GoTWiC [AoH] S4R11 “The Game of Proving”

In a world where glory was forged in the Arenas and alliances were sacred, Stanko, once a renowned spearman, felt like a ship without a harbor. His last season had been a series of failures not due to a lack of skill, but because of dwindling dedication and poor team chemistry.

The consequences were harsh: when Stanko, filled with regret and a desire to return, knocked on the door of his former team, he was met with a cold rejection. They had already moved on, forming a powerful roster with the strongest players from SFu.

There was no place for Stanko. He knew he had only himself to blame.

Yet hope still flickered. In that moment of disappointment, Mayhem, an old comrade and Arena veteran, called urgently, searching for a leader for a newly formed team. Their home was Barateon, a symbol of strength and endurance.

Stanko seized the opportunity without hesitation. He didn’t care that the team was already well-coordinated; what mattered was the chance to redeem himself.

Stanko was immediately appointed leader, the strongest spearman in Barateon. Mayhem knew the power of his spears was legendary. But Stanko did not see himself as the sole key to success. His attention fell on Joker, a fearsome infantryman who commanded Vorian and the mighty Blue Dragon. Stanko realized the truth: Joker was a game-changer, the one capable of pulling victory from even the direst situations.

Since the team had so far relied on cavalry and spearmen, Stanko remarked that it was a shame Joker wasn’t leading the infantry. He then suggested that everyone produce enough infantry so they could fully supply Joker’s rally.

The upcoming tournament was brutal. The first favorites, House Stark, were composed of elites from the strongest alliances, formidable opponents, among whom the greatest was Amron from the famed BDR alliance.

Right behind them stood House Tyrell, cunning and exceptionally strong. Barateon was far from a favorite.

The stakes were enormous: the restoration of Stanko’s honor and the chance to prove that the new Barateon alliance belonged at the top.

The conflict was not simply Stanko versus Stark; it was an inner battle between Stanko’s need for redemption and the world that had written him off. What drove the story forward was Stanko’s determination to place Barateon in the Top 3 and prove to his old team, and above all, to himself, that his era was far from over.

Stanko’s plan was clear: an aggressive start and rapid capitalization on early objectives. There was no playing cautiously against the favorites. The fight for every point had to begin from the very first second.

The match began, and Barateon launched forward at lightning speed. Stanko immediately sent the bulk of his swift spearmen to capture the Strongholds. He wanted to secure early points and apply psychological pressure right away. Their strategy centered around the Trading Posts, the buildings that yielded the highest score.

As soon as the Altars opened, Stanko and Joker, the backbone of the team, had to split up. Joker, with his infantry and Dragon, took control of Barateon’s Altar, establishing an impenetrable defense. Stanko, assessing the enemy’s strength, made a crucial tactical decision: to strike House Lannister, the weakest among the major contenders.

The Lannister Altar fell into Stanko’s hands.

The start was good. Barateon was among the leaders. But the battle was only beginning to heat up.

Tension spiked when Maidens were needed for bonus points. Stanko, staying true to his strategy, once again charged at the Lannisters.

However, the focus of the entire battlefield shifted. Enemy attacks, scattered until then, began converging on him.

“I need support! Quickly! Coordination!” Stanko shouted as his spearmen took heavy blows from the Tyrell riders.

The greatest danger came from the north.

The Starks, their closest neighbors, began relentlessly attacking Barateon’s Altars. Stanko, though occupied, managed to send swift counterattacks and reinforcements, defending key positions on his own and keeping the balance. But Barateon was slipping. They had fallen to 5th place, while the goal was 3rd.

In an effort to shift the momentum, Stanko devised a bold move: an attack on the Stark Dragonpit. He managed to break through the defenses, but the Starks reacted immediately. Their Strong Infantryman quickly reclaimed the building, repelling Stanko’s assault. It was the first warning sign, the Starks were solid.

With the opening of Glory, the most important and valuable objective in the Arena, the tension reached its peak. Whoever controlled Glory controlled the match.

The Starks were the first to capture Glory. And it was defended by the same Strong Infantryman who had just defeated Stanko at the Dragonpit. At that moment, Stanko’s desire for redemption ignited into fury. This was a duel not just for points, but for honor.

“Joker,” his voice was tense and commanding, “Go for Glory. You have to bring him down. You’re our key player, I believe you can defeat him. Our entire chance depends on you.”

Stanko was convinced they would win; he believed in Joker’s Dragon, especially since their commanders were identical.

Joker accepted the challenge. With Vorian and the Blue Dragon, he launched a frontal assault on Glory. Stanko and the rest of the team held the remaining objectives and neutralized surrounding support, following the flow of the battle with a mix of hope and fear.

The fight was fierce. Infantry against infantry. However, the Stark player was not only strong but also perfectly positioned. Although Joker fought heroically, the strength of the Stark troops and their defensive superiority ultimately pushed Joker back.

Stanko had not expected this. It was the moment in which Stanko’s vision of Joker as the game-changing player was supposed to be confirmed, the moment when Stark’s backbone was meant to break. But things did not unfold the way Stanko had planned. Losing Glory was more than just losing points; it was a blow to their strategy, to their morale, and to Stanko’s faith in his own judgment. It also meant they would not be able to finish in first place.

The disappointment was palpable, but there was no time for self-pity.

“Forget Glory! Focus on the Altars! We need Top 3!” Stanko commanded, taking control of the chaos.

The battle turned into a race against time. They were close to 3rd place, but Tyrell and the Starks kept them under constant pressure. Stanko sent troops without rest, in an unending cycle of attacks and defenses, gathering points through eliminations and holding key positions.

Although it was his first time playing with Joker, their coordination was surprisingly seamless. Stanko would identify a target, Joker would strike it. When Stanko couldn’t defend, Joker would send immediate reinforcements. They were synchronized, as if they had been playing together for years.

The final minutes were pure desperate heroism.

Even though it was mathematically almost impossible to reach 3rd place, Stanko and Joker refused to give up. They kept fighting for every elimination point, for every shred of honor.

Final result: 4th place.

Although they did not achieve their goal of reaching the Top 3, Barateon emerged from the Arena undefeated in spirit. They spent most of the match in the lower half of the standings, but in the final stretch, they fought for the bronze, showing that they had the potential to stand against the greatest.

Stanko, the team leader, stood satisfied. He was slightly disappointed that Joker had not managed to defeat his ally from the opposing team, who held Glory.

His redemption did not come through victory over the Starks, but through forging a new bond. He didn’t gain points, but he didn’t lose any either. The main victory of the evening was that he had found a new partner. Joker was strong, but now together they were even stronger. Stanko, instead of seeing defeat, had found the foundation for a new team.

“Good game, Joker,” Stanko said. “See you next season, right?”

“Of course, Stanko. Next time, we go for the throne,” replied Joker.

The goal wasn’t achieved, but he did not leave the Arena as a loser. The comeback had only just begun.