From Navy to Midnight Blue

19 - As Good As Dead

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Sebastian then threw Banshee at the ground causing the cave to shake. "Come, master" Ryoba heard Hannah say as she grabbed Ciel's body and started fleeing. "Damn you, Sebastian Michaelis" Claude said. Ryoba decided to stay back, she jumped from rock to rock as they came falling down. She watched their movements clearly. Claude knocked Banshee off of Sebastian's hand and into a ravine. She jumped up and threw herself into it to retrieve Banshee. "Ryoba!" Sebastian called out. 

"The Phantomhive soul!" Claude said.

 "I will have them both" Sebastian and Claude said in sync.

She grabbed onto Banshee almost hitting the bottom but she was too far down to get up. She could hear rain falling from afar then she felt a tug at her waist pulling her up as she kept a tight grip on the sacred sword. "I've got you Ryoba" Sebastian said. "Thank you" She said with a smile on her face. "I was able to catch Banshee..." She stated. Claude then landed a kick on Ryoba causing them both to fall further dowm. 

Claude slashed and slashed as Ryoba countered him sword to sword. She pushed back against his sword causing him to exchange positions with them. The Phantomhive servants were now the ones above him. His eyes flashed fuchsia, she looked into them as hers mirrored the familiar color.

Sebastian grabbed ahold of Banshee trapping Ryoba in between him and the sword. They swayed until Sebastian pushed the Trancy butler down. They were reaching the top. Claude landed on an unstable ledge. It began to crumble beneath him and his eyes turned back to yellow in realization. As he fell Ryoba turned towards Sebastian putting her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. 

The Phantomhive butler raised Banshee above his head, he was ready to strike Claude. They stood over Claude and Sebastian stabbed him in the stomach. He pushed the blade deeper into Claude. "It's over, your dreams of tearing the young master apart are finished" Sebastian stated. She let go of Sebastian and stood over Claude. "The young master's such a sweet soul..." Claude said.

 "The fight is over, the battle for his worthy soul finally reached it's conclusion, even as I wither away I can smell his rich untainted fragrance" He explained. "You think that's the young masters' soul? You've got it wrong. It's Alois Trancy's soul that trifles with you and you'll die as he intended. Don't you see, you've been under his control this entire time" Sebastian stated. "Alois... Trancy" Claude said. 

"It was him" He finally came to the realization. Claude then spat out blood. 

"My spectacles" Claude said.

Ryoba knelt down and reached into his chest pocket gently putting them on him. She was conflicted. Should she be happy that Claude's rein of terror over her is over? Should she be happy that their contract ended this way instead of her dying in his hands? She sighed feeling a tinge of sadness wash over her. 

"You'd understand, I have had a long idle life as a demon. If Alois Trancy has managed to spice it up a bit, then perhaps I have underestimated his soul" Claude stated. "I might've taken great pleasure in tearing his apart piece by piece as well.. but... I regret what I did to you Ryoba" Claude stated. "You.. were the loveliest wife anyone could've had. But I took it for granted" He admitted.

 "You are remarkably talkative considering the current state of your injury" Sebastian stated. "Yes... but not for long I fear, my end is indeed at hand" Claude stated. "Well then, do you have any last words?" She asked. "Yes..." Claude said as he readjusted his spectacles.  "Passion into insincerity lies into truth, and a stray dog into an earl, that's what makes a..." He said. "Makes a.. butler" He said.

She put a hand on his resting face. "Just as you've been saying, Claude. Transforming day into night, sugar into salt, creatures into corpses... and navy into golden.. that's what made you, a Trancy butler" She finished saying with a saddened smile. Sebastian then stood up. She did too after grabbing her sacred sword. "A butler indeed.. but whose butler did you die as, Claude?" Sebastian asked.

"Ryoba, shall we get to our young master?" Sebastian asked while extending his hand out to her. "Yes, we shall" She said while grabbing onto his hand.

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"At last, we can know happiness. Oh, dear master. Claude finally acknowledged you" Hannah said. "Hannah" Sebastian called out. "In terms of the contract I've made with my master has been suitably met, all you have to do now is to kill me" She stated. "Simply do that and your young master will have his body back" She explained. "However... even with his body returned, you will find Ciel Phantomhive to be as good as a dead person to you" Hannah said. 

Sebastian was in shock. " My master and I have succeeded, our work is nearly done. As for Ciel Phantomhive..." Hannah said as the part of the rock she was standing on fell. Sebastian extended his hand reaching for his young masters body. Hannah fell head first into the water. Ryoba took the bow she had on her head off and tied it around her hair to keep it in place. She let go of her sacred sword. Hannah and her young master hit the water. 

Ryoba ran to the edge and threw herself off going after them. She was confident she would be able to ensure her masters safety once they were out of the water. The Phantomhive maid swam down as far as she could until she felt something hard hit her head causing her to fall unconcious. 

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