Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 18.7: Goodbye Blue Sky

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ILIAS VAN PAYNE

The enemy planned to use Vienna's Good Vibrations to keep us from entering the battle. Though Mondatta, the twins, and I's appearance improved the status at the main gate, the bandits were slowly pushing their way in.

We began letting them enter a few at a time, sticking to the strategy we had conceived since the beginning. But their overwhelming numbers proved difficult to manage.

"We can't keep fighting like this," Mondatta yelled. "If the bandits persist, they will push through the main gate. Askeladd, Tony, and Jaime are our best offence. We're supposed to be backing them up. Where the hell are they?"

"We can make do with this." I rained down Fire Balls from a platform erected from the ground. "Right now they're winning because they're focused on breaching the walls. We need to let half of them in and attack from their rears."

Roxanne deflected an attack and pointed towards the direction of the missing sentinels. "They could attack from their rears! How have they not heard the fighting here yet?"

"Ilias!" Mondatta ordered. "Fly to them!"

I boosted myself into the air and made my way to the other sentinels. Bandits fired at me with their pistols, but their bullets were deflected by the protective bubble Zenyatta enveloped me in. They lost interest when I was out of range.

I travelled east, squinting at a slender figure and a golem-looking creature where the others should be.

Isn't that Florence and her Stand?

"Ilias!" Askeladd screamed, waving at me. He and the other platoon were scattered beside the armoury, out of breath. "It looks like you've defeated Vienna. Any casualties?"

I landed beside them. "No, where are Jaime and Tony?"

He shot a thumb at Florence and her golem. "They're dealing with her. They said they had it under control so I trusted them. Why are you here?"

"We need your help. We're getting breached at the main gate."

"What do you think is the best course of action?"

"I want to meet them on the open field."

The farmers mumbled amongst themselves at the madness of my idea. We spent two months making the village as safe as possible so the thought of leaving it must've sounded foolish.

"They won't expect it." I drew a rough map on the ground. Everyone huddled closer. "They're focused on getting through the main gate. Mondatta, the twins, and the other platoons will make the bandits think they are slowly advancing in. We'll circle around and attack them from the rear while their forces are halved. We have to meet them in the field to force a fight on two fronts. We'll split their one into two."

Askeladd stroked his stubble. "This is the same principle as attacking your enemy's forces when half of them have crossed the river."

Kikori strapped on his helm and brandished his axe. "The knight and the kid have both been acknowledged by the king. I trust that they know what they're doing."

We broke down a part of the wall, using it as a bridge to cross over. Our platoon passed by the flooded fields, taking a quick moment to catch our breath so we wouldn't be out of stamina by the time we reached the bandits.

We rounded the corner and found their forces committed to breaching the walls. About half of them had made it inside while the others made efforts to advance through the chokepoint.