Chapter 7: White Knights and the Black King
Darlton and his soldiers were in their Knightmares, assessing the situation on the battlefield.
"What are our losses?"
"Signal from 20% of our forces."
"20%? Our command structure can't sustain this." Darlton replied. "Is there any word from the Knights of the Round?"
"They have already been mobilized on the battlefield."
"Here's hoping they turn the tide of this battle."
Back on the battlefield, Fenrir team was engaged in combat with the Knights of the Round. Archangel against the Knight of Two, in a custom Lancelot Grail. Knight of Five and Thirteen were dealing with Lobo and Valkyrie, while Yasuke was against the Knight of Nine herself. All four from both sides tried laying a direct hit but all the while evading every attack made by the other. Mariel's Guinevere took a couple of Burais while half were taken down as the Black Knights pilots ejected from their cockpits while the rest were destroyed by Clara's Morgana. Valkyrie used her Geass to get one of the Burais away in time before their demise. Archangel prepared himself when the Knight of Two lunged him with a wrist blade, covered in blaze luminous as Archangel used the left hand of his Knightmare's RWS. This caused the Knight of Two to back away, more intrigued than out of frustration as he was curious about this pilot. As if in some strange way of familiarity, made the Knight of Two feel he knew who he was facing. Nonette went in with her Lancelot Club by prepping up her blaze luminous cones for close quarters, with Yasuke's fast thinking by using one of the fallen Burais as a shield to block and avoid the blow. Kallen used the Guren's RWS on Sutherland belonging to Kewell of the Purists. Inside the cockpit, he tried to activate the ejection countermeasure on his Knightmare but it was not working.
"No! Come on!" Kewell said trying to eject from his cockpit. "I can't lose to some elevens! I am a Britannian!"
Kewell's Sutherland exploded, killing him in the process.
"Lord Kewell!"
"Guren Mk-II, move to the planned point." Zero ordered. "We'll break through the rest of their line and take Cornelia."
"Right." Kallen said, driving away in the Guren
"Fenrir team. Destroy the rest of the Pure Bloods." Zero said to each member of Fenrir. "And do what you can to hold back the Knights of the Round. They can't interfere in our plans with Cornelia. I will move along with the plan as expected."
"You heard the man, Fenrir. Don't give them an inch." Yasuke said in a confident tone. "Put the pressure on these bastards."
"Let's go!" Lobo yelled out
Lobo charged at the Purists in their Sutherlands, firing their machine guns but Lobo's Knightmare suddenly began moving on all fours. It ran if it was its animal namesake before attacking them one-by-one at a time with tonfa claws, slashing them apart. Each strike aimed directly for their cockpits or the Knightmare limbs or torsos, as Lobo leapt away due to an attack of six slash harkens from the Knight of Thirteen's Knighmare. Lobo was shocked and surprised to see the Knight of the Round's Knightmare run without landspinners, dodging another incoming blow. Valkyrie rushed using her Knightmare and Geass to help turn the tide in their favor, aiming a well-placed shot at Guinevere's shoulder mounted missiles. Mariel used the Guinevere to take apart the shoulder mount and tossed it away from her toward Valkyrie, before swatting it away as it exploded mid-air taking aback by how fast the enemy Knightmare was on the battlefield. Valkyrie was attacking the Lancelot Grail as the Knight of Two piloted his Knightmare frame in a professional and experience manner, giving Valkyrie pause due to the Grail's arsenal. The last few of Pure Bloods attempt to attack Lobo, seeing the enemy distracted. Unfortunately for them, Yasuke caught one of them by surprise as his fork blade was lunged through inside the cockpit killing the Purist pilot inside the Sutherland itself. Archangel then made short work of the remaining Purists using the Radiant Wave Surger on his Knightmare's left arm, leaving only one Sutherland left among them: Viletta's.
"These Knightmares... it's just me now." Viletta said worried. "Even with the Knights of the Round-"
"You there in the only Sutherland. Fall back." the Knight of Two said to her
Viletta gasped. "Lord Giovanni."
"We can handle it from here. Meanwhile retreat while you can and assist the Viceroy's forces." he ordered
"Yes, my Lord." Viletta fled away in her Knightmare
Archangel grabbed Viletta's Sutherland with his KMF's left hand, leaving Viletta to eject before her Knightmare was blown up with the Radiant Wave Surger. He managed to dodge the Lancelot Club's luminous cones, pulling out his Knightmare's custom handgun as he back-to-back with Fenrir team as the Knights of the Round were ready to continue where they left off. Valkyrie was the first to move her Knightmare, beginning her attack the 6th generation Knightmare Frame one of the Knights of the Round had in their possession. The Morgana pulled out a Maser Vibration claymore, a prototype in the making as Clara attempted to strike down the Valkyrie KMF. Valkyire launched her Knightmare away from the incoming attack, searching a crucial part of any weak spots in the KMF she can exploit. Valkyrie had her Knightmare pull out an EM Jousting spear as the Knightmamre charged at the Morgana, leaving Clara to lunge out her slash harkens at the enemy. Valkyire's KMF dodge every slash harken made toward her, with Clara suddenly realizing what Valkyrie was planning to strike. The Morgana twist the MVC around in time to counter the attack, colliding with the spear in the process as the Morgana launched two slash harkens at Valkyrie's Knightmare. Valkyrie quickly moved away from incoming projectile fire from the Guinevere.
Archangel moved his Knightmare toward the Guinevere, readying the RWS on its left arm. However, before he could get close enough, the lancelot Club suddenly moved in front of it. The luminous cones counteracting to the Radiant Wave Surger on the Archangel KMF, as a red wave and electricity collided with each other's KMFs before both of them were forced to have their Knightmares back away. Lobo pounced on the Grail which moved away from its attack with quick ease, countering with a pre-emptive kick to push away as the Grail prompted to impale the Lobo with its Blaze Luminous blades. Yasuke used his Knightmare's wrist mounted 43mm grenade launcher to throw the Grail off guard, coming toward it with a precise move toward the cockpit. Yasuke decided to evade away from the coated Blaze Luminous blades close to the KMF's chest, with Yasuke gritting his teeth under his mask. Yasuke and Lobo focused on the Lancelot Grail which proved to withstand both of them due to the effectiveness of its pilot, John Giovanni. The Knight of Two did not earn his place due to any sort of nepotism but through skill alone and his unique expertise as a Knightmare Frame pilot.
"What's the plan?" Rai asked through their comms
"Split up. Divide them apart." Malik declared as he tossed out chaff grenades, covering their Knightmares tracks.
The Morgana and Lancelot Club lunge forward to prevent the enemy Knightmares from escaping, only to find that their opponents had already fled.
"They retreated?" Clara asked, pouting
"Too obvious. They must be attempting to split us up." John paused as he tuned to the frequency of the G-1 mobile base. "G-1, this is the Knight of Two. John Giovanni."
"My Lord."
"Where is the viceroy's location?"
"On the mountain path. Two signals had appeared behind the viceroy from behind."
"Must be the Black Knights or the Japan Liberation Front." Mariel said
"Change of plans, either way." John replied. "The best course of action is to make our way toward her location and possibly where the Japan Liberation Front's main elite is also located."
Nonette smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
On the mountain path of the battlefield, a light grey Burai leapt out in appearance as it surprised the viceroy and her men.
"Protect her highness!" Guilford ordered
Todoh and the members of his Four Holy Swords attack, with Todoh being the first by striking one of the Sutherlands with a Revolving Break Sword as the Knightmare was cut down. He followed up with another attack against a second Sutherland that charged him, only for Todoh to counter and took the Knightmare down. Due to Todoh deducing that the landslide was manmade, it presented an opportunity to hit Cornelia from behind.
"Surround them." Todoh ordered
"Japan Liberation Front?"
"Slash and encircle!" Todoh commanded
"Right!" Four Holy Swords said in unison, following Todoh's order
"These are not just any Burais." Todoh said after cutting down a Sutherland
"This reminds me of seven years ago in the war." Asahina commented
"But it's different now. This time we have Knightmares now." Chiba also remarked
"Your Highness, leave this to us." Guilford suggested. "Please you have to withdraw for now."
"Very well. I know a way to turn this around." Cornelia said. "Guilford."
"Yes, Your Higness?"
"After you drive them back, meet me over at point nine." Cornelia told Guilford
"Nine? I understand." he replied
"Cornelia! You will die here today!" Two JLF members shouted as they charged her in their Burais
"Weaklings." Cornelia said, countering their attacks as they were stabbed from behind. She smiled when she realized who came to her aid when they did not notice after their Knightmares were destroyed. "Nonette. You took your time getting here."
"You owe me one, Nellie." Nonette and the rest of the Knights of the Round arrived, as the Knight of Nine turned to see the JLF up on her screen. "And I see you've gotten acquainted with the Japan Liberation Front's elite. Four Holy Swords, I presume."
"Stay on guard! This is no ordinary Britannian we're dealing with." Todoh ordered
"Now, which one of you is this so-called Miracle Worker I've been hearing so much about?" Nonette gleefully queried, as she got an alert through her scanners of enemy units heading their way. "More playthings have arrived. But, this seems familiar. I wonder if..."
All of a sudden, a Sutherland was destroyed by projectile fire as everyone including Cornelia and turned to see four Knightmares. Cornelia and her guard were surprised to see the Knightmare from Saitama but were caught off guard by three more unknown Knightmare, as one of them ran on all fours similar to a wolf. The Sutherlands accompanying Cornelia and her guard opened fire on the wolf-like Knightmare, watching it leap in the air as it changed into a humanoid form preparing clawed tonfas.
"What form of Knightmare is this?!" Guilford said, shocked
Lobo rushed forward with his Knightmare, landing critical hits toward one of the Sutherland before destroying the cockpit killing the pilot in the process. The next Sutherland was hit by a barrage of attacks from Lobo, impacting on the head before the foot of KMF stomped hard on the Sutherland's cockpit. Lancelot Grail and Morgana charged toward
"So, we finally meet." Yasuke said. "The so-called Goddess of Victory."
"Knightmare of Saitama." Cornelia said, clenching her teeth as she wish to face the owner of the Knghtmare before her. "You dare show yourself here, in my presence? I intend to make scrap metal out of that Knightmare after I see your face."
"Lady, your name is just another target. One I don't bother on remembering." Yasuke said, tauntingly before dodging an attack from Guilford's Gloucester as he was by Cornelia's side
"Don't, your Highness!" he pleaded. "You can't face an enemy such as these insurgents in this situation. Please, fall back like we agreed on while I aid the Knights of the Round. It's our only chance."
Cornelia begrudgingly gritted her teeth. "Alright fine... I leave it you and our Knights."
Valkyrie used her Geass to increase the speed of her Knightmare, via conductor. "You're not getting off that easy, princess."
"I won't let you-" the Sutherland pilot was cut when the Valkyrie crashed toward the Sutherland, with super-heated blades piercing the chassis through the cockpit as Cornelia was gone from the battle and heading up to the valley
"I lost her."
"Don't worry about it. Zero will call us if he needs us." Yasuke said, pointing the katana at Guilford and the Knights of the Round. "In the meantime, we have some guests to entertain."
Fenrir team is contacted by the leader of JLF's elite. "Who are you people? Friend or foe?"
"Lucky for you, the former. Call us Fenrir." Yasuke answered. "You must be Kyoshiro Todoh, the Miracle Worker."
"It seems you know who I am." Todoh responded. "Neither of us was able to stop Cornelia from escaping."
"All part of the plan, miracle worker. Courtesy of that landslide we made." Yasuke replied, smugly. "The Black Knights got an ambush set up at Cornelia's escape route already covered. Right now, we'll holding back reinforcements of hers to prevent any interruptions."
Todoh narrowed his eyes on the Knights of the Round. "And with four members of Britannia's Elite here, our chances of success..."
"50/50 from the looks of it." Archangel stated. "All we can do is turn the tide in order to make up the difference."
Fenrir team fought Knights of the Round and the remainder of Cornelia's guard, while Tod oh inform General Katase of the situation. Todoh requested the general to send in any remaining units they could spare. Todoh faced Guilford while Fenrir and the Four Holy Swords were trying to hold their own wit the Knights of the Round, hoping to make up the difference in battle. On Andreas Darlton's side of things, his forces were being by cannons on the mountains leaving him and his unit to fire back with their launchers. Meanwhile, Zero and Black Knights were heading to meet up with Kallen when they spring the trap for Cornelia's arrival. In the G-1 mobile base, Euphemia was shaking at seeing many of their forces lost in the battle.
"Sub-Viceroy Euphemia you must act now to prevent disaster." One of the officers first spoke "Send in the G-1!"
"No."
"But Commander Guilford is completely pinned down." Another officer said. "Even with four members of the Knights of the Round at his side, he can't get to Viceroy Cornelia in time. Her life is at stake here."
"We can't." Euphemia insisted. "There's a field hospital we have right here and civilians to take care of while the battle continues. They've been evacuated from all over the area and brought to this point. Besides, the G1 base is a command center. The viceroy ordered me not to move this mobile base no matter what, that's why... I can't just..."
Suzaku, Lloyd, and Cecile suddenly appeared on the screen surprising Euphemia and the staff officers.
"Well, hello there." Lloyd greeted warmly. "The ASEEC crew reporting for duty." he added with the staff officer not too happy whatsoever with the interruption
"Insolence!"
"You are irregulars. Your orders are to keep silent and observe."
"Yes, sir. Normally we would but..." Cecile nervously said
"But all this waiting around is boring." Lloyd said, bluntly
"Sub-Viceroy Euphemia, I beseech you." Suzaku said. "Please order us into battle."
The staff officers became annoyed with Suzaku's request.
"How transparent." a staff officer said with venom in his voice. "You just want the glory of rescuing the viceroy."
"Our whole army is out there." another officer said. "You think one unit is going to change things with an Eleven pilot?"
"Right, right. But what's the harm in trying?" Lloyd asked with a grin. "Since it's just one unit it won't look bad for you if we lose, right?"
The Knight of Two, John Giovanni suddenly appeared on the screen surprising the others except Lloyd.
"I couldn't agree more." The Knight of Two said in agreement with Lloyd. "One unit could turn the tide in our favor."
"Lord Giovanni. Sir, with all due respect, one unit piloted by an Eleven would not improve our efforts in the battle." a staff officer said, attempting to convince the Knight of Two of the notion
"Sometimes, all you need is one." John replied. "I would say we give it a try."
"Lord Giovanni, that decision rest solely on sub-viceroy Euphemia." another staff officer said
"Which is why I am asking her to make the decision." John looked to Euphemia while he was in the battlefield. "What do you say, sub-viceroy? Do you believe one unit can make the difference here in battle?" he asked her
Euphie then heard Suzaku silently mouth her nickname as she thought about it before nodding.
"Yes. Please do it."
"We got it." Lloyd said, gleefully
"Thank you very much." Cecile said gratefully
"Right. I won't fail." Suzaku said with determination in his eyes
"Suzaku Kururugi." said person paused when he heard John Giovanni's voice. "I leave the rest in your hands. Complete the task that has been presented to you."
"Yes, my Lord."
Suzaku began to activate the Lancelot and was ready to move out to aid Cornelia in the battle continuing in Narita.
"Advanced weapon system Z01 Lancelot. Utilize sand-panels to climb liquefied slope at max combat speed and rescue the viceroy." Cecile said
"Yes, My Lord."
"Suzaku, there's one thing I want to ask you."
"What's that?" Suzaku asked
"More than anything, you hate it when people die. Yet, you're in the military. Why is that?"
"I'm in the military to stop people from dying."
"That self-contradiction will get you killed someday." Lloyd replied, with a smile as Cecil grabbed him by the collar. "Ugh, sorry about that."
"Lancelot, now launching..." Suzaku launched the Lancelot and drove through the muddy path to reach Cornelia
In the battlefield, Fenrir were holding their own with Knights of the Round. Despite their Knightmares, the Knights still had an upper advantage on them due to their experience. Only Archangel, Valkyrie, and Yasuke had 7th generation Knightmares while Lobo has a 6th generation Knightmare Frame the same as the four members of the Round before them. While the Knight of Five's arsenal was easy to counter, but the Lancelot Grail and Club along with the Morgana were proving to be a disadvantage to Fenrir team. Just then from their sensors, something cut pass them through the battlefield as Yasuke activated his Geass. His eyes widened when he noticed a 7th generation Knightmare being the cause of the sudden interference, as the Knight of thirteen seized the opportunity to lunge the Morgana's slash harkens on Valkyrie's Knightmare. She used her Geass to dodge but unfortunately, it was too late as the slash harken caught the arm and legs of the Valkyrie before it was lifted in the air for a brief moment. The Morgana brought the Valkyrie Knightmare down hard, destroying nearly all limbs in the process.
"Valkyrie!" Archangel grabbed the slash harkens, leaving the Morgana to disassemble the caught harkens. "Valkyrie! Are you alright?"
"I'm alright... but my Knightmare's-"
"We need to bail out of here, now!" Lobo interjected. "Whatever that was, just blasted its way through. Heading to where we got Cornelia trapped!"
Yasuke gritted his teeth. "We need to help there, now." he growled. "Lobo, take Valkyrie and get out of here. Archangel, you're with me."
"Right!" Lobo said, dispersing chaff smoke on the battlefield grabbing the Valkyrie along the way. "Good luck."
"It's you and me, then." Archangel said
"Let's head off to that valley."
Both the Archangel and Yasuke fled the fight with the Knights of the Round, making their way to Zero and the Black Knights whom have Cornelia in their trap.
"They're heading to where Nellie's at." Nonette said to John and the other members of the Round
"I'll head there. I trust you three to aid Guilford with Todoh and his Four Holy Swords." he said to them, following the trail of Yasuke and Archangel
Archangel and Yasuke move at top acceleration speed to head over to the valley. Yasuke looked behind them to see the Lancelot Grail behind them, as Yasuke held on to Archangel while firing the wrist mounted grenade launcher to take it out. The Grail dodged with ease as Yasuke and Archangel when it got close, with Archangel using the RWS once the Grail was close enough. The Lancelot Grail countered using its Schrotter sword coated with blaze luminous to counteract the Radiant Wave Surger, frying both the sword and RWS in the process. This action caused the Grail to seemingly retreat before the Knightmare could be destroyed but the left arm of the Archangel was fried and needed to be repaired. The custom hand gun was handed to Archangel by Yasuke as they made their way into the valley, long enough to see Guren below the valley with some Burais by the Guren's side.
"Archangel, Yasuke. You both made it." Zero said. "Where is Lobo and Valkyrie?"
"Had to fall back. Todoh and the rest of the JLF manage to do the same with all the diversions." Archangel stated
"Good. You two, deal with the white Knightmare." Zero then contacted the others. "Black Knights, retreat! Move to your escape points. Cornelia's forces have been wiped out, leave the rest to Archangel and Yasuke."
All Black Knights retreated from the battle, including Cornelia although in a reluctant manner. Before Yasuke and Archangel could begin their battle with the Lancelot, the sudden arrival of the Grail took both the two members of Fenrir by surprise. Both Lancelot and Grail charged at both of them. The right arm of the Archangel was destroyed, while the Yasuke Knightmare just an ounce away of being out of power. And with one precise kick from the Grail, both Knightmare of Fenrir were an edge away off a cliff by the Knight of Two.
"Warrant officer, find and apprehend Zero." Knight of Two ordered before both the Archangel and Yasuke fall off the valley
Both Archangel and Yasuke lost consciousness inside their Knightmares after the fall, as a few of the Black Knights grabbed them before escaping with the rest. Meanwhile, in the town away, a truck is leaving Narita with researchers inside when an injured Jeremiah walked on the road.
"Another soldier."
"No wonder our battalion lost."
"I'm not Orange." Jeremiah weakly said. "Zero!" he yelled out before collapsing on the ground as the researchers dragged him inside the truck
In a safehouse designated Jefferson in the temporarily use for the Black Knights, Archangel and Yasuke wake up when they heard noises. Their eyes opened up to see they were in one of the safehouses Washington had setup in Japan, with Lobo and Valkyrie sitting by them before the two saw Yasuke and Archangel awake. They set up from their beds in the infirmary, checking themselves for any injuries they may have sustained after the battle of Narita.
"Though we lost you two."
"Did we at least get the key figures in the JLF out in time?" Archangel asked
"Thankfully, they manage to leave Narita." Valkyrie stated. "Zero's confident we'll find them, or they'll come to us in either way." she added as the man himself walked in with Ben Washington behind him
"Well done."
"Would've have gone more smoothly without the Knights of the Round." Yasuke replied, getting out of the cot. "I didn't think they'd be here for."
"Neither was Washington. Officially, the Knights of Two, Five, Nine, and Thirteen are not due to be stationed in Japan." Zero stated. "It appears they're here for an unofficial reason of their own."
"Do we have any idea what that is?" Archangel asked
Wash shook his head. "None whatsoever. In the meantime, Knightmare frames could use some work after the fight you all had in Narita." he glanced at Valkyrie. "Yours, especially. I'll dig up what information I can on Kyoto."
"That would be appreciate." Zero replied as Wash left the infirmary. "Washington has volunteered to gather information on Kyoto regarding the JLF, due to their involvement with them."
Yasuke glanced at Archangel. "Long day, huh?"
Archangel nodded and replied. "Long day."