Time continued to pass, Ciel had become so obsessed with finding a way to save Sebastian that he had forgotten to enjoy their last few moments together. It was the way things had gone for them in the last few years of the demon's life. He understood what Ciel was trying to do, so he never complained...but Sebastian would always regret ever telling Ciel that his end was near. Why had he let the previous earl coax him into speaking the truth? He could have lied...he could have done something...but he didn't, and Ciel had become like this...
The previous earl watched as his butler slowly withered away, it hurt him inside, it hurt him outside. Sebastian was not the only one going through terrible times. Ciel could tell that dying for a demon was incredibly painful, Sebastian was providing the proof for that.
But why was it so painful?
Because demons did not have a soul, that is why.
They cannot have the soul leave their body as humans do. Instead, demons have to live out the antagonizing moments of the body withering away. While humans can rest in peace not experiencing the suffering that goes along with decomposition, demons have to live through those moments, until their body can no longer move because it is so far gone. This is what Sebastian had to do...this is what Ciel had to watch Sebastian go through...
Sebastian became paler and paler everyday. His eyes did not have the same glow as they always had before. You could tell the demon was sick, the reminder that Sebastian would leave only angered Ciel. The previous earl grew distant from his butler, ignoring him completely to 'provide more time to look for a cure'. That was his reason, his rationalization, he would not allow himself to stop searching, and as a result, he never gave the demon (who was not dead yet) another thought.
In addition to his complexion, the demon's body was becoming increasingly thin. His clothes hung loosely on his figure as he began to grow ever so weak. Sebastian had managed to last this long but he knew that he would never survive another year. It was time for him to go back 'home', to his place in hell, at least then, he might last a bit longer. What was the point in him trying such a thing? Ciel rarely ever gave him the time of day anymore...Sebastian didn't understand his reasoning himself...
"Young Master?" Sebastian wandered the halls of the manor. There were only a few rooms that the two ever used, but Ciel was not in either one of them. Sebastian was having a difficult time finding his 'master', with his demonic powers fading, he had to search the entire manor on foot (which was tiring for him in his current state).
The only place that the demon had not checked, was the basement. Why would Ciel be down there? It was so vacant. The only thing that had been in the cellar was the wine, but after Ciel had become a demon he promptly sold all of that away, leaving the basement incredibly bare.
Sebastian walked down the the creaky steps to the depths of the manor. When was the last time had ever been down here? Sebastian couldn't remember, it didn't seem important anyway. The only thing that mattered was that he find Ciel, that he tell Ciel to go with him to hell. Sebastian wanted to see his 'home' one last time. If the demon was going to die, he wanted to choose his graveyard.
"Young Master?" Sebastian called out once more. He had found Ciel in the basement, the last place he had left to check. Apparently, without Sebastian's knowledge, Ciel had turned the basement into some sort of research area. The previous earl kept all of his findings about the deaths of demons here, they were scattered along the floor of the entire cellar. Sebastian could barely speak because of his shock. Ciel really was obsessed.
"Sebastian? What are you doing down here?!" Ciel's voice was louder than usual, he was agitated and wanted to take a really long nap. What was this demon doing in his research area? Can't he see that he was busy? What is his problem?
Sebastian, who was used to being treated this way as of late, smiled albeit sadly. "I'm here to say goodbye," the demon announced. Although he had come down here with full intentions to convince the previous earl to go with him, Sebsatian had changed his mind. Upon seeing this room it was clear that Ciel was too interested in his 'research' than the demon himself. Sebastian had already decided he was going, with or without the master.
"Goodbye? Why? Where are you going?" Ciel asked. His annoyance was clear in his tone. What was his butler thinking?! He couldn't just leave!
"Does it matter where I go?" Sebastian answered the question with a question. Why was Ciel now starting to care? The human-turned-demon was way too self involved to give Sebastian a second thought, and now he was starting to care? This was simply too much...
"Because you can't just leave! You're in no condition to!"
"Condition? Since when do you care about my 'condition'?" Sebastian spat. He was tired of this, tired of Ciel, tired of even being alive. Why couldn't death just strike him down already? All of this waiting had gotten to him, at least if he died Ciel would mourn him then.
"I've always cared!" Ciel said. Sebastian rolled his eyes. He didn't have to put up with this, there was no way that Ciel would understand what he had been experiencing, unless he experienced the things himself. That was the conclusion the demon had made. He turned to walk up the cellar steps, ignoring Ciel's ramblings to try and make the demon stay.
"Fine then! You can just go to hell for all I care!" Ciel yelled, little did he know that was exactly what the demon was planning to do.
Or at least that was his goal, but he would never make it.
Luck was not on his side.
The ex-butler had tripped over one of the piles of materials Ciel had placed on the cellar steps. The demon fell backward, his reflexes not moving fast enough to save him. His head hit the ground, knocking him unconscious. Blood pooled out of Sebastian's head. Ciel had witnessed the event, it seemed to be in slow motion for him. Could he get there fast enough? Could he break Sebastian's fall? Why had he said those things just then? Why didn't he try to talk to Sebastian more calmly?
These thoughts and more flooded through Ciel's brain. The previous earl ran to his butler's side and tried to move him. The unconscious body was not responding...
Would it never respond to him again?
