Code Geass: Knight of Revolution
Ah, how many of you were affected by the last chapter? Anyone? Anyone? I want an honest call out of who checked out the song Dancing in the Velvet Moon.
Chapter 36: Glaston Knights
Toudoh and the others restrained Morgen as she ran out of the front of the building. The rain was pouring down. Kallen hugged the woman from the front. She struggled against the four people until she couldn't keep it up. Slumping on Kallen's shoulder, she grit her teeth.
"They're lying, they're lying! They killed him to keep him silent! Halbdunkel, why?"
"Morgen, calm down! It's likely propaganda to rally Britannian morale. Everyone in the Black Knights knows who he was. They won't fall to a such a blatant lie."
Morgen began to calm, though she still felt uncertain inside. Kallen let go of her compatriot and held her at arms length. The older woman looked to the skies, letting the rain pelt her face and run down her neck. The others tentatively back away just in case she bolted again. After a few moments, they decided she wasn't going to freak out on them again. Toudoh gave Kallen a look that asked if she'd be alright on her own. Nodding once, Chiba patted Morgen on the shoulder once before leaving. Toudoh did the same as Asahina followed them back inside and out of the weather.
"I never thought I'd be able to love. Can you believe that Kallen?"
"Really?"
"Really. I was a Special Forces Sniper, men saw me as cold and calculated killer who only lusted after a rifle, its bullets and the feeling of the weapon firing at a target. No one cared if a sniper got into trouble, helping them was a risk that couldn't be taken. One or two people compared to a company? Simple deduction really. But after he joined our battalion, I got into trouble, the scar's still with me."
She touched the small of her back. Kallen couldn't imagine how that happened.
"He was the only one who rushed to my aide. Our commander was Ernst. He defied her orders and rushed to my position alone. I still haven't asked Dorothea what she thought of him that day. When he got to me, he did everything in his power to keep me from bleeding out. To this day I know I would have died there if he hadn't been there."
"You're all really close aren't you?"
"The insurrection of New Zealand and their sudden ballistic missile threats weren't something anyone in the world took lightly. We just responded to it first."
"When did you, well . . . When did the two of you?"
"Fall in love?" Kallen blushed, smiled, and nodded. If it got Morgen's mind off the possible bad situations, it was worth talking about girl stuff. She motioned for her to talk while walking toward the front lobby doors. Getting the message, Morgen followed.
"Well, it wasn't until after the N.Z. War that I started feeling anything for him. Once the conflicts ended we returned home. I was orphaned at a young age and my uncle took me in. He taught me how to handle firearms. When I joined the military, he passed away from heart failure. I don't know how he found out, but Hal invited me to stay with his family whenever we weren't on base or deployed, and his family took me in."
"Are you sure he wasn't giving you special treatment?"
Morgen shook her head in a negative response.
"No, when I arrived there was another person there. He was shipping out the following week. We never heard from him again. Kallen, I have a request."
Kallen asked for two towels and handed one to Morgen.
"What is it?"
"If I ever get like that again, I want you to slap me as hard as you can. I admit my pain will never fade, but I can't get like this while so much is going on. I'll have time to mourn later."
"It'll hurt."
"That's what I'm counting on."
"Well, we could be sisters y'know. We both have red hair."
Morgen chuckled and shook her head as she dried her hair.
"Actually, you and Hal would've made great brother and sister. Hal had red hair."
"Really? Did he dye it?"
Another shake of the head.
"No, it was psychological shock when his sister Amelia died. Speaking of which, where is she?"
"I gave the data panel she downloaded herself onto to Rakshata. Other than that, I have no clue."
Hugh Le Britannia fumed in his room. He just didn't get it. Hal killed Bradley, yet he was getting the elaborate funeral? Still, the data on the disk was helpful. He'd already given out the order to secretly changed all of the deployments of the Britannian forces.
"You look perturbed nephew."
He turned to see a child younger than himself accompanied by an older boy.
"How did you get in here?"
V.V. stepped closer with a gentle smile and confident stride. Making so many secret trips was taxing, but not impossible for the Collective to pull off. It also helped that the Thought Elevators were able to instantly transport to others in the blink of an eye. It ended up turning a five hour flight into a short forty-five minutes from the island to the main island of Japan.
"Now, now Hugh, that is no way to be speaking to your uncle. I've come to offer my assistance in crushing Zero and his pesky Black Knights."
"You think a kid can help me? Go back to whatever circus you came from. You, my uncle? What a joke."
V.V. scoffed at Hugh's insolence.
"I'd watch my language if I were you boy. No matter, since you don't want my help, I won't help you, though I will be watching from nearby. At least Schneizel knew not to underestimate the masked hero of Japan. Ah well, let's go Rolo."
With that, the two vanished from sight. Hugh glanced around, wondering if he'd been thinking too hard. Shaking his head to rid himself of such thoughts, he marched out of the room to find Guilford standing patiently outside.
"What do you want?"
"Your Highness, the Glaston Knights have arrived to assist in the defense of the Area."
"Excellent. They are yours to command Guilford, I'm sure they're anxious for payback for their Father and my sister Cornelia."
Guilford bowed and left to brief the Knights. Hugh had no clue how to really command. Guilford knew his full well. The only thing that the Le Britannian's valued was destructive value. Show them a new weapon and they'd act like children over it. If one thing was certain, is was that without the help of Rounds members, Hugh wouldn't last long.
Entering the private lounge, the Glaston Knights stood and saluted their senior. Guilford returned the salute for formalities sake before telling them to sit down again. Tea was being served and he asked the servant to pour him one and then leave them be. She did so and he took a slow sip. The warmth was welcoming on the cold, rainy day.
"Guilford, is it true that Darlton, Cornelia, and Euphemia have been captured by Zero?"
Finishing his tea before setting it on the mantle wear a fire burned warmly, he gazed at a photograph that held Cornelia, Euphemia, Darlton, and himself.
"Yes, it is."
The group clenched fists. Guilford turned to face them with a serious face.
"However," the word turned their attention to him in expectance. "Her Highness Cornelia and Euphemia agreed to go along with the scheme, as did your Father."
Bart and Alfred stood from their seats.
"You're joking! How could they?"
"For the sake of Marianne the Flash's memory. You arrived in the middle of the announcement, but Halbdunkel Schlange was fighting with the Black Knights as one of its key members. He passed away from wounds taken as he was buying time for Zero and his subordinates to escape. He died under our care."
David and Edgar stood this time as Bart fell back into his chair at the news. The rest of them were stunned silent.
"The Knight of Two? Dead? C'mon Guilford, it's not funny."
"That is the official report. However, I too, think it's a bunch of rubbish. It's true though, that he was in critical condition for some time. A bit of information not released to the public, he killed Luciano Bradley. Where Hal is now, I've no idea."
Claudio placed a hand to his chin in thought.
"So he was fighting beside Zero? But why?"
Guilford walked over to a shelf and took a photo album down from the bookcase. Bringing it to the table, he opened to the third page. The Glaston Knights gathered around to look at the photographs.
"Guilford, these are . . ."
"Pictures from New Zealand and on until the departure of the Knight of Two, Five, and Eight from the country."
Looking at the pictures, they contain images of Hal in his Special Forces uniform with Dorothea Ernst at the base camp. They sat on either side of the fold out table with crude coffee mugs raised as they looked toward the camera. Another had them leading troops over the ridge whoever was taking the photos had to have been using an extremely high speed camera. Glowing streaks of tracers flew between and round the two.
Another page of photos held a picture Dorothea pulling Hal, Morgen, and Guistizia into a group hug with Guis looking rather annoyed. Morgen's face was one of embarrassment while Hal looked at the camera and shrugged. With his hands palms up. A later picture held each of their Rounds Knighting Ceremonies. Each of the pictures that followed where of family during the after ceremony banquets.
The one that caught everyone's attention was Morgen's. She stood with Hal in his Special Forces dress uniform and his sister Amelia. Hal's father and mother were also in the picture. Morgen had a small smile on her face.
"What's with this one?"
Guilford took a look at the photo.
"Ah, that one. Morgen is an orphan, her family was killed when she was a child. From what I've heard, she was raised by her uncle, who taught her how to shoot. Hal offered her a place to stay after the events of New Zealand."
The group nodded in understanding. It seemed like there was a special bond between the four Rounds that went back before their appointments. Flipping the page again, they now looked at pictures taken around the Garden Villa Marianne had at her manor. They could see a younger Cornelia and Euphemia playing with Lelouch and Nunally Vi Britannia. Watching them from a few feet away was Marianne and the three Rounds. Darlton was there as well. There were a lot of pictures of each of them during random moments with the family. It seemed like a happy time.
"This is interesting Guilford, but what's it got to do with Zero?"
The man took a small folder from his desk and handed it to Darlton's adopted sons. Opening the folder, a new set of photos fell out. Picking them up, they showed Zero and several Japanese individuals joking around with three masked individuals. Another showed the same group standing and sitting behind a table, this time with the three masked supporters without their faces hidden.
"They all joined Zero?"
"Why would all three of them go to Zero?"
Shifting to the next picture, the five brothers stared at it in shock. Jaws went slack and one of them actually dropped to the floor on his knees.
"This is!"
The picture held Cornelia and Euphemia, perfectly fine and free of any restraints. Darlton stood just beside the violet haired princess at attention. Euphemia was kneeling beside a wheelchair bound girl they recognized as Nunally Vi Britannia as she waved at the camera. On the other side stood Guiszitiza with a black and silver version of the Rounds uniform. Each of them recognized Toudoh on the far opposite side with his Holy Swords. The group of Japanese people from the previous photos knelt in a forward row. One guy with a small red goatee and spiky hair had a thumbs up.
Between Toudoh and the Holy Swords stood Morgen clamped onto Halbdunkel's arm. Both of them held out a 'V' for victory. Morgen beamed with a huge smile as Hal gave a confident grin. A red haired girl rested a hand and her head on the shoulder of Zero, who clasped her hand in his and held his mask in the other. He wore a cocky grin.
Alfred dropped the picture, only to have Bart snatch it from the air to look at it closer.
"Guilford what is this?"
"It's exactly as it looks. Lelouch Vi Britannia and Nunally Vi Britannia are not dead. We've all be lied to. Now Lelouch wants justice, for Marianne his mother, for Nunally who can no longer see nor walk, and for all of us, who have been wronged by the very man we all swore fealty to when we joined the military. The lies must stop, and a true leader must take over. We were a strong and proud nation to begin with, but now it's forcing its way upon other nations. We are subjugating people that had no qualms with us. There's no reason, we're just following orders, but what his His Majesty thinking?"
"If His Majesty lied about his own son and daughter, then why did we invade Japan?"
"That's one of the questions, though it has a simple answer."
Edgar and Claudio looked at their commander simultaneously.
"The Sakuradite!"
Guilford nodded, Darlton had raised his sons well. They were sharp and caught on quickly. David paused a moment.
"Are you saying that since Charles lied about their deaths, and obviously hasn't helped Lelouch and Nunally, that Lelouch suspects his own Father of killing Marianne?" His brothers looked at him with chilling revelations.
"David, Lelouch and Cornelia both have always suspected it was an inside job. Not the work of terrorists. They're judgments are sound and logical. We were in the captial, surrounded by the most loyal, or most bribed members of nobility and military. No one on the outside would have been able to get anywhere near Marianne with a firearm."
"I remember now, Lelouch had asked to investigate and His Majesty rejected the petition. No wonder he's suspicious. But rebellion?"
"Cornelia has some of her elites fighting with the Black Knights. In addition to my being here, there are also five thousand men and woman loyal to her alone who know of this operation."
"A coup de tat?"
"A revolution. We will give the Japanese their freedom, their nation, before continuing to correct Britannia's errors. Lelouch has said that change from within Britannia is currently impossible with the grasp Charles has on the nation. By coming at him from the outside, people will realize that not all of us want what the Emperor does."
"That's quite a gamble."
Guilford nodded, but smiled.
"Yes it is, but would there be any better way of winning the people around the world? The backing would by monumental, and with success, Britannia will be renewed, possibly stronger and better off than it's ever been."
The five brothers thought about the events of the world as of late. This was huge.
Deep underground in China, the Serpent of Akasha stood over a broad open area where people were training. Watching them all for several minutes. He took special notice of a woman wielding a glaive with a blade wreathed in flames. Another person flourishing a long, thin saber also caught his attention. The final individual that caught his eye seemed to deny everyone fighting him any chance to continue, putting them down with ease.
Leaping from his place high above, he free fell twenty stories before slamming into the ground equidistant from the three prospects. One man approached him with a sword slung over his shoulder.
"Who do you think you are, barging in like that?"
He turned and glared. The man backed away as did several others. His eyes glowed a permanent red with the sigil of Geass in both eyes, yet another sigil resided with in his eyes upside down to the standard bird shape. The wing tips touched, forming what looked like a vague four point throwing star.
"Oh my god. He's got two?"
"A double Geass?"
"Two at once, who is he? Did Master V.V. give him those?"
Ignoring the fevered whispers, he looked to the woman.
"Your name and Geass."
"Rena, Absolute Combustion."
Changing his attention to the swordsman, he nodded once. The blonde haired man saluted him with his sword.
"Kyrios, Absolute Discharge."
"Discharge?"
To answer his question, he focused his energies on the sword and it began to glow white and flecks of static filled the air around him. Slashing out, a crackling bolt flew toward him. Unsheathing the sword at his side with incredible speed, the blade connected with the projectile and broke apart.
"I see, electrical discharges. Interesting. You're the final one."
"Kain, Absolute Physics."
The Serpent of Akasha narrowed his eyes at that.
'He can control the very concept of physics? That's dangerous though I wonder what kind of backlash he gets..'
"Very well. Follow me."
"Wait, who are you?"
"I am the Serpent of Akasha. Now follow me. V.V. would like to speak with you three."
Well, another chapter done and ready to be reviewed. The climax of the battle for Japan is approaching. Can you feel it? Can you feel the tensions rising?