“Hello Equestria! This is Caster Sportsman, here to bring you the latest decree from Celestia and Luna! As most of you might know, League of Legends has become a popular pastime among many, MANY ponies. Now, on this day, The Two Sisters have decreed it an official sport, and have also announced that in 6 months, there shall be an Equestria-wide tournament open to all as long as you’ve got a team of 5! So get prepping! To give you a feel of how the sport shall be played for all you fans, tune into your MagiCast later at 6:30 for an exhibition match between two of the competing teams!”
“What’s League of Legends?” Asked Starlight Glimmer.
“You don’t know?” Asked Twilight back, “It’s only the best game, oh sorry SPORT, in all Equestria!”
“Ok...What is it exactly?”
“It is a team-based 5 on 5 battle. You and 4 other teammates summon Champions from the fictional world of Runeterra. Of course, you have to keep in mind who you want to summon, there are 5 roles to play, these roles fit into 3 lanes, and the Jungle. The Top lane is where you get your bruisers competing for Dominance. The Mid lane is the closest thing the team has to a leader, since they can roam more easily and are typically put into positions of the coordinator. The bottom lane typically has two players, the Marksman and the Support. Support is obvious, the Marksman is typically the team’s glass cannon, which is why they have the support. Lastly is the Jungler, it’s there job to roam the map, helping wherever they can. The overall goal of the game is to destroy your opponents turrets that defend their lanes, until you reach the Nexus. When you destroy the Nexus, you win.” Starlight can only stare in silence as she tries to take it all in. “Pretty complex, huh?” Asks Twilight smugly, “That’s not even all of it, and I’m actually pretty good at the game.”
Twilight’s sudden smugness brought Starlight back to reality, “Oh really? Then I’ll clearly be good, possibly even better than you.”
“Really now? Fine then, I’ll show you how to play right now. Come, I have a Rift in the other room.”
“How have I not heard of this before?”
“Probably because you were always in that town of yours, what was it called again?”
“It was called...ummmm….” Starlight is lost in thought, trying in vain to remember a name that never existed, as they walk down the hall into a room Starlight hadn’t seen yet. It was dark except for some ambient crystal lanterns that gave off a dim blue glow. As Twilight approached however, a square in the center of the room blazed a beautiful blue light, leaving a low hanging fog after it settled.
“So let’s see here,” Twilight said to no one in particular, “The Howling Abyss should do fine for a duel.” Starlight couldn’t believe her eyes as out of the blue fog rose two great icy mountains, leaving a great abyss in between that seemed to howl, huh, appropriate naming. Then arose a lone bridge seeming to go nowhere and only exist to be a platform. “Alrighty then, I’ll go easy on you and not pick my usual champion. I think I’ll take Varus.” Starlight’s amazement continued as a pale skinned human appeared on the bridge. Varus seemed to be male, and was naked excepts for a pair of pants. The most peculiar thing however was his bow and arrow, which seemed to be attached to his arm, and to contrast the rest of him, it covered his right arm in a dark black and purple mix of what Starlight was later told was “corruption.” Twilight began to explain Starlight how to go about playing, “Firstly, walk to one of the little circle areas on the other side of the map, there you can choose your champion, and you get an overview of their abilities and stats.”
“Very well, I’ll just take Varus as well then, that way when I beat you, you know I completely surpassed you.”
“Hehe, we’ll see, now since we’re both going to play Varus, you may want to choose a skin. Skins are alternate looks to a champion. They can be merely for fun or reflect a look of a champion in the lore aside from its standard look.”
“Hmm, then I’ll go with ‘Arclight Varus’ then.”
“Nice choice, that skin depicts Varus before was corrupted by the dark magic he was guarding from invaders.”
“Yeah whatever, let’s get to it”
“Fine then, let’s see what you can do Starlight.”
Starlight noticed a glow start to form around her, it soon completely engulfed her to the point where she couldn’t see the room. Suddenly, she could see the Howling Abyss up close and personal. She seemed to be looking through Varus’ eyes, though it felt like she was still looking on from above the map. It was an odd sensation but it didn’t take too long to get used to, and it granted her a good perspective of the map.
“Now then, Minions will be spawning soon, you send them out first and stay behind them. Defeating enemy minions grants you gold which you can use to purchase items that will boost your stats. It also grants you experience which slowly builds to a new level, from there you can pick an ability to unlock or boost. You get one level and some gold at the start of the match. Go ahead and pick your items and get into lane.”
Starlight went ahead and bought some Health potions, and a blade that is apparently some guy named Doran’s. She selected an ability that apparently granted her a charging arrow that is more powerful and has greater range than Varus’ normal arrows. Her minions spawned and she was off into the battle. Everything seemed quiet except for the howling wind. That is, until she was struck by a bright arrow from nowhere.
“Oh did I forget to mention? You can hide in the brush, you’re practically invisible unless your enemy has a ward in the brush,” Said Twilight as she started shooting her minions. Starlight couldn’t necessarily feel the pain, but she definitely felt something. She couldn’t keep hung up on that for long, after a few arrows from Twilight, Starlight’s minions were gone and she was forced to fall back to her Turret. Ok, no more, She had to start fighting back, Twilight said she became more powerful by taking out minions, so she’d start with that while she was safe under her turret. Another powerful arrow came right at her and nailed her dead on. She realized that in the corner of her eye she could see what appeared to be a health bar. She had taken a few hits. It was time for her to fight back. She began firing on Twilight, she saw what appeared to be a small smirk on Twilight’s Varus as she dove into a nearby bush. While Starlight was charging her arrow hidden in the bush, Twilight aimed an arrow upward. When she fired out came an entire volley of arrows that rained down upon Starlight. Starlight fired off her arrow, and started to flee back towards her tower, but the volley of arrows seemed to have slowed her a bit, when she turned to try and fight Twilight, she was met with one final charged arrow that took her out.
“You have been slain Starlight, you’ll remain like this until you respawn in some time.”
“Thanks for telling me earlier…”
Starlight respawned back at the shop, picked up some items, and went back into lane with a plan. After some farming she was now level six, and had access to all her abilities. Twilight had just taken her first turret, leaving 2 left defending the lane, along with the 2 defending the Nexus. The moment Twilight was in sight she charged forward. “It’s time for me to take you down Twilight!” She cried out, gaining her attention, Twilight immediately shot her volley and began charging her power arrow. Starlight dodged the volley, and quickly responded in kind, launching a volley slowing Twilight down. She immediately got out of Twilight’s range and began charging her own power arrow. After Twilight let her arrow loose too late. Starlight was out of range, she then fired her own arrow as quickly as possible, which, after the volley that hit her earlier, bumped her down to half health. Starlight saw a victory in sight, and she loved it. She was about to surpass Twilight in a game she was playing for the first time! “Do you see me Twilight? I’m beating you! You were so smug. You were toying with me, but look at you now!”
“Yeah, look at me now, about to win.”
“What?” was all Starlight good get out before she was struck by Twilight’s final ability. Out of Varus’ bow came a surge of tentacles that heavily damaged her and held her in place. She could do nothing but watch as Twilight fired on her repeatedly. After the tentacles released her, Starlight tried to flee, but she was swiftly hit with a volley, slowing her down long enough for Twilight to place the final arrow in her, ending her. Suddenly, Starlight was engulfed in a bright light, and then she was in her own eyes again. The Howling abyss was gone.
“I’d say that’s enough for now. The first official exhibition match will be on soon. I can’t spend all my time schooling you.”
Starlight could only think about how she was completely outclassed. She felt even more inferior to Twilight than usual. Why? Why couldn’t she beat her at anything?!
“Oh, and Starlight. I’m thinking of entering the tournament. You were pretty good for your first time. Wanna join my team?”
Starlight was left dumbstruck by this. She had just lost, she had failed harder than a rock at math, and yet Twilight wanted her on her team. She couldn’t help but smile. Twilight always seemed to know what to say to cheer her up. She started following Twilight down the hall.
“You gonna play her not?” asked Twilight once more.
“Yeah, but I want more training later.”
“You betcha, you can get it after the match, when we go get our other teammates.”
“Shouldn’t take too long right?”
“Well, we’ll have to do some traveling,” Said Twilight, as she eyed a full-body mirror that was hooked up to a strange device.
“Oh Twilight, what’s our team name gonna be?”
“Magic, Team Magic.”
“I don’t supposed I can change your mind on that?”
“Nope, We’re gonna be Team Magic.”