Standing on a small dais prepared for such a gathering were the key officers still present within the city and not out on an expedition with the 1st Division. These included the Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions and their accompanying aides and officers. Lieutenants stood with their men arrayed behind them and Rhiannon managed to slip into position with her squad, winking at the sergeant nearest. The man nodded, acknowledging her presence and the completion of their unit.

"There's a large force of Twilight Beasts approaching Calais as we speak. They'll be within artillery range in the next twenty minutes and bow range in twenty five. The satellites are telling us they'll strike across the full front of the southern wall before overlapping onto the east and west." Murmurs sounded through the assembled soldiers. This was not a small force at all. "Scouts have also reported the presence of Titan-class Beasts, numbering half a dozen, while the makeup of their force is largely of Soldier-class. Now, to the walls!" The colonel stepped down from the dais and the sergeants spread throughout the crowd yelled to their platoons, deployment arrangements already cemented in every Guardian's mind.

Rhiannon followed her sergeant to the southernmost gatehouse where they ascended to watch the dark tide of Twilight Beasts flood towards the city. Out from the mass stood six massive Beasts, seething figures of darkness easily as tall as the massive walls which surrounded the city.

"Looks like we'll have a few breaches on our hands." The sergeant muttered grimly.

"One of those being here, apparently." Rhiannon agreed as one of the Titan-class Beasts headed straight towards their post.

-------------------------------

Battle was properly commenced as the Twilight Beasts began to scrabble up the face of the walls, their appendages changing into pincer-like shapes capable of wedging into the weaker mortar between bricks or into tiny cracks so that they could scuttle up the vertical face like an army of spiders.

"Weapons free, fire at will!" The strange order, more apt for modern warfare, rang across the walls and the hitherto organised volleys switched into the frantic firing of weapons down the wall face. The gatehouses, being shorter than the walls, were the first to be invaded by the Beasts and so Rhiannon's platoon were soon called to the fore as the archers fell back to the walls where their expertise was best at use.

Rhiannon swung her naginata at will, her teammates well aware that they should stay clear of the weapon's fatal reach, her face feral in delight as she ripped apart the creatures that had taken her home from her. Barely was she aware of the Titan-class's approach until its presence blotted out the starred sky and even the light of the moon. Dispatching one more enemy she darted back from the mass to get a look. Turning to the sergeant she saw that he was stunned, staring up at was almost certainly inevitable death as one black arm was raised, ready to crash down onto them all.

"Fall back!" Rhiannon yelled, overriding her sergeant's authority, before dashing towards the nearest entrance to the wall. Those guarding the doorway had already vanished onto the stairwell and to safety but other Guardians blocked the path as they all rushed to get free. A glance over her shoulder showed Rhiannon that the Titan-class's arm was crashing down towards them so she leapt towards the wall, ignoring the doorway, and stabbed the blade of weapon into the mortar between two large stone slabs just as the ground beneath her gave way with the collapse of the gatehouse.

Looking down she saw the breach extended into the city itself now and already Twilight Beasts were surging forwards to exploit the gap. Ballistae and catapults were swivelled round to dispatch the Titan-class at the gatehouse before it could enter the city proper while reserve forces rushed to plug the breach leaving Rhiannon hanging onto the wall face with over a metre of empty air between her and the doorway.

"Give us a hand here, will you!" She yelled, hoping someone would hear her over the clamour of battle.