Cup of Harmony 89 - Everything Thread

[Langenia]

Noticias: Deportes Early Cup of Harmony Exit Sparks Changes for Los Azules One last defeat, this time 2-1 at the hands of the Ko-orenite Constellation, would knock Langenia out of the Cup of Harmony in the group stage. The game is a profoundly heartbreaking defeat for a Los Azules team seeking a win on the day before Langenia's Independence Day on September 15, ending a disappointing cycle for the Langenian national team which had sought to make a strong debut in international competition. Out of 23 games played in the Baptism of Fire, World Cup qualifiers, Cup of Harmony, and a friendly, they won 8, drew 3, and lost 12. The group stage exit from the Cup of Harmony, prompted by a four-game losing streak (three of which were lost by the same score of 2-1), has resulted in change within Los Azules as players return to their clubs for the season. Questions were raised as to how the Langenian players seemed to fall off their form in contrast to the Baptism of Fire and World Cup qualifiers. Coach Enrique Vargas would resign from his position after the Cup of Harmony exit, taking responsibility in an open letter and apologizing to fans of the national team. The game that cost Enrique Vargas his job would see the Langenians face the Ko-orenite Constellation hoping to snap their group stage losing streak and at least end their time at the Cup of Harmony on a positive note. Unfortunately, the absence of key attacking players Raul Guzman and Daniel Gallegos clearly had an effect on Los Azules's offensive capabilities, with Ernesto Cambro and Juan Magrina not exactly able to fill the role of the "Three G's" alongside forward Oscar Galindo. Even so, the Langenians would make a strong showing in the match's first 20 minutes as they initially dominated possession of the ball. Oscar Galindo would play a through ball to Cambro for the striker to score past Ko-orenite goalkeeper Ebelina Samper in the 17th minute. Afterwards, the Ko-orenite team would be quick to take back possession at the expense of Los Azules who would never truly recover the ball. Ko-orenite striker Konrad Nordenflycht would score off a cross from Mwangi Kenyatta in the 36th minute to equalize the game, and in stoppage time for the first half Kenyatta would get himself a goal after heading in a corner kick to give the Ko-orenite Constellation the lead. A relatively uneventful second half would just see Oscar Galindo make one last attempt to equalize from a shot just inside the penalty area, only for it to be saved by Samper. The defeat and subsequent Cup of Harmony exit has had an observable effect in dampening the national mood in a country obsessed with football that is in the process of celebrating its Independence Day. Even so, there are rays of hope in an otherwise unflattering debut to international competition for Los Azules. Oscar Galindo, Raul Guzman, and Daniel Gallegos all distinguished themselves as a solid attacking trio capable of breaking down defenses and scoring goals. In the midfield, Rafael Semprun has made a name for himself as a solid passer capable of assisting and taking powerful shots from far out. Adrian Costa, the interim manager for the national team who is set to be hired permanently by the Langenian Football Federation, is known for being an innovative coach introducing a wealth of new strategies that have changed for the better the teams he has overseen. Costa is a proponent of the 5-2-3 formation, which allows for improved defense balanced with a strong attacking formation such as that used by Los Azules. It remains to be seen what further changes he will make to the roster for the next international cycle, specifically at the defender and goalkeeper positions. Interestingly, Enrique Vargas has not gone without work after being hired as manager by Liga Nacional club Atletico Terrate. The club, which had been searching for a permanent manager in the Liga Nacional offseason, will likely expect Vargas to lead it back to a higher standing in league rankings immediately. While at the international level the coach was not able to live up to his reputation of leading underdog teams to victory, he remains a coveted asset for teams in the top flight of Langenian football for his knowledge of the game and ability to break down more-favored opponents such as giants Aragona and San Jose. To close out this international cycle, Los Azules would play the Panay Islands and Guimaras in a friendly at the Paulino Alcántara Stadium in Iloílo City. In an exciting match that would end in a 3-3 draw, Oscar Galindo would score a hat trick. The striker would twice score off crosses from attacking midfielder Ernesto Cambro in the 23rd and 43rd minutes of the game, adding a third goal from a header off a corner kick in the 55th minute. Nonetheless, the Langenian national team's continued defensive problems were on full display as the Panayense were able to score off a cross from Javier Ricalde that was toed in by Julian Nguyen at the 33rd minute, followed by a header from Ricalde at the 41st. They would equalize the score as Ricalde successfully obtained a goal off a penalty in the 73rd minute caused by Langenian center-back Leonardo Ciceron roughly shoving Nguyen to the ground inside the penalty area.

[Oberour Ar Moro]

Bishop Charles-Vincent Charpentier, Archchaplain of the Oberour Ar Moro Navy, swears in the graduates of the Oberour Ar Moro Naval Academy
OOC: The image was generated through midjourney.

Bishop: Cadets, please rise and raise your right hand.

Bishop: Do you swear to uphold divine law?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: And the laws of Oberour Ar Moro revealed by sacred authority?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: Do you swear to protect the sanctity of the faith?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: And to protect the inviolability and union of earthly souls under your care?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: Do you swear to stand against heresy?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: And to combat the enemies of our Dominion?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: Do you swear to serve the will of God and His one church?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: And to follow the commands of the Chancellor of Oberour Ar Moro and his ministers without question or hesitation?

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: Do you swear, before the gathered and heavenly hosts, that you are truly ready to bear the burdens of service, to sacrifice without question, and to commit your life to Oberour Ar Moro? Answer honestly, on the pain of death and dishonor for falsehood.

Cadets: By my blood and breath, I may be consecrated.

Bishop: With authority vested within me, I consecrate you as initiates into Oberour Ar Moro, and dub you sailors and officers in the Oberour Ar Moro Navy. Go forth in faith and duty.

[Katzeburg]

There are a handful of things Anton Waldo considers an ‘unspeakable’ moment. The time he peed his pants while speaking in front of the whole of Avonsend Primary School, for example. He might have been a young, 25-year-old, but the experience was embarrassing nonetheless.

The time he got locked in the small pizza place he worked after falling asleep in the walk-in freezer is another one. Especially as he hadn’t been able to see pepperoni the same way after spending the night in there.

And now, as the Katzeburgian team bus sat in a parking lot just outside of a hotel in Aissa - where the team had travelled to in preparation for their final group clash against Sangti and the Filindo Isles - Anton was never going to mention just what he had experienced riding in the small compartment in the team bus where he sat squashed in with Mathias and Greyson.

Bursting out of the small room as soon as they could understand the coast was clear, all three immediately pushed to get out of the space, less they be suffocated by the overpowering smell which was now emanating from the room.

Gasping for air in the cool Banijan night, Anton put his hands on his knees and took several deep breaths, each larger than the one before it.

They had made it. But at what cost?

Anton looked over to his travelling companions - covered in a thick sludge too indescribable to think about - as they searched for any source of water to clean themselves off at.

“I would have never thought so many people would have needed to use the bus toilet!” Greyson roared in anger.

“What the hell did the whole team eat, a serving of laxatives helped with second laxatives?” Mathias seethed as he starting scraping himself dry.

“That’s all in the past now fellas,” Anton said through a grimace. “We made it - we are here at the team hotel!”

“I really don’t think it was worth it,” Greyson mumbled as he sat down and rested against the team bus.

“Of course it was! We’ve done the hard part, now we just go in and book a room - and then we can conveniently run into the side tomorrow at breakfast. Oh, hello Lambert Niles - you like bacon and eggs? So do I! Let’s be best friends.”

Silence filled the night air.

“That could be you tomorrow Greyson,” Anton said pointedly.

“And how are we going to get a room when we’re covered like this?” Mathias asked, trying to waft the scent away from him.

“I’ve got this guys, don’t worry!” Anton said as he started marching towards the hotel entrance.

But he really didn’t. Anton was panicking internally - What would he say? How would he come off dressed like this? He doesn’t even have any luggage!

As panic raced through his mind he made his way to the front counter where a young man sat barely paying attention to the world around him. Anton coughed once to get his attention.

“Yes, I would like to book a room for tonight for me and my two associates my good sir!” Anton started as the man looked up to acknowledge Anton.

“Why are you covered in shit?” the man enquired.

“It’s been a long night,” Anton chuckled. “Me and my fellow chums just need a place to crash tonight and this fine establishment looked like an ideal place!”

“You realise rooms here are well above market rate right? Like we really make people pay out the nose for a room, especially those covered in shit and coming in seeking for an immediate one.”

“Look, I just need a room - what’s it going to take to get me one here? Would you like some nice Katzeburgian barins?”

The man sighed and tapped away at the keyboard on his desk. “Whatever, man. I don’t get paid enough to deal with literal shitstirrers. Take Room 1093 - It’s over there to your left.”

“We weren’t literal shitstirrers…” Anton started as he grabbed the key. But he wasn’t going to complain. He had done it! The next step in their plan was sorted and Anton was surprised at how easily things were going so far. Now all he had to do was wash himself off and call dibs on the bed before Greyson saw it.

---

Sangti and the Filindo Isles 1 - 3 Katzeburg
(Sulangi 44’ // Niles 53’, 68’, 82’)

Possession - 51% // 49%
Shots on Target - 5 // 13
Shots - 8 // 19
Fouls - 13 // 13

1 Whinery, 2 Howland, 15 Clarkson (Levitt 65’), 4 Knepp, 5 Colbert, 6 Plank, 7 Horsfall, 18 Arkwright (Cummings 65’), 19 Spears, 10 Wruck (Johns 65’), 11 Niles

Player of the Match - Niles (KAT)

Katzeburg take top seed into knockouts after dismantling of Agilang Dilaw

A second-half hat-trick from Lambert Niles was enough to secure Katzeburg the top spot in Group 5 and the overall #1 seed for the knockouts at the Cup of Harmony in Banija.

The side came from a goal down at the half-time break to Sangti and the Filindo Isles to win 3-1 at the Hangaza Unified Stadium in Aissa.

Both sides came into the clash having already secured passage through to the knockouts, but with the top spot to play for and both sides in with a shout of taking the overall top seed heading into the round of 16, it was very much all to play for, and the bubbling tension was felt early on.

The Agilang Dilaw showed why they were not a side to be messed with early on with a curling effort from Aletta Abigail Reano denied by the tightest of margins, as he effort rebounded off the crossbar and onto the goal-line itself in just the fifth minute. Many Sangti supporters were adamant the early effort went in and crossed the line fully, but Katzeburg were saved some early blushes thanks to a quick-thinking deflection from Ry Whinery.

Katzeburg struggled to break into the game early on, another recurring theme the side has faced in Banija, but Drake Wruck came within inches of opening the score in the 30th minute after sending his headed effort just wide of the post.

However, it would be Sangti and the Filindo Isles who would crack open the game on the edge of half-time, with Tomio Sulangi capping off a brilliant team move which saw the entire front half of the Agilang Dilaw participate in the play in some description before the Maharlika Marulas striker slotted the ball through the legs of a diving Whinery.

A goal down at the break, Katzeburg had to come out swinging to push back into the race for top spot, and the side did so in devastating fashion eight minutes into the second period. A looping corner from Serena Plank caused a mad scramble in the box to clear the effort, but Wruck was first to the ball - firing a powerful effort which beat Federick Roncal in goal, but not the post.

Bouncing loose, Lambert Niles was thankfully on hand to save Katzeburgian blushes, tapping the loose ball into the empty net to restore parity.

Niles would pick up his second goal 15 minutes later after a incisive counter-attack saw the Axmund City forward ahead of all four Sangti defenders, allowing him to curl the ball around Roncal with relative ease and send the Blue Cats into the lead.

Niles would become the first Katzeburgian player to score two international hat-tricks in the 82nd minute after being in the perfect poaching position to scoop up a deflected save from a curling Tilman Cummings free-kick on the left hand side of the box, with a calm and collected finish securing all three points for Katzeburg.

The result sees the side not only top their group undefeated, but extend their current unbeaten run to five games - a national team record - while securing top seeding for the upcoming knockout stages as one of only two undefeated sides in the competition alongside a 1-4-0 Captina Island.

Manager Becka Haberkorn was over the moon with her side’s performance.

“Even if we go out now in the next stage, to me this competition has been a huge success in showing just what Katzeburg can do on the international stage,” Haberkorn said.

“To not only come out of a group with some long established and quality sides, but top it and the overall rankings is a mammoth achievement and one the squad can be rightly proud of.

“It’s been a difficult cycle for us - an already difficult debut cycle made tougher by the ongoing fracas in the national federation and some clear tensions growing amongst our own fan support has meant there’s been a lot to be distracted by.

“To me, this result shows the team can leave it all out on the pitch and produce good results - we just want this run to go as long as we can!”

Katzeburg will travel to Mynda for their round of 16 clash against The Ko-orenite Constellation with a spot in the final eight awaiting the winner. TKC will be no pushovers - despite finishing fourth in Group 2, the side picked up two wins in a fiercely-fought group and will be keen to cause some disruption.

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 2–1 Brusseldorf
(Uchee 7', 19' | Al Maghribī 70')
Stadium of the Restoration, Busukuma, Banija

Uber Uchee!

Uchee gives HUElavia a spot in the Round-of-16 with a fantastic brace over Brusseldorf!

Entering Matchday 5, while HUElavia had options to make the knockouts, it was in essence a win-or-go-home match for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos. Taking on Brusseldorf who had a strong start in the beginning but dropping 5 out of the last 6 points had them in a precarious situation. Playing in the largest venue of the tournament, the HUElavian faithful came out in droves to pack up one of the endzones to cheer on the National Team. With the main players on the pitch, HUElavia was looking to push for the needed victory and lock in their spot to the knockout rounds.

HUElavia would start with their usual persistent attack, dominating possession and giving the Brusseldorf defense and Azoulay a tough time. The opening goal came in the 7th minute, when Di Laura was on the ball, where she sent the ball into the box, the ball got headed out by Lellouche, but fell to the feet of Uchee, who nutmegged Zidane and took a low shot past Azoulay into the goal, making it 1-0, sending the HUElavians into joy in the stadium while Uchee did The Cross and celebrated with his teammates for the opening goal. Brusseldorf would start to pressure more with the likes of Wolfenden and Akiveal putting more of an attack that the HUElavian backline would block and defend well to earn applause from the HUElavian crowd. Uchee would continue to persist, getting balls from Milano and Canchon on the wings, with Taylor-Calañas also providing the clear passes for the attack. In the 19th minute, a pass from Canchon would get to Oe, who would send a long, low pass to Uchee, who sped past Sciolan, to go one-on-one against Azoulay to slot it low between the keeper's legs into the goal, making it 2-0. The HUElavian crowd was in joy but it seemed as if it was offside, where it went under review for VAR, where they saw Uchee was right on the line with Boronia, who played him onside, and the referee blew their wistle to point to center circle, where Uchee did The Cross and was hugged by his teammates while the HUElavians were in high spirits. At the half, HUElavia felt comfortable and there was content that this result can serve them well.

In the second half, Brusseldorf began to attack more and more, knowing that Captina Island was defeating Kamijiro and was getting the step up on them in the standings. Wolfenden and Akiveal were the main players giving the HUElavian defense a tough time, even with Ancel having to stop shots and force them out for corners or throw-ins. In the 70th minute, a corner was taken by Akiveal where Al Maghribī towered over Lobo and headed the ball past a diving Ancel into the goal, making it 2-1. Dominguez (in for Steyr) grabbed the ball and ran to center circle while Al Maghribī was patted for the goal and the Brusseldorf supporters got loud in their celebrations with joy at a chance to get the game back. Alas, it was not meant to be, as HUElavia played on lockdown defense and began to dominate the possession some more, even getting in some shots from Aguero (in for Uchee), Giroux (in for Taylor-Calañas) and Milano. HUElavia held out and got the three points needed, while Brusseldorf was essentially eliminated.

Kamijiro wins Group 4 despite their loss, having the head-to-head result over HUElavia to get the No. 3 seed, HUElavia finishes 2nd thanks to this rule and gets the No. 8 seed, and Captina Island comes back to snatch the No. 13 seed for the knockouts. Brusseldorf falls short finishing 18th in the list and loses out for the chance to be the lone 4th placed team to make the Round-of-16. HUElavia's next opponents will be No. 9 seed Kanzlia, who comes off a 2nd place finish in Group 1 with 8 Points (2-2-1). The winner of that match will take on the winner of No. 1 Katzeburg vs No. 16 The Ko-orenite Constellation in the Quarter-Finals. Coach Casillas was quoted as saying "We're grateful for the result and the team played fantastic throughout the 90 minutes. It's a shame we couldn't hold on to the clean sheet, but it's one of those chance occurrences that the oppnent scores on you. The team feels very motivated, especially with the victories they've had and we feel the desire to take it a game at a time and give it our best for the country. We got a big game against Kanzlia in the coming days and we know we can't underestimate them. We need to go out there and prove our worth. We hope to count on the fans for the match to show up and make it feel like a game back in HUElavia." Star Field in Herzegovina City will be the venue for the match, the largest of the 8 venues selected for this round. HUElavians have been cautiously hopeful throughout the tournament but anything can happen in the Cup of Harmony, a tournament where they knockouts becomes a crapshoot. Here's to the next match and to give it our best against Kanzlia!

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Kamijiro]

衞。Defend, Part Six: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

After installing himself as the lone head of state, King Kaminari green-lights an invasion of Velikaca.

It's a crisp morning in Raijin-shi. King Kaminari sits in his quarters and smokes a cigarette, lazily dangling it between his fingers as he is briefed on the upcoming attacks on Velikaca and the domestic news of the previous day. Even as King, he is unable to censor the media. Even if that is something that he briefly considered when protests sparked over the temporary dissolution of Parliament.

First up, the attack plan briefing...
"Your Highness, the Generals have met to discuss the best plan of attack on Velikaca. They believe a blockade of Koninpas along with a bombing run on the naval base nearby will give us the highest chance of winning. More importantly, our intelligence suggests that their dirty bombs may be loaded within the neighboring harbor of Mirnoice - it's going to be most important to ensure that no planes can escape from that general area. Blocking the harbor at Koninpas will give us a strategic advantage, as it will give us the opportunity to hit nearly any plane from either there or Mirnoice."

Then, the domestic briefing...
"Your Majesty, your approval rate is through the floor. Not that it matters much for now. But it's something to keep an eye on. There is unrest in Kustplaats and La Montagne, though it's been peaceful thus far. There was a brief riot in Miraisaki last night, but that was put down quickly. In other events, the national team lost 4-1 to Captina Island. Raiji Kagawa played the reserves because the group had already been won. Let's see what else... Oh! There's a subway station opening today in Miraisaki as well. A new station on the North-South line, right outside of Naraku-shi. Other than that, not much is happening at home."

King Kaminari thanks his advisors and the briefing is adjourned. Kaminari sits, smoking his cigarette once again. He dearly misses having his parents around to help him take care of things like this - they had been his most trusted advisors once they stepped aside due to their age. They've since gone to the other side, a place that exists in Kamijiroan legend as a gateway beneath Midoriyama. That's why the mourning traditions typically end with a prayer to the mountain to keep the departed safe in the afterlife. A large memorial service for those who passed at the bombing of Relâmpago Naval Base took place at the foot of the mountain and was attended by nearly 10,000 mourners.

Meanwhile in Banija, Raiji Kagawa plans for the first-round matchup with North Oharan Valley Union.

Katsu Fujiwara, Jokichi Asumi and Philippe Seraphin sit in Raiji's office space (really just a rented out conference room) as he goes over the final preparations and game plan. Raiji mumbles to himself for a moment before finally turning back to his four chosen team leaders.

"Wait, where the hell is Soji?" He rumbles out.
"Out training. He's with Darren and Haruki working on their finishing." Katsu says back quickly.
"He's supposed to be here."
"Yeah. But he told us to tell you that their jobs are simple. Score the goddamn ball." Philippe interjects.
"Well... actually, I can't even say anything about that. He's not wrong. Anyway, here's the plan."

Raiji points to the whiteboard.

"This team plays pretty neutral. They don't particularly lean forward or backward, which makes our lives a bit more difficult. We all know we do better when a team plays extremely attacking or defensive. But we can adapt. Their midfield plays staggered, if we can press in on their attacking midfield and prevent forward distribution and win the ball, we should be able to kill off their attack. Their number 19, Ghazaryan, is deadly in front of net - 11 goals in 16 matches. Do not let him get the ball. If he gets the ball outside the box, foul before he shoots. Press on him and number 90. Attacking-wise, I want through balls between the center-halves. Play the ball to Kaneto or Soji directly through the middle. As I said, their midfield plays staggered, splayed wide. Playing through the wings probably won't work. So just focus on that. Other than that, we know what we want to do. Get with your units and let them know what the plan is and then be ready to go to the stadium no later than two hours before kickoff. Go on."

The meeting is dismissed, the battle tactics ready.

Back near Relâmpago, Ash sits on a beach. She had received a mysterious letter, telling her to meet somebody there.

After a while, a silvery-haired woman arrives. Pointed ears and glowing white skin, a half-elf if Ash had ever seen one. The mystery woman introduces herself as Emi.

"Okay... so, Emi. Why did you ask me here? How do you know me? I've never seen you before?"
"One question at a time, please."
"Okay. Why did you ask me here?"
"Because I have much to tell you."
"That's not a helpful answer. But fine. How do you know me?"
"We've met."
"That's even less helpful."
"How do you know me if I'm sure I've never seen you before?"
"As I said, we've met. Now, any more questions?"
"No. And none of those were really answers."
"They were answers. Just not ones you wanted to hear. Now, I have a few questions myself."
Ash sits silently, waiting for the half-elf to continue.
"You were on the Elysia, yes?"
"Yes. I was."
"And you're sure you've never seen me?"
"Positive."
Emi laughs for a moment. "Ash, I'm your superior officer. I'm literally your direct superior."
"Wha- Sergeant Aerithian? Oh, my God, I've never seen your hair or... ears... or... you without the fatigues!"
"Yes, Ash. This is she. I get it. I always tucked my hair into my uniform and my ears hid under the cap. No need for formality. I've been discharged. As have you."
"Wait, I've been discharged?"
"Yes. They're discharging the survivors who were aboard the ships during the attack. The brass were trying to reach out to you but couldn't. I had to track you myself to tell you the information."
"I see. But I'm in fighting shape?"
"They typically don't like having us fight multiple battles."
Ash sighed deeply. "Understood. So... can I ask you one thing?"
"Sure."
"Were you the one who carried me out of the ship when I had been knocked unconscious?"
Emi looks away briefly, looking at the waves crashing over the sand at the once-bustling beach turned graveyard.
"Yes. I was the one who did that. You... reminded me of my daughter. I ignored orders to come in and grab you."
"Thanks..."
"Don't mention it. Please. I... feel a great amount of survivor's guilt. I'm an officer. It's my duty to my platoon to make sure they come out of battle alive. And I failed."
With that, Emi sits next to Ash on the sand. Ash offers a beer, which Emi takes and swigs quickly. They sit in a long silence, drinking and thinking. The sun begins to set off the coast. Neither of them seem to mind...

[Captina Island]

Captina get final day reprieve, advance to first knockout stage
The Captina Company Press Association

The Captina Company National Team broke through at last to earn the nation's 50th all-time victory with a 4-1 win over Kamijiro that kept the opposition from an undefeated group stage at the Cup of Harmony but also raised the Rosso e Oro past Brusseldorf into third place in the Group 4 table to ensure progression through to the Round of 16.

The offense finally found itself after four consecutive matches of inconsistent form to earn victory over Kamijiro in the third meeting between the sides in the current tournament cycle; Silvia Riviello, Patience Wedgewood, Barnabas Morningstar and Ciro Hammersmith off the bench provided the firepower that pushed the Rosso to the win, as Donatella Jaconelli turned away 7 of the 8 shots on goal she faced to get her first win of the tournament.

The final table for seeding the Round of 16 had Captina 13th, which earned them a date against Anaian powerhouse Audioslavia, with the only solace coming from the fact that the match will take place at the Kabanero III Stadium in Istria, which will keep the squad from having to move ahead of the fixture.

The win extended the longest streak without a loss in history to 6 matches and marked the first ever occasion that the Rosso have advanced to a knockout stage in a tournament.

[North Oharan Valley Union]

Timestamp: 16 September 2024 - 22h45
Tags: Football, Cup of Harmony 89, Green Lions, National Trophy

---

Green Lions Set the Calendar
National Trophy falls victim to NOVU success in Cup of Harmony

The National Trophy, a stopgap in the calendar, never was received with much enthusiasm in the first place but now it appears that it will be limping to its end. And it is all a consequence of the strong form of the Green Lions. Despite a loss at the hands of the world’s favorite beer league team, the representatives of the Union managed to knock open the doors to the knock-out rounds. An amazing accomplishment for the second-lowest ranked in the tournament, even if the last game outlined how fragile the team can be if the main attacking sources are silenced. The absence of Timur Ghazaryan proved costly, as only two shots on goal were produced and neither was particularly dangerous. On top of that, the HOT-DAMN eleven managed to keep a close eye on Ievalds Krastins, the source of most offensive actions. Especially on the wings, very little was produced and to make matters worse, there was the penalty mistake from offensive left-back Japaridze who returned to his position too late and tried to solve a tricky situation with a kamikaze tackle on Chris Spears.

With that in mind, the odds are in favor of Kamijiro for the next round, despite the return of Ghazaryan in the starting line-up. But even as this seems to be the final game of our Cup of Harmony adventure, the impact of the prolonged campaign on the domestic calendar is enormous. Back in June, the Ministry of National Spirit (which has among its duties the organization and management of all ultraregional sports) had created a National Trophy which would serve as an appetizer for the first national competition. Or at least, that was the marketing spin given to it: in practice the fifteen rounds served to get something off the ground while the other team sports got up to speed and organized. It was a decision that was met with ill fate. Normally, regional competitions run (with some variations) between February and August but now they had to close shop abruptly for a new tournament. The clubs were disgruntled but, weary not to throw away their entry ticket to the professional league next season, accepted the verdict. Rather than allowing their players time off, they would have to be present longer.

Luckily for the GSA (the ‘General Sports Agenda’ which arranges the planning for all things national in sports), the new National Trophy did catch the attention. The idea of having new clashes and new opponents attracted and quite a few of the players clearly outdid themselves to win an opportunity with the Green Lions. Accordingly, manager Baltuk made a few selection decisions which seemed related to the form of the players rather than their eminent capacities. The World Cup qualifiers were planned as a (very crammed) midway point of the group phase for the National Trophy. What had been forgotten, or rather not considered likely, was the inclusion of the North Oharese football team in a final tournament. The more prestigious World Cup evidently remained out of reach, yet the Green Lions were rewarded for their improvement with a stay in Banija. And so, the midway break evolved into a five-week period.

For the players of the national team, that period has been filled to the brim with games and we can imagine that many of them are craving for a holiday. Not only the high pace of matches but also the continuous traveling must be catching up with both the physical and mental wellbeing of the players. In the meanwhile, their numerous colleagues back home must satisfy themselves with training and a few uninspired friendlies to prepare for a handful of games. Coaches lament the difficulty to keep everyone motivated and that includes more than the players. The fans, focussed on the trials and tribulations of the Green Lions, mentally checked out of the National Trophy. What had caught the interest initially is already replaced by something else.

It is a sentiment that has been spotted by the GSA as well and with that knowledge, they announced a firm decision on the conclusion of the National Trophy. Rather than having the second part of the group phase before going to the play-offs, the remainder of the tournament will be completed in five knock-out rounds. Only the semi-finals will run in a home-and-away format, all other games will be a single leg. This format should ease the pressure on the footballers, both those in the national team and the others, whilst opening up breathing space for the other sports competitions. Because the latter is a, sometimes forgotten, crucial element in the planning.

The first weekend of October will see the start of the first BTL season. The Basketball Top League has twenty sides lined up, ready to take center stage till the first weeks of April. Next to that, the birth of Oharese football is anticipated later in autumn. Original plans to unite all existing local codes are still far less updated than hoped for, but a demonstration tournament with six sides should be run and completed before the year’s end, the traditional start of the volleyball season. Next to that, the UFN fights should kick off and a conclusion of the Tennis Open Tour qualifiers is on the agenda. In short, while the demand for domestic football seemed huge before the summer, there are far fewer takers at the moment. Abandoning the tournament all-together would equal losing face for the Ministry, so this makeshift conclusion will have to do.

So far, the clubs reacted rather negatively: many of them were forced to continue the pay of their players but have now found out that they possibly did so for a single game. Additionally, the budgeted income from ticket sales will plummet with fewer matches on the agenda. The players themselves are more ambivalent to the conclusion. While a majority looks forward to wrapping up the season, quite a few had hoped to make some extra impact. The regulations are set up for a 24-team competition but recently the question arose whether that size was feasible. And even if a club gets selected, there is no harm in highlighting your personal skill: clubs are required to only pay sixteen footballers and many seem keen to put only the minimum required on the wage list as long as the revenue streams remain unclear. Maybe some hopefuls hope to raise their profile and, subsequently, their salary. The NT players, however, were quite satisfied that they would have to appear a minimum of times: they are currently on twenty-two games in international duty and even if there was a good rotation schedule and the effects of inter-timeregion travel, that takes its toll. With all that, one would almost question their motivation to prolong their stay, but don’t be mistaken: with the end of the season now better defined, the desire to end it on a high only can be stronger.

[Valentine Z]

Part 2 – Time and Space.

The heavy equipment has arrived. It took a couple of days sitting in the logistics, which I saw it coming since, well, I did get that admonishment. Like I said, however, it is to be expected. On top of that, the looks on my superiors would indicate that they were also as equally curious as myself (and perhaps the rest of my colleagues), so while they were doing that simply by the book, they were quietly cheering for me and for the rest of us, I just knew it. With no time to waste, we took out these machines from their boxes – drills, cranes, even a pneumatic hammer that would output more force than the ones in the civilian markets. All custom-made, almost as if they were meant for this one particular task of prying her open. We know what we are getting into - preliminary and full scans have already indicated that the armor that TX-1 is wearing is, for the lack of a better word, unorthodox. There are no buckles, harnesses, clips, not even a single weld / rivet mark. Basically, nothing of indication that would allow her to wear it easily. It was almost as if she managed to slip it on like one would with a fabric clothing. That thought, of course, suddenly gave way as the machine whirred to life. The drill and laser cutters were ready, and we decided on the drill first. Slowly and carefully, the tip touches the right side of the breastplate, the drill producing such a grown that would be akin to torture had someone been forcibly subjected to it. Some bigwig here is probably looking into that, if I am honest. Anyway, TX-1’s armor took a total drilling of 3 hours in order to make a small hole onto it, around 0.5 cm in diameter. A first step to progress, I thought to myself after being able to think clearly due to the lack of harsh metal grinding. It has not yielded the much-needed results, apart from the fact that we are dealing with some sort of an unknown metallic alloy. One would think that it would be easy to do with spectrometers or anything of that sort, but that also unfortunately did not yield the results that we wanted – our results say Kevlar, but I know it was not that. We proposed firing a .50 cal at the plate but with the inability to move her into the firing chamber, I decided to turn that down, at least at that time. At that moment, I was not sure as to if I would like to go ahead with.

As we checked on the status of the equipment – in particular replacing the drill tip and making sure that the coolants are intact and functional, I walked towards my superiors for discussion on what it could be, what they make of this whole situation. They have a theory that she is a space-hopping extradimensional being, which admittedly did not ease things for me. It was also the most logical explanation but other than that, their guesses were as good as ours in the lab. Perhaps the very first time where the bigwigs and the suits up on top had absolutely no idea what TX-1 was and there was no inside / top secret information. Yes, the mere existence of her was kept secret from the rest of the world, and it might just be a matter of time before someone leaked out the information. As I was lost in my sea of thoughts, one coworker yelled in worry to the rest of us, his voice a little shaken- no, VERY shaken. With no time to lose, we hurried back to the side with the drill, with it ready to go once again. “Didn’t… didn’t we made an incision here earlier?” My heart skipped a beat, and I’m sure the rest of them did as well. Just as he said, the hole that we managed to make in the armour was gone. I slowly give it a touch around the area, it was as if it was not drilled in the first place. The security footage was also not much of some help – the hole was there one second, and it was simply gone the next. That was the best explanation and matter-of-fact that I could give, the rest of the staff and colleagues could give. It was not a hallucination, to be absolutely clear; everyone knew that saw the hole, we even felt it with our hands – the rough and jagged edges being a contrast to the rest of the suit and the armour that was perfect and flawless in every way. If we could harness even one 1 square cm of it, it might change quite a lot.

We decided to proceed with laser cutting, which we felt that it might work better if the metal hits its melting temperature (if it has any in the first place) and then make said hole. Once again, it yielded no results. Well, technically. It did at first, the immediate area becoming a little melted after 6 hours of constant heating and lasing. Then as soon as the hole started to form, the electricity went out. It was strange, though perhaps not unexpected, in a way. We have been using an unthinkable amount of energy with that 6 hours, after all. Then when the lights turned back on thanks to backup generators, the hole was once again gone, and the armour was as if we did not just try to burn a hole into it for those 6 hours. It was not the fact that it was difficult to cut through, it was not the fact that there was no buckles or any points that would let you release the suit. It was more of the fact that the holes un-did itself. It was like one of those self-healing materials, except that instead of being passive, it seemed to be active. If it was active, then it would have fixed itself as soon as possible, not when a hole was formed. I am once again not sure, it all felt like I was losing my mind. The supervisors and bigwigs also decided to pull out of the little experiment, instructing us to cease all the tests for the time being as we take perhaps a few more days to mull over TX-1’s nature.

Later investigations would also indicate that the cause of the power outage was… concerning. Once again, the security footage showed nothing suspicious in the power room, only a security guard that was on his duty, sitting at his chair and doing his usual thing. Then the next moment, the power went off. One might be thinking as to if this was sabotage from a security guard, but interviewing (we don’t like to use interrogate, we didn’t do that, after all) him confirmed his innocence. On top of that, well, here was another detail that was told to us but to keep it secret as always – the power generators were shut off. As in, someone managed to reach into the panel and pulled down on the lever. We have absolutely no idea as to how that happened, so add that to another unusual thing that was happening since the discovery of TX-1. I was still convinced that she was behind all this, but we have no concrete evidence that she did it. The supervisors also went off once again, saying they have meetings to attend to in other remote labs that we have all over the world. I wonder if they have had anomalies just like ours. I am not implying that there are many like TX-1, but there is also once again lack of proof that TX-1 is the only one. Both thoughts are harrowing to think about. As I returned back to my desk, I turned on my computer and started doing my usual paperwork, perhaps hoping that I could will it away. After all, I nearly lost my mind as I typed up my thoughts the other day, but perhaps seeing the others having the same experiences as me at least indicated that I wasn’t insane.

Just then, I got a knock on my door, a coworker telling me that someone would like to see me. Well, he wanted to see everyone, really, but he wanted to see me specifically first because- you will know why. Confused at that time, but with nothing else to do but to wonder, I quickly got out of my chair and went to the foyer, then to a private meeting room. I realized that as I walked along, dozens of faces were looking at me, fixated on me with surprises on them. I have no idea as to why, but it made me felt uneasy, almost like they think I am a fresh face for them. They never approached me to have some talk with them, understandable because I was going to meet someone, but it also made me uneasy. My coworkers and I have always been on good relations and track record with one another, so this strangeness bothered me to no end. As I knocked on the door, it was once again my supervisor, particularly the most senior one. He was the one that overseas this whole TX-1 deal, and perhaps the reason as to why we were all employed here and living here for the next few months or so. It was fine though, because I didn’t exactly have relatives and friends, not much of them anyway. As I entered the office, there was that uneasy and unnatural tension that I got once again, but this time from my supervisor, at least. “Oh, you’re back,” I said meekly, nervous to the reason for being summoned. It has to be because of that power tools thing, or something else along the way that I might have done. His face read agitation written all over the place, and after reading through his own documents and then rifling through his briefcase, he finally flunk the papers down and looked at me straight. “Dr. Schlinger. Would you mind explaining where you have been to?” Confusion was then all over my face. “What do you mean, sir?”

“I have been trying to get a hold of you on your office phone, but you never answered.”

“Oh, I must have went to the toilet.”

“Yes, but no one goes to the toilet for that long,” he said, now more agitated than ever. Though, I have a hunch that he was not here to lecture or scold me. Something was up, and I was getting worried myself. He continued on, “Your colleagues also tried to find you, but no avail.”

“Maybe I just didn’t see them?” I answered matter-of-factly. I would like to make a point that I wasn’t being rude or condescending to the supervisor here, “When I took a toilet break, no one was there, just myself.”

“I get that, I really do,” the supervisor said, sympathetic but still tense. Is there something that I don’t know? He was trying to collect his words.

“Dr. Schlinger, do you know how long did it take for you to go to the bathroom, and back to the office?”

A strange question but once again, not the strangest. “A few minutes, maybe. I mean, that’s how it typically takes me. Go to the toilet, wash my hands, the usual. It’s not as exciting, I know, but-“

“But…” he interrupted sharply, trailing off eventually, “You were reported missing for 16 hours.”

[Sangti and the Filindo Isles]

Sangti and the Filindo Isles 1–3 Katzeburg
Cup of Harmony 89 - Hangaza Unified Stadium, Aissa, Hangaza, Banija
SFI Scorers: Tomio Sulangi (44')
SFI Lineup: Federick Roncal, Serio Irorita, Jiorjohn Pico, Arshed Basque ▼ (▲ Analyn Joyce Berin 81'), Julie Ashley Limpiado, Cherlotte Penafiel, Renze Coligado, Rutchel Cerdeno ▼ (▲ Jeremil Jomerson Boire 87'), Owen Makalintal ▼ (▲ Jomark Sampang 77'), Tomio Sulangi, Aletta Abigail Reano

---

It seems to be de ja vu all over again for Sangti and the Filindo Isles.

Tournament hosted in Banija? Check.

Lead the group stage table prior to the final matchday? Check.

Lose in the final matchday and not finish at the top of the group? Check.

Got knocked out at the first playoff match? Hmm, let's see.

Vicenzo decided to not rest key players and field the strongest eleven possible against the Blue Cats, with Julie Ashley Limpiado returning to the starting lineup after being struggling with a minor injury. But their Esportivan opponents were more prepared to face them, and despite edging them in possession, the opponents had more chances at goal, and that reflected well in the scoreline as the Sangtians failed to protect their halftime lead from Tomio Sulangi's goal in the 44th, to concede three goals from Lambert Niles and end their winning streak.

The Agilang Dilaw faces 33rd ranked Indusse, a team they have not faced before. It will be up to Frain if he will field the same lineup in Matchdays 3 and 4 or if he will do another switch.

[Drawkland]

An Ode to Drawkland in the CoH

And by "ode" I mean sadly recounting history in a completely non-poetic fashion. Actually, maybe I should go with more of a beat poem? Let's try that out.

Kick Corps! Kick, Corps. Kiiiiiick, Corps! Their record's not bad, the numbers are grand, just don't look at playoff results. Ko-oren, Port Ember, Eshia and those Valentine cats ... we simply got bodied, in the Cup of Harmony, beat just by a goal, or maybe in pens ... we've never even made the semis! Hey Jane, get me off this crazy thing ... called footy.

Never mind, that was terrible. This poem ... sucks?

The point has gotten across though. Drawkland's been to the Cup of Harmony 6 times (this is the 7th), and out of 4 times escaping the group stage, only one quarterfinal. That was in the first time Drawkland even went to the CoH to boot. For a supposedly great sporting nation, that's a pretty pathetic record. And it looks like it's not changing anytime soon!

An Ode to Drawkland vs Valentine Z

I'm not making back-to-back references to a movie from 1993. But not only is Drawkland's track record in the Cup of Harmony pedestrian as best, but their record against their current Round of 16 opponent Valentine Z is not much better.

In 5 matchups, Drawkland is 2-0-3 against Valentine Z. Both wins came five cycles ago in IAC-17, and the Cats have dominated ever since. Well, dominated is a strong word, ever single matchup between Drawkland and Valentine Z besides the 2-0 debut have been decided by one goal. Simply put, they have the Corps' number. The last Drawkian Cup of Harmony run ended at the hands of Valentine Z, even.

Is this the time for Drawkland to break the tendency? Or will history simply continue?

[Banija]

Hello folks! Welcome to the Round of 16 cutoff for Cup of Harmony 89! Let's rock to The Hunchback of Notre Dame for today's cutoff! The first knockout round.

Round of 16 Scores

Katzeburg 3–2 The Ko-orenite Constellation
HUElavia 3–0 Kanzlia
Audioslavia 1–0 Captina Island
Kronbia 0–0 Riena (0–0 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Kamijiro 1–0 North Oharan Valley Union
Drawkland 1–0 Valentine Z
Sangti and the Filindo Isles 2–4 Indusse
Oberour Ar Moro 1–1 Darmen (2–1 AET)

---

Quarterfinal Matchups

#1 Katezburg v. #8 HUElavia @ Istria Olympic Stadium(cap. 80,000) in Istria, Moravica

#4 Audioslavia v. #5 Kronbia @ Star Field(cap. 70,000) in Herzegovina City, Moravica

Above two winners will meet in Quarterfinals

#3 Kamijiro v. #6 Drawkland @ The Stadium of the Restoration(cap 91,835) in Busukuma, National Capitol Region

#10 Indusse v. #2 Oberour Ar Moro @ Keystone Stadium(cap. 47,000) in Sisonke, Kitara

Above two winners will meet in Quarterfinals

[Sangti and the Filindo Isles]

Sangti and the Filindo Isles 2–4 Indusse
Cup of Harmony 89 - Albert III Memorial Stadium, Dodoma, Bunyoro, Banija
SFI Scorers: Rutchel Cerdeno (15'), Aletta Abigail Reano (77')
SFI Lineup: Federick Roncal, Serio Irorita, Jiorjohn Pico ▼ (▲ Aljon Syquiatco 64'), Arshed Basque, Analyn Joyce Berin, Cherlotte Penafiel, Renze Coligado ▼ (▲ Mary Virginia Fonder 68'), Rutchel Cerdeno, Owen Makalintal, Tomio Sulangi ▼ (▲ Jeremil Jomerson Boire 61'), Aletta Abigail Reano

---

...

Got knocked out at the first playoff match? Check.

Seems a curse is already inflicted to the sporting people of Sangti and the Filindo Isles when visiting Banijan territory.

[Audioslavia]

Carrying the One

Parts [1][2][3][4][5][6]

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A few thousand years ago, Audioslavia had a disastrous fourteen minute experiment with a monarchy. Regardless of how meaningless those fourteen minutes were, the very fact that there was a monarchy at all means two things are true forever. First, there will always be a lineage of descendents of the usurped monarch. Secondly, as long as there will always be a lineage of a usurped monarch, there will always be a Restoration movement, no matter how small or disorganised. It will invariably occur to at least one person in the country that, hey, maybe there should be a king after all, and there will always a person with a claim to said kinghood. Unless, of course, you murder every single descendent of that first monarch.

Doing just that is what The Union has been sworn to do for thousands of years, taking the lives of over eight hundred would-be monarchs. This group have sworn an oath to murder anyone in Audioslavia who holds the title of First In Line For The Thone. The union includes enough members of the police, government and judicial system that no kingslayer has ever seen the inside of a cell. At least, not for said slaying of the king.

Due to the popular Successr mobile app, Audioslavians keep an occasional tab on where they might be in the line of succession, and are advised to emigrate sharpish should their number drop into the single digits.

If anyone finds themselves as First in Line while still in Audioslavia, their life expectancy is best measured in hours. They are not, however, entirely on their own…

---

Fraser had never ridden on a jet-ski before, and as someone who got sea-sick from holding a glass of water on a windy day, he’d decided early on that it wasn’t hit ‘thing’. More his thing than a bullet in the head, sure, but he couldn’t say how much.

Holding onto the back of his apparent saviour, Fraser Farrington was able to make little sense of where he was, or how much distance they’d travelled. A dark, cold winter evening made visibility poor enough even without half your field of vision blocked by a helmeted stranger, and most of the other half obscured by spray. What he was sure of, however, was that the bumps were getting harder and higher, his captain was being more careful with the throttle, and he hadn’t seen the banks of the river for quite some time. Eventually, there was a parting in the clouds wide enough to let moonlight through, and the long reflection of the gibbous moon on the oil-black water gave the game away. This was no longer a river.

He heard a muffled ‘fuck’ from the pilot, barely made out over the roar of the engine under his arse. He heard the second exclamation, this time a ‘fuckitty fuck’ much more clearly, what with the engine having just then puttered out.

“Is there a cord, do we crank it?” he asked.
“No no” said his pilot. “We’ll get water in the engine. Ruin it, make us even heavier, no go I’m afraid”
“Are we far from the shore” said Fraser, holding on a little tighter, noticing the water was now lapping against his shins.
“I’d hope so” said the pilot. “We’re in more trouble if we’re not. Here, hold this. Tight”
Fraser just about brought himself to take his right arm away from around the pilot’s chest and duly held it. It felt like a tube of Pringles. The pilot asked if he really had hold of it. Twice. Fraser answered in the affirmative both times, tightening his grip each time. The pilot duly took one end of the tube and pulled as hard as he could. All of sound, light and smell went fwoosh, the first with a crackle, the second with a blinding red light, the third with the smell of the sort of chemicals you shouldn’t be allowing near your lungs.
The pilot held the light up to the sky and waited, waving it gently. Fraser, still holding on to the tube, got his eyesight back after thirty seconds and looked at it in the red glare.
Automatic Flare, Pull to Activate
“Got ‘em” said the pilot. Fraser turned his head to see a green flare light up the night sky in the distance, rising to the floor of the clouds and falling into the sea. Through the bright green haze, he could just about make out the silhouette of a ship.
“Is that a boat?” Asked Fraser
“A ship, technically” said the pilot
“Please tell me it’s your boat” said Fraser
“Why, dear boy” said the pilot, with a chuckle. “It’s yours”

The flare extinguished within five minutes, and it took a further fifty for a rowing boat to find them in the gloom. There was, Fraser was assured, a speedboat too, but it was in Cathair, along with the first two men tasked with picking Fraser up before it was too late.
“Rather last-ditch, the business with the jet-ski, but I must say it worked out exceedingly well” said the pilot. He had, by now, removed his helmet, revealing the face of a man who looked like the exact scene your grandma imagined when you asked her to describe the word ‘dashing’. He couldn’t have been younger than fifty, but all the same he was the proud owner of a full head of blond hair, with the sort of moustache that would tie you to the tracks as a steam-train approached, only you’d probably be okay with it. He had the aura of a man who would be too honourable to steal your wife, despite how much effort your wife would put engineering the absolute perfect situation in which she could be stolen. He looked like the exact opposite of what a man called Craig should look like, which was a fucking shame because that’s exactly what his name was.

“Well I’m not dead” said Fraser, as the rowing boat sidled up to the side of the ship. “And this thing seems like the safest place I could possibly be right now” he continued. The ship seemed about as long and wide as a hockey field up on the deck, which towered about ten metres over them. The whole thing looked like it was made of iron. As the rowing boat came to a rest and a rope-ladder came down, he got close enough to give the side of the ship what he assumed would be a reassuringly solid punch.

His fist went fully through the iron. He didn’t feel a thing.

“aaa.. AAGGH what?”
“Oh, yes, aluminium plating” said the pilot. “Authorities ask a lot fewer questions this way”
“What?” Exclaimed Fraser, still in shock. “I’ve just… I’ve just punched a hole…”
“Thin as paper, I’m afraid” said the pilot. “The wood’s fine though” he said, reaching through the hole and producing a hollow knock knock with his knuckles.
“It’s a wooden ship? As big as this?” Said Fraser. “I… didn’t think they still made those”
“They don’t” said the pilot. “Haven’t made them for centuries”

Fraser got to the deck after the most panicked rope-ladder climb he’d ever done in his life. And, he had to admit, technically the calmest rope-ladder climb of his life too. Jumping down over the wooden beam and onto the wooden boards of the deck, he looked to his left and saw… a steering wheel? A massive one. Wooden. All covered in little handles. A mix of oil lamps and dull sodium lightbulbs lit it in a warm glow, as they did the rest of the deck, most notably in and around four small staircases that seemed to lead downwards into the bowels of the ship. He noted the ship’s three ‘exhaust ports’ , in a line along the centre, looked about as realistic as the paper-thin aluminium below. He imagined, correctly, that the grey, black and yellow ‘chimneys’ were not chimneys at all. If he peeled them away, he’d see wooden masts. As he looked upwards, as high as the ship went, he saw what was unmistakably a crow’s nest.
“Is this… is this a pirate ship?” said Fraser. He simply had no other frame of reference. It looked like a pirate ship and nothing else. A sodding cartoon pirate ship.
“Of course not” said the pilot. “It’ll have blown holes in a fair few over the years, though”
Fraser could do nothing but stare. At Craig, at the workers milling about, all trying to make it look like they weren’t trying to catch a glimpse of him. At the massive wheel and the tall, bearded apparent non-pirate holding it.
“Let’s get you changed into some dry clothes, shall we” said Craig, nodding towards the closest of the four stairwells. “We’ve got clothes more fit for a man of your standing downstairs. A chamber, too”
“A chamber?” said Fraser
“It’s…. It’s just what we call a room on a ship” said Craig. “We tend to use the same words the navy would have used, seems a shame to rename it just because it isn’t a navy ship any more. Or, well, 1508”
“Fifteen oh… said Fraser. “I mean, what is this the co…”
He stopped. He saw the glint in Craig’s eye.
“I mean” said Fraser… “it… it sunk in the 1800s”
“Vanished” said Craig. “A blow for the Republic when it did, though it had long since served past its proper retirement date”
“It was supposed to have sunk near Mriin. Along with… well, half of the rest of the navy”
“Happily, not the case” said Craig, nodding towards a man at the top of the stairs. The man was the first Fraser had seen, so far, whose regalia looked the part for a ship old enough to consider the renaissance to be a passing fad the youth would soon grow bored of.
“Captain Douglas” said Craig. “Meet our newest commander”
“Welcome aboard the Cochise, your grace” said the captain.

Fraser’s adrenaline levels finally subsided enough to allow his brain to remember just how sea-sick he was feeling, and his stomach duly followed through.

[Indusse]

OOC: The Copyright message at the end of the post has been used from the standard copyright message from multiple books.

LexiRead™ > Web Edition

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The Half Blood Saga I
Chapter V
The First Trial

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Previous Chapters:
Chapter I Part I
Chapter I Part II
Chapter II Part I
Chapter II Part II
Chapter III Part I
Chapter III Part II
Chapter IV Part I
Chapter IV Part II

Adael woke to the sound of hushed voices. The pre-dawn air was crisp, and a thin mist clung to the ground. He saw Kael and his mother in deep conversation, their faces etched with concern.

"What's wrong?" Adael asked, sitting up. Mehrea turned to him, her expression softening. "The Shadowblades are closer than we thought. We need to move quickly." As they hurriedly packed up camp, Miha fluttered down to perch on Adael's shoulder. "I went ahead," the Quetzal whispered. "There's a narrow pass through the mountains. It looks treacherous."

Kael nodded grimly. "That's our path. The First Trial awaits us there." They set off as the sun peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. As they rode, Kael explained more about the trials ahead.

"Each seeker faces three trials on their journey to Jehnara," he said. "They test not just your strength and skill, but your character and resolve." Adael's hand instinctively went to the map tube at his side. "And my father... did he pass these trials?"

A shadow crossed Kael's face. "He did. Ethran was one of the most promising seekers we'd seen in generations. Which makes his disappearance all the more mysterious." As they approached the mountains, the terrain became increasingly difficult. They were forced to dismount and lead their horses along narrow ledges, sheer drops on one side and towering cliffs on the other.

Suddenly, Miha let out an alarmed squawk. "Look out!" A rumble filled the air as rocks began to rain down from above. Adael reacted instinctively, pushing his mother out of the way of a falling boulder.

"It's no natural rockslide!" Kael shouted, drawing his sword. "The First Trial has begun!" Through the dust and chaos, Adael caught glimpses of shadowy figures moving along the cliffs above. They hurled not just rocks, but spears and arrows as well.

"What do we do?" Adael yelled, ducking behind a large rock. Mehrea's eyes blazed with a fierce determination he'd never seen before. "We fight," she said, pulling a small, intricately carved stick from her pack. With a flick of her wrist, it extended into a full-length staff.

Adael watched in amazement as his mother twirled the staff, deflecting projectiles with impossible speed. Kael was a blur of motion, his sword flashing as he cut arrows out of the air. "Adael!" Kael called out. "The map! It's not just a guide – it's a weapon!"

Understanding dawned on Adael. He pulled out the map, and as he unrolled it, the parchment began to glow. Instinctively, he focused on the attackers above, and beams of light shot from the map, blinding their assailants.

With their attackers in confusion, Mehrea and Kael pressed the advantage. Adael joined the fight, using the Conseqh techniques Azahl had taught him to dodge and weave through the battle.

As suddenly as it had begun, the attack ceased. The remaining shadowy figures retreated, melting into the rocks as if they'd never been there. Panting, Adael turned to Kael. "Was that... was that the First Trial?"

Kael nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Indeed it was. And you've passed it admirably." Mehrea embraced Adael tightly. "You've taken your first step on the path your father walked," she said softly. "I'm so proud of you."

As they caught their breath and tended to minor injuries, Adael examined the map again. The parchment had changed, revealing new details of the path ahead. "Look," he said, pointing to a symbol that hadn't been there before. "I think I know where we need to go next."

Kael peered at the map, his eyebrows rising. "The Caverns of Echoes," he murmured. "I'd heard rumors, but..." "What are the Caverns of Echoes?" Adael asked.

Mehrea's face was grave. "A place of ancient magic and great danger. It's said that the caves can show you visions of past, present, and possible futures." "And it's where we'll find the next trial," Kael added.

As they prepared to continue their journey, Adael felt a mix of excitement and concern. He had passed the First Trial, but he knew greater challenges lay ahead. The path to Jehnara, and to uncovering the truth about his father and it would only get more serious from here.

With a deep breath, Adael squared his shoulders and looked to the path ahead. Whatever the Caverns of Echoes held in store, he was ready to face it. The quest for Jehnara continued, and Adael was determined to see it through to the end..

To be Continued...

---

Copyright © Akiho Banwari.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

http://www.lexiread.org

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 3–0 Kanzlia
(Uchee 15', 74', Canchon 37')
Star Field, Herzegovina City, Banija

TO UNCHARTED TERRITORY!

HUElavia advance to their first ever Quarter-Finals at the CoH with a fantastic performance against Kanzlia!

After a slow start at the Cup of Harmony, HUElavia was in full swing with the group stage, getting the much-needed advance to the knockouts, something that was expected at the bare minimum for a team as Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos. Taking on Kanzlia, Coach Casillas opted for his ideal XI once more, that had become memorized by the thousands of fans in Banija and millions of HUElavians back home. Coming out to thousands of HUElavians taking an endzone again, draping the endzone with banners, flags and posters giving their support to the team.

HUElavia attacked with their passing and precision to start off the match, giving Kanzlia a tough time with possession and having them deep in front of their goal. The opening goal came in the 15th minute, when Oh took a corner that went towards outside the box, but Uchee was left alone, giving a diving near-bicycle kick to blast past Stadt into the goal, making it 1-0. The HUElavian crowd erupted, throwing confetti and cheering loudly and jumping around, while Uchee did The Cross and was hugged by his teammates for the fantastic goal. Kanzlia began to attack more, now trying to equalize the match with the likes of Coevorden and Hesselink, getting passes from the like of Bouma and Trouw. But the HUElavian backline would play strong, proving their worth, giving Ancel very few moments where he had to handle the ball. In the 37th minute, a foul by Bagheria over Milano gave way for a free kick. Oh and Canchon stood seeing who would take it and Oh ran up to get out the way only for Canchon to take a shot with her outside boot to loop over the wall and past a diving Stadt into the goal, making it 2-0. The crowd erupted into delirium over the goal, making the stadium rumble from celebration while Canchon ran to the corner flag to leave her arms outstretched and her teammates hugging her in joy and celebration. At the half, HUElavia had that comfortable lead again, but knew they had to maintain their focus in order to prevent a nervy end much like Matchday 5.

The second half had HUElavia going all out once more, giving Kanzlia little time to attack and possess the ball. It almost seemed that HUElavia was bullying the team, which did result in some yellow cards for Taylor-Calañas, Oe, and Di Laura. Eventually, HUElavia would ice the game, as in the 74th minute, a corner was won thanks to a shot from Dias (in for Oh) taking a deflection off Bagheria. Jacquet took the corner and up towered Uchee over Svilar to head the ball past Stadt, who was falling back, into the goal, making it the definitive 3-0. The HUElavian crowd jumped up with joy and passion for the goal, while Uchee was mobbed upon falling to the ground, but once he was up he did The Cross and had a big smile for the goal. With that 3rd goal, Kanzila was demoralized and despite some chances being taken, it just wasn't the same and HUElavia would make quick work of their attack with the stout defense to kill off plays and time. At the end, HUElavia dominated the match and advanced to the Quarter-Finals of the Cup of Harmony for the first time.

HUElavia's next opponent will be No. 1 Katezburg, who came off a nervy 3-2 victory over The Ko-orenite Constellation in the Round-of-16, where the winner will take on the winner of the No. 4 Audioslavia vs No. 5 Kronbia for the Semi-Finals. Coach Casillas was quoted as saying "It was a fantastic performance by our team during the match, our planning came out well and we played to some of our strengths. Uchee has been very motivated and it's great to see him enjoy this tournament, the whole team is happy for him so far. We're grateful to finally make it to the Quarter-Finals for the first time in team history, but we still got work to do. Katezburg has had an amazing tournament so far and arguably have had the best form throughout the competition. We cannot underestimate them and need to give it our best in order to make it to the Final Four of the Cup of Harmony. We may be playing on house money at this point, but as a saying goes: Job's Not Done. We hope to count on the HUElavian support once more and we hope to make history in the coming days." Istria Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the Quarter-Finals match for HUElavia, who already had defeated Alanis Star 4-1 back in Matchday 4. Thousands of HUElavians will be flocking as always, as it seems more and more are making the trip to the Arrosian country, enjoying the culture and cuisine up to now. Still, while it may be uncharted territory for HUElavia at the Cup of Harmony, there's still plenty of football to be played. All the team and fans can do is take it a game at a time. Here's to yet another historic match for Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Katzeburg]

Anton Waldo was up early. Well, it’s hard to say he was up early given he had barely slept at all the previous night. Between the absolute stench coming from the small hotel room he shared with Greyson and Mathias which no amount of showering could wash away any time soon, his mind was swimming with thousands of thoughts.

They had somehow, beyond all odds, found the team hotel and got a room in the very same wing as the Katzeburg national team. This morning, he would be rubbing shoulders with some of his favourite players by the breakfast bar and talking about how the side would be shaping up for the round of 16 clash.

From there, he would be getting in with the team, acting as their go-to fan support and acting as a link between the team and the nation. It was so close to happening he could almost feel it, and it was something he had long dreamt of - ever since he formed the fan club a week before the Baptism of Fire.

Anton sat on the edge of his bed kitted out in his finest attire - one of the first run Katzeburgian kits pressed just before their first game against Revida in Hapilopper. As he tested the shirt collar to make sure it maintained its firmness, he looked over to a still asleep Greyson and Mathias, both snoring loudly following last night’s ordeal.

I can’t believe we’ve done it, Anton thought to himself. How has no-one else come up with this idea before? Fans are a huge part of the football experience, and sooner or later Katzeburg will have to adopt an ‘official’ fan club. Why not us?

As he stepped out into the hallway, a hive of activity swirled around him - housekeeping staff were trawling the halls preparing for the day as other travellers walked up and down the halls preparing for their day in Banija. Anton took a brief moment to take it in before returning to the task at hand.

Beaming down the hall, he looked around to see if there was anyone he recognised from the national side walking around on their way to breakfast, but to no avail. Maybe they had all already gotten there? He thought. Imagine with a game coming up they’d want to be working as a team.

Pulling open a door, Anton entered the large room where breakfast was being served. Staff were flying around picking up plates and replacing dishes on the buffet, while he noticed a large line of people looking to complain about the lack of coffee - obviously not realising the regulations in Banija.

Anton chuckled as he spotted a sea of black and blue shirts sitting in the far corner of the room - The team! Anton crouched and ducked towards the nearest pillar, keeping a close eye on the team.

“I’ll be like a spy,” Anton whispered to himself as he chuckled about his camouflage, ignoring the shades of yellow and blue which now found themselves contrasting strongly against the eggshell white pillar.

Taking a few moments to see the movements of the team, he noted one of the side get up and walk over to the buffet - this was his moment!

Anton shot off at a brisk pace, picking up a plate and slamming himself into an open spot in front of the chicken, just as the Katzeburgian player pulled up to the same stand. It was none other than the heroic captain Owen Levitt.

Anton clenched his left hand in excitement as he pretended to look carefully and casually at the chicken laid out before him - out of all the players in the side, Owen was his favourite. Hell, he might be from Avonsend, but he couldn’t help but enjoy watching Inverhaven City play when Levitt was on the field.

The tall, muscular man reached out for a slice of chicken as Anton worked up the courage to say something.

“Come here often?” he squeaked.

“Who, me?” Owen said, pointing to himself as he pulled his hand back from the chicken. “No, no. Just here for the chicken.”

“Oh, no - I mean… I can’t believe the coincidence running into you here! What are the odds Katzeburg’s football team would be here? In this hotel?”

Owen eyed the now visibly sweating Anton, looking up and down at the man decked out in team colours.

“Right… Well always nice to meet a supporter of the side - hope you’re here for the rest of our run!”

“Oh, of course! I’m a huge supporter, I even run one of the leading national fan clubs, and it would be grea-”

“Oh, are you the guy from Team Katzeburg? Our head of media said there’d be someone from the fan club coming in this morning for some interviews for social media and press.”

“T-team Katzeburg?”

“Yeah? I’m assuming you’re Jeff, right?”

“Uh, no - I’m Anton,” he said with the expression of someone tying him to a lead balloon and throwing him off Blubeck Pier.

“Ahh well nice to meet you Anton, but I’ve only got a limited amount of time and I really need something to eat, so hopefully we’ll catch up later yeah?”

Owen grabbed a handful of chicken, slammed it onto his plate and sped off to go re-take his seat.

Anton was shaking. He had been beaten to it by Team Katzeburg. Oh how he hated them and their stupid asking-for-permission-with-the-media-team-faces.

As he stood shaking a plate full of chicken, he considered his next move. If Team Katzeburg is here, then we might need to ensure they never get a chance like this again, Anton thought to himself - a wry smile creeping across his face.

---

Katzeburg 3 - 2 The Ko-orenite Constellation
(Wruck 7’, Plank 22’, Arkwright 48’ // Kenyatta 74’, Erbakan 86’)

Possession - 54% // 46%
Shots on Target - 9 // 5
Shots - 14 // 13
Fouls - 16 // 15

1 Whinery, 2 Howland (Morton 65’), 15 Clarkson (Levitt 65’), 4 Knepp, 5 Colbert, 6 Plank, 7 Horsfall (Moores 65’), 18 Arkwright, 19 Spears, 10 Wruck, 11 Niles

Player of the Match - Plank (KAT)

Katzeburg through to final eight despite late charge from Constellation

Katzeburg are into the final eight of the Cup of Harmony despite conceding two goals in the final 20 minutes in a late fightback from The Ko-orenite Constellation in a 3-2 win at Kawesa Stadium in Mynda.

The Blue Cats, who entered the knockouts as the top seed, made a bright start thanks to an early Drake Wruck goal in the seventh minute, with the Katzestadt Rovers forward capping off a quick counter-attack down the left hand flank and rounding Constellation keeper Ebelina Samper.

Katzeburg dominated the early stages of the game in a rare change of pace from their previous showings in the competition to date, and their spell of dominance resulted in the side nabbing a second goal through Serena Plank in the 22nd minute. Following a loose ball springing out of the Constellation box, the young midfielder didn’t hesitate to fire off a curling effort from outside the box, with her shot sailing into the top left corner and doubling the advantage.

The Ko-orenite Constellation would begin to pull back into the game on the stroke of half-time with an effort from Mwangi Kenyatta just edging past the post from distance, but it was Katzeburg who took a comfortable lead into the half-time break.

The Blue Cats would extend their lead shortly into the second half with their third goal of the game - a well-placed free-kick from Meriel Arkwright sliding under the leaping Constellation wall and burying itself into the bottom right corner. At 3-0 to Katzeburg, many fans thought the game was done and passage was secure.

But The Ko-orenite Constellation hadn’t gotten this far by packing it in, and the side cleverly took advantage of manager Becka Haberkorn’s substitutions to fire back into the match. With a rotated and slower backline due to captain Owen Levitt and Elicia Morton coming on in place of young speedsters Katharine Howland and Erik Clarkson, the Constellation suddenly found themselves beating the backline with ease through some long stretches of passing down the flanks.

This approach would pay off in the 74th minute as Kenyatta put the side on the board, tapping home from close range a smart pass across the centre of the box from Illi Huayanay to cut the deficit to two.

The margin would be crushed even tighter four minutes from time when midfielder Nazli Erbakan headed home a looping corner despite being marked by two Katzeburgian defenders. With momentum swiftly finding the feet of the Constellation side, Katzeburg were forced onto the back foot to maintain their now slim lead.

As the clock ran down, the Blue Cats saw their blushes saved after Konrad Nordenflycht scuffed an effort in front of an open goal which would have drawn the Constellation level - Katzeburg securing victory in a match which almost saw them fall to a historic collapse.

Manager Becka Haberkorn said there were positives to take from the game, despite almost blowing a three goal lead.

“It was a mixed bag and even though we got the win, it’s clear we weren’t up to our best,” Haberkorn said.

“Our starting approach was brilliant, and I don’t think I’ve seen as strong a start as we had in the first 25 minutes during my time in charge of the side - we were playing great attacking football and it really showed in the goals Drake and Serena scored.

“I think we got over-confident after the third goal and switched off too easily - I will admit our bench did the same thing and we thought job was done, no harm in rotating the side a little given the next match, but full credit to The Ko-orenite Constellation, they really made us pay for that.

“It’s raised some interesting questions about how we approach teams like that in those positions going forward, but for now I am just happy we managed to secure the win and passage through to the final eight - if our run ends here it’s still been a fantastic campaign.”

Katzeburg will now travel to Istria to face off against HUElavia for a spot in the semi-finals, with their opponents also having the distinction of having the highest world ranking out of any side left in the competition at a lofty 13th.

The side finished second in Group 4 but level on points with group winner Kamijiro, but pulled off the result of the round of 16 by sweeping aside Kanzlia 3-0 in a dominant display. With a semi-final spot on the line, Katzeburg will have it all to play for in what will be their toughest match yet in their young sporting history.

[Oberour Ar Moro]

Saint Piarik and the Pipe Organ by Ioen le Gras
Art created with Midjourney

Legend has it that the Archangel Michael came to Saint Piarik in his dreams. “Go to Genulca,” the Archangel said. “But be wary of the Devil, who has malicious plans for you.”

And so Piarik, pious as he was, went to Genulca. When he arrived in Genulca he saw the people of the Benedicted City were building a magnificent cathedral. Piarik went to the cathedral and spoke to the foreman. “I am a pipe organ builder by trade. And I wish to make a magnificent pipe organ for this magnificent cathedral.” And so Piarik began planning for the greatest of his creations.

The Devil, of course, was aware of pious Piarik and made his own devious plans to challenge Piarik and his faith. The Devil came to Genulca in the image of a strong and burly man. He came to Piarik and told him “I am as religious and Godly as any man, and wish to assist you! How can I be of service?”

Piarik, pious as he was, saw through the Devil and his tricks, and further he knew he could overcome any obstacle the Devil put in his path. “Sir!” Piarik told the devil, “go to the timber merchant and get me the best wood for my organ.”

The Devil made haste, but made sure to pick out the worst pieces, gnarled and bug-eaten. The Devil was certain the Piarik would be disheartened when he saw the wood that was collected for him. But Piarik was as crafty as he was Godly, so he took that wood that the Devil brought him and worked twice as hard to make excellent sliders and channels.

The Devil had been foiled once, but decided to redouble his efforts. The Devil went away and then came back in the form of a beautiful woman. “Piarik, a handsome man such as you should not only work! Come to the tavern with me and rest!” said the Devil. Piarik could see the Devil cloven hooves, still playing along with him. Piarik and the Devil went to a local pub. But there Piarik rallied the men there to put down their tankards and come to work on building his pipe organ. The men were so inspired by Piarik they came and worked as they had never worked before.

The Devil may have been stymied, but he was now committed to dragging Piarik down to Hell. The Devil then disguised himself as a fox and went to trick Piarik. Unfortunately for the Devil, Piarik was tired of the Devil’s interference. He grabbed the Devil by his false fluffy tail and held him aloft. “Devil, I will take you, chop you apart, and use your bones to make the glue for my pipe organ!” Piarik declared.

“Leave me be, Piarik! I’ll-” the Devil started.

“I’m not done with you yet, you fiend!” Piarik continued. “That glue will put together four pieces of spruce wood, which will make fine wood pipes!”

“I do not wish to be made into glue, let alone into the pipe organ of a Cathedrist cathedral-” the Devil argued.

“I could also use your bones to make small mechanical parts,” Piarik considered.

“While that might mean I wouldn’t be boiled I still don’t-” the Devil objected.

“Or your bones could be used to plate the keys,” Piarik noted.

“There’s a lot you could use my bones for, huh?” asked the Devil.

Piarik was about to start specifying what the Devil’s fox coat or skin could be used for when the Devil interjected.

“Seeing as how you could use every part of me for your organ, could you please let me go? You have bested me and I will do you no harm.”

“Only on one condition,” said Piarik.

“Does this involve my bones?” asked the concerned Devil.

“You will help me construct the greatest pipe organ I ever built, then leave this cathedral alone forever.

The Devil, afraid of becoming organ parts, agreed. And thus the pipe organ of the Genulca Cathedral is the greatest in the whole of Azoria.

[Drawkland]

Ro16 vs Valentine Z

Drawkland vs Valentine Z. The match that makes a casual fan flipping through the sports channels go "Hey, what the hell is wrong with the aspect ratio on this broadcast? Why do the players look all weirdly tall? Oh wait a minute."

The last four matches between the Kick Corps and the Valentian Kittens have all been decided by 1 goal. Round of 16 in IAC-17, a 2-1 win for the Corps. A decisive MD5 group match in IAC-19, 4-5 win for the Kittens. Last Cup of Harmony, Round of 16, a 2-3 Kitten win. The very next match played by the Kick Corps was a rematch on MD1 of IAC-21, which they also lost 1-2. Regardless of the result, almost everybody expected this one to come down to the wire.

The match was also being held at Hangaza Unified Stadium, where Drawkland lost to Oberour Ar Moro 0-1 on the opening matchday of this Cup of Harmony's group stage. In theory, things were lining up for a tight Drawkland loss. But you can't forget ... this is Ellzidan's last chance at some level of success before she's chucked into the sun (read: fired from being manager). The Corps has proved that when things are truly dire, they can pull something off. Usually. Sometimes. On some occasions. Alright, maybe you needed to drink a little kool-aid to believe that Drawkland had a chance at winning here, but the possibility was definitely there.

Surely, after three straight losses to the Kittens (all in the "New Corps" era), there'd be some regression to the mean. It was approaching bogey team levels, especially if it meant back-to-back Ro16 eliminations in the Cup of Harmony to the same team.

So, how could Ellzidan possibly cook up a winning strategy? Tactically, this game would probably make a traditionalist cry. Drawkland's 3-3-4 formation going against Valentine Z's 2-4-4 which is sure to result in a horrifying goal-filled slugfest. Drawkland played a 6-4 barnburner against Yakk on the final matchday of the group stage ... did they really have the stamina to survive another battle like that? Ellzidan decided the answer was probably no.

Rather than playing with their typical offensive tactics, Ellzidan elected to be a little more defensive and disrupt the Valentian offense. Though the formation stayed the same, forward Riley Fields was subbed out, Praxis Collingwood moved from the hybrid WF/AM position to LF, offensive-minded RM Emily Tobin slotted into the hybrid position, and more defensive midfielder Jamie Windsor was subbed in to play RM. The team would be playing tighter, tougher with the ball, and a lot more methodical. With a tiny back line like Valentine Z's, you just have to stay tight defensively and get lucky on a counterattack.

For the first half, that's exactly what happened. The Valentian front was continually stymied against the Corps defense, especially since the full defensive complement of Warren, Arrowsword, and Bright were in play. Their previous wins against Drawkland in the IAC were against more of a developmental lineup, so the full-strength back line with some extra defensive help from the midfield was enough to fully throw the Kittens off their game. They weren't used to this level of resistance, and the duo of Arrowsword and Warren especially were absolutely lethal in the box. None of the Valentian forwards were getting good looks. In the first half, they only got 1 shot on goal, which McKenna Reed snagged easily.

Of course, the Drawkian front wasn't getting many opportunities, but they lied in wait for their chance. They may only get one, so they had to be ready.

That chance came a little sooner than expected. Around the 55th minute in the second half, the Kittens made a fatal mistake. Antel Marcel Georgia Katona Vass Dániel looped a pass a little wide, trying to get it to Elisabetta Enzo Hannah Lodovica D'Elia but instead running it into the path of Jamie Windsor. Jamie booted the ball immediately, turning the momentum very quickly. Suddenly Emily Tobin had the ball, and she flicked it to Cam Cross, who made a mad dash to the box.

Cam felt like she had a chance, but it evaporated. Helen Jennifier Hiroto Morishita Chiyumi and Marlene Isabelle Lisa Roselyne Pasquier were converging on her, and she was the only one far enough to make a difference ... until she saw Cecilia Benbow streaking nearby. Cam didn't have enough time to really line it up, she just flicked the ball up and over the defenders (which is saying a lot given everybody's height). Cece Benbow zoomed past, staying onside until the very last moment and catching up to the ball before Martina Anastasia Hedvig X. Luna Bukvić could get to it. Cece corralled the ball before Bukvić intercepted her, and the flick from Cam had just enough steam that the Kitten defenders were a few steps behind. Cece deked around Bukvić, took a few steps, and fired a crossing shot into the open net. 1-0 Drawkland.

From there, the defensive efforts doubled. The normally offensive Corps were not taking any chances, with Ellzidan subbing out midfielder Macy Butler for a defending Alicia Devlin. The sight was something that would make a Sylestonian proud. Drawkland was parking the bus. To hell with pride or sticking with their normal identity, it was time to win the ballgame. For 35 agonizing minutes, Valentine Z continued to press at the goal, and the Drawkian possessions didn't last nearly long enough. The minutes continued to tick down, though, and eventually it was stoppage time.

The defense had locked down. The Kittens only had 4 accurate shots on goal all game, and McKenna Reed ate them all. Their last challenge came about 4 minutes into stoppage, and when Reed caught and booted it to midfield, the whistles blew out. Drawkland had won a Cup of Harmony knockout game for the first time in 14 cycles.

QF vs Kamijiro

Kamijiro, being relatively new to the international scene, has never faced Drawkland in any tournament. They're the 8th-best team in this tournament by rank, just a couple notches above Valentine Z in KPBs. Ultimately, it's a winnable match, but this is also tied for the furthest Drawkland has ever made it into a Cup of Harmony. Do they really have the mettle to survive another tough encounter? Especially with a hyper-defensive team like Kamijiro, it's sure to be a battle of attrition just like the Valentine Z match ended up being.

For reference, the last time Drawkland reached a Cup of Harmony Quarterfinal, it was against Ko-oren in CoH 74. That was literally before the Elite Eleven era, in fact, it was the penultimate tournament played in that "Old Corps" era. That match was also a loss, and the lowest-scoring Kick Corps game of all time (0-0 after extra time, and only 3-1 in the penalty shootout). The immortals of this squad, Ellzidan, Nicole, Sarah, and Cam, all remember that match well. For them, this is a chance to exorcise demons that led to their initial demise. For the rest of the Corps, this is a chance to play for a podium position if they win, a paltry consolation prize for missing qualification.

Another tough battle on the horizon. Does the Kick Corps have it in them to pull out another win against tough competition?

[Banija]

Hello folks! Welcome to the Quarterfinal cutoff for Cup of Harmony 89! You got me in chains anticipating these scores

Quarterfinal Scores

Katzeburg 1–2 HUElavia
Audioslavia 1–0 Kronbia
Kamijiro 0–1 Drawkland
Indusse 1–0 Oberour Ar Moro

---

Semifinal Matchups

#8 HUElavia v. #4 Audioslavia @ Hangaza Unified Stadium(cap. 55,000) in Aissa, Hangaza

#6 Drawkland v. #10 Indusse @ BCEL Stadium(cap. 52,400) in Jinja City, Hangaza

[Audioslavia]

Carrying the One

Parts [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

---

A few thousand years ago, Audioslavia had a disastrous fourteen minute experiment with a monarchy. Regardless of how meaningless those fourteen minutes were, the very fact that there was a monarchy at all means two things are true forever. First, there will forever be a lineage of descendents of the usurped monarch. Secondly, there will always be a Restoration movement, no matter how small or disorganised. It will always occur to at least one person in the world that, hey, maybe there should be a king after all, and there will always a person with a claim to said kinghood. Unless, of course, you murder every single descendent of that first monarch.

And doing just that is what The Union has been sworn to do for thousands of years, taking the lives of over eight hundred would-be monarchs. This group have sworn an oath to murder anyone in Audioslavia who holds the title of First In Line For The Thone. The union includes enough members of the police, government and judicial system that no kingslayer has ever seen the inside of a cell. At least, not for said slaying of the king.

Due to the popular Successr mobile app, Audioslavians keep an occasional tab on where they might be in the line of succession, and are advised to emigrate sharpish should their number drop into the single digits.

If anyone finds themselves as First in Line while still in Audioslavia, their life expectancy is best measured in hours.

---

Declan wasn’t typically one for waking up early, but a night in a union warehouse will test even the heaviest sleeper’s resolve. Sleeping from one o’clock til half five, he was awoken by a car horn from the street below, and found the close-harmony dubstep snoring of his accomplices in the opposite bunk too much to bear. At six he trudged, defeated, back to the common area. There, he found Falda sitting in an armchair.

“You’re up” said Declan
“No” said Falda, “this is where I sleep. At least it is when there’s foghorns in the next room. Slept sitting up for fifty years now”
“Why?” asked Declan, through a yawn.
“You go through what I went through, you get used to sleeping… prepared”
“Uh huh” said Declan. There were occasions when it was right not to push someone for information. Also, there were occasions like this, where one person is too incurious for the question to even occur in their mind in the first place.
“There coffee?” asked Declan
“Instant. Old. Basically brown flavoured sand”
“Where?” Asked Declan.
“Cupboard above the sink” said Falda. “Spoons are in the…” Falda stopped as she saw Declan find the instant coffee, open it and jiggle far too much of it into a mug. Declan then did the same with a pot of sugar.
“There’s no kettle though” said Falda, her eyes fixed on Declan. "There's a dry saucepan on the..." she stopped. Declan had already shrugged and was reaching for the hot tap. Falda cringed. No. No surely not. She quelled the urge to stand up and throw the six nearest things at him while screaming in tongues.
“Is there milk” asked Declan, snapping Falda out of her trance.
“I dread to think what you’ll do if there isn’t” said Falda. “Fridge”
Declan opened the fridge, found the milk, sniffed it, and splashed some of it into his mug and some of it onto the floor. He proceeded to ‘clean’ it with one of his socks.

Falda decided she might get an extra hour of sleep instead of dealing with Declan for even five more minutes.

---

A bell tinkled. Not rang. Tinkled. Loud enough to bring Fraser Farrington down from his slumber, but not so loud as to startle him into sitting bolt upright wondering whether or not he was late for work.

Fraser opened his eyes and saw a man with a moustache dressed as a penguin. To be clear, the man was dressed in a penguin, not the moustache, but either sight would have had the same effect on Fraser, who noted that he’d never been woken up by either before. A second blink suggested that there were no penguins in the first place, and that the man was dressed in a very, very expensive looking suit. It had one of those long tail thingies at the back. Fraser's brain knew they were called swallow-tails, but Fraser's brain had only just woken up to find the rest of his body had left without him.

“Coffee, your grace?” Asked the man.
“Ugh” said Fraser, still trying to piece together where he knew the man from. His soul had gotten out the door and onto the bus and had arrived at work early, but his brain still had half a slice of toast in its mouth, was still trying to find two matching socks and was still trying to remember the number of the local taxi firm that was going to take the stranger he’d woken up with home. “Yeah” he said, finally.
“Pacitalian or Drip, your grace” said the man.
“Uugh” said Fraser, blinking hard.
“I’ll fetch both. You can decide which you prefer” said the man.
Fraser sat up, still holding his eyes shut.
“Boat” said Fraser
“Indeed”, said the man, stopping on his way out of the room. Fraser opened his eyes. He realised he hadn’t heard the man’s footsteps. Peculiar. Quiet footsteps are usually a trait associated with two types of people, and the guy was unlikely to be the first.
“Are you a butler?” Asked Fraser
“Indeed I am, your grace” said the man. “I thought I told you yesterday. Admittedly, it was probably the last thing on your mind at the time”
Fraser looked up at the man’s face.
“…Craig?!” he managed, remembering the name, what with it being the least appropriate name possible for the man.
“Yes” said the man, whose eyebrow raised. He turned to face Fraser and made a small bow.
“On this ship, it has become rather a custom to refer to one another as ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’. Keeps attitudes ship-shape without resorting to military language, your grace. You may prefer to call me what you wish, but ‘Mister Craig’ is more common”
“Very old fashioned” said Fraser, to himself.
“Very much” said Craig “although I do beg of you to note we do say ‘Ms’, your grace” he continue.
“Mister Craig” said Fraser, squinting. “You mean, Craig’s your surname”
“Indeed, your grace”
“What’s your first name, if you don’t mind me asking”
“I don’t mind you asking at all, sir, after all, you are the Rightful King”
“Ugh” said Fraser, looking around. He found, behind him, a porthole. Beyond it, only the blue sea of what he assumed was still Hunter’s Bay, the body of water that linked Cathair with Puerta Cruz, Celta, Silexhera, Ceilerden and the rest of Audioslavia’s southern cities. A seagull chose this moment to perch, eye Fraser momentarily, and seem to bow.
“I’m not sure how I feel about being a King” he said, finally. “I mean, considering Audioslavia doesn’t have one, and what we tend to do to people who have claim to be one, even if only by accident”
“Of course, your grace” said Craig. “We’ll endeavour to bring you up to speed as gradually as possible. In any case, it will hopefully only be for a week”
“Oh?” Said Fraser. “Oh, of course”
“Your nephew becomes number one soon enough. Your sister in law is perfectly safe to leave the country whenever she likes, in the mean-time, and the young boy will be free to live the life he chooses, outside of Audioslavia”
“Or young girl”
“Yes, your grace” said Craig. “In that eventuality, she would be safe regardless. Despite our adopting Ms, we abide by the ancient rules”
“She’d be a few thousandth in line” said Fraser, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to forget that the entire room was rocking up and down, however slowly. “And if it is a girl, what happens to me?”
“Here’s the matrix” said Craig. “It’s a girl: you stay here, or we drop you at any foreign port you like, excluding Audioslavia. It’s a boy, you stay here, or we drop you at any port you like, including Audioslavia”. Craig made a small bow, and smoothed down his thin, blond moustache.
“So… what is your first name?” asked Fraser
“Archibald” said Mr. Craig.
“Oh that’s so much better” said Fraser. “But why.. why you" said Fraser. "Why did they send you to save me? You’re… well, you’re the butler”
“Interesting thing about butlers, your grace” said Mr Craig, leaning forward, conspiratorially. “The job rather involves a lot of keeping clothes clean and folded, being precise, quiet, respectful of authority, rigid adherence to a routine” he continued. “It should, therefore, be unsurprising just how many of us are ex special forces”
Fraser noted how smoothly Archibald Craig moved back to a standing position, and noted he was very much in the ‘at ease’ pose. Equal weight on both feet, knees not locked together. He saw it now. He also decided that this man was now the absolute first choice he’d have in his corner in any fight, possibly for the rest of his life. Which, well, might not be very long these days anyway.
“Pacitalian coffee” said Fraser, blinking hard again.
“That’s the one in the little metal pot, right”
“Right, your grace. I’ll bring some at once” said Archibald, leaving the room, silently.

[Indusse]

OOC: The Copyright message at the end of the post has been used from the standard copyright message from multiple books.

LexiRead™ > Web Edition

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The Half Blood Saga I
Chapter VI
The Flashback

---

Previous Chapters:
Chapter I Part I
Chapter I Part II
Chapter II Part I
Chapter II Part II
Chapter III Part I
Chapter III Part II
Chapter IV Part I
Chapter IV Part II
Chapter V

The journey to the Caverns of Echoes was not at all easy. They traveled through dense forests and across swift-flowing rivers, always alert for signs of pursuit. Adael's muscles ached from the constant travel, but his determination never wavered.

As they neared their destination, the landscape changed dramatically. The lush greenery gave way to barren rock, and an eerie mist clung to the ground. Strange, glowing fungi dotted the cliffs, casting an otherworldly light.

"We're close now," Kael said, his voice hushed. "The entrance should be just ahead." Suddenly, Miha let out a soft trill. "I hear... whispers," the Quetzal said, ruffling her feathers nervously. Adael strained his ears but heard nothing. Yet as they rounded a bend in the narrow canyon, he felt it – a presence, ancient and powerful, pressing against his mind.

Before them loomed a massive stone arch, covered in intricate carvings that seemed to shift and change as Adael looked at them. Beyond the arch, darkness beckoned. Mehrea placed a hand on Adael's shoulder. "The Caverns will test you in ways you can't imagine," she said softly. "Stay focused on your goal, and don't let the visions mislead you."

Adael nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm ready." As they stepped through the arch, the whispers Miha had heard grew louder. Adael could almost make out words now, snippets of conversations and cries of battle.

The cavern walls glowed with a soft, pulsing light. As they ventured deeper, Adael noticed that their footsteps made no sound. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the ghostly whispers.

Suddenly, the passage widened into a vast chamber. In the center stood a pool of silvery liquid, its surface as still as glass. "The Mirror of Ages," Kael breathed. "This is where the true trial begins." Adael approached the pool, drawn by an unseen force. As he gazed into its depths, the surface began to ripple.

Images flashed before his eyes: A young man who looked strikingly like him, battling shadowy figures. Adael realized with a start that he was seeing his father, Ethran. The scene changed. Now Ethran stood before a shimmering doorway, hesitation clear on his face. As he reached out to touch it, the image dissolved.

"Father!" Adael cried out, reaching towards the pool. As his fingers touched the surface, the chamber around him vanished. Adael found himself standing in a sun-drenched courtyard. Before him, two young boys sparred with wooden swords.

With a sudden jolt, Adael recognized one of the boys as Azahl. The other... must be Ethran. "You'll never beat me, Eth!" young Azahl taunted, grinning. "Just you wait!" Ethran replied, launching into a series of quick strikes.

Adael watched, fascinated, as the two boys who would become his fathers trained together. The scene shifted again, and now he saw them as young men, standing before a council of elders. "The map has chosen," one elder intoned. "Ethran, you are to be the next seeker of Jehnara."

Azahl's face showed a mix of pride and... was that envy? The visions came faster now. Ethran training, preparing for his quest. Azahl always by his side, supporting his friend even as a shadow of regret lingered in his eyes.

Then, Adael saw his mother, young and radiant, her eyes meeting Ethran's across a crowded room. Their courtship, their marriage, the joy on their faces as Mehrea announced her pregnancy. But the joy gave way to tension. Ethran poring over maps late into the night, arguing with Mehrea about the dangers of the quest.

The final vision showed Ethran embracing a tearful Mehrea, his hand resting on her swollen belly – on Adael. "I have to go," Ethran said softly. "For all of us. I'll find Jehnara and make a better world for our child."

As Ethran turned to leave, the vision faded. Adael found himself back in the cavern, tears streaming down his face. Mehrea and Kael stood nearby, concern etched on their features. "What did you see?" Kael asked gently. Adael wiped his eyes. "I saw... everything. Father, Azahl, you," he looked at his mother. "I understand now. Why he left, why it was so important."

Mehrea embraced him tightly. "And now you understand the weight of the choice before you," she whispered. Adael nodded, his resolve strengthened by the visions. "I'll finish what he started," he said firmly. "For all of us." As they turned to leave the chamber, Adael noticed the map had changed again. New paths had appeared, leading deeper into the unknown.

The second trial had been passed, but Adael knew the greatest challenges still lay ahead. With newfound purpose, he led the way forward, ready to face whatever the quest for Jehnara would bring.

To be Continued...

---

Copyright © Akiho Banwari.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

http://www.lexiread.org

[HUElavia]

Katzeburg 1–2 HUElavia
(Horsfall 68' | Uchee 8', 80')
Istria Olympic Stadium, Istria, Banija

THESE JAGUARS ARE HUNGRY!!!

An Uche brace gives HUElavia a historic advance to the Semi-Finals of the Cup of Harmony over Katzeburg in a nervy match!

HUElavia was in a historic moment, finally breaking past the barrier of the Last 16 of the Cup of Harmony, where just about every run had ended previously. Although, this team was different. They played well and showed their strength to the multiverse, getting a dominant 3-0 victory over Kanzlia to advance to the Quarter-Finals. Awaiting them was Katzeburg, a surprise package in this tournament who had a fantastic group stage to win the No. 1 seed, but had survived a nervy match over The Ko-orenite Constellation. Now once more at Istria Olympic Stadium, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos were welcomed by many thousands of HUElavians present in the stadium, taking up the endzone, putting flags and banners and it was really feeling like a home game at this point. Coming out with the familiar XI, Coach Casillas gave his support and confidence towards these solid players that were proving their worth throughout the tournament. With the highest seeded team against the highest ranked team, it was a tantalizing match to open the Quarter-Finals.

The opening match saw both teams trading shots left and right, with the first show being a free kick given by Oe over a foul on Wruck, which Sears took a free kick and hit the post to go out for a goal kick, giving a surprising scare to Ancel. The opening goal came in the 8th minute, when Milano sent a cross to Canchon, who got the ball, where she sent a cross towards the box where Whinery mistimed their dive and it went to the other side, where Uchee was left unopposed and slotted the ball in an awkward angle into the open goal, making it 0-1. The HUElavians erupted in joy over the goal while Uchee did The Cross and was mobbed by his teammates for the goal, and finally getting a hug with Canchon for the goal. Katzeburg would begin to put pressure and attack, with Wruck and Niles getting good shots here and there to give the HUElavian backline to make saves and blocks, giving Ancel a few runs where he had to dive and catch balls. Despite the chances, HUElavia stood their ground and got to the halftime break leading at the bare minimum of 0-1.

In the second half, while both teams seemed a bit more cautious, Katzeburg was seen with more pressue to get something out of the match, especially with wanting to pull a historic upset. HUElavia would get their chance though, which saw a pass from Taylor-Calañas get to Canchon, who gave a curving shot past the reach of Whinery to loop just narrowly past the goal for a goal kick, which saw Canchon put her hands on her face in frustration. Eventually in the 68th minute, a foul by Oh on Spears gave way for a free kick, where Plank sent a cross in, which deflected off Di Laura to go a bit forward and Ancel hesitated to get the ball, where Horsfall headed the ball past Ancel and Alvarez who nearly cleared the ball to go into the goal, making it 1-1. Horsfall was mobbed by their teammates for the goal and the supporters for Katzeburg going into delirium over the goal and the history they could be making. HUElavia began to pressure more and more, as they wanted to prevent any sort of extra time for them, giving the Katzeburg defense and Whinery a tough time. In the 80th minute, a pass from Schmidt (in for Taylor-Calañas) got to Uchee, who was being covered by Knepp, where he turned around and gave a curving shot that went past Whinery and hit the post into the goal, making it 1-2. Uchee did The Cross and was mobbed almost immediately by both his teammates and the bench, while the HUElavian crowd erupted in joy and passion in celebration for the goal, making the stadium rumble from their singing and jumping. HUElavia began to defend more and more, with Katzeburg putting more and more pressure looking to equalize. In the final minutes, a pass by Spears made it to Johns (in for Niles), who gave a shot that slipped past Ancel, but slowed down in the contact, only for Teixeira (in for Di Laura) to clear the ball away for safety. In the end, once the referee blew their whistle, the HUElavians ran to the pitch in joy, hugging their teammates and then giving their consolations to the Katzeburg players.

HUElavia end up surviving a tough match that turned out to be the most exciting match, as Audislavia, Indusse and Drawkland all advanced to the Semi-Finals on 1-0 scorelines. Speaking of Audioslavia, it is against them that Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos will face off against in the Semi-Finals of the Cup of Harmony. The most notable experience with them was in the World Cup 94 Qualifiers, where HUElavia overtook them on the Final Matchday to return to the World Cup after 24 years of absence at the multiverse's biggest sporting event. Coach Casillas commented on the performance, saying: "It was a difficult match, one that we expected that would happen. Katzeburg showed why they were the No. 1 seed despite being ranked lower than other teams. They gave us a run for our money, but once again we did well to be resilient and play it patiently. Uchee was huge once again and we've loved the form he's had in these past few matches. The team is grateful for this experience and we feel motivated to give it our all against Audioslavia. They're a strong team and easily rightful opponents to be competing for this title. Nobody said it would be an easy cake walk for the title and we cannot underestimate against them. We cannot play with fear, but we must play with respect. Likewise can be said of the other side of the bracket with Indusse and Drawkland. All of us have proven our worth, and it's a tough match any which way one looks at it. There's no Final without a win in the Semi-Final, and we hope to make it a historic moment for our fans and the millions of HUElavians throughout the multiverse." Quite simply, with the exception of Audioslavia, these semi-finalists are essentially the same ones as in the historic IAC 15, one of the best Indies tournaments. Rightfully enough, the teams that were favorites to make it deep have made it that far. Thousands of HUElavians have made the trip via planes and ships to make it to this historic match against Audioslavia. Millions back home have been watching in the massive watch parties throughout public areas, with many tuning in to these matches. Two matches remain for HUElavia, and there is a strong desire and hunger to give it their all to compete for yet another title. While three of these teams have historic monikers as "chokers," there is not time or margin of error to choke. It's all or nothing for the Final Four and one can only hope it is them lifting the Cup of Harmony. Here's to yet another historic day for HUElavian Football and for HUElavia as a whole.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Drawkland]

Immortal Contention

"We didn't need the help, El," Sarah Arrowsword insisted. "Quite frankly, I almost consider it insulting. You're implying that we can't do our jobs."

"It was a tactical decision," Ellzidan replied smoothly. "We needed a new gameplan against a team we've previously struggled against. It did the trick."

"Yeah, and you totally hampered the offense." Sarah stuck out her tongue. "I'm not one to defend those goalscoring goons-"

"Thanks," Cam Cross added in passing.

"-but you totally threw them off their rhythm. I mean, Cam barely got that one goal to Cece, it almost didn't happen. It's just not our team's identity."

"But it got the job done," Ellzidan shrugged. "I'm not going to apologize because the method might've hurt your feelings."

"Sarah's got at least a little bit of a point," Nicole Warren added carefully. "We've been drilled on the offensive mentality for years. It's what we expect. We know we've got a small back line. That's just how we're used to operating. If we keep this going we might lose the only edge we have, the dangerous goalscoring."

"That didn't work against Oberour Ar Moro, did it?" Ellzidan replied. "It's not foolproof. What we need right now is security. What is it they say ... defense wins championships?"

"Are you that afraid of losing?" Sarah groaned. "El, we can't just abandon the Corps style. I'd rather lose our playing our way than win playing this weak cowardly game."

"I don't fear anything." Ellzidan muttered coldly.

"That's a lie and you know it." Sarah rolled her eyes. Nicole gave Sarah a warning 'don't poke the bear' type look, which was duly ignored. "We had to go through like 5 years of social awkwardness because you never patched things up with your ex boyfriend."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Ellzidan's eyes flashed dangerously. "Because that's a horrible misrepresentation of the situation."

"I think my point stands." Sarah countered. "You're so deathly afraid of not making something out of this Cup of Harmony that you're refusing to stick to your guns and play the Drawkian game. It's sickening, really."

"Players don't speak to their managers like that," Ellzidan twisted her lip. "It's extremely disrespectful. I have half a mind to drop you from the lineup tomorrow."

"But you won't," Sarah crossed her arms. "I'm too valuable to the defense. You wouldn't dare bench me because it would virtually guarantee a loss."

"Oh come on, Sarah." Nicole objected. Ellzidan didn't reply initially.

"Am I wrong? Oh look, she's pissed now. Sorry El, didn't mean to get on your nerves or anything. Okay, maybe I did. What are you gonna do, stab me? I know you've got at least 3 daggers on your right now. You know I'll just sleep it off. Actually, go for it, I could use a good night's rest before the match, all nice and rejuvenated."

"Did she bring in booze?" Cam asked suddenly, leaning to look at the hotel room wastebin and seeing a small graveyard of plastic shooter bottles. "For shit's sake, how did she sneak it in this time?"

"We need to up our security," Nicole sighed. Sarah was starting to get a little worrisome with her alcohol habit.

"I'm not going to entertain this any longer," Ellzidan said finally. "If you'll excuse me," the Elf stood up and headed for the hotel room door.

"And there she goes, running off again instead of actually facing the problem head on." Sarah flared her arms towards Ellzidan's retreating form, as if showing off a prize on a game show. "Just like the whole Elite debacle, she's running away and hiding her feelings. Just like the tactics for the playoffs, we're gonna run away and play tight in the box instead of trying to score like real women. This is Drawkland's greatest warrior, folks. Allegedly."

"Sarah, this isn't pleasant," Nicole said. "What are you trying to prove here?"

"You know goading her isn't going to accomplish anything," Cam added. "She's stubborn. You think being rude is going to get her to change her mind?"

"Absolutely, because she knows I'm right." Sarah grinned savagely as Ellzidan stopped in the doorway without opening the door. "She's trapped. Of course she doesn't want to go back to the standard Corps strategy, because she's a coward. But if she sticks with these defensive tactics, she just proves me right. I win either way."

"Since when do you care about the attacking tactics anyway?" Nicole questioned. "We're defenders, Sarah. You're almost never in a position to score. Why does it matter to you?"

"Because she's got an ego the size of a zeppelin," Ellzidan answered from the door, still staring at the doorknob facing away from the girls. In an instant, she spun around and marched back to the center of the room. "Sarah's mad that the attention isn't focused on her anymore. She's not that centerpiece of the defense, the crucial last line of defense that she's used to being. She can't fathom being part of a larger defensive effort rather than getting credit for being the sole anchor of the defense. She hates these defensive tactics because it takes away what she values most: being the most important person in her own mind. Without her, the team crumbles. At least, that's what you think, isn't it?" Ellzidan stared directly at Sarah for the whole rant. "You said it yourself a minute ago."

"Huh." Sarah put on an innocent smile and shrugged. "You got me!"

Cam looked carefully from Ellzidan, to Sarah, and back. They were both being genuine, she was certain.

"Ugh!" Ellzidan exclaimed in frustration. "No wonder .... never mind." She stopped herself.

"What?" Sarah raised an eyebrow. "No wonder what? Go ahead and say it."

"No wonder you can't keep a boyfriend. Nobody's willing to worship you all day like you so desperately require." Ellzidan grinned mischievously.

"What?!" Sarah's jaw dropped in shock. "That is SO not it!"

Nicole and Cam gasped in unison. Was Ellzidan being serious? Was this the start of some feud developing?

"And there's your dagger!" Ellzidan giggled cheerfully, heading back to the door. The change of attitude in the room was so quick it almost gave the other girls whiplash. "Have fun sleeping that off, Sarah." Without another word she exited the room, leaving the trio of Corps girls to their own devices.

"Happy with yourself?" Nicole crossed her arms, looking at Sarah who's jaw was still halfway to the floor. "I told you not to poke the dragon."

"Whatever!" Sarah scoffed, shaking her head wildly. "As long as we're playing real Corps ball tomorrow I don't give a shit."

Nicole gave Cam a meaningful look.

"Speaking of which," Cam started carefully, "you know we can set you up with someone if you want. There's plenty of bachelors with the Accords ..."

"I am NOT getting with any of those freaks," Sarah denied immediately. "I can figure things out myself, thank you very much."

Cam shrugged. "Just a thought." She couldn't help but look. Sarah was lying.

QF vs Kamijiro

Lo and behold, when the Kick Corps ran out onto the pitch for the quarterfinal in Busukuma, it was in their usual configuration. No extra defensive help, just a plain full strength Corps lineup. The spat with Sarah aside, Ellzidan convinced herself that returning to the typical offensive mindset was probably going to be beneficial. Going to the defensive against a hyper-offensive lineup like Valentine Z that were expecting a shootout was a solid tendency-breaker. Going against a hugely defensive team like Kamijiro, though? They're used to the ugly low-scoring affairs decided by a goal or two on the counterattack. If the Corps stooped to that level, they'd be beaten by experience.

That didn't mean that the Corps were going to run over Kamijiro just because they were back to their high-scoring pace. The Kamijiroans were prepared for this onslaught, and doing a pretty good job at keeping the Corps forwards at bay. Meanwhile, on the other end, Sarah Arrowsword was getting her wish. The Kamijiro striker, Soji Kokubun, was getting plenty of attention, with Sarah manning up on him like a hawk. The openings were slim, and McKenna Reed was there for anything that got too close.

Drawkland was dominating the possession game, keeping the pressure going throughout. The blow came early, though. With all Drawkland's forwards pressing into the box, they put in a set piece play they had executed well a few times this cycle. A couple crossers, a little movement, and giving just enough of a gap for Praxis Collingwood to get a good look from a little further back. Praxis had what she wanted, and fired a shot just past the outstretched arms of Jokichi Asumi. 1-0 Drawkland in the 32nd minute.

From there, the Corps didn't take the foot off the gas. From there through halftime and beyond, the Kick Corps continued to pressure Kamijiro, threatening to double their lead. This was a good squad, though, the Kamijiroans weren't having it. With time waning, they put on the extreme press, tripling the forwards on the field. They desperately needed a goal to keep their season alive ... but it never came. The Drawkian defense, as small as it was, was absolutely locked in. There was no time to think about the ramifications or the significance of the moment. Just keep the ball away and come away with a win.

Finally, mercifully, the whistle blew out. For the second matchday in a row, Drawkland had won 1-0. And now they reach a brand new plane.

SF vs Indusse

This sounds a little ridiculous, but this is the first time that the Kick Corps (in any era) has reached the Cup of Harmony semifinals. Despite usually being a pot 1 or 2 team in the tournament, the Corps has just never put it together. Now, though, they're part of pretty good company. All four semifinalists, HUElavia, Audioslavia, Indusse, and Drawkland, are squads pissed they fell short of the world's biggest World Cup format ever. Like many CoHs, it's the big threats from Pot 1 that will be duking it out for the most notable consolation prize of all time.

Drawkland in particular goes on to face Indusse, a matchup that has only occurred once before, in the semifinals of IAC-15. It's important to note that this was a 3-2 win that led Drawkland to the IAC-15 final against HUElavia ... which they lost. There's definitely a chance for history to repeat itself here, especially with 3 of those 4 IAC-15 semifinalists in this very semifinal. Welcome to the indie party, Audioslavia, enjoy your stay.

Ultimately, that cycle was well over a decade ago by most calendars. It was firmly in the Elite Eleven era of the Kick Corps, and Indusse's squad is pretty much fully turned over since then. These are essentially two brand-new teams facing off in every category besides the history databases.

With a somewhat offensive slant for Indusse, this is likely to be a more high-scoring match than Drawkland's last two 1-0 "thrillers." Indusse also had to brave a 1-0 victory in the quarterfinals, this one against OAM to book their semifinal spot. However, their 4-2 win over Sangti and the Filindo Isles was by far the highest-scoring match in the Round of 16. This team has a capacity to score goals ... but so does the Corps. We'll mention their 6-4 barnburner against Yakk again for effect.

The good news is that, win or lose, the cycle doesn't end here for the Corps. Nobody wants to settle for third place, least of all Ellzidan, but at least there's some sort of chance for any kind of silverware, even if it's the consolation prize in the consolation tournament. This is the first time in a long time that the Kick Corps has been to the semifinals in any tournament, so it's a nice bonus. The question is, now that the Corps has broken the silly glass ceiling, can they go all the way?

All the teams left in the tournament are certainly deserving of a title. Now it all comes down to who has the guts to drive it home.

[Banija]

After talking to the participants, everybody has RP'd! So let's cutoff early to some Glee/Billy Joel and find out our finalists!

Just know the Final/3PPO will be at the usual cutoff time, so everyone will have a little bit of extra time to RP for that. Best of luck to you all!

Semifinal Scores

HUElavia 1–0 Audioslavia
Drawkland 3–1 Indusse

---

Third Place Playoff

Audioslavia v. Indusse @ Kawesa Stadium(cap. 47,000) in Mynda, Aksum

Cup of Harmony 89 Final

HUElavia v. Drawkland @ The Stadium of the Restoration(cap 91,835) in Busukuma, National Capitol Region

[Audioslavia]

Carrying the One

Parts [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

---

A few thousand years ago, Audioslavia had a disastrous fourteen minute experiment with a monarchy. Regardless of how meaningless those fourteen minutes were, the very fact that there was a monarchy at all means two things are true forever. First, there will forever be a lineage of descendents of the usurped monarch. Secondly, there will always be a Restoration movement, no matter how small or disorganised. It will always occur to at least one person in the world that, hey, maybe there should be a king after all, and there will always a person with a claim to said kinghood. Unless, of course, you murder every single descendent of that first monarch.

And doing just that is what The Union has been sworn to do for thousands of years, taking the lives of over eight hundred would-be monarchs. This group have sworn an oath to murder anyone in Audioslavia who holds the title of First In Line For The Thone. The union includes enough members of the police, government and judicial system that no kingslayer has ever seen the inside of a cell. At least, not for said slaying of the king.

Due to the popular Successr mobile app, Audioslavians keep an occasional tab on where they might be in the line of succession, and are advised to emigrate sharpish should their number drop into the single digits.

If anyone finds themselves as First in Line while still in Audioslavia, their life expectancy is best measured in hours.

---

Breakfast had consisted of flatbread and jam. On a ship, the former was easier to make and keep than any other type of bread, the latter was made with whatever berries were on hand. Fraser wanted to remark that it was fit for a king, but saying that out loud might have brought him to tears. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was supposed to be due at work, throwing numbers around and pretending to engage in meetings, not this. Not hiding from an ancient cabal of assassins who insisted on killing anyone who might be called ‘king’, and doing so on an almost thousand year old wooden ship where everyone called him either ‘your grace’ or, in one instance, ‘my liege’. It was like hiding from vampires in a well-shaded blood bank.

The morning allowed him the chance to have a walk around the ship. There wasn’t a great deal to see. Storage, bunks, a rudimentary kitchen with some incredibly talented staff, a crew of forty or so, all deferential but distant, like their whole life revolved around taking deep personal care of every passing mayfly they see. No point getting attached, it’ll be dead by the end of the day.

He’d already figured as much from visiting the stern of the ship, but despite being old enough to remember when catholicism was just called ‘christianity’, there was an engine in the ship. A small one, retrofitted (obviously) but one that was reliable, well maintained and could get the boat moving if need be. If you wanted to cross Hunter’s Bay, from Silica City to Hasiera, it’d take you the best part of a day, sure, but that beat getting the sails out and cluing everyone in on you not actually being a trawler. They got around this predominantly by actually being a trawler. They would throw the nets down in a warm section of the Sea of Champions, south of Gardenia, for two days a week and would take the fish in through New Gardenia afterwards. Naturally, seafood formed a large part of the crew’s diet. Fraser loved seafood, but he got the feeling it would be possible to get very, very bored of it quite quickly, especially if he had to stand next to a big pile of it on the deck two or three days a week.

Fraser made his way back up to the deck and had a look over the bow, or ‘the bit at the front’ as others might call it. In the few seconds his body gave him before the bout of seasickness that always threatened to absorb him when he looked at water from a boat, he caught himself extending both arms out wide for a second. Very quietly, to himself, he said:
“I’m flying, Jack!”
“Everybody does that once” came a buttery voice behind him. Fraser turned to see that Mr Craig had walked up behind him without making a sound. “…your grace” he finished, with a bow and the hint that a smile was being hidden expertly and professionally. “I believe the next line is…”
“I’m king of the…. Oh”
“Quite” said Craig. “The captain’s shift will be taking lunch, forthwith, your grace” he said. “Naturally, Captain Douglas has invited your grace to his table”
“Okay, er, yeah” said Fraser. “Yeah I’ll be down”
Mr. Craig smiled and waited for a few seconds. He wore on his face an utterly neutrally benevolent expression which nevertheless perfectly expressed the notion that, hey, forthwith means fuckin’ now actually.
“Now, right?” Said Fraser. Mr. Craig bowed and turned towards a staircase. Fraser followed.

If Mr. Craig had a voice that sounded like warm molasses rolling over a coal fire, Captain Douglas’s voice made him sound like Mr. Craig’s favourite uncle. Sixty something, large and square, he was somehow both rigid and convivial, like a stop-motion animation of a statue of your best mate. Shaped like a friend, but a distant one. In this case, Fraser got the impression that Captain Douglas found it a little difficult to both be captain, and therefore above everyone else on the ship, and also to be in the presence of someone he deemed to be a king with divine right to rule tens of millions of people, and therefore higher than him.

Fraser warmed to him quickly enough, and over a lunch of cuttlefish and rice, waited patiently for the chance to ask the question that had been burning in his mind since he woke up.

What exactly was the plan?

---

Falda was someone who had no time for fools. As a general rule, this meant she was always overburdened with them. Fools naturally gravitate to people who those who don’t suffer them gladly. In this way they’re like cats. Also like cats, they don’t know the point at which their sodding engine is going to flood if they keep chug-chug-chugging the key in the god-damnit ignition.

From the window, Falda could clearly see the top halves of three utter fools utterly failing to start their van. She considered finishing her cigarette and throwing it at them. Then she considered finishing her cigarette, walking downstairs and stubbing it out in each of their eyes.

Instead, she simply listened in on their distant conversation.

“It’s done in” said Declan. “Bloody hell, this is the last thing I need”
“Sorry, Dec” said one of his two henchmen.
“There’s trains from Celta to Cathair, right?” Asked the other.
“What, and leave my van here?” Asked Declan, incredulously.
“Was thinking me, not you” said henchman two.
“Yeah man, I’ve got work tomorrow” said henchman one. “Gonna have to explain how I took a day off to kill a king and came back three days later with no body”
“Whatever” said Dec, looking at the engine. His expertise told him that it was a useful metal contraption that converted petrol into making cars go. “The woman up there. She lives here?” He said.
“Yeah” said one of the henchmen. “Well, sometimes. They mind the forts, people like her. Keep them clean, open, working. She’ll have an apartment somewhere else”
“Right” said Dec, looking up. “Looks I’ll be here another sodding night”

Falda stubbed out her cigarette in an ashtray, gave Declan the slightest of eyebrow acknowledgements, and closed the window. She returned to the armchair, sat down, got back up again, and unlocked the door to the stairwell, anticipating Declan trudging back up to it and knocking on it. She didn’t quite feel she could stomach Declan looking at his shoes - which weren’t very far away for Declan - and explaining what had happened. She went back to the armchair and grimaced as her body complained about having to lower itself into an armchair for the second time in a minute.

When Declan returned, she simply told him that, as a man of The Union, he didn’t owe her any excuses, and that the apartment was as much his as it was hers. He was welcome to stay for as long as he needed. All he had to do was clean up after himself, not complain and not act like a fool.

Declan nodded, said a ‘cheers’ into his chest, and looked around. Not seeing anything that he could immediately do, he sighed.
“Need to get a… a…” he said, looking at a bit of dust on the floor. “A mechanic out, I think. I dunno how to…” he nodded towards the window, understanding that Falda’s mind’s eye would follow the gesture out through it, down three storeys, down to the van and under the bonnet.

“Fresa” she said, interrupting. If she’d have been wearing her glasses, she’d have been looking at Declan over them right then. “Are you going to mope for the entire time you’re here”
“Fuckin hell” said Declan. “It’s just… I’ve got stuff to do and I can’t… I don’t know how”
“Purple pages” said Falda
“What?”
“Big book, over there, under the pile of knitting. Go look up a mechanic and get one out. You can stay, like I said, but if the only thing that’ll stop you moping is fixing your problems, then let’s do that”
“Right” said Declan, finding the big purple book. Its pages were the thinnest thing he could imagine but it still weighed a ton. “You know we have the internet now, right?”
“Not me, I don’t” said Falda. “I got you young’uns for that stuff.”
Declan looked through the pages until he found the part that listed local mechanics. The book must have been fifteen years old, but things don’t change in small cities like Celta. He didn’t know why, but when he found one that looked promising, he tapped the advert with his finger. It just seemed like the done thing. And three minutes later, a man had promised to come out and fix his van. His henchmen had gone already, off to find the train station. With any luck he’d be back in Cathair before them.

Yet his mood hadn’t changed, and Falda could tell.

“Why don’t you tell me what else is bothering you” said Falda, now having found her glasses in the side of the armchair and peering through them, inquisitively at Declan, who walked back round the counter towards the sofa.
“Oh, nothing”
“Look, boliyo, getting back out of this armchair is going to cause me all sorts of pain, which is going to make me care even less about anything you have to say, so I’m not going anywhere if I can help it. If you’re going to sit there and have me stare at your scrawny ass for an hour, you might as well….”
“I’m not scrawny”
“Son, you look like the flyweight champion of Pozorojo”
“Of what”
“Never you mind. You tell me what’s on your mind. Tell me your life story. Trust me, I will be fascinated as to how you got to be you, and got to be here”
“It’s not so much my life story” said Declan. “I’m just annoyed about… stuff”
“Getting knocked out of the Cup of Harmony last year by the only team more losingy than Audioslavia? What?”
“Nah, it’s… y’know. Letting this guy get away”
“Won’t talk about past, annoyed at letting the guy run” said Falda. “The two are related, I’m sure”
“It’s not like I won’t talk” said Declan, unconvincingly.
“Good to hear it” said Falda, folding her arms. “So talk”