Black Butler: The Stellar Dove

Chapter 26.1: The Burning One

  They arrived at the site shortly to see Sebastian hadn't exaggerated when he said it was a run down, abandoned shack on a deserted street. The place felt eerie to them all, giving them the feeling that they shouldn't be there, yet no one turned back.

"Grell," Sebastian asked the reaper just as they stopped. "I need to ask you a very important question. Will anyone die tonight?"

"By anyone, you mean that girl," Grell scoffed, crossing her arms and turning away.

"Please, Grell," Sebastian placed a hand on her arm, an innocent look in his eyes and a sad frown on his lips. "It troubles me so not knowing..." he placed an arm around her and pulled her a bit closer to him.

"Oh, I both love and hate the way you can woo information out of me, Bassy!" she cried. "Let's see..." she pulled a paper from her coat. "Hm... not anyone that we know."

"It should be safe, then," he nodded. "Thank you, Grell."

~~~~

My blood froze at the sight of the shack. It wasn't just the appearance of it, or the chill the empty air had, but something else, something that made my heart race.

"Estella," Sebastian placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I gasped. "I recognize this place."

Sebastian's eyes widened, if hold on me tightening. "If you don't want to come inside, I understand..."

"No," I shook my head, placing a (shaking) hand on his. "I want to proceed. This place... it could hold the answers to who I am. Even though in the past I've said that I would be content if never knew, I cannot live with the regret of disregarding my one chance."

Ciel looked to us. "I'll go first, along with Sebastian. The rest of you stay out here for a moment while we investigate."

"Alright, bye then!" Undertaker called, waving his floppy sleeves goodbye at them.

I watched them step inside, shutting the door softly behind them. I looked to the two I was left with. Undertaker was sitting on the ground eating something out of a jar that I didn't want to know the name of. Grell leaned up against the carriage, picking at her nails. I stood stiff as a board, playing with my hair nervously.

"You look tense, Estella," Grell told me. "Why don't you just relax? We won't bite." She grinned, sending the absolute wrong message.

"I might!" Undertaker laughed, licking some... I really don't want to know... off his finger.

"Well, you're both doing a fine job of creeping me out," I said jokingly. My smile faded as I looked back to the building. "But, you're definitely not what has me tense."

~~~~

"It smells awful in here," Ciel coughed, following closely behind his butler.

"Please watch your step right there, the floors rotten," Sebastian warned.

"It seems to be just an old house," he said, looking to his butler. "There's nothing here that's of any use to us, not even any furniture. This place seems to be empty, but... I have a gut feeling otherwise."

"I must agree. There's much more to this place than meets the eye," Sebastian smiled, tapping his foot on the floorboard.

He kicked up a loose slab to reveal a trap door underneath. He cautiously opened it to reveal a tunnel with a ladder leading into shadows.

"Allow me to test it, young master," Sebastian said as he started down the ladder. Once his feet hit solid ground below, Ciel continued down after him.

"I can't see a thing," Ciel told Sebastian.

As soon as he said it, the butler had taken a torch from the wall and lit it. "There we are."

"I knew there was something peculiar about this place," Ciel said as he looked ahead into the distance. There seemed to be two different tunnels, going in separate directions. "Which way should we go?"

"Perhaps we should start one way and investigate it fully, then move on to the next. Whichever way we choose, we should tread carefully."

They began walking down the tunnel to the left. Not being able to see anything, Ciel held onto Sebastian's coattail. Sebastian's eyes were darting around constantly looking for hidden traps. Luckily, there seemed to be none.

Soon they saw light streaming through a doorframe ahead.

"We may not be alone in here," Sebastian whispered as they neared the door. He could hear someone moving about on the other side.

Once they reached the door, Ciel held his breath. Sebastian pushed it open slowly to reveal a room lit with candles, papers scattered about desks, bottles on shelves, and a figure standing in the center of the room.

He had a tall and slender build, reddish gold, fire-like hair with white streaks that fell to his shoulders in curling waves. He wore a red and gold suit, along with a pure white coat that went to his ankles. "I've been waiting for you..." he turned slowly to meet look at Sebastian with eyes as black as coal. "Demon Butler."

~~~~

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