May's POV
After I watched Max run off under Amethyst's frantic command, we all continued fighting against the shadow warriors with much struggle. I watched those three shadow warriors clamber after Max as soon as he shot off into the distance but I was in no place to save him after being cornered with Drew and Brendan by even more shadow warriors. No matter how many times we knocked them down, they just kept coming back. Whenever they got back on their feet, they seemed to become stronger than they were before being knocked down, adding to the struggle of the battle.
"Drew!" I yelled in panic as he was getting flanked from behind by a shadow warrior and I managed to knock the sword out of its hand, Drew staring at me in surprise.
"Thanks." He nodded at me before slashing a nearby soldier with his daggers.
I glanced over at Amethyst who seemed to be watching over Max as he continued his frantic sprint towards the castle and we could still see him faintly in the distance, but those shadow warriors were gaining on him. I wanted to run over and help him but he was alone for this one. We were in a pinch at this stage and there was no way we could have the chance to help him and I worried for my brother. Amethyst seemed to notice as she yelled towards me.
"Are you alright to handle things here by yourself for now until Max gets help?" Amethyst shouted from her position and I stared at her thoughtfully before nodding.
"Please, look after my brother!" I yelled back and Amethyst nodded and gave me a thumbs up.
"Don't worry, I'll do just that." Amethyst reassured me before weaving her way through a group of shadow warriors lunging towards her.
She burst through them and sprinted after Max and I sighed a breath of relief as I watched after them. I didn't want to lose my brother after I just found him again. I spun back around, not letting myself get distracted anymore as I launched myself back into battle. I was ready to plunge my sword straight through the armour of a shadow warrior nearby when they suddenly stopped moving, startling me. I drew my sword back out of confusion. I tapped the shadow warrior but it didn't budge. It was as though they had 'shut down' or something. Their gleaming red eyes turned green for a split second before returning to their original colour. Then their bodies began to convulse weirdly and I shuddered at the sight. I glanced at the rest of our group and we all huddled together by instinct. I was almost certain everyone was thinking the same thing.
"What's going on?" Leaf yelled with uncertainty as we stared at the shadow warriors surrounding us who no longer seemed to have the intent to kill as they stood convulsing on the spot.
"No clue." I responded to Leaf while the rest of us were staring worriedly at the soldiers in front of us.
"This is odd. Something's not right." Brendan pointed out and I agreed with him.
I noticed Brendan inch closer to me with a protective stance as he stood beside me, Drew standing close by as well. I felt sandwiched between the two but I ignored it as I focused on the situation in front of me. Then the soldiers stopped moving, their bodies standing motionless. Their eyes flashed green once again as though registering something in their lifeless brains. Then they all spun to face us. I then realised the stupidity of our position. The shadow warriors were very quick in surrounding us, a bunch of them enclosing us in a circle.
"I think it was a bad idea to huddle like this." I stated and everyone nodded in agreement but we all knew it was a bit too late.
The soldiers stared at us blankly. They had stopped moving once more. Just waiting. We all stood expectantly in our little huddle before one of us took a step forward. A sword was suddenly lashed out at the ground, dirt spraying us as the blade struck the ground. The action was so swift we didn't even have time to register what had happened. We all gaped at the soldier in shock as soon as it had happened. Everyone stood frozen, not even a breath escaping our mouths as we silently contemplated what had just happened.
"I guess we can't move then." Gary spoke up nervously, his voice shaking, and we all agreed silently knowing that he was right.
But if we couldn't move, what could we do? I had the idea to attack them head on but I decided against it because that would put our lives more at risk than they already were. Before I could say anything, the soldiers convulsed once more, their eyes flashing once again before they straightened up and took a step closer. Without any proper emotion in their eyes, it was almost impossible to know their intent. But this time they didn't stay in place as they took that step forward. They took another step, then another before they were only inches away from us. Dangerously close. None of them drew their weapons, instead we were unexpectedly grabbed by the wrists. I felt my friends behind me struggling and I could hear some yelps of surprise. I too was shocked by their sudden action. But the only problem was, I couldn't escape the shadow warriors iron grip. I attempted lashing out but to no avail. I tried to step on the warriors foot, or even kick its stomach but it didn't help. I was captured. I felt uncomfortable staring into the blood-red eyes of the warrior who had a chilling presence causing me to flinch. The more I moved, the tighter the grip on my wrists and I winced in pain, feeling their armoured fingers dig into my skin.
Myself, Drew and Brendan were all dragged over to a giant boulder nearby and they somehow had chains to bind us together. I yelped when the chain tightened against my wrists, feeling the metal squeeze against my skin. I glanced over at Drew and Brendan who were bound to the same chain around our wrists. We were all connected, meaning that if we moved our arms, someone's chain would get tighter. We were stuck, and there seemed to be no way of getting out of this without getting killed.
3rd Person POV
The group was bound in chains together, each of them helplessly struggling only to see nothing change. They slowly got weaker and weaker over time, their energy depleting from all the fighting they'd done earlier. The shadow warriors were still, as though made of stone. Their eyes were blaring red light as they had earlier and they stood in front of the group in a defensive line as though any of them could escape.
Swords were drawn to their bodies, menacing, thirsty for blood. May felt her eyes widen as she noticed their stances. Something bad was about to happen. She gulped, praying that Max would return soon with help.
Over with Ash, Misty, Gary and Leaf, the shadow warriors stood around them, trapping them in a deathly circle. Exhaustion weighed down on the four of them, each of them helplessly turning to one another with desperation in their eyes. They were running out of options.
Paul, Brendan and Kenny were in the same situation nearby, the remaining shadow warriors taking up the same stance. They were all trapped.
All three groups didn't stand a chance against the shadow warriors. No matter what they did, they'd just come back. And now, this was the final stretch.
"We're going to die." May mumbled as she slumped her shoulders, Drew and Brendan looking at her helplessly as the girl gave into her fate.
The shadow warriors took a step closer, swords ready to draw blood. And then they swung.
Just before that happened, a miracle occurred. Time seemed to slow down for four certain boys. Drew, Ash, Gary and Paul all felt their bodies convulse, sending something pumping through their veins. An image was sent into their minds, a horrific image. All three groups were bloodied and battered, everyone lying on the ground in a horrid mess, struggling to catch their last breaths. Tears were shed, bodies were left for dead.
The vision they saw was so vivid, it was as though they could predict what might happen in the near future. A future only moments away.
A voice echoed in their minds, a strange and unfamiliar voice that sent shivers down their spines.
"You are fire, the blood to save them all." The voice whispered, the four boys shuddering in response.
Their bodies suddenly felt warm, a sizzling sensation that sent their blood boiling. Like they had just been ignited.
The shadow warriors froze, sensing an aura that shouldn't be in existence. And to everyone's surprise, they hesitated.
"Now." The four boys said in sync, eyes shut with concentration, feeling a deep power within their bodies.
Something distant, as though it had been awakened. Something that had been bundled up in their bodies for years, now surfaced. A magic of a great power.
"Fire." The four of them whispered, feeling a hot tingle in their skin, as though they had been engulfed in flames.
May and Brendan stared in shock as Drew had his eyes shut, the heat radiating off of his body was overwhelming. The chain that bound them together began to heat up, melting slowly. To their surprise, the chain completely snapped in half, the metal having completely turned to liquid.
"D-drew?" May uttered out in both fear and relief.
He opened his eyes, the usual glow of emerald in his irises turned to a blood red colour. He looked at her with a smirk on his face and she felt her breath hitch in her throat.
"We'll all be just fine." He told her and Brendan who only stayed silent, speechless at his sudden change.
Drew took a step towards the shadow warriors upon standing up, the warriors having taken a couple of steps back. He stomped on the floor, a ripple being sent out underneath them. May and Brendan looked at each other with wide eyes before turning back to Drew who only continued to smirk.
"Melt." He commanded, his voice sending shivers down their spines.
As if on command, the ground shook and fire cracked from under the surface, blasting through to the sky like geysers. May and Brendan watched in awe and shock as Drew completely engulfed the shadow warriors in flames, their bodies disintegrating into thin air.
"No way." Brendan murmured as May sat there, leaning against the boulder not knowing what to say.
"Don't worry, you're both safe with me." Drew stated as he turned back to them, the red in his eyes fading back to their normal green.
May looked at him incredulously, Drew turning to her with an unusually soft gaze and she couldn't help but let out a breath of relief.
"Thanks, Drew." May said and he smiled.
"Think I'm cool now?" He asked, wriggling his eyebrows and May turned away with a light tint of red on her cheeks.
"In your dreams, grasshead." May huffed but Drew continued to smile.
There was a slight pause before anyone spoke again, the rest of them still continuing to process what just happened.
"What was that about?" Brendan finally asked, the confusion written all over his face.
"I'm not entirely sure." Drew admitted. "It was like, one moment I saw a vision, then someone spoke to me and then there was this rush of power. Like, fire."
"Well, fire makes sense." Brendan stated and pointed to the cracks in the ground where his fire had emerged from.
Just before they could continue talking, the three of them were alerted to a sound coming from nearby, jerking them back to their senses.
"Come on, the others might be having trouble too." May spoke up as she listened around her.
Over with another group, two of the boys stood in concentration, that rush of strength pumping through their veins.
"Ash, what's happening?" Gary asked as he flung his eyes open, Ash staring back at him.
"I-I'm not sure!" Ash exclaimed and Gary only frowned, eyes blazing that blood red colour that Drew had.
"I don't know what it is, but it feels cool!" Gary said as he stomped on the ground, a shudder under his feet causing the shadow warriors to stumble.
"I agree." Ash said as he stood next to Gary, Misty and Leaf only staring at them wide eyed.
From where the ground shook, the ground underfoot began to increase in heat. The shadow warriors grew restless, swords swinging in every direction as the ground melted from underneath them, lava emerging from the ground. Ash cocked his head to the side as he released a wave of heat from his hands, fire escaping from his fingertips. Flames erupted and spun as though wind swept around it in a circular motion. As though it were a tornado. A fire tornado.
"Woah." Misty commented as she stared in admiration at the fire while Leaf only shrunk away from the heat of the lava and flames, eyes wide with disbelief.
The shadow warriors were left powerless, succumbing to the pits of fire as they were engulfed in flames. The lava sunk the remaining warriors, melting them out of existence.
"What just happened?" Leaf squeaked out as she peered from behind Misty's shoulder.
Ash and Gary exchanged a look before shrugging.
"We're not entirely sure ourselves." Ash admitted and Gary nodded in agreement.
"It sort of just, happened." Gary tried to explain and Leaf only raised an eyebrow.
"Well, whatever it was, it sure saved us." Misty said as she puffed out a breath of relief and everyone nodded.
"Come on, we need to help the others." Leaf spoke up, snapping out of her daze.
The final group with Kenny, Dawn and Paul, stood in the centre of the circle, surrounded by the shadow warriors. Kenny leaned against the two of them, fear written all over his face.
"Is this the end of the line for us?" Kenny gulped and Dawn looked at him with wide eyes.
"Please no." Dawn begged, shutting her eyes.
Paul glanced back at the two of them, eyes blaring with a menacing red. He gave them a cold stare, huffing in response to their fear.
"Don't worry, we're not done yet." Paul said, voice stern causing Dawn to look at him with worried eyes.
He gave her a little smile of reassurance to Dawn's surprise and she nodded slowly, trusting his word.
He didn't know what this sudden surge of power was, but he felt it. He knew what he had to do. Protect Dawn and Kenny.
Paul glowered at the shadow warriors, body heating up. Fire surrounded him, red flames turning blue. Paul felt his mouth crook up into a smug smirk, a feeling of confidence flooding through him.
He drew those flames from his hands and burned the shadow warriors, their bodies convulsing from the impact. Dawn and Kenny just watched in shock and fear as Paul burned them to soot.
"P-Paul?" Dawn questioned when his eyes turned back to normal.
Paul only turned his head to them with a weird look in his eyes before staring down at his hands. He couldn't fathom what just happened. Only the feeling of fire in his fingertips and flames engulfing the world around him.
"Are you all alright?" May asked as she came running in, only to stop when she stared down at the pile of ashes surrounding the group.
"Yeah, I think so." Dawn breathed out as she continued to stare at Paul who only shook his head and looked up at May, Brendan and Drew who headed towards them.
"What happened here?" Drew asked as he pointed tot he pile of ashes and Paul just shrugged.
Paul and Drew shared a look before confirming their suspicions. They had experienced the same thing. Soon after, Gary, Ash, Leaf and Misty all arrived, everyone as exhausted and speechless as the rest of them.
"Is everyone okay?" A familiar voice piped up as the sound of footsteps thundered towards the remaining group.
"Iris." They said in relief upon seeing the purple haired girl running towards them with a group of guards behind her back.
Bonnie, Clemont, Zoey and Max ran in with her, panting as they arrived. They looked around, the shadow warriors nowhere to be seen.
"What happened here?" Iris asked as she looked at the pile of ashes.
The four boys, Drew, Ash, Gary and Paul stared at each other, a look of puzzlement on their faces. They didn't speak as Iris stared at the rest of them expectantly.
"Well, what matters is that you're alright now. Come, we need to take you all to the infirmary." Iris sighed as she ushered the group to follow her.
Everyone obliged without a word, exhaustion weighing down on all of them. The four boys walked at the back, shoulders slumped. Their bodies were so drained that they felt queasy, ready to drop.
How could they have known? How could they have known that there were others lurking behind them?
Ash turned around, a hand on his shoulder causing him to jump in surprise. He met eyes much like his own, staring at him with a grin on their face. The other boys suppressed a scream as hands clasped around their mouths. Snatched from the group, the boys collapsed, fainting in a second.
Four new people smirked at their accomplishment, staring at the boys.
"Our plan is complete. Initiate phase one."
—-
Sorry for the extremely long wait. I know this chapter isn't as good and definitely doesn't deserve the wait that I left it for, but I tried my best.
And also, if this all seems like a bit of a stretch and might've taken a huge turn, but this was already planned and everything is going according to the plot. Hope you guys don't mind.
I know I said this book was temporarily on hold, and technically it still is. I obviously won't be updating everyday or every week. There might be a long wait between each chapter which I'm terribly sorry for but that's my own fault.
I hope you all enjoyed!
It's been a long time already hasn't it?
Also, thanks for 16k reads!!
- April
11th April, 2020