Suikoden VI

Chapter Eight: Part Seven

Part Seven

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Protect HQ!

Holy Army Forces: 10,000

Liberation Army Forces: 7,000 and skyship

Victory: Defeat all units or defeat Sloan Faakhir's unit

Failure: Daunte's unit falls or any enemy units reach HQ

The midnight sky was crystal clear, full of glittering stars and a full moon. Quite unfortunately the deceptive serenity served as an ominous backdrop for what was to come.

By the time Daunte reached his unit they could see that the Holy Army had thrown off their monster skins and were charging at them. Sloan Faakhir, Keha Hale, and Imbuka Liger each had six units in their vanguard, but Daunte saw that many more units framed the horizon behind them.

But he forced himself to remain outwardly calm. I can't let anyone see me be anything but confident. They will only believe that we will win if I display confidence that we will win!

"The Holy Army has been listening to our conversations via the pipes?" Caesar asked thoughtfully as Daunte gave him a quick recap of what had happened earlier.

"I think so," Daunte said. "Futch said the pipe we saw underground stretched for the entire length of the tunnel until it turn towards the west into the wall. We severed the connection."

"Interesting," Caesar responded. "So it wasn't a traitor but our own carelessness that exposed us to the enemy."

"If they've been listening to our plans this whole time, then why choose NOW to move against us?" Felicity demanded.

Caesar shrugged. "I imagine it would expose their hand if they did it sooner. Of course since we planned such a monumental campaign against their most powerful Sheikh, they had to take action against us now."

"Yeah," Roen said savagely. "On a holy holiday of all days!"

"Do we have an estimated time of when Hero and Öt will be arriving to assist us?" Surya called over to them.

"Hero should be here any minute!" Daunte called back to him. "I don't know where Öt is, but we'll be okay!"

"Incoming!" Umeko suddenly shouted from the top of HQ's walls. "The forces of the south are 300 meters away!"

"Leave them to Allise and Keiran," Caesar said reassuringly. "They'll know what to do."

Keha Hale's unit was serving as the rearguard, but the unit leading the vanguard was a calvary unit. "I've got this!" Allise called over to Keiran's unit. She directed her unit to move forward, standing at the front as she spread her arms. "Pale Passage!" she shouted, activating the Pale Gate Rune.

Keha Hale snapped his teeth when he saw the slender white dragon rise up into the air and rain massive ice chunks upon his units. The screams of his soldiers added to his anger. That bitch! Using the Rune she refuses to give back to me against me! I'll KILL HER for this!

"My turn!" Keiran shouted, unsheathing his sword. "Soldiers! Forward march!"

"So far so good," Daunte said, hearing the sounds of battle from the south. He looked between the forces advancing from the east and north. "Imbuka Liger's forces are going to reach us first. Is everyone ready?"

"Lord Daunte!" Shou shouted from the walls. He pointed towards the north. "Look!"

Daunte had to squint, but in the moonlight he movement across the sky. Hero!