Encore (Book Four of Test the Limits Series)

Celebration

Sorry I kinda disappeared off the map for awhile, I actually forgot about this book since I was so excited about the Halloween one I was planning. But, I'm back and I'll try to finish this book up in about two more chapters since I have a feeling that people don't really care much about this book.

"So the anniversary party for the skating championship is where exactly?"

Mark, Amy, Signe, Felix, Marzia, Smith, and Murphy were all standing in the center of the busy airport, scanning the invitation that was sent to them from one of the judges that was at the competition after they had arrived in Finland.

"Taylor knows, he said he'll meet us here and come with us." Smith spoke up.

"Speak of the devil." Murphy muttered teasingly as Taylor strode into view.

"I heard that." Taylor retorted once he reached the group, a black suitcase trailing behind him.

"So what's the plan?" Jack interjected to change the subject.

"The party is in Helinski at the rink, it's at five so dinner will be provided, then afterwards the Ireland, American, and Britain team will perform their routines since they weren't seen due to the...distraction." Taylor informed him curtly.

"The hosts of the party already informed me that they're also making sure that everyone there is aware about Dark and Anti." Murphy added quietly, his tone different from its usual confident forte.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there, my flight was delayed." Taylor sighed.

"We should get to the party though so we're not late." Amy reminded everyone gently.

"Alright, we'll all meet up there." Jack decided.

"Actually, I have a van." Mark interjected.

"Why do you have a van?" Smith chuckled.

"I missed the Barrel, so I got a van similar to it." Mark explained with a shrug, confusing Smith even further.

"Into the van then." Signe declared with a small giddy grin as she clasped Jack's have and followed Amy to the van, the others following.

The van had eight seats, so Mark and Amy sat in the front while the coaches filed into the middle with Felix, Marzia, Sean, and Signe sitting in the cramped backseats.

Murphy brought a black duffel bag with him, holding it close to his chest as if he was a child clutching a teddy bear. Jack noticed, but stayed silent.

Taylor's eyes were glued to the screen of his phone while Smith and Murphy talked in hushed tones about Dark and Anti. The four sitting in the back talked and laughed with each other as usual, unaware of the two coaches conversation.

"We're here!" Mark announced loudly so the people in the back could hear, the van groaning before it jolted to a stop.

Everyone gladly clambered out of the vehicle, stretching their limbs while breathing in fresh spring air. Murphy took the bag out with him, slinging it over one shoulder carefully.

"So we just walk in?" Felix questioned skeptically, glancing down at the suit he wore at the funeral.

"We all look fine." Taylor assured him with a short nod as they stepped into the familiar rink.

Hundreds of people milled around in what looked like billion dollar suits and dresses, the colors representing their country. Ice sculptures of Dark and Anti standing side by side with their respective country flags hanging on a pole behind them were placed in the middle of the rink, gifts surrounding the statues along with beautiful flowers.

Murphy's eyes welled up with tears before he hastily swiped them away with the back of his hand, preventing them from falling.

He slowly approached the ice statue of Anti and laid the bag down, slowly retrieving a pair of old, worn black skates before placing them down by his feet.

Smith left a single black rose at the base of Dark's ice statue, her face unreadable as she bit her lip to keep from breaking down.

"Were you guys friends of theirs?"

Murphy and and Smith abruptly whirled around to find two competitors standing behind them dressed in all white, the girl wearing a red flower on her dress while the guy had a red tie.

"We were their coaches." Murphy spoke up stiffly.

"My name's Akemi, this is my brother Akihiko." The woman introduced herself with a polite smile, the man next to her bowing slightly when she mentioned his name.

"Excuse me ladies and gentlemen." A voice reverberated through the crowd.

A man was standing in the center of the crowd of taking people with a mic, another man as well as a woman standing to either side of him.

"Welcome to the one hundred and twenty-sixty anniversary of the World Figure Ice Skating Competition!" He boomed. Applause filled the entire rink before quieting down as he cleared his throat.

"As some of you may remember, I was the design and costuming judge Harry Green at the competition, and my two friends with me is Samantha Drear, judge of routine performance, and Rilen Casey, judge of, well, everything else." The man listed off, earning a few polite laughs from the crowd.

"But this night isn't all about the competition. As most of you already know, Dark and Anti, the Germany team, unfortunately has both passed away in a sudden fire caused by a heater malfunction. So to remember them, a moment of silence." Harry instructed.

Instantly the crowd fell completely silent, some people's heads bowed in respect and some actually cried.

From out of nowhere, Sin came barging through the doors with Dark running behind him and Anti clinging onto Sin's back before suddenly being flung off.

Anti's body flew and smashed through the ice sculptures before he skidded to a stop in front of Murphy.

"Hey again." Anti smiled weakly before passing out, blood flowing from the wounds caused by a few shards of ice embedded in his skin.