Chapter Ten
"Well," said William, pushing up his glasses as he greeted Sebastian. "I must say that things seem to be going rather well. It looks like you may be able to-where's Master Ciel?"
"I let him go," Sebastian responded.
"Yes, well at any rate, the rest of the servants-what?"
"I let him go."
"B-b-but why?"
"Because it was best for him," said Sebastian, climbing the stairs to his study.
"He did WHAT?"
"It's true," William said.
Finny frowned, "You mean he's gone?"
"And just when he was so close!" Bard said.
"Tis a shame," added Soma. "He'd finally told him the truth."
Bard was struck with a sudden idea. "That's it then! That should free the master."
"But it's not enough," the Indian pointed out. "Master Ciel has to forgive him too, besides thinking of him as a father."
The servants were too busy mourning the loss to notice a young blond sneak away from them and out of the kitchen.
xXxXxXx
"We're almost there," Ciel encouraged as he urged a very weak Tanaka through the town gate. They had gone around the outskirts of the village to reach the town gate closest to the tea shop so that they could sneak in unnoticed. Ciel didn't think that Tanaka could take much more, and was surprised that he'd made it this far, considering the condition he had found the old man in; hopelessly lost, cold, and sick.
The boy was so wrapped up in helping Tanaka up the stairs and into the shop that he didn't notice a shadow dart past them. Ciel laid him down on a small sofa in the dining area. He put a hand to the wrinkled forehead, worried at how heated it was. He ran to the back room and returned with a blanket to cover up Tanaka and a damp towel for his forehead.
"Ciel," the old man whispered when the boy appeared again.
"I'm here, Tanaka."
"How did you manage to escape?"
"Oh, I didn't, he let me go," Ciel explained.
"What? That demon?"
A smile crept onto his lips, "He's...different, Tanaka. He's kind and understanding, although he's the one who-"
He was interrupted by a loud knock on the shop door. Ciel opened it to see a tall man with silver hair.
"Can I help you?" the boy asked tentatively.
"I've come to collect the old man," the stranger said in a smooth voice.
"Tanaka?"
"You needn't worry, Ciel, we'll take good care of him."
Behind the man, Ciel could see the townspeople gathered outside. The light from their torches fell on a ragged wooden carriage, which he recognized as the one they used to take away the mentally ill.
"Tanaka is not crazy!" Ciel said through clenched teeth.
"On the contrary," recalled Ranmao, stepping from the shadows. "He was raving like a lunatic. We all heard him, didn't we?" The crowd responded with agreement.
"No, I won't let you!" Ciel fought, trying to push some of the people away.
"Ciel?"
"Tanaka," Ranmao acknowledged. "Why don't you tell us again, how tall was this demon?"
"He, he, well he was very tall, and his wings had to be six, no, eight feet long!" The crowd burst out laughing at the obscenity.
"You can't get any crazier than that," said Ranmao.
"But it's true," Tanaka urged, trying to get down the stairs. He tripped and was caught by two burly men, who dragged him towards the carriage. "Let go of me!"
"No!" Ciel cried, grabbing the arm of the light-haired man. "You can't do this." However, the man easily pulled his arm out of the boy's grip.
"Poor Ciel," said a smooth voice behind him. Ciel didn't need to look to know who it was. "It's quite a shame about Tanaka."
"But you know he's not crazy, right Viscount?"
"Hm, well you know, I might be able to clear this whole issue up, if..."
"If what?" Ciel asked.
The blond pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "If you work for me."
"What?"
"Come on, just sign your name, and the old man is as free as a bird."
"Never," the boy seethed.
"Have it your way."
"Ciel! Let go of me!"
Ciel ran over to the window, pointing his ring at the glass. "Tanaka's not crazy and I can prove it!" Then, "Show me Sebastian." The ring glowed and the reflection of the demon appeared in the glass. The figure looked like a man, then transformed into his true demon form. Gasps issued from the crowd.
"Is he dangerous?" squealed one woman?
"Oh no, he'd wouldn't hurt anyone," Ciel explained. "I know he looks vicious, but he's actually kind and nice." He smiled at the memory of the demon in the snowball fight.
"If I didn't know better," said Viscount, creeping behind the boy. "I'd think you were friends with this monster."
Ciel pulled away harshly, mustering up the sharpest glare he could, both eyes showing. "He's not the monster, Viscount, you are! You and your "bar." I know what you do! Why you only hire cute girls-"
"Look at his eye!" The blond cut off, whirling Ciel around and pulling his hair out of the way, "He's been possessed by the demon!"
"No!" Ciel cried, trying to cover it up.
"Woof!"
Everyone turned to stare at the huge hound that towered behind them. Several women screamed in fright. Viscount darted up to the dog and scratched at his belly, pacifying the creature. He slipped something into the animal's mouth before ordering, "Sit." It sat immediately, completely under the man's control.
"The demon will make off with your souls!" Viscount shouted, the crowd flinching. "He'll come after them in the night!
"No!"
"We're not safe until his head is on the floor. I say we kill the demon!"
"Yeah!"
"We're not safe until he's dead."
"He'll come stalking us at night."
"Set to use our souls to quench his hellish appetite."
"He'll wreck havoc on our village if we let him wander free."
"So it's time to take some action boys, it's time to follow me!" called Viscount, suddenly getting an adrenaline rush. "Through the mist, through the woods. Through the darkness and the shadows, it's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride. Say a prayer, then we're there. At the gates of a manor and there's something truly terrible inside. It's a demon, he's got fangs, razor sharp ones. Massive wings, a killer gaze for the feast. His heart of black, but we're not coming back til he's dead, good and dead! Kill the demon!"
"No! I won't let you do this!" Ciel cried, trying to hold the man back.
"If you're not with us, you're against us. Bring the old man!"
"Get your hands off me!"
"We can't have them running off to warn the demon." Viscount reasoned, shoving the two of them into a nearby shed and bolting it shut.
"Let us out!"
"We'll rid the earth of this beast, who's with me?"
"I am!"
"I am!"
"I am!"
"Light your torch, mount your horse."
"Screw your courage to the sticking place." Viscount shouted as they began their march.
"We're counting on Viscount to lead the way. Through a mist, through a wood, where within a haunted manor, something's lurking that you don't see every day. It's a demon, one as black at the night. We won't rest til he's good and deceased. Sally forth, tally ho, grab your sword, grab your bow. Praise the lord and here we go!"
"We'll lay siege to the manor and bring back his head!"
The townspeople were so caught up in the action that they didn't notice a hooded figure slip into their ranks.
"I have to warn Sebastian." Ciel said, banging on the door. "This is all my fault. Oh, Tanaka what are we going to do?"
"Now now, we'll think of something." He said, resting his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"We don't like what we don't understand, in fact it scares us and this demon is mysterious at least. Bring your guns, bring your knives. Save your families and your homes. We'll save our village and our souls, we'll kill the demon!"
Back at the manor, the servants were conversing amongst themselves. "I knew it," said William. "I knew it was foolish to get our hopes up."
"Maybe it would have been better if he'd never come at all," added a sulky Bard, pacing in front of the window. A figure caught his attention. "Could it be?"
"Is it he?" asked Soma.
"Holy crap, invaders!" The blond cried.
"Encroachers!"
"And they have Pluto!"
"Warn the master, if it's a fight they want, we'll be ready for them!" William pushed up his glasses. "Who's with me?"
The mob was advancing even further, just reaching the edge of the manor grounds. "Take whatever booty you can find," the hooded figure whispered to Viscount, "but remember: the demon's mine."
"Hearts ablaze, banners high." The servants bustled about, trying to get ready. "We go marching into battle, unafraid although the danger just increased."
"Raise the flag, sing a song. Here we come, we're fifty strong, fifty Englishmen can't be wrong. Let's kill the demon!"
Soma knocked on the Sebastian's study, but didn't enter. "Pardon me master."
"Leave me in peace."
"But sir, the manor is under attack."
The manor resonated with the force of the mob trying to break down the door. "Kill the demon, kill the demon!"
"This isn't working!" Bard said, their attempts to hold down the door obviously failing.
"Oh, Bard, we must do something!" The red-headed maid squealed.
"Wait, I know!"
"Kill the demon, kill the demon!"
"What shall we do, master?"
"It doesn't matter now, just let them come."
"Kill the demon, kill the demon, kill the demon!"
The mob gave one particularly hard shove and the door creaked open. They stumbled in cautiously, with no enemies in sight. The hall was quiet, nothing moved. Proceeding along the corridor, the group didn't see a man with short spiky hair creep up behind them.
"Yo."
They all turned to see a blond standing behind them with a...flamethrower? Bard took a knee and aimed his weapon of choice at them.
"Fire in the hole!"
Flames erupted and the mob ducked, with only a few minor burns and some singed hair. The people scattered. Some ran to the kitchen where they were met with a tanned man with white hair. Several brave men charged the foreigner. He said something in a strange language before ripping off the wrapping on his right hand and running at them. Back in the hall, the mob members that were dodging the fire suddenly found themselves in a sort of dance. A red-haired maid hung upside down from a chandelier, a rifle in each hand. She fired at the mob, aiming for their feet. A few people found themselves being assaulted by a man in a suit with what appeared to be a long stick with two short blades at the end. Some were tripped as a little blonde ran around chucking frilly clothes and ribbons at them.
Viscount, his adrenaline high wearing low, turned and fled out the door. The mob followed behind him, terrified of the servants. Then their fear turned to rage as they remembered Ciel's words about Viscount's "bar." Realizing what exactly it was, they chased after him, intending to make him pay for his sins.
Several shouts and cheers were let loose by the servants at their success. However, in their celebration, they didn't notice a hooded figure slip behind them, up the stairs, and out of sight, heading for the East Wing.
Ok, there's only one more chapter left, can you believe it? I expect to update on Monday/Labor Day with the final chapter. So please review! ^_^
