Dislaimer: I do not own Code Geass, which is propriety of Studio Sunrise, and neither do I own Exalted, which is property of White Wolf Publishing.

This fiction originally appeared as a quest-style story on the forum Sufficient Velocity. As such do not be confused by the strange structure.

Fiendish Advent - Final Act

{●}

Some medical attention, a relaxing bath, and twelve hours of sleep later and Lelouch was back into perfect form. 'That never happened.'

"What never happened Boss?"

'Good.' He fixed his clothes and left the palace, determined to make up for the wasted time.

"Lelouch-sama!"

Or, maybe, to deal with an excitable fourteen year old first. "Hello Kaguya-san. Sorry for making you and the others worry."

"Think nothing of it. I am just glad you're okay now." She smiled cutely. "Are you free to talk now? If not I can come later."

"No, I am free...save for one thing." He held up a scroll he received a few minutes before. "I have arranged a meeting with Citizen Berengiere, to discuss obtaining the services of a cult founded by her for my organization, and help them expand their activities. There isn't a fixed date so maybe-"

"Oh! In that case if you want I can come with you. Like I said to Lord Ligier I am organizing all the cults of Japan into a great organization. This way we can speed up things."

"I would be delighted by your company." Lelouch smiled before snapping his fingers. "Lemmun."

"Yes Master?" The Naneke instantly replied, moving from his initial position farther behind the Fiend to his side in a second.

"Write down this message." Lelouch dictated, and the demon faithfully copied it on scroll. "Have one of the faster messengers bring it to Lady Berengiere, and tell me immediately if there are any concerns about Lady Kaguya's presence."

"It will be done!" Lemmun replied with a deep bow before darting away.

"You already have a most loyal follower." Kaguya clapped her hands in delight. "As expected of Lelouch-sama!"

"Yes...except he seems to have decided that all on his own." He mumbled under his breath before asking the raven-haired girl a question. "Do you have a preferred method of transportation?"

"If we are meeting with a Citizen, I believe using a palanquin is a must." She replied instantly.

Five minutes later both Infernals were on board a palanquin carried by six Angyalkae with their prehensile hair while they played the Harp of Time. Quite luckily Berengiere's residence was situated on the same layer of the Conventicle Malfeasant.

"I never apologized." Lelouch said suddenly, surprising Kaguya who was seated in front of him.

"For what?"

"That day in the forest, when we first met." He internally sighed: if Kaguya had forgot he would have kept silent, but since she clearly remembered... "I meant what I said. But I was unnecessarily harsh." He looked out at the street. "I was also a somewhat bitter child, but that's not an excuse."

"I see. Then I can tell you that you have nothing to apologize for Lelouch-sama." She replied, smiling sweetly. "Harsh you may have been, it was the lesson that made me what I am today: not just the heir to the Sumeragi family, but myself. I am Kaguya Sumeragi, and I am my own person." Her expression turned soft. "You were the first person to treat me as such. For that, I am very grateful."

"Kaguya..." Lelouch was very surprised at the younger girl's level of maturity. Maybe...maybe he didn't make a mistake that time. "Are you sure you're younger than me?" He said with sarcasm.

"Do no worry Lelouch-sama." Her smile shined like the sun. "I am more than willing to wait a few years to make our union official!"

"Wait, what?" He blinked in confusion. "Didn't we agree to enter the same coven already?"

She just kept smiling, looking to all the world like the perfect picture of class and elegance.

'Seyrun?'

"Drawing a blank here Boss."

Their destination was a large patch of barren land, closed off by large bone-white walls and gates. Each of them was etched with scenes of fights and battles, phrases in Old Realm all telling how it was sacred ground and must not be disturbed.

There was a single building close to it: a large villa of crimson and purple right in the center of the only road leading to the boneyard. Music and chants came from it, Angyalkae and other demons skilled at singing present all around the premise.

They were received at the entrance by a group of Neomah and Noresores and escorted inside.

When they saw her the mistress of the house was indulging herself, singing on a podium while an orchestra played behind her. At the front of a crowd of demons kept time by clapping.

The Weaver of Voices was beautiful in form, with luscious curves beneath crimson-veined clothing that murmured in a thousand quiet voices rather than rustling as cloth does. Her fingers were delicately shaped into rending points, the veil she wore hinting at a face both demure and tempting.

"Remember Boss, don't ask what's behind that veil. Beside, it has nothing to do with what you have come here today for, right?"

Lelouch mentally grunted in agreement. He could safely admit he was curious...but for the sake of necessity he could also ignore such a minor urge.

"That's all for today dears." Berengiere said at the song's end amidst the cheers. "Now go back to work. There is much left to do."

Without further encouragement the demons scattered to do their duty, while the orchestra changed melody and kept playing. Berengiere descended the podium, hastening her steps when she caught sight of the two Exalts. "Ah! Dear guests!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Welcome to my abode."

""May joy and fortune shine upon you Lady Berengiere."" Lelouch and Kaguya both said, bowing. "I am Green Sun Prince Zero, Chosen of Wise Oramus."

"And I am Green Sun Princess Kaguya Sumeragi, Chosen of Noble Szoreny." Kaguya continued. "Thanks for having me today."

"I always have time for visitors. Come, let's have some refreshment."

Said 'refreshment' turned out to be tea and snacks. Even if said tea had a strong metallic aftertaste, and the snacks while tasting sweet lacked most of Earth's common ingredients in their preparation. What was used to replace them...Lelouch prefered to not know.

"Lady Berengiere." He began after making sure to consume only the strictly necessary to keep up etiquette. "If it pleases you, I would like to talk about the reasons for my visit."

"Yes, yes." She said quickly, as if remembering it just now. "It was about the cult of...of..."

"The Court of the Black Jade Emperor, Mistress." A butler helpfully suggested.

"Ah yes yes yes. Now I remember!" She put the tips of her nails together. "Goodness, there are so many. Apparently I am, for some reason, greatly suitable for raising cults so I must work hard. Something about a 'good impression'." She tilted her head. "Which is strange because my soul-sister Sondok also has great success among mortals. And while dear Sondok has many good qualities, it cannot be honestly said she is...what was called?" She put a finger on her veil, where the lips should be. "A people's person?"

Seyrun laughed harshly. "The Guardian of Ligier's treasures? I would be amazed to find someone below an Unquestionable that doesn't fear her!"

"I am sure...that the mortals that venerate Lady Sondok are all worthy individuals that recognize and admire said good qualities." Lelouch said diplomatically.

"Of course, of course! My dear soul-sister is very good at what she does." Berengiere nodded quickly. "Where we were? Oh yes, the cult. You said you want to request their services?"

"That's correct. With your consent of course." He replied respectfully. "I am creating a group of fighters for a purpose linked to the Reclamation, and I am in need of a civilian branch to handle the more mundane matters, and also expand recruitment among those who has yet to see the truth. Naturally I am not asking this for free: if there is something I can do for you in exchange, Lady Berengiere, you only have to ask."

"So polite!" Berengiere giggled politely. "There is no need to be so stiff dear, I am quite happy to serve the Reclamation however I can." She paused and took a long sip of tea before setting down the cup. "That said, I am sure you know of my craft, my pride and joy." She put her hand together. "Something that's best done while in Creation. As such, as long as the new activities of my believers don't interfere with the time they can dedicate summoning me and my assistants, I have no objections."

"Of course Lady Berengiere. It's but a trivial matter to fix." He bowed. "And if it would please you, I can arrange for extending said time. Something that would become more than possible with the swelling of our ranks. I was also given the impression there is a high demand for the material that in Creation is called Sakuradite?"

"Ah! Yes yes yes!" She clapped her hands excitedly. "Indeed! A strange material this 'sakuradite' is: similar to Jade, but volatile and it's truly magical only when worked with external Essence." She leaned forward. "It has all sort of INTERESTING effects when used in weaving."

"It does?"

"Yes! Just forty cries of Tomescu ago I exploded."

Silence.

"The cloth exploded. Not me." She took another sip of tea. "It's my personal belief that it's the result of Pasiap and Hesiesh running closer to each other than before. A minority think it's a Sidereal plot to make Daana'd and the spirit courts of Water recede to free up more land, but there is always someone who cries 'Sidereal plot!' at every strange happening."

Silence.

She tilted her head. "Where I was?"

Lelouch cleared her throat. "The Sakuradite Lady Berengiere. If it is what you desire, I can arrange to have suitable quantities of it delivered to you."

"And I can help." Kaguya interjected. "Since mine is one of the families trusted with its extraction. Most of what can be safely smuggled under Britannia's nose will be needed for Peer Zero's army, but I am sure we can spare enough for your needs."

"Sublime news!" She exclaimed happily. Then she abruptly turned pensive. "Peer Kaguya, if I remember right you are working to gather all the cults in Japan under a sole organization? If the Makers so desire who I am to oppose it? Yet, the efforts of the Sidereals, and through them the Dragonblooded, to stomp down such cults have always been strong. Is it wise to leave trails that can be exploited to make such tasks easier?"

"You raise a good point, Lady Berengiere." Kaguya admitted, still smiling. "That's why such efforts are half-way complete, and will remain so until we are ready."

Both Lelouch and the demon looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"In one word: compartmentalization." She began to explain. "Each cult has it own internal structure. They have contacts with a single agent of the organization to which they defer to, and only that. But there are no fixed meetings: the agent shows up when needed, and the cultists have no way of contacting him, though he shows up at least once a month. By the same token each agent handles a single cult, and they meet their superiors only when the latter contact them. Those superiors only have data about a certain number of cults, other groups handling the rest. All those groups then answer to me, through intermediaries that cannot be traced to me." She smile grew. "Each and every one of those nodes is unaware of the others. Some know they exist, but nothing more. The only one who knows of the whole web is myself. It's not a perfect system. It was not designed that way. But it will hold until Japan is free from Britannia's control, at which point we will connect all nodes and transform the system into Japan's official religion. Until then, no destruction of a single cell will endanger the whole structure."

"Brilliant!" Berengiere clapped, stealing the words out of Lelouch's mouth. "This is, indeed, the cleverness of a true Exalt! But wait: Japan's official religion?"

Lelouch and Kaguya shared a look before explaining his plan.

The reaction-

"My! How bold! If Lord Ligier approves so do I! Quick, get me quill and scroll: we must finalize this contract!"

-Was positive.

"Here you are." Rakshata was there to greet Lelouch and Kaguya at their return, together with Akito, Milly and Leila. "By your face, I guess everything turned alright?"

"I would say so. Wait, let me rephrase that: I definitely say so." Lelouch raised the scroll with the official contract with Berengiere, surveyed and blessed by a priest of Cecelyne, before giving it to Kaguya to keep. "Since everyone is here, I presume something happened?"

"Not quite." The Defiler replied. "I just thought it was time to introduce you to Lillun."

Ten minutes later

"Do you know how, normally, at the death of their bearers Celestial Exaltations fly back to Yu-shan in the cabinet of Lytek, the God of Exaltations, to be purified?" Rakshata explained after the six of them board the wagon. "Well, obviously an alternate system to keep the Infernal Exhalations here in Hell was needed. And since our dear Masters have a habit of creating a specifically-made demon when a new issue pops up instead of using machines, they did the same."

"Lillun is a Behemoth." Akito continued. "A unique, special spiritual creature who looks like a human."

"Her official title is 'Phylactery Womb', since she holds the fifty Exaltations of the Green Sun Princes within herself." Rakshata resumed. "But she's mostly known as the 'Coryphee of Hope'. She's a living, thinking control mechanism."

"That's the truth Boss. I personally meet her when she put your Exaltations inside me. It was just a touch: the real challenge was keeping it contained until I could meet you."

'I see. Well, I suppose this fits the themes of Malfeas I've seen far. What kind of person is Lillun?'

"...It was a brief meeting. She just smiled and put the supermote inside me. Then she said 'May the blessing of the Yozi be with you'. After that I was escorted away."

"Though she insists us Infernals call her 'Big Sister'." Akito grumped.

"It would be a pleasure to meet her." Kaguya smiled. "I assume we are heading to her residence?"

"I wouldn't call the Basilica of Carousel Whimsy a residence, but yeah."

Only later, when they reached their destination, did Lelouch understand Rakshata's words.

The Celebration Eternal.

A lavish, incredibly huge party that has been ongoing for several years, and was intended to keep going for eternity. Upon entering the truly massive open-air stadium that was the Basilica of Carousel Whimsy they were meet with the spectacle of thousands of demons celebrating in what was probably the mother of all parties.

Milly's shrill of pure delight cemented that impression.

And in the center of it was Lillun herself: externally she looked like a young woman around her twenties, hair, clothes, lips and everything else save for rosy skin was green. She danced barefoot with grace and elegance, the other demons giving her space while following her pirouettes around the place.

She was a divine dancer. She was also, according to Lelouch's Essence sight, an absolute monster that rivaled an Unquestionable. If the Yozi intended this to be a safeguard mechanism, they did extremely well.

Lillun kept her eyes closed, and yet she slowly moved towards the Infernal group's direction until she was right in front of them. Then she opened her eyes, revealing cherry-red pupils radiating unbridled happiness. She cupped Akito's cheeks and gave him a chaste kiss on the forehead before moving to do the same to the others. When done she took a step back and spoke:

"In you resides the hopes of the Demon Race."

Then she left, rejoining the party she was queen of.

Quite a woman of few words.

"Lelouch." "Lelouch-sama."

Milly and Kaguya both offered Lelouch a hand.

""May I have this dance?""

He weighed pros and cons. "As long as I am not forced to drink something suspicious, sure."

The following two days, or four cries of Tomescu, Lelouch finalized the details of his collaboration with the rest of his Coven. Thanks to Kaguya's open support his problems with money were gone, though he wasn't going to abuse that or her faith.

Rakshata needed to finish a couple of projects and assembled her team before she could join him, but she was ready to provide the Black Knights with every technology they would need.

Kaguya took upon herself the duty to contact General Gene Smilas and convince him to send the W-0 unit to Japan. That would be tricky to handle, but Lelouch was confident she could do so easily.

And then it happened. Ligier came, announced this time, so the Infernal Exalts had all the time to prepare and greet him properly. "I see you are ready to depart." He commented.

"That is exactly so, Lord Ligier." Lelouch replied. "We will probably not able to return for months. But I am confident our junior Peers will prove adequate replacements while we do our own parts."

"Let's hope so, shall we?" The demon smiled, putting his hands together, before his gaze fell on the raven-haired youth. "But it's not to say goodbye that I am here.

Lelouch Vi Britannia. My Oversoul wishes to speak with you."

That day Lelouch discovered Seyrun's screams of terror could be quite girly when sufficiently motivated.

"...If I may ask, Lord Ligier." It was only later, when he followed the Green Sun of Malfeas down a subterranean structure, that Lelouch found the courage to speak. "Am I allowed to know the reason for this...meeting?"

"You may." He replied simply, sounding like the whole ordeal was common routine. "Simply put, you managed to catch the interest of the King, Lelouch Vi Britannia. Not in a bad way, so you can relax." He turned his head minutely to the side. "But, depending on how the conversation goes, you may need medical attention at the end. Do not worry though, for I know many spells that can help and I will magnanimously use them if necessary."

Seyrun's whimpers got stronger. "How very generous of you my Lord." Lelouch bowed, too nervous to use any kind of sarcastic tone.

"Ah, here we are." Ligier stopped in front of an ornate brass door. "This place is saturated in mine and the whole Demon City's Essence. With a small push you will be able to contact my Oversoul's consciousness." He opened the door, green vapor coming out in waves, before stepping aside to clear the passage. "Do not worry if what you are going to experience will be confounding. Yozis do not think like measly mortals...what you will get is just a small shard that your mind will struggle to comprehend."

"Thank you for the warning." The Fiend gulped before walking inside.

"If it may help, I hope you return." Ligier said before closing the door. "I really want to see that plan of yours made a reality."

Then everything turned green.

"Then I don't want to be your heir!" You shout at your father, too angry at his complete lack of concern over your mother's death and Nunnally's crippling to care. The other nobles gasp and whisper, but you ignore them. "I've had enough of the fighting and the scheming over who will succeed you!"

You are throwing away your title, but at this point it's more of a libera-

"You are dead." The Emperor's cruel words cut through your mind like a blade. "You've been dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the clothes you wear? Your home, your food, your very life! All of those, I have given to you! In short, you have never actually lived! And yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me?!"

He abruptly stands up from the throne, his intimidating frame and gelid cold eyes causing you to fall down on your ass.

"Lelouch!" Charles Zi Britannia's voice booms. "As you are dead, you have no rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan."

Japan?

Fire

Chaos

Blood

The sound of machine guns and explosions never stop never stop never stop never stop neverstopneverstopneverstopneverstopneverstopneverstop

"As prince and princess, you will serve as bargain-"

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" You scream, the eyes of everyone widening as they step back from the sheer amount of hate in your words. You push yourself up, every trace of fear evaporating as unbearable heat spread from the center of your chest through your whole body. "IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME WHY DON'T YOU JUST PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD AND PULL THE TRIGGER?!"

"You dare throw a tem-"

"SHUT UP!" Were you of clearer mind, you would have realized your voice couldn't possibly come from a nine years old child. "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! SHE WAS YOUR WIFE YOU BASTARD! SHE HAD MORE LOYALTY FOR YOU IN HER PINKIE THAN ALL THESE VIPERS HERE PUT TOGETHER! AND NOT ONLY DID YOU LET HER BE KILLED AND HER DAUGHTER CRIPPLED, YOU EVEN LET THE CULPRIT GO!"

The guards roughly restrain you and put a hand over your mouth, but you bite it. When he pulls it away in pain you deliver a last line. "WHAT KIND OF KING ARE YOU?!"

A FAKE

The guards catch fire. The nobles watching catch fire. Even the Emperor catches fire. You stare there dumbfounded, watching with sick fascination as they are quickly burned to ashes by the green fire...all the while screaming in excruciating pain.

BECAUSE

The hall expands, growing impossibly fast, concrete and tiles being replaced by brass and basalt.

THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE KING!

Until you are in the middle of a cyclopean plaza surrounded by buildings so high you can't see the tops.

Every window like an eye staring at you with a pupil of baleful green fire.

"M-Malfeas..." You tremble, finally realizing the reality of the situation. You fall down on one knee and bow.

I AM

MORTAL. EVEN AMONG YOUR PATHETIC RACE, YOU ARE WEAK

YET YOU SPEAK OF STEALING CREATION BACK FROM THE TRAITOROUS GODS AND GIVING IT BACK TO ITS RIGHTFUL RULERS

WHERE DOES SUCH CONFIDENCE COME FROM?

Your throat is dry, words coming out like bloody nails. Yet you persevere. "I...have no other choice."

You take Malfeas' silence as a sign to continue. "It's true: I was weak. I had a weak body and no power I could call my own. I had to depend on the kindness of others, and every day I feared that those who have the power to strip away my freedom would find me and cast me back in the role of a puppet.

I hate the Emperor so much. And yet I hate myself so much more, for being unable to do anything against him. For being a weakling that had no choice but obey him.

Failure tasted like acid and ashes on my tongue."

Your hands clench so hard blood start to drip down from them. Your teeth grind against one another.

"But now, I have power! Even if it was given to me, it's still power! I can make my own choices now! I can think, I can decide for myself! I can make any miserable rabble that dare think they could order me around learn how much wrong they are!"

You raise your hand, clench it into a fist and then...punch the ground.

"I can destroy Britannia!"

Again.

"I can stand up to Charles Zi Britannia and crush him under my foot!"

Again.

"I can show the Dragonblooded who exactly their true masters are!"

Again. Your hand shatter.

"I can show the Lunars there is only one side they can choose, and the rest is a lie!"

Again. Cracks spread throughout your bones.

"I can tear apart the Sidereals' petty schemes and teach them what being a puppet in someone else's hands feels like!"

Again. Again. Again. Blood sprays your eyes.

"I can cast down the Underworld and those pathetic relics of a bygone era that dare call themselves Deathlords!"

Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.

"I can tear out the Gods' spines! Make them realize what pathetic, corrupted wenches they are!"

Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again!

"AND WHEN SOL INVICTUS HIMSELF TELLS ME TO REPENT, I WILL SPIT IN HIS FACE AND TEAR OUT HIS HEART, TO SEE EXACTLY HOW BLACK IT REALLY IS!"

The ground shatters.

"I CANNOT STOP! NOT UNTIL ALL MY ENEMIES ARE DEAD! ONLY THEN I WILL BE ABLE TO REALLY LIVE!"

And the world laughs.

HOW AMUSING. ONLY YOUR WILL IS PUSHING YOU FORWARD

YET YOUR DESIRES ARE RIGHTFUL

YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH

THAT CAN BE REMEDIED

Everything turns still...

Before your very hate ignite with the force of a wrathful sun.

The door was blasted off of its hinges, melting and evaporating before it could even come close to touching Ligier. The Fetich of the Demon City stared calmly ahead, eyes blazing and hands folded behind his back as boiling green vapor pours out of the entrance.

One hand wrapped in black emerged and grabbed one side of the door.

Another hand emerged and grabbed the other side.

Finally, with a mighty push Lelouch Vi Britannia stepped out of the room, drenched in sweat.

And flickers of hateful green fires emanating from his eyes.

"How did it go?" Ligier asked with a small smile.

"The King...is most wise." He rasped out.

Then he snarled. "He reminded me that, before the world can be mended, the culprits must pay."

"Most wise indeed. As the one who is closer to him, let me impart another lesson." Ligier raised his head, smile morphing into a grin. "The best kind of hate...is the one that is colder than ice, but burns stronger than acid."

Lelouch nodded.

"I AM ALIVEEEEEE!"

'Oh? Seyrun? Where were you?'

"HIDING MY ASS OUT! CAN WE PLEASE GO BACK TO CREATION? PLEASE? PLEASEEEEE!"

"Aaaah. Home, sweet home." Lelouch sighed contently at the sight of Ashford Academy at night, illuminated by a pale moon. Eager to see Nunnaly again he walked quickly to his home, passed by the shrine with his photo surrounded by candles and reached the doorkno-

CRASH!

The sound of something breaking startled Nunnaly, while C.C. just kept drinking the soup, wishing it was pizza.

The door was slammed open with a kick. Lelouch was standing in the doorway, a photo between his teeth and murder in his eyes, while behind him flames devoured the shrine.

"Welcome back Lelouch." C.C. greeted him with a small grin.

'She let it happen.

She let it happen.

Ooh, she is so gonna pay!'

"Glad to have you back pal!" Rivalz slapped Lelouch's back. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"

"I was securing my future Rivalz. Hardly a vacation." He rolled his eyes. "Also, I will need your help this afternoon."

"Ooh? Did you find another fat, rich noble to wring out of all his money?"

"No. We need to destroy my fan club before it becomes a real cult and starts stealing my clothes."

"I see-Wait what?!

He opened the door to the classroom and stepped inside.

"Lelouch?!"

'This voice-!'

The young Fiend turned around, but could not believe his eyes.

Judging from his face, Suzaku could not believe his eyes too.

"Your Highness, we are reaching position."

Cornelia turned her gaze to the left, to look at the screen where Andreas Darlton, her loyal subordinate, opened a communication channel. She activated the Factsphere. "So this is the base of Qazvin." At least this one looked like a proper military base, instead of being a large palace defended by ill-positioned troops. "Took long enough."

"Forgive me My Lady." Her Knight, Guilford, appeared on another channel. "If only we had not been taken by surprise, we could have got here sooner."

"There is no need to apologize, Guilford." Cornelia slightly chastised him. "So they have developed anti-Knightmare weapons. It was bound to happen one day." She slammed a hand on the cockpit's wall. "But Britannia's strength is not these machines. Britannia's strength is its men! Remember this: we will win not because of our weapons, but because we are superior to these barbarians!"

""Yes, Your Highness!"" Darlton and Guilford both shouted. After that the former continued: "Your Highness, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"It's about Princess Euphemia. Was it wise to-"

"I thought we had already discussed this." Cornelia interrupted harshly before letting out a soft sigh. "She'll be fine. if anything, Clovis's newfound paranoia will actually help to keep both of them fine. At least until I can get a transfer there."

"With all due respect, I find difficult to imagine a full faction of nobles committing high treason by collaborating with Numbers, all for stealing a mysterious 'something' Prince Clovis refuses to even talk about."

Cornelia stood silent. She too had the same thoughts, but she couldn't just say them out loud. She couldn't just say that in her mind Clovis, who until now she considered a much better politician than her, has cracked under the pressure. It would make a member of the Royal family seems weak, no matter how justified. "Time's up." She instead announced. "There is a battery of Bamides coming towards us. Send the tanks first: once they start fighting we will move forward to engage them at close range."

""Yes, Your Highness!""

The battle began just as Cornelia said: the MEF Bamides and the Britannian tanks started exchanging fire, while Cornelia and her unit of Gloucesters waited behind the dunes for the right moment.

Cornelia opened another communication channel. "Barnes!"

Major Adam Barnes appeared on the screen. "My Lady!" He performed a military salute. "Orders?"

"Use your sniper rifle to see if there are any troops with Gauss weapons nearby."

"Yes!" The screen went dark. Five minutes later the Major reported. "Negative Your Highness. The only ones I can see are all inside the base. I think they didn't expected to see Knightmares in this battle, so they are keeping them in reserve."

"Fools." Cornelia smirked, greatly anticipating the glorious victory waiting for her. "All troops! Forward!"

At Cornelia's command she and the rest of the Gloucesters left their hiding place and entered the battlefield. They zoomed past the tanks, easily evading the Bamides' slow cannons-

BOOOM!

Only for many explosions to go off while they were halfway there, taking out a solid chuck of Cornelia's forces.

"My Lady! Mines!" Guilford moved in front of Cornelia's Gloucester to protect her.

"Dirty cowards!" She snarled. "But they cannot hide from the Factspheres! Darlton!"

"At once!" The Factsphere of the aged general's Gloucester opened, but before it could start to analyze the terrain a shot takes out the Frame's head. "What?!"

"Tempest Frame Destroyers at twelve o'clock! They were hiding behind the Bamides!" Guilford shouted in a panic.

"What did you say?!" Cornelia roared before contacting Barnes, who was completely calm despite the grim situation. "Barnes! You said there were no Gauss-equipped troops nearby!"

"Oh, that." Barnes pushe down the hat to cover his eyes. "Sorry, I lied."

"You filthy traitor! I'll have you court-martialed for this!"

"I don't think so."

He looked up, revealing a large smirk and a glowing, silver crescent moon on his forehead. "Unless, of course, Britannia stooped so low as to court-martial even the dead."

Cornelia's eyes widened in shock before she snarled, the commands shattering as she clenched her fire-covered hands. "Lunar!"

"Enjoy your first defeat, Dragoness." He said before turning off the channel.

"Cornelia's forces are retreating!" At the announcement many inside the MEF center of command rejoiced.

"We did it!"

"We defeated the Witch of Britannia!"

"Not yet!" A strong, compelling voice drowned out the rest. The one who spoke was a tall, severe man who was pointing forward his open right palm, an aura of golden light suffusing his body while an eight-pointed sun glowed on his forehead. "We delivered a great blow, but what we saw today is far from Britannia's full might! That's why we must stand resolute! But have no fear! Allah is with us!"

""Allah is with us!"" The various officials repeate as one. Who could deny their statement, they thought, when in front of them was an undeniable proof in the form of the very man who the Prophet chose as his vanguard, endowing him with divine power? ""Long live General Munim Riad!""

Just outside the room a man was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his bare chest and small horns coming out of his silver hair. Hearing what the soldiers were shouting he smiled, revealing sharp canines.

"Allah? Please. Since the Golden Age, this world has belonged to us Exalts. And soon, we will reclaim what's ours."

He looked down, frowning, his fingers slowly caressing the ancient moonsilver belt around his waist.

"Just you wait Teacher. I will show you that, even if I have his Exaltation, I am not Ma-Ha-Suchi!"

She hummed happily as she worked, the gentle tune helping her keep her focus and ignore the shadows constantly flitting around the room. They were always darting in and whispering, trying to distract her with the most intimate secrets of the Void or warnings about why she should avoid hairdryers, but she'd gotten good at blocking them out when she didn't need them or didn't want them.

Slowly, carefully, she stripped off another strand and began teasing it into place alongside the countless others she'd already threaded. Fitting the dense mesh together like this took a long time- certainly a lot longer than just slapping it in as a single mass- but in her opinion the results were worth it, and her little friend the talking fly agreed.

Sticking her tongue out of the side her mouth in concentration, she cut the strand down to size before gently finishing dabbing it into place, then sealing it in with a flare of cold, necrotic essence. Reaching back, she took another strand and repeated the process again. And again. And again. Building the structure, strand by stran-

-her grasping fingers closed on nothing, and she frowned. Looking up from her work, she clicked her tongue in annoyance as she saw that she'd run out of strands. "Tooo hasty... tooooo quick..." Her watch hissed, taunting her. A quick smack against the metal frame she was working on shut it up, however, and left her free to focus on accessing more of her supply.

Turning the platform her hunk of flesh was strapped onto, she picked up a thin-bladed flaying knife and began carefully carving the skin off its remaining unharvested limb. Darkness flitted over it momentarily as she worked, a pattern only she could see that whispered directions in her mind, revealing the best way to remove the skin without harming the valuable muscle beneath, and she silently whispered a thank you in appreciation.

Before long she'd stripped every last inch of unwanted flesh from the meat's limb, so she set down her blade and began extracting fleshy strands once more. Some of them leered at her, begging her not to touch them, but she easily ignored the distraction and carried on working.

Under her swift yet sure movements, it wasn't long before there was nothing left but a length of stripped bone, barely held together by the remaining ligaments. Sighing, she set down her tools and looked regretfully at the body. It was such a shame, going through such high quality material so quickly, but it was unfortunately inevitable.

Still, at least she could get one more use out of this one.

Carefully, she undid the restraints that had been holding the meat's chest down. It tried to move the instant she released it, perhaps to fight back, or perhaps to flee or protest, but with its limbs stripped bare all it achieved was a few spasmodic jerks. Still, the display was enough to make her frown, before she slapped it across the face.

"You've been such a good puppet..." She said, before bringing a hand up to her mouth to hide a giggle. "And you've got such a good fate left to you. Don't spoil it now~"

Weak and feeble groans emerged from behind the flesh's gag in response to her words, but she ignored them. Instead, her hand began to paradoxically glow with darkness, a cold shadow that seemed to drink and devour the light around it. Pressing her fingers together into a knife hand, she carefully touched the tips of her fingers against its chest and slowly traced a large circle on it, flesh and bone rotting in the wake of her touch.

As she brought her fingers back around to where she'd first started cutting the dark aura around her hand faded. Digging the fingers of both hands into the groove she'd just carved, she grimaced and began straining, pulling with all her might. For several seconds nothing happened, but then she lurched back as without warning its entire chest and ribcage broke off with a sickening crack.

Tossing the worthless chunk of flesh and bone off to one side, she began digging into the now-exposed organs of the writhing lump of meat before her with a frown on her face. After several seconds, however, it stopped moving and her frown turned to a smile as she yanked something deep red from the depths of its chest.

Turning the heart over in her hands, she spent the next several seconds examining it closely before bringing it up to her face and giving a quick, careful lick.

"Perfect." She pronounced, whilst the heart giggled from the tickling touch of her tongue. "Absolutely flawless."

"Hehe, too kind, you are, too kind." The heart replied, blushing bashfully at her comment. Petting it friendlily, eliciting another giggle in the process, she carefully carried it over to the metal frame and set it within a special slot. A few moments work had it attached to several lengths of metal tubing, and then she closed the hatch on it.

"Bye bye." She muttered as the heart disappeared behind the grey metal. After taking a moment to lick her hands clean, she walked over to a button by the now useless flesh and smacked it, causing the platform she was on to immediately start descending. And as it did, she considered the other flesh sacks restrained down below; which one would be the most suitable to use next? As she pondered the question, however, the shadows answered her question for her. Darkness flitted around the smallest of the remaining meat sources, forming into shapes and images that showed her exactly how to incorporate it into her design.

"Wonderful~" She smiled, thankful once again for the guidance and help of her masters as she stepped off the platform and began making her way over to her newest source of useful flesh.

Corporal Carmine whimpered as the happily smiling, blond haired, bloody-eyed woman approached him. He'd seen what she'd done to his comrades, and wasn't fooled by her pleasant expression; he knew all too well what fate awaited him. Desperately, he began struggling against the restraints that held him, panicked prayers to whatever god or goddess might be listening working their way past his gag as spluttered screams. Pleas for mercy, rescue... even simply a swift death rather than the torture the woman would put him through.

If any of them heard, none answered.

Charms Database:

From Oramus

Dual Gaze Paradox: Open your eyes to the Beyond and see magic flowing through the world! But be careful, because now staring into your eyes can be...hypnotic.

AN: Good thing I chose M rating.