18 Chapter Eighteen: The Dragonslayer.

The Euro Britannian knights could not help but stare oddly at Rivalz's appearance. Rivalz didn't pay them any mind. His only focus was on getting the Valiant ready to take on the Dagon.

"So that's the Blue Unicorn from Area 11?" asked one from the Order of Raphael.

"The Knightmare is definitely the same one," said another.

One particular Knight, a young man with dark skin and braided hair, eyed Rivalz with particular disdain. A stranger walking into the palace, escorting the family of the traitor Shin, and even forcing the Grand Duke to swear to protect them, all made the young man believe this Blue Unicorn was nothing less than a common lout. Even if he had been vouched for by Princess Cornelia.

"You, Blue Unicorn," the young knight called out.

From his place working on the Valiant, Rivalz looked down from his spot to the dark skinned knight.

"Yes?" asked Rivalz, in his usual unassuming tone.

"It's insulting for you to wear such a ridiculous costume among us men in uniform," said the young knight.

"It's not a costume," said Rivalz, plainly. "I'm a cyborg."

Rivalz proved this by popping out the handle of his sword from his right forearm to the surprise of the other knights. The young knight who spoke up returned from his shock with a face of disgust.

"Abomination," the young knight hissed.

"Whatever," said Rivalz, turning back to his Knightmare and helping Cecile assemble the float system.

The young knight clenched his fist in fury at the dismissal of one he saw as so hideous.

"How dare you speak in such fashion to me? I am Kujo Gallhorn, proud heir of the..."

"You're going to be the late Kujo Gallhorn if we don't take care of the ancient god-like death machine flying high in the sky waiting till it gets bored fighting my ship and decides to use its full arsenal to completely murder us all," said Rivalz.

"Why you..."

"Gallhorn , stand down," said Lord Gaudefroy, arriving in the hanger.

"But Lord Gaudefroy..."

"I am not particularly confident in this shiny blue upstart but the fact of the matter is indeed that we are in great danger," said Gaudefroy, casting a look of disgust to Rivalz. "We will simply have to tolerate this boy's presence. For now think of him nothing more as Princess Cornelia's pet."

From her place in working on the Valiant Cecile cast sharp visual daggers towards the Euro Britannian knights. She was about to say something in protest to their words when Rivalz caught her shoulder.

"Miss Croomey, no," said Rivalz. "We have more important things to worry about."

Cecile bit her lip slightly but nodded her head in agreement. The two of them set out to finish their modifications. As he worked through the systems of the Valiant he hoped that Maria and Alice were at least being treated with care.

With Cornelia effectively taking command in the War Room, Euphemia led the rest of the 'little doves', as well as Lady Shaing and her daughter to a furbished safe room. It was finally there that Alice, exhausted by the events of the night and the betrayal of her brother finally drifted to sleep.

She slept in her mother's lap upon the couch of the bunker.

Maria stroked her daughter's tired face, removing strands of hair from her face, and dried tears from her eyes. She of course held tears in her own eyes at her son's actions but for now her only concern was her daughter. She still could not wrap her mind about it all. She thought Shin had been so happy with them. Maria had loved him as if he were her own son despite his adopted nature and his status as an honorary Britannian. And now he had ordered their deaths.

"Lady Shaing," said Euphemia, setting down a tray of tea and cookies on the table before her and offering her a cup.

"Oh, thank you princess Euphemia," said Maria, accepting the cup.

"You're welcome," said Euphie. "I hope you and your daughter are comfortable. Or as comfortable as we can be in this situation."

"We're fine, thank you," said Maria, revealing the exhaustion in her voice. "I just...I don't understand why this has happened. My son, Shin, I can't understand why he'd do this. Why he would...order our deaths."

Euphie cast a sad look to the poor woman. She knew the misery and fear brought on when family attacked family. Her uncle killing her father, Lelouch killing their brother Clovis, all of it was so terrible and broke her heart.

Euphie shook herself, trying to banish these miserable thoughts. She had to be strong, she had to stand as a figure of leadership for those in this protected room. It hurt Euphie to feel so useless, but for now she had to endure this, and if fate was kind she would be able to later help tend to the wounded and the frightened once the battle was over.

She looked at her fellow compatriots and once her eyes fell on her sister Nunnally she noticed her sister's odd pose. Nunnally appeared be kneeling as if in prayer, but her hands were positioned in a manner befitting more Eastern styles of meditative posing.

"Nunnally?" asked Euphie.

Nunnally said nothing, whether she was ignoring Euphie or could not hear her the elder princess couldn't tell.

"I think she's either praying or meditating," said Kaguya, also observing Nunnally.

"In a way it's both," said Anya. "Such poses are common practices for those of the Geass Order. Particularly the sect of the Witches. C.C most likely taught Nunnally this pose. Among various other activities from the Witch sect."

"What is she praying to?" asked Tianzi.

"The Geass Order has no God as you would define it," said Anya. "It's more of...a collective."

The finishing touches had been placed on the Valiant and Rivalz didn't want to waste any more time. People were dying by the second and soon enough that horror would get bored of the ship.

He got in his Knightmare and galloped towards a nearby runway and got into position.

"Are you ready?" asked Cecile over the radio.

In truth Rivalz was scared out of his wits. He knew the machinery wouldn't fail him, but he was only half machine. This was going to be different than what happened at Ashford. He wasn't fighting mercenaries, he was fighting an ancient war machine once confused for a god. This could cost him his life, for real this time.

He then recalled the smiling faces of Maria and Alice, and how they were being threatened. Suddenly he felt the fire that once erupted when Cyst's mercenaries came to take back Milly and avenger her humiliation.

He thought of their smiles again, and how those smiling faces turned to fear when Shin's news broke out. Just like Cyst had stolen Milly's bright and beautiful smile, so Shin had done the same for them. He needed to avenge them. He needed to shine brightly to show them a world they could smile again beyond this darkness. That the virtue of those women was guarded and secured. That he was that guardian, their shining Prince.

"Ms. Croomey...you can always count on me," he said, pushing aside his fears. "I am the Atlas Fleet's symbol of righteousness, the shining Prince of virtue. Of course I am ready."

From where she stood on the ground Cecile couldn't help but smile. She had overheard Lelouch and others talk about how Rivalz was once such a happy go lucky person. But as she had come to know him, while there was a kindness and boyish charm that endeared him to her and to many of the others, there was a sadness in him. Understandable given what had happened to him.

But she didn't hear that sadness now.

"Roger, Prince," said Cecile, referring to Rivalz by his code name. "We haven't had time to test this so we don't know what will fully happen."

From his place in the Knightmare, Rivalz smiled as his mask began to form over his face.

"We're just going to have to give it our best shot right now," said Rivalz. "Valiant launch!"

The Valiant galloped fast and hard, making a great leap into the air and propelled by the rockets into the sky.

'Time to boldly go,' thought Rivalz as he willed the float system to engage.

From the sides of the cockpit which helped form the horse-like lower half of the Knightmare, six fins burst forth and glowed blue and propelled the Knightmare into the sky.

"Ha, it worked," laughed Rivalz, his voice modulated by the mask.

He the locked his sights on the Dagon, this time firing its beam along the side of the Elysium.

"Damn, looks like he finally got bored," cursed Rivalz.

He used his Geass to open a communication channel with the Elysium.

"Prince to Elysium, are you able to make an emergency landing outside the city limits?" he asked.

"No sir Prince, our left engine is gone and we're coming down fast," said the current commander of the ship.

"Can you at least make a controlled crash into the river?" asked Rivalz, accepting the title.

"Yes sir," said the commander.

"Then get to it," said Prince. "I'll take care of the Dagon."

Prince then shifted the left arm into its cannon form as well as drawing forth his sonic sword and charged upward to the Dagon as it made its way back around to make another run at the Elysium. Prince fired his cannon into the face of the machine, effectively earning its attention. The Dagon fired its cannon and Rivalz pushed the float system to its limits as he tried to stay ahead of the beam. At the same time he continued to fire his own cannon into the side of the Dagon. He flew closer to the Dagon's body, something the machine seemed to catch and lashed out with its tail. Thanks to his smaller size and maneuverability Prince had been able to dodge the razor sharp tail.

"That was too close," said Prince.

Prince then focused onto the Dagon's back and used his slash harkins to attach himself to the the back of the machine, effectively between its wings.

"So far so good," said Prince.

The Dagon began flying erratically, attempting to shake him off but Prince managed to hold on. However, the movements were so erratic it proved difficult.

"Gotta try and get this guy under control," he said.

He activated his Geass and sought to attempt to gain some control of the machine to better attack it. He had never tried using his power on something so large or complex but he needed to give it his best shot.

"Naughty, naughty," a voice said via the link.

"What?" gasped Prince.

"This beast is mine to control," said the voice.

The Dagon then flew straight up into the air, Prince just barely being able to hold on. The monstrous figure then went into a nosedive, swooping back up just before it hit the city. One of the slash harkins gave way and Prince was forced to activate the float system once more as the Dagon rose up. He cut the remaining line and was left floating in the sky as the Dagon began to turn around.

"Cornelia to Prince, status report," said Cornelia over the radio.

"Good news: I got his attention," said Prince.

The Dagon gave out a furious roar as it came to bear down on the Valiant.

"Bad news: I think I made him mad," said Prince, willing the Valiant to dodge as the Dagon bore down on him.

He then noticed how the Dagon appeared to have stopped dropping drones. He then shifted the Valiant to its bipedal form, the float system now standing with the cockpit on its back.

"He's stopped dropping drones. I'm going to try and get him higher up. You try and get the city under control," said Prince.

"Can't you get back on its back?" asked Cornelia.

"It'll be expecting that," said Prince. "Your highness, this thing has some kind of consciousness controlling it. Not a pilot, an actual consciousness connected to the machine. I found it when I tried to hack the damn thing. I think I can actually communicate with it."

"Don't tell me you're actually thinking of negotiating with it," said Cornelia.

"No, but I think I can keep it distracted," said Prince, readying the Valiant's cannon. "Signing out."

He landed a shot at the neck of the Dagon, appearing to further anger the mechanical monster, which retaliated with its own beam. Prince dodged and fired once again.

Coordinating with the other three Grand Masters, Cornelia had effectively taken over military efforts of Euro Britannia. Following the suggestion of the Blue Unicorn, Cornelia prioritized the drones and securing St. Petersburg.

Being a dutiful soldier, Kujo Gallhorn did as he was told, though he disliked the idea of having to work with what he perceived to be foreigners. As he and his men worked their efforts to battle the serpentine drones, at times he could not help but look up at the fight between the Dagon and the Valiant.

"He's actually fighting that monstrosity on his own? He really is a fool," said Kujo.

Kujo Gallhorn was a proud young man and a dedicated knight. He believed wholeheartedly in the notion of nobles obligue, that those who were of noble blood had the duty to act in noble fashion. But this Blue Unicorn, his manner at least showed indeed he was no noble, no true knight, just a freak without the glories of earned knighthood. He even had the audacity to bear the title of 'Prince' in his code name.

He would fail and Euro Britannia would suffer for this freak seeking glory but at least Kujo would get the sanctification of seeing an abomination put in his place.

The fight between the Dagon and the Valiant continued on with both foes going higher and higher into the air.

"You can hear me in there can't you?" thought Prince to the enemy via his Geass.

"Indeed, wretch," thought the consciousness of the Dagon.

"What are you?" Prince asked.

"I am what I always wanted to be," said the consciousness. "I am able to be one who can do as I wish without consequence. Tell me, do you know what people treasure the most, and are so desperate to keep hold of? Their lives, in my previous life I wanted to be a soldier so I could take lives without facing consequence. But I am Luciano Bradley."

"I am unimpressed," countered Prince.

The Valiant flew out to meet the Dagon which flew towards him as well. Thanks to the smaller size of the Valiant, Prince was able to maneuver to avoid the maw of the mechanized beast, and managed to go down to the wing of the Dagon and slashed deeply into the wing.

The wing began to vibrate thanks to the properties of the sword and the wing soon shattered.

Before Prince could celebrate, the tail of the Dagon extended and wrapped itself around the Valiant.

As well as causing vast citywide destruction, the drones dropped by the Dagon also displayed televised coverage of the destruction they caused. The images shown were meant to inspire fear and panic in the people of Euro Britannia. Given that this was an attack by the Eden Elite, the rulers of the Britannian empire, all media was under their control and there was no means of stopping these images from appearing on every television screen and social media site.

This was the battlefield that Diethard Reid was familiar with. His team, including Milly Ashford, who clutched her heart when she saw the Valiant falling with the Dagon.

"Rivalz," she gasped in fear.

Ever since he returned from...his supposed death and rescued her, Milly had felt so strange. Her feelings for Rivalz were confused, he was changed from the happy fool she knew in school, and not just physically. There was a burning fire inside of him. A righteous rage that could not be quenched.

She feared that the fire would destroy him, as it appeared to do now.

"Control yourself," said Diethard. "We have to be able to spin this story in our favor no matter the end."

"But..."

"Should Prince, the Blue Unicorn fall in battle he fell as a hero the the Atlas Fleet," said Diethard. "There is no more powerful an image to stir the hearts of people than a dead hero."

Milly looked at Diethard with a mixture of shock and disgust. She was not alone in that regard as Rai, behind the mask of Nemo, looked on with only disgust at the man. He then felt a strange and familiar feeling running through his mind.

During the fall, before the final impact came, Prince had been able to free himself of the Dagon's tail but still wound up falling. Being dead once was more than enough for him. Going through the functions of the Valiant he could tell that there was some damage, namely to the float system and the left arm. Possibly the legs as well.

"Not too bad," he said. "All things considered."

He managed to get the Valiant to its feet, although it felt as if the legs would soon give way. He tried to shift to the quadrupedal mode, but when he did as he feared the legs gave way.

"Well, that sucks," said Prince, letting Rivalz's humor get through.

A roar tore through the night and Rivalz turned the cameras of the disabled Knightmare behind him and saw the Dagon lumbering towards him.

"That sucks worse," said Prince, leaping out of the Valiant's cockpit as the Dagon drew closer.

His artificial feet had boosters like the Valiant's and he had been able to leap up and away as the Dagon swept its claw over the Knightmare. Prince had managed to get a fine distance from the machine and used his the great speed promised by his enhanced legs to try and gain distance.

This proved difficult when a trio Knightmares belonging to the Order of Michael drew up before him, effectively pinning the young cyborg between them and the Dagon.

Thinking quickly, Prince used his Geass to influence the propulsion of the lead Knightmare, driving it directly forward, diving between the legs of the Knightmare as the Dagon fired its beam cannon where he once stood. Using his boosters again, Prince leaped off another Knightmare and continued to bound as the Dagon tore through the Order of Michael Knightmares, trying to get to him despite not being there anymore.

"No friends for you eh Bradley?" mused Prince as he continued to flee.

"What do you mean the Valiant went down?" roared Cornelia, upon hearing reports of the fall of the Dagon and the Valiant from a Raphael knight named Kujo.

Cornelia had taken to the field with the Sapphire Crusaders alongside the Three Orders. The Order of Michael soldiers had managed to break fairly easily against Cornelia's leadership. The drones however were of a tougher breed. Quick like the snakes they looked like, and armed will with beam weaponry. However they were not invincible. With considerable effort on the parts of the Three Orders and Cornelia's forces efforts to regain control of the city were on the way. With the Dagon preoccupied with the Valiant the efforts were considerably easier. Then the news of the fall came.

"As I said my lady, the Valiant fell with the enemy," said Kujo, trembling at Cornelia's fury.

"I want Prince found," commanded Cornelia.

"You highness, no one could have survived that kind of fall," said Kujo.

"No excuses!" roared the princess. "Prince is no normal man. Now get going or so help me I will shoot you myself."

"Yes, your highness," said Kujo.

As Kujo returned to his Knightmare, another call came to Cornelia.

"Your highness, the drones appear to be abandoning their attack and are heading towards that beast that spawned them," came Dalton's voice over the radio.

"What new horror are they planning?" asked Cornelia, fearing that Rivalz was not dead as Kujo claimed, and that if not he soon might be.

Prince ran to a significantly ruined portion of the city, hiding as the Dagon continued to lumber after him. While hiding in a busted up and dilapidated bar, Prince was able to catch a good glimpse of the Dagon and the damage the fall had taken on it. It's back legs and other wing had been damaged and there was a crack in its chest.

As the Dagon walked passed, the Blue Unicorn noticed a fallen drone. Acting quickly and Prince leaped out of the damaged bar and slid beneath the fallen drone. He then used his Geass to try and once more hack into the data files of the drone. Thankfully the cpu had suffered minor damage, and what damage had been done weakened its defenses.

Prince, went through whatever information he could find on the drones and the Dagon and found something truly horrifying. The drones had a function to find resources to use to repair the Dagon should it suffer damage.

"These things will fix that monster," gasped Rivalz.

He continued to go through the files of the drone and found some useful information on the Dagon.

Kujo had no love for the Blue Unicorn, the disrespectful upstart and freak that he was, but he had his orders. Of course this meant going close to that monstrous Dagon but after all one of noble blood should not fear.

Fear was for the common folk. At least that was what Kujo tried to tell himself as he trembled in his seat, getting so close to the Dagon. He followed the path of destruction coming to its original crash landing site. He saw the remnants of the Blue Unicorn's Knightmare, the Valiant.

"So the freak is dead," said Kujo. "Though you were not a man Blue Unicorn, you died well. I can at least say that."

Suddenly Kujo felt something land atop his Knightmare.

"What the..."

A knocking came at the cockpit and Kujo opened, reaching for his sword. Once his cockpit opened, to his surprise, the Blue Unicorn stood, dented but not dead as he had thought.

"You...you survived that fall...and..."

"Not now," said Prince. "Turn on the radio, open broadcast, Cornelia needs to know what's happening."

Despite his dislike of the Blue Unicorn, Kujo did as he asked given the situation.

"This is Prince, the Blue Unicorn of the Sapphire Crusader sect of the Atlas Fleet, working in conjecture with Princess Cornelia li Britannia," said Prince Lir. "By now many of you might have noticed the drones abandoning their attacks. They're heading to meet up with the Dagon to begin its repairs. Do everything you can to delay them. I will destroy the Dagon."

Prince then cut communication, Kujo looking at him in disbelief.

"You actually believe you can destroy that monster," hissed Kujo. "You are as arrogant as you are disrespectful to your betters."

"I hacked into one of the fallen drones, the Dagon's power source is in its chest which currently has a crack in it thanks to the fall. It's a sakuradite core, and the crack is just large enough to fit this in."

From his right arm Prince drew forth his sword. The pommel of the sword then extended and the sword became a spear.

"A spear?" asked Kujo.

"A spear that has a sonic tip that causes anything it cuts through to vibrate to bits," said Prince. "I don't know how far in the core is so I'll have to get close."

"So let me get this straight, you want to strike a sakuradite core with a spear that would cause an already unstable power source to explode and be right at ground zero when it happens? How the hell would you even get close to that monstrosity?" asked Kujo.

"With your help," said Prince Lir.

"I do not take orders from a freak," yelled Kujo.

"I don't care, you're still a knight of Euro Britannia, you swore an oath to defend this city and give your life for it if need be," said Prince. "Or does Kujo Gallhorn of the noble House Gallhorn turn coward and allow a 'freak' to fulfill the duties he is too important to and leave the innocent to die?"

"You insolent son of a whore, how..."

Prince grabbed Kujo by the throat and retracted his mask, revealing a furious look upon the face of Rivalz Cardemonde.

"You use that word in regards to my mother again and I'll tear out your tongue," said Rivalz. "Dislike me or not I don't care. But I intend to stop that monster before it destroys this city. It's looking for me right now because I pissed it off. But once its repaired it'll probably be continuing on the warpath and eventually get to the palace. Where the Grand Duke is, where the Empress of China is, where Princesses Euphemia and Nunnally are, as well as Lady Shaing and her daughter, both of whom are under my protection. They are all in danger and ever second we waste on the pissing contest you want to have their danger grows. I'm not a knight, I'm not a noble, I'm a bastard and a cyborg. If you want to hate me for that fine, I don't care. All I care about is protecting those who are in danger, whose lives and hopes are being shattered by that monster and by Shin's betrayal. Now you can either help me and fulfill your duty or you can ask the forces of gravity if they care about your noble blood and titles when I throw you off this Knightmare for wasting my time. So which is it going to be?"

Rivalz let go of Kujo's throat and allowed the Euro Britannian knight to catch his breath. He looked up at the organic eye of the Blue Unicorn, bearing the mark of Geass. But behind the mark and its power, there was a fire Kujo could see burning in the soul of the man before him.

"What...do you need me to do?" asked Kujo.

"For right now I need you to drive," said Rivalz, putting on the mask and persona of Prince Lir.

Maria held Alice tightly as the sound of war grew louder and bore into their bunker. As this went on she hoped that Rivalz was alright. Despite knowing him only so briefly she had taken a liking to him. He was honest and kind and treated her and Alice well despite Shin's actions. And he had sworn to oversee their protection, even all but threatening the Grand Duke to ensure they weren't mistreated.

His eye held a sadness she saw whenever he looked at her and Alice. As if there was something he had lost and was missing. She recalled when she last took in a lost child. One with blue hair like Rivalz's and whom she loved as if she had birthed him herself.

But now that child, Shin, had ordered her and her daughter dead, and Maria feared more than anything she would never know the reason why. She would never know how she had failed her son.

"It sounds so awful out there," said Maria. "It almost feels like it is the end."

"Not the end," said a young woman of Japanese descent, with a bright smile. "This is only the beginning. The sounds we hear are the shattering of an old world of corruption, war, and misery. Out there are the founding fathers of a new age of heroes that will bring about a new world."

Euphemia lightly smiled at Kaguya's words. Although she wished she had more certainty than Kaguya did. All she could do was silently curse her uselessness. She could do nothing as Lady Marianne was taken before her eyes, she could do nothing as her sister fought that horror, and she could do nothing while Suzaku faced some horror of his own. As in the old fables she was nothing more than a princess locked in a tower, and she was becoming tired of it.

Cornelia, the Crusaders, and the Euro Britannian knights had managed to make good on keeping the drones away from the Dagon. Of course the Dagon would have responded with the firing of its beam, but Cornelia had thought quickly. She ordered long range cannons to fire upon the monstrosity if it appeared to be ready to fire its beam, herself taking a vantage point to keep an eye on it.

The cannons at least seemed to wear down the foul machine although the damage was minimal.

"Princess Cornelia," called the modulated voice of Prince over her radio.

"I hear you, glad to know you're alright," she said.

"I need you to stop firing at the Dagon I need to get in close," said Prince.

"What are you playing at?" asked Cornelia, not liking the idea of ceasing to fire on the horror.

"Cornelia, no matter what happens will you do me a favor?" asked Prince.

"You had better not be doing something stupid," yelled Cornelia.

"I'm doing the only thing I can. This monster has to be destroyed. That armor may be damaged but its still tough enough to make this fight last longer and cost more people their lives. I'm going to do all I can to end that," said Prince.

Cornelia had come to know Rivalz well enough that he wasn't the type to search for glory. She also knew he wasn't suicidal. Whatever he was planning, she knew it was because he believed it was the right thing to do. A stupid thing most likely but she felt she wouldn't be able to win an argument against him, especially when time was not her friend and the Dagon was still on the warpath.

If he survived whatever stupidity he was planning, she would be sure to admonish him severely once he was recovered enough.

"What would you ask of me, Prince Lir, Rivalz?" she asked.

"If I don't come back, please look after Milly," said Prince.

"As if she were my own sister," said Cornelia. "Godspeed, Blue Unicorn."

As Kujo and Prince drove on, Kujo couldn't help but overhear the conversation.

"Whose Milly?" he asked.

Prince looked down at Kujo, the latter unable to really tell what he was thinking given the mask.

"Someone...someone I care about," said Prince. "I don't know if I can come out of this alive. I was dead once and I don't really like the idea of dying again. But this thing has to be destroyed. I can't allow people to suffer under the actions of the Eden Elite like I did."

"Like you did?" asked Kujo, legitimately curious.

"They're the ones who did this to me," said Prince. "I was injured in the crossfire of one of their conflicts and they took me, faked my death certificate, chopped off my limps, and made me into a cyborg. Lady Marianne and others helped rescue me, otherwise I'd be no better than that thing. At that same time Milly had been sold by her parents to a fat bitch, all to buy back their nobility. I guess that's just what nobility is worth in the Usurper's Britannia."

Kujo could hear a furious hatred in the Blue unicorn's voice. One he oddly found himself understanding. He too had noticed how the quality of nobility had been lacking even in Euro Britannia ever since V.V came to power. Nobles disgracing their noble blood by acting out of greed.

He broke out of his thoughts when he saw the Dagon come into view.

"We're close enough now, I can get off here," said Prince.

"What are you going to do?" asked Kujo.

The segmented cape on the Blue Unicorn's back shifted into what appeared to be a float system like the one of the Valiant.

"How..."

"The Valiant and my enhancements were literally made for one another," said Prince. "It wasn't too hard to modify myself in the same manner."

Prince Lir began to hover off the Knightmare and before Kujo could say anything else the cyborg had flown off, spear in hand.

The drones who were not fighting either the Sapphire Crusaders or the Euro Britannian knights still broadcast the rampage of the Dagon. Thus when a flying blue metal figure appeared to rise up before the Dagon with a crimson tipped spear in hand, Milly knew what this was.

She had studied classical images of medieval romance. She could recognize the image of the lone knight squaring off against a dragon armed with nothing but a spear or lance. Usually the knight charged out in the defense of his lady love, and usually he died upon slaying the beast.

"Rivalz," she said, a tear falling from her eye.

"Bradley," Prince called out, earning the Dagon's attention. "This must end."

The Dagon roared and charged at the blue figure. But Prince Lir fluttered out for the way as if he were a firefly avoiding the grip of a child. The damage the Dagon had endured from the fall and from the barrage of cannon fire had effectively slowed it down.

'I will not fail. There are lives...that must be taken,' the mind of Bradley.

"No more," said Prince.

The Dagon fired its beam but focused on Prince, who flew swiftly ahead of the beam, and kept the focus of the beam close to the ground around the Dagon and away from the city or friendly Knightmares.

The Blue Unicorn flew in close and low, landing below the Dagon and the cracked chest. Prince leaped up then and gripped tightly on the cracked armor of the dreaded Ancient. With all the strength of his cybernetic enhancements he tore the crack open revealing the glowing pink heart of the beast, the unstable sakuradite core. Stressing his Geass he hacked into the damaged Ancient and blocked off the controls, effectively freezing the beast if only for a moment.

'What are you doing?' roared Bradley.

"Maria, Alice, Dalton, Guilford, Cornelia, Nina, Shirley, Kallen, Nunnally, Suzaku, Lelouch...Milly," Prince whispered. "Charges and friends all. I salute you."

'No, mercy,' cried Bradley's mind from inside the beast.

"Luciano Bradley, I consign you to hell for your sins," said Prince, the spear vibrating in his hands as he drove it deep into the sakuradite core.

The final roar of the Dagon gave loudly and mournfully before a great blast burst from its chest, destroying it in front of the camera drones, for all of Euro Britannia to see.

For those who looked for the Blue Unicorn, they found nothing of him fleeing the blast or rising from the smoke.

Princess Cornelia li Britannia gritted her teeth in fury.

Sir Kujo Gallhorn watched in disbelief.

Grand Duke Velaines looked on mournfully, as did Sir Andrea Farnese and the other two Grand Masters.

Milly Ashford, fell to her knees.

As they mourned the cameras still captured the smoke bellowing from the rubble of the Dagon they captured the vague image of a man in the smoke.

Prince, standing on trembling and damaged legs, holding up a smoking and badly damaged left arm in defense, the energy shield somehow managing to shield him from the blast at least somewhat.

"You've got to be kidding me," roared Cornelia, when she saw the smoke clear.

She drove her Knightmare down into the smoking rubble and all but leaped out of her machine. The Blue Unicorn, his mask also severely damaged and crumbling, revealing the slightly singed and dumbfounded look of Rivalz Cardemonde was too hot to touch, smoke and heat radiating off of him.

"That...was dumb," he groaned.

"Yes it was and if it didn't look like it would be a real possibility that it would kill you I'd beat you into the ground for it," said Cornelia.

The flickering glow of Rivalz's shield finally gave and his left arm fell off.

"Oh god," roared Cornelia.

"It's alright," said Rivalz, raising his right hand and forcing a thumbs up.

As Rivalz tried to reassure Cornelia in his damaged, smoldering state, those who watched the video feed of the drones celebrated the image of their mysterious hero arisen from the burning hell of the fallen dragon.

It was an image the people of Euro Britannia would never forget. Especially if Diethard Reid had anything to say about it.