Throne of Glass
Part Two: To Wage a War
Chapter 36: Counterattack
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Cornelia was Britannia's chief general, the personification of the Empire's might. Before her armies broke and lesser nations fell. Fearless, dauntless, undefeatable.
She was being crushed, thoroughly and utterly.
Even with Guilford at her side, and the expertly trained sons of Darlton supporting her, a single foe was effortlessly swatting aside any attempt she made to win this fight. This knightmare was in a league all its own, its power, speed and precision unmatched by any. She wasn't able to break through his defenses, even while he juggled the six of them at once. It was as if he knew any move she was to make well before it would land. Like every little detail of this battle was meticulously plotted, calculated far in advance down to the smallest detail. No movement was wasted, and never more than necessary. Attacks missed him by a hair's breadth, and a counter delivered with flawless execution.
When he initially landed, Lelouch disabled David's knightmare, and within two minutes of fighting, Bart was forced to eject as well. Alfred and Claudio had sustained serious damage not long after, and even Guilford was not unscathed. Knights who had effortlessly won any battle prior, were being reminded quite harshly of their shortcomings. Even with a well coordinated strike from from the three brothers in unison ended in complete failure, costing Alfred his frame as well. Not long after, the other two were just as brutally dispatched, leaving only her and Guilford standing.
"If this is the best you have to offer…I have to say I'm disappointed." Came the voice of her brother as his immense knightmare stood victorious over the wreckage of the brothers' frames.
"That knightmare of yours really is something. I really don't stand a chance against it." She sneered. The difference in power was insurmountable.
"I constructed Fukushū to be the absolute apex on any battlefield." He told her. "But you should know it isn't the frame doing all the work."
"Princess, that knightmare is displaying odd readings similar to the Megumi that only those two have." Guilford explained to her." Additionally, the forces here are displaying the same level of organized precision we've seen back in India. It's very likely that Ashford is commanding the entire southern front…while fighting here with us."
The idea didn't exactly surprise her. This was Lelouch, she didn't need more convincing.
"I've spent these seven years painstakingly building for myself a nation to stand against Britannia on equal footing. Don't tell me I overestimated you."
She could imagine the condescending look on his face. "I'll admit I've grown complacent in my position. But I promise you this isn't all we have to offer. You'd do your best to understand that."
"Oh? Then where can I find someone who can actually challenge me?" He taunted, his imposing knightmare looming over her. "I might come to regret the offer I made."
"I hope I can meet those expectations!" Hearing a new voice from behind him, Lelouch quickly reacted to intercept an unfamiliar frame as it descended from the settlement behind them.
Getting a proper look at it, Cornelia recognized the knightmare, but was shocked to see it here now.
"Strauss?! How the hell did you escape?!" Lelouch growled as the knight pressed her attack on the larger knightmare. Cornelia sensed genuine concern from him for a moment before he smoothed it over. "Well, I've kept a contingency in reserve for such anomalies like yourself. I don't have time to deal with you."
The Fukushū disengaged, raising itself to an unreachable height. Emilia raised her sword to the black frame in defiance. "You would run from the challenge you so eagerly requested?"
"You are not to be my opponent. Someone else would like a chance to face you." He looked directly at Cornelia, his gaze piercing through metal. "I'll be waiting for you. If you can make it."
Despite continued protests from Emilia, the Fukushū departed, holding a position above the battlefield. As if he was to spectate her struggle her way forward.
"Kallen." While she was busy watching her brother, one more knightmare made its appearance, this one a burning crimson complimented by a silver arm. One Emilia appeared to recognize. "Your highness, leave this one to me. You have somewhere you need to be correct?"
"I do. Will you be alright?" She asked.
"I've beaten her once before. It shouldn't be too difficult." Emilia answered with confidence.
"Then I thank you." The princess moved to continue further in, Guilford at her heels. She slowed as she passed the red knightmare, who made no move to halt her advance. "You won't try and stop me?"
"I wasn't ordered to deal with you, Cornelia.
Not giving it another thought, the Chief General moved forward. All around her, Britannian troops took small agonizing steps forward, pushing their way on through Brute force. She took this moment of calm to direct what she could, and gather her own thoughts. None of the Glaston Knights had been seriously injured, and she was quite certain that was intentional. Cornelia looked up at that knightmare above her one last time. Was he really so far above her, completely and hopelessly out of reach?
She just had to keep moving forward, that was the only way to find out.
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"I have to say I am impressed. Begrudgingly, I admit your skill is on par with many of the Knights of the Round." Nonette gave a compliment at the same time as a sword strike. "Too bad you were born an Eleven."
Fighting with float systems was an alien experience to Suzaku. He only very recently was outfitted with the experimental technology, and hadn't had much experience using it. Nonette herself seemed far more accustomed to it. He held his own, trying to find what worked best when you weren't held back by things like gravity.
"I was born Japanese, it was you who took that away, I recall." He responded cooly, eying her movements closely as he learned how she fought in the sky.
"Well it seems like you never really cared that much, since you renamed the country anyway. What's up with that, what was he thinking?"
Testing a counterattack, Suzaku began to break down where openings could be made. "Something new, and far better than anything the world has to offer now."
"And here I thought you were fanatical about your culture and honor. Whatever happened to that?" Nonette continued her assault along with her questions.
"My father threw away Japan's honor along with his own life. " He spat out. What did she know about their pride? "It never amounted to anything, so why would we try so desperately to get it back?"
Launching into a surprise offensive, Suzaku turned the tables of their duel in an instant. His constant skirmishes with Lelouch had taught him to analyze his opponent thoroughly while keeping a tight leash on his own prowess. "All that useless pride…I got rid of it."
Suddenly on the back foot, Nonette was forced to retreat. "That's quite unexpected of you, it's almost admirable."
"I don't need your approval." Suzaku retorted, lunging at his opponent. "There's only one person who matters to me and he's far above you."
Finally able to push Suzaku back, Nonette gave a wry smile. "That would be Allen Ashford then?"
His silence spoke volumes.
"Tell me, just what drove someone like him to do all this? A noble born into society's elite, who used Britannia's society to his advantage to make a fortune." She spoke her mind, eyeing the stationary Lancelot. "Why throw all that away to risk it on something like that?"
"Because it isn't just Japan that will change. That's something someone like you couldn't hope to understand."
"Oh? Is that right?" She raced forward taking the initiative once again. "Then why don't you enlighten me!"
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"This won't turn out like our first duel, Emilia. I can promise you that." Kallen declared as the two stared each other down.
"What makes you so certain of that?" The knight asked. "I recall winning quite handily before. It's going to take a lot to overcome that difference."
The crimson knightmare raised it's silver arm, wicked claws glistening in the sun. "I wasn't able to use this before. This alone is all I need."
"A bold claim." she responded, warily analyzing it all the same. She actually was never told exactly what function the Guren's special arm was capable of. Emilia knew she shouldn't be careless either way. She pointed her sword in challenge. "Can you back it up?"
Without warning, Kallen lunged forward, gleaming arm outstretched for the kill. Emilia sidestepped, countering with a controlled swipe. Kallen twisted herself to avoid the attack, wasting no time returning with slash harkens. The knight easily swatted them aside, but it was only a diversion for the crimson frame to dive in once again. She placed her shield out in front of her, confident it could weather any attack, and the Guren latched squarely on to it.
Emilia was about to push her aside when a sinister glow emanated from the clawed arm. She realized in an instant this was Kallen's objective, and was quick to discard the shield even as the reinforced metal ruptured, igniting in a deadly explosion.
"Well that was something." Emilia commented, now down one tool. "Maybe you do have an edge after all."
"I told you, didn't I?"
Adopting a new two-handed stance, the knight readied herself for another round. "That you did. I suppose I'll have to get serious to take you down, so I can go deal with that prince of yours."
Flexing the radiant wave surger's claws, Kallen replied "That won't happen."
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Edogawa Ghetto; 2017 ATB
Britannia really was an imposing fe in full force. Looking at the army they mustered in such a short time, it did seem too daunting a task to take them head on. Yet here she was, fighting them on equal footing. She had her beloved to thank for that, for everything.
Kaguya was soundly in control of the battlefield she was assigned. With their numerical advantage it was sound to spread their forces across all fronts to test any weak spots. Getting inside the settlement was their primary objective. If they could break their defensive line, the battle would be over. Or so they would think.
That was just what Lelouch wanted however. That was what India was for, to prepare a trap that would thoroughly and completely reverse the tide of the battle no matter what the situation might have been before. It was totally absurd, if you thought about it logically, no one besides Lelouch would have been able to convince anyone to go through with it. No doubt it would be glorious
Still, watching Britannia's desperate attempt to push through her inferior forces almost made her want to crush them here and now. She knew she likely could, but that wasn't in the scope of the plan. If she defeated them here, their reaction was unpredictable. And if they didn't penetrate the settlement, Lelouch's grand plan wouldn't have nearly the effect as it should.
Kaguya was well over her confliction about India, but it would be a real shame if it turned out to be wholly unnecessary. Still, she was the Goddess of Victory. If she had to lose, she would make certain they wouldn't feel like they'd won."
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Shinjuku Ghetto; 2017 ATB
Here he was, fighting Britannia once more, seven years late. This was the fruit of their sacrifice, what they had purchased through their contract with a devil. It had only cost them their pride, and a few lives. He wanted to believe this was for the best, stamp down any feelings of regret along with his honor. But Todoh never came to fully accept this nation that would replace Japan. He swallowed his feelings, telling himself this was for the Japanese people, and did as his leader's killer said. Lelouch now had no one to oppose him, and if Todoh tried anything, he would be removed as well. He was the last fragment of the old Japan, and it was now well and truly dead. And Lelouch had it put down with the mouth if it's own princess. Maybe he was wrong, maybe they did have to change. But regardless, he himself would not become a part of it. Lelouch had kept his word, and for that he would keep his silence.
The Japanese would be free. As he rent one of the machines once responsible for it all in two with ease, he was certain of that.
But it wouldn't be Japan.
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Adachi Ghetto; 2107 ATB
They hadn't expected much of their forces to make an attack in the north, but Jeremiah still found it eerily quiet. He kept vigil however, even as telltale signs of conflict erupted beyond his station. He of course wanted to prove his worth to his prince, but he understood the necessity of his task.
At first, Jeremiah had joined prince Lelouch out of duty, to prove his loyalty to the boy's mother whom he failed. But even he had felt the call of the prince toward a greater future. He was eager to see that dream become reality, and would fight with all his might to make it so.
He didn't have to wait for that opportunity.
Before he knew it, a staggering number of knightmares emerged from the ruins beyond his battleline. Colliding with his forces with righteous ferocity, Jeremiah suddenly found himself in deadly combat.
"Where did these knightmares come from?!" Jeremiah exclaimed as he came face to face with an enemy Sutherland. "How were we not aware they were coming?"
Fending off his attacker, he quickly assessed the situation. A larger number of enemies were pushing relentlessly into his battleline. Though they too were vigilant in their guard, the foe appeared at such speed it caught them all by surprise.
"Prince Clovis, the is Jeremiah. Enemy forces have ambushed us all across the ghetto." He reported, firing rounds into oncoming knightmares. "They totally blindsided us, I have no idea how they managed it "
"How is that possible? No Britannian assets could have arrived before Cornelia, unless they were closer than she was beforehand." Clovis replied, just as confused as he. "It may be that they came from Euro-Britannia, but how did they cross into Area Eleven without my knowledge?"
Jeremiah engaged in melee once more before Clovis continued. "It doesn't matter for now. These units were not accounted for in our assessment, but it shouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Do what you can and follow Lelouch's plan."
"Of course. I have faith in his judgment." He responded. "We will win this day."
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From his place above them all, it was hard not to liken the battlefield to a chessboard. Below him, the pieces moved according to his wishes, and his opponent reacted in kind. Cornelia was a worthy adversary, but he had complete confidence in the capabilities of his pieces.
His peerless loyal knights, his cunning reliable bishops, stalwart dauntless rooks.
And an irreplaceable queen.
It might have been a game in which he played against the world, but he was determined to win. Everything was on the line, and he'd take it all back.
For everything he had lost, and everything he still had left.
"Nunnally…Kaguya." Lelouch whispered to himself. In his hand he caressed a black queen piece, taken from the set he kept with him since the days he first taught her to play the game.
It felt like a lifetime ago, trapped within the darkness of his own heart. It was no use agonizing over what could have been, had he realized it sooner. The path he walked was his, and it was the one that led him to the future he sought.
And he did not tread it alone.
"Lelouch, Jeremiah has just encountered enemy reinforcements. We can't determine where they came from or how they got there, but they outnumber him severely." Clovis contacted him, pulling him back to reality.
"Schneizel, no doubt." Lelouch answered, narrowing his eyes. "Though it's surprising even for him to pull that off. They would have had to arrive before Cornelia did to be there now. Still, it's not entirely out of hand, let them believe they've found our weak link. Tell him to hold out as long as he can, but ensure we don't take needless casualties."
"Of course. And as for our brother's attempt at check, I believe we've detected his movements. It will likely be soon."
He nodded. "Right. I almost want him to try it, just to prove how far ahead we are."
"I'm sure he won't soon forget. Good luck to you." Clovis finished.
After a moment, a frown began to form upon his face. First Emilia inexplicably escapes, and now a huge force of knightmares appears from thin air in the north? It wasn't out of his control yet, but it was concerning nonetheless. But he didn't have the luxury to look into it right now.
The exiled prince ran his thumb over the queen piece he held. No, he couldn't get it out of his head. He really didn't want to believe it, but the most sensible reason was quite obvious.
Could someone…have betrayed him?
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The way forward hadn't gotten any easier.
Cornelia had no doubt now that Lelouch was intentionally pushing her to her limit, using that damned knightmare to direct countless foes into her path. Regardless, she cut each and every one down with determined strikes. It was exhaustive, but she wouldn't give in.
"Guilford, how much further until the settlement border?" She asked.
"It's difficult to say for certain, but I estimate we're halfway there from the landing site." Her knight told her.
A blinking light on her HUD caught her attention. "I'm going to need to restock soon. How far behind are the support teams?"
"Right behind us, they've worked hard to keep pace."
"We'll wait for them to catch up then. I don't want to run dry in the middle of combat." She decided.
Unfortunately, she wasn't allowed a moment's rest. Nearly a dozen knightmares emerged from the buildings in front of them, weapons raised.
"Damn it all, how many are there?!" She readied herself to fight, painfully aware of how low her reserves were.
But a battle wasn't even necessary. Before her eyes, a harsh red bathed the ground in front of them, reducing her foes to molten scrap. Shocked at the sudden turn of events, Cornelia shifted her gaze skyward.
Above her, a magnificent ship soared past, raining relentless destruction upon the land below.
"The Avalon." Cornelia breathed. Schneizel had come to the battle.
The cavalry had arrived.
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Chapter 37 will be posted on March 24th to celebrate the story's anniversary. 7 years goddayum.