Szene A

With total absence of light my mind hovered. I felt a sting of pain around my body, but none of my limb responded to my command. The darkness all around finally compelled me to ask an important question.

"Where am I?"

"Why don't you observe for yourself, Asaka." A soft and calming voice of a girl answered.

With which answer, a deafening voice echoed through and around the void. Focusing my senses, I felt more disturbing presence. It was mud, muddy water, all around me. It was engine noises, struggling to be alive, like me. It was screams, piercing terrified scream before it was muffled by the muddy water.

I remembered what happened. "This is the time, isn't it? Everyone, I apologize."

"No, not now. You can't give up now, Asaka!" That voice echoed again and again as I felt water rushing down to my lungs.

"Not now? Why not?"

"We have to save the others!"

...

With a jolt, Asaka snapped out.

The familiar ceiling greeted Asaka. It was just a nightmare that had been haunting her since that fateful day. The nightmare that had made her afraid to go to sleep. She was almost used with waking up with heavy breath and trembled hand. But something was different with today's one, that soothing voice. Of all characters who starred her nightmare, she didn't recognize this one.

Whose voice is that?

After composing herself for a few minutes, Asaka looked at the bedside clock. It was 08:42 A.M.

Damn it, I'm late again. She groaned.

…

CHAPTER ONE – THE OVERTURE

Szene 002 – Present Day Asaka

It was a bright twilight. The Sensha-Do team of Girls Academy of Art Steyr just finished today's daily practice.

In the school tank garage, a member of this team, Asaka Haida, got out of the hatch of a Panzer 35(t). At 166cm, Asaka was tall for a 17 years old Japanese school girl. Her ashen grey eyes and pale complexion looked tired. Her chin-length hay-colored hair were always awry, especially after practice. She was wearing the Sensha-Do uniform. a light-grey collared double-breasted tunic with red linings, black high collars with red collar tabs, and the team emblem on its left chest, secured by a white belt and bronze buckle, and accompanied by a pleated light-grey skirt with a red streak on its sides and a pair of long black socks and black boots.

While standing atop the turret, a familiar view greeted Asaka. In the garage was various tanks of various origins, a Czechoslovakian LT vz 35 that modified into a Pz. 35(t), Three Hungarian Turán III tanks, a Hungarian Tas heavy tank and three German Hetzer tank destroyers. Yet, the tanks were not the centre of her attention, it was her teammates.

Oh, look at this, they're fighting again. She ironically pondered, as she sat down atop the turret to watch. Bunch of art students and general studies. Guess, it's a riot now.

A fight between students of different departments was a common sight in this team. Art School, General Studies, Naval Studies, Engineering Studies, each department aboard ViribusUnitis was virtually an independent school with their own managements, student councils and curricula. In a school club like the Sensha-Do team where students of various departments were members of, each member thought she was representing her department instead of the team, or so concluded Asaka after several months in this school.

After some moments, the riot was finally dispersed. At the middle of the dispersing crowd was a girl with ponytailed black hair and blue eyes, wearing the commander uniform, which was just a regular uniform with the collar tabs decorated with two golden stars. The girl was vice-commander Diana. She was commanding the rest of the students to return to their disperse and go home with such a militaristic assertiveness.

Asaka was about to pack her thing inside the tank when she realized something unusual. Vice-commander Diana approached her.

"Hey you're the transfer girl, Asaka Haida, right? Asked Diana as soon as she approached. She had a unusually deep voice.

Transfer girl? I've been here for months. Asaka sat on the turret. "Maybe. What'd I do, Vice-commander?" Asaka asked.

"That's not the way to talk to your superior, Miss Haida."

Asaka softly scoffed. "Well, sorry ma'am, I'm just tired. Yes I am an Asaka Haida. Can I help you, ma'am?"

Diana was expressionless at Asaka's obvious sarcasm. "Vetsera-sama, wants to see you. After me." She ordered to follow her.

Commander Vetsera? the Vampire of Styria? What does she want with me?

Szene 003 – Diana The Maid

The walk with The Vice-commander had served Asaka a view around the headquarter. She never had a chance to walk around Schloss Itter, the headquarter of the Sensha-Do club. Diana and Asaka walked almost side by side in an awkward silence on their way through labyrinthian corridors, hallways and courtyards. Asaka couldn't help but to stare at Diana on account of curiosity.

"Why did you call the commander Vetsera-sama?" Asked Asaka, half-joking. "You are her maid or something?"

"That is correct." She said almost spontaneously. "My family have served the barons and baronesses of Vetsera since even before our families came to this country, be it as handmaidens or personal assistant. I am also her cousin."

The knowledge took Asaka aback. She didn't expect her haphazard guess that Diana was the commander's maid to be true. However, the fact that the commander was a member of European nobility was already known. From what Asaka remembered, Vetsera's ancestors were banished from Austria to Japan after the death of Crown Prince Rudolf von Habsburg in 1889. Legend had it that the Vetseras were the one who founded this academy.

"About Commander Vetsera...I've actually never seen her." Asaka asked.

"Not surprising. You're new." She said flatly. "She is very busy with a project. I act on her stead in her absence."

Huh? What kind of Commander is that? Asaka wanted to say. "Hope the project is important." She remarked.

Diana stopped walking and looked at Asaka "I do really hope so." She said, almost whispering. Her expression was somewhat more defenseless.

"And for whatever reason does she want with me, I wonder?" Asaka asked, as they started to walk again.

"Lady Vetsera would tell that to you directly." She said, still as flat. "But I suppose it's my turn to ask a question, if you don't mind, of course. We still have a good long way to go."

It is a bloody long walk. She lamented. "Fine, shoot."

Diana cleared her throat. "In the practice match today. Why on earth did you charge towards a heavy tank? Your tank is supposed to be a recon tank and your team had the upper hand."

Asaka chuckled. "I didn't have a choice, the crews of the Hetzers and the Turáns were fighting over which one of them should attack first. The least I could do was showing a small example to them."

"Hmm? Is that so? I wasn't expecting you to be the type to throw a match like that, considering your previous school." Said Diana.

Asaka involuntarily scoffed, recalling the disaster that haunted her dreams. She then faked an awkward laugh. "Our team weren't going to win anyway, not with them bickered like that."

"Indeed, we are not." Diana flatly said as she walked ahead of Asaka. She didn't see her expression from the rear like this, but somehow Asaka imagined she smiled. "Come on, the workshop is just after this courtyard."

"Workshop? I thought we are going to meet in her office?"

"Yes, her office is in the workshop."

Chapter 01 – Call of the Vampire – END