Pages: 188 – 217

Rated: PG-13

Chapter 7: A Channel Is Formed

Once the two teams were boarded back onto the Iron Maiden, Asta looked at Abel, and sought an explanation for his assumption. "Tell me, Priest, are you absolutely sure that that brother of yours will travel all the way to the Empire? And are you certain that he would only go there to seize power over her majesty, Augusta Vradica?"

Nodding his head vigorously, Abel then began to state his theories, "Yes, I believe that Cain will go to the Empire, seeking an alliance with the strongest people there. The people with the highest authority. He might even try to corrupt the very mind of your Empress."

"WHAT?"

"Professor, contact Cardinal Caterina and report to her, tell her that the return voyage may take longer than first thought. Tell her that an emergency has arisen and that we must first fly to the Empire! Tell her that we have a lead on Cain's whereabouts, and that we do not intend to let him get away. Do you understand?" Abel called out as he prepared to go and check on the well being of Esther and Elma, both of whom still hadn't awoken from Terina's spell and this worried Abel greatly.

At the head of the Iron Maiden's helm, the Professor sat calmly beside Kate, and looking at the control panel he agreed, "I understand loud and clear. I will inform her Eminence on the matter."

"Thanks." Abel spoke, his heart truly not in his words; he knew that the only reason why Asta was able to recover from the spell so quickly was because of her being a Methuselah.

What about Esther and Elma?

Both were human girls, neither with any incredible abilities or powers. Just pure, fragile human flesh.

Abel couldn't help but to wonder in his mind, "How long will it take for them to wake up? Hours? Days? Weeks? Months? Surely it couldn't take years or….." He gasped silently as a grim prospect crossed his mind, "What if they never manage to wake up?"

Shaking his head, he whispered, greatly terrified by his own thoughts, "I can't think like that! Elma and Esther will wake up!" He closed his eyes, and lowering his chin, he continued with a hint of uncertainty, "I know they will."

It had been left with Havel to watch over both girls, and as he entered the room they'd been assigned to, Abel waved tiredly to their care giver.

"How are they?"

Kindly, Havel looked up and whispered, "Esther woke up a few minutes before you entered. I honestly think that all that they need…is a little rest."

"And what of Elma?"

"Fath—"

Abel looked down and saw that Esther had her lapis lazuli eyes opened, and he was excited to see her staring at him. Her face was pale, but that didn't matter, the fact that she was well was good enough for him.

"Father Abel, wha—what happened? I—I don't remember anything….Where are…." Her voice faltered and Abel placed a gentle hand on her head. "Fath—"

Stroking her short, tousled hair back out of her eyes, Abel whispered, "Quiet now, Esther, everything is okay. You're on the Iron Maiden. A problem came up, and we have to travel to the New Human Empire."

"I see. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to sleep a little more…"

Smiling, his mind slightly eased from worry. "Sweet dreams, Sister Esther."

"Good night."

He turned to leave Havel alone with the still nonresponsive Elma, but as he began to leave, Abel heard Esther speak, "Father Abel, please wake me when we land."

"I'll do that."

Caterina sat at her desk, her elegant hand held to her brow, "I see, Father Wordsworth, so Abel is having you all deviate from your original mission, only so that he can keep on his brother's trail? Now please correct me if I'm wrong."

The Professor who had contacted Caterina during Abel's absence began to speak, "All is correct, your Eminence."

Caterina sighed and closing her cool grey eyes, she kept her hand to her forehead, "Tell him that I will permit it this one time only! But if he ever tried to pull another insane stunt like this again, tell him that I will personally have his head!" She began to breathe deeply, allowing he mind to calm down. "So, tell me, William, did Abel make contact with the Empress' envoy?"

"Yes and the envoy is traveling back with us to the Empire. I'm hoping that she will act as a guide once we've landed." The Professor stated, his voice sounding exhausted. "Your Eminence, I promise you that once we're through will the business dealing with the Empress' people, we will return to the Vatican with much haste."

The Cardinal smiled, and opening her eyes she felt that the return trip would take longer than anyone had thought. "That won't be necessary, Professor. Now please, go, and get some well deserved rest."

She heard the Professor chuckle softly, and hearing his voice again, she noticed that he sounded extremely old, "Thank you, your Grace. I don't think I could handle getting any older. Right now I'm already at the age where merely sitting down causes my whole body to go into a muscle spasm."

"Well, let's just hope that you will remain with us, Professor." Caterina giggled, and playfully rotated the monocle in front of her right eye. And with a final last thought, she snapped her fingers and added, "Oh, before you go, where may I ask is Abel?"

"I believe that he is sleeping, your Eminence. Do you want me to go and wake him?"

"No, let him sleep. The Lord knows that Abel works hard at the job that he does and I know that he's been through a lot in a short amount of time. Please contact me when you arrive."

"Will do."

Caterina heard a soft click in her right ear, and looking around her office, she sighed. The things that she saw were the same as always, a door at the front of the room, several soft armchairs sat side-by-side in front of her desk, two windows on the east and west sides of the room, and a few select certificates framed up on the walls.

And looking at the clock that she had on her desk, she whispered sadly, "The Cardinal's Council is about to begin. And though I hate it, I'm going to have to face him."

Standing, she slowly crossed the room, and with her hand on the small brass knob, she turned it gently with a twist of her wrist, and stepped out into the hall, moving quickly, her footsteps soft and her movements non-noticeable, her dress flowing behind her tall form, and her blonde hair swaying behind her back.

She didn't waste any time in getting to the meeting room that had been built in the center of the Cardinal's building. As one of the most influential council members, lateness, even for her, would be considered to be an act of heresy.

And heresy was punishable by law.

Stopping in front of the looming council doors, Caterina entered the grand, circular council hall. And stepping into the room, she was met by hurried voices.

"WORKING WITH THE VAMPIRES? HAS CATERINA GONE OUT OF HER MIND? I ASK OF YOU! I BEG OF YOU! WHO ALLOWED HER TO ACT ON THIS WHIM OF HERS? WHO ALLOWED HER TO CONTINUE ON THIS QUEST WITHOUT THERE BEING A COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY DEBATE ON THIS PLAN? I SAY TO YOU, MY DEAR BROTHERS, TELL ME THE ANSWER THAT I SEEK!"

The voice was rough and cold, without much feeling.

An elderly man was the one who answered to the raging man, "Cardinal Medici, we don't know who Cardinal Sforza went to in her search for consultation. And I, being the Head Secretary for the Vatican would know to whom she went. But we have no record of anything at all related to anything such as this."

"IT HAS TO BE THERE!"

"Well it isn't, brother. I'm sorry to further disappoint you. I hope that you can forgive me, Francessco." Caterina stated, gracefully stepping out into the open room. Her eyes not showing anything but readiness for the council's meeting to begin.

With his eyes narrowed, Francessco quickly pointed his finger at Caterina, and then turning his back, he spoke softly, his mind trying to limit his fury, "You…..Caterina….My dear sister, you went against what it means to be a Cardinal here at the Vatican! You knew that you needed to run your thoughts by his Holiness, before you were even allowed to think about falling through with it! Tell me, what in God's name were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that we should strengthen our bond with the Eastern Empire! Francessco, our two races, the humans and the vampires, we can't fight against each other anymore! The Vatican has managed to gain a small channel to the New Human Empire! And I will not allow you, my brother, to ruin that channel!" Caterina was speaking out an entire lifetime of anger against her older sibling, he had always hated the vampires, and she knew that his rage had to be stopped.

Francessco's eyes popped open, his fury reaching its breaking point, and with his cold grey eyes wide, he rounded on his sister. "CATERINA, THESE ARE VAMPIRES THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT! THEY ARE BLOOD THIRSTY BEASTS THAT FEED ON OUR KIND! A BOND COULD NEVER BE FORMED BETWEEN OUR TWO RACES! AND YOU WILL SEE THAT I'M RIGHT, ONCE THEY START TO KILL US ALL OFF! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!"

Snarling at her brother's resentment to her plans, Caterina began to argue, "YOU SPEAK AS IF WE STILL LIVED WITHIN THE MIDDLE AGES! THE VAMPIRES ARE NOW CIVILIZED BEINGS! THE LAST MAJOR SLAUGHTER CAUSED BY THEM WAS OVER A DECADE AGO! TIMES CHANGE, FRANCESSCO!"

Around the room, all of the council members stood in shock, and at the head of the room sat a small, scared young boy. His young eyes wide with fear, and his face was pale, making his freckles stand out more than usual. His short, tawny hair was messed up, due to a large amount of stress, and his white, unsoiled robe was slightly ruffled. And with a tiny voice, he began to beg for order. "Pl—please, everyone! St—stop yelling. We….We have a job to do. Please…..Quiet…Hey I said please….."

A Deacon who had heard the boys quiet pleas, yelled for quiet. "SILENCE! HIS HOLINESS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!"

The noise in the room fell instantly, and all heads turned to look at the boy and Deacon.

The boy gasped at the attention that was now placed onto him, and blushing he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, "Ah….Please, we have a job to complete….And….."

Caterina smiled at the boys' shyness, and stepping forward, she confidently said, "Forgive me, your Holiness. The outburst that has happened here today was truly unspeakable."

The boy, known as his Holiness frowned, "Sister, you know that there is nothing to forgive. I just wanted the shouting to stop."

"Thank you, Alessandro. Now as his Holiness has stated, we have a job to complete. But seeing as how many people have already confessed their feelings on the matter that is to be discussed, already half of the job is completed." Caterina muttered, her body facing the congregation.

Francessco stood a few feet from the Pope and his sister, and getting on one knee and bowing his head he whispered, "Forgiveness is needed in a situation such as this, your Holiness. Please forgive me."

Alessandro continued to smile shyly, "Brother, like I told sister, there is nothing to forgive. But you know that our father wouldn't want to see his children fighting."

"I understand, your Holiness," Francessco stood up, his brown hair moving slightly in front of his face.

And each of the Cardinals, Deacons, Priests and Church Officials took their seats, and the meeting began.

Lying on his bed, Abel slept soundly. His glasses placed neatly on top of a wooden nightstand next to his bed. He had been asleep for nearly six hours when the door leading to his room swung open. And shielding his face which was aimed towards the ceiling, and throwing the switch to the lights on, he heard a familiar voice.

"Father Abel? Are you awake?"

"Not particularly…but I guess I have to be now…..Wait!" Abel's mind started to process the sound of the voice, and sitting up in bed, he saw Esther standing in the doorway. "Esther? You're—You're awake!"

Esther smiled and whispered, "Yes, I think that my body was just drained. I hope that I didn't worry you."

"Well, you're a little late in that, because I thought that I maybe had lost you forever! Don't scare me like that again!"

Losing her smile, Esther walked to Abel's side and threw her arms around his neck, she whispered, "I'm—I'm so sorry, Father! I didn't mean to make you worry!"

Feeling lost for words, Abel merely wrapped his arms around her body, "Please don't worry, Sister, worrying for others is just a standard part of life."

"I know, but still, I'm sorry."

Abel sighted and voiced his hearts true words, "Esther I think I—"

"Priest, what the hell are you doing in here? We're going to be landing in my homeland in less than five minutes. I strongly advise that you get your ass in gear, for I expect you to be on your best behavior!"

"ASTA!" Abel screamed, letting go of Esther and feeling his face grow red with embarrassment. He was embarrassed that he was nearly caught in a situation that a priest should never be in.

To the eyes of anyone who witnessed the sight for themselves, the scene might seem lustful. And that Abel, embracing Esther the way that he was, might show a hidden sexual desire, but Abel knew that that wasn't the case. He had embraced her to show her that there was nothing to worry about.

Eyeing Abel, Asta stood suspiciously within the doorway, her eyes going from the awkward looking priest, to the confused looking Esther. "What were you doing, Priest? Nothing illegal, I hope."

With his face feeling as though it were on fire, Abel began to stammer, "O—Of course not, As—Asta. I was just…..I was just…." His mind seemed to fail at this point and his voice faltering he fell silent.

But thinking quickly, Esther interjected, "Father Abel was just happy that I've finally woken from my slumber. That's all that it was, I promise you."

"Fine, well come on." She walked away but before she left, Abel and Esther heard her mutter, "What are Terrans useful for?"

Looking sheepishly at each other, they both laughed softly, and breaking the uneasiness, Abel asked, "So how's Elma? Has she woken too?"

She shook her head. "No, she was still unconscious when I fully regained consciousness. "

Abel frowned, his heart nearly broken in two, "I see. So, Esther…."

"Father, why don't you go see her? You seem to have a, well how should I put this, a common bond with Sister Elma. I don't know what it is, or if I'll ever understand it, but it's there, I'm sure it is."

He stared at Esther, her face young, and so kind, and for the first time, he saw that her being around had a way of brightening any grim situation. And placing a hand on her head he smiled, "I'll go that, and thank you for the suggestion."

"You're welcome!"

Elma woke up, her mind dazed and confused, the very last thing that she remembered was landing in Venice and heading to meet up with the envoy.

But that was it.

And trying to remember what happened, she found that she was only drawing a blank. "Where am I?" She thought as she quietly sat up on the bed that she'd been laid in.

Sitting up, she jumped slightly when she looked at the foot of the bed and saw Abel sitting in a chair. He was extremely deep in thought, "Fa—Father Nightroad! Where—Where are we? What's going on?" Elma stammered, pushing herself up so that she was completely sitting.

Abel raised his head from his concentration and smiled, "Elma! You're awake? That's good news! How are you feeling?"

Completely ignoring his comments Elma inquired once again, "Father! Where are we? Tell me what happened! I don't remember a thing, and that scares me! I need to know what happened!" She was on the verge of crying from fear, but taking a calming breath, she closed her eyes and with the same breath she pleaded, "Please…."

He help up and hand, and walked up next to her, and placed a hand on her head, "Please, calm down, Sister. There is no need for alarm. You're fine now. Listen, right now we're on our way to the Empire. And what happened was your sister bewitched your mind, as well as the mind of Esther." Abel frowned, as memories of Terina stealing his blood entered his mind, and grasping his forearm he closed his eyes.

Elma stared down at her hands, "Did Terina harm you, Father?"

He remained silent, but thought to himself, "She's concerned about me? But I can't further worry her with the truth! That would be wrong!"

"Father?"

He looked down at Elma's young face, and feigning a smile he laughed and declared in a falsetto voice, "Oh, there's nothing to fear! Your dumb sister couldn't get a mile on me! I put an end to her plot just as soon as I was able to force it out of her!" He continued to force a laugh, and he struggled to make it seem genuine.

She smiled and laughed, "Father Nightroad, that's excellent! I mean, considering the fact that Terina's a top ranking nobility, as well as a general in the Empress' army. And she's also a master in necromancy."

Abel felt the color drain from his face, and with difficulty he choked out, "Top ranking nobility? General in the Empress' army? Master in necromancy? Wow," he gulped and continued, his voice now quivering madly, "That is—That is quite a number of big achievements. But what is necromancy?"

Elma tilted her head to one side, and whispering, as though she were casually speaking about a book she said, "Magic. She's a master sorceress."

"Magic…." His eyes snapped open and realizing what Elma had just said, he cleared his throat and yelled out in shock, "I FOUGHT A WITCH?"

She jumped back into her bed, "Ye—yes. Why does that surprise you, Father?"

Abel slumped his shoulders, and placing his hands on his knees, he began to explain, "About five years ago, I met this little girl named Elis Wasmayer. As cute of a little girl that you'd ever meet. But the Department of Inquisition had ruled her as being a witch."

"Why? How old was she?"

"Well," Abel thought back, and an image of Elis entered his mind.

A small girl, with short blonde hair, and oddly colored red-pink eyes.

And frowning slightly, Abel continued, "Well she was, I believe, nine years old. And the reason as to why she had been ruled as a witch was because she was the suspect of multiple murder cases. The first took place two year prior to our meeting. Her father shot his wife, and then he shot himself. It was declared as being a murder-suicide. She was then placed into an institution for orphans, and finally she was adopted out. Though soon after, her foster father began to experience a rash of supernatural occurrences. In a desperate attempt to end it all, he secretly planned to kill her, but he ended up shooting himself in the head with a hunting rifle. That was the second case, a suicide and according to Elis' story, it was also an attempted manslaughter. After that, she was placed into another institution, where eight boys killed each other with kitchen knives. Those who investigated that case deemed it to be a gang-related fracas, but the motives as to why the boys killed each other remained unclear. So on case three and with eleven people dead, Elis went missing. But by a lucky chance, Father Tres and myself happened across her hiding in a Vampires' warehouse in the southern part of Albion. "

He continued to think thoughtfully about Elis, he kind disposition in great contrast to the ugly and harsh term given to her, and absentmindedly, as if in his own world he whispered, "I wonder how Elis is?"

"Why don't you try and find her, Father?" Elma smartly suggested, and smiling she giggled.

He sighed, and his head drooped downward, "I wish that I could, but I haven't a clue as to where she might be."

"You do realize that the Empire has a database that can locate anyone, just so long as they're within a fifty to one hundred mile radius of the Empire's gates. What do you think, Father?"

"What do I think? I think that you're a genius!"

Taken aback by Abel's newfound happiness Elma felt her eyes grow wide, "I—I am?"

He nodded his head, and looked up at the ceiling as Kate's voice sounded from the intercoms wired within the electric wires running through the metal frame. "Attention! All those who are disembarking further into the Imperial Territory, now is the time to prepare yourselves, and also to prepare to leave. Kate Scott, out."

Abel smiled, and looking at Elma he explained, "That's my cue to leave. I wish you the best of luck at the Vatican. For this, is where we part ways." He got up, bowed to her and turned to leave.

Confused by the fact that everything was going on so quickly, she whispered, "What do you mean, this is where we part ways? I want to go where you do, and aren't you going back to the Vatican? Aren't we going to the Empire only to return the Empress' envoy?"

He looked back at her slightly, his heart was broken. "I'm not going back to the Vatican. You on the other hand," he gently pointed a gloved finger at her, "you are."

Elma was terrified; she didn't want to go back to a place where she knew she didn't belong.

Not without a friend.

"No Father, I'm coming with you! I don't belong there! I knew that from day one! I only stuck around because of you! I stuck around because you were my friend! And now that you're not going back, well then I'm not going back either!"

Abel gently laughed, seeing Elma like this was different. He was so used to seeing her acting so fearless and unbreakable, that in the week and a half that he'd known her, seeing her fall to pieces all because he wouldn't be accompanying her back to the Vatican, was actually kind of cute. "Elma, you know that you can't come with me everywhere. There are some places that only I can go. For example, I'm male and you're female. That alone should be enough to make you see."

"SO? I don't care! I'm coming with you father! I'm telling you that you need—"

"ELMA DUVAL THAT IS ENOUGH!"

Elma fell silent when she saw Abel's furious expression. "Fath—"

"Elma, and I'm telling you that you are just too weak to leave the Iron Maiden just yet! I'm not trying to be cruel, but I'd die if anything happened to you! I was worried sick when you wouldn't wake up. So therefore I can't let you leave this ship…"

"I can walk, Father! I'll prove it to you!"

He sighed, "So stubborn. You really won't learn your lesson until you get hurt!"

"Yes I am stubborn! But if that's what it takes to be by your side, then I'd even die in the process if I could just achieve my dream….my goal…."

"Departure for the Empire starts now! I wish you the best of luck to those going. Be safe, and may his Heavenly Father be with you." Kate's voice sounded again from the intercom.

"Goodbye Elma, I leave you now, so that you can contemplate the words that I have said to you…." He began to leave, but heard slow footsteps behind him.

It was Elma, working her way towards the door, her face contorted in great pain. Each step extremely labored, but her determination exceeded any other feeling that she had. "Father, I'm coming too! This is my homeland! You need a guide and I doubt that the envoy will do that!"

"Damn it, Elma! What did I just tell you?"

"Didn't you just say that I'm stubborn? I do what I want and I never let anyone stand in my way! You are the envoy now, and you have to accept help from anyone who is willing to lend you a hand! You can't be so proud, Father."

Abel rushed to Elma's side and allowed her to lean against him, and aiding her through the airship he whispered, "So you've made up your mind?"

"Yes, and now it can't be changed."

"I swear, you really are stubborn!"

"That may be. But my stubbornness is my strong point."

"I suppose it is."

They walked in silence for the remainder of the short distance, and in less than two minutes Elma, with Abel's help, found herself standing at the head of the exit ladder, and descending down it, they were soon on the ground, facing a total of six people.

Among the six were Leon, Tres, Esther, Petros, Asta and the woman who had accompanied Petros in Venice. And for the first time, Abel realized that he had never learned her name. With this realized he pointed at her and exclaimed, "Who are you?"

The woman glared coldly at him and after a moment, she answered with much resentment, "My name is Sister Paula Souwauski, I am the Vice Chief of the Inquisition! I am here under temporary order of your superior, Cardinal Sforza!"

"Oh!"

Everyone fell into an uneasy silence, the fact that three different grounds were now travelling together to the Empire of Vampires didn't fall easily onto the minds of others, but it was Petros who finally broke the silence. "Nightroad, let's just get this damned mission of yours underway! But where the hell are we supposed to go?"

Abel opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it, and shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't a clue." He looked directly at the young, beautiful envoy and whispered, "Asta?"

"What is it?"

"Will you please be our guide?"

"WHAT?" Asta yelled out in a blinding fury, her fist beginning to shake, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DAMN TERRANS GOOD FOR?"

"Ah, well we—" Abel stood, trying to think of a valid good use.

"Father, I could be your guide. You remember that I told you that I was born within the Empire, right?" Elma offered, stumbling slightly, but was held up by Leon, "Thank you."

"No problem, but Abel, let Elma guide us, besides Asta, she's the only one who's ever been to the Empire." He suggested, continuing to aid Elma in standing properly.

"Fine, let's get going then; we have to make good timing." Abel started, to leave, but Elma called for him to stop, "What is it? What'd I do?"

"You're walking in the wrong direction."

"Oh, well I knew that, I was just testing you. And you passed with flying colors!" Abel placed his hands out in front of him and started wriggling his fingers around.

Asta turned to Elma and Esther, "Are all you Terrans weird or is it just him?"

"It's just him. But you have to appreciate his attempts to make people laugh. No matter what their race is." Elma whispered kindly, looking back at Abel and softly giggling.

"I see. Hey, Priest, stop making an ass out of yourself and come on!" Asta demanded, as she and the others moved forward.

Abel was slow to catch on, his mind moving slowly in comprehending that he was being left behind. But when he managed to add two and two together, he started to run after them. His long hair whipping out behind him, "Hey, wait for me!"

Leon glanced back, "Well, keep up then! Caterina didn't hire us to baby sit you! You are an adult after all! You should attempt to act like it once in a while! It's really great!"

"Positive." Tres agreed, walking along-side Elma.

"I honestly do try my absolute best!" Abel yelled, running faster to keep up. "But it's hard to do your best when your stomach is growling every three seconds! I haven't eaten in over seventy-two hours! Please, once we arrive to the Empire, can we stop by a restaurant and get something to eat?"

Elma and the others stopped, and Esther muttered, "Fine! Whatever! But please hurry up, Father!"

"Right!" Abel finally caught up with the rest and smiled innocently.

Esther and Elma both felt their faces turn red. And turning her back to the others, Elma whispered, "It's only about a quarter of a mile until we reach the Empire's gates. Now when we arrive, we'll need a code to enter. Does anyone have a code?"

"Positive." Tres announced mechanically.

"Great! Could you please tell us?"

"Positive: HCIIIX7-IDK-AAC294-07TI."

Elma opened her mouth in disappointment. "I don't think that that code in particular will work. I'm sorry, Father Tres."

"I have an authorization code: UNASF94-8-RMOC-666-02AK, do you believe that would work?" Abel asked, as he placed his hands on his growling stomach.

Elma nodded and smiled brightly. "I believe that it might!"

They hurried off again, not stopping for anything. And passing by birds and wildlife that they'd never seen before, it was all truly beautiful!

"We're almost there!" Elma called out, just as she tripped. She landed hard on the ground and sighed.

Abel was the one who knelt down and asked her with much concern, "Are you okay, Elma?"

"Yes…I'm fine…."

He offered her his hand, and helped her to her feet. "You might want to take it slow. We can't have you falling head over heels down a hill somewhere."

"Right…" She looked around, her happiness quickly fading away.

Abel noticed her rapidly growing sadness, "What's wrong?"

Elma gasped, "No—Noting. I'm just happy that I'm home! Really! How about you? Are you okay?"

He smiled, and whispered happily, "I am truly happy. I was just worrying about you being back here in your homeland, that it would maybe resurface painful memories."

"It has….but I can't allow my past to slow me down. My mom told me all the time when I was little, never live for the past, for the past is no longer here. Sometimes live for the future, for the future holds the keys to many mysteries. But to always live for the present, for the present is now."

Now on his feet, Abel smiled, "The words of a good mother."

"Yeah, mom, she was the best."

"Elma…"

Abel who had began to look deeply into her eyes, but was forced to pull away when he heard angry shouts.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO REMIND YOU, PRIEST? KEEP UP!" It was Asta, yet again, that had yelled. It was obvious that she was tired of Abel's slowness.

He sighed, "Right, Asta, we're on our way…"

Elma pushed herself onward, forcing herself to continue on to the Empire. She longed to see her home in Byzantium. And before she knew it, the beautiful and ancient city came into view.

With buildings that towered high up into the sky and with the reflection of the sun's rays on the city, the view left everyone in awe.

"Wow! Look at this place!" Abel cried out in astonishment.

But it was Esther that noticed the truest great wonder of the Empire, "What's that light surrounding the outer sections of the city?"

"That is the Lapis Lazuli wall; it filters out ultraviolet radiation that is given off by the sun." Asta whispered, her golden eyes shining in the glow of both the sun and the wall. "It keeps us Methuselah safe from its deadly rays."

"But we're not within the city yet. So how are you able to stand in the sun?"

"Special UV gel."

"Oh, but this truly is an incredible sight!"

"Yeah it is amazing isn't it?" Elma asked, looking at the city.

As the group walled casually into the Empire, a pair of giant gates appeared. "And how will the authorization code that I have, help us enter that?" Abel asked, as he tried not to call attention to himself.

"Well, with the code it will activate an acknowledgement system, which means that you will remain in the Empire's database for all eternity…."

He gasped, "Well that's comforting…."

"It should be!"

With the gate now before them, Abel placed his hand on the visible screen in the center of a depression in the metal. But when nothing happened, he felt hopeless, "Now what?"

"Tell me! Please! What are Terrans useful for?" Asta screamed out.

Not sensing the insult, Abel whispered, "I don't know…."

"Father, you need to press the individual numbers and letters on the screen." Elma stated, speaking as best as she could through her laughter. "Only by doing that will you be able to enter."

Abel wasn't reassured, "Are you certain that this is the only passage way? Because I doubt that I could work this thing. I mean, look at it, it's obviously not from my time era."

"Father," Esther whispered, holding her hand to her mouth, she was suppressing giggles.

He stared at her, and his eyes growing wide he gasped as his mouth dropped open, "ESHTER OH NO! NOT AGAIN!"

Asta growled, "What again, Priest? What are you babbling about? Honestly I don't understand single bit of the words that come out of your mouth! So please, explain your words to me!"

"Yes, Priest, explain to us all what you mean…." Petros interjected as he sneered tauntingly at Abel.

"Well what I mean is that Esther had a long laughing attack right when we were leaving the Vatican, and well I…." He blushed as he realized that he was babbling stupidly. He didn't know what to say, he felt abashed, and he felt the awkwardness that usually followed when he spoke.

"Father, I'm not having a laughing attack…."

"You're not? Then what are you having?"

"Fun, Father Nightroad! I'm laughing at the fact that you're funny. You said that you couldn't work this technology because it wasn't from your time era. You make it sound as if you're over one hundred years old, and that's impossible! You're only in your mid-twenties." Esther smiled her face shining brightly as she still struggled in holding back her laughter.

"You give me way too much flattery, Esther."

"Just hurry, Priest! I would like to reach my mansion before night falls! We will seek an audience with her majesty tomorrow." Asta screeched yet again, her already wasted patience running even lower than the point of non-existence.

And from where he stood, Abel gave a silent cry of defeat. "I don't get it! She treats me like this despite the fact that I gave up my life's ambitions to cook for her, to clean for her, and to wait hand and foot on her….still I get treated like a dog."

Esther tilted her head slightly to the side, her face showing that she was lost in a perpetual loop of confusion. The rather plightantly she pointed out the obvious. "Father Nightroad?"

"Yes?" He wiped away a non-existent tear.

"Umm….You and the Duchess of Kiev didn't get married while I was asleep did you?" She was blushing, and out of worry she was wringing her hands together.

"WHAT? MARRIED? ASTA?"

"Well you said that you'd given up your life's ambitions to be with her…."

"I did?"

"Yes…You did. Let me guess, you were over reacting?"

He began to shake his head no, but then changed it to yes, "Maybe just a little bit."

"Really? You think?" This had been said with sarcasm.

"Miss Esther, I was in an emotional state, I—I was bound to say something wreckless! Just—Just don't tell her Eminence. I'll be in a world of trouble if she found out that I'd said those words." Abel panicked apparently unaware that Esther was playing around.

Then Esther began to giggle, causing Abel to look at her with a perplexed expression.

"Hey what's so funny?"

"Nothing Father, you can just go back to sleep now."

"But—" He watched her walk off, "I wasn't asleep."

Then as he began to slowly follow her, Asta's voice called from somewhere up ahead.

"Priest, I must tell you that it is best if you and your group were to spend as little time in our Empire as possible."

"And why is that, Vampire?" Petros interjected before anyone else could stop him.

And before anyone else could stop her, Asta turned sharply on her heels, and with her fangs bared she growled in a shrill, but menacing voice, "TERRAN SCUM! HOW DARE YOU CALL ME BY SUCH A WRETCHED NAME AS 'VAMPIRE'? IF I WERE A ROGUE OF MY KIND, JUST NOW I WOULD HAVE RIPPED OUT YOUR THROAT AND I WOULD'VE DRAINED YOUR VEINS DRY! NOW CALL ME A 'VAMPIRE' AGAIN! I DARE YOU!"

Paula then stepped forward, her crimson red tunic swaying in a slight breeze. "You better watch yourself, Vampire." Her voice remained cool, unlike her fellow Inquisitorial Agent. "You see unlike these AX Agents of Cardinal Sforza's, we do not want to make peace with your kind. We wish to destroy every last one of you. And we would start with you if it were part of our orders, but unfortunately, it's not. So for now, you remain alive."

Asta turned her azure colored eyes and looked at Paula with a flame of great hatred burning furiously. "YOU TERRANS ARE ALL ALIKE! JUST BECAUSE ONE BEING OF OUR RACE KILLS, WE ALL HAVE TO BE KILLERS! WE ALL HAVE TO BE SO LOWLY AS TO SNEAK INTO THE HOUSES OF THE INNOCENT AT NIGHT AND KILL THEM IN THEIR BEDS! I TELL YOU NOW THAT WE METHUSELAH OF THE EMPIRE, WE ARE DIFFERENT!"

Not giving them a chance to fight anymore, Abel stood in front of both Asta and Paula. "Ladies, now is not the best time! You may continue this later, but for now, if you haven't noticed, we're here!"

They all looked up in amazement and saw the wonder of the Empire.

Elma felt tears flood her eyes and whispered softly, "Finally, I'm home."

End of Book One

Note to the readers:

Finally after close to 4 years of working on this one fantiction, it is, and I'm happy to say DONE!

You have no idea the amount of time and patience it took to write "The Power to Fight". I also believe that I ended up writing the book 7 times before I was finally happy with it.

So to close up this book officially there are some people that I'd like to dedicate it to:

First: Sunao Yoshida – Without him, Trinity Blood would still be a dream. Also for inspiring me to write to my best potential. Yoshida-Sensei may have left this world physically, but I will see to it that his series will never be forgotten!

Second: To my friends and family – Without their help and encouragement, this book would still be only halfway done.

And Finally: My fans – It fills my life with so much happiness knowing that people enjoy my writing!

So thank you for sticking with me during the time that it took me to write "The Power to Fight" and I hope that you stick with me during the four remaining in the series:

-Battle for Honor*

-Fighting the Past*

-The Final Turning Point*

-From the Ashes a New World Rises*

*Titles are liable to change

-BDS