Chiara’s squad races to the drowning squad members of Team Bathory, The boat bounces on the rough waves, speeding to the rescue. Muzzle flashes bloom across the upper decks of the rig, but the storm and distance throw off the defenders' aim. A recruit tries to return fire but Chiara grabs her arm to stop her. “Don’t try it! We’re out of range. You’ll just make us an easier target!”
The boat comes down to a halt once it reaches the wreckage. The marooned squad members do their best to swim towards their rescue boat. Chiara and her squad mates reach out to catch and rag them out of the water to safety.
“Is that everyone?! Good! We have to keep moving!” The recruit accelerates the boat’s engine once all four of Team Bathory have been rescued. Chiara some of Bathory’s team no longer have their rifles with them. One of Chiara’s squad mates sneers at them “Vlad is going to make you suffer for losing your rifles. You better scavenge whatever you can from the oil rig.” Ahead, the looming silhouette of the oil rig grows larger, its towering structure lit by sweeping spotlights. The flashes of gunfire spark like embers in the dark, and the sound of combat from Team Dracula’s helicopter fills the air. A voice crackles over their radios, tense and sharp.
“Team Carmilla. This is Team Alucard. We are getting close to the oil rig. We are getting no contact with Team Bathory.” A voice clatters over the squad’s radio.
“Team Alucard, This is Camilla.” A squad member with a radio calls back. “Team Bathory is with us now. Their boat is out of commission. We will proceed to the underside of the oil rig. It looks like we may not need our hooks. We have a visual of ladders on the pillars.”
“Affirmative. The enemy is expecting our ascent. Just as Vlad briefed us earlier. Stay in the shadows.”
“Understood, Alucard. Camilla out.” He lowers his radio and looks at his squad and then to Chiara. “You there. You’re more experienced than the rest of us here. What is our game plan going forward.” Chiara feels her stomach ache from the pressure of having to take control of a squad again. Her first time doing so didn’t go so well when she was pitted against the very squad she’s working for now. It certainly is true that Chiara does have more experience than the rest of these naive recruits. Mai and Hikari certainly weren’t that. She looks at the two squad members from Team Bathory who had lost their rifle. It pains her to suggest the idea. “Since you two don’t have your rifles, you will be the first up the ladder. We’ll do our best to provide covering fire but you’re going to have to be quick.” The two recruits shrug and nod, seeing as they don’t really have a choice since they are unarmed.
“You both still have your knives and grenades right?” Another squad member asks them.
“Uh...yeah. Still hanging on our carriers.” one of the unarmed recruit mentions, patting the soaked pouches at his waist
“Make due with what you have until you can scavenge a rifle. Got it?” Chiara suggests.
“Sure thing, Sis.” The unarmed squad member affirms. “We’re not going to die so easily...are we?”
“I...I can’t make any promises.” Chiara says bluntly. “But we’ll try to do our best...okay?” The recruit reluctantly nods his head. She sees the uncertainty in the recruits’ eyes and could only hope for the best for them.
The boat begins to slow as they approach the looming steel pillars beneath the oil rig. The ladders dangle down, slick with rain and sea spray. Above them, the flash of gunfire grows louder. Chiara can see Team Alucard, approaching the other pillar across from them. The catwalk above soon swarms with Raptor Squad recruits, silhouettes shifting behind the guardrails as they get into position to fire down on the intruders. It’s the first time for Chiara and the recruits seeing them in their gray outfits and bright blue jeans. They are armed with M4A1 rifles, just as they saw in the mission briefing. Their movements are coordinated and they come off as more professional for a batch of rookies.
The unarmed recruits get up on their feet, ready to jump over to the pillar and climb the ladder. “Don’t give them any chances. Open fire!” Chiara and her squad lift their M16A3 at the hostiles on the catwalk above them. Her finger flips the safety to semi-auto and she moves her finger to the trigger and starts snapping her rifle at the individual targets above them with her squad. A figure drops to a knee, disappearing from view. Whether she hit or just forced them into cover doesn’t matter. Her squad is at a disadvantage and will need to put the pressure on Raptor Squad as much as they can.
The unarmed recruits use that as their cue to move. One of them jumps over from the boat to the pillar, nearly slipping from the wet concrete. He grabs the helm of the ladder and starts rushing up the steps. The enemy notices this and starts to fire upon the recruit who squeezes himself close to the ladder as rounds start flying towards him by mere inches. His squad mates down below attempt to suppress the enemy but the waves on the boat make it very difficult to keep the irons steady on the targets. Team Alucard on the other side of the rig had also started sending their squad members up the ladder, one individual at a time. One of their squad members attempts to fire from the ladder with her M16A3 rifle but is quickly gunned down and her body rag dolls back down into the waves with a splash. “Oh no! We lost a sister!” The voice over the radio clatters through the gunfire.
There is no time to mourn for the recruits. The enemy is taking every chance of having the height advantage even if their cover is limited by the railing. Chiara takes two shots at one of them striking the chest, putting the Raptor Squad recruit down instantly. She’s not sure if he’s dead as some of the other recruits rush towards the downed squad mate and attempt to pull him out of the catwalk. She’s not certain if the target she took down was significant to the enemy’s chain of command but it leaves them with less incoming fire to deal with. The unarmed recruit continues to pull himself up the ladder. He keeps his eyes out on the catwalk, hoping his squad and team mates down below can take them out before he reaches the top. He won’t have anything to defend himself with other than his grenades and his bayonet for his long lost rifle. A raptor squad recruit takes this opportunity to take his shot at him. Chiara’s squad mate nearby takes aim at him and fires a full auto burst at the recruit, dropping him on the spot. Another Raptor Squad member gets hit and falls off the railing.
Their numbers are dwindling the longer they stay on the catwalk. Vampire Squad’s M16A3 are able to accurately pick them off with single shot fire, even with the uneven firing position on the boats. The enemy retreats from the catwalk, up towards some stairs, presumably to set up a new ambush elsewhere. The male recruit finally makes it up to the catwalk in one piece. He reaches for one of the M4A1 rifles laying near one of the several casualties. The M4A1 these recruits were issued are smaller in length; an arguably better choice for the sort of fighting Raptor Squad is going to deal with in this match. Their rifles are not only issued with 30 round polymer magazines but have a lightweight minimalist stock and a nice budget holographic sight. The M16 rifles issued to them by comparison seem rather dated, even if the two platforms are comparable.
“The cat walk is clear!” He shouts over his squad holding his new rifle. “Come on up here everyone!” The rest of the squad members from Team Alucard and Team Carmela start to dismount the boats and climb up the ladder. While Chiara is climbing up the ladder, she looks down at the crashing waves which toss around the corpses of her teammates and those from the enemy that were taken out. She feels pity for those who didn’t get a chance to prove themselves in this match but has to remain focused on the match. It’s far from over.
“Team Darcula, This is Team Alucard. All boat squadrons are now on the rig. We’ve taken some casualties but are still in the fight.” The recruit with a radio calls through his handheld radio on his vest carrier. “We are preparing to sweep this fortress.”
“Nice work, We’re preparing to rappel from our ride above. We’ll squeeze them out like from the upper and lower levels. Prepare for close quarters combat. We have an extermination duty.”
“Wilco.” He lowers his radio and speaks out to the remaining Vampire recruits on the catwalk. “We’re splitting up once we ascend these stairs now that we are in Raptor territory now! Fix bayonets! Things are going to get a whole lot ugly from here!” The recruits take their bayonets from their sheaths on their carriers and mount it on the end of their rifles, essentially making them a 20 inch spear that can shoot lead from the other end. Chiara looks over at her squad mates from Team Carmella. They had all somehow survived the initial assault and they all looked at her as if they trust her. It’s not a position she would have asked for. She’s only here to prove her worth to being in Vampire Squad and nothing more. But perhaps this is what Asura wants from her to do in this trial. A proof that she can lead with the right kind of teammates who will not hold her back.
“Listen up Team Carmella. We need to stick to a line formation. The one in our rear will protect our column from behind. I’ll lead from the front. Everyone else in the middle will protect our center. Look around and above. They’ll have the asymmetrical advantage to flank us. Are we ready to move?”
“Yes, Sister!” Her squad mates answer obediently.
“Let’s prove ourselves! We’re not going to die like prey today!” Chiara waves her hand and her squad follows right behind her. The rest of the Vampire Squad recruits from Team Alucard ascend the staircase first, aiming their rifle around and taking shots at anything that moves. The enemy is already setting ambushes from all corners of the rig. “Check those corners! They’ll come at us from all directions! Chiara’s squad carefully moved up into the first section of the oil rig platform. It’s a claustrophobic mess of concrete, pipes, and narrow walkways from above and around the squad. On the far end of the platform is the storm and the sea. The rest is a maze of machinery, pipes, stairways leading to the second level and above. Chiara can hear Team Dracula’s helicopter approaching from above, even with the gunfire taking place between Team Alucard and Raptor Squad who are continuing to make their retreat as they set up ambushes. Chiara leads her squad around the corner of the platform. The storm's violent winds blow on the left side as they turn the corner into the center. Loud rumbling machinery around them conceals their and their combatant’s footsteps. Chiara keeps her rifle leveled ahead of her. Her two squad mates behind her aim their rifles left and right and clutched close to their body to keep their bayonet and long barrel from getting caught with the environment. The squad member on the rear, constantly checks behind them, keeping her rifle at a low ready should she have to turn 180 and open fire on a potential ambush. They move at a pace, but are careful not to slip on the wet concrete floors. The railings are not likely to save them from a slip. The whole oil rig is seriously lacking in safety standards. Chiara spots a lone Raptor Squad recruit making a dash towards some cover. Chiara’s rifle kicks against her shoulder as she squeezes the trigger. Her shot lands clean on the target’s center mass, and the Raptor Squad recruit drops mid-sprint; rifle clattering to the floor. Who knows what firing upon these pipes can do if they have oil flowing through them.
“Chiara raises her hand to halt her squad. She sees movement from the shadows cast by the defenders taking shelter in a bulkhead. Their rifles aimed at such a way to deny entry to the main walkway. They can make a good shot from their position before alerting them of their presence. She kneels down and motions her squad to take aim at the defenders. There appears to be three of them. She takes aim at the recruit resting his rifle on a pipeline. She raises her hand again, counting down from three fingers. “Three, two, one…” and with her hand swaying down to her handguard. Her squad takes a shot at the defenders. One of them is terminated instantly from a headshot; the intermediate round making its mark right on the recruits helmet. Seems like those helmets aren’t rated for rifle rounds. The other recruit nearly dodges a shot and ducks behind with his M4A1. The other recruit temporarily is spared from a shot but the incoming round but a puncture in the pipeline causes oil to shoot out and sprays all over the recruits face, causing him to be blinded. “Ahhhh my eyes!!!!!” He screams while trying to wipe the oil off his face. All this does is alert more Raptor squad recruits to their position. Even after he’s eliminated with a second shot, it’s far too late to stop what’s coming now.
“They know we’re here. Get ready!” Chiara orders her squad to take cover behind some machinery.”Reinforcements from the upper floor come from the second level and take their positions. They fire upon Chiara’s squad and force them to hunker down under their suppressive fire.
“It’s no good, Sis! We’re outnumbered!” Her squad mate shouts while under fire, ducking her head behind the thick machinery that is barely providing enough cover. As if things couldn’t get any worse, one of the reinforcements pulls a pin on a grenade and lunges straight at Chiara’s squad.
“Grenade! Look out!” She dashes towards the recruit’s cover, while suppressing fire on the enemy. The recruit in her squad is frozen in fear at the sight of the grenade next to her. Chiara comes just in time to kick the grenade off their down the railing, exploding in mere seconds. Sparing her squadmate from an instant death, Chiara is struck by a round from the enemy. She drops to the ground holding her shoulder from where she’s been shot.”
“Sister! You’re hit!” The female recruit Chiara had just saved cries out.
“Ugh….I’m fine….I think…” She removes her hand from her shoulder, spotting the red hue and torn uniform from where the round had got her. She doesn’t have an Hikari to rely on anymore. Chiara will have to take her training from yesterday into consideration and patch the wound herself. “Keep the enemy suppressed. I have to patch myself up.” Chiara sits next to the recruit behind her cover. She grabs her tourniquet from her carrier vest pouch and applies pressure on her shoulder to stop the bleeding.
“It’s no use sister! They aren’t giving us a chance to advance!” Chiara’s other squad mate calls from the other side of their cover on her left. Chiara tries to think of a desperate course of action. She recalls how the pipes are carrying oil from the missed shot they took earlier. It might be better off blowing up the sector of the first layer, even if it’s a danger to her squad and potentially to Team Alucard if they are close by. She takes her radio and relays communications with Team Alucard.
“Team Alucard, This is Team Carmela. We’re under heavy fire in the center section of the first level. We pinned down and are out of options. What’s your status?
The radio is pure static for a moment before a voice comes through with gunfire heard through the background. “This is Team Alucard. We’re in the eastern sector of the first level. Multiple hostiles are firing upon us from the second level. We’re trying to advance up the stairs to take them out.
“We’re in a tight spot right now. I’m considering setting a blaze to this area and getting my squad out of here. Are you capable of getting out of the first level?”
“Uh...that’s a possibility.” The voice replies over the radio with uncertainty. “But we’ll try to advance.”
“We don’t have a choice. If we stay here in the first level for too long, we’ll burn through our ammo. We have to keep pushing until we can regroup with Team Dracula.
“Understood. They already are on the third level and are working their way down from what they told me. Do what you have to...with precaution.”
“Right….get to the second floor while you can. Quickly!” Chiara hangs up her radio and calls out to her squad mates. “Listen up! We’re going to throw our grenades all at once. Once the explosions go off, we need to make a run for the outer edge and find some stairs to the second level. This whole level is going to go up in a blaze!”
“So in other words, we’ll be toast if we don’t run for it!” Her squad mate jokes half seriously.
“It’s our last resort...but we have no choice. Is everyone ready?” Chiara grabs her grenade from her pouch, and her squad follows her lead. “Once you pull the pin on my mark, throw it overhead towards the enemy. The pipes will explode and set a blaze. When you hear the explosion. Follow me and run like your life depends on it!”
“We believe in you sis!” The male squad mate answers.
“Please. Don’t put all your hopes onto me. You all have to carry your weight too!” Chiara gets ready to issue the signal to throw grenades all together. “On my mark ... .let them have it!” They lob their grenades from their cover towards the enemy. They take notice of the grenades and duck for cover before realizing how futile that’s going to be. All four detonate in a fiery explosion, not helped with the oily floor and the nearby pipes transferring oil through the floor. What would have been just fragmentation elevated into a massive firebomb, vaporizing or engulfing the enemy in flames as the fire soon starts to spread around the first level. Chiara and her squad take the hint and make a run for it, searching for the stairs as the inferno quickly catches up to them. “Don’t look back! Run!” Chiara and her squad run around the outer rim of the first level before finding some steel steps leading up to the second level. Behind them, they can hear the screams of those caught in the blaze with some of them making a desperate jump off the rig into the sea. Chiara makes it up the steps followed by her second squad mate. The squad mate in the rear suddenly slips from the wet concrete, falling on her side.
The third squad mate takes notice and grabs her hand to lift her up. He can see the flames approaching and he can’t waste any more seconds. He pulls hers by the arm up to her feet and up the stairs before the flames envelope the bottom of the stairs completely. They were both spared from an unfortunate elimination, the two panting and exhausted as they held onto each other. “That was too close…” The male recruit says out of breath.
“I...I can’t believe you saved me...thank you.” The female recruits eyes dart off in a bit of shyness as she hugs the male recruit tightly.”
“Oh...it’s nothing...I was just...nevermind…” He blushes before she lets go and they are both standing up with their rest of the squad who were just watching awkwardly. Chiara is just relieved her squad made it out. She hears incoming footsteps approaching. She raises her rifle only to lower it when it’s apparent that it’s Team Alucard or rather the last two members.
“What happened to your squad?!” Chiara calls out to them.
“We got into an ambush firefight in the second level and lost our third brother. It’s just the two of us now.”
“You don’t stand a chance with just you two. You’re in our team now.” Chiara motions them with her hand to join them. “Is the second level clear?”
“For the most part. “Team Bathory swept through the area without much resistance. Seems like your little distraction in the first level spreads them out from making any strongholds in this layer. I’m not sure where they are now.”
“Let me check in on them.” Chiara uses her radio with her hand. “This is Team Carmela. Alucard is merging with us on the second floor. We have the two floors cleared. What’s your status Team Bathory and Dracula?” It takes a while before a voice comes through the radio.
“This is team Dracula. We had also merged with Bathory after our squads took some casualties. We are in the third level, and are trying to find the enemy. We aren’t seeing any pockets left.”
“Did we completely wipe them out?”
“Not likely. We only took out two hostiles. There has to be more around here….” Chiara and her squad suddenly hear a loud series of cracks over the radio and overhead. “Shit! I’ve been hit! We’re under fire! They have a fucking 50 caliber machine gun! Need back up now!” The voice yells urgently over the radio. Before being cut off.”
“They got a machine gun emplacement? Isn’t that going a little overboard?” A recruit complains in Chiara’s group.
“They are a rich team, they can easily afford to deploy such weapons.” Another squad mate interjects. “But it’s nothing our squad leader can’t handle huh?” Chiara is once again put into the spotlight, but now leading a larger group of recruits than before. They stand around her and await to hear her next plan of action.” She mind goes into overclock while forming some kind of game plan for her squad. The first thing is obvious.
“Sounds like the machine gunner is holding position somewhere in the center of the third floor. We can’t just approach them head on. We’ll have to split up into groups of two.” She looks over at the male recruit who saved her female squad mate earlier. “You seem brave. Think you can lead your squad without me?”
“I’ll do what I can sister.” He replies semi-confidently. His hands gripping his rifle. “Just give me the orders sis.”
“Fair enough. I want you to lead our squad on our right when we reach the third level. Stay in cover and listen for that machine gunner. Do not expose yourself or your squad out in the open. When you see the machine gunner. Let me know over our comms. I’ll take the survivors from Team Alucard and figure out a way to assault their position. Got it.”
“Sounds like a plan, Sis.” His other squad mates look on approvingly, although Chiara is not certain they will survive in the end. “And if we run into Team Dracula?”
“Let them know you’re there but do not approach their position.” A burst of machine gun fire can be heard overhead the recruits. “They are pinned down and will need one of us to draw their fire. I’d rather be that distraction.” Chiara gazes over at the two remaining members of Team Alucard. “You two still have your grenades?” They both nod their heads. “Good, we’ll need them to take out the machine gunner. Let’s not waste any time.”
Chiara motions her squad to follow her up the stairs. She keeps her rifle aimed at her horizon when she peeks into the third level. There’s no longer another layer above them as they are now at the top of the oil rig. The rain pours down with such a force it soaks the uniforms and gear they all have with them. Their rifles will need a good oiling and cleaning after this match. At the very least, the storm provides some coverage from being spotted.
With precise timing, the two groups split off in separate directions. The male recruit takes Chiara’s squad mates from Team Carmela and disappears into the coverage of shipping crates and steel beams. Chiara and her two new squad mates take the opposite route, going through a steel crane which has been repurposed as a watch post. She witnesses two dead squad mates from Raptor Squad who appear to have bayonet wounds under their chest rig and right next to them is a member from Vampire Squad who must have been gunned down by that machine gunner. With a quick countdown with her fingers, she moves with her squad mates into the open and dash for cover on the other side of a steel pillar. A quick burst from the enemy’s machine gun fires upon them instantly but misses them. “They have a spotter with them. I should have known.” Chiara thinks to herself as she picks up her radio. She uses her other hand to draw her knife, cleaning the water droplets on it to a mirror shine so she can use the reflection to spot the enemy. She cautiously sticks her knife out from the corner at an angle. She can see a small office room structure just below what appears to be a helicopter pad right above. The flag of Raptor squad waves violently over the stormy winds. She spots the machine gunner and another squad member next to him who is aiming with his rifle and speaking to him. The machine gunner opens fire again towards Chiara’s direction, forcing her to draw her knife back to cover. “I have a visual on the machine gunner! He has a spotter with him. Do you all have visuals?” Her radio cracks as a voice comes in from the male recruit.
“Yeah! We see him! Oh uh! Look out! Boogies are heading your way. West side!”
Chiara waves to her two squad mates who ready their rifles, bayonets attached onto their barrels in case things get personal. One of them grabs their grenade and readies it to be thrown. Chiara grabs a smoke grenade on her vest to throw in the direction where the machine gunner was firing upon. “I’m going to throw a smoke grenade. If I can draw the machine gun fire, Team Carmela and Team Dracula can try to go for the assault. My squad will deal with the hostiles over here!” She pulls the pin on her smoke grenade, holds it for a few seconds before throwing it out into the open. The grenade pops and leaks out a white phosphorus smoke which eventually clouds the exposed pathway leading to the machine gunner’s nest. “Toss your grenade!” Chiara cries out her order to the recruit who throws her grenade from cover. The machine gunner opens fire into the smoke as soon as the grenade explodes. Chiara fires her rifle blindly from cover, cornering her rifle into the cloud of smoke in the general direction of the machine gunner’s nest to draw fire. Her squad mate from the other side of her cover, does the same but throws his grenade towards another opening where a group of raptor squad recruits are rushing toward their position. One of them is taken down with the explosion but the others take note and throw a grenade of their own.
“Grenade!” He shouts to Chiara and his squad mate across the wet steel. The blast knocks him onto the ground. His legs take shrapnel and make in immobile. Chiara reaches down to pick him up but he pushes her away with his hands. “No….go on without me! I’ll cover your retreat. He grabs his rifle as he leans against the steel beam on the ground, bleeding out from his injury on his leg. “Go! While the smoke is still covering you! Go!” Chiara and her female squad mate dash behind the smoke, which is still drawing machine gun fire. Some of the rounds nearly hit Chiara and her squad mate. The injured male recruit readies his rifle when the hostiles turn the corner and aim their rifles at him, executing him on the spot. In a fit of rage, Chiara’s squad mate opens fire as she retreats, drawing the attention of the enemy.
“Take out those Vampire scum!” Their squad leader shouts as they exchange fire upon Chiara and her squad mate.
Meanwhile, the machine gunner starts hitting his 50 caliber Browning M2 with his fist. “What did you do this time you idiot!” His spotter snaps at him, throwing his arms up in frustration with his rifle hanging on his sling. “You cooked the barrel, you idiot! I told you to let it cool!”
“And let you hog up all the kills?! Screw that! I want to get into that position in Raptor Squad! I already have more kills than you!”
“Oh stop being selfish you moron! We’re barely hanging on and everyone is already….ah shit!”
“Don’t you ah shit me!” Their argument comes to an abrupt halt when they see the two doors on their sides kicked open and a group of Vampire recruits, dressed in all black fatigues breaching in with their rifles. “C...Contact!” The spotter attempts to fire upon the intruders but is gunned down instantly. The machine gunner is completely unarmed and with his M2 out of commission. He is pushed down onto the floor and last moments are spent screaming as the Vampires all crowd up to bayonet him all at once. His voice shouting through the storm as he is eliminated from the match in a brutal and non-glorious manner.
Chiara and her squad mate meanwhile exchange fire with the last remaining squad members of Raptor Squad. Their firefight in the rain has taken out most of the hostiles leaving two left. One of them gets a clear shot and hits Chiara’s squad mate in the arm. She collapses from her injury but is still alive. “They got me, Sis!” She cries out on the floor clutching her arm.
“Hang on!” Chiara fires her rifle at the second raptor squad member before focusing her iron sights on the last member. The enemy does the same, aiming his M4A1 at her. Both squeeze their trigger finger but get nothing but a click. The Raptor Squad recruit drops his rifle and draws his combat knife, charging straight for Chiara and yelling. Chiara quickly lunges her rifle’s bayonet at the charging combatant, in the exposed shoulder above his plate carrier, making him drop his knife onto the ground before being jabbed again below the rib.
With the last trust, Chiara pulls her bayonet out and watches the last Raptor Squad recruit fall to his knees. He attempts to reach for his knife on the ground but Chiara kicks it off the platform, into the sea below. His eyes look up to Chiara while she loads a new magazine into her rifle. “That’s not necessary...you got me already….the rules of war…”
Chiara fires a shot into the recruit’s head, dropping and silencing him instantly without remorse. She collapses onto the ground next to her squad mate, who is still holding onto her injury. The two take a moment to catch their breath. Chiara takes off her bump helmet and closes her eyes. Rain drips onto her reddish hair and onto her face. It’s not certain if it’s rain on her cheeks or tears. For a moment, there’s just the sound of the storm, the pouring rain, and waves below the oil rig. That moment is soon interrupted with cheers coming from where the machine gunner would have been positioned. “Sister, is it over….did we actually achieve victory?” Her injured squad mate mutters.
Chiara blinks, forcing down the ache in her chest. “Yeah...I think it’s over Sis.” Chiara helps up onto her feet as the two limp their way from their cover. From their horizon, they see the survivors of Vampire Squad, cheering and firing their guns into the air in victory. The flag from Raptor squad lays on the ground under the boots of the Vampire recruits. They spot Chiara and call her and her squad mate over with excitement in their voices.
“Our sister lives! Let’s hear it for our sister Chiara!” They rush up to her and lift up over their arms. “Wow, she’s so light!” One of her squad mates remarks as they parade her over to the former machine gun nest while chanting “Chiara! Chiara! Chiara!” The chants echo across the rig, drowning out the storm around them. But as the others celebrate, Chiara remains quiet. Her grip clenching on her M16A3 rifle which is soaking wet from the rain. Her eyes stay fixated on the sky above her. There’s not a single star in the sky. Just dark gray clouds and darkness. Is this what she abandoned her friends for? This victory feels cheap, undeserved, and dirty in some way to Chiara. Her heart sinks at the thought of winning a battle for her former adversaries. A part of her misses Emi, Hikari, Mai, and the rest of Longhorn squad. When they won their first battle against Kraken Squad and Glam Squad, there was a bit of a special feeling Chiara felt, considering the odds they were up against in that match. This victory feels nothing like that. Her new squad mates don’t see her as equal, they view her as their superior. They followed her orders. They died for this victory alone, for her sake.
The celebration is halted as a helicopter lands upon the landing pad just above them. It’s the same helicopter that lifted Team Dracula into combat. Count Vlad and Count Lucius disembark from the helicopter and make their way down the steps. The recruits lower Chiara down and immediately kneel down at attention. “The counts are approaching!” Count Vlad makes himself visible in the middle of the surviving recruits. He looks around at all of the exhausted but clearly proud recruits who had proven their worth to Vampire Squad. They are no longer prey in his eyes now.
“You may stand.” He orders his recruits who all rise in Unison. They shoulder their rifles over their shoulder and remain at attention. “You don’t understand how proud you all have made me today and Her Majesty….brothers and sisters.” He says with a firm, cold, but reassuring voice. “Today, those of you who live to stand here on this very battle ground are now officially….Vampires!”
The recruits cheer openly which Vlad allows for a brief moment before silencing them with his hands raised. “As Vampires, you are sworn to fight for our cause, spread fear to our enemies, and rake in revenue for our establishment. You’ll be sent on many missions, some of which may be more fierce than the one you fought in now. But no matter what the odds, you’ll fight alongside the shadows. You’ve proven your worth today, you are now free to log off or relax at our base. You’ve earned it. At ease.” He leaves the recruits to their own will to continue celebrating but calls upon Chiara to meet with him and Lucius who is also coming down from the helicopter pad. “You there! Chiara! You actually made it alive. I guess I was wrong about you after all.”
“Her Majesty was right about her.” Lucius insists to Vlad. “She’s capable of being a strong leader and has a lot of potential. If only she would have shown that to us when she was fighting against us.” His bleak reminder brings back memories of her defeat when she was with Armadillo Squad. “No matter, Asura has an additional offer for you that she’ll like to discuss with you personally. She’ll only be online for a brief moment. We don’t want to keep her waiting.”
“I...I see..” Chiara mutters without much tone to her voice as she follows the two onto the helicopter.