LOGINThe final eighteen seconds somehow lasted forever. The referee dropped the puck and nobody even thought about attacking anymore."Defend!" Coach shouted. The Dragons didn't rush and that was somehow worse.They carried the puck around the outside, forcing every Frost Wolf to keep moving. Left. Right. Behind the net, even across the blue line. They weren't looking for another goal, they were looking for another mistake."Stay with him!" Lukas shouted as another black jersey drifted toward the slot.Joshua followed and Nikola blocked the passing lane. Adrian tied up a stick just as another Dragon tried cutting across the crease. The puck moved again.Tap.Tap.Across.Back.Nobody in black seemed to panic, they simply waited.Five seconds.Four.Three. The Dragon captain looked once toward the clock before winding up.SLAP.The puck exploded through three bodies.THUD.Elias caught it cleanly against his chest and this time he didn't wait. He threw both gloves over it immediately.The w
The captain didn't touch the puck. He didn't even touch Viktor. He simply skated beside him,matching every stride, watching and waiting. Almost like he was studying him.Viktor glanced toward him once before pushing harder, trying to create even half a metre of space between them but the Dragon followed without changing expression. He wasn't chasing him, he wasn't even trying to steal the puck anymore. He was simply there.Just close enough to be seen and close enough to be remembered. Of course, Lukas didn't like that. Not one bit.The whistle never came and the game continued flowing around them while Viktor circled behind, waiting for somebody to become available. Usually Lukas would've already been open by now, Adrian would've drifted toward the boards and Joshua would've cut across the middle.Instead, every route already had somebody standing there. Viktor hesitated for one second too long and the Dragon beside him smiled.Not a grin, not even mockery. It was just recognition.
The smile disappeared from Lukas' face when he heard the captain's response.."Yes. That's how we're playing."He didn't even raise his voice. He didn't even look angry. He simply nodded once to the defenseman beside him before skating away from Lukas like the conversation had already ended.Lukas didn't think much of it, he probably should have.The referee skated back toward center ice, waiting for both teams to settle into position again.While around them, the crowd refused to sit down.Thousands of voices echoed through the arena, the Frost Wolves' opening goal still replaying across the giant screens hanging above the rink while commentators spoke over one another so quickly Lukas couldn't understand a single sentence anymore.He didn't need to anyway. The scoreboard spoke clearly enough.DRAGONS — 0FROST WOLVES — 1Nikola kept glancing up at it every few seconds just to make sure it hadn't disappeared."It's still there." Joshua sighed."Yes.""We actually scored.""Yes.""Aga
The cheering didn't stop. If anything, it became louder.The Dragons hadn't even touched the puck yet and the entire arena already belonged to them. Every player they introduced was welcomed by another wave of screams while cameras followed them across the ice like celebrities walking a red carpet instead of athletes preparing for war.Lukas stood quietly behind the tunnel entrance, watching them complete one slow lap around the rink.Nobody smiled, nobody waved, nobody acknowledged the crowd.They simply skated and somehow, that was even more terrifying."They're enjoying this." Nikola whispered and Joshua shook his head."That's the problem." He paused. "They're not."The Dragons eventually gathered around their captain before slowly separating into formation. One by one they tested the ice beneath their skates, passing the puck without looking, never missing a single reception.It looked effortless, like they weren't warming up, like they were reminding everyone else who owned the
Nobody talked on the walk back. Not because they had nothing to say, but because everybody had already imagined losing in completely different ways. Everyone went up to their rooms to get well rested.For the first time, Nikola didn't come to interrupt. It was the slowest, heaviest five hours of their life.Lukas turned to Viktor,“Do you think we can win?” Viktor smiled weakly.“No… I don't.” The moment he said it, Lukas pulled him in for a hug. Viktor was shaking underneath him and Lukas didn't understand.“What happened?” Viktor cleaned his eyes and looked up at Lukas.“They hurt people… what if I'm next?” Lukas's eyes saddened, he didn't realize that was what was on his mind. His shoulder, he hadn't asked about it in a while.He simply smiled and squeezed tighter around Viktor's waist.“You won't get hurt, okay?” Viktor nodded but deep down, he knew he'd be an easy target since everyone playing practically knew he had a bad shoulder.Somewhere down the hall, Nikola sat on Elias' l
"Why are they staring?" Adrian asked it quietly but unfortunately, the room was far too quiet for any quiet questions. Almost every head turned toward him.And not because he'd spoken loudly but because everybody else had been silently looking at the Frost Wolves ever since they walked through the doors.The conference hall was enormous.Long rows of tables stretched from one end of the room to the other, each one carrying a different country's flag while giant television screens hung from the ceiling displaying today's schedule.Players filled almost every seat already. Some wore full tracksuits with their country's emblem stitched proudly across the chest while others had already changed into training gear and some just wore casual shirts and trousers.Everybody looked... oddly professional. Except one table—The Frost Wolves.Nikola had somehow arrived wearing two different socks and his shirt was stained with whatever he ate, nobody could tell anymore. Joshua was still carrying hal
Every moment the fear fought back, every time Viktor got checked, every time somebody got close, every time Lukas caught sight of the tape wrapped roughly around his shoulder. But Viktor's voice kept echoing inside his head.‘PLAY THE DAMN GAME.’He didn't ask him to worry about him.He asked him t
The day passed slowly. Lukas spent it mostly sleeping and Viktor spent it mostly waking Lukas up from sleep and just when they were about to rest together, it was 6AM. Game day. The bus ride to the arena felt unusually quiet, not because everyone was nervous but because everyone was asleep.Nikola
The hotel lasted exactly twenty-three minutes before complete disaster erupted. Twenty-three.Nikola had timed it proudly and he bragged about it even prouder because apparently causing problems was a competitive sport and he intended to win.The team occupied nearly an entire floor and somehow that
The locker room after the game felt electric. Music blasted, players screamed, some even sprayed water for the fun of it. Then Nikola laughed and climbed onto a bench."I WOULD LIKE TO THANK—" and Coach threw a towel at his face, making Nikola fall dramatically.The room exploded with laughter and e







