Chapter 3: Calm Winds before the Raging Storm
It's been a week now, Colt Formal and his men was transferred to a compound, he able to gather all his men from the group of prisoners and have collected their dead, these Britannians were kind enough to give them cremation materials, for days he and his men enjoyed the best necessities that the Britannians give them, the couch and bed happens to be the most softest and comfortable thing that he ever sat or slept on, the water is so clean that they drank right from these "faucets", the food is so delicious that some men believe that they'll return home fat.
He also learned more of the Holy Britannian Empire, he couldn't believe it, one third, one third of the world controlled by Britannia, it's shocking when he saw the map and when they explain it, the size of this empire easily and laughably dwarf that of Sadera, and he knew that Sadera will never reach that size, not after once Britannia is done with them.
He was also astonished by the technologies of this world, flying ships, "televisions", light bulb, electricity, horseless carriages called "cars", and what he like most are those iron giants called Knightmare Frames, it's simply breathtaking when he take a tour on the Californian Port which happens to be the most biggest port he ever seen, he learned from people called "tour guide" that this port docked that Pacific Fleet. Fleet? Better make that Armada judging by vast number of ships they have.
He also learn more of their language, "English", for days they've been taught about how to speak it, soon over half of the surviving Italicans have learned the basic and few almost speak it fluently.
He is watching program in this television which shows a cooking contest until someone knocked the door. "Yes, who is it?"
"It's Morin, my Lord, I just want to tell the news that the public execution is about to start, I ask our friends and they say "channel 4"."
The public execution of the Saderan prisoners, he was so fascinated by the television and the food in the cooking show that he forgot all about it, hearing the number he press the button on the "remote" and then it switch on a program which shows Saderans inside giant glass prisons. "Are you going to watch this too?"
"Yes, me and my friends are going to watch in the mess hall."
"I see, thank you for reminding me of this, you may leave." Morin replied with a "Yes, my Lord" before walking away. Colt was notified about this before and learn that a Britannian noble name Edgar Calares is going to oversee this execution, he learned that Edgar promise that the death will be painful, and Colt is not going to complain or question his method.
Cadmus don't know where he is, they put a sack on his head and chained his hands together, he was forcibly moved around, for days he was tortured, they've inject some kind of poison or potion cause it do nothing but give him the most horrific nightmares, and then he was questioned. But as prideful general of the Saderan Empire, he will not waver, he will not cower, he will not yield to these savages, but that resolve is slowly crumbling, the pain he felt, the nightmares that they kept giving him, it's becoming unbearable.
He felt an intense heat upon exiting the carriage and hear roaring of the crowd, he was dragged and placed on some kind of pole, something clamped on his neck and waist, then the sack is removed, now he can see and felt dread at the sight, a large crowd is gathered and his men inside large glass prison, there must be at least fifty of this prisons as each contain over four dozens of his men.
He is on a platform with a man who appears to be in charge. "You will watch this!" The man said with venom, but Cadmus didn't understand him.
"Lord Calares said to you: You will watch this." A man next to him said, the Saderan general saw that he's here to be the translator.
The man named Calares turns to the people. "People of Britannia! These men, these animals came out nowhere and attack the city of Los Angeles! They raped and murdered our countrymen, pillage through the city without mercy! Now! They stand here to receive harsh and painful judgment!" The crowd roared with applause at the speech.
The man translate everything that Calares said to Cadmus, it appears that there is also a translator for each of these prison because they appear to understand him. Despite the fact he and his men are in the mercy of these people, Cadmus found his pride and voice. "You tell this man to release my warriors immediately! You savages have no rights to treat us like this!"
The man tell Calares of the general's word and he just laugh, he addresses the crowd and point his finger at the Saderan general. "This man, just now, have the audacity to demand me to release them all!" The crowd booed at Cadmus. "Even insulting us by saying that we're savages and have no right to persecute them for their crimes!" The crowd went ballistic, how dare this man call them savages after all he and his men done to the people of Los Angeles.
Calares faces Cadmus, his eyes filled with righteous anger. "You keep saying that me and the people of Britannia are savages, well, if want it so badly then we'll give you one! BRING OUT THE WHEEL!"
On another platform is a wheel with different colors, an arrow pointing down on it. Calares addresses both the Britannian and Saderan. "This wheel will decide their manner of execution, burning, drowning, torn apart by mobs." Some cheered at that. "Now, the wait is over, the wheel shall spin!"
"SPIN THE WHEEL! SPIN THE WHEEL! SPIN THE WHEEL!" The crowd chanted.
"Come on wheel, set them all on fire." Calares said, eager to see the result, for ten seconds the wheel spin until it stops, the arrow point at the yellow part with the word that say: "Electrocution!" The duke shouted as the crowd cheered.
Men in grey attire walked up the platform and used hoses to spray water down on Saderans who are now desperate to escape, one Knightmare approaches and put in a large cable wire, and the next thing that happen will be burned into Cadmus memories forever, electricity sparks everywhere as the his warriors screams in agony, soon they all drop dead, the metal giant removing the wire.
"The wheel spins again!" Calares bellowed and the crowd began shouting a for a different death.
"Burn them!"
"Shoot them dead!"
"Tear them apart!"
And now after seeing what happen to their comrades the Saderans are now trying anything to escape, but their actions prove futile as the wheel stops, the arrow pointing on the tiny black area. "A quick death? You must be lucky. Soldiers!"
Ten soldiers climb up and points their assault rifle at them, the Saderans are pleading but the Britannians will show no mercy today. "Please. Stop this!" Cadmus begged, but the soldiers fired their weapons, his men are completely helpless, they're being slaughtered like cattles, a complete bloodbath inside the glass prison.
After the last shot is fired, the wheel spins again. "Please, spare them! Kill me instead, I don't want to see this no more." Calares looks at him with a satisfied smirk, enjoying the look on the general's face.
The wheel stops, the color is orange, and Cadmus felt terrible and the man next to him translated what Calares will say. "FIRE! YES! Burn them all! Send them to hell!" The crowd cheered again as four soldiers with flamethrower steps up and aims down.
"Please, no!"
"I don't want to die!"
"Have mercy!"
The Saderans begs, but the Britannians want them to suffer for what they've done, without hesitation, fire burst from flamethrower and engulf every man inside the prison, screams of horror and pain is heard as they try to put themselves out, the stream of fire are relentless, soon the only sound coming from this glass prison is the roaring fire.
The duke raise his hand to stop the fire and silence the crowd. "Now, Britannians, a special punishment will happen here today, two of these savages will live: This man..." He pointed at Cadmus, then he pointed at another Saderan who wore a sack that conceal his head. "And his son."
The sack was remove and Cadmus was angered by the bruises that his son have, then dread filled him knowing that his only son was about punish horribly. "NO! Not my son! Leave Caius be!"
Calares now tells the crowd of the crimes of the general's son. He pointed at group of young women and girls. "These women, our fellow Britannians, are victims of this man's vile addiction!" He then pointed at the man who's being held down by two soldiers. "This animal ordered his underlings to butcher their fathers, brothers and lovers! Then they brings these innocents to him were he proceeds to rape them!"
The crowd is now jeering and throwing insults at the man demanding the offender's death, some of the victims join in the shouting.
"Castrate him!"
"Burn like the rest of them!"
"Rip him to pieces!"
Calares then continued. "Yes, judgment will come for this criminal, death is too good for him, for his punishment, he will live for the rest of his life as a eunuch!"
The people cheered loudly as Cadmus who understands him by listening to the translator suddenly cried out. "NO!"
One soldiers comes out of the crowd carrying a sledgehammer, he raise it to the air so the people can see, Caius who saw the hammer is now panicking as he understood what they're going to do with him, he was held down as two soldiers came and spread his legs and the soldier with the hammer walking up to him, he looks at his father who's fighting from his bonds, then saw the hammer swinging down.
"Man, that got to hurt." Tamaki cringed seeing what is happening in the television, not wanting to disturb his patrons and customers he switch the channel. "But he deserve it."
"That's a little too much, don't you think." Oghi said to his friends.
"The guy is a serial rapist, I would've done the same thing if he did that to our fellow Japanese." Minami reasoned as he take a sip of sake, the two can't disagree with that.
Tamaki leaves his friends for a while to attend to his customers, he's currently working as a bartender in a bistro, this place serve plenty of alcoholic drinks: Russian vodka, French wine, German beer, and the local Japanese sake. After giving the couple from the other side of the room two glasses of wine he returns to Oghi and Minami. "Man, it's really been a crazy week."
"No kidding, never thought that the things that happen in those videos are real." Minami was awestruck by what he saw. "Dragons, ogres, and men in medieval armor."
"Not to mention magic, that's the only explanation and they have proof of it too, a gate that suddenly appears near the Hollywood sign." Oghi said, the school teacher said.
"By the way, I never get to ask you this, is Naoto alright? He's living in Los Angeles is he?" Tamaki asks, they met him by chance and later on became friends.
Oghi look frowned as he told them of Naoto's fate. "He's dead, these bastards raided their house and kill everyone inside." He balled his fist in anger, the details of what happen there disgust him. "But his sister lives though, she's in school when that happen."
"Is she going to be fine?" Tamaki asks, sadden by the news.
"Yes, I called her and she's okay. But she told me that she's planning to join the army to fight them."
"What? But she's still just a student." Minami couldn't believe that this girl is going to put herself in danger just for revenge.
"There is nothing we can do. The prince have given her a chance, if she proves herself to be a great Knightmare pilot then they'll allow her to. She's not going to stop in avenging her family." Oghi said as he drank a glass of beer. "The only thing we can do is wish her luck."
"Incredible." Jeremiah muttered.
"Simply marvelous." Lloyd commented.
"Is she really this determine to avenge her family?" Guilford said.
The Knightmare Joust just began moments ago and Kallen is already proven herself to be a formidable pilot, guess Reuben Ashford wasn't exaggerating when he said that Kallen is a skilled pilot. The young Stadfeld jousted with Kewel, Jeremiah, Lilianna, and lastly, Cornelia herself, Kallen and the princess jousted using Gloucesters, the student have proven to be a match for Cornelia, and all of the spectators are impressed.
"So..." Kallen panted, exhausted after fighting three royal guards and a princess. "Did I pass?"
Marianne beamed at her, this girl's skills could actualy rival her own. "Yes, and therefore, I shall grant your request of joining this upcoming war. For now on, you will serve as a Royal Guard."
"Thank you, your Majesty. I promise that I'll won't let you down."
"Before you rest, there is someone here who wish to speak with you." She walks back as someone approaches Kallen.
The student recognize him as Lloyd Asplund, a Knightmare developer working in the Ashford Industries. "Bravo, Ms. Kallen, Bravo indeed. I was very impress with your performance, and if you don't mind this, to ask you one simple favor."
"Uh, sure. What is it?" Kallen asks, though considered who he is and her being a voluntary test pilot new Knightmares, she might already know the answer.
"Well it's about the industries new generation of Knightmares, and of now we have create two new models, and I wanted the best test pilot there is, that's you Ms. Kallen."
Cornelia who's still inside the Gloucester asks the man something. "So what is the new type of model you're creating?"
Everybody was curious and want to know more of these new generation of Knightmare, then Lloyd answered. "Your Highness, the Ashford developed a new model called Gawain, and my own creation the Lancelot."
Itami is in Bedford Texas, he would like to visit his family and spend some time with his siblings before the invasion began. He arrived at the front of a simple home in the suburban and went to knock the door, the person who answered is his little sister, fourteen year old Nena Davis, blond hair like their father. "Mom! Dad! Big brother is here!" She jumped on Itami and gave him a tight hug.
"Hey little sis, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing great! I got an A in my math test." She said.
"Very good, I'm happy to have a smart sister." He said which make Nena smile bigger.
Coming from the living room is Misaki Davis, their mother. "Itami!" she rushed towards and embrace her son. "I'm glad you're okay."
Before he could say anything someone walk down from the second floor, it was his father, Steve Davis. "There's my boy, come and give your old man a hug." He said proudly as he walk up to his son, being helped by his youngest daughter, Jenny Davis, his knee hurts but he ignored it.
His father was shot in his left knee during the Chinese invasion of Japan, after being honorable discharge because of his injuries Steve create a small business so that way, he can still support his family. "Dad, don't push yourself." They rushed to help him, though he get them all in a family hug.
"Congratulation on your promotion, big brother." Jenny said, proud to have a heroic brother.
"Did you really fought those dragons?" Nena asks.
"Alright you two." Misaki said. "We'll talk over during lunch, I make your favorite."
Misaki cooked some beef curry and potato salad, the whole family went to the dining with Nena and Jenny asking all sorts of question regarding Itami's experience, he went along and answer his sisters but leaves out the disturbing details.
The Emperor and Empress are all in a different room, one that is use to discuss military, security or secret topics, there are numerous intelligence agency, military officials and nobles who know war strategy and battlefield tactics, the princes and princess Schneizel, Cornelia, Lelouch and Clovis are present too since they have firsthand experience in dealing these unusual enemy.
"So it is settled then." Said Charles. "We will send an invasion force of 400,000, led by my wife Marianne."
Marianne vi Britannia is a skilled Knightmare pilot and have an experience in commanding an army, during the Chinese Invasion of Japan she led a squad of Knightmares and other conventional units to inflict great damage to the enemy and defended or liberated numerous Japanese towns and cities.
"And Michelle Manfredi will serve as second in command."
"It will be an honor to follow you in this war, Lady Marianne." The Knight of Two said. Michelle is not the only Knights of the Round to participate in this war, Nonnette Eneagram, Gino Weinberg, Dorothea Earnst will join as well, each will command battalion, regiment or division.
Cornelia was given command of a field army consisting of 80,000 men with her faithful royal guard Gilbert G.P. Guilford, Andreas Darlton and the Glaston Knights, Lelouch will lead a division of 10,000, it might be small but it compensate by having two new Knightmare Frame models, the Lancelot and Gawain, there are even word that a third model is already produced called the Siegfried.
Schneizel will give advice and suggestion but most of the time he'll perform as a diplomat and negotiator as he report to the military council that the Saderan have many enemies, and he have plans in how to bring them to their side, exploiting this simple fact.
There even some other nobles and generals who will come and serve, lieutenant Mason Conner, Duke Thomas Godefroy, general Robert Montgommeri, and other notable individuals.
They trained numerous soldier in ancient Latin so they can better understand the people in the other side of the Gate, Colt Formal was very helpful in this, he want to atone for his mistakes by helping them in any way, some of his men even volunteered to act as their translator.
After much discussion everyone is ready, the troops, equipment, supplies and everything else is in place, all there is to do is to march through that gate and into the unknown with a strong resolve: Justice and revenge. The time has come, they can't wait any longer, the real war will begin.
Chapter End
An: And done, this chapter is short than the other but I'll make the next one longer, next chapter will be posted either next month or in January. If you guys have any ideas or suggestion, or see any grammar, spelling or any other mistakes feel free to comment.
Just added one thing in the second chapter, the music "All Hail Britannia"
Lastly, one question, what would Lelouch's knights be called? The Black Knights or the White Knights?