by Kasugamaru
Because people become sentimental when their spirits are moved.
“Good! Next! Those three!” Sentimentality, in terms of color, is transparent. A silent void. Because the spirit doesn’t tend to any color, they become unable to act.
“That’s... We’re going to reinforce that platoon! Ready fire lances!” Lady Kuroi isn’t a goddess. She’s human. The Apostle of Humanity. It’s fine for her heart to move, to break. Otherwise, she couldn’t really feel rage. Only people can feel the depths of that rage.
Or... perhaps even the gods are the same.
Why else would one come down to rage for humanity? Without a spirit, there’s no truth there.
“Damned humans! This is for my beloved brother! Die!” Well, that one’s a problem. It’s not just strong, it has a thirst for vengeance mixed into its hostility. A raging vampire. Amplifying their strength. I’ve already lost four troopers to it. I suppose I could attack it, claiming it as vengeance for my fallen troopers.
But, I won’t. Because the magic I feed into my fire lance is tinged with sadness.
Flame magic, Blue Scales.
“Wha?! Blue flames?! Two, no, three blue fireballs are slowly... following me!” That fire is tenacious. Know that there’s this kind of anger, as well. Not just the intensity of rage. But a slow, simmering hatred.
“Gyah! Poison?! This is a poisoned flame?! I-I can’t move!” Perceptive. According to Origis, I’m a bit saturnine in temperament. I don’t want to just end it by burning you. No, you lot can do to suffer more.
“Damned... human!” Seems I’m also something of a trickster. As you direct your attention to me, one of my troopers lops off your head from behind. The end.
“Platoons, take the wounded to the host! After which... After which, follow me!” Lady Kuroi. Oh dear, Lady Kuroi. No doubt you will dash out again. So I offer a single prayer for you.
As your heart desires.
As the heart, with divinity within, wills. That you remain that way.
“All platoons! Continue at your discretion! We’ll move to stop that!” The core of the vampire horde. The thousand that accompany the Golden. They’re heading not for the elves, but for us. Part of it is probably the fact they don’t want to deal with the Bell’s defenses. Even Agias doesn’t stand a chance against them.
So someone else needs to draw their attention.
“Hold! Hold a moment, oh human!” A voice from the sky. To fly through these clouds, a rather unique elf, I see.
“Our army will handle them! Focus your efforts on protecting your retreating forces! I have sent healers to them as well!” A dragon knight commander. With scores of leaves alongside. Better late than never, I suppose.
“Understood! We leave the field to you!”
“Yes, it’s ours!” It’s a small price to pay, if a smile and a nod reduce our losses.
Resentment is best left bubbling in the pit of the stomach.
No need to forget it, but it’s best left until you gain catharsis.
33 DDR Style Dreams, Reality, Hearts, and Truths
I believe. I believe in God.
So I wait. I can wait. God will not abandon humanity. Ever.
-DDR Stream VOD Part 5-
Well damn. The human army’s a wreck.
Well, I guess that can’t be helped. They’re fighting the Golden after all. The combination of Call Thundercloud and Heavenly Thunder is definitely one to keep an eye out for. Need to keep them from using it. I mean, it’s got awful accuracy for all its flash, so it’s partly just there for show, but still.
As for Golden, riding into the battlefield on a palanquin, huh? I get it, you’re rich. How gorgeous, with a beautiful woman in one arm. I mean, vampires are non-hetero by default, so I get that, too.
Hmm? The elven army’s advancing?
Wait, wait, why? I mean, elves, your whole thing in set-piece battles is ranged combat. That’s the trope and what makes you unique. That and guerrilla fighting in forests. I mean, “Staaaand-byyyyy, Fiiiiire,” is all bootiful, you know.
Ohhh? Hey, the handsome knight’s giving it his all. What you’d call highly mobile defense?
This is all pretty chaotic and random. It’s tossing all the theory out the window, but I suppose it’s ridiculous for a human army to be going toe to toe with vampires to begin with. Looks like there’s some sort of support buff in effect. There’s just so much to pick apart if you started nitpicking.
Well, whatever, I don’t care. Not anymore. I’ve got a bad motivator. Motivation’s shot. I’m in the middle of a wonderfully fun charge... and my horse gives out from under me. But I was still dominating... until the redshirts came in and dragged me off. And of course they are getting hounded by black wolves and things are looking pretty grim.
I mean, sure, if things had stayed the way they were, Kuroi would’ve died. I was running out of MP after all. Combining a stream of Accept Blades with Flame Blade was burning through it a tad too fast. Then, needless to mention, they were hitting her with magic, so had to use Metabolize to get rid of stuns and rots and whatnot, which burned it even faster. I was keeping up her health with Metabolize, too.
Still, though, what’s wrong with that? It was fun. I wanted a challenge on the knife’s edge of failure, where I could lose myself in each attack and each parry... I wanted to stop thinking, and just let myself go. If I had to think about the future, I wouldn’t be playing a game.
Gaming’s here to make me forget about things.
Gaming should just be fun.
Sigh... Why am I crying?
Is it because of what’s happening to the settlement? I mean it’s super-duper rare. And it was starting to develop. There were a lot of weird NPCs, too. They were trying their best. And watching them... was fun.
But I guess that’s all down the drain. I’m going to lose here, after all. The vampires are totally taking the fight to the elves.
Well duh, what else did they expect? Elves engaging in melee is like an outrange boxer exchanging blows at close range. Or a sniper trying to take down a sumo wrestler on the mound. Or maybe a game streamer trying to sing. Oof... I felt an old wound opening with that one.
The human army’s using that opportunity to retreat, but they won’t make it. The Golden won’t give up once she’s found something she likes. Yep, here comes the Heavenly Thunder again. Yep, game over man, game ove... Huh?
Ohhh! Sakiel! Nice block! Beautiful deflection!
But wait, what the heck are you doing out here anyway? You even have the name “Lady of the Wyrm Fortress” yet not only are you out on the battlefield, but you’re standing there on the frontlines! You’re totally out for blood, aren’t you?
Huh, wait, can we make it through this somehow? Is there some way to get through?
Oh, crap, a vampire assault company... Whoa, damn.
The tag team of Ser Handsome and Falcon Wing is really strong. Like sick-OP. The combination of air and land makes them feel damn near invincible. Oh-oh, here comes fire magic. From inside of Sakiel’s shields, too, damn that’s sick.
O-Ohhh... The flames are spreading out and it’s giving room for the elves to fall back. The vampires trying to force their way through are going up in flames. It’s totally an offensive barrier. Looks like retreat’s an option... Maybe we’re gonna make it.
I mean, sure, the human and elven armies are both a mess. Ordinarily, it just looks like it’s curtains down for them. Even without that, this much damage... it’s the sort of thing that makes you want to wipe the slate and just start over.
So why can’t I look away?
Why do I want to cheer them on so badly?
Wow... they did it. The human army made it into the settlement. They made it.
The vampire attacks are intense, but the elven army’s trying their damnedest to hold them off. Sakiel’s gotta be running short on MP, but she’s totally playing up the part of an Apostle, multi-casting her summoning spells.
They just took out the bridges over the moat. Per
fect tactic. This moat’s a reinforced Flowing World made specifically for protecting territory. Not only is it futile to try jumping over it, it’ll even reflect low-level stone magic.
And this makes it a stalemate. It’s almost night, but the vampires can’t force through an offensive. The Golden’s gotta be depleted, and they’ve got maybe a thousand troops left. The moat will boost water magic, so there shouldn’t be any gaps in the elven defenses at mid... range?
Huh? Wait, what the...?
Why haven’t they taken down the bridge at the north gate?
Huh? Why the hell are the garrison troops there getting massacred by elves?
The hell are you guys doing? Just what the hell are you doing?
The vampires have noticed! They’re heading to the north! They’re going to get in! Look, they’re coming in!
You... you, dammit! You redshirt commander!
Arcsem!
What the hell?! Just what the hell are you doing?!
The vampires are going ape! The people! The settlers! Nooo! They’re getting massacred... They’re getting devoured! The army’s noticed, but they’re slow. Well, of course, they’ve finally just figured they’d survived!
Eh? W-What... Shit, seriously?
You... You’re going to take down the bridge now?! You took down the bridge the moment the entire vampire army was on it? Sure, that’s fine if you’re an elf. They’re perfectly capable of crossing the moat. They’ve got those sorts of protections. In fact, they’re escaping. They’re confused, but they’re getting out of there.
But, humans? No escape for them. There’s no penalties like for vampires, but they can’t fly. It’s damn near impossible to cross the moat by swimming across. And it’s already dark. The vampires are attacking. There’s only a handful of them who have the presence of mind to swim and escape, the rest aren’t getting away.
And you’re going to attack there?! Arrows, wind magic, water magic... indiscriminately at that. So it’s going to be like that, huh? Taking out the Golden, humans and all.
Ahahahahahaha... Ahahaha... Damn. Damn you’re cold, Arcsem. As though you’re an avatar of the DDR development team itself. Just how much... Just how much do you hate humanity?
Ah well, screw it.
Screw it. All of it.
The company, game streaming, Deluxe and DX, the immediate deleting of my posts... Well, okay, that’s really damned creepy, so that’s not fine, but still!
Fine, screw it, I’ll do it.
I’ll show you the skill of PotatoStarch, the player.
The Frontier, the settlers... they’re not yours to screw around with like that. I’ll teach you not to screw with them. You’re dead. You’re starched dead.
Kuroi. I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I’m really sorry. You know, lately, when you’re idle, you start looking toward the screen, so there were times I’d just leave you because I wanted to see that... I’m sorry, that’s a lie. I keep trying to change the subject. That’s how I’ve always tried to avoid following through.
I dreamt of you, Kuroi. Kuroi, in my dream you were still so much younger, and you had a different name. But I know it was you. There’s no question of that.
No one understood you, no one accepted you, but still, you kept struggling in spite of your clumsiness... And then you lost things precious to you, and yet you kept on struggling. It was like I was seeing myself.
It’s a cold world, isn’t it? It’s so cold you want to scream out, but the scream is empty and just leaves you so frustrated it hurts.
Humans who get tossed aside into the corner, well, to them, the world’s a frozen desert.
But I heard you. I heard your voice. Your desperate prayer. A plea for strength from God. Truth is, even afterwards, when I was dozing, I felt like I could hear your voice. I’m sure it’s just my imagination. It might just be that... I’m a failure as an adult, unable to differentiate between dreams and reality, but screw it.
That’s fine. No, that’s what I want. I’ve only got one heart, and it’s the only one I get.
I’m angry, I’m sad, I’m frustrated, and I want to do something.
So Kuroi. Let’s fight. Together. Let’s resist this world’s cruelty. We have that power. My skills from countless hours of play and your special powers. It’s time to let loose. No more holding back. There’s a lot of enemies, but we’re going to take them out.
C’mon, Kuroi! Call on the hallowed spirits of the bravely departed!
Call... Einherjar!
34 The Mage Bears Witness and Understands the Power of the Young Girl’s Anger and Sorrow
Oh God, give me a blade to sweep aside the enemy.
And the strength. The strength to crush the gathering horde of enemies. I beseech you.
-Sorcerer Odysson VI-
I’ve got fumes for magic; my charcoal wands and fire lances are out.
“We’re good! Relax! The moat water around this southern bit is pretty tame! We’ve gotten this far, all we gotta do is put up with a bit of cold and we’re home free!” Not giving up. No way in hell I’m giving up.
“The lances! Take the empty lances and jump in! Ah! Ale barrels are fine, too! Toss out what’s inside and cling to em! No need ta panic! Just stare at the sky and float! It’ll be fine! Humans are made to float!” We’ve all got heads. If you don’t stop thinking, there’ll be new options.
“Say! Look at this. Ain’t this cool? The Mage Company, the Red Cloaks, are damned strong! We’ll hold those monsters at bay, so go enjoy a midnight swim!” Monsters, eh?
I thought I knew the yellow eyes were damned dangerous, but that Golden. She’s a cut above the rest. The hell? A storm of lightning bolts? The power’s on another level entirely! Feeling enlightened about now. The Golden exists to end the world itself. The black clouds that still cover the sky, looking arrogantly down at the world, grunting like a rock slide as it figures out how best to destroy the world. The color of death in a stewpot.
Dammit, I ain’t afraid to die. We all die someday. We live knowing that.
“Don’t worry! The elven princess is on our side! We’ll make it through! We’ll make it... We’ll make it if we can stay alive... So stay alive, dammit!” But there’s these louts I don’t want dying on me. There’s so many of them here that I can’t stand letting someone kill them. I’m not giving in. Not now, dammit.
“Hey, Odysson.”
“Eh? What is it, bandage man? Shut up and sleep. We’re short on litters and people. Wait your damned turn.”
“No, no, I’m trying to tell you, I don’t need my turn.” Just what the hell is he saying? This... Peine in the Ass, the commander of the Cliff garrison. When the Bomber Knights brought him in, he was pretty much a corpse, but this sort’s the most likely to cling to life. He can’t move his body, but he can still move his mouth.
“Fire bombs, was it? Can ya just leave me one?”
“We’re out. Also, don’t underestimate how hard flame magic is to use.”
“Aw, dammit. That sucks... was hoping to take those bloodsuckers with me for sure this time.”
“Well, that time’s gonna have to wait, buddy. You wounded need to act like wounded and just get someone to haul you off.”
“Booo.” Went to all the trouble to save his life, no way I’m gonna just let him run off and suicide bomb ’em... Not that I can tell him that.
The warzone’s fighting is coming this way. Bloody hell, too late to drag back the orderlies.
“It ain’t much of a replacement for ammo, but here, take the dagger. Use it well.”
“Keep it. I mean, do I look like I can use it? Look at me.”
“A-Ah? Well, suppose you’re right.” You telling me I have to finish this bugger off? Oh well, better that than getting eaten alive, right?
“Huh. So Odysson, your ace in the hole’s not the dagger?”
“...The hell are you on about?”
“Well, you’re clearly planning to try something. Like if you’re out of ammo, you’ll burn your
blood instead.”
“Oh? They feed you some books or something? S’true, blood’s got magic in it. But it’s too raw to use without refining it. It’s not stable enough to be a medium.”
“So refined blood’s your ace, huh?”
“...You really are sharp. Yeah, this is it.” A white, smelly substance like rock salt taking up room in my pouch. Fire salt. It’s made primarily from human spleen. One of my troops, a born and bred knightly sort, pleaded for me to make it since his wounds were fatal, and so I processed and made it by my hand.
“In all honesty, I don’t think I can control it. I’m damn near out of magic... I might be able to trigger it if I threw my life into the mix.”
“So a proper suicide bomb. How cool.”
“There’s nothing cool about that, you dolt.”
“Nah, it’s cool. I’ll watch the results for you. So try your best.” Trying my best. Yeah, suppose that’s the ultimate truth. That’s what life boils down to in the end.
Welp... here they come. Damned dirty bastards, coming specifically to go after the helpless, despite the fact the fighting’s continuing all around us. Yellow-eyed vampires. Damn. Scores of em, to boot.
“A’ight! Leave this place to me, the Sorcerer Odysson! Now, all of ya, hop into the moat! Help each other out and float! And make sure you live!”
“Oh, no need to worry about me. I’ll probably die if I get into the water, anyway... Huh?” Eh, what the hell is it? When the yammerer goes quiet it sets off all sorts of bells in my head.
Are there enemies coming from the moat, too... Huh?
Cavalry.
Based on the equipment they look like the reinforcements from the Cliffs, but... the hell’s up with the colors? Black, lit on the inside in a burning red, with little flames on the surface, almost like burning coal.
There’s another. Two more. Damn, more of them. One after another. What the hell are these guys? Where are they coming from? There shouldn’t be anyone but civilians and wounded around here... just people the army needs to spend its entire force to evacuate... Ah, got it. So that’s what’s going on.