Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion/Code Geass - Hangyaku no Lelouch: Lost Soldiers
by: Ominae
Rating: T
NOTE:
All characters of Code Geass are under the copyright of Goro Taniguchi, Sunrise, CLAMP and Bandai Entertainment. All other characters are under my jurisdiction.
Summary:
Now with war going all out against Eden Vital, Zero and a few others infiltrate Eden Vital's mountain base to defeat the group's leadership in Kaminenejima. Can the group succeed and defeat them before their forces are completely overwhelmed by Eden Vital's forces sent to stop them? Stay tune to this chapter to find out.
Chapter 24: All-out fight
Long Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Move out! Get them at once!"
Several Tengu ninjas had leaped from the upper corridors above Zero, Marc, Jeremiah and Sayoko, forcing the four to be on the defensive.
"What should we do, master?" Sayoko took cover behind a metal box, peeking out only to hurl several kunais at the ninjas. However, her efforts were in vain when the ninjas skillfully blocked the incoming projectiles with their ninjatos. She noted that the long corridor that columns at each side with a metal box next to them, which would give the team good cover.
"We press forward..." Jeremiah said calmly, taking a discarded Fabrique Nationale P90 submachine gun from a Tengu ninja the ex-Purist killed by stabbing him on his chest. after the ninja tried to attack him from above, followed by slamming him onto the ground and stabbing him on the head. "We can't delay our movements or the deaths of our comrades will be for nothing."
"Right on, Jeremiah." In his gloved hands, Zero held the heads of two Tengu ninjas made unconscious after he slammed them together twice. "Let's get going. Our only chance is to move forward and take out Eden Vital once and for all." The masked Black Knights leaders tossed the ninjas on the corridor's walls like yesterday's trash.
Taking cover alongside Sayoko, Marc conducted some blindfiring with his Heckler and Koch G36K assault carbine against the incoming ninjas in order to distract them. "I need someone to distract them."
"On it." Jeremiah fired the P90 at the ninjas, forcing some of them to deflect the 5.7mm bullets with the ninjatos.
"Here goes." Marc removed the safety pins of M67 frag grenades, hurling them together towards a group of Tengu ninjas, consisting of at least six. The ninjas were busy deflecting the bullets that they didn't realize the grenades were at their feet when they exploded.
"And we've got contact..." Marc took cover behind the box after the explosion occurred, leaning out against to aim via the International Technologies Lasers Multi-purpose Aiming Reflex Sight (ITL MARS) reflex sight attached on the G36K's picatinny railing. Better aim at their feet.
Ninja after ninja went down on their ground after they got hit in the leg after Marc aimed at it near their feet. Jeremiah saw what he had done and decided to follow his lead.
"I wonder if they're the only soldiers that are gonna give us a hard time or what?"
Abandoned City, somewhere in Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
A 3-man Lost Soldiers squad consisting of Michael, Jean and Henri had their hands full. Fighting alongside Black Knight guerrillas and Britannian soldiers under Ambrosia's orders, the former armed with various AK weapons and recently the HK G36A2 assault rifles and the latter armed with their standard Colt M-13 bullpup assault rifle, they engaged Eden Vital soldiers now wearing Russian MVD 3-color tropical camouflage BDUs and tanker helmets with tactical gear including vest, holster and a balaclava.
"Damn, these guys are giving us a run for the money!" Jean yelled out, firing the Pecheneg GPMG at the incoming Tenju commando soldiers in a prone position near the concrete building of what appears to be a 3-story building. For the past few minutes now, they've been taken heavy fire from the enemy's assault and GPMG fire. The commandos were not only firing their weapons at the Lost Soldiers, Black Knights and Britannians with their bullets trying to fly straight at them, but there were times when the bullets flew sidewards or went to a curve. In fact, some of the bullets fired by the commandos when for their targets in a zig zag manner, catching some of the guerrillas and Britannian soldiers by surprise.
"I know!" Henri was next to Jean, trying to get a good look at the situation by peeking. "Whoa there!" The Panamanian Lost Soldier moved his head back when he saw bullet curves that were meant for his forehead, in time to see the bullets strike the concrete.
"We need to do something!" Michael told his comrades, trying to reload his G36K assault carbine.
"Give me cover!" Henri yelled to his fellow soldiers. When Jean immediately went to work in conducting suppressive fire with his Pecheneg, Domingo slinged his IZHMASH AK-9 assault rifle, hurling a M67 after he quickly took off the safety pin.
"Fire in the hole!" The Lost Soldier quickly blurted after hurling the weapon. A booming sound was heard a few seconds later, making the three ex-child soldier shield their eyes away from the explosion.
Cockpit, RPI-13B Sutherland Club
Cécile was in the cockpit of the white Sutherland Club when the knightmare was positioned to a knightmare catapult launcher somewhere in the Ikaruga submarine.
This is it Cécile. The SDGSD scientist gripped the knightmare's control sticks tightly as she waited for the go from the Ikaruga's bridge that she can launch. The final battle. The only way that I can help Marc atone for the sins that he's committed over the sins after the Second Pacific War.
"Ms. Croomey." Cécile received word from the bridge. "You've been cleared to launch."
"Thank you." The purple-haired woman replied after receiving confirmation to launch her knightmare towards battle.
Here goes... Cécile positioned her Sutherland Club in the catapult carefully before it went on, launching her to the island.
Long Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Dammit! More are coming..."
Jeremiah snarled after he tossed the used P90 away, having fired the last of the 5.7 bullets against the incoming Tengu ninjas with no luck since they kept blocking the bursts with their ninjas. "Is there no way to stop them from a distance?" The cyborg had his blade arm at the ready. Some of them did flips and cartwheels, moving in to charge at the four.
"Guess it's time to improvise." Marc immediately slinged his G36K and drew out the a Kukri knife from the sheath strapped on his rear. "Hah!" He moved in to a Tengu ninja at close quarters, the masked soldier went for the ninja's neck at lightning speed.
"Ack!" The ninja didn't have time to block it, dying with a huge knife wound on his neck as it immediately killed him.
"Iyah!" Ducking a roundhouse kick, Marc went for the ninja's left leg when he slashed it with his Kukri.
"AAGGHGHG!" The ninja was in pain, clutching his left leg.
"That was helpful." Zero went for punches and a double roundhouse kick on a ninja that came close to Zero. Sayoko and Jeremiah engaged some of the incoming ninjas with their bladed weapons.
Again... Marc sighed when he saw another slew of Tengu ninjas moving in on them. He caught a glimpse of a ninjato-armed ninja kneeling next to his comrade.
The next thing bothered him a bit. The kneeling ninja raised his ninjato up and stabbed his wounded ninja down on the chest, blade piercing the heart.
We weren't different from them in terms of training. Marc sheated his Kukri and raised the G36K and fired it at the ninja after ensuring the selector switch was at full automatic. The ninja was initially able to block the barrage of 5.56 NATO bullets meant for him. But even with the ninja's projectile blocking skills, thanks in part to inner artificial tissue of the ninja's Eden Vital ninja armor, he was not able to technically stop all of the 5.56 NATO bullets fired as some of them went straight for his head.
"That went nicely..." Jeremiah clashed his blade arm with a couple of ninjatos from two ninjas initially armed with the G36K. Using his cyborg strength, Jeremiah pushed them away from him. "Now!"
Sayoko leaped off Jeremiah's shoulders, being armed with a ninjato taken from the hands of a dead ninja she had killed a while ago. Flipping towards one of the ninjas, she caught him by surprise when she grabbed his head with her legs. Pushing herself to the ground, Sayoko used her ninjato to stab the unfortunate ninja on his neck, leaving it there. Taking a pair of kunais on her hands, Sayoko hurled them above her to catch a couple of ninjas leaping for her. The bladed weapons caught them at their foreheads.
"That's gotta hurt there..." Marc murmured, watching the scene take place near him before he fired his G36K once again. When he depressed the trigger after realizing the rifle won't fire, Marc crouched and took out another 30-round magazine from his tactical vest. He pressed it against the rifle's paddle magazine release in order to remove the spent magazine.
Jeremiah took a M18 smoke grenade from the hands of a fallen ninja and hurled it to the ninjas.
"Whoa there!" Marc ducked, went on the ground and rolled to his left to avoid being stabbed and slashed by a ninja's ninjato, getting behind one of the metal boxes. He reloaded the rifle while being under suppressive fire from the ninja's G36Ks, Cs and P90s.
"Take this!" Zero moved in to lead the assault against the incoming Tengu ninjas. He caught an incoming ninjato meant for his helmet with his left hand, crushing the blade before he swinged his clenched hand to the ninja's helmet.
"AAAAAHH!" The ninja was sent sailing back to the other end of the corridor, crashing into three ninjas caught unaware by their comrade's demise.
"Nicely done, Zero." Marc hurled whatever M67 grenades he had left from his tactical vest at the ninjas as the four were near the end of the corridor and the gray sliding door seen at the end.
"AAHHH!"
"NOOO!"
"EYAHHHG!"
"UHAAAHAH!"
Sky above Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Lord Kururugi, help us!"
Suzaku was helpless to assist some of the flight-packed Sutherlands armed with either cannons or machine pistols against the mobile platforms of the Knights of Rounds. Not only were they impossible to wound or kill due to the same Blazing Luminous fields the Lancelot Albion, Sutherland and Lancelot Clubs were using, but the knights were also very formidable either on ground or air-based combat.
Dammit! Suzaku saw one of the cannon-equipped Sutherlands taken out when one of the knights slashed the knightmare vertically and another by using the dual cannon mounts to blow it out of the sky as it crashed to the sea. Can nothing stop them?
"What the?" Suzaku gasped when one of the knight's mobile platform began to move towards him. "He's moving towards me!"
The masked knight charged towards Suzaku, who immediately had his Maser Vibration Swords at the ready.
"OHHHHOOOO!" Suzaku shouted when he used his MVSes to chop the cannon-like parts of the platform. However, that was not stopping the knight from retreating or giving up.
"It's ramming into me?" The mobile platform charged to the Lancelot Albion once more, with the knight about to leap to the knightmare while being supported by large vein wires on his back.
"Oh no you don't!" Suzaku went on the offensive, leaving his cockpit to draw out his Ōkatana.
"TAKE THISS!" After drawing out the Ōkatana, Suzaku decapitated the charging knight. That should stop him, I hope... What a minute! There's no blood squirting out from the neck... The knight saw the platform stop within a few meters away from him.
The decapitated knight did not drop dead after Suzaku had decapitated him. Instead, something began to emerge from the neck to form what appeared to be the head.
"Oh kami, what is this?" Suzaku was on his guard, gripping the Ōkatana's hilt when the head was formed. He was startled out of his wits when the head turned to look at him.
WHAT? Just who are you? The knight's newly formed head consisted of red eyes, human-based mouth and tongue, no nose and what seemed to be large white veins all around the head. His new appearance made Suzaku cringe, sweat and scared to the teeth.
"RAH!" The knight was about to charge towards Suzaku when hails of gunfire were heard from behind. Suzaku turned around to see it was Nonette and two Valkyries using their machine pistols against the knight, forcing him to retreat.
"Are you all right, Sir Kururugi?" One of the Valkyries inquired about his present condition.
"I'm all right. Thanks for coming to help me." Suzaku thanked Nonette and the Valkyries while he sheathed his Ōkatana.
"You two, go and drive the knight away. I'll go and assist Sir Kururugi." Nonette gave her orders to the Valkyries.
"Yes, ma'am." The Valkyries moved their knightmares to pursue the retreating knight.
"So what is he anyway?" Nonette asked. "He doesn't seem to be human."
"You got that one right." Suzaku agreed with Nonette's assessment. Could they have been powered by the emperor's power? Like a geass that C.C. had mentioned before?
Port, RBN Shikinejima, Shikinejima, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Suzaku and C.C. were talking on the island's port, waiting for both of their factions to go and move out towards Kaminenejima. At this point, the green-haired woman decided to talk to Suzaku about his relationship to Lelouch.
"I'm friends with Lelouch and Nunnally, Cornelia included. All the way back prior to the Second Pacific War."
"I see." C.C. said. "That would be the reason why Lelouch was apprehensive when he starts to talk about you nowadays.
"You said before that Lelouch had a geass." Suzaku eyed C.C. "Did you give it to him?"
"Yes." C.C. nodded. "We made a pact together in the Shinjuku ghetto. I promised that I would help him find revenge against his father by providing him the power necessary to do so. A geass to be exact."
"But why did you do it?" Suzaku was confused. "Why?"
"Why, do you say?" C.C. looked at Suzaku. "It's simple. He wanted to do something and I decided to help him."
Suzaku sighed, realizing that he can't get C.C. to tell him anything else. "But, is it possible that he's not the only one who has a geass?"
Sky above Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"So what happened?" Nonette asked Suzaku. "Did you kill him?"
"Supposedly." Suzaku told her. "But the knight reformed its head, although to a grotesque one."
"What?" Nonette was shocked to hear Suzaku's answer. "But then that means the knightmares our forces are facing are definitely immortal..."
"Indeed." Suzaku nodded before he went to the Lancelot Albion's cockpit. "We're facing up against an army full of immortals. Undead immortals to be exact."
Long Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Everything seems to be clear, Master."
Sayoko and Jeremiah reported back to Zero, while Marc began to check the ninja's corpses. He fired the last of his 5.56 NATO bullets from his G36K, doing double tap on a injured ninja who tried to reach for his G36C as he was leaning on the wall.
"Good." Zero cleared the dust from his hands. "Then we must proceed to the sliding door up ahead."
"Hold it." Marc told Zero, reloading his G36K with a fresh 30-round magazine, taken from the dead bodies of the ninjas killed by the four. He had previously taken unused G36K and C magazines from their corpses, including M67 grenades. "Okay, done."
"But what lies behind that door?" Jeremiah asked. "And do we have to risk going in there?"
"I'm afraid we have to." Sayoko told the cyborg. "At this point, we won't be able to move around and finding out more about our enemy unless we head there." The maid-kunoichi pointed to Jeremiah the gray sliding door.
"We need to move." Marc advised the two. "I'm a bit uneasy for what we're about to expect aside from these ninjas here." He pointed to the various ninja corpses lying around. "But moving ahead seems to be only way. Who knows, we could be able to destroy the leadership of Eden Vital and give our comrades a little bit of a fighting advantage."
"If no further objectives are being voiced out," Zero told the three, eyeing them carefully. "then let's move out." The masked, caped man took the lead in going to the door. Jeremiah, Sayoko and Marc decided to follow his lead.
"I just we can through the next one safe and sound." Marc murmured while he went through the open door. "Then it's a not a problem for me."
Circular Room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
The four entered a circular room, keeping their guard up as they had their backs near each other. The room had a metallic floor with a small pathway going up via metal rungs attached on the wall.
"Steady now." Marc told the others. "This place has balconies above us."
"I know." Jeremiah kept his blade arm ready. "I wonder if anyone's going to receive us?"
"Patience, you two." Zero reassured Marc and Jeremiah. "Sooner or later, we'll be seeing more of them."
Trusting her kunoichi instincts, Sayoko stared up to see a Tengu ninja leaping down from one of the balconies towards her, ninjato blade pointed at her.
The kunoichi got into a fighting stance, keeping her handheld kunais close to her chest.
"Master, we're surrounded." Sayoko told Zero.
"I think I already know that, Sayoko."
"More of them?" Jeremiah raised his blade arm near his chest, seeing three ninjas drop down from the balcony. Soon enough, more and more ninjas dropped down from the balconies above and had their weapons raised at the group.
"Crap!" Marc grunted, raising his G36K after seeing the ninjas beginning to surround them.
"It seems we've got more and more uninvited company." Zero commented. "Uninvited company that should be taken care of."
"Exactly, Zero."
Zero and the others looked up to see it was V.V., flanked by two Tengu ninjas.
"I'm pleased that you're appreciating this gift I've prepared for you when I heard you're in this area." When V.V. snapped his fingers, Tengu commandos were the next to follow their ninja comrades by rappelling down from the balconies to the metal floor.
"What the hell do you gain from all this, V.V.?" Marc angrily aimed his G36K, despite the fact that multiple assault rifles and submachine guns were at him and the others.
"I do gain something, my friend." V.V. smirked. "The world's time has come to change itself. It's beyond saving and must be allowed to die. We at Eden Vital have been planning this for a long time!" He then stared at Zero. "After all, the world... must be destroyed at all cost. Didn't you know that behind destruction, there lies creation! Behind creation, there lies destruction! There are two sides of the same coin after all."
"So you see yourself as a god?" Zero challenged V.V.
"I'll be more than just a god!" V.V. declared in response. "I'll be the creator of a new world alongside my own brother! Who knows, you'll be grateful once you'll see what I'll be doing in a few minutes."
"You don't mean... " Marc was in shock. "The emperor?"
"What's the emperor got to do with this?" Jeremiah asked Marc.
"Perhaps if you'll live long enough." V.V. grinned. "You may be able to obtain your answer." V.V. turned his back and was now walking towards the exit."Now if you excuse me, I need to make preparations for recreating the world."
"So doesn't that mean I can't fight two more of your pawns?" Marc threw a challenge to V.V. as he was to leave.
"Fine." V.V. sighed and snapped his fingers. "Suit yourself then. You may need a challenge yourself."
Two more Tenju ninjas appeared from the balcony V.V. was previously on. They subsequently executed flips and landed on the ground safely, armed with FN P90s aimed at the quartet.
"So does this mean we fight?" Jeremiah directed his question to Zero.
"A fight, you say?" Zero began to crack his knuckles. "Well, what are we waiting for? We shouldn't let our hosts wait for us any longer."
Cockpit, Mark Nemo
"Are you sure you know where you're going, Nunnally?" Nemo asked Nunnally as she was navigating her knightmare in walking inside Eden Vital's mountain base.
"I do, Nemo." Nunnally reassured her. "I just...know somehow. Like I've been told where to go."
"Really?" Nemo was confused by Nunnally's last comment.
"We need to hurry." Nunnally manipulated the Mark Nemo to move faster. "There's no telling what my father's going to do next."
Circular Room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
The Tenju ninjas and commandos began their fight, moments after V.V. had left the circular room. They moved in to the four, getting them to move in against them.
"Hraaah! Take this!" Marc initiated the fight between the two groups, hurling M67s at the enemy forces. The Lost Soldiers opened fire with his G36K, still on full automatic setting for the battle, once the frag grenades had exploded.
"Hmph." Jeremiah faced against two of the Tengu commandos, firing their Glock 17 pistols from behind the safety of their handheld ballistic shields. He was able to deflect the 9mm bullets meant for him with the blade arm, thanks to the cybernetic implants placed in him that enabled Jeremiah to move fast than a normal, average human.
"I doubt if your bullets can hit me." In addition to using the blade arm to deflect the 9mm bullets, Jeremiah also used his cybernetic implants to dodge the incoming bullets as he moved in towards them.
"Heh." Jeremiah grabbed one of the commandos by his right arm in order to pull him. The cyborg followed it with a slash to his neck. A roundhouse kick was next in line for the other commando, kicking him in the face. The commando quickly up, twirling his legs around when he was on the ground in order to stand up.
"Excellent. A worthy opponent." The two then proceeded to exchange punches and kicks, one blocking one move after another. Jeremiah got the upper hand when he kicked the commando on back of his right leg, forcing him to kneel. He zipped around and placed his arms around the commando's neck before he quickly snapped it.
"Eat lead!" Marc fired the G36K from left to right as he fired on a group of Tengu ninjas moving in with their ninjatos. The ninjas, as always, tried to block the incoming bullets with their ninjatos before they succumbed to the burst fire. The soldier was tackled on the ground by a leaping ninja, who was about to drop the ninjato's blade on his throat.
"UNGH!" Marc immediately drew out his Kukri, blocking the ninjato's blade tip that was meant for the throat. "Move it!" He kicked the ninja's abdomen and tackled him while stabbing his chest with the kukri blade.
Sayoko spent her time fending off the ninja's gunfire from their G36C compact rifles by leaping while using the room's walls to propel herself in the air while flicking kunais towards them with smoke bombs in the mix. The commandos came in to back their ninja comrades, firing their P90s at the kunoichi.
"Ack!" One of the commandos had been killed by a kunai that went between his eyes when the smoke bomb was used, clouding his vision.
"MMRAH! Zero grabbed two of the ninjas that had been kept busy with Sayoko, slamming their heads together before he went to give them a head slam to the metal floor. "RAH!"
Ignoring the bit of cracks and dents on the floor, Zero used his left arm to block a ninjato that was meant for his helmet. The ninja was surprised when the blade snapped. "Didn't expect that, did you?" He then disarmed the ninja of his broken ninjato and used the broken half of the ninjato's blade to stab him at his forehead.
"Too many are coming!" Sayoko gritted her teeth, arming herself with dual kunais to block off a ninjato slash for her head before she pushed the blade away from her. "We need to push them back!"
"I think we know that that they're here to keep us busy." Marc commented, backing off from being surrounded by ninjas and commandos while in the need of reloading his empty G36K. Crap! My carbine's out of bullets. Need to get a second mag from my vest. "If anyone has suggestions, I'm willing to listen to any of them!"
The commandos went in for unarmed combat from the rear, thinking that Marc can be caught off his guard. He immediately turned around, hacking one of them with the right arm being severed that held a combat knife before it followed it a stab to the forehead. As for the second commando, Marc clashed his kukri with his combat knife. He caught the masked commando off guard by lunging forward unexpectedly, slashing him on his waist followed by another on his back.
"Serves you right." Marc delivered a stabbing wound onto the soldier's neck.
"I'll cover you!" Jeremiah dashed in to assist Marc, clashing with the ninjas first in close quarters. "Just hurry it up and move up..."
"Right!" After Marc reloaded, he hastily slapped the German rifle's charging handle, making sure the side of his palm. He slinged it and went to draw out his kukri. "All right..." The masked soldier twirled his bladed weapons. "Bring it on, you bastards..."
"Take this!" Jeremiah sidestepped a ninja trying to thrust his ninjato. He grabbed him and used his body as a human shield when some of the ninjas fired their G36Ks at him. "Bloody hell..." Throwing the corpse towards him, Jeremiah leaped up and landed near one of the ninjas, stabbing his stomach. Seeing that another ninja was about to move one step near him, the cyborg moved his blade arm to stab the ninja's right hand that held the ninjato. Grabbing the ninjato, he hurled it towards a commando, who was caught by surprise when its blade landed on his neck.
"Hah!" Executing a CQC throw, Jeremiah pushed the second ninja onto the ground after he gripped his left arm and right shoulder. Seeing that he was down, Jeremiah stepped on his head hard to ensure he was down on ground.
Zero saw the bullet trajectory moving towards him in irregular moments from the rifles fired by the commandos, twisting and twirling as they went for his chest. He smirked and disappeared, making the bullets hit the wall. When he appeared behind the commandos, Zero shoved, kicked and smacked the commandos with his fists and feet, ensuring they were taken care of.
Sayoko dashed towards the commandos fighting Jeremiah and Marc with their combat knives. She took one down on the rear by jumping from the ground to toss a few kunais on the back of his head and neck. Sayoko engaged another by blocking a backfist, which was followed by a kunai stab at the larynx.
Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"My apologies for the short inconvenience, my dear brother." V.V. apologized to Charles as they were walking inside another corridor in Eden Vital's mountain base.
"It seems the opposition was able to penetrate inside." Charles told his brother. "We should hurry, big brother."
"You're right." V.V. nodded. "We won't be able to achieve our victory against all the gods if we are to be declared."
"I agree, big brother."
Circular Room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
The quartet had been fighting against wave and wave of Tengu ninjas and commandos for a few minutes now that they didn't have time to keep track of what time they has left. The quarter were feeling the pinch of being overwhelmed by superior numbers, despite doing their best to hold their ground.
"Just like ants." Marc used his M17s mixed in with M67s to confused the ninjas and commandos while at the same time, cause some damage. "Only instead of working, they're ordered to kill us."
"I agree." Zero did a force push on a commando, hurling him to the metal wall despite being protected by his ballistic shield. "I've even worse fanatics in my work before."
"How do we get out of here then?" Jeremiah grabbed a ninja and threw him over his shoulders, crashing onto a group of commandos.
"We need to keep fighting." Sayoko advised, blocking a series of ninjato attacks with her kunais. "If we let our guard for a second, we'll be dead."
"She's right." Marc agreed with Sayoko's suggestion. He sighted the G36K's scope on a commando's left leg as the shield was protecting his body. After firing at the leg, the commando went down yelling. This gave him a chance to do a head shot.
"I won't let Eden Vital win..." hissed the Black Knights leader. "I'm not going to let them do it." Zero angrily punched a commando, breaking his ballistic shield. He followed the initial attack with a double roundhouse kick. Grabbing a ninja by the head, Zero forcefully shoved it to the floor, creating another dent. The ninja dropped dead thanks to the attack.
"Incoming! From above!"
Sayoko warned the others, hurling kunais at the leaping ninjas and rappelling commandos.
"Dammit!" Marc fired the G36K at them while trying to keep his focus by aiming his scope. "Don't they ever stop coming here to sic us? Just how many lives do they have?"
When he saw one of the ninjas at arm's length, Marc dropped his slinged rifle and went for his kukri. He dodged left to evade a slash attack. Going for CQC attacks, Marc grabbed the man's right arm and twisted it before he shoved the ninja onto the ground. Once the ninja got up again, Marc went for a jab punch, a roundhouse, right hook and a straight punch.
"Eat this!" Marc punched the ninja by his gut before he stabbed him at his heart.
Somewhere in Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Both Eden Vital and anti-Eden Vital knightmares were duking it out against each other, shifting the battle's setting from near the island's cliffs to the outskirts of the local forests.
"Guilford! Darlton! I need a report!" Ambrosia had her hands full engaging a Gloucester of her own, with the exception of having its strong, regenerated arms grapple against her mechanical arms.
"Your Highness," Guilford responded. "We can't seem to kill out Eden Vital's knightmares. We've lost eleven men battling them after we did our HALO drop..."
"Dammit." Ambrosia heard Darlton smack his clenched hand on his console. "Can't they just drop dead permanently for once?"
Ambrosia's life was saved once again when Cécile and Ken used their Sutherland Club's slash harken to stun the enemy Gloucester.
"Thank you."
"It's not a problem." Cécile replied. "But the enemy doesn't seem to die, no matter how hard we try."
Rai kept firing the Gekka Prototype's handgun at the incoming Eden Vital Sutherlands, being supported by Yi and some of the Black Knight guerrillas via knightmares the Lost Soldiers provided to augment the Black Knight knightmare forces.
"I feel we're in a pinch here, Rai." Yi contacted Rai from her Burai Kai, previously used by one of the Four Holy Swords. "Even using the Katen Yaibatou isn't breaking our deadlock here against these dang Eden Vital knightmares."
"I know that, Yi." Rai replied, clenching the Gekka Prototype's own Katen Yaibatou. "But if they keep regenerating even from the best attacks that we use, then something's not right. They seem to be..."
"Immortals..." Yi whispered, blocking the attack of a Sutherland that grabbed her Burai Kai's head/Factsphere unit. She slashed the hands and used the Katen Yaibatou's end to shove it away from her. However, its slashed hands had regenerated, giving the Sutherland another pair of hands to use.
Circular Room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Sayoko and Marc kept their aim at the incoming ninjas first, seeing them as a threat. When most of them were down, the two focused their attention of the rappelling commandos.
"Keep your fire up!" Jeremiah told the two, seeing Sayoko hurl her kunais before she switched to shurikens and Marc firing his G36K after reloading it with a fresh 30-round magazine. "We'll take care of the stray ones."
"Get away from Zero!" Zero clutched a ninja's head, severely punching his chest before he executed a backbreaker with his right knee in use. "Take this!"
"NOOOO!" Jeremiah heard the ninja yell when he felt his backbone snap into two. That gotta hurt... Seeing a ninja leaping down straight at him with his ninjato at ready, Jeremiah thrusted his blade arm up and stabbed him in the stomach.
"Guwah!" The ninja gurgled blood in his stomach, being caught unaware of the attack from Jeremiah.
"Heh." Jeremiah grinned when his attack worked. He removed the blade, allowing the ninja to fall down.
"Only a few more left." Marc made sure the G36K's folding stock was near the hip before he fired it. "No time to waste!" He fired the rifle at incoming ninjas, ensuring that they drop dead at the cost of running out ammo when he held the trigger continuously. "FIRE!"
"Just a few more..." Sayoko murmured, putting herself on the defensive when she was surrounded by four commandos, arming themselves with combat knives as they advanced towards her. "A few more and we win..."
Now! Dashing to her right, Sayoko leapt towards the first commando, using a knee attack to stun him before she stabbed his head with a kunai. She withdrew the weapon from the man's forehead and hurled it to the second commando's neck, dropping dead after he went down on his knees.
"Hiyah!" Sayoko went for a flip to the third commando, brandishing two shurikens in each hand before he hurled it.
"Die, you!" The fourth commando, after seeing his comrade getting pierced by shurikens on his chest and neck, went to aim his G36K's sights at her.
"It's not nice to do that, my friend." The commando felt his neck was on fire, dropping his carbine. He was not able to see that Jeremiah was the one responsible for stabbing his neck.
Cockpit, Mil-Mi SuperHind Mark IV gunship, Sky above Kaminenejima, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Why can't we nail this knightmare down for good? It's too goddamn fast!"
Michelle had previously got two lock-ons on Bismarck's Galahad. But every time she fired the UPK-23-250 gunpod's Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23mm auto cannon, B-8V20 or 9K114 Shturm rockets at the Galahad, she was startled to see the Britannian knightmare move at a very high speed. It was as if Bismarck knew when and what kind of weapon she was using to nail him.
"Damn..." Domingo gritted his teeth. "We need to move!" The Lost Soldier shifted the SuperHind Mark IV to try and catch the Galahad off its guard by using the GSh-23 while attempting to strafe the knightmare. The Galahad once again avoided the 23mm bullets by zipping left and right before it flew up and went past the gunship.
"Where the heck is he?" Michelle yelled, feeling confused when Galahad was nowhere to be found.
"I'm checking. Hold on!" Domingo went to check his console and see if the radar has spotted the Galahad. "He's moving fast, probably trying to confuse us."
"I got him!" Michelle fired the Gsh-23 cannon again when the Galahad appeared in front of the SuperHind again, evading the streak of 23mm bullets meant for it. "I got you..."
"Not again!" The female soldier snarled in anger when she noted that none of the 23mm hit it. Not even once. "Why can't I hit you?"
The two Lost Soldiers were left confused once more, figuring out where the Galahad went off to.
Where's it go now all of a sudden?
"Where the hell is that knightmare?" Domingo shouted his frustration out, until he took a glance at the radar on his console to see it blip again. "It's quite near, so where..."
When Domingo glanced on his right, he was too shocked to see the Galahad was a few meters near it.
And the worst of all? It brought down the Excalibur towards the gunship, damaging one of the main rotors and chopping the tail boom off.
Circular Room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Dam...mit..."
A gasping ninja tried to reach for his dropped G36C, severely wounded a while ago while fighting against Jeremiah and Marc. Crawling on the ground, he was about to reach out when Zero stepped on his back. Very hard.
"GUWAH!" The ninja gasped in pain, feeling his back was about to snap off his body. He eventually collapsed.
"Now that we've taken care of the opposition," Zero looked around the room to see corpses of ninjas and commandos killed off by the quarter. "we need to move on and up." He dashed to the wall and leaped off from the floor, going to the upper floor. Sayoko followed Zero's lead and did the same thing. Jeremiah just ran to the nearest wall and squatted down all the way before he jumped up to the next floor too.
"I wish I can do the same thing like they did..." complained Marc as he went for the metal rungs, grabbing each one of them with his left and rights while ascending the ladder up.
Cockpit, Mil-Mi SuperHind Mark IV gunship, Sky above Kaminenejima, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Crap! That knightmare got the tail boom off our gunship!" Michelle yelled, noticing that the SuperHind Mark IV was spiraling around.
"I know that!" Domingo shouted, trying to take some control of the falling gunship. "Move at least for a few minutes, damn you..."
"Where do we land Domingo? In the water?"
"Yeah, probably?" Domingo fought with the control stick, making sure that they could get away from the battle and land at least down in the waters of the Philippine Sea. "Steady, girl. You can do it..."
"I just hope that super speedy knightmare isn't going to come and get us." Michelle sighed, glancing on her left and right to see if the Galahad was pursuing them.
"I don't think so." Domingo reassured his comrade. "I'm getting chatter that the knightmare's being engaged..."
The damaged gunship made its way towards the way without being caught in an explosion.
"I wonder if we can survive this..." Michelle murmured, feeling a bit dizzy from the crash landing.
"Yeah." Domingo stared at the cockpit windows. "Let's just hope that these glass panel can hold up to strong water pressure for a while..."
Abandoned City, somewhere in Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
The Irregulars had their hands full, assisting the Lost Soldiers fight off Eden Vital's knightmare forces. Sancia took the command as always for her Irregulars unit while Dalque and Alice took to the offensive. Lucretia provided rear support for the other three by giving them tactical intelligence in the base.
"I've finished a second analysis of the city streets." Lucretia told her Irregulars comrades. "It seems that more and more enemy knightmares are coming in, never mind the infantry forces dispatched by Colonel Madd."
"Then it means it's time to PARTY!" Dalque manipulated her GX 01 Alpha to grab a huge amount of debris from a destroyed 4-story building and hurled it to a group of Eden Vital Sutherlands.
"Be on your guard." Sancia's GX 01 Alpha took aim with the giant anti-material rifle on the Sutherland's organic legs to slow them down. "We need to delay them until Zero's able to eliminate the leadership."
"But for how long?" Alice questioned her CO, charging to the Sutherlands with GX-01 Alpha's katana at the ready.
"I wish I knew, Alice." Sancia fired her anti-material rifle at a Sutherland trying to move in towards Dalque. "I wish I really knew how to answer that question."
Wide Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Zero and Marc were the first ones to step into a wide corridor after passing the sliding door of the circular room's upper floor. Jeremiah and Sayoko took the rear guard, watching out for anything out of the ordinary.
Until they spotted a soldier standing near the middle of the corridor. He wore the same gear Marc had, down to the Britannian SAS beret. Except that he was armed with a P90 submachine gun slinged on his right shoulder.
"Greetings, boss." The soldier spoke up. "Haven't seen you since the Second Pacific War."
"Michael Yoong." Marc hissed, aiming his G36K at him. "It's been a long time. Only thing is that I want you dead."
"A COSMOS Battalion soldier?" Zero asked Marc, standing next to him. "What's he doing here?"
"He's only here for me." Marc lowered the rifle. "In fact, he's only here to duke it out with me. He's not here for you guys."
"That's right." Yoong did a hitchhiker's thumb over his left shoulder. "I suggest you three move it for now. V.V. and the emperor's heading to a mysterious chamber to perform whatever they've got to do."
"But..." Sayoko was about to voice her objection to leave Marc behind.
"It's all right." Marc unslinged his G36K. "It's me he wants. Not you guys." Yoong did the same and unslinged his P90.
"Understood." Jeremiah and Zero ran off past Marc and Yoong, followed by an apprehensive Sayoko.
"So now it's just between you," Yoong pointed his right gloved index finger at Marc. "and me." He then pointed his right thumb at himself.
"What's this for?" Marc cracked the knuckles, anticipating for an upcoming fight with an former soldier who had served with him in his COSMOS days. "Payback?"
"Yes, indeed." Yoong replied very happily. "In fact, it's payback for what you did to me in Tokyo, especially to my face." He pointed to the huge diagonal scar that was seen on his face, from the forehead all the way down to the right side of his mouth.
"Looks like I should've worked a bit harder and killed you instead." Marc simply shook his head.
"Enough memory lane reminiscing for now." Yoong said, raising his fists. "It's time we begin this fight."
Unknown circular room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
V.V. and Charles were in front of a set of double doors, painted with the geass insignia, inside a barren circular room somewhere inside Eden Vital's mountain base. A long red carpet was on the floor, leading to the double doors.
"From this door, it will bring us to paradise." V.V. grinned. "And to end all of the gods that had burdened our lives."
"Indeed you're right, big brother." Charles agreed with V.V. "Soon enough, Ragnarök will recreate our world even at the cost of destruction."
"With our forces holding off the Black Knights and the Lost Soldiers," V.V. commented, looking at the double doors. "including your daughter Ambrosia, we can succeed in rebuilding our current world to one where all of humanity will have one mind and will from the Sword of Akasha."
Charles stared at his immortal brother. "I feel that there's one thing that may be a problem for us."
V.V. was a bit startled when he eyed the emperor. "Really? And what, pray tell, is this problem that you're wondering about?"
"It's quite simple, really."
The immortal was shocked when he felt something piercing his chest.
Wide Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Marc launched several jabs, including an attempted kick at his stomach. Yoong grinned and merely dodged before he did a backflip.
"It's been a long time since I went to a fight like this back in the unit." Yoong stretched his arms, ensuring that he heard a cracking sound. "Really too long."
"I don't think it's just more than payback for Tokyo." Marc carefully raised his fists in front of his face. He positioned his right foot first with his left foot behind it. "I have a feeling that you have an agenda that you want this fight between us."
"Precisely." Yoong resumed the fight again, launching punches. Marc was able to block the blows meants for his face and one for his chest. "Hyah!" The scarred soldier dropped his stance and quickly twisted his left foot, going for a double roundhouse attack.
Need to be on the offensive. Marc thought when he moved back to avoid the incoming kicks. Can't be on the defensive forever against Yoong.
Stepping a few feet forward, Marc launched a barrage of punches aimed at Yoong's face.
Just as planned...
The only change to the Eurasian's plan was to execute a punch onto his side when the Malaysian kept his guard up to block any attacks meant for the head. A foot sweep was next in order, making Yoong fall down on his back.
"Just perfect, Staff Sergeant..." Yoong grinned after being attacked by the foot sweep, slowly getting back on his feet. "I felt that."
"What is he?" Marc murmured. "Did he turn into some pain masochist or something?"
"Again..." Yoong faced his opponent once again. "Let's see if you're the same person who I've faced years ago in the war."
Unknown circular room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"How can this..."
V.V. noticed that Charles had stabbed his chest with a broadsword held on his right hand. The immortal went on his knees before he fell on the floor, back first.
"I'm suppose to be immortal..." V.V. began to gasp for air. "And yet..."
"Surprised?" Charles glared at his wounded brother. "Well it's true that the both of us are immortal thanks to our own geasses that we've received after the assassination of our parents."
"But we're not suppose to be..." V.V. tried to reason with Charles.
"Fatally wounded by ordinary weapons?" Charles smirked at V.V., showing him the dagger's hilt after removing the blade from his chest. "That's where your wrong."
Is that the geass sigil I'm seeing on the hilt? V.V. was shocked to see the insignia engraved on the white hilt.
"This dagger is quite special as you can see." Charles explained to V.V., while showing the engraved hilt. "After I caught a glimpse of you escaping Pendragon with a submachine gun with Marianne dying in my arms, I covertly began to find ways to see if an immortal cursed with geass can be killed off for good."
V.V. gritted his teeth while he was being told the reason behind Charles' action.
"You see this dagger is the very Carnwennan dagger that I found when my own Eden Vital research team found this in Wales." Charles showed the bloodied dagger blade, cleaning it with a handkerchief. "Among the properties I've found was the ability for the user to kill off a person made immortal with geass by literally sapping it away from them."
"That's why..." V.V. grunted in pain. "my wounds aren't healings. It's from that accursed blade..."
Charles glared at V.V., who was now slowly dying.
"Why? Why are you doing this to your older brother, Charles? We're family, you and me..."
"Simple. You're the one responsible for murdering Marianne, the woman who gave meaning to my life after our parents were killed by assassins. And now you answer my question. Why did you do it?"
Blood trickled out of V.V. mouth. "It's because she was disillusioned from our pact that we made years ago. To kill the gods. I can't stand to see you with her getting in your way. When I found out that you were getting married, I had a feeling that things aren't going to go so smoothly." He then glared at Charles. "And I was right, down to the point."
"Oh so she was a burden?" Charles raised an eyebrow at his brother, now on the ground. "Is that it?"
"Yes it is it..." V.V. snarled. "It is, Charles."
"I see." Charles replied. Walking to the double doors, he raised his left arm and leaned his hand forward to touch it.
Marianne. Don't worry. I'm coming.
Wide Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
"Hrah!" Marc launched a strong, straight punch onto Yoong's right cheek after the latter got up from the floor. The Eurasian did a double jab punch followed by a kick on his chest. "Take that! And that!"
"Hmph." Yoong dashed a few meters away from Marc before he moved in towards him, going in for a triple jab punch. Marc dodged all of them, catching the last jab punch with his right hand.
"Wha?" The Malaysian COSMOS soldier was shocked to see the counterattack. "The hell?"
After blocking the punch, Marc twisted the arm down until he saw Yoong gritting in pain. He subsequently repeated the double jab punch-kick combo.
"I remember..." Yoong told Marc, raising his fists like he wasn't hurt. "I remember the way you fought with me back in basic training. That punch."
That punch? Marc was startled when he heard Yoong say his comment. What's he mean by that odd comment? "What's with that? Going back to memory lane all of a sudden?"
"Come on." Yoong was goading Marc to face him. "Let me feel that punch once again."
Yoong moved in, landing a punch onto Marc's stomach thanks to his meta-human reflexes and speed. Marc responded and dashed in, giving enough distance to sidestep and punch Yoong on his left temple.
"Yeah. That's right... That punch. The same type I felt back in the good old days."
"Angh!" Marc gritted after he got punched. "Dammit... Looks like he improved after the end of the war."
"I'm not the one who you faced in Tokyo before you gave me the damn scar." Yoong went on taunt Marc. "I'm different now. Very much different now."
"Really?" Marc glared at Yoong. "Let's just see how good you really are, Yoong."
The two dashed towards one another, going for jab attacks even before an opportunity presented itself. They soon followed their punches with kicks of all variety, including footsweeps, roundhouses and double kicks.
Unknown circular room, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
V.V. tried to get up and reach for the double doors, despite being on the floor with a major wound from a legendary Welsh dagger Charles used to removed his geass-based immortality.
Not yet. If I can reach for the door, I can get in...
V.V. desperately wanted to reach for the double doors, persevering while knowing that he was feeling the pain on his chest and was not a mortal.
Damn you, Charles. Damn you.
He continued to get up, ignoring the pain he was feeling on his chest.
Wide Corridor, somewhere inside Eden Vital Base, Kaminenejima Island, Izu Islands, Area 11, Britannian Empire
Yoong began to lead the attack in their duel, delivering low, middle and high roundhouse kicks in quick succession. Marc dodged the low sweeping roundhouse, but he was unfortunately hit by the other two roundhouse kicks.
Not bad... Marc staggered a bit back after being hit in by the high roundhouse kick near the neck, moving himself to give distance between him and Yoong Not bad at all.
"I must say..." Marc complimented Yoong. "You've improved your skills."
"You have no idea how long it took to retrain my body and mind after the Britannian army had successfully captured Tokyo with COSMOS' help." Yoong grinned. "But now's the time to finish off our fight."
"I was thinking the same thing." Marc immediately ran towards Yoong with all of his energy, getting his right leg behind Yoong's back and his left leg on his chest.
"What the he..." Yoong shouted, seeing Marc had his left leg on his chest before he was subsequently pushed on the ground.
"Probably didn't see that coming, huh mate?" Marc mocked Yoong after he did a scissor kick takedown. He twirled his legs to quickly stand up.
"I know." Yoong leaped up from the ground like a spring. "Which is why I decide to bring the odds up to either one of us here."
The COSMOS soldier drew out a Britannian Marine KA-BAR combat knife, aka the Britannian Navy (BN) Fighting Knife Mark II, from a knife sheath strapped horizontally on his belt.
"Let's see how this fight will do since I'm now holding the knife around here." Yoong gave Marc an evil grin when he held his combat knife upside down, blade tip pointed at the floor.
Marc was a bit troubled when Yoong brought out his combat knife. He moved his right hand slowly behind his back to clasp the knife sheath, also strapped horizontally on his belt.
"Boss, we've got some trouble." Marc heard Rai on his comm frequency. "Domingo and Michelle's SuperHind was downed by the Galahad..."
Chapter 24 END
PS - Hope you peeps liked the chapter. As for Suzaku being out of his knightmare, check Nightmare of Nunnally. Based that from there. I don't how Suzaku got out of his knightmare and allowed it to hover in the air (aside from the Energy Wing's propulsion system to allow it to stay airborne), but the fight scene between him and the undead knight was so cool! Anyway, the next chapter should be the end to this story (I hope)...
Yeah, see if you can spot the Metal Gear, FMA and Batman Begins references (CLUE: It's not a character, it's a line based from the movie itself.).
In the meantime, let me know how the story in this chapter went when you have a chance to review. Thanks and I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.