The Vatican
The Vatican stands in Rome as the center of human existence after the Armageddon. In light of the devastation, people sought refuge and protection in the Church, giving the Vatican responsibility and leadership over the humans. Despite its once supreme authority, humans have begun to put their faith in local leaders and nobles, taking authority from the Vatican. Despite its weakening hold over the nations, the Vatican still stands as the greatest form of human leadership, after the Armageddon.
Leaders
Alessandro XVIII
His Holiness, Alessandro XVIII, is the 399th Pope of Rome, and the son of the former pope, Gregorio XXX. After the death of his father, Alessandro's siblings made sure he was given the title of Pope over his uncle, Archbishop Alfonso d'Este. Alessandro did not choose the position himself, and is a nervous and easily frightened teenager who lacks conviction and confidence in himself. He is highly anthrop phobic and cannot handle shouting, especially when it is directed towards him. Despite his holding the highest position in the Vatican, Alessandro is a puppet ruler who feels unable to make decisions on his own, usually deferring to his older brother's views in important matters.
After a kidnapping attempt, Alessandro must seek refuge with vampires in Albion. This experience opens his eyes and paves the way for him to gain more confidence in himself and his leadership, and to learn that not all Methuselah are evil. Now able to stand up on his own, Alessandro pledges to direct his efforts toward a new world of peaceful coexistence.
Francesco Di Medici (Sir Di)
Duke of Florence, Duke of Tuscany, and a Cardinal of the Vatican, Francesco is a tall and intimidating man. As he is a bastard son, he could not be elected Pope and may harbor some bitterness over it. Using intimidation and loud vocal displays, he frequently attempts to pressure his younger brother to bend to his way of thinking. Harboring a strong hatred for vampires, he frequently clashes with his younger sister, Cardinal Caterina, in her pursuits for negotiation and diplomacy. As the head of the Department of Inquisition, Francesco does not believe in compromise, preferring to respond to situations with militarism, violence and force. He has no compunctions about making decisions that might kill innocent bystanders claiming his actions are done "in the name of God", and would gladly sacrifice his brother to further his own cause. He is an American karate expert.
Caterina Sforza
Cardinal Caterina Sforza, the Duchess of Milan, is a strong willed, determined woman who shows no fear and has a strong resolve in anything she believes in. She is the head of the Ministry of Holy Affairs and leads the department's special operations group, the AX Agency.
Caterina first met Abel Knight when he saved her from a group of vampires who attempted to kill her by order of the Contra Mundi, Cain. After she was safe, he promised that he would always protect humans. They have been close friends ever since. Caterina greatly loves her brother Alessandro, the current Pope, and has shown herself to be willing to die to protect him. Caterina frequently clashes with her other brother, Cardinal Francesco, who abhors the idea of peace with vampires and has little regard for the life of Alessandro.
Despite her past experiences, Caterina strongly believes in the need for peace between humans and vampires. Though discovery of her actions could result in her execution, Caterina secretly works to form diplomatic relations with the Empire, knowing they both have a much more deadly enemy in the Rosen kreuz Orden( Order of the Blood, Blood Crew Order). She has used the AX Agency towards this goal, including arranging a joint operation that teamed Abel Knight with Empire representative Christa Asra to capture a vampire mass murderer at large in Venice suspectedly completed by a vampire known as Clown.
Alfonso d'Este
Archbishop of Cologne, he is uncle to Alessandro XVIII, Francesco and Caterina. After losing the papal elections to his child nephew, his hatred and a desire for revenge caused him to hire the Rosen kreuz(Blood Crew) to create an ultimate weapon which he could use to destroy Rome and kill his niece and nephews. Unsatisfied with the first test of the Silent Noise machine, he has Isaak Fernand von Käikin test on the city of Barcelona. Abel Knight and Sister Noélle Bor learn of the plot, but are unable stop it. The machine levels the city and Noélle is killed during the attack. Satisfied with the test, Alfonso d'Este delivers the machine to Rome under the guise of a goodwill reunion with his family. The AX agents, suspicious of his sudden about face in light of recent events, are able to stop the city from being completely destroyed and arrest Alfonso.
Antonio Borgia
Antonio is described as an impressive young man with long hair, and a rather undignified appearance for someone of his position. The Prince of Raispania and a top student of the University of Colonge, Antonio is a genius who received seven doctorates by the age of twenty-three.Being of noble blood, Antonio comes from a powerful family with valuable connections both inside and outside of the Vatican. Although somewhat vain, he appears to be outwardly cheerful at all times, even in the midst of dangerous situations.
When first introduced, Antonio is portrayed as a vain and cowardly individual, even referring to Abel Knight as his "bullet shield" while they were under attack. Although the reluctant priest remained unsure of Antonio's intentions throughout the mission, the young nobleman actually managed to lead their attackers into a devious trap, ironically saving them both. Upon his return to Rome, Abel expressed great surprise when Antonio joined the clergy as a priest.
Despite his young age, Antonio is later seen serving as a Cardinal, as well as the Minister of Vatican Public Relations. While having obtained a high position, he shows an obvious lack of formality when speaking with his fellow church officials, often referring to Caterina as "honey". As a consequence, his behavior is looked down upon by both Caterina and Francesco, both of whom appear to share a certain sense of disgust and intolerance for the younger Cardinal's behavior. He also appears alongside Cardinal Francesco after Radu Barvon's first attack on Carthage, requesting that the church send members from the Inquisitorial Department to assist in the defense of the city.
AX Agents
AX, short for Arcanum Cella Ex Dono Dei (Latin for Papal State Affairs Special Operations Section), serves as the special division of the Ministry of Holy Affairs. The agents are all elite priests and nuns, trained in different arts of combat, many of whom have special abilities granted to them by lost technologies. The members of the AX unit serve under Cardinal Caterina Sforza, and are often referred to as deputy enforcers. While they are often sent to investigate issues relating to or involving vampires.
Abel Knight Hybane
On the surface, Abel appears to be a clumsy, absent-minded Catholic priest who has bad luck with money and is always hungry. In reality, he is a Crusnik, a vampire with extraordinary powers that can feed on other vampires. Nearly a millennium in age, Abel was created in 2088 A.D. as one of four test tube babies whose bodies were infused with Crusnik nanomachines by the Mars human colonists. Abel once had a hatred for humanity and joined the Methuselah in the war against humans after the Armageddon. During the war between the humans and Methuselah, Abel Knight killed seven million humans. Elizabeth's death during the war caused him to abandon his hatred. He spent 900 years weeping and mourning in Elizabeths's crypt at the Vatican, until a young Caterina Sforza fled there to escape Methuselah assassins. Abel, realizing that it was his task to continue Elizabeth's work and defend the humans, saved the young Caterina and chose to live on. He joined the AX at its foundation in May, 3055 A.D.
In penance for his earlier sins, Abel now adheres to a strict principle of pacifism and has taken a vow not to kill unless he absolutely must. Though accepting of his Crusnik form, he will generally only use it as a last resort. After meeting Esther, he is reluctant to use his Crusnik form in a battle for fear of her seeing it, and after she does see it for the first time, Abel is extremely distraught and screams in agony. Later he tells her it is the mark of his sins. He seems to be oblivious to Esther's romantic feelings for him, and possibly to his own feelings for her. Asthe seems to have noticed, though, and calls him a dunce for not being bothered by Ion's affections for Esther. While he mostly responds to her with fatherly affection, when he thought she had been killed, he lost control of himself and went into Crusnik form, seeming to delight in killing the Methuselah Radu who he thought had killed Esther. It is Esther that helps him return to normal.
Abel eventually learns that Elizabeth's killer and his brother, Cain, is still alive and swears to find and kill him, once and for all. After Abel finds and confronts him, Cain defeats Abel and sends him into a near death state. While Esther mourns at Abel's grave, Cardinal Caterina retrieves the nanomachines from Elizabeth's body and sends Father Tres to take them to Abel in order to revive him. Tress delivers them to Abel's grave, both reviving him and allowing him to achieve 100% Crusnik fusion without the insanity that manifested in Cain. Immediately afterwards, Cain arrives and Abel battles him again, but the fight ends in a draw and Abel must continue his quest to destroy his brother, now joined by Ion Fortuna.
In his human form, Abel fights with a gun loaded with silver bullets a copy of Cain's gun known as the Slinger. With 40% of his Crusnik nanomachines activated, his eyes become red, his lips turn dark blue, his teeth become fangs, and a gigantic red scythe composed of crystallized blood materializes in his hands. At 80% activation, his nails turn into claws, grows black wings and he can generate massive amounts of electricity and controls electromagnetic fields. He can only achieve this form, or higher, if he has fed on a vampire, otherwise there is a risk the nanomachines will refuse the command and cause him to collapse. At 100% activation, he turns into a humanoid creature with dark skin, black bat-like wings, and blue markings that cover his entire body. He also generates more electricity than his 80% form and a second blade forms on the other end of his blood scythe similars to Seth. While in Crusnik form, the blood of Methuselah is drawn to him and goes directly into his body without using his fangs.
Esther Blanchett
Born as the legitimate granddaughter of the queen of Albion, she was brought to Ishtvan shortly after her birth in order to save her from assassins. She is the daughter of the late Prince Gilbert who was assassinated just after she was born. She was raised in Ishtvan as a nun by Bishop Laura Vitez, who loved Esther like her own daughter.
Esther meets Abel during an attack on Count Gyula's City Military Police as the leader of a band of rebels called the Partisans who worked to oust Count Gyula's tyranny over Ishtvan. After a vampire kills one of the clergy and Bishop Laura is killed in a subsequent church bombing, Esther goes with Abel to Gyula's home to stop his plans and rescue the captured Dietrich. The meeting of Esther and Abel differs between adaptations., Esther meets Abel while smuggling drugs with Dietrich. much of the Star of Sorrow arc is changed, starting with the meeting which occurs when Esther appears at Gyula's home to escort Abel to Saint Matthias. Esther had also murdered Colonel Lattikar to avenge the earlier murder of Bishop Laura. She and Abel are captured by Gyula's soldiers and Dietrich is killed by Cain at the church before it is burnt to the ground. After being captured, Abel and Esther successfully stop Gyula and Dietrich's plans.
Esther decides to journey to the Vatican with Abel and Tress to try to understand why so many people had to die, who Dietrich really was and his goals, who Abel really is, and what she wants to do with her life. Once they arrive at the Vatican, Esther is accepted into the Ministry of Holy Affairs and becomes a fledging AX agent. A vivid, star-shaped birthmark adorns her side, marking her as Albion's "Star of Hope". This mark is later revealed to be proof that she is part of the royal family of Albion.
Esther appears to have growing romantic feelings towards Abel , though he seems oblivious to this (as well as to his own feelings for her), though others have noticed. She also develops a strong friendship with Ion Fortuna, even offering to let him feed on her after he's sent into a blood lust by Dietrich. , she blames herself for Abel's apparent death and stays by his casket for several days, not once leaving his side until Virgil Walsh comes to bring her to Albion. At first she still refuses to leave, despite learning she is the heir to the throne, but she hears Abel's voice and it gives her the strength to go. She is also a witness to Abel's revival by Tres and another battle between Abel and Cain. As she watches them battle, she comes to understand that Abel will continue battling Cain for all eternity or until one of them has killed the other, and that he must leave. Realizing she can make a difference in the world, Esther faces her destiny and is crowned Queen of Albion.
Tress Iqus
Created 3036 AD, Father Tress Iqus is one of ten "Killing Doll" mechanical soldiers created by Vatican scientist Professor Gepetto Garibaldi in an attempted rebellion. Because his cyborg body is composed of both organic and mechanical parts, he must take vitamins to maintain it. Tress, unit HC-IIIX, is the only one of the units known to still be operational. He was saved from destruction and recruited for AX by Cardinal Caterina Sforza, where he now has the code name Gunslinger. In Reborn on the Mars, it is revealed that his full name is Hercules Treq Iques, however he rarely uses it and is known primarily by Tress Iques.
Being a battle android, Tress works with an unemotional, relentless efficiency and his functions are mostly limited to combat situations. He tends to use expressions much like a computer might, such as asking for a "status report" to assess someone's physical status and responding to questions with "negative" or "positive." Despite his mechanical nature, he has had moments where he appears to display concern for others, a sense of humor, and annoyance. Tress is also extremely loyal to Caterina, and Abel remarks that Tress always appears to be in a bad mood when travelling because half of him is always home in Rome. When AX is dissolved, he joins the Rosenkreuz Orden with Caterina.
Kate Augusta Scott
Originally from Albion, Sister Kate is the holographic captain of the AX battleship the Iron Maiden, and later the Iron Maiden II. Kate also oversees most of the AX missions from within the ship, coordinating the agents moves and relaying information via the earpieces all of the agents wear. Kate is also skilled in making herbal tea blends which are well loved by the AX agents and Cardinal Caterina.
Kate, whose real body is comatose, is able to project herself in various places with the help of her long-time friend Professor Wordsworth and his inventions. The novels suggest that Susan von Scorzeny, an androgynous female pilot for the Rosenkreuz Orden known as the Red Baroness, caused the accident at the University of Rome the resulted in Kate's condition. Kate originally met Cardinal Caterina in college, and she was one of the founding members of the AX. Kate is a more youthful appearance, and a stronger, no-nonsense personality.
Hugue de Watteau
Born in 3032 AD in Antwerp of the Four City States Alliance, Hugue is the sole survivor of the Watteau family, a paramilitary clan whose clansmen kept the position of Chief Inspector for the Four-City Alliance. Hugue is driven by the desire to avenge his clan after the large scale attack on their home by vampires. The only survivor of his family's murder aside from himself, is his sister Anis (or Ana), but she is missing and presumed to have been taken away by the murderers. Despite his position in the AX, Hugue will often defy orders and search for his little sister as well as his family's murderer. With his independent nature, he frequently leaves AX at a whim to track down vampires.
Hugue, whose code name is Sword Dancer, wields a blade-staff with both a kitana and wakizashi and has artificial arms that enhance his speed and strength, enabling him to easily match the average vampire in a fight. His analytical skills are far beyond that of the average human, allowing him to kill a vampire without wasting a single movement. On one of his earlier missions in the series, he was sent to investigate the murders of several clergy members by a vampire. After a brief conflict, he killed a vampire who was trying to capture the sole survivor, a nun named Sister Agnes. While resting at the church, Hugue and Agnes are captured by the servants of the area's leading vampire, Count Karel van der Verf. The vampire plans to execute him, chaining the priest in a pit and forcing him to fight a Werewolf. Hugue appears to be losing until Sister Agnes retrieves his weapon and returns it to him. His does't fights a werewolf, but Agnes returns his weapon to him just the same. Count Karel stabs her for her actions, badly wounding her, which enrages Hugue. , after quickly slaughtering the werewolf, Hugue kills Karel and the rest of the area's vampires who had been watching the fight. A masked man (most likely Isaak) kills Karel. Father Hugue later appears to deliver the Rosenkreuz Orden's plans to destroy Rome and aided in the battle against Archbishop Alfonso d'Este. He also turned up in Albion to help the Vatican's forces in destroying Isaac's ship. His appearance during the Silent Noise arc, is only in the Anime.
In the original novel, it is revealed that Hugue's childhood friend, Jan van Maylen, employed the vampires to destroy his clan. Jan came from a third class noble family and desired the job as Chief Inspector of the Four City Alliance, a position long held by the men of the Watteau Clan. Hugue finds him, but spares his life, asking him to come to the church where they first met. Instead, Hugue finds his former lover and Jan's current wife, Rachel. She attempts to dissuade him from killing her husband, but fails. Before leaving, Hugue confronts Memlink of the Count Four, the vampire who had framed Karel for the attack on the church in Amsterdam. Memlink attempts to kill Jan, believing that he had intended for Hugue to kill him at church, but is killed by Hugue. Jan begs his old friend for forgiveness, but Hugue refuses, vowing that he would return to carry out his vengeance after he has finished killing the remaining two Counts, Gie and Darsus.
Vaclav Havel
Born 3021 AD in Bohemia, Havel originally worked with the Inquisition Bureau. After leaving his position, he became Caterina's personal bodyguard, and he later was one of the founding members of the AX. Codenamed "Know Faith", much of Vaclav's body has been replaced with mechanical parts and appears to be capable of flight. He has also been implanted with a system that gives him the ability to camouflage himself. As such, he is one of the most powerful AX Agents, and holds the highest rank under Cardinal Caterina. He is also one of Caterina's most trusted friends, having known her for over 10 years. After Noélle's death, he is the only one Caterina seems to be able to cry in front of. Havel spends most of his time at Caterina's side, though he does occasionally go on missions like the other members of the AX, and is the most trusted with important matters.
during the Bohemia War, he calls himself the "Unbeliever". Although he was often considered to be one of the most religious men in the AX unit, Father Havel began to doubt his faith after seeing so much suffering in the world. Sometime after losing his belief in God, Father Havel joined the Neue Vatican, and became one of Alphonso d'Este's followers. He kidnaps the Pope, resulting in a conflict with his former comrades. Although Abel tries to convince him to return to the AX, he turns him down. Hearing that the Inquisition forces plan on killing all within the city, an injured Havel attempts to stop them, but is subsequently killed by Sister Paula. Before he dies, the priest claims admits that he had found his faith once again. The events prove ironic, as Vaclav Havel personally participated in the arrest of Archbishop Alfonso d'Este.
William Walter Wordsworth
Born 3023 AD in Albion, William Walter Wordsworth was one of the four great prodigies of the University of London, along with Gepetto Garibaldi, Catherina Lange, and Isaac Butler. Framed by Isaac Butler, he was charged for a terrible incident that also killed his fiancée, and expelled from the university. He later became a founding member of the AX along with Abel, Vaclav, Kate, and Caterina.
As a member of the AX unit, Father Wordsworth has a number of talents that he utilizes throughout the series. While he occasionally works as a professor at the University of Rome, he finds the students bothersome and prefers not to teach. He is also a noted inventor, even dabbling in lost technologies from time to time. As a result, he often comes up with somewhat bizarre inventions - some of which work well while others end up as spectacular failures with a tendency to blow up. Among his inventions are a flying car equipped with missiles and rocket boosters with a shape that makes it difficult to fly. Although he has made a variety of interesting creations, Father Wordworth firmly believes that science should never be misused. In addition to his scientific prowess, the professor is also proficient with the use of a sword cane, a talent that is displayed more openly.
Leon Garcia de Asturias
Born 3031 AD in Raispania, Leon was once a decorated professional soldier with a penchant for showing off. When he killed his wife and thirty clergymen, he was sentenced to a 1,000 year prison term. He is allowed to leave, however, to assist the AX with their cases. In return for his help, the length of his sentence is reduced by a couple of decades, so long as he survives and returns.
He carries a pendant with a picture of his daughter around his neck at all times, and loves her more than anything in the world, although her current status is unknown. When not working, his prison is actually the Vatican's orphanage. Father Leon fights with sharp chakrams and a bazooka, and specializes in sabotage and guerrilla tactics. He takes great offence at being called an old man, but despite his gruff exterior, Father Leon still shows signs of caring for others, particularly children. He agrees with Abel's idea at the end of the Barrie case in sending the children who had been turned to vampires to Albion instead of executing them.
Father Leon acts like a pervert around women, including Esther Blanchett and Noelle.
Noélle Bor
Part of the AX personnel, her power is visual empathy, an ability that allows her discern the emotions of others and to clairvoyantly track where people have gone by their empathic residue. She has romantic feelings for Abel. In the anime series, she confessed her feelings while she and Abel were on assignment in Barcelona. Although he receives her confession gracefully, he gently lets her down by telling her he is truly blessed to have such a "special friend". In the novels, she is a retired agent who left the AX member, due to her unresolved feelings toward Abel. In the novels, she is also shown to have speed and strength beyond that of the average human.
She was killed in May of 3060 A.D. during the destruction wreaked by the Silent Noise machine in Barcelona. After her death, Abel is devastated and consumed with guilt about not being able to save her, to the point that he almost quits the AX.
Monica Argento
Known as the Black Widow, Monica Argento is the daughter of a mafia boss, working for the AX. While she is a nun, she prefers to dress like a priest, and enjoys killing. Monica has the ability to teleport, and her primary weapons are a pair of rose daggers.
Kaya Syokka
Given the codename, Gypsy Queen, Sister Kaya is a valuable member of the AX. Known for her loyalty to Caterina and the Church, she despises all vampires and believes that she is doing the right thing by killing them. She is one of the youngest members of the AX, and is first mentioned by Abel, as the leader of the investigation in Barcelona. After Noelle's death, she is placed in charge of recovering the body, and the data that she was able to obtain prior to the destruction of the city. Sister Kaya fights using fans, and aided Father Wordsworth in killing Kaspar von Neumann by burning him to death.
Roman Treyus Riddik
Once a human with a misterious past, a pyrophilia, and a mechanical right arm, he is now the Vaticans newest holy weapon known simply as The Trinity
The Department of Inquisition
The Inquisitorial Department is composed of a group of elite fighters who see themselves as soldiers of God. They carry out the Vatican's will under the orders of Cardinal Francesco. Their first mandate is the elimination of all vampires. The members of the Inquisition are known to resort to extreme methods to carry out their orders, and have clashed with Cardinal Caterina's Deputy Enforcers. It is said that many of the Inquisitors are singled out by the church at a young age, and conditioned to despise anything that goes against the authority and beliefs of the Catholic Church. Because of these violent tendencies, they are also known as the "Fangs of the Church" as mentioned by the AX.
Brother Petro Orcini
Born 3034 AD, Brother Petro, the Knight of Destruction, is the head of the Department of Inquisition. He fights with a giant mechanical lance called "The Screamer", and wears extensive, heavy armour. he uses an experimental injection to give him vampire-like agility.
Brother Petro can be thick-headed and violent, with an intense hatred for vampires. When Father Abel Knight delayed his pursuit of Ion Fortuna, Brother Petro insisted on fighting Abel and won after Abel slipped and fell from a cliff. Brother Petro has a strong sense of honor and he threatened to kill one of his men who insulted Abel after his apparent death, saying that while misguided, he was still a brother under God. He also is extremely loyal to the Pope, above anyone else, feeling that the Pope is God's representative and that if he does not follow him, he would not be following God. Nor is he above showing reason or compassion, even for a Methuselah, and is seriously wounded trying to protect Ion Fortuna. Though he was a witness to Abel's Crusnik form during a battle with Radu, Petro has never mentioned it or appeared to be bothered by it.
Sister Paula Souwauski
Born 3036 AD at Krakow, Sister Paula Souwauski currently serves as the Vice Chief of the Inquisitorial Department, and is Brother Petro's second-in-command. Codenamed "Lady of Death", Paula is an extremely skilled mercenary who has taken many lives in her line of work. She first appears alongside Brother Philippo on a mission to Brno, to stop the machinations of former Archbishop Alphonso d'Este. Believing that all within the city were guilty of heresy, she attempted to activate a missile to destroy them all, but was eventually thwarted by Abel Knight and Vaclav Havel.
Although skilled with a variety of weapons, Paula claims that her true battle prowess lies in hand-to-hand combat, but she prefers to strike fear into her enemies through the use of weapons. She prefers to use her Moon Blades, two weapons with crescent shaped blades protruding from each side, that can be wielded like knives or thrown like shurikens. Even the Methuselah, Radu Barvon, was unable to detect her presence until she was ready to attack. Despite his enhanced abilities, she was easily able to outmaneuver him. In the anime series, she struck him with what appeared to be a killing blow during the Iblis incident, but Radu survived the wound.
Paula has an unwavering loyalty to the Church and believes that people are either with it or against it. She once stated that her mission was to "kill all heretics, regardless if they be man, woman, or child." Despite her ruthless nature, she is extremely loyal to her superiors, particularly Brother Petro and Cardinal Francesco. Her loyalty to Cardinal Francesco far exceeds that of her loyalty to the Pope, as seen during her mission in Brno when she was willing to let the young Pope die under orders from Francesco.
Brother Matthaios
An ex-mercenary who was involved in many wars before he entered the Church's service. He is known as the Devil of Morocco for his participation in the siege of Morocco. During that battle, he met Father Leon Garcia, against whom he has carried a grudge ever since.
Brother Bartholomaios
Born in 3036, he is technically a brother of Tress Iqus, being the second of the ten "Killing Doll" androids created by Gepetto Giribaldi. Where as Tress was recruited by the AX, Duo Iqus, renamed Brother Bartholomaios, was saved from destruction by the Inquisition department. He wields a large rifle named "Deus Ex Machina." After the Gunmetal Hound incident, his status remains unknown.
Brother Phillipo
A ruthless member of the Inquisitorial Department, Brother Phillipo was first seen alongside Sister Paula during her mission in Brno. Although short in height, he is surprisingly strong for his size, easily able to match Father Leon in a test of strength. In addition to his physical strength, Phillipo's body contains cells which allow him to conduct a powerful electric current, which allow him to shock an opponent with 300,000 volts of electricity.
The New Human Empire
The New Human Empire, also known either as the Methuselah Empire or the Empire of the True Race, was founded around years related to the events of the Mars Incident. Fleeing from the persecution of the Terrans, the Methuselah were guided to these lands by Empress Vradica. The Empress brought nature back to the lands damaged by the Armageddon, and founded a new Kingdom, which would exist separately from the outside world. The Empire itself, is a vast land surrounded by airborne particles that filter out the ultraviolet radiation so that the Methuselah may move about by day. It is because of this that the Empire appears to be bathed in the evening dusk, even during the day. The capital city of the Empire is Byzantium, which is the home to both the Empress and a large number of Methuselah Aristocracy who serve in the Empress' court. The Empire lies in Far Eastern Europe and stretches to where Turkey once was and the outer Middle East (Israel,Syria and a small part of northwestern Iraq),It also Borders the continent of Asia that is now uninhabitable, Possibly due to extensive use of Biological and Nuclear Weapons by human forces during the war.
The Empire is home to both humans and vampires who live in peace together, under the rule of the Empress and her imperial aristocracy. Having existed separate from the outer world, the people of the Empire have developed a culture of their own. Before the Empress, both races are equal, and it is said that she alone may keep the peace. The nobles of the New Human Empire act as feudal lords, and rule over the various lands in the empire. The mortals who live in the Empire may rank anywhere from the servant class to the nobility, and are each given an equal chance to rise to the noble class. They are considered the property of the Empress, and the Methuselah who pledge their loyalty to the Empress are not allowed to harm them.
The Empire is the most technologically advanced nation on earth, with weapons and machines that surpass both the Vatican arsenal and Albion, a nation which manufactures the hardware necessary for the production of technologically advanced machines. In part because of this, the Vatican attempts to remain on good terms with the Empire, which eventually lead to peace talks between the two nations. Because of the current world situation, the end of the Empress' reign would result in chaos which could potentially lead to war with the outside world if not quickly contained.
Lilith Krito Adol d' Hybane
Cherish Sahl is the Empress of the New Human Empire. Her real name is Lilith Hybane. She is the youngest of the Hybane siblings, and the third Crusnik. A member of the Alliance Aerospace Navy, Lilith viewed Seth as a Father figure and holds Abel in great sisterly affection. When Cain was fatally wounded in an accident, she injected him with 100% Crusnik, restoring his life, but changing him for the worse. After he killed Elizabeth during the war, Lilith joined Abel in confronting him and together they succeeded in launching him out of an airlock. Cain returned and sealed away his sister for a century and decided to spare her. He constantly threatens her but is obsesive over her well being.
Among the four Crusnik siblings, she has spent the most time with Methuselah, but like Abel, she does not feed on them. Around 800 years ago, Cherish Sahl led the Methuselah to the lands where the Empire would eventually stand, to save them from persecution. She helped restore nature back to the lands, returning them to their former glory before the Armageddon. She then became the Empress of the New Human Empire, ruling over her kingdom as the heart of the Empire itself. As the Empress, Lilith is seen as a mother by her people, and treats her subjects as she would her own children. However, most of her courtiers and servants have never seen her before in all the centuries that they have served her, mainly due to the heavy veils she wears to cover her appearance as well as the use of a voice modifier. Though she does age, she still appears as a little girl, but is well over nine hundred years old. It is implied that she does not wish to declare war on the Vatican territories due to her brother's support of the humans. As his sister, she knows Abel very well, and has commented that he is quite popular with the girls for some unknown reason.
During a plot to overthrow her, Lilith disguised herself as a tea-seller and a medical student in the human district of the capital city, Byzantium. During that time, she met Ion Fortuna and Sister Esther Blanchett, though neither knew who she was. She later alerted Abel and Asthe when Ion and Esther were in danger, and saved Esther from one of Dietrich's puppets.
When her Crusnik powers are activated, Lilith's eyes turn red, her lips turn greenish-blue, her voice becomes deeper, wings styled like fairy-like prop from her back and a pair of giant tuning forks made of blood materialize in each of her hands. In this state, she can almost instantly disintegrate her enemies. Similar to Cain, her power appears be based on a manipulation of sound waves. She calls her technique "The Fire of Sound".
Mirka Fortuna
Head of the Imperial Secret Council, the Duchess of Moldova, the Prime Minister of the Empire, and a keeper of Secret History, Mirka Fortuna is known for her cunning and eccentric nature. She is Empress Augusta Vradica's most trusted advisor and friend, being one of the few people in the Empire who knows the Empress' true appearance. Mirka acted as a decoy for the Empress during an assassination plot in order to draw out those behind the plot. Faking her own death, she allowed her grandson, Ion, to be framed for the murder.
Ion Fortuna
Born in 3045 AD, the Earl of Memphis and the Empress's Swords Keeper, Ion Fortuna is very young by Methuselah standards. The grandson of Mirka Fortuna, he is full of pride for both the Empire and his race, and is quit
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