Chapter 82 Grand Final BO7
Phoebe
For once, I could finally forget all the weight sitting on my heart. The Aurora Dome was already bursting with noise long before the match even started. The crowd’s cheers echoed from the top bleachers all the way down to the VIP seats.
I sat in the audience with Tyra, the glow from the giant LED screen catching our faces—nervous but thrilled—until our expressions appeared on the massive display above the stage.
“It’s been half an hour! Why aren’t they out yet?” Tyra groaned, patting her thighs impatiently. “I can’t wait to see Phoenix on stage.”
I chuckled softly. “Be patient, Ty. They’re probably doing their final briefing. It’s the grand finals—everything has to be perfect.”
She sighed dramatically. “Still, I just wanna see them in those yellow jerseys already. Divergent Howls always looks the coolest when they walk out together.”
As if the universe heard her, the lights inside the venue slowly dimmed. The crowd roared even louder when the big screen flashed the words “Grand Final NRC.” The intro music shook the floor, and from behind the curtains, five figures stepped out under the spotlights.
“Divergent Howls—make some noise!” shouted the host on stage.
The whole arena exploded in cheers.
Phoenix led the team, his brown hair held back by a headband, eyes blazing with focus. The yellow jersey with black stripes made him look like a streak of sunlight in the middle of the arena.
Behind him walked Hayden—with his cool, elegant aura; Finley—waving cheerfully to fans; Zion—confident and unshakable; and Adonis—with that calm, grounded energy.
They weren’t just an esports team—they looked like a group of boys every fan adored, stepping into a digital battlefield.
Tyra screamed so loud her voice cracked. “Look! Phoenix! Oh my Goddess, he’s so freaking hot!”
I laughed, though my heart was racing too fast. Seeing them under those lights filled me with a pride that almost hurt. They weren’t just pro players to me… they were family. They were my mates.
“Their opponents look tough,” Tyra whispered, pointing toward the team from Toronto—Blaze Dominion. Their red uniforms stood out sharply against Divergent’s yellow. “People say they haven’t lost a single game all season.”
I took a deep breath. “That’s why I’m calling a 4–3 score. But I’m sure Divergent’s gonna win. Phoenix has something special planned for them.”
Tyra nodded firmly. But before we could continue, mocking voices came from behind us.
“Divergent Howls? Please. They’re just lucky they even made it to the finals,” one of Blaze Dominion’s fans sneered. “That Phoenix guy—people call him a genius, but he’s just lucky.”
Tyra spun around with fire in her eyes. “What did you just say?! Phoenix is—”
I grabbed her arm quickly. “Ty, let it go. Not worth wasting energy on people like that.”
She huffed but turned back toward the stage. I knew if I hadn’t stopped her, she’d have started a full-blown argument right there.
The match began. The massive screen showed the draft picks from both teams. The entire arena went silent, every eye glued to the display.
Game after game, the tension built. Divergent took the first win, but Blaze Dominion fought back to take the second and third. The score tied 2–2, then Divergent reclaimed the lead in game five. Now, after six rounds, it was dead even—3–3.
“Half-hour break before the final round,” I murmured. My hands were freezing, my heartbeat syncing with every step Phoenix took on-screen.
Tyra looked worried. “You look tense, Phoebs.”
I smiled faintly. “I can feel it… he’s tense too.”
Our bond was too strong—I could sense Phoenix’s emotions bleeding into mine. I wanted to go see him, to tell him he could do this, but I knew I had to wait.
Then, as I stood up, I caught sight of someone near the back corridor—Lily.
She was walking fast, head down, clutching a large camera.
What the hell is she doing here?
My instincts kicked in immediately. I tapped Tyra’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back. Wait here.”
I followed Lily quietly. She stopped at the end of the corridor leading to the players’ waiting room, raising her camera toward the glass door—snapping photos of the Divergent team inside.
“Lily!” I called out sharply.
She jumped, almost dropping the camera. “You?! What are you—”
I snatched the camera from her hands before she could react. “Are you insane? You can’t just take photos of them without permission. You have no right to do that.”
Her face tensed. “Stay out of it… I was just passing by!”
“Passing by? Or trying to sabotage?” I asked coldly. “I’m betting the second one—since you already threatened me and Hayden before.”
She stepped closer, trying to grab her camera back, but I held firm. The air turned tense fast. If Tyra hadn’t shown up right then, we probably would’ve started fighting.
“Phoebe!” Tyra grabbed my shoulder, glaring at Lily. “Get out before I call security.”
Lily froze, then scoffed. “Whatever.” But before she could leave, Tyra had already waved down venue security. Within seconds, they escorted Lily out.
I opened the camera, pulling out the SD card. “I’ll hang onto this—for safety.”
Tyra grinned. “Nice catch, Phoebs. Now come on, the last round’s starting!”
We ran back to our seats just as the final draft picks appeared on screen. The crowd roared—Blaze Dominion went for an aggressive comp, while Divergent chose a defensive setup. Risky, but with huge comeback potential.
Every second felt endless. Hayden was leading the team with flawless calls, his voice echoing through the casters’ commentary feed: “They need to stay patient. Wait for the right moment.”
And then that moment came.
When Blaze Dominion launched their final push toward the base, Zion held the defense perfectly. Hayden flanked from the right, Adonis cut off their retreat, Finley unleashed his ultimate—and Phoenix, with unreal reflexes, took down three opponents in one strike.
The arena went insane.
“EPIC COMEBACK! DIVERGENT HOWLS—CHAMPIONS OF THE SEASON!” the commentator screamed.
Tyra and I shot to our feet, screaming at the top of our lungs. “WE WON! WE WON!”
Tyra jumped and hugged me so tight I could barely breathe. “Phoenix did it again! I can’t believe it—they’re champions!”
Tears welled up in my eyes. Every sleepless night, every bit of hard work—it all paid off. I glanced back at the Blaze Dominion fans who had mocked earlier; now they were silent. Tyra gave them a smug little smile. “Still think Phoenix just got lucky?”
I laughed through my tears. “Let it go. The victory speaks for itself.”
Suddenly, the event camera turned toward us. A host appeared with a mic. “You two look so emotional! Big Divergent fans, huh?”
Tyra snatched the mic. “Not just fans! We’re family!”
I facepalmed, laughing shyly while the crowd burst into laughter with us.
After the awards ceremony wrapped up, I headed straight to the players’ room. My whole body was still shaking with adrenaline. When the door opened, I saw them—Phoenix, Zion, Hayden, Finley, and Adonis—sweaty, exhausted, but glowing with victory.
I ran straight into Phoenix’s arms, hugging him tight. “You were incredible,” I whispered. “You all were.”
One by one, I hugged them all—Hayden patting my back gently, Zion laughing in satisfaction, Phoenix’s eyes glistening with emotion.
When I faced Zion, he gave a sly grin. “You remember our little bet, right?”
I blinked. “What bet?”
He leaned closer. “If we win, you have to—”
But before he could finish, the world spun around me. My vision blurred, the roaring crowd fading into a distant hum.
“Phoebe? Phoebe!” Phoenix’s panicked voice echoed.
I caught a glimpse of their worried faces—then everything went dark.
And in one shallow breath… everything disappeared.