BLACK BUTLERS - In Flames (pt. 8)

PART 8 – IN FLAMES

Warning: Mentions of animal-sacrifice, disgusting monsters and people burning. Nothing you can't handle, really ^^

The carriage was now moving through the thick forest, covered in mist and accompanied by the loud sounds of heavy rain and roaring thunders. The nature was bending under the unusually large drops of water and occasional pieces of frozen ice that were making the storm dangerous for anyone who happened to be outside. The weather was nothing short of a catastrophe, but the carriage of the strange trio didn’t seem to be affected by it in any way. Other than frustrating beats of the ice at the top of the carriage, that is. Adrielle didn’t appreciate the thunders either. She wasn’t a big fan of storms in general, not even when they were conveyed by her friend, the witch.

“You should have just told me about the blood. I would have understood,” she insisted, leaning her head against the leather seat. She has heard Evelyn’s soft voice replying to her remark shortly after.  

“I know. I was just curious. You like the Spider, don’t you?”

The spider demon was currently managing the carriage, so the girls had all the necessary privacy and liberty for these kinds of stories without being over-heard by Claude.

“I can’t like him, he is a demon... and I am tired of repeating it all over again to you. He isn’t exactly a husband material, or anything.”

“Because he is not a regular creature? Come on. Let’s be honest. If he was a human being, you would allow yourself to fall for him,” Evelyn smirked.

“Maybe. And maybe I wouldn’t. But he is what he is and I won’t bother with imaginary scenarios, or what could have been if he was any different. You should know…”

“Oh, I do know. You can’t bring yourself to love him because he isn’t normal. Because he isn’t mortal. Because he wouldn’t be able to give you what you ultimately want, despite all of his powers. Because, out of all, you would ask for one thing he can’t really give you.”

“Evelyn… just stop, will you?”

“No, I see your point of view. It’s a good one. You have a duty towards your family, your reputation, and your name - not necessarily in that order, but there it is. I understand that. But sometimes, the desires of the heart aren’t following traditional patterns, nor do they favor the desires of our minds,” Evelyn reminded her. “He is dangerous, though. Alluring, but dangerous. I wouldn’t get too close to him if I were you, but I am afraid you will eventually, if not already, fall for him anyway.”

“You are speaking from experience,” Adrielle crossed her arms on her chest. “It happened with you, I get it. But hey. Let’s not talk about Claude like he is a potential candidate for anything other than a partner in a mission. There’s no need to complicate our relationship any further… despite what I may, or may not feel about him. It’s pointless, and I don’t like pointless situations, or wasting my time.”

“We are only having this discussion because I need to deliver a warning, for your own good. I sense something… developing between the two of you. Something similar to affection, but even stronger.

There was ground for that before, ever since the beginning, and ever since you were working for that Trancy boy. And that feeling… some might mistake it for passion, or even foolishly call it ‘love’. I know it’s too early to tell, but still. As your friend, I feel obliged to warn you nevertheless.”

“This is coming from a woman who has slept with demons, reapers and warlocks. You don’t get to lecture me on relationships, Eve.” Adrielle rolled her eyes. “And please, don’t act like I will jump into his bed or something just because he attracts me.”

Once she had realized what she’s admitted, Adrielle covered her mouth and her face turned red. Evelyn laughed, and affectionately put her hand over Adrielle’s own palm.

“That’s exactly why I am talking like this. He attracts you, and for better or for worse, there’s some wild fascination from him towards you too. I am also sure that he, himself, can’t pinpoint what it exactly is. Hunger? Another exceptional soul to devour? Maybe even curiosity about your body? But remember… out of all others, I am the one who knows exactly how useless and painful it is… to love a demon. They are shells. They don’t have a real concept of emotions, just glimpses and echoes of feelings that they twist to their convenience. They are creatures of urges, not emotions, and they are usually driven and motivated by hunger.”

“Aren’t humans the same? Motivated by different kinds of hungers. Ambition, for instance. Power. Glory. Sometimes… it seems as if we are worse than them.”

“I am not denying that. Just… be careful. I can only protect you from him so far,” Evelyn sighed.

Adrielle glared at her friend. “What does that even mean?”

“That you are a free-willed woman in a demi-contract, and he is really tempting. He would fool someone who is both more cunning and more skillful than you or me. You might give in into his charms. No judging here by any means, just to let you know.”

“And if I did, what would you do?” Adrielle asked.

“Why, comfort you once he’s broken your heart and cast a really nasty curse upon him afterwards, of course. What are the friends for?” Evelyn joked.

“Oh, just shut it, already. It’s not like it’s ever gonna happen. And while we are so brutally honest with each other… what were you hiding in that crystal of yours? What has that stranger handed to you before you’ve summoned the storm?”

Suddenly, the driving had stopped and both the Countess and the Thief-Mistress looked towards the seat of the coachman, currently occupied by Claude. He opened the glass behind that particular seat, and explained the situation briefly.

“One of the horses has just collapsed. I think its heart will give out any second now. The rest of these animals are exhausted, and I dare say… pretty scared. They won’t be able to continue this journey, Mistress Waldram. They won’t be able to return either.”

His golden eyes were fixed on the raven-haired woman. She returned the gaze and they shared a silent understanding that was beyond Adrielle’s comprehension in that moment.

Evelyn took her cloak and covered herself before going out in the rain to join Claude.

“The realm of the Dark Ones won’t support the souls of the living. I should have remembered it applies to animals too,” Evelyn sighed. She pated the closest horse, mournfully watching the tired eyes.

“What shall I do?” Claude’s calm tone sent cold shivers down Adrielle’s spine, in a wrong way.

“Our presence… demands sacrifice… right?” the Crimson Countess asked.

Claude simply nodded. The Countess’ eyes started glowing yellow.

“It’s better if you looked away, dear,” she told Adrielle before returning her eyes towards Claude.
 
“Mr. Faustus… let’s sacrifice.”

“No!” Adrielle wanted to stop him once when she’s realized what the Countess has ordered him to do, but Claude acted swiftly. His reflexes were too fast, and too sharp. Using his claws, he ripped the necks and took the hearts out of those poor animals… and ultimately  threw them in front of Evelyn’s feet. The hot blood was evaporating in the cold rain, flowing in all directions. It was a quick slaughter, that made Adrielle sick to her stomach. She has seen a lot of brutal things, murders, all kinds of tortures… but there was something really sad about killing a helpless animal.

Evelyn leaned down, and took the first heart into her hands.

- - - - - -  THE PHANTOM CASTLE  - - - - - - - - -

“They are here. Can you sense her, Sebastian?” the boy asked, holding an empty teacup in his lap.

The servant apathetically looked in the distance.  

“I can, my Lord. They should be near the gate in less than an hour. Do you want me to intercept them before they approach the manor?”

Ciel Phantomhive has shortly played with the handle, and finally smashed the cup in his hand. Sebastian approached him with the handkerchief, and wiped the blood away. Ciel's expression hasn’t changed the entire time.

“No need for that. Let them come.”

- - - - -  IN REALM OF THE DARK ONES - - - - - - - -

Evelyn has split the hearts and formed a hexagram out of them. She has thrown the salt over each heart, and took a position in the center of the created shape. She was chanting again, with both hands lifted up in the air, and two flames rose from both of her palms, forming a large fire balls on top of them. It was a strange fire, the one that hasn’t burned out under the rain, or ice. Evelyn was good with her spells, and with her magic.  

She has used the fire to burn the hearts, and the smell made Adarielle sick again. Evelyn has finished chanting, and all of a sudden, a strong wind has spread all over the area, spreading and scattering the magical ashes of burned hearts all over the carriage, and the three passengers in their places.

Evelyn made the fire disappear with a single motion of her hands, and returned to the carriage as if nothing happened. Claude has also climbed back in the carriage to join them, once there was no need for a coachman.

“Why the Hell did you do that?!” Adrielle demanded, deeply saddened, and angered about the actions of her companions.

“Because we are roaming the very realm we were not supposed to enter, yet alone roam. All kinds of dark creatures are here, just waiting for fresh, living meat and blood to feast on. And demons. No need to explain what kind of effect we have on them. So, to stay here, we needed to pay the price. We need protection. This was the way. Besides, those horses wouldn’t have survived anyway, you have seen the state they were in. What Mr. Faustus did… was a form of mercy, really.”

“I thought we were about to use my blood for the realm?! What mercy? It was all BUT mercy!”

“Don't be so dramatic now. We will need your blood to reach the manor, dear. It’s an entirely different kind of blood magic which I will have to perform there, so keep your strength.”

Evelyn has closed the door behind Claude by snapping her fingers. The carriage has started moving on its own, as if the invisible hand has somehow pulled it towards. Phantom horses were pulling it now.

In less than an hour, just like predicted, the three of them were in front of a certain gate.

- - - - - - - - -

Evelyn went out first. She has reached the gate and opened it, and Adrielle and Claude followed. Nothing happened, and it made Evelyn somewhat surprised. She was-half expecting something to happen already.

“Where are they?” Adrielle whispered. “The place seems… abandoned.”

“It only seems abandoned. And it’s exactly like… in my dream…”

“Mistress Waldram. We are not alone,” Claude warned.

Adrielle, who has heard nothing despite her sharp, but human senses, pulled her knives out. Just in case she needed them.

“Evel…” she was in the middle of saying her name, but a high-pitched scream swallowed the rest of the word. And that scream didn’t belong to Queen of Thieves.

It took a moment for Adrielle to realize that she was in Claude’s arms again. He has shielded her from something big, ugly, so ugly that it seemed like a creature from her worst nightmare… and possibly, worse. She was absolutely sure that, in not even in her wildest dreams, she would be able to imagine something so ugly and so terrifying. It had a lot of sharp teeth, long claws and warm, stinking breath. It also looked like some sort of deformed dragon, without wings and with a really long tail. It had some nasty blisters, wens and lumps all over it’s rough skin.  

But it wasn’t the creature that lured Evelyn’s attention. She seemed like she couldn’t care less about the horrid monster in front of them all. She was watching beyond, in a pale, tall figure in black. She wasn’t smiling this time. The creature roared.

“Is that…” Adrielle asked, but she was interrupted by Claude’s sudden move. The tail of the monster almost pierced right through them both, but Claude evaded it in the last second.

“Yes. It’s Sebastian Michaelis,” he responded to her verbally-unformed question. “And this creature is a decoy. She will have to choose.”

He has jumped again, and shielded Adrielle from the venomous claw by putting his body in front of her. The claw has torn his rain-cloak. Claude has thrown both the cloak and the hat away, leaving only his butler uniform underneath. He has fixed the glasses on his face and prevented another attack from the beast. Adrielle has successfully thrown her knife into the eye of the beast, who started roaring again. She was so glad to have demon-blades, it meant that she will be able to produce damage to the beast, for it was demonic too, and hence able to regenerate. Its eye has not started regenerating, though, and she was glad about being right.

“Evelyn Waldram. It’s been a while,” Sebastian greeted his old master, and she has weakly smiled. There was something utterly painful about her expression, that almost made Adrielle look away.

“It’s been years, Sebastian. Now, I see that your manners had worsened with time. Keeping guests outside of the manor is considered to be quite rude, from both the master, and his butler. Don’t you think so?” Evelyn repelled the attack of the beast all on her own by the simple whoosh of her hand. Sebastian’s eyes were glowing now, and the glow was something between red and purple. He was still smiling at her, softly, affectionately.

“What I think, my dearest Mistress Waldram, is of no importance. Master Phantomhive’s orders were clear. I am just following them. He simply wants to greet you, and wishes you a warm welcome.”

The creature’s mouth has opened. The flame that followed was long ranged, and large.

“Please, enjoy your stay… no matter how brief it turns out to be,” Sebastian added.

Claude has literally pulled Adrielle up, and saved her from being burned away.

“Mistress Waldram?” Claude has turned his eyes towards the Countess, asking for instructions. She had to choose, and it was either… for him to protect Adrielle… or to engage into a fight with Sebastian and leave Adrielle to her own, against the monster. The Countess could protect her, but the options were tricky, because she had to protect herself too.

“Well, if the boy wants to play… we will play,” Evelyn said, and threw herself right in front of the monster, in close distance. The fumes rose high. The flames reached her, consuming her whole figure, and Evelyn Waldram screamed. It was horrible. It was unforgettable.  

“EVELYN!” Adrielle yelled, and Claude had to stop her from making a move towards a Countess, who was now burning and still screaming, from the bottom of her lungs. The monster was following, unable to withstand the agony of her voice. She was the daughter of a banshee, after all.

“So, that’s how it’s gonna be?” Claude has muttered to himself. He has taken a blade from Adrielle’s arm and made a giant slice over her palm. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her head with chaos. He pressed her hand into a fist, and made her drop the blood over the stairs they were standing on. He was drawing a symbol. Sebastian’s contract symbol.

But she didn’t care about the wound, or the blood, or their location. She was watching Evelyn burn, and Sebastian was coming towards Claude in fast motions, characteristic to demons. At this rate, the two butlers will engage in fight, as predicted… but she will be left to that monster. Will she be the sacrifice foretold, or was that part already fulfilled by Evelyn burning alive? The first demon-blade was still stuck in one eye of that monster, and the other was still in Claude’s arm.

What can she do? After all, she was just human. Human girl. The most powerful witch of London was burning alive in front of her very eyes, so what was she able to do in face of something this horrid?

Adrielle didn’t know, but she didn’t want to wait to see either. She has forcefully taken the blade from Claude’s hand and with one precise movement, she has threw it – hitting Sebastian right after he appeared next to Claude. His eyes widened. It was a demon blade.

Naturally, it was a pure instinct. She wasn’t really thinking. And if this was some kind of a rescue mission, the one that Evelyn planned so carefully… she guessed that they have entirely, majorly, royally and outrageously... screwed it up.