Unmei Force: The Vampire War

by Xovercreator

(Vol 4 Prologue) After recovering from the aftermath of the battle in the Doodle Sphere, Richard has been tasked with Yukari to help with a certain issue regarding the Gensokyo within the Color-Verse. However, he would find himself and Sumireko partaking in the bloodiest incident of the history of Gensokyo for themselves... although they would not be alone on that matter.

1. Act 1

Act 1: The War on Gensokyo

---

As Richard began to recover from the recent events, and after having dealt with a certain issue involving Yun, he began to wonder about the current situation of the world as it was.

'It's been a while since I last had a chance to leave this place…' Richard thought to himself. '...Yukari promised me that she managed to keep everything under control, and I can't have any doubt in her… but something in me… feels like I'm losing my touch…'

He then looked at his right hand, as he closed his eyes, thinking about his own breakdown back in the Doodle-Sphere.

'On one hand… I feel like I really should be sitting back and letting others handle things more… But on the other hand…' Richard winced slightly, as he clenched his hand into a fist. 'Some part of me refuses to be left behind in the march of progress. I may be momentarily freed of my responsibilities as a military officer for the UGF… but I'm still a leader of the Unmei Force. I can't just procrastinate my responsibilities to others. It's not right when Jexi and David are willing to stand strong against everything.'

"Richard?" Gus asked, as he noticed that Richard was in a trance. "You okay?"

"Oh, Gus." Richard stated. "...I didn't notice you there. Sorry, I was just thinking about personal matters."

"As always." Gus nodded back slightly. "...Yukari wants you for something."

"This soon…?" Richard asked back, as he felt a sense of hope swelling in his heart, as if the acknowledgement meant that he would be soon cleared for duty once more, although he did not show much of it on his face. "...What could she need me for? A check-up?"

"She told me to come to her, and not much else." Gus responded back. "...Frankly, from the sounds of it, she might have a task that you might need to do. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."

"I know. I know." Richard stated, before he then slowly got up. "...Gus, do you think that I'll-"

"Not a chance in hell." Gus shook his head. "...Yukari knows how much emotional anguish you have been through, and she wouldn't put you through anything truly taxing. Personally, I think she's just giving you something to get you back in the game with. Or maybe it's both that, and an important thing that has to be done for the wider reality."

"That's not what I-" Richard argued, before Gus placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Richard… you don't need to blame yourself for your own flaws. You tried your best despite everything, and you still held on as much as you could in those moments." Gus assured Richard. "...You're not an unrepentant monster, and you won't end up causing tragedies to occur. Don't forget, you saved so many more lives, and you swore to make up for your mistakes. Because that's just the kind of person you are."

"...Thanks, and sorry for being so weak-hearted." Richard mumbled.

"Don't worry, we'll remind you as many times as you need." Gus chuckled lightly, making a slight jest.

"...Glad to see that you haven't lost your humour." Richard smiled back.

The two of them then parted ways, as Richard ascended into the space fortress's briefing room, as Yukari was there waiting for him, with Sumireko.

"Sumireko?" Richard asked with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"Because Yukari called me as well, duh." Sumireko simply answered back. "Someone has to chaperone for you, don't they?"

"Sumireko." Yukari firmly stated, as Sumireko turned to her with a sheepish expression.

"Come on, can't I try to tease him to help him feel a lot less gloomy? Everyone liked him more when he wasn't… You know what, I won't press the issue." Sumireko pouted, before turning back to Richard with a sympathetic expression. "...Just know that I'm just here to have your back."

"Right." Richard nodded back, before he then turned to Yukari. "What's the matter, Yukari? What kind of mission do you need the two of us for? It should be fairly simple if you only need two of us."

"Actually, three. But there is already one person down there." Yukari answered back. "It's for a good reason regarding the specifics of the mission itself. And the specifics are what's important for you to understand right now."

Richard merely nodded silently to make an affirmative response, prompting Yukari to start her briefing.

"It's been fairly recent, but we've finally managed to get into contact with this reality's Gensokyo." Yukari stated. "...I'm sure that both of you, and a few of our fellow residents can understand how much of a boon this is. However, it seems that there has been a slight problem on any attempts on how to deal with it. Mainly one certain incident."

"What kind of incident do you mean? Imperishable Night? Scarlet Mist? Spring Snow?" Sumireko listed off.

"The Vampire Incident." Yukari seriously declared, as Richard's expression hardened, while Sumireko froze.

"Oh… Oh, that's not good at all, is it?" Sumireko stated, as there was a slight hint of concern in her voice.

"The Vampire Incident necessitated the existence of the Spell Card Rules." Richard bluntly declared. "...Of course it's not something that we can just breeze past. But if you're confident with only three of us, it's not as terrifying as it should be, right?"

"I can't precisely see the future, but I can tell that there is going to be a conflict occurring down there, and it will certainly be quite bloody." Yukari answered back. "...Since you need something to figuratively whet your teeth on before you go back to being a leader of the Unmei Force, I decided that this would be it."

"So you're saying that the only threats down there should be the ones confined to this world alone, right?" Richard questioned.

"As far as I can tell. There is no hide nor hair that any inter-dimensional hostiles have a presence here." Yukari answered back.

"Good thing too. We don't want goddamn Flux trying to mess things up. But then again, he cares so little about anything else but screwing up the Hero Alliance, so we should be mostly safe from his antics." Sumireko stated. "...And the multiversal situation seems to be quiet on the front for now."

"I would leave your participation to a choice… but I can tell that there is only one choice for you, isn't there?" Yukari asked Richard.

"Yeah. I'll do it." Richard nodded back, before he then opened a sukima. "Hopefully everything will go down fine down there. I rather not deal with anything that can shake a universe like Gus did back then."

"Hm." Yukari answered back, before both Sumireko and Richard disappeared through the created sukima, while Yukari left the room, as she muttered to herself. "...I wonder how you'll think of this. After all, you will be seeing something from your own past."

---

In the former Scarlet Devil Mansion…

The entire front lobby was silent, as the only lights that were present in the entire area was the flickering lights of the candles, which swayed and flickered on the footsteps that echoed through the area, as a trio of vampire hunters were slowly creeping through the lobby itself, wielding hand-guns that were loaded with silver-coated rounds, as if expecting to find the mistress of the mansion.

As one of them, the maiden of the team began to move forward, with flashlight in her other hand, both arms in tactical grip, she slowly stepped forward, only for one of her teammates to be struck down by a streak of red, as the man let out a wet gurgle before falling to the ground in a pool of his own blood, as the maiden and her sole remaining ally turned to the downed body.

The maiden slowly looked around, as she slowly surveyed the area, only for something to strike her other teammates through the side, cutting through his torso, and causing a massive spray of blood, as the maiden tried to shoot at the flying culprit, who briefly crossed the light of her own flashlight. However, her rounds hit nothing but the air and the walls around her.

She began to pant frantically, as her heart was beating rapidly, making her easy prey for whatever was stalking the lobby. And it was not long until the assailant struck, coming right from above, grabbing the maiden by the face, covering her mouth, as she tried to struggle and make several muffled yells, before a pair of fangs pierced through her neck, draining the blood, as her own struggles slowly weakened, just as her own life was slipping away, before her own tools fell from her limp hands.

At the same time, one of the doors into the lobby opened, as a familiar figure came down the stairs, took a look at the scene, before leaning against the railing on the balcony, looking down on the dead maiden, and her assailant.

"Don't you think that this is a bit crude, Remi?" Patchouli remarked, as she watched Remilia Scarlet drain the last of the blood from the dead maiden, tossing her aside, and revealing her bloodstained face, before she wiped the blood off her mouth with her own sleeve.

"It's only fresh like this, isn't it?" Remilia casually remarked.

"It seems that this place is already becoming dangerous for us." Patchouli sighed. "And it seems that it's too early for your feeding, isn't it?"

However, Remilia's attention was not towards Patchouli, but a figure that had been hiding on top of one of the walls, as it seemed to be a winged demon, as they summoned a glowing red blade, that seemed to be made of the same way as Remilia's Gungnir, before charging at the mistress of the mansion, as the two of them clashed weapons. However, Remilia's guard got broken by a powerful swing, as the assailant thrust her blade forth, grazing her hair, as several strands fell to the ground, before both sides stopped for a moment.

"...Seems I win again." The assailant answered back, as it seemed to be a female vampire with blonde hair and red glowing eyes, with a large black robe that had a pair of vampiric bat wings sprouting from the back, and a thick red scarf around the collar.

Varney Francis

"Hah. Varney." Remilia acknowledged her kindred, as Varney drew back her weapon and de-summoned it, while adjusting the scarf to cover her face again.

"This makes it my 665th victory against you, doesn't it?" Varney stated with some pride.

"That's not right. It's 665 times that you haven't beaten me." Remilia retorted, as she de-summoned Gungnir, and walked around Varney.

"Both sides have won 665 times and lost 665 times, right?" Patchouli interjected, as she walked down to get closer to both vampires. "What if you get sloppy fighting each other like that?"

"Long time no see, Patchy." Varney greeted Patchouli.

"Why do you get so hung up on winning and losing?" Patchouli sighed.

"What are you saying?" Varney shrugged. "If it's one thousand or two thousand victories on either side, it doesn't matter? Aren't these numbers important to us either way? To see who's the first to get the highest number of victories?"

"Then please do not forget your own number of victories." Patchouli answered back, crossing her arms.

Remilia looked at the banter, before something began to crawl up behind her, as a pair of arms rose behind her shoulders.

"Ah, Remi~" A fairly sweet female voice stated, before the two hands hugged around her own shoulders, and over her neck, with one hand on her right cheek, as another vampire with long purple hair, dressed in a black dress with a red bow-tie on her collar popped from behind her, the owner of those hands. "I wanted to see you so much."

Carmilla Sheridan Le Fanu

"Carmilla." Remilia simply answered back, as Carmilla fondled her cheek gently.

"It's been so long, hasn't it? I even missed you." Carmilla answered back.

"If I'm seeing you again, that must mean that the scent of the blood must have drawn you here." Remilia answered back.

"It's not good for you to drink that much in one go…" Carmilla chided Remilia gently. "Let me fondle that cheek of yours."

"Seems tonight I will have to lock my bedroom doors." Remilia sighed.

"You still haven't converted any maids or servants for yourself?" Varney remarked, looking over the dead body of the maiden. "Leaving these blood bags here to rot like that?"

"Servants will just simply die eventually." Remilia countered back.

"How about I become your maid then?" Carmilla teased back, before Remilia pushed her off gently.

"So? You haven't even contacted me, and you just up and appeared here. What's going on?" Remilia questioned Varney.

"Ah, right. I did have something to discuss with you." Varney answered back. "We can talk while we have some dinner."

"I'll go get everything cooked up and ready for everyone. You just need to wait for a while." Carmilia answered back.

"That's fine. I need to clean myself up." Remilia answered back, as she went to her own personal bathroom, as she cleaned herself up.

When she came out with her own face cleaned, and her own outfit changed, Carmilia seemed to have finished her dinner preparations, as Patchouli, Varney and Remilia all took a seat, as Carmilla poured some wine for Remilia.

"Hopefully this suits your own palate. I wish for nothing more than that." Carmilla told Remilia, as the red wine poured into her glass.

"Just like old times. Your cooking skills are as good as ever, Carmilla." Remilia complimented Carmilla.

"If you think of me like that, Remi, I hope I become your own bride." Carmilla teased back with a wink.

As Carmilla walked back to her seat, Remilia turned back to Varney.

"So, about what you wanted to talk to me about, Varney." Remilia told her.

"Remilia, you know Japan, right?" Varney asked back.

"I do." Remilia nodded back.

"Several days before, I found a vampire right from Japan, who had a brief discussion with me." Varney answered back.

"There are vampires in Japan?" Patchouli remarked with surprise.

"There seems to be a place over there called Gensokyo, where there are people like us who live in it like citizens." Varney declared. "The matter I wish to discuss is if we should go over there and conquer it? That's what I wanted to talk about."

"Conquering it?" Remilia asked, after taking a swig of her own wine glass.

"These years, the church's influence has been getting stronger, and as a consequence, we vampires have been dwindling in number." Varney continued. "We should gather our kindred, conquer Gensokyo and reclaim our own influence and power. That's my plan. We can also dominate all of the youkai over there to serve as our own military power."

"And you believe that it will be that easy?" Patchouli questioned Varney. "The youkai over there aren't strong enough to stop us?"

"From what the informant tells me, the youkai in recent times have lost most of their former power due to having always been living tranquil and peaceful lives." Varney explained. "And it's because I heard there are humans there that we don't have to worry about starvation. But for the sake of making sure the information is true, we need someone to go there and confirm the news. If it's all true, then we'll carry out the plan as it is. We can go over the specific of our plan at a later time after we confirm the information. This skirmish has been approved by many vampires. I hope that you'll take the initiative here. Carmilla seems like that if Remi takes action, she will do so as well. So, how about it?"

"I refuse." Remilia bluntly declined, setting her glass down, as Varney's eyes narrowed.

"Why is that?" Varney asked back.

"I don't have any interest in my kindred's desires, or conquest in general." Remilia scoffed. "And I don't believe a single part of that information."

"Remi, this is everyone's problem." Varney firmly informed Remilia. "Even if it was a few aurors causing problems earlier, if this continues, it'll be hard to survive. We will all face inevitable extinction one day."

"We can talk about that matter when we cross that bridge." Remilia scoffed.

"Remi, you must. Without you, we can't do this." Varney pleaded with Remilia.

"Is that all you have to say?" Remilia asked back, as she stood up out of her seat. "I'm not hungry anymore. After all, I already quenched my own appetite earlier on my feeding earlier."

Remilia then left the dining room, as Varney turned to Patchouli.

"Patchouli, do you have anything you like to say?" Varney asked her.

"She's still recovering from losing her previous chief maid." Patchouli answered back stoically.

"I see." Varney nodded back, before Patchouli got up.

"I'll go talk to her. Whatever you need to do, go and get it prepared." Patchouli stated, before she got out of her seat, and left the dining room as well.

It did not take Patchouli long to find Remilia's room, as she knocked on the door.

"Remi, I'm coming inside." Patchouli stated, before she opened the door to find Remilia laying face-first in her own coffin bed.

"It didn't matter if you said it or not." Remilia grumbled under her pillow.

"Why did you reject Varney's proposition?" Patchouli asked her.

"I said it before, didn't I? I have no interest in her plans." Remilia answered back.

"I approve of it, on the basis that the information might just be right." Patchouli answered back, before she knelt down beside Remilia's coffin. "It's not only vampires, but also witches who are also under the threat of the church. When will either of our kinds be able to welcome a day where we can peacefully rest without fear of what's out there?"

"It's only just aurors." Remilia argued.

"The church specifically are against the existence of us witches. It won't be like that for long." Patchouli answered back. "...Besides, don't you also have people who you want to protect, right? I believe that there's a good reason to relocate somewhere else."

Remilia was silent, as she merely stared at her pillow, before someone else knocked on the door, as Carmilla opened the door.

"Remi. Varney's calling you over." Carmilla stated.

"Mm." Remilia mumbled, before she got up, and put her own pink cap back on, as she followed Carmilla with Patchouli, as they saw that at the end of one of the mansion's hallways was Varney was a woman with short black hair that was parted on the front, with a pair of elf-like ears on the side of her head, and a red eye that had black tattoos under it, with the other covered under her hair, dressed in a black and red attire.

Shimahara Isohime

"What is this?" Remilia asked Varney.

"Remi, this is our self-proclaimed informant, Isohime." Varney introduced the woman to Remilia.

"That's right. You must be Lady Remilia Scarlet?" Isohime asked Remilia. "I can understand your speech, since I know your local dialect."

"I didn't call you here." Remilia told her with narrowed eyes and a suspecting tone.

"Don't fret it. Just listen to what she has to say, it's not much." Varney assured Remilia.

"Are you a vampire as well?" Remilia asked Isohime.

"Yes. Although I am a Japanese Vampire." Isohime answered back honestly. "I may drink blood, but we are very different from your kind of vampire. And for our kind, people in Japan consider us youkai, and we don't have the same powers as you all do. Right now, a good part of the youkai in Gensokyo have lost a great deal of their own power."

"Why did they lose their power?" Patchouli asked.

"The biggest reason is because of a lifestyle that is peaceful, without much need for conflict." Isohime explained. "Even though we still see humans as our own food source, we do not require hunting them to be able to be fed sufficiently. As a result, most youkai have become idle, and that's why youkai who formerly were powerful are now fairly powerless and weak in Gensokyo now. Or it's better to say that no one knows where that power has gone. So I believe that this s the most opportune time to attack Gensokyo."

"Why do you wish to join us?" Patchouli asked again.

"Because I hate it that there is no sea over there." Isohime declared. "...It may sound petty, but it makes me think that living there, it feels like I'm spending eternity there, and everyone has a lifeless routine to their own days. Gensokyo does not deny people from going in, but it prevents people from leaving it. It's been too long since I was able to escape that fantastical prison. But, even if I escaped it, there seems to be nowhere in the outside world that I can live in. It was then that I met Lady Varney. Lady Varney was the first one that I met that had the same belief as I to change Gensokyo into a world that suits all youkai.

"So, how about it, Remi?" Varney remarked.

"Remi." Patchouli told Remilia, who began to ponder on the matter, before coming to a decision.

"Alright. I will partake in your conquest." Remilia answered back.

"Is that so?" Varney asked back.

"But I have a condition." Remilia declared.

"What is it?" Varney said, as she looked fairly interested in what Remilia would demand.

"The one who serves as the vanguard on Gensokyo's invasion will be me." Remilia declared. "I want to be the one to determine the truth of Isohime's claims."

"Why won't you not fight alongside us?" Varney asked with suspicion.

"You have other kindred, don't you?" Remilia questioned back. "I'm not familiar with them. I'm far better working alone."

"That's too dangerous. You need someone to come with you." Varney shook her head.

"Then how about you come with me, Patchy?" Remilia asked Patchouli, turning to her, who nodded back. "That's fine with you? Patchouli can do transportation magic, and I'll be able to regroup with you whenever I like. You also know that Patchouli is crucial, right?"

"Alright." Varney relented.

"And I have another condition." Remilia added. "Give me the command of this invasion to me."

"I actually wish for you to be on the front, so I should be the one leading here-" Varney tried to debate.

"Of course, I'll be fighting at the front." Remilia interjected. "But don't you think a commander who leads by example is a proper commander?"

"But I have experience commanding armies." Varney countered back.

"So I'll make you deputy commander." Remilia declared. "And I have combat experience. For the sake of this invasion's success, I won't spare any effort, and will bear the responsibility of it. If you don't agree to these conditions, then I won't partake in the invasion."

Varney and Remilia stared each other down, as Carmilla walked over to try and break the stalemate.

"Varney, just do what she asks, okay?" Carmilla pleaded. "I really wish to fight alongside Remi."

"It seems I have no other choice." Varney sighed.

"So it's decided then." Remilia answered back, as there was a hint of triumph in her voice.

"You really haven't changed. Whatever you want, you'll get it." Varney answered back dejected. "Carmilla, you have no issues with her conditions?"

"For Remi, I'll do anything." Carmilla smiled back.

"And you, Patchy?" Varney turned to the witch.

"None." Patchouli shook her head.

"Alright, then we shall meet in a week at the same time. I'll get everyone here in the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and on the second day, we'll start our war council. You'll also have to make an appearance, Remi."

"I didn't agree to that." Remilia growled, although Varney was already leaving with Isohime, although not before Varney placed a hand on Remilia's shoulder.

"Before I go, Remi. You really helped me when you said that you would join us. Thank you very much for that." Varney told her, before she left the room.

"Bye bye, Remi." Carmilla waved at Remilia, before leaving the room as well.

"Remi, are you okay with this? Didn't you disagree with this course of action to start with?" Patchouli asked Remilia.

"I just want to rest for tonight." Remilia simply answered back, as she headed for her bedroom.

"Remi…" Patchouli said, as she was about to say something more, only for her to close her mouth, as she departed herself, heading to her vast library to research as usual.

---

In the Forest of Magic…

The only sound that could be heard from the deep forest itself, was the sound of flying fairies in the vast distance, as well as the sound of rustling leaves, before a new sound appeared a few seconds later, the sound of a sukima appearing.

"...We've made it." Richard declared, as she stepped out of the sukima, as he had reverted back to the same attire that he travelled through Trillion's world with, sans mask, as the silver robe seemed to be a lot less snug to Richard, due to the passage of time that changed his body. "If we're lucky. We'll bump into Yukari or her shikigami."

"...You sure that's a good idea?" Sumireko asked. "...We're sort of trespassing here. I doubt that our Yukari made any notice of this to the one here. As much as I wouldn't mind a fight to clear things up… Yukari, no matter which world it is, ain't something we can underestimate, even if the one here might not be so liberal with the use of boundaries."

"We can only hope that she'll listen to our words." Richard declared, before they then began to walk onwards through the forest.

It did not take them long to be pursued, although Richard was well aware of the fact, as he was looking around, noticing that there was something rustling in the bushes.

"...Come out." Richard declared, as he stopped his movements for a moment. "If you wish to speak with us, then do it in the open where we can see you."

There was a moment of silence, before a familiar figure appeared before them, as the nekomata shikigami, Chen, landed right before them, with a pouting face.

"...Geez, you really have good senses." Chen pouted. "...I don't know why Mistress Yukari wants me to find you two, but I think that it might be important."

"Is that so?" Richard asked back, as Sumireko was slightly confused at the situation. "...Then what does the youkai of boundaries wish for us? A civilized conversation?"

"Depends. I'll take you to Mayohiga, and see how things go from there." Chen casually remarked.

"You go first. We'll follow from behind." Sumireko suggested, before the two of them began to fly into the air, as Chen was shocked for a moment, before she regained her composure.

With Chen leading them, the duo began to fly over the skies of Gensokyo, as they managed to get a good look of the realm below them.

"...It might be me, but this place looks a lot more… old-styled than the one that I know." Sumireko answered back.

"That's because the Vampire Incident happened before the establishment of the Spell Card Rules." Richard answered back. "Things were a lot more different back then. And a lot more dangerous, when you think about the purpose of those Rules."

"And we're supposed to deal with an entire invasion under those conditions? With just the two of us?" Sumireko questioned.

"Having cold feet so soon, Sumireko?" Richard asked back. "I thought that you would be itching to let out your full power. After all, unlike the one we know, every fight here is no-holds-barred, doubly so when a crisis comes."

"...Alright, alright." Sumireko clicked her tongue. "I'll admit that I'm a bit afraid of dealing with what's down there… but I know that if I could handle everything before this… This shouldn't be too tough."

"Good." Richard nodded back, before the small group managed to arrive at Mayohiga, landing before the humble abode of Yukari.

It did not take long for the front doors to open, as Yukari stepped out of them, with a serious expression on her face.

"...So you're our 'guests', are you?" Yukari asked with a stoic expression.

"I can see that you're taking this seriously, as expected." Richard nodded back. "My name is Richard Liu, and this is my partner, in the formal sense, Sumireko Usami."

"I see. Come inside." Yukari answered back.

Richard and Sumireko entered Yukari's house, as they followed Yukari into a small room, as they all took their seats beside a small kotatsu.

"...So, you have come here in response to a certain issue that has resulted." Yukari declared. "The 'other Yukari' tells me that there will soon be a great crisis on our hands. And that you have been sent over to assist us with it."

"That's more or less right." Sumireko nodded. "We're just glad that you're up to speed with this, to have gotten Chen over to contact us. We would have to jump through a few hoops to find you…"

Yukari narrowed her eyes slightly, as the gesture unsettled Sumireko slightly, before Richard cleared his throat.

"...I won't mince words any further. It's apparent, you distrust us." Richard answered back. "From how terse your response is, the way you refer to my Yukari as the 'other' with apparent suspicion… What do you need from us for you to consider our words."

"I want to know what you mean by that 'great crisis'." Yukari declared. "...I have dealt with the likes of Makai causing issues, and that has already done a fair bit of damage between that realm and Gensokyo. What could be more dangerous than that, that we would be offered this aid out of a sense of 'altruism'?"

"To answer your suspicion of altruism, you're half-right. We're just stacking the odds to your favor here." Richard nodded. "...But we do act with a genuine desire to ensure Gensokyo's survival against this crisis. Which leads into the answer. You will see a great invasion of Western Youkai. And this invasion will be the one that will make you rethink how you maintain order in this world."

"How so?" Yukari questioned back.

"It would be a waste of time, and cause needless complications to say it all aloud. At least because you won't believe or trust us fully." Richard scoffed. "But I can tell you that you will be seeing a lot of bloodshed, a lot of cruelty. Everything that a war contains, there will be copious amounts of it. If you wish for Gensokyo to remain as intact as possible, turning down our generous aid is… not recommended."

Yukari's brows furrowed further, as Sumireko could have sworn that Yukari was glaring at Richard, with the emanating aura of contempt arising from her. However, that all disappeared in a moment, as she closed her eyes with a deep breath.

"...I can tell that you're being forthright. But that alone doesn't mean that you are telling the truth. At least, the full truth, which you are obscuring." Yukari declared.

"And you would not be wrong." Richard answered back. "...You know why."

"We have our reasons to do this." Sumireko added, trying to serve as a voice of empathy in the conversation. "...Please understand."

Yukari went silent again, before she then stood up. "...I'll consider your words. Until then, you may remain here… but you will abide by the rules of this land, or else…" Yukari stated, leaving the unsaid threat hanging.

"We will." Sumireko answered back, before she and Richard stood up as well, before they then began to leave the house, and take flight.

As they were in the air, Sumireko looked towards Richard with concern.

"...Richard, you sure you're alright?" Sumireko asked Richard. "...You seem like that you've grown a few degrees colder than I last remembered you."

"Do you?" Richard asked back, with genuine intrigue. "...I suppose that the scars of the heart haven't healed fully then."

"Just… Please try to be more considerate. I know it's hard after what you've been through recently…" Sumireko firmly stated with a stern expression on her face. "...You still have people who truly care for you, and not everyone is like that bastard, who's going to try to ruin everything you care about."

"...I never thought I would see the day that you'd lecture me, Sumireko." Richard smiled back. "...I guess you really matured a little through this entire journey. I'm glad for you. As for what you have said… I cannot promise you that I can. But I will try. And I will make sure I abide to it."

Sumireko was silent for a moment, although Richard did spot a glimmer of contentment in her eyes.

---

A week later, in the Scarlet Devil Mansion…

Varney walked up to the door of Remilia's room, knocking at it a few times.

"Remi, I'm coming in." Varney declared, before she then opened the door, seeing that Remi was awake, as she was looking at her own coffin, before turning around to face Varney. "Everyone's arrived. It's about time for you to come out."

"Hm." Remilia grunted, before leaving the room with Varney, as they began to head for the front entrance. "So all those who have arrived are talented individuals, are they?"

"Although we have pure-bloods and mixed-bloods, as well as various other beings…" Varney declared. "...I can personally say that I can attest to the strength of each and every one of them."

As the group reached the front entrance, they saw the various individuals that had been gathered, as Varney's eyes fell upon a vampiric woman with a pair of curved horns, a pair of raven-black feathered wings, short blonde hair in a hime cut, and a black dress, who is talking with Isohime.

Anton La Vey

"This is Anton La Vey." Varney declared. "She's a master of summoning magic, being able to summon a horde of 666 demons, and serves as the provider of our manpower."

Remilia then turned her eyes towards a pair of mixed-bloods, one of them who seemed to have black wolf-like features in the forms of a pair of wolf ears and a large wolven tail, and long wolven claws that she summoned forth from her hands with a flick of her wrists, and the other who was clad in a golden plague doctor's mask with red lenses, a black hooded robe with a pair of boots, and a pair of insectile wings on her back.

Lisa Rabies

Malaria Mosquit

"Ah, you're looking at Lisa Rabies and Malaria Mosquit." Varney noticed Remilia's attention towards the two individuals. "Both of them are mixed-bloods, which means that they are able to feast on the blood of other species."

"How crude." Remilia scoffed, before looking towards a vampire who seemed to be dressed in light metallic armor, with black hair that was not covered by her metallic visored helmet, which also had a pair of feathered wings on the side of it. "And her?"

Orlok Nosfera

"Oh. that's Orlok Nosfera." Varney explained. "She's a potent warrior, which would be a boon against any experienced foes that would impede our invasion. Although her role is not fulfilled alone, as there is another vampire knight that serves us."

Varney then turned her attention towards another armored figure, as she had blonde hair, and a knightly helmet, and dressed in white armor with golden highlights, and a pair of black raven wings, although she was not alone, as beside her was a woman with a nun's habit, with blonde hair under the hood, and wearing a pair of glasses, as both vampires were talking to Carmilla and Patchouli.

"I see. And who is that nun?" Remilia declared.

Monaca Sangue

Julian Champtoce Montmorency

"Her name is Monaca Sangue." Varney declared. "She used to be a nun in her human life, and even in her life as a vampire, she still holds faith towards god. And the other knight I refer to is Julian Champtoce Montmorency. She's a very experienced knight who has fought against foes of all varieties countless times."

Remilia and Varney began to walk down the stairs, as Varney smiled slightly under her scarf.

"Feel like that you recognize a few of the people here, Remi?" Varney asked Remilia.

"And?" Remilia asked back, before she began to hear the sound of guitar strumming. "Ha? What is that infuriating sound?"

"Oh, that's Jane Elite." Varney remarked, looking to the side, as there was indeed a vampire sitting on one of the seats, with a guitar in her hands, with short brown hair, a pair of glasses, and dressed in a fairly neat suit.

Jane Elite

"Long time no see, Miss Scarlet." Jane remarked, with a smile on her lips. "It's an honour to be able to meet you again."

"Why did you bring her here?" Remilia asked Varney with a glare.

"Ah, she could be of help." Varney declared.

"That's true." Jane nodded back. "I may not be like you vampiric nobles, as a mere parvenu… but I still feel like I can still be of help."

"Hah… You really couldn't find anyone else more respectable than her, can you?" Remilia sighed in exasperation.

"I must agree. She has no place." A female voice declared, before Remilia was greeted by the visage of a female vampire, who seemed to be clad in a frilly black coat, and a pair of long black boots, with faint-cyan hair, and a large halberd on her back, with her upper face covered by a silver-coloured masquerade mask.

"And you are?" Remilia asked, finding it odd internally that she was curious about this one vampire in particular, as if something deep inside her heart was calling to her.

Justina Tepes

"Justina Tepes. Nothing more needs to be said." The vampire answered back curtly, with an expression that indicated that she was not interested in the current affairs.

"Oh, you don't have to be that cold, Justina." Jane piped in with a light chuckle. "We are both invited in the grace of Varney after all. After all, you're no noble yourself."

"If all it took for a con-artist like you to be here is some sort of ephemeral fame, then this alliance is dead from the beginning." Justina scoffed back. "Your abilities to sway the hearts of people mean little here. We are here for conquest, not for coexistence."

"Ah yes, I suppose I should mention something about her." Varney added. "...You see, Justina here is something of an addition on my own selfish whims. You see, a month ago, I found her myself, bathed in the blood of countless church officials. It seems that she's working to protect her brethren from the threat of the Church. I even saw her make killing a Grand Inquisitor seem like nothing. Just one strike from her spear… and he topples over dead. With that kind of strength, she alone could serve as our force's vanguard. But I am a careful person after all."

"You forgot to mention something, Varney." Justina declared. "...I am here to serve as a party of judgement upon this… alliance of yours. I am not here to indulge in your political games. You seek to ensure the continuation of the vampiric race, and that is all I am here for. Should any of you undermine that objective… I will have you removed. And that includes you, Varney."

"Of course, of course." Varney answered back casually. "After all, it took me a favor to bring you here. I hope that you won't hold it against me dearly."

"Hmph." Justina snorted, before she then walked away, as Remilia was silent for a moment, watching her leave.

"Hm, what's the matter, Remi? You seem like you're interested in her. Looking for another friend?" Varney teased Remilia gently.

"No, I just… can't shake the feeling that there's something oddly captivating about her. Something regarding my own personal ideals." Remilia asked back, before the front doors opened, revealing a younger Hong Meiling, who was accompanied by a vampire with short white hair, and dressed in a long black suit.

Jacqueline Fergusson

"Ah, it seems that Ferguson and her escort have arrived at last-" Varney stated.

"Dragon…" Remilia uttered, as Varney paused for a moment.

"Eh?" Varney uttered, before shaking her head. "...Whatever, it seems that she's willing to join our force. I suppose it's time for me to step up."

Varney then stepped forward, before clapping her hands together to get everyone's attention.

"Fellow brethren of mine, I humbly welcome you all here." Varney declared. "The reason for all of us being gathered here is for no simple matter, but the matter of conquering that place in Japan. Until now, we have been hunted down by vampire hunters, exorcists, demon hunters, and various other humans. Because of this, it's time for us to look towards a new age, which we shall start in Japan, gathering our fellow kin, and creating a new world for ourselves. Now, we will no longer need to fear humans anymore, and everyone who stands here now shares that same vision and determination."

Varney then stepped aside, as Remilia stepped forward.

"Now, this shall be our commander for this war of ours." Varney declared. "Countess Remilia Scarlet."

"I am Remilia Scarlet." Remilia declared with an authoritative tone and expression on her face. "If this is how things shall be, then we must prevail in this skirmish of ours. So, I ask that everyone listens closely to my orders."

"If I may speak." Jacqueline declared, raising her hand.

"Go ahead." Remilia nodded back.

"I am Jacqueline Fergusson, pureblood of the Fergusson lineage in the United Kingdoms." Jacqueline declared. "If you excuse me for asking this, I want to ask what kind of noble that Scarlet descends from. What kind of pedigree do you have, and what kind of bloodline do you have in you?"

"Is there any point asking?" Remilia scoffed.

"This skirmish has many noble houses partaking in it, including myself." Jacqueline declared firmly. "So the one who should be commanding our forces must be someone with a high enough noble pedigree. That said, none of us have heard anything regarding the infamy of the Scarlet family."

"I am a count, and I myself as a pureblood, from the lineage of the ancestor of our kind… descended from the family of the Tepes themselves." Remilia declared firmly.

The declaration seemed to have sent the entire hallways into a clamor, save for Justina, who merely snorted in response.

"Tepes? You refer to Dracula, no?" Jacqueline questioned back. "Then do you have any proof of your claim?"

"Why do I need to show it to you?" Remilia asked back with a glare.

"If you really descended from Dracula's lineage, then I will gladly submit to you." Jacqueline declared. "But if you are merely lying on this claim, I will never forgive you for it."

"I am not Dracula. I am Remilia Scarlet." Remilia retorted back. "Even if I did prove to you my claim, there's no point to it. That said, if you really say that all gathered here are from nobility… Then the one who commands these individuals should be the one who has the most strength, to earn the acceptance of the others?"

"We to this day have no idea what House Scarlet is, or how strong they might be." Jacqueline argued back. "And if you really are the descendant of such a powerful family, you should at least have the title and nobility of a duke-"

"Remilia Scarlet, may I request something before this conversation continues?" Justina asked, as a good part of the attention was directed towards her.

"What is it?" Remilia asked back. "Do you question my authority as well?"

"It's not regarding you, it's regarding Jacqueline Fergusson." Justina answered back. "May I be permitted to offer my retort to her?"

"You may." Remilia nodded back.

Justina merely made a slight nod of her head, before she then leapt over, and smashed a fist right into Jacqueline's face, sending her stumbling back into one of the walls, as Meiling reacted, as she tried to assault Justina, only to get arm-locked in response, as the resulting chaos shocked everyone.

"You…! You dare strike me…!?" Jacqueline growled, with one hand clutching her bloodied nose, while the other was pointed towards Justina.

"I merely put an end to this inept argument." Justina coldly answered back. "What position do you have, to speak like that you have the right to question others here?"

Meiling struggled to break free, only to get a knee to the face which dazed her.

"Let me make this clear." Justina firmly snarled. "I came to this alliance on Varney's favour and request for one reason. I have come here on promises of our race's salvation. And what do I find? All of you care more about your positions, than the fight at hand. I care not for heritages, glory, bloodlines or noble titles. Those are for weak-willed puppets of politics. Only someone of strong will and body, and sharp mind will be able to bring about our salvation. And from how you babble about your precious honor so much, you are the least fitting candidate here."

Jacqueline growled, before Justina tossed Meiling right towards her, knocking them both back into the walls.

"If you find a vampire other than yourself leading the troops so offensive, you can leave." Justina coolly declared. "...We don't need some glory-hound and her short-tempered lizard to ruin the cohesion of our forces. Liabilities are to be tossed aside, for the sake of our race's survival. Don't think I'll hesitate to put you in the ground the next time you try to cause issues like this."

Justina then walked over, before sitting down on one of the chairs.

"...I have said my part." Justina answered back, before noticing the stares towards her. "If you fear me so much, then know that as long as you do not try to seek glory like this weakling over here, I will not pursue any further."

"Ahem… acts of violence aside…" Varney coughed into her hand. "...I can personally vouch for Remilia's glory and strength. She is a master of both strategy and combat, and she is far more determined and strong than most of you here. Her docile appearance only hides a sharp intellect within it."

"Hey! I resent that statement!" Remilia complained, glaring at Varney.

"Do you now?" Varney answered, looking back at Remilia. "It was me who recommended that she leads our forces. If she does not meet up to the standards of our commander, then I will take away that position from her. Would that suit you fine?"

"Aye." Justina nodded back.

"Tch… if it will get that brute off my back… Fine." Jacqueline scowled, wiping the last of the blood from her wounded nose.

"Then we're all in agreement." Varney announced. "Then for this skirmish, Remilia Scarlet shall take command. The role of vice-commander shall lie with me. Now then, may you all introduce yourselves deeply. Today shall be a dinner before our battle, and tomorrow, we shall march forth. So you can all relax for now."

Justina looked around at the scene, before she then sneered, snatching a glass of wine.

"...This is going to be quite interesting." Justina declared, as she swirled the wine in the glass, before drinking from it at a steady pace.

---

The next day…

"...Now, we shall have Scarlet breach into Gensokyo first, and then have Patchouli transfer the Scarlet Devil Mansion through teleportation." Varney declared, as the vampire nobles were all gathered right before a large table, with the map of Gensokyo provided by Isohime, as she then jabbed a finger at a part of the map. "We will await by the entrance to the realm at the appointed time, in case of danger. If the plan smoothly proceeds, we shall use the village near the spring to initiate the summoning ritual, so we must first clear the village out. Not a single man, woman or child must escape from it, whether they be killed or captured. For now, that's the gist of our covert operation. Anyone have issues?"

"You." Remilia remarked, turning towards Meiling, who was resting against the wall. "I'm talking to you, Chinese creature."

"You called?" Meiling asked back with an unpleasant look on her face.

"Who else am I calling for? What's your name?" Remilia scoffed.

"Hong Meiling." Meiling answered back.

"Then, Hong Meiling…" Remilia said, as she walked over to her. "You're coming with me."

"Ha?" Meiling asked.

"Scarlet Tepes, that's a troubling thing to ask." Jacqueline piped up.

"Why is that?" Remilia asked back.

"Please do not order my servant around." Jacqueline answered back.

"She can order her around as she pleases, so long as it makes the plan work." Justina answered back."Or has all of your etiquette gone to your brains, that you can't realize why she needs your lizard?"

"Who do you think you are to-" Jacqueline snapped.

"You, let me make something clear." Meiling growling, facing Justina. "I am a dragon, not some lizard. If you didn't try to get the first hit, I would have broken every bone in that body of yours."

"Really now? A dragon would have been able to break free of my hold." Justina scoffed. "...But you were subdued as if you're a typical pugilist. I fail to see evidence in your claims."

Meiling's eyes began to change, indicating her rising anger, as she clenched her fists tightly.

"Justina Tepes." Remilia declared. "If you are here to assist you, you'll follow my orders dutifully, no?"

"As long as it doesn't violate any personal creed of mine." Justina casually answered back.

"Then I order you to leave this meeting to us, and wait outside. And you are forbidden from provoking Fergusson any further." Remilia declared seriously.

"...By your wish then." Justina answered back, as she left the room without any more hesitation.

"...What a foul-mouthed brute." Julian remarked. "...Is this supposed to be the strongest of our forces? Must we entrust our backs to this abominable person?"

"I think I rather enjoy her bluntness." Mosquit answered back through her mask. "At least she says what she has in her mind, and doesn't care anything about how others feel about it."

"Can we please get back to the point, before Justina interrupted the proceedings?" Varney sighed.

"Regardless of how any of you feel, that's the reason why you're all on standby, in case there are interlopers or anything that deviates from our plan." Remilia declared. "The most important thing is that I need someone who is unaffected by the sunlight for this plan. Any objections?"

"I also approve of Remi's choice." Patchouli nodded.

"And how about you, Fergusson?" Varney asked Jacqueline. "Do you accept?"

Jacqueline merely clicked her tongue, before Varney turned her attention back towards Remilia.

"Remilia, regarding our next duel…" Varney said. "How about we make it a contest between who can take down the most people in this operation?"

"No way." Remilia denied firmly. "I want our next duel to be under something much more fitting and unique. Until then, let's not go all out. Now then, the route?"

"How about we board this frigate that's about to depart right at midnight?" Patchouli suggested.

"Hm? A boat?" Remilia asked back. "I don't want to ride on a boat, with the sea surrounding me from all sides, and the sun shining down on me."

"Right now, it's hard to get there by air. Not only do we have to deal with the church's various checkpoints and garrisons, the sunlight will still shine through the plane's cabins." Varney declared. "You intend to stay in your coffin for the duration of the boat trip?"

"Do you want me to stay in the coffin while the wind howls and the waves shake it around?" Remilia rhetorically asked back with a displeased expression. "Not to mention that boats still have to undergo inspections."

"It's alright, you're riding on a ghost ship. " Varney assured Remilia.

"How annoying…" Remilia sighed, shaking her head.

"Do you really want to fly there? If you don't fly in line with the earth's rotation, you'll get hit by sunlight before you even get there, and if it rains, there won't be anything left to bury you with."

"Hah… Fine, I'll get prepared." Remilia relented, as she left the room.

"Patchouli, and you, Meiling…" Varney remarked, looking at both servants. "I'll leave Remi in your care."

"I understand." Patchouli nodded. "I'll go and prepare for the transportation."

As Patchouli left the room, and Meiling was about to go, her mistress stopped her.

"Meiling. Don't get too cosy with her." Jacqueline declared, as Meiling nodded before leaving.

It did not take long for Remilia to return, in a fairly noticeable sun-dress.

"I'm done preparing," Remilia declared.

"Ara~!" Carmilla exclaimed with a blush on her cheeks, at how beautiful her friend was. "This costume really suits Remi~"

"Can you please not dress in something that noticeable?" Varney complained to Remilia.

"Oh, Miss Remilia, that outfit of yours is truly dazzling." Jane smiled.

"You like this outfit?" Remilia asked back, before she clicked her tongue. "Then I'll go change again."

Remilia then left, as Jane sighed lightly.

"That's a shame, while I liked her in that outfit." Jane stated. "It's just really unstylish."

Patchouli and Meiling returned, as Meiling put on a black cowl that covered most of her body, while Patchouli was dressed in a pink robe that was left open for now.

"We're done preparing, where's Remi?" Patchouli asked Varney.

"Oh, she's just taking some time to dress up." Varney casually remarked. "Maybe even taking a look in the mirror."

"Mirror?" Patchouli asked with a tilt of her head. "A mirror that can actually have a reflection of her?"

"How about this?" Remilia asked, as she was dressed in a long white hooded cloak.

"Ah, how handsome you look, Remi~" Carmilla swooned. "This should also be able to defend against the sunlight!"

"You look much like an assassin from a certain organisation." Varney commented.

"Remi, I should introduce you to someone." Patchouli remarked, before Koakuma walked in. "I also summoned a demon myself, she'll be taking care of the library while we're gone."

"Hello, it's my first time meeting you, mistress." Koakuma said, as she took a deep bow. "I hope that you'll take good care of me."

"Hm. So your name is Koakuma." Remilia remarked, as if she discerned her name from a look.

"Oh, yes, that's my name." Koakuma confirmed.

"I'll just call you Koa." Remilia replied.

"Koa?" Koakuma asked, looking confused and baffled, with a finger pointing at herself.

"Now then, Varney. You can handle the next part." Remilia answered back. "...And call Justina back in."

"Alright." Varney answered back, as she left the room, and returned with Justina. "Now then, fellow kindred, please gather around."

"Koa…" Koakuma muttered again.

"That's just how our mistress is." Patchouli shook her head. "You'll have to get used to it."

"Y-yes, ma'am." Koakuma answered back.

"Everyone, please place your weapons before me." Varney declared, as everyone except for Justina placed their weapons on the table. "I'll place a curse upon them."

"And what kind of curse is that?" Orlok questioned back, as Varney began to gather her magic, as an orange spell circle appeared under the weapons.

"Any weapon under this curse shall have any wounds created by it become extremely difficult to heal." Varney declared. "To be honest, this is a fairly situational power, and it doesn't negate the possibility of being able to recover those afflicted wounds. But for all of us, one of our defining traits in battle is our tenacious bodies and lifeforce. Even if our limbs are to be cut off, or our hearts pierced by bullets or spears, we will still be able to fight again in a short time. But if we were to be injured by these, it would not heal even if we did die. So it has that use at least. And as long as I still live, this curse cannot be released, and its effects will last forever."

"Yeah, but why isn't she putting her weapons in there?" Lisa remarked, gesturing towards Justina. "She got something that we don't."

"Well…" Varney tried to explain.

"Don't go putting words in my mouth, Varney. I can more than speak for myself, as you can see twice already." Justina declared. "The reason why I don't need that curse of hers, is because everything I hit will just die. There's no need to worry about them being healed when I can easily cut their bodies apart with a single slash or thrust. That said, even if Varney has earned a fair bit of my trust, it's not enough for me to let her do as she pleases with my own weapons."

"So it's the pride of your own equipment. Well, don't cry if you come to regret it." La Vey shrugged.

"Hmph, just don't go thinking that this curse would give you impetus to go killing each other." Justina scoffed back. "After all, I can already see the cracks in this alliance. So none of you get any funny ideas. I don't need the curse to put you down for good."

As soon as Varney's curse was spread across everyone's weapons, the magic circle was dissipated.

"Alright, it's done. Even for anyone else, this is a serious affliction to deal with." Varney declared.

"Then, it's about time to go?" Patchouli asked Remilia.

"Yeah, just a moment." Remilia stated. "I need to just speak with someone before I do."

Patchouli's expression creased slightly, as she knew what Remilia was talking about.

"Carmilla, do you have anything edible?" Remilia asked Carmilla.

"Yeah. I'll go with you." Carmilla nodded back, as she placed a hand on Remilia's shoulder.

"Thanks." Remilia answered back. "Meiling, you come as well."

"Mm." Meiling answered back, as the four of them, as well as Varney, went toward the mansion's basement.

As Remilia began to step before a certain door, Remilia's hands were beginning to shake, as the plate of food in her hands was shaking violently.

"Remi, it's alright. We're all here with you." Carmilla assured Remilia.

"Yes… Yes, you are." Remilia answered back, as her voice was far more quiet than before, as she opened the door.

The room seemed to be fashioned into a prison cell, as there was only darkness on the other side of the cell bars, although the light from the door into the room shown that there were several animal dolls strewn across the cell.

Remilia then placed the plate down on the ground, before she slowly walked away.

"Lady Patchouli, where is this?" Meiling asked Patchouli.

"F-Flan, I brought dinner over to you." Remilia quietly said.

Suddenly, there was the sound of frantic footsteps, as a pair of wings with rainbow crystalline drops on it began to get closer, before Flandre appeared before Remi, as she slammed her hands against the cell bars, as Remi backed away a few steps out of instinct, with a fearful expression.

"Sis… Sis…ter…?" Flandre asked, as her voice was meek, as her red eyes glowed in the darkness.

"Fl-Flan…" Remilia remarked, as her voice was still shaking a bit. " I-I… I brought dinner… to you…"

"Why does Lady Remilia fear her so much?" Meiling asked Patchouli. "I heard that she is extremely powerful."

"...That woman is Remilia's little sister, Flandre Scarlet." Patchouli declared.

"Little sister?" Meiling repeated with curiosity.

"Although Remi is powerful by her own right, compared to the rest of us… You can see it from the difference of their wings…" Varney explained. "She is born with a unique physique, just like her sister… No, it would be more accurate to say that she has a far stronger power than Remilia, but her mentality is extremely unstable, and so Remi had to lock her in the basement for all this time. Although Remi tried to control that power of hers before, but its because of its power that there was no way to control it. She was beaten to an inch of her life by her own little sister… Although Flandre was able to restrain herself at that time, that left a traumatic mark in Remi's heart, a deep-seated fear for her."

"Sis…ter…" Flandre repeated.

"What… what is it, Flan?" Remilia asked back.

"Sister… When can Flan… go outside?" Flandre asked with a innocent look in her eyes.

"F-Flan…" Remilia remarked, as she lowered her head, as her voice began to crack, as she fought back tears. "Flan… Big sis… will have to leave here for a while. And I… I want to move the entire mansion. But it'll be dangerous outside for a while after we have moved places… Until it is absolutely safe out there… I cannot… I really cannot… let you go outside…"

Flandre was silent, as Remilia let a tear run down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry…" Remilia answered back.

"Flan! It's been a while!" Varney exclaimed, as she held up a large stuffed bunny doll. "Do you still remember me?"

Flan was silent for a moment, as Varney shook the doll a bit.

"I brought a gift, please don't break it in one go." Varney continued. "Your big sister and I are going to be a bit busy with work, so would you mind if I take your big sister away for a moment? When we're done working, you can come outside. Until then, just wait patiently, alright?"

Flandre leaned back silently, although there was a sad look in her eyes.

"Flan's a good child, Remi." Varney assured Remilia. "While you're out there, I'll take good care of her, so don't worry."

"Flan… I'm going." Remilia said, before Flandre rose to her feet, as she slowly backed away into the darkness of the cell. "...Flan, I'm sorry. As a big sister, I'm really useless… And that's why… I promise…"

Remilia then stood up, as she clenched her fist, with a determined expression on her face.

"...I'll do anything to become the big sister that you can be proud to have." Remilia gritted her teeth. "Until then… wait for me."

Remilia then turned to leave, as everyone followed her, as Flandre wallowed in the darkness, holding the bunny doll that Varney gave her.

However, she was surprised to hear a sound of the door opening again, followed by footsteps.

"...What a sorry sight." Justina remarked to herself, as there was a solemn expression on her face.

---

Aboard the ghost ship…

"Excuse me." Meiling remarked, as she entered the crew quarters, where a coffin was laid on the ground, while Patchouli was beside it, reading through her grimoire. "It's a rainy storm outside."

"Thanks, sorry if I can only speak to you while I'm residing in this coffin." Remilia's muffled voice rang from the coffin. "If only because these kind of things would be the death of us vampires."

"Ah." Meiling nodded back.

"Patchy." Remilia declared, as Patchouli turned away from her grimoire with a grunt. "If it really ends up like I feared, I leave Flan in your care."

"How could you be so worried about that possibility? You'll be fine." Patchouli assured Remilia. "There is a case where a vampire has been buried deep undersea for a whole century in a coffin, and is still living well and nicely."

"As for you… Meiling." Remilia declared. "Why would you work with that kind of person?"

"You mean Mistress Fergusson?" Meiling questioned back. "I didn't initially intend to stick with her. I was originally a wanderer, but when I was pursued, and beaten to near death, it was her who saved my life."

"So you've become her pawn then? It's truly a shame." Remilia sighed. "Because I feel like Justina was wrong about you. She's just abnormally strong compared to the rest of us. You're pretty strong yourself, even stronger than Jacqueline."

"That really can't be possible." Meiling denied with a shake of her head.

"Among all of us, only you feel different to me. You feel like a radiating presence, a radiance that isn't making me feel uneasy, but instead at peace. What is your ability?" Remilia continued.

"I can control chi." Meiling declared.

"Oh, that explains it then. I won't say anymore on the topic. But you should leave her service." Remilia declared. "How about you join us instead? If you do, I'll allow you to spread forth your own wings of freedom. If you want to display your immense power, I won't stop you. If you desire more power, I can give it to you. Because I'm stronger than you."

"But I'm a wanderer at heart." Meiling argued back. "And I still have a debt to Mistress Fergusson. Until I repay that debt, I cannot leave her."

"So? Then you'll use this as your chance to repay that debt." Remilia answered back.

"Remi." Patchouli said.

"What is it?" Remilia asked back.

"Aren't you in no rush to find one?" Patchouli asked back. "I mean, finding a maid…"

"I'm not looking for a maid for her." Remilia scoffed. "I want to treat her like a fellow comrade. When I conquer Gensokyo, we'll drink some wine together. If you're itching for a fight, I can spar with you. If you wish for it, I can help you find whatever and whoever you're looking for."

Meiling was silent for a moment, as she digested Remilia's offer.

"Don't hide your strength anymore. What you should do is display your true power in what comes after." Remilia declared.

"...Very well." Meiling answered back.

It did not take long for the boat to arrive at the destination, as Remilia was the first to enter through Gensokyo, through Isohime's instructions, as the fantastic realm was going through winter, with a patch of snow coating the entire ground.

"We're here." Remilia declared, as Meiling and Patchouli moved beside her. "It's really easy to get in here by coincidence, huh… So, this is Gensokyo. Patchy, are you ready?"

"Yes." Patchouli answered back.

"Meiling?" Remilia turned to Meiling.

"Yes." Meiling responded back as well.

"Let me see your strength for myself." Remilia declared.

"Understood." Meiling answered back, as she clenched her fists.

"Let's go." Remilia remarked, as the three of them descended into the small village before them.

It took them arriving at the gates for them to be noticed, as a small squad of guards appeared before them.

"Halt, what is your purpose here?" The captain of the squad stated.

"Your death." Remilia coldly declared, summoning Gungnir, before cutting down the squad with a swift swing of her spear, and tossing it forward, as it cut down the guards in the nearby watchtowers, before they could get any warnings out.

Patchouli stepped back, before going into the air, as she began to trace a gigantic magic circle over the village, while Meiling and Remilia pressed further inside, before they were surrounded from all sides by village guards.

"What do you want from here? This village is not for some youkai to simply do as they please." One of the tengu guards declared, as the guards went for their weapons. "I do not know what your intentions are, but I recommend you surrender."

"Surrender? Laughable." Remilia scoffed.

The tengu guard then noticed a tremor, as the magic circle that Patchouli casted, transported the entire Scarlet Devil Mansion at the gates of the village, as the massive structure created a sizeable quake across the entire area, as it crushed any houses and buildings that were near it.

"...You should be more worried about what happens to your land." Remilia declared, before the front doors opened, as every vampire noble stepped out with their weapons drawn. "...But you won't live to see the results."

"Slaughter them all." Varney ordered her fellow vampires.

With those words, the vampires began to assault the village, cutting a bloody warpath through it, all fighting with their cursed weapons, as Carmilla was using a double-sided spear to cut through the village guards, while Meiling was using her martial arts to crush any foe that dared to stand before her.

Varney herself seemed to be in a fervour, as she was cutting down dozen after dozen of village guards with swift strikes of her greatsword, while Julian was covering her back with a long-sword, parrying any half-hearted strike, and countering it with fatal blows.

Meanwhile, Monaca took to the high ground, as she was throwing blades from the rooftops, as they were skewering through the heads of any guards that they shot towards, while Patchouli was flying around, firing destructive spells that cut through the lines of guards trying to reinforce their allies.

Meanwhile, Malaria and La Vey were using their summoning abilities, to rain a horde of mutated mosquitos to drain the blood of every person in the field dry of blood, and bring forth demons to crush the village forces.

It did not take long for Remilia to crush the leader of the village guards personally, as she pulled out bloodied Gungnir, as the last defender of the village fell to the ground, her blood pooling into the white snow beneath, staining it with blood, as most of the village's ground was in a similar state, riddled with corpses and stained with blood, as the vampires stood triumphant, among the burning ruins of the village.

"Seems it went smoothly." Varney remarked with satisfaction.

"So this is Gensokyo? Such a rural place." Carmilla remarked.

"Patchy, La Vey, use the summoned demons and the barrier spells to strengthen our defences around Gensokyo." Remilia declared, firing orders at her allies. "Meiling, Lisa, Julian, strengthen the patrols in our surrounding area. Carmilla, Varney, come with me to the other human villages. The rest of you shall deal with the captives, as well as brainwashing or interrogating them, and get any information out of them. As for you, Elite…"

"What kind of information do you need?" Jane asked back.

"Everything." Remilia declared.

"Got it." Jane nodded back.

"Seems like you're in a rush." Varney remarked, as the other vampire nobles went to their tasks without delay.

"We're in a shaky position here." Remilia declared. "And we have little to no information about anywhere other than here. Before our opposition has a chance to prepare a counterattack, we must capture various locations across this land. Especially the Human Village itself, that shall become our supply depot, it must be captured as soon as possible."

"Hm." Varney answered back.

In the forests above, Richard and Yukari were watching over the burning village, as the latter was shocked to see the results of the initial blitzkrieg for herself.

"And now you see how threatening they can be." Richard declared. "...What do you say now, Yukari Yakumo? Is this not a crisis worth your concern?"

"Western youkai… This is bad. I must contact as many factions as we can to prepare for this." Yukari remarked with a concerned expression.

"Why do you think that I had Sumireko move out so soon?" Richard asked back. "The people will be prepared, you should be more concerned about gathering your own forces for this."

Suddenly, Remilia began to look towards where the two of them were, as Yukari was taken aback, while Richard drew his blade.

"...Seems like an encounter is inevitable, as expected." Richard remarked, before Remilia darted right towards them, intent on clawing them apart.

However, Richard immediately parried the swing with his own arm, shifting the blow aside, before countering with a fist to the face that sent Remilia flying back, before she was caught by Varney and Carmilla, who rushed after her.

Richard merely did a mocking quick salute, before taking to the air with Yukari.

"Carmilla! Varney! We're going after them!" Remilia declared, before the vampire trio shot after them, into the snowing skies above.

"You better not be holding anything back, Yukari." Richard warned Yukari. "Unless you want to be the first of the notable residents to be taken out."

"Tch…!" Yukari gritted her teeth, as the vampires began to catch up to them.

Varney and Remilia tried to hit the two of them, only for Yukari to evade Remilia's swing, while Richard rolled over Varney's swing, before summoning a blade to strike at Varney, who barely managed to parry his swing.

Yukari was about to move forward, before noticing that Carmilla was right above her.

"I~ caught~ you~" Carmilla mouthed, as she was about to stab Yukari, only to get a nasty surprise, as Yukari summoned a small sukima that fired a spread of lasers that forced her to back away, as they began to hone on the others, forcing them to parry the lasers with their attacks.

"Where are you looking now?" Richard taunted, as he immediately appeared right in front of Remilia, before using the speed of the flight to drop-kick her right in the face, causing her to spin out of control.

"Remi!" Carmilla exclaimed, before she then fired several blood-red blasts towards Richard, who weaved through the attacks with little ease.

Varney went over to flank Richard, as she managed to get within a hair's breadth of hitting him, while he was weaving under Carmillia's magical blasts, only for her to get surprised by a steam train that sent her flying across the sky.

"Where did that train come from-" Varney uttered, before she was sent flying out of range.

"You're next." Richard declared, before he then summoned options around him, as they began to fire a barrage of golden magic bolts right towards Carmilla, forcing her to go on the evasive, as she tried to avoid it.

Remilia managed to recover quickly enough, as she quickly shot towards Richard in a thrusting strike, only to miss him again when he strafed to the side, although she wasn't done, as she fired a lightning blast from her hand that shot towards both him and Yukari.

Yukari quickly summoned a magic barrier, while Richard rolled to the side, as the lightning grazed him, leaving some scorch marks.

"Not bad." Richard declared, before Carmilla managed to get close enough to get the chance to lunge at him, only to be denied by Richard parrying her strikes with rapid parries, as he punished her aggression with a kick to the stomach and a powerful pulse blast that sent her flying back.

"With you the only one left…" Yukari declared, as she quickly summoned multiple sukimas to surround Remilia, as they began to fire an intense barrage of danmaku to take out the vampire, only for Remilia to endure through the attack, using Gungnir to block as many of the incoming attacks as possible.

"Tsk tsk, you're wide open!" Richard roared, before he then began to summon a large magic circle, as it fired a large beam of magic right towards Remilia, scorching her.

However, despite being struck, Remilia quickly threw her spear towards Richard, activating Gungnir's innate curse, as it began to hone towards Richard.

"Going for me, huh? Let's see how long you can go for!" Richard exclaimed, as he began to jet away. "You're a fool disarming yourself before my ally!"

Remilia realized her blunder, as she was then hit by a barrage of dimensional slashes from Yukari's fan, causing her to spit out some blood, as she quickly redirected Gungnir's curse towards Yukari, as it managed to strike her across her left arm, leaving behind a large gash, as Remilia caught the spear on its return, before rushing towards Richard.

"...Heh, good enough." Richard smirked, before he then fired a blast of light right towards Remilia to blind her, before using a sukima to disappear, as Yukari teleported back through one of her own.

Remilia's charge hit the side of an empty mountain, creating a massive crater from the resulting blast of energy, as the ground was left completely barren of anything but the ground itself.

"...Tch." Remilia clicked her tongue. "They both escaped."

"Who were those two?" Varney remarked, as she and Carmilla regrouped with Remilia.

"Their scent and presence both disappeared in an instant. Seems Japan has some interesting people." Carmilla declared.

"If they both escaped, there is nothing we can do about it. We'll continue marching for the Human Village." Remilia declared.

---

In the secret domain of the Sages…

With a burst of purple energy, Ran Yakumo stepped forth, as she looked around, seeing that she was indeed in a realm of infinite staircases and hallways in the form of Escher-like patterns.

It was not long before she was greeted by the arrival of another, as a pair of verdant green doors opened to reveal Okina Matara, the Hidden God.

"Ran, what's wrong?" Okina asked Ran. "Calling us here suddenly…"

"It's been a long time, Lady Matara." Ran greeted Okina with a tip of her head. "I don't know, I too was called here suddenly."

"What's going on, calling me here?" A voice remarked, as Mima was floating around nearby, with a cross look on her face. "Ah, it's you, that hag Yukari's hag wifes."

"Who's a hag now?" Okina growled back.

"Oh? I'm a hag as well?" Another voice declared, as Satori came down to greet the group. "Really… You're as abrasive as always."

"Oho? Even the hated one of the underground is here too." Mima remarked.

"If it isn't an evil spirit. You finally decided to go to hell where you belong?" Satori retored back.

"That's right, it's about time that I repent, huh?" Mima mockingly answered back.

"You really like to lie as usual." Satori scoffed.

"Seems like I could only summon this many people." Yukari remarked, as she came with Richard.

"Yukari-sama…" Ran stated.

"Is this about what your acquaintance, Richard, has been warning us about?" Okina asked back.

"That's right. You've been invaded by vampires from all across the world." Richard answered back. "All with one single purpose: to conquer Gensokyo to serve as the foundation of their utopia away from the persecution of humanity."

"Then? What else happened?" Mima asked back.

"They already cleared out a village near the river." Yukari declared. "At this rate, they'll be assaulting the Human Village in no time."

"Then this isn't the time to be discussing things freely." Okina frowned back.

"That said, when I came here, I had already placed the Human Village under a three-fold barrier." Yukari declared.

"And that's why you're in no rush?" Okina questioned further.

"It'll serve as protection to buy us some time, as long as they don't counter with any trump cards." Richard answered back. "Either way, you'll want to take this from me seriously: They've already racked up a body-count, and they are not here to take many prisoners. It's death or captivity for them."

"Which is why I need you all to work with Richard's partner to get everyone prepared for the incoming invasion." Yukari declared.

"And that's an option, other than just simply intervening ourselves directly?" Okina answered back with skepticism.

"You could… if you're willing to stake your life at it." Richard countered back, before turning Yukari over to show her arm wound. "It seems that the vampires intend to take us out in a battle of attrition. Their weapons are cursed in a way that they cannot be healed without strenuous effort. Any form of regeneration that is not divine at least is outright negated. Not only that, but they're not as weak as you think they are. The best course of action is to wear them down, as they would to us, so that we can take down their commanding members one by one to diminish their collective strength."

"How many do they number?" Okina questioned again.

"I counted 13 of the vampires among them all, and they are accompanied by a Chinese youkai, and a magician. Not only that, they have manpower in the form of at least 500 demons." Yukari declared. "This kind of incursion… we hope that we won't have to require the help of humans to deal with this. We only need the various youkai to band together to repel them. If we have to bring humans into this… not only will this cause more chaos down the line, but they will only become food for the vampires to replenish their strength."

"And what about the Hakurei shrine maiden?" Okina asked back.

"...Do you really want a young child to go into the battlefield, regardless of whatever divine power she has?" Richard frowned deeply.

"Do we have a choice?" Okina retorted back.

"...Not unless you can handle the consequences of the choice." Richard answered back with a firm glare.

"I'm sorry, Okina. But I must side with Richard on this." Yukari answered back. "No matter what, the Hakurei shrine maiden must not be involved in this. Right now, we have to deal with a force with unknown strength and powers, even with the foresight that Richard and his partner offered us. For that reason… Mima, have you met the current Hakurei shrine maiden?"

"Yes." Mima nodded back.

"Even if you have to contact with her personally, make sure that she doesn't go near the Human Village until this is resolved." Yukari declared. "If they managed to find her, protect her from them."

"If you wanted me to beat them, that would only be a mere trifle." Mima scoffed. "You just only want me to protect her, is that right?"

"Yes. If they learn of her existence, everything will crumble down." Yukari nodded. 'So no matter what… they must not be allowed to meet at all. I'll leave the shrine maiden in your care."

"I understand." Mima replied back.

"Okina, Ran… You'll stay in the Human Village to protect it, and also inform all other leaders about the situation at hand." Yukari ordered.

"Yes, mistress." Ran stated.

"Satori, you protect the underground and make sure everyone is prepared." Yukari declared. "If they managed to get this far to cause trouble… it will cause the evil spirits to go free, which can in turn cause even more chaos in our battle."

"Alright." Satori declared.

"While I contact the other youkai factions, Richard will personally impede the advance of the enemy forces." Yukari declared. "...While he may be one person, I believe that he will be able to buy us a lot of precious time. I entrust these things to everyone."

Without another word, Mima, Satori and Ran left to proceed with their tasks, leaving only Richard, Yukari and Okina left in the dimension.

"That said, it seems like you weren't able to find the other influential figures here, could you?" Yukari asked back.

"...I have tasked Richard to look for them, although he came up with no results." Yukari sighed. "...I am mostly sure that they are in the Outside World, with not enough time to look for them."

"So all you can do right now, Okina…?" Richard remarked, as he walked over towards her, with a serious expression.

"...Pray that victory will come to you."