Elijah woke before dawn, the soft hum of his PC fans stirring him from a rare deep sleep. His manifesto hung above his monitor, the latest entry glowing in marker ink: "Master Catalyst Protocol – 20 Catalyst kills & buff triggers in Open League." No ping from the Interface, no quest checklist on his wristpad—this was his mission alone. He checked his self-tracked stats in a notebook:
Catalyst Kills: 5/20 Buff Triggers: 5/20 Focus: 96 Stamina: 9 Confidence: Transcendent Teamwork: 100
Today would mark the halfway point. Elijah laced his trainers and headed for a quick sunrise jog, knowing the physical routine would steady his mind before a long day of practice and matches.
Morning Drill: Kill-Buff Synchronization
By 8 AM, Phoenix Vanguard assembled in their makeshift Cologne bootcamp. Elijah led a rapid warm-up on Ravenfall, timing kill-buff cycles:
Entry peek kill Immediate "Catalyst!" call Buff Activation by teammates (micro-Clarity Phrases) Follow-up revive or utility play
They ran ten drills in quick succession, aiming for under three seconds between kill and buff. GearShift's timing improved from 4s to 2.7s; WaveRider trimmed her buff coordination to 2.5s; EchoPulse locked rotations in perfect sync. After five loops, the whiteboard read "Protocol Sync: 10/10." Elijah grinned: he chalked in five more Catalyst kills.
Progress: 10/20 Catalyst Kills & Buffs
Midday Scrim: Testing Under Fire
At noon, Obsidian offered Phoenix Vanguard a scrim against Storm Breakers, an open-league squad known for punishing misfires. Elijah felt tension in his chest—each kill had become a trigger point for success, but under pressure, timing slipped.
Round 1 (6–3 Win): Elijah secured an entry kill at mid-spire and crisply called "Catalyst!" WaveRider's flash stalled two defenders; GearShift secured one assist, and Elijah executed a precision revive. Round 2 (4–6 Loss): Turbo rotations caught Phoenix off-guard. Elijah triggered "Catalyst!" but teammates were late, costing them the retake. He felt his stamina dip; his calls sounded rushed. Round 3 (6–4 Win): Mental reset timeout. Elijah led five deep breaths, refocused, then delivered two kills and two perfect buffs in under three seconds. Round 4 (6–2 Win): Clean execution. Elijah dropped a smoke to cover teammate buffs and clocked his fifteenth Catalyst kill. Round 5 (5–6 Loss): A bait-and-trade gambit from Storm Breakers faked the buff zone; Elijah held "Catalyst!" too long, and timing broke.
Post-scrim, Forge pulled Elijah aside: "You're mastering the protocol, but you're straining. Trust your teammates without forcing every buff." Elijah nodded, feeling the burn of his single-minded chase.
Progress: 15/20 Catalyst Kills & Buffs
Afternoon Mental Reset
Back in the lounge, Elijah felt a headache forming. He closed his eyes and performed a Flow Reset:
Body scan: tense and relax each muscle group Breath sync: 4-count inhale, 6-count exhale Anchor mantra: whisper "Catalyst" on each exhale
Sparkline joined him quietly, matching his pace. Ten minutes later, Elijah exhaled fully, thirsting for water. His Stamina ticked back up from 7 to 8. He felt clearer, ready to press on.
Evening Open League Match
At 7 PM, Phoenix Vanguard's next Open League fixture began on Citadel's Shadow. Their opponent: Ember Syndicate, a mid-table squad that thrived on early aggression.
Round Breakdown
• Round 1 (Catalyst Kill #16): Elijah peeked A-long, downing Ember's entry fragger. "Catalyst!" he called. Teammates cascaded their micro-buffs; four revives followed under his ammo droppings. Win 6–3.
• Round 2: Ember responded with two-man mid rush. Elijah faked the buff, triggering "Catalyst!" as a feint—teammates held site for a 6–4 win.
• Round 3 (Catalyst Kill #17): Late-round clutch headshot on tunnel flank. Elijah called "Catalyst!" and executed a smoke reverse-rotate for two revives. Win 6–2.
• Round 4 (6–5 Loss): Exhaustion hit—Elijah's timing slipped by .5s, teammates tripped over cues, and Ember eked out a squeaker.
• Round 5 (6–4 Win): Back to form. Elijah recorded two kills and two buff triggers—Catalyst Kill #19 and #20!
By Round 5's end, Elijah had hit his goal: 20 Catalyst kills and 20 buff triggers in Open League.
Quest Completion & Aftermath
After the match, the in-house chat lit up:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Master Catalyst Protocol – Self-Achieved."
Rewards:
+2 Focus (96 → 98) +1 Confidence (Transcendent → Iconic) +0 Stamina (8 → 8, balanced) +1 Teamwork (100 capped)
Elijah leaned back in his chair, chest pounding in exhilaration. He realized he had fused his solo spark with his support flame—truly a Hybrid Catalyst. But the burn was far from over; the strain tested him physically and mentally. He pulled up his manifesto and penned the next self-quest:
"Ascend in Open League — Top 4 finish to earn full pro-league invites."