54 The Priest Calculates and Arranges for the Final Battle, so that Humanity Will Not Fall

God’s presence is strengthening. The flames burn redder.

Battle. A great battle is just over the horizon.

-Father Felipo I-

“Yo! I just heard some crazy news! That soldier was a messenger, wasn’t he?!” Odysson is heaving after sprinting into my office, so I offer him a cup of water.

“Indeed he was. I shall explain, but first please have some of this.”

I pour myself a cup as well, and drink letting the water sit in my mouth, then swallowing slowly; it helps to quell the fire burning in my chest.

After a pause, I continue. “A large number of vampires attacked from the west and are making their way south.” It burns my tongue to even utter that statement. “Reports say they were led by the Apostle Crumbling Mountain. They cut through the western lands with the speed of a comet, assaulted the city housing our refugees in search of supplies, and then drilled and carved a path through the Sacred Shield Mountains.”

The cup in Odysson’s hand quakes. The water spilling from it clearly reveals his mental state: shock and fear. I know how you feel, my man.

“A-And the people...?”

“Very few were spared from the disaster.” I lament.

“You said they carved through the mountain?”

“They made use of an earthen magic on a scale the likes of which has never been seen before.” My throat is so parched, and my interlaced fingers are about to crush each other from how tight my grip is. I can’t even reach for the water jug; I’m so tense. “After entering the plains, the vampire army split in two.” A sharp pain shoots through my lips. No amount of saliva can keep them from drying out. My breath is so warm and moist, too. “We still don’t have information on which group Crumbling Mountain is leading, but we believe one is heading east for the fort. Their progress is slow, but this most likely means that the damage to the nearby towns is immense.”

The sourcing of supplies from locals—expressed in military terms, that’s all it really is... but reality is much more gruesome. I can’t even find the words to describe how horrific it is. Odysson’s face has gone from green to sheet white, and with good reason. Unfortunately, I must be the bearer of even more despair-inducing news:

“As for the other group, they are proceeding at a forced march to the southeast.”

His shoulders twitch. I knew he’d be able to discern what those words imply.

“Wait, does that mean...”

“Yes. I believe they are targeting the palace.”

A wordless cry reaches my ears. I won’t berate him for being melodramatic, though, for I too let out a silent scream when I guessed their trajectory.

Our country—the one nation we humans managed to build up, the Tryus Nation... is on the verge of destruction. This is an absolutely certain fact; a grim reality we can do nothing to stop. For those of us who have abandoned the central government—or perhaps it is we who were abandoned—this truth is especially clear.

An era is about to end with a great, great human loss.

“Th-The knights... The royal army could...” Odysson mutters.

“Have you forgotten? We are the only ones who have been able to fend off an army of a thousand vampires thanks to receiving God’s blessing.”

“Th-They have the Church; surely they...”

“Frankly speaking, the conventional religion is wrong. That long period of history in which we had no God only served to further our praying techniques. Without a doubt, our tradition and understanding were distorted by the Church. Hope is out of the question.”

I won’t criticize them. I can’t; not when I’ve only just learned of the true God. Religion is about facing God, but religious sects are human-facing organizations; one must consider each separately. To never err is not necessarily to always do the right thing. What salvation can there be in telling a parent whose child has been eaten that there is no God?

However, the real issue is that we require a true faith in order to combat the vampires. Thus, it goes without saying that a revolution must take place—a religious revolution. I was certain that we could secure the time needed for this radical change by fighting north of the fort, but... What imprudence.

Suddenly, the sound of rushed galloping comes from outside. The fact that they’ve come directly to me means it’s urgent, bad news. Boots on rock echo, followed by the sound of a sword clinking in its sheath. They fling open the door without even a knock—why, it’s Origis! What a sight he is. The presence of the battlefield radiates from his body.

“While on patrol, we rescued a rider who was attacked by a vampire.”

“A v-vampire? What—” Odysson splutters.

“The rumors were correct... whether they invade from the north or the west, it makes no difference. Our enemy is penetrating the northern lands,” Origis announces.

“So the war has escalated that far, huh? And what of the rider you saved?” I ask.

“A messenger from the Hell Expanse. Didn’t mean to snub you, but I took the report personally. His letter was too bloody from his wounds...”

“Titles and position mean nothing among us.”

With the imminent fall of the nation, words carry much weight. For the nobles in the capital, who are crushed by despair, position and titles are all they have to live for. Even in a state of emergency, they continue their comical dance, much like those under the demon of narcotics.

“So, Origis. What did the Commander have to say?”

Lord Willow’s decision to stay in the Hell Expanse... it cannot be just for the convenience of the position. Did he learn something in a prisoner interrogation? Or did he receive a message from God?

“My brother can be quite... brusque at times, but according to one of his prisoners, there is an army of thirty thousand vampires heading south from the center of the continent.”

For the first time, I’m at a loss for words. Thirty thousand vampires. If we include their familiars, that’s potentially a force of sixty thousand total. If they charged at us with those numbers, we would be crushed, even if every single man we have fought. We are facing the literal end of humanity.

“Hey, Father. Is this...?” Odysson starts.

“Yes. First, they are without a doubt cooperating with the southern invasion force. Those to the north of the fort are about to be trapped in a massive pincer attack,” I reply.

“My brother thought the same. However, son Peine seems to have taken his conjecture one step further,” says Origis.

“Oh? What does my friend have to say?” I inquire.

“Their target is Lady Kuroi,” he discloses.

Ah, I see. Yes, that is possible. He has fought them on the battlefield; surely he has some unique insight into this. It would also line up with previous reports.

If the vampires were after Lady Kuroi, that would reveal their crafty plan.

First, choosing the wide western front as a battlefield allows them to lay the groundwork for this strategy, and dip their toes in the proverbial water. Whether Lady Kuroi shows up or not is of no consequence. However, if she does appear, it gives them the chance to analyze her battle prowess for a bit before retreating. This initial force was never going to be strong enough to defeat an Apostle, so it’s only natural.

Second, they send an army to the Hell Expanse. This army is not there to attack any towns, but simply exists to threaten us, and act as a lure for Lady Kuroi. Then, they root themselves there. An effective plan with little cost.

Third, once the first and second steps are successful, they execute their brilliant plan. Now that they are familiar with the wide plains, they send about ten thousand troops charging deep into our territory, without any human hindrance. With Lady Kuroi distracted, they can do that no problem. Crumbling Mountain’s powers allow them to carve through the mountains and enter the southern territory.

Finally, they attack the fort from the south and cut off Lady Kuroi’s retreat, then crush her with their main force from the north.

I see... Now I understand. I sense the Demon God’s hand in this. And destroying the human nation as a bonus? How evil! They mean to kill Lady Kuroi only after plunging her into the deepest of despairs.

“May I continue? There’s more,” asks Origis.

Oh! It seems I got lost in thought there for a bit; how complacent of me. I pour a cup of water and offer it to him. And you, Odysson, get a hold of yourself, man!

“The prisoner clued in the possibility that the northern force could be commanded by Thunderstorm.”

“That seems suspect,” I remark after a pause.

“Oh, it’s far more than ‘suspect.’ As if the yellow-eyes would send all of their Apostles here! Even if it is true, the long-ears won’t just sit idly by,” Odysson interjects.

“Logically speaking, I agree. Nevertheless, Lady Kuroi stated that Thunderstorm was leading them until at least the halfway point,” reports Origis.

What? Why, that’s...

“Oh, and one last thing: Crumbling Mountain is heading south, according to Lady Kuroi.”

“Whoa... Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is that...?”

“True? Yes, I’d say there’s no room for doubt.”

She is God’s oracle, after all, isn’t she? The question is, should we be trembling with gratitude for this information; or be shivering at the severity of our situation, which is precarious enough for God to step in Himself? It is a good question indeed. One thing is for certain: humanity’s survival depends on our decision here.

“Mmh, that’s good water. Odysson, you should have some. Also, you don’t have to grip your cup so tightly,” says Origis.

“R-Right... You sure seem calm. Is it your military training?”

“It’s because I’m a ranked officer; I don’t need to understand the big picture. Just point me to the battlefield and I’m good. I’ll risk my life fighting, as usual.”

“Even so...”

“I have a God to serve, who has granted us an Apostle. My commander is trustworthy, and my battle buddies are reliable. I would have no regrets dying alongside my men. This is a warrior’s true desire.”

Hee hee! That loquaciousness, and the look he shoots me. I should have expected nothing less of Lord Willow’s younger brother. Yes, I understand. Let us find you a battlefield—a grand stage for our revolution.

“I will use this information to negotiate with the elves,” I assert. They cannot stay on the sidelines; I will drag Ten Thousand Bells, Deep Sea, and Absolute into this kicking and screaming if I have to. The Demon and Dragon Gods can make their appearances as well. Then, they can all die. That is our goal—no, our minimum requirement. “I am sure it will take much deliberating, but once it is done we shall head south.”

“Right, I see. There’s no point in staying here. I just hope the long-ears understand that.”

“I will make them understand. Golden’s destruction was a great victory for us. Thunderstorm was always an opponent that the elves should have taken on, anyway. You could even call it a duty. Don’t worry, they will show their pride—the pride of the Ewlogond Republic.”

It must be some bit of lingering attachment that makes me use their nation’s name... or maybe it’s a complaint. After all, we are about to lose our country. It was rotten to the core, of course, but it was the system I was born and raised in. I cannot help but love and hate it equally.

The memories of certain places come flooding back to me: the streets of the capital, the spires of the palace, the chapel of the Church. As a young lad, those buildings seemed to me like the crystallization of humanity’s intellect. I believed that the world of the humans was beautiful.

I’m not about to sit idly by and let it all be crushed underfoot, like some sort of blunder.

“We will defeat Crumbling Mountain’s army with great speed. I will not allow a long, drawn-out battle,” declares Origis.

“I mean, that’s nice but...” Odysson mumbles.

“The longer this takes, the more danger we are put in.”

Fighting a war of attrition while stepping on the corpse of our nation would be a nightmare. Our supplies would be uncertain, and the chaos that follows the collapse of the government would crush us.

“Once we’ve defeated Crumbling Mountain, we will mount a counter-invasion against the Demon God.”

The perfect plan... Deus Ex.

Right now, the only way for humanity to survive is through an all-out offensive, with our lives on the line.