AN: Hi Hi! Thank you for giving this story a chance, it really means a lot. This is a special request from ChiTamaki who has given me the opportunity to create this story. Thank you for your patience and I hope I can serve your idea well. With all that being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

P.S. Sorry for any mistakes I may have missed.

Chapter 1: Serendipity

Not a speck of light could be seen. His eyes desperately searched through the abyss of darkness, but his sight couldn't catch a single glimpse of what's around him. He feels naked, empty, the floor beneath him is slippery, and the uneasy wave anxiety for being stuck in a never-ending spacious void had his heart racing briskly. How many more times does he have to fall into the same dream before it goes away? Just how many more times will he be forced to relive this nightmare?

It is a dream right? Just a nightmare?

"C.C.!" Lelouch reached out his hands to the darkness, taking cautious steps towards the nothingness of this unknown area. "Nunnally… Suzaku… anyone!"

Lelouch continued to shout many more names that followed the first three, but all fell into echos that quickly dissipated. After taking a few mindless steps to a unforeseen destination, suddenly out of nowhere, a portal of blinding light shined through what he thought was a black hole. The brightness that cut through the darkness illuminated what was around him— which was absolutely nothing. Seeing it as a given opportunity, he knew he had to take a chance if it means that he'll be able to leave.

Slowly striding towards the light, his eyes focused intently at the portal to make sure he'd never lost sight of it, but what felt like an eternity after just mere moments of walking. Only then had it hit him that he's not getting any closer… not even an inch.

"What the… what's going on?"

Abruptly picking up his speed to a full sprint when the ground beneath him began to shake, signaling him that he's in trouble. Splats of liquid raised with each hurried steps he took and landed on his bare legs. Loud pitched-ringing violated his eardrums and then what was supposed to be a slippery floor turned into a thick liquid that easily pulled him in slowly underneath his lightweight with each step he took.

"No, No, No, No, No!"

Panic and fear filled the Demon Emperor's heart overwhelmingly. Consuming his mind and body as the unwelcomed feeling tried to render him towards weakness… but he refused to stoop low. That's not who he's going to become. Being swallowed in the thick liquid all the way down to his knees, Lelouch continued to fight his way through harder with every ounce of strength he has towards the portal of light that tauntingly opened for him.

Then when it became reachable...

"I'm almost…" Lelouch pulled his way ever so close to the light, waist deep, only a few feet away. "I have to live."

The frightened raven-haired man extended his arm as far as it could stretch, he's slipping deeper and deeper, the depths compressing against his chest and limited his intake for air. His struggle to pull from the sticky substance is futile. The grip on him is too much— this might be the end of him along with all his hopes and dreams for a better world. It'll go down with him as he drowns.

This might be the end… the end of Lelouch Vi Britannia's life.

Intently staring at the portal of light, Lelouch's look of determination befallen to a deep frown. He has never felt this vulnerable in his life before. Though just right when he was about to abandon all hope... that was when a shadowed mirage of a woman appeared in the light and extended her hand out to him.

"You don't want to die now… do you?"

. . .

Jolting up with a loud gasp, Lelouch's chest heaved heavily and heart pounded considerably hard against his chest with each forced gulps of air he took in. Feeling flushed and sweaty, he started fanning his shirt repeatedly to cool down, but it failed to do so he swiftly removed the wet article and tossed it onto the floor. Kicking his his side of the blankets off to let the cool air of the room help him feel the same way, Lelouch brushed his fingers through his lightly damp hair... trying to recollect his thoughts.

Burying his head in the palms of his hands, he whispered, "Dammit."

"Lelouch?" C.C. sleepily moaned out, sitting up a moment later then carefully scooted closer to him. Patting his slightly sweaty back for comfort, she helped easing him from his post-recurring nightmare. "Are you okay?"

"C.C… why do I keep having these dreams?" he looked down at his trembling hands. "They feel so real... I wake up in the same place every night, but…"

"But?"

Lelouch turned to his companion with hopelessness, "They end differently every time."

"How did this one end?" She asked calmly. Every night for the past two weeks, Lelouch wakes up in a cold sweat from the same nightmare where he's stuck in the total darkness. They do end differently, although one similarity they share is that he gets pulled into the ground as he tries to reach for something or someone. But he can never really remember once he wakes up. It all became an annoying haze and faded memory.

"I..."

"Yes?"

"There was a portal of light with a shadowed woman inside. I couldn't tell who she was or what she looked like, but there was something familiar about her." The troubled man turned away from the Witch and stared off into the distance of his room. If only he hadn't looked away a fraction of a second earlier, then he would've seen C.C.'s expressionless face turn into that of surprise.

"I knew his dreams were unusual… but I didn't think she would choose him of all people."

C.C. bit her lip, unsure if she should tell him or not. There's a wild thought running through her mind, but what if she's wrong. Maybe she's not after Lelouch and what if these dreams he's having are just meaningless like the rest of the people in this world? So it's probably best to ignore… that kind of stuff doesn't happen anymore.

Right?

"Lelouch, you're stressing yourself out because the Zero Requiem is tomorrow. It is what you really want… right?"

Gazing at the green witch softly with a sad smile, "I… don't even know anymore."

His honest words tugged at her heart strings unforgivably. Even though she won't show it, it's getting hard on her to let him go. The conclusion he came to then, like he said, wasn't wrong. But now that he's here confessing that he's not even sure he wants to go through the Zero Requiem just made it harder to chew through.

"Lelouch, if you want then we can leave now. Escape and forget—"

"No, not after all the blood I have spill that are now staining my hands. I'm going through the Requiem."

"If your heart is set on it… then I'm with you." C.C. leaned in and uncharacteristically kissed him on the cheek. She may have developed some romantic feelings for him, but never allowed it to strive deep within the crevices of her heart. It'll be extremely hard to let him go if she did. "You have a long day tomorrow… get some sleep."

The mischievous woman gave him a small smile before laying back down in the large bed they shared. Surely now that he's Emperor she could have gotten her own room, but it's safe to say that old habits die hard and plus... it's always nice to know that someone is always there by your side.

By your side—

Laying back down, slightly hesitant to fall back asleep, he stared at the Witch's flowing green hair that he always thought was unique.

"Goodnight C.C."

"Goodnight Lelouch."

Then he closed his eyes and welcome sleep… only this time instead of being swept away in the black hole of his suffocating dreams, he found himself thinking of his trouble friend Suzaku. The one who has faithfully stayed by his side for many years whether they were apart, in fights, or simply not on good terms. Suzaku has always been a good friend.

A really good friend.

#

The pain wasn't exactly what he expected. Sure it hurt like hell, but what hurt him the most was the fact that he had put his best friend out of the entire world through this. What did Suzaku do to deserve to slay his friend in front of the entire world? To kill Lelouch in front of the innocent eyes of his precious little sister Nunnally.

After they exchanged a few words and the new Zero accepted the Oath from the dying Emperor, the blade of his sword pulled out easily and with whatever strength he could use, Lelouch walked to the edge of the float then tumbled before sliding down, leaving a trail of his tainted blood behind him. He should be happy that his long-lived dream will be achieved, but hearing his sister cry broke his heart.

He just wanted to make sure she could live in a peaceful world.

Flashes of his life played in his memory and then— nothing.

Lelouch the Demon Emperor had said his last words and breathed his last breath… there is nothing more for him. This is his redemption, they only way he can pay the price for what evil he help bring upon this world. He is no more.

Or so they all thought… including the unconscious man himself.

Little did Lelouch know that he would have something to look forward too.

#

Beaming light shone through his lids and roused the raven-haired man awake. Stretching out his tired limbs, he shifted onto his side to catch a few more minutes of sleep in his big, comfy… Amethyst hues tiredly opened in the morning light out of shock. Sitting up in bed, Lelouch felt lost when he looked around. He's in a bedroom that's for sure… but it's not one that he recognizes. Looking down at his clothing he sees that he's wearing a white t-shirt and boxers. Normal sleepwear sure, but it's not his blood-stained Emperor clothes. To see if he was dreaming about the Zero Requiem or not, he put a hand underneath his shirt where he was stabbed by Suzaku.

"There's a scar." he prodded the bumpy scar. "If that really happened... then where am I?"

Getting out of bed, he walked towards the window and peeked outside. What a bright and sunny day in Britannia only it's not the Britannia he knows. There's something off about this place. It's all familiar yet not so familiar at the same time.

"C.C.?" Lelouch exited his room and stepped into the hallways of an unfamiliar place. From the looks of it, it's an apartment? Or perhaps a dorm room? "C.C., are you here?" Turning around a corner to search the rest of the place for the green-haired beauty. After a looking through every room... she was nowhere to be seen. "What's going on?"

Walking over to the kitchen to calm his nerves, he pulled out a cold water bottle from the fridge and started drinking. The fresh taste of soothing water washed down his throat and did the trick to help ease his rising anxiety. He doesn't remember much other than he died at the hands of his best friend for the Zero Requiem. Everything else is a huge blur, so it only makes him wonder more on where he's at.

Sticking the water back in the fridge, he closed the door and immediately his eyes were drawn to mini notes and photographs of people he's not certain he recognizes.

"I don't think— WHAT?!" yanking the small calendar off the fridge's door, he swore that all the confusion and surprises that's hitting him now could stop his heart at any given moment. This can't be happening… this really can't be happening. It's a prank right... this can't be real right? "Oh, I hope I'm dreaming."

Today is August 14, 2098….

Eighty years into the future.

AN: And that is the end for the 'prologue'. This will be my very first time writing something Yaoi I guess you can say, so I hope it turns out well. Oh, sorry if I lost anyone. I hope to make more sense of it in the next chapter or so. Feel free to let me know what you think, comment, ask questions, review, etc. Until next chapter! :)

P.S.S. Next update will be on 7/15/17

Last Edit: N/A

Thatsoneperson