Nicole and the Kick Corps - An Elite Eleven Story

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:42 pm

NICOLE and the KICK CORPS
a story from the elite eleven saga

When the original Kick Corps was collectively fired and replaced by the mysterious new Elite Eleven, it left a sour taste in the mouth of many, including former Corps player Nicole Warren. Given clues about the Elite's origin, Nicole and her former teammates Cam Cross and Sarah Arrowsword band together to find the truth. What Nicole finds isn't just the truth, but a bond she wasn't expecting. Now entangled in a relationship with an immortal, Nicole has to decide between leaving her love behind, or attempting to brave the immortality gauntlet on a faraway world. What ensues is a tale that changes the lives of many in Drawkland's sporting circles, forever.

This story includes the following sections:

A Prologue
Elite
Expired
Expedition
Endless
Eternity

This thread contains every part of this storyline, which was started during IAC-8, and finally concluded in writing around World Cup 93. Each "chapter" has been taken from its original spot, polished up (small spelling and grammar mistakes corrected, minor retcons placed), and reposted here. For all intents and purposes, this is the exact same story that was posted piecewise across a dozen different threads, now all collected in the same spot! For those that were somewhat interested in the story but missed the start and felt left behind, this is the perfect spot to start from the very beginning.

The next post contains the table of contents, with individual links to each post in the thread for ease of access, including new chapter names to correspond with the numbers. There may be minor spoilers contained in the chapter names, so tread carefully. Also included are never-before-seen AI-generated images which present approximate visualizations of locations in the story, marked by the chapter that image corresponds with. If, for some reason, you'd like to go to the original posts, the links to those are included at the bottom of the table of contents. Again, they will essentially be the exact same as the posts in this thread, just with more copy errors and slight contradictions between earlier and later work. This story was written on-and-off over the course of a couple years, so a few things were changed throughout.

Below the table of contents is another informational post, one containing blurbs about each of the major characters in this story. For those unfamiliar with Drawkian lore and/or sporting history, this is a great way to catch yourself up to speed. This post contains no spoilers, so feel free to read through it before beginning the story itself. Each character has an AI-generated portrait included, though obviously these can't be considered exact representations of the character. It's enough for a reader to have a vague idea of their visage.

This story is a culmination of literal years of work for me, clocking in at a little under 155,000 words. I wouldn't call it excellent, as this is really my first attempt at a work of this size (even though I did not intend for it to become this when I first started writing it)! To those that helped me in brainstorming and supported me every step of the way, I can't thank you enough. If you end up reading through the whole story, please let me know your thoughts about it via telegram or Discord.

If you choose to embark on the Undying Quest alongside Nicole, enjoy.

And it should go without saying, but this is a closed thread. Please do not post in this thread unless you're me.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:43 pm

TABLE of CONTENTS

Character Information

A Prologue
In which the story begins

The staging area where Cam and Nicole spoke to Iarocav

A Hint

A Tease

A Story

A Contradiction

Elite
In which the trio of Nicole, Cam, and Sarah investigate the Elite Eleven

Elite 1 - Preseason Party

Elite 2 - Airport Invitation

The airport cinnamon bun stand

Elite 3 - Espionage Meeting

Elite 4 - Home vs Farfadillis

The Spire, an iconic Drawkian monument right next to Spartan Veteran Stadium

Elite 5 - Post Party Blues

Elite 6 - In The Complex

The Elite Eleven's Complex

Elite 7 - Headway

Elite 8 - Recanting the Tale

Elite 9 - Some Goodbyes

Elite 10 - One Year Later

Elite 11 - Jaxon's Ultimatum

Expired
In which Nicole prepares for a great undertaking

Expired 1 - Nicole in the Valley

Expired 2 - Asking for Iarocav

Iarocav's Manor in Centivar County

Expired 3 - In the Manor

Expired 4 - The Drawkionel's Lady

Expired 5 - Unwitting Recruitment

Expired 6 - Meeting the Queen

The Citadel in Kayo

Expired 7 - The Training Begins

Expired 8 - Bitter Work

Kanyo's meditation overlook

Expired 9 - The Dog Graveyard

Expired 10 - Return to the Valley

Expired 11 - Too Many Cooks

Expedition
In which a larger party travels to TiSoFaH

Expedition 1 - Day Zero

Expedition 2 - Hike on Valsum

Valsum, the iconic extinct volcano near Drawkland's center

Expedition 3 - Day One in TiSoFaH

The landing platform in TiSoFaH

Expedition 4 - Jaxon's Midnight Scuffle

Expedition 5 - Day Two in TiSoFaH

Expedition 6 - Grid Corps Boys

Expedition 7 - Katie's Midnight Shenanigans

Expedition 8 - Ran Outta Town

Expedition 9 - Last Comfy Bed

Expedition 10 - Hiking Ugly Forest

Expedition 11 - The Creek and The Gulch

The gulch leading to the maze entrance

Endless
In which the party contends with the Great Maze

Endless 1 - The First Split

The entrance hall

Endless 2 - Argument in the Dark

Endless 3 - Maze Tricks

Endless 4 - MacGyver'd That Bastard

Endless 5 - Rocks and a Strap

Endless 6 - INSANITY. I'VE GONE MAD.

Endless 7 - No Rest For The Wicked

Endless 8 - Serpents

The horrifying serpent, if it didn't live in a lake

Endless 9 - The Mad Dash

Endless 10 - The Final Encounter

Endless 11 - Eight in the Chamber

The center of the maze, the Ultimate Prize

Eternity
In which everyone must collide

Eternity 1 - Dragons in the Sky

Eternity 2 - Seeing Both Sides

Eternity 3 - A "Cross"over

Eternity 4 - Dress Shopping

Eternity 5 - Squid Weekend

Artistic rendering of the center of Metropolon, Drawkland's capital

Eternity 6 - Drama in Metropolon

Eternity 7 - Back in the Valley Again

Elstrund, the Great Tree, and the surrounding valley

Eternity 8 - Welcome to The Lodge

Eternity 9 - Gala Day

Eternity 10 - Battles of Both Kinds

Eternity 11, Part 1 - Duel of the Dragons

Eternity 11, Part 2 - The End?

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:45 pm

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Information about each major character is included here. If you aren't knowledgeable in Drawkian history or older lore, this is a good place to catch up on some of those non-sport-related characters. On the other hand, if you don't know much about Drawkian sporting history, then this is also a good resource. This section is spoiler-free, so peruse at your leisure whether or not you've started the story. The AI-generated portraits are helpful to show the approximate looks for each character, too. They're not exactly what I imagine in my head, or what I'd look for if I was casting this for a live action adaptation, but they're close enough.

Professional Soccer Players
These characters are all players of professional soccer, which is (traditionally) a female-only sport in Drawkland. Most of them were also members of the Kick Corps, Drawkland's national soccer team. The entire roster of the Kick Corps, as well as all the management and staff, were fired following underperformance for several cycles that culminated in an IAC-7 final loss on home soil. They were replaced by the Elite Eleven, which kickstarted everything here.

NICOLE WARREN

Defender, typically Rightback

Nicole Warren was born in the outskirts of Kayo, Drawkland's largest city outside of the Metro District. Though she was raised there for some of her formative years, her parents moved the family to the Isles of Avon shortly after the portal to Rushmore was constructed. It was there that Nicole grew up and fell in love with the game of soccer, and she made her debut playing for the Eastern Stars of the Avonian league. Her skill and international experience made her an attractive option for the Kick Corps, being named a starter when the Corps debuted in Baptism of Fire 64. Since then, her defense was a mainstay on the Drawkian back line, up until she and everyone else was kicked. Now she plies her trade back in her original home, playing as a solid veteran presence for the Kayo Queens.

CAM CROSS

Striker, sometimes Right Forward

Cam Cross was born and raised in northern Drawkland. Her parents were never huge sports fan, and she didn't have a very athletic background until one summer in grade school, where she played some soccer at summer camp. She had a lot of fun and a knack for the game, prompting her to ask her parents to let her try playing for a team when she got back. Despite their unfamiliarity with the sporting world, her parents relented, and Cam quickly developed into a budding star. Even without the abject support of her parents, Cam plugged away at her craft, becoming a pro-level prospect by the time she was ready to graduate high school. The local DLK team, the Jaffro Storm, were intrigued, and drafted her even though she hadn't yet played in college. Cam accepted, and exploded on the scene, earning her a backup position callup for that BoF 64 Kick Corps squad. She received a start and played so effectively that she ended up being a starter throughout that first cycle, and became a notable piece of the Corps' scoring line for years. She even had a stint with the Lexington Victory in New Gelderland, where she won a UICA title and made a Galacticos list. Since most Drawkian players moved back home, Cam returned to her native Jaffro to become part of the Storm once again.

SARAH ARROWSWORD

Defender, usually Sweeper or Centerback

Daughter of a man named Seth Arrowsword, Sarah was always naturally athletic, tall for her age, and equally strong. It was no wonder that she took to soccer and became a star, mostly thanks to her versatility and ability to discern the movement of her opponents. Even as a primary defender, she's also known to have a decent shot in set piece or penalty situations. She got her big breakthrough playing for Whitehaven in the Cenian league, where she played her way onto the Kick Corps roster as a starting centerback. While she has the standard bland athlete demeanor when speaking to the media, she's known as a bit more of a loose cannon off the field, sarcastic and cynical, with a habit for binge drinking. Now she plays for the Pittsennat Reds in the DLK, mostly because Pittsennat is the closest major city to Iarokannet Bay, which contains the portal to Rushmore. Sarah has been known to spend weekends in Avon or Ceni, so the closer travel proximity was a big priority for her.

KATIE MADISON

Striker, almost exclusively Center Forward

Katie Madison has been a hyped up prospect since the day she was born. Erick Madison, the patriarch of the Madison family, is a famous analyst and sportscaster, who got his breakthrough announcing for the Drawk Corps group of franchises. He married one of the most legendary soccer players in DLK history, and together they produced a large family of incredibly talented athletic children. Each kid went through the Drawk Corps system of colleges and development, turning into bona fide superstars in almost every major sport. Katie was the sibling who took to soccer, and her scoring talent is undeniable. Her ability to carve through defenses, exploit opposing weaknesses, and finish shots is nearly unparalleled. She's spent her entire career at the Drawk Corps, ripping through many records, including the modern-day single-season goals scored mark. She was an obvious inclusion for the Kick Corps starting lineup, and terrorized opposing defenses for many World Cup cycles ... until she was dumped off like everyone else.

ALLISON SUMMERS

Midfielder, usually Center-Mid or Attacking-Mid

Allison Summers is a little younger than the other players on this list. Her debut came later on, and she wasn't a very notable player until after the Elite Eleven took over the Kick Corps mantle. Still, she's had several All-Star selections as a member of the Drawk Corps, the same team Katie Madison has played for. In fact, half the reason Allison has elevated her game in recent years has come from her excellent connection with Katie. From the midfield position, she bounces off Katie in the forward position pretty well, opening scoring opportunities for each other and elevating the entire team's performance. In fact, this bond on the field has led to a close friendship off the field. She's still able to hold her own, however, and if the Elite Eleven era ever ends, she may well receive an invitation to the national team roster.

Elite Eleven
The Elite Eleven are a group of athletes, whose claim to fame is that they can play any major sport at a professional level. They began their rise to fame as an exhibition group that would tour Drawkland, playing any team that would accept the challenge. They often record videos for their internet channels, showing off their various skills, competing against each other, hitting trick shots and other viral activities. It came as a surprise to many when this "sideshow" was selected to replace the Kick Corps following their dismissal, especially since men didn't usually play soccer in Drawkland. It is a little strange, seeing a group of just eleven players with the stamina and skill to compete with national teams the multiverse over, seemingly unbothered by injury or fatigue. Of the Eleven, these three are most important to the story.

MIKE RODNEY

Forward, Attacking Midfielder, Left Guard, Linebacker, Third Base, Power Forward, etc...

Mike Rodney is one of the "fun-loving" guys in the Elite Eleven. He's got a smile to light up the room, a penchant for partying, and skills to match on the field. Mike has one of the taller and broader builds in the Elite, one that some describe as "a dad bod waiting to happen." Regardless, he's just as fit as the rest of them and definitely on the stronger side. He may not be a big-name scorer in any sport, but he's great at distributing the ball as needed, and giving his teammates what they need to succeed. Some say that he has almost superhuman vision, but of course that's just an exaggeration. He's definitely one of the louder personalities on the team, and thus gets a little more media attention than the others.

JAXON MADISON

Manager, Right Forward, Quarterback, Strong Safety, Pitching Ace, Small Forward, etc...

The "unofficial" leader of the Elite, Jaxon Madison is perhaps the only person with the will and charisma to lead such a group of rambunctious guys. With an instinct to discerning the mood and leaning of his teammates, he's the best at keeping the team in check, regardless of the sport. He may not be the on-field captain for every sport, but he is usually the source of inspiration and leadership everywhere. As far as his play on the field goals, Jaxon has a midsized height and build in this group, mostly known for a big arm and excellent mobility across the board. For soccer in particular, he's a definite scoring threat, but he has no problem dishing the ball out to anybody who needs it. Some consider him to be the face of the Elite, but he's probably the least selfish man on the roster.

SEPTIMUS XANDER

Goalkeeper, Wide Receiver, Kicker, Cornerback, Shortstop, Shooting Guard, etc...

Septimus Xander is certainly one of the more reclusive members of the elite. With a slightly shorter and lankier frame on the squad, he's known for his athleticism and agility above all else. His biggest tool is probably his powerful and accurate legs, giving him a great advantage for clearance kicks from the box as a keeper in soccer, as well as being the designated place kicker when the Elite plays gridiron football. Though few know of it, he has rather uncommon ancestry, especially for an athlete of his stature. There's also a particularly large part of his past that nobody outside of the Elite know about nowadays. Regardless, he's a valued role player on the squad, and usually gets hot at the right time (and sometimes the wrong time)!

The Drawkionels
The Drawkionels are the five founders of Drawkland, many centuries in the past. These leaders from a medieval age came to power within their regions of the greater continent, and launched into a war for supremacy which ended diplomatically. Instead of one ruler establishing their dominance, the five came to a mutual union, one that would eventually become the nation of Drawkland. A few decades later, the aging leaders embarked on a quest for immortality, navigating the far-off realm called TiSoFaH and the fabled maze within that held the power of immortality deep within. The Drawkionels were successful, and they've continued to rule Drawkland to this very day, though they take a more hands-off approach now.

IAROCAV

Supreme Drawkionel, Ruler of the North

The catalyst for all of Drawkian history. He ascended to a lordship in the northern reaches of the continent that would become Drawkland. From there, he began a crusade to unite the bickering and at-odds kingdoms and cities of the north, and turned his attention to the rest of the continent as the Unification War got its start. Though he was seen as a conqueror in the early days, his intent was pure, hoping to unite the land and prevent future centuries of infighting and strife. When he and the rest of the Drawkionels achieved immortality, he finally got his wish. Since then, he's been the main leader among the five immortal oligarchs, considered the leader of all of Drawkland. Nowadays he does his best to keep Drawkland running smoothly with little input, preferring to explore all parts of the nation and support the Drawkian culture, especially in sporting ventures, which he often favors.

ELLZIDAN

Drawkionel, Ruler of the Wilds, Center Midfielder, Player-Manager

Ellzidan is an enigma. She was born a couple hundred years before the others who became the Drawkionels, having a sort of (rather scuffed) method of immortality that kept her alive before the Drawkionels all took that Quest together. Born in the wilderness of Drawkland's southeast peninsula, the half-elf warrior managed to bring a relative peace to a chaotic region, though it was certainly no cakewalk. Along the way, she bonded with a dragon, which imprinted its soul into her when it died, giving her incredible arcane powers. It's not like she needed those powers, as she was already an incredibly capable warrior, and has been ever since. When the sport of soccer first spread across the continent in the early days, Ellzidan found herself a little obsessed with the game, playing in pickup games across her territory whenever she could. As the Drawkian League Kickerball organization was being founded, Ellzidan was sure to establish a team in her backyard - literally. As player-manager, Ellzidan became a mainstay in Drawkland's domestic game, racking up records and accolades over the years (though it was a little easier since she never died). She was a natural inclusion when the Kick Corps was founded, being a fully-rounded midfielder to anchor the team, in addition to scoring a great many goals as needed. Off the field, she's an intentionally mysterious and cryptic figure.

KANYO

Drawkionel, Ruler of the East, Queen, Arcane Grandmaster

Of all the Drawkionels, Kanyo was the first to ascend to her position of power in the pre-war days. The heir to the throne in a matriarchal society, she was forced to depose her megalomaniacal widower father to save her own life, and ruled her coastal eastern Queendom with a benevolent hand. Among the more warriorlike Drawkionels, Kanyo often offers a more compassionate and grounded viewpoint which is quite welcome. This isn't to say she's powerless, though. Kanyo was born with innate magic abilities, and was already a more-than-proficient magic user when Drawkland was founded. Becoming immortal not only naturally increased her magic power, but gave her the infinite time to hone those abilities. Nowadays she's seemed to have mastered every section of the arcane arts, though she's not always happy that she got the opportunity to do so. As far as sports are concerned, Kanyo could definitely care less, though all the teams in her capital city of Kayo are named or themed in her honor.

MELIAUDEN

Lady of the Drawkionel, sometimes known as the Sixth Drawkionel

While sometimes considered "part of the Drawkionels," Meliauden was not one of the five that founded Drawkland. Meliauden came to the party a little later, when she courted Iarocav and earned his devotion (though she didn't know who he actually was at the time). She didn't forge her life as a warrior like most of the Drawkionels did, but as a versatile tradesman whose curiosity and versatility lent itself to working many jobs. When she agreed to marry Iarocav, she too embarked on the immortality quest. With Iarocav's assistance, she came out alive, and joined the ranks of Drawkland's immortals, becoming the beloved "First Lady" for the nation. She and Iarocav raised a family, though now those days are behind them. Nowadays she's mostly a public figure, helping Iarocav with his work when she can, and attempting to cultivate positive relationships between all of Drawkland's citizens.

The Cenians
Ceni is a small, urbanized island nation in the region of Rushmore, known for its sporting prowess. In the beginning of Drawkland's involvement with the international sporting community, the two nations had close relations. Ceni gifted their satellite state, the Isles of Avon, to Drawkland. The Drawkians used Avon as the landing point for an interdimensional portal, linking Drawkland to the sporting regions much more conveniently than long-distance space travel. From there, both nations enjoyed a strong sporting connection, though Ceni did go dormant on the international scene for a decade or so. These characters are a duo of Cenian professional athletes, entering the tail end of their careers around the time of this story.

ANDREW ARROWSWORD

Striker, Center Forward

The son of Seth Arrowsword, Andrew is really an Arrowsword in name only. His Drawkian father Seth turned out to be a deadbeat, knocking up Andrew's mother when attending college in Ceni, and conveniently graduating and moving back home to Drawkland right around the time she realized she was pregnant. She was forced to raised Andrew alone. Fortunately, Andrew turned out to have great athletic ability, perhaps due to his half-Drawkian genetics. He became Ceni's wunderkind, being selected to their national team at a young age. He was the biggest star of them all, up until the entire rest of the team (besides Andrew) mysteriously disappeared in the interdimensional portal following a friendly match against the Kick Corps. The team officially disbanded, leaving Andrew as a simply domestic star in several leagues across Rushmore. While Andrew has visited Drawkland and his half-sister Sarah several times, he definitely considers himself a full-blooded Cenian.

LIAM PENDERYN

Tennis Superstar

Liam Penderyn is also a dual-national, having parents from Ceni and New Gelderland, a nation across the Afanc Strait from Ceni. With his dual-national status, Liam has been a notable tennis player for both New Gelderland and Ceni in the NationStates Tennis Tour. One of the most successful tennis stars in his era, Liam found himself in a relationship with another half-Cenian superstar player, that being Andrew Arrowsword. As Liam enters the twilight of his career, he's certain to go down as one of the biggest legends in Terranean history.

Grid Corps Guys
This trio are all professional gridiron football players, and all three have been mainstays on the Grid Corps, Drawkland's national team for gridiron. While these three have known each other pretty well on a professional level, being on the same roster for over a decade, they're not super close friends. Not yet, at least.

LEO CROSS

Defensive Lineman, usually Right End

Leopold Cross, who usually goes by Leo, is a monster on the field. Standing a head above most Drawkian athletes, with shoulders wide enough to break a door frame, and strong enough to toss fully grown men, he's been the most feared defender in the last several decades of Drawkian football. Leo has been a defensive lineman for his entire career, usually playing on the ends but really moving around to terrorize as many offensive linemen as possible. He feasts on quarterbacks, swallows up running backs, and does it without a single word. Some would describe his play as animalistic, and the reputation goes a long way as he's very curt and soft-spoken in public. He's been a mainstay of the Grid Corps defense for years, and his unnatural stamina has lent a hand in being a force for years, even though he's definitely getting old. Simply put, he's a freak of nature. He's also second cousins with Kick Corps legend Cam Cross, though they don't know each other that well.

JACK HOY

Running Back

Jack Hoy is ... something. Hotheaded, loudmouthed, with the perpetual attitude of a college sophomore in a frat house, Jack is certainly an interesting character. On the football field, he's perhaps one of the greatest running backs of all time. He came into his own at Kiksey University when he won the collegiate MVP honor in his senior year thanks to a 2000 yard season. He didn't stop once he made it to the GLD, making his name as a workhorse running back who can do it all. He can run, catch, even toss a cheeky pass when it's needed. The biggest issue is his enormous ego, which some could say he earned. Regardless, he's not the best team player, often drawing ire from his domestic teammates for demanding the ball 90% of the time. Of course, he plays nice on the Grid Corps, because he's aware that being on the roster is a privilege, and the rest of the roster's talent is good enough that he doesn't feel the need to ballhog. He's remained just as skilled as a veteran, but you know how it is with running backs. One day they just can't run anymore, and pundits expect that day to come for Jack at any time now.

RILEY HOYT

Tight End

Riley Hoyt (no relation to Jack, they just have similar last names) is a now-retired football player, though he did have quite a career. In the GLD he made his name as an excellent Tight End, mostly due to his receiving and running prowess. He was also a serviceable blocker, making him a good versatile player that warranted an invitation to the Grid Corps. He enjoyed several seasons there, even winning a couple World Bowl titles before deciding to hang up his cleats due to age-based regression. Despite that, he maintained a good relationship with his former national team teammates, especially Jack Hoy. After all, sometimes it's nice to have a fun idiot to hang around with and have a good time. Of course, like many athletes, he's been floundering a little in retirement, not having issues financially but struggling to find a sense of purpose beyond keeping oneself in shape.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:48 pm

Prologue 1

"I wonder if Ellzidan has been here yet?" Nicole Warren absentmindedly asked.

"I'm sure she'll make a surprise appearance here or there. I wouldn't be surprised if Iarocav pops by for the playoffs." Cam Cross answered, looking at the stadium façade. The ex-Kick Corps players were standing at the gate of National Stadium in Reçueçn. Despite their expulsion from the national team by DISC, they still liked to follow the team's route and attend all the games. They were, after all, still Drawkian, and still soccer enthusiasts. And luckily for them, their multi-million dollar contracts made international travel not a problem.

"I figured we would've run into at least someone else from the old Corps the past two games. Like, I dunno, maybe Sarah?" Nicole wondered as they took another step forward in the queue.

"With the size of these stadiums, I'm honestly surprised we haven't. They're so intimate, I like it." Cam replied.

"Reminds me a lot of Avon in that way." While Nicole and Cam hadn't been the closest of friends on the Kick Corps, once the team was dissolved, they actually grew closer together. Both of them had extended stints in the Terranean League before that too dissolved for various issues. When they had the task of deciding where else to go, they both just wandered back to the mainland to play in the DLK. Both of their struggles were similar, except Nicole was starting to enter the twilight of her career, even as a standout star. Cam was still chugging, despite being about to pass the median age of Drawkian players.

"For sure. I honestly like both, the intimacy of the smaller venues are still cool, but the massive complexes of Drawkland are always a treat to play in. Going back to the DLK isn't all that bad, really."

"It's really two different worlds," Nicole agreed. By then they had reached the gate, and gave their tickets to the attendant to scan in. Minutes later they were at their seat, and a fair amount of time later the game had begun. The first half went about as they expected it to, with 2 goals scored rapidly against Greater Vakolicci Haven, and a long bit of the new Corps, the Elite Eleven, simply playing around with the ball at midfield rather than making a concerted effort to score.

The previous game had been similar, but instead the E11 decided to keep the foot on the gas all game against Fleuronordicia. They were up 4-0 by halftime, and 7-0 by 60 minutes in. Late in the game they seemed to simply give up on defense, letting the Fleuriques take pot shots on the goalie, Septimus Xander. Fleuronordicia managed to score 2 in this manner before the match was finally called to a close. They got a lot of flak for being disrespectful and unsportsmanlike after the game, so it was clear they were going to go with a more conservative approach. Or at least look like they were.

Cam and Nicole could tell they were mainly bullshitting, though. Like apex predators playing with their live prey before eating it. Throughout the game they'd been complaining about being replaced by the Elite Eleven, but it had simmered down since.

Then, a certain elf seemed to come out of nowhere to shimmy down their row of seats, taking the open seat next to Cam.

The pair jumped, and looked over at the auburn-haired immortal who had sat down with no care in the world. It had been months since they'd last seen her.

"Ellzidan!" Cam exclaimed.

"Hello there you two. Enjoying this 'entertainment'?"

"Not really," Nicole answered quickly, "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? I'm watching the game."

This answer was not satisfactory to either of the girls, but they figured they wouldn't get a straight answer. They had a little more small talk, before watching Roger Apollo take a cross from Ross Hunter and bicycle kick the ball into the top right corner of the goal. At that, the two mortals sighed.

"Once again, they make it look like it's easy. Like they're playing a video game. What even is the deal with those guys?" Cam huffed. "How can they do this now and not in the actual qualifiers? Or in the Cup of Harmony? Or when they were in the WBC? It's unfair."

"It's like they're trying to show us up or something," Nicole agreed.

Ellzidan chuckled, and the two stopped to look at her.

"What's that for?" asked Nicole. Ellzidan simply shrugged in return.

"That's a story for another time," she said mysteriously, then stood up. She waved goodbye to the two players and shifted back down the row to the steps, where she disappeared into the concourse.

"Whatever that means ..." Cam sighed in defeat. This was going to be an annoying cup to watch.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:50 pm

Prologue 2

Cam Cross and Nicole Warren were strolling back to their hotel room after witnessing the Kick Corps win over Terre Septentrionale. Despite the 1-0 scoreline, it was clear the Elite Eleven were mainly content on simply letting time tick down while they puttered around with the ball for the entire first half. A quick goal after the beginning of the second half was all it took, and their solid defense was enough to keep the game at bay.

"Weird how Ellzidan didn't stop by today," Nicole said after a couple minutes of silence.

"It was probably weirder how she showed up to the last game at all," Cam pointed out, and Nicole shrugged at that.

"Well that thing she said about not knowing anything about the Elite Eleven has been bugging me ever since she said that. I feel like she was wanting to launch into one of her mysterious stories that sound like elementary school myths but then she just up and left. Why even bother me with that!" Nicole feigned exasperation, and Cam laughed.

Presently, they approached the hotel lot and walked through the sliding doors. To their surprise, none other than the elf herself was casually lounging in one of the lobby seats. She was leaning back in the seat, her legs kicked out and crossed at the ankles while she read from some sort of small book. The instant the pair walked in and noticed her, she marked her page, closed the book, and stood up from the seat. She finally turned to look at them and offer a smile as she walked towards them. They couldn't tell if it was genuine or forced, but they smiled back anyway.

"Hey there! Heh, long time no see!" Cam said finally as they walked towards her, "Are you staying here too?"

"Oh of course not," Ellzidan said with a chuckle, "But they sure do have nice chairs in this lobby." The pair gave each other a glance and looked back at the elf. Nicole decided not to pursue that and instead ask what had been burning her mind for the past week.

"Hey, so do you remember what we were talking about the other day? With the Elite Eleven and everything?" Nicole asked, hoping she'd take to it.

"Hmm, that seems to ring a bell," Ellzidan looked up at the ceiling, looking deep in thought.

"Well, uh, we were kinda wondering if you had anything else to say about that," said Cam, "We're sorta interested in what you were going to say before you ... left."

"I could perhaps spare a minute. I was just about to be off to someplace to eat when you both happened to walk in."

"We could accompany you if you wouldn't mind?" Nicole said, nudging Cam.

"Yeah, no problem for us at all, we're starving!" Cam quickly added when nudged.

"It's a date then!" the elf said gleefully, and she quickly strode past them and out the door. Still wearing the bags they brought to the stadium, Cam and Nicole turned around and jogged to catch back up with her.

"So, I assume you all can recall your early Drawkian history lessons right? The Formation? The Drawkionel Council? All that jazz?" Ellzidan said after a moment, "They do still teach all that business?" The pair nodded, and Ellzidan continued.

"I'm sure it's all very hard for you to believe. You two live in a very modernized world that us back in those days would never have been able to imagine, and similarly, you probably have a hard time imagining what a life like that would be like."

"I have to admit a lot of your apparent escapades are a little mythical in nature. What, with the dragon thing and the magical realm maze?" Cam replied.

"Exactly. Things that were simply part of my world back then simply aren't a big deal anymore or even known. So of course it could be hard to believe. That's what's funny about the Elite Eleven, really."

"Wait ... how are the Elite Eleven involved in this at all? They only got famous like 10 or 20 years ago right?" Nicole asked, a bit breathlessly.

"Sure, for you they did," Ellzidan said, a bit distractedly as she was scanning the street for some sort of place to eat.

"How is that possible though?" said Cam, "They're like maybe 30-something years old. A bunch of dudebros."

"For you they are," Ellzidan repeated, then suddenly turned to her left. "Ah, this looks like a good spot!" She opened the door and went inside. Cam and Nicole had barely realized she was already inside when they turned back around and went to open the door to the little pub.

As soon as they opened the door, the elf was nowhere to be seen. The pair looked all around the dining area and couldn't find even a trace of her. There didn't even appear to be a bathroom door anywhere close.

"Did she just give us the slip again?!" Nicole groaned.

"It looks like it," Cam huffed, "Let's just get something to eat. Now I'm really starving."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:51 pm

Prologue 3

After the match against the fearsome squad of Aaaaaa, neither Cam nor Nicole really knew how to feel. On one hand, it was nice to see the Elite Eleven's hubris finally get the better of them and be reserved to only a draw. On the other hand, it was the first time Drawkland had dropped points in the IAC group stage since IAC6's Day 1. The two were torn between loyalty and support of their home nation and former team and the envy of their replacements. Right now though, they were a bit more bothered about the absence of a certain elf.

"I feel like next time we see her we gotta hold her hand to make sure she doesn't just slip away on a whim again," Cam chuckled. Nicole was not as amicable about it.

"I'm honestly starting to get sick of it. If she's gonna tell us the story she oughta just do it. I'm sick of this mystery and teasing shit. I know that's basically her MO, but it's still a pain in the ass."

"That's just the way she rolls and you know it. It wasn't as bad when we were still on the team since we saw her on a regular predictable basis."

"Whatever. I'm just saying she's starting to annoy the piss out of m-"

Suddenly, the pair heard a knock on their hotel room window. Which was alarming, considering their room was on the fourth floor of the building. Both of them were startled, and Cam walked across the room to peek between the closed blinds. None other than Ellzidan herself was on the other side, hanging on some edge of the wall above the window. She was smiling and slightly perspiring, and brought one hand down from the ledge she was hanging on to knock on the window.

"Care to let me in?" she asked cheerfully, and more casually than one should reasonably be, four stories above the ground. Cam, still a little startled, pulled back the curtain and looked for the latch to crack the window. It only pushed a bit outwards from the bottom, leaving a slim opening. This was no problem for the elf, who seemingly effortlessly slid down the surface of the wall and grabbed onto the windowsill.

"Do you need a hand..?" Cam asked, tilting her head to look down at the elf. Nicole had gotten up from her lounging position on the bed to join Cam.

"I'm ... good, thanks," Ellzidan huffed, and pulled her torso through the opening in one swift motion. She swung one leg around through the sill and then pulled herself all the way through, closing the window behind her.

"Hey! I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by!" she said when she turned back to the duo. Both of them were still a little frazzled from the shock of getting a knock on the window, but were recovering. They knew better to question Ellzidan, anyway.

"Well, uh, make yourself at home, why don't you?" Nicole said, with a little more sarcasm in her voice than necessary.

"If you insist!" Ellzidan replied, hopping onto the hotel room bed. Nicole had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes, while Cam was close to laughing at the situation.

"So, I think we were perhaps interrupted at our last meeting, don't you?" said Ellzidan, "I went into the restaurant to eat and you both were nowhere to be seen!"

Both women were confused. Ellzidan was the one who had given them the slip right? Were they oblivious or something?

"Y-yeah, I think so," Cam offered after a moment, "I think we were talking about the Elite Eleven or something."

"Ah yes ... those arrogant boys. I think it's pretty clear that neither of you like them very much. Neither do I. Unlike you both, this didn't start last year when we were replaced, at least for me. My displeasure with those individuals extends long before then."

"Do tell ..." Cam said, as the both of them grabbed chairs to sit in, hoping they'd finally get resolution to the story they'd been waiting for.

"The ones you know as the Elite Eleven are much older than the 30-whatevers they appear to be." Ellzidan began, leaning forward, "Really, they'd been around for several centuries now. Ever since sports became a mainstream obsession, they were part of the initial boom. They've had many names over the years, and I've never bothered to learn them. The Elite Eleven as you know them now are simply a façade of their original selves.

"I must admit I don't know the exact details of their origin. There was, at one time, a larger set of journeymen who traveled the country and even the world together, playing exhibitions against anyone who would take them. Soccer, basketball, football, it didn't matter to them. Even Olympic trials weren't out of the question, though they never did qualify over real athletes. Iarocav would probably be a better person to ask about all that. In any case, they were mildly popular, but it was long before they'd have the option to make really big money as athletes or headline national news. It was simply a different time.

"Eventually a few of them began succumbing to injuries, both permanent and temporary, and it was clear whatever success or money they were having was going to dry up soon. All of a sudden, they'd disappeared. Back then, things weren't really kept track of as easily, and nobody really cared, they were simply a relatively short blip on the radar of public consciousness. There were a few of us who knew better though.

"It wasn't long before a party of young men arrived at the roots of Elstrund begging me for advice. Apparently they were so afraid of losing what they had, they desired to become immortal in the same manner as us Drawkionels. To me, they came across as arrogant and entitled. I told them what I know. There's only one real way to become immortal, and that was to navigate the maze deep in the heart of TiSoFaH and come out of the other end. To do that, they'd have to be able to navigate the magma tunnels of Valsum, which I both know nothing about, and assume they'd perish trying to attempt. Those tunnels are winding, pitch dark, and confusing to handle even when you know the way.

"They seemed disappointed, and left without pushing me. I assumed it'd be the end of the matter, my answer was both correct and the final word for their foolish quest. Perhaps there are other methods, but I certainly don't know any of them, and if they existed, they were surely blasphemous and self-destructive in nature. Little did I know that these very methods were in play.

"As I said, I know nothing of these methods, but perhaps a year later, I was woken in the middle of the night by Elstrund. He was being very vague, saying things about sick things happening somewhere in the world. It was the peak of Maliganthe, the Cursed Moon, perhaps the most dangerous night in any year. I didn't think anything of it, as there were no immediate threats, and such vague warnings from Elstrund had often turned out to be nothing.

"It had been years since I'd even thought of the young men that had made their futile trek to my door. Probably several decades. But, out of nowhere, these exhibitionists in a similar fashion showed up, touring around the nation. Technology had advanced by then, so I found a photo in a bulletin one day. They were the spitting image of those boys, but so much more sinister than I remembered. There were only half as many left, as about 30 or so had been around when they spoke to me. When I asked Iarocav later, he confirmed it - they were most likely the same people.

"I knew it was impossible they could've made it through the labyrinth, or even made it there at all, so I assumed it was some cursed or false method of extending life. I've never seen them in person since I saw them so many centuries ago, and I don't intend to. Every time they've requested an exhibition with the Roots I've refused, and if you notice, I make myself scarce whenever they're at DISC events. They are not welcome in my valley and I'm not going to welcome myself anywhere near them. There is a certain evil surrounding them that I prefer to not expose myself to, and that's that."

Both the girls were shocked and silent. After some moments of nothing, Cam spoke up, "But if they're so evil, why would Iarocav even allow them to represent our nation in such a way? Surely he would intervene with DISC like he has so many times before?" Ellzidan suddenly stood up, with a cross expression.

"We don't see eye to eye on everything, you know. Now if you'll excuse me, I have places to be."

Before the girls could even manage to say goodbye, she had already crossed the room to the door, and left without a word.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:53 pm

Prologue 4

After the Round of 16 match against Fujai (which was admittedly both a great game and a nerve-wracking close call), DNSN had set up a little event for Drawkian fans where any Drawkian celebrities in attendance were invited to come and have a small meet and greet with other fans. Cam Cross and Nicole Warren, still famous sports icons, were there. Ellzidan, as you could imagine, was nowhere to be seen. However, it was interesting as Iarocav himself was present. He apparently decided to fly in for a couple playoff matches, being very busy otherwise.

For the pair of athletes though, the curiosity got the better of them. Standing around in the "green room" after the event (it was actually a large luxury trailer that had been pulled into the parking lot by DNSN next to the media area), the pair noticed Iarocav was standing alone on his phone and decided to go up to him. The revelation from Ellzidan that the Elite Eleven were not only suspicious but possibly outright malicious was shocking. The questions burned in their mind how someone like Iarocav could ever allow a group like that to exist in Drawkland at all, much less have them be in the public eye.

As the two approached, Iarocav looked up from his device and pocketed it, offering a smile. "Hello there Cam and Nicole, of renowned Kick Corps fame! What can I do for you both?"

"Hello there, um, sir-" Cam said tentatively.

"Oh, no need for the formalities, we're at a sporting event! What's on your mind?"

"Well, we were kinda curious about how the Elite Eleven came about and so we asked Ellzidan about it," Nicole started. "And we have to say we're kinda confused as to why you'd let them stick around after all that."

"After all what? What do you mean?"

The two were confused, and both gave slightly quizzical expressions. Nicole continued, "Well, y'know ... the whole illegitimate immortality thing, and the Elstrund detecting evil during the Maliganthe moon ... that stuff."

It was Iarocav's turn to be confused now, "I have to admit, I haven't a clue what you guys are talking about. What sort of story did Ellzidan tell you?"

Nicole and Cam quickly corroborated the story to Iarocav, who seemed to be mulling it over in his head as he stared at the ground. Once they finished, he shook his head with a grimace.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what Ellzidan got all of that nonsense from. As far as I could tell, the Elite Eleven boys seemed to have good intentions when they asked me what they could do. And I don't remember there being 20 or 30 in their party when they requested my help, I just remember the eleven we know today."

"Maybe you or Ellzidan's memories are faulty? I can't imagine you can easily remember things hundreds of years later," Cam offered.

"You'd be surprised," Iarocav chuckled. "Perhaps some time passed between their meetings with the two of us. I certainly don't know the full story, but I could tell you what I do know. If you want me to, that is."

The two glanced at each other and back to the Drawkionel. They both nodded expectantly.

"Well, I suppose I can't pinpoint the exact date and time. It was towards the tail end of their careers at that time for sure. In fact, they were giving some sort of farewell exhibition tour of some sort. They played a match against, oh I don't know, the Sadeg State gridiron team I think. I attended because it was my hometown college that I partially helped build, so I've always had a vested interest in their team. I never actually got to see the Elite Eleven, or whatever they were called back then, so I was mainly going to see if that hubbub was anything important.

"After the match, I went down to the locker room to congratulate them. They'd beaten State by one point on a last-second two point conversion. It was super exciting, and I think they deserved some praise. And as I said before, I was interested in getting to know them a bit. Ellzidan was certainly right in saying they used to be a larger group, it was probably a team of 30 or so guys. I can't imagine they were all such a tight-knit group of friends as the Eleven supposedly are now, but what do I know.

"Anyway, I met them all and shook their hands and gave a minute long speech about how they represent the Drawkian ideals of pushing oneself to their full potential, and having fun as a brotherhood, and all of that. I have one of those on standby at all times, mind you. After all that, most of them were packing up to leave. I heard that most of them were going out to have drinks with the Sadeg State team, and probably engage in debauchery afterwards, as one does. One of them approached me as the majority filed out of the locker room, I want to say it was Jaxon Madison. He asked me if I could stay with him and some others because they had some questions to ask me. I was very intrigued, but I had something to do right after. I opted to invite them to my home in Sadeg to have dinner with me and Meliauden. They immediately accepted, and I said farewell and got along on my business.

"In a few hours I had gotten home. The preparations were already in place, thankfully for my staff, so everything was good to go once they arrived. To my surprise, only eleven of them showed up - likely the eleven we know today. I had expected the whole team, so a little too much food had been made, but that was fine. We had a hearty meal, plenty of small talk and stories abound. It wasn't until after dessert when we were polishing off our drinks that one of them leaned forward and asked me for some difficult advice.

"This is what I had been waiting for. I was sure they didn't want to share stories with me all night, so this had to have been their true intent all along. It was then that they asked me if the path to true immortality was still achievable. Like you, they had heard all the myths and history behind the formation of this nation, and they wanted to know if it were still possible. Of course, based on how it was led up to, I knew this wasn't just some fascination. They wanted to achieve it themselves. I could feel that for certain.

"Of course I warned them of all the dangers and that they more than likely would never survive the journey, if they even managed to begin it at all. They were certainly not the first to ask me of the path to immortality, and they weren't the last. It saddened me to know that if they ever did embark on the path to the labyrinth, they'd likely perish. Worse, some could survive, and have to live with the guilt of losing their friends for the rest of their many, many days. Perhaps I was oblivious to it, or maybe Ellzidan was simply imagining some underlying malice in their quest. Perhaps they pulled the silk over my eyes that night and managed to get away with the information. I felt in my heart that they were good young men, though.

"Fortunately, as you could assume, they managed to succeed, one way or another. I'm not sure what Ellzidan could've meant by an illegitimate means of becoming immortal. I certainly don't know of any. Even if there is, these guys didn't use it. The next time I saw them, perhaps a generation or two later, in some pub I can't recall, they were all alive and well, and looked nearly the same as they did back when they had dinner with me. Not only that, but I could feel the bond between us.

"I can't explain this well because you have no point of reference for this feeling, but immortals from this source have a nearly palpable connection. You couldn't hide your immortality from another immortal - you'd stick out like a sore thumb as soon as you made eye contact. I made that same connection with the Eleven that night at the pub, and there was no doubt in my mind what they had achieved. I'm not sure why Ellzidan would think that they're illegitimate when she would clearly be able to feel such a bond upon meeting them again. Unless she hadn't met them since they asked her how to become immortal all those years ago, in which case her suspicions make sense. As far as I know, though, the Elite Eleven are all well-meaning, if a little cocky. Certainly no evil undertones from my perspective."

Both Cam and Nicole were solidly confused at this point. They trusted Ellzidan's judgment and wouldn't expect her to lie to them, but what Iarocav said made sense as well.

"So what about the others? You said there were more than 30 at that point, and Ellzidan said that's around how many asked her. What happened to them?" Cam broke the short silence.

"I couldn't tell you," Iarocav shrugged. "I don't know about any of the others, I assume they either failed on the quest and perished, or assumed it'd be a wild goose chase and didn't waste their time. I find the latter much more probable. They likely succumbed to the march of time like anyone else. Perhaps you could ask the Eleven themselves though, if you got them drunk enough."

At that point, a DNSN staffer came in and announced that they were packing up and the media event was over. Everybody began shuffling out of the trailer and back out to the stadium lot.

"Well, it looks like our time is up! It was nice chatting with you two," said Iarocav with another warm smile.

"Yes, thanks so much," both girls said, and they left the trailer together. Now they had no clue what to think.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 9:58 pm

Elite 1

"Wow, this is a nice bourbon. Which brand is this?" the woman asked.

"This is a rare variant Seven Stills recipe," the bartender replied, "Very expensive, but it's what the club owner likes. He goes down to the distillery every so often and orders a few barrels. And I mean the actual barrels, because it's a private select type deal. They had him choose from this wide range of wood types back in the day to curate a flavor to his liking, and so every so often he goes to make sure they're using wood up to his standard. Usually we don't serve it but because of the event he said we could bring a couple bottles out. Good luck trying to get this anywhere else."

The woman chuckled. "I didn't know DISC had the budget to rent a place like this for just a pre-cycle party."

"Eh, they don't. The Eleven themselves requested and reserved the place. They come here all the time. Well, all the time they're feeling fancy. Usually I assume they just hit a pub in midtown rather than slick all the way to the busiest part of downtown and deal with this whole hubbub. I tell ya, it's a nightmare round here most weekends. Even the midweek rush is pretty bad. At least this club doesn't get too busy thanks to the high class, it's just everything around it is such a hive-"

"Oh hey Cam! Didn't see you were here!" Katie Madison strode up to the woman standing at the bar. Cam Cross knew it was rude for Katie to come and interrupt the bartender, but she was secretly relieved. The guy instantly started rambling as soon as she'd asked a simple question. Still, she wasn't sure the relief of not having to talk to him anymore was outweighed by the dread of having to deal with Katie now.

"Hi Katie!" Cam said with hopefully disguised mock enthusiasm. "I think I got here too early. Didn't see anybody from the old Corps, or even the Guys. Just some boring DISC lackeys."

"So tragic!" Katie replied, clearly joking. "Is Nicole not coming? I've noticed you two have become real tight after the gang got broken up."

"Yeah, it was all happenstance really, us hanging out more often. She isn't coming, I don't think she was able to get a flight in time and didn't find this event important enough to bother coming. I don't blame her. I'm only here because I'm only a couple hours away and I had nothing to do this weekend." Cam started to float away from the bar and more towards the lounge area. It really was a high-class place, with a big window overlooking part of downtown Sadeg. Further to the right one could see Spartan Veteran Stadium and The Spire close by.

"Awww, that's too bad for her," Katie frowned. "I didn't have that problem though, and I decided to go here on a whim yesterday."

"Not all of us have Madison Money, unfortunately," Cam sighed sarcastically. Her intent was anything but sarcastic, though.

"Hm. Turning a little green, are you Cam? Jealousy's bad for your complexion, you know."

"I made it out here just fine. My friend's decisions are none of my business. Or yours."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're the one who brought up money in this conversation, right?" Katie asked oh-so-innocently.

"I think I know now why Nicole didn't want to come."

Presently, the head of DISC Harvey Flantar clinked his glass at the small stage on the far side of the lounge. The catfight between Cam and Katie was halted.

"Attention everyone, attention please! I'd like you all to give a warm welcome to our Kick Corps, the Elite Eleven!" As he made the announcement, the doors to the lounge swung open, and the 11 men strode in. Tall (even for Drawkians), brazen, fit, and attractive, they looked like a troop of demigods had decided to inhabit this corner of the world, and had just claimed it as their own. Katie stood with a faint tinge of disgust on her face as she watched them walk in and greet the people near them.

"I hate those stupid beautiful bastards," she hissed.

"At least we agree on something," Cam replied. Her phone buzzed, and she looked to see what it was. A text message appeared, from Sarah Arrowsword. She responded in turn.

Hey Cam, are you at the party thing?

Yeah, are you coming?

Yeah I'm here

Did the dudes already clear the door area?

I came into the hallway right after them and didnt want to accidentally walk in with them

Would've just been weird

I totally get it

Yeah they're mingling about now

Cool thanks

Cam looked up from her phone to the door and watched as Sarah slipped through. Clearly she wasn't wanting to have a high profile here. She peered about the room until she spotted Cam just outside the lounge area. By now Katie had grown bored and wandered off to somewhere else. Sarah made a beeline over to Cam.

"I'm honestly so glad you're here. I lost a bet with Andrew and so I had to come."

"You had a bet with your brother ... and the wager was that you had to go to a DISC party?" Cam asked, confused. "What was the bet even on?"

"Not important. Actually, this is really convenient that you're here, and not just because right now the only alternative seems to be Katie Madison to talk to. I mean you in particular."

"Why me?" Cam was now confused for a different reason. She and Sarah had been on the national team at the same time, sure, but they never really talked much. The texts Sarah had just sent were the first ones in months, and the last ones were basic congratulations because Cam had won an award at the end of the domestic season. The fact that Sarah wanted to talk to her in particular was weird.

"This is a bit of a weird story, but basically all the defenders from the classic Corps lineup get together and spend a weekend out like once a year. More often than that, actually, now that we got dissolved and everything. Or collectively fired. Whichever you prefer. Anyway, I was talking to Nicole while we were waiting in line at a cafe while the others were off somewhere else in the plaza when she mentioned the two of you had learned something really weird about the Eleven during the IAC. And then she didn't tell me anything else! She just said she didn't feel like talking about it. This feels really dorky but it's lowkey been eating at me for weeks."

"She didn't tell you anything?" Cam asked, curious now.

"Not a damn thing. Just that it was something weird Ellzidan had told you."

"Wow, it's like whatever thing that makes Ellzidan give information in the most cryptic way possible infected her. We can't shut up about it whenever we're together now. It's been eating at us and we even know what the deal is. Kinda. Sorta. Actually we really have no idea what the truth is."

"Truth about what?" Sarah pleaded.

Cam hesitated and made sure nobody else was in earshot. She leaned in towards Sarah before talking in a lower tone. "Essentially the Eleven have something weird about them. Something mythical and almost a little bit sinister. Feels like something right out of an Early Drawkian History textbook."

"Why can't you just tell me what it is?" Sarah murmured back.

"I want to, but it just feels .... weird to do it here. I mean, come on, they're probably 40 feet away from us right now."

"You're afraid they'll hear you or something?"

"Well, no ... actually, yes, I guess .... I don't know, just the way Ellzidan described it was odd. I feel like it would not be the best idea to talk about it right here."

"Well if it isn't the most prolific defender and striker in all of Drawkland!" a voice came from behind Sarah's back. There stood Septimus Xander, one of the Elite Eleven, with his arms in the air and a cheeky grin on his face.

"Oh, uh, hey there!" Cam said, more than a little frazzled from the sudden interjection.

"And you are?" Sarah asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Of course! Where are my manners?" Septimus brought his hand down for a handshake. "I am Septimus Xander, number 7 of the Elite Eleven. I play goalkeeper, shortstop, wide receiver, kicker, cornerback, shooting guard, and every other position under the sun. I know it's hard to tell us apart on the pitch, court, or field, but you can always look for the dreads and beads." Both girls, being polite, shook hands with him and he gave a mock bow before standing straight up again.

"That's clearly been rehearsed a million times," Sarah chuckled.

"Yeah ..." Cam added, suddenly having an idea. "How many years have you had that bio chambered exactly?"

"Oh, a pretty long time. If you'll excuse me, I think somebody over there is calling my name. Ciao!"

Sarah and Cam looked at each other with a meaningful glance. Sarah was clearly put off and Cam nodded slightly.

"I think that's the first time I've ever talked to any of them in person." Sarah shook her head. "I can see what you two meant by weird."

Cam looked over Sarah's shoulder at the guys scattered across the room socializing. "Where are you staying tonight? I might just fill you in on the details once this dies down."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:00 pm

Elite 2

Nicole Warren sat in the terminal, flicking through her phone. She was at the airport in Peeto, Polkopia. She managed to make it out to Drawkland's World Cup 84 Qualifying debut, having a free weekend. Unfortunately Cam Cross wasn't able to make it, but she still had a fun time regardless. There was a Drawkian athlete/celebrity box bought out at Marshupov Arena, so she at least knew some of the people there. The trip was worth it considering Drawkland had won the match and got off to a strong start, but it was by no means a comfortable win.

The Elite Eleven appeared to "struggle" (if you could call it that) for most of the match. Thankfully Jaxon Madison managed to get a shot in on the 58th minute to put the Drawkians up 1-0, and that's how the match shook out. It did confirm Nicole and others' suspicions that the Elite Eleven can't really be considered perfect athletes. Sure they failed to qualify last cycle but most people chalked that up to them never having to play at that level before. The Eleven always said they could master any sport at any level if they'd be given enough time to get their feet wet.

"Sure guys. Get your feet wet by losing to Port Ember in the Round of 16 in the Cup of Harmony. So skilled," Nicole muttered under her breath. She looked up from her phone at the terminal. It wasn't very busy at that point, it was the terminal where most luxury airlines apparently flew out from so it wasn't as densely populated as perhaps the cheaper airline terminals. She checked her watch, realizing she still probably had 30 minutes before her plane was likely to board. She looked up and scanned the area. She was starting to feel a little peckish and figured a snack before getting on the plane wouldn't hurt.

Nicole stood up and strode into the walkway. A cinnamon roll place caught her eye. Or more accurately, the delicious scent wafted past and caught her nose. Her stomach rumbled and she realized she hadn't had a cinnamon roll since the last time she was at her parents' house for the holidays. That was probably over a year ago by her count, so she turned and stepped into the short queue.

By the time the person in front of her began ordering, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around and her eyes nearly popped out of her skull. Standing right there were 4 of the Elite Eleven. In particular, it was Mike Rodney, Richard Hanson, Trevor Garnet, and Craig Bakker. Of all the people she expected to see in the airport at the time, it was certainly not them.

"Hello there stranger!" said Mike, the one who tapped her shoulder. "Do you mind if we buy your love today?"

"Wha- hi..." Nicole said, a bit flustered. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, my bad, that's a phrase we often use with each other. Tongue in cheek. Basically when one of us buys dinner or drinks for everyone we say he's buying our love. Just a little phrase- okay you know what, that's not really important. I just want to know if you'd like us to buy you a cinnamon roll. Or whatever you were gonna get here." The other 3 were snickering among themselves as Mike explained.

"I .... suppose that would be okay," Nicole said after a moment's hesitation. The team was here? And offering to buy her food? What's the deal here?

"Nice! I think you're up to order," Mike said, motioning to the employee at the counter. "She's with us!" he said to the employee, and they nodded in turn.

Nicole turned back around and ordered her food, followed by the 4 dudes. She was still a bit on edge after the shock of seeing them there. Her curiosity got the better of her as they picked up their food and strode back into the waiting area of the terminal.

"So, what brings you to this part of the airport? Thanks for the food, by the way," she added.

"You're welcome," Mike replied, but Richard responded to her actual question.

"The charter airline we commissioned flies out of here, apparently. Still haven't convinced everyone we need to buy our own jet. YET." Richard pointedly looked at Craig at the last word.

"Listen, we've argued about this before! We're not getting a private jet, that'd be such a waste of money. Where would we even put it?" Craig shot back.

"I dunno, maybe the Complex? You think we can't get a private airfield built there?"

"And so we'd have to hire a pilot to come all the way out there every time we want to fly? It's just really big overhead for something when we can charter a flight for really cheap."

"Wait, why isn't DISC providing for your transportation?" Nicole asked, confused. She also wanted to nip the argument away before it accelerated.

"Well, when they contacted us for possibly taking over the Kick Corps job, sorry by the way, we said we could provide our own transport. We already did that for ourselves so we figured it wouldn't cut into our budget more than it already does. I think that's one of the reasons they decided to throw us in wholesale to replace the team," Mike explained. "Apparently they were considering all sorts of options. Straight up replacing the team with one of the domestic squads like the Drawk Corps or the Roots. Just using all the domestic players from the All Pro Teams, all kinds of ridiculous stuff. You should be glad they chose us, really."

"Huh, weird." Nicole replied simply. She never realized that DISC was really looking at replacing the original Kick Corps all the way like that from the get-go. "Um, I think I should go soon. My plane's probably about to board any minute."

"Actually ..." Mike said, then paused a second. "You could come on our flight with us. They charged us a big rate because they didn't get groups as small as 11. I don't think they'd mind another passenger. We're gonna be going through Avon anyway, which I bet your flight is too. Plus, we're not gonna have a layover in Avon either."

Nicole was shocked by the offer, and turned it over in her head. On one hand, she still really didn't like the Elite Eleven, and the thought of spending two long flights with them did not sound very appetizing at all. On the other hand, she was supposed to have a 5-hour layover in the New Stratford Airport in Avon, which she was even less excited about. Plus ... she could maybe try asking them about their past. Cam would love to hear about anything she found for sure.

"Well, I don't think that's possible. I have another connecting flight to Kayo after I land in The Bay." That should be enough to convince them otherwise.

"That's actually so convenient!" Mike exclaimed. "We're actually doing a press thing in Kayo like right when we get back. We were already planning to fly there when we got back on a different charter. Only a couple hours of waiting in Iarokannet Bay then we'd be off." The other boys were exchanging glances with tight lipped smiles and raised eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Nicole didn't notice, she was too busy worrying how her excuse was now shot.

"Yeah, what a coincidence!" Nicole laughed, a bit nervously. Suddenly she remembered something Cam had said the week prior about one of the Eleven suggesting they go drinking. Perhaps that's how she could get some information ...

"Actually, will you guys have any booze on the plane?" she asked, innocently.

"Do we ever!" Mike laughed in response. By then, the rest of the Eleven had shown up at the terminal, talking among themselves. When they saw Mike talking to Nicole a bunch of them looked surprised, in disbelief almost.

"Okay ... I think I can go then. You're gonna owe me though, because I don't think they'll let me get a refund this close to my actual flight." Nicole said, pointing at all the assembled guys.

Mike groaned and the rest of them laughed at his expense. "Fine, fine, I'll spot you for that." One of the guys said something about a really expensive cinnamon roll, and Mike jabbed indiscriminately behind him with his elbow, chuckling.

"Sounds good!" Nicole said cheerfully, though inside she was still worried. What had she just signed up for?

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:03 pm

Elite 3

I've got a big story to tell you! Are you able to go to the Farfadillis match? We should meet up beforehand. That was the message Cam Cross had received the week before, the day after the qualifying match against Polkopia. It was delightfully cryptic, and Cam had a feeling she knew exactly what it was referring to.

Meet up with you around Jaffro? Sure, I can make that. You said the morning of the match? I'll be there. That was the message Cam had received just a few minutes later after she had asked Sarah Arrowsword to join her and Nicole for the match.

It was now the day of the match against Farfadillis. Cam was in her little house in Jaffro, waiting for Nicole and Sarah to show up. Apparently they'd be meeting at the airport and ridesharing together to her place, so now it was just a waiting game since they both texted her saying they'd landed. She didn't know what to expect. She had a moment wondering what they were really doing. Were the Elite Eleven really in some weird conspiracy? Even if they found out the truth about them, what does it matter? Perhaps Iarocav and Ellzidan were simply pulling the wool over their eyes and playing some trick? They'd been known to do elaborate jokes in the past. Maybe the Elite Eleven are really just normal guys that happen to be really good at sports and avoiding injury.

Knock knock knock! That was Nicole and Sarah at the door, apparently. Cam got up out of her seat and opened it, greeting the pair with enthusiasm.

"Hi there you two! Come on in." Cam said with a grin.

"Heyyy! Thank you!" the other two said, and they walked into the place.

"I'm pretty much ready to go, you guys can just drop off your bags in the guest room here and we can head straight out for the match."

"Sounds good." Nicole walked to the guest room, knowing where it was since she'd stayed at Cam's before. Sarah followed her, being a first-time guest. Soon they'd deposited all the things they didn't need for the match and followed Cam upstairs.

Cam had a relatively basic house. It was definitely a nice place, but wasn't really indulgent. Cam, despite having several pretty big-money contracts over her career, never really felt comfortable with a decadent lifestyle. After all, she earned her place as a massively successful player through hard work, not being gifted anything. Her parents didn't even care for sports, she got into soccer playing at a summer camp when she was in primary school. Sure her parents supported her, but they never paid for fancy trainers or camps. She got where she was by putting in hard work day in and day out, so even when she got her first big contract with the Lexington Victory in New Gelderland she didn't start spending it right off the bat.

Still though, when they walked into the garage, it was clear Cam was willing to spend at least a little money. She had a very nice car, a luxury sport SUV by Drawkian Motors. It was both practical and good-looking, and if it weren't for the fact that her two guests were also athletes with their own good money, they'd probably be rather impressed. They all got in and Cam punched in the destination: Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg, Drawkland.

As the car whirred to life and lifted up off the surface of the garage floor, the computer indicated it'd be approximately an hour's ride to the destination. The garage door opened and the car drifted through the opening until it was fully outside. Its speed slowly picked up as it began navigating the neighborhood and getting to larger and larger roadways.

"So, we have a little time now!" Cam said with a chuckle, rotating her seat to look at Nicole (who was riding shotgun). Sarah, sitting in the middle seat of the second row, leaned forward to look at Nicole as well. Nicole grinned and rotated her seat around to look at the other two.

"Whatever could you want from me?" Nicole asked playfully. "I've got no idea why you two are looking at me like that!"

"Come on, Nicole, spill the beans," Sarah chided, "You kept me waiting that whole ride to Cam's house. I simply can't wait any longer. What's your story?"

"Okay fineeee," Nicole jokingly surrendered. "I may have done a little intel on our ... 'elite subjects.'"

"Intel? What did you do?" Cam asked. Her suspicions from last week had been confirmed.

Nicole proceeded to explain to the pair what had gone down in the airport in Polkopia.

"Wait, so you went on the plane with them?" Sarah said incredulously.

"Indeed I did."

"That's so strange. They took you to Kayo and everything?" asked Cam.

"Yes. And Mike Rodney even sent me money to make up for my actual flight that I missed before we even got to Avon. They were all really nice. I mean, as nice as those rambunctious guys can be I guess. It was definitely awkward for a lot of it because they have all these inside jokes and would laugh about stuff that was going way over my head. Or like, I'd be telling a story and they'd say something like 'oh that sounds just like that time in Ifferdam Station, remember that?' and they'd all agree and laugh or something."

"You probably should've seen that coming before you even got on the plane with them," said Sarah.

"I did, but honestly it wasn't as bad as I pictured. They didn't leave me out but they also didn't crowd me. It felt really natural and honestly I'm thankful because I felt like it could've gone way worse."

"That's good," Cam replied. "So, you said you got intel though right? Did you ask them anything? Did they get all boozed up or whatever?"

"Well, not really. I tell you, those guys can really handle their alcohol. I had a few and I was starting to get dizzy so I stopped. And they kept drinking after I stopped and they didn't seem to be bothered by the stuff at all, it was so bizarre. They all must still have the metabolism of a college sophomore. So yeah basically the 'get them drunk' strategy wasn't working for me. I just kinda hoped that they were tipsy enough when I asked them stuff."

"So what did you ask? Surely you didn't just go straight out of the gate right?" asked Sarah, furrowing her brow.

"I didn't. I think one of them made a dirty joke and I said the 'how old are you?' line." Nicole continued, "But they said 'Hey, you can't ask that, it's rude! That would be like if we asked you your weight!' and so I responded 'I'm an international athlete, anybody on the internet can look up my weight!' and they just sorta laughed it off. They dodged the question really well, and since it was in a joking context I couldn't really ask again. It'd be too suspicious, y'know?"

"Damn, that's a tough spot." Cam agreed, and Sarah nodded as well.

"So later on in the flight, it might've even been in the second leg, I got them talking about replacing us all as the Kick Corps. Most of them really seemed apologetic and that DISC had pushed for it, but it seemed like they did a lot of things to make DISC want to choose them as our replacement in particular. Really I'm not sure how to feel about it."

"I suppose we probably give them too much undue hate for replacing us when it's probably more DISC's fault than anyone else's," replied Cam.

"Exactly! But on the other hand it seems like they went out of their way to make sure they were chosen. It makes me wonder that if they weren't so enthusiastic, maybe DISC would've changed their mind down the line and stuck with us. I don't know, I guess we'll never really know.

"So I got them talking about that and then I asked how they felt about us, like the original members of the Kick Corps. Some of it was hot gossip, I gotta tell you. Even though they're all guys and some of it was gross. And not all of them agree with each other, either. I think the hottest debate of that conversation was whether Katie Madison was more hot, annoying, or bitchy."

Sarah scoffed, "Huh, typical."

"Right!" Nicole responded. "But here's the big thing. I asked them how they felt about Ellzidan. And of course they were all like 'oh yeah we have lots of respect for her, she's really skilled and of course a good leader' which, duh. So then I asked if they'd ever met her in-person, since it seemed like they'd met the rest of us. That really stumped them, because they hmm'd and haw'd for a good couple seconds before anyone responded. Which is definitely suspicious right?"

"For sure. You don't exactly forget if you've met Ellzidan," Cam added.

"Exactly! So after a couple seconds, one of them said 'I think I remember meeting her one time, like didn't we take a trip to Elstrund at some point?' I think it was Dominic that said that. And when he did they almost immediately said he was crazy. 'You must've dreamed that bro, we've never been there!' A few of them shot him weird glances. I'm not sure if they think I noticed their looks but I definitely did."

"That is really big evidence of sketchiness right there." Cam looked over at Sarah, who raised her eyebrows and nodded as well.

"Is that all? Were you able to ask anything else?" Sarah asked.

"No, I wasn't able to really ask any questions about them. And I'm not sure I wanted to either, because I was trying to make sure they had a good time with me being there, so that maybe they would invite me to hang out again later. I feel like if I got too pushy they wouldn't want to and we'd lose our shot."

The pair looked at Nicole expectantly. "Sooo ... did they invite you to anything?" said Cam.

Nicole kept a straight face for a moment, before breaking into a grin. "Yes they did! They said they were having a party after the Farfadillis match at their place since it's the home opener."

"You mean ... today? Tonight? Right after the match?!" Cam exclaimed.

"Well, yeah ... I asked them if I could bring anybody along and they said I could bring anyone I wanted. So I hope you don't mind, but I said I'd bring you two along. Sorry for the short notice ..."

Cam and Sarah were stunned. "Of course we want to go! But this is such short notice! What are we gonna ask them? What's our game plan? How are we gonna pull this off??" Cam asked in rapid succession, while Sarah looked deep in thought.

"We have the whole match to figure that out. Mike gave me his number so I'll text them once the game is over to see the exact schedule for tonight," Nicole explained.

"Oh my god ... hopefully they're in a talky mood even if they lose to Farfadillis," Cam wondered.

"You mean WHEN they lose to Farfadillis," Sarah scoffed, then all three of them laughed.

It was going to be a long night.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:04 pm

Elite 4

The match was incredible. Things started as one would assume, with the high-powered aggressive Farf offense scoring in the first ten minutes. Many loyal Drawkian fans immediately had flashbacks to the last time they'd played Farfadillis, back in Matchday 3 of World Cup 78. Drawkland had lost the match 1-6 and only got their last goal in garbage time when the Farves weren't playing at a high level anymore. When Drawkland was drawn with the now #7-ranked squad, most figured the matches would proceed similarly, especially when Farfadillis won their first match of this campaign 7-0 on the road.

Things wouldn't be so dire forever. Eventually the Elite Eleven Kick Corps managed to get one in the goal, when Ross Hunter arced a pretty penalty shot from inside the box just past 30 minutes. The fans were obviously very excited about all of this, since it was a sign that maybe, just possibly, we wouldn't get rolled over by an actually good team for once. The feelings wouldn't last for very long, though. As the half was winding down, the Farves were in the Drawkian half of the field with plenty of momentum. They were looking to get a goal to finish off the half on a high note, and that is exactly what they got. The crowd that had been slowly building for the past 15 or so minutes had just had the air sucked out of them, and when the whistle blew 3 minutes later the halftime score was a meager 1-2 Farfadillis. Many would expect two high-powered offensive teams to be making more goals, but both offenses had simply been lackluster.

The action ramped up right as the second half kicked off. Within a couple minutes, the Farf team was already knocking on the door again and had the ball firmly circulating the Drawkian goal. With every passing moment it seemed more likely that they were going to break through and double their margin over the Elite Eleven. Unbeknownst to the players, this is right where the match hit its turning point. In the 50th minute, the Farf team had a shot right on goal, which was expertly deflected by Septimus Xander, the Drawkian keeper. The ball bounced away from the goal and to the feet of Elias Keys, who booted the ball back to midfield before anybody had time to blink. Just like that, all of the momentum had turned on a head and was now in Drawkland's favor.

This momentum became fully realized around 5 minutes later when Richard Hanson managed to get a crossing pass from Jaxon Madison and bury it in the net in one well-timed kick. Once again the match was tied up, but now the massive crowd in Spartan Veteran Stadium was firmly into the game. The once-confident Farfadillis team was now struggling to string sequences together, and communication began faltering. The difference compared to the near-psychic timing of the Elite Eleven's movements was palpable.

Still, the match was tied with only 20 minutes left to go. With momentum on its side and playing at home, it'd be unacceptable for the Elite Eleven to settle for a draw here. They had a chance to display their clutch play in the 71st minute, when an errant shot had been deflected back and gave the Corps a corner. Roger Apollo, being the finesse kick specialist, took the corner kick. The Elite Eleven initially earned their fame by posting trick shot videos on the internet en masse. Guys like Apollo could drop a ball into a bucket from 40 yards, and that accuracy cannot be understated in a situation like this. Especially when his kick arced perfectly to the noggin of Mike Rodney, which got past the Farf goalie to put Drawkland up 3-2.

At this point, with time beginning to fall out of Farfadillis' favor, the manager elected to amp their aggressive tactics to the maximum, packing the Drawkian side of the pitch with all 10 field players. They were praying for a miracle, but now the crowd was at a constant droning roar that drowned out almost any noise on the pitch. Like earlier, communication was nearly impossible, and this came to a head in the 85th minute when a Farf midfielder sent a pass to nobody in particular. The ball was instantly picked up by Roger Apollo in stride, who blew past the defenders who were now on their heels. He had only one defender hot on his trail when he crossed midfield, and only the keeper to beat.

Rather than sitting in the net and get beaten, the keeper decided to run up and try to run into Apollo and stop him. After all, a penalty from outside of the box is still better than an easy goal. Unfortunately for the keeper, Apollo had time to think of a solution. As the keeper came in hot and began to slide, Apollo popped the ball into the air and left the ground for a hurdle. As he landed on the other side, the sliding keeper took out the chasing defender, sending both to the ground. Apollo was now alone in the box, just him, the ball, and the net. He looked behind himself to see nobody in pursuit anymore, and slowed his to sprint to a jog. The crowd was going insane at this point, and Apollo executed a cheeky rabona kick to send the ball straight into the open net.

Soon after, the match ended, and Drawkland had done what they'd thought was impossible 2 hours earlier: knocking off the top seed Farfadillis, 4-2. Our protagonists, of course, had a perfect view of all these events as they unfolded. Cam Cross, Nicole Warren, and Sarah Arrowsword were present in the box the DLKPA had bought for the qualifying campaign. The match was a great show and they'd met some friends and players they hadn't seen in ages ... but that wasn't the focal point of their night.

"Okay, are you sure that's his number? Why isn't he answering?" Cam asked Nicole. The trio were back in Cam's car, waiting for a message telling them where to go. Earlier that day Nicole had informed the group that she had been invited to a post-match party by the Elite Eleven.

"Okay, I know this is Mike's number, it's the one that was verified when he transferred my flight money!" Nicole answered, clearly exasperated.

"It's been over an hour and it's a home game, I'm sure they've got to be at least able to check their phones by now," said Sarah. Suddenly, Nicole's phone buzzed to life, and it wasn't just a text. Everybody's eyes in the car bugged out, and Nicole made a shushing gesture with her finger as she accepted the call.

"H-hey Mike, what's up? ... Yeah, we're sitting in the parking lot right now. Where are you guys? ... Okay, should we-? ... Okay, just text me the address ... What? Oh, Cam Cross and Sarah Arrowsword. That's not a problem is it? ... Alright, good! ... Yeah we're gonna leave right now, we might beat you there, I don't know. ... Okay! See ya!"

Nicole looked back up at Cam and Sarah, who looked at her expectantly. "Okay, we're good!" Nicole said. "We just have to wait for him to text me the addr- oh, there it is. Here Cam, punch this in."

"Gotcha." Cam held Nicole's phone for a second and entered the address into her car's computer. It was easy, just a 20 minute ride out from town.

"That's what I assumed, it's at their ... what do they call it?" Nicole trailed off.

"The Complex, right?" Cam answered, also unsure.

"Something like that. I can't remember exactly, all I remember is that it didn't sound cool enough. It needs more charm," Sarah added. By then the car was already underway, zooming out towards the highway that led to the place.

"Okay guys, we have to come up with our gameplan. What are we gonna do when we get there?" Nicole asked seriously.

"Do we even know what this party is gonna be like?" Cam asked in return. "Did they give you any idea Nicole?"

Nicole opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. "Now that I think of it, I don't think they told me at all."

"Yeah, if it's a bit smaller and more intimate we might be able to single off a few of them and interrogate them, so to speak," Sarah proposed. "If it's a rager though we have no chance. We'll just have to party and hope we're fun enough to get invited to another one later on."

"That's a solid plan!" Nicole agreed. Cam nodded to also show her support.

"Good," Sarah continued. "Is there anybody we should single out? It seems like you've taken a liking to Mike Rodney, Nicole, so you could-"

"I do not like him!" Nicole protested. "Listen, he's the one who started all this. If anything, he's the one who likes me. There's no reciprocation here!"

"Okay, fine," Sarah rolled her eyes. "Mike's taken a liking to you, so therefore you should try working on him when we're there. Cam, who was it that talked to us at the DISC party a few weeks ago?"

"That was Septimus, I think. The keeper."

"Yeah, him. You should definitely try to follow him around and talk a little bit. Build up some familiarity, maybe he'll be more comfortable with telling us deep secrets."

"This almost feels unethical. Like a spy movie or something," Cam noted, a little sheepishly.

"Listen, I'm not going to be able to rest until we get answers here! I hate not knowing if I know the real truth or not. It's like the time me and Andrew went on that grand tour of Drawkland and stayed with Iarocav for a few days. He kept saying these things about the national history that completely contradicted what I remembered learning in school and he just sorta brushed it off. Like 'oh yeah, we generally didn't tell people about that stuff.' It has bugged me ever since."

"What does that have to do with this?" Nicole asked, silently burning with curiosity to know what secret truths had been imparted upon Sarah.

"I guess this is a stretch, but I feel that hiding your true nature from people is a little unethical and sketchy. Surely trying to find the truth can't be that bad right? Methods aside, of course."

"That makes a little more sense," Cam agreed.

"So all of that plus it's kinda exciting to try and find this stuff out. Like you said Cam, it feels like a spy movie. Certainly better what I did last qualifiers, which was bitch and moan about not being on the NT anymore. It was so boring," Sarah confessed.

"I'd drink to that," Nicole laughed. Cam's car computer beeped a couple times, informing the party that they were approaching the destination imminently. The trio looked out of the passenger side window, looking out at the Elite Eleven's fabled Complex. The main building had the lights beaming into the night, and as the car slowed down to turn onto the side road, their stomachs dropped.

The place was crawling with people. It was not going to be an easy night.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:05 pm

Elite 5

In short, the party following the Farfadillis match had been a half success, or a half failure. It depends on who you'd ask. As our trio suspected, the huge party did not lend itself to intimate or effective conversation. All three of them were feeling dejected as the party began to wind down and people began to leave the party. It was clear they were going to go home empty-handed, with no real way of meeting with the Eleven in the foreseeable future.

That is, until they decided they were going to leave. Cam, Nicole, and Sarah were sitting around a lounge table in the atrium of the complex, polishing off their drinks and getting themselves ready to leave.

"I guess we'll just have to somehow run into them at some point soon," Nicole sighed, staring at the dregs in her glass.

"I'm sure we'll have another chance before qualifying is over. We just can't be pushy about it. It would be much too suspicious," Cam insisted.

"I agree with that," Sarah replied. She stood up and stretched, and the others joined her. Just as they were about to walk to the exit, the doors to the main room burst open, with two boys coming from behind them: Mike Rodney and Elias Keys.

"There you all are!" Mike exclaimed as he saw the trio. "We were wondering where you'd disappeared to!"

"Oh hey!" Nicole replied, putting up a smile. "We were just on our way out. We're beat for the night."

"Aw, that's too bad," Mike replied.

"Are you good to drive?" Elias asked, more concerned.

"My car has Autonav," Cam responded, "We're fine."

"Excellent, excellent." Elias was satisfied with that answer.

"Will you guys be going to the Fujai game to watch our win?" Mike asked. It was clear he was addressing all of them but he was mainly focused on Nicole.

"Your win? Didn't you need extra time to beat them in the IAC?" Sarah scoffed.

"Hey, that was on neutral ground. They stand NO chance in our house," said Elias.

"I don't think I'll be able to make it to that one," Cam said, looking at the others, "But I already have my ticket to the Libonesia match. I can't speak for you guys though."

"I won't be able to make the Fujai match either," Sarah said, and Nicole agreed.

"That's too bad. We were thinking about having another party after that game!" said Mike.

"We haven't made party plans for after the Libonesia game though," Elias added. "I don't think enough people we know well are going to that one."

"Yeah that's a bummer." Mike looked troubled, but then his face lit up. "Hey, what if you guys just came here after the Libonesia game anyway? We don't have to have a party, you guys are fun enough. We could like, shoot hoops or something. Have fun in the complex. Or we could just drink. Hell, I dunno. Whatever you guys want!" Elias looked at Mike with raised eyebrows, but he remained silent.

The trio of girls looked at one another, trying to communicate without speaking. "Yeah, I think that'd be cool!" Cam said, finally turning back to the guys.

"Are you sure you guys would want to be playing any sports with us after playing an actual match?" Sarah asked, a little perplexed. "I certainly never felt like playing basketball after playing a qualifying match."

Mike and Elias looked at each other and smirked slightly. "Nahh, nahh I think we'd be good. Whatever you guys want to do though. Just let us know day-of and we'll figure something out! You could even invite some more people if you wanted. Just-"

"-Not Katie. Please don't invite Katie Madison." Elias cut in. Mike chuckled and continued.

"Yeah, not her. But anybody else from the old Corps. Or your domestic team. Or like, your real life friends. Or just you guys! It'd just be great to see you again soon." Mike once again was looking directly at Nicole when he said that.

"Well thanks," Nicole smiled back. "We'll think on that one. I'll text you, okay?"

"Yes! Yes, of course," Mike said immediately.

"We should probably go now," Cam interrupted. "I know these two have flights in the morning and I'd hate for them to miss them."

"Of course! Fly safe, all of you," said Elias, slightly nudging at Mike with his elbow.

"We will, thanks!" Sarah said, seemingly relieved to start walking to the door again. "Goodbye you guys."

"Thanks for having us, bye!" Cam added, following Sarah.

"Yes! Bye Elias," Nicole said. She paused for a split-second before adding, "Bye Mike." Cam grabbed Nicole's hand and the trio swept out of the building.

"See ya!" Mike said, watching them go.

Elias looked over at Mike with a smirk on his face. "Dude, you need to calm the hell down with her."

"What, am I coming off too strong?" Mike asked, confused.

"You're coming on stronger than the shit you were drinking tonight."

"Okay, fine, chill out," Mike rolled his eyes. The pair walked back into the main room of the Complex, and met back up with the others to relay Mike's newly-created plans.

Once the trio were back in Cam's car, they all looked at each other with dumbfounded expressions.

"Did that ... just happen?" Sarah asked after a moment.

"Yes, it did. I can't believe we've gotten this lucky," Cam replied.

"This is exactly what we've needed!" Nicole exclaimed. The apprehension was palpable for the three girls.

They sat in relative silence for the next few minutes as Cam punched in her home address to the car computer and the car started zooming back onto the highway. They all stewed in their individual thoughts, processing the night and wondering what they were going to do in two weeks' time. After a stretch of this, Cam spoke up.

"By the way, Nicole, you're into Mike. It's sooo obvious."

Nicole immediately shot back, "I am not! You're such a liar!"

Both Sarah and Cam broke into laughter. "Don't even TRY to deny it!" Sarah giggled. "It's written all over your face when you look at him. Which you do. Often."

"I do not!!" Nicole protested. This went on for quite a long time as Cam's car sped through the night. It was going to be an interesting meeting after the Libonesia match …

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:07 pm

Elite 6

"We're definitely too early!" Nicole shouted.

"Listen, you said Mike told us to just head on down as soon as we left the stadium. You said he specifically requested that we go ahead without them." Cam attempted to calm Nicole down.

"But they haven't shown up yet! And it's been ages! What if they're avoiding us??"

"Nicole, they live here. What are they gonna do, sleep in a hotel? Why?" asked Sarah, mostly rhetorically.

"To avoid us! Or me!" Nicole cried out. "What if they felt too bad to uninvite us? It seemed like Mike was going off the cuff when he invited us over!"

"Please, Nicole, there's no use freaking out," Cam stressed again. "I can guarantee you that they'll be here any second-" she was cut off as bright lights swept across the car. Turning in to the parking lot was a midsized private bus, emblazoned with the Elite Eleven's paraphernalia all along its facade. Nicole let out an excited gasp, while Sarah and Cam let out sighs of relief. Finally, they'd have a chance to get something special.

The bus slowed to a stop in front of the main entrance. A couple of the guys hopped out, Mike Rodney and Craig Bakker. They jogged over to where Cam's car was sitting alone in the parking lot, while the bus rolled forward and disappeared into the Complex garage.

Nicole was furiously rubbing at her face, trying to clean herself up. Cam and Sarah were busy gathering their bags so they'd be ready to go. When Mike got to the car, he knocked on the passenger side window where Nicole was sitting. Cam lowered the window so he could speak.

"Hey you guys! Sorry for the wait, we got stuck in an extra-long press thingamajig. Come on out!" The girls all greeted them in turn as they exited the car.

When the party got to the entrance, the doors automatically slid open. Three more of the Elite were waiting in the atrium, Ross Hunter, Elias Keys, and Dominic Southers. Standard greetings were in order, as well as a little small talk about the match. Thankfully, everybody was in good spirits following Drawkland's 3-2 victory over Libonesia.

After a few minutes of that, suddenly Sarah piped up. "Hey, I don't think we ever got to see any of this Complex in earnest. Like all we did was walk around the main area and it was mostly dark so we couldn't see much." Most of the Elite members gasped at this revelation.

"What?" exclaimed Ross. "We never gave you guys the grand tour?"

"I'm officially gonna blame Mike on this one," Dominic asserted, and the rest of them jokingly agreed.

"Okay, whatever! Let's give it to them right now!" Mike threw his hands up in jovial exasperation.

The Elite Eleven's Complex is mostly contained in one main building, although it's surrounded by extensive outdoor grounds and other facilities. The main building itself is large; its exact dimensions aren't public knowledge, but the building itself is about five stories high, two football pitches' length deep, and four pitches lengthwise. The exterior is sleek and modern, and all these factors combined make it look more like a fashionable expo center rather than a monolithic warehouse.

The front side of the building is dedicated to the living and working quarters of the Complex, which is four stories high. The first floor is mostly dedicated to the welcome area and some space for public visitors. There's a conference room, small press room, and some museum-like exhibits displaying the Eleven's recent accolades, accomplishments, and escapades, to name a few. The second floor is mostly dedicated to office space, as each member of the Eleven has two offices on the floor (one with a window facing outside, and another across the hall facing inside). Again, there are conference rooms, a lounge, server room, and a studio on this floor. The third floor is filled with the bedrooms and living quarters for the Eleven. While they all have homes of their own, these rooms are a necessary home-away-from-home when they do residencies at the Complex. Finally, the fourth floor is filled with smaller, hotel-like suites in case any guests need or want to spend the night. These are usually not available to the public, however.

Each floor is bisected by the hallway running through it, with one half of the rooms facing towards the outside and the others facing towards the inside (the windows look out on the main hall). Some of the inward-facing spaces don't have rooms, and instead are open-aired balconies in the main hall.

Similar to an expo center, most of the building's floor space is dedicated to the main hall. With a few columns dotting it here and there to stabilize the structure, most of the space is filled with various pieces of sports fields and courts. Of them, the most prominent is the artificial turf field which features markings for pretty much any sport that goes on a field of that size. Soccer and gridiron markings are the most prominent on it, of course. Also of note are the two adjacent basketball courts, a couple putting greens, a couple multipurpose courts, batting cages, racquet sport boxes, a concrete path circling around and throughout the facility, and the zipline system that can connect the columns (which have climbable platforms on them as well). These are just the features of the main area too. Towards the side of the main hall are sitting and lounge areas, a bar, as well as access to rooms with billiards, table tennis, and other such games.

The tour concluded in the main hall, where the remainder of the Elite Eleven were already standing around. They were milling about on one of the multipurpose courts, tossing some balls around as the girls and their escort arrived.

"Look who joined the party!" laughed Roger Apollo, who flung the ball he was holding towards the group. It landed squarely in the hands of Nicole.

"Is this a handball?" Nicole asked, inspecting it. It resembled the association ball she was so familiar with, but smaller and with a grippier surface.

"Indeed it is!" answered Jaxon Madison, who strode up to the group. "We were actually thinking of getting a handball game going since our kicking game is so tired after tonight."

"Too tired to kick a ball around but energized enough to sprint around a hard court for 20 minutes?" Sarah asked incredulously. "You guys really are something else." Most of them chuckled, a few stayed silent.

"It's not like we'll be going full throttle anyway. Y'all should join in," Roger insisted, walking to stand next to Jaxon. "With you three we have an even fourteen, perfect for 7 on 7."

The girls looked at each other, not exactly knowing what to say. Cam spoke first. "Well, I haven't played handball since my camp days, but I think I can get back to speed soon enough."

Sarah nodded and Nicole grinned. "Fine, fine. We're in!" Nicole laughed, tossing the ball back at Roger, who caught it without a hitch.

"Wait! Before we start," Elias interrupted. "Why don't we add Nicole, Cam, and Sarah to the stat system? Since they'll be playing a game and all."

"Oh, great idea," Roger agreed. "We'll finish getting the court set up while you take care of that."

"What stat system?" Cam asked, confused as the other two.

"We have a computer system that tracks our movements during the games and records our stats," Elias explained. He led the trio to the small scorekeeper's box next to the court. "It's super advanced, we've really improved it over the past couple years. We mostly made it to identify our weaknesses and strengths as individuals so it's easier to have an objective voice about it. Now, though, we mostly use it for bragging rights.

"For instance," he said, raising his voice so the others could hear, "I actually have the best goalkeeping percentage when we play handball, and it's not even close!" Groans and denials could be heard from the rest of the Eleven, and Elias just chuckled.

"Oh, that's super cool. I think we had a form of that last season at Jaffro, though I guess it didn't take off with the coaching staff since I don't think they mentioned it much after the initial announcement," Cam replied.

"So what, do we need our fingerprints and shit?" Sarah questioned, looking at the holoscreen Elias had pulled up.

"Not at all!" he assured. "Just your name and a quick face scan so it knows who to look for." He opened up the entry screen and the girls all followed suit to get entered into the system.

"Hey, what's the big hold-up?" called Richard Hanson from the court. "We're trying to get a game in here!"

"We just finished!" Elias shot back, and they left the little booth to return to the court. The rest of the Eleven were looking at the holoscreen projected on the side of the court. The system looped through a loading animation a couple of times before springing to life and dropping down two lists on the screen.

"There we go, the teams are drawn!" Mike explained, stepping next to Nicole and the others. "The system uses our stats and perceived skill to arrange autobalanced and somewhat random teams every time we play. That way we can practice playing to our strengths and eliminating our weaknesses while ensuring we grow chemistry with each other regardless of lineup. You guys are new so I think it just puts you as zeroes."

As he explained it, the rest of the Elite Eleven were shuffling to one side of the court or the other according to their given team. The girls took a closer look at the rosters. Team A consisted of Elias, Craig, Trevor, Dominic, Roger, Ross, Sarah; the other was Septimus, Nicholas, Richard, Mike, Jaxon, Cam, and Nicole. They both took a quick moment to huddle and discuss a basic tactical plan. It was clear that the Eleven members were thinking on the same wavelength already, while the girls were just part of the ride. After a minute of discussion, both teams broke into starting formations.

"Let's play!" said Roger, and he passed the ball off to start the match.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:09 pm

Elite 7

Approximately 30 minutes later, Sarah, Cam, and Nicole were all breathing heavily and tired out.

"Dammit ... I should've done my stretches beforehand," Sarah sighed, crouching to stretch her leg.

"Rookie mistake!" Mike Rodney exclaimed jokingly, standing alongside the trio. Unlike them, he didn't seem to be terribly tired out at all. Part of the Eleven had walked out of the court and were likely going to the locker room area to shower and change. The rest had walked over to the scorekeeping box to check the stat-tracking system report.

Elias Keys fiddled around with the screen, and suddenly the holoprojector on the far side of the court lit back up to show the stat report.

"Look at that! You guys have played one game and Cam's already better than Dominic!" Elias called out with a chuckle. The rest of the Eleven present all broke into laughs and "oooooh"s at Dominic's expense. He was having none of that.

"You know what? To hell with you guys!" he waved his hand dismissively and walked out of the arena to presumably return to the locker room as well. The lighthearted jeers and jokes followed him until he was out of earshot, and the remaining Eleven eventually circled back around to normal conversation.

Cam left Sarah and Nicole where they were stretching and chatting with Mike. She walked up to Elias at the console and leaned in to see what he was fiddling with. Presently he was playing a clip from earlier in the game where Jaxon Madison had drawn the defense to him by faking a shot, and instead passed the ball to a wide-open Cam who scored easily.

"Oh, that was definitely my favorite play from the game!" Cam said, smiling.

"Really?" Elias asked, scrolling a bit. "The system says this was your most athletically prominent highlight from the match." A new clip came up, showing Cam making a shot via leaping dive between two defenders.

"I forgot about that one! Probably got dampened in my memory because I think I had a defensive breakdown on the very next play."

"Yeah, that was coincidentally one of your lowlights." Elias clicked a couple buttons and a clip of Cam tripping over her own feet and falling on her face popped up. Cam chuckled at herself and looked around the screen, with all its various panels and lists and data.

"So you dug up all these clips in the five minutes we've been standing here?" Cam asked, suddenly curious.

"Oh no, the system does all of that automatically. I told you, it keeps track of everyone simultaneously and does all the computation itself." While Elias was explaining, he pulled up a diagram that showed Cam's movements through the entire match. It looked like a big purple scribble, with some symbols in various spots. "It's a sort of AI. It took a long time for me to work out the kinks."

Cam nodded, and suddenly something clicked in her head. "How long did it take you to make this system, exactly? I didn't even know you knew comp sci or anything like that. I took you all for just some funny jocks."

"Everything isn't what it seems, Cam! Besides, I'm really the only one that knows anything about programming. Besides Ross, a little bit" Elias laughed. He turned back to the screen and continued scrolling for something. Cam noticed he didn't answer the question.

"Seriously though!" She said, keeping a lighthearted tone, so as to not sound suspicious. "I know the Storm got something half as advanced as this and it took a team of computer geeks to make it up to snuff. And you said you did this all by yourself?"

"Yeah, well, I mean, the rest of them helped a little bit. I guess it wasn't all me." Elias was suddenly really trying to focus on the screen, and mumbled. A couple of the other Eleven who were standing a few feet away looked over their shoulders at him.

"But this must've taken years! Especially since I doubt you were working on this thing full time." Cam insisted. "Like did you start this thing when you were in college or something? Before you guys even got really famous?"

"Like, sorta ..." Elias was mumbling again. "Listen, it was awhile ago when I started, I don't remember the full details of the day and hour I started working on it. Sorry."

"That's weird, because just a second ago you were acting all proud about knowing the ins and outs of this thing," said Cam. Now the rest of the Eleven assembled were all stealthily looking at the pair at the console. Nicole and Sarah had also just taken notice of the conversation.

"Okay! Okay! You got me!" Elias threw his hands up in the air, turning to Cam with a start. "I got some outside help with it."

"Then why were you acting like it was all you? Were you lying to me? Are you lying to me now?" Cam was so close, she could feel it. "It feels like you're trying to hide something from me!" Out of her line of sight, one of the Eleven facepalmed and the others were looking at each other with expectant grimaces.

"Listen, listen, I think you're blowing all of this out of proportion." Mike spoke up. Hestepped past Nicole, towards Cam. "We're all tired after this and the match earlier, I think it's best if we-"

"Oh my God! I can't take it any longer!" Nicole interjected. "We know, okay! We all know! The three of us, that is. Ellzidan told us. Iarocav too."

"About the computer thing..?" Mike turned back to Nicole, confused. The other half dozen gathered were giving each other incredulous glances. Clearly this isn't where they expected the night to go.

"No! No, no, not the stupid computer- gah!" Nicole was so amped up she couldn't speak straight. "The immortality thing!"

The words echoed throughout the almost cavernous facility. Nobody spoke for a few tense moments, mostly because nobody knew how exactly to react to this rather bombshell of a revelation.

"Um ... I'm gonna be honest, not sure what to say here. This is kinda new ground for us?" offered Jaxon Madison.

"You said Iarocav and Ellzidan told you? Like the literal Drawkionels?" Septimus Xander asked right after.

"Yes, they did." Cam confirmed. Even she was shocked that they had thrown the truth out there like that. The rest of the Eleven were looking at each other quizzically.

"But why?" Mike asked. "Did you ask them? Were you suspicious or something?"

"Well, not really." Nicole replied. "Ellzidan sorta, like, hinted to us what happened. But we didn't really know. And so then we asked Iarocav, because Ellzidan's take was really sinister, and he told us what he knew. The stories didn't line up though so we don't even really know the truth. We don't know what to think, really."

"This is just really strange," Jaxon started. He gave a quick pointed look in the direction of Septimus. "We've had people become suspicious, usually really creepy stalker types, and ask us. But that's easy to deny because they don't have any real proof. But word from the Drawkionels themselves? We can't deny that, right? Or am I dumb and did we just fold too early?" Jaxon turned to look at the guys standing next to him.

"No, I think we're pretty much backed into a corner." Septimus confirmed with a nod. "Usually the weirdos that think they have us down are people who don't have to kind of clout to be walking up to the leaders of the country and ask them questions about famous athletes."

"So we're weirdos huh?" Sarah chuckled, standing up. She had just finished her stretches. "I'd say the weirdos are the ones hitting on us despite being, what, 10 times our age?"

"Woah okay, hold on!" Mike protested, while mostly everybody else laughed, including Nicole. It helped break the tension of the mood a little bit.

"Could you just tell us the truth?" Cam asked, serious once again. "It's been eating at us for months, and we just want to know what you guys really did. Please."

The guys looked at each other again. Most of them gave slight nods, and Jaxon turned to the girls. "Did you guys plan to stay the night? We have guest rooms and everything."

"Yeah, we saw them," said Nicole. "We brought overnight bags, I think they're still in the lobby."

"Okay, it's real late right now. Why don't we all get some rest, and we'll tell you guys in the morning. How does that sound?" Jaxon proposed.

"Sure!" said Cam. She was inwardly elated to have finally cracked the puzzle, kind of. Finally, all those months of curiosity would finally be put to rest. Nicole and Sarah were feeling the same way.

"Alright. We have a separate locker room if you guys want to use it, it's over there," Jaxon pointed to a door next to the Elite's locker room. Everybody shuffled over, speaking quietly among themselves. It was going to be an interesting morning ... or so they thought.

The morning did not go as planned. In the shared guest room, Nicole found a note waiting on the nightstand next to her bed.

Nicole (and Cam and Sarah):

We are so sorry about this. Just remembered about some stupid DISC media event we have to do across the country. We all got woken up for our flight early this morning ... probably 3-4 hours after you're reading this.

We're serious about telling you guys everything. We promise. Raincheck on that, for real. We can maybe catch a date in the second half of qualifying, we'll see how things line up. Just do us all a favor and keep this under wraps, okay? We've gone like several centuries without our cover being blown, we'd like to keep it that way.

Sorry again about leaving you guys here. Cam's car got moved to the garage. The facility does most things on auto so don't worry about locking up or anything. Just leave whenever you feel like it. Maybe play around in the main hall if you want, just be safe.

We'll see you soon. I'll see you soon, too.

-Mike
(and everyone else too)

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:11 pm

Elite 8

"All I'm saying is that I definitely could've stopped a few of those offensive attacks. I was looking at our defense and cringing, like 'Oh my God! There's an open hole! Somebody fill it!' for half the match." Sarah Arrowsword rambled on. She downed the rest of the Faulber's Hard Seltzer she was drinking and looked to the drink table for more.

"Sarah, isn't that the second one you drank already?" Cam asked, concerned.

"Are we sure these drinks are free? I can't imagine the bill she's about to rack up ..." Nicole added, watching Sarah wander back to the table full of various drinks.

"LISTEN!" Sarah shouted as she grabbed another thin can from an ice bucket. "I am not in the mood right now! Frankly, I feel insulted that the Elite Eleven can go out there and act like a bunch of idiots who have never seen a halfway-decent striker in their lives! In fact, when we get back to the mainland I'm taking the train to Metropolon, straight to the Pinnapex, and I'm gonna march into Harvey Flantar's office and slam him against his stupid floor-to-ceiling office window until he lets me back onto the Kick Corps! I've had it! Oh, do you guys want one, by the way?"

"No, I'm good, thanks," Cam said. "I'm trying to stay alert so I can absorb all the information the Eleven gives us when they ... hopefully tell us everything when they get here."

"Same, but I think I can handle a couple," Nicole decided. "Grab me one please, Sarah? Any flavor."

"You got it hon."

"I guess I can lay back a bit. Those aren't the worst things to drink," Cam admitted. "But I'm gonna wait until there's some food to eat first. Did they say they were bringing food? Or is it being catered or something?"

"I'm not sure. All Mike told me was to go to this conference room in the hotel they're staying at, and we're here. He said if it has the drink table it's the right one, so it's just a waiting game." Nicole looked at the door again, which she'd done about 80 times since they'd gotten to the room ten minutes ago.

"I've had it with these cryptic assholes, honestly!" Sarah exclaimed, tossing a can of Faulber's to Nicole as she sat down. "If we get teased again with no information tonight I'm gonna give up. Hell, I'll sell my next matchday tickets and go home."

"Did she get something to drink at the stadium without us realizing?" Cam asked Nicole, concerned.

"I dunno," Nicole replied, popping the tab on her drink. "Too late now, I guess. Her dad's a dumbass though so I'm sure her genes are well-equipped to handle some alcohol."

"I just feel like I'm gonna have to hold her back once they get here. Any update on them by the way?"

"Not yet. I-" Nicole's phone, as if on cue, began to buzz. "Oh, there he is now. Let's see." The other two quieted down as Nicole brought her phone up to reply.

"Hey Mike! Where are you guys? ... Oh, that's great news! ... Yeah, we're in the conference room. Sarah already started helping herself to the seltzer. Is that a local brand? ... Gotcha, gotcha. Is there gonna be food? There isn't - yeah, there's none here yet. ... Thank God, we're starving. ... Okay ... Okay! See you soon! ... Heh, yeah, you too. Bye!"

"So what's the deal?" Cam asked once Nicole hung up her phone.

"Okay, Mike says that they're probably ten minutes out, and they timed the delivery to get there at the same time they do. They got pizza or something. They're gonna bring it in."

"Awesome."

About 20 minutes later, the boys had all arrived. It wasn't an excessively celebratory mood, considering they had just lost the match. But hey, only losing by a goal and scoring 3 against the top team in the group on literal home soil isn't something to be sad about, especially as the bottom pot team. The food was laid out as promised and everybody took a seat at the conference table in the center of the room.

As the greetings and various chitchat about the match slowed down, Cam raised her voice a bit to cut above everyone. "I'm sorry to interject, but we all know why we are gathered here. I think we should get down to business before the night grows too old." There were various murmurs of assent, and a couple guys downed what they were drinking and stood to get another. A few moments later, everyone had settled down at their seats.

There was a tense moment of silence, followed by a few awkward chuckles. Jaxon Madison was the first to speak up.

"Heh, this is a little weird for us. We've never had to do this before, like we said the other night. It's kinda hard to think of a starting point." The trio of girls sitting next to each other all nodded in understanding.

"Well, perhaps you could start with why you decided to do it at all," Cam suggested. "Trying to become immortal isn't exactly a common thing people try to do."

"Good point," said Jaxon, and a few others vocally agreed.

"I think it started as a joke, really. You know, back in the day, we weren't the Elite Eleven. There was like, what, 30 of us back then?" Roger Apollo suggested.

"It was 31 exactly," Jaxon stated definitively. "I can't forget the original squad."

"What happened to them?" asked Nicole carefully.

"We'll ... get to that later," replied Nicholas Kingston. The words hung in the air a beat too long before somebody else spoke up.

"Roger's right. The concept started as a joke. One of the guys from the old squad had just suffered this awful ACL injury. This was back in the day, too, so that was pretty much curtains on his career. We were on a train ride to our next exhibition talking it over. He was gonna just be our on-field manager until he got better or something ... but we were in our 40's by then. Most Drawkian athletes at that time were retiring. To be fair, the level of competition wasn't as fierce as it was today, but it was still dangerous to play into your 50's. Somebody just floated it as a joke ... 'hey, if only we were immortal, like the Drawkionels. You know the likes of Iarocav and Ellzidan are still kicking today. What if we did that?' And yeah, it was just a joke then. But it stuck in our heads, anyway.

"That was a couple years before we decided to nearly retire. By then though, we had kept bringing it up time and time again. It wasn't long until somebody seriously suggested it as an option. We thought long and hard and decided why not? After all, sports had been our livelihood for pretty much our entire lives. Now that we were too old to reliably do it anymore, we were running out of ideas. And this was back in the steam era, so our options were either working some factory job, maybe a farm somewhere, or trying to open some store or restaurant. Yeah, it could work ... but you know we're adrenaline junkies. Thrillseekers. The concept of being able to go on some cool adventure like you'd read in a book was so enticing. We decided we were gonna do it. For real.

"Of course, the best way to learn how to do something is to ask those that have done it already. We jumped at the chance when we ran an exhibition game against the Sadeg State football team, and knew Iarocav was gonna be there. We asked to meet with him over dinner. Well, the eleven of us here did. The others didn't take it so seriously. Most of them just went out and got piss drunk with the State team. His advice was very useful ... he was really respectful and relayed his tale to us after we finished up the dinner. Both he and Meliauden explained the process they had to go through the times they did it. The labyrinth and everything. I think somebody even wrote literal notes. Who was that?"

"That was me," Elias Keys waved his hand.

"Right, Eli did. Anyway, it wasn't long before we tried asking other Drawkionels. Most didn't care to meet us. It's well known Iarocav is the sporty one ... the rest didn't feel the need to respond to the nagging questions of some random jocks, and that's understandable. As scary as the prospect was, we all went to visit Ellzidan at Elstrund itself. In all our sporting travels, we'd never been there. We figured that since Ellzidan was an athlete herself, maybe she'd be more willing to listen to us, right? By now the rest of the squad were on board, in at least some capacity.

"We made our way to the massive tree, Elstrund. I'm assuming you guys have been there before, but wow. It's a sight that you never forget. We weren't technically invited, nor did we say we were coming ... it's hard to get word out there, especially back then when things like the telephone were still trying to become widespread. Once we got to the foot of the tree we went to the area where the Roots field is. It was open, no fencing or anything, so we just decided to play a game of pickup. We assumed somebody would come to stop us at least and we could request an audience with Ellzidan then.

"So we started this game of pickup, and eventually some locals dropped by and joined us. It was a fun time, just us and some strangers. We were playing for maybe an hour, until we realized that the elf herself was literally already playing with us. She had been there for at least a half hour already, and we just never put two and two together. So as play puttered down the lot of us came up to her and introduced ourselves. Of course, she asked us why we had the audacity to show up to her tree without an invitation, and we told her we needed her help. We were going to take the Undying Quest, as it's called, and knew she could help.

"She just looked at us for a moment and then smirked a bit. 'No.' And then she walked away into the tree."

"Wait ... she just said no?" Cam asked, suddenly confused. "She told us that she listened to your request and reasoning and simply told you what she knew and sent you off."

Jaxon grinned, "Let me finish, okay! That's not exactly what happened, away. Far from it, really." He shot a glance across the table at what looked to be Septimus.

"So she goes and walks back into the tree, and we just kinda look at each other in shock. Someone said 'hey, maybe she's just not so accepting of newcomers, you know how the myths and stories go', and we mostly agreed with that. We had the materials and stuff, so we just decided to camp out in the wilderness for a few days and see what would happen. There's dozens of little campgrounds and clearings surrounding The Tree so we picked one close to the soccer pitch and set it all up.

"They always talk about the danger of the Ellzidanian wilderness but around Elstrund it isn't so bad. Especially in the midst of those huge roots. There's tons of like, magical energy or whatever. Some arcane stuff like that, I'm not exactly one to be talking with authority about it because I really have no idea what I'm talking about, but that's what I've heard."

"Yeah, you can probably ask Ellzidan and she'll throw out a bunch of mumbo jumbo and put you to sleep!" Richard Hanson exclaimed from the other side of the table. Everybody laughed.

"That, or give you the cold shoulder and say nothing." Craig Bakker added, to another round of laughs.

"Right, right ..." Jaxon said, ringing everything back in. "So we just camped out for a bit. Did some tourism. Played soccer for hours on end at the field, though we did do some gridiron too. Eventually after like three days the elf showed herself again. She joined in another couple games of soccer, but when we tried getting her to play a round of gridiron she balked and started to leave. Fortunately before we left, somebody managed to talk to her and convince her to at least let us stay in the tree itself, since there's lodging there.

"That would be me," Septimus spoke up. The boys nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it was you, unsurprisingly. It was a relief not having to sleep on the ground anymore, though it's not like they had the best lodging available inside of a sentient tree. Good mattresses are apparently hard to come by out in the wilderness. That's not the point actually. Anyway, we spent a few more days there, except this time we were mostly spending time with Ellzidan. She gave us an abbreviated tour and all that, and we all found things to do. Played more ball, all of that. The last night we were there, we had a small feast together, all 30-odd of us plus her and a bunch of residents from Elstrund that, y'know, live there. Similarly to when we were with Iarocav, there was plenty of conversation over dinner. But as the night winded down, the desserts were finished and most of the residents left. Even a few of our guys left by then, to go to sleep.

"This is when Ellzidan regaled her tale of when she went through the labyrinth. You'd think it would be redundant, since she was with Iarocav and all, but they all had different experiences when they were there. Plus, as you may know, people remember or forget certain things over others, so it's good to cover your bases. It was a great help to us, and most of us left after that. A few more stuck around to talk awhile longer, but I was the last person to leave besides Septimus, who stayed awhile longer if I remember." There were some more glances at Septimus, and a few chuckles.

"Unfortunately, that was our last night. We were informed, rather coldly, that we were to leave immediately. First thing in the morning. Like, before sunrise, because Ellzidan threw a bunch of buckets of ice water all over us in our beds and told us to get out. Not the best way to end the trip but we got what we came for and had a good time in the process. We packed our stuff and bounced, and that was that. The next couple months we spent gathering supplies and putting together a plan for our fateful trip. It took a-"

"Listen, I hate to interrupt," interjected Sarah suddenly, drawing attention to her (and the 6 empty cans in front of her). "I hate to interrupt, but I like really want to go to bed right now. Could we talk another time? Another ... another day?"

"Oh my God Sarah, who let you get those?" Cam gasped, realizing she'd had too much to drink.

"I guess we should pause for the night," Nicole sighed, and a few of the Eleven agreed. Some of them were laughing.

"Yeah, that's a good stopping point anyway!" Jaxon exclaimed. "Now let's get Sarah to her room before she hurls all over this nice table and makes us pay a fee."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:15 pm

Elite 9

Unfortunately for the Elite Eleven, their fortunes following the 3-4 opening day loss to Baker Park would not turn. The MD2 game against the familiar foe of the Free Republics would end in a 0-1 loss featuring a multitude of missed offensive opportunities. By the MD3 loss to Nephara, the 2-5 scoreline simply confirmed the notion that the Elite Eleven had given up on this campaign.

Cam Cross, Nicole Warren, and Sarah Arrowsword's luck also decreased. Thanks to the displeasure of DISC by the Elite Eleven's performance, and the Eleven's own unenthusiasm for anything following their demoralizing dismantling on the international stage, the trio and the Eleven were not able to meet for the remainder of World Cup 84.

Cam and Sarah had to schlep their way back home to Drawkland on their own. Unbeknownst to them, though, Nicole managed to use Mike Rodney's (totally not mutual!) feelings for her to get a seat on the Elite Eleven's private charter plane for the trip back to Drawkland.

"Hold on, I have a question." Craig Bakker said, as the Eleven et al. were placing their carry-on bags in the bins and selecting their seats.

"For me?" Nicole asked, confused.

"Yeah. You remember that time during qualifiers where Mike invited you to fly home to Drawkland with us and you accepted despite it probably being awkward and inconvenient for you?"

"Um, yeah I remember that. Where are you going with this?"

"I guess at that point you didn't know about us for real, but you probably had suspicions, right?" Craig continued.

"Yeah, by then me and Cam were definitely trying to sniff something out." Nicole answered, a little nervous now.

"So basically you accepted the position specifically to spy on us? Straight up espionage?" Craig leaned in a little closer.

"W-well, I guess I did." Nicole stammered, "I mean, I didn't think I was gonna learn anything really. I just, I figured it wouldn't hurt."

Septimus Xander walked up and interjected, "I bet you hitched a ride with us to try and spy on us again!" He laughed to show he wasn't being actually serious, unlike Craig.

"Why would I even have to spy on you guys now?!" Nicole exclaimed. "I already know the big secret!"

"The perfect cover story ..." Septimus trailed off, with a grin on his face.

"Listen, I just don't like the idea of telling all about our 'adventure.' I doubt we'll be telling you jack shit tonight." Craig hmph'd and went back to stowing his bags.

Nicole sighed. Sure she was close to Mike and starting to gain favor with the others of the group, but it was clear that it would be a long time before everyone accepted her. Not to mention the fact that she did secretly want to learn more about their quest for immortality on this flight. Oh well, perhaps another time ...

Mike entered the plane at that point and immediately went over to Nicole. "Sorry I got caught up back at the entrance to the tunnel. You get your bags alright?"

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't put my carry-on away. I'm a professional athlete, remember?" Nicole rolled her eyes.

"I'm just asking! I'm being a gentleman, or whatever." Mike shrugged. "I'm trying my best."

"Well maybe try thinking with that little brain of yours before you say stuff sometimes." Nicole gave a slight smile and poked Mike's forehead.

"Point taken. Speaking of my rapidly depleting brain cells, did we get drinks for this flight?" Mike asked nobody in particular.

"I'd certainly hope so," Jaxon Madison replied, making eye contact with Nicole. "I may just be speaking for myself, but I'm certainly not going to be able to talk about the Undying Quest tonight unless I'm over the legal limit."

"I thought I wasn't going to learn anything cool tonight!" Nicole said, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.

Jaxon simply smiled in return. "No promises."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:16 pm

Elite 10

It had been a long qualifiers, to say the least. The times the Elite Eleven had in the previous World Cup group stage had faded from their memory, only to be faced with a much more difficult challenge: actually winning games in qualifiers. Or at least, not losing. Group 2 was chaos. Any nation not called "Kita-Hinode" had some strange monkey on their back preventing them from taking easily winnable games. It had happened to Drawkland, it had happened to the Squornshelan Remnant States, it had happened to the Busoga Islands. Kohnhead and Torisakia, despite being projected as bottom-feeders before the cycle began, showed up in force.

For our trio of former Kick Corps members, Cam Cross, Sarah Arrowsword, and Nicole Warren, the qualifiers had also differed from last cycle. Now, rather than being on the hunt, pseudo-detectives trying to discover the truth behind the Eleven, they were more like true friends. They had attended almost every home qualifying match (even the really depressingly underwhelming ones), and hung out with the Eleven either before or after the match.

In the case of Nicole specifically, it was more than just friendship happening. Mike Rodney’s affections towards Nicole began to be reciprocated, and the two turned a flirtatious friendship into an actual relationship. For the most part, it seemed like nobody really noticed outside their smaller social circles.

As famous as the Elite Eleven were, and as popular they’d become as athletes, they were way harder to notice when they were on their own in public. Turns out, when they’re not traveling in a gaggle nearly a dozen strong, they’re almost impossible to notice.

In Nicole’s case, she was also not one to attract a lot of attention when she went out. Being a pro athlete always runs the risk of being recognized in public, especially in the town of the team you play for. Still, with the old Kick Corps being dissolved, and Nicole’s status as a defender, she didn’t get anything like paparazzi and stalkers. When she and Mike went on dates, they were never recognized.

This remained true for a while, but there was one incident in the middle of the World Cup Qualifiers. The day after one of the home matches, Nicole and Mike went on a little date in downtown Sadeg. They did a bit of bar-hopping through the afternoon, and eventually got dinner. Unfortunately, Nicole couldn’t stay, as she had a flight back to Kayo that night. Mike had no problems driving her to the airport, of course, and he gave her a loving embrace in the drop-off lane.

"Are you planning to come to the next home game too?" Mike asked sweetly.

"Haven’t decided yet. The Queens might be doing a team retreat that weekend." Nicole checked that she had her ticket in her bag, and nodded to herself when she found it.

"Aw, well just let me know!" Mike replied. "Gotta get going now, don’t miss your flight."

"Of course." Nicole kissed him and then pulled back to collect her bags. "See you soon!"

"See ya, fly safe!"

Everything seemed normal at first, just like the last few times Nicole had flown between Sadeg and Kayo to see Mike. As Nicole walked into the airport terminal though, she got a strange feeling like she was being watched. She looked around, and noticed a middle-aged woman looking right at her.

Nicole couldn’t help but twist her face in a confused expression. This only seemed to invite the woman over. She walked up to the queue, right next to Nicole.

"Excuse me? Do I know you?" Nicole asked after a tense moment of silence.

"No. I don’t know who you are." The woman’s expression was hard to read. Nicole was at least a little relieved it wasn’t a stalker-type person.

"Then why are you staring at me?" Nicole shifted back a little bit.

"I just feel so sorry for you. Your boyfriend or whoever dropped you off, he was so young and handsome."

"Thanks, I guess?" Nicole didn’t know how she was supposed to understand.

"I just feel sorry," the woman repeated. "You’re clearly older. He’s always going to look better than you. He’ll probably still be handsome when you get older. I just hope he’s not the vain type. I’ve seen many men who look like that and will just ditch their woman when she’s not so young anymore. I just hope that doesn’t happen to you!"

"Eugh!" Nicole huffed. "You’re really rude, you know that? Leave me alone."

"I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d take it so badly." The woman turned around and shuffled away in a hurry.

Nicole frowned as the woman walked away. She didn’t know what all that was about, and decided to try and forget that it happened at all. It wouldn’t be the first weird interaction she’d had in public. For the most part, she’d forgotten what the woman had talked about. In one small part of her mind, though, the woman’s prediction festered into a little insecurity.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:18 pm

Elite 11

The Elite Eleven had one match to go in qualifying after the high-octane 4-5 win over Kohnhead. They sat in a bleak third place, needing to reach second to qualify for the World Cup. In their way were the Squornshelan Remnant States, facing a favorable home finale against Lochario. They were tied on points, but SRS had the tiebreaker in hand. Drawkland would need to outscore them on the final matchday. Sure, the Elite Eleven had the finale at home as well, against a flailing EGM team. But the win would be meaningless without a Squornshelan loss.

The day of the match, Nicole, Cam, and Sarah sat in the Elite Complex, listening to Elias Keys monologue morosely. No, he wasn’t lamenting their dire World Cup situation, but something else entirely.

"Anyway, that's when we found the way out of the Heart of the Maze, and came back up to the surface. As soon as we had all exited the tunnel, the tunnel instantly collapsed upon itself. We all looked at our surroundings to get a bearing on where we were, and when we turned back to look at where the tunnel was, we couldn't even tell it was there. Some sort of masking magic that hid it from our eyes. Makes sense, really ... I don't know of any labyrinth as dangerous as that which would make it easy for you to just slip through the back door." Elias drank the rest of his bottle of water, and sighed.

"You know we've all heard the Undying Quest story like a dozen times by now, right?" Cam chuckled, taking a sip of her Akkorade.

"Yeah, I think every one of you have told it to us at least once per person," Sarah added.

"Listen, I just wanted to talk about it, okay?" Elias insisted. "There's not many people I can reminisce about it with. It's nice to remember it."

"Now this might just be me," Nicole replied, "but I feel like you're trying to stall to keep us from talking about this EGM match."

"W-what? Of course not! I've fought strange mythological beasts and been on adventures everywhere, not to mention I've played thousands of matches in dozens of sports. You think I'm feeling pressure right now?"

"Considering the fact that you're nursing your water bottle like you do a bottle of whiskey, I'd say so!" Nicole laughed.

Jaxon Madison strode over to the area in the lounge where Elias and the girls were sitting. "What are we talking about over here?" he asked.

"Elias is monologuing to keep us from talking about tonight's match." Sarah quickly replied, much to Elias' verbal protest.

"Listen, I don't want to think about this match either," Jaxon admitted. "I hate when things are out of our direct control. We could beat EGM 7-1 and still not qualify. I think we all like it when we control our own destinies."

"You did control your destinies for at least half of the qualifiers, and then you shit the bed!" Sarah pointed out. She was always the first to criticize the Eleven.

Elias groaned and got up to refill his water bottle. Jaxon merely shrugged, "That's fair, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm not feeling good about this match. Even if we do qualify, we're probably gonna have another 0-point World Cup. Our confidence is completely shot at this point."

"Yeah, it turns out you can't be cocky bastards all the time!" said Cam.

"I must admit, I love being a cocky bastard. That's our M.O. most of the time. It's weird to not be in the position to be punching down, so to speak. I guess for this game we are, but in the grand circumstance we aren't."

"Surely Lochario could hold the SRS to a draw? They managed to beat us after all," Nicole pointed out.

"We've already been through the permutations and possibilities and probabilities a hundred times by now, ever since we got home from Kohnhead. Eli especially, because he's the nerd who does all that stuff. I think it's starting to get into our head. It's hard to remember sometimes that it doesn't matter what the probabilities are, because in the end we just have to go and play the game, and what happens, happens."

Mike Rodney strode up to the group and immediately walked over to Nicole. He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek, which she obliged.

"Jax, we're getting ready to get on the bus now. The DISC lackeys will be mad if we're late again."

"Heard, thanks. I'll join y'all in a minute." Jaxon nodded, and Mike went on his way. Once he was out of earshot, he continued. "You make a cute couple, you know that?"

"Me and Mike?" Nicole asked, blushing a bit. "Thanks, I guess."

"I like you two together. I know you guys are all in the honeymoon phase and just seeing each other every once in awhile, so Mike isn't gonna say anything."

"Say anything about what?" Cam asked, suddenly concerned.

"I kinda feel like a dick for this, but somebody's gotta say it. You know our deal now. You know who we are ... what we are." Jaxon motioned to his chest. "At some point, you're gonna have to make a decision. Mike is too nice of a guy to do anything about it."

"What do you mean?" Nicole asked, quieter.

"The facts of the situation is that you're mortal, and we're not. You can go and have a happy relationship with Mike or whatever. Go on fun dates and sightsee and spend nights together and maybe even move in with him or something. But you're going to grow old, and wither, and die. And he's not. We're not. You're a fool if you think that he's going to be willing or able to change that situation for you."

The room was oddly silent after that. The rest of the Eleven had already left, so it was just Jaxon and the three girls. Cam and Sarah were looking between Jaxon and Nicole, absolutely awestruck. This is not what they expected to hear today.

"You're going to have to cut things off eventually, or else you'll be stuck in probably one of the worst romantic situations possible. Trust me, I know from firsthand experience. If I were you, I'd do it sooner, rather than later. It'll hurt less in the long run."

"O-okay ..." Nicole replied weakly.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a match to play." Jaxon turned to leave. As he reached the door, he stopped and turned around. "Don't think this is me telling you guys to go away, or something. I like your company. It's cool having people who really know us. Just ... you have to be realistic with the circumstances. Somebody has to say it."

Once he left, Cam and Sarah turned to look at Nicole, who was staring at the lounge table in front of them.

"I ... I hadn't really thought about that yet ..." Nicole murmured. Cam came over and offered a side hug, and Sarah reluctantly joined in.

After a long silence, Sarah spoke up. "So, are you going to break up with him or something?"

"No," Nicole replied after some hesitation.

"What? You're going to stay with him? Despite what's gonna happen?"

"No," Nicole said again, this time more firmly. "I'm going on the Undying Quest."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:22 pm

Expired 1

Nicole Warren was a player in the twilight of her career. She was now 44 years old. Though the Drawkian lifespan is longer, and many athletes can play well into their 40s, the signs of degradation were clear in Nicole's play. It's the goal of most professional DLK players to still be on contract by their 50th birthday, because that's the sign of a long-lived and well-played career. Nicole would probably have no issues making it that far, but she wouldn't be the star she once was. Even now, she couldn't claim to be.

The perils of aging are something nobody can escape, even someone who's reached the pinnacle of sporting excellence. Despite this, Nicole Warren had a long life to look forward to in retirement from pro sports. Many Drawkians live to be 150 years old if they take care of themselves, and Nicole was likely to hit such a mark.

Nicole Warren was no longer interested in what an actuarial scientist had to say about her life expectancy. She was now going to take matters into her own hands.

It had been almost two cycles, nearly 4 years since Jaxon Madison gave Nicole an ultimatum. She was dating one of the Elite Eleven now, and she knew their secret. She knew that while she would age and eventually die, the same could not be said for her lover, Mike Rodney. The Eleven were immortals, and it was only a matter of time before the relationship would fall apart. Jaxon told her she would have to leave the relationship before it was too late, or suffer the consequences.

She had other plans though. In the years since, she had withdrawn to focus more on her domestic game, getting lost in her work. She kept seeing Mike, and their budding romance blossomed into something beautiful. But the words of Jaxon continued to echo through her mind whenever she laid next to her snoozing lover at night. She can't last forever. This relationship can't last forever. It ate at her, gnawing at her heart and toying with her soul.

She kept appearances up the best she could, though. Mike was either oblivious or really good at acting, because he never seemed to notice or mention it. Cam Cross and Sarah Arrowsword, the two other old Corps members who were privy to the Eleven's secret, knew of the ultimatum and could tell it was bumming Nicole out, but she hid the deep emotional toll she was taking. When the ultimatum was given she had boldly proclaimed she would take the Undying Quest. She would gain immortality for herself and be with her lover until the ends of time or space, whichever came first. Since then, she hadn't done a single thing about it.

Like it or not, the idea of traveling to a faraway realm and traveling through a gauntlet of mythical beings and tests of strength, skill, will, and resolve sounded ... fantastical. Too fake to be true. It also didn't sound like a very fun time. Sure, there were magic users in Drawkland, but they were few and far between. Many didn't possess the skills or know-how to achieve the magical feats of the old times, so they began to seem more and more like fun novelties. Even the Drawkionels themselves, who everyone knew for a fact were immortal beings, who Nicole had met and talked to on several occasions, seemed more like constructs than real people.

She had nowhere else to withdraw to, so she focused on her play on the pitch. Back in Drawkland since many Drawkians had withdrawn from overseas play, Nicole kept plugging away and spending more and more time in the weight room, in the practice facilities, even doing practices with the Elite Eleven themselves to keep her game at a constant level. But it never seemed to be enough. She always felt a step slower, a move behind where she could be. Holes she could plug up with ease in her prime were now left just barely open enough for an opponent to score. If anything, it only shoveled more fuel into the fire of her own existential crisis.

After losing the DLK Cup final thanks to a blown tackle that led to a decisive goal, Nicole decided enough was enough. While the media pundits and fans proclaimed her as old news, a washed-up ex-NT veteran on the inside track to retirement, she tuned it all out. It was time to take a stand.

Nicole decided to take a vacation, a trip to the scenic wilderness of the Elstrund Valley. It was a place she'd been many times before, mostly because the Drawkionel and former Drawkland NT midfielder Ellzidan lived there. Occasionally the Kick Corps had retreats and practice sessions in the valley, where the air was fresh and the grass around the roots of the tree was immaculate. This time though, Nicole wasn't going to see the sights. She was going to speak to the Elf herself.

She arrived in her room inside the massive tree named Elstrund, and she expected to have to wait. The Elf was busy, sometimes disappearing for weeks or months on end. This time though, she was taken a little bit by surprise.

"So you've come to visit my tree, and you didn't even drop a note for me?" Ellzidan asked, having silently entered the room. Nicole gave a cry of surprise. Her back had been turned to the door as she was putting away her suitcase.

"Ah! Ellzidan! I didn't ... expect to see you here. So soon." She quickly turned around.

"So soon? What ever do you mean?" the elf responded cheekily.

"Well, I just ... you don't seem to be around, a lot. I expected to have to wait for you."

"Wait for me? What for?" she once again asked with a grin.

"It feels like you're making fun of me now!" Nicole exclaimed. She was still a little on edge, actually counting on having a bit of time before confronting Ellzidan, because she still had no idea how to approach the conversation she wanted to have.

"Oh Nicole, I've missed you. You're so fun to tease sometimes. I know why you're here." Ellzidan said, suddenly. Nicole was once again mentally sent scrambling.

"Really? Why am I here then?"

"It's simple. You, a mortal, have fallen in love with someone who isn't. And you're too stubborn to let it go and live a normal life."

"How did you know?" Nicole was still awestruck.

"I have my sources, dear child. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of advice to give you."

"What do you mean? You've done all this before, right?"

"I have. And that's why my only advice is this: don't."

"Ellzidan ... I've been thinking about this for many years. I've made up my mind now. This is something I really want to do."

"Do you think this is some storybook? Do you think everything will work out for you? Just because you know a dozen or so people have succeeded with this, you think you can too?" Ellzidan stepped closer, seemingly towering over Nicole despite being about the same height. "I have lived a hundred lifetimes. I have known a thousand people like you. All you hear are the successes, the wonders of people who defied the odds to become something greater. You're a professional athlete. You know how hard it is to become the best at something. You've known hundreds of people who seemed like good players, who could become something. And then they floundered. They dropped. They became nothing.

"You've played against thousands of players, and many of them were only people filling a hole because they were in the right place at the right time. Even you, a solid defender who was at one time on a national team for a top-level nation, weren't even close to being what people consider elite. And in this ridiculous Undying Quest, only the truly elite, the ones whose names would be etched on stadiums and trophies and memories for generations, could come close to achieving something like immortality.

"The fact that Eleven people in one group managed to succeed is still bizarre to me. It's bizarre to anybody who truly knows the horrors of the maze. To think you could replicate that yourself is nothing more than folly."

Ellzidan paused, seemingly being done with her spiel for the moment. Nicole had shrunk back, eventually going to sit on the edge of the bed. She tried speaking multiple times and nothing came out. Maybe the Elf was right. Maybe she was just being stupid.

"Nicole, I am fond of you. I'm fond of many players on the old Corps. And that's exactly why I'm telling you that you shouldn't do this. Go off and find someone else to give you tips and tricks and advice, if you insist. But I won't play accessory to what will, in a vast likelihood, be your end."

Once again, the room fell silent. Nicole could hear the faint sounds of the peaceful valley outside the room.

"Now, go and enjoy your weekend here. We can play some ball on the Roots Field if you'd like, just let me know. I'll be around." The Elf left as suddenly and silently as she had arrived.

Nicole had a lot of thinking to do.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:24 pm

Expired 2

While Nicole Warren had a pleasant weekend at Elstrund, she left no closer to her goal. She had hoped the wise Elf would've given her helpful advice on how to further her ability in starting or completing the Undying Quest, as it was called, but all she had told her was to quit it. It was hard advice, and probably the advice she needed to hear. She wouldn't be discouraged, though. She'd been turning over the options in her head for 4 years now, after all.

If there was a silver lining to the Elstrund trip, it was that she was able to hone her skills a bit more. It had been awhile since she'd played or practiced with the experienced elf; it was almost a feeling of nostalgia as Ellzidan put her and some domestic players that happened to be there through some impromptu drills and scrimmages. It seemed that Ellzidan could sense the cloudy and contorted feelings within Nicole and her desire to escape from them whenever she could. She obliged, and thus the elf drilled her especially hard. It was good. Nicole had been mostly self-disciplined for the last few cycles of her self-imposed harder practice habits, and sometimes she'd lack the will to really put her over the edge. Having a hard outside influence that knew her limits and potential was fantastic for her.

The weekend ended though, and Nicole said a final goodbye to Ellzidan before heading back to her home in Kayo. Perhaps Ellzidan had a point in trying to convince her away from taking the Quest. It wouldn't stop her from talking to a few more people, though. And there were plenty more people to talk to about it.

Having spoken to one of the sports-loving Drawkionels, Nicole figured she would try to speak with Iarocav next. After all, it seemed useless to try and gain an audience with Drawkionels that hardly knew of her existence, much less willing to give her advice about how to become immortal. Unfortunately for her, she'd have to do a little more than simply show up in Iarocav's general area to get his attention, unlike Ellzidan.

It would be a month or so before she could find the time or possibility to speak to Iarocav. Fortune would prove to be on her side though. When Nicole went looking for an opportunity to meet with the Supreme Drawkionel, she discovered a fundraiser being held by the Sadeg State athletics department for cancer research. Sadeg State, being one of Iarocav's many alma maters, and a college he personally helped construct and expand, asks him to attend almost every event they hold. Nicole decided to mark her calendar for the event. Ideally there'd be a staging area for the more famous guests of the event, and she could talk to him more personally there. At worst, she could at least get a few words in at the event itself and set up a later date to talk about it.

The latter of the two outcomes ended up being the case for Nicole. There was indeed a small private area for the VIP attendees of the event to have some space alone. Iarocav was a busy man however, and he only stayed at the event for a short time. She was thankfully able to get a word with him right before he left.

"Hey there sir, um, Iarocav," Nicole started, a little awkwardly. Even with her experience speaking with Ellzidan, it was still a weird experience talking to basically a living legend.

"Hello," Iarocav spun around, having nearly left the staging room. "Ah, Nicole Warren! The prolific Drawkian defender. Always a pleasure."

"Thank you," Nicole replied, moving forward to shake the Drawkionel's hand.

"I must say, it's a little weird seeing a player who's spent most her career overseas at a Sadeg State event. What brings you all the way out here?"

"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about something, if you had the time."

"That's too bad. I have to run for a government errand. Would you be able to talk another time?"

"Uh, sure! What time could I meet with you, if it isn't too much trouble?"

"Let me check real quick," Iarocav replied, pulling out his phone to check his calendar. "Could you meet me next week? At my place in Centivar County, if that wouldn't be too strange for you. I'm not sure if you've been there before."

"I haven't," Nicole replied quickly. You'd never forget visiting something as iconic as the Supreme Drawkionel's mansion. "I could make it out there, though."

"Perfect! I have to go now, but I'll look forward to seeing you there! Farewell for now!" he said, and he strode out of the room with purpose. Nicole finally had her chance to talk to the Drawkionel directly, exactly what she wanted. So why was she still feeling anxious about it?

The week came and went. It was the offseason, so Nicole didn't have much to do besides study film and practice physical skills by herself. She put together some notes to rehearse and steer the conversation with. She would probably only have one shot of this, so she had to make it count.

Wanting to stay up north to cut down on travel expenses, Nicole decided to ask Cam Cross if she could stay at her place in Jaffro for the week. Unfortunately Cam was tied up with a retreat for the week, but she did give Nicole permission to use her guest bedroom and housesit for the week. The trip to Centivar County wouldn't take as long this way. The day of the appointment, Nicole woke up early and went along the road in silence. She was never the most talkative member of the Corps, but she'd become even more reserved over the past few years.

After grabbing an early lunch in Drawk City, Nicole made her way through the more wooded area south of Drawk City that led to Centivar County. Despite the massive urban sprawl and hyperdevelopment of the high-tech cities across Drawkland, Iarocav and the other Drawkionels always did their best to retain the green spaces in between. Navigating a rather sparse highway led her over one final hill, and when she topped it she could see a small lush valley with a few massive houses dotting the landscape. In the foreground stood Iarocav's Manor, and her destination.

It took a few minutes to go through the security protocols, but thankfully they knew Nicole was coming so the process was much quicker. She brought her car through the driveway and into a garage courtyard she was directed to, and when she had parked, Iarocav was waiting at the door.

"Nicole Warren! Glad you made it here safely!" the Drawkionel proclaimed as she strode his way.

"Iarocav, Supreme Drawkionel, Keeper of the ... something or other." Nicole tried to start with a bit of humor. "How many titles have they given you over the years?"

"Too many," he grinned. "If I didn't write them down I'd have forgotten them all by now. Come in! Have you eaten already?"

"I did. I went through a drive thru in Drawk City on my way in."

"Excellent. If you'd like a drink then simply ask. If not, we can head straight for my office."

The pair traveled through part of the house, and eventually made it to Iarocav's home office. Once Nicole had made herself comfortable, Iarocav began the conversation from his side of his desk.

"I feel rude to rush you all the way here, but I'm sure you aren't around to get a grand tour."

"I would appreciate such an honor, but you're right." Nicole responded quickly.

"Right, so there is something you want to discuss with me, something that's uniquely in my wheelhouse. I know you wouldn't come to me if it weren't necessary. Not many people have the ability to ask for an audience with me, and most that do are too timid to use it. Which is unfortunate, because I love talking to people. It's one of the great things about living so long: I get to talk to so many people, and learn so many things about how people view the world. Before I get off topic though, let's cut to the chase. What do you need from me today?"

"Well, s-sir, I have a few questions about your early history." Nicole started, mentally scrambling to remember the notes she'd written.

"Something you can't read from a history textbook, I presume?" Iarocav leaned forward in his chair with a hint of a smile.

"Yes, sort of. I wanted to ask you ... well, I wanted to know some tips on how to become immortal. Like you, the Drawkionels, or the Eleven."

Iarocav's slight smile disappeared, but he didn't seem to be any more stern. He started rubbing his chin and responded. "That's quite an interesting ask, Nicole. Not something I would expect from you."

"Listen, I know what you're probably thinking," Nicole replied quickly, recalling some of the things she expected him to say. "I'm an athlete in the twilight of my career, I have ties to people who've achieved immortality, and all of that. I promise you that my reasons for asking this aren't so silly or shallow."

"There's only so many reasons one could have to undertake such a perilous quest. Which is it for you?"

"Love." Nicole said breathlessly. The word felt silly almost the moment they escaped her mouth.

"Love?" he replied, seeming a little surprised. "Have you fallen in love with an immortal?"

"Yes. One of the Elite Eleven, ironically enough." She chuckled slightly, and Iarocav followed suit. "Mike Rodney."

"So you were faced with the decision to either give up your love or give up your mortality. And that's led you to me."

"Right. I already went to Ellzidan, and she already told me what I'm sure you're going to tell me, that it's an awful idea, not worth doing, that I'm worth more than this, or something. I came here just in case you were willing to offer me more than that."

"Well you're right about that much. All of those things are true. This is a fool's errand, Nicole."

Nicole stayed silent. She began to feel the dejection she'd felt a month ago at Elstrund. She was about to speak up again and apologize.

"But! That being said," Iarocav continued, "The fact that you've come this far, far enough to request an audience with me of all people, shows me that you're determined about this. This is no impulsive decision."

Nicole looked back up at him, the shock visible on her face.

Iarocav leaned forward with a smile. "I will tell you everything I know."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:26 pm

Expired 3

When Nicole had arrived at Iarocav's Manor, the sun was high in the sky and the light shone bright through the office window. By the time Iarocav was done recounting his advice to Nicole, the sun had sunk behind the hills and the sky was starting to redden for sundown.

"I have to admit, a lot of the advice I've told you today is probably extraneous. The big things you have to remember are how to get to the maze, the kind of dangers you'll face within, and how to finish the job. I actually have a little notebook I've compiled with the essential information somewhere in my library, if you're interested."

"That would actually be perfect!" Nicole said, having already written several pages of notes from what Iarocav had told her over the past few hours.

"Alright, well come along then. My library is in the next room." The Drawkionel stood up from his chair, stretched, and walked to a side door.

Nicole followed suit, and Iarocav opened the door to reveal a two-story room filled end-to-end and top-to-bottom with bookshelves. The second level featured a balcony which also had bookshelves covering nearly all the walls. He closed the door behind them, and when he turned back around he started a bit. Somebody else was already in the library.

"Lerocav! What are you doing here?" Iarocav asked, clearly bewildered. After all, his son had his own home and family. It's not everyday he'd frequent his father's manor.

"What does it look like?" Lerocav responded, gesturing to the thick volume in his hands. "I'm reading something. I was looking for that one book about the MadManian drug trade, found it here."

"So you just barged into my home uninvited? At least drop me a text." Iarocav started walking to a specific bookcase and rifled through the shelves.

"You think I want to be here either? Smells like old man in here." Lerocav sniffed for effect.

"Maybe if your book collection wasn't in such a shoddy state you wouldn't have to bum off of your 'old man's' collection. Especially because this seems like a subject that'd be right up your alley."

"Listen, you loan one book to a friend, then you forget about it, then they die, and boom! The book's gone in an estate sale, nowhere to be found. By then it's out of print because it's already 200 years old."

"All you're doing right now is giving me more reasons to kick you out of my library!"

Nicole, having never met the Drawkionel's eldest son before, and also being thoroughly out of the league of having centuries-old book collections, simply stood awkwardly at the door. Lerocav had run out of comebacks for the moment though, and returned to his book with a shake of his head. He looked up suddenly, having only just noticed Nicole's presence.

"Oh! Who is this?" Lerocav asked, putting his book down. "Wait, don't tell me. It's on the tip of my tongue. You're .... hold on, starts with an N, right?"

Nicole nodded slightly, rocking on her heels and absently thumbing the pages of her notebook.

"Nnnnn ... Nicole! Nicole Warren!" Lerocav snapped his fingers when he got it. "One of the old Corps defenders, right?"

"Yup, that's me." Nicole replied, still feeling a bit out of place.

"Cool to have you here! What's going on? Some sort of meetup I wasn't told about?" Lerocav looked back over his shoulder at his father, who had just found the book he was looking for. Rather, the secret lever he was looking for. He pulled at a specific book, and suddenly the entire bookshelf slid outwards and sideways to reveal a secret bookshelf behind it.

"Oooooh, he's broken into the secret bookshelf. You must be talking TiSoFaH," Lerocav deduced. "Or some kind of magical wackiness. Don't just stand there, come on and check it out!" He beckoned Nicole to come closer, standing up from the chair he'd been lounging in.

"I have to say, having a literal secret bookshelf in your mansion library seems really cliche." Nicole mused as she reluctantly came closer.

"Cliche indeed!" Iarocav laughed. "I always say, what's the point of having a library in your mansion if you don't have at least one secret bookshelf in it? Also son, you've appeared to have forgotten your manners."

"What do you- oh yeah, you're right." Lerocav groaned in understanding. He turned over to Nicole. "My dearest apologies, but my father seems to have forgotten to introduce me, the fantastic host he is."

"You're technically intruding on my house right now, so really you should've been introducing yourself to me as well."

"Stuff it, grandpa!" Lerocav shot back, before turning to Nicole again and giving a sympathetic smile. "I'm Lerocav, the First Child of Drawkland, or something like that. I assume I was a multiple choice test question on a middle school history test for you." He offered a hand to shake.

Nicole accepted the shake and offered a half-genuine smile in return. "I'm Nicole, but I guess you already figured out who I am."

"Of course, we both figured each other out. Then some stuffy old guy wanted to make me look dumb, so he insisted on this formality. And now we're all caught up!"

"Aren't you also, like ..." Nicole paused for a moment to think. "A thousand years old? I'd say you're also really old."

"I was afraid you'd say that. You insult me!" Lerocav responded with joking bravado. "Now I must defend my honor. Father, are duels still legal?"

"Duels were outlawed at least 50 years before you were even born." Iarocav shot back, finally selecting a couple worn-looking books from a bottom shelf. "Try again."

"Drat, I suppose I'll just have to accept this heinous roast and go on with my life!" Lerocav dramatically wiped his brow, before looking back to see what books Iarocav was holding. "Oh. That's the dangerous book. Just what are you up to, Nicole Warren of the Kick Corps?"

"I'm going on the Undying Quest." Nicole said firmly. "Thinking about it, at least."

"How irresponsible!" Lerocav put his hands on his hips. "I'll have you know that I would never do something so stupid."

"Yes, instead you became immortal by virtue of being the first fruit of my loins!" Iarocav said, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Dad, that is horrendously inappropriate. There is a proper lady in our presence!"

"Back in my day, we had to EARN our immortality by going on a life-threatening quest and facing perils unknown to mortal men!" Iarocav responded, in a fake grandpa voice. "Now these young whippersnappers like you get immortality thrust upon them without even trying. What has this world come to?"

"I'd say if this world has come to anything, it's on you, man. You've been in charge the entire time."

"Fair point. Now, enough jawing, I can tell Nicole is feeling more and more alienated every time you open your mouth." Iarocav put an end to the quipping and turned back to Nicole. "Here, take this book. It's a copy of the abridged notebook I wrote after my second time going through the Quest. I have plenty of copies, so don't worry about returning it. I would ask that you not let anybody else see it unless you're taking them with you."

"Of course." Nicole said immediately, reaching to accept the book.

"I'm putting a great deal of trust in you right now." Iarocav put the book in Nicole's hands, but didn't let go of it. "A lot of this information is dangerous in the wrong hands. You have to be incredibly careful, no matter what you do from now on. Not to mention, your intent to take this Quest should remain confidential. Need to know basis."

Nicole nodded solemnly, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I understand."

Iarocav raised his chin to look at Nicole a moment longer, then nodded and let go of the book. "Good, then. Now, what are the things I told you to do before going on the Quest?"

"Um, I need to be in top physical condition." Nicole started, and the two men nodded.

"Good. And what else?"

"I need to learn physical combat. Electronics don't work in the realm, so only the most basic firearms are even functional."

"Correct. I'd say you need to find someone to teach you hand-to-hand and handheld weapon combat, but you already know the best one in the world. You've got dozens of caps with her, after all." Iarocav winked at that last sentence.

"Wow, you're really going to say Ellzidan is the best at hand-to-hand combat? Not yours truly? I'm truly insulted, father."

"Of course. What's your all-time head-to-head sparring record against the Elf again? I seem to have forgotten in my old age."

Lerocav muttered something, but didn't speak up.

"That's what I thought. Now, what else, Nicole?"

"I also need to learn magic, if it's possible." Nicole opened her notebook to see what else she wrote.

"Yes. Most people don't have the genetic ability to wield arcane power, but if you have even a little bit, a good protection or harming spell can go a long way. Though I'm not sure if there's anybody I can recommend that wouldn't be a little suspicious as to the intent of your training."

"Hm. Don't you play for the Queens? The Kayo Queens?" Lerocav asked, brows furrowed.

"I have for the past few seasons, yes." Nicole replied.

"Couldn't she just ask Kanyo then?" Lerocav turned to his father. "Kanyo doesn't care that much about sports, but Nicole is a star player who's been there for a few seasons. Surely Kanyo knows of her, if not actually met her before?"

"Of course!" Iarocav exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't realize that already. Lero is right. I can talk to Kanyo in arranging a training session or retreat with you. That will solve all of your problems here. Plus, you can get even more advice about immortality and the Quest itself. It's always good to get more points of view, especially if one of us forgets something about it. It has been a long time since we've been there, after all."

"He's right about that. Do you know the Elite Eleven?" Lerocav asked.

Nicole laughed. "Yes, I know them quite well. One of them is the entire reason I'm doing this, actually."

"No shit!" Lerocav gaped. "Who?! Spill the tea!"

"Mike Rodney. We've been sorta dating for like 5 years."

"That's crazy! Is he going to do it with you to help? Like a chaperone?"

"No, actually." Nicole shifted uncomfortably. "He doesn't know that I'm doing this at all. I haven't told anybody."

"I don't think I like that." Lerocav shook his head incredulously. "He oughta be helping you. Kind of a dick move to force you into doing something awful like this and leaving you out to dry."

"He's not making me do anything." Nicole insisted. "I realized a few years ago that I would have to either give him up, or resign myself to slowly dying while he lives on. I didn't like either of those options. I'm ... in love with him, and I don't want to lose him."

"True love, eh?" Lerocav replied after a quiet moment. "Well there's one person that would be excellent to talk to about that. Isn't that right, dad?"

"Oh, you're absolutely right." Iarocav nodded in understanding.

"Who do you mean?" Nicole asked, grabbing her notebook again.

"Only the greatest woman I know." Iarocav said with a grin. He shook his finger at Nicole getting her notebook, then checked his watch. "You won't need to make an appointment. It's nearly 8pm, so she's finished her evening workout and gotten out of her post workout shower. She should be looking for me right now. In fact, she'll probably be here any second ..."

Right on cue, it seemed, a woman with dark cinnamon-colored hair strode through the doorway and into the library.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:28 pm

Expired 4

The woman walked comfortably into the room. Once she noticed Nicole, her face lit up and she gave a small wave.

"Hello there! Welcome to my home!" She walked up to Nicole and offered her hand to shake. "I am Meliauden, wife of Iarocav, First Lady of Drawkland, and so on, and so forth. I'm sure you knew that already."

"Yes, thank you!" Nicole smiled and accepted her hand. "I'm Nicole Warren. One of the old Kick Corps players."

"Ah, I thought you looked familiar. Good to have you here! Let me apologize, I'm not dressed for company right now." Meliauden was wearing a tank top and sweatpants. Definitely loungewear for around the house. "If only somebody had, ahem, informed me we were going to have a guest tonight!" She sent a pointed look towards Iarocav.

"My mistake!" Iarocav conceded. "I did set the appointment on my calendar though."

"Did you tell the staff that? I don't think any of the rooms are made up."

"Oh, thank you, but I'm not planning to stay the night." Nicole said quickly.

"Nonsense!" Meliauden replied. "It's nearly dark out, and I know you don't live anywhere near here. We'll let you stay the night in one of our guest rooms. Trust me, they aren't getting much use at the moment."

"I'll get right on that." Iarocav slid his bookshelf back into place, and then jogged out of the room.

"He forgot to tell the staff to prepare a guest room, so he'll be the one to handle it himself." Meliauden turned from Nicole to Lerocav. "As for you, dear son, I didn't know you'd be here either. Attempting to abscond with another of your father's books I see?"

"I wasn't going to take it!" Lerocav protested. "I was just in here for a read. In fact, I was just about to leave."

"Well, it was nice seeing you for a moment. You'll be here for dinner next week, right?"

"You know it. Oh, and it was nice meeting you Nicole," Lerocav turned to shake Nicole's hand again. "Good luck with your ... thing."

"What thing is that?" Meliauden asked with raised eyebrows. Lerocav replaced his book on the shelf and left the room with a wave.

"The reason I'm here." Nicole hesitated. She just realized she was alone with Meliauden. "I'm going on the Quest. The Undying Quest, I mean."

Meliauden nodded solemnly. "That's no easy decision. But you've made it this far, so I assume that you have your heart set on it."

"Well, I think I will." Nicole oozed uncertainty with every word. "I still have a lot of preparation to do. And I still might change my mind. It's strange because I felt so confident years ago when I first had the idea ... but it seems that every day I feel less and less confident about it."

"It's actually smart to have some caution. I have seen some people blaze through the Quest prep, thinking they have immortality in their palms, and they're never seen again. I'm not sure anybody who goes in without doubts comes back out alive."

"I'm not sure if that's comforting or discouraging."

"A bit of both, hopefully. What's more important is the intent behind your Quest. All those fools that go in with all the confidence in the world are doing it for their own glory, for personal gain. They have nobody in mind but themselves."

Nicole quickly shook her head. "That's not my intent at all. The thought of doing this at all hadn't crossed my mind until a few years ago."

"So what was this catalyst then?" Meliauden asked, sitting in the chair behind her.

Nicole awkwardly followed suit, sitting in the chair next to Meliauden's. "It was almost four years ago now. Me and some other old Corps members were hinted things about the Elite Eleven by Ellzidan. We did some investigations and eventually learned of their secret, their immortality. Along the way I accidentally started dating one of them, Mike Rodney, and I ended up falling in love."

"Falling in love with an immortal! I know how that feels."

The comprehension fell upon Nicole in an instant. Of course! Meliauden was Iarocav's wife, but she didn't meet him until well after he became immortal. "You must know exactly how this feels!"

"Something like that." Meliauden closed her eyes and reminisced. "Back in the days of my youth, Iarocav courted me, and I quickly fell in love. It was a little different from you, I imagine. Back in those days, pictures were hard to come by, mostly in paintings and such. You wouldn't see paintings often, though, if you were just a regular working person. I knew of Iarocav, but he was simply a distant figure, someone you know by name but nothing more. He had kept his identity a secret from me when we first met, having only seen me incidentally. Apparently in the past he'd had trouble finding love because he was bombarded with ... how would you call it these days ... 'gold diggers.' He resolved many years before I was born that he would keep his identity a secret if he ever tried dating again.

"I'm still surprised at how he managed to keep such a secret. It wasn't until after a year of our relationship that he revealed his true self to me. It was ... jarring at first, but I understood why he did it. I was a little put off by the mistruth, but it didn’t change how I felt about him. Of course, by then we were discussing marriage and all of that. Before he would propose, however, he did have several long talks about mortality with me. He was immortal, and I wasn't. He told me that he wouldn't propose to me unless I agreed to attempt the Undying Quest."

"I understand that feeling." Nicole said quietly. "I experienced the same thing. Well, sort of. Mike and I had been dating officially for about a year. Nothing too serious, but a real relationship. Eventually it was another of the Eleven, Jaxon Madison, who took me aside and told me the hard truth. Either I was going to have to break up with him soon, or come to terms with the fact that I am mortal and he isn't."

"He never mentioned the Quest?"

"No." Nicole confirmed. "I took that idea upon myself."

Meliauden appeared concerned. "Have you talked with your lover about it before? You said this was years ago."

"It was a decent amount of time ago. I haven't talked to Mike about it at all. I've tried a few times but he brushes it off. It's like he doesn't want to think about it. Jaxon was right in saying that Mike wouldn't be the one to end things on this account. I think he's afraid to talk about anything surrounding this."

"Excuse me for this, but I don't like that at all. If he truly loves you then he should be willing to come to terms with this. Especially if you're going to go through with this. The maze and Quest are difficult enough alone. The help of a partner can be invaluable, especially one who's been through it before. You clearly need him enough to consider going through one of the most difficult gauntlets of all the realms. He should need you enough to lend you his help. Otherwise it shouldn't be worth it at all."

Nicole pondered this in her head for a few moments. It had never occurred to her before, but what Meliauden was saying was true. She was about to embark on a massive journey that may even be her end, and he wouldn't even consider talking about it.

"You should try talking to him again," Meliauden continued. "I think that's the most important part of preparation. More important than anything written in there." She tapped a finger on the notebooks Nicole was holding.

"I think you're right. I'll have to talk to him soon."

"Good then. And keep in touch with me! I would love to give you more help if you want it. I'll give you my number if you'd like."

"I'll think about it." Nicole smiled.

"Alright, I've got a room ready for you!" Iarocav appeared at the entrance of the library. I don't know what time you want to go to bed, but I'll show you there now just so you know where it is."

"Oh, thank you!" Nicole called out, shooting up from her seat.

Meliauden followed suit and stood up. "I'm sure this would be a great time for the grand tour. I'm sure you've been dying to show everything off."

"Absolutely correct," Iarocav replied. He turned to Nicole. "If you don't mind, of course."

"No, I would love to see around the place." Nicole laughed a bit. "It's not everyday you're inside a national landmark."

"That's the spirit!" Iarocav replied with gusto. "Now, down this first hallway are the more work-related rooms..."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:29 pm

Expired 5

It had been a week since Nicole had visited Iarocav's Manor. In that time, she'd gone back home to Kayo, pored through the notes the Drawkionel had given her, and made plans to spend the next week with Mike. After that week was over, Iarocav said he'd made plans for her to meet with Kanyo for training purposes. This weekend she had plans to watch the next home qualifying match for Drawkland, but the qualifying schedule dictated that the Elite Eleven take a quick plane elsewhere for the return tie. She wouldn't be able to spend any time with her lover. The international cycle was usually tough in keeping the two apart, but the current events in Nicole's life made the loneliness all the more potent.

Nicole received a knock on the door Friday afternoon. She was confused, as she hadn't invited anybody over and rarely got solicitation or neighborly greetings in her downtown condo building. She opened the door to reveal none other than Cam Cross standing in her doorway.

"Cam?!" Nicole exclaimed, shock evident in her face.

"Hi Nicole!" Cam yelled back. She was wearing a Drawkland Kick Corps hat and a replica jersey with jeans. Well, it actually wasn't a replica jersey, considering she'd worn it on the pitch in the World Cup many times. She also had an overnight bag at her side. "I wanted to surprise you! I hope you're doing alright!"

"I'm doing fine!" Nicole said, very clearly surprised. Cam had achieved her goal in spades. "I didn't even know you wanted to come to this game!"

"Oh yes, of course, the home tie against Freechi. A very high profile match which I wouldn't miss for the world." Cam responded snarkily. "I came to see you! If there's one good thing that came out of the return of the qualifying home game tour, it was a chance to see you. Plus, I know you probably won't be able to hang out with Mike tonight since they have to leave for the doubleheader, so I thought you could use the company."

"That's really sweet, Cam." Nicole was honestly touched by the gesture. She didn't want to get all emotional standing at the door of her apartment though, so she asked Cam to come inside.

The pair decided to get lunch together, then went down to Kanyo Pitch to watch the game. Being the place where Nicole now played her home games in the domestic season, she was highly familiar with the venue and they got to their box quickly. As with most of the home qualifying matches, DISC had a couple boxes bought out for employees or national team members.

Being a match against one of the lower squads in the qualifying group though, the box was not very populated. There were a couple players from the Base Corps and Grid Corps, but none that Cam or Nicole knew very well. They mostly kept to themselves, and the box had enough space that they were relatively secluded. Not that it mattered of course, for most of the game they were paying attention and cheering on the Elite Eleven representing Drawkland.

The first match against Freechi hadn't gone very well. The away match at Nadoia Stadium in Makiny was plagued with bad weather and sloppy play, which held the Elite Eleven to an unusually meager 1 goal showing. This time, the script would be flipped. Playing with home field advantage and clear skies, the Elite Eleven scored early, thanks to a goal by none other than Mike Rodney in the 20th minute. From then on, the Eleven found the lead safe enough to try going for risky and tricky shots.

This practice was what the Elite Eleven liked to call "highlight baiting." Playing against a weak opponent unlikely to put up much trouble, in front of a favorable home crowd, after taking an early lead, they'd try to make crazy or unbelievable shots. Stuff you'd see on an internet "BEST GOALS OF THE WORLD CUP 87 SEASON COMPILATION" video. It didn't always pay off, as there'd been plenty of games where the Eleven not only didn't get any highlight-worthy shots or goals, but actually ended up conceding too many goals and dropping points. Of course they would never do such a thing in a game that mattered, like knockouts or the World Cup proper, but it was controversial nonetheless.

The girls cheered as they did, but the 1-0 scoreline at halftime was not too inspiring in either direction. They'd jaw back and forth about how they better not drop points, how tight the qualification race is, and all of that, but that's what you'd expect. At halftime, all the other Corps members in the box had left to get specific refreshments from a concession stand, so it was just Cam and Nicole alone for the time being.

"So Nicole, what have you been up to in the offseason so far?" Cam asked. Most of their talk so far had been sports-related, nothing too personal.

Nicole hesitated for a moment. She didn't really want to go in depth to what she'd been doing. After all, Iarocav and the others had stressed the need for secrecy.

This caused Cam to raise her eyebrows a bit. "You there Nicole?"

"Yeah, yeah." Nicole said quickly. "I've just been up to some training. Trying to stay in shape. Stuff like that."

"Hmmm ... it doesn't sound like that's all you've been doing." Cam leaned closer and jabbed her elbow into Nicole's side. "Come on, spill the beans!"

"Fine." Nicole hesitated for a moment longer, but she finally gave in. "I've been prepping. Prepping for the Undying Quest."

"Really?" It was Cam's turn to be surprised. "I thought you'd given up on that. It's been years since you first said you'd do it."

"I figured that I don't have much time left before age really takes hold of me. Not that I care about growing older, but I'm in great physical shape right now and it'll be hard to keep that going as the years go on. Especially if I'm going to do something this tough."

"So what have you been doing? I can't even think of where to begin training for something like that."

"I've been talking to people, mostly. I went to Ellzidan first and she just told me to not do it as soon as I got there, then we practiced some ball for the weekend and she didn't speak of it again. Then I went to Iarocav's Manor, he invited me and gave me an entire walkthrough of the entire process. I have a notebook and everything. I also talked with Lerocav and Meliauden because they happened to be there. It was a whole thing."

"That's amazing!" Cam breathed. "When are you going to do it?"

"I ... still don't know if I'll really go through with it." Nicole admitted. "It's a lot to deal with. There's a lot I still have to do. I have to train with Kanyo apparently to see if I have any arcane abilities that I can use for protection. I'll probably go to learn hand-to-hand combat with Ellzidan. Apparently electronics don't work there so I have to figure out old-school survival tactics. It's no walk in the park."

"No kidding." Cam paused for a moment, looking out at the sparse halftime crowd of the stadium. The fans were flowing back in from the concourse to their seats. In a couple more minutes the game would be resuming. The other Corps people in the box would return any minute now. This isn't something you could talk about in front of other people.

"Well, count me in." Cam said resolutely after the minute of silence.

"What?" Nicole exclaimed.

"Count me in!" Cam repeated. "If you're going to do this stupid, impossible, death wish of a Quest, then you're not doing it without me."

"Cam, you can't-"

"You know damn well I can. You're my best friend, Nicole. And I mean that genuinely, not in a Katie Madison way." The pair laughed, and Cam continued. "You're obviously going to need help with this. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I knew I let you do something like this all alone. Not when I can help it."

"I'm still not comfortable with dragging you along with me." Nicole asserted after a moment of thinking.

"Well think, Nicole! What do all the immortal people you know have in common?"

"They're ... all unable to die?"

"Besides that, you dork." Cam jabbed Nicole again. "They all had help. The Drawkionels had each other. The Elite Eleven went in their group. Even Meliauden had Iarocav along to help her out. You need help, and I'm offering myself. Free of charge. Just call me when you need me."

"...fine." Nicole finally relinquished. "But I still don't think you should."

"You probably shouldn't either! But I'll support you every step of the way. Both emotionally and physically." At this point, the door to the box opened and the other Corps fans returned to their seats. The conversation was over ... for now.

"I'll let you know when things are happening. Especially if I go to Elstrund for ... practice." Nicole winked so Cam could catch her drift.

"It's been awhile since I've been to the valley. I'd love to return."

"Then I'll see you there."

The Elite Eleven had taken the field and the match was about to resume. Life goes on.

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:32 pm

Expired 6

Nicole had spent a week with Mike which had come and gone. The days were spent at the Elite Eleven's facility where they lived and trained, and of course as the qualifying campaign was coming to a close they made sure to spend most of the day practicing or at least staying fit. Nicole joined in for a lot of their drills or helped out. After all, she also had something to train for. In the evenings and breaks she spent all the time she could alone with Mike. Despite all this, she couldn't get herself to talk about the Quest with him yet. It was going to be a tough conversation to have in any case, and she still hadn't fully committed to doing the Quest at all.

Once the week was over, the Eleven had to fly out for more World Cup business, and Nicole flew home to Kayo. Up next was something she dreaded: her training sessions with Kanyo.

Kanyo was one of the five immortal Drawkionels who had presided over Drawkland since its inception, which they themselves had facilitated. The eastern territory, mostly coastal land with a forested and mountainous inland, was specifically ruled by Kanyo. She was the only Drawkionel who was already of royal blood. The others had risen to power through other means, while Kanyo deposed her murderous father to save her life and took her place on the throne as rightful heir. She was the only Drawkionel to have exceptional arcane prowess in her normal lifetime, which accelerated her to become a grandmaster in almost all magical arts over the course of her immortal lifespan.

She was also, far and away, the most bitter about her lost mortality.

Somehow, Nicole felt more nervous about her visit to Kanyo's palace than her visit to Iarocav's Manor. Iarocav may be the more major figure (by a small margin), but she'd at least spoken to Iarocav a few times before. Also, he was way more inviting of a figure than the more reclusive Kanyo. It was strange too, as Nicole had lived in Kayo, the capital city of the territory, for several years now. She even played on the Kayo Queens, which were geographically, culturally, and partially financially, Kanyo's team. She still had a bad gut feeling, and her gut's feelings were well-placed.

Kanyo's palace was located in the center of the sprawling metropolis of Kayo. It was a beautiful structure, having been built many years before her reign and beautifully kept since. Some people called it Her Citadel, as its footprint was large and impressive. The grounds were symmetrical, being formed into 12 equally sized divisions in a circular pattern. The building itself had 12 wings, one for each section. The towers rose in a way pleasing to the eye, with white and pink colored stone making up most of its construction. The gold and black trim served for an interesting contrast, and the palace seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

Half of the palace was available for various public uses, featuring museums, tours, storage, convention areas, and other public spaces. It was easy to get onto the grounds normally, but Nicole had to take a different back way into the palace. Iarocav had come through and arranged the appointment with Kanyo, so the staff were expecting Nicole's arrival. Still, it felt a little strange coming into the private sections of the palace, where almost nobody could be seen roaming around.

Nicole was led to park in a small lot in a private section of the grounds. On one hand she was thankful that someone came out to meet her and lead her to where she needed to go. On the other hand, the woman that came to meet her was pretty weird, in an unsettling sort of way. She only vaguely answered Nicole's questions and completely ignored her attempts at small talk. Thankfully the walk through the palace didn't take that long, and Nicole was able to distract herself by gaping at the incredible architecture and artifacts on display. Having lived in Kayo for years, she'd visited a couple of the public areas of the palace before, but this was entirely new ground.

Eventually she reached her destination, which happened to be the main throne room of the palace. She was taken aback by this, because she had thought she would've gone to an office or some other type of meeting room. Not this ... not a location so hallowed in Drawkian history. Not a location that was so incredibly intimidating when she looked down the room and saw Kanyo, seated on her actual throne, staring her down from a distance.

The aide led her down the center of the room, between the rows of ornate columns holding up the tall cathedral-esque ceiling. They came up to the foot of the steps leading to the throne itself, Kanyo now fully in view. She was dressed in some fancy robes which looked halfway between what an ancient bearded wizard would wear, and what a voluptuous female character in a B-tier MMO video game would wear. It was an interesting sight to behold, and certainly a far cry from the simple polo and slacks Iarocav wore when Nicole met with him months ago.

"Kanyo, Queen of the Lands of Kayo, Immortal Drawkionel of Drawkland, Grandmaster of All Arts, Arcane and Mundane, The Beautiful, The Terrifying, The Artist, and known by Many Other Names. She welcomes you." The aide proclaimed. Nicole was not expecting the entire rigmarole.

"Oh, do I- am I supposed to bow?" Nicole whispered to the aide, but when she looked over, the aide was gone, having retreated out of sight. Nicole looked for anybody else, but she was suddenly alone with the Drawkionel above her. Unnervingly alone. Not sure what to do, she simply bowed her head for a moment, then looked back up.

Kanyo slowly stood up from her throne, and descended down the steps to stop a few feet in front of Nicole. She remained silent as she looked Nicole up and down. Eventually Nicole had to break the silence.

"I am Nicole Warren. One of the Kayo Queens. Iarocav set up this meeting-"

"Yes, yes, of course. One of the athletes." Kanyo cut in, dismissively. "I know why you're here. Let's get on with this."

Without another word (despite a few tries by Nicole to start a conversation), Kanyo led Nicole through the palace again, this time to a private room. It looked like a small gymnasium, or maybe a martial arts dojo. It was ellipsoidal in shape, with another tall ceiling and large banners with arcane symbols hung all over the walls.

"Let me be clear." Kanyo spoke up suddenly, turning to face Nicole. "What you plan to do is foolish. Immortality is a goal nobody should aim for. It's an awful and lonely life. However, Iarocav has once again recommended somebody for my tutelage. This time it's you. I would like to say that there's been so many of you over the years that I've lost count, for dramatic effect, but that's wrong. I never forget those that come to me for this. I'll never forget the people that I've indirectly helped lead to their death ... or to a worse result."

Nicole was stunned silent. She knew that Kanyo, like Ellzidan, was unlikely to be very encouraging, but this was next level.

"Now. You are here because, if you happen to have any sort of magical ability within you, it's important that you learn to use it to defend yourself. A vast, vast majority of people have zero, or trace abilities within them. The possibility of you being able to harness any sort of magic is low. I will do a quick test to see if you have any potential. If you don't, I'll give you a few tips to living with immortality and send you on your way. If you do, we will have a short lesson today, and I'll train you for the next week, or however long I deem necessary. There is not a lot for you to learn right now, but it takes much time to master the skills in a way that you can use them without exerting a large amount of mental or physical effort. You should know how that works, being an athlete of your supposed caliber."

"I understand." Nicole said solemnly. She still had no idea what to expect.

"Come forward." Kanyo instructed simply, and Nicole stepped closer. "I'm going to do three short tests to see what, if any, potential you may have. Just remain still, and close your eyes if you must."

Nicole held her hands together down at her waist, and Kanyo stepped up to her. The Drawkionel raised her arms, grabbing her right elbow with her left hand, and extended her right hand to press against Nicole's forehead. Kanyo closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and Nicole closed her eyes as well. She waited for something to happen, but she felt nothing. Kanyo forcefully exhaled, and opened her eyes.

"Nothing there." Kanyo said simply, then moved her arms again. This time, she grabbed her left wrist with her right hand.

"Excuse me." Kanyo murmured, and she pressed her left hand against Nicole's chest. Once again she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, but once again Nicole felt nothing. Kanyo exhaled and shook her head.

"Nothing there either. One more." Kanyo said curtly. She lifted her arms to face straight ahead of her, palms up. It looked like she was carrying an imaginary pile of books. "Raise your arms and rest them on top of mine." Nicole carefully obliged, her hands resting in the crook of Kanyo's elbows.

For the final time, Kanyo inhaled and closed her eyes. But this time as Nicole closed her eyes, she felt something strange. The hairs on her arm stood up suddenly, and she got goosebumps all over. She opened her eyes to see faint waves coming off of her arms. She looked around and saw almost a green translucent field surrounding her. Kanyo nodded, and opened her eyes as she exhaled.

"That, Nicole, is something."

by **Drawkland** » Sun Nov 19, 2023 10:34 pm

Expired 7

"What was that?!" Nicole exclaimed, watching as the faintly green field around her body started to dissipate.

"That was your aura," Kanyo answered clinically. "It's one of the three magical anchors a person can have. Yours isn't very strong, I'm afraid, but at least it was something. Your other two anchors, your mind and body, had nothing to them. No offense to your actual brain and physical skill of course, but they have no ability to channel magical energy. Your aura, an extension of your energy, seems to have something though."

"So what can I do with that?" Nicole asked, trying to mask her excitement. She had been to a few magic shows before, but they were mostly just demonstrations of visual prowess. Wizards and warlocks and other demonstrators would go on stage and make spectacular arrangements and cool-looking light flashes. It was like watching a firework show, but inside a theater and without the earplugs. For the most part, magic was so rare that it was hard to see it as anything other than a neat party trick.

"It's lucky for your purposes. Aural magic is mostly based on energy, and it can be useful to create protection for yourself, and even some sorts of attacks. The protection will suit you much better in the maze, but I will ensure you are well rounded."

"What do I learn first then?"

"First, you must learn patience." Kanyo replied bluntly. "You are not in the right mindset, nor are you physically prepared for this right now. You will not be receiving any training today."

"I understand." Nicole tried to avoid showing any disappointment. Kanyo was her new instructor now, essentially her coach, and she knew she had to respect her wishes. She knew more about this than Nicole could even attempt to learn in her entire life, so there was no reason to question her. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No, quite the opposite." Kanyo turned slightly and vaguely gestured behind her. "I have already made arrangements for you to spend a week with me. My staff will be taking care of your diet, your clothing, and your routine. I have done this many times before, and I know the best regimen to ensure your success in learning the arcane arts."

"I'm staying here?" Nicole gasped, slightly taken aback. She was under the impression that she'd head back to her apartment and commute whenever she came in for a training session. She hadn't made plans to be boarding here.

"Yes, you are. If you're serious about this venture, then you must stay. If you leave, I will not teach you any further, and good luck finding somebody with my resume."

Nicole stood silent for a moment to compose herself. This was not what she had planned for this week, but she was a professional defender in the top league in the nation. She was a former national teamer, even. She always had to be able to make changes on the fly, adapt to the situation on the pitch as it developed, remaining resilient in the face of constant challenges. She had stood firm and protected her team's box a thousand times. This should be no different.

"Okay. I'm in. I have quarters, I assume?"

"Correct. You will be led to these quarters by one of my assistants momentarily. Your food will be delivered to your quarters at an appropriate time. Your clothes and other essentials are already there as well. Your training will begin tomorrow morning precisely at sunrise. I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye." Kanyo stepped back, and without warning, she was enveloped in a small cloud. The cloud dissipated, and the Queen was gone.

"That's a little cliche," Nicole muttered, looking around the now-empty room. There were 12 banners on the wall, each with a different design and color scheme. They looked vaguely familiar, like from some book she'd read in grade school.

Presently, the doors on one end of the room silently opened, and someone dressed in robes entered. Nicole assumed this was the assistant Kanyo had referred to, so she jogged to the end of the room to meet them.

"Hello, I'm Nicole. Are you the person who's supposed to show me around?"

The person stared at her in silence. They turned back to the hallway they had come from and began smoothly striding away. Not knowing what else to do, Nicole followed them. The hallway was narrow, with many twists and turns, but Nicole managed to keep up with the person until they stopped at a door. The person remained silent, but opened the door and gestured for Nicole to enter.

Nicole obliged, bowing her head to the person, and entering the room. The door quickly shut behind her. She tried to open it again, but it wouldn't budge.

"What kind of- '' Nicole started to complain, before she stopped herself. She just realized that perhaps the weirdness and off putting nature of this place was perhaps being done on purpose to throw her off.

"I wonder if this is some sort of hazing thing," Nicole wondered aloud, turning back to survey her new quarters. It was a bit larger than she was expecting, but there wasn't much in it. The room was again, circular, and she figured it was likely inside one of the towers of the Citadel. On the opposite side of the room from the door was a tall and narrow window, where the late afternoon light shone through.

Nicole walked up to the window, and peered through it. It was too skinny for her to fit through, which was nice, because it appeared there was no window or bars to protect from the elements. She stuck her head through the window, and her theory of the room being in one of the 12 towers of the castle was correct. It was quite high up, as well. She had a really good view of the grounds outside the castle, as well as the outlying areas of Kayo. The downtown area must be on the other side, which she couldn't see.

"I guess I can't see my house from here," Nicole grinned to herself. "Har har. I'm so funny." She turned back to the room, where there was not much furniture to speak of. There was a small, simple bed against one wall. Alongside it was a single dresser. On the other side of the room was a simple desk and chair, with some old writing supplies, and an empty shelf which she assumed was meant for books.

She looked through the dresser drawers. All the clothes in there seemed identical - all old-timey tunics that looked straight out of some medieval movie. There was a single long-sleeved robe in the mix, which was really plain. It suddenly dawned on Nicole that her phone was no longer in her pocket, despite the fact that she definitely had it when she entered the castle.

Nicole sighed. It wasn't a big deal that she was probably about to be isolated from the outside world for a week, in the grand scheme of things. Still, she was still annoyed it was sprung up on her at the last second, but she supposed that was the point.

Around the time the sun started to set in the sky, another person in a robe opened the door. They were carrying a small tray with food on it, and placed it on the ground. Nicole tried to ask them a question, but they closed the door just as quickly as they opened it and they were gone. Nicole walked up to investigate the tray. It had some sort of bread, a weirdly-colored broth, an assortment of vegetables, and a cup of water. Nicole shrugged and brought the tray to her desk and started to dig in. She'd certainly eaten more tasteless food in the varied diets and regimens she'd tried over her playing career.

Once she finished eating, she placed the tray on the floor by the door and went to peer out the window again. The sun was below the horizon and it was beginning to get dark. Living in the modern world, Nicole had gotten used to spending some time at home after dark, but she knew without any sort of light it would be difficult to do anything in her quarters. Not like there was much to do anyway.

Nicole decided to do a short workout to help tire herself out and spend the last hour or so of light usefully. She went through a stretching and small cardio routine, plus some body weight exercises. She assumed she'd have to be in good physical condition for whatever Kanyo would put her through, and even if she didn't, she would hate to lose ground on her physical training. Once she'd sufficiently tired herself out, she drank the rest of the water and settled into bed. It wasn't very comfortable.

Nicole awoke to the sounds of birds chattering outside her window. She sat up in bed quickly, peering outside and seeing the sun hadn't yet risen. She wasn't late, at least for now. She quickly dressed in one of the tunics from the dresser, and noticed there was a tray waiting at the door. It was once again a small bread loaf, this time with a banana and something that looked and almost tasted like a protein shake. Once she'd eaten the meal, Nicole placed it down where she found it. She tried the door, and to her surprise, it opened.

Navigating the winding hallways was hard, since Nicole had only been through them once and she was mostly focused on keeping up with the mage or whatever person had been leading her. Thankfully, she managed to find the room where Kanyo had given her the "lesson" yesterday.

The ellipsoidal room was empty and mostly dark, though there was light coming from ... somewhere. Nicole walked to the center of the room, seeing no evidence of any other person there. With some time to kill before sunrise, Nicole did some stretches, the ones she'd usually do in the morning when she planned to work out or play a match. As Nicole was doing a toe-touch, she got the sudden feeling she was being watched. When she came up from the stretch, Kanyo was standing directly in front of her. Nicole hadn't seen or heard her come in, so she was a little shocked, but she kept her cool.

"Generally at sunrise we do a morning meditation." Kanyo started, in a critical tone. "However, it appears you are doing something productive at least, so I won't count that against you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Nicole replied quickly. "Meditation is not something I've learned to do."

"This will be your first practical lesson, then." The Queen replied, extending an arm to her side. "While this is an adequate venue for arcane sparring and practice, it is not effective for teaching, in my opinion. We will travel to one of my grounds further inland."

"How long will that take?"

"Less than a minute, depending on how long you want to stand and gape." Kanyo swept her arm in a circular motion, and suddenly the air beside her seemed to warp and bend. Nicole watched as the warping deepened and stretched, before it seemed to tear into a picture of a grassy clearing in a dense forest. The picture expanded, grew into more detail, and floated above the ground next to the Queen.

"Is this some sort of portal?" Nicole asked, trying to keep the awe off her expression.

"What do you think?" Kanyo sarcastically replied, clearly a little irritated. "Come along now, we have a little time before the sun rises there." She stepped into the picture, and walked through it like there was nothing there. Nicole took a deep breath, and walked through it herself. It felt like walking through an empty doorway, there was no resistance or anything. She simply stepped into the picture and she was in a different place entirely.

"What is this place?" Nicole asked breathlessly.

"This is one of my secluded grounds. It's in the middle of one of our national forests, and it's not connected to any civilized area. There's no trails within 50 miles of this place, no roads, no infrastructure, no trace of any person but me and those I invite here. This is where you'll be spending the next week."

"This is amazing ..." Nicole replied, turning around to take the whole place in. The air was fresh, and the only non-natural thing she could see was a modest cottage or two in the distance. The sky was no longer inky black, but the trees were still dark, as the sun had not yet risen but would soon.

"Follow me," Kanyo replied dismissively, "There is a point at the top of this hill here where I like to meditate. I will teach you the basics there." Nicole nodded and followed the Queen as she strode to a small trail through the trees. It was going to be a long week.