Wood Elf The Legend of the Fire Flies (or how to love being hated)

[Gio]

My name is Arphenion, and these pages may be the last legacy of my tribe. We’ve come a long way to protect our families, we’ve sacrificed everything we had to have at least the hope of survival. What lies ahead may well be our complete annihilation… but I should start at the beginning; the day Wendelion came and told us what he had discovered, the darkness looming over our tranquil forest.

I’ll never forget that day, it was the day we became warriors, the day we realized no one else would speak up for us, the day we found out we couldn’t keep on living with our backs turned away from the rest of the world… because there’s always someone with a sharp dagger ready to stab you in the back.

The elders had told us that the forest was sacred, that the forest was respected by all, that the forest was humble, that the forest was of no interest to the outsiders, that the forest was safe… the elders were wrong. Wendelion opened our eyes and taught us that we had to face the outside world before it swallowed us whole; he revealed that…

I’ll have to continue later; the game is about to start...

MATCH 1: FIRE FLIES Vs. OPHELIP’S

Taurion and Torontur, the Wardancer twins, fly through the field. They make it seem so simple. The rest of the team is inspired by them. Wendelion shouts all the instructions from the backfield and the boys feel even more secure. I watch them from the bench and can hardly believe my eyes. They had told me Dwarves were extremely proficient at the “sport”, but they seem absolutely clumsy and slow. Furthermore, they seem to have little interest in the ball and focus their efforts towards ineptly chasing Taurion and Torontur. The Twins effortlessly dance around them and manage to spread them towards the flanks. With the dwarf team divided, the rest of the boys have no problem scoring.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, OPHELIP’S: ZERO” Our coach, GioZeus, silently smiles as he watches the team perform. When we asked him for help he simply replied: “You guys provide the beer and I’ll make sure you win.” I believe he’s currently hammered… I begin to suspect that he is permanently drunk. But he’s got a flash of pride and confidence in his gaze, almost as if he knew something we ignore. “You’ll do fine boys. You’re naturals”, that was what he declared after explaining the basics of the “sport”, few minutes before the beginning of our first match.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, OPHELIP’S: ZERO” Wendelion had managed to retrieve the ball and send it deep into the other half with a “Long Bomb”. The 8.000 people who had attended the match started booing “Boo... BOO… we want Blood!!! Not dancing damsels!!!” I was getting ready to punch that loud mouth, but GioZeus stopped me “Let them jeer all they want… by the end of the league they’ll love you… well… not really… but you’ll get used to being jeered at… it will almost feel like they’re cheering” his words echoed in my head.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, OPHELIP’S: ZERO”. With five players unconscious, the fearless Twins, our fierce Thrower and three rather scared teammates had managed to delay scoring the third touchdown long enough to ensure a 3-0 victory in our first match.

“We were lucky… Nuffle was on our side today... and them dwarves must be drunker than me… they didn’t kill anyone… not even one of your friends will miss the next game… amazing!!!” Our coach gives me the creeps...

 

[Gio]

Many enter the Sarrath League to gain fame and fortune; others seek to quench their thirst for blood and violence; however, there’s a few who pursue a nobler cause. Such is the quest of the Fire Flies.

Far from Athel Loren, our holy land, the war between the different races is on the brink of exploding yet again. Petty humans are always looking to expand their territories, savage orcs have battle flowing through their veins, dwarves stubbornly hold on to ancient grudges, the skaven desperately need to prove their worth, undead hordes know no better, chaos minions relish in the desolation that comes with death, every race has a reason to engage in the unreasonable anguish brought by war.

Not all gods are unmerciful, at least not all the time. Thus, they provided the “sport” to settle any quarrels, to appease any arguments, to conciliate any and all differences. By Blood Bowl we live and by Blood Bowl we die. As ludicrous as it may sound, the “sport” brought a tenuous peace.

But the “sport” has dark shades; and perilous schemes endlessly spring to gain even the dimmest advantage. Furthermore, the “sport” represents the most colossal gold mine in all history. And as such, it grows like a monster devouring everything in its path…

It’s time for our second match…

MATCH 2: FIRE FLIES Vs ODIN’S WARRIORS

The adversaries are not wearing the heavy armor of the previous ones; they’re hardly wearing any clothes at all. Something about them is odd, besides being as drunk as our Coach. They are taller than dwarves, but behave and drink in a similar fashion. I was told by Coach GioZeus never to mention this observation out loud ever again; he said it may cost me my life. Among the ranks of our adversaries, there’s two who seem particularly hairy and fierce; they call themselves Ulfwerners. This team is either completely chaotic, or completely drunk. Anarchy reigns on the field, but the Norsemen somehow manage to hold on to the ball. “Kick first… always kick first… even if you win the coin toss… choose to kick.” GioZeus mumbled right before the game. I think he is crazy, kicking the ball first allows the other team to punch us first “You’ll never regret kicking first…”. He replied as if he could read my thoughts.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! ODIN’S WARRIORS: ONE, FIRE FLIES: ZERO”

I knew kicking first had been a mistake. “Don’t worry… there’s plenty of time to equalize…” Our coach must have psychic powers. “Hahahaha… they were just lucky… the Dancer Twins were very close to retrieving the ball at least three times… three turns left on this half is one turn too many to score…” His words didn’t make much sense to me. Then I realized why he was smiling; in only one turn, my comrades flooded the Norse half of the field. Taurion stayed behind with the ball, looking for someone who wasn’t marked. He threw a perfect pass to Feredur, who started running towards the end zone, and just when he was about to score… making that little additional effort proved to be too difficult… not only did he not score… he twisted his ankle in such a way that he will miss the next game!!! The coach’s face suddenly hardened.

“I could tell you exactly what you need to know to win this game… but I won’t… that was one very clumsy and stupid thing you did out there… it seems you don’t want to win… well if you don’t want to win, I won’t help you” GioZeus was harsh and hurtful during half-time. Wendelion stepped up “But Coach, we tried to maintain our positions and to defend in an orderly formation”. He was right, we had observed a few games and most teams had an almost military approach to defending. “That’s exactly what I mean… you want to do what the other teams do… go right ahead… good luck.” GioZeus turned around and left. He headed towards the dugout of the Norse and started drinking with their coach.

Rage was flowing through the veins of my friends when the second half started. They formed columns on each wide zone, screening the potential scorers. Next turn, Wendelion threw a deep pass that was caught by Torontur.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! ODIN’S WARRIORS: ONE, FIRE FLIES: ONE”

Wendelion’s smile dimmed as soon as Giozeus started shouting form across the field “Beautiful… score in two turns… that’s sarcasm if you haven’t realized yet… there’s six turns ahead… how will you defend now???” He was right, we were a man down and still couldn’t figure out how to overcome the unfair difference of strength. Even if it seemed that their armor was too low for them to be looking for a brawl, they had a natural skill to block… and what was worse… the Ulfwerners were savage.

The rest of the half was completely chaotic. The ball was constantly lost and retrieved by both teams. My brethren tried their best to set up a running cage, as we had seen many teams do, but it was to no avail. We ran out of time. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. Our only solace is that, aside from Feredur, no one else was injured.

“Well boys… now that you know that this is as much as you can achieve without me… are you ready to really start learning about Blood Bowl???”

 

[TravelScrabble]

Norse are my one exception to the kick first rule because they always want to receive first.

 

[Gio]

I’d heard the Coach say that our next opponents were more dork than smashers. It turned out they were called the “MordOrc Smashers”. The Orcs were gigantic, they had tusks and nails as long and sharp as daggers. We were frightened, we were chilled to the bone. Adariel started crying; he’d been practicing the Guard technique and knew he’d have to play right next to those monsters.

Wendelion looked at us and said “Do not fear, dear friends. No harm will come to us because we are blessed by Athel Loren; we shall prevail and return victorious. Remember why we are here; remember Chaliptus, our home; remember our women and children; remember the forest. We are here to protect them, to save them.”

A few months ago, Wendelion had returned from scouting. He’d seen the dreadful machines, slowly advancing towards the forest. He’d approached the men who controlled them and learned of their plan to cut down our woodland to the last tree. When he asked them why, they answered that a new Blood Bowl Stadium was to be built there. He told them we were not interested in having a Stadium, that our people were not interested in the “sport”, that we just wanted to be left alone. They replied that it was precisely because we had not participated that the decision was made. They said people who were not represented in Blood Bowl were not people at all; therefore, Chaliptus was not considered to be inhabited and could be used for more useful purposes than “being a picturesque landscape”. They said the only way we could stop them was by winning the Sarrath League; but that it was impossible because we were uncivilized tribesmen who didn’t know anything about Blood Bowl.

“That’s a bunch of nonsense… don’t lie to them… yes, you may have a shot at winning a few matches… you might even get to the finals… but you will die… maybe not all of you… but many of you will… and that’s what it will take… so don’t think this tale is destined to have a happy ending… reality is far from that.” GioZeus had woken up from his slumber just in time for the first half…

MATCH 3: MORDORC SMASHERS Vs FIRE FLIES

We kick first, again. But this time is different; we had trained for this game and a couple of the guys are able to overcome their fear and Wrestle down some of the Orcish monsters. The Twins dash through the opposition and get closer to the ball than the Orc Thrower. They swiftly retrieve the ball and run for it. The rest of the team is in a tight spot, but they manage to hold on a bit more.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, MORDORC SMASHERS: ZERO”

“I told you lads… you were born to play Blood Bowl… being the first Wood Elf team to participate in the league after such a long time also helps… the other teams are not ready for your skills.” It was true, the Smashers seemed unable to catch up with our speed or to prevent any of my brothers from going where they pleased. Gaudon Kicked deep into their half again; he’d been obsessed with perfecting his technique. All his training was not in vain. The Twins do it all over again. They get to the ball before the Orcs and pass it to Rissien. The team manages to wait a couple of turns without being decimated; then, when the situation gets really scary…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, MORDORC SMASHERS: ZERO”

That’s when it happened. The Orcs stopped caring about the game and started an onslaught. Adariel fell. He had lost his head… literally. The first half ends and we’re a man down, one of our friends won’t come back for the second half, he won’t come back home after this madness, he won’t come back. The Stadium provided us with a replacement for Feredur this game, and assured they could provide as many replacements as were needed; but they cannot replace a dead friend.

The second half starts and Wendelion picks up the ball and stays near the midfield, well protected by the Twins, Gaudon and Rissien. The rest of the team floods the Orcish half. The Smashers aim for the Twins and the cage they are protecting. Duriel falls, he won’t be able to continue playing this game. Wendelion throws a pass. Tears are clouding his eyes, but he is Accurate.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MORDORC SMASHERS: ZERO”

“You fools… you could have waited a couple of turns… show the Orcs you don’t dread them… now they have smelled your fear.” We were concerned with our fallen brethren and didn’t pay much attention to GioZeus. We should have. We kicked and the Orcs became a furious machine. Two more in our team were knocked-out, we were four men down. My brothers were running for their lives. We figured we had already won, so it was sensible to just get out of the way and let the Orcs score.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MORDORC SMASHERS: ONE”

Our unconscious teammates do not wake up for the next drive. Wendelion is holding the ball deep in our own half. The rest of the team is spread all around the Orcish field. Two more are knocked-out. Wendelion panics and tries to pass… but fumbles. The Orc Blitzers manage to mark Wendelion who is still on the floor. The rest of the team tries to get back to help. Time is running out; the result is clear but the lives of my friends are still at risk. The Smashers form an impenetrable green wall around the ball and Wendelion. The last turn comes and, before scoring, a huge Black Orc Blocker tears Wendelion’s heart right off his chest.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MORDORC SMASHERS: TWO”

“What an outcome!!! This is going to make ticket sales sky-rocket for the next match!!! You did well lads… you did exactly what I said you ought to do”

 

[Gio]

Norse are my one exception to the kick first rule because they always want to receive first.

I know what you mean... I was rusty. It's been ages since my last league. I was in a prolongued hiatus because my play group suddenly vanished. With the new release, there's new blood for Blood Bowl

 

[Gio]

“Things will get better if we win this game. I’ve received great news. Our elders have spoken with the dryads and they have agreed to send some help if we show them we are truly committed to this cause. This will be the last game we play with fear in our hearts.” Those were Wendelion’s words the night before the last game he would ever play. His devotion to the cause had been unquestionable; he gave his life for it.

“That sure is one ugly looking tree.” Joellion was the journeyman the Stadium provided. He was rather unpleasant and unclean, but he seemed to know quite a bit about the Sarrath League. “We haven’t seen one like this in ages. I bet half the crowd out there is here just to see him. The other half must be here to see if what happened during your last game happens again.” I was suddenly moved by the prospect of a crowd coming to see us play; it may help our cause. However, Joellion shattered my dreams “Long ago, Woodelf teams ruled the game. They would win every league, tournament and exhibition game in town. Everyone hated them for it. And boy, how they loved hating them. Today’s folk have only heard the legends and now they’ve come to see elves die on the field. Hahahahaha!!!” Athelor, the Treeman sent by the dryads looked at him with disdain and simply replied “Me eat puny orcs”.

Time for the next match.

MATCH 4: FIRE FLIES Vs MAZORKOS

All the Black Orcs were trying to bring down Athelor; even some Orc Blitzers were helping. That allowed the rest of the team to swiftly invade their half and retrieve the ball.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, MAZORKOS: ZERO”

“The dryads were kind… not one team knows how to deal with a Treeman… look at them… they actually think they can bring him down… they actually think they can hurt him.” GioZeus had never smiled like that before; he looked as if it was him who had to be thanked for this. The orcs tried to surround Athelor again. And again, the rest of the team was free to focus on the ball carrier.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, MAZORKOS: ZERO”

“It’s just like in the old days… such golden times… we were the best there ever was.” GioZeus was so happy he was drinking out of two bottles at the same time. The orcs tried bringing down Athelor one more time. They seemed to be unable to understand how futile their efforts were.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MAZORKOS: ZERO”

The first half ended and the game was already won. But we were not completely at ease; the shadow of our previous encounter with orcs stilled loomed over us. The crowd would not stop booing “Boo… BOO… let the orcs do their thing… stop running around like scared little rabbits… you elves!!!” “Just like old times!!!” said Joellion “Back then the Stadium would fill with hatred for our kind. Until we were betrayed and never played again.” I urged Joellion to tell me more; I couldn’t believe this talk about betrayal. “After the match. I’ll tell you everything after the match.”

The second half started with the usual lightning strike two-turn touchdown.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MAZORKOS: ZERO”

“Nuffle be praised… your friends are just showing off now... by the way... what were you talking about with Joellion???” I quickly told GioZeus about what I had learned. “That’s just gossip… old maid tales… you’d better focus on the game and pay no heed to silly journeyman talk” The Coach seemed infuriated, out of control, completely absentminded and a bit embarrassed. He stopped paying attention to the game.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, MAZORKOS: ONE”

“Alright lads… there’s time for one more… Joellion… you cover those two Black Orcs and the Troll… give the rest of the team some space…”.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: FOUR, MAZORKOS: ONE”

Indeed, there was time for one more touchdown, but Joellion didn’t survive to tell me more about that betrayal… no serious casualties during this game. But there’s things kept hidden from us. I’ll have to dig deeper to unveil the truth. In order to do so… I’ll have to start playing… Wendelion showed me how to throw the ball. I will follow in his footsteps…

 

[Gio]

Two consecutive matches against orcs had us exhausted; even when we managed to win both of them. Our moral was six feet underground; Wendelion and Adariel were no longer with us. When we left Chaliptus, there were sixteen of us; eleven players and six “water boys” training to eventually become part of the team. We were told we were too naïve; that we would need twice as many elves in order to stand a chance. We were indeed naïve, we thought the “sport” could be played by that many players. Little did we suspect they meant that many of us would die. Some locals still whisper behind our backs “I bet they will drop out of the league for not having enough players… are journeymen teams alowed???... HAHAHAHA”.

Athelor had brought us hope. He had a kind and generous nature; of course no one dared to find out whether he could get angry outside the field. When he was on the line of scrimmage, he filled the hearts of opponents with terror. We had witnessed it during our last game. We realized that our opponents focused mostly on beating the other team into a pulp and only remembered about the ball when there was no one else standing. But Athelor was a challenge beyond their possibilities; and since he was the “greatest threat”, our rivals dedicated all their efforts into trying to physically outmatch him. It became clear to me that, as long as our rivals disregard the handling of the ball, our chances to win upcoming games increase exponentially.

“Alright lads… you’ve proven your salt so far… you’ve played four games and most of you are still alive… and what’s more important; you haven’t lost yet… you deserve a present… a match to heal your silly wounded hearts… a rival that poses no threat… a walk in the park.” His words had the sweet bitterness of a poisonous lie. “You see… the Skaven are softies… almost as soft as you… but don’t be too happy about it… they’re also as fast as you… even faster… and their Gutter Runners can handle the ball just as good as any of you… oh, and they have a Rat Ogre” That basically meant that our chances to win the next match just jumped off a cliff…

Time for the next match…

MATCH 5: FIRE FLIES Vs SQUICKEN

Everything is just a blur. Both teams move so fast that a cloud of dust permanently covers the field. Athelor and the Rat Ogre stand out from the madness below. Since the Rat Ogre is the only opponent that Athelor can see, he smashes him with a mighty blow and takes him out of the game. Time stops for one eternal second as the Skaven shriek and twist in disbelief.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, SQUICKEN: ZERO”

“Yes… I was told they were a star team… rookie star team… but star team nonetheless” GioZeus seemed suddenly confident, the Skaven coach seemed displeased and came to our dugout “You told me your Fire Flies were rookies, you filthy lying scum. I should’ve known better”. “Hey Norah… my boys are practically newborns… not my fault if your sewer friends suck at this sport”

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, SQUICKEN: ZERO”

“Hahahaha… just look at your pathetic team Norah… they cower in fear… they really don’t know what to do” GioZeus continued taunting the Skaven coach until half time. By then, the Skaven coach had become a fluffy, hairy ball of nerves “You will pay dearly for this deception GioZeus. I have friends in town you know. I’ll turn the whole world against you.” And then she stormed off back to his dugout.

The second half started as usual.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, SQUICKEN: ZERO”

“This ought to be good for the morale of the team… don’t you think, boy? What worries me a bit is the attitude of the crowd” A fallen Storm Vermin did not seem to be enough for the crowd. Not even when two more rats were knocked out.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: FOUR, SQUICKEN: ZERO”

It was clear that the public had come to see players die, it didn’t matter from which team, but they wanted to see mistress death carry someone off the field. Gaudon Kicks deep; and by deep I mean right on the end zone; and then the crowd just goes wild and starts a Riot. The Referee resets his clock back to before all the chaos started.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: FIVE, SQUICKEN: ZERO”

Truth be told, even if the crowd was greatly displeased, the result lifted our spirits…

 

[Gio]

We decided to stay in the Stadium’s dungeon. We had not fouled even once, nor had we committed any crime outside the field. We remained in the dungeon for our own safety; everyone in the city despised us. Word of our latest victory had spread; everyone rumored that the game had been fixed; everyone considered us cowards. Apparently, Squicken was a brand new team on the league, but had been the champions of the lower division and their fans had foreseen them winning the Big League; and theirs were some rowdy fans. We could not walk on the street without them throwing cusses and garbage at us; when we informed the sheriff they argued they were rooting for us and providing their best food as part of a traditional Skaven ritual. The Sheriff dismissed our complaint and suggested that we be more grateful.

It was all for the better, by remaining inside the Stadium we had plenty of time to practice and develop new plays. Taurion and Torontur developed some awe striking new moves which allowed them to Side Step around the opposition. They were definitely fearless; Torontur had mastered the art of Tackling, while Taurion had learnt how to focus his Frenzy into a devastating technique. Rissien and Rillien are now superb at Wrestling down opponents and Feredur proved to be an apt pupil. I still believe that one of our greatest strengths is Gaudon’s precise Kick.

We will need to sharpen our skills for today’s match. It is actually a challenge that was accepted by our Coach GioZeus. It goes without saying that after our last match, the Skaven community has been craving for retribution. Today, we will face a veteran Skaven team called “Jurassic Rats”.

“Arphenion… suit up… today, you’ll be born again on the field” Today, is my first game, and I’m set on teaching the Skaven a lesson on respect…

MATCH 6: JURASSIC RATS Vs FIRE FLIES

We lose the coin toss and receive for the first time. We all feel a bit awkward, we were already used to defending during first half. Fortunately enough, Athelor has the temperance to do what needs to be done and smashes the Rat Ogre, taking him out of the game. The Skaven team squeaks at unison and the Fire Flies smile. They all mark at least one rat by the end of the turn, Athelor marks two, Taurion and Torontur mark the Gutter Runners, and the Storm Vermins have a double mark. I pick up the ball and stay deep in our own field. On their turn, the Gunners manage to elude their marks and try to put some pressure on me. One of the Storm Vermins fails to knock down Torontur and the other actually falls down when trying to get away from Taurion. It seems they placed all their hopes in the wrong basket; a Gunner shouting from the bench urges them to remain calm, assuring them he can score in one turn at the end of the half. My chums look at me waiting for a sign of who will be the recipient of the pass to score our first Touchdown. After all, that’s one thing we are good at; scoring Touchdowns quickly had proven quite effective during the last match. But this is a different team, they have a deep bench, some skilled players and a Gunner who had supposedly scored fifteen touchdowns in five games all by himself. We need to do things differently. “Oy lads!!! Today we beat them into pulp”. I scream to the top of my lungs. The boys nod with a smile and proceed as instructed. I slowly walk up the field. All around me, Skaven players are falling to the ground, thrusted into the air, punched in the face, surrounded by an elvish mass. The numerical advantage was overwhelming. I reached the end zone on our final turn of the half and contemplated the field once more. It was beautiful. Only 4 Skaven players remained on the field, and they were on the ground.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, JURASSIC RATS: ZERO”

On their last turn, Gaudon Kicks deep. Their Thrower is not able to pick up the ball and the half ends.

“That was just beautiful… three of their players are not coming back this game, including the Rogre… and only one of the knocked out rats will come back for the second half… we have the numbers’ advantage… now, for the second half… you just need to do it over again.”

The half begins and I can see the look on their Superstar Gunner; he’s ready to score in one turn, thus providing a new chance to come back to the game to his knocked out friends. Nuffle is kind (sometimes) and not only do we start with a Blitz after the kick, but also their Thrower is once again unable to pick up the ball. “Bring it back!!!” I scream. The lads quickly pass the ball to Taurion in the midfield and he effortlessly hands it off to me. The rest of the half is just a repetition of the first one. Turn eight, this ought to teach the Skavenfolk a lesson.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, JURASSIC RATS: ZERO”

“Arphenion!!! Two Touchdowns on your first game, congrats… are you saving your Strong Arm for the next match??? It may be decisive against that Norse team… what was their name again??? Oh, yes… Wolf Axes”

 

[Gio]

Wolf axes were a reputed Norse team. They were well known for the bravery of their players, the well-focused frenzy of their Ulfwerners, the Disturbing aura of their Yhetee, but above all for the beer chugging capacity of Tristan, their Coach, who apparently was an old friend of Coach GioZeus; that was our biggest concern for the upcoming match.

Gossip had come to us that Tristan had fallen in a well as a child and ended up in a dimensional rift that transported him before the presence of Nuffle himself. There, he had wagered his underpants that he could chug down two pints of beer in under ten seconds and won. Since Nuffle didn’t want to lose his underpants, he offered Tristan to smile upon him in times of need.

“Of course it’s all true… I was there when it happened… Wolf Axes have a supernatural capacity to pull off the weirdest plays ever since… it’s all true.” Although Coach GioZeus, was convinced of the veracity of the tale, we did not give credit to all that nonsense. We had practiced our plays, we had analyzed the characteristics of our rivals, we had trained every day, we had our heads in the game, we were a team now.

It’s time to step into the field…

MATCH SEVEN: WOLF AXES Vs FIRE FLIES

We learned our lesson in our previous match against Norsemen; we receive first and the game begins. The Twins find an opening and the rest of the team follows them into the Norse half of the field. Rissien and Rillien stay back with me. I stop one second to look at our bench, GioZeus and Tristan are drinking together; they even set up a BBQ grill. Our Coach’s attitude really bugs me. Madness clouds my eyes and I fail to pick up the ball. Athelor didn’t get a chance to block the Yhetee, but at least the rest of the team is safe. The Wolf Axes start by punching a hole in the midfield, Athelor falls down along with two other teammates. The rest, chase after my chums up field. Then, Fido the Ulfwerner blitzes down Rissien and looks at me with eyes filled with madness. Athelor can’t manage to pull up his own weight and stays on the floor. The fellas who fell alongside him try to break clear of the Yhetee but fall back on their noses, causing a turnover. My friends are in a tight spot and I’m between the end zone and an eager Ulfwerner. The Yhetee is now marking Rissien and Rillien, many of the boys on the other half have fallen, the Twins are barely holding their ground, and Fido comes for me at full speed and... I drop the ball, I drop to the ground, but I’m still in the game; they fail to pick up the ball. Athelor remains on the ground, some of the boys manage to dash away from their marks. That’s our chance. I just need to stand up, throw the ball to Gaudon who’s in the midfield; then he can hand it off to Taurion so he can score and save our skins. I get up, I get to the ball and throw a perfect pass to Gaudon; but it’s hopeless. The supernatural presence of the Yhetee spellbinds him, he can’t catch the ball. I look for our Coach, maybe he can provide some advice. GioZeus is merrily drinking with Tristan; he’s even rooting for the Wolf Axes. The ball now belongs to them, and they have formed a formidable protective cage around the ball carrier. I urge Rissien, Rillien, Gaudon and the other boys who are nearest to fall back and form a screen with me in order to slow down their progress. That might give the Twins a chance to retrieve the ball. The rest of the half, my brothers try to slow down the progress of the Norse, the Twins do their best to bust the cage; but Wolf Axes keep on advancing, step by step. When the last turn comes…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! WOLF AXES: ONE, FIRE FLIES: ZERO”

Half time was awful. Both GioZeus and Tristan were congratulating the flawless performance of the Wolf Axes and mocking the inefficiency of my brethren. They feasted and drank while we stayed behind in a gloomy corner; my only solace was that none of my teammates had fallen. “Well now, Tristan… your team is winning… you are eating like a king… and there’s all the beer you can drink… tell me, old friend… can anyone ask for more??? Is there anything else you may need???” “Of course not, old chap. There’s nothing else I need.”

Then I saw it, the glimpse of complicity in the eyes of GioZeus. The legend stated that Nuffle would smile upon Tristan in times of need… and now there was nothing more he needed. As silly as it may sound, it filled me with hope.

The second half begins and we’re defending. Gaudon’s kicking precision is awe inspiring; the ball lands on the end zone. The Wolf Axes manage to punch a hole in our defense, they even mark Taurion on the left wing. Perhaps they never needed Nuffle in the first place, maybe they’re simply better than us at Blood Bowl. But when the Norse thrower tries to pick up the ball, it happens; they fail for the first time. They had been flawless during the whole first half; and now the thrower fails to pick up the ball and it goes off the field. The fans return the ball and it’s within Torontur’s reach. He goes for it, he picks it up, the rest of the team forms a loose screen to cover him. The Yhetee screams in anger like a Wild Animal, but refuses to Blitz him. The rest of the Wolf Axes stare in disbelief and only manage to mark a few of my chums. One of their runners shouts “Pay no heed. Nuffle is still with us. Witness me!!!” and attempts to block Athelor only to fall down with a bloody nose. Torontur runs for it.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! WOLF AXES: ONE, FIRE FLIES: ONE”

They are lost in incredulity. Although they put up a fight, even if they form a cage and run it down to our half of the field; their luck has run out. We constantly burden them with well-placed blitzes and they have to regroup, they have to step back. Their team is divided by the end of the half. Our team is spread across all the field. There’s few turns left. The time has come. Taurion jumps into the cage and pops the ball free. I pick it up and throw it up field; where Torontur catches it and runs for the end zone.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! WOLF AXES: ONE, FIRE FLIES: TWO”

With only one turn left for the Wolf Axes to try to equalize, Fido approaches me with a smile and in a high-pitched voice proclaims “Well played mate. It’s over for today. What do you say if we indulge in some beer drinking with those Bloodweiser Babes who’ve been bored all game through???”

And thus… we drank…

 

[Gio]

The celebration lasted four days and four nights. For the first time since we got to Sarrath, we felt… happy. It was strange, because we had defeated the Wolf Axes, but they were friendly and not sour at all. They praised our performance, our speed and agility, the Accuracy of my passes, Gaudon’s precise Kicks, the Twins’ acrobatic approach to the game. We praised the strength of their Ulfwerners, the courage of their runners, the frenzied determination of their blitzers, the prodigious determination of them all. Tristan and GioZeus drank until there was nothing left to drink; that’s the reason the celebration stopped.

“Tristan… this team will get far… hic… we’ll get to the finals… hic” “You do have a chance, old friend” Tristan didn’t seem as affected by the brew as GioZeus. “There’s… hic… only brawling teams now… hic… and them Skaven are… hic… not as skilled… hic… the road to the… hic… finals will be a walk in the… hic… park… they can’t match our skills… hic” “If your boys manage to survive the beatings ahead, then you only need to worry about The Voided Eye when you get to the finals.”. And that’s when I first heard about them. A team so evil that few dared to even speak about them. But I couldn’t find out much more right then.

We had to get ready for our next game against yet another Orc team called “TVD-FC”. Later I discovered it was just an acronym in some orcish dialect that basically means “You’ll all get hurt; then we’ll score”. Apparently, their Coach was good friends with Norah, the Squicken Coach, and had promised to be true to their name and attempt to win by removing all my brethren from the field.

Many of the lads were nervous, but we already had some experience facing orc teams. GioZeus briefly awoke from his hungover and mumbled “You show them… that your name also has power…” He was right. At first I’d thought that to be named after insects with such a short life span was a bad omen. When I asked Wendelion, the night before he died, about our team’s name he replied “It’s not a noun. It’s a sentence, a statement, a promise. Fire flies. It is a simple truth; fire does fly. And we will fly like fire, all the way to victory!” I repeated those words for the team… and then it was time…

MATCH 8: TVD-FC Vs FIRE FLIES

The orcs seem absolutely set on maiming and destroying us. We kick and not even one of them goes after the ball. But the boys have learned how to Wrestle down even the strongest foes. They shift their rage towards Athelor, who stoically withstands their attacks. It’s our turn. Torontur goes after the ball along with Rissien and Rillien. Taurion has learnt a few tricks from the Norse Blitzers and Frenzies an orc out of the field. We form a solid screen one step away from them and Athelor knocks out a BOB. They can’t believe it. They are down two men, they know we’ll get to the ball before them and they can’t even hurt us back. They split their team in three, trying to put a bit of pressure here and there. But that’s not real pressure, their strength is divided and I know what needs to be done “Don’t score yet lads! They are less likely to hurt us as long as we’re up in numbers!” Torontur understands the plan perfectly and hands of the ball to Rillien once he scoops it up from the orc backfield. Rillien runs back to our half and throws the ball to me. I run to our backfield and the rest of the boys screen the field so the orcs can’t retaliate next turn. Our strategy works like a charm and the TVD-FC are even more divided by the end of their turn. I stay safely behind and the boys manage to keep the Orcs on the ground. Their armor proves to be rock solid; but it’s still useless when most of them stand up only to be thrown back to the ground. Taurion manages to crowd-surf a BOB. The rest of he half is just rinse and repeat.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! TVD-FC: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: ONE”

The second half starts and we pull one of our lightning strike two-turn touchdowns.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! TVD-FC: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: TWO”

The rest of the second half is just a carbon copy of the first half. And the match ends quickly.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! TVD-FC: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: THREE”

On our way to the dug-out I overhear the referee chatting with his assistant “These Fire Flies sure are fast. They’re even faster than the elves from The Voided Eye”. And that’s all I could hear…

 

[Gio]

Our record was outstanding; seven victories and one draw. We were halfway through the Sarrath League and were still undefeated. We stilled lived in the Stadium’s Dungeon; it was not safe for us outside. Most people talked about how infamous and merciless we were, how our games were “fixed” to benefit the local “sharks”, how our coach bribed referees and how we sacrificed newborns to unholy demons in a bargain to win our matches. But living in the Stadium was the best thing that happened to us; we trained ten hours every day and we discussed strategy the rest of the time. We couldn’t watch every game, but we managed to take a peek every other time.

We even managed to see a game featuring our next opponents, another Skaven team. The “Dark Legends” were faster than the other Skavens we had faced. Their four Gutter Runners were faster than light and nimble as a mongoose. Torontur had been watching them closely. They also had a Rat Ogre that seemed to use her great strength to Break any Tackle and chase down her prey. They didn’t have a deep bench for our match, but they didn’t seem to need one. I was a bit worried, our fast paced game could be jeopardized by those Gunners…

“We need more speed on the field… Aerion has proven to be the fastest among all of you… he will debut today… you’re the living proof that it’s time to get more talent into the team Arphenion… Aerion is our new and first Catcher and that’s it… period” GioZeus had been trying out another of the water-boys, Aerion, to have some more players in the team. The kid was fast, no doubt about that, but he was skinny as barbed wire. I told GioZeus the boy could die if someone even sneezed on him. He just replied “I told you some of you must die… who knows… maybe his death might inspire the team… just as it happened when…” I punched him and he bit his tongue… it was time for the match.

MATCH 9: DARK LEGENDS Vs FIRE FLIES

We lose the toss and they choose to kick; that’s unusual. It makes me wonder; maybe they have a similar strategy to ours. Athelor smiles and clubs the Rogre with his branches; she won’t be coming back this game. The boys see the gap in the middle and provide some extra support for Rissien, Rillien and Feredur to take care of business in the midfield. Torontur raises his voice “Let’s take care of those Gunners before scoring. What do you say boys?”. I nod and the rest of the team forms the loose screen we had been practicing. On each wide zone, a Storm vermin and two Gunners position themselves within distance to put pressure on me. They know they have lost the midfield, so they try to control the flanks. Big mistake on their part, Taurion effortlessly Frenzies a Gunner out of the game and then goes back safely behind the screen. On the other wide zone, a Gunner tries to Dodge past Torontur; but he’s been watching those moves and has developed a new technique to Tackle them down. It’s a turnover and another Gunner off the field. They know the numbers are against them, so they fall back and leave the whole left field open; it’s almost as if they want us to score quickly. We don’t; until the last turn comes. Aerion runs deep, and catches the long pass I throw. That boy can sure run like the wind…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! DARK LEGENDS: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: ONE”

They almost pull a one-turn touchdown… almost.

The second half starts and we have the numerical advantage. They hold on to the ball for about three turns; but Torontur Leaps into the cage they have formed and shows them how easily he can Tackle their Gunners. Eliemer, one of our brave linelves, picks up the loose ball and hands it back to me. Aerion is open up-field, so I send the ball flying over the opposition. He catches it without a sweat.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! DARK LEGENDS: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: TWO”

The next turns of the half are again a carbon copy of the first turns. Aerion can sure run like the wind.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! DARK LEGENDS: ZERO, FIRE FLIES: THREE”

We are unbreakable… unbeatable…

 

[Gio]

Things had changed dramatically after the last few games; the crowd had started to enjoy watching our games, we had a fan base. The crowd attending our games had quadrupled since we started. Yes, they still came expecting to watch how the other team smashed us into a bloody pulp; but some had grown fond of our acrobatic style. Nonetheless, this fact had a negative impact on my teammates; they were getting overconfident, fame had gotten to their heads. Some of them had even started going out of the dungeon, disguised under rags of course, and strolled around the local taverns. Many were skipping our daily practices to flirt with the Bloodweiser Babes we had met during the games. Only a handful of us remained committed to the original motive of our quest; the Wardancer Twins, Athelor the Treeman, Rissien and Feredur. Aerion, our new Star Catcher was tainted with the rush of victory and the other lads followed him with delight. This could be dangerous…

“All right lads… I was able to book another match for you… this should be easy peasy lemon squeezy… the team you’ll face has had only a few victories… you should win this without breaking a sweat” It was true; the Bone Breakers were reputed to have only started winning a couple of matches. However, the tales of those victories and even the accounts of their losses were frightening; they had won because their opponents could not field three players after a drive. Their Beastmen enjoyed devouring the entrails of the fallen right there on the pitch; while the Warriors feasted on their souls.

MATCH 10: FIRE FLIES Vs BONE BREAKERS

They choose to receive and our Kicker Gaudon is already smiling. The ball lands deep on their half; but their formation doesn’t seem to be set up to retrieve it. They start by bringing down the boys on the LOS, Athelor included. They only mark the fellas closest to the middle and form a loose screen behind; a single Beastman picks up the ball. It is difficult to get into a good position to put pressure on their ball carrier, so we spread throughout the field. They advance slowly, trying to keep their marks as we slow their advance. They close in, trying to corner as many of my brothers as they can, but the ball carrier is left in a risky position. The Twins work their magic. But the situation is too hot to stall, Elderiel falls and won’t come back for this game or the next…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, BONE BREAKERS: ZERO”

The rest of the half is just a déjà-vu. The Chaos team seems extremely upset… but not because of the score. They are angry because we can clear from their Tackle Zones and avoid the brawl. Turn 7 rolls in, Eliemer won’t come back this game…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, BONE BREAKERS: ZERO”

At the beginning of the second half, we are two men down and in possession of the ball, a two-turn lightning touchdown is in order. But just before that, the Beastmen roar and the Warriors shout in delight… Gamaliel won’t ever come back…

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, BONE BREAKERS: ZERO”

Back to the same story, just as in the first half… but we are three men down now. By our fourth turn, we manage to retrieve the ball once again, but Feredur is injured for this game and Torontur has just been fouled… he will miss next game!!!

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: FOUR, BONE BREAKERS: ZERO”

The rest of the half, we are five men down… the match has already been won… we need to stay away from these savages… turn eight

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: FOUR, BONE BREAKERS: ONE”

During our last turn… we see the chance to get even… down goes a Chaos warrior and in comes the boot… we get an expulsion… but a dead Warrior is worth it…

 

[Gio]

Aerion had the nerve to call the game a great success that he had achieved on his own. He did score all the Touchdowns; but he was wreckless, he didn't think about the safety of his teammates, he only thought of his glory. Gamaliel had died on the field right before my eyes; he had given his life to protect our homeland Chaliptus, he had chosen to die so that I could live and carry on with the mission. Taurion had been seriously injured and was under a strict treatment; our Apothecary was doing his best to heal him and Elderiel. But none of that seemed to trouble young Aerion. What's worse, GioZeus seemed to support his selfish attitude. "If all of you lads had half the spirit Aerion shows on the field... this team would truly become legendary... and you'd all be remembered forever". He was wearing fine clothes and golden rings. Aerion's Squad, that's what they call themselves now, were also covered in glamorous ornaments and drinking exotic oriental brews. They had forgotten the mission.

When the machines had arrived to Chaliptus menacing to chop down our home, they had all been wearing the simple rags of our culture. Even GioZeus was mistaken for a bum back then. He arrived at the same time as the invaders; the elders said it had been providence that sent him. We were faced with the need to form a Team and he was a former coach. He had coached teams of legend in the past; he had led wood-elves to victory in the Sarrath League over and over again. But he had fallen into disgrace; apparently he had fixed a game. It was the finals of the XCLVIII Cup, and the wood-elf team lost because of him; at least that's the version I heard in every tavern. After that, no other self-respected elf team participated in the Sarrath League... until we arrived.

"Come on boys... it's time for a new match... these guys look big and tough... and they are... but if you take care of the smaller ones... they will only be able to brawl you to oblivion... which means they won't be able to score." Green Hell was a team of lizardmen from the northern swamps. The Sauri looked gigantic, and the Kroxigor was freightenly colossal...

MATCH 11: FIRE FLIES Vs GREEN HELL

They choose to kick. Apparently, word had spread about our strong defensive game. Aerion runs deep, and starts to wave and whistle, shouting that he's ready for a long pass. But then I understood what Green Hell was after. If we scored quickly, they would have the remainder of the half to equalize while maiming our team. Taurion was missing this game, so Torontur would have a hard time busting cages on his own. So I reorganize the lads into a defensive formation, setting up a running game and forfeiting the passing game. Aerion is furious, but Torontur understands immediately and screams "Ok boys, you keep the big ones distracted. I'll take care of the smaller ones. Skink season starts today."
The new plan works like a charm; the big Sauri are too clumsy to really be hunting for the ball and the small Skinks are too terrified to represent a real threat, while the Kroxigor just becomes stupid every other turn. They had prepared for an early score from us and now they were having trouble trying to chase us around. Their team was completely divided... divide, then conquer. We had been making them run around all the pitch, until the Kroxigor finally managed to catch up with Torontur. It was then time to score; I sent the ball flying across the field and Aerion scored immediately.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: ONE, GREEN HELL: ZERO”

They have two turns to score, so the pressure gives us breathing room; they can't spend so much time brawling. Gaudon Kicks and the boys decide it's time for a Blitz! Aerion and Torontur end up closer to the ball than most Skinks. The rest of the boys form a screen behind the LOS. Their turn ends quickly when a Saurus fails to Brake his Tackle and falls. Torontur picks up the ball and scores; Aerion is not amused.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, GREEN HELL: ZERO”

Their last turn of the half is wasted again, anger clouds their minds.

Back in the locker-room, Aerion throws a tantrum and some of the boys actually back him up. "We could be leading 4-0 if you simply threw the ball at me. Copy, paste, repeat. That's what we need to do to win" He failed to realize that we were winning and none of our brothers had fallen so far. "Coach, this is not what you promised. You said I'd become a national hero. You told me you could do great things; that's why you had come to our little town in the first place. You said the big sponsors had sent you and that they would make us filthy rich!" So, that meant that it had been GioZeus who had brought the machines to Chaliptus. It all made sense now. GioZeus was knee-deep in debts, so he spoke with the Sarrath League about bringing back a wood-elf team. He wagers our home and thus convinces us to participate. "Uh... lads... it's not what it seems... I'm only looking after your best interest... even if it did happen like that... you still need me to win the league... and save your little forest".
"No, we don't need you anymore. We'll save our home on our own." then Athelor sends him flying out the window.

We start the second half with heavy hearts and troubled minds. Specially since the members of Aerion's Squad, called us mad for throwing that lying traitor out of our lives forever. Our team was divided, both morally as well as on the field.

The lizards score easily since we can't find the peace of mind to face them.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: TWO, GREEN HELL: ONE”

It seemed like our will to play had faded, all of us looked ghostly and everyone could notice. But then, the strangest thing happened... "...fire flies... Fire flies... FIRE flies... FIRE FLIES, FIRE FLIES, FIRE FLIES" the crowd started cheering for us!
We could hardly believe it at first, but they brought us back to life. "Hey guys, how about we give our fans what they want?" Torontur started doing some back flips. "Not a chance. Remember they want us all dead. I think it's better if we show them why they hate us. Let's score once more."

The boys really put their souls into it and on the last turn of the match.

“TOUCHDOWN!!! FIRE FLIES: THREE, GREEN HELL: ONE”

Still undefeated... but now we don't have a Coach... I wonder if we ever needed one in the first place...