(The base with the maze in it is extremely large. I have it covering from just in the empire to several miles across on either side. Also I had to change the location because I didn't like where it was before hand. It no longer makes sense where it had been before. As a fun side note: this part of the empire does fall near the end of the war.
By the way, yes Abel does go a little insane in this chapter. If you really think on it this does make sense with what he had been through in the last year.)

Trinity Blood: Divergent Path
Chapter 23: Past made Present

The motorcycle roared through the thick undergrowth. Nothing around Abel looked familiar and yet he couldn't shake the feeling he had been here before. A noise in the distance made him pull over and cut the engine. "I thought I heard an engine," that language, it was an old one from before Armageddon. What was going on here? "It was this way," the sound of snapping twigs and crunching leaves warned Abel a patrol of around four people was moving towards him.

Quickly Abel placed the kickstand and leapt up into the trees. Climbing up the tree, Abel stopped when he was certain no one below would be able really spot his white clothes. Moments later four people wearing – this was impossible. Abel's widened at the sight of the four UNASF uniforms. What the hell sort of trick was this? The UN had been destroyed during Armageddon. There was no way this was possible!

"It's one of ours," stated the first man who Abel had heard. The soldier knelt down and pointed to the UN symbol which had been scratched out and was now barely visible. "Judging by the number it was one of the ones sent to Mars," he stated.

"Look," the only female in the group pointed at another symbol, the one of the empire. "I've only seen this symbol on the clothes that girl wore. Do you think these people are descended from the ones we sent to Mars? The Lieutenant said it has been nearly a hundred years since they were sent to Mars, right?" Abel's eyes narrowed. He knew these people, well the one at the head, the man who had spoken first. It had been so long ago Abel couldn't quite place this man.

"Well, Major Marry, what do you think?" asked one of the other men, looking at the major. "Whoever this is might have a few answers, such as what the hell has happened since Armageddon and we froze ourselves." Froze – of course, they had gone into stasis, trying to preserve as many people as they could. This group must have been set on a timer to awaken at in this time. This would explain how UN personal had survived the war and lived so long with them being terrans and all.

"It has been ninety-two years," stated Major Marry. It was slowly coming back to Abel. This major had been the lowest ranked officer on all the bases Abel had ever gone to. He had been assigned as one of the guards to ensure the four "excremental subjects" hadn't tried to escape or kill themselves. Rage simmered in Abel. He longed to kill these men, but first he would listen and discover where Seth was. "They might have some answers, yes," Major Marry nodded his agreement.

It looked as if this group wasn't going to say much more on Seth. Well then, it appeared he was just going to have to ask them nicely, now, didn't it? Abel started to pull out his gun, when an idea occurred to him. These people would know nothing of what the crusnik nano-machine did to people let alone the bacillus the fact had changed those fused with it into the Methuselah.

A grin split Abel's features. This was going to be fun. His eyes scanned the area below before he leapt silently out of the tree. As predicted he landed just behind the woman who was the furthest from Major Marry. "Boo," Abel hissed in her ear.

The woman jumped. Quickly Abel wrapped his arm around her mouth before she could scream. In a deft movement he broke her neck. The woman fell to forest floor with a dull thud. "What the—" the two other men turned towards Abel, but they only caught a glimpse of white as Abel raced around them. He appeared behind one of the men. "Behind you!" the other shouted. The man turned. Abel straightened his fingers and thrust his arm through the man's chest. Bone cracked, muscle split, and the soft heart was torn to shreds by Abel's hand.

Ripping his arm out of the terran, Abel looked at his now blood socked hand. "It's so shameful to think people like you once held such power," Abel mused, watching the bits of flesh, blood, and bone drip off his hand. The tip of this white sleeve had blood staining it.

"Wh-what the hell are you?" shouted the other man, staring at Abel with wide eyes.

Slowly Abel looked at him, grinning. "Me?" Abel vanished from the terrans' sight once more, reappearing behind this man. "I'm a crusnik!" Taking hold of the back of the man's head, Abel smashed it into the nearest rock. The skull split from the force of impact. Abel's hand went numb from the rebound and the fact he had torn through someone's breastbone. "Terrans who do not know of us are almost too easy to kill," he mused, staring at the body of the man. "One would think with your technology you would actually be harder than the Vatican. Such a shame, here I thought I might be treated to a bit of a hunt."

"It can't be; the crusnik was a nano-machine. The Mars Project reported it wouldn't fuse with anyone!" Abel slowly looked at Major Marry, his cold eyes looking into the familiar features of one of his old tormentors. The major's eyes widened, "Abel? Is that you? My God, you haven't aged a day!"

Turning, Abel ran his fingers over the motorcycle as he walked towards the major. "Major Torrin Marry," Abel's voice was cold and harsh. This was almost too easy. It wasn't fun when his prey didn't put up a fight. "This is a surprise, one which I would rather have not received." As Abel closed in, the major took a step back, then another, and another. "What is this, the great major is scared?" Abel sneered, feeling the fangs grow and the taste of blood filling his mouth as the crusnik reacted to his emotions and the violence.

"What the hell have you become, Lieutenant-Colonel?" demanded Torrin, staring at Abel as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You were a good soldier, why turn on us after all this time? The United Nations raised!" Torrin shouted.

"Raised me," Abel spat, "they created me! The four of us were nothing more than disposable lab rats!" Leaping forward, Abel took hold of Torrin's shirt collar and slammed him into the tree, causing Torrin to drop the gun he'd been reaching for. "And it's no longer lieutenant-colonel. I am a lord of the Methuselah," Abel drank in the fear coming off of Torrin. It was almost as good as killing terrans.

Torrin just stared at Abel, beads of sweat rolling down his face. "You're," he began, "you're a monster," he spoke in a tight, almost fearful voice. Rage shrugged through Abel as these words brought back what Myles had bored into his mind.

"A monster, you say I am a monster?" Abel slowly asked, his voice low, almost dangerous. "You have seen nothing, terran. You're people are the true monsters, not I." Slowly he leaned in and whispered in Torrin's ear, "Do you know what the second best part of killing terrans is? It is their fear, to watch them suffer in their last moments as they made me suffer throughout my childhood and this past year. I will never be sick of it," he smiled, moving back. Slowly he took out his gun, still holding Torrin against the tree, and pressed to the muzzle to Torrin's temple. "Now, tell me, where is my sister?"

"Seth?" Torrin looked at Abel as if he were crazy. "You're madder than a hatter, Abel," Torrin shook his head. "I didn't even know you were still alive, how would I know where—?" Abel punched Torrin's stomach. The major gasped, collapsing to his knees, doubled over in pain.

"Liar!" snarled Abel. "You're men were discussing how they had seen the empire's symbol on a girl's clothes! Only the Nightlords are permitted to wear the symbol," taking hold of Torrin's hair, Abel pulled the man off the ground. "Where is she?" he growled, watching as Torrin gasped in pain, eyes watering. "Where is my sister, damn it?"

"At the base," Torrin managed to say. "I'll take you there," Abel released Torrin's hair. The man stuck the ground, where he lay winded. Before Torrin could regain his breath or snag his dropped weapon, Abel pulled the man to his feet and placed his gun between Torrin's shoulder blades.

"Move," Abel said coldly. "If you so much as try to escape I will kill you slowly."

"I don't doubt that, Lord Nightlord," muttered Torrin, almost spitting Abel's title as if mocking Abel. Abel shoved him forward, anger and resentment burning in him. "I get it already!" Torrin started forward, leading Abel towards the nearby base. The entire place looked familiar to Abel and it took Abel a second to realize it was the base with the underground maze in it, the last base he and his siblings had been in.

As they passed through the gate, Abel's free hand twitched. He longed to destroy this place. Abel returned his attention to Torrin just as the man fell to the floor. Oh, hell! Abel leapt back as rocket soared past him, striking the ground where he had stood seconds before. Torrin raced off, heading straight for the entrance.

"Bloody terrans," growled Abel, raising his gun he fired on the soldier who had shot the rocket. The next second the man fell from the roof, bleeding heavily from a bullet wound to the head. Slowly Abel followed.

Crossing into the base, Abel continued down the main hall. The sound of Torrin's heavy breathing guiding Abel through the familiar halls. "All hands to battle stations!" Torrin's whispered order was clear to Abel as he followed the terran. What a fool? The major raced into a room, the doors closing behind him. Such fools, did they really believe this door would keep Abel out.

The sound of several droids appearing behind Abel was all too apparent. Ah, this would explain it. "Surrender, Lieutenant-Colonel Nightlord, you are surround," an unfamiliar, female voice came over the intercom.

Slowly Abel looked at the camera, replacing his gun in the holster and lifting his arms as if to surrender. Turning on his heel, Abel spoke, "Nano-machine 'crusnik 02' release of restriction to forty percent, activate." At once he felt the fangs finish growing in, his hair swirled up around his head, and the power of the crusnik filled him. Abel called forth the scythe. Leaping forward, he sliced through the droids with ease. They exploded in a brilliant display of light and sound.

More droids appeared, lifting their arms and firing on Abel. He stumbled back as a few bullets struck his legs. Others hit the armor of his cape. Twisting the Scythe in his hands, Abel snarled at the confounded machines. He didn't have time for this; Seth could be injured or worse. Slowly Abel undid the cape. It hit the floor as he slipped off the coat as well.

"Nano-machine 'Crusnik 02' release of restriction to eighty percent," this time the crusniks' mind didn't try to take over, no doubt viewing this as boring, "activate." Wings exploded from Abel's back. Lightening arced between his wings. "Die!" Abel growled. The lightening shot towards the droids causing them to explode.

Turning back to the door, Abel swung the scythe at it. The door split, the metal grinding. He slashed at it again. The door was blasted off its hinges, flying back and hitting several people. Screams tore from their lips as the door crushed several of their rips.

"Where is she?" Abel demanded, rage and anger searing through his veins as he stepped into the room. Blue light flickered and danced across the floor, coming from lightening around Abel. "Where is our sister?"

The nano-machine whispered to Abel, goading him, trying to get him to attack the terrans who had dared take his sister from him. "What the hell are you? An angel or a demon!" one of the soldiers shouted, staring at Abel as if they couldn't believe their eyes.

Abel snarled at them. Lightening shot at his bidding towards the soldier. The soldier shrieked writhing as the energy surged through his body, slowly killing him. "Where is she?" shouted Abel.

Several of the soldiers fired on him. The bullets slammed into his chest, causing him to stumble back. Slowly the bullets were pushed out of him, clattering to the floor as the wounds healed. Abel started forward. Torrin started firing on Abel. Quickly Abel charged, grunting as the bullets hit him. The Scythe slammed into Torrin's chest, piercing.

"We will kill every last one of you," Abel growled, eyes flashing and grinning as he watched the light die in Torrin's eyes. It wasn't enough. He wanted these terrans to pay for they had done to him and his siblings. They would all pay! Ripping the scythe from Torrin, Abel slowly turned to others in the room. "Where is Seth?" he growled.

"How," Abel's gaze flickered to Lieutenant Jessica Marry, "how did you know we have her? Who are you?" Abel grinned at her before sending a wave of lightening at all the others in the room. Their shrieks filled the air and he drank them in as if they were the blood of a Methuselah. Such a wonderful sound, so beautiful, Abel closed his eyes, smiling until the last shriek died away. "M-monster," Jessica, being the only one Abel hadn't targeted, stumbled back. "What the hell are you?"

"Our sister, where is she?" Abel stepped towards her. "Tell us and we won't kill you," Abel said, not liking this deal. "Tell us!" his hand flashed out, wrapping around her throat. Lightening surged through her. The heat burned her face and neck as she gasped and writhed from the pain. "Where is our sister?" Abel cut the lightening.

"Th-through those doors," gasped Jessica as she pointed to what had once been a closet. "P-please spare me!" Tears rolled down her face. Her eyes glinting with fear. Abel tossed her aside. His hair falling flat as the wings and scythe vanished.

"Pathetic," Abel glared down at the unconscious terran. "Truly pitiful," turning, Abel walked over to his coat and cape. Quickly he replaced them before heading over to the closet and opening the door. Sure enough Seth was there; her hands bound tightly and blood trickling down the side of her face. "Seth," Abel raced to her side.

Slowly Seth looked at him and smiled. "I knew you would come, dear brother," she spoke softly. "You always do." Abel easily tore the chains binding his sister. "Thank you, Abel," Seth threw her arms around his neck, tears in her eyes. "I missed you so, my dearest brother," her breath tickled his ear. Abel returned the embrace, overjoyed at the fact she was alive and still with him.

"I would never leave you to the UN," Abel whispered, none of the emotions he had felt earlier in his voice, "and I will always be there for you, sister." They broke apart. "Can you walk?"

"Yes," Seth nodded, "they didn't do much. All they wanted was to know why I was still alive and where you and Cain were." She smiled at him, "Guess they discovered where you were the hard way."

At this Abel smiled softly at her. "Yes, in a very hard way," he stood holding out his hand to her. "Come, sister, let's go home." Together until the end of time, he had once promised Seth this and he wouldn't break this promise ever. They would be together until the day they died, as brother and sister.