The defeat at the hands of the NBe in the first round of the season had not yet been fully absorbed, and its effects were still clearly felt.

Neik and his companions, along with their leader, had reflected on the mistakes made and analyzed what went wrong in the first clash of Siege of Winterfell. In the end, they concluded that they had simply faced a stronger and better-prepared alliance. However, the rivalry with the NBe made that verdict even harder to accept.

Neik, deep in thought, realized that despite their efforts, the NBe had dominated due to a clear strategic superiority. There had been no single decisive mistake, they had simply been overwhelmed by the complexity of the situation. It was a tough lesson, but it motivated him to push the group to improve and not give up.

"Today, we will seek redemption, no matter who our opponent is," said Grombold, the leader of HOH, as they waited to find out who they would face in the second match of Siege of Winterfell. Changing course was essential. But the conversations stopped when the rival army arrived: it was...

STM

Today’s opponents were the STM, led by the formidable Oberth, with the support of SANTA STAS and MONGOOSE. Despite their hard-fought victory in their first match, they were not feared for the strength of individual fighters but rather for their cohesion, which made them unpredictable and dangerous.

An encouraging piece of news for Grombold and his companions was the numerical advantage: 93 for HOH against only 55 for STM. This should have been a significant advantage, but underestimating the opponents’ strategy, especially with the teleportation mechanic, would have been a fatal mistake.

“We need to leverage our numerical advantage to control the field and prevent them from organizing,” explained Grombold, whose strategic acumen was well known. He decided to aggressively attack the rivals, aiming to overwhelm them before they could rely on their cohesion.

The clouds darkened the rays of the sun, making it difficult to clearly distinguish the battlefield, which was shrouded in fog, as the moment of the clash approached, along with an impending storm that would accompany the battle between the two alliances. Despite the numerical advantage, it would still be a challenging battle. Neik, eager to start fighting, observed the battlefield, with flashbacks of the previous match still vivid in his mind. His goal was without a doubt to understand where the mistakes had been and where he could improve personally. Today’s opponent was a worthy test: they had to give their all to secure the victory, as another defeat would jeopardize their season from the very second match!

The start of the clash was overwhelming!

From the very first moments, Grombold decided to attack HotSprings with ferocity, focusing the bulk of their forces where most of STM’s warriors were concentrated. The rival leadership, aware of their numerical disadvantage, opted to fight as a single group, hoping to surprise their opponents with an audacious but risky strategy.

The ensuing battle was furious and relentless. STM's concentration of forces didn’t catch Neik and his team off guard. Thanks to Grombold's wisdom, HOH quickly overcame the numerical gap and overwhelmed STM, forcing them into a retreat after only a few phases of combat.

"Well done, let’s keep pushing them toward their base without stopping," said Grombold, but he was interrupted by his right-hand man, Urielki, who brought vital new information: "A large contingent of enemies is gathering near Stark Outpost 1. Their intention is to attack Armory, trying to catch us off guard."

"We can’t let them reorganize," Neik replied, determined, as he prepared to attack the base. Their arrival to support the Armory group was devastating, like a hurricane sweeping away all resistance.

A great first phase for HOH!

In just 13 minutes, the faction led by Grombold took control of all the bases on the battlefield, a crucial morale boost after the heavy defeat in the first round. This outcome was largely expected due to the numerical advantage, but it represented an important psychological victory.

Already near the enemy base, HOH adopted a flawless strategy. Thanks to their numerical superiority, they managed to conserve their strength while trapping STM members in their base.

Neik, positioned at the front line, guarded the paths assigned to him by Urielki, who today served as Grombold’s right-hand man, lending his experience to support the strategy.

The loot, safely secured in a rather simple manner by the assigned Big Gaz, thanks to the efforts of his teammates, remained untouched by the STM rivals. Despite their attempts, they couldn’t reach him to contest the possession, allowing the HOH member to accumulate as many points as possible for his alliance, partially making up for the damage sustained in the first round.

During the defense of the southern exit of the base, Neik found himself clashing several times against the formidable opponents who tried with all their might to turn the tide of the battle.

The Weakness Spear formation of the HOH member was put to the test by the repeated and exhausting attacks from the dangerous Inf of the rivals, who targeted him when he found himself isolated from his teammates, but this was part of Neik’s strategy. To hone his battlefield skills, the warrior enjoyed putting himself in dangerous situations where he could fight multiple opponents one by one.

Time passed, and wave after wave, opponents such as SANTA STAS, Lion King, and kcap32 charged at his spears. Despite their names not being among the most famous in Westeros, within the ranks of STM they were highly respected warriors, even by Neik himself. For a moment, he thought he might be overwhelmed when he was surrounded by them, but with sheer tenacity and courage, the HOH fighter wasn’t defeated by his rivals.

Few rivals dared to break through the wall formed by the feared members of the faction led by Grombold, and in fact, the match ended after the initial phases of combat. There were no plot twists, and the result was essentially decided before the match even began, given the notable difference of more than 40 members between the two alliances, making this day an easy victory for HOH.

The final victory went to... HOH!

MVP's

The best fighters of the match were:

diver for HOH, the warrior who had made his cavs his distinctive strength. He was the first to reach and engage the enemy in combat. Thanks to the speed of his cavs and his exceptional tactical intelligence, he easily maneuvered and struck enemies with precision.

Oberth for STM, who stood out as one of the most determined in trying to balance the outcome, but today, facing HOH was a tough challenge. Despite his courageous battle, he chose to conserve his strength, not before securing the top position among his teammates.

"I have news you won’t like," Grombold said at the end of the match. "I waited until the end of the battle to reveal that Depravity’s absence is no accident. He will not play alongside us for the rest of the season," he added, his voice serious.

The news hit like a bolt from the blue. Neik and his companions couldn’t even fully enjoy the victory they had just earned as a chilling silence spread among them.

"At the end of the season, several changes will be necessary," Grombold continued, his gaze betraying concern. "But until then, we must hold firm, work together, and stay focused on the goals we’ve set for ourselves."

The leader’s words left a trail of uncertainty in the air around HOH. The alliance’s future had never seemed so fragile.

Neik, walking back towards k345, felt the weight of the news still echoing in his mind. He now realized the significance of Depravity’s absence, a key figure for their group, but hadn’t stopped to reflect much on his role until Grombold had spoken. Now, that very absence seemed to threaten the stability of the entire alliance.

The season, which had seemed to finally get back on track, was marked by one defeat and one victory. Would they manage to start a streak of successes in the third phase of Siege of Winterfell, or was a terrible surprise waiting for them just around the corner? We’ll find out next time...