Sword of Mirage Cross break the chain of hatred and sorrow

by COLINZBERTRAM

During its mission at Area Eighteen, the Glinda Knight enountered a new player to the world of Code Geass; Order of the Mirage Knight.

Code Geass:

The Sword of Mirage Cross that able to break the chain of hatred and sorrow.

Chapter 1: Order of the Mirage Knight

Marrybell mel Britannia, the Britannian Imperial Princess of 88th in line to the throne of Holy Empire of Britannia as well as founder and leader of anti-terrorism organization Glinda Knight within the Britannian regular military, is feeling confuse and it is actually the first time for her to question her believe when looking at the so-called war zone at the bridge of Caerleon III class Air Battleship Grandberry; the mothership and mobile base of Glinda Knight.

Originally, Glinda Knight is supposed to assist the Viceroy of Area Eighteen, once known as Middle-East Federation, to suppress and eliminated the terrorist group known as Desert Dawn; a resistance group fought and aimed for the freedom of its people after the Middle-East Federation is conquered by the Holy Empire of Britannia. However, Desert Dawn is being labeled as a resistance group to Britannia from the international point of view because unlike its terrorist counterpart, its members and operations never targeted civilians no matter they are Britannian or Honorable Britannian ( civilian whose chose to accept the rule from the Holy Empire of Britannia ) but instead, only the military targets of Britannia is being targeted so far.

However, when the knightmare frames lead by Head Knight Oldrin Zevon ( Noble, call sign Glinda Knight 1 ), her childhood friends whose attended to military academy together, in her personal knightmare frame Z-01/T Lancelot Grail, followed by Knight Leonhardt Steiner ( Noble, call sign Glinda Knight 2 )'s RZX-3F7 Bradford, Knight Tink Rockheart's RZX-6DD Zetland ( call sign Glinda Knight 3 ), Knight Sokia Scerpa ( call sign Glinda Knight 4 ) and Knight Marika Soresi ( call sign Glinda Knight 5 ) in their RPI-212G Vincent Glinda; Oldrin reported to Marrybell the suppose base of Desert Dawn is nothing more than an undefended town of unarmed civilians!

"Glinda Knight 1 to Grandberry, we are in position and above the target area", Oldrin reported to Marrybell when the five knightmare frames are above the town in the sky. "No finding of defense weapons as well as armed units, only unarmed civilians and most of them are women and children. I repeat there is no military unit that able to become a threat to our forces. Is it really the base of Desert Dawn as the intelligence suggested?"

"Open the communication link to the Viceroy, I needed to speak with him directly", Marrybell spoke to the communication officer abroad the Grandberry after she received the report from her personal knight. "Viceroy, it seemed that the information from the intelligence of yours had error when my knights found the armed base of Desert Dawn is nothing but an undefended town with unarmed civilians. I believe the operation is no longer necessary."

"It doesn't matter to us, since the numbers in the town are not submitted themselves to the rule of the empire and they are going to be the sample to other numbers what is going to happen to them if they are not willing to submit to the rule of the empire", the Viceroy replied. As a high rank noble who held the empire's traditional believe of power ruled over the weaklings, he doesn't really care about the fates and lives of those lowly numbers. "The operation is going to launch as we speak and the forces of mine is going to wipe out the entire town! By the end of the operation, not a single child from these numbers is going to live!"

"You can't be seriously, Viceroy!" Marrybell narrowed her eyes. "They maybe numbers but they are still not terrorists or soldiers; most of them in the town are women and children!"

"But they are still numbers and as long as they are not willing to submit themselves to the rule of empire and these lowly numbers had no right to live if they don't serve the need of the Holy Empire of Britannia", the Viceroy replied. "Besides, your highness, how can you tell the difference between civilians and terrorists?"

Marrybell is speechless when the Viceroy's staffs are given the order for the Britannia forces to launch and began the operation. "As the Viceroy of Area Eighteen, it is my duties to serve the empire by wipe out these lowly numbers so that no one is going to oppose the rule of the empire. Your highness, please stay aside and let my forces to eliminate those numbers; since the fact is I am being entrusted the rule of this area on behalf of the emperor's will. All Hail Britannia!"

After his statement, the image of Viceroy disappeared from the view screen and Marrybell saw the operation had started and the Britannia forces advanced to the town, slaughtering the undefended civilians of women and children whatever they could fight. In fact, it is no long a battle but nothing worse than a massacre to civilians; an act of war crime!

For Oldrin Zevon, she found that the situation in front of her is nothing but a conflicted between her aristocratic belief that "the people should be protected" and her duty of suppressing terrorism caused by those very people. In fact, even Marika Soresi, the most soldier-like member in Glinda Knight, believe that the situation is going a little bit too far even in her own standard.

"Your highness, we need to do something", Oldrin spoke to Marrybell from her Lancelot Grail. "Our forces are slaughtering undefended civilians as we speak and we can't let them continue to do something like these..."

In the bridge of Grandberry, Marrybell is in fact, feeling sick when she saw a squadron of Glasgow ( fourth generation knightmare frame ) gunned down a group of women and children with their rifles in cold blood. In fact, she started to question herself is it really the correct path to do for the benefits of the empire by sacrificed the lives of others when the Britannia never seemed them as human but lowly living creatures. Unfortunately, there is no way for her to order the Glinda Knight to attack the friendly forces; no matter it is what inside of her actually want to do: to order the Glinda Knight to defend and protected those who is powerless to protect themselves in the town when it is being burnt by the Britannia forces to the ash just in front of her! However, as long as the existence known as Marrybell mel Britannia is no one else but an Imperial Princess from the Holy Empire of Britannia, there is nothing she could do about the condition in front of her as long as those people are just numbers and being subjected to the empire!

( BGM: We are Celestial Being from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 OST )

In the battlefield, the Britannia knightmare frames consist of Glasgow and Sutherland ( fifth generation knightmare frame ) continued their seemed-to-be unstoppable advanced and gunned down any people they could find in the town, suddenly an unknown knightmare frame in white armor advent from the sky from nowhere and started to eliminate the Glasgow and Sutherland on its path when the blade of its right forearm rotated from its storage position and cut a number of Glasgow and Sutherland in half before the Britainnian pilots could react. After that, the newly appearance unknown knightmare frame used the beam CIWS ( Close-in Weapon System ) in its head and shoulders to unleash hell on the VTOLs supporting the ground troops, shredding them in pieces before it used the blade again to bisect the tanks like a hot knife through warm butter; followed by the CIWS again to wipe out all the troops in its range. After all the targets are neutralized, it flew into the sky again and joined by its companions before moving to the other sector of the war zone.

"Your highness, the signal of Gamma Squadron is lost, followed by Beta Squadron", Elisia Malcoa. Tactical Operator of Glinda Knight reported to Marrybell from her station. "Due to this, the Viceroy has requested the Glinda Knight to investigate the situation from his G-1 Mobile Base!"

"Inform Knight Zevon and the Glinda Knight to investigate", Marrybell replied and given her order to Toto Thompson, the KMF Operator of Glinda Knight. "At least it is better than to stay aside and see the slaughter when there is nothing we can do in here…"

"Yes, your highness!" Toto replied and gave the new mission to her companions at the forefront.

Being led by Oldrin, the Glinda Knight consists of five kightmare frames are on their ways to the last known location of Beta Squadron. However, before they could arrive to the said location, they have received an emergency communication from Delta Squadron.

"Mayday….Mayday….Mayday….this is Delta Squadron to any friendly forces nearby, we had encountered unknown knightmare frames and requests immediately support….I repeated, we have encountered unknown knightmare frame and requests immediately support…."

( BGM: Fight! From Super Robot War Z2 World Reborn OST )

As the Glinda Knight changed their course and arrived to the location of Delta Team, Oldrin and her companions found that the last remaining Sutherland had been eliminated and cut into two pieces by an unknown knightmare frame when the rest of the Delta Squadron consist of knightmare frames, tanks, VTOLs and ground troops had already been wipe out. Before Oldrin's Lancelot Grail could touch down on the ground, the unknown knightmare frame advanced toward her position when her opponent's knightmare frame did not have the float system. Instead, unknown green particles are released from its back when the blade of its right forearm directly strikes to the Lancelot Grail! Oldrin immediately took out the MVS swords of Lancelot Grail and countered the offense from the unknown knightmare frame when the blade from the unknown knightmare frame and the MVS swords of Lancelot Grail crushed to each other.

"Oldrin!" Sokia immediately intended to support her friend when her Vincent Glinda advanced but is intercepted by a high energy beam which almost hit her knightmare frame. "What's the hell…"

Before Sokia could finish her words, the members of Glinda Knight found that four unknown knightmare frames appeared, advanced and intercepted them. Like the unknown knightmare frame that currently engaged the Lancelot Grail in violence battle, the four unknown knightmare frames are also in white armor and did not have the float system. Instead, unknown green particles released from and two pairs of wings attached to their back when the upper pair of wings is about one third the sizes of the lower pair of wings. Although all of the unknown knightmare frames seemed-to-be based on the same model, their weapons are clearly customized for their pilots in order to maximum the combat effectiveness during their engagement with their opponents.

"It is crazy", Leonhardt cursed to himself when his RZX-3F7 Bradford, the experimental transformable seventh generation knightmare frame continued the high speed and mobility dog fight with one of the unknown knightmare frames in the air. "What kind of speed is that?!"

In fact, the ZX-3F7 Bradford in its transformable jet-fighter mode, also known as Fortress Mode, is highly mobile to that point that its even outran the jet-fighter and Z-01 Lancelot in terms of speed and mobility. However, Leonhardt found that his opponent is fast and mobility enough to match the Bradford in Fortress Mode when both of them are shooting to each! Leonhardt fired the Linear Cannons of Bradford when his opponents used the beam CIWS to counter and his opponent used the beam rifle of its knightmare frame to counter his offense. He transformed the Bradford from its Fortress Mode to Knightmare Mode and intended to hit his target with "Hadron Spear", which is activated by the Bradford firing and combining its Megiddo Harkens, which gathers a sphere of energy in the space between the Harkens and then fires it as a straight Hadron beam that extends far.

Unfortunately, his opponent is able to foreseen his action and prevented itself from directly hit by the straight Hadron beam. In return, his opponent fired a number of photonic missiles from its upper pair of wings to Leonhardt followed by several shot from its bean rifle.

Inside the cockpit of the unknown knightmare frames in white armor, Knight Princess Misa S Valkyria looked at her opponent when spoke to herself. As an elite member of Strike Witches ( the most powerful knights in the Order of Mirage Knight could offer and the counterpart of Holy Empire of Britannia's Knight of the Round and Order of Black Knight's Zero Squadron ), Misa is an experience and skillful knight and able to suppress her opponent even without using the maximum combat abilities of the GN-010L LED Mirage, the flag knightmare frame from the Order of the Mirage Knight, when she replaced the rifle with the beam saber and advanced to her opponent!

"So this is the experimental transformable seventh generation knightmare frame from Project Camelot that is going to ultimately resulted as the eighth knightmare frame to the members of Knight of the Round to the Holy Empire of Britainnia; as expected it is fast and highly mobility when compare to regular sixth generation kightmare frame Gloucester or even the experimental seven generation knightmare frame Lancelot or Vincent…..However, you are never good enough to defeat me in such an experimental knightmare frames, Knight of Britannia!"

On the other hand, Tink fired the Mega Hadron Launcher ( stored in two components on shoulders before "unfolding" and merging together to form the Launcher ) of his RZX-6DD Zetland to his opponent but the unknown knightmare frame easily got away for his assault and in return, fired its Mega Beam Launcher to Zetland when Tink barely prevented himself from getting killed. He fired the all-Range Bomber but his opponent fired its photonic missiles from the upper pair of its wings at the same time, resulted as the firestorm surrounded both knightmare frames.

"I thought the firepower of Zetlandis is overkill", Tink cursed to himself. "And see what have I gotten myself into, another monster armed with a big gun and shooting at me?!"

Meanwhile, Knight Princess Hanuka S Valkyria is looking at her opponent as well. As a member of Strike Witches like Misa, she clearly realized that whatever the official production variant of this experimental knightmate frame is going to be a high level threat in the battlefield because of its power of destruction of its Hadron Cannon.

"Well, I guess I leave the thinking to his Excellency and the others, since I am not the one who good at something like this", Hanuka spoke to herself. "Since shooting at each other are completely useless and wasting our time and energy as we speak, should we fight in a difference way…."

After her challenge, Hanuka's attached the Mega Beam Launcher to the back of her knightmare frames between the two pair of wings behind its head and put out a massive broadsword and held it in its front.

"Are you ready for the round two, Knight of Britannia!"

As Hanuka advanced, Tink found that instead of fighting against a longer range knightmare frame as his believe to be, he realized that he is actually facing a high maneuver and close quarter combat knightmare frame when it is armed with a deadly weapon; a giant claymore that almost had the same height of a knightmare frame…..he had to think fast if Tink want to prevent the same ultimate fate his unfortunate companions.

As the original test pilot for ZX-3F7 Bradford, Marika Soresi is performing well in her newly assigned RPI-212G Vincent Glinda after she is willing to entrust the Bradford to her fiancée Leonhardt; although she immediately realized the Vincent Glinda is underpowered when fighting against these unknown knightmare frames in white armor when the opponents are faster in speed and more mobility than the seventh generation mass production Britannia's knightmare frames. However, she had enough when she is continuing shot by her opponent using long range sniper as well as hit-and-run techniques.

"Come back your coward!" Marika shouted in the public communication link when both sides could be heard. "Fight me like a knight instead of running away!"

"So you are challenge me for a fight, is it what you are desired; Knight of Britannia?" Knight Princess Mikako S Valkyria spoke to herself when she put the sniper beam rifle in her knightmare frame's back and replaced it with the beam saber. "You want a sword fight and you get what you want! Let's dance, should we; since I am tired for wasting my time like this as well?!"

"Get out of my way", Sokia Scerpa tried her best to rush to her friend's rescue when she clearly realized that Oldrin is being overpowered by her opponent, both in piloting skills and knightmare frame's abilities. Armed with the MVS sword in the both hand of her Vincent Glinda, Sokia intended to crush her opponent when the MVS sword are being blocked by the beam lance; to be actually, a barrier surrounded her opponent's knightmare frame in green light particles!

"I can't let you pass", Sokia could hear the calm and composed voice from her opponent. "It is a duel between his Excellency and Knight Zevon and no one is going to intervene, even the emperor of the Britannia!"

Being pushed back by her opponent, Sokia saw the unknown knightmare frame in white armor pointed its lance toward her Vincent Glinda and prepared to advance when a voice of strong resolve could be heard from her opponent at the same time.

"I am Knight Princess Marie S Valkyria, the War Maiden titled by his Excellency under the Oath as one of his Strike Witches; we are his sword and shield to enforce his will, no matter what is stand ahead of us!"

Back to the battle between Oldrin and the unknown knightmare frame…

"I never believe the Glinda Knight is fallen so dishonorable to the point that your princess is actually allow innocent and undefended people being slaughter in her sight", the pilot of the unknown knightmare frame spoke to Oldrin through the public communication network when everyone in the battlefield could hear his words clearly; included Marrybell and the Viceroy of Area Eighteen. "The Glinda Knight is supposed to be an anti-terrorism organization in Britannia military and you are supposed to be the knights to protect the smiling faces of those people at the time their needed! I am really…really disappointed to you Knight Zevon and your princess as well, since originally I still have a little faith for the Holy Empire of Britannia to change from within…."

"Just who are you", Oldrin countered angrily when she heard her opponent is insulting her princess and childhood friend. However, she is actually fighting for her life at the same time when she clearly realized her opponent had the upper hand over her; no matter is his piloting skill, actual combat experience or the abilities of his knightmare frame.

"My identity isn't important", her opponent replied in his calm and composed voice. "But what is important ahead of us is that there is no way to regret our actions from the past but to move forward, Princess Marrybell mel Britannia! Your father and the emperor aimed for the glory from the past which resulted as the currently status of the Holy Empire of Britannia. The Viceroy of Area Eighteen and a number of the Britannian high rank nobles aimed for the present glory and like to keep it unchanged so the Britannia can continue to do whatever it's like to the others but I am looking forward the future - the future of the world when people could understand each other through mutual understanding and thus, create at least a better and gentler world than the current one for those I hold dear and value beyond my own life for their wellbeing!"

Before Marrybell and others from the Grandberry could recover from the statement from the unknown pilot of his knightmare frames, Elisia updated the tactical situation to her when her voice showed that she is totally being caught in surprise.

"Your Highness, sensor shows that there are…..my goddess…a lot of air warship signatures had been detected by the sensor! IFF showed that these ships are clearly not from Britannia!"

"Just how many of them?" General Johann Schwarzer ( Earl ) Tactical Adviser of Marrybell gave the instruction when the view screen in front of the bridge crews showed that not a few, not ten but hundreds of air warships of all kinds appeared from nowhere but currently over the sky of war zone when thousands of difference types of knightmare frames are launching from those ships and adverted to the battlefield!

( BGM: Army of the King from Fate Zero OST )

Among those air warships, Marrybell could saw a large number of vessels similar to the Caerleon III class Air Battleship Grandberry when there are larger vessels in the fleet formation. Besides Caerleon III class Air Battleship, the larger vessels included a number of Hiryu Kai class Floating Battleships, the Liberator class Floating Battleships ( base on the design of Unified Earth Space Force's Battleship from Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture – Prince of Darkness ), the Utopia class Knightmare Frame Super Carrier ( based on the design of Unified Earth Space Force's Carrier from Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture – Prince of Darkness ).

"To all the air warships under the name of Order of Mirage Knight", Knight Princess Beta F Valkyria, another member of Strike Witches, given the order to the air armada on behalf of his Excellency from the flagship Infinitia ( Infinitia class Air Flagship Prototype base on the design of Nadesico class High Mobility Battleship Nadesico B ). "All weapons free and target the Britannia forces. Under our Oath to his Excellency and to the emblem of Order of the Mirage Knight, destroy all Britannia forces because they have to pay for the crimes they have committed!"

"Knight Princess Alpha F Valkyria to all member of Mirage Knight, all knightmare frames are going to launch and eliminate the Britannia forces in the war zone so that they are no longer a threat to the civilians", As the leader of Strike Witches, Alpha is responsible for knightmare frames field command operation on behalf of the leader of Mirage Knight when Beta is responsible for the fleet command so that the leader of Mirage Knight could do whatever he believe is necessary during the battle when he is currently fighting against the Glinda Knight with a number of Strike Witches. "Knight Princess Saeko Amagi, eliminate those Britannian's knightmare frames with float system and Knight Princess Ayumi T Valkyria, assist our marine corps to secure landing points for our ground forces and other support units!"

"Please leave the sky to me", Saeko Amagi replied when her GN-010L LED Mirage advanced to the Britannia's air forces when supported by the massive armada behind her when a large number of KMM-10 Berlin is following her leaded.

For the knightmare frames launched from their mother ships with their float units and currently hammering the Britannian forces in every sector in the battlefield, their models are consist of KMM-09 Gernsback ( Base on the design of M-9 AS from Full Metal Panic, Type D for Commander Unit and Type E for Regular Unit ), KMM-10 Berlin ( Counterpart of RPI-212B Vincent Ward from Britannia forces ) and KMM-96M Jesta ( Base on the design of RGM-96X Jesta from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn ).

"So it's time for Britainnian's hunting!" Ayumi replied playfully when she leaded the knightmare frames from Marine Corps and ground force forced their landing in the war zone. A number of Glasgow and Sutherland from the Britannia forces intended to shot her down when they are ultimately destroyed by her GN-010L LED Mirage's beam rifle before her companions in other mass production model knightmare frames could fire at their enemies.

Followed by the overwhelming number of unknown knightmare frames that able to forced their ways from the sky to the ground and set up several landing points in the town, landing pods and assault transports started to advert from the sky under the firepower support from the armada and once their successfully touched down to the ground, main battle tanks, APCs ( Armor Personal Carriers ) and infantries inside them advanced to the battlefield and eliminated the remaining Britiainnia forces that able to survive from the knightmare frames assault as well as provided the civilians the protection their needed.

"Go! Go! Go!", said the Knight Commander of the infantry regiment of the Mirage Knight to his companions. "We needed to setup the bases of operations for the medical and other support units. Get those hostile Britannians out of the sight of our lord!"

As a number of sectors in the war zone had been secured by the military personnel of the Mirage Knight, the members of medical and support units arrived to the burning town from their transports. For the medical units, they are led by Knight Princess Yuri M Valkyria; also a member of Strike Witches and the chief medical officer of Mirage Knight.

"We needed to hurry to see how many lives we can rescue start from this moment", Yuri spoke to her companions when an injured little girl from the town is being carried by an infantry when he is running in his best speed. Like her companions in the medical division, Yuri wore a white overcoat above her uniform. "Like our companions that are doing whatever they can to end the madness ahead of us, we have our own battle and we have to do our best and whatever we can to win! It is because it is our duties and responsible to save lives!"

"Yes, your highness!" Her companions saluted to her before they went to their stations when more injured persons are being transported to the field hospital, included the members of Mirage Knight, the local population in the town and even Britannia soldiers who are captured and needed medical treatment.

( BGM: On the Battlefield from Fate Zero OST )

"This is….really bad indeed", General Johann Schwarzer ( Earl ) spoke to Marrybell when tactical view screen showed that the newly appeared enemy continued to wipe out the Britannian forces on the ground with their overwhelming number when the imperial air forces consist of air warships, jet fighters and knightmare frames with float system are being destroyed by the unknown armada with its supreme firepower. In fact, a number of Britannia's air warships had been destroyed by the enemies and their crews are forced to abandon their ships before they burnt to the ground. "So far the only good thing is the enemy only focused at our main host and has no intention to target us yet!"

Meanwhile, one of the Personal Guards of the Viceroy intended to eliminate the unknown knightmare frame fighting against the Lancelot Grail in close quarter combat. His Gloucester with float system aimed its long range rifle and fire, only resulted as damage the float system of Oldrin's knightmare frame when the Lancelot Grail is helplessly fell to the ground from the sky. Before the impact to the ground could kill her, a highly customize KMM-09 Gernsback Type D with float system and the so-called tool-box ( Multiple Weapon Assault Pack ) attached to its right arm caught the fallen Lancelot Grail before it hit the ground in the air

"Oz to Grandberry, I have recovered the damage knightmare frame of your knight from the friendly fire and I am going to return her unharmed to you", Oprheus Zevon spoke to the communication officer of the Glinda Knights's flagship without showing his face in the view screen. "It is the only act of kindness that I am going to offer but the next time we meet each other in the battlefield, we are going to be enemy with no exception!"

He left the Grandberry immediately after he put the damage Lancelot Grail at the air warship and returned to the battlefield ahead of him.

At the same time the Lancelot Grail is shot down by friendly fire, the members of Glinda Knight are able to break off from their engagement from their opponents and returned to Grandberry for resupply.

However, the fact clearly showed that they are able to retreat because the leader of their enemy ordered his companions to allow them to escape this time!

"Please fix the float system or replace it immediately, Technical Adviser Derra", Oldrin spoke to Domenitino Derra (Viscount) after she left the cockpit of Lancelot Grail. "I need to go out again…..it is something I have to do at this moment!"

Nevertheless, Oldrin still cannot forget the one who share the same face as her; someone had been abandoned by House Zevon for unknown reason and currently become one of the most dangerous enemies who is willing to do anything to bring the empire into the ash!

Unfortunately, even at the current situation, the Viceroy of Area Eighteen refused to retreat and ordered the Britannia forces to fight to their death for a battle that he had no choice to win! However, before Marrybell could order him to retreat under her authority as an Imperial Princess, a powerful hyper energy beam appeared from nowhere and destroyed the bridge of the G-1 Mobile Base, killing the Viceroy and all his staffs at the same time. From her bridge crews, Marrybell realized that the assault is fired from an unknown Caerleon III class Air Battleship in white armor, later known as Fantasma; the highly customize Caerleon III class Air Battleship with advanced cloaking capabilities included the experimental the Mirage Colloid stealth system that renders the entire vessel invisible to both sensors and the naked eye.

"It makes three G-1 Mobile Base kills so far", Knight Princess Miyuki S Valkyria spoke to herself in the command position of the bridge in Fantasma. As the last member of Strike Witches, Miyuki is not considered the best knightmare frame pilot from the group but her special ability allowed her to control the entire air warship by her own; even without any crews abroad. Due to this, instead of piloting a knightmare frame, she is being entrusted the command of Fantasma; an autonomous operational warships from the Mirage Knight and served as one of its eyes before the fleet moved in the war zone for the fleet operations. "First the Penal Colonies at Australia, followed by the Shinjuku Ghetto in Japan and now the one in the Middle-East, I wonder what our target is next time."

Miyuki thought to herself when looked at the view screen besides her; it showed the blueprint of Project WYVERN; the sister vessel of Fantasma that is going to be entrusted to a friend of his Excellency in term of his good will.

"Your highness, we lost the signal of G-1 Mobile Base and we can no longer communicate with the Viceroy as well as the ground forces", the communication officer spoke to Marrybell from her station. "Furthermore, the commander of our air battle group request instruction from your highness for further actions, since he cannot communicate with the Viceroy as well."

"Your highness, please retreat to our base in Area Eighteen immediately before the enemy put its attention to us", General Schwarzer spoke to Marrybell seriously. "Because the enemy appeared too fast in their overwhelming number, we are being caught in total surprise and there is little we can do about the situation ahead of us. We should retreat from the war zone when the enemy still put its focus on the main host of our forces. Once we able to return to the base, we can call for the reinforcement from the mainland and secure the safety of Area Eighteen forefront from the unknown enemy…."

"General Schwarzer, you are telling me to escape when our forces out there are still fighting for their lives", Marrybell replied in her cold and dangerous voice. "As a member from the royal family, you know that it is never something I can do no matter under what kind of situation!"

"But your highness, there are hundreds of air warships out there; not to mention those unknown knightmare frames when together, the enemy is tearing whatever forces we have in the war zone apart as we speak! There is no way we can…."

"Communication officer, inform the reserve air fleet and knightmare frame squadrons to launch", Marrybell had hardened her resolve and given her instruction to her companions. "Knight Eria Kusheshskaya, move the Grandberry forward as the lead ship of our armada and start from this moment, I – Imperial Princess Marrybell mel Britannia, 88th in line to the throne of the Holy Empire of Britannia, is going to officially take over the command of the battlefield!"

"Yes, your highness", Eria Kusheshskaya ( the Interior Ship Operator ) replied from her helm station when the Grandberry is moving forward and leading the reserve force consist of two Caerleon III class Air Battleships, eight Caerleon II class Air Cruisers and twenty Caerleon I class Air Destroyers towards the battlefield.

"Your Highness, what you are doing is nothing but suicide", General Schwarzer tried his best in order to prevent Marrybell from got herself killed. "There is no way we can defeat the enemy ahead of us!"

"I have no intention to defeat the enemy ahead of us, General Schwarzer", Marrybell held the sword in its sheathe with her both arm. "What I am going to do is to rescue as many soldiers as possible from the battlefield."

"But the number of the enemy is completely over us….."

"However, there are too many sectors for them to secure for their non-combat personnel after they had touched down to the town. Due to this, here", Marrybell used the sheathe of her sword to point to a sector from the tactical view screen which Elisia activated under her command. "Our air fleet is going to make our stand in here in order to buy the require time for our ground forces to retreat to safety location when the air fleet retreated from forefront can join us as well. Once the ground forces are able to retreat to safety location without being bombarded by the enemy air fleet, we are going to retreat as well."

"But still there is no way the enemy is going to allow us to retreat successfully", General Schwarzer countered.

"My plan is actually depended on how many air warships the enemy is going to dispatch after us when it's primary objective, make no mistakes, is to protect the town and its civilians in the first place", Marrybell replied with a bitter smile on her smile. "It is too late to regret what had we done to the people in the town but still, I have to do whatever I can to save the lives of our men and women; it is what a member of royal family had to do at this moment!"

"Communication Officer, open the communication link to our forces and give my order to them at the same time!" Marrybell spoke to the communication officer after the Britannia reserve forces reached their destination.

"Yes, your highness! All system ready and you can speak to the forces at any time you want!" The communication Officer replied in her station.

( BGM: All Hail Britannia! From Code Geass OST )

"Hear me, brave and glory knights of Britannia, I am the Imperial Princess of 88th in line to the throne of the Holy Empire of Britannia; leader of anti-terrorism organization Glinda Knight Marrybell mel Britannia", the image and voice of Marrybell could be saw and heard by all the Britannia soldiers in the battlefield; no matter they are serving abroad the air warships, piloting knightmare frame or just an infantry on the ground. "The unknown enemy ahead of us is powerful in strength and has the overwhelming number against us; however, there is no way for us to give up the hope of survival and the royal family of the empire NEVER abandon all of you and this is the reason for me to stand in here! Start from this moment I am taking over the command of the battlefield from the Viceroy; all remaining forces are going to gather at the location I have chosen when the ground forces is going to retreat to the safety location when the air forces is going to hold off the enemy's offense. The air forces under my command will retreat once the ground forces are able to reach the safety locations. Under the name of the Holy Empire of Britannia, I stand here with all of you and I will not leave until I can ensure all of you are able to retreat from the war zone safety! We may lose this battle but as long as we live, we can come back and fight for another day; the empire is never going to be defeat, no in the past, not in the present or even the future!"

After her speech, Marrybell pushed out her sword from its sheathe, raise it to the sky before point the sword ahead of her. "I handover the field command to Head Knight; Glinda Knight Launch!"

"Yes, your highness", Oldrin replied when she returned to the battlefield in her Lancelot Grail after the damage float system is replaced, followed by the other members of Glinda Knight in their knightmare frames.

"All Hail Britannia!"

"Glory to her highness Marrybell mel Britannia!"

"All Hail the Holy Empire of Britannia!"

"Long live the Holy Empire of Britannia!"

Abroad the Infinitia, flagship of the Mirage Knight, Beta is looking at the tactical view screen in front of her when a smile appeared on her face.

"Not bad at all", Beta spoke to herself when the fact clearly showed that compare to the previous battle, the Britannia forces are more organized and in better defense position when the imperial princess took over the command from the Viceroy who seemed-to-be dead after the bridge of his G-1 Mobile Base is directly destroyed by Miyuki. The ground forces are continued to retreat from the battlefield when the remaining air forces of the Britannia combine their strength with their imperial princess's reserve force to protect the sky and to ensure the ground forces are able to retreat successfully from the battlefield. "No bad for someone with the record of good at commanding small scale anti-terrorism operation but not the fleet command in large scale engagement. However, the reality showed that there is little you can do about the situation, imperial princess from the Britannia."

After her words, Beta given several instructions to her staffs who are sitting next to the three dimensional tactical projector behind her in two lines and the rest of the fleet of Mirage Knight when more and more air warships joined the offense and fired their weapons to the formation of Britannia armada!

"Commodore, the enemy had increase the number of warships from all direction", the aide spoke to his command officer who is the acting commander of the air fleet when the original flagship of the fleet, Carrleon III class Float Battleship the HMS Caerleon III (BBAF-3001) had been destroyed by the overwhelming firepower from the enemy fleet. He is currently doing whatever he could to assist her highness abroad the Carrleon II class Float Cruiser HMS Chester II (CCAF-3013) when it is not his original ship. It is because his original ship the HMS Norfolk (BBAF-3017) had suffered critical damage during the previous engagement to the point that he is forced to abandon his ship before it burnt to the desert ground. "We have just lost HMS Denver II (CCAF-3008) and HMS Kent II (CCAF-3004), followed by…."

"Enough Lieutenant Commander", the Commodore replied. "Bring us ahead of Grandberry, there is no way we are going to allow the enemy to sink her highness ship!"

"So whoever commands the air warships on behalf of the imperial princess decide to focus on defense by tightened the fleet formation, not a bad move under the current situation but still resistance is futile", Beta spoke to herself and stood up from her position in order to give out the next few command that is going to completely wipe out whatever the Britannia air armada can be offered; included the flagship of their imperial princess. "It's time to end the battle…."

However, her next move is intervening by someone who appeared from a view screen in from of her. Beta immediately bowed to the said person when her right hand held in front of her.

"Your Excellency, what is the will of yours for us to carry out?"

After she heard the instruction from the founder and leader of Mirage Knight, Beta obeyed and carried out his will instead of her own; although Beta believe that such decision is nothing but beyond logic for most people to understand.

"Inform the rest of the fleet and Knight Princess Alpha F Valkyria, we are no longer necessary to after whatever left from the Britannia forces", Beta spoke to her staffs. "Our primary objective is to secure the town and rescue its population, recalled our forces to accomplish the primary objective and leave the rest to his Excellency to handle!"

"Your highness, we needed to retreat now", General Schwarzer warned. "The number of enemy warships is increasing as we speak and it is going to cut off our escape route…."

"If we retreat now our troops on the ground are going to become nothing but the best targets for enemy", Marrybell countered angrily. "I have promised my people that I am never going to abandon them and I am going to keep my promise anyway….even I have to pay for my life to ensure their survival!"

"Your highness", General Schwarzer is speechless after hearing the words from her.

"I have to apology to all of you, members of Glinda Knight, to get us in the current situation", Marrybell spoke to everyone aboard the Grandberry as well as her knights currently fighting outside the air warship. "However, I have no intention to give up my life in here; since all of us still have a long way to go and a lot of things to do!"

"Of course, your highness", Oldrin replied on behalf of the members of Glinda Knight. "We have entrusted our lives and fates into your hand and served as your swords and shields when you act on behalf for the welling of the empire and its people; it is the path we never regret no matter what is going to happen!"

"Thank you, everyone!"

"Your highness, the enemy….the enemy is retreating and no longer attacked our forces on the ground when its air warships are retreating as well; they are no longer shooting at us", Elisia reported her finding to Marrybell from her station. At the same time, Oldrin and her companions also found that their opponents had broken off their engagement and returned to their motherships or touched down in the town.

"The enemy is no longer after us but what the reason behind such move is", General Schwarzer spoke to Marrybell. "Is it some kind of tricks to let us get our guard down?"

"Order the ground forces to retreat as fast as they can", Marrybell spoke to the communication officer. "Once they have arrived to the safe location, we are moving out as well…."

"Your highness, we have a communication request from the unknown enemy", the communication officer replied before Marrybell could finish her instruction. "It said that their supreme commander want to speak with Imperial Princess Marrybell mel Britannia directly!"

"Is the request come from the enemy's flagship?" General Schwarzer asked.

"Negative, it is come from the unknown knightmare frame ahead of us!" the communication officer replied.

"So the one who piloting that knightmare frame is the supreme commander of the enemy", General Schwarzer spoke to Marrybell when the unknown knightmare frame in white armor is facing all the knightmare frames of Glinda Knight, included the Lancelot Grail, alone. "Your highness, should we…."

"Forget about whatever you are thinking of, General Schwarzer", Marrybell replied in her angry voice when the flame of her eyes shot at her Tactical Advisor. "Such act is nothing but dishonor the name of royal family and the empire; in fact, the enemy is still able to wipe out every single Britannian in here with its firepower and I have no intention to allow such situation to happen!"

"Put the image on screen", Marrybell given the order and the communication officer obeyed. As a result, everyone in the bridge could see the view screen show the image of a young man in his pilot suit in white.

"Greeting, Princess Marrybell mel Britannia; although I have to say I will never forgive you for your sin to allow innocent and undefended people being slaughter in your sight, at least you are willing to stand before your people as their shield to protect them when they needed. Unlike those Britannia high rank nobles that only know how to put their tails between their legs when something dangerous happened to them; the only reaction is to run away as fast as their could. In short, they completely forget their responsibilities to the people and their duties to their nation!"

Marrybell could tell the person in the view screen is actually much order than he seemed to be from the aura around him. It is at the same time Oldrin is able to see the face of her opponent that had defeated her; no matter is his skill or his will to fight. From one of the side view screens that showed the face of Oldrin Marrybell could tell the emotion from her childhood friend that she is being totally caught in surprised!

"May I ask who are you and the reason for you and your forces to attack us?" Marrybell asked.

"I have many names and people addressed me depend on the difference time and difference place", the young man in the view screen replied. "But right now at this moment, my name is Colin Z Bertram, the founder and leader of the Order of Mirage Knight!"

"Impossible, you can't be that man….that monster", General Johann Schwarzer (Earl) replied in shocked when the young man introduced himself to Marrybell and the rest of the bridge crews.

"General Schwarzer, what is the meaning of this?" Marrybell asked, since it is the first time for her and the others to see her Tactical Adviser acted like this.

"I see, so you have promoted to the rank of General and served as the Tactical Adviser of Princess Marrybell mel Britannia, former Lieutenant Commander Johann Schwarzer", the young man introduced as Colin Z Bertram replied when a mysterious smile occurred on his face. "Then I believe that at least you can advise your princess never stand in my wrong way as long as she want to live instead of sign her death warrant; the same to the other members of Glinda Knight!"

"You may have an impressive air armada but there is no way you can threat the Holy Empire of Britannia", General Johann Schwarzer tried his best to stand his ground against the man he known as the infamous Nightmare of Britannia!

"King of Knight Bertram, I have to agree with General Schwarzer", Marrybell held her sword with her hand tightly when showing her strong resolve. "Your armada can kill every single Britannian in here if you want to but we will never go down without a fight! Furthermore, the Holy Empire of Britannia is NEVER going to threat by anyone; not the past, not the present and not even the future!"

"So even the once coward who is barely able to survive from the greatest defeat in the empire's hidden history had his backbone to stand on his own ground? It is interesting, General Schwarzer", Colin replied in his mysterious and dangerous smile when he looked at the face of Marrybell. "You are impressive as well, Princess Marrybell mel Britannia; even in most depress and hopeless situation you are still never willing to give-up and rather die honorably as a member of imperial family instead of live as a slave. Is it the proud of being an Imperial Princess that made you your current self, or maybe because the blood of being a Britannian is running inside your body? Very well, ask General Schwarzer later about the reason for me being addressed as the infamous "Nightmare of Britannia" when I crushed and slaughtered the most elite army from the empire, included half of the previous generation of the Knights of the Round, by my own hand and believe me, he is going to tell you the truth meaning of death is your best salvation! Princess Marrybell mel Britannia, in order to honor your actions during the final stage of the previous battle; all the Britannia forces are allowed to return to the empire's settlement in Middle-East unharmed this time as a reward to your will. In fact, you did impress me as the second member of royal family who is willing to put your lives on the line to protect the people in the time their needed! Now, gather whatever forces you have and leave before I decide to change my mind!"

( BGM: You Are My King from Fate Zero OST )

"However", Colin's voice changed from extremely cold to more logical one when he spoke to Marrybell again. "If you are able to get pass the barrier of hatred and sorrow from the past as well as master the skill to balance the interest of the empire and the other people around the world, maybe you can become one of the candidates that able to become the heiress of the empire like a few of your father's children and I am looking forward to see if you can change the empire future for better or worse!"

"Are you going to destroy the empire like Zero and his Order of Black Knight?" Oldrin spoke to her opponent when he toyed with her since the beginning of their battle. "To burn the empire to the ground with the forces of yours?"

"What's the point of burning the Holy Empire of Britannia into ash and killing all its population during the process", Colin replied when the mysterious smile appeared on his face again. "My opponent is the corruption of the empire and the believe of its current ruler, Charles Zi Britannia the 98 th Emperor of the throne and whatever its stand for."

After his words, Colin's knightmare frame put out a sword which is similar to the MVS sword used by Z-01 Lancelot and pointed it to the sky. The golden shining light reflected from the sword when a number of knightmare frames formed the formation of two lines opposed to each other when each knightmare frame held a flag in their right hand.

"For the Holy Empire of Britannia, I cannot allow it to strip its conquered nations and their people of their names, cultures, rights, and dignity when it had no right from the beginning!"

Unknown to Marrybell and her companions, Colin's public statement is not only spoken to them but being broadcasted around the world when the people of Holy Empire of Britannia, European Union, Chinese Federation and the nations that not aligned with any of the three superpowers could see and heard his statement, included Zero and his Black Knight in Area Eleven which known as the nation of Japan before being conquered by the empire.

At the Ashford Academy, members of the student councils are totally being caught in surprise when someone they used to know had introduced himself as the founder and leader of a powerful military organization consist of hundreds of air warships and thousands of knightmare frames. For Shirley Fenette, she never believed the friend she used to know is actually the pilot of the unknown knightmare frame that had saved the lives of her and a number of civilians back to the incident known as Japanese Liberation Front Hotel Incident when she is being threw to the ground from the rooftop by one of the JLF members!

"The European Union is plagued with decadence, paranoia, and a corrupt bureaucracy and treated Japanese refugees as 'hostile Foreigners' when their homeland fell to Britannia. Its action of using the Japanese as cannon fodder in place of their own troops against the Britannians is no better than the so called honorable Britannian system - nothing but put the empire subject population in its conquered Area as the second class citizens when they are always being looked down by the so-called pure blood Britannians; the true images of Britannia's corruption, arrogance and warmongering!"

The strong wind in the hot air above the desert blew in the battlefield and the flags from the knightmare frames in two lines revealed themselves when even the civilians at the ground could see all of them clearly.

The flags on the right side are the Bloody Mirage Cross over the white flag.

The flags on the left side are the Golden Mirage Cross over the red flag.

"Chinese Federation suffered from corruption as the current Empress, who was no more than a child, was used as a puppet ruler by her so-called 'advisors', the High Eunuchs. The High Eunuchs manipulated the poor girl into letting them run the country while they bled their nation dry, and left the people to suffer."

"It is the situation in our world and I, Colin Z Bertram, the leader of the Order of Mirage Knight had no intention to let such situation to continue and the people continue to suffer. At this moment, we the Order of Mirage Knight are going to put an end to these situations once and for all! We are going to change what is supposed to be wrong back to their right path! We are going to fight and succeed, never give-up or go down until our last breathe! We will not stop until all the mistakes in our world are fixed and a better and gentler world is able to create for the sake of our next generation; a new world for those without power is never going to fear or threat by those with power!"

Followed by his statement, countless of voices appeared in the communication network like thunder and only a few numbers of people in the world are able to remain calm and composed when facing the actual power of the Order of the Mirage Knight!

"All Hail the King of Desert!"

"All Hail the King of Mercenaries!"

"All Hail the Lord of Landless!"

"All Hail the King of Knight!"

"All Hail the Steel Conqueror!"

"All Hail the Mirage Aggressor!"

"All Hail the Order of Mirage Knight!"

Marrybell is speechless when she heard the declaration of Colin Z Bertram, the newly introduced founder and leader of Order of the Mirage Knight; a man just declared a total war to the three super powers in the world at the same time! In fact, the only emotion she could feel at the moment is feared. Even Zero the masked terrorist, so far in her point of view, never gave her such feeling but her father Charles Zi Britannia. However, the person in front of her is another story; even he is without a mask on his face…..but the worst part is: somehow Marrybell could feel that the image of him is nothing more than his encounter suit to the world!

In a mansion located at the countryside away from Pendragon, the capital of the Holy Empire of Britannia, a girl with long blue hair with golden eyes witched the broadcast from the television when her reaction is nothing but being caught in total surprised….

"Colin….is that really you? Or is it what you are supposed to be…."

"People from around the world who still suffered from the strong whose abuse their power, join us and together, we can create a better world than the one we are currently lived and suffered from it", as his knightmare frame and his royal guards touched down to the ground when the battle is already over long time ago and no longer existed, he spoke to his companions and the civilians when he is standing outside the cockpit and moved his right hand to the front. "For those who abuse their power you are going to fear us because your time is coming to the end as we speak!"

"We, the Order of Mirage Knight, holds the same believe as Zero and the Order of Black Knight", Colin concluded his statement to the world. "Those allowed to pick up weapons and kill are those who had prepared themselves to be killed!"

Ending for Now…..

P.S:

All the knightmare frames in the story above had been resized to medium size Mobile Suit, since I had enough for the design of those cockpit located at the back of the original size kightmare frames in the world of Code Geass.

Coming Up Next: Chapter 2: The Forgotten Legendary Army from the Seal Gate!