Chapter 76 The challenge
Chapter 076
DARIUS
Bonn stood at the centre of the ice with his arms crossed, waiting until every single player had gathered around him before speaking.
His expression was serious in a way that made my stomach tighten with anticipation.
Something important was coming.
"After the friendly match against The Bulls, we will be participating in the upcoming tournament," he announced without any preamble or build-up.
The entire team erupted into shocked murmurs and whispers. A tournament? We had not participated in one for years.
Dorian spoke up before anyone else could, voicing the question everyone was thinking. "Why are we doing this all of a sudden? We have not participated in a tournament for the past three years. What changed?"
Bonn's jaw tightened slightly. "With the recent happenings at the academy, specifically the rogue attacks that destroyed our wards and caused so much chaos, the board of directors presiding over the school thinks it is wise to participate in the tournament. They want us to gain our reputation back, to show the supernatural community that Midnight Academy is still strong and capable despite what happened."
The explanation made sense, though I could tell from the expressions around me that not everyone was happy about the extra pressure this would put on us.
"Starting from today, we will be practicing every two days," Bonn continued, his voice rising to be heard over the growing noise.
"Training sessions will run from three in the afternoon until six in the evening. No exceptions. No excuses. If you cannot commit to this schedule, leave the team now."
Nobody moved, though several players exchanged worried glances. Three hours of intense practice every other day on top of classes and homework was going to be exhausting.
The team grumbled their disapproval, voices rising in complaint about the timing and the workload and the unfairness of springing this on us with such short notice.
Bonn ignored every single objection, clapping his hands together loudly to cut through the noise.
"Get your asses up and go change into your practice gear," he ordered sharply. "We start in ten minutes. Move."
We all began trudging towards the locker rooms, tired before we had even started.
I could hear Ravenna talking to Dorian behind me, her voice carrying slightly in the echoing space.
"Is Bonn always like this?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious rather than complaining. "So intense and demanding all the time?"
Dorian laughed. "Yes. This is actually him being gentle. You should see him during actual tournament season."
I could not help myself. I turned around and chimed in without thinking. "If you are going to complain and be a liability to the team, it is not too late to leave, Ravenna. Nobody is forcing you to stay."
She stopped walking immediately. The entire corridor seemed to hold its breath.
Then she marched straight up to me and hit me hard on the chest with her fist before turning and walking away without saying a single word.
I rubbed the spot where she had struck me, more surprised than hurt. That was going to bruise.
I made my way to the locker room and began changing into my practice gear, pulling on the familiar jersey and padding.
I was just lacing up my skates when I heard it. A piercing scream that made every head in the locker room snap up in alarm.
Then an absolutely furious Ravenna came marching through the door, her face red with rage and her eyes locked directly on me. "What the hell did you do to my locker?" she shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at me.
I immediately put on my most innocent expression, raising both arms up in surrender. "I am completely innocent of whatever you are accusing me of right now. I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Liar," she spat out, advancing on me with murder in her eyes. "You sabotaged my locker. I know it was you."
I backed away slowly, genuinely concerned she might actually attack me. "I swear I did not touch your locker."
"Bullshit," she cursed loudly, and then she started running straight towards me.
My eyes widened in genuine terror. "Dorian, stop your mad friend before she kills me," I yelled whilst turning and sprinting in the opposite direction.
What followed was possibly the most ridiculous thirty minutes of my entire life.
Ravenna chased me around the ice rink whilst I desperately tried to stay ahead of her.
The entire team and Bonn just stood there watching this insane spectacle unfold, nobody moving to help either of us.
Finally, we both collapsed on the ice, panting so hard I thought my lungs might explode.
Sweat dripped down my face despite the cold air, and my legs felt like jelly.
"Go fix my locker right now," Ravenna demanded between gasps for air.
"I did not do anything," I insisted, though the lie sounded weak even to my own ears.
"Do it or I swear I will destroy yours," she threatened, her voice deadly serious.
I looked over at Dorian for support, hoping my best friend would back me up.
He had moved closer during our chase and was now standing a few feet away watching us with amusement written all over his face.
He just scratched his head and shrugged. "You should probably just fix it, mate. We all know you are the only one who hates Ravenna enough to do something like that."
Traitor.
Bonn's voice cut through our standoff before I could respond. "Since you two clearly have so much energy to waste running around like children, the entire team will now do frog jumps across the ice as punishment. Twenty laps. Start now."
The collective groan that rose from the team was loud enough to shake the building.
Everyone glared at Ravenna and me whilst we all got into position.
"This is your fault," Ravenna hissed at me whilst we jumped. "I hate you for coming into my life and making everything complicated."
"The feeling is entirely mutual," I shot back through gritted teeth.
By the time we finished the punishment laps, every muscle in my body was screaming in protest.
We moved on to warm-up stretches, and I was trying to focus on loosening my tight shoulders when I heard Dorian's voice nearby.
"Do you need help stretching, Ravenna? I can spot you if your muscles are sore from all that running."
Something inside me snapped.
Atlas surged forward before I could get any kind of control over him, pushing his way to the surface with overwhelming force.
I felt my body shift partially, fur sprouting along my arms and my eyes flashing gold.
A growl ripped from my throat, loud and territorial and absolutely furious.
The entire team froze. Everyone turned to stare at me whilst I stood there trembling with barely contained rage.
I marched over to where Dorian stood beside Ravenna, reached out, and yanked him away from her roughly. "She does not need help from you," I snarled, my voice distorted by Atlas's presence. "The weakling can manage on her own."
Ravenna's hand moved faster than I expected.
She slapped my hand off Dorian with enough force to sting, her eyes blazing with fury that matched my own.
"If you think I am such a weakling, then prove it," she challenged, her voice ringing out clear across the silent rink.
"I challenge you to a public sparring match right here, right now. Unless you are too scared to fight someone you consider beneath you."