Ciel Vincent Phantomhive had a problem. For years ruling over England as its guard dog and Duke with his beloved Lilliane, the mistress of his heart and queen. And still, things changed, an unpredictability that usually his dear Lilliane might have seen come before... still, this time it wasn't the case. Even he, as a biblical demon and not one of the apocalyptic (he never understood why they had the gal to use the term DEVIL for themselves), could have not prevented the level of emotional sadism Joker would be capable of. And yet, the idiotic clown, on the other side of the ocean waters had caused an irreparable ripple by deciding to play with Superman's mind.

Ciel wouldn't have paid much attention to it, after all, they weren't responsible or in charge of that side of the world only their territory. Usually, he wouldn't care, and his queen would calm him down. This was not such case... his former protégé, Bruce Wayne, had begun to call for him more and more through magic channels. He began seeking advice regarding his friend, Clark Kent a.k.a Superman. Ciel heard how things were slowly spiraling... different meta-humans were now being divided. Goals were changing, and internationally, people were choosing sides. Most demons and curses would be happy about this, more onryo would be born. He himself could become more powerful if he wanted.

But his morality, the very someone he instilled into his human protégé Bruce Wayne didn't move that way. Paternal instincts might be clouding his judgment, and he did want Bruce safe. He wanted his wife safe. He wanted everyone in his family safe. After all, Ciel had a biological son of his own, five years old, with the name Samuel Vincent Phantomhive. His butler had married Lilliane's butler and had adopted a child as well, Bruno. That was his core family, and that did not account for everyone who called themselves part of the "Batfamily" (Ciel supposed the name was something the media chose).

Why did the matter become more urgent now? Why was he making a summoning circle? Simply to put, Makima, Superman's wife, the apocalyptic (Ciel refused to call her a devil, thank you very much) of control, had begun to insinuate she would kidnap Samuel. If Ciel did not submit, she would do it by force. The woman had the sheer audacity to say that Lilliane, as the living philosopher stone, would be used as basically a mine for them. The image of his beloved connected to tubes, getting blood drawn constantly just because that was the substance of the philosopher stones made Ciel's blood boil.

The souls Lilliane had been keeping safe in her body? Those would obviously be consumed by the apocalyptics under Makima's command. When Ciel asked Bruce to tell Superman to ask Makima to be reasonable... Makima began the taunts. The woman had managed to be able to kill, experiment on, and trap various creatures of the supernatural. Urban legends, jujutsu curses, demons, angels, meta-humans, mutants... They were even used to create jewelry in a grotesque show of power. Therefore... Bruce suggested this, talk to the daughter of John Constantine.

According to what Bruce told Ciel, and what he investigated with the help of his demonic and angelic butlers, Alya Constantine, daughter of John Constantine and Zattanna Zattara, had the ability to see through different timelines. Unlike Lilliane, who was usually only able to know about one for each person she met, Alya could see multiple. She was their best chance for Ciel to find a way to keep his family safe from the insane Makima and the grief-stricken Superman. The world wasn't black and white, but the former hero, now dictator, had proven that he wasn't listening to reason. Therefore, Ciel was desperate.

As the circle glowed, the wind picked up. He held Lilliane close, her platinum blonde hair dancing with the gusts of unforgiving magical energy. From the place where they had drawn the summoning spell, appeared a young girl. Her hair was dark, short stature, and childish features. Her outfit was inspired by light academia, (more put together than her father John Constantine, Ciel noted). Her magic seemed to hold a light pink hue... And some traces of the power of Ares, meaning she had contact with said god or knew one of his many offspring.

Ciel didn't even need to introduce himself to Alya or begin to ask questions before she spoke.

"I am the prophet with the answers you seek. Time, I've unlocked it...I see past and future running free" She explained. Ciel and Lilliane nodded, deciding it was better to allow Alya to keep on answering unspoken questions. "There is a world where I help you get home, but...that's not a world I know"

"What?" The British rulers gasped. Was there... no hope?

"I see a song of past romance" The image of Ciel and Lilliane dancing together appeared.

"I see the sacrifice of man" The death of Ash Landers, the husband of Sebastian Michaelis, the angelic guardian of Queen Lilliane.

"I see portrayals of betrayal" Superman... he would be the one to find a way to their palace. Once considered a family friend... but they knew, that if Makima made him believe killing them would bring greater good to the world, he would definitely not hesitate to reveal all of their safe houses.

"And a brother's final stand" Sebastian could be called a brother. Sometimes, teasingly, Ciel had heard Lilliane give him that nickname. But the haunting image of his death was hard to reconcile, after all, the demon was hard to kill.

"I see you on the brink of death" He could almost feel it. Though Alya seemed to have tried not to show it using her glowing magical references... Something inside him told him how he would die... Absently, he fiddled with his tie. It was feeling hard to breathe.

"I see you draw your final breath" Alya's gaze focused on Lilliane, who was staring with a frown. Ciel was outraged, rationally, he knew Alya wasn't threatening them. Still... telling his wife she would DIE?! The immortal queen, the living philosopher stone, the soul keeper, ruler of Great Britain, and owner of Excalibur... Dead!? "I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it's no longer you"

"This can't be" Ciel yelled, no longer able to keep his emotions down. His wife was too shocked to even stop him. What did Alya mean by no longer him? No longer them? A man? Did that mean his queen wouldn't live? Which one in the family would survive? It had been a singular person mentioned... "We've suffered and lived through the toughest of hells! Now you tell us our effort's for nothing?!"

His wife lived through being chased by people, creatures craving immortality by using her body as a vessel to keep pieces of their soul safe. Originally, it was meant so she could save people she had been warned would be crucial for the advancement of the world. Ciel remembered how Lilliane used to appear in his darkest moments, gone when the moon wasn't shining. Those times she was able to somehow give him food without slave traders knowing she had been there. They were young children back then. Lilliane had been his hope, she had half of his soul inside her, and anyone who had sealed a piece in her body was as immortal as her.

The consequence was that people could use this without her consent, and many times... some monsters forced their soul seal onto her skin.

And him? He lost his birth parents because of the schemes of a crazy angel named Angela Blanc, the twin sister of Ash Landers. Purify the world, she said. As a consequence, Ciel lived in hell on earth, trafficked by insane cultists... The screaming in his mind haunted him from then on. Until he made a deal with Sebastian, nobody would ever live his fate. He had grabbed the crow's feathers, and flew, becoming a cat demon in the process.

Ciel hugged Lilliane close, feeling his power flare. And yet, all he got from the young prophet was a look of empathy, as she kept on explaining. "I see your palace covered in red. Faces of men who had long believed you're dead..."

Of course, that made sense...

"I see your wife with a man who is haunting..." A vision now appeared in Ciel's mind. His Lilliane looked different, wearing a school uniform that belonged to a Japanese high school. She looked, younger, and next to her, indeed, there was someone with a similar age as she seemed in the vision. Brown hair, his eyes seemed to sometimes glow read. They were eating apples together, so... close. Why was this man looking at her like Ciel did? Why did he feel some familiarity? In his hands, also, he also held a black notebook, one Ciel had only seen when interacting with shinigami. Why would a human have that? Unless... "A man with a trail of bodies"

"Who?!" Just as soon as the question was uttered, and his wife laced her fingers with Ciel's, the vision was gone. Had she seen it?

Wait... this wasn't his future. That was showing the relationship that Jason Todd, one of Bruce's past robins now called Red Hood, kissing... was that a jokerized Tim Drake?

Scenes shifted. Richard Greyson yelled at Tim, obviously concerned for the transformation his adoptive sibling had. Tim, on the other hand, seemed to be holding a girl to him, standing in between dick and her. Ciel recognized her, the daughter of Joker and Harley, Lucy Napier. He once had heard Tim and she had trauma bonded and became like siblings. If this was the future, it meant currently, Tim would be searching for her. Of course, Ciel knew she was in one of Makima's facilities in Asia. Most probably Japan.

Damian Wayne seemed to be sending information to the Batfamily, claiming to be aligned with Superman. That boy would probably die if he was found out. Ciel made sure to think of a more effective way for the robin to be kept safe.

Still these futures didn't tell him much about his core family... What about Samuel? What about Bruno? The prophet vanished, not allowing the Duke to ask more questions.

"They can survive" He heard Lilliane whisper. AH, so maybe Ciel and she had been shown different information? "Ciel... If you were to..."

"I am not leaving you to die alone."

"No matter what choice we make, I will always die" said Lilliane cautiously. "The how, is the only thing that changes..."

"And I'll make sure that's not alone. Therefore, what were you shown? Who can survive?"

"Samuel and Bruno, they can survive... At least from our side..."

"Then, our job is to give them enough time to escape. I'll notify Sebastian and Ash of the plans."

"Ciel... I'm giving you back the other half of your soul" The Duke nodded, kissing his wife as she did what she warned. The ring, what had been inherited the Family birthright, also had it. Slowly, the soul mark lost its shine, allowing freedom to go back to its place. The mark was only but mere decoration now. He felt, heavier, perhaps souls did have a little weight to them. Ciel knew why she did this; after all, the rest of the souls she kept in her body, as a soul-keeper, they would have to be placed in another vessel. There was no time to give them back to their respective owners.

Sadly this meant... Samuel, their son, would have to carry them. They prepared everything, they packed as much as the pair of children would need for their escape. Time was ticking. Samuel besides the essentials, was also given the sword that marked his inheritance.

Silently, Ciel and Lilliane decided it was much better for Samuel and Bruno to go to Gotham for refuge. The other option would have been Whammy's house, the orphanage created by Ciel's other protégé, L Lawliet. But, it was too close to home, Makima would probably search there first. Secondly, as genius as the children were there, they lacked powerful security or contingency against powerful supernatural creatures. Bruce Wayne and the Batfamily, on the other hand, had experience on their side.

The slate-haired Duke watched as his biological son went through the painful process of vessel transfer. His wife, dressed in her pink attire whispered comforting words to the child. Samuel, half demon and half living philosopher stone had endurance on his side.

"Shh... Sammy, Samuel... Calm down, everything will be fine"

Ciel's attention was now on Bruno, he was about three years older than Samuel. Training to become the prince's retainer, the shadow that would serve just like Sebastian served Ciel. The boy's hair was the same raven black as the demon butler's. It was still astounding how uncanny the resemblance was, even though the child once had been a mortal with a (muggle born) witch mother. Now, Bruno thanks to a ritual, became a demon that could protect Samuel easily.

Still, Ciel turned off his emotions, there was no time to feel guilt for leaving Sam in Bruno's hands. Even if temporary, the thought of a child caring for another child was unnerving. In war, options were limited.

"Bruno, are you ready?"

"Yes, Duke Phantomhive"

That was good. "Sebastian"

"Yes, my lord" Per usual, Ciel didn't need to explain much to his demon butler. The scene he saw mirrored when Tanaka, Ciel's childhood human butler, gave Sebastian the head butler pin. Under better circumstances, the duke would have organized a celebration. Originally, this may have happened when Samuel was crowned kind... more than thirty years from now.

"From now on, you, Bruno Michaelis" Sebastian looked so fond and proud of his son, Ciel could definitely relate in a way. Not that he would get to admit it. "Will be the head butler of the Phantomhive royal family. Thus the badge is now yours. Just as Excalibur has Samuel Vincent Phantomhive as its master"

Ciel did his best to keep his expression from showing the worry he felt. He wondered if Superman would have mercy if he saw these kids. Ciel wondered, would his brown-haired boy, Samuel, become an avenger in the future? Consumed by grief like Ciel, Alois and now Superman were? What would he be like when he grew...

Hopefully, the Batfamily would raise Bruno and Samuel as their own and also give them instructions on how to maybe, protect the kingdom his beloved Lilliane and Ciel swore to protect. Would Superman really be capable of harming them if he met the children? Then again, this monster no longer was the Clark Kent that Ciel knew before... he no longer was the shy reporter whom his protégé had introduced as a friend.

"Boys, I have nothing else I can give, this is the only chance I could afford for both of you to escape" His wife seemed to keep her voice steady. But the Duke of Phantomhive knew her heart was breaking. "Goodbye, Bruno, Samuel... Sebastian"

The children vanished into a portal. Sebastian transformed into a crow and left the premises.

"They're gone, Ciel"

"Yes," The boys were safe. Sebastian was fighting outside to distract and also buy them time. Soon he would succumb to death's open arms.

"Even Ash?" Ciel closed his eyes. Nothing, he couldn't feel the angel's life force.

"Yes."

"You could have gone as well, Ciel," said Lilliane, her hand in his. "After all, I've given you back your soul, you're free"

The implication was there. He was free from her, their spiritual connection. He didn't depend on her anymore. Still... no. Also, his not going with Samuel, would at least make Makima and Superman not search for the boys. "No, the job of a guard dog... of a Phantomhive, is to protect my master, my queen, Lilliane"

"Ciel"

"I love you"

The last thing he felt was the tears of his wife on his fingers. The wet blonde lashes fluttering. Her red eyes gazed in horror as time slowed. Maybe, in another life... this won't be their fate.

AN: Based on No longer you from epic the musical and my fancomic "Unjust: The Phantomhive massacre" there may or may not be more references to other songs. See if you notice them.

AN: Takes place before my story "I don't buy it" and "Faker" they can be read on their own. This AU is called (Gods and monsters/Soulkeepers).