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Trinity Blood: Divergent Path
Chapter 25: The First Christmas

"Morale's dropped."

The statement was a whip across Abel's back. He rubbed his eyes. The past few months had been trying. Despite the fact he'd kept up with his sleep this time, it did little for him. He'd worked through most of the days off since being reinstated as leader.

"Thanks for that, Kayson," Barrack muttered. "I think most of us have noticed that much."

"Enough, Barrack," Abel gestured for the man to back off before he could start a fight with the doctor. "Kayson's right. The predicted time it will take to complete the Ark does have moral running low. I don't think anyone expected we'd been here for another sixty years minimum." Though, Abel had to admit, he'd thought it would be a hell of a lot worse.

"Plus the rationing isn't going over well with a lot of people," Tabitha pointed out. "I've lost count how many times Barrack's team's had to waylay people from getting to you or Wilson, sir."

Abel grunted. "There's not much we can do about that. Right now we're resting on about seventy-three years worth of food with only a slight margin for population growth. It's not like we can tell people to stop having kids."

"But the fact the Bacillus makes it harder helps, right?" Seth asked.

"I'm not going to lie, it does help," Abel stated, leaning back a little. "Even with that, it's still seventy-three years worth of food. It's not much of a buffer zone. And if the Ark does run into complications you said it could be anywhere between another ten to thirty years."

"Yeah, but the ten's more likely," Seth shrugged. "People will get it done in at most seventy years. I doubt they want to be stuck here anymore than we do."

"What about morale?" Kayson asked. "People will eventually give up if morale drops too low."

Abel rubbed his chin. There was that. In all honesty he only had one idea right then. "We could lessen rations for a night," Abel said. "I'd rather have the people happy than end up staying here because no one but us is still working on the Ark."

"Why not have a Christmas celebration?" Tabitha suggested. "It's getting close to that time of year back on Earth. It could just be the thing the people need to feel closer to home as well as brighten their mood."

"True," Abel agreed. "We should hold a Christmas celebration then. There's just one problem, not everyone here is religious or shares the same religion as others."

"Yeah, that's true." Tabitha looked more than a little crestfallen.

"It just means we make the celebration so it's non-religious," Abel stated. "Kayson, if you want to hold a religious ceremony, you're more than welcome to take the religious among us and do so."

Kayson nodded. "I think it'd for the best. We don't want to offend either group."

"I rather like that idea," Barrack put in. "It really would help calm the people especially if your there, President Nightlord."

Abel scowled. "I really hate it when people call me that. It's just Abel." He hadn't minded so much being called "Admiral," but that might have just been because of the stress he'd been under. The new title of president just made his skin crawl.

"Right, I'll be sure to tell people that," Barrack grinned, a teasing note in his voice and sparking in his dark eyes.

A sigh escaped Abel. He rubbed his eyes. "We should allow a double ration per-person for a dinner feast," he continued on the topic at hand. "If rations start to wane too quickly we can always pull it back to one and half ration instead."

Tabitha nodded. "That sounds more than agreeable. Now," – she looked at Abel – "you look as if you really could use your day off, sir."

At this Abel gave her a small smile. "I can continue working for as long need be." Though, in all honesty, sleep sounded good. Even if he did get the rest of the day off, he'd be training Barrack and Alexander in the sword. "We'll hold the celebration on Christmas."

The others nodded in agreement.

Abel stood. "It's agreed then. I'll send out the announcement in the morning." Abel turned and left the room, Barrack at his side. "We'll continue yours and Alexander's training today," Abel told the taller man.

"Of course, sir," Barrack said with a bow of his head. "I was just wondering, how much longer do you think it will be before we're ready to use real swords?"

"You've mastered the basics at this point," Abel stated. "We could find some of the metal on Mars and have swords made."

"I'd rather use the scrap from old ship that's not being used for the Ark," Alexander said as he joined them. "The metal here is just so different from Earth's. I'd rather have a piece of home and not a reminder we're stuck here."

"I don't care what metal makes my blade as long as I have one," Barrack stated. A broad grin spread across his face. He'd grown a thin beard, but it suited him over all. When he'd been asked why he'd grown a beard he'd only said it was easier than having to worry about shaving every morning, especially with how early Abel rose.

"I'm certain we can work something out with Seth's teams to get you some of that metal, Alexander." Abel led the way into the gym. As usual, this gym was completely empty save for Arthur and little Athy.

Athy was holding a small, wood sword and swinging it at a dummy. "Take that rebel scum!" she shouted every time she hit the dummy.

A smile appeared on Abel's face and his heart swelled with warmth at the sight of the little girl playing. He could just imagine what his daughters would've been doing now as well. Abel shoved the thought away. They were gone! They'd never been born all thanks to – to Cain.

"Looks like little Athina's beaten us to it," Barrack gave a deep, rumbling laugh. He walked over to the little girl and kneeled beside her. "You're daddy teaching you to be a soldier?" He ruffled Athy's hair.

"Ah?" Athy blinked up at Barrack. "Nope!" She grinned, revealing several missing teeth. "Daddy says I should be like mommy, not like daddy and Uncle Abel."

Alexander choked on a laugh. "'Uncle' Abel?" He coughed.

Abel elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shit!" Alexander cursed, rubbing his side. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Virgin ears here!" Arthur snapped at Alexander. "Shut up or I'll cut out your tongue, Barvon!"

Alexander stiffened; then relaxed and snorted at this. "I'm more scared of a piece of falling metal than you, Asran. You're too much of a tame dog to do anything."

Abel crossed over to rack of swords, ignoring his friends as best as he could.

"Where's Solomon?" Barrack asked, looking away from Athy.

"At his post," Arthur stated, shooting a glare at Alexander.

"Hey daddy, daddy!" Athy raced over the Arthur, dragging the sword behind her. "Can I get a sword for dolly? Can I?" She lifted up the doll that been by Arthur. "Please, daddy?!" She stuck out her lower lip and made her already large brown eyes grow larger.

"Perhaps if you're a good girl Santa will come and visit you," Alexander teased.

"Catch!" Abel tossed a sword at Alexander. He hoped it'd strike the man on the head and stop his taunting of Arthur and poor, little Athy. Unfortunately Alexander caught the wooden sword.

"Who's Santa?" Athy asked, tilting her head to one side in confusion.

Alexander just gaped at the girl.

A chuckle from Barrack broke the silence. "You might soon learn who he is, Athina."

Abel passed Barrack his practice sword. "Speaking of which, Arthur, we've decided to throw a Christmas celebration this year," Abel informed both Arthur and Alexander.

"Really?" Both of Arthur's eyebrows rose. "What's the reasoning behind suddenly deciding to hold Christmas?"

"Morale," Barrack stated as he took his position. "Doctor Williams was kind enough to remind us it's been dropping. Admiral Williams suggested a Christmas celebration. And President Nightlord agreed to it."

Abel scowled. He took his position between the two men and slid into his stance. He watched the two of them. "For the last time, it's just Abel. I hate that dam—" he glanced at Athy – "that title," he corrected himself.

"Good luck with getting people to stop calling you president, sir," Arthur smirked. "They'd be more likely to stop calling your brother insane."

Abel flinched at this and shot Arthur a glare. It was just a harsh reminder of what Abel had found a month ago. He'd finally managed to get the camera recordings from that room cleared up. Lilith had made it difficult when she'd damaged to the recordings. What Abel had seen had both shocked him and made him understand a little more why Lilith had been so distant after she'd been fused with the crusnik.

At the same time, Abel knew a part of him had always known it'd been Cain who'd fused Lilith with the crusnik. Not even having this information helped much. There was no changing the reality that Lilith hated him and no going back to fix it all. Also, he couldn't bring himself to really hate Cain. Sure he didn't like the fact Cain had done what he'd done, but it was still Abel's fault his daughter's had died that day and this relationship with Lilith had shattered. He couldn't blame Cain.

xxx

The sounds of hammers and chisels rang of a long overdue freedom from this world. 01 stood near the work crews, watching them through the helmet of his suit. They couldn't work fast enough for him. If 01 had been in 02's host's place he'd have this sorry bunch wiped for working so slowly.

01 glanced at where Lilith stood. She was speaking with several of workers. Her attention locked them instead of 01. It'd sure as hell taken her long enough to get distracted from the fact 01 was here.

"Alaric," 01 said, moving to where the man stood. "I need you to gather these items." 01 held out a list. "The locations of where each piece is found, is included." 01 looked at Alaric as the man looked over the list. Entrusting this ship to this idiot was stretching it. It wasn't like 01 had much of a choice. Alaric's old group was the main workforce this far from the colony. The others here were just here to make certain the old rebels didn't try anything. Even being watched they'd a higher chance at getting the items than 01 did.

"How do you know so much about the Ark?" Alaric asked, giving a 01 a questioning look.

01 laughed and scratched the side of his helmet. "Well, I got really bored ten years ago and so started to study it," he said before laughing again. "Can you or can you not get those items?"

"My people can get them." There was a tightness to Alaric's voice 01 didn't much like. "Just be certain you can protect my people."

"Yep, will do." And if any were dumb enough to get caught, 01 would just kill them. "Bye!" 01 turned and waved to Alaric before he headed into the Ark itself. There wasn't time to waste on that foolish creature who called himself a man. In the end he'd die, but not yet and not by 01's hand. There was still much that man could do for him.

By now several matters would've happened. Abel would've discovered it had been his older brother who fused his lover with 04 and would either act on it or leave well enough alone. People would've started to become discouraged, but that was problem 01 left to the leaders of the colony. And then that kid 01 had helped centuries ago would have set the earth to the starting stage 01 required. If it wasn't set by now then 01 had misjudged that kid's view of him and the other crusniks as gods.

01 moved through the Ark. The once bright halls were now lit by nothing more than the light on the helmet of his suit. It didn't help matters that most of the vital systems had already been removed and moved to the site of the new Ark. 01 wished he didn't have to move through the halls with this damned suit on.

By the time 01 arrived at the room he was looking for, he only had a few hours left of oxygen. Granted he'd gotten a little lost on his way here so that didn't help matters much. He'd thought he'd remembered the way. Though, in the past he'd not paid much attention to where the other three where storing what they'd dubbed as the incomplete 05.

01 entered the dark room and moved to the far wall. When his light washed over the wall, he stopped dead in his tracks. The three drawers were open. All three of the small containers which had been there weren't. Someone had stolen than last twenty percent of 02! His hand balled into a fist. Blood filled his mouth as his fangs began to grow. Damn them!

"Cain?"

01 whipped around and came face to face with 04's host. "Aaaah!" He leapt back, heart racing as his back slammed into the wall. He fell to the ground, followed by a drawer.

Lilith sighed. "What are you doing here, Cain?" she asked.

"Nothing! Nothing!" 01 leapt to his feet and raced from the room. He didn't stop or look back until he'd gotten all the way back to the colony. A shiver raced through him. "What? Why are you following me, Lilith?!" He pouted and glared at the woman.

The two of them were in a disserted part of the colony. It was a place that only saw the two and from traffic of the old Ark. Right then they were completely alone.

"Drop the act, 01," Lilith stated, moving so she stood in his path. "Tell me what you've done with the real Cain."

01 stared at her. "04, that you?" he asked through the mental link all crusniks shared.

"No, 04 gave me complete control," Lilith told him. "But you did just confirm my suspicions. You're not Cain at all, you're 01 using his body. Now, tell me where Cain is!" Lilith's eyes flashed. While she didn't yell there was a coolness to her voice which sent a chill through even 01.

"Eh?" 01 titled his head and looked at her. "I'm not acting."

"He isn't."

01 heard 04 speaking with Lilith.

"That's really how 01 acts, but don't be fooled. He's far stronger than the childish out demeanor lets on."

"Ah! No far, no far! 04 stop talking to her, it's no fair!" 01 leapt back, pointing at Lilith as he shouted. He then laughed and smiled, "I can't let you live now. I was just because it was fun to see 02's host suffer so. But now…" his fangs grew, hair crackling up around the crown of his head. Six white wings unfurled from his back, ripping through the fabric of his shift.

"Nano-machine, crusnik 04, release of restriction eighty percent, activate." Lilith's four blue wings spread from her back, sending pieces of cloth floating to the ground. Her gold eyes silted as they turned a glowing, blood red. Her hair remained framing her face by the metal in it.

"DIE!" 01 shrieked as he charged across the space towards Lilith. His wrists split. Black liquid gushed forth. It molded into his black lance.

Faster than 01 had thought possible Lilith held up 04's twin swords. He slammed into them at full pelt. Air whipped around them. Lilith's feet sank into the ground as 01 pushed her back several inches, leaving behind deep ruts.

"Eh?"

Wind picked up around 01. Oh, hell! 01 broke off and shot towards the nearest building. He flew around it. Metal sliced in two, sending a spray of glass in every direction. The building's top slid to one side falling towards the ground below. 01 didn't stop to watch. He whipped around and sent a bolt of energy back the way he'd come. A blur dodged it.

Lilith shot towards him, her blue wings spread wide and face set with determination. "You've not even realized what we are, 01," Lilith said through the mental link. "You think the body you have now has limits to it, but you're wrong. You don't know the full potential of being the kind of human the four us are: Abel, Cain, Seth, and I!"

"What?" 01 paused, not certain he'd heard her correctly. "I've not miscalculated," he pouted. "Not, not, not!"

"You have!" Lilith swung the blades as if they were one.

01 lifted his lance. The air slammed into it and flung him into the next building. 01 cried out. He heard Cain's screams mirroring his from the darkness. Glass went through him. A long piece of metal pierced his heart. 01 hung there, legs twitching as he tried to heal over and over again.

Lilith appeared before 01. She hovered there, holding her two swords. "Even if you can't release my brother, I won't stop until I find your container and remove twenty-percent of you from Cain."

01 opened his mouth, meaning to speak. Blood clogged his throat and spilled from his mouth.

"This is far from over, 01." Lilith slashed down the swords. The metal piercing his heart shattered.

01fell towards the ground. Darkness clouded his vision. It was the darkness they hated the most; the feeling of being trapped in it until they could once again see light and destroy it. It was darkness they loved the most as well; the knowledge that an entire race would be swallowed by it forever and ever. The thought alone could make him smile and laugh all day.

x – A week later – x

Gah, Abel wanted nothing more than to bash his head into the table. The music shook the room and pierced through his eardrums. The sound pulsed through the air and his mind, sending jolts of pain through his body.

Nearby Abel saw Cain, grinning and smiling like his usual foolish self and speaking with a young woman. She blushed and laughed, moving a little closer to him. It made Abel's throat burn with vile.

"You should be dancing," Tabitha said, joining him at the table, "or flirting like your brother is." She nodded in Cain's direction.

"I think I'd rather vomit," Abel muttered.

Tabitha sighed. "You're being grumpy over here isn't helping the people much, sir. Dance, have fun, relax a little!"

"My idea of relaxing is reading a good book," Abel stated. He watched as Cain led the young woman from the room. He noted as Cain winced every now and then as if he was injured.

"Fine, pretend to be having fun. Look at your sister, she's having fun."

Abel glanced in Seth's direction as he had for the past few hours. She was now dancing again with Solomon. "I have been watching her, closely."

Tabitha hit her head then rolled her eyes at the ceiling. "That's so not what I meant and you know it. You don't need to be watching her and her boyfriend. Solomon's a good kid and you know it."

"I'm still going to watch and make damn certain he doesn't try anything."

"She's thirty."

"Your point?"

"She's an adult."

"Your point?"

Sighing, Tabitha shook her head before gesturing for one of the younger women to come over. "Mind dancing with the president?" she asked.

The girl flushed. She was one of the many girls who had been watching Abel since the party had started. He didn't have a clue why anyone would just hang around watch someone… well, unless that someone was said persons little sister.

"W-would you like to dance, Mr. President?" she fiddled with her thumbs, her face redder than any of the lights in the room.

"I'm away too old for you," Abel stated point blank. "There are a few younger men around who look like they'd love a dance."

She nodded, looking crestfallen. She back up to rejoin the others.

"That was rather cruel of you," Tabitha huffed. "She's a good woman and you need one of them. It's high time you just settled down with a good woman and not turn down everyone you see."

"I had the only one I wanted," Abel muttered so low he hoped Tabitha hadn't heard. "I'm not interested in marriage, Tabitha," he said in a louder voice. "The only thing I want is—"

"—for the people to be happy and get home safely," Tabitha cut him off and finished what he normally said with a roll of her eyes. "You can't neglect your own needs, sir."

Abel snorted.

"And you can't keep holding to Lilith," Tabitha's voice was now stern.

"I'm not!" Abel snapped. "Just drop it Tabitha. I'm not interested in dating. I don't have time for it." Abel stood.

"Are you going to dance at the very least?" Tabitha pressed.

"No. Just walk around the room a bit." Abel moved off into the crowd.

"You can't just toy with him, Lilith."

Abel stopped at the sound of Tabitha's voice. He glanced through the crowd to see Lilith had taken his place at the table.

"Abel is needed by the colony. He's a good leader but is at his best when not in a relationship. I'd rather him hate me and be the best leader he can be; then the both of us be happy and together."

There was a short pause.

"The people trust Abel. No matter my personal feelings, and no matter his, he can't have the distraction of me being in his life again. I still love him, is that what you wanted me to say? I admitted it."

Tabitha sighed. "You're just making it more painful on yourself and on him."

"I know, but it's for the best. We'll never be together again, but at least I know he's still has the colony."

"How is the colony supposed to make him happy?" Tabitha demanded. "He rarely smiles, Lilith. Doesn't that say anything to you?"

"It does. I love seeing him smile, but both he and I should know the colony comes first!"

Abel moved away. He couldn't leave the party without people noticing his absence. Instead he moved into a dark part of the room and lend against the wall.

Abel didn't know what to make of it. Lilith had said she loved him, but how could that be true when her stare told him she hated him? Perhaps she was just telling Tabitha what the woman wanted to hear. Even still, a small part of Abel longed for Lilith to still love him. Another shoved that aside. In the end Lilith didn't want him. In the end the time where he could smile had gone. Happiness, a true and pure happiness, existed only in the memory of the year he'd spent with her.


(Author's Note: Yep, Christmas.

MyKymicalBetrayl: Most of this chapter explains what's going on that wasn't explained in the other chapters. The actual progress of relationships and reasoning behind why someone does something or when they discover or admit they've known something is spread out throughout the book. I am sorry if it's confusing in some places because it's just a small piece of the whole that's being dropped there.)