Hello everyone, I know this is kinda out of nowhere, but this was a fic idea that has been hammering me in the head lately and I decided to at least put it down so I don't forget it. No, that does not mean I'm going to put my focus upon this story and ignore Ice and Fire, I'm still hard at work on the next chapter. This story is considered a low-tier priority, below Ice and Fire and Rose of Geass, but it's something I'm kinda toying with that I'd like to work on in the future when I have the time. So, here it is, maybe one day I'll just hand it off to someone to work on it. But for now, it is here for you to ready.

Chapter 1

A World on the Brink

The date is November 4th in the year 2044 of the Imperial Calendar. It has been twenty-six years since the defeat of the False Emperor Lelouch the Usurper and the ascension of the 99th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire Schneizel, who reigns from on high. The glorious global empire that millennia of Britannian sovereigns had dreamt of had finally been realized, and peace reigns supreme.

But it is an empty peace born out of fear, fear of annihilation in the face of the fearsome might of Damocles and its FLEIJA warheads. Those that could have stood up and fought have long since been captured, killed, or have disappeared. Yet even more have become part of the regime that holds the world hostage in this false peace.

Despite the iron hand of his rule Schneizel realized that he was standing on a powder keg, he was unaware that the fuse had already been lit before he had defeated Lelouch.

For the world still yearned for Zero.

"Papers, please."

A set of documents were placed before Hiro Takamura, causing the Japanese man to look at the picture of a woman, he paused before looking up to the said woman and found himself himself hypnotized by the beauty that stood before him of the kind he could only fantasize to.

Black hair framed an angelic face that could only be found in the folds of a magazine that only added to mesmerizing amethyst eyes that seemed to absorb your soul in an instant. His eyes trailed down, drinking in the odd black choker wrapped around her neck down her white blouse encased in a form-fitting black jacket and then down black pants that clung to and accentuated every curve.

A soft clearing of a throat ripped him away from his admiration as he realized once again where he was and what his job was.

Shifting slightly in embarrassment at being caught, he looked back to the documents.

"Name."

"Lucretia Dantes."

Ahhh, French, he thought to himself, explains the look.

"Purpose for visit?"

"Business and pleasure."

Another set of papers were placed before him, allowing him to look over them, seeing nothing wrong with it, he proceeded to stamp both of them and hand them back.

"Glory to Britannia."

"Glory to Britannia," was given back before the woman stepped away, pulling along her suitcase, Hiro took a few moments admiring the woman's backside before reality interrupted as an old man stepped in front of his appreciative gaze.

He hated this job.

LotD

Pig, Lucretia Dantes thought to herself as she walked away from the immigration booth. She hadn't missed the lustful stare the agent had given her, it was hard not to notice it considering the man hadn't made any effort to hide it.

She didn't wish to admit it, but by now she was used to it. The puberty stick had hit her hard once it kicked in, transforming her from something that could pass for her father at that age into a woman that had both men and women falling over for. It was a useful trait, but dammit she got tired of the staring, especially at her boobs.

Coming up to a valet, she flashed her phone for him to scan, the valet had taken one look at her then the ticket before fumbling over himself to retrieve the car that had been left for her that morning. A few minutes, later the valet returned with a red sports car, one of the few excesses in her life, tipping the younger man, she then packed her bag and got into the car before driving away and quickly exiting onto the highway.

It was during this time she allowed her mind to wonder as her body went into autopilot, looking off the highway and to the buildings that dominated the Tokyo skyline.

She had to wonder what her sensei would think of all of this, the effort and time into contorting the events that had taken place here, it had not been her sensei that had destroyed the former Tokyo Settlement according to history books, but Lelouch the Usurper in the guise of Zero who had stolen the first FLEIJA and detonated it as he was losing the battle against his sister. It was complete bullshit, of course, but that was how insidious the Information Ministry had become under Minister Reid, if you repeated a lie enough times...

She shook her head, knowing perfectly well her former sensei's martyr complex would not have allowed that slight. It must have eaten away at him until the end.

Sighing on that unhappy thought, she steered herself into the private driveway that led onto the Ashford Academy grounds, more specifically the mansion that dominated a large part of the now massive academy that had become one of the largest learning centers in Asia, just behind Beijing University. The reason why it hadn't surpassed it was simply because of its headmistress' unique proclivities.

Cutting the engine in front of the mansion, she got out of the car, taking in a deep breath of the place she regarded as a second home, her home an orange farm buried deep in the Japanese countryside.

Satisfied on the scent of freshly cut grass clippings and the faint smell of flowers mixed in, she walked up to the front doors

The door opened and there stood Sayoko Shinozaki, dressed in her all-too-familiar maid outfit, at least Lucretia knew it was her, unfortunately, due that she was still a wanted woman even now, she had to be in disguise almost all the time

"Mistress Lucretia," Sayoko greeted, "it's good that you are back."

Lucretia couldn't help but hug the woman who had been a mother figure to her for years.

"It's good to see you too. How have things been since I've been gone?"

"They've been uneventful."

"That's good. How has Nathan been?"

"Well. He's currently in the study awaiting you."

"Thank you, Sayoko, could you fetch me some tea? It has been a long flight."

"Of course, Mistress," with that, the Japanese ninja-maid went to retrieve some tea and allowed Lucretia to go on her way to the study and stopping before it to take a moment to collect herself. Once that was done, she opened the ornate wooden doors and stepped into the study, letting the doors close behind her.

There, sitting in a rather expensive leather chair with his legs crossed was a man of the same age as her, eyes lost in the book resting in his lap. Short magenta hair rested upon a head kept in a style close to their father's albeit a bit longer. Amethyst eyes flicked up from the book in his lap to meet their twins for a moment before returning to the book, turning the page.

Acknowledgement exchanged, she took a corresponding leather chair across from him.

"How was Calais," he finally asked.

"Cold," she responded, "but fruitful."

"Oh," the book closed and his attention was fully focused upon her.

"The Malkals are in. It took a bit of persuading, but they eventually agreed to our proposition."

"That's good. Though, it sounds like you aren't happy with something."

She scowled, "Their eldest son has taken a fancy to me. I wouldn't be surprised in the future there won't be the talk of political marriage if this works out."

Nathan hummed before he realized that was exactly the wrong thing to say to her in this situation.

"I'm not some piece of ass to trade Nathaniel," she snarled and he quickly raised his hands up to try and defuse the situation.

"I wasn't humming in agreement Lulu, seriously. I was just saying I see. You know I would never do anything like that. You're an attractive woman, men would be stupid not to fall over one another for you."

She glared at him for a few moments before seeming to accept his statement.

"And women," she added with a smirk

He had to resist the urge to sigh and bury his head in his hands. Sometimes, he wondered if he was actually the older one of the two with how she could act. Maybe Sayoko got them mixed up somehow when they were born.

Then again, it could be she just got the crazy that ran in the family. Could always be that.

"So, any luck in finding him?"

His wan smile disappeared into a frown as he leaned back in the chair, the leather creaking in response to his shift.

"No," he finally admitted, "all I know now is that he's not being held on Damocles. My sources can't tell me anything further."

That seemed to take the wind out of her sails as she mirrored him, losing herself in the chair as they both sat there silently. The very subject they were discussing near and dear to them. Of course any bad news would kill whatever good mood they had been in, considering they had spent the last three years searching.

"So that's it," she finally said, her voice despondent, "isn't it?"

"For now, at least," he admitted, "I know you were hoping that we would be able to find out where he is at before we started, but we both knew it was a long shot. That secret is the most closely guarded thing Schneizel has, he hasn't ruled the world for the last twenty years by being stupid."

That seemed to assuage her despondency as she nodded in agreement with what he was saying.

"So, we're finally ready," she asked.

"Target Alpha is visiting Mt. Fuji tonight."

LotD

Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi could not help but look at the window of his limousine as it drove down the highway towards its destination. The sight of Mount Fuji doing nothing but to drive home the guilt that continuously gnawed away at him at him like a familiar friend. Even today, the scarring from the Battle of Mt. Fuji twenty-six years ago was still as obvious as it was back then. But for him it only reminded him of the moment of triumph turning to ash not twenty-four hours later.

How could he have known what Schneizel had planned for the world? That's all he could say to his detractors. The threat had been Lelouch, not Schneizel.

Now, he wondered, if the world would not have been a better place if Lelouch had been victorious.

Realizing the dark hole he was digging himself into, he sat back in his seat and reached for the glass of absinth that sat in the leather holster, proceeding to skull it back and let the alcohol burn a trail down his throat. Shaking his head, he then proceeded to unscrew the bottle and proceed to refill it.

It was the one thing that kept him sane in this world of insanity. Him, the Prime Minister of Japan, pretty much a puppet who danced upon the strings of Schneizel. It almost earned bitter laughter from him if he wasn't already all out it. He didn't even have Chigusa anymore, Villetta having divorced him and taken the children almost a decade ago. The last thing he had heard, she was now married to some General and living in luxury in Britannia.

The car then came to a stop, drawing his attention to the realization that they had arrived at the gate to the supermax prison facility that had been put in place in Japan for the worst of political prisoners in Asia.

Sighing, he put the bottle away, even though he wished he was inebriated for what was next.

LotD

In the Britannian Empire, there were only a handful of places that were considered the heart and soul of Schneizel's Empire. Of course, there was Damocles, considered impenetrable to all threats, but there were other facilities that received such due diligence, one of them being the Toromo Agency based in Cambodia. It was there that Damocles was constructed, but it was also here, and nowhere else, that the technology to assemble and disassemble the vaunted FLEIJA warheads was housed. No one was allowed within fifty kilometers of the facility without proper identification and authorization, and all personnel were flown in for their shifts and flown out after that. This did not include the army of knightmares and other weapons that protected it.

It was here that another evening was underway for Captain Terence Allster, OSI. As the senior night-shift agent in charge of security, his job was to make sure that the Toromo Agency was safe and secure from all internal threats and he took his job seriously. It wasn't the fact that there hadn't been any attempts at infiltration of the Agency in five years, it was the fact that those that failed their job in the OSI had a tendency of disappearing. Princess Nunnally vi Britannia was not a forgiving boss in the least, but then again, it was expected for Emperor Schneizel's Minister of Internal Security.

Still, there were stories that Terence had heard over the years that painted a light of the right-hand of Schneizel that sent shivers down his spine and made him to never become a "guest" of the Minister under any circumstances.

That was why he was dedicated to protecting the Toromo Agency with all of his being, because failure to do so was something he could not afford to.

So, as he was sitting in the security command center that was the heart of the Agency, his eyes never failed to sweep over all of the monitors as several other agents kept to their job as well, the din of conversation and reports providing the image of a well-oiled machine focused upon security.

"Captain, we have an unscheduled entry into the warhead sector."

Pulling himself away from his vigil, he came up to Sergaent Combs, looking over his shoulder at the display that showed the anomoly.

"Who is it?"

"Doctors Fredericson and Brand."

"Odd. Keyes, you have anything?"

"No sir. No updates posted for Fredericson or Brand."

"Peters and Youst are on patrol there, send them to detain Doctors Fredericson and Brand and bring him in for questioning."

"On it, sir."

And so the orders were passed, only for some reason Allster had this chill running up his spine that there was something inherently wrong with this. This was only served as they watched Fredericson and Brand approach the warhead storage facility, FLEIJAs that were either here to be disassembled after having been in service for too long or FLEIJAs that were ready to be sent to the Damocles. They then stopped at the door as Agents Peters and Youst came up to the two doctors, and it seemed like the situation was going to be resolved and they could get back to work.

Only for the illusion to end as Brand pulled out a gun and shot both of them, his expression not even flickering as he gunned down the two Britannians and then walked up and finished with a single shot to the head on both of them.

"Sound general alarm," Allster declared, immediately grabbing his weapon, "all agents are to converge on the warhead storage site NOW."

He then took off in a run just as Fredericson opened the door and stepped in, Brand following after him.

It took fifteen minutes for Allster to make the run to the warhead storage site, only to find several agents all standing at the door, weapons at the ready as an agent was trying to work on the door panel to get it to open.

"Report," he demanded.

"They disabled the scanner and the override is not working, sir," Agent Sellers said as he worked at the panel, exposed wires and circuitry in his hands as he worked at it, "I'm trying to hotwire it to open. It should take me..right...about...now."

With a spark from the console, the doors opened, and Allster stormed into the room with several agents in tow to find both scientists around...

"Oh God," Allster breathed, realizing that it was a live FLEIJA warhead.

"All Hail vi Britannia," Doctors Fredericson and Brand declared in unison, their eyes ringed in red, before Brand pushed a key on the warhead keypad.

And there was only white.

LotD

"Hey, Ohgi. Good to see ya," Shinichiro Tamaki greeted one of his best buddies in the world.

"Tamaki," came the respondent greeting from the Prime Minister, though it came out more as a grunt. Shinichiro Tamaki was an idiot through and through, but because of his service and the fact that he had remained loyal to Schneizel, Ohgi had to place him somewhere visible, yet not easily fucked up at the same time. That was how Tamaki was placed as a Prison Warden here at Mt. Fuji.

"Want a drink before we start?"

"Sure," that was another reason why Ohgi tolerated the loudmouth, the man knew his drinks and could whip up just about anything with his fully stocked bar.

A minute or so later, Tamaki came back with a blue drink that looked like it would glow in the dark if given the chance.

"So how's my buddy been?"

"Surviving," Ohgi replied bitterly before taking a gulp of the drink, "how's the prison doing."

"Ahhh pretty good, man. Got another thirty prisoners from China the other day, you know, those idiots that want to put the Tianzi back in charge."

He had read about that in a report the other evening. Even though it had been twenty years, there were still people who were loyal to the Tianzi even though she was deposed simply because she was inconvenient to Schneizel's plans with China. As a result, she was placed under house arrest, and with the death of Xingke, there was no likely means that she would be able to retake power again.

"-I mean seriously, why can't they just accept it. It would be a better world if they just stopped trying."

That's what you think, Ohgi thought to himself, but refrained from saying anything. Thoughts like those would place him in the same cell as others, if he was lucky.

"Just take me to Tohdoh, Tamaki," Ohgi said, before skulling off the rest of his drink.

LotD

As Ohgi began his journey to meet with Tohdoh, four unmarked vans were pulling up to the front gate of the prison, surprised by the activity a guard had left his stationed and came walking up to the unannounced visitors. It was as he approached that the window rolled down to reveal a woman in the unmistakeable uniform of the OSI. Gulping slightly in sudden fear, he came to a stop in front of the woman.

"Apologies, ma'am, but we weren't informed of any visits from the OSI."

"It's fine, Sergeant," the woman stated, providing identification and papers, "better to be vigilant than to be caught unaware."

"Thank you, Commander," the man stated back, looking over the papers.

"Our papers are in order."

The Sergaent paused for a moment, his eyes glazing slightly before he nodded, handing them back and signalling for the gate to open, "Your papers look like they are in order."

"Thank you, Sergeant," the woman replied, the window raising up and the four vans going into the prison. What the guards did not see was the woman getting up in the seat and moving into the back to sit by Nathaniel as she took off her hat and starting taking off her clothes. All around her were men and women in full tactical gear who didn't even give any thought to the woman that was one of their leaders stripping amongst them in order to get into her own gear.

"Once we reach alpha point we have twenty minutes," Nathaniel stated knowing his words were being transmitted to the other vans that were also full of soldiers, "internal defenses are minimal outside of the standard maximum security affair. Each of you has an override card that is the key to this prison, but our primary objectives are Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi and the executive prisoners."

He let that hang in the air before meeting the eyes of the men and women who would be beside them as they began their campaign to change the world.

"This is our time," he stated solemnly, "before creation there must be destruction, and we will destroy this false peace beginning right here and now. Exitus Acta Probat."

"Exitus Acta Probat," came the resounding reply from every man and women in the van and on their headsets.

Nathaniel then looked to his sister who had just finished putting on her own gear, sliding several kunai into thigh holsters as she finished the last preparations. Unlike Nathaniel who preferred the comfort of a firearm, Lucretia had never shown any hint of care for such a thing, instead finding herself taken under the wing of Sayoko in becoming her student, taking to the trade like a duck to water. As a result, the Shinozaki School lived on in his sister.

"Two minutes," their driver called out as she checked over her tanto before sliding it back in her sheath. That done, she met his gaze, raising an eyebrow in challenge to his stare.

Offering her a small smile before shaking his head, he closed his eyes, taking a deep cleansing breath before opening them, to reveal a pair of bird-like sigils in his eyes. Suddenly he wasn't in the van on its way to the loading dock to drop its deadly cargo, but was looking up and through walls and people, seeing everything all at once around him. If you asked him how to describe it, he would simply say it was like having a God's eye view of the area, knowing everything that was within his 'vision'.

"Well," his eyes closed to the question and he was back in the van, his sister's voice pulling him back.

"Nothing's changed. Ohgi is with Tohdoh right now, all of the prisoners are exactly where they should be."

She merely nodded, no words necessary.

"You ready for this," he asked, as they felt the van slowing.

"What do you think," she replied with a smirk.

LotD

"Tohdoh."

A pair of eyes opened, one steel grey, the other glassy and Ohgi had to suppress a shudder at the stare. It did not help, even with the liquid courage he had taken before couldn't remove the fact that half of Kyoshiro Tohdoh's face looked like burnt plastic, courtesy of his knightmare being destroyed and his cockpit bloc ejection malfunctioning. As a result he had suffered burns over half his face as a result.

All in the service of a Japan that had traded one tyrant for an even worse one.

"Is if that time again, Kaname" the former Colonel asked, a hint of loathing in his tone even as he maintained his seiza posture.

Ohgi took the moment to look around the cell, if it could be described as that, it was more like a VIP condo with all of the decorations and amenities. There were exceptions to what was allowed, of course, but the executive wing of the prison was meant for those that were too well-known and highly ranked to be given a regular cell, it was also Schneizel's policy to at least make the attempt to bring them to his side, and if not, suitably impress their state by both making them comfortable and highlighting their status.

"It is," Ohgi found himself speaking, pretending they were the only ones in the room, despite his bodyguards behind him, he then withdrew a data slate and placed it down in front of Tohdoh, "what I have here is an official pardon signed by Emperor Schneizel, all that is required is to repudiate your actions and swear allegiance to the His Majesty."

Tohdoh didn't say anything, his level stare unnerving him.

"Furthermore, with his approval, I have an estate where you can retire to for the rest of your life, if you so wish, or you can help me keep the peace."

This brought a snort from Tohdoh, "What peace? The only peace there is is furnished by the sword of Damocles. Tell me Ohgi, when Schneizel dies, to who will that weapon fall to. Do you think the world can survive the transition?"

This time, he couldn't repress a shudder, the very nightmare that had haunted him time and again was put into words before him.

That seemed to satisfy Tohdoh, as his eyes slid shut again.

"My answer remains, as always, the same, Prime Minister. No bribe you could offer could restore the honor I have lost in giving in to your lunacy."

Before Ohgi could angrily retort that they had agreed in that betrayal all those years ago, one of his bodyguards had grabbed his arm.

"Sir, we need to get you to a secure location, NOW."

"What," he was taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere as he watched the other bodyguard busy listening to his earpiece, his sidearm already in hand. Ohgi found himself being dragged out the door out the cell and it being closed behind him

"The prison is under attack by unknown assailants, the prison guards are already being overwhelmed."

"How," that wasn't possible, Mt. Fuji was one of the best defended sites in Japan, there was no way that was possible.

Instead of getting an answer from his bodyguards, the sound of gunfire provided for them the closeness of this threat,

"There is a safe room for guards on this level, isn't there," one of the bodyguards asked Tamaki who was pulled out of his shouting into his radio.

"Yeah, right this way," Tamaki replied, his expression going slack and eyes lighting up with red rings, but no one recognized it as he led them along.

Meanwhile Ohgi found himself looking over his shoulder as he swore the gunfire was getting closer, there was now an explosion to add to the cacophony.

They then came to a stop and Ohgi could not help but notice the bodies of a few guards ahead of them, the blood still seeping onto the steel flooring.

"Those aren't gunshot wounds," Ohgi murmured, even as Tamaki was working at the door console, "and if there are dead guards here then why haven't they..."

"Got it," Tamaki called out, and the door skid open to reveal a black clad woman standing there, immediately guns raised up, ready to f-

"I wouldn't do that, boys," came a silky tone from the woman and Ohgi could not help but feel himself drawn in by the voice, and to a part of his mind that was still functioning became shocked as the guns dropped to the guards sides.

"Tamaki?"

"Yes Mistress," and suddenly there were gunshots, ripping Ohgi from the haze as his bodyguards dropped all around him dead and he found himself turning to look at Tamaki who still held his gun in hand.

"Tamaki?! You're with them?"

However, instead of an answer from Tamaki, he got one in a laugh from the woman.

"Oh, rest assured, Kaname Ohgi, your friend is not a traitor, as much as he is my pet. Unfortunately for him, he has outlived his usefulness. Tamaki, would you be so kind as to end your life."

"Of course, Mistress," without any hesitation, in front of Ohgi, he put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, blood and brain matter erupting from his head as the bullet tore a path through it and out.

"Geass," Ohgi whispered aghast, realizing what he had just witnessed, "Kami above, you have Geass."

"Very astute, now come, join me."

Again that fuzzy feeling fell over him and he found his legs moving on their own volition as he joined the woman in the saferoom.

"It's no fault of your friend that he became my thrall," the woman stated as she allowed herself to sit, as she kept him standing, "all it took was someone to listen to him and offer an understanding ear. After that, it was like taking candy from a baby."

The sound of the door opening behind him caused Ohgi to want to look and see who it was, but could not move no matter how hard he tried, even as he could feel whoever it was getting closer before striding past him to join the woman.

"Twelve minutes," the newcomer said, earning a nod from the woman all, before in unison both took off their helmets, the man turning to look at him and Ohgi choked on his breath.

"N-Naoto? How?"

Then his eyes caught the woman and it clicked, easily recognizing the features that had haunted him for years.

"Kneel," the woman declared, her eyes still glowing in the otherworldly power of Geass and he could not resist as he dropped to his knees before them.

"I knew," he said, finding at least some courage in the face of what he was coming, "that my sins would catch up to me. I just..I never knew-"

"Where is he," the man who looked like his dearly departed friend demanded.

"I don't know. I haven't known since Schneizel took him from here when Pendragon was rebuilt years ago."

Nothing was said between the two before him for a moment, the two exchanging a look and then the woman held out her hand and the man handed her a sidearm.

"Kaname Ohgi, you have failed this world," 'Naoto' stated, pulling his own sidearm and placing it to Ohgi's forehead, the woman doing the same.

"For what it's worth," Ohgi stated, meeting both of their eyes," Let you father know, I'm sorry. Maybe you'd be a big happy family if I hadn't turned on him."

"I don't think he'd give a damn if you are sorry or not," the woman hissed.

In unison, they pulled their respective triggers and Kaname Ohgi knew nothing more.

LotD

For Cornelia li Britannia, the last hour had been nothing but a blur that she was still trying to slow down to process. Two hours ago she had been ensconced in the 'luxury' prison cell that had been her home for over two decades thanks to Schneizel. That was not to say that she hadn't attempted to escape, but it had been futile, no matter what she had attempted, and she had refused to bow to Schneizel and the world he had created had become her only form of resistance.

But now, she looked around the cavern where armed men and women were moving around, orders being barked by some, while others were greeting their returning comrades. Her gaze came to take in who else had been rescued from that prison, taking in the presences of old faces that she hadn't seen in years, many of them her former enemies. It seemed they also were still coming to grips with their sudden newfound change in status.

But the question that begged to be ask was who their 'rescuers' were.

"Your Highness!"

It can't be, she thought to herself in shock, turning to the voice and she could not help herself at the surge of emotion that suddenly threatened to break through her cool composure.

There, standing in a uniform similar to the soldiers that had rescued her, was Gilbert GP Guilford, her former knight of honor.

"Guilford," she breathed, taking him in. The years had not been the kindest to him, he had battled leukemia for years thanks to his exposure to the FLEIJA, and while he still retained some of his handsome features, they were a shadow of what they had been, "You did this?"

It was to her surprise when he shook his head, "I wish I could claim the honor, Your Highness, but the credit lies solely with them," he then pointed, her eyes following the gesture to a quartet who were busy talking over a data slate. The first two were a bit of a surprise being the easily recognizable Jeremiah Gottwald and Anya Alstreim, but the other two had their backs to her as they continued to discuss something, then it stopped as the man with magenta hair suddenly turned to look at her and she could not help but easily recognize the telltale sigils of Geass in his eyes, then with a blink of the eyes they were gone, replaced by brilliant amethyst that could only belong to a member of the Imperial line.

A few moments of locked eye contact between the two and the man said something to the woman who she could only see the back and black hair of before she turned around and had her breath stolen.

"Marianne," she asked, not quite comprehending what she was seeing.

A few more words were exchanged between the two before they strode towards her and she resisted the urge to step back even as she looked between Guilford and them. But soon enough they were before her.

"Hello Aunt Cornelia," the man said.

"Aunt," she asked, looking between the two, her eyes narrowing as she took in their features, before they snapped wide in recognition. She then reached up to her forehead and massaged it, "Of course, he, of all people, would have kids."

LotD

Pendragon, the very heart of the Britannian Empire, had changed relatively little from what it had been before it had been destroyed. In fact, when Schneizel had become Emperor, he had ordered that not only Pendragon be rebuilt, but it would be rebuilt exactly as it had been, with only one exception: Hovering over the Imperial Palace was the true center of the Empire, the Floating Fortress Damocles. While the Imperial Palace was the center of governance, the Damocles served as the throne of the 99th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Schneizel el Britannia.

Now, at fifty-six, Schneizel had changed relatively little from his younger days, his platinum locks giving way to snow white, and the addition of some lines of aging. Other than that, the man still maintained his beauty in defiance of time.

Only right now it was manned by a scowl as he read the report that was placed on his desk before him, his finely honed control fraying at the edges in the face of the news he was reading through.

"How bad," he finally asked, his eyes flicking up to his husband and chief aide, Kanon el Britannia. They had been together through thick and thin in the Empire, ruling as best as they could, but even there were times when both men felt overwhelmed in maintaining the peace, resulting in necessary decisions in order to prevent the peace from breaking.

"Bad. Toromo is, for all intents and purposes, gone."

Violet eyes slid shut as Schneizel felt that control fray yet another tenuous thread. It had been a calculated gamble, keeping the production facilities in the Toromo Agency, but it had been the most loyal of his supporters through the years and he had wanted to contain the ability to produce and deactivate FLEIJAs in one location in order to prevent any warheads from falling into the wrong hands. So much so that he had executed the original designer of the FLEIJA almost immediately after he had ascended to the throne, it had been the most prudent of choices considering Nina Einstein had turned around and developed a countermeasure to the weapon.

"And Dallas?"

"Whoever launched the cyberattack knew exactly what to hit and where to hit it," Kanon replied, "tie in the fire that looks like it was done by overloading one of the cooling fans remoately, and we are looking at the last two decades of research and development gone."

Silence reigned in the room as Schneizel leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he descended into thought. It was obvious what the objective had been, the complete destruction of all data and material relating to the FLEIJA, the Toromo attack, however it had been executed, had wiped out the production facilities, while the cyberattack upon Dallas was to destroy the information relating to it. He had to admit that whoever had done it knew exactly what they were doing, and if he didn't have a copy of the weapon plans housed in the Damocles then they would be in a difficult position. But, even though he still had the plans, it would be months, possibly years before he would be able to put together the production facility for FLEIJA and ensure that it was properly protected from whoever it was that had attacked them.

So, for now, he had forty-three FLEIJAs, and he knew that it was likely that their attacker had to know this as well. It was still an incredible amount of firepower, enough to wipe out every major city in the world, but it was now a finite resource that he simply could not spend haphazardly.

And whoever had done it was likely the same people that had staged the prison break in Mt. Fuji. How that was done had just started to be investigated, but now Japan was back on the board because it no longer had its Prime Minister, well...it no longer had his puppet. Still, Kaname Ohgi had been growing to be more of a nuisance with every year as the man had slowly edged towards being too much of a hassle to continue to let live. Now, at least, he could replace him with ease and no resistance.

The only question now was who had attacked him, who out there was daring to risk his retaliation with FLEIJA. They had to know he would use it, but now they had limited his ability to retaliate in kind.

Who was this new foe who had decided to play chess with him.

He was brought out of his thoughts as Kanon reached up to his ear and tapped it.

"Yes..," he blinked, his jaw dropping slightly, "Yes. Thank you."

"What is it?"

Instead of saying anything, Kanon turned and walked over to the vidscreen, tapping its activation stud.

There, standing in the middle of the screen, with an all-too-familiar flag was a ghost from the past as he stood there and solemnly declared.

"I...am Zero."