Banshee wanders in the night, the darkness finally giving him a little peace from the stinging deep headaches. His hand roams on his head, where is skull cracked twice, a chill crosses his spine. "Memories and scars - Banshee thinks to himself - that's all I have left. And
headaches.". That's all that's left of his Blood Bowl days, when he used to be a star on the pitch. His mind recalls the
last match he had played, so many months ago. They were so close to making it, the Warpstone Open Main Event, a dream come true... but they didn't make it. He didn't make it. Maybe he should've leaped into the cage, afterall, blitz that dark elf, maybes, ifs, shoulda, coulda... all that's left of it.
He had never seen Coach Uedder Street ever since. When they left the pitch, he was already gone, all that was left was a letter. Not Street's letter, but
Banshee the first's letter, the one with his last words. And then the Screamers were gone. No longer a coach, no longer a team,
he had warned them to be ready to die although maybe dying on the pitch would've been better than this kind of purgatory. Forgotten. Useless.
He heard Coach Street had started training a
new team, had trained
a new superstar... maybe it would've been better to leap into that cage afterall, get a couple of blows, hopefully die there.
Banshee looks up to the stars, takes a deep breath, a smile broadens on his face. Such beauty, he feels lucky to be alive and witness the magic of the night. He still has some money left, he can live easily, have friends, have a normal life, maybe find love or something worth living... Yeah, not leaping was the wisest choice afterall.
And then a voice breaks Banshee's chain of thoughts. "Ain't you dead yet?". It's
Max, his former teammate. And he's wearing his mask?!? Banshee can't believe his eyes, takes a second to get the words together. "Yeah, although sometimes I wish I was..." he replies pointing at his head. Max laughs his deep, growling laugh "F****ing headaches are killing me, too. Gotta scream once in a while to forget about the pain. Do you scream still?".
Banshee shakes his head "No. Not in a while... trying to get a new life."
"That's too bad - Max replies - your scream was the best..."
Then silence falls. A long moment where the fellow screamers stare in each other's eyes. There's a spark in Max's irises, something Banshee hasn't seen in his own since a long while...
"Why are you here, Max?" Banshee finally asks.
"Pack up your things, we're leaving." Max's voice is raspy and firm. It's not a request.
"What? I'm not leaving, I have a life here..."
"Yeah, watching the stars, suffering the daylight and digging the past... that's beautiful, but we've got a game. So get ready, we're leaving in 30 minutes. And bring your mask, I can't stand to see your face."
Banshee's heart jumps into his chest at the word "game". Could it be...
"Look, I'm not getting involved in one of those commemorative games... Blood bowl is over for me, and it should be for you guys, too."
"Nah, it's a real game. 30 minutes at the pier. See you there." Before Banshee can think of a reply, Max is gone.
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2 minutes to the departure and Banshee's not here yet... maybe sending Max to recruit him wasn't the best idea. That guy isn't the best diplomat. But he's got spirit, and Banshee must respond to that.
1 minute... doubt crosses Coach Street's mind. Is he really not coming? Has he really left Blood Bowl behind and built a new life? Or is he just scared to die?
Time's up. "Alright guys, I think Banshee's not com..." but Coach Street's words die in his mouth.
A Scream. Strong and loud and shattering. And long, and in tune, too. This is Banshee's scream!
The elf leaps over his team-mates, landing right in front of Coach Street, then rises to all his height. Tall and strong as ever. His mask stained with blood and mud. He looks into his coach's eyes.
"When we play?"
"At midnight."
"Who do we play?"
"
The worst."
"Got a plan?"
A smile crosses Uedder Street's face "Die. And win."
Banshee stares at his team-mates. He never saw them so fired-up. He smiles beneath the mask.
"Then let's go die. Let's go win!"
A collective scream tears up the night. There's life and death in that scream. There's the end and a new beginning. Glory and tragedy. That's the first and the last scream of the Mad Screamers.
The
Screamers are back!