Chapter 4

The Hidden Fortress

Suzaku

Laughter endlessly mixed with screams. For the inhabitants of the darkest depths of the Fortress that ritual of pain and madness had become just another part of their daily lives. As routine as the food, sleep and exercise they got the horrifying sounds of anguish that came nearly nonstop from Cell Zero had carved its way into their lives.
To begin with the guards had almost seemed to be oblivious to it, ignoring the noises and pretending they weren't there. Overtime it had worn down even them. They were unable to hide the bags under their eyes or the skittish little looks towards the massive door at the end of the hall. The only ones who seemed to be immune to it were the Grandfathers own personal guards. As time went on and it became obvious the normal guards were not happy with what was going on a new group of guards had entered the cells. Clad in a mix of black and grey suits with blindingly white masks covering their faces they seemed almost unnatural in the way they behaved. Moving in sync in a way that just seemed wrong, never speaking and seemingly never resting they stood guard at all times. Overlooking the main exercise area, patrolling between the cells and always, always standing before the great door. Sometimes the inmates tricked themselves into thinking there was nothing behind the door, just a recording playing on repeat to cow them into submission. Quickly were they shattered out of this fantasy by the movements of the Grandfather himself.

Since the new prisoner's arrival into the darkest cells, he seemed to have become obsessed. Visiting almost constantly, sometimes he left happy, in a way, a contented smile on his face and a calm air around him. Other times he would fly out in a storm, and the screams would rise to a fever pitch for a few hours before they would settle down again. Over time, whispers began to go up the dark hallways and tunnels. Spread by guardsmen, workers or the occasional moving guard the whispers of a tortured nameless soul began to filter through the haze of confusion. Until it reached Floor One.

Slamming his fist into the stone wall Suzaku screamed his fury and hate into the empty cell. When word had reached him of the mysterious inmate held below the captured Royal had known exactly who it was. Flying into a rage he had leaped at the nearest guard, slamming his food plate into their face and breaking their nose. Striking out at everyone around him he quickly found himself taken down by a wave of armored guards. While there had been a bit of grumbling among the other prisoners they had been surrounded by armed guards before they had the chance to go to Suzaku's aid, and had been forced to watch helpless as a scene many remembered so vividly plaid out before them once more.

A faint clapping reached Suzaku's ears as the man responsible for Lelouch's misery slowly walked up to his cell. Maintaining the fake smile that had become so evident as of late the grandfather reached Suzaku and lent against the bars of his cell.

"You told us he would be safe!"

He snarled through clenched teeth, the bindings holding him against the far wall coming taught.

"Yes, and he is. Safer here than anywhere else save the Imperial Palace itself. I never sound he would be 'fine' though did I?"

"Why? Why torture a young boy? He has no information or secrets so what is this, just your own sadism? What makes you do this?"

The taunting grin on the man's face dipped a little, a brief expression of shame and self-loathing overcoming his features before it was covered up as quickly as it had appeared.

"Lelouch has a sense of right and wrong that is nothing short of astounding. While clouded by Britannia's ever-increasing rhetoric and propaganda his sense of honor and duty is remarkable. And it cannot be allowed to last. If he is to play his role in the war to come, he must lose that idealism and be prepared to do whatever it takes. While there are more humane and effective ways of doing it, I agree, they will not happen at the speed we need. We are running out of time, all of us. Soon enough a spark will fly and the entire world will become engulfed in a red tide. The world will need people willing to fight when that time comes."

"The world? Or you?"

"Clever, aren't you? The world makes no sense, nor do its people. It is a madness that can only ever be directed or forced, never united. I know that, Charles knows that and soon enough Lelouch will come to understand it. And when he does, then the future will finally be secure."

He smiled slightly, a wishful expression appearing before he made his face passive once more.

"In the next few days, you will be released. Then you will be reunited with your allies and moved to the lower cells. The torment will end and you will be able to see Lelouch once more. Soon enough this fortress will fall and you shall receive your freedom, as it is. The God's have foreseen it."

With that final cryptic remark Victor zi Britannia left the cell, and Suzaku would never see him again.

Authors Note:

Yeah okay so this chapter is incredibly short and I am sorry about that, I just needed to get it out now before I lost motivation again and didn't manage to get this out. So yeah this thing isn't dead actually, it is still actively under construction and I am looking to get some more done over this weekend. No promises and release dates however, learnt my mistake last time. Anyway, hope you've all had a wonderful past couple of months and I cant wait to see what you think of this one.

All Hail Lelouch.