Trinity Blood: The Second Coming (Edited)

Chapter 1: Prevailing Darkness

Section 1: The Conception

Disclaimer- (This will act as my disclaimer for the entire story, so that I do not need to repeat it) I do not own Trinity blood or the characters involved.

(Somewhere in the foothills surrounding Londinium.)

"Jacob! Get down from there right now!" his father ordered sternly balancing the old family musket steadily on his shoulder. From his lookout atop of the steep rocks, Jacob had a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.

"Father, I can see everything from up here," Jacob responded, ignoring his father and looking in all directions for the vampire.

"Get down there before you fall!" Jacob's father yelled menacingly. "Kevin saw the vampire much further to the north. If we wait here for you, he'll get away. Would you like that you insolent little whelp?" Jacob recognized that tone. Its sharpness warned of strict punishment if he did not comply immediately, so Jacob descended from the steep, rocky slope with all possible haste.

"I'm sorry father," He said submissively after sliding down the rest of the way. Angry, and not yet ready to forgive him, his father merely snorted. Jacob was glad that his father didn't hit him, because the slope had injured him enough. It was stupid of me to slide down. I will have bruises all over my back now.

"Let's go." The small band began their march again, each member brandishing a different weapon. Numbering at twelve, only five of them had firearms.

They only marched for a few more minutes before Kevin announced that they had arrived to where he had seen the vampire. The group fanned out, and despite the fact that none of them were hunters, tried to find fresh tracks in the near-frozen dirt. Time passed, and the group began to grow restless. "How could you tell he was a vampire, Kevin?" Jacob inquired, beginning to doubt Kevin's story. This would not be the first time.

"His teeth." Kevin insisted. A few other members mirrored Jacob's question in the following minutes, until they had convinced themselves that Kevin had made the whole incident up, and decided to return home.

Just as they were about to depart, Jacob's sharp eyes picked up an odd shape poking out from the top of a large rock. As his concentration centered on the object, it's outline became unmistakable to him. "You there!" Jacob shouted, raising his gun. The object quickly darted behind the rock, and began flee at an inhuman speed. Clenching his pistol with his other hand, he steadied his shaking grip and pulled the trigger.

- - - -

(Rome: In the Vatican)

Her hands began to tremble. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her gaze fell to the ground. "It cannot be," Cardinal Caterina whispered, but she already knew that it was true. Compose yourself. You are a Cardinal in the Pope's court. She returned her gaze back to the messenger and nodded.

However, her brother, Cardinal Francesco, did not show nearly as much regret. "He died well, and I am certain he has earned his place in heaven," He said simply.

"Tell me how you found him." Caterina demanded, ignoring her brother.

The messenger bit his lip nervously. "There was a huge explosion in the sky... many beams of energy. We did not find his entire body, Cardinal. We found a section of the wing, blown off by a powerful blast. Black feathers are turning up throughout all of Londinium."

"You found only his wing? So Abel could still be alive?" Caterina asked, a brief spark of hope igniting within her.

"That is possible, but the level of the battle going on between those two was so immense, that any hit that would blow off his wing, would most likely have blown his body into many small pieces, which, I am sorry to say, means death for Abel, no matter how strong he might have been." Realizing the messenger's words to be true, Caterina's fragile spark was extinguished and her sadness returned.

"Thank you. I would like you to relay my orders to all Vatican troops stationed in the area to gather together whatever remains of Abel you can find and bring them back to Rome." He was always there, and now he is gone forever. What will become of our empire without him?

"You forget yourself sister!" Francesco announced. "Also order our troops to gather the remains of any other Vatican troops that may have perished in the battle. I think it would be proper for the Pope to dedicate a memorial to their sacrifice." Announcing the pope's intentions when he is still in Albion. My brother has been growing even more arrogant lately. Caterina bit her tongue, knowing that her anguish might lead her to say something she would regret.

"You're right, of course." She answered, smiling coldly. Even when I hear of Abel's death, the politics continues.

- - - -

(Inside Londinium)

"Your highness." The servant said, bowing his head respectfully. Esther suddenly became embarrassed that she had forgotten the servant's name. With his head still bowed, Esther finally remembered. He is waiting for me.

"Yes?" Esther asked. The servant finally raised his head, but still not to eye level.

"A man by the name of Leon wishes to see you. He claims to know you."

"Leon? Yes, let him in." A few moments later, Leon came, accompanied by a few armed escorts, which eyed him suspiciously. Leon shook his head, cursing. "They patted me down and took all my weapons." He complained to Esther. "It's really not necessary, you know." Her servant bristled at Leon's blatant lack of formality with Esther, which Leon soon recognized. "I apologize, your highness." He said, nodding his head down briefly.

"Don't worry. I am still getting used to this myself." She admitted. "What is it, Leon?"

"When I get back to the Vatican, they will make me serve my remaining ten year sentence..."

"Do you wish me to see if I can have you pardoned?" Esther asked.

"That would be great!" He replied enthusiastically, but his smile faded as he reached into his pocket. Seeing this, the guards leveled their weapons at him. "Hey hey hey... you already got all my weapons, remember?" He withdrew his hand, pulling from his jacket a large black feather.

"I found this in the street. Two children were playing with it and I took it from them. It's Abel's."

"Abel's?" Esther asked, sadness suddenly overcoming her again.

"I wont have anywhere to put this when I'm in prison. I want you to have it to keep. At least until I've served my sentence." He offered her the black feather. It was crusted with dirt and what looked like a small spot of blood.

"Thank you Leon." She whispered weakly, taking the feather and examining it. "This means so much to me." Had I not arrived in the Ghetto, he would have finished Cain. I am the cause of all of this. Leon smiled formally, and exited the room, leaving Esther alone. The guards followed Leon out, and her servant melted into the darkness after giving her a customary bow.

Cradling the feather in her hands, she walked over to her rich, mahogany desk and began to scrub the dirt off of the feather with the hem of her skirt, staining it brown, but she did not care. If he is dead, then he will exist in this form. Here, with me to remind me of his gentle compassion. "You protected me for so long, and sheltered me. You treated me with kindness and showed me hope when I had none. For that, I will always remember you Abel," she whispered, as she had by his tomb. And I will always love you. Esther closed her eyes and felt her watery eyes begin to overflow as the dam that had been holding her emotions finally gave way. She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably with the feather clenched in her hands.