Cold stone bit painfully into Caterina's hip. Raw, pulsing pain shot through her skull. She let out a small breath of pain and forced open her eyes. The room spun before her gaze as the white light had spun around her before vanishing to blinding agony. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose and out through her mouth. She moved her hand and touched her hip. The pain was minimal. Most of it was from her skull.
Good. At least her hip wasn't broken on top of everything else. Caterina pushed herself into a sitting position. The room spun before her. She blinked a few times.
It was her office, this much she could tell by the design of the room and the placement of the windows. However, in the same moment, it wasn't her office. The furniture had changed. It was in a style she remembered seeing in the history books from after the empire had appeared. The furniture was made in a mixed style of Vatican and empire design, even the clock in the room displayed this. She blinked again.
A soft clunk came from next to her. She turned to see Tres was getting up. "Damage minimal, systems function normal," the machine reported his condition. His gaze scanned the room. "Damage report, Lady Caterina?" he asked as he held out his hand to her.
"A little pain, nothing to worry about, Father Tres." She took his hand and let the cyborg aid her to her feet. She swayed, the feeling of falling lurched through her though she felt her feet firmly planted on the floor. "Agents, sound off," she called, listening as her voice echoed a little.
"Here," Kaya mumbled as she sat up. She looked a little ruffled, but otherwise unharmed.
"What the hell happened?!" Leon exclaimed, making it very clear he was unharmed. Caterina could just see his large form stand. "Red? Hey, Red, you okay?" He moved back over to Esther. He held out his hand.
"I-I think so," Esther's voice replied in small tones. She stood with Leon's aid and adjusted her habit with her free hand.
Caterina glanced around. Kate was nowhere to be seen. A small groan sounded from the other side of the desk. "William." Caterina moved around the desk with Tres to her old teacher's side. William sat up. His head in his hand. Caterina knelt beside him.
"Damage report, Professor," Tres stated.
"Nothing I won't live through," William stated weakly.
Caterina touched his face, his features appeared too dark even for this late hour. She drew back her gloved hand to see the darkness clung to her fingers. "You hit your head. Show me," her voice was stern. She gently moved William's head to one side, but, in the darkness, she couldn't tell where he was injured.
"Movement detected." Tres moved his hands to where his guns were holstered on his back. His glass eyes were locked on the door into the office. Caterina stood and heard, more than saw, William use the desk to pull himself to his feet.
Kaya stood as well, her hands resting on the fans at her hips.
Leon moved Esther away from the door and backed her towards where Caterina stood. Esther's hand rested on her own weapon.
It was then Caterina noticed someone else was missing. Abel. They had each landed where they had been standing or sitting, or at least close to there. Abel had been mid leap to try and catch the device before it hit the floor. Then there was the fact the device proper was missing as well.
"Tres, do you see Abel?" Caterina whispered to Tres.
"Negative, Crusnik is not present in this room."
"Are you saying Four-eyes ditched us?" Leon hissed in a low voice. He made a disgusted sound.
A soft sound came from the door. It stopped Caterina from replying to Leon. Her gaze snapped to the door. The door knob turned.
Perhaps it was Abel. Caterina felt her heart quicken with unease and hope.
Her hope flickered out as the door opened. It wasn't Abel.
The man within the doorway, stood about Abel's height and had the same narrow build Abel did. His hair was long and in complete disarray. It appeared as if he had thought about putting up his hair, only to stop gathering up his hair halfway through. The slight curls fell into his face and over dark eyes which locked onto them.
He wore a long, tattered coat which fell passed his knees. The cloths under the coat looked newer, but were still travel worn. Twin daggers were sheathed at his belt.
The stranger looked between Tres, Leon, Esther, and Kaya, his gaze seemed to take in the fact all of them were battle ready. "Odd," he spoke in a light voice. "I picked up a source of power which shouldn't exist in this time. An energy long since outlawed by the government pre-Armageddon." He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. The movement was slow, almost careful. There was nothing dangerous in his movement. "Tell me, what year is it?"
"It's six sixty-three of the holy calendar," Kaya replied. "What year do you think it is?"
"Ah, and therein lies the problem. Such a way of marking time doesn't exist in this age, dear lady." The man gave the slightest bow of his head. "It is two thousand twenty-o-seven ad."
Kaya frowned.
It was William who replied. "The year for us by that calendar would have been thirty sixty-four."
"Ah, so my theory is proven. The energy I picked up was that of theoretical time travel." The man smiled at them. "Forgive me for being so impolite. I needed conformation before giving my name. I am known as Nihilum, an agent hired by the Vatican to aid them in the war against the empire." He bowed slightly.
"Your name is 'nothing'?" William asked.
"Indeed." Nihilum straightened. "Follow, we must move quickly to hid your appearance from those less," he hesitated, "open minded." He turned from them and left the room.
Caterina hesitated. She glanced around the room. They were still missing Abel.
"We can't trust him," Kaya growled. "He might mean you harm, Lady Caterina."
"We don't exactly have a choice," William pointed out.
Nihilum poked his head back into the room. "We don't have all night. It is best to move now before the cardinal whose office this is wakes."
Caterina nodded. "We follow him," she told her agents and started towards the door. They fell in around her. Tres moving to her side and Kaya a little ahead to shield her from Nihilum in case he attacked them.
Esther fell back to help Professor Wordsworth. He swayed on his feet. He pressed his hand to his head. Leon remained close to Esther.
Nihilum led them through the familiar halls towards one of the larger rooms within the Vatican. He stopped and knocked. He stepped back, hands behind his back and eyes locked on the door. There was no sign of him going to knock again or louder even though that soft of a knock wouldn't have woken whoever room this was in this time.
A few moments passed before the door was opened.
Caterina felt her breath catch at the sight of the woman who had opened the door. It couldn't be, could it?
The woman before them was stunning. Her golden eyes locked onto Nihilum before skimming their group. The smallest of frowns appeared on her face. "Nihilum, who are they?" she asked. Her voice was gentle and filled with an infinite kindness.
Nihilum spoke to the unmistakable figure of Lilith Sahl in a language Caterina had never heard before.
Leon whistled a little. "She's hot," his voice was barely a whisper.
Lilith nodded to Nihilum. "Come in." She stepped to one side and gestured for them to enter her room. Her gaze shifted to Leon. "For the future, sir," Lilith started, "I am taken." Her smile was soft.
"Of course she's taken," Leon muttered almost bitterly under his breath.
Caterina followed Tres and Kaya into the room. The room was only just large enough for all of them to fit comfortably beyond. It wasn't much of a shock given how Lilith was regarded in history as the Black Lady Saint, savor and defender of humanity during the war with the empire.
Lilith closed the door behind Nihilum who was the last to enter. The room was cast into near darkness, broken only by the light of the moons beyond the window. Light flickered to life from the few candles close to the door. It was just enough for Caterina to make out the rest of the room. A nightstand rested beside the simple bed. A familiar cross glittered in the light cast by the candlelight. Yet, it wasn't the cross which drew Caterina's eye, rather two framed pictures by the bed.
The first picture Caterina recognized. It showed Abel with his family, including Lilith. She had never gotten the story behind what they were wearing or even what was in the background behind them as it was a landscape Caterina had never seen. This picture was in full color however and not the faded one Caterina had seen. Lilith stood in the middle of the group, her hand resting on little Seth's shoulder. Seth stood waving out of the picture. Abel was the one closest to Lilith while Cain, Abel's twin who was rarely mentioned by Abel, stood looking coolly out of the picture beside Seth.
The other picture was a beautiful painting of two girls who looked no older than seven. They stood arm in arm, smiling out of the painting. The one on the right looked like Abel with white-blond hair and shining blue eyes. The other had Lilith's dark red hair and Abel's blue eyes once more. Their skin was a few shades lighter than Lilith's but too dark for Abel's.
"Isn't that Father Nightroad's cross?" Esther asked, pointing the cross on the nightstand.
Lilith frowned. "Father Nightroad?" She crossed over to the nightstand and lifted the cross. She put it on and lifted her long, dark red so it wasn't caught under the cross. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of a priest by that name." She laughed a little. The sound was just as gentle as her voice. "Though, that should come as no surprise given what Thomas told me." She leaned against the nightstand. "I'm Lilith Sahl." She bowed her head to them.
"S-Sister Esther Blanchett," Esther stammered with a slight blush on her face.
"Who's Thomas?" William asked.
"Nihilum," Lilith explained. She gestured to the bed. "Please sit, sir. I need to look at your injury."
William moved over to the bed. Lilith knelt before him and started to look over the wound on his head.
"Why not just give us your name?" Leon demanded as he looked at Thomas. "It's easier than Nihilum."
Thomas smiled a little at this. "Thomas is the name I was born to, yes, but there are fewer questions asked when I go by Nihilum," he explained. Then looked at Esther. "Now, who is this Father Nightroad you mentioned?"
The girl shifted and pulled at her shirks. "He's," she started, looking at the ground.
Caterina stepped forward and pulled out one of the few pictures she carried on her. It had been taken right after the founding the AX. The picture showed Caterina surrounded by the agents who had founded the agency alongside her.
"This is him." She pointed to where Abel stood wearing new priest robes and his glasses. He stood close to her, Know Faith, and William. This was one of the last images Caterina had kept which had Vaclav Havel in it at all given she had to erase his existence as an AX agent after his betrayal and kidnapping of her younger half-brother the pope.
Lilith had finished cleaning and bandaging William's head wound. She moved away from him towards Thomas.
Thomas took the picture. His eyebrows rose. "Abel?" He looked at Caterina, dark green eyes wide in shock. He held out the picture to Lilith.
A small frown creased her beautiful features as she took the picture. Her expression softened, a hint of pain passing over her face. She gently touched the picture. She passed it back to Caterina. "Can you explain how the device which brought you here works?" she asked. "If Abel was in the room with you, he should have been with you unless it works in another manor."
William frowned. "Ah, yes, I see." He looked at Lilith. "When I tested the device, I only went back a few minutes, but I was standing where I had been. The device only sent back my mind and not my physical body. However, this time around, given the large gape in time and all of us obviously not being born yet, it sent all of our physical bodies back through time."
Caterina's eyes widened. "Which means, Abel's memory would have ended up in his younger self?" she asked the professor.
William nodded. "So, it would."
"Hold on a sec," Leon cut in. "Are you saying Four-eyes is over eight hundred or something?"
Kaya scowled. "I knew it was odd how he never aged. He's a vampire then. I knew it!"
Lilith looked at Kaya with a patient smile. "We are all human, Sister." Her gaze turned back to Caterina. "I take it, given Abel has my cross in the picture you showed us, I somehow die in this war?"
Caterina bowed her head. "You do, Saint Sahl."
Lilith's eyes softened with pain. "I see. And given only another holder of the crusnik nano-machine knows how to kill another," she trailed off as she closed her eyes.
Caterina wanted to say something, but couldn't think on what to say to this woman. She knew the story about how Lilith had lost her life. She knew how much Abel still loved her even in their time. But, beyond this and what remained in history about Lilith, Caterina knew nothing about the woman.
Lilith opened her eyes. "If Abel joined the Vatican to force a peace," she started, "then if his memory has moved back in time, it will be his goal to end this war in as peaceful a manner as he can." She looked at Thomas. "Do you think his Holiness, Pope Gregory, will be willing to listen to the idea of peace?"
Thomas frowned. "He is more opened minded about strange events happening," he started. "If he sees the picture you showed us," he looked at Caterina, "he would be more willing to listen if Abel extended a plan for peace than he would be in normal circumstances." Thomas bowed his head. "Granted, this assuming what happens with device is true."
Their Abel had to be in this time. Otherwise this could end with them making the war between the empire and Vatican far worse than it already was. Caterina had learned about the war in history. It had been long and extremely bloody for both sides. The way the war ended with both the deaths of the Saint Lilith Sahl and Emperor Nightlord had caused a stalled, extremely uneasy peace between humans and the New Human Empire.
When Caterina had been handed Abel's contract from her father, the previous pope before her half-brother, she had learned the truth about what had happened back then. Abel was or had been the first emperor of the empire. He had given himself to the Vatican to force a peace between the two groups. Abel had gone from an emperor to a slave in the blink of an eye, all for the future of his people.
If his mind had traveled back through time, it was their best and easiest chance at forming a lasting peace between the Vatican and the Empire.
"We must pray his memory came back as we did," Caterina spoke to the room. Her gaze lingered on Kaya. Then she looked at Lilith. "I am Caterina Sforza. With me are my agents: Leon Garcia De Asturias, Kaya Syokka, Professor William Walter Wordsworth, and Tres Iqus. Esther is the Saint of Istavan in our time," she finished introducing those in the room.
Lilith gave them another of her kind smiles. "A pleasure to meet all of you." She bowed her head to them. "This is Thomas Hall though, as you've learned, he goes my Nihilum to everyone outside of this room and the empire."
Caterina nodded to the man standing more towards the door. It appeared he had shifted to be on lookout in case someone approached Lilith's rooms.
"For now, it would be for the best, all of you remained here until I can find different clothing for you." Lilith's eyes lingered on Caterina mainly as she spoke. "Or until I can speak with the pope over this matter."
"Very well," Caterina agreed. It was for the best. She had no desire to be branded a heretic and killed over this matter. Though, it would take time to resolve what was happening. It would also take time to learn what would happen with them. She doubted, even if they returned to their own time, that it would be the same place they had left behind.
x – Seth – x
Seth walked beside Solomon through the near empty halls of the palace. As the sun had risen, most of the Methuselah would have left the palace to return home before the deadly rays would kill them. Despite the knowledge the protective shielding had not been finished or even thought of yet, Seth's heart felt light. She had never expected to be walking beside her husband before the weight of Abel's sacrifice had fallen over the empire. A sacrifice which had brought them peace, but had forced Seth and Solomon a part for this peace to become a reality. Solomon wouldn't have any knowledge of such a sacrifice nor what had happened following it.
It came as no surprise to find Barack pacing the hall Abel's apartments were in. The founder of the yeniçeri had just stopped at the far end of the hall and turned when Seth led the group into the hallway. Even from this distance she could make out the slight frown on Barack's dark features. He looked at the few men with him and spoke with them. Then, he raced down the hall to join Seth and Solomon.
"I had been getting reports of strangers in the palace," Barack started as he stopped before them, "I take it these are them?" He eyed Baybars over Solomon's shoulder. His gaze only flickered briefly to the other three with them.
"You'd be right," Seth said with a smile at the large man. He looked almost as if he could be Baybars's twin brother. Though, in reality, he was Baybars's great-great-great-great-great grandfather.
Seth explained what had happened to Barack. By the end of it, Barack was frowning, his hand rested on his chin. "You believe this?" he asked Solomon.
"It's far from the strangest matter to occur, so, yes. Seth has no reason to lie to either of us, as well." Solomon's gaze was calm as he looked Barack in the eye.
"Ugh." Barack rubbed his temple. "I'm too tired for this crap," he muttered.
"It's your fault thinking it's smart to work through the night and the day before," Seth scolded at the large man. "When was the last time you went home to sleep?"
Barack cleared his throat. "Moving on." He glanced at those from the future before turning his gaze back on Seth. "His majesty might not be so easily swayed on this matter," he pointed out.
"I know," Seth said with a small sigh.
The door into Abel's apartments opened.
Seth looked towards the door in time to see Azul race out. His face was streaked with tears and eyes wide with fear. He caught sight of Solomon.
"Uncle Solomon." The boy threw his arms around Solomon's legs and wept against him.
"What's wrong, Azul?" Seth knelt beside Azul.
"F-father," – he pulled back from Solomon and took several deep breaths – "father f-fell." Azul took Solomon's hand and started to pull him towards the door.
Barack bolted for the door and vanished into the room before Azul had taken a few steps.
Seth shook her head. Of course, Barack freaked and over reacted. She turned to her children. "Wait out here," she instructed them. She followed her husband and nephew.
The room was just as Seth remembered it always being, the bare minimum. Though, since Aran and Azul had come into Abel's life he had added a few more pieces of furniture and toys where the boys could reach them for when they were in Abel's apartments.
Aran was curled into the corn of the couch, clutching a giant teddy bear he had named Big Bear to him. Tears streaked his small, round face and he was more than half hidden by the massive teddy. He was staring over Big Bear's arm at the floor before the couch.
Following the boy's line of sight, Seth saw her brother had collapsed to the floor, face down. It seemed his body hadn't been able to discern the difference between times like hers had. She had at least remained in her seat. Either that or since the process had been slower for him by distance alone, he might have stood and collapsed. She supposed the only way to find out was to ask him when he woke.
Seth leapt over the back of the couch and landed next to Aran. She pulled the boy close to her as she had done countless times before. "It's all right," she soothed Aran's hair, running her thumb over his forehead. "Everything's all right."
Aran curled into her embrace. Silent tears trickled down his face. Big Bear was pulled over him like a blanket and he clutched the bear with one hand, her arm with the other. Seth turned him so he couldn't see Abel.
x – Abel – x
The world was white with the pain pulsing through Abel's skull. He could just make out the sound of 02 hissing in rage and pain as well. They had been thrown in a frenzy when the device had activated. His mind riled. He couldn't think through the pain; couldn't feel anything under or around him. There was nothing but the pain and 02's annoyance.
Then, the soft sound of a child crying came to Abel. It was followed by Seth's gentle voice reassuring the child. It-it was Aran. Abel remembered reading to his sons before a headache had started to form. He had stood, wanting to get his sons to bed only to have collapsed when the pain over took him.
Abel felt the soft, rich carpet under him. His finger's twitched, curling against the expensive rug.
"Majesty?"
His heart fluttered. That was Barack's voice. A mixture of emotions shot through Abel. Aran was crying and he could hear the soft hiccupped cries from Azul as well. His sons. Joy and pain curled around Abel's heart. His precious sons were alive in this time, still children. His children. And he had frightened them by collapsing.
And Barack was also here, no doubt worried out of his skull. Warmth filled Abel. They were all alive. His family. Both those who were blood or adopted into his family and those he had considered family even if they had just been extremely close friends. Solomon, Barack, Athy, and Alexander, they were all alive.
"I'm going to get a doctor," Barack's deep voice cut through Abel's joy.
"N-no," Abel managed to speak though his tongue felt heavy with the pain still beating through his skull. He pushed his hands into ground, feeling as the carpet and rug sank under his weight. Abel sat up. The room spun around him from the sudden movement.
"Majesty!" Barack took hold of Abel's shoulders. "What happened? Are you all right? Did someone do this to you?"
Abel winced. Barack was almost shouting in his worry and fear. The sound struck his aching skull as if the man had been running his nails down a chock board. "Tone it down just a little, Barack," Abel stated through the pain. "Otherwise, I'm fine."
"Father!" A small form wiggled between Barack and Abel. Abel felt small arms wrap around his neck. "You're all right."
Barack moved back a little.
Warmth filled Abel as Azul hugged him. He placed his hand on his son's back. "I am," he whispered. "I'm sorry for scaring you and Aran."
"I-I thought you died," Azul's voice shook with fear. His face was wet against Abel's neck. His eldest son hugged him tighter. "I thought A-Aran and I w-would be al-alone again," Azul's words dissolved into sobs of relief.
"Alone?" Seth sounded indigent from the couch. "You two are never going to be alone. Not as long as I live! What sort of aunt do you take me for?" she demanded.
Abel couldn't glance at his sister. Instead, he leaned forward a little, drawing Azul closer. "I'll never leave either of you," Abel spoke in soft tones to his son. He stroked Azul's hair. "I promise. I'll never leave." And this time he wouldn't. There would be peace before Cain could ever attempt to kill Lilith.
"I'm still getting a doctor," Barack interrupted. His armor clicked as he stood.
"That's not necessary," Abel stated. He wrapped his arms around Azul and lifted his son as he stood. His head pulsed with pain, but it was manageable now.
"Abel—"
"We can discuss this further after Aran and Azul are asleep," Solomon's calm voice stopped Barack's protest. "Until then Abel is fine."
Abel looked at his brother-in-law and nodded his thanks. His sons had been through enough for one imperial day and night.
"D-don't want t-to leave dad," Aran mumbled through Big Bear's arm.
Abel looked at his youngest. Pain and overwhelming love filled his heart. Aran. He was there in Seth's embrace, alive and well despite being frightened.
Azul tightened his hold on Abel. "I don't want to go either." Azul buried his face into Abel's shoulder.
"All right," Abel started as he knelt before the couch, still holding Azul, "the two of you can sleep in my room tonight."
Azul brightened while Aran blinked over Big Bear's arm. "R-really?" his youngest stammered softly while Azul shouted, "Really?!"
Abel winced as the shout shot through his pain skull. "Really," he confirmed.
Azul wiggled out of Abel's arms. His dark blue eyes shone with renewed happiness. Aran reached around Big Bear for Abel.
Abel smiled and lifted the four-year-old into his arms, bear and all. He carried Aran to Abel's bedroom. Azul's hand had clasped Abel's long coat as his elder son followed behind him.
The room was several times larger than the one Abel had in the future in the Vatican. Though, he supposed this wasn't shocking considering he was the "Vatican's Monster" priest there and the emperor in this time.
He set Aran on the bed and helped him out of his shoes and the fine shirt. The little boy wiggled under the covers. Azul was only a little behind his brother. Abel tucked the thick, fine sheets around his sons and Big Bear.
Azul was asleep before Abel finished tucking them in. Aran blinked up at him with sleep heavy eyes. "Night, dad," he mumbled.
"Sleep well, Aran." Abel brushed his thumb ever so lightly over Aran's forehead. His precious sons. He would ensure they knew nothing of pain, nothing of bloodshed, and war this time around. They would grow up in a time of peace.
Aran drifted to sleep beside his brother and the stuffed animal.
Abel bent down and kissed them each on the forehead. "Sleep well," he repeated this time to the both of them.
Abel watched his sons even as he moved towards the door. A large part of him wanted to stay and watch over them as he had done those first precious months they had come into his life. Another knew he needed to speak with others, especially before Barack really did call a doctor to check on Abel. The last thing Abel needed was for a doctor to think him insane.
Barack was pacing in the main room. He glanced towards Abel and stopped. "We need to call a doctor. It's not normal for you to pass out like that, Abel." Worry furled his brow and creased his lips in a frown.
"It's not normal," Abel confirmed. "But nothing about what's happening is normal right now."
Seth grinned and snapped her fingers. "I knew it. The device was activated Vatican side then and you were close to it."
"Wait, what the hell were you doing in the Vatican?!" Barack freaked.
"I'll explain after you've gotten some sleep, Barack." Abel looked at the founder of the yeniçeri and one of his closest friends. It felt like only a few weeks ago he had said his final goodbyes to both him and Solomon. Yet, in this time, they were alive and well, if not both exhausted. Barack because he was refusing to sleep when Abel might be in danger or try to vanish on him. And Solomon because he had only just returned from the frontlines. "Both of you need sleep. Especially you." Abel turned his gaze on Barack. "I have no desire to be lectured by your wife on overworking you."
Barack frowned. "She wouldn't do that, would she?"
"She would," both Abel and Seth said in unison.
Barack looked between them. He scowled a little then sighed and rubbed his eyes. "All right, but if you pass out again, I'm telling my men to call a doctor." He gave Abel a stern look.
"That's agreeable," Abel conceded with a small smile. His heart flickered with sudden warmth towards the founder of the yeniçeri. He had missed these small lectures and had never realized just how much until getting to see the man again.
Barack nodded. He left the room. Abel could just hear him speaking with a few of his men beyond the door as well as a quick question from what sounded like Ion before he was silenced.
"Who else was with you outside of Ion?" Abel asked. The warmth in him dimmed a little. Ion was one of the few people in the empire who would never expect Abel to be the emperor in this time. And he knew he was remembered because when he visited where the others were buried back in their own time and had seen a tomb for himself and Lilith atop the hill from his closest friend's barrel sites. The site had been set up such that where they were buried in a ring around their emperor's tomb.
"Astharoshe, Baybars, and Mirka," Seth ticked off names on her fingers. "They were helping me look for," – she glanced at Solomon who was following their conversation in silent interest – "something I'd misplaced."
Great, Asthe was here as well. Abel rubbed his temple. His headache worsened with the knowledge both Ion and Asthe were here. The good news was, he assumed both Mirka and Baybars were aware of who he had once been in the empire given the events which had transpired when he had tried to see Seth only to find Mirka was standing in for her.
"I am correct in assuming both Baybars and Mirka are aware I was once the emperor in the time we came from." Abel glanced at Solomon. He was trying to choose his words carefully so he didn't overreact as Barack had with the knowledge Abel had been in the Vatican sometime in the future. Yet, it was far more difficult to tell what would cause Solomon to react than Barack. Solomon had a way of hiding his true feelings towards a situation.
Seth nodded. "I hadn't informed Asthe to your identity before she left for Venice during the incident with Endre. When she returned, I decided not to inform her because she had met you in the outer and your influence on her was aiding in forming peace between the Vatican and empire."
Abel nodded. This made sense.
"Ion was too young when he and Radu were sent as my envoys to Caterina for more on the idea of peace. He was still too young to understand, let alone accept why you did what you did even after the events which transpired during your and Esther's visit to the empire."
This made complete sense. Ion was extremely loyal to Seth and took his duty to the empire seriously. For someone like him to learn the emperor was the "idiot" priest from the outer wouldn't settle too well with him. Or, at least, from what little Abel had read about himself while in Asthe's mansion. He had managed to read a few of the history books while the others slept. Given he had been unable to sleep at all while in the empire, he had been curious what had been remembered about the first generation of Methuselah.
"I still can't believe you placed me into history books," Abel stated.
"Oh, did you read a few while visiting?" Seth asked with a grin.
"Yes." Abel scowled.
"Well, now, we can change history so you never have to leave the empire."
Solomon looked between them and let out a small breath. It was enough for Abel to know they had lost his brother-in-law awhile back.
Abel tilted his head in Solomon's direction, giving his sister a questioning look.
Seth shook her head and mouthed, "Please." She didn't want him to learn they ended up separating because of Abel. Abel couldn't blame her. If he thought on it, when he saw Lilith again he didn't want to tell her Cain killed her in the timeline Abel had come from.
"Who was with you when the device was activated?" Seth asked.
"It would be for the best to explain this to everyone at once," Abel replied. "I would rather not have to explain it twice." Though he knew he would when he spoke again with Barack; then again to Athy and Alexander. "Let's get this over with."
"All right," Seth agreed, though she didn't look too pleased about this. She led the way out into the hallway.
"Majesty," Baybars was the first to greet Seth. He bowed to her and Mirka followed.
Abel stopped behind his sister as she was greeted by those from the time their memories were from. Worry wormed into his heart. He hoped Caterina and the others were all right. Hopefully Thomas or Lilith had been the ones to find them. His heart warmed a little at the thought of Lilith.
"Was his majesty all right?" Ion asked, voice creaking with excitement and a hint of worry.
"You could ask him that yourself," Mirka laughed a little. "Are you all right, Emperor Nightlord?"
"Evening to you as well, Mirka," Abel stated instead of answering her question.
Mirka smiled. "It seems history was correct regarding Barack's overprotectiveness towards yourself," she mused. "He was in quite the state upon leaving your rooms."
"I imagine." And Abel could. The man would have made certain the guards knew to keep an extra close eye on Abel. Which also explained why they were hovering nearby in silence.
Ion was frowning. His eyes locked on Abel. "Wait!" he exclaimed. "Aren't you Father Nightroad?!"
Abel bowed his head to Ion. "One in the same," he confirmed in even tones. "Now, before you keep shouting, let's move away from here so as not to wake Aran and Azul." He started off down the hall.
This wasn't going to be fun or remotely easy to explain. He let out a small breath. Yet, this needed to be explained.
(Author's Note: The painting in Lilith's room is of Elizabeth and Lilly. For those of you who haven't read Divergent Path,one of my other fan-fictions, they are Abel's and Lilith's daughters who never made it. Lilith asked Abel for one of the paintings he had made but asked both girls to have his eyes instead of one of them having her eyes. Elizabeth is the one with red hair and Lilly the one with white.)