The atmosphere in the arena had shifted. The air felt thick with tension, as if the tournament itself had become a battleground for something much larger than Skyball. Kai could feel it—something unseen lurking in the corners of the stadium, watching, waiting.
The morning after their victory, a sense of unease had settled over the Storm Hawks. Even Suri, usually full of boundless energy, seemed quieter, her playful attitude replaced with wariness. Kai's mind kept circling back to the missing Falcon player and Eira's warning about dark magic. And then, just as mysteriously as he had disappeared, Korin, the Falcons' missing striker, had returned.
But when the news reached the Storm Hawks, there was no relief in the announcement.
"He's not the same," Lira said, her voice low as the team gathered in the common room. She had caught a glimpse of Korin earlier that morning when he was escorted back to his team's quarters.
"What do you mean?" Suri asked, leaning in.
Lira's eyes were sharp with suspicion. "I overheard some of the Falcons talking. They said Korin's acting strange—distant, like he's been possessed or something. He doesn't remember where he was or what happened to him. And…" She hesitated, her voice dropping even lower. "They said his eyes were different. Blackened, like he's been touched by dark magic."
The room fell silent.
Kai felt his stomach turn. Could Korin have been taken by the Shadowborn? And if so, why had they let him return?
Darius stood up, his jaw clenched. "This is bigger than just the game. Korin's disappearance, the dark magic Eira found—it's all connected. And I have a feeling we're next in their sights."
Before anyone could respond, there was a knock at the door. The team turned as a hooded figure stepped into the room, their identity concealed beneath a heavy cloak. Kai immediately felt the weight of their presence—something about the stranger was both familiar and unsettling.
"Darius," the figure said in a voice that echoed like wind through a cavern. "It's time."
Darius nodded, as if he had been expecting this. He motioned for the team to stay seated. "I'll be back. Don't do anything rash until I return."
But before Darius could leave, Kai stood up. "Wait. What's going on? Who is this?"
The figure's hood tilted slightly in Kai's direction. "You'll know soon enough, boy. This is no longer just a game of Skyball. Forces are moving, and your team stands in their path."
Darius shot Kai a warning glance before stepping through the door, the figure following behind him. As the door shut, the rest of the team exchanged worried looks.
"Who was that?" Suri asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lira crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "Whoever it was, they're not just here for a casual chat. Something's happening behind the scenes, and Darius knows more than he's letting on."
---
Hours passed, and Darius didn't return. Kai tried to focus on preparing for their next match, but his mind kept drifting back to the hooded figure, Korin's strange behavior, and the growing darkness surrounding the tournament.
When the door finally opened, it wasn't Darius who entered, but a member of the tournament staff.
"You're all to report to the Grand Hall," the official said, their tone curt. "There's been a change in your next match. You're up against the Black Scales."
The name sent a shiver down Kai's spine. The Black Scales were notorious—not just for their aggressive tactics on the field, but for their ruthlessness off it. Rumors had swirled for years that they were backed by powerful forces, forces that didn't play by the rules.
Kai exchanged a glance with Rogan. "The Black Scales? That can't be a coincidence."
Lira stood up, her face grim. "It's not. Someone wants us out of this tournament, and they're using the Black Scales to do it."
As the team made their way to the arena, Kai's heart pounded in his chest. This match wouldn't be like the one against the Falcons. The Black Scales didn't care about honor or fairness. They played dirty, and if the rumors were true, they weren't above using magic that shouldn't exist in the tournament.
When they entered the arena, the atmosphere was different. The crowd's excitement had dimmed, replaced by a strange, uneasy energy. The Black Scales were already on the field, their players clad in dark armor that seemed to absorb the light around them. Their captain, a tall, thin man with sharp features and an unsettling smile, waved at them mockingly.
Kai clenched his fists. This was a trap, and they all knew it.
---
The match began, and it was chaos from the start.
The Black Scales wasted no time in launching their assault. They were faster, stronger, and more aggressive than the Falcons had been. But it wasn't just their physical abilities that set them apart—there was something unnatural about the way they moved, as if they were being guided by an unseen force.
Suri darted into the air, trying to avoid a collision with one of their players, but she was intercepted by a blast of dark energy that sent her spiraling to the ground.
"Suri!" Kai shouted, rushing toward her.
Before he could reach her, a figure stepped in his path—one of the Black Scales' players, his eyes glowing with a strange, ominous light. Kai felt a surge of cold dread wash over him.
It was dark magic.
The player grinned, raising his hand as if to summon another blast of energy, but before he could, Kai reacted on instinct. He threw his hand forward, calling on his wind magic, but instead of the usual gust, a powerful whirlwind erupted from his palm, knocking the player off his feet.
Kai froze, staring at his hand in shock. That wasn't just wind magic. It was something more.
Darius's voice echoed in his mind. "The gateway holds power beyond anything we can imagine."
As the match continued, the Storm Hawks found themselves fighting not just for victory, but for survival. The Black Scales' attacks grew more vicious, their magic more blatant. And through it all, Kai felt something stirring within him, a new power that was both exhilarating and terrifying.
By the time the final whistle blew, the Storm Hawks had barely managed to scrape by with a win. But the victory felt hollow. They knew that this was only the beginning.
As they left the field, bruised and battered, Darius met them at the edge of the arena, his expression grim.
"We need to talk," he said quietly. "Things are worse than we thought. There's been a betrayal."
Kai's heart sank. "Who?"
Darius looked at them, his face hard. "One of our allies… someone we trusted, is working with the Shadowborn. And if we don't act soon, the tournament—and everything we're fighting for—will be lost."