QUARTERBACK'S MUSE

"You're seriously dragging me to this madness?"

Sora Lancaster shot a glare at her best friend, Tabitha Mossman, as they pushed through the roaring stadium crowd. The air pulsed with energy, a mix of adrenaline, sweat, and anticipation thick enough to choke on. The stands were packed with thousands of fans chanting one name over and over...Devon Knight.

"Madness?" Tabby gasped. "Sora, this is history in the making. Devon freaking Knight is about to lead the Kings against the Titans! How are you not freaking out?"

"Because it's just a game."

Tabby gaped at her as if she'd committed a crime. "You take that back. Right now."

"Nope. Overhyped boys running after a ball."

"I swear, you're a lost cause."

They finally reached their seats near the front row, the perfect view of the battlefield below. The stadium vibrated with deafening cheers, neon lights flickering above as the pre-match spectacle reached its peak. Fans waved banners, painted their faces, and screamed their lungs out.

Then, the noise reached a new level of insanity.

"There he is!" Tabby shrieked, pointing toward the tunnel.

And just like that, the King entered the arena.

Devon Knight.

The moment he stepped onto the field, the entire stadium seemed to tilt toward him, as if the universe itself acknowledged his presence. Clad in the Kings' black and gold jersey, the number 10 imprinted like a royal seal, he exuded effortless dominance. His sharp green eyes flicked over the crowd, unreadable yet piercing, and his jet-black hair...damp with sweat..fell in messy strands over his forehead before he pushed it back with a slow, practiced motion.

He didn't just walk onto the field. He owned it.

Behind him, his team followed.

Andrew and Andrea...the infamous Apollo Twins...grinned like they'd already won, their identical blond hair glinting under the floodlights. Everett Winchester, The Hunter, rolled his shoulders, his sharp eyes scanning the opposing team like prey. Emrys London, ever the wildcard, smirked at the nearest camera. Lysander Knight, Devon's older brother, walked with an eerie calm, his white hair and ice-cold expression earning him the nickname Winter God. And finally, Quinn Wilder, the enigma, moved with a quiet, deadly grace.

"Tell me they don't look like gods," Tabby sighed dreamily.

Sora crossed her arms. "They look like a bunch of cocky pretty boys."

Before Tabby could protest, the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers.

"Welcome to the game of the season! The undefeated Kings, led by none other than Devon Knight, against their fiercest rivals...The Titans! Will the King and his court continue their reign, or will tonight be the night they fall?"

The stadium roared as the players took their positions. The tension was razor-sharp.

Sora wasn't a football fan, but even she could feel it...something heavy in the air, something that made her pulse quicken despite herself.

The referee blew the whistle.

The game was on.

From the first kick, it was war.

The Kings and the Titans clashed like titans of old, every movement calculated, every pass precise. The ball moved like lightning, players sprinting, colliding, fighting for dominance.

And at the center of it all was Devon Knight.

He played like a phantom...untouchable, unpredictable. Every step, every feint, every touch of the ball was executed with a level of skill that seemed almost unfair.

He cut through the field like a blade, weaving between defenders, his footwork mesmerizing.

"I hate to say this," Sora muttered, watching as he effortlessly dribbled past two players, "but that's actually impressive."

Tabby nearly choked. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

Then, the moment shifted.

The Titans' captain, Marcus Reed, a towering brute with an unforgiving playstyle, charged straight for Devon.

The stadium gasped as he lunged.

Devon saw it coming.

At the last second, he twisted out of the way, his body bending like liquid. Marcus missed, stumbling past him, while Devon flicked the ball up with the inside of his foot...and backheeled it mid-air toward goal.

The goalkeeper dove.

Too late.

GOAL.

The crowd erupted.

Sora inhaled sharply. It wasn't just skill...it was pure arrogance. And it was infuriatingly effective.

Tabby grabbed her arm. "Tell me you saw that. Tell me you saw that masterpiece."

"I saw it," Sora muttered.

She also saw something else...Devon's eyes locking onto hers for just a second as he jogged back.

A chill ran down her spine.

The game continued, but something changed.

The Titans played rougher. Desperate. And Marcus Reed had a target.

Devon.

Sora saw it before it happened.

Marcus stormed toward Devon again...but this time, he wasn't aiming for the ball.

"Shit," she whispered.

Devon barely had time to react.

Marcus lunged, his cleats slamming into Devon's knee with a sickening crunch.

Devon collapsed.

The stadium fell silent.

Sora's breath hitched. The golden boy, the untouchable King...on the ground.

Tabby grabbed her arm. "He's fine. Right? He has to be fine."

But Devon wasn't moving.

Referees ran onto the field. Medics rushed toward him. His team surrounded him in a panic.

Sora found herself standing, heart pounding against her ribs.

Then, just as the medics reached him, Devon moved.

Slowly, painfully, he sat up, brushing off Everett's hand. His jaw clenched, his face tight with pain, but his green eyes burned.

"I'm fine," he growled, shoving himself to his feet.

"Devon, don't be stupid..." Lysander started, but Devon ignored him, rotating his knee, testing his weight.

Then, against all logic, he turned to the referee.

"Play on."

The stadium erupted.

Sora clenched her fists. "Is he insane? He could barely stand a second ago."

Tabby grinned. "He's Devon Knight. He doesn't quit."

The announcer's voice boomed over the chaos.

"And despite that brutal foul, Devon Knight refuses to leave the game! The Kings are down to the final minutes...can the King still lead his court to victory?"

Devon took his position.

His eyes flickered toward the stands again.

Right at Sora.

A silent challenge.

She wasn't sure why, but her heart skipped a beat.

Then, the whistle blew.

And Devon charged.