Hi everyone, thanks again for your patience. Yeah, you read the title right. This chapter is going to reveal the origins of Geass, at least in my series. Never once in the original canon series were the origins of Geass ever discovered or discussed, which rather disappointing. On the plus side, this gives me a chance to get a little creative and do something that's a bit more original, however I will note that some of these ideas I also got from a discontinued Code Geass fanfic called "Lelouch of the Rebellion R-eset", so if any of you have read it before, you'll note the similarities. The author "SkyRig" also deserves the credit. Hopefully this chapter will answer quite a lot of your questions. With that being said, let's get started.
The Origins of Geass
Grimlock stood alone looking at the endless blue sea, standing near the edge of the artificial island that was Horai Island. The second he came to the base, Ratchet performed a scan on him to see the extent of Shockwave's own experimentations, but a scan was as far as he would allow it to go, maybe just an Energon sample at the most, but that was it. He would never go into another laboratory unless absolutely necessary. He also took the time to learn about these Black Knights the Autobots aligned themselves with, and the history of this planet. So far, he was far from impressed.
The human race, as far as he knew, were literally soft and squishy, easily crushed under foot. The Knightmares they use to fight, nothing more than cheap toys that even he could rip apart if he wanted to. Though there are a few that he would consider somewhat impressive, but most of them not present on the island as they and their pilots are with the human leader Zero on another mission. He knew Optimus had a soft spot for weaklings, not that Grimlock despised weak creatures, but he felt their place was not on the battlefield. And it wasn't just humanity's physical weakness, it was its seeming incapability of overlooking even the tiniest differences and their persecution of them. If he had been around when this Britannia was still in power, he would have marched straight onto their capital and utterly demolished it for their zealous and self-righteous attitudes as well as their war crimes which weren't too different from the Decepticons. He'll let Optimus and this Zero sort out the politics, that was never his strong suit. His priority would be to demolish every Decepticon in his path, as well as locate his team.
"Oh my." He turned around to see a trio of humans approaching him. "So you're the one they call Grimlock." Lloyd observed with an intrigued smile.
"What do you want?" Grimlock questioned.
"Pardon us for interrupting whatever you were doing, Grimlock." Cecile smiled apologetically. "We were just…"
"All the Cybertronians we've seen so far have the ability to transform into vehicles or other forms of machinery, yet you can transform into an Earth dinosaur." Rakshata said. "Why is that?" She asked with her own intrigued expression.
Grimlock looked rather annoyed but choose to give an answer anyway. "Apparently Shockwave somehow discovered the species that roamed on this planet before you humans and modeled my transformation after it."
"I've heard you lead your own team." Lloyd said. "Are they all Dinobots like you?"
"Yes." Grimlock confirmed.
"Can we see this marvelous transformation of yours?" Lloyd asked.
"No."
"Why not? I'm rather curious myself." Rakshata queried.
"Because I can't." Grimlock revealed, best to get this out of the way and hopefully get some peace and quiet. "Apparently I can only transform when I'm angered enough. Don't know why, that's just how it works for me now, thanks to Shockwave."
"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that." Cecile said, she could tell from his tone of voice that it was a painful ordeal to say the least.
"Maybe I could take a peek inside." Lloyd offered. "See if we can do anything about…"
Grimlock leaned in close to the trio of scientists, particularly Lloyd. One look into his glowing red optics was enough for him to gulp as the large Dinobot spoke in a strict and warning tone.
"The last one who 'took a peek inside me' had his arm ripped off. So, unless you want to get crushed into a squishy red pulp, take your curiosity elsewhere. Got it?"
"Y… Yes sir!" Lloyd backed away, with even Rakshata looking nervous while Cecile was almost terrified. The three of them quickly turned around and left the area, leaving Grimlock alone with his thoughts again.
The Ark – Bridge
"A political marriage?" Optimus questioned as he, Ironhide, and Ratchet stood alongside Cornelia, Fixit, Tohdoh, Ohgi, Guilford, Nonette, and Tamaki, having received the report from Wizard as well as Diethard.
"Yes, it was recently announced that a political marriage were to take place between the former Britannian prince Schneizel, and the Chinese Federation Empress Tianzi." Diethard revealed.
"Damn, your brother was backstabber, now he's a pedophile?!" Tamaki questioned to Cornelia. "The girl's like what, ten years old?!"
"She's actually thirteen, and no. Schneizel is scum but he's not a pedophile." The former Britannian princess commented.
"Human depravity aside, this is a significant development for our enemies." Ratchet said. "And should it succeed…"
"It'll be a major problem for us." Ohgi finished. "The Decepticons could gain total control over the Chinese Federation like that!" He snapped his fingers for emphasis.
"That definitely sounds like something Schneizel would do." Nonette said. "They'd gain an entire superpower's army, and at least a million human slaves without spilling a single drop of blood!"
"Xingke told us the High Eunuchs were greedy and immoral; but selling a child to the Cons just to save their own sorry hides?! It's no wonder Starscream could hold a decent conversation with them, they're just like him!" Ironhide stated.
"Then let's just go in and bust the kid out of there?" Tamaki suggested. "We got a couple agents on the inside, don't we?"
"We can't contact any of them because of the Prime Dragon protocol in place." Wizard reminded Tamaki. "And the wedding isn't right away, it's in a few days."
"I agree, we can't afford to go in guns blazing." Tohdoh said. "We run the risk of endangering the Empress as well as our own if we do that."
"And if young Tianzi were to perish, the Decepticons and the High Eunuchs could easily persuade the Chinese populace into thinking that we were the ones responsible…" Optimus said.
"They'd make her a martyr, and still gain the entire Chinese Federation on their side." Guilford noted with unease and disgust in his voice. Using a child like that was dishonorable and cowardly.
"Why can't just use a Groundbridge to bail them out?" Tamaki asked.
"We can't." Fixit answered as T-AI appeared to bring up a hologram of the Vermillion Forbidden City. "There is some sort of barrier around palace that emits a frequency that makes Groundbridges impossible."
"This barrier seems to be projected from a device within the palace." T-AI added. "The interference prevents us from locating it, but if it is connected to an ample power source, there is a possibility the barrier could be expanded well beyond the palace."
"So even if we were to sneak in, we don't know the limits of this anti-Groundbridge technology, which would make our extraction quite impossible." Tohdoh said.
Ohgi groaned. "The Groundbridge has pretty much been our go-to since this whole thing started. It's gotten all of us out a number of jams in the past."
"Given Shockwave's position in the Decepticon ranks, I suppose it was only a matter of time before he found a counter for arguably our greatest strategic advantage." Ratchet said.
"So, what do we do?" Ironhide questioned. "We can't let that kid get sold to the Cons, and we definitely can't let them get their hands on the Chinese Federation."
"We need to find a way to establish contact with Xingke and the others." Optimus said. "I believe I may have a plan, but we will need the assistance of virtually everyone present."
"What do you have in mind, Optimus?" Cornelia asked.
Europia
Meanwhile, in the forests outside Castle Weisswolf, the combined forces of the Holy Order of Michael and the Decepticons attempted to regroup together, having just lost more than two-thirds of their forces in the Autobots and Black Knights' surprise attack.
Thunderhoof and Fracture both arrived in their vehicle modes alongside Sky-Byte in his shark-mode where the three Swordmasters arrived in their Knightmares before the three Cons transformed to talk with the three soldiers as they exited their Knightmares.
"How bad is it?" Sky-Byte got to the point.
"All and all, we lost almost seventy percent of our army." Swordmaster Brondello reported. "And you?"
"About the same as you, meatbags." Thunderhoof replied. "Underbite's busy helping himself to all the broken metal in that mess, so at least someone's happy."
Suddenly, Jean's Gracchus rolled up alongside the vehicle mode of Quillfire. "What are you doing!? Grandmaster Shang never gave the order for a retreat!"
"Take that attitude elsewhere, kid." Fracture put extra emphasis on the insult, much to Jean's irritation. "You want us to go charging in when we're a mess?!"
Quillfire transformed. "We cannot retreat when so many of our own have fallen! The revolution demands justice!"
"Well, there won't be a 'revolution' if we're all dead!" Thunderhoof exclaimed.
"Who cares about any of that?!" They all heard Airachnid's voice as her helicopter mode arrived before transforming and landing in front of all of them. "Again and again, the Autobots' pets continue to humiliate us! Humiliate me! I will not stand for this anymore! I'll go up there and butcher Arcee, her precious pet Kallen, that bothersome Suzaku, and everyone else even if I have to pave the way with all your corpses!"
"We will not sacrifice any more of our men in an honorless battle just to absolve whatever vendetta you have!" Swordmaster Scholtz argued.
"Not that a butcher like yourself would understand anything about honor!" Swordmaster Dore added.
"That's quite enough." Steeljaw spoke through all their comns. "Fracture, Thunderhoof, and you the three Swordmasters are correct. We need to regroup and come up with a decent plan."
"You would be wise to agree Jean, Quillfire, Airachnid." Shin also spoke through the comns. "If you really desire victory or revenge, then we must devise the strategy upon which we can best achieve it."
This seemed to calm Jean down, albeit with reluctance. "Understood sir." All the other Decepticons and Euro-Britannian pilots calmed down a bit too, realizing this subject wasn't up for debate. But that didn't stop Airachnid from glaring viciously in the direction of Castle Weisswolf.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Shin stood on the shoulder of his Vercingetorix with Steeljaw standing beside him. "Well?" The Decepticon asked his human ally.
Shin tried to focus his Geass but found a strong resisting force being pushed back against him. "Nothing. My Geass is still there, but it's as if a steel wall has been built up around it." He said with a scowl as he thought about the immortal girl who put it up. "That woman…"
"They think removing your power is enough to cripple us." Steeljaw commented. "Zero and his friends left us alive…" He growled. "I'll make certain that is the last mistake they ever make!"
"Agreed. Akito… Zero… Breisgau… all their friends and allies, Autobot and human… we'll bury them in their precious castle, and leave none alive!" Shin stated, making no attempt to hide his own bloodlust.
Castle Weisswolf
Leila stood on the upper level of her castle's main hall with Lelouch, Akito, Claus, Cera, Orpheus, and Marrybell around her, while Ultra Magnus and Elita One stood on the ground floor on equal level with them.
"Thanks to our surprise attack, we were able to neutralize two thirds of the enemy forces." Ultra Magnus reported. "But the odds aren't quite even yet, they still out number us."
"We can't evacuate the castle or call in for back up either, that interference around the area prevents us from using a Groundbridge." Elita added.
"Sounds like we have no choice but to dig ourselves in." Cera commented before looking toward Lelouch. "All things considered Lelouch, we really shouldn't have spared Shang and Steeljaw back there."
"Perhaps your right." Lelouch said with acceptance. "Guess I let my arrogance get the better of me again."
"Nothing we can do about it now, though." Akito put in. "Thinking too much about the past isn't going to get us anywhere."
"Right." Leila nodded. "We'll need to bring everyone in on this, all pilots and Autobots, major Hammel's security team, even the drones."
"We'll have ten drones at the most." Claus said. "The bulk of the parts were used for the Alexanders of Hammel's team."
"Please, let me help." Marrybell stepped up. "As you said, you'll need all the assistance you can get if you want to win this."
"Can we be sure you're on our side?" Orpheus asked somewhat skeptically. "Even if that Geass command was erased from your mind, you were still a Britannian princess and one of their top tier anti-resistance fighters."
"And during all that time, I was pawn." Marrybell replied with a scowl, not toward Orpheus but more to herself. "I was a pawn for my father and his conspiracies, and then I was one for Steeljaw and Shang." She turned towards her half-brother. "Lelouch, please. I… I know I probably have a lot to make up for, so let me start now by helping you and all your friends."
Lelouch merely smiled. "I'm sure we can find an Alexander for you to use." He said, causing Marrybell to smile. "It won't be the same as your Knightmare but it's better than nothing."
"Thank you, little brother."
"Why do you keep calling me that?" Lelouch questioned. "You know I'm older than you."
"I know, but you've always been a kid at heart, and you haven't changed, what with you playing superhero and all, Zero." She teased, patting his head, resulting in Leila and even Cera smirking, while Elita looked on with a genuine smile.
"Well then Marrybell, welcome to the fold." Elita nodded.
"And where is your previous Knightmare?" Ultra Magnus asked. "You used a different one on the ship before."
"The Lancelot Trial is with my Glinda Knights." Marrybell replied. "So, I'm sure it'll be safe with everyone else."
"Well then, I believe it's time we come up with some kind of strategy." Orpheus began. However, before they could begin talking, Lelouch felt a little tired as he rubbed his eyes a bit. "Hey, are you alright?"
"Yeah… just a little tired." Lelouch replied as he rubbed his temples. "Let's come up with a plan."
However, what was most odd was that Lelouch wasn't the only one feeling tired. For some reason, Leila, Marrybell, Orpheus, and even Cera were starting to feel drowsy. Their eyelids felt somewhat heavy as their inner energy began to sink for some reason. For a brief instance, a Geass sigil briefly appeared in the eyes of Lelouch, Leila, Orpheus, and Marrybell, even Cera's own Geass emblem flashed briefly as well.
Meanwhile, in the laboratory, Jetfire and the WZERO scientists continued to work on modifying the Knightmares, seeing to it they were battle ready as soon as possible.
"It's a good thing we got that Knightmare data from that former Princess, right Hilda?" Chloe asked her comrade as she uploaded the data into the computer they were working on.
"Yeah, it'll give us plenty of insight on how to Britannian Knightmares work." Hilda replied. "Not to mention the improvements to our own technology."
"If you think what we have going right now is impressive, wait till we start working more with Cybertronian technology." Chole said. "Once this is over, I'm sure Leila would want us working more closely with the Autobots and the Black Knights."
"True." Hilda nodded. "Look at all we've accomplished by having just a small group with us."
Both of them looked behind to a couch to see both Nina and Anna asleep, the latter's head leaned against the former, and both having a blanket around them.
"It's nice to see Anna have a peer." Chloe commented. "That Nina girl is a genius."
"Well, that's to be expected when you work so closely with alien robots for an extended period. But yes, it is nice that Anna has another friend like her." Hilda said with a smile.
At the same time, in another part of the laboratory, Sophie and Joe both stared at a screen that oversaw the entire castle as Jetfire walked up to join them.
"We're completely surrounded." The Aerialbot informed. "They'll shoot down anything that tries to leave, and we can't Groundbridge out either."
Sophie groaned in annoyance. "It would help if we could learn how they're doing it. Based on this data, some sort of interference is being transmitted from another location."
"You mean a satellite?" Joe asked.
"Probably, but we can't even track it." Sophie commented. "Whoever designed that is a technological genius, I won't deny them that."
"Must have been Shockwave, and he was probably the smartest Con on Cybertron. If there's anyone scarier than Megatron, it's him." Jetfire said. "But we'll find a way out of this, I'm sure of it."
Sophie gave a hallow smirk. "I wish I had your confidence."
Meanwhile; in the courtyard within the castle grounds, the Iron Will provided ample cover as well as a heat source for the Autobots, young Black Knights, and WZERO soldiers who seemed to be enjoying each other's company for the moment.
"Alright, ready… set… go!" Ryo snapped his fingers as Bulkhead and Grindcore, both lying flat on the ground, began their arm-wrestling match.
"Aw come on Grindcore, you can do better than that!" Yukiya told him.
"You got this Bulk!" Rai cheered.
"Don't get cocky!" Bulkhead told his fellow Wrecker as he pressed forward.
"I was gonna say the same to you pal!" Grindcore pressed back.
"Boys." Ayano gave a small sigh as she sat down in a circle around a campfire with Kallen, Arcee, Shirley, Milly, and Strongarm.
"Not boys, Wreckers." Arcee snarked. "Just be glad they're not lobing."
"It's actually kinda fun." Kallen commented. "You wanna go a round with me, Ayano?" She offered her arm for arm-wrestling as well.
"Nah, not my style." Ayano shook her head.
"Ya know Strongarm, I've been meaning to ask, why are you a police vehicle?" Milly asked the rookie Autobot. "It's not like there's a police force going around since the Autobots and Black Knights are technically military."
"Well, I like the colors actually." Strongarm replied. "And it was my hope that after the war ended, I would be law enforcement."
"Wow, that sounds like it could be really cool." Shirley smiled. "I'd think you'd make a great police officer." This resulted in a smile from Strongarm as she gave the girl a nod in thanks.
"Hey, didn't you used to be a police officer, Prowl?" Monica asked as she sat down close to the aforementioned Autobot.
"Once, before the war, during the Golden Age." He explained as Gino, Rivalz, Sideswipe, and Smokescreen joined in. "I was also a Spacebridge operator along a friend of mine named BlueStreak. We used the Spacebridges to colonize multiple planets… that is until the Rust Plague set in."
"Rust Plague?" Gino asked.
"Arguably what brought the Golden Age to an end." Sideswipe answered. "A disease that instantly rusted and destroyed nearly all types of metal, including Cybertronian metal. It was a nightmare."
"Yikes. I heard those Scraplet things were a problem for you, but I didn't think you guys could get sick." Rivalz commented.
"You thought the Rust Plague was back? The Cybonic Plague. Or worse, Tox-En." Sideswipe added.
"I heard about it too." Smokescreen added. "When it couldn't be contained, Sentinel Prime ordered all Spacebridges to self-destruct so it wouldn't spread to Cybertron."
"That's how I lost my friend." Prowl said, looking down in grief. "BlueStreak choose to stay behind as the planet he was on, Archon, had already been hit by the plague. I had to destroy it on my end… and… well, I'm certain you can figure out that was the last I heard from him."
Both Gino and Monica looked in sympathy towards the Autobot as they both understood what that was like, to lose someone close to you. For Gino, he thought of Rin, the girl he fell in love with before joining the military. For Monica, she was reminded of her father.
"I'm… I'm really sorry man." Gino told him as Monica put a hand on Prowl's to provide some comfort herself.
"I know the feeling too." Sideswipe added. "I lost my brother Sunstreaker during the war."
"Several of the cadets I trained with didn't make it either." Smokescreen also said. "But… that's no reason for us to stop, right? If anything, it's all the more reason to keep going, to make sure none of them died in vain, right?"
Sideswipe, Gino, Monica, and even Prowl looked toward him with confident smirks of their own. "Right." They all said in agreement.
Meanwhile, Alice appeared to sit all by herself, looking toward all the heroes in contemplation, as if she was trying to analyze something that wasn't there, something that only she could see. Or rather, what she tried to see but couldn't.
"Alice, what are you doing all by yourself?" Nunnally asked as she sat down next to her and was later joined by Suzaku and Bumblebee, even Misty.
"They… they all seem so calm… even happy." Alice said. "I just… don't understand why. They're acting just like that time we spent with those women… but… it's different! The enemy is literally right at our doorstep! Any moment now, we could be in for the fight of our lives! So why… why are they so… so…"
"Upbeat? Carefree? Happy?" Suzaku answered for her.
"Exactly! I… I don't understand…." Alice said.
"It's okay, you don't have to understand but maybe we can help explain it to you." Nunnally spoke first before Bumblebee chimed in.
"[Everyone here knows what we're getting into, and what's in store for us. But they're confident they can win.]" The scout said.
"But how…? How do they know that?" Alice questioned. "It's war! Anything can happen in war!"
"And you're absolutely right, Alice." Suzaku spoke. "Much like you, I used to work for the Decepticons as well as Britannia. I didn't quite understand these people before, how they could act like this when there was a war going on. I mostly thought that though because I thought I was on the right side, but I wasn't. After taking the time though to get to know them, I understand. These people, human or Autobot, they have something the Decepticons don't. Something they and Britannia have tried to take away for a very long time."
"What? What do they have?" Alice asked.
Nunnally took her hand and gave her answer. "Hope. They have hope."
"Hope?" Alice didn't quite understand.
"Yes. Hope for victory, hope for a brighter tomorrow, hope that when this madness ends, we can all live together in peace and happiness." Nunnally said with a smile. "I wish that more than anything too, and I know we can get it if we all work together. And you're a part of that now Alice."
"[No matter what may have happened to you in the past, you're part of something greater now.]" Bumblebee added.
"Something bigger than just yourself." Suzaku also added.
Alice still didn't quite understand, but at the same time, she couldn't help but smile as she did feel like she was part of something. During her time in the Geass Order, be it under Britannia or the Decepticons, all she knew was pain through their experimentations. The only source of comfort she had was that she was not alone. Sancia, Dalque, and Lucretia; they were in the same boat and could find comfort in each other throughout the pain. But now, she felt like she was part of something bigger and far warmer than before and it made her happy. More than anything, she also wished the others could be here with her to experience this warmth.
'Sancia, Dalque, Lucretia… I promise, I will save you. All of you.'
Misty, who had said nothing, placed a hand on Nunnally's shoulder. "You really know how to inspire people, don't you?"
Nunnally blushed at her friends' praise. "Well, I had some good role models." She said, thinking of her brother and Optimus Prime.
Grindcore's hand was brought down by Bulkhead, much to the cheers of Rai and Ryo and the comic disappointment of Grindcore and Yukiya.
"And the winner is Bulkhead!" Ryo cheered.
Rai would have cheered alongside them, but for some reason, his eyelids began to feel heavy. He found himself wondering toward the circle where most of the girls were and ended up sitting down next to Shirley.
"Hey Rai, are you okay?"
"Yeah… yeah just… tired…" Rai stuttered before he leaned his head onto Shirley's shoulder, neither aware of the brief flash of Geass in Rai's eyes before his eyes closed.
Shirley blushed for a moment, which only grew once she saw the smirks from pretty much everyone present, Autobot and human, all staring at her with knowing expressions.
"Oh, don't even start with me guys." Shirley told them, but that didn't stop her from looking toward Rai with a smile as he already fell asleep.
Rai gave a gasp as he awoke, only to find he was no longer at Castle Weisswolf. Instead, he appeared to be standing on water, perfect and still, so much so that it perfectly reflected the stary sky above. He didn't even notice the Geass sigil actively glowing in both his eyes.
"What… What the hell…? Where am I?"
"Rai? Is that you?" He turned around in shock to see none other than Lelouch with an equally surprised expression, his own Geass sigil glowing in his eyes.
"Lelouch?" Marrybell also appeared alongside Leila, Orpheus, and even Cera, her own Geass sigil shining.
"What… what is all this?" Orpheus questioned, his Geass sigil glowing with everyone else's.
"What is happening?" Leila questioned, her Geass sigil shining blue in her left eye. "Cera?"
"I… I don't know…" The immortal girl was just as shocked as the rest of them, the Geass emblem on her forehead shining brightly.
"Lelouch…? Cera…? All of you."
None were prepared for the sudden appearance of Optimus Prime before them, the white Prime Geass sigil in his optics glowing as well. Leila was more than a little shocked and awed, though she met Optimus before over their communications, this felt as if she was meeting him in-person, which was a whole different experience all together. Marrybell, however, was more awed than the rest of them. Optimus Prime, the same being that stood alongside Zero and challenged Britannia, defeating it's most powerful champions to bring freedom to the Earth; to say she was awestruck at finally being in presence was an understatement.
"Optimus!" Lelouch exclaimed. "You're here too?! What is this place?!"
"There is no need to fret." A new and distorted voice spoke, all six of them gazing toward the source as it slowly descended to touch the 'water' they all stood on as the starry sky of night began to shift around the to that of daytime. This entity appeared to be that of a young woman, with facial features similar to Cera. She had black hair with light purple tips at the end, and dark violet eyes. She wore all black, save for red trims at her top, on the ends of her sleeves, and at the bottom of her shirt, even at her thighs and at the ends of her feet; all were in the shape of a Geass emblem. She even had one around her neck.
"You are all safe. For the moment, your minds are disconnected from your bodies. Once we're done here, you will return the very same moment you feel asleep, as if no time had passed at all."
"Who are you? Why have you brought us here?" Optimus questioned.
"I am no one, outside the perspective of those who observe me. I don't exist, at least physically compared to all of you. Just think of me... or rather… perhaps you should think of us as a collective consciousness if that makes sense to you." She turned directly to Optimus Prime. "Till all are one, that is what you often say, well that applies to me or us in a literal sense. You could say I am the collective consciousness of humanity. An entity that affects the evolution of the human race. A caretaker of space-time if you will"
"You're connected to Geass, aren't you?" Orpheus assumed. "The only ones here are those who bear a Geass or a Code."
"That is correct." The Caretaker confirmed. "Geass, as you probably know, stems directly into the minds and souls of those who use it. The soul of the individual, as well as their desires, help shape the power of the Geass while the power itself connects directly to one's mind."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "If you're connected to Geass, does that mean you're a part of Unicron?"
The Caretaker shrugged. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. I honestly don't know."
"What do you want with us?" Marrybell questioned. "You brought us here for a reason, what is it?"
"It wasn't our intent alone." The Caretaker replied. "It was because he wanted to speak with you, but required my aid to do so."
"Who?" Leila asked.
"Me."
Suddenly, the environment around them completely changed. All of them were more than a little shocked to find themselves floating in an endless void that stretched on in all directions. Rai and Marrybell appeared the most panicked of the group, while Lelouch, Leila, and Cera were simply shocked, Optimus felt himself drawn to a familiar presence that resonated with his Spark and the Matrix as well.
He turned around to the source of a brilliant light, which drew the attention of the others as the light faded to reveal a Cybertronian, one clad in golden armor with brilliant blue eyes, and a dark red cape that seemed to have shining stars inside it, almost as if there was an active universe inside.
"A Cybertronian…?" Lelouch looked in surprise.
"Is he an Autobot or a Decepticon?" Marrybell questioned and seemed more than prepared for a fight.
"He is neither." Optimus recognized him. "He is Vector Prime."
That got everyone's attention. "One of the original Thirteen…?" Cera gasped before taking a look at him herself. She recognized the exact same figure she saw within the Matrix.
"Indeed. I am Vector Prime, the second Prime created following Prima, I am the Prime of Time."
Rai actually chuckled slightly. "Prime of Time… caretaker of space-time… Yeah it would make sense why you guys would know each other." He said, glancing at the Caretaker herself as she floated in the void with them.
"If you are one of the original Primes… is this… the Matrix of Leadership?" Leila asked, looking at the void around them, remembering Cera telling her about when she formed a contract with Optimus and what happened in that experience.
"No, this is not the Matrix." Cera said.
"That is also correct." Vector Prime confirmed. "This place is called the Dead Universe."
"Dead Universe?" Orpheus questioned.
"A place of infinite nothingness, where neither time nor space exists." Vector Prime explained. "Thanks to my own power, as well as that of the Caretaker, we were able to connect to your minds and bring you here. Once were finished her, your minds will return to your bodies, no harm done to any of you."
"But… how are you here? In this… Dead Universe?" Rai asked. "I thought all the original Primes were dead."
"Most of us have indeed died, but not all." Vector Prime replied. "Optimus here is the reincarnation of the thirteenth…" That reveal took most of them by surprise, save for Cera and Optimus himself. "Aside from him, only two of the originals still live, myself included." He then gazed directly at Cera. "All those Primes you saw in the Matrix, including the one that was identical to myself, you could say are our spiritual clones, created from the portions of our Sparks that dwell within the Matrix of Leadership. But because I still live, I am connected to the Matrix as well and am aware of what had transpired when you formed a contract with them and Optimus."
Cera nodded in understanding, even Lelouch seemed to get it.
"And who is this other Prime that still exists?" Marrybell asked.
"He is… not worth mentioning, but that is not why you were called here." Vector Prime said.
"Indeed." The Caretaker spoke. "Vector Prime decided that it was time for all of you to know… about the origins of Geass."
Before anyone could respond again, the scene shifted. This time, they no longer appeared in the Dead Universe, but on Earth, in the middle of an ancient city, one that seemed to mix cultures of Ancient Greece, and Egypt. They all saw humans wondering the streets of the ancient city, each one wearing white robes with various jewelry all over their bodies. But really got the group's attention, was the familiar emblem on each of their foreheads.
"I remember seeing this…" Lelouch noted, looking toward Cera. "When you formed your contract with me, I saw glimpses of an ancient civilization."
"So did I." Rai noted. "Where or when are we? What is going on?"
"This is Earth in ancient times." The Caretaker answered for all of them. "The name of the civilization was lost to the sands of history, predating any recorded history humans have of their civilization on this planet."
"Thanks to my power, we are able to see everything that has transpired here. But we are as ghosts, unable to interfere." Vector Prime explained. "The subject may be too difficult for the human mind to grasp."
"Not if you haven't seen a Christmas carol." Marrybell noted.
"These humans…" Optimus noted how they all interacted. They came and went, appearing to act rather casually. And yet, there was some sort of harmonization to their movements, almost like they were in perfect sync with one another.
"I see you have noticed it, these humans are not quite like the ones you've encountered in the past." The Caretaker explained. "In this moment of history, humans existed together through the collective consciousness, almost as if they were a singular entity."
"Like a hive mind?" Orpheus asked. "Like those Insecticons?"
"Not quite." Vector Prime replied. "It's difficult to put in a term you can understand, but humanity once existed in perfect harmony with each other, and I don't just speak of harmony as peace. They moved almost similar to machines, the individual human was aware of his existence and experienced emotions as the rest of you do, but they were also aware of those around them too. Almost a form of telepathy even, there were no secrets, no conflict, it was almost perfect."
"I'm assuming it didn't last forever though." Cera said.
"You assumed correctly." The Caretaker confirmed. "In this time of harmony, there was an anomaly of sorts. An unexpected variable."
"And what would that be?" Lelouch asked. His response came in the form of the scene shifting again to the top of what appeared to be an ancient pyramid where a single man sat on a large, stone, throne.
This man had dark skin and long black hair that stretched all the way down his back, along with a beard. He had amber eyes that glowed like fire, with a strong will and a sense of compassion in them. He wore a long white robe and had some kind of head piece that seemed similar to a mix between a roman crown and a crown of thorns. But there was unmistakably the glowing Geass emblem on his forehead. Cera gave a gasp as she recognized this power.
"He has a Code!"
"He does." Vector Prime confirmed. "This is the anomaly. A human born with his own free will, separated from the collective consciousness. He was completely independent."
"We're not certain exactly how this came to be, but perhaps as a result of this anomaly, something manifested inside him as a form of what you call a Code." The Caretaker revealed. "The power of immortality, as it was first thought. This man became the leader of this civilization and would lead it into prosperity for thousands of years."
"His name was Saturnus." Vector Prime continued. "He was a strong yet caring individual, who only cared about the betterment of his civilization. Despite all the other humans being connected through the collective consciousness, he eagerly urged them to voice their own thoughts and wills, encouraging independence… well as independent as one could get anyway."
Despite that attempt at humor, this was quite a startling revelation for each of them, though it did answer a few questions. The Code, the same power that gave Cera and Victor immortality and the ability to grant Geass to others was an anomaly of this collective consciousness that humanity once shared.
"Saturnus…" Leila noted. "The name… it sounds similar to Saturn, the Roman god of sowing and seeds, as well as time."
"Also known as Chronos, the king of the Titans in Greek mythology." Lelouch added. "Ironic, certain myths depict Chronos as a ruthless tyrant until he was overthrown by his son, Zeus; while here in reality, he, or at least his inspiration, was a benevolent ruler."
"Myths are stories." Optimus said. "And much like stories of fiction, they can be fabricated and changed, depending on the individual who writes it."
Most of the young humans all shared knowing expressions, understanding how Britannia has easily fabricated much of the history most of them were taught, trying to make it seem like their conquests were righteous. History is written by the victors, afterall.
"Getting back on track, if this Saturnus was such a good guy, why did this society collapse?" Rai asked.
Vector Prime and the Caretaker shared a serious look with one another before the scene shifted once again to another point in time. Now Saturnus was no longer alone, two people stood by his side. On his right was a young woman who looked almost exactly like the Caretaker, only her skin was much more colorful, and she seemed to have a cheerful smile on her face. On Saturnus' left, was a man with darker skin like Saturnus, wild hair, a diagonal scar was present on his face, and his eyes were blood red that seemed to radiate hatred. However, unlike Saturnus, neither of them had a Geass emblem on their forehead; but their eyes still had the titular sigils.
"These two are the children of Saturnus." The Caretaker said. "The daughter was named Yehowah, and the son Beleth. Unlike the rest of you, who were granted Geass later in life, each of them was born with their power; likely a result of being fathered by one with a Code. And like their father, they too acted independently, separated from the collective consciousness."
"So… this is how Geass came to be." Optimus noted.
"I recognize those names." Marrybell said. "Yehowah is one of the names of the Biblical God."
"While Beleth is a name given to a demon who serves as one of the many kings of Hell." Orpheus added.
"What sort of powers did they have?" Rai asked.
"As each of you know by now, Geass is reflected by the user's most inner desires when it manifests itself." Vector Prime explained as the scene shifted to Yehowah being surrounded by various men and women. Her Geass glowed brightly as each of them had a pair of red rings in their eyes and smiled even more brightly while in their presence.
"Yehowah's power removed all forms of negativity from those around her. Be it physical or emotional pain, or even negative thoughts and feelings. Her power brought joy and relief." He continued explain before the scene shifted again, this time revealing Beleth, smiling malevolently, standing in the middle of night in a puddle of blood, people around him were killing each other with their bare hands or whatever objects they had around them. Nearly every one of them looked in shock, Leila covering her mouth in horror while Rai, Marrybell, and even Lelouch looked with wide eyes. Cera and Optimus appeared the least surprised, but this was still difficult for either of them to watch. "Beleth's ability however was the opposite. He instilled negativity, driving his victims to madness."
"But why though?" Leila asked. "Why is it that the daughter was noble and good, seeking to help others, while the son was… so… cruel? So monstrous?"
"That's just how things are." Vector Prime answered. "For every force in the universe, there is an equal and opposite. Light and dark, order and chaos, good and evil; that also applies to individuals. While it is true that our lives can be shaped and changed as we go on, there are those who are born with a sense of good in them, but by extension, this means there are also those who are born with a great darkness."
"Simply put, there are people who are just cruel or shitty." Orpheus said with a slight scowl. "Or just born bad."
"Upon realizing that he would outlive his own children, Saturnus sought to pass on his Code to a successor." The Caretaker continued. "He would want someone to help humanity continue to prosper and live in harmony until they could find someone else to be worthy as well."
"I'm assuming his first thought was to pass it on to Yehowah." Lelouch deduced.
"And it's also easy to assume that Beleth did not take that well." Cera added.
"Both are correct." Vector Prime replied.
The scene shifted once more, this time at the top of the pyramid late at night, the full moon shining over them as Saturnus placed his hand on Yehowah's forehead, a bright light shinned in between them with the Geass emblem on Saturnus' own forehead glowing before it faded away completely as the light died down. When Saturnus removed his hand, the emblem that was the Code of Geass was now on Yehowah's forehead as she smiled lovingly toward her father, who smiled back.
"The very instant Saturnus passed the Code on to his daughter; he was killed by his own son."
No sooner than the Caretaker said that a stone knife shot out of Saturnus' chest; much to the horror of Yehowah, as well as the shock of Optimus, Lelouch, Rai, Leila, Marrybell, even Cera. Saturnus' lifeless body fell to the ground in a puddle of his own blood, revealing Beleth with the knife in his hand before he moved to slash his sister's throat, causing her to fall back as another blood puddle formed under her. He tried to press his hand on her forehead and take the Code, but he was unable to.
"However, he found himself unable to steal his sister's newly acquired Code." The Caretaker continued. "The power made her immortal, but it would seem that the power can only be passed along if the user intends to do so. However, Beleth was unable to give up."
Once again, the scene changed to reveal something that not even Optimus could have expected. At the bottom of a stone trench, was a large pool of a dark and glowing purple liquid substance, with crystals all around the sides. These crystals seemed to radiate evil itself. Just looking at this made Lelouch, Marrybell, Leila, Rai, and even Cera shudder in fear, never having seen this substance before, but Optimus recognized it right away.
"Dark Energon."
"Indeed, the Blood of Unicron, himself." Vector Prime said in a grave tone.
"Why is that on Earth?" Lelouch questioned.
"We're… not certain, actually." Vector Prime revealed, much to everyone's shock.
"Wait… you don't know?!" Marrybell questioned.
"I thought you were supposed to be the god of time or something!" Rai exclaimed. "Can't you just 'rewind' or go back even further to find out?!"
"Before I answer that, you need to see what happens here." Vector Prime said as they all saw Beleth walking toward the pool of Dark Energon.
He also carried Yehowah over his shoulder, the immortal girl was bound with rope while a cloth was tied over her mouth to keep her from calling for help. Beleth set her down before the pool as she desperately looked toward her brother, pleading with her eyes not to do this. But he only scoffed before kicking her into the pool of the dark substance, much to everyone's shock before jumping in himself. He picked up his bound sister and placed his hand on her forehead again, over the Geass emblem as he tried to take away her Code by force.
However, something unexpected happened. The scene suddenly began to shift and changed, almost as if the area around them became engulfed with some kind of static interference that prevented the group from seeing clearly.
"What… what is happening?!" Leila questioned.
The mysterious interference came to an end, revealing the clear image of the Dark Energon pool, with the lifeless bodies of Yehowah and Beleth floating in the dark liquid, much to the group's horror.
"This is why I am unable to provide an answer as to why Dark Energon is on your planet." Vector Prime told them. "There is some sort of… temporal interference that prevents me from seeing the origin of this pool… just as that same interference prevented us from seeing what exactly happened at that moment in time. My guess is that this interreference originates from Unicron himself."
"But… I thought Unicron was destroyed." Lelouch said before turning to Optimus. "Primus and the original thirteen defeated him, didn't they?"
"Defeated Unicron? Yes." Optimus confirmed. "But destroyed? No. Unicron is not a being that can be defeated with sheer force. He is, simply put, evil incarnate. Evil itself is a force of nature, it cannot be created nor destroyed, just changed from one form to another. So long as evil exits in this universe, so too will Unicron."
To say all the humans present were shocked would be an understatement. They were basically told that the force of ultimate evil will always exist and could practically be with them always in every evil that they have encountered and will in the future.
"Well… that's rather unnerving." Cera commented.
"So, what happened here?" Orpheus asked, getting back to the scene in front of them.
"Yehowah and Beleth's physical forms died." The Caretaker revealed. "However, something else was born from the ashes. Something… abominable."
A ghostly figure arose from the lifeless body of Beleth, as it and Yehowah's corpse were consumed in purple flames before being reduced to ash. The ghostly figure was a single skull, with a glowing red Geass emblem carved onto its forehead.
"Beleth's spirit had somehow obtained the Code, likely through the use of Dark Energon. However, much like Vector Prime, we are unable to get a clear understanding of how the process occurred." The Caretaker explained. "But the result was something truly horrific. Beleth became a force of pure malice and destruction. Like myself, he doesn't exist on the mortal plane anymore. He is an abomination born of greed, hatred, and malice; one capable of granting the power of Geass to others, but unlike you and the one you call V.V…" The Caretaker looked at Cera briefly. "The Geass granted by Beleth are corrupted, unstable, and consuming."
"Like what happened with Mao?" Rai asked.
"No, his Geass was natural." The Caretaker answered. "But his mind and will were weak and could not handle the power. History has proven that there are others who are capable of mastering Geass. However, the Geass offered by Beleth are already corrupted. Warping the minds of all those who obtain it"
"So… he is somehow still able to give Geass to others?" Marrybell asked. "Even though he's… more-or-less a ghost now?"
"Yes" The Caretaker confirmed.
"I've seen that skull before." Cera revealed, much to the group's surprise. "When I first made contact with Shang, I saw a vision of it. Is… is that how he obtained his Geass?"
"Yes, but Shang was not the only one." Vector Prime revealed. "After this event, when Beleth's physical form died, along with Yehowah, the civilization they once governed with their father fell to ruin. The people were too dependent on a leader, but with nobody to lead them they were aimless and directionless, eventually falling to ruin. As a result, the collective consciousness of humanity became disconnected with all, and the humans that would later arise all became independent and self-aware, which led to the eventual formation of your civilization. And throughout those years, Beleth would be drawn to specific individuals and form contracts with them, granting corrupted Geass to those who would ultimately bring ruin to their whole civilizations or at least try to."
The group was then treated to multiple moments in time; the first being the Aztec empire falling to ruin as all the people killed each other left and right, men and women, even children with knives and blunt objects beat each other to death with them, and at the center of it all was the ruler of the Aztecs, his corrupted Geass flashing in his eyes as he laughed maniacally, even while being literally stabbed in the back by one of his own subjects. The next was Attila the Hun on horseback along with an army of his own tribe, laying waste to a village, he too had a corrupted Geass in his eyes as he cut down a woman holding a baby. Then there was Genghis Khan, a corrupted Geass also glowing in his eyes as he directed his army to destroy everything in their path along the Eurasia continental area. There was even Vlad the Impaler, witnessing hundreds of people being impaled by large wooden stakes and left to bleed out, he was covered in their blood and even licked it from his hands as his own Geass shined brightly. Finally, there was also Elizabeth Bathory, who stood in her own personal dungeon with a whip as she snapped at the naked back of a young woman, while several other women around her were being tortured and mutilated, all while she had a sadistic smile on her face and a corrupted Geass of her own. But behind each and every one of them, there was the evil skull entity that was known as Beleth, who had granted each of them their power that ultimately consumed them completely.
Optimus, Lelouch, Rai, Orpheus, Marrybell, Cera, and Leila were brought back to the Dead Universe to face Vector Prime and the Caretaker as they continued to explain.
"Beleth's only desire is to corrupt and destroy, much like the Dark Energon substance that likely gave rise to his inhuman power." The Caretaker said. "He still exists even now, always trying to find someone to act as a 'champion' so-to-speak and ultimately destroy everything around them."
"I'm surprised he didn't seek my father, given his own vile actions." Lelouch said with a scowl while Cera looked away slightly.
"That may be because Beleth had found someone worse than Charles Zi Britannia, someone that you know all too well, who has the most corrupted Geass to ever exist." Vector Prime said.
"Megatron." Optimus said with realization.
"Wait… but I thought Megatron's Dark Geass was because of him experimenting with the stuff and Dark Energon!" Rai recalled.
"That's not quite correct." Vector Prime explained. "Because the Blood of Unicron was used in the process, Beleth likely channeled his power through that same substance and directly into Megatron's essence, which led to the creation of his Dark Geass."
"That would explain why his and Shin's felt so similar." Cera muttered. "In a way, Beleth is Megatron's contractor, and he isn't even aware of that."
"It would make sense." Optimus seemed to agree. "Megatron's actions have ultimately led to the destruction of our world, and he wasn't even under Beleth's influence at that time. So, it is understandable why Beleth would be drawn to Megatron."
"Okay, so how do we stop them?" Marrybell questioned. "I mean, when it comes to Shin or Megatron, we can stop them by killing them…"
"Easier said than done for the later." Cera commented.
"But what about Beleth? How do we stop a ghost?" Orpheus asked, following Marrybell's trail of logic.
"We don't believe you can." The Caretaker revealed. "Beleth isn't a tangible foe that you can simply best in combat. Much like the power that created his abominable form, he himself has more-or-less a force of nature, one that cannot be truly destroyed. The best that can be done, is stopping his contractors from destroying everything."
"And there is nothing else?" Leila asked.
"I'm afraid not." Vector Prime shook his head. "So, now you know. You know how Geass came to be, and just how much it has impacted your world more than you realize."
"But… this does not answer all our questions." Lelouch said. "How did Cera and V.V. get their Codes? Where did those Codes even come from? Is there a way to remove the Code power entirely?"
That last question caught Cera's attention. Was Lelouch asking whether or not her Code could be removed? Was he trying to figure out a way to make her mortal again? A part of her had hoped there was a way… well a way that didn't involve her passing her immortality on to someone else. The last thing she wanted was for somebody to endure the same curse she had for centuries.
"I'm afraid we cannot answer that question." Vector Prime replied. "Much like the incident that created Beleth, there is some sort of temporal interference that prevents me from learning the truth. Which leads me to believe that Geass may indeed be connected to Unicron, more so than what allowed Beleth to become what he is now."
"There is one other question though." Rai said, taking a look at the Caretaker. "If that skull thing is Beleth, are you Yehowah?"
"Yes and no." The Caretaker answered. "As I explained before, I am the collective consciousness of humanity. Although they may no longer be connected together through me, or rather us, when they die, their souls ascend to the afterlife, but their minds return to me, their origin. When Yehowah died, like everyone else, her consciousness returned to the source. Our form somehow took the appearance of Yehowah, thought I cannot quite understand why. Perhaps it is because she died while in possession of her Code that was stripped away from her. I may be the collective consciousness of humanity, but I am not all-knowing, so I do not have all the answers."
"But… this does give us quite a few answers to questions many of us have been unable to solve." Cera said. It was true, this actually answered many of the questions she had when she was with Charles and the Geass Order. It was theorized that there was an ancient civilization that revolved around Geass, but Charles and V.V. weren't too interested in that, just their own pety dreams. She couldn't help but mentally note the irony, she was receiving help from the very being that she, Charles, V.V., and even Marianne planned to destroy to create their 'paradise'.
"However, I suspect there is at least one remaining question you wish to ask." Vector Prime said, glancing toward Lelouch.
"You are a Prime, one of the originals." The young revolutionary began. "But unlike the others, you still lived. Save for Alpha Trion, most of the others all died."
"That is one way to put it." Vector Prime confirmed.
"So why didn't you help the Autobots?" Lelouch questioned in a somewhat accusatory tone. "Why didn't you help them fight Megatron?! You're one of the original Primes that has powers over time itself! You could have ended the War for Cybertron and saved so many lives! If it weren't for that, Megatron would have never come to Earth, and Britannia wouldn't have become the death-regime that it was under my father's reign, and so much suffering could have been avoided! So why?! Why do you hide in this void just watching when you can help at any time you want?! You're a disgrace to the title of Prime!"
"Lelouch…" Optimus tried to speak to the young hero.
"No, I'm actually gonna have to agree with him on this." Rai said, also looking at Vector Prime. "The Decepticons and Britannia hurt and killed so many of the people we cared about! Why haven't you done a thing to stop it?!"
"I lost someone that I loved… my life was a living hell because of Britannia… because of their own secret plots behind the Decepticons' back!" Orpheus' fists clenched as he remembered the woman he loved dying in his arms. "Why didn't you do something?!"
Vector Prime remained stoic before he responded. "You believe I'm a disgrace to the title of Prime? Well, I'm glad to know you hold it in such high standards, which is more than I can say for most of our successors. Didn't Optimus tell you how the war began? The previous line of Primes up until Sentinel Zeta Prime seemed more concerned with their own power and greed, which led to the formation of the caste system, the corruption, and eventually the war. They thought the title of Prime would grant then anything, but they were nothing more than hopeless politicians, who have completely lost sight of what it truly meant to be a Prime. And even then, my siblings weren't all that perfect as you claim they are."
That got their attention.
"Granted, there were many I held a great deal of respect for, I still do." Vector Prime continued. "Prima, Alpha Trion, and Solus to name a few. However, after the battle with Unicron, his own dark life force that had been spilt in that battle, began to slowly corrupt many of my brethren. We became divided, plotting for our own ambitions, accusing one another, one of which even took the life of the one he claimed to love."
That surprised all the humans present, but Optimus had a serous look on his face, as he knew full well just who Vector Prime was refering to.
"Our brotherhood fell apart and those that survived went to their own devices. I choose to retreat to the Dead Universe, where I could observe the flow of time throughout the universe in peace." Vector Prime continued to explain. "As for why I choose not to intervene in the War for Cybertron, even if I had intervened and stopped the war, it wouldn't have changed the inevitable outcome."
"What are you talking about?" Marrybell questioned.
"I am the Prime of time, I observe the flow of the timeline with my power, I am merely an extension of Primus." Vector Prime tried to explain as best he could to them. "Through my observations, I realized something. Everything that exists eventually comes to an end. Whatever we built, will inevitably be destroyed; be it an object, the lives of others, or even civilizations. If I did stop the war, it would have only prolonged Cybertron's destruction."
"You don't know that!" Lelouch told him.
"I'm sure Optimus and his comrades have told you of many great catastrophes that befell our planet." Vector Prime replied. "The Rust Plague, the invasion of the Quintessons, any one of those could have destroyed our planet. There could have been another plague, or another invasion. Or Cybertron could end naturally, such as our star dying out. Even the suns, the most powerful forces of nature in this universe must eventually die. Some way, some how, Cybertron would have still died. Your world will eventually fall as well; be it a natural end or one of your kinds' own making. Everything that is created will eventually be destroyed, your lives included. That is not me speaking as a pessimist or anything, it's a fact, a constant cycle of creation and destruction. It cannot be changed or halted by any force."
"He's not wrong." Cera had to admit, speaking as someone who's seen everything and almost everyone around her come and go.
"While that may be true, our lives are still worth living." Leila stated firmly.
"I never said they weren't." Vector Prime replied. "It's not that I devalue life, I've just come to accept that all life is finite. This Dead Universe that we dwell in, just because no life exists here does not make this place malevolent. Death is merely the absence of life, nothing more."
"You're right." Leila admitted. "Death does come to all, eventually. I know that none of us are going to be around forever, and maybe that peaceful future that all of us hope to build will come to an end one way or another, it won't stop me or any of us from creating it. The fact that our lives are finite is every bit the reason to live our lives to the fullest!"
"Leila, you are absolutely right." Lelouch agreed. "And until that future exists, temporary or not, I won't stop fighting."
"Neither will I." Rai stated.
"This is the life that I chose as well, and I have no regrets." Orpheus said.
"For a long time, I didn't see much value in anything at all, not even in the lives of others, myself included." Cera said. "But… not anymore. I want to become mortal again, so I can live a real life, maybe even make a family, and see them grow and make lives of their own. And I'll do everything I can to protect what I have now too." She looked towards Lelouch, Leila, and Rai with smiles, which they returned as well.
"Well… I sort of feel the odd one out since I only just joined you guys." Marrybell commented. "But if you'll allow me, I'd like to give everything I can to help you."
"You already know we've accepted your help, Marrybell." Lelouch told his half-sister.
"I know, I just wanted to be a part of… whatever's going on here." She joked, resulting in Lelouch, Orpheus, and Cera smirking, while Rai and Leila laughed.
Optimus smiled himself before turning to his predecessor. "Vector, you are not wrong when you say all that is created must eventually be destroyed; that is something we have no control over. However, what is also true is that each of us can control what to do with our own lives. I have seen many who would waste their lives, as well as the lives of others, to achieve their own ambitions. But, I have also see those who would give their lives for the happiness of those around them, even to those they don't even know. Life may be finite, but it is sacred, nonetheless. We will end this war and build a peaceful future for this planet, even if it won't last forever."
Vector Prime stared at Optimus for a moment. "You are every bit as naïve as your previous incarnation. However… I always did admire that sort of aspect about him. I may have lost faith in my siblings a long time ago, but… perhaps you may be worth it."
Before anyone could respond, the scenery shifted around them to reveal the orbit of Earth, where they could all clearly see a Cybertronian satellite hovering over the planet.
"This is what prevents your forces from accessing your Groundbridge." Vector Prime explained. "This satellite currently hovers in orbit directly above Castle Weisswolf. A similar device is housed within the Vermillion Forbidden City, under heavy guard. A third device is at New Kaon. So long as these devices remain active, you cannot activate a Groundbridge within their range."
None of them had expected to learn this.
"That… explains quite a bit but… why tell us this?" Rai asked.
"We had thought you would not intervene in this conflict." Lelouch said, looking somewhat skeptically at Vector Prime.
"This is a test of sorts." The Prime of Time responded. "One that will determine whether or not I will place my faith in you, and the cause you fight for. However, this is the most you will get for me. I will not intervene any further in your conflict with the Decepticons. However, should there be any developments with Beleth or even Unicron, perhaps you may hear from me. But depends entirely on all of you, and what you do with the information I have given you."
Leila smiled. "Well, you have given us critical information that may have saved many lives. Thank you, sincerely." She turned to the Caretaker. "And you as well."
"Indeed." Optimus agreed with a smile of his own. "The fact that both of you chose to share this information with us is proof that you may indeed already have faith and are hoping that it is reassured."
"Don't overthink it." The Caretaker said. "We still believe that humanity wielding Geass is a mistake and that perhaps it should be removed from your world entirely."
"If you can do it, by all means go ahead." Rai said. "We've got enough problems with these Geass-fueled psychopaths in our lives."
"Well then, good luck with defeating them." The Caretaker said in what one could assume was a statement of humor. "Your minds will now be returned to your bodies, as if no time at all has passed since you fell asleep."
With that declaration, the spiritual forms of Lelouch, Optimus, Leila, Rai, Marrybell, Cera, and Orpheus all vanished, leaving the Caretaker and Vector Prime alone in the dead universe.
"I wonder if it was a mistake to reveal all of this to them." The Caretaker wondered aloud.
"That is the point of this test, to see whether it was a mistake or not." Vector Prime said. "But whether they pass, or fail won't change the inevitable outcome that this world will die. They will only decide whether or not that end will come sooner or later."
"Either way, it should quite a show." The Caretaker commented.
Lelouch's eyes opened, sitting up from the chair he fell asleep in. He took a look at his watch; the time hadn't changed in the least since his eyes closed. If anything, only a few seconds had gone by. He knew for certain what he and the others experienced was not a dream; it was real. While he was given many answers, he still had a great deal many questions as well. But they could wait.
The young revolutionary took out his communications device and spoke into it. "Ultra Magnus… I know what we have to do. Gather the others, I have a plan."
Done.
So, I'm sure this chapter wasn't at all what you were expecting, but I'm certain you'll find it enjoyable. We know now the origins of Geass, though there are some questions that remain unanswered, I will answer them at a later date when we inevitably deal with Unicron; but don't expect the heroes to come into conflict with the Chaos Bringer anytime soon, we still got a long way to go before that happens.
The next chapter will begin the final battle for the EU arc, with the Siege of Castle Weisswolf. It is sure to be intense to say the least, but now Lelouch has a plan in mind, so you can expect some Zero Miracle stuff to happen here!
While at the same time, Optimus and the others are dealing with the political marriage in the Chinese Federation, but it seems Optimus has a plan of his own.
How will our heroes succeed in these simultaneous battles? Find out next time on Code Prime!
Stay safe and stay healthy out there.