Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or its characters. They are the creation of Yoshida Sunao (Rest in Peace). The anime and manga are based on his novel series. Actually, I have not read the novels. This fic is going to be based largely on the anime. If you are following the novel, just treat this as AU.

Terran lifespan 70 years (average). Methuselah lifespan at least 300 years (from anime). Crusnik lifespan 900 plus years

How will Abel of AX cope with losing his AX Terran colleagues and working with new ones? How did Catherina explain the return from the dead of one priest? How will Ion and a Crusnik get along? What about Esther? Is the Rosenkruz Orden really finished? How will the new generation of AX turn out?

This fic is set at least 50 years after the end of the anime.

Prologue

Deep under the Holy city, the crypt was silent. A man knelt by the metal and glass pod where a woman slept in eternal slumber. His snowy white hair was neatly tied back by a black ribbon that matched his ebony-coloured priest's robes. Sunlight streamed from some distant skylight high above them. His slender fingers skimmed the rosary beads as he prayed. The prayer was old, some say eternal. Before he and his siblings had even been conceived in that cold world of long ago, the words he now mouthed have been invoked as a plea to a higher power.

The prayers were not only for the woman he loved as a mother. They were also for his deceased comrades, many of whom had sacrificed their lives in their struggle against their common enemy. Contra Mundi, Rosenkruz… every time they crossed paths, he had failed to finish it.

"Abel?" For one moment, memories of a dark, blood-stained night came to him, the night when his solitary vigil was interrupted by the world outside. He met Catherina, a scared young girl then, and he promised himself to continue Lillith's work, protecting humans, working towards a lasting peace. "Abel?" The footsteps were closer now. He knew they were not Catherina's. Catherina Sforza has been dead for a few years now, the victim of a lingering illness that forced her eventual resignation as the head of AX. Even in her last days, she still exuded an air of quiet dignity and command.

His Crusnik hearing picked up a soft miaowing from the entrance of the crypt, a cat impatient for his mistress' return. Only one person in AX kept a black cat as her constant companion, or some ignoramuses in the Inquisition may claim, familiar. The new Head of AX was so different from Catherina. Subtle and unobtrusive, codenamed the White Witch, she was Reverend Mother Eris Wurzmeier.

"Abel, I'm sorry to intrude," she strolled into the pool of sunlight. When she had first met him, she was a scared little orphan girl. She later joined AX as a young nun. Her powers became more refined over the years. She supposed that was why most powerful witches in children's fairy tales are all old women. Eris need not use her power to tap into his thoughts. Father Nightroad always thought of his departed companions at such times.

"You are not alone, Father. You taught me that many years ago. Another thing I have learnt is that those who we loved and who loved us are always with us, here." Eris clasped her gloved hands over her heart. "Will you be joining His Holiness for the Mass tonight?"

Abel nodded. "How is His Holiness?"

"His health has been holding well with God's blessings. His last medical check didn't turn up any major problems. Just a bit of stiffness in the knees, and a slight vision problem that a good pair of glasses will put right," Eris replied matter-of-factly. Abel got to his feet.

"Farewell, Lillith," he whispered as he gave the pod one last look before leaving the crypt with Eris.

Ion Fortuna, Count of Memphis, yawned and stretched. Dusk was falling. Night was the only time he was able to stroll the streets of the Holy city, barring an encounter with the Inquisition. There have been recent discussions in the College of Cardinals regarding the laws governing Terran and Methuselah relations. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Pope, the Albion Queen and- Ion suspects – the Empress, Terran and Methuselah ties were at an all-time best. However, it was better to play safe given that some blockheads in the Inquisition might be still in the Dark Ages.

He had grown a little taller and could pass for a 15-year-old Terran boy or girl. It was a crying shame he had inherited his Granny's feminine good looks. Ion ran a hand through his blond hair, a few more decades perhaps… or perhaps not. Once the bacilli in their blood are activated, Methuselahs age slower, much slower than Terrans of the same age. It was just as well. If you are going to live three centuries, you don't want to spend the last two in a wheelchair.

He pulled on his shirt and his boots. Their rooms at the AX headquarters were sparsely-furnished, which suited them fine as they spent most of their time away, using them about once very few years when business brought them to Rome. He walked quietly down the dim corridors. Other members of AX team would be moving around, talking, arguing, training and going about their business. Abel had left a copy of the morning paper on the small side-table in the corridor. Ion picked it up and skimmed through the headlines.

Vatican Congratulates Albion on Newborn Prince.

A boy was born to the Crown Prince Gilbert and Princess Helena of Albion six days ago. Both mother and son are in good health and spirits. The couple christened their first child Percival at a simple baptismal ceremony in the Westminster Abbey. Her Majesty, Queen Esther of Albion, attended the ceremony…

Esther was officially a grandmother. Esther, red-haired and blue-eyed, was his first love. Even after all this while his heart still held a special place for the redhead Terran. He smiled wryly. It was impossible between them. He was a high-born noble of the Empire. She was the Queen of Albion. His almost childish infatuation had mellowed to a deep friendship for her. Esther had married a Terran duke, whom she loved in her own way till death parted them. She had borne for the royal line of Albion two princes, Gilbert and Albert, and a daughter, the late Princess Laura.

It was more than ten years since they had met, in the aftermath of that terrible tragedy. The girlish roses in her cheeks had faded. Her red hair had turned white. Only her eyes remained unchanged, vibrant. Queen Esther has shunned the public eye lately, leaving the reins in the capable hands of her heir-apparent. Media speculation was rife regarding her health. He really ought to visit her again soon. They don't live that long, you know, the Duchess of Kiev had told him once. The faces in AX have changed steadily over the years. New faces came as old ones left. If only, if only they could finish it! Every time, they had failed to uproot the source.

The Terran boy was sprawled facedown in the spreading pool of his own blood. The Vatican dogs were too busy attending to their own dead and the hysterical girl to pay heed to that other corpse. They were alone. Isaak knew Dietrich was beyond help. Blood was soaking the back of his uniform. Isaak nonchalantly flipped him over with the toe of a boot. The boy's eyes were glazed. His limbs flopped limply. He reminded Isaak of some discarded puppet… A bloody hole gaped in his chest. Isaak recognized the nature of the damage inflicted and left him there. Why had Cain killed Dietrich?

Isaak groaned and rose from his cavernous four-poster bed. He hated that arrogant upstart. He hated the way the boy wormed his way into the Orden… As the only Terran in the Orden, his loyalty is question. Pah, the boy only has loyalty to himself, forever mocking in his words and false smiles. There were times when he had fantasized about putting his hands on that scrawny neck and throttling the life out of him. So why was there a photo of that brat on his bedside table? It was not even a good one. Someone had taken it when Dietrich was a grubby-faced schoolboy in shorts and knee-high socks with a bored expression on his face. He had found it when clearing out the brat's belongings.

Cain's first words to him when he had asked about Dietrich were, "You should have built me better."

Author's Notes:

I decided to kill off Catherina Sforza in this fic because the manga hinted that she was suffering from some ailment. Eris' powers were quite stunning as a child, and I think she might have abilities similar to Sister Noelle. Ion is probably an unofficial AX member since he has joined Abel in his quest against Contra Mundi. I will be introducing the new members of AX in future chapters.

Regarding Dietrich, he's probably Terran (from the Star of Sorrow arc).