The Scourge of the Demon Hunters—Act 30

Sebastian recovered his senses quickly enough to reach Louisa before she fell backwards onto the floor. The whole sickening episode took only seconds, but to Sebastian, it seemed to last a lifetime. He knelt at her side, cradling her in his arms, the arrows burning where they touched him. Sebastian barely noticed the pain as he grasped each in turn and pulled them free of Louisa’s body. With them gone, Sebastian scooped Louisa into his arms and held her tightly. Burying his face in her neck, he wept, cursed, and vowed that he would rip the angel limb from limb when he found it.

Darkness was descending when a cautious Ciel approached Sebastian. He was afraid, the demon had been calm, too calm for his liking, and that was unlikely to bode well. Ciel had decided on the best course of action by the time he placed his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder.

Feeling his master’s presence behind him, Sebastian looked up, Ciel had never seen such fury in his eyes. “Sebastian, I have an order for you,” said the young boy, removing his eye patch, the contract mark shining brightly.

“Yes, master, I was rather hoping you would.”

“Finish them, leave nothing and no one pertaining to the Order. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my Lord. I ask only that you remain here and do not look behind you until I say it is safe to do so.”

Ciel nodded. Sebastian removed his tailcoat, laid Louisa on the ground, placing his tailcoat rolled up under her head. He leant down, kissed her, and left for the depths of the castle, transforming as soon as he was out of Ciel’s sight. Ciel knelt beside Louisa, his own eyes now wet with tears. She had become another victim of the game he played. If he had listened and stayed behind, she might still be alive. Again, fear gripped him. If Sebastian blamed him, would his desire for revenge outweigh his need for Ciel’s soul?

Within moments of sending the demon off, blood-curdling screams echoed around the castle. Noises that Ciel could not even begin to describe rose from the floors beneath him. Ciel knew Sebastian’s work well enough to know that the deaths of those he came across would not be quick or clean.

Below in the depths of the castle, Sebastian moved swiftly from room to room, destroying anyone within that bore the mark of the Order. He ripped bodies apart with his bare hands, showering blood and organs across walls and floors. He ensured that each knew his name so that they would carry that name to hell with them. Some pleaded, others prayed as he approached, but all met the same end. He was in no mood for mercy or forgiveness.

Only when he reached the bowels of the castle did he stop. It was her scent that he caught, his Louisa; this was where she had been kept. The scent tempered his anger and allowed the sadness to resurface; and with it, his human form. If she had been kept here, there might be others. He worked along the rooms, ripping open doors, destroying chains, and freeing those he found within. Each one barely more than a child and all of them human, malnourished, and tortured into submission. None bore the mark, and all willing gathered weapons as he helped them navigate their way out. He led them to the exit, and his task completed, he left to return to his master. As he approached Ciel, he called out, “Young Master, it is time to leave now, the Order is destroyed.”

Ciel looked up at him, Sebastian’s face showed no emotion, his eyes were their usual soulless red, the spark that Louisa had instilled in them was once again gone. “Sebastian, I, I’m sorry,” managed Ciel.

Sebastian put his hand up to stop him, “My Lord, this was not your doing. When it is time, the angel will pay for what it has done.”

Ciel felt a little relief, “She shall have the finest funeral and be placed in the family vault.”

“No,” replied Sebastian harshly, softening his tone, he continued, “my Lord, you may have whatever funerals and pretences you wish, but they will not be interred on holy ground. I will see to their care. You will grant me this at least.”

Ciel stared at his butler, “They?”

“Louisa carries my child, my Lord,” replied Sebastian, the pain and anguish fleetingly visible on his face.

Ciel did not know what to say. His heart plummeted, his cousin was with child, yet she had kept her promise to him to the end, risking her life for his. Lost for words, all Ciel could think to do was correct the demon’s grammar, carried, she had carried his child. Looking at the face of his butler, he thought better of it and chose silence instead.

Sebastian lifted Louisa into his arms, and he and Ciel walked in silence from the castle. “One more thing my Lord,” said Sebastian as they headed through the dark to where the horses had been left.

“Yes, what is it?” asked Ciel.

“I will need to leave you at the cottage when we arrive. It will not be for long. I have an appointment and a promise to keep.”

“Fine,” said Ciel, too tired to care or argue, “but then we have work to do.”

“Yes, young Master, indeed we do.”