Oswald poured a line of salt as thick around as a man's wrist around the specified area. Although it hadn't been agreed on the night before, Sebastian placed a mirror behind the chair Ciel would be sitting in.
"Simply an extra precaution" he explained to Oswald when asked, "If the camera does draw the Beast out of my young master, it should be drawn into the mirror."
Oswald nodded in understanding. He shook the last few grains of sand out of the bag against the wall, closing off any escape rout the Beast might have otherwise had. He and Sebastian then set to binding Ciel's arms and legs to those of the chair with belts, a course of action meant as damage control in case the Beast decided to interfere again. After sealing Sebastian and Ciel into the escape-proof semi-ellipse, the vicar lifted the cover off of the Talbot camera. "Ten seconds" he told them after activating it. Sebastian placed one of his hands over Ciel's and the other on the boy's far shoulder. They stared at each other intently as the seconds passed. Oswald watched the exchange between butler and earl suspiciously. He was willing to tolerate Sebastian's presence if it would benefit Ciel, but he knew he could not, and more importantly would not, ignore it should their relationship prove to be anything more than platonic.
So immersed in his thoughts was the cleric that the camera flash made him physically jump off the ground. Acting quickly, Sebastian unbound one of his master's wrists and covered all the sources of light in the room with red lenses. A tub of developing fluid had been placed on the earl's desk prior to Oswald's arrival. The vicar pressed the photograph to the bottom of the tub. All three men watched as the image began to come into focus. Sure enough, the Beast as it had appeared to Sebastian was there in the mirror, grimacing down at the pair angrily.
Oswald swished the finished photo in the tub of water next to the developing fluid after the appropriate amount of time had passed. After removing the red lenses from the lamps in the room, Sebastian picked up the photo for a closer look. The Beast suddenly turned its head toward him with murder in its face. Sebastian wasn't inclined to drop it until a searing flash of heat blared in the tips of his forefinger and thumb, as if they had been held too close to an open candle.
On the floor the picture started shivering and the same black smog that had risen out of Ciel writhed into the air. Oswald pressed the young earl's body against the wall, putting himself between the boy and the Beast. The protection didn't seem to be necessary, though. When the Beast's corporeal form materialized out of the smoke, its homicidal eyes were only for Sebastian.
"You miserable cur" it growled at him, and then launched itself at the butler with enough force to propel them both out the window.
Sebastian and the Beast landed on the front terrace with a sickening crunch. There was a huge crack in the marble and a chunk of the steps missing, but neither entity seemed any worse for wear. Sebastian had a set of knives held between the fingers of his hands. The Beast's previously humanoid nails had grown and darkened into curving black talons.
"Stay inside!" Sebastian called to the humans. He turned his head halfway toward them as he spoke. The Beast tensed and shifted slightly to the side, then disappeared.
A set of slices materialized in Sebastian's suit at the base of his shoulder and the side of his ribcage. He ducked as the Beast stabbed its fingertips into the space where his throat had been had a moment ago and swept it into the air. With a roar of outrage the Beast crashed into the fountain, sending a small torrent sloshing over the side. When it crawled out of the water, its body was dry as an old bone. It narrowed its eyes at Sebastian and cracked a crick out of its neck before starting toward the butler again.
It meant to, anyway. In reality, it tried to take a step forward only to find itself frozen in place.
"I bind you, Noble Beast, from doing harm, harm upon others and harm upon yourself."
Oswald was standing at the top of the veranda, flanked closely on his right by Ciel, glaring determinedly at the Beast. In his left hand he held what looked like a piece of black cloth with a red ribbon tied around it. As he began to make his way down the steps, he repeated the chant:
"I bind you, Noble Beast, from doing harm, harm upon others and harm upon yourself."
His voice rang out clear and powerful. The Beast fell down on one knee, weakened but still snarling savagely at the cleric. The closer Oswald came to it, the weaker it seemed to grow. When the vicar at last stood over it, it could barely raise its head. Still it swiped weakly at Oswald's robe, across his knees. It didn't manage to so much as unbalance him.
"I bind you, Noble Beast, from doing harm, harm upon others and harm upon yourself!" Oswald boomed. All the strength in the Beast's arms failed it and it fell gasping like a baited dog at the feet of Oswald and Ciel, who had followed the cleric down the stairs. The Beast made a noise at them that might have been intended as a growl but came out as more of a rough sigh.
Oswald pocketed the fabric and produced a small, circular white stone in its place and began reciting a new chant in a low, quick tone:
"I bind your power, Noble Beast, because it is your hour. I bind your power, Noble Beast, because it is your hour. I bind your power, Noble Beast, because it is your hour."
As he spoke through the first chant, the Beast passed out. Through the second and third recitations, it faded away into nothing. Oswald held onto the stone for a few seconds, until it became too hot to touch. Sebastian picked it up and stared at it thoughtfully for a few moments before addressing him.
"I appreciate what this must have been for you" he said respectfully, "A man of faith turning to Pagan practices for aid."
Oswald smiled ruefully. "I hope that the Lord will one day forgive me," he said, "and that one day I will forgive myself."
"So this is finally over" Ciel droned, "The Beast is gone."
"Yes" Oswald nodded, "Gone forever, sealed into that stone."
Sebastian raised his eyebrow at the stone in question, a little less than the circumference of a piece of eight and about a centimeter deep at the widest, turned it over briefly in his fingers, and promptly swallowed it with a secretive smile at Ciel.
Oswald returned to his church immediately following the exorcism, and life in the house of Phantomhive went on as it did every day.
Until Sebastian had gotten to fastening the young master's night shirt.
"I suppose I'll bite" the butler said to break the tense silence in the bedroom, "Why do you seem so despondent? I'd think you would be glad to finally be free of the Beast's influence."
"I've been a bit preoccupied" Ciel explained shortly, "The Beast is gone. You've held up your end of our contract. You've had all day to hold me to my end, so why haven't you yet?" The boy's blue eye darkened. "Do you plan to do it now, so it will look as if I died in my sleep?"
Sebastian smiled and bowed in his usual style. "I plan only to platonically share the young master's bed tonight, if he will allow it."
Ciel frowned in confusion at his request, but nodded. "All right."
Sebastian turned down the blankets and waited for Ciel to make himself comfortable before removing his shoes, jacket and waistcoat and joining him.
"The young master is most generous" he joked with a bright smile, at which Ciel frowned.
"And he'll change his mind about this unless he's given a straight answer" he retorted sharply. His face suddenly softened, as did his voice when he continued:
"What will you do now, Sebastian?"
Sebastian pulled Ciel into his side, a genuine smile on his face.
"I have you in all ways I want you for the moment. The rest can keep."
A/N: There. Done. *throws away, never to look at again*