Rebooting the Arena

Chapter 2: The Sabotage

The match was moments away, and the arena buzzed with anticipation as Kai Ashford adjusted their headset, feeling the familiar hum of Ancient Arena Online (AAO) immersing them in its virtual world. The crystalline spires of the Arena of Thaloria loomed ahead on the loading screen, glowing with a faint pulse as the match countdown ticked closer to zero.

Kai's mind was laser-focused, running through their strategy one last time. Damon Steele would initiate, freezing their enemies in place while Sarai's Inferna unleashed her deadly firestorms. Reyes and Livia would hold the frontline, with Kai slipping through the chaos to assassinate the enemy healers with surgical precision. It was a flawless plan. But something gnawed at Kai—a vague sense of unease that had been growing since Damon's dismissive attitude earlier.

"Let's do this," Kai muttered to themselves, gripping the controls tightly. But before they could give the final go-ahead, a notification flashed on their screen. DISCONNECTED FROM TEAM CHAT.

Kai blinked. That was strange.

"Hey, Livia, can you hear me?" No response. Kai's mic icon was dead. Their stomach twisted with the sudden realization that something was wrong. They quickly reconnected, but nothing happened. Their team had disappeared from the voice channel.

"Damon? Reyes? Sarai? Can anyone hear me?" Still nothing.

A sudden message popped up in Kai's private chat:

Damon Steele: "Sorry, Kai. Time for a change. This is where you get off."

For a moment, Kai's heart stopped. What did that mean? Their hands froze over the keyboard, staring at the message in disbelief. No. This couldn't be happening. Not now.

Frantic, Kai switched to the team chat again. The arena was still loading, but the game interface had gone eerily quiet. They tried to pull up the team roster, but instead, a cold, dreaded message appeared across their screen:

YOU HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE TEAM.

Panic surged through Kai as the full weight of the betrayal hit them. Damon had kicked them off the team—right before the tournament started. The blood drained from their face. All those months of training, strategizing, and leading—gone in an instant. Kai clicked through the menus, trying to rejoin, but it was futile. The system was locked. There was no way back.

"What the hell?" Kai muttered under their breath, heart pounding in their ears. Why now? Why after everything they had been through together? Damon had always been cocky, sure, but this? This was treachery.

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Desperately, Kai opened another private message window, sending a rapid series of messages to Damon.

Kai Ashford: "What are you doing?"

Kai Ashford: "Damon, this isn't funny."

Kai Ashford: "Put me back on the team. We're about to play!"

No response.

Another message popped up, this time from Sarai:

Sarai Velasquez: "It's over, Kai. Sorry. This was always Damon's team. You've been holding us back."

Kai's vision blurred with rage as they stared at the words. Holding them back? They had built this team from the ground up, led them to countless victories, crafted every strategy that had brought them to the brink of national recognition. Damon couldn't seriously believe that. Could he?

Kai slammed their fist into the desk, the sting in their knuckles barely registering against the flood of anger and disbelief.

Just as they were about to type another furious message, the final blow came. A system notification appeared:

YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM THIS TOURNAMENT. CONTACT SUPPORT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Kai stared at the screen, paralyzed. Banned. They weren't just kicked from the team—they were banned from the entire tournament. Damon hadn't just sabotaged their position on the team, he had arranged for Kai's complete removal from the event. And, worst of all, there was nothing Kai could do.

Desperation set in. Kai yanked their headset off, the world suddenly feeling too quiet, too heavy. It was real. They were out. Just like that, months of hard work—staying up late to perfect strategies, pushing the team to their limits, fighting through personal challenges—all of it evaporated. In the blink of an eye, Damon had stolen it away.

Frustration mounted as Kai opened their phone, scrolling through contacts. There had to be someone who could help. Reyes, maybe? He'd never been as close to Damon. But a quick text to him went unanswered. Livia, perhaps? But even before hitting send, Kai knew it was useless. If Damon was behind this, he'd have locked the entire team into his betrayal.

Panic rising, Kai tried reaching out to tournament support, but the response was cold and automated:

"The removal was made by your team captain and has been confirmed. Further details will not be provided at this time."

Kai dropped their phone onto the desk, sinking back into their chair, a mixture of fury and despair coursing through them. How could this happen? They had trusted Damon. They had trusted all of them.

Footsteps echoed through the empty practice room as someone entered. Kai looked up, and there was Damon, standing in the doorway. His lips curled into that familiar, infuriating smirk, eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction.

"It was a good run, Kai," Damon said, voice calm, almost too casual. "But we're moving forward without you."

Kai shot to their feet, fists clenched at their sides. "Without me? I built this team, Damon. You wouldn't be here without me!"

Damon shrugged, his smile never wavering. "Maybe. But you see, the problem is, you were always holding us back. You were too cautious. Too slow to make the right calls. I'm done being the second in command when I'm the one who can carry this team to victory."

Kai stared, speechless, unable to comprehend the level of arrogance and cruelty on display. Damon's words hit like a punch to the gut.

"I made this team," Kai hissed. "I trusted you."

Damon's smirk only widened. "Yeah, and look where that got you. Out. Now, if you'll excuse me, my team has a tournament to win."

Kai took a step forward, heart pounding with anger. "This isn't over, Damon."

Damon chuckled, turning toward the door. "Oh, but it is. Enjoy watching us from the sidelines."

And with that, Damon was gone, leaving Kai standing alone in the practice room, the weight of the betrayal crashing down around them. Phoenix Reborn had been snuffed out before it even had the chance to rise.

The humiliation was unbearable. But more than that, it was the realization that Damon Steele, someone Kai had once called a friend, had not only stolen their team but orchestrated Kai's complete downfall.

As Kai sank back into the chair, rage and pain boiling beneath the surface, one thing became clear: this wasn't the end. Not by a long shot.

Kai would rise again. And when they did, they would make sure Damon paid for what he had done.