GoTWiC [AC] SFu vs iIi "Last chance"

Before the final game of the regular season began, a special atmosphere was felt among the SFU players. This wasn't just another battle. It was a chance to end the season in a way no one expected when it all began. At the start of the season, the goal wasn't the playoffs. The goal was to get a few wins, show progress, and prove they could hang with serious competition. However, as time went on, SFU got better and better with each match. Now they were one step away from something much bigger.

One win could bring them closer to the playoffs. Likewise, a loss could drop them out of the top 50, which would mean a failed season.

However, standing in their way was an opponent no one wanted to see in a decisive match. It was the III Alliance. SFU had never played against them before, but their reputation was well-known. Their players had been considered some of the best and fiercest fighters for years, and Malvia, Spirra, and MAGOMARH stood out in particular.

As he waited for the match to begin, Stanko sat at his computer, staring at the screen. His gaze lingered on MAGOMARH's name.

“You again,” he muttered with a faint smile.

The two of them had met many times in the Arena. Sometimes Stanko would win, sometimes MAGOMARH, but almost every duel was close. There was always a sense of rivalry between them. It wasn't hostility, but a desire to prove who was better each time.

“If we win today, I'll know we've really improved. Not just me, but the whole team.”

The start of the match came faster than he expected. The countdown was over. The battle began. And then came the shock. The first castle went to his opponent. The second as well. The third. The fourth.

Stanko blinked several times, looking at the map.

“Wait... what? Be ready for a swap if they try. As soon as the balloon drops, we attack them!”

The rallies were launched and the troops arrived at lightning speed. We couldn't wait, we had to react quickly. Everyone was attacking everyone. It didn't matter what troops you had. This was the last battle and we didn't hold back. 

With a quick reaction from our players, we managed to capture one Outpost, but it wasn't enough. Now the Ports were coming, and we had to focus on them.

Not even a few minutes passed before the situation got even worse.

“UNBELIEVABLE! THEY TOOK ALL SIX TRAPS FIRST! ARE THEY REALLY THAT MUCH FASTER THAN OUR RUNNERS?!” Stanko thought to himself in astonishment.

The genuine surprise was audible in his voice.

SFU hadn't experienced anything like this all season.

Usually, they would manage to take at least one building at the start. This time, they got nothing. A moment of silence fell. No one knew what to say.

And then Stanko cut in.

“No stopping! Let's try to capture at least one castle before the CR arrives! If we're going to fall, we won't go down without a fight!”

His words woke the team up.

Rallies began to form. Armies moved toward their objectives. Attacks came one after another. After a few minutes, the good news finally came: we managed to capture Warrior.

SFU managed to snatch CR.

Shortly after, they won Mother as well. Stanko had personally won it. He was overjoyed. Now he thought, “Maybe in the last match I wasn't meant to win the castle, but now that the decisive match has succeeded, I did it!”

"THAT'S IT! I KNEW IT! KEEP GOING!"

For the first time in the match, Stanko felt there was hope.

His team started to play much more aggressively. They attacked wherever they could. Every captured building brought new energy and a new belief that a comeback was possible.

However, the III Alliance was not a team that would let its control be taken away easily.

Whenever the SFU captured a structure, the opponent would soon take it back.

Most often, this was done by their strongest players.

Especially MAGOMARH.

His solo attacks came at an incredible speed.

Everything SFU won with great effort would disappear a few minutes later.

The battle turned into an exhausting cycle.

They captured the keep.

They lost the keep.

The opponent retook it.

They attacked again.

They lost again. Stanko soon lost the fortress as well. He tried to defend it, calling for his teammates to send troops, but the opponents kept launching solo attacks and he had no chance to defend himself.

Time was passing.

Points were piling up.

And the difference was still in favor of the III alliance.

Stanko glanced at the scoreboard more and more often.

He didn't like what he saw.

“We have to find something. There has to be a way to catch up to them.”

As the match neared its end, his gaze fell on the mines.

Then it all became clear. He quickly calculated the situation. The answer was simple. They had to capture both mines. Without that, there was no chance. Stanko immediately opened the comms.

“LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY! THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE! IF WE KEEP BOTH MINES, WE CAN STILL CATCH THEM! WE'RE PUTTING EVERYTHING ON THIS!”

From that moment on, nothing else mattered.

All eyes were on the mines. The tension grew with every second. Everyone knew how serious the situation was. Even Stanko decided to run. He wasn't known for being the best runner. He often joked about it. But there was no room for jokes now.

“If there's even a one percent chance of winning, I'm going for it.”

As his army rushed toward the mine, his heart was pounding harder than during any part of the match.

SFU captured the first mine. “WE'VE GOT IT! WE'VE GOT THE FIRST ONE!”

But the joy didn't last long. The second mine was still in the hands of the opponent.

And time was running out relentlessly. “NEW RALLIES NOW! NO STOPPING! WE HAVE TO TAKE THE SECOND ONE!”

Stanko felt adrenaline coursing through his body. Each new attack represented perhaps their last chance.

They were hitting the rallies on the mine less than a second apart, and the mine was finally secured.

“EXCELLENT! WE'VE GOT THEM, NOW WE HAVE TO DEFEND BOTH MINES!”

However, then he looked over to the other side and saw that Mina was red. He was surprised; he hadn't expected this and didn't know what had happened. But while we were attacking their mine, the opponent took advantage of our inattention and focused on the other mine, where he managed to establish a strong player. Stanko was disappointed again, just when he thought they had a chance. This also meant the end of playoff dreams, as well as the end of any chance of victory. Although we had some chances, they are now gone.

Stanko was disappointed; he thought they were close to their goal, and now it was all gone. However, he knew they had to keep fighting to score as many points as possible and break into the top 50.

“They're just too strong for us.”

His voice was calmer than he expected.

“NO MATTER. WE GAVE IT OUR ALL. KEEP FIGHTING UNTIL THE END. I WANT US TO END THIS MATCH WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH.”

His teammates responded almost instantly.

No one gave up.

The fight went on until the very last second.

Even though the winner was already known, SFU kept fighting back. We managed to capture castles and hold them for a few minutes, but every point mattered.

When the match finally ended, the III Alliance took the victory.

They were faster. They were more organized at the start. They were the first to reach almost all the key buildings.

And every time SFU scored something, they managed to get it back. Especially thanks to their strongest players. We attacked in waves, while they mostly played solo.

However, as he watched the final results, Stanko didn't just feel disappointment.

Of course, the loss hurt.

Of course, it stung to lose to MAGOMARH once again.

But at the same time, he felt proud. He remembered the start of the season. He remembered all the doubt.

He remembered the people who didn't believe they could even get three wins. And now they had been fighting for the playoffs until the very last match. They fought against one of the strongest opponents they could have gotten. And they didn't give up, even when the opponent captured all six castles at the start.

They didn't give up even when the score was against them. They didn't give up even when the last mine was out of their reach.

“Maybe we didn't win today,” he told himself, “but we showed what we're worth.”

And maybe that was the greatest victory of the entire season. SFU achieved its goal of three wins, proved it belonged among the serious teams, and finished the season with pride. In the end, it finished 48th, just a couple of points shy of 51st, which only showed how important it was that they didn't give up but kept on fighting, even after they had lost their chance to win. 

And Stanko knew that the new season would bring new opportunities. In this one, he had proven himself a leader capable of leading an alliance. Maybe then he would stand against MAGOMARH again. Maybe another battle would decide it. But when that moment came, he would be ready. Because this story wasn't the end of a path, but the beginning of the next one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T19J5VcL5c4