It had been a week since Kai met the group of amateur players—Tariq, Lena, Alex, and Nina—and already the dynamic felt… different. Not in a bad way, but in a way that reminded Kai of the early days with their old team, back when Phoenix Reborn was just an idea floating around in their mind. Before Damon's betrayal, before the fall.
Now, though, there was something familiar in the raw energy and potential of this new group. They were unpolished, for sure, but they had that spark, that hunger to improve. And it was that hunger that made Kai make a decision they hadn't thought they were ready for—to start over. To create something new.
And that something new had a name: Phoenix Reborn.
The small café where they all gathered was quiet, the soft hum of low conversation and clinking dishes filling the space. Kai looked at the four faces seated around the table—Tariq, with his always intense but determined gaze; Lena, fidgeting slightly with her cup but visibly excited; Alex, looking somewhat nervous as usual but eager; and Nina, calm and observant, as though she was constantly reading everyone's reactions.
It was strange, being here in person with them. They had practiced online for days, and Kai had been able to spot the cracks in their teamwork, the gaps that needed to be filled. But face-to-face, it felt more real—more like they were on the verge of becoming something solid.
"So, what's this meeting all about?" Tariq asked, leaning forward. His tone was casual, but there was an underlying urgency in his voice. He had been pushing for better results ever since Kai had started helping them.
Kai took a deep breath, steadying their nerves. This was it—the beginning of a new chapter.
"I've been thinking," Kai began slowly, their fingers tapping lightly on the edge of their coffee cup. "You guys have potential. You're rough around the edges, but I see it. And I think we can do something with it. I'm offering to stay on… to be more than just someone who gives advice. I want to join you."
The silence that followed was thick with surprise. Tariq raised an eyebrow, Lena stopped fidgeting, Alex blinked in shock, and even Nina's ever-cool expression shifted slightly as she tilted her head, intrigued.
"You want to join us?" Lena was the first to speak, her voice a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "You've been around the competitive scene for years, right? Why would you want to be part of a team like ours?"
Kai met her gaze steadily. "Because I know what it's like to start from the bottom. I know what it's like to build something out of nothing. And you guys… you remind me of when I first started with Phoenix Reborn."
"Phoenix Reborn?" Alex asked, glancing between them. "That was your team, right? The one before… you know." He trailed off, clearly not wanting to bring up the sore topic of Damon's betrayal.
Kai nodded, acknowledging it but choosing not to linger on the past. "Yeah. It was my team. And we built it from the ground up. We made a name for ourselves, but that all fell apart. I'm not here to talk about that. What I'm here to say is that we can do that again. We can build something just as strong. Maybe stronger."
Tariq folded his arms, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "So you're saying you want to help us… what? Become the next big thing?"
"I'm saying I want to help us become something," Kai corrected, leaning forward. "But it's not just about me helping you. This isn't about me being your coach. If I join you, it means we're a team. We work together. We learn together. We win together."
The words hung in the air for a moment, each of them processing what that really meant. Kai wasn't offering a simple partnership. They were offering to lead, to be part of something bigger, something that could eventually compete with the very teams that had taken them down.
Lena leaned forward, her fidgeting gone as she grew more excited. "I'm in. We've already improved so much since you started helping us, and I've been wanting to take things more seriously. If you're with us, we could actually win some tournaments. Maybe even make a name for ourselves."
Alex nodded slowly. "I mean, it sounds crazy, but I'm in too. We've never had someone with your experience helping us. If we're going to do this, I want to see how far we can go."
Nina, ever quiet and calculating, simply nodded once. "I've been looking for something more. You joining us would give us that edge we need."
All eyes turned to Tariq, the unofficial leader of the group so far. He had always been the loudest voice, the one pushing for more action, for bolder plays. But now he seemed thoughtful, weighing the decision.
Finally, he shrugged, a small grin breaking through his serious demeanor. "Screw it. If you're serious about this, then I'm in. We've already got the pieces. Now we just need to put it together. And with you? We've got a shot."
Kai felt a weight lift off their shoulders. The pieces were falling into place—slowly, but surely. It wasn't Phoenix Reborn in its old form, but it was something new. Something that could rise from the ashes.
"Then it's settled," Kai said, leaning back in their chair, a glint of determination in their eyes. "We're officially a team."
Tariq nodded, grinning. "We need a name."
"I've got one," Kai said, voice steady. "We're going to be called Phoenix Reborn."
Lena raised an eyebrow, glancing between them. "Same name as your old team?"
"Yeah," Kai said firmly. "Because it's not just about the name. It's about the meaning. Phoenix Reborn means rising from the ashes, starting fresh. That's what this is. We're not just playing for fun anymore. We're playing to rise."
The table was quiet for a moment, but the energy had shifted. There was no more uncertainty, no more questioning. There was purpose now—a new beginning.
Tariq was the first to break the silence, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Phoenix Reborn, huh? I like it. Let's show the world what we're made of."
Nina nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Let's rise."
Lena smirked, her fingers tapping the table in excitement. "This is going to be fun."
And Alex, though quiet, smiled softly, the nervousness slowly ebbing away. "We've got this."
Kai felt a surge of determination course through them, a sense of hope they hadn't felt since the fall of their old team. This was a new beginning—a chance to start over, to build something better. Stronger.
"Then let's get to work," Kai said, standing up. "We've got a lot to do, but if we play our cards right, Phoenix Reborn will be back. And we'll be stronger than ever."
As they left the café together, the path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, Kai felt something they thought they had lost—hope.
Phoenix Reborn was alive again.
And this time, they were ready to rise from the ashes.