Liam's room was unusually quiet. The fans on his PC still spun gently, their hum mixing with the faint buzz of morning traffic outside. His headset lay skewed over the edge of the table, one earpad pressing into the pages of a long-forgotten comic book.
He didn't get out of bed for a while.
Even though the adrenaline from last night's ranked match had faded, the memory hadn't. The clutch that final round it kept replaying in his mind. But instead of pride, what lingered was disbelief.
Did I really do that?
Liam stared at the ceiling. The ceiling stared back.
He eventually rolled out of bed, stretching, and caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror. Ruffled hair. Eyebags. No different than usual, but something was there — something in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
Intent.
He stepped into the living room and found his dad crouched near the old wooden cabinet that had been uneven for years.
"Morning" his dad mumbled without looking up, fiddling with a wrench.
"You fixing that now?" Liam asked.
"It's either this or your mom's yoga playlist blasting at 6 AM."
Liam chuckled.
"Can I help?" he said surprising even himself.
His dad looked up. "With tools or sarcastic commentary?"
"I'll bring both" Liam replied, moving to kneel beside him.
The soft sound of a wrench twisting echoed in the living room. Liam and his dad worked in silence for a few moments, fixing the cabinet's hinge, the rhythmic motions almost meditative.
"You know" Liam started, "I used to try and fix things around here, like this. Didn't get too far, though."
His dad smirked. "You always thought the hammer was your best friend. Ended up making more dents than repairs."
"Yeah... I did" Liam chuckled, a little embarrassed. "Guess that's why I never went into carpentry."
His dad shrugged. "The important thing is you're trying. You can't fix something if you don't get your hands dirty first. It's the same with everything. Especially... other things."
Liam paused, unsure of how to respond. His dad didn't talk much about life lessons, but something in his tone suggested he meant more than just the cabinet.
"You don't always get it right at first. But if you keep trying, you'll get there."
Liam thought about this. "Yeah. I guess... I should put more effort into the game too. Not just the clutch moments. Maybe the... the whole picture."
"Ah" his dad nodded, wiping his hands. "Don't forget to enjoy the process. It's the mistakes that teach you the most."
Liam nodded, unsure if his dad was talking about Vanguard, life, or both. But the words settled in.
Later Liam sank back into his chair, a cup of coffee steaming on his desk beside him. His phone buzzed, but he ignored it for a moment, opting instead to load up a match he had been meaning to watch. A high-level Vanguard match, featuring players from the top tiers.
He clicked on the link, letting the video buffer. The match unfolded on screen the tension in the air was clear. Liam's gaze was locked on one of the players, who was known for his aggressive, unpredictable playstyle. A character with the operator, Sora.
The Sora player peeked out from behind a corner, taking a risky shot that seemed almost reckless, but as the bullet soared and hit its mark, the entire team erupted into cheers. Liam felt his pulse quicken, a rush of excitement filling his chest.
He leaned forward, mouth slightly agape. That's... that's how you do it. Confident. Calculated.
But as the round continued, Liam couldn't help but notice the timing the hesitation before the shot. Sora had a precision to her play that Liam had never quite grasped, but now he was beginning to see it. A subtle dance of patience and aggression, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Could I ever pull off something like that?
The match continued, and Liam's thoughts began to race. He clicked back to the beginning, watching the Sora player's movements in slow motion this time. The player waited, shifted, and then took the shot. Not all the time, but only when the conditions were right.
He paused the video. There it was again. Intent. Not just luck, but an understanding of the game's rhythm, the tension, and the right time to push.
Liam tapped his foot against the floor, conflicted. It wasn't just about the clutch anymore. He needed to master the mechanics. The rhythm of the game.
His mind spun for the next few minutes, but then he grabbed his phone, scrolling through his contacts. He hesitated for a moment before tapping on Matt's name.
Liam: Yo, I was watching a Vanguard match. The Sora player had some serious moves. Any tips? I want to start using her but I have no clue what I'm doing.
He sent the message and leaned back in his chair, waiting.
A few moments later, Matt's reply pinged in.
Matt: Oh, you're thinking of playing Sora? Nice. She's all about timing. Don't just aim for headshots. She's about setting up traps and controlling space. You need to stay unpredictable, but not reckless.
Liam frowned slightly, trying to process the advice. "Unpredictable, but not reckless?"
Matt: You need to master her abilities. She has Pulsar and Pulse Stream for controlling angles, and her ultimate is a game-changer if you know how to line it up.
Liam: Got it. Gonna need more than that if I wanna really get good with her.
Matt: Alright, next time we're online, I'll show you some strats. But trust me, it's all about patience. Let the game come to you.
Liam smiled, feeling a little more grounded. It wasn't going to be easy, but Matt had given him a bit of clarity.
But after thinking for a moment, Liam decided to take it further. He opened up NeuTube and searched for tutorials on Sora Vanguard. A dozen videos popped up, each showing tips and tricks, and Liam clicked on the first one that caught his eye.
The video was detailed, showing Sora's basic movement, how to effectively use her abilities, and the perfect situations to use her ult. By the end of the tutorial, Liam had learned how to reposition with Pulse Stream and maximize the impact of her Pulsar for denying sightlines and securing flanks. He even learned to take more calculated, but decisive shots not just aimlessly spraying.
Liam sat back in his chair, the knowledge from the video settling in his mind. The day had been long, but there was something about the quiet satisfaction of mastering a skill that made it feel worth it.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard, the cursor blinking on the Vanguard login screen. He'd practiced for a few hours, replaying Sora's mechanics, understanding the timing, the angles, the patience. The game was no longer just about getting better for the next match. It was about seeing the game with new eyes.
But then he hesitated. What if he wasn't cut out for this?
Liam looked at the clock. It was getting late, and he still hadn't queued up for a match.
A deep breath. Maybe tomorrow. Tonight, he needed to process everything. To understand that it wasn't just about clutching a win. It was about the path to improvement, no matter how long it took.
The sound of the city outside faded as Liam turned off his monitor. He sat in the stillness, the weight of his thoughts pressing down.
But for the first time in a long while, he wasn't running away.
Tomorrow, he'd dive back in.
But tonight, he would rest.