Authors Notes:

Hey im not dead yet! Unfortunatly i moved, went to college, and had so many things going on i lost track of the story and lost inspiration and drive. After being left at the college for 2 hours i then forced myself to finish this dang chapter, so enjoy and sorry for the wait.

Tears and Fire

Karren gripped the controls of the Dragoon tightly as she looked out at the devastation she had caused. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure she was putting as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her eyes a clear purple with fading red rims. The battlefield was baron except for the few chunks of burning sakuradite that were still falling. Her absolute defense field had saved her, but the UFN army was obliterated. She could still see burning ships falling from the sky with knightmare pieces scattered from the huge explosion. The new rain patted against the armor of her knightmare lightly before it became heavy. The field turned darker with her knightmare almost invisible being the only black one.

The Damocles was across the barren land along with a few surviving black knights. All in all, they outnumbered them thirty to one now. Although the Damocles itself was its own game changer, she still had to finish this. Her heart was heavy with sudden worry as everyone took a momentary break from the battle. Lightly pressing the buttons and slowly she put in a memorized number. A few second later the person answered as she appeared on her screen.

"C.C..."

"Karren, I heard the blast. I take it you are nearly done?"

Karren looked down while her shoulders went limp, her face saddened as she held back tears. C.C had immediately recognized that it wasn't the stone hard resolve she had shown before but that of the girl she knew month before.

"C.C, can you tell me... If he is alright? You and him are connected so I..."

C.C looked back at the young girl who seemed over her head. Her eyes were saddened and filled with worry and she had already guessed why. She knew what she was doing was wrong. The red rims around her eyes blinked in and out before cooling and refocusing, causing her face to calm and her aura to change. The sadness passed away as her eyes held red rims.

"That geass isn't like his you know. It won't last forever"

Karren didn't immediately respond as she slowly looked back out at the dark rainy battlefield.

"All the more reason to end this quickly." The figure looked around at the formations with keen eyes before looking back at the women she was just talking to. "But i really would like to know to, is he alive? I can't have him die, I need him for later"

"He's alive for now, unless you have a change of plans"

A brief sad smile graced Karren's lips as she looked at the Damocles remembering its main weapon, Flieja. A weapon that could destroy cities in seconds, or more accurately could wipe her out in seconds.

"No, no change. If this doesn't work, I'm sure he will make something of it."

"And how do you know it will work?

Karren glanced back at C.C before looking back at the Damocles, the last hopeful obstacle.

"Because I saw the future C.C. I know it will work"

Schniezel raised an eyebrow as he looked at the vast empty battlefield. Karren had proven to be far better than he had expected, perhaps an equal to Lelouch or even himself. None of what had just happened should have been possible. That is unless she had been hiding her true potential ever since joining the Black Knights. But then, was this why? Was this her true motive?

"Sir the UFN army is finished! We should use the Flieja now and end it!"

Kannon nodded in understanding before looking to Schniezel who was deeper in thought than he had ever seen before. And he had been by his side for half his life in fact.

"Sir if we use it now-"

"Using the Flieja will only bring fear to the people... But I understand that even fear has it's uses. Prepare the Flieja for launch at once then raise the Damocles up through the hole in the clouds. Even being outnumbered means nothing if we get into orbit."

"Your majesty. They are moving away from the Damocles. I believe they are going to use-"

"Flieja I know"

Karren looked at the view screen showing the few remaining units separating, following Schniezel's command since they were desperate for victory. The window that was showing C.C was shrunk so she could see both. C.C's expression was the same old, apathy.

Karren sighed heavily as she readied to give the suicidal command. It was the only way to get close to the Damocles but if fate wasn't on her side then this would be the end and Schniezel would win. The thought disturbed her as she thought of something else that scared her.

"C.C... If this doesn't work and I die... I... Want you to go to-"

"Is this the old Karren coming out or have you gotten soft?"

Karren half grinned at the girls failed attempt at a laugh, the attempt even more comedic as she would have a high chance of dying in the next minute.

"Listen C.C... That project I was telling you about is-"

"There is no need to tell me."

"Stubborn ageless witch aren't you?"

C.C didn't smile to the sarcastic comment as she put the cheese-kun away. The air seemed serious despite how much Karren tried not to think about it.

"You've just told me, you won't die."

C.C was quiet as Karren began to move units around, trying to not think about how suicidal this attempt was. Karren spoke, her voice somewhat softer than before.

"I may not know what my destiny is. But I certainly know it's not to die here, even so Id like reassurance"

"And how would you know anything about destiny?"

Karren stopped for a second as she watched her armada follow her typed command, every single last one converging on the Damocles. A foolhardy stupid assault. She glanced at C.C, being generally surprised to see the girl actually grinning like it was a funny joke and giving a mocking short laugh.

"Because when you live as long as I have, you will notice Destiny has a funny way of changing everything."

Gently eyes opened revealing a sharp amethyst gaze. Achingly Lelouch forced himself up, momentarily noticing the small crack in his helmet while analyzing what had happened. His knightmare seemed fine because of the absolute defense shield but the carcasses of destroyed ships and knightmares told him everything he needed to know about the rest.

Still sore he made the knightmare stand up, and looking at the carnage all around he could see without a doubt that he had lost the fight. The Ikaruga seemed to be a few hundred yards away. Or at least he believed so because of the skid marks, it was upright and didn't seem to have rolled meaning they had managed to stabilize before crashing. Although that meant less damage, he knew that it was no where near ready to fight.

"Zero, you ok?"

He looked up seeing one of the regular army units, along with a familiar voice that was the only one he hoped had been ejected.

"Yes Tamaki I'm fine. What's the word on everyone else"

"We still have all the customs. But the army is gone"

Instantly recognizing the voice as Kallens as he saw them grouping up. Tohdoh, Xing ke, Suzaku, Gino, and Anya all came as well. None of them seemed too damaged so he at least had top units at his disposal.

Quickly he scanned the field, finding far too few of survivors than he would have liked. It seemed everyone but the units guarding Schniezel had been ether destroyed or forced to land. The Britannian Armada was still in the air and was converging on the Damocles, while the few damaged Britannian war ships flew low putting down any chance of a comeback.

The rain patted lightly against his knightmare before getting heavier and heavier. Soon it got too bad to see properly so everyone was forced to switch to infrared. That soon proved useful as they could all clearly see the Dragoon leading the charge against Damocles.

"You got to be kidding me! Can't believe we fell for that little brats-"

"Tamaki shut it!"

Tamaki fumbled at her angry words as she had filled her claw with red energy. He quickly and complete turned off the mic so he wouldn't angry the female warrior who despite her attitude at the moment had tears in her eyes.

"Look Kallen... I'm as mad and confused about what's going on as you are but picking fights isn't going to help"

Suzaku sighed hoping his words had at least cooled her partly. After a few seconds it seemed to work as she powered down the claw, the heavy rain turning the loose dirt around them into mud.

"Zero, do we retreat for now?" Gino rubbed his forehead trying to get the ringing of the explosion out of his ears. He had barely maneuvered through what might as well have been a meteor shower and now he had made his choice, he had to stick with Zero. "Well? Your the man for strategy so what do we do?"

"Actually it's miracles and tactics Gino"

"Anya you know what I mean. But is there no way to beat her?"

Lelouch ignored the question as he tried to clear his head and think properly.

There is no way she could have done this. She was never a tactician, and even if what she said on Horia was true then she could have just let us beat her here. She may have been jailed for life but he could have broken her out without anyone noticing. If she took over the world then the world she wanted wouldn't exist. She would destroy her own dream... unless...

"Certainly would have been easier if we had C.C"

"Missing the green haired witch already?"

"Stop being bitter Kallen we have to-"

"Wait wait wait! Green hair? Golden eyes? Around sixteen to eighteen years old?"

Everyone momentarily stopped talking noticing Gino's description of a girl he has never met was spot on.

"You've seen her?"

"Yes I have Zero. I went to see Karren a day before Bismark came and she was just sitting in the throne. Karren didn't seem to pleased with her and sent her away."

"But that's around the time that I came. She said she was hunting down the order with Jeremiah!-"

"Which means C.C knows exactly what is going on and Karren is hiding her"

Lelouch quickly thought of the implications that were unfolding as he noticed the Damocles preparing to fire the Flieja.

"Fire"

"Yes my lord"

Karren instantly recognized the shining pink weapon as it raced its way towards her and her fleet. The Armada was closing in fast and would only take a few minutes to reach the Damocles unless her idea didn't work. Disregarding safety she pushed the Dragoon towards the incoming warhead, her thoughts lingering on another life.

"Come on Nina. Fifty fifty chance, Fifty fifty chance!"

She soon had reached the intercept point as she Flieja seemed to be making a head on collision with it, the pink light growing brighter with each second. The distance glowed closer and closer as the fleet kept their course but all looked at their Empress standing in its way.

With quick reflexes she grabbed the Flieja with her claw, the pink light growing ever brighter as she turned on the dark wave generator. Electricity quickly covered the claw and Flieja as the light still grew as if nothing had changed.

"Come on... Work! Work!"

Schniezel showed general surprise as he witnessed the Dragoon actually grab a weapon of mass destruction and seemed to be trying to overpower it with its own weapon.

"The Idiocy! What's that girl think she's doing!"

Schniezel ignored the generals rude comment for what seemed like the twentieth time as he watched the Dragoon in intriguement.

"You don't suppose that she made a countermeasure using the captured Flieja?"

Kannon seemed a bit surprised for the comment that in all terms may or may not be possible.

"I wouldn't know sir. The captured Flieja was rigged to blow if tampered with. But miss Eighnstein had been reported missing ever since Karren took the throne"

"I see. Even still I don't like the thought of actually having a chance to lose. Ill admit it was refreshing having had a worthy opponent in China, but the stakes weren't this high."

Karren raised her arm over her eyes because of the bright light. She had seen a Flieja up close and personal at the battle for Japan but even then she didn't literally GRAB IT! The light wasn't fading even when she had her dark wave generator at full power. Her energy was going away fast and if her claw broke then that would be the end of things.

Despite the closeness to imminent death still heavy on her mind she actually smiled seeing the light grow brighter.

"I wonder if ill go to heaven or hell for this"

Lelouch and the others looked up as the Dragoon was consumed in the pink light. The familiar orb of light began to expand as everyone stared at it baffling.

"I guess that's the end of-"

The sentence wasn't finished as lighting from the storm crashed around everywhere. Mainly near the flieja orb as it suddenly stopped expanding. Everyone wondered why it was so much smaller before they saw black lightning striking out of it while lighting from the storm collided with those. The entire orb was being entangled by the black and regular lightning as it sharply began to shrink before collapsing on itself entirely.

The Dragoon floating there unharmed with the dead Flieja in its hand.

"There is no freaking way! How the hell did she!-"

"Interesting. I guess it really did work"

Everyone looked towards Anya who had just interrupted Tamaki's idiocy. Several questions on their minds while Lelouch was indifferent about the turning of events.

"Her dark wave generator was designed to suck away Sakuradite energy and electricity. The Flieja being made of the two made it so she could simply drain it off all its energy before it exploded."

"Huh!"

"Isn't that right Anya?"

"Correct. She told me about this idea before the betrayal"

Everyone seemed to be slowly understanding the idea as Tohdoh looked up at the Dragoon as it dropped the Flieja but pulled out something else.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Everyone on the Damocles stood dumbfounded as the Dragoon floated unharmed with the drained Flieja in its claw. The crew dropped crates or all out stopped what they were doing just to look at it.

"There's... There's just no way..."

Even Schniezel seemed surprised at the turn of events. The surprised in his face turning into a sad grinned as he closed his eyes looking down at the table.

"Well I suppose victory goes to you my niece"

"Sir what do you-"

"Oh my lord..."

"What? What are you... oh my..."

Schniezel looked up from the spot on the table as the generals stood dumbfounded as the Dragoon pointed a very familiar weapon at them.

Even in the darkness with heavy rain the lightning kept illuminating the Dragoon. Unharmed and still ready to fight as it dropped the dead Flieja. Karren smirked with her red eyes before grabbing something from the Dragoons lower back and brought it out. The same Flieja gun that she had stolen from Gino. The same weapon loaded with the warhead just like the one she had just disabled.

Not taking the moment to bask in victory she pressed the button and sent the warhead on it's way straight into the heart of the remaining enemy formations. The light acting as a beacon in the darkness as everyone held their breath.

"It's heading straight for us!"

"All units evade! Evade-"

Schniezel ignored the hysteria in suing as everyone dashed around. Even Kannon's hands were shaking behind his back as the view screen showing the flieja labeled the meters until impact. The numbers counting down so quick that one sentence was all one could say.

"Sir... It's been an honor"

The light from the explosion was immense as everything that was once pitch black was now illuminated as if it was the sun. The blast sounded like an overcharge of the several lightning bolts that danced across the sky. The immense blast was soon followed by the shockwave that pushed the rain and the very clouds away.

Lelouch and everyone else stood dumbfounded at how the weapon had just wiped thousands out in a heartbeat. Slowly the rain continued as everyone looked towards the new surge of light coming from a hole in the clouds the flieja made. The hole was a perfect circle with no rain in it and was light up, the exact opposite of everything else. And in its light the Damocles floated unharmed.

"Wha- What just happened?..."

"I don't know sir. Everything's a little shaky but I think we are undamaged."

"I mean how the blazes are we alive! Did she miss, did it pre-detonate. Was it a dud or-"

"No"

"Huh?"

Everyone shared the same curiosity as Schniezel sat in the chair reveling at the odds.

"No, It did exactly what it was supposed to"

Seconds later before anyone could question the view screen came back on. It showed the Dragoon charging ahead at full speed with the Britannian armada behind it.

"Now she is charging on ahead! Does this girl think she's another Zero or what!"

Ignoring the comment Schniezel waited while holding the Damocles key in his hands as he thought of how to turn things around. He had been in many situations like this but he wasn't forced into them or at least had time to see it coming. Kannon being the patient one looked to his left at the 3-D image of everything. Something caught his eye however that made him realize what was going on.

"Sir-"

"I know Kannon. She's opened up quite a hole"

Although Kannon's view of it was far drastic he still tried to remain calm as to be sane. The remaining army was caught in the blast, but none of the Damocles itself. Except for one piece, a part of its shield. The shield opening was large but was reforming. But not before the Dragoon raced through it and began to shake the fortress with blasts.

"Sir, the Flieja cannon is offline!" 'another explosion' "Shield generator four and six offline" Another explosion rocked the ship as the officer had to hang on to the consol for support. " Uh twelve, eight... Sir she's tearing it apart."

Schniezel sighed at how he was losing and very badly. He hadn't expected this girl to be so much trouble, and maybe that in itself would be his downfall. His fingers grazed over the Flieja weapon, contemplating using the remaining Flieja's to destroy the Damocles and Karren.

I may die as well but I suppose I will be named a hero for this. I may be enemies with my little brother but I think he could make a fine peace after this. Ill trust him to make things right after this.

Schniezel's thumb went over the button before a view screen popped up showing Lelouch and his ace's approaching. They were quickly coming to help but if he activated Flieja now they would all die and no one would be left to govern the world, it would end in chaos and would be worse than even if Karren won. Then again maybe they could help him escape. Seconds past as Schniezel took his thumb off the trigger and opened a comlink with his brother.

"Zero, it seems she learned quite a bit from you. You taught her too well."

Lelouch looked at the slightly cracked monitor seeing Schniezel remain calm and cool. But he had already learned long ago to simply look into his eyes and you could tell what he really feels. And it wasn't the same eyes of the victories Schniezel, he was scared.

"Unfortunately. We're going to attack and hopefully capture her to end this. And I would ask you not fire any Flieja's in the meanwhile."

"Of course Zero. But I have a plan that requires that. If you can't hope to defeat her, I ask at least you defend the hanger I will try to escape from. After im away, I will activate the Flieja and destroy the armada."

Same old clever Schniezel. But even then I want to know why she's doing this.

"That will be a last resort. Give us time to attempt capture."

"Of course Zero"

The line cut as Schniezel remained calm, offering a smile for the victory he had just received. He turned and walked away with Kannon a step behind, the generals staring at him curiously.

"So what do we do sir?"

"I suggest evacuation. But we don't want our enemies knowing that so its best not to tell. Once im clear I will detonate a Flieja, killing Karren and Zero. Then we can work towards fixing the world of it's troubles"

Everything seemed so surreal in this fight. A castle in the sky piercing the clouds, a dark heavy rain surrounding it but never touching it. Machines flying, destroying and falling from the sky. And she herself, leading the fight in one. One made to be a Dragon, or was she the Dragon. She had already known some people called her the Dragon Empress, and the understood why. The destruction that she could cause was like a Dragon attacking a kingdom, and for today she hoped she could live through it.

"Your Majesty. We've captured the Flieja storage bay and are slowly taking over the ship."

"Good. Encircle the Damocles and ensure it can't escape."

On her order the several dozens of attack cruiser's began to turn around the Damocles. It somewhat looked like a tornado around the Damocles at how each one flew around while firing or launching sutherlands or boarding craft. This all seemed so easy that she just rested on the side of the Damocles, watching the few shields it had keep dropping and fading away.

"Is this worth it?"

She shook her head roughly and took a deep breath as to try and not let the geass break. She was the only top unit they had, so that meant all the pressure was on her. If she let the old Karren out then she would never be able to do this.

"I really hope they just ran"

An alarm ringing along with her shields raising brought her answer as a yellow beam deflected off with ease. It stopped as she looked at the group of knightmares floating in front of her. All aces of the Black Knights plus one regular unit had survived long enough to do a last ditch effort on her.

"Of course the great unconscious wouldn't give me a break"

"I don't suppose your here to surrender?"

"Karren stop this madness at once!"

Although the voice of the person she considered her mother did pain her. She steeled herself, gathering what courage she had left to go through with it all.

"No! I did not come this far to be stopped. Surrender or ill take you apart myself!"

The Dragoons claw sparked with black electricity as everyone looked at her. They outnumbered her fully not counting her army. But even then the army was rubbish to their amount of skill.

"Karren you can't win and you know it. Stop while this can all be ended peacefully"

Although her heart sank a bit at her father's words she didn't let it get to her, remembering all that had happened and was to come. She had to do this, she just had to.

"Peaceful? Since when have I ever been peaceful Zero? I'm a demon, a dragon. I kill without thinking and burn everything behind me. This can only end in one of us beating the other."

"You really have lost yourself to Charles ways haven't you"

"Is that... What I'm turning into? Is that what was meant to happen? No! Focus, stay in control."

She mentally shook herself of the thought trying to gather courage for the last few words. She considered just all out attacking them, but she figured it would end in the fight of her life anyway so words would be the last nail for the coffin.

"Perhaps I have." A sudden blast of black energy scattered the group as sutherlands turned to help the empress. "But perhaps it will be worth it in the end" A quick burst of speed erupted from the Dragoon as it sliced at Zero's knightmare. His shield came just in time but the force was so great it sent him barreling back. Karren's breath calmed as her eyes slowly began to be covered in red rims. "I'd rather avoid it. But killing you is an option"

The area erupted into explosions as the floatships fired upon the group. Karren backed away quickly avoiding the Lancelot before keeping it at a distance with its own blade. Karren fired off a slash harken, forcing Suzaku to back away as she turned and smacked away the Shen hu's blade. The force so great his blade cracked while he coughed another batch of blood.

"A true dragon I see" Xing ke wiped the blood from his lips as he fired off his whips to gain distance. The Dragoon avoided them easily but grabbed the whips with the claw ensuring he couldn't run. Realizing his fluke he charged the whip with electrical energy while the Dragoon did the same with its claw, the energy sparking off for a few seconds becoming a beacon to all. Suddenly she pulled him abruptly towards her. He readied himself to block the inevitable sword swing only for a black sword to block it for him. "Glad for the help Tohdoh"

"Don't mention it we-arg!" The power of the swing ripped a gash in the Zangetsu's arm that shook his knightmare. Tohdoh leveled the Zangetsu's shoulder mounted machine guns for retaliation only for the Dragoon's shield to reflect the bullets off easily. He cursed under his breath as a hidden slash harken in the Dragoon's thigh landed true into his knightmares left shoulder. It retracted before he could cut it while it speed around avoiding everyone, well mainly the Lancelot that was dueling with it so fast one could only see the flashes of green and black.

"Karren stop this at once. You know what your doing is wrong!"

"Hypocrite! You killed your father and fought for the enemy! Don't berate me when you've fallen lower than me"

"That's why I'm telling you not to go down this path!"

"It's the only path left to go!"

Another swing of his sword was met with air as the Dragoon disappeared. Suzaku was stunned for a split second until he rapidly turned and used his energy shield to block her attack. Black lightning flowed from her sword with loud cracks as the shield shatter and her sword left a deep gash in the Lancelot's arm.

"Don't worry i got-!"

Just as Tamaki readied to do a daredevil backstab the Dragoon's wing spread wide and pierced his knightmares chest, forcing an immediately ejection launch. "Damnit! Why is it always me!"

Karren looked, preparing herself for the next inevitable attack. Soon the phantoms of the future showed her the way as she dived and dodged blurs of red by near inches. The speed and precision increased until Karren was forced to fire off an energy wing blast to make her stop. The Guren floated in front of her, both of there knightmares claws glowing with energy. Karren's breath heaved as the red rims around her eyes began blinking.

"No keep fighting!"

"This isn't what anyone would have wanted" Sure Karren was a great pilot, friend, and her blood daughter. But right now she couldn't think about those things. Everything had suddenly changed, she didn't know why, she needed to know, she needed to beat her.

"All great achievements require sacrifice Kallen. Maybe you will realize that when this is all over"

With bursts of speed the two clashed at speeds faster than the eye. Nether landing a good blow as Suzaku tried to keep up while firing varus blasts that stuck against the already damaged Damocles. The two pilots slashed, and ducked and performed maneuvers quicker than anytime before. Both had sweat beads down there face as Karren let off a point blank energy spread shot to make her back away.

"She's too good. If I keep this up I'll..."

A hard echo blasted out as the Shinkero's beam struck her shield. Soon the Shen hu's beam joined as well forcing her to remain still with her shields as her only defense. Kallen looked at the sight, and after mentally shaking herself from the just wrong feeling she fired off her own energy blast as well.

"Damnit my shields are dropping too fast.."

Anya's finger rested on the trigger as her breath quickened. She hadn't wanted this, though she doubted anyone had. Her savior, the one who showed her the truth was now the enemy. Was it misguided beliefs? Was she in the wrong or them? No, she wasn't... It was Karren..

"The old you would have wanted me to..."

And with a click of button her hydra cannon roared out a green flame. The giant beam struck true enveloping it in a large explosion. Everyone flinch for a few seconds, the destruction instantaneous as the skies were rocked from the enormous blast.

"It's over... Your-"

A loud unexpected bang greeted the small girls ears as suddenly everything began to shut down. She rapidly pressed all possible problems she could think of before a voice from a speaker told her.

"I won't die so easily Anya"

"How did she... geass..."

"I'm sorry but it was all for naught" Before anyone could react the Dragoon powered its claw and blasted the Vulcan away with an energy blast. The machine smoked as the now dead machine collided with the Damocles before freefalling down.

"Anya!"

"Gino... Gino she..."

"Gotcha!"

With quick maneuvering he caught the heavy Vulcan slowing the freefall, unfortunately another black beam came slicing off the Tristan's arm and half its float system. The force ripped a gash into the Vulcan's armor allowing Anya in her barely consciousness to look outside as they fell.

"Karren's not..." Before she could complete the thought more explosions sounded out signaling the battle continued as her mind ached and she passed out.

"Im sorry Anya, but I have to complete Ragnarok."

Authors notes:

Hurray for more confusion that makes sense only to me!

Well this chapter was going to be bigger but ive procrastinated enough as is so im going to make it a two parter, get inspiration from what yall think about this one, and finish up this story. Im sorry its been so long...