Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji!
AN: Yoooooooooooooooo! Hey! I hope you're doing well! You have permission to beat the shit out of me :D ! I am so sorry for the late update, it is just...eurghhhhhhhhhh *stabs self in face repititively* I just finished a week of SACs (basically things that contribute to your final score at the end of the year) and I had one every day, dear mother of god! I think I failed maths, but HEY. WHEN AM I GOING TO NEED CALCULUS IN MY EVERYDAY LIFE ANYWAY *mumble* gradient shit *mumble*
Thank you for being so patient! As a summary of what just happened (since even I forgot =='') Phia temporarily took Sebastian's place, and the other members are being asked to kill our favourite pet hellhound ):
Phia meets Sebastian and the little earl at the bridge after they reunite at the palace...how she knows?
Phia: *Taps chest* I have my own personal treasure detector.
Chippy: Ooooof course you do. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
I peered into the distance as a boat came through the mist, smiling as I realized it was Sebastian and the little earl. I shook my short hair dry of the water, clothes heavy with it because unlike them, I had to swim through the murky, bone chilling water, and not just because it was cold. This place…this bridge, the 'Sacred Bridge' was filled with tormented souls, and as their hollowed, anguished cries filled the air, mine cried back.
Poor dears…
"Hush now…" I whispered, raising a finger to my lips. "This is bigger than you and I." I squeezed out water from my hair and dress, greeting the approaching boat. The little earl no longer even seemed surprised by my appearance, focusing far more on the bridge than me.
"I suppose it is no surprise you are here as well, Miss. Phia. However, I will have to request that both of you wait here," Sebastian said calmly, placing the rope from the boat down.
"I'm going too!" I chirped in unison with the little earl. "You can't expect me to wait here, while you get all the fun!" Sebastian glanced from the bridge, his tone becoming slightly more sinister.
"Let me make this clear. You will hold me back."
"I see. Would it really be beyond you to defeat this foe with me tying you down?" The little earl mocked darkly.
"I see your point. You may be seated in the lodge, if you wish." Sebastian turned humble instantly, bowing to the little earl. "You, however…"He set a stern look towards me and I covered my ears.
"Can't hear you! I guess I'll just sit with the little earl!" I shook my head immaturely. All I saw was his exasperated sigh, and him offering his arm to the injured little earl. As I brought my hands down, I barely heard him whisper, "At your own risk," with a tiny smirk on his face.
"They are ablaze…both the Queen's dream world and the human world. At last, the grand and brilliant day of our father is at hand. Blood, flame, and smoke are the heralds of its coming! Don't you agree, demon?" Ash's voice wavered with emotion as tears ran gently down his pale face alit with the orange glow from the city.
"…You're quite mentally unstable, aren't you? You should be worried, hearing that from me." I held my hands out for balance on the curved metal poles that formed the skeleton of the bridge. Of course, both Sebastian and Ash stood perfectly still, but I didn't want to crash to my death. Yet.
"Why did you kill the Queen?" the little earl asked.
"Because she was fish-eyed."
"Fish-eyed?"
"Her gaze, which should have been fixed on the future, was drawn to the past and had begun to decay, utterly stagnant. I had no choice but to purge her."
I followed Sebastian quickly to more stable 'ground', taking a seat on the crate above and beside the little earl's.
"The seat may be somewhat uncomfortable, but it is the best I can offer." Sebastian smiled apologetically.
"I see."
"Well then, what are you orders?" Sebastian almost seemed eager, smiling as he awaited the commanding words. The little earl didn't disappoint, and yanked his eye patch off, throwing it away.
"Kill that man, the angel!" he ordered, his voice powerful and demanding. Sebastian kneeled smoothly and lowered his head with his hand on his heart.
"Yes, my Lord."
I couldn't help the wide smile that immediately grew on my face.
"At dawn, when this bridge is completed, it will become the eastern barrier, protecting London from uncleanliness. Should a demon ever set foot inside this gate, as an angel, I will have to purge him, until he becomes a white being without stain, without feelings, without life!" Ash drew his sword, a shining sharp metal glinting in the light. With a blink of the eye, he was no longer where he was, nor Sebastian, and a sharp clang of metal against high grade cutler- metal rang out. A cold darkness suddenly gripped my leg, and I glanced down at the blurred shape of some odd, dark substance. A second glance up told me that Sebastian was surrounded by the same thing.
Ah…what a repulsive feeling.
"Ah…it feels wonderful," Ash said gutturally, verging on a moan. "It feels wonderful…" the pitch of his...her voice suddenly dramatically rose, and Angela emerged from the dark mist. "A comfortable sensation of warm slime, surpassing the most excellent fur."
"An angel clad in uncleanliness? A fallen one," Sebastian said distastefully.
"The joy of the impure is unbearably disagreeable to me…and still…" white, razor sharp feathers suddenly whistled out from the mist, almost embedding themselves in Sebastian, had he not quickly maneuvered away. "The despair of the impure gives me power."
"Such a cheerful conversation among that fog." I noted, squinting because it was getting harder and harder to see through the clouding mist of suffering.
"What is that…?" the little earl stared in slight horror at the dark symbol forming in the sky, and I shrugged.
"Something that'll do us harm, I'll wager." I blinked as the dark souls suddenly drew closer. A sharp white light pierced the fog, and something dark went flying out with it.
"Sebastian!" the little earl cried, eyes following the trail of blood left by the dismembered arm.
"Sebassy, your beautiful arm!" I held my face in my hands, shaking my head, out of mock sadness and also to shake off the loose, wavering soul. "They're…disappearing?" I saw the souls slowly flicker out of existence, the dense mass of unhappiness fading. A slow building raging voice wafted out from Ash, and I felt my stomach sink as that never boded well.
"Every….everyone, everyone, should be consumed by hellfire!"
"Young master!" Sebastian's call confirmed my words, and almost instinctively, I wrapped what I assumed were still sodden arms and body around the tiny figure of the little earl, looking over my shoulder to see what was to come this time. With an angry roar, Ash released a flurry of sharp projectiles that quickly came our way.
3…2…1…
"Hello, Sebassy!" I greeted the darting butler just before the wind was jerked out of me from the speed of his quick rescue. I winced as we were collectively slammed into the ground, dust rising from the rapid attack.
"Sebastian…Phia…" the little earl groaned, lifting his hand, and eyes widening when it came away red.
I looked over my shoulder, watching the red blood from Sebastian drip down my arm.
"Sorry for the trouble, devil dear."
"Young master, may I ask you a favour?" Sebastian leaned close over my shoulder, so I could feel his chin on my collar bone to whisper to the little earl. "Please keep your eyes closed."
"Sebastian…"
"I am a butler. I cannot let my unseemly form be seen. It could damage my master's reputation. Until I tell you otherwise, please keep your eyes…" he trailed off.
"I understand." The little earl nodded, and Sebastian stayed there until those lids closed over the purple marked eye and the striking blue one. I turned to smile at the demon kindly.
"Not a chance in hell." I pecked him on the cheek. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Ciel lay on the cool ground, the wound at his waist long forgotten as he listened to the cold wind whistling across the bridge. He had felt Phia move positions to kneel beside him, blocking most of the wind. His eyes remained closed, true to his word, and the sounds from the bridge seemed all the louder, as well as the beating of his heart. Although his curiosity tempted him to open his eyes…this was something he knew perhaps he was better off staying ignorant of. The slow sound of Sebastian's footsteps turned to sharper metallic clanks, and Ciel sat up, hearing the sounds of carnage that followed the sound of gently landing feathers wafting past his face.
He couldn't see it, but the tension in the air from beside him was high strung, and Phia was shivering, and he knew it wasn't from the cold. The pained howls and crashes that elicited gasps of wonder and excitement from Phia, settled his mind more and more, yet lingered like a foul odor in his mind. The structure he sat on suddenly buckled with a loud groan, and it was all he could do not to open his eyes as he went flying. Lunging for a purchase of any kind, he managed to hang onto the edge of what felt to be the metal structure. He didn't think about what was beneath him. He could no longer hear Phia, and couldn't distinguish the sounds of her hitting the water from the debris.
"Young master, can you hold on until I count from 10?" Sebastian's voice was a bit rougher, deeper and animalistic than usual. Even though his fingers were slipping, and his side had begun to ache insistently, he grit his teeth and let out a hardy, "Yes!"
"Then…10!" Sebastian's countdown was littered with the cries of the angel, and the splattered sounds of blood against metal.
Splatter…
Scream…
Shriek…
"…1!"
A blinding light burst against his eyelids, turning the world a harsh bright red.
"It is over, young master." Sebastian's voice was close, and he slowly opened his eyes, glancing up at the butler, same as the moment he had closed his eyes. In the moment their eyes met, for a second, he returned the warm smile the butler gave him, and then the darkness that he had been in only seconds before overwhelmed him once again, but this time it took all his senses from him, his eyes only barely registering the light emitting from his own body. He smiled, and felt his body hit the water.
AN: As usual, thank you for reading! I'll keep writing when I have time, and never forget that your alerts, reviews, favs and continuous support really lift my spirits up and motivate me, thank you guys so much :D See you next time (when I'm not being repeatedly K.O'd by school)!