Highland Rebellion

Disclaimer: I don't own Suikoden, Suikoden II, or any of their characters, period.

The wind blew across the plains of South Window. The area had been going through a drought for sometime, and only the most hardy of grasses and shrubs could survive. The result was an excess of dust. And due to the wind, the dust was up in the air and choking anybody passing through. The Highland Soldiers trudged through the sandstorm though, small cloths draws across their noses and mouths. After the conquest at Rokkaku, Luca had finally made the invasion into South Window. Each soldier was decorated in their finest armor, all shined to perfection. The made no attempt at secrecy, and the cloud of choking dust was even worse behind them.

"I've seen rampaging boars that made less noise," Zamza muttered.

"Yeah, well they outnumber us, and have more power, if you were that good, you probably wouldn't care either," Tsai responded.

Freed had tried to throw together an army, and recruited everybody nearby that he knew of. The conceited wizard Zamza had been in the neighborhood, trying to find "young opportunistic magic wielders". Freed decided he would be better than with no wizards at all. He had found Tsai visiting in Radat and took him to help him train the soldiers. Genshu had passed through, but seemed intent upon getting to Tinto, and would not change what he was doing.

"They're drawing close now," Tsai said.

"If only we had Shu or Klaus here… Even Apple would be a help," Zamza lamented.

"Shu is managing affairs up north, you should know that, and Klaus is in Greenhill. He's probably lost in some library reading up on the strategists of the past. We'll have to make due with what we have," Freed said.

Freed had decided that an ambush would be the only way to come close to defeating Highland. He set it up at a small pass in some hills southeast of South Window. The hills weren't very large, but to avoid them would take two or three days more, so they went through the pass. Freed was just thankful they did, and set his plan accordingly. He had reinforcements from Muse, with Mayor Jess leading them himself. He was at the opposite side of the pass, with plenty of Muse soldiers to assist.

However, South Window still had more soldiers and had their own cavalry, which was to be deployed wherever Highland managed to break through. Next to him, Tsai shifted uneasily.

"Been a while since you battled, huh?" Zamza smirked. "It is of no matter, I can protect you from any harm!"

"Ahem," Freed interrupted, drawing his sword. "Highland is practically beneath us. Lord Jess will give the signal any minute now."

Instantly, Zamza and Tsai's head went to the opposite hill.

"There it is!" A soldier yelled.

Freed could see it to, a lightning rune was sparking. It was angled so that any Highland scouts would not see it, due to the fact that it was in line with sun. It was also put on top of the canyon though, so that the Freed's side could see it with ease.

Freed gulped. He hadn't done this in 5 years. He hoped he would live to remember this 5 years from now as well.

*********

Radat was quiet. It seemed too quiet. Richmond never liked the quiet. He didn't like loud noise, either. A steady background noise, that, he could deal with. But the quiet was too tranquil. Often, business was dry when it was quiet in Radat, sleep Radat. But this wasn't the sleep, laid-back quiet of an afternoon. This was a tense quiet, like the calm before the storm. Even he was on edge. He found his right hand rubbing the coin in his hand. Many a time, he had won money that way, and hardly anybody suspected. Of course, that Riou kid had, but he was special. True Rune bearers didn't just happen to waltz into Radat every day. Special indeed. Highland had marched across most of the southern plains of South Window, largely unopposed. Richmond was no strategist, but it seemed logical to take Radat. To control the main port from DuWaine to Toran seemed to be the best move to make. Perhaps that's why Richmond wasn't a detective though. Strategists had plots, counter-plots, reverse-plots, back-up-plots, and most of those turned out to be another. It was too confusing for him to understand, and he kept it that way. He had only recently learned of Highland's astonishing capture of almost all of Toran in only a week or two, and only a few resistances remained. Highland had been quick and brutal, killing most nobles and many of Richmond's spies in the process. That would put a dent in his information network, but what was done was done. The blink mages were brilliant, and yet, it seemed odd. Rowd was occupying Gregminster, which seemed to put him as the leader of this rebellion, yet he did not seem the type to plan such a thing. Richmond shrugged. Most things were too confusing to him, unless he had most of the facts. Even if he didn't, he could usually piece things together, but not the larger picture. Small details, miniscule actions or features were his forte. Strategists could always see the big picture. It was sometimes amazing to observe Shu plan and allocate soldiers in such ways that the enemy seemed doomed. And yet, on the battle, Leon countered with the same mental grace. The whole war had been one giant chess game, between Shu and Leon. Of course, most people observed it as Highland versus Jowston, and a few who knew more said Riou and Jowy Blight, but Richmond knew. The war could have ended at almost any time, and yet the war waged, and the strategists plotted. Even now, somewhere in the world, a tyrant was planning domination, rebels were plotting revolution, and evil was casting its hand into all of it. Another thing that intrigued Richmond was the evil that seemed to go with the war. The Beast Rune, Yuber, Windy in the Gate Rune Wars, Neclord, all were manifestations of evil somehow, each doing their best to bring the world to chaos. Then there were those who countered it, Riou and the Bright Shield Rune, Leknaat the Seer, the Star Dragon Sword, and maybe even Pesmerga, although Richmond wouldn't bet on Pesmerga's benevolence. He seemed to distant, aloof even. Richmond looked up from his usual spot in the shade in the south portion of Radat. Above, the sun glinted as it was making its westward descent. Night was coming, and the storm was going to arrive. Richmond flipped his coin. Deftly catching it, he checked what it landed on. It landed on Tails.

*********

Esmerelda reclined lazily in her bath. Steam gushed up around her in warm waves. She loved baths, a luxury few could afford regularly, even in the Toran Republic. Of course, she wasn't about to share. A noblelady needed baths as much as a farmer needed his tools. She had to appear pristine for the commonfolk, give them hope and show them that there still was decency in the world. She smiled. Decency. Decency had been turned upside down since the Highland soldiers had arrived. The foolish nobles who thought that their manors would keep them safe from Highland were proven wrong as they were routinely slaughtered. Esmerelda made the right choice. She had chosen to have a "peace treaty" with Highland, and was spared. Of course, she really didn't want to, but her sense of self-preservation kept her from saying so. Indeed, many of the nobles were executed in many grotesque ways, and their screams still echoes in her thoughts. Her stomach lurched, and Esmerelda sank into the calming bathwater.

She sighed wistfully. A noblelady should be content with her life. But Esmerelda was not. All she wanted to do was leave. Thinking about it, she realized how foolish and brash that sounded. Often, people who left their lives for something better or more exciting came back as social disgraces or never came back at all. She closed her eyes. But living a life of adventure would have to have its pluses. Even then, not enough people would do it. Highland proved to be quite an obstacle in any plan of escape however. Only merchants would be allowed to leave, and then it was strict trade routes, monitored at almost every town by soldiers. Their general, Rowd, claimed that even that would stop once they reclaimed Highland and had caravans moving back and forth.

Esmerelda plunged beneath her bathwater as her door opened. Milich Oppenheimer was at her doorway. She had become aquatinted with him during the Gate Rune Wars, and even though she had kept some contact with him, they were not close friends. And definitely not close enough to allow him to enter a lady's bath unannounced. "I demand to know the meaning of this!" she declared. Esmerelda was just thankful that she had bubbles for this bath, or who knows how this little incident would have turned out.

Milich bowed. "You have my apologies, meaningless as they are, milady Esmerelda. I have urgent business involving Highland that I must discuss with you. It is about Highland. One of the last resistances, the Warrior's Village, is about to fall soon. If they fall, that allows them to focus on the two remaining fronts, Pannu Yakuta and the Dragon Knight's Fortress. Those two will certainly fall if a Highland legion is added to one of their numbers. As it is, those two are holding on barely, and Pannu Yakuta is considering retreat to the Dwarf City. That would allow Highland to move across the Great Forest, and not have any obstruction to their heinous deeds. The Dragon Knight's could fall back to Seek Valley, but they would starve there eventually. So, I have to make a request of you. You are one of few nobles remaining here in Antei, and I need to you to raise an army. Due to the pacific nature of the Kunan area, hardly any Highland soldiers are stationed here. It would only take a small force to topple nearby garrisons, raise an army, and assist in the Lorimar area to protect the warrior from Highland. I would perform such a task myself, but the people here developed a distinct dislike for me when I was under the influence of the Black Rune, so the people would not listen to me. Esmerelda, you are qualified though. You are one of few capable nobles left, and you could get the people to follow you. I must depart now, for my mere presence here could alert Highland to trouble. I bid thee farewell, and good tidings soon." With that, Milich turned and left.

Esmerelda was shocked. Her, lead an army?! The idea itself was preposterous, and yet, tempting. She would have to look into it.