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[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
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Slowly, the tide began to turn. Izayoi and Rudolf held the eastern gate, godspeed blade and black flame alike starting to divert the tide of Blightbeasts further south through sheer weight of the bodies piling up before them. Meanwhile, Esben and Eliane's efforts in rallying the local militia began to take effect, the levied fighters starting to do as bid now that a source of authority had made itself known. 

[b]"Thank tha gods yer here."[/b] A grizzled man bearing a pistol and munition armor grunted, nodding to Eliane as he approached during a brief lull in the battle. [b]"Call me Lell. Militia captain, on account of bein' tha only fightin' man ta make it home in recent years. Lost tha lord's manse when they approached, think them Blightbeasts got 'em while he was out hunting. No gunpowder out here in these boonies, though. Only steel. Fallin' in under yer orders, Dame."[/b]

Bolstered by new leadership, the militia rallied, Galahad and Miina's efforts shoring up enough of their deficiencies so that they formed a solid spear wall under Eliane's orders. Sent fleeing and pursued from the east, further Blightbeasts flowed south, beginning to pile up just as Esben had planned. Chisato slipped through the ranks, sowing chaos where she could, and as she disappeared, Lell nodded to himself, positioned a pace away from Eliane while firing his pistol repeatedly into the Blightbeast horde. 

[b]"Going rather well, ain't it? Like some sort of divine miracle, just up an' having a bunch of folk show up to save tha day. Well. [i]We can't be having that now, can we?"[/i][/b] His voice shifted tone midsentence, pitching up higher as his aim shifted towards Eliane's back, pulling the trigger with the last of his ammunition. The shot was critical, and likely fatal in time, but not as lethal as the gunner had intended, whether it be due to simple providence on Eliane's part, or a last second reaction. 

When the dust and smoke cleared, Loki looked upon her work with a dissatisfied frown, melting into the shadows just in time to avoid a furious, newly-arrived Izayoi's attempted leaping cleave. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"Damnation and hellfire! Miina, we need you, immediately! Eliane is downed!"[/b][/color]

As if on cue, a furious roar carried across the field. The Blightbeast horde, which had previously been on the verge of outright dissolution, seemed to take heart and vigor from the cry, suddenly redoubling their charge in earnest. In contrast, the militia saw their newly arrived commander fall, and began to waver, the ranks loosening. Their fear tripled as the source of the roar made itself known, lumbering towards the front of the field from the rear of the pack, Blightbeasts turned or outright tackled aside by its rush.

[url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1071583128331763864/1463683838256615659/mhw-behemoth_render_001.png?ex=6972b94c&is=697167cc&hm=e7dde07d2ab9ab6f2685228e3d15dab38ccf63c0e157f639b4c2056a0f66974c]A titanic canine bearing wicked horns and a great mane sallied forth, Blight oozing from open gashes on its sides.[/url] A Behemoth, fallen to the Blight.

[color=#736AFF][b]"Hold, damn you!"[/b][/color] Izayoi bellowed in response, a flick of her blade sending shockwaves of wind crashing into the horde. [color=#736AFF][b]"The first man to abandon his duty and leave his peers and family to the Blight will be the first to die by my blade!"[/b][/color] Her gaze searched the town's tallest buildings until she found Galahad, crying up to him. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"We need to charge! The Behemoth [i]must[/i] die before it and the horde overwhelm the militia! Esben!"[/b][/color] Izayoi shifted her attention towards the other Skaeller. [color=#736AFF][b]"Can you still maintain order here?"[/b][/color]