As the announcers’ voices echoed details of the game across the water, two long chains connected to the docks were pulled in from rotating cranks upon the docks. The men on the dock heaved against the crank, their arms tearing with sweat dripping down their arms. Nessa’s eyes distractedly fixed his gaze on this, until his captain’s voice broke him of his stupor.
“This is it gentlemen,” Keph the Kilel Team Captain encouraged them. “And ladies. Let’s remember what we trained.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay with that other play of yours, Nessa?” Tevel jabbed quietly at him. “You won’t get to score.”
“This isn’t about me, Tev. It never was.”
“I hope that’s true then because Taph and I are counting on it.”
“Tev,” Nessa answered more loudly now. “I want you to burn a hole in that net!”
“Let’s hope he can,” Taph told them.
“He can,” Keph answered. “He wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t think he could. Nor would any of you be playing if I judged you’d do less than outstanding. This is one of the best teams I have been honored to lead. And we’re going to win! So, what say you? Why don’t we show these Pial amateurs what Kilel is made of?!”
They roared and the echoes of triumph filled their veins. Then Nessa and 5 other players mounted their boards and shot eagerly across the lake. Near their own dock, Sur and Bar (the two defenders) circled around with anxious anticipation. Nessa and Yevanna rotated confidently in the middle of the lake. And lastly, Tevel and Taph passed them to reach the enemy’s dock. The opposing players flooded into the lake and filled their lake positions.
“What’s this? Is Nessa playing Flex for Kilel?”
“It must be, Ral.”
“This really will be a battle, if those two titans are at each other’s throats.”
“It makes sense. Nessa is their best player. But he doesn’t have any experience with the Flex position. Does he?”
“I’ve never hear of it. This must be a new thing.”
“It’s always dangerous to try something new.”
“You’re right, Bal. I hope Kilel knows what they’re doing.”
“They couldn’t have gotten this far without that.”
“Too true.”
As Nessa circled to the center of the lake he caught Tevel’s attention and gave him a nod. He answered him in turn. Nessa faced his board to the side of the lake. He glanced at a large clock atop the stadium. The second hand was making its way around to the top, which marked the game’s start. A single referee on a black windboard held in his right hand a red ball with a ribbon hanging from it. His target.
Nessa and Kavo eyed it greedily from upwind. Nessa’s fist gripped tightly around the bar connected to his sail. He could feel his heart throbbing in his throat. Then he heard the call from the dock. He darted for the center of the lake.
“Three. Two. One!” the announcer bellowed.
A war horn tremored fiercely from the edge of the lake throughout the stadium. The ref lobbed the ball into the middle of the lake. But Nessa was too early. He tried to peel back around for the ball. Kavo picked it off by the tail. It spun in his hand with the momentum. Kavo threw it into this board sack. The tail flapped mockingly in the wind. Nessa followed close.
Kavo threw it to Pial’s starboard shooter. Bar was on him close. Nessa immediately jetted between Kavo and the shooter. Yevanna faded back into center of the lake.
“What kind of defense is this?” Bel yelled.
“I don’t know, Bel, but they are putting some serious pressure on Pial’s shooter. He’s getting trapped downwind.”
“Oh, that is not a good place to be.”
“Here comes Kavo to the rescue. The shooter tosses it back.”
Even as the announcer said this, Nessa whipped in between them, the wind heaving his board there fast and into the air. The ribbon fluttered seemingly motionless within his arm’s reach. He stretched his whole body. And he snatched it!
“Oh no! Nessa intercepted!”
“Unbelievable!”
He slammed into the water. After the ball whipped around his hand, he threw it in the board sack, and drilled down the lake tacking upwind. Kavo is following close – his sail whipped violently behind him.
“What is Nessa doing?”
“He’s heading straight for that opposing defender! In possession of the ball!”
“Looks like the defender heard you, Bel, because he’s coming about.”
Nessa headed directly for the enemy defender. As the defender came about, Nessa passed him on the port, water spraying as he carved through the stormy waves. Kavo got caught behind his own teammate.
Now without pressure, Nessa approached their shooter Taph. He stretched to made a throw; but it was a fake. He cut hard running with the wind, towards the left side of the dock. His muscles strained as he held onto the boom. Even while he cut left, he tossed back to Tevel. Tevel headed for the left corner of the dock. He faked a shot left. He shot right. Goal! Three points for Kilel!
Dantes is the Author of the first book in the Aria’s Adventure series called Finding a Familiar. He also is the Podcast Host for The Raphael Letters, in which the author reads letters from the archangle Raphael to a gaurdian angel named Shariel.