The silence that followed the interrupting ice wall was only punctuated by a faint squeak of fear from Luke, and he eyeballed the ice, and the sharp and pointies heading for him and Jade that look like they would have hurt if they had hit. He stumbled backward, looking like his knees were going to give out and deposit him on the ground, and it was by some miracle that he remained standing. It took a moment, but he swallowed loudly, tightening his grip on his sword and collecting himself enough to actually look like the awesome swordsman he claimed he was.

"What should we do?" he asked Jade softly, serious for once. "Retreat?"

...as much as he hated to admit it, he knew he was toast if he had to fight this guy. He made Sync look slow, and the only reason he had even managed a block at all was because he had his sword in hand.