[Chapter 26: Lost Soul]
Julia finally made up her mind, saying, "Okay, as long as you can save Emma, 500,000 isn't a problem."
Daniel felt a wave of relief. He had been worried the price was too steep and might scare them off. Lowering it again would have been embarrassing. Compared to Julia's generosity, Douglas truly deserved his fate. Julia was willing to pay half a million dollars for her niece. Douglas, on the other hand, refused to shell out even $100,000 for his own daughter. Serves him right for being where he was.
Daniel said, "One hundred thousand dollars as an advance. If this doesn't get resolved, I'll refund you in full."
Julia was surprised to learn the deposit was refundable if the problem wasn't solved -- it was the first time she'd ever heard of such a thing. Her confidence in Daniel grew immediately.
"Alright." She agreed, pulled out her checkbook, and quickly wrote a check for $100,000.
Daniel pocketed the check and asked Emma, "You said four of you played that game. Does the other girl have the mark, too?"
Emma nodded, "We all do."
Daniel said, "If you don't want her to die, call her over and have her stay with you."
"Okay, I'll call her now."
Emma pulled out her phone, but Daniel interrupted her. "Forget it. Something could happen to her on the way. Get her location, and we'll go to her directly."
Emma agreed and started the call. Julia didn't question why Daniel would save another girl for free after she'd already paid. Daniel noted this and felt a little more favorable toward Julia.
A few minutes later, Emma confirmed the address.
Daniel closed his shop, packed up his tools, climbed into Julia's car, and they were off.
...
Spending time with a second-generation celebrity like Emma clearly meant she wasn't from an ordinary background. Emma explained that the other girl was her classmate, Gella. Gella came from an upper middle-class family -- not as wealthy as Emma's but comfortably better off than many others. Originally, Gella didn't want to play the game, but to fit in with the clique, she reluctantly went along. That's when things went wrong.
Now, Gella fully understood how serious it was, but when she told her parents, they didn't believe her. Even less likely was the thought they would spend money on an Exorcist. So Gella was stuck at home, scared and alone.
Over the phone, when she heard Emma had found an Exorcist to help, her joy was nearly overwhelming.
...
"It's that one," Emma said, pointing out the house as their van pulled into a tidy middle-class neighborhood.
The lawn was neatly trimmed, no cars in the driveway -- likely no one home since it was still during working hours.
The van pulled up and parked, but the bodyguards didn't open the doors this time; the group stepped out themselves.
"Gella!" Emma called at the door, starting to rush forward, but Daniel grabbed her arm. "Wait."
Emma noticed the seriousness in Daniel's voice and paused, turning back. "What's wrong?"
"Something's off."
Daniel's face darkened. He sensed a surge of dark energy. It was the same type Emma had, only far thicker and more unsettling.
He rang the doorbell. No answer. He knocked loudly -- still nothing.
"Not good," Daniel muttered.
With a flick of his wrist, he slapped an Evil-Breaking Seal on the door, and started the chant.
Light rises at my command, judgment stands at this threshold.
By sealed authority, let corruption yield.
By consecrated steel, let misfortune be cut away.
What is barred by evil is opened by decree.
Let this door release what should not remain.
"Break for me!"
A burst of energy exploded, and the door creaked open.
Daniel pushed it inward into pitch-black darkness. The curtains were drawn tight, not a sliver of light entering. But the stifling cold and thick dark energy lingered upstairs.
...
"Follow me," Daniel ordered.
He stepped inside but didn't rush upstairs. Instead, he pulled open the curtains on the lower floor.
Sunlight flooded in instantly, and the chill started to lift.
He glanced back to find Julia and the others closely behind him, tense and worried.
The burly bodyguard hadn't even bothered with proper gun handling, gripping his weapon with both hands, utterly nervous.
Daniel quietly regretted bringing so many -- it only complicated things.
"Let's go upstairs."
He led the way, heading straight to the door with the densest dark energy.
With a solid kick, the door swung open.
The room's curtains were still drawn, but a faint breeze gently stirred them now and then, letting in slivers of light.
Through this scattered glow, Daniel spotted a pale white girl -- about thirteen or fourteen -- lying unconscious on the bed.
"Gella!" Emma cried, voice cracking with sorrow as she moved to rush forward. Daniel grabbed her arm again.
"Let Mr. Cross handle this," Julia said quickly.
Daniel's expression grew grim.
He raised a seal and sent it flying into the room, forming a tight circle of glowing script.
The seal hovered, searching for a target but found none and drifted back into his palm.
Putting it away, Daniel hurried to pull open the curtains fully, letting sunlight chase away the darkness.
He noticed a small window gap generating the occasional breeze.
At her bedside, Daniel checked Gella's vitals. "She's not dead -- just fainted."
Everyone finally exhaled in relief.
Julia still looked worried, "Mr. Cross, is it safe now?"
Daniel nodded, "The evil spirit has left. It's temporarily safe."
Julia's shoulders relaxed at that.
Emma stepped near, gazing anxiously at Gella. "What happened to her?"
Daniel explained, "She was possessed by a malevolent spirit."
Emma frowned, confused. "What does that mean?"
Daniel said, "Dark energy covered her body, her soul almost extinguished; she was one step away from death and would have died if we hadn't arrived in time."
Emma's eyes widened, "When will she wake up?"
"Not on her own," Daniel replied.
She grew nervous, begging, "Please save her, Mr. Cross."
Daniel glanced at Julia. She nodded firmly.
For five hundred thousand, Daniel thought.
He silently placed his palm on Gella's forehead.
Moments ago, there was nothing there. But as soon as his hand made contact, a seal manifested in his palm.
When Daniel set it down, it burst into flames -- not ordinary fire, but an eerie green flame that flickered like something from a nightmare.
When the seal completely burned away, Gella's ashen skin had visibly recovered some of its color.
Daniel swiftly pulled out another seal.
This time, when it lit, the flames were normal, warm yellow.
Holding the glowing paper, Daniel gently dabbed it across Gella's forehead and both shoulders, and he intoned, voice steady.
By sealed authority, let flesh and soul be made whole.
What was displaced returns; what belongs here remains.
With his final incantation, Daniel sprinkled the seal ashes onto Gella's glabella -- the space between her eyebrows.
*****
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