Chapter 1: Death's JoyA/N: I do not own any part of the anime Trinity Blood. I do, however, own my own characters.
The city was torn and left in ruins from a previous battle that had waged and killed off over half the population, Methuselah and Terrans alike. There were only a few handful of people left to wander the streets as they recollected what had happened and tried to understand why it had happen.
One of those survivors was Melissa Varela, or as the people had come to know her over the years, Sister Varela. However, she hardly saw herself in that manner. For, you see, she was neither truly Methuselah, nor was she truly Terran. Melissa was caught right in the middle of the blood battle and had been since she was born. At first her mother seemed to accept that she had turned out different than the other woman's children around her, but soon she began to call her the devil's child and cast her out of the house when she was nine.
Melissa had been found wandering the streets by the local priest, Father Ronul, and was brought to the church. At first she fought against him and told him what she was. However, he merely smiled and hugged her, saying that everyone was God's child, no matter what they were. Melissa, shocked by him saying this since she was so used to Methuselah and Terrans criticizing her for what she was, decided to at least take his offer of a warm place and food to eat for the night.
As dawn came the next day, Melissa woke up to find that her father had shown up and was demanding for her, hearing she was here from information he had heard and acquired. When Father Ronul refused, her father ordered one of his minion Methuselah to kill him while he went to go find his daughter. However, no one in the room knew that Melissa was already there till they heard a small gasp as the priest's body fell to the ground after trying to fight the Methuselah off. Melissa had been hiding behind a pew and was watching the whole thing. When her father disappeared and reappeared behind her as she was trying to run she let out a small scream from fear and took a step back, stopped by the pew from further retreat. However, her scream had alerted the other nuns and they came to see what was going on. Melissa took advantage of her father's distraction and ran for it, locking herself in her room. After a few minutes she heard a knock before hearing one of the nuns speaking. Apparently, her father had said he would be back for her when she had grown up more and he would wait till then to claim what was rightfully his by blood.
After that incident, Melissa had lived a devoted life to God, despite what she was, and had never strayed from that thought while she kept the memory of Father Ronul in the front of her mind. Many today would say she still mourned his death and felt the loss, but others said they could not blame her.
Now, though, a fight had broken out the previous night and had quickly turned into a small war. Buildings were destroyed, rubble laid scattered in the streets, lives were lost, and many were hurt and injured. It was now daybreak and with the added light, the horrors of the small fight grew even larger as bodies could be seen scattered in the streets, some with unrecognizable features to the point you were even sure they were one Methuselah or Terran. Blood covered the building walls of those that remained standing and were not in rubble. Cries could be heard in the skies from those left alive as they realized that loved ones had died and that they could not follow them to where they had now gone.
Melissa was going through the streets, shocked at all the destruction she saw and nearly jumped out of her skin as some of the rumble moved beside her, but she quickly moved to it and helped remove it from where it appeared that someone might be trying to come out of. "Hold on! I'll get you out of there!" She called out as she worked as quick as she could to remove the rubble, stone, and pillars from the once standing shop. After she did move enough away for whomever to get out from underneath tears came to her eyes when she saw that a mother had died, but her son and baby had lived since she was protecting them from the fallen building.
Melissa helped the little boy out before grabbing the baby, trying to comfort it as it's cries went to the heavens. She looked down at the boy when she felt a tug at her nun's outfit and saw the boy sniffing and wiping away the tears. "Shh…it will be alright, I promise. God is watching over all his children…" Melissa said softly as she knelt down to wrap an arm around the child to give him a hug while she continued to hold the crying baby. "Why don't you come with me and we will see what we can find for you and your brother, alright?" She asked, trying to put on a small smile, even though she herself had tears falling. Melissa stood up and began to walk the streets with the children, soon finding a couple that said they would take them in and take care of them. She thanked them before continuing through the streets, helping where she could.
"I told the nuns of your church that I would get you back anyway necessary." A voice reached Melissa's ears, causing her to spin around to see who had spoken.
"What are you talking about?" She asked before she came face to face with the man that she had seen kill the Father all those years ago. "No…" Melissa said, gasping as her eyes went wide.
"Yes, my child. You belong to me rightfully and it was selfish of those nuns and priest to keep you from me when I asked for you back. I warned them that if they did not hand you over when I asked that I would be back for you when you were older and I would get you at any consequences." The Methuselah said, smirking and showing his fangs. "I guess they did not think I was serious." He added as he looked around at the rumble near him.
"D-don't tell me that you are the one who caused all this destruction and death…don't tell me all of this was just to get me…" Melissa said, taking a step back, shaking her head slightly as the tears began to fall again as the thought of all this happening because of her in one way or another. As the man in front of her merely smirked she gasped and covered her mouth slightly. "No…NO!" Melissa yelled before stepping back further, her eyes looking around at what used to be a happy and prosperous city, but was now nothing more than smoldering ashes. As the Methuselah stepped forward her eyes turned to him again.
"Now, my dear, come with me. It is high time I get what is rightfully mine. I do think that I've been generous enough letting the church keep you for the past ten years." He said, walking towards his daughter.
Melissa pushed aside her fear and shook her head. "No! I will not go with a murderer like you!" She yelled at him before running down the streets, drowning out his chuckling and laughter behind as he merely walked after her, knowing full well he could capture her any time he wanted.
"This really is foolish, there is no where left for you to run, my dear Melissa. You've lived for the past ten years in a place where I could only watch you grow up and know that one day I would finally get you and you would belong to me." His words fell on Melissa's ears, but she merely continued to run, crying out when she ran into someone else, not looking up as she fell backward.
"Are you alright?" The person asked, his eyes widening slightly as he saw it was a nun before her.
"I'm sorry, I'm just running from someone." Melissa replied before looking up, almost feeling relieved when she saw it was a priest. "Oh, thank God!" She said, getting up and looking at him, now noticing he did not have the attire of their church. "Wait, you are not from here…" Melissa commented before gasping as footsteps behind her reminded her that her father had been chasing after her. "Oh no…" She said softly before turning to face him.
"Now, Melissa, my dear. Can't you see that there is no point to running, you belong to me and I plan to take you home with me this time, unlike ten years ago where that foolish priest and the nuns fought to protect you." The Methuselah said as he caught up with Melissa and smirked.
"You have no right to talk about Father Ronul!" Melissa spat out, completely forgetting about the priest behind her. "You and your Methuselah minions killed him when all he did was asked you to leave the church and me alone!" She added, clenching her fists as she took a step forward, nothing but hatred filling her for the man in front of her.
"Um, excuse me, but I was sent here by the Vatican to figure out what has happened, can anyone fill me in on everything?" The priest said, chuckling nervously from the tension he could feel between the two people in front of him.
Melissa and the Methuselah looked at the priest, finally remembering he was there. "And just who are you?" The Methuselah asked, narrowing his eyes. "Take my heed now. Do not be foolish and try to stop me from taking my child." He added, taking another few steps forward before grabbing Melissa's arm firmly.
"Hey! Let me go!" Melissa protested, trying to break free of the grip on her arm. "Please, Father, just go back to wherever you came from. This place is no place for you or your business, especially not now, and I would not be able to bear it if another life was lost in this pointless battle." She said as she looked at the priest straight in the eyes at first before looking to the side. Melissa prayed silently praying he would listen and just leave, but knew he would not.
The priest ignored Melissa's request and turned to the man now holding onto her arm. "I am Father Abel Nightroad of the Ministry of Holy Affairs. Like I said, I was sent here by the Vatican to figure out what all happened. Now, if you will please let the Sister go like she requested." He replied, not liking the scenario that was playing and continued to play and unfold before his eyes. It appeared that the girl was the Methuselah's seed, but she did not seem to be completely Methuselah so that meant there was a human mother involved in the mix.
"No, my daughter is coming with me. End of story." The Methuselah replied, gripping Melissa's arm even tighter, causing her to cringe and gasp softly in pain.
"I will not ask you again, sir. Let go of the girl, please." Abel repeated, narrowing his own eyes just the slightest.
"You obviously do not know who I am. I am Diemos Valera, and this is Melissa Valera, my blood and seed. She may have a human mother, but she has abilities that not even the Methuselah have seen for centuries. Melissa is my prize and joy possession that will lead me to greatness. The time for you Terrans is coming to an end and Melissa will bring about your destruction." Diemos replied before bringing Melissa right next to him and grabbing the back of her neck, hitting the pressure point.
"Hey wait! Don't I ge-…" Melissa's words were cut off as her world was tossed into the darkness and she fell unconscious in Diemos's arms.
"Do as you will here, priest. I have what I want so I shall get out of your way." Diemos said before picking Melissa up in both arms and leaving quickly.
Abel stood there afterwards; just looking at the spot the pair had been previously. He had not done anything for fear of hurting the girl, but now he wished he had done something to try and help her out since it was rather apparent that she did not want to go with the man. However, Abel knew that he had to take care of his current task of finding out what all happened here in one night to leave this town so devastated, and he would have to get to the girl and going after her later. Once thing for sure, he knew he could not just leave the town without the girl…especially due to what Diemos had said his was and what she was capable of. Abel did not personally know if this was all true or not, but he planned to bring her back to at least provide a safe haven for her while the Ministry tried to figure out everything. "That girl…something in her eyes when she told me to go back to where I came from…it was almost as if she was reliving a memory or something…" He said to himself softly as he walked off to figure out what happened.
Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if it is a little choppy. This was my first attempt at a Trinity Blood fanfic so I am not quite used to it. However, I promise that the following chapters will go a little smoother and better. Let me know if you would like me to continue or not.
Next Chapter: What happens to Melissa when a new Methuselah is brought into the picture? What is his purpose exactly? Will the AX get Melissa during a ball her father throws or will Melissa choose to stay with her father? This and many more things are revealed in the next chapter, Serenity's Pain!