(AN) AUTHOR'S NOTES: One thing I have to say to before I carry on to chapter twenty-four is this, this message is addressed to the anonymousreviewer whom kind of complained about the second FAQ notice I posted not long ago.
[*] First- if I had twenty-four at the time I from my editor on the 13th of March, I would have added it right along after. My editor is the one whom sends me the chapters when possible and I have to check and read threw them before I decode to upload anything new, I had nothing for most for the past week up until late last night from her. Please understand, be patient and considerate that before I post anything or when my editor sends me something that it not touch and go for when get a new chapter as any good writer knows other protocols have to be taken first hand before I upload a chapter.
And as for the FAQ as stated to what the title was in the last unload , this normal for me and my editor form time to break the ice until we are held back with getting a chapter up by its due date. We have been getting questions form many readers about certain things and terminology being used in the story thus far and it for everyone's benefit so that I will not get the same questions asked to me again ten times over. They will be posted until something new comes my way from my editor through my email inbox. I hope that will clear some things up for people whom were disappointed from what was posted over last weekend. My apologies everyone for that so as you can see chapter 24 is right here and uploaded my editor had very busy week to please excuse both her and me for such lateness. She was a day late for the chapter deadline but she does as do I, have more realistic things going on in our lives so that becomes our #1 priority next to uploading and making fan fictions.
Please enjoy chapter 24 everyone ^^.
(*) As always many special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner dragonwriter24cmf. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support threw this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in.
DISCLAIMER: All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.
Warning:This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter. This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided yuri, bisexuality, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.
Notice: Trinity Blood War Continuum takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.
Trinity Blood: War Continuum - Chapter Twenty Four - Battlefield of Nightmares
Esther left the Council room feeling like there were knots in her stomach, and her shoulders were aching from tension. A part of her wanted to run, wanted to get as far away from Albion and Dietrich as possible. A part of her was considering giving in; with the hope she could force Dietrich and Cain to spare the people she loved. And a part of her just wanted to draw a knife and strike something, anything to vent her frustration and her fear. But she knew she couldn't abandon her people to be wiped out, and she doubted that turning herself over to the Order would get them to protect people. Besides, she knew that her allies would only come for her. And Abel would lead them. Her stomach knotted again.
"Your Majesty." Esther jumped, and looked up to see Mary beside her. "You look unwell."
She shook her head. "It's not...it isn't that. It's just...we'll face the Order in two days. And I..."
"If I may..." Mary hesitated for just a moment. "You need to sleep tonight. It would be better to thinks things over in the morning. I think it would be best if you'd get ready for bed, and perhaps take one of the sleeping pills Lord Walsh and I had prepared for you. The rest will calm your nerves. And tomorrow...I'd like to take you out for some weapons practice." A small grin quirked the corner of her usually stern mouth. "I can't guarantee it will work for you, but I've always found a little fighting practice soothes the nerves. It works the adrenaline out of the system for a while."
"I see. I think that's an excellent suggestion." She didn't feel tired, but she knew that was because of her fear. She looked back toward the Council room. She knew Abel hadn't left before she did.
"I believe Father Nightroad is discussing something regarding your security with Lord Walsh. He should be along shortly. In the meantime, may I escort you to your rooms?" Mary turned, gesturing down the hall with a half-bow.
"Thank you." Esther followed the other woman to her rooms. Her maids came, but she didn't feel like dealing with them. She waved them away, and began to undo her dress. After a moment, Mary stepped forward and smoothly began to assist. Esther blushed. "Thank you. You don't need to..."
"It's an honour to serve you, Lady Esther." Mary stepped back.
Esther blinked. Mary hadn't called her that without prompting since she'd become queen. She wasn't sure how to respond. Finally, she managed a nod. "It's an honour to have you in my service."
A smile touched Mary's mouth. She helped Esther out of her dress, and into her night-dress, just as a knock sounded at the door. "That will be Father Nightroad, most likely." She shook out the dress, hung it on a hangar, and stepped back with a bow. "Majesty. Rest well."
Abel slipped through the door as Mary left. "Esther." He shifted sideways, moving towards the door to the bathroom as he always did. Esther noticed that he took more time and care than usual with each door and window. Finally, he checked her bedroom windows, then stepped back with a sigh. "It looks like its safe tonight."
Esther nodded. There was a lump in her throat, and she couldn't tell why. Part of it was fear of Dietrich. Part of it was anticipation. And part of it was fear for Abel. She watched the slender figure move around the rooms, and her heart was pounding with fear. She knew Abel would protect her, but that was what scared her. She couldn't remember a battle with Dietrich where he'd come through unscathed. The memory of blood on his clothing, wounds on his body, made her heart pound.
Abel turned. He must have seen her expression, even in the dim rooms, because he came forward and embraced her, wrapping his arms around her and enveloping her in his gentle, soothing warmth. "It's all right, Esther. There's no need to be afraid." His grip tightened just a fraction. "I promise, I will not let them take you. Not even if Cain has sent his entire army."
"I know, but..." She reached up to grip his shirt tightly in both hands. "Please, Abel, you have to take care of yourself as well. Promise me, you won't do anything reckless. Even if it is Dietrich, please...be careful. I don't want you to get hurt for my sake."
"I know. I promise I'll do my absolute best, all right?" There was a gentle teasing note in his voice, and she looked up to see a faint smile touch his face. Then he leaned down to brush a light kiss across her mouth. The lightness was gone from his tone when he spoke again, so softly she barely heard him. "Truly, Esther. I promise. I...really don't want to see you hurt, for any reason. So...I will be very careful. And I'll be sure to protect you, and myself, and everyone else, all right?"
Esther nodded, feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. Abel's hands came up, and he brushed a thumb across her cheek. "There now...it will be fine. Besides, if things get too hot, I can always run and hide behind Tres, now can't I?"
Esther felt a weak laugh break free from inside her chest. She knew as well as anyone that Abel was over a foot taller than the android priest and wider in the shoulders as well. The image of him ducking behind Tres was ludicrous. Even though the other had earned the nickname Gunslinger, it was just too silly. She bit her lip on a giggle.
"That's better." Abel smiled again, and leaned down to brush another kiss on her forehead. "You should rest now, Esther."
"What about you?" She looked up into his face.
"I will be right here." The smile widened, just a touch. "Don't worry. I slept very well, earlier, and I've eaten plenty. And I'll probably take some rest while you and Colonel Spencer and Lord Walsh are working on things. So you needn't worry. I'll be just fine, I assure you."
"All right." She didn't want to admit it, but held in his arms, she felt her tension fade a little, and in its wake, exhaustion snuck in. Her eyes felt heavy, and she stifled a yawn. Abel held her for a moment more, then gently lifted her and placed her in the bed. She felt him drape the covers over her, and one hand tenderly smoothed her hair back. Then he moved away.
Esther blinked one sleepy eye open. Abel had moved to the window, settling in beside it. Moonlight glittered on his long silver hair and glasses. He turned his head slightly, and she heard him murmur. "Good night, Miss Esther." Then her eyes closed, and she slipped into dreaming, that image still in the front of her mind.
She awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She was still worried about the prospect of facing Dietrich, but the sick feeling in her stomach was gone, replaced by determination to show him she meant to stay. She wasn't going to let him threaten her into leaving.
Abel was sitting in the window, where she'd seen him last. As she stirred, he turned and offered her a smile. "Good Morning, Esther."
"Good morning, Abel." She studied his face. There was a smile touching his mouth, and warmth in his eyes, but still, he looked strained. She knew he hadn't slept, and wondered what dark thoughts had chased themselves through his mind over the long night. The thought brought her out of bed, and to his side. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, of course. It was a pretty quiet evening." His hand touched hers, and she found herself caught in a gentle embrace. "And you? It looked like you were sleeping well, but..." he flushed slightly. "I didn't dare get too close to check. Your maids would probably be very upset with me. And who knows what Leon would say." He made a soft noise, slightly exasperated but she saw the glitter of gentle teasing in his eyes.
Esther flushed. "I slept very well, thank you." She touched his jaw. "Please remember...you told me you would rest some today. Please...be sure to do so."
He looked into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded. A second later, he shifted away from her. "I should let you get ready for the day." His head bowed just a fraction. "I'll be waiting right outside." One hand brushed her jaw, and then he left.
The rest of the morning was involved in weapons practice. Mary ran her through everything she'd been taught, hand-to-hand, knives, and pistols. To her surprise, Abel came with her. And while he didn't actually spar with her or anything of that nature, he did offer pointers. Once or twice, he assisted Mary in demonstrating something. And he offered her pointers on her shooting. It surprised her, a little. She knew he could shoot, but she'd never before realized he had hand-to-hand combat training. She'd never seen him fight without either guns or Crusnik. But he seemed capable of keeping up with Mary and she could tell, from the way he moved that he wasn't using his full strength. Even without transforming, she knew he was much more powerful than he appeared.
After training, Esther took a quick shower, then settled down with her reports. Mary and Virgil both joined her, and several times, she was visited by one of the others, to ask a question, or make a suggestion about how to handle things. Seth showed up late in the afternoon. "Hey Esther."
Esther blinked. "Good afternoon."
Seth grinned. "I thought I'd stop in and see how you and Abel are doing." She eyed her brother, where he was sitting slouched in a chair. A small frown crossed her face. "You look tired, Abel."
"Eh?" Abel blinked, then pushed himself upright. "I'm fine."
"Hmmph. Well, fine's not going to cut it. We need you to be in top condition right now, Abel." She made a face at him, then turned to Esther. "Hey, Esther, is it all right if I send my big brother off to get some rest? I know he's supposed to be guarding you, but to be honest, he's pretty useless like this. And I'm pretty sure that with Colonel Spencer, Lord Walsh and I all present, we can keep you out of trouble for a few hours."
"Seth!" Abel flushed. "You shouldn't say things like that."
Esther smiled. "It's all right." She turned her gaze to Abel, meeting his blue eyes with hers. "You did promise me you'd get some rest today, and you haven't yet. I think she has a good idea." She rose and moved around the desk, stretching. "I'm sure it will be fine. So...please, go ahead and get some rest. I'll see you at dinner, all right, Father?"
Abel blinked at her for a moment. Then a sheepish smile touched the corner of his mouth. "Well, I was a little tired I suppose." He rose from his chair. "Just remember, I'll be right down the hall if you need anything, all right?"
"Of course. And I'll be sure to call you if something happens." Seth gave him a smirk, and made a shooing motion to the door. "Now go get some rest, unless you want me to tuck you in or something."
Abel flushed once more. "I don't think that's necessary. If you'll excuse me." He bowed once, then left.
Esther ate that night with everyone. Abel arrived five minutes late, grinning in an embarrassed manner. "Sorry to be late."
Leon gave him a look. "No kidding? Honestly, I thought you were supposed to be watching Red, not napping, Four Eyes." His shook his head. " What kind of agent are you, that you had to send your baby sister to work?" He smirked at Abel's blush.
The Professor shook his head. "Come now, Leon, Abel needs rest just like the rest of us. Besides, the two of us have been on auxiliary duty, so we've had more time to take care of things. Especially with Tres wandering around on patrol. I'm sure Abel's been working very hard."
Astha nodded, and fixed Leon with a dark stare. "Even if Father Nightroad left his post, I don't think you have any room to talk, priest. I notice you have time to harass me and every other woman in the building."
Leon grinned. "Yeah well, what can I say? I like a pretty little spitfire, and it's not as if I get out much, so I have to take my chances where I can. And since you aren't exactly encouraging me..." He gave her a look.
Ion choked on his drink. The Professor made a face. "Leon..."
Abel looked as if he didn't know whether to be appalled or be laughing, and beside him, Seth was snickering. Esther hid her smile behind her drink cup. She knew Leon and the others were just joking around to ease the tension they all felt, but it helped. And she could see by Abel's eyes that he had gotten some rest, and the laughter chased away some of the shadows in his gaze. Dinner was a light-hearted affair, and Esther fell asleep with Abel by her side, and the memories of their camaraderie surrounding her.
The next morning, Esther went to practice with Mary, but afterward, she couldn't settle. No matter what she tried, she couldn't focus on her paperwork, or on anything else. All she could think of was the slowly passing hours, and the knowledge that, later that evening, she would face Dietrich once more.
"Your Majesty?" Esther blinked, then realized that Virgil had asked her something. She'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't even heard him speak.
She flushed. "My apologies, Lord Walsh. I'm afraid I was thinking about something else. What was it you needed to say?"
A small smile touched his face. "In truth, I was apologizing for my lack of focus as well, Lady Esther. I fear that, with battle so near at hand, I find myself entirely distracted."
"I see." Esther brushed her hair back from her face. "If there's something you need to take care of, it's all right."
"In that case, I will make my preparations for this evening." He set his pen down and rose from his seat. "Father Nightroad, I leave Her Majesty in your charge. Please, take care of her."
"Of course." Abel nodded. "I'll contact you at once if something comes up."
Virgil nodded, bowed to Esther, and left the room, the long trench-coat he wore sweeping around him as he went.
Esther shivered. As much as she tried not to think about the upcoming confrontation, Virgil's actions made it much more real.
"Esther?" A hand touched her shoulder, and she jumped. Abel was standing beside her, and his face was concerned. "Esther, are you all right?"
"I'm fine." She looked away from him. "It's just...everyone is getting ready to protect me, and I..."
"It's all right." Abel brushed her hair back, then gently touched her cheek and turned her to face him. "Miss Esther...if you don't want to go...if you want to stay here, and have us stay with you...it's all right. All you need to do is say so."
Esther shook her head. "I can't do that. You heard Dietrich. He said he'd burn the city to the ground. And he is...he is someone who will follow through with that threat. So I...have to go out there. But I...I don't want to see people hurt because of me." She reached up to grasp his cassock with one hand. "Father...you will be careful, won't you?"
"Of course." He smiled. "I promise." He studied her face for a moment. "You look a little pale. And tonight is going to be...rather troublesome I imagine. So I'd recommend you take a rest and then get ready. After all, we wouldn't want you to be unprepared either."
"I...you're right." She looked at the papers on her desk, then out the window. She wanted to walk in the gardens, but she knew better. She wanted to sort out her thoughts. She hesitated a moment. "Father...Abel...if you don't mind, I think I'd like to return to my rooms...and I'd like to have some time to myself, to think for a while."
"All right." He took her hand and led her to her suite. He held the door open for her, then smiled. "Well then, Esther. I'll be right outside if you need anything."
"Thank you." She offered him a small smile, and watched as the door shut behind him.
The smile dropped from her face. She knew Abel would protect her, knew he was trying to keep her spirits up. But she'd seen his eyes when he smiled at her, and there were shadows in them. And though he'd promised to be careful...she knew he'd think nothing of diving into the thick of a fight to protect her. And given his powers, he took the caution of 'be safe' far less seriously than most. It worried her, and frightened her, knowing that the people she cared for would be protecting her. She was less afraid of Dietrich than she was of seeing them hurt, or killed for her sake.
Esther stood, staring unseeing at the windows, with her thoughts circling around her head. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, but a knock on the door interrupted her. She turned. "Enter."
Mary stepped into the room, bearing a small slip of paper. "Your Majesty. We've received a note from the Order." She held it out.
Esther took the paper. The message was short. Northeast gardens. 8pm. She blinked and looked up at the clock. It was already past six. "I see. There isn't much time then."
"No." Mary bowed. "The representatives of the Empire are already waiting, and I've informed the Vatican officers as well. Father Tres is standing guard outside your door. Do you need any assistance?"
"No, thank you. I can make my own preparations."
Mary nodded. "Very well, with your permission, I will go finish my own preparations for the upcoming combat."
Esther nodded, and watched as the Colonel withdrew. For a moment, she stood staring at the door, then she turned and went to her wardrobe.
The first thing she did was change into a utilitarian outfit. Modeled after her AX uniform, it was easy to move in, and provided a measure of protection. Mary and Virgil had included an armoured shirt, with protected shoulders and chest. It was sort of a flexible leather with steel plating. It wasn't as solid as the armour Mary wore, but it would do. The armour went under the shirt to better protect her. To that, she added the long knife Mary had trained her with, and two pistols. One was the pistol she'd trained with in the AX, the other was the gun she'd taken long ago from Dietrich. Both were equipped with silver-tipped bullets, and a she had spare cartridges tucked into her belt, and a hip sheath. The guns and the blade felt comforting. She straightened her clothing to make sure the weapons weren't immediately evident. After all, it was good to have a hidden advantage.
She was checking to see if she'd forgotten anything, and limbering up her hands when the door opened, and Abel entered the room. Esther turned and studied him. He was wearing his usual priest uniform, but he'd changed his outer robe for the armoured cassock. Both shoulders were protected with steel guards, his gun arm to the elbow, and she knew that a wide disk of metal would protect the center of his back as well. He'd exchanged the usual clasp of his inner cassock for a wide metal tab to protect his throat, and a similar band of metal, easily twice the width, crossed his chest over his heart, supporting his rosary. It didn't look like nearly enough protection for Esther, but she was relieved he'd at least taken that much armour.
"Ummm...Esther, is something wrong?" She blinked, and felt a hot flush across her face as she realized she'd been staring.
She shook her head. "No. I was just thinking...I'm glad to see you're being careful, but...I wish you had more protection." she moved forward, and brushed a hand across the fabric that covered his body. "I know, most AX agents don't wear much armour, and Father Tres doesn't wear any at all, but...for something like this...I wish you could borrow the armour Brother Petros wears, or something."
"I know. But you know, we generally rely on our manoeuvrability more than our strength." He offered her a small smile. "And really, that much armour is terribly heavy, so..."
"I know. I just..." She stopped not certain what she wanted to say.
"Trust me. It's for the best." He reached up, to take her shoulders. Then his face tightened, and the smile faded. "Everything else aside, it would probably be a bad thing if I had that much armour. After all, if I have to call on... on them...then there wouldn't be much point. I'd just wind up destroying my own protection. And all that lightning...it would be quite dangerous."
Esther's hand tightened on his shirt. She hadn't missed the tension in his voice, when he spoke of having to activate his powers. "I hate this. That you have to protect me...I feel so useless."
"Come now. That isn't true at all. It's because you're so important to everyone, that we all want to protect you. Trust me...you are very, very important to me." The words startled her. She looked up and saw the gentle expression in his eyes. It warmed the cold knots in her gut.
"I know. But...if fighting breaks out, I'll be expected to stand back. I wish I could do something more."
"Umm...well, if it comes to that, there is a favour you could do for me." Abel grinned sheepishly at her. "Seth is...well, she's rather determined to join us this evening. And while I know she has excellent skills, I'd really rather not be scolded for placing the Empress of all Methuselah in danger. To say nothing of the fact that she is my younger sister. So if you don't mind too terribly, I'd appreciate it if you kept an eye on her, and kept her from getting too involved." He sighed, "I know Miss Astha and the Earl of Memphis will be there, but still...she is rather difficult at times, and the more people watching out for her the better."
Esther made a face. She knew Seth was a much better fighter than she was, both stronger and faster. With her knives, she was almost unstoppable. And if she actually chose to unleash her powers...there was nothing short of Abel that could possibly even stand up to her. Still, the fact that Abel had asked her to watch over his precious younger sibling banished the last of the coldness in her gut. She smiled up at him. "I'll do my best."
"That's the spirit." Abel offered her a quick grin, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, I suppose it's time." Esther nodded, and allowed him to escort her from the room.
The others were waiting outside the door as she emerged. Ion was wearing light armour, a sort of breast-plate with a high collar to protect his neck,that left his arms bare. Astha wasn't wearing any armour at all, unless she counted the leather corset-style garment she wore over her sleeveless shirt, and under the long black coat she wore. Beside both of them, Seth was wearing an outfit Esther remembered well, from the time they'd spied on Suleyman and Radu, at the Moldova mausoleum. Tight pants, though not too tight, knee-high boots, and a shirt with loose sleeves, that would rip away if needed. Her knives were strapped to either hip, and her expression was grim.
Of the other AX members, only William had bothered with armour. Leon was taking the casual approach, wearing his usual uniform, and Tres never bothered with armour, since he couldn't be hurt or killed. The worst that could happen was he'd be disabled, and the Professor would have to patch him up after the fighting. Esther was relieved to see the older man wore an armoured cassock, similar to Abel's. She didn't see an actual weapon on him, but she knew the cane he carried in his hand was far from the innocent support it looked like, and she had no doubt that he had other things somewhere on his person.
Of her two advisers, Mary was wearing her formal battle gear, which included a steel breastplate, shoulder pads, and reinforced metal gloves. She'd also taken the precaution of wearing high boots with stiff leather guards. She'd even changed swords again, leaving her preferred weapon behind for the one Esther recognized from the battle months earlier. Virgil stood beside her, wearing his usual trench-coat. He'd changed from his usual suit into a slightly more casual attire, but he wasn't wearing armour, nor did he appear to be carrying a weapon. Beside him, his sister was similarly dressed, though she preferred a leather jacket and pants and boots. Like Leon and Astha, they seemed to rely on speed and abilities rather than protection. It comforted her though, to notice the younger Walsh was carrying her assault rifle.
Esther swallowed hard. Seth gave her a thumbs up, and Virgil bowed. "Your Majesty...it is time. If you wish to follow through with this plan, we will come with you."
"Thank you. Everyone." Esther swallowed again, then stepped forward. Abel fell in beside her on the right, and Virgil on the left. The others ranged themselves behind and around her. Their presence helped. She remembered all the danger she'd faced with these individuals at her side, and something deep inside her settled. She lifted her chin, and strode forward, toward the doors of the Queen's Sanctuary.
The walk to the northeast gardens was a fairly long one, but this time, it went all too fast. Night had long since fallen, and she and the Professor both took torches. But as they neared the entrance to the northeast field, Esther couldn't see anything. Something cold and hard tightened in her guts once more. She knew it was just a ploy, just a way to throw them off balance, to throw her off balance, but still...the lack of sight or sound made her nervous. Abel must have seen, or noticed, because his hand brushed across her shoulder, gentle and encouraging.
As they crossed the entrance, coming out from under the tree-line, lights flared to life around the middle of the field, revealing two figures standing almost shoulder to shoulder. Esther took a few steps forward, then stopped. "Dietrich."
Dietrich smiled. "Hello Esther. I see you got my invitation." He glanced at his watch. "You're a little late, but I don't suppose it matters all that much. After all, as long as you arrive, it isn't really a problem. But you know, I'm surprised to see you brought your friends with you. Did you really want to say goodbye all that badly?" His eyes drifted over the group. "I can't say I'm surprised about the Father there, or even those people you call advisers, but really, showing up with an Imperial contingent as well, I hope you're not planning to do something foolish." A twist of a sneer touched his mouth." Of course, if you are, that would a little amusing. Not that it changes anything, but...I could go for a little entertainment."
"You..." Esther wanted to shout at him, but she clenched her fists, and forced herself to remain calm. "You can return to your master, the Contra Mundi, and tell him I've declined his invitation. I have no intention to return there, with you or on my own. So if you'd please convey that message to him. That's all I have to say." She didn't want to be formal, she didn't want to be polite, but she knew that she'd only look and sound like a frightened child if she spoke any other way.
Mary stepped forward. "By Her Majesty's word, if you depart now, we will take no further action. If you choose to remain here, you will be arrested for arson, multiple counts of assault and battery, assault against Her Majesty, and abduction of the same, wilful destruction of property, rioting, murder, deliberate sabotage of government property, and assorted other crimes."
"You fool." Helga sneered. "Do you truly think your little group is enough to handle the wrath of the Order?" Her gaze transferred to Esther. "And you, foolish wench. You have the attention of Mein Herr himself, and yet you come running back? To this? To a country that could be crossed in a day, fools who will use you for nothing of importance, and an idiot priest who cannot see the things of worth until they hit him in the head? For this..." The word was a sneer of contempt as she gestured. "For this, you leave the side of such a brilliant and powerful man as Mein Herr? I thought you might have some worth, Terran, but...I suppose you're just a peasant wench playing with a crown after all." She sniffed again. "Come along, little Terran. If you desire power, you might as well return while my lord is feeling generous. If you're grateful enough, he will return your crown when he has cleansed this land of these fools."
Esther stiffened with rage, and she heard Mary make a soft sound of fury. She had a sudden desire to leap forward and punch other woman. Her hand tightened on her knife, but before she could take a step forward, Abel's arm crossed in front of her.
"Enough." Abel stepped forward. "Tell your master, Lady Esther does not belong to him. And so long as it is her choice, she will remain here, with her people, and those of us who care for her." His voice was hard, and the blue eyes Esther looked up into were cold as winter snows. "And tell him this. Esther is under my protection. No matter what forces he sends against us, no matter what he attempts, I will not ever surrender her to him. Nor do I think anyone here will contradict me."
"Hell no." Leon grinned. He faced Dieitrich, his wolf's snarl locked in place. "Hate to break it to you, pal, but we're all pretty fond of Red, here. We'd much rather see her here than let her go with a shady guy like you." One hand flicked up, spinning a silver ring on his fingers. "Crappy guy like you, you'll make my sweet senorita lose her holy virgin powers, and I can't have that. So I suggest you get lost, unless you wanna play tag."
"I quite agree." The Professor moved to stand beside him. "I'm afraid we can't send Esther with you." A smile touched his face, around the pipe-stem. "If we send her off with you, Abel and the Earl of Memphis will become dreadfully unreasonable, and then I'll have to handle it. Honestly, it's entirely too troublesome."
Ion stepped forward, his sword already out. "I will never let you take her, ever! If you lay one hand on Esther, I'll slice it off!"
Dietrich chuckled, a dark, cruel laugh that made Esther's skin crawl. "That's a pretty bold statement. After all, you couldn't even protect your own tovarish, Radu, now could you? And you really think you people can stop us?" He shrugged. "Well, not that it matters." His eyes came to Esther's. "So then Esther, is this really your answer? After all, if you come quietly, we don't have to make trouble."
Esther's jaw clenched, and her fingers tightened around her gun. "I will never surrender to someone like you!"
Dietrich shrugged again. "Well, if that's your answer..." One hand lifted, and he snapped his fingers. "I was hoping to do this the easy way, but since you've decided to be stubborn, I guess we'll have to play after all."
Shadows melted out of the darkness around them, coalescing into shapes at the edge of the lamplight. Auto-jagers, too many for Ester to get a quick count on. She thought there were at least fifty. And to one side, a group of vampires stood, weapons out, fangs extended, and cruel smiles on their faces. Dietrich smirked. "I did warn you, after all, that we'd bring more firepower with us."
"Enough." Abel shifted, and Esther could here the fury in his voice. "For the last time. Leave this place, while you still can."
Dietrich's cold smile widened. "I don't think you're in a position to make threats, Father. And I told you before: I really, really hate...being...ordered...around!"
His hand snapped out on the last word. Esther spotted a glitter at his fingertips and gasped, stepping back. Then Abel and Virgil were between her and the Order. Abel snarled, or close to it, and Esther saw the glittering threads wound around his gun, just before Dietrich yanked it from his grasp. She stepped forward as Abel jerked his hand back with a grimace, but he turned. "Miss Esther, stay back."
A shadow sprang from the darkness to her right. Esther had just enough time to jerk back before Virgil leapt in front of her assailant, hands outstretched. Esther saw the masked visage of an auto-jager, before liquid from his hands sprayed over it, burning streaks though the armour and the body within. The puppet fell back, and he slammed into it once more, driving it onto Mary's sword for the kill.
To Esther, it seemed as if the night erupted into chaos. Dark shapes burst out everywhere, surrounding her small party. Vanessa leapt to engage a group of assailants to one side. Mary was already defending herself against a group of Methuselah. Further away, Esther saw a streak of color and armour, then it plowed into a group of Death Hunters, and resolved into Ion, his short sword drawn and his face twisted with rage. He was clearing trying to get to Dietrich, but the dark forms closed ranks in front of him.
"Esther. Stay here." The harsh rasping voice made her look back at Abel.
Somehow, he'd transformed. She hadn't heard him speak, hadn't seen or heard him activate his powers, but he stood before her, lightning sparking from the black wings, and his scythe out. A Methuselah leaped toward him, and one motion of his scythe left his attacker bleeding on the ground. He shifted closer. "I'm trying to get Seth. As soon as we can, Miss Esther, your guards and I will try to clear a path for you to get under shelter. Until then, please stay with myself and Lord Walsh."
"Of course." Esther nodded, and tightened her hand on her gun.
Another dark shadow jumped at her. Almost without thinking, she pulled her gun up and fired, shooting the Methuselah right between the eyes. The Abel's wings spread, forming a barrier. With his back turned, she couldn't see his face, but she didn't have to as his shoulder shifted and a low hoarse growl cut the night.
A flicker of motion caught her eye, and she jerked around as Seth landed beside her, both knives dark up to the hilt. She flashed Esther a small grin. "Nice to see you're paying attention, but I'd prefer it if you didn't shoot." Esther nodded. Seth took a deep breath. "Huh. You know, I didn't think they'd leave quietly, but I honestly wasn't expecting them to show up with this much firepower. I guess Cain really is serious this time."
Esther swallowed hard against a lump in her throat. With Abel, Virgil and Mary forming a triangle around them, and Seth at her back, she couldn't see much. But there were flashes of gunfire appearing intermittently in different angles, and the boom of Tres' pistols made her ears ache. She could hear Leon, laughing like a lunatic, but she couldn't see him. It sounded like he was in front of Abel. She'd lost track of the Professor, and Vanessa was a few paces away. She and Virgil had joined forces, taking on anything that dared attack her.
Abel shifted again, and there was another scream. He stepped back, and his low voice reached her. "Seth, Esther...please stay with Lord Walsh."
Seth reached up and grabbed her brother's robe. "Abel, what are you thinking?"
"I'm going to try to take out the leaders. If I can reach them, it should buy us some breathing space."
Esther grabbed his arm. "That's too risky, Abel."
"It will be all right." He slipped his shoulders free of their grasp, so smoothly Esther wasn't even sure how he'd managed. "Please, stay here." Then he launched himself forward.
"Idiot." Seth made a disparaging noise. "I don't know what's worse, the way he does things, or the fact that he's probably right."
"He..." A flicker of light caught Esther's attention. Helga had moved to one side, and now she raised her staff, the tip of it glowing dimly in the light. Her other hand threw a shower of liquid into the air. As Esther watched, the liquid turned crystalline, glittering in the moon and torch-light. Spears formed, then hurtled at Abel, tracking his movement. Her stomach twisted. "Father...Abel watch out!"
Abel spun on his heel, his scythe coming up to block, and lightning racing across his frame. She could see him charging up, but before he could do anything, Astha crossed between him and the deadly rain of ice. Her spear flashed up, and green light exploded through the meadow, vaporizing Helga's attack. Abel gasped, pulling back before the lightning could hit her. "Astha!"
"Nitwit." She glared at him, fangs extended. "You don't use lightning against water, you'll only hurt yourself. Go deal with that bastard Puppet Master, and let me handle this." Abel started to open his mouth, but Astha shoved him hard. "Get going priest!" Then she spun, facing the other woman with her spear held ready.
Abel backed away to give her room. An auto-jager leaped at him, then two more, and he jerked back, tangled with them. He shifted position, protecting Astha's back. Esther felt her heart pounding in her chest.
Helga faced Astha, and sneered. "Little wench." She gestured with the staff in her hand, and swirls of water and ice danced across the ground. "You may have gotten lucky, but do you know what you're up against? I am the Ice Witch, the Countess von Vogelwiede."
"Hmph. Don't make me laugh." A dark smile twisted Astha's lips. "Cheap trash like you should know their places."
Helga's face darkened with fury. "How dare you? Who do you think you are?" Her hand shot out, and the ice crystals shot toward Astha.
Instantly, the spear came up. With a wild grin, Astha dove forward. A shot from her spear disintegrated the crystals. "I am her Majesty's enforcer, Astharoshe Asran, Duchess of Kiev!" her smile locked with Helga's frozen expression. An auto-jager attacked, and she slammed it aside, using the momentum of the strike to propel herself forward. "Die!"
Immediately, Methuselah jumped in to help Helga. But Leon appeared out of nowhere, backing Astha up, standing beside her. Abel smashed another attacker aside, then whirled and went for Dietrich.
A cold grin touched Dietrich's face. "Surely you don't think I'll let you get within range so easily, Father." His hands came up, glittering. Abel snarled as the thin filaments caught his arms. He wrenched, breaking free with a quick jerk, but Dietrich had already moved his other hand. "I don't think so."
Across the field, the Professor stumbled as something, something Esther couldn't quite see, tripped him up. Instantly, the enemies around him surged forward. He jerked his arm upward, defending himself, but he seemed hampered.
Abel snarled, but he didn't hesitate. He spun, racing towards his friend. The scythe whipped out, the huge crescent blade slashing through the immediate obstacles, while he brought the barbed whip around and down to strike at one of William's assailants. He reached the Professor's side in under a minute, slamming Methuselah and auto-jagers aside. The fury of his assault dropped them back, and he took the opportunity to reach down and pull his companion upright, one hand flicking out close to his arm and shoulder, as if he sliced through something. Esther saw the relief on the other mans face. She knew he said something, but she couldn't tell what.
"Your Majesty!" Darkness flickered in her vision, and she spun to see Mary step forward, her sword coming up to stop the knife in the hands of a Methuselah. The first blow shattered the weapon into shards, the second took the assailants head off. Another black shape flickered into view, and Esther raised her arm and fired, hitting an auto-jager in the forehead. She realized dimly that she'd gone for her more high-powered shotgun. She fired again, and the figure collapsed.
"Your Majesty. Please be careful." Mary stepped closer. "Lord Walsh and his sister are trying to clear a safe path for you, but you must keep your guard up."
"I understand." Esther tightened her grip on her weapon, and felt for a spare cartridge, pulling it slightly free so she'd have better access to it when she needed it.
"Don't worry." Seth dropped into a crouch beside her. She flashed Esther a grim smile. "Abel may act like a dork most of the time, but he can handle himself. And you can bet he's watching out for everyone."
"I know. I'll do my best not to cause him any more trouble." Esther lifted her gun, and fired again, at a barely visible shape moving amongst the shadows and moonlight.
A few minutes later, Virgil was at her side. "Majesty, I believe we can get you and Lady Nightroad to the tree line. From there, we should be able to protect you better. And if we can get you away from the center of the action and to a defensible spot, we can concentrate their efforts and handle them more efficiently."
She didn't want to abandon her comrades, the people protecting her, but she knew he was right. Standing in the center of the field, she was too vulnerable. She nodded.
The next few minutes were a chaos of fire, light and fighting. Mary, Virgil and Vanessa were protecting them, but they were outnumbered, and both they and their attackers knew it. Despite their best efforts, auto-jagers and Methuselah both slipped through. Esther winced as one clawed hand slid across her cheekbone. The assailant was already dead with her shot and Mary's sword in him, but it stung. As the body fell, she caught sight of Mary, her uniform splattered with blood, and scratches in her armor, showing how close some of her attackers had gotten. As Virgil spun in front of her, taking an auto-jager and physically throwing him, she saw minor wounds on his body as well. A part of her was distantly aware of the blood that splattered her, but she didn't want to think about it. Finally, she stumbled under the trees, Seth breathing lightly beside her, and turned to place her shoulders against a thick trunk. Beside her, Vanessa whirled her shotgun to her shoulder, and her hair began to dance in the wind. The long strands lengthened and hardened, whipping around the tree and taking out the attackers that had followed them, creating a temporary barrier of safety. Esther leaned back, and stared out through the whipping tendrils of hair.
The moons were up, their light adding to the glare of fitfully burning torches and fires. The scene in the clearing was like something out of a nightmare. The ground was covered in blood, and the light showed her the bodies lying everywhere. She'd been too busy to notice, but the smells of burned meat, acid, and ozone filled the air. Dirt and ash mingled with the blood on her and the others. The din of fighting, of metal on metal, and the occasional curse or shout was...not deafening, but disorienting. The sight and smell nearly turned her stomach. Not that she hadn't seen it before, but...this was her home. Everyone here was a friend to her. It was like seeing the Palace destroyed again.
The memory sent ice through her stomach, filling her with dread. She pushed up from the tree, looking across the battlefield. Looking for Abel, and the others.
The Professor had managed to join up with Ion, the two of them shoulder to shoulder. They'd made it to partial cover as well. She couldn't be sure, but it looked as if the Professor was limping slightly. Both men appeared to be trying to follow the tree line to her group, to re-join them. As she watched, Ion executed a spectacular maneuverer that killed two attackers, and cleared their path for several feet. William didn't hesitate to join him, dispatching two more, one with his cane-sword, and the other with a pistol he'd pulled from a pocket.
A flash of green light caught her eye, along with a frustrated shout. She turned, and saw Leon and Astha. They'd apparently been forced to abandon their attack on Helga, forced back into the trees by the sheer press of numbers. Another flare of plasma light shot from Astha's face, showing the grim expression she wore. As Esther watched, the Methuselah woman stepped forward, and found herself blocked by three auto-jagers. She slammed through them, but more took their place. Astha's face twisted in snarl, and Esther heard her shout. "Shit!" He spear hammered into her foes, but her angry gaze slipped beyond them. "Damn it, priest, get out of there!" Esther followed her gaze.
And saw Abel. He was nowhere near cover. In fact, he was still near the center of the field, lightning and darkness swirling about him as he advanced, one slow step at a time against Dietrich. Esther's heart crashed into her throat. He wasn't making any effort to find a safer place to fight. He was still intent on destroying his enemies. Worse still, he was a target. If she thought Astha and Leon had been in a state of siege, Abel was far worse. Enemies were all around him. He was moving too fast for her to see what state he was in, but even as she watched, the two auto-jagers attacked him at once, occupying his hands while a third assailant pounced at him from a different angle. He broke loose, somehow, but she saw him stumble slightly, and a sneer twisted Dietrich's face. The Puppet Master had one hand upraised, and Esther had no doubt about who he'd attacked.
Abel recovered, but the delay had been enough to have him surrounded again. Esther's hand went to her chest. She wasn't even conscious of taking a step forward, but a small hand caught her wrist. "Esther, no!"
Seth held her, the green eyes dark and fierce. She turned her head to look back at Abel. "He..."
Seth shook her head. "Abel will be fine. We have to trust him." She bit her lip, and spoke more softly. "Believe me, I know what you feel. I want...I want to rush out there and save him too. But...we must trust Abel. He's tough, and I'm sure he'll be all right." She spoke calmly, but Esther saw the way her hands tightened on her knives.
A flicker of blue-white light caught her gaze. It was barely a sparkle in the flickering fires and moonlight, but she felt her eyes drawn toward it. She turned.
Helga stood, halfway between Astha and Abel, off to one side. She was drawing the water around her to her, drawing the glittering liquid into a spear of ice, barbed and cruel. Her attention was focused on Abel.
Esther spun. "Father Nightroad, watch out!" He didn't even turn. She moved forward, shouting in desperation. "Abel!" Seth's voice joined hers, but he didn't turn. There was simply too much noise, and Dietrich held too much of his attention. Esther felt her heart pounding, roaring in her ears. She knew Abel was strong, but Helga's spear would go through him, and if he lost concentration, Dietrich and his Death Hunters would kill him again.
Her stomach lurched. She didn't consciously think of moving, but suddenly her gun was in her hand. She didn't stop, just leaped forward, ducking through Vanessa's barrier and racing onto the battlefield.
"Your Majesty!"
"Esther, wait!"
She heard Seth and Virgil call out for her, heard Ion's shout and Mary's curse, but it all seemed so distant. She brought her gun up, firing one, then two, then even more rounds, blowing Methuselah and Death Hunters away as she raced toward the dark, lightning struck figure.
"Father Abel!" She blew away another Death Hunter, screaming his name. She saw him react; start to turn, but then Dietrich's hand shifted, and Abel stumbled, struggling to keep his assailants from bringing him to the ground.
A glitter of light caught her eye, and she saw Helga bring up that terrible spear of ice. Saw her pull her arms and her staff up, clearly aiming for Abel. And she could see clearly how the Death Hunters and Dietrich were stopping him from bringing his weapon up, distracting him.
Time seemed to be going both too fast and too slow. She fired, blasting another auto-jager out of her way. She saw Helga release the spear of ice, flying with terrible speed toward Abel's unprotected body, even as he spun around, defending himself from an attack on the opposite side. She brought her firearm up and pulled the trigger, intending to blast the spear down, but it clicked with the snap of an empty magazine. She threw the gun down, and threw herself forward.
Abel broke free and turned, just as the spear hit her with terrible force on the left shoulder, slamming through her armoured jacket and out her back. Pain slashed through her as crimson mist exploded into the air around her. She felt herself falling backward, crashing backward under the force of that blow. Abel...
Esther? Abel heard her call him, but he couldn't turn. Dietrich had bound him, and the auto-jager attacked from his left. He saw a flash of red and pale skin, heard her cry out his name, and tried to turn. Tried to call out to her to go back. Then an attacker swung an axe at him. He ducked, and the return blow of his scythe slashed the auto-jager in half. He spun, just in time to see Esther leap in front of him. Like a terrible nightmare, he heard her cry out, saw Helga's spear hit her, and emerge from her left shoulder blade. Then she was falling back into his arms, his scythe vanishing in shock as he caught her. "ESTHER!"
Lightning exploded around him, driving his attackers back. He heard someone curse, thought it might be Leon or Astha, but it didn't matter. He let the lightning rage, pulling his wings in to enfold him and the slender form in his arms, staring in shock at the terrible crimson stain coloring her uniform.
He fell to his knees, cradling her in his lap, his mind reeling. "Esther...Esther?"
Her eyes fluttered open. "Father...Abel. Are you...all right?" Her face was tight with pain, and his heart lurched.
"Esther...it's all right. Don't talk." The words were a lie, and he knew it. His eyes went to the red stain spreading down her shoulder. "Esther..."
Her eyes closed. Abel froze. "Esther?" The red stain was still spreading. Suddenly desperate, he slammed his hand into the ice, the claws on his fingers breaking through it to splinter the spear into glittering shards. His hands shifted, one of them supporting her back and clamping down on the wound there, while the other reached up to cover the wound on her shoulder. He felt the warm blood running over his fingers, smelled it in the air, and clamped his fingers tight, trying to stop the flow. "Esther..."
She didn't respond. She lay, pale in his arms, only her faint breathing telling him she was alive. He tightened his grip further, feeling the flood over his hands slow to a trickle under the pressure. But she was so still, and he could see...feel her blood coating his hands. Tears darkened his vision, broke free to splash over her body. His crimson-black blood mingled with the red of hers. "Esther...please..."
His head bowed. "Esther...no...Esther!" Esther, please...you can't. You have to be all right. Please, Miss Esther...I...please. Even if I...Dear Lord, please, save her. Punish me for my sins, if you must, but please...please...I...Dear Lord. I cannot lose Esther. I will do...anything. Esther...
The red of her blood filled his vision, mingling with his. The sharp, copper-sweet smell filled his mind. He tightened his hands, trying to stop that crimson flow, trying to force it back into her body. Staring at the blood as it soaked her clothing and his, dyed his clawed hands red. Panic filled him. There has to be something...she can't lose this much blood. I...I have to do something. But he was already holding the wounds closed, staunching them with his grip. Any tighter, and he'd break the bones in her shoulder.
He felt himself going into shock, as though he were the one mortally wounded. He hunched over her, bowing his head. "Esther..." I have to...what? What? Dear Lord, there has to be something...please.
The world seemed to fade away, blurring to nothing but Esther's pale face, and the blood seeping over both of them. Abel stared at it, lost in shock. The red color beckoned. Calling to him, terrifying and demanding. And something stirred in the back of his mind.
Blood. His body could control blood. The Crusnik could control it. A powerful Methuselah could drain their victim dry with just a pin-prick, or stop the bleeding from a mortal wound. He and Cain had both learned early on that they could stop bleeding. No matter how badly he was wounded, he never lost much blood, and if he chose, with his powers active, neither did friend or foe within sight. Even if he drank. Memory flickered, of Ion lying in the street of Carthage. He'd taken the young Earl's blood, but also stopped the flow from the wounded side.
He didn't think. Couldn't think. The red haze swallowed up his vision. He saw his tears, falling to her shoulder, felt the Crusnik mingling with her blood. But it wasn't enough. Hunger roared up inside, twisting with his emotions. His blood was pounding through him. He lowered his head further. His mind focused on only one thing. Esther...
A hand touched his shoulder. "Abel. I need you to back up. Abel come on, you've got to let us work on Esther." Seth's voice.
The words catapulted him back into his mind. "Seth?" Shock hit him again. He'd come so close to losing himself. "Seth..."
"It's all right." She dropped to her knees beside him. "We're here, and I can help." She flashed him a pale shadow of a grin. "I did have medical training, Abel. You've done a great job slowing the bleeding, but now you have to let Lord Walsh and I work on her, okay? I promise, I'll do my absolute best." Her face hardened with determination. "We won't let Esther go."
Lord Walsh dropped to his knees beside him. "Father Nightroad...if you will allow me..." The Count's hands hovered over Abel's. "I have been trained in basic medicine. I can assist the lady."
Numbly, Abel shifted. Virgil's hand came down over the wound in the front of Esther's shoulder, pressing hard, a thick square of cloth over the wound to slow the blood loss. His other hand came around to support her, and then he was pulling back, shifting Esther to rest on his folded jacket, his hands protecting her from jolting. Abel helped them re-arrange her, then Seth touched his arm. "You need to move back. Give us some room to work Abel."
He flinched. "Esther..."
"We'll do our best. But right now, the best thing you can do is guard us." That ghost of a grin flickered across her features again. "I think that brat and his friend have quieted down for the moment, but he's the type who won't stay quiet for long."
Still numb, Abel rose from his knees. The movement reawakened him to the awareness of Esther's blood, soaking his hands, his cassock, the knees of his robes. Even his face.
Abel froze, suddenly registering the copper-sweet taste in his mouth, the odd electrical feeling in his blood, the one he got from feeding. The terrible half-awareness of Esther. No. I couldn't have...I...
"Abel. Come on." William appeared at his shoulder. "It'll be all right. But we need your help here."
"Professor. I...did I...?" He couldn't ask the question, but he didn't need to finish it. William's gaze filled with sympathy, and it hit him like a hammer blow to the gut. "No...I...what have I done? Professor...I..." He stared at the blood coating his body. No. I...drank...Esther...
"Well, that is rather unfortunate, isn't it Father?" Dietrich was standing across the clearing, Helga beside him and their forces re-grouped around them. He smirked. "All of you were so intent on protecting Esther, and then she had to go and do something foolish like that." He shrugged. "Well, you know, I always did love that about her, the way she just charges in like that. It's rather entertaining."
"You bastard!" Ion lunged forward a step before Leon caught him by the arm. "How dare you?"
"Hmph. I don't think I was speaking to you." Dietrich grinned at him. His cold gaze shifted back to Abel. "So tell me Father...how was it? I've heard Esther's a good one, but of course as a Terran, I don't actually drink. Still Mein Herr seems to like her well enough." The hazel eyes glittered with malicious amusement. "So tell me Father...did you drink from Esther? Was it good for you? Did you enjoy Esther's blood as much as Mein Herr did?"
Abel shuddered, and lightning raced over his frame. "You...monster."
Dietrich smirked. "Well, they say it does take one to know one. But personally, I don't see why you're so concerned. After all, Esther does have a thing for monsters. Even you Father." The cold smirk widened. "Of course...she also says that Mein Herr and I are much worse monsters than you are. So...I wonder...is it possible you think you'll lose her...to one of us? Not that I'd mind. I can think of all sorts of things I'd like to do with Esther, after all."
"BASTARD!" The scream seemed ripped from Abel's throat, drowning Ion's shout of fury. Lightning flared across the wide wings, arcing into the sky.
Leon cursed and dove to the ground, yanking Astha after him. "Shit! He's going ballistic."
Abel screamed again, no words emerging, just fury. William took one hesitant step forward, but Ion seized his arm. "You mustn't! He'll kill you."
All of them ducked as the wings flared wide, Mary and Vanessa dropping to shield Esther's prone form. Vanessa's smaller and lighter frame hunched over Seth, while Mary dropped into a half-crouch over Virgil. Vanessa stared. "What the hell?"
Seth didn't look up from her work, but helpless tears streaked her face. "Abel...he's lost it." Her gaze moved to Mary's across from her. "Get the others out of there."
"Understood." Mary nodded, then ducked again as another sheet of lightning rent the sky.
Abel screamed again, his wings extending to their fullest arc. His hands lifted, and his scythe was suddenly in them once more, already shimmering with electrical energy. With another wild cry, Abel lunged forward. "MONSTER!"
Leon ducked out of his way, as did Astha. The closest ranks of the Fleur du Mal and the Order didn't even have time to start to move before Abel hammered into them. He never gave them a chance to stop, or to fight back. Lightning arced across the lines, burning Methuselah and auto-jagers alike to cinders in a blink. Those that ducked the lightning face his scythe seconds later, and fell, blood spraying.
The Methuselah broke and ran. Even Helga looked terrified. Dietrich frowned, but his hand snapped out, and the auto-jagers closed ranks in front of him. "I don't think so."
"Von Lohengrin!" Abel didn't even stop. He simply charged forward, heedless of the blows from the axes. Heedless of the fact he was still outnumbered. Heedless of everything except the grinning figure behind the ranks of Death Hunters. Lightning flashed, and the blade of his weapon slashed out. Auto-jagers fell like wheat in a storm. He took a cut across the brow, and another across his ribs, but he didn't even seem to notice the blood running from his body. "Von Lohengrin!"
Leon watched, grim faced from where he crouched on the field. "Damn. He's really gonna kill them, isn't he?"
William nodded. "I'm afraid so. If we don't find some way to stop him, Abel may not be capable of pulling back this time. But...with him like this..."
Ion's face had gone deadly pale. "This is...no wonder he was so afraid to let me fight with him. Father Nightroad..."
Able slashed through another rank of the Death Hunters. Helga seized Dietrich's arm, using haste mode to back them to the further side of the clearing. As their feet hit the ground, both Order members cast their hands out. Silver wire and ice flew through the air, trapping Abel in a deadly net.
Another scream ripped from his throat. Blue fire flared, vaporizing the ice. It was enough time for Dietrich's wires to trap him, but Abel screamed again, and his wings flared, snapping the wires like string. The scythe snapped out once more, reducing another half dozen auto-jagers to dust. He lunged forward.
Pain. Pain and the sound of someone screaming. Of someone howling into the night. Esther felt her shoulder throbbing. She seemed surrounded by darkness, but she could hear someone screaming. A voice that was heart-breakingly familiar to her. Abel...
Esther forced her eyes open. She felt weak, tired and light-headed. Her shoulder was throbbing, and strangely stiff, as if it had been tied in place. She blinked. "Father...Abel?"
"Your Majesty?" Virgil swivelled above her, his normally calm expression clouded with concern. "Are you awake?"
"Yes. I think..." Esther swallowed against the rasping in her throat. She twisted her head, seeing Seth's face above hers. "Where is...Father...where is...Abel?" She tried to sit up.
Immediately, Seth caught her. "Esther, you shouldn't move. I only just got your shoulder to stop bleeding. If you move, you could tear something again. Please, stay still."
"My shoulder?" The words didn't make sense. "What did I...what happened...?"
Virgil placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Father Nightroad was endangered, and you went to rescue him. You were wounded, and I fear it is a severe injury. Please, lie still. It is not safe to move you at this time, however, we will be taking you into the Palace medical facilities as soon as possible. Please, rest here until then."
Another scream rang out. Esther's eyes widened. "Abel...he...why is he?" She struggled against their hands. "He's..."
Seth shook her head, tears tracking across her face. "Abel is...he's fighting right now. My brother...I'm sorry Esther, but you can't go to him right now. Right now, it just isn't safe. Abel is..." She stopped.
Cold shuddered through her. Father. Abel...you...you said it would break you, if something happened to me? Is that...is that what's happened? Are you fighting alone again, like you did in Carthage? Her heart felt like it was beating far too fast. But if he...if he loses his control...he was so afraid of this. How can he...what's going to happen?
Somewhere, she found the strength to sit up. Virgil and Seth both tried to stop her, but she planted her elbows and pushed herself upright against their restraints, gasping as fire seared through her shoulder. Halfway up, Seth caught her, and eased her into a sitting position, leaning against Virgil's supporting arm. She blinked as her vision blurred for a moment, and found herself looking at a scene from a nightmare.
The torches had died, but it didn't matter. Abel lit the entire clearing, his body outlined in terrible blue fire, lightning dancing over his frame and his outstretched wings. The light was bright, almost blinding, and it showed the scene with horrible clarity as Abel slashed through a line of auto-jagers, reducing them to dust in less than a second. His scythe spun in his hands, a blood-red blade backed by a razor-edged whip that slashed through everything in its path. His fellow AX members, Ion, Astha and Vanessa, were all kneeling on the ground in a loose circle around her, between her and Abel.
Beyond him, Helga and Dietrich stood behind half a dozen auto-jagers, what appeared to be all the force they had left. Dietrich's face was tight. Esther saw his hand move, knew he'd attacked Abel, but whatever he did didn't have any effect. Abel simply shifted, then took another step forward.
"Abel..." Esther felt her heart freeze in dread. "No..." Her hand clenched on Seth's sleeves. "We have to stop him. If he does this...if he kills like this...he can't. He just...he can't. He's..."
"I know." Seth met her eyes, tears shimmering in the green gaze. "You think I don't know that? I've seen him do this before. But...there's nothing I can do. Even if I tried, he wouldn't hear my voice. He never does, when he's like this." Her eyes closed, and one fist clenched. "There's...nothing I can do...for my brother."
Nothing...we can do. But...he's like this...because of me. Because I was hurt. Father...he wanted to protect me. This is...my fault. I can't...I can't let him go. I can't...let him do this. I...don't want him to suffer this. Not again, for my sake. She curled her fists against the ground. Abel...you have to stop. Even if...even if we do need to defeat the Order, you can't...not like this.
He stood, fifty feet away, screaming his rage and pain to the sky. Esther bit her lip, then pressed her hands into the dirt. I have to reach him. She felt weak, but she pushed herself into an upright position, then clenched her right hand into the ground and forced herself to her knees.
"Esther, what are you doing?" Seth caught her. "You can't move around like that. Your wound will re-open."
"I have to...stop him. I have to...reach him. Otherwise...he won't be Abel anymore. He'll disappear. I can't...he's doing this for me."
"He won't hear you!" Seth's eyes were wide. "Abel...he doesn't...he can't. And he'll never forgive any of us if something more happens to you."
Esther bit her lip. "But...if he isn't stopped, then it won't matter. He won't...be Abel anymore." She tried once more to get to her feet.
"Your Majesty!" Virgil touched her arm, but she shook her head.
"Esther!" Seth caught her. Ion knelt before her. "Esther, you can't!"
"I have to." She forced her self upward, getting one foot under her. She met Ion's eyes through her own blurring vision. "He...Abel...he heard me in Carthage, that time. And he...he heard me in the Underground. It was because of that...because he could hear me, that the Contra Mundi killed him." Tears stung her eyes. "I know...I can reach him. This time...I have to...save him." She pushed herself upright.
She swayed, staggering. Her shoulder hurt, and she felt light-headed and dizzy. She locked her eyes on the glowing screaming figure before her, and took a staggering step forward. One step. Then another one. Dimly, she felt Seth's hand fall from her arm, felt Virgil release her. She staggered forward another step.
"Esther..." Ion reached out, but she shook her head again, gritting her teeth against the pain of it. Ion stiffened, and his hand fell back to his side.
In front of her, Abel slashed through another pair of auto-jagers. Esther staggered forward, crossing the line of her defenders. She heard Leon curse, and the Professor reply something, but she knew she couldn't afford to take her attention away from Abel. She felt as if she were falling forward, rather than walking. Each step was more than half stagger. Her shoulder was agony, and she felt a warm, liquid feeling, knew that she bled again. But her eyes remained fixed on the lightning shrouded form that was Abel's.
Somehow, she'd covered half the distance. Abel scythed into another auto-jager. It's partner slashed him across the shoulder, only to disintegrate under his attack a moment later. She moved forward a few steps closer, feeling the electric tingle of his power now, the heat of the lightning that crackled around his frame. It hurt, nearly burning, but she couldn't stop.
Abel engaged the last pair of auto-jagers. He didn't even bother with the scythe. Instead, lightning hammered from the skies, reducing them to ash in seconds. Through the dizzy roaring in her ears, she heard Abel scream. "Von Lohengrin!"
She was almost there, she passed through the arc of lightning, somehow avoiding the lethal fire. He was only a few steps away, and she could feel the charge in the air as he built up power for his attack. She moved forward. Five steps. Four. Three. Abel's hand rose into the air, fire and electricity dancing along the terrible blade in his hand. She staggered forward, stumbled and fell into his broad back, her hand clenching in his cassock to keep upright. "Father...Abel...please..."
Abel froze at the familiar voice, at the feel of the small hand resting on his spine. "Esther?" he could barely frame the word. "Esther?"
Esther gripped him tighter. "Please...you have to...you have to stop. You can't...do this." She held on tight,using him to anchor her to consciousness. Fighting to say what needed to be said. "Please...if you do this...Abel...I'm afraid. You might...lose yourself. You sound so...so terrible, and it isn't like you. If you keep going, you might...I might lose you again. And I can't...I just can't. I don't...want to see you like this, Abel. The Contra Mundi...he wants you angry. He wants you...to hate. So please...you have to..." Blackness swirled in her vision. She felt tears streaking her face. "Please...Abel..." her feeble grip loosened, and she felt herself falling.
The scythe vanished from Abel's hands. His wings folded, catching Esther briefly in the dark feathers, as his body turned to cradle her weight in his arms. "Esther...I..." Tears streamed down his cheeks again, unnoticed.
She looked into his face, her own tight with pain. "It's all right. I just...I don't want to see you like that." She reached up her good hand, to touch his face. "I want, to see you like you always are. So don't..."
"Esther..." Abel drew her close to him, feeling the black rage fade into numbing sorrow. "Esther..." He bowed his head suddenly, lowering his face till it rested nearly in her hair. "I thought...I..." He shuddered, unable to finish the thought.
Esther reached up to stroke his cheek. "Are you all right, now?" he choked back the sobs threatening to tear him apart and nodded. She smiled hazily. "I'm glad, Abel." Then her eyes closed, and her hand dropped back.
Tears carved paths of crimson across his face, and he let them fall. He'd bent over to catch her, and now he straightened, forcing the Crusnik back, suppressing the energy of his other half. He felt the lightning fade, their presence dulling to the faint hum in his mind. He opened his eyes, rage replaced by sorrow, and faced Dietrich. "Go. Leave this place."
Dietrich frowned. "You really think you can get rid of us just like that?" One hand came up. "I'll admit this whole scene is rather touching, but...I do have my orders."
"Leave." Seth stepped forward, the air dancing around her. Her eyes were glowing crimson. "Esther doesn't want my brother involved in your deaths, not out of anger, so I'll let you go, but you'd better start running. Run out of my sight, as fast as you can. Or I will hunt you, and destroy you." The blood-red eyes turned to Dietrich, and her voice was cold. "I warned you Puppet Master. Run...run to the ends of the Earth."
Helga sheathed her spear and backed up. "Stay here and die, if you wish, Marionettespieler. I am leaving."
Dietrich glared coldly at her. "You know, I didn't think you were such a coward."
"Do not be a fool. We are outnumbered, and even if we could take her, we cannot transport her in this condition. Leave the Terran wench. If she dies, then Mein Herr's wrath will fall here. If she lives, then my lord has other plans."
Dietrich shrugged. "It looks as if I have no choice. We'll withdraw for now." he smiled coldly at Abel. "Do take care of Esther for me, Father. I'll come back later for her." Then Helga gestured, and a wall of water and ice spun into the air, and they were gone.
Abel turned, Esther still in his arms. The silver hair, stained with blood, fell down his back. Against his pale skin, the marks of Lilith's power looked like someone had carved bloody tattoos into his hands and face. His wings were gone, but crimson tears still dripped over his cheekbones. He looked at his sister very briefly, then began walking toward the palace, his face set like stone.
William moved forward, to catch his shoulder. "Abel..."
"I'm taking her to the medical wing. She needs to be tended." Abel didn't turn to look at his friend, didn't even stop his movement. He simply walked past him. William saw the cuts on his body, still bleeding. He caught Abel's eyes for one fleeting moment, and the agony in them was like a blow. He let go, and Abel continued on.
Leon whistled. "Damn. He may have stopped, but why do I get the feeling that Four Eyes ain't quite back with us yet?"
"He's not." Seth spoke softly. "Abel is...this is a different kind of madness." She watched her brother with sad eyes, then shook herself and turned to Virgil. "Come. Abel is right, she'll need immediate treatment, and we'll have to watch him as well. Besides, we all have wounds to be tended, and there are things that must be done."
"Understood." Virgil turned. "Colonel Spencer, I will assist Lady Nightroad. You and Vanessa; please secure the Palace and the Underground, and then...we must begin clean-up, and meet to inform our allies. Lady Nightroad and I will join you as soon as we may."
"As you will." Mary nodded. "Hurry." Virgil returned the nod, then he and Seth disappeared into the blur of haste mode.
The rest of them stood looking at each other for a moment, sorrow in their minds. Then the Professor bowed his head. "Come." He turned, back toward the Palace, and the rest of them fell in line behind him, leaving the battlefield behind.