Hi, everybody. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I was taken ill, nothing serious, but since writing usually puts me in a kind of fever I just couldn't use another, physical one messing with my imagination. Besides, it's not good for my English grammar. :)
I try to make up for it: This chapter is really long. Hope you enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sebastian, Ciel, Ash, Angela, Soma, Agni and/or any other characters of the series. I hold no rights whatsoever to Kuroshitsuji/"Black Butler", and I do not make money out of this.
+++ Chapter 7: Gondolas and Summonings - and Very Unexpected Beasts +++
When Ciel and his companions reached the site of the get-together, the grounds were already swarming with people. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and temperatures were climbing quickly. A perfect day for a garden party.
Already people were strolling in the park and the menagerie, they sat on benches, they stood in small groups, laughing and talking.
'Look,' said Agni pointing to one of the long tables. 'They're serving champagne and nibbles. Do you want me to get you some, Master Soma? You, too, Master Ciel?'
Soma agreed readily. Ciel refused. Not because he didn't feel a desire for champagne and nibbles, but rather because he was so taken by surprise his butler hadn't been the first to spot the offer and ask.
'Wait. I'm going to - ' Sebastian glowered as Agni bustled off.
'All your own fault,' said Ciel. 'What's wrong with you?'
Sebastian winced. 'I apologize for my neglect, young master.'
'That's not what I mean. You've been lost in thought for most of our journey. What's up?'
'I feel like I was onto something,' said Sebastian. 'Concerning the Pan-goat. I'm sorry I can't keep my mind off this topic that must be a nuisance to you.'
'It is, and that's exactly the reason why I'd appreciate, if we found a way of eliminating it now and for all,' said Ciel. 'Well? What's the idea?'
'That's the problem. I don't remember,' said Sebastian, sounding genuinely frustrated. 'I've been trying to. It seems like it's something that came to me in my sleep. While you were gone, releasing the golden plovers.'
'You mean it was something you dreamed? And now you can't recall what it was?'
'I thought I would,' said Sebastian. 'I usually do. But it is gone.'
'Er,' said Soma timidly. 'Ducks?'
'Ducks?' echoed Ciel. Sebastian merely blinked, surprised.
'When you awoke,' Soma said to him. 'It was the first thing you said. That you'd dreamed about ducks and you, er, you found them enjoyable.'
'Enjoyable?' asked Sebastian, cocking his eyebrows.
Soma swallowed. 'Er, maybe that was not your exact word. De- delightful? No. Delicious. That's what you said. In your dream, you found them delicious.'
Ciel and Sebastian exchanged glances.
'Does that mean we should butcher and eat that monster?' asked Ciel. 'Did anyone do that before?'
'It's been tried,' said Sebastian. 'A lot of desperate ... people thought of and put to the test a lot of things to save their lives. But I heard of no-one who succeeded. If anything, the other ceremony guests had trouble getting out of the tight spot themselves afterwards' He turned his head a little and muttered, 'And besides, it tastes really terrible, even for our standards.'
'I guess that's a cold scent, then,' said Ciel, accepting a glass of champagne, which Agni had brought for him despite his earlier refusal. He started strolling towards the large candle holders. 'Now, what do you make of that? That's the decoration Agni and I watched Ash set up. Do you sense anything uncommon about it?'
'There's definitely a pattern.' Sebastian looked around with interest. 'I'll have to get a closer look to say for sure.'
'Please, don't bother!' As if he'd stepped out of the broad daylight, Ash stood behind the demon. He held a glass of champagne and bowed politely. 'Earl Phantomhive, Prince Soma – welcome to this event. In the name of Her Majesty I am glad that you could come. As to your curious question, Earl Phantomhive: Of course it is an uncommon setting. It is a ritual place.'
'A summoning circle,' specified Sebastian. 'Complete with an altar for making a sacrifice.'
Before Ash or Ciel, who had turned deadly pale, could react, he walked over to the white covered table and stooped to lift a corner of the cloth. With his supernatural senses he scanned the grounds, halfway expecting the worst. But there was no trace of his true name to be found, nowhere, neither in writing, nor in symbol.
The altar cloth covered a large cage full of birds. Seeing sunlight and the demon, they started to flutter and scream. Yet even above the commotion Sebastian heard Ash's footstep coming to a halt right behind him.
'So you managed to catch the golden plovers, I take it,' he said, dropping the corner of the cloth. 'Are they meant to be the sacrifice for whatever it is you're about to invoke?'
'They sort of imposed themselves on me.' Ash smirked. His voice changed a little, as did the shape of his face and his eyes. 'Very unlike a certain demon, as I should regretfully point out,' he said with a voice that was neither eintirely male nor female.
Sebastian remained cool, 'Well, it seems these poor, doomed birds give best evidence of what's to be gained by imposing oneself on you.'
The angel took a step forward, raising its hands as if to place them on the demon's shoulders: 'This could have taken a totally different twist, Sebastian. We could have joined forces, instead of fighting each other.'
'Joined forces?' Sebastian's cold look managed to stop even the angel's suggestive approach. 'What's going on? What kind of creature do you plan to summon?'
A crazy light came into the angel's eyes. It turned its shape back into Ash. 'There will be no demonic villainy during the obscuring of the daystar this time,' he announced. 'Not while I am in London...no impure dealings, no gnawing at the sun... no - '
'Gnawing at the sun?' Sebastian stared at the angel with wide eyes. Then he shook his head. 'Say, when exactly did the world go crazy? Is it something they spread with the water here in the city?'
'No. It is a word spread in the Indian quarter.'
'Soma,' said Sebastian, automatically glancing to where the prince was sipping his champagne. 'He's been obsessed with this eclipse-thing since the young master and I came to London, and probably even before. You said you met him when you collected the giftwrappings for the artefacts my young master gave to the queen. What did he tell you?'
'He told me all about the evil schemes of the spawn of hell on an occasion like this,' hissed Ash. 'I used to think that the spreading of plagues was an outrage. But to destroy the source of light itself is wickedness beyond expression and endurance.'
'You actually believe his story?'
'Even the trifle chance that there's truth to it legitimates every effort to prevent it!' Ash raised his sword like a medieval knight invoking the help of heaven. 'With the authority of pureness I will call the perpetrators to this place and root up their evil with fire and steel!'
'Well, good luck and good hunting,' said Sebastian, looking over his shoulder. 'If you will excuse me, I notice the boats are ready for boarding.'
Ash actually looked disappointed. 'You don't try to stop me, Sebastian?'
'Stop you?' Again, Sebastian looked at him wide-eyed, and Ash got the impression that the demon intended to say more. But then Sebastian raised his hand to his mouth and snickered. He struggled for control and snickered harder. Choked, ceased breathing and started to giggle anew. Seeing Ash frown and feel offended, he really, really tried to pull himself together like a polite British high-society butler. Finally, he managed to get out, 'Stop you from summoning the spawn of hell that gnaw at the sun as related by Prince Soma? Risk my life to stop you from summoning what I would give my left glove to see, if that garment didn't belong to my master like all the rest of my body and attire? Oh, Ash! Oh, holy cow! Oh dear - ' Suddenly, abruptly he stopped laughing. 'The gentlefolks are embarking. We'll resume this conversation later. It's very entertaining.'
Ash was left standing alone, his mind in confusion and fury in his eyes.
By the time Sebastian returned to his master, everyone was getting aboard the little Venetian-looking gondolas.
'Time you came back,' said Ciel, accepting his butler's helping hand to get into the swaying vessel. 'What did you find out?'
'Mister Ash is chasing ghosts,' said Sebastian. 'He'll probably succeed in catching one or two, myself being one of them. But since I am already here and forewarned, I don't worry too much. It certainly needs not concern you in any way, young master.'
'I see.' Since Soma was climbing in, Ciel was indeed more concerned about the current rocking of the boat than about his butler's forecast. 'If there's something you'd like to do about it, go ahead. Just don't alarm the entire party. You know what I mean. Keep up the appearance.'
'Thank you, young master. I shall get back to that immediately, and once more when the time has come.'
'When's that?' asked Ciel, watching Sebastian take a long step into the boat. The gondola that had lurched so wildly as Ciel seated himself and almost careened as Soma got in, didn't seem to notice at all that the tall demon had come aboard. It didn't even move as Sebastian walked to the stern.
'A good sign will probably be Mister Ash lighting the candles and starting to speak Latin,' he said. 'Mister Agni? You can hand me the sweep.'
'But that is not necessary, Mister Sebastian. I can - '
'Yes, and I know you can get champagne, too, if my master wants some. Give me,' repeated Sebastian, smiling sweetly, 'the sweep.'
Silently accepting the rebuke, Agni handed him the sweep and sat down with his master. Sebastian made sure that Ciel was firmly seated. Then he pushed off and started to move the little boat towards the others. Lanterns were lit even though the day was still bright and beautiful. A combo of string musicians played a sentimental adagio. Ladies sat with their umbrellas, listening and watching the gold fish in the water. An elderly lady had brought her two lap dogs and one of the ugly cratures fell overboard. It was rescued by the gondolier of a nearby boat who was duly applauded. Two boats steered by young folk had engaged in a little sea fight, splashing and causing the other boats to rock. They were told off by the elder gentlemen and quickly served champagne to make up for the lost entertainment.
'Look,' said Soma. 'They're releasing swans.' Rapt like a little boy, he watched the majestic birds glide into the water and make their way between the floating boats. 'Agni? I want a couple of these birds in my palace in India. No. I want ten couples.'
'I will have them shipped,' said Agni dutifully.
'Which reminds me,' said Ciel, 'Sebastian? You don't happen to know what became of the slug-eating ducks that used to live on this lake?'
Sebastian stayed his sweep for the briefest moment, then he resumed moving indifferently. 'We-ell, young master, as a matter of fact...'
Ciel leaned back and closed his eyes. 'Will it alarm the party?'
'No, mylord.'
'I like the swans,' stated Soma, unaware of the silent aspects and hidden meanings of the conversation.
'Yes,' said Ciel conveniently, folding his arms behind his head. 'Me too.'
Smiling enigmatically, Sebastian steered the boat.
Ten minutes to go. Ash checked his ritual site for the final time. The candles were in place. His sword was ready. The spell, he knew by heart. It was in his nature, to learn spells, even though this particular talent wasn't something you flaunted, if you were of the Forces of Good.
Now, one last triumphant look at his opponents –
Ash lifted the white cloth that was draped over the golden plovers' cage. And stared.
A cageful of ducks stared back. Ducks sitting on each other. Ducks waddling over each each. Ducks pressing their beaks against the bars and countering the angels gaze.
There must be a dozen of them, and all of them looked like they wanted him to explain just how they had gotten stuffed in that small prison.
'Bu - ' said Ash. 'Gah...'
'Quack,' said a duck.
Ash's face distorted, as his fist clenched the hilt of his sword. Something caught his eyes. He drew his sword and turned it around in the sunlight. There were words on the blade, magically written with radiant blue color that could only be seen by those gifted with ultraviolet sight.
The words themselves made very constructive and vivid suggestions where best to stick that blade.
Ash turned deep red. Then he turned into his female self, the bitchiness just taking over.
'Aaaargh!' cried Angela. Meaning: There's so far you can go. You, demon, have gone too far.
Ciel didn't know what it was. At first, he'd enjoyed the gondola ride. It was calm and silent, and if he shut out Soma's complaining voice that it was hot and boring, it almost felt like soaring through the air. Drifting. Sleeping...
He looked at Sebastian, steering with slow moves. Sebastian returned his glance. 'Do you enjoy this, young master?'
He affirmed.
Sebastian smiled, casting down his eyes, 'Well, then, young master...'
And suddenly, Ciel Phantomhive no longer felt at ease.
He checked the water to see whether it was still bright and clear. He squinted at the sun, just to make sure it was there. Driven by a terrible feeling of foreboding, he sat up. He wondered, if he should order Sebastian to stop this hideous tacit smile that looked like the demon knew something that his master didn't. Instead, he looked around himself, taking in the scenes of life: The ladies, the gentlemen, the servants, the musicians, even the lap dogs and the swans...
And Ash.
The white clad butler had appeared on a balcony, looking at the sky. Like a medicine man about to conjure rain, he raised his arms. His voice carried, probably due to special acoustics in the place he was standing: 'Creaturae tenebrarum, viventes in umbra, voco ex altitudine, voco potestate, voco ... '
'He's talking Latin,' observed Ciel to himself and strung the words together: 'Creatures of darkness, who are living in shadows, with my voice, no, wait, that's a verb – I call you. I call you from above, I call you wielding the power, I call you...' He stopped, his inner balance fully restored, and searched his demon's glance. 'Is this the moment where I start worrying?'
He squeezed his eyes shut, as a gust of water came down over his head and drenched him: His butler had dropped the sweep and gone overboard.
Sebastian heard Ash begin his incantation and was more or less perplexed: This was not how you went. For a proper summoning you lit the candles first!
Then, the summoning spell hit him full force like the blunt side of an oar to his head. Even though he had expected it to happen, he had not foreseen the brute power of Ash's calling. As his vision blurred, he counted himself lucky that he was already here. Otherwise, it would've been one of those awakenings...
Ash lit the candles and the flames came up with one loud whooshing sound. 'Creaturae tenebrarum, sperantes ut lucem caelestem conspiciatis, venite...'
Sebastian tried to shake off the dizziness. No, he didn't explicitly hope to catch sight of the heavenly light. But he obviously rated as one of the Creatures of Darkness that Ash's spell was made to summon, and that spiteful little thing seemed to work under the assumption that every such being craved for a glimmer of brightness and succumbed to the mere idea. Well, he didn't. Not with his head buzzing like that, and the spell was so incredibly powerful when spoken by another supernatural being, and squirm and resist though he might, its tug just wouldn't let up. One teetering step backwards, and then another brought him to the rim of the boat. And then, not even aware of the decision, he simply made that last step and dived.
The cold water blocked out Ash's voice, and the terrible, aimless onslaught of being summoned to a place where he already was subsided. Sebastian closed his eyes like someone relieved of a great physical pain. There was no air to catch his breath, but he stayed there nevertheless, hair and coat-tails floating, moving his hands just enough to remain under water. He was surprised when someone plunged in right beside him. Human hands reached for him and started to pull. One of them wore a white bandage. Sebastian didn't resist. Still, the rescue didn't work quite the heroic way Agni had expected. It was more difficult than he'd thought, keeping his own head above water while supporting Sebastian's weight.
He was so busy and anxious, he didn't even notice that Sebastian was supporting his own weight and quite effortlessly at that.
He tried again, kicking Sebastian repeatedly in the shins as he struggled. Sebastian gave up on the attempt to get a word in. He paddled steadily, watching Agni fight and grapple and pull. Finally, the Indian's left arm slipped around Sebastian's neck.
One second later, they were both under water.
Sebastian submerged with the impression of his nemesis, the Pan-goat, standing at the edge of the lake. Of course. Ash's spell probably called in each and every supernatural creature within a radius of five miles. On coming back up to the surface, the usual stunned gasps and silly requests droned in his ears:
'Give me riches,' screamed someone.
'Grant me eternal life,' yelled another.
'Let me come with you! Show me the wonders of your world!'
'Some wonder, indeed,' growled the demon and grabbed Agni by the scruff of his neck. 'Give me a break!'
Kicking water, Sebastian held up the spluttering Agni and looked about for the nearest means of getting out of the water. The large scaly claw seemed the best of possible choices and Sebastian set out to reach it. It even moved to meet them halfway, dipping farther into the water and ladling them up. Agni grabbed hold of a huge thumb-like extremity, while Sebastian found a convenient foothold on the curved talon of a giant index finger. He peered over the edge, holding fast against the constantly blowing wind.
The ground fell away fast and the Pan-goat with it. Sebastian hadn't so felt like making a face at someone or something in a long time. Maybe it was the humans gaping and jumping off their boats and running towards the house that prevented him from sticking out his tongue now. Some of them still screamed for mercy, but most of them just screamed.
But above all, Sebastian heard his master's voice through their contract, loud and clear, as if Ciel were standing beside him: 'Oh no! I did it again!'
Among the fleeing crowds, his master's small pale face stood out. Ciel still sat in his boat, staring up with huge eyes. Yes, both of them. He had hooked his thumb under his eyepatch and raised it, as if he needed the confirmation of both eyes to believe what he saw. No-one noticed. Soma beside him was biting his own knuckles, giggling hysterically.
It was then that the out-of-placeness of huge scaly claws in Central London occurred to the demon. Slowly, Sebastian tipped back his head.
Giant, yellow, lidless eyes stared back from above. They belonged to a snake-like head the size of Ciel's town house. The head was attached to a huge snake body that towered seemingly sky-high - and seemed to end curled up in the water of the Society's artificial lake. Which had to be an illusion, since the lake wasn't deep enough to cover about a quarter of a mile of coiled snake-body. The thing had wings like a dragon and their slow beating was the cause of the steady chillly breeze against Sebastian's wet clothes and hair. The giant serpent's body swayed gracefully, and as it moved its scales glistened in all shades of green and blue like the crystal sea water off the shores of tropical islands.
Sebastian found the sight breathtakingly beautiful. It was beautiful enough to let his mouth open a bit and allow the tips of his demonic teeth to show – and then to remember that this beast was big.
He shut his jaw and controlled his human apprearance and swallowed drily.
Agni tugged his sleeve. 'Mister Sebastian?' he asked timidly, 'Could you maybe just tell me that I'm dreaming? Then I'll tell you the same, and next we can figure out a way to wake up...'
'This isn't a dream,' mumbled Sebastian under his breath, still standing with his head pressed back into the nape of his neck. 'This isn't something the young master could've summoned, either. Neither by chance, nor willingly, nor in any other way...'
And then the unexpected happened:
The monster spoke.
'The boy child is your master?' the serpent asked and turned its reptilian stare to Ciel.
'He's mine!' The claim was out before Sebastian even knew he was going to make it. But seeing another demon look at his master that way made him forget instantly all about proportions and remember instead that he was complexly evil and selfish creature himself.
'A very good choice,' said the serpent, bobbing its head in a gesture that was obviously meant to mimick a human assertive nod.
'Um, thank you.' Sebastian stared. And then, the second unlikely thing happened: The demon adapted to the situation.
It was more or less second nature kicking in: As a demon, living where he had lived and seeing what he was used to seeing, you didn't get very far – or stay sane for very long – if you stuck to the theory that all sentient beings must necessarily walk on two feet and carry a rather small, rather round head on two shoulders. An infinitely wiser rule to live by said: Never mind the size of the muzzles - if they talked in a language known to you that was already half the battle.
'I was sort of flagged down by this ritual circle,' the serpent went on, in perfect English. 'But eventually, it was the weird combo you got here that made me curious enough to stop over.'
'Weird combo?' asked Sebastian.
'A fighter wielding the power of Kali in his right hand,' the serpent specified. 'A prince of Bengal, dressed for the ritual of the eclipse. A human boy whose name is pronounced like one of the ancient words for "sun". An angel, preparing to join the Forces of Good. And a de- '
'Devoted,' Sebastian cut in quickly, giving Agni a sidelong glance. 'I am merely a devoted butler.'
' - a devoted butler, a creature of fire, now cold and soaked to his skin.'
'That's not weird,' muttered Sebastian. 'That's just the usual gang, London division. If you think this weird you haven't seen the guys back at - '
'Who are you?' asked Agni. 'You're not Rahu.'
'You may call me Bakunawa,' said the serpent. 'I am one of the mythical creatures of eclipse.'
'An eclipse is nothing but the moon and the sun being in line,' said Sebastian, who couldn't resist the little meanness of sharing Ciel's down-to-earth wisdom of two days ago.
'Yes,' said Bakunawa with great patience. 'And us mythical creatures of eclipse devouring the sun.'
'Us?' asked Agni lamely.
The giant serpent flicked its tail end. People on the ground, including Ciel and Soma, got splashed. 'Well, we have several dragons from the East, a bear from North American legend, a wolf from Nordic saga...and that's just the usual gang, Northern hemisphere division.'
Sebastian and Agni stared.
'Of course, it's more like a gnawing,' Bakunawa explained. 'Due to the sun being so huge and time being to short. We hardly ever get more than seven minutes. However, seven minutes here and seven minutes there...' He bared his teeth in a hideous grin. 'Odds are we'll get the old bugger, after all.'
'But,' said Sebastian, feeling that whatever he was going to come up with next might sound a tad stupid. 'But - '
Bakunawa looked at him as if he understood what the human-shaped demon was trying to tell him, 'It's not your mythological background, I know. But you should come and join us.'
'Join you?' It was possible for Sebastian to stare right into the sun without hurting his eyes, and he did so now, wondering if Ciel would give him permission... He couldn't help noticing that a bit of the shining orb was missing. The moon moving into position, no doubt. 'Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I'm earthbound. No wings.'
'I could give you a ride on my back,' suggested Bakunawa.
'No, thank you!' said Agni firmly. He put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder and tried to give him a shake. It didn't work. Sebastian was so captured by the serpent's idea he forgot to make the appearance realistic. Agni ressorted to squeezing. Automatically and without looking at him, the demon put his hand on Agni's and returned the squeeze. It hurt. Agni winced.
'Mister Sebastian,' he pleaded, 'please, come down to earth! In more than just the literal sense of the idiom!' And then, 'Mister Sebastian, you're hurting me.'
It was the right cue: Sebastian blinked. He found his hand on Agni's and removed it. His posture sagged almost imperceptibly: He'd resumed breathing and that required a certain relaxation of the pectoral muscles. Brushing off Agni's hand, he heaved a sigh.
'Mister Agni is right,' he said. 'I don't think it's a good idea for me to rise as high as the sky and beyond. It would not only be unseemly behavior for the butler that I am. Right now I'm also the chosen victim of an old nemesis of my people. It would make me fall, and to hit the ground from that height would be more than inconvenient, even for me.' He pointed over the edge of Bakunawa's claw to support his point. The Pan-goat stood at the edge of the artificial lake, walking in small circles and staring up.
'I don't see the problem,' said Bakunawa, his forked tongue showing between his teeth. 'All I see is a goat.'
Faced with the reptile's cold stare, the shaggy monster actually averted its eyes and started to shuffle its hooves.
'Behaves like an intimidated goat, too,' observed Bakunawa. 'Looking delicious.'
Sebastian started. 'Come again?'
'I said it looked yummy.'
Sebastian stared at the large demon, thinking fiercely. By way of trial he made an inviting gesture. 'Be my guest.'
Bakunawa looked again, 'Yech, no! It's blue!'
'That stupid forensic powder...,' began Sebastian, as something swished past. Something propelled by wings of rustling white feathers and uttering a triumphant cry of victory, 'I got you now, fiend!'
'Angela?' All of a sudden, Sebastian felt too tired to care whether she was talking to him or the serpent or both.
Nice sword, though.
However she had done it, the metal was blazing like a torch.
She was presently trying to stick it through Bakunawa's eye, though, and that was neither a suggestion, the now burnt-away writing on the blade had made, nor was it particularly nice. Bakunawa bent his flexible neck far to the left to dodge the attack. Angela followed relentlessly. The demon serpent started to uncoil himself and assume a fighting stance. The artificial lake surged and gushed.
Ciel and Soma helped each other on to solid ground, as their little boat was turned upside down. They ended up hiding behind a crashed table, kneeling between shattered champagne glasses and bottles.
'Mister Sebastian!' Agni grabbed Sebastian around the waist and jumped. Sebastian allowed himself to be dragged off Bakunawa's claw and saw to it that he touched ground first to secure their landing. Putting Agni safely on his feet, Sebastian's eyes already searched for their young masters.
'Oh dear, you're drenched!' he said sadly, when he spotted them behind the crashed table.
'Ag- Ag- Ag- ' stammered Soma.
'Se- Se- ' stuttered Ciel.
Agni hurried to comfort his prince. Sebastian stepped up to Ciel. 'Now, young master, what's the matter?' he asked, offering his hand. 'There's no cage and no sight of blood – nothing that could cause your dark fears to awaken this time.'
Ciel found his voice again. 'No cause? Have you gone friggin' blind or something?' He pointed fiercely. 'There's a giant serpent fighting a freak angel in Central London!'
'Yes, but - ' Sebastian didn't finish his sentence, no quite sure what could possibly follow the 'but'.
Soma and Agni came over, and now they huddled together: Soma clung to Ciel's neck, shaking with fear. Agni clung to Soma, feeling that nothing could come near his master as long as the prince was shielded by his servant's body. Ciel clung to anything that wasn't likely to make fun of his weakness later, but mostly he clung to his hand gun.
And Sebastian clung to his composure, trying hard not to laugh at this display of deeply rooted human herd instincts. Whether the humans in his company – his combo - were aware of it or not: For all their usual fighting spirit and stamina they now looked like a litter of puppies, staring with scared eyes at the collision of demonic and angelic forces.
At first it seemed that Bakunawa intended to take on Angela's challenge and fight to the end. But the shadows of eclipse settled over the scene and the giant serpent was in a bit of a hurry. He beat his wings and rose rapidly, his body gleaming in the twilight. Angela followed, a tiny white speck.
Along with the mortals, Sebastian looked after her. Then, he produced a black feather. He regarded it from close up almost tenderly, smiling. 'My claim on you to protect you, Angela. Too bad. You should have sealed our deal properly.' And quickly, stealthily, but with relish, he touched his tongue to the quill and the drop of his blood that still stuck to it. Then, he crumpled the feather between his fingers. His voice was very soft but sharp like a razor: 'Not my claim. Do as you please.'
There was a loud, many-voiced chirping noise and the flutter of small wings like a flock of birds in pursuit, flying up, up, into the sky as the light continued to wane.
Very distant, the humans could hear a shrill scream. One might have thought it was the voice of the sun that was by now missing half of its orb. Agni and Ciel knew better: They had seen and heard Angela under attack before.
'Where do the golden plovers come from?' asked Agni, looking about.
'Where's Sebastian?' asked Ciel, as the first white feathers came floating down. 'I don't believe it! With everyone clinging to everyone else – did no one of you hold on to him?'
+++ End of Chapter 7 +++
A/N: I knew it. I knew from the moment Ash mentioned Latin that there would come the point where I'd have to dig up my grammar book and start recollecting. I was on my knees: "Please, Ash, no! Don't do that to me!" But he just went, "Well, the spell is Latin, and you learned how to do it, at least you knew once." And I sighed and got down to work: "Ooo-kay, we'll need 2nd person plural, conditional, present tense, what do you mean, "forth conjugation"? Oh, right, hold on... I. Hate. You."
My Mum keeps telling me I put too much effort into these fanfics. She says I'd better spent the energy on writing something entirely my own. The problem is, she's probably right. But then I keep telling her that I like the reviews.
So, even though things are obviously drawing towards the finale - please review :)
