Angel of Death - yeah this was a distraction during Rise of the Nightlords. No actual links between the two. I happened to be watching the Manga go by in the slideshow thingy created by Windows Vista so I had to go reread volume 4. Anyways it's not quite the same as the manga, just my little spin.
Thanks to Volume 4
Of course... I don't own the Trinity Blood Series.
In that massive pool blood he was drowning. His internal organs were almost mush, or that was what Petros had caused. As he lay there helpless watching Petros and Radu he became aware that the head of the inquisitorial department was not capable to fight that battle. There was nothing he could do unless he let 'him' take over. Then he snapped, Esther had let out a loud blood chilling scream. He let go, he would allow no harm to come about her.
"You don't know what it's like… To be protected and not know anything! …Am I not good enough to know anything?!? …You've saved me so many times, but I still don't feel like I know you at all!" Esther's words all came to haunt him. As his body changed he pictured the last reaming that the little red haired nun had given him.
"Nanomachine Crusnik 02… 80 activation… approved," his metallic voice growled. He let out a scream as his charcoal wings pierced through his back. They stretched and flexed, calling the fallen Methuselah's blood to them. As Ion's blood ran through the space to his wings the others look in horror. They don't understand what's going on, and what he was… Then Radu blew off his left arm in front of everyone. Abel felt no pain, he wasn't in control anymore.
His flesh consumed itself and regenerated his arm, and then the crimson scythe. Radu faced him, but Abel wasn't facing him. It was the nanomachines. After destroying the tank they tried to go back to kill Radu. Then her voice pierced through…
"MON… MONSTER!" Esther screamed holding on to Ion tightly. Abel somehow was back in control now. Her terrified screams had brought him back to consciousness. The nanomachines still rushed through his veins. She stared at him horrified. Abel started walking towards her trying to explain, but she shrieked and clutched Ion tighter.
Abel looked at himself in Crusnik mode, his long sharp claws. His broken wings, his torn uniform and exposed pale flesh. He stood there frozen in fear, she had seen. She knew his secret, his bitter dangerous secret. The Crusnik he was, she would never look at him the same way he feared. Then the explosion in the background, instinctively he grabbed Ion and Esther. He held them close and wrapped his jet black wings around them, the light was blinding as the Iron Maiden picked them up.
After he had reverted back to his human appearance he waited for Kate's report. Esther was in the sickbay, only she knew the secret he carried now. Kate was busy at the moment anyways, he could wait for the news he figured would break his heart. Then Kate looked over at him, he was leaning against the wall his silver hair still down across his shoulders. He had broken his glasses, but he made no attempt to act blind in front of Kate.
"Father Abel… are you all right?" Kate asked floating towards him. He closed his eyes and nodded, Tres would be arriving in soon. He could hear his footsteps thunking down the hall.
"Damage report Father Nightroad," the android asked in his usual monotone. Kate started at the sunglasses on the sightless priest's face. Then at Abel who had opened his to look at Tres.
"I'm fine… how is Sister Esther?" he asked, trying to avoid looking at Kate. Every single time he made eye contact with a woman without his glasses on he found them to suddenly go all weak in the knees. Children were immune, but even after time it would be the same. As soon as they grew up they were affected too. He knew even Caterena would have trouble if he didn't wear his glasses.
"Sister Esther is fine… except," Kate paused, she knew Abel was waiting for her to continue, "she woke up once in a psychotic rant. We placed her under light sedatives. She's afraid Abel, but there is nothing we can do for her now." Abel understood, he made a slight nod and walked down the hall to change out of the tattered uniform. He slipped out of torn uniform slowly trying not to think of what horrors she had witness. He picked up his spare glasses disgusted with himself, her face then would haunt him for as long as he was imprisoned in his own skin.
"Abel, are you ready to go yet?" Kate asked. He looked over at her pulling on the last piece of his uniform. Tres was off again, this time he was walking away at least.
"Yes Kate, I'll be off once I stop by the sickbay. I won't be long," he informed Kate. She nodded and faded away to somewhere else, Abel headed for the sickbay. He couldn't leave without talking to Esther. As he approached the door he heard a small whimper, it was from Esther he just knew.
Don't come in, don't come in… That wasn't… Esther thought to herself picturing the last time she had seen the priest. Abel felt a tear form in his eye, she had made no movement when he opened the door. He sat down next to the door and drew in a great breath.
"I… I need to tell you something Esther, I really don't know if you can hear me now. This is something I have to say…" Abel whispered shutting the door, "I should have warned you, but that was what I was trying to hide from you Esther. It frightens me… so if even I am afraid how could I expect anyone else to except that thing that I become." His voice was shaky, Esther felt the tears falling down her cheeks. She wanted to hear more, but at the same time it was crushing her to hear the priest's voice so scared.
"I can hardly control it, I can feel myself slip away sometimes. Others its scarier to realize that I want whatever it is I'm doing… Esther, I'm more terrified though of something far more simple," Abel admitted, Esther wanted to ask him what it was. She had a feeling she already knew, but right now she couldn't ask him. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him. It wasn't because of him anymore, it was her own words that harbored her so.
She had called him a monster, the man she had admired so. She had called him that in front of all them, when he looked at her she tried to run. She felt ashamed, the father's silence was comforting, but she longed for him to reveal his secret terror. She heard him sigh and stand up.
"Esther… the thing that terrifies me the most is that…" Abel put his hand on the door knob as he was about to leave, "…things can't be the way things were. Like when we could just sit and talk during the stakeouts. Oh… I've stayed to long, well if there's one thing I want you to remember. I will always be on your side." He repeated as he went out the door. Esther moved slowly, she could not stop crying, his words… There was no way that she could forgive herself for calling him a monster.
"Wait," she cried hoarsely, she moved for the door as fast as she could manage. Unfortunately her foot caught the doorframe and she fell towards the floor. She closed her eyes and braced herself for when she would hit the floor, but it never happened. She had been caught by mysterious warmth. Esther opened her eyes again to Father Nightroad.
"Are you alright Esther?" Abel asked helping her back up. She had even forgotten she was still in her short silk pajamas. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pushing herself into his chest.
"I'm so sorry Father…" She cried into his shoulder, he figured she had been listening when he heard the tears. Abel wrapped his arms around her softly, letting her vent a little of it off.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Esther," Abel replied kindly. He ran his hand over her hair softly, brushing it with his fingers. She looked up at him all teary eyed with a quivering lip and all, she shook her head sideways.
"No… I do Father, I called you," she paused and let a small amount of air escape, "I called you a monster, when really… I was the one who said that monstrous thing to you before. I don't know how come you would even talk to me right now!" Esther cried shoving herself back into his chest.
"Sister Esther, that's enough for now. Really it did hurt me to hear you say that, but its not your fault for saying what you saw," Abel answered rubbing her hair again, "I don't blame you because as I said even I am afraid of that Thing I become. Don't worry your precious little self about it Esther, I'm afraid though that I'm running slightly late for my part in this mission." Esther looked up at her hero, he was indeed that at the moment. She then proceeded to look at the wall to keep from blushing.
"Can I go with you?" she asked quietly. Abel nodded, he unwrapped his arms from around her and let her venture back into the sickbay room. She returned a few minutes later in her habit with a small smile. He turned around and led her to their departure point from the Iron Maiden.
"Whatever you do Sister Esther, do not get separated from Father Nightroad," Kate said as she dropped them off . As Esther followed Abel into the sewers she remembered the last bit he had said before she had chased after him.
"Father Nightroad?" she called into the darkness.
"Yes?" he answered cheerfully from ahead.
"Don't forget Father, I will always be on your side," Esther told him. Abel turned around and smiled, "even if you become the Thing again. Don't you forget that Father."
"No… I don't suppose I ever will. Thank you Esther," he smiled, "for you are the first person to ever return that much kindness to a monster like me."
I wanted to end it with Esther's line "I will always be on your side." The problem was I wanted Abel's reaction. So the rest is something thrown in to wrap it up. This is a OneShot, so unless it needs to be edited it won't have any more added.