GoTWiC [AoH] S5R4 "Little consolation"

Stanko stood in front of the Arena and thought for a moment. He had to decide what to do fast. Since he couldn’t play with his team later, his plan was to play in the morning session, but he didn’t know anyone there. Usually, when he played at that time, he had pretty good results. "I'm going in!" he said to himself and started walking toward the Arena.

"Stanko? Is that you?", a sharp voice stopped his thoughts. It was Scarlet, an old friend.

"Times are weird, Scarlet. My team isn't here, and I don't like just sitting around," Stanko replied, looking toward the horizon where the enemy flags were flying.

Scarlet walked up to him and put a hand on his armor. "You know I’m looking for someone as good as you. The Targaryens really want that first place. I’m a strong infantryman, but I’m not like you. Be our leader today."

Stanko accepted, but deep down, he felt uneasy.

Joining a new team is like jumping into unknown waters; he didn’t know anyone, what they had, or what troops they used, but it wasn't his first time. He had experience with this.

And the opponents? Fate was playing a cruel game. On one side, House Lannister was led by Ikes, a strong spearman just like Stanko.

On the other side, his worst nightmare: House Stark, led by the notorious BTa alliance.

They had taken everything from him twice before. Twice, they had stolen his glory right at the finish line.

"Third time’s the charm, or the third defeat?" Stanko thought, looking at the dragon on the Targaryen flag. "Today, the spearmen decide how this ends."

The battle started with the sound of trumpets. Stanko didn’t waste a single second. He knew he had to make up for the lack of teamwork with pure aggression. "Listen to me now!" he shouted. "All troops into the Fortifications! Right now! The faster we finish them, the sooner we’ll have free troops for the next fights!"

His plan was clear: speed above everything. He told his teammates to set up infantry camps.

The goals were the Towers and the nearby clans. However, the Lannisters and the Starks made the exact same moves.

"We need the Strangers! Faster!" Stanko cheered them on. He managed to take the first Strangers, but by the time he pointed his troops toward the second one, it was too late. The Stark soldiers were already entering the building.

Still, they were the first to reach the Towers.

The strategy was working. The Targaryens were in the lead. Stanko was everywhere, attacking the Altars, which were key for getting points, but also helping with the defense. The Lannisters were attacking non-stop.

"They can't defend everything themselves!" someone shouted over the voice channel.

"Let them hit us," Stanko muttered through his teeth, waiting to react quickly after the attack. "I’ll be back faster than they think they’ve beaten me."

And he kept coming back. Every time he lost a castle, Stanko attacked again, focusing on the enemy Altars. He could feel the adrenaline rising. Glory was close.

Just when it looked like the Targaryens had everything under control, a red signal appeared on the map. BTa attacked the Dragonpit. "Not them again," Stanko whispered, his eyes flashing with anger. "Not this time. Scarlet, start the rally! I’m moving in with the spearmen right now!"

It was a race against time. Spear against spear, Targaryen against Stark. Stanko put everything on the line. He used every bonus and every bit of his troops' strength on the Dragonpit. When the dust cleared, the system announced: Targaryen holds the Dragonpit.

Victory. A clean, military win over the BTa alliance. "That’s it! Send reinforcements!" Everything was going according to plan. They had a huge lead over the others.

"Fill the Glory!", Stanko's voice was now full of hope. They took the Glory.

They had twice as many points as the second-placed Lannisters. The screen showed a level of dominance that Stanko hadn't seen in a long time.

"Maybe it was easier than I thought," Stanko thought, letting himself feel a quick moment of relief. "New team, same strength. It looks like BTa is finally beaten. Glory is ours."

But in the Arena, hope is the most dangerous weapon. While Stanko was planning the final moves to lock in the win, the unthinkable happened. The Starks, quiet and persistent, launched coordinated attacks on the Glory that no one saw coming. No one even noticed them much, not even Stanko, who expected to easily defend all the following attacks. Just when everyone thought it was over, the Stark flag was flying over the central building.

"Unbelievable..." Stanko was speechless. "Again? Is it possible that history is repeating itself at the very last minute?!" Shock turned into pure anger. "Scarlet! Double rally! Right now! They must not hold it!"

Stanko sent his best men. He was sure he would win. He stared at the attack timers, counting down the seconds to justice. 3... 2... 1... The battle report arrived. Red. Lost. The second report. Red again. Both battles were lost.

"What?!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "How did they survive that?!" The tension in the team spiked. The Targaryens' lead started to melt away. Without the Glory, their points wouldn't grow fast enough, while the Lannisters, led by the clever Ikes, were slowly but surely picking up points through Catapults and Towers.

"Focus on the Mine Shafts! Forget about the Glory for now!" Stanko ordered, trying to save what he could. "The Lannisters are going to pass us! They’re down by 15k, but their point flow is higher! Attack their buildings as much as you can!"

But chaos took over. The Lannisters played it smart, avoiding direct fights and focusing on passive point farming while the Targaryens and Starks bled each other out over the Glory. Stanko looked at the scoreboard. The gap was closing, and even holding 5 Mine Shafts didn't help much...

The last few minutes were painful. Every tick of the clock felt like a hammer blow. Even though the Targaryens controlled the mines, the Lannisters jumped into first place in the final minutes. To make things worse, the Lannisters took the Glory from the Starks. Stanko immediately ordered a double rally with Scarlet, hoping to kick them out of the Glory and try to take it back to recover the lost points. The attacks were timed perfectly so the enemy couldn't send in new troops. But nothing.

We didn't make it... both attacks failed again. The Lannister stayed inside. They captured the Glory just a few seconds before the end of the battle, making his lead even bigger.

Stanko stared at the screen for a long time, in a silence that hurt more than any defeat.

They lost by a hair, despite having a huge lead for most of the match. "They cost me the win again," he muttered, thinking about the BTa alliance. "If they hadn't kicked us out of the Glory, this would have been an easy win."

"Stanko, we finished ahead of them," Scarlet said quietly. "We’re above the Starks. At least that’s some kind of revenge." Stanko just nodded. It was small comfort. Being second after dominating like that left a bitter taste in his mouth. He was angry at himself, at his overconfidence during the battle, and at that moment when he thought it would be "easy" to defend against a spearman who was weaker than Stanko.

Still, as he put his spear away, he knew one thing. This new team, these Targaryens, had potential. He learned a lesson about being careful and never underestimating an opponent, even when they look defeated. He walked out of the Arena not as a champion, but as a warrior who had survived another lesson.

"Next time," he promised himself, "there won't be a single second of relaxing. You don't wait for glory, you grab it with your last breath."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0HWYUnh3-c