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Also, in case you guys weren't aware, I have a new story up called Past of Lies.
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The imperial night was still. Just as still as it had been the last time Abel had been in the empire as a messenger for Caterina and guard for Esther. He leaned again the railing of the balcony, gaze locked on the dimmed sky. The sun shown just beyond the protective barrier.
Seth had yet to come to see Abel. Yet, Abel suspected she was with Solomon, which was better than her coming to him. Heck, if he had the chance to be with Lilith again he would have taken. His heart ached at the thought of Lilith.
Given Seth hadn't come to see Abel, the servants hadn't dressed Abel in the finery. A matter he was grateful for beyond belief. He had seen the clothing Seth had made for him and shuddered at the thought of wearing such fine clothing again. Granted, he had only worn finery a few times when he had been emperor. Most of the money the empire had then was going towards the war and keeping his people fed.
Abel tore his gaze from the sky. The soft sound of another entering the balcony came to him. It was followed by heavier footsteps. "Couldn't sleep?" Abel asked.
"No." Caterina stopped beside him. "Did her majesty speak with you?"
"No," Abel replied.
Caterina didn't press further, her gaze shifted to the empire proper.
"Did William and you make plans to rescue his Holiness?"
Caterina bowed her head. It was enough of answer to know they hands were tied. He was uncertain he could manage to get away from his old friends long enough to rescue the pope. Even still, asking for the empire's aid held its own risks. A third party would be the second-best decision to make outside of the AX proper. If the empire handled it, the pope's rescue could be seen as a further act of war.
"Asking the empire holds its own risks," Abel stated after a long moment of silence between.
"It could worsen the war," Caterina agreed. "But what other choice is there? I don't know where you stand in this moment and you're the only agent who could pull it off with us right now."
Abel could see where she was coming from. The only matter the AX had going for them right now was the fact they had some of the strongest fighters from within the group. They were missing Hugue from the lineup. Otherwise, the entire brute force for the AX was here in the form of Tres and Leon.
"If I attempted it, those from the dawn of the empire would be more likely to follow me than let me go at all," Abel confessed.
"I doubt the palace guard would be willing to let you go either." Caterina gave the slightest incline of her head towards the entry onto the balcony.
Abel didn't need to follower her gaze to know there were a few of the yeniçeri standing in the entrance, their gaze locked on the two of them and Tres.
"Has William asked for a doctor to see you?" Abel changed the subject. He looked towards the young woman beside him. Some of her color had returned since arriving the empire. Still, a few hours of being here wouldn't see her recover her strength.
"I'm fine, Abel." Caterina gave her a small, reassuring smile.
Abel's lips twitched but he forced back the urge to scowl. "I'll let a doctor be a judge of that, Caterina." A small breath escaped him. "Though, I suppose, it's a matter for tomorrow."
Abel retreated to the bench on the balcony more so Caterina would follow and sit down than needing to do so himself. Sure enough, she settled herself beside him on the bench. The sun sank towards the horizon as the air started to cool around them.
"Do you believe the empire will aid us?"
"It does benefit them," Abel pointed out, "but you already knew this." He gave Caterina a small smile.
Caterina gave a slight nod. She stood. "I should attempt to get a little rest before tonight."
"Sleep well."
Caterina left him on the balcony.
Abel remained seated until the sun vanished behind the buildings. It was close enough to the imperial dawn, he should head inside.
His stomach ached with raw hunger. Even with the little blood had been forced to drink by the others, it hadn't been enough to appease the need for it and thus hunger gnawed at him. Abel pushed this back and moved towards the dining room the others would most likely be in.
When he entered it was to see only Solomon and William were there. The professor was engaged in conversation with Solomon. It sounded as if the two were talking tech again.
Solomon broke off the conversation as Abel approached them.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," Abel stated. Seth was nowhere to be seen. Abel had assumed Solomon would be with her given the little had heard the other imperial evening.
"It's fine, my friend." William held up his hand and smiled around his unlit pipe.
Abel joined them at the table. He was a little early for breakfast by the looks of it. At least, now there were set times to eat rather having to push the group to get from one point to another as fast as possible.
"Good morning world!" A bright voice cheered. Alexander moved to the table and took the seat across from Abel beside William. "It was wonderful to see the sky again. Now, to just get an airship to fly through it."
"Barvon, I doubt that is a priority," Abel stated.
"It's my priority."
Solomon gave a soft snort.
"Hey, no judging." Alexander glared at Solomon.
"It's too early for you to be this hyper, Alexander," Athina muttered as she took the seat beside Alexander. "Couldn't you wait until after we've all had some caffeine at the very least."
Alexander laughed. "I see you're still not a morning person." Alexander frowned. "Come to think on it, you weren't much of a morning person either way back when." His gaze rested on Abel.
Barack too the seat on Abel's other side. It left William as the odd man out in the group though professor didn't seem to mind this one bit. He leaned back in his seat, watching them with mild interest.
Abel frowned. "I know I didn't used to be a morning person," he started, "but that was before the civil war started."
"True," Alexander nodded. "After the war, I swear it took Lilith and Tabitha tag teaming you to get some sleep." He then laughed. "Speaking about before the war. Did you know Barack and Arthur used to be scared of you?"
Barack stiffened beside Abel. "Barvon," he growled.
"Oh, come now, it's not like it's the biggest secret of the century." Alexander frowned. "Eight centuries? Nine centuries? Oh, screw trying figure it out!"
The other members of the AX entered along side Caterina. Leon stifled a large yawn as he shuffled behind Esther. Tres remained close to Caterina.
"You were thirty then, that's all that matters." Alexander nodded. "The point being, the entire security force who were at the launch ceremony were scared shitless of you."
Abel vaguely remembered Tabitha trying to tactfully tell him he had frightened the officers under him.
"Man, I so wish I had been there to see you smash the camera. It would have been so cool." Alexander grinned.
"Really?" Barack demanded. "What the hell is cool about it?!"
"The then lieutenant-colonel shoving it to the media! They were so damned annoying. Did you know they came to the bridge while we were preforming pre-launch checks? Shit, I swear I was about to knock them one as well."
The group had been speaking in Latin so as not to be rude to William despite the fact William knew the imperial language.
"Bridge of what?" Leon asked. "What are you talking about?" He gave Alexander a look which said "you're weird."
"The best damned ship to ever exist. She was a beauty beyond all others," Alexander gushed.
Abel shook his head. "Only you."
"And this coming from the man who piloted the Ark," Barack muttered.
"Ouch," Alexander glared at Barack. "The Ark didn't have the elegance of the first ship."
"Oh, really?"
"And this coming from the man who was scared witless my out fearless leader here." Alexander retorted with a gesture in Abel's direction.
"Only until the first battle of the civil war," Barack snapped.
"Oh, that makes you like everyone else in the military!"
"It does not!"
"And here I thought Abel's loyal guard dog was far more loyal than that."
The servants had just finished setting the table.
"Yet, you were scared of him as long as all the other officers." Alexander smirked over his glass of water. "Not only that but you were the one who was too lax in security and let that missile hit Abel's office."
Barack was shaking beside Abel. Abel opened his mouth ready to stop this before it got out of hand. He was well aware the moment the missile had hit his office back then was a sour spot for Barack. The mention of it was starting to take it too far.
"Shut up!" Barack screamed. He took a handful of food and chucked it at Alexander. The food struck its mark. His fangs flashed, eyes narrowed with rage.
Alexander lifted his hand to face. His lips curled back to reveal his own fangs. "You did not just waste food," he snarled. His eyes narrowed in raw rage. He vanished from his seat.
Thud! The room shook as Barack struck the ground from the force of Alexander's tackle.
The two rolled as they grappled.
Well, this had gone from teasing to a fight in the blink of an eye. Both had just hit the sourest spot of the other though.
Abel stood. He took hold of Alexander and pulled him off Barack. "That's enough! If you two must fight save it for a duel!"
"He wasted food!" Alexander growled. He pulled against Abel's hold.
Barack snarled and stood. He wiped blood from his face.
Solomon moved so he was before Barack. His gaze intense as he looked at the taller man.
"And you provoked Barack," Abel pointed out. He gripped Alexander's shoulders to make certain he didn't lung at Barack again. "The missile wasn't Barack's fault any more than your own." Abel turned his gaze on Barack. "And, Barack, you shouldn't have thrown food."
The two relaxed a little.
"What did I just walk into?" the question came from the entrance into the dining hall.
"Nothing," Barack muttered. He returned to his seat and served his plate.
"Yeah, nothing." Alexander shot a glare towards Barack before also returning his abandoned seat.
Seth frowned as she stepped further into the room. "It doesn't sound like it was nothing," she commented. Seth wore his formal dress and hat though the veil wasn't over her face right then or on at all.
"So, you really are the empress?" Leon asked. "I don't know, but I always pictured you being, well, old. You don't look eight hundred."
Solomon looked towards Leon, his eyes narrowed.
"Of course not," Seth said with a grin. "My kind, much like my children, don't age physically after we 'awaken.'"
Leon frowned. "So, how old are you really? I mean, you look like a teen, but they say you've led the empire for around eight hundred years. That's not possible though because vampires only live to be about three hundred?"
"Leon, that's rude." Abel looked at his fellow AX agent.
Seth smiled at Leon. "It's fine. I recently turned nine-hundred-sixty-six. Only ten years younger than my dear brother."
Only? Abel let a breath. Yes, only. This didn't make him feel old, not one bit.
Leon whistled. "You don't look a day over thirteen."
"Of course not." Seth made the old "v" salute over her eye as she winked. Seth turned to him and frowned. "What are you wearing?"
"A shirt," Abel stated.
Seth pouted. "Well, yeah, but why?"
"Because it works? Isn't that the point of a shirt?" Abel frowned. "And I couldn't find my coat."
"Well, yeah, I ordered the servants to throw it out."
"What?" Abel gaped at her. "But—"
"It was ratty."
"There wasn't a hole on it!"
"It's almost as old as you are."
"So? You can't just go around tossing out other people's clothing!"
"I didn't. I tossed out your clothes."
"That's the point!"
"You're my brother," – Seth smirked – "you should dress the part."
"Yeah, no."
"No, no noes!"
"No." Abel folded his arms across his chest. "I don't need finery."
Seth huffed, her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't complain, brother. Honestly, it's childish."
"I wasn't complaining. I was making a valid statement: I don't need finery. See, statement."
"You're still as big a pain as always, brother." Seth shook her head. "Fine, but after breakfast you need to change." She grinned. "I missed you." She hugged him.
"Really? This time it was only a few months, sister."
"Jerk!" She kicked him.
A gasp of pain escaped as a hiss between his teeth. It hurt far more to be kicked by a fellow crusnik than to be hit by methuselah.
"Aunt Seth, did father do something to upset you?" Azul had just entered the room.
"Of course he did." Seth nodded. "Why else would I hit him?"
Azul shook his head and sat down beside Barack.
"Wait a sec," Leon started with a frown, "you said you were ten years younger than your brother." Leon's eyes widened as he gaped at Abel. "Y-your over nine hundred?" He had been the only one who hadn't gotten the reveal on Abel's age given he hadn't been with the group at the time.
"Yeah, he is." A sly smile curled Seth's lips. "That's right you would have had your birthday a few months after leaving the empire. And only a couple of months ago."
"Really?" Abel asked in a dull voice. He honestly couldn't remember the month and day he had been born.
"Really." Seth clapped her hands together. "I know, we should have a party."
"Didn't Aran and I try that once. Father walked out."
"Yeah, pass."
Seth huffed. "Honestly."
Abel pulled a small item from his pocket. "Speaking of birthdays." He opened his hand to Seth.
Her eyes widened. "Is that—?" She breath, her fingers falling over the old, warn, metal butterfly. The paint had dulled but not chipped despite the centuries the necklace had endured. Her eyes softened, brimming with emotion. "You kept it?" she whispered.
"Of course I did." Abel knelt before his sister. "I never forgot."
Seth drew him into a hug. "I'm glad, dear brother," her breath was warm on his ear.
x – Caterina – x
Caterina followed after Seth into a sitting room. The two of them sat across from one another. The founders of the empire stood close to Seth. Abel stood between the two groups, leaning against the wall while the members of the AX were behind Caterina. Breakfast hadn't been very informative after Abel had returned the necklace to his sister. In fact, it had ended up with Leon poking fun at Abel for his "great" age. It had only heated up when Abel had called Leon a "little child."
"It came to my attention on our way here," Caterina started, "that Pope Alessandro is still alive, only imprisoned."
Seth smiled. "Yes, this information made its way to me as well."
Caterina felt her eyes narrow. So the empress was already aware of the situation.
"It is a matter of concern given his 'death' was framed on both my children and your group," Seth continued. "As such, a friend of the empire set out a few weeks before you arrived here to free the pope."
Abel shifted.
Caterina only glanced at him. It was a hint on what they had talked about earlier. "Wouldn't your acting to free him, even with my support, cause more problems for them empire?" Caterina kept her tone even, her gaze had moved back to Seth. She forced herself to meet Seth's gaze. It had taken Caterina years to be able to do this with Abel when his glasses were off. There was just something unnerving about trying to look someone who was almost a thousand in the eye.
"Yes, it would have, if the two who went to free the pope showed any marks of being from the empire or were even one of my children. However, neither are. And the leader of the two has been at this long enough to know to never give away his client."
"You trust these two then?" Caterina asked.
"Yes, with the empire if need be."
She trusted the two with the empire. Caterina looked at Abel out of the corner of her eye. He gave nothing away, showing he must not have known who it was Seth had sent. Granted, he hadn't been in the modern empire long enough to know which humans were close to the imperial empress.
"They should be returning within the next month or so," Seth continued.
"That fast?" Esther asked. "But it took us months to travel here."
"You were on foot, Esther," Seth pointed out. "He won't be and knows the ways around armies better than even my brother."
"Is that supposed to be impressive?" Leon asked. "Four-eyes would just stumble in blind."
Abel laughed. "Why, yes, what a brilliant way to be enter a battle."
"Enough," Caterina called both her agents to order before they could start poking at one another as they had breakfast. She turned her gaze back on Seth. If it was true and this agent was better than Abel, then she would just have to trust Seth. "And once they return, what will you want in exchange for all you've done for us?"
"My brother."
Abel scowled.
"Kidding." Seth smiled at Abel. Seth's smile melted away. "In all seriousness, I will need your aid in ending this new war. With you, the minister of holy affairs, and the pope, the three of us should be able to stop this nonsense of a war and get our nations back on track for peace."
"That is agreeable." And was far kinder than Caterina had excepted. "If you don't mind my asking, who did you send?" Caterina asked.
Seth's smile returned though this one was older. "His codename is Nihilum."
Abel stiffened, his eyes widening. It appeared he knew who this Nihilum was.
Azul choked. The other founders, outside of Solomon, all looked at Seth in shock.
"You sent him?" Alexander asked. "I mean 'sent.' I didn't know he took orders from us?"
"Alexander, really?" Seth huffed.
Alexander straightened then looked away from Seth.
"He is good at what he does, Cardinal Sforza," Seth explained. She settled herself back in her seat. "Very few, if anyone should be harmed in his rescue of the pope."
This didn't mean no one would end up hurt in the rescue of her brother. Still, the empress was helping and hadn't asked for anything in return which wasn't unreasonable. It was the best Caterina could hope for. Now, all which remained was for them to wait and pray Alec would be all right.
x – Thomas – x
"I don't like this one bit."
Thomas did his best to ignore the girl had woken from cryo to aid him in this mission. She shifted from one foot to other while she glanced around the hall. She stood just behind Thomas while he worked on the lock in the dungeon cell the pope was being held in.
"This place, it's just creepy. Why the heck does the Vatican even have it?"
Thomas had given her a brief rundown on everything which had changed, but attempted to leave it within the believable for her for now. Thus leaving out the "vampire" part of the story.
"Whose there?!" A voice bellowed through the halls. The words were in Latin.
The lock clicked. A tall man rounded the corner dressed in full armor. Bluish hair could just be seen from under his helm. He wore red robes around and under his armor which marked him as a brother. His eyes widened.
"Damn!" the woman with Thomas spat. She went into a battle-ready stance, slipping on her first weapons.
His eyes widened under his helm as the door opened. "Holiness," he breathed.
Sure enough a young boy was curled in the corner of the cell. His white robes filthy and eyes dull with pain. He looked up as the door opened and coward back.
"It's all right," Thomas assured the boy, "we're here on your sister's orders." He removed his mask, knowing it would only frighten the boy.
A little life flickered through his gray eyes. "S-sister did," the boy stammered.
"Yes. I'm Thomas."
"Holiness." A clang sounded as the brother collapsed to his knees. "Forgive me, if I had known you were down here."
"Hey, tall guy, have the break down later!"
This seemed to snap the man back to his senses. He straightened, removing his helm and setting to one side as if he had somehow known just how frightened the pope was. He moved towards the door.
"Holiness, are you injured?"
"B-Brother Petros!" The boy's eyes came alive with relief at the sight of the man.
"What happened? Why are you down here?"
Alessandro lowered his head. "I-I don't k-know w-what happened." He wrung his hands. "I-I just remember h-having tea w-with m-my brother. Th-then I w-woke up here."
Thomas frowned. It sounded as if the pope had been drugged. "We must get his Holiness away from the Vatican." Thomas edge back and let Petros enter the cell.
"Unexatable! His Holiness belongs here. Here he can make everything right again. Once the people know what happened."
"Assuming most people here are still alive or in control of their actions," Thomas stated. "There someone out there with access to a piece of ancient technology which can control people. Most of those within the Vatican have it now. I managed to server the connection with one of the cardinals on my way here."
"Yeah, and had me 'help' him through the halls." The woman gestured to the man slumped against the wall.
Petros stiffened. "What did you do to Cardinal Antonio Borgia?"
"As I said, freed him. He's still alive, but it will take him a little to wake." Thomas turned to the woman. "Reva, gather the Cardinal. We're taking him with us as well." Thomas turned to Petros. "The pope seems more comfortable with you. If you would be so kind as to accompany us."
"W-what?!" Petros growled. "You just think I'll let you kidnap his Holiness!"
"No, not kidnap." Thomas replaced his mask. "Rescue." The screens flickered on before his eyes.
"You there, halt!" Several more of the Inquisition rounded the bend.
Thomas could see the fine strands which controlled.
"Damn it!" Reva spat.
"Petros, you traitor," growled the leader of the group. "How could you betray the true pope!"
"We must leave now." Thomas drew one of his daggers. He slashed out with it. A wave of raw energy surged from the dagger's blade. It tore through the group. "Go!"
Reva backed away, Antonio draped over her shoulder.
Petros lifted Alessandro off the ground and followed after Reva.
Thomas flash a bright light which would stop those from following them for a moment. He raced down the passage after the other two. He over took them with ease. "This way." He tore down another passage.
"That leads to a dead end!" Petros bellowed. He was forced to follow by the sounds pursuit.
Thomas lead them straight to the dead end. He found the hidden switched. The passage opened. "In now."
Reva didn't hesitate, dragging Antonio with her.
Thomas grabbed Petros and dragged him into the other passage. He hit the switched once they had passed through.
The wall rumbled as it closed behind them.
(Author's Note: A lot of this chapter actually comes from rereading DP.
So, originally, I was going to have some of what was voted on in this chapter (or the start of it) but I couldn't fit it in and decided I needed a more touching scene with Abel and Seth than what I had in the last chapter (didn't have *cough*)
As a last note, originally Thomas had much of the same powers as Isaak. However, I changed it so that he's just a pure immortal like Isaak. And, for those of you who are reading Dreams of a Generation, yes, that is the same Reva as from Barack's and Alexander's first parts.)