"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."
- Niccolo Machiavelli
Chapter XXXIX: Duet
Alexandra Land
Franz Josef Archipelago, Arctic Circle
October 9, 2025
"Even after whole centuries, killing you bastards is still utterly satisfying," C.C. muttered with uncharacteristically cold furor as her katen yaibatou ran through another Sutherland, the chainsword easily eviscerating the devicer within the back cockpit pod. Indeed the immortal "witch" could not help but feel a fair amount of pleasure as she then withdrew her blade and reversed, right as another Sutherland came charging in with its lance poised to strike. A burst from her handgun easily took care of that one, only for two others, both armed with assault rifles, to move against her a moment later, firing bullets and grenades at her direction. A fair attempt on the Eildons' part, made even harder for her to dodge when the superior performance of their knightmares was again brought into play, but C.C. evaded their attacks all the same, right before charging to strike once again. One of the Eildon pilots was caught by surprise by her sudden attack, his Sutherland easily bifurcated through the waistline, while his partner quickly reversed himself, firing his slash harkens to buy some distance. C.C. evaded those as well by banking left, and then firing another burst into the retreating purple knightmare, causing to stagger and crumple before the cockpit block ejected. To that, the "witch" was half-tempted to continue firing into the pod, but knowing that her fellow Black Knights – still under the illusion that they were fighting run of the mill Britannians there – would take offense, she reneged and turned away for additional prey.
For perhaps the second time in the last century or so did C.C. feel ire – specifically the will to destroy – within her, albeit not nearly as much as the first time. During V.V.'s trap she had concentrated more on escape beside Lelouch and Kallen, only for her rage to awaken upon the opposite Code Bearer killing the former for a time while also denigrating the latter's corresponding breakdown. She had had no means nor real ability to fight then, as opposed to the present. And once more, there was a great, uncharacteristic satisfaction within her as she slashed down another Sutherland with her katen yaibatou, right before striking the opposite wingmate with her slash harken. Satisfaction in knowing with each destroyed knightmare and devicer, she was putting down her natural enemies; the very order that sought not only to destroy her, but any and all that she was connected with. Up to and including her two present partners, one of which had nearly perished from such attempts.
Yes, even centuries on into her immortality, C.C. had no love for V.V.'s bastard secret society, any more than she had love for V.V. himself. It was a shame the scum wasn't present for her to properly finish this time around – having apparently outsourced his latest scheme to Orange – but C.C. was perfectly fine in dealing with his lesser minions for the time being. Such as it was when she came upon an Exeter, which turned after her with its own VARIS blazing, only for her to bank her pink Gekka right and dodge the burst. She then returned fire with her handgun, only for the eighth generation machine's superior performance came into play, dodging her fire as well. Not that it really mattered to C.C. as she was still able to catch up to it, her katen yaibatou raised up to strike, only to be deflected when the Eildon drew its own MVS and parried. For a brief time, chainblade ground against its oscillating counterpart, Black Knight and Eildon attempting to overpower the other. Unfortunately for the latter however, as advanced as the machine was, the devicer was unable to match his immortal adversary, who rather easily threw off the blade lock and then maneuvered her chainsword around the responding parry. One downward slash later laid the Eildon out with several of his or her brethren, allowing the Code Bearer to move on that much more.
"Utterly satisfying," C.C. repeated as she put her Gekka into its full speed, launching after another Exeter that was just moving against Hannya Two. All too late did the Eildon pilot pick up on the lone pink knightmare charging straight at him or her, turning his or her own VARIS that much later. At which point C.C. had already crossed the distance, katen yaibatou brandished and moving to add one more of her much hated enemies to the growing pile.
Maneuvering around another barrage of from the oncoming formation, Orpheus shifted the Byakuen's right arm back into its combined blade mode. From there, he nudged his knightmare frame over to the right somewhat, then performing a running slash against the first Sutherland and effectively cutting all the way across left side. This reached all the way to the corresponding cockpit block, causing the Sutherland to topple over brainless, right before Orpheus was forced to duck under the lance thrust of one of its compatriots. Remaining in that crouched position, the Byakuen skated behind the Eildon knightmare, then proceeding to jab its own cockpit before moving on again. More bullets and grenades, as well as one or two slash harkens, launching after the opposite white knightmare as it advanced.
"Still plenty of you out there," Orpheus muttered to himself as he stole a glance at his radar display, which showed there were indeed more Eildons present than his side, and that the battle was still very much on as a result. Well, no matter he ultimately decided, since he and the Black Knights were making a good time of it. As relatively skilled as V.V.'s devicers were, it was quite clear that the Black Knights were the superior fighters, their abilities long since honed from the Black Rebellion onward, as opposed to the much smaller scale conflicts the Eildons had dealt with in the background. That did Orpheus just fine, especially as he neatly evaded the MVS slash of another Gloucester, then moved left and launched his slash harken straight into its flank, knocking the enemy frame out in one attack. He then reversed back to dodge the assault rifle burst of another Sutherland, in turn switching his right arm over to its cannon mode and firing a snapshot, which ploughed through that frame's center just as quickly. Two enemy knightmares in less than a minute, and still plenty more out there.
One thing that struck Orpheus as rather odd, even as he again evaded the VARIS shot of yet another Exeter, was that there didn't seem to be any elite fighters present outside of Orange. Granted there were a few of the more experienced devicers within the ranks, but hardly anyone at Knights of the Round level, whereas the Black Knights had Zero Squadron and aforementioned Black Rebellion veterans present. Normally such a thing shouldn't have bothered him, especially as he was otherwise concentrated in his attempt to flank the Exeter, which had already forgone its VARIS for its MVS. Switching over to his combined blade again, Orpheus feinted a straight on attack, only to reverse at the last second as the Exeter counterslashed, the Byakuen then circling right. Unfortunately however the eighth generation knightmare was fast enough to keep up, and so parried the following attack, with Orpheus only forcing it away with a near point blank harken shot.
Still, as Orpheus began to exchange blade attack, blocks and maneuvers with the Eildon, that feeling of strangeness remained with him. Yes Orange was neatly tying up Zero and the Mordred in all of this, but surely this wasn't all he and the other Black Knights were left to face. Surely V.V. had something else ready for them, especially when the likes of the Red Dragoness remained otherwise unopposed. Yet the more Orpheus tried to fathom the Grandmaster's scheme, even as he continued his running battle with this insipient Exeter, the less he was able to make sense of it.
That being said, he wasn't so preoccupied in thought that he didn't see the opening before him. Swinging its MVS laterally to behead the Byakuen, the Exeter ended up overcompensating, effectively presenting its right flank to attack. Acting fast, Orpheus switched his right arm to its drill mode and performed a full speed to charge, ramming the whirling spike straight through the torso and deep into the enemy frame's Yggdrasil drive. Effectively disabled, the Exeter slumped over dead, allowing Orpheus, upon shifting his arm over to its cannon mode, to finish it with a finely planted shell to the same area. He wasn't sure how the Black Knights would have thought of him upon that act – had they not been otherwise occupied of course – but he was a terrorist as opposed to a soldier. And unlike the majority of his present "allies", he knew what they were really fighting.
Which again, as Orpheus swung the Byakuen around to evade the lance charge of another Gloucester, brought him back to his original dilemma. Orange and the Vortigern couldn't have been the only thing V.V. had sent out to ensnare Lelouch and his followers, yet there was only basic rabble present. So what was the Grandmaster's move? Would they be able to defend against it? Was there still time to defend against it?
Again, the more Orpheus tried force the feeling back, even as he beheaded the Gloucester with his vice claw, the more it remained with him. Just as the more he tried to provide an answer, the more that answer seemed to elude him. All while, not far from his position, he had a feeling the one fighting Zero was already preparing for the coup de maître.
Yet again did the Vortigern raise its right hand up and fire five hadron beams, forcing Lelouch to reverse and bank left in order to dodge. He retaliated with more VARIS shots as well, only for the knight giga fortress' armor to deflect them, almost as though he were but throwing rocks with the Mordred. It was particularly infuriating to Lelouch that he still hadn't so much as dented the giant's black frame, but for the time being it was all he could do to keep Jeremiah Gottwald otherwise opposed. At the very least he was still able to dodge Orange's own attacks, both from his fortress' finger mounted cannons and the oversized one in its torso. The latter Lelouch managed to circumvent right as it fired, to which he proceeded to shoot additional VARIS shots into the rear cockpit block. Unfortunately those were deflected as well, much to Lelouch's irritation.
The real problem at this point wasn't that the Vortigern was nigh-invincible. On the contrary, the Mordred's Druid System had long since identified several openings in the behemoth's electromagnetic armor, namely around the joint areas. If Lelouch could land hits on them, he could not only damage the frame, but also potentially knockout its Float System, which would immobilize the Vortigern quite effectively; after that, it would be child's play to deliver the death blow, which should have been long done in Narita in Lelouch's opinion. That being said, the real problem was that, while the Vortigern had its openings, they were unfortunately very small and almost impossible to hit with the Mordred's weaponry. Even if Lelouch were a complete pinpoint shot with his VARIS, the Vortigern moved much too fast for him to land a decent hit, and it was just as difficult for him to get close in to strike with his MVS or slash harkens.
If only I had my own hadron cannon! Lelouch could barely think as he strained to maneuver around another of his opponent's bursts. Indeed, a concentrated beam of energy would have a much better chance of hitting any of those chinks in the Vortigern's armor, and Lelouch himself had had enough experience with the weapon from his time with the Gawain. Unfortunately that remained completely unavailable, relegating Lelouch to his present state, trying to hit a line of fast moving bullseyes with a weapon meant for singular strikes instead of constant, sweeping fire. Unless he could come up with something else and soon.
"Once again, barely a scratch," Jeremiah chimed from the still active commlink as Lelouch's next attack was again deflected. From there, the cyborg launched his oversized frame into a surging charge, nearly barging into the Mordred. Fortunately Lelouch was fast enough to bank left and evade being squashed like a bug, but that didn't slow Jeremiah down any. "Perhaps it would be better for you stand down now. Give into your inevitable demise."
"Sorry, but I've never been that easy Orange," Lelouch retorted as he fired a burst snapshot into the titan's side. Despite the much heavier impact however, the bullet was deflected all the same. "You should know this well."
Again did Jeremiah laugh in response. "Indeed, you have always been a rather persistent thorn," the cyborg admitted as he reared his machine around, then firing hadron beams from its left hand. "You, as well as your enslaved minions…"
Through his evasion and concentration, Lelouch felt himself raise an eyebrow. Was Jeremiah insinuating what Lelouch thought he was?
"Not that any of you will remain in the next few moments," the cyborg went on while launching another hadron burst from the Vortigern's right hand, which the Mordred dodged by shifting right. Again despite his preoccupation, Lelouch found himself dwelling upon his enemy's words. Did they really allude to what he thought they did? If so, then could he possibly use that to his advantage somehow?
As much as Lelouch wanted to consider that more however, he was otherwise committed to remaining alive and fighting, especially when the Vortigern let its main hadron cannon loose again. Not that he could really come up with any conceivable means of using that particular outcome for this battle; by its nature, as well as Jeremiah and V.V.'s presumption, it would have a negligible effect on its own.
At least, the former prince couldn't help but muse, beyond the rude awakening Orange would truly be in for.
Gritting her teeth to the point of near pain, Kallen just narrowly reversed back to evade another VARIS shot, right before turning her surger onto the offending Exeter. Unfortunately she had responded much too quickly to aim properly, thereby allowing the eighth generation knightmare to veer left, now firing its primary weapon in rapid fire. Rather than dodge herself, Kallen threw up her radiant wave shield to deflect the bullets, and then counterattacking with her grenade launcher once an opening presented itself. This time she clipped the Exeter in the left leg, causing it to topple over in its movement, the cockpit block ejecting but a moment later. That out of the way, Kallen twisted the Guren Nishiki around right as Alfred moved by her, presently dueling a rather persistent Gloucester with his fork knife to its MVS.
"What the hell is wrong with these bastards!?" the former Glaston couldn't help but espouse as he continued to trade blows with the white knightmare, which was putting up much more of a fight than he was used to. It soon got to the point where he had to fire his slash harken to dissuade the enemy machine from pushing further in, to which the Gloucester immediately reversed while switching to its assault rifle, firing a spray in turn. Alfred evaded, and then threw up his own shield, before at last managing to sheer off his opponent's whole left side with his surger. That cockpit soon ejected as well. "This is too unreal!"
Somehow managing to conceal her frown, Kallen instead concentrated on the pair of Sutherlands she was presently charging against, weaving around their own assault rifle shots. Again she couldn't help but feel that pang of guilt toward withholding the true nature of their enemy from Alfred and those like him, even if she ultimately had no choice. For what it was worth however, he and the rest were holding their own well enough despite, as Kallen had yet to hear of any fallen on their end. Of course, that could change at any point, a fact she kept well in mind as she closed in on the first Sutherland, ensnaring it in her surger claw and causing it to boil. White armor bubbling in ubiquitous fashion, it took but a short moment for the Eildon machine to detonate, after which the Red Dragoness wasted no time in dodging the slash harken attack of its compatriot. Once more she fired a snapshot grenade, which landed square in the fifth generation frame's chest, obliterating it instantly and whole.
Simultaneously did Alfred find himself in the same predicament as his commander not a few moments ago, now crossing blades with another Exeter. Again it was unreal to him, seeing so many of the latest Britannian model in one place, especially when that place was well away from mainland Eurasia. Even more curious was that strange red marking that some of the white knightmares retained, a kind of inverted sword or cross that Alfred failed to recognize. This Exeter had it placed on its left shoulder, much as it would a personal emblem or a unit marking, yet as Alfred continued to slash and parry against it with his fork knife and surger, he still didn't know what to make of it. What kind of Imperial unit used that for its insignia?
Not that it really mattered in the present, as Alfred was more concentrated on staying alive than trying to properly identify the enemy. Thus putting power into his landspinners, he moved to flank the Exeter, then firing his slash harken to try and catch it on the side. The opposing knightmare naturally dodged the harken by veering left, but Alfred anticipated that maneuver, promptly firing his surger in rapid fire and spraying the Britannian machine all across the frame. From this it crumpled and fell to the ground, eventually detonating itself, cockpit and all.
At the very least they still die easily enough, Alfred thought as he turned to rejoin his superior, right as she charged against another enemy formation. Both Nishiki and Isshiki weaving in and out of the fire while responding in kind with their respective surgers, causing additional enemy units to fall upon their approach.
"Goddammit it!" Benio let out a rather uncharacteristic curse of an errant grenade landed right next to her Guren, spraying it with shrapnel. The frame held and she didn't find any damage done, but the shock was enough to throw her somewhat, thereby allowing a Sutherland to come charging at her with its lance set. Fortunately Charmelle was fast enough to speed to her wingmate's defense, throwing up her radiant wave shield to deflect the strike. In turn allowing Benio to fully recover and veer left, catching the Sutherland on the flank with her surger.
"Stay focused Rei Four," Charmelle called out after the enemy knightmare detonated, her sensors already detecting another set moving after her and Benio. No Exeters in this lot thankfully, but one or two of the oncoming Sutherlands and Gloucesters were armed with bazookas as shells soon began fly around them. Regardless the two Guren pilots remained on the ball, maneuvering around the fire while returning it effectively enough with their surgers and grenade launchers, taking down several of the opposing knightmares in the initial pass. Not that there didn't remain a fair number afterward, much to the Black Knights' exasperation.
This is a lot more than some out of the way research base should warrant, Charmelle thought to herself – wisely keeping her lingering discomfort away from her wingmate – while dashing right in a flanking maneuver, firing her surger in a rapid burst. Two more Sutherlands were taken out of the fight as a result, but that didn't stop a Gloucester from responding with its assault rifle, forcing Charmelle to abandon her attack and concentrate more on speed. She evaded the burst, right as the Gloucester switched to its MVS and launched after her, to which she again threw up her radiant wave shield to deflect the initial strike. The white knightmare then attempted to reverse and flank her, but again the Guren pilot was prepared, parrying the expected blow with her fork knife. She then attempted to grasp the Gloucester with her surger claw, but the fifth generation machine reverse right as the prongs closed, firing its slash harkens to cover its retreat. To that, Charmelle simply angled her still extended surger and fired off a stream, catching the Gloucester firmly off guard and ending it before the fight could truly drag out. One more enemy destroyed, still many more to go.
Despite her wingmate's silence on the matter, Benio was very much having the same set of feelings as she maneuvered around triplet Sutherlands. She knew she should have been used to the enemy being in abundance, especially after the likes of Pearl Harbor and the Red Rebellion, but this battle was more aggravating than it should have been. Perhaps it was because of the strangely zealous nature of the enemy, which was somehow more so than for most Britannians Benio had encountered. This was especially emphasized by the Sutherlands she was presently fighting, as she doggedly maneuvered around their attempted pincer attack, then managing to strike one down with a snap surger stream. She then followed up with a grenade shot against its opposite "mandible", but that Sutherland reversed at the last second, firing a grenade of its own from its assault rifle. This time however Benio was prepared and maneuvered away from the projectile, right as the third Sutherland came at her, slash harkens launching at her right. Once more she threw up her radiant wave shield to deflect, and then returned her own harken, which struck the white Sutherland in the center, effectively knocking it out as well.
Is this ever going to end? Benio managed to think as she withdrew from the last Sutherlands following grenade shot, which again failed to catch her in the open as before. She would have finished it as well with a surger shot, but in the enemy's concentration it had failed to pick upon Charmelle's approach, the opposite Guren performing its devicer's favorite maneuver and landing atop the cockpit block, causing the weighed down frame to kneel. One short burst later from its own surger, the Sutherland bubbled as Charmelle then leaped away, exploding right after. Three more down, still that much more to go, as the next line of enemies advanced upon the pair, weapons firing as they drew in. It was all the two Black Knights could do to respond in kind, all the while ignoring their collective frustration as much as they could.
Breathing heavily as accumulated strain began to set in, Lelouch watched as the Vortigern loomed over him, its crimson eyes gazing upon the Mordred with the disdain of its own devicer. To that, the former prince watched as the knight giga fortress raised its right hand up to again fire the mounted hadron cannons there, to which Lelouch responded by bringing up his own right Blaze Luminous while standing by to dodge right. However, right as the enemy frame would have fired, the glow at the end of its fingers suddenly receded.
"No," Jeremiah called out as he lowered the Vortigern's hand back down. "It's best that you see this."
Resisting the urge to spit at Jeremiah's "mercy", Lelouch continued to watch as the Vortigern turned away, specifically toward where the "main" battle was being fought between the Eildons and the Black Knights. Jeremiah grinning triumphantly toward the scene.
"Your army is your ultimate weakness Zero," Jeremiah declared as he readied a certain system to activate. "Without your slaves to fight around you, you are nothing."
He gleamed as he added. "Nothing but a black king without his pawns," he stated, then slamming his finger against the designated switch. "Weak as the one, and just as vulnerable to checkmate."
With that, Lelouch switched his HMDS to a tactical display, showing him what his sensors were picking up and his Druid System was analyzing. All around the island, a set of transmitters suddenly turned active, causing a wave of energy to wash over the entirety of the land, as well as those who stood upon it. In but an instant, that wave surged over the Eildons and Black Knights alike, right before diminishing into nothingness in another instant. All causing a singular effect on those it fell upon.
Except, only it didn't. Thereby causing Lelouch to smirk through his strain.
"What?" Jeremiah let out as he read over his sensors, which showed the Black Knights fighting his own soldiers still. "What is…?"
Domineering laughter soon emerged through Lelouch's cockpit, and into Jeremiah's. It was exactly what he thought it would be. "A weak king I may be Orange," he declared in triumph. "But hardly the fools you and V.V. are!"
More laughter as the Vortigern again turned to face down on the Mordred, its eyes now aglow with its devicer's responding ire.
"Did it ever occur to either of you?" Lelouch went on, taking great pleasure upon the sheer obviousness. "That, perhaps, I may not have used Geass on my own troops?"
Such words only emphasized the apparency of what Jeremiah saw for himself. Much to his newfound realization and corresponding horror.
"To think, that was your ultimate move!" Lelouch continued to laugh, now in a mocking tone. "To use your Geass Canceller over a wide range, upon those that were never under its hold to begin with!"
Letting out a responding bellow of fury, Jeremiah at last brought his right arm back up and fired. Only for the Mordred to maneuver out of the line of fire, counterattacking with more VARIS shots.
"You're a fool Jeremiah Gottwald! As is your Grandmaster!" Lelouch declared as he dodged more hadron shots, all the while circling the behemoth and firing back as he went. "And from that foolishness, you, the Eildons, the whole of Britannia itself! All of you will fall, and fall magnificently!"
"We'll see about that, Zero!" Jeremiah roared as he brought the full force of his fortress to bare. If he could not destroy the Black Knights in one fell swoop there and now, then he would certainly settle for slaying their leader. Which in itself remained his main objective, alongside avenging the honor of the one he was most loyal. "Do not think for a moment that this is over!"
Dropping his laughter and taunting to concentrate on evasion, Lelouch weaved around the hadron fire all the while drawing back. Once again attempting to find a means to strike at his opponent's weak areas, all while the behemoth, through its enraged master, continued its assault.
"Son of a bitch!" Alfred let out as he deflected the grenade shot of another Sutherland, right before dropping it and firing his slash harken. The rocket anchor struck the head off the enemy knightmare, causing the cockpit to eject not long after. Yet another thorn in his posterior freshly removed, Alfred turned to search for additional targets, which remained in abundance despite their obvious falling numbers.
In the process of his turn however, he caught sight of the Guren Nishiki off his left. The opposite Guren having to come to a complete stop all of a sudden.
"Rei Lead, you alright?" Alfred called out to his commanding officer, while scanning and looking over the frame with his own eyes to see if its cockpit block had been hit. There didn't seem to be any exterior damage, and yet the Red Dragoness remained silent and motionless all the same. "Repeat, Rei Lead, are you alright? Respond!"
"Were you the one piloting the Glasgow in Shinjuku?"
"Yes."
"Why terrorism?"
"Because I am Japanese, though technically I am half-Britannian."
"Ah? A half-blood? But why go so far?"
"…"
"Uh? Did you want something?"
"No, I got what I wanted…"
"Ah, wait, just to be sure… Don't tell anyone about Shinjuku."
"Eh? What do you mean about Shinjuku? Why would you say that?"
"Go back to class!"
"As soon as I get an answer to my question I will!"
"He-ey Lulu, Kallen! You know it's time to head over to the chem lab! You better get a move on!"
"…"
"Were you the one piloting the Glasgow in Shinjuku?"
In complete repetition did those words, and associated images, play and replay through her consciousness, seemingly ringing throughout her being. Such were their power that Kallen was completely overcome, eyes gazing directly ahead while face and form were fully agape. It couldn't be, a part of her wanted her to say, it just wasn't possible. And yet, as the memory continued to circle through her, its words and images continuing to play out across her mind, it was. Openly and undeniably, it was.
"Be assured Kallen," another, far more recent memory soon emerged, its own words and the image of the one therein even more powerful and apparent. "Your mind and your heart are yours alone, as was your loyalty and admiration for Zero."
Her lips, and the rest of her body, could only tremble as she again heard those near-forgotten words.
"You should be proud of what you did," the memory, and the speaker therein, continued. "You decided, you made the choice."
A tear errantly fell down her cheek as she recalled how the speaker gleamed toward her.
"You chose…" the memory declared at last. "Zero."
"No," Kallen found herself murmuring in response, her voice firm and clear. "The one I chose… was…"
"MAJOR!"
Snapping back to the present, Kallen reached her surger out and grasped the Exeter that had charged upon her. In a split-second did she engage her primary weapon, causing the enemy frame to violently glow and expand before final detonation. The resultant fire cast against the red armor of her machine, making it, and her, appear that much more menacing to the surrounding Eildons, as well as her taken aback wingmate.
"Rei Two," Kallen communicated in a low, focused tone. "I am leaving command of the squadron to you."
Further confusion becoming apparent, Alfred could only try to question. "Major…?"
Kallen did not respond to him, instead turning the Guren Nishiki aside and speeding off. Maneuvering and oft dispatching any and all enemies that further stood against her. All the while drawing closer and closer to…
With another bellow, Jeremiah brought both of the Vortigern's massive arms crashing down, nearly crushing the Mordred, which only dodged by veering left. In response, Lelouch launched all four of his slash harkens, more to dissuade than to cause any real damage, all of which slammed into the knight giga fortress' right flank as one. Once more however, the electromagnetic armor remained in effect, and outside of causing the entire fortress to otherwise clang, no damage was taken. Even so, it was still enough to illicit another counterattack from Jeremiah, who brought up his left arm and fired all five hadron cannons in a spray formation, forcing Lelouch to dodge that much faster. The physical strain of the maneuver only furthering that which had since accumulated upon the Demon King, much to his anguish.
Lelouch knew Jeremiah was pushing him further and further to his breaking point. For all of his physical fitness and all the safeguards built within the Mordred, the Demon King was still flesh and blood underneath it all, and was still as susceptible to injury and fatigue as he was eight years ago. If he didn't do any real damage to the Vortigern and soon, it wouldn't be much longer before he broke down in some way, through which Orange would inevitably deliver the finishing blow. Yet, as Lelouch drew his MVS and executed a running slash at the fortress' right knee, only for his attack to be deflected by the armor once again, that same fatigue was making it more and more difficult for him to land a proper hit on such a small target. Not to mention the fact it was taking the majority of his energy just to keep ahead of those damned hadron cannons, the main one soon aglow in building power.
Somehow managing to bite back the reflexive curse, Lelouch vaulted out of the way as the Vortigern's most powerful weapon fired. It was close, such that Lelouch felt the whole of the Mordred termor around him, but he managed to evade damage all the same. Unfortunately however, Jeremiah was not about to let him off so quickly, and so maneuvered left, firing both sets of finger mounted hadron cannons in tandem. Again Lelouch put more power into his knightmare, dodging those sets of fire as well, right before launching his right arm slash harken onto the Vortigern's right arm. A split-second after it attached itself did Lelouch again use the anchor to draw himself straight at the fortress, his MVS brandished to strike at the neckline. Though damaging the head wouldn't destroy the Vortigern obviously, it would deprive Orange of his main camera, thereby granting some amount of relief to Lelouch as he continued the fight.
Unfortunately however, it was all too simple for Jeremiah to strike the Mordred aside in the middle of its attack, causing the black and gold knightmare to slam against the ground nearby. By the time Lelouch righted himself, he again saw the five barrels of the fortress' left hand aglow and angled straight into his HMDS. Knowing he would not have time to dodge, it was all Lelouch could do to engage both of his Blaze Luminous at once and bring them together, hoping that would be enough to defend. At that, and with much relish from its devicer, the Vortigern fired.
So focused was he on the coming impact did Lelouch barely comprehend a very recognizable frame intersect itself between him and the Vortigern. Radiant wave shield already deployed in full, the Guren Nishiki stood firm against the five hadron beams, remaining in place until the attack at last completed. Rather than follow up as before, the knight giga fortress merely brought its arm down, its eye sensors regarding the red knightmare with the projected curiosity of its pilot. In turn, Lelouch himself looked up, somehow finding something amiss with the newcomer's presence there.
"Kallen?" Lelouch questioned, not quite sure of what to make of this.
Within the Guren Nishiki, Kallen gave no verbal true. For a very long moment, she simply gazed upon the Mordred with an unreadable expression, the devicer within firmly pictured. Only after that moment had passed did she turn to face her real enemy. "You made a mistake Orange."
"Oh?" Jeremiah responded, his voice projecting amusement at the prospect. Underneath however, he couldn't help but feel that he may have just done exactly that. "Have I?"
"Yes," Kallen confirmed. "And because of that," she continued as resolution and affirmation emanated through her. "I am no longer afraid."
Only then did Lelouch realize what had just happened. Orange had indeed made a terminal mistake. He had awoken a great red dragon that had been asleep for eight long years.
Thus biting back his strain that much more, Lelouch had the Mordred move beside the Guren Nishiki, both MVS still in hand and ready to strike. Simultaneously did Kallen raise her surger claw back up, as well as rebrandish her fork knife.
From that, both knightmares charged as one, the Vortigern already raising its hadron cannons back up and firing against their advance.
So much for your big plan Jeremiah! Chigusa couldn't help but think as she maneuvered around the Eildon knightmares' combined fire, all but laughing like a fiend as she went. Now that their trump card had been played to no effect, it was very apparent that the enemy now realized the battle was effectively over, as did Chigusa and anyone else in the know. If they couldn't hold their own against the Black Knights in a conventional battle, then there only hope had been to delay the Black Knights long enough for Jeremiah to deploy his Geass Canceller over the field, thereby leaving said Black Knights confused with their newly restored memories and therefore open to the Eildons' decimation. Thus, Chigusa could only imagine the sheer shock on the Eildon pilots' faces when they realized the Black Knights were not under the influence of Geass. Or that, outside her now having her memory of Shinjuku completely restored, she herself was in no way disheveled.
"Look at that!" Kyosha Two called out from beside her as he fired his handgun into the enemy formation, bringing down a Sutherland straight on. To the Black Knights that were not aware of Geass or anything else, it now appeared that the enemy had at last broken from the strain, and were now just putting forth whatever resistance they could. "They're breaking apart at the seams!"
"Keep it going Two," Chigusa called out to her wingman as she dodged right and around another Sutherland's rifle fire, then cleaving it down with a single pass of her katen yaibatou. "Until they actually give up, they're still active combatants. Don't let them blindside you."
Again, it was rather apparent that the Eildons were going to fight to the end regardless, apparently preferring to die fighting rather than surrender to the army of a Geass user. Well, no matter, Chigusa mused, as she was more than happy to oblige, charging into the next formation and bringing down yet another Sutherland with her slash harken. She then twisted around and fired her handgun into a Gloucester, which had been attempting to catch her backside with its lance. Just as Kyosha Two had stated, the Eildons were still fighting zealously but nowhere near as cohesive as they had before, instead focusing on keeping up whatever defense they could muster. All the while the Black Knights were taking full advantage of the rout, as Chigusa saw more enemy signals vanish through her own virtual massacre.
The best laid plans indeed, Chigusa continued to muse as she bifurcated one more Sutherland, and then dashed aside as a Gloucester came at her with its MVS. Circling around, she fired her handgun into the enemy machine's cockpit and watched it fall, right before turning her firearm on another Sutherland that fell into her crosshairs. More and more Eildons falling around her, and by her, with each passing second.
"My my, how the tables have truly turned," C.C. observed rather vindictively as she exchanged blades with another Exeter, the opposite eighth generation machine raising its MVS against her katen yaibatou upon her approach. After breaking the resultant blade lock, the Code Bearer crouched her Gekka and drove forward, cutting the Eildon knightmare through the knees, right before twisting around and finishing it off with her handgun. No sooner than when the Exeter was done in did two more Sutherlands move in and attack with an assault rifle and bazooka apiece, to which C.C. reversed and circled right, taking down the former with another handgun burst. The bazooka wielder was then done with another prompt running slash, which cleaved through the torso and cockpit in familiar otherwise standard fashion.
More Eildon knightmares quickly approached, but it hardly mattered to "witch" at that point. Circling left this time, she continued to fire her handgun, striking down a Sutherland and a Gloucester apiece, before moving in against another of the latter and slashing it down as well. All the while the Eildons' fire remained coordinated, but not as precise as before, such that C.C. could have dodged it all in her sleep. Going by what her sensors and radio were picking up elsewhere in the field, it seemed to be universal throughout the enemy ranks, as the other Black Knights were having just as little difficulty in fighting off their would be attackers. One of the Britannian originated pilots from Kyosha Squadron was even comparing it to an "good old fashioned turkey shoot".
Indeed as more of the enemy fell, cornered and disheveled, C.C. saw this was going to be a decisive win for the good guys. Granted there was still the main assault on the Eildon base itself, but knowing Lelouch as she did, that part of the operation would be taken care of just as easily, especially with the base's knightmare garrison having been drawn so far away. Overall Operation Fubuki was fast moving to completion, and much to everyone's satisfaction. Minus the bad guys in white of course.
However, as C.C. drove her katen yaibatou through the torso of another Exeter, she found Fubuki's success as paltry compared to what she was sensing now through her Code. For all of that they were about to gain through this excursion to the Arctic Circle, this one advent had been entirely unanticipated by C.C., yet was an outcome she had well and truly hoped for. Such that, even as she continued to slaughter her way through the remaining Eildons, a grand smile fast encroached upon her lips.
In a great reversal of the previous stage of battle, it was now the Vortigern that was firmly on the defensive and fighting back in near desperation, while the Mordred and the Guren Nishiki advanced with righteous vehemence. One extension of its arms after the other, the black and red titan fired its finger mounted hadron cannons in repetition, yet was unable to strike anything but the ground as the opposite black and red knightmares weaved and maneuvered about, one returning fire with its surger while the other attacked with its MVS. And though the electromagnetic armor remained active, the attacks from the dual knightmares remained constant, and Jeremiah knew that his fortress' defenses would not hold forever. Somehow or some way, he had to take them both down – or at least Lelouch – and soon.
Veering her Guren around the latest round of hadron fire, Kallen fired her surger three more times, keeping her target from regaining any measure of the offensive. Unlike similar battles she had fought in the past, her Geass was inactive; she dared not risk using it should Orange re-engage his Canceller. Rather, she had only used it earlier, simply to draw on the Mordred's Druid System readout as well as Lelouch's own non-verbal commands to her, establishing their plan of attack without direct communication. Thus Kallen was well aware of the gaps in the Vortigern's armor, but first she and Lelouch needed to force Jeremiah into submission, which was what they were doing now. Much to Orange's exasperation, she could only presume.
As she again fired her surger, and then followed up with a grenade shot, Lelouch launched the Mordred across and cut its MVS into the Vortigern's massive calves. Once more the electromagnetic armor held, but it was enough of a hit to dishevel Jeremiah that much more, who then attempted to take aim with his right arm hadron cannons. Another surger shot at that particular limb all but reminded the Eildon that the Red Dragoness was still present, forcing him to switch his attention to her. To that, he fired his left arm cannons, only for the Guren to dodge right, then firing a grenade shot straight up at the Vortigern's head. Once again no damage, but for a moment the giant seemed to sway from the impact alone. Seemingly angered, it turned to bring its central cannon about, only for Lelouch to fire a slash harken up to its head and draw in, slashing against the faceplate's opposite side before moving off. Right as the Guren itself charged in and slashed at the left leg with its fork knife.
And then, right as Jeremiah recovered and brought his left arm up to try and fire upon the black and gold knightmare, was the first wound drawn. Reversing into the ideal firing position, Kallen let loose her surger into the now open left arm elbow joint, the beam easily sheering through the unprotected metal. With an explosion that rocked the entirety of the knight giga fortress, the arm blasted off below the elbow, removing it and the mounted hadron cannons there from the whole. Taking a moment to grin at her handiwork, Kallen again reversed and maneuvered away right as Jeremiah turned his opposite arm guns upon her. At that, Lelouch again launched the Mordred upward and slashed into the giant's wrist, which was also gapped between the manipulator and the forearm armor. The cut wasn't deep enough to remove the hand and mounted weapons, but it was enough to cause damage, as though to emphasize Jeremiah's plight.
In response, Jeremiah again fired his mega hadron cannon and swept the beam across the field, only for the Mordred and the Guren to virtually dance around it. From that, the two knightmares continued their assault against the giant, striking it and then damaging it more and more. Gradually building toward the much intended outcome.
"Not much longer now," Orpheus muttered as he charged after another Sutherland, which launched a grenade upon the Byakuen's approach. Banking left to evade, the former terrorist wasted no time in bringing up his machine's right arm, which was presently switched to its drill mode, and boring a hole straight through the opposing white knightmare. Though it obviously had gone through the Yggdrasil drive, the frame didn't detonate for some reason, instead falling flat as the cockpit had also been struck. Orpheus paid little mind as he reversed back, and then switched his arm back to its cannon mode and firing two shots into two more Eildon machines before reversing back, the responding quickly following. Disheveled and disorganized they may have been, but the Eildons remained willing to fight. Just as Orpheus, and the Black Knights with him, was quite willing to take them all down to the last man.
Switching his arm back to its single blade mode, he again put the Byakuen into a charge, drawing upon one of the now few remaining Eildon formations, which naturally fired upon him as he moved in. Slashing down another Sutherland, he then dodged right to evade the dual lances of one of its brethren and a Gloucester, firing his slash harken into the former while cutting down the latter. Two more Sutherlands soon came upon him, forcing Orpheus to bring them down with precise cuts as well. No Exeters seemed to be in sight, which Orpheus could only hope was due to their all being destroyed, but again he didn't discount the possibility that one or two were still out there. Just as he didn't discount the possibility that there may in fact be more knightmares waiting for…
A sudden line of text soon appeared upon his monitor, causing Orpheus to nearly double take as he read while still fighting. Alexandra Base was now secure, no casualties. Apparently Zero had had the Tsuru deploy ground troops much earlier than planned, when he undoubtedly realized that Orange had drawn the entire knightmare garrison away to intercept their opposite numbers. A smooth thinking bastard that Zero was, much to Orpheus' grinning approval. He was really starting to like working with him and the Black Knights.
"All units continue battle," Colonel Ohgi sounded off over the comm. "Do not disengage unless signaled of surrender."
"Like that's going to happen," Orpheus again let out as he slashed down another Gloucester, then switching his right arm to its vice claw mode and snipping off the extended arm of a supporting Sutherland. No, he out of all of them knew the present Eildons would die fighting as opposed to surrender to one who used Geass. Again Orpheus had no qualms about this, any more than he had cutting down that Sutherland with his combined blade, and then firing his slash harken into one more. Just before having to reverse out of the next line of fire, which he then returned with his cannon.
Another explosion rocked the Vortigern as the Guren's grenade shot landed square into its left shoulder, blowing it and much of the mechanism there to pieces. With its left arm already removed, this did little to impede the fortress' offensive capability, such as it was now, but it certainly did damage to its integrated float system. All at once did the giant frame move more sluggishly, far from the treading behemoth it had been just moments ago. To which the Mordred took full advantage of to slash at the right knee joint, nearly cleaving off the right leg as well.
Seemingly through the sheer effort of its devicer was the increasingly ruined fortress still standing, as well as able to raise its right arm and fire another five hadron blasts. By now much of its armor and chassis, already blemished from its previous fighting with the Mordred alone, was cracked and broken, up to and including its faceplate, which had been blasted open across the entire left side, eye camera assembly and mechanics now visible. The latter soon damaged that much further as the Mordred again launched its left arm harken, smashing and shattering the single round eye, and then reversing back as the fortress retaliated with its right arm guns. Moving in its partner's face just as quickly, Kallen fired a grenade into the open palm of the weapon, the shock causing it to knock aside. She then capitalized on the assault with a repeat of her previous attack, firing her surger straight into the right arm joint, destroying it and ripping away the forearm and mounted hand guns as well.
Now entirely "disarmed" as it were, it was all the Vortigern could do to kick out at the Guren, only for the red frame maneuver around the leg. Infuriated as he was however, Jeremiah was not about to let the Dragoness of that easily, and so reengaged his mega hadron gun, turning the maw toward the receding Nishiki.
Rather than maneuver out of the way however, Kallen merely came to a sudden stop, seemingly to face the attack straight on. Which was precisely when Lelouch brought the Mordred in front of her in a reverse of their original positions, his MVS now switched out for his VARIS. The rifle quickly shifting into its burst mode, Lelouch took instant aim and fired.
Only then did Kallen reengage her Geass, so that she could watch as the VARIS shot blasted straight through the center of the Vortigern's cannon maw and out the other end. From that, the resultant chain reaction soon followed as the accumulated energy in the fortress' main weapon destabilized, expanding over and affecting other systems around it, before eventually encompassing the whole. All culminating together in a grand explosion which seemingly lit up that one small area of Alexandra Land, the two knightmares and their devicers baring witness.