In the loving memory of my dear friend and surrogate brother, Joshua Louis Holland, the beautiful and masterful son of a bitch who introduced me to many great anime series and games. This story is written in his memory. Rest in Peace, my friend, and may you rest peacefully for all of time.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Revolution

Part 1: The Gears of Fate

"Before creation there must be destruction. If my soul stands in the way, then I'll toss it aside. Yes, I have no choice but to move forward." –Lelouch vi Britannia

Stage 1 - Rebirth

The pain was worse than what he thought it would be.

As the sword ripped into his flesh, cutting straight through the muscle and arteries, pain erupted all across his chest, blood already beginning to pour out from the wound, despite the fact that the blade had only entered him a mere second ago. He gasped in shock, the blade poking out through the other side. He arched his back, repressing a scream of agony before his body became limp, his hand gripping unto Suzaku tightly. His fingers coiled around the coat, using him as a crutch. His breath was so short, so low it was almost like the whispers of the dead. Hell, he might as well already be among them at this point.

"L-Lelouch..." The raven-haired demon frowned ever so slightly, hearing Suzaku's choked sobs. He could see very faintly behind the purple orb of the infamous mask the tears that began to stream down his face, his teeth grinding together harshly from beneath the black face mask. His chin rested against his shoulder, peering out at the world. As expected, all of them looked on in absolute shock and disbelief. Here, his greatest performance... his final miracle as Zero was unfolding right before their very eyes. He could see every one of their reactions. He repressed a smirk. Yes, this was how it should be, this is how the world should be... The world's hatred was placed on his shoulders. This was it... there was no stopping things now. The world would finally be at peace...

His sister would be at peace.

"Your punishment..." Lelouch gasped out weakly, barely clinging on to whatever life he had left. "Shall be thus... You will forever wear that mask... Living on as one who upholds truth... and justice..." His hand reached up, carressing the black cheek that had once instilled fear and awe into the hearts of men. "You will no longer live... as Suzaku Kururugi..."

"This Geass..." Suzaku's voice said, his breath trembling. "I do solemnly accept."

He allowed a content smile to appear over his face. However, just before Suzaku began to wrench his blade out from the flesh-like sheath that it had found, he grew confused, seeing the looks of the Black Knights, of Rivalz who was in the crowd, not far from the transport... of his sister.

The Black Knights stared at the scene, faces wreathed with horror and shock. Kaname Ohgi, Nagisa Chiba and Kyoshiro Tohdoh couldn't believe what they were seeing, staring at the sight as if they were unable to ascertain whether or not this was a dream or reality. Shinichiro Tamaki, Empress Tianzi, Lady Kaguya, and even Kallen were crying, tears falling from their faces and dripping down from their chin, the drops falling through the air and staining the ground upon which they landed on. Li Xingke held clenched teeth in his mouth, his eyes closed shut closed with his head low, as if respecting someone's wishes. Rivalz's face was beset in absolute horror, his eyes watery, jaw agape. It was the look of someone who had just witnessed his best friend being murdered, right before his very eyes. Nunnally stared at the sight in complete confusion, at first unable to understand what had happened before the gravity of the situation finally filled her mind, leaving her stunned and horrified.

Why had they adopted such expressions? Should they not be happy? Their enemy was killed, and at the hands of the one who would bring about the peace this world so richly deserved. So why... why did they look so... distraught? He wasn't able to understand it. But, perhaps, it would be better that way. He didn't need to understand their feelings now... not at this point. After all, the dead need not linger with the living.

The sword's tip left his chest, Suzaku's slender form stepping away. Lelouch's body was staggering, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His body felt so heavy, almost like iron, and the red stain on his noble robes were growing, flowing down and removing the white purity. He had just reached the ramp when his foot caught onto the robe's tailings, causing him to stumble forward. His body flopped against it, rolling and tumbling before coming to a stop, his back sliding against it before reaching the main platform. A bloody streak ran across where he had fallen.

"L-Lelouch?"

He could faintly hear his sister's voice calling out for him. His vision was beginning to fail him. Everything was growing so blurry, like a mishmash of colors caught in a hazardous mess. He could hardly even move at all now. He no longer tried to. He would finally be able to leave this world for the new era of peace that his death would bring about. It would allow the world to move on, to forge peace with words at a table rather than force peace with blades at the battlefield. He was about to close his eyes, and wait for the reaper to claim him when he felt a pair of soft, gentle hands slip around his hand. Despite his body becoming cold, he felt a warmth embrace his hand, a familiar warmth that he had felt before, once so very long ago, back before everything started to spiral out of control.

"Y-you mean..." Nunnally's voice trembled. "T-this was all...?"

Ah... Lelouch smiled in content, the weakest thing on his face. Hah, how ironic that she should learn of it now. Then again, she was always so smart, able to figure things out ahead of everyone else. He had no doubt that, if he had not taken the necessary precautions, she would have learned the true face of Zero much earlier. So, you've figured it out... Nunnally...

"Oh, Big Brother..." Nunnally's voice cried and weeped, bringing his hand to her cheek. He could feel her tears of sadness fall and drip across his palm, staining them with the blood they were never able to rid themselves of, no matter how hard he tried to wash it away. It would always remain there as a dark reminder, a testament of the demon he had become. "I love you!"

...?!

For a moment, Lelouch felt his resolve weaken. How... How could he leave her like this? No, this wasn't right... If he died... she would be left alone, wouldn't she? Even if she had Suzaku, who would be there to protect her in that new age, there would be no one there to hold her hand, to drive away the nightmares that plagued her in her sleep. How could he leave things like this? H-he had to...

...

...

..no, she would be safe. He knew she would be. After all, she was his sister.

"Yes..." he spoke weakly, staring up at the fading blue sky that used to be so bright before. "I..." Images flashed by in his head. Peaceful memories, wonderful memories. "Destroyed..." Sad memories, heart-breaking memories, maddening memories. "The world..." He remembered when he first made that contract with C.C. that day in Shinjuku, becoming entranced with the power known only as 'Geass'. "And..." He remembered the peaceful days of Ashford Academy, back before he had become known as "Zero", back when he used to live in a lie, content with the shaky peace before encountering the resistance cell that changed his life. "Created it..." He remembered that time back when they were young, back when he, Nunnally, and Suzaku were nothing but children, living a short, yet wonderful life... Oh, how he wished he could return to those days.

But... There were no second chances. He did not deserve them.

"A...new..."

Finally, embracing that last, warm memory, Lelouch vi Britannia closed his eyes, and welcomed the sweet embrace of death.

"My, what a sight you are, Lelouch vi Britannia..."

The young Emperor felt his body stir uncomfortably, his muscles aching as the woman's voice echoed in his ears. His eyes parted open, blinking rapidly to adjust to the light. 'What?' he questioned mentally as the world slowly dimmed to reveal itself to him. 'Where...?' As the world around him began to grow sharper into focus, the aching pains in his body slowly eroded. The burliness in his sight had diminished, and his surroundings came into full view. He wasn't surprised at all to see his current location, despite his earlier confusion. Rather, he expected to arrive here after being run through. This was, after all, where all living beings would join upon their death. He stood atop a marble platform, seemingly left floating in the sky with a design akin to that of a Greek pantheon, white pillars standing on either side of him. The sky was painted in an eternal sunset, despite the sun being forgotten in this orange backdrop, with so few clouds streaked around him.

He smiled wryly. "C's World, huh..." he mused. "It's been quite a while since I've been here."

"Indeed, it has." the voice from before echoed, this time from behind him. "However, truth be told, I had not expected you to arrive here so soon, given your actions up until this point." Lelouch turned on his heel, coming face to face with a singular figure standing not far from him. She appeared to be quite young, somewhere to her early to mid-twenties, possessing jet black hair with violet tips, a loose, baggy top with puffy sleeves, and black tights. He was left slightly breatheless, as her features and beauty were something to behold. However, he also noticed it was... otherworldly, for a lack of better words, as if she was beyond perfection, albeit with slight unease. He soon grew confused upon seeing her. Who was she? Had she also died as well? Seeing his confusion, she smiled thinly, hands clasped behind her back. "Ah, yes... This marks the first time we meet, Demon Emperor Lelouch." she remarked with slight amusement. "Still, I must say, I am quite impressed... I never would imagined that someone like you would exist in this era... How curious."

'Era?' Hearing that immediately left behind a clue of some sort. Her ephemeral beauty, her words... it soon came to him that she was not human. But, if that is true... then what is she? She seemed to be familiar with him, and she appeared to be aware of his actions, which led to another question, one of which he voiced out clearly, maintaining a cool and calm face as he did so. "Are you... the collective subconscious?"

The woman's smile turned wry. "Close," she replied, clasping her hands behind her back as she slowly strode toward him with an even pace. "C's World is made up of two separate planes of existence, those being the collective subconsciousness of mankind, that which represents their innermost heartfelt desires and dreams, and the collective consciousness, that which represents the feelings on exhibits when confronted with the hardships of the real world." She walked past him, moving toward the front of the platform, leaving his eyes to follow her as she moved. "The Sword of Akasha your father built would have destroyed the boundaries between the two, hence how the living and the dead could be united. In a way, I suppose you could say I embody the thoughts and feelings of those who are alive in this world, while my significant other, who has no shape or form, holds the thoughts and feelings of all, living and dead." Once she reached the edge of the platform, she swiveled about on her feet, now facing the young ruler, and stared back at him, straight in the eye. "That is one thing I must thank you for, Lelouch vi Britannia. You kept the balance between us, a balance that must be kept..."

After saying her piece, however, she tilted her head, slight confusion and curiosity now present. "However, I am most curious... Normally, whenever a human has been granted the power of Geass, they use it for their own selfish gain, a means to an end of their goals, and outright command those around them. After all, absolute power shall corrupt absolutely..." Her gaze hardened for a moment, her glare intensifying. "And you were no exception." Lelouch visibly cringed, his hand touching his eye absent-mindedly. Afterward, however, the woman's gaze softened. "And yet... you had not commanded us to follow your whims. Rather, you simply made a request of us." Her smile returned shortly after. "I have seen many corrupted by the power that was bestowed upon you humans... but you are by far the most intriguing."

The raven-haired revolutionary felt a sardonic smile cross his lips. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not." he remarked before his mind registered. "Wait, what do you mean by 'bestowed?'"

"Ah, yes..." The collective conscious nodded her head, folding her arms. "I had nearly forgotten... You know nothing of the origins of Geass, do you?" Lelouch shook his head, confirming her suspicions. "Very well." She swayed her arm in a motion, much like how he had out of his flare of theatrics and habit whenever granting his order. To his surprise, the platform broke apart, splitting away and left dangling in the air. Even when the ground beneath his feet had been removed, and left as mere fragments, he remained standing on his feet. The streaks of clouds had also changed, now becoming more common among the orange sky, which had begun to darken into a cold, darkened hue. "In the beginning, there were three humans. One was a father known as Satus." To Lelouch's shock, phantom-like figures appeared, almost like whisps. The first to appear as a brisk, if not towering man with long and unruly hair that reached down to his shoulder blades, and sported a massive beard, as well as a physique that would put any body builder to shame. "Satus, contrary to the history that the world has adopted, was the first human to exist. However, he was also special, for as the first human, he was granted the power you know as the 'Code.' Bearing the burden of immortality, he watched the world continue to thrive and fall at many intervals before the world had come to be cultivated by more and more humans. By chance, he had fallen in love with a woman named Lilith, and the two sired two healthy boys."

Two more phantoms appeared. One was a young boy, no older than perhaps Nunnally, with hair that came down to his chin, bearing a more regal, kind, and soothing look to him than the other phantom, whom Lelouch assumed to be Satus. The second phantom, in contrast to the first, had unruly hair that reached to the nape of his neck, and a fierce, almost fiery look in his eyes. "One was named Yehowah, and the other, Bel." the collective conscious informed him. "As children who were born from one who carried the Code, they possessed the power of Geass. Within Satus' long, long years, he had come to establish a kingdom, one that has long since been forgotten in the passage of time. It's very existence has been lost."

Lelouch frowned. "How?" he asked. "If Satus had a Code, he could have lived for hundreds of thousands of years... his kingdom would have existed for so long."

"You are correct of that assumption." the woman nodded. "However, his kingdom was the first victim of the scourge known as 'war.' The power of Geass, which he claimed to be the power of the King, was a great and powerful weapon that made his kingdom prosperous. Yehowah carried the power of Absolute Harmony; the power to bring forth the very foundation of peace. Any who succumb to his power would drop their weapons, and their will to fight, all but diminished... However, Bel's power was the opposite. If Yehowah believed that peace was brought forth prosperity, Bel believed that war was necessary for prosperity." For a moment, he thought he saw disgust and vile flashed across her face before she continued. "Absolute Conquest was the name of his power. Any within his influence would fall into a maddening rage, one beyond reason. At that point, all they knew was battle and war. Despite being brothers, Bel and Yehowah held conflicting ideologies, yet in spite of that, they were loved and adored by their kingdom. One day, Satus had called upon their presence, in order to name a successor."

Lelouch already knew the conclusion to this story. "...he chose Yehowah, didn't he?"

The collective conscious nodded in confirmation. "He did, indeed. Yehowah was far more loved and adored by his kingdom, and even by his own men, because of his ideals of peace and love. He believed that conflict would only breed hatred, and with it, war. Bel, in contrast, believed that war was but a means to an end, a form of negotiation in order to establish a peaceful world." Satus' phantom vanished, and the two boys' forms shifted, their phantoms now appearing to be older. Yehowah's hair now reached to his shoulders, slightly curly with a thin black band to keep it in place, and a look of weary gentleness present on his facade. Bel, however, had grown all the more fiercer. His hair reached to his waist, left unruly as it was, and his bangs covered his right eye. He now sported a scar along the left side of his face, starting from the jaw line, and reaching to the bridge of his nose. "Satus agreed with Yehowah's ideals, and thus, he named him his successor... and as you can imagine, Bel was not so quick to accept his brother as the new king. Angered, and feeling betrayed by his own father, Bel robbed Satus of his Code, and began a long, bloody conflict with Yehowah."

The phantoms vanished, replaced upon several hundred thousands, all bearing armor, weapons in hand. "What began was a brutal, bloody war that destroyed the once prosperous kingdom, enough so that it's very foundations were burnt to ashes." the collective conscious spoke gravely, eyeing the sight of the phantasmal forces with disdain. "That conflict had lasted fifty years before Yehowah killed Bel, and took his father's Code back from him. In the years that followed, a new kingdom was born; Caelum."

The name immediately clicked with Lelouch. His eyes widened at the implications, nearly stumbling back. "Impossible..." he breathed, completely astounded. "You don't mean..."

The collective conscious smiled in amusement. "Yes... To this day, you know Yehowah by another name... 'God.'" she confirmed his suspicions. "And the kingdom of Caelum would later come to be known as Heaven. It was a true paradise... for ten thousand years, there was no war. No bloodshed. No hatred... only peace. Yehowah had achieved his father's ideal, and with the power of Absolute Harmony, he had created a utopia. However, he knew that, one day, a neighboring kingdom would seek to usurp him, and take his throne and kingdom, and tarnish it's purity, so he began to search for a way to increase the power of his Geass, so that it would extend to the entire world."

What appeared next nearly made Lelouch's heart stop. Another phantom had appeared, this only being a gigantic structure that he was all too familiar with. It was a towering construct, seemingly composed of gears, spearing straight into the sky, and further upwards. 'It can't be...' he gawked. 'The Sword of Akasha?!'

"Charles zi Britannia discovered this artifact not long after he ascended to the throne." the collective conscious told him, bemused by his reaction at seeing the weapon that would have otherwise destroyed the boundaries between the living and the dead. "What he had not realized, however, was that this tool, which would have destroyed the boundaries, was in truth the tool that Yehowah constructed. Satus had discovered the existence of C's World during his reign, and studied it extensively, searching days and nights for the Thought Elevators. Using that knowledge his father acquired, Yehowah believed he could amplify the power of his Geass by using this artifact. That was the original purpose of the Sword of Akasha-" She paused, shaking her head a second later before correcting herself. "No... that was the purpose of the Tower of Babel. Unbeknownst to Yehowah, however, the Tower had connected your realm to C's World, as was it's purpose, and as a result, when he attempted to use it, he witnessed it in all of it's glory."

"What?" Lelouch found himself asking before he could restrain himself, dread lurching in his stomach. "What did he see?"

The collective conscious' face was set into a grim mask as she spoke gravely as if she were in a funeral. "...the truth." she answered. "There are many things humans were never meant to know, for the magnitude of such truths is enough to drive a man mad... and Yehowah witnessed them all in their entirety. The agony, the pain, the overwhelming despair, all of these coursed through him as he witnessed these unimaginable truths, and the strain caused the Tower to shatter apart. As the Tower of Babel was connected to C's World, it had left behind a lasting effect, thus the knowledge and tongue of man was sundered and separated." A cool smile appeared afterwards as her tone become more lightened. "However, despair was not all that was brought. Because of the Tower of Babel, the kingdoms, histories, lores and myths, tribes; all of which you have come to know had been ushered to existece."

"...and what of Caelum?"

"Gone. Erased from the pages of history, like it's predecessor, only to be remembered as a mere myth in a book of religion." the collective conscious replied. "Geass, however, continued to be granted, as Yehowah's descendants, as well as Bel's, were born through out the ages, and gained the Power of the King. However, often at times, it was this power that brought forth the downfall of many great kingdoms. One such example was Alexander the Great, who's power of Absolute Authority, was spread amongst the populance. He had split it off into pieces, and granted it to his subjects..." A sigh escaped her lips, shaking her head mournfully. "It proved to be his undoing, for the power proved to be too tempting, and Alexander the Great's kingdom fell apart by civil war and warring states who sought the power they wielded for their own selfish purposes."

The skies parted to reveal the original, breath-taking orange color, and the white streaks remained few. The phantoms vanished, and left behind was the platform that originally stood in the center. Lelouch was deathly quiet as he held a hand to his forehead, trying to process everything he was told. "And now, you know of the history of this power," the woman said as he lowered her arms. "Now, I will ask you this, Lelouch vi Britannia... why had you merely requested of us, rather than command us? It was well within your power to do so... yet you did not. There was the chance that we would not follow through with your command."

At first, he didn't answer. He was still in the midst of processing everything. Satus, Yehowah, Bel, the Tower of Babel, the rise and fall of many kingdoms and empires, Geass... everything. It was all so much to take in at once, an experience that had nearly left him swept off his feet. He had not been aware that Geass had existed for so long... and to think, that God and Heaven truly did exist, but their memory was forever left in the pages of the bible. When everything seemingly managed to sink into his brain, he registered her words, and looked back at her. "...tell me, is it arrogance to believe that one can order what many could call a god?" he asked. "When I gained this power, I wished to only establish a world of gentle peace for my sister. However, simply having the power to make anyone obey you does not make you as powerful as one might think. You are still human, thus it would be little more than arrogance to believe that you can make a god obey you. Besides," a smile crossed his face. "You said it yourself, you are one who embodies the wills of humans... in other words, everyone is apart of you. It was never my intention to make the world bow down to me, despite how easy one might think it."

The collective conscious smiled wistfully. "You are very wise," she remarked before her smile became something akin to the expression that C.C. had often donned. "If perhaps misguided. At the very least, you have more sense than those with Geass." Lelouch scoffed, recognizing the first bit as something of an insult as he turned away. "Do not think of it as an insult, Lelouch vi Britannia. If at all anything, I am praising you for your humility. It is a good trait for one who remade the world to have." To his confusion, her face became deadly serious shortly after speaking those words. "It is primarily because of that humility, as well as your potential, that I have yet to allow you to join the collective subconscious."

Lelouch frowned. "Why?" he asked hotly. "I plotted my own assassination to grant peace to the world, and to make that peace remains, I had Suzaku take on the mantle of Zero. Even if he dies, Zero never will. He's a symbol of peace and justice now, immortal and timeless. Someone will take up the mask, even if Suzaku were to fail."

"Perhaps," the collective conscious nodded. "But can you trust your comrade with such a burden?"

"It is because Suzaku is my friend that I trust him with this."

His reply left the woman in silence. She appeared to be pondering the meaning and weigh of his words before she faced him again. "...I see." she said slowly. "However, simply because your friend is now one who watches over the world does not mean the peaceful world you have created will remain intact."

"What?!" Upon hearing this, Lelouch became alarmed. What was she talking about? Had something happened after his death?! "What do you mean by that? What's going on?!"

"You are unaware of this, but to a living human in C's World, time moves at the same steady flow. However, for one who is to join C's World after death, time is much more diluted." she told him. "Already, one year has passed since the completion of the plan you established, the Zero Requiem. Within that time, the peace you sought has proved fruitful. As it stands, no major power exists anymore, as Britannia has been absorbed into the UFN, as well as following smaller nations. However, within that time, one has risen out from the shadows. They have been biding their time, waiting for when Charles zi Britannia's plans had been pulled from underneath him. They are among the few who are aware of the truth behind the Tower of Babel, and the power it holds."

"Just cut to the chase already!" he snapped impatiently.

The woman didn't show any sign of disgust with him, or negativity as a result of his comment. "While I know not of who they are, nor what powers they hold, I am aware of their ambition..." She stared back at him, and for the first time since their meeting, Lelouch had seen true, genuine fear in the collective conscious' eyes. "They intend to use the Tower of Babel... and obliterate C's World entirely."

[Tokyo Ghoul OST: On My Own]

Lelouch's heart dropped. "W-wha..." he trailed off, unable to comprehend what he had just heard. Obliterate... C's World?! How was that even possible? How could the Sword of Akasha have that much power? "H-how...?!"

"C's World, as I have told you before, is made up two entities; myself, who represents the collective consciousness, and my significant other, who represents the collective unconsciousness. We are humanity itself, their wills and desires..." the entity spoke gravely. "If C's World is destroyed..."

The implications hit him with full force. It had nearly left his legs weak. "...then humanity falls with it." he whispered, cradling his face in his hand, trembling. If what she was saying was true, then... these people... they were terrifying. Enough so that they were willing to destroy humanity itself. He had the utmost faith in his friend to protect the peaceful world they worked so hard to create, to protect his friends and his sister... but, what if this threat was too much to handle? If it proved to surpass even Suzaku... if it defeated Zero, then the peaceful world they sought... would be obliterated.

It would be destroyed.

'...like hell...'

What had been a brief despair quickly became a blazing fury. How dare they... how dare they try and destroy everything he worked so hard for?! He didn't know who these people were, or why they wanted to destroy humanity and C's World, but he wouldn't stand for this! They wanted to obliterate everything? Over his fucking dead body! Even if he was dead, little more than a corpse, he REFUSED to let these people destroy everything! All of those lives would be in vain, and the sacrifices they had made, all of the blood they shed, meaningless! He wouldn't just stand by and watch this happen!

'What right do these bastards have, trying to destroy the peaceful world I gave my life to make?!' Lelouch thought angrily, his teeth threatening to crack from the sheer pressure he was applying to them. 'Like hell I'll let them! I refuse to just stand by... and let them ruin everything!'

"How curious..." the collective conscious noted as she leaned forward, a hand on her chin. "You have long since passed from this world, yet you refuse to allow them to destroy your world." A smile spread across her face a second later. "It appears 'he' was correct after all." Lelouch looked up, violet eyes lit with rage. "Lelouch vi Britannia... if I told you it was within my power to allow you to return to the world of the living, what would you do?"

Did she really need to ask?

"I would do everything to make them pay!" he snarled, swiping his arm in the air. For a brief moment, since arriving here, he felt his Geass flare, the sigils appearing in his violet orbs. "I will not allow everything Suzaku and I have worked so hard to achieve to be ruined! If being powerless is a sin, then I will not allow myself to be without strength! Even if I were to lose my Geass, even if I were to lose my comrades... I would do everything within my power to protect that world!"

"I'll destroy the world once more if I have to!"

In response to his declaration, the collective conscious smirked. "Then we have our contract." she said, extending her arm. "Lelouch vi Britannia... You, who have destroyed the world, and created it anew, you who carry the righteous soul of a King... This is the will of Geass itself." She threw her arm aside. In that one instance, everything had fallen into a crystalline scene. The platform and the orange sky were erased in the blink of an eye, replaced with a scenery that truly embodied peace; a bright azure sky with streaks of white painted across. The sound of water dripping echoed, and ripples spreading outward.

And reflected off this serene surface was none other than the sigil of Geass.

"I order you, Zero," the collective conscious demanded of him. "Change this world once more!"

Another rippled spread across, erasing the mark of Geass. Lelouch was nowhere to be found, left with only the woman as the sole occupant. "And so the gears of fate begin to turn once again..." she muttered quietly to herself as she looked up at the sky, a wistful smile spreading across her face. "I can't help but wonder... was this also included in your scenario?"

Truly, their thoughts eluded her, despite them being apart of her embodiment like all living humans. She felt all of Lelouch's emotions at that one moment, his rage and fury at the prospect of his sacrifice left in vain. It amused her to know his life, but at the same time, she felt respect and admiration. Having watched humanity abuse this power, she had grown tiresome of their constant follies. Unlike her significant other, she believed that humans shouldn't wield the power of Geass, that it should be left well enough alone. As time progressed, her feelings only grew to the point where she believed it might have been better for humans to be erased, so that Geass could not be abused any further. As fate would have it, however, two humans had changed her view of things; one a girl who possessed only a fragment of this power of Kings, and the other, a boy who had forfeited everything for the sake of creating a peaceful, gentle world.

The world had indeed changed with the passage of time... and so too must humanity change, be it for better or for worse. With those like Lelouch vi Britannia, and Leila Malcal, perhaps the kingdom long forgotten to history would revive it's lost legacy to the present day. However, if such a thing were to happen, then the world must change. Humans must change.

"Time is like a river stream, every flowing and passing through as the world passed by the halls of history." she remarked, closing her eyes. "Now, the stream has become an ocean..." A smile soon spread across her face.

"Now, let us see if you can tame this ocean... my dear Lelouch."

Preview:

I sacrificed everything to create a new world. I had even given up my own life to accomplish this. I left Suzaku behind to bear the mask he once cursed and despised, so that he would protect this world.

And now I learn that someone dares to threaten everything we worked so hard to achieve. I will not stand for this. I will not sit by and watch as my world is burned to ashes.

I will do whatever it takes to destroy them.

If must become a demon again... so be it.

Next Time: Stage 2 - The Day the Demon was Revived