GoTWiC [AoH] S5R2 "Redemption"

The sun was setting over Westeros, casting long, bloody shadows across the Arena walls. After the last few tough matches of the season that shook the team's confidence, Stanko stood in front of the map, staring at it.

He knew there was no room for mistakes tonight. He called his most loyal friends, the ones who don't back down when things get messy. He knew that in a moment this important, they were the only ones who could help him break out of this slump. The goal was clear, but painfully hard: capturing the central fortress, Glory Castle, and returning to the winning throne under the Lannister banner.

As the troops lined up, Stanko glanced at the opponent list. His heart skipped a beat for a second. Among the ranks of House Stark stood a name he knew all too well, Buhara.

Just an hour earlier, he had offered her an alliance, asking him to fight by his side. His rejection, short and cold because she already had her own team, still stung. Now, he wasn't an ally. He wondered how he would fight against him, not because of the troops, but because he knew he was stronger and would likely beat him.

Standing next to JOKER, his comrade and a much stronger warrior than Stanko himself, Stanko knew this match wasn't just a game. This was his chance to clear his name. The team was the favorite to win, but favorites fall the hardest when they get overconfident. "Stay focused," Stanko whispered to himself. House Targaryen was made up of several strong players from well-known houses, and it wasn't going to be easy at all.

The match began...

As soon as the Strongholds opened on the map, Stanko took the lead. He knew the first points would set the pace for the entire match. While their rivals from House Stark focused their forces on the Trading Posts, Stanko saw a chance for a strategic advantage.

"Go for the Infantry camps," he commanded, his voice echoing through the tactical channel without a hint of hesitation.

However, the real challenge wasn't the resources, but the speed. Towers and Clans were the keys, and the Targaryens had done the same thing as them. Stanko then proposed a plan: focus on the Strangers. These altars carried speed buffs that could turn the tide of the race, allowing them to capture the Towers and neighboring Clans first.

The drama started when Stanko noticed the opposing team trying to secure the exact Stranger that would let them reach the Tower first. Without a second thought, he charged forward. A direct clash followed, both were spearmen, but Stanko was stronger and captured the Altar.

Stanko waited for them in an ambush, denying them the much-needed bonus and securing a movement advantage for his team. It was the first small step toward redemption, but the real test was still to come.

The atmosphere was getting more and more intense. The Dragonpits, which hold a massive amount of points, became the new targets. JOKER launched a precise attack on one, while Stanko took responsibility for the other, the one deep in enemy territory. Tension rose as the clock ticked closer to the moment the Glory Castle would open. The opponents tried to take one of the two Dragonpits, but both Stanko and JOKER were way stronger, and the enemies couldn't touch them.

"It looks like you're the strongest one in the Arena, we have to use that. You'll attack Glory as soon as it opens," Stanko told JOKER. As soon as he finished his Dragonpit, Stanko attacked a third one that still didn't have a bubble. But then he was surprised when he saw the report. It was Buhara.

"Oh no, I didn't expect it to be her. I hope she won't be mad," Stanko thought to himself while calling for backup immediately, knowing the opponents would target the only Dragonpit without a bubble.

At that critical moment, the one thing every warrior fears happened, isolation. The opponents noticed that no one was sending troops, so they directed all their solo attacks at him. "I need backup! I'm surrounded!" Stanko shouted, but there was no answer from his teammates. Everyone was busy with their own tasks, leaving him out in the open.

This was the moment of truth. Would he give in again? The enemies kept coming, one after another. Stanko's breathing was heavy, but this time there was no fear. With four red weapons in his hands, symbols of ultimate power and desperate defense, he managed to push back every single attack. Alone against everyone, he held the castle. Even Buhara attacked him once. "I'm not mad; maybe I even deserved to be attacked by her," Stanko thought.

Finally, Glory Castle opened up. This was the moment Stanko had been waiting for. Everyone expected him, as the leader, to rush the central castle, but Stanko had learned his lesson about teamwork. Just as he planned before, he now simply reminded them.

"JOKER, you go," Stanko said over the channel. "You're infantry, and they don't have a counter for you. I’ll cover you." It was a perfect tactical move. While JOKER easily captured Glory, Stanko was already sending infantry for backup. "Everyone, send infantry only! Fortify the castle, all hell is about to break loose!"

The opponents hit back with everything they had, desperately trying to retake Glory in the final minutes, just like what happened to Stanko last season. But this time, the wall was unbreakable. Every enemy attack was easily defended.

Glory was theirs. With about 20 minutes left, we held everything. It was exactly how Stanko had always wanted it. But there was still plenty of time left to play. The situation could easily change if we lost Glory, so he told JOKER not to leave the castle while he handled everything else.

Even though Stanko was a spearman, he could beat any opponent, even an infantry player, if he caught them alone in a castle. This was a huge advantage because he didn't have to waste time scouting and risk the enemy building up more troops before the attack; instead, he just went straight for the solo hits. As time went on, it became more and more certain that this would be a massive lead and that we were definitely going to win.

"Can we hit 200k points?" Stanko asked his teammates. He had never done it before, and it would be great to do it in this round, especially since his confidence had been low. However, he also had to cut back on attacks to save resources for future matches when things would be much more uncertain. First place had been decided long ago, but there was a huge fight for second, and Stanko saw that. "Attack all the Targaryen buildings!" he told his teammates, but he didn't tell them why. Only he knew the reason: he wanted to help his friend Buhara finish in second place.

Since they already had more than enough points, he didn't attack the buildings that House Stark was targeting, allowing them to collect points. The focus was on the purple ones. When the dust settled and the sound of trumpets marked the end of the match, the scoreboard showed an incredible number: over 200k points. It was an absolute Arena record. The dominance was complete, and the victory was fully deserved.

Stanko slowly walked out of the Arena, but his stride was different now. His head was no longer hanging low. He had made it. He redeemed himself to his teammates for that painful past defeat, but more importantly, he redeemed himself to himself. He looked toward JOKER, who returned the look with a smile and a firm handshake, a partnership that brought triumph this time. Buhara wasn't mad; instead, she thanked him at the end of the match for helping them take second place, making this a perfect match for Stanko. He no longer looked back at the previous game; he was only looking forward now. But he knew there wouldn't be many matches like this, so he enjoyed the moment until the next one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCLGsf1hn9c