Sorry for the late update. There's been alot going on here! Well enjoy! Read &Review! Oh CC will be in the story but I'm not sure where to put her yet.

***

The next day

In the Order Headquarters

After helping Harry out with his unit's situation report on the Battle of Richmond, Anduin decided to check on his Knightmare.

"Hello, Captain Landers." A woman in her late twenties greeted as he entered the hanger. She had dark blue-purple hair and clad in the uniform of the Britannian Science Corp. It was identical to its Britannian Army counter-part save for the badge of the Order on the left breast: a black shield with a golden dragon.

"Hey, Cécile. Has my new Horse been saddled?"

"Not yet. We haven't finished with the final modifications for the Hadron cannons."

"Alright. Does it have the upgrades I asked for?" Anduin asked, peering at the dark Knightmare in the corner surrounded by brown coated technicians.

"That we have. We designed it just for your piloting skills alone. It has everything the Gareth has with some modifications used on the Albion."

Anduin grinned as he turned back to the young scientist. "I think I know where the modifications come from."

Cécile blushed. "I guess I got a little carried away. But don't worry. It's rather stable and your skills are more than adequate to handle it."

"I didn't know you had so much faith in my skills." The blond knight added with a little charm causing Cécile's face to redden even more.

"Well…I must be going back to my work, my lord..." She started to back away.

"Hey! I was only joking. I didn't mean anything else." He apologised, grabbing her arm.

"Even then, I still need to finish up with the Lord Arthur's Vincent. Its armour still needs reinforcing."

"I thought you already did it after that incident in New England?"

Cécile shook her head. "We couldn't because Sir Arthur needed speed to fight that customise Percival. The Energy disrupter rifle we made was specifically made to counter the wings but as you can see it's not really that effective. Since the Vincent can't be equipped with Energy Wings, we had to make sure it was light enough to fly as fast. Of course Sir Arthur's piloting skills helped."

"I see." Anduin turned his gaze to the silver and crimson Knightmare while digesting all he had heard. The Vincent stood in the centre of the lines of Knightmares, its armour still gleaming in the darkness. That explains why it was so fast. Then Anduin suddenly jump.

"Wait! Light armour? So that means if he had taken even a single hit, he would be…"

"Yes." Cécile shook her head in a silent apology. "It could not be helped. Against the Energy Wing System, speed was better than armour and he barely survived even without the system's full strength. My disrupter only managed to weaken it not completely deactivate it."

"Wow. Then you'd better finish up." As Cécile returned to her duties, Anduin decided to visit give Arthur a little visit.

To his surprise, Arthur left his door open which was always close whenever he was inside or out. The ex-Britannian army officer saw his friend dressed in civilian clothes with a long bag pack. He wore a white jacket with a long dark red stripe from the collars all the way to the sleeves with a black T-shirt underneath, a pair black-grey jeans and black knee high boots.

What startled him was that his usual raven hair was pure white as if he had aged overnight.

"Going out?" Anduin asked.

"Yes." His voice was as emotionless as ever. Arthur hoisted his sword over his back where the blade became hidden by the bag. His eyes, formerly deep violet were now sky blue.

"Nice disguise. So where are you running off to this time? Last time you did it, you were in the middle of a full-scale aerial battle. And you know that we're going to meet the Empress in a few days."

Arthur nodded as they exited his room. Anduin followed knowing better than to stop him. When he made up his mind to do something, nothing can stop him. He might have been Emperor Lelouch himself in that matter. The knight certainly carried himself like him, not bothering with military protocols or regulations for that matter. Then again, no one protested. Arthur was Arthur. That was that.

"I'll be back by then. There's something I need to take care of."

"Something to do with our late the Emperor?" Anduin asked causing Arthur to halt suddenly.

He stood there in silence and with hesitation answered. "Yes."

Anduin nodded understandingly. "Take my Vincent. Cécile's still repairing yours." Seeing Arthur's questioning look he added. "I'll let you know how I found out when the time comes. Isn't that what you always said to me?"

Arthur gave him a rare smile. "Thank you."

"Just take care of yourself, man."

"You too."

***

"When I was Zero, I led the Black knights to destroy the Geass Directorate, killing every single member. However, I suspect there are more scattered over the globe. Although they are not a threat now, by the time you read this, they would have reorganised themselves and will try to bring Geass back to the world. You realise that humanity has just started recovering from its terrible wars and such a force would bring chaos back to the world. You must do whatever it takes to stop it…the artefacts…they are the key…the first one lies in one of the three forms of Britannia: Albion, England and Great Britain..."

"The key? The key to what?" Arthur asked, despite himself.

In truth, Arthur had no idea where to start. Three forms of Britannia? What could that mean? He knew that Lelouch was not about to tell him everything so clearly lest it be heard by the wrong ears but some time he wished his liege would tell him more clearly.

The young knight flew the cobalt Vincent over the Northern Rockies down back to the formerly known as Area 2 Canada, or other wise known as the Land of the Northern Skies greeted him and the city of New Edinburgh lay just ahead. Back in the days of the old Empire, it was the residence of many powerful nobles including one particular noble he had been looking for. One who could answer his question or at least lead him to the one who knows it.

Since he was in the former lands of the rebelling nobles, Arthur knew he had to be cautious. There was no telling who was a rebel sympathiser or a loyalist though former would likely be more dominant.

After hiding the Knightmare, Arthur made his way through the city's underground district where the former nobility still held an underground casino. What surprised the knight was that there were still people supporting these arrogant blue-bloods. He watched bitterly as a group of them jeered at what looks like a fight between two women, probably trying to gain the favour of some high noble.

This was why he hated the world. After all the blood shed, there were still people who would still go on following the past. Even after Lelouch's sacrifice, these things were still going on. He hated it. He hated every one of them.

And he will not allow them to destroy the world that his lord had given his life for. Arthur Peregrine will do whatever it takes to do it...

He walked up to the bar and ordered a cup of milk. The bartender looked surprised at him but a quick look at Arthur's fake blue eyes quickly silenced him.

As Arthur quietly drank the liquid, a large man with dreadlocks in a crimson suit walked up to him.

"How old are you, boy?" The man asked, sitting beside him. Arthur ignored him and continued to drink.

"Ah, one of the highbourne, eh?" The man assumed his silence to be that of arrogance. "Let me guess, your father is the Duke of Cambria?" His unwanted visitor glanced at the jewelled hint of his sword.

"Where is Lord Blackforest?" Arthur asked bluntly still looking at his drink. His question caught the man by surprise.

"What?"

"You heard me clearly. I would like to speak to your master if he is done watching which woman he is deciding to bed."

"Why you little toad! No one speaks ill of his lordship unless he wants to live without teeth!" The man stood up in a threatening fashion looming over him. And Arthur could see that he was at least twice his size.

"And what of you?" He continued not at the least feeling disturbed. "How much did he pay you? Was it money? Was it power? So that you can be the hammer that strikes everyone around you? They say when you become the hammer you start to see everything else around you as a nail. Typical." Arthur paused to finish his drink. "I wonder what your own mother would be thinking of you."

"Damn little bastard!" The man lunged and grab for his throat.

Arthur moved faster. His right elbow spun around and struck the ruffian's cheek strong enough to stun him hard despite their size difference. Taking the advantage of the situation, Arthur slammed his elbow into the man's jaw, throwing him back.

The man's companion rushed to his aid with a drawn pistol but before he knew it, long blade knocked the weapon out of his hand. By the time he regain focus, he was staring down a pointed sword held by the white-haired youth. At the same time Arthur drew his pistol with his free hand and pointed at his right without looking.

"Don't even think about it." He muttered to the unseen adversary he sensed who reluctantly put his hand away from his pistol.

"Impressive." A smooth voice spoke from a corner. "Most impressive. I've never seen anyone asking for my presence like this before."

The man in his mid-thirties with a short blond hair walked up flanked by two other wearing suits.

"I am Lord Blackforest and here I am as you requested. Now would you please put away that sharp blade of yours."

"Well...well...the lord of Endor had finally been forced out his tunnel to the open grounds."

Blackforest smiled. "You have me there. But who said I would cooperate with you and looking at this situation, I appear to be the one with the upper hand." He gestured to his men who all pointed their weapons at Arthur which made his body filled with red lights.

Arthur returned so call noble with his own smile. "That's why brought these."

He opened his jacket and it was filled with small spheres with glowing red lights. Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably and the guards lurched forward with their weapons.

Arthur could not help but smirked after seeing the faces of these so confident, so proud people quivering in fear.

Blackforest however, instead laughed and laughed hard as if he was being tickled by an invisible feather.

"Hahaha, impressive indeed. You are indeed my kind of scum. But could we please deal it with in a more peaceful manner. Like a game of chess?"

At the knight laughed. "Chess? That is a great idea." He lowered his weapons as he won't need them. This was going far easier than he expected.

Ten minutes later

In Blackforest's personal quarters

"That ends it. Knight to E5. Checkmate."

"Uh...how?" Blackforest stared at chessboard in disbelief. How? How could he have lost so quickly? He had never been defeated before. Not in ten years. So how...He looked at his guards who gave the same look. The pair was even in a worst shape than he was.

"Well, your lordship, we've settled it. Now I will ask you a question. In the Arthurian Legend, Arthur Pendragon had often travelled alone in disguise as a knight errant facing many enemies, am I correct?"

"So?" Blackforest's voice was still no longer friendly likely from his humiliating defeat. Nobles are so easy to taunt.

"As Valiant, he faced the dreaded Black Knight, the Giants of Asgard, the Orcs of Wendor...and the Cult..."

At the very mention of the word 'Cult', Blackforest's eyes widen and at once panicked.

"Guards! Guards!" He shouted. Arthur drew out his sword and slashed the guard flanked on his right and then drew his pistol and fired the other one. As the noble's bodyguards entered, Arthur turned over the table and threw it over to the interlopers. He pulled out his pistol and began to click rounds into his enemies. Blackforest used the chaos and ran into a corner where he disappeared into.

Arthur smirked as the former noble vanished from sight. "Coward." He mentally muttered as he put a bullet into the heart of another one of the rogues. They were good marksmen but they did not have the discipline or the skills as soldiers who fight as a group. With that Arthur pulled out one of his detonators and flung it at the ceiling of the doorway which they had entered from. That Blackforest had isolated them in a different room made it very easy to cut off his reinforcements. The former nobleman had no idea who he was dealing with.

The explosive caused a small cave in and the rabble blocked the entrance. With the main threat gone, Arthur made his way through the secret door way where another explosion occurred. He had rolled a timer bomb down before the chess match had started after he noted that the wind was blowing the direction. Arthur had his explosives made into spheres for a reason.

He slowly walked down the passage where he found a half-dazed Blackforest on the floor.

"You didn't even let me finish." Arthur said with mock innocence.

"I don't know anything! I just run a business here." He growled defiantly.

"Oh, really?" Arthur m suddenly thrust his gun arm and fired in the darkness. It was followed by a groan and a thud. "I haven't even said anything yet. Did you read my mind? Is that the power of your Geass?" The knight grabbed the noble by his collar and pushed him against the wall.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Blackforest protested. At that Arthur sighed and brought his sword up pressing the blade against his neck, the razor sharp blade caused a thin red line to appear on the skin.

"Oh here, let me refresh your memory." The white haired knight pressed his palm against his forehead and squeezed it hard. Blackforest screamed as his ghostly images pass through his mind as if he had been electrocuted. The next time he opened his eyes, they flared crimson with the Geass symbol.

"What are you and your Purist friends up to? What does the Directorate want now? Talk!" Arthur pressed his blade closer against the neck.

"You will not stop them in time! The elders have already commenced the ritual. The balance will be restored again! The six will return!" Blackforest snarled, his eyes were literally flaring.

"Right. Now let's try this slowly. Who are the Six and what the hell does this have to do with this war?"

The Geass user snarled like a cornered beast but Arthur held him tight. "They are the Great Ones who would return this world back to what it should have been! For centuries they have slept and soon enough blood would be spilt for their return is finally coming!"

"So you are in league with the rebels. That explains everything. Now what are you after? Talk!"

Blackforest or rather who was Blackforest remained stubbornly defiant instead let out strings of curses. In response, Arthur pressed harder until blood was finally drawn from his neck.

"I can do this all day, you noble-born bastard. Tell me! What are you after?!" Arthur had lost his temper and pressed his left palm against his forehead again. Blackforest screamed, screamed as if the touch had burnt his skin.

"I am not worthy of such knowledge." He said proudly. "But it would all be revealed with the blood of the Queen is paid..."

Arthur's brow furrowed. Blood of the Queen is paid...Blood of the Queen...blood...he thought quickly. Then he realised it.

"The Empress? It was you!!!" He slammed Blackforest hard against the wall. "It was you lot who allowed the Purists to get pass the Imperial defences. It was you who helped take New York! So now you're going to assassinate Empress Nunnally again?! When?! When?!" Arthur swore loyalty to Lelouch that he would protect his sister from any harm on their first meeting and hearing the plot renewed his anger.

"T...No! I must not say..." The Geass Cultist fought back his fear .

"When?!" The knight demanded.

"Next...Nightfall...NO! Noo!!!" He roared and shoved the knight off with surprising force and starting to attack him viciously him like a feral animal. Arthur easily dodged the completely wild attacks and in a swift motion, he slammed his sword hint between his eyes. The jewelled hint only made the blow more lethal as Blackforest fell back.

Arthur stared at the bleeding nobleman as he readied his sword again. Blood covered his face and the knight guessed the blow must have cracked something.

"You will...never...make it...There is nothing you...can do..." The nobleman said.

"Oh there're many things I can do, blue-blood. I thank you for your time. I'll see you in hell." With that Arthur drove his sword into Blackforest's chest, piercing his heart at once.

Withdrawing his sword, Arthur reached for his comlink and broke into a run down the secret hall way the noble was supposed to escape.

"Anduin! It's Arthur. Hurry. Tell the Grand Master! The bastards are going to strike! And the target is Her Majesty, Lady Nunnally, Empress of Britannia!"

***

2300

18th November 2019

New Pendragon

Capital of the Holy Empire of Britannia

The Imperial Palace

Clouds hung low over the New Pendragon, brushing over the tips of the capital's many towers and skyscrapers. Despite the great technology that powered the city, the Palace itself like many Britannian monuments was remodelled after those of the Medieval Castles in the past as a remembrance of the legacy left during the times of old Britain. Inside the palace, Zero and some of Her Majesty's commanders were still awake, pouring over old maps and comparing them with new ones to understand the various battlefields that lay all over Britannia.

The Royal Guardsmen who were posted at Palace's main entrance had nodded to the beautiful half-Britannian Knight of Two who had accompanied Zero and the Knights of Four and Nine though anyone with eyes could see the tension in her eyes as if from lack of sleep.

They shivered but otherwise paid no attention to a particular cold breeze that suddenly washed over the Palace until a stronger wind sprang up. They gripped their bayonet fixed rifles tightly to forget the uncomfortable chill.

Unlike their counter-parts, the Palace Guards, these men wore crimson uniforms and carried the Army standard assault rifles instead of the grey coats and rifled polearms. While their purpose seemed to be that of purely ceremonial, the popular misconception often led many to foolishly underestimate the Guard. Their function was to follow Her Majesty anyway and protect her from any harm. It was considered an honour to protect such a great ruler and they would gladly lay down their lives for her safety.

On the battlefield itself, they would ride the specialised Knightmares in white and red and wear their version of battle-armour.

But today, the Guard captain could not help but be tense for some reason so he ordered his men to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. He did not understand why though. The machine gun camera turrets were all activated and were in good condition. Their Knightmare and air patrols were all over the city as well as the palace but something did not seem right. Was it just him being paranoid? He did not know. Both Zero and Lord Guilford did say that it was important to trust your instincts.

He and a pair of his men that stood in the observation room shivered as a sudden gust of wind blew into the room. Then the captain noticed that the guards' shadow at the northern gate seemed to deepen. At first, he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him but then he saw the shadow was still deep.

Then suddenly a stronger wind sprang up whisking the shadow away and revealing a black hooded figure that lunged at the hapless guard felling him at once. The Guard Captain jumped and turned to the alarm switch when he felt a presence behind him.

As he turned, a shadowy figure leapt on them. His men turned their pistols to it but then it was too fast. The Royal Guard on the right fell first his throat with his throat ripped open by some kind of blade. His companion was able trained his pistol at their attacker but before he could fire the figure swung a hand knocking the gun out and thrust his other hand into the chest. As the soldier coughed out blood and fell down without a sound.

"Damn, bastard!" The captain cursed as he drew his pistol and fired. The shadowy figure dodged the bullet with incredible speed and glared at him with glowing eyes which the soldier could not help but stare back for the moment. He then noticed that the glow was made by a red bird like symbol in the pupil.

Before he knew it, the shadow disappeared and felt his mouth covered by a metallic glove which muffled his scream as he felt something piercing his back and bursting it out of his chest. The officer managed to look down to see a bloodied hand pouting out his chest before everything turned black.

Cliff hanger!! That was hard writing. Sorry for taking so long. Oh and I finally got my O lvl results with an A for History and I'm qualified to go either Junior College or Polytechnic! YAY! Though when I start attending them, I doubt I can update as fast as now but I'll try my best. I'm very grateful for your reviews!

Oh yea,

Note: Since Code Geass is an alternate universe from our world, the Arthurian Legend will be an alternate version too! Just in case if you're confused by the names.

Now review or you'll never know the connection between Lelouch and Arthur!