Hey everyone, I'm back again! Just to let you know, my story updates are probably not going to be very regular. I have a method where I have an outline or a rough draft of the next chapter before I post the former. This is to help me stay motivated because if I have a chapter already written, chances are I'll want to release that chapter, however with my current rules I can't release it until I have the next one mapped out. However, if I do have a chapter that is already finished and it takes me forever to release a new one, I might release it anyway! This is a new strategy I'm trying so I hope it works, fingers crossed! Oh and here is a trick I picked up over my years of writing, know or have some idea of how the story will end it makes things a little easier when dealing with plot.
Disclaimer: I do not own Black Butler. (No explicit material ahead!)
Chapter 2 That Butler, Reunited
Ciel followed the lower creature to an old abandoned farmhouse far out in the country. The demon apparently did not care for the distractions of London society, as was obvious in the way he had set up what appeared to be his home in such a secluded area. Before the Baron on a small worktable lay various knives and sharp objects normally used for hunting and skinning animals, though tonight Ciel realized, they were meant for a more nefarious purpose. As Ciel hid in the rafters of the damaged building, his demonic nature posed a question, what was he doing there? Did it really matter to him if this human suffered unspeakable torture or if she bled out and soaked the earth beneath her? Yet that one shred of humanity that he refused to part with throughout his years of training told him to steal her away, to save this precious soul from witnessing the same horrors he'd experienced when his parents were killed and his lovely, rose-colored world was turned upside down. The demon moving in the farmhouse below him had not noticed his presence as was evident in the way he casually went about his business. The barn was dark, yet being a demon, Ciel doubted that the being moving beneath him needed the light of a few oil lamps to make his fiance suffer agonizingly. His gaze flicked over to Elizabeth who had been laid out over a small homely cot, her hair and clothes in terrible disarray. Her breathing was normal for one in a deep sleep and she seemed quite unaware of what was about to happen. Though as he saw the Baron reach for a hunting knife, he realized that may change very quickly. Ciel watched as the demon crossed the room and ripped the jewels from around her neck, causing her to cry out in pain as she slept. The demon smirked at the sound and tore away the few stones adorning her wrists and hair as well. He held a diamond between his thumb and forefinger before sneering, "Souvenirs." he muttered. Upon hearing Lizzy's small cries of pain, Ciel's body shook as he tried to prevent himself from shifting into his true form, his eyeteeth grew into fangs and the cerulean blue of his uncovered eye bled into violet. He realized he could not simply stand by and watch this unseemly creature have it's way with her. Elizabeth was his and his alone. The thought of this filth handling her in such a disgraceful way was what finally made him jump down from the rafters and announce his presence. The Baron turned away from surveying his utensils, smirking as the Phantomhive boy came into view. He chuckled, noticing the Earl's barely concealed anger,
"Why rush to the girl's aid? You realize you are a demon do you not? Caring for humans is beneath us. Or perhaps you cannot let go of those filthy human emotions?" Ciel flinched, his fist tightening around the cane he always carried, ebony in color topped off with a menacing silver skull.
"It is not because of my feelings that I am here," he denied, "it is because of my duty to the young lady, I swore long ago that I would protect Lady Elizabeth." The other demon chuckled,
"How sweet to know that you still live by an abhorrent human code, but you know, if any of the other demons knew, it could pose a lot of trouble for your lady friend. If you ask me, I'd be doing you a favor by killing her. Think about it, you wouldn't have to worry about this ridiculous promise you made when you were a child and at the same time I'd rid you of that last scrap of humanity you cling to so desperately, like a spider clings to it's web in a rainstorm." He paused to take in Ciel's reaction, surprised when he spotted an arrogant smirk crossing his features,
"As attractive an offer as that is, you obviously know little about English gentlemen, we hold honor and chivalry quite highly, especially when it comes to ladies. It's quite embarrassing don't you think? Considering you tried to model yourself after one." He mocked. The "Baron" sneered in contempt,
"How brave of you little Earl, to mock me when I clearly have the upper hand here." The demon took up one of the hunting knives as if in preparation for some kind of battle.
"Go ahead, I dare you. Touch one hair on her head and I'll make you rue the day you ever thought to cross me." Ciel threatened, his smirk turning into an expression of pure anger, his uncovered eye glowing crimson in clear warning. The other demon paused a moment, thinking of the numerous demons Ciel had taken down before grinning widely; Ciel had something then that he didn't have now, Sebastian. His loyal dog was nowhere to be seen and without him, the demon knew that Ciel was no better than a little lost puppy. In all his years as a demon, he could never understand why demons pledged themselves to humans for souls when it was so much easier and far less humiliating to simply steal them. Nevertheless, it seemed that Sebastian had finally gained some sense and moved on.
"You're bluffing." He challenged, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Ciel noticed the demon's eyes had become more red than brown, more sinister than teasing. "You really think I'm slow enough to believe that a five-year-old fledgling can best me, a former general of the Prince's army?" Ciel did nothing but smirk as he held his ground, the statement nor the shifting of his adversary's form had done nothing to alter his calm poise,
"Yes." He answered simply, the other demon watched as Ciel pushed the skull that decorated his cane up ever so slightly to reveal that it was actually the hilt for a thin silver blade. The elder demon recognized the challenge behind Ciel's action and produced a smile that betrayed just how much he enjoyed the brutal act of violence.
"All right 'Lord Phantomhive'," he spat mockingly, "I accept your little challenge, but you do realize, according to demon law, if I win, I can choose to make you my slave and your little whore dies an agonizing death!" He finished, his hair blackening like coal, his shape shifting to reveal pale skin smeared with an ash-like residue. Yet instead of the regular violet Ciel was used to seeing in a demon's eyes, these were a cold, piercing ice blue. Ciel could hear the other's bones cracking and adjusting to the monster's new hulking size, the demon's clothes tearing away to reveal a large almost bear-like physique. The demon raised the hand that once held a large Bowie knife, now a handful of thick, black claws and smacked Ciel against the opposite wall, letting out a primal roar like a ravenous beast. Ciel was suddenly reminded of the large bear he'd protected Lizzy from when they were younger.
The Baron lunged at Elizabeth's sleeping form, intent on tearing into her soft, pliable flesh. Ciel drew his sword, a long sharp, silver stiletto built for head-on stinging attacks and stuck the creature a few times to keep him at bay. As the creature attempted to recover it's strength, Ciel maneuvered himself between it and Lizzy. The Baron stood up, the small cuts from Ciel's stiletto melting back into his skin as if nothing had happened. The Baron chuckled, a hoarse, choking sound,
"Was that supposed to hurt me? If I'm not mistaken, weren't you the one who took down a Chieftain of Hell? Or was it that sniveling mongrel you call a butler?" He snarled. The Baron tried to push Ciel aside again when his comment went unanswered and Ciel countered again with stabbing attacks. It was after this that the massive creature became frustrated and took the thin stiletto within his paw and tugged it away from Ciel's grasp. 'Damn, without that I'll have no choice but to transform, my level as a demon is too weak to fend him off as a human!' He frantically looked over to Elizabeth whom was still unaware of what was happening as took her into his embrace. The Baron threw his head back and laughed,
"Do you mean to run from me? If so, go ahead, it will be quite fun...for me." He guffawed. Ciel leapt up into the rafters and away from the creature, hoping the other wouldn't be able to achieve the height with his hulking form. Ciel looked back, surprised to find the demon gone. "Did you miss me?" The other demon asked as he appeared beside him in a form that was slimmer and less cumbersome. The other demon's skin was the same consistency as volcanic rock, his eyes shone violet instead of blue through his pewter skin. This demon was much more advanced than he, that much was plain, he just hadn't noticed before because Sebastian had been the one to battle him. The demon appeared again right in front of him, slashing through his chest and tearing the skirts of Elizabeth's gown. The hot, searing pain came almost as a surprise moments later as the cut was so quick. Ciel tumbled backwards as the sharp pain registered and fell again to the barn floor, taking the entire impact of the fall with his back. Ciel sat up grudgingly, holding Elizabeth in his lap, barely noticing the crimson stains that now marred her ivory gown. He felt like someone had taken a searing hot knife and slashed his skin with it. He noticed as he looked down at the wound that it had not healed, it seemed that whatever the demon's claws were made out of, it prevented one like himself from recovering, giving even immortals the singeing pain of fire and sharp rock. He held Lizzy close to him as the other demon appeared before them again. "Are you ready to submit to me Phantomhive?" He asked, one of his arms held up in preparation for a killing blow. Ciel shook his head, "I'll never submit to rubbish like you, not even if I was about to take my final breath." Ciel finished, panting from the increased pain and blood loss the wound created. The Baron sighed,
"Have it your way then..." The demon raised a handful of claws, glowing orange like hot pokers. Ciel turned away as the baron was about to strike, trying to shield Lizzy with his own body, 'This is it, I'm sorry Elizabeth, we're both going to end up dead unless I shift into my true form.' Just as he was about to change he heard the Baron exclaim in pain. In confusion, Ciel turned around and noticed the Baron was trying to pull a small, silver knife out of his eye socket. He widened his eyes in amazement when a familiar form garbed all in black leapt down from the rafters to meet Ciel's attacker.
"Sebastian!?" Ciel cried out in astonishment.
"Aren't you cutting things a little close Master?" Sebastian inquired, revealing a handful of silverware-sharp to the touch- as he kept the Baron at bay,
"What are you doing here? I thought I told you our time as servant and master was finished!?" Sebastian gained momentum and threw the creature across the room, smashing a few crates and barrels in the process before answering,
"You may have commanded me to leave my lord, but there is no possible way to release me from our contract when I could not accomplish the last deed I set out to do before you became a demon." Ciel held Lizzy in his arms still, watching her warily in hopes that she would not awaken,
"You mean the command to eat my soul?" The butler nodded,
"Of course, so you automatically rescinded your order for me to leave once your person was put into fatal danger." Ciel scoffed,
"'Fatal danger'...I had the situation under perfect control." Sebastian glanced at the large, open wound that marred Ciel's chest,
"Indeed, if of course this 'perfect control' you speak of involves bleeding out all over Lady Elizabeth." Sebastian pointed out sarcastically.
"Hmpf, quite the comedian you've become..." Ciel said before clutching his chest, the pain seemed to be getting worse...
"Oh dear, it's seems that your wound is coated in a Wiccan powder of some kind." The butler noticed, taking a handkerchief and covering his nose as if the scent of it was more than he could bear.
"Yes? What does that mean?" Ciel shouted irritably, grunting as the wound began to sizzle like it was affected by an acidic concoction.
"It means that you have little time before you are forced to revert to demon form to save yourself." The Baron answered. "I carefully coated each and every one of my claws with sage and black salt, sage has the power to banish spirits and salt has purifying properties. Because you are a demon, having these on your person will force you to revert to your demon form by harming your human form, this concoction was used for exorcisms hundreds of years ago as a way to drive out the demon itself in order to eradicate it." The demon examined his claws, "How lucky, there's still a little left for you dog." He looked at Sebastian, grinning evilly. Sebastian smirked,
"I'm sorry but only Master Ciel is allowed to call me a 'dog'." He replied, his eyes shifting from crimson to violet. He turned back to Ciel, "Your orders Master?" He inquired. Ciel moved himself to sit upon the cot Elizabeth was previously laying upon.
"Sebastian, I order you to dispose of him and afterwards take Lizzy to a safe place." "Master?" Sebastian inquired, concerned.
"You heard him Sebastian, I will be trapped forever in my true form once the sage and black salt sink into my body, I want to be able to ensure Lizzy's safety." Sebastian nodded,
"As you wish my lord." Sebastian slowly removed his gloves, pulling them off one by one with his teeth. The Baron growled and sneered remembering the beating he gained from Sebastian the last time they met...and Sebastian hadn't even transformed. Sebastian looked up at him with a cruel smile, "Let's begin, shall we?"
The battle raged for a few hours, neither demon able to truly injure the other. Sebastian was constantly mindful of the Baron's sage coated claws. Ciel sat looking down upon Elizabeth's face, knowing he'd never see her again after he was trapped in demon form. His attention was brought back to the fight when the Baron's hot poker-like claws smashed into the wall, the heat and friction causing a fire to start in the barn. As the flames licked closer, Ciel lifted Lizzy in his arms, grunting as he fought his pain as well as his transformation. He frantically looked for a way out only to have the exit blocked by the Baron whom was seething with anger at the slight he was dealt. He had to use all his power to keep Sebastian at bay, let alone land a blow on him while the demon butler had barely broken a sweat keeping him on his toes. And now his victim was about to escape! "You're not going anywhere!" He snarled, struggling to catch his breath, "If you think I'll let you-" The Baron was interrupted as he was struck hard from behind, knocking him to the ground.
"Master! I would advise you to leave this place immediately if you do not wish Lady Elizabeth to meet an untimely end!" Sebastian shouted over the raging inferno. Ciel nodded, rushing to the unobstructed passage. "Master!" Ciel turned around, "Take this!" Sebastian tossed a small vial of liquid to his master who was able to catch it before it fell to the floor and broke. "This should help with your condition, now you must hurry before this place caves in!" Sebastian shouted, knocking out the Baron as he tried to pick himself up. Ciel smashed the door in front of him, shielding Elizabeth with his overcoat as the blow stirred up sparks. Ciel ran for a long while until the barn was a faint, orange glow in the distance. He collapsed onto his knees, panting and sweating as he tried to keep his body from shifting. He set Elizabeth down in the grass, freezing as she situated herself in the lush greenery, muttering something about boysenberry tea. He sighed when he realized she was only dreaming and removed the small vial from his pocket. Inside was about 10 milliliters of a thick, mauve liquid. According to Sebastian, this was what was going to remedy his condition. He pulled the rubber stopper out with his teeth and downed the liquid in a single draught, sputtering as the bitter liquid left a foul taste in his mouth. He noticed seconds later that his vision became blurry and he tried in vain to pick himself up but ended up passing out next to Lizzy in the cool grass.
Sebastian wiped the dust off his suit before surveying his work. The barn had finally collapsed, leaving a burning pile of rubble in its wake. He searched for the body of the Baron, but it seemed as if the demon escaped at the last moment, though Sebastian doubted he'd find the strength to bother his master in a long time. The Baron was crippled as badly if not worse than his master. Sebastian was able to turn the demon's sage coated claws in on itself, poisoning the creature and forcing him back into human form. A burning beam slammed into his naked form, knocking him unconscious before scarring his human body. Sebastian thought for sure the demon was destroyed but by the looks of it he had escaped. Sebastian went off in search of his master, surprised when he found him unconscious and holding onto Lady Elizabeth like a child with his stuffed rabbit. Sebastian chuckled when he noticed the drool forming in the corner of his master's mouth. He sighed and picked up the two of them like a pair of oversized, mismatched twins. "Honestly Master, did I really have to tell you not to take the anesthetic until you were in a safe place?" He muttered, shaking his head. Sebastian pondered for a moment before deciding that the Phantomhive manor would be an ideal place for his master to recover and for Lady Elizabeth to rest while he cleaned and stitched her clothes.
Sebastian had painstakingly scrubbed the blood stains out of Lady Elizabeth's clothes before moving to restitch the voluminous skirts. He shook his head as he thought of his master's carelessness. He had only been away for two years, he figured his master would have gained some common sense. Ciel had been caught spying on Lady Elizabeth while she was out shopping one day and the demon who had seen him thought to use his relationship with Elizabeth as a weakness. Sebastian had warned him about partaking in such nonsense. He was astonished that his Master still had any feelings for the girl at all, considering that he himself had no feelings whatsoever for humankind in general. His relationship with his master however, may have been a different matter. Sebastian respected his master, he had found some semblance of friendship in him that he had been unable to form with his own species let alone a human. Yet he figured this was partly due to the fact that he had once harbored a bloodlust for Ciel's soul. He still found himself hungering for it even though Ciel no longer possessed it. When his master had given him the order to leave he figured that the order must have been heaven sent out of pity for the ordeal he'd suffered. However, when he tried to hunt for other souls he realized he no longer had the ability to decide whose soul to devour, rather that decision still belonged to his master. He realized in that moment that his master did not hold the power to release him from their contract and he hung his head like a trained mutt and awaited his master's call. And the call from his master came two years later in the form of a near fatal confrontation with a demon that Sebastian believed was more powerful than either of them yet realized.
Ciel had awoken in the master bedroom of the Phantomhive manor, still recovering from his wounds. He looked down at his chest, noticing that the wound had finally sealed itself up but the pain had failed to diminish. He sat up in the bed and clutched his forehead as a dull pain shot through his head...the effects reminded him of those suffered from a hangover. He thought back to when he downed the small, bitter concoction of mauve liquid and wondered aloud, "What the hell was in that?"
"Atropa Belladonna." His butler answered almost immediately, appearing beside his bed. Ciel frowned as if asking him to elaborate. "Also known as Deadly Nightshade, it is commonly used as a muscle relaxer and a pain reliever as well as for motion sickness, in other words, a powerful anesthetic." Ciel looked down at his form in confusion,
"If it is but an anesthetic, why have my wounds healed?"
"It seems as if this demon has a hand in the powerful art of witchcraft, just as he was able to perform a ritual to transform his claws into exorcism tools he must have performed a ritual on the Nightshade to allow his body to heal faster and more efficiently whilst he slept. It seems he also imbued it with some sort of cure for the sage and black salt."
"I trust you took care of him?" Sebastian seemed almost apologetic,
"I'm afraid not Master, it seems he escaped as soon as the barn collapsed." Ciel grunted in annoyance, "However, I was able to use his own weapons against him and if we're lucky he should be trapped in his human form forever." Ciel shook his head,
"That demon is well-versed with Wiccan spells and concoctions, I doubt that this will be the last we hear from him." Sebastian nodded as if in agreement,
"Of course." Ciel stared at his butler for the first time in two years, taking in the familiar black and white uniform and Sebastian's timeless appearance, it was almost as if the demon had never left. He then frantically looked around the room, remembering the individual who had dragged him from his hole in the first place,
"Where is Elizabeth?" He asked suddenly.
"She is safely ensconced in your old bedroom master, in fact, she is awakening at this very moment." Ciel hung his head in dejection, wishing he could have avoided such an awkward meeting,
"You had best have her things ready then."
"Of course my lord." Sebastian bowed before exiting the room.
Ciel had hoped to return her to her mother and her sleeping guests like an abstract story of "The Sleeping Beauty" fairytale in hopes that she would wake up and think that what happened to her was nothing but a dream. He had hoped to avoid this sort of confrontation, but as he gazed at her thin, but curvy, womanly form clothed in nothing but her underthings, he was strangely relieved. Lizzy's emerald eyes burst into tears as she dropped the candelabra she was holding and ran up the grand staircase to fling her arms around him. She buried her face in his black jacket, clinging to him for dear life. "Why did you lie to me?" She cried, her voice choked with tears. He reluctantly wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace.
"I had no choice." He answered simply, inhaling the heavenly perfume of a soul nearly uncorrupted. A soul like hers held the sweet smell of daisies and fresh cream, virtually untainted. She pulled away to look him in the eye,
"Was it a mission for the Queen? Was it because of her that you were forced to fake your own death?" She asked, her eyes filled with sadness and a touch of jealousy. He glanced over at Sebastian who stood close with an expression of stoicism on his face, obviously awaiting his master's decision. Ciel hated himself in this moment, but realized he had to do it, he had to lie to her again. It was the only way, who was he fooling? She would never understand him or accept him for what he was in truth. He smiled wryly,
"Yes Lizzy, I faked my own death because of a secret mission for the Queen. I'm sorry I couldn't divulge this information to you earlier." She didn't know why, but she felt like he was lying, like there was something she was missing. She gently pulled away from him, noticing that his expression had turned almost apologetic, confirming what she had originally thought.
"You have to leave again, don't you?" She said, already knowing the answer. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she couldn't bear to look at him any longer. She turned away, wrapping her arms around herself. "Please, just take me home, I promise I won't tell anyone about you. But I have to know, did you ever love me at all?" Ciel's breath caught in his throat and he felt himself unable to answer her. Did he love her? He'd always remembered being incredibly annoyed by her when he was human, but now, standing here with the lovely woman she had grown into, he realized that perhaps he actually- "Nevermind, you don't have to answer. It was an arranged marriage, our parents wanted us to be together, but our parents don't always know what the heart wants do they?" 'What the heart wants...' Ciel thought to himself. "I suppose not." He answered.
"And so we must move on." She finished. Ciel wondered at the new feeling welling up in his chest. It was a little bit like having the last piece of cake stolen from him. 'There must be someone else,' Lizzy thought, 'someone who makes him happier than I ever did. And if so, I hope she cherishes him as much as I do.' She wiped the tears away from her eyes and turned back to him, "So, I suppose this is goodbye...forever." Her lips trembled as she forced the tears back. She took her gown from Sebastian and began to dress herself, regardless of whose company she was in. She felt like she'd been strung along her entire life into thinking this person loved her and now, disillusioned as she was, she wondered how she could have ever believed something so ridiculous. She refused Sebastian's attempts to help her dress, tears clouding her eyes at the fresh stab of humiliation she'd been dealt. It felt as if the scar over her heart had been torn anew, the pain of their past flooding back almost instantly. Once she had on the dress and tiara, she turned back to Ciel, "I'll miss you." She said, as if speaking to the person she'd once believed he was, before descending the stairs. Ciel turned his face away, hiding his pain and confusion with a stone cold facade,
"Take her home Sebastian and make sure Lady Elizabeth is returned without anyone noticing her absence." He commanded, trying to keep his voice from shaking. After hearing him use her full name, Elizabeth increased her pace, nearly running from that dark manor, a place that harbored so many horrific memories...among other things.
"Yes, my lord." Sebastian bowed before following Elizabeth out of the manor. Ciel watched them go before turning down the hallway to his old bedroom, regretting his choice to ever return in the first place.
Wow! This chapter is super long! Anyway, since I know people may be confused, the Baron's claws when coated with sage and black salt turn a demon from human form and trap them in demon form or if they are in demon form cause them to revert to human form. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and please don't forget to leave me a review, it makes me happy when you do! =D Also, it may be a while before my next update, I have midterms and a crapload of studying to do!