Added Chapter 7 to Sword Dancers 1

Chapter 7
Colin
“Pull!” shouted Colin.
Tyree tossed a rock high into the night sky. Both of
them were clad in their armor, using the stillness of the
night to practice their new abilities. Colin stood
poised, his eyes fixed on the target, sword in hand. The
rock came into range, and with a swift motion, he
swung Razor, now in sword form, slicing the rock
cleanly in half.
“Well done, Colin,” Razor’s voice echoed in his mind,
a note of pride in the words. “You’re progressing
swiftly. Perhaps your military training is finally paying
off.”
“Thanks!” Colin grinned, his confidence growing with
each successful strike.
He signaled Tyree to throw another. Tyree, a few feet
away, picked up another rock from the scattered pile
on the ground. This time, Colin didn’t even wait long;
as soon as it was airborne, he slashed it apart with
ease.
“Alright, I think you’ve had enough fun blowing up
rocks,” Tyree called, half-joking as he brushed off his
hands. He holstered his pistol swords and moved
forward.
“Your turn,” Colin said, smirking as he tossed a rock in
Tyree’s direction.
Tyree pulled out his pistol sword, aiming carefully.
The electric charge buzzed to life.
BZZZT!
The energy shot wide, missing the rock by a long shot
and ripping through the leaves of a tree above them.
Colin burst out laughing, unable to contain himself.
“Another one!” Tyree barked, his pride pushing him to
try again.
Colin threw another rock, barely holding back his
laughter.
BZZZT!
The second shot missed again, zapping a large branch
and sending it crashing to the ground. Colin doubled
over, wiping tears from his eyes.
“You sure you don’t need to get your eyes checked?”
Colin teased, his laughter infectious.
Tyree scowled, lowering his weapons. “You try
shooting with these things! Let me have a go with your
sword,” he demanded, frustrated.
Colin handed over his sword, stepping back as Tyree
hefted it. The weight was immediately apparent as
Tyree struggled to keep the sword balanced in his
hands.
“Too heavy?” Colin raised an eyebrow.
“NO! I’ve got this!” Tyree snapped, but it was clear
from his strained posture that he was struggling.
Colin tossed a rock into the air. Tyree adjusted his grip,
tracking the target, his eyes narrowing in focus. He
swung hard, but his movements were unsteady. The
blades of Razor and Crush clanged together with a
crackling energy, sending a shockwave through the air.
Razor’s voice cut through the chaos. “No! CRUSH,
STOP!”
Colin looked at Razor, confused. “What’s happening,
Razor?”
“Crush is rejecting Tyree’s control,” Razor warned,
panic rising in his usually calm tone. “He’s channeling
too much energy into me! He’s trying to cause an
explosion like the goalpost!”
“Tyree, stop him!” Colin shouted his voice tight with
fear.
Tyree’s eyes widened. “He’s not listening! I… I can’t
stop him!”
Inside Tyree’s mind, Crush’s voice boomed, fueled by
pride and anger. “These two aren’t warriors! Let me
show you real power, Tyree. When was the last time I
got to fight?”
Before either of them could react, an explosion of
energy erupted between the two swords, sending Colin
and Tyree flying backward. The force of the blast
knocked the breath out of Colin as he hit the ground
hard.
Tyree
Tyree scrambled to his feet, rushing to Colin, panic
gripping his chest. “Colin! You okay?”
Colin groaned, dazed but conscious. He reached up,
and Tyree grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet.
Tyree handed back the sword, his face flushed with
embarrassment. “Guess I won’t be crossing swords
with you anytime soon,” he muttered.
Colin chuckled weakly, patting Tyree on the shoulder.
“You’ll get there.”
They removed their armor, the adrenaline of the
sparring session still buzzing in their veins. As they
walked back toward the dorm, Tyree’s thoughts
spiraled, a heavy weight settling over him. He couldn’t
shake the feeling of failure, of being unable to control
Crush. Colin was progressing so quickly, and he was…
falling behind.
Colin cracked his neck, wincing slightly. “I’m going to
need a chiropractor if we keep this up,” he joked, but
Tyree barely reacted, his thoughts elsewhere.
“You alright?” Colin asked, noticing the shift in
Tyree’s mood.
Tyree forced a smile, but it quickly faltered. “I don’t
know, man. I can’t seem to get Crush to work with me.
And… well, there’s something else.”
They walked in silence for a few moments before
Tyree spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “Today
would’ve been our anniversary.”
Colin frowned, immediately understanding. “You
mean you and Olivia?”
Tyree nodded, his gaze distant. “I haven’t really talked
about it, but… she’s been on my mind a lot lately.”
Crush, his voice sharp and annoyed, interjected. “He’s
too attached to this human female. It’s distracting
him.”
Tyree grimaced at the comment. Colin, sensing his
friend’s unease, tried to offer some comfort. “When’s
the last time you talked to her?”
“The day we broke up,” Tyree said, his voice hollow.
“I tried texting her a few times, but she just leaves me
on ‘read.’”
Colin
Colin could see the weight of the breakup still hanging
over Tyree, and though he wanted to help, there wasn’t much he could say to make it better. “What about
Ashley?” he suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
Tyree blinked, clearly surprised. “Ashley?”
“Yeah. Maybe hanging out with her could take your
mind off things. Who knows, she might surprise you.”
Tyree laughed, the tension easing just a bit. “She kinda
scares me, not gonna lie.”
They both laughed, the sound breaking the heaviness
between them. But as they walked, Tyree’s mood
shifted again. “The Ciphers have been a good
distraction,” he admitted. “But it doesn’t change the
fact that Olivia’s still on my mind. I guess… I can’t
stop thinking about her.”
Back in their dorm, they stored their Ciphers under
their mattresses and prepared for bed. The room was
dark, the air heavy with unspoken thoughts. Tyree
stared up at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
“You think we were too serious?” Tyree asked
suddenly, breaking the silence.
Colin hesitated. “Honestly? Yeah. You guys were
pretty intense.”
Tyree sighed, nodding in agreement. “Yeah… I guess
we were. Maybe I was too attached.”
Colin, unsure how to handle this conversation, tried to
sound wise. “We’re young, man. I bet you’ll meet a
ton of girls in the next few years. Maybe every
relationship teaches you something.”
Tyree seemed to consider Colin’s words, staring
thoughtfully at the ceiling. Colin was surprised his
advice had actually resonated, though he wasn’t sure if
it was wisdom or luck.
Shifting the subject, Colin asked, “So when’s your dad
coming to visit?”
Tyree scoffed. “Please. He wouldn’t come unless he
was ordered to inspect the place.”
Colin sat up, listening closely. “You don’t think he’d
come for Visitor Weekend?”
Tyree’s voice grew bitter, raw in a way Colin hadn’t
heard before. “He wouldn’t even text me if I had a
ceremony in my honor. He’s always too busy chasing
his glory, doing whatever Uncle Sam tells him. He’s
always trying to be the hero in whatever story he’s
made up in his head.”
Colin was silent for a moment, realizing that Tyree had
never truly voiced how he felt about his father until
now.