That Undertaker, an Earl

Splattering Crimson, Dancing Silver

December 25th, 1885

"Hear me, my devout monks and nuns! A month has passed since the new moon, and the vessel is at long last full. Now... let us begin the noble mass once more this evening. The stars of this memorable day... are these two!"

The cult leader swept his right hand in a grand gesture to a pair of young boys- only ten years old. The twin sons of the late Earl Vincent Phantomhive... The youngest turned to his brother, "Ciel... Are they going to hurt us again?"

"... Maybe, but something's odd. Those people... are only looking on tonight. I have a bad feeling about this..."

creee-EEEAK

"Pitiful offerings... the destined time has come. The first glorious lamb whom we offer to our king... is this one."

The leader grabbed Ciel by the left bicep and dragged him to the alter as his brother cried out, "CIEL!"

"WAAH!"

"NO! PLEASE! CIEL!"

"LET ME GO...!"

"Now! Let us offer our prayers to the Devil!"

"Come forth, ye who don the flames of Hell... Ruler of the night, sworn ally of darkness-"

"PLEASE STOP!"

"- The nefarious beast that sups on spilled blood-"

"Help m- nnngh!"

"- Beneath the protection of the moon with its thousand faces-"

"Someone... save Ciel!"

"- Enter into a covenant with me!"

The dagger slipped in the leader's hand, and Ciel's brother reached out for him through the iron bars confining him. As if he could save him...

"Please! Stop! Somebody... Save us all. I don't care who. Just please..."

pssssSSSSSH

Ciel opened his wide, blue eyes and his brother glanced up- as did the cultists- as the skylight shattered. A figure dressed in black with familiar long, silver hair whipping around under a top hat fell from the heavens and landed gracefully beside the leader- blocking the dagger with a carved 2x4 inscribed with Sanskrit. A tohba, or wooden grave marker.

"Undertaker..."

"Hih hih hih hih hih...! I don't remember the last time I laughed this much!"

"Wh- who the Hell are you?!"

The Undertaker turned his head slightly- keeping his hand on the rim of his hat and, though his eyes were hidden as always, a faint, green glow could be seen under his bangs and the leader started to sloooooowly back away, "You wish to know what my name is? It's Ulrich... My name is Ulrich James Phantomhive. I am the true head of the Phantomhive earldom. Estranged husband of Claudia Phantomhive, father of the late Earl Vincent Phantomhive and Lady Francis Midford, and grandfather of Ciel and his brother, Soleil, as well as Elizabeth Midford. Long before I met Claudia and made her my wife, though, I took my own life at only twenty seven years of age... When one commits suicide, they are reincarnated as Shinigami. Death Gods. Grim Reapers... I became known as Afterlife Citizen #136649, and worked in the soul retrieval division for seventy years when I finally grew tired of carrying out such a task, retired, and began to pose as an Undertaker."

Ulrich then began to caress the tohba, "Though my scythe and I had been together for so long I just couldn't bear to part with it... I'm sure you understand," before raising it high above his head. "Well, now! It seems that the tables have turned, and the hunters have become the hunted! Are you ready, little foxes? I'm after you now!"

ssssSSSSWING

"Huh?!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

"GUH!"

"HAHAHA!"

"GAAAAH!"

"HAHAHAHA!"

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

Soleil- still clinging to the bars of his cage- glanced to the left when something hit the ground with a sickening thunk, and his right hand went to his mouth. It was the head of a monk. Eyes rolled back in his head and glazed over, tongue hanging out, and all...

"Hurgh...! BLURGH...! BLEH...!"

Once the contents of his stomach were emptied out onto the marble floor, the boy gasped for air on all fours- keeping his eyes squeezed shut as Ulrich continued his massacre.

CRICK

CRACK

"It is done, my little lords..."

tap tap tap tap tap

RUSTLE

tap tap tap tAP TAP

"Soleil. You can open your eyes now."

Soleil did as he was told, and glanced up to see a bloodied Ulrich- Ciel riding piggyback and burying his face into the Death God's neck. Said Death God was holding a scythe- two feet longer than he was tall- in his right hand, and his bangs had parted so the boy could see a long, jagged scar running across his face and a pair of fiercely glowing, two-toned green eyes as well as a grim expression playing on his lips. Soleil gave a weak smile, "How can Death... be so beautiful yet cruel?"

"U- Under... taker...," he croaked and crawled over to the door- reaching out for him.

creee-EEEAK

Ulrich quickly sheathed his scythe and caught the boy as he fell forward from shock and exhaustion, "Let's go pay your aunt Dalles and Tanaka a visit..."