Bladewarriors Book 1: Refresh

Myst took deep, labored breaths as she moved back a few steps, trying to put some distance between her and the ocean as she stared out into the bay. Just as she had thought, the Sentry stood there, eyeing her in disbelief.

"I killed you!" The monster screamed, his shock apparent.

"Did you?" Myst called back tauntingly. "Must have missed that."

"How are you alive!" The Sentry shouted, demanding an answer. But Myst didn't intend to give him one. If the beast knew Ivy could heal them, he would surely target the green haired girl first, and the nymph knew Ivy wasn't ready or able to hold off a serious onslaught from the monster. Though, that might have been true for the lot of them, given that the beast had now returned to the sea. Out there, he was much stronger. And out there, he was out of the direct reach of their swords.

The Sentry sneered, staring at these children, annoyance and frustration cascading out from the expression. He had surely underestimated these brats – somehow they were much more formidable than he expected. Even the witch seemed to be summoning strength she hadn't possessed in their prior fight. He wondered if the legends surrounding the blades were all true. Perhaps the truth behind their strength was their unity. Scowling, the beast decided there was only one proper way to end this. The priests of the realm would likely throw a fit, but he knew The Serpent would support his decision. The only way to end these troublesome Bladesmen was to wipe Sentinel Bay from the face of the world as originally planned. Letting out a deep breath, the monster turned, transforming his expression to a malevolent smile.

"Fine." He shouted back to the children on the beach. "I don't need to know. Well played, warriors. As a reward for your effort, I'll give you sixty seconds to ponder where you went wrong this day. Treat these last moments like the precious gift they are!"

Flare eyed the beast as it ducked beneath the waves, vanishing from view, the monster's words echoing through his mind. Where they had gone wrong that day? He didn't need a minute to figure that out. They're mistaken had been letting that squid return to the ocean. Even without knowing what the beast had planned, the redhead knew it couldn't be anything good.

"This is bad!" Myst confirmed for him, shaking her head as she took a step forward, trying to find any sign of the Sentry.

"What's he mean by last moments?" Frost questioned, eyeing the water distrustfully.

"Myst?" Ivy turned, questioning the nymph, a noticeable quiver of fear in her voice.

Flare likely would have joined in their questioning, but as he stared out to see, he found the answer himself. Far out, hundreds of feet from shore, the ocean was swelling. A noticeable hill of water was beginning to poke its head up, the sea rushing to it from all directions, increasing its mass and girth.

"He meant that." Flare answered for the girl, raising an arm to point at the expanding wave. The group all turned their focus to the swell, watching as it slowly piled up, slowly stretching not only vertically, but horizontally as well as it surged out in both directions, creating a mighty wave that stretched from one end of the bay to the other.

"He's creating a giant wave!" Ivy yelled, eyeing the ever growing mound.

"No…" Myst shook her head. "He's creating a tsunami!"

As the nymph spoke that word – 'tsunami' – a piercing pain pressed against her temples. Myst let out a shout, raising both hands to her head as the agony spread through her brain. The girl fell to her knees, clutching at her skull, trying to will the pain away, but it wouldn't budge. She had never felt anything like it – a searing surge, almost as if someone had plunged a knife into each side of her head.

And then, as suddenly as it had arrived, the pain released her.

Myst gasped, breathing hard as she continued to clutch her head.

"Myst!"

"Are you alright!"

The nymph felt a hand press against her shoulder as she heard the panicked response from her companions. A moment later, Flare's face pushed its way into her vision, staring into her eyes, searching for something.

"I'm alright…" She replied after a moment. "I just… I'm alright."

"What happened?" Frost questioned, sounding legitimately concerned. As Myst raised her head to look at him, she realized this was the longest the fool had gone without cracking some sort of joke, or acting like an idiot. Perhaps battle was where he shined.

"I don't know." Myst replied, rising back to her feet. "I just felt a pain in my head. It was… I don't know."

"You're okay, though?" Ivy questioned, concern in her eyes as she stared at the nymph. "I-I could heal you?"

"No, it's fine." Myst shook her head, turning back out to watch the ocean rise. "I'm fine. And we have a more pressing concern."

As Myst stared out at the wave, she realized it still appeared to be growing. As she stared at the swell, though, she could tell it was now because it was surging toward them.

"We don't have much time."

Myst clenched her teeth, gripping the weapon in her hand tighter as she stared at the approaching wave. She couldn't be sure of its size, or its speed, but she could take a rough guess. If she was right, the surge was at least a hundred feet tall and crashing toward them at what she could only assume was nearly a hundred miles an hour.

She spun around, turning to look at the city of Sentinel Bay. She wondered how many people had managed to get out in time, and how many people were still struggling to evacuate. Given that her group had warned the White Priest to not move too quickly for fear of attracting the Sentry's attention, she had to assume the majority of the town's citizens were still within the limits of the town, and in range of the approaching wave's destructive force.

"What are we doing!" Frost shouted, eyes widening as the massive wave approached them. "Why aren't we getting the hell out of here!"

"There's no time!" Myst shouted, clenching her eyes shut. She could think of only one thing to do, and it was a decision she knew she would not be proud of later. She opened her eyes, glancing at the scared and panicked faces of Frost and Ivy, and the stony glare of the redhead as Flare watched the approaching wave.

"Get behind me!" Myst yelled, spinning to move to the forefront of the group. "Get in close, and don't move!"

"What are you going to do?"

Myst turned her head, staring at the judging gaze of the redheaded warrior. As she stared into Flare's eyes, she felt he already knew the answer. So she didn't bother to respond. She instead focused on one thought:

I want to protect them!

The nymph turned forward, taking in a deep breath as the swell rushed towards them, already reaching the end of Sentinel Bay's piers and tearing them apart. She summoned up her strength, channeling as much of her magic as she could as she held her arms out in front of her. She hated herself for this decision already, but if she could protect their group – if she could save the lives of herself and the other Bladewarriors with her – then there would be a chance for retribution. It meant sacrificing the town, and its entire population, but if they survived…

The tsunami crashed to shore, overtaking the group of teenagers standing on the beach, crashing over their heads as it consumed everything, streaking up the land as it bombarded buildings. The entire dock area was ripped asunder in a matter of seconds, houses following as the massive swell of water crashed inland, surging upward, letting no force quell its might, and no object deter it from its appointed path. Houses and shops were ripped from their foundations, overwhelmed by the incredible and unnatural force of nature.

Beneath the massive surge, though, was a small bubble of protection. Sweat beaded across the nymph's forehead as she strained every fiber of her being, palms of her hands literally pressed against the onslaught of liquid trying to overtake her and the three warriors huddled behind her. The water unwillingly bent around her, barely giving her a gap in which to stand, and forcing the swordsmen and one swordswoman behind her to crush themselves together to avoid being gripped and stolen by the force of the water swirling around them.

"Myst!"

The girl clenched her eyes shut, hearing the judging tone of the redhead's voice behind her. She was certain she knew what thoughts were flowing through the warrior's head, but she didn't have the luxury to care at the moment – she didn't have the option to berate herself yet. Not until they were all safe. Though she could hear and see nothing but the frothy swell that surrounded them, and the judging hollers of the boy behind her, Myst knew the city of Sentinel Bay was being washed clean. The image of the streets full of people flashed through her mind, quickly replaced by a flash of the destruction that would be left when the wave receded. There would be no survivors. There would be no town. She felt the tears begin to form in her eyes, wishing that there was more she could have done, hating herself for allowing them all to perish, but…

"Myst!"

The girl felt a pair of hands clap down on her shoulder, forcing her to open her eyes. As she did, a single tear rolled down her cheek. But as she stared forward, it was the not the wall of frothy water that she saw; it was Flare's face that sat before her.

The nymph gasped, looking around, her bubble of protection gone… because the wave was gone.

"What is…?"

Myst turned her eyes back to Flare, staring out to the ocean that laid behind him. There, in the center of the bay, was the still building swell of the Sentry's wave. Myst stared, confused, before quickly spinning to look behind her. She thought she might see the ruins and rubble of the destroyed city, but instead found the town still sitting there peacefully.

"Are you alright!"

Myst lifted her eyes, turning them toward Ivy as the green haired girl questioned, her concerned. It was then that Myst realized her hands were clasped against her head, holding her skull as if it were in pain.

"What happened?" Frost questioned, sounding legitimately concerned.

Myst spun toward the white-haired warrior, a sense of déjà vu overtaking her as she stared at the man's worried eyes. She had seen this already.

Myst gasped, realizing what was going on, and quickly stood, pushing to the front of the group as she stared out at the ocean swell. What she had just experienced – what she had just seen – it was a premonition. The girl turned an eye downward, lifting the sword in her hand up slightly to stare at it.

"Are you trying to tell me… what I should do?"

The nymph questioned the blade rhetorically as she gripped down on it tighter. She spun her eyes back toward the swell, seeing it nearing completion.

"Get behind me." Myst ordered, beginning to summon up her strength. Her mind raced with the reason behind her vision, but she didn't have much time. The wave would be on them momentarily. She had to protect their lives, if nothing else.

"What are you going to do?"

Myst heard the redhead's question, but she didn't turn to look. She didn't want to see the boy's judging gaze. She simply shook her head, raising her arms as she prepared to mimic the events she had just foreseen.

"Hey!" Myst gasped as she was forcibly spun around, made to face Flare as he gripped her tight, staring intensely into her eyes. "What are you going to do!"

"I'm going to save us…" Myst answered plainly, trying to shake the boy off of her.

"Save us?" Flare questioned, still piercing her with his gaze. "How?"

"I can create a protective bubble!" Myst yelled, struggling to get free, trying to turn and face the wave. He was going to make her fail if he didn't release her. She had to concentrate. "I can protect us from the wave!"

"What about the town!" Flare yelled, shaking her a moment. The girl suddenly stopped struggling as he did. "What about all those people!"

The nymph paused, staring into the passionate eyes of the redhead gripping her, forced to look at the condemning expression painted across the boy's face. She turned her head down, looking away.

"So you're just going to let them die!" Flare yelled. "You're just going to abandon them!"

"What else can I do!" Myst yelled, still refusing to look up at the man holding her. "I can't stop a tsunami! I'm not that strong!"

"You're also not alone!"

Myst's eyes widened as the words struck her.

"You're not the only one here!" Flare continued, shaking her a moment. "Don't act like it's all up to you! And don't make decisions none of us are going to be able to live with!"

"…then what?" Myst whispered after a moment of silence. She could hear the sound of the wave beginning its approach. "What do we do!"

There was no response from the man holding her, other than to release her a moment later. She turned her eyes up as the hands were removed from her shoulders, watching as the redhead suddenly tore his sword from it's sheathe, rushing toward the water. He let out a massive scream, swinging the sword toward the wave as hard as he could muster. In response, a large expanding wave of fire flew out over the surface of the ocean, darting toward the distant wave before crashing into it harmlessly.

"I'm not going to just give up!" Flare screamed, slashing out again, sending another wave of fire.

"I'm not going to abandon these people!"

The boy slashed twice more, sending out two more massive surges of fire to try and counter the quickly approaching wall of water.

"What the hell is the point of having these swords if we're only going to protect ourselves!"

Flare screamed again, rage and frustration in his voice as he continued to swing wildly, as if he could boil away the entire ocean before the wave struck.

"I swore…" The boy paused, swinging his sword again. "I swore I'd never let anyone else be taken away by these monsters!"

Another burst of fire erupted from the boy's blade.

"I swore I'd protect every life that ever stood behind me!"

"Flare…" Myst called out to the boy as he hollered, but the redhead would not hear her.

"I'd rather die fighting pointlessly, then cower and watch others lives be taken!" Flare swung his sword back and forth, sending out slash after slash of flames, all of them zooming across the sea to crash into the tsunami pointless with a burst of steam.

"I won't just stand by and watch as this city is destroyed!"

Myst stood silently, staring at the boy as he swung his sword wildly through the air, grunting with each expenditure of strength. She didn't know what to do. Why was her vision wrong? Why did it change? She knew, if she wanted to, she could probably force the vehement guardian to the ground, constrain the man behind her in order to save his life… but she wasn't sure she wanted to.

The flash of her vision – the scene of destruction that had swirled around her – echoed through her mind. She recalled the hatred she had had for herself in making the decision, and the regret that had possessed her when she chose to forsake the town behind her. She wasn't sure she wanted to force those feelings on Flare. She wasn't even sure she wanted to deal with them herself.

"Son of a whore…"

Myst turned as Frost rushed past her, suddenly rushing to Flare's side to swing his sword as well, sending out an icy wave of cold hurtling toward the approaching swell. Myst watched as a large portion of the tsunami froze before being overtaken by the rest and pushed aside.

"I sure hope there's a cure for insanity!" Frost yelled as he continued to swing his sword along with Flare. "Because I'm tired of being swayed by your lunacy!"

Myst stared at the two incredulously, glancing to her side to spy Ivy. The girl had the same look of disbelief filling her eyes as she watched the two boys struggle helplessly against the oncoming wave barreling down towards them. But also mixed in those eyes, hidden beneath a layer of skepticism and doubt, was a glimmer of hope. It was faint, but as the green haired girl clenched tighter on the handle of her sword, furrowing her brow, Myst could tell she wanted to act as well. She wanted to help… she just wasn't sure how.

The nymph turned her eyes downward, staring at her own sword once more. The blade gifted – or perhaps cursed – her with the ability to foresee the future. The visions came randomly, without her desire or control, but they had nearly always been right. The only portent that had ever changed prior to her most recent one was the first vision she had ever had: her prophecy of her own battle against The Serpent. In her vision, every time she had seen it, she had failed – she had died. But now here she was, standing on Sentinel Bay's beach, fighting alongside other bearers of the Mystic Blades, seeing another vision that was not to play out the way she foresaw. So what was the point of showing it to her?

Myst gritted her teeth, raising her eyes to the approaching wave as Flare and Frost continued to fight pointlessly against the tsunami. The edge of the swell crashed into the first of the piers, shattering it instantly as it curled toward the beach at incredible speed. She hadn't the power to stop the wave alone, but—

Myst gasped, suddenly hearing Flare's words echo in her mind:

'You're also not alone!'

The nymph understood as she swung her head back toward the sword, understanding what the saber was trying to show it. It wasn't showing her the path she was supposed to take – it wasn't showing her how to save herself and her friends. It was showing her the fault in her logic. She wasn't alone anymore. She didn't have to use only her own strength against this tsunami. But unlike Flare, her sword hadn't meant the other teenagers gathered around her when it tried to show her she wasn't alone: it had meant itself.

Myst rushed forward, dashing between the warriors of fire and ice as they dropped their blades, staring at the daunting and growing hundred foot wave as it rose before them. The nymph gritted her teeth, eyeing the massive tidal wave, hoping she was right as she raised her own sword above her head. She focused her mind, her strength, on one thought:

Help me protect Sentinel Bay!

Myst swung the blade down, the edge of the saber shining with a brilliant blue light. As she swung, the edge of the sword crashed into some unseen wall, pressing tight against it as the tsunami welled up, slamming into the same invisible shield. Instantly the girl began to be pushed back, her feet sliding through the sand of the beach as the wave began to overtake her. She struggled – fought defiantly to summon up not only her own strength, but every ounce of power in her sword, trying to halt this disaster. If the power of a god could not stop this wave, nothing could! But as she continued to slide back, her magic quickly depleting, Myst wasn't certain it was enough. She clenched her eyes closed, willing her power to work harder, pleading with the water to recede, but it continued to push forward, edging its way toward the town. The nymph clenched her teeth. She needed more! More power!

Myst gasped as two sets of hands slammed into her back, pressing forward on her body as she slid back, gently beginning to slow her. She opened her eyes, spinning her head to glance over her shoulder as Frost and Flare struggled with all their might to hold her in place, the gritted teeth and scrunched faces showcasing the effort they were expending.

"Don't look at us!" Flare yelled, meeting her gaze. "Focus on that wave!"

"Yeah, I'd really rather not die today!" Frost shouted from beyond her other shoulder. "So if you could, you know, put a little effort in? That'd be great!"

Myst's expression became stern as she nodded, turning her focus back toward the wave as more and more water crashed against the invisible barrier that separated them from certain destruction. She pressed forward, shoving her sword against the same invisible wall as she willed the water to halt.

Ivy stared at her three companions, watching as they struggled against the Sentry's assault on the town. They all were fighting so hard – expending so much effort. And what was she doing?

The tomboy glanced around, realizing she wasn't doing anything. She stared at the blade in her hand. There was power in that double-helix sword, she knew there was. At one point, she had summoned it, raised a shield of vines for herself against The Tree Frog. And she had tapped into its power again to save Myst's live. Now, she needed to ask for its strength once more, try and recall what she did to summon it up. She had to help her friends.

Ivy swung her head up, watching as her companions were slowly edged backward by the force of the wave. She was sure, somewhere behind that wall of water, the Sentry was exuding all of its power to keep the wall of water moving. She needed to help her companions. She needed to keep them from sliding back. The tomboy raised the blade in her hand, hoping it worked the way she thought it did, then plunged it deep into the sand. In response to her desires, the sword reacted.

Surrounded by earth, the Thorn Cutter's power surged out. From the sand beneath Myst's feet burst thick green vines. The plant tendrils swung out, whipping around Myst's legs, gripping her to that spot. And as they did, Myst, Frost, and Flare stopped sliding backward. They stood, even with the wall of water, struggling to push it away.

Myst glanced down at the plants, a small smile curling her lips as she saw them. The nymph couldn't see the green-haired girl from where she was, but she was sure it was Ivy's doing. The woman from the Plant Realm was learning to use that sword of hers fairly quickly. But she didn't have to time to congratulate her new friend. Though she was not being pressed back any longer, the massive tsunami was still pressing against them all, trying to overwhelm them.

"This still isn't enough!" Myst yelled, glancing over each of her shoulders. "We need to force the water back! Otherwise, when out strength gives out, it'll just collapse on the town anyways!"

"What do you suggest!" Flare shouted back at her. "We're all a little occupied at the moment!"

"I have an idea!"

All three other Bladewarriors spun their heads to look at Frost as he made the announcement, a cocky grin on the boys face.

"You have an idea?" Ivy yelled, uncertain whether this bode ill or well for them.

"No offense, Frost, but… you don't always have the best ideas." Myst replied as well, dubious about trusting the fool.

"I'm aware!" Frost shouted back, still grinning. "But what do you really have to lose?"

Myst paused, turning to look at the massive wall of water in front of her. Her body was beginning to grow tired, trying to hold the tsunami at bay. It was only a matter of time before one of them gave out.

"Alright!" Flare yelled, nodding to the arctic warrior. "A fool's plan is better than no plan at all, I guess!"

"That's debatable!" Ivy argued.

"No, Flare's right." Myst nodded, turning to look over her shoulder at the white haired warrior supporting her. "And so is Frost. It's not like any one else as an idea, and if we don't do anything—"

"Yeah, yeah." Ivy cut her off, sighing loudly. "Just don't kill us even sooner!"

"No promises." Frost shouted back before turning toward Flare. "Do you think you can support Myst by yourself for a bit?"

Flare stared into the fool's eyes, trying to understand the man's plan, and trying to determine whether he could support the girl on his own. After a moment, Flare nodded.

"Not for very long, but… I think I have an idea."

Frost nodded. "Good. On three, then!"

"Wait!" Ivy shouted.

"One…"

"Frost, what's your plan!" Myst yelled as well as the boy counted.

"Two…"

"I hope you know what you're doing!" Flare bellowed, preparing himself.

"Three!"

As the arctic warrior shouted the final number he spun to the side, whipping out his Arctic Blade as he released Myst. Simultaneously, Flare spun around as well, pressing his back against the nymph's as he pulled out his own blade, pointing it toward the town. The sword began to glow for a split second before it exploded with a massive stream of fire, the force of the flames acting as propulsion to keep the girl from sliding.

Frost had no time to observe the incredible fireball the flamehead created, though, instead rushing toward the wall of water. Inwardly, he really hoped he knew what he was doing, because otherwise, there was a very distinct possibility his next movement would cause the massive wall of water to simply collapse and crush them all. Outwardly, though, the arctic warrior grinned confidently as he plunged his Arctic Blade straight into the water in front of him.

As soon as the sword's tip penetrated the wave, the water began to freeze, ice spreading in every direction. At first the expanding wave of frost would crack and shatter at the edges, pulled apart by the churning water, but as Frost plunged the sword deeper –fighting the force of the wave beyond – the ice grew stronger, and grew bigger.

Myst and Ivy watched in amazement as the wall of crystal slowly grew, stretching out from the Arctican's sword, its expansion increasing exponentially, moving faster and faster the longer the boy keep his blade within. As the ice expanded, the force pushing Myst and Flare back lessened, and the redhead ended his propulsive blast, turning to watch as the icy barrier was born. Ivy, as well, was eventually able to pull her sword free and release the vines around Myst's feet. And finally, after a few minutes time, Myst was able to lower her sword.

"So next time we decided to fight a crazy squid monster with the power to control water…" Frost dropped to his knees, shaking his head, feeling slightly light headed as his hands still held to the sword now immersed in ice above his head, "let's not do it next to the ocean."

"I can't believe it…" Myst choked out, staring at the massive glacier the boy had created. "We really did it!"

Flare took a few steps forward, placing his hand gently against the ice, feeling the biting cold of the frozen water. He grinned.

"Yeah… we really did."