Chapter 15: A soul put to rest

Alice had figured out how to beat this thing, but she’d need it weakened. Fortunately for her Ken was able to pick up on the fact that she discovered something and proceeded to occupy the collectors attention while she checked on Clara. Her friend seemed to be alright, “ Man this hurts a lot more than I thought,” Clara says practically shrugging off the fact that she was flung into a wall, she manages to sit upright, Ken seemed to be doing alright. Well, better than alright. He was outmanoeuvring the collector, taking jabs at it whenever he can, it seemed like he was toying with it. “ Think you can manage a bit longer?” She ask Clara,

“ you got a plan?” she ask leaning on her sword as she stand, she quickly explain the plan to which Clara agrees to before leaping back into the fight, the collector was able to keep up with the two of them with somewhat ease, Ken steps out of the fight once Clara regained her momentum, she seemed to be doing better now, like her skills had improved over the course of the fight. Alice checks the barrel of the gun just in case, one last bullet. Ken had made his way over to Alice and the two stood on stand by, waiting for the right moment to jump in,

“ So, is there some magic reason as to why Clara is this good with the blade?” she ask him,

“ It could be the sword had retained its previous users proficiency with the blade, and now that Clara is its wielder it passed it on to her, or shes just a prodigy and has some latent sword skill none of us knew about,” Ken explains, she watch intently as her friend put her life on the line so that her plan could maybe work, she wasn’t really sure if it’ll work or not but oh well. Ken had stepped back into the fight, with this Clara was able to cut through the right arm, the collector screech in pain and annoyance, to keep it from retaliating against Clara Ken slashes it across the back, drawing its attention to him allowing Clara to cleave its left arm, not severing it but it left a deep cut. Claras face was bruised, a single cut lay on her cheek, her pink kimono riddled with slash marks, but she seemed more composed now. The collector jabs its claw at Clara in an attempt to skewer her, it imbeds into the floor, allowing Clara to sever the final arm, within the same stroke she step behind and sever its legs making the collector fall to its knees. Alice breathed out, she steadily walk over to stand in front of it. It stare back at her as she lock her eyes with it. Within it, it held a swirl pattern. Its mouth open, breathing raggedly, she would need to hurry before it died.

“ Anne and Henry were happily married living in this home, but Poppy wanted Henry. So she tried getting with him in hopes he would cheat on Anne with her, but he wouldn’t. One day when Anne wasn’t home Poppy tried proposing to Henry, telling him that Anne was cheating on him with someone else and ran away, Henry knew better than to trust her, he refused and was killed by Poppy, Anne received a fake letter made by Poppy, the letter was supposed to be found by Anne before Poppy enacted her plan with Henry but she found it too late, the letter was meant to drive her away, but she knew better. Poppy managed to poison Anne and in a desperate attempt to keep the truth she tried writing a letter believing Henry would find it, she died grieving,” Alice recounts the entire story to the collector, “ Henry was killed by Penny, he always loved you, Anne,” Alice had come to the conclusion that fragmented souls are products of people who experience extreme emotion in the moment before there death, in this case Anne died with an incredible amount of sorrow and hatred, thus her soul fractured. The final clue she needed was the eyes. Mr. Harrisons has green eyes, and so his collector had light green eyes. The collector stare at her for a bit before closing its eyes as if accepting what she had said, Alice place raise the gun to its head, firing the final shot allowing it to crumble away into nothing, Clara and Ken were staring at something past her, she turn to see what. Standing behind her was a lady wearing a dark red dress, her black hair flow freely behind her, her crimson eyes bore into Alice’s soul, it was Anne. She stood their standing, smiling at Alice, who wasn’t sure what to say, instead she reach into her pocket and offer the lipstick she had taken earlier, even though Anne was a ghost Alice thought she could take it with her, a lot has happened in the span of 1 hour so she wasn’t really thinking. Anne closes Alice's hand into a fist, gesturing her to keep it. “ A…” Anne speaks, the words struggling to form,

“ A…momento…keep it,” She speaks, her voice echo softly, Anne outstretched her hand placing it on Alice's face, her being began to disappear. She was moving on. When the three of them stepped outside it was raining lightly, the moon shone down on them as they walk down the driveway, Clara looked pleased with herself, rightfully so. If not for her the entire plan would have failed.

“ Despite how long its been, the hate Anne held was removed, meaning the hatred people feel against others can be fixed by just talking it out,” Clara says, “ sure, lets just head to my place and get you patched up.” Alice says linking her arm with her friends as they walk home.

Ken stayed behind, he watched from the top of the driveway as the two walk away, he lets out a sigh as he reach into his coat, revealing a cigarette and a light. He place the smoke into his mouth, despite the rain he was able to light it, he inhales and lets out a puff of smoke. Lightning flashes, a large figure loom behind him, a fragmented soul that seemed to have accumulated years of hate, it lower its head to rest next to Ken. He place his hand on it, as if petting it. “ Unfortunately something like that cannot be removed so simply...The hate for one,”