Page 61 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
“Who are we?”he called.
“King’s Fall Knights!”his team roared back.
“And what do Knights do?”He ripped around on his hooves, head low, ready to charge.
“DEFEND THE CITY!”
“LETS!GOOOOO!”
A cacophony of sound blasted his ears as they burst out of the portal onto the field.Glittering gold and purple filled the air, the scent of fresh grass and fried food couldn’t be sweeter.Elliot hoisted the giant sword, a prop really, above his head and charged ahead.The crowd lost it lovingly.The sea of people writhing in the stands, all cheering for him as the team came barreling out of the portal onto the field.Elliot aimed the sword at the center of the field, and as per tradition with the King’s Fall Marauders, the captains faced off.Their captain, a Orc named Fenn, raised his mighty mace and shield and faced Elliot down.Their mutual grins would break a weaker jaw as Elliot swiveled out of his swing.Like a dance they’d practiced a hundred times, they spun and kicked up the pitch around each other till they were weapon to weapon.Nose to nose.Growling at each other, shoving against each other as the crowd ate it up.They sank both their weapons into the field and watched them disappear in a sparkling smoke.
When they shook hands, Fenn chuckled, “Have a good game, Elliot.”
“Same to you, Fenn.”He squeezed the Orc’s hand for good measure before they brushed past each other for the crowd.Elliot jogged halfway back to his huddle when he caught sight of her.Cassie sat on Tens shoulders, just as she had the first game.However, it wasn’t the Darling Sisters by her side.Instead, arm in arm, the Bonesaw brothers stood beside Tens wearing their Elliot merch.They raised their foam fingers and screamed his name.Their shirts were King’s Fall Knights purple, gold cow print, with his face at the center of it.He wanted to bemoan the embarrassment, but only pride and love swelled in his chest.Their tails swished behind them as they waved at him widely.
“Let’s go Elliot!He’s our bull!If he can’t win it, no one can!”they chanted with the crowd, stomping their hooves in tandem.
Elliot laughed, rolling his eyes as he joined the rest of the team on the field.
“You good?”Toad arched a scaley brow at him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
“Better than good.”Elliot clapped a hand on his back.Head in the huddle, he scanned the swarm of his team.“Who’s ready to ball?”
Elliotwasinastalemate, locked in a tug of war with Fenn.His hooves dug into the pitch as Fenn’s cleats ripped up grass behind him.The scores were close, but still leaning in Elliot’s favor by five points.If they could score another goal, it would be impossible for the Marauders to catch up.However, that would include getting the iron wall Brutus through the goal post.The Marauders had a very skinny, very tall elf named Brutus.It seemed the perfect idea to make him the ball.Then Elliot tried to toss Brutus through the goal and realized he was part rock giant.He made Elliot sweat the first time.
“Elle!”was all the warning he got before a goliath man with a glorious purple mohawk launched Gurdy, their kangaroo shifter and also the ball, across the field.In slow motion, Elliot and Fenn stopped to watch Gurdy spread his legs out, plant his feet to the post, and send himself the opposite way.Unfortunately for Elliot, Fenn used their lax arms as a way to escape Elliot’s grip.Fenn bound into the air, launching off two other of his teammates.Flapping wings of Steve Birdman filled Elliot’s ears as he raced to catch Gurdy before Fenn.Elliot charged, arms open to catch the flailing kangaroo man.Deep, forest green hands got ahold of him first and Fenn hit the turf running.It was a chase.Gurdy tucked under his arm, struggling to free himself, Fenn bulldozed his way toward the goal.An entire team of King’s Fall Knights bolted for the goal.
Time ticked by slowly as Fenn’s teammates dropped to their hands and knees, giving him steppingstones to launch off of.Elliot kicked his hooves into high gear.Bounding into the air, hands out, he barely clipped Gurdy’s outstretched hands.Fenn ripped the man out from under his arm and slam dunked him through the goal post.The area broke out into screaming applause as Gurdy rolled down the magic safety net.
Elliot looked up and found the time stopped.
Two minutes.
Fenn jogged backward, panting, waggling fingers at Elliot.“You got it in you to score once more, Bonesaw?”
Elliot helped Gurdy out of the goal net.Gurdy gulped for air.“I’m so sorry, Elliot, I didn’t—”
“Hey, no worries, we got two minutes,” Elliot nodded toward the points.“Or we tie, either way, this was a good game.That back leap was killer!”
“My legs are shaking.If they toss me again, I don’t think I can bounce.”Gurdy wiped sweat from his brow.
“Don’t worry, we’re on the defensive if anything.Go see Toad, you don’t leave his side.We’re running the huddle havoc.”Elliot signaled across the field to Toad, two back-to-back sign language ‘h’s.Toad gave him a thumbs up as the crew began to move about their positions.Three of the teammates switched out and Elliot found his spot near the back.
The reality was, they were tying up the game.There was no feasible way he could crack through their defenses in less than two minutes and get Brutus through the hoop.At the same time, there was no way for them to do the same.
A flag was waved and the time started again.Bodies clashed together.Fabric upon protective gear upon bodies, they smashed together over and over.A delicate struggle, one step forward, two pressed back, three forward.The teams wove in and out of formations, keeping their ball under intense protection.
Elliot pierced through a crowd of them, getting ahold of Brutus.He’d barely hoisted him up above his head when the bell tolled.
Time was up.
They were tied.
Brutus howled with laughter from the air.“Whoa man, you’ve got to tell me your lift strategy!”
Elliot carefully put Brutus back down on his cleats before slapping hands together with the tall elf.“You’re exactly the reason I need one!”
Brutus tossed his head back, glorious silver tendrils flying about as he did.“I’m flattered, Bonesaw.You’re one hell of a player.Good game!”
