Turn XIX: Apocalypse Now Part I.
Apocalypse
by Richard Realf
Straight to his heart the bullet crushed;
Down from his breast the red blood gushed,
And o'er his face a glory rushed.
A sudden spasm shook his frame,
And in his ears there went and came
A sound as of devouring flame.
Which in a moment ceased, and then
The great light clasped his brows again,
So that they shone like Stephen's when
Saul stood apart a little space
And shook with shuddering awe to trace
God's splendors settling o'er his face.
Thus, like a king, erect in pride,
Raising clean hands toward heaven, he cried:
"All hail the Stars and Stripes!" and died.
Died grandly. But before he fell—
(O blessedness ineffable!)
Vision apocalyptical
Was granted to him, and his eyes,
All radiant with glad surprise,
Looked forward through the Centuries,
And saw the seeds which sages cast
In the world's soil in cycles past,
Spring up and blossom at the last;
Saw how the souls of men had grown,
And where the scythes of Truth had mown
Clear space for Liberty's white throne;
Saw how, by sorrow tried and proved,
The blackening stains had been removed
Forever from the land he loved;
Saw Treason crushed and Freedom crowned,
And clamorous Faction, gagged and bound,
Gasping its life out on the ground.
With far-off vision gazing clear
Beyond this gloomy atmosphere
Which shuts us out with doubt and fear
He—marking how her high increase
Ran greatening in perpetual lease
Through balmy years of odorous Peace
Greeted in one transcendent cry
Of intense, passionate ecstasy
The sight which thrilled him utterly;
Saluting, with most proud disdain
Of murder and of mortal pain,
The vision which shall be again!
So, lifted with prophetic pride,
Raised conquering hands to heaven and cried:
"All hail the Stars and Stripes!" and died.
Apocalypse
by Richard Realf
(Lelouch's room, a few minutes after the emperor's appearance)
"Damn that Old Fart! How the hell did he escape that place?" Lelouch angrily shouted.
C.C innocently offered him a slice of Pizza which she saved for him, he angry at the sudden turn of events without intention shoved her to the ground in his tirade to blow off steam.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Lelouch said as he rushed to her aid and helped her.
"It's alright….i know you didn't mean it…also wounds of the body are nothing when compared to wounds of the souls" C.C said in a shy and happy voice and Lelouch was once again surprised at this C.C
(Four days later, Governor Building Ball room)
There was a small party for the head officers of the army being held and Euphie was happily dancing with Suzaku.
"Does he have no sense of shame, having his arms all round her like that!" Cornelia said to Schneizell who was besides her.
"They are young and in love, also the waltz is danced like that" Schneizell replied unfazed.
"Also Cornelia you should watch to keep Suzaku safe on the field." Schneizell said to her.
"Why are you so concerned for his well being?" she asked.
"It would be a shame if Euphie would have to wear a black vale, before she wears a white one." Schneizell replied as he sipped some champagne.
"Of course not! Euphie is actually planning to propose to him! She confided in me that this way you would accept it, and I am afraid we will have too, I feel if we refuse her this time she is likely to elope of something like that" Schneizell said to a now broken Cornelia.
"You…you mean to say he proposed to her! "Cornelia said shocked.
After the party…..
Lelouch went to Shirley's room to pick up a report he asked her to make a few hours ago.
After she let him in and gave him the report she went to the freshener as he reviewed it.
"When will the enemy army arrive?" she asked.
"From their current speed I say that they should arrive here by tomorrow morning" Lelouch replied as he took his gaze from the report and saw that Shirley had returned from the freshener and was wearing a negligee.
"S-Shirley what are you doing?" Lelouch asked.
"Will many people die tomorrow?" Shirley asked.
"Yes…." Lelouch replied
"D you know how many or who will die?"She said as she stepped closer to him.
"I don't know." Lelouch replied.
"Do you think you will die?" Shirley asked.
"I don't know…" he replied.
"Do you think I will die?" Shirley asked now looking straight into his eyes.
"I don't know…." He said and he saw that she was now trembling, involuntarily he hugged her to comfort her and with this tears and cries of fear came strolling down her cheeks.
"That's what scares me…that you or I or any of our friends might not live t o see tomorrow, so for tonight please….please stay with me…" Shirley said and at this Lelouch lowered his head and gave her a kiss, what followed rest was only natural.
For Shirley although tomorrow would be hell, tonight she would experience heaven with the man she loves.
(The next day Tokyo, Black Knights first line of defense)
Nunnally and Euphie where at the Field hospital and where preparing themselves to help the eventual wounded which would come once the battle would start.
"Nunnally.." Euphie said to her.
"Yes sister?" Nunnally replied.
"After this war is over I intend to get engaged to Suzaku, I can handle Sister Cornelia, but will you help me with Lelouch?" Euphie said to her.
"He of course, us girls have to stick together!" Nunnally said as she clasped Euphie's hand.
Although she approved of their relationship and was not surprised at what she just heard she could tell that Euphie was trying to get her mind away from the upcoming horror which they would soon life through.
*Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang*
An artillery duel between Odysseus's cannons and The Slayers ships guns had started now that the invasion force had reached its destination
The shapes of the ten Iceberg carriers became clear as the morning light flooded the horizon, The Empire's army formed out of Numbers, brittannians and Russian where all aligned around the harbor region now held their breath and cocked their guns waiting for the landing craft to come into range
The army was in the following order assembled:
The Battle hardened veterans of the Black Knights who fought in India where on the left flank, Cornelia's legendary 8th army was on the left flank, the center was formed with Jeremiah's second army on the left side of the center and George and Omar's third army on the left of the center.
(Ikaruga bridge)
"He is clever" Todoh said from his Zangetsu through the communications channel to Ohgi who was on the bridge.
"He has concentrated his forces on the beaches and intends to cut our forces while they land, thankfully we prepared for such a situation" Todoh added and Ohgi gave the order to activated the Snare.
All of a sudden Gefjun generators which had secretly been placed around the Tokyo countryside where activated blocking the Imperial army.
With this Todoh gave the order for the troops to start landing.
(Imperial army's position)
"What the devil is going on?" Cornelia said through the private channel.
"It looks like they have some kind of Gefjun field around the city..tgh…I didn't expect such a move from them." Lelouch said surprised that they had employed such a tactic.
"Regardless we must not falter: All eight generation frame take to the sky and destroy those Gefjun generators!" Lelouch ordered and he, Suzaku, Jeremiah, George, Omar, Cornelia, Darlton, Guilford and the Gladstone knights too k forward to do so.
(Slayers position)
"All Gefjun immune units start towards the advancing air units and protect the Gefjun generators, artillery units continue to hammer the enemy army!" Tosoh ordered to his men and they complied.
(Tokyo tower, Odysseus command post)
"Can't target? What do you mean can't target?" Kuribayashi said to one of their radar operatives.
"I am afraid General that the enemies devices have completely scrambled our radar, our cannons are now blind" the operative replied, the seriousness of the situation was not absent from his tone of voice.
"Young people Today! Come with me Ito !" Odysseus said as he rushed out the door and grabbed with him a pair of Binoculars and a radio.
"Where to commander?" Kuribayashi said to Odysseus.
"To the top of the building, since we can't use field radar you and I must coordinate the artillery with visuals from the tops of the building" Odysseus replied as the both of them ran up to the roof.
(Tokyo harbor)
The current situation was grim for Lelouch and Cornelia, Lelouch had once again expanded his Druid system shield and was keeping the now paralyzed imperial army shielded from enemy artillery,, the enemy landing crafts where just outside the Gefjun field and where also firing into the shield.
"The situation is bad! Todoh, the Shiseiken and Kallen are keeping the others busy, my shield won't last for much long….at the rate this is going it will be checkmate soon for us" Lelouch said to himself, he right about now could have used the knights of rounds as back up, But Schneizell had took the knights and the reinforcements to Kyushu to sue against Xingke, he said that he trusted Lelouch would hold Tokyo.
"Now SOMEONE AKNOLEDGES MY TALENTS!" he said to himself in frustration.
Just then Suzaku's frame flight system was disabled by Kallen and the still functioning, but flightless Lancelot now made a rough landing nears Lelouch's position.
"Suzaku you OK?" Lelouch asked his friend.
"Y-Yeah…LOOK OUT!" Suzaku said as Kallen now fired a radiation surge beam at the Druid system shield, not directly at Lelouch, but it still hit the shield, the Shinkiro's shield now was being heavily depleted and soon would be gone.
"Is this how it ends? Is this all that your are capable Lelouch?" Todoh said to himself a bit flabbergasted that things were going so well.
Just then above the sky George and Omar seeing the danger Kallen was to the shield quickly pulled out one famous maneuvers which surprisingly was from comic books.
George crouched into a ball in mid air and Omar grabbed him and threw him at Kallen.
"I AM WOLVERINE!" George shouted as he impacted Kallen and her Guren S.E.I.T.E.N they both hit the ground forming a crater.
George and his Lancelot jumped out of the carter and he said.
"And that was one fast ball special, courtesy of the X-Men!"
"A tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a" George singed as he started clapping his hands and tap dancing around the carter where Kallen was still inside.
" tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a"
"Is he doing what I think he is doing?" Suzaku said to Lelouch.
"A tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a"
"Yep! He is doing a Mexican sombrero dance around an impact crater!" Lelouch said and he could not help but smile, that scene was 100% George Patton!
"Ole!" George said as he stopped dancing.
*Bang* Kallen took her now heavily damaged but still operable Guren from the crater and punched George's frame so hard he went flying into a building.
*Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom*
As Kallen just sucker punched George a round of artillery volleys was heard and the Gefjun Field started collapsing.
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.
There were many memorable performances on both sides that day at the 'Titanomachy' but the most distinguished was that of Prince Odysseus.
He along with Brigadier Kuribayashi climbed to the top of Tokyo tower and with a simple binocular and radio directed the artillery fire of more than 1.000 cannons upon the Gefjun generators.
This masterful use of artillery combined with the fact that the Generators where at least ten miles away from the city limits and heavy enemy air fire was present makes Odysseus and Kuribayashi's' actions nothing short of extraordinary.
Within a few minutes the generators were destroyed and the Imperial army could now be saved.
(Lelouch position)
"Sister lead the army to retreat to the second defensive line, I will use my shield to act as a rear guard for as long as I can" Lelouch ordered, but just as that was being handled Kallen immediately charged the shield once more.
She raised her claw and prepared to blast it, only for her claw to impact a Vincent which suddenly appeared in front of her and heavily damaged it, in return the radiation arm was also heavily damaged, Rollo also was now holding Kallen into a deadlock grip and refusing to let her go.
"That frame! Rollo!" Lelouch said to him.
"Brother…are you OK?" Rollo said as he coughed up blood.
"W-why would you do something like this? Give your life for me?" Lelouch asked puzzled.
"B-Because you're the only one who ever showed me kindness….brother please retreat for now, I will hold this position" Rollo said as he felt the life draining from his body.
"Weary well, Captain Rollo you will be remembered for this action, let's go Suzaku!" Lelouch said and he along with the rest of his army reiterated to the second defensive line.
A few minutes later as Rollo finally died an Kallen broke free of him she received an order to fall back.
"Why? The enemy is on the run?" Kallen asked confused.
"There are not on the run they have retreated to a second line, also your frame is heavily damaged and we must align our full army before we assault their second line" Todoh ordered and at this Kallen complied.
(Sarmizegetusa Bridge)
"How's our condition?" Lelouch asked the other present.
"Our current strength is the following: From one million men we now have 950.000 still combat able, the Conquesta is to heavily damaged to fly, but can still be used in ground battles" Shirley read the report.
"Also the Shinkiro has been overused and it would take me at least a week to fix it, I am afraid it is out of order" Lloyd said.
"I have a few broke ribs, but I can still command my portion of the troops!" George said to those present.
"Regardless our position is still favorable! The streets of the city negate their numerical superiority of 1.400.000, we are in a favorable position, I suggest we hold our ground!" Cornelia added.
"Agreed! Also Rivals issue the following order to the troops' This is where we shall make our stand and it is our final withdraw, there will be no falling back, there will be no surrender, we will smash them here…..or they will smash us….." Lelouch said to him and the seriousness of the situation was now known to all.
"I say we have about an hour before they start their main offensive, is suggest we go to our respective command locations" Darlton said and they all complied.
(Slayers position)
"He is clever, a strong defensive line, good interior roads and communication routes….he has his strongest troops on the flanks, he obviously intends to let the center give in and envelope us, a classic Caen maneuver" Todoh said to those present.
"What do you suggest we do Todoh-shogun?" Ohgi asked.
"The weakness in such a maneuver is that there is a danger of the center breaking, half of our heavy forces will concentrate on the centre, the other two quarters will demonstrate against the flanks, if he tries to envelope us we will break through his center, is he tries to reinforce his center the demonstrative attacks will l turn to real ones and we will envelope him!" Todoh proclaimed and he issued the finer details of his maneuver, in theory it was sound, he only hoped that they could apply it.
(8th army position)
Guilford and Darlton where both suiting up for battle.
"Care to have a sip before we start?" Darlton said as he offered a flask to Guilford.
"Don't mind if I do!" he said and as soon as he took a sip, he started coughing form its strength.
"Nasty stuff, what is it?" Guilford asked.
"It's called Palinca, it's brandy made from Fermented Plums, the reason it's so potent is that it's homemade, if you want something right you must to it yourself, hands on that's my motto" Darlton replied.
"Well if you ever decided to retire from the army, you will have a future as a distiller, and also me as an investor with stuff like this!" Guilford replied.
"I'll consider that, good luck Guilford, I'll see you after the battle." Darlton said to him.
"Hey don't say that you will jinx yourself and me as well! "Guilford jokingly said.
"Me die here? I'm too ugly to die, death will get scared and won't come near me! Ha ha ha" Darlton jokingly said as both men made their way to their commander Cornelia.
(Lelouch's position)
"A wedge formation to counter my envelopment maneuver….a good call Todoh" Lelouch thought to himself. As he weaved the enemy with his field glasses.
"I guess it's time we finish that chess game…"" Lelouch said out loud.
"What was that commander? "Rivals said to him.
"N-Nothing" he said as he then looked at Shirley, he would settle thing with her after the battle.
(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)
"We took a bad liking earlier, but this was not our first battle, we had been in dire situations before, at Fukuoka, Gettysburg, Bengali Rice Fields and we did not panic.
Where we surprised?
Yes we were.
"Where we with a bloody nose?
Yes we were.
"Where we discouraged?
No sir, we were not!
We knew that it did not matter who was winning the battle at the beginning or during the middle, but who would win the battle as it was already at its end.
And so upon the Prince's orders we maneuvered to the second line with the calmness, order and silence as if we were on the parade ground.
Everyone knew that with the Prince Lelouch and Princess Cornelia we were in good hands, and so we did not falter and we braced ourselves for the attack.
An eerie silence surrounded the field as the enemy deployed.
Quiet was what a soldier feared the most.
It's quiet before a battle begins…
It's quiet right before the unlucky bastard who is fated to die first bites it…
And after the battle is over and the corpse s are on the field it's quiet then as well.
Sergeant Major First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights.
Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan
Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang**Bang* *Bang*
The sound of Artillery fire once more filled the air
"And with that the game begins." Lelouch said to himself as the attack began.
The Battle know as the Titanomachy was now underway.
(Elsewhere, the Pacific Ocean F.L.E.J.A convoy)
"His majesty is on his way to wherever he wishes to.
How long until we reach Tokyo?" the commander of the convoy said to his bridge officer.
"Ten hours at best general, also reports say the battle has begun" the officer replied.
"Very well then, keep me inform….also battles are messy aren't they, you don't really know who dies among all that smoke an d powder until after it's over…sad isn't it?" the general said to him.
"Yes you are 100% right General Carrere's" the officer replied and left the bridge.
Read and review, let me know if I should continue