Chapter 5

Sebastian had a very clear idea in his mind where he wanted his life-force drain to be carried out. It was an isolated area in a forest that had been destroyed in a fire a few months back. It would take years and years for all the vegetation and wildlife to return. It was a forest Sebastian had found peace in, in the past, and it was worthy of him giving life back to it.

Once he had reached this isolated area, which was located at the heart of the forest, Sebastian stopped and took out the things he needed to activate the enchantment; five stones that were of equal size and shape and a dark purple in color, and he was given a bag of sand.

The ritual started with the rocks being placed into a pentagon, with each rock placed equidistance from each other, Sebastian proceeded to take the bag of sand and pour it into lines that connected one rock to another until a star had been formed. The rest of the sand was used to form the details of his individual contract mark. Once he had emptied the bag, he discarded it; tossing it aside and watching it as it vanished in a burst of flames.

Sebastian stepped into the center of the symbol. He lifted his head and spoke clearly.

"Father Satan, hear me now. Drain the life from this form. From flash, heart, soul, and bone. The lives I've taken I now return. Make wildlife from ash, and fertile soil from dirt. Trees with leaves, flowers, and brush. Let the animals return and leave them undisturbed. As for me, my flesh will rot and return to the earth. Let my soul watch over this forest, free to roam. Hear me now, this is my will. Drain the life from this form. From flash, heart, soul, and bone."

Below him the contract symbol lit up brightly and sent vibrations into the ground. It all lasted for 30 seconds, give or take, before fading away. The contract symbol had been effectively burned into the ground below him.

If he hadn't known better, he would have thought the enchantment hadn't worked. But as the demon looked down, he could already see new bright green grass growing at his feet.

Ciel was warmly welcomed into the Trancy mansion. Alois had greeted him like old friends that hadn't seen each other in years. His butler Claude, the maid Hannah, and the trio of identical triplets helped carry Ciel's things inside. Not that he'd brought a lot; overnight clothes, a toothbrush, some outfits to wear, and a few darts for the sake of target practice.

Now, Ciel and Alois sat in a luxurious drawing room, playing chess and enjoying cups of tea.

"I must say, Ciel," Alois spoke up, "Exactly why did you choose to come here?"

Ciel didn't't know how to reply. How did he expect this blonde and overly excited brat to understand the circumstances that led him to come here? Sebastian wasn't accompanying him, so how would he expect him to know who Sebastian even was?

"I have my reasons," he finally said, "I needed some place to get away from my manor, and I've heard your manor offers incredible hospitality to guests."

It wasn't a total lie. He wanted to get away from his manor, but he knew very little about Alois Trancy, other than he was the Queen's spider. The lot he worked with could have formed a plot to kidnap him by now, for all he knew.

Kidnapping. Something Ciel was prone to, and now he didn't have Sebastian to save him from trouble. He would have to be careful.

Alois seemed to be pleased by Ciel's statement, "Well, that's great to hear! So what do you like doing for fun, aside from chess?"

Ciel shrugged, "I like other games, and I love to throw darts at my servants."

"Ha ha! That sounds like a blast! I like trying to find ways to make Claude smile, or get angry, or – if it's possible – cry."

"It sounds like you enjoy playing with his emotions."

Eloise scoffed, "Whatever emotions he has. The man's as stiff as a board and he has the personality of a potato."

"So he's a total stiff, then?"

"As dull as a doorstop."

Ciel smirked, "Well, I guess Sebastian can be that way too sometimes."

Alois tilted his head curiously, "Who's Sebastian?"

"Just my butler."

"But if he's your butler, then why isn't he with you like he should be?"

Ciel thought carefully. He didn't want to lie and say that Sebastian had been fired, nor did he want to bring up anything that had happened between them the other day. Then again, the only place a butler truly belonged was at his master's side.

"He's on leave at the moment visiting family."

"Family?"

"Yes."

Ciel suddenly reached up andrubbed that his eye roughly; the same eye that had his contract seal engraved in it.

"What's wrong?" Alois asked.

"My eye. My eye feels irritated."

Alois let out the curious hum, "I'll have Claude look at it. Maybe an eyelash fell in, or something."

"No, it's fine."

"Nope, if there's something that's ailing you, I cannot sit idly by and do nothing. Claude! Go help Ciel in anyway that you can!"

The Trancy butler strode over and bowed, "Yes, your highness. Right this way Earl Phantomhive."

Claude led him into a bathroom, Ciel fighting him all the way there.

"Look, this really isn't necessary. I'm fine!"

"I'm afraid my masters orders are final," Claude said, "Look, I know all all about your contract with Michaelis. You wear an eyepatch over your eye because that is where he's placed his seal."

Ciel's eyes widened in shock, "How do you know about that? "

"Because I know Michaelis. And if your eye is irritated, that means somethings wrong, very long."

Ciel frowned with concern. Something was wrong with Sebastian? No, that would be silly. Sebastian was an unstoppable force that had battled through everything and had survived injuries that possibly would have killed him had he been a normal human. During those times, he hadn't felt the slightest thing wrong with their contract. So if this was happening . . . then there had to be something wrong with Sebastian. Something very wrong.

Claude removed Ciel's eyepatch and recoiled in shock.

"It's . . . fading!"

"What?" Ciel rushed to a mirror and gazed in into it. The Trancy Butler hadn't lied. The seal was fading. The soft purple color the contract normally was seemed to be less prominent and at least an eighth of it was missing completely.

"What is this?" The Earl asked himself.

Claude looked on silently. He momentarily stepped out of the room and called for Hannah to come to him.

The maid was instantly put off by a rather annoyed look on Claude's face, "What's wrong?"

"Find Michaelis and inform me of his condition," the Trancy butler ordered.

"What?"

"The seal he's placed on Ciel is fading. This can only mean one of two things; either he's voiding the contract, or he's dying. If that demon is dying – as much as it sickens me to say it - we need to save him. We already have Ciel Phantomhive here, but without Sebastian our master's contract will be left unfulfilled. Find him, Hannah!"

Hannah nodded and slipped out of the manor. She didn't know what sort of condition she would find Sebastian in, if she found him at all. She could only hope for the best, although deep down she knew that Sebastian wasn't voiding the contract. Something was wrong with him. Something bad.