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　　Fnatic is a team that has been really hitting its stride in recent weeks.

　　They had an honorable second place at the DreamLeague Finals, they bested Na'vi in the Dota 2 League playoffs earlier this week, and today they felled higher seed Team Liquid to earn their spot at the Dota 2 League Grand Finals in Las Vegas early text year.

　　Congratulations to @FNATIC who will be joining @theAllianceGG, @LGDgaming and Vici Gaming at the HyperX D2L Season 4 Finals in Las Vegas!

　　— HyperX D2L (@D2LGG) December 5, 2013

　　Game One Fnatic Bans: Elder Titan, Nature's Prophet, Outworld Devourer, Dragon Knight, Mirana

　　Game One Fnatic Picks: Venomancer, Weaver, Crystal Maiden, Luna, Enigma

　　Game One Team Liquid Bans: Io, Enchantress, Alchemist, Timbersaw, Bat Rider

　　Game One Team Liquid Picks: Visage, Clinkz, Beastmaster, Night Stalker, Bane

　　Picks and bans for the series were interesting.

　　Team Liquid would give Fnatic a respectful nod, and ban Io first each and every game this series. For the first time in recent memory Fnatic would see Kalle 'Trixi' Saarinen on his staple Nature's Prophet for multiple games. Venomancer, with his buff, was of course a high priority pick or ban as were other core supports like Visage and Crystal Maiden. Another interesting note is that we'd see Alchemist mid and as a support, but not in the carry position where he spent most of the year.

　　Due to a meeting I missed most of the action for the first set. Team Liquid would, however, walk away the winner.

　　Game Two Fnatic Bans: Visage, Crystal Maiden, Clinkz, Lifestealer, Luna

　　Game Two Fnatic Picks: Nature's Prophet, Alchemist, Chen, Rubick, Mirana

　　Game Two Team Liquid Bans: Io, Enchantress, Bane, Weaver, Bat Rider

　　Game Two Team Liquid Picks: Elder Titan, Venomancer, Lich, Outworld Devourer, Slardar

　　One of my favorite plays of the series would happen pretty early in game two.

　　A very wounded Trixi, playing Nature's Prophet, would be saved from Tyler 'TC' Cook, commanding Slardar, by his teammate Tal 'Fly' Aizik who was playing Rubick. Fly managed to TP to a tier one tower where a Trixi, with a fraction of his life left, was doing his best to juke through trees as TC chased him. Fly got the lift, Trixi escapes. It was one of those plays where milliseconds mattered, and the outcome was dicey until the very end.

　　Fnatic would go on to win the second game, evening the score.

　　Game Three Fnatic Bans: Crystal Maiden, Venomancer, Clinkz, Mirana, Gyrocopter

　　Game Three Fnatic Picks: Visage, Enchantress, Luna, Windranger, Invoker

　　Game Three Team Liquid Bans: Io, Nature's Prophet, Alchemist, Timbersaw, Bat Rider

　　Game Three Team Liquid Picks: Elder Titan, Weaver, Bane, Centaur War Runner, Witch Doctor

　　This was an hour long game, and was back in forth in the weirdest way possible. Both teams tried their best to lose this match multiple times. A magic wand was bought at one hour in the game. Despite my bewilderment for most of the match I did, however, think that Team Liquid running Centaur War Runner as a carry was pretty dope.

　　Fnatic would win, making it 2/1, and taking it to match point.

　　Game Four Fnatic Bans: Visage, Crystal Maiden, Bane, Night Stalker, Puck

　　Game Four Fnatic Picks: Elder Titan, Enchantress, Weaver, Outworld Devourer, Lich

　　Game Four Team Liquid Bans: Io, Nature's Prophet, Luna, Venomancer, Bane

　　Game Four Team Liquid Picks: Clinkz, Alchemist, Rubick, Dragon Knight, Nyx Assassin

　　Team Liquid would put Sam 'Bulba' Sosale mid with Nyx Assassin and would run Dragon Knight bottom. Neat choices.

　　Fnatic would push through the mid game with the lead, but would have difficult closing. Team Liquid tried their damndest to hold and push back, but they eventually would succumb to the ever strengthening Fnatic heroes.

　　The series would end 3/1 in Fnatic's favor, with Fnatic earning a spot at the Dota 2 League Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 7th - 10th next year.

　　Photo Credit: Valve