1,608"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations."
- J.R.R. Tolkien
Chapter XXXV: Wolf und Drache
Sibirischer Baer
Khanty-Mansiysk, State of Khanty-Mansi, European Union
October 4, 2025
Compared to the cold, dark night just outside, the tavern was brightly lit and relatively lively, and more importantly warm. Now that autumn was firmly in place over the world, the days were very much darker and the cold was becoming more and more abundant, emphasized by the snowfall that was happening just outside. Not that Andrei was bothered much by any of that of course. After all, much of his life had been spent in such conditions that would have only baffled his "fellow" Europeans to the west. And that was before one brought his ancestry, as alluded to by his surname.
In any case, he was alone at his corner at the bar, sipping his vodka glass and being very much removed from the activities occurring in the main area. Soothing music played overhead as other European soldiers spoke and celebrated with each other, as well as the civilians and tavern staff present, living up the evening as though it were the world's last. For several of them it would be, Andrei knew all too well. Now that Surgut had fallen, it was only a matter of time before Bloody Marry's legions marched upon Khanty-Mansiysk in their westward drive, and those present were set to defend the town as though it were Berlin itself. It would be a long, hard fight, especially if the Glinda Knights made an appearance, which they did off and on.
At the very least this won't be our last stand, Andrei thought as the tavernkeep refilled his glass. Unlike very much everyone in the tavern, and save for select others in the town proper, the Major was well aware of his father's plan. They would fight to defend Khanty-Mansiysk just long enough to seriously cost the Imperials in blood and iron, and then "retreat" as they had been doing all along, stringing the Britannians more and more toward the Urals. Not the most glorious means of fighting – engaging, withdrawing, engaging, withdrawing over and over – but Andrei could definitely see the wisdom in his father's plan. By the time Operation Tiegel was put into motion, Marrybell's forces would be weathered and ragged; only then would they be firmly crushed and destroyed, never to set foot into the west. Until then however, there was the slog, and nights like these in which Major Andrei Zhukov could have some measure of peace.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind," a new voice entered in as its bearer took a seat beside him. Any other time Andrei would have rather been alone, but as his newfound grin highlighted, he always welcomed her presence. After all, had it not been for the war…
"Kölsch bitte," Louise ordered, nodding to a particular bottle on the shelf, to which the tavernkeep nodded as well before withdrawing. Moments later, a filled glass was produced, and to which the other Major took a long swig, visibly savoring the drink. It was quite clear what she had been doing for the last five days since Surgut fell.
"Heard you took on a Glinda," Andrei opened with the moment she finished her first swig.
"If you mean barely survived against a Glinda, you're correct," Louise exclaimed, inwardly shivering at the memory of her swordfight with the Urien. "It's no wonder we've lost so many to those monsters. We might as well be fighting Rounds."
"Which we could very end up doing yet," Andrei responded knowingly as he took another sip of his own drink. Though there had been no confirmations – likely because there were never any survivors left to confirm – there were claims that there was indeed a Round fighting with Marrybell's forces. Not that anyone could ascertain which of Emperor Charles handpicked minions would be out there, much less taking marching orders from a 'mere' princess. "Was it as bad as I figured?"
"Probably worse," Louise replied. "We were lucky to hold out as long as we had, and that was before the Glindas showed up and sent whatever was left to hell."
She couldn't help but sigh. "If this keeps up…" she almost trailed off. "I don't know how we're going to turn this one around Andrei."
"You and the whole of Europe, Louise," Andrei said, doing well to hide his own foreknowledge. "At the very least it hasn't been easy for them either."
"Heh, true enough," Louise replied, feeling herself warm up from the liquor. It was a refreshing feeling, especially to the bitter cold outside. "You hear anything from Yekaterinburg?"
Andrei shrugged. "No more than anyone else here," he spoke truthfully enough. "Between managing all this and having to deal with Central Command, I really don't envy my father right now."
He then decided to turn that subject around. "How about you? Anything on your end?"
Louise shook her head. "There's so much of nothing important happening in the Hemicycle that I don't envy my father right now," she said. "And god only knows what my mother's doing in all this."
"Probably still trying to get you transferred back home," Andrei chided.
"Ugh, don't remind me please," Louise bristled somewhat with disgust. It had been years ago – during the first phases of the war in fact – but Louise would never forget her well-meaning but highly zealous mother's one woman assault on Central Command to have her transferred to a western unit. As though the fighting had somehow been safer in Portugal or Spain. "She tries that again and the sturmtruppen might be the ones to deal with her next time around."
"God help them," Andrei couldn't help but laugh a little. Somehow he doubted the Stormtroopers would have any better success with Frau Hameln than Central Command had. But then again, Louise Hameln was still in the Far East, so there was that.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Louise at last took a final swig of her glass, downing the entire contents in one go. "At any rate, I imagine it'll be a while before the bad guys show up here…"
Andrei did well to note the mischievous gleam that entered the opposite Major's eyes. Right as she brought her left hand into view, displaying the particular ring that she wore there. "And last I checked, we're somewhere over four thousand kilometers away from Berlin."
"Heh," Andrei exclaimed, downing the rest of his drink in one go. Again, if it hadn't been for this damned war…
"What do you think Major Zhukov?" Louise inclined, the mischievousness reaching her lips as well, which drew back into a furtive smirk.
An expression that Andrei found himself mirroring. "I think we have some time yet as well Major Hameln. Assuming you wish to spend what may be your last night with the bastard great-grandson of Stalin's favorite general."
Louise's face twitched somewhat at that, but she managed to hold it in lest it ruin the mood. Had it been any other time and setting she probably would have slugged him for such an asinine statement.
"I won't be spending what may be my last night with the bastard great-grandson of Stalin's favorite general," she responded back rather sharply. "I will be spending what may be my last night with my idiot fiancée. Who still has yet to grasp, at least as well as I have, that not everything is tied to blood and heritage."
She then deigned to reach over and place her hand over his. "Besides, if the grandson and great-grandson are anything to go by, then Georgy Zhukov could not possibly have been the spawn of evil certain people see him as."
Turning his hand around to hold hers in turn, Andrei couldn't help but turn away from her brilliant blue eyes somewhat. His family legacy had never been a sore point to him, and it helped that the majority of Europe chose to see his great-grandfather as a skilled commander and a most worthy opponent rather than Joseph Stalin's chief military enforcer. Unfortunately Frau Hameln (again) was one of the exceptions to that, and only Andrei's sincere love for her daughter and vice versa – themselves complimented by the discreet support of Herr Hameln – had kept their engagement from being dissolved.
"That being said, we have enough to fight with in front of us," Louise continued, then signaling the tavernkeep over for the bill. "So let's make the most of the time we have now, ja?"
"Da, indeed," Andrei eagerly agreed as he paid for their drinks. From there, the night took a far more pleasant turn as the war was – at least for them – seemed distant and far away. As well as fought by other parties that neither were involved with.
Weisswolf Castle
State of Germany, European Union
It was even worse than she had thought. As she kept to her post in Weisswolf's CIC, it was taking all of Leila's willpower not to scowl toward her much unwanted guests, who were now standing in the back as though they really did own the place. Though they all came in different shapes and sizes, ranging from the expected short and overweight to the remarkably thin and feeble, they all possessed the same self-superiority, as well as the same outlook that anything and anyone that wasn't part of their little clique was less than vermin. How the whole of her castle wasn't flooded by the force of their noxious egos, Leila did not know, though she made it a point to have Weisswolf sanitized from top to bottom once it was all over.
And if they weren't bad enough, the contingent of sturmtruppen that served as their "escorts" certainly added to the pot, as well as spiced and stirred it up. Same personality type, but the latter were armed, and Leila had the distinct feeling the thugs in black waffenfarbe were relishing the idea of turning their guns on her and her "Eleven scum" at the first sign of duplicity. The two that stood flanking either side of the entryway certainly appeared to anticipate the idea, and there were only more of them patrolling the castle halls. To say nothing of the knightmare force – of course the goons would have their own knightmares – that was posted on the exterior, which looked more ready to attack Weisswolf rather than defend it.
However, for all of the unsavoriness of those two groups, neither of them compared to the one that stood out most, both within the CIC and without. Standing among the former group, President Kessler would have blended in with his fellow Nationalists, yet it was apparent that he was not like the rest of them. Whereas the other Nationalists "simply" looked upon Leila and her subordinates as their inferiors, their leader – the leader of Europa proper – was even worse. Though he did well to hide it away behind his usual charisma, Leila could tell that Kessler looked upon her kampfgruppe as a master looked upon a chained dog. To him, Werwolf was not acting in the service of Europe, but his service. They were his soldiers – as much his minions as the Stormtroopers – and they were to fight for his betterment and survival. Anything beyond was either inconsequential or utterly redundant, for also in Kessler's eyes, the needs of the Union were synonymous with his needs. In fact, they were one and the same, just as his will was that of Europe's.
If it were just that, Leila would have written him off easily – albeit with even more disgust than with the others – but unfortunately that was not the end of it. Whether due such belief or actual competence, Kessler was also paying keen attention to the space and all activities therein. Again as much as he tried to hide it – in fact, he was putting a lot of effort in his projected obliviousness – Leila could tell that the President was monitoring the entirety of the CIC, taking account of every motion and action that occurred, as well as every bit of data that was displayed on the monitors. A chained dog her kampfgruppe might have been to him, but that didn't mean Kessler was about to trust it to follow his every heed. Rightfully so, Leila admitted to herself, considering what Mitternacht's real intent was…
"Frau Oberst," Klaus spoke up from the side, sounding much more subdued than usual but speaking loud enough to direct the room's entire attention. Between that and the fact his uniform was, for once, completely prim and proper, Leila had to remind herself that this was her executive talking to her and not a last minute transfer. "We're ready to begin."
Furtively exhaling while reaching down to pet Geri and Freki assuredly – both were on edge for obvious reasons – Leila then looked toward the main monitor, which displayed real time map of distant Chinese Kazakhstan. There, just off center somewhat, the Ewald von Kleist stood by, those within awaiting her command. Everything was in place.
Any other time she would have given the command straight on, but not this time. Acting as though she were mindful of her place – which she supposed she was – Leila turned back, her eyes falling toward Kessler's through the back row. From there, without speaking a single word or giving any other kind of signal, the President of the European Union nodded his assent.
Only when that was given did Leila face forward again. Now there was only the mission, and nothing else.
"Signal the pack to commence Phase III," she commanded, simply and clearly. "Freies Europa."
European Barbarossa-class land cruiser Ewald von Kleist
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
"Freies Europa!" Akito recited with the rest of the Europeans presently aboard the Kleist. With the whine of motors and the heavy bang of metal impacting earth, the front hatchway opened up, granting the gathered knightmare pilots a sweeping view of the darkened landscape of Akmola. Red mono-eyes swept about on their tracks to take it all in before eventually settling onto a singular point in the distance. Their target, the Black Knights' Akmola basin, to be left ravaged and desolated before the night's end. Or so all but one had been briefed.
Inhaling once as he resolved himself to see his mission – the real mission – through, Akito put power into his landspinners and nudged his Wolfen out of the bay, its several brethren quick to follow. Despite his reputation, he had never been one to anticipate, much less outright enjoy, battle, but this time he was even more apprehensive. Even if Leila's forecast proved inaccurate – if Zero had, in fact, not made his way to Akmola to deal with the "unknown" threat personally – he knew he and the other Werwolfs around him were in for a long, arduous night. One that several of them would, all too possibly, not make it out of alive.
Even so, Akito remained well aware of everything that hinged on their success, and so bit back such apprehension. Above all else he was a soldier, the ghost of Hannibal Barca returned from the underworld to wage war on another decadent empire. And while those beside him may not have held such a fanciful title, they too were dedicated defenders of Europa, many of whom had been born toward upon their parents' flight from fallen Japan. Thus they would see Operation Mitternacht through as they had so many before, and, God willing, all would be better for it.
At least, that's what Akito truly hoped as the enemy base drew ever closer in his monitor. Knowing full well that, if the Black Knights had not yet detected the pack's advance, then they soon would…
Black Knights High Command
Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu Republic
"Enemy now advancing on Akmola," one of the operators reported dutifully, emphasizing what the main monitor was now displaying to those gathered. All standing at the rear of the CIC – save for Lelouch, who was seated in the main chair – the generals and other upper-echelon officers watched on as the smattering of red sigils drew toward the basin, with the yellow sigils indicating the latter's garrison now moving to intercept. And though breaths were not quite being held just yet, more than a few of their number had already steadied their breathing for what was about to occur.
For his part, Lelouch was not actually watching over the main monitor per se, but rather its projection within his mask's heads up display. Though he had been well aware of the enemy's identity beforehand, this was the first time he was seeing the long rumored Kampfgruppe Werwolf in action, and he could already see that they were a foe to be reckoned with. Far from the terrorist rabble they were pretending to be, their formation was tight and well organized, effectively geared toward assaulting an enemy installation, while the speed of their advance only further indicated the high performance level of their machines. Of course, he still had yet to see how skilled their pilots truly were in direct action, but Lelouch remained well aware that this same force had already stormed two bases prior, and that the threat they represented was such that he had sent Zero Squadron to contend with them.
The slight thought of his personal vanguard naturally brought Kallen to mind, to which, despite himself, Lelouch felt something inside of him shift somewhat. He knew he shouldn't have been worried about her; Kallen was the best knightmare pilot in the Black Knights and had long fought more difficult opponents than this. And while he still had yet to see Hannibal Ghost fight on a live feed, he sincerely doubted he would be any different from the likes of Suzaku or Gino, while the other Werwolfs would surely be dealt with by the rest of Zero Squadron. And then, if all else failed, Lelouch knew Kallen retained her Geass, which would grant her an even greater edge in the fight as it had so many times before.
So why? Why did he feel uneasy about all this? By all facts and logic this all fell under set parameters. If their intent really was to draw him out, then they had already failed their main objective, while the battle itself would be elementary compared to Zero Squadron's prior engagements. Really, even if Akmola was lost with Aktobe and Kostanay, it would only be a minor loss, and surely the enemy would pay a heavy toll for their efforts. The Red Dragoness and her followers would see to the latter, he knew all too well. So why…?
"Garrison forces have engaged," another operator proclaimed, right as the first shots were fired between the defending Gekkas and the still unidentified European machines. They were still relatively distant from one another, such that they were clearly exchanging bazooka shells rather than bullets, but were closing quite rapidly. Much to many of the CIC occupants' dismay, several Black Knight units were immediately shot down while no forward losses were incurred by the wolves. Another testament to the kampfgruppe's elite stature, as far as Lelouch was concerned.
Pushing aside his doubts and uncertainty, Lelouch instead concentrated wholly on the opening act of this present performance. Unlike at Aktobe and Kostanay, the garrison was not to hold the line, but put up an initial appearance of doing so before drawing the enemy into Akmola itself. Once inside, the real battle – for whatever Lelouch thought of it – would start.
Maneuvering his way through the enemy bazooka fire as he had twice before, Akito simultaneously unlimbered his own weapon, pulling it over his knightmare's right shoulder. Dubbed the "Henker" by its designers at Krauss-Clement, Akito had always found it to be an appropriate title for such a weapon, best emphasized as he targeted one of the oncoming Gekkas and fired. With but a single shot, the enemy black knightmare was obliterated entirely, though obviously there were still much more of its kind to deal with. Beside him, Ryo had also taken up his own "Henker" and fired into the enemy formation, but by that point the Black Knights were maneuvering as well, thus he "only" managed to blow off his target's left arm and mounted handgun. Fortunately his second shot was more accurate, blowing the torso off another Gekka, while the other wolves followed suit as well, taking out several more Gekkas as the two formations closed in.
"Well, this is disappointing," Ryo quipped as, upon coming into medium range, he swapped his bazooka for the Wolfen's trademark "Urteil" assault rifle. With a distinct guttural roar, the weapon fired off a stream of bullets into another Gekka, which easily crumpled under the strain before it could return fire with its handgun. Its comrade managed to do so in its place, but Ryo was more than adept at dodging such an attack, and then downing that Gekka as well. "I was hoping for more of a challenge the third go around."
"Stay alert Werwolf Two," Akito half-commanded as he also dodged more of the oncoming fire, before shooting down his own target with his own "Urteil". Though he had also been expecting more resistance than standard Gekkas, which were clearly piloted by the base garrison rather than any outside forces, the Major did well to remember what they were facing here. If Zero was indeed present, then surely this was just a lure to bring them closer to whatever trap he had concocted, or an attempt to whittle down their numbers – the traditional kind – before they finally reached into Akmola itself. Either way, now was not the time to get complacent. "Four, your left!"
"Verstanden," Ayano coolly answered as her Wolfen's mono-eye swiveled to that direction, watching as another Gekka moved into flank her with its chainsword. Reversing back as the black knightmare attempted to strike, she traded her own rifle to her left arm while the mounted "Uruna Rand" blade extended out from her right forearm. A moment later, the Gekka charged her again, to which Ayano easily banked away from its slash and moved around, impaling her arm blade straight into the cockpit block from the right side. Blood visible even in the dark as she withdrew the weapon, she no more than withdrew it back into her forearm when the deadened Gekka toppled over, from there brining her "Urteil" back up to open fire on another enemy machine.
"I'm with you Werwolf Two," Yukiya commented as he also rained hellfire upon another hapless Gekka, its head blowing off and then the front end of the cockpit block not long later. Even without seeing the pilot – whatever remained of him or her at least – the European born Japanese exile could tell that he or she had been a newbie, likely a fresh Chinese or Kazakh recruit, rather than one of the fighters that had participated in the Red Rebellion and the battles before. "When does Tohdoh of Miracles or the Blue Thunder God show up?"
Ryo would have commented to be careful what his comrade wished for, but he was too busy weaving his way toward a trio of Gekkas, who were trying to gun him down simultaneously. Naturally they couldn't keep up with his Wolfen, which easily crossed the distance in the blink of an eye, such that Ryo actually fired his right hip mounted slash harken into the lead machine, smashing its own cyclopean head module, while simultaneously gunning down its left wingmate. The headless Gekka attempted to cut him down with its chainsword upon his coming close, but Ryo easily skated around it and circled, allowing him to gun down his opposite wingmate as well. From there, the deft slash of his own "Uruna" blade finished off his original target, allowing him to proceed onward, dodging more bullets and shells in the process.
Not far from his wingman's position, Akito sidestepped a chainsword thrust from another Gekka, this one displaying somewhat better skill than its contemporaries but otherwise still falling short of what he and the rest had been expecting. Outside of having to parry the sword attacks once or twice with his arm blades, Hannibal's Ghost had little issue in eventually leaping up and over the Black Knight when it pressed the attack, firing a short burst from his "Urteil" into its cockpit block while overhead before promptly landing again. By contrast, the Black Knight unit collapsed in a heap, as with so many others that had fallen to the wolves in but a few minutes' time. Akito didn't need to look up to see that the rest of his pack were having similar success against the enemies, though he did end up shifting his mono-eye over to see another Gekka coming at him, firing its handgun while attempting to move into melee range. He easily returned its fire and dispatched it as well.
Black Knights High Command
Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu Republic
Once more forcing back his apprehension, as well as some of the outside chatter, Lelouch remained focused on the wolfpack's assault, the latter still remaining largely untouched despite several minutes having passed since the onset. No, he wasn't that taken back by this; as it had been twice before, the majority of Akmola's personnel were fresh recruits from the region, most of which had still be in training when all this had started. Unfortunately there were some devicers that had fought in the Red Rebellion (at least) there as well, having been sent to that area of the Asian continent to better instruct the newcomers, yet even they were unable to strike down any of the wolves. As a result, the kampfgruppe was advancing, though not quite as fast as it had before, well upon Akmola itself, and it would be within the base in but a few more minutes' time.
As the onslaught continued, Lelouch found himself drawn toward the peculiar machines that the Werwolfs were using. Though he had seen its kind before, it had been in stilled imagery; this was the first time he was watching this strange knightmare frame in motion, and the effect was nothing short of astonishing. Outside one other, he had never seen a European KMF move with such speed and ferocity, while its overall design was as unlike a Panther as a Gekka was unlike a Sutherland. In fact, Lelouch wondered if this KMF was actually of the "lost" sixth generation, or the European equivalent thereof.
Again far from the bulky, armored form of the Panther line or the Baer, this particular knightmare frame was instead slimmed and streamlined. Though it did possess armor across its frame, the segments were more organic textured than the "panzerritter" forms that European knightmares normally abided by, as well as built more toward ease of mobility than cumbersome defense. This alone showed that the knightmares were made around the "einhauen" mindset, meant for blistering speed based attacks with heavy weaponry, striking the foe before any defense can be mustered, and then withdrawing just as quickly. In that sense, Lelouch couldn't imagine this type holding any worthwhile defense, much less the durability that standard European frames were known for, yet that didn't seem to hinder the wolves in any way. In fact, they seemed better adept at dodging and evading the oncoming attacks than they would have weathering them, fittingly not unlike the Black Knights' own knightmare battle doctrine.
Outside its profile, the enemy knightmare was still clearly a European machine, possessing two spiked shoulder pauldrons – albeit ones that held singular large spikes that extended outward – a head module that contained a single red mono-eye on a track, and a prominent fin extending up from the scalp. Lelouch also noted that the unit utilized non-standard weapons to go with its profile, namely those hidden arm blades as well as an assault rifle and bazooka design he had never seen before. Characteristic slash harkens were mounted on its hips. And finally, as though to emphasize the frame's true origins, each and every one of them were painted in the European standard feldgrau scheme.
Indeed, it was a formidable force. One that Lelouch had hoped to avoid facing, especially at this stage of the game. Unfortunately the die was firmly cast at this point, and the wolves would have to be dealt with, here and now, in order for him to progress. Before the rest of Europe were to fall in behind them.
With that thought in mind, Lelouch continued to observe as the wolves – having broken through the now withdrawing garrison force – at last entered Camp Akmola.
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
Flashing his usual vindictive grin as he first entered the base, Ryo immediately followed Akito's example and set himself to work against the enemy's second string defenses. Besides the withdrawing but still fighting Gekkas, Akmola had the standard allotment of gun turrets and missile batteries, all opening fire as soon as the Werwolfs entered into range. Naturally Ryo had as little issue dancing around their fire as his wingman and superior, weaving through the bullets and projectiles while taking down the obstructions one after the other as they passed. He even managed to down another Gekka in the process, the idiot piloting moving to add its own fire to one such turret only to be blasted apart by Ryo's bazooka shot.
Overall, it was hardly the opposition Ryo and the rest had anticipated – not for the first time making him wonder if Zero had gotten the memo at all – but for the moment there were more pressing concerns, namely decimating the base as they had two times before. Thus leveling his bazooka once again, he fired into the first building he passed, reducing the structure – which may have been a maintenance bay – to raining metal shards. He repeated the process twice over with a radar tower and what he guessed was an aircraft hangar before switching back to his "Urteil", right as another pair of Gekkas appeared with their chainswords active and alight.
Akito naturally took out one at the very start – Hannibal's Ghost never missed a beat – but Ryo had a little more trouble with his. This particular Black Knight moved around his fire with a fair amount of ease, indicating that its devicer was either more talented than average or a more experienced transfer. Either way, Ryo sneered as the troublesome Gekka moved in close, forcing the European pilot to reengage his arm blade at the right moment to parry. The chainsword ground violently against the "Uruna", such that Ryo felt it through his teeth.
The Gekka then attempted to hit him point blank with its chest mounted harken, but Ryo's reflexes were superior, allowing him to break the blade lock and sweep over the enemy machine's right. That was more than enough for the Werwolf, as Ryo fired a single burst into the Gekka's side, from the front torso to the rear of the cockpit block, and then reversed as his opponent collapsed. The explosion was quite resounding, but Ryo paid little attention to it, instead moving to catch back up with Akito.
"Werwolf Three to Werwolf Two," Yukiya called out over the unit push. "Is it just me or is there something off about all this?"
Ryo frowned as he saw it as well. There was no way Zero and his ilk had not noticed prior destruction, and as smart as everyone credited the Demon King, he out of everyone should have figured out the wolves would be at Akmola. Yet as much as he, Akito and the others were running rampant through the base, they were still only facing basic garrison forces. Surely there should have been a surprise or two waiting for them, again given the Demon King's rep.
"Don't let your guard down Three," Ryo responded as he again took hold of his bazooka and fired into another building, whose purpose he did not identify this time. Not that it really mattered as it exploded as vividly as those previous.
For a moment however, he thought he saw something move from within the fire. It passed quickly though, and it hadn't attacked. Ryo surmised it was just a shadow. "The black bastards could pull anything at this point."
Such as it was when his sensors picked up another barrage from a nearby missile battery, which again Ryo and Akito moved to evade. The latter then finished the battery off with his own "Henker", allowing the two Wolfens to move onto their next set of targets.
Don't have to tell me twice, Yukiya thought as he dodged additional fire from a nearby gun turret, which Ayano responded to in his place. It was almost obvious at this point the Black Knights were about to pull something, something that had required the Werwolfs to be in the base itself. Besides the fact resistance was still "light", Yukiya was starting to notice another detail: there were no people. No soldiers taking potshots at them with the gun turrets and still defending knightmares, no base personnel running out of burning buildings. From that it was very safe to say that the base had been evacuated beforehand, which indeed indicated Zero had caught onto their scheme and was acting accordingly.
As much as Yukiya continued to fight alongside his own wingwoman, maneuvering around another set of gun turrets while he planted his own bazooka shot into a nearby control tower, his mind could only ramble on over the prospect. When did the other boot drop down? When did Zero make his inevitable appearance and/or "miracle" play? God help them, Yukiya thought as he began to sweat, if he had setup the entire base to blow up with the Werwolfs inside it. Yet his sensors were not detecting any sign of mounted explosive charges, nor were the attacked buildings – as much as they were attacked anyway – blowing up with extra force.
So what did that leave? Another kind of ambush? An earthquake given Zero's habit of using the terrain? Surely the Demon King wasn't going to just sit back and…
And then, Yukiya, and the rest of the Werwolfs, were given the answer. Detecting a sudden heat spike to his immediate left, both he and Ayano instinctively broke formation and evaded what could only be described as two great crimson beams, which had been fired out from one of the nearby hangars. Whether due to the dual attacks or through another means, the building exploded on its own. And through the resultant fire, the unmistakable visages of knightmare frames made their appearance, twin eye cameras aglow in fierce amber.
"Oh shit," Yukiya managed to utter as the two enemy frames, both of a design he more than recognized, engaged their landspinners and launched into the fray. An entrance repeated by no less than ten others, who, acting as one, detonated their respective covers and effectively charged after the wolves as vengeful red dragons.
Weisswolf Castle
State of Germany, European Union
"What…What is this?" one of the hapless idiots in the back row espoused, he and his fellow Nationalists all wearing the same agape expression as twelve new enemy signals emerged from within Akmola. Already three friendly signals were "LOST" from their emergence, while the rest immediately began to counterattack.
Biting back her wince toward the three lost wolves – the first three casualties of Mitternacht – Leila glanced over to one of the operators. "Can you identify?"
After few keystrokes, the operator gained the requested data. The blood draining from her face as she replied. "They're Gurens ma'am."
Her own shock threatening to enter her expression, it didn't take much on Leila's part to understand what that indicated.
"Zero Squadron," she murmured, now truly understanding the significance of those twelve new signals. As well as how she had lost three of her own right off the start. So you send your very best against us Zero…
Looking up from his own post, Klaus – who was presently not pretending to be drunk but still appearing detached – seemed to notice a certain detail himself.
"Is the Mordred among them?" he inquired, only receiving a shaking of the head from that same operator.
Leila frowned as several of the audience began to whisper among themselves. If Zero Squadron was there, then where was Zero himself? Shouldn't he be leading from the front as he preferred, especially now that his skills as devicer had proven substantial? Where could he be otherwise?
Is it possible he…? Leila continued to think, feeling her own insides freeze at the prospect. That had been one possibility she had dismissed early on; there could have been no way the Demon King would ignore a summons like this. And yet, he may just have, instead sending his elite forces in to fight in his stead, while he remained well off the battleground. And therefore out of Mitternacht's reach.
"Colonel Malkal…!" one of the spectators began to speak up, only to be waved off by Kessler. The President himself said and did nothing beyond that, only concentrating on the tacscreen with the rest of the command center. Whatever his thoughts were of the matter, he chose to keep them to himself, at least for the moment.
Subconsciously reaching down to stroke Geri's sable fur, Leila ultimately decided how the operation would proceed. "Press the attack," she commanded to her kampfgruppe. "If Herr Zero does not wish to come out to play, we will simply force him out."
It was an unlikely bet, if what Leila suspected was indeed true, but it was enough to keep her subordinates focused and her unwanted audience occupied. In the meantime, she had to think up a contingency and fast. Mitternacht – the real Operation Mitternacht – had to be completed no matter what.
Meanwhile, two of the enemy knightmares were now rapidly closing in on Akito and Captain Sayama…
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
All at once, Akito threw his Wolfen into a grinding halt, with Ryo falling in right beside him. Mono-eye shifting front and center, he looked on as two particular enemy knightmares now stood before him, their crimson armor gleaming against the surrounding inferno. One was another amber eyed, three prong clawed unit that the rest of the wolves were presently fighting, but the other was mildly, yet significantly different. A Guren with cold blue eyes and a five pronged claw, glaring directly at him.
Understanding straight away, he signaled to Ryo. "Werwolf Two, break off," he commanded simply, almost in a whisper.
Knowing better than to argue, Ryo did exactly that, moving away at his machine's best speed. Simultaneously, the first Guren did the same, moving after its European counterpart just as fast. It wasn't long before new sounds of battle began to emerge as a result, growing more and more distant while the initial pair stood by for that much longer. Blue and red eyes fixed in place and focused wholly on the opposing knightmare frame.
And then, the silence was broken by an abrupt, but not unexpected communication. "Identify yourself," the stern sounding female voice ordered.
"Major Akito Hyuga," Akito responded, knowing better than to claim otherwise. By now it should have been quite obvious that he and those around him were not rabble terrorists. "Kampfgruppe Werwolf."
"Major Kallen Kouzuki, Zero Squadron," Kallen returned with. Though her adversary's machine was standard-line with the others, she could already sense that the pilot within was an entirely different beast altogether. "Are you Hannibal's Ghost?"
"That's what they call me," he admitted, then nodding back in acknowledgment. "Red Dragoness."
Sensing the nod, Kallen found herself returning it as well. "We know why you're here," she stated up front.
Though she couldn't see Major Hyuga's reaction, as there was no vidlink established, Kallen could still sense – though not knowing how – that her words had struck for effect. That she had been right from the very beginning.
"Unfortunately for you, Zero would never fall for such an obvious attempt at drawing him out," Kallen proclaimed proudly, knowing that her enemy's plans had been thoroughly disrupted.
"Which, I assume, is why you are here," Akito surmised, biting back the same discomposure he knew Leila was feeling all the way back in Weisswolf. If he could not speak to Zero directly, how was he going to see Mitternacht through like this? "To fight in that spineless coward's place."
That earned a small, bemused laugh on Kallen's part. "Claim what you will. Regardless of your earlier actions, there was no reason for him to dirty his hands here, much less with bastard mongrels like you."
"Indeed," Akito responded, gradually causing his Wolfen to circle, much as the beast it was named after. The move was easily matched by the Guren Nishiki, only it appeared draconian by comparison. "So I suppose it comes down to this then."
"Indeed," Kallen repeated, watching out for any sign of an opening while knowing Major Hyuga was doing the exact same thing. "Of course, you and yours could always surrender straight away."
"I was about to suggest the same to you," Akito smoothly responded. "Or as another option, you could save us all the trouble and have Herr Zero fight his own battle."
"He's not here and he's not coming," Kallen answered with decreasing patience, the Guren Nishiki bringing about its surger. "You get to deal with me and mine Geist."
Sighing mutely, Akito had no choice but to focus back into the fight. "Very well fraulein," he responded with, taking aim with his "Urteil". "Freies Europa!"
"Long Live Zero!" Kallen resounded as she let loose her surger, precisely as the opposing machine fired its assault rifle. Both frames easily banked away from either attack while pressing further on, beginning their run through the burning remnants of Akmola.
So these are Europe's pet wolves, Charmelle thought as she threw up her radiant wave shield to deflect another barrage, and then banking away as one of the attacking enemy knightmares fired its bazooka. Dropping her shield, she and Benio both responded with their surgers, but the European machines remained as nimble as ever, evading their shots in turn. Benio even followed up with a rapid fire burst that nearly struck her target, only to hit nothing but air as the still undesignated knightmare frame made a fast dash to the right. Charmelle herself sneered as she launched a grenade, and then leaped back as her own enemy responded with a quickdraw bazooka shot.
As much as she hated to admit it, Charmelle could easily see where the much rumored Kampfgruppe Werwolf got its reputation, at least among those who knew them to actually exist. Tamed and leashed as they were, the wolves could very well give the Knights of the Round a run for their money, perhaps even make the Knight of One drop a bead of sweat. Even so, neither she nor the rest of Zero Squadron were about to let them go on unchallenged, and certainly not without taking casualties. The Black Knight ace did well to remember the men and women that were previously killed in nights before as she launched her Guren after her target, zigzagging around its rifle shots, and then its hip slash harkens.
Sure enough she managed to get in close, but by the time she brought her fork knife about, the enemy frame revealed a hidden arm mounted blade and parried what should have been the killing blow. Even faster it withdrew its slash harkens and relaunched them near point blank, forcing Charmelle to maneuver to her left to dodge. She countered this by attempting to ensnare the wolf into her surger claw, but the enemy machine was also that fast, easily withdrawing right as the prongs closed down. Another grenade attack followed, but this was dodged as well, from which the Werwolf switch back to the offensive and moved into impale. Only a timely parry from her fork knife kept the torso of Charmelle's Guren from being struck dead center.
Rather than follow up with another knife attack of her, Charmelle launched another grenade in an attempt to blast the enemy machine's head off. Unfortunately she fired too fast, resulting in the magnetically accelerated projectile landing square into the knightmare's modular torso, which was when something strange occurred. As opposed to "merely" exploding upon impact, the grenade actually drove straight through and blasted out of the cockpit block – killing the pilot in the process obviously – before detonating in the distance. Charmelle couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she moved away, right as the stricken knightmare fell to its knees and detonated.
These things don't have any durability, she realized just before turning around to see how Benio was doing. Though still engaging her own opponent, it was clear that young Lieutenant Akagi was dominating, her Guren all but untouched as opposed to her adversary. The European machine didn't just have battered and damaged armor, but its whole right arm was gone, as well as entire segments of its frame including the whole left side of its head and mono-eye sensor with it. As though to deliberately confirm what Charmelle had just concluded.
In any case, Benio took out hers just as promptly, eventually flanking it from the left and ensnaring its cockpit block with her surger claw. Whether it was her intention or not, the "hunchback" actually broke and crumpled against the pressure, in a manner that actually made Charmelle wince. The enemy pilot easily being killed from that as well, Benio didn't so much as bother engaging the surger itself and simply dropped the pilotless frame thereafter, its mono-eye dimming.
Naturally that was far from the last of them as both Guren pilots detected another set of enemies advancing after them. Mono-eyes fiercely aglow as they charged in, assault rifles and bazookas firing.
As the bullets flew after him, Alfred weaved around the fire, even returning with a snapshot from his grenade launcher. His opponent, unfortunately, was just as adept at dodging, leaping into the air before the explosive could strike and landing a fair distance off. Alfred naturally drove after him, intending to ensnare the bastard with his surger. However, right before he could make contact, Ryo twisted around and unlimbered his bazooka, firing a single shell that would have hit the Guren Isshiki dead center had he not ducked away at the right moment. At that, instead of the surger, Alfred was forced to use his fork knife, which the Werwolf deflected with a flash of his arm blade.
Not at all ready or willing to give up, the surviving Glaston made several more knife slashes against his opponent, who alternated between evasion and further arm blade based deflection, right before bringing his surger back up for a point blank rapid shot. Again Ryo responded accordingly and evaded, performing a blistering side dash that Alfred would never have believed a European knightmare capable of, from there leveling its assault rifle to catch the Guren in its right flank. A quick turn on his own part allowed Alfred to bring his radiant wave shield to bear, deflecting the barrage while he countered with another snap fired grenade. Ryo was subsequently forced to dash his Wolfen away even further, the grenade exploding harmlessly in the fragments of an already destroyed building.
"Not bad schwarzer Ritter, but you still have to do better," Ryo harshly chimed as he fired another rifle barrage, forcing Alfred into evasion as well. The Guren Isshiki was just as efficient and weaving around the bullet spray, and then countering with its own rapid fire surger burst, which the European pilot banked left to dodge. As nimble and powerful as his Wolfen was, Ryo knew it would never stand up to the radiant wave weaponry that the Black Knight machine employed. As such, the Werwolf pressed the attack, firing his hip harkens to buy further distance, and then adding his "Urteil" back into the mix, causing the Guren to redeploy its shield.
Not about to allow himself be overwhelmed, Alfred held his shield up for but a moment before dashing to his left and firing his own chest harken, forcing the Wolfen to break off and dodge as well. The Glaston then followed up with another grenade attack to keep his opponent further on the defensive, thereby allowing him to speed up and attempt to ensnare it with his surger claw. Though a valiant attempt, the Wolfen remained as nimble as ever and Ryo was the wingman of Hannibal's Ghost for good reason, reversing right as the claw tips closed in. Thus it was all Alfred could do to bring his fork knife back into play, slashing it out to try and behead the Wolfen, only for Ryo to deflect the blade with a quick extending of his left "Uruna". Several more slashes and parries followed before Ryo at last fired his own harkens back out, causing Alfred to weave right.
"You're not bad yourself Eurotrash," Alfred called out as he banked and twisted away from the next assault rifle burst, then firing another grenade to keep his opponent maneuvering as well. "For collared wolves, you and your kampfgruppe are quite the challenge."
"You're too kind exile," Ryo exclaimed as he leaped back from another grenade shot, taking the opportunity to respond with his "Henker". The Guren dodged that as well, but that wasn't about to stop the Werwolf. "Collared we might be, we're still the best Europa has to offer."
Reextending his right "Uruna", he charged on, locking the blade with Alfred's fork knife.
"And when we're through here," Ryo proclaimed as the two knightmares attempted to force the other into submission. "We'll be the best the world itself has to offer!"
The Glaston Knight merely smirked in response. "Don't count on it lapdog."
With that, the blade lock was broken and the two adversaries continued exchanging slashes, shots, deflections and dodges. Their armored, glaring forms dancing across the still burning remains of Akmola with the rest.
Black Knights High Command
Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu Republic
"My…God…" Ohgi murmured from the background as he and the rest of the High Command bore witness to what could only be described as ground zero. It shouldn't have been anything he and select others weren't used to; they had all seen combat in one fashion or another over the last fifteen years. In spite of that however, what they were watching take place at Akmola was something different altogether, something far more intense than any regular knightmare battle, as well as spread over the entire area of the now ruined base. A battle that could only be waged by two elite units, both made up of the top aces of their respective factions.
Safe behind his mask, even Lelouch could not help but marvel at the sheer force and veracity that was on display before him. Though the Werwolfs weren't exactly up there with the Knights of the Round – nor were the Zero Squadron members outside Kallen for that matter – it was a battle to end all battles regardless. No elaborate strategies in play here – beyond Kallen's having the garrison force lure the wolves into Akmola base before she and her squadron ambushed them in key sectors – no tide turning "miracles" to sweep over the field. Only the warriors themselves clashing straight on, bringing about their full might to overcome. A strangely captivating show, it was to be admitted even by Lelouch.
Through the various tacscreens and data however, the former prince's main concentration remained on his knight, who he could easily tell was fighting Hannibal's Ghost himself. Even when compared to their respective subordinates, the Red Dragoness and the undead Thunderbolt of Carthage were in a league of their own. As much as Kallen was the best knightmare ace the Black Knights had to offer, it was also plainly obvious that the ghost was among Europe's own best, though Lelouch could tell that he wasn't quite the best of that grouping; that title belonged to a lion rather than a wolf, the memories of which made Lelouch cringe somewhat. It was nothing less than a stroke of fortune he had not been chosen to take part, or god forbid command, this assault.
As Lelouch concentrated more on that particular fight however, he started to notice something peculiar about Hannibal Ghost's fighting style. Though as fast and as power driven as Kallen's, Lelouch realized that, as the fight was now progressing, the Ghost was becoming more and more erratic in movement…
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
Maneuvering through the flames and wreckage as they fought, the Guren Nishiki and lone Wolfen continued their elaborate dance, the former launching another radiant wave stream that the latter narrowly dodged. The European machine then countered with its "Urteil", to which Kallen through up her shield to deflect, allowing her to duck around the flaming remnants of a vehicle hangar. From such cover, the Dragoness fired another crimson beam, but Akito was already in the process of maneuvering around the ruin, attempting to catch her from the flank as she exited. Unfortunately for him, Kallen was anticipating that move, and so Hannibal's Ghost was forced to evade the resultant grenade blast right as he was about to face her. Again he was quick enough to dodge, but the action allowed Kallen to close in again, nearly catching him with her surger claw. Another timely maneuver allowed Akito to stay ahead of her, and then parry her following fork knife strike with his "Uruna".
Short blades flashing about, the two adversaries remained in play for a time, yet again attacking, deflecting and evading up close. Though Major Akito Hyuga was far from the most difficult opponent she had ever faced, Kallen, somehow managing to process thought through her fury, couldn't help but be impressed with the Japanese turned European operator. He could definitely give the Knights of the Round she had faced a run for their money, to say nothing of her Order's elite fighters. Yet as she continued on, slashing her fork knife at the Wolfen's mono-eye, which Akito managed to reverse back away from at the right moment, Kallen could almost feel that there was something less…straight forward about the ghost's fighting style. There was just something about it, and him, that was less focused and controlled than it would have been with Suzaku or Gino Weinberg, something dark and underlying.
Naturally she didn't think too much of it, as she was going to put Hannibal back into his grave anyway. Thus she again snapped her surger claw forward to ensnare, only for the Wolfen to reverse yet again, and then dodge left when she fired another radiant wave beam. It then retaliated with a snap bazooka shot, but Kallen easily dodged that as well, right before launching her slash harken to keep the European pilot further on his toes. The ever nimble wolf evaded that as well, but this again allowed Kallen to close in, fork knife brought to bear. This time she moved for a downward strike that would cleave the European knightmare's head open.
"Die…"
No sooner than when Kallen heard that single word over her radio did the Wolfen reverse again, much faster than it had previously. It then retaliated by firing its own slash harkens, which Kallen banked around, before mirroring her previous maneuver and closing in with its arm blades extended. Following this, Akito concentrated wholly on the offensive, slashing both blades out at the Nishiki at great speed, such that Kallen was forced entirely to deflect or dodge. The ghost's movements growing more and more erratic with each slash and thrust, such that Kallen was eventually forced to raise her radiant wave shield at point blank just to break away.
"Die…"
She heard it again, right as the Wolfen once more moved to close in, firing another assault rifle burst in the process. She maneuvered around it as before, but again it took much more effort on her part this time around. And then he was on her again, once more slashing at her with his arm blades, which she just narrowly dodged and parried. Eventually however she managed to catch one inbetween the prongs of her fork knife, while engaging her shield to hold the other one in place. Both machines glaring down upon the other through the respective camera eyes as their pilots attempted to overcome the other.
"Die… Die…"
As that single word picked up more and more, Kallen felt her insides grew cold. There was no mistaking the tone of that voice, nor the intensity behind that word. It could have only been one thing driving Akito Hyuga this far.
Thus engaging her Geass, she saw straight into the Wolfen's cockpit. There, struggling at the controls with his head lowered from sight, she watched as Major Hyuga remained there, muttering that word as he forced his machine further into the struggle.
"Die… Die… Die…"
And then, all at once, Akito raised his head. His lips drew back into a crazed grin, eyes agleam with an all too familiar light.
"Die!"
With sudden and terrible force, the Wolfen broke the lock with either blade and maneuvered away right as the Nishiki again attempted to grasp. Circling around, it then reengaged at lightning speed, mono-eye lit to its devicer's vehemence.
Weisswolf Castle
State of Germany, European Union
No…! Leila inwardly let out the moment she felt pain enter her left eye, her Power of Absolute Affinity resonating from a force well beyond her control. Only one thing ever caused that to happen. One terrible thing that effectively coincided with what she and the rest of the CIC were seeing on the main monitor now. The Wolfen renewing its deadly dance against the now wholly defensive Guren Nishiki, attacking its opponent – no, it's prey – with inhuman savagery.
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
Grimacing as she watched the enemy knightmare – and the fully immersed devicer within – practically leap and bound around her, Kallen reversed her Guren under the cover of another surger blast. The Wolfen easily evaded this before moving into a sprint – as in, actual, non-landspinner assisted running – jettisoning its rifle and bazooka while both arm blades reextended for close attack. He was upon her within but a second, slashing and stabbing away at her as she was just managed to defend, not even able to dodge anymore but alternate between her shield and fork knife. Even the following point blank slash harken launch was evaded, the Wolfen jumping out to its left before running straight at her again. All the while the power behind its blade attacks increased exponentially, each nearly knocking Kallen and the Nishiki off balance.
"Die!" Akito continued calling out through the melee, the speed of his attacks increasing even further. By now he was delivering attack after attack with his blades, alternating between either of his knightmare's arms, while Kallen struggled to hold her defense. "Die!"
Glaring back both through her physical eyes and her still active Geass, Kallen nonetheless kept up the fight, keeping watch over the Ghost's body movements while reacting accordingly. It was just as it been with Suzaku in Pendragon; no, it was even worse. Whereas Suzaku was able to fight back against the "Live!" command somewhat, Hannibal's Ghost wasn't even bothering to try. Instead, he was completely enthralled by the "Die!" command, focusing on its singular, apparent drive to kill. And not just his mind either; even his body had been forced toward this as everything from his heartbeat to his nervous system was now heightened for the sole purpose of killing her. Such that, had it not been for Geass' involvement, Kallen would have been entirely astonished at how Hannibal's Ghost could hold the strain.
For the briefest of moments, the Red Dragoness thought she saw a particular image emerge through her power: that of a young boy with long, dark hair, gazing out as his own left eye shone with Power. She didn't get far beyond that image however as the Wolfen started moving again, leaping back and then reengaging its landspinners to dodge left. Kallen followed this up with another snapshot of her surger, this time in its spray mode, but the crazed Major Hyuga was able to dodge the crimson funnel as well, his knightmare remaining wholly operable. She then moved to bring up her grenade launcher, but the Ghost went back into another sprint, actually "hopping" away from the projectile before clashing both blades against her once more.
"Die!" Akito cried, executing three more slashes that Kallen was only just able to parry with her fork knife. His body all but trembling as he drove further against his target. "Die!"
Her teeth grit together to near pain, Kallen deflected several more blows before shifting her surger forward again, making it appear she was about to reemploy her shield. In a very lupine display, the European knightmare leaped away from that blast as well, right before bounding twice to one side and the other, and then reengaging its landspinners to dash. Kallen moved to follow, only to find the Wolfen circle around her and blinding speed, its blade fixed to strike her through the back. A timely spin slash deflected this, but by the time she counterattacked the enemy machine was moving again, this time leaping to her right side. Once more Kallen was just able to defend the oncoming strike, but was unable to follow beyond that.
"Die!" Akito was almost howling, again in the manner of a true wolf. All while stabbing and slashing about in pure bloodlust, the Guren Nishiki now very much struggling to keep up against. "Die!"
Black Knights High Command
Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu
This…this can't be…! Lelouch was somehow able to think through it all. It should have been impossible, he knew; only the likes of Suzaku and Bismarck should have been able to fight Kallen to a standstill. And yet, it was all happening before him and the rest of the High Command, in live feed. Kallen was being driven back by an opponent she, for all of her skill and power – both conventional and supernatural – could not hold against.
More words exchanged with the Generals surrounding him, with Ohgi muttering something in his own anxiety, but Lelouch didn't – couldn't – hear him. Not since the Bering Strait so long ago had he been so paralyzed with fear; not even Johann's powerplay at Xiaopei caused him such pause and uncertainty as he felt no. Only, as opposed to the former, he couldn't think of a way out. Back then he had simply retaken his mask to shift the battle around – to save her – but now he did not have such an option. And even worse, he could not think of any way to reach out and aid her, no strategy or plan of action to put into play. All he could do was remain where he was and watch as his Knight of Zero was badly beaten into a corner, just barely able to hang on.
Once again safe behind the security of his mask, Lelouch could not keep the fear and astonishment – both at what he was seeing and his own powerlessness to change it – off of his face, or even from his trembling body. He needed to do something, anything. He knew that time was of the essence, and that, if he was going to reverse Kallen's plight, he needed to act and all too soon. Yet he could not, not when there was nothing for him to use or implement. And again for the worse, he knew that his involving himself now would serve as a distraction to his knight, which Hannibal's Ghost would be all too eager to exploit. He would end up causing her death regardless.
In vain he swept his eyes over the other screens, only to feel his heart falter further. The rest of Zero Squadron was still fighting their own opponents, who still outnumbered them by some margin. And even if the garrison forces were still present, there was no way they could stand up to the Ghost of Hannibal if Kallen, of all people, was struggling against him. There were no other traps or defenses in place either. There was only the Red Dragoness and vengeful werewolf who was taking her to task. And brutally succeeding.
I shouldn't have let her…! Lelouch already began to feel, forcing such thoughts back. Such would serve no purpose to him now. No matter how he felt about Kallen fighting this battle in his place, she was there now, and his condemning himself for giving into her would not do either of them any good.
Yet, what could he do? What could he, the great Zero, do to change this battle around? What could he do to save the one other woman besides Nunnally who mattered so much to him?
He could do nothing, he knew all too well. Nothing but continue watching, and perhaps pray that Kallen somehow manage survive. A feeling that Lelouch, for all of his own strengths, truly made him feel powerless.
Weisswolf Castle
State of Germany, European Union
"So this is Hannibal's Ghost," one of the Nationalists mused in approving astonishment. "I never knew we had such a powerful soldier in our muster."
"Indeed," one of his colleagues concurred. "If the entire Army could fight like this, we could have defeated the Britannians long ago."
"Defeated? We could have marched on Britannia itself long ago!" another one proclaimed rather loudly. "Who would have thought an Eleven of all things could fight so…"
"Gentlemen, if you please," Klaus spoke up courteously, yet with enough authority as the silence the herd. "We are still in the middle of battle. I must ask that you remain silent."
For a small moment, the rabble appeared emboldened to contest the Lieutenant Colonel's command. However, a stern glance from Kessler made them back down before any countermand could be made, and the would-be commentators again fell back into silence. Contenting themselves to simply watch the show play out.
All the while, not far off from their lot, Leila concentrated. Her left eye firmly, but discreetly, alight with Power as she did.
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
Die!
Through his attacks and movements, through his bloodlust, Akito Hyuga again held that image in his mind. The image of a pile of corpses around him; freshly dead men and women whose blood covered both him and the church that they had all congregated toward. Somehow, with a force of will completely unfamiliar to him, he managed to stand himself back up through the weight of the bodies. And through his flickering sight, he looked on toward the altar. Where an older boy stood, looking on in disbelief at the sight of him not being dead.
Die!
Another radiant wave stream erupted in the present, but he dodged that easily, his body continuing to attack while the imagery continued to flow through his mind, his memory. The memory of the boy trying to call out to him, speaking words that did not, could not, reach Akito's ears. The intensity of his mind being alight and distorted by whatever power had been cast, his own struggles to contain himself wholly in vain. The feeling of his hands reaching down and grasping the handle of a gun, it weight heavy yet far from an obstruction. To which he lifted it up and, much to the opposite boy's complete astonishment, drew aim.
Die!
The Guren Nishiki again dodged his rapid attacks, somehow managing to keep ahead despite his sheer ferocity. Had he not been so focused, so driven to the slaughter, he would have been amazed at the Dragoness' own prowess. But he was, and there was no stopping him. Any more than he could hold back the following memories, this time of his being covered in more blood. Standing above the last of the dead to fall within the cathedral.
Die!
He cried out further, whether in rage or anguish he did not know. Only that he now saw himself maneuvering his Wolfen around the Guren's next set of attacks, first from its surger claw and then its fork knife. On the latter, though slight, the Dragoness ended up overcompensating. Leaving her just open along her left flank for the briefest of moments.
Thus he leaped to the side and brandished both arm blades. Ready to drive both into the exposed cockpit block.
Di…!
Akito!
Hearing – no, feeling – the call of the one who mattered most to him, Akito suddenly felt the Power recede from his mind and his body. At the very last second he realized what he was about to do, and, through sheer willpower, was he able to halt his blades from their mark.
Both arm blades then retracting back, the Wolfen took two steps away as the Guren reoriented itself, its blue camera eyes gazing back against his machine's dimmed mono-eye. As though the knightmare itself were reflecting the questioning gaze of its devicer, to which Akito could only stare back in turn. His breathing hampered and his body aching with a quite familiar strain.
Weisswolf Castle
State of Germany, European Union
"What just…?" one of the audience members suddenly began to speak again when the main monitor flashed in alert. Through her own heavy – but still discreet – breathing, Leila focused herself back into the battle at hand.
"Picking up oncoming enemy force!" one of the operators called out in warning, as the tacscreen receded to show a new wave of knightmares entering in from the southeast. "Fifty two knightmare frames on approach!"
"More Black Knights?" Klaus spoke up for his superior, who he could see was still recovering herself.
"Negative sir," the same operator reported grimly. "They're Chinese!"
Sure enough, a live feed appeared at the corner, displaying the oncoming knightmares as Gun Rus. Their formation spearheaded by the Shen Hu and its fellow Beasts. "ETA to operation area three minutes, twenty-four seconds!"
At last stabilizing herself, though just barely, Leila knew all too well what she had to do. For better or worse, Operation Mitternacht could not continue, not without risking embroidering Europe in a shooting war with the Chinese Federation as well as the Black Knights. Thus, ignoring the calls of the rabble behind her to continue the battle regardless, Leila resigned herself to the inevitable.
"Cancel operation," she commanded plainly, again ignoring the Nationalists as they howled in protest. Again however, Kessler silenced them in her place, allowing her to continue. "Order all units to withdraw and implement Action Gelb upon return."
As the operators began inputting her orders, Leila allowed her power to resurface, left eye again flashing alight with Geass. Though Operation Mitternacht had failed in its apparent objective, there was still a chance that its true objective could be fulfilled. Looking toward the main screen, where the Guren Nishiki remained within, Leila knew this was her best opportunity. If she could not reach out to Zero straight on, then…
Akito…
Black Knights Camp Akmola
Akmola Province, Chinese Federation
It was no short of a miracle that, as well as the sheer adrenaline that was going through her, that Kallen was able to remain conscious as she was. And much more conscious enough to glare out toward the now frozen Wolfen, which had remained where it was for a good two minutes. She didn't know what had stopped it, but all of a sudden it was as though another form of power – perhaps Power in its literal sense – had run through the whole of Akito Hyuga, granting him pause and calm. After that, Kallen had kept her own Geass active long enough to watch him recede from what she knew would have easily been the killing blow, then falling into silence thereafter. In turn leaving her room to recover.
Throughout that span she herself could only remain there, unable to move in her own right. As much as she wanted to attack in turn – to put Hannibal's Ghost to permanent rest before it became a problem in the future – something in her kept her from doing such. Was it her exhaustion? Personal honor? Pity toward what she had seen of him just minutes ago? She wasn't sure, just that it was seemingly not Akito Hyuga's time to die yet. Nor was it hers apparently, as the Werwolf chose not to renew his own attack in that same span.
Then, through her blurred vision, Kallen saw movement once more. That of the enemy knightmare's mono-eye camera, flashing in Morse code. "Open your cockpit" it said, right before its own cockpit hatch opened up. Bringing Major Akito Hyuga to open sight, his expression mute as he looked toward her.
After verifying that there were no others in proximity – in fact, from her sensors and the radio chatter, it seemed the Werwolfs were retreating now – Kallen opened her own cockpit and stepped up. Her blue eyes staring questioningly into her opponent's. "To what do I owe the pleasure Major Hyuga?"
"There is no pleasure to be had Major Kouzuki," Akito responded respectfully, apologetically. "The battle we just fought…it was not one I would have wanted."
Kallen frowned, easily understanding. "I see," he responded, taking her enemy's apology for what it was.
That aside, Akito knew he only had a few more moments before others began to intervene, so he focused back on his main mission. "In the meantime," he continued, tossing the dataclip to Kallen, who instinctively caught it. "That is for Herr Zero."
Blinking in confusion, Akito clarified. "I originally hoped to give it to him directly, but it is as it is," he explained enigmatically. "Would you be so kind?"
Again Kallen frowned. She knew it wasn't a trap – there would have been no need for something like that here. And yet, she still wasn't sure. "May I ask who it's from?" she pressed. "The leader of your pack perhaps?"
"Heh," Akito laughed, exhaustion starting to take over him as well. "Not quite."
Sitting back into his cockpit chair he finished with. "Rather than a wolf, that message actually comes from a lion."
Though she managed to keep it off of her face, Kallen easily caught onto the reference. After all, while Major Hyuga may not have realized, there was one such king of beasts that such a connection to the king of demons. For that man to send such a thing, no matter how indirect, only meant…
"Until next time, Roter Drache," Akito signed off, then closing his cockpit. Then, having his machine give of a final salute, the Wolfen turned and sped away. Rejoining the rest of its pack in a matter of moments.
Black Knights High Command
Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu Republic
Watching as the knightmare belonging to Hannibal's Ghost move away at great speed, Lelouch at last exhaled the breath he had not realized he was holding. Somehow, against all that was happening at the time, the battle had ended. And it had ended without any casualties – at least among the Black Knights – not even hers. Lelouch took much solace in that fact.
"Did…" General Hijikata spoke up from the side, as astonished by the turn of events as the others. "Did we win?"
Exhaling again, this time through his nostrils, Lelouch at last spoke up. "No," he replied with uncharacteristic forlornness. "We drove off the enemy, but this is not a victory."
With that, he stood up, speaking to all present. "This is only the beginning of a new front. A front against an entirely new adversary," he explained. "The battles will be much harder from now on, as it is no longer the Britannians we may contend ourselves with."
The Generals all nodded in acknowledgment, understanding wholly. Like it or not, this had all been the European Union's opening salvo. Following this, the EU would take every opportunity to fight them as much as they would Britannia. For whatever reasons they had chosen this course of action.
Turning back to the monitor, Lelouch's eyes dwelled upon the Guren Nishiki's signal for that much longer. He did not know what had just happened there, but he knew some sort of exchange had just taken place. Kallen would not have opened her cockpit for any other reason, especially in front of an enemy combatant. No, something had happened there, and it all too likely pertained to him.
"Recall Zero Squadron," he commanded to the operators. "I want them back in Ryukyu before dawn."
With a final sweep of his cape, Lelouch then made his own exit. Feeling as though as one battle had ended, another had just begun…
Author's Notes: Once again, I've been getting reviews and messages on the "slow" pace of this story. As a result, I wish to remind everyone that, unlike my actual profession as a published author, I write this story and those like it strictly for fun. Thus if I take so long between chapters, it's because I otherwise have a life beyond, or I just am not up to writing Megiddo for the time being.
That aside, there admittedly wasn't much to this chapter beyond the big fight between two elite military units. A bit of a switch from the last few chapters (which were obviously plot centric), but this is not a bad thing. A battle such as this every now and then is hardly unwelcome, at least to me.
One thing I will mention however (in case it wasn't apparent), the Wolfen is essentially a knightmare version of the Kämpfer from Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, though aesthetically it's more the Kämpfer Amazing from Gundam Build Fighters. People have been asking me, since I've repeatedly stated my disdain for the Alexander, what was I going to give Akito and his friends? Well, now you know. And honestly, I like my selection much, much better.
That's all for now.
