After easily emerging victorious from the match against their feared rivals in round one of Ultimate Conquest, they encountered an opponent that was completely out of their league at present: DEP.

However, as had happened before, the FDH council decided to make the toughest decision an alliance can face: to accept defeat without actually competing in the match.

"I think it will be the best decision for us, saving as many forces and resources as possible to perform at our best in the third round," Neik thought. Matches against DEP were nearly impossible for them to face, especially after the many changes that had occurred since the beginning of the season.

So they were effectively defeated in the second round.

So they fell into the loser bracket, where they no longer had the option of losing any matches, as it would mean being eliminated. Today's battle was already decisive, and looking at the progress of other matches, they already knew who they would be facing in the next match. It was...

LEGION (LEG)

They were facing a very united and cohesive alliance that knew how to deal with larger alliances effectively. They had encountered them several times in previous seasons, and the matches were always evenly fought, with FDH ultimately emerging victorious. But today, the story was quite different! Led by formidable generals like abdyrakhman and Altera GR, they excelled with Bows and didn't have a simple counter.

"We are 85 and we will face a greater number of rivals than us, their 94 skilled combatants. We must try to be the first to the buildings. If they manage to place the right commanders in defense of them, retaking them will be very difficult," Steel told his comrades before the start of the match. It was always important to establish dominance in the opening of the buildings, but today, given their opponents' strengths, it was even more critical.

The beginning of hostilities was now imminent. The pouring rain inundated the battlefield, with lightning tearing through the sky, creating a perfect setting for a match that meant elimination for both alliances in case of defeat.

And so, the third round of Ultimate Conquest between FDH and LEG began...

A great start by LEG's fighters who immediately secured three out of the four available positions – their racers were truly impressive!

It wasn't the best start for the FDH team, as they found themselves trailing their rivals right from the beginning. "Stay calm, let's wait for the Ports to open," was the message from the commanding officers. The battle was sure to be long, and acting hastily could leave them exhausted early on. They needed to seize the right moment to attack an opponent with more numbers.

When the Ports opened...

...the outcome was one for each side!

LEG proved to be a formidable opponent not only in terms of racers but also in their strategy – a strength they had never been known for before, but they had become truly fearsome now!

They immediately organized rallies at Targaryen Port, where Harlod was defending the walls. He was perhaps the worst opponent to face. "Everyone, reinforce to the best of your ability; it will be a very numerous attack," he said to his comrades.

Reinforced to the best of their ability, they were now ready to try and repel the incoming enemy siege. Moving in unison, the enemy seemed united like a cloud, ready to strike simultaneously...

...the walls held strong!

The numerous attacks launched by LEG against the walls were unsuccessful. Defended skillfully by Harlod's strong Weakness setup, they managed to repel all the rallies organized to oust him.

"Nicely done, Harlod. Now let's focus on trying to wrest Lannister Port from their hands!" the alliance leader said quickly. Before the opponents could realize and return to their bases, they hastily organized rallies and threw themselves against the target...

...the winning blow was delivered by Dargoth!

At this point, the match was in a deadlock, with LEG still holding an advantage due to their formidable start.

To understand which way the tide was turning, everyone had to wait for the opening of Casterly Rock, which was now imminent. The conquest of this pivotal structure was crucial, and both alliances were well aware of it, eagerly anticipating the right moment to launch their attack. And when that moment came...

...FDH was seen celebrating the capture of the walls!

Freezebear, who had demonstrated remarkable speed on several occasions, managed to conquer it for their alliance.

But just during the celebration for the capture, the unthinkable happened. Led by PHOBOS and Altera GR, launching simultaneous attacks on both Ports, they managed to capture them as FDH, distracted by the celebrations, failed to support the two positions effectively. At this point in the match, they were in control of Casterly Rock but had lost both Ports.

Neik couldn't believe his eyes; LEG's strategy was incredible. He knew that PHOBOS deployed Cav with a Weakness formation to defend it. With his alliance on the verge of organizing rallies against Altera GR, he decided to launch a series of attacks on the formidable enemy. He had faith in his troops and his battle skills, which had become refined over time.

And so, the assault began...

...the series of attacks was terrifying.

Each successful strike meant losing millions of troops for LEG, who, while successfully defending Targaryen Port from the simultaneous siege, couldn't effectively protect the walls, which ultimately fell into the hands of FDH.

"Great job, Neik," Steel praised.

The battle was far from over, but now the point difference between the two alliances was negligible. However, after losing one of the Ports, following abdyrakhman's orders, their fierce rivals prepared rallies to besiege the walls of CR.

The defense of Casterly Rock was crucial to prevent the opponents from regaining the hard-fought lead. Reinforcements were plentiful, and Steel had no intention of letting these valuable walls fall.

Once again, like a wave crashing against the rocks, LEG's rallies arrived, and...

...the bloody siege ended with a victory for the attackers.

Their impressive numbers prevailed over the defenders, who, led by Steel96, were forced to withdraw after another round of relentless attacks.

However, very astutely, Neik decided once again to try to besiege another LEG-held building with solo attacks: Targaryen Outpost. It was defended by the skilled fighter VOHRA, who used hybrid female-weakness formation and had her best troops as cavalry. It was a perfect adversary for Neik, and he began to lay siege to the walls...

...the attacks were lethal.

LEG, who tried with all their might to hold onto the building, couldn't do anything against the ferocity with which Neik was striking. Superior in combat to his rival, after an endless series of successful attacks and lost troops, LEG had no choice but to withdraw, and the outpost passed into the hands of FDH, defended by ImAchilles.

However, upon returning from the siege, Neik was not content. It was a bitter victory for them because, in the meantime, they lost the defense of Casterly Rock.

It was now clear that the outcome of the match would be decided at the Mines. Both alliances were at the end of their strength, and it was unlikely that anyone would have expected a different outcome at the beginning of this match. Neither of the two wanted to bid farewell to the Ultimate Conquest season prematurely, and even though it was hard-fought for FDH, they wanted to honor the tournament to the best of their ability by at least trying to win this match.

"Regardless of how it turns out, we know we've given our best," the leader addressed his companions as the opening of the Mines was imminent.

And when the time came...

...Both Mines were captured by FDH!

There was no time to waste; the attacks from LEG were already on the way. They needed to reinforce the Mines as soon as possible because the outcome of the match depended on them.

And when the enemy sieges arrived...

...it was a disaster.

Their strategy once again worked perfectly. Hitting both Mines simultaneously forced their rivals to divide their forces. LEG needed to keep control of both Mines to win the match, but this division ultimately led to the loss of not just one, but two Mines.

"Let's try to reclaim at least one. It's not over yet," were the hopeful words that came from the commanders as they hurriedly organized an assault on one of the Mines...

...unfortunately for FDH, Holtep's defense was impregnable. LEG was in exceptional form on this day, and that had to be acknowledged.

FDH members exclaimed, "Let's try one last siege." They didn't want to give up so easily. Time was against them, and every second counted. They decided to attack Lannister Mine, the closest mine, to save time. But with Altera GR defending the walls, it proved to be an extremely challenging task, leading to another overwhelming defeat. The attacks broke against LEG's defenses.

At this point, there was nothing more to be done. With LEG in control of Casterly Rock and both Mines, the advantage was too significant, resulting in a bitter defeat for FDH.

The standout fighters in the match were:

1. Neik9x for FDH. He was probably the one who hoped for another victory the most. His relentless attacks on the defenses of PHOBOS and VHORA caused significant damage to his troops, but he never backed down. Heroic.

2. abdyrakhman for LEG. Every attack he led was painful for his rivals. He was by far the strongest and most skilled opponent among LEG's ranks, and once again, he demonstrated on the battlefield why he is feared by his enemies. Incredible.

Steel addressed his comrades, thanking them for their immense sacrifices and dedication in upholding the name of FDH throughout the season. He acknowledged that it had been a challenging journey but credited each member for their achievements.

With this, their adventure in this season of Ultimate Conquest concluded. They finished the season with a total of 5 wins and 3 losses, which, considering the season's challenges before it began, was an acceptable result, reaching the third round of the tournament.

What lies ahead for them? Will they manage to rebound by recruiting new members, or will they have to accept a position outside the top 4 alliances in Westeros? We'll discover it together in the future!

FamilyDutyHonor