GoTWiC [AC] S23R1 "Redemption"

The new season had finally begun, and with it, a new goal for SFU. After everything they had been through in previous seasons, the defeats that broke them and the victories that lifted them up, everyone in the alliance had only one thing on their mind, making it into the top 30. There was no more room for mediocrity. Every event now meant proving themselves, and the first real test awaited them right at the start of the season. The opponent couldn't have been worse. GEU.

The alliance that had defeated them for the first time in their previous encounter, but that was against SoW, and it had left a bitter taste that no one in SFU had forgotten.

Many called that defeat a bad day, a moment when nothing went right, but the truth was that the match had left a mark on every member of the alliance. Especially on Stanko. This time, the situation was different. The player count was almost even, and there were no more excuses. This was a chance for revenge.

Stanko had been playing phenomenally in the last few events. So well that the leaders decided to give him one of the most important roles on the team, rally leader. For some, that would have been an honor, but for him, it was a huge responsibility. He knew he was no longer just a regular player who followed orders. Now, others were waiting for his moves and trusting his decisions.

While he waited for the match to start, he sat and silently stared at the map. He felt a nervousness in his stomach that he didn't want to admit even to himself. There were already a lot of voices.

“Everyone, focus.”

“Don't panic.”

“Follow the markers.”

“Stanko, get the slow march ready.”

He took a deep breath and quietly told himself, “Just don't screw this up.”

The first task seemed simple. He was supposed to send a slow march toward the distant Outpost and get the timing perfect. However, everyone knew that in matches like these, nothing was simple. One second of delay could ruin the entire plan.

The fight started brutally fast. The map filled up with markers, attack notifications popped up nonstop, and the communication grew louder. SFu managed to do a swap on Mother, something they hadn't done in a long time. Although the operation went smoothly, everyone could feel the nerves.

“Dude, my hands are shaking,” someone said with a laugh.

“Shut up and send the march,” another replied.

Stanko laughed for a moment, but the pressure was still choking him. As the rally leader, he had to stay calm. When the Outpost was targeted for attack, he was tasked with launching solo attacks right up to the capture. He tracked the cooldowns, sent units, and tried to ignore the chaos around him.

At first, everything was going well. SFU was keeping pace and GEU wasn't able to build a significant advantage.

However, the real problem arose after capturing the distant Port. Stanko was then given perhaps the most important task up to that point. He had to send another slow march that would arrive right on time and allow for the capture of the castle.

Our runner managed to capture the castle, which meant Stanko had to get ready for the SWAP. This was his first time doing it, and he was feeling very nervous. Everyone was waiting and watching him, ready to send him tricks as soon as he captured the castle. He stared at the screen without blinking as his march approached the target. And then they gave the command: “NOW!”.

“It's not going to make it...” Stanko thought, but he did his best to capture it.

His heart sank. The enemy's march was faster. The castle fell before he could react.

For a few moments, everyone fell silent. No one said anything directly, but Stanko felt the weight of the mistake on his shoulders.

“We lost the castle because of me,” he thought as he clenched his jaw in anger.

He tried to stay focused, but his thoughts were killing him. How could he have messed up right now? How could he have betrayed the people who put their trust in him? The leaders continued to issue orders as if nothing had happened, but only one sentence echoed in his head.

“You're not ready for this role.”

However, the match wasn't stopped because of one mistake. SFU soon managed to capture CR, and now another serious swap was needed. This time, Stanko didn't want to take responsibility.

“Let someone else take it,” he said quietly.

“Relax, it happens,” a teammate replied. “The game's still on.”

But those words didn't help him much.

GEU then launched a serious attack. Waves of attacks began to fall on SFu's buildings from all sides.

One wrong move could completely turn the match around.

“Defense, now!”

“Send reinforcements!”

Stanko tried to shake the previous mistake from his head and focus on what was coming. Time was passing and Sfu had the advantage, but not by much, and everyone knew it. And then the Mines opened.

In that moment, the entire atmosphere changed. There was no more room for calculation. Everyone knew that the mines would decide the winner. We can't let them take both and turn the match around; that would be a real defeat for us.

“Everyone, focus on the mines!” one of the leaders shouted.

Stanko immediately sent a march, but this time as fast as he could. His gaze was glued to the screen. His hands trembled as the countdown continued.

Three…

Two…

One…

“STANKO'S THE FIRST!”

“He got Mine!”

“Way to go!”

“Hold this!”

For a moment, he couldn't believe what had happened. After everything, he was the one who had just reached the most important objective on the map first.

But there was no time to celebrate.

“Keep track of the number of people inside.”

“Report every incoming.”

“They can't kick us out!”

The tension was immense. GEU was launching attacks, but they didn't have enough pressure to kick them out of either Mine.

In the second mine was their strongest player, so Stanko expected he would attack him. Every second lasted an eternity. Stanko watched every incoming attack and felt his heart pounding harder and harder.

“If we lose this, it's all for nothing,” he thought.

However, GEU began to attack the second mine, to everyone's astonishment. But the attacks weren't enough. SFU managed to maintain control. 

That was the moment when GEU started shooting.

Their attacks were becoming weaker, their coordination was dropping, and for the first time during the entire match, SFU felt that he had complete control of the situation.

“We've got them!”

“Don't let up now!”

“This is over!”

Stanko finally felt his confidence returning. The castle mistake still hurt, but now he had a chance to make it right, and he did it in spectacular fashion. Near the very end of the match, he led another rally. This time, there was no mistake. The timing was perfect. The castle fell under SFU's control, and Discord erupted in celebration.

“THAT'S IT!”

“GG!”

“WE SMASHED THEM!”

When the match finally ended, Stanko took off his headset and leaned back in his chair. For a few seconds, he just sat in silence, staring at the score on the screen.

A victory against GEU.

A victory against the team that had previously defeated them and made them doubt themselves.

But this wasn't just any ordinary victory. This was proof that SFu belonged among the best. And for Stanko, this was the moment he realized he deserved the place he was given. It was a mixture of emotions during the match.

He didn't play a perfect match. He made a mistake that almost cost him his confidence. He doubted himself, retreated, and wanted to hand the responsibility over to others. But a true leader isn't someone who never makes mistakes. A true leader is someone who finds a way to get back up after a mistake and lead others when it's hardest.

And that's exactly what Stanko did.

He was the fastest in the Mine when it mattered most. He kept the pressure under control and successfully led the rally that further secured SFU's victory. The season had just begun, and the road to the top 30 was long and tough. Still, one thing was now perfectly clear.

Stanko is now ready to lead the team!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br0kVN9n9uo