He Got Cursed?

Now backed by a sponsor and sporting some of the best shoes they’ve ever wore, the Siraco Stars went on to win back-to-back games, shaking the league with a seven-game-win streak. Before, they were just a no-name team who flew under everyone’s radar despite their attempts at catching everyone’s attention with what some may deem the strongest rookie team in history. But now, there is no one that does not know the name Siraco Stars, much less the strong players that make up the team. Every kid now wants to become just like the Siraco Stars; critics and pundits alike began to discuss Max Power and Kody Pepper in the same conversation with legends; newspapers and related media paid more attention to the up-and-coming rookie team; the entire kingdom became abuzz with this new shooting star that were climbing the ranks at quantum speed towards the top!

And with this newfound upward trajectory in fame for the team came the rise in fame for Hawkes Wings. Their products flew off the shelves quicker than they could be replaced. Everyone everywhere from all corners of the kingdom made their way to Siraco just to get their hands on the shoes worn by the up-and-coming legends. The shop was filled with back orders and had to expand their workforce just to satisfy the orders coming from the western region of the kingdom alone!

Becoming the hottest new merchandise in the entire kingdom, however, came with its own risks. The top shoe brands of Ilias were quickly dropping in sales and lost a good portion of their customer base to the upstart Hawkes Wings. This loss hit them very hard to the point that the company heads came together to create a secretive coalition to take down the competition. And the first scheme they came up with to accomplish this required contact with the one-and-only Siraco Stars, specifically their star player, Max Power.

The Stars won their eighth game in a row. Daniel continued to perform at peak level and once again became the game’s MVP. The Stars finished up with their press conference and were making their way to their carriages when Daniel was stopped by three men dressed in very refined clothes.

“Mr. Max Power, may we please have a word with you?” asked the man in the middle. He was a sleek and tall man with a hawk-like nose and glittering silver hair.

“Sure,” agreed Daniel with a smile.

“My name is Edward Bank, and I am the head of Bank Wear, a clothing company,” introduced the man. He then introduced his friends to Daniel. “This gentleman is Francis Richardson, the head of Rich Goods,” gestured Edward to the gentleman on his left. Francis, a short and portly man with a luxurious moustache, bowed his head in greeting. “And to my right is Charles Mill, the owner of Million Shoes,” gestured Edward to the gentleman on his right. Charles, a younger-looking man with a monocle and long golden hair, shook Daniel’s hand.

Daniel had heard of these three companies before from Kody. Known as the Big Three, they were the biggest and most influential sporting goods company in the entire kingdom of Ilias. But their most coveted merchandise were, of course, the athletic shoes they produced. They hold significant influence over the entire league mainly due to their sponsorship of the top three teams: Vyneer Ravens (Million Shoes), Zein Blue Roses (Rich Goods), and Astariv King Devils (Bank Wear).

“So, what is it that you wanted to discuss?” asked Daniel politely.

“First of all, please accept our congratulations for your eighth consecutive win,” began Edward, “It is truly a magnificent feat for a team like yours to achieve. Who would’ve thought that a team once overlooked for its lack of prestige and new-blood identity would quickly transform into a contender within a year’s time!”

“Thanks?” said Daniel, unsure if he should take that as a compliment or an insult.

“To celebrate your team’s unprecedented achievement, we three would each like to offer you the deal of a lifetime! Of course we are aware of your deal with Hawkes Wings, but a rising star like you, whose dominance is more than certain and whose popularity has transcended the entire game, should depend on a more well-funded and renowned company to sponsor you! You are free to choose which of us three to sign with. Of course, each of us will offer you different services and guarantees which you can use to inform your own decision.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but I think I’m going to continue with Hawkes Wings,” declared Daniel earnestly.

It was slight, but Edward’s left eye twitched upon hearing those words. “We have better products,” persuaded the merchant.

“Well, I feel very comfortable with Hawkes Wings’ products,” countered Daniel.

“If you sign with Rich Goods, I will personally see that you and your team will stay in lodgings worth no less than four stars on your travels! And we will pay 50% for all of your food costs during away games!” offered Francis Richardson.

“Please sign with Million Shoes,” persuaded Charles Mill, “Our business also have our very own high-end training facilities which you and your team are free to use. We will also provide elite level trainers and chefs to cater to your overall fitness and health.”

“Or perhaps you would like to sign with Bank Wear,” proposed Edward, “My company can provide you with tailored shoes and equipment, high-end lodging for games and breaks, and personal manservants to tend to your every need.”

“Those benefits sound very intriguing,” agreed Daniel.

“Then—!” began Edward.

“However, I don’t think I’ll take you up on those offers. I don’t really care much about luxuries and benefits. I just want to play! And I think that Hawkes Wings shoes are the best when it comes to that because it feels like they understand exactly what we want to do. I can feel it in the shoes they make. They really are shoes meant for players to play in,” concluded Daniel. “So, thank you all for your extremely great offers, but no thank you. Excuse me, I must take my leave.”

When Daniel left the building, he noticed that Kody was waiting for him near the door and had heard everything. “You did good, Max,” said Kody with an approving smile. But those very words that Daniel had spoken had the exact opposite effect on the three men still inside….

“Welcome to Hawkes Wings!” greeted William as a customer walked into the shop.

The customer was dressed in a large black overcoat and wide-brimmed hat with a pair of tinted spectacles. “I’m looking for some athletic shoes,” said the mysterious customer.

William led the customer to the back shelf. “Here are the athletic shoes as worn by the Siraco Stars,” introduced the shoemaker. The customer eyed the shoes with a mysterious smile and a glint in his eyes. “Are you buying it for yourself? Or perhaps your kid?” asked William cordially.

“It’s for a surprise,” said the customer simply. He picked up one of the Hawkes Wings Hero Series. “Excuse me, but do you have this in a size nine?” asked the customer.

“I think we have some in the back. I’ll go get it for you,” said William. He quickly went off to go search for what the customer wanted.

“Please do,” muttered the customer with a dark smile. As soon as William was out of sight, the customer placed a finger on the tip of the shoe. He put the shoe back and did the same to all of the athletic shoes on the shelf. When he was done, the customer turned around and quickly took his leave. Unbeknownst to him, one bright boy witnessed the entire thing from the shadows of his father’s workplace….

“Alright boys, let’s make our undefeated streak continue for as long as we can!” encouraged the coach. The team replied back with a unified shout of agreement. “It’s just two more games before we get to the regionals. From there, we have seven games before the nationals. Only the top four teams in regionals can participate in the nationals. Once we reach nationals, we’ll have to conquer the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and the finals itself. At the rate we’re going, it won’t be long before we reach our goal of becoming the best team in the league. But though it’s nice to dream big, we must now focus on what is in front of us. Tonight, think only of winning this game. Can you boys do it?!” The team replied again in the same manner as before. “Then let’s get ‘em!”

The Stars laced up and exited the locker room to massive cheers from the crowd. Their opponents tonight were the Ural Wolves, the team currently sitting second in the rankings in the Ralu Region of the West Domain of the Kingdom of Ilias. The Wolves’ players emitted an aura unlike those of the other teams Daniel faced before—there was no shadow of a doubt that these guys were more than deserving of their ranking.

Once the starting players from both teams took their positions on the court, the whistle blew and the game began. Jack jumped up to receive the ball but his feet felt heavier than usual and he missed the ball by an inch, allowing his opponent to take the ball. “It’s alright!” Daniel told him while running ahead to stop the enemy, “We can turn it around on defense!”

Daniel placed himself in front of the Wolves’ Igniter. The Igniter jumped up to shoot the ball with ‘Fireblast’. Daniel quickly responded by jumping too, but as soon as he tried to push himself off the ground, he somehow tripped over his own feet and fell down. ‘What the hell?…’ he wondered as his body fell.

“Hey, Max, let’s go!” called Kody as the team quickly transitioned to offense.

Daniel picked himself off the ground and quickly made his way up court. Kody passed the ball to Daniel and he quickly prepped himself to take a shot. As he pulled up for a shot, he felt a cramp in right foot and the ball quickly left his hands, allowing the opposing team to easily steal the ball. ‘What’s going on?’ he wondered painfully to himself. He watched as his team transitioned back to defense and was shocked beyond belief by what he saw. His teammates tripped over themselves, left space for their enemies to inhabit, fumbled over rebounds; they were making grade-school mistakes! The energy of the crowd immediately changed and boos rang throughout the stadium.

“Just what the hell is going on here?”