View source for Chapter 40 - Hold the Line

{{Wip}}
{{Chapter
 | title = Hold the Line
 | characters = 
* [[Ariel]]
* [[Faen]]
* [[Kau]]
* [[Shala]]
* [[Shinae]]
 | locations = 
 | factions = 
* [[Siyah'khorshed]]
* [[Val'Sarghress]]
* [[Val'Sullisin'rune]]
* [[Vel'Sharen]]
 | sidestories =
}}

[[Category:Can be featured]]
<section begin=feature />The [[Sarghress]] makes a push towards the district where the [[Sharen]] holds conscripted commoners.<section end=feature />
 
==Summary==
===Hold The Line===
====The District Battle====
As [[Ariel]] thinks about how the Sharen clan crumbles, she goes over the plan to take the enemy district as the plan unfolds. Golems piloted by the likes of [[Relon'tar]] and [[Kau]] to break enemy lines. Sealers like [[Shala]] and [[Zan'nah]] to clear the way of ethereal demons. Empaths from the [[Sulissin'rune]] like [[Abi'reo]] to seek out Sharen summoners. Fallen Legion assassins like [[Tabel]], [[Reka]] and [[Nul'indra]] to kill the summoners. Wolf riders like [[Tur'geis]] and tiger riders like [[Laj'vati]] to flank Sharen dragon riders like [[Kery'awa]] and [[Oiloss'lin]]. And finally, the ground troops which includes herself, [[Xtka'en]], [[Skai]], [[Durlyn]], [[Kev'ren]] and [[Sorin]] to kill any enemies left and take and hold positions.

However, the plan isn't perfect as Abi'reo and Nu'indra were attacked by demons in two separate instances, while Tabel has to deal with a massive summon. Additionally, many of the ground troops suffered injuries.

Infiltrating a fortified building, a squad consisting of [[Jak'iaah]], [[Sen'gil]], [[Mek'kel]] and [[Zair'cysparvin]] encounter a trap placed by [[Malag'nafein]]. They attempt to bypass the trap by opening one of walls but encounter another Siyah'khorshed, [[K'sava]]. They defeat her and the building is captured.

====Lull From Battle====
In the captured building, [[Min'issya]] finds the food storage and Reka and Mek'Kel are tended to, while the soldiers all relax. However, things take a turn for the worse when Sorin kills a prisoner, while Ariel asks Tur'geis' to release the slave he has. As the troops argue among themselves over the Sorin's actions as well as looting, Ariel resolves the situation by asking the slave herself and offering her a choice, continue as a slave or fight for the Sarghress. The slave answers she'll fight and Ariel takes other slaves willing to fight to Commander [[Sang]], who was discussing the war situation with [[Cair'deirene]].

Meanwhile, [[Nivali]] discovers the building was booby-trapped.

On the Sharen side, as [[Feli'cia]] complains about her situation, Oiloss'lin tends to Kery'awa's wounds. She also criticises Felicia's idea to take on [[Quain'tana]] herself. They then learn the building the Sarghress captured has exploded as a result of the booby-traps.

====Prisoners====
The captured Sarghress-Sullisin'rune prisoners, including seemingly [[Faen]], are escorted by Oiloss'lin and [[Balushizar]] to the Slaver district. As they arrived, [[Shinae]] and [[Nona'brail]] also arrived and are greeted by [[Nidek'nil]]. In their cell, the other prisoners realise that Faen is out of her chains.

Shinae and [[Nihi'liir]] talk but Nihi'liir mocks Shinae and is unwilling to listen and act on Shinae's message. Balushizar meanwhiles patrols the cells and is shocked to find K'sava in one of the cells being beaten up by the prisoners. She lets her out after confirming her identity, but K'sava quickly chokes her, since she was actually Ariel.

Shinae talks with one of the Siyah'khorshed, [[Farahang]], with whom she had a history. Shinae tells him that [[Zala'ess]] is returning from [[Nuqrah'shareh]] with allies and Farahang admits that his people have grown weary of the Sharen's abuses of them and his people plans to abandon the Sharen though will not say when. They then hear the alarm that the prisoners have escaped.

====Break-Out====
Upon learning of the breakout, Nihi'liir becomes angry and gives the order to kill all the escapees upon her signal. Before she could give the signal however, Ariel, disguised as Balushizar, decapitates her. Witnessing this, Shinae tells Farahang to take his people and escape to Sharen lines while she deals with Ariel. She catches up to Ariel and defeats her, but was unable to kill her before Sarghress reinforcements arrived. Faen was among the reinforcements and immediately rushes to Ariel's aid, while Ariel hopes she made Quain'tana proud with what she did.

====Machike====
Meanwhile, at [[Machike]], [[Nei'kalsa]] and [[Kel'noz]] greets Quain'tana and her legions who had arrived at the colony.

===Tale of Colonies - Part I===
====The Citizens of Chel====
On a date, two commoners, [[Sama'ki]] and [[Jens]], are on a date. As Jens leaves after inviting her to [[Kyo'nne]]'s next concert., Sama'ki returns home to find the Siyah'khorshed kidnapping her family for the slave army and the colony of Dari'yako. She tries calling for help but the kidnappers knock her out.

====Machike====
While enjoying the day with her two children [[Kenro]] and [[Esuni]], Vaelia is informed by [[Ilmssyn]] of a mission for which Vaelia was selected specifically for. After dropping her children of with a neighbour, Vaelia packs her equipment and gets [[Skwerk]] to join her for the mission.

As the Highland Raiders travel for their mission, being the disruption of the slave colony of Dari'yako, Vaelia is placed on a squad alongside Ilmssyn, [[Nacht]] and [[Syrak]] with [[Suren]] as their leader.

====Dari'yako====
After scouting out Dari'yako, Suren's squad volunteers to be one of the squads to infiltrate the colony. However, while getting close, a Siyah'khorshed patrol comes close by. They find Ilmssyn, and move to find for other intruders but Ilmssyn stops them and they taker her prisoner for the administrator of the colony.

Suren takes advantage of them leaving, and though he understand his squad's concerns about Ilmssyn's situation, he says they can't afford to get captured themselves. They find a tunnel and a slave cleaning it, Sami'ka.

==Characters==
===Hold The Line===
====Main Characters====
{{CharacterList
 | Ariel Val'Sarghress
 | Faen'arae Val'Sullisin'rune
 | Kau Val'Sharen
 | Shala Val'Sharen
 | Shinae Vel'Sharen
}}

====Supporting Characters====
=====Sarghress-Sulissin'rune Faction=====
{{CharacterList
 | Quain'tana Val'Sarghress
 | Kel'noz Val'Sarghress
 | Sang Niz'zre Sarghress
 | Nei'kalsa Tions Sarghress
 | Abi'reo Val'Sullisin'rune
 | Cair'deirene Sullisin'rune
 | Durlyn Mae'yukir Sarghress
 | Jak'iaah Niz'zre Sarghress
 | Kev'ren Sarghress
 | Laj'vati Sullisin'rune
 | Mek'kel Sarghress
 | Min'issya Val'Sullisin'rune
 | Niva'li Des'intar Sullisin'rune
 | Nul'indra Sarghress
 | Quain'tana's Direwolf
 | Reka Sarghress
 | Relon'tar Sarghress
 | Sen'gil Nimaraidh Tei'kaliath
 | Skai Sarghress
 | Sorin Sarghress
 | Tabel Barrilyl Sarghress
 | Tur'geis Am'saag Sarghress
 | Xtka'en Sarghress
 | Zair'cysparvin Sinin Sarghress
 | Zan'nah Sarghress
}}

=====Sharen-Siyah'khorshed Faction=====
{{CharacterList
 | Nihi'liir Vel'Sharen
 | Balushizar Siyah'khorshed
 | Farahang Siyah'khorshed
 | Feli'cia Vel'Sharen
 | Kery'awa Xyrrai'zestu Sharen
 | K'sava Siyah'khorshed
 | Malag'nafein
 | Nidek'nil Sharen
 | Nona'brail Xyrrai'zestu Sharen
 | Oiloss'lin Xyrrai'zestu Sharen
}}

===Tale of Colonies - Part I===
====Highland Raiders====
{{CharacterList
 | Vaelia
 | Quill'yate Yurun'hiir Sarghress
 | Ilmssyn Sarghress
 | Nacht Sarghress
 | Suren Sarghress
 | Syrak Sarghress
}}

====Other====
{{CharacterList
 | Akhkhazu "Skwerk"
 | Esuni
 | Hada Siyah'khorshed
 | Jens
 | Kenro
 | Nihemo
 | Rizo
 | Sama'ki
}}