Chapter 4: The Knight of Fate

"Why take it slow?" Reinhard asked as they left the shop, walking down the alley towards the ghettos.

"I know the ghettos rather well," Lelouch said, smiling. "And I know that they have spots to hide at or escape from when they see someone of your fame approaching."

"That's true." Reinhard nodded, following along. The reality was that Lelouch didn't really want the whole situation to be over before it began. There was still information to be extracted from the murderer, and he couldn't be sure that she would attack if she saw someone of the Sword Saint's lineage there.

Blood, Lelouch found, has a lot of power in this world. People inherited traits, sometimes even Blessings, and Reinhard here seemed to have hit the jackpot considering the very, very famous sword on his hip.

It was in the book about nobles and the children's book as well. A drawing of the Saint's Sword.

"It's just kind of strange," Reinhard commented, watching Lelouch. The red-haired man had a look on his face that Lelouch could only describe as child-like curiousity. "You look like a noble, talk and hold yourself like one, but I never heard of your family name."

"Hm?" Lelouch glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"And you say you're aware of the ghettos…" Reinhard trailed off. "Are you some disowned noble?"

Lelouch stopped. When he turned his head to stare at Reinhard, the man immediately waved his hands in front of him.

"No need to tell me if that makes you uncomfortable!" Reinhard all but shouted. "It was just a simple observation."

"It's alright," Lelouch said, taking a look around. There were less people the closer they got to the ghetto, but considering they've barely begun the walk, there were still a lot of them. "You just hit very close to home, I admit. I wouldn't consider myself a noble by anyone's standards."

"I'm sorry," Reinhard said, nodding towards Lelouch. "I just have the feeling that it might be fate that led you to me for a reason."

"Fate?" Lelouch asked, smiling. "You believe in something like that?"

"Perhaps it depends on your definition," Reinhard said, walking forward again. Lelouch followed suit, watching as people gave Reinhard awe-filled stares. "I know that Lady Barielle claims fate is 'all that happens is in her favor', while I would like to say that 'everything happens for a reason'."

Lelouch tried not to scoff. He couldn't tell if the man beside him was simply naive or if there was more to it. The way Reinhard could switch between serious and jovial reminded him of Michel, but he had a lot more control, and even while having an unnatural looking glare on his usually calm face, he gave off an aura of refreshment.

It seemed to be the opposite of that panic induced attention he was forced to pay towards his murderer.

"I suppose I would have to disagree," Lelouch said. Reinhard smiled.

"Many do," he said. "There is no such thing as fate, they tell me."

"Then they would be wrong," Lelouch said, smiling back. Reinhard blinked. "Of course, there is such a thing as fate."

"But you just-"

"I asked if you believed in it," Lelouch said, increasing the pace of their walk slightly. The buildings became less well-kept, but still numerous. "I disagree with your definition however."

"Why's that?" Reinhard asked.

"Because we make our own fate," Lelouch answered, throwing his hand to the side. "We are the masters of our fate, and we can choose which road to go."

"That's not a bad thought, really," Reinhard said. "I will keep that in mind."

Schooling his features into a calm look as they continued the walk to the ghetto, Lelouch began to plan. All he needed was to take the emblem after Reinhard took care of the murderer and bring it back to Emilia. Felt's life would be saved by him bringing Reinhard there, though he wasn't sure just how inclined a slum rat like Felt would be to repay her debt.

"I will try to talk to the thief," Lelouch said. "Maybe negotiate with her to meet you rather than just run away."

"Shouldn't I join the talk?"

"Royal Guard," Lelouch said. "Not the most welcome sight there."

"Right." Reinhard nodded, pursing his lips. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Stay out of sight until I give you a signal," Lelouch said. "I'll make a bright light inside, you should see it through the windows."

Reinhard nodded again. "If you think that's best, I'll go with that plan. Admittedly, I'm better at taking orders than giving them."

Lelouch had the feeling that the man was obscuring the truth somewhat.

"Say," Lelouch said. "Why haven't you just contacted the castle after I told you this?"

"It seemed urgent, and I'm technically on my day off," Reinhard said. "It probably would end up with them storming the entire ghetto and taking the possible dragon shrine maiden quickly."

"Dragon shrine maiden?" Lelouch asked. Reinhard blinked.

"You don't know?" he asked. "I mean, you knew about the royal election…"

"Yes, but the term is new to me, does it have to do with the election?" Lelouch asked. Reinhard nodded, looking towards the castle behind them as he kept walking forward.

"The reason that Lugnica's son isn't taking over the throne is because of a prophecy," Reinhard said. "Five maidens are chosen to become the ruler of the kingdom, one of them shall be selected. I may be paraphrasing it a bit, but the popular theory by the citizens is that the 'dragon shrine' in question is the kingdom. We do have a covenant with the Dragon after all."

"That explains the election rather than inheritance," Lelouch said. "I'm not outside very often, you only hear a few things that way."

"I can see that," Reinhard grinned at him. "Your arms are like sticks. You might want to pick up a sword and swing it a few times."

"Ahaha," Lelouch laughed softly, raising his hand. "The thought had crossed my mind, but I would rather train myself in magic first and foremost. I have the feeling it might be able to help me on my journey to make my own fate."

"A strong body fosters a strong mind," Reinhard said. "You might get less exhausted when you're fit, magic has a lot of factors."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lelouch said, smiling. If he had the time. Right now, he had that reset point that might drive him mad one day if he always ended up in the same spot. The only reason he kept killing himself was to avoid having a new 'zero' point just in case. As long as he died around the same time as the murderer killed him, he could be sure when to wake up.

Eventually, as the sun was still up in the sky but nearing the edge of the horizon, Lelouch and Reinhard arrived at the ghettos. The amount of people was sparse, barely any buildings were there, and those that were looked rundown.

"Alright, find a place to hide," Lelouch said. "That's the building over there. Keep it in your sight."

He had to hurry. Reinhard nodded, suddenly vanishing. Lelouch blinked. Did he become invisible? He moved his hand over the spot where Reinhard had been standing. Nothing there. Sighing, he moved towards the building and knocked loudly on the door.

"Large Rat!" he heard Felt shout from inside.

"Poison," Lelouch said. There was some hesitation before the next keyword came.

"White Whale."

"Fish Hook."

"You don't sound like my customer!" Felt shouted suddenly, throwing the door open after unlocking it. Glaring at him, she glanced towards his hat. "Old man Rom, there's some weirdo who knows the password!"

"Did ya tell him?" Rom said. Felt shook her head as if Rom could see it. "Did ya?"

"I didn't!" she said. "Who are you?"

"I'm here to speak with you," Lelouch said. "About the emblem you've stolen. Could I come in?"

"Rom he wants to come in," Felt shouted. Lelouch felt his ears ringing, the entire ghetto must've heard by now.

"Does he look rich?"

"Yes!"

"Then let him in, hear what he has to say."

Felt moved out of the way, and Lelouch stepped into the rundown building. No blood, the furniture still looked alright. Despite that, he felt slightly sick. This was where he died twice, after all.

Rom was sitting behind a counter, drinking a large bottle of something that smelled like vodka. He had a large club next to him, glaring at his entrance.

Felt sat down at the table that Rom and Lelouch had sat at before, and glared at him.

"So, what do you want?" she demanded. His eyebrows twitched. This was nobility, apparently. Someone who could potentially become the ruler of this country. Lelouch wasn't very impressed, but he knew that old habits died hard, and someone who has lived here in forever must be quite accustomed to the language the street rats used.

"I came here to warn you, actually," Lelouch said. "I caught glimpse of you stealing that emblem today. Are you aware of what it is?"

"Maybe?" she tried. Lelouch sighed. "I know it has something to do with those shitty nobles in the castle."

"Not quite," Lelouch said. Turning to Rom, he grimaced. "Do you know, old man Rom?"

"No, she didn't tell me what exactly she would steal," he said. "What's it to you?"

"It's the emblem of the dragon shrine maidens," Lelouch said, using the term that Reinhard had introduced him to. Rom frowned.

"Shit," he said. "And the Royal Guard is coming to get it back?"

"No," Lelouch said, shaking his head. "The problem isn't that she stole it, that's probably the least of it. The person who hired her to steal it, though, she's a dangerous criminal. Not a thief, but a murderer, and she doesn't seem to have much respect for the dragon shrine maidens."

"What does that have to do with us?" Felt asked. "I'll just sell it to her and be done with it. Murderer, thief, whoever pays the price gets it."

"You know how the emblem reacts to the touch of a maiden?" Lelouch asked Rom, ignoring Felt. She growled, her fists on the table.

"It glows, I heard," Rom said. "Pretty brightly too."

"Could you take the emblem out and put it on your palm?" Lelouch asked of Felt. She looked towards Rom, who had a worried look on his face. Felt grabbed the emblem out of her pocket, holding it in her hand.

The stone flared up with a blinding red light before becoming a soft glow.

"Fuck," Rom said. Felt looked at the large man, confused. "Felt, put that away, we can't have your client seeing it-"

Someone knocked on the door. The sun hadn't gone down yet. Lelouch blinked. Was it Reinhard? He couldn't be sure. He would have to contact him. Standing up, Lelouch watched as Rom moved towards the door, the club in hand. Before he could cast a spell towards the window, the door got thrown open by ice pillars.

It was Emilia. Looking very unhappy.

Before any fight between Rom and Emilia could break out, however, Lelouch drew the attention towards him.

"Lady Emilia," he said, smiling. That was great, if the events had changed so much already, Lelouch could avoid the murderer's twisted knives easily. Moving towards the door, he prepared to cast the Lox spell and call for Reinhard.

"Who are you?" she asked, glaring inside. She couldn't see Felt, who was still sitting behind them.

"My name is Lelouch-"

It was like time slowed down for a moment. He could feel a spike of energy, a twisted darkness that was similar to the dark hands that held his heart. The fact that his body unconsciously tried to move forward and out of the door.

Lelouch grabbed that feeling and smothered it. He held it down long enough to move forward, tackling Emilia onto the ground as the murderer appeared above them, cutting air.

"LOX!" Lelouch shouted. It was probably not necessary, considering what had just transpired in front of the door, but he had to make sure. Before the woman could continue kill them all, a knife struck her in the side, sending her flying.

The knife ripped through her mantle before it disintegrated.

"Well, it seems you were right, Lelouch," Reinhard said. Felt arrived next to them, staring at the large cut that had been drawn into the ground where the knife had flown forward.

"Could you get off me?" Emilia asked. Lelouch did so, standing up with heavy feet. He poured a bit too much into the spell, it seemed. "Thank you. You saved my life."

Lelouch nodded, accepting her thanks before staring towards the large dust cloud that had marked the spot of the murderer's impact.

"Northern swords," Reinhard commented. "And that black outfit of yours. You're Elsa Granhirte."

"What an honor," her voice echoed through the place. "To be recognized by one of the Sword Saint's lineage."

"Puck," Emilia said. The small cat spirit appeared in front of her. "Be careful."

"What happened?" Puck asked. Lelouch frowned.

"Too much to explain. Let's wait with the talk until we are finished here."

Lelouch raised his hand, ready to conjure up a shield if necessary. Reinhard didn't look very bothered as the woman stepped out, looking slightly bruised but otherwise okay. Her knives were in her hands, which hung limply on her sides.

Every step she took forward looked like a deranged animal stalking their prey, and Lelouch held one hand over his mouth as sickness spread through him.

"She makes me sick," Lelouch commented. Reinhard nodded.

"She doesn't seem to be quite human," he said, starting to smile. "You might have the ability to feel it. That's impressive!"

Of course he also had to be someone who could relax and give praises during a fight. Elsa appeared in front of Reinhard, almost driving her swords into his shoulders, the sudden burst of speed comparable to what Reinhard had displayed earlier. Lelouch took the backlines, as did Rom and Felt.

Having to dodge out of the way of a wide swing, blocked by Emilia and dodged by Reinhard, Felt stumbled over Rom, the emblem falling out of her pockets. Once again, Lelouch could feel where Elsa was about to appear. The disgust and attraction towards Felt's direction left him no choice.

"Sabal," he called out, the sixth and probably most advanced spell inside the tome. A knife appeared in the air just where Elsa appeared above Felt, attempting to cut her open.

The speed of Elsa's advance and Reinhard's charge led to a very deep wound as she all but flew into the knife, and Reinhard grabbed it in her chest before pushing further forward. Emilia and Puck followed up with large spears and pillars of ice crashing all around the woman.

Feeling the effects of casting three spells in one day, Lelouch's movements began to grow sluggish. Rom noticed, however, and helped him out, lifting him and Felt away from the fight, the emblem shining brightly in Felt's hands.

Reinhard smiled.

"I cannot let you harm them," Reinhard said. "So if you wish to get to them, you have to go through me."

"Ahhh…" she moaned, the fresh wound inside her chest from where the knife had stuck sizzling slightly. "A wound like this from just a knife. I will remember your face, mage, and you… ohhh…"

Elsa shivered in delight, holding her chest as she dodged the pillars of ice that Puck and Emilia threw at her.

"Draw it!" Elsa demanded. "Show me the power of the Sword Saint's sword!"

"This isn't a sword that would be used carelessly like this," Reinhard said. "You're not worth it. I will use my friend's dagger to kill you."

"Ahahahaha," she cut through one of the pillars that approached from behind, blood flowing down her dress. "I see, I seeeee! I wonder, van Astraea, are your guts as beautiful as you are?"

"I wouldn't know," Reinhard said. "I don't bleed."

He threw the knife, and even though she tried to dodge, Lelouch could see the air twist to make it hit. Lodging itself into her abdomen, Elsa keeled over.

"You're weaker than you should be," Reinhard commented. "Because the sun is still visible. I know what you are, Lelouch could smell it."

"Lelouch?" she asked, her hair hiding her face. "Ahaha…"

The soft chuckle became a mad laughter, her raven hair twisted all over her head as a large and teeth baring grin became visible, her eyes wide in glee.

The next pillar that Emilia and Puck used hit. She tried to dodge, but her arm was crushed against a building wall that fell apart after the hit. Lelouch could see the bone sticking out of the limb. Unable to muster up any strength to speak, Lelouch grinned at her.

She must have seen it, because she grinned back, and vanished, running away.

Reinhard sighed.

"I think I held back too much," Reinhard said. "Still! I'm glad you're all okay!"

"S-sir Reinhard!" Emilia said, the serious persona of battle vanishing in an instant. "Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me," he said, waving her off. "Thank him. He got you out of the way when I was too slow."

Emilia turned to Lelouch, who was hanging off Rom's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Thank you," she bowed to Lelouch, thanking him again.

"Hrk," Lelouch said, not able to open his mouth very far. Reinhard laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. It hurt.

"Hey," Rom said. "Knight. What will you do now?"

"Ah, I would like to invite you three to the castle for now," Reinhard said. Lelouch blinked, trying to form words with his mouth. Slowly, he opened it and asked.

"You… authority?"

Almost reading his mind, Reinhard smiled at him. "Yeah, I do. All Royal Guards have the authority to let someone in at the moment."

"No way," Felt said, hanging off Rom's shoulder as well. "I ain't going to mingle with your stinkin' nobles, go fu-"

"We could hear what he has to say," Rom said. "If we don't like it, we can simply leave."

Felt growled, but didn't talk back to the old man. Lelouch knew she respected Rom, but apparently she saw him as more than just an authority figure.

"I'm glad you agree," Reinhard said, moving towards Felt. Grabbing her hand, he fished the glowing emblem out of her hands and turned to Emilia. "Here you go, Lady Emilia."

"T-thank you," she stuttered, pocketing it. "I would like to ask you for a favor-"

"I won't tell anyone the exact details," he said, winking at her. "Don't worry. There is no need to give the nobles more of a reason to talk badly about elves, right?"

"Hell yeah!" Puck shouted, before yawning loudly. "I'm so sleepy…"

Lelouch just nodded, agreeing with the spirit.

"Shall we go, Lady Felt?" Reinhard asked. She glared at him. For some reason, he looked way too happy about it. Lelouch just closed his eyes.