Chapter 19: Duel of Fates Part Two

The world is a zero-sum game; you lose at times and win at others. Skirmishes are the same but in a war, everything changes; the victor is the person who domineers over chances and conditions.

-Lelouch vi Britannia

Part 44: FLEIJA

November 5, 2017 a.t.b.

It was early morning on a warm autumn day in Pendragon. C.C. rushed into the palace restroom with a light head and vomited into the toilet bowl. The sour taste of her throat made it difficult for her to inhale as she spat into the water basin in disgust. She thought to herself, "Could it be the eggs Lelouch cooked this morning? This never happened before." C.C. looked at her pale complexion in the mirror and thought, "Why am I so sick all of a sudden?" She patted her back to relieve the congestion in her chest and flushed the toilet.

Lelouch was busy preparing for war against his brother Schneizel. It was the day of judgement to see who will own Britannia. He was standing in his room with his sword tied around his waist and looked out the palace windows. The brightness of the sun shone on his face as he gazed upon the tall desert mountains from afar. He looked down onto the desk in front and meditated on what he had accomplished until now, "It seems all my effort and a measure to promote world peace was not enough to end it. Today, fate will decide how the future of global security will look like. If Schneizel takes my life, all of my constructions were of waste, reverting back to our savage roots for survival. If I end this nonsense rebellion of his, the current status would remain as I had hoped. I wish I can find a compromise between the two but of all my preparations I have not. Let fate decide who will prevail and hope it is the latter."

C.C. entered their room and found her husband staring into the open. She began with a complaint, "Lelouch, did you the eggs thoroughly?" Lelouch did not respond immediately but returned with something irrelevant, "C.C., today I must defend Britannia from my brother's treason."

"I see you are troubled," she stated the obvious with a stoic look.

Lelouch faced and walked to her. He touched her shoulders and moved down to hold her hands and said with a serious look, "C.C., I want you to be safe."

"Lelouch, why do you ask me this?"

"Because I don't know if I will come back in one piece."

"How big is Schneizel's army?"

"Schneizel had control over one quarter of Britannia's army."

"Then we are not in a disadvantage."

"You never know and that is why I want you to leave Pendragon. Can you promise me?"

"If you come back, where will we meet?"

"Don't worry, I can find you," Lelouch said and left the room. C.C. stared at her love, worried and depressed. She thought internally, "Lelouch I will never leave you, you know that. So you cannot leave me alone, not after all we've been through."

The sound of uniform marching reverberated across the artificial platforms off the coasts of the tip of Baja California. The Holy Britannian Empire stationed four carriers and twenty battlecruisers. These flying fortresses were armed with rigged missiles and state of the art technologies. Lelouch ordered many Knightmare Frames to be sent and stored on the archipelago of Hawaii. The screens of every television set across the nation showed only one face, the face of their beloved emperor.

People of Holy Britannia, we are living in a dangerous time. In our current disposition, society appears to be brilliant, showered by thy invaluable efforts and my leadership. Alas, an evil force wants to break this bliss and shred our clean ideals. The Black Knights, despite having loss their leader Zero have planned a full scale assault on the continents of Holy Britannia. Hence we are living in a time of war, a dangerous time indeed. Today, we will be facing this foe but worry not for we have prepared for this misfortunate outcome. A massive countermeasure is in progress. I hate to see men die on the battle front but this is a must for our nation's security and your lives. Let the immortal beacon of Britannia show us the way to glory! Victory for Holy Britannia!

The message ended in simultaneity to the complete deploying of troops. Lelouch sat on a massive Britannian battlecruiser, the Betelgeuse and commanded gloriously with his right arm stretched in the air, "Battle units move out!" C.C. was hiding in the Gawain which was stored inside hanger five. She was all alone, contemplating deeply on Lelouch's fate. She clasped her hands together and prayed for her beloved, "Please let Lelouch and I live our days in happiness, underneath the shade on a warm summer's day." A tear rolled down her cheeks as she wept in dismay. Lelouch ordered the Imperial fleet to confront another military genius, his elder brother, the infamous Schneizel el Britannia.

The battle will take place in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, above the large island of Hawaii. Schneizel was sitting on the command centre of the Damocles and asked the radar operator, "When will Lelouch vi Britannia arrive?"

"In one hour and twenty-five minutes, plus or minus quarter hour your excellency."

"Very well, we will remain stationary for the moment and fire a class-1 F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead on Hawaii," former Prince Schneizel ordered.

"Yes your highness," the staff in charge of weapons control responded.

"Nunnally, press the button on your right," Schneizel requested his half-sister to do his bidding.

Minutes later, a massive tremor shook the ship which was hovering over ten kilometers both horizontally and vertically away from the detonation. A mysterious anomaly occurred that day and it will surely continue. The largest island of the archipelago quickly disappeared into a black hole that consumed the area. After fifteen seconds, the black hole shot a powerful beam of light into the skies and vanished into thin air. Lightning and heavy rainfall descended into the ocean as strong tidal waves flushed the sea, spreading like a series of orbital pulses.

"Your royal highness, the missile was a success," reported the weapons control team.

"Of course, my researchers never fail," the prince wore a devilish smirk.

F.L.E.I.J.A. was a missile that was a primary application of black hole physics. Prince Schneizel funded the research himself when his father was still in power so he could use it when he became emperor. The warheads' detonations were sudden collisions of baryonic matter that are propelled at light speed by the aid of Sakuradite; consequently contracting the particle's radii to zero. The principle was modelled from a collapsing star where the particle's mass become heavier while simultaneously becoming measurelessly wide under the influence of such acceleration. The series of bombs range from class-1 to class-4; class-1 being the most powerful and class-4 the least.

"My emperor, sensors indicate the entire island of Hawaii is gone!" the pilot of the Betelgeuse informed.

"What! This is preposterous!" Lelouch fired back I utter disbelief.

"I am sorry your highness but it seems the entire arsenals of Knightmare frames were consumed."

"By what?"

"I do not know, it is unidentified your royal highness."

"Is the enemy vessel in hailing range?"

"Not yet, the computer says it will take five minutes."

"When we get in range, hail the other ships that we will immediately open fire."

Suddenly, the screen of Lelouch's ship hailed a signal from the Damocles. The Damocles had a wider hailing range.

"Greetings my prodigal brother, I was expecting you," Prince Schneizel exclaimed as he flipped his hair vaingloriously.

"What did you do to the Britannians on Hawaii?" Lelouch demanded a return.

Schneizel paused and held a chess piece in his hand; it was a white king. He placed the white king on a chessboard and demonstrated a series of moves. First, he moved the king and took a black pawn and said, "That pawn was your pathetic island paradise. It was like a pawn; the potential was great but I am afraid died early on the front lines."

"Do not equate chess to the lives of Britannian citizens," Lelouch cried enraged.

"You have changed my brother. I thought your resolve would be stronger. I see I am the more deserving successor of our father," Schneizel laughed.

Lelouch punched the arms of his seat and yelled, "You will pay with your life!"

Schneizel laughed and said, "Oh? Lelouch you never learn! Nunnally, press that button on your right."

"Nunnally don't listen to him," Lelouch exclaimed in panic.

"I am sorry big brother but I do not want to see you die!" Nunnally said with a sad tone.

"What is the meaning of this? How did you kidnap my sister," Lelouch asked.

"Don't you mean our sister? I promised that if she pressed that red button over there, I will spare your life," Schneizel replied.

"You are seriously twisted Schneizel, you are truly the conniving puppeteer!"

"You were as well, do you know that?"

"Shut up, I am not as low as you!"

"Tch, you controlled the positions of everybody around you Lelouch. Isn't that right Kaguya?"

"Of course! Lelouch, I once respected Zero and I still do. Despite you are the man behind the mask, I will forever distinguish your cowardly face as an abomination to Zero's legacy! I hate you Lelouch vi Britannia! You and your green haired slut," Lady Kaguya scolded.

Lelouch panicked internally, "Dammit! That bloody Schneizel is one step ahead of me!"

"Where are Suzaku Kururugi and Kallen Stadtfeld," Lelouch asked.

Schneizel flicked at the two black knights on his board and said, "They belong to me now!"

"Get them here! I demand some explanations!" Lelouch instructed.

"Very well, you may quarrel with your past compadres," Schneizel replied with a straight face.

Suzaku and Kallen entered the scene in their pilot suits. They were apprehended by Schneizel's guards.

"Explain the meaning of this! I order you to keep Nunnally safe! You promised me," Lelouch cried.

"As the saying goes, 'Promises are meant to be broken'," Schneizel interrupted.

"Shut up and stay out of this!" Lelouch yelled in fury, "This is between Suzaku, Kallen and me!"

"Sorry but if we did not comply with their orders the three of us would have been killed. They slaughtered Ougi, Tohdoh, Diethard," Kallen blurted in tears.

"Kaguya what did you do," Lelouch exclaimed.

"They were in my way so I had to eliminate them," Lady Kaguya responded callously, "You said it yourself: Anything that stands in the way of the Black Knights must be eliminated."

"They were the Black Knights! Now you killed them, you have destroyed Zero's legacy," Lelouch yelled.

"I am the president of the Black Knights," Kaguya was being self-centered, "I represent Zero's legacy!"

"I am afraid my brother Schneizel poisoned your mind Kaguya Sumeragi. You are as vile as him. You are more degraded than a mongrel," Lelouch spoke with a tone of disappointment.

"Sire, the missile has detonated in target destination," Lelouch heard a man's voice through the message.

"What is happening?" Lelouch asked.

"Pendragon is no more!" Schneizel said.

"Lies!"

"Oh it is true, search your computers."

"I am on it your royal highness," the informatics department searched, "I am sorry to tell you this but he is right."

"No! This can't be happening!" Lelouch trembled, "You killed the lives of millions! A lot of my fellow Britannians have relatives and friends in that city."

"Is your beloved C.C. there?" Schneizel asked.

Lelouch panicked and froze on his seat.

"Fire another!" Schneizel commanded. This time, the warhead was targeted at London.

"Nunnally stop! You wished to restore the Garden of Exelica. Why are you doing this," Lelouch cried.

"I am sorry Lelouch but I must," Nunnally replied woefully.

"Don't listen to him!"

Nunnally pressed the red button once more.

"How many of those do you have?" Lelouch inquired.

"Enough to wipe out Britannia," Schneizel said, "They were remarkably cheap to manufacture believe it or not."

Lelouch thought silently, "That must be a bluff." He stood from his chair and ordered, "We will surround the Damocles and fire at all fronts!"

Lelouch's fleet rocketed to the Damocles and opened fire with Hadron Cannons. The Damocles absorbed every hit with its shield.

"Fool! The shields are designed to absorb your weapons' energy and charge the ship," Schneizel scoffed at his brother arrogantly.

"Fire the rail-guns!" Lelouch ordered.

"Hah! The even the most classical of shields deflect those! Your offensive efforts are futile," Schneizel laughed.

Lelouch thought to himself, "Damn, we can only breech through those shields with slow moving objects but those would fall before hitting the bulk of his goddamn ship!"

Lelouch ordered his fleet to ceasefire and paced in the central command of his ship. He thought to himself, "What kind of war is this? My opponent possesses only one ship, our weapons are ineffective against his absorption shields. Violence is not the solution in this case; he is fighting a war of attrition!"

"Lelouch, if you do not surrender Holy Britannia to me now, I will bombard random spots on Earth with F.L.E.I.J.A.s and open fire," Schneizel warned.

"I will only surrender onboard your ship," Lelouch replied.

"Never! You will used your Geass and take over the Damocles!"

"Now what will you do after I surrender?" Lelouch asked.

"I will restore the former glory of Holy Britannia, just like what our royal ancestors wanted!"

"What good is restoring that world of madness? I brought the world peace until you came about! The people will hate you for destroying Pendragon, Hawaii. The world wanted peace and equality for a change and I brought them peace and equality until you came about!"

"Lelouch, your little utopia is only a temporary vision. People are not born equal and they will resort to violence to get what they need if diplomatic means are ineffective. Humans survive and advance because of this inequality. This world cannot hold itself together once you die!"

"Nonsense! The world will not resort to violence if the people are content. It is all a zero sum game!"

"You are such a fool," Schneizel laughed at his optimistic brother, "Once your descendants take over, every aspect of law and society will be amended for the contemporary. As times change, so do people. Face it, people will want more than the equality you gave them so they will kill, cheat or steal for more than your legal bargain! Don't you see? Your idealistic platform and so called "stable" society will crumble when they grow tired of getting what you are able to distribute and even that fluctuation is volatile!"

"It matters not Schneizel! I have stalled long enough in this stimulating conversation to win!"

"What?"

Lelouch had used the time to inch the Betelgeuse closer to the Damocles. Slowly, the Betelgeuse passed through the energy absorption shields of the Damocles, taking only minor damage to its reinforced hull. "Fire!" Lelouch ordered. The Damocles took tremendous damage from the Betelgeuse and its weapons systems were disabled.

Schneizel broke into laughter and said, "Lelouch, your move there was indeed clever and crafty but I am afraid, you are the one who will lose today!"

"What are you trying to say," Lelouch asked with a stern glare.

"If you try to kill me on deck, you will also bring Nunnally to the grave! However, I have the liberty to capture you dead or alive for I have your prized Guren and Lancelot!"

"Damn you Schneizel! You have gone too far!"

"Have I? I think it was necessary."

"You are despicable!"

"Kallen, Suzaku, I order you to capture that rogue emperor!" Schneizel commanded as he reached for a pistol from his bosom.

"Never," Kallen shouted stubbornly.

"If you do not, I will drill a hole through Nunnally's skull!" Schneizel threatened venomously by pointing his gun at Nunnally's head, "I would gladly kill her if one small mistake were to happen!"

"Come and get me," Lelouch said over the message.

"Don't give up like that!" Suzaku yelled.

"You have come to your senses Lelouch," Schneizel said; "Seize him and tie a sack around his face!"

The crew on board the Damocles handed Suzaku and Kallen a hemp sack and pushed the two out of the command centre. Schneizel held his pistol against Nunnally's head and spoke into her ear, "Once your brother arrives and surrender to me, I will make sure the two of you will get the chance to live together back at our new home."

"Why did you destroy Pendragon in the first place," Nunnally asked.

"That is where your brother's foolishness pervades, I must end his madness at the grass root level," her sinister brother replied.

Suzaku and Kallen boarded their Knightmares and lifted their Knightmares to the Betelgeuse. Lelouch enabled public entrance and let the two in. Suzaku and Kallen entered hanger five, where they encountered the Gawain.

"Look! The Gawain is onboard this ship," Kallen exclaimed. She opened her hatch, ran to the Gawain and knocked on its exterior.

"Hello, C.C. are you there?" Kallen assumed.

C.C. heard her voice and responded, "Yes, what is happening? How did you get here? Did Lelouch free the two of you or something?"

"No, we are here to seize him. Schneizel is planning to execute him!" Kallen exaggerated a bit.

"No! He will never take away my Lelouch from me," C.C. yelled as she opened the hatch of the Gawain.

"I am sorry. He is important to you, correct?" Kallen asked.

C.C. responded with a nod in misery.

"I see," Kallen responded with a sympathetic stare.

"Kallen, C.C., I have a plan," Suzaku began, "If we time exactly and remove the sack off of Lelouch's head, he can make eye contact with Schneizel," Suzaku proposed.

"Then he can cast Geass on him," Kallen stated the obvious.

"What matters are the correct words," Suzaku added.

"Perhaps I can join and do something about it," C.C. said.

"No! That will endanger all of us, especially Lelouch and Nunnally!" Suzaku snapped.

Kallen and Suzaku returned with Lelouch's arms tied around his waist. They pushed him and loaded his body on the Lancelot's hand.

Kallen whispered into his ear behind the hemp sack, "I am sorry but C.C. is here to see this."

"C.C. is here?" Lelouch responded in shock behind the sack.

"You never knew?"

"This is not good; she promised me she would flee from Pendragon."

"Lelouch!" C.C. said his name worriedly.

"I told you to flee Pendragon, not join this dangerous war!" Lelouch spoke with a disappointed voice.

"I am really sorry," C.C. said.

"Well don't, it is too late anyways," Lelouch said.

"I am afraid I won't be able to see you anymore," C.C. spoke as she wept.

"If I die, just remember me in your heart and when you fall in love again with somebody else, you will know it is me," Lelouch spoke behind the sack.

Kallen and Suzaku left into the distance for the Damocles with Lelouch as C.C. bawled in tears of sorrow. They flew to Schneizel's fortress and got out of their vehicle, pushed the apprehended monarch into the command centre and reported, "Your highness, we have captured Lelouch."

Schneizel faced his back to the captured monarch and a pistol in his hands. He was beside Nunnally's wheelchair and placed his left hand on her shoulder.

"Excellent, now bring him to me my valiant knights," Schneizel requested. Lelouch's arms were tightly bound by a rope as he struggled to make his way to Schneizel.

"Let Nunnally go! She is innocent," Lelouch yelled.

"Not until you prove to the world that I have won and abdicate the throne!"

"You will never be emperor, never with that despicably wicked face!"

"Should I kill her with you, Nunnally I mean."

"Please don't kill my brother Lelouch," Nunnally cried.

"Do not even touch her," Lelouch exclaimed.

"Whoops, sorry I just did," Schneizel replied sarcastically, "I never knew you were so sensitive."

"Shut up!"

C.C. hailed a signal on the Betelgeuse in frustration, "Schneizel I demand you release Lelouch!"

"C.C.! Long-time no see! I see you have become my gullible brother's queen," Schneizel exclaimed with a faked smile.

The crew on the Betelgeuse gasped as they just learnt of this concealed truth. C.C. stared vexed at the former prince and said, "What are you going to do to him! Answer me!"

"I just want him to formally abdicate the throne and transfer it to me. If that is done, I will gladly let him free."

"How can I trust you?"

"I will do it," Lelouch interrupted, "I will abdicate the throne but you must let Nunnally go."

"Lelouch, why are you doing this?" C.C. asked.

"I want Nunnally to be safe. I promised she will one day see again and embrace wonderful nature in a new light. I also want you to live a happy life C.C. because I love you."

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Schneizel clapped his hands sarcastically and said, "How romantic! You are starting to make me cry!"

"Let me ask you a question Schneizel, what do you expect to achieve after ascending the throne?

"I want to revive Britannia to its former glory!"

"Britannia is already glorious! The people are living in good health and peace!"

"You have blinded them with only the bare minimum! They will not accept what you have given them once they know there is more!"

"Enough! Just promise me that when I abdicate, you will free my friends, Nunnally and C.C."

Suzaku removed the bag that shielded Lelouch's face.

"On my honour," Schneizel agreed with his back facing the other way and hands behind his back.

Lelouch directed his face to the main screen that was set to record and announced his part of Schneizel's contract: I have given you peace, equality and the quality of life. Britannia's laws are solidified under my administration to protect this prosperity. People of Britannia, people of the world, I just want to say, I Lelouch vi Britannia, ninety-ninth emperor of Holy Britannia abdicate the throne so Britannia will become a better nation under the administration of a Republic!

Schneizel turned around and shrieked, "What are you doing! You bastard!" He shot his pistol without aim and it ricochet against the neosteel floor. Lelouch made direct eye contact with his brother and said, "I, Lelouch vi Britannia order you to listen to my commands!" A red glow was released from his eyes and it rerouted the multiple symmetries within Schneizel's mind in a magnificent burst of synaptic interactions.

Schneizel looked dazed by the hypnotism of Geass and replied, "Yes my master." The entire crew on the Betelgeuse were in for a shock.

Lelouch continued, "People of Britannia! I have rid our nation's final burden; I have defeated the former prince and warlord Schneizel el Britannia. No more will we fear treason for we have prevailed! Listen to me for I am the president of the United Kingdom of Britannia!

Constant cheering filled the many ships of Lelouch's Armada. Suzaku untied his friend's arms and Lelouch ran to embrace his sister. Nunnally opened her beautiful bluish-purple eye slowly, agitated by the brilliant light shining in. She felt just like a newborn, opening her eyes in a metallic facility. Nunnally turned her face and looked into his brother's Geass ridden eyes.

"Brother is that you?" she asked with a lively voice.

"Nunnally you can see again!" Lelouch was overjoyed, "Yes it is me, that same wretched brother you always had."

"Look brother I am free!"

"Yes you are my dear sister you are free. Didn't I promise you that one day you will open your eyes and see a gentler world?"

"I guess it came true!"

"It sure did and I could not be happier," he wept tears of joy.

Kallen and Suzaku were moved by Lelouch's care for his sister. Kallen said, "Lelouch, you are one of a kind. We do not know how you do it but you make miracles happen."

Suzaku said, "He sure is, he sure is."

Lelouch ordered the deactivation of the Damocles' shields and returned to the Betelgeuse in one piece via a transport vessel. He instructed the evacuation of every person and they thanked him for his mercy. Suzaku and Kallen piloted their Knightmare Frames to the other side. Lelouch returned to the command centre of his ship, pushing Nunnally's wheelchair. C.C. ran to greet her husband with a warm embrace. He lifted her off the ground and went in full circles as they kissed passionately.

"Lelouch I was worried sick," C.C. cried on his chest.

"I have to say, that miracle was hard to pull for the timing was crucial," Lelouch replied.

"What matters now is that we are all safe. I understand what it feels to lose someone dear," C.C. said.

Lelouch cleaned the tears off of her eyes and dictated, "Destroy the Damocles! Weapons of that size should never have come to be." Every battlecruiser targeted their cannons on the massive sky fortress and dismantled it until it sunk into the ocean. The fleet returned to a new Britannia into the evening sunset, with a new capital, a new administration and a new hope underway.

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