Main Hall, Tamaran Main Temple, Sacred War.

Chief Priest Solaris has gathered Pattou and his allies, as well as the reinforcements gathered by Quasar. He gave them his blessing as Chief Priest to win their Sacred War and also placed upon Pattou and his other allies the amulets for the Sacred War's effects to also affect them. As the blessing had been given, the people who were gathered there had cheered on for the warriors who will defend their Chief Priest. Solaris was to lead Pattou's Army, a union of all his allies along with Quasar, Star and some Tamaranean soliders willing to throw their lot with the outsider commander.

Pattou was given the floor by Solaris to rally his allies. 

Pattou: Blade Army officers and Tamaranean forces who have chosen to throw their lot with this outsider. Today, I need not speak of death as I had been informed that there will be no dying involved. Only defeat once our opponents have dealt significant damage to each one of us. I may not be one of you but the one thing we can agree on is Honor. I fight not for my own honor, but the honor of your Chief Priest and one of your daughters. 

Solaris and Star can only nod as he said this. 

Pattou: This is not a knock to your Chief Priest being unable to defend himself. But to drag his daughter's name down to the dirt and even wager to become your leader. If by that example he proves that he does deserve the leadership, I shall not agree with this. Which is why, that same daughter of Tamaran has thrown her lot with me. Not only to fight for her own honor but for her father's and for each of you who do not want to accept the leadership and rule of one so foul and disrespectful even to your daughters and fathers.

Pattou drew the Legacy Blade, 

Pattou: We now march not for ourselves. But for the preservation of honor! Onward! 

The assembled Blade Allied Officers – Solaris Supporters now advance to the Sacred Forest Temple Ruins, where waiting for them are Huo Lan and his alliance of Huo Lan Disciples-Corrvin Soldiers.

Sacred Forest Temple Ruins, Barrier Wards entrance

Chief Priest Solaris had joined Pattou's march but stopped before the magical barrier wards. He told Pattou, 

Solaris: My child, I thank you for taking up this challenge in my stead for the Chief Priest post. You have my utmost trust once more in ensuring the excommunication and exile of those infidels. 

Pattou: Chief Priest Solaris, you have my word that both your honor and your daughter's will be protected in this fight and forevermore. 

Quasar and Star now approach their father, Solaris had only this to tell them, 

Sollaris: I am ever so proud that both of you have chosen to fight. If not for my age..

Quasar: Pardon Father, but rest assured, we shall aid Lord Patriarch to ensure you retain being the Chief Priest and for my little sister not to end up with that infidel 

Star: Father, this one will be not just for myself, but for you to still lead us all, in accordance to the Goddess's will.

Chief Priest Solaris can only stand by as Pattou and his allies enter the Ruins and await for the winner, be it Outsider Pattou or the infidel Huo Lan.

Sacred Forest Temple Ruins

Both forces have arrived the field of the Sacred War. The rules were that any lethal blow to the foe will not kill them, but rather, teleport them outside the barriers. Once outside or knocked out, they can no longer intervene until all forces from the opposing side have been defeated. Pattou and Huo Lan had this in mind. The latter having the advantage as he had always won to stake his claim onto Lady Star. This time, Huo Lan if victorious will finally claim what he says is rightfully his, Star and the Chief Priest position.

Huo Lan-Corrvin Camp, Southwestern Altar, Sacred Forest Temple Ruins.

Huo Lan already had the advantage, taking position in the southwestern altar, along with 25 disciples. The Corrvin Sniper General, Corrvin Champion Leader and the other snipers and champions were based on the central gathering hall ruins near the Main Hall. His lieutenant, Huo Kuro took position in the South Eastern Ruins along with the other 25 disciples. The Corrvin knights alongwith the Corrvin Knight General took the Northwestern entrance. The Corrvin Paladin General and the Paladins were based in what was the temple's Holy of Holies chamber, the last room before the Southwestern Altar.

Huo Lan can feel that victory is in his grasp seeing as he has most of the ruins under his control that he need not even advance and can leave this war to the Corrvin soldiers entirely. But just to make sure, his position has an antechamber to the right, the Southern Path, which is a maze that is riddled with fog to keep away anyone from advancing from the Southeast. Huo Lan said to himself, 

Huo Lan: She will be mine. All of her and all of the land, shall indeed be mine!

Blade Empire – Fierrio Followers, Northeastern entrance, Sacred Forest Temple Ruins.

Pattou was assumed to have the greatest disadvantage as he was an outsider and this would be his first Sacred War. Apart from this, the only forces they were able to muster were not enough to outmatch the numbers of his opposition. It did not help as well that since they were based at the entrance, it was an open hall with only a few walls standing, with some having caved in or collapsed.

This did not weaken his resolve as position wise, he had at least some things he could work with. Tactics wise, he can implement the plan as discussed with some modifications. Star and some priests along with Jinzy, Riff and Clara will move to the Main Hall to draw out the enemy. The joint front of shamans and acolytes, along with Rikkou, Liger and Quasar will charge to the East to claim the Eastern entrance. Gerard will be left to tend to the supplies along with 10 acolytes. Zo, Pattou, Sayfuro and the remaining acolytes will charge to the West. This would be Pattou's pincer attack in full swing should all things work.

This will not be the first fight Pattou's side had the tactical and numerical disadvantage but he knew that there are ways for the opponent to lose focus and in time, lose the war itself.

Main Hall, Sacred Forest Temple Ruins.

The Central Unit of the Blade-Fierrio Forces advanced onward but were then surrounded by knights coming from the Northwest, Paladins from the immediate West. It did not help that arrows were being shot from the Central Gathering Hall ruins. But this did not dissuade the Central Unit. Star and the priests casted the Holy spell to conjure light energy balls to fly towards the oncoming units. Riff would strum his guitar to cast an energy wall to push back and stun their opponents as well. Clara and Jinzy would wield their whips to finish he job on the stunned foes to eliminate them from the field.

The arrows however found their mark and have struck some of the priests but not to the point of unconsciousness. Star then tasked the priests to heal each other as Riff would be left to stun the foes with his Bard skills. Clara would then shift to a mana boost dance skill to aid Riff's abilities. Jinzy would be left to finishing off foes with her whip for the meantime

Northwestern entrance, Sacred Forest Temple Ruins.

Rikkou, Liger and Quasar began the charge along with the shamans and acolytes to take the Northwestern Entrance. With the decreased numbers due to some of the knights charging to the center, Rikkou was able to easily pounce and punch away at the knights, powered by the same rage he has on the ones responsible for the demise of his bretheren. The Shaman and Acolytes also did a number on some of the Corrvin knights as well with a tandem of slashes and spirit magic. Rikkou and Liger would advance onward to the Holy of Holies antechamber, with the other Western unit soldiers following suit after eliminating the Corrvin Knights.

Southeastern Path, Southeastern Ruins

The Eastern Blade-Fierrio unit advanced onward and were met with the Huo Lan disciples (combination of mage-champions, mage-knights, high wizards). The disciples charged at the outsiders with their weapons gaining a boost from fire or dark aura magic, which boosted the damage towards the targets. This was mostly felt by the acolytes as they disappeared from the field.

Zo would ward them away by executing the High Cross attack and throwing his shield to stun opponents. Pattou would once more use his sword to launch Sayfuro in the air to slash at the enemies while in midair, sending the disciples out of the battleground.

Huo Lan-Corrvin camp, Southwestern Altar Ruins.

Huo Lan was receiving reports from his scouts that his forces are losing ground. 

Huo Lan: What? I thought we had them at the corner. How did they suddenly gain ground? 

Scout: Master, the central forces are pulling our defenders from their positions to the center to face them. 

Huo Lan: - angrily - who exactly are the central forces from that pretender?

Scout: Lady Star and some priests, a Bard, and two dancers

Huo Lan:  - stomps his foot on the ground - Inconceivable! - turns to 10 disciple units - You, charge to the central gathering hall and destroy those fools. But leave Lady Star alive. 

The disciples nodded and ran through to the center via the Eastern antechamber.

Holy of Holies Antechamber

The Western unit had already advanced after decimating the Corrvin knights. Now they face the Corrvin Paladins, with shields and polearms at the ready. Rikkou unfortunately made the mistake of pounding at the ground to produce a shockwave, but he was within range for a shield stun and was later pierced in the chest, which led to his elimination from the battlefield. Quasar and Liger along with the Shaman units would attack from long range with a tandem of arrows and spirit magic. Quasar commanded the acolytes to supplement the Central Blade-Fierrio forces.

As the Blade-Fierrio Western unit dealt long range damage, the Corrvin Paladins used their shields to protect themselves but at some point, it proved too much and their numbers dwindled as the onslaught continued on.

Southeastern Ruins

Pattou and the Eastern unit were able to decimate the ambush forces, but now charging in with fewer acolytes left. They were now face to face with Huo Kuro, Huo Lan's trusted lieutenant. 

Huo Kuro: So you are the pretender who dared stick their nose in our business.

Huo Kuro had his Katar blades pointed at Pattou, 

Huo Kuro: I will now do my master a favor and end you myself! 

Huo Kuro was then stopped by Sayfuro, who had his Katar Blades ready to parry his opponent's strikes. 

Sayfuro: Lord Patriarch, you and Zo can go charge onward without me. I will take care of this charlatan. 

Sayfuro tells Pattou while he tries to get one over Huo Kuro. Zo would head to the Western Antechamber along with the remaining acolytes, Pattou on the other hand saw some disciples head to the Main Hall. Pattou would break his own plan and head to the Center to reinforce his Central unit.

Sayfuro now was fighting Huo Kuro by himself. The two were assassins, but Huo Kuro was also a High Wizard, so it would be no surprise that some Katar slashes and stabs by Huo Kuro was laced with either fire or dark magic. Sayfuro would easily avoid and leap to avoid his foe. Huo Kuro then remarked at his rival, 

Huo Kuro: It seems the two of us have a lot in common. We both want our Masters to succeed. But only mine will! 

Sayfuro leaps up and clashes his Katar Blades with Huo Kuro's. Sayfuro then shifts his body and twirls himself around to break Huo Kuro's attack, and once Huo Kuro is caught in an awkward position, Sayfuro went in for the elimination and stabbed the Katar Blades to Huo Kuro's heart and throat. Sayfuro would lay on the ground for a bit to catch his breath and relax, 

Sayfuro: This is the first foe who had me nearing this point. * pants * All I can hope for is Lord Patriarch can lead us all to victory.

Main Hall

Star and the priests were still warding away the arrows while Riff, Jinzy and Clara tried to use their nimbleness to avoid the arrows, as well as Riff's guitar-conjured sound wall. Star however saw that some disciples were nearing their position and that the priests are not able to fight back. She braved for the worst, but lo and behold, Pattou Blade would leap towards the disciples and throws the Legacy sword down to the ground in a cleaving motion for the ground to explode, then draw his sword to the ground to slash away at the foes. 

Pattou: Star are you okay?

Star: Yes Lord Patriarch, we may have lost some numbers but we are continuing onward. 

Pattou then gave the command, 

Pattou: Close the gap and let us eliminate these snipers. 

Star nodded in affirmation and they all charged onward to the Corrvin Snipers.

Huo Lan-Corrvin Main Camp, Southwestern Altar Ruins.

Another scout had arrived and informed Huo Lan of the situation, 

Scout: Master Huo Lan, Master Huo Kuro has been eliminated and dispatched by the assassin of the pretender. The Corrvin Snipers are about to be overwhelmed. Corrvin's paladins were able to take down one of their generals but it does not seem any good... 

Huo Lan casted a fireball and burned the scout in furious rage. Huo Lan did not expect that he would be on the losing side of this. But he realized that he had an ace in the hole this whole time, he charged alone to the Southern Antechamber, leaving his remaining disciples to defend the camp. 

Huo Lan: Fog is a double-edged sword. But this time, I will use this to my advantage to still cling on to victory. Just how I have done those previous times.

Holy of Holies Antechamber

Quasar, Liger and the rest of the remaining shaman were able to dispatch and eliminate the Corrvin Paladin units and advanced southward. Quasar asked Liger, 

Quasar: Can you keep up sniper? 

Liger: I still have some left in me. You and your kind sure can go on further. 

Quasar: - laughed - This is our first Sacred War. But know that we all have the motivation to preserve the honor of both my sister and my father. I thank you and your Lord Patriarch for defending what we also wish to preserve this day. 

Liger: Think nothing of it. Lord Patriarch is all for fighting for peace, justice and prosperity. Even if it so happens that this is one affair that he personally had nothing to gain. 

The Western unit advanced onward.

TO BE CONTINUED

That was Chapter 23. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of the Sacred War in Chapter 24!