Paige concentrated hard on a stick of wood in front of her. It was long and thin, easily breakable by hand. Holding Tsuyosa in one hand and the stick in the other she concentrated hard. The stick sat dully in the palm of her hand, nothing indicating any change in the consistency of the wood. A door opened and closed behind her but she paid whoever it was no mind. She was trying to achieve something here.

“What are you doing?” Sophie called out, disturbing the peace.

Paige scowled at the interruption, “I’m experimenting. Go away.”

Sophie cocked an eyebrow and sat down with interest, “What are you experimenting with?”

“This stick. Can’t you see that?” Paige growled, her frustrations with failed attempts overflowing, “Thought you were supposed to be smart…”

Sophie curled her long legs up to her chest and watched, “What are you trying to do to the stick?” she asked gently, fully ignoring all Paige’s nasty comments.

“That is none of your damn business Princess!” she growled, losing focus on the frail stick.

A flash of hurt crossed Sophie’s pretty face.

Guilt made Paige pause and she groaned, “I am trying to make it unbreakable ok?” she confessed, avoiding Sophie’s eyes, concentrating once again on the stick. She couldn’t look at Sophie. Something about the girl was making her feel guilty.

“Why?” Sophie asked curiously, her green eyes watching the stick intently.

Paige shrugged and threw the stick with frustration across the room. “Why? To prove that I can.” the girls watched the small branch snap easily in half from Paige’s forceful throw. “If I can make that stick permanently unbreakable, just imagine what else I could do” Paige remarked, “I could make my clothes impenetrable, as armor it would be incredible! I could turn any flimsy barrier into a fortress. I can make others as strong as me... But none of that matters if I can’t get the strength to stay in the stick!” she sighed, resting her head in her hands.

Sophie was quiet as she contemplated this. Putting her hand to the ground she summoned the two pieces of the stick. They slid over to her hands in a series of awkward rolls and using Shizen, she joined the broken pieces together, “How does the energy feel when you put it in the stick?” she asked quietly, handing it back to Paige.

Paige looked at Sophie curiously before taking the stick. Encouraged by Sophie’s smile, she concentrated on the stick once again. It flooded with her strength causing the stick to shake unsteadily with power. Paige could feel it, but the moment it left her finger tips all its strength was lost, “It just won’t stay.” moaned Paige, “The strength always returns back to me.”

Sophie frowned, “When you weakened my vines that day we sparred, what did that feel like? Did the strength return to the vines?”

Paige paused, searching her memory. “I’m not sure...” she confessed. Remembering the limp vines hanging from the ceiling, it didn’t look like they could hold themselves up let alone a fully grown woman.

“You must be able to release your strength,” Sophie clapped, “Try Again. This time when you release the stick, force the energy to stay with it.”

Paige nodded, picking up the stick. Focusing once again, Tsuyosa’s power flooded into the stick. It shook violently, practically dripping with raw strength. She released it following Sophie’s instruction. She forced the energy into the stick, trying hard to keep all energy locked within. She was failing. Drip by drip the power slid back into her veins. She shook with effort, limbs quaking. Sweat beading on her forehead, “Come on!” she growled, forcing the few remaining drops back into the stick. With a loud gasp she let go. The shaking stick fell from her hands, the lowest hum of energy stored within. “I did it!” she crowed, pumping her fist in the air.

Sophie smiled at her kindly.

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“Thank you,” Paige gushed without thought, causing both of them to stare in surprise.

A loud bang interrupted the moment and the girls covered their heads as splinters from the broken stick rained down around them.

Sophie laughed, “I think this technique needs more practice!”

Paige watched her with great interest. Setbacks didn’t seem to faze Sophie. With Sophie’s help, Paige had more patience and a calmness that she found refreshing. Fresh guilt began to roll through her. There was something about this girl that she just couldn’t be angry at. She had an innocence about her that made Paige ashamed of herself, “I’m sorry.” she blurted, seemingly losing control of her vocal chords for a moment.

Sophie’s eyes widened with shock. Probably because the words ‘I’m sorry’ crossed Paige’s lips. “What for?” she stuttered and Paige threw her a sardonic look.

“Oh come on Sophie. Don’t make me say it… I have been horrible to you ever since you got here!” she cried, throwing her hands up.

Sophie grimaced, “Well you haven’t been horrible… But you haven’t been exactly...”

“Nice?” Paige supplied with an empty grin.

The two girls laughed. It was a pleasant thought for Sophie, Paige not holding onto her dislike for her anymore.

“Look Sophie, I really mean it. I’m sorry,” Paige said in a tone that Sophie could pass as anything but apologetic.

Sophie smiled, “Apology accepted! Let’s start over.”

Paige smiled, “Sure.”

Sophie looked down at her feet and fidgeted, “Since we are starting over would you like to go to the mall with me?” she asked shyly, “I need some new trainers and I figure you will know exactly what to get, I am quite new to all this stuff.”

Paige considered it for a moment. She hated the mall, but this was an olive branch. “Sure,” she smiled and the two got up to leave.

Sophie led Paige through the series of corridors. She walked confidently through paths that would confuse any other. They had just reached the base of the elevator that would raise them to the surface when they heard a door open behind them. Nathan stepped through the doorway looking worse for wear. Sophie let out an audible gasp.

“Nathan, are you ok?” cried Paige as she ran to steady him. He winced as her hands brushed his chest and she flinched, mortified at the reaction, “What happened to you?”

Nathan’s eyes were tired and he propped himself against the wall. “Just tired,” he assured the girls, looking straight at Sophie.

If she wasn’t so concerned, she was sure she would blush. As it was, tiny hints of heat pricked her cheeks.

“That’s bull Nate,” Paige said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest, “What happened?”

“More like what are those?” Sophie whispered, noticing the glint of a white blade.

Nathan grimaced, “They are my blades. The original blades according to Master Hyung.”

Sophie’s eyes bugged, whilst Paige looked back and forth between them in confusion, “The original blades?” she asked impatiently, waiting for one of them to elaborate.

“The first of the ultimate blades,” Sophie continued, drifting toward the white blade. “This one holds the power of heaven,” she murmured, gesturing to the white blade, “And this one hell.” motioning at the black.

Nathan nodded grimly. He had told her about the original blades a few weeks ago, discovering a brief description of them in a couple of the texts he had read. There was so little about them however, that Nathan had thought it had been a mistake.

Paige’s mouth dropped open, grasping the enormity of the situation. “How did you get them?” she whispered almost reverently.

Nathan shrugged, “I was training with Sophie yesterday...” Sophie turned plum red and her heart sped up as she remembered Nathans nearing lips. “We had finished the session and I thought Sophie had come back to ask me something but it wasn’t her.”

“Who was it?” Sophie asked before she could stop herself.

Nathan shrugged. “I’m not sure. I chased them but they got away. I ended up in a room with a golden angel. The swords appeared when I touched her glowing hands...”

The two girls shared a wary glance, “Was this statue looking upwards with wings outstretched?” Sophie questioned.

Nathan slid down the wall until he was sitting, “Yeah sounds like it.”

“Did it have inserts all around the bottom of the base?” she continued.

Nathan racked his memory, “I think so, I didn’t have a great look at it. Have you seen it?”

“I think that is the room where we all unlocked our blades…” Paige joined the conversation.

“So that is where they are kept… Interesting,” Nathan continued, “Anyway, it has been horrible since I received them. I nearly killed Jake, the two souls are constantly trying to kill each other, I got kicked out of the dragon room again and Hyung has told me I have to leave in a week.”

“Leave?!” both girls cried in unison.

“I have to find the person that can train me in the blades powers. A person that is not on Rogue Island,” Nathan was clearly upset by all that had been happening.

The two girls shared a worried look, “Don’t worry about me.” urged Nathan, “I just need some sleep.”

“That, I can help you with,” grinned Paige and before Nathan or Sophie could utter a word Paige darted forward and swooped him off his feet.

Sophie withheld her giggles as she watched Paige carry a protesting Nathan down the corridor. Like an overgrown baby in her small arms, her large axe strapped to her back.

“I am sure the spare dorms are somewhere around here,” Paige muttered and Sophie obliged by opening a door.

Depositing Nathan upon a hard cot, the two leaving him to sleep. Sophie still giggling at the image of the mighty Nathan being carried away by none other, than tiny Paige.