I'm back, and with a new story!

Okay, I get it, and I'm sorry I haven't updated my other stories, but I could not get off this. I do, however, promise to upload a new chapter for The Truth Hurts More sometime next week, after the semester exams.

Hehe, please have patience ^.^

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Prelude

(In The Wake Of Destruction)

"To defeat evil, I shall become an even greater evil."

- Lelouch vi Britannia

"I swear, Lelouch..." Suzaku made an oath that day; an oath that would shape the rest of his life. "I swear, so help me, I will, one day, obliterate Japan!"

Lelouch's amethyst eyes were filled with tears and heartache. Still, the pain in his chest lightened slightly at the words of his Japanese friend. Even if Suzaku was a Japanese, just like all the other men who had gunned Britannia down and killed Lelouch's father, the Britannian Emperor, Lelouch was smart enough not to blame Suzaku for his heritage—even if only because making enemies of the son of Japan's Emperor was definitely a stupid idea.

"Sister!" A young boy called out, voice tinged in horror and fear at the sight before him. His precious, beloved younger sister who was already in enough pain lay draped against the cupboard, blood staining her previously pure pink dress. Much to his terror, her once sparkling eyes were glassy and glazed over blankly, forever to remain open in such a lifeless way. Her smile, once full of life and hope, was tainted and had been morphed into a silent, pained yell, and Lelouch could almost hear the call, "Big Brother! Save me!" from her cold, dead lips.

She was dead.

Her skin was deathly pale, differing greatly from her usually fair complexion. Her chest remained still and unmoving, never to rise and fall again, and no breaths exited her lips or nose.

He shook. "N-Nunnally..." The name tumbled from his lips in shock and blankness, the reality of the situation not hitting him yet. "S-sister, no..."

And he snapped.

He realized when he bowed his head and his silky raven hair fell around his face that he was crying. Torrents of tears were running down his face, his amethyst eyes dancing with pain. The boy, a young, innocent Prince of Britannia, roared in rage for all the world to hear, only one word leaving his mouth;

"NUNNALLY!"

In an instant he could see what had happened. His painfully astute eyes caught sight of the terrifying dagger impaling his sister's chest, and he noted with horror the staggering amount of her own blood pooled around her.

Most of all, he noted the terrifyingly familiar and recognisable insignia blooming on the hilt of the offending dagger.

The Japanese.

They killed his sister.

Lelouch scowled.

Even when his father had cowardly sold him and his sister off to Japan after the Divine Empire had declared war against Britannia, he had still had his cheerful, positive little sister he loved more than the world.

His mother had been killed by one of Japan's Emperor's twelve Knights of Honor. The loving mother, Marianne, had cried out and desperately tried to protect her young children when Sir Todoh Kyoushiro the Miracle Worker and Lady Nagisa Chiba stormed into the Imperial Palace and demanded to see the Emperor, claiming that Charles saw them as only a minor threat if he was only willing to give away two relatively worthless children of his.

Marianne had been enraged at Lady Nagisa's words, her fury boiling when the Lady had so coldly called her children worthless. Marianne had fiercely demanded Charles stand up for the quivering Vi Britannia children, and much to everyone's surprise he indulged Marianne's request.

He cancelled the deal and proudly proclaimed that Britannia would not surrender. Afterwards, Nagisa exploded in a fit of anger and the two Knights of Honor left that day with a captured Lelouch and Nunnally, a captive Emperor of Britannia, and a dead Marianne Vi Britannia in their wake.

The two children had cried their eyes out at seeing their mother slain and clung to each other in their desperation. They quickly grew to appreciate and love each other more upon realizing that life was finite. Horrifyingly finite.

The Holy Empire of Britannia fell before its oppressors and the Divine Empire of Japan quickly declared Britannia as theirs and theirs alone, claiming the once proud empire with frightening ease.

The stubborn Emperor of Britannia was never to be seen again and his children all mourned his death—including Lelouch and Nunnally, the former of which swore to avenge Marianne, Charles, and Britannia in itself.

Lelouch had barely kept himself from drowning in his desire for blood and vengeance, the only thing keeping him sane his beloved sister.

And now...

"They started the war," Lelouch growled as his life as he knew it crumbled around him and collapsed. "They killed them, my parents. They even killed Nunnally." His eyes narrowed. "They will pay." The "by my hands," was left unsaid.

Lelouch made to leave, his heart hardened and cold, guarded, but then suddenly stopped. He cast his sister, sprawled and looking agonized, one last glance and scowled a bitter scowl.

"I'm sorry, Nunnally..." The distraught brother murmured. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you. But I promise you, my dear sister, I will avenge you. I'll make sure they regret killing you, for it is the greatest mistake they will ever make. Mark my words as Lelouch Vi Britannia, Japan will feel my wrath and tremble before me."

"Japan will fall."

"Japan will die."

"Suzaku," Lelouch commented emotionlessly, "Tell me, why did Japan conquer Britannia?"

"L-Lelouch..." The Prince and Heir to the Empire of Japan stuttered, eyes wide at Lelouch's cold and calculating demeanor. "W-what? What do you mean?"

The doting brother to a deceased sister smiled coldly, and gazed at Suzaku with dead eyes. "Why did your Empire declare war against Britannia?" Suzaku shuddered at Lelouch's icy voice, but even more so, his heart cried for his friend—cried for the cruel, mirthless smile playing on Lelouch's lips.

"Why did Japan take my sister away from me?" Suzaku was speechless. He had no answer.

Lelouch's plain smile widened. "Suzaku, I thank you." The Japanese boy was even more startled. "I thank you for being Nunnally's friend."

Suzaku remained stiff and unsure for a moment before relaxing into a smile he directed at Lelouch, even while fear festered in his chest—fear of his friend, he realised in horror.

"Go, Suzaku," Lelouch urged even though his heart wrenched, "Fulfill your duty as Prince, and when the time comes..."

"We will come together and destroy Japan, for anything is possible when we are together." Japan's determined Prince finished with a resolute smile that warmed Lelouch's heart, Suzaku's fear fading after a tense moment.

"I am eternally grateful, Suzaku." Lelouch's voice was but a whisper, carried in the winds. The discarded, forgotten Prince exchanged one last glance with his friend before walking off, hoping Suzaku would not let him down.

Okay, that was pretty short, but then again, this is just the prologue. I hope you enjoyed this, and please look out for the next update!

Review, everyone, and tell me what you think!

— sfaye-chan