There Can Only Be One

Last one. I promise.

xxx

Falling...falling...we just keep...falling. 'Ciel and Alliahnna, back to back, falling in darkness, to a bed of is water. SPLASH!'

xxx

"CIEL!" Alliahnna flew forward. Two loud thuds hit green carpeted floor hard. Her ears were deaf to the loud booms. The blood pulsating in her ears drowned out all sounds. Alliahnna hyperventilated dripping in sweat, clawing at sheets draping her lap. Sapphire blue irises were wide and narrow practically to dots. Confusion glossed to them, while the sensation of her life flashing before her eyes made them glisten. Her heart was pounding mercilessly like a drum against her chest, wanting to break out and just out of the large tile window she was gaping at.

Wait...window? Alliahnna...was looking...out of a window? Paralyzing brightness sent jolts shooting like bullets when she inadvertently acknowledged morning's light flood that window. As strange as it sounded, Alliahnna was, in fact, staring straight at a window. The brightest light she'd ever been greeted by was almost toxic to her. She's been shrouded in a daunting, overbearing hue for so long that she almost forgot what sunshine was. Could I be dead? Perhaps the light and the bed were a sign she'd passed on to the next realm. That is if demons even have their own version of heaven. She highly doubts that. Catching her off guard was the plush, foam mattress shaped to her sweaty thighs, and the thick sheets lying on her lap. She was in a comfy bed, staring out of a window...in someone's bedroom?

A large, three by three tile window casting a vibrant array of rainbow spectrum light into a white room. Evergreen trees brushing the liquid panes, brushed by the passively flowing wind. A clear, pristine blue sky shimmering like diamonds, and not a cloud in the sky. Pulling her shocked attention from the clean windows, she scanned the blue and white decor that surrounded her. There was a human sized mirror in the corner by the closet that was packed with elegant clothing. Opposite it on the other side of the window was a dressing area, barred by a barrier. She traced her eyes to the chandelier ceiling, the crystal baubles swaying listlessly from one direction to the next. The canopy bed she was lying in soon caught her attention and her mind went blank.

At first Alliahnna questioned if she was dreaming, a quite possibly dead. The room was in plain view, but she wasn't able to fully register it. Too much was weighing on her to comprehend the fact that she was sitting up. Forget recognizing a bedroom. Or where that bedroom is located.

Fresh air rushing through the window in a flurry ambushed her. The sweet smell of flowers and pine carried on the current stunned her wide awake. Refreshing tickles of watery mist brushed her skin. Her eyes radiated like the purest blue water basking in gorgeous sunshine. She isn't dreaming. And she isn't dead. She's alive. She's very much alive. And she's...safe. Or so she unconditionally felt.

How is this possible? She placed a hand over her eyes, squeezing her eyes closed to the bright morning. Immersing herself in the blackness she had become unhealthily accustomed to the past few days. Calm yourself She let the flourishing wind carry her back to that fateful night. Riding pleasant breezes into a violent tempest writhing the crashing ocean to a mountain sinking beneath the leagues. It was the middle of the night...darkness everywhere. Her mind mulled over the last moments she could remember before the haze engulfed her. The Island of Death was falling apart. So much fighting. Claude…he's dead. Claude had died. Which means Sebastian won the fight. Hannah...she… 'Hannah throwing herself off the cliff.' She fell to the ocean, and then Sebastian, 'Sebastian dove unhesitantly,' He went after her. After Ciel who was still in her arms.

'My Lord Alois Trancy wishes for Ciel Phantomhive's soul to be forever untouchable. In that event, Ciel Phantomhive will reawaken...as a demon.' Hannah words marred her stomach into the tautest of knots. Their austere twistings made her gag on hot air, forcing her to clasp her mouth closed she she wouldn't sully the clean sheets with her bile. That's right...Alois's wish! Alois wanted to punish Sebastian and Claude, make them pay for hurting him and obsessing over Ciel. Murdering him would have been too easy. So Alois did the next most painful and humiliating thing he could think of. He made it so Ciel would live as a demon. His soul forever untouchable. Then the mountain opened up beneath her, swallowing her just as Hannah swallowed Alois.

Alliahnna felt horrible. She clawed at the blankets, shivering and squeezing her eyes closed as she recalled her final wish for Sebastian. She...she wanted him to kill Ciel. To keep him from becoming a demon for the rest of time itself. In that aspect, she'd prefer it if he was dead. Sebastian...please tell me you-SEBASTIAN! That's right! Sebastian! Where was he? Why hasn't he come to see her? For that matter, as she should have asked from the getgo, where the Hell was she? She knows the room, but she can't put her finger on it.

The door opened. Alliahnna beamed in absolute elation and shock. Schneizel and Phoebus entered the room, smiling lovingly to the alive girl ogling them. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Alliahnna." Schneizel chortled. Phoebus closed the door behind them. The pair casually sauntered over to her.

"Schneizel?! Phoebus?!" She gasped. That part of her mind was screaming that it was a trick. Another illusion brought on by Claude or some form of hallucinogen. She was about spring into action when Schneizel knelt and his tender hand cupped her cheek. She knew that hand anywhere. Those deep amethyst eyes swallowing her vibrant sapphire. And that smile. That warm, adoring smile that could melt the polar ice caps. This was no illusion. This is real. Schneizel...and Phoebus...they were real. The first real thing she's seen in quite some time.

"Thank goodness you're awake. We feared the worst." Phoebus sat where her legs were, wrapping his hand to hers. He's real too. Her mind melted. "Poor Pietro and Paola, though. And they just recovered from falling off a carriage." He tried to jest. When Alliahnna thought about it, she did hear two loud thuds outside her window. The distant groans of agony caught her ear and made her feel a bit guilty.

"Do I want to know what just happened?" She dreaded.

"You kind of scared the gardeners." Phoebus shrugged indifferently. He's not too worried. Paola and Pietro have fallen from worse heights. And they seem to bounce back in a matter of hours. Alliahnna blinked anxiously. She hoped they would be alright. "You look better than when you were brought in. How are you feeling?"

Alliahnna stretched her neck, rubbing the sore muscles. "Like someone tied me up to a tree and beat me with sticks." Schneizel and Phoebus chuckled in relief. She was alright. The haze wasn't quite gone yet. She was having a difficult time accounting for where she is. "Where am I?"

"You are in Paris. In your old bedroom." Schneizel answered. He isn't too surprised she was confused. She did just wake up from a coma.

"Wow. It feels like eternity." She marveled at the room. A few refurbishings were noticeable, but the room hadn't changed too much. In a way, she was glad for it. The memories suffused in this room were precious to her. In spite of the fact that she'll remain the same, she's glad the room is staying as she left it. For the time being. "Honestly, I can't remember the last time I slept in this room."

Phoebus released a held breath, tightening his grip on her hand. "When Zanosuke and Jasper brought you in, we worried it would be the last time you'd be in this room."

"Zano? Jasper?" She gasped. When did they come out of the woodwork? Not that it shocks her that those two decided when, where, and how they'd appear. And if they are the ones who brought her to Paris, then that could mean Sebastian is with them. That he...finished the job. "What about...is Sebastian here?" She choked.

Phoebus and Schneizel exchanged dreaded glances, lowering their heads somberly. Alliahnna swallowed a massive lump in her throat. The worst possible scenarios flooded her mind. They knew that question would come up eventually. They just hoped they'd have an answer. A sufficient one anyway. "I'm sorry. You're the only one who was brought here." Schneizel regretted to inform her. He couldn't bear to look her in the eye. "You were the only one, besides Zanosuke and Jasper, who entered our home. There was no sign of Sebastian." Alliahnna went rigid. Play by play flashes of Sebastian leaping head first into the roaring ocean sent ice down her spine. Then when Ash seemed to kill him - NO! He's survived fires, being crushed, explosions. A little water couldn't have...there's no way. Sebastian...where did you go? Is it...because of Ciel? "You had us all scared, Alliahnna." Schneizel broke through her train of wrecked thought. This is a time to be grateful for who was there rather than who isn't. "We thought...you'd never…" He refused to say it. She was there. Demon or not...he will always fear for her. "Welcome back, Dearest."

"It's good to be back." Alliahnna managed her brightest smile. She lied down, loving the feel of the soft mattress at her back. Still, she wondered why Sebastian hadn't returned yet. She draped one arm across her eyes, trying to deduce where he's gone and why he wasn't there. It must have something to do with Ciel. There was a pain in her stomach. She moved a hand up and down to sooth it.

"I'm curious," Phoebus spoke up next. "How's the baby?" And that horrible feeling became a stake that was hammered a thousand times into every inch of her body. She clawed at her stomach. Her lips curled in. Phoebus was petrified where he sat, eyes widening in grief at her reaction. He and Schneizel began to fear the worst, and were about to ask about the baby. Alliahnna beat them to it.

"There is no baby." Silenced gripped the two men in a choke. How are they supposed to respond to news like this? Part of them hoped it was a cruel joke. The other wondered if he hobby cost her the child. In a way, their second assumption was spot on.

Without going into too much detail, Alliahnna regaled them on the storm that was tearing all of England apart the past couple of days. This lead to her divulging about The Trancy and Phantomhive war, and adding a bit of length to her tale. It wasn't too long. They are aware of The Trancy Household and their employment of demons. They are fully up to speed because of their previous visits involving Claude and Alois. Alliahnna jumped to the circumstance where Alois was murdered by his own butler, Claude, and that he lured Ciel, Sebastian, and her out into the open so he can steal Ciel and her away from Sebastian. It worked. Without a hitch, Claude got what he wanted. She neglected mentioning she became stricken with abject fear of Sebastian, and fell for illusions. She may have also skimmed over Claude sticking his hand in her chest and sending his spiders to devour her. She moved on to the part where, while in the middle of a game arranged by Hannah and Alois, that one of Claude's spiders was in her stomach, and it devoured her baby.

Phoebus and Schneizel were once again engulfed a woeful silence. Confusion, panic, rage, and sadness gripped them both, crushing their very cores to dust. Alliahnna was behaving surprisingly numb to her trauma. Phoebus and Schneizel are only being granted a partial light on the matter. So they can't help but wonder, what has she endured since her last visit? And will there be time to ask her? Is it even appropriate to ask her.

"I don't...believe it! I can't believe it!" Schneizel choked back his sobs. He grabbed at her hands bowing his forehead to the icy hot flesh. "How did...how could ANYONE do such a thing to someone?" He kissed her hands feverishly. He placed a hand at the back of her head, bringing her in to shower her face with apologetic kisses. Neither he nor Phoebus knew what to do. Affection was their only medicine. "That Claude demon...stole your child from out of you? How is that even possible?" He seethed with rage.

"Claude is...WAS...a very creative and sly demon." She scoffed resentfully, but with a note of respect. "It wouldn't surprise me if he could steal the babies of a hundred people with but a flick of his wrist."

"Are you - I mean - is there anything…" Phoebus tripped over his tongue to comfort her. He began thinking of his own son, Zephyr, and how stricken he and Esmeralda would be if they lost him.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. To be honest…" She rubbed her stomach. A distant, blank smile stretched to her lips. "The whole situation has numb to me right now. I'd like nothing more than to forget." To be honest, she wants to know what happened while she was asleep. There are so many questions she needs answered. This itch to get up and travel the world for them was torturing her. But she'd be a terrible daughter and sister if she just up and vanished.

"What of Ciel? Where is he?" Schneizel was aware she hadn't mentioned what became of her brother after this ordeal. He isn't even quite what really happened since her last visit. She was...withholding that bit of information. By the grimness in her expression, the sorrow, it was for good reason. He will only ask if he knows she's ready to answer.

"I...I don't know." She lowered her head, shaking it shamefully. Yes you do. You know what happened to him. You just won't admit it. "After everything...we got separated. I...I'd like to assume he's with Sebastian."

"But they aren't here with you?" Phoebus wasn't able to help his suspicions from voicing out. Schneizel was appalled by his abrupt accusation, but shared in his frustration. "Zano and Jasper basically carry in your half dead body, and there is no sign or hair of either your brother or your lover?" He wasn't buying it. Not for a single euro. Alliahnna grasped at her blankets, bracing herself so she wouldn't crack under him. It is out of respect that she wanes. "Alliahnna, please! Tell us what happened! Where are Ciel and Sebastian?"

"I DON'T KNOW, OKAY! I was busy falling into a pit when they vanished!" Phoebus and Schneizel jumped back. They'd never seen her fangs and eyes glisten when she's angry. To their shame...they were scared. Alliahnna, realizing what she had done, calmed herself, returned her mental state to human - figuratively. She released a defeated sigh. "There was a battle. Double or nothing - winner takes Ciel's soul. Claude vs me and Sebastian. I was left immobilized on an island that was falling apart. Sebastian finished and won the fight. But...there was a cost to him winning." Schneizel and Phoebus gradually relaxed, engrossing themselves in this story so their nerves would stop buzzing. Alliahnna, once more, skipped over the details of Alois's possession and the contract for Ciel to be turned into a...a...she just moved on. "Hannah, the other demoness, took Ciel with her into the ocean and Sebastian jumped in after her. After which...the island broke under me...and I was falling. Then I woke up here." Schneizel and Phoebus were finding that the more they learned, they more they wished they'd never asked. They were sorry for forcing her to recount this ordeal. Alliahnna folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry I made you both worry. I'm a full blooded demon...and I still have to be cared for."

"Nonsense!" Phoebus stopped her ridiculous talk right there. "No matter what you are, no matter how old you get - we'll never stop caring for you, Alliahnna."

Those words touched Alliahnna in a way she would never be able express how grateful she is to have them. But also, there is that piece of her that feels - knows - the words are meaningless for this current situation. And...they made her cringe in misery, and crushed her in her hypocrisy.

Phoebus and Schneizel cared for her for many years. So many that they are a blur to her. A blur filled with joyus memories she will never forsake to time. The love she absorbed from them will travel with her throughout the ages. Similarly, that is precisely the life she attempted to rekindle with Ciel. And she failed. Wherever he is now...Wherever he is?! She scoffed at her young naivete. You know where he is. You just...She needs confirmation. And there are only two people who can grant her closure.

"Are...Jasper and Zano still here?"

"They expected you to ask." Schneizel chortled. He was moderately saddened he and Phoebus weren't alone in being able to read Alliahnna. "They requested, should you ask for them, that you be allowed to speak with them alone. They're in the council room." He grudgingly answered. He and Phoebus despised being left out of the loop, in spite of pieces of it welcoming them in the circle. There's more to hear. The question is, do they really wish to know the whole truth?

"Thank you." Alliahnna rolled out of the bed. She surprised herself that she hadn't realized she was in nothing by a robe. Phoebus and Schneizel anticipated this, so they found her old clothes from her days in Paris. The sleeveless turtleneck halter and the purple skirt. Stalking high as her thigh, complete with a pair of black boots. She has to say, after wearing a uniform for so long, she felt too casual in this ensemble. Oh well. She doesn't have the strength to handle professional uniforms. "I'll see you both soon."

"Is that a promise?" Phoebus abruptly asked. Alliahnna stopped at the door. "Will you come back to us? Or are you going to leave again?"

"Honestly…" Her fingers curled at the doorway. Her bangs hid her shame as she lowered her head, "I really don't know." Then she walked out of the room, leaving the knives she staked inside of Schneizel and Phoebus firmly imbedded. The feeling she won't be coming back clung to the air like a polluted cloud. To those men, she may as well have walked out of that room - out of their lives - for the last time. And it ushered a pain in their hearts they wished would never arise again.

xxx

The council room door popped open. Jasper and Zanosuke, seated on the opposite end of the long meeting table, turned and smiled welcomingly to the fatigued Alliahnna entering with a confident stride. "Ahh. She awakens." Jasper joked. She seemed nonchalant to their presence - not happy, disturbed, or nostalgic. Not how she usually is when she sees them after a while. It unnerved them in an odd way. Her silence, that semi-serious expression, carried ill-tidings with it. "Hello, Alliahnna."

"Hello…" She breathed, mustering a menial smile. She wasn't sure how to react seeing them. Usually, Sebastian isn't far behind them. That empty space at the table made her chest ache. "Have you been waiting long?" Her real question was whether or not they have been there the whole time, waiting for her to wake up. If that's the case, she can't help but doubt if their reason was because...they were worried for her.

"As long as we were obligated to." Zanosuke remarked, standing from the table and meandering over to her. He rested a hand to her head, tilting his head with a tender smile. For a brief instance, Alliahnna was stunned by him resembling Sebastian. They are brothers after all. But this was different. "How are you feeling? You weren't too worse for wear, but you certainly weren't at the peak of health either."

Alliahnna shook her head wildly, coming out of her stupor. "I'm okay! Thank you!" She bounced from his hand, putting a bit of space between them. Her raised hands coaxed Zanosuke not to come too close. Her behavior didn't go unnoticed by either of the elder demons. She hugged her hands to her elbows, relaxing a little to ease the tension. Seeing those two sitting there in a man's home they don't know from a stranger for a girl they only know through Sebastian - she felt grateful to them. For so many reasons. "You two...brought me here. Thanks again."

"Of course." Zanosuke reassured her. There was no real merit for her thanks.

"For the record," Jasper inserted himself, raising a hand as he sauntered over to them, "You fought remarkably on the island. Your skills improved drastically since our last encounter." I fought...remarkably? The compliment baffled her. How would he know how she fought unless...they were there? "Sorry to say though," Alliahnna was stared utterly shocked as Jasper pulled a broken in half rapier from under the table, "You won't be using this sword for a while. Or ever." Alliahnna took the broken sword in her hand, minding to keep the cloth it was wrapped in bunched so she wouldn't lose the pieces. Before, she professed that if anything ever happened to that sword she'd lose her mind. That it was special to her. Because Sebastian made it for her. Seeing it broken, she doesn't know why, it perfectly represented what currently is, and what has always been. She lowered her head, setting the broken blade to the table. "Alliahnna?"

"There are things...more important than a sword." She stepped back from it, placing the two demons under her stern glare. The pair went rigid, maintaining a constant stare. "You both were on the island the whole time, weren't you?" It wasn't a question. It was a cold hard statement of facts. She knows they were on the island. How else would they have been able to bring her to Schneizel's home.

"We were. In fact," Jasper sat to the table, folding his arms perturbed. He knew she'd ask, he just wasn't sure how to respond. Lying to her about their activities of late would be beneficial to no one. So, with a confirming nod from Zanosuke, he told her the truth, "We've been there since you and the Young Earl stayed at the Trancy Manor." Alliahnna fingers clenched to fists. She bit on the inside of her cheek. Part of her knew they were watching. That's all they ever do. Watch. "Are you upset with us?"

"I should be. I should be furious you both didn't try to do something more than what you were." Her fingers fell open. "But as I said, there's something more important to be discussed." Zanosuke and Jasper's brows knit. There's a fear in her eyes, and nausea. As if she would vomit if she asked what was on her mind. "What happened after I passed out? I know I was falling, but the rest is stuck in black."

Zanosuke released a bereft sigh. That's not what he was expecting, but it's as good as it will get. "Is there a place we'll be able to have the utmost privacy?" He could sense the eavesdropping Count and Commander outside the door. "This isn't meant for other ears."

Alliahnna nodded agreeingly. She grunted gruffly. She kicked the door open. Phoebus and Schneizel were thrown to the wall. The pair groaned dazedly. Dizzy swirls consumed their eyes. Neither she, Zanosuke, or Jasper were shocked to find them there. They are notoriously nosey. Alliahnna appreciated their eavesdropping from time to time. But right now, it was best if they don't hear.

Alliahnna escorted them to the woods she often retreated in when she wanted to collect her thoughts. This would be the best place to talk without the walls picking up on their conversations. The fresh smell of the dew soaked soil, and the pine needles and leaves that brush in the wind. The trickling of the thin streams filling to ponds. It's nostalgic. It's inviting. And...it reminds her of the simpler times. "Go ahead. Whenever you're ready." She urged Zanosuke.

"The island was coming apart at the seams. We were in the caverns, but escaped when Sebastian broke it apart." Zanosuke summarized with a note a dread. His brother has a knack for causing destruction wantonly and at the drop of a hat. "We saw Sebastian jump into the ocean after Ciel, and then you fell inside the mountain."

xxx

Flashback

Alliahnna was falling to her doom at the bottom of a dark pit. Eyes closed, an at peace expression frozen to her cheeks, she succumbed to her plummet. Jagged rocks awaiting her. Salty trickles of the ocean sneaking in. Then, as if bred from the bedrock - a final salvation by an island eternally damned by both heaven and earth - Zanosuke leapt to the rescue. He caught her like a falling bride, coiling his arms securely to her limp form. He skipped up the narrow canyon walls with amazing speed and grace. Without a single sound he landed to the surface. The blustery wind greeted him, attempting to whisk him away with those submerged beneath the ocean.

You were covered in your own blood. Two wounds piercing your body from front to back. You were encompassed in a slumber that gave you the appearance of a corpse. A frozen expression of bliss and sorrow upon your cheeks. Only when I heard your rasped breath did I know you were alive.

Zanosuke scoured the island with Alliahnna in hand, searching for the others he knew to be there. Sebastian and Ciel...were off on their own, being tended to by Jasper. From high on a ledge, peering to a spanning valley that was sinking fast, he spotted Hannah Annafellows slipping between the cracks of the sundered island. Just below where Zanosuke was standing, he sensed the faded presence of Claude Faustus. The island would be their tomb. Realizing there was nothing more for him to do, and with Alliahnna's health in the balance, he departed for the boat listlessly bobbing in the gradually calming water.

Flashback End

xxx

By the time Zanosuke ended his tale, they'd come to an old pond Alliahnna favored. A large pond with a waterfall, lined decoratively with rocks. Another zigzagging path guiding the overflow through the woods. Beneath the surface of the pond, there lies an entrance to a cave that would take her to another side. Alliahnna sat at the pond, submerging her feet in the icy, yet warm, water. She stirred her legs in lackadaisical circles. Her head was lowered so her long hair would obscure her sadness. Prevent them from seeing her eyes gloss. Through the rippling water's reflection, both demons saw her gloomy expression.

"So...Hannah and Claude are dead." She retorted monotonously.

"They are." Zanosuke nodded.

"And Alois?"

"His soul was devoured."

As expected. His wish came true, and the contract between he and Hannah was completed. The contract. Hannah's words echoed in her ear. Those chills making the hairs on her neck stand on end and shrivel. Her fingers clutched at the rock. Her shoulders shook. "What became of Ciel?" Jasper's brow knit. He tightened his lips. "Zanosuke, Jasper - please tell me." No! Don't say it! Please! I don't wanna-

A guillotine was suspended to its highest point. Her neck was strapped in place. Jasper's lips parted, "He is a demon now." The guillotine dropped. She felt her neck slice at the base. There was nothing in the sense of emotion, because it all evaporated in one instance. "I'm sorry."

She curled her knees to her chest, hugging them so close they almost melded. "So...Sebastian...didn't reach him in time." A lone tear traced her cheek to her chin. No more followed.

"In time for what?"

"Hannah told me what would happen to when he awoke. So I asked Sebastian to…" The last words hitched in her throat. As if the muscle and bone in her windpipe closed in a barrier so she would not admit to her treachery. "I didn't want him to become a demon so I…his soul would have been untouchable anyway so...so...so..." She started to shake uncontrollably. Sebastian...you were too late! Zanosuke and Jasper placed hands at her shoulder, leaning in close with their heads bowed. They understood loud and clear. She asked for Sebastian to kill him. The guilt would have been a ball and chain she'd drag around, but preferable to him becoming a demon. "Where are Ciel and Sebastian?"

Jasper sighed solemnly. They've gone far away, Alliahnna. And they don't plan to come back.

xxx

Flashback

The tempestuous waves hissing and clawing for the melancholic sky calmed little by little as the Hellish Island sank further. Only after witness depart will the entire island be gone. Forgotten by the world and time itself. Sebastian had already recovered Ciel from his watery grave, throwing him to the small boat he and Claude used to transport themselves to this lost sanctuary. Patches of blood stained his uniform, being absorbed by the salt particles drying on the fabric. He coughed up what little water remained in his lungs, glowering with a smug grin at Sebastian who was kneeling before him. The greeting he received from Sebastian was definitely a surprise. Enough to make him smile, and feel warm inside. In contrast, abject failure and humiliation hung over Sebastian's head. Like a Grim Reaper's scythe waiting to part his neck from his shoulders. Sebastian's expression changing from dower to aghast interrupted Ciel's moment of triumph. He turned and growled at whatever had captured Sebastian's attention. Standing on the bow of the small boat, a black trench coat flapping in the wind, was Sebastian's Father - Jasper Michaelis.

"Oh. You're here, are you? Jasper, wasn't it?" Ciel acknowledged his existence in a very dismissive - and disrespectful - tone. Sebastian and Jasper both were appalled by his lack of regard for the elder. Honestly, Ciel hasn't associated with the elder demon enough times to really care for such formalities. Least of all to someone who is only noble by demon standards. A wick of a comparison to his noble blood. With a haughty huff Ciel turned away from him, refusing to grant Jasper his full attention. "What do you want? Come to try and steal me from Sebastian as well?"

"The sullied soul of a brat does not taunt my appetite." The insult carried a hefty bite, chewing a chunk out of Ciel's pride in an instant. "I came to see with my own eyes." He yelped as Jasper whipped him around, hoisting him off his feet by his collar. Blazing pink eyes boring holes in the young Phantomhive. "Another Phantomhive has joined the ranks of demonhood." He shoved the boy setting him down. Sebastian caught him as he stumbled. "I would welcome you, but this isn't a situation where welcomes are appropriate."

"Another Phantomhive?! Oh yes." Ciel spat at first, but was eased when his thoughts shifted over to the missing member of their small gathering. "Alliahnna was here wasn't she?" Sebastian gaped in disbelief. In his pursuit of Ciel he'd forgotten about her. She was still...on the island! Which was shaving landscape every second. "Is she…"

"She lives. She is with Zanosuke." Jasper stated firmly, but was casting a gentle gaze to Sebastian who obscured his relief.

"Of course she survived. She is persistent." Ciel scoffed, placing hands on his hips.

"We should reconvene at your manor. Then, from there, you and Alliahnna can-"

"No!" Ciel howled, silencing not only Jasper but the very wind itself. Sebastian was stuck in awe. Ciel was seethed at the teeth, boring crimson daggers into the boat. "There is no more me and Alliahnna! She is no longer needed at my side!" The devastation in his claim rooted Jasper and Sebastian. 'Does he not realize what he is saying,' The pair of demons bellowed in their minds. "I have my own brand of power now. And I forever have a servant who will loyally stand by my side." He grinned maliciously. An ambiguous order forbidding him from going to check on Alliahnna, and confirm her state with his own eyes. "I do not require someone who bends my orders via minor loopholes to coddle me."

"Lord Phantomhive?" Jasper gasped. "She is your sister!"

"MY SISTER died died a year ago when she became a demon. Those were her words." In actuality - in his eyes - she dies the moment she chose to have demonic powers surging through her blood. For six years his sister has been nothing but a figment. "As such, her brother died this very night!" He faced Jasper with unwavering confidence. The sheer glimmer of his glazed eyes ushered a rage in Jasper he did not think he possessed. "There is no more Phantomhive Twins! There is no longer a Ciel and Alliahnna! The Phantomhive's are dead! And so they shall stay."

"Lord Phantomhive!" He means to abandon the one who has been by his side through thick and thin. This sort of dishonor sickens him. "Demon or not, you will need her!"

"For what?!" He howled with laughter. "I have Sebastian for all of my needs, and for future instances. As far as I'm concerned, she's obsolete. Deadweight that will only get in my way." He shooed her very presence in his life away. "I do not need someone like that!" He spun on his heels, chuckling smugly with folded arms. Jasper and Sebastian ensured to keep it capped, but there was a strong urge to murder that boy right then and there. The problem is, Jasper does not wish to sully his hands with Sebastian's blood. Or cause greater grief than what has already been shared. "Tell Alliahnna her services are no longer required," He turned half way. Only his twisted grin was visible to Jasper, "And that she should probably dispose of that ring."

xxx

Alliahnna had almost forgotten about the ring. Sebastian made it from the chain of his pocket watch, proposing to her in the middle of the labyrinth. "That's right." She twisted the ring. She heard every word, remember every twinkle in his eye, and felt each thump of her heart as if Sebastian would proposing all over again. "Only when Ciel's soul is devoured can we…" Ciel's orders were as follows - Until you have eaten every lost drop of my soul, you remain my butler. And you are free to wed Alliahnna as you wished. A curse disguised as a blessing. How revoltingly like Ciel."Sebastian...what did he say?"

"Nothing Ciel would care to hear." Jasper waved a hand. "In his eyes," He will never forget that first moment of weakness he witnessed in his son's eyes, "He pleaded for us to take care of you. Before I departed, he said…" 'Sebastian's wordless lips shaping his final wish...'

"This is not our goodbye, My Lady Michaelis."

Jasper spoke the words, but it was with Sebastian's voice she heard the decree. Although, it was not enough to thaw the ice around her pain filled heart.

Zanosuke stroked his neatly trimmed beard in deep thought. A poor time to bring the matter up, but the reality of the situation must be addressed. "Ciel's soul wasn't devoured. So Sebastian is still his butler?" It's been a while since Zanosuke entered a contract. Although, he's never had a master turn into a demon before. This is something he's only heard of.

"Yes. Our souls are untouchable because we are demons." Alliahnna groaned in misery. "Ciel gave an order, until his soul is devoured, Sebastian remains his butler. And only then...would we have been…" He mocked us! He knew what was going to happen...and he never bothered to...She gritted her teeth, growling like a rabid animal. She thirsted for blood. Wanting nothing more than to tear Ciel's scrawny throat wide open, and watch the light leave his eyes. "That...little...BASTARD!" She shot to her feet. Incredible pressure bubbled the pond, erupting it into a geyser. The scaling rapid tore a gaping hole into the thick canopy. The sunlight breaking through to the grotto ignited an array of light that resembled the blaze burning within Alliahnna. "UNGRATEFUL, MANIPULATIVE, CRUEL, DEPRAVED BASTARD!" Jasper and Zanosuke were enveloped in awe as this incredible power poured from her like a broken spout. "After everything I've done for him, he does this to me? Who the Hell does he think he is?!" She stomped. Cracks spread to the rocks lining the pond, leading up the waterfall. Water and rubble exploded. Granite and watery shrapnel shaved the surrounding trees. "WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!"

Jasper and Zanosuke showed her the letters that were sent to everyone. Declarations of the death of Ciel Phantomhive. Alliahnna wasn't mentioned. Guess he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her even in his false death. The pair then told her that they left Phantomhive Manor without another word. Mey-Rin, Tanaka, Bardroy, and Tanaka were left in charge of the manor. They were welcome to live in the manor, or burn it, Ciel no longer cared. The Phantomhive's don't exist anymore.

"Sounds appropriate…" The swelling aura died down. Alliahnna's arms fell limply at her sides. Jasper and Zanosuke relaxed as she seemed to calm down. But, deep down, they could sense a rage bubbling fiercely. "Ciel Phantomhive...Alliahnna Phantomhive. As of several weeks ago, The Family Phantomhive is dead!" She barked, glaring into the partially emptied pool. "Their Earl and Earless are no more! Just Phantoms on the wind, carried wherever Hell decides to take us!" And follow those winds Ciel did. Without a single word or note to her. She placed her hands to her stomach, clawing at her knotting insides. "I lost everything that is precious to me for him. My humanity, my baby, my demon. He takes and he takes - everything to him is handed on a platter - and its never enough. Nothing is ever enough." The way she spoke - as if she was numb to the core - she sounded as if she were talking about a rock that was buried in the dirt. "A gluttonous, malignant sponge. That's all he's ever been."

"I'm...I'm sorry this happened." Zanosuke bowed his head shamefully. "This...we should have-"

"No." Alliahnna stopped the self pity. This is no longer the time. "In the end, I sincerely doubt there is anything any of us could have done to prevent this." It was written in stone from the day they were born. "This was our fate from the start. The sole survivors of House Phantomhive - Devilish Minions bending to the will of a higher power, whilst empowered by the strength and might those from beneath." She looked up to the sky, letting the vibrant rays take her to the sky. "It's poetic really. Pathetic as well."

"Alliahnna…" Jasper can't place his finger on it. He cannot discern if Alliahnna was building herself up, or breaking herself down.

"Tell me, Jasper. If a Master were to die, the contract placed would be null and void, correct?"

She tried to make it sound like a simple inquiry. Jasper is not so easily fooled. "Yes. If either the servant or the master perish, the signed agreement between them is ratified." Jasper knit his brow, narrowing his eyes and piercing the shield Alliahnna immersed herself in. "And should Ciel Phantomhive die, Sebastian would be released." It was minor. But Jasper saw it. Alliahnna twitched, and there was a flash of a smile. A cruel, depraved, non-Alliahnna smile. "His soul would not be recovered, but at least Sebastian would no longer be bound to him."

"And demons are capable of dying." She added in a cherub tone. "As our battle against Claude and Hannah has proven, a demon can be killed regardless of the company at their sides."

The company at Ciel's side. "As his eternally bound servant, Sebastian will be obligated to defend him." Zanosuke warned her. Her hears what her plans are, but wants her to realize what he actions mean. What consequences she will force upon herself should she walk this path.

"Let him! It won't matter!" Alliahnna spun to them. The determination - the unwavering drive - radiating from her person took their breath away. They aren't sure what they were expecting. Tears, sadness, internal writhing maybe. Just not...this. Resolve. Her natural resolve, imbedded like stone. "Ciel's always lived in the illusion that he's untouchable. I fully intend to shatter his delusions one pieces at a time!" She picked up a rock, envisioning it as Ciel. "I will make Sebastian see just how easy it is to break that porcelain imp! And I will make Ciel realize there is only enough room for ONE Demon of Phantomhive!" She crushed the rock to dust. The falling dust sparkling with a hint of sapphire. The color serving as the coat of arms for The Lost Family of Phantomhive.

My course is clear. She dusted her palms. In order to reclaim what is mine, She wiped away whatever weakness clung to her cheeks, The new Earl Demon Phantomhive must perish. She grinned evilly. Very well

Go Ciel. Go to the farthest corners of this world. To the darkest depths of the next. Hide under whatever rock you choose. Lurk in every shadow the sun and moon cast. I care not how long it takes. As demons, you and I have all the time in the world. But be assured, Dearest Baby Brother, I will find you…

Blazing pink eyes bore daggers. The pupils narrowed to slits.

And I will kill you!

The End

Thanks everyone.

The next installment won't be for a very long time. So don't ask. But it will be called "Demons of Phantomhive." And, for kicks, I want to have it take place in Transylvania, Romania. Or near there. It's been home to demons before. Also, I'll be debating how many years in the future it will be.

Until next time.