What the demon Died For

Final Chapter: What the future brings

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"Are you certain about this?"

Liliana sat at her vanity, staring blankly at herself as Zero stood over her.

"This could prove to be a catastrophe. One that could easily be avoided." He told her. "This was something that was never meant to be known."

Liliana sighed, staring down at the small book she was clutching. "I know. There are always things happening behind the scenes: hidden plots, secret agendas, all working to create the world we know. A world we don't know how we got."

She squeezed the book, closing her eyes. "But nonetheless. Truth is something we have grown used to as of late. Far too long had the world been kept in the dark of things that changed their very way of life."

Zero remained silent a moment, he sighed. "This could be catastrophic."

Liliana nodded. "I know. But it could be the best thing to have ever happened in our lifetime. The greatest ploy to have ever been thought of has been reduced to nothing more then tyrannical murder in the eyes of the common people. I wish to change that. They deserve to know."

"And what if they don't want to know?"

She smiled at the thought. "Then we have a problem don't we?"

The two stayed silent a while. Liliana stared at her reflection, thinking how much she really did look like Lelouch. It was comforting to think her father was not the man history made him out to be.

"Still, everyone else took it well, they understood."

Zero frowned. "The Black Knights and everyone else knew Lelouch personally, knew he was Zero. And most of them had a pretty good impression on what had happened that day. The common individual sees him as a horrific emperor who killed at the blink of an eye. What they saw was not human, but a demon fitting of his title.

That was the way things were designed to be Liliana. It will be more then difficult to undo the very image Lelouch himself created to satisfy the world of it's hatred."

"And then I should just lead things as they are then?" Liliana retorted. "My generation is one open to new ideas, we have grown up in a new world free from hate and violence. One who could accept what I have to give them, if they were told."

Zero frowned. "Doesn't that make it all the more puzzling to predict? With the people who lived at the time of Lelouch, their reaction would be more or less obvious. Regardless, is the difficulty in proving to them the truth worth the reward?"

"Yes." She responded immediately. "It is. For my father's sake, it is."

And with that, they came to a mutual understanding. This was for Lelouch, no other reason was needed. To risk it all, just to prove to them, the demon was a hero.

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"And what we have here today is truly something worth noting, as today is the day that empress Liliana Vi Britannia will make her first address to the nation, nearly three months since she ascended to the throne. While the nature of her speech, and the reason for the address remains unknown, we believe it will be worth lending an ear today."

The cameras shifted away from the reporter as the object of their conversion made her appearance.

"And here is her highness now."

Liliana slowly approached the podium. She thought it rather odd, how so many times she came up to the stand, each time the importance growing more and more. And this instance was no different. What she was about to say would literally change the world. For better or for worse. She looked around, the members of the Black Knights, along with those who knew what she was to speak of sat on both sides, their faces mixed in emotion reflecting their opinions. She saw a few who looked encouraging, those who wished the truth be known, some were conflicted, seeing both positive and effects. And of course those who opposed the idea all together.

She looked down at the book she was holding. What a wonderful anchor it had been, keeping her sane all this time. Now it would assist her one last time, in the most crucial time Liliana could possibly imagine.

Time and time again, that little book had given her insight through the most difficult times of her life. Almost like a father giving advice to his child about life. Perhaps that is what Lelouch wanted all along, after all, he had given her another father figure.

And there he stood, Zero next to the podium. The most influential person on her decision. Through the mask she saw the face of Suzaku Kururugi, the knight of zero. After a long discussion, he had finally agreed that this was a good option. The end all to the Zero Requiem. The demon was dead, it was time a hero be born of the ashes.

She hoped he was watching this, in that little farmhouse of his. This was all for him. Her father gave her the life, and even the world she had; it was time she gave him something in return.

Liliana finally reached the podium, she stood next to Zero in front of the people who came to hear her. If they knew what she was going to say, would they have come? Was the wound Lelouch created so deep that even now they would not hear of his name?

Lelouch Vi Britannia. The name is spoken with disdain, a seething malice, as if the very words bring pain to the throat.

But that is not how she sees him. Her father, Lelouch Vi Britannia, was the man who destroyed the world, and created it anew. And that is why the world must know, what the demon died for.

"Citizens of Britannia." She began. "And those of the entire world, today is a day that I will remember for the rest of my life. Because one way or another, what I am going to tell you, will change everything. All I hope is that you see things the way I have."

She breathed in, butterfly's in her stomach as her prewritten speech became jumbled inside her head.

"For the past three months, I have been searching for something. Something we all thought we had. Something that has not been denied to the world in three decades: the truth.

Perhaps we have grown arrogant, living in such a perfect world. We think we live in a society that no longer lies. How funny is it that society was built on a lie? One we would never think to imagine, living in a world without lies. After all, who would think our lives we given to us by a lier, wanting to create a world for the better?

Yes, this perfect world of ours, was built on lies. And do we deserve to know the truth?"

She stopped, allowing them to ponder the question, whether or not anyone followed what she had said.

"There has been an injustice in our perfect world. Too long has it gone unanswered. That is why I speak to you today, to bring justice to this tragedy."

She closed her eyes, now was the time.

"Thirty years ago, the death of the ninety-ninth emperor signified the beginning of a new world. The demon emperor was killed by the man of miracles himself, our beloved Zero. However, this was not the whole truth."

She paused again, the confusion around her was clearly visible.

"Lelouch Vi Britannia was an evil and murderous man, you all believe so, some of you witnessed with your own eyes, the horrors he committed. Yet even fewer of you knew someone else. You came to know Lelouch Lamprouche, the boy who was exiled from his home after the death of his mother. The caring older brother who only wanted to see his sister happy. The banished prince who hated Britannia so much, he became a terrorist and began a rebellion against his own country. You knew the Lelouch who created the mask of Zero."

The crowd was silent, shock and horror plastered on the faces of everyone present, no one knew how to react. The very idea seemed impossible.

"The man you see before you is not the same Zero who led you to revolution, but rather his successor. The only man Lelouch could possibly trust with such a heavy mantle, to bear the weight of the world."

On Queue, Zero stepped forward, facing the entire crowd. He reached for the mask, which had hidden his face for thirty years, and removed it.

After so long, the world finally knew who Zero was.

"This all started when my mother, or rather my adoptive mother, told me something I had yearned to know all my life. In a note addressed to me from my mother, I was told the identity of my father. Who was none other than Lelouch Vi Britannia. After that, the pieces fell into place one by one, until I saw it in its entirety. The grand scheme to bring about a new world: called the Zero Requiem.

Lelouch saw that the world was in need of change, he knew that his father had held back the world from progressing far too long, and that the world desired to move into the future. We all despised each other, hate that was brought about by the absurd nature of social Darwinism. War, bloodshed, and death were all the world worked toward.

And so, my father devised the final solution, to become the scapegoat for the entire world. To become the very icon of evil, so that every man looked to him and sneered. There would be no room for war, for violence, for needless prejudice, only hate for one man.

And at that point, only one thing was left to be done. Because when the one thing you hate disappears, what is left to hate? We could finally move on."

Suzaku stepped forward again. "For a long time, I fought against Lelouch, I thought his ideals and ethics were wrong. It took me far too long to see he only ever meant well. I do not expect you to forgive him for what he has done, I only ask you take the truth for what it is. I have never met a man who was more willing to give it all for the sake of those he loved. As he once said: the only ones who should kill, are those prepared to be killed.

Even from the beginning, he knew there would be one outcome. He has atoned for his sins against the world. He does not deserve to be remembered as a heartless demon, but as a flawed human being, who made mistakes like us all, but redeemed himself like no other has. His death has brought about this beautiful world you enjoy, so please, I beg of you, remember who gave it to you."

There was a long silence, not one person uttered a word for the longest minute in history. Until one person stood. A middle aged woman with bright red hair, and brilliant blue eyes. She stepped forward, climbing onto the stand and up to the podium.

"My name is Kallen Kozuki. I am Liliana's mother. I knew Lelouch both as himself and as Zero. And I can say that everything said today is true. I owe an apology to Lelouch that I can never give him. The reason for everything that happened rests soley on my, and the entire Black Knight's shoulders. Shortly before he became the emperor, and his plan began, the Black Knights betrayed Zero. When we learned his identity, we acted foolishly, and chose to side with Schneizel, rather then the man who had given us the hope we had lost.

We betrayed Lelouch, and yet, we all stand here, enjoying the paradise on earth not heard of in centuries, while he lies dead in a forgotten grave. Not one person in the world ever showed him compassion or loyalty, and yet he gave his life for every one of you. If you don't see the sacrifice he made, you don't deserve to live in the world he made."

Liliana turned to Kallen and smiled, the two hugged on stage. And her crying could be heard amplified over the microphone. She finally let go and turned back to the front herself.

"Please. Don't let my father's death be in vain. He died a martyr for the entire world. He gave not only his life but his name and all he was for you. Please see, that he was a good person, whether you acknowledge his sacrifice, or just accept who he was, I only ask, that you remember, what he died for."

Once she stopped, the silence took over again, for a few seconds there was nothing, as no one could think of a proper response. But then, one at a time, they began to clap. A slow and quiet thrum became a deafening cascade of cheers.

Liliana smiled, dumbfounded. Perhaps she was right all along; this was a new generation, and a new world. They could see the truth for what it was. Thy were not raised in the world full of hate Lelouch died to erase, but rather this bright new future. The one he died for.

But even if he wasn't really dead, it didn't matter. The result was the same. Whoever that man was she met in Japan, that boy who would never die, Lelouch Vi Britannia was dead. And today, he died a hero.

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Somewhere far away, in the nation of Japan, in a remote farmhouse; a young man, perhaps eighteen sat, his faithful green haired witch at his side. He wondered if the world was ready to know, if they ever would be ready to know the truth. Some things are better left unsaid, perhaps this would be something that should have never been spoken of. Maybe they would see it. Maybe they would see Lelouch as a hero. Or just find more reason to hate him.

But in reality, it did not matter. The pains of the past would be forgotten. The hardship of the present would pass. In mankind's eternal quest for happiness, they would always look to the future. Because the future promised a new age, and hope for a better world. Because in the future, they will always find happiness.

The end.