SNIFF.
Probably the saddest thing I ever wrote. I cried writing this, since I kind of relate with some parts here, especially at the ending. That's all I can really say about the chapter.
Big thanks to the latest reviewers: ShadowsOfANightmare, Serah, AnimeApprentice, erlia91 (thank you for the lengthy review, I miss those), and Amehsk(whose 5 straight comments helped the story to reach 90 reviews). Thanks a lot guys! The reviews are closing to a 100 now, and finally I could go to hell a happy person! Hahaha! Thanks as well to the recent people who faved and followed this fic!
AnimeApprentice (review on chapter 22)
Q: "Was Lucilla abused by her mate?"
A: You're getting warmer, but still on the cold side. LOL
I'll keep this Author's Note short and let you proceed with the story. I'm very tired. So, so tired. I'm going to go eat fried chicken.
Onwards!
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XXIII
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The blonde and brunette leaned on the railings of one of London's curve bridges. Veiled by the heavy nighttime fog, they watch with dark and narrow eyes at the three tall figures by the port of the Thames. A row boat floated on the dark waters, and the lithe body of Ciel Phantomhive lay limply on it, eyes closed and face peaceful like the sleeping child he was.
Alois Trancy was now contracted to Hannah Anafeloz – This the two female Fallen Demons knew so far. Despite the serious expressions on their faces, they were still quite shock at the sudden turn of events. Never in their life as Fallen Demons have they ever seen a single human contracted with two demons. It was virtually impossible, but by now they have pieced together enough of the mismatching puzzles to finally understand how such an occurrence happened: With the breach in the contract due to Faustus disobedience, not only is Alois Trancy's soul open for the Reapers, but also to other demons as well.
The whole twist in this situation has ultimately jeopardized the contracts between the two males with a loophole that not even their sentries could do anything about. The only solution to this whole mess was to destroy Alois (the boy no longer had a body and no hope of living again, the only thing left was to bring his soul to peace), but because his soul was fused in Ciel's body, they could not touch him in lieu of harming the other soul. Thus, both ends of a fork road will still lead to failure.
The other problem that's been disturbing the sentries as well as the male demons would be the terms of Alois and Hannah's contract. With no news yet of who gets to be Hannah's sentry, the Fallen Demons are left with only their guesses and their ears to listen attentively at the words that will leave the silver-haired demoness lips.
"What are the contents of the contract?" They heard the deep baritone of Sebastian's voice. The raven-haired demon's face was impassive but the evidence of distraught was in his eyes. "What is Alois Trancy's wish?"
Hannah turned to the two males, a small smile on her purple-painted lips. "That is a secret between Master and I," she said in a soft tone, yet her eyes – each of a different shade of blue – shined with mock amusement.
"Hmph. She's getting full of herself," Scoffed Claude, speaking for both himself and his rival, as he glared at her with blaring golden eyes.
"But, I will tell you at least this," Hannah continued as she took a step forward, raising both her hands up to caress the pale cheeks of each male, and despite the utter disgust they felt at the contact, they did not recoil at the touch and was more interested in what the female had to say. "Master's wish involves one of you ending his life as a demon."
Viessa's shoulder stiffened at Hannah's words, her weary purple-eyes darting at the tall and dark frame of her mate, her chest heavy with disquiet.
"One of you will triumph," Hannah continued, turning around and making her way to the boat, "And in the fulfillment of the contract between the Master and I, Ciel Phantomhive's soul will be released from the Master. After that…" she trailed off, closing her eyes after watching the boy's body.
"Hannah, if I strangle you to death…" the golden-eyed male murmured threateningly, but then held his tongue when he realized that even that idea will not stop the madness of their situation.
Hannah's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she opted to finish her last sentence, "My bowel's will radiate with a noble blue glow…"
The male demons eyed her sharply as she took a step into the boat and kneeled down, letting Ciel's head lie on her lap and smooths out the boy's messy hair. And after exchanging quick glances at each other, the males stepped into the boat, handling each other the paddles and began to row the four of them away from the dreary town surrounding the river and into the open waters.
Lucilla and Viessa watched as their forms disappear through the heavy fog. They remained glue to their spot, eyes still cast at the dark horizon, contemplating deeply on the progress of their dilemma.
"What's going to happen next?" the pale-blonde asked in a soft, pensive tone. The situation they were in had diminished in interest and has now become tiresome. Viessa felt drained to the very core, her attentiveness was replaced largely by worry and exhaustion. She raised a hand up and massages her temples when a sudden flush of a headache knocked on her skull. The pain subsided quickly, but still it surprised her. 'Some spider demon venom must still be in my system,' she assumed.
Lucilla furrowed her eyebrows together as she curled a finger under her chin. She brooded on the question even though she knows she could not provide her with a proper answer.
"Why, we follow them of course."
The sound of a deep male voice prompted the girls to turn suddenly. Well hidden behind the shadows of an unlit street lamp, Gabriel steps into the fogged bridge, his strut straight as he lets down his fur-lined hood. He halts just three feet away from the two, hands deep in the pockets of his black coat.
"Gabriel! You're back!" Lucilla cried with some amounts of relief in her tone. Beside her, Viessa lets out a small open mouth smile, also quite glad that the older and much wiser of them have returned.
The red-head tilts his head with eyes shut as he drew one hand out of his pocket and flips a black card between his fingers. Hannah's blue pentagram was etched on the card and immediately the female's looks of relief was replaced by seriousness.
"It seems I was favored to watch Anafeloz again," the topaz-eyed male said casually, hiding the card back into the pocket, "It will be a quick contract, but it's going to cause a life-long impact between one of those two demons."
Realizing the message behind his words, Viessa took a step forward. Her brows were furrowed into slits when she spoke firmly, "You know? The terms of the contract – "
"It won't lead into a happy ending," The male cuts her off, then took a step forward, raised his hands and planted his gloved hands over the two female's crowns. The two did not move and instead just look up at their superior with narrow and worried eyes.
He glances at the two for a moment with soft but serious eyes, before sighing. "At the end of this day, one demon will be contracted with Ciel Phantomhive, but after that, we'll have no business with either of them anymore."
Viessa's eyes widened slightly, "What do you mean?"
Gabriel presses his lips together tightly, brooding in his words. "We Fallen Demons exist for the sole purpose of making sure there is a proper contract between the human and his demon…"
The females waited for him to continue.
"This rule…does not apply to a demon to demon contract," he watched both of the confused expressions on the two females' faces, and then retracted his hands back to his side when the whole point of his words finally nudged on their brains. Immediately their eyes went wide and their mouths gaped.
Gabriel had arrived back in Europe in good timing, and was able to overhear the terms of Hannah's contract with Alois Trancy. The expression on his female comrades' faces now was the same look he had when the deed on the Faustian contract was sealed.
They always knew that it was possible, but never have they guessed it to occur in this event: Ciel Phantomhive was to become a demon when his eyes open again.
The three were silent, each of them staring down at their feet. It truly was a forked road, wherein both paths would lead to nowhere. But between the three, it was Viessa who was most disturbed by this information.
"We should get going," Gabriel finally said after a long wave of silence. He turned around, facing the dark side of the town. "There's no time to find a boat," he said in a more load and authoritative tone, "Tonight, we teleport our way there. It's a large sacrifice of our energy, but I don't think there is no other use for our powers there except to watch."
Lucilla grimace slightly, but her eyes looked down in frustration. "It is still worth it? Do we still have to bother ourselves with something that would not even satisfy us in the end?"
"For the two of you, maybe," He said, not turning to them, "But still, don't you want to know who will win this battle of ignorance?" Then he turned slightly, one topaz eye glancing at the distraught blonde behind the green-eyed female as he continued in a softer tone, "I'm sure you do, Viessa."
Lucilla turned to her female companion, finally understanding when she saw the look of worry and dread heavy on the purple-eyes of the Crow Demon's mate. The brunette sighs audibly, scratching a finger on her nose in slight annoyance.
Straightening themselves, they gather their aura around their bodies. The black trails of their power coiling around them visibly until it engulf them like a shell. For several seconds, the cloud of energy swirled quickly, and then in a sudden burst, it vanishes into a cloud to mingle with the London fog. When the black smoke on the center of the bridge cleared, the Fallen Demons were gone.
''''''''''''''''''''
After slipping off his right glove with his teeth, Sebastian turned to the demoness seated on the other butler's lap. Restrained by the Spider Demon's arms, she gape her mouth wide open and prepared herself for the discomfort of having an entire arm shoved into her esophagus.
Tears welled her eyes as Sebastian's fingers finally coiled on the handle of Laevatein and pulled it out roughly, shaking off the trails of saliva from its glistening crystal green blade.
Hannah pants deeply, then shoved Claude's hand from her face before standing up. She walked towards the other demon, who handed her the sword with only the slightest of hesitations, and then continued on to the center of the underground cave of the Island of Death. The cavern seemed to glow an eerie green due to the moonlight that was able to seep into cracks and crevices reflecting on the large sea-green quartz that littered the grotto.
"No attacks are fatal to a demon," she began, "However, wounds dealt by the demon sword will never heal, and…"
She halts in her words and her steps to suddenly shove the sword upwards, impaling it on the rock ceiling of the cave, "…Souls cleaved by the demon sword meet their complete and utter end." She said, turning to the males with a playful smile on her lips.
The demon butlers glared at the female for a while, and then turned to each other with a more intense glare. They circled each other like sharks before separating, a demon butler on each far side of the maid.
A long silence waved between the three. Hannah could feel the two male's aura rising in preparation for their fight. Sebastian's aura was heavy and strong while Claude's, though also as heavy and powerful, still struggled to match with his opponent's.
Then she felt a new pair of auras in the cave, far outmatching that of the males around her. Then came along an even powerful aura that ultimately surpassed all else including hers. She grimaced slightly before turning her head to the upper right.
"We have an audience," she said nonchalantly, earning a surprised expression from the demon butlers.
Following her line of sight, Sebastian and Claude turn their heads up just in time when three figures stepped out from behind a large green quartz.
Gabriel stood in a commanding stance, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the demons below with a fearsome gaze. Trailing behind him on his right was Lucilla, who tilted her head at them, an auburn eyebrow raised and one hand settling on her hips as she rested her weight on one foot. On Gabriel's left, Viessa stood straight with hands firmly clasps on the front of her skirt.
Sebastian's gaze, though stern, softened at the sight of the white-gold ring on her finger, which glinted at the light from the crystals in the cave. He then looked up at his mate's face, where he could clearly see a look of trepidation behind her façade of total seriousness.
"I've underestimated you, Hannah Anafeloz," Gabriel said out loud, his deep voice echoing in the cave's walls, "You certainly planned a very well scheme under your sleeves. You've outwitted even us."
Hannah smiled up at the topaz-eyed male, and then turned away from the Fallen Demons, catching the demon butler's attention again by exclaiming in a loud voice, "Begin!"
The two black-clad males turned to glare at each other at the cry.
"Using a single sword…" said Claude.
"A battle revolving around a single soul…" added Sebastian.
Hannah raised her hand up to signal the battle, and then the two males began circling each other, their eyes continuing to glare ominously at each other, until the Spider demon's lips curled to a malicious grin. "The one who will sink his teeth into the Young Master's soul…is me!" he cried as they both simultaneously leap up to grab hold of the demon sword. However, Sebastian had leaped higher, and in his frustration Claude flung his arm up, and a silvery thread sprang out from his sleeves and locked itself on the handle of the sword, pulling out of its confines before Sebastian could reach it. One in his hands, Claude turned around and aimed the blade towards the other demon, crashing the sword into a rock before adjusting his footing and began to speed towards his opponent.
Sebastian has always been known to be a fast learner, as well as one who learns well from his mistakes, so after his close defeat when he sparred with Viessa, he had accustomed his footing to quick steps to compromise with his mate's incredible phantom speed. His training proved well as he was able to back step quickly at the same time dodging every blow shoved towards him by Claude, and when he finally sense the other demon slowing, he made his move and kicked the middle of the blade, forcefully shoving it from the Spider Demon's grasp.
The Crow Demon leaps into the air, turning to glance at his rival with a smirk. "In a narrow space such as this, I cannot move as I please," He said. Finally grabbing hold of the sword, he moves down swiftly with the tip of the blade pointing at the solid ground, "Let us crack…the entire Island of Death!"
As soon as the blade impaled itself on the ground, Sebastian released a burst of aura through the blade; the force of the energy caused the ground to crack and the whole cave to rumble.
Lucilla almost stumbled at the force of the tremors and grumbled in irritation, turning to Viessa who was supporting herself with a nearby boulder. "You're cocky lover is trying to get us all killed!"
Despite the danger, Viessa rolled her eyes. She couldn't agree more.
Hannah had carried off Ciel Phantomhive out of the cavern before the ceilings would crash. Following demoness' path of exit, Gabriel turned to his younger companions, "This way!" he cried, leaping upwards. The females followed behind him. They skipped on rocks and ridges, and they seemed to be endlessly leaping up with no sight of an exit yet, until a loud crash cracked one side of the cave and created another way out.
Though the walls continue to plummet down on them, the three fallens sprinted quickly out of harm's way, Gabriel leading them out to the light of the exit while Lucilla held on to Viessa's arm so she would be able to pick up with her speed. In no time, the three was out into the moon lit surface of the island, but the land continues to rumble.
The still fighting Claude and Sebastian burst from the underground cracks and began battling at the surface, at the same time when the Fallen Demons they landed on solid surfaces that was unaffected by the earth's tremors. The females regained their footing on a high cliff, while Gabriel was left on a lower area, closer to the cracks and to where Hannah was located.
They watched as Claude sped upwards and kicked the sword off Sebastian's fingers, and the blade plummets down into one of the cracks it created. The two demon butlers descended simultaneously, each had an arm outstretched as they tried to reach for the blade.
And then it was silent, though in the ears of the demons they could hear the faint sounds of the battle still ongoing below the earth. The clouds the loomed above them had begun to gather and become dark and heavy. The heavens began to rumble like the earth, and for the first time after a long time, rain pelted the Island of Death.
Hannah looked up the pouring sky from her seat on one of the broken marble benches of the island, holding the body of Ciel close. "It's raining, isn't it?"
Gabriel remained unmoving behind her, watching as her long silver-hair turn damp. His own maroon locks had dribbled from the downpour as well when he didn't bother to rise up his hood.
"You and I are the same, Hannah," he spoke in a soft deep voice that no longer sound monotone, but carried with it a deep emotion – a tone she never heard leave his lips.
"We both fell under the spell of a young boy…it made us ignorant fools and led us to do stupid things," Gabriel slowly shuts his eyes, "But I suppose, in ignorance…we find bliss…happiness…that faint spark of light in our long and dreary lives."
Hannah was silent for awhile, her eyes still cast up at the rain.
"Tell me, Gabriel," She said softly, "Would the matter of happiness be any different had I not devourer Luka's soul and become one of you?"
Topaz-eyes flashed open slowly as he pondered on her question, and then shuts them again, breathing out at the same time. "Happiness depends largely on the individual and their actions, as well as the path they choose, in order to obtain such happiness. Had you not feed on his soul, knowing that he would have been in a much better place than your stomach would eventually make you happy. But at present, it is different. You chose a different path. Luka is inside you, and now you plan to take Jim along as well. So tell me, will this make you happy?"
Hannah smiled widened as her eyes began to well up, "Nothing will make me happier more than to reunite these two brothers."
And in full understanding of her feelings, Gabriel smiles. He turned away from her and said in a solemn voice, "Whatever path we are to take, no matter how wrong it is, as long as we do it for the intention of finding happiness, it is granted to us." Then he leaped up the jagged hills and cliffs, rejoining his comrades in time when their powerful hearing caught the sound of the demon blade thrusting into flesh and the pained grunting that belonged to one Claude Faustus.
And finally, Hannah's tear streamed down from the corners of her eyes to mingle with the rain. Happiness has been granted at last.
A moment later, a crow cows from inside the cracks, and it flew out into the open just in time when the rain had ceased. The Fallen Demons looked up at the black bird with serious gazes.
Gabriel flips out the black card in his pocket and raised it to his face. He eyed the blue pentagram for a moment, and with a flash of his demonic eyes, one corner of the card began to burn, but unlike the cards he received in the past, the fire was slow, and he watched Hannah's blue pentagram on the card eaten by the flames.
Next to him, Lucilla had taken out her own black card, one that had the picture of a golden spider and a golden-brown seal. The emerald-orbed demoness sighs audibly, mumbled a soft "Serves you right for being so stupid," before the card dulls and molds, and eventually the black paper rots on its own until it was nothing but dust between her fingers.
Viessa, who was sitting on the very edge of the jagged cliff, watch with half-lidded eyes as Sebastian leaped out of the cracks and made his way to the silver-haired demoness, who was now standing on the edge of the broken down island with Ciel in her arms. The after rain wind was strong, and Viessa's braided blonde hair began to flow along with the wind, her ribbon slipping off and setting her locks free again.
"Happiness has come to you," the fallens heard Hannah said against the harsh winds. "Ah, Master! Claude has acknowledged you!" She turned to the other demon behind her, her eyes teary. "With this, the contract between the Master and myself is fulfilled. As for the rest, you may kill me," she told him, her words confusing Sebastian, "Your Young Master will recover the use of his body. But…"
The edge of the rock Hannah was standing on rumbled under her weight, broken shards of rocks falling into the hungry waves. "…Even if he recovers his body, Ciel Phantomhive will be no more than a corpse to you. Our happiness is completed with this act."
Sebastian's eyes and mouth went wide at this information, and he began to dread her next words.
"Ciel Phantomhive is…" her words were cut short when the ground rumbled again and cracked loudly. The demoness and his young master began to fall into the waters, and as he made a move to reach out for them, he was hindered by the next words that left the silver-haired demoness lips. "In accordance to the contract I made with my Master, Ciel Phantomhive will be reborn as a demon!"
When their bodies crashed into the waters, Sebastian, with eyes still wide with disbelief, dives down like a bullet and splashes into the waves, where in the bottom of the ocean, he meets his fate.
And with that final act, Viessa reaches into her pocket and coils her finger around a solid object. She outstretches her hands forward, and she opens her fist. The black knight – the chess piece she had taken after her game with Sebastian many, many months ago – sat on her gloved palm. She eyed the piece as if it was the demon itself and then, ever so slowly, twisted her wrist. The chess piece slips from her hand and falls almost like in slow motion, descending on the open waters, never to be found again.
''''''''''''''''''''
"We will leave London tomorrow," Sebastian did not react suddenly to the words of his young master, and only looked up at him when he had finished buttoning his white, sleep shirt.
As soon as their eyes met, the Crow Demon kept a straight face, resisting the urge to frown at the sight of glowing demonic eyes instead of the blue and violet that he was used to.
Ciel Phantomhive drew away from facing his butler and lifted his legs, stretching them out on the covers. Though he remained seated on his bed, his back resting on the headboard, his demonic eyes still lingered at the taller demon like a glare hot enough to burn holes into his skull. Sebastian lowered his eyes, avoiding his master's gaze, as he stood up straighter.
"To where, Young Master?" Sebastian managed to say through gritted teeth.
A smirk formed at Ciel's lips upon noticing his butler's struggle for self-control, but just as quickly as his lips curled up so too did it curled down, "I will decide on that tomorrow…" then the boy-turned-demon slid under his covers, his head resting on the pillow as he turned to lie on his side away from Sebastian. A small yawned escape his lips and he covers the sound with a hand. His body has yet to adjust with the perks of a demon, also, it has been a dreadfully long day – the longest he ever had in his life – and would like nothing more than the silence of the night.
When his master no longer said anything, Sebastian lightly bows, though his eyes were dark and narrow. He reaches for the candelabra at the bedside table and took it with him to the door.
"Another thing, Sebastian." The demon paused in opening the door, his hand on the doorknob as he waited for further orders.
Ciel did not move from his position when he continued, "Tell everyone that Ciel Phantomhive is dead before we leave. I'll leave you to decide how you will properly inform them of this. That's an order."
Sebastian scowls and then turned to bow with one hand pressed to his chest. How he used to like doing this, now the action reminded him that he was now a prisoner to this child for all eternity. "Yes, my Lord."
"You are dismissed."
"Good night, Young Master."
And when he finally closed the door behind him, his reserve began to wane faster.
He had made it in front of the door to his room much faster than usual. His door was lock, but the force of his hands twisting the handle had broken the knob. He steps in, his head cast down that his long hair shadowed his eyes. He closed the door behind him quite loud, and then leans against the wooden frame. His chest heaved up and down as he calmed his growing anger.
He raised his head, his blazing blood-red eyes glaring at the figure seated on his bed.
Viessa immediately raised herself from her seat, looking worriedly at the male demon in front of her. His uniform was still dirty and had tears at the edges, and his inky black hair was still damp with strands in different angles.
She made a move towards him, but before she could even take a step, she was suddenly shoved to the wall. Her eyes shut tight at the impact, and when she flashed them open again she was faced by an extremely mad Sebastian Michaelis. His eyes had lost its tender gaze at her and was now glowing its demonic hue, with the slits of the pupils thin. His palms smacked on the wall and her head was caught in between his arms. His large shadow loomed at her along with his dark and angry aura.
"Why…" he growled low and darkly, "Why didn't you do anything?"
Viessa narrowed her eyes, though it did not hide the fear in her eyes. She never feared anyone so very much except her own mate in a bad mood. She could conquer Lucifer, but never an angry Sebastian.
When she did not respond as quickly as he wanted her to be, Sebastian leaned closer to her, his canines baring, as his voice became louder and angrier, "Why didn't you do ANYTHING!?"
"S-Sebastian, please, just calm down!" Viessa backed closer to the wall and rested a hand on the male's chest, feeling his diaphragm rise and fall. "Just…calm…down…" she said in a soft voice, every word said as she exhaled.
But the demon's control had left him and he slammed his right palm on the wall that it made the female jump. "I won't calm down until you fucking tell me why you didn't do a single thing to stop this from happening! That's your job, remember? What kind of Fallen Demon do you think you are when you can't even stop something like this from –"
"SHUT UP!" She cried out, and was surprised herself when it actually pipe the male demon down, "Just shut up!" she breathed in and out deeply.
He stared at her for a long moment with eyes wide but still glowing demonically, and then he glares at her and turns away. Standing at the center of his room, his fingers curled to fists and his shoulders shudder as he tried to control himself.
Viessa exhales a long breath of air and leans out of the wall, taking cautious steps towards Sebastian and then halted just a foot behind him.
"There was nothing we could do," she began in a soft voice, her eyes staring at the cowlick of his black hair. "All orders are absolute Sebastian, you should know that, and the term of Alois Trancy's contract with Hannah is no different. We could have stopped them if Alois did not share a body with your young master. We didn't want to risk harming Ciel Phantomhive."
The male demon was silent, still facing away from her. Viessa hesitantly raised a hand and softly rests it on his left shoulder, but as soon as they made contact, Sebastian forcefully shoved her hand away. The pale-blonde retracted her hand, shock at the sudden recoil.
"Sebastian, are you mad at me?" She mustered to say, her brows narrow.
The Crow Demon still did not respond, and after a few more seconds of silence, Sebastian felt slender arms coil around his waist, her chest pressed on his back as she rested her cheek on his shoulder in a gentle embrace that disgusted the male to the core.
"Let go of me," he suddenly hissed, and before Viessa could react she was shunned away forcefully by a single hand. She lost her balance and landed on the edge of the bed.
The Fallen Demoness looked up with eyes wide. Sebastian turned to her slowly, the evil look on his face left Viessa stoned, and when she finally concluded that he was blaming her for the eternal curse place upon him, her shock expression contorted that to anger and pain.
"I knew it," she said through gritted teeth, her eyes watering, "You do just see me as nothing more than a tool…so no one could touch your master…you only see me as your sentry…"
The way his eyes blazed brighter only made her realize that everything she said was true.
"…You said you love me…"
Sebastian's face contorted to a look of disgust. "Love?" he said darkly, "I do not love…I am a demon, unlike you. I only made you my mate because you were pitiful."
Viessa's shoulders shuddered uncontrollably. She looked away from him to eye the ring he gave her. Despite the hurtful words he said, she knew deep down inside that he was lying – provoked by the raging fury within him that clouded his mind. But still, every word stung like venom dripping into her very core, slowly dissolving away the light in her like acid rain.
She didn't know if sanity had finally left her when she began to chuckle sadly at her thoughts. He's lying. Sebastian had said that he never lies, yet right now he was doing it. She knows his lying.
Viessa raised her head to him, a shaky smile on her lips even as her tears finally descended, "Which one was the lie?" she whispered, though it was audible enough for him to hear, "…when you told me you love me, or when you said that you couldn't love at all?"
Sebastian turned to her fully, his eyes still ominous. He wanted this failure of a demon out of his sight.
"Get out." He muttered.
"…Sebastian…"
"GET OUT!"
And as if her powers spoke for her, she sped out of the room using her phantom speed, and it did not stop there: her legs carried her off out of the manor and to the vast expanse of the forest surrounding the estate. Even after her presence was far enough to no longer be detected by the Crow Demon, she continued to run.
But then her pace suddenly slowed, and soon her legs gave way. She was at a different forest many miles away from the estate when she finally stopped. Viessa held on to a tree, leaning her forehead at the rough bark. Her head was pounding painfully, and it intensified more as she cried to the point of wailing.
Her stomach suddenly churned and no sooner than that she felt bile run up her esophagus. She stopped weeping to cover her mouth with one hand while the other clutched on to her stomach. The pain in her head and stomach became unbearable and she descended on her knees. She freed her hand from her mouth and leaned down on one of the bushes surrounding the tree and began vomiting something vile that she never ever experienced in her whole life.
The liquid coming out from her mouth was black in color, and it seemed to rot the leaves and stems of the bush, and it smelled of dead rats and fresh blood. She continued to throw up for another minute, her fingers gripping tightly on anything it could reach. When the vile contents of her stomach finally emptied out, she gasps for air heavily, raising a hand to her lips to wipe of the remaining trails of her vomit and saliva with the back of her gloved hand. The dosage of the venom injected to her earlier was small, but whatever that spider demon venom had in it, it definitely had very awful after effects on her.
She remained kneeling on her spot, panting hard. Tears continue to escape her eyes, both in pain and in sorrow. When she decided to stand back on her feet again, her movements were clumsy initially but then managed to straightened.
Still clutching her abdomen, her demonic senses began to probe the area she was in, and when he suddenly detected two familiar aura signatures nearby, her legs immediately began to move on its own accord. After many minutes of only following the trail of demonic energy, Viessa spots a clearing that lead to a cliff. Her weary purple eyes scanned the area for the two owners of the aura.
Gabriel was having a hushed conversation with Lucilla when they finally heard the bushes rattle behind them. Turning at the sudden sound, they blinked at Viessa, who merely stood still with eyes cast low.
"Oh, you're back," Lucilla said, tilting her head as she uncrossed her arms, "That was quicker than I expected. So, how did it go with him?"
Viessa did not respond. It was then that the emerald-eyed female finally noticed the heaviness in the younger's aura. With a worried face, the brunette made her way to the amethyst-eyed demoness. Gabriel, who too has noticed the change in Viessa, trailed behind Lucilla with one eyebrow raised.
The older female rests a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Essie…Are you all right?"
When Viessa finally raised her head, the worry in the brunettes face mingled with shock and she rested her other hand on Viessa's other shoulder, shaking her slightly. The blonde was very pale, her alabaster skin had a sickly yellowish hue and there were dark circles under her eyes.
Upon eye contact with Lucilla's sea-green irises, Viessa's lost control of her tears and they descended down her cheeks. Much to the older female's surprise, Viessa clung to her, her forehead resting on the brunette's shoulder and began to sob uncontrollably.
Gabriel's topaz eyes softened and were filled with deep concern. "I'm guessing Sebastian didn't take it so well," he said, glancing at the weeping female.
Lucilla turned to face him when he said those words, and when she finally understood the whole root of Viessa's despair, her face full of worry contorted to anger. She wrapped her arms around the pale-blonde and squeezes her lightly.
"He's a fool," she said through gritted teeth, "That's all they are ever good at…promising us…giving us the world…acting like that single light at the middle of all the madness…"
Lucilla trailed off, her own soft-spoken words eliciting memories she had longed locked away to flash before her eyes. Her own green eyes began to water when her mind showed her a picture of a light haired male and a pair of indigo eyes softly gazing at her.
"…then they betray us…"
She could see a door opening and lighting a dark room.
"…they lie to us…"
She heard screaming and wailing, and the sounds ringing in her ears repeatedly.
"…and then…leave us…"
She could see blood everywhere, even on her hands.
Lucilla bit her lower lip, no longer able to hold back the tears. She held on to Viessa tightly, joining her in crying. When she opened her eyes, she saw a black-gloved hand outstretched towards her. Her moistened eyes trailed up from the hand to the arm and to the solemn face of the topaz-eyed fallen demon, who gaze at her with understanding in his features.
She shuts her emerald eyes, letting the tears fall, and when she opened them slowly, she gazed back at Gabriel while removing her left hand from Viessa and gentle planting it over his palm. Gabriel closes his hand around her fingers, gently squeezing them reassuringly, just like when they first met.
''''''''''''''''''''
"You're late, Sebastian." The Crow Demon looked up from watching his steps at the sound of his young master's stern voice.
He pressed a hand to his chest and bows lightly, "I apologize. I will be ready shortly." He straightened and sighs inwardly. He had just returned after finishing his master's final order last night. He made his way by the carriage, helping his master up. The three other servants gathered beside them, tears welling up their eyes.
"Young Master…are…are you really leaving?" Finnian stuttered, about to go into a crying fit.
Ciel turned momentarily to the three, "Do with this mansion as you like. Use it, or you may even burn it," he said casually, glancing up at the stone walled mansion that used to be his home.
"W-We can't do that!" Cried Bardroy as the three of them rushed towards the carriage door.
The boy-turned-demon rolled his eyes as he took a seat, "Why not?" Besides, with the three servants' antics, the house would probably end up in flames in no time.
"Because the Young Master's memories are here!"
Ciel eyed them, a bit stunned at their words, but then chuckles deeply with a smirk. "Memories have no real meaning. Haven't I proven that already?"
As the servants continued to protest, Sebastian eyed his young master with a slight scowl upon his lips.
The navy-haired demon-child gaze out the other side of the window, away from the pathetic faces of his employees, as he called for his butler. "Let's go, Sebastian."
"Of course," the demon butler said softly, giving one last and quick bow to the other servants before stepping into the carriage, shutting the door after him.
As the carriage began to move out of the gates, Sebastian gave a quick glance up at the west wing of the manor, to that one opened window at the second floor. His stern eyes suddenly softened and his narrow brows furrowed instead. He stared up at that window pensively, unconsciously biting his lower lip. The carriage turns a corner, and the view of that window was gone. Sebastian shuts his eyes slowly as his chest was overwhelmed again with that heaviness he had been dealing with since last night.
''''''''''''''''''''
The curtains of the window were changed from red to white, the fabric slightly opaque and were longer. The breeze entering through made the drapes float out like a veil of a ghost.
Viessa stepped into the abandoned room, staring down with blank amethyst eyes at the silver rectangular tray lying on the bed. A white, porcelain plate lay on the tray, and on it was a large slice of black forest cake. Next to this was a small, folded paper, held close by a ribbon as blood-red as the cherry that sat on the white frosting of the cake. Also on the tray was a slender vase, and with it was a single pale colored asphodel, its petals flowing along with the breeze.
She took light steps forward and sat on the white linens of the bed. She reached a finger out to touch the velvet-like petals of the lily that bore her insignia, before her weary eyes cast down on the folded note. She trailed the paper softly like she did with the flower, and then slowly lifted it. With her index and thumb she pulled the loose end of the red ribbon and it fell on her lap when she flips open the letter to read the curved writings.
'Don't follow me.'
And that was all. No form of an apology, no promises, no message of love – just a reminder of her melancholy…how forsaken she was.
Ever so slowly, she lay down on her side of his bed, her pale-blonde curls spread out as her cheek settled on the pillow, reminiscing the mornings when she would open her eyes to find a pair of blood-red orbs staring back at her with a tender gaze and a smile only meant for her to see.
Time truly had a tendency to repeat itself. For so long, she always saw mahogany eyes giving her that tender gaze, and when it disappeared and left her broken, those ruby eyes replaced it and put her in her place. But now, those eyes were gone, and in the process left her more broken then she ever was before.
She reached a hand into her sleeves and slowly pulled out a black card, staring at the picture of a red-eyed crow. Her business with him was over. She should have burnt this card yesterday.
But she didn't.
She couldn't.
But it burns in her fingers anyway, leaving the ashes to flow with the breeze and disappear.
Sebastian will never be able to contract with another human again. The chance of them finding each other was far from slim. But he didn't want to be found anymore anyway. He had stated it clearly on his message for her.
Viessa shuts her eyes slowly, a tear trailing down and landing on the pillow. Her left hand, ungloved to show the blaring scar and the sparking ring, ran down her chest and stomach to rest at her navel area…to feel that last remnant of her bond with Sebastian. The mark, though it did not burn, seemed to let out a thumping sensation on her fingertips, and she relishes on that feeling, deducing that it was Sebastian's heart beating for her.
''''''''''''''''''''
See. Told you the ending is sad.
Thus so concludes the Season 2 Arc of DFF. Next chapter will be easier for me to write, since I won't have to review and grab dialogue from the anime anymore. The third Arc will be called "Demon Ciel Arc" (very original, no? I go die), and will feature my guesses on what might have happened after the anime.
By the way, I'll be skipping update next weekend because I'll be going on a 2-day field trip. The next chapter might be posted on or a day before (or after) Wednesday next week, if my schedule is not so packed.
Questions? Clarifications? Complaints (though I hope none)? Got something to ask regarding this story's premise? Type it in through your reviews or PM me, I'm willing to answer them…except, of course, if it involves giving you spoilers. My responses will be posted in the following chapters. Don't be afraid to ask!
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Stay tuned everyone! The concluding arc is about come! So until then, a pleasant something!
- SafireLupe, 2-10-2013