Note on Chapter Name:

Trial : An instance of trouble or hardship, especially one that tests somebody's ability to endure.

Chapter Five: Knight's Trial

The armored hand flexed around the shaft of the metal lance. Brother Petro felt the armor's weight on his broad shoulders, encasing him. It felt soothing, this familiar weight. He felt more like himself.

The Knight of Destruction looked back at the empty town; the villagers had taken apart the Dome apparatus, astonishingly packing the device into a box no bigger then a suitcase. Abraham was given charge of it. David held another extremely important device, the machine that made the 'Water of Life' for the Methuselah villagers. He walked beside a wagon that held the injured who couldn't walk.
Michael's gray charger pulled the wagon containing the Elderly, many of the children where mounted on horses. The rest, healthy adult men and women, carried food and water bags. They didn't' know how long they would be gone away from their homes, or if they would even return at all.

Michael lingered behind, letting Gabriel lead the villagers to safety; he walked in the back to cover them should the Raiders attack them from behind, he had no faith that Raskshimir would keep his word.

Many of the Vatican soldiers joined the guards surrounding the villagers; Petro felt a rush of pride for them. They where willing to guard these people, these fellow Christians.

"Brother Peter, Should we not return home…"
"You will return home, I swear it Michael. So don't say anything other wise."
Michael frowned then followed the Vatican Knight into the darkness.

A few hours passed, the group walked a pace that was slow enough not to tire, but one that pushed them slightly. By now many of the guards and soldiers have taken turns carrying the food and water bags for others. It amused Father Nightroad to no end to see how the young ones could stay upright on moving horses while asleep.

Brother Petro looked down at this wrist, it still felt sensitive. He flexed his hand, turning it.
"Is it giving you some trouble Brother Peter?" Michael asked, walking along side him. The knight had his helmet off, his face indistinct in the low light.
"No, it just feels strange."
"Is it still sensitive?" He asked, surprise in his voice. He walked a bit slower allowing the distance to grow between them and the rest of the group. "Not surprising, since I have 'treated' you before."
"What do you mean? What did you do to me?"
"Well, I have the ability to heal minor wounds. My saliva contains an enzyme that speeds up the healing of the skin. And also of broken blood vassals, torn flesh, things like that. It's really quite useful if you think about it."
Petro nodded then remembered that Michael wouldn't be able to see him, but the Methuselah continued anyway.

"That enzyme also gives me the ability to control the nerve endings in the skin…I can dull pain if I wanted, or heighten-"
"I get the picture" Petro said quickly, feeling his face grow warm. He knew that Michael was capable of. Not only to dull pain, but to bring pleasure, a simple touch could be turned into pure ecstasy.

His wrist still tingled with the touch of Michael's healing kiss. He frowned. "Then tell me, why does the effect last so long?"
"I don't know, I think I might have done it too much when you where younger and must of affected you in some way. Can I ask you a few things?"
"Sure…."

"Have you ever masturbated?"

"What!? What kind of question is that? I am a Brother, A Soldier of God. I do not abuse myself in that manner." Petro fought to keep his voice low, several of the guards where looking back at them curiously. Michael grimaced, "I'll take that as a 'no' then. No sexual pleasure….Then, how about pain? When you become hurt, your skin cut or scraped?"

"I get a lot of it." Petro thought back to all the battles, all the fights where he emerged with minor wounds. "The pain is always dulled, not always. The first time I feel pain, it dulls into a strange sensation. Like something is masking it. I always thought that it was my will causing the pain to fade away."

"Ahh..I see."

"Also, I never seem to retain scars. Was that your doing Michael?" The Inquisitor stopped and looked at Michael in the darkness.
"I honestly don't know. I haven't bitten anyone so much that they can still feel the effects years after." Michael also paused in the march. "I was curious; I always thought that it would eventfully fade in time. My gift has faded in all of my other lovers in time, It's curious that you should retain it. "
Petro bristled at the mention of his lovers, his gritted his teeth, might as well just come out and ask. "Just how many lovers have you've had?"
"….Not counting one night stands…I suppose about 20."
" Twenty!?"
"Shhhh! don't' yell Petro. Yes that many. I am only in my 50s."

The Vatican knight was astounded. "You're over 50 years old?"

"Yes, my awakening came to me when I was in my 25th year. That was when my unique gift awakened too. As you can imagine, I gained a whole lot of 'experience' since then." Michael said in teasing tone. "But compared to the other Methuselah, I am still young."

"So your hardly more then just a teenager in Methuselah terms then." Petro grumbled, walking on. Michael chuckled following, "If you say so."
Brother Petro could actually feel Michael beaming at him as the knight walked along side him. It pleased him to see that his host was in better spirits.

The Terrain was getting rocky, with stone rising up into a maze of canyons. Gabriel led the villagers to one of the mouths of the maze. The villagers stopped and rested for a moment.
Michael climbed a tall rock looking out behind them. Squinting in the darkness, his night sight just making out the hills and valley they had left. Off in the distance, a storm rumbled threateningly. Flashes of lighting laminated the land. The thunderstorm would catch them before they got to the caves.
Abel huffed, dropping his load of a sleeping child into the arms of another before walking back to the rear guards.
"Micheal, do you see anything?"
The Knight peered intently, counting on the lighting; he just saw something for just a moment….
There! Another flash of light, he saw the slow crawl of small tanks and armored cars just coming over the next few hills, He cursed under his breath and jumped down from the rock.
"They are coming; the Raiders with tanks and armored cars…We must hurry."
Petro nodded and put his helmet on.

Able frowned, "Are you sure Michael?"
"I don't doubt my eyes, they will be here soon, Father if you please, inform David immediately, and get the people moving again. I will stay and keep and eye on them." With that, Michael disappeared into the darkness.
Petro tried to follow, "Michael!? Damn it!"
"Brother Peter, if you could keep our backs covered. I'll get the villagers moving."

With the impending danger coming near, the villagers quickly picked up and silently made their way into the canyons. Here, they where secure, knowing that the Raiders would have to navigate a treacherous maze of rock sharp stones and dead ends.

Brother Petro kept to the back of the group, hoping that the Methuselain Knight would return soon. He prodded the stragglers to go on, "Men, help with that Wagon, no just drive it around the rock. That's it, hurry." He wanted to stay and fight, or at least, wait till Michael caught up with them.

They had to abandon one of the wagons at a narrow place. A short tunnel of stone protected them from the storm. Michael came running in. "They heading this way." He told them, "They have a plow in the front of the biggest tank, they could just drive the rocks and stone from their path. It's not looking good."

David frowned. "We must continue on. If you could stay and lead the men...on a false trail, we can get the people to safety."
"I have a better idea." Michael smiled grimly. "I will stay here and fight them."
"Not alone Michael."
"I will not risk any of the men here; you'll need them for defense if I am not successful."
"Michael, that's suicide!"
"Please trust me, I will keep them, buy you more time to escape to the caves."
Petro couldn't stay silent anymore; he interrupted, "Not alone Michael, I will and help you drive these creatures back."

Michael frowned. "No, I don't want you to stay, I asked you to-"
" 'Help defend your people' that' is what I am doing. Michael, I am staying." He crossed his arms resolutely.
Before Michael could protest, David put a hand on his shoulder. "Let him stay Michael, I trust him as I trust you. With your strengths combined, you may yet live through this."
Abel's finger itched; he desperately wanted to stay along side them, but…

Michael nodded accepting. "Alright….but we will follow my plan."

Petro had to order his men to go with villagers. They had protested strongly when they found out that their chief was to stay behind and face the raiders with just one other man.

Once they had gone, Michael smiled. "They have a lot of respect for you Peter. They would be devastated if they lost you…so..so would I . Petro Please! Go on ahead and-"
"I'm not leaving you alone again!" Petro snapped at him. "I will not let you face these monsters by yourself, what kind of a man would I be to leave a friend behind?"
Michael fell silent, staring at the Vatican Knight with his bright green eyes.
"Petro, this is not worth dying for, not for you. It is my job to protect ones who are less strong then I am." Michael felt a pressure in his chest, of something he couldn't' quite describe.
Brother Petro lowered his voice. "I could not stand to lose you…not like this. That's why I am staying to help you, to give you a fighting chance."
" A fighting chance…."
Petro could not forget that lost look when Michael walked in, looking beaten and defeated. He wanted to yell, scream, cry…most of all he wanted to take the exquisite man in his arms again and tell him that everything would be alright, that he would make everything ok somehow.

Michael stood in the darkness of the tunnel. Just beyond the opening the thunder rumbled. The stone here was wet and slick from the mud.
"This place here. There is no other entrance to the canyons. It's the narrowest part of the passage. We can hold them here….are you sure Petro?"

"Yes I'm sure. I will put my fate into God's hands." The Knight of Destruction took a step out into the rain letting the water wash over him like a blessing. Michael followed, "Into God's hands….just as long as you're there with me." He said in a low voice, tilting his head up to let the rain wash down his face.

The Raiders had driven the plow-tank into the canyons; the deep rumble could be felt beneath their feet. The bright lights of the tank appeared, blinding the pair slightly as it stopped.
Petro gripped his screamer tightly, one hand rising in a motion for the tank to stop. Michael unsheathed his sword and stepped forwards. As the plow-tank stopped, its engine rumbling, the driver didn't turn off the bright lights.
"I order you to stop and turn back; we will kill any man who tries to pass."
The Leader of the Raiders came around and stood in front of the tank." Ahh Levent…how nice to see you again. How touching, you came to meet me. "
Michael bit his lip, his body tensing. "I will have no more of you and your forked tongue Raskshimir. You lied when you said you'd give the village more time. I will finish you before the sunrises"

A low chuckle. "My beautiful one, you never be rid of me, you've never had the heart to kill me before. Indeed, you faltered at your first attempt. Come, come back to me and we'll rule this land together. We will carve out an empire that will make all the kingdoms of the world envy us!"
"Silence You foul Beast!! He'll never follow you!" Petro bellowed from Michael's side. He pointed with the lance. "You will die if you dare lay one finger on Michael again."
Again? Michael glanced sharply at his partner. 'How could he have known?'

Raskshimir laughed. "It looks like I've been usurped. Your lover talks big, but does the size of his weapon compensate for something…vital?"
Petro blushed furiously under his helmet while the raiders laughed at the jibe. "Why you-!!"
Michael put out a hand to stop Petro from charging out. "Don't let him anger you." The Knight was also blushing at the comment. "He will say things to anger and distract your mind, it's his way."

The Inquisitor frowned and stepped back, biding his time and his eyes counting just how many raiders there where.
The numbers where against them, some 40 or so men. All armed to the teeth with blades and guns, not to mention the tank that was surely armed with shells.

Michael smiled, "Nothing you say will move us from this place Raskshimir. You will have to kill us to pass."
"So be it. Men, use your blades, shred these 'love-birds' and let's go." The Leader laughed and leaned against the plow as several armed raiders came forwards to meet the pair.
Brother Petro raised his Screamer. "You shall not Pass!!" He yelled as the Raiders attacked.

All too quickly the mud became red with spilt blood. Michael and Petro stood at the entrance, the bodies of the slain at their feet. Raskshimir scowled and walked forwards. "You delay your end love-birds! Fire!"
Michael ducked behind the Inquisitor as bullets started flying towards them, Petro's 'crusaders shields' blocking the bullets as the pair charged forwards.

Using the cover of Petro's shields, Michael's sword dipped, struck into flesh at every attack, each elegant blow fatal.
The Screamer shredded defense, opening up opportunities for Michael's sword to finish off their enemies.
"Attack them, No attack, overwhelm them!!" Raskshimir was screaming at his men. They where starting to retreat as the furious duo made quick work of their companions.
"Attack as a unit, you swine!"

Petro laughed. "You are running out of men you Coward!" He was well aware of Michael staying close to him, tensed and focused.

Raskshimir scowled and drew two carved scimitars. "Stop firing! He's just blocking the bullets. Alright you will have your fight then. Levent, I will make you mine again!"
Petro could sense Michael falter as the vampire charged forwards almost too fast to see. 'He's using haste' he thought as he swung his weapon in the place where he instinctively knew where the beast would strike first, he was rewarded with a sharp clang. "Michael! Strike now!"
Michael hesitated, but Raskshimir had already moved, his form was a blur.
"Michael!"
Petro felt one side of his armor being struck hard. Michael was swinging his sword, but was slow. 'What's wrong with him?'

"Michael if you can't kill him, then take care of the others!"
There where other raiders joining the battle, apparently there was no honor among them. They just attacked as they saw fit. Sometimes getting into each others way, it was only the undisciplined mob tactics of the Raiders that the pair of Knights kept them at bay. Michael focused his attention on them as Petro fought the leader.

Petro was having a difficult time; the creature was fast, but behaved like any other vampire he faced, using his speed to try and unsettle him all he need was one good opening.

'This is no good.' He thought to himself as he was being slowly driven back to the narrow tunnel. The beast he was fighting did not let up, his crackling laugher sounding over the thunder. The Vatican Knight lost his footing on the slippery rocks, falling to one knee.
Raskshimir saw his chance, he moved in for the kill, his sword flashing.
Petro saw the flash of the blade and raised his weapon up, too slow!

The blade struck deep into flesh. Raskshimir took a step back leaving the curved blade still stuck into the armor. His eyes wide. "Levent…"
Michael turned aside his next attack. He didn't feel the wound, only the slow burning anger that over took him. He attacked with such a ferocity that drove back the vampire from Petro.
Raskshimir saw the demon before him and he quailed. Using his remaining sword to block the powerful attacks. He raised his sword to block an over hand blow…He screamed as his insides shredded on the rotating head of the heavy lance.
Petro, still on one knee; had driven the drill deep into the vampire's unprotected middle, blood was flying everywhere, blending with rain and dipping to mix with the mud.

Michael swung his sword neatly beheading the corpse. He turned, pulling out Raskhhimir's blade free from his body. "Petro, are you alrig-"

The tank fired an artillery shell; it hit the side of the canyon wall, blasting rock everywhere!

Petro covered his head with his arms as the rocks rained down over him.

****

A figure in black robes on the other side of the tunnel watched the battle with a frown. When he saw that the fighting pair of Knights had been buried by the rubble, he took his glasses off and put them carefully in his coat.

"Nano Machine, Crusnik02 Power output 80%, Activate!"

****

His head was ringing, Petro groaned, feeling pain in his legs. The pain was good, he remembered; it meant that he was alive. He opened his eyes, it was dark and wet. He felt warm breaths panting heavily on his cheek, he started. "What the?"
"This….This is really heavy…."
Petro reached up with his free hands, he felt the heaving armored chest of the Methuselah above him. "What-"he felt up past his body, feeling only rocks here he gasped. "Michael!?"
The Knight was holding up the rocks with own body, Michael's arms where trembling, straining with the effort to keep them from being crushed.
The pain in his legs, he was pinned under the rock, but he could breath and move his arms. What was that wetness, the rain? No, it was warm, sticky. Whose blood was it?
"…..A-are you alright …Petro?" Michael gasped above him. Petro wet his lips and murmured a yes. "That's good…g-give me a movement…..we'll both be out of there…" With that he strained, grunting mightily as he pushed against the rock, his whole body shuddering as he slowly lifted the boulders up and away.

Petro felt a fresh gush of warm blood; it wasn't from him. 'Michael! Stop it you'll kill yourself!" he put his hands up against the rock, pushing with all his strength, to aid Michael. "I said stop it, Michael, Don't!!"

"Arrrgghh…..ahhhhh AHHHHH!!!!! " The wounded Methuselain Knight with a final heave, screamed out as the boulders fell away, revealing them to open air.
Michael looked up into the sky, it was still raining, but the storm has passed. It felt strange, like he was floating on air after being trapped under the rocks for so long. And the weakness….he glanced down; Petro was lying amid the rocks, breathing. Alive.

Brother Petro sat up; his arms reaching out to catch Michael as the Angel slowly sank back down, his eyes dropping closed, a serene happy smile on his beautiful face. "Petro…."

"No! Michael…" Petro freed his legs and cradled his friend in his arms. "Michael!? Michael!? "He called desperately. The angel in his arms was still, his blood…oh god, his blood was everywhere! All over the rock, running down his legs and even on himself, Michael had lost so much of it.
Quickly pulling off the helmets, Petro gently shook Michael, still crying his name, his voice cracking. "Michael!?"

With a sob, his pulled him closer and buried his face into Michael's hair. Cold rain washed away the hot tears as the blue-haired man clung tightly to him.

"Oh God please….Please…" Everything in him, crying out at the injustice of it all, physical pain was nothing now. Only this bitter pain…

"God please…not Michael. Not Michael." He prayed over and over again, he pulled Michael's body free of the rubble, Michael's lips brushing against his exposed throat as The Vatican Knight prepared to lift him.

Petro's eyes snapped open as he felt those lips move against his throat, his pulse thrummed and his grief momentarily turned aside. Michael's lips moved back, his fangs seeking the pulse of blood just under the man's skin. He still had some life left in him.

Brother Petro quickly laid him down and removed his gantlets. He found a broken shard of metal and broke though his skin with it. He placed his bleeding wrist to Michael's lips.
Parting those lips with his finger, he massaged Michael's neck till he felt him swallow.

Michael took another swallow, his lips firmly latched onto the life fount.

Michael drank, his eyes still closed, taking in what he had lost. He licked at the wound wanting more.
Petro bit back a groan. His skin singing, flushed.

He could feel him.

He could feel Michael caressing him slowly, under his armor along his skin.

The heated carnal caresses.

Petro tilted his head back his gasps and soft moans. God he wanted more, he could feel Michael's desire for him, for his body and his blood…Michael's vampiric nature emerging, desiring more blood.

Petro whimpered. "Michael….Please…Please." he begged.
As if in response, the feeling along his skin became less intense, caste and loving. Petro closed his eyes. In his mind's eye, he could see Michael clearly, amused and gloriously beautiful, just like that morning.

Petro?

Do you see now?

Everything that I do…

…I would even die for you.

'I know, I would do the same for you.'

The connection broke, Petro looked down. Michael was smiling, his green eyes partly open. "…took you long enough…" He murmured, he licked at the offered blood on his lips. "How bad?"
"Pretty bad….."
Before he could ask another question Petro bent down and drove his desperation, his passion and his relief into the kiss. Michael gasped, and then clung to him for a long moment.

"I thought I lost you." Petro said his voice low and husky before devouring his lips again.
Michael responded as well as he could, pushing his tongue past Petro's lips, shuddering as he felt the Vatican knight meeting him, his hands clench his arms tightly. Gasping as Petro sucked on his tongue hungrily, pushing his kiss deeper.

The Methuselah pulled back. "H-Have mercy let me breath!" he had to bring up a hand to stop him. "I haven't the strength to fight you." Petro stopped, panting from the savage kiss he frowned. "Do you need more blood?" If Michael would ask, he would give.
"I fear that I've already taken too much." Michael looked around, " And it looks like the Raiders are gone."
Petro looked around too, the signs of the fight where everywhere, bodies here and there, he lifted Michael free of the rock and carried him deeper into the tunnel away from the rain.

The tunnel roof was entirely split. Rocks and boulders blocked most of the path. At the entrance a smoking tank sat drinking in rain. On the walls dark marks scorched the entire length of the tunnel. And there was that strange smell of ozone, of burnt air.

"What happened?"
"Your guess is as good as mine…" Petro put Michael down inside the ruined tunnel. Here, they where out of the rain. He began to pull Michael's armor off.

"Hey Hey! What are you doing? We can't do it in here, I'm still weak!"
Petro scowled. "I am checking your wounds, what are you thinking about you lecher?"

He was rewarded with a weak laugh. "Well, you can't blame me. I've been waiting for…ow!"
Petro lifted his tunic, the wound was bleeding again. It had opened when Petro moved him. The Inquisitor thought for a moment and lifted his hand to Michael's face his fingers pressing to his lips. "Suck on them" he commanded.
"Now who's being the lecher?"
"Just do it. You're still wounded." Petro's voice dropped off as Michael took his fingers into his mouth, sucking and licking at them in the most erotic way. His body stiffened as he felt his arousal flush through his entire body.
Michael stopped, looking at him curiously as if he didn't know what was going on. "Well? What do you got in mind?"
It took a moment for Petro to clear his head. He bent by the wound and ran his saliva slickened fingers along inside the wound leaving Michael gasping.
'Just as I thought.' Petro smiled triumphantly. The wound was beginning to close. The enzyme that healed flesh also could be used on Michael himself.

Michael hadn't received enough blood to completely heal this serious wound, only enough to keep himself from bleeding to death. Moving him so soon had re-opened the wound.
Petro repeated the treatment, each time Michael licked at his fingers; he was biting his other hand to keep from trembling. His rampant heat rising. The wounded knight knew it too, his green eyes glittering with amusement and lust, his tongue moving sensually over the sensitive fingers.
Petro fought hard not to give in to his desire, for the sake of his seducer's wounds and weakness; he needed to get him back to the rest of the villagers. But it would be so easy, so easy to just relax and let Michael take away all thoughts and just…

Unable to take it much longer, Petro pulled himself free and walked away woozy and gulping down the rain water from above to clear his head. He was so hot; burning…The Inquisitor quickly stripped his armor off, letting the rain cool his heated body. The rain washed most of the blood off as well.

Michael was grinning when Petro returned to him. He was not unaffected by his own treatment, his own gift. He had hoped that the tall big man would cave into his desire and take him right then and there.
"Oh God Petro, you look incredibly Sexy when your all wet like that, so hot and bothered."

"Shut up!" Petro hissed. "Can you stand?" He was well aware that without the armor he couldn't hide the hard on that was straining to be let free of the restrictive pants. Michael was smirking trying to keep his eyes on Petro's face which annoyed the Vatican knight even more.
"We have to try to get to the cave, I don't know the way."

With Michael on his back, Petro had a difficult time navigating the canyons, not only because it was dark, he was running out of time, and he felt Michael's hot breath on the back of his neck many times, both distracting him and driving him on.
"Hurry, I can feel the sun rising."

Petro walked faster, he was tired and worn, stars danced before his eyes; he wondered just how much blood Michael had taken.

He slipped on the wet rock, nearly falling. He could hear some one up ahead. He called out. "Gabriel? David?"
From his blurring vision, he could see that AX Priest, Father four-eyes hurrying towards them,"Petro? Is that Michael?"
"The sun's rising! Quick I've got to get him into the caves!" Petro stumbled, falling to his knees.

Father Abel ran towards them whipping off his thick black coat and throwing it over them both, it was large and long enough that it covered Michael completely. "Stay right here, I'll go back and get help."

= To be continued =

A/N : Yes, we get to the good parts, This chapter is shorter then my other ones, it's getting near the end of the story sadly.
Yep! Abel had an important role after all. *lol*
I could not resist adding a few lines from my favorite movies, can you guess which ones they where?

Ahh…More romantic yoai-fluff. I was/am inspired by Bryan Adam's "Everything I Do" for all of Michael and Petro's romantic moments. Look up the lyrics or a youtube video: you'll see what I mean. ;)

Another thing, I will be taking requests for images from this Story. Just post a comment or leave a message on my Deviant Art ( clicky my homepage link.)
I have the first one with Petro just getting out of the shower in the intro of this story. Enjoy!

~Ely