Hearts of Iron 4 Player's Guide to Save the Isekai World

Marching Fire

Night

A quarter to eleven, almost time to rotate. Erich stood up, flashing a light towards the dark. The crackling of the red fire thundered, he raised the balaclava above his nose as the winds howled through the woods, and he dropped his notepad and aimed a suppressed M1911 into seeming nothingness, to that pair of glinting eyes choosing to be none the wiser.

The subsonic round zipped past the eyes, and it disappeared. The rustling fled.

The night wore on over Aurelia, asleep, her breathing slow and even. A peaceful sight. Hopefully, her dreams shared the same sentiment. But the darkness cared not for such concerns. Aurelia groaned. Her gentle face frowned.

Erich circled around the campfire and swiped a hand over her. It struck something hard, and his other hand seized it. Aurelia's coat stretched forward as though something latched onto it. He squeezed his hand, and something squealed.

Peace washed over her face, the flame sparkling a single tear. Erich drove his nails into his palm. It cackled a wheeze, the barrier sparked and ground; a hardy fellow. He thrust it into the campfire, then ash scattered from his hand, which he patted off.

Fucking sleep paralysis demons.

He summoned his sword and hovered the tip above the ground, keeping his voice low.

"The power of the Hero compels you," the blade stabbed the earth and flashed a ray of white golden light across the forest. "And fuck off."

His sword blasted his Will across the forest. Alps and mares, he can strangle any day of the week. But if a goddamn poltergeist or hemann were having funny ideas, they're gonna see what happens between a pissed-off American and an influencer.

He sat back, scratching the words in his note, and went to the point. In retrospect, there's nothing noteworthy about it. A bit melodramatic, but then again, it's the pattern. Why act surprised? You feel like you're the exception, that special one so privileged to enter into the other's life, and you saw him for what he was.

Yes, Aurelia'ss just one of many. Could he have done something different? Maybe. Would everyone else be happier if he avoided them? Politics. But was he ready to accept someone who embraced it?

Erich folded the letter and punched the tip of his knife for a piece of string. He tied the letter to one of the ornate gaps running around her sword's hilt. A bag full of gold, silver, and copper appeared beside the campfire, as well as supplies, a map, and a compass; a clean rifle and more armor-piercing K bullet.

He slipped the ring off her finger, then she stirred. Erich held his breath, but she rolled to her side. He let out a shaky breath and got it off her. You got to have a bit of compassion rather than stockpiling it outright, right? Or did he want her to catch him? To satisfy his importance to the big picture?

For a while, he sat next to her sleeping face, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. He can't deny it anymore, so Erich ripped the protective charm off his neck and put it around her wrist. The Schwarz-rot-gold and the black doppeladler turned into an edelweiss; a bit corny, but it'll have to do.

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head.

"Thank you," and he walked away from the campfire, his suppressed M1911 ready and flashlight illuminating the path.