FIELD OF THE DAWN, MUIRTHEMNE - With the city still abuzz at the news of the shocking Myrkdridan attack on Emperor Alric and the assembled World Cup teams in the catacombs beneath the city, no one expected that the competition would resume so quickly. The very morning Alric emerged from the Mausoleum of the Cath Bruig, he called the senior World Cup officials into a private audience. No one knows what discussions took place behind closed doors, but later that same day that the MWC Council announced that the tournament would continue as scheduled. When asked why there would not be a delay in memory of those that had fallen in the defense of the Emperor, the officials looked uncomfortable, but said they felt that the fallen would have wanted the competition to continue.

And so today, a mere three days after Cormac was struck down by the vengeful Acerus Malum, the Top Bracket championship was held here on the very same field. The Heron Avengers faced the Scottish Nationals on the Field of the Dawn in a match to determine who would advance as the Champions to the Grand Final. The loser meanwhile would have to defeat the resurgent Quad-Cities All-Star team for the right to be named the Challengers and compete six days hence before Emperor Alric for the promised boon.

As the Herons took the field, their determination was evident to everyone in the stadium. There was no chatter or conversation among them, not surprising since they too had lost friends in the Catacombs. But the durabilty and healing arts of the Herons had left the core of their team intact. The Northmen were equally grim as they took the field, their faces looking pale without their usual warpaints. One section of the stands erupted in grunting cheers: a solid contingent of Mauls apparently was throwing their support to the Scottish team. Oderic, the guest referee, consulted briefly with the captains at midfield, and the match began.

Both the fierce berserkers and agile Herons can display amazing speed when called to, and all the stops were pulled out for this game. The first part of the match was fast-paced and exciting, with many possession changes but no serious shots on goal. With about ten minutes left in the first half, Ten Soaring White Eagle intercepted a pass in the Scots backfield and flicked to Four Flint Motion Sun whose powerful shot slipped past the fingers of goalie Thorgeisil. The Heron supporters in the stands cheered, but from the Maul section a tomato came flying out onto the field. Eyes turned to see one of the Mauls standing and shouting what we can only presume were insults at the Heron players. But the rest of the Mauls seemed to take issue at this, calling out to the heckler. After a brief argument, the transgressor bowed his head, meekly walking down onto the field to apologetically retrieve the garbage. (Spectators close to the scene report that the tomato was subsequently eaten.)

Down in the match and with the first half ticking away, the Berserks launched a full-out drive to score. Thorvald and Thurgys flashed like lightning into Heron territory, and Bramtyr tied up Heron defender Three Flashing Silver Fish to allow a shot on goal that One Tiger Stalking was unable to block. As the Herons took possession again, Thrend Atop the Piled Dead charged in and managed to deflect a pass to Bramtyr, who flashed past Seven Leopard Breeze and Five White Mongoose to score another quick goal before the half.

As the second half commenced, the superior speed of the Nationals seemed to be telling on the Heron team. While the difference was slight, the Berserks were consistently able to outpace the Heron defenders and disrupt the Heron offense. One Tiger Stalking made several impressive saves early on, but he couldn't keep it up forever, eventually allowing the Scots an opening and letting them extend their lead to 3-1. The Heron offense kept the Scots backfielders busy, however - Four Flint and Ten Eagle, nearly as fast as their opponents, kept the pressure on Thorgeisil and his defenders. Eventually Four Flint took advantage of a misstep by midfielder Tyrfing to zoom down the sideline unmolested and take a hard crossgoal shot that evaded Thorgeisil's dive.

The Nationals went on the attack again, but they seemed to be tiring, and the Avengers were able to keep up with their attack now. Thorvald attempted a risky pass that Seven Leopard Breeze intercepted at full stride, penetrating the Scots defense before they could react to tie the score at 3 goals each. Time was running down now, and the crowd rose out of their seats to cheer as the Berserks again put on a burst of speed, striking deep into the Herons' territory. But this time One Tiger was equal to the task, and blocked the low shot by Rudrik Death's Favored Son. A quick pass to Four Flint Motion Sun, and the pressure was once again on the Berserk defense. A pass to Ten Soaring White Eagle decoyed the panting defenders out of position, and a return to Four Flint set up an easy goal to put the Avengers in the lead. The National team seemed demoralized now, and their flagging endurance once again gave the Herons an easy steal. Ten Soaring took the ball to the goal box, deftly dodged defender Hvilner, and fired the ball home to cement a 5-3 victory for the Herons.

Time ran out, and the teams came to center field to congratulate one another on a hard-fought match. Suddenly, above the cheers from the crowd, a cry arose from one end of the stadium. The spectators there stood and pointed off into the southern distance, and as all eyes turned in that direction, we saw off on the horizon a floating speck, slowly growing larger.

It approached steadily, and soon there could be no doubt: a balloon was drifting through the heavens toward Muirthemne. As it approached, it became clear that the balloon was in trouble, losing altitude steadily, and many feared it would strike the outer walls of the Field of the Dawn. But it struggled through in the air long enough to clear the obstacles in its path, and landed with a jolt at midfield. Out from the basket clambered three dwarves, stained with long travel, and weeping and pulling at their beards. Behind them came a man, bruised and bloody, with his arm bound up in a sling: Garrick Tremaine, returned out of the ruin of Stoneheim.

The Muirthemne Times hopes their star reporter will have an exclusive account of his escape from the catastrophe at the dwarven city in its next issue.