[Nogrod]

Beside the fortress of Eithel Sirion, into the fields where Gelmir had been decapitated a long ago, a great stadium had been built. It was a place both good and evil teams would honour and as such the most suitable venue for the matches between Angband and Hithlum and also between Rivendell and Tol-In-Gaurhoth.

A host of elves from all nearby realms of Doriath, Nargothrond and Gondolin had turned around to the ancient battlegrounds of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the birthplace of all those unnumbered tears they had wept ever after. It had been a hard choice for many of the elven football fans as to whether to take the long road to Rómenna and see Gondolin and Formenos – and even Túna – to play with the fallen Armenelos, or to get the nearer and easier access to the games and go for cheering for the teams of Rivendell and Hithlum. Quite a crowd had chosen the latter option. And all the people from Hithlum and Brethil, who were able, had come as well to witness the occasion.

The fans of T-I-G came next to the venue and one could notice them coming. Even if the elves and men had made it a cheerful entrance bringing colour to this barren place it was the T-I-G fans that brought the place alive. Led by The Saucepanman, Anguirel and Kuruharan the crowds sang the songs of the Barrow-Downs and Mithalwen was carrying the flag with Kath and Fëanor of the Peredhil. Valier, Naria, Glirdan and Farael were the fore-singers and Rikae and Macalaure led the performance-team with Legate, Lommy, Greenie, Rune and Aganzir performing stupendous acrobatics. And the most telling fact is the following: even littlemanpoet and Folwren had come, even if they walked just at ease in the back of the parade.

Boromir 88 was singing the loudest but sometimes the low voices of Oddwen and Nerwen overtook his. Durelin, Kitanna and The Ka were performing belly-dancing as the procession draw nearer and Eönwe, Shastanis Althreduin and McCaber were hooliganising the surroundings. There clearly had been enough ale on their march to the venue. Brinniel came in the end of the parade together with Sally and Emily. The duck honked all the time and both Brinn and Sally imitated it as they went, sending out a noise that overtook the songs every now and then. And Nilp shouted “Go Lhuna, go!” as he went.

It was a mighty entrance.

But then the Angband supporters came…

The rhythmic thumps of the feet were heard first. It made many an elf and a human to draw their swords. So familiar was that voice for those who had witnessed the wars at their home soil. But it was peace now, and football…

Still it was about beyond belief they should just wait and let the roaming orcs, wargs and other creatures of Angband to just come forwards and pack around. But they did that – with wavering hearts – and the Angband supporters filled their side of the stadium rapidly and organisedly, even overcoming the noise of the T-I-G –supporters. The great new stadium of Eithel Sirion was packed, all 80 000 spectators it could handle.

So it was all set for the match between Rivendell and Tol-In-Gaurhoth. But what would come of the evening match between Angband and Hithlum? The tensions were high but so were the expectations… One could feel them in the air.