Chapter 1 : City Of Blood

Woe to the city of blood,
full of lies,
full of plunder,
never without victims!
Nahum 3:1



The red evening sun fell in from one side of the glassy roof. The air, saturated with the color of blood, was as heavy and cold as a witches kiss.

Abel Nightroad sighed while going down the gangway of the still smoking train: "Uaaaa… this is truly a forsaken place…"

Pushing up his glasses, which were round like bottle caps, his eyes as blue as a winter's lake wandered the abandoned station.

The building which resembled a glass greenhouse, was as huge as a palace but seemed inactive and deserted.

A fistful of station officers and a few travelers, with their luggage, were shuffling around with depressed faces.

Looking more closely, there were cracks in the brick tiles of the floor, which seemed to be ignored, and the roof's glass had some cracks, here and there, too.

"Eeeeh… what went wrong here? Couldn't I possibly head back to Rome right now?"

"Hey, you! Tall guy!" An annoyed voice called the young man standing in front of the gangway, who was murmuring to himself. The stoker, looking out from the engine, barked with a grumpy face: "How long are you going to stay there? Leave now if you wanna go! It's dangerous!"

"Ah yes, I'm sorry. Well, ummm… if I may ask… is this really, really the final station?"

"Yeah, it is. It's written right over there." The stoker pointed to a sign above their heads with a brief nod.

Just then a speaker announced the station's name, written on the sign with huge letters in Hungarian and Rome's official language: "This is István – this is the main station of the free city of István."

"Oh noooo… it's true then… well, as it stands there's no sense in believing that I've made a mistake." Rubbing his disheveled silver hair, Abel gloomily mumbled: "Well, well, thinking of the catchphrase 'pearl of the Danube', one is expecting an extraordinarily beautiful place… but as bad as this looks, it could be called province too, now couldn't it?"

"Whatever. Just hurry and move already! This turns around from here. Quickly, or you won't be able to get off till Vienna."

"Oh? It's really not going any further?"

The train hadn't arrived just yet. Pushing up his steamed glasses, Abel continued calmly: "Ummmm, Mister driver, couldn't you possibly wait just a little longer? As it is, I'm in a little conflict wether I should head back to Rome and be ready to be discharged or not…"

"Fool! It'll be night soon! In this place every single second counts!"

"Eh? Umm, what does this mea…?" Hastily Abel leapt back. At the same time, as a shrill whistle piped, the engine spit out steam. In front of the eyes of the young man who had had to abruptly draw away, dragging along his long coat, a gigantic wheel rapidly started to rotate. "Hey… isn't this dangerous?! Do you wanna smother me…"

" Well then, big bro! If you value your life, lock yourself in some inn and stay put. Otherwise…"

"Otherwise…" – what was that supposed to mean? The stoker's loud voice was drowned by the noise of the engine and couldn't reach Abel's ears anymore. The departing train which was switching lines as it went, was leaving into a, slowly falling, blue darkness. Looking at the growing smaller rear lights, Abel coughed: "…Ugh, now my only good suit is ruined. How dreadful!"

His protest wasn't heard by anyone, though. Picking up his abandoned traveling bag, Abel started to walk through the station, dusting off his coat. The surrounding air was already turning into a bluish color. As quickly as he walked to reach tonight's roost before night has fallen completely, it was impossible for him to avoid bumping into the person coming out from the shadow of a pillar.

"!"

A little shriek could be heard and the other dropped a huge paper bag he had been holding. A faint breaking noise could be heard from the dropped and torn bag laying on the floor.

"Ss…, sorry!" While he was staggering himself, he talked to the person who had fallen to the floor: "Sorry! My fault, I was daydreaming… ummm, are you alright?"

"Ou, ouch…"

Sitting on the station's floor, and rubbing his back, was a man. He wore simple yet warm looking cloths: A jumper made of warm material and woolen pants. Because of a low, over his head, worn deerstalker hat and a muffler, which was covering about half of his face, his face couldn't be recognized. But he was a rather short youth. At best he reached up to Abel's chest.

"Sorry, sorry. Have I troubled you, Sir?"

"Ge… get off!"

The arm, which shook Abel's stretched out hand off, was as fine as a juvenile's. Dusting his rear, he stood up easily.

"I'm really, really sorry… Come to think of it there was a strange sound coming from your bag. Is everything still in one piece?"

"Aah…"

Before the deerstalker hat wearing man could reach out for his bag, Abel helpfully lifted the paper bag from the floor. Whatever was inside was terribly heavy. Additionally there was now a puddle on the ground.

"Is this oil? Or something else? Oh noooo, it looks as if a bottle is broken…"

The bag was barely opened as a stinging odor evaded into the air. Two glass bottles where inside. Big wine bottles were filled with each a clear liquid and a brown liquid. Of those two, the bottle with the clear liquid had a big crack. The leaked liquid had soaked a pocket watch which had been stuck into a corner of the bag, too.

"Oh noooo, it seems the watch there's broken too. The inner mechanism is broken. I'm so sorry, I'll compensate this too…"

"Ah… no no, it's okay. The watch is of no value, so…" For some reason the deerstalker hat had been murmuring his answers with a tiny voice for a little while by now. His feet were slowly drawing back, as if to probably run away from Abel.

"I don't need any compensation. It's no big deal… but couldn't you possibly return the bag?"

"Huh? But this won't be properly solved that way…" pulling out his purse, Abel asked: "How much is it? Would 200 Dinar be enough? This is all I have… 1… 2… 3… oh nooo, only 8 Dinar!"

Looking into the thin purse his voice reversed. Grabbing the hand of the bit by bit retreating deerstalker hat, Abel continued: "Sorry, it seems I'm short of money. Ummm, if it would be okay with you, would you mind waiting for a little longer? I'm surely able to pay later…"

"Ah, uh, I really don't mind but…"

"Great! I'll accept everything. Sorry to ask but could you give me your name and address then…?"

"My address? Ummm, no no, it's really okay. It's nothing important…"

"No, please don't say such a thing! Uh, my name is Abel Nightroad. I've just been promoted to this city from Rome. I'm pleased to meet you."

"…" The deerstalker hat obviously tried to escape from the grip of this over-familiar youth as fast as possible.

Eyes with a strong twinkle, which made one think of lapis lazuli, moved rapidly and looked for a way to escape. However, the instant they looked over to the entrance, the expression under the muffler froze in fright.

Just then, a group of about 10 uniformed persons passed through the entrance. All men were of good stature. Even though they were wearing the same dark blue coats and berets, they weren't station employees. It was quite obvious as soon as the guns at their hips could be seen.

"Well, isn't István a quiet place. I've only arrived in this city, but this seemingly poor, or rather… uh… quiet atmosphere…"

"Um… errrr… I am in a hurry."

The uniformed men, which had passed the entrance barrier, walked across the ground and straightly approached them. The deerstalker hat interrupted the still unconscious blabbering Abel impatiently: "I have to go somewhere now. So…"

"Huh, really? Well then, please give me your name and address. I'll come by tomorrow."

"No, no, it's okay."

"Hey, YOU!" Someone with a smoky voice stepped/stomped between the two discussing people. "What are ya doin' here?" A tall man looked down on them with dull eyes.

He was huge! He surpassed even Abel by about one head. Where his body's thickness was concerned, one would not even think of them originating from the same life-form. Might he probably be a soldier? At his waist was a gun hanging. And the double cross on the badge on his beret was István's emblem.

"…ummm, and you are?"

"I am Colonel Georgy Radokán of István's police troops", the man named himself with small eyes, sparkling cruelly. At the same time he laid his rugged, bony hand menacingly onto the holster at his hip. Since he didn't seem like the type with lots of friends, the bad looking group behind him were most likely his subordinates. "Anyway, didn't cha know that the station is off limits after 6 p.m.? What 're ya doin' at a place like this?"

"Well, to be honest, I damaged this person's bag… and I was asking about a reimbursement. Please, I'm really sorry for the disturbance."

"…" Radokán glared at the two but quickly lost interest as Abel stood there rubbing hands and bowing his head. Snorting snottily and throwing his head to the side, he said: "Leave NOW!"

"It's okay to leave? Sorry, I'm really sorry. Well then, I'll be going… whaaa…?" Abel who bowed and then started to leave, suddenly stumbled. Hitting the floor with his head, he cried out.

"Hey, hey, take care…. don't cha bruise the station!" Radokán laughed evilly while drawing back his foot. The soldiers behind him burst into laughter as well as if to please him.

"Ow… ow… ouch…", holding his reddened nose Abel finally lifted his head. Slowly some blood dripped from between his fingers.

"Hey, are you okay?" the deerstalker hat asked worriedly and knelt down, holding out a tissue with a small hand. "Use this. Can you stand?"

"Ah… thank you…" Gratefully taking the offered tissue, Abel stood up shakily. The deerstalker hat stood supporting by his side. "Take it easy. Walk slowly."

"Excuse me. Haha… I can't help myself, I'm such a careless person…"

"Hey, bean pole!" called a thick voice behind Abel, who stood there unsteadily and needing the support from the deerstalker hat's shoulder. As they looked back, the giant scorningly glared at them. " Don't cha fall next time", he laughed with a hyena-like laughter. He lifted his chin towards the laughing soldiers and turned away. Making obscene jokes, they swaggered through the station.

"Those thugs…" Even though those words were said with a small voice, they unfortunately clearly passed through the soldiers laughs. The soldiers' laughter stopped immediately and they stood still, eyeing their superior .

"Wait… what was that just now?" While hearing a ground rumbling, growling voice, a huge arm stretched out with a speed not matching its thickness, and grabbed the shoulder of the deerstalker hat. "Could ya possibly mean us by 'thugs'?"

"…" The deerstalker hat didn't answer. He just shook his shoulder softly to shake off the arm – but at that moment the slight body was blown off.

"!" He flew about three meters and landed noisily onto the floor.

At the moment of the crash/fall/landing it seemed as if he had some knowledge of martial arts because he barely could weaken the fall with his arms. However, Radokán was quickly standing over him and grabbed him by his collar. "Calling the colonel of the city's police troops a thug. What's that supposed to mean, HUUUUH?!" he barked while easily raising the deerstalker hat to eye level.

The upper arms, visible through the sleeves were discolored in shades of gray. Maybe the origin of it might be the so called enhanced troops from the surroundings of France or Germania. Salvaged 'lost technology' – a human-fortifying technology from before Armageddon, which gave men/soldiers supernatural strength.

"Oooooh… he began once again..." – "He has a quick temper, our leader…" – "Colonel, please leave at least some limbs…"

Such assaults from their superior seemed to be quite normal because the soldiers only faintly jeered. At the unexpected uproar, the station employees watched out for the cause - but seeing the fuming giant they hastily withdrew their heads, again.

"Hey, say something! Have ya lost your voice out of fright? Ya were less guarded for this guy, weren't ya… " Radokán turned his bulging lips while shaking the deerstalker hat by his collar. "Ya secretly talk 'bout us as if we're thugs. Are ya ready to say this properly 'ere and now?"

"I am not ready…" came a rough but sharp voice from under the muffler. "I just said the truth."

"Tch! You've got nerves, don't cha?" Radokán scowled suddenly. He bend as if to look into the face under the deerstalker hat. "YOU, 're ya probably…"

"!"


A fist, as hard as a rock, struck the deerstalker hat. The red hair which had been hidden under the hat until now fell down. The giant's lips wantonly twisted even though he had barely seen the white face underneath. "Surprise, surprise! It's a pretty, little bitch..."

Indeed, there was a young girl's pale face. On her face was blue, cat-like sparkling eyes and no traces of make-up, however, her clear cut face made her an exceptional beauty in the eye of the beholder. The well-featured, thin lips were tightly pressed, as if trying to bear the pain and humiliation.

"Hey, look! Look what I've got here!" Playing with the resistant girl as if she were a kitten, the big man grinned. "Let's enjoy this for the time being, gentlemen!"

"Oi, oi, Colonel Radokán's sickness started yet again…" – "Poor girl, she won't go home tonight…" – "Colonel, don't break her completely, if you still wanna give her to us…"

While the soldiers filthily jeered, the giant showed the girl, who was hanging in the air, off like a trophy. He then looked into her face and asked, with his foul breath: "So, missy, what's your name?"

"Esther… Esther Blanchett."

"Well, well, that's a good name. Esther, let's make friends tonight… from now on, after I've finished my task, I'll lovingly fondle you till tomorrow morning."

"Who do you think you are?!?" Radokán got a good slap onto his cheek. Esther, still hanging in the air, had smacked him with all her strength. "Take your filthy hands off me, you thug! Until now, I ignored it. But I won't take that last insult!" she declared sharply and scowled straight into the big man's face. Taking into account that he was three times her size and three times as heavy as she was – her fighting spirit could be praised. However, her bravery could not work out to her advantage in this situation.

"You're a strong-willed nun…" The soldiers observed the scene broadly grinning while Radokán rubbed his reddening cheek, "I'm more and more interested."

"!"

Suddenly, the girl's body flew through the air. She was flung against a pillar with severe force and fell on her back like a broken puppet, this time, not being able to prevent the impact. "Aaah… ow…owww…" A gasp of air, which wasn't exactly a cry of pain, escaped from her open mouth.

"Such a delicious thing, I would like to save it till after work…" Leaning forward to the breathless girl, Radokán pressed his fat fingers against her breasts. "Right now and here, let's feast…"

"!" Along with the sound of cloth being ripped, white skin was exposed. Small breasts were cruelly contorted under clumsy hands. Esther was struggling, but her thin feet kicked uselessly into the air. "Sto.. stop!"

"Keep quiet! You'll feel better soon!" Radokán looked down into her paled face, more from shame than from fear, and licked his lips. Thinking of it, she really was a strong-willed girl. And forcibly subduing such a prey was a pleasure above all things to him.

"Sto… stop, you PERVERT!"

"That's good. I really like girls who don't knuckle down."

Even though her screams must have been heard in the station's employee room, as well as the waiting room - there was no sign of someone coming to help her.

Being satisfied by Esther's courage, which she still hadn't lost in this situation, he reached for the zipper of his trousers.

"Ummm…. sorry, may I?" Gently a calm voice interrupted the girl's harsh voice and the giant's derisive voice. "Sorry, to ask while you're busy, but… but would it be okay to ask you something?"

"… what, YOU, you're still here?!" boomed Radokán with a sexual desire and anger reddened face.

Standing there in front of perilous eyes was a young, glasses wearing man. With a bewildered look, his eyes wandered from the tall man to the girl who was pinned down by the giant. "Hee, well… actually, some time ago I broke this miss' luggage. A~nd, because we still need to talk about the compensation…"

"Hey, take care of the girl… and don't ya let go of her!" As soon as his subordinates got a hold on Esther's arms and legs, Radokán slowly stood up. With an expression like a flesh-eating grizzly, he looked down onto Abel.

"Ummmm…. eh…."

Facing the giant, only inches away from him, Abel blinked, bewildered. Before long, he coughed, to clear his throat, and said with a straight face, "Well, you know, the Lord says: 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' –"

"DAMN!" a short yell was followed by a dull sound . The youth's body staggered badly after having received a hit to his face, with a stone-hard fist. Spinning around, he groveled onto his knees.

"… I love satisfying myself with women, but men crying in pain aren't bad either.",Radokán's lips curved into a sadistic smile. He put a foot onto the coughing man's back and grabbed hold of his disheveled silver hair.

"….!"

"Sto…stop!" shrieked Esther shrilly as a muffled cry came from Abel's throat. Radokán slowly started to lift the silver haired one's arms. Still standing on his back, Abel gradually got a shrimp-shape. His spine started to creak faintly and unpleasantly. "Stop! He's not at all related with me!"

"Let's see… how far can he go?" Under the foot of the devilish smiling Radokán, the paled Abel's eyes started to turn white.

"Stop it! He's going to die!"

"Relax. Even if his spine breaks, he'll live. He just won't move anymore" , Radokán smiled as if he wanted to tell a quite tasteful joke. Enjoying the feeling of the creaking backbone to its limits, he put his final strength into his upper arms. "Well then, let's end this now…"

"… It is recommended you leave it at that, Colonel Radokán", spoke a monotone voice with lack of any intonation from behind the huge man's back while at the same time a glove-wearing hand was put onto a huge arm from the side. "Colonel, 478 seconds have already passed since the leader gave us the task. An immediate return to the job is requested."

"WHAT THE…?" Furiously looking around and recognizing the face behind him, Radokán howled angrily, " Y… YOU, Tres Iqus!"

Looking up into the giant's blank face was a rather short man. Probably somewhere around 20 years old. On the collar of the perfectly worn uniform twinkled the rank insignia of a major.

"Major Iqus! Do you intend to interfere with your superior!?"

"Negative – there is no intention to interfere with the recreation of a superior", still speaking monotonously, the young officer inherited this vocabulary rather well. "However, there is a mission at the very moment which needs to be completed. Individual amusement is requested to be postponed. Guarding preparations are still not finished, at now 18:27, in the superior's area of jurisdiction."

"Iqus, YOU… are you making fun of me even though you're a newbie? Don't act so big to please Gyula, damn!" barked Radokán with a scowl on his face. "There's still more than one hour left until Gyula's arrival. When we just have 30 more minutes, we'll start with the preparation for the meeting – and now, retreat!"

"A message came in just now. Because of a change of schedule, the special train's arrival seems to be 30 minutes earlier."

"What?!?" Radokán asked with his voice turning indifferent and a rather disbelieving look on his face.

"Lord Gyula's estimated time of arrival is 19:00. 2,000 seconds have already passed. Colonel, quick positioning of security is advised."

"Tse…" Strength left from his fat fingers. Together with an out cry the silver-colored face hit the ground. Radokán kicked into his side.

"Hey you, what're ya doin'! Let's go!" he shouted at his subordinates while he glared down with bloodshot eyes at the calm, young major. While they were moving to leave, Radokán suddenly turned around just as if something had sprung into his mind. "Ha, I almost forgot… take this tall shit-head into custody! Take him to 'Vér hegyen' as soon as the meeting ends. I need to investigate thoroughly."

"That's… but he hasn't done anything wrong!" exclaimed Esther who had barely fixed her cloths and had gotten up. On her face, which hadn't broken down while she almost had been raped, the color of fear and dismay were now obvious. "To take him to 'Vér hegyen', that's going too far! He doesn't know anything!"

"Shut up! Interfering all the time - I'll take you in, too! Resistance/violence against an officer of István's police troops, interference with a government official in the execution of his duties, property damage,… there are plenty of crimes. And suspicion of spying could always be added. Major Iqus, you don't have any objections, do you?"

"…positive. It is as the leader says."

"Well then, it's settled." Very pleased he laughed out loud and turned his head towards his subordinates, grinning evilly: "Arrest them!"