GoTWiC [AoH] S4R15 "An old friend"

The Arena has returned once again. Stanko was already well-known in those circles. His winning streak had not gone unnoticed; his allies respected him, and his enemies feared him. The invitation to join the allied battle arrived quickly. This time, however, he received a call from his strongest teammates within the alliance. They had seen how he managed the players from HoH and wanted him on their team.

Beside him was Demon, his former teammate from the old Arena, a man who knew exactly how Stanko thought, how he led attacks, and when it was time to retreat. They were also joined by Rale, Stanko's good friend. The team also included one very powerful infantryman and one lancer. Together, they formed the core of the squad with a single goal: to take first place and achieve Glory.They wanted to end the season with a win.

The match was approaching. Stanko watched his opponents.

"Belial..." he whispered, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Belial was not just an opponent; he was an old friend, but at this moment, that meant nothing. Our strongest infantryman cannot measure up to him.

"Him again? Why do I always have to prove myself against the best when I am at my weakest?" Stanko thought, his hand unconsciously tightening its grip on the hilt of his sword. But a glance at the other side of the battlefield brought an even worse sight. Fabco. If Belial had frightened him, what was there left to say about Fabco?

Stanko knew that the odds were slim. His team did not have as many elite fighters; they were a group of brave men, yet outnumbered and technically outmatched. "I must give it my all. Even if we lose, I cannot let Belial walk through this battle without feeling my sharp steel. I must prove that heart is worth more than pure power," he whispered under his breath, as the sound of trumpets signaling the start of the fight echoed in the background.

Our goal was clear, to capture the Tower and the catapults. Without control over those key points, we would be nothing more than sitting ducks in an open field. We decided on a camps, hoping to compensate for our lack of raw power with speed.

"We need Strangers! Speed is the key! If we don't reach the Tower and the neighboring clans first, we might as well surrender now," Stanko thought.

However, the problem arose the very second the battle began. Other opponents had the same idea. The Starks, as if by agreement, instantly set up their infantry camps, while the Targaryens, just like us, were setting up spear camps.

Stanko only hoped that they would capture the clans, as that would contribute greatly to the team and the rest of the match. However, the Tyrell clan fell. And at its peak, stood the color purple.

"They were first..." Stanko commented, his voice tinged with doubt. Although we held two Strangers, the Targaryens were faster. This significantly reduced our chances for first place, but we managed to capture the Baratheon clan and somewhat get back into the match.

The next crucial building was the Dragonpit. One of our teammates sent troops immediately, and we sent reinforcements. However, that was when Fabco appeared and showed why he is the strongest player in the Arena. Even though we had more troops, he easily managed to kick us out in a clash between two spears.

I immediately readied my spears and attacked the upper Dragonpit, which was held by the Starks. Although I expected an attack from Belial at any moment, it didn't happen. I wondered if he had let me be, or if he was preparing for the Glory that was coming.

However, even though he managed to capture Glory first, Fabco easily managed to kick him out of the castle and receive reinforcements. Stanko knew how strong Fabco was, but they had to take the risk and launched an infantry rally. If Fabco secures Glory, we will have no chance at first place.

They launched the attack, but Stanko saw that his teammates were not optimistic. Stanko watched as their troops gathered, but his gut feeling told him that this would not end well. Knowing Fabco's strength, they knew that their infantry, no matter how courageous, was hitting a steel wall.

"It's no use," one of the teammates wrote after the first wave was repelled with massive losses. "Fabco is too strong. If we keep this up, we'll lose all our troops before the middle of the match."

At that moment, the tension was not only on the map but also within the team. The question was: abandon the main objective or risk total destruction? Stanko had to make a decision. Since they only had one strong infantryman who couldn't push out Fabco on his own, they decided on a tactical retreat. They gave up the fight for "Glory" and decided to focus on securing second place.

For Stanko, this was a slight disappointment because it meant they wouldn't win, but he was also aware of the caliber of opponents he faced and knew that finishing second would still be a success.

When the main plan failed, Stanko took on the most thankless task. Since he didn't have the strongest attack stats, he became the main pillar of defense. His new goal was clear: to defend the castles that were under constant attack.

"If I can't take Glory and first place, I'll take first place in eliminations," he promised himself. It wasn't the original plan, but the situation on the ground left him with little choice.

Currently, he was in 4th place and saw that he had a chance, but he needed to overtake Belial, who would certainly have an easier time because he was stronger.

Attacks began pouring in from all sides. The opponents saw that Stanko's team had shifted to a defensive stance and tried to exploit it. Every time the attack siren blared for one of their castles, Stanko was the one who had to react.

"I'm burning through an insane amount of speeds," Stanko muttered as he frantically dispatched troops, trying to replenish his army before the next strike. His troops were under immense pressure, and losses were piling up, but he did not give up. He managed to defend every building entrusted to him.

However, the pressure was becoming unbearable. At one point, Stanko felt like he had been left alone in the fight. "Where is everyone?" he asked the others. "What are you doing? I can't cover everything by myself; I need someone to jump in and save, I'm not sure I'll make it in time!"

His teammates were there, but morale was dropping. They saw that the Targaryens had an undisputed lead and that first place was out of reach. Stanko, on the other hand, picked up the pace. His stubbornness became the engine pushing him forward. Even though he was decimated, he managed to repel an entire wave of enemy cavalry that had attempted to "counter" him.

He was in second place, right above Belial. He was breathing down his neck, but it seemed Belial was chasing the same goal. This brings nothing except a certain prestige, being able to say you were the best alongside players like Belial and Fabco, while also rising in the eyes of your teammates.

Most of Stanko's teammates had practically stopped playing, simply waiting for the clock to run out. But for Stanko, the match was not over yet. His personal battle against Belial on the elimination leaderboard was at its peak.

He decided on a clever move. He attacked the Targaryen buildings, knowing the opponent would try to defend them. "I know they'll send cavalry at me," he thought. "That’s exactly what I need. More eliminations, more points."

Fabco was in Glory and could defeat everyone else. He did it once, and as if he knew, the Targaryens launched an attack. He was gaining a massive number of eliminations and even captured the building. He quickly withdrew and attacked another one. He was still in second place. He checked constantly. This was the final stretch. If they attacked him, he would have a chance.

The attacks started again. Even Fabco attacked with his second army.

Stanko just smiled because he was racking up points, though he was afraid to see the result. It was his small triumph in a lost war; he could even boast that he was the only one to defeat Fabco, he thought with a laugh.

When the match finally ended, the screen displayed: 2nd place.

Considering who the opponents were, the result was realistic and fair. Playing against Belial and Fabco and managing to hold onto the second position was proof of a good, albeit exhausting, fight.

Stanko immediately opened the individual performance leaderboard. He wanted that first place in eliminations more than anything. But there, another reality check awaited him. Belial was first.

"Congratulations. You beat me this time my friend, but next time it won't be like that." Stanko didn't have the goal of elimination from the beginning, while it was probably the main goal for Belial because he attacked solo from the beginning.

He was ahead of him, not by much, but enough to hold the throne. "Belial was expected," Stanko sighed. "He is much stronger, but I was right on his heels. I didn't let him relax for a single moment." I fought until the very end.

Stanko was proud that he had come so close to an opponent like Belial. They may not have been able to finish the season with a win, but for Stanko this was equal to a win. From this match, he could only learn. The match was over, but Stanko was already planning the next one in his head. He believed he had earned even more respect from his teammates and that they would invite him to join them again next time. This battle brought him many eliminations, but even more experience that he would use the next time he tries to climb the throne for eliminations.

And if you want to complete this story and watch the video, you can do so by clicking on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5icks6-214