Chapter 9: Team Friction

Chapter 9: Team Friction

The victory from the last practice match had lifted spirits, but as the team continued their training under Kai's leadership, cracks began to form. Phoenix Reborn was improving, no doubt, but the intensity of Kai's leadership style, combined with the team's individual personalities, started to create friction that couldn't be ignored.

The next session was on a new map—The Abyssal Dunes, a vast desert arena filled with shifting sands, hidden traps, and a brutal sun that sapped energy. It was a map that required constant movement and adaptability, and Kai was pushing them harder than ever.

"Stay together," Kai ordered over the voice chat, their tone clipped. "This map is all about positioning. We can't afford to have anyone fall behind."

The team complied, but there was an undercurrent of tension in the responses.

"I get it," Tariq muttered. "You've told us that like five times already."

Kai ignored the comment and focused on the strategy. "Tariq, take point as usual. Lena, cover the left with AoE—this is your map, open spaces mean more damage output for you. Alex, keep close to the middle, but don't overextend. Nina, wait for me before you engage. We go in together."

As the team moved out, the map's oppressive heat felt almost tangible, the shifting sands beneath their avatars slowing their movements. The Abyssal Dunes was a map that punished overextension, and Kai wasn't going to let their team make those mistakes.

But despite their instructions, the cracks in the team were already showing.

The first skirmish started in a corner of the map near a ruined obelisk, where Tariq engaged the enemy frontline. As Ironclad, he absorbed hit after hit, but he was frustrated—too frustrated.

"I'm pushing in!" Tariq shouted, charging deeper into the fight, ignoring the fact that Lena and Alex were falling behind. "I've got them pinned!"

"No, don't push!" Kai snapped, seeing the disaster unfolding. "You're too far ahead! Pull back or you'll get isolated!"

Tariq's health bar plummeted as the enemy team collapsed on him, taking advantage of his overextension. Lena scrambled to cast a protective AoE, but she was out of range. Alex was trying to heal him, but the damage was too high, too fast.

"Goddamn it!" Tariq cursed. His avatar collapsed into the sand, the defeat symbol flashing across his screen. "I can't hold this alone! Where is everyone?"

"You didn't wait for backup," Kai said, frustration creeping into their voice. "We talked about this. You're supposed to hold, not dive in. You're leaving your team exposed."

Tariq's voice was sharp. "I'm holding the front while everyone else just hangs back!"

Lena, clearly frustrated too, chimed in. "I'm not hanging back, I'm trying to keep up with you! I can't hit anything when you charge ahead like that."

Alex, who had been quietly trying to manage his healing cooldowns, spoke up next, his voice wavering. "I can't keep up with everyone either. If you're too far forward, I can't heal you in time."

Tariq wasn't backing down. "We need structure, sure. But we also need to trust each other to make plays. If we're not allowed to take risks, we're never going to improve."

"And I can't keep waiting for permission to move," Nina said quietly, but her words were sharp. "I'm an assassin. If I see an opening, I have to take it. I can't sit back and wait every time."

Lena chimed in, though less aggressively. "We appreciate what you're trying to do, Kai, but it feels like you're trying to control everything. Maybe we need a little more freedom to play to our strengths."

Kai's frustration bubbled under the surface, but deep down, they knew the team had a point. Their leadership style was too rigid. They had fallen into the habit of micromanaging every decision because of what had happened with their last team—because of Damon's betrayal. They had wanted control, to avoid another collapse, but in doing so, they were stifling the very creativity and freedom that made a team work.

Kai took a deep breath, letting the silence linger for a moment longer. It was hard to let go of control, especially after everything they had been through. But if Phoenix Reborn was going to become something real, something powerful, Kai had to trust the team.

"You're right," Kai said finally, their voice softer than before. "I've been too controlling. I didn't realize it until now, but I've been treating you like my last team. I was trying to stop things from falling apart again, but in doing that, I was holding us back."

The team was quiet, waiting.

Kai continued. "I'll back off. I'll give you more freedom to make plays, but we still need structure. Let's find a balance—between strategy and instinct. I'll trust you to take initiative, but you have to trust me to guide us when it counts. Deal?"

Tariq let out a breath, his tone softer now. "Deal."

Lena nodded. "Yeah, I think that could work."

Alex gave a small smile. "I think that's fair."

Nina, as always, was the last to speak. "As long as you don't clip my wings, we're good."

Kai felt the tension in their shoulders ease. The team wasn't perfect—there were still plenty of things to work on—but they were communicating, and that was a step forward.

"Alright," Kai said, a small smile creeping into their voice. "Let's try this again. But this time, I'm trusting you. We all trust each other."

With that, they re-entered the game, the friction still present, but with a new understanding beneath it. Phoenix Reborn wasn't just about one person leading anymore—it was about a team learning to rise together.

Kai could feel it now: the team was finding their rhythm. And maybe, just maybe, they were stronger for having pushed through the tension. They weren't alone in this.

They were becoming Phoenix Reborn—together.