Trinity Blood episode 3--"The Star of Sorrow I: The City of Blood"

Episode 3--The Star of Sorrow I: The City of Blood

A dark room, a hand holding up a bloodstained cloth; a red-haired woman in the shower, holding herself up with arms braced against the wall. A voice calls her: "Esther." She whips around, wide-eyed. "Del helyen ("the South" in Hungarian) is in turmoil," he says. [He's Dietrich von Lohengrin: more on him later.] Flashback: rain on cobblestoned streets, a dark alley, a figure in a long coat firing a gun--it's Esther herself. We see a man with her, the same one who's in her room now; he tells her that Radocan deserved to die. She turns off the water, stares at her hands, sobbing. "You are the Star of Istvan," he says (Istvan = St. Stephen, Hungary's first Christian King), and leaves. She puts on a robe, stares into the mirror. Mother Laura, she says... flashback: chibi-Esther, a tiny girl in a novice nun's habit, stands with an older nun in a candlelit church. This star you received is a symbol of hope given by God, she tells Esther, with its brightness you will bring the warm light of spring to the city of Istvan. Esther sobs into the mirror. Someone had to do this, she says, Mother Laura, please watch over me.

Budapest's railway station; a steam locomotive pulls in and Father Abel disembarks. What a lonely place, he sighs. He'd been told a Sister would be there to pick him up, but there's no sign of her. The station is nearly deserted. Is this really the place they call the Pearl of the Donau (Danube)? –he wonders. Sister Kate's voice in his ear tells him that before Armageddon it deserved that nickname; independent Istvan, she says, is a buffer between the Papacy in the West and the Empire in the East, the border between the human and vampire worlds, and that balance must not be disturbed. That's why I came here to look for a star, says Abel. Kate says she'll be on standby and signs off the communicator. Abel decides to take a taxi but finds to his anguish that he has only four dinars in his pocket. [Hungary's real coinage is not the dinar, but checking a few other countries which do use dinars I estimate his pocket change to be about equal to 1200 yen, or USD $10.] -- He sets off on foot; the city seems sunken in despair; people sit huddled in the street, cops beat men who barely resist.

A cloaked dignitary arrives at the same train station; unlike forlorn Abel, this one gets a red-carpet welcome with military escort. Your Excellency, you had a long journey from the Empire, says an aide. He asks if anything happened in his absence: is told of the shooting death of Colonel Radocan, which he receives calmly, and the capture of a heretic. The heretic is Abel, who protests as he's hauled into a car of His Excellency's motorcade and ferried to a vast, gated mansion. Inside, he studies a painting of a sweet-faced woman. A portrait of my wife, says His Excellency [he's Gyula Kadar, Marquis of Hungary or Duke of Hungaria]. Abel again pleads his innocence, saying he's a harmless priest, recently assigned to the St. Matyas Church here. The Vatican will surely vouch for him if Jura wishes to check.

It's enough for me that you're a Vatican priest, says the man in a slow, deep voice; let me explain to you the rules for a priest in this town. As you've been transferred here, you're under my command, and I'm someone you Vatican people hate--a Methuselah [elder vampire]. Abel says that he thinks of Gyula as an equal, a human like himself, and Gyula says with a bitter chuckle that his wife said the same thing. He hates the Church, but it must function in order to keep the Terrans under control; you people (presumably the staff of St. Matyas) are my hostages for the Church, he says.

A butler arrives: Gyula-sama, he says, someone from the St. Matyas Church is here for Father Nightroad. It's Esther, now very proper in full nun's habit. She and Abel are introduced; she gives Gyula a cold stare. As they depart, Gyula tells his butler not to take his eyes off the priest.

He turns and walks into a control room with a big screen, requests an update. A young aide says the hardware is set up and he's checking the software. He ventures to ask about Col. Radocan, but Gyula dismisses it as "just the usual Terran insurrection". What's the matter, he asks his aide, as a Terran are you afraid? Don’t worry, you’re safe; without you, he says, the Star won’t come back to life. The Terran asks how his trip to the Empire went, and Gyula says that the Empire still has no desire to invest in his research; they might react differently if they found out about my power...he stops, frowns. That Vatican priest, he might have noticed…

Abel is cramming down a bowl of soup and a whole plate of sandwiches, while Esther apologizes that that's all they have to offer. He notes a shrine of photos on the wall: that's my predecessor, isn't it, he says. She agrees: Mother Laura Vitez; she was like a real mother to me, even since I was little. She says that her father left her in this church as an infant and she was raised here. Abel listens compassionately. Suddenly her eyes open wide: it's unforgivable! --she snaps.

At the Vatican, Francesco is ranting. Until now the Vampire of Istvan—that is, the Duke of Hungaria—has maintained a proper regime and pretended to submit to Vatican control, he says. But to ignore the situation in that city now would be a great disgrace. Caterina coolly asks her brother how he’d resolve the issue; he addresses the assemblage before him. I asked you lords to gather here to approve a resolution: that we, the agents of God’s authority on earth, must take control of that city by force. A greybeard objects; they need evidence that Gyula is the true power in Istvan if they mean to send in the military. Can we take such action without justification? Caterina points out that the balance of power with the Empire is maintained only thanks to Istvan, and they should use discretion. Is that how you’ll postpone solving the problem?—snarls Francesco. According to our sources the Duke has been in contact with the Empire—we cannot hesitate!

Abel wakes up with his stomach growling. And after I ate so much, he sighs; dresses and goes in search of a snack. He hears voices. Gyula, says the male voice, has mobilized all troops and finding Radocan’s murderer is their top priority. Gyula is next—are you ready? Yes, replies a female voice, this is what we’ve been preparing for so long. It’s Esther and Dietrich. I’m sure it’ll go as smoothly as it did with Radocan, he says. They hear Abel’s step, turn to face his reproachful gaze. Esther-san...you... killed someone?--he asks. It’s revenge for Mother Laura!—she cries, and Dietrich asks Abel not to stop them. Esther introduces him, says his family was killed by Gyula and that’s why he understands her feelings; without him they couldn’t have assassinated Radocan. He says he’ll kill Gyula himself but she protests that this is something she started, he needn’t bloody his hands. Abel very emotionally confesses that that he well understands the desire for revenge when someone precious is killed, but murder is unacceptable. They should think instead, he tells them, of what can be done for pride and freedom, so that those who died will be content.

Dietrich calls him naļve, pushes past him and opens the door—and is faced with a bank of blazing spotlights and a firing squad. A dozen bullets rip through him and he falls. Abel and Esther run out to stand over the body; Esther screams, grabs up his gun and tries to aim at the squad, but is stopped by Abel. I killed him—it’s my fault, Dietrich, she sobs. The troop leader arrests Esther for Colonel Radocan’s murder. Abel protests, but she says she accepts the punishment for killing someone, and that she won’t surrender. He insists on going with her, and is cuffed and taken along. Father, why?—she asks. I’m on your side, he says. And then the troops break out flamethrowers and torch the beautiful old church, Esther’s only home. We see her photos and memorabilia going up in flames. No!—wails Esther.

And in his mansion, Gyula raises a glass of wine to the portrait of his wife. Very soon, Maria, he says.

...go on to Episode Four.

...return to Trinity Blood Episode Guide.