Bladewarriors Book 1: Refresh

A pompously wicked grin spread over the Sentry's face as the witch in his grasp suddenly stopped moving – her limbs falling limp in the clutches of the sea. The beast chuckled, the bubbles rising gently to the surface as he stared at the floating mass of blue hair in front of him. It was almost too easy.

The beast turned his gaze up, spying the frozen platform marring the beauty of his waves. The fools there would need to be dealt with as well. Releasing his grip upon the witch, the squid kicked toward the bobbing platform, murderous intent gleaming in his eyes.

As the monster's slimy mitts finally relinquished their grip, Myst acted. Swinging her hand back and up, the nymph curled her own fingers around the Sentry's leg as he rose toward the surface. Startled, the beast swung his head down, eyeing her with a curious anger, pupils bound to the life that still filled the girl's eyes. The nymph wasted no time in answering the astonished gaze by swinging her blade through the water, toward the leg she held tight to. The beast attempted to react – to free himself – but his flailing leg did little as the witch tightened her grip. A cloud of pitch spread through the ocean as Myst's blade sliced through the monster's limb, freeing the beast's foot from its leg.

The Sentry howled, pulling away rapidly as a trail of expanding black fluid mingled with the salty brine around him. Slightly disgusted, the nymph tossed the foot aside, pushing it away from her as she swam back, trying to gain distance between herself and the plume of the Sentry's blood hanging in the water.

The Sentry gripped at his wounded limb, squeezing the leg just above the cut as he tried to slow and halt the flow of his putrid, dark blue blood into the ocean. He scowled, infuriated by the injury. He lifted his eyes toward the blue-haired witch, his gaze burning its way through the ocean to her defiant and confident glare. She would pay for this.

The beast released his leg, biding the pain as he took in a deep gulp of the ocean's waters. The calming liquid flowed into him, seeping its way through his body. The beast focused his mind, drawing power from the fluid. A moment later, the wound on his leg exploded, a writhing tentacle instantly growing from the injury, expanding to cover and replace it.

Myst gasped, wading through the water that surrounded her as she stared at the writhing mass. The slimy protrusion shook, flicking back and forth as if it had a mind of its own. A moment later, the chaotic nature of the appendage slowly calmed as it began to take shape, forming itself back into the foot Myst has just sliced free of the beast. The nymph raised her eyes to the Sentry's face as it reopened its beady, black eyes, glaring down at her. The Sentry wasn't formed from a squid. He was descended from an octopus!

Myst gritted her teeth, stealing a glance at the surface above. It seemed like a minor difference to most, but there were subtle distinctions between the two beasts. The nymph couldn't be sure if it would change this difficulty of the battle for the better, or the worse, or at all… but it definitely changed her understanding of what kind of monster she was fighting. At the very least, she now knew he was the kind of monster that could regenerate lost limbs!

The sentry burst forward, tearing through the water like a knife. Myst spun her head, frantically twisting around in the water, struggling go keep the beast in sight. The octopus grinned, elated as he watched the girl frantically fight to keep him in view. Beneath those waves, there were few creatures alive able to match his agility. He bent down, swirling beneath the girl before sharply arching up to attack from the deep.

Still twirling in the ocean, Myst flung her head down, staring into the pitch of the Sentry's eyes as he rocketed up toward her. She kicked her legs, struggling to remove herself from the beast's path, and falling short. The Sentry crashed into the nymph, ripping past her with incredible force as the water around him surged like daggers past the girl.

Must screamed, the sound muffled by the thickness of the aquatic atmosphere she was now trapped in as the Sentry tore past. The force of the impact sent her toppling through the water, careening head over heels through the blue. The nymph kicked and spun, trying to right herself. Slowing her chaotic spin just in time, she turned to spot the Sentry barreling toward her once more - this time from the side. No time to dodge, the nymph gritted her teeth and braced for impact, her muscles tensing.

Once more the octopus tore by her, sending her reeling as the force of the blow overtook her. Myst grunted and groaned as the world became a spiral of blue. A wave of nausea surged up, brought on by the twirl as she tried to right herself, her eyes struggling to scan the sea as she did.

Once more, the Sentry darted about for another attack. The beast grinned deviously, eyeing the overwhelmed girl as she fought to face him - struggling to maintain sight of him. At this rate, the witch would be lucky to last another minute.

The Sentry was like a hummingbird beneath the waves the way he darted about and suddenly changed direction. With the way he was moving, Myst was quickly beginning to realize this was a one sided battle. She could barely recover let alone dodge as the octopus came at her from all sides. If she didn't come up with something quick, she was sure the beast would finish her off. But what could she do? With the way he moved through the water, how could she do anything!

Myst grunted as the beast struck her again, knocking her through the waves. She needed to stop him, or at least slow him down. But so long as the octopus was in the water, she had no chance of that.

Myst gasped, inspiration striking as the Sentry circled around once more. The nymph gritted her teeth, summoning up as much power as she could as she channeled the strength through her saber. As the monster darted toward her, she willed the magic to expand outward, one thought consuming her mind:

I want to be dry!

The ocean responded, bending away from the girl, unable to resist the overwhelming force of the nymph's blade. The water tore away, stretching out from the girl as a bubble formed around her.

In response, the monster's eyes widened as he tried to stop, thwarted by his own speed. The beast burst into the bubble, crashing through the surface as if it were glass - the bubble strengthened by the nymph's Surface Tension. Even with the deceleration forced upon the beast by the bubbles tenacity, though, he was still traveling at great speed. Myst had no choice but to leap to her side to avoid the monster, barely managing her escape. As she dodged to her side, and the beast zipped past her shoulder, the bubble around her began to collapse. The tensile strength of the sphere had been disturbed by the Sentry's intrusion. And as the nymph dodged back into the sea, and the octopus crashed through the other side of the failing globe, the circle finally broke, giving way back to the ocean. But it had done its job – at least for the moment.

The nymph spun a moment in the water, taking a second to right her self as the nearby area shook with her sphere's collapse, water rushing back to fill the void. Her eyes found the Sentry as the beast shook off the impact of his own strike, turning his eyes toward the blue-haired nymph, those pools of black oozing with hatred.

"Clever." The beast spoke, his voice sounding strangely normal beneath the waves, the gurgling side-effect gone. "But that won't be enough."

The beast surged forward once more, rocketing through the water with the same staggering speed. At the close distance that separated them, Myst had little time to gasp, let alone try and dodge, or reform another of her Bubbles. The octopus struck, straight-on and hard, forcing the air – or, rather, the water – from the nymph's lungs. The girl spun through the ocean as the Sentry spun away, circling around for another attack. She wheezed, coughing as she struggled to recover, knowing another strike was coming. She had to react – she had to counter it!

Myst focused her mind, forming an image of that same sphere in her head. She needed it again. Gripping tightly to the blade in her hands, the nymph once more mingled her power with the swords, willing the water away from her. And once more, that bubble sprang to life, forcing the ocean to retreat.

The nymph took in a deep breath of the air – somehow finding it preferably to the salty brine – as she turned her sights toward the speedy octopus, watching as the beast suddenly curved away at the last second, avoiding her sphere. Myst spun her head, following the monster's movements, studying his speed. There had to be something she could do – other than hiding away like she was – to counter the beast's agility, but what?

Myst didn't have long to ponder the question, as the Sentry came to a halt, turning to face her bubble. The beast stretched an arm out, palm facing toward her, and crushed his fingers into a tight fist. Before the nymph had time to consider what he was doing, her bubble collapsed around her, water surging in from all sides. She grunted, gaze still focused on the beast as he darted away through the waves, attempting to circle around to attack once more. She had to come up with something else!

Gritting her teeth, little option at the time, Myst conjured up her bubble shield once more. In response, yet again, the octopus swerved away at the last instant, skidding against the edge of her aquatic barrier as he attempted to avoid it. The beast wasted no time, though, once he was safely beyond the spherical shield, twisting back to crush it with a simple gesture of his hand. Once more, the sea cascaded in around Myst, leaving her trapped in the waves. The nymph took in a deep breath of the brine, moaning at the repetitive nature of the battle. This was getting her nowhere.

The nymph spun her eyes toward the Sentry once more, trying to come up with a plan of action. Her mind raced, watching as the beast soared through the waves like a falcon through the air, a trail of bubbles and rippled water emanating from behind him as he began to circle around once more. If only she could move that fast – how did he do it!

Myst raised her blade, invoking that same bubble around her as the Sentry pulled close. This time, though, the beast made no move to dodge the hanging sphere. A hand stretched out from the monster, reaching toward the blue-haired girl as it crushed down, balling into a fist. The nymph gasped as her bubble began to collapse, before the beast diverted from his path. In the last moments of the shield's coherency, Myst ducked low, allowing herself to slide from the bubble and into the water. Waves crashed down on her head, filling the void she had created an instant before the octopus rocketed above her, barely missing her noggin as he flew by. As he passed, Myst once again felt the pressure of the waves surging around the beast, but then she felt something new. A powerful, yet focused burst of water traveling in the opposite direction, the edges of its power striking the back of her head. The blue-haired girl gasped, spinning around to watch as the beast jetted away through the water.

She understood, now. She knew what to do.

The Sentry tilted his head behind him, glaring at the evasive nymph. He had messed up – he had crushed her bubble too soon. Fear of striking the dense surface had prompted him to crush it with plenty of distance remaining, but it had also given the girl enough time to sink out of his path. Now that the witch was expecting the tactic, accomplishing it would be a bit more tricky, but at least he knew she would present him with plenty of opportunities to do so – she had no other choice when faced with his speed.

The octopus bent around, spiraling back through the sea as he darted from side to side, encroaching on the nymph once more. He would have to risk colliding with the barrier and wait a few moments longer this time, but once he found the right moment, this battle would be decided. Sneering, the monster cut through the ocean, homing in on the nymph as she hung beneath the waves, glaring defiantly at him. She could wade there, glaring all she liked. It was one's right to do whatever they wanted in their final moments.

As the Sentry grew closer, preparing his assault, though, he realized the girl was not summoning her shield. He wondered absently if she was trying to wait before summoning it in order to counter him, but didn't waste precious moments debating what to do. Nothing was gained from doing nothing. Decisive action was required for victory. If she would stand, then he would strike. The beast dove straight in, barreling towards the girl who still did not defend, a burgeoning smile twisting the beast's face. No defense to stop him, the Sentry rammed out at the girl… and missed.

The octopus gasped as the blue tendrils of the girl's hair suddenly jumped to the side, the witch vanishing from his sight a mere moment before he stabbed through the waves she had just occupied. The beast spun his head back as he flew through the sea, eyeing the girl as she turned, her defiant glare now a mocking grin as she lifted a hand, egging him on to try again. The beast snarled, coming to a sudden halt as he spun to face the girl fully, enraged and confused. How had he missed!

Myst stared back at the beast, gripping tight to her blade, incredibly glad her gamble had paid off. When the idea had hit her – when she realized how the Sentry was propelling himself – she had no idea how well the tactic would work for her, but she knew she had to try. And to her great relief, it had worked perfectly – better than she had hoped. With the stolen technique, the battle had just become slightly more even.

The nymph readied herself as the Sentry burst forward again, no longer attempting to confuse her with his spiraling barrage as he simply shot straight toward her. She lifted her sword, narrowing her eyes, focusing on the approaching target as she aimed to repeat the most recent turn of events. Just as the Sentry grew dangerously close, Myst conjured her sword's power, expelling it from the tip of the blade as she tilted its point directly to her side. In response, a surge of water exploded from the pinnacle of the sword, pushing her quickly to the side, out of the path of the rampaging octopus.

Myst gritted her teeth, cutting off the powerful jet of water as she spun her blade around in a full arch, slicing just as the Sentry passed by. Unfortunately, just like the last time, the nymph was a split second too slow, missing the beast as he soared passed. She grunted, annoyed with her own inability as she turned to watch the monster twist to face her again, a look of comprehension coating his expression. He understood now as well. She had copied the way he moved – the method he used to propel himself – by expunging a focused stream of highly pressurized water from her sword. If that were the case, there was no longer a need to sit and wait.

Myst swung her sword back, pointing the tip behind her as she invoked her blade's magic once more. As the jet of water burst from its tip, the nymph shot forward, cutting through the waves with the same speed the Sentry had. She quickly approached the beast, swinging her blade out as the gap was closed, but once again missed as the Sentry jetted upward, dodging her strike. The monster wasted no time as he hung there, though, and quickly kicked down at her, thrusting himself toward her at top speed. The nymph countered as well, using her blade to push herself back and out of the way, leaving the monster hanging in front of her yet again. Lunging, she slashed out, slicing through the ocean like air, but still failed to hit her mark as the octopus dashed away into the blue.

Myst cursed at her self, spinning her head to follow the beasts retreat as he swam around, circling behind her. She would not play the sitting duck any longer – not now that she could give chase. Aiming her blade, the nymph erupted toward the monster, attempting to maneuver herself to a point somewhere ahead of the beast.

As she neared, the monster quickly drew himself to a stop, spinning toward her as he swung a kick toward her chest. The nymph made no attempt to dodge, instead twirling her sword forward, taking the strike as she swung up through the beast's limb. Once again, the muffled scream of the octopus tore through the ocean as that familiar dark blue blood began to cloud the water.

Myst spun further into the blue, clutching at her chest – she hadn't expected the strike to hit her so hard, pain surging through her torso. She bode through the pain, clenching her teeth, as she flipped a few times through the water, slowing until she found herself nearly upside down, staring back at the injured octopus. The nymph's eyes fell on the beast just in time to watch the monster re-grow the severed limb once more before turning his gaze upon her. A shiver passed down the blue-haired girl's spine as the Sentry's beady black eyes fell upon her, as if death itself was emerging from those pools of pitch to grip at her soul. She could tell, if nothing else, he was not pleased.

"That's twice, now…" The Sentry seethed, voice quaking with restrained rage. "There's an old saying that goes something like…"

The beast paused, letting his eyes slip closed as he tried to recall the passing phrase.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times…"

The Sentry stopped again, opening his eyes to shine the wrathful glare upon the girl once more.

"There will be no third time."

A roar shook the ocean, the water seeming to tremble as it erupted from the Sentry's throat. The nymph quivered, feeling as if the blood flowing through her was responding as well – shaking at this unseen force – this unbridled rage. The next instant, The Sentry was shrouded in black as a thick plume of darkness erupted from his body, rushing through the ocean in every direction. Myst was barely able to gasp, let alone react as the black cloud overtook her, consuming everything as it replaced the clear blue water.

The nymph spun, twisting back and forth, trying to see something – anything. But all that was around her was the beast's darkness. Fearful and uncertain what secrets the ominous plume held, Myst pointed her blade toward where the beast had last been before everything was replaced by the black, pushing its energy out to propel herself backwards. But as moments passed, her power surging, the darkness still remained.

Myst gasped, letting her sword drop as she cut off the flow from the blade. Something was wrong – this ink she was in could not possibly have spread that far. She spun around, looking back and forth, and still found nothing. Nothing but the black. Something was very wrong.

As the nymph floated there, panic rising in her heart, a powerful blow struck her from below. The girl screamed, reeling through the waves as she flew up, pain raging through her body. She barely had time to recover before yet another struck her, this time from the side. Once more, agony spread through her being as she was pushed through the waves. She gritted her teeth, clutching her sword. A moment later, a familiar void opened in the water, surrounding the girl as the black mixture was pushed away.

Myst coughed, slinging to the bottom of the sphere as she gripped at her wounds. The blue-haired girl turned her eyes down to the injuries, eyeing the stains of blood spreading across her clothes. How had the beast pierced her! He had no weapon! Better yet, how was he able to see her! The nymph raised her eyes, staring into the abyss that surrounded her. Now what was she supposed to do?

Time did not favor the girl, as the next second, her aquatic sanctuary bent in, crushed together by a familiar – but now unseen – outside force. Myst squealed, quickly raising her sword. She couldn't let the barrier fall – she couldn't return to that gloom. She willed the walls to reform, forcing the bubble to pop open again, though much smaller in size.

Now what could she do!

Above the waves, the clouds still clung to the sky, darkening the world below ever so slightly as a single, lone berg of ice floated gently on the undulating sea, surrounded by debris of a once whole ship. The redhead standing upon that chunk of frozen water grimaced, staring down at the blackened waters that seemed to stretch nearly to the horizon, consuming the entire ocean in an impenetrable pitch. Until a moment prior, Flare, Frost, and Ivy had peered into those waters, watching anxiously as their friend battled – struggled – against the might of the Sentry. It had been one of the hardest things the flame-headed boy had ever had to do – to stand there, useless.

Flare clenched his fist, a foreboding feeling surging through his body as he stared at those black waters. Standing atop that piece of ice, watching as Myst struggled… he had had to fight nearly every instinct within him to not jump in and try to help. In fact, he nearly had until Frost and Ivy had pulled him back, countering his desire to help with blunt, and powerful logic: he would only be a burden in this battle – they all would.

He and Frost could not swim – the concept of 'swimming' barely existed to Flare. It had always been a fantasy in his home – an unrequited dream. Even if he or the fool could swim, though, neither of them would be much use beneath the waves. The redhead's flames would have been doused instantly, and the ice child's cold would have backfired – as they had seen happen not long before that. Ivy was the only one of them who could swim, and could use her sword beneath the ocean's surface, but the sad fact was that she would have been more of a target than an ally. There really was no way they could help the desperate nymph beneath the sea.

"What's going on?" Ivy spoke up, frowning at the dark water. "Is Myst alright?"

"I don't know…" Flare replied, the words grating on his spirit as he spoke them aloud.

"I don't like this…"

The redhead averted his eyes from the sea a moment, turning them toward the white-haired warrior beside him. The sobering and serious tone with which he spoke only lent to the anxious emotions they all were feeling. To hear the fool speak so candidly… it was unnerving.

"Isn't there anything we can do!" Ivy exclaimed, raising her gaze toward the redhead beside her.

Flare clenched his fist even tighter, spying the desperate stare the green-haired girl was throwing his way – as if he had the answer. But for once, he wasn't sure he did. He wasn't sure he could solve this problem. What could any of them do?

"Ah, damn it!" Frost shouted, plunging his blade violently into their platform, staring down at the opaque surface. "If only we knew what was going on! Or how this would play out!"

Flare's fist loosened, the boy lifting his eyes as his mouth opened. He spun his head toward the ice child, staring at the fool like he was mad.

"What… did you say?"

Frost blinked, slightly unnerved by the intense stare he was suddenly receiving. He glanced toward Ivy a moment, receiving only an unknowing shrug from the girl, before he turned back toward Flare.

"I said… I wished I knew how this would end."

"That's it…" Flare averted his gaze, staring at the waves as his mind raced. He did know how this would end – or how it might end, at least. Myst had told him, herself.

"That's it!" Flare yelled aloud, turning his eyes toward the gloomy sky, eyeing those immortal clouds. They had to go.

"Wh-what's it?" Frost asked, uncertain and confused by the sudden outburst.

Flare chose to ignore the question, instead watching those clouds roll by, remembering his late night chat with the blue-haired girl. She had told him, specifically, what would happen. Or, perhaps not specifically… but without knowing it, she had told him how to help her right now. He had to bring her the light of the sun. He had to destroy those clouds. Gripping his fist, clenching his teeth, the redheaded boy glared at those plumes of water in the sky. If Frost could alter their strength, why couldn't he?

The fiery youth reached up, ripping the Flame Sword from its sheath, turning the tip of the sword toward the distant sky. He narrowed his eyes, trying to guess at the time of day – trying to aim directly for the sun beyond. The blade's magic swelled, a fiery glow beginning to shine from the weapon as Flare glared at the sky.

"Flare?"

He ignored Ivy's questioning tone, focusing on his strength. This would take a great deal of effort, but he would burn those clouds until there was nothing left.

Flare roared, shouting to the heavens as his power erupted from the sword, soaring to the sky. The entire blade of the weapon seemed to transform, consumed by the heat and light of the fire it held until only a massive flame remained. The tendril of fire stretched out, surging to the sky, becoming a lance as it struck out at the heavens, cheered on by the boy's yell. The flames licked at the sky, scarring the cloudy surface, burning through the condensed vapor until, suddenly, a beam of light crashed down, showering itself upon the three teens standing atop the water.

The beam of sun pierced through not only the clouds, but into the pitch that had become the ocean. The rays of light burnt their way through the black, carving their path down, making themselves known. They were impossible to ignore, drawing Myst's attention as they traveled to the depths.

The nymph blinked, believing she had to be imagining the light shining from within the abyss that surrounded her. She could see it – she could follow it – as it dove into the depths of the ocean, cutting a path through the thick ink. Instantly, her mind was drawn back to her vision – to the rays of the sun that had shown her safety. This was it.

Myst didn't stop to question where the light had come from, or what she was doing as she dove through her bubble, into the black. She spun her blade behind her, pushing herself through the water with its power as she aimed for that light. She didn't make it far before something struck her from the side, knocking her off course, but she bode through the pain, ignoring the attack as she renegotiated her heading. Another attack came as she closed in on the light, but she ignored that too. She stayed focused, surging toward that symbolic sanctuary.

Once more Myst was struck before she reached the source-less glow, but upon reaching it, the girl didn't care. She turned her head up, staring along the trail the light had carved, peering up at the water's surface. Then she remembered, in her dreams, her friends had been within the light. She would need them, as well. The nymph burst upward, powering her locomotion with her blade's magic, surging toward that distant surface. Before she could reach it, though, she was knocked off course yet again.

Myst grunted, turning an eye toward the light as she was struck, finding the menacing face of the Sentry staring back at her, hanging in the glow for a moment before retreating back into the dark. It was no surprise that he had no intention of letting her escape so easily, but she also had no intention of giving up. The nymph burst forward again, shrouding herself in the penetrating glow, surging once more toward the surface. She didn't slow and didn't flinch as the octopus soared into her path once mroe, attempting to keep her from her goal. Shifting the aim of her blade, the nymph forced herself into an ascending spin, twirling around the Sentry as she rushed toward the surface, slipping past the beast.

The Sentry scowled, roaring as he bent up after her, stretching out to try and catch the girl. He couldn't help but be surprised by the nymph's speed as she continued to pull away from him, ever so slightly. In all his years, he had never met a creature that had been able to surpass him when submerged. All the more reason he needed to eliminate this witch.

Myst gripped tighter to her blade, the crests of the waves nearing, the beast close on her tail. She didn't know what to expect once she hit the surface, but the sight that filled her eyes as she burst up from beneath was the last thing she was expecting. A massive stream of fire erupted upward, born from the hilt of the redhead's sword, burning a hole through the clouds just big enough to shine on her.

The girl's eyes lowered spotting Frost as she began to lift above the waves, still propelled by the force her sword was creating. She knew the Sentry was right behind her – and the beast needed to be stopped now. Twisting, the nymph began to form a plan, her eyes turning down to meet the Sentry's as he burst up after her, chasing her into the air.

"Frost!"

The Sentry was surprised by the witch's sudden shout as he stretched his hand out for her, hoping to drag her back into the black abyss he had created. It was only as the girl shouted the name that he was made aware of just how close to the girl's comrades he had emerged. The beast spun his head to the side, eyes widening as the white-haired warrior came into view, the boy's sword pointed straight at him. He had no time to dodge or weave out of the way as he hung in the air above the waves. There was no way for him to avoid to chilling arctic blast that erupted from the tip of the warrior's blade, completely coating the monster in its power.

The Sentry screamed, the cold feeling almost as if it were burning his skin away. He felt his muscles contract, and his limbs tighten. There was little way for him to know for sure, but the monster could almost swear he could feel the blood within him solidifying as he hung there, frozen in the air by the boy's power. Moments seemed to turn to hours until, finally, the gush of frigid white magic released him – cut off by the source. But even as the magic faded, the frigid chill still clung to the beast as he continued to hang in the air, his entire body rigid and unresponsive. Frozen, the beast could do nothing but stare as the boy stood and grinned back at him.

Myst crashed back into the waves, ducking back into the dark for only a moment. For as the girl lifted her head back above the surface, the blank ink that clouded it began to dissipate, vanishing as its creator hung, encased in ice. She turned her eyes to the redhead as Flare ended his stream of flames, lowering his blade as he collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. He turned to her as well, grinning as he nodded.

"I figured it out."

Myst stared, awestruck by the fiery youth. She had told him of her vision… so he had made it come true. Or did it come true because she had envisioned it? If she hadn't told him about the sunlight, would he still have acted? Her mind raced with possibilities for a brief moment before she shook them from her head, replacing them with a genial smile as she turned back to the boy.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one to do that." Myst swam to the edge of the frozen platform, pulling herself from the waves as she spoke.

"You were taking too long." Flare joked, reaching out to help pull her up.

"What the heck are you guys talking about?" Frost scratched his head, staring down at Flare and Myst as they both collapsed onto the ice, resting.

"It's a long story." Myst replied, shaking her head, not wanting to explain.

"We've got time." Frost countered, crossing his arms.

"Not to be a bother, but…"

The group turned their heads in unison toward the green-haired girl as Ivy spoke, finding her pointing toward the frozen mass that had once been the Sentry. Each of them followed the gesture, turning to stare at the monster-shaped ice cube, gasping as they laid eyes upon what Ivy saw.

"I don't think we do have the time." Ivy stated, worry in her eyes as the group watched the Sentry's fingers slowly wiggle.

The beast was still alive.

The nymph pushed herself up, scowling as the beast returned the angry glare. His eyes were focused on her, a burning rage filling them as he struggled to free himself, slowly forcing the arctic chill that gripped him to fade as he struggled to move. They couldn't leave him there – he posed too big of a threat. Myst rose to her feet, gripping the blade in her hand, raising it above her head, ready to strike.

"No."

The nymph paused, turning toward the redhead as he got to his feet as well, shaking his head.

"Allow me."

"Flare?" Myst responded, questioningly, staring at the boy as he raised his blade, stepping in front of her.

"No, Flare, you'll melt the ice!"

The redhead ignored Ivy's warning as he stared at the beast trapped beneath Frost's arctic magic. The monster glowered back at him, almost seeming to grin. Flare could tell the monster was thinking the same thing – that his sword would free him from the cold that encased him. And that was probably true.

Flare lifted his blade, suddenly tossing it gently into the air, spinning it around so the subdued, back edge of the sword swung to the front as he caught it in his grip once more. It was probably true, but by the time it did, it wouldn't matter.

The redhead lifted the sword, raising it above his head before quickly slashing down, the edge of the weapon sliding clean through the beast. But as the calm edge of the blade sliced the octopus in half, it left no cut or scar. The blade slid through the monster's body, leaving no trail in its wake.

The Sentry grunted trying to turn his eyes down as the blade passed through him. He could feel it – he could feel its heat – but he could not feel the edge. There was no pain, and their was no tearing or ripping of his flesh – just a brief and trivial warmth. Then the cold returned.

The octopus raised his gaze, turning his eyes back to the redhead as the boy raised his sword and returned the blade to its sheath. There was a look of sadness there – almost like regret – as the redhead met his gaze. The sentry got the impression… the boy was pitying him.

It was then that the first sensation of pain struck. A brief grunt echoed out of the Sentry's throat as a piercing, burning pain erupted in his gullet, lasting less than a second, but so intense he could barely stand it. The Sentry tried to look down again, trying to see where he had been slashed, but he could not bring the area into view. Another moment passed, and a dull warmth began to build within him. At first it seemed almost inconsequential, but as time passed, the heat grew to nearly unbearable heights. Despite this, though, the cold still clung to him – he was still frozen solid.

The Sentry's mind raced, trying to correlate the two opposing forces. He was sure – he could feel it – the heat building within him, searing his insides. But despite the growing warmth, his body still felt cold – it still laid frigid and stiff. The more he focused on the heat, the more it seemed to grow. And when he tried to ignore it, a searing pop would explode within him, forcing him to pay attention to the internal inferno. He wanted to scream, but his mouth refused to open. The pain was unlike anything. It wasn't much longer before the burning seemed to consume him fully – his thoughts themselves seemed to be on fire. And then…

Frost blinked, staring as a dim red flash emanated from the frozen mass that was the Sentry. He lowered his eyes, staring at the beast's chest, trying to find where he had seen Flare cut the beast, but there was no gash. Confused, the white-haired boy turned his eyes to the wiggling fingers of the monster, watching as the slowly stopped moving, then fell lifeless.

"What…?"

Ivy seemed to echo his thoughts as she asked the question, shaking her head.

"What did you do?" Myst finished the question, standing to lay a hand on the monster. As she did, she felt… nothing. It was as if she were touching a piece of icy stone, rather than a frozen creature. She lifted her gaze, staring into the Sentry's eyes and found… nothing.

"I took care of him." Flare stated, dropping to a seat on the icy platform, sheathing his blade.

"Took care of him… how?" Frost questioned, turning to look at the redhead.

Flare grinned, tilting his head back to meet the fool's gaze.

"It's a secret."