Natus Vincere

Four months ago, Puppey uncovered a secret. When in an old Ukranian bookstore, he found a used book with Hielo de la Rana" on the cover. When he opened it up... A bright light burst forward.

Dendi sat at the computer fidgeting. He had celebrated 2014 new years with his babooshka days earlier, and still was hung over from all the bubbly Ukranian juice he drank. Puppey drafted Brewmaster for him again. He had done his best to win mid, but he couldn't face up to EGs drafts. Puppey no longer explained himself. KKy and Funn1k noticed something as wrong as well, but Xboct was clueless.

They still won games, but it wasn't the same. Dendi sometimes read on the internet that NaVi was saving their strats for TI4. Well if they were, that was news to him! But Puppey had been withdrawn the past few months. He no longer made eye contact, and spent all his time in his room with this old musty book. He kept muttering to himself, and constantly looked tired.

With TI4 coming up, Xboct was trying to put the bottle away. Ever since his girl left him, Vodka was the only thing that dulled the pain. He didn't care about Dota2 anymore, or being rich. But his team was depending on him, and if he could just get to 8th place then at least he wouldn't have to worry for another year or two about money. He could spend all his time inside with the Vodka. But now he had to put it down. The past few weeks were a blur, but he remembered losing lots of Dota2 while hungover. He wasn't sure if it was because he wasn't playing as well, or NaVi was no longer drafting well. But one day he saw someone playing a lifestealer, and a wave of memories came back to him. "Was that.. Was that once me?" He thought to himself. No, it couldn't be. I only ever play Brewmaster and Doom.

Dendi was sitting on the toilet, while his teammates were in the hotel room in Seattle. The TI4 grand final was in 30 minutes. Somehow NaVi had made it to the final match, and was preparing to go up against IG. Dendi wanted to win, but knew he didn't have a chance. The previous game Puppey drafted Brewmaster, Razor, Skywrath Mage, Whisp, and at the last second had even drafted a bloodseeker. No one thought they would win that match. But halfway through RTZ felt really homesick, and paused the match to call his mom. By time he got off the phone with her it had been 75 minutes, and EG had forfeited the match. NaVi won by dumb luck.

Dendi felt sick. He wanted to start a new life in America, and he needed this money. But Puppey hadn't slept in three days, and just kept muttering to himself. He left the bathroom and saw Xboct crying with a mixture of vodka and throwup on his chest. He pulled him up, and woke Puppey who was sleeping on the floor. They didn't need to win, just play. Second place was worth something. And no one would say that Dendi lost mid, even if NaVi lost.

KKY walked on the stage at Key Arena. He glanced at Dendi, who looked depressed. IG was fresh and crisp, and ready to play. Xboct was still drunk, and Puppey falling asleep on the computer. Whatever miracle had brought them this far seemed finished. Second wouldn't be so bad, but after all the sweat and tears he had put into this game it hurt to see his teammates sick and depressed. But dota would do that to a man. The body can only take so much of D I G I T A L S P O R T S.

As they sat down, they briefly heard Tobi shouting, before the soundproof door was closed. The draft was beginning. Suddenly Puppey's eyes looked milky white, and he was fully awake. This change in temperament seemed to sober up Xboct. Dendi sat staring at the screen, anticipating a failed draft. Puppey banned Antimage and Spirit breaker -- was he even trying anymore? Over the next four turns he drafted Keeper of the Light, Crystal Maiden, and Chen. Dendi tried to say something, but Puppey was muttering these strange sounds to himself.

Suddenly Dendi realized he was born for victory. It had never been so clear. Out in the crowd of Key Arena everyone was confused, was Puppey throwing the game? But the crowd noticed that half the crowd had become dead silent, and their eyes began glowing blue. "YOUR TURN TO PICK". Puppey drafted Omniknight. Suddenly one viewer began chanting "NA NA NA." Soon every Navi fan was chanting "NA NA NA TUS TUS TUS". Others began hooting and screaming. One teenager wearing a NaVi hoodie took his pants off and began shitting on the ground screaming. Some of the Navi Fans kept chanting, but others were stripping naked and screaming. For the fifth pick Navi chose blank. There was no fifth hero. Only four heroes. IG was not aware of what was going on outside, but had drafted a strong draft built around tanky cores like Doom and Dragon Knight.

When the game began KOTL, Omninkgiht, and Chen each walked to the Roshan pit and began chanting. Crystal Maiden was sacrificed to Roshan. Each hero then began to disintegrate, and their essence entered Roshan. What many people do not know, is that Roshan was a fallen angel who was turned evil. But the pureness of Kotl Chen and Omniknight restored his soul. Roshan became a massive winged angel, with a glowing titanium sword three times his size. Kinda like the Final Fantasy sword-- you know-- the big awesome one-- yeah that sword, fucking sick.

IG began to sob and beg for mercy. Puppey walked into their booth and gave them the gift of a quick death. With a small handwave their souls left their bodies. Puppey then walked into the center of Key Arena, where a mass of chanting and sweating screaming Navi Fans were working themselves into a frenzy to glimpse their lord.

Puppey looked at them all, his liquid milky blue eyes radiating light. No one said a word for what felt like an hour.

He finally opened his mouth and said: "I didn't want to give away this draft in the qualifiers, otherwise they would have banned the holy trinity of heroes. I was saving my strats for TI4"

He then looked at the littlest Navi fan and gave a wink. The crowd went wild.