Chapter Text
He swings his weapon like a baseball bat toward Ronald and Grell, who still lie sprawled on the floor. Sebastian vanishes from the railing, only to reappear beside them. He easily dodges Undertaker's strike.
The floor trembles beneath us, and I almost lose my balance, but Ciel steadies me firmly. I keep my eyes locked on Undertaker, feeling the fear coiling tighter inside me with every movement.
The force of his weapon causes the balcony across from us to collapse, crumbling into a heap. Pieces of wood, chairs, and tables rain down from above.
Sebastian snatches a table mid-fall and hurls it at Undertaker.
Undertaker slashes through it effortlessly with his weapon.
"It's no use," he comments casually. "Cutting a table with this takes no more effort than breaking a cookie."
The shattered debris vanishes, and he realizes Sebastian is no longer where he was.
My eyes catch Sebastian first—he slides behind Undertaker with a sly smirk. "I just wanted to get within the wide reach of this scythe."
Sebastian flips backward on his hands just as Undertaker springs into the air, flipping the opposite way.
"You think of some interesting stuff, butler." Undertaker says, his body closing in on Ciel and me.
Panic wells up inside me.
I grab Ciel and shove him away from the approaching threat. But when Undertaker closes in, he suddenly grabs the front of my dress, his grip rough and unrelenting. I struggle, but even with my enhanced strength, it's futile.
His grasp is terrifyingly strong.
He sets his weapon against the railing for a moment before lifting my brother in his other hand.
We both thrash helplessly, but I can't break free.
"Undertaker, let go of Ciel right now!" I scream.
His smirk widens as he lifts Ciel higher, face inches away. "I can finally put one of you in one of my specially made coffins, earl, little lady." Undertaker teases lightly.
Fury surges through me.
I grab his arm, voice low and growling, "Let him go!" My eyes heat up, and I see Undertaker's widen in surprise. "Now." I say, the tone is deadly.
I sense Sebastian's anger drawing near—he's about to arrive. A flash of black catches my eye, but Undertaker, oblivious, decides to throw Ciel into the air while I remain trapped beneath him.
"No!" I scream as Ciel's foot grazes Sebastian's demonic-shifted face.
"I knew you'd come after me." Undertaker smirks at Sebastian.
Sebastian turns slowly, reaching a hand toward Ciel. But Ciel flies further away, and Sebastian leaps off the railing.
I notice Undertaker seizing his death scythe. Terror blooms in my chest. He's going to hurt Sebastian!
I fight with everything I have, but the old man won't budge. Why am I so weak?!
"Undertaker! Let me go!" I snarl.
He grins slyly, raising the weapon. "Why would I do that?" he asks, narrowing his eyes with wicked glee. "Especially now…"
I stare up at the blade looming above me. Sweat trickles down my neck. The thought of pain makes my lip tremble until I bite it, tasting blood.
I have nothing left to bargain with except the past. "If you have any respect for Vincent left...you will let go of me." I say, voice steady but fierce.
His grip loosens slightly. Good—something got through.
I seize his wrist, prying it off my shift, and spring up onto the railing, standing tall. Undertaker watches me with dull, unreadable eyes.
I spot Sebastian catching Ciel just in time.
Suddenly, the ship shudders violently, and I lose my footing. My eyes fly wide as I start to fall.
"Rina!" Ciel gasps.
"Shit!" I shout, but before I hit the ground, Sebastian catches me mid-air, swift as ever.
I stare at him, stunned, but he avoids my gaze. For a split second, his eyes flare red, his skin darkening with his true nature. Instead of looking at me, he holds me tighter and glides us back toward my brother.
However, Sebastian and I are both idiots for not expecting Undertaker to take this as an advantage despite my threat.
Suddenly, a blade pierces Sebastian's chest and pushes further—cutting into my side. Pain explodes inside me and I yelp sharply.
Cinematic records start pouring out from both of us like glowing threads.
Sebastian stares down at me with horror. The blade is pulled out quickly, and we both collapse to the floor.
I should have known he wouldn't take my words seriously.
"Sebastian!" I cry out, tumbling out of his arms as he lies flat. I clutch my side.
"Rina! Sebastian!" Ciel shouts nearby, his hurried steps echoing.
Sebastian doesn't respond, his eyes glazed over, his records showing everything since he met Ciel.
My own cinematic record splits off from my body, flooding me with memories—flitting so fast through my mind's eye. It starts with my very first memory, rushing all the way to the moment I'm transported here, to the past.
Old emotions and nostalgia flood my body, and I let out a soft sob.
Someone shakes me. A voice pulls me back. I gasp sharply. I cough as Ciel leans over me, frantic. Sebastian's eyes meet mine, panting heavily, clutching his chest, pain written all over him.
Yet his gaze feels all-consuming.
Suddenly, a sharp throb in my side makes me wince. My trembling hand drops there, feeling something wet—red. "Fuck…that hurts." I hiss.
Ciel's eyes widen. "You're bleeding badly," he says, then glances at Sebastian. "You both are."
Sebastian's eyes stay locked on me. "...Can you stand, my lady?"
I wince, pushing up on my arms. The pain is oddly numb—maybe because it's a reaper's scythe, not a human blade. Yet, it aches oddly. Sebastian and Ciel each place a steady hand on my back as I sit up, arms trembling.
My body feels completely drained.
"It's possible." I groan.
"Let me help, my lady." Sebastian offers suddenly, still heaving from his wound.
Ciel steps back, focused on me, his gaze lingering on my injury.
Then, Undertaker appears beside us. "Your records were pretty interesting," he smirks, amused, eyes fixed on me. "But…it seems like you only make the Earl miserable after all." His gaze shifts to Sebastian, directing the observation.
I sweatdrop. He's not wrong. He's a freaking demon.
Undertaker raises his scythe, ready to kill—maybe us, maybe just Sebastian. Ciel gasps. I lean forward to grab him, bracing for the worst.
Suddenly, a terrible trembling shakes the ship. It tilts violently. Furniture crashes down to one side. I scramble, grabbing whatever I can, sliding with the tilt as we all sit on the floor.
"A-Ah!" Ciel and I shout, startled by the fall.
But Sebastian catches us both in his arms, holding us tight as the ship trembles and tilts further.
"Could it already be!?" Grell shouts from afar, feeling it too.
"My, my. I guess it'll be soon?" Undertaker grins sadistically.
Sebastian struggles to balance us. "Damnit!" he curses.
I'd laugh hearing him curse for the first time if the situation weren't so dire. The ship tilts more. I'd be screaming if not for the demon holding me now.
Sebastian uses his strength to sling me onto his back and jump up just in time as gravity pulls hard. Ciel is in his other arm. I cling tightly, briefly noting his demonic eyes glowing—he must be using his powers.
The floor vanishes beneath us.
Sebastian grabs a part of a railing from the balcony above, hanging loose.
Below, Ryan Stoker screams, flying and colliding with the back of the room—dead on impact. I wince at the horrific sight—his body sprawled like a starfish, eyes wide, blood everywhere.
Grell lands on the platform above, smirking toothily. "Ryan Stoker, born August 24th, 1854. Death by falling accident on April 20th, 1889. No special remarks." she reads from her journal. "Sebas-chan, as you can see, there's really no time. I'm sorry, but I'll be taking him. You just stay there and watch." Grell gestures toward where Undertaker watches Ryan's body, clutching a pillar with interest.
"I won't!" Sebastian shouts, irritation thick in his voice. I press my face against his neck for some comfort—as if it's instinct. He stiffens but doesn't respond before a lawnmower's roar cuts through everything.
Panic shoots through me as I glance up.
Ronald appears, steering the lawnmower straight at us.
Sebastian notices too, releases the railing, and lets us fly backward, using gravity for a moment's advantage.
Ronald lands, steadying himself with a pillar. "Senpai's stronger than me, so I'll leave that one to him." he grins.
Sebastian lands far enough from Ronald, grabbing a pillar on the ground floor. He grunts, struggling to hold us.
I lean back, staring at his bleeding wound, heart aching. He's panting, pushing his body beyond its limit, and I tighten my grip, glancing down at Ciel. Worry shadows his face too—even he doubts this fight.
"I'll finish off the weakened one over here." Ronald calls out cockily, mocking us and informing Grell.
Did he just call Sebastian weak? My irritation flares instantly. Why does that sting so much? Before I can think further, Ciel smirks.
"Hmph. I can't have you looking down on my butler. Weakened? Lose to you? That isn't even funny," Ciel states confidently. "Right, Sebastian?"
Sebastian's shock at Ciel's defense is clear. I smile subtly, resting my chin on Sebastian's shoulder, watching them fondly.
Sebastian collects himself, smirks cockily. "Yes, very much so."
"It's not every day someone has a demon butler. Even I must say, Sebastian's stronger than you give him credit for. Even in this state." I state to Ronald, grinning.
"My lady?" Sebastian asks, surprised by my words, then coughs loudly. Blood spills from his mouth.
I frown, more concerned, noticing his back bleeding through my dress. Confidence matters, but so does his health. I press my body tighter against his back, hoping to stop the bleeding like you would with a human injury.
"Oh man," Ronald sighs, watching us. "It's like I'm picking on the weak here…" he says, bored.
Sebastian suddenly lowers Ciel, who grabs the pillar tightly. Sebastian looks back at me. I understand. I let go of him and step down from his back. He places me behind Ciel to hold the pillar, smirking.
Wiping dried blood from his mouth, Sebastian vanishes in a flash.
I watch, awed, as he darts across the room and delivers a solid punch to Ronald's face.
I marvel as Ronald gets knocked back—only to be slammed again with a brutal kick to the gut. Sebastian's leg connects with immense force, sending Ronald flying across the room. His body skids and crashes into the floor, rebounds, then smacks back down again. The impact echoes. Ronald scrambles to regain control, flipping his lawnmower up mid-air like a lifeline.
But Sebastian's already on him.
He stalks Ronald without hesitation, movement sleek and relentless. He catches the reaper by the shirt near his throat, yanking him close. I can't make out what Sebastian says—but I feel the weight of his smugness, thick and sure.
His aura is razor-sharp, humming with satisfaction.
Ronald swings overhead with the lawnmower in a desperate arc. Sebastian shifts in an instant. It's like he melts through space, sliding behind Ronald's back with unnatural precision. Both of them plant their feet, gravity pulling hard from the tilted ship, but they slide like predators in a dance. Ronald tries again to strike, blade whirring, but Sebastian launches upward before contact can be made.
The force of Ronald's failed swing sends his death scythe tearing into the heap of broken tables below.
That opening is all Sebastian needs.
With one clean motion, he kicks Ronald straight back up—his body arcs into the balcony above like a ragdoll tossed by a storm.
So much is happening at once, I can barely track it all.
On the other side of the room, Grell and Undertaker clash violently. Their scythes collide mid-air, floating and spinning with unnatural weightlessness. The ship's lurch makes everything feel unsteady, surreal.
I glance down at Ciel. He's tense, watching every movement but saying nothing. His eyes flicker toward the center where Undertaker and Grell spiral, but he's not focused on our safety—only the outcome.
I swallow hard and shift my gaze back to Sebastian.
Sebastian has Ronald grounded now, standing over him like a shadow of vengeance. One foot pins Ronald's chest while his fist rises—and then slams down. I can't even tell how many times he punches him. The movements blur. It's violent, relentless, and oddly graceful. I sweatdrop.
Once Sebastian's satisfied—or maybe bored—he hurls Ronald like discarded trash into the air. The limp reaper slams directly into Grell mid-fight, knocking both of them into the wreckage at the back of the ship with a loud crash. I snort despite myself. Serves them right.
I catch Ciel's reaction. He watches smugly. Typical.
Sebastian lands beside us with a fluid thud, the lawnmower in his hand like a trophy. I raise an eyebrow at the sight—him holding it is almost comical in contrast to his usual elegance.
He gives us a once-over, calculating, then sets his foot on the mower with that smug grin I've come to know all too well. "Young'uns these days are really so feeble. Isn't it kind of old-fashioned to just rely on your deathscythe?" he mocks.
The sheer satisfaction in his voice sends a shiver through me. I can't help myself.
"Aren't you old as hell?" I say with a teasing smirk.
His eyes narrow at me, but the smirk returns—wider this time.
"You could say I have a lot of experience."
…Okay. Why does that sound flirty?
My heart stutters. My cheeks heat up. I blink too quickly and try to look anywhere but at him. There's definitely a double meaning in there. That smug bastard. I feel his amusement wash over me, like he's so proud of that reaction.
My jaw clenches, and I glance away before he can see more.
Ciel stares between us, confused, but doesn't say anything. Eventually, he redirects. "So what's left is—" he starts.
But the ship suddenly gives a tremendous groan beneath us.
It tilts hard. So violently I feel it in my spine, the very air groaning with strain. "T-This is bad!" Ciel shouts, clinging onto Sebastian.
I do the same instinctively, arms locking around his waist without thinking. Across the ship, I see Undertaker perched on the balcony, unmoved and watching us like a cat waiting for the kill.
Before we can even react further, something cracks.
A wall explodes beside us.
Water floods through like a beast unchained, roaring and furious.
I scream—sharp and real—as the wave barrels toward us.
Sebastian moves instantly, faster than my own instincts. He grabs both me and Ciel and throws himself between us and the oncoming torrent. His body shields us as best it can. I cling to him tighter, teeth chattering from the cold impact and the sheer terror of drowning—yet he holds firm, unmoving, as if he could block the ocean itself.
His eyes are squeezed shut as the force of the ship's tilt smacks into him. I stare up at Sebastian, concern twisting in my chest.
That has to hurt—especially with his wound.
"Well then, it's finally time to say goodbye. It was pretty interesting." Undertaker says with a wide, casual grin as he begins to move—clearly preparing to leave like he hadn't just nearly killed us.
Sebastian's body shifts.
He turns sharply, eyes flashing as he glares at Undertaker with clenched teeth. That's all the cue I need—I grab onto him again without hesitation, climbing onto his back like before.
We are not going down without a fight.
He grabs Ciel tightly and, after confirming I'm secure, leaps—powerful legs launching us toward Undertaker like a missile.
It catches Undertaker off guard for just a second.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Grell mirroring our trajectory—scythe out and gleaming with bloodthirst. She's gunning for Undertaker too. Sebastian twists his body mid-air and his leg rockets out for a brutal kick aimed at Undertaker's head.
At the same time, Grell swings for his stomach, her chainsaw scythe roaring with intention.
Undertaker reacts just in time, barely managing to deflect Grell's attack with his own scythe.
At the same moment, he dodges Sebastian's kick with a fluid, theatrical twist of his head—smirking all the while.
I click my tongue in irritation.
Of course he avoids them both.
As we begin drifting downward again, the broken ship sprays mist and droplets around us in scattered flashes. My eyes catch something golden flinging from Undertaker's coat—those lockets he always wears.
His eyes widen in surprise. He reaches out instinctively for them.
But it's not him who catches them.
Ciel does.
My brother's fingers clasp around the lockets just before they can fall further. I blink in shock.
Undertaker notices too. For a moment, his face goes still—then he smiles. It's that eerie, unreadable smile that always makes my skin crawl.
"Earl. I'll entrust that to you for a while. Please take good care of it," he says, landing effortlessly on a narrow balcony beam. His eyes remain fixed on us as we fall toward the floor. "It's my treasure."
We hit the ground, still stunned.
My breath catches in my throat as I stare up at him. He turns around slowly, combing his fingers through his pale silver hair like this is just another stroll in the park.
Ciel, still holding the lockets, extends his hand. "Wait, Undertaker!"
But Undertaker only glances over his shoulder. "See you, Earl, little lost Lady." He raises his scythe slowly, hair twisting in the air around him. That smile stays.
"Let's meet again."
And then—
A burst of power explodes from him.
His scythe swings wide, slicing through the very air. The ship splits in half with a blinding flash of light and a deafening boom that shakes everything in my bones.
The force is so intense I squeeze my eyes shut, instinctively burying my face into Sebastian's neck as he shields us.
I feel him move—fast, almost too fast for my body to process.
"My lady!" Sebastian shouts suddenly. His voice vibrates with urgency, and I lift my head slightly to see his eyes glowing, burning with his true nature. He twists his head just enough to look at me. "Please, hold tight." His tone is serious. Not teasing. Not sarcastic.
Dead serious.
I nod and tighten my grip until my fingers ache. Then he crouches.
And leaps.
The strength in that jump sends us soaring into the sky. My hair whips upward, and my stomach flips violently.
"Holy shit!" I scream without thinking, adrenaline spiking. We're so high—the ship shrinks beneath us, one half rising upright out of the ocean in a beautiful, terrifying mess. It looks like something out of a nightmare painting.
"Wow…" I breathe, stunned despite myself.
But the awe doesn't last long. Gravity pulls us down sharply.
We plummet.
I squeeze my eyes shut again as my stomach slams against my ribs, breath leaving me. And then—
Sebastian lands hard, feet planting firmly on the ship's tilting deck.
He doesn't pause.
He runs.
"It doesn't look like this side will hold either!" he yells over the chaos, his voice tight with tension. I can feel the stress radiating from him, and it only makes my own worse.
"We're going to die," I whimper pitifully. Panic claws at my throat. "I'm going to die on a rip-off of the Titanic!"
I press my forehead to Sebastian's shoulder in despair.
"Please, compose yourself, my lady!" he barks, dodging debris without missing a step.
He sprints up the broken ship with speed I didn't think even he possessed, weaving around chunks of metal, glass, even flailing bodies. I barely glance at them. I can't afford to care right now—survival is all that matters.
Something massive drops toward us—a life raft. Without slowing, Sebastian snatches it with one hand.
And suddenly, we're there. The tip of the ship.
Everything below us is water now.
The ocean stretches endlessly, glinting with cruel promise. My heart pounds wildly as I stare down, fear trickling in despite everything we've just survived.
"Young master." Sebastian calls out, and I glance toward my brother, confused. Sebastian sets Ciel down just long enough to slip the life raft over him in one swift motion.
My eyes widen.
"Wait, wait, wait—" I start, panic tightening my throat. The ship is sinking fast—there's no time to hesitate. That's when I realize exactly what Sebastian is about to do.
"Take a deep breath!" Sebastian shouts, lifting Ciel up.
"Eh? What?" Ciel blinks, confused, a bead of sweat sliding down his face.
I cling tighter to Sebastian as he hoists Ciel over his shoulder like a living missile. My stomach drops.
He's going to launch him.
"With the situation being as it is, please forgive me!" Sebastian says, clearly on edge.
"What are you—" Ciel doesn't even finish before Sebastian uses his unnatural strength to hurl him skyward like a cannonball, leaping onto the railing as the boat groans beneath us.
"WHAAAAAAA!"
"Fenian!" I scream after him, watching his tiny figure disappear into the dark sky.
"My lady, he'll be alright!" Sebastian tries to reassure me, but my heart is still racing. "You should be more concerned about yourself right now!"
He grabs me from behind and cradles me to his chest. His demonic eyes blaze in the dark as he meets my gaze.
"Take a deep breath!" he commands.
I gasp in a lungful of air—and then we leap.
The moment we're airborne, the ship disappears beneath us. Wind lashes my face, yanking my hair in every direction—then ice-cold water crashes around us, swallowing everything.
It takes everything in me not to gasp.
It's like being stabbed by a thousand frozen needles. I twist in Sebastian's arms, overwhelmed by pain. I hadn't even realized I'd squeezed my eyes shut until I force them open—and the saltwater burns.
I turn toward him and freeze. He's no longer in human form.
Ink-black shadows ripple from him, warping through the water like something alive. I can still see him—his shape, his eyes—and I know. I know it's him. Even if my body's shutting down from the cold.
I tremble violently. Not from fear—but from the unbearable, biting chill. He pulls me closer to that darkness, holding me against his much larger form, his glowing eyes locked on mine.
With a burst of speed, we break the surface.
I cough hard, salt and water burning up my nose and throat.
"Sebas…stian…" I sputter between gasps, still shivering uncontrollably.
Everything stings. Everything's numb.
"Are you alright, Rina?" His voice sounds deeper now. Less human. Calm.
"D-Do I l-look a-alright?!" I snap through chattering teeth. "I f-feel like an ice c-cube."
"Yes, well," he sighs, voice calm as ever despite the chaos, and begins swimming quickly with one arm and his legs.
My eyes adjust to the darkness of the night. I stare down at his skin—it's nearly pitch black. Larger. More monstrous than I'm used to.
"The water is currently two degrees." he informs me.
I twitch an eyebrow and sneeze so violently it startles me. His arm stays tight around me. "N-No shit," I groan, lips nearly too frozen to move. "Could it kill you to be a bit more sympathetic? I could die in this condition."
He doesn't answer, but I feel his grip on me tighten.
I notice a boat in the distance and how he's swimming toward it.
When we reach the boat, he lifts me easily out of the water. I try to climb in, but my limbs are barely responding. Not to mention my wounds aren't helping the extra weight. He pushes from behind—literally lifting me by the arse—and I flop face-first into the base of the raft with a grunt.
I hear him laugh. That low, dark chuckle of his. I scowl, still trembling.
"I assure you, my lady," he says from the water's edge, "I am being as sympathetic as I can given my nature. You have not died yet, have you?"
I sit up on shaky elbows, lips wobbling in a pout as I sniffle. He grabs the back of the boat. Is he going to push us? My thoughts spin wildly. Where's Ciel?
We need to find him—now.
"You're only helping me because Ciel ordered you to," I mutter bitterly. "You would've let me die otherwise. This would've been the perfect opportunity, after all."
My chest tightens, and for a split second, I remember it. The last mission. The confession. How it blew up in my face—and how he responded.
I look away from him. I can't help the ache that creeps in.
He was so cold at the beginning of this trip, but somehow, we've slipped back into our usual banter. I find his glowing eyes through the dark as waves crash against the boat. My arms are wrapped tightly around myself. I'm still shivering when he suddenly smirks, wide and feral.
My heart skips.
"My, my," he drawls. "You truly do see me as a monster. And while I do take pleasure in the art of killing...even I am not always a murderer."
Without warning, he launches us forward—just goes, like a demonic outboard motor. I scream and grip the edge of the boat, knuckles white. "What the fuck?!"
The freezing wind lashes my face, dragging my wet hair across my cheeks like whips. "You're insane!" I yell into the night, eyes tearing up from the sting of salt and cold.
His laughter behind me is unhinged.
That manic thrill in it sends a chill straight through my spine. I twist around to glare at him, even if he can't see me. "You're enjoying this too much even though you're in pain!" I shout over the roar of the water.
"Would you prefer I let you drift at sea, frozen and alone?" he calls back, maddeningly calm.
I grit my teeth and shove my wet hair out of my eyes. "I'd prefer not to die at the hands of a demon with no self-preservation, thanks!"
Just as suddenly as he started, he jerks the boat to a halt and disappears beneath the surface.
I gasp, unsteady from the abrupt stop, heart hammering. I lean over the edge, breath catching—and freeze. No sign of Ciel. Just the life raft. No small body, no struggling limbs.
Panic flares in my chest like wildfire.
He could be drowning right now, while we were too busy arguing. I grab the side of the raft with trembling hands, too cold to feel my fingers.
My eyes dart over the waves, searching—
Ciel breaks the surface with a gasp, coughing violently, and a second later Sebastian appears beside him, back in his human form. It's jarring—like whiplash—to see him shift so fluidly from one form to the other.
"Feni!" I cry, half-sobbing as I lean out to grab him. Sebastian lifts him up effortlessly and I snatch him close, wrapping my arms around his tiny, freezing frame. He shudders against me like a leaf.
He's just a boy. My baby brother.
I kiss his wet hair and rub up and down his back. "I got you." I whisper, voice thick with relief.
"I found this boat drifting in the water. It seems a group was not able to board it in time. So I went and borrowed this." Sebastian tells Ciel, who still hacks and wheezes in my arms.
I glance down at Sebastian, still half-submerged, his pale fingers gripping the raft.
Ciel keeps trembling. I hold him tighter, trying to pass what little warmth I have left into him.
Sebastian suddenly tosses his suit jacket up and it hits the deck with a wet splat.
"Please wear this. I'm sorry I can't prepare any hot tea for you." he says with a gentle smile.
I help Ciel into it, though my own fingers barely function from the cold. At least it'll offer something—anything—to shield his fragile body.
"Please bear with it for a while."
The distant sound of screaming pierces the air. My blood runs cold in a new way. Survivors. People still alive. Begging. Crying.
I whip my head toward the sound. Ciel does too. It's the other passengers—so many of them.
"If we go back they will sink this boat too…" Sebastian says plainly.
I don't respond. My stomach twists with guilt, but he's right. They'll swarm us. Tip the boat. Kill us all in desperation.
"Let's get away."
I meet his gaze, empty and heavy.
He floats backward, hands steadying on the back of the boat. Then he pushes, his strength cutting cleanly through the waves as we drift further from the chorus of the dying.
I look down at my brother again. He hasn't stopped shaking. Neither have I, but I've been out of the water longer. My body is starting to remember how to work.
"My hair is…freezing up…" he murmurs, dazed. "Sleepy…"
No.
My eyes widen in horror at the implication.
I shake him hard. "Don't you dare even think about closing your eyes!" I yell, voice sharp like a slap.
He jolts in my arms, startled.
Then—Sebastian gasps. Loud. Urgent.
"What?!" he shouts, alarm in his voice.
My body jerks into high alert, and I release Ciel quickly, crawling to the edge where Sebastian's still in the water. My heart slams into my ribs.
Something's wrong.
I peer over—and freeze. A zombie clutches his leg.
"Sebastian!" I scream, horror splitting through me.
The thing lurches and bites—sinks its rotted jaws into him.
"Kuh!" Sebastian grunts, then kicks the creature's head clean off, severing it.
"What the actual fuck?!" I shout, adrenaline lighting my nerves. "They can move in the water too!? Sebastian, are you okay?!"
"This is nothing, my lady." he growls, glaring down at the floating head.
"They don't need to breathe, so I guess they can't drown either. Then…" Ciel observes, his voice trailing with thought.
Sebastian surges up suddenly and claps a hand over Ciel's mouth.
"Ssh! Quiet!"
I listen closely, eyes fixed on the ocean, every nerve tight with anticipation. Bubbles rise suddenly to the surface—then heads. Dozens of them. Sebastian drops his hand from Ciel's mouth, and the three of us freeze, taking in the horror surfacing around us.
"N…No way," Ciel stutters, his voice trembling.
Groans echo from the undead as they emerge fully, grotesque faces bobbing just above the water. I shiver, dread crawling down my spine. "Oh, fuck us," I mutter, gripping the boat's edge as they begin swimming fast in our direction. I thrust my hand out to Sebastian in panic. "Sebastian! Get in!"
He doesn't hesitate.
His fingers clamp around mine—firm, alive—and I haul with everything I've got, pain searing through my side and arm from earlier. He uses his legs to push up, and together we drag him into the boat.
The second he's in, he yanks us back, shielding us from the snapping jaws already reaching for us over the edge.
They're relentless.
Without a word, Sebastian snatches one of the wooden paddles and swings hard. The blow cracks like thunder. Rotting bodies collapse backward, black blood spraying across the raft.
I sit stiffly at the bow beside Ciel, fear sticking in my throat. I hadn't realized how completely surrounded we were.
Then—an icy hand bursts from the water and grabs Ciel's wrist.
"WHA!?" he cries out, startled.
Before I can react, Sebastian kicks the creature straight in the face. Its skull caves in, and it slumps back into the sea.
"This isn't good!" I gasp. My pulse is flying. "This is nightmare fuel! How many are there!?"
Sebastian surveys the waves, breath ragged. "I don't know. But…they'll probably continue to pursue souls until their bodies rot away," he says grimly. "Which means you two are likely the only living humans nearby."
"Oh, perfect!" I snap with a too-wide grin. "This night just keeps getting better!" I force a laugh, shoving my frozen fingers through my hair. It's stiff as ice.
Despite everything, Sebastian's eyes glint with faint amusement. Ciel, still shivering, scans the dark horizon. "Then, we can't escape," he says, teeth chattering. "If we do, Lizzy and the rest will be targeted! We can't expose the survivors to danger…" He pants heavily, then lunges forward to stomp another zombie trying to board.
Sebastian swings again, dispatching it cleanly.
"Whether it's a good or bad thing…they only seem to be interested in the souls nearest to them!"
Ciel stands, jaw set, and I straighten with him. We both peer over the edge at the incoming swarm.
"We'll stop them here," he declares. "You can take them, can't you, Sebastian?"
"There is no need to ask a servant anything," Sebastian replies smoothly. "Please give me an order."
I grab the second paddle and square my stance. "Me as well."
Ciel blinks, surprised—but doesn't argue. Something shifts in his expression. Maybe for once he understands: four hands are better than two. "This is an order, Rina, Sebastian!" he shouts, ripping off his eye patch. The contract sigil burns bright in the night. "Eradicate them!"
I move behind Ciel as Sebastian takes the front. The undead close in.
"Yes, my lord!" Sebastian answers sharply.
"You got it, sport!" I flash a sharp smile, my pulse hammering.
The zombies surge forward, clawing at the raft. I brace myself.
"It's going to get a little shaky!" Sebastian warns. He swings in a wide arc, striking five at once. Ciel ducks low to avoid the blow. I lash out at two of them, the paddle slamming against soft skulls with sickening crunches.
"So hold onto the boat!" he finishes.
Chaos erupts.
The raft bucks under the weight of battle. Blood slicks the floor. I strike again and again, arms burning, body soaked in sweat, seawater, and blood. Rotten bodies fall overboard, but more just keep coming. I manage to hold my side—barely—but Sebastian is a blur of motion. Demonic. Efficient.
I stagger back to breathe for a second, gasping. My side's on fire. I look down and see blood streaking through my soaked shirt, trickling down my leg in rivulets.
I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.
Exhaustion claws at my ribs. I can't let it win. Not now. Not while Ciel's still fighting beside me.
A zombie hauls itself onto the boat and I smash it harder than necessary, my fury pouring out with every strike.
"Stupid, fucking zombie pieces of shit!" I snarl, my eyes burning. Heat coils behind me. I feel Sebastian's presence—his quiet amusement radiating like a furnace.
Why the hell is he enjoying this?
The boat sways, jerking me sideways.
I stumble, nearly falling, but Ciel catches my leg to steady me. I meet his eye, wide with concern, and give him a faint smile. I'm grateful he's still here—still standing.
Another zombie climbs on the opposite side. Sebastian appears in a flash, dispatching it with a hiss and a gleaming grin.
"My lady," he purrs, fangs glinting. "...Please pay more attention."
I don't smile back. I'm too drained to joke anymore, even with him. My vision swims. I try not to let it show.
Then—I hear another groan. A zombie claws toward Sebastian's now-vacated spot. I grit my teeth and lunge, ramming the paddle clean through its rotting skull.
It flails, then topples into the waves.
"M...Maybe you should stop showing off and g-get back to your spot." I gasp, breathless, legs trembling.
His eyes widen, the smirk vanishing from his face.
His features flatten into something unreadable—stoic. "I apologize, my lady." he sighs, then walks past me with quiet grace. He resumes his post at the boat's edge, though I feel his gaze linger on me a moment longer than necessary. Heavy. Quiet. Watching.
The undead don't let up.
They keep crawling, keep grabbing, moaning and snapping their jaws over the rim of the boat. Once, one almost gets me. We keep swinging, stomping, surviving. The minutes stretch. One hour. Then another half. It doesn't stop.
Until—finally—the sun crests the horizon.
Sebastian delivers a final, merciless blow, and the last zombie drops with a splatter. Silence crashes over us. The boat sways gently, bodies bobbing in the blood-slick water around us.
The sunlight cuts over the wreckage like a cruel kind of grace.
I pant hard and slowly turn. My limbs are stiff, trembling. Sebastian looks nearly as ruined as I feel. Our eyes lock.
"Is it…over?" Ciel asks, voice small and hoarse from behind us.
I let the wooden paddle fall from my hands with a dull clatter. My knees wobble. "I think so." I murmur.
Then Sebastian drops.
He collapses to his knees, clutching his side. His paddle thuds to the floor beside him. His face tightens in pain, eyes squeezed shut.
"Sebastian!" I cry, lurching toward him. I drop beside him and gasp at the sight of fresh blood still leaking from his wound, now bathed in morning light. I press my hand to it, gently but firmly.
"A death scythe blow is quite tough…even on someone like me." he groans through clenched teeth.
"You'll be okay, won't you?" I whisper, biting my lip. I hate the tremble in my voice.
His eyes flutter open. Despite everything, a small smile curves his lips. "To have my lady worry about a creature like me…" he breathes, voice thin, brittle.
Then he coughs—violent, hacking.
Blood spills from his mouth.
I freeze. My face drains.
"Undertaker…" Ciel mutters. I glance back and see him staring at the gold funeral lockets. "What is his goal…?"
"I cannot comprehend, but…" Sebastian murmurs, his head tipping toward Ciel, "as long as you hold those funeral lockets, I am sure we will meet him again. He didn't seem to wish you harm…but I'd rather not encounter him again." His words fade into another coughing fit.
He covers his mouth each time. Red stains his fingers.
I tighten my grip on him. "Sebastian…" I whimper, helpless. My hand moves instinctively—gently patting his back, trying to soothe him. Useless. But he doesn't pull away. He lets me touch him.
I've never seen him like this.
"I've never seen you like this before." Ciel echoes aloud, mirroring my thoughts.
"I am deeply sorry for the unseemly state…" Sebastian rasps. He attempts a small bow from his seated position, one hand clutching his chest. "I have failed as the Phantomhive family butler."
I want to argue—but my body betrays me.
My limbs give out. My brain shuts off, the moment crashing in on me like a wave I can't swim through. My strength vanishes. I collapse.
"Rina!" Ciel cries out.
The world spins as two strong arms catch me. My head is swimming, closing in around my eyes.
"My lady!" I hear him shout—his voice sharp with panic—just before everything goes black.