The Great Crusade
Ch 1 -
Two giants stood on the bridge of a mighty vessel, looking out into the void to gaze upon an alien planet that had until recently escaped their notice. Alien, it was, but familiar still. An imitation of ancient Terra, as so many worlds they came across were.
It wasn't surprising. All of them could trace their roots back to Terra, one way or another. All of the human ones, that was. Many of the worlds they had brought to compliance held only the faintest legends of Old Terra, speaking of it as one would a fairy tale. Others believed that they were Terra itself. It would seem this world was one of the latter.
No matter. Soon enough it would be irrelevant. Soon enough, no one would remember this world had ever been called Earth, the archaic name for Terra from before the Dark Age. Only the scholars would make even the smallest note of it.
This world would be liberated. Illuminated, shown their ignorance and raised above it.
But first, there was another matter, one much more precious to the giants.
"He is here," Spoke the giant in gold. His voice was soft, yet full of strength, with a cadence that commanded authority even as it soothed the minds of those who heard it.
There was a sharp inhale from the second giant, taken in anticipation. He was smaller than the former, true, but no less magnificent for it. His armor was a gleaming white, and all who looked upon him were stricken in awe. He was Horus, commander of the Luna Wolves. He was a Primarch, a son of The Emperor, the Master of Mankind, and as he spoke with his father he couldn't help but betray an excitement in his voice. "You're certain?"
The Emperor nodded. "I am. I have seen him. Seen the life he has lived, what he has done. What he has yet to do. Not everything, of course, but enough."
"Then let us go down to the surface!" Horus declared. "Why do we delay? I am eager to take my new brother to see the stars, father! To show him the glory of your vision, to fight alongside him in battle!"
"We are waiting, because that is quite impossible at the moment," The Emperor answered patiently. "Your brother is dead."
Horus' face fell, heartbreak written clear on his features. "No. I refuse to believe it, you must be jesting. You said he was here, father, you said he would join us! How could he be dead? He is a Primarch!"
"I did," His father agreed. "Death is a strange thing, my son, and not one fully understood by anyone, not even myself. Your brother is dead in the traditional sense, that much is certain. I have witnessed it myself. But he will return to us. I promise you, Horus, I will not let his life end before it truly began."
Horus' shoulders sagged in relief. "Of course. Forgive me for doubting you, father. What must be done?"
The Emperor's gaze shifted once more to the world before them. "I must go alone, for now. I will walk your brother's world, and search for his remains. In the meantime, you would do well to learn what you can of it. His story…is an interesting one, to say the least."
"I would hear it from his own mouth, as he tells me of his deeds," Horus said. "I would not trust anything else."
The Emperor nodded. "There is wisdom in that. Even if you did try and learn what you could from the news of this world, the story it would tell would be riddled with holes. The truth is a murky thing, and so often it is hidden from those who deserve it most. Wait here then, for my return."
"I shall," Horus affirmed. But beneath the pride of performing his duty, lay a shade of concern, worry for his brother even after the Emperor's assurances.
As he watched his father take his leave, he couldn't help but wonder.
How could a Primarch meet his end?
Zero Requiem.
His masterwork. His final gift to Nunnally, to Kallen, to C.C., to all of mankind. His penance. Months of work, built upon the foundations of years of festering hatred. It was not the victory he envisioned when he first swore vengeance on his homeland, but it was victory nonetheless.
Bitter, exhausting victory. But it was over. Everything had been set right. Suzaku would carry on in his name. Nunnally would oversee the transfer from a world full of war, to one of peace. With Schneizel and Cornelia's help, of course.
C.C. would live on, hopefully finding something new to keep her going. He had promised to make her smile, to make life worth living again, and he hoped he had done that. Kallen…oh, Kallen. She deserved so much more than what she was given.
They all did. Milly, Rivalz, Kallen, even the others in the Black Knights. They deserved a proper explanation. Hopefully, everything was made clear after the parade. And even if Kallen did still hate him as the Demon Emperor, he could at least be glad that she would be alive to hate him.
He hoped that she didn't, despite all he had done.
Urgh. What should it matter what he cared for? He was a monster, a tyrant, a demon. Even ignoring the lie that was his reign, he had committed countless atrocities. Tokyo, Narita, The Black Rebellion, the SAZ massacre. Euphie. He was dead now, and he died deserving his fate, and taking solace in the knowledge that he accepted it. What he wanted, what he hoped, didn't matter anymore. He was gone from their world, and it would carry on without him.
And yet…and yet, he persisted. How? Was this C's world? Or something else? What hell awaited him? What punishment could possibly fit the weight of his sins?
He could not feel as he did when he was alive. A strange, numb sensation of existing was all he was given. Around him, he could sense millions of faint, numb, somethings, but he could not tell what it was.
That wasn't right. C's world was supposed to be the collective of all humanity. Not…not isolated like this. What was this?
Suddenly, he was not just existing anymore. He was being pulled, faster and faster. A bright, burning something grasped at him, clutching and clawing.
No, Lelouch protested. No! Let me be! If eternal solitude is my punishment, then let me serve it!
No, Something said, appearing in Lelouch's mind so clearly it seemed ridiculous to suggest it was ever absent from his mind. For all that you have done, for all the hate you hold for yourself, there is yet more for you to do. This is not your end.
No! Lelouch roared, but it was a ripple against a tsunami. He was drowned in the presence of the light, ripped away from the solitude. This wasn't right. He was supposed to die. He was supposed to suffer, he was supposed to pay for what he had-
Lelouch gasped, shooting up from the ground and taking a deep breath of air. He panted heavily, his eyes wide in fear, as they quickly looked around him. He was…he was alive.
He frowned. How was he alive? His hands clutched, grasping the grass beneath him. Groaning, he stood. He was in a field somewhere, with no sign of any buildings in sight. There was a dirt road nearby, but little more than that.
He was alive. This…this was bad. This was disastrous. If he were to be spotted, everything he had worked for, everything he had built would be brought to ruin.
Forcing himself to remain calm, he took another breath, closing his eyes. Think. What options were left to him? Contacting Suzaku would be next to impossible. Zero was not someone easily reached. Jeremiah, though? That should prove simpler. Yes. Yes, that was good. Find a way to contact Gottwald, and then…what? Organize his death again? Convincing Jeremiah to let him die once was difficult enough, a second time would prove more trouble than he had time to deal with.
And he would need to die. Because if he lived, there would always, always exist the threat that one day he might be discovered. And the peace he had so carefully cultivated would be utterly destroyed.
Even besides that, he couldn't just…his death was necessary. And that was that.
Sighing, he made his way to the road, lazily picking a direction and walking. If someone came along, he always had his Geass. It wasn't as if he had any better options. All he had on his person was the regalia he wore at his death, and that was it.
As he walked, he came to a strange realization. He saw much sharper than he did before, and he swore his sense of smell was keener. He thought he could smell a stream not far from him. No, not a stream, He realized. He was smelling salt water.
Odd. One of the strange effects of his resurrection, perhaps? Something to be puzzled out later. It could wait. For now, only one thing was on his mind, taunting him with how the answer escaped him.
What could have brought him back?
Lelouch was an asshole.
Of that, there couldn't really be any argument. She didn't feel guilty thinking it. But he was an asshole she happened to have fallen in love with, and therein lay the problem. He was an asshole, but he was still the man she admired. The one she chose to follow, even after learning who he really was. The man she had loved.
And now he was dead.
Kallen really should have seen it coming. She knew something was off. Why would he tell her to live on the Ikaruga, only to turn around and sentence her to death? She thought he had gone mad, but in hindsight he was always a little crazy.
No, she should have expected something else. Lelouch was many things, but predictable was never one of them. And after the Black Knights learned of his identity, everything seemed to follow an almost set path. They found out Lelouch was lying to them. He took the throne, and became the greatest tyrant in history. He sentenced them, and Nunnally to death. That should have been the giveaway right there.
But no. He had them fooled right up until the end.
She laughed, a few tears spilling down her face. Of course he did. He was Lelouch. He was Zero. If he was going to do something, it was going to be excessive, extravagant, and absolutely no one would have any idea what was going on until it was over and done with. It was their mistake for expecting him to be predictable.
He died. He died for them, for all of them. And the world would never thank him for it. They would damn him, and curse his name for hundreds of years to come. Maybe longer. And Kallen knew he wouldn't have it any other way. It was how he punished himself for everything. His penance. His final miracle.
Well the joke was on him. She would remember. And so would some of the others. Ohgi, Tamaki, Kaguya, Tohdoh and the rest of the high-ranking members of the Black Knights had all puzzled it out by now, after seeing Zero kill Lelouch. She was shocked Tamaki had been able to figure it out on his own, honestly.
But for all that they would remember him, that was all they could do. Remember. Laugh, maybe, and reminisce on the old days of the rebellion. Lament what might have been, if things had been different. If they had trusted Lelouch, or he had trusted them. But none of it changed the fact that he was dead. Nothing would ever change that.
That didn't stop her from regretting it. She knew that would be the opposite of what he'd want, but screw him! It was his fault in the first place! He was the one who went and died on her! He left her here, knowing that she had been wrong about him. Knowing that in the end, he had chosen to die to set things right.
She would never get the chance to apologize for not trusting him, for not standing by his side. She knew he wouldn't care, that he would have forgiven her before she could even get the words out of her mouth, but still. It pained her.
A knock at the door sent her jumping up in surprise. Immediately, her hand flew to the gun on her desk. Her mother was still out shopping and had a key of her own. Tamaki or one of the others would have called first.
The knocking came again, and she almost fired before she stopped herself. What the hell are you doing? She chastised herself. You're not at war anymore. They're just knocking on the door. Relax, and stop assuming the worst.
Placing the gun behind her back, she walked forward, hesitantly opening the door. She inhaled sharply, her breath taken away from her.
"May I come in?" The Stranger asked gently. His voice put aside any worries she had. Whoever it was, they weren't any danger. How could they be when their voice was so sweet?
"Of course," Kallen found herself saying, stepping aside to let him in. It was a him, right? Yes, yes of course it was. She blinked in confusion. Why was she letting him in? "I'm sorry, who are you?"
"A very complicated question," The Stranger said. "Suffice to say, I am a friend, of sorts. Perhaps a friend of a friend would suit better. I'm here to ask a few questions, is all."
A reporter? She thought she had dealt with the last of those weeks ago. Milly was the only one she was supposed to speak to now. "Not about your time in the war, don't worry. Not directly at least. No, I have a few questions about Lelouch. May I sit down?"
"Uh, yeah, sure." She answered, gesturing towards the couch. She was still caught off guard by the stranger's sudden appearance. Did he say Lelouch? She was sure he did. He wanted to speak about him. But why? "What about him? I already told the other reporters everything I have to say about the matter."
"I am not a reporter," The Stranger said to her relief. "And what you told them is of no interest to me. I do not wish to hear further tales of the Demon Emperor's monstrosity or his capacity for heinous acts. I wish to hear of Lelouch." The Stranger leaned in closer. "I wish to hear of him as a student. As a friend of yours. As Zero."
Kallen stepped back, raising the gun to the Stranger. She found the simple act of raising her arm much harder than it should have been. No one was supposed to know about that. "Who are you?" She demanded.
The Stranger remained unfazed. "As I said, a friend of a friend. I mean you no harm. I only wish to glean a few more details that have as yet escaped my knowledge."
Her arm sagged, pleading to lower her weapon. She held firm. "I-I think you should leave." She tried to memorize the features of the stranger. He was dressed strangely, in an old robe that kept most of his body hidden. Why didn't she notice that until now? His black hair was long, but his face…she couldn't seem to focus on his face.
The Stranger shrugged. "If you wish. However, I will make an offer first. Tell a little of what you know, even a single memory of him, and I will allow you to accompany me. If not, then I will simply leave."
"Why the hell would I want to follow you?" She asked.
Despite her difficulty in focusing on his face she swore she saw a smile. "Because, I intend to bring him back. And you are important to him. It will be easier with you there."
Her eyes widened. Impossible. You couldn't just bring someone back from the dead. That was insane. This Stranger was insane.
But…C.C. could do it, couldn't she? And Lelouch, his Geass wasn't supposed to be possible either. And when this Stranger spoke to her, she couldn't help but feel he was telling her the truth. She lowered the gun partially, still careful. "H-How?"
"By taking his soul back from what he calls a thought elevator." He answered. "You've been to one. I've seen it."
Kamine Island. She bit her lip. "Fine. What do you want to know?"
"Who was he?" The Stranger asked simply.
Kallen shook her head. "How the hell would I know? He never told anyone the same thing. I doubt he knew who he was most of the time. Lelouch was a mess of contradictions held together by paranoia, his sister, and enough anger to burn the earth to the ground."
"It will suffice just to tell me what you think of him," The Stranger said.
She sighed, taking a seat of her own. "Lelouch…God, where do I start? He was a liar, for one. A fantastic liar. I don't think anyone could ever lie like he did, as easily as he did. He lied about who he was, what he wanted, and why he wanted it. He'd be an amazing actor." She laughed bitterly. "That's something else. He always, always had to be a show off. It wasn't enough to beat Britannia, he had to humiliate them while he did it. Even when he died, he had to do it in the most ostentatious way possible."
"But you admired him?" The Stranger pressed.
She nodded. "Of course. How couldn't I? As Zero, he gave us the first real, tangible victory since the invasion. Suddenly, we weren't just stealing a junkheap of a Knightmare, we were fighting off the Viceroy's forces! Victory after victory, and he did it all while making us feel like we had a purpose. Like we were changing the world."
"Were you?" He asked.
"Obviously," Kallen scoffed. "Take a look around. None of this would have happened if we weren't changing something. Lelouch was a bastard sometimes, but he didn't lie about everything. He wanted to topple Britannia, and he wanted to free Japan. That never changed." She paused. "But he did. After the SAZ massacre, I think. Before, Zero was a rock, he was invincible. But at the first battle for Tokyo, he seemed a lot more unhinged. More desperate."
"After what C.C. told me, it wasn't hard to find out why. He killed his sister. By accident. That's gonna mess anyone up." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you even know what I'm talking about?"
The Stranger nodded. "Well enough. Please, continue. What did you think of him after that? Once you knew who he was? Why would you follow a prince?"
"Because he was still the best hope for Japan. Because he was Zero. Because…" She sighed. "Because by then, I had already fallen for him." Strangely, it wasn't uncomfortable for her to confess. "And I wanted…I needed to know if everything was a lie, or if enough of it was true that I could still love him."
She laughed bitterly. "That's most of our relationship. Me trying to sort through the lies and make sense of it all. You know, I still don't know if he realized I even loved him until I told him. He's very good at ignoring things he doesn't want to address. And when he can't ignore it, he never gives a straight answer."
It felt good, telling all of this to the Stranger. Getting it off of her chest. There was still an underlying sense of suspicion telling her not to trust some random man who just walked into her house, but he knew things he shouldn't have even before she told him anything. He obviously wasn't some nobody reporter. "For a long time, I didn't know if he cared about me, or if he was just manipulating me."
"Which do you think it was?" He asked.
She smiled. "Both. He manipulated me because he cared about me. I don't know if I said this yet, but he was, and I cannot stress this enough, an asshole. But he was an asshole who almost lost a battle to get me back, and sent a ninja maid to break me out. He was the asshole who, after thinking he just got his sister killed and being betrayed by his soldiers, drove me away so I wouldn't be hurt when he thought he was going to be killed. He cared. It's the same thing he did with everyone he cared about. Suzaku, Nunnally, the student council, he manipulated all of them for what he thought was best. He needed to be in control, because otherwise he didn't think we were safe."
"I see," The Stranger said.
Kallen sighed, standing up. "Lelouch was a prick. He was a manipulating control freak, a habitual liar, I'm fairly certain he was a little crazy and the word overprotective doesn't do him justice. But he was one of my best friends. He was the man I loved, and in the end, he did the right thing. He did something not many people would be willing to do. So if you say you can bring him back, I have to ask, what makes you think he wants to come back?"
"It isn't a matter of what he wants," The Stranger said. "He is needed. And so he will return."
Kallen swallowed, tightening the grip on her gun. "What makes you think I'll let you? Lelouch died so that the world could live in peace. Bringing him back would ruin that. I might not have understood it then, but if this is Zero's plan for the world, I won't let you jeopardize it."
"You will," He said "Because no matter what you say, you still love him, don't you? You want him back."
"Shut up!" She yelled, taking aim. "It doesn't matter what I want! I won't let you destroy what he died for!"
"I promise," The Stranger said gently. "That no matter what happens, this world will not fall to chaos. There will be peace, if not quite how Lelouch envisioned it. And I promise that he will come back. The question is whether or not you will accompany me."
Kallen breathed in, shutting her eyes. When she opened them, she had lowered her gun. "I will," She said. "For Lelouch. And if I think it isn't him, or if you jeopardize him or what he's done, or even if he just orders me to, I will kill you."
He shrugged. "If you wish to try. Come then, I don't wish to delay more than necessary. It will be more difficult the longer we wait."
He left, without waiting for her to follow. She scrawled a quick note for her mother, before rushing out the door to chase after the stranger. And despite all the madness of the whole situation, she did so with a smile.
I'm coming, Lelouch.
Vandred breathed deeply, focusing his mind. His twin hearts pounded in anticipation, but he forced himself to remain calm. The time was near, but it had not come yet. The Emperor had work to do, to pave the way first.
What will it be like? He wondered. Would he look at them with pride and love, as Horus did? Or with a thin line of distrust, choosing to prefer the company of those from his homeworld like the Wolf? He couldn't say. The Emperor, of course, kept his own council and Horus had not told him much either.
Perhaps that would change now. The Primarch had summoned him shortly after The Emperor's departure, requesting a private audience. It was that very meeting Vandred now sat waiting for.
It was always a magnificent sight, basking in the glory of one of the Primarchs. Each time he laid his violet eyes on Horus, it took his breath away. The lord of the Luna Wolves was the embodiment of a perfect warrior, everything the Astartes strived to be, and so much more than they could ever hope to aspire to. And yet, Horus always remained strangely human to them. The Emperor was always above them, otherworldly almost, but Horus was grounded in a way the Master of Mankind could never be.
It was Horus that Vandred had fought with for decades now, and it was Horus who had helped shape his legion. Once, they had been nearly as unreliable as the War Hounds, or even the Revenants. They may not have taken as much barbaric joy in the making of war as their cousins, but something in their legion drove them to victory. They would pay any price needed to ensure compliance, even at the cost of their lives. Even at the cost of civilian lives. But the former Master of the Legion, a veteran of the unification wars had sustained a terrible wound putting him out of battle, and Vandred had been chosen to take his place.
He wished he could say it was his doing. In truth, it was Horus. All Vandred had done was listen to what the Primarch had to say, and try to follow his suggestions. In time, his legion's rougher edges had been blunted, smoothed into something with honour forged into its bones. Victory at any cost, but never if it meant losing themselves. More and more, he found himself wanting to thank the Psyker in the Luna Wolves who had taught him the techniques for steeling his mind. A pity the soldier had fallen months ago.
A knock on the wall, and Vandred opened his eyes. Before him stood Thaddeus, the first Master of the Legion. The old veteran grinned. "I hear Horus has summoned you. Why are you hiding away down here?"
Vandred rose to his feet. "He asked for a private audience. I assume he'll ask me to head for his quarters when he wishes to receive me."
"Has he news about the Primarch?" Thaddeus asked.
He shook his head. "I wouldn't know." He hoped so. They all hoped so. When word had first spread throughout the legion that this world was not just another compliance, that another of the Emperor's sons had been found, that the Primarch had been found…it lit a fire in their hearts like nothing ever had before. Not even the first time he saw The Emperor compared to the eagerness he possessed to lay eyes on his Gene-sire.
"Ah, what I would give to greet our father as Master of the Legion!" Thaddeus lamented. "A pity. But I suppose it's for the best. You are far better suited to the role than I ever was."
"You led the legion through victory after victory before your injury," He reminded the old man. "Few of the legions could lay claim to what we accomplished."
"Aye. And few of them could say they did what we did to earn those victories." He smiled sadly. "Don't try and soothe my ego, lad. We did what we did in The Emperor's name, and I'm not ashamed of it. But Horus showed us a better way, and there could be no better man than you to guide the legion into a new era. Because of you, we can show our father a legion of soldiers with honour, with pride, not simple butchers with a few meaningless laurels."
Vandred nodded. "Master of the Legion or no, you will still be here to meet him when he is brought to us. There is honour in that. Your injury should never have robbed you of your station." He had lost an arm and a leg during the early years shortly after Horus was found, both of which were replaced with vat grown substitutes within weeks. But it was a time when someone was needed to lead the legion with no time for delay, and so he was replaced.
Thaddeus shrugged. "Time marches on, with or without us. I've grown past it. What matters is now, brother."
A human serf came to a stop at the door, panting and out of breath. He took a step back when he noticed the two of them. "Forgive me, lord, you are busy. I shall return-"
"Wait," Vandred stopped him, holding up a hand. "What is it?"
"Horus requests your presence in his solar, lord." The serf bowed. "That is all." He was quick to leave, rushing off to deliver some other message, no doubt.
Thaddeus grinned once more. "No more hiding for you, eh?"
"It would seem not," Vandred said evenly. "I'll tell you if there's any news of the Primarch."
Thaddeus nodded in appreciation. "My thanks."
Vandred sighed as his brother left, peeling off his sword belt and placing it against the wall. He felt naked without a weapon, but one did not go to a summons from a Primarch armed, even if he was an Astartes. It was hardly proper.
The halls of the Bucephelus were still strange to him, but it was similar enough to his own flagship that he did not lose himself. He and Horus both were ordered to The Emperor's personal vessel ahead of their arrival. It was here he was told of what laid on the planet before them.
Horus was not in his solar, as expected. He was waiting outside, almost impatiently. It seemed strange, that one such as him would bother waiting on a simple soldier. Horus smiled in recognition as he came into view. "Vandred! It is good to see you. I have news, something you must hear."
He made an effort to suppress his nerves. It could be anything, he reasoned. It might not even be about the Primarch. His excitement surpassed him, however, and he couldn't resist asking. "Is there word from The Emperor?"
Horus frowned. "Yes and no. Come."
He followed Horus into his personal chambers. They were almost spartan, for so grand a figure. Where he expected tapestries, trophies of war, or at least some sort of color, he found only the quarters of a soldier, not unlike his own. He took some small comfort in that. Horus sighed. "There is good news, and ill, but I ask you not to be alarmed. You must listen to me in full."
Vandred furrowed his brow in confusion. "Of course, my lord."
"My brother is here," Horus confirmed. "The Emperor has seen it, and even now searches for him. However…my father says he is dead."
It was as if his soul was wrenched out of his body. Vandred's face contorted into one of anguish. "It cannot be," He said in disbelief. It couldn't. They were so close, the Primarch could not be lost to them before he was even found!
"He is dead, but he will return to us," Horus said, and Vandred looked up in hope. "The Emperor has promised. And I do not doubt him for a moment." The Primarch leaned in. "You understand that word of this cannot spread, yes? It would cause havoc. Besides, it won't matter soon enough. The Emperor was cryptic. Perhaps he is in some sort of stasis, or some similar state. Your Primarch will return to you before we leave this world."
Vandred sighed in relief. "Thank you, lord. I understand. I trust the Emperor, of course." He hesitated, weighing the risks of asking another question. "If I may…what do you know of him? Of his world?"
Horus shook his head. "Very little, I'm afraid. I wanted to hear it from my brother himself. There is nothing I could tell you that you couldn't learn by yourself."
He nodded. "As you say. When will the Emperor return, do you think?"
Horus stood, lacing his hands behind his back. Unlike him, the Primarch was not arrayed in his wargear, choosing instead to don a ceremonial robe, white, for the colors of his legion. "Soon, I hope." He smiled ruefully. "Perhaps it is selfish of me to say, when he is your father, but I don't like waiting to meet my brother any more than you do."
"Hardly selfish, lord," Vandred said. "It is difficult for me to believe the time has finally come. Everything will change for us now, in only a few days."
"Indeed," Horus agreed. "This is only the beginning. Remember this moment, Vandred. The true history of the XIth Legion begins here!"
So this is the first chapter of my newest fic. As you can tell, it's a crossover between Code Geass and 40k, something I've mentioned about doing before. First off, I get it's a bit of an…odd Idea, but stick with it, I have some really interesting things planned.
In case it wasn't clear, no, Lelouch is not suddenly twelve feet tall, but he IS still a Primarch. The reasons for why he is the way he is, and how he can be both a prince and a Primarch WILL be explained.
This will not be uploaded on a schedule. I still have A Shattered Mind to work on as my main fic, as well as needing to plot the rest of this. However, progress is going well. I'm up to chapter 45 planned for Shattered Mind, and I just finished a major arc. Look forward to hopefully getting more updates soon.
This is going to be a bit of an odd fic, but it's one I'm excited about. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed planning it.