A Brewing Storm

The game was caught in a tense deadlock. Both teams moved methodically, testing each other's defenses but not yet committing to full-on aggression.

Shadow Strikers' midfield held possession, working the ball around with sharp, controlled passes, pulling the Azure Comets out of shape. Orrek drifted deeper, playing quick one-twos before slipping into the attacking third.

On the other side, Azure Comets remained patient. Their defense stayed disciplined, their midfield pressing in bursts, cutting off passing lanes. Zyna and Darian lurked in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to spring forward.

The Krystal FC players continued watching, their initial relief turning into deep concentration.

"They're really holding back on their abilities," one of them noted.

Another nodded. "It's almost like they're—"

"Managing their cooldowns," Lexa finished, arms folded.

Zayne leaned forward. "It's clearer now. The longer this match goes, the more they're trying to control their stamina and ability usage. If they had unlimited uses, we'd have seen Shadow Dash and Blink Step multiple times by now."

Lexa's eyes stayed locked on the field. "Then we just need to figure out how long the cooldown is… and how much of a backlash it brings."

The game was still in a controlled state, but cracks were forming.

Azure Comets gradually increased their intensity. Their attacks became sharper, their movements faster. Zyna, constantly a threat, danced past defenders with ease, his footwork creating panic every time he approached the box.

But Shadow Strikers held their ground.

Orrek, though primarily an attacker, had dropped deep multiple times, helping defensively in ways that confused his opponents.

Twice now, an Azure Comets player had marked his shadow, thinking they had him contained—

Only to realize too late it was a fake.

Orrek smirked every time it worked. His movements were unpredictable, forcing the Comets to second-guess every time he stepped forward.

But as the match wore on, something began to shift.

The physical toll was setting in. Fatigue creeping in.

Passes weren't as sharp. Reactions slightly slower.

And then—

A brutal tackle.

Zyna, cutting inside once again, was sliced down by a Shadow Strikers midfielder.

The robotic referee descended immediately.

A loud whistle.

A sharp flash of yellow.

The first booking of the half.

Zyna, wincing slightly, got back up quickly. But as he placed the ball down for the free kick, his eyes flashed toward Orrek.

Their game of patience wouldn't last much longer.

They both knew it.

And so did Krystal FC.

Krystal FC's bench was growing restless. The tension in the match was shifting.

Lexa clenched his jaw. "The next few minutes will tell us everything."

Zayne exhaled. "One of them is going to break the silence. And when they do…"

Lexa finished his thought.

"That's when we'll find the answer."

The field was a battlefield of control.

But soon, control would shatter.

The game continued, but Krystal FC's focus had shifted entirely.

They weren't just watching for the action anymore.

They were decoding the truth.

Lexa's eyes were locked onto the field, his brows furrowed in deep thought. Beside him, Zayne sat with arms folded, his jaw clenched.

"Watch them," Lexa muttered. "Orrek and Darian."

A few of the Krystal FC players turned their heads, studying the two key figures of the match.

At first, it wasn't obvious. Orrek still moved sharply, Darian still tracked every play.

But then…

Subtle details started appearing.

Orrek's pace had slowed ever so slightly. His movements, once fluid, were now just a bit more rigid. His usual unpredictable dashes into space were less frequent.

Darian, too, was feeling it. His footwork, which had been flawless earlier, now had the tiniest hesitations. His marking was still effective, but it lacked the same snap from before.

Zayne exhaled sharply. "It's happening."

One of their teammates frowned. "What is?"

Lexa leaned forward. "The cooldown. Their bodies are feeling the cost of their abilities."

A pause.

Another player's eyes widened. "Then that means—"

"They can't use them right now," Lexa confirmed. "They're recovering."

The match kept going, but it was obvious now—neither Orrek nor Darian were taking the risks they had before.

No sudden bursts of Blink Step.

No deceptive maneuvers of Shadow Dash.

Just normal, high-level play.

But even at this level, the strain was showing.

Orrek received the ball at the edge of the box, normally a prime position for him to strike.

Instead of his usual sharp movement, he settled for a simple pass.

Darian had the chance to intercept a through-ball, but his reaction time was off by half a second—he got there late, needing to poke it out for a throw-in instead of controlling it.

"They're both slower," one of the Krystal FC players murmured.

Lexa nodded. "And that tells us what we needed to know. Every ability in this world… has a price."

A Critical Moment – The Next Goal Decides Everything

The **tempo of the match hadn't dropped—**but the crucial difference was clear.

Orrek and Darian were both in recovery mode.

The match had equalized in intensity, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Lexa took a deep breath.

"The next goal is coming soon."

Zayne turned his head. "You're sure?"

Lexa nodded, his voice calm but firm. "It all depends on who recovers first."

Everyone around them tensed.

Blink Step and Shadow Dash were two different skills. They each had different demands on the body. Their cooldowns wouldn't be the same.

If one of them recovered first—**and used it at the right moment—**that person would decide the game.

Zayne exhaled. "Then, if nothing else changes…"

Lexa's expression darkened.

"The first one to get their ability back…"

Silence.

Then, he finished.

"…will be the one who scores next."

The field was still a battlefield.

But now, the war wasn't just about skill.

It was about endurance.

And the first to recover—would be the one to strike. Zayne nodded, understanding it ever so clearly. There was one last thing to pay attention to.

As time passed, it seemed the two players were getting even more tired, it seemed...this was sign that their abilities was coming back to its brink...

You know what they say...

It's darkest before sunrise.