(I explained this in the author notes in the last chapter but will say it again. I know the last chapter didn't flow with the rest of book. And it was confusing to you guys why and how Thomas knows Isaak, but it will be explained in the prequel and make more sense in the rewrite of the series. This is just a rough. I wanted to write that down before I forgot what I wanted to do at the end of the series in the rewrite. I'm sorry it was so confusing.)
Trinity Blood: Book 3: Vehemens Veritas
Chapter 46: Trinity, Part 3: Last Request
Blood swirled around Abel. Thomas' still form held in his arms and kneels biting into the floor. Tears slid down his face. Everyone he loved, everyone he cared for would eventually die. Abel would end up alone again.
"Well, this is unexpected," Cain's cheery remark penetrated the haze of sorrow and despair. "I never took Isaak for being one to die so easily. Oh well, nothing that can be done about it now."
Abel turned his bloody eyes on Cain. Sharp fangs bared as he glared at his brothers. It was Cain's fault. Lilith and Thomas, all the deaths, all the pain, it was all Cain's fault!
A shriek of pure rage tore from Abel's lips. Spreading, his wings, he released Thomas and launched himself at Cain. "Cain!" The cry echoed through the room, harsh, deep, and filled with pure hatred.
Cain leapt to the side. His wings unfurled from his back, eyes turning red, and an insane grin curling his lips. "Let's not fight, shall we? You should just allow us to become one, 02."
Abel wanted to cry "never," but the word didn't form. Instead only a cry came. He leapt again, talon's outstretched for the killing blow.
Leaping to the side, Cain laughed. He lifted his armor. Air slammed into Abel. Pain lanced through his back as he slammed into the metal door. Snarling, his eyes narrowed, Abel straightened.
Like hell! Abel would never allow Cain to win this battle. Too much rode on it. Too many lives had already been lost because of his brother. There was no way he'd lose!
Scythe in hand, Abel leapt again. He was a blur as he shot towards Cain before racing around his brother. The blade whistled through the air. It was aimed at Cain's neck.
Cain looked at the scythe out of the corner of his eye before ducking and twisting around Abel. Air rushed passed Abel. The door struck him again. The metal groaned. A continuous blast pushed Abel deeper into the metal.
Grinning, Cain advanced on Abel. The blast grew stronger as his brother neared. Cain's skin turned white. White feathers floated to the floor as he took his full Crusnik form.
"We'll be one, 02. You'll be safe within me forever. Nothing will ever again harm you."
The door split. Abel was thrown back into the wall, his hard wing slicing through the old, worn metal.
"I'll never join you!" snarled Abel. Thrusting out his arm, a blast flew from him, countering Cain's. Abel slipped out of being cornered. Whipping around his brother, scythe raised and teeth bared, he aimed to take Cain's life good this time.
Cain twisting, snarling in furry as the scythe cut off several silky strands of hair. The next instent his lance appeared in hand.
The sound of clashing blades echoed through the hall. The black lance was bushed forward as Abel slid a blade towards Cain's arm. Fire shot through Abel's cheek as he only just dodged having his head removed.
Cain shrieked as the scythe sunk into his arm. He ripped the blade from him before leaping back. Snarling, eyes wild with pain and rage, Cain glared at Abel. In that gaze, in that expression the true monster Cain had become was reflected so perfectly.
There was none of the Cain Abel had known and been happy to call brother left. Hatred had consumed Cain. Abel had been a fool to think a part of Cain still lived. That it was 01 in control, but now he saw there was no difference. Whatever he'd seen years ago had been a shadow of a ghost used to the throw him off.
Lightening arched across Abel's wings. The energy flowed down the scythe before shooting towards Cain. At once red light slammed into the lightening. An explosion rocked the hall.
Abel was thrown back. The energy grew. Metal was ripped apart. Within moments the ground under Abel vanished. He and Cain where sent down to the next level. Abel shot another wave of lightening towards Cain. It was counter again. The ground was torn once more.
Twisting, Abel slammed into Cain. He forced his brother's wings to fold. A foot slammed into Abel's wing. Abel gasped in shock, releasing his brother. They dived towards the docking bay. The battle between the Orden and alliance forces was in full swing blow.
"Abel!"
The shout made Abel twist in mid fall. A flash of glass caught his eye. 01's container was flung towards him. Reaching out, Abel caught the container. Faster than he'd ever moved in his life, Abel whipped around Cain. The needle struck Cain's heart. An unearthly shriek filled the air.
Pain lanced through Abel. Metal dinted as he and Cain slammed into the ground. The container slipped from Cain. It rolled across the floor.
Abel leapt at it, catching it before it got too far. Only twenty percent was within the container. Damn it! Abel whipped around half expecting to be greeted by Cain's lance. Instead Cain was curled on the floor, no longer in crusnik form and looking as if he were asleep. What was wrong with him?! It didn't matter, Abel had to end this now! He raised the container, ready to strike again.
"Abel, wait!" Seth leapt into his path.
"Move, Seth. This ends now!" Abel snarled, rage and pain blinding him.
xxx
There was sound. An odd; unfamiliar echoed around Cain. Voices? It wasn't 01's voice, but many or was it many? The darkness still pressed on him, but 01 wasn't speaking to him right then. The machines had been busy on getting Abel. Now, there wasn't even the sound of their hissing that "02" was fighting them.
"I won't move, Abel. 01 was in control all these years not Cain. He doesn't deserve to die now!"
Was that Seth's voice? It didn't sound like Seth and at the same time it did. The voice sounded older, wiser even. Was it his sister? How was it possible Cain could hear her? He'd only ever been able to hear 01's hissing unless Cain gained control. This time he knew he hadn't fought for it. He had given up after the first few attempts when 01 had placed Cain's and their mind into a new body.
Fire lanced through Cain's body. It was nothing compared to the other times he'd gained control. It was bearable. Cain opened his eyes a slit. He lay curled in the center of a cracked and dinted metal floor. Resting before him was his hand. He tried to move the fingers. They obeyed, moving as if stiff and uncertain.
Cain's eyes widened. He stared at his hand. Only once before, with 01 in him, had Cain been able to move this much and it'd been right after finding Isaak. It'd been when he'd made the recording for Seth or Abel and hidden the container so 01 wouldn't be able to reach it.
Moving his hands, Cain felt for the clasped of the cape. He wasn't a lord. He wasn't 01! As the clasp was undone, Cain listened, but 01 remained silent. The cape slid to the floor behind him. Nothing, no hissing, no rage, it was as if 01 had retreated into the darkness Cain had lived in for God only knew how long.
The realization washed over Cain in a dizzy wave of relief. Hot tears burned his eyes. He wanted to shout out, but found he couldn't. He was completely in control.
Ripping off the gloves, Cain tossed them aside. His fingers fumbled over the zipper of the coat, his mind unused to control. The zipper slid down and he struggled out of the coat. Next his hands moved the earrings. He'd enough since not to just rip them out. The clasps proved a challenge. One earring made a soft clinging sound as it stuck the floor. Another followed and another, every last earring was taken out.
"You want to spare him? After all he's done to the world?"
The voice drew Cain from trying to get everything that marked him as 01 off. Turning his head, he saw the woman who'd spoken had long ivory hair. Her fangs were bared in a snarl and yellow eyes glinting in rage.
"Majesty, he just tried to destroy the world and you want to spare him!"
Cain turned his gaze on the rest of the Ark's bay. The members 01's group had either fled, been detained, or had been killed.
Pushing himself up, Cain meant to move his leg. Searing pain shot through his leg. Crying out, he doubled over, gasping and eyes watering. His legs wouldn't move!
The sound drew everyone's attention to him. Cain froze. Fear began to claw aside the elation of having control. Wherever he looked he was met by unfriendly expressions which were very degrees of hate and disgust. He pushed himself back several inches, eyes wide as he stared at them, heart racing.
His gaze flicked to a familiar figure. Cain's twin stood, his long silver hair farming his face and look of pure hatred in his eyes. In his he clutched 01's container. The black liquid in it was new though. Cain turned his gaze back to his twin's face then to the container and back. Why wasn't Abel ending him?
"End it!" Cain shouted at Abel. "Please, end it before 01 takes control again." A shiver raced through him. It wasn't as cool here as it had been in the darkness, but for some reason Cain felt cold.
Abel didn't move. His light eyes were locked on Cain. The hatred had drained from his face, but his expression gave nothing away.
"Please, Abel, I'm begging for you to end it!" Cain pushed the hair from his face. All of it felt unreal as if he'd fallen through the darkness into one of his dreams. Perhaps of this was a dream. No, in all his dreams Abel hadn't hesitated. Cain would be dead by now. This wasn't a dream then. Cain really was in control and 01 was silent.
The cold deepened. Cain shivered. It wasn't real cold, but his mind was too frantic to pinpoint what it was. His gaze flickered between all those in the room. There were two priests, or they were somewhat like priests. They wore armor and the designs of the robes were new to Cain. One looked as if he'd sooner cut off Cain's head than anything else while the other chewed thoughtfully on the steam of a pipe.
Abel stared at Cain. "Take him captive." Abel's voice was hard. "Leon, Asthe bind his hands in at least two Methuselah handcuffs."
The woman nodded.
The large priest grinned wolfishly at Cain, cracking his knuckles.
Cain's eyes flickered back to Abel. His brother had already turned away. Captive? No! "You have to end it, Abel!" Cain shouted after his brother as the other two advanced on him. "You have to kill me."
Abel didn't turn only paused with his shoulders hunched before he started off.
Cain leaned forward, wishing he could stand and throw himself onto the needle. Two hands took hold of his shoulder. Cain cried out in fear! His mind flashed the memory of 01 wrapping around him. He flinched back, but didn't fight.
"Cover the Contra Mondi's eyes while you two are at it," the priest with pip advised. "We don't want him escaping us before the emperor, queen, and his Holiness can decide what to do with him."
The big man snorted. Cold cuffs were snapped tightly around Cain's wrists. They bit into his arms and made the firry pain of his body increase. From behind the woman moved. The next moment darkness fell over his eyes as a cloth was placed over his eyes. Cain shouted again. Fear coursed through his body. Not the darkness. Not again. The cloth tightened until he couldn't see a thing. He stopped struggling. His mind frozen from fear.
"Come on, get up," a gruff voice ordered.
Cain didn't move. He couldn't move. It was dark. It was so very dark here. Cold and dark as it had always been, as it would always be.
"Get up!" snarled the woman.
A sharp pull on his shirt tugged Cain up. His mind was numb to the pain which short through his legs as she placed him on his feet. The second her grip left him he struck the ground, head banging against the wrecked floor. He curled up, whispering codes of conduct under his voice and words from books he'd read as a child. The words turned into prayer. Each prayer utter faster and faster until the words blurred together. Cain didn't even fully know what he was saying. He'd learned religion from Kayson, but hadn't sought solace in it until the darkness had come. It'd been all he had then. The only thing between Cain and utter despair.
The next moment the ground shifted under Cain. The metal snagged at the clothing. He kept up the words, not wanting to think or dwell on the darkness, not wanting to hear 01's taunts. All he wanted to hear were the words which had been the only light within the dark. Even if a freak of nature like him could never go to heaven, even if all light was forever out of reach, it still gave him hope. It still promised what he'd never once taken for granted and in the attempt to save it and his siblings' he'd lost it: his life.
The movement stopped. Cain kept up the stream of words.
"Cain?" Seth whispered to him.
Cain flinched away. It was another of 01's tricks. He was mimicking Seth to stop Cain's babble.
"It's all right, brother," there was pity in Seth's voice now. "You're free of 01's control now."
Cain flinched away again. The words came faster than before as he tried to ward off the illusion that was his precious sister's voice.
"It's me, Cain. It's Seth."
A hand touched Cain's arm. He jumped, trying to move back again, but a cool wall blocked him. A new trick no doubt. Something to keep Cain from fighting, something to make him content with this dark hell, but he wouldn't listen. He didn't want to listen.
"Not real," Cain whispered, his voice cracking, "won't buy it. Not real. Not real. Not real. Not real." He repeated the words over and over again. Wanting 01's trick to leave him alone, it was too painful. His sister, his precious brother, and even Lilith, he'd no longer matter to them. Not after all he'd done, whatever he'd done. He knew Lilith to be dead. He knew this. 01 had gloated about it none stop for a time, teasing and taunting Cain that 01 had done what Cain had been too scared to do.
"Cain?" hurt had replaced the pity in Seth's voice.
That wasn't right. She would've said she was real not this. No, "Not real," Cain repeated. "Stop the tricks, stop it. I've not fought you. Stop the tricks." Here in the darkness, Cain was helpless once more. A fearful prisoner, trapped forever in this hell hole. Crusniks were immortal; crusniks were too powerful, too old to fight. 01 was always in control.
"Killed Lilith, killed them all. Liars, liars," Cain mumbled. He returned to the prayer trying to ward off 01 again. In the darkness there was no escape. In the darkness there was only a chance at a thread of light to snag it for brief control. In the darkness he was alone save for 01's tricks and taunts and whispers.
"It's all right," Seth spoke in a soft, gentle voice.
Cain flinched as her hand brushed his cheek. The cloth was pulled from his eyes. Light exploded into life around him. With it came the gentle hum of an engine. He looked away from the wall and found himself staring into Seth's even sweet, kind eyes.
"Majesty, the emperor just came aboard. I'm going to take off." The voice came from a speaker in the wall.
"All right," Seth said, turning for Cain. "Can you tell Abel to come to the holding room?"
"Of course, Majesty."
All through this Cain hadn't been listening. He moved his bound hands, ignoring the pain. His mouth was open and eyes wide. The feeling of warm skin greeted his finger tips.
Seth jumped. The movement made Cain flinch back. He cowered into the wall, huddling there and staring at her with fear. "Sorry, sorry," he whispered. "You are, real? You are?"
Seth smiled at him. She took his hand.
Staring at her hand, Cain was shocked at how warm she felt. He could feel her pulse and sweetness of life it brought. Real, she was very much real.
Before Seth could say a word, another voice called, "Seth, you wanted me here? Don't tell me you're in the cell." The difference in the voice from the one on the Ark and from the one in his memory was shocking. It was Abel's voice, but there was a tone to it which reminded Cain of Lilith.
Seth made to stand. Cain took her hand. He didn't want to be alone. If he was alone the darkness and 01 would return. He didn't – he couldn't stand the thought of that.
"It's all right," Seth smiled at him. "I'll be right back."
Instead of replying Cain let her hand slip from his.
Seth moved to the door and slipped through it. The door was left open as she somehow knew he wouldn't be able to stand to escape.
"What were you doing in there?!" demanded a female voice. "The Contra Mondi could've killed you, Majesty!"
Cain winced. The mere idea of killing Seth sent a thorn to his heart. His dear, sweet, little sister, kill her, Cain couldn't, but-but 01 could've without a seconds thought. 01 had wanted her dead, her and his precious little brother. Her and Lilith and Abel and the world, all of it dead and gone, that's what 01 had laughed about.
"Asthe, that's not the Contra Mondi."
"Hmm, are you saying that this virus is like the one in Abel?" asked one of the priests.
"Yes, Professor," Seth confirmed. "When Abel took twenty percent from the Contra Mondi, 01, the name of the 'virus,' released control. It's the real Cain, Abel. It's the brother we lost on Mars. But…" Seth trailed off.
"Hey, don't leave us hanging," said a gruff voice.
"Leon," the Professor told the man off, "it's not something you and I really need to know."
"What is it, Seth?" Abel asked.
"Well, you know how you told me about the deal 02 tried to make with you and how they promised to share control."
"Yeah," Abel stated, now sounding confused.
"I don't think that's entirely true. All this time we've thought that 01 and Cain were one in every aspect. I thought up until I saw a message Cain left on the Ark. That's why I stopped you from killing him even though Cain wanted it."
There was a pause. Cain shivered, looking around the room. Any moment now 01 would pull him back into the darkness. Any moment now.
"What I think 02 meant by 'shared' control and fully becoming 'one' was that they'd just use your ability to speak normally and nothing more. That they would be in complete control. The way Cain was acting on the Ark and after we got him here proves part of this. We'd have to ask him for more."
"How do we know the crusnik isn't still in control then?" Professor asked.
"01 is too proud to act this scared," Seth explained. "I think it's really Cain this time."
"All right, we'll talk to him and see," Abel stated, but Cain couldn't tell what his brother was thinking like he used to.
The five of them filed into the room, Abel stopped near the door and didn't move closer. The others move a little further in. Then there was Seth she moved back to her pervious position on the floor beside. Cain stared at the group. It took every last ounce of self control not to shrink away from so many being around him at once.
"Cain."
Cain turned his gaze on his sister.
"Can you tell me what your last completely coherent memory was?"
Cain blinked, trying to think on this. His mind was so jumbled with fear of these strange people and of 01 returning. No memories came to him right away. He'd buried them away so as not to remember happiness so as not to let 01 in any deeper or use his memories against his family, all of them: Abel, Seth, and Lilith.
"It was – it was on Mars," Cain narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. "I was working late… no, not working. I was investigating the attempted murder on Abel." His voice shook with every word against his will. He was so scared of all this. So scared of 01 and these people.
"Anything else?" Seth pressed.
"There was a-a hint contenting Shane to the message Abel received. He'd been the only one with access to my computer and had used it to lure Abel out into the wilderness."
Cain swallowed. It wasn't so hard to remember now. The images flooding his mind made him shiver with fear, regret, and sorrow.
"I left and found Shane," Cain forced himself to continue. "He was speaking with Darin and Alaric. They-they were talking about killing the three of you." Cain shook. "They wanted to keep me alive as pawn to use to gain the people's trust and-and to use against the UN. But you, Abel, and Lilith, they were going to kill the three of you."
Choking on the words, Cain stared at his bound hands. It hurt to remember this to say all he had felt then. The pain, the rage, and agony at the thought of losing his family to anyone, the memory hurt.
"I wanted to make them feel all the pain and fear I'd felt in the hours Abel and Lilith were trapped outside during the dust storm. I want tell them and the UN they'd have to go through me before touching any of my family. I wanted to send the message to the UN they couldn't take the lives they'd given us, they'd forced on us. That it was ours and the four of us had as much right to live as any human."
"The four of us?" Abel cut in. "You never thought Lilith as a member of the family."
"I-I," Cain swallowed. "I didn't until I saw how happy she made you. She made you smile where nothing else could. I realized she was as much part of the family as you and Seth were. She'd been there for us from the first day we were forced into the world."
"Do you remember anything else?" Seth asked, drawing them back to the matter at hand.
Cain nodded though he wished he didn't remember. "I waited behind a bend in the hall for Darin and Alaric to leave, then attack Shane. I threatened him to lead me to the others. Shot him and hurt him. Instead of leading me to the others he led me into a trap. I remember the sound of an explosion, fire, pain, then Lilith was there she was shouting at me to stay awake. Then there was only darkness—" Cain cut off, eyes wide as he stared at his hand. He remembered more. 01's first hissing words to him, but he couldn't-he couldn't say it.
"Is there anything else?" Seth asked in a gentle voice which reminded Cain so much of Lilith. The woman his brother had loved and 01-Cain had—
Cain nodded, feeling sick. "Yes," the word came as a whispered breath. "01 spoke with me. They offered me a deal… a lie and I bought into it. In my desperation, I believed every word they uttered!"
"What was the deal?" Abel asked. "02 tried to play on my deepest desire."
"They said with their help I could keep you, Seth, and Lilith safe. That the UN would pay for threatening the three of you and we'd be safe. And I was the idiot and accepted it."
There was another pause. No one seemed welling to break it. For which Cain was actually grateful. There was more to say here.
"The worst thing is, the nano-machines knew who which of the colonists they wanted as a host. They knew from the moment the colony landed on Mars."
"What do you mean? It was months before Abel and Lilith even found the old Ark. The nano-machines couldn't have known what was going on or when we arrived." Seth shook her head.
"The crusnik and bacillus are old," Cain whispered. "They've seen more centuries than I could've even imagined. They've traveled from one galaxy to the next infecting people with their food source and slowly destroying the world around them. They then build a ship and head for the next system. Their aim had been Earth during the early twenty-first century but there were no humans at that time strong enough to survive being fused with the crusnik. And-and 04 rigged the ship to crash on Mars. That-that's the real reason 01 killed Lilith. It was their way at getting back at 04 for making them wait a thousand years for us to come along. That and it'd been 04's idea to create a fifth. 01 didn't like the idea of weakening their control over a host."
"Yes, but that doesn't explain how they knew who to take," Seth said. "I could've just as easily but 02 or 03 into you as I did 01."
"I don't know. I only know what 01 wanted me to know. I know 01 and 02 preferred to their host to be male, but 01 has an obsession with 02. Something that 01 holds strongly to."
"So, let me get this straight. All that pain you put us through you're blaming on some damned machine no one can see?!" Leon demanded before he burst out laughing. "Yeah, and you're going to say Armageddon never happened too, right?"
Cain stared at the man. What was he talking about? "Armageddon happened?" Cain asked, caught between shock and numb acceptance at this news. "When, how?"
Everyone in the room stared at him.
"Cain, couldn't you see what 01 was doing?" Seth asked. "Or know what they knew?"
Cain shook his head. "I only saw darkness and whatever illusions 01 wanted me to see. I don't even know the year or 01's plans beyond they wanted 04 to never return to a host and the world to burn. I knew they were after Abel for some reason and they wanted you dead as well. There was something about girl at one point as well. Caterina, I think was her name." His voice wasn't as unsteady as before, but it still shook, it still hurt to move and speak.
"So you can't tell us whoelse is in the Orden or anything useful? Just a bounch of nonsense about stuff that happened centuries ago," Asthe snorted. "So much for it being a good thing we captured the leader of the Orden. Hey, Tovarish, maybe if you put back that part you took out of him he'd be more useful."
Cain froze, heart hammering at the sound of her words. It was bad enough Abel hadn't finished Cain when could, but to refuse Cain to one hundred percent, to return that darkness again. Cain would rather live without his legs and with this pain than to live in that hell hole again.
"No," Abel stated in a firm voice. "Cain's been through enough these past nine centuries. Now that we know who was really behind this mess it's best to leave Cain in control than risk 01 returning. Even Seth and I combined couldn't stop him in a fight."
"The only one who could was Lilith. Which might be another reason 01 wanted 04 out of the picture." Seth nodded.
Abel looked away from them. Without a word he slipped from the room. Cain watched him go a hallow feeling in his heart. All he'd ever wanted was for his brother and sister to be happy and to live. Lilith had been the only one to truly make his brother happy. Through Cain's ignorance and his wish he'd destroyed any chance at Abel being happy.
No, he'd destroyed so much more than that. Cain looked at all those in the room then back at the cuffs he wore. "Seth, why'd you convince Abel to keep me alive?" Cain asked in such a low voice he knew only his sister could hear her. "After all I've done I deserve death. No, I deserve torment."
"What's with the men in this family thinking that just because it's their body making the moves and 01 or 02 controlling them that it's their fault?" Seth sniffed. Her small hands appeared on the cuffs. The click of the key in them sounded. The first set fell away and was soon followed by the second. "You've as much right as Abel and I do to live."
"But Lilith is dead because of me." Cain closed his eyes. "And God only knows what else 01 made me do."
"What if I told you there was away to get Lilith back?"
Cain looked at her.
"I'll tell you later when Abel's not so close. For now, I'm just happy to have you back." Seth hugged him. "I missed you so much," her breath tickled his ear. "We can be a family again."
Cain smiled, returning her embrace. "I feared 01 would kill you two." He stroked her soft hair. "I can't imagine a world without you or Abel or Lilith in it."
"We'll get her back to. The four of us together again, like it should be. And just wait until you see your niece." Seth pulled back, grinning.
"I've a niece?" Now Cain was highly confused. Weren't they a little old for having kids.
"Yep, she's six. I adopted her in Abel's name to get him to stay in the empire."
"Well, that was actually brilliant," Cain laughed. "He used to spoil the kids of the colony."
"You remember that," Seth giggled. "Yeah, later he even snuck them sweets."
"I want to hear all of it. All that's happened to you and Abel in the time I've been gone."
"Then I'll talk your ear off and keep talking!" Seth exclaimed, hugging him again. "It'll be just like when we were kids."
"Yeah, just don't expect to win any diving contests." Somehow Cain doubted Abel would ever forgive him for what 01 had done. Lilith had meant so much to his brother and 01 had ripped her away from him.
Seth laughed at this and buried her face in his chest. Pulling her closer, Cain closed his eyes, breathing in her familiar scent. He was back with the people he loved more than anything else in the world. 01 would never take control of him again. Cain would make damn sure of that.
xxx
Cain shivered. The dark, dank passage was getting to him. Why'd the city have to built underground? For that matter why was he even staying in this one spot? Okay so Abel had told him to wait here and it wasn't like Cain had a choice in the matter. His brother had left him here in this darkened room while he went to meet with a queen and the pope.
"Here, this should help." The dim light brightened, revealing Seth standing in the door. She looked so pretty and so grown up in the green dress she wore.
"Thanks," Cain said with a small smile. He'd managed to gain enough control over himself he wasn't outwardly freaking out every time he was left alone or was in a dark area. Didn't mean he liked it though.
It'd been only a few hours since they'd arrived in this city. They'd come straight here and went to get the other leaders. Cain hadn't seen his brother or sister since. Actually he hadn't seen anyone but the shadowy guards in the corners of the room.
Seth crossed the room and sat down beside him. There was nothing left of the little girl he'd known centuries ago. He was proud of how strong she was and so much more. She was respected and from what he'd gathered from Asthe a good leader.
"Have they reached a decision?" Cain asked. On the trip back he'd finally been able to get out of the clothes 01 had preferred and into a plan shirt and part of paints. He wore combat boots instead of those armored ones which were more painful than anything else. Cain knew he'd never wear armor again, not with how much pain his body was in.
"Yes," Seth replied, her voice sullen. "The vote was two to one."
"On?" Cain pressed.
"Well, you're not going to get your wish of death," Seth said and grinned.
Cain scowled. "Lead me to believe I'd get that request, why don't you?"
Laughing, Seth hugged his arm. "Abel and the pope voted for you to stay alive."
"Why?" Cain didn't know the pope, but it shocked him Abel had voted to keep him alive. "I thought Abel hated me."
"No, that's not the word I'd use," a voice stated from the door.
Cain turned to see Abel standing there wearing more finery than even Cain had when 01 had been in control of him. He just stared at Abel, caught between shock his brother wanted him to live and shock at what Abel was actually wearing.
"You're still family, Cain. I know first hand what 02 can do and whatever you went through was more punishment than even the person who started Armageddon deserved." Abel crossed over to them. "You're my brother, more than that you're my twin." Abel held out his hand, smiling. "Family?"
Cain returned his brother's smile. "To the end." He clasped his brother's arm. Family, Cain had never thought he'd see them again let alone be accepted by them. His heart swelled with emotion.
"Daddy!" A girl raced into the room and ducked behind Abel. "Izzy's after me. He's turned into a big, scary monster and wants to eat me alive!"
"Hey, that's no fair!" a muffled shout sounded from the door. A small boy entered, wearing a wolf mask. "You can't hide behind your dad every time I'm the monster."
The girl stuck out her tongue.
"Eliza, behave," Abel chided the girl. "Edward, take off that mask and give it to Eliza. She can be the monster instead. That's fair."
"Oh, but I don't want to be the monster. Monsters are scary." Eliza stuck out her lip in a pout.
Edward? How the hell had she gotten Izzy from Edward? Cain shot Abel a questioning look and Abel returned it with a shrug.
"It's the scary man!" Eliza shouted and ducked behind Abel again. She peered out at Cain, eyes wide with fear.
"So, brother, want to be the monster instead?" Seth asked, nudging Cain in the ribs.
"Ah, no thanks." Cain shook his head. "I think I'd rather just sit here and hope the lights don't get turned off again." He was assuming this girl was Abel's adopted daughter.
"Eliza, the scary man is gone. This is your uncle and my twin brother, Cain. Cain, this is your niece Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth, it's nice to meet you." Cain smiled at her and she ducked further behind Abel. To Abel he asked, "Elizabeth, seriously?"
"Not you too on the name!"
"No, it's a good name, but didn't Lilith always say if she had daughter she'd name her Elizabeth?" Cain asked.
"Ah-ha!" Seth leapt to her feet, snapping her fingers. "That's Eliza's namesake, not the queen Elizabeth after all."
"It took you six years to realize this?" Abel asked, looking at Seth in confusion and amazement. "And you only two seconds?" He turned his wintery gaze on Cain.
"Well, you can't say I never paid attention to what Lilith said." Cain shrugged.
At this Abel and Seth burst out laughing. After a moment Cain joined in.
Both kids looked at them in confusion. "Adults are weird," Eliza stated before racing over to Edward. "Let's go back to playing."
"Fine, but you're the monster." Edward gave Eliza the mask before racing off. "Bet you can't catch me!"
"I can too!" Eliza raced after him.
(Author's Note: Only the epilogue, character list, and a teaser for the prequel now remain.
Why am I crying as I write this?
I've been looking back on Cain and realized he could be made into one of the most complex characters in the whole of Trinity Blood. I'm planning on going really deep into him for the rewrite of the series.
A request: if you read this, please review. Reviews are the highlight of my day.)
