His Butler [Eternally His]: Beginnings
[Ciel]
Standing at the edge of a chasm, surrounded by fields of the white roses of my past, the night wind blows softly…
I feel great, like a weight has been lifted from me, I am free... The ghosts of my past and the emotions of sadness and rage are dulled to the faintest whispers in my heart…well, whatever is inside of me now, since I am no longer human. Sebastian holds me gently, ever the faithful servant as we stand under the swollen moon.
"Stop looking at me like that, Sebastian." I say calmly with closed eyes, I can feel his stare, almost smell it…I take it this is normal for demons…these extra senses.
"I am merely taking the time to mourn the person that you were, young master, although you seem to be of a much brighter nature yourself and unperturbed by your loss." Sebastian replies with a solemn expression.
Ordinarily, embarrassment would flood me and I would bark a hoard of denials not wanting to give the butler the pleasure…But now, I no longer care for such things…"Yes, a much brighter nature is the word, although a little paradoxical, being that I have in fact descended to a much…darker nature." I reply easily
Sebastian gives a small smile, his eyes wistful "No fit of denial, no avoiding my face?" he jokes in a small voice
"No." I say quietly, being reminded of the person I was just days ago, of my indecision, my desire, my pain…my small joys and those I left behind.
Sebastian sighs, a little life returning to his voice at my reaction "I will certainly miss that."
"Enough." I snap quickly "Enough…it's like I told you before…once you lose something, you can never get it back, you can only make amends. Now…let us go, I will let you lead the way."
Sebastian looks into the chasm and back at me and then back into the mouth of the chasm, His brow furrows considerably as he looks at himself from his uniform upward and then at my person with intense focus.
"Without nourishment I am weakened and have not the strength needed to protect you... and by demon law only a contract with a human allows me to walk the upper side of the Earth…We must return to the bowels of the Earth, the Underworlds…There is no telling what could happen and we might be killed the second we are found by any demon stronger…you still wish to do this?" Sebastian says quietly
I look behind me, at the path that leads back home, at the glistening moon, at the white roses swaying.
I take a deep breath, now sure, my resolve as iron…"There is only one thing you should be saying to me right now, Sebastian Michaelis…"
A leap in the air sends petals flying…a fitting scene for the death of myself…As we plunge into the chasm of the mountain, on the edge of the upper world, I close my eyes…the words that pierce the air are only this…
"Yes, my lord…"
[Sebastian]
Darkness swirls around the small form of my master as I plunge deeper into a grey misty abyss. I sense no fluttering of his heart, no irregular beating…My young master is completely unafraid. I wonder if this is due to his lack of human soul or for some strange reason, if he still believes I possess the ability to protect him. I am weak and tired from endless battling and endless butlering…and after all that, after everything…I am left empty; I am left with absolutely nothing, I am left, ravenous-
"If you would like to crush me, you should have done that a long time ago." a voice says nonchalantly
My reverie is broken as I realize it is my master, he looks at his legs which are purpled and bruised from my unconscious squeezing. In the same moment my lord's eyes flash the color of bright blood and the same wounds disappear. He smirks at me "No apology needed." He chimes.
Still in my sour mind set I snarl "I had no intention of giving one."
To this my young master laughs, deep, deep inside of himself. I hear a shadow of the shining human he had once been and turn away. Surely, surely there must be a way to return this soul to its former glow. A human with a fulfilled life, being loved, growing old, being angry, struggling for purposes…something a demon will never know, this is why he eats…to live we must take life…that is how it has always been….and now my young master would take on that life, no, that death, with a smile…I guess its to be expected, he is a Phantomhive, after all.
I hope in vain for a miracle that will never manifest…My young master, with a human soul again…or even an edible soul at least, A demon's soul cannot be eaten for it would create utter madness and chaos in the unholy fool starving enough to eat one…and a demon with a real human soul would be…
I shuddered, keeping in mind not to squeeze my master.
[Ciel]
Slowly the grey mist becomes lighter until a thin fog becomes the general scenery; I can make out jagged rocks and cliffs jutting from the inner walls with tree roots as thick as carriages intertwining and scaling the walls, it calls to mind just how deep we must be for roots of this size to be present. A cloudy white veil stands distinct from the rest of the mist surrounding us.
"We are here. This is the entrance." Sebastian says quietly
I look at the cloudy film covering the mouth of the chasm as we float softly down to it, not thinking much of it as the entrance to the underworlds. Sebastian rests gently on the film, He holds his hand over the film and the emblem on his hand glows brightly, the film is imprinted with the same marking and a high pitched sound resounds like a deep and sharp call, Sebastian's eyes ignite to a brilliant red and he bites the palm of his hand, trickling the blood in a small circle on the emblem in the veil.
A powerful gust of wind begins to swirl around powerfully, wrapping us in air…"You who are chained to the deeps of the Earth…say your true name…" An inhuman voice bellows, causing the walls to shake.
Sebastian takes a deep breath and an inhuman sound emerges from his throat, it has the smoothness of a serpent and the growl of a vicious animal…suave and deadly…even if I can't decipher the name… that fits him perfectly. The wind stops.
Suddenly, the cloudy film evaporates in a swarm of dark energy and indigo streams of lightening. Sebastian holds me close to him and tells me quickly to wrap my arms around his chest tightly and my legs around his waist, something in the urgency of his tone had me monkey style the instant we began our hasty descent into the black vortex.
The wind was unbearably strong and I found myself grateful I was so close to him, the wind was cutting and sharp and yet it seemed routine to him. The wind began putting pressure on my chest and I gasped for air trying to push my head up but Sebastian had an iron grip on me.
"Relax, young master, just relax…we are in a very dangerous place and I cannot afford to lose you in this vortex…"
"What do you mean?" I snap but Sebastian hush's me.
"Some of them, have a tendency to suck you into the wrong dimension…and I would hate for you to end up in some retched world fit only for the foulest of things…we have our own version of Hell as well and this is also the portal leading to it…where we are going could better be known as the Earth of dark beings." He whispers gently
So even demons have a Hell, I think to myself…The religious human hell is considered the worst place in the world…just imagine a demon's hell…
As soon as Sebastian finishes, something swarms throughout me, my body convulses and I squeeze him tighter to me…"What, what's wrong with me?" I whisper in distress
Sebastian looks down at me and his eyes flash red, a familiar smile crosses his face, the face of a butler in awe of human emotion.
"What's with the look?" I snap, annoyed.
"Now that's not something I've felt from you in a while…fear, did you think you'd escape that?." He says with closed eyes, reminiscing about a me that will never return.
Getting annoyed I plow my face deeper into his chest and grumble "I'm right here, damn demon bird brain."
Sebastian laughs "Yes…I'm aware…but I'm still hungry." He replies with a tone of challenge and questioning to me.
I sigh, now this is the butler I know…"Life's not all about you, goodness…demons are so self centered."
Sebastian smiled softly but I could tell he was genuinely pleased, His hold became much gentler without losing strength and as we came to what looked like the end, He purred softly
"Yes…us demons are in fact self centered, which is why you, bo-chan…should never become one." He says with what sounds like wistful denial and hope in his voice.
I sigh, not willing to engage the arena of conversation regarding my "change" any further "Very well then, it's as you say." I reply in calm resignation
Sebastian chuckles lightly "That is all I ask…my master."
With that we slip into a gaping hole in the mouth of a large rock...
A gust of icy wind slams into me with the force of a horse drawn carriage and my neck jerks violently enough to kill me, if I were human, Sebastian begins yelling in some strange tongue as the world around me becomes a dark blur. I here other voices yelling in angry, demanding tones and the sound of clashing weapons deafens my sense of sound as our journey is replaced with utter chaos.
"...that-…give us-!" I manage to hear as I swirl helplessly in the icy darkness
A flash of lightening bursts through my vision and crackles ragingly, snarls are heard and large crow's feathers dance in front of my vision…they are covered in blood…"Sebastian!" I yell frantically in the dark, clawing at the air with a trembling body…"Sebastian!"I call, my voice now hoarse.
The air goes suddenly quiet...I'm still swarming in the darkness, and I am alone, I call out to Sebastian until my head pounds from screaming. Frustrated as seconds turn to several minutes, tears fill my eyes in anger and I yell hatefully into the darkness, I scream and hiss in vengeance at the circumstances I now find myself in…As I yell a light appears at the bottom of the darkness, the air around me becomes thick and I push through with all I have to reach the end, A stream of sigils dance on my skin and burn as I cry in agony to reach the end…I feel like I'm going to die….
"Bo-chan!"
A voice calls to me forcefully, I recognize it to be Sebastian and I pull through yelling in response, I still hear the sounds of battle but I'll be fine as long as he is there, as long as he is there on the other side…
With my last ounce of strength I pull through the dark matter, screaming the name of the only lifeline I have in the world…
"Sebastiannnnn!"
[END]
[Narrator]
In the depths of the Underworld a violent scene stands silently near the mouth of a large rock. Bodies of minor demons lay bloody and sprawled in disarray, in pieces on the grounds. The mist hides very neatly the remains of old parchments burned to ashes and some still whole, of strange exotic weapons lying carelessly, of dark blue uniforms bearing an insignia of a blue crescent moon with red devils horns on the side and a white star in between…A major battle has taken place…Another set of bodies is found lying in the trees, but wearing forest green uniforms bearing a red moon, a blue diagonal slash and a yellow square in between.
A figure stands in the middle of the scene…a lump of slick black feathers glistening in the moonlight…a crow's feathers…The slump of feathers rises to reveal wings that spread out flicking blood into the star filled sky and revealing a demon with piercing eyes like red flame and a body of black slick skin and dangerously clawed hands…milky white fangs stand distinct from the dark creature who pants heavily, rage plain to see.
"Sebastian!"
[Sebastian]
My world slowly comes back to me as I stare bewildered at the bloody scene before me, the uniforms, the limbs and entrails scattered…the smell of anger and fear is strong in the air as the mist hides everything perfectly. I stare at my clawed hands, the blood dripping from them not my own. I look up at the moon, a pair of glistening pale blue orbs and I sigh.
A sound pierces my lethargy…who is it…who is— "Ciel!" I yell with realization and plunge into the forests looking for him.
I hear a strangled cry from deep in a path of ancient abandoned woods and claw the trunks apart until I come to a solid stone monument bearing a woman who is fully with child in a long gown, with long silver locks and brass skin, her eyes are jades and she stands over a water fall that is dry with a circular silver base bearing the markings of our ancients…figured bo-chan would end up in a place like this…high class even in danger.
The strangled cry of my master travels from within the womb of the statue as if stuck. I run up to it and call to my master who yells my name in reply. I search the crevice of the stomach and see nothing but the reflection of the moons, no sign of my master. I desperately dig my claws into the dirt but find no opening, His breath becomes ragged and I panic, about to desecrate an ancient relic of unknown origin I bear my claws to their fullest…
"Stop." A slick voice calls from behind me, a silver curved blade is poised at my neck…A blade made for easy beheading, I take a deep breath "Allow me to change my appearance…that might make conversation a bit easier." I say slowly. The blade is moved but a centimeter away and I resort back to my human appearance, looking for all purposes like a jungle man in tattered pants and bare chest.
"Now then…you have need of me?" I ask, careful to keep attention away from my trapped young master.
The voice pauses and I hear a cloak hood lifting "You are about to desecrate a very sacred piece of the Underworld without just cause…there is only one type of demon that is allowed here…an old and lost race…you are of those who are forbidden and unless you tell me how you found this place or why you were about to destroy it… (The blade is placed softly on my flesh producing a red stream) I will take your head as a reminder…as an example… to those who would shame the name of…"
"Sebastian!"
[N]
The two beings look at the stone monument in unison and race towards it, knocking each other down and tussling on the amber colored leaves surrounding the statue. Sebastian takes away the blade and throws it far into the weeds getting a kick to the face in response. The cloaked figure crouches with sinuous speed pulling a blade from a secret compartment and stabs Sebastian in the shoulder, piercing him to the ground, the blade glows with scratches of letters in deep blue, making him unable to pull loose, he struggles and fights as the brown cloaked figure walks slowly and cautiously up to the statue.
Sebastian swears hell fire as the being gets closer to the statue, his anger and desperation rising and his eyes turning to flame. The being pays no attention but stares in awe at the monument. Taking off forest green thick gloves the figure reveals tan hands with strange summer green tattoos down to the tips of the claws…its hands gently massage the stone womb with careful precision, leaning in to listen at certain spots cautiously…a muffled cry comes from within the stone causing Sebastian to growl angrily and begin to change.
The figure steps back as if in utter disbelief "No…no…this isn't possible…this can't—"the being steps back slowly, disoriented.
The figure looks back…its eyes glowing liquid steel, surrounded by a thin red line…"You…what are you doing here and tell me just who the hell you are." The being demands.
Sebastian breaks from the blade and stands up, black feathers blowing in the wind…"I am…simply one hell of a butler." He grins and lunges at the figure in high speed.
A blue light illuminates the entire area in a sudden burst that knocks them both to the ground; the light comes from the mouth of the statue and sends an aurora trailing across the sky. Both beings struggle to stand up with the light blazing and move towards the womb "Ciel!" Sebastian yells clawing his way to the statue, the cloaked figure stares in awe, mumbling in disbelief to itself "I don't believe this…I, I—"
A large orb of light gently falls down the dry waterfall from the womb of the woman, filling it with honey colored water, the large mass of light glows in the pool…The figure gasps…
[Sebastian]
I ignore the light show and the idiot in awe of it all and scramble to the pool with the ball of light…I sense my young master's fluttering heart within and gently lift it despite that cloaked idiot ranting at me to stop. I lay my master gently on the amber leaves which have become silky and soft and peer into the orb…He lies there peacefully, streams of prismic light encase the membrane and I gently pull it apart. The light immediately fades until it is a clear substance and the aurora disappears leaving only the soft light of the moons.
I pull my master from the orb and inspect the silver feathers on his back…wings, the silver tips on his hair…Using only leaves I wipe what mucous I can off of him and rap him in my tattered wool coat, holding him close to me I stand and face the dumbstruck demon. "You…what can you tell me about this." I snap viciously, having had enough of these surprise attacks on my master and I.
He swallows and pulls back his cloak revealing silky forest green hair, tied in a bundle of red strings cascading beyond his back. His eyes are a calm grey with a red thin line outlining them; His skin shows brass in the moonlight. "Or first of all…" I interject "Tell me who and "what" it is YOU are…only demons roam this realm and you look and smell like nothing I have never known…have "you" in fact, broken the rules?" I snarl angrily, clutching my master closer.
The man looks around in sudden alarm as if listening for something; he turns his ears towards the trees and slides his hand across the bark. A look of pure exasperation enters his face and his jaw clenches in tense thought as he rubs his eyes…he shakes his head "There's…there's no time, it can't be helped…there's just no time…" he says more to himself than me.
Finally he looks at me with an unknown yet determined look….
"You must follow me…you two will be dead in the next five minutes if you don't come with me now…"
[END]