Please vote on my profile on who you want to duel Kallen in the toughest sparing match. Your choices are: Lelouch, Adam, or both.

Adam: There is still time.

Lelouch: So cast your votes.

Kallen: ….What's so hard about beating up Lelouch?

Lelouch: …Grimdivide does not own Code Geass.

Act II: Unraveling Peace

Prologue

Pendragon cemetery, Britannia

September 30, 2018

'Why am I here?' Kallen Kozuki thought to herself as she listened to people, mainly nobles she never met, speak about her now deceased father. 'Why didn't I stay in Japan to watch the house with Roland and Kaylin?' She looked over to her mother. Unlike her daughter, who was unsure what to feel about her father's death, Kallen's mother silently cried. 'Did she still have feelings for him?' Kallen wondered. 'That would explain why she decided to come to his funeral...But what am I here for?'

Kallen took a quick look around and noticed that her stepmother was nowhere to be seen. 'I guess he was smart enough to not love her at least,' she thought, 'or that woman is just as much the Brit noble bitch I thought she was.'

She turned back to the speaker but still her mind wondered off. 'They found his body burnt to a crisp,' Kallen pondered while she stared at the picture of Benjamin Stadtfeld, his dark brown eyes gazing warmly back at her own. 'There was also evidence of him being stabbed in the back as well. That means he was murdered.

'Why would the murderer spare Gerald though?' she wondered, now turning her head to look at her old kind butler. 'Does he know who did it? Even so, why will he not say anything?

'Why do I care about how this man died though?' she questioned herself, 'He abandoned me, mother, and my brother. So why do I feel saddened about losing him? I should be glad he's gone but I don't.'

The funeral ended before Kallen could come to a conclusion. Her mother said something about going back to the hotel they were staying at, but the former Stadtfeld daughter didn't budge from where she stood. Before she knew it, Kallen Kozuki was alone, staring at her father's grave.

There were many flowers placed on his grave. Kallen's mother even left a bouquet of white roses at the center of the many others. Thunder clapped and rain began to pour.

"I think you should leave miss Kallen," said Gerald behind Benjamin's daughter, he held a black umbrella over there heads. He came back to give his young mistress an extra red umbrella. "You will catch dreadful cold if you stay in the rain for too long." Kallen made no response. He handed her the red umbrella and she opened it. Then reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope addressed to her. "Your father wanted me to give you this," he said, handing over the letter. Kallen reluctantly took it too, but made no expression that indicated that she would look at it's contents. "Please know that he regretted leaving you and others behind," Gerald finished before he started walking to the car parked outside the cemetery. "I'll be waiting in the car."

"If he regretted it, then why didn't he come back?" Kallen asked when the old butler was out of earshot.

Kallen decided to open the envelope. The first thing she saw was a check. Kallen dropped the red umbrella and she threw the letter down to the muddy ground behind her. "You think you could buy my forgiveness?!" the Guren pilot yelled at the picture that stood against the tombstone. "Even in death you're nothing but a bastard!" There were now tears in her eyes. "You abandoned Naoto, mother, and me, and you expect me to accept your money as forgiveness?! Kallen Kozuki does not take bribes, especially from a slimeball like you!"

The proud Crimson Lotus finally broke down and dropped to her knees with her hands on the ground to keep herself propped up. "Why...Why did you leave us?" she spoke in barely a whisper. "I HATE YOU!" she screamed to the grave.

Kallen Kozuki was on her hands and knees, crying and cursing her father's grave. The rain pounded her with no forgiveness, but she didn't care, she just wanted to curse the life Benjamin Stadtfeld lived. But what she felt was not truly anger...She was sad.

"You don't hate him," spoke a warm, soft, deep voice. Startled, Kallen got off her hands and turned to see Lelouch standing there with a sad smile. The red-haired girl turned back to face the grave and slumped, she would not let him see herself on both her hands and knees again.

Lelouch walked over to her, picking up the discarded letter and replacing it in his pocket. He kneeled and wrapped himself around Kallen in a hug to shield her a bit from the rain. "You don't hate him," Lelouch repeated.

Sniffling, Kallen responded. "He abandoned me and the rest of my family, just like your father did to you and Nunnally, Lelouch...Of course I hate him."

"My father didn't really regret abandoning me," Lelouch told her as he took her fallen umbrella and raised it over their heads. "Your father hated himself for leaving you. I should know...He told me himself."

"Then why did he leave us?"

"Where do you think you got your pride for the country you live in?" Lelouch asked her.

"Then why didn't he come back?" Kallen questioned, still refusing to look at him or return his embrace.

"He was afraid of you rejecting him and after your brother's death...He would not forgive himself," Lelouch answered as he released her and returned the envelope to her. "There's more to it then just his money."

Kallen looked into his eyes. They were warm and pleading, Lelouch must be speaking the truth. Kallen took the envelope and this time saw a piece of folded paper behind the check. She unfolded the letter and read the handwritten letters on it.

Kallen,

If you are reading this, then I am dead. I'm sure you want answers as to why I left you, your mother, and Naoto, may his soul rest in peace.

I love my country of Britannia as much as I know you and Naoto loved your country of Japan. Back then I foolishly put my country before my family. That was the biggest mistake I ever made for your mother left me, breaking both our hearts. I will not say that I wish that I could change my decision because time does not allow one to do that. The least I could do for her then was give her a job that would allow you to be closer to your mother.

How I miss the days when you and Naoto were children. You were such a cheerful little girl. Oh, what I would do to have the chance to have watched you grow into the beautiful young woman that is now reading this letter.....

Kallen, I will not expect forgiveness from you of all people...But I am sorry for what I had done.

You are my only daughter and my only child. Therefore...Kallen Kozuki, Red Lotus of Japan, and my daughter, I leave you all there is of the Stadtfeld family fortune.

Live on with a peaceful life. Love your heritage, both Japanese and Britannian, my beautiful baby girl.

Your loving father,

Benjamin K. Stadtfeld

Kallen read the letter two more times before hugging herself and crying once more. "Father," she said in a hoarse whisper.

Dropping the umbrella, Lelouch wrapped his arms behind her in another embrace and this time Kallen returned it, burying her face into his chest. He softly stroked her silky red hair, not minding that she cried into his chest.

"You never hated him," he said to her. "You only wanted an answer." When she finally stopped crying he spoke again. "You better go to the car," Lelouch told his Q-1 with concern in his voice, "You will catch a cold in this rain.

Kallen looked up at his eyes with her watery blue orbs that showed pleading. "Lelouch, will you stay with me tonight?" she asked, surprising him. "I just want you to be with me for tonight..."

"Alright Kallen, I'll stay with you tonight." With that he ended the embrace and stepped behind her. "I'll be waiting in your hotel room." The next thing Kallen noticed, a gust of wind blew at her back and Lelouch was gone.

"Thank you, Lelouch," looking back at the grave, Kallen wiped away her tears and smiled.

"I forgive you...father."

**************

Madrid, Spain

Raul heard the monster's fearsome roar echo through the remaining streets of Madrid. But that was not what scared him the most, but it was the fact that there was no more screaming, no more gunshots sounding through the night. What scared him the most was the utter despair that this lonesomeness brought.

Raul hid in a car, hoping the creature that destroyed the city would leave. When heard nothing more of the creature he decided to leave the safety of his hiding spot and run away from this decimated city.

As soon as he opened the door though, the monster's shadow enveloped him. He looked up and etched the shape of demon in the sky into his brain as it began to open it's mouth and a light began to charge in it. The light fired out and consumed him and the the surrounding area, leaving behind only a crater.

Elsewhere, four cloaked Remnants watched the monster leave the city in flames. One removed their hood, revealing his long strawberry blonde hair and spoke, breaking the silence. "Magnificent! I would say that Fafnir is a complete success," said Marik turning to his cohorts, "Wouldn't you all agree?"

"It is a powerful weapon," agreed another Remnant with a woman's voice. "Don't you agree Lord Bismark?"

"There is no reason for you to call me 'Lord' anymore, Nonette," replied the largest of the four, "But I agree that Fafnir will be a great asset for Master Marcus."

The last of the Remnants huffed. "The war has not yet begun and you all believe you will win."

"Do you doubt our master's victory, Lazard?" Nonette Enneagram questioned.

The Remnant in question gazed at the back of his left hand then answered. "I am merely stating that it is too early to say we have won...But whether we win or lose, the goal shall be accomplished."

"Though I agree with Lazard that it is too early to claim victory," Marik spoke, "What exactly is it that you want to accomplish by serving Marcus?"

"It is not I who wishes this goal," Lazard answered, "But it is my master that wishes it."

"And who might that be?" Bismark inquired.

"Heheheh. You will know when the time of the reunion has come," the Remnant answered cryptically.

None of the others pressed on what he meant, instead Nonette changed the subject. "When will we begin?"

"When the midnight hour greets Britannia with the new year....Chaos shall spread and plunge the world into despair," Lazard answered with a wicked smile.

The Knightmare Titan, Fafnir, landed in the center of the still burning city. The dragon let out a terrible roar.

There's the prologue of Act II. Yes, there is now a dragon. You can't have a good knight story without a fearsome Dragon can you?

Please Review and tell me what you think. Also, don't forget to cast your vote on my poll! Kallen vs ???