"Welcome, people of Flamisle!"
The slightly muffled but excited voice of the female announcer reverberated through the hot and sulfuric air. Four grandstands filed with excited Tephra surrounded the arena, which consisted of a large rectangular pool with bubbling lava, surrounded by four gargoyle statues that spat out large lavafalls to sustain the glowing pool of molten rock.
"You know the rules, Tephra. For anyone not so familiar with this sport: Each team has three players. Each team has to score points by throwing the orb through the opening on the opposing team's side. You can only score from a pillar, and you can only hold the orb for a limited amount of time. Loud and clear? Alright, in field A... you know who they are. Led by the infernal and bruisingly strong Ashlynn Blaze and joined by Ignisabeth Lahar and Magmae Rockwell, let's hear it for THE ALPHAS!"
The cheering intensified as Ashlynn and her team jumped into the lava pool.
"Ready?" Ashlynn said as she was treading the lava, the lava immersing her chest-height. She gave her two teammates stoic looks as she felt the seering yet calming mixture put her and her teammates at ease. Her two friends responded with determined nods.
"And in field B treads the youngest of all teams and the newest member of The Pyrhene Company... determined and with a strong dosage of vanity and heat, let's hear it for The Clastics, led by Classie, Plasmandy and Volcandace!"
The crowd cheered again, albeit less louder than before, as three young ladies in cut-out black swimsuits entered the arena, gracefully and synchronously diving into the pool.
"Are you ready, honorable Pyrhenes?"
"We'll get them, gals." Classie smirked as she looked at her two eggplant-haired teammates, her hot pink hair cascading down her back like a sickeningly sweet waterfall.
"GO!"
The crowd went silent, the tension slowly increasing as the referee threw the heavy metal orb into the pool that was split in half by a rusted chain. With a swift move, Ashlynn grabbed the orb before Classie could take it.
"Let's do this..." Ashlynn said to herself as she dove right into the lava. The hot and heavy matter pressed against her nerves as she swam through it, sparks of flame passing by like fireflies in a lake. She pushed the ball forwards with methodical slaps and an occasional quick grab as two of the Clastics were chasing her with eager eyes.
"Give that!" Plasmandy yelled, her voice reverberating through the lava. But no matter how much she and Volcandace tried, Ashlynn manouevered around the two rival Pyrhenes with ease and finesse.
With a sudden smash with her fists, the ball got launched into a completely different direction, eventually caught by a timid Magmae. Nearing the pillar, Magmae passed the heavy orb into the direction of Ignisabeth.
"Got them!" Ignisabeth said as she grabbed the orb, treading the lava as she emerged from the molten mixture. She let go of the ball in order to push it forwards with an occasional motion in order to not break the rules.
"Had them!" Classie said as she emerged in front of Ignisabeth, a fountain of bubbling magma formed by the Clastic leader's emergence from the molten matter. With ease, she pushed Ignisabeth away with one hand as she grabbed the orb with the other. "Do your thing, Volcandace!" She yelled at her teammate who was making her way to the pillar in field A.
"Loud and clear, boss!" Volcandace said with a confident smirk as she swam for the goal with insane velocity, occasionally passing the ball back and forth between Plasmandy. Her confident rhythm was interrupted when Plasmandy let go in a moment of clumsiness. "Not this again..." Volcandace gave Plasmandy an annoyed glare as the latter eventually managed to grab the orb by diving deeper into the magma.
"Now's my chance..." Ignisabeth said to herself with excitement as she approached Volcandace from behind. Just as Volcandace wanted to take the orb from Plasmandy while the latter prepared to climb on the pillar, Ignisabeth managed to snatch the ball from behind, startling the two opponents. "Pass this to our captain!" Ignisabeth said as she passed it to Magmae, who was a few swims away from Ignisabeth's right.
Magmae made a nonverbal sound in trepidation and nervosity as she took hold of the orb. Closing her eyes and refusing to hesitate for longer than a fraction of a second, she threw the orb upwards, causing it to emerge from the lava.
"Good." With a combination of speed and strength, Ashlynn climbed up the pillar with no difficulty while pushing aside an eager Classie. As the orb had reached its peak in mid-air and began falling down, Ashlynn, having positioned herself on the platform, made her move. A confident leap followed by a large push with her muscular arms sent the orb flying through the air, the alloyed tungsten catching aflame in mid-air as it flew through the sulfuric skies with blinding velocity.
"Did it work?" Ignisabeth said as she emerged from the lava, watching as the tungsten orb flew through the air while making its way to the large, halo-shaped goal. Surely enough, the tungsten object flew through the ring seamlessly, the unalloyed goal temporarily catching aflame.
"1 - 0 for the Alphas!"
The crowd cheered, with a large group of men in chainmail armor yelling the name of the Alphas' leader. The game continued.