Author's Note: Hi!

Zlelouch0 here after working on 'Prince of Masks', my first fanfic. If you haven't read that, I ask that you do. It's the main fanfic that I'll be working on. However, I've had a number of fanfic ideas that are just waiting to be written out. In particular, I may do this on the side of 'Prince of Masks'. But completing 'Prince of Masks' is my #1 priority, so please check that out. I will NEVER abandon a story I publish (unless nobody gives promising reviews).

This is actually among a number of fanfics I've started but passed over in favor of focusing on 'Prince of Masks'. However, this was a close candidate for my first published fanfic. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that I'd already done a lot of work for Prince of Masks, I might have made this my main focus. It definitely will be once I finish Prince of Masks.

This story will be different from Prince of Masks in a number of ways. If I was given only one word, I'd say that this fanfic is definitely 'abstract'. I find it hard to find the proper words, but I guess you can say this has more to do with Geass, Ragnorak, etc. I'm adding my own powers and theories here, so it's pretty non-canon. In that way, I guess it's sort of AU.

If you dislike non-canon things or unique, new additions, please refrain from complaining about it. I'm not forcing anyone to read it if they don't want to.

Anyways, this fanfic is created on a unique premise:

I consider 'Lelouch' to be composed of three personalities:

Lelouch vi Britannia- the vengeful, manipulative, and ruthless prince. This personality is mainly created by the memories of Lelouch as a prince. It's primarily fueled by his hatred of Britannia.

Lelouch Lamperouge- the caring, calm, and justice-seeking student. This personality is mainly created by the memories of Lelouch as a commoner. It's primarily fueled by his wish to create a better world for Nunnally.

Zero- the voice of the weak. Vengeful yet just. Caring yet manipulative. This personality lies almost exactly between the other two.

Maybe Lelouch vi Britannia was willing to make a contract with the Devil, but Lelouch Lamperouge wouldn't have been able to face Nunnally after doing such…

This chapter is essentially a prologue. I realized it may be a bit confusing, but please bear with me. I did my best to make it understandable.

" " for dialogue

Italics for thought (or stress when just a word or two)

Demon or Angel 1: An Angel is Summoned and A Demon is Born

Shinjuku Ghetto
2017 a.t.b.

Lelouch was having trouble taking everything in. Too much had happened.

Less than an hour ago, he'd been on his way to school from one of his gambling matches. Which he'd won, of course.

Then, he had somehow gotten stuck in a terrorist truck, which then drove him into the abandoned subway lines of the Shinjuku ghetto.

From that point on, things started to blur. He'd met Suzaku, though he still didn't know why the Japanese teenager had joined the Britannian Army. Not like I'll ever be able to find out, Lelouch reminded himself grimly. His best friend from seven years ago now lay in his own blood inside an abandoned subway line.

Somewhere between his reunion and separation with his old friend, a capsule inside the truck had opened, revealing a green-haired woman. He wondered why she had been there, or why she'd later taken a bullet for him. The latter he'd never learn, as the mysterious woman was on the floor, a small hole in her head. And it looked extremely unlikely that he'd get the time to learn the answer to the former question.

That was because the Britannian officer that had killed the woman now pointed his handgun at the Britannian teenager. Lelouch knelt by the dead woman. Is that it? Am I going to die like this? Without destroying Britannia? Without creating a better world for Nunnally?

Suddenly the green-haired woman shot out a hand and touched Lelouch's. Lelouch had no time to be shocked, as images soon filled his mind. First he saw images of his deceased mother and tyrannical father. He closed his hands into fists. Father…

He could only feel hatred at the man who had thrown away him and Nunnally. Nunnally... Suddenly Lelouch saw images of his dear younger sister. Nunnally… Then his thoughts and the images started to splice together. One moment he could only feel deep hatred towards his father and his corrupt empire. The next he only knew love towards his sister and her gentle wish for a better world.

Hate. Father.

Love. Nunnally.

Vengeance.

Justice.

To Kill.

To Protect.

Hate-

-Love.

Love.

The two radically different emotions seemed to be ripping him apart. One moment, he saw a vision of his dead mother. The next, he was watching his sister's smile. One part of him seemed to be thirsty for blood, for revenge. The other felt ashamed for having such thoughts, knowing Nunnally wouldn't approve.

Power, whispered an unseen woman's voice in his ear. If you make a contract with me, then, in return for granting one wish of mine, I'll give you unimaginable power.

In front of him shone an image of his father. Somehow, Lelouch knew that the power the woman talked about would allow him to gain revenge. He could obliterate Britanniana, just as he'd promised seven years ago.

But then he heard a completely different voice, accompanied by a completely different image.

"Brother?"

In front of him was Nunnally, pale-purple eyes open and filled with tears. "What have you done? Why are your hands stained with blood?"

That's right. Lelouch reminded himself. If I get this power, how will I be able to hold Nunnally with my blood-stained hands?

I will gain power, but not through more destruction. I will protect the weak, not manipulate them for my revenge.

He hears himself declare in a clear voice, "I reject the terms of your contract."

Then everything went black.

Lelouch opened his eyes. He was lying on his back. The sky was a brilliant blue. Above him, in the air was a strange object. It looks like a planet, but it was too close for that to be true. It was emitting a faint, mysterious blue light.

Am I dead?

"You're awake?"

Lelouch got up so that he was sitting upright. He couldn't lose the feeling that something's missing, as if a hole had been made in his chest. However, he patted his body and saw that he was uninjured.

It was as if the voice knew what he was thinking. "You're not dead."

Lelouch turned. Behind him was a tall elderly man. Getting up, Lelouch looked at the elder's clothing. All he could see is a white cape outlined with gold.

To his surprise, the man bowed at him, opening the cape slightly. Inside the cape, the man was wearing a white outfit decorated with blue stripes and golden outlines. He was wearing white gloves with blue gems gleaming on the knuckles. "I am Heimdall." To Lelouch's surprise, white wings spread from behind the man.

What's with the costume? "And I'm Lelouch Lamperouge." responded Lelouch.

The elder made a slightly sorrowful smile. "But I thought you were Lelouch vi Britannia."

Lelouch opened his mouth to ask how the elder knew his birth name, but instead he repeated stubbornly, "No, I'm Lelouch Lamperouge." And it was true. Lelouch, for some reason, couldn't imagine himself being called Lelouch vi Britannia.

Heimdall smiled, as if he knew how Lelouch was feeling. His voice was calm and understanding "Very well, Lelouch Lamperouge. Although you aren't dead, let me welcome you to this place. We call it the World of L. The L can stand for whatever you wish. Love, Life, Light… or Lamperouge." This last word was tinted with a small smile.

Lelouch frowned. "What do you mean by that?" He looked around. They were in the middle of a small field. All around he could see giant white, blue and gold buildings. "Where is this place?" Then he gestured above. "What is that?"

"I already told you." Heimdall smiled. "This is the World of L. Though I suppose you'd call it The Land of Angels, or Heaven. And 'that', as you charmingly described it, is called the Collective Unconsciousness, also known as God."

For some reason, Lelouch had no trouble believing the ridiculous things the man was saying. It simply felt true.

"So, if this is Heaven, I assume you're an angel?"

The man nodded. "I'm the leader of this land." Pride tinged the man's otherwise humble voice.

Leader?

Heimdall smiled at the teenager's apparent confusion. "All will be explained in due time." The elder gestured towards a nearby building. "Come inside, I will explain more then."

Hate. Father.

Love. Nunnally.

Vengeance.

Justice.

To Kill.

To Protect.

Hate-

-Love.

Hate.

The two extremely different emotions seemed to be ripping him apart. One moment, he was seeing his dead mother. The next, he was seeing his sister's smile. One part of him seemed to be thirsty for blood, for revenge. The other felt ashamed for having such thoughts, knowing Nunnally wouldn't approve.

Power, whispers an unseen woman's voice in his ear. If you make a contract with me, then, in return for granting one wish of mine, I'll give you unimaginable power.

In front of him shone an image of his father. Somehow, Lelouch knew that the power the woman talked about would allow him to gain revenge. He licked his lips in delight. He'd make his father pay dearly for throwing him and Nunnally away. And the same would go for his precious Empire.

He heard himself declare in a clear voice, "I accept the terms of your contract."

Suddenly, images filled Lelouch vi Britannia's mind. Power, and the knowledge of how to use it.

Dimly, he heard the woman's voice. She sounded delighted and amused. "Oh my, this is interesting. I meant to only give you a geass, but it looks like you can handle much more than that."

Then everything went white.

"So you're saying that my personalities diverged?" Lelouch Lamperouge asked, although there wasn't much disbelief in his voice. He'd long felt that something was missing about his own feelings.

He was missing was the demonic hatred his father had instilled in him.

"Exactly. For example," Heimdall gestured at a chess table. "Pick your side."

Lelouch immediately walked over and sat behind the white pieces, surprising himself as he did so. "Strange…" his brow furrowed, "I've always played black before…"

"Yet, for some reason, it felt more natural for you to play as white?" finished Heimdall, sitting on the other side of the table. He picked up the black king. "Before, you picked black every time. That was one of the signs of your other personality's influence. When you two were in one body, you considered yourself a rebel. The darker side, the side that would do whatever it would take to destroy the enemy."

"However, your personality naturally leans toward the other side. The white pieces symbolize purity and honor. You think of the greater good, rather than simply revenge. This is the result of your growing up among the common people. Your more violent side is born from your time with royalty, probably up to the point where you were sent to Japan."

Lelouch nodded. Even though it sounds slightly ridiculous, he unconsciously knew that it was the truth. "So you're saying that that green-haired woman was the catalyst to separating the two?"

Heimdall nodded, face serious. "Essentially, she tried to make you a deal with the Devil, which your personality rejected."

"However," noted Lelouch, "It's quite possible that the other personality accepted."

Another nod. "In that case, that personality is perfectly suited to such a deal. The hole your absence created in his body will be filled with the power of Demons. He could very well become a Demon himself."

"And by Demons," clarifies Lelouch, "You mean those that wish to destroy the Collective Unconsciousness, to kill God?" Everything was beginning to piece together.

"Exactly," confirmed Heimdall, "We Angels were created to prevent that from happening, but…"

"You said dominance in the Human World is the key to the Collective Unconsciousness. However, Angels and Demons can't go to that world by themselves. They need contractors..."

"Exactly," confirmed Heimdall for a second time, "The only issue is that the ways that contractors summon us is different. Demons grant humans part of their power, and, if the human's mind is too weak, the Demon can slowly gain control, influencing their thoughts. Angels, on the other hand, are summoned differently. However, the number of people capable of handling an Angel Contract is exponentially smaller than those that can accept a Demon Contract. In fact, it's been so long since we've last been summoned, that the Demons most likely think we've lost all contact with the Human World."

A wry smile crossed Lelouch's lips, "And I happen to be in both categories. Demon and Angel at the same time."

"Your combined personalities do." reminded Heimdall. Then the elder rose, reaching into his cape. "Anyways, let's make this official, shall we?"

The elder raised his right hand in front of him, palm facing up. The palm had a blue sigil in the shape of a stick-like bird with wings extended. Lelouch placed his right hand on the sigil. Immediately, Heimdall's voice rang in his head, Lelouch, do you accept this Contract? In return for aiding us in our protection of the Collective Unconsciousness, we will give you unimaginable power.

Lelouch took a deep breath and said clearly, "I accept the terms of your contract."

Suddenly, images filled Lelouch Lamperouge's mind. Power, and the knowledge of how to use it.

Dimly, he heard Heimdall's voice, both delighted and amused. "Don't forget to visit."

Then everything went white.

Lelouch vi Britannia shook his head. Somehow, he was upright. In front of him was… himself, kneeling by the green-haired woman

No, that's Lelouch Lamperouge. Prince Lelouch reminded himself, He was a fool not to accept this power. Suddenly, Prince Lelouch felt tempted to kill the teenager. It would be so easy right now… But he might come in handy.

Instead, Lelouch vi Britannia looked down on his own body. He was wearing a flamboyant red outfit. Almost overpowered by the red, gold outlines spread thinly across the outfit. Only a hint of variance is seen in the outfit's black collar, which had a single white button.

"W-What the hell are you?"

Prince Lelouch looked at the Britannian officer in front of him. Behind his red mask, he smiled in amusement. He could practically feel the officer, as well as his subordinates, shaking in their boots at the unexpected sight.

The prince kicked the mirror image of himself out of the way. "I am Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia. And I command you, all of you," The prince smiled demonically.

"Die."

Prince Lelouch smiled as he walked over to the Britannian soldiers. By the time he reached the officer, they were all dead on the floor. He dropped the red helmet he was holding and knelt down. Then he dipped his hands in his victim's blood.

Prince Lelouch watched as his mirror image stirs himself. The prince made sure to grip his chest, where he'd splattered blood. "Are you okay?" he groaned out to the high school student.

The student jumped up, just in time to bend over from the bruise on his side. "What happened? Am I alive? Why does my side hurt?" the teenager asked aloud, seemingly more at himself then at anyone who might be listening.

Regardless, Lelouch vi Britannia answered, "You're not dead. You're side hurts because I pushed you out of the way of the bullet."

The student's eyes widen as he noticed the red figure, whose face was the same as his own. "You saved me? W-Why do you look like me?"

"Yes, I saved you." Prince Lelouch carefully moaned in fake pain, blood glistening on his already blood-red outfit. "As for why I look like you, that can be explained later."

"Oh my god." The student said, turning from the identical face to the fake bullet wound, to the dead soldiers. "Oh my god. What the heck happened? Did you kill those guys?"

Prince Lelouch resisted the urge to smile. Apparently his other personality was so innocent he couldn't help but believe the story given to him. "Yes, I killed them. I killed them because they were about to kill you."

The student looks grateful. "T-Thanks. How can I repay you?"

The demon in human form opened his arms magnanimously, "You don't need to repay me. Simply work alongside me. That's all I'd like to ask."

"Of course." The student bowed his head. "What would you like me to do?"

Prince Lelouch raised his red mask to his face. "For now, nothing. I'll handle everything, and then I'll meet you at the South Gate of Ashford Academy." The student nodded and ran out of the abandoned subway line.

Prince Lelouch smiled as his mask enveloped his head. When you run out of usefulness, Mr. Lamperouge, I'll simply stab you in the back. I'll show you how foolish it was to refuse such amazing power. For I am Lelouch vi Britannia, bearer of geass.

If only Lelouch vi Britannia had seen the smirk on Lelouch Lamperouge's face.

Outside, Lelouch Lamperouge went to hide in an abandoned building. The old white paint had long started peeling off the walls. He sat with his back against one.

Then he looked at his right hand. His mind was still swirling. After returning to this world, he'd felt as information was simply being dumped into him. On a silent command, his right hand starts to glow a faint blue, the same sigil from Heimdall's hand glowing on his own palm. Then the light intensified slightly.

Lelouch Lamperouge was enveloped in a soft, blue light. When it died down, he was wearing an outfit similar to Prince Lelouch's. The only difference was that this one was a pure blue, rather than blood-red. His collar was a bold white with a small black button.

You probably think you've tricked me, Mr. vi Britannia. I'll show you, 'Your Highness'. I'll show you how foolish you were to succumb to the Devil's deal. For I am Lelouch Lamperouge, bearer of aegis.

Author's Note: So, here's my 1st chap/prologue. It may be a bit confusing, but I honestly think I've done the best I could.

And if you're wondering: Yes, Lelouch vi Britannia is wearing a red (like the color of his geass) version of Zero's outfit (minus the cape), and Lelouch Lamperouge has a blue one (likewise minus the dramatic cape).

Aegis is a large collar or cape worn long ago to show protection by a high religious authority. It's often interpreted as a holy shield, and to do something 'under someone's aegis' is to do something under the protection of a powerful/knowledgeable/benevolent source. (Thanks, Wikipedia :)) I chose to use it to represent what I guess what you could call 'the Power of the People' rather than 'the Power of the Kings' that is geass. It's also interesting that they use similar letters and are both 5-letters long, but that's just an added bonus.

As I said, if you dislike the idea of giving Lelouch Lamperouge a foreign power, please don't complain about it. This story will vary quite a lot from the canon, and I probably won't be following the anime's limited explanation of geass, codes, the World of C, etc. After all, now it's Britannia vs. Lelouch vi Britannia vs. Lelouch Lamperouge :).

Again, if you haven't, I recommend reading my main fanfic, 'Prince of Masks'.

I'm still not 100% sure I wanna continue this, so review if you want me to. I won't really be able to tell otherwise.