Red Harvest Proper greeted them with wild abandon. Men in costumes dressed as jesters and painted like drunks swung and shared a flask of cider ale with all they met, laughing as they dragged themselves along the road in bowlegged fashion.

Children played music as loud as they could, Flowers and colored paper was thrown from windows, the town formed a grand parade that started on either end of town and collided in the center, where all the procession merged into a roaring mob, laughing, dancing, singing, and full of old fashioned gayety. As Mob of light morning drinks and good cheer swamped and spilled over into the streets.

And it wasn't even breakfast.

Vast tables were dragged from houses and set together amidst the throng, some who were already tipsy tried to dance on them and were quickly brought back to earth.

As more tables appeared, so did the food to fill them, even as more and more people seemed to appear. Roused at last by the songs of Red Harvest, Men hauled roast pigs, started the weeks before, and left in the smokehouse until now.

Vast platters of beef and foul appeared as if by magic. Accompanied by a flock of sweet-smelling loaves of bread, fruit jams, and steaming vegetables. The more they brought, the more people were drawn and sat down for their meal, and finally, as the last man sat. The Judge, Grandson of the Late Father Boar, a founding member, dressed to the nines in his official stations' attire. Appeared to give his address, while holding a mug of his high in the air.

"Friends, Good People of Pine Rest, and those who have joined us in this celebration of the changing seasons. Please let me offer a humble thanks for joining us today. And to all the hard work that has been spent, setting this day apart from any other. And because the feast is prepared, I shall do my duty and declare, that Red Harvest Has Begun!" this part of the speech was spoken with gusto and greeted with cheering and wild applause before turning silent as each began stuffing themselves with the content of the Breakfast Banquet.

Tolan and Vir too enjoyed themselves, the warm meat in the cool air did wonders for the appetite, as both began competing to fill their bellies ahead of the rest and despite the bruises left by Nana's ladle in retaliation for the theft of her thistle berry pie.

Their cups were filled with spiced tea and brew, but there was enough to last the day and then some. Each downed at least a barrel, or so they'd swear later but knew many would out drink them still. They ate until all was gone, and while they bemoaned the loss, a greater feast was about to start.

The Dancers took to the cleared tables, the swirling petticoats of fine ladies, the stomping boots of virile young men, the music rising with the drums. Replacing the heart as keeper of bodily rhythm and time.

Often smiling girls would reach down and pull men unto the tables to dance with them, laughing men plucked cheering girls as their partners. Whirling across the tabletops, friends and family applauding.

Tolan was invited several times by the laughing maidens in their flashing colors but refused in his smoldering meekness. They pulled and pleaded, but soon were swept away, the tide of dancing washed by him in a striking rainbow display. Meanwhile, Vir had a different problem, the girls who beckoned him, would always laugh and slip from his hand, pushing him back into his seat, taunting him with their teasing games. Meir looked to his brother, smoldered and blushing, and got in his head a playful idea.

Taking a spare loaf of pepper bread, he broke it, spilling the spicy herb close to his brother. As the powder rooted itself in his nostrils, Tolan began to heave like a mighty giant, the force of his frustrations building in his lungs, until finally, he could stand it no more. The thunderous blast that exploded from him, propelled him upwards into the carrying hands of many a saucy-faced lady, who made him the point of their intentions.

And thus the stone boulder was swept aside by the tide of fabrics and faces, though Vir found himself still faced with rejection.

Watching with satisfaction, Vir noted the timing and position of his brother's thunderous blasts as he traveled along the currents of that most grisly and frightening rapids, sneezing all the way.

The music didn't stop as the dancers dispersed, the tables cleared and pushed aside as a loud voice declared with gusto.

"Make Way, Make way for the heroes, Brave warriors of Pine Rest. Heroes of the Valley!" Men on stilts in garish costumes and clanking tin began making their way down the streets. Brandishing comically large tools and axes. Everyone scattered out from under the giants' steps, before calling the names of the beloved figures stalking past them.

"Look, it's Ulrick the Archer!"A child shouted, pointing to a square-faced man with a Hunting bow slung crossed his backhand a quiver of yellowed tailed bolts to his side

"Over there, Here Comes Tobias the Brave! What an ax he has!"A Man cried, hailing a thin-looking man with a prop blade the size of his head perched on his shoulder.

"Mommy, why is that man so big?"A babe asked.

"Why it's Father Bor, Good old Father Bor." Pointing to a figure dressed in the same dark robes as the Judge had worn.

"And there's Artman the Great, and his hammer Dogskull !" A Woman whooped towards a barrel-chested figure, bigger round the middle than he was tall and carrying a red worker's mallet, like those for driving fence posts, slung over his shoulder along with a cape of wolves fur.

"And Greymond the Thresher. Look at his Flail!" yowled an older man "It's a Spitting image of'em Too" he howled. The actor on pole swept the ground with the farm tool, not much more than two pieces of wood and rope, but the wild force of its passing kicked the dust and buffed the ground as ladies and children screamed in delight.

Vir pointed to one, in particular, A haggard old woman, with a long red nose and shifty gaze, nails clenched in their teeth, and a doll of a screaming babe on their back.

"Tolan, What's that, I don't recognize him. they weren't here last year!" Tolan thought for a moment squinting at the face, then his expression changed to shock when he realized who it was.

"I think it's Nana!" he shouted, Vir's face went flat in recoil.

"Nana!?! Why would she be in" he was interrupted by the sudden whooping laughter of the old crone beside him

"Gehehe, they captured my likeness so well, Bless their little hearts, the dearies" as Nana appeared close between him and Tolan, shoving her way to a better view.

"Nana, Why are you with the Heroes of Pine Rest, and the Founding Elders?!" Vir asked, Tolan was puzzled as well, but Nana just smiled and winked. Saying simply

"Did you think I was lying when I said I'd Raised half the Town? It wasn't just Children I was putting up with!"

Vir agape in shock then heard the cries of mothers and the children cry aloud

"Mother Hela"

"Look it's Mother Hela! Birds Bless her."

"Ah, House Maker Hela, The Good Mother! Bless the old hag."

Nana gave a warm shiver and sigh at hearing her name spoken aloud, a quietly cooing "It is nice to be remembered, every once in a while. Does a good thing for the soul, Even if it's for the wrong reasons."

Vir quickly turning ill, Nana turned to him "Are you well Dear, you look pale!" she exclaimed. Vir swallowed himself and nodded, before finding somewhere else to stand. Nana just chuckled to herself as he left.

Tolan tapped her shoulder "Look Nana, Pippen the Soldier. Look they brought his great sword." Nana looked out and spotted the tinplated figure and huffed.

"His sword was never that big." Tolan looked confused, as she chuckled at her rue joke and misty memories. "Keep watching Tolan, the Dogs will be coming soon," she said patting his arm.

And indeed the dogs came, Wild Dogs, the kind that had harassed the Founders once before.

Dressed in heavy, hairy cloaks and barking, shouting, and blowing into screaming whistles. The Wild Dogs burst onto the street. Whooping and Hollering as they raced between the legs of the honored legends and towering figures. Snatching children from the crowd and whirling them about before setting them down, with many screams of fear and delight, even some ladies were picked up and roughed about before being set back on the street corner.

Jumping and leaping from onside to another, growing bolder each time, carrying off more children this time, now sometimes snatching the men as well.

The Legends and Founders took great offense to the dogs and with their tools, axes, and swords, took to hounding the dogs. Sweeping low with their weapons to batter the hounds and rescue the maidens and children.

Scattering the dogs, Ulrick took to piecing them with blunted arrows fried from his bow, Artman swung his Hammer, Greymond cleared them with his threshing blocks and Tobias chopped a few of their heads clean off with a deft swing of his ax.

Young boys took heart and assaulted the Wild Dogs with their toy bows and slingshots got in on the fun, pelting the Dogs with little twigs and mud to wound them and return their mothers and sisters, some would shoot to miss, only for a dog to come for him instead.

The legends and Founders were holding their own, and soon the dogs began to retreat, driven by the beating blows of the giant figures. But as the street began to cheer and the crowd's roar in adulation, they were cut short by the bellowing growl of a deep horn cut them short and forced a pause in the Music, once wild baning of the drums, fell deathly silent.

A chill wind blew as the quiet descended like a fog, all who were there looked about for the source of the sound. Another growling rumble bellowed out as the Legends came together, and began searching the street corners and alleyways from atop their stilts, masks bobbing around looking for the source of the noise. Finding only stray dogs that scampered and whelped at their strange appearance.

Everyone knew what was coming, the anticipation was like a downpour, the pounding of hearts like thunder in their ears. Some would shriek as they caught glimpses of something along the rooftops, or in the windows of homes, poking out of alleyways. The heroes of legend stalked them and were stalked in turn by the hidden menace.

Something leaped into the light, a quartet of dark and ghastly shapes emerging to enfold the street itself with their horrid bodies.

A pounding drum, hunting horns cry, all turned to face them, there at the other side of the road. Away from where the people had gathered, following the heroes in their hunt. There, atop their stilts, stood the Demons of the Mountain. Fierce and imposing, stiff as trees and quiet like an open grave.

There were four of them in total, A great Shaggy Bear with its black fur and face painted red. Two greedy and massive claws were its weapons, imposing its might onto all who saw it. Beside him was the Fox, autumn red coat and tail, blazing in the eyes of all who saw him. A jealous pelt he wore, because all who saw it became smitten with greed, and forgot the deadly brush knives that he carried.

To his right, flapped the dreaded wings of the Raptor, a foul abomination with sweeping wings and brown and gold feathers. Its beak preened for its next meal, sharp and curved, to represent its diving claws, he carried a simple pair of stones tied to one another, that when swung, would match the blows of a diving hawk and throw men to the ground. Much like if they'd be dropped from a terrible height.

And behind him waited for the strangest foe of all.

Grey-blue shell with a back like a bowed canoe and swinging hooks for claws, the River Prawn. It was long enough that three men could fit under the costume, two standing in the back and a third man leading them about. It wobbled about, as if unsure, quivering slightly under the effort to maintain its figure. But its head displayed an alien menace. Pointed snout and long antenna, its black eyes painted over in vile intent.

The heroes approached, cautiously, with care and intent, each raising their tools and weapons, at the ready to dispel the strange creatures with force if need be.

The Devils stood there, unmoving and unafraid.

As the Heroes drew within close distance almost touching, one of the Demons leaped with a single blow intending to strike down the heroes.

Everyone drew back, as the Demons cried aloud in their strange warbling and the heroes made ready to fight this terrible host. Raising their weapons with a cry, they charged ahead anyway.

The battle was fought with danger as the heroes struggled against the Four Demons. Many fell and had to be helped back up and into the fray, but the battle against the demonic force was going poorly. The Bear broke Ulrick's bow, Father Bor was tossed aside by the Prawn and the Fox was weaving between the others and knocking them over or distracting them for the Raptor to dive in and smash their heads in, as thanks in return for their efforts.

It was terrible, the longer the battle raged, the more and more it seemed that their efforts were in vain. Stopping one Demon left them vulnerable to another. It seemed as if the heroes would lose after all they'd done. Holding off the Demons was costing too much, drawing too much strength to withstand the others. Harried and hampered they held close in a circle defending each one another, trapped by the cackling of the Demonic beasts, gloating over the heroes of the past as they pranced about

Until a new figure joined the fray. White robes patterned after sparrows wings, a figure missing from the earlier parade, now heralded by the tone of a single great bell that he carried, along with a rod wreathed in sweet-smelling flowers. The white-clad figure approached the Demons from behind and lightly struck the Wild Fox.

In an instant, the Fox fell to the ground, asleep and vulnerable to the Heroes, who took him and skinned him, hoisting the pelt up on a pole, made of the actor's abandoned stilts. The sight of it scarred the others and emboldened the heroes as they charged.

With the Figure in white leading them, the Demons began to fall one after another. The Raptors wings were plucked and Broken, the terrible beast thrown to the ground. The Shaggy Bear roared and charged, still knocking the heroes aside, but the mage simply danced away from him, leading him away from the others, casting the same magic to put it to sleep, keeping it drowsy and weakened, up until Pippens Sword found its mark and the beast was finally slain.

All that remained was the Prawn, The heroes assembled, the white-robed mage leading them onward as they charged the final beast. The Prawn fought bitterly with its hooked claws, snagging and throwing some of the heroes around. But it was in vain.

In such a return in kind, The Prawn found itself harried on all sides. Stopping one legend left it vulnerable to another, Tobias and Artman clipped its back legs. Pippen parried blows from the claws, Ulrick lobbed arrows at its eyes, and Father Bor used a sling.

The crowd cheered as the pagent play neared its conclusion. The beast stumbled, huffing and heaving as the last of its foul life drained from its body, as it died the whole world seemed to erupt into celebration.

The White Mage was lifted in celebration and carried about the town in adulation amount the throngs of people, chanting the name of this hero who arrived when all hope was lost to them.

"Melzerpan, Melzerpan, MELZERPAN!" The White Bird of rescue, Melzerpan the Blessed.

And as the heroes finished their circuit. Great cauldrons of prawn stew began to appear as the tables crowded the streets once more. Vir licked his chops in anticipation while smiling Tolan helped their Nana find a seat for the anticipated, delicious vengeance feast.