Trinity Blood: Hallows' Eve
Part 10: Witching Hour
Midnight:
This was either the coolest or the strangest thing Abel had ever seen. He watched his older self charge towards the older Cain. The older Cain just stood their smiling for several moments before he causally raised his hand. A blast of air threw Father Nightroad back. Snarling, he flipped, spreading his wings and landing several feet back from the older Cain. Slowly the older Cain raised his arms. As he did so six white wings burst from his back, his eyes turned a bloody red, fangs growing over his lips and hair swirling up around his head. Father Nightroad charged forward once more, this time moving so fast he vanished from sight. The older Cain was ready for him, a black lance appeared in his hand seconds before he blocked the blow. Snarls filled the room and the next second a hole was blasted in the ceiling. The older Cain took to the air, smiling wickedly down at Father Nightroad before he vanished through the hole.
"Abel, wait!" Caterina called, but Father Nightroad ignored her as he flew out into the now starry night.
Abel stared after the older versions of himself and Cain. Finally he found his voice and turned to Cain. "I blame you for this future," he said to his brother.
"Why the hell are you blaming me? You attacked first!" Cain shouted in response.
Looking up from the device, the older Seth shouted at them, "You can place blame later, we have company." As they'd been speaking, several figures had emerged from the shadows. Abel recognized one of them as the man who had run from the older Cain after capturing Seth. The man had what looked to be bit marks on his neck and looked more like the living dead than anything else.
Quickly Abel pulled out his gun fired on the closest Methuselah. It only slowed before charging full pelt at Abel. "What the hell?" he leapt back and Cain raced forward. "Cain!" Abel shouted, "It will take more than just our guns and a sword to stop these." Cain paused and looked at him before he nodded. Quickly Abel took hold of his brother's wrist, whipping around he threw Cain at the enemy. His brother let out a war cry, putting his entire weight and momentum behind the stroke. Blood sprayed as the vampire's head was sliced clean off its shoulders.
"Well, that worked," Cain flicked his sword, causing the blood to scatter across the floor. "You're turn," Cain tossed Abel the sword as Abel gave him the gun. The next moment Abel was thrown towards one of the vampires. Like his brother he managed to slice off the vampire's head, but only just. "Better than the maze, hey, Abel?" laughed Cain. Together they managed to take down several more, switching who was thrown. "Abel!" at his brother's warning Abel ducked. Pain shot through his back. The pain froze him in place. Sheer, blinding agony exploded through his skull. "Abel!" Cain raced towards. As darkness began to take his vision, he saw Cain being streaked down as well. His head fell towards the ground; his vision buckled and went black.
xxx
"Abel!" the little Seth's cry made Esther look around, half expecting to see Father Nightroad. All her gaze met was the teen Abel and Cain falling. They had managed to take out nearly twenty vampires. Father Tres had managed to cover Caterina on his own, while Asthe pulled the two teens back, Ion covering her as well as both the older and younger Seth and Lilith.
The last vampire fell, slain by Tres' bullet. Esther slowly moved and peered up through the hole in the ceiling. Flashes of lightening met her gaze, arching across the sky. Red blasts of lightening soon followed, shrieks filled the night. Esther found herself holding her breath. Was that Father Nightroad? A cry of pure agony rang out; a dark shape plummeted towards them.
"Esther, move," Ion shouted as he shot forward, grabbing her and throwing her to the ground. He covered her seconds before a crash filled the space. Dust clogged the air followed by a moan. As the dust swirled and begun to settle the tip of a black wing became visible.
"Father!" Esther shouted, trying desperately to move from Ion's cover. He was injured; he had to be after that fall. "Father!" she managed to get back to her feet, fear pulsing through her veins.
"Esther!" Esther tried to get to Abel's side only to find someone had hold of her wrist. Turning, she saw his Excellency holding her arm, fear reflected in his auburn gaze. Father Nightroad was injured, couldn't Ion see it? She could see the blood from here. Esther looked at Father Nightroad desperately trying to get out of Ion's grasp and shouting Father Nightroad over and over. Then, as she watched, the wounds began to close.
They weren't healing fast enough. The ceiling was torn once more as Cain came belting through, his lance held tight, ready for the killing below. "Father!" Esther shouted at the same moment Caterina called, "Abel!" and Seth, "Brother!" At the sound of their voices Abel reacted. His wings flew up guarding his body. The lance was thrust through the wings. An inhuman shriek filled the space as blood poured from the wings, falling over Father Nightraod.
Esther blinked and the next second sparks erupted from the central computer. Father Nightroad was on his knees, his wings seeming to wilt as he panted heavily arms still outstretched as if he thrown something. It took Esther a moment realize Cain was now lodged in the controls. Snarling, sounding far more inhuman than Father Nightroad had ever sounded, Cain tore one arm free of the wires. Sparks cascaded over him as he fought his way free of the controls.
"It's ready!" the older Seth's shout made Esther jump. She'd been so intent on Father Nightroad she hadn't been paying attention to the others.
At once Cain's eyes widened and he leapt towards Seth. Father Nightroad took hold of Cain and the two of them collided into another computer. "Activate it!" Father Nightroad growled his voice distorted. "Now… Seth!" Cain was getting free, his hand moving up towards Father Nightroad's chest.
A blinding flash of white light filled the space. Esther squeezed her eyes shut. Her knees collided with a solid surface, Ion's grip on her vanishing completely as if he had never been there. A thud filled the space.
"Abel!" Esther slowly opened her eyes to see the room they'd been in before the trip into the past. Not even a second had passed here. Slowly she looked around and her eyes locked on Lady Caterina. Esther's heart froze as she noticed Abel was on the ground, breathing heavily. His cassock was torn, blood socking his clothes and covering his skin. Leaping to her feet, Esther stumbled as she raced over to them, barely noticing Tres checking the room to ensure they were safe.
"Father!" Esther was at Caterina's side, looking down at Abel.
Abel opened his eyes a sliver. "Looks like we made it back," he muttered. "Good. Are you two okay?" he asked weakly, managing a small smile as he looked at them.
"We're fine, Abel," Caterina brushed several strands of Abel's silver hair from his face. "Tres!" Caterina called. The next instant Tres appeared beside them. "Once it is safe, call Sister Kate and inform her we're returning to Rome immediately."
"Positive," Tres said before moving off. By the time he returned, Abel was sitting up, some color had returned but he still looked pale, shaky, and was rather jumpy as if he half expected Cain to appear out of thin air and attack them. "Clear," Tres informed them. "I have called Iron Maiden, she will be here shortly."
"Thank you, Tres," Caterina smiled at the machine who was as emotionless as ever. They were going back to Rome, Esther felt relief fill her. That day had been terrifying enough as it was, she would welcome being home again.
(Author's Note: And FatherNightroad wonders why his memory is so foggy. Thus ends the story of Hallows' Eve… The original ending this was far more appurpt so I added a bit to it. To clarify hints I have dropped in this story: the belt was what caused them to go back in time and got them back to their own times, the teen Abel and Cain lose some of their memory of that night when they are struck over the head, and all groups from the future return to the points they'd been at in their own time even if they were dead.
Don't forget to vote on the poll I have up!)