Morning light poured over the Thraghurn plains, warm and golden, stirring the cool mist that clung to the ogre village. A few campfires still smoldered from the night before, their trails of smoke rising gently toward a wide, open sky. The village was quiet, save for the soft footsteps of patrolling ogres and the distant clatter of a smith hammering bone into shape.
On the grassy field near the village outskirts, Yuuna knelt beside a large, roughly spherical object. Her hands moved methodically, weaving fibers over a tightly bound hide core. Beside her, Yetsan watched intently, adjusting his gloves every so often as if preparing to work but never actually helping.
"What are you doing?" Kyle's voice piped up from behind, followed by the soft chuckles of Sinryo.
"Making a ball," Yuuna said simply, giving the object a final tug.
"A ball?" Sinryo tilted his head. "Like... an explosive one?"
"No."
"What about one that bursts into confetti?" Kyle grinned. "Or better, when you kick it, it turns into a mushroom!"
"It's a normal ball," Yuuna said, expressionless. "You just kick it."
"Lame," Kyle muttered, but curiosity won over skepticism. He reached out and tapped the ball with the tip of his boot. It didn't explode.
Adiw and Gigih wandered over next, both drawn by the odd gathering. Adiw raised an eyebrow. "What's going on here?"
"Ball game," Kyle said. "Yuuna says we kick it. Sounds simple."
"Football," Yuuna corrected. "It's a game of strategy, teamwork, and stamina. Two teams. One ball. You kick it and try to get it into the other team's goal."
Adiw crossed his arms. "What do you win?"
"Glory," Yuuna replied flatly.
That was enough for Adiw.
By now, a few young ogres had approached the field from a distance. They stood shoulder to shoulder in a curious clump, towering over the elf children, some with practice swords still strapped to their backs. One of them pointed toward the ball and grunted in approval.
Yuuna stood and dusted off her knees. "We'll need two teams of six. No weapons, no magic. Just footwork. Hands are only allowed for the goalkeeper."
"Goal-what?" Sinryo asked.
Yuuna drew a rectangle in the dirt with her staff. "This is the goal area. One player on each team stands here and defends it. Their job is to stop the ball from going in."
"And how do we score?" Adiw asked.
Yuuna stepped back and pointed. "By kicking the ball into the goal. You can pass it to your teammates, steal it from opponents, and block shots. No punching. No tackling. Keep it clean."
Kyle glanced at Sinryo. "Think we can follow that rule?"
"Maybe," Sinryo smirked. "Probably not."
More ogres gathered, muttering among themselves. Finally, one stepped forward, a broad-shouldered youth with spiky gray hair and a confident glare. "We play too," he said in broken elvish. "Elves small. Ogres fast."
"Then let's set teams," Yuuna said. "Elf team, ogre team."
Yetsan hesitated. "I don't really want to play..."
"Too scared?" Sinryo teased.
Yetsan frowned. "It's not fair. I wear armor. It gives me an advantage."
One of the ogres shrugged. "We don't mind."
Yetsan sighed. "Fine. But I'm not running much."
"Goalkeeper," Yuuna assigned. "You just stay near the goal."
"Even better," Yetsan muttered.
The elf team quickly formed: Adiw as striker, Kyle and Sinryo as midfielders, Fuhiken as defender, Gigih floating without a clear role, and Yetsan guarding the goal.
Yuuna took a few minutes to explain basic formations and gameplay. She gestured with her staff, showing how to mark opponents, when to pass, and the value of space and timing. Most of the elves pretended to understand, while the ogres just nodded along.
Fahleena stood at the sideline, waving a makeshift banner made from a pillowcase and a stick. "Go, Team Destiny Flame Windstrike!" she shouted.
"That's not our team name," Fuhiken said.
"It is now!" Fahleena declared.
Orchid had joined the ogre side of the field, cheering for both teams. She shouted praise with such contradictory enthusiasm that no one could tell whose side she was on.
Sakura and Gabyola, sitting on a blanket nearby, munched on popcorn from Sakura's food bag.
"I give them five minutes before it turns into a brawl," Gabyola said calmly.
"Three," Sakura replied.
The game began with Yuuna placing the ball at the center of the field and backing away.
"Ready," she said. "Begin!"
The elves and ogres surged forward at once.
Sinryo reached the ball first, deftly tapping it past a lunging ogre with a smirk. Kyle moved beside him, both weaving in and out with surprising coordination.
"Forward!" Fuhiken shouted, already sprinting up the flank.
Kyle passed to Sinryo. Sinryo feinted left, juked right, then launched a clean pass toward the center. Adiw caught it mid-stride, his eyes on the goal. A young ogre ran to intercept, but Adiw spun, slamming his foot into the ball with force.
The ball soared.
The ogre goalkeeper stepped forward, but the impact sent him tumbling back, landing squarely inside the goal post, groaning.
"Score!" Yuuna announced.
Elves: 1, Ogres: 0.
The ogres grumbled but returned to position, fired up. From the side, Fahleena shouted, "We are the Champions of Flame-Touched Wind! Onward!"
"Ignore her," Fuhiken muttered.
Next round began with ogres adapting fast. Their passes grew sharper, and they started targeting Gigih's side of the field.
Gigih tried to intercept but was too slow. The ball sailed past him, heading for Fuhiken. Fuhiken braced, stopping it with his foot, but two ogres closed in. He lost the ball in the scuffle. The ogres made a tight pass, broke through, and launched a heavy kick. Yetsan raised his armored arm and blocked, barely. The ball bounced off and rolled into the goal behind him.
Yuuna blew the whistle. "Score."
Elves: 1, Ogres: 1.
The game grew more intense.
Sinryo and Kyle resumed their quick passes, weaving through ogre legs and laughter. Fuhiken anchored the defense with sharp awareness. Gigih, confused, kicked the ball every time it got close, sometimes toward his own team, sometimes... the sidelines.
The ogres weren't just brute force, they began to understand spacing, anticipating elf moves, setting traps with double coverage. Sinryo charged, passed to Adiw. Adiw sprinted down the field, two ogres flanking him. He sidestepped one, spun past the other, but the goalkeeper caught his shot this time.
Another counterattack.
Ogres launched the ball deep, skipping past Fuhiken. Gigih managed a clumsy block, bouncing the ball to Sinryo. He passed backward to Kyle.
Kyle looked up, aimed, then made a high arc pass over the ogres. Adiw jumped. An ogre jumped too. Their shoulders clashed mid-air. The ball ricocheted off their heads, landed near the goal line. Yetsan ran, arms outstretched. He dove, caught the ball.
Dust flew.
"Save!" Yuuna called.
Cheers erupted from both teams.
Sakura clapped with sticky fingers. "That was actually fun to watch."
"They haven't punched anyone yet," Gabyola added.
More plays unfolded. Sinryo executed sharp footwork, dazzling ogres. Kyle flanked left, offering a quick pass. Fuhiken played conservatively, only charging when he saw an opening.
Gigih, though inconsistent, had a lucky streak, sending the ball back into elf control multiple times. The ogres countered with brute speed. Their strongest player tried charging through the center. Fuhiken intercepted him with a shoulder-check, holding the line.
"I'm not losing to a stampede," he growled.
By the end of the first half, both sides were drenched in sweat, breathing hard, yet smiling. The score remained tied.
Yuuna blew the whistle sharply. "Break time."
Everyone collapsed in the grass.
Fahleena skipped over with a flask of water and more chants. "Victory will smile upon the destined blades of the twilight goalkeepers!"
"I have no idea what you're saying," Kyle muttered, gulping water.
Yetsan leaned back, staring at the sky. "This is harder than smithing..."
Gigih poked at his boot. "I think I kicked my own foot once."
Adiw smiled slightly. "Still more fun than sparring."
Fuhiken stood tall, gaze fixed on the ogre team. "They're learning fast. We need better coordination second half."
Yuuna nodded. "Don't lose momentum. Stick to formation. We can win this."
The wind shifted. Afternoon heat began to wane. The game wasn't over. Not yet.
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