Abel Nightroad: Forgotten Lives

Chapter Two: When In Rome You Dance with Skeletons

Silvia stood frozen, mouth gapping at the tall man before her. She heard him laugh lightly while noticing an unnatural gleam in his eyes as he looked at her. He looked almost... crazy. Actually, he looked a lot like Father Abel Nightroad. But no matter how many times in a matter of seconds she matches his gentle lips, glacial eyes, and pale skin to the pictures she'd seen she couldn't possitively say it was him. In the pictures of Father Nightroad he smiled a free smile, here the man she stared at smiled a somewhat hostile and fake one.

"Fa...Father?" She hadn't meant to stutter. He shrugged at her, stepping down from the banister.

"I suppose that would be my name. Amongst the Vatican I am known as Father Abel Nightroad," He gave a sarcastic laugh, almost like he was laughing at his own joke. "But what do you call priest with a bloody past?" He mused. "So you're Sister Silvia De Luca, it's a pleasure to meet you. I must apologize for-"

"Abel!" A sudden interruption to his introduction brought Abel standing straight once again. The pressure being slightly applied to the trigger of the pistol pressed to the small of his back could almost be heard. In his speech of announcement Abel hadn't noticed once that with every word he managed to push past his lips he took a step closer to the beautiful young nun in front of him. Her weak and frightened body had been... appeasing in his unclear and hazy sight. He hadn't even noticed that by the time Leon had managed to press his gun to his back, Abel had craddled Sister Silvia's neck to his face. His fangs just barely grazed her milky skin.

"The hell are you doing, Father!?" Leon yelled from behind, peering slightly over the taller man's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around the taller man's waist, trying to yank him back to no avail. "Abel!"

"Leon, shut up." William snapped as he stepped onto the scene. Carefully he walked into Abel's line of vision, noticing the crazed look in his eyes. He wasn't normal, he wasn't sane, he wasn't Abel. William placed his own gun back into the holster under his habit and placed his hands out in front of him. "Look, I'm not armed Abel. Let her go." Abel didn't move but held on just a little tighter. Silvia gave a quiet whimper. "Abel, let her go. Gently... Look at me, you're not going to hurt her..." The encouragement had only been done by William. Leon's own nudge litteraly came from his gun digging further into Abel's spine. It took another minute before Abel could compute that he was hurting the poor girl in his tight grasp. Slowly letting her go, Silvia ran out of his arms at the first sign of release only to hide behind the Professor.

Abel shook his head, nothing was in focus and everything was spinning out of control. He kept seeing colors flash and things fade in and out, black and white specks flashing in front of him. Silvia watched from behind William, anxiously clutching onto his clothes. "What's happening?" William turned to her and smiled.

"Don't worry my dear, he'll be fine. Our normally eccentric Father Abel must have forgotten that alcohol in a weakened state like his with his own conditions doesn't make him the nicest drunk." He laughed. "I'm terribly sorry if he gave you a fright Silvia, Abel is really quite the humble character."

"He's... drunk?" Silvia tried the words on her tongue first before looking up at the oddest scene in front of her. Instead of the man that had been holding her hostage and nearly about to bite through her skin she saw a tall, weakened and quite pathetic looking man slumped against Father Leon, who was mumbling profantities under his breath. The word drunk did seem to apply... now.

"Drunk and insane, not humble Professor." Leon growled. "Hey, get her out of here before he snaps into another episode will ya?!" He ordered as he dragged Abel's long body over the bed. William sighed, tapping Silvia on the shoulder and motioning for her to follow him.

"I have an errand for you," She nodded. "Please go to the Cardinal's office and inform her that we found Abel and that she might want to send Father Tres over to suite 13, alright?" Again she nodded and took off at a sprint down the hall and around the corner. William sighed. "Ah, now for the fun part." He chuckled and closed the door to the room.

Leon successfully managed to drag Abel's unresponsive body onto the bed, all the while slightly kicking him as he went. He growled several things to the incoherent priest, things Abel might have actually hit him for if he were in his right state of mind. "He's all yours Professor." Walking forward from the doorway, William came into the light rolling his eyes at the dark haired man beside the bed. Immediately he began an assesment of Father Nightroad.

"I suppose we can tell Caterina Abel finally had his breakdown." He announced with a sigh. "He's certainly catatonic."

It was Leon's turn to roll his eyes. "Really? I thought the fangs and attacking of innocent nuns was a natural thing for him."

"When you think about the last few weeks that he's spent drinking, you could almost say it is the norm for Abel." William chuckled as he continued his evaluation of Abel. "If you didn't know him of course."

"Seriously Professor, no one can be expected to keep their sanity after these last few years. More so, for nine hundred years."

"Nine hundred and fifty two years to be precise..." From the bed came a groan and quiet string of curses as the silver haired man laying down tried to pull himself upright. The lights blazed like fire in his eyes and he had a headache only God could weild. "And I'm not insane, but something would be nice to quiet this symphony playing in my head." William handed him a glass of water and two suspicious looking pills that he eyed warily. After awhile of just staring at the Professor's gloved hand, William took Abel's own and placed the water in one hand and the pills in another and ordered him to swallow. Abel threw his head back in obedience while ontinuing to listen to Leon and the Professor's latest observations of his physique and mental state.

"Confessions start now Abel, let's hear it." The Professor smirked.

"Take it as a dress rehersal for what you're going to tell the Cardinal when you see her in a few minutes."

Abel took a gulp of water before staring directly at his two of his co-workers seriously. He had had his story for Caterina planned our weeks ago, before he decided to take up a drinking habit. "I'm not going to see Caterina." Leon burst out laughing.

William smiled, crossing his legs and holding his hands in his lap. Abel made note that the Professor looked every bit the scholar at that moment, Sister Kate would be proud. He would have to tell her, when we was sober enough of course. "That's not very mature of you Abel. You sinned and now you're going to have to deal with the consquences."

"I didn't know dealing with my problems was a sin, Professor."

"No, but drinking habitually is. But the reason for us taking you to see the Cardinal is a little deeper than your drinking problems, Abel."

"I'm still not going."

"You have the right to say what you please Abel," William smiled, never once changing his expression. "But your will in the matter has been overrulled by Caterina. Leon will help you on your way there if he must." Abel adjusted his askewed glasses with his middle finger.

"Looks like Father Four-Eyes just grew a set of balls, Professor." Leon called from his newest position leaning against the door frame. "Watch out he might bite you."

Abel sat up straight after hearing Leon speak. His shifted from face to face, first curious and then worried. The silver haired priest allowed his frantic gaze to rest on the Professor who seemed to be glaring at Leon's shaking form across the room. "Bite you?" The moonlight from the balcony shined into the room, empty bottles of a variety of Italian and French liquors suddenly glittered all around the room. To Abel's still groggy vision, it looked one of Rome's many carnivals had had its after party in his bedroon. It hit the sobering priest that this mess was his. Bowing his head he allowed lose pieces of long silver hair to slide foward. "Something happened, didn't it?" Leon looked to the Professor, who looked back at him quickly. This wasn't the reaction they had expected. "Tell me." It seemed that as fast as a Crusnik could become drunk he could sober up too.

William sighed, "You do remember that this newest habit was of your own choice, yes?" Abel nodded. "Well since you've been back on your feet, nights like these have been something of a routine with you - and us. Normally Caterina doesn't involve herself, she believes you will straighten yourself out sooner rather than later but your recent actions have disturbed some of the newer Sisters who are not a part of the AX or don't understand your current situation." Abel made no response except to takesmall sips of water from the glass he held in his hands motionless. "You've spent most of your days in a similar state that you've forced me to find some kind of remedy for your hangovers, Abel. I thought the first few times when you managed to drink yourself into an unconscious state that your body would just dilute the alcohol. But apparently your Crusnik powers take the invasion of liquor into your body to be an attack and cause your nano-machines to react in a submissive form. Submissive as in you bare your fangs and seduce young women around the church until the effects wear off." At the moment Abel promptly spat a large gulp of water out in front of him, spraying Leon thoroughly. William attempted to cover a chuckle.

"Seduce?!"

"Yeah," Leon growled, wipping his face. "You've been wandering this place like the living dead until you find one of the more prettier Sister's and then corner them. Lucky for you the Cardinal made us your personal shadows so that you don't get yourself into too much trouble." Abel fell back against his pillows and groaned.

"I'll take it that those pills are working and your starting to sober up." Abel just sighed.

"Did I hurt anyone?" Defeated, he stared up into the wooden canvas of the bed. "I didn't really...?"

"No, we've been following you around to make sure your Crusnik form doesn't take things too far." Abel nodded. "But I think it's about time we paid our dear Caterina a visit, yes?" William stood up, allowing Abel room to swing his long legs slowly over the edge of the bed and straighten up. He stretched and turned to a nearby mirror to adjust his wrinkling clothes. Abel sighed at the sight of his pathetic image; his long hair was a mess and disarray of beautiful silver, his glasses that covered a more complex image of himself seemed momentairly wrong on his face, and his complexion seemed all wrong. It was far to pale to be normal, he didn't feel"normal" either. Taking an undressed hand Abel removed the gold, thin wirey glasses from his face and slipped them gently into one of his pant pockets. He turned to the Professor and nodded, signaling he was ready to go. William led him out of the room, stepping out into the drafty hallway. Abel made to take the next step when he found Leon cutting him off abruptly and quickly throwing a pair of steel handcuffs onto the Crusniks boney wrists. The grinding of metal echoed in the hall as Leon adjusted them to be tight but comfortable.

"Sorry," Leon mumbled as positioned himself behind Abel.

Abel then did something that made Leon feel even guiltier than he already did, he smiled. He managed to give Leon the same forgiving smile he gave to everyone when we was being his normal self. "It's quite alright Leon," He nodded. "Let's go Professor."

Heavy shoes pounded on the carpet floor, he could hear the floorboards beneath their feet start to groan. He could smell the candles burning throughout the church. It felt like, as Leon and the Professor made him walk the long corridors to the Cardinals office, that he had not seen or heard or smelt such things in a very long time. He felt like a child born to a whole new surrounding entirely. Another thing to add to his long list of misery. His sight had thankfully cleared up, he could see perfectly now and his mind was back to its working rhythm. He could now clearly see the dark wooden double doors of Caterina's office being thrown open and the wave of disappoint that seemed to come from that room alone, wash completely over him. He remembered being pushed into the room with Leon and Father Tres; Leon undid the handcuffs on his wrists without looking up at the taller Father.

"Sit." The voice was curt, unhappy, tired. Abel sighed and obeyed. "Leon, Tres, you may leave us."

"Negative your Eminence, Father Nightroad is unstable-"

"I believe Father Nightroad has a handle on his actions for the time being, Father Tres." The beautiful blonde haired woman looked up at Abel for a confirmation, he nodded firmly once to his superior. "Leave us." After a moment of debate between the two, Leon and Tres decided to leave them alone. It was awhile before either of them talked. By the light of the moon, slowly beginning to set, the shadows in the vast office seemed to dance. Abel observed from the corner of his eye since he would not meet Caterina's, that she looked older and more worn than he could ever remember seeing her. Perhaps he had done this to her? Abel allowed himself to sink into further guilt and nor Caterina did not intervene in his obvious actions. "You might've come to me." Caterina's voice lost its edge and smoothed out to being gentle and almost timid.

"There's nothing to talk about," Abel sank in his chair. "Nothing you, Seth, or Esther can say or do will change any of this." Abel stood quietly from his seat to stand into front of Caterina's desk, pushing aside his cassock to show the belt of his pants. From there he pulled out a stack of rolled papers, gently unrolling them, and laid them on the Cardinal's desk for her to read. Abel turned to the window and waited. "My resignation." He could hear the light gasp slip from her lips and then the chair being pushed hastily away from the desk. Her decorative heeled shoes tapped on the floor telling him she stood in his shadow.

"This is your solution? Leaving?" Her voice whispered, the harsh words made him wince. "Where will you go? Mourn another millenia in the darkness? You're job is not done Abel!"

"My job was finished when I killed Cain, there's nothing left..."

"Fool!" Caterina, despite their height difference, reached up to Abel and shook him. Her gray eyes filling tears stared desperately up at his distant face. "Do you remember what you told me eighteen years ago? You said you were here to protect the human race. Your sister protects the Methuselah and you protect us! We are not done fighting Abel and you cannot leave us... not yet." Abel hung his head, the long tendrils of his hair sweeping in front of Caterina. "Please, do not give up yet..."

"I didn't want to think..." In all her life, Abel had been beside her. He had been the best friend she had always wished for, she could confide to him anything and never once worry about him judging her actions or choices or family. Abel was an angel in her eyes, the idea of him leaving was unbearable. Doing this alone was unbearable. But she had never seen him break. She had never anticipated a day where Abel Nightroad, Crusnik 02, would break down in front of her and fall to the ground on his knees, shoulders shaking and hands trembling as they went to cover his face. In all her years knowing him, she never would have thought there would be day when she, Caterina Sforza Cardinal of the Vatican and AX superior, would be comforting her lonely Crusnik. Caterina sank to her knees beside Abel, pulling him gently to her in an embrace. She cried along with him, no words would be able to comfort him for the moment. Not a heart so damaged. It seemed like hours before they decided to stand again. This time it was Abel pulling Caterina to her feet and grazing his thumb against her cheek to wipe away stray tears. He smiled at her, not a goofy smile, but a smile that caught the Cardinal off guard and showed her an Abel Nightroad she had rarely seen. A glimpse into his true self.

"Thank you..." He simply said. "I believe I needed a human moment." She laughed, wiping away her own tears now.

"The drinking?" She was almost afraid to ask that one. He smiled at her again.

"No more brooding, I promise." He said, placing a paled hand over his heart and bowed in a Methuselah fashion. She he was just trying to make her smile now, she appreciated it. Caterina sat back down at her desk, smiling and light hearted. Abel did the same, brushing lose pieces of hair out of his eyes. "I suppose there was another reason you requested me today?" Again, he was smiling but it faded onces his oldest friend's did.

"Abel, If you feel you are not ready for another mission please tell me now."

"I think taking my mind off of the current situation is a good idea."

"Abel you've done nothing but that for the last two months." Caterina sighed. "Can you handle going to the Empire?"

Abel shifted in his seat. The Empire, he thought, Seth. All of sudden memories were flashing a rapid pace through his head. Fire, houses ablaze, people screaming, blood. So much blood... "Abel!" Abel looked up and found Caterina leaning forward over her desk, her monacle swinging like a pendulum, a white gloved hand was waving in front of his face. "ABEL!"

"I'm... fine." He choked out. He pushed the memories aside and forced a smile. "I'll take the Empire."

Caterina sat back down but not without being suspicious. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "Fine, then I will brief you now so you can pack and be ready by the afternoon." Again he nodded and watched as Caterina pushed in front of him a vanilla folder with an 8 X 11 photograph paperclipped on the front. He opened the folder, disregarding the picture. "Whether you know or not, the Empire has opened peace negotiations to the entire world. They are starting slowly for now, they have asked the Vatican, Albion, and some smaller countries to attend a peace council in the Empire with her Her Majesty. The AX will attend to represent the Vatican and Rome. We leave in the afternoon by passage of ship and will arive in two days, depending on weather."

"That's the mission?" Abel laughed. "You hardly need my expertise on such an assignment."

Caterina shook her head. "Look at the front of the folder." Abel flipped the folder closed to stare at the picture of a child on the front. He gasped, mouth hanging open. "I'm giving you two missions while in the Empire. One of them is to find out who she is by request of the Empress. She's been spotted throughout the Empire as a little girl and as... well, the Empress called her a Crus-"

"There are no others like us!" Abel snapped. "The technology to create Crusniks has been lost."

"That's what we want to know and if she is dangerous." Caterina sighed. "Your sister also sent a note for you, I have placed it in the folder. You may leave Abel, and tell the others who are obviously sitting outside the door, to be prepared in eleven hours for our departure to the Empire." Abel stood slowly, nodding to the Cardinal and then making his way to the door. He could already feel the pressure being pushed against the door so he made his steps light. With a smirk on his face, Abel stood behind the door and slowly turned the knob before quickly yanking the door open. In fell a pile of Father's in black cassocks. Leon, Hugue, and William lay in pile in the middle of the doorway.

"Good morning gentelmen," Abel said cheerfully as he stepped over the pile of co-workers and ventured down the hall. Making it back to his own disgusting, liqor-wreaking, messy room, Abel found himself at his desk and flipping through the folder Caterina had just given him. He held the picture of the little girl in one hand and opened the note Seth had sent with his other.

Abel,
It's not the best timing but I have found something curious roaming in the Empire on my patrols while Mirka stands in for me. She is quite young, perhaps less than a hundred years of age but I find that she holds a certain resemblence to someone I hold very dear to me. I have enclosed to the Cardinal two pictures. One she will show you in the open, the other I have enclosed in this letter. I think you will find it just as important as I do that we understand what is happening. Please, Caterina has told me some horrifying stories of you lately and Esther and I are quite concerned. I hope you take my curiosity seriously and find yourself in my home once again. I would love to discuss this with you. Love your sister,
Seth Nightroad

P.S. I mean it, look at these pictures. I think you forgot to tell me something about the last time you were here. By the way, expect a tongue lashing. Love you!

Abel sighed, though smiling. He did as instructed and retrieved the two pictures from the file and studied them. The results, he found he did not like at all. Abel stood suddenly, running from the room and back down the long corridors from which he just came. In the room he just left sat two 8 X 11 pictures of a beautiful little girl, with sea green eyes, silver hair, and face... a face that made Abel think of a much younger him. A flood of memories hit him at the moment. He needed to speak to Caterina about this. Their situation had changed completely.

A/N: Yay update numero dos! What did you guys think?