The game went on and Daniel surprisingly managed to snatch the orb off of one of their players, but just as Mrs. Ava feared, after that the team had him surrounded. They knew there was no need to focus on the other players, and they were blocking his path from passing to Gil and Emily. Emily, seeing this had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
'You can do it, right? Then go show them what you got!' Daniel chucked the orb right though the gap towards Emily, and after catching the orb like a rocket, she was off.
[Dexterity 12] (+9)
Emily just flew straight. She knew better than to try and use any fancy footwork that she wasn't used to, to evade the opposition. One of the Heaven Dune's bulwarks went for the tackle, but the orb carrier just continued forward even when her legs were touched. Emily was like a train on tracks, not stopping in the least. Once she got past the first two it was smooth sailing until she reached the ring to score a point.
"I did it! I scored another point!" Emily yelled out in triumph. She then looked over the stands and enjoyed the feeling of being cheered on, especially since the one person she was looking out for gave her a standing ovation.
"Did you see that?" Leng asked his brother. "Since when did Elysium Nexus Academy have someone like her? Was she holding back on us the entire time?"
"Of course I saw that." Sren answered in frustration. It was one thing to lose a point to the star player, but this was something completely unexpected and he didn't like that. "No idea what's gotten into that girl. According to our intel, she was supposed to be a benchwarmer, just like the rest of them. Now it seems like she's their star player. Let's just put more people on her!"
The game continued, but that wasn't the only point Emily ended up scoring. With her sheer power she was able to force her way through nearly each time. At some point some of the players on Daniel were also put on her. Using that opportunity, she would pass the ball, allowing the real star player to score.
Emily gritted, despite her boost, she was unable to catch up to either of the twins. What's more, her Energy had decreased sharply, which would make it risky to use Rage again.
"It's clear they've spent countless hours perfecting their craft. But wait, what's this? Are my eyes deceiving me? It looks like Team Elysium Nexus is starting to gain some momentum!"
Indeed, despite being heavily outmatched in terms of skill and experience, Team Elysium Nexus refused to give up. With sheer determination and grit, they managed to sneak past Team Heaven Dune's formidable defense and score a surprising seven points, leaving the crowd in stitches. Meanwhile, Team Heaven Dune could only manage five points, leaving them trailing behind their underdog opponents.
"I can't believe what we're seeing here!" exclaimed one of the commentators, his voice filled with excitement. "This is turning out to be the biggest upset in Teenagers Aerion history! Who would have thought that Team Elysium Nexus had this kind of potential hidden within them?"
His colleague chuckled knowingly. "Well, you never know what someone's capable of until they're pushed to the limit. And let me tell you, Team Heaven Dune has certainly met their match today."
Elysium Nexus 7.0. Heaven Dune. 5.0.
First Half 95 minutes
Daniel Taylor '36'. Leng Madonna. '9'
Emily Harrington '44' Leng Madonna. '11'
Emily Harrington '49'. Sren Madonna. '32'
Gil Thompson. '60'. Leng Madonna. '65'
Daniel Taylor '71'. Sren Madonna. '94'
Emily Harrington. '83'
Emily Harrington. '88'
As the halftime whistle blew, signaling the end of the first half, the commentators couldn't contain their enthusiasm. "Folks, we've got ourselves a real nail-biter here! Can Team Heaven Dune recover from this unexpected turn of events and reclaim their rightful place at the top? Or will Team Elysium Nexus continue to defy expectations and pull off the impossible? One thing's for sure - we're in for an absolute treat in the second half!"
The cameras cut away to the players as they made their way back to their respective locker rooms, In the stands, the fans were on the edge of their seats, their voices hoarse from cheering and chanting for their favorite teams. The tension was palpable, electricity filling the air as everyone braced themselves for the final showdown the crowd were chanting a peculiar name.
" SNOW WHITE "
*********
The stadium was abuzz with excitement as the two teams faced off on the field for the second half. The tension was palpable, each side determined to emerge victorious.
As the game progressed, a fierce battle raged between the opposing teams. Heaven Dune's Players became the aggressors, their bodies colliding in a flurry of movement, as they tackled Nexus Academy player delivering one rough tackle after another. The crowd watched in rapt attention, their hearts pounding with anticipation.
Then, suddenly, a flashpoint erupted. Sren from Team Heaven Dune delivered a crushing tackle to Emily of Team Elysium Nexus, It was a pretty rough tackle executed by a professional he went straight for her thrusters then he slightly tilted bashing into her left side leaving her writhing in pain from the concussion. The crowd gasped in shock, their eyes fixed on the injured player.
[- 6HP ]
[ 29/100 HP ]
It was seemingly out of nowhere, and so fast that both teams didn't know how to act. Looking at Sren, Emily had already pulled back her fist and threw it out. Moving his head to the side just in time, the high schooler ended up hitting nothing. Making it hard for anyone looking to know just how hard the punch was.
The first one to act from Heaven Dune High was Sren's brother Leng, but as the two of them met eyes, Sren just shook his head, and his brother backed down. While also looking back at the stands making sure everything was okay.
"You slimy little snake!" Emily cursed, as she pulled back her fist again, ready to aim at the other's chest. However, by this time her fellow players from Elysium Nexus had arrived and were trying to stop her from doing something stupid and grabbed onto her arms.
Seven team mates rushed to restrain her, their arms wrapping around her body in an attempt to hold her back. But she shook them off, determined to exact revenge for the injury inflicted upon her.
The referee's whistle pierced the air, echoing throughout the stadium as he pointed to the exit. Emily, still seething with anger, glared at the referee, her eyes burning with indignation. "What do you think you're doing? That was a clean hit!" She shouted, her voice hoarse with emotion.
The referee, unflinching, met her gaze. "I understand your frustration, but I have to follow the rules. You retaliated against a player. That's a clear violation of the rules."
Emily sneered, Are you kidding me? He took me down with a cheap shot! I had every right!"
The referee held firm, his expression stern. "Regardless of the provocation, physical retaliation is never acceptable. And let's not forget, you threw a punch at a player even though restrained by seven of your teammates. That's not self-defense, that's assault."
Mrs. Ava desperate to salvage the situation, rushed onto the field, pleading with the referee to reconsider. "Please, ref, don't do this! My player didn't mean it, come on, there's no need to do anything. These are just hot headed teens. Of course they're going to get aggressive. Besides, in the end, only our player was the one that actually got hurt." Mrs.Ava argued.
The referee listened patiently, but his mind was made up. "I understand the sentiment, Coach, but the rules are clear. Violence has no place on the field. I have to send your player off."
And with that, the referee produced a red card, holding it aloft. The crowd jeered, angry at the harsh penalty, but the referee remained resolute.
Meanwhile, Sren who had initiated the tackle that started the whole ordeal received only a yellow card. The referee explained, "While your tackle was certainly rough, it wasn't malicious. You didn't intend to injure anyone. However, you did put yourself and others at risk, so a yellow card is appropriate."
As Emily made her way towards the tunnel, following her ejection from the game due to a red card, she was met with a shower of flowers thrown by the adoring crowd. Mostly teenagers, they shouted and chanted her name, likening her to the fairytale princess Snow White. At first, she tried to ignore them, keeping her head down and pushing through the throng. However, as the flower petals continued to rain down around her, she began to feel increasingly irritated. She quickened her pace, eager to escape the chaos and find solace in the quiet of the locker room.
But the crowd only grew more fervent, their cries of "Snow White! Snow White!" growing louder and more insistent. Some even reached out to touch her, their grubby hands grabbing at her Unity suit. She shrugged them off, feeling a mix of frustration and discomfort. Why couldn't they just let her be? Didn't they understand that her name was Emily not some fairytale fantasy come to life?
Despite her efforts to push through, the crowd seemed to close in tighter, their voices echoing off the walls of the tunnel. She felt trapped, suffocating under the weight of their expectations. And still, they kept calling her name, their voices hoarse and relentless.
Finally, she burst through the doors leading to the locker room, slamming them shut behind her and leaning against them to catch her breath.