Lelouch Vi Britannia, 99th Emperor to the Holy Britannian Empire, stood before the Collective sub-conscience of the world. He was no longer dressed in his royal whites, golds, purples, and reds. No, he was, once again, garbed in his Zero Uniform. Hi helmet, his most iconic piece, gone from his head. At his side was a resplendent rapier, it had curving, intricate guards and lines, something one might only see from a master craftsman at the height of his talent. It had a single red gem set in the pommel, with what looked to be a black slit right in the center of the jewel. The odd thing about the jewel, was the darker red marking that seemed to slide behind the slit. If Lelouch ever looked at it close enough, he would notice that it made an oddly formed Geass Sigil within the gem.
He smiled as he looked down upon the world he had saved, after he had destroyed it completely. He thought kindly on the memories of his loved ones, his great inspirations: Nunnally- his sister, Kallen- his Queen, Suzaku- his white knight, the Black Knights- his army, and finally C.C- his partner in all things, his White Witch. Lelouch, with a tear in his eye, watched as the world continued to advance wtihout him. He saw his sister become one of the, if not arguably the best, Empress of the Holy Britannian Empire. He saw her get married to a young man in his early twenties, and how the two begot several children under the Vi Britannia name. He watched as Suzaku found love in several different girls, but outlived every single one. He watched as Kallen and Gino, all-bet reluctantly at first, dated, married, and had several children. Lelouch saw his Nephews and Nieces grow and out live their parents, and how they each married and had children of their own.
In all this time he stood, watching over the world, his sole gift to Humanity. He watched, as the original Zero, and the Demon Emperor of Britannia. He watched, as Lelouch Vi Britannia. He watched, as his family grew, aged, begot more children, and began to explore the stars. He watched his people, his gift of Humanity and a peaceful world, spread across the stars.
"Your children, Lelouch, have done great things," A twinkling voice stated, simply, form behind him. It was beautiful, similar to Nunally's but far softer and melodic in tune. Lelouch, knowing who it was, smiled wanly and turned around.
"It has been many years Collective," Lelouch sighed lightly at the face the collective had chosen this time to use. C.C's face looked on him with pride and warmth; not too unlike the original wearers own when she was alive. "A few thousand years I think it was since you last came and checked on me," Lelouch turned his head back towards the sight of his 'children'.
"Indeed it has, Demon King. How fairs your gift to Humanity?" The Collective asked in a musical tone.
"I know, that you know, how it fairs Collective," Lelouch murmured with a smile. Lelouch looked back at the Collective, and smiled wanly. "You also know that it has been my sole duty, nay, my purpose. To watch over my gift and inform you of any disastrous predicaments that might befall it. You, and I, both know that this is my eternal punishment for what I did to the world, but as it is my own Elysium, it is not a prison either."
"Hmm, a Prison does entail that the one inside is being held against their own will. But, as you came to me of your own doing, after righting everything your family had done to the world … It does seem to be your Eden."
"So, with that all said, Collective Unconscious, what brings you here to my humble abode?" Lelouch smiles beatifically at his only companion in the vast emptiness of the World of C.
"I have come with a Proposition for you, my Demon King. A proposition that should give you a rather interesting venture should you choose to partake in it," The Collective smiled at its only companion, the only being that had had a strong enough will to part itself from the Collective and become whole again.
"Then tell me, Collective Unconscious, what would you have me do?" Lelouch asked with a rather amused face as he swept his arms out and up, as if gesturing to his surroundings. "There is nothing else here for me to do, other than watch my children continue their existance. My sister has passed, my friends have passed, and C.C has finally welcomed death like an old friend. The last to live is Suzaku… Rest his soul, he has endured more than even C.C ever had to. If I had known then, what my power, with enough will, could do… I would have saved Shirley and so many others," Lelouch Grimaced slightly at his one-time loves name. But he smiled at the Collective and sighed.
"What has happened to Suzaku Kururugi is an unfortunate side-effect of his own will to live, and his inability to find closure. Should he seek our embrace, willingly, he will have it,"The Collective stated with finality. The collective unconscious then moved over to stand with Lelouch to look upon the fruit of his labors. The Collective smiled dotingly upon the gift he had given Humanity. It was beautiful and splendid. The Collective did not want Lelouch, its Demon Emperor, its Savior, to bare witness to the travesties that would soon be heaped upon it. Thus, it had come to a brilliant idea.
"We have come to the conclusion, unanimously, that you have proved yourself well and truly unrepentant," The Collective grinned unrepentantly when Lelouch snapped playfully at it. "You have earned a new lease, a new chance, at happiness. You saved one world at the cost of your life and happiness. You sacrificed so much for us, and the world, and became its watcher … You are a true Emperor, even a Demon Emperor. You are one who strives for his people, and even gives his life for them; a self made monster to take on the evil of the world so that your people may be at peace. None have been able to accomplish the same in the millennium that we have existed, many have succeeded, but only you, Lelouch the Daemon Emperor, have succeeded."
"I … thank you for this compliment Collective," Lelouch said with a humbled tone as he bowed before the only Existence he had ever, and will ever, respect and, even love, without question. "But why this gift at a new life? I am perfectly content with my limbo, my eternity, here."
The Collective watched as Lelouch waved his arms about at the nothingness, and fullness, that was the world of C. The Collective smiled warmly at its closest companion, and knew that it had to give this boy, nay this man, more than he had received. Even though suicide was the Collectives most hated form of death, as it spoke of a soul that had given up, The Daemon Emperor had done so in an act of selflessness. Yes, he was selfish to wish himself dead, but he used his death and life to pile the hate of an entire reality upon himself so that he could eradicate it from the world.
"You have done so much Lelouch, it is time that We have done something for you," The Collective said with a happy sad smile. Before Lelouch could even express his desire to stay, the Collective had already placed a hand upon his sternum and imbued him with celestial energy.
In the blink of an eye, Lelouch was gone from the World of C. His very existence, gone, as if he had never been there to begin with. The Collective smiled sadly at the pane that looked into the world of Geass. It saw the thousands of blinding lights that came into existence the moment Lelouch had gone. Millions of lives began to wink out of existence in an instant with each blink of blinding light. The deaths of billions had been caused in mere minutes, and the complete death of humanity only took a year. The intergalactic harvesters, Tyrannus Dominus, or Tyrant Lord, had culled the galaxy of all sentient life, and had moved on in a matter of a single standard year.
"We are sorry Lelouch, we could not have done anything to stop them…," The collective muttered sadly as the sum of some trillion odd number of minds were added to its own. "Forgive us, Lelouch."