The Story of Blitz : Chapter 8 - Phantom

Luna felt herself blown away. What she had bumped into, she thought it was just a wall, but when she turned, it was a tall dark silhouette. He wore a long dark cloak, and a dark tux underneath, with a white shirt beneath. With the black mask he wore, he looked mysterious and sexy at the same time.

Like Phantom of the Opera.

Phantom? She wondered, looking frightened.

The Phantom, whoever it is, took two long strides to reach her and she felt herself being examined from head to toe, taking her in. He even reached out to touch her, caressing her cheek with long gloved fingers. All the time taking her in with those eyes. Volcanic blue and ravenous looking, like a wolf hunting for its prey.

And I’m the prey… She thought. He’s so dashing, should I-

No, get out of here!!! The voice in her head screamed.

With a burst of strength, she shoved him aside and tried to make for the stairs, but was forced to skid into a halt as he suddenly appeared in front of her, smiling, showing off those white even teeth.

How can he reached there so fast? She thought. He was not even that near the stairs.

The Phantom seemed to be teasing her, shaking his head. With a slight flick of his hand like one of those magician tricks, he held out something to her.

A ring.

The delicate silver circlet encrusted with sapphires as blue as her eyes, interwoven with elegant designs. A magnificent work of art, it seems so out of this world.

A sharp pain zaps in her head. This ring….She thought, hypnotized by the sapphire in the middle. I seen it before… But where???

“Who-are you?” She blurted out.

The Phantom’s smile seemed to drooped a little bit, but he covered it back with his mysterious smile, completely oblivious to her question.

“Who are you?” She asked again, feeling a little less shaky as her hands flew behind her, slowly reaching for the arrows behind her. Her fingers slowly made its way up to the arrow’s tail. Come on, she thought.

The Phantom paid no heed to her questions. He’s enjoying playing with her, and that’s what he’s doing. A large swooshing sound made her look up and she saw, with her heart plummeting into gloom, that the raven who pecked her is back.

Her fingers reached the arrow’s tail at last. At that moment, the raven suddenly went flying at her, claws outstretched, black feathers flying all over the place. At the same time, Luna’s fingers whipped the arrow out and pulled it back and fired. With a musical twang like the strings of guitar being plucked, the arrow flew at the raven, who gave an indigent squarwk and flew high up the rafters, watching the scene below.

As she prepared to draw another arrow, the Phantom suddenly swooped in front of her and knocked the arrow out of her hand, sending it flying and embedding itself deeply into the wooden floor. He doesn’t seem to be playing with her anymore, now his eyes are even more ravenous than before.

He did it again… She thought, feeling her confidence shaken. He’s not human. No human can run at a great speed like that…

The Phantom reached out to her, about to close in around her with his hands when-

Something gold grabbed the Phantom and flung him aside like a ragdoll. He went crashing into the crates that was in the corner.

“Finally, I made it in time.” He said, grinning at her. “Are you alright?” He felt his heart relieved when she shook her head.

The raven flew down and pecked at him. He shouted and tried swatting it away, but it’s impossible. It pecked him on one spot then flew to another. To her horror, she could see that the raven beak is drawing blood. It did hurt her, frightened her, but it never injured her. It must be his, the Phantom’s.

But then someone did lift her up, who is it???

“Argh! Get off me, you mad bird!!!”

His voice jolted her back into reality. Luna drew out another arrow and tried to fire, but she can’t do it because the raven is flapping all around him. If she misfired, she might end up killing him with a blow through the head.

As though sensing her hesitation, the raven changed course and flew at her, not to peck her, but its sharp talons flew at the quiver strap, snapping it and causing the arrows to scattered all over the floor. The sound echoed loudly in the confined tower space.

“Darn.” She muttered, though her finger is still holding the arrow which she had drawn out. Without even thinking twice, she pulled the string back and fired. It didn’t hit the raven but it managed to stop it from pecking at Blitz, whose head is bleeding.

“Oh dear, God, Blitz, are you okay?” She asked, running to his side and examining the cut on his head.

“ ’M alright.” He mumbled, looking out of focus. “Goddamn bird.”

Luna was about to tear of part of her sleeve to bandage him when a sound made her turn and she saw, the Phantom standing behind her, the raven flapping beside him.

Without hesitating and filled with recklessness, her fingers swiped one of the fallen arrows and she fired. The Phantom didn’t even flinch or duck as the arrow came towards him, but he swung his head to the side just as the arrow reached its mark.

“Did I get him?” She said, still holding her bow out.

As though to answer her question, the Phantom turned slowly and she felt herself ready to cringe it the arrow drive into his face, but she needn’t have to, because he was showing her his mysterious ravenous smile, the arrow caught neatly in between his teeth.

“That’s sick.” Blitz muttered.

The Phantom dropped the arrow in front of his feet, glanced at them both and with a swish of his cloak, jumped through the glass window, which exploded into a thousand of shards. The raven following him behind.

Despite his injuries, Blitz ran to the window with Luna just in time to see the dark cloaked figure running with astonishing speed, barely even making a sound. They watched him till he went further and further, into the Shadow Woods and out of sight.

“Is that him, the Phantom?” Blitz asked.

Luna silently nodded, then turned to the scattered arrows on the floor. “How did you know I was here?”

“A passer-by told me.” He said, wiping the now dried blood from his face. “Thank God I made it in time though, you look like you’re in a pickle.”

“You shouldn’t have come.” She muttered, picking them up. “It was dangerous.”

“Come on, I was worried about you.” Blitz said, his hands open into a What me? Gesture.

“I am perfectly capable of taking care myself.” She said stonily, scooping the last of the fallen arrows up and gasped.

A four-lettered word, carved onto the body of the arrow. It was very thin but readable to her eyes.

Mine

Without another word, she dropped that arrow and turned on her heels, ignoring Blitz who went, “Wait!”

Just what is up with this town???? He frowned at her running figure.