10 Chapter Ten: Mother's Mercy

After Lelouch had been able to calm down, he as well as the others, gathered to listen to whatever Marianne had to say. Everyone was eager for their own reasons. Whether it to finally reunite with a woman she wished her true mother as Cornelia did, or to finally have answers about the mystery of Geass as Ohgi did, or hoping to make a good impression on a potential mother-in-law as Kaguya did, all were giving the elegant woman their full attention.

"Now, I'm sure all of you have a great deal of questions," she said. "And many of them no doubt revolve around this."

She gestured to the symbol on her chest.

"Please, ask away," she said with a light smile on her face.

"Obvious questions out of the way just what is Geass?" asked Ohgi.

"Geass, in simplest terms, is psychic power," said Marianne. "The power of the mind used to accomplish feats of superhuman nature. It is primarily a mental power however there do tend to be physical aspects to certain Geass abilities. Such as enhanced strength, speed, and stamina for a Geass that has combat potential. And in the case of Absolute Healing such as what Xingke has, it heals the body according to the health of the mind."

"Finally a straight answer," sighed Tamaki. "Thank you nice lady, you have no idea what we've gone through."

"Oh I know," laughed Marianne. "C.C can be a...handful."

"To say the least, but Lady Marianne...who is she exactly?" asked Cornelia, somewhat bashful at seeing her idol after all these years.

"C.C is...complicated," said Marianne. "You must understand her life has not been an easy one. She was born into slavery centuries ago and found her way to an immortal, an agent of the Order hidden in the Catholic church. She took C.C. in and gave her a Geass of her own. Eventually the immortal passed her code to C.C. It was traumatic on the poor dear and it set her on the path to becoming who we know know. Centuries of war, disease, and endless survival has made her somewhat...numb to the world as you can expect. So please don't judge her too harshly. She's simply lived to long. She wants to die."

For his own part Tamaki suddenly felt a pang of guilt for his words, not knowing C.C had been born into slavery and forced to suffer the evils of the institution.

"Wait, you said the immortal passed on her Code, does that mean immortality can be transferred?" asked Kaguya.

"Only to a person who holds a Geass," said Marianne. "It can either be the one whom the immortal has contracted or any other immortal. It must sound like madness to willingly give up eternal life but the sad truth is when a life never ends it loses all its meaning. Hence C.C's attitude and the conditions of her contract."

"So...she wants to die by the hand of her contractor?" asked Lelouch.

"Yes my dear, and once I was a contractor," said Marianne. "More than that, I have always been of the Order."

"Even when you were a soldier in the military?" asked Euphie.

"Yes, sweet Euphie," said Marianne. "I was actually placed there to fulfill my purpose. You see I was raised among the Order, almost since my birth, and trained in the arts of the Witches."

"I suppose it should be obvious the next question is about the Geass Order," said Ohgi. "If I may offer a guess Lady Marianne, the Order has had its hand in several key moments in the history of the world as a means of regaining some long lost power. Am I close?"

"Oh, you are clever," said Marianne. "Indeed the Order has been involved with the activities of world governments for centuries. We've bred or groomed some of the most influential leaders and rulers of the world. Alexander the Great, Julius Ceaser, Cleopatra, and even the legendary King Arthur to name a few."

"For what end?" asked Tohdoh. "What is the Order after? World Domination?"

"Isn't that a little sinister?" asked Marianne.

"To be fair you did call yourself a Witch and admit the Order you belong to has been behind some of history's greatest conquerors and warriors," said Kaguya. "It's just a teeny bit suspicious."

Marianne giggled, "Oh I like you. But to answer your question...well that's an extremely long story. One literally going back centuries."

"We're not going anywhere anytime soon my lady," said Dalton. "I believe we all have more than enough time to listen."

"Well then I believe its best we take this to the hanger," said Marianne. "I had something brought along in case this very question came along. Feel free to ask any other questions along the way."

Marianne led the procession to the hanger area, an amused smile along her face, and Bismark following closely behind her. As they followed the various members of the alliance digested some of the information Marianne had given them. It made them think about C.C differently, now having a better idea of what she had gone through.

For his own part Lelouch recalled what his mother had said about the various leaders the Order had been a part of.

"Mother, was father also a part of the Order?" he asked.

Marianne stopped and turned to her eldest child, a sad expression on her face.

"Yes, he and Vincent were both taken into the Order after a series of civil conflicts within the Empire had killed their mother," said Marianne. "Charles had taken what he had learned from the Order, used the power he had gained to bring order back to Britannia. He held the ability to rewrite the memories of anyone he wished. He used this to turn enemies into allies and manipulate them in order to stop the chaos that was tearing Britannia apart. To make his vision a reality. It must sound so dishonest, but Charles, his loyalty was to peace. Even if he had to do horrible things, and he did horrible things Lelouch, his goal was to ensure that what happened to his family in the past would not happen again."

Lelouch thought about the man his father was. He was a man of rigid strength and iron will who had sought to instill in him the idea of power used for the benefit of peace, for the conquest of the evils of mankind. Thinking back to his father, to the solid, stern expression Charles always wore, he wondered how much regret was in that face. What kind of things did he have to do in order to end the war the claimed his own mother's life?

Was it any different than what he was doing now? How he could manipulate the minds of others and how he was using it to end the war that ruined his family.

"Like father, like son I suppose," said Lelouch.

Marianne smiled and continued to walk on with the others following.

"So wait, if you were both a part of the Order then why even go through the ranks of the Britannian military?" asked Chiba.

"The Witches class of the Geass Order are trained in the ways of war, mysticism, and...well how should I put this..."

"Carnal activities," said Lelouch, a slight grimace on his face.

"Yes," said Marianne with a slight blush. "Anyway, I needed to justify my selection as a concubine for the world at large to see. Also, I was showing off to Charles. Great men are always attracted to strong women. Isn't that right Kallen dear?"

Kallen, as well as Lelouch, both blushed brightly at Marianne's comment while a few of the others snickered.

"But wait, you said V.V was part of the Order as well," said Viletta. "Does that mean this entire war really is just a civil war with in the Geass Order?"

"And Japan, Britannia, really the rest of the world is just caught in the crossfire isn't it?" asked Ohgi.

"I'm afraid so," said Marianne.

"And him killing father, going after you, was that purge any faction not loyal to him from the Empire?" asked Lelouch.

"Actually...that was a personal falling out between brothers," said Marianne, sadly. "Charles and Vincent, they were both affected differently by what had happened to them. Charles wanted to offer society a pillar to uphold an ideal of justice, to have humanity overcome their base and chaotic instincts. Vincent...doesn't believe in anything. He's a complete nihilist who only conquered Britannia to spite his brother. As well as work to some objective I don't entirely know myself. I have sources in Britannia, agents he doesn't know about who report to me about what he is up to. However his true motivations are...unknown."

"So is that how you knew about this base?" asked Cornelia.

"Indeed," said Marianne.

"So V.V and the Eden Elite are a splinter group of the Geass Order, glad we got that confirmed," said Ohgi. "But that still doesn't answer about what the Geass Order wants."

"Fear not, that answer is coming," said Marianne.

The group entered the hanger bay of Marianne's ship where along with the two containers from the research base there was also another key object in the hanger. One that has the entire group gasp in surprise. A large ruined mechanical device in humanoid shape, a veritable Knightmare Frame, however the most distinctive feature was the fact that the machine looked almost fossilized.

"Is that a Knightmare Frame?" asked Kallen.

"It can't be it looks ancient," said Cornelia.

"It is ancient," said Lloyd, standing alongside Cecile and Rakshata closer to the old machine.

His expression was one of frenzied joy and shocking disbelief. Cecile and Rakshata were shown to be in a state of confusion as well.

"We've done a carbon dating and I'm afraid the Earl of Pudding is quite right," said Rakshata. "This machine is at least 10,000 years old at best."

"A 10,000 year old robot? That's impossible," yelled Tamaki, leaning onto the railing in disbelief.

"How do you think I feel?" yelled Lloyd.

Lelouch looked at the ancient machine in disbelief. How was this in any way connected to the Geass Order?

"It's something the Order has had for a millennia," said Marianne. "A relic of lost glory."

"The Order built that?" asked Diethard.

"Not quite," said Marianne. "Do you recall the ruins that Project: Rebirth were using as a base? That was once a settlement for an ancient civilization centered around Geass. It was a civilization unlike anything the world has ever known for they have forgotten it ever existed. Ruled by the immortals and controlling the distribution of Geass the civilization had power unlike anything you can imagine. They had a vast empire that touched all corners of the world."

"But still how could they possibly have access to the technology to build a Knightmare Frame?" asked Suzaku.

"Remember technology is simply the use of knowledge," said Marianne. "And because of the great use of psychic energy by those who use Geass their minds had become significantly expanded. They could understand sciences so far advanced that you could barely understand. In fact the primitive people of the ancient world naturally confused their advancements for magic. And those who held immortality, who held the Geass, especially the great machines they constructed, were confused for gods."

"So the ancient gods and monsters of mythology could have been ancient mechs," said Ohgi.

"And the ancient heroes could have been Geass Users, their abilities exaggerated as the stories got passed along the generations," said Kaguya, following Ohgi's line of thought.

"But if such a civilization truly existed and they held so much power why aren't they around anymore?" asked Chiba.

"I feel that answer should be fairly obvious," said Tohdoh. "Although the Geass Civilization was one of superhumans they were still human. And had human weaknesses and wants."

Tohdoh's eyes narrowed to the ancient machine. Although it was extremely whether by age there were still the evidence of battle on it.

"Including the desire to make war," said Tohdoh.

"If they were seen as gods and worshiped as such it would make sense," said Ohgi. "Almost every mythology has a great battle among the gods. The Titanomachy, the War in Heaven, and...Ragnarok."

"Yes...there was a war," said Marianne. "So terrible it shattered the unity of this civilization. Destroyed their society almost completely. Even their legendary capitol was said to have been so ravaged by the war it could no longer stand on earth and simply slumped beneath the sea."

The implications of her words left very little room for misinterpretation.

"You...you don't mean..."

"Oh but yes my son I do," said Marianne. "The sunken city itself was once the great capital of the Geass Civilization. Lost as the ultimate casualty of the first Ragnarok. But it was more than the mere selfishness of the original Geass Users that caused such a destruction. Recall you never asked where Geass comes from. For you see even though they foolishly believed themselves gods, despite their power and their immorality they were not. They were as nothing before that which grans us our power. Tell me, why do you believe V.V would establish a laboratory so far out in the middle of nowhere, and all in the open next to this ancient ruin?"

"Because there's something there to tap into?" suggested Lelouch.

"Yes," said Marianne. "Standing so close to where we are now is one of the legendary Thought Elevators. Gateways to a realm from which all Geass springs. From which dreams and nightmares are one and the same. The realm we of the Geass know as C's World."

"C's World?" asked Lelouch. "What on earth..."

"Ah, my darling that is the thing," said Marianne. "C's World is not Earth."

"Wait, you're saying that that ruin is supposedly the doorway to another dimension?" asked Ohgi. "And it's so close to Japan that..."

"That if the Japanese had discovered it they could have unlocked the power of Geass for themselves," said Marianne.

"So the invasion...it wasn't about me and Nunnally," said Lelouch. "Or at least not all of it."

"But...wait could that mean in all the Areas established since V.V usurped the throne, were they all just to secure the Thought Elevators?" asked Cornelia.

"Not all but there have been several Thought Elevators seized under the guise of conquest," said Marianne.

Lelouch and his allies all began to digest the information Marianne had given them. Everything they knew had suddenly been changed. Their world had become significantly bigger and stranger than they could have ever imagined.

"I think maybe that's enough for right now," said Marianne. "Now why don't we all take a break and have dinner together. Truly enjoy the hospitality of the Geass Order, and maybe you won't think we're some devilish Doomsday Cult out to destroy the world."

The happy tone in which Marianne joked with somehow didn't make a few of the gathered group feel much better. However they all felt a short break would be good for the moment. Lelouch stayed as the rest of the group seemed to disperse. Kallen lingered, looking at Lelouch and wondering what she should do. She was still so new to having someone...to care for in her life.

She suddenly felt a hand on her back and to her surprise it was Marianne. The former Empress then gave Kallen a forceful push sending her almost toppling over the railing. And she would have fallen had Lelouch not steadied her.

When the two looked back Marianne was long gone, leaving them alone with their thoughts and the revelations.

Marianne had chosen to retire to her quarters until dinner.

"I don't recall the secrets of the Order being so openly told to outsiders before," said C.C, lying on Marianne's bed.

"The time of tradition is over C.C," said Marianne. "The time to open our coffers and reveal our presence to the world is now."

C.C angrily leaped to her feet and undid Marianne's robes, all but tearing them off of her until the former empress was naked before the Witch.

"You dared to wear proudly robes you once refused, be naked before me now you foolish girl," said C.C.

"You can strip me of the robes but my rank still stands," said Marianne, unfazed by her nudity.

C.C merely glowered at the woman she once trained personally. Sighing, Marianne knelt to her knees before C.C.

"I did what I did because I allowed my duties as a mother to override my duties to the Order," said Marianne. "Even more I denied you the fulfillment of the contract and dishonored you. For that I am sorry and I offer my body to you for apology."

C.C. looked down at her former student bowing before her. She raised her fist as if to strike her, but recalled all the enjoyment that Marianne had given her in the past. So many tender moments shared between the two of them.

She relaxed her fist and tenderly stroked Marianne's face, drawing her eyes to meet hers. The witch then knelt down and caught Marianne's lips in hers. C.C then grabbed Marianne's arms and led her to her feet, only to throw her on the bed.

"I will accept this offering," said C.C. "And your heartbreak over your son's fate will be my vengeance."

Kallen tried to discuss what Marianne had said with Lelouch but he seemed to dismiss it and instead wanted to go see how Rivalz was doing. Indeed he hadn't changed and was still resting in his isolation room.

He also beckoned for Rakshata to come as to explain all she had learned from Rivalz's condition.

"I've seen quite a few medical cybernetic advancements but nothing like this," said Rakshata. "Not only are several limbs fully replaced with machinery but several bones as well and even several artificial organs. Specifically the liver and heart."

"But I thought it was impossible to create an artificial organs that complex," said Kallen.

"It should be but considering that recently we've been in the company of superhumans, immortals, and impossible creations both ancient and advanced then I believe our definition of impossible should be changed," said Rakshata. "Fascinating isn't it?"

"But how does it all work?" asked Lelouch. "Cybernetics this advanced should have some repercussions on the body."

"Indeed they should and many unfortunate test subjects we've recovered have indeed died because their bodies rejected their new enhancements," said Rakshata. "However our young friend as well as that Questing Beast fellow both seem to have adjusted well to their enhancements."

Lelouch saw Kallen's face fall upon remembering how her brother had become even more of a monster than he had been when she saw him in the sewers. He would be sure to comfort her later. First he needed to know what his uncle's scientists had done to Rivalz.

"Well it would appear that his blood has been replaced with a synthetic substitute," said Rakshata.

"Synthetic blood?" asked Kallen in surprise. "But how can his blood carry oxygen if it's synthetic?"

"I'm glad you asked," said Rakshata.

She drew Kallen and Lelouch to an advanced microscope station where several vials of blood had been drawn from Rivalz. She drew some of the blood and placed it on a slide and onto the microscope. Typing commands into the computer the screen soon lit up with the zoomed in image of Rivalz's synthetic blood revealing swarms of tiny machines.

"Nanobots?" asked Lelouch.

"Indeed, they act as the containment and transportation of oxygen throughout Rivalz's organic body parts," said Rakshata. "He's quite fascinating really."

"He's still a human being," said Lelouch with a deep scowl.

"Indeed, a bionic human, a cyborg," said Rakshata. "And even that's not the most incredible thing about him. His brain activity has been most irregular."

"What do you mean?" asked Lelouch.

"Let me ask you this, have you ever had a brain scan done while your Geass was active?" asked Rakshata.

"Actually no," said Lelouch.

"Given how Lady Marianne said Geass is a psychic power I'm more than willing to bet there is a significant change in brain activity when an individual's Geass is active," said Rakshata. "I've asked Li Xingke if he would submit himself to an examination in order to compare the readings we're getting from young Rivalz."

"Why Xingke?" asked Kallen.

"Because Xingke's Geass is permanently active given his previous health," said Lelouch. "If Rivalz has a Geass it's probably what's helped his body accept the cybernetic enhancements."

"But what about...what about Naoto?" asked Kallen.

"His philosophy was how pain and suffering could make one stronger," said Lelouch. "His body might have adapted to the trauma of the enhancements and allowed him to accept them."

'And allowed him to become that monster,' thought Kallen, holding back tears.

For his own part Lelouch was more concerned with Rivalz and what kind of Geass he had been given. And who had given it to him.

Ohgi, Tamaki, and Inoue looked at Naoto, or what Naoto had become. He was heavily restrained with steel clamps, especially on the tail-like appendage.

"My god what happened to him?" asked Inoue.

"What happened is he didn't die like he should have," said Tamaki. "Damn bastard, pretends to die and then comes back as some fucking monster and kills his own people. Now he's even more a monster than he was then."

Ohgi remained silent, merely watching the thing that was once his friend slowly begin to stir.

"Hello...my old friends," said Naoto.

"You lost the right to call us your friends Naoto," said Ohgi. "Or should I call you the Questing Beast?"

"I would prefer it," said Naoto. "It is this forms true name."

"You really don't even consider yourself human anymore do you?" asked Ohgi. "What am I saying, you don't even look it."

"I have surpassed my humanity," said Naoto. "And I have an even grander understanding of the gifts bestowed onto me."

"You call what this is a gift?" yelled Ohgi.

"A gift I intend to share with all of Japan," said Naoto. "If only you would let me share with you Ohgi, Tamaki, Inoue. Give me your flesh, give me your will, and I shall mar you and should you survive you shall flourish."

Ohgi caught something interesting in Naoto's words.

"What do you mean give you our wills?" he asked. "Didn't you force your will onto those people you had in that cult of yours?"

"You mean as Lelouch does his cult?" said Naoto. "No...no I never forced anything. They gave their control over to me. They became one with me and made me stronger."

The wheels began turning in Ohgi's mind.

"So your Geass needs people to willingly allow you into their minds to take control of them," said Ohgi. "You had already conned those poor people and when you needed to you took advantage of the faith they allowed you."

"In a way," said Naoto. "Faith can save lives."

"Is that what you call it? Faith?" asked Ohgi.

"What else should I call it?" said Naoto. "I am...the way. Just as I have suffered, Japan has suffered, and as I have become stronger so Japan will become stronger. In many ways it was of great benevolence on behalf of V.V. Were it not for his warmongering I would not have been left to die in that burning rubble. I would not have found...my destiny."

"That still doesn't explain how you got your powers," said Ohgi.

"Forget it, you're not going to get anything out of him," said Tamaki. "He's just a freak now with all the screws long gone."

The three left Naoto in that isolation cell, with the guards Marianne had assigned to watch over him standing at the ready.

Back in the Tokyo Settlement, Nunnally and Rai sat in the tea room of her manor. Ever since Rai had 'come to her rescue' as Nunnally thought of it in her mind, the two of them had been discussing many things.

Among them was the Order. Rai told Nunnally of the legends of the Geass Civilization and the legacy that was the Order.

"But why keep attempting to restore the Geass Civilization after all these centuries?" asked Nunnally.

"Because the Geass Civilization was the only true time the world knew unity," said Rai. "There was no idea of racism as all were one in the unity of the Geass. We were one and before we were torn apart by personal pride and lust for power we had understanding. My purpose is to aid in the quest to restore that understanding to restore the unity."

"But is that truly what you want?" asked Nunnally. "Or is that simply what the Order wants?"

"What are my wants compared to pace for all humanity?" said Rai. "I am a warrior of the Order. My only objective is to fulfill the goals of the Order, for the restoration of the Geass Civilization. Nothing else should matter to me."

"You make it sound as if you're a slave," said Nunnally.

"Would it be so bad if I were?" asked Rai.

"You're a living, breathing person with free will and a soul," said Nunnally. "You shouldn't have to fight for a cause you didn't choose."

"And what if I do choose this conflict?" asked Rai. "Do my desires matter then?"

"Do you really believe that bringing back this Geass Civilization will bring peace?" asked Nunnally.

"I do not know what peace would be like," said Rai. "I have been bred only for the war. If I were not a warrior of the Order I would have no life as I know it. I would have no purpose."

Nunnally felt a pang of sadness in her heart for the mysterious silver haired young man. He knew nothing but the battlefield and if he were to be thrown into a world at peace he would not know what to do with his life. She dreaded to think he might even take his life if he had no war to fight.

"Have you...ever thought of finding a life for yourself that wouldn't involve battle or the Order?" asked Nunnally.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"If you were to succeed in restoring the Geass Civilization and survived then your purpose would be fulfilled," said Nunnally. "And if you lived till then you'd no longer need to be a warrior. You could try being something else?"

"Like what?" asked Rai.

Nunnally looked around trying to find inspiration for an idea to give Rai. She then noticed Lelouch's piano and an idea came to her.

Dinner came and Marianne indeed offered before Lelouch and his allies a magnificent spread of food and beverages. Tamaki quickly seemed to get out of hand with his drinking but Marianne didn't seem to mind.

"He sure is spirited," said Marianne.

"That's one word for it," sighed Kallen.

"I'm sorry about him Lady Marianne," said Ohgi. "He...just needed a bit of release."

"Yes, I was told you have spoken to the Questing Beast as he now calls himself," said Marianne. "I understand that it must be a terrible thing to go through, especially for you Miss Kallen."

"Thank you," said Kallen. "What...what will happen to him now?"

"As you are his sister I will let you be the one to decide his fate Miss Kallen," said Marianne. "Unless you would wish for someone else to hold that choice. Whatever you decide let me know at your leisure."

"Thank you," said Kallen.

"As much as I agree with your sentiment Lady Marianne, and I certainly mean no offense to you Miss Kallen, the Kyoto Group had requested Zero and Princess Cornelia deliver the Beast over to them to face justice for his crimes against the Japanese people," said Kaguya.

"There's no way that thing should be allowed to touch Japanese soil again," said Tohdoh. "Especially given the enhancements he's received. If he were to get loose the horror he'd unleash would be unimaginable."

"Agreed," said Ohgi. "And just what are the full extent of Naoto and that Rivalz kid's...enhancements?"

"Well it's difficult to say," said Cecile. "They're both more advanced than most cybernetic that have ever been recorded. They both seem to share the same type of synthetic blood and have significant parts of of their bodies replaced with cybernetics. However there are some odd design choices in their enhancements."

"You mean like how one has a tail and the other has a horn?" asked Guilford.

"The tail is an an oddity," said Rakshata. "As for the horn on young Mr. Cardemonde it appears to be connected to the device over his left eye. Although ultimately it's difficult to tell just what they're for. I'm guessing you might have an idea of what it might be Lady Marianne."

"Indeed," said Marianne. "You see it's a device called a Geass Coordinator. As far as my sources have been able to tell it's a device meant to connect the thoughts of Geass Users."

"Is that what caused...whatever happened on the island?" asked Suzaku.

"Partially, it also had to do with the fact that you were so close to the Thought Elevator," said Marianne. "For trained Geass Users and Code Bearers the Thought Elevators can be used as great amplifiers of psychic ability."

"And you used that to reach out to Rivalz didn't you?" asked Lelouch, putting things together in his mind. "You granted him a Geass that allowed him to survive the augmentation didn't you?"

"Yes," said Marianne. "He might not have survived if not for his Geass. Whatever it is I can hardly tell, each one is unique to the User, but it has allowed him to survive and access the Geass Coordinator."

Lelouch didn't know entirely how to respond to this. While he was glad his friend was a live, he didn't know what kind of life Rivalz could lead now that he was irreversibly changed. He only hoped that there would be some way to help him to adapt to this change. But no matter what the guilt he felt was still there.

"I knew how much his 'death' affected you," said Marianne, her eyes focused on her son. "In some small way this was my attempt to help you. But perhaps too little too late."

"It's...fine," said Lelouch.

He did not blame his mother. All blame he held he reserved for his uncle, the root of all this evil.

"I was selfish," said Marianne, still focusing on Lelouch, as if no one else was there.

Lelouch looked at his mother, himself so focused as if only he and she were in the room.

"I had been raised by the Order," said Marianne. "My only duty was to fulfill the objectives of the Order. To the eventual reconstruction of the Geass Civilization. To restore the unity humanity once lost when the Geass Civilization was no more. I was to be a warrior-concubine to Charles, who although trained by the Order had more or less broken away. He wanted to take the lessons he learned from the Order and build Britannia as a civilization the world would envy so much they would willingly join it. The best kind of conquest, a ruler who is able to overcome the evils of the world will always be the one people will choose to reign above them. And indeed that was the goal of the Order's support and breeding of great rulers. Long ago there was a prophecy from one of the last known Users who could see the far future. The prophecy foretold the coming of a king made black by the ashes of a fallen nation who would bring about a new age of Geass. But over the centuries the Order tended to get impatient over waiting for a candidate who fit the necessary qualifications and sought to breed a potential messiah instead."

Ohgi listened closely and recalled his earlier theories of the Order and about how they, like almost all religions required a key figure to put their ideals behind.

"And my father was one of these potential messiahs," said Lelouch.

"Indeed, but once he secured the throne of Britannia he essentially broke ties with the Order," said Marianne. "He believed Geass was a relic of the past. That humanity had grown up and the outgrown the need for 'living gods' and would advance without them. He wanted to build a new civilization, one of ideals not power. The conquest of man's darkness though his own force of will and not through supernatural ability."

"But he had still turned away from the Order," said Lelouch. "And from his brother."

"Yes," said Marianne, tears beginning to form. "Charles and Vincent, they both entered the Order together. Both survivors of a terrible blood feud."

"And when father turned his back on the Order he turned his back on his brother," said Lelouch. "So that's the true reason for all of this isn't it? V.V slew my father, conquered Britannia, Japan, and other nations, all because he felt rejected by his brother. It's...pathetic."

The cold tone Lelouch spoke with unnerved several of those gathered.

"Yes, it is," said Marianne, tears now falling from her beautiful face. "And while V.V despised your father for turning his back on the Order, I made a foolish mistake. I fell in love with him. I fell in love with his ideals and with his dreams and with his conviction. In a way I suppose you could say he set me free. I forsook the Order and my own contract with my teacher and contractor."

"C.C," said Lelouch, noting her absence. "And because you broke away from the Order you didn't bring either Nunnally or myself to them. We would have been made to service the objectives of the Order as well."

"Yes," said Marianne, tears falling. "That is why I didn't bring you with me after your father died. I could endure the loss of the freedom Charles gave me. But you and Nunnally, you deserved to choose your own path. Even if that path made you believe that I had abandoned you and that you were alone in the world. You were still free to decide your own destiny."

"But I haven't decided my destiny have I mother?" said Lelouch, his voice sounding angrier than he meant.

He was not angry at his mother. He heard her words, the heartbreak behind them, and the sincerity of her love for his father. His anger was at V.V and how petty spite had ruined so many lives and sealed so many fates.

"According to your prophecy the new Geass Civilization will be heralded by the arrival of a king made black by the ashes of a fallen nation isn't that it?" asked Lelouch.

A sad smile on her face, tears wetting her eyes, Marianne said, 'Yes."

"C.C once called mine the power of the King," said Lelouch. "And here I stand as Zero, leader of the Black Knights, born from the ashes of Japan."

The great hall suddenly became filled with the hooded members of the Geass Order. The Black Knights, the Four Holy Swords, Cornelia and her men, Kaguya, Euphie, Suzaku, and Kallen, all felt a sense of unease rise within them.

Suddenly their eyes turned to Lelouch who stood with his hair shadowing his eyes and a deep angry frown on his face. Then his mother and Bismark stood and walked before the hooded cultists.

"All Hail the Black King," said one cultist.

"All Hail the re-newer of the Geass," said another.

"All Hail he who is lightning," said one more.

"All Hail he who is this madness," said yet another.

"All Hail the ruler of this world," said even one more.

"All Hail he born of ash," said Bismark.

"All Hail Lelouch," said Marianne, tears still flowing from her eyes.

"All Hail Lelouch, All Hail Lelouch, All Hail Lelouch," the cries from the crowd gave out.

And indeed throughout the whole ship the followers of Geass gave out the cry. A cry that would echo throughout eternity and usher in a new era of power for the world to tremble and be in awe of.

And awe was written on the faces of all Lelouch's allies who sat and watched with shocked and worried expressions as Lelouch stood unresponsive to the crowd changing his name, the madness of a holy war giving strength to their cries. Only a select few saw the tear fall beneath the shadow of his eyes.