A/N: Here it is. The final chapter of Code Gundam: Lelouch of the Skies. I'll be using elements of Resurrection in this chapter, mainly the reorganized governments, state of the world, terms, and the antagonists, with my own twist and inferences. But I honestly don't know much about it because I never liked the movie, I just wish Lelouch stayed as Zero and ended up Kallen instead of C.C. Most of the information I'll be using stuff I learned from the wiki.
I'll let you know which story I'll be working on next at the end of the chapter. I'm really excited about the votes myself
I do not own Code Geass or Gundam Seed. Both are works of Sunrise.
So without further ado, let's finish this up, shall we?
10 years later
"Good Morning World! I'm Milly Ashford-Cardemonde here to give the latest scoop in what's what! Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Battle of Mt. Fuji, the outcome of the said battle that changed the face of the world. Since the death of Prince Schneizel el Britannia, Britannia itself has gone through numerous changes, such as the transformation of the once-great Holy Britannian Empire into the Principality of Britannia, a Republic-Monarchy system proposed by a new emperor when he took power 10 years ago. One of the first significant acts done by the new head after the reformat of the nation was to declare all foreign occupied territory as Special Administrative Zones where natives could exercise their rights and call themselves by their own nationality instead of numbers. His second great act was having Britannia become part of the United Federation of Nations. Many believed this step to be childish and rather foolish on the new leader's part. However, the chairwoman of the UFN, Kaguya Sumeragi, was open to such an idea and welcomed the leader of Britannia and the nation as a whole with open arms, despite the hostility that seemed between them at their last face-to-face meeting before Britannia extended the request. Over the next few years, the new Emperor has worked to change the empire and its policies, such as abolishing the aristocracy and eliminating the numbered system. He has even made political changes that have limited his own power, which is surprising for the Emperor of one of the most powerful nations in the world. In the years that followed, the world has experienced a time that we've come to call the Kowa Period, or some call it, the "Miraculous Tomorrow". Since then, the UFN has gathered over 80 percent of the world together under its flag, more than any other superpower in history, and have promoted the message of Nunnally vi Britannia's hope for a peaceful world, a mission proposed by the new head of Britannia himself, which the UFN accepted. The military powers of all major nations seemed to have been absorbed into the Black Knights except for three units, which are under the control of the three major heads of Britannia at the moment. However, the world has been free of any significant conflict for the past ten years there has been no sign of terrorism or small skirmish since Britannia joined the UFN."
"However, it seems that the record is broken today," Milly reported with a disappointed sigh. "We have just received word that the Kingdom of Zilkhstan, also known as the Land of Warriors, a country famous for being the country to defeat the Holy Britannian Empire with only a handful of soldiers has just declared war on Britannia and the UFN. Due to the nation's lack of resources, Zilkhstan's number one export for profit has been its soldiers, who have been hired as mercenaries throughout the world. However, due to the peace that has lasted for the past 10 years, the nation has suffered severe economic depression and decline. They have refused humanitarian aid from the UFN, believing that accepting help is a kind of weakness they don't want. The country may be doing this to drive the world back into war so that they can revitalize their nation and sell off their warriors for profit."
"The country is ruled by a King and Queen brother-sister duo, King Shalio, who is in charge of military affairs, and Queen Shamna, also known as the Holy Priestess of Zilkhstan. They are currently leading the charge against the Black Knight forces led by the Commanders-In-Chief of the Black Knights Kyoshiro Tohdoh and former Second Princess Cornelia li Britannia."
On the desert battlefield of the Zilkhstan Kingdom, explosions erupted all around as the death toll continued to rise as more and more soldiers died. Tohdoh had to admit, these were excellent soldiers. If they had them in the initial invasion of Japan or when the Black Knight's revolution, they could have beaten Britannia back. But that was in the past, now he was working alongside the Britannians as brothers and sisters in arms against this foe that sought to destroy this peace that a young girl and so many others had died for. He would make them pay for their actions.
"Bring up the third and fifth squadron. We'll box them in and cut them off from their reinforcements!" Tohdoh ordered as he saw said squadrons move into position. These soldiers may have many troops, but they had the advantage in both numbers and technological advantage, as well as some of the greatest military leaders in the world on this battlefield with them. Save one. But Tohdoh assumed it wouldn't talk long for him to show up.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when a Knightmare appeared in front of the bridge and prepared to fire, only for another Knightmare to appear and slice the other in half.
Tohdoh looked at the Knightmare that had just saved him and smiled. "Much appreciated Cornelia."
"Your welcome Kyoshiro," Cornelia said with a smile as she flew down to engage the enemy.
As both the supreme commanders of the Black Knights, Cornelia and Tohdoh had become close in the years that followed ("Not that close!" as both Chiba and Guilford had reminded any who committed it). It was more of a nod of respect and friendship had grown between them in the years since the fight with Schneizel. And that translated well into how they lead their forces. Tohdoh was primarily in charge of strategy and planning while Cornelia would handle ground missions and work to carry out the orders but also providing her input as a warrior into their plans. This allowed them to craft effective strategies that would benefit the whole of their forces.
The strength of their plans was tested on this battlefield as they fought with everything they had, desperate to keep the peace Nunnally and so many others died for.
"Knights of the Round," Cornelia called to the famed group of pilots as she noticed a few dozen Knightmares attempting to weave around their forces. "It seems that some stragglers are attempting to break our box. Show them what happens when they seek to end the peace that we fought for."
"Yes ma'am!" Gino Weinberg, the Knight of One, said in as Knightmare, the Tristian Divider, moved to slash apart the Knightmares that came his way. He had to admit, for pilots with no customized Knightmares like his and his fellow rounds, they were skilled, and that made him more excited as he fought them.
As Knightmares began to move past him, they were suddenly bombarded with multiple missiles. Anya Alstreim-Weinberg, the Knight of Two, smiled in her Knightmare, the Mordred, with pride as she saw the forces begin to panic. "I won't allow you to destroy any more lives." She said full of energy, a stark contrast to what she was like years ago.
As the Zilkhstan forces began to move in confusion as to what they should do, they were a sitting duck as familiar white and gold Knightmare frame, though it was heavily upgraded as it now carried a blue cocoon-like shell on its left shoulder, appeared to rain down emerald daggers from above. The Lancelot siN, then pulled out both it's V.A.R.I.S. and MVS and flew down to engage the enemy. It's pilot, Nonnette Enneagram, the Knight of Three, smiled as she slashed and blasted apart the enemy frames. "This is what I live for!" She cheered as she tore through the enemy machines.
A few Knightmares attempted to get the jump on her, only for a blue streak to slash them apart. The blue streak slowed to reveal the Alexander Freedom, with its katana in hand, standing at the ready to engage the enemy. It's pilot, the Knight of Four, Akito Hyuga held a bloodlust as he looked toward the machines with anticipation. A few years later, the Emperor of Britannia approached Akito with an offer to become a Knight of the Round. At first, he thought he was crazy, a foreigner becoming a Round who once opposed Britannia. But the Emperor was insistent, claiming he was trying to change Britannia's ways, and seeing he still owed him one, Akito accepted. On the condition that his wife Leila was made commander of him, as she was the only one he was willing to follow. The Emperor accepted the request. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Akito asked, his eyes lining red with Geass. "Come meet your maker!" He charged and slashed them down without a moment's hesitation.
"Tsk. Show off." Yzak Jule, the Knight of Five, muttered as he continued to slice enemy frames in half within his Duel Dagger. After the reorganization of the Britannian military, the new Emperor decided that the Rounds would be given a rank based on skill, not on a soldier's family background. As such, Yzak challenged for the Knight of One, Two, Three, and Four spots and lost them all. He repeatedly challenged the Knight of Four, yet kept losing, even after all the upgrades made to his Knightmare. As Yzak continued to hack and slash apart enemy frames, a Knightmare came up from behind to attack him, only for a long-range Hadron beam to blast through the frame and destroy the Knightmare.
"He's still proven he's better than you." Dearka Elsman, the Knight of Six, commented with a smirk as he continued to provide support in his Knightmare, the Buster Dagger. He sniped several Knightmares that made it past his comrades with ease.
"Just shut up and keep covering us Dearka!" Yzak growled as he slashed apart another frame with his MVS.
"It looks as though the enemy is attempting to box us in. at this rate, we'll be completely overwhelmed by the number of forces." The commander-in-chief of the Zilkhstan military, Bolvona Forgnar told the royals.
Despite the report, however, the royal siblings did not appear slightly intimidated by the events, instead, they rather smiled in anticipation.
"This is no matter." Shamna declared as she rose from her place at her throne. "Contact Engineering and tell them to prepare the Destroy Gundams."
Bolvona was surprised to hear this request. "But, my Queen, we haven't properly tested the Destroy Gundams."
"Then this will be a perfect opportunity," Shalio said in a sadistic smile. As he wheeled himself out of the room. "Contact that former bandit Bitool and tell him to get to the hangar. I think he'll enjoy the machine we have for him. Let us go sister. Let us save our country according to your prophecies."
"Yes brother, we shall." Shamna declared with a dark smile as she led her brother out of the room and went to the hangar.
As the battle appeared to be drawing to a close, Tohdoh couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach. This was all seeming to be too easy. These were supposed to be the nation that was able to repel Britannia with only a handful of men, and they were losing with their whole army against the Black Knight.
Tohdoh then took a glance up in the sky and gasped. He then rushed over to the comms. "All units, evacuate the area! GET OUT OF THERE NOW!"
His warning didn't come too late. As soon as the Black Knights heard their leader, they immediately withdrew from the battle zone. However, some were not as lucky as missiles rained down upon them and took the lives of everyone in the trap the Black Knights sought to make that couldn't get away.
As the surviving forces looked in horror toward the crater caused by the missile barrage, the ground beneath their feet began to shake in a pattern. The Knights of the Round gripped their controls in anticipation and slight worry.
As the smoke began to clear, the Black knights on the battlefield gasped as they beheld the machines that destroyed their forces. There were three of them. All were over 20 meters high, higher than any mech they've seen before, theory had different colors: one was black with purple highlights on the left, another on the right was white with red highlights along its body, and in the middle of the two was grey with red highlights throughout the body, a mixture of both. Their legs ran up to a disk-shaped body, two high powered guns stationed on top, and a pair of red eyes glowed. With the threat of destruction.
"Black Knights, here me now!" A female voice came from the middle machine. "I am Shamna, the Queen of Zilkhstan and it's Holy Priestess. You are interfering with our prophecies of a utopia within our nation. And for that, you must be purged in the name of all that is holy in this world."
Tohdoh's eyes narrowed at that comment. This woman saw the slaughter of innocent people the work of the divine and the path toward a utopia. She was too similar to the likes of Charles and his Social Darwinist approach. "You have a strange way of seeking to achieve this utopia you speak of Queen Shamna," Tohdoh said as he opened a direct line with the Queen, "You preach that the destruction of innocent lives will lead to the prosperity of your nation. That sounds similar to the beliefs of Charles zi Britannia."
"Don't you dare compare us to that man!" A younger, male voice shouted from inside the cockpit of the white and red machine to the right yelled. "You have no idea what my people have suffered these past ten years due to your so-called 'peace'." He spat out the word with disgust. "As the King of this nation, I must do whatever I must for my people to survive!"
"I take it then there is no convincing you either to stand down." Tohdoh turned toward the black and purple machine on the left.
The pilot inside just shrugged as he smiled sadistically. "I don't care, I'm just happy I get to pilot this beast of a machine!" Belq Batoum Bitool bragged as eyes held a dangerous excitement in them.
Tohdoh sighed. He expected this refusal from the pilots of those machines. But he couldn't let it deter him. He had to make sure that these weapons needed to be destroyed and for Zilkhstan to stop its crusade for more war. "All forces, continue to engage the enemy! We cannot let the fires of war be stoked anymore! We must stop this before it gets out of hand!"
"Yes sir!" Was the collective reply from the forces of the Black Knights as they fired on the three black machines with all they had. Bullets, missiles, beams, etc. The whole army of the Black Knights unleashed all they had to try and stop these machines.
As the smoke began to clear after they paused their assault, to their collective horror, they saw that they had done no damage at all to the three machines. Not even a scratch!
From inside the cockpit of the machines, the Zilkhstan Queen couldn't help but smirk in sick pleasure at the shocked expressions she imagined on the Black Knights' faces. And that was only the beginning.
"Our turn." She said in a sick smirk. Suddenly, the disked shaped machines fired off a volley of beams from the plasma cannons on the disk-shaped body all over the battlefield. Multiple explosions went off and the screen filled up with lost IFF signals.
Tohdoh looked in horror at the power of that machine, he'd never seen anything like it before except for the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead-
Wait! Beam weaponry?! Only so few machines had that kind of weaponry that wasn't Hadron or V.A.R.I.S. designed. And the amount of power it would be required to unleash this kind of power could only be-
"I want a scan done of those machines immediately!" Tohdoh ordered. He hoped-no, he prayed he was wrong!
As Knightmares scattered throughout the whole battlefield, they tried their best to avoid such attacks from the three machines. Some bringing up their blaze luminous or radiant wave shielding to protect themselves. Others attempted to strike back at the machines that had just appeared on the battlefield, others like the Knight of Three Nonnette Enneagram.
As she fired both the Lancelot siN's energy wing daggers and the super V.A.R.I.S. rifle, she looked in surprise to see her attacks had bounced off some invisible shielding. She then gritted her teeth as she put the rifle away and drew the MVS blades and charged in close. Or at least tried to.
The Destroy launched missiles toward the Knightmares as it did it's best to dodge and destroy the incoming missiles with its energy daggers. However, this maneuver stopped her attack run.
"I can't get in close enough to land a hit!" Nonnette reported as she backed up to avoid even more missiles and beams coming her way.
"I can get in close down here," Gino stated as he just maneuvered around a large stomp of the Destroy's and slashed at the legs, but it didn't leave so much as a scratch. "But my blades are useless against these things armor!"
"Same here!" Yzak chipped in as he and Akito slashed at the legs of a machine, but leaving no visible damage. "Looks like our MVS and revolving blades don't damage the machine's armor."
The Buster Daggar continued to fire from long range, but his shots were reflected off by the invisible barrier. 'I can't find a weak point or opening in these things shields." Dearka said as he nonetheless continued to fire, because what else could he honestly do.
As the Black Knight forces continued to fight, the Destroys maneuvered themselves slightly to look out to the float ships. Then, the massive guns on the top of their domes leveled out and aimed at the float ships. They then began charging.
Tohdoh looked at the power levels that the machines' guns were building. It was higher than anything he'd ever seen before. He quickly got on the comm to the whole of their forces. "Everyone! Evasive maneuvers!"
The warning was too late as the Destroy's beam cannons fired!
The beams streaked through the sky, obliterating any Knightmare that happened to be in its way, or damaging one to the point of no repair if it got too close.
The beams then went through the accompanying float ships, their shields did little to stop the beam's power and exploded in a fiery death.
The flagship thankfully was able to evade the beam. However, as the beam passed by them, it was able to greatly damage their hull and the entire ship shook.
As the shaking finally calmed down, Tohdoh's mind was called back to the battle. "What are our losses?!"
"We've lost over 40 percent of the main force. That beam weapon hit us hard. We've lost about 5 float ships and the flagship is heavily damaged. We can't take another hit like that!"
Tohdoh grimaced. These machines. It was like their only purpose was to destroy without segregation. He had a fear of what they were, but what happened next confirmed his suspicions.
"I think it's high time to stop playing around. Don't you both agree?" Shamna asked her accomplices.
"Hehehehe! Finally! I was tired of all the waiting!" Bitool cheered as he felt all giddy in his seat. "Now for the best part!"
"For Zilkhstan, let us show our enemy what they are really up against." Shalio declared.
Shamna only smiled as she and her cohorts flipped a switch in their machine.
Suddenly, the machines started shifting and parts were moving all over. The whole battlefield once again froze as they looked toward the machines as they began to morph into something new. The machine now stood upright, the disk on it's back, with a body that held three cannons, and a head emerged. The head had glowing green eyes and a gold 'V' shaped crown.
As Tohdoh stared at the new machine, his mind was now cleared of doubt. He knew what those machines were now and it was all the more terrifying with the revelation.
"Commander we've finished the analysis." An officer said. "It appears that this machine is powered by two F.L.E.I.J.A. Reactors!"
F.L.E.I.J.A. Reactors?! TWO of them?! Tohdoh clenched his hands in a fist at this revelation. Now he truly saw the dangers of these machines. As such there was only one thing left to do.
"Send a message to New Pendragon!" Tohdoh ordered. "Forward all the data we've gathered on those machines. Tell them it's a Code Gundam!"
"My lord!" A servant came running in as he kneeled before the Emperor of the Principality of Britannia. "We have just received news from the battle in Zilkhstan. There's been an update."
"Show me." The Emperor said as he sat upon a throne. A set of projects moved around him to show a holographic screen of the battle. As he watched the footage and the destruction caused by the Destroy Gundams, and as he read the technical scan done on the machines, the Emperor frowned. "Is this footage real?" He asked.
The servant nodded. "Yes, my lord! We've checked and double-checked the footage. Commander Tohdoh even said it himself: it's a Code Gundam."
"I see…" The Emperor said as he held a hand to his chin and in thought. He then spoke in a low whisper. "So that's where they went?"
The servant looked up and tilted his head in confusion. "My lord."
The emperor shook his head. "Nevermind that now." He said as he rose from his throne and proceed to walk out of the throne room. "Contact the Empress and the Knight of Zero. Tell them to drop what they're doing and get to the hanger."
"Kira ya Britannia stop running away from your mother and get back here so you can eat your vegetables!" A woman in her late twenties was yelling toward a five-year-old crowned with messy black hair and blue eyes.
This was the third time the boy had refused to eat his vegetables this week, and his mother was getting tired of it. She only refused to begin spanking the boy due to his younger sister, Sara ya Britannia, a girl crowned with red hair and purple eyes, who was three-years-old, sitting in her high chair.
The boy was halted in his pursuit when a shadow appeared in front of him and suddenly lifted him off his feet. "Not so fast young master Kira." A familiar Japanese maid said as she lifted the boy high in the air to keep him from running away.
The mother let out a tired sigh as she smiled, grateful for the Japanese maid's help. "Thank you Sayoko." She said as she took her child in her arms. She was still surprised that the maid hadn't lost her touch over the past ten years.
"It was no trouble at all my lady," Sayoko said as she bowed before her mistress. The mother sighed in exhaustion as the young boy began to play with her hair and her face.
"I swear, fighting Suzaku to the death is so much easier than putting up with these two monsters." The woman said as she placed the young child back in his seat. She sat back down herself and took a spoon full of vegetables and held it to the boy's mouth. "Come on Kira, open wide. Here comes the airplane!" She then attempted to make airplane noises and flew the spoon around.
However, the young boy had refused and closed his mouth and eyes shut as he looked away. The mother merely sighed again. This kid was just as stubborn, if not more so than both his parents combined, which she had to admit was an admirable quality to have in some situations, but in one such as this, it was too big a pain.
She was ready to hold the boy still and force the spoon down his throat when the phone began to ring. The mother tsked in annoyance. 'Saved by the phone.' She thought as she rose again and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" She spoke into the machine. Her face went through multiple emotions all once: first confusion, then shock, then it ended with determination. "I'll be right there." She then hung up.
The mother looked at her children for a long moment, smiling warmly, before turning to the Japanese maid. "Sayoko." The maid looked to her and nodded in understanding.
She then went to her oldest and kneeled before him. "Hey, mama's got to go to work now. So you take care of your little sister, okay?" She said as she moved forward and kissed his head. She then went to her youngest to deliver the same treatment.
She then walked out of the room and turned back with a smile. "I'll be back," She said before she left the room.
Kira, while saddened that his mom left, was nonetheless happy that he was now free from eating vegetables. He was about to walk away from the table when the same spoon full of vegetables was shoved in his face.
"Now now young master Kira," Sayoko said, a dangerous aura was surrounding her as she held the spoon toward the young boy, accompanied by the scary look in her eyes, "Just because your mother is not here at the moment doesn't mean you can skip out on having a balanced meal. Now… Eat. Your. Vegetables."
The young boy was sweating immensely, now missing his mother. This woman was scary. Next to him, his younger sister couldn't help but giggle at his predicament.
As he continued to meditate in front of a shrine, a boy around the same age as the Emperor and mother, his breathing slowed as his mind emptied of thoughts. This time of year was both joyous and painful to the experienced soldier. To him was both a day of victory and a day of sorrow. He shared this view with the Emperor.
As such, he worked on this day to free himself of the burdens of pain and loss and focus only on his breathing, at least for a while, and so far, it was working. His mind was clear, his thoughts free, and he was feeling no pain what so-
"OW!" He suddenly yelped.
Well, no emotional pain that is.
The soldier opened his eyes and looked to see a familiar feline had latched itself upon his arm with its teeth. The man sighed. "Oh, Arthur." The man said as he removed the feline from his hand to get a good look at the cat.
His real name was Arthur Jr., named after his father. And apparently, it held the same taste for the same human as his father did, which was strangely comforting to said human as he held the cat in his arms.
As he continued to pet the cat, the phone started to ring. He then went over to the phone and held it in his ear. "Knight of Zero, what's the situation?" He asked as he continued to hold the cat and worked to put it to sleep. He then jerked, waking the cat up, and held the phone closer to him. After a few seconds, determination fell upon the Knight's face, "Understood. I'll be right down."
He hung up the phone and moved to put Arthur down in front of the shrine he had. "Now you stay here and keep her company alright? Can I count on you, Arthur?" His answer came a 'meow' as the cat curled up in a ball and laid in front of the picture. "Good enough for me." the Knight smiled as he stood up and walked away.
As he stepped out of the room, the cat looked up at the picture he was supposed to be guarding. The picture showed an innocent young girl with the most beautiful smile one had ever seen, despite being in a wheelchair and her eyes forever closed.
After quickly changing into their respective pilots' suits, all three of them sat in their machines, going over one last check before flying out to battle.
"So, what's the situation?" The Knight asked as he flexed his hands by pulling on his gloves.
"The Zilkhstan Kingdom has deployed three massive machine machines, bigger than the world has ever seen, and are using them to lay waste to the Black Knights." The Emperor said as he set the preferred Variable Phase Shift armor setting in his machine's computer. "And what's more, these machines are each powered by two F.L.E.I.J.A. Reactors."
"Well, that's expected, considering all the Sakuradite in the world couldn't get that thing's lights on." The woman said as she adjusted her pilot suit to make her more comfortable.
"What's more is that these Gundams were able to transform from some sort of mobile armor mode to a mobile suit mode. And they have a powerful reflective barrier that seems to reflect any ranged weapons." The Emperor continued explaining.
"Well, at least we now know where those missing F.L.E.I.J.A. warheads from Britannia's inventory went." The Knight said, trying to get a laugh out of his fellow pilots. It didn't work.
"Well whatever they are, let's just kick their butts so we can make it in time for the party." The woman said as all three of them proceeded in their machines toward the launch pad.
As they arrived, the woman turned to her two males companies and asked "Who wants to go?"
The Emperor already had a response. "Ladies first." He said in a gentlemen's tone. Though both the Knight and woman knew he was trying to be funny.
But the woman decided to play along. "Oh, what a gentleman, I didn't know Britannia still had those." She then turned her machine and stood on the catapult launcher.
The lights flashed green, signaling that she was ready for launch. Before launching the woman took a deep breath. 'Naoto, Ohgi, Nunnally, Kira, Sara. This is for all of you.' She said in her mind before opening her blue eyes.
"Kallen vi Britannia, Empress of Britannia. Destiny, taking off!" She declared as she shot down the launch catapult and flew off into the sky, her Gundam's grey hull filling with red and blue panels all over as she activated the Wings of Light and flew to the sky.
As both men looked to see Kallen fly off, the Emperor stepped back for the Knight, so that he could take his turn. "I am grateful your Majesty." The Knight said as he got on the pad.
"Yeah, yeah, just get out of here already!" The Emperor ordered, causing the Knight to smile.
As the flights flashed all clear for him to launch, the Knight reached into his suit and pulled out a familiar Knight's pin. Even after all these years, he still kept it. As a reminder as to why he was fighting, to create a world that both the women he loved could live in. 'Euphie… Nunnally… I hope you guys are proud of the world we made. The world that we are protecting.' He said as he pocketed the pin and took grip of the controls.
"Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Zero. Justice, launching!" He declared as his Gundam shot out of the hanger and the hull lit up with the familiar red colors and blasted off to join the Destiny.
As he took his turn to get on the platform and fly off the Emperor waited a moment before blasting off. He then looked down at his hand. Hard to believe he was the one who started all this so long ago in a run-down building in the Shinjuku ghetto when he accepted a contract with a greened haired witch. Now over ten years later, here he was, flying into battle to keep the peace he worked so hard and lost so much to build.
'These people think they can just destroy the peace I've worked so hard to accomplish and expect to just go unpunished?' His hand then clenched in determination as he went to grab the controls for his machine. 'They have no idea what they've just brought upon themselves. For Nunnally's sake, for my family's sake, I can't let them succeed. I will defeat them!' The Emperor opened his eyes and looked out toward the sky with a determined look on his face as the lights signaled green for launch.
"Lelouch vi Britannia, Emperor of Britannia. Freedom, let's do it!" He punched the controls and the Strike Freedom flew down the catapult and blasted off into the sky, the hull changing from dull grey to black and white with golden hands, legs, and joints, and eight brilliant blue wings. The Strike Freedom flew in a burst of speed to meet up with its fellow Gundams.
As the battle, or more precisely the one-sided massacre in favor of the Zilkhstans, raged, the Black Knights could only do so much against the might of the Destroy Gundams. Their weapons did little to no damage to the hulls of the giant machines. Bullets and beams were deflected and their swords and spears were useless against the thick armor, even if it wasn't like a Gundam's usual VPS armor.
"Our forces are down to 20 percent! we can't hold out for much longer." An officer said in a panic as the command ship continued shaking.
"Hold steady!" Tohdoh said as he attempted to hold himself steady. It wasn't going so well. "We just have to hold out until the Gundams can get here!"
Despite his attempt to instill hope in his subordinates, the situation wasn't looking all that hopeful at the moment. Their forces were a but whipped out, even the Knights of the Round were unable to escape the destructive power of the gigantic Gundams unscathed.
Inside the Destroy Gundams, the insane warden and royal duo held a bored expression on their faces as they continued to destroy more of the enemy.
"This is the army that defeated Britannia and is supposedly their greatest warriors? I must say, what a disappointment." Shalio moaned as he titled his head and yawned mockingly.
"Yes, I had hoped we would at least find someone to present a challenge, but even the so-called Knights of the Round are nothing but weaklings," Bitool complained.
"That is because they are without both Zero and their special Gundams," Shamna explained with a smirk. "Without either one of them, this army is nothing more than a group of children with technology and weapons too complex for their understanding or even how to use them properly."
"If that's true, then I believe it's time we end this once and for all." Shalio declared.
"I agree." Bitool threw in his own two cents.
The Destroy Gundams then stopped in their advance. The Black Knights were left confused by the action. Then, the chest on all three Gundams charged it's Multi-Phase cannon.
"High powered beam weapon charging! It's locked on to us!"
"Can't we evade the attack? Or bring up the shields?" Tohdoh asked.
"That initial attack with the beam cannons damaged our maneuverability, we won't have enough power to avoid the beam. And our shield's energy level would never be able to block that beam."
As he saw the energy begin to build on the Gundams, Kyoshiro Tohdoh grimaced. 'So this is how it ends.' Tohdoh muttered to himself as he gave a small smile. 'Well, so be it. If I am to die this day, then I would be happy to do it, serving a cause I truly believe in rather than a lie given by a tyrant trying to destroy humanity. I only hope Chiba and our child can still live in this time of peace.' As the beam fired toward him, Tohdoh closed his eyes and braced for the end.
However, death, like so many others since it appeared in the world, would not claim Kyoshiro Tohdoh today. As the beam came upon him, three machines intercepted the blast, putting themselves in the path of the beam to protect them.
Tohdoh found himself flashing back to the E.U. invasion ten years ago. Though instead of starring in confusion as to what just happened as he did then, Tohdoh smiled in appreciation at the sight before him.
The smoke blew away all at once as the Strike Freedom, Infinite Justice, and Destiny Gundams stood in front of the damaged flagship. The Black Knights let out cheers and shouts of hooray at the new arrivals while most of the Zilkhstans looked in either awe or fear at the original three Gundams.
But the three Zilkhstans piloting the Destroy Gundams were not fearful of these machines or in awe of them. Rather, they were excited. Gitool licked his lips in excitement as he stared at the Destiny Gundam. He had seen pictures and videos on the pilot, and he had to admit, she had one fine body.
Shalio had different thoughts going through his mind as he looked at the Gundams, or more specifically, the Infinite Justice. He had heard stories about its pilot Suzaku Kururugi. Some say he was the best Knightmare devicer in the world, and now an even better Gundam pilot. And that made him feel a sense of joy, in a sadistic fashion that is. Finally! He may have found himself a worthy opponent!
Shamna held a look of intrigued as she looked at Strike Freedom. It's pilot, Lelouch vi Britannia. Every time she thought about him, something in her mind turned, and she didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He was someone who was able to challenge the whole world and win with only a handful of people against two of their greatest armies of his time. He was someone who was not to be trifled with. Yet he held so much power and strength in his Gundam and tactical skills, but he never used them to conquer others, despite being a son of Charle zi Britannia, only liberate and save lives. He was an enigma and Shamna didn't like enigmas.
"Cutting it a bit close there, wouldn't you say Lelouch?" Tohdoh asked with a small smile on his face as he looked at the Gundams. The Strike Freedom in response turned to face the old commander, its pilot having a joking smile of his own.
"Well, what can I say, I live for drama!" Lelouch proclaimed in a heavily dramatic tone.
"Commander Tohdoh," Suzaku cut in, his tone serious, "Evacuate the remainder of our forces. We'll take care of things from here."
Tohdoh then adopted a serious look of his own. "Right away Knight of Zero." He said as he turned on a battlefield wide announcement. "Attention Black Knights! We're pulling back! I repeat we're retreating! Let the Gundams handle things from here on out!"
The Black Knights carried out their orders swiftly and efficiently as they could, eager to watch the show that was going to be put on in a few minutes.
As the Black Knights continued to retreat, Lelouch and co. turned back to face the three Destroy Gundams.
"Queen Shamna and King Shalio." Lelouch began, his tone polite and diplomatic, as expected of an Emperor, as he performed a bow with the Strike Freedom. "It is an honor to be in the presence of the Royal siblings of Zilkhstan. Let me extend my greetings as one ruler of a nation to another."
"Don't make me laugh false king!" Shalio spits out as he scoffed. "You are no ruler of Britannia. You gave your power away like a family gives out candy on Halloween. What sort of ruler gives out power to his people as if it is no such concern?"
"The kind that cares about his people over his power," Lelouch answered without a breath in between. "But I wouldn't expect you to understand what it means for a leader to operate in the service of their people, King Shalio."
"Don't you dare accuse me of not caring for my people you Britannian scum! Not when you are the reason we are here!" King Shalio snapped as he wanted nothing more but to squash this arrogant little human with his machine. "I am doing this in the service of my people!"
"You call this massacre and instigating war as serving your people?! How does this benefit them?!" Suzaku asked.
"You should understand better than anyone Suzaku Kururugi! You have slaughtered dozens, if not hundreds for the sake of the Japanese!" Shalio argued as he faced the red Gundam. "What makes you any different than I?"
"I admit, I have killed many people for my people's equality and freedom back then," Suzaku confessed. "But I would never start wars and break the joy of peace just because I can! And your people are out here, getting slaughtered on your orders? How does this serve anyone but yourself?!"
Shalio looked as if he was gonna argue slime more, but the Destroy Gundam in the middle of the trio held up its hand, seemingly to silence the young King, and it worked. "Apologies for my dear brother's outbursts, he can get quite defensive when it comes to what's best for our people," Shamna said as she addressed the three machines before her. "What he's trying to say is that we are left with no choice but to wage war."
Kallen scoffed in the Destiny at her words. "'No choice' huh? I've heard that before." She said as she faced her enemies. "I'm officially sick and tired of hearing excuses like that! No choice?! It's always a choice! It was your choice to wage war against us!"
"Well, this is a surprise?" Shamna said as she looked toward the Destiny with some form of amusement. "Aren't you Kallen vi Britannia? The once-feared pilot of the Guren in the Black Knights. You have said that you have had no choice but to commit certain actions numerous times. But now you lecture us when we truly have no choice. It appears that Britannia's hypocrisy lives on despite it changing so much."
"Well guess what? I've changed, and so have my beliefs!" Kalken countered. "You could have done many other things to help your nation but you made no move to help. You just sat in poverty for ten years and spent that time building these machines just so you could rage war. You could have spent that time finding a new way for your nation to prosper other than your soldiers. But no! You just made machines to create more death and chaos!"
"These machines were made because of you and your friends my dear." Shamna pointed out. "The Gundams first appeared in your possession and there have been many attempts since then for people to replicate or improve upon the designs of the Gundams, leading to the creations of these machines. So if anything, it's your fault that this is happening."
Kallen was ready to charge the so-called Holy Priestess, but Lelouch stopped her with a raise of his Gundam's hand. He then addressed the Queen of the warring nation. "You are correct Queen Shamna," Lelouch said, shocking all those with him. "It is indeed our, or more accurately, my fault that we are here today. I revealed the Gundam to the world and explained its power. This was my doing and my doing alone. But that is why this must stop. I cannot allow more people to die by machines that were created because of what I did… never again." Lelouch said that last part in a low whisper, remembering the life he lost to another madman that sought to create his own Gundam.
Suzaku and Kallen looked over to him with sympathetic expressions, feeling just as sad at the loss of Nunnally.
"I'm only gonna say this once," Lelouch said after a moment of silence. The Strike Freedom drew a beam saber, igniting the weapon, and pointing it toward the three Destroy Gundams. "Queen Shamna, King Shalio, and Warden Bitool! I, Lelouch vi Britannia, Emperor of Britannia, and pilot of the ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom Gundam, demand that the three of you relinquish control of your Gundams and return to your nation, never to disrupt the peace that has been in place for a decade."
The battle froze as all its occupants waited for the response of the three Zilkhstan Gundams. It was silent for a long time before booming laughter was heard from the cockpit of the black and purple Destroy Gundam.
"Y-you think…" Bitool said in between laughs. "Just because… you asked… that we were just gonna… give up these machines… like that?! Hahahahaha!"
"I wasn't asking," Lelouch said, his tone dark and dangerous. "Stand down. Now!"
"I don't think we will, Britannia!" Shalio said. "You come onto our soil, and you have the gall to try and tell us what to do?! You are just like how you were a decade ago! Seeking to conquer our land and our people!"
"I'm afraid I must agree with my companions Emperor Lelouch," Shamna said as she now spoke. "We cannot stop our destiny. To bring Zilkhstan back to the utopia it once was! This is the prophecy given to me, the Holy Priestess! And they will not be stopped by a man acting on the wish of his dead sister!"
In the cockpit of the Strike Freedom, Lelouch began seething with anger. That was the last straw. "Very well," Lelouch said in a low, cold voice. "Just remember, I gave you the choice, you asked for this."
He drew a second beam saber and got into a stance to prepare for battle. He then addressed his companions. "Suzaku, Kallen, are you two willing to stand with me against these people that seek to throw the world into more chaos?" He asked, already knowing their answer.
In response, the Infinite Justice pulled out a beam saber, brought it across its waist to its other beam saber, and ignited the double-bladed weapon. "For the world Euphie and Nunnally wanted, I can't let this destruction continue!" Suzaku declared as he held the weapon at ready and activated his beam shield.
The Destiny drew its beam sword and ignited the beamline on the edge and held it at the ready. "I already told you this before Lelouch, I'll stand by you, no matter who or what stands in our way." Kallen declared as the Gundam's Wings of Light activated.
Inside his Gundam, Lelouch couldn't help but smile in gratitude toward these two. Even after all that had happened between the three of them, they still stood there with him against the people that sought to tarnish Nunnally's sacrifice.
"I am grateful Suzaku, Kallen," Lelouch said in honesty as he then held his head high and faced his enemy. "Then let's show them the true power of the Gundams!" Cheers of agreement followed his declaration as he activated the Wings of the Skies in the Strike Freedom by slightly separating the DRAGOON pods from their containment unit.
The three Gundams then blasted off to meet their foes.
"Shouldn't we be helping them Commander Tohdoh?" A rookie officer asked as they observed the six Gundams duke it out in an all-out brawl.
"No, we remain here until ordered otherwise," Tohdoh said with a smile on his face. "After all, we wouldn't want to interrupt them."
"Interrupt them?" The young Black Knight said, confused at the words his Commander used.
"Just watch," Tohdoh said as he continued to watch the battle. "We're in for a show kid."
And a show it was.
The lights and explosions that danced around the battlefield as these two groups of Gundams clashed was a spectacular sight to behold. Even a child would find joy in watching it.
Though while the Destroy Gundams had more firepower and weaponry, along with stronger shields, the speed of the original three Gundams, and the 10 years of experience each pilot had, the battle was looking to be in the latter's favor.
"So you're my opponent ay?" Bitool stated as the Destiny floated in front of him. "I have to say, this is quite different from what I'm used to." He said as he fired off streaks of beams towards the Destiny.
"Oh yeah? How so?" Kallen asked rhetorically as she dodged the beams from the Destroy Gundam and began firing back with both her beam rifle and cannon. However, both shots were deflected off the barrier.
"Usually I'm the one who goes after a woman to love, not the other way around," Bitool said as he licked his lips and lustfully gazed at the Gundam. "But hey, in a way, I see this as way more flattering. If you want, we can put down the guns and get straight to the fun part?"
Kallen threw up in her mouth at the words this man was saying. As soon as she cleared her throat she spoke again. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm happily married." Kallen said as she threw her beam boomerangs, which was able to knock out all the missile turrets on the Gundam.
"What that scrawny piece of twig you call your Emperor?" Bitool mocked as he turned to look at the Strike Freedom as it was currently engaging Queen Shamna and her Gundam. "Why him when you can settle for a real man?!"
"Because dimwit," Kallen began as she drew her beam sword, activated her Wings of Light, and charged the Destroy. "Lelouch vi Britannia is the most selfless and most courageous man I have ever met in my life! He sought to create a peaceful world not for himself but for those he loves. He gives people hope when all seems lost!" Kallen declared as she came up from below the Destroy Gundam and gave a diagonal slash that managed to slice off both the right arm and part of the disk on it's back.
"So tell me, oh so-called 'real man', how could I possibly not love him?!" Kallen asked as she then came up and blasted the face clear off with her palm cannon.
Bitool eyes then widened in fear as he tried everything he could to stop this woman from killing him. He then diverted all power to the multi-phase cannon in its chest and fired at the Destiny. However, the Gundam was able to activate it's beam shield at maximum power to block the attack and kept pushing forward despite the power from the Destroy Gundam.
"He seeks the future! He seeks the freedom of everyone! He seeks to end the war once and for all in this world! And I… I seek to be by his side for it all and more, forever!" Kallen declared as her voice then turned cold and dangerous. "And I won't let the likes of you stay in my way."
With that, the beam died down, and the Destiny charged at full speed. The last thing Bitool saw was the Destiny's sword plunging through the cockpit of the Destroy Gundam to and pierce him through the chest. The Destiny then dragged it's blade upwards and sliced the remains of the Gundam in half.
Across the battlefield, the Infinite Justice was attempting to defeat the machine operated by the King of Zilkhstan, but being the slowest of the three original Gundams, it mostly had to either block with its beam shield or barely dodge. But thanks to Suzaku's superb piloting skills and the Infinite Justice's superior reflexes, dodging was no problem.
He fired his beam rifle, which also did not affect the Destroy Gundam due to its powerful shields. "So you are Suzaku Kururugi, the famed Knight of Zero," Shalio said with a disappointed frown. "I'm not impressed. I expected more out of Britannia's strongest Knight. Or maybe it was the Gundam that made you strong."
He then lifted the arms outward and then they blasted off the arms and they flew toward the Infinite Justice. Suzaku tried to shoot them down, but to his shock, the arms themselves had the reflector shielding as well. Slowly but surely Suzaku was being pushed into a corner as he tried to defend against the onslaught of firepower. However, that ended up working in Suzaku's favor, as his eyes began to light up with a red glow around his iris.
"I think it would be best not to underestimate me, King Shalio," Suzaku said in a low voice as he then brought his beam sabers together and ignited them to a double-bladed weapon. Suzaku then brought the combined beam sabers up and slashed a detached arm in half before doing the same with another that was charging at him. "Because no matter what you throw at me and how hard you try to kill me, I must live!"
Shalio gritted his teeth in a panic as he tried to fire off more beams to kill the Knight of Zero. But Suzaku, now that his command to live was activated, was able to dodge the beams thrown at him easily. He then launched the Fatum-01 and the support unit activated its beam saber. It flew around the fire and lasers coming from the Destroy Gundam.
It then turned 90 degrees, the beam saber held out at a horizontal angle, it then came between the Destroy's legs and slashed off one at the knee. It then came back around and sliced off the other leg of the massive Gundam.
The Gundam weaved unsteadily for a moment before falling on its backside. In the cockpit, Shalio was panicking as he tried to move the Gundam, but it was no use. He felt a loud thump on the hull and looked through one of the working camera's to see the Infinite Justice standing just above the cockpit, it's combined beam sabers in hand.
It then brought the weapon up over its head, twirling it around in its hands before stopping and holding it with both hands. Shalio knew what was coming, all the more reason why he frantically tried to get out of the Gundam or fire on the Infinite Justice. But all of his attempts were futile.
"King Shalio of Zilkhstan," Suzaku began, his voice devoid of things such as sympathy and pity for the ruler beneath his machine's feet. "For seeking to fan the flames of war after a ten-year peace and insulting the memory and sacrifice of both Euphemia li Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia, I, Suzaku Kururugi, the Knight of Zero, sentence you… to DIE!"
And with that declaration, the Infinite Justice plunged the end of the combined beam saber down into the cockpit of the Destroy Gundam. The Destroy Gundam's eyes went dark, signifying its death and its pilot.
"Shalio!" Shamna called out in anguish over the death of her brother. She then quickly turned that anguish to rage as she glared up at the Strike Freedom. "This is your fault! It's your fault my brother is dead! And for that, you will pay!" She declared as she fired all her Gundam's weapons at the Strike Freedom.
The Strike Freedom, thanks to its superior speed and Lelouch's analytical skills, was able to dodge the beams from the Destroy Gundam. "Your brother died because you both believed you could wage war on us and sought to break the peace that has been in place for ten years. His death is on his and your shoulders alone." Lelouch said, knowing full well what she was going through, as he knew that his actions to wage war caused him to lose Nunnally, in more ways than one.
When the firing ceased, Lelouch brought up the railguns, deployed the DRAGOONs, and fired in full burst mode toward the Destroy Gundam. However, as expected, the shielding on the Gundam reflected the beams all across the battlefield. This confirmed Lelouch's theory that the shielding could block almost all ranged attacks, but that left it open for close-quarters combat.
"Hang on Lelouch! We're coming to help!" Kallen said as she and Suzaku approached him.
"No! Stay back!" Lelouch ordered as he did a backflip to dodge the beams sent out by the Destroy Gundam. "I'll handle this myself!" Lelouch declared.
The Destroy Gundam fired off its rocket arms and they flew around the Strike Freedom, firing beams at the first Gundam. However, Lelouch was able to expertly dodge each attack, though he gritted his teeth in irritation. The Destroy Gundam then fired off its multi-phase cannon at the Strike Freedom, but Lelouch was able to flip upside down to dodge the attack before firing off its beams from the railguns.
Shamna shouted in anger as her arms returned to her Gundam and she fired off the beams from them toward the Strike Freedom. Lelouch was able to weave his way around the volley of beams coming at him. She then fired off missiles toward the Gundam.
The missiles were almost upon him, but Lelouch paid them little concern as he activated his Geass of Absolute Berserker, his eyes lit up in an indigo glow with the familiar symbol of a bird mid-flight. He then deployed the DRAGOONs once again and fired in full burst mode, destroying all the missiles, their explosions looked as if they were an amazing display of fireworks.
Shamna gritted her teeth as she then fired at the Strike Freedom with her multi-phase cannon, but Lelouch had no trouble avoiding them due to his Geass and Gundam's abilities. He weaved around the beams and came up at the cockpit. Shamna left out a startled gasp as the Strike Freedom pulled out a beam saber and gave a horizontal slash at the Gundams cockpit. Shrapnel came flying all over Shamna as she closed her eyes to keep from getting any in them. Lelouch flew the Strike Freedom back up and away to get some distance from the Destroy Gundam.
Shamna, shrapnel in both in her pilot suit and skin, tears of anger and grief streaming down her face, fired off wave after wave of beams all around her. The beams flew all over the battlefield, hitting even some of her soldiers and people. All while she was screaming in both anger and anguish.
As Lelouch observed from a safe distance away, he couldn't help but grimace as he saw her create destruction after destruction. He didn't blame her though, she was reacting in a way any older sibling would if they lost their younger sibling. Lelouch understood it better than anyone. If he had such a weapon when Nunnally died, he certainly would be using it the same way Shamna was doing now. But that didn't mean he could let this continue. He had to stop this.
He flew in close and then fired off a beam from his railguns that stuck the opening of the cockpit. Shamna did the best she could to shield herself from the incoming shrapnel. Shamna then cried out in anger as she fired her multi-phase cannon once again, the beam sweeping across the whole battlefield, destroying everything in its path.
"Dang it!" Lelouch yelled as he came down to the Destroy Gundam, pulling out a beam saber and slashed at the Destroy Gundam. "Stop it now!" Lelouch demanded. However, it pulled up its arm and activated the beam shield to block the attack before firing off a volley of beams that forced Lelouch to back off.
"You stop it!" Shamna declared as she continued to fire off more beams at the Strike Freedom. "Do you have any idea what we've suffered these last ten years all because of your peace?! Poverty, famine, starvation, riots, chaos in the streets! All because of the stupid peace you brought to this world!"
As Lelouch heard her cries, he grimaced. He knew that some countries would suffer because of the peace he ushered in, after all, some countries made profits from war. But he hoped to change that and find a new way of helping those countries, one that didn't involve people losing their lives pointlessly.
(Countdown - Gundam Seed Soundtrack III)
"I understand," Lelouch said in sympathy as he came to a stop and faced the Destroy Gundam, despite it charging up its multi-phase cannon for maximum power. "I know your pain and I know what it's like to see people you care for suffering at the hands of others, and to lose them."
"But," His voice then became resolute as clenched the controls of his Gundam harder, "I can't allow this to continue any longer!" He declared as he charged the Destroy Gundam, beam saber in hand. "For the sake of the peace my sister and so many others died for, this ends now!"
The Strike Freedom plunged its beam saber into the center cannon of the multi-phase cannon. It then swiftly pulled out another beam saber and stabbed it into the cannon on the left, before getting out of range of the explosion that soon followed.
Shamna screamed as explosions began to consume the cockpit. The Destroy Gundam fired off a beam from its mouth as it tumbled backward and fell to the ground in a crash.
(Countdown - Gundam Seed Soundtrack III ends)
Lelouch looked on with an impassive look. The attack wouldn't be enough to kill her, he made sure of that. Not because he wanted to show her mercy, but he needed her alive just long enough to make sure she didn't ruin his plans.
When Shamna opened her eyes, at first she was surprised that she could. Considering what she went through, she figured she would be dead and her Geass would take her consciousness back six hours. But apparently, she wasn't dead yet, but she was dying, she could feel it.
The second thing she saw was the Strike Freedom, looming over her, along with its pilot, who held an impassive face as he looked down at her.
"You… think you've won...?" Shamna coughed as she struggled to get the words out but she held a smirk on her face. "Even in death… I will be victorious… I shall be your end Lelouch vi Britannia… the gods have revealed it to me…"
"If you are referring to your Geass that allows your consciousness to be sent back six hours, then you are sorely mistaken." Lelouch said.
Shamna looked at him in absolute shock. How did he-
"I have been wise to keep an eye on your nation for some time 'Priestess'," Lelouch answered her question, as she had just realized she spoke it out loud. "Your predictions are almost too accurate. You're able to plan through any strategies they came up with, I've done simulations in my head and have found that you were able to outmaneuver every strategy that any general was able to come up with. While some would say that the gods gave you enlightenment, I believe that you have lived through each battle scenario and knew just how to position your troops to counter them. Since I am aware of the existence of Geass, I was able to narrow down the selection. Since however, it seemed that this battle went in our favor, I suspect that it activates when you die."
Shamna truly was in awe by the man before her. He was ankle to find her trump card when no one else could and caught on to the activation principles of it. He truly was a worthy opponent. "You right…on all counts…" Shamna confessed as she coughed up some more, feeling death inch closer and closer to her. "But… it's too late now… as soon as life leaves me… I'll crush you… and should I lose again… I'll just keep going back… again and again… until victory is mine."
However, Lelouch didn't look worried he was calm if the expression on his face was anything to go by. "That would be true," Lelouch began as he reached behind his back, "if I didn't happen to have this with me."
He pulled out a cylinder-shaped object and showed it to the Zilkhstan Priestess. "This is a handheld Geass Canceler," Lelouch revealed, shocking the priestess. "It was created from the remains of the most loyal and dedicated soldier I have ever known. And I will use his legacy, to make sure this world remains peaceful."
Lelouch then pressed the button and suddenly the area was filled with a blue glow. The Zilkstan's priestess eyes glowed golden before becoming normal. "You put too much faith in the likes of your Geass, believing that as long as you could have the power to travel back that you could do anything." Lelouch frowned in contempt as he watched both the hope and life leave her. "You are nothing but an arrogant woman who knows nothing of how power should truly be used. You disgust me."
As her eyes began to lose their light, Shamna couldn't help but be in awe of the man before her. He was able to find out about her secret weapon and counter it spectacularly, even before she had the chance to use it. He was such a worthy opponent, that Shamna couldn't help but smile, impressed by his genius.
Even as the light and life left her, she never stopped being impressed with the one man who was able to defy her prophecies.
As Lelouch stared at the corpse of the Queen of Zilkhstan, he couldn't help but think of the parallels between himself and her. They both took such drastic actions to change the world to benefit them and people close to them. Both cared for their younger siblings greatly. But there was a clear cut difference between the two of them.
"Hey, Lelouch." Lelouch was pulled out of his thoughts as he turned to face both Suzaku and Kallen as they both came up to him. "Is everything okay over here?"
"Yeah, don't worry, she won't bother us anymore," Lelouch said as he took one last glance at Shamna's corpse. He then turned to face his wife and Knight "Are you two okay?"
"We're fine, but what about you?" Kallen said as she examined Lelouch from head to toe, looking for any signs of injury. "That last bit was crazy! What you did was reckless!"
Lelouch looked at her in confusion for a moment, before through his head back and laughing hard. "Wh-What's so funny!?" Kallen demanded to know, her face turning as red as her hair in embarrassment.
"Y-You lecture me about being reckless? What about what you did against that Bitool guy?! Was that safe?!" Lelouch said, laughing more.
Kallen merely folded her arms and looked away in a pout. "He got what was coming to him." She said as if that completely justifies the actions she took to take him down.
Before the married pair could erupt into another argument, Suzaku spoke up. "Hey guys, as much as I enjoy your married couple arguments," 'Which I don't enjoy at all but I'm stuck in the middle of them anyway.' "We really need to get going, we're on a timetable anyway." He pointed at his watch on his wrist for emphasis.
Both Lelouch and Kallen's eyes widened as they saw the time. "Okay, we need to get home. I'll get Sayoko, you get the kids." Lelouch said as he turned to get back into the Strike Freedom.
Kallen stopped him by grabbing his wrist. "No, you get the kids! I had them for the last two times. I get Sayoko now!"
"Do you have any idea how much I have to concentrate, I can't have the kids messing around and sending me crashing into the earth!"
"Oh, so it's okay if I crash?" Kallen teased with a victorious smile. She's got him. Lelouch looked as if he was gonna argue some more, but Suzaku interrupted them.
"Guys! Seriously, we're gonna be late if you two keep bickering!" Suzaku shouted from his cockpit in the Infinite Justice. He powered the machine up and blasted off into the sky.
Lelouch continued to glare at Kallen for a moment longer, while she retained her victorious smirk. Finally, Lelouch let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine."
"I'd like to propose a toast! In honor of me opening up my one hundredth Zero Cafe!" Tamaki shouted as he popped the cap off the bottle he was holding and took a huge swing. All the occupants in the Cafe all raised their glasses as well and took a sip, although a less drastic one that Tamaki took.
Everyone was here. Black Knight High Command members. UFN delegates including the chairwoman. The Knight's of the Round. The Royal family of Britannia (or what was left, considering Lelouch and Cornelia were the only ones left alive) and their own families. Lloyd and Cecile were here along with Rakhasta, though the Britannian assistant had to step in from time to time to keep the two mad scientists from strangling each other. The Ashford Student Council was here too.
As Lelouch looked around at all his friends and family gathered here, he couldn't help but smile when he saw their faces. This is the world he fought for. The world he sought to create for everyone. A world where people, regardless of race, or social class, could come together and be happy with one another.
But despite all the joy he saw, Lelouych couldn't help but feel empty. Because, after all, the person he sought to create this world for wasn't in it. She didn't even get to see it before she died.
"What's wrong daddy?"
Lelouch's eyes shot awake as he turned to the voice of his eldest son, Kira. He then gave his son a reassuring smile, as if to tell him it was all okay. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine Kira." He told his child.
His son wasn't buying any of it. Had both his mother's stubbornness and his father's intellect. And he wasn't gonna back down. So before Lelouch could be lectured by a seven-year-old, he excused himself.
As he moved to the rooftop access, two sets of eyes watched after him, concern written on each of their faces.
As he gazed out at the sunset before him, Lelouch couldn't help but think about Shamna and his similarities. They had much, including their desire to do what it took to change the world. But there was one clear cut difference between them.
Nunnally.
She had been Lelouch's guiding light for as long he remembered. She was the one who kept him human, even while he was sinking more and more into a demon as he continued his crusade as Zero. And when he thought he lost her, he was lost. He felt as if he had no more purpose on Earth if she wasn't in it. But then he acquired the Strike Freedom, and that's when he discovered his new mission: to create the world that Nunnally would have wanted to be in, but not just for her, but everyone.
When he learned she was still alive, he was conflicted. He still sought to create the world she would have wanted, even if that meant going against her. But now he had the renewed hope that when he did create the world she wanted, she would be able to live in it along with others. But he had lost her again, and this time for real.
A long time after her death, he was left lost, more lost than he'd ever had been before, even more so than when he was tempted to use Refrain that one time. He had sunken into greater despair than he'd ever had before.
But, Kallen and Suzaku stayed by his side through it all. Encouraging him, comforting him, helping him, sometimes talking sense into him (mostly physically which was done by Kallen). The way he treated him while he was in despair he sorely regretted. He was angry, he was useless, he was nothing but a burden to them.
But they never left. They stayed. And Lelouch would never be able to thank them enough.
"What are you doing up here?"
'Speak of the devils.' Lelouch thought as he turned to face both his wife and best friend, both holding looks of concern in their eyes. "Nothing, I'm just… thinking." Lelouch told them as he looked back toward the horizon.
"About Nunnally?" Suzaku asked as he and Kallen came up to stand on either side of Lelouch.
Lelouch sighed. There was just no hiding anything from these two. "Yes," Lelouch said as he looked down. "Looking at everyone in there, smiling, laughing, cheering as if there's nothing bad happening out there in the world. It just makes me wonder why I'm here for it and Nunnally isn't. Why should I get to live, me who's committed so many atrocities and evil while Nunnally, and so many others like her, did nothing wrong but died anyway? Why me and not them?" Ther tears had long started falling.
"Lelouch," Kallen said as she began to stroke his back, trying to comfort him by rubbing her hand over his back.
"That's a question I've wondered ever since I killed my father," Suzaku spoke, getting the other two's attention. "While so many people were dying and suffering around me, I kept asking myself, 'why do I deserve to live? Why am I not getting punished as I should've for the things I've done? Why are others dying while I'm living?' It was a long time before I found my answer."
"What was it?" Lelouch asked.
Suzaku looked Lelouch dead in the eyes and shook his head. "I can't tell you that Lelouch," Suzaku said with a stern look. "Your answer will be different from mine. You can't base your life on someone else's path, you have to make your own. But I will say this," Suzaku then turned and walked toward the rooftop exit, "Finding something to live for helped a lot."
Lelouch starred at Suzaku with amazement. He had always written off Suzaku as a fool or an idiot when they were younger because of the boy's naive idealism. But now he was offering wisdom, and knowing when to let Lelouch figure the answer out for himself. He had changed.
"Why are you guys doing this?" Lelouch said to both of them, Suzaku stopping in his tracks to listen to Lelouch. "Why are you encouraging me, supporting me, even after all I've done to you, especially you Suzaku? Why?"
Suzaku looked back to lock eyes with Kallen for a moment as if asking if it was okay to reveal to him what they had both promised Nunnally before she died.
Flashback
"Suzaku, I need you to promise me something." Nunnally began as Suzaku stood by close to listen. "I think something bad is going to happen," Suzaku looked in shock at Nunnally as she said that. "I don't know what or when, but I feel like I need to ask something of you before I leave. Suzaku, I need you to promise that if something happens to me, that you and Lelouch will try to be friends again."
Suzaku looked at Nunnally in shock at what she was asking.
"I know what he's done to you, and you to him," Nunnally began as she looked down with saddened eyes, "But I need you to try and put what happened between you two behind you. Imagining you two spending the rest of your lives hating each other just breaks my heart. I know that it won't be easy, and Lelouch will also have to put in an effort, I don't expect you two to be as you once were, but I just don't want you two to hate each other anymore. It may not work out, you may not become friends again, but promise me you'll try. Promise me that you'll put everything you have into fixing things with Lelouch. Please!"
Suzaku pondered over Nunnally's request. Did she realize what she was asking him? He was just supposed to be friends with the man who took the woman he loved away and also killed many innocent people along the way. How was he just supposed to forgive him?! But at the same time, Suzaku wasn't innocent either. He had done much to hurt Lelouch as well. But could they truly salvage the friendship they had even if they forgive each other?
He then recalled that Lelouch admitted that they couldn't get to where they once were before, that they could never become the best of friends again. But he also expressed his desire to start over and try and build something new. And if Suzaku was honest, he wanted that as well.
So Suzaku took Nunnally's hand and looked her dead in the eyes. "I promise I'll do whatever I can to patch things up with Lelouch." Hearing that made Nunnally smile.
As Suzaku pulled away from her, Kallen came up to the young girl and leaned in to hear her wish. She told Kallen that she felt something bad was to happen and she wanted Kallen to promise her something.
"Kallen, if something happens to me, I need you to promise me that no matter what, you'll protect Lelouch," Nunnally asked. "I know you love him," Kallen's whole face went red at the young princess's words and the small teasing smile on her face, "Oh don't be surprised, I may have been blind, but I'm not stupid."
After Kallen calmed down, Nunnally continued. "I need you to protect him from those who wish to hurt him and do him harm, but most of all, I need you to protect him from himself." Nunnally clarified. "Protect him from anguish, despair, guilt, depression, sadness. Protect him and stay by his side forever, comfort him, and love him the best you can. Please, I don't want my brother to be alone anymore."
As Kallen thought over her words, she remembered all the grief Lelouch ever caused her. The lying and manipulating he did to try and win everyone's loyalty. But she also remembers his kindness, his selflessness, the fact that he was willing to die to save her, even if that meant she hated him forever.
And to be honest, she didn't want to be alone anymore either.
"I will never leave his side, you have my word, Nunnally." Kallen said as she bowed before the girl as Nunnally enveloped the redhead in a hug.
Flashback end
Kallen nodded, saying that it was okay.
"We both made promises we can't break to Nunnally." Lelouch looked up in shock as Suzaku exited the rooftop, leaving husband and wife alone with each other.
'So even before death, Nunnally was worrying about me.' Lelouch though, and that brought a smile to his face. Even if they never officially made up, she still seemed to want him to be happy. He was pulled out of his thinking when a hand cupped his face brought him looking into the beautiful blue eyes of his wife.
"I can't speak for Suzaku or anyone else, but I will say this." Kallen began as her eyes began to water. "I am so happy that you're here with me. So don't ever again say you don't want to live. Because if you do, I'm scared that you'll end up disappearing from me, and I'll never be able to get you back. So please don't ever say you don't want to live. Never again."
As Lelouch heard her words, he felt the fear and the concern she felt for him in her words and through her touch. She wanted him to live. She wanted him here. With her. So Lelouch couldn't help but answer her selfishness.
He cupped her face in his hand and whipped away the tears streaming down her face. "I make this promise to you now Kallen." Lelouch began, his mouth turning upwards in a smile. "I will never leave your side. I will never leave our family. I will stay with you and our children forever, even death won't separate us from each other. This I promise."
Kallen's eyes widened in amazement, thinking for a moment that what she heard was nothing more than a beautiful vision she didn't want to end. However, those thoughts were bashed away when Lelouch pulled her into a kiss, a kiss she returned with everything she had, and he responded in kind.
As they kissed with dusks light shining down on them, Lelouch felt free. Free of the darkness, free of the pain, free of the fear for the first time in his life since he was banished by his father. He felt as if he could do anything, nothing else holding him back from achieving his dreams.
"Mom! Dad!" Both of them separated as they turned to see their son Kira was standing before them. "Sara's had an accident in the diaper!"
Kallen let out a disappointed sigh at the moment that just left them. "I'll take care of this." She quickly said before Lelouch could get a word in. "You can stay up here until your ready to come back down." She leaned in and gave him another kiss on the cheek as she then walked away to the door. "Come on, let's go get your sister." She told Kira as she took his hand and began walking.
Lelouch turned back to the setting sun, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another object. It was a black king chess piece. He held this around to always remember his reason for living. But now that reason had changed, and so did him. As he looked at the piece in his hand, he didn't see some symbol of himself or some promise he made anymore, he just saw a regular chess piece. One that was not worth taking up his pocket space.
So, he took the piece and threw it over the edge of the building as hard and as far as he could. It was time to move on, time to let go of the past, and being stuck in the present. It was time to look toward the future.
"Hang on a minute!" He called after them. His wife and son looked back at him as he held a warm smile on his face. "I'll come with you."
A/N: And there we have it! The conclusion of my second story and the first in my Code Gundam stories is complete! I had a great time writing this! And I hope you all had a great time reading.
Now I know in my OG Gundams vs. Destroy Gundams I had the former be OP. But Lelouch, Kallen, and Suzaku have been piloting their machines for ten years, that's more than any mainstream Gundam pilots ever did in all the anime, except maybe Amuro Ray. While the Zilkhstans have just started piloting theirs.
Did I do a good job presenting the Zilkhstan people? I'm asking because like I said at the beginning of the chapter, I don't know much about them, most of what I learned was from the wiki.
But I hope you all enjoyed this final chapter of Lelouch of the Skies.
Now for the moment, you've all probably been waiting for, the announcement of what story I'm working on next. Well, here it is.
Winning with a total of 12 votes out of 34, Code Steel: Lelouch of the Rebellion/Another Story coming in second place with 9 votes, the story I'm gonna be working on next is… Code Gundam: Meister of the Rebellion!
That's right, the next update from me will see Lelouch take the helm of the 00 Gundam as he sets out to eradicate war from the war. And the first chapter will be action-packed, or at least have more action than the first chapter of this story.
Now while I'm excited to write this story, there are some problems. Unlike this story, I don't really have a concrete idea of how I want it to go. I mean, I have a beginning and end, a few battle ideas I have and want to do, which Gundams I'm doing. But all in all, I'm not as developed on this story as I was this one.
So maybe shoot me some ideas in reviews or PM. I'm not gonna have Lelouch form Celestial Beings, sorry, not happening. At least, not at the beginning.
Anywho, here's a synopsis of Meister of the Rebellion.
Code Gundam: Meister of the Rebellion: Prince. Student. Terrorist. Hero. Villain. Zero. Lelouch has held these titles and many more. But to rid the world of the disease known as war, Lelouch must evolve into something greater than what he once was and become the embodiment of the eradication of war. He is... Gundam!
Stay tuned! I'll try and have the first chapter up soon.