Code Teyvat: Rebellion of Zero

[StrifeHavoc]

A/N: First I want to thank Greatkingrat88 for his beta work, and writing lessons and suggestions for improving the chapter. And to Icysnowsage, and a few others whose name users I am unaware of beyond their discord names, which I don't think I should share without asking and one wanted to remain anonymous.

I hadn't wanted to post this story until I either completed one of my stories, and/or I had more then ten chapters completed, but a argument broke out on my personal discord channel when trying to refine ideas for the story, and I didn't feel comfortable talking about it without spoiling elements of the story. So after much deliberation I decided to post the story in the hopes of setting the argument since the story is still in early enough stages for changes to be made.

My whole month and much of last month has been very stressful which has impacted my writing, and I am not mentioning that to get sympathy for my story, just want people to understand where my writing and myself have been is all.

I'll explain everything at the end of chapter, since I do not like putting bit author notes at the beginning of the chapter.

You'll probably see what caused the argument in the chapter, but I ask kindly to read my explanation at the end of the chapter before leaving feedback on it.

Please enjoy.

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Chapter 1

Oaths of Protection​

Fear and anger filled the mind of the ten-year old boy where he sat in the back of a van with his crippled, blind younger sister. He could not read her; she was quiet with her eyes turned down, but he knew she was in the same pit of misery as him. He couldn't blame her.

In the shortest time, Lelouch vi Britannia and his sister Nunnally had endured more than almost anyone their age, been through what no child should ever be through. It was at least almost a year since their mother was killed, but instead of their father finding and bringing her killers to justice, he had done nothing. When Lelouch had confronted him, their father had banished him and Nunnally to a foreign land to be used as political bargaining chips. It was then Lelouch had learned an undeniable truth that had left him speechless that day, but filled him with fury now.

The Emperor of Britannia, their father, Charles zi Britannia, didn't see Nunnally and him as children to be cared for. They were simply tools, contenders for the throne. The loss of one wife meant little to him, having one hundred and eight wives to serve as breeding stock. The children of the Emperor were meant to compete for power and kill each other without being caught, to secure their chance to succeed the Emperor, but sometimes the mothers of these potential heirs and the aristocratic families who supported them would act for their supposed benefit was probably why their mother, Marianne vi Britannia, had been murdered: both out of jealousy, and to ensure the potential ascension of their children.

They didn't even try to rescue us during the month Britannia waged war with Japan. No, he meant for us to die here. After all, a foreign land killing a young prince and princess would make good propaganda to better justify the invasion, Lelouch thought, his stone-faced expression hiding the raw anger simmering below the surface.

"One day Suzaku, so help me god, I will obliterate Britannia!"

Those were the last words Lelouch had shared with his first friend Suzaku Kururugi, the son of Japan's last Prime Minister. When they first met, their initial relationship had not exactly been friendly. Still, over time, after Suzaku came to understand the circumstances behind their exile to Japan, their relationship started fresh with the two becoming friends. In fact, Suzaku had been very helpful in ensuring Nunnally survived the one-month period when Japan was at war, as he and Suzaku were left to fend for themselves.

Sadly, they would have to part ways at the end of the war, Suzaku's father was dead by suicide according to the news, and as the son of the late Prime Minister he had certain responsibilities. Lelouch and Nunnally's situation was much more complicated, as much of the Royalty of Britannia wanted them dead to ensure the successful ascension of the royal heir they supported.

The Ashford Family's situation must've deteriorated after my mother's death. But what do they expect to get out of sheltering us? Lelouch wondered.

The Ashford Family was the biggest of his mother's supporters, even having created a unique weapon: the Ganymede Knightmare Frame. His mother had piloted their prototype, earning her the cognomen Marianne the Flash for her skill. But the fallout of her death had meant a fall from grace for the Ashfords; Marianne's enemies had not looked kindly on her allies. Even before her demise the Ashford Family had been struggling financially, because the Gaymade was never developed from beyond the prototype stage. The costly research had failed to produce a working model for mass production before a major competitor beat them to it. To make it worse, the head of the Ashford Family at the time was notorious for throwing lavish parties that could last for days, the cost of which was entirely unsustainable. With Marianne gone, the Ashfords had noble blood- but none of the wealth and prestige that came with it.

Aware of their loss in prestige prior to his exile to Japan only made Lelouch question why they would shelter them.

They must be sheltering us to use as liability insurance against the uncertain future ahead of them. I told Suzaku I would make it work, but that is easier said than done, Lelouch thought, resenting his limited options. Declaring us legally dead and giving us new identities to hide would be useful, but that puts us in even greater danger if anyone else knew.

"Brother, are we going to be okay?" Nunnally asked timidly.

It would've been much easier to lie, but Lelouch found himself struggling with that. He wanted to be honest with Nunnally, to not to give her false hope, but after some internal deliberation he chose what he hoped would be an acceptable middle ground.

"I think we will be, as long as nothing unforeseen happens."

It had been a few hours since they parted ways with Suzaku, leaving the only friend they had behind near the coastline where a city ravaged by the invasion could be was a fitting backdrop to what could be the last time they saw each other.

The van carrying Nunnally and Lelouch was traveling through a fairly remote area, with large hills covered with trees, with mountains in the distance. The road was narrow and in poor condition, one of the few usable lanes left. Their driver had chosen this route to avoid the areas where skirmishes were still happening, like the coastline was where a lot of fighting had taken place. It made Lelouch uneasy, how remote it was. His unease only grew as the van began driving around one of the hills, turning a corner on the winding mountain road.

I don't like this. It might be safe from any lingering battles between the Britannian Army and any last holdouts from the Japanese military, but if we were attacked, there would be nobody to help us for miles.

As if acting on his paranoia, the universe decided to prove him right. At that moment, there was the ferocious roar of an engine as a black truck rushed out from hiding, through some bushes by the side of the road, ramming into the van. Lelouch and Nunnally were rocked, barely held in place by their seat belts as their van buckled and dented, knocked over to its side.

There was a high-pitched noise in his ears. Lelouch realized he'd blacked out, at least for a few seconds. As his blurred vision came into focus, he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. It had happened so fast. It had come out of nowhere, and-

Panic ran through him. Nunnally! He looked to his left; Nunnally hung limp there. His arm trembling he reached out to touch her, check she was alright. She was still breathing, and there was no blood- but she was very much unconscious. Relieved, Lelouch reached for his seatbelt. His entire body ached, some parts worse than others, but nothing seemed broken. Luckily the van had a sunroof, and the glass had shattered. Shaking all over and fighting the nausea, Lelouch checked the opening with a trembling hand. No sharp edges- the glass had broken fairly cleanly.

We have to get out of here. He turned his attention to Nunnally, removing her seatbelt and taking care to hold her. Slowly he first crawled out of the opening, then began pulling his sister out as well.

Then a gunshot rang through the air, killing the driver of the van as he tried to crawl out. Lelouch stiffened, working harder to get Nunnally out. This was no accident, it was murder! Three men approached the turned-over van. Lelouch felt desperation creep in; on his own he might have had a chance to run for cover, but he would rather die than leave Nunnally behind. There had to be a way out- think, damn it, think!

But he came up short. He was alone, unarmed and helpless. He did not stop trying, did not stop moving his sister free, but he felt panic rising and a darkness begin to overwhelm his mind. They would kill them both, and he had no way of stopping them-

But just as fate had thrown him a curve ball, a second one came in his favor.

"Ugh!"

"What's wrong- hey why are you floating in the air!"

""AAARGH!" A third voice cried out in pain, followed by the thump of a body landing on the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL?" The second voice cried out. What was going on?!

"Brother, what is happening," a terrified Nunnally cried, having woken up. She was shouting in panic, near hysteria. Crippled and blind, she was helpless and terrified.

"I don't know. Here, grab hold of my neck. We need to go," Lelouch said, slinging her arm over his shoulders. He was panicked, but he managed to remain calm just barely.

"O-okay," Nunnally replied, her voice shaky as she clung to her brother.

Lelouch managed to get Nunnally onto his shoulders before crawling out of the wrecked van, knowing this was their chance. Judging by the ongoing gunfire, it sounded like more assassins had arrived to fight their mysterious savior. Keeping silent and keeping low, Lelouch staggered away from the vehicle.

But before he could get anywhere, he was cut off. A man with a machine gun, dressed in all-black military gear, barred their way. Lelouch's eyes widened in fear and stubborn defiance as he steeled himself for whatever would come next, hoping he would live. But before the would-be assassin could make a move, a black ring appeared around his neck, lifting him into the air. He made gagging noises as it began strangling him.

"You… damn… monster!" He hissed, flailing wildly in the air.

"You plot to kill two children and call me a monster," a man said. His voice was calm, but there was an undertone of quiet anger to it, of contempt and great offense.

Looking to the side, Lelouch saw the man responsible. He looked young, with straw blond hair that stopped short of his shoulders. He wore all dark colors; a gray vest with a light black shirt and pants and dark blue sleeves hanging off his shoulders. Most strikingly, he wore an elaborate cape whose edges rose over his shoulders. The insides were like the midnight sky, dark blue with stars interspersed across the fabric.

What…what is he doing to him? Lelouch thought, crawling away from the scene with Nunnally in tow.

"Brother, what is happening?" Nunnally asked, but Lelouch had no idea how to respond to what he was seeing.

"Get behind me!" The blonde-haired man commanded, moving the man he was strangling before Lelouch, just in time. Another assassin opened fire, but the blond man held his captive up, using him as a human shield. He took a full clip of bullets, going limp in the blond man's grip. Before the gunman could aim again, a single gunshot rang out, and the assassin fell over dead.

More shots rang out as more of the attackers were being picked off. Sniper support!

"Come on kid," a white-haired man said, coming around from the other side of the van with a blooded great sword. "We need to get out of here before more of them show up, because I really doubt this is it!"

Lelouch looked up at the new arrival. He seemed to be in his late twenties with shoulder-length hair, blue eyes, with unique four-pointed star-shaped pupils, identical to the blonde-haired man. He wore black clothing: a sleeveless overcoat, pants, boots, and a dark blue shirt.

"C.C., are there more coming?" The blonde man asked. A third member of their group stepped out from behind the van, carrying a sniper rifle. She looked around seventeen, had long green hair, yellow eyes and a fair skin complexion, wearing a simple white shirt, black pants and boots.

"Knowing V.V., he likely has a second team along with a clean-up crew already moving in." C.C. replied, a sense of urgency in her voice.

"I'll take the siblings with me, you two can follow once we left them what we want them to find," The blonde-haired man suggested, tucking Lelouch under one arm and Nunnally under another. The pair briefly tried to struggle against him, he was surprisingly strong, and his grip left no wiggle room.

"Right," the white-haired man said while C.C. only nodded. "We'll see you on the other side when we're done."

"You too, but be quick about it!" As he spoke, the man begun to glow blue. .

"Hey who are-" Lelouch struggled to say before the trio vanished, teleported away.

"Right Siegfried, let's get this over with before V.V.'s men arrive!" C.C. said.

Together they began to scrub the site clean of their presence, before planting misleading pieces of evidence. With any luck, they'd leave only a false trail of confusion for V.V. to follow.

Moments later, Lelouch reappeared in what appeared to be some kind of darkened chamber. There was a light blue glow behind him, enough for Lelouch to make out some kind of stone architecture that made up much of the room they were in. It didn't appear to be Japanese, and judging by the state of the room they were in, it was obvious this place was old.

"Can you walk?" The blonde-haired man asked.

"I can, but who are you?!" Lelouch demanded. He was angry and afraid; he and Nunnally both had only narrowly avoided death, and although this man had saved them, Lelouch knew better than to trust strangers.

The blond man let Lelouch down. The boy got to his feet, but a wave of nausea and dizziness came over him immediately, and he had to lean against a wall for support.

"You should take it easy. You don't seem badly hurt, but that was quite the crash you endured."

"But- Nunnally?"

"Brother, I don't think he's going to hurt us," Nunnally said hesitantly.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of harming you. But given your condition, I better take you to our camp. I have something that could help ease your sister's nerves and tend to any injuries she might with me here. Remember, me and my associates did just save your lives."

"That may be, but I can't just trust some stranger. I don't know you, or your intentions," Lelouch replied.

"You're a smart kid. Yes, you shouldn't trust strangers so easily," The blonde-haired nodded, putting Nunnally in a bridal carry. "But you don't have much in the way of options. Just relax, you're in safe hands now."

"Uh, who are you?" Nunnally asked. She was shaking, still not recovered from the shock.

"I am Dainsleif. And I know who you are, Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia."

"Why did you save us?"

"Both as a favor to a friend and fulfilling an old duty, nothing more or less than that."

"Really?" Lelouch questioned. He looked back at the blue light and saw some kind of statue that looked like an oversized chalice with a blue gem built into it.

"Siegfried could tell you more. I don't know if you knew, but he was once a member of the Knights of the Round, formerly its oldest living member." Dainsleif explained as Lelouch followed him through the darkened stone chamber.

"A Knight of the Round…" Lelouch said. He thought back, wracking his memory. Had his mother ever mentioned anyone by that name? The Knights of the Round were an elite group, the best of the best soldiers in Britannia. Only twelve existed at any given time, each named personally by the Emperor. Each of them served as both a bodyguard to the Emperor and his emissary, enforcers of his will answerable only to the Emperor himself. They could act with his authority, giving them overriding command in military and sometimes political affairs. Their power was near absolute, trumped only by the monarch himself.

Siegfried… I think mother mentioned him a few times, Lelouch thought.

"Did he know our mother then?" Nunnally asked. Her tone had shifted, calm and curious, and she was seemingly becoming more relaxed in Dainsleif's presence.

"He and your mother were good friends. He even trained her for her role as Knight of Six as her deeds became more recognized," Dainsleif said, walking forward, gesturing for Lelouch to follow while he carried Nunnally.

"So he rescued me because he was my mother's friend, and you helped him because you two were friends?" Lelouch asked. For the moment, he'd forgotten all the other pressing questions- who were these people, what did they want, what were their intentions, could they be trusted, what was going to happen to him, who attacked us- because there was so much he did not know about his mother, about her old life.

"That is correct," Dainsleif replied, as the three of them reached a large circular room. "I understand that can make it difficult to trust us, but I assure you, we mean you no harm. If we did, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Wait a second. I am grateful you saved us, but do you expect me to go along with you to some strange, unknown place?"

"Brother…" Nunnally said, worried.

"Do you want to try your luck surviving in a freshly conquered Japan with assassins on your trail, while taking care of your sister?" Dainsleif said bluntly.

Lelouch grunted with repressed anger. The warrior had a point, though. He had no allies, nobody to depend on. Even seeking refuge with the Ashford Family was no longer a safe option. They might end up killed, or starve. He might have given it a shot on his own, but Nunnally…

Anger washed over him. He was helpless. He had no control over his own fate, again. Now he was being taken to a destination and a future unknown, and no matter how he thought about it, there was no way forward without putting himself in the hands of these… strangers. He hated it, hated feeling powerless. But what was he to do? He had no choice left. He closed his eyes for a second and opened them again, startled. In his mind's eye he saw the shock of the accident, of a car ramming them, of being shot at, Nunnally being put in danger, them almost dying… a fresh wave of nausea came over him. It was all so overwhelming.

"You know I'm right, kid," Dainsleif insisted, after giving Lelouch a moment to collect himself.

"Brother, I am okay as long as I am with you," Nunnally reassured him.

"But… how can we trust these people? Even if they saved us," Lelouch said. He had been burned too many times to trust easily.

"You are wise to be distrustful of me. One shouldn't be so easily trusting of others," Dainsleif complimented. "But if I wished you dead, it would already have happened. I will uphold my promise to my friend Siegfried."

"Hm. That remains to be seen," Lelouch replied.

He looked around. The chamber was dimly lit, but the torches hanging on the walls providing enough light to see the room was enormous. He could spot other tunnels and passageways that appeared to have collapsed a long time ago, except for two tunnels- the one they came out of, and one Dainsleif was walking towards. It was much larger, clearly designed for something bigger than a human to walk through.

"What did you mean by duty?"

"Siegfried and I have known each for a very long time. Before he joined Britannia as a Knight of the Round, he was my second-in-command of the Black Serpent Knights of our homeland. We were the royal guard. We only met recently by chance. He suspected an assassination, so we were prepared to intercept."

"Black Serpent Knights, homeland?" Lelouch asked curiously.

"I don't think I've heard of Knights like that in Britannia," Nunnally said.

Somehow I don't think that group exists in Britannia, Lelouch thought.

"That might be a discussion best saved for later. We need to take care of your sister, and there is something you should see first," Dainsleif replied.

Lelouch continued to follow him until they reached another large chamber, but this time, it was brightly lit by a blue light. The room was large like other chambers before it, but it had a dozen six-foot wide stone pillars supporting the chamber, but at the opposite end was a large doorway of a glowing portal-like gateway with a liquid-like surface.

"What is that?"

"The portal that leads to your- or should I say, our- ancestral homeland," Dainsleif answered, boldly walking through the portal, taking Nunnally with him before Lelouch could protest. Lelouch hesitated at first, but with a cry of frustration he ran through the portal. The next instant, he reappeared on the other side where Dainsleif was waiting for him.

"Welcome to Teyvat."

"Teyvat?"

Dainsleif nodded before he began walking, gesturing for Lelouch to follow him.

"It is another world, with some very notable differences," Dáinsleif said, as Lelouch followed him.

"How different exactly?" Nunnally asked.

"This world is not as technologically advanced or widely populated by humans as Earth is. However, depending on the place and object, you might find some places and objects to be close or more advanced in other ways. The rest…we would need a long time to talk about the other differences."

"...okay," Lelouch said, following Dainsleif through the ruins until they reached an old set of stairs leading upwards, in a spiraling staircase.

Ascending the steps, the pair walked through the complex, talking as they went until they exited the ruins. The sun was bright, almost blinding him, but his eyes adapted quickly. Ruins surrounded them; there were no intact buildings around. Around them were toppled stone columns and broken walls, the former structures lost to time.

Did nature do this, a conflict, or something else? Lelouch wondered.

Beyond the ruins, Lelouch saw that they were within a large, wide crater with a tall mountain on one side of the island overlooking it, and a smaller mountain opposite it. Walking through the ruins, he was struck by how much nature had reclaimed them. Vines, trees and bushes almost covered the ruins; from a distance you might not even have seen the stonework. Whatever this place was, it was ancient.

Soon they came upon a camp set up at the edge of a large lagoon inside a cenote, taking up most of the crater they were in.

"Have a seat while I tend to your sister," Dainsleif said, laying Nunnally down on a bedroll in one of the tents. Lelouch found a fallen stone pillar to sit on, the remains of a campfire before him.

Opening a box within the tent, which Lelouch assumed contained medical supplies. Lelouch watched Dainsleif tended to Nunnally's head injury, wrapping a bandage around her head.

"The medicine should help her recover; you just need rest now." He said as he finished up.

"Thank you," Nunnally replied.

"Just take it easy. You are far from anyone who would harm you," Dainsleif said, leaving Nunnally in the tent to rest.

Lelouch was silent, still wary of the man.

"You still don't trust me, eh?" He asked.

"Hardly," Lelouch replied dryly. "Taking us away from Japan was one thing, but a whole another world? That's hard to believe."

"I can't say I blame you. In a better world, we would have approached you peacefully and broken the news in a less… abrupt way. Circumstance forced our hand. We didn't have time to warn you or even prepare you for coming here. If you stay in Japan, who knows when the next assassination attempt will come?"

Lelouch's annoyance and anger at the situation was clear on his face, but he could not deny Danisleif's point. Here he was at least safe, if only for now. But being taken to an unfamiliar and foreign world was more than he was willing to accept, leaving everything on Earth behind without knowing if he could return. Return to claim vengeance against Britannia, as he promised Suzaku he would some day.

"In that case, why did you save Nunnally and I? Siegfried saved me because he was friends with my mother, but you mentioned duty? Care to elaborate now?"

Dainsleif looked towards where they had emerged from earlier. Seeing no sign of C.C. and Siegfried, he took a deep breath before speaking.

"Now that you are here in the world on the other side of that gate, I can tell you. You might not believe me, but I won't hold it against you if you are skeptical."

"Go on," Lelouch said, gesturing for Dainsleif to begin.

"Almost five hundred years ago there was a nation called Khaenri'ah. They were the most advanced nation of the world, having achieved great wonders in both magic and science, creating great war machines and much more," Dainsleif began, folding his arms across his chest as he sat across from Lelouch on a fallen piece of rubble. "However, what truly set us apart from the seven nations of Teyvat was the fact that no god ruled over us."

"God?"

"Right, your world is free of any gods, with no divine beings rule over you," Dainsleif said, smiling at the thought. "At one time Teyvat had many gods, all of whom fought in the Archon Wars until only seven remained. It was a war encouraged by Celestia and the Heavenly Principles who gave symbols of authority and power to them in exchange for their loyalty in following its laws and mandate to rule over humans. Most accepted out of fear rather than actual loyalty, but our nation was the only one not to have an Archon rule over us."

"Our nation?"

"I am getting to that. Lelouch, you and your sister, along with most of Britannia's nobility and especially the Royal Family, are descendants of those who fled Khaenri'ah for Earth to escape the coming cataclysm," Dainsleif said.

"W-what?" Lelouch said, taken aback. First other worlds, now this? "How, that… can't… be true," Lelouch said, his mind desperately trying to make sense of it all.

"You see, the people of Khaenri'ah held a distrust of the gods, something that grew over time until many considered attempting to overthrow their rule driving them to dabble in dangerous and highly questionable methods to gain an edge over the divine. However, there was a small group who opposed this. They resented the tyrannical rule of the Heavenly Principles who reside on Celestia, the divine landmass in the sky, the divine and the Archons, but they were wiser in not seeking conflict. Fearing the path many in their homeland they had taken would lead to their self-destruction."

"Celestia… so it's some kind of floating island? Like a home of the gods, like Mount Olympus or something?" Lelouch said.

"Something like that. Information about the gods was vague. We only know that the one who ruled over them and all of Teyvat were the Heavenly Principles, who created humanity."

"Sounds like information control to prevent anyone from understanding enough of them to threaten their rule," Lelouch said suspiciously.

"You may be right. Every nation has different views and interpretations of the legends surrounding the home of the gods. Some are similar, others are different," Dainsleif explained. "However, one shared legend is that those who obtain a Vision and perform heroic deeds may ascend to godhood and be ascended to Celestia to watch over their loved ones."

"A Vision?" Nunnally inquired.

"A gem granted those who gain the attention and favor of the divine. The exact conditions are unknown, but having a certain drive and ambition are qualifications. Once granted, the user will be able to command one of the seven elements: Anemo, Geo, Hydro, Electro, Cryo, Pyro, and Dendro."

"So I assume Hydro for water, Geo for Earth, Electro for lightning, Cryo for Ice and Pyro for fire. But what are Anemo and Dendro exactly?" Lelouch asked.

"Anemo is for wind, while Dendro is connected to the wood and dreams," Dainsleif replied.

"Why does Celestia grant such powers to humans?"

"A good question, but I don't know why. There are many theories, but none of them have any credible evidence behind it. I will say, once you gain a Vision you will be capable of many things, depending on how skilled and creative you can be with your element. People believe the Archon behind their element is responsible through prayer, but they are only part of the process. Those in the know are aware they come from Celestia," Dainsleif explained.

"There is a cost, isn't there? There always is with power," Lelouch wondered out loud.

"Maybe, but your guess is as good as mine right now. Siegfried has one. He could demonstrate what a Vision is capable of," Dainsleif offered, which did intrigue Lelouch.

"The descendants who make up Britannia's nobility and royal family, do any of them have a Vision?"If such power existed and if Britannia had access to it, it could complicate his efforts.

"None of them do, as far as we know. Many of them outside of those watching the gate on this side don't come to Teyvat often. For now, none that we know of have one," Dainsleif offered reassuringly. Lelouch's concerns didn't fade; it would be something to keep in mind.

"Very well. These descendants are made up of those who fled Khaenri'ah, right? Those who would make up much of Britannia?" Lelouch asked. Dain nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. Led by Princess Genevieve, the only daughter of King Irmin. They gathered the nation's best alchemists who, by studying the worlds of a more famed and skilled alchemist known as Gold, were able to create a gateway to another world. They built the first gate in secret, with other gateways being made at colonies established beyond our nation's borders, and others at hidden locations. They were aided by those who shared the princess's worries about the path the nation had taken," Dainsleif said, finishing one part of the story.

"Did her father support her?"

"Yes. He saw it as both a reasonable idea to protect our people from the coming war and to calm those among our people who were unsure if we were ready for a war against the gods," Dainsleif replied. "Siegfried, one of my best men in the Black Serpent Knights, was assigned to protect her. He followed her through one of the completed portals as she led an exodus of those seeking safety. Many, however, saw this as an act of cowardice, and there was some conflict over it."

"How did it end up?"

"Princess Genevieve's fears were proven correct. Everything went terribly wrong and the powers we had tried to dabble in proved beyond our control, which they lost control unleashing the dangerous powers of the Abyss upon the world. Monsters from the Abyss and horrors from the resulting calamity that spread across the world. Blamed for the calamity, the wrath of the Heavenly Principles came down upon us. Six of the seven Archons were dispatched to Khaenri'ah to quell the chaos that had been unleashed, before the Heavenly Principles joined them. She didn't stop at simply destroying Khaenri'ah. She made sure the survivors would suffer for their defiance," Dainsleif said bitterly, anger creeping into his voice.

"What happened?" Lelouch wanted more information, but while a part of him might've been skeptical another part was alarmed and troubled by beings of such power existing.

He even wondered what the magnitude of the disaster was to demand the involvement of basically seven god-like beings?

"We were cursed by the Heavenly Principles, forced to endure immorality, being denied the release of death with our minds and bodies doomed to erode overtime, destined to lose ourselves completely to a fate worse than death. That is how I am still alive after five hundred years."

"What about Siegfried?" Lelouch demanded. This all sounded completely insane, utterly fantastical- gods, other worlds, wars between supernatural forces? It was like the fanciful tales of ancient mythology.

"He gained immortality differently from I did, but I'll let him explain that, and what the Princess and those who fled to Earth did. He can explain that in better detail than me."

"I see… so I am a descendant of Princess Genevieve?"

"You and the rest of the Royal Family of Britannia, yes. I was surprised to see them flourish into such an enormous Empire, one that dwarfs the seven nations altogether. But I am very disappointed in them overall."

"Disappointed?"

"I think you can guess why. Their belief the strong should rule over the weak and their aggressive expansion, their tyranny." Dainsleif said, shaking his head.

"I am glad we agree on that point. But still, I… I want to know more. This is a lot to take in. What about-"

" Siegfried can explain the rest better than me when he gets back. We have a lot of work ahead of us tomorrow, or rather, you do."

"What do you mean?" Lelouch asked, as Dainsleif got up to fetch firewood from a nearby wood pile.

"Teyvat is a world that is much harsher, and has more than gods who roam and rule over humanity. As you are now, you are woefully unprepared to survive this world. I must train you, and teach you how to read and write in Teyvat. Once you have at least mastered the language enough to speak in casual conversations, we'll move to some place more hospitable for you and your sister to continue your training," Dainsleif explained as he prepared a new fire in the fire pit.

"You are asking us to give up our world."

"Yes," Dainsleif replied flatly. "I know Earth is safer in general, but you know as I do should anyone discover you two, you may not survive another assassination attempt. At least here you can be better protected and prepared to fend off such danger on your own."

Lelouch scowled, composing himself to hold back his annoyance and anger. Dainsleif wasn't wrong. Even if Earth was safer, there was the chance those who tried to assassinate him would do so again. He didn't trust Dainsleif, at least not fully, but… this had to be the way. For now.

Still…

"Nunnally, are you okay with this?"

"As long as I am with you, I don't care where we are."

"I…" Lelouch was skeptical. Why did it always have to be like this? Why did he have to be thrown from one place to another without any say in the matter? Neither Earth or Teyvat was appealing, but the latter was his only option. He balled his fists, struggling to keep his emotions in check, his fear and anger clashing with one another.

"What kind of training would we be talking about?"

"I'll be working on making your body stronger, then I'll teach you combat. If conditions allow, I can teach you the elements too," Dainsleif said.

"Elements?" Nunnally inquired.

"The people of Teyvat can wield the power of the elements. It might be possible for one of you, or both of you, to obtain that power," Dainsleif explained.

"Really," That intrigued Lelouch.

"Yes. Once you are ready I'll conduct a test, but for now the details shall be a discussion for another time."

"...very well. Training it is," Lelouch said irritably.

"Very good. Take tonight to recover from today's ordeal, and we'll begin tomorrow."

Lelouch said nothing. What could he say?

This is all surreal to me. But if what he says is true we should be safe from Britannia for a while. But there was much yet he needed to know, even if there wasn't much Lelouch could do until Siegfried returned.

"How much do you know that you can share?"

"It's limited. The curse that has kept me alive for five hundred years doesn't just affect my body, but my mind as well. Many old memories have been clouded over time, but there are details I can still remember," Dainsleif replied. He closed his eyes for a moment in quiet contemplation.

"I can tell you of those I deem most responsible and ones you should avoid. They are called the five sinners of Khaenri'ahn. Once the greatest of our nation, they were Hroptatyr, Vedrfolnir, Rhinedottir, Surtalogi and Rerir."

"What did they do?"

"That's the problem- they did nothing as our nation was destroyed. Each of them gained powers that made them all into powerful transcendent beings. Some of their actions did contribute to the cataclysm that would consume our nation, leading to its destruction. Rhinedottir's creations especially were a contributing factor to events that led to our nation's destruction," Bitterness crept into his voice; he was clearly restraining his anger. "No matter how eroded my memories become, I'll never forget their abandonment of our nation in its time of need."

"So I should avoid them if I encounter them?"

"Yes. As much as I would like to punish them, I haven't found any trace of them for the past five hundred years. Their power is great and terrible, and I pray you never have to face them."

"As if I would go picking a fight with such beings," Lelouch said in annoyance. It was already bad enough he was being made to accept being in this world. "If they are that powerful, I wouldn't go looking for a fight with them."

"Good," Dainsleif said before getting up to look through their supplies. "I'll prepare a meal for you. After that we can talk about a lesson plan. Not just for training your body, but you are going to need to learn the language of Teyvat if you and your sister will be staying here, C.C. included. Although she is a little further along on her own learning."

"Lanaunge?!"

"Surely you didn't think the language of another world would be the same as yours?"

Lelouch couldn't argue with that. But learning a whole new language?

As he pondered that question, he watched Danisleif skilfully get to work preparing what looked like a stew. Despite having only a campfire and a crude cooking pot, he was doing rather good work, slicing up some kind of purple fruit Lelouch had never seen before along with diced mushrooms, the stems of a flower used for seasoning, and chopped meat. As the main dish was cooking, the warrior also prepared what seemed to be an Egg roll, but it was different compared to those he had seen in Japan.

Not sure how it works, but I guess mushrooms are probably something common between worlds. I wonder if other people from Teyvat went through the portal after their creation upon finding them, maybe bringing something with them that got passed along, Lelouch wondered, but the matter of language might've been an issue to fully adapt.

"Here, this is called Konda Cuisine," Dainsleif said, handing Lelouch a bowl of the main course he had observed being made. "And an egg roll to go with it, there is some water and fruit drinks in that crate over there if you want."

"Thank you," Lelouch replied. He realized he hadn't eaten since breakfast, and hunger was setting in. Lelouch began eating, pushing aside any doubts he had about these unknown ingredients. And after a few bites, he found that the dish was delicious and filling. Within minutes Lelouch had consumed his serving along with the equally delicious egg roll, leaving him full and satisfied. Shortly after finishing, Lelouch noticed Nunnally was beginning to wake up.

"Uh…brother, are you here?"

"Nunnally, are you alright?" Lelouch said, hurrying to her sister's side as she tried to sit up.

"Where are we?"

"It's a bit of a story," Lelouch said, quickly summarizing the events of the last couple hours and what he'd learned since. It was a bit much for Nunnally to take in, causing him some worry.

"So…we're in a different world?" She said at last, disbelief written in her tone.

"Yes Nunnally," Lelouch replied, understandingly. "I promise it's all true, but I don't blame you for being skeptical."

"But… we're safe now, right?"

"Yes we are."

"And Suzaku?"

"He wasn't with us when that happened. Given his status as the son of Japan's last Prime Minister they won't kill him, and he still has Mr. Kirihara to help him," Lelouch offered. He hoped he was right.

"Okay. I just hope he'll be fine."

"I do too. And I am sure he will be. Even if things won't be easy for him, I am sure," Lelouch said, knowing it was best not to lie. Nunnally knew as just as he did what Japan- now likely Area 11- would be going through. All they could do was hope for the best for Suzaku.

"If necessary, I still have some contacts on could provide supplies and tools if needed," Siegfried said, stepping out of the shadows followed by C.C. They both looked exhausted.

"I guess it's safe to assume everything is taken care of?" Dainsleif asked, and Siegfried nodded.

"Yes. As far as anyone will be concerned, Marianne's children were killed in that ambush. Even if V.V. doesn't believe it, that will be the narrative they'll have to go with. We could've left stand-in corpses for you, but that wouldn't be enough to fool him. So we made sure we left evidence that would point to the involvement of other parties to provide a false trail. We prepared well in advance to keep him from finding out where you are now, and that we were involved in leaving him on what would be a wild goose chase," Siegfried said, reassuringly.

"Clearly you've been planning my rescue for sometime," Lelouch deduced. "Your sudden arrival couldn't have happened if you weren't keeping tabs on Nunnally and I."

"Yes we were," C.C. replied. "I don't know if Dainsleif mentioned it, but the assassination on you two forced us to step in sooner."

"Who are you people then?" Lelouch demanded.

"I am C.C., an old friend of your mother. Don't let my appearance fool you, I've known her long before she made the mistake of marrying Charles," C.C. said. "I know she would've wanted me to take care of you two, so I collaborated with Siegfried who brought in Dainsleif to help. I too needed a better place to hide."

"And that makes me Siegfried, a former long serving Knight of the Round and perhaps one of the handful of pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns left due to certain conditions that keep me from aging," said the knight.

"You can't age?" Lelouch said, still skeptical.

"I promise to explain and convince you in time. But you've been through a lot. I don't want to overwhelm you with too much at once," Siegfried offered.

Lelouch was still skeptical, but he wondered if Siegfried had been a Knight of the Round for so long and given his experiences couldn't he had stopped what led to Britannia being what it is? It was one of many questions he had including the exact nature of his relationship with his mother, but he felt it might be best for now, not to push the issue.

"Did you know war between Japan and Britannia was going to happen?" Nunnally asked.

"We suspected, correctly, that war between Japan and Britannia was a foregone conclusion," Siegfried said, finding a place by the fire to sit. "We built our plan upon the expectation that you and your sister would be abandoned in Japan, allowing us to fake your deaths without anyone the wiser."

"V.V. sending assassins after you is what we didn't expect, but lucky for you we managed to catch wind of it," C.C. said, joining the conversation while sitting on a fallen stone pillar.

"Who is V.V.?" Nunnally asked.

"Victor zi Britannia, the Emperor's brother and your uncle," Siegfried answered, a scowl appearing on his face.

"But it was said his brother was killed during the end of the Emblem of Blood," Lelouch said. Out of that bloody history, only Charles had survived. The Emblem of Blood had been a succession crisis, which triggered a violent internal feud among the royal family. Most of the royal family had died in the process.

"No, Charles and Victor survived. However, Victor obtained a Code of Immortality causing him to stop aging, remaining an immortal child. You can imagine how that would raise a lot of questions. Victor's death was faked, allowing Charles to become the Emperor. Victor- or V.V.- began overseeing the Office of Secret Intelligence and other black operations of the Empire, acting as a power behind the throne, supporting Charles," Siegfried explained.

"Code of Immortality, really?" Lelouch asked skeptically.

Siegfried said nothing, quietly removing his coat and shirt until only his upper torso was exposed. Without hesitation, he drew a sword, impaling himself on his own blade. He gasped and gagged, slumping over seemingly dead. Lelouch gaped in shock and horror, grateful that Nunnally couldn't see it.

"What just happened?" Nunnally asked, leaving Lelouch in the uncomfortable position of having to explain. Thankfully, he was spared from that.

"I happen to have a Code of Immortality myself," Siegfried said, coming back to life with the sword in his chest, which Danisleif pulled free. Lelouch watched in stunned silence as the wound on Siegfried's chest healed; it looked like time was reversing itself on his body as the flesh closed itself together, not even leaving a scar.

"Brother, what happened?" Nunnally had asked again, having gotten no answer.

"Uh, he- he demonstrated the Code of Immorality is real," Lelouch said, deciding to avoid mention of Siegfried stabbing himself.

"Yes. I've lived for five hundred years. I've been guarding the descendants of my children," Siegfried said with a sad expression.

"Your children?" Lelouch said. Does he mean…

"Yes, you and the rest of the Royal Family are my descendants. I chose to save you and Nunnally because I believe you two are worth saving. You are not yet the kind of monsters Charles raised up," Siegfried said bitterly.

"How?"

"We'll tell you, but we'll use the answers you want as a way to motivate you," C.C. said, grinning.

"Motivate me, for what?"

"Teyvat is a much more dangerous world than Earth, which is a key reason why Britannia won't actively look for you here. However, to survive you'll need to be in better shape, including learning how to fight."

"Using Miss C.C. and Dain as test subjects, we have a lesson plan worked out for the two of you," Siegfried replied. "C.C. and I will work with you on learning the language, and other information you'll need."

"Physical training will be handled by me," Dainsleif replied, and Lelouch felt a pit in his stomach. He had a bad feeling he was in for a hard time ahead.

---

A/N: And so begins Lelouch's torture, I mean training, and learning to survive on Teyvat which will include learning the language of course.

Now for the elephant in the room, Lelouch and Nunnally as well as Britannia's royal family are descended from a Princess of Khaenri'ah's Eclipse Dynasty, and no I don't mean Lumine to clarify.

So far some of Britannia's oldest noble families and some wealthy families, were descendants of those she led on an exodus to escape Teyvat for Earth, using gateways they created by studying the Rifthounds's ability to tear open passages in space and how the Traveler and her siblings arrived.

Now to clarify a few things, the Princess, Siegfried and their followers fled for Earth before the cataclysm happened, thereby they avoided being cursed and they didn't return for a couple hundred years, for reasons I think you guys can easily guess so they remained in the dark on what happened until someone was brave enough to go back and check.

And this will be addressed in coming chapters, but the resources and limited numbers they had weren't enough for them to conquer anything, and the fact that materials and such on Earth were different from Teyvat meaning they had to make due with what they had and start from scratch. This would indirectly lead to events that led to Britannia being born, the descendants of those who followed them had gained sufficient power and influence within the British Empire while the Princess's descendants would become the Dukedom of Britannia and later the Britannian Royal Family.

How this happened will be explained in the next chapter, since that was another point of contention.

But the biggest issue was would the curse still affect Lelouch and Nunnally, including any other Britannians with Khaenri'ah ancestry?

When I discussed this with a few people, no one thought it would be an issue since while I know the curse turned half-blooded and non-Khaenri'ah into monsters, there were many generations since then with their descendants no longer even having signature pupils that most have due to having had children with the humans of Earth, and so forth and so forth.

And this is something the other guy wouldn't let it go on no matter what I offered or said. Of course if Geass and Codes could still work, but we don't know if they are limited to Earth or not. Yes, but there isn't enough information to confirm otherwise or not.

I do have ideas in place as contingencies to make Lelouch and Nunnally the "lucky ones" who avoid it, while any other Britannians with Khaenri'ah ancestry could be hit by it, despite a lot of generations of children with Earth based humans since we don't know if that could still impact them or not.

Otherwise I might just make it a slight AU just to continue with what I got so far and I hate rewriting stories, especially after paying to commission the beta work on the chapters, who even gives me writing lessons and points out issues and suggestions for me on improvements.

So you see the problem.

The other problem was that I didn't really have anyone else who knew both Genshin Impact and Code Geass outside of two people, since there are a few other details that need to be worked out, but I won't list them all in the story.

What I will confirm that this story will have Lelouch in a polygamous relationship with Sangonomiya Kokomi, Kamisato Ayaka, Furina de Fontaine and Keqing.

Kuki Shinobu I wanted to include, but her choice of lifestyle I worry she wouldn't be open to relationships in general. But Eula Lawrence and Navia Casper are also likely contenders, and in strong positions.

As for the harem size I am looking at lucky number seven, ten or twelve if I can pull it off, but I need to figure out how polygamy would work in Teyvat, which was another problem I was trying to address but despite my efforts I got no feedback outside of Icysnowsage's suggestion of using the culture that the nations are based off for ideas.

And there was figuring out which Genshin character would be fine in a polygamous relationship, and who else could mesh with Lelouch.

I wanted to have it worked out before posting, but me and Icysnowsage have reached an impasse on some choices we were in debate on and were seeking a way to break the deadlock. Cause once Lelouch was figured out I could begin working out pairings for other characters like Aether, etc.

Now I do have a poll on my profile page with the "problem candidates" of characters I am open too, which the top seven who wins will have a fair chance at Lelouch, this DOES NOT mean they are in the harem by default.

For those who know the characters I think they can easily deduce what the issues are with them.

But yeah those are the big issues while the other issues I'll mention as the story goes along so I don't make a whole another chapter listing the few uncertain issues and details needing to be worked out.

And also if Nunnally and Siegfried should have Visions, or should Nunnally be a descender like her brother, which I got ideas to hopefully justify, but Lelouch won't be in the same weight class as the Siblings beyond having the same power of using all of the elements.

Also the teleporters while a fixture in the game I am included in a limited capacity that will be touched upon in story, but also a precaution in case my other ideas don't pan out well.

But still tell me what you think on the whole curse problem see if I can proceed with the story as it, and as for the canon of Code Geass I think its gone out the window with C.C. on Teyvat.

But there is an ongoing debate on when and how other CG characters could join the story, which also means another reason to work out the issue with the curse.

Ok that is enough out of me, thank you for reading and thank you again for enduring my rant. I'll be posting this on Archive of Our Own and Questionable Questing. I won't do Spacebattles due to a lack of interest in the story from that place.

Thank you all for reading and happy holidays.

I got chapter two ready to go, but I'll probably wait until chapter three is finished with its touch ups, all of which will depend on your thoughts on the issue regarding the curse and if Nunnally should get a vision or be a descender like Lelouch, while he won't be as powerful as the Traveler Siblings, he'll make up for it by being Lelouch and eventually Zero.

 

[Phantom Thief Of Hearts]

Code Teyvat Ch1

Click to shrink...

Personally I'm pleased to know that three of my favorite girls from Genshin (Kokomi, Ayaka, and Furina) are already confirmed as romantic interests for Lelouch... Well, after that simp moment. Let's talk about the chapter:

I'm glad this idea was given the green light to be published... what a nice early Christmas present and a nice way to end this 2024. Thanks a lot bro.

I'm excited to see what character development this Lelouch will receive and how his future relationships will develop.

The fact that Lelouch and Nunnally are descendants of the royalty of the nation of Khaenri'ah will make the plot more interesting, I mean, does that give Lelouch and Nunnally some nobility status in Teyvat?.

It will be interesting to know what a young Lelouch will do in Teyvat and what Genshin characters he will meet as time goes by.

I didn't expect Siegfried to reveal such important information at the end, ... Did Nunnally call Siegfried grandpa?, .

I think the curse shouldn't affect the descendants of Earth like Lelouch and Nunnally, I mean, the princess and her group literally went to another world before their nation and people were cursed.

It doesn't make sense to me that they are also cursed, not to mention that several generations have passed in which the Khaenri'ah gene is mixed with genes from humans from Earth.

And about Nunnally and Siegfried, I vote for them to also use the elements like Lelouch. I find it more interesting that they don't have a Vision.

The Emperor of Britannia, their father, Charles zi Britannia, didn't see Nunnally and him as children to be cared for. They were simply tools, contenders for the throne. The loss of one wife meant little to him, having one hundred and eight wives to serve as breeding stock. The children of the Emperor were meant to compete for power and kill each other without being caught, to secure their chance to succeed the Emperor, but sometimes the mothers of these potential heirs and the aristocratic families who supported them would act for their supposed benefit was probably why their mother, Marianne vi Britannia, had been murdered: both out of jealousy, and to ensure the potential ascension of their children.

Click to shrink...

Lelouch doesn't have a good opinion of his father having a harem...which gives a lot of potential to develop Lelouch as a character.

I mean, I see Lelouch having some complications in the romance and if he finds out that more than one girl has feelings for him it will cause some emotional conflict between him and the girls involved (he and the girls will have to come to a mutual agreement on having a relationship of that nature).

Yeah, Lelouch didn't want to end up like his father (having a bunch of women who are just disposable tools).

It will also depend on whether the girls know about Lelouch's opinion of his father.

What I will confirm that this story will have Lelouch in a polygamous relationship with Sangonomiya Kokomi, Kamisato Ayaka, Furina de Fontaine and Keqing.

Click to shrink...

And I'm excited to see how Lelouch will meet them. Thinking about the circumstances of how a young Lelouch will meet a young Kokomi, a young Ayaka, and a young Keqing is interesting to me.

Even thinking about which characters a young Nunnally will meet is also interesting.

 

[Jason Wu]

Oh new fic. Man, after seeing Genshin on your polls for like a year I can't believe it's actually here lol

Brb, lemme read the chapter.
Honestly not sure about Nunnally tbh. Her being "powerless" is such a defining trait that molds the story and Lelouch himself but seven years is a long time and I can definitely see how she can realistically improve the course of it.

Lelouch and Furina sounds awesome lol. My Boi goes ham.

I don't find an issue with Lelouch being weaker than the Travellers, he certainly has other skills to make up the difference in raw power, though him having access to all the elements and how he strategically uses them is definitely a fun idea in fight scenes

Though let it be known, Lelouch has better drip then Aether lol