel falls to his knees as he recognizes the sphinx and embraces the safety of its presence, "I'm I glad to see your punkass," he says.

The creature roars and smacks the reaper with its giant paws, "You sphinxes are becoming more annoying," the reaper says as it lands on the white floors.

"Protect him all you want but when the time comes he will beg for death," the reaper snarls.

The sphinx's hairs stand still and its body lights up with a fiery glow, it roars and emits fire from its mouth toward the reaper and the reaper dashes from side to side until it flees into the darkness.

The creature's face makes a strange reformation, bending and shrinking into a human's face at a massive size, "Amanda," Gabriel says, "Are you okay?" she asks.

"What is going on out there?" "Samuel is dying. He felt your pain." "Damn it," Gabriel mumbles.

"I need to get to my gate," "Climb on," Amanda squats down with her beastly body and let's Gabriel climb her back, "You are the one directing the way," she says before her face returns to that of a lioness.

She jumps and the darkness opens up as they go through an array of memories. Gabriel sees a glimpse of his childhood and the struggles he went through, he sees the memories of Frank McQueen and John Williams.

Rachael's face comes up and his heart jerks as he stares at the walls of his memories displayed like a video.

Amanda's paws land on a hard surface with hard grounds and a white background. Several gates and trees stand around the place as the sphinx squats down for Gabriel to come down.

She waits as he walks around.

The floors a few meters ahead looks damaged and one of the gates looks out of place with its hinges destroyed and the gates hanging abnormally.

The air is clean and pink petals fly around as a cool breeze blows through the midair.

Gabriel walks into the gate and disappears behind its wooden doors.

It doesn't take long for him to come out with a frown on his face, it slowly turns into a sad look and he falls on his knees.

Amanda walks close to him and he stares into her blue eyes, "It is gone Amanda. My treasure is gone,".