--Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass--
Note: This is my first attempt at writing any sort of Fan Fiction, and with nobody to proof it. It isn't all that long because it is the stage-setting prologue to the story. If people review enough, I should continue with it....
Code Geass: Hymn of Darkness
The world is in a tentative peace with the death of the Demon Emperor, Lelouch Vi Britannia, with people on the street conversing as normal and people unafraid to show kindness to others after the hatred that had been focused on the Demon Emperor had died with him.
A small group realized what had happened, whom were those present at the betrayal of the Black Knights, Cornelia, and Nunnaly, those whom knew that Lelouch used to be Zero. As quick as it took Cornelia to figure it out, she played her part well, releasing the prisoners after Lelouch died. Nunnaly Vi Brittania, though devastated with the loss of her brother, took control of Britannia the moment Zero took her from the body of her brother. The shaken girl sat in front of the camera, backed by Cornelia, Schneizel, and Zero, as she made a statement as to what happened, Zero's assassination of the Demon Emperor, the world's enemy and secret savior.
--Later in Detheria (soon to be new Britannian capitol)--
Cornelia glanced around the small room that the corpse of Lelouch was put in to prepare for burial, wondering how he had fared so well when the entire world hated him, even his younger sister.
All of it made a useless spark of rage kindle inside of her as she stared at the Demon Emperor, who no longer breathed nor would ever again.
--C's world--
Lelouch floated in a white haze, absolute nothingness as it seemed till he felt like he was resting on stone. His eyes flashed open for the first time in what felt like him to be ages to see the stone structures that made up the Sword of Akasha, and above that the collective unconsciousness could be seen. For a brief moment Lelouch pondered if the Zero Requiem had failed, and he had not died, however when Lelouch went to look at the wound, it was still there, further confusing the genius who used to be the Demon Emperor. The entire structure briefly rumbled, the geass symbol still present upon the collective unconsciousness, so it would never allow the marching of time to stop.
From the symbol a brief light flashed, and standing on the platform would be a shape vaguely resembling a man, the movements sluggish but with purpose. Soon the figure stood not far from the startled Lelouch before Lelouch worked out what it was and relaxed.
"I forgot....that to stop my Parents, one consciousness had to stop it, and to stop it from happening in the future, that consciousness will stay awake"
The figure just seemed to stand there, before a slow nod acknowledged the statement.
"And you, Lelouch vi Britannia, stopped the most heinous sin from being committed, the stop of time, and for that you must be rewarded, though the reward is still a curse in the end, and is merely being transfered" the figure stated before Lelouch whited out.
"Consider it as you will, I am merely passing the power from nothingness unto you"
--Detheria--
Cornelia had just turned to leave when she saw a strange light radiating the room, spinning around to see a symbol form itself on Lelouch's right hand, obviously the geass bird-like symbol. Once again the spark of anger fixed itself in her and she nearly took out her gun, but noticed that Lelouch was breathing again. Cornelia was no fool, she knew that if someone saw that, there would be mass chaos, and everything her brother had sacrificed would be for nothing, and Euphiemia was among the sacrifices, and that was intolerable.
Only a few hours later, Guilford left with two Knightmares and supplies for the few who had not been in pendragon, losing their home when the fleija hit. The supplies were distributed, and the now breathing Lelouche was kept in the military base Cornelia had been in command of under the care of some of the best doctors, of course told not to speak of what they saw.
Cornelia sighed as she stood outside of Nunnaly's chambers, a frown set upon her features as she pondered whether or not to speak of the fate that befell Lelouch, being alive after being dead. She was greeted by Zero, who seemed to be Nunnaly's bodyguard these days, obviously, to her, Suzaku, from how well he had evaded the bullets of the Knightmare frames before assassinating the demon emperor. Upon entering, Cornelia lightened up when she caught sight of Nunnaly, who still seemed troubled but kept strong. Cornelia strode over to her sister and kneeling next to her.
"You doing okay?" she'd ask, and the wheelchair-bound empress nodded with a uncertain look. "Yes.....I'm meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister over trade alliances" Nunnaly said, looking over at the solemn Zero who stood to the side of the door.
"Well, if you're not needing the infamous Zero, I need to converse with him for a moment" Cornelia continued, shooting Zero a stern look in case the masked icon ever would think about arguing.
With Nunnaly's approval, Cornelia and Zero met in the small meeting room, Cornelia sitting at the head of the table, and the venerable Zero still standing.
"Alright Suzaku.....there aren't any cameras here so you can show your face. A military dog like me figured out what you and my brother cooked up, from the point you drove the blade into him, but that is only because I knew he was the first Zero, and I bet I'm not the only one" Cornelia said, Zero visibly stiffening.
"Might I ask, how good is your military training? Are you certain you killed him?" she continued, and Zero reached up, unclasping and removing the mask to show his face, though he had to adjust to the lights for a moment.
"I'm certain I hit the heart, a quick death I hoped" the new icon of Zero flatly stated, staring at Cornelia with a calm resolve. "So the coroner's confirmed, however there is one small problem...I assume you know of Geass already so I will merely move on....He came back to life" she stated, Suzaku gaining three looks within two seconds, first a look of relief which flashed into irritation and moved on into anger.
"I was fixing to leave the room before heading to assist Guilford in the relocation of Pendragon's displaced citizens when the symbol appeared on his hand" she said to the astonished Suzaku. "Can you help me comprehend what happened since you know much of what my brother was up to?" she'd finish, fixing the new Zero under her stare, who to her seemed about to ask a question from the posture taken. "Before you ask, he's currently in a coma-like state as it seems the wound is healing" she finished then waited.
"Well....the ninety-eighth emperor had a symbol on his hand like that, but both of us thought him to be dead since C's world devoured him" he'd say, ignoring the blank looks and confusion radiating from his Audience. "Of that I'll speak of later, but he was immortal at the point he had the mark" Suzaku continued, explaining what he had known about codes.
"Though that explains many things, but what are we to do with the Demon Emperor?" Cornelia inquired and Suzaku merely shook his head. "I can't help there, Lelouch was always the grand architect of strategy" Suzaku replied with a hint of irony since he played the role of the man of Miracles.
"What to do with him is the question indeed" she'd say, merely frowning as Suzaku excused himself from the room once putting the mask on, Cornelia too lost in thought to say anything at the moment.
Finally she stood, exiting and wishing Nunnaly luck before leaving the capitol to head to the military base where they were hiding Lelouch
--Britannian base 01537(Caerleonalter)
Lelouch awoke from the white haze to look directly up at the florescent lights which hung over what seemed like the bed of an observation room. He briefly felt a sting from where he thought himself to have been stabbed, but found no wound. He was dressed in his Ashford clothing, that being what he was supposed to have been buried in, more befitting than the garments of the Demon Emperor.
"How am I alive, the plan went perfectly." He grumbled, only to hear the door open with Cornelia stepping through. "You were dead, so yes your plan went perfectly, all the world thought you the Demon Emperor" She said, fixing Lelouch with a overly stern stare, softening briefly with the confusion written on her brother's face.
"The visual evidence on your hand would be most explaining" she'd merely state while Lelouch gave her a piercing stare, expecting some form of treachery as he turned his hand and saw the symbol on the palm. "This could be a problem" he'd merely state, seeming lost for words for a moment, though his posture stiffened. "What are you going to do with me now, give me to the people? You can't hide me forever and I can't die, they might try to torture me and all, but that wouldn't work" he'd say with a sigh, shaking his head for a moment.
"No...as I said, the world thinks you dead as well as the Demon Emperor, I can figure out a way to let you live in peace, since you sacrificed so much, but I must put to rest one matter. Why did you kill Euphemia" the former witch of Britannia stated, and Lelouch gave a sigh, looking at the elder sister. "It was my fault, yes, I met with her to discuss the Special Administrative Zone when my Geass went out of control, it was merely a joke, but it bent her will and forced her to do it, that being one of my more personal reason for wiping out the geass cult" he said, and sat up again.
At that revelation, Cornelia felt a twinge of regret about blaming Lelouch bluntly, since it was obvious how much it had poisoned his veins, to have been the cause of death. "Now you don't have to worry, the world is a peaceful place where you can lay low" the witch said in a calming tone before turning. "But don't go roaming the corridors, people will recognize you" she'd state in a stern tone before slipping out the door. "I can't blame you now, knowing what happened" would be all Cornelia stated before she left.