Episode 22--The Throne of Roses III: Lord of Abyss

[--yes, we know that the text of the title as seen on screen does say "Load of Abyss". Technically, therefore, that should be considered the correct title. But...I just can't do that...]

Mary Spencer tells Esther that they still don't know where the Pope is. Can I do anything?--she asks, and is told to just wait. Meanwhile we see Abel running through corridors...

Alessandro is being conducted along by Vanessa. He timidly confesses that he didn't know the Methuselah of Albion were in captivity, and says he honestly wants to know and understand more about her people. She stares at him in open surprise, probably amazed at the difference between this shy, innocent kid and the Pope as she imagined him, and might have said something if just then Petros and Paula hadn't come rocketing to the rescue.

Petros reads her the riot act about endangering His Holiness and rebelling against the country's government, and she glares--what did you say?.. as her hair starts to rise and coil above her like a nest of snakes. Paula slashes the tendrils as they whip through the air. Vanessa battles the Inquisition pair and is struck down by Petros' lance. Divine judgment!--he shouts as he prepares to deliver the deathblow, but Alessandro cries out for him to stop. This vampire tried to kill you, your Holiness! snarls Petros, but Alessandro pleads for her life, saying these people are trapped and have no other recourse. Please, he says, spare her life and hear what she has to say. Vanessa stares in awe as the Pope Himself intercedes with this fierce warrior on her behalf. Please, begs the Pope with tears in his eyes, and Petros lowers his lance. Head Inquisitor, you cannot release the ringleader of this rebellion!--protests Paula. Petros says her judgment is for the government of Albion to decide. But, says his officer, the vampires-- ---Deputy, says Petros (sternly pulling rank on her), this man put his faith in me as a knight, and made a request of me. If I fail to obey, I am neither a knight nor a man who walks in truth on the path of God. [Bravo.] --Paula can say nothing to that, and they leave with Alessandro in tow, he looking back at the Methuselah girl. Vanessa sits on the floor in shock and wonder: why didn't they kill me, she asks herself, why?

Leon looks around at the scattered dead jaegers on the floor around him; damn, what a nuisance, he says. He hears William's voice in his earpiece; he confirms that he too ran into these things, and they strike him as something the Orden would like the idea of. They still don't know where the Pope is [what, Petros didn’t radio anyone yet?], but the presence of the Autojaegers complicates matters.

Virgil and Vanessa quarrel: she says he's always telling her to wait but nothing ever changes, and he asks why she thought an uprising would change anything. For the longest time Terrans and Methuselah crawled into their separate holes and ignored each other, he says, but now, slowly, a generation capable of seeing the truth is emerging…her eyes widen as she realizes that what she's just seen is proof of exactly that. Suddenly a bulletin is heard from their comm board: strange-looking fighters have invaded the complex and are killing everyone they encounter. What?--the siblings startle--is Sector 50 all right? Turn on the monitors! Vanessa takes off at a run and Virgil watches grimly as, on the screen, a jaeger clubs down a fleeing man. A third force, he says…could it be… We see Dietrich pass thru a door, and Abel, still running.

Outside: a troop on horseback, the Queen's Guard. Toward them walks, unhurriedly, a tall blond man in an ornate cloak. Identify yourself! --call the guardsmen. The blond smiles sweetly and raises one hand, and the palace gate blows into dust with a shockwave that shakes the whole building. Esther looks up in alarm. Mary Spencer rushes out--we have an intruder! a guard tells her--just as the wall blows open with tremendous force. Through the dust and rubble unconcernedly walks the tall intruder. Halt! commands Mary, or we fire! The brigade opens fire, but with two more gestures Cain--it is, of course, Cain Knightlord--freezes the bullets in midair and blows the palace front wall into shards. Esther runs to Mary's side as Cain steps calmly past and picks up his own severed arm. Tch, that Isaak, he needs to do a better job of repairing me, he murmurs as he reattaches the limb; we'll need to talk about that…Esther stares disbelieving as he walks away. What just happened?--asks Mary, stunned, and Esther [what on earth does she think she can do?] says she'll go after him.

The Inquisitors and the Pope are nearly to the surface when the shadows of Autojaegers are glimpsed darting past them. Paula says she'll stay behind while Petros gets the Pope to safety; he scoops the kid up and is gone.

Cain blows open another wall and calmly steps into open space, freefalling down into the citadel. Esther stares after him in dismay--how can she follow? She runs to an elevator, sees no control panel, but a voice says "checking genetic data…you are cleared to proceed."

Petros, carting the Pope like a bag of laundry, finds his way blocked by a pack of jaegers and stuffs His Holiness into a ventilation shaft behind him for safekeeping =), then faces the jaegers, lance ready. Not one step closer, he orders. --You don't have to die for me, pleads the kid, but Petros says that His Holiness was chosen by God Himself to bless the earth, and he, Petros, will gladly give his life to protect him. Alessandro stares up at him, too moved for words. The knight smiles at him, and the kid buries his face in Petros' back, overwhelmed. [He has got to be thinking that he can't be so worthless if people of this caliber will defend him with their lives.] Petros braces himself--and out of nowhere a wave of long tendrils floods down the corridor, punching through skulls and ribcages, tearing the jaegers into bloody shreds. They all fall before Petros makes a move. Petros stares amazed at their rescuer: Vanessa has repaid her debt.

Esther and William both wonder which way to go, as Cain descends gracefully to the bottom level, landing as lightly as the angel Dietrich said he was...

In a control room, Dietrich places a chip on a panel, and it lights up with glowing circuitry. Abel, behind him, orders him to stop the device and step away from the board. --And if I refuse? Then I have no choice, says Abel, and calls on the 80% release. Dietrich spins away and catches him in a mesh of threads; he howls in pain, struggles, then somehow tears the threads and flies at Dietrich who's caught by surprise. He throws Dietrich against the wall with an electrical blast and the Puppetmaster lands hard, looks up dazed. Damn--you’re different from before--he smiles. You've consumed vampire blood. [and so he must have, but when?] Krusnik-Abel isn’t listening. Stop this, he orders--that is something that must not be revived--Do you think I'll just obey with no question? interrupts Dietrich-- especially by your taskmaster.

And would that be me? --asks a voice behind Abel. The red eyes glare as we see that Cain has arrived. My Lord Cain, cries Dietrich in relief, pulling himself to his feet. It's been a long time, Abel, says Cain evenly, and then--looses a blast that crushes Dietrich against the wall with a huge spray of blood. Dietrich's eyes go wide and blank as he crumples to the floor. "Why--" he tries to say, and falls facefirst into the red lake.

Krusnik-Abel's face contorts in rage and hate, and he gathers his power in a tremendous lightning storm that shatters screens around the chamber. Cain watches unimpressed. Roaring his brother's name in a towering fury, K-Abel opens his dagger-feathered wings and streaks across the room straight for Cain's throat---but just at the worst moment possible in runs wide-eyed little Esther, all shocked to see him like this (as if she never has...), and he's nailed by that crippling guilt of his and checks in midstrike.

And Cain holds out one hand, calm as glass. That's what I like about you, he says; you’re so predictable. There's a white glare that blinds out everything, and the next thing we see is Abel, not K-Abel but just Abel, falling slowly to the floor, eyes fixed in wide-open shock. "Esther--" he gasps, and lands in a broken, motionless heap.

Esther stares. NO! she screams, as the device builds up a violet glow, and particles begin to stream into it from all directions….

...go on to Episode Twenty-Three.

...return to Trinity Blood Episode Guide.