Shards

Chapter 80 - Rescue Part 1

Crow placed himself between his two vulnerable brother Shards and the soldiers. He would have to stall them, ensuring Key had enough time to free Ghost and get him to safety. The Six took on a fighting stance, bracing himself for the onslaught.

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Vice-Captain Ling's voice rang out from behind twenty soldiers.

"Stop what you are doing and put down your weapons!"

Crow did not reply to the soldier's command. Instead, his sharp double blades rotated slowly in his hands in preparation for the coming fight. The Six angled his body going into fighting stance, weapons raised slightly in readiness to meet the new threat.

Sorry Ghost, but I'm going to kill these new ones.

Go ahead, Ghost replied. I don't know them.

Crow snorted in grim amusement and cracked his neck, eyes never leaving the row of soldiers in front of him.

"Attack!" shouted the Vice-Captain.

The front-line rushed Crow as their comrades waited for their signal. They stood ready with weapons drawn. There were too many to attack all at once. Besides, the single intruder would be killed and the other captured in no time. Then the prisoner would be secured again.

Crow smiled beneath the black cloth covering his lower face. Adrenalin pumped in his veins. If he died here, so be it. It was how he wanted to die, in a good fight on a mission for the Dark Sect.

He met their attack head on, his double blades slashing in an arc as he jump forward.

Swish! Shiiiing! Shiiiing!

Several swords slid along his blades gathering at the hilts of his double blades before he pushed them down. Quickly, he pulled back one blade to slash at the soldiers still holding onto their weapons. Blood splattered onto Crow as grunts of pains echoed around him. He did not wait but moved smoothly to the side to cut off three soldiers who were maneuvering around him, trying to get to Key. His sharp blades flashed in the moonlight as he parried, blocked and attacked. Steel met steel in a frenzy of moves.

So far, the Six managed to keep the soldiers away from Key and Ghost but wet cuts started appearing on him as several swords managed to touch him. There were too many of them. The odds were not good.

Behind him Key worked frantically with shaking hands to free Ghost. He hated being under pressure, that's why he always planned his thefts properly before taking action! Stealing in peace and stealth, without pressure and with no one around to witness his brilliance was the way to go. He shook his head at his crazy seniors. Not like this! Surrounded in chaos with their lives at stake! First Ghost put him on the spot to steal Lord Zhai's seals in a room full of people on a whim and now, Crow was forcing him to use his skills in a maelstrom of swords. A stray sword or blade could kill him or Ghost at any time! What's with Fives and Sixes? The higher Levels were all mad, totally and unequivocally insane.

Although his mind was racing with self-pitying random thoughts, his fingers never stopped their urgent task. He had freed both Ghost's feet and had moved onto his wrists. Key grunted as he worked, these were harder. The cold iron cuffs were glued shut with bits of skin and frozen blood. If he failed, all of them would die.

Clang! Swish! Swish! Clang! Swish!

The soldiers kept Crow busy. He had found his rhythm. Knowing he was facing certain death was freeing, allowing him to take risks he would not have normally taken. All he needed to do was kill or maim the soldiers, prevent them from calling for backup and ensuring Key got Ghost safely away. The Six lashed out moving his blades in a series of intricate cuts. His double blades worked together and apart, now in parallel lines and a second later apart, tackling different opponents, then back together again in a criss-cross position in time to slice a torso or limb.

Blood sprayed in arcs to stain the courtyard as bodies thudded to the ground.

Right slash! Left slash and dodge. A sword came down hard on him. Luckily, he managed to block with it with his left blade. He reacted instantly, experience guiding his actions. Block and slash. The soldier looked surprised when his exposed middle was opened up with Crow's right blade. He fell, guts spilling out, dead before he even hit the ground.

Crow did not notice; he was too busy staying alive. A brief glint warned him of danger. Instinctively, he slid his right blade along his back. Just in time, steel clanged against steel as a sword came down diagonally on his back. The impact made both weapons vibrate. The next moment, Crow pulled his blade back to the front, turned smoothly and trusted the other into the body. The soldier went down with a cry of shock.

More came at him. In a whirlwind of kicks, blocks and strikes as he fought to keep them back. Despite his best efforts, he was aware of several soldiers skirting the main fight to corner Key.

"Ughhh!"

Ghost groaned in pain as the shackle snapped open and his right hand fell uselessly to his side. His shoulder still dislocated from Lord Yuan's cruel taunts flared up with the weight.

"Last one," Key said as he moved to Ghost's left wrist. "Hang on, Ghost. I'm going to get you out of here."

"Watch out!" warned Ghost hoarsely.

Key dodged just in time to avoid a gleaming sword. It passed by within a few centimeters from his body. Backing away from Ghost, the Three pulled out his own weapon. He glared at the soldier, tension, anxiety and the injustice over the past few days boiling over. He was so close to freeing Ghost and this man dared to stop him? His eyes narrowed as he prepared to kill for the first time.

Ghost was left hanging by his left hand as his would-be rescuers fought valiantly for their own lives. He couldn't move, his weak body and limbs numb from the cold and loss of blood.

He closed his eyes. All he heard around him was the loud clang of weapons, grunts and curses of the fighters, shouts from the Vice-Captain to coordinate his soldiers. His brother Shards fought silently, tirelessly, focused on killing as many as possible. If only he could help, he thought helplessly.

Suddenly he heard Crow's sharp intake and Key's hiss of despair.

Damn it!

No!

Ghost opened his eyes to more figures emerging from the shadows. Somehow the Vice-Captain had managed to call for reinforcements.

Crowfocused on the man standing in front of him, crossed blades slicing open the soldier's chest. Continuing in a smooth motion, he brought down one blade to cut off the man's arm. The man cried out in horror as he fell backwards desperately trying to hold both his open chest and cut limb at the same time. The Shard paused to gauge the newcomers.

The Six felt his heart drop. There were too many of them. Both he and Key were injured. Now there was really no hope for them. All they could do now was take as many as possible down with them.