GoTWiC [SoW] S17R1 "Delay"

The new season of the Siege of Winterfell began with huge expectations. After last season, in which they were on the brink of the playoffs, the alliance led by SFU and Stanko had a clear goal, this time they didn't want to fall just short of success. There was a different energy among the players, a mix of motivation and quiet tension, as if everyone knew this season would be a turning point. There was no room for mistakes, nor for excuses. 

The first match immediately presented a serious challenge. Their opponent was GEU, a well-known alliance with which they already had a history.

Although GEU had never beaten them before in an important event, that very fact made them more dangerous than ever. Their desire to finally break that barrier was obvious. SFu knew this, as did the rest of the team, but there was one problem that no one could ignore, Stanko wasn't there at the start of the match, maybe because he underestimated the opponent and thought that they would be able to play well without him. GEU also had more players on the battlefield, which would certainly make the match easier for them, because in this event, every army matters a lot.

Sfu split into two sides. Stanko was on the Armory team, which, after capturing the castle, would also have the duty of attacking the dragon, which brought very important points after being taken to its base.

“I won't be there at the start, do your best to hold them off for as long as you can until I get back, and then we'll attack them together,” Stanko told his team.

The match had started, and Stanko had already missed several minutes. He appeared after about 10 minutes of gameplay, and fights were already taking place on both sides. While the fight was already going on, Stanko urgently tried to get involved. His heart was pounding as he watched the time tick by. When he finally joined, the situation wasn't good.

His team was already behind, and GEU was using their numerical advantage to take control of the map. A glance at the stats was enough for him to realize how much he had missed. He was far behind the others in kills and didn't have the luxury of playing cautiously.

Without hesitation, he joined the Armory team, knowing he had to act fast. The fight there was chaotic, but Stanko didn't stop. He attacked anyone he came across, without thinking too much. “GOOD JOB, THE LEFT SIDE IS CLEARED OUT!” he shouted, trying to boost his teammates' morale, even though he felt the pressure mounting inside. He knew he couldn't make up for lost time, but he could try to change the tide of the fight.

Only one idea spun in his mind, he had to be more decisive, more aggressive, more dangerous. He couldn't be the top eliminator at that moment, but he could be the key factor on the field. As Armory was slowly coming under control, a moment that could change the course of the battle appeared, the Dragon had arrived.

Without hesitation, Stanko sent his troops toward that point, but the sight that greeted him was concerning. GEU was already there, and in greater numbers. “COME ON, GUYS, WHERE ARE YOU ALL?! NOW'S OUR CHANCE TO CATCH THEM, BUT WE NEED MORE TROOPS!” he shouted, trying to rally the team. However, his teammates were scattered across the map, and the opponent seemed more organized.

The battle at the Dragon was exhausting. Every attempt to attack was met with fierce resistance. Stanko engaged the enemy without hesitation, but the opponents' superior numbers were a clear advantage. Despite this, he did not give up. “I can't stop now...” he thought, tightening his control and focusing on the next move. Stanko was inflicting heavy losses on his opponents, thus collecting elimination points that were raising him on the leaderboard. But that wasn't what he wanted.

Time was passing, and the score difference wasn't getting smaller, on the contrary, it was growing. Half the match was already behind them, and the situation was becoming more difficult. Stanko felt frustration, but he channeled it into aggression on the court. He started seeking out stronger opponents, wanting to at least show his strength in one-on-one duels.

Each elimination was a small victory, but the overall picture was not in their favor.

However, as the match drew to a close, a glimmer of hope appeared. The score was about 5k in the opponent's favor. One more fight at the Dragon could change everything. This time, his team was better prepared. There were more troops, better coordination, and greater determination.

Stanko felt a rush of adrenaline. “NOW! WE TAKE THEM NOW!” he shouted as the attack began. Stanko was asking everyone to focus only on the dragon, which was a risk because the other castles would fall into the hands of GEU. The castles were already theirs, and we were needlessly losing troops trying to capture them. For that reason, Stanko thought this decision was more rational.

It all came down to that moment. Explosions, collisions, and chaos filled the battlefield. Stanko was in the very center, attacking without stopping. One opponent fell, then another, and a third. But Stanko's two armies were also on the verge of destruction.

He knew he had to fight to the end. He wouldn't have time to rebuild them and send in fresh troops, as the dragon was changing course from our base toward theirs. For a moment, it seemed they might turn the tide. Hope returned. 

But then came GEU's response.

Their numbers once again made the difference. Like an unstoppable wave, they flooded the battlefield. Stanko's troops began to fall, and every attempt to hold their position grew more difficult. “NO, HOLD THE LINE!” he shouted, but he could already feel them losing control. One more attack, one more attempt, but it wasn't enough. The Dragon, which had been near our base, had now turned toward the opposite one and began to move away. Our strongest players were there, and we were managing to inflict heavier losses on GEU, preventing them from taking the Dragon to their base, but their numbers were their biggest advantage today.

Stanko managed to bring in two fresh troops that had been destroyed in the battles, but the biggest problem at the moment was time. With great effort, we managed to defeat them and take the dragon to our base. But it was a Pyrrhic victory...

With him gone, their last chance for victory fell as well. The fight for the last dragon took up a lot of our time, while GEU used that opportunity to score plenty of points by holding all the castles and thus secured the victory.

After it was all over, only silence remained. The result was clear. GEU had finally managed to defeat them. Stanko stared motionlessly at the screen, trying to process what had just happened. The feeling of disappointment was heavy, not just because of the loss, but because he knew they could have done better.

His thoughts drifted back to the beginning of the match. The delay. The missed opportunities. “If only I had been there from the start…,” he thought, but then took a deep breath. “But I wasn't.” That thought hit him harder than anything else.

After the match, the atmosphere in the team was quiet. No one had much to say, but Stanko took responsibility. He acknowledged his mistake, aware that his presence from the very beginning might have changed the course of the fight. Still, despite everything, he fought to the end and managed to rack up a significant number of eliminations, proving his strength.

But that was no consolation.

This was the first loss to GEU, and it hurt.

Still, as he looked ahead to the next match, his determination returned. “I'll be on time next time,” he said quietly. “And next time, we don't lose.”

Winter in Winterfell was unforgiving of mistakes, but it rewarded those who learned from them. And Stanko had just learned a lesson he would not forget.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKo4pCtPrV4