Roaring, thumping, and the sound of spells cascading in a wild motley of hues occupied every ounce of her being. A man would charge her. They always did. Stupid men. Seeing her as an easy target, women weren't exactly common on the field, and women strikers were even rarer. But she was exceptional at it, or so they said. Bodies connected in the frenetic scrum, the smell of sweat and testosterone ripe on the air. Exhilarating, a kind of adrenaline rush she couldn't get anywhere else, and that's why she loved it.

Blitzball. The premiere sport of the mage academies in Amistad and well loved in all the successor states, viewing from fields afar. Taking great interest even in the amateur leagues participated in by the educational institutions. This year, though, they said the teams might even give the professionals a run for their money. Something truly worth watching.

A sphere of mana composed the arena. Half shield, half playing field. It was a truly three dimensional sport like none other. Starting on the ground, with the walls that composed it's spherical edge giving no heed to gravity. Alex ran straight up one of them while Sigi beat the fullback charging her to the ground and continued to peel for her.

It was just a silly game, but they both loved it. Violent and wild and open-ended in terms of any sort of rules that might govern a sport. Alex for the rush, but Sigi just for the simple enjoyment of beating on others, fights were well within the rules and the crowd always liked seeing them. Practically all spells were allowed within the array, but none could kill or harm beyond pain or incapacitation. Only flying and dimensional magic were barred from the competition. There were regulations in place for magic projectiles, you couldn't 'shoot' someone from more than 20 meters away, but that wasn't hard.

Magnus, Brenn, Iscari, and Leda cheered from the stands as loudly as they could. Micah looked at them nervously, but he enjoyed it all the same. Not so much a blood sport as the national past time of gladiatorial combat in Varia, not so uncontrolled as the pugilist games and tourneys of Haran. Melees and jousts, or just beating someone to death with your fists.

Blitzball was everything someone could want, and there was absolutely no threat of permanent injury. Astrid didn't like it at all, but she had come to show her support. For both of her sisters, the 'best players' the Red Dragon had seen in decades. Even Killian was there, selling a variety of sweet meats from a cart as he marched through the tremendous length of the stands. Smiling happily but never keeping his eye too far from the game. As far as he and his staff were concerned, these were their favorite students. Feeling a bit sad that this was their last year at the academy.

Tythas was not in attendance, nor was he ever. Growing more and more secluded, caught up in some kind of 'research' or another. As always, nobody really cared what he did. Unfortunately, while they'd feel bad for saying so, he was 'easily forgotten'. Micah was resolute in his loyalties to all their friends, growing frustrated when they said rude things like that.

Alex had followed Astrid and Sigi's advice and found some others. Other, rather. Her best friend, Leda. The halfling one-time teachers assistant, now full blown professor at the academy. She was interested in Alex for other reasons, at first, but they'd come to an accord. An understanding, deciding to be friends. And what a friendship it was... Leda held aloft a sign reading:

'HAVE MY BABIES, ALEXIS GOLDMANE'

Which garnered quite a bit of confused attention from the attendant students and families alike, but nobody was willing to approach her. Her position as a professor at the Red Dragon made her untouchable. Even providing some context on why her brain might be so scrambled. Alex had smirked at that, promising to do her – and all of them, proud. She loved this school and refused to do anything else. Pushing through a pile of men before dropping another with a skyward kick, rolling around Sigi's back and laying another on the turf with a practiced juke. Her wind attribute magic had become something incredible. Talent shining through to make her a literal bolt of lightning. So much so that they'd actual adjusted the rules and constraints of the magical array manifested around the field to slow her down.

It almost worked. Almost. Her entire body was wreathed with electrical energy as she split the field, leaving Sigi in her dust and burying herself, the ball, and the goalie himself in the back of the scoring net. A literal cannonball. Leaving the man twitching and scorched as she resisted the urge to kick him square in the ugly jaw that had spoken of 'gender roles' at their first meeting on the pitch. It was all well and good to be that kind of person, but you should back it up...

“Goal!!! Striker Alexis Goldmane with the ever present assist from our very own Fullback, Sigi Stalvarg!” Kael cried. “That's a goal! From my academy, no less! Ha! That means we'll go to overtime, notably to wipe those ugly smirks off the faces of our fine visitors from the White Dragon academy!”

“Kael.” Lernin hissed angrily.

“Fine, fine.” Kael replied, still speaking through the megaphone. “Anyways... It's been a great match, we'll take a thirty minute break before the ball is placed back on the pitch. Thanks for coming, or something!” He deactivated the device, shaking present in every limb. “This will be the first time that we've managed to make the finals in decades!”

Lernin sighed, with Valkan sitting at the rear of the professors booth glaring at their commentator. “To occupy yourself with this game while the republic and land of my people is in dire straits? Have you no shame? Do you not see the wider world around you and the crisis upon us?”

“Nope.” Kael answered honestly. “Don't much care about the republic. But I'm sure they'll figure it out. After all I've heard about their 'vaunted' blademasters who use such a superior technique to my own, I'm sure they'll be fine, right?”

Before Valkan's words could get any harsher, Lernin patted his massive thigh reassuringly. “Alexandros has not asked, so we cannot go. You know the rules.”

“I know.” Valkan replied, stone-like features melting away to reveal an Anu that hadn't slept in quite some time. “All of the republic is in upheaval. A city has nearly fallen. I cannot understand why he does not ask for help. My people remain unmolested, but I have my concerns.”

“The Anu will be fine.” Kael shrugged. “I mean no disrespect, but really. Do you sincerely believe a series of minor dungeon breaks could threaten the Anu? Each of you is worth, what, five to ten normal humans?”

“More.” Valkan asserted. “Many more. But they are not my only reason for concern.”

Lernin frowned. “It might be your custom, but it is not ours. That is to say, mankinds. He is not your son, and must make his own decisions. I'll never understand the ways of your people, but I can assure you that you owe him no oath.”

“Oh, I almost forgot about that.” Kael scratched the back of his head. His long platinum blond hair glinting in the afternoon light. “Even if we wanted to send you out there... Something is wrong. I'm not sure how to explain it.”

“Wrong?” Valkan asked. “Has he been harmed?”

“No.” Lernin said. “Something. And I do mean something, is watching over him. Protecting him. Only Abaddon could answer the question as to who. And you know what contacting him is like. Nearly two hundred paladins of the church of Indura were found dead throughout the republic. Some templars, even, and bounty hunters beyond counting. It's not a situation we can walk into lightly. Whoever did it, they are stronger. Stronger than us. With that being said, I'm sure he's fine. Probably...”

“So... Ah ha...” Wilhelm chuckled anxiously. “Blitzball sure is awesome, am I right lads?”

–

The campfire crackled, logs breaking as wood turned to coals, letting loose a swarm of sparks that shot toward the stars blanketing the sky. They'd fail, fading to nothing as the wild eddy of embers cooled and blew away to parts known.

“I can't believe we won.” Alex said, barely able to suppress the chuckle rising up in her throat. It had been a hard season, but here they were. At the finals. It wasn't just the academies in Amistad that participated, but most of the world. Only Haran and Lyra didn't send teams to the amateur league, and 'amateur' was just that. Once the academic season ended, they were playing against men in their mid to late twenties. Not students, it was impressive for a collegiate team to go this far.

Sigi sighed contentedly, the mead in her flagon was of a supreme vintage, there wasn't much more you could ask for – in her mind.. “I never thought we'd have gone all the way.”

“I did!” Leda cried, waving her hands about like a madwoman. They were camped within academy grounds, nowhere dangerous, but it felt real. As real as it had ever felt for someone that had never left the bounds of the city-state. “You were amazing!”

“It was close.” Alex sighed. “Too close, I'm not sure why coach subbed in Albert, our defense was out of sync all game...” She paused. “Except for you, of course.”

“It's not like I disagree.” Sigi shrugged, relaxing beside the fire. “We had a good offense to begin with. Even before we joined. They've always struggled with defense, as you say. No peelers for the wings, no stoppage in the scrum... Men are stronger, they say. But look at us, eh? What are we, then?”

They laughed. It felt good. Good to prove them all wrong. All of them, the naysayers.

“Still, it feels odd.” Alex said.

“What does?”

Astrid would be the one to answer. “That we're focused on this, instead of what's happening in the republic. Haven't you heard?” She sent her 'sister' a glare.

“Of course I have.” Sigi shrugged. Again, unconcerned. “The republic is in peril. Yada, yada. Who cares? Don't get me wrong. If they asked for help, I'd give it as easy as anyone else, but they won't. So proud. All of their fancy 'blade masters' and adventurers, they think they are better than everyone else.”

“But Tyr is there...” Astrid argued.

“Tyr this, Tyr that...” Sigi spat. Literally, leaving her saliva sizzling in the fire. “Don't you know how to be an independent woman? He left us, remember?”

“You're not wrong.” Astrid said. “But I still hope he's alright... If he got hurt after what happened, I don't know - Sigi... I'd feel terrible.”

Sigi laughed at that. “Hope he's alright? He's immortal. Nothing could happen to him, until I get hold of him, that is.”

“He's still our friend.” Brenn said. The only male of their group allowed to attend the women's various soiree's. Iscari, of course, was invited. But never came. Always about some task or another. Brenn would come, but rarely speak. Content just to sit there and drink, like some kind of grim faced security guard. “I'm not saying we owe him, but I swore an oath. To him, and all of you. To leave him alone out there feels... Wrong.” He was a hard one. Dauntless, resolute and singular of purpose. A real paladin now, and that made him even harder to deal with than before. Everything was 'suffer no evil to live' with that guy...

“We don't owe him anything.” Alex said, frowning. She had words for Tyr. Or a knife. Or a spell, she hadn't decided yet, but she hated when they mentioned him. Micah did it the most, always talking about this or that story he'd heard of the 'one eyed white wolf bastard primus'. Again and again, it irritated her to no end, more than the others by a considerable margin.

“To owe is irrelevant.” Brenn replied. “An oath is an oath. He left because he had to be. Likely because he was forced to. We should go.”

“You'd die.” Leda frowned. “I know how impressive you all are but the real world is not a classroom, you aren't ready yet. The adventurers will handle it.”

“Even if we did.” Sigi relented. “It'd be too late. I'm all for a good fight, but the republic is in the state that it is and according to popular rumor, Alexandros is nowhere to be found. Nothing to be done about that. Pass me another ale, won't you?”

Brenn gave her a sour look, but he did. Passing her yet another glass bottle. For all Sigi's flaws, she could drink as well as any of them.