Looking around the empty alley, Ciel realized that he had stepped into a trap. He sighed, pushing back the bang of his wig, revealing his purple right eye.

"Sebastian, come." A glimpse of silver caught his eye and he glanced up. Three shadows jumped from the rooftop above him with their swords drawn. He dove out of the way, dodging their initial attack. When Ciel looked up he saw Duke Santir, Duke Brett, and Duchess Merlot in front of him. They regrouped themselves and closed in towards their target, preparing their swords once again to strike. "Earl Antony Santir," Ciel called sternly, "what is the meaning of this?"

"Ciel Phantomhive," Antony said, "your immediate termination has been demanded by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, Queen of England. I hereby revoke your title of Watchdog and your status of nobility." Howard nodded and Gwendolyn adjusted her glasses over her eyes.

"This is nothing personal, Ciel Phantomhive." She said, taking on an attacking stance. "We are simply following orders." Ciel stood frozen. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The three rushed the boy again and as they swung their blades for a fatal blow, their weapons collided with something, making a sharp clanging noise. The sound of metal meeting metal. The attackers gasped at the sight of the Earl's butler, standing in the midst of their blades, sheltering the boy. His only defense was a pair of silver kitchen knives. The three nobles stepped back. Behind Ciel and Sebastian the original figure appeared. Blocking the way out of the alley.

"You can come out of the shadows now." Sebastian called, sensing the angel's presence. A pair of white gloved hands flipped the hood of the cloak back. Ciel turned to see who it was.

"Ash." Ciel said, only slightly surprised by the presence of the angel. Sebastian's eyes narrowed. The boy redirected his attention to the three who attacked him. "Earl Santir!" Ciel shouted. "Under what pretense has this attack on my life been called? Only the Queen herself has the ability to revoke status that she has instated. If this is a farce it is an unforgivable offense!"

"This is no farce!" Howard said sternly. "We have received special orders to carry out our mission." Ciel looked at Gwendolyn.

"And even you, Her Majesty's Owl?"

"Our orders are final." She responded, adjusting her glasses once more. Sebastian looked down at his young master who was completely flustered. Ash began to clap and laugh. Sebastian looked at him, again a look of disgust on his face.

"Oh, my dear boy," the angel chuckled, "you have dedicated your time to your Queen and she has forsaken you. There is no justice, no redemption in this world from uncleanliness; and not even your Queen wants you." Sebastian looked at the angel critically.

"This has nothing to do with Her Majesty or the state, does it?" Sebastian asked Ash starkly. Howard, Antony, Gwendolyn, and Ciel looked at him surprised.

"What are you saying, butler?" Antony asked. Ciel, understanding what his butler had said, remembered Hannah's warning to him before she had left his estate. It all began to make sense. The fact that Hannah was taken away before she could tell Ciel about his parents. The fact that he had been called for an assignment, knowing that he would have followed through with it even though he lacked evidence, because of his devotion to the Crown. Even the attack on his life. It was all a ploy to eliminate the Earl designed by the twisted mind of Ash.

"You said that you received orders from the Queen on charges that I had done some activity against the Crown?" Ciel questioned. Howard and Antony nodded in response. "And you, Owl. Did these accusations prove to be true?" Gwendolyn stood silent as she recalled that she was not able to review the reports concerning the background of this assignment.

"I believe your orders never came from the Queen." Sebastian stated as he looked at the confused youths. The angel's face twisted.

"You disgusting, wretched, abomination!" He said, drawing his sword and pointing it at Sebastian.

"Ash?" Antony asked confused. The man's face wasn't normal anymore, contorted with rage and disgust as he glared at the demon.

"I have spent my days on this revolting piece of dirt only to do my master's will: to purge this atrocity of a society from evil!" He said with a twisted laugh. "I have dedicated decades working by the side of the Queen of this land, being a servant to that scum, I have slowly been able to do the work I was appointed to do. Then, you come, attached to this boy – spreading filth with every step you take. Filth! Filth! Filth! That I must then clean. My work will not be done until you have been eradicated, and the filth that rots that boy has been cleansed. Snuff out the unclean!" Sebastian stood in front of Ciel, shieling him from the angel

"What is happening here?" Howard asked confused.

"Ash, if not the Queen, who gave us the orders to terminate Earl Phantomhive?" Antony asked. The angel burst into maniacal laughter; a contorted smile stretching across his face.

"God!" Ash exclaimed. Antony cringed. He too had dedicated his life to the service of the Queen, and Ash had treated him and his status like toys to be utilized and disregarded. He drew his sword towards Ash. Whatever twisted plot Ash had constructed in his head and for whatever reason did not matter to him.

"You have committed treason towards the Crown–"

"Save your wretched breath, Earl Santir." Ash spat. His demeanor becoming darker and more insidious. "You all are nothing but scum and I am trying to aid in your righteousness! I am trying to save you from your meaningless lives." He turned again towards Ciel and Sebastian. "Starting with him!" His eyes began to shine as he pointed to Ciel.

xxxx

Hannah ran down the road, going as fast as she could to catch up to Ciel and Sebastian's carriage. When the servants had said that there was someone who looked just like her in a carriage with Ciel it only mildly concerned her. But when Finny mentioned the hair, she thought back to the day before when a bundle of her hair had been stolen, cut off by Ash. Maybe he was using her appearance to try and do something bad to Ciel. She remembered the ability she had that seemed to heighten her hearing, so she tried her hardest to listen, to try and hear Ciel's voice, but she couldn't. She still didn't know what she was looking for or where to look for it. She just hoped that it was nothing negative, and if it was, she could hopefully help save her friend.

xxxx

Antony tightened his grip in his sword and lunged towards the angel with lightning speed. Ash merely evaded the man's attacks and he continuing to chant. His chants got louder and louder until they reverberated throughout the alley. Suddenly the sound of running could be heard. Turning, Ciel saw Cheri charging down the alleyway, almost as if she had been called by Ash's outbursts. Her eyes were even more bloodshot than before and her face covered in sweat. She locked her gaze on Ciel and grinned devilishly.

"Sebastian!" Ciel called. Seeing that the angel was busy Sebastian turned to the girl.

"Yes, my Lord."

Cheri pulled her sword and it clashed with Sebastian's knives. The girl's eyes were now completely red with blood as if even having them open was painfully straining.

"Fight, my disciple! Bring glory to our Lord!" Ash exclaimed, while still dodging Antony's attacks.

"Don't forget about me!" Antony shouted, landing a blow that sliced Ash's arm. The angel gnarled at the boy. Seeing the red stain his white attire he hissed and lunged at Antony. Drawing his own sword, he quarreled with him, metal snapping back and forth. Antony's speed was unmatched in sword fighting, but Ash had a divine advantage. With one ill-timed stroke, Antony left himself open and Ash landed a critically wounding blow to the man's side. Instantly, Howard drew his sword and sprung to the defense of his friend, halting Ash from dealing a blow that would have ended Antony's life.

Sebastian's sword battle with Cheri took longer than Ciel expected. Sebastian usually had no problem while fighting but Cheri was matching his movements with lightning speed and precision, though she could have not been more than a year older than Ciel. Suddenly a burst of wind rushed passed him. He had been so consumed with the fight between Sebastian and Cheri he hadn't noticed that Ash had taken to the sky, his massive white wings spread, and Howard was now laying lifeless on the ground. The angel flapped his wings causing another burst of wind to bellow through the alleyway. It threw Howard's body against a wall and forced everyone stop and shield their faces from the garbage and loose articles which had littered the alleyway and were now whirling about the air. Cheri sheathed her sword and fell to the angel's feet.

"Master, forgive me." She cried.

"Cheri…" Gwendolyn called confused. She could see that blood was tearing down from the girl's eyes. She began bowing to the winged being; every time she arched her torso the wounds on her body, primarily on her back and sides, became apparent and the fabric of her dress soon became stained with blood. "Cheri!" Gwendolyn called louder, tears beginning to swell her own eyes. "Cheri, what's wrong?" Her sister seemed to ignore her. Ash reached down and grabbed Cheri by the face.

"Ash, don't you touch her!" Antony yelled, still writhing in pain from the wound he received.

"You have failed me, my disciple." Ash said to the girl, blood staining her face. "Look! The abomination still lives!" He forcibly threw her down to the ground then looked in the direction of Sebastian and Ciel. "I know now that this is a job only I can fulfill for my Lord!" He drew his sword again and pointed it towards the master and butler. "Now comes your end!"