Elijah's world was spinning out of control.

Icy shards clawed his insides as the excruciating image of Megan's lips on Hector's came flooding back to him. His chest felt hollow. Empty. Like something had ripped him open.

He took a deep breath. He had to separate his feelings from his duty. And right now, his mission was to walk into the field and take the brunt of the disaster he had caused. 

Fire coursed through his veins as he saw Hector standing with the rest of the team, waiting to go onto the field. His eyes fell on Elijah, impassively. Elijah tore his eyes away from his hateful face, feeling the devastating monster of fury, fighting his rationality for control. He hated that he had broken down in front of Meredith. Hated that he had once again become vulnerable to his emotions. They were a weakness, just like Andreas had said.

The whistle sounded, and he mounted his magnificent black steed and walked into the field to a raucous uproar. It seemed that in spite of everything, Asteria hadn't yet lost hope. He solidified his resolve.

Four goals. Fifteen minutes.

He glanced at the clock as the game began, a vague plan forming in his mind. A true leader doesn't give up even after apparent defeat.

He gestured to Aris, pointing at him and then at the net. Aris' eyes widened in realization. They were to go offensive. The defence and playmakers moved into position as Aris, and Isaiah took the rear. They were creating a strong case.

Elijah took a deep breath as Maddison beautifully intercepted the ball from one of the opponents and drove it to Justin, who deftly sent it to Elijah. He stopped his horse, studying the formation in front of him. 

He was surrounded by enemies, but the weak spot was the burly guy. He depended on his presence for creating an impact. He wasn't agile or fast enough for Elijah. Elijah kicked his heel into the horse as he reared and started flying through the ground and towards the opponent. The breakneck speed made it difficult to control the ball, and he passed it quickly to his right. His blood froze as he realized that it was Hector.

He felt the destructive surge of anger but pulled himself away from the whirlwind of emotions as he reached the net. Hector slipped the ball to Justin, who carried it over till they were only being stopped by the tapering defence. 

"Break!" Elijah yelled as the three horses on his team started trotting in a seemingly random fashion. Elijah picked the ball expertly from Justin and shot it cleanly into the net, scoring a deft goal as a bewildered keeper turned around and let out a yell of frustration. The crowd erupted in cheers as Justin flashed him a smile. But there was a long way to go.

They switched tactics, leaving the defence empty as the entire Skyline marched with alarming speed towards the suddenly overwhelmed opponents. It was a massive risk, but they had nothing to lose. Aris and Isaiah coordinated to smash in another goal. Leaving seven minutes to score another two. 

The opponent team took a break, and Elijah knew they were going to go on defence. As expected, six of the eight players formed a seemingly impenetrable circle around the net. The burly guy was smirking at him challengingly. They needed at least two more goals. One goal in three minutes. But it was a situation that Elijah had specially trained for. 

He deftly placed four fingers against his mouth, looking at Justin who stood closest to him. His eyes widened and he nodded, mirroring Elijah's actions. A secret call for their signature move. The Skyline formation.

It was a notoriously tricky formation that hadn't been done for ages. It gave the team its name. It consisted of the ball remaining in the air for five seconds maximum, creating it a severely violent game. The ball didn't make contact with the ground and figuratively flew around the ground. In the mortal world, it would be illegal. However, in Obscura, it was a different tale.

Elijah nodded at Aris as he took his place near the half-circle, leaning forwards as he hit the ball with a precise angle. He sent it arching over a surprised player on the opposite team. The boy rapidly turned around, but it was too late. Justin had taken hold of the ball and arched it towards Hector, who sent it to Maddison.

She passed it to Elijah beside her as they started speeding through the grounds at breakneck speed. Maddison fell behind him as he charged towards the burly keeper, and raised his mallet to aim a backward shot that arched over his head and towards Maddison. The keeper pulled at the horse's reigns in shock as, without missing a beat, Maddison pinned a shot cleanly into the net as their score rose another point.

Elijah took a deep breath, his brain working furiously. A tie would mean defeat on the home ground. The clock read that they still had four minutes to tip the scales in their favour and guarantee victory. He needed a new plan. His eyes searched the crowd almost impulsively, his heart failing as he spotted the familiar blue eyes of his ex-girlfriend in the second row, her gaze fixated on him.

His heart spiralled into his chest. Megan had been his first everything. His first date. His first kiss. The first time he had made love. The first time he had let himself be vulnerable. And now, he was a joke. A pathetic joke.

He forced himself to get his head back in the game as Aris trotted towards him. "What next cap?" he asked, smiling exuberantly. 

"A dual," Elijah responded, setting his jaw as he made up his mind. Aris' smile faltered.

"What the fuck?" Aris stared at him and then at his horse, his eyes wide

"I need you and the rest of the team to clear the way to the net. I'll do the rest." Elijah wasn't in the mood for arguments. There was the fire of hatred in his veins, whether for himself or the woman he had given everything to, he wasn't sure.

Aris nodded and gave him a little salute, his eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.

The game resumed, a flurry of motion as Skyline backed Evermore into their half, leaving their half unprotected except for the keeper. Elijah took a deep breath and trotted over to him. The keeper smiled confidently, but his eyes flitted to the timer as sweat formed on his brow.

"Leave with dignity Ellerman," he said. 

"Shut your mouth, vermin," Elijah growled as the keeper's smile disappeared and was replaced by a menacing scowl.

He let out an animal-like growl as Elijah angled his mallet and arched the ball in the way he had done in Skyline. The keeper laughed menacingly, circling rapidly behind Elijah to intercept the shot, leaving the net wide open.

"Your little tricks won't work this time assho-" his words turned into a roar of disappointment as Elijah intercepted his own arching shot and, with its contact never breaking with the mallet, led his horse into the net where it stopped and neighed softly- as if in victory. 

There was a loud blast of the whistle as the entire stadium erupted in a deafening din. Elijah glanced over at the scoreboard, which now read six to Asteria and Five to Evermore. The Dual shot included the player destroying the opposite defence so completely, that the steed also entered the net.

They had won.

"An amazing display of the legendary dual by Elijah Alexander Ellerman!"

The commentator screamed as jubilant, and infectious thrill penetrated the air. Evermore dismounted their horses, looking disgruntled. Elijah's entire team flocked towards him.

"That was freaking awesome!"

"How did you even think of that!"

"This was phenomenal! Someone take out the history books!"

Elijah dismounted from the horse and excused himself as his entire team started jumping around in a circle. His team had won, and yet, he had never felt so empty after a match.

He walked back to the locker room, the din of the stadium disappearing behind him and shut the door. He stood silently, gazing at his reflection at the massive wall mirror. He looked dishevelled from the match. His grey eyes dark, his usually impeccable hair a mess.

Good. But not enough.

Not enough to have saved his own brother's life. Not enough to be the leader his country needed. Not enough to be the son his father deserved. Not enough to be the man that Megan wanted. 

And suddenly, a massive wave of torment engulfed him like a serpent as he collapsed onto the ground, his face in his hands, each cell of his body screaming in pain.

Away from the crowd. Away from the game. Away from himself.