3A/N - 01/08/2016
This is what I have been working on the past few months, while I took a break from Abyssal Collection, which was tiring me out like mad. This isn't going to update as frequently as AC, which still remains my pride and joy, flawed as it may be. That said, enjoy!
-MagicianX26
Chapter 1 - Roma
In the dead of night, a moon rose high above an italian town, its inhabitants sleeping peacefully.
Save for a small manor located on the outskirts of the town, where it was anything but peaceful.
The front door stood ajar, and if one entered it, he could see signs of carnage all over the place - bloodstains splattered over the walls, eviscerated corpses lying on the floor, broken furniture scattered everywhere, with the odd ghoul roaming the floors mindlessly
In the dining hall, the main cause of the carnage sat in a chair, dressed in a suit stolen from the wardrobe of the owner of the house, whose plump body lay in front of him on the table.
The vampire smiled, raised a glass full of blood to his lips and drank. Finishing it in one gulp, the youngling smiled. Ah, how great is it to have power.
A small drop of consience hit him, but was immediately countered by the raging megalomania in his mind.
I am a vampire, and gifted with this power, I'm beyond mortal. Its just befitting that I prey on weaker beings. Though I must prepare to leave soon, lest the police find me...
He grinned. There was still a stock of pretty maids hiding in the basement. He would have to chase them out...maybe feast on not just their bodies-
BANG.
The vampire's thoughts was cut off as a ghoul smashed through the doors of the room, knocking the corpse off the table and onto him, knocking over his chair and dumping all three bodies onto the floor.
"Arrrghh!" With a yell of shock, the undead creature pushed the bodies of him, and stood up to see a female at the door.
His eyes widened as he recognised the figure - and the chunk of machinery that ringed her.
Moments later, twelve 152mm high explosive shells met his face, and the room exploded.
Roma watched the vampire attempt to recover from the blast, smoke from her guns filling the room, which was now completely wrecked.
Remarkable. Even after a full, point blank barrage from her secondary battery, the creature was still alive. Then again, Iscariot wouldn't have called her in if this pest wasn't so troublesome.
She raised her hands, and her crewmen fired her anti-aircraft batteries. Hundreds of cannon rounds and shrapnel struck her target, causing him to squirm and shake as the damage mounted up.
But it was not enough, for the creature, even under the hail of fire, he made a break for it, jumping through the window with his enhanced strength.
Roma went over to the window, watching her target flee, his figure fast disappearing into the distance.
How idiotic. Now, with the constrains of space gone, she was free to use her main cannons without hurting herself.
Besides, one cannot run from a battleship.
She pointed her aft turret through the window, using rangefinders and a newly installed radar to mark him.
A fairy signalled to her that her 3rd gun was loaded with the 'special' shell. A bog-standard high explosive round, except that it had a chunk of blessed silver surrounding the explosive, recently designed and crafted by the Vatican.
She fired, and the cannon blast echoed across the countryside, waking a few of the town's inhabitants. The shell flew out of the barrel, spinning as it flew at her target like a supersonic javelin, piercing through the air.
Barely a second passed before it struck the vampire in the back, and detonated with the righteous fury of few thousand men. Its screams were drowned out by the sound of the explosion, and its figure was consumed by the flames.
Seeing the explosion pass, Roma climbed through the window, and walked at a brisk yet steady pace towards the site of the explosion. As she did, she pulled out a wooden stake from her side.
She reached her target, and looked down at the vampire's prone form. Surprisingly, its torso and head were still intact, but all its limbs had been blown off. Surrounded by charred ground, she could only hear a few gurgling noises from the undead creature.
Even so, it was still trying to regenerate its body, desperately clinging on to its unlife.
She kneeled down, and brought the stake high, the moon illuminating her and the wind blowing her clothes gently to the side. The stake swung down, and stabbed the vampire dead centre in its heart.
It made no struggle as it crumbled to ash.
Roma stood back up, and took in a deep breath, taking in the night air. She turned to leave, heading back for the manor.
And stopped as another figure walked up, clapping her gloved hands. The blonde newcomer wore a set of black priestly robes, with a pair of black, heavy boots, a cross swinging from her neck-
And a set of untidy bandages that covered her mouth, trailing in the wind.
"Bravo, Roma." Heinket spoke, a stony grin on her face. "Impressive work indeed, for your first mission."
Roma put a hand to her waist and bowed. "Thank you, Ms. Heinkel. Although I do believe that this isn't much compared to what you do almost daliy."
"No no, you misunderstand...I'm impressed with the stealth you showed in tonight's operation. When one thinks of battleships...they think of a behemoth scything through the waters, demolishing everything in their way...but you sneaked in like an assassin, quickly removing the target, and barely making a noise other than a single cannon shot! Quick, and efficient...just what we need."
"I see. Thank you very much for the praise, again." The two women set off for the manor, walking side by side.
"I must admit, when the higher ups proposed this idea, I was...not vin favor of it. I thought, 'too loud, too flashy, not like us', but now, seeing you in action...I must apologise."
"There's no need for that." Roma replied, adjusting her glasses. For a while, there's was silence as they walked on. "So, how is the current situation? Regarding the supernatural front?"
"Hmph." Distaste flowed into Heinkel's voice. "To put it bluntly, we are spread thin. Too thin, in fact. I can't say much...but we have to deal with almost a hundred cases a day, across the globe. Supernatural creatures, sightings, exorcisms...Such a violent explosion in cases ever since the appearence of the Abyssals...you would think they are related. For the first time in my life, I feel thankful for Hellsing and the Protestants..."
"Hellsing?"
"Ah sorry, I forgot. You weren't briefed on them. To put it simply, they are the English version of us, bound to defend the United Kingdom."
Heinkel sighed. "Where was I? Oh yes, but the most troubling thing is today's case. We have not seen a vampire with such powers ever since the Burning of London...already everyone is running like headless chickens, trying to figure out what's going on." She paused, before turning to Roma. "Enough about my side though. How goes your war?"
"The fleet..." Roma began, "We are also in the same position as you, stretched thin to defend the Mediterranean. Good news is, we have finally found the location of a key Abyssal base, and an assault is currently being planned with the French and Germans. If all goes well the attack will begin in a week."
"I see. Such a terrible year, for us to be attacked by demons on land and from the sea, isn't it?" They reached the manor, where an Iscariot team had appeared, preparing for insertion.
"A car is arriving over there, so please follow me." At Heinkel's words, the two women headed for the town. "So," the warrior priest started, "recently the Pope made a statement about you 'shipgirls', calling all of you 'angels sent by God, to protect humanity from evil', what do you think about it?"
"I...for me, I see myself and my sister as...old warriors, given a chance to fight for humanity and our nations once more. Nothing more, nothing less." Roma replied.
"Ah, I see." A grin reappeared on Heinkel's damaged face. "Don't mind me, but do you believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?"
"I don't really have a faith...although Littorio does believe in Him, and she's been asking me to attend church for awhile."
"Ah." Heinkel smiled, and they walked on in silence.
"Actually...I'm curious. How did the Vatican get the Italian Navy to work with them?" Roma asked.
"Huh." Heinkel frowned. "Actually...this is more of Iscariot's project, just only receiving approval from the Pope. If you want to know...let's just say your Minister Of Defense has some...things from his younger days he does not want to reveal."
"So...Blackmail." Roma stopped for a moment, staring at Heinkel.
The latter made a sad smile. "I apologise. We never claimed to be holy men, just in the service of God to protect his Children."
"Oh. Okay." The both of them made the final leg of their trip in silence, reaching the prepared car.
"Well," Heinkel raised a hand, "I believe it's time for us to part. Hopefully we will see each other again. Goodnight, and may God be with you."
"Thank you, and good night to you too, Ms. Heinkel."