War of Phantoms.

Chapter 9

There were some peaceful days in the kingdom that made us all bored, until eventually we got another invitation from the leader telling us to gather in his house.

Was he preparing for another attack?

It was like an emergency in the kingdom, because normal people started to prepare for their refuges and warriors hurried to the headquarters.

I went there with Anna, we found it already filled with warriors, and like the previous time, we climbed the stairs to the second floor where the meeting was going to take a place.

Leo and Finn were standing near the large black board in front of the crowd, they both looked so busy with papers on the desk near them to notice that guests had arrived. While Carla was sitting in the first row, I didn't see her in a long while.

I told Anna about her pointing at where she was.

"Let's sit beside her." she suggested.

I agreed and we slid ourselves between the crowd.

"Carla." Anna called.

Carla looked our way and waved with a big smile on her face, she had terrible eye bags.

We took our seats near her after some greetings and hugs.

"We didn't see you in a long while." I said.

"I know," she replied. "I was busy helping Finn with studies and researches."

"Is he going to expose them now?" Anna asked.

"There's something missing, something we can't reach no matter what we do."

"And what is it?" I asked.

"How phantoms were created and when? It seems like one of those philosophical questions that have no answer."

"I thought there will be another attack."

"No, Finn is the one who called you, he'll show you his studies today."

What a relief.

Finn managed his papers and stood up to draw something on the board, while Leo was still sitting there.

It was a phantom's illustration, Finn's drawing, he had to be an artist instead because it looked so detailed and real.

He put the chalk down and looked at us cheerfully. "Good morning our brave warriors. I appreciated that you came so fast though it's not that important. Today I decided to show you the results of my studies about phantoms during all this time, and what I came out with."

He turned to the black board and added. "As you all know, phantoms are made of two parts; the solid one which is their heads that are made of bones, like a bare skull," he pointed with the stick he was holding at the phantoms head. "I found out that their eyes and noses are useless, they don't see with these dark holes, they can't smell with their little empty nostrils. They use their senses of listening and feeling presence. I found out that they have good listening abilities in fact. A phantom's mouth may look dead too but it's the weapon, 30 sharp teeth that can cut flesh easily, my experience using a dead phantom's head showed me that their teeth can cut, rip, break anything. I tried them on meat, wood, paper, fabrics... yet they're nothing against metal. I tried to break the head on two slowly and carefully to see what's inside and to get their brains, but like what happens in battles, few dark smoke raised up as I opened it and then the skull was shattered to pieces. That's all I could come out with their heads. Is there any question?"

Yes, how could you have the guts to play with a dead phantom's body?

A warrior from behind stood up and said. "We just want to know how they came to life."