Chapter 86 - The Return to the Origin

​The rhythmic, cutting sound of blades slicing through the pristine ice of the university rink was the only echo breaking the absolute stillness of the private six-in-the-morning session. Outside the north coast sports complex, the seasonal mist was beginning to disperse little by little, allowing the first rays of a pale sun to filter very dimly through the large upper windows. Inside the arena, the frozen air felt clean, pure, and completely renewed, entirely stripped of the suffocating, uncomfortable atmosphere that the St. Petersburg delegation had imposed during the opening weeks of the regular season. The scent of metal, frozen moisture, and freshly brewed coffee drifting from the bleachers gave the place a welcoming touch, almost as if the entire rink had transformed into an exclusive refuge for the four of them.