Another chapter released! Thank you for reading "His Butler; My Master." Some scenes are pretty graphic, as a warning to young readers (but I'm sure you know that by now). Also, I'd like to mention that this story has been going on since there was only a Season 1 of the anime, with Season 2 on the way. That being said, developments in the manga and anime beyond the anime's first season will probably not affect this story, so I'm sorry if there are any inconsistencies with the other sources.

That said, I hope you enjoy. Thanks!

-38-

Sens

Up the winding stair, the demon carried his boon. Delicately, as if the pale creature in his arms was spun from glass. The realm above the tomb from which he had unearthed this root, had not changed since he had gone down the steps; a fine grey ash still billowed about the floor with every breath and shift of a foot, and the expanse remained fairly empty. This was to the demon's relief, for he had grown tired of the ever shifting world of Ciel's mind, and burdened with his fragile treasure, he had feared the arrival of unwanted company before his task to revive this small fragment of the soul was completed.

As he stepped away from the opening in the floor, he bade the staircase to descend back into the ground, a panel sliding into place above it. He looked around the room for someplace to set his slumbering burden, but settled for merely laying it upon the ground; in the center of the large indentation carved into the center of the floor. He left the slender figure resting in a fetal position, little puffs of ash dancing around it lightly as it lay, silent, motionless, save for a few very shallow breaths.

Sebastian looked down at the tender morsel. Had it been a few hundred years ago, he would have devoured it without second thought, and yet, here he was, standing before the core of the very soul he had strove to nurture, and merely contemplating it. The light that radiated from the flesh was quite faint, nearly unnoticeable, if it weren't for the dark contrast of the demonic shackles that bound the lithe figure so tightly. The core had shed a number of feathers in the distance of his relocation, the small translucent down almost scattered among the ashes. Sebastian picked one off of his coat, and considered it, twirling it between his fingers gently; the feather catching the ethereal light of the cavern like a crystal, refracting it all along the bristles so that it looked like it held a cluster of captured stars within. Giving into curiosity and temptation, he brought it to his lips, slid it into his mouth, and closed his eyes. As if it were indeed spun from sugar, it melted on contact, dissolving into nothing more than a tingling sensation that danced over his tongue. He felt a tiny spark of energy deep inside, but it faded almost instantly, the purple wreath of power claiming the edges of his scarlet eyes for only a moment, before receding. He sighed, a breath soaked in disappointment, and looked down at the pitiful creature before him.

What was once his masterpiece, the perfect balance of a soul; rich in sweet melancholy, drenched with perseverance and desperation, determination and cleverness, with the spicy edge of vengeance and a lingering taste of despair, a conglomeration of so many flavors, intricately crafted by his own careful hand... now reduced to this. Grell's interference had stayed his hand, but at the cost of all of his hard work. He had to experiment with the boy, push him too far, and set into motion the chain of events that spoiled the whole thing. Now, he had journeyed deep into this hell, put himself at risk, for this one boy to whom he had answered the dinner bell those many years ago.

The boy, whose voice called out to him in the dark, declaring his burning desire for vengeance, his will to live... those things had been devoured by the madness, but as Sebastian looked down at the young man, he couldn't help but smile softly. Those days of being this boy's butler seemed not too long ago; the absurd Phantomhive household where a combustion-crazy chef, a strong gardener, and a sharpshooting, yet ditzy maid served a young master who bore a constant cold expression. He could recount the days as if they were riding on his shoulders, learning how to make exquisite meals to satisfy his master, pouring baths at the right temperature, laying out linens til they lay flat, crisp and white upon the beds. So many menial tasks, yet somehow they seemed to glow in his memory. He could recall one particular afternoon, the air cool yet the sun, delicately warm. The roses were in full bloom; white and pure around the courtyard where the young master sat, legs crossed as he sipped from a porcelain cup, a cluster of petits four on a fine china plate before him. He could remember the warm scarlet wood of his violin tucked under his chin, as he played a lilting tune for the earl's appreciation as he dined, the tune dancing on the wind that was saturated with the perfume of the gardens.

He smirked to himself. How could such a trivial memory seem so precious? Particularly since through a different perspective, it was like a cat playing to canary it was certain to devour at any time, and yet, the very act of remembering it filled himself with a strange sort of melancholy that hung low in his chest. The days that he had spent apart from Ciel had been ones of a different sort of work; bitter, tedious work that blended together into a blur of dissatisfaction and regret. However, that memory lingered on his mind, sweet and inspiring.

The demon paused, and took up a handful of ash. He let it trickle from his fingers, before the grey particles started to constitute into two familiar shapes; a violin and a bow. Fully formed, he shook it lightly, the ash falling away and leaving the bold ebony instrument hanging in his hand. He tucked it under his chin and lifted the bow to the strings, and drew out one long note. It echoed throughout the chamber like an amphitheater, clear and bright. He stepped back, and began to play.

The music that flowed forth seemed to stir up the dead air in the chamber, the ash becoming unsettled as the demon's melody flew to every corner of the expanse. The cathedral-like roof began to shed its grey veil, the ash falling like snow from every spire that jutted from the ceiling and the floor, revealing glass-like texture beneath, bright and shining like carved from some massive crystal. The ash curled and billowed, churning like clouds in midair. The scent of roses bloomed from nothingness, as the ash formed the lush, shining garden of the demon's memory, coaxed into being by Sebastian's violin. The cavern began to warm, gently, as if the crystalline roof was a window for some afternoon sunlight. The more the demon played, the more his memory seemed to constitute around him, the only difference being the young man lying bound and fast asleep in the center of the enchanted world sprouting around him.

Sebastian drew the bow over the strings again with more vigor, pouring his memories of a glimmering world into every note. The ash began to dance and twirl, becoming taupe ghosts that dissolved and reformed as they swirled about the room. Bard, coughing up puffs of smoke, stumbled out into the garden from a smoking kitchen door. Mey-Rin materialized, stumbling over a bush as she hurried forth with the an extra serving of petits-fours, the plate smashing onto the ground, becoming a billow of warm grey dust on impact. The scent of the sugary confections briefly filled the air before they too dissolved into the ashen air. Finny, who was clipping a hedge creature in the shape of a rearing horse, turned to wave, only to decapitate the floral creature with an ill-placed snip of the clippers. The dust swirled again, and became the intricate ruffles of a young lady's gown, as young Elizabeth, pigtails swinging in her wake, danced across the room, whirling around the pale boy in a chorus of giggles.

The stimulation of the senses seemed to affect the entity slightly, the glow softly intensifying as the violin's melody, the presence of the apparitions and the sounds and the scents they exuded, wrapped around the angelic core like a blanket, forming a comforting, warm series of memories. It caused the pale creature to rise from his slumbering position, as if some invisible string was secured to his shoulders, allowing it to hover an inch above the ground. Despite this, the youth did not wake; his eyes stayed closed and his head still hung heavy. The demon, noticing the change, increased the tempo. This time he summoned up the moments of victory he had witnessed; brief glimpses of rising above a challenge of a mystery. This feeling came as a warm wind that swirled about the pale form, carrying the sound of cheers that only the core could hear. Though Sebastian knew that these memories were linked to darker sources that could invite unwanted guests to the room, he gambled, coaxing the spirit to flare up with the determined flames that he knew lay dormant within its very being.

He saw one eyelash flutter slightly from the youth, and he changed his melody again, segueing into a gentler, more jovial tune. The realm around them responded with a new explosion of apparitions waltzing about the room, a party populated with familiar people with smiling, joyous faces. Young Elizabeth whirled back into being again, giggling blissfully before planting a soft kiss on the entity's soft porcelain cheek. She giggled again and disappeared, the ash that once composed her forming the three servants as they danced in a circle, cheering in the sidelines. Ashen arms embraced the youth from behind in a tight embrace, as his aunt, dressed in party finery and wearing a smile from the sweet days of innocence, hugged him close for a brief moment before fading away. The loud laughter of the young Prince Soma jangled about the room, accompanied by the sound of his protector Agni sighing in his wake. Then, as Sebastian observed this ghostly ball, he found that his violin's voice had joined another, as a new apparition bearing a small violin under its chin appeared on the other side of the room, playing in tandem with him. The small girl drew her bow along the strings expertly, complimenting his tune perfectly. The two played as the room's celebration commenced, memories of sweeter, lighter times expressed with every person that the young earl had held in his heart before the darkness and the madness had claimed them all.

Finally, the song ended, and the ash changed completely once more, taking on a new appearance altogether. The taupe dust began to sparkle like stars, forming a nexus of shimmering colors in the crystalline cathedral-like cave. The denizens of memory now stood, silently yet warmly regarding the core, like shining ghosts among a swirling nebula. The youth's glow, amplified by its new surroundings, seemed to grow brighter, the trapped light below the pale flesh pulsing like a heartbeat. Sebastian once again drew his bow across his instrument, and brought forth a soft, somber melody, almost like a lullaby. From the ghostly party guests came two more figures, ones that Sebastian hadn't witnessed, but he knew would spark the soul the most. The shimmering pair approached the slumbering entity, and whispered something in his ears. The former Earl and Lady Phantomhive each planted a delicate kiss upon his face, one over each eye, before they stepped back and stood among the ring of silent onlookers.

The demon walked through the galaxy of twinkling lights and ghosts, before gently sliding a hand up along the youth's jaw, cupping one side of the core's face. He smoothed his thumb over the fragile flesh, and traced his fingertips over his brow. He gently fluffed the hanging bangs, sliding them aside, before he smiled softly, "It is time to wake up, young master."

Eyelashes twitched, then fluttered, as two bold blue eyes opened slowly to the blurry world, and the only other solid occupant in the room. It took a moment for the entity to fully respond, head slowly rotating to see where he had been taken. As its eyes fell upon the ghostly audience, the apparitions quietly and slowly dissolved once again into a falling cloud of shimmering mica. No words slipped from the youth's lips, save for a slight groan at the feeling of the chains around it as it noticed it was bound. Sebastian acknowledged this with a gentle touch against the core's eye, which caused a tiny spark to ignite. The chains that encircled the entity constricted for a mere minute, before becoming absorbed by the skin, becoming albeit garish tattoos upon it; an esoteric brand that bore the details of the demon and the mortal's contract. The wings fell useless at the core's back, limp and broken, and the youth found itself gravitated to the floor, falling to its knees.

Sebastian knelt down beside it, though it took him a moment to brace himself against the desire to feast upon the now active center of Ciel Phantomhive's soul. The entity slowly regarded the shimmering dust that hugged his knees, taking up a handful of the sparkling ashes and letting it trickle through his fingers.

"All is ash..." the core whispered, his voice like one deprived of moisture for centuries. The creature looked up as the dark haired demon slipped free his long black tie, and shifted its position to face him, "why do you wait? Have you not come to claim what I promised you?"

Sebastian looked down at him, a small amused smile dancing upon his lips, "Because, I am a creature of fine taste, and I would rather not eat a raw onion."

In a way reminiscent of the youth the demon had once served, the core's brow furrowed, a mixture of confusion and insult splayed on his face. Sebastian's smile grew, as he rolled the tie into a tight oval with his fingers, "Your flavors are out of balance. I've decided to salvage what I can and try a different approach. I may not get a roast dinner, but stew is just as well."

The demon couldn't help but chuckle at the further insulted expression the angelic core yielded. The pale youth looked down at the twinkling ashes and lifted up a handful, allowing it to sift through his fingers again, though this time, he revealed a small white rose petal. He turned it this way and that, before lifting it up to his nose and gently inhaling the fresh scent.

Memories, very faint in composition, perhaps tiny glimpses of what once was, flashed through the young man's mind. The Corruption had devoured so many memories, steeping them in regret and anguish; every memory a new wound, but in its purest form, these small recollections encouraged the core's light to ebb even brighter than before. Sebastian noticed it, but not with his eyes. The more he was exposed to this entity that bore his mark, the more he found his weakened state unable to resist it. The stronger it grew, despite being not even a grain's worth, the more alluring it became, and his demonic nature urged him to partake of it. He was vulnerable here, and he had spent too long apart from his body for his own good. The soul before him was his for the taking; he had every right. The soul was weakened here, he could easily give in and eat it whole, leaving the body an empty shell and a footnote in the eternal life he led. However, for some unfathomable reason, he resisted. Kneeling mere inches away from the lithe form of his promised meal, the defied his dark desires with absolution.

The youth looked around the cavern, and shakily stood up. His wings were heavy on his back, and they dragged along the floor as the entity stumbled over to one of the crystalline walls. He touched the reflective surface, seeing his double in the glass staring back at him. He looked over his brand, slender fingertips tracing over these markings. He swallowed, and turned a little, exposing his broken iridescent wings to the wall of looking glass. He whimpered slightly, seeing the crushed appendages. Though they did not hurt him, the guarantee that he would never see Heaven was plain to see.

"H...have I really fallen so low?" the entity whispered softly, "I... feel so hollow... so disconnected... am I really all that is left?"

The demon's hand gently slid onto the young man's shoulder. The entity flinched for a moment from the touch, before relaxing slightly beneath the warmth of the scarlet eyed man's reassuring hand. Sebastian bent down, and leaned in close to whisper in Ciel's ear, "If you're feeling still feeling hollow, then you are fortunate. I have prepared dinner for you... it will be waiting for when you are ready."

"And how do you propose I partake in such a meal, Sebastian? It is quite a gamble you suggest..." the core said softly, "I am a shadow of my former self... I'm lost... and the madness runs rampant. It rules supreme, and yet you think that I could-"

The demon hushed the young man gently, a single finger against his lips, before he reached into his breast pocket. He pulled out a single photograph; the one which he had pulled from the archive deep in Ciel's subconscious, depicting the young Earl of Phantomhive slumbering as his doting butler stood by his side. The demon handed the Camera Obscura's proof to the youth, before saying firmly, "Have faith in me."

Ciel's core silenced, looking down at the photograph that was said to depict the person who meant the most to him. Disregarding the naked buffoon of a dog in the corner, the core couldn't help but hug the picture to his chest, like some lost treasure. After a long moment of careful contemplation, the delicate entity nodded in affirmation. Seeing this, Sebastian smiled softly, and reached into his breast pocket again. He retrieved a long, white, clean handkerchief, and brought it up to the core's eyes. For a moment, the being resisted, not wanting to be blind to the mayhem that tore him up from the inside out. However, the demon's reassurance through a simple glance at the photograph clasped in the entity's hands was enough to make it relent. Sebastian secured the blindfold around the youth's head, smoothing it down over his face to fit him comfortably. Seeing the succulent core once again vulnerable before him, he held back his desire to devour with one last defiance; he took his rolled up tie, and popped it into his mouth like a gag as he reached down to lift the entity up and carry it with him like some delicate doll, preventing him from giving into temptation.

The pale, lithe creature wrapped his arms around Sebastian's neck as he was carried across the glass cathedral, the shimmering world around them returning to taupe dust as the demon and his boon passed over the threshold and back into the tunnel from which the demon had come.

The blindfold was necessary, Sebastian reasoned, as he chauffeured his bounty up the winding cave. If Instinct had been any evidence, the Corruption could eat the flavors of Ciel's soul from the inside out, affecting memories and efforts with sorrow and doubt. In the worst case, showing the maddened world to the core could cause it to go mad on its own, and slowly become a fragment of the psychosis in itself. If not that, it could lure the crimson entity directly to them before giving them ground to fight one on one. At the moment, the demon knew they were headed for the cliff face overlooking the lake overcome with guilt; he could even hear the sloshing of the churning waters ahead. Should the red clad vision decide to materialize and ambush them there, he knew it would be delivering the core to him like afternoon tea.

'No', Sebastian thought to himself, as he made his way up the rocky path, 'you have the master key now, make it unlock the doors.'

He looked down at his treasure, and whispered softly, "I know I have blinded you, but can you direct me to somewhere you would rather dine? I do not think you'd want to eat overlooking a dismal sea."

The entity thought for a moment, and nodded. The sound of water was silenced immediately, as if it had been carted away, replaced with the soft whistle of wind through a rustle of leaves. The scent of the air ahead was heavy with the perfume of roses, but the smell of smoke polluted the air along with it. Though Sebastian could feel the entity in his arms tense up at the alarming scent, the demon reassured him gently before forging ahead. The realm beyond the core's sanctum was for certain dangerous and crawling with the corruption, but he wasn't about to stunt all five of the core's senses to keep him from panicking. All he could do was shelter and soothe him softly as they traveled upwards towards the glow of the world beyond the dark cavern, and whatever laid in wait beyond.

Chapter 38 completed!

So after a healthy dosage of Lindsey Stirling's amazing violin music (majorly "Elements" and "Beyond the Veil"), I was able to settle down and attempt to write something calm and soothing. I know this one is a little shorter than usual, but hey, short and sweet, right?

Also, I couldn't help but laugh when I wrote that Ciel was blindfolded and Sebastian was gagged. XD

And, as you might have noticed, I've changed to using Mey-Rin instead of Maylene, which I thought was her name, but I guess I was wrong. Eventually I'll go back and edit the rest of the story to use her real name instead of my mistaken one.

Anyways, I'm hoping that this chapter was satisfying and I'm looking forward to writing the next.

Hope you all are well, and thank you for reading~!