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The border crossing was smooth sailing, as expected, but what the group found in the next village over was something that Éliane hardly expected: blightbeats. With no military or constabulary in sight and only ragtag militia, she was starting to get a picture of her country that was very different than the way she left it only a few months ago. 

There was better time to think about it later, though, and like a good Skaellan, she immediately swung into action to help her fellow countrymen. She drew her officer’s sword, holding it in the air as she remained mounted alongside Esben. Although he had beaten her in creating a rallying cry, the pink-haired Skaellan officer’s very obvious officer’s garb made for some well needed morale boost for the previously faltering militia. The presence of an actual guard commander was the sort of thing that could flip morale on its head.

“Reinforcements have arrived! Maintain your ranks!” She spoke in her command voice, projecting herself over the battlefield as she made herself as visible as possible.

She kept the blade raised up high to remain as a beacon for the villagers, even while she drew her other sword –her gunblade—and began to work some much needed gunfire into the rampaging blightbeasts. There were few times where villagers would see gunfire as a source of hope, but here was one of them. 

That none of them had a gun was criminal by itself.