CHAPTER 37 - "WHERE IS ALL BEGAN"
That night when the servants were asleep, Sebastian with Ciel and Lukas snuck out of the mansion and returned to the cemetery family plot, but this time properly dressed for the weather and time of night. The temperature had dropped and had become seasonal for Winter. There was a chilly breeze blowing and the moon wasn't as full and was semi-covered by passing cloud cover. Mist covered the ground.
Sebastian had brought a lantern, and they traveled through the secret passageway he had made that lead from the mansion in the basement to the cemetery, and up into what was now a broken crypt dedicated to Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive. As soon they were within open space, Sebastian used his powers to rebuild it exactly to original specifications, until at last, the crypt, albeit symbolic only in nature, was fixed. He also repaired the broken statuesque of one of his masters' late great aunts he had thrown Mathu Kelvin into the other day. Until everything was as it was.
Sebastian had sent a telepathic message through communication methods of his own use to his sons. He had not received a message back, but he had told them a time and place to meet, despite one day later than normal. It was nearing the witching hour, close to the time Sebastian had designated, and they waited in the middle of the cemetery, in an atmosphere that made Lukas nervous.
"I don't like being out in the open like this," Lukas said, "it makes me feel vulnerable. Uneasy."
"Perhaps a remnant emotion of when you were Bryon Kelvin's assassin, my lord?" Sebastian suggested. "Being of that mind, you most likely preferred secrecy and coversion. I enjoy wide, open spaces, myself."
"Someone who says that is often a little claustrophobic," Lukas replied.
"When I was first training with my mentor Master Belial - and it just so happen it was also the first day I encountered Decco - I became entombed in a small cavern Decco threw me in when we scuffled, and he sealed its entrance. I broke out, but I did not allow the fear of it to ruin me. There is no fear but fear itself. The mansion does not bother me, but very enclosed spaces do make me nervous."
"Attributed back to when Vesuvius was erupting and you did not wish to become entombed like your Roman brethren in Pompeii?" Ciel said. "Much like so many of them are today and still being uncovered."
"That's cruel, Ciel," Lukas said sternly.
It didn't take long for two entities to make their appearance. They were dressed in black suits, ties with octagonal spectacles. If Lukas didn't know any better, Braydon and Brandon looked like they were dressed in the standard uniform of Reapers.
"Hello, father," they both said in unison.
"Braydon, Brandon, how nice it is to see you. I did know you would get my message. I know you are quite busy these days." Sebastian stepped forward to shake both their hands. But then the twins hugged their father. They parted. "Allow me to introduce you to Lord Ciel and Lord Lukas of Phantomhive. I believe I have spoken about Ciel prior and I know you already know Lukas from previously."
Braydon and Brandon both smiled. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Braydon spoke.
"Indeed, father has told us so much about you Ciel," Brandon said. "And we have been keeping tabs on Lukas from afar. We are pleased you have finally made your way home."
"So am I," Lukas said smiling.
"And what exactly has your father been saying about me?" Ciel inquired.
"Nothing but good things," Braydon replied with a sardonic smile. "Our father has informed us of your origins together as master and butler and about the demonic covenant you share."
"While we don't necessarily agree with how it all came about, we've accepted it," Braydon finished.
"Please, let us not begin this discussion again," Sebastian chided. "It is what it is, notwithstanding, and its fortitudinous in its facets were welcome and needed."
"We agree," Brandon said, with Braydon nodding. "Without your intersection, the last of the Phantomhive line would've perished on that alter, slaughtered by the Inner Circle, and Lukas Phantomhive would've died on a cold, winter night, on a London street, forgotten."
"He is our savior." Lukas smiled. "And we thank him for it."
Ciel folded his arms across his chest, then muttered something incomprehensible under his breath.
"What did he say?" Braydon asked.
"Please ignore him," Lukas said. "He hates admitting others are right. But he feels the same way. Although, he does have the covenant in his right eye that will, eventually, bring about his end to Sebastian. I wish that wasn't so, but I do wish Sebastian could be our butler, and our friend, forever."
"Here, here. Truly words were never spoken," Ciel said agreeing, if only for the covenant to never come to fruition. "But I know Sebastian will never let me die. He doesn't want to lose my soul."
"And I don't wish to lose you, brother. We just found each other again after so many years apart."
"Let me get this straight, Sebastian," Ciel then said. "It's not difficult to make the distinction, but let me clarify. Your demon sons are…Reapers?"
"Indeed, and there is quite an interesting story behind it," Sebastian admitted proudly. He looked to his sons as if to ask permission to reveal it. They nodded. "It all begin when -"
Sebastian felt a great power and suddenly Decco appeared, snatching Ciel with a hand and pressed the boy to himself as if to use Ciel as a hostage shield. He had not weapons with him and no minions, Decco was alone, but he still possessed great power. However, he looked exhausted and was breathed heavily.
Decco gritted his teeth angrily. "Damn you, Damascus! Damn you! All that I sought is now gone! Morning Star persuaded my entire army to recant me, Belial has returned, and now I'm being hunted like a dog!"
"Return my master at once!" Sebastian demanded. "You're defeated. You have nothing left."
"I can still kill what you hold most dear." Decco took a tight grip of Ciel's throat and began to squeeze. Ciel struggled to no avail. "This will be my last hooray!"
Almost momentarily, Renfrew Phantomhive appeared in the blink of an eye, and gasped when he saw the scene unfolding.
"You little traitor!" Decco cursed Renfrew. "You were suppose to be on my side!"
"Things that go around, come around," Renfrew said. "As soon as Wilhelm Lazarus made a covenant with you, and Johnny was resurrected, neither of you had any use for me, so you betrayed our deal!"
Renfrew used his powers to pull Ciel off Decco. Ciel dropped to the ground to his hands and knees, gasping for breath, as the force of the telepathic attack pushed Decco back a few steps.
It was obvious Decco had been severely weakened by something, Sebastian observed.
Braydon and Brandon then stepped forward to keep Decco at bay threatening him with retaliation, despite Reaper policy not to get involved in human affairs.
Lukas ran to Ciel, and brought him out of harms way.
"I did what you asked, Sebastian," Renfrew then started to say, "and I tracked down your son." He pointed to Decco. "Morning Star sent him back through time to be properly trained by Belial since at the time of his taking Belial was missing. Then he turned against Belial and supposedly imprisoned him in a void, whereas, your mentor was only on a secret vacation, returning only just yesterday."
Decco's eyes widened. "No, that can't be! That's impossible! You're lying!"
"I assure you, I'm not," Renfrew said. "Belial was only told to train you, not of your lineage, so not even he knew that you were Sebastian's son when Sebastian began training with Belial. My resources are reliable. You may be thousands of years older than your father chronologically, but you were born in the year 1671, to a human mother, Kassandra, and a demon father. And these twin Reapers are your big brothers."
"I don't believe you!"
Ciel wiped his mouth of spittle that had come out when Decco was chocking him. "Life is fully of irony, half-breed. Or should I say, quarter-breed. Since Sebastian, a.k.a., Damascus is only half demon."
"Don't call me that! I am a full demon! This is all a lie!"
"Truth is stranger than fiction," Sebastian said with a smile. "But it matters not any longer. Regardless if you are my missing son, I disown you. You murdered Bryan, a very good friend of mine and to the family, and Kassy, my wife, when she gave birth to you, poisoning her womb - all in later to engage in a selfish plight to wage civil war in Hell for a throne that will never be yours. And you attempted to murder by sons believing they may be a threat to you one day; Bryan protecting them with his life. He saved me when I was near death many years ago, but I could not be there to save him. And I regret that. And this I vow, son, you will pay for! I may only be half-demon, but I will be more demon that you will ever be."
This angered Decco greatly. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, but before he could retaliate, a booming voice echoed across the seemingly empty cemetery, shouting, "DECCOOOOOOO!"
A dark, sinister hooded and cloaked entity suddenly appeared behind Decco and slashed at him with a massive Deathscythe shaped with a half-moon curved blade on a long pole. The standard Deathscythe for beginners and some veterans still preferred the older weapons.
Decco quickly jumped out of the way of the strike and the blade sliced with clean-cut through a tombstone, but he stumbled and fell back on his rear, then gazed up into the darkened face of this mysterious Reaper as he towered above him, the massive Deathscythe clutched in both black-gloved hands.
But Decco smirked, his brow sweating. "You caught me off-guard, interesting. I never sensed you coming. But do you really think that weapon can kill me?"
The mysterious Reaper pulled back his hood to reveal a familiar face with short black hair with gray streaks. Decco's mouth dropped open with shock. "The Fallen Reaper? Bryan? But I killed you!"
"You killed my original host, Bryan, but I have taken another body and altered this man's face with my powers in memoriam to him. My real name is Altima."
Altima reached into his cloak and pulled out a large crucifix made of iron and then stabbed it, thrusting it into Decco chest. Decco screamed out in pain, but it was not enough to kill him. Decco was much too powerful for a simple crucifix to bring his end. However, before his arrival, Decco had been weakened by something, his heavy breathing in the beginning was an indication of this and that he was on the run, and now he had little strength to pull it out. So he merely lain there, cringing in pain, his hands wrapped around its base.
Sebastian came to stand over him, his eyes glowering with anger.
"Now's your chance, father," Decco said, with a stream of blood coming from the left corner of his mouth. "Kill me, like you tried when I was an infant. It would've made any difference, however, I still murdered that human bitch!"
Sebastian raised a leg and then slammed it into the crucifix's butt-end so the end ejected itself out Decco's back, embed him into the ground. Decco cried out in god-awful pain.
"You once crucified me to a cross, I now do the same to you." Then Sebastian shook his head. "But no, this is too good for you," he said thinking. "You deserve worse for everything you have done. It is said a child is the representation of his parents. If a child fails in life, then the parents are to blame. But I didn't bring you up and you rebelled again Master Belial of your own violation. You became drunk with your own power. Somewhere in your existence you walked the wrong path and I do not take responsibility for that. Or you."
"I am a demon, there is no wrong path for us."
"I beg to differ. There is order in all things."
Ciel came to stand by Sebastian's side. "So this is the great and all-powerful Decco I heard about? Pathetic!" He put in-turned fists to his hips. "You are the atypical, barbaric demon of biblical lore. Sebastian is more demon than you can or could ever be."
"But he is still my son and I am responsible for him, to a point."
"This crucifix won't hold me down forever, father. My strength will soon return and then I'll kill you and your arrogant, little, smart-mouth master. I'll kill you all!"
"I agree, it will not hold you for long. So something more permanent must be done. Your tyranny must come to an end. And I will not allow any harm to come to my current master's." Sebastian grabbed Decco by the collar of his leather shirt, pulling the crucifix out of the ground as he did so, the movement causing Decco agonizing pain. "I will return shortly, my lords. In the meantime, do amuse yourselves."
And they both vanished.
Ciel quickly looked around. "Where did they go?"
"To where it all began…" Braydon said.
"And where it will end," Brandon finished.
A tremendous roar filled Decco's ears as he and his father winked-in. He had to clamp his hands hard to his ears because the sound was so deafening. But his father merely stood over him seemingly unaffected by the thunderous noise.
Decco looked up at him - Sebastian Michaelis, Damascus, whoever he called himself, even father - as Decco sat on his rear. But he still couldn't except it fully. All these years, he was having a person conflict with his very own father. And yet, when Damascus found out only moments ago, he never flinched or expressed shock at it. He had known or secretly suspected?
Damascus's black hair whipped ferociously in a natural wind with white snow? - no ash. Showering down upon the either area. White hot ash.
Decco stood and turned, looking to glimpse at a gigantic volcano erupting in the background towering over a stone, sea-faring town bordering a bay, and larva flowing down its mountainside. Screams filled the spaces between eruptions. Men, women and children were seen fanatically running for their lives, their flesh burnt, the air stinking of sulfur, and most had already collapsed from suffocation, their bodies quickly being entombed by the falling volcanic debris.
The crucifix that Altima and his father further pressed into his chest had dissolved, but he still felt very much weakened. He had battled against many of Morning Star's minions, and against Belial himself, only to make a final escape to where he felt Damascus was - in the Phantomhive cemetery plot for one last attempt to kill him.
But he became suddenly out-numbered. A fatal error. He had tried to avoid this by sending Nailz and Pyro, and then Johnny, to gather information on whom he could be facing - but they all failed.
"Where is this place, father?" he shouted over the noise, turning around.
"Your last hooray, son." Damascus smiled. "Die well…Christian."
Then he vanished.
"Father! Wait!" Decco attempted to use his powers to vanish from this place, but he could not do it. He had been too weakened by previous fighting.
The ground quaked violently and he fell to his knees, the thunderous, continuous sound of the volcano hurting his ears. He got back to his feet, but then found himself tumbling down a hill. When he landed, he spit out ash, and then through the shower of whiteness, thought he saw an unbelievable sight - Master Belial, with his white hair and wearing a dark cloak, untouched by the natural disaster befalling the area. He was shielding a burned, naked, crippled young boy, laying on the ground at his feet. Nothing was touching either of them, but the boy had already felt the devastating effects of the volcano, and was near-death. But an invisible barrier was surrounding them from the elements at the moment.
They appeared to be talking, or rather the boy was looking up, even at the brink of death, with a stern look of determination on his severely burnt face. Master Belial gave him something, then after a moment, took it back when the boy collapsed with his arm outstretched, the boy's hand opening.
And then it struck him. This is the point in time rumored Master Belial recruited Damascus. Damascus's origin was Pompeii, Italy. A city by a bay in Ancient Rome that was destroyed and buried for over 1,500 years by a volcanic explosion - this volcanic explosion! THIS CITY!
Still on the ground, he then grabbed at the ash and stumbled to his feet. If he could get Master Belial's attention, he could ask to be transported back to safety, and then he would make his father pay for this indignity, this injustice of leaving him here.
He shouted, "Belial…Master Belial, help me!" But apparently he could not hear his cry through the tremendous, thunderous roar from the volcano. "MASTER BELIAL, HELP ME, PLEASE!"
But then they both vanished.
"NOOOOOOOO!" he screamed. "Take me with you!"
He shouted profanities at the sky.
Another eruption quaked the ground and fell to his knees once more. But now he felt it was imperative to escape by any means necessary. He had to run away from Vesuvius!
He turned and ran away from the eruptions, his hands firmly pressed to his ears. But even then, the sound could not be fully muffled. Fires were all around him. And soon he found himself at the edge of the harbor. Perhaps he could swim or take a boat to a safer place. But when he got to the water's edge, he stopped. The sea was bubbling, boiling with steam, and those people who thought they could escape Vesuvius's wrath by swimming away, paid the ultimate price and were boiled alive, their flesh burnt; corpses floated on the surface, some on fire. And all the boats in the harbor were on fire and sunk.
Loud streaking, long-sounding whistles began to sound, and fireballs were suddenly launched into the air from the mouth of Vesuvius, soaring high into the soup-murky clouds blanketing the sky. And then they fell back down to earth, through the clouds, hitting the ground like giant massive cannon-balls filled with nitroglycerin. With every strike to the ground, and there were successive strikes, massive amounts of debris jettisoned in every direction.
He had to drop to his stomach to avoid debris from a large rock that came his way. It bounced along the ground and then slammed into a person attempting to run away. It vaporized him like water into steam. He clamped his hands over his ears harder, his ears subjected to the tremendous roar of the volcano and now to the constant, ear-piercing whistling of the fireballs.
Was this what humans called Karma, that supernatural happenstance that plagued someone, bringing misfortunate and bad-luck to balance out a run of fortuitousness?
If so, then this was indeed is last horray. But he would not give-in just yet. He was smart and crafty. Morning Star, Belial, and their minions, would not find him here. He would escape, hideout and start anew, rebuild his army of darkness. And then they would all be sorry. They will all suffer his wrath!
Another long-sounding whistle streaked across the sky. He turned to determine its direction, and his eyes went wide, as the giant fireball slammed straight into his face.
When Sebastian returned he was expressing a straight-face smile. His twin sons, Braydon and Brandon, were standing next to Altima talking. Lukas was discussing something with Renfrew.
Ciel had his hands on his hips, standing alone. "Where is Decco?" he demanded. The others crowed around.
Sebastian took a moment. "He is gone. He won't trouble us any longer," he said.
"I never took you for the revengeful type. Did you kill him?"
Sebastian eyed him, as if the question was inappropriate. Even though he had never truly known Decco as a son, or Christian, as he and Kassy would liked to have named him, he still felt a kinship with him. A father always did with each of his children, matter how they turned out or who they were. But he also had no sympathy for the person who killed Bryan and his wife. He knew Decco would die at Pompeii, he was too weak to escape. And it was necessary to safeguard his master's, his new "family".
He exploited his son's weakness. Did that make him a bad father? No, that made him a good…
Sebastian turned to Altima without replying to Ciel's question. "Thank you, Altima. Once again, I owe you my deep felt gratitude. You have always been there for my sons and I - and again, you came."
"You asked me to protect your sons and so I have," Altima said. "When Decco killed Bryan, however, I felt I failed in this. Your son's escaped just barely and I had to find another host. But Bryan's spirit still lives within mine; we are one. Recently, a great deal has changed within Reaperdum and your sons are able to visit you now, and not only on the Winter Solstice, and in full view of William T. Spears, Head of Reaper Affairs, and his 'Looking Glass'." He smirked. "I am now First Prime of the High Council. Corruption charges were finally brought against the council members on misappropriation of power. They have been relieved of their duties and a temporary council, with elections soon, put in its place. There will be reform within the council and past decisions will be revisited due to these charges."
"Congratulations," Sebastian said honestly.
"Um, Sebastian," Lukas said, "care to explain to us who this person is?"
"Yes, Sebastian," Ciel agreed. "Don't be rude."
Sebastian smiled thin. "My apologizes, my lord's. This is Altima, a very dear friend of mine. He is also mentor and trainer to my twin sons. You asked earlier how my sons became Reapers. Well, it was thanks to Altima and his followers who opened the door for them. Braydon and Brandon are the first demon - well, quarter-demon - Reapers. They became full-fledged Reapers after passing all the tests with flying colors not long after they met you, Master Lukas. But they kept their demon lineage a secret."
"But now that I am First Prime of the High Council - even though elections will be coming soon, I have a great deal of supporters to make the appointment permanent - they will no longer need to hide the fact they are demons, and they are well-liked too. I knew they would not be accepted as demons by others of their kind due to their human mother and their good temperament - that's why I decided to educate them and trained them in Reaperdeum, the Reaper Arts. And there is a bonus. They don't have their father's hunger; well, not to his severity. They supplement it with Ambrosia, a special fruit grown only on trees Reaperdum. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with Sebastian."
"I fed them when they were children in moderation," Sebastian said. "If in excess, then they would have my deep hunger as a demon."
"And that is why I believe the Ambrosia works for Braydon and Brandon, because their bodies weren't spoiled to the extent of yours was with dark energy," Altima said. "Although, you have attempted to moderate it yourself by trying 'breaks' between meals. Roanoke, with the Smythe family, and now here, with Ciel Phantomhive. It has been three years, hasn't it? You must be hungry."
"I am," Sebastian replied, "and three years has always been my limit."
"It's been three years since we made the covenant," Ciel said nervously.
"Don't fret, Master, I am no longer hungry to the extent of almost devouring the dark energy with the Johnny Lazarus. My hunger has been quelled, momentarily, but even I am at a loss of how. But I am glad, nonetheless."
"As am I," Ciel replied relieved. Then he shrugged. "But I am a man of my word and I do not break a vow. Even if it will eventually my soul."
"All for vengeance?" Altima said. "How hollow."
"It is not hollow, Reaper," Ciel said with firm conviction. "Vincent and Rachel Phantomhive, our parents, will be avenged!"
"And then what? Sebastian will devour your soul and you'll leave Lukas alone once more. And like Renfrew Phantomhive, disembodied, your spirit will spend the rest of entity within Sebastian's belly. An aimless existence." Altima gave Sebastian a casual glance, then cleared his throat. "However, I am not one to judge. I am possessing the body of another human right now. But once I get my old body back, it will no longer be a problem. Life is about self-preservation, however the form."
"Yes," Ciel said. Then muttered, "But I do not want to die yet." However, with a sideways glance, Ciel knew Sebastian shad still heard him and the butler/demon smiled coolly.
Something thumped in the momentary silence of the darkness and Altima raised his head and looked around. He said, "Who else is here?"
Sebastian looked sharply around. He shrugged. "No one else came with us, I promise," he said.
Altima eyed all areas of the cemetery and quickly focused in on a shoe sticking out from behind a half-moon tombstone. He pointed. "Over there; there is something behind that marker."
The entire company followed Altima and came to stand looking down at the lifeless body of a boy. "That's Johnny Lazarus," Lukas said. He bent down and checked for a pulse, but felt nothing. Then leaned in and put an ear to Johnny's chest. His heart was not beating. "He appears to be…dead. He must have come with his master and hid behind this tombstone to watch Decco fight you."
Sebastian took off a white glove and brushed back the boy's forehead checking for a covenant. Nothing. Setting a hand against his forehead, he felt nothing at all. "It appears Decco is dead, or his dark influence would still be controlling the boy. When Decco died, so did all essence of him. This body is empty."
Altima nodded. "Johnny Lazarus's soul was 'processed' nearly three years ago, I know this because I remember the events of his soul collecting. It was heart-wrenching, but we will not get into that right now. This body is nothing but an hollow shell, but it is in perfect form." He put a hand to his chin, as if an idea just struck. "Perhaps someone can make use of it?" He looked at Renfrew.
"Me?" Renfrew pointed at himself.
"Reapers know of your tragic tale and we know that you are blacklisted for committing a 'unforgivable sin', but everyone deserves a second chance."
"Wait. You want me to take Johnny Lazarus's body?"
Braydon and Brandon looked at each other befuddled. "I…don't know if that is allowed?" Braydon said, and Brandon shrugged. "Paper work must be done, if this is to be categorized as a Renewal."
"I will make it allowed," Altima said. "Now that I am First Prime of the High Council, certain privileges and decisions can be made if deemed appropriate. And let William protest, I don't care. I am his boss now. Renfrew Phantomhive has earned it. He has honored his family name in helping his cousins. I even witnessed his sacrifice to distract Mathu Kelvin to allow Ciel and Lukas, and others to escape, however brief. It demonstrates how sincere it is and sorry. He also protected Sebastian even at the cost of having his spirit vaporized by Mathu Kelvin, who has the power to do so. You rendered Sebastian unconscious to protect a secret that seemingly had no purpose, and thought important at the time, but now is moot. Johnny Lazarus died three years ago. If you wish to live again Renfrew Phantomhive, then choose now."
"Do it, Renny!" Lukas said with excitement. "And then you can live with us!"
"Now wait just a minute," Ciel protested.
Lukas looked at him confused. "What's the problem, brother? He's helped us in many ways. If he decides in favor, then Renny will need a place to live. He has no one else."
"And how will we explain him?"
"That he is our cousin. We'll leave out the details, or we'll design a clever cover story."
"And what if someone recognizes him? Say, a family member we don't know about or perhaps a member of the Illuminati, who had contact with Johnny Lazarus years prior when he was alive?"
"I…didn't think of that." Lukas frowned.
"Make your choice, Renfrew Phantomhive," Altima said urgently. "The clock is ticking, and the body will not remain inhabitable for long. Will you choose to live an aimless existence as a spirit never knowing if redemption will come for you, albeit with special powers. Or, will you choose a second chance at redemption by living in the body of another. Problems will always arise, like that your cousin Ciel has mentioned, but dealing with such issues is a part of life."
"He's younger that I was when I died," Renfrew remarked. "Say ten years old?"
"Yes, but your experience over the part century and a half will vastly give you an advantage. People will say you are a prodigy with your highly developed intelligence and wisdom." Altima chuckled.
Renfrew looked at the body of Johnny Lazarus, then at both Lukas and Ciel. Lukas smiled and nodded without question. Ciel merely shrugged, as if to say, "It's up to you."
But it was someone else he really needed permission from, because he will the one "looking after" him like a father-figure, and he turned to look at Sebastian. "Is it okay?"
Sebastian smiled. "You are welcome to stay with us as long as you like, Renfrew, like I have said. Whether in spirit form or as a human. But just remember, if you do decide to take host of this body, you will lose the ability to do many things, and you will be subjected to human limitations, such as eating regularly, sleeping, bathing, dressing, and honing a well-rounded education. But I will help you in all these areas as I am with Master Ciel and Master Lukas. And I will teach you how to become a proper gentleman in English society."
"You'll also have to learn and memorize your multiplication tables," Lukas joked, smiling. "Now that's hard, and Sebastian can be a real stickler on exams."
"I am ready for all that and more," Renfrew with confidence. "How do I take possession of the body?"
Altima's brow rose, he probably thought Renfrew wished for more time after hearing what the others said. "Just sit down into the body and I will attach your spirit to it," he said. "Then you will awaken."
Renfrew took a moment to look at the face of Johnny Lazarus. That will be his face for now on. Renfrew Phantomhive will live again, but in the body of another, and with a face he'll have to get used to when looking in a mirror. But he was prepared for that. It was not who a person was on the outside, but the person you are inside, your spiritual-self, that determines who you are as a person with affirmation.
He sat down into the body and his spirit sunk into it, fading into it. He felt a little spark, almost like that from static electricity. It was said the human body had an self-generating electricity within it, scientists claimed chemical impulses did this.
He felt blood flowing through his veins, his heart beating, and his mind racing with thoughts. Then he gasped in a breath as his lungs began to work, and he opened his eyes.
Renfrew looked at everyone with new eyes.
"How do you feel, Renfrew Phantomhive?" Altima asked.
Renfrew smiled. "Alive," he said happily.
Then he tried to stand and fell back down. He tried again, but the same thing happened. He felt his new legs, he even lightly tapped both of them with a finger. The muscle bounced with the touch. But they weren't responding to his mental impulses. "Um, why can't I walk?"
"It will take time to assert yourself into that body," Altima said understandingly. "You have been a spirit for many years without the need to be human. Walking for you will be like a toddler for the very first time. However, it shouldn't take long as Johnny Lazarus's brain has already mastered this skill. Once your spirit fully integrates with his body, you will begin to walk properly like you did."
Renfrew sighed relieved.
Lukas then crouched down with his hands behind his back and said, "In the meantime, I'll give you a piggy-back ride. You can learn to walk in the mansion in private and not in some cemetery."
"Oh for - Lukas, no! I forbid it!" Ciel said. "This is demeaning for a Phantomhive. Let Sebastian do it."
Lukas smiled. "I don't mind," he said. "Do you, Renny?"
"That is the third time you called me Renny, not Renfrew."
Lukas turned fully to him and said, "That's your name, isn't it? My memory still has pieces missing, but I feel a warmth and kinship with you, cousin. In time, I may remember what fully happened on that cold night I almost died, but right now, I am happy to have you here with us. Both of us, alive."
Renny put an arm over his eyes and began to cry, tears then flowed down his cheeks. "Thank you. Thank you all for this second chance. I promise to try to live a better life and hopefully redeem myself in the eyes of God."
Lukas smiled, brining down Renny's arm to look into his teary-eyes. "Perhaps Renny, you already have." And made Renny look at his hand made of flesh and blood. "The world works in mysterious ways, and so does God." Lukas then turned around, put his hands behind his back again, and hauled up, carrying him. "Together we'll reassert ourselves back into humanity."
Ciel rolled his eyes. "Fine. Let's go, we have a party to get ready for." He looked at Altima and Braydon and Brandon. "And you are all invited."
To be continued…