A Gentler World.

"Lelouch." That same dark tone that always accompanied the witch; she was sitting in one of the many benches that filled the church, dark wood polished to perfection. She was smothered in shadow, out of reach of one of the many dancing rays of the sun peering through the stained glass windows. "Are you sure about this?"

No, he wasn't. No-one wanted to die, the Vampire of Brittania had it right there, the one thing that Lelouch valued above all, the one thing everyone valued above all; his life.

But there was one thing Lelouch valued above even that, above the heart beating in his chest like a captured butterfly in a cage of stained bones, above the air in his lungs expanding out and shrinking back in an attempt to keep calm.

Nunally; and her life.

"Witch, I will die with a smile on my face. Does that satisfy you?" He forced a smile, looking at his accomplice with a grin that felt like it hadn't been used in a very long time, it probably hadn't. Even now it felt wrong on his face. It had to be an odd look, a forced smile on the face of the King of the World, the thing was, in his attempt to be sincere, his smile was more fake than when it was when he was putting on airs to the whole world.

"That wasn't the question Lelouch."

He looked away again, closing his eyes as he debated what to tell the woman who had followed him everywhere since the beginning of this crazy mess. Since she blessed him—(Or was it curse?) with the Geass.

"Have you ever felt like you would go to the ends of the earth, and sell your soul to the devil... Just to see someone's smile?"

She was silent, holding her giant stuffed pizza mascot. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her squeeze it reassuringly. And he swore, but it may have been a trick of this whole place, that he heard her whisper: "I already have." But the sound was too faded for him to focus on, and he stood with his back to her, side on so he could keep a wary eye on the door, even if his few friends left would be guarding the place with the vision of an eagle.

"You're my accomplice aren't you? I fight for you every day... And you are a demon." She finally said.

Silence... She looked up at him with that warm smile. "The smile you have, when a plan goes right, it's amazing. I..." she paused suddenly, eyes flickering away as she tried to think over her next words, until finally; "I will be sad to see it go."

Lelouch laughed softly, forcing the sound of his voice out of his throat with as much sincerity as he could thrown into it, turning around and walking along the red velvet carpet that led out the door with as much confidence as he could muster. "No witch, I don't fear my own death." He replied. "I am very sure that this is the path I must take."

No, I'm not, but I must.

"We all have a choice about our paths Lelouch."

The door closed behind him, and he leant against it to make sure it was closed, before breathing in as much air as he could, Suzaku ran up to him, checking him over, making sure he wasn't injured, asking what was wrong.

He swallowed as much air as he could before exhaling and straightening up. Walking off again and offering no reply to his friend.

And I will walk this path of death and blood soaked stones... Just so Nunally can have a gentler world.