OK! Forgive me for any of the mistakes down here. I just started uni classes so did it in a rush. Please let me know anything wrong and I'll correct them later when I get the chance. As promise, WFC continues on! Will be returning to work and finish My Queen. Hopefully I can give the grand finale by the end of this year. I am grateful to those still reading this slow and old fanfic. I appreciate your faithfulness and so I have a surprise for you at the end of this chapter.
Encrypted Transmission:
From Richmond, Duchy of Virginia
Holy Empire of Britannia…
To Tokyo,
United States of Japan…
"Senator Ryoma."
"What did you find at Peregrine Manor, captain?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you disturbing me? I asked you find evidence."
"That is the evidence."
"Nothing is the evidence?"
"Yes, Senator. Arthur Peregrine does not exist."
Kallen leapt forward on an unsuspecting Sutherland and brought her sword down and vertically cut the machine down then she brought the blade back and swung again across the torso of his comrade.
Arthur…Lelouch trusted her. Finally trusted her. She could not fail him.
She left both machines neatly severed in two.
"Everyone push them back! Keep up the pressure!" Kallen shouted on the comms even as she grabbed a fallen assault rifle with her other hand and empty some of the clips.
The Fallon defenders fought desperately to prevent the balance from changing. Even with many of the rebel forces surrendering, the formidable number of them still stands.
A rebel knight, one of the St. Darwins who arrived after the duel commence was trying to rally the survivors and Kallen knew he had to die.
The battle had now dragged to at least 3 hours of nonstop fighting and the low ammunition on both sides was almost gone. The rebel army had been expecting to face a handful of police and a large number of non-combatants so did not brought enough ammunition to last this long while the defenders merely had little.
Hand to hand fighting seems more prominent now amongst both knightmares and infantry. Too many of the defenders lay dead or dying.
The rebels were better trained but the defenders were fighting for survival. Grim fighting was everywhere. Townsfolk were joining in the battle on their own initiative.
A rebel soldier sprayed what remained of his rifle clip at the charging defenders before being engulfed by a mob and torn into pieces.
Valois fired her last pistol round then flung it at a rebel's face stunning the man. She leapt at him and proceeded to beat the soldier to death with her baton.
A blood covered female knightmare pilot swung an officer's sabre at her, catching the police captain's back. Fortunately, it merely scratched her armour and did not touch her spine. Still the impact knocked her back.
The police woman threw a kick at the pilot catching the other woman's stomach. As Valois turned to face her, the rebel swung again. The blow was clumsy as if it weren't, Valois would have lost her head. Instead it cut across her forehead and sending blood tickling down her face. Becoming partially blinded, the police woman swung her baton wildly. She caught the sword's blade and swung it hard again, this time striking and possibly breaking the rebel officer's wrist.
Blood was now in her eyes so Valois roared and crashed into the screaming woman and fell down together in a bloody mess on the dusty floor, wrestling to the death.
Kallen knew that they won't last if the rebels don't retreat soon so she decided to take down all their surviving officers first.
She fought through the heavy melee, aiming and firing at any colours that weren't blue and white. A few came too close and for those she severed with her sword.
One of them, a Gloucester was just pulling out a blooded lance from a Knight Police when Kallen slammed her blade through his chest.
She used the momentum of her charge to move pass, pulling the blade out at the same time. The centurion gasped for blood and fell beside his kill.
Another legionnaire threw his pilum at her but she dodged the javelin and swung neatly beheading the man. Bloo-sparks flew from the headless machine as the cockpit ejected.
Kallen blinked hard. I'm losing my marbles.
A Sutherland lunged at her with a silver lance, hoping to skewer her as she came but Kallen had slowed down right on time and she cut the lance with the MVS and through the machine too.
A St. Darwin Ward suddenly appeared at her flank and swung his MVS at her. The swing took her rifle away but Kallen thrust her sword into his torso as he did that.
However, another knight swung a double bladed MVS at her and she had to let go of her sword to avoid the swing in time. The Ward was way superior than her Glasgow but the knight had none of the ferocity that Kallen had.
She punched the plumed knightmare in the face then another two into his chest and torso and kneed him in the face to make it count. The Black knight took a piece of the severed lance and rammed it hard in his chest.
Now she spotted another officer, St. Darwin Vincent Commander. The machine was flanked by two Wards who were wreaking havoc on the defenders.
As she got close, one of the knights neatly severed a Knight Police in half then knocking two more out with slash harkens.
The commander spotted her as Kallen took back her sword. He signalled his companions even as the Knight of Two began her advance.
The two Wards moved to meet her charge head on. They came fast using their superior speed and agility leaping with lightning reflexes, expecting to take her out quick and fast.
These Britannians have no imagination. Kallen thought as the first knight came within range.
Kallen launched her slash harkens and the knight dodged them but she wasn't aiming for him or his companion but at the building beside them.
She quickly retracted the cables, activating her landspinners at the same time, giving her the much needed speed to avoid the sword blow and as she went pass the knight, Kallen swung hers. Blood red blades cut through the Ward's sword arm with such an impact that the machine was send stumbling out of control.
The other knight was stunned to react to her move and when she reached the building she kicked against the wall and lunged on the Ward. The knight, to his credit raised his blade to block but the crashing impact of Kallen's fall and swing knocked the blade down and broke his guard and neatly severing the machine from head to torso.
She had taken down two knights in a few moments but a third knight, their leader came charging in and landed a powerful kick into her.
It was strong enough to send her back crashing but Kallen quickly readjusted her Glasgow's systems to brace the impact and she was able to land on her feet.
The knight officer fluttered his cloak and combined his swords into double blade mode and lunged. He came in like a blade storm but Kallen moved out of his range which prompted him to strike with the needle blazer.
The energy discharge missed her and Kallen swung her sword to meet his with a block. The knight shifted his leg so he could bear the rear blade to cut her leg but he moved a bit too slow as Kallen launched her slash harkens in his face then cut the machine's arm off.
She grabbed the severed arm and swung it at the knight's legs causing him to fall to one knee. Kallen then brought her sword down and thrust into his chest.
Withdrawing her blade, she saw some of the Fallon knightmares taking down some rebels.
"Push them back! Drive them out of the town!"
"FOR FALLON!"
The red blades clashed together again, the friction between vibrating molecules sending sparks around them.
The silver and gold machine shoved Arthur back and struck with his other blade. Arthur brought his shield up and blocked the slash then countered.
The Vincent was not the Lancelot nor was the knight Suzaku Kururugi but it didn't take long for him to realise that he was losing. Sure, he had beaten Guilford who was a far greater fighter than this zealot but they have been fighting on the same platform.
The Gloucesters was the most advance machine they had and still it was nothing compared to the Lancelot series.
The speed and the flexibility of the newer machine would have overwhelmed him time and time again. Sir Guillemain seemed to be like a tornado of blades and every step close to him seemed to be like a machine barrage of sword blows.
However, the knight's choice of duel wielding a long sword and a double bladed lance meant that he was expecting a quick fight. The choice was also difficult to block and that meant Arthur had to take the offensive.
So when the next blow came, the black and red Gloucester swung with the shield, parrying the double bladed lance then swung low with his sword which the other knight met with his own long sword.
Arthur quickly released the swing and thrust forward but Guillemain managed to dance back at the last minute.
To his surprise, the other knights and soldiers were singing so ready for victory.
"We'll drive out the Black knights
And restore what we own
With blood and our steel we'll take back our home"
The singing seem to encourage Guillemain who re-joined the duel with furious blow that took half of his riot shield.
"Down with the demons, the betrayers of kins!
On the day of your death, we will drink and we sing
We're the children of Eowyn and we fight all our lives
And when Avalon beckons, every one of us dies…"
Arthur scoffed at the hypocrisy at the lyrics as he slammed his shield into his opponent. The other knight struck him with another kick that unbalanced him though not enough to knock him down.
"But this land is ours, and we'll see it wipe clean of the
Scourge that has sullied our hopes and our dreams!"
Arthur tried to regain his posture but the other knight came back with a vicious swing that sent his whole machine shaking despite the successful parry.
You're going to die. His mind told him. You are going to die for bitchy Black knight who betrayed the Emperor?
Despite the words, Arthur knew in his heart he did not regret it. He had meant what he said to Kallen. He trusted her. Perhaps he did more than he realised it.
Something about her. There was a connection between her and Lelouch. Perhaps…At least he had done his duty…
NO! What was he thinking? If that was the case, how could he abandon her now? Lelouch wanted him to protect her in his stead. There was still Nunnally too. No. He can't die now! Not at this moment. There has to be some way out of this.
Arthur turned about and reverse slashed at Guillemin then proceeded to slash and thrust at his defences. The other knight could not parry the blows so he tried to dodge them.
I have to force him to parry.
The red knight's mind suddenly went back to his training with Lord Bedford.
His muscles were sore from the hammering blows.
"I'm defeated." He threw his sword and shield down in surrender.
The senior knight glared and kicked the weapons back at him.
"You're not even trying." Bedford raised his two handed sword back.
Arthur reluctantly picked both weapons up and faced him again.
"Attack." The white haired Lelouch responded with an upper cut and vertical slash which the grand master easily avoided and kicked him in the stomach knocking the air out of him.
"No wild attack. Plan and coordinate. That is a swordsman's strength."
"We don't bloody use swords in the modern world." Somehow Arthur remembered saying that but he didn't recall the moment.
Bedford responded by swinging his sword with great force that send Arthur staggering despite blocking with both sword and shield.
The other knight then began raining blow after blow which succeeded in weakening Arthur.
"Focus. Don't give your enemy the upper hand."
"Fuck the focus!" He furiously attacked the other knight not caring whether he might accidently kill him. Sword and shield coming at him again and again. The senior knight was being pushed back by this and Arthur seemed heartened by it. His lighter and shorter weapons were getting too close for Bedford to use his longer blade.
But just as he thought it that way, Bedford suddenly blocked his sword blow and turned the blade in an angle that it went in between the shield handle and his arm. The huge knight shoved the shield away and brought it back with such a force that sent his sword flying away.
The great knight looked at him with what seemed to be disappointment and sadness at first then was suddenly filled with steel.
And steel flew in his face and across Arthur's face.
As Arthur shouted in pain and blood poured down his face, Bedford sheathed his sword.
"Let that remind you that you're no longer a damn king…"
Arthur was not sure what that meant but the memory gave him an idea.
When Guillemain came again, Arthur met his sword mid-swing and stopped it. Before the Vincent could move, he quickly rammed his shield into the leaner knightmare. The bash staggered Guillemain but in the process the knight's MVS punctured the shield.
Arthur let it go then threw a kick into the shield, sending the zealot off balance.
If you lack the skills to defeat your opponent, then find some way to unbalance him.
He swung his sword at Guillemain's chest but the knight officer luckily blocked it with a wild parry. Arthur brought his sword back and cut two fingers off and the sword handle off.
Taking his chance, Lelouch's knight gripped both of his hands on his sword and swung down. Guillemain brought his remaining lance to block but it was clumsy so Arthur's MVS blades cut it in two.
The other knights gasped in shock and outrage at him but Guillemain held a hand up.
"Not bad. But my machine is still superior!" He shouted and gripping half of his MVS lance lunged with a spinning kick.
The kick contacted Arthur hard and right into his power cell. The black Gloucester's was suddenly in shambles. His systems were screaming in alarm.
Guillemain came back again slashing with the remaining MVS like a short sword. He was too fast. Arthur blocked the first blow but received a deep cut in his chest on the second one. The knight captain then slammed a kick into his chest plate knocking the ebony knightmare to the ground.
"I am the Knight of Charles zi Britannia. St. Darwin is with me!"
Arthur shook his head from the pain and switched on his auxiliary power supply and got the black, battered Gloucester back on its feet.
The first sight that greeted him was the silver and green blur that smashed into him and sent his world spinning again.
This time, however the ebony Gloucester had lost his left red shoulder guard and wrist cover.
"With a shorter blade," Guillemain said even as he avoided Arthur's thrust and cut half of the T visored head and threw a pushing kick square in the torso. "I am untouchable to your antique!"
"A ghost!" Another blow. A hole through the other shoulder.
"A phantom to your blows!" The long sword cut air and the shorter red blade came down and sent a black Gloucester arm flying.
"Well, then, I need to make that spectre reappear!" Arthur turned his single armed black Gloucester around and detached the blood red cloak on his back.
The crimson cloth bellowed in the air and fell upon the silver and gold Vincent and covered the knight of St. Darwin's vision for a moment.
But that was all Arthur needed and his MVS long sword came around and the ruby vibrating blade first cut through the red cloak, the silver and gold metal of the knightmare and finally through the chest of Sir Guillemain, Knight Captain of the Order of St. Darwin.
The final move caused a dust storm to engulf the two combatants and covered the vision of the observers.
When it finally cleared, the black and red Gloucester stood tall with only one arm, one shoulder and half a head.
The plumed customised Vincent appeared behind him but the upper body slid off the torso and exploded causing several pieces of the severed crimson cloak to attach on the black Gloucester.
To the knights, it looked like a scene from a medieval epic.
Arthur was breathing hard and saw that his victory had stunned the St. Darwin warriors. He raised the long sword and shouted his triumph.
"Despite my disadvantage…I am the victor!"
"RED KNIGHT!" A voice shouted from the Fallon defenders. The Knight Police frames began to enter the scene victorious, raising their fists high.
The red knight pointed his sword at the other knights.
"You are defeated! You failed your patron!"
"Fall back! St. Darwin! Lord Lambert calls! Fall back!"
The St. Darwin knights looked at each other in confusion, clearly losing the stomach to fight and began to leave the battlefield.
The defenders attacked the retreating knights, falling on the slower knights and tearing them apart.
The departure of their elite sent the rest of the rebels to finally retreat. Seeing them gone, Arthur opened his cockpit and breathed in.
"RED KNIGHT!" Someone shouted.
"We won? I can't believe we won!" A soldier sobbed in joy in the arms of her comrade.
"FALLON! FOR FALLON! FOR THE EMPIRE!" Another cheered.
"All hail Empress Nunnally!"
Arthur muted the cheering and closed his eyes to relax.
"We won! We defeated them!" The familiarity of the voice made him open his eyes.
He saw the red Glasgow moving near him and its red haired pilot leapt out to him He just managed to catch her and pulled her to his cockpit.
She was smiling brightly, her blue eyes dancing with joy and pride.
Arthur smiled for a moment then frowned.
"No. They're still out there. We haven't won."
As if in timing, cannon shot sounded and struck a building nearby. The attack quickly stopped the cheering.
Arthur shook his head. "Not yet. What we have achieved here is one for the history books." He told her honestly. "But they still have a force out there and they have cannons. If they attack again, we can't hold them off."
Arthur looked at everyone assembled. Too few left. But we don't have a choice.
He put a hand on Kallen shoulder and leapt down to see the conditions.
They walked across the ruined streets and buildings. The dead were littered everywhere with the rubble. Black armour of the rebels and white and blue of the defenders was mixed along with that of the knightmare debris.
Kallen had been in many battles and had her share of seeing the horrors of the aftermath but something about this battle twisted her gut.
They spotted the baron of Fallon crushed to death by fallen debris. Kallen felt little sympathy for him.
They spotted Milly treating a wounded Rivalz.
"Oww! That hurts!" The blue haired man was saying when they reached.
Kallen folded her arms. "I still can't believe you did what you just did."
"Believe me, I'm having a hard time myself." Rivalz gave his friends a crooked smile.
"It was brave." Arthur admitted. "Stupid but brave. And you did help save the battle."
"I could get used to this." Rivalz grinned.
"In your dreams." Kallen told him and wacked him in the head.
"Ow! I'm wounded here! Why did you hit me?"
Arthur shook his head in amusement then turned to Milly.
"Start evacuating everyone from the town. In their condition, the rebels won't be able to follow you properly."
Milly blinked. "What? What do you mean leave?"
"This town is lost." Arthur told them bluntly. "If we stay here, we'll all die under their cannon."
"Under that fire, we won't even be able to move out in time." Milly pointed out.
"They won't be firing at the city."
Kallen looked at Arthur in concern.
"What are you saying?"
"We're going to take the offensive."
Tokyo
United States of Japan
"This is not possible." Prime Minister Ohgi said, staring at the datapad in his hand.
"You can't deny the evidence, Prime Minister." Senator Ryoma insisted.
The former Black knight deputy commander read the reports again.
"I watched him," Ohgi repeated more to himself than his fellow politician. "I watched him stabbed."
"We all did. But considering how Geass is implicated, we have to assume to the worse."
The brown haired man finished the reports for the third time. "We have enough problems with the random terrorist attacks and the civil war in Britannia."
"The return of the Demon Emperor is the greatest danger we know!" The older politician argued. "You know that! Him and alone is enough to destroy the fragile balance that we have achieved."
The Japanese Prime Minister sighed and sat down on his chair.
"We've just barely begun our recovery." He massaged his forehead with one hand. As if negations with the EU wasn't enough.
"That is why we must strike!"
"How reliable is your source, Senator? What we're talking about here is an attack on an Imperial knight. A Britannian knight. One of those loyal to the Empress."
Ryoma stared at his companion in the eye. "Prime Minister, you saw first-hand what he is capable of. You know that I have the best interest of the free world in my heart. For that monster to return…"
"You don't need to remind me…"
"Then I don't need to say anything. We need to take action. Besides, the attacks in Germany, Burma, Africa are getting worse."
Ohgi believed the senator. He also knew that he had Kallen assigned to mark Arthur Peregrine.
"Then before he disappears again, get him."
"Yes, sir." Ryoma nodded and left the room.
An FSS officer was waiting outside.
"Sir, Senators Singh and Neumann have agreed with your plan. The Rajput and the Eagle have just arrived in Formosa. And we've heard that they're sending a company of from the Jägertruppe."
Ryoma smiled. "Send them to Pearl Harbour first to the California air base. I want them ready to hunt a demon."
The ruins of Fallon
The cannonade continued throughout the town and was becoming worse by the minute. One shell landed on a truck full of unfortunate civilians, turning them to ash in moments.
Women and children cried in fear even as the defenders attempted to keep them moving even though the warriors themselves were just as distressed as they were. However, they also knew there was nothing to be done for them. What they could do now was to save the living.
Milly managed to quickly organise the evacuation but the cannonade was taking a toll. The shells were causing buildings to collapse on them.
Kallen knew that they had to attack. She turned to the line of blue, white and brown Gloucesters and Knight Police forming an old traditional cavalry formation. The purple figures were the few Sutherlands gained from the surrendering rebels.
It looked pathetically small and ragged compared to the mass of rebels was guarding the artillery and command centre miles away.
However, the black and red Gloucester standing tall in front of the assembled warriors made it seem like they would actually stand a chance. The crimson cloak behind him danced slowly in the wind that came down.
Arthur stood tall above the black machine's cockpit and waited patiently for the rest of the knightmares to assemble. And as if in conjunction with the ebony knightmare's cloak, a piece of the red sash billowed together. Kallen felt like she was in the presence of a legend despite the knight's short career.
Although her mind argued otherwise, she felt in her heart this was the man. This was him: the prince, the rebel leader, the emperor, the knight of justice…the man she loved…no the man she still loves…
And if she would die this day, she would do so as she had done with him years ago: fighting for the hapless.
It was a doomed mission. Every man and woman here knew that. Despite the earlier victory, the battle was not won and blood still need to be spilled to save the town's folk.
When the last machine joined the formation, Arthur nodded and entered his machine. Kallen did so as well and checked her systems. They were all good to go…well as much as they could with the limited resources.
The black and red Gloucester raised a hand. Kallen cocked her rifle and readied her lance and with the Gloucesters behind Arthur raised their lances.
"Readdyy! Trooott….MARCH!" In one movement, the mass of horses began to advance in a trot.
That was how a cavalry charge began. The prince had explained to Karen. It would always begin slowly to prevent the horses from tiring before they could reach their target. It was also the most dangerous moment as well as it was where they'd be most vulnerable to enemy fire. Sometimes men lose their nerves and turn away. It was why they move amassed to ensure discipline and prevent routs.
But it also made them a perfect target.
Karen was chosen to lead one of the wings to make sure they'd be able to hit the enemy flank. She wanted to be by his side but knew the order made sense. These were law enforcers not true soldiers. They needed to be guided.
If discipline is lost then, the charge would turn into a mad rush. The English did that to the French in the Hundred Years War. They cannot allow the Romans to do that to them.
The prince was in black and red at the head. He hadn't drawn his sword yet and was moving slow though Karen was quick to notice that he was picking up the pace slowly.
His presence was so strong to the men were following him like a pack of sheep to a shepherd.
"Quick march! Quick March! Pick up the speed! Pick up the speed!" Arthur's voice came in the radio. The black Gloucester was kicking a dust storm now.
They were going to enter the kill zone soon. Five…four…three…two…
The ground to his right erupted in a barrage of boulders and sand. The knightmares behind him moved pass the storm.
A second exploded in front of him, showering him with dirt and rocks.
And soon there were multiple explosions everywhere and suddenly the entire line was covered with sand. He heard a shout as someone was hit.
"Hold the line! Don't break formation!" He called. He watched the screen as the distance between the rebel forces. The numbers were falling rapidly but he heard the screams of more death in the radio.
We need to buy the time! We can't die too fast! Arthur thought furiously. But it's too early! Too bloody early!
Kallen avoided another shell but it was a cluster shell and the smaller pieces landed on those behind her. One struck a Gloucester's landspinner, sending the machine tripping and disappearing into the sand storm forming around them.
Come on! Come on! She thought impatiently as she watched the ebony machine for a signal.
She saw a Vincent above the rebel mass watching the bombardment.
In her mind, however she remembered something from history class.
"Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell."
Kallen chuckled, grimly to herself. "Seems appropriate."
Arthur seemed to be thinking of the same thing as he murmured to her in a private channel.
"Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell."
And then the barrage suddenly toned down. Less major explosions but instead it was more frequent. Kallen zoomed in and saw that the knightmares were raising their grenade launchers on their rifles and firing their grenades at them as if they were firing arrows.
Some of the knightmares began to accelerate too quickly.
"No! No. Not yet!" Arthur shouted but not before one died with the Knight Police's back blown open.
The grenade fire was becoming more accurate and he saw some of the cannons lowering to fire straight at them.
Wait for a bit. Wait for a bit. Arthur fidgeted with his joystick, eager to ready his weapon. A cannon blast exploded in their right flank.
Kallen gasped as Valois' Gloucester was hit, staggering in the wake of the blast.
Then she saw it.
The sword guard on the black and red Gloucester's back open up and his hand reached for hand and pulled the weapon out even as the blade redden.
"CHARGE!"
Lowering their lances, Kallen and the Fallon defenders screamed their war cries and threw their machines in full speed.
The charge struck the rebel line like a hammer. The rebels did not seem to expect them to continue on after inflicting such causalities.
Many of the rebel knightmares had just switched to their rifles and they hit. The lances skewered chest and pilot a like as the white, blue and red wave swept pass the rebel host.
A Knight of St. Darwin tried to rally the rebels but the charge hit him. The Knight Police Gloucester hit him in the chest, not puncturing the machine but sent the knight staggering back and denting his chest plate.
Kallen finished the job and skewered the Ward with a thrust.
She saw the tanks and mobile artillery behind the infantry lines and rushed in to face them. Resistance at once stiffen. The Black Knight ace trampled infantrymen and had to shoot down or skewer several Sutherlands.
She showered a barrage of bullets on a line of artillery, aiming for their weak points leaving lines of explosions. A white and green Ward lunged at her with a sword but Kallen parried the slash with her lance and fired her rifle point blank range in its chest. The knight staggered back as his chest was riddled with bullets. Then Kallen thrust her lance in just to make it count.
She saw Arthur leading six Gloucesters in a wedge formation, destroying anything in their way. The black and gold Gloucester spin a bout to dodge a lance strike and slice the rebel's leg off with his sword. He lowered his sword and thrust the blade into the neck of Sutherland.
Two Fallon Gloucesters joined his side firing their rifles at the other knightmares riddling them all with bullets.
And at Arthur's signal, three of the Gloucesters charged out under the fire and skewering and smashing the survivors with their lances.
Breaking the defenders, the team turned on the cannons and destroyed them.
The charge had broken and scattered the rebel line but many survived and now the remaining knights and officers were rallying them back into formation.
Lambert was no fool and seeing the damage began to signal the rebels to surround and cut the Fallon forces off.
Kallen saw the movements and thus quicken her effort to destroy the remaining artillery. The battery was falling back to the main rebel host.
She then saw the G1-Mobile fortress clearing up in the mass of battle.
Lambert's there! Kallen turned her sight towards the commanding post. She knocked aside a Sutherland with her lance and fired at another in her way. She dodged the thrusts and fire that came at her, only focusing on the giant purple and gold machine in her way.
Her suddenly change of target initially confused the rebels but now seeing what she was after caused them to suddenly shift their priorities.
A squad of Sutherlands and Gloucesters tried to intercept her but their attacks were wild and clumsy and Kallen was able to avoid their fire. One Gloucester lunged with his lance but she easily side stepped the thrust and continued her way.
She made it pass two more squads. A Sutherland blocked her way swinging his stun tonfa but she moved right under the blow and kicked his knee as she past him.
She was closing in but now Kallen had finally caught the attention of the knights. And the white, gold and green Vincent Wards began deploying around the G1.
"Shit." Kallen cursed. It was one thing to face a full squad of Britannian knights but it was entirely another thing to fight them inside a 5th generation knightmare.
However, the Black knight ace could not back down now. She was a soldier and she has beaten the odds before and she would do so again!
The red Glasgow dove in full speed and the first Ward move in to meet her charge. The knight swung his sword but Kallen was not there. She punched her slash harkens into the ground before her, calculated enough for her to leap into the air using both her legs and the harkens' strength. She shot into the air and turned her rifle on the surprised Ward, firing rounds into his cockpit.
She landed on another knight: stepping right on the customised Ward's plumed head and leapt down. Kallen drew one of her daggers and slashed down on the knightmare's vulnerable cockpit as she did. Despite her disadvantage in tech, the Black knight ace's experience in battle made her just as formidable even without her Guren.
And these Britannian knights, blinded by their arrogance did not see that until it was too late.
Taking already two out, Kallen fired a few rounds at the next knight as she continued her advance. She slashed a Ward's ankle then blasted another head off with her grenade launcher. She used the same tactic as earlier using her slash harkens to make the impossible jumps and speed that her Glasgow could not make against the far superior machines.
Another knight, this one with a white plume thrust his sword but Kallen was already behind the warrior and fired a single shot point blank range into his back.
The next knight however was already leaping towards her with both short swords in lance mode. Before he could move though, a pair of slash harkens struck the knight from the side and sent him crashing to the ground.
As the remaining knights turned to see the new threat, Kallen zoomed pass them. Sparing a glance, she saw Arthur's black Gloucester slashing his sword down and a wave of red, blue and white Gloucesters charged at the St. Darwin knights.
She also knew that they won't last long so knew that she had to face the G1 as soon as possible.
Passing the knights, Kallen finally saw the unit defending the G1. They were in the purple and blue of the Britannian army and turned to face her. Seeing her last obstacle, she open fired at the Wards and Gloucesters, dodging bullet fire, lance thrusts and tonfa swings as she went pass them. She tripped one Gloucester off balance and launched one grenade on the G1's bridge. The blast did not penetrate the armour plating but shook the entire base.
Their response was immediate and the mobile base turned its cannons on her. However, their turrets turned slow and by the time they fired, she wasn't there already and instead blasted the base's own guards that were chasing her.
She fired a burst of bullets at two of the turrets, knocking them out then fired another grenade shell at the bridge. This time the glass cracked.
"One more!" Kallen readied another grenade and fired again but this one went wide as a flash of blue and purple swept pass her. It felt like she was struck by a boulder and her Glasgow was sent spinning down.
"Damn, Eleven bitch!" Dante's voice shouted. "I should have raped and kill you the moment I set my eyes on you!" The Vincent Air came back again this time launching a slash harken. The wired harken missed its mark, striking the ground before her and showered dirt and sand into her. She kept moving and firing her rifle but the other machine was way too fast.
Finally the officer came back again and charged towards her with his MVSs bright red.
Kallen continued firing but the blue and purple machine dodged her bullets, just like Suzaku had done in his Lancelot before. In the machine's red eyes despite its artificiality she saw murder in them.
The Vincent swung and Kallen raised her dagger to block. The dagger was sent flying away in pieces. The renegade officer brought his blade back and Kallen side stepped it again. But then Dante brought his arm up and activated his needle blazer. The weapon glowed bright blue and Kallen tried to move out of its path but knew she was not fast enough. She belatedly brought her rifle as a makeshift shield even as the energy discharged at her.
The blast felt like a truck smashing into her and her red Glasgow's systems shriek in alarm. She felt her face smashing against the side, biting her lips at the same time.
Vision was blurry to her but Kallen knew she was knocked to the ground. Her systems were critical and her head was spinning. She slowly reached for her monitor screen to clear the image and facial sphere and saw Dante right on top of her with a bright ruby blade pointing at her.
"Attack!" A Fallon officer cried.
The police knightmares surrounded the Vincent and attacked the rebel officer.
"Damn, lowlife scum!" Dante cursed and brandished his two blades. The colonel was definitely not on Guillemain's level but a Lancelot was a Lancelot and that was a problem.
The Vincent dove into their ranks and in his first swing he severed two Knight Police into halves. Dante turned his blade around and parried a lance thrust then stabbed the Gloucester's cockpit.
With his superior agility, the Vincent literally danced around the older generation knightmares. The rebel commander beheaded another Fallon machine then leapt aside another lancer's thrust. He launched his slash harkens mid-air, striking another two opponents down. As he landed, the lancer struck again but Dante knocked the golden lance out of his hands then with a vicious downward thrust, skewering the knightmare and pilot on the ground. The surviving Knight Police sought to take that advantage and leapt with a dagger in hand but the Vincent merely caught the machine by the throat then idly used his other arm's needle blazer and blasted a hole in the Knight Police.
The Glasgow head rolled down from the explosion towards Kallen's screen.
She saw what Arthur had saved from everyone by duelling Guillemain and keeping his knights preoccupied. But it seemed to be too late, around her she saw their attack force being cornered and taken down.
The St. Darwin knights in particular were toying with the Fallon soldiers, dancing around their desperate attacks before landing vicious death blows.
Kallen knew that she had to do something. Without her, there was little chance. She activated her emergency powers to bring her old machine back on its feet. The half Britannian saw Arthur's black and red Gloucester leaping in to face Dante his long sword meeting the rebel officer's MVS double lance blow for blow.
When her head finally cleared and machine was on her feet, Kallen saw that her red Knight Police Glasgow was without an arm and there was a hole that was revealing her exoskeleton.
The surviving Fallon troops were gathering around Arthur even as he duel Colonel Dante to a standstill. Kallen knew it was only a matter of time he'd be overwhelmed so she readied her Glasgow and charged at Dante.
Arthur had broken Dante's block and was preparing to thrust when the rebel commander used his knightmare's superior agility and landed a kick in his torso. With his opponent stunned, Dante swung his blade down on the ebony Gloucester with such a force that broke the long sword and sent the knightmare to the ground.
Kallen screamed a war cry and leap forward and slammed into the Vincent. The move caused her machine to shake violently but it also sent the other machine rolling on the ground, with Dante cursing her name.
She studied Arthur's ebony knightmare who was still badly dented and scratched from his fight against the knight captain even though he had replaced a new arm. His internal systems were however a different story. It reminded Kallen of her own loss arm and she detached the remaining stump so that she could focus more power on her one good hand.
However, Kallen saw that the rebel forces already advancing on her position and they didn't look like they were going to accept surrender.
But then, the lead rebel suddenly exploded as it was advancing. Two more went down in a line as if a giant sword had cut through them.
The rebels came to a halt but a volley of missile rained down blasting the rest.
Kallen saw a maroon figure in the distance. But before she could even study further, a flash of grey zoomed in the air and unloaded a stream of missiles on the rebels on the ground.
Another maroon knightmare appeared in the air, firing down on the rebel forces with a rifle. Before she knew it, it was the rebels who were confused and surrounded being attacked on all sides.
She even saw a Gareth appearing and bombarding the rebels with its heavy arms.
"I will not beaten like this!" Dante's angry voice boomed as the blue Vincent lunged at her. She dodged the thrust and circled around to face him properly. Kallen countered, launching a slash harken at the angry rebel's face denting the head. She launched her second one but the rebel caught it and snapped the cable.
Kallen tried to draw her knife only to realise that her last one was blown up with her other arm. Dante saw it and gave a dark chuckle.
"No more fangs huh? Hehe. I'll kill you like the animal you are!" He raised his sword but Arthur's ebony knightmare appeared behind him with a long sword in hand.
"HA! Don't even think about it!" Dante's blade swung around and cut the Gloucester's sword arm off then thrust his other blade into the head.
However, Kallen saw that Arthur wasn't swinging the sword at him.
It was being thrown.
Thrown to her.
And Kallen caught it. And it was all she needed.
Dante however felt her attack and swung his weapon only to meet Kallen's sword. She withdrew and strike again at another angle and another. The rebel officer felt the pressure on him and on the next strike Dante threw up his needle blazer.
Before he could activate it, Arthur's slash harken struck it sending the energy build up to overload and discharge mid-air. The blast caused him to unbalance and Kallen took that chance to lung.
Dante tried to bring his blade down but it was too late.
The Black knight ace thrust and the red blade pierced through the knightmare's armour plate and Dante's chest.
The sword had pierced through the machine's chest but without touching any of the systems so the Vincent merely shut down with the death of its pilot.
A grim death for a grim man, Arthur mused.
"Yo! Arthur!" Anduin's voice boomed in his radio. His Gareth had just fried the entire G1 bridge with his Hadron cannon.
"I see you bunch had taken your sweet time."
Jeremiah's voice was in contrast apologetic. "Forgive our tardiness, my lord. We had a hard time tracking you in this desert with the rebels jamming our signal."
"Better late then never, I say." Jack added.
Arthur gave a tired smile, even though they can't see it.
"Well, there's an entire town for you to pick up. Anyone care to be the deliverer of good news?"
"I'll do it." Harry answered.
Arthur opened his cockpit to get out of his heated knightmare. The weather was just as hot but at least the breeze was cooling.
He saw the Fallon soldiers recovering from their shock.
"By the gods, did we finally do it?"
"Finally we won? We defeated an army unit?"
"Huzzah!"
Arthur smiled at their relief. Some were sobbing in joy. He could hardly blame them.
"To the red knight!" He heard Valois' voice crying out. He saw the police captain who somehow survived all of that and was raising her helmet to him. The other soldiers joined her.
Then in the mist of it, the armless red Glasgow zoomed towards him. She literally leapt out of the saddle and collapsed on him. Her red hair was dancing and her deep blue eyes glittered in joy.
"ARTHUR! We DID IT! WE DROVE THEM OUT!" Despite the exhaustion he felt, Lelouch smiled and wrapped his hands around her.
He looked into her eyes and saw what she saw. Lelouch felt drawn to her. Somehow, in some way, he knew they were connected. He did not know what it was.
When he first saw her, he rather stunned. That quick and devastating fighter was a woman. And what a woman! She wore little beyond her form fitting steel and leather armour. He had first seen her in white robes that disguised her body except for her face and bright red hair. Her face was beautiful and at that time seemed to a touch of gentleness, her red hair contrasting with the deep blue orbs.
In armour, the red hair had turned into a fiery mane that matched the steel in her azure orbs. Her body was well muscled and toned as were her other features. Her face was still pleasant to look at but it showed her determination and will.
But he had rarely seen her in both appearances but now the armoured, warrior Karen was smiling up at him. And she was stunning. Lelouch felt his heart melt at the sight.
Without thinking, he brushed a red strand away from her face. Lelouch blinked and Arthur realised that he had never seen anything that was so beautiful and strong together.
Kallen was holding his hands even as they faced each other. The ghost of the man she loved looked at her fondly, the indifference was long gone. She felt tears in her eyes.
Lelouch…
So caught up in the moment, both belatedly realised the position they were in.
Kallen saw his face suddenly lit up as the cheering returned. Both let each other go, blushing but Kallen saw Arthur still held a hint of a smile despite it and she felt her heart jump.
"Wow, I can't believe we just did that."
The white haired Lelouch smirked. "Believe it. This is the sweet taste of victory."
He raised his fist high and the cheering went louder.
"I couldn't have done this without you," Arthur told her. It was nothing wrong with it but his words made Kallen blush.
"Ah…well…" Why was she lost for words? Kallen thought she had already become used to with him. "You'd probably figured something out instead."
The red knight gave her a half smile and looked at the victors. "No. Not like this."
It was his damn eyes. That's why. Kallen told herself. She was nervous as hell but perhaps blame it on her battle fatigue; she slipped a hand into his.
And to her surprise, he grasped it.
Phew! That's over! So the civil war is almost over and Kallen's finally got to know Arthur…unfortunately I'm a sadistic writer so something really bad is going to happen and hopefully it will give you guys a refreshing shock. The song the rebel soldiers were singing is from Skyrim. I just added there so it might give a clearer pic of how the rebels see the world.
And since you guys have been waiting patiently I'll give the final hint.
As the half-Britannian embraced the red knight, a small device fell from his pocket and into the knightmare's cockpit.
The impact caused it to activate and made some sounds though it was far too low for anyone nearby to here.
"By Blood and Honour we serve." A voice spoke. "Those were the words that defined the duty and loyalty the Knights of Pendragon gave. And carry to death."
"Only the purest of heart are chosen." A female voice added. "For to become one of the chosen will be granted tremendous powers to serve the realm."
"It is both a curse and a gift." A deep male voice added. "For you will hence forth carry, not just the burdens of your ancestors but that of humanity and the evils it carries.
"There is no glory to gain for history will not always remember you kindly. Names such as Lancelot, Drake and Fawkes have inspired both love and loathing.
"Will you take up this path?"
A dark haired man nodded. "I will."
"Then hence forth, Scion of Pendragon. We, elders of the old world, grant you the full might and power of the Ancient Order of the Arfon Knights, sons and daughters of the Round Table and the memory of the Ancient Kingdom of Camelot and Britannia."
The man nodded and bowed, knowing that there was no way back.
He stood up and turned away from the knight lords and looked into the figure across him.
The figure was dark and he could not see any distinct features but the former Emperor knew who it was.
"I, Lelouch vi Britannia, former Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, former Chief Executive Officer of the Order of the Black Knights, former chairman of the United Federation of Nations, and now Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of Artorious Pendragun…"
The man took off his hood and helmet, revealing his true face at the figure.
His eyes glowed crimson at his command. The figure's eyes mimics his own and too glowed red. The Geass avian's wings began to move.
"I have chosen you amongst all, to be my presence in the mortal world.
"To be my sword that smites my enemies, to be my shield that guards my love ones
"Your actions will be mine, your thoughts will be mine.
The glowing crimson eyes became dimmer though the wings only flapped faster.
"Your name, your memories, your feelings, your thoughts will cease to exist.
"You will be the single embodiment of MY will and my thoughts.
The eyes became purple even as the wings' rapid movement caused the pupil to form a ring of energy around.
"You, Arthur, of House Peregrine, officer of my royal guard, a knight to my empire will become the extension of my will."
They were now violet but still changing.
Finally they are blue.
The figure stumbled slightly and darkness followed. There was nothing.
And then the room was luminous again but only one pair of eyes glowed cobalt. However, the wings were still flapping in the eyes. When they finally stopped, the Geass symbol was reverse…
"Lelouch vi Britannia pressed his fist to his chest. His eyes glowed blue with the reverse Geass symbol.