image [https://img.wattpad.com/story_parts/1397129668/images/17b261c2293ab9c4719604441153.png]

Movements of the Tides

The morning dawned with a sobering task ahead. The unsettling discovery at the town square still weighed heavily on my mind as I delegated the repair work to Owen.

"Why does this happen on my day off? I was looking forward to relaxing by the hotel pool, especially with that amazing girl I met yesterday." Owen grumbled, his attention half on the book about electrical machinery he was flipping through.

"Hey, if we figure out who caused this mess, I'll personally make sure his power gets cut. Everyone in town will have electricity except for him. Or her." I said, trying to lighten the mood. Owen let out a small chuckle, appreciating the joke.

"I'm too dumb for this power. Remembering every tiny detail when I'm creating something? I'm terrible at that. I find myself buried in these books all day, every day. That's worse than having the power dehydrate me every time I use it." He said as his eyes scanned the pages without pause.

I decided to leave him to his generator troubles and went off to meet Kyriah and Yelena. We had plans to head to Brillamar Beach. The coast was littered with debris, and the townspeople were organizing a cleanup. As I recently learned, Kyriah adores the beach, and she had us both volunteer the moment she heard about it.

Walking towards Brillamar Beach, thoughts of what has transpired these past weeks dwell in my head. The whole island is at a standstill because of the destruction of the storm, we didn't even have time to well mourn Mateos.

When we told Cristofer and his crew the news of his death, they were all devastated, but Cristofer didn't say a word. He didn't have to, his silence said everything. Disappointment, guilt, anger, sadness, he must've felt them all. I haven't seen or spoken to him since then.

His crew, on the other hand, has been more active with us. I don't know if it's because they feel an urge to help us and the island, or because now that Davos has been taken care of, they aren't afraid of hiding anymore. Either way, these past weeks, all of them have become valuable members of The Sunspears, and really good friends.

As I got closer to Brillamar Beach, my eyes immediately found Kyriah. She was in the thick of it, working alongside the locals, moving debris with determination.

Kyriah had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, but her hair was so long, that it still hit her face when she moved. With her sleeves rolled up, completely immersed in the task at hand. She lifted heavy pieces of driftwood as if they were nothing. Every now and then, she'd pause to give instructions to a local or to share a quick joke, her laughter ringing out clear over the sounds of the cleanup. It was like she had an inexhaustible well of energy, and it made me admire her even more.

"Hey, Kyriah!" I called out, trying to get her attention. "It seems you have this already taken care of, I don't think you need me here," I said with a smirk.

She turned, sweat trailing down her forehead, and gave me a smile that was both tired and cheerful. "Ellion! I was wondering when you'd show up. There's still plenty to do, so don't think you can just stand there looking pretty. Get your hands and feet dirty!"

"We're here to clean, not flirt," Yelena said as she passed by with debris on her hands.

I chuckled and stepped in to help.

As the island's sun reached the highest in the sky, we were almost done completely. The beach looked completely different, you could dive in your bare feet in the white-golden sand and submerge yourself completely in its crystal clear water.

We were all gathered in a circle, throwing the garbage bags on a pile, readied to be weighed.

As the announcement about our collective achievement echoed across the beach, everyone burst into applause. "342 pounds of trash recovered! The Mayor will be here soon to see our progress!" the woman with the megaphone declared, her voice brimming with satisfaction.

Amidst the clapping, Kyriah leaned in close, her voice a playful whisper. "I brought in over 170 pounds. Half of that total is thanks to me. You, on the other hand, only managed 50 pounds. Kind of feels unfair, doesn't it?" she teased.

I couldn't help but grin at her gentle jab. "Well, that's because you were grabbing the wrong trash. You had more debris, like pieces of wood, metals, and random objects thrown here by the storm. But I was picking the most important trash, like plastic, needles, glass, all those sorts of things. So yes, I do feel it's kind of unfair, my trash made more of an impact on the environment, than how many shoes you picked up."

The sound of the sea was mixed with Kyriah's laughter. I grinned back at her as the sound of cars arriving interrupted us. We both looked back, sure enough that the person who had just arrived was the Mayor of Brisalina, but it was actually the island's police chief, who came the night before.

I felt a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. The thought of any of us being arrested, or worse, forced to use our powers against the police, terrified me. I glanced at Kyriah, whose expression had turned serious.

"Attention, everyone!" Chief Varbero barked. "You are all in violation of the governor's orders. You're all obstructing official recovery efforts."

"Obstructing?!" I yelled back. "We're just trying to help. There must've been a misun-" I tried to make him hear me out but he quickly cut me off.

"There aren't any misunderstandings. We have evidence, sent in by the people of you and your revolutionary group using your unnatural powers to try and help, but you're only making things worse. Scaring the people, you don't know what you're doing, and you are just making us do double the work, delaying the recoveries even more.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

As the Chief spoke, some of the locals who were helping us with the cleaning were moving slowly to the side of the police. It seems we weren't loved by everyone here.

Kyriah stepped forward, with anger in her eyes. "I'm sorry for mistakenly taking immediate action for those who needed help, given the 'leisurely pace' of your Governor's response. Next time, we'll just wait patiently for your 'efficient' aid, which I'm sure will arrive right after the next storm hits." Her words hung in the air, as the chief face turned red and demanded his police officers to arrest us.

As dozens of officers came towards us from the palm trees, I stood my ground. I thought I would've been trembling when this moment came, a stand against the island's police. But having Kyriah stand beside me, admittedly made me feel more confident.

To my right side, a tall shadow suddenly emerged, it was Yelena walking up to my side. I always forget how tall she is, until she stands next to me. "Whatever you want to do, I'm up for it." She said as she readied herself as if she was expecting an oncoming fight.

The officers were closing in and I was hesitating if we should defend ourselves, or let them arrest us. If we used our powers, it would defeat the purpose we want to show in this revolution, and it would probably cause a civil war.

The officers were less than 3 meters from us, and in my desperation, ice started to form in my hands.

The officers noticed this, and they got their weapons at arms, ready to shoot. The locals behind us screamed and gasped, as most of them scattered away next to the police, some of them stayed behind with us.

The sun cast a warm glow over Brillamar Beach, but the atmosphere was anything but serene. The police, their faces set in grim determination, began to advance, attempting to encircle us. My heart pounded in my chest as I weighed my options. Using my powers against them wasn't something I wanted, but being arrested for helping these people was not an option either.

In a swift motion, I let out my ice powers, the familiar coolness spreading through my palms. A barrier of ice erupted from the ground, encircling us, a protective ring that kept the police at bay. "I'm not here to fight," I called out, hoping my words would diffuse the tension.

The Chief's face contorted with frustration as he signaled his men. "If he resists, use lethal force if necessary!" he yelled out, his voice carrying an edge of finality.

The command gave me chills. The situation was teetering on the brink of violence.

Then, a new commotion arose. A convoy of vehicles, distinct from the police, rolled into the beach. The Mayor of Brisalina Town emerged, Armando Yara, a well-respected figure whose commitment to his community was unquestioned. He was an older man, with a light green buttoned-up shirt and silk pants.

"Stop this nonsense! Lower your guns at this instant!" His voice, authoritative and resolute, cut through the tension. He walked briskly towards the officers, his presence commanding attention.

The island's officers turned their heads to their chief, who started coming through the palm trees with his face still red. "Do not lower your guns, this is a direct order from the Senators!" The chief yelled out as he tumbled in the hot sand.

"Chief Varbero, these individuals, The Sunspears, have done more for Brisalina in days than the government has in weeks! They offered their help and I will not ignore the welfare of our people. I'm personally overseeing everything they're doing. They're not acting on their own but on my behalf. Everything they have done has been with my approval.

The locals, who had gathered around, began to voice their support for us, but just as soon, the other locals who sided with the police started to voice their opinions too. The beach transformed into an arena of competing wills.

The chief's face hardened as he stood in front of the Mayor and said in a serious tone, "This isn't a request Mayor Yara."

"Then you'll have to arrest me too." The Mayor replied, with a firm voice.

The tense silence lasted for a couple of seconds before Chief Varbero grunted and gave a sign to lower the weapons. "You know we'll be back." He said surely, as they got back into their vehicles reluctantly and left.

Mayor Yara exhaled loudly and turned to face me. He extended his hand towards me and said, "Thank you for everything you have done for our town." His eyes reflected genuine gratitude. "No matter what comes after, you have the support of Brisalina. What you are doing is both very brave and very foolish. But I'm too old to stand against the future, all I can do is pave the way for the next generation."

I shook his hand, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. Knowing I had the support of Mayor Yara and some of the townspeople, eases my worries from future confrontations here.

Standing there, hand still clasped in the Mayor's, I realized the true strength of our mission. It wasn't just in the powers we wielded, but in the connections we forged, we had to get the people to trust us more.

As the police vehicles dwindled into the distance, the beach slowly returned to its usual rhythm as most of the locals left, and the others resumed their cleanup efforts.

We knew our time in Brisalina was drawing to a close. Our efforts helped the town, we made a difference. But there were other towns, other people who needed The Sunspears' help.

We gathered at the modest houses that had been our temporary homes to go pack our limited belongings. The sense of accomplishment was bittersweet; we had helped Brisalina find its footing, yet I feel by helping them, we had unwillingly made them a target for any enemies we might, well, will inevitably make.

Kyriah and Yelena headed over to their room as I went to check on Owen.

Owen, who had been the backbone of our efforts here with his remarkable ability to create, was organizing his tools in our room. "You wouldn't believe the things I've had to learn on the fly," he said, a hint of exhaustion lacing his voice. "Electrical engineering, basic mechanics, even a bit of culinary arts. It's been a crash course in... well, everything."

I smiled at his comment, appreciating the high spirits. "You've been invaluable, Owen. Without your skills, who knows where Brisalina would be right now. The Sunspears are getting a good reputation, and it's all because of you."

He shrugged modestly, but I could tell he was proud of what he had accomplished. "Just doing my part," he replied.

We finished gathering our things, said our goodbyes to the locals, and set off from Brisalina back to Ivory's house. It was a journey through a changed landscape, As the once lush greenery that adorned the island's mountains was gone, replaced by scars in the earth made by the storm's wrath.

The ride was quiet and contemplative. Each of us is lost in our thoughts, except when Owen remembers another story to tell about Sofia, the amazing girl he met back there. This is his fifth soulmate since I met him, there have been probably dozens more.

As we approached Ivory's house, the sight of the familiar structure was a welcome one.

We entered the house and walked into the living room. Ivory, Charles, and Daniella were sitting on the sofa, as Max was in the kitchen with Annabella.

"I heard what happened in Brisalina. The government has been cracking down heavily on any revolutionary helping other towns. I bet he's afraid that we're making the towns turn against them." Ivory said to me.

"We're finally making progress Ivory, your dream, the island's freedom. Every day it gets closer." I said to Ivory, as I sat down next to her. Ivory and I haven't been able to hang out as often as before, the same goes for Ryan. Our usual friendship of hanging out every day was now a thing of the past. We've each been very busy in our separate groups, helping different towns on the island. But these small windows of time, I tried to spend it with them as much as I could. "Tell me, what happened in Solimarí?"

As we were gathered, sharing stories of our missions, our successes, and setbacks, I realized this place was more than just a base for The Sunspears. It was a home, a sanctuary for those who have now dedicated their lives to a cause greater than ourselves. As we laughed, gasped, and were amazed by our stories, I knew that together, we were a force that could weather any storm.