The mood on the field was tense as they started to line up.
D'Jok looked at the players for the first ten minutes.
Everyone was determined to win this.
The weight of responsibility as a captain weighed heavily on D'jok's shoulders.
Mei wouldn't be on the field this round.
She was in round three, alongside Mark.
Rocket wouldn't be the start, he would be on the field once they had a better look at the situation.
He focused on the creature approaching him from the other side of the field.
The exoskeleton made it look insectoid, big, and strong.
Physical strength was their main issue, D'Jok was going to test it.
He approached the Andro Zygna captain, mustering up his courage.
"Don't provoke him. Just play the match for now. We need to know their weaknesses before we can act on them." Aarch told him through his earpiece.
He nodded and waved, showing he received the message.
Corso felt tense when he was patrolling the Shiloh Security Cells.
He would have preferred to be present for the match, but Sonny told him they needed to guard the prisoners.
If any breakout attempts would take place, it would be during the match.
So far, everything looked calm.
Too calm, really.
Kuun nodded from the place he was checking.
They both felt it; the calm before the storm.
Only players affiliated with the league and Callie were allowed in the stands.
It was a struggle to convince Sonny and Corso that her reporting would help ease the tension.
Aaron, her boss, joined her.
They found a place that gave them a clear view of the pitch.
Callie looked at the stands.
She saw only Soccer players.
No one else.
Callie gazed upwards.
The stars looked extra bright tonight.
She hoped it wasn't the last time she saw them.
The ball was in play.
D'Jok went after it, true to form.
He hoped he stopped the other team's captain from getting it.
Once he reached the ball, he tried to aim it at his teammates.
He was halfway down when the Andro Zygnans initiated their first attack on the ball with their pulsating Flux activated.
"Use the breath to block their Flux!" He heard Sonny from his earpiece.
He nodded, as he called up The Breath as it formed a barrier around him.
It was a struggle for a few seconds, before The Breath threw the enemy's Flux off, and D'Jok landed on the pitch, passing the ball.
"Now, assist your teammates, you have to try and score early." Sonny told him.
That was all he needed, he got into the game, if there was one that had to count, it was this one.
"Looks like he learned from Thran" Clamp said.
Aarch nodded.
"He's learning from his Team. The best way for a Captain to act." He said.
They could hear Callie try to report as cheerfully as possible, but even her tone of voice was carrying a worry about the situation.
Sonny kept his eyes on the screen, trying his best to read the game.
The All-stars were as strong as they could be at the start, taking control of the ball over a confused Andro Zygna team.
That didn't last long.
Sonny could see them find their bearings, and form a wall, using their Flux.
It made the All-Star players slow down as they tried to figure out what to do about it.
Aarch noticed the hesitation.
"Don't stop now, keep charging. Don't hold the ball for too long. And try to get a quick score." Aarch advised.
He could see the players try and make the first move, but too late.
The ball was easily stopped by the Andro Zygnan goalie.
Aarch looked at Sonny, who nodded.
This was going to be one long match.
Ten minutes in, and still no goals.
Not the best start, but to be expected with a new Team.
Soon, the first switch of players was being done.
Sonny watched the first group of players file out as others came to the field.
Sonny paid close attention to Dame Simbai's screen, checking the health of each player.
"They spent a lot of energy out there. Scoring is going to come down to chance, for both teams." He said, not able to hide the concern.
This was going to be difficult.
He felt Clamp's hand on his arm and could see the worry in his friend's eyes.
Sonny couldn't do much besides placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.
Corso had Callie in his ear, listening to her report from the match.
This was anything but easy.
As the first change took place, Corso paid extra attention to the two Andro Zygnans in their cells.
They were calm, too calm for his liking.
Corso checked the tanks they were held in.
His normal eye widened.
The bubbles containing them were growing weaker.
Corso quickly sounded the alarm, getting his emergency team ready.
He was not going to let them escape.
Not after everything they'd done.
The first group of All-star players returned to the dressing room and found a team of Technoid's best doctors ready to help.
The players were thoroughly checked, and the results were sent on to Aarch, Sonny and Clamp, who analyzed it along with Dame Simbai.
Sonny nodded as he saw the charts.
"As I suspected. The first ten minutes were scoping out our opponent, and we exhausted way too much energy on it. The Andro Zygnans held back. We don't have enough data on them. We need a goal." Sonny suggested, looking at the various players on Dame Simbai's screen.
Dame Simbai was worried.
"Some of them might have to play extra at the end. I just hope they've recovered by then." She said.
Sonny agreed.
"Keep an eye on them, Dame Simbai. Aarch, any players we could ask to take the role as a leader?" Sonny asked.
Aarch nodded, with the hint of a smile.
"I think we have just the right player; Micro Ice."
Group three was ready, and now, it was Micro Ice's turn to try and get the ball into the net.
After he got the order, a lot of thoughts were going through his head.
He just hoped he could do it.
This match needed a goal, and it was up to him.
Once he was on the field, Micro Ice changed places with a rather nervous Sinedd.
"Be creative, Micro Ice. We could use a goal." He said as he made his way to the transfer pod.
Sonny had heard him.
"Just try your best to score." He said.
Micro Ice gave an almost unnoticeable nod.
This goal would be for the Galaxy.
Back at the cells, the bubbles were strengthened, thwarting the escape attempt.
The Prisoners weren't happy.
It didn't bother Corso and Kuun one bit.
Corso glanced at a screen showing the match, as he saw his nephew get the ball from Kernor and slip through the Andro Zygnan defenses.
The entire Galaxy held its collective breath, as Micro Ice took the shot.
If he missed this one, he'd never be able to forgive himself.
Callie struggled to find the words, as Micro Ice made his shot.
This could spell the end of everything.
It felt as if the ball moved in slow motion.
Aaron took her hand, and from his grip, she realized he was as scared as she was.
Then...the buzzer sounded.
The All Stars scored a goal.
They could still win this.
"That was beautiful, Micro Ice! You might just save us all." Aarch praised the boy, visibly relieved.
Sonny also felt relieved.
He didn't want to bring anyone down, but their opponents would retaliate, so this was when the next group would be sent in.
Luur would lead this group.
Sonny turned on his earpiece.
"Keep up the pressure. Be creative and make sure they can't score." Sonny told Luur.
Luur smiled, showing his sharp teeth.
"Don't worry. We got this." He said calmly, raising his fist in the air, and having his teammates do the same.
The audience quickly followed.
The Zaelion galaxy was united through football.
Micro Ice had a real hero's welcome when he returned to the dressing room.
Everyone congratulated him on the goal.
After that, they all focused on the last group of the first half getting started.
The Xenon goalkeeper and Mei, were in the lineup.
Woo Wamboo and Stevens were on attack.
Stevens showed no mercy as he played aggressively.
Sonny nodded as he saw everyone trying for another goal.
He was expecting problems at this point.
Things went smoothly so far.
Sonny was still holding his breath, hoping this would last until the first break.
He studied the way the Andro Zygnans played, and a strategy was forming in his head.
He soon had an idea for how to mix things up in the second half.
Suddenly, Andro Zygna changed their plan of attack.
They started to use their Flux, which acted as a sonic boom, to break through to the goal.
"They're heading for our goal. Stop them! " Sonny yelled.
He could see each player activate their Fluxes, before racing to stop the attack.
The Andro Zygnans used their flux to push back.
Sonny didn't know what to do, until he saw something unexpected in the back.
Mei was determined and charged at the ball, kicking at the same time as an Andro Zygnan did.
The force was so strong that the ball disappeared, and something inside Mei's foot snapped.
She fell to the ground, holding her leg, and crying out in pain.
"Mei's injured, and it looks serious." Dame Simbai said, as the half time signal sounded.
Sonny nodded.
"She won't be able to play the second half. It will also add about a minute of extra time at the end. We can't afford that." He said.
Everyone agreed.
This first half had been a warm up, the second half would determine the fate of their Galaxy.
Mei moaned in pain as Dame Simbai bandaged up her injured leg.
"I'll be fine, just make sure we win this game." She said, grabbing some crutches.
Mei limped over to the others and sat down, just as Sonny and Aarch entered.
Sonny looked at Mei.
"Thank you for what you did Mei. And Micro Ice, if you can, any creative solution for a second goal is appreciated. And for this round, I'll be playing, too. Let's give it our all." He said.
The other players nodded with a smile.
As the signal to enter the field sounded, Sonny turned to look at Clamp, Dame Simbai and Aarch one last time.
This was their final 45 minutes of playing.
If they lost this, the world as they knew it would drastically change.
They had to stop this threat.
"In Shiloh's name, I promise to give it my all." Sonny whispered, before he raised his head, and headed to meet the Andro Zygnan Captain.
The atmosphere turned dark, and Sonny looked at the enemy, feeling the weight of the world on him.
Oh yes, this is the second last chapter.
Just one more to go, before this story concludes, and I hope my followers will see this through to the bitter end.
Who will be victorious?
As always, thank you to Paranoidgirl, for her Beta work.
See you all in the final chapter.