by Kasugamaru
“A word before you depart for battle, Second Commander!”
“Dragon Warrior? Have you come to instate me as First Commander? How admirable.”
“What are you talking about? I have a message from Her Grace. Drive away the vampires. She does not wish for harm to come to the humans.”
“I see. Then as commander of this army, I order you to support us from the skies. That is all.” What did he say? I wish I could just let that go as an act of defiance born of the dire situation we are in. But those eyes. That expression. That manner of speaking. Is that how one acts when receiving an order from Her Grace?
“Second Commander Arcsem!”
“Disobeying orders, eh? That’s cause for a military court martial. However, there is both good and bad in the way that a subordinate destroys their master’s great deeds.”
“What are you...”
“That performance with the summoning did a good job of drawing the vampires to this particular location at this particular time. Very effective, I’d say.” What? What is he implying? Why is he snorting his nose?
“A very flashy bit of magic that was. If used well, it could summon more vampires. Yes, thinking of it that way, the good outweighs the bad. This could bring us many more battles than I first expected. Her Grace also has a policy of nonaggressive defense. The battle accolades will all belong to me.” No. No. Lady Sakiel does not wish for battle.
“No, perhaps it is still half and half. After all, I lost three men and six beasts.” Lady Sakiel had smiled so brightly when the Council had given the order for her to head to this land. She said she was excited, too. That she wished to talk with the human children. Perhaps even play with them, fate willing.
“Either way, don’t get in my way and we’re square. Just continue to be our bait.” Her Grace had poured her heart into that musical performance in order to make up for the children’s tears.
“I withdraw my orders, Falcon. Continue your Dragon Warrior duties as much as you like. We must protect this place, as Her Grace wishes. It is a wonderful hunting ground, after all,” he says, and I have no rebuttal. What would come of shouting at him? It would just serve to make my idiocy more pronounced.
It was me who recommended Her Grace to do the performance. I failed to see through this man’s plan. I let him manipulate me. I wasn’t perceptive enough. Would a commander that fights on the front lines really go this far? Does he truly wish for battle accolades so much?
The army is leaving. Through the west gate they go to take their formation: water mages at the front, wind mages at the back. Silver leopards in the middle, on reserve. A long line that makes use of their numerical superiority. With wind arrows and bursts of water they fend off the rock projectiles, all the while moistening the ground. Preparing the battlefield.
The change is quick, his skill high. For once, I am witness to Second Commander Arcsem’s true strength.
“Whassa matter? Is that all you got?” Someone yells. The enemy commander? It’s an older female vampire. She’s large, and wields a warhammer as a weapon.
“That was a lively bit of magic you shot up! So how about sending a thousand or two soldiers out to meet us, you pile of dead leaves!” She roars with laughter. Three arrows, riding upon a strong wind, soar toward her, only to be caught in her tight grip.
“So not only do you not name yourself, but you don’t even let me state mine? A bunch of soldiers who think they’re better than us. What a way to spoil the fun. All right, boys, let’s head back.”
“Was all that howling just an excuse to tuck tail and run?”
“Oh? Was that the rustling of leaves I just heard?”
“If you wish to run, run. We will hunt you to the ends of the Earth like the beasts you are.”
“Hah! This anonymous dead leaf sure has a mouth.”
“I am Second Commander Arcsem. Tell it to your filthy beast king in death.”
“I’m Fang Chief Barebow. What, did you fall asleep crying in your mossy nest?” The battlelines move. From the wet mud of the elven army sprouts a horde of snakes of various sizes, all made of water. They attack. The water mages are putting their all into this spell, Water Serpent. The wind mages join them, sending Wind Arrows hurtling through the air to raze the ground. A simultaneous volley of magic. Impressive.
But no one can match a vampiric defense. Many, many walls rise from the ground along with clouds of dust. Dirt Wall and Stone Shield. They have a lot of earth mages. The volley of rocks pauses and the silver leopards rush forward, following the loosed arrows. Very good.
But the enemy is formidable. Nothing can get through their walls. And with all eyes on their defenses, they move backwards in great numbers. Are they really retreating? We have the numbers advantage, it is true, but this is too convenient. I can almost hear Second Commander Arcsem clicking his tongue now.
“Front line, draw. Give chase. Backline, circle around the sides and cut them off.” The water mages grip their canisters. They’re preparing for the assault. And the wind mages, are they casting Slide? It’s a spell that allows them to travel across the ground at great speed, like sliding on ice. Nice work, Second Commander Arcsem, immediately giving chase as well as attempting to surround them.
“Go! Don’t let a single pebble escape.” The army drives forward. The forest to the west is full of conifer trees with a steep slope, so it’s a question of whether we can catch them before then. Or perhaps the idea is just to rush into it. The answer relies on the actions of our flyers. If there’s even one squad waiting in ambush, our army will be destroyed. But I know Second Commander Arcsem; he will have seen through this. Even so, I feel uneasy. Perhaps it is because I am away from Lady Sakiel’s side. There are so few soldiers left in reserve.
I take flight. I must return. Now that the volley of rocks has ceased, Jellyfish Bell and Sunfish Gong have disappeared and the sky is turning a disturbing color—red, like a burning forest, and black, like a night filled with bloodsuckers. I don’t sense that gaze. That extremely dangerous one. I haven’t sensed it since I arrived. Not even a hint or sign of it since that one time. It was no illusion, but if it is staying quiet, then I have no reason to be on the lookout for it.
There are, however, irregularities. Specifically the fire magic that burned us... and the girl who cut us. Both are still so hard to believe, even though I witnessed them myself. Second Commander Arcsem certainly doesn’t believe it. In fact, he thinks I executed his soldiers. Perhaps I should ask the Council. If Lady Sakiel’s safety cannot be guaranteed, then I at least need to know an estimate of how long this operation will last. She has a guard of five water mages and five wind mages, as well as ten silver leopards, but against demons they will only be able to buy some time.
Lady Sakiel is still on the roof. She’s lying on her white tiger like a couch, her hand propped up on a silver leopard. She looks quite relaxed.
“Oh, Fleilyu!” I can see she is tired, yet she refuses to return to her bed. How tough and noble. I cannot fathom why Second Commander Arcsem does not wish to protect such a treasure.
“How did it go? Was Arcsem enthusiastic?”
“...Yes. He heroically charged off to drive away the enemy. They are being routed now.”
“Ohh! I see. That is good... Good.” Her smile blooms like a flower, but worry and anxiety cloud her expression. It pains my heart to see. Her Grace is so benevolent.
“The winds of the battlefield will sting your skin. Why don’t you return downstairs for the moment?”
“Hmmm.” I try to encourage her to make her own decision, but if I must then I will overstep my bounds and drag her back to the capital. This is no place for someone like Lady Sakiel. If she wishes to protect humans, she could do it from somewhere safer...
“I think I will watch over things for a bit longer.”
“Your Grace, the hawks are already keeping watch. Second Commander Arcsem will also be fine, I am sure.” If it’s human children she desires, there are many more in existence.
Even if we consider them rare.
“Mmm. I want to do what I can to help.”
“Even so, Your Grace...”
“Just listen. Long, long ago, God once said to me...” Is she going to share a conversation she had with God? The words of God, so rare that even the Apostles have hardly received them. Words so transcendent that they even became the national policy of the Ewlogond Republic! I must listen with rapt attention!
“DO YOUR BEST.” What a... mysterious phrase. It’s not a spell incantation, though. It’s as if they already have an air of power to them.
“Those are the words He said to me. As for what they mean... Yeek!” An ear-splitting explosion. I know this unpleasant sound. It’s thunder magic. Where is it coming from? There! The south, most likely near the gate. A separate vampire squad!
16 About DDR Streaming Soul / The Shadow Laments the Vampires’ Lust For Battle
God’s spirit is my spirit.
At times it is quiet, and at times it is fierce.
-DDR Stream Part 9-
Sakiel, what have you done?! You’re gonna make me mad! At night! On the frontier! You use Accept Chime and Call Grand Bell together to put on a concert?! That’s just idiotic! Sure, it was a performance of the most famous song in DDR, a gorgeous and peaceful number that I love, but still! And yes, the midair aquarium was fantastic, surreal, and healing at the same time. But still! That’s just asking for the vampires to raid our town and have a party with our dead bodies! See? See?! The vampires are coming! They’re totally pumped! What did I tell you?! Oh, dear. I know this is a guaranteed event, but I was hoping to buy enough time to practice my Call magic some more. If this ruins the frontier, I’m blaming Sakiel entirely.
So, a hundred and fifty from the west? That’s weird. Vampire platoons are one hundred soldiers each. So why the excess? And they just retreat without fighting? That ain’t right. This is clearly a trap. That must mean they’re coming from the south... Move, move... Ah, yep.
“Huh? Did we get figured out already?” the vampire chief says. A total of fifty soldiers. It’s quite easy to see they split up their forces to make a separate platoon that would attack from the back.
“A human female? Just the one? You must be lost.” Is this chief the one with the fingerless gloves? Ugh, such bad taste. White bone decorations dangle from his neck and waist, clinking loudly.
“What a great way to liven up this party. Let’s rape and eat her.” By the way, vampire bones are brown, while elf bones are a light green. A mysterious detail of DDR. They haven’t released an official artwork and settings book yet, but the excessive attention to detail for stuff like clothing, culture, and family structures is a hallmark of DDR’s quality.
“Oh, how about we eat her alive like the last one? I’ll be the rapist. Whoever’s eating, keep it to the arms and legs. I wanna savor this for as long as possible, and we can use the ribs later.” Hah, the chief NPC has a name.
“Humans are so lean. I know we agreed not to drive them extinct, but can’t we hunt them a little more freely?” Now, what’s this Chief Gatmunt’s stats... Hmm... A thunder mage with fist skills. What a common class.
“Wh-Whoa, what was that? I just felt a cold wind.” What an idiot. His choice of magic is terrible. He’s a melee fighter, but he has Lightning Bolt? What’s he trying to accomplish? At least pick Embody Thunder or Thunder Punch.
“What are you staring at, female? I don’t like the look on your face.” The rest of them are all trash mobs. Hmm. This platoon’s full of stinking men. Why am I reminded of a gang of delinquents in cheap, flashy jewelry?
“You’re human, ain’t ya? Shouldn’t you be crying and begging for your life? Go on!” Whoa! Aha ha ha ha! Lightning Bolt! He used Lightning Bolt! Now, of all times? Gatmunt’s such a show-off! Bwa ha ha ha ha!
“Why aren’t you pissing yourself?!” Now he’s dashing forward! What, is this some hilarious attempt at passing the ball? Well, one chop to the back of the neck and he’s out. Ah, that was funny. My stomach hurts from laughing. Mr. Gatmunt, you have my utmost respect.
Now I have to return the favor, right? I gotta show off, or there’s no point. This is no time to be complaining about being sleepy. I’ll show them the soul of a streamer. There are forty-nine enemies left, so... Okay! It’s Kuroi’s turn! Summon a sword with Accept Blade, then shoot it into the ground! Again and again, tuning the height and angle each time! Eventually, I end up with forty-nine swords around me! Then, I suddenly draw the first sword from the ground! Double the effort for no reward! Finally, with a sidelong glance to set the tone, I beckon the vampires forward with my hand. Bring it, boys. Bring it! Booyah! Kill one, toss the sword! Pick up another, kill, toss! Kill, toss! Toss! Toss! Whoo! This is exhilarating!
-Shadow Tamika I-
What kind of sick joke is this? A single human, trampling over fifty vampires? Even a drug addict wouldn’t have such a disturbing dream. As a drug dealer, I can attest to that.
“Tamika. Tamika...” If I’m not seeing things, those dozens of blades all appeared out of thin air. If I were to describe even one moment of this scene out loud, even the fantastic ramblings of a man drunk on virgin blood would pale in comparison. As a virgin myself, perhaps I shouldn’t say that. But a human? Using Apostle-tier magic? Is that even... Yeow!
“Tamika! How long are you going to keep watching?” Before me appears the rotten face of my superior. It creeps me out. Shoot, I let my consciousness sit on the other side for too long. I’m still having trouble using insects for my Shadow Vision spell. Their eyes are so different that I have to use my brain to compensate.
“Forgive me, Lord Batkiss. The bat I was sharing my vision with got trapped in a gust of wind...”
“Enough with your excuses. How is my foolish younger brother doing?”
“...He is having a bit of trouble, it would seem.”
“Oh, Gatmunt, Gatmunt. He certainly does love to play around. I thought with a bit of flattery he could at least stir up some chaos... How heroic, unleashing thunder from that position.” Don’t sigh intoxicatedly. Don’t bow your legs. And definitely do not let that thing between your legs grow. How gross can one guy be? And his little brother is just as bad.
Kind of a pickle, though. The sex fiend’s brother is now missing his head. And his men are dropping like flies... but nothing good will come of me being honest. Worst case scenario, I’ll be killed while he’s venting his anger. Having said that, I’d like to avoid questions of who’s to blame. Hm? Oh, this is perfect.
“Eek! Oh, no!”
“What now, Tamika?”
“Why, the bat... it’s been killed by a hawk.”
“Don’t you have any other familiars you can cast Clairvoyance on?”
“No... I-I’m very sorry!”
“Useless. And you call yourself a vampire? Have a little more concentration.”
“Y-Yes, sir!” Good. Now no matter what he hears later I can just humbly suggest that it was an elven trap and the usual massive elven hate chorus will start up. My safety is secured. There is still that strange human... I don’t know who that is, but she was certainly very dangerous. It would be best not to get involved. I will, of course, keep an eye on things, but I am not about to claim this discovery as my own. No thank you. Strange and startling truths are only poisons that disturb the peace. To hell with anything where the negatives outweigh the positives for me, personally.
“Very well, then. It’s time to move. We know our destination: the place where the flying leaves are camping.” I should have seen that coming. It is that sort of strategy, after all. He’s going to take over 50 “Hundred Fang Platoons” and plunge the border area into chaos. For a bloodthirsty chief, that’s akin to giving carte blanche to raze and pillage. Killing elves for trophies, hunting humans... anything goes. Three platoons are all that came this way, of course.
But no one expected an elven Apostle. Especially not Ten Thousand Bells, the one who never comes to the front lines. Perhaps it’s for this re
ason that it can’t be helped if every chief is eager for battle. The plan was as such: Barebow was to draw away the main force, Gatmunt was to cause chaos in the city, and Batkiss was to strike at the heart. Fang Chief Batkiss thought up this plan immediately. He is a skilled man. He also has the brawn to match his brains. The flyer we saw was most likely Falcon, but in a duel I’m sure he could squeeze out a victory against her. Not many elves are left on the human frontier. Perhaps the others will succeed after all.
“Careful, everyone. The elves are cunning. There’s no telling how many may be lying in ambush. We shall break through their net in one swift strike.” No, I was wrong. It’s just not possible. If that mysterious human and the elves are working together, then this will never turn out well. Let’s check back in on the battle... Fifty vampires annihilated without even breaking a sweat. We’ve got a monster on our hands. And her weapons have vanished? No, if she can conjure them, then it stands to reason she can banish them as well. Very similar to the magic Apostles wield. Judging from the scale it’s only at its first stage, though.
Now she brushes back her raven hair, hugs herself, and... stands still? Hm? What purpose does that—Ow!
“Tamika! Focus!”
“Y-Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!”
“Let’s move!” Good grief. He could just leave me behind. He already has a hundred warriors. We head south, hopping over a crude fence. So this is the human frontier, eh? It’s pretty clean for having experienced a monster raid. Ironically, the only thing staining the ground is animal refuse. The elves treat everywhere like it’s their forest.
Bells ring. Mm, a good warning system. Humans are weak, so they have to be smart and careful. Hm? There’s an elven woman on the greenery of that roof. Must be Falcon.