Kingdom Come
A Trinity Blood FanFic
By Michiyo Ichimaru

Disclaimer: Idon't own these characters, no matter how much I love them. This story is just for fun, so I hope you will enjoy it and comment at the end. Thanks.

Author's Note: This story is based on the manga, not the anime so much. It takes place before Esther finds out what Krusnik really is and before the adventure with Ion. Basically, it's before Chapter 13 if I remember correctly. I had the idea when reading the manga for the first time. I loved it so much that I had to write something. It is my first fic though, so don't hate me too much. Eventually my story will pick up with the original plot with a few twists and side-notes, hopefully. Maybe you can tell me what you think after you read what I have so far…

Chapter One: The Devil's Trill Part I

A knock on the door completely pushed her thoughts away as she rushed to the door to see who would be coming for her oh so very early in the morning. Pulling back the door revealed no one person. But on the floor before her were a small lidded plate and an even smaller note. Esther blinked curiously at it and smiled. "Breakfast?" she asked herself, picking up the plate and examining the note first.

It said, in small scribbled writing: Eat up. We have something quite interesting to investigate later. "It's from Father Nightroad." She exclaimed. "I should have known." Removing the lid, she took a small, cautious bite from the pastry and instantly brightened up. "This is GREAT!" she grinned, taking another bite and carrying it with her, running out of her room and down the hall towards the lobby.

Father Nightroad was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting patiently. The only sound was that of his fingers tapping against the banister of the stairs. Upon hearing her footsteps as she ran, he smiled and watched her trip and stumble over her own feet as she ran down to greet him. "Good morning!" Abel shouted warmly. "That sure was fast. Were you already up? It's so early… But more importantly, did you enjoy your early-morning treat?" he asked sweetly, looking at the remainder of the fruit-smothered biscuit in her hand.

"Very much, Father! Thank you." Esther said, bowing her head slightly towards him. "Now I'm curious, Father. What is so interesting that Lady Caterina is sending both of us to investigate?" she asked, finishing off the biscuit. Father Nightroad sighed and handed her a copy of the letter that he was given with all the details on it. After wiping her hands clean, she took the single paged letter and read it carefully.

Last night marked the death of Vienna Van Dier. She died in the city of Albion. However, that's not what is odd about this case. What is odd about this case is the nature of her death. The only thing found in the area was a violin, which she clutched in her hands. If that isn't weird enough, the initials on the violin were not hers. Yet, morning came and when it did, the violin was gone. We think that the violin might have belonged to a vampire in the region. If this is true, we need to find out just what is going on and bring the vampire down in case he becomes a true threat to more people than just one.

Father Nightroad and Sister Esther, I want you to go to Albion to see the scene of the crime. If anything comes up, I want an immediate report. However, if you are attacked, I want you to attack back. Arrest the vampire and bring him to justice. That is all. And at the bottom, Lady Caterina signed her name in fancy cursive letters. Folding the letter once more, she handed it back to Abel, who pocketed it for later consultation.

After thinking about it for a while, Esther blinked. "What? A violin…" She suddenly remembered a story that Bishop Laura had told her when she was little. "It's kind of like the story of the Devil's Trill sonata." She said, looking at Father Nightroad. When he only blinked at her, she knew he hadn't heard of it. "Bishop Laura told me this story when I first decided to become a nun at the church. Let me see if I can remember how it went…" she said, scratching her head. "Oh yeah! I remember now!"

"So it was said that the devil wrote this violin solo piece that was so difficult that no human could actually play it. No matter how much a person practiced and worked at it, the song was just impossible. When played, the song always sounded bitter and ugly. It was said that then, a violinist stepped forward, determined to play the Devil's Trill and made a deal with the devil who wrote it. The devil took his soul, and in return, gave him his violin. With this violin, the boy could play the Devil's Trill. And they say it was the most beautiful song ever heard."

Esther frowned. "However, with every performance he ever did of the song, something terrible would happen…"

Abel frowned. "Something terrible? And it was linked with the Devil's Trill… it sounds like a crazy superstition born from the name." he said. "But it seems way too strange to be ruled out as a complete coincidence." Watching her closely, he leaned in and inquired, "Is that the end?" Father Nightroad was drawn in by the fearful and intriguing story.

She shook her head. "No… He tried to give the violin away after the strange death of his mother while he was practicing. Doctors said that she had a heart attack; however, when they looked closer, it looked like her heart had exploded from the inside."

"Torn and frightened, he gave it to a friend of his who was also a great violinist. But the next day, the girl was found dead. Upon taking the violin back so he wouldn't be suspected in the murder, the boy was now truly scared. Next he tried to give it back to the devil, which refused his offer and told him that once played the whole way through it was bound to him forever. No matter what he tried, the violin kept coming back to him. They say he finally snapped and killed himself."

There was a great silence. Laughing nervously, Abel tried to shake the terrible feeling it gave him. "How frightening." He said, shivering. "It looks like we'll have to go to Albion and set things straight now, won't we?" He said, giving her a small pouch, frowning. Before she could ask, he explained, "Whenever I go on a mission with someone, Caterina tells me I must give them the money." He pouted quite cutely as Esther took the money and laughed. It was no wonder. She was sure that he was very capable of killing even a small amount of money… especially with that unhealthy tea habit of his…

Once outside, it was beautiful and calm but not quite quiet. There were birds chirping in the sky and children laughing and playing in the fields. People chatted happily to each other and greeted Abel and Esther excitedly as they passed. "Everything looks so wonderful here. If you wrapped yourself up in this world, it would be hard to realize that there could be such a place as Albion where death is in the midst all the time." Esther said sadly, smelling one of the flower bouquets for sale as they passed it and smiling again said, "I love it here."

"Yes… Albion is like that much too often. Smack between the Empire and the Vatican makes it an obvious war-ground for hatred and death. It's no good. If only the two could find peace… the Terrans and the Methuselah, that is." Father Nightroad sighed heavily. Esther was listening aptly, shocked by his sudden serious face. "What?!" he cried, noticing her stare. "I'm not silly ALL the..." His words might have made a better impact, had he not fallen on his face, tripping over a kid's scooter in mid-sentence. Esther quickly bent down to see if he was okay.

Abel was back up in seconds, laughing it off as if it was nothing. "I swore I heard your bones crack." Esther said, shocked, but thoroughly relieved for his sake. He looked just fine, walking down the street, laughing. Then he stopped and began to cry in exasperation, flailing his arms all over. Shocked, Ester watched as he came running back. With big eyes wide with tears Abel showed Esther his glasses like a little kid who just broke his favorite toy. "Oh! That's what it was." Esther said, smiling. One of the lenses had popped out, and one of the sides had become bent.

Teary-eyed, Abel sniffled. "Can you fix them?" How could Esther refuse such a cute face and innocent request? Carefully, she bent the side back into a position that was equal to the other side and eased the lens back into the right eye. With a triumphant smile on her face, Esther handed him the glasses and stood up to brush off any excess dirt. She should have had enough time to get up before he did, what with him examining his glasses, but he shot up and started running and skipping joyfully towards Albion.

Startled, Esther had to run as fast as she could to catch up to someone with legs as long as his. Esther was only lucky that he was half skipping and not running at full speed. Then Esther realized that he had stopped in mid-skip. "Is something…" but there was someone standing in their way. "A vampire." She whimpered fearfully. Abel raised his arm in front of her in a protective motion and made her take a few steps back by drawing his arm against her.

"Please… let me handle this." He said, all seriousness returned to his face. Unable to find her voice, she just nodded and placed a comforting hand on his lower arm before he took off, rushing the vampire. She was almost the same height as Esther, but a bit taller with long black hair that was pulled into two long braids that went all the way down to her lower back. Her only weapons were her claws. Yet, that was enough for a vampire with speed like she had.

A long battle ensued, and for a long time, no one got any closer to winning. Both fighters were very good and no one was getting anywhere fast. Then Father Nightroad jumped back and frowned. "You're a distraction, no?"

The Methuselah laughed viciously. "You're real good, mister." She said. "I am Mistral… and my brother is… my brother is the killer, but I won't let you get to him. What do you know about our troubles anyway? You just care to destroy us all. Well, I won't let you hurt anyone else! It's the violin's fault, not my brother's!" Just now Mistral was drawing out her claws and Esther realized that they had just been fighting using hand-to-hand combat earlier. If they were even then, well, how would Father Nightroad fare now?

"Father, please! Don't do it! Don't get yourself killed!" she wept for him. 'If I want to win, I know I'll have to transform.' He thought to himself. 'But…' Father Nightroad just barely avoided one intimate collision with Mistral's deadly claws. 'But if I were to transform… what would she think of me? Why do I care so much about THAT when my life is on the line?! Well that's because… I need her friendship. If I lost her friendship… then…' "FATHER!" Esther shouted.

Hearing her scream, Abel was able to move just enough so that he wouldn't be too severely hurt. But it had been so close… Abel pulled out his gun, although he wasn't sure how much good that would do him. Mistral grinned. "Maybe I need to quiet your little parakeet before I go after you?" she laughed viciously, looking over at Esther, who grew suddenly quiet and pale. Abel stepped in between Esther and Mistral's wicked glares. "No? Alright, then. Let's finish this!"

One fluid motion and Father Nightroad was thrown to the ground, bloody. He thought about getting back up, but then he heard Esther's footsteps. Esther forgot all about her orders and ran to his side. Practically throwing herself on top of him, she sobbed. "Father, no! No more please. Don't leave me! I'll never forgive you if you do!" she shouted, tears falling onto his coat. Their eyes met for an instant and then he was looking over her shoulder at the vampire.

Mistral had a very happy look on her face as she raised her claws again. "How sweet. Now you can die together knowing that you will go to HELL TOGETHER!" she shouted angrily. Esther's eyes widened and her mind screamed at her, telling her she had to do something to save both of them. But she couldn't, and she knew that they very well might die. The only thing she could do was to wrap her arms around Abel and pray.

And then… everything went black.

What a place to end a chapter, eh? Especially the FIRST chapter! However, the next chapter is going to be fun. Please review, and be sure to check in for the next chapter coming soon!

Michiyo Ichimaru