Phantom Thunder

Chapter 26

We leapt into the fighting without hesitation. One of Lilian's arrows came flying passed me and impaled itself in the forehead of a phantom. It fell to the floor and added to the sea of bodies, but already another had taken it's place.

Knives whirled through the masses, her blades flying, but even she was tiring, and her movements weren't as sharp and precise as I'd seen before.

Two silverbloods had been pushed into the corner and we desperately trying to defend themselves against the phantom above them. I rushed across the banquet hall towards them.

I deflected a stray blade off my sword, then sliced the tip of my blade across the phantoms back, half way through its abdomen. I moved on while the boy finished with the phantom.

There was chaos all around me. I wasn't able to completely dismiss the thin slice of pain across my face, but perhaps that was for the best. It kept me awake and alert.

I reached the two cornered silverbloods that were desperately trying to break free but were barely able to defend themselves.

I drove my sword into the phantom's back and was forced to duck as another stabbed at me from the right. It slashed again and I had to role away, leaving my sword in the phantom's back as it staggered then fell.

The two silverbloods broke free and were on the phantom before it could strike again. Startled, the monster could barely defend itself against the onslaught of weapons. It crumpled to the ground and lay still.

Another came at me and I was still swordless. It slashed and I leaned back, then side stepped as it stabbed.

The boy, green eyes and shaggy brown hair, blocked the phantoms next attack, and the girl who I recognized as Jessica finished it off for good. She pulled my sword from where it was still impaled in the phantoms back and tossed it to Leif. He wiped the blade on his cargo pants, then offered me the handle.

I took it, good to have the familiar weight back in my hand. "Thanks guys" I smiled.

We barely had a moment to catch our breathe before others were on us. Four phantoms moved in and we found ourselves desperately occupied.

As a phantom's blade was driven toward's Leif's unprotected back I lashed out and struck the weapon off course. I ducked beneath Leif's blade as it swung at the neck of the phantom in front of him. As I straightened I drove my sword up at a phantom's chest but it blocked with inhuman speed.

I was left off balance, but Jessica pounced.

"Thanks!" I said.

"I think..." She said while viscously attacking the phantom, "...that..." I was engaged by the third phantom and could barely here her over the clash of sword. "...We should stop..." She paused for a moment to catch her breath as she spun and blocked all in one fluid movement. "...trying to keep track of who saved who. Screw the 'thank you's."

The phantom she was fighting closed in and pushed her back. She moved from my peripheral vision and into clear sight. I had to focus to keep my eyes on my enemy and not her. Yet I could still see her just out of my right eye.

I saw as the phantom's blade as it slashed down at her unprotected side. She was barely able to move out of the way, but got lucky with just a long scratch all the way down her left arm. She yelped in pain and stumbled backwards.

I blocked and rolled away from the phantom I was fighting to give her a moment to regain her composure. She recovered quickly and stepped into the path of the phantom I'd been just fighting.

"Thanks" she said breathlessly.

"What did you just say about not keeping track of how much we owe each other our lives?"