Hey guys! Sorry for not updating this in a little while, I just had to post two of the Born to Protect chapters one after the other for the plot to make sense. Anyways, enjoy this chapter and leave a review, because it keeps me going for all those readers who like this story.
(Celsius's POV)
Tonight was going to be a great night, and I knew it from the when the day started.
Tonight was going to be one of the biggest nights of my life. I was starting for our team in the semi-final game, which was a big honor and responsible to hold. I was doing this not only for my team, but for my school to be known as the best hockey team in history. We were undefeated, and so was the other team, which meant one of us was going to have to back down for the champion to continue on to the College Continental Tournament.
And it wasn't going to be us.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the semi-final game for the Pyrhhia College Hockey Cup. We are thankful for the Northern Clawers to lend their stadium for the night to make this game happen," a voice boomed over the now filled stadium. Each seat was taken, only showing the diverse colors of the different dragon tribes (mainly IceWings) cheered for their own college team. "Tonight, we have two undefeated teams, but only one can advance to the finals! Please welcome Jade Mountain Academy and IceFreeze Academy!"
The stadium erupted in cheers of excitement and anxiety as the announcer waited for the cheering to quiet down. Once it did, the announcer went back, only to introduce the starting players for each team. "Starting as forward for IceFreeze Academy, number 83! Prince Hailstorm!" As this went announcement went out, I saw Winter stiffened in surprise, but I also heard the defeaning cheer for this IceWing. I looked at him skeptically, but I didn't really care right now. I then started gazing around the stadium to try to spot Galactic.
As I looked at the mass of diverse colors, I somehow didn't see the neon green NightWing. I frowned, mainly because he promised me to be at the game, but I couldn't find him.
"Celsius," Winter called me as we waited for our names to be called. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for someone," I blankly responded as I continued to look around the stadium, but I saw something else. "No way." I couldn't believe my eyes, but it was Owl, who was chatting to the IceWing next to her. I blinked a couple times to make sure it was real, and I was. I felt Winter's presence over my shoulder as he looked where I was gazing.
"I didn't know she was here." Winter finally said.
"You know Owl?"
"No," Winter replied immediately, "I'm talking about the IceWing next to her." I looked at the IceWing next to Owl, who had a friendly look on his face, which was rare to see in my tribe. I couldn't see any details of the IceWing or her face, but she seemed to be friends with Owl. I turned to Winter, who was squinting at the two.
"You going to fill me in?"
"No." Winter turned away at that, scowling, and I couldn't help but smile. This sort of reaction from him meant that he knew the IceWing beside Owl from somewhere. I wasn't going to ask him any question, well, not before the game. Winter didn't want to be distracted tonight, so I was going to respect that, for just this once. "That's what friends are for anyways."
"To leave you curious and confused?" Winter only nodded, and I laughed. Winter seemed to find it funny, too, as he cracked a smile briefly, before going back to emotionless expression.
"Now, starting as forward for Jade Mountain Academy, number 31! Polar!" The IceWing in the front of our line went out onto the rink, followed by erupted cheering. He skated to the middle of the rink to stand on the opposite side of the other team. "Starting as Forward for Jade Mountain Academy, number 15! Frost!" The next IceWing in the line went out and skated up to Polar, and they did some sort of handshake. The amount of cheering was almost enough to make me go deaf, but I didn't care.
The announcer called the next two IceWings, one by one, and they both went out to the team to stand in the line. Soon enough, Winter was called up.
"Starting forward for Jade Mountain Academy as a freshman, number 61! Prince Winter!" Winter went out there, only to meet the cheering of our fans, but I heard some booing, too. I frowned at the sight of Winter skating towards the team as he gave a look to the IceWing named Hailstorm. Winter then took his gaze off Hailstorm and started giving out high-fives and fist bumps to his teammates.
"Starting forward for Jade Mountain Academy as a freshman, number 55! Celsius!" I walked out onto the rink, and I was met with defeaning cheering. I looked around at the crowd of dragons who were either cheering or booing at me. I gave a smal wave to the audience and walked onto the rink to start skating. I skated to my team, who were all reaching out their claws. I gave high-fives to all of them except Winter, which I gave a handshake to. We all stood in a line as we smiled at the fans, who kept on cheering.
"Jade Mountain, huddle up!" Our coach yelled from the bench. We all skated off the middle to him and formed a semi-circle around the coach, who began to explain things. I tapped my hockey stick nervously as I listened.
"Okay, remember to play good offense and defense. Also, don't be afraid to hit your opponent back if they hit you. Hell, give some of them broken bones." We all chuckled as the coach continued to speak. "Winter, you know who to cover." I turned my head to Winter, who nodded at the coach. "Remember, play like hell, and don't show mercy. One, Two, Three!"
"JADE MOUNTAIN!" our entire team yelled, breaking apart the semi-circle and the starters made their way on the rink. I go into my positions outside of the circle in the middle, waiting for the other team.
Winter started to skate into the middle, but I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to the side.
"Who is that Hailstorm guy," I demanded from him, which he scowled in response.
"None of your business," he responded, growling. "I also asked not to be distracted for tonight."
"I'll stop if you tell me how you know him." Winter just looked at me as if I said something stupid. "What?"
"I thought you were smart," Winter told me sharply. "Because if you were, you would know that Hailstorm is my brother." With that statement, he skated off into the middle of the rink, with Hailstorm now within it. I just stood there, surprised, and then I mentally face-taloned
He's right, I am stupid, I thought as I got into starting postion, and gazed the IceWing across the rink, who just glared at me. I'm going to have lots of fun tonight. I grinned at the thought of slamming that IceWing into the wall.
My thoughts were broken as a referee passed me, and skated to the center. Dropping the puck in the center, he quietly explained something to the two IceWing brothers, who just nodded in response. The referee moved back and shot into the air, hovering above the rink.
The next thing I knew was that Winter and Hailstorm were hit sticks together twice, before going for the puck. Although Winter was fast with getting the puck, Hailstorm was like a bolt of lightning. The opposing IceWing shot the puck back to one of his teammates, and the game was on.
(* * *)
I was being pushed to the brink of insanity. Being played the whole game by my coach, I inhaled as much oxygen as I could before I exhaled, feeling my legs burned with pain. The worst part was the amount of heat and dehydration I was encountering, and it has been only a third of the game. The score was 1-1, and we got lucky with the goal. It was a lucky bounce off the goalies skate and into the net. I was clearly underestimating the other players.
I sighed heavily, thinking of the much more pain and energy I was going to use. I won't be able to get back to my dorm, I thought as I stared into space, before I was hit lightly in the chest. Being snapped back into my gaze, I looked to see Winter thrust a bottle of water into my stomach, and I took it gratefully. Pouring the cold fluid down my throat, I was in the moment of heaven for a brief moment.
"You're doing well, Celsius," my coach told me, slapping my back in encouragement. I groaned as the moment of heaven vanished, leaving me to the loud sound of cheering and yelling. I made my way into the bench area and placed the bottle down, but then I heard a tap behind me.
I didn't bother to turn around, mainly because I thought it was some sort of obsessive fan that wanted to meet me. As I sat down, wanting to get all the energy I could, I heard the tapping again. Clenching my claws, I turned around, but instead of seeing some obsessive fan, I saw my old pal.
It was Galactic, who was sitting beside Waterfall. They both waved at me with toothy smiles, and I returned the motion with a grin. Galactic then pointed up and stood up, his head over the plastic barrier, and I met him there.
"Sorry for being late," Galactic said apologetically, giving me a sheepish smile. "I just having too much fun over dinner with Waterfall."
"It's fine," I responded, waving him off. "You at least made it, and you're cheering for me, right?"
"Why wouldn't I? And while you're here, can you sign my shirt?"
I gave him a light punch in the shoulder as he snickered. "Later," I told him, then I stepped away and back onto the rink as the game was soon to continue. I looked back one last time at him, and he gave me a thumbs up as he wrapped one of his wings around Waterfall, who leaned into his shoulder. I smiled, but quickly slipped it off as my coach gave me a cold look.
"What are you smiling about, Celsius," my coach demanded.
"Just the thought of winning this game," I lied quickly, and my seer somehow believed that.
"I saw you talking to a couple fans. Right now, I need your head in the game until the end. After then, you can smile and party all you want. Now, get out there!" I nodded and headed out onto the rink. The sound of dragons talking and laughing seemed to calm me. Winter skated up to me with a scowl.
"That your friend?" Winter asked, nodded to Galactic, who was chatting with a SandWing beside him.
"Yeah," I responded. "Why do you care?" Winter leaned in to me with his wings covering the both of us up from the other team.
"My brother told me that his school isn't fond of IceWings being friends with NightWings," Winter explained to me. "If we win this, then they will have a reason to come after you. Some of the players on that team are what you call anti-NightWing dragons, watch your back." He folded his wings back up and looked at me as if I should be afraid.
"Those guys couldn't harm a fly," I told him, then I staked off to my starting spot, with Winter looking after me. As I skated, I began to wonder why Winter finally started to worry for me.
Maybe the other team is getting to him, I thought, shrugging off Winter's concern. The next thing I heard was the stadium horn go off, meaning that the game would continue anytime in a short time. I sighed at the feeling of my legs burning in agony and the long absence of cold water going down my throat. Seeing Winter go in the middle of the circle, I waited until the puck was dropped and the sticks clashed together.
(* * *)
My body was in bruised from head to toe. Being currently in between the plastic wall and a IceFreeze Academy player, my ribs were being crushed. It wasn't the greatest feeling in the world, but it wasn't the worst. I gritted my teams and pushed off the player with my wing. He was flung a few feet, and he gave me a mischievous grin, before skating off after the puck.
"Focus, and hit back harder," I told myself, before pumping my legs back into the action. My face was dark blue with my blood starting to warm up. As I accelerated, I saw that another opposing player was coming towards me, hitting the puck with him. I grinned at him, and in a few seconds, intercepted the puck. Going towards the other goal, I felt the anxiety of getting ahead of the other team. I looked to my right, and saw Frost skating ahead, nodding at me. I returned the motion and hit the puck to him.
Then I felt something solid slam me in the stomach.
Doubling-over in pain, I gripped stomach and fell to the ice. The next thing was hearing a whistle blow, and the sound of metal against ice go to a stop. The absence of that sound let the onslaught of booing and yelling in rage erupt into the stadium. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes as the referee flipped me over on my stomach.
"You okay there, kid?" he asked me, and I nodded blindly. I wasn't sure if I felt alright, but it felt like I broke a rib. The official's claw grabbed my own and he lifted me up. I blinked a few times before I looked around, the stadium was quiet with low murmurs of the crowd. "He's okay!"
When I finally got up, I heard the applause of the crowd. Giving the audience a smile, I made my way to my team, who looked relieved to see me alright.
"It's good you're not hurt, otherwise coach would kill you," Frost said, giving me a pat of the back. I grinned at him and the rest of the team, before making my way to the bench.
"Penalty on Number 73! Jade Mountain is in the Power Play!" I looked over my shoulder to see the player who supposedly blindsided me. He was glaring darkly at me, before he went out of the rink and into the penalty box.
Although it wasn't a comforting feeling, I felt my excitement go through me. It was the third period, and there was only a minute left in the game.
"Okay, huddle up!" Winter ordered, and we all complied. Forming a circle, we all gazed at Winter, who began to talk.
"This is what we're going to do. Polar, you're going to intercept the puck, then pass it to me. Then, I pass it to Frost who will pass it back to you on the other side. For the winning shot, Celsius will skate around the goal, and you will pass it to him. He will hit the puck into the goal and the game will be won."
We all nodded in agreement, and broke up. The big crowd of dragons in the stands began to roar with excitement as we all made our positions out onto the rink. Winter and his brother made their way into the circle. Then the referee came onto the ice, and dropped the puck in the middle of both of the teams. The two brothers clashed their hockey sticks together, then went for the puck.
This time, Winter was victorious of the duel. He hit the puck back to Polar, who began his way towards the opposing goal. Once, he was halfway, he hit it back to Winter, who immediately sent the puck to Frost, who was waiting for me.
I was already on the move, and I was being trailed by another IceFreeze Academy player. I pushed my back legs, and I flew past Winter, who gave me a nod of encouragement. As gave a quick glance over my shoulder, and I saw the same IceWing getting closer.
Now or never, I thought as I circled around the goal, almost in position. Then, in the corner of my eye, I saw Frost shoot the puck across the rink to me. I gritted my teeth as I intercepted the puck, and I looked at the goal. The goalie was still registering where the puck went; it was my only opening. I hit the puck towards it's target, and watched it skid across the ice. Time slowed, and I saw the look of surprise on the goalie's face as he tried to get the puck, but it was too late; it was already in the net.
Then I felt the defeaning roar of the crowd.
I just stood there, surprised that I made the miracle, winning shot. As I gazed, dumbfounded, it was a few seconds before I was in the air, and being paraded around the ice. I heard all my fellow colleagues cheer for me as I went around the rink. My smile widened into a toothy grin as I waved to the crowd.
"Jade Mountain Academy wins! They will continue to the finals!"
I was then lowered to the ground, and I was met with an unexpected hug from my coach.
"Nice job, Celsius," he told me. "Now you can party all you want."
"I'm a little too tired for partying, but maybe some other night," I responded, grinning. It wasn't the real reason why I didn't want to party. I was too joyful for celebrating, and I still needed answers from Winter.
Well, maybe later, I thought as I made my way through the crowd of reporters and cameras, who were trying to get me to say something for them. Right now, I was too tired to care about anything.
I made my way into the locker room, and took my gear off in the process of sitting down. I smiled at the thought of my friends being here to support, going out of their way to make it to a game they would rarely watch. It made me lucky for friends like them. I thought about partying with them tonight, but I already made my mind before it came up.
I was just going to go home, and nothing could go wrong with doing that.
Well, I finally finished this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy. I also made a community called The Thunder Clan. You can find the community on my profile. Anyways, I will see you soon.