As soon as the boy hit the ground however he toppled back, panting heavily. He was not meant to be there, not while alive anyway.

"That reaction is normal for a silly mortal to be here." Sebastian said, keeping him close as he led him along down the seemingly endless path of dirt and ash.

"you could have warned me!" the boy hissed loudly.

"What did you expect?" He asked, petting his head a little. "Come along.. it is a long way to the dead forest."

"I expected fire... Lots more fire." the boy hissed.

"There is plenty, beneath our feet, in the air.." He said, chuckling. "There are lakes, oceans of it.. some villages are on fire and have been all eternity."

The boy looked down. "err... That is horrible..." the boy wheezed yet somehow it didn't burn him note did he feel much heat form it, just illness.

"We're passing some of the damned now, try to ignore their screeches.. and do not go towards the lit torches.. they will grab you."

"dose everything want to grab you here?" the boy found himself getting more and more angry, more so then any of the hatred he had held onto for so long ever did. It was a dark, all consuming anger and hatred he could not discernible.

"They don't want me. They want you. You're alive.. you can feel pain.. you have a soul." Sebastian replied, leading him through a burning, dead village that was filled with screaming people, begging for mercy, or screeching curses to the Gods. "When we get to the forest, you stay out of my way, and stay hidden."

"oh? Because hidden is exactly where I want to be."

"It is if there is a being darker then I in Hell, and in our location." The demon snapped, yanking him along. "I cannot slaughter the demon Pluto needs, kill something that is driving away the demon hounds, and keep an eye on your troubleseeking self all at once!"

"but if you can't see me then you cannot protect me, and if things are hiding in the forest that want to snatch me away then I want to be seen by you atleast." the boy crossed his arms.

"I will hide you away somewhere.. safe-ish. And wherever that is, you stay, alright? Even if it's in a pile of dirt or ash."

"whatever." the anger from before flared up when a creature grabbed at his ankles, a pathetic soul trapped in hell. "unhand me!" the boy snapped, lifting his foot and slamming it down hard on the creature, shattering its body somehow.

Sebastian stopped and stared at the boy with a look of complete surprise. "Ciel.." He whispered, blinking. "You still have many surprises in you, I see.. and here I thought I had you all figured out."

"these creatures are foul!" the boy snapped, getting angrier with every passing second.

"They are." He mumbled, taking Ciel by the hand rather then his wrist, and drew him along swiftly, leaving the cries behind.

The boy sore the forest and paused slightly for a moment. It was dark, no fire to light it, withered trees and demonic eyes peering out of him.

"Alright, Ciel.. this is dangerous territory.. the hounds roamed here a long time ago.. there may be some left, somehow.. and whatever is driving them away is here somewhere. Stay very close. Don't let go of my hand."

The boy did as he was told and for a time, but something was pulling him away, pulling him into the forest. "sebastain..." he said calmly, pulling back his hand abruptly and then taking off down a path towards the voice that called him forward.

"Ciel! What're you doing?" He shouted after him, chasing after the boy. "Ciel stop!" he demanded, scowling and growling under his breath. "Damn humans."

The demon could suddenly here it to, the voice calling him. It sounded to ciel like his mother, but yet to Sebastian it was a powerful, screeching creature. Something more then a demon.

Sebastian's veins froze up and he shuddered hard, flinching at the sound, but he continued to run after the young Earl. "Ciel! That is not who you think it is! She would not be here! Think about it!"

"mother!" he called out, wanting to rescue her from this place of horror. He would do anything, and the rage building was making him irrational.

Sebastian finally caught up to the boy, and grabbed at his wrist. "Ciel stop!" He shook him a little. "That is not your mother!"

"mother..." there where tears In the boys eyes. "she's hurt! Let me go sebastain! There torturing her! There hurting her!"

He shook his head, wrapping his arms around the boy to keep him from running off again. "That's not her. It is an illusion meant to lure and hurt you. She would not be in Hell, Ciel, I promise. She would not be here."

The boy started crying more heavily the longer he was held back. "let me go! There hurting her!" he could not hear his butler, all he could here is his mother screaming for help.

"Ciel!" He snarled, dragging him away from the voices, his grip on him remaining firm. "You have to ignore the voices!"

"god! Let me go! Let me go! Mother!" he screamed, biting down on on the demons arms in an attempt to escape.

Sebastian yelped and was forced to slap the young Earl, pushing him roughly against the nearest tree. "Listen to me! If you go to that 'woman', you will not die, you will be tormented for eternity!"

The boy cried, more and more, getting distressed first, then angry. His eyes narrowed dangerously then in an instant he lunged at sebastain, biteing and clawing like a wild animal.

The demon fell back, trying to defend himself from the Earl without harming him. "Ciel.." He yelped, turning and trying to pin the boy down. "Stop this!"

"don't stop me!" he barked, struggling. His visible eye glowed red, clearly possessed with the anger and need to reach the voice. The demon clawing at his soul.

"I will not let you go to that thing." He barked back, glaring at him. "This is what must be done."

The demon screeched, tricking ciel into thinking it was the dying screams of his beloved parents. "why? Why are you... Stopping..." the boys nose started to bleed, the possession taking full effect, tarring him apart on the inside to hold his mind in place. "mother? Mother?"

Sebastian grabbed Ciel by the collar of his shirt and hauled him up to his feet, and then off the ground. "I'm taking you back right now! You can mope and whine all you want there."

"no! I'm going to find my mother! You will not stop me!" the boy yanked himself free, strength that was not his own and quickly ran into the black forest. He was so close now, close to the one he was searching for. "mother! Mother!"

"Ciel you stupid child!" Sebastian snapped, feeling the anger himself. "You're going to get yourself killed!" He raced after the boy, and quite literally shoved him into the ground, using his body weight against the boy's. "Stupid, silly, human!"

Ciel couldn't here Sebastian, he didn't even know who he was anymore, his thoughts only on his mother. "mother! Mother!"

" I'm coming for you ciel..." the creature hissed, the fallen angel with its dark broken wings descended, haveing tricked them to come closer the same way it had tricked and killed the demon hound.

Sebastian felt cold run up his spine, a very unwelcome feeling when one was in Hell. He looked up to see the fallen angel, and hissed loudly, dragging Ciel forcefully away from it. So that was what had driven away the hounds. It was something that was a very unwelcome sight. "Disgusting beast.." He whispered, pulling the Earl to his feet. "Ciel, do you see now? That isn't your mother!"

"mother... Mother are you alright?" he asked quietly, pacified and unable to fight. The hounds where strong enough to kill this creature together, but not when tricked into thinking this angel was one of there own, passive, unable to hunt.

"he smells of you... He misses his mother... I'm giving it to him..."

"You stop it this instant!" He demanded, moving to a nearby tree and tucking the little earl into the hole in its trunk. "Stay put." He demanded, covering it with a large enough rock to hopefully keep him there.

The raven stood up and dusted himself off then. "You're the thing that destroyed the hounds.. and their home."

"hard to kill someone you care deeply for no?" the creature purred, quickly diving into the Demond's mind, trying to find soothing he treasured to use against him. "let me show you pain!" with a scream the creature changed form, appealing just like the wounded, human form of Pluto Sebastian had left behind at the manner."

Sebastian gripped his head, falling onto the ground and yelping. It felt like there were claws digging into his skull, deeper then that. When he opened his eyes again and saw Pluto he was incapable of rationalizing it wasn't the hound, because he was too injured to have walked back there. Or at least he wouldn't get there before them. "Plu?" He mumbled, blinking. "Plu how did you get here..? You shouldn't be out of bed!"

The angel whined like a wounded hound and then loran at Sebastian, intent to kill.

Sebastian blinked, tilting his head. "Pluto what are you doing?" He asked, stood there stuck by the illusion, a very calm Pluto coming towards him. "Come on, we have to get Bocchan and go back.. it's not safe here for him."

They fallen angel got close then lunged, latching on to the demons shoulder.

Sebastian howled, his only just healed shoulder ripping open again. The illusion shattered when the pain raced through him, bringing him back to reality. The demon swung hard, throwing his fist into the side of the angel's head, splitting his knuckles open with a hiss.

The angle screeched and fell back, becoming upset that her illusion shattered and she scrambled to her feet, smirking. "a stronger illusion then?" her form changed quickly taking on that of the little earls, keeping the new head injury. "sebastain! Help!"

Sebastian put a hand to his shoulder and tried to push the illusion away. In the back of his mind he knew Ciel was safely tucked away nearby, but reality was hard to keep a grasp on. "Run away Bocchan! You have to get to safety before it gets you!"

"my head... My head hurts." the boy fell to his knees, gripping the his bloody head. "he got me... Se... Sebastian... I'm dying... Help... Me..."

Sebastian stumbled forwards against better judgement. "No.. no he didn't get you, you'll be fine." He mumbled, grabbing for the injured boy. "You can't die.. you can't!"

"help me... Help me..." he whispered, blood running from his body. "help..." he wanted to get Sebastian close enough to wound.

"I'm here, don't worry, Bocchan." He whispered, kneeling down next to the boy. "I love you, I won't let anything happen."

The fallen angel drew its sword. "then bleed for me Sebastian! Die for me!" He screamed, and even though it was ciels voice, he just didn't seem to have the same heart the earl tried so hard to hide.

Sebastian's brows furrowed together, his mind spinning round, struggling to discern real from fake. "You.. you are not Bocchan.." he mumbled, shoving the boy away and stumbling back away from him. "Vile thing!"

"I am, and I am your master! Obey me!" the creature hissed back, swinging his sword at the butlers head, intending to lop it clean off.

Sebastian brought his arm up to deflect the blow, letting out a loud shout, toppling backwards. "You lie! Illusions and tricks! You are not Ciel." He snapped, scrambling to his feet and throwing himself at the angel, digging sharp claws into flesh.

The fallen creature was weak, power lieing only in the ability to create illusions. It's body broke quickly, flesh targeting under the demons claws. It cried out, sounding just like the young lord. It had but one more trick left. Quickly, before the demon could land a finishing blow, it swapped places with the real earl, haveing the demon butler cut into the boys chest instaid of its own. There was a loud, human scream of pain, the boy dropping back on the hard earth below, chest torn open. Was it an illusion still? Or the real ciel?

Sebastian hissed low and moved forwards, wrapping his hand around the boy's throat, but not squeezing just yet. "Are there more of you here?" he snapped at him, pinning him with his body. "Tell me the truth! If you do, I will be merciful and kill you quickly.. if you resist or lie, I will make sure your death is the most pain you've ever felt.." he purred, tone laced with hatred.

The boys eyes dulled a little, blood dripping from mouth nose and chest. "s-seba?" the boy frowned slightly, he smelled just like Sebastian, just like himself. It was attracting other demons. "g-good... B...bye... Seb.."

Sebastian's entire frame was struck then, a gut wrenching grip held to his stomach, heart and mind, and squeezed hard, making him almost wheeze out. "No." He half choked, his composure gone. His softened gaze went over the wounds on his small frame, the wounds he'd caused himself, only briefly, before he looked away. "Ciel? No.. no please.. I didn't mean.. I thought you were.. No, Ciel, Bocchan!"

The boy gave a soft smile. Reaching up and strokeing the demons face. "why... So... Sad?" he gasped, gently running fingers over a soft cheek.

Sebastian felt tears at the corners of red eyes, but he didn't have the mind to try and stop them or wipe em away. ""I.. I hurt you.. I failed, and now you're dying and it's my fault."

The boy was bleeding out quickly, breath hitching. He would not survive more then a few more moments in the demons arms without medicine and a way to bind his chest. His hands dropped down to his side. "Seb... Behin... Dem... C... Comei...ng..."

The raven put both hands on the boy's chest where blood was rapidly pouring from, and nestled his face into his neck. "I'm sorry." He whispered, hot tears hitting Ciel's skin from his cheeks. "I love you, Ciel."

The boy was frightened, seeing the fallen angle behind sebastain and wanting to defend him. Slowly though the world went numb, calm, he couldent see anything anymore and then ciel became more relaxed. "love...you..."

"pitiful, mortal." the angel hissed, swinging it's sword again. "I'll lop off your head, then eat him!"

Sebastian cupped his face between his bloodied hands and kissed his still warm lips before he jerked back at the angel's voice.

His eyes flashed dark red, a deep, near black shade as he knelt there. "You will not touch him!" he screamed, spinning around and launching himself at the creature. He bit into its throat as his claws tore chunks of its flesh from its chest and sides. "Die!"

The angle screamed a deathly scream and quickly tried to swap the boy for himself once more, the poor earls body winding up in Sebastian's grip once more.

Sebastian managed to stop before he swung again, before he did any more damage to the already passing boy. He cradled the boy in his arms and swallowed hard. He knew he couldn't just leave, or the creature would heal, and it would only continue its terror. He quickly slipped the Earl's eyepatch off, tucking it away. This way he figured should the angel try and switch places, he could quickly tell the difference between the two. He laid him in the dead grass and once again went at the fallen creature. "I was considering showing you mercy and letting you live as long as you agreed to conditions.. but now.. now you die. You die for Pluto, and all the other hounds you've driven away, and for Ciel!" He hissed, clawing the beast across its face.

The angel swung at the demon but was much to slow missing each time. When he swapped for the earl to avoid damage it took a great deal of energy and he was slowing each time. This time the boy fell into Sebastian almost gently but the creature had no chance to escape and was left behind him, panting heavily.

The raven caught Ciel easily each time, and was delicate setting him down, even if he wouldn't feel any pain from hitting the ground hard. "Bocchan.. i'm so sorry." He cried over him as he caught him again, and laid him down. "I won't let him win, for you." He promised, pouncing on the angel and grabbing its hair, latching his teeth around its throat and biting hard.

The creature hit the ground hard and before it could do anything to defend itself it's thought was torn out. The creature thrashed, dieing qickly under the demon.

The demon didn't stop even after he knew the creature was dead. Built up anger and hurt and mourning he wasn't ready to do made him continue to bite and claw it. He grabbed the beasts head and bashed its skull in until he heard the sickly crunching and squelching noise of its skull and brain crushing and exploding. Finally he drew back, panting, and covered in blood, and crawled to Ciel's side. "Bocchan.."

The boy was far away, his breath faint and painful. His heart was beating painfully slowly, his whole body was relaxed, even he couldent hold his bladder anymore. "Sss? Sebas... S... Ss... "

Sebastian kissed his forehead and quickly shed his coat, pressing it to his bleeding chest and then drawing him into his arms. "... I have an idea.. I won't lose you yet.. there's someone who can help you, and now they're going to owe me one."

The boy closed his eyes, he couldn't see anymore anyway. "l-l-love... Seb... Good...bye... Seb... Lo...ve... Lo..." he wanted to be held, to be touched, and loved as he slipped away.

"No no it's not goodbye.." He whispered, coddling him close as he carried him as quick as he could away from the forest. "I love you too, I do.. hold on."