Black Butler: The Lich's Compass

Chapter 5

The morning light was greeted by a piercing scream of a young woman echoing across the plantation, shattering the peaceful lull of the workers' slumber. Ciel's eyes widened as he whipped his head toward the source of the scream. Marisol's heart dropped, and without hesitation, she sprinted toward the sound, her instincts flaring as dread clawed at her.

Sebastian was at Ciel's side in an instant, already knowing what was expected of him. "Stay close, my lord," he said calmly, though his eyes were sharp, calculating the situation with eerie efficiency.

They reached the source of the commotion near the edge of the field. The sight before them was grisly and chilling: three dead workers and one overseer lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies mangled in a way that was neither animalistic nor human. Blood stained the soil, and the scent of death hung thick in the air. The woman who had screamed stood a short distance away, trembling uncontrollably, her hands covering her mouth as if to hold back more cries of horror.

Marisol stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide with shock. Her chest tightened as she stared at the lifeless bodies, her mind racing. This was no ordinary attack. Something far more sinister had been at play here. She knelt down, inspecting the wounds with a grim expression, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered above the torn flesh.

"These injuries..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No animal could've done this."

Sebastian, ever composed, stood beside her, his red eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. "Indeed," he murmured. "The brutality is... excessive. Almost ritualistic."

Ciel, though disturbed by the sight, kept his composure. He had seen death before, but the manner of these deaths was unnerving, even to him. "What do you think happened?" he asked, looking between Marisol and Sebastian.

Marisol rose to her feet, her expression dark. "This wasn't an accident. It wasn't a wild animal, either. The attack was too calculated, too vicious." She clenched her fists. "Something—or someone—wanted these men dead."

Sebastian bent down, inspecting the overseer's body more closely. His gloved fingers touched the ground near the body, where faint, barely visible tracks disappeared into the nearby trees. He straightened up, his smile faint but ominous. "It seems whatever attacked them came from the forest."

Marisol tensed at his words, her gaze shifting toward the dense trees lining the plantation. The rainforest loomed ominously, as though it held a terrible secret within its shadowy depths.

"I've heard rumors," Marisol said quietly, her voice filled with suspicion. "Some say there are things that live deep within the forest—creatures not of this world."

Ciel raised an eyebrow, intrigued but skeptical. "Are you suggesting this is some sort of... supernatural attack?"

Marisol didn't answer immediately, her mind already racing ahead to the possibilities. Her connection to the Taino gods and the unseen forces of the world made her more aware of such dangers than most, but she didn't want to alarm them unnecessarily. Not yet. "I'm not sure," she admitted, her tone guarded. "But I know one thing for certain—whatever did this, it's not natural."

One of the plantation's wives rushed over, her face pale and eyes wide with fear. "¡Dios mío! Who could've done such a thing?"

Marisol turned to her, her expression softening. "Stay calm. We'll find out who—or what—did this."

Sebastian, already following a silent trail in the distance, turned back to Ciel. "My lord, shall I investigate further? It seems we may be dealing with more than mere men."