A crowd, 4000 strong. There is a general buzz of excitement. The lights in the arena are out. In the heat and humidity, everyone can feel their own hearts thumping. There are 4000 of us, and we all have nerves of steel. We have all endured hunger, fatigue and we have all fought off the mad urge to just give up. We are nearly there now, and our hearts begin to beat faster and faster. Any moment now, the long wait will finally be over. Standing against the cold steel barricade, I knew that we were all flooded with the exact same emotions. Excitement, anxiety, joy, relief – we braced ourselves. Any moment now.

In a brilliant flash of light, the wait ends. The 4000 strong crowd explodes in cheers. As the crowd takes up a great chant of one single name, the gods come to the stage, and I know that everything to this point was, and everything henceforth will be worth it.

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