Chapter 4

I awoke again in the foulest mood. No amount of teasing Sebastian would lighten it. I had had the same dream again. It had taken over my mind. It was the only thing I could think about because I had lost the control of the outcome of my dreams. Maybe even my life. Today I sat in my study thinking of how to get my answers. Why was I trapped? Why did Sebastian go with him? Why did he want to go with him? More importantly, why did he have to die? I knew there was only one person that could give me my answers, and by Sebastian's attitude this morning, I knew he was still here.

I pulled golden silk rope that hung behind me which rings a bell in the servant's quarters. Soon enough Sebastian came knocking at my door and came in asking, "Is there something you need, Young Master?"

"Get Adelphos here now," I ordered. Sighing he walked towards the door and I called after him, "Quickly Aethon." It only gave me a moment of enjoyment. He didn't reply this time but only rushed out the door. From the shriveled state of the bronze doorknob, I knew it had bothered him.

A few moments later, a white gloved hand appeared gripping the inside of the door. I first thought it was Sebastian but I millisecond later I was staring at a malicious smile so realizing who it was, I said, "Sit down, Adelphos." He walked in and sat down, still smiling, in front of me. His eyes gleamed red with hunger as he looked me up and down. I scowled at him to stop but he simply continued. Getting to my point of calling him here I said, "I need to know everything."

"Everything?" Adelphos remarked in his usual tone, a mix of malicious and comical.

"Yes." My voice was firm.

"What is this everything?"

"Smashing my fists on the table I replied, "About your world. About Sebastian's. And I definitely want to know what's going on here!" My voice was stern and serious. I had a hunger to know what was going on, a hunger to understand. I was completely serious and now there was no way I could turn a blind eye. Not after someone like that scum Leo came here.

Adelphos leaned in close and whispered to me, "Are you sure you want to know?" I had to sit back down in my chair to distance myself from him, but unable to back down completely I made my answer a firm, strong, serious "Yes."

"Ok then. Well, my world is a bit complicated. I am not free and able to move between the two worlds like Aethon is. It feels like being stuck behind a wall." This line piqued my interest. "Feeling trapped?" I question lightly.

"Yes exactly," he said, "So now I've been summoned to help Sebastian in getting Lord Mammon back down there. That's just about all I know."

"So, why do you look exactly like Sebastian?"

"That's because I am him." His eyes stopped glowing, for now, but as always his smile remained.

"What do you mean?"

"I am from the other world, as you know. There is a balance between these worlds so if he exists in the world here, then he also must exist there. The him that exists over there is me. I'm pretty lucky. Not everyone looks exactly like their counterpart."

"Then there must be a me in your world too?"

"Maybe," Adelphos said stroking his chin, "I've never met him, or you could say you."

"Oh," I replied sighing heavily and turning slowly to look out the window to the garden.

"What are your thoughts, Young Master?" Even though I am used to hearing those two words everyday coming out of a mouth that looks exactly the same, now it disgusted me. There were some other things that I needed to think about alone so I shooed Adelphos out of my study. Only moments after he had left, wearing a playfully pouting face, Sebastian entered. He wore a dark face that turned any mood to a dreadful one, as he entered. Slowly he spoke to me in a business-like tone, "Earl Leo Wingsnap of Sweden is here to see you." Reluctantly I made my way down the stairs to the sitting room where we made all our guests wait; Sebastian followed at my heels. There I found Leo sipping tea, which Sebastian had probably brought to him, with a sour face. Nicolai stood silently behind him. When I entered I immediately heard amice greeting from Leo. "Oh good you've come," Leo said, "Your butler has been serving me a horrid type of tea. I believe he called it Earl Grey." My mouth found its way to a snarl but I quickly made it relax because I did not need to release me weaknesses now.

"Why have you come?" I asked simply.

"Of course I'm here to see you Ceil," he replied. A thought suddenly struck me. Where had this boy come from? The queen's son was famous for being aloof. This is the first anyone had ever heard of his friend, so this inclined me to ask, "I meant why you have come to this world." At first his face was filled with shock, but soon became serious and sullen when he was ready to answer. "Ok now that you know then there's no need to be subtle. I'm here to take your life."

I was surprised to find that his intentions were so simple that for a moment I was speechless. "Then you're nothing special," I said ready to leave, "You want my soul just like everyone else? That's boring." Suddenly Leo began to laugh. His laugh wasn't frightening but it was annoying and filled me with disgust. "What are you laughing about?" I questioned in a demanding tone. I let the anger flow through my words so as to convey the feelings behind my words.

"Stupid Ciel! I'm no demon so your soul means nothing to me. What I want is the life you live now. I want the house, the riches, the friends, the connections and the family."

"Even if you could take that from me, you've chosen the wrong target because I have no family or friends."

"But you have memories, do you not? That maybe what I like most. I may take it by force since I have none." Quickly and swiftly Nicolai lunged at me but as always Sebastian reflected it. Every blow Nicolai tried to lay on me was parried by Sebastian, but for some reason I believe I saw a sweat droplet fall. He may have been having a little trouble with this opponent. I knew he was unable to let me die until he died first. If he died there could be no revenge on my part, and this was the only reason for my life. Coming to this conclusion I simply began to walk away. There was no way I could be of help to him.

"Your master is abandoning you. Does he think you'll lose?" Nicolai sneered at Sebastian. Sebastian only answered with a growling sound. "Oh is that so?" Nicolai continued, "That's one of the things that makes his blood tastier?" After hearing these last words I closed the door on the whole scene. Noises of banging shuffling and crashing vibrated from the room. There was no point in watching. All that was left was for me to wait for it to end. End for him and for me. I decided to wait in the kitchen and eat the pastry that Sebastian had left out on the counter to cool. This would probably be the last thing I would ever eat. At least it could be sweet. There was nothing more I wanted.

I had been nibbling at the dessert for a while when the clock tolled three strokes past noon, and then the noise all suddenly stopped. There was no more shaking, banging, crashing, or shuffling sounds coming from the sitting room. All was silent. It seemed very odd but I had a good guess at what happened. Quickly I made my way to the sitting room to see the outcome of this fight with my own eyes. But could I bear to see Sebastian, the one who will give me my revenge, dead?

I reached the door but just before my hand touched the knob I hesitated. I tried to imagine what the scene looked like but my imagination isn't very good. The only image I could make out made it seem as if he was sleeping. If I added more blood to my picture it wasn't Sebastian dead anymore but him standing over the ones he killed. And since this has happened, would anyone notice Leo taking my life from me? I couldn't be sure that Sebastian was dead, I thought shaking my head. But if he is, will mine be painful?

Unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I threw the door open to find the most disgusting and surprising sight of all. The room was a complete mess, broken and rummaged through. The scariest sight I saw was in the center of the room. There sat Sebastian right next to Nicolai, and they sat in complete tranquility. They were both currently still alive. On the other hand, Leo was being just as quiet but stood near the doorway and had removed his jacket. Flames burned in his eyes and his mouth hung slightly open, almost as if he was thirsting for blood. I shot a questioning glare at Sebastian who only replied me with a smile as he observed my reactions to the current situation.

Nicolai was the first to speak, "Earl Phantomhive, I have to reason to dirty my hands in a battle with your butler, for now. We have decided to let the two of you settle this."

"Leo and I?" I asked slightly stunned, "You agreed, Sebastian?"

Sebastian nodded.

"Now that that's settled, let us introduce you to the judge," Nicolai continued. From the shadows of a fallen bookshelf, came forth Adelphos, still wearing the smile of a madman.

"You too?" I exclaimed, shocked to the brim now, "Damned demons. And I thought you were supposed to be helping Sebastian." I turned to face Leo. "As my weapon I choose Carlisle, father's sword."

"And I will not need any other weapon other than what I have now," Leo stated.

"Idiot," I scoffed at Leo, "You think fists can be a sword?"

"Of course, since unlike you using your demon as a mere butler, I use mine as a teacher to teach me how to gain power and control over many things."

"No matter what you say, a sword will still cut through skin. Are you sure you'll not have a weapon?"

"Yes."

"Suit yourself!" I shouted as I charged forward and attacked at Leo. But he kept dodging my blows easily. With each swing I grew more tired and Leo seemed to speed up. Leo did not even attack me. He kept dodging me attacks but did not try to even injure me. In a while I grew tired and was beginning to huff and puff. My lungs ached slightly and I was moving slowly. "Is that all you can do? You really don't battle well." Leo scoffed after I stopped swing Carlisle around.

"Not. All. I. Have," I breathed between each word so I could catch my breath.

"Are you going to keep attacking?" Leo sneered. "If not then I will." He moved at a normal pace when walking over to me, and then thrust his foot against my stomach, pushing the rest of the air out of me. As I fell to the ground I started coughing. "You see," Leo started, "You may have a sword, but it won't help if it doesn't make contact." I continued coughing and rolling on the floor. Carlisle had long since fell out of my hand and slid across the floor over to Sebastian's feet. Slowly I tried to stand up again. I gained a bit more strength just from lying there so when I got up I had more of a plan. Leo still looked down at me like trash but it didn't matter. My back hurt again, both from the old injuries and the new ones. Leo swung his foot at my stomach again but I was more ready this time. I slid out of the way and moved in closer. He lifted his arm to aim a swing at me but I titled my head out of his target path and jabbed my fist into his middle, earning myself a groan of pain from Leo.

"You!" Leo yelled as he came at me again. I shoved my knee into his groin making him fall to his knees. "Hey!" I called to him to force him to look up, "You don't belong here." And with these words I jammed my knee into his face. "Ahhh!" Leo screamed as he went down. It was over. I turned again to glare at Adelphos, Nicolai, and Sebastian. "Is this what you wanted? Your master is gone. Now leave!" I was annoyed, tired and in pain. I did not want them to be here. They should leave my house so I could sleep, Sebastian could put me to bed, and life could go back to normal.

All of a sudden I felt a strong hand wrap around my ankle. I looked down and saw Leo, still alive, keeping me in place. I tugged at my leg hoping it would make him let go, but it was hopeless. "I am not going to be killed off by the likes of you!" Leo hissed in anger. He violently tugged my right leg to the side so that I fell on my left side. My left arm twisted as my body weight fell on top. It hurt so bad and I lost all feeling in it. When I looked up, Leo was standing above me glaring down. As he wiped his nose and looked down at the blood on his hand he said to me, "You're going to have to pay for making me bleed." He reached down and grabbed my neck and squeezed.

"Ge-t off me-," I choked as he didn't do much but tighten his grip.

"Good. Feel the air leave and never come back."

"Se-bas-tian!" I choked out using my last breath. Swiftly he grabbed the sword at his feet and rushed up to push Leo off me then stood between the two of us.

"You couldn't do it without help? How weak you are…" Nicolai sighed. "I guess we can't win today. Let's leave now Master Leo."

"What?" Leo exclaimed, "I want it now!"

"Master," Nicolai said lightly, "I won't help you that far, and you can't beat that one on your own. So in conclusion it's time to leave."

"Fine," Leo replied to him stubbornly and walked out of the room. Nicolai stayed behind for one second to talk to Sebastian. In passing he said, "Remember the goal."

When they had both left, I asked Sebastian, "What is he talking about?"

"Nothing," Sebastian said calmly.

"There you go again hiding things from me!"

"Well you don't need to know."

"As I said before, tell me because I want to!"

"Did you eat the pastry already?" It was odd of Sebastian to change the subject on me so quickly but he was hiding something. Was there a way that I could get it out of him?

"Yes," I replied a little slower than usual, trying to play along with whatever he was getting to.

"That's good." Sebastian said. He snapped his fingers in front of my face. Everything suddenly faded to a white then turned black.