Reaching the central plaza in front of the main entrance to the stadium, the three friends ignored the food stalls, all of which were doing a roaring trade, choosing instead to follow the illuminated signs in the direction of the seat numbers on the tickets that they held. After a long walk, they reached their fantastic seats, halfway along the arena, pretty much level with where the ball enters from the roof, about two thirds of the way up. If it were a human football match, these seats would be considered the best in the house.
As they sat down, the stadium became bathed in light and a happy dragon voice echoed all around.
"Laminium ball loving dragons, thank you for your attendance today. Before the major event, we have an aerial flying display from the St Austell nursery ring dragonlings display team. So please put your wings and hands together for them as they show you their amazing aerobatic skills."
With that, the lighting dimmed, except in one corner of the arena where it sparkled pink. Moments later, twenty one young dragons shot up into the bright light. Darting in and out of each other, barely a hair's breadth apart, the young dragonlings formed intricate patterns that with every variation turned a different colour.
All three friends sat mesmerised at the choreography, precision and sheer beauty of the young dragon's display. Normally there was something like this at every laminium ball match, but most dragons paid little attention to it. The three friends were as guilty of this as anybody, not normally arriving in their seats until the very last moment, but all three were currently having the exact same thought.
'Have we really been missing things like this at every match?'
Continuing for another ten minutes or so, the dragonlings wowed the crowd with daring descents, brilliant barrel rolls, intricate routines and dangerous flybys. Spectators of every age couldn't take their eyes off the young display team, with late arrivals cursing themselves. Finally the lights flared into life, illuminating the whole group in the middle of the arena, right in front of the three friends, prompting the three quarters full stadium to erupt into a massive round of applause. Bursts of flame in tribute from nearly every dragon in their natural form lit up the arena like a blow torch convention.
Minutes later the lighting died away, leaving just the lava for illumination. Whispered conversations echoed around the cavern as the final seats filled with latecomers, the electric atmosphere at the prospect of the game almost tangible. It was nearly time.
Once again the smooth voice of the announcer resonated throughout the cavern.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... The Indigo Warriors versus the Colwyn Bay Buccaneers... enjoy!"
Silence fell over the expectant crowd, punctuated only by the gurgling and sloshing of molten lava as the crowd awaited their heroes. Seconds later, there they were. Abruptly the lights came back on at exactly the same time as a series of small holes opened up in the ceiling, through which dropped each team member, the Warriors at one end, the Buccaneers at the other. Shouting, screaming, breathing flame... the audience went mad. And then the teams were off on their display laps of the arena, the Buccaneers forming a tight unit mere inches apart, dashing full speed around the edge of the cavern, almost within touching distance of the spectators. Much more spaced out, the Warriors preferred instead to show off their individual prowess. Steel and Flamer ducked, dived, twisted and barrel rolled in and out of each other, with the crowd egging them on to ever more dangerous feats. Cheese, Barf and Silverbonce took it easy, waving, blowing out violent streams of flame while at the same time poking fun at each other. Both teams were a total contrast, as the Buccaneers zoomed around at ridiculous speeds all serious and pent up, while the Warriors pleased the crowd with stunts, all the time making fools of themselves.
After a couple of laps, for the Warriors that is (the Buccaneers had done about twelve) both teams flew up towards the top of the arena, in the middle, where the laminium ball would appear. With both teams hovering high above the middle of the lava pitch, a long sliver of molten lava appeared at exactly the same time on the rock face at both ends of the cavern, beside both goal mouths. A quiet, "Owww," whispered around the crowd. The sliver of lava suddenly shaped the number ten at both ends at exactly the same time, with the crowd joining in.
"Ten." Continuing on its fascinating journey, the lava flowed into the shape of the number nine.
"Nine," screamed the audience. Peter, Tank and Richie had never seen a countdown like it. Normally little lights or crystals lit up as the crowd counted down, but this was all very modern and dramatic. Reaching a crescendo at, "Two," all eyes turned towards both teams, with some of the crowd focusing on the stream of guided lava, just about managing to get out, "One," before in the blink of an eye, out shot the golden coloured ball, just a blur really, quite something given the enhanced senses that every being there possessed.
Wings, tails, bodies and scales all merged into one amidst the mayhem. Both mouth guards swooped round, departing the action, heading back towards their respective mouths to guard the stalagmite and stalactite 'teeth' against breakage from the laminium ball that would mean a goal for their opponents. Hands, wings and tails tried in vain to grasp the ever elusive ball, all to no avail. In the end, Steel came thundering out of the melee with the round prize cunningly trapped under his chin, ducking and dodging the opposition as he did so. As the rest of the outfield Warriors tried desperately to follow him, Barf took an uppercut to the jaw, big time, off the ball, something the referee clearly didn't see, or if he did, refused to acknowledge so early on in the match.
All three friends were literally on the edge of their seats, leaning against the ornamental railing which no dragon thought was really there to protect them from falling over the side. I mean, a dragon falling over the side... they would just fly right back up and into their seat again... obviously!
In the meantime the Buccaneers had forced Steel and his flying honour guard into a dive towards the surface, allowing them only enough room to pull up right at the last second. Droplets of lava bubbled against Cheese's face as he paced Steel, less than half a yard above the orange lake of danger, weaving in and out of potentially fatal fountains as if they were mere tourist attractions. In one deft motion, Steel transferred the ball from under his chin, to beneath his right wing, feeling the subtle vibration of its power ebbing through him. He always wondered whether the sports men and women on the surface, in anything that involved a ball, felt a buzz or a rush whenever they had possession. If they did, he knew exactly how they felt... more so really. In his case, with the laminium ball, he really did get a buzz and oh so much more, with his magical abilities magnified by the close proximity of the power enhancing metal encased within the ball. Able to fly just that little bit faster, his awareness was increased, with any stray splashes of lava bouncing off his scales becoming barely noticeable. During this game there was a big difference between being on the ball and off it.