Trinity Blood: #2: Future Seen in Golden Eyes
Chapter 10: The Crumbling, Part 2: Fall of Carthage
Aran glowered. "You could've followed Tres instead of me," he snapped at Lilith. The sun was just setting. Even the prospect of shedding these clothes didn't brighten Aran's mood. Lilith was the cause of this and now – now she – gah!
"I need to apologize to him," Lilith repeated for the hundredth time that day. "I don't want him to kill himself." There was genuine concern, fear, and worry in her voice. Aran sighed. He shouldn't be too hard on her. After all he hadn't known how to react when he'd first seen Abel trip over a box. He'd not beaten down his father though as Lilith had done.
"Tres might be having better luck than we are," Aran confessed. Shaking his head, he looked towards sky. The last rays of the sun had vanished several moments ago. Silence fell over the world. A building was blasted to pieces. The walls and fire lashed out towards Aran. Pain shot through him. A mass of auburn hair flew over his vision.
A voice whispered, "Nano-machine crusnik 04 release of restriction to eighty percent, activate." Four beautiful, blue wings engulfed him, forming a protective barrier between Aran and the explosion. Two glowing, red eyes were all he could see in the darkness. "Are you all right?" Lilith asked, releasing him.
Aran shakily nodded. "Yeah," another explosion sounded nearby and was followed by another. Overhead a family white streak suddenly rolled as blue lightening lanced through the night. "Safe to say we found Abel," Aran watched as he father shot after Cain. Black blood scattered to the ground, following Abel in a thin streak. Abel swayed in the sky. One wing withering as he began to plummet.
"Abel!" Lilith launched from the ground. Abel was picking up speed, trying to spread his wings. Spreading her arms wide, Lilith embraced Abel in a tight hug. The two of them drifted to the ground, Lilith's wings acting as the only support.
"Dad, Lilith!" Aran raced over to them and knelt beside Lilith. Abel's wing looked as if it was barely holding together. "Shouldn't this have healed?" Aran glanced at Lilith, but she was whispering something to Abel who was just staring at her as if he'd not expected to see her again in his life. The language Lilith was using was one from pre-Armageddon. Aran had to carefully listen to be able to understand them.
"I'm so sorry, Abel, I didn't mean to hurt you. In my time you would have come after me not run off," Lilith looked at him. "I see now, you're still the same man I love. I just – it just got to me when I saw your room assignment and then you tried picking up the tree." This wasn't the best time to discuss this, especially with city under attack. "I'm sorry, I know it's not—" Abel placed a finger over Lilith's lips. Straightening, he kissed her.
"I wasn't mad, upset, but not mad," Abel whispered back. "Right now, I need to stop Cain before he kills everyone here," he reverted to Latin. Standing, Abel spread his left wing but groaned when he tried to move his right one. "Damn," he muttered, sounding more like himself than he had for the past day.
Lilith stood. "I'll be your wings," Abel stared at her and she smiled. "I've two more than needed after all." Abel nodded, folding his good wing in while the other draped on the ground.
"It looked as if Cain was heading for the embassy," Aran also stood. "I'll head that way on foot."
"No," Abel shook his head. "Find the agents who out and get them to head back. Caterina will need all of us there before too long, but we also need to protect the civilians."
"I'll get as many out of the city as I can," Aran smiled. Abel had just said that without a second's thought. In his time his father wanted to care about humans but he'd been struggling to let go of his hatred.
"Good luck and please be careful," Abel's red eyes glinted with worry. An uncommon emotion to see in a crusnik's eyes, then there was the fact he was speaking normally. Aran frowned. Lilith wrapped her arms around Abel. The two of them launched into the sky and shot off in the direction of the embassy. It'd take both of them to stop Cain if not Seth added to the group. Aran watched the sky for a long moment before racing off into the city.
xxx
"Are you certain you're all right?" Lilith asked over the howling wind. Abel blinked at her in confusion. What was she talking about? His wound or mental state? "No one could find you for a day, Abel, it's just… I was worried."
"I—" Abel choked on his words. He couldn't tell her he'd wanted to die after she'd broken off the engagement. She felt bad enough as it was and right now their problems could wait until after this battle. "We'll talk once Carthage is safe," he glanced at her and saw a proud smile on her face. His heart flickered. Joy replacing the pain he'd felt hours before. Did she still think what he'd been doing worthless? A flicker of hope joined to the joy at her smile. "We're coming up on the embassy!"
"Ready?" Abel nodded, sucking in air before air rushed past him. Lilith's hold had vanished completely. Pain lanced through his bad wing as he landed, rolling on the ground. Lilith was beside him in an instant, landing with a soft tap of her shoes. "Abel!" she clapped her hands over her mouth and raced over to him.
"I'm fine," standing, Abel held up a hand, "I've not stuck a landing in thirteen years, so I'm used to it."
"If you're sure…" Lilith still looked concerned.
"Lilith, stop worrying about me," Abel smiled softly at her to take the sting from his words. "The humans need us more than anything right now." Lilith nodded again, closing her eyes. Her wings seemed to shrink before vanishing in a somehow beautiful way. "Caterina should be near the certain of embassy," Abel began as he picked the lock with one long talon. As the lock clicked, the pain began to leave his wing. The wound was sealing. When the last of it vanished Abel forced the wings to wither. The whispers of the crusnik faded into the background. Strands of long silver hair fell around his face and down his back, covering the rags his cassock had become.
"Abel," Lilith's warm hand touched his face, "you shouldn't have taken this long to heal."
"We really need to focus on getting the others away from Cain," Abel pushed open the door. Stepping into the hall, Abel paused frowning. "We should split up," he stated. He didn't like the idea but it was the only they'd be certain to find Caterina and the others. Her hand wrapped around his wrist. "Lilith," Abel looked her in the eye, protesting.
Lilith's face was covered in thin shadows. "Abel, I don't think what you've done is worthless. It means a lot to me that peace is coming. I was just upset that you gave up so much for it," her soft hand touched his. Another hand was warm against his cheek.
Abel just stared at her. "Wha—?" Lilith stood on the tips of her toes. Her lips touched his. Abel closed his eyes, returning the kiss. Her scent surrounded him. It felt as if the words and actions of over a day ago, no longer mattered.
"I love you," Lilith whispered, her breath tickling his face. "Promise me you'll make it through this."
Abel pulled the ring from his pocket. Lilith stared at it. "I promise," he whispered, sliding the ring back into place on her finger. "Find help, if you can," Abel whispered to her. "We'll see each other again soon." His lips brushed hers before he turned and raced off.
The sound of Abel's boots on the ground echoed off the walls. He waited for Lilith to be out of hearing before he gasped. His shoulder hit the wall, body shaking. In all honesty he'd split up so his beloved wouldn't see him like this. The lack of blood, the lack of food, and the lack of water were getting to him. At this point he'd be unable to activate the crusnik again. He wasn't even certain he'd be able to fight at this point. Damn, damn it all! Why'd Cain have to pick now to attack?
Shaking his head, Abel straightened. It didn't matter if he'd kill himself in a fight. He had to protect Caterina and Esther. Azul was here as well. He couldn't let his son down either. Step by step Abel started off down the hall. At a snails pace he picked up speed until he'd managed a jog.
"Get away from his Holiness!" Esther's shout was faint. Abel could barely tell how far she away she was. Gritting his teeth, Abel broke into a run. His long hair whipped at his face. He turned a corner and stopped dead. Before him Esther was slumped against the wall unconscious. Caterina was hiding her younger half brother behind her. She used her body as a living a shield. It wasn't this which made Abel pause. It was the sight of Shaun.
It didn't matter! Abel snarled, launching himself at the boy. Shaun heard him. Whipping around, the flash of bullets echoed through the room. Blinding pain shot through Abel. Gasping, he fell, one knee biting into the ground. Blood trickled wounds. It dampened his cassock.
"And here you are," Shaun grinned, the gun held loosely in his hand.
"Abel!" Caterina's shout made Abel glance at her. He mouthed at her to run, but she didn't move. Damn it.
"Well, this is a great catch. Cain has plans for you: he wants to see the terrans can't be trusted, or something like that," the cold point of the muzzle on his head scent a chill through to the bone. "It's a shame I'd so looked forward to killing you, Angel. After the hell you gave us seven centuries ago, it's only far."
"Nano-machine," the words trickled from Abel of their own accord, "crusnik 02, release of restriction—" whack, Abel felt pain explode through his head. The ground struck him. Before he could take hold of Shaun, gun fire echoed through the room. Searing pain shot through his lung. Dark clouds wrapped around Abel. The next instant he was pitched into shadows. Damn it.
xxx
Lilith's shoes made no noise on the ground. She was careful not alert any to her presence here. One finger brushed across the ring. She stopped. There had been something wrong with Abel. She knew it. He'd been shaking. He shouldn't have been, but there was no denying the fact he'd felt to weak. What was wrong? Why had he taken so long to heal?
"Lilith?" the sound of a voice made Lilith jump. Whipping around, one hand on a hilt of her sword, she froze. The woman who stood before her wasn't one of Valdemar's people. Her features reminded Lilith of Asthe, but the clothes were a far older style of imperial formal wear. Then there were her eyes, her eyes weren't silted or even yellow. They were a dark brown. Her hair was cut military style and deep, red, several shades darker than Lilith's and Esther's.
"Ensign Asran, wha – how are you here?" Lilith asked.
"I could ask the same. Last I'd heard you died. Also it's duchess now, not ensign," the duchess smiled half heartedly. "Why are we in Carthage? What's going on, Lilith?"
"We're no longer in our time," Lilith began. She quickly filled the duchess in, knowing she needed help to get the people to safety.
"The emperor is here, eight centuries in the future?" the duchess stared at Lilith mouth gaping. "Not only that but he's a priest and has lived this long? That's impossible. I know the emperor was in good health, but this is just—"
"Just shocking," Aran appeared from the shadows Father Tres just behind him. "It's good to see you Athina Asran, Duchess of Kiev."
"As it is to see you Aran Fortuna, Count of Moldova," there was briskness to her tone which felt off. Lilith frowned, looking at the two she'd known as children. Athina was only a few years older than Aran, but it felt as if— "Who's the priest?"
"He's Father Tres Iqus," Aran replied, "one of dad's friends in the time." Aran turned to Lilith. "We have a problem," he began, "the Carthage government just fell. There's been announcement that all the AX, except Tres, have been captured. There is also a member of inquisition in custody, the pope, Cardinal Caterina, Asthe, Azul, and," he swallowed hard, "and dad has been captured as well. I don't know how, but Shaun somehow managed it. Carthage has fallen."
"What?" Athina snarled. Storming over to Aran, she took hold of his shirt collar. "Are you completely incompetent? You let them capture the emperor!" She threw Aran back, "Tch, I'm going after him."
"Unarmed and against Cain," Lilith stepped forward. "You wouldn't stand a chance, Athy, and you know it. We have to get you a weapon and then rescue all of the others." She glanced at Tres.
"Affirmative, current chances of success are currently two percent," the man stated bluntly.
"Fine then," Athina folded her arms across her chest. "What's the plan? And it had better not be to leave Emperor Nightlord," she scowled at this thought.
"I've no intention of leaving Abel," Lilith locked eyes with the younger woman.
"Please submit clarification: Father Abel Nightroad is a priest. Who is this Emperor Abel Nightlord you speak of?" at Tres' question Lilith looked at him. It wasn't something she wanted to explain right now.
"After we get the others back, I promise I'll clarify this matter for you, Father Tres," Lilith stated. There was no reply for Tres. "If Asthe has been captured, this means the Sword of Gae Bolg has been placed in an armory. We should get that for you to use during this battle Athina."
"This Asthe would be able to use the sword, how?" Athina asked. "Only one from my line or a crusnik has the ability to use the sword."
"Her full name and title are Astharoshe Asran, the Duchess of Kiev and Odessa," Aran stated. "She's your descendent, Athina, and a lot like you."
"Let me get this straight," Athina growled, "you not only let the emperor get captured but my descendent. What the hell kind of noble are you?"
"Enough, Athina," Lilith stepped between them. "Let's just focus on getting them back. Tres," she looked at the short priest, "do you have any idea where their weapons well be held?"
"Positive," Tres turned from them and started down the hall.
"A man of few words, I like him," Athina grinned before starting after him. Aran just sighed and smiled at Lilith before they followed as well. Lilith only hoped Abel would be all right.
(Author's Note: Yeah I added another OC: Athina Asran, Asthe ancestor.
A request: if you read this story please, please leave a review or a comment even if you don't have an account for fanfiction. Comments and reviews help me get motivated to write when I am not in the mood do so.)
