Chapter 15: Stars Fall, Fangs Rise

Stanley Cup Final – Toronto

Toronto felt like the center of the hockey universe.

The entire city seemed to vibrate with energy. Blue Maple Leafs banners hung from buildings. Street vendors sold jerseys on every corner. Sports networks broadcast live from outside the arena day and night.

But the excitement wasn’t only about hockey anymore.

Everyone knew something strange was happening in the league.

Vampires on the ice.

Hunters hiding among fans.

And the biggest championship series in the world about to unfold under a rising blood moon.

The Vancouver Grizzlies arrived at the arena surrounded by heavy security. Metal detectors lined the entrances. Police and league guards stood at every gate.

Inside the locker room, the players prepared quietly.

Alex tied the laces of his skates and glanced across the room. Jake leaned against the wall nearby, calm as ever, taping his stick with steady hands. Brody paced back and forth, full of restless energy.

“First Cup Final,” Brody muttered with a grin. “And I’m already immortal.”

Jake smirked slightly.

“Focus on the hockey,” he said. “Immortality comes later.”

Alex stood up and grabbed his helmet.

“Let’s take Game One.”

---

Game One

Scotiabank Arena erupted when the teams stepped onto the ice.

Twenty thousand Maple Leafs fans screamed and waved blue towels. The noise was so loud it echoed through the tunnels and locker rooms.

The puck dropped.

From the first shift, the speed of the game was incredible. Toronto’s players attacked hard, trying to overwhelm Vancouver with constant pressure.

But the Grizzlies’ top line moved even faster.

Alex, Jake, and Brody glided across the ice like shadows.

Halfway through the first period, Jake stole the puck along the boards and broke toward center ice. He saw Alex racing ahead and fired a quick pass through the neutral zone.

Alex caught it perfectly.

One defender tried to close the gap.

Too late.

Alex shifted the puck to his forehand and snapped a quick shot past the goalie’s glove.

Goal.

For a split second the arena went quiet.

Then the boos started.

Brody skated past Alex and slammed his stick against the boards.

“That’s how we start the Finals,” he shouted.

---

A Dangerous Crowd

Late in the second period, something strange happened in the upper sections.

Security suddenly rushed into a row of seats behind the Vancouver bench.

Two men wearing Maple Leafs jerseys were pulled out of their seats. One struggled while guards searched a large banner they had been holding.

Hidden inside the fabric was a sharpened wooden stake.

Jake noticed instantly.

His eyes narrowed as the guards dragged the men away.

“Kane’s people,” he muttered.

Alex nodded slightly.

“They’re already here.”

The game continued, but the tension in the building had changed.

---

Overtime

Toronto refused to give up.

Their captain scored twice in the third period, tying the game 3–3. The final minutes were frantic. Shots flew from both sides, but the goalies held strong.

Overtime began with the entire arena standing.

Every fan knew one mistake could end the game.

Jake intercepted a pass near the red line and pushed the puck ahead. Brody caught it along the boards and charged toward the net.

Two defenders moved toward him.

Brody slid the puck across the crease.

Alex was already there.

He tapped the puck into the open net.

Goal.

The Grizzlies had won Game One of the Stanley Cup Final.

The arena fell into stunned silence while Vancouver players celebrated.

---

After the Game

Back at the team hotel, the mood was quieter.

Alex stepped onto the balcony of his room. Toronto’s skyline stretched out beneath him, lights glowing across the harbor.

The night air felt cool.

Jake stepped outside a moment later and leaned beside him on the railing.

“Good finish tonight,” Jake said.

Alex shrugged slightly.

“Three more games.”

Jake looked up toward the sky.

“You feel it too, don’t you?”

Alex followed his gaze.

The moon hung above the city, faintly red at the edges.

“The blood moon,” Alex said quietly.

Jake nodded.

“Kane is waiting for it.”

---

The Threat

A few minutes later, Alex’s phone buzzed.

A new video had appeared online.

Victor Kane stood inside an empty arena tunnel. Behind him hung a giant Stanley Cup Final banner.

He looked directly into the camera.

“You’ve entertained the world long enough,” Kane said calmly.

“But legends end the same way they begin.”

He smiled coldly.

“The blood moon rises during Game Seven.”

The screen faded to black.

---

The Finals Continue

The Grizzlies now led the series 1–0.

Toronto would fight back hard in Game Two.

Hunters were already hiding among the fans.

And somewhere in the shadows of the hockey world, Victor Kane was preparing his final move.

The Stanley Cup was only a few games away.

But the real battle hadn’t even started yet.