I own neither Code Geass nor Highschool DxD.
A gentle breeze flew past Lelouch, blowing raven bangs his hair past the aristocratic curves face. The grass beneath his feet swayed with the wind, knee high stalks bending in the breeze as a slow wave ran through the fields around him which stretched beyond the horizon. Golden meadows rose from the ground as far as the emperor could see, standing side by side with apple trees that covered the land they grew from in a gentle shade which danced alongside the rays of the evening sun. There was nothing else in this place, nothing but a garden of golden fields and apple trees— it should have been a world of greenery and peace, this place of endless grasslands and enchanting forests.
But this world was anything but peaceful.
Dyed under the rays of the evening sun, the world around him was painted in the shades of crimson and gold, the colour of blood and grace. The dancing leaves of the apple trees reflected the gentle rays of the radiant sun, making it seem as if the meadow was set ablaze with scarlet flames as they continued to stand over the fields of enchanting gold that made treasures of men pale in comparison.
This gentle world should have been a beautiful sight, a wonder to behold but Lelouch experienced no joy in his heart as he looked upon the paradise that resembled the gardens of heaven in more ways than one. Instead, his eyes watered and his vision blurred as an emotion he could neither name nor understand swelled in his chest. For reasons he could not understand, his very soul ached at the sight of this strange world.
Nostalgic.
Strangely enough, that lone emotion overwhelmed his mind as he laid his eyes upon the paradise which countless men would have waged wars to behold even for a single moment— he simply felt nostalgic. The mere sight of these boundless grasslands reminded him of times long past. Of his sisters and his friends who he cherished more than anything else in his world, of a promised future that never came to be…
But before he could observe more of this paradise that seemingly had no end, the former emperor was brought out of his trance by the sound of turning gears creaking over his head. Lelouch looked up, his amethyst eyes searched the sky and found nothing but the scarlet and orange hues of dusk.
But the emperor knew he had heard something, so he kept looking. He kept looking and looking before he found—
Lelouch almost lost his balance as he leaned his head further back to look at the marvel that he had only seen once before, when he had stared down upon the emperor and his queen who wished to bring down the sword of judgement upon the collective mankind, "What happened to the sky?"
In the gold and crimson skies above his head, hung enormous metal gears. Larger than any imperial palace he had seen— they must have weighed thousands of tones yet simply hung there in the sky above Lelouch as if weightless, suspended high above the clouds themselves.
They turned ever so slowly even though he could not see any force freezing them in place, rotating and creaking against one another as they took the place of the sun with a golden coat so smooth that it reflected the lands underneath and allowed the ethereal contraptions to blend in with the rest of the sky.
"Lelouch…" a gentle voice called out from behind. The former emperor who had destroyed his world turned to find a man standing next to him, looking right at him rather— blond locks cascading down his back in rivers of gold and cerulean gaze overflowing with an emotion he could not recognize.
His body was adorned in a simple white shirt and black pants, clothes so mundane and simple that they seemed almost out of place in this ethereal world, if not for the small platinum crucifix around his neck that dangled in the middle of his chest.
Beautiful— no other word could accurately describe the man. To even describe the man using such a moniker felt almost an insult to Lelouch, for it put mortals who were merely beautiful on the same pedestal.
The wind gently caressed his locks, sending them wandering innocently about the sides of his face. They curled ever so beautifully as they fell down from his head and onto his shoulders, so radiant they seemed to have been painted from the shades of dawn.
His skin was a healthy and enchanting pink, unblemished in any way by even the smallest imperfection. Sky blue eyes shone out of his aristocratic face that was set in a look of relaxed contemplation as he glanced down upon the book in his hands with a small smile. Despite his broad shoulders and lean waist, he could have been mistaken as a woman from afar.
The hands which turned the pages of the book were creamy and smooth, a scholar's hands free of callouses and scars. He looked to be an adult, yet remained youthful. A handsome man, yet also a beautiful woman. A venerated king, yet also a simple farmer. A pure saint, yet also a tainted sinner.
A breathing contradiction that encapsulated human nature perfectly, that was all Lelouch could make of him. When had this man appeared beside him? Had he always been there and the former emperor had just not noticed or was it something else entirely? What exactly was happening?
The last thing that Lelouch remembered were the golden halls of Heaven and the teary acceptance of the Seraphim that had gathered to judge him. His mind which was perhaps the greatest weapon in his arsenal raced at the speed of thought…
Teleportation…
He had never thought much about such subjects, instead dedicating his thoughts to concerns much more important than the supernatural but if his hypothesis was right…
"We finally meet, Demon Emperor." The haunting voice of the man snapped Lelouch out of his trance as he finally looked into his eyes, aware that he had been caught taking a measure of this stranger. His perpetually sad eyes peered into his amethyst orbs for a moment before they turned towards the sky above. "I had not expected you to catch the eyes of my Seraphim so soon. But then again, I should have expected nothing but success from a man of your talent."
"No rest for the wicked, they say. And what am I if not the most wicked of all?" Lelouch answered, finally placing a face to the voice that had spoken to him, the one that had opened the Gates of Heaven for him and guided him through space and time.
"As if I haven't heard that particular one before. But I suppose several centuries of tedium is enough to blunt even the sharpest of wits," He gently laughed, his voice tinkling melodiously. "You raised quite an alarm amongst my angels, though. It might delay the next stage of our plans."
"How else can a king plant the seed of devotion in his subjects than to bestow upon then a miracle they imagine to be unthinkable?" Lelouch spoke, gazing far into the distance towards the broken sky that covered this realm, "That residue of your authority would only strengthen my authority in the future. Moreover, these angels of yours were quite an unruly bunch. Certain death would have awaited me had I not acted appropriately in time."
The former emperor remembered the murderous intent that had bore down upon him— the might of seven Seraphs was overbearing indeed, far greater than any weapon mankind could conceive. He had no choice but to gamble upon the nature of men, just as he had countless times before.
"An unruly bunch they may be, but you must not begrudge them for loyalty. Their actions were righteous," The man said, shaking his head.
"What people imagine to be just and righteous might not always be so." Lelouch shot back, peering into the cerulean eyes of the man despite knowing who exactly stood before him, "Though I would not blame them for caution. I have forgiven far more and done far worst."
The Seraphim may have tried to execute him, but he would have done the same had his stronghold been through questionable means. An otherworldly shade of rose overtook his mind for a moment, and he shook his head— by what right could the former emperor judge them when his own hands were drenched in oceans of blood for a simple dream?
Lelouch turned around to face the man, the voice that had drawn him into another contract he could not refuse and raised a brow in question. "Where exactly are we?" he asked.
"The Seventh Heaven, what humans call the Garden of Eden," He responded, his tone turning gentle once again as he waved a hand towards the endless meadows which stretched as far as the eye could see. "To be more precise, my angels are nursing your wounded body in the Sixth Heaven, but your soul has been pulled into the garden where I was put to rest."
"The Garden of Eden?" Lelouch whispered, his amethyst eyes widening by a fraction. "But how could that be?" The former emperor wondered out loud even as the man beside him chuckled.
"Just as every other realm in our endless world, my heaven also has both a physical and metaphysical part to it. The one you can see and the one you cannot, at least not yet anyway." The man explained, he raised a single hand and distortions spread across the entire meadow following his movement as if he had poked a finger inside calm water "Both of them are equally important in function, but the metaphysical side holds much more relevance to both of us at the moment. Look at the realm around you once again, properly this time."
Lelouch raised a brow in question but followed the strangely informative play without question, observing the scenery around him and what he saw was a world full of cold steel.
An untold number of twisting gears hung from the sky as if they were tombs of a celestial grave which covered all of Heaven, standing proud and tall above the rays of the evening sun. They were laid out before him in thousands, stretching out in every direction towards the distant horizon and beyond, far farther than his eyes could ever see. The sight became an unparalleled masterpiece as they moved together in tandem, a peerless machine that changed flawlessly in a manner that betrayed human comprehension.
Almost instinctively, Lelouch recognised the magnificent sight before his eyes— the System.
"Seventh Heaven does not exist physically nor can it be considered material. I took the Garden of Eden and fashioned it into a conceptual realm isolated inside the collective unconsciousness of this world." The man shook his head, fragments of a haunting regret appearing on his face. "The cost Heaven had to bear for this safeguard of mine was almost too much to bear, but this requiem was imperative and just. It ensured that the system remains protected and allowed us to meet once again despite my demise."
"Why am I here?" Lelouch asked, almost dumbstruck as he gazed at the sky above. It was hard to keep awe out of his face— dyed under golden rays, the world around him appeared mesmerising and ethereal. The steel of the slowly moving gears hung above endless plains below and cast the world ablaze in scarlet shadow.
"The release of my authority inside Sixth Heaven acted as a beacon that allowed me to pull your soul into this spiritual realm." The man explained, a gentle grin on his face that made the world seem brighter, "I have always wanted to meet you in person, and brought you here as soon as the opportunity presented itself."
"I assume you did not bring me here merely to inquire about my wellbeing." Lelouch tilted his head, instantly regaining his composure at the explanation. "As much as I demand answers, I imagine that your side of things would be quicker to explain."
"How astute of you, Emperor Lelouch." The man laughed, his voice oddly soothing as it softly reverberated through the meadows. "But as much as I want to extend our time here, this shall be our last meeting."
His brows rose higher for a moment. "Our last meeting?"
"I fear that is the case." He answered in a tone that was kind but resolute at the same time. "Most of my power preserved in Heaven following my demise has already been expended. The act of creating a connection between two separate universes through the Dimensional Gap nearly drained my stored reserves and our contract would consume what remains, it seems my time here has finally come to an end."
The man sighed when he saw Lelouch's eyes widen in surprise, his voice tinged with what appeared to be remorse. "The Cycle of Samsara is an eternal law even gods cannot break. This forced existence of mine would have vanished in a few decades naturally, regardless of the contract. This venture of ours may seem costly, but I can now rest peacefully, entrusting the fate of my world in hands more capable than mine."
Lelouch watched the man from the corner of his eyes— the sight of someone yearning for death making his heart clench in dull agony.
A dark part of him wondered whether C.C. had also experienced these haunting emotions when she saw the grim acceptance in his eyes. Lelouch had never thought much about what it meant be on the other side of a martyr. Granted, only a few were aware of his true plan but they must have experienced on that fateful day when he had been ran through by a blade in his best friend's hands and ended it all— the Zero Requiem was meant to be repentance, death was the punishment Lelouch had chosen for himself and he would have it no other way.
But both had known that it had to end this way, that there was nothing either could do about it— the tearful cries of his sister rang across his mind for a moment and his heart ached at the memory, the final notes of his requiem might have changed had he thought about Nunnally for even a single moment. She had certainly deserved more than the conclusion he had forced upon her, she deserved a brother he never could be…
"If powers have really faded away..." Lelouch hesitated and found words stuck in his throat for a second, rare were the moments were his mind blemished by indecision, "Then I imagine your end of the bargain would be completed soon?"
"Do not worry, Emperor Lelouch," the man answered, "My word is absolute and I would not see it broken now. It might have cost me my remaining power, but the future of all those you love and your Zero Requiem has been secured."
Lelouch peered into his cerulean eyes for a long moment as if searching for any traces of falsehood before sighing when he found none, almost as if an unseen burden had been removed from his shoulders— his usually cold amethyst eyes damp at the edges as his mouth stretched into a genuine smile.
This contract alongside the devastating purges of his Zero Requiem had all but ensured that his world would not see a full war for the better part of a century. There might be strife, as there always would be, but for the majority of the inhabitants of this world, life would turn into a peaceful affair. It ensured that generations of people would soon exist who would never know the sound of gunfire and the concept of warfare.
It was the kind of world he had wanted, the world he had promised his beloved sister Nunnally. It was the kind of world he had fought for, alongside the oppressed and downtrodden— it was the kind of world he'd died for.
"If I deliver to you the unthinkable, then I might have earned your trust." Lelouch could not help but whisper, remembering the last time he had waged war for a cause greater than his own. "To lead Heaven in your stead as your heir and to ensure the safety of your world in exchange for Nunnally's safety and the success of my Zero Requiem. If that is your wish, then I shall deliver this miracle to you."
A strange blend of regret and acceptance swelled inside his chest, and he lowered his head. The former emperor might have taken the second chance as a blessing if not for the fact that it so clearly was a curse. Any sprouting feelings of elation he may have had at the fulfilment of the ideal of a peaceful world had been swiftly shattered— ground under the heel of the revelations of what a new life in this world would mean.
The actualisation of his wish for his sister meaningless in a world without her, the fulfilment of his dreams of a peaceful world senseless without the companions he'd dreamed it for— in the end, he too was one of the great sinners, and he too was meant to be punished by the Zero Requiem, and yet once again he was escaping his atonement, a punishment that he rightly deserved. Dying would have been much easier, but circumstances demanded more from him.
"I do not understand you, Lelouch." The man spoke, openly observing Lelouch as if he was the most interesting person he had laid his eyes upon. "I could have given you anything. But why wish for something so trivial?"
The former emperor's eyes flashed red at the question, and something ugly reared its head inside of him as he turned around to face the man who claimed to be a God. What right did he have to judge his desires? Who was he to call his wish trivial?
"I do not mean any insult." The god calmly raised his hands, almost as if aware of his darkening mind yet unable to understand what his thoughts. "I just want to understand, why go through all this trouble? We both know your Zero Requiem was perfect in execution and your safeguards would have protected that peace for decades to come, so why break through the walls between universes and enter another eternal pact for the sake of a world you have already given everything for?"
The suddenly forlorn atmosphere made it a problematic task to bridge the gap that had existed between the two, physical or otherwise. The itself question was rather innocuous yet invasive— he could just explain his reasoning, but imagined it would be met with discontent.
The question had basis, though. The former emperor had ensured that the end of his requiem remained purged of any loose ends, that those he loved would remain safe and happy even without his protection. He had laid behind an untold number of safeguards under leaders as capable as Schneizel and Suzaku, which all but guaranteed the future of his world would remain how he imagined it to be. Fragmented question and answer was perhaps not the best solution to this. The man was looking at him expectantly, as if the answer he provided would somehow explain everything. He took advantage of his patience and spent the next few seconds in silence, considering his next words.
The man continued, "Do you not wish to erase your regrets? Do you not desire to correct the mistakes which continue to haunt your soul?"
Lelouch returned his gaze with a cold look, "Why should I?"
Traces of appeared in those perpetually calm cerulean eyes for the first time since this strange play had begun. "Huh?"
"My decisions and my regrets," Lelouch answered. "It's because of them that I became the person you see today. I may regret my mistakes but I have no desire to change them. I would not allow my scars to be taken from me for I was prepared to shoulder all those sins from the moment I accepted her contract."
There were many regrets which gnawed constantly at his heart, untold mistakes that never should have been. There were decisions whose consequences were too devastating to bear and his actions had taken so much from people meant to be treasured— Euphie, Shirley, Nunnally…
He could name thousands of them. But the thought of changing it all? It had never even entered his mind.
Regardless of what he thought of his rule and despite how many people had been murdered by his hands drenched in red— he knew wishing to rewrite history would not change anything, it would just make everything meaningless.
"You regret your mistakes, yet you refuse to change them." The man shook his head ruefully. "Only humans wear the medal of hypocrisy so proudly on their chest."
"Then you do not understand humanity completely, despite your love for them." Lelouch smirked as he turned towards the man, having no desire to explain closure to a being who looked so human but was not. "Your own son reincarnated into the human world as a mortal but the nature of mankind continues to elude you, how amusing."
"You would compare yourself to Jesus when the Age of Gods has long ended in your world?" the man frowned, "I never thought you the type to use such ideology."
"It's simple, really." Lelouch answered. "You would be right to imagine, I have not earned the moniker of demon emperor by being pious. I simply use your son as an example because he was omnipotent but powerless at the same time, he was divine but also human. He was greater than a king but at the same time, made himself our slave."
The God pondered upon this for a moment, "I do not see how this is relevant."
"I can be as kind as the greatest of saints, yet crueller than the mightiest of tyrants." Lelouch spoke, closing his amethyst eyes. "It's because we're human that we can be both. That is what separates us from every other creature that has walked inside creation, just because we are one does not mean we cannot be the other. We constantly deceive the world alongside ourselves for that is what being human means."
"What does that make you then?" The man asked, eyes brightening at the question. "A demon or an angel?"
"None, for an angel would not destroy his world and a demon would not forsake everything to save even those who scorn him," Lelouch answered. "I am but a simple human. That is why you have chosen me, right?"
For the first time since he had awakened here, Lelouch saw the man lose his composure as he stared wide-eyed and astounded at him. For a moment, the god remained quiet and then he threw his head back to laugh— it echoed through the meadow as the chime of church bells and. It was a pure thing, as gentle as the pride in a father's smile or the warmth of a mother's embrace.
The man wiped away a tear of mirth from the corner of his eyes and chuckled fondly, "You humans sometimes remind me of the night sky."
Lelouch raised a brow. "In what way?"
"An endless darkness. The night sky is so dark and foreboding, and what meagre radiance that can be found inside is always outnumbered by the encroaching darkness," He explained. "The human soul is somewhat comparable. Mankind is drenched in so much betrayal, hatred, and rage that it threatens to colour their very souls black. It is why when Gods look over the sea of human souls from far above, all they can perceive is a nearly endless sea of darkness. It is enough to paint the entire sky black, and the few good souls who shine bright are so very far apart."
The man his eyes for a moment before turning and peering right at him, "But do you know what is the first thing that we always think of when we imagine the night sky?"
"What?" Lelouch played along.
"The stars." The man looked back up to the sky as if he was staring at the very stars that he spoke of. "I think of the stars.
"Why is it that when we think of the night sky, we do not picture boundless darkness but a sea of shining stars? It would not be wrong to describe mankind in such a manner, a drop of radiance on a curtain of eternal darkness. But our eyes could not help but be drawn to that meagre brightness, enthralled by the rare brightness—each human is capable of unthinkable cruelty but they also hold inside of them a great kindness that cannot be measured. That is why I adore humans and that is also why I chose you."
"Stars in a dark night…" Lelouch mused to himself, finding the analogy strangely appropriate as that constricting sense of duty came crashing down upon him once again.
Though he loathed the man completely, Lelouch had long accepted that his father was one of the few who could have removed cruelty from his world altogether—though bereaved of choice and freedom, hatred indeed would have ceased to exist had his father succeeded.
The former emperor had witnessed the plague of war that humans had brought upon themselves again and again, never learning from their mistakes. He had seen the true nature of mankind coloured by hope and greed— for every man dreamt of being more than they were before.
Lelouch knew that desire was a part of human nature— so long as ambition existed, those who would not hesitate to act for the sake of their wishes would also exist. But to act upon the interests of one meant trampling on the interests of another, and the only permanent solution was to change the very nature of humanity as Charles had wanted to.
Even so, Lelouch had rejected him and his ideals— not because he was deluded enough to think every single problem would miraculously vanish because of his Zero Requiem, that hatred would just be erased from this world if he gathered it all and then removed the anchor bearing the resentment.
The former emperor had not rejected his father's world just because of simple ideals and mere dreams. He had rejected it because he had seen the kindness and love that humans were capable of, because he knew there was more to mankind than war and hatred.
To Lelouch, humanity was not just the many who do wrong but the few who do right despite how very hard it might be, for no other reason than it is right. He had destroyed the world for those who shined as bright as stars in the night sky.
His Zero Requiem had been played to the last note, he had heard the celebratory cheers for his death even as the blade was pulled out of his chest. He had tumbled down the walkway, smearing blood upon the Britannian flag in one final show of theatrics, and then he'd died— quick and ignobly, taking an entire world's worth of enmity and hatred with him. In his wake, his world now would be able to rebuild.
Nunnally would have her peace. Suzaku, Kallen, and Black Knights, they would restore Japan to its former glory. They had been deserving, and they had received.
He had given them a chance to create a world where no monsters would spring up again. Creation there must be destruction and he had destroyed his world, not merely because of ideals but because he had seen the kindness humanity was capable of in Nunnally.
"My world needs peace, Lelouch. It needs your peace," the man spoke, snapping him from his thoughts as his gentle voice turned somewhat resolute. "You know this as well as I do."
"I know." The former emperor answered.
"You would have to wage war from my throne in Heaven." The man stated insistently, so forlorn at the prospect that it made him seem another person altogether. The almighty god who had given him another contract had never been not uncertain, never afraid— it made Lelouch swallow. "You must create another miracle. Destroy my cruel world and create it anew, even if it costs you everything."
Lelouch did not want to— he wanted things to end the way they were meant to. The former hated what it had all come to, but he knew his choice. He knew what he had to do to complete his end of the contract and no matter what it brought him to or what the path led him to, he'd already promised his loyalty.
"Lelouch vi Britannia." The god prompted, suddenly so inhumane.
Lelouch looked away, refusing to face the God. He was unaccustomed to this particular emotion, few were the moments in which he was paralysed by doubt and crippled by indecision. His intellect had always been a defining trait, and even now he knew his options but it was his resolve that was being shaken.
"I shall do what you ask of me," Lelouch whispered, so demure as though his voice had betrayed him suddenly. A wave of regret crashed into him the moment those words left his mouth, but he knew there was no going back.
"I would only demand from you what we had agreed upon and nothing more," The man declared, and he sounded satisfied.
Lelouch nodded. In the end, he had been spurred into action by the overwhelming weight of duty— personal thoughts had no value in this negotiation, he had already forsaken his emotions a long time ago when he'd usurped the throne he detested. He'd already sworn that the blood shed in the name of his miracles would have meaning by the end of his play and as Suzaku once told him, the best way to vanquish deception was to make it come true.
The former emperor was prepared to do it all once again if that was what this god demanded, for the sake of those he loved…
"If you have completed your end of the agreement, then it falls upon me to do my part." Lelouch continued, eyes hardening as he raised his hand and imperiously swished it down. "If Heaven needs a miracle to save them, then that is what they shall receive."
"I have high expectations, creator of miracles." The man stared at him for a moment before he nodded, actions injected a hint of authority that none could deny which almost seemed to acknowledge his resolve.
"Are you certain this would work?" Lelouch asked. He had known from the second this God had asked him to enter another contract that he would grow to regret it, but there was no retreat in the path he had chosen. "Would the seraphim accept this sudden change that overturns everything they have known?"
"They would have to accept this, any other decision would be heresy of the highest order." God stared at Lelouch with resolute eyes. "They would lose the right to detest their fallen brethren otherwise. The seraphim rules over heaven by my authority, not the other way around."
Cerulean eyes hardened as they met his amethyst, and it was at that moment that both were able to get a true read of the other for the first time that day— though divided by their language and culture, both were men of character whose desire for power and influence was not one derived from the greed of authority but for wanting to be someone who could protect those precious to him.
"To think the infamous demon emperor would indeed shred his very humanity at the end of his reign, ironic indeed," sighed Lelouch, vestiges of the buried resentment that had been fostered inside his heart for decades appearing on his face for a second before he finally sighed.
Lelouch would never know for sure, but he could have sworn that he saw gratitude inside the god as he met his gaze and nodded.
"It was supposed to happen gradually, but the schedule can be accelerated now that you have been brought here in person. I shall place the administrative key of my system inside your soul and reincarnate you to godhood, the demons are not the only ones who can do so." The man declared and held out a hand. "The fate of my world now rests upon your shoulders, Lelouch."
The former emperor nodded as he held raised his own and clasped the outstretched hand before him— and then untold agony shot through his body…
It began from his hand and quickly coursed through the rest of his whole body, tearing through flesh and bone as if red hot knives had been thrust into his very soul. It was as if molten magma had been poured down his throat, burning each and every part of him into ash and then forging it back into existence anew repeatedly.
The sudden surge of power threatened to unravel every atom in his body and the Demon Emperor screamed, the agony so intense that he could not release the hand he had clasped. The sensation of burning golden energy slowly vaporising his body completely overtook his mind.
Not that it would have done the emperor any good even had he been able to think, as he could not even stay focused long enough do anything. The sudden agony had turned his awareness into a fleeting thing, coming and going periodically. For a moment, Lelouch nearly forced himself to rouse completely as his resolve pushed almost his mind on the brink of truly waking up, only to feel it move out of his grasp as his mind was once faded back into the embrace of numbness long before he could begin to comprehend anything, dragged back by the perpetual dreams of red.
Then, a red sea overtook his degraded vision. The red reminded him of blood, and the memories he never wanted to face again suddenly rushed into his mind.
His mother and his sister, lying in a pool of blood that pooled around their bodies, painting the floor red…
"You are dead." His own father spoke, cold apathy the only emotion in his disinterested eyes, "You were always been dead to me, dead from the moment you were born"
"Are you Japanese too, Zero?" Euphemia laughed in gleeful crazeas screams of the Japanese echoed throughout the stadium. Her innocent blue eyes, now tinged red…
In those few seconds and minutes or however long it was, the world was nothing but a confusing blend of colour and noise, of shivering cold followed by comforting warmth. His mind refused to function properly. It was as if Lelouch was in a fevered dream, the few thoughts he could form were nothing but a jumbled-up mess that followed neither rhyme nor reason as he desperately pushed back against the flood of memories
But the power forced him to remember. His chest heaved, his heart beat loudly, and Lelouch just wanted to get outoutoutout—
"I would fall in love with you over and over," gasped out Shirley, touching his cheek with a tenderness he did not deserve. She was covered in red, so much red. "I would always fall in love with you..."
"I know who you really are inside your heart," Rolo whispered out, tears in his eyes as he kept lying even during his last. "I know everything about you, big brother..."
"Despicable! Cowardly!" Nunnally cursed as her legs buckled, voice full of hate and anger. But he kept walking, not turning back even for a moment. "How can you? How can you be so cruel?"
"I love you, Big Brother."-
All those memories, all those regrets he'd thought were finally behind him. They continued to drag down his very soul, they kept haunting him...
He could not take it anymore.
Lelouch knew not what he was doing but he desperately needed to get away. He shoved back against the ground, but all it amounted to was a pathetic push even a drunk could overpower.
"I refuse to bend!" He rasped out. The emperor called on his Geass but his body refused to obey— power burned into his heart, soul, and anything else it could touch in cold spears and long swords. Everything turned red, and he coughed violently before his knees buckled. He could taste vaguely metal on his tongue, was he coughing up blood again?
And then something inside of him pushed back. Something inside of him changed, and he clung to it— a beacon in the dark to beat the pain away.
But the more he clung to the change, the more his power seemed to be funnelled into it— breezing over the raging flames of agony before the overbearing fumes inside of him began to subside. They remained inside of him but not nearly as profound, allowing for the return of his bearing.
He released the hand of god, allowing it to tumble into the sand below and promptly collapsed to his knees. He took a deep gasp of breath and let the sigh out slowly, darkness taking over his vision. He could not move properly, and the world was slowly fading away.
Knowledge flooded his mind, suddenly he knew and understood everything— Lelouch was out before his head hit the ground.
They all stood in shock— Michael, Uriel, and the rest of the Seraphim, as a team of doctors led by Gabriel swarmed Lelouch's body, using every knowledge they had to locate wounds that could not be seen.
They were unable to do anything…
The body of Lelouch which had been carefully teleported to the best medical foundation in Heaven, convulsed in sporadic bursts accompanied by sobs of Gabriel that sent pangs of sorrow through the heart of every Seraph standing guard over the chamber.
"How could this be?" whispered Raphael, frustration apparent on his face as he paced outside the operation theatre— an old routine of his developed during the Great War when reports of untold death and wanton destruction had covered his desk. "This should not have happened, this wasn't supposed to happen…"
That much, everyone could agree upon.
It was supposed to be a minor meeting, a simple trial to judge an intruder who had unknowingly crashed into their realm that had the betrayed expectations of everyone present by somehow escalating into an event bound to change the fate of Heaven itself. Perhaps that was the worst of it, that unrelenting uncertainty about the future— the forbearing anticipation which came with the knowledge that the world they knew might suddenly change for good or worse at any moment.
"Metatron, what is happening to him?" Uriel asked, perhaps the only Seraph whose cold mask of serenity remained intact. He had always stood guard over them, always prepared and calm. "Even the best of our doctors has not found a single wound on his body, yet he seems to be in great discomfort."
Metatron sighed again in frustration, running a hand through his raven bangs. "I honestly don't know…"
His single statement sent shivers of shock through their spines as each angel of the Seraphim glanced at each other helplessly. If the Voice of God himself could not make sense of this unexpected development, then who amongst them could?
"Our systems cannot identify the cause of his unusual slumber…" Metatron answered, the haze over his face wavering. "But our analysis tells that the molecules inside his body are constantly fluctuating between opposing states of existence. I have never seen this before, an unknown force is tearing asunder the very foundation of his being and then recreating it anew."
A sullen quietness fell upon the room as the air itself turned sombre, the very atmosphere darkening along with their thoughts as the Seraphim contemplated the unprecedented turn of events. It had rendered them completely helpless and they could not help but resent the uncertainty which hung over them all. They should have been elated but the chains of doubt had taken its place. It reminded them of the last time they had been crippled with indecision, the day their father had breathed his last.
"This boy. I do not know who he is or where he came from, but he has to survive. Every single instinct in my body screams so," Raphael spoke, his voice breaking them from forbearing thoughts as hazel eyes hardened and he put into words what nearly all of them had understood by now.
"The Dimensional Gap…" Metatron spoke, the sudden voice forcing everyone to turn towards him. "If our sensors are to be trusted, then he was hurled straight through the void before he crashed into the Sixth Heaven. The Dimensional Gap, that's where he's from."
A sharp intake of breath could be heard in response to Metatron's words, but none looked for the source. They all knew of the Dimensional Gap— its existence a constant reminder that remained unspoken of even amongst the upper echelons of the supernatural world. An everchanging realm of nightmares which constantly changed form, the inverse end of the world where beasts greater than any god dwelled— a void where that ate away the very existence of any who dared enter what this world concealed.
"His safe appearance must be a great miracle then," Uriel spoke, eyes uncharacteristically wide as a bead of sweat dripped down his brow. "Even father looked apprehensive when speaking of the dangers inside that accursed realm. I've never heard of anyone who entered the domain of the Dream and Infinity and survived to tell the tale."
Despite being just one amongst the many mysteries of the Dimensional Gap, the Dragon Gods were an existence that could not be challenged— they all knew it, just as they knew the sun would rise from the east. Many had tried before, but none made it back.
"As for his background, his metaphysical existence does resemble our father. The authority we worship has been placed inside his soul." Metatron continued. His hand was clenched tight by his side, it was shaking. "But closer inspection revealed remnant traces of humanity inside his soul. The last time we encountered such a miracle was with…"
"Christ…" Michael whispered. The Voice of God looked at his oldest brother and slowly nodded.
"An intentional reincarnation would be the closest explanation for this anomaly." Metatron looked up and adjusted his spectacles, glancing at all his brothers one by one and paused to let his words sink. "But there remains no doubt about this, he was sent here by father."
That was not something that the Seraphs had wanted to hear— in their shock and excitement, they had almost deluded themselves into thinking that Father was finally back and he was going to stay. How many years had it been since they'd last been enveloped by his blazing power that shone as brightly as the sun yet was gentler than a mother's touch? What they had sensed before in Lelouch so closely resembled their Lord that it almost hurt. For a moment, they had imagined that it really was him.
But Metatron had never been wrong before. God had not returned to heaven wearing the guise of a teenage boy but had sent a stranger they knew nothing about in his place— they all knew this unexpected turn was a cause for elation and joy but to finally experience hope again and then have it wrenched away just moments later, it was heartbreaking in a way that could not be put into words.
"If he really is father's reincarnation, then his very existence should be celebrated," Michael spoke in his gentle tone, his words reminding them of what they all knew by heart.
Reincarnation...
But this was better than nothing— after all, it proved that their great lord was watching over them and that in itself should have brought great joy.
"We must resolve the contentious concerns this brings before anything else," Uriel stated as he glanced at Lelouch's prone form through the transparent panel that separated the operation theatre and the medical bay.
"Concerns?" asked Raphael as he turned around to face his brothers, his square jaw clenched and shoulders unsteady in an uncharacteristic show of emotion.
The azure archangel took a deep breath before answering, "It would not be hard for other pantheons to conclude that our father has fallen, should they learn about Lelouch. The mere fact of his existence threatens to unravel the shroud of secrecy that has protected our pantheon from ambitious outsiders. He might be father's second incarnation but this boy cannot protect us, not as our father once did."
"That should be easy to resolve," Metatron cut in, running a hand through his raven hair. "I can impose an information blockage before the rumours spread any further. Heaven has been isolated since the Great War, that works to our advantage."
"You mentioned problems in plural. What about the second one?" Raphael glanced at his brothers, his heart sinking when he saw that his brave brothers who once faced fell demons that could ravage continents and devastate worlds looked so uncertain.
"If the nature of his existence is genuine…" Uriel looked down, a bead of cold sweat rushing down his brow. "If Lelouch really has been sent here by Father to achieve a greater purpose, then what shall become of the Seraphim?"
"If he is our father's heir, then does he not have the right to rule over us? Is it not our solemn duty to follow every single one of his wishes?" His words held an unseen weight as he looked above and sighed, "If what we see before us is indeed genuine, then what shall become of Michael's regime we all have spent centuries serving?"
All the noise in the room seemingly vanished at the revelation— Raphael's breath tethered for a moment as his blazing eyes sought out his eldest brother, who was quietly observing the operation theatre with emerald eyes. The sight of his brother was yet another reminder for him and he could not help but feel that despite being given a chance to appreciate this new harmony, they were the least deserving.
"These questions must not be answered in haste, especially with the developments we face." As if sensing the eyes on him, Michael spoke. His clam voice meant to introduce order into the maelstrom of emotions that ran rampant inside their hearts, as it had done so during times where their future had been uncertain and danger had lurked at every corner. "We must not forget the burdens we all bear. Gabriel is already doing her best, and it falls upon us to help. Raphael would lead the operation and help our sister directly whereas Metatron and Uriel would share their powers—"
…
…
"Michael?" Uriel asked, the first one to notice that Michael had fallen completely quiet.
And then Michael uncharacteristically gasped…
That single gasp laced in surprise sent shivers down the spines of the Seraphs, for they had never seen the unchangeable mask of their older brother break so suddenly before. It was a noise full of such intense shock that it evaded the ears to speak right to the heart, so intense that it raddled the entire bay as if it were a chaotic pinball machine relaying more than one ball.
They barely had any time to react before the wings of their eldest brother unfolded with the sound of a thunderclap, glowing an intense platinum aura that declared his presence as one of the Great Seraphs— each wing was flawless, a perfect piece of creation which glowed the purest white in the universe.
But every angel in the room could feel a cold sweat drip down their foreheads as they looked at upon Michael with eyes wide in agitation— a precarious unease welled deep inside of them as their hearts clenched with apprehension. Those wings were meant to be golden.
The golden radiance of Michael went beyond simple aesthetics, for it was a colour that could move the hearts of every angel serving heaven. His golden wings were a symbol of absolute authority— the mark of a ruler who sat upon the throne of God. They were the greatest symbols of his power over the System and his authority as the leader of Seraphim, they represented the hopes entrusted upon him by all subjects sworn to Heaven.
And if his wings had lost their lustre, then that meant…
A wave of pure power washed over them as gravity around them increased tenfold and the world itself turned heavy— it sent blood pumping through their veins as the angels collectively turned their heads towards the source of power, which once again reminded them of father.
Lelouch walked out of the medical bay, perfectly healthy as Gabriel tearfully clung to his arm with all her might. A devious smirk played on his mouth, painting a graceful picture of beauty and confidence that would forever be etched into the minds of the Seraphs.
"My name is Lelouch, a pleasure to finally meet you all." His charming voice was full of authority that crashed onto them with the force of a fallen star. "I imagine we have much to speak about."
Thanks for reading.
The analogy between Humanity and the night sky is from A Demon Lord's Hero, I recommend you read it.