Code Geass R3

Darkness Reborn

Chapter 1 : Reunion

War had ended...

Yes, it had ended...

One man's ultimate sacrifice ended the war. He had no regrets; he thought that this would be the best option for the world.

He united the world with force, destroyed it, and made it anew... with his life. Yet, his sacrifice was never known by the public, and he was labelled 'The Demon Emperor Lelouch'.

What a sacrifice...

Few who knew the truth cried for him, but they had to move on... So that his sacrifice was not in vain.

Few who supported and knew the whole plan only smiled. They had given their best to bring peace to the world. They never regretted it.

Those who knew the real truth recognized him as the true hero and saviour of the world. Those who only knew the lies hated him; despised him.

Everyone who were close to him remembered his name, deep down in their hearts.

They remembered him as... 'The Despised Saviour'.

Ah... I have died

Everything went well as I planned. I had no regrets. In fact, I was really happy.

Bringing peace to everyone that I want to protect makes me happy. I don't care even if they despised me, as long as they are able to live in peace.

Thank you, Suzaku, C.C, Jeremiah, and everyone that has sacrificed their life for me. Now, I shall go to where my deceased parents are...

Hm? What is this?

Lelouch felt that he stepped on something solid.

Is this heaven? Or is this hell? I don't care about it. I shall be judged as what I have done to many people.

He opened his eyes. He was in total disbelief. He recognized this place really well. There was no way that he could forget about this place. Yes, this is the place where he planned everything; being the emperor, taking over the world, and... sacrificing his own life.

This is... The World of C?

He looked around him. The place hadn't changed at all.

Why do I come to this place?

He walked around, and he found nothing. Maybe he was supposed to spend eternity in this place? As he walked towards the edge of the platform he was standing on, suddenly his surroundings completely changed.

Is this the library where I met my mother again?

He entered the library filled with books and pictures. Books and pictures about history of humankind, their accomplishments, their failures, and their struggles. There were about thousands, even millions of books that he can read.

In The World of C, he could not feel any hunger, pain, worry, and sadness. He could not feel any happiness, pleasure, joy, and satisfaction. He felt empty inside this world. To fill the hole inside his heart, he read books, as he had eternal to spend inside The World of C.

He read all of them slowly; he memorized the content of every page, one by one. He had eternity to spend reading books and memorizing them. He was amazed by the contents of the books; many told completely different stories than those taught at schools. Some even told about unknown heroes who chose to be shunned by the world to make the world a better place to live.

These stories were the same as me... I let hatred fall upon me and sacrificed myself for the world. But, I don't need to be remembered, because this is what I must do.

He looked at the mirror with his Geass.

This is a price that I must pay for casting Geass on many people; I have bent the will and hearts of many people. I have crushed their freedom and their life...I have killed many people. To repay their life, this is the only way.

While he was looking at the mirror, the mirror reflected 2 books behind him. Those books were titled 'The Book of Memories' and 'The Book of Thoughts'. Both titles caught his attention.

He extended his arm, reaching 'The Book of Memories'. The book was very thick and heavy. As he could not lift it for a long time, he put the book on top of the table, and began reading it.

This book is...

He was astounded when he looked at the content of the book. This book told about many successful attempts to create peace, but later was destroyed by the very people who wished for it. The stories came from as far as 5,000 years ago, and the same story was repeated many times throughout the book.

I guess... history does repeat. If history repeats itself, does it mean that this will happen again in the current world?

As he read the book, he realized that thoughts and feelings of people who lived in those eras were recorded inside the book in form of words. The stories told was like their own life story; their struggle for peace, their victorious battles, their shameful loses, and their rebellions against their rulers.

These stories was very much alike with the world now. History has repeated many times, and I have ended the cycle with my life. But, there is a chance that it might happen again in the present world.

He spent countless weeks reading the book continuously without taking any break. He thought that this book could give him great knowledge about the world and the people that lived inside it; about their desires, their hopes, and their wishes.

After about a year inside The World of C reading 'The Book of Memories', he put the book back to its place and took 'The Book of Thoughts'. The book was much larger and thicker, which made him curious about the content of the book.

He saw alphabets beside the book, from A to Z. He opened the book, and he saw names of countless people. The book contained beliefs, feelings, and opinions about the world of every single people that had lived since the 1st Emperor of Britannia.

He could see Shirley's and Rolo's name, as well as their birthdate and the date when they died. As he read through the page, he found C.C, Charles, and V.V. There were special symbols on their pages which indicated that they have the power of immortality or the power of Geass.

After a myriad of months reading the book, he came across Nunnaly's and his name. What staggered him was that there was no date of death on his page, and there was another symbol on his page and no symbol of Geass users.

What could this mean? I have died and now I am in The World of C. My date of death is supposed to be on my page. Maybe... I am still alive?

I am a Geass user with Geass of absolute obedience. Why it is not marked in the book that I have Geass? And what's with this unknown symbol on my page? And it seems... only I have this symbol.

These make me curious. But how to find an answer?

Wait. I am still alive like it was said inside the book. Maybe I can go back to the world and ask C.C for answer.

He stood up from his chair, and counted how many months had passed.

About 61 months has passed. Has the world changed a lot without my presence? I hope Nunnaly and Suzaku have worked well to maintain peace.

As he walked away from the chair, his surroundings changed again. Now, he was standing on a platform floating in mid air.

If I remembered, it is supposed to be around here.

He walked around the edge of the platform, trying to find a way out which he used before after he made Charles disappeared. He walked around the platform many times, and he could not find a way out.

The World of C is a special world for Geass users or bearers of mark of Geass... Which means, I have to use my Geass?

He moved his hand in front of his eyes, and Geass could be seen on his eyes.

"Let me out of this world."

A source of light appeared floating in front of him. He extended his arm, trying to touch the light. When he touched the light, it glowed so bright that he was blinded by it.

What is happening?

Nunnaly and Suzaku came back from U.F.N discussing about trade agreements. They went back to their mansion just outside Tokyo in Japan. They lived together alone, because only Nunnaly who knew the true identity of the new Zero.

As they entered their mansion, Suzaku took off his mask and robe, and put it on his table. Nunnaly walked towards the veranda on the 3rd floor, and sat on the chair there.

"Hey, Suzaku. It has been 1 year since the death of onii-sama, right?" She began writing something on a piece of pink paper on her lap.

"Yeah. The world has improved a lot because of his death."

Nunnaly folded the pink paper, and it shaped like a bird.

"Nunnaly, do you know that I used to be a Britannian soldier who fought against Lelouch as Zero who I thought was creating disorder? I wanted peace by fighting anyone who is against Britannia. But now, I became Zero to create peace. What an irony, isn't it?"

"It is an irony." She threw her origami towards the vast blue sky, hoping that her letter would be received by his deceased dearest brother in heaven.

"Tell me, Suzaku. What was onii-sama like when he fought Britannia as Zero?"

It was their routine activity; Nunnaly would ask something about his deceased brother almost everyday to Suzaku. Although Suzaku got tired of answering her everyday, he never told her that he was tired of it. Suzaku, Nunnaly, and Lelouch always played together when they were little, and because of that he knew Nunnaly very well. She loved Lelouch very much, and his death hit her very hard.

She did not waste the death of her only relative. She worked her best to maintain stability in the world, and she also learnt how to walk again. Although she was unable to walk before, now she could walk because of daily training.

"Which story do you want, Nunnaly?"

Suzaku took a chair and sat near Nunnaly as he told a story about Lelouch based on his point of view.

Meanwhile...

Kallen just got home from Ashford Academy. She was forced repeat a year because she had skipped school due to working as Order of Black Knights' ace pilot. Since she started her new school life, she never did or talk about anything that had to do with knightmare or war.

As she entered her home, she greeted her mother, and then she entered her room. She looked at Lelouch's picture and thanked him everyday. Kallen was very sad because of Lelouch's death. She ofen blamed herself for figthing against Lelouch. She always thought that if she had been with Lelouch, he would have been still alive.

After she changed her clothes and put her bag on her desk, she lied on her bed and opened the window. She relaxed herself while enjoying the breeze. She looked outside towards the vast sky, thinking about the world, Lelouch, Suzaku, and Nunnaly. She also knew about the new Zero's real identity, as well as his whole plan of bringing the world to peace.

Lelouch... Without you, this peace would be impossible to create...

As she looked outside, a pink bird flew in. She looked at it closely, and she noticed that it was an origami made out of a piece of pink paper.

An origami... I wonder who made it...

She was looking carefully on the pink origami, and she realized that there was something written on the origami. She was curious, and she unfolded the origami.

The letter inside read :

Dear brother,

I hope you are doing fine in heaven. Do you know? The world has become a much better place to live thanks to you. Although the world gradually forgets about you, I will remember you forever until I die.

The world now is united through talks and negotiation, unlike the past. Me and Suzaku became the leader of Britannia now, replacing onii-sama. Although it was difficult on my first day, I managed to do it. The people of Britannia was very happy to live in peace without any war.

Since my first day as the leader of Britannia, I tried to walk over and over again. After months of practising, now I can walk by myself without any support. It is great, isn't it?

Do you know? Today is exactly one year since onii-sama's death. I am going to onii-sama's grave with Suzaku who disguised as Zero. Onii-sama's grave is located beside Suzaku's grave in Britannia. It has onii-sama's statue made of marble on it. I made onii-sama's grave grand because this is my form of thanks for creating this peace.

I miss you very much. I always prayed everyday that you will come back again. It is stupid, isn't it? For a dead man to come back alive. It is just... it is very sad to think about onii-sama sacrificing for the world. Although the world hates you very much, I still love you from inside my heart. I hope you received large reward in heaven for creating peace in the world.

Love, Nunnaly.

She put the letter aside, and she rubbed her red eyes because she cried as she was reading through the letter.

I almost forgot that today is the 1st anniversary of his death.

She took out a photo frame from her wardrobe. Inside the frame, there was a photo of Lelouch smiling. She put the frame on her desk, and she took few sticks of incense, and she burnt them. Then, she put those burnt incense and few oranges in front of Lelouch's photo.

I hope you would like this... Although you are Britannian, I hope you will accept this Japanese styled offerings.

The light finally began to subside. He began to see his surroundings clearly. He found himself in a quite large, decent room. There was a wardrobe, a bed, and a table with a chair. The wall and the furnitures were made out of wood.

He looked around him, and he noticed that there were 2 windows facing 2 different directions. He looked outside the Western window, and he could see white beach and blue sea; it was very beautiful. He realized that he was on the 2nd floor of the building, because he could see the outside very clearly.

Then, he looked outside the Eastern window. He saw small shops and many people below there, and few old factories which seemed abandoned. He looked closely at the shops, and he noticed that he was in a building in a small town on the edge of Britannia's border.

This place must be somewhere North-West of Pendragon.

He sat down on the bed.

I wonder who owns this room. I hope I can have some food or even a place to stay from her/him.

He looked at his eyes which were reflected by a mirror on the table. He saw different kind of symbols on both of his eyes, not his usual Geass.

What is this?

He blinked his eyes, and the symbols were gone. He got more curious, and he got more content to meet C.C to ask about his new symbols.

As he waited for the owner of the room to come back, he got sleepy.

I guess I will take a short nap.

He lied on the bed and began to sleep.

He woke up, and he realized that it was already night, but the owner of the room hadn't come back. He got bored, and he sat down on the chair in front of the table. He looked at himself through the mirror.

I wonder what happened to my Geass. Did I lose my Geass or did my Geass power changed?

As he was looking at himself, he could hear steps coming from below.

The owner of this room is coming! How should I explain this to her/him? For a deceased ex-emperor in a commoner's room... it will be very difficult to explain. I don't think he/she will believe it.

He stood up at the middle of the room. He noticed something yellow in colour above the wardrobe. He looked carefully, and he realized that it was cheese-kun, C.C's favourite doll.

This means... this is C.C's room!

A woman came in to the room with 2 heavy bags on her hands. The woman had long green hair and yellow eyes. There was no doubt about it, it was C.C.

"Le-lelouch?" She dropped both of her bags because she was very surprised.

"C.C..."

She walked towards the man she loved that came back to live. She wanted to hug him tightly, after missing him for a year. As she drew closer to him, C.C's mark of Geass reacted with Lelouch's new Geass. On both of his eyes, his Geass glowed.

Lelouch did not know what happened. But, he was surprised when he looked at C.C's face, which was filled with fear.

"Lelouch... What is the meaning of this?"