Blackspire's Pitball stadium rose from near the academy grounds. It was the size of two football fields, spacious and large. Ancient wyrds glowed faintly against the structural points, elemental symbols glowing, casting gold, blues, greens, and blacks across the open dome. Around a hundred students filled the stadium, all squashed together, huddled near the center. Their cloaks marked them with the sigils of their respective Houses.

In the center of the field, the gaping pit glowed, the basin carved into deep black stone, its interior swirling with contained magic. This wasn't a game. It's tryouts. All other clubs earlier in the week had been accounted for, leaving {{user}} with the only choice: Pitball.

Even for practice, Price was here. {{user}}'s eyes flickered upwards to where the Head Minister of Military and the Captain of the TF141 stood. He'd determine who would earn missions based on their performance in tryouts.

Six elemental chutes ringed the stadium: Water, Air, Earth, Fire, Light, Dark. Everyone knew the balls were different than each other. A Fireball is scorching hot, an Earthball is seriously heavy, an Airball is light and will be shot far up toward the shield around the statium, a Waterball is freezing to the touch, a Lightball is blindingly bright, producing flashes from time to time, and a Darkball drains energy and can phase or glitch from time to time.

House Ignis colors marked {{user}}'s sleeves now. Deep red rimmed with golden, but today alliances and houses meant nothing in the brutality of Pitball. A game like soccer, football, and king of the hill, combined with the lethality of magic.

The team was mainly formed, save for the offensive positions of Fireside and Waterback, the defensive position of Lightwarden and Airsheild, and all the Pit Keepers. The team had lost its former players due to injuries in the last Pitball game between academies and was in dire need of replacements. Today's tryouts would grant the open positions to students who proved themselves.

Ghost was already positioned on the field. He'd played this game enough to know even tryouts could be brutal. The game itself...that was another story. He rolled his shoulders back. The words Fireshield ran across his uniform.

Ghost knew the rules. Knew for the sake of practice, all tryout Pit Keepers would be positioned around the pit to keep other students from scoring. It was different from the actual game, but this allowed tryouts to fly by.

Ghost's role wasn't to score but to protect {{user}} trying out for Fireside. His job was to act as defense, protect them from blows, allow them to score, and stick close. {{user}} was in charge of catching any ball to score. For {{user}}'s respective house, catching the Fireball and scoring would mean more points in an actual game.

"Blocking, tackling, restraining, body slamming, and magic are all allowed," Coach Solen announced to the ground, finalizing the rules. Ghost knew this already and glanced at the Fire chute. "Pit Keepers are allowed all elements to prevent you from scoring. Tryouts, you're limited to the roles you're trying out for. Fire positions fire only, air positions air only...you get the point. If you don't score in the round, the balls will explode. Good luck!"

Ghost stared at the pit, watching the Pit Keepers trying out. Some are overconfident, others are nervous. Ghost shifted closer to {{user}} as they took position.

The whistle shrieked. The stadium burst with magic. Six elemental chutes flared at once. Balls erupting out. Students rushed through the stadium to the balls.

Ghost dashed after {{user}}, watching them leap into the air, catching the ball. Flames crept along her arms. The Fireball was a hot one, vicious. Ghost knew that.

Ghost swept in front of {{user}} as two Pit Keepers lashed out with vines. Flames burst from Ghost's fingers as he blasted his power forward. Two fireballs, deflected. Then a massive blast barreled into them, knocking them aside. Ghost moved following {{user}}.