When humanity is threatened only the super powered might of the Toronto Maple Leafs can be counted on to save the day. The Leafs have undergone a major overhaul this year. Of all the changes, none has been more impactful than the addition of a squadron based tactical deployment that head coach Mike Babcock and GM Kyle Dubas designed to keep the peace on the mean Toronto streets. Today we follow Otter squad: the centers.

An army of imps is invading the city of Detroit. They seek to steal the Great Orb of Binding that has been kept hidden in the city for millenia. The Detroit Red Wings have their hands full protecting the people of the city, leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs to deal with the army. Between the defense and the wingers the imps have little to no chance, but it’s the centers who will make sure the imps are never able to attack again.

To that end Otter squad is with Jimmy Howard, the starting goalie and chief wizard for the Detroit Red Wings, deep beneath the city streets, in the chamber of the Great Orb of Binding. The orbs were created by the first empire of humanity to keep the imp kingdom locked on the other side of our dimensional perceptions, essentially turning them into ghosts. If the imps get control of one orb they would be able to deactivate all of them, unleashing a twisted horror upon the planet.  

“I wish you had brought one of your goalies.” Jimmy says to no Leaf in particular.

“They’re busy.” Auston Matthews answers. “Freddy says the selection ritual can take weeks sometimes.”

“Selection ritual!” Jimmy is upset. “We are talking about the fate of the Earth! He could have spared me an hour of his focus. God.”

“Wizards right.” Nazem Kadri smirks. “They’re all crazy.”

“Well I guess we’d have to be.” Jimmy answers. “I can’t do this by myself.”

“You’re not alone.” John Tavares soothes the agitated mage with his total chill. “Tell us what you need.”

Jimmy doesn’t answer right away. He can’t help but be slightly overwhelmed. The Great Orb stands twenty feet tall. It pulses with a bright light and crackles with pent up energy which lashes out wildly throughout the chamber. A portal has opened near the orb and hundreds of imps have spilled through it. They labour under the weight of two massive chains, hauling at something very heavy.

“While he’s thinking, maybe we go stop whatever it is their doing?” Auston doesn’t wait for permission to spring into action. He draws his sword and a brilliant light shines forth from within the Leaf hero.

“Stay with Jimmy, keep him safe.” Jon says to Par Lindholm and Freddy Gauthier. The two young Leafs will do whatever it takes to protect the Red Wings wizard, but they know that no imp will threaten his life. Otter squad is too powerful.

Auston rushes into the mob of imps and alone manages to get them to drop one of the chains. The light that shines from him scalds the imps as quickly as his sword cuts them down. He focuses the light into beams of power that cut through the mob with the deadly effect of a scythe, leaving hundreds of imps in a bloody ruin.

Nazem sits in the shadow realm occasionally plucking hapless imps through one at a time. The chamber is filled with sporadic lights and so the shadows are everywhere, which means Naz is everywhere. He opens the floor beneath the second chain and hundreds of imps disappear without a trace. Inside the shadow realm the imp soldiers appear hundreds of meters above the ground. They scream as they fall, an endless and a grisly rain.

Jon approaches the battle with a touch more deliberation. With the chains no longer being pulled and the imp forces on his side of the portal effectively scattered, Jon moves to make sure that no more soldiers come through. He approaches the portal and reaches out with his chill. Soon the air around him is so cold that imp flesh is frozen solid after only a few seconds. Jon extends the zone as far as he can,almost large enough to cover the portal.

Imps continue to stream through the magical doorway, but they can only die now. Jon smashes their freezing bodies to pieces with his iron tipped staff, Auston slices through them with terrible precision, and the hungry shadows feast on the remnants. Standing beside Jimmy, Par and Freddy can only shake their heads in awe. Their teammates make the annihilation of an entire army seem easy.

“I think I’ve got it.” The wizard mutters to himself. “I’ve got it!” A burst of energy slips out from Jimmy’s raised hand and integrates with the magic of the portal. Soon tendrils of the new magic begin to weave together and force the door closed. The few imps left earth-side are soon dispatched. Otter squad regroups, not even breathing heavily.

“What’s to keep them from making another portal?” Jon asks.

Jimmy shrugs. “The magic they used requires a very specific star alignment, they can’t make another portal for a few millenia, but I don’t think they would make one anytime soon anyway.” Jimmy waves his hand vaguely at the devastation in the Orb chamber. “Look what you Leafs are capable of, who would ever want to face that?”