Memory of Chaos: Shalltear Bloodfallen

Memory of Chaos: Shalltear Bloodfallen was a character scenario released in Mass for the Dead, featuring the character Shalltear Bloodfallen.

Episode 1: Shalltear's Pride
On the 9th Floor, Yuri Alpha reports to Shalltear Bloodfallen that she will be on guard duty with her for today at the Throne Room. Shalltear notes that they will be facing a new type of monster: "Chaos Beast". A name which has been given by the outside inhabitants of the New World, which Shalltear finds a bit grandiose, though Yuri states is accurate given that Chaos Beasts possess a wide variety of appearances and abilities, and common sense does not apply to them whatsoever.

Regardless of what they are, Shalltear states that they will die for treading on the hallowed grounds of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. At the Throne Room, Shalltear is horrified at the level of destruction that the malignant Crack and its spawn have done to the sacred place of power of the Supreme Beings.

The two women then take steps to deal with the emerging Chaos Beasts coming from the Crack at the scheduled time. Yuri warns her to be careful of the monsters, but Shalltear thinks that she is jesting as the vampire boasts that she is the strongest Floor Guardians who not just protects one floor but of the 1st through 3rd Floors. The two then engage the monsters, during which Shalltear takes the slaughter in with glee slaying any Chaos Beast that attacks. Yuri tries to restrain the Floor Guardian to conserve her mana but the latter is filled with arrogance on her ability, despite having been weakened from her recent revival from death.

Still even though her power has been significantly downgraded, Shalltear is confident that she can deal with the Chaos Beasts on her own despite her weaken state. Though Yuri warns her to refrain from carelessly charging at the enemy, the maid is initially ignored but Shalltear finally calms down having reminded herself that she should be calm and collected like her master Momonga would have been in this kind of situation. The real thing is further from the truth about Momonga, who elsewhere has an emotional episode on the workload he is faced with in keeping Nazarick together, which is then suppressed by his undead status.

When the last Chaos Beasts is finally slain, Shalltear enjoys the moment of victory with Yuri. Seeking to get better acquainted with the undead maid, due to her necrophilia, Shalltear attempts to invite the latter for tea, but is politely declined as Yuri tells the Floor Guardian she has other duties to take care of before doing something like that. Left alone, Shalltear is disappointed that her invitation was rejected, but decides to stay calm and focus her mind on continuing to fight to regain her power.

Episode 2: Reason For Existence
At the Round Table Room, Shalltear makes her report to Momonga about her successful Chaos Beast subjugation at the Crack on the 10th Floor. The news brings relief to Momonga's ears as he finds out that the situation with the Cracks in Nazarick have become manageable. The Overlord thanks the vampire for her continued dedicated work and dismisses her while telling her to be careful next time when doing her assignments. After being dismissed from his chambers, Shalltear has a deep longing to return back at her master's side, feeling a sense of warmness and comfort by his words. For that reason, Shalltear vows to regain her strength quickly to impress Momonga so that she would not be overtaken by Albedo. Her thoughts are disturbed when she senses a presence near her. Cocytus approaches her, having come to the 9th Floor to make his regular report to Momonga. Since Shalltear's meeting was scheduled before Cocytus's and ended thirty minutes early, the two Floor Guardians chat as they have time. Cocytus and Shalltear talk about the growing concern of the Cracks and Chaos Beasts by not only Momonga but also Demiurge as well. Besides the subjugation mission, news of security infrastructure needs to be rebuilt in the dungeon and is becoming an ongoing issue. On a more personal note, Shalltear asks Cocytus about his opinion on weakness. She is of course talking about the aftereffects of their resurrections and how they lost most of their powers. The vampire asks Cocytus how he honestly feels about being less of what he is. Cocytus admits it is frustrating that he has been reduced in power, but yet tries to be patient in recovering his abilities through training.

Shalltear desires a quick way to get stronger, and asks if that is there an item that can return someone like her to its original strength in an instant. Sadly, Cocytus believes such a way is shameful as he believes in no shortcuts but only in hard work and mediation can he reach his full power. To do so otherwise, would be a shame and disrespect to the Supreme Beings. Though he advises her to speak with the protagonist for any new ideas that could hasten her goal. Unfamiliar with the character, Shalltear only recalls that the protagonist lives in Ashurbanipal and was one of the first in Nazarick to explore the outside world. From Cocytus, she is fascinated to learn that the protagonist had no combat ability to start off with. His selection by Momonga intrigues her, causing Shalltear to wonder why her master would pick a weakling to carry out his orders.

Episode 3: Frustrated
As Shalltear heads over to her new assignment on the 6th Floor, she recalls the memory of when Momonga gave her a combat test in the Amphitheater. When she had demonstrated her power so far, to her Momonga seemed to drooped his shoulders, thinking that she may have been a huge disappointment to him. She fear that Momonga might consider her weak and her worries gnaw at her mentally. Fear like her being unable to regain her strength in the nick of time like the rest of her peers, it causes her to imagine that the Pleiades and her fellow Floor Guardians mocking her on her being a weakling. Her insecurity evolves into imagining both Sebas Tian and Momonga demoting her from a Floor Guardian to a general maid for Nazarick. The idea of such a fate for her causes her to scream, much to Aura Bella Fiora's discomfort who was about to greet the vampire.

Shalltear is briefly lost as to why Aura is present, but is reminded by the dark elf that she is on the 6th Floor. Aura worried about her friend asks if she is alright and wonders if her heart was fluttering around because Momonga was in the area. When Shalltear refuses to speak, Aura asks again only for the former to lash out and accuse the other Floor Guardian for calling her weak. The vampire then goes on to accuse the dark elf for having such an easy job in taking care of animals and a forest. This accusation insults Aura who demands to know why Shalltear is instigating a fight with her. Shalltear's mind is distracted and is in distraught as she tries to make sense of the possibility of her weakness and lack of proper strength. To Aura's surprise, the vampire apologizes for her emotional outburst and then hurries off, ignoring Aura's calls to wait.

Aura totally confused on what is going on with Shalltear as of late is then joined by Mare Bello Fiore who asks what happened between her and the vampire. Aura tells her brother she is not sure herself, but is now worried about Shalltear as she is not acting like her normal self lately. While there is concern over Shalltear's behavior, Mare informs his sister that the protagonist has been looking for her, which causes Aura to remember that she had an obligation with him to fulfill.

Elsewhere on the 6th floor, Entoma Vasilissa Zeta greets Shalltear at the location of the Crack. The maid notes that Shalltear appears more sullen than usually but is brushed away by the Floor Guardian who focuses on the mission at hand. Shalltear takes her role as the advance guard for the Chaos Beast subjugation and allows Entoma to act as rear support. In her mind, Shalltear worries about being tossed away by Momonga as she prepares for the upcoming battle.

Episode 4: Defect
The battle begins once the Crack's cycle initiates and brings forth a horde of Chaos Beasts from out of its dimension. Shalltear tells both Entoma and her Vampire Bride to be ready to engage combat with these beasts. Entoma states that she will and gives the Floor Guardian a hug for luck. Shaking off the embrace, Shalltear then turns her attention towards eliminating the invaders, believing that the sooner she gets rid of them, the more she can prove her ability's excellence. As she kills the Chaos Beasts with [Force Explosion], several of the monsters try to sneak behind her and attack. The attackers are wiped by the Floor Guardian [Impure Shockwave Shield]. Believing that the Chaos Beasts need to be reminded of their differences in power, the vampire charges ahead into the throng. The scene is watched by the protagonist, Aura and Mare at a distance. Aura asks the protagonist on his assessment of the battle, which the homunculus thinks that Shalltear's tactics are appropriate to win a short-term decisive battle, however he worries that it may be rushed. Aura agrees that the vampire sees to be impatient and wonders why she is trying to finish the fight so quickly. Mare suggests that they help, but Aura tells him that they are just here to observe unless they are needed.

In the midst of the battle, Shalltear feels that the mission will end without any problems and with it hopefully the evaluation of her strength will have improved. However though she recognizes that Entoma is a good supporter, Shalltear decides to get more assistance and summons her Einherjar to join the fight. The defenders of Nazarick continue to launch spells at the decreasing amount of Chaos Beasts. All the enemies seem to have cleared up but soon a slime type Chaos Beasts emerges from the Crack. Shalltear thinking to be a minor opponent attacks it. To her shock the monster splits into two, with one perishing to absorb the attack, and the surviving one taking advantage of her shock the slime monster attacks the vampire and is hurt. The slime then flees into the forest to escape after breaking through the cordon of undead. Before it gets any further an arrow shoots it dead. Aura who had shot the monster comes with Mare and the protagonist ask if Shalltear and Entoma are fine.

Entoma thanks the elves as the death of the last Chaos Beast and now calmed the Crack. Aura states that she was merely doing her duties as the Floor Guardian for the 6th Floor. However she berates Shalltear for her carelessness in allowing one of the Chaos Beasts to get the better of her. Entoma believes what they saw may have been a new species of Chaos Beasts, a creature that separates a part of its body similar to a planarian. Shalltear soon meets the acclaimed protagonist .but her attention turns to Aura who she expresses her jealously at the ease she was able to kill a new monster. She attributes her shortcoming to her weaken state and separates from the group. Aura and Mare watching her depart now see that Shalltear's depression is worse than they originally believed.

Episode 5: Why She Was Created
After completing her mission on the 6th Floor, Chartia reported Overseer Guardian Albedo at the Round Table. The news about the Chaos Beast that can split and flee is a bit distressing, as it indicates that in the future new Chaos Beasts with unique abilities may emerge from the Crack. With thsi information the role of patrol guards for the anomalies have become more important. ALbedo tells Shalltear that she was lucky that Aura and Mare were there as it could have ended with in a serious security breach. The blame falls on Shalltear's way of fighting as according to Entoma's report, Shalltear didn't save her skills and magic, and was particular in defeating her enemies as soon as possible.

While the strategy is sound when Chaos Beasts that appear are of the same ability and strength, but with the emergence of a new species such a method would be a disaster. Listening to Albedo's lecture, Shalltear asks to be dismissed. Albedo asks what is she talking about, which Shalltear states that the blunder was her responsibility. Feeling that she should not be in charge of the patrols she asks to be reassigned. Albedo is further confused as the role of patrol was initially the vampire's decision. The vampire admits to her shame that ever since her revival and weaken state she has felt that she has become useless. After being hurt by such a small fry at the Crack, it further proves her inability to protect the dungeon and feels that she has brought shame on the Supreme Beings and cannot face either Peroroncino or Momonga.

Her request for reassignment is rejected by Albedo, not just because as she cannot afford to remove a Floor Guardian No, but such as act would be a humiliation to the Supreme Beings. Albedo orders Shalltear to review her thoughts and then leaves the room. With that said, Shalltear had no choice but to remain silent without saying anything. She eventually finds herself in the corridor of the 9th Floor, where Aura's voice calls out to her.

Along with Aura is the protagonist. Seeing the two Shalltear sarcastically asks if they are hear to laugh at her folly. Aura tells her friend to shut up and explains the reason why the protagonist was watching Shalltear at the Crack was so that Aura could instruct him on the profession of the Ranger to expand his knowledge for future use outdoors. Shalltear is shocked by this as the homunculus is seeking to improve himself for Momonga's benefit. Aura tells Shalltear that she is not alone in being weak since her revival. She herself has been handicapped by the situation noting that she is unable to call her pets like Fenn which is a nagging pain. No one else in Nazarick has been spared and Aura states that they are all trying to cope with the loss and do their best

The vampire realizes that she has been acting selfish and inconsiderate, thinking that her burden was something she was facing all alone. She apologizes to Aura and the protagonist for her behavior. Her confidence renewed, Shalltear states with new purpose that she will continue protecting her floors as she is the only Floor Guardian mandated by the Supreme Beings to guard the 1st to 3rd Floors. Aura is pleased that Shalltear has refound her center, which Shalltear claims that it was the dark elf's encouragement and renew their sibling-liek rivarly.

Back at the Throne Room. another slime type Chaos Beasts splits into two after it is attacked. Lupusregina Beta stationed at the room is surprised by tha action. An armored Shalltear arrives and asks for a status update, which the maid reports that another specimen of the new Chaos Beast species has emerged from the Crack. It had split its body and one of its halves has escape. Shalltear tells the maid to handle the oncoming Chaos Beasts while she locates the escapee in the room. While tracking the Chaos Beast, Albedo soon appear to Shalltear's surprise. Albedo had come to provide some consultation to Shalltear, but the vampire asks that she saves her speech until after she finds and kills her target. Duty coming first Albedo then lends her help to Shalltear and the two manage to find the slime monster. When it is attacked, it once again splits, allowing a piece of its to absorb the attack while the other half tries to escape. It meets its end at the end of Shalltear's [Purifying Javelin]. The action is noted by Albedo to be quite efficient as the vampire has used additional magical power to improve the accuracy of the hit.

The undead Floor Guardian taking pride in her shot boasts that with this accomplishment she might be ready to call the 'bed' first stating that she will be Momonga's bride to Albedo annoyance who claims that their master would not ne interested in a lamprey like her. The episode ends with Shalltear and Albedo fighting over their love for Momonga.

Trivia

 * This character scenario was released alongside the Memory of Chaos: Sebas Tian, Memory of Chaos: Pandora's Actor, Memory of Chaos: Demiurge, Memory of Chaos: Aura Bella Fiora, Memory of Chaos: Mare Bello Fiore, Memory of Chaos: Cocytus, Memory of Chaos: Albedo, and Memory of Chaos: Momonga.