Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero: 126: Interlude: Reiser

Unfortunately, I’m Not A Hero: 126: Interlude: Reiser

…

Commissioned by Shaderic

Wordcount: 2500

…

Lisette, the Draconic Royal Guard Captain, offered her had to me as I lay beaten on the ground.

I grasped her hand and gave her thanks without thought, as she helped me up from the training ground.

“You’ve grown stronger. Well done.” The words were like those who trained me before. Those whom my family could afford in our dire straits. However, unlike those hedge knights and petty mentors, I could see that Lisette saw more than an increase in speed in their teachings. She saw my growth in skill, in my understanding of battle, and my increasing lethality in combat. “You’re going to be a pain in a fight, if your lord ever decides to fight against Roseanne.”

The words were said in jest, so I allowed them to pass with just a light nod.

If they were not, then I would’ve had Lisette take back her insinuations that Hachiman would betray anyone.

In truth, he was the one always being betrayed.

“I need rest, but if you would have me, I’d like to train some more.” The Royal Guard’s barracks was situated in the palace. It was a den of dragons, more lavish than any palace and itself a mansion fit to house the Demon Lord’s most elite force of soldiery, because it is simply what they required to rest and recuperate with ease of mind. Dragons were normally solitary creatures and the Royal Guards of the Kindred were Dragons… kept in control by ancient pacts by the Demon Lord. “I need to grow stronger for what is coming.”

“Hm. Very well, then. Take a moment and help yourself to some of the grove.” The training ground was surrounded by enchanted trees, each one bearing different fruits at perfect ripeness until they are picked no matter the season. They fed the Dragons between their bouts of training and were gifts from a previous Demon Lord. According to Lisette, they used to always be picked clean, until they were granted by the better nutrition prescribed by Hachiman. Since then they have become stronger, better, and more focused than any Kindred I’ve ever seen. I’m sure that, in combat, they will never be distracted and be fearsome foes indeed. “How do you believe Ylstu will fare against the coming assault?”

I spoke plainly while picking an orange from the nearest tree and taking a seat on a simple, wooden bench.

“The Empire will be rebuffed, my lord will be victorious, and we will crush their retreating forces.” I believed my words completely and that drew Lisette’s curiosity.  How could I know such things, when all the reports and news stated that the Empire has massed a greater army than they’ve ever had in all their history? The greatest Knights, Saints, and Sages were supported by a horde of peoples kidnapped from countless worlds, their remaining professional soldiery, and their conscripted citizenry. They assembled and marched as the Kindred have frozen from their aristocracy nearly being overthrown by my Lord’s hand. “That is the only outcome, but I train now in hopes of limiting those who would die for it.”

“Normally, I would attest that only a fool would say a battle is won before it is fought, but your lord did just that the day we met… and has done it again and again since then.” Lisette spoke and drew… a strange response within my chest. It was a tenebrous sensation which caused me to frown. My shaken spirit drew the attention of my sparring partner. “Is something wrong?”

A part of me considered the thoughts that came with that question wrong, and I thought that they were whispers from my traitorous past, but I recalled Hachiman’s lessons long ago when we fought together bereft of the strain of terrible parting.

“Even a broken clock is right twice.” I muttered Hachiman’s words to myself and a terrible thought occurred to me. “Lisette, the defenses of Ylstu are strong enough to repel the oncoming tide… but there are other places the Empire would strike, no?”

The Kindred’s foremost military commander paused at that thought.

“Ylstu is the center of the continent. It has been fought over because staging any invasion from elsewhere would be suicide and expose one’s flanks to a fortified position filled with a large standing army.” My unease transferred onto my sparring partner and she spoke with great care. However, I could tell that her words weren’t just to convince me. She felt the same chill as I did. “Even if they know that Lord Hikigaya is prepared for them, they wouldn’t consider attacking from elsewhere… would they?”

I recalled my last days with the Empire. As I hid furtively with my few followers and believers, the message being whispered to all its corners was of Hikigaya’s betrayal, of his power, and of his strength. They knew of him, they watched him, and they prepared to kill him. However, what if he grew too mighty? What if the hatred they felt became fear? What if… they needed a way to regain their spirit before trying to defeat him?

I stood up, the refreshment that I had forgotten, as I answered Lisette.

“Martyrs. They would make martyrs of entire divisions, if it meant instilling fervor in their true troops. They have the time and the numbers now, to throw away troops, just to temporarily gain ground.” Ylstu will still be attacked. It will still be the priority target. But the prelude to that campaign will be a terrifying pincer attack meant to be dissolved and eaten by the rest of the Kindred. “The chaos caused by two invasions, the opportunity presented to many Kindred with the sacrifices, and their own primary force untouched… while Hachiman sends his army forth to ensure his allies can come to his aid.”

A war of maneuver on the scale of an entire theatre was impossible for the Empire. Their command structure was too rigid, their willingness to give expensive equipment to field officers was nonexistent, and their noble officers chaffed under direct command. My lord told me this was why the Empire couldn’t rapidly respond, why he could use so few troops to great effect, and why he could count on them making the same mistake again and again. They were too rigid to be used in the changing battlefield.

But the leaders of the Empire would know that, so they change their methods, and look for means to use their outdated army.

Tell them to march west, kill anything they find, and become martyrs, while a true assault of the new army is sent forth.

I started walking without thought towards my lord, while Lisette took flight towards the Demon Lord.

I hoped that I was wrong, that my errant thoughts were midday delusions, or that this was already foreseen.

Because, according to all reports, the Empire had readied itself to attack upon seeing the chaos that just occurred.

Ylstu was ready, but the other bordering territories were in utter disarray.

…

My lord convened with Lady Roseanne after I shared my concerns with him, and moments later we had Lady Roseanne’s court magician at our beck and call… and found a disturbing sight.

“Those bastards. That’s camouflage. Magical and regular camouflage.” Blocking scrying was a good method to be detected, especially with court mages routinely checking on the borders of their nobility for troop movements. To disrupt a path was the same as declaring you were upon it, and so the attacking force would find themselves attacked and battle would ensue. The Empire decided to overturn that principle. “They really are moving to launch suicide attacks at the flanks.”

The regular camouflage was similar to what Hachiman had created while fighting with us. He learned quickly that mages were to be feared and that there would be little arcane protections afforded to him, so he kept his troops concealed however he could. Leaves and sap on netting made from scavenged rope to cover the skies, piles of rock moved to obscure vision, and even elaborate, muddy paintings that melded locations into the foreground when viewed from afar.

Hachiman tried to report its success and speak of how he could make it better with more supplies time and time again.

Now, the Empire used it to their advantage.

“I want everything you’ve told the Empire on my desk about that tactic by tonight, Hachiman. However, for now, inform the rulers of those lands and have them prepare immediately.” Roseanne spoke and Lisette moved quickly to do as she was bid. The Demon Lord’s gaze turned upon me, and I felt fear, until she inclined her head towards me with a nod. “You have my thanks for your swift report and thinking, Reiser. You have saved many of my subjects lives today.”

For a moment, I wondered how she knew of my true name and saw past my disguise, until I realized it would be foolish to conceal such things from her. The normal denizens of Ylstu would question me and have concerns, but a faraway ruler of the Kindred who could smite me down? She would simply acknowledge it and prepare contingencies if required, if my lord did not deal with me if I proved duplicitous.

“You’ll get your report, but it’s obvious that something more needs to be done now. If Reiser’s right, the support I planned on getting is going to get fucked, and I’ll have to fight the entire army we know exists on my own.” Hachiman grunted and glared at Roseanne’s court mage. “Oi, check on the crusade right outside of Ylstu.”

The Kindred was about to comply, a Sorceress with curves and a flowing dress, but Roseanne spoke first.

“You don’t order my court, Hikigaya.” Roseanne spoke, before looking towards her court mage and nodding. The Demon Lord glared at my Lord, as he simply shrugged at her words. The large scrying table we gathered around shifted at the Sorceress’s machinations, and revealed the army we’ve been watching all along. It remained as large and robust as we’d feared, and its size was all the more intimidating knowing that there existed two more armed groups outside of them. “Well, do you think this is some form of camouflage as well, Hikigaya?”

My lord stared and searched for signs only he would know, before bringing his hand to the edge of the table with a growl of anger and a bang as his fist made contact with lacquered wood.

“No. I don’t see a damn thing. It’s a big, fucking army that they used to distract me and they’re planning on throwing at me, too. Fuck.” He swore and fumed as he stared at it, before becoming silent and accessing the scrying table with his meagre magics. He turned his gaze towards the mountains and a shiver went down my spine as I recalled one of his earlier plans to defend Ylstu. “If the flanks can hold long enough, if you can stall their stupid sacrifice long enough, I might be able to do something that’ll help hold the line until reinforcements arrive to sweep things up.”

Roseanne was quiet for a moment, before speaking.

“You need reinforcements? You cannot do this with your ships, your Demon, and all your assets?” The Demon Lord’s voice seemed subdued and that surprised all but my Lord in the room. The maids, the Sorceress, and even I was disconcerted at the hesitation and apprehension in Roseanne’s voice. I half expected to find concern and worry in her gaze, but instead I found anger. “Did you ignore your primary duty, Hachiman!?”

Power rolled off her, disrupting the scrying table, nearly making me draw my sword, and causing the maids to faint. I felt a distinct other pressure on me, as the Sorceress gazed upon me and readied herself to fight as well, while the Demon Lord glared at Hachiman with power roiling off of her.

I would’ve attacked if he looked threatened in the slightest, but instead he met the Demon Lord’s glare after steeling himself with what little magic he had.

“You dumb bitch, you sent me away for months to secure trade lines and national renown! Even then, I had everything ready, until two literally invisible armies showed up on my NEIGHBOR’S doorstep!” Hachiman roared in the face of danger. Sweat stained his brow and it was obvious that he was exerting all the magic he had to withstand the spike of power. That was, until a crack formed in reality at his back, and A’Bel arrived ready for conflict, resplendent in demonic arms and armor, and radiating an aura all her own ready to fight against the Demon Lord. As I looked upon him, I did draw my sword, so did the hidden Kunoichi at his side, even as we all trembled. Yes, even if it meant dying, we would fight at this moment for him. All of us. “Use your fucking brain, or I’ll make you use it! Do you seriously think everything’s going to be perfect and nothing will go wrong!? Or, that I’d risk losing Ylstu to either you or the Empire by not doing my job!?”

An enraged Demon Lord was the start of many legends in the Empire. Legends of destruction and despair, as hordes of monsters led by an unstoppable foe marched on our lands, which broke the spirits of whole armies.

Hachiman stood against that Demon Lord. He struggled to stand, he strained to match her gaze, and he could barely speak… but he spoke, he reasoned, and he conveyed that he was right to one of the strongest beings of existence.

While those who pledged themselves to him did not waver in the slightest as well.

How… how… how could I have ever betrayed him?

How could I have even hesitated in readying myself to die for him here and now?

As those thoughts raged within my mind, the pressure exuded by the Demon Lord faded… and even though her shoulders shook with rage and her teeth grit… she nodded and released a controlled breath.

“You… are right. I apologize. That was a mistake. My mistake. Hikigaya Hachiman.” The Demon Lord Roseanne became more than just a legendary monster in my eyes in an instant, although it took a man straight out of legend to do it, she conducted herself properly as a ruler should. “Let us retire until sunset. We’ll reconvene later, after you’ve rested. I will have you tended by my physician, or pay for whomsoever you wish to check on you otherwise. I apologize.”

At those words, Hachiman allowed himself to let go and fell back.

A’Bel was covered in Demonic armor, and the Kunoichi were quite far, so I caught him in my arms as he used the last of his strength to utter words to Roseanne.

“Apologize by securing the flanks, so that I can save my people, Roseanne.”

And, with that, he became unconscious in my arms.

Even to the last, all he had in his mind were his people.

Truly.

I didn’t deserve to even try to reach for him again.