Disclaimer: I don't own Black Butler

The young boy crossed his arms trying to create some sort of security for himself as he slowly stepped around the winding tree roots and the lifeless fallen branches. He cursed under his breath, creating a white fog in front of his trembling lips that quickly disappeared into the freezing cold air.

He was officially lost and that pathetic excuse for a butler was nowhere in sight. With a groan the boy continued on forward, watching for anything he might possibly trip over, or any threat he may encounter. After all, every last bit of sunshine had already been soaked in by the shadows and all there was left to guide him was the moonlight. And considering he was in a forest unknown to him, the thought of being there alone in almost complete darkness was not necessarily a comforting one.

Nails dug into the palms of his frost-bitten hands, his arms securing themselves tighter around his shivering form as a wolf howled somewhere in the distance. He looked ahead seeing that the trees around him were now spacing out more and leading into an almost bare looking section of the forest. With a deep intake of air he walked out into the area, proving that he was indeed correct. The line of trees had stopped and all that was left was wet soil, small patches of dead grass, and browning leaves on top of it all.

Had he finally made his way out of the forest?

His misty blue eyes scanned the area and a smile had just barely made it's way to his pale features, before it was quickly replaced with a look of disappointment and sorrow. The bare land ended in a cliff and past it was a long array of more trees. A sound of irritation escaped him as he dug his nails even deeper into his palms, this time drawing blood that slowly seeped through his fingers and onto the ground. On both hands his knuckles were now pure white and stained with crimson. "Claude dammit, I order you to get me out of here!" He lifted his face to the sky and shrieked, his voice cracking with the last few words. With a sob he looked back down and grabbed at his light blonde hair, pulling at it and dropping to his knees.

"Just look at how pathetic you've become Alois, that's what they call you now right? What have you done with yourself? It's sickening." A child-like voice called, the words sounding odd and out of place with his soft and gentle voice. Alois looked up from the ground and his red and glassy eyes widened as if his eyes were betraying him.

It couldn't be. . .It just wasn't possible. . .

The child smirked and spoke once again, his words dancing and echoing through the air, "What surprised to see me?" His red-brown hair glinted with the moonlight and his once childish features were transformed into something much darker. The older, blonde boy simply responded with a look of disbelief.

This couldn't be the little boy Alois had lived and shared just about everything with, so very long ago. He wouldn't let himself believe it, he couldn't.

"Aww come on, Jimmy. Or should I say. . Alois?" The red haired child spat the name as if it were vile and disgusted him even to think about it. "Luka. ." Alois said, the name sounding so foreign on his tongue. When was the last time he had so much as muttered his little brothers name? Luka let out a small chuckle that had only ever so faintly resembled the one his brother had remembered him having all those years ago. The chuckle slowly died and his upper lip lifted into a sneer and his grey eyes clouded over, creating a look of utter disgust and despise.

"Oh Jim, take a look at yourself and tell me what you see. . .nothing, no response, really? Well, let me tell you what I see." Luka continued and started walking in a large circle around his older brother, the distance between them become shorter with every round he made,"I see a scared, helpless, naive boy who was stupid enough to sell his soul to a bloody demon. When I look at you I see something so broken and pathetic it makes me want to both laugh and throw-up, you are so unbelievably atrocious."

Alois's eyes filled to the brim with crystal tears, but he bit his lip, and held them in. After a few moments he could already taste something metallic and salty in his mouth. Blood. 'It's not really him. It's not really Luka. Luka is. . ' His thoughts were interrupted by a voice and hot breath on his neck, ". . .Dead. "

The blue eyed boy gasped and scrambled forward, his heart beating rapidly and his elbows being the only thing keeping his back from the ground. Luka leaned down so that he was only inches from Alois's face and whispered, his grey eyes gleaming, "I am Luka, whether you want to believe it or not. And no matter what you keep telling yourself, you are not Alois Trancy, you are Jim Macken. The boy who used to be my big brother."

"Luka. . .Luka why. . .why are you. . ?"

Seven cloaked figures emerged from the forest, slowly walking towards them. Alois trembled and screamed, his tears finally breaking free,"Claude!" The figures became a blur in his eyes, though he could tell they were still getting closer. His face showed pure terror and he whimpered, "Claude, Hannah! I'm so sorry, please! Thompson, Timber, Canterbury! Someone please! Sebastian, Ciel!" A small breeze picked up and tousled his light blonde hair while he clutched at the dead grass causing the cuts on his hands to reopen and a sticky, crimson liquid once again dripped down onto the earth.

Alois could have sworn he saw a sympathetic look flash in his brothers eyes for a mere moment before he turned around and walked away. "Luka. . Luka please. .come back. . . "He called out, though his brother did not answer his plea.

The figures formed a circle around Alois and the symbol on his tongue glowed brightly. "Claude!" He shrieked with every last bit of voice he could muster as he trembled and his elbows slipped, allowing his back and head to hit the earthy ground below him.

He looked up at the moon and blinked away the last of his tears as he felt himself slip away from consciousness.

"Yes, your highness."

"Claude!" Alois yelled and shot up from his bed before pausing. His butler simply responded with a bow and spoke his forever unchanging monotone voice, "Again. .I'm right here, another nightmare?" Alois stuttered before balling his fists and slamming them down on the mattress,"I... it's... " He paused and spoke in such a soft tone that it could almost be considered a whisper, "... don't ever leave me, Claude."

"Yes, your highness."