“A cloud has shadowed the most recent victory of the famed and feared Circus of Chaos. Two fatalities combined to take a big chunk from the victory celebration, as two of the most favored and most powerful of the Circus met their fates bravely on the Pitch of Honor.

The first came as John the Conqueroo (Creepers #4), who recently became the primary ball carrier for the Crypt Tower Creepers was streaking towards the endzone. Brawny hobgoblin Curly (Circus #9) pushed himself to catch up to the wolf, and ripped him from the ball with one of his famous brutal tackles, stunning the Creeper in the process. However, as they both crashed to the ground, the wolf turned his claws up, skewering the muscular hobgoblin in the throat. The apothecary was called, but there was nothing to do be done. A few solemn intonations from the Crypt Tower necromancer, and after a moment of silence and the traditional short threnody from the stadium organ, Curly was being suited up in his temporary Creepers colors.

Meanwhile, Pennywise (Circus #1) picked up the loose ball. The hulking bull easily ran it back, scoring just before the end of the half.

Few could guess what it would later lead to. No one could have known it would be the last score of Pennywise's storied career.

The Circus of Chaos received the second half kickoff, and the speedy Captain Spaulding (Circus #2) brought it around the left side, with blocking from Pennywise and Marx (Circus #4) John the Conqueroo coincidentally was guarding that side, and blitzed the wedge, but the huge Pennywise shoved him to the ground, turning to guard him on the back block while Spaulding continued to the endzone.

Desperate to keep his team from going down by two scores, John the Conqueroo blitzed again, jumping up in a whirlwind of claws and fang, striking Pennywise across his muscular chest claws first before staggering as fast as he could to try to stop Spaulding who merely shook him off and scored.

The Circus of Chaos fans cheered, the Creepers fans boo'd, but suddenly the arena was struck silent.

Pennywise wasn't getting up.

Their gifts spent, neither the apothecary, nor the necromancer, their gifts spent, could do anything to alter the situation, as the arena threnody rang out for the second time.

As the Creepers left the field, there were more boos than usual to the losing side, and many bits of trash hit the wolf. Some of them thrown by people in the green and grey fan gear of Crypt Tower.

"Da Loa keech him well," John the Conqueroo said quietly after the game to reporters, "You hear you to be playin' against den'omme like Curly and Pennywise, and you feel a ti scared, but you prou you take da field wit'den. You don apen that you goin ta send them to Loa. Ahn when your team is necro you jus to welcome them. An we di' Curly, but da gris out when Pennywise fall. Pardin, jai I na pon to say, man."

Rest in Peace, Pennywise. You will be missed.

”