GoTWiC [AoH] S5R10 "No surrender"

The New Arena presented House Targaryen with a challenge they hadn't faced in a long time.

While the other teams prepared for the next round, Stanko sat and looked over the list of participants, thinking about what awaited them. This time, they weren't entering the fight as the clear favorites. On the contrary, the situation was much tougher than before. Their strongest player, JOKER, would be unable to participate, and he was the one who had been the team's backbone in the most crucial moments. His absence left a void that wasn't easy to fill. 

Stanko knew that the responsibility would now fall on his shoulders. Although he didn't want to show it in front of his teammates, he felt the pressure. When he saw the opponents waiting for them, that feeling grew even stronger. Among them was House Lannister, led by Cubishnia, a player many considered the strongest in the entire Arena.

The very thought of having to fight such an opponent without their best player didn't inspire much confidence.

“It's not going to be easy,” he thought as he watched the screen. “But if we give up before the fight even starts, then we've already lost.”

He opened the comms to his team and spoke in a calm voice.

“Listen to me. I know we're in a tough spot. I know we don't have a JOKER, and I know we have serious opponents ahead of us. But this isn't the first time everyone has written us off. We're going to go out there and give it our all. Whatever happens, we'll fight until the end.”

His words didn't eliminate all the fear, but they restored the team's faith. A few moments later, the battle began.

House Targaryen immediately set about executing its plan. All available troops were sent to the Strongholds to establish control over the map as quickly as possible. Their strategy was to focus on the Cavalry Camps, while the Lannisters opted for the Trading Posts.

When Stanko noticed their choice, he raised an eyebrow.

“Strange... very strange,” he muttered. “A team like them doesn't make random moves. They must have a plan.”

Still, he didn't have time to dwell on it. The battle was already in full swing. The first few minutes went better than he had expected. The Targaryens managed to capture a neighboring clan, securing their first important points. This gave the team a boost of confidence, but Stanko knew the real challenge was still ahead of them. He managed to capture the first altar, doing so against a strong infantryman.

Since he was now the strongest active player on the team, his role was clear. He had to attack first, take the first risks, and enter the most dangerous conflicts. When an opportunity arose to capture Dragonpit, he didn't hesitate. He led the attack and, after a fierce battle, managed to capture it.

“The Dragonpit is ours!” he shouted.

But the joy was short-lived.

“I need backup immediately! I won't be able to hold it by myself!”

He knew the opponents would send their troops very soon. His prediction was spot on. Not long after, an attack came directly from Cubishnia, but luckily, Stanko had great backup from his teammates, so they managed to defend it.

"This is going to be hellishly difficult. We really miss Joker in situations like this."

Still, he didn't want to back down. Glory had arrived. If they could capture the castle before the enemy and get reinforcements, they could build up a massive advantage. Stanko saw the battle for the Dragonpit as his chance against Cubishnia. But as soon as Glory opened, Stanko sent his troops. This time, however, it was a 1v1 clash between the two of them, and Stanko got wiped out.

The attack failed. Stanko clenched his fist.

"No... not now."

If the Lannisters capture Glory, things are going to get dangerous. They could overtake them and take control of the match. He quickly started a rally in hopes of having better luck, but it was another defeat.

Stanko was disappointed, but he hadn't held out much hope anyway, he knew that winning against a player like Cubishnia was going to be tough.

As he was thinking about how to fix the situation, a new opportunity appeared on the map. Another clan was under attack. At first, nobody paid attention to it, but when Stanko took a closer look, he realized what was happening.

The enemy wasn't ready.

An opportunity opened up that no one expected.

His heart started beating faster.

"This is our chance."

He immediately jumped on comms.

He pulled his troops from the other position and sent them straight to defend the clan.

"I NEED REINFORCEMENTS! NOW! HURRY UP!"

"SEND TRUPE FAST! IF WE WANT TO WIN, WE HAVE TO TAKE OVER THIS CLAN!"

His teammates started sending units, but it was total chaos. The battle was happening on multiple fronts, information was flying in from everywhere, and the enemies were constantly putting on pressure. Nobody was sure what the best move was.

That was when the most important moment of the whole story began.

The Starks launched non-stop attacks. Wave after wave hit their positions. Stanko watched the map, feeling the panic rise.

His voice echoed through comms as the enemy units closed in. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it. Every second felt like an eternity. He watched the numbers change, wondering if they could hold out just a little longer.

"Just a little more... just a few more moments..."

Then, the reinforcements started rolling in.

One teammate.

Then another.

Then a third.

The defense stabilized.

The enemy attacks were getting weaker and weaker.

And then, the confirmation came.

They did it.

The clan stayed in their hands.

For a few seconds, nobody said a word. It was like no one could believe what had just happened.

And then, they went wild with excitement.

"LET'S GO! WE DID IT!"

Stanko felt a massive wave of relief, but he didn't have time to celebrate.

If they lose this position, they will lose their last hope of winning this match. If they fail to defend the clan, the Lannisters will almost certainly overtake them.

"Think," he told himself. "There has to be a way."

He knew he couldn't hold the Clan the whole time, so he asked to do a swap so someone else could take it, leaving him, as the strongest player, free to attack and defend structures.

It was a risky decision.

Maybe even a desperate one.

"I can't stay inside! We need to swap! Someone has to replace me!"

One of his teammates quickly took over his position, but the timing was bad because the Starks saw it and retook it with a solo attack.

Stanko couldn't believe it. Everyone had to hit it with solo attacks because they couldn't afford to let the Clan go. It was their only shot at first place. On his second attempt, Stanko managed to capture the clan, but he knew they would have to swap again.

In past matches, it never paid off when he held the Clan because he knew exactly what and who to attack. This time, they would swap with a different player. Stanko knew the Starks would be waiting again, so he suggested doing the swap with a cavalry player this time, since they are faster and would counter the Starks, who were running infantry. Even though the tension was heavy across the whole team, this time they managed to pull it off perfectly.

Only then did Stanko realize what they had actually pulled off.

They had captured the second clan.

The points they got from that move were almost impossible to make up for.

If they hadn't made it, the Lannisters would have almost certainly overtaken them. If they had reacted just a few minutes later, the opportunity would have been gone. Despite the mistakes and slow reactions from some teammates, they managed to keep their lead.

From that moment on, the fight became much easier. Stanko knew they had practically won, but he didn't want anyone to let their guard down.

"Keep fighting," he told the team. "I want maximum points until the very end."

His teammates listened to him. They kept attacking, capturing objectives, and widening the gap. As the end of the match grew closer, it became clear that House Lannister had no way back.

When the final results were posted, House Targaryen was firmly in first place.

It was a more than convincing victory.

As he stared at the end screen, Stanko looked back on everything that had happened. At the start of the match, he was full of doubts. He was afraid of how they would play without their strongest player. He was afraid of the opponents. He was afraid they wouldn't be able to handle the pressure.

But it was exactly at that toughest moment that they showed their true strength.

They didn't win because they were perfect. They didn't win because they made no mistakes. They won because they didn't give up when things were at their worst. This time, luck was also on their side since they managed to capture the second castle, but it wasn't easy at all. They showed how you fight for your goal.

That day, Stanko learned an important lesson. His team didn't depend on just one person. JOKER was their strongest warrior, but the team's strength wasn't just in him. It was in every single member who stayed to fight when the situation looked lost.

And that was exactly why this victory meant more than all the previous ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3srWYWEt3tI