Ares sat on the couch in the Summoner's lounge with the rest of his team, intensely concentrating his gaze on his Summoner's orb as the match started below. Despite the loud noises of the commentator and the crowd cheering the two sides on, he remained calm as ever as he directed his champion Ahri in battle, commanding her every move and attack as she entered popular Field of Justice, Summoner's Rift. This game was looking to be the most important so far in his brief yet immensely successful Summoning career. If his team, Kill Steal Telecom, found victory now, in the finals, he would be the youngest winner of the Summoner's cup. Though they had lost in the first two games for the best of five, the next two had been a complete success. Ares and his team were hoping to make the turnaround in the last game and bring home the cup to Ionia for the first time.

Twenty and five minutes had passed, and the tension in the stadium was so insane it could be cut with knife. The match was virtually dead even, with 13 kills to 12 in favor of KST and 6 turrets down on both sides. A bead of sweat rolled down Ares's face as the enemy team began their relentless march towards the pit where the purple god of all matches was waiting. The delicate balance of life and death, the Baron dance, was starting, and the match would not be even for much longer.

The sound of the crowd screaming erupted as the teamfight started just outside the Baron pit. The enemy team, terribly weakened from their fight with Baron, was decisively routed when kill after kill was scored on the side of KST. Under the direction of Ares, Ahri dashed in and out with ease, evading enemy attacks with her ultimate ability while firing charms and orbs at the opposing AD carry and taking down their main damage dealer.

"Ahhh! Ares! Look at the moves, look at the charm! Ares! What was that?" The crowd roared wildly in delight and Ares felt a burst of rejuvenation as he signaled his team to close out the game.

From that point forward, Ares and the rest of KST steamrolled down the mid lane, taking inhibitors and nexus turrets without response. Eventually the nexus itself fell too, shattering into many particles of crystal and gemstone as it collapsed into the cavernous hole in the ground. The voice of the match referee boomed in Ares's ears: "SEUNGRI!"

"It's going to be a historic victory! For the first time in many years, a Demacian team has fallen in the best of five during a major tournament," the announcer screamed, hyped even beyond his own wildest dreams at the results. "What a win for the team KST! What a series it has been!"

Ares bowed to the stage, uttered congratulations to the rest of his team and their champions, and decided that it might be a good time to enjoy a good cup of booze to celebrate his win. I am a world champion after all, he thought. There's no hurt in getting the free drinks, is there?

Early the next morning, Ares was lying down on his bed, dizzy and a little lightheaded after a drink too many. Gragas, the fat man, had insisted on giving him two full glasses of his special new "Suka Blyat" vodka. As much as he tried to refuse, he knew it would be impolite, and downed them before dreading what would happen afterwards. That moment had come, and a throbbing pain had somehow spawned in his head from the copious alcohol, too much for his young body to handle.

The door to the habitation where he lived opened with hardly a sound, sending a flash of light into the bedroom where Ares was still attempting to recuperate from his drunkenness. Ares was not alarmed; Summoners were expected to live with their bonded champions, and Ahri often came home late. But today Ahri seemed to have a twinkle in her eye, winking at Ares before entering the bedroom where Ares slept.

"Why don't you wake up now?" Ahri asked.

"I'm too tired, and my head hurts", Ares replied, still groggy and not the least fit to do anything.

"But you should be awake by now! Summoner training starts in just an hour!" Ahri pouted, giving her best puppy face expression, even moving her catlike ears to emphasize.

Usually such a display would have had Ares immediately caving in, but not today. He was tired, and wasn't willing to get up at all. "I can't."

This made Ahri pause for a moment, but when she spoke again, it was with a mischievous look in her face. "What if we played a game?"

If anything, this made Ares even more unwilling. "Games? At this hour? I absolutely refuse to wake up and play some stupid game, especially not that lame version of poker that you play again."

Ahri tilted her face to the side, as if curious, and asked "Then what kind of poker do you usually play with your Summoner friends, Ares?"

The reply was swift, and without hesitation. "Strip poker, always", Ares said with an entirely straight and quite convincing face. Sad that the blush in his cheeks betrayed his lie instantly.

"In that case" Ahri said, giggling as she did so, "Why don't the two of us play a little game of strip poker, hmmm?"

To be continued.