Arena of Honor S314 The family

It was on a lazy Sunday noon in the first days of summer, that Sir Coppard was lounging on his porch seeking shelter from the heat that had already started rising. He had an engagement to fight in the evening with the Bearface team in Arena of Honor, but that did not solve the problem of his extra participation tickets that had piled up. 

He was so deep in thought that he missed the approach of his wife. Huggybear, who knew him better than anyone, asked what was the matter and managed to coax the whole issue out of him in less time than it took him to take out his pipe and light it.

I do not see the problem, dear, she said. Stop lazing around and go fight in the next bout that is in an hour. This will use up one of your tickets and give you some breathing space. 

Absolutely not, he said emphatically. I have fought alone too many times before and I do not care to repeat the experience.

Who said you would be fighting alone? answered Huggybear with a coy smile. My fighting days are over, but I still remember how to use a spear, darling. And your squire, Harley Quinn, can surely use the practice. 

It may have escaped your notice but an arena team needs ten people, he replied.

And it may have escaped yours, but we have seven unruly children who would love the excitement. Come on darling, we never get to have fun as a family, and as long as we do not drop below fourth place, what harm can it do?

Sir Coppard smiled warmly at her, and nodded.

It was practically a miracle they managed to herd their excited children in time for them to take their places in the Arena battlefield.

Sir Coppard took a quick look at the rest of the teams. He spotted Nella Fantasia of EXC who was probably stronger than he was, but it was his good luck that she was a spear warrior.

The most dangerous looked to be the Stark team, so he needed to come up with a strategy. He looked at his team and smiled.

There is really one play we can make, and that is to go for the Glory City. We cannot take altars and mine shafts and hold them, so basically we will take the strongholds, make them into troop camps to assist me, and go for Glory City. Only other building we will try to keep is our Clan Castle, and Harley this is on you.

Harley beamed proudly, and as the trumpets sounded and his kids rushed to the strongholds, he felt a little optimism creeping into him, despite his misgivings.

As promised Harley Quinn took the Clan Castle, prepared to defend it to the last troop if necessary. Almost immediately came the first attack.

Sir Coppard and Huggybear took a quick look around, but there was not really much to do than make sure that Harley was reinforced in the Clan Castle, otherwise it would be game over for them. 

Glory City has opened, Huggybear called to her husband.

At the same time, a horrific crush was heard from the Clan Castle, but Harley waved him on unperturbed.

Go after the city, I got this!! called Harley happily and proudly to be keeping the home castle safe.

Sir Coppard ran as fast as the wind and captured the Glory City.

Reinforce me children, he instructed, but it seemed his little ones had taken the instruction that they had nothing to do, too much at heart and had disappeared playing behind the Sept of Seven. Huggybear, trying to round them up, did not also reinforce, and the Glory City went up in flames as soon as the first rally hit.

Sir Coppard returned and saw his whole family looking at him shamefacedly.

Hey hey what is this? No reason to feel badly about it, he said jovially. Let us leave the battlefield and I will take you all to the fair, what do you think?

Seven Hells, what fair, dad? Gutsy Smurf exploded. I say you go back in there, and we will make damn sure we reinforce you this time.

Language, Gutsy, Huggybear admonished, but I second what he says. We did not come here to not even try. We should make you at least fourth, not last like we are now. 

More emphatic shouts followed, and Sir Coppard did not even realise how he was back in the Glory City. Several lines started coming his way, but he was reinforced this time. 

Here we go, he murmured preparing to defend.

The rally hit hard and fast, and was repelled even faster and harder.

A cavalry player was coming their way, but it seemed he was coming alone.

Nice dad, cried Gutsy, only three minutes and thirty seconds remain for you to capture.

Thank you son, said Sir Coppard, not having the heart to tell him the countdown was augmenting his anxiety.

Two more rallies appeared, and if Sir Coppard was not mistaken it was from a cavalry player. He exchanged an anxious look with Huggy, and they held hands breathlessly waiting for the impact.

They had survived, but they had lost one third of their troops.

Quick kids, run like the wind, called Huggybear to them tenderly, as another rally was coming.

Once more they braced to defend.

It turned out to be an easy defense, as their kids had run faster than the wind and had made it back in time.

The Glory City was theirs. 

Let us try to stay inside and defend it fully, instructed Sir Coppard, because if we get kicked i do not think we can capture again and keep for four minutes.

And so they did. 

Their opponents were throwing everything they had at them, but the family was holding firm.

Even Nella tried, but the counter was really against her. 

Their opponents had to face the truth. Sir Coppard would not be budged.

Starks, unreconciled to this, went after every building they could find, and when the trumpets sounded, they had managed to pass the holders of the Glory City.

Cannot really call it a loss, when second place made more points than the first, observed Harley smugly.

Indeed you cannot, said Sir Coppard who had also come first in eliminations and was leaving the arena much richer than when he entered her. 

See dad? told him Gutsy tugging his sleeve. Nothing can beat our family.

Sir Coppard moved beyond words, ruffled his hair tenderly.

Indeed, son, he said with a tight throat. Nothing can and nothing will…..