Back in the digital world of Ancient Arena Online (AAO), the new Phoenix Reborn was ready for their first practice session as an official team. Or at least, that's what Kai had hoped.
The familiar buzz of the arena loaded in as the members of the newly formed Phoenix Reborn materialized on the battlefield. This wasn't a tournament or a ranked match—just a private scrimmage, designed to work out the kinks and get a feel for each other's playstyles. They had run a few drills in the past, but now that the team was official, Kai knew the stakes were higher. If they couldn't get the basics right, there was no way they'd survive real competition.
The chosen map was Frostspire Citadel, a sprawling arena known for its treacherous ice-covered pathways and towering spires. The terrain was perfect for testing team coordination, with tight chokepoints and slippery surfaces that punished even the slightest misstep.
Kai glanced at the team roster on the side of the screen:
Tariq – Ironclad (Tank, Warforged Legion)Lena – Thunderstrike (DPS, Arcane Covenant)Alex – Frostbite (Support, Astral Order)Nina – Wraithblade (Assassin, Shadow Syndicate)Kai – Ghostfire (Assassin, Shadow Syndicate)
From a pure composition perspective, they had the pieces to form a strong team. Tariq would tank, Lena would deal high AoE damage, Alex would provide healing and support, and both Nina and Kai would work as assassins to flank and eliminate key targets. In theory, it should work.
But in practice…
"We need to focus on positioning and communication," Kai said, their voice calm but authoritative over the voice chat. "Tariq, you hold the front, Lena—play from a distance, keep your AoE spells ready. Alex, stay close to the tank, but don't tunnel vision—keep an eye on us assassins too. Nina, you and I will move together—hit their backline hard and fast. Everyone good?"
A series of affirmatives crackled through the chat. It sounded solid enough.
Let's see how this goes, Kai thought.
The match started, and almost immediately, things began to unravel.
Tariq, true to his role as Ironclad, charged ahead with his shield raised, confident and brimming with energy. "Alright, let's go! I'm gonna hold this chokepoint!"
But he rushed in too far, leaving Lena and Alex lagging behind as they struggled to catch up. Kai could already see the problem forming.
"Wait, Tariq, pull back! You're too far ahead!" Kai called out, but it was too late. The enemy team, AI-controlled for practice, collapsed onto Tariq from both sides. Lena fired off a desperate lightning bolt, but it went wide, missing the clustered enemies entirely. Alex tried to cast a healing field around Tariq, but he was out of range.
"Damn it, I'm stuck!" Tariq shouted. His avatar was frozen in place by an enemy mage's ice spell. Without backup, the tank was quickly overwhelmed, his health bar plummeting to zero in seconds.
Tariq has been slain.
Lena's voice crackled over the mic, frustration clear. "I couldn't get into position! Tariq, you went in too fast!"
"Well, I didn't know you guys were gonna sit in the back!" Tariq shot back, his frustration building. "What's the point of me tanking if no one's following up?"
Kai gritted their teeth, trying to stay focused. "Calm down. Let's reset. We're still in this."
But the reset never came. Nina, who had been flanking on the other side of the map, was already deep into enemy territory. "I'm going for the healer," she said, her voice cold and precise.
Kai hurried to follow, slipping into stealth as Ghostfire. They shadowed Wraithblade, watching as Nina darted between enemies. For a moment, it looked like Nina might pull it off—her assassin instincts were sharp, and she had gotten close enough to the enemy healer for a critical strike.
But then it fell apart. Nina's flank wasn't coordinated with the rest of the team, and without a tank to absorb the damage or Lena to provide cover, she was quickly overwhelmed by the enemy's DPS.
Nina has been slain.
"I got caught," Nina muttered, frustration creeping into her voice. "I didn't see the mage."
"No one's communicating!" Alex piped up, clearly anxious. "I can't heal everyone if I don't know where you are!"
Kai tried to focus, tried to get back into the game. But with Tariq and Nina down, and Lena barely holding her ground in the backline, it was a losing battle. Ghostfire darted forward, landing a clean strike on the enemy mage, but without backup, it wasn't enough. The remaining enemies quickly turned on Kai, and Ghostfire was overwhelmed.
Ghostfire has been slain.
DEFEAT.
The match ended with the screen flashing the unmistakable red text across everyone's monitors. The practice session had been a disaster. There was no coordination, no communication, and everyone had been playing like they were still soloing.
In the silence that followed, the frustration from each player began bubbling up in the voice chat.
"This is insane," Lena muttered. "I can't deal any damage if I'm not protected."
"Yeah, well, maybe don't stand a mile away from the fight," Tariq shot back. "How am I supposed to tank if I'm the only one engaging?"
"You rushed in without us!" Alex countered, his voice rising. "We need to move together."
Kai rubbed their temples, trying to keep their cool. They could feel the tension rising, the cracks in the team starting to show, and it was up to them to stop it before things completely fell apart.
"Alright, stop. Everyone take a breath," Kai said, their tone sharp but not unkind. "This was our first session. We knew it wasn't going to be perfect."
Tariq groaned. "It was a mess."
"Yeah, it was," Kai agreed. "But we're not going to fix it by snapping at each other. Let's break it down."
The team fell silent as Kai took charge.
"Tariq, you're rushing in too fast. You've got to give Lena and Alex time to catch up. The tank leads, but not without backup. You're the anchor—not the spear."
Tariq grunted, though he didn't argue. "Alright. I can do that."
"Lena," Kai continued, turning to the mage. "You've got to stay close enough to deal damage. You can't hang so far back that you miss your shots. You're our main damage dealer. We need you in the fight."
Lena nodded, looking a little sheepish. "I'll stick closer next time."
"Alex, you need to stay calm under pressure. Focus on positioning yourself between the tank and DPS. Don't try to heal everyone at once—prioritize."
Alex swallowed hard but nodded. "Got it."
Finally, Kai turned to Nina. "Nina, your flanks are good, but you can't dive in without support. You and I are assassins, but we need to move together. If you go in alone, you're outnumbered. Wait for the signal."
Nina's expression remained cool, but she nodded. "Understood."
Kai took a deep breath. It wasn't perfect. In fact, it was a long way from it. But it was a start. They had learned something—where the gaps were, and now it was just a matter of filling those gaps.
"Let's run it again," Kai said, their voice firm. "And this time, we talk. No more running off on your own. We're a team now. We play as one."
The rest of the team nodded, a mix of determination and frustration still lingering in the air.
It was going to be a long road, but Kai could feel it—beneath the tension and mistakes, there was something there. Something they could build on.
Phoenix Reborn wasn't ready yet, but the pieces were starting to come together.