Grand Endeavour Against the Winter Court - 15/05/20

**Victor's Tales from Xadkha The Battle of the Step: Chapter 3**

Grok gathered a party to test the winter court, he wanted to see what would happen at night when crossing the Magister's step, it consisted of myself, Aegon, Bardin, 404, Zhess'Oss. June, Lauthok, Tortleeni and of coures Grok. Bradin had Spent a week building a small fortification just out side the wall, we pitched in for last minute fortifications on the day of the battle I was especially helpful with my songs of motivational qualities (every one was very happy with me) as dusk drew near we talk of the plan to fen off the hounds of the fey and capture maybe one, the plan seemed sound and the work justified and soon we shall reap fruits of our labor. Storm clouds gather from the north and it begun to rain, the light of day was swallowed by the looming darkness as distant thunder roared from afar then suddenly 4 hounds started appearing all around us with in our fortification, half real and half not we tried to attack but could not touch them they could not touch us after a brief moment they ran off to the north disappearing in the night. It was quite except for pitter patter of the rain as we came to the consensuses that the hounds must be illusions to frighten unwanted travelers, after some time Bardin decides on his own to head out ahead of the fort and look in to the night, very brave and some what foolish as this left our formation open to attack and him very much unprotected from the back.

A voice of a woman so cold it pierced my very soul, she told each of us we violated her territory as it now belong to the Winter Court, she professes the time of the Dwarvs and The Magisters was over and now the fey rule then she turned her attention on to the transgressors and demanded to know why we were here, our answers were true but she felt we were selfish and vain, then as if life was just a game she sent us hounds from the depths of hell to hunt us down. Tortleeni started to retreat and was call down by all other to stay and not leave, he felt we were in over our heads and should not stay but we were still untested and felt we could win. As Bardin rushed back to the fort the hounds approached, 404 was thoughtfully given protection by June then suddenly a most terrifying sound from those hounds as it shook me to my core. I can not describe what I heard as tears came to my eyes and my gut started hurt, I looked around to see some of my fellow defenders were also shaken by the horror, just then Bardin came back in line as I gave him a power of Heroic resolve so he would not suffer as I. Right then Zhess breaks and tries to run June and I call him down with insults and threats, demanding he does not run unless he wants the reputation of a coward to his name (in the moment I was also scared but fought my fear and stayed, to see him run after that made me mad beyond reason), with the pure pressure he was enduring he decided to stay but moved to the opening of the step just incase he needed to make a quick getaway. Grok who was also afraid stood his ground and fought back with a mighty thunder strike to the hounds, Tortleeni perhaps seeing “the writing on the wall” started to retreat and was chastised for being a coward then commanded to stay.

The hounds cleared our traps with ease and jump on Bardin and 404, as they do the warriors attack only to find metal passes right through like specters but it is clear they are very much real, 404 uses magic and manages a hit and now with the critical truth known they are magical maybe fey only magic can make them go away. The hounds jump over the fort wall and in to the middle line intent on breaking our formation they were a real threat so I thought I could charm one of them and gave it a shot but to no ones surprises but mine it did not, as a last ditch I tired to talk to see if it would listen but it was very much not.

Aegon cast a sphere of fire and uses it as a blockade to hold back the hounds as they try to advance, Zhees steady's him self and jumps in to the fray, strikes at the hounds bravely but sadly is unsuccessful as he can not hit them with a normal weapon as he pulls back a hound bits him he flees bleeding in to the tunle. Magic is the only weapon of note to these creatures, everything else passes right through them even Bardin had to cast a spell of light to make his attacks some what effective and then June crashes magical light on to the beast visibly hurting them, just as it seems were starting to make headway the hounds cry out again terrorizing me and some of the others too, I look to Lauthok and I can see the raw terror in his face reflecting the terror I feel in my heart as my whole body strings with fear I fight the urge to flee I can only hope the others do the same. 404 starts coming in to a stride of smashing creatures of unthinkable horror in to the ground with spectacular fist of lightning make the night briefly turn to day, the smell of chard flesh fill the air as the hound directly in front of him weaken and suffer. I once again look over to Lauthok and see him struggling with his inner demons, the shriek of the hounds has shaken him more then anyone else I suspect but then he looks to his weapon and gathers his resolve, focused he shoots a magical attack at one of the hounds in our flank doing mighty damage, as this happens I quietly thank him for fighting the urge to flee. As if on cue Agone attacks the same hound with his mighty fist and it fall limp on the ground and begins to evaporate, Grok keeps the front lines safe with a pray to his God and Tortleeni staying against his better judgment jumps in to the fray and attacks sadly he has no magical attacks so it dose little to help.

We can see victory on the horizon if this is what the Winter Court has to offer we have severely overestimated its response, I start to think maybe we can build a permanent fortress beyond the step, if this is the worst to come we can surly hold back these hell hounds with higher walls and better battlements then it happens. The Voice calls out again “We boar of this hunt it is time to send the hunter” cheers and clapping come ringing out from the darkness beyond it is very unnerving, suddenly the rain turns to hail and sleet the ground starts to freeze, that when I realize the real battle is about to begin. "For the winter court and my lady" a voice booms then then all goes black as we are cast in a spell of darkness, I hear June fall on what must be the road and her here struggling and casting in the darkness as I wonder what she must be doing I feel a sharp pain and darkness fill my world

Now folks for this part of the adventure I was very much unconscious but I did not know what happened, part of my mind was thinking I was still fighting but some how day dreaming about my adopted parents, days at my collage, friends long gone but I still was in a life and death battle right? What happened to the hounds why cant I focus why do I keep seeing faces, voices I don't understand, I feel stressed like I need to be doing something important but cant remember what, only if I could focus but I'm at the pub by the collage with my friends Barrly and Gen, no its a memory dammit what was it that was so important. I was in danger but nothing makes sense then I hear a voice call out to me in crystal clarity but I don't recognize it and its not my name but it is, I don't know I feel extreme frustration then the voice says “Give in” it's my voice, again “Give in to peace” and I feel the stress starting to give way then it says “Give in, you will never know them, they never wanted you” I don't know why but I knew it was a lie, I struggles to pull my self together I was in danger the fear was real I knew then I had to not give in, I had to fight I was endanger and the others were counting on me for support, I could feel my self struggling for my next breath fluid filling my lungs as I gasp, maybe it was to late and darkness starts to fill my world I think maybe peace is not so bad.

Suddenly I'm shook awake Tortleeni stands above me casting a spell of cure wounds, I see Zhees bleeding bad in the corner and calling out for the others to follow the smell of the perfume to escape the darkness, two of the party that I call cowards for wanting to leave this madness were the ones who saved me from death, as I cough up the blood in my lungs Tortleeni and Zhees start moving down the tunnel feeling there was not much they could do. Suddenly the darkness lifts and I can see the fort and thous who remain, standing 15ft tall a massive Centaur stands on the forward battlements as a very imposing force, the realization of how foolish we were to think we could build a half ass fort and hold it against a force such as the winter court, we were ill prepared and under powered. As the remaining forces pull back Bardin throws his axe at the the Centaur and then says “I will be back for that axe, have fun with it in the mean time" like he is in some action novel then pulls back to the tunnel. As 404 pushes past me in the tunnel June is rushed by the Centaur and it tries to grab her but she is to fast and rolls out of the way, June turns to the retreating group and says “we can still take them” there is a real fire in her eyes, I can see her determination she really think we can win this, I look over to Lauthok, Agon and Bardin and they are at the mouth of the tunnel they also feel there is a chance but 3 of us have already made a full retreat back to town, every one including me wait on her next move, will she press the attack, all the hell hounds are all but gone its just the massive centaur known as the Hunter and he can be hurt be normal means, the seconds pass like minutes but finally she decided to retreat to the tunnel and the others follow to it's supposed safety.

A roar of cheers and clapping thunder from the darkness as we are routed, is seems were have few friends in the land beyond the wall, Lauthok finishes off the last of the hounds before he steps in and the Hunter stands victorious in our fort, thous who remain stand in the tunnel defiantly feeling the wall will protect us from them, I receive some more healing from Grok and look to the Hunter who seems he wants to talk, suddenly with out warning he cast a charm spell on June saying “would you like to ride with me thru the mangroves” thankfully June is protected and resists the charm then she asks “why, were would you take me” the Hunter responds with “all are welcome to the hunt, you can be the hunted or be the hunter too” June was going to ask another question but then realized he was waiting for her protection to fade so we started moving back in to the tunnel, the Hunter knew he was not going to get what he wanted and left victorious. This day were were defeated but there was no casualties and I was the only one who came close to death, after the battle I had thought about how I treated Zhess and Tortleeni during the heat of the battle, sometimes I forget that what is written in books and be much different then what happens in life, not every one who runs is a coward and not every one who stands and fights is a hero some times it is better to cut your losses before you lose for good, today as I write this I am lucky to be alive, if no one was brave enough to suggest we live to fight another day I might not be here after the battle victory or not.