“Countering the demonic threat requires great valiance. Many suppression forces had been sent in an attempt to pacify or liquidate these creatures, however, usually, these forces fail to achieve their objectives. Most simply force the beasts to merely retreat and lick their wounds, unable to press forward due to lack of morale and supplies. Others fold entirely, and rout. And in a rout, casualties run high, causing more terror for the next suppression forces that would follow. It is why demonic creatures usually receive a moniker. A demon with a moniker is one that routed those who have attempted to liquidate it. While we cannot stop the demoralizing effect of people giving these beings monikers, we must acknowledge that giving in to fear all because of a fancy name would only serve to fail an operation, for morale is of utmost need when fighting them.”

- Excerpt from “An Emergency Treatise on the Subject of ‘Demons’” by Daniel Specke.

+++

+++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++

Rousselot City

AUG 4, 1538 CE

“Gentlemen! Ladies!” The sudden presence of Captain Strobel inside the room silenced the discussions between Father Olbrich, Hans, Adelyn, and the Countess. “I have, by my hand…a piece of paper. That’s all they’re sending us.”

Hans sighed.

“That’s it? I thought they were sending in mercenaries?”

“Well, unfortunately, the Calamity of Desire has apparently just wiped out a city up north,” the Captain laughed. “Twenty-thousand dead, ladies and gentlemen. The IYC has now stated that…well, we deal with this crap coming for us, and they’ll deal with the Calamity. Oh, and they’re sending a few agents to see our new capabilities, but that just means they’re not here to help. They’re here to possibly take the two of you from our jurisdiction.”

“That’s not good. What about the other regiments?” Adelyn asked.

“The other regiments are either busy fighting Republican guerillas…others…are fighting the other demons all around Ygeia, and…”

He approached the table and stabbed one of the minor towns just up north of the County of Rousselot. It was a coastal town, up in the County of Hainaut-Halm.

“There, is where the so-called ‘Tentacled Eel’ last attacked,” Captain Strobel said. “House Hainaut-Halm has now…in posthaste, ordered an evacuation of every coastal town right on the path of the beast. Count Hainaut-Halm would also most likely not challenge it, I mean, why would he?”

Captain Strobel laughed as he looked at the Countess.

“It’s clearly en route to your city, not his.”

The Countess seemed devoid of any expression. She looked around the four of them, before coming into a decision.

“Restart the fortification of this city,” the Countess said. “We’ll determine if evacuation is needed later. All towns up north…yes…please evacuate them, however.”

“We need to form up a defense line,” Hans said. “Up north. Triple defense lines. We’ll try to engage it as it advances. If it’s too strong, we’ll retreat as needed.”

Father Olbrich smiled. “You’re already strategizing.”

“Of course I am,” Hans adjusted his glasses. “Do we have sappers in the 4th?”

Captain Strobel nodded. “Of course we do, Lieutenant. They’re a part of our support units. What kind of a self-sustaining regiment doesn’t have engineers ready to do siege works?”

“Well, we’re not conducting a siege, Captain. We’ll be stopping a second Siege of Rousselot. Or more accurately, we’re going to be stopping its slaughter,” Hans said, as he pulled a red marker, and began drawing lines north of Rousselot city.

“Defense Line A, thirty kilometers north, will be a lightly manned outpost. I propose that we build light observation towers over here alongside a one-alarm cannon that will be fired when the beast is spotted. The line should cover six kilometers at least.

“Defense Line B, twenty-five kilometers north, will have prepared artillery mounted in double dug-in for an assault on any sector. It’ll cover five kilometers. We’ll have ten artillery pieces in total, and this is where we’ll fully engage the beast for the first time. If it proves too strong, we’ll retreat.

“Defense Line C will be similar to Defense Line B, ten kilometers from here, but it will only have the remaining cannons, and will only be a delaying line for the evacuation of the city.”

The lines Hans drew on the map were looked at by the rest of them. He didn’t just draw it willy-nilly either. He had some knowledge already of the terrain up north due to his days-long scouting operations there before they killed the Rodent of Pestilence. All of the lines took into account the terrain drawn on the map, alongside the (now abandoned) towns and villages around it.

“Quite the ambitious plan, Lieutenant,” Captain Strobel said. “We’ll need at least five thousand laborers to support our sappers in this. We should be able to finish it within ten days.”

“I’ll be paying for that,” the Countess declared.

“Ten days? What if the beast is too fast?” Adelyn asked.

“Well, we can’t do anything about that,” Captain Strobel said. “But I see the merits in this. A fortified line means it cannot simply charge in. We’ll erect elevated trenches covered with palisades and dug-in artillery. I’d like to see a demonic eel charge through that and musket fire.”

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“Hmm…” Hans looked at Captain Strobel. “Sir, have you perhaps participated in a siege?”

The Captain laughed. “Oh, of course I did. Before I was deployed here, I fought during the invasion of the Republic. If there’s anything I can give the Vanus people credit for, I’d say it’s their forts. I rarely see such beautifully constructed bastion forts in the Imperial core. Shame…their field armies evaporate quickly and those walls mean nothing when the supply runs out.”

“As much as I’d like to hear my dead nation’s former enemy mock me on my land,” the Countess said. “Can we please proceed in planning the defense further? And Captain…you’re pushing my buttons too much at this point. I am not pleased.”

“Apologies, Milady.”

I still don’t get how this guy managed to be still under her. Hans thought. Then again, he’s the only half-competent officer she has to lead her defense forces. It is what it is, I guess. Then again, they’re an Imperial Regiment. If anything, his job here is to control her.

“Then just do your jobs, gentlemen,” the Countess turned around and went to the windows, looking at the distant harbor of the city. “This city never fell to the Imperium’s armies by force.”

She looked back. “I’m not letting it fall to a mindless beast.”

+++

“They sent something,” Captain Strobel said. The two of them were walking down the city’s streets straight to the harbor when they received the big news. “Eight frigates. Under the 14th Imperial Naval Squadron. I think they have troops in that too.”

“That’s a damned good news, we need more men after all.”

“Yeah, but that might be the last good news we’ll have.” Soon, they were at the harbor. In the distance, Hans could see four wooden sail ships with some artillery on their sides docking at the port. The ships flew the flag of the Imperium—a simple saw-toothed blue saltire on a white field. Said to both represent the blue cross of the Goddess of Modesty, the patron goddess of the Imperial Family, and the distant Principality of Armonia, which was widely considered as the Imperial Core.

Funnily enough, being considered as a quasi-free county, Hans rarely saw that flag in Rousselot. In fact, the usual flags he would see on Rousselot was the flag of either the Imperial Ygeia Company (the vertical black-white-red tricolor of the Principality of Ygeia with the words KYK on the middle—meaning Kaiserliche Ygeia-Kompanie) or the black-white-red tricolor of Ygeia itself.

“Are we keeping the ports open then?” Hans asked.

“Course we,” Captain Strobel said. “We’re receiving a lot of refugees from ships up north. Folks are fleeing the demonic threat. Can’t really deny them protection.”

“But Rousselot is in danger.”

“All the more reason to keep it open, just like our gates. We need to be able to evacuate people off here fast when need be. Plus, it’s not just us that needs to evacuate. Again, people are still using this city as a stopping point to flee down south.”

“I understand that,” Hans said. “But…really, why are we even waiting whether or not we should evacuate or not.”

“I don’t know what kind of a nation you come from where evacuating a city can happen that fast. But this city is people’s lives, Lieutenant. Once they leave this place, who knows where the hell they will find their livelihoods afterward? Or if there’s even any place that would accept them. Gods…the south, the east, all of it, are under threat of the demons.”

The two watched as men finally disembarked from the frigates, as two more arrived from the seas. “Quite frankly, we’re still hoping that it turns around, and it doesn’t attack us.”

“It’s not on my strike distance,” Hans said. “I want to go in and recon it, but my fuel’s running low.”

“That's why you want a defensive approach, no?” Captain Strobel said. “Better fight in a terrain you know so you move less.”

“Aye,” Hans said. “I’m almost down to just two-thirds of my original full tank, or well, fuel. Realistically, I cannot go down any further. Fighting requires movement. Movement costs fuel. Without it, I can’t kill demons.”

“Well, lucky we can try the defensive approach,” Captain Strobel said. He turned to Hans. “You know, that thing can still bypass it though.”

“Not if it doesn’t know what it’s going into,” Hans said. “I’m just trying to bait it again into our defenses. Worked on the last one, might work this time. If it’s hungry to slaughter people down here, it’d rush through the shortest route, which would mean it will charge straight south.”

“Assuming it’s that mindless,” Captain Strobel said. “Now, enough about ruminating our defenses, we already have decided the course of action on that. No, Lieutenant, what about you? And that kid that’s tagging along with you? Heard that the Countess rejected taking her in her household. Honestly, I don’t understand why you expected her not to do that. The Vanus are ruthless people, even to their race. Cutthroat bastards that they are.”

“Come on, now,” Hans said. “I’m sure she has her reasons. Plus, we just asked. She has a right to say no, even I can understand that. Not that I don’t feel a bit angry at everyone just…pushing the girl away.”

“Well, you’re a part of that, Lieutenant,” Captain Strobel said. “You saved her, no?”

“Yeah? Doesn’t mean I’m supposed to take care of her,” Hans laughed. “Look, we’re planning to specialize in hunting demons to make our living. We’d be glorified mercenaries. Dragging a kid along would just endanger her.”

“You say that as if leaving her in this city would keep her safe. Now, I’m still skeptical of that kid too, so, for all I know, she could be a danger to you even—”

“Come on, why the hell are you all acting as if she can be of any danger,” Hans frowned. “It’s a damned kid. Do you all think if you gave her sweets she’d just bloodsuck the crap out of you with her sharp canines?”

“Well, you never know, she’s a Vanus.”

“Well, so what?” Hans asked. “I’m a Vanus. You seem to be working with me just fine.”

“Again, you seem, and you appear human. You’re most likely half-human anyway. Not that I’d ask. Plus, it’s not about their blood itself. It’s their damned culture and tradition. You and Adelyn obviously grew up in a more human one.”

“...The only damned Vanus I’ve seen is the Countess, and I don’t even know yet what’s wrong with her.”

“They’re arrogant—”

“And they’re greedy and bloodthirsty, and all they care about is their General Tier, and their magic, or whatever,” Hans shook his head. “Look, I’ve heard enough. Alizée is none of that. She’s just an innocent kid who needs a home to, I don’t know, grow into a good person. She just got hit by bad luck. That’s it.”

“You know…that’s why I asked you. It’s obvious that no one wants to take that Amboise girl. Quite frankly, you should be very happy that we’re even willing to hide an Amboise in this city. But you two, you’re the only ones who give a crap about her.”

Captain Strobel straightened himself. “I’d be going into the barracks. The decision is up to you in the end anyway, Lieutenant.”