Trinity Blood: Emperor's Mask
Chapter 3: Plans of Escape

Abel stood in the darkness of the catacombs, watching as the humans blinked to let their eyes adjust a little to the darkness. No matter how long they would try no human could ever see well down here. Asthe and Ion shifted, shooting worried glances in the direction they had come. The group had stopped out of sight of the entrance and they were now taking a short, if not much needed, break.

"Abel," Caterina called him over to where she stood, leaning against the wall.

Abel moved passed the Professor and Esther. The young woman was sitting on the ground, looking as if she could do with some water. William, on the other hand, was fussing over an invention he'd been carrying with him. He kept muttering something about how it might be of use to them before too long. He would then mutter in frustration about how dark it was and how he couldn't see what he was doing.

"There will be light when we reach the tomb," Abel assured him in a low voice as he walked passed. He stopped before Caterina and gave a slight bow.

"How much supplies did we have stored down here?" Caterina asked in a brisk voice. She was dealing with the grief of the pope's death and her other brother's betrayal. Abel knew all too well the emotions which must have been held back by her calm, almost steely façade.

"Enough for a few days, a week if we ration," Abel replied. "If we leave the tomb, I can hunt for the group."

Abel left out the fact that no matter how much food he hunted, he could still become a major danger to the two Methuselah in the group. He'd tell her in private later. Right then, he had no wish to admit it with the two Methuselah in hearing distance or with Esther so close. William was the only other here who knew the reason Abel ate so much or why, if he didn't eat enough, his body temperature drop to inhuman levels. It was only a matter of time before that would start to hint he wasn't who he pretended to be… or wished he could be.

Caterina gave him a look that told him she knew what was on his mind. "How long before it's safe to leave the catacombs?"

"We'll have to leave a day or so after making it to the tomb," Abel stated, his voice low so as not to draw more attention to the two of them.

Asthe was already casting glances in their direction. And, right then, Abel had no desire to explain his sudden change of personality to the child or much else to her. Speaking with Caterina was all Abel needed and wanted to think on.

"At that point we should head for the empire." Abel kept a close eye on Asthe by looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "Asthe and Ion will need to be returned home. Also I might be able to get my sister to convince the empress to give you and the others asylum." He'd have to reveal to Caterina at some point that Seth was the empress.

With a nod, Caterina straightened and turned to look at the others in the passage. There was nowhere near enough light for her to see more than a dim outlining of the group. "We're moving," she told them in brisk tones before she fell in next to Abel. "I agree about the empire," she stated in hushed tones before dropping back to speak with William.

Abel could just make out her telling him the plan she and Abel had made. It was just a rough idea. They'd have to make more plans once at Lilith's tomb. Not only that but gather their supplies and the civilian clothing Caterina had stored there just in case such an event happened. A small sigh escaped Abel and he shook his head. This was just a mess.

"Father."

Abel looked to his left sharply, not having heard Esther come join him at the lead.

"What will happen to us now?" she asked.

"You needn't worry, Caterina always has a plan," Abel said, keeping his voice light as he smiled at the girl. He pulled her to one side, just stopping her from tripping over the rubble there. "Watch where you're putting your feet and not me," he advised her.

To keep the tomb's location from others within the Vatican, Caterina had thought it best to keep the passages just as run down as the rest of the catacombs. Abel had protested to this at first, because it disrespected to his beloved's memory. But then, he'd seen the logic to the idea. It was for the safety of all those under Caterina. In the end, Lilith wouldn't have minded at all. She'd just be happy to know she was still remembered at all.

Esther nodded and turned her eyes on the ground. "Where are we going?" she asked at length. "I heard you say it's the tomb of a saint. But what saint?"

"The Black Lady Saint," Abel had to speak passed the lump in his throat as he spoke the title the humans had given Lilith.

"Lilith Sahl?" Esther looked at him and tripped over a piece of fallen ceiling.

Abel caught her before she'd strike the ground. "Yes," he confirmed, but said no more on it.

"Lilith Sahl?" Asthe had moved in behind them. "I've heard that name in the empire's history, but I can't remember where." After a time she asked Ion, "Do you remember that name from the history?"

Ion sniffed. "Of course." He nodded. "Lilith was one of the leaders of our people pre-empire. She joined the Vatican during the war and," – his voice dropped a little – "she was betrothed to the emperor."

Abel pulled a little ahead of the three of them. He wasn't interested in hearing the "history" he'd lived through. It would only bring up bad memories. He shivered.

"Emperor? Agusta has a husband?" Esther asked. "I thought Agusta wasn't married."

"No!" Ion shouted. "Her majesty isn't married."

"The emperor was the founder of the empire," Asthe explained. "He was the hero of a war that happened pre-empire and the one who led our people to the place the empire is now."

"I thought that was the empress?" William had joined the conversation.

"Nope," Ion said, sounding almost smug about this. "The empire is actually a little older than her majesty."

Abel coughed to hide his laugh. If they ever learned her real name was Seth Nightlord, what would they do then? His sister had kept fewer secrets than Abel had but both of them had been lying about their identity for centuries. Abel's part went further than just changing his name. In the past thirteen years he'd gone as far as to change his personality. Only Caterina and William really knew the truth, the only other who had was Havel and he'd died a traitor three years ago.

"The empire is proud of its first leader, but terrans aren't expected to know about him," Asthe said with a small sniff.

"He ruled for only a century while the empress has ruled for over eight."

There was a long pause. "What happened to him?" Esther broke the silence.

"He died in the Human-Methuselah War," Abel told them. It was true enough. Figuratively the emperor did die at the end of the war. The fact remained Abel was still alive and had no desire to ever return as the empire's leader. There was also the fact he didn't diverse the happiness being in the empire again would bring him. The people he'd once known would've blamed him for all this pain, for all the crusniks had wrought on this world and the sorrow he'd caused his sister. Seth had been happy before she'd been forced to hide her identity as a Nightlord and he'd wrecked that happiness.

"How do you know that?" Ion's voice cracked in his shock as he demanded this.

"Err…" Abel pulsed and, turning them, he laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Lucky guess?" he caught Caterina's disapproving frown and he bowed his head to her, knowing that she wanted him to be himself. She didn't want him to be the person he'd spent thirteen years pretending to be. But was it really not him? Granted the goof and klutzy parts weren't him, but the rest of it?

Abel turned and started off through the rundown passage once more.

"That was one hell of a lucky guess," Asthe stated. "You certain you didn't run across it while in the empire, Tovarish?"

Abel just grunted in reply, not wanting to make some lame excuse. Besides they were nearly to Lilith's tomb and there were bound to be more important matters to discuss than the past. Like the fact they were planning on heading for the empire. Abel desperately hoped that Asthe and Ion would be able to help them gain an audience with Seth.

Before any of them could comment on his lack of answer, Abel stopped before the carved doors which led into Lilith's tomb. "We're here," he stated and looked up at the carving of the woman on the door. The carving showed the upper half of her body with her arms spread wide as if to welcome those around her into a warm embrace. Her long hair was spread out behind her with two of her four wings easily seen. A warm smile, so much like the one she'd worn in life, was carved on her face.

"What's with the wings?" Ion asked.

Abel ignored this. "Wait here, I'll be back with some light." Abel slipped into the tomb and he stopped, eyes locked on the capsule which held his beloved. He crossed to one of the pillars. Forcing himself to look away from the capsule, Abel knelt down and pulled out a chest from its hiding place behind the pillar.

The chest creaked as he opened it. Little dust rose as the lid slammed back into the pillar which was shocking seeing as this had been opened only a few days ago to renew supplies and put fresher clothes in. Abel gathered five sacks which held the changes of clothes and a bag. He set the sacks and bag down beside the chest. The bag was soon filled with food and water supplies which had been placed in the chest. He took out the lights as well.

At the bottom of the chest was a cloth wrapped around a long, hard object. Abel hesitated before he took the object out. He removed some of the cloth over the hilt of a sword. The hilt had been wrapped until none of its designs could be seen. If he left the sword here there was a small chance of it being discovered. If he took it with him… well, a sword would come in handy when he ran out of bullets at the very least.

Tucked under the remaining bags and to the corner of the chest were emergency clothing for methuselah Abel had kept from when he'd worked with Aran. His son had made certain Abel had some of the clothes he'd once used to go out during the day just in case Abel ever ended up working with methuselah again.

Abel pulled out the clothes and added them to the pile. Quickly he pulled off his priest robes and replaced them with his long, white coat and the turtle neck, black shirt. His boots he replaced with an unarmored pair that looked almost exactly the same. Abel wrapped up Lilith's cross and placed it in one of his pockets. He tied the sword to his belt as well as the holstered gun.

Gathering the items he'd piled, Abel sighed. This never should've happened. Another war and so much more, should never have happened. Abel stood. He cast one last look at the capsule which held Lilith and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, my love, I've failed." With those words, he turned and headed back to where the others waited.

"There you are," Asthe stated, straightening when Abel emerged from the tomb.

Abel smiled and set down the gas lamp, switching it on. A soft light filled the space. "Here." He straightened and held out the bag holding William's civilian clothes to him.

"Thank you," William said with a bow of his head.

Caterina took her bag without a word. Abel turned to Esther and held out the bag. The girl took it with a confused look. "It holds civilian clothes," Abel stated.

Esther took the bag. "What's the plan, Your Eminence?" she asked, looking to Caterina.

Turning from them, Abel slid the pack from his shoulder and placed it against the wall. He knelt down and started shifting through the supplies. As predicted there wasn't that much food here. The water they had was only enough for a day or so underground.

"We're going to head for the empire," Caterina started. "The duchess and count need to be returned home safely." Abel could feel Caterina's eyes on him as she continued, "Abel also has family that lives in the empire. He's agreed they may be of some help."

"Really?" William asked in an interested voice.

At the same time Asthe shouted, "You never said anything about having family in the empire!"

"Yes, really, and it didn't seem important at the time," Abel stated as he continued going through the supplies.

"Not important?" Esther asked and stared at him with wide eyes.

Abel sighed. "It's not like I didn't meet with my sister while there. Where do you think I went when I vanished while at the congress?"

"I thought you were the one who broke into the inner parts of the palace?" Asthe mussed.

Abel stiffened. Well, err, it was true enough because that's where he'd thought Seth would be. But when he'd gotten there it turned out it was someone else entirely. He'd later learned it had been Ion's grandmother who'd switched places with his sister in order to draw out the Orden.

Swallowing, Abel tried not to look nervous. If Asthe really thought it'd been him and if she'd actually heard Baybar's call him "Nightlord" then what?

Asthe started to laugh. "It foolish of me to think that'd been you. You'd never have made it passed the yeniçeri."

Well… Abel really wasn't sure how to take that. On one hand he was glad she didn't think it could be him. On the other he was rather insulted that she thought he couldn't get passed the yeniçeri when he'd trained their founder. It would've been just plain sad if he'd not been able to snick passed Barrack's descendant.

Instead of replying, Abel just grunted and continued to sort the supplies.

"We need to find the best route to the empire on foot," Caterina stated, setting down a piece of fallen ceiling. "Abel, you've traveled several routes that way on foot before."

Abel sighed and pulled out a map from among the supplies. He joined the others around the lamp. "Not too many times. I didn't miss that many trains!" Nonetheless he spread out the map for the others to see. "Let's see… we'll have to avoid roads as much as possible."

Nodding, William folded his arms across his chest and sat down across from Abel. "What about this route." His pipe stem slid across the map, showing an almost direct route through to the empire.

Abel shook his head. "That route would take longer and goes straight through several small towns not listed on the map. Plus the terrain is difficult and there's little shade." He nodded to where Ion and Asthe sat on the other side of the lamp with Esther. "This route would be better." He traced out the route with his finger. It led around all the small towns and most of the major roads.

There was a small, almost worried frown on William's face. Abel glanced from the man to Caterina and back. "There is no way we've enough food for that."

"No," Abel stated, "but we could hunt for the food we need…" it was more than a suggestion but Abel made it seem like one to the younger three.

Caterina nodded. "I agree with Abel. I would rather we go around towns and major roads than risk discovery." She glanced at the nobles and Esther. "We'll move out an hour after Tres arrives."

(Author's Note: New poll up :).

Sorry about the lack of updates. A lot going on right now in my home life.)