“One more game, guys,” said DJ. “One more game!”

Team 8 was quiet as they went through the pregame setup menus. However, it wasn’t a bad sort of quiet. If Val had to put a name to the silence, he would’ve called it the silence of determination.

“Any changes we need to make?” DJ asked.

“We still haven’t fought them head on,” said Val. “Just play what you’re comfortable playing.”

He took the silence as affirmation and confirmed his setup, waiting for the game to start. Val was personally quite pleased with the way the match had turned out. The first game had started out shakily, but after he and Blaze had sorted out their differences, things had turned out pretty well.

They’ve got some talent, thought Val. DJ is getting really the hang of Sune, and Blaze is honestly one of the fastest scouts I’ve every played with. On the other hand, Willow and Sydney…

“Blaze, this isn’t fun,” said Sydney. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

“This is the last game!” said DJ. “Please, please, please play!”

“…fine,” grouched Sydney.

When they had confirmed all of their pregame settings, they sat in silence for a moment, waiting for their opponents to finish. The half minute it took seemed to last an eternity. In that half minute, Val felt a small smile cracking his face.

Y’know, this hasn’t been too bad.

The next moment, they were in game. As soon as they spawned, this time in the Forest, Val knew that something was wrong. The half-smile dropped completely off his face when he saw that Blaze was playing Colin the Bartender, a tank with one of the lowest speed statistics in the game.

“Blaze, what the frick are you doing?” Val asked, trying to keep his temper under control.

“You guys don’t need me,” said Blaze. “I’m just a casual player, remember?”

“What happened to not wanting to lose?” Val growled.

“I already lost,” said Blaze, slumping to the ground. “I’m never going to win.”

Val glanced at DJ. “The frick is he talking about?”

DJ shrugged.

“Whatever,” said Val, fed up with the repeated antics of Blaze. “You’re right, Blaze. We don’t need you. You’re just a third-rate scout with fourth rate speed.”

“Leave him alone, Val,” said DJ. “We need to come up with a strategy.”

Val muttered some choice words under his breath but allowed himself to be pulled aside by DJ.

“The Forest is in the southwest quadrant,” said DJ. “We could split up and send -”

“We can’t split up like this,” said Val. “Without a scout, we’re not going to beat them to the sword without luck. We’re going to have to beat them in a fight.”

“A fight?” asked DJ. “We don’t have the personnel for a team fight!”

“The other team is trash,” Val. “You and I could 2 v 5 them if we had to.”

“You don’t know that!” said DJ. “Also -”

“We’re wasting too much time talking,” said Val. “We’ve given their scout too much of a head start. We move north now.”

“Everyone?” asked DJ.

“Everyone who feels like playing this game,” said Val, glaring at Blaze.

Blaze finally snapped.

“Why are you talking so high and mighty? ‘Cuz you’re the king?” Blaze shouted. “I know one thing’s for sure – outside of this game you’re probably just a college dropout who wastes away in your parent’s basement playing games all day! What gives you the right to tell me what to do?”

Val sneered. “I at least have enough respect for my teammates to try to win! You’re just sad and whiny because DJ is better than you!”

Blaze’s voice turned very, very dark. “You don’t know what it’s like getting told you can’t achieve your dreams.”

Val opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

I know that pain more than anyone.

Their argument was interrupted as an arrow whizzed through the air, embedding itself with a thud in Blaze’s chest.