Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Twenty-Six: Panic Maelstrom

Trevellian's movements became more elusive as he wove around Bastian's punches. His initial surprise at Bastian's appearance had slowly transformed into a look of curious calculation. Bastian sensed the change in his movements and felt a stab of fear. The difference in their skill levels was obvious. The suddenness of his attack had given a brief advantage, but it was evaporating like mist under the hot summer sun. 

Trevellian slipped under Bastian's arm and slashed a knife across his side. Bastian felt a sharp pain as the blade opened his flesh to the bone. Another knife flashed up almost instantly and left a deep gash on his forearm. Bastian didn't retreat. He drove forward through the pain throwing punch after furious punch. 

'It's pointless to attack without thinking,' said Trevellian. 'It leaves you open everywhere.' 

His knife whipped across Bastian's face. Bastian felt the blade ricochet off a spine on his cheek only a few millimetres from his eye. He threw a hook at Trevellian's body, but the infiltrator neatly stepped out of range and placed a cut on the back of Bastian's hand. 

'You're never going to hit me, fool. I'm going to bleed you to death with a thousand cuts.' 

Bastian tried to ignore him, but he could feel the frustration rising in his stomach. Trevellian's movements were like water. No matter how Bastian attacked, he seemed to move out of the way. It was like trying to attack a ghost. Bastian tried to surprise him and spun around in a quick twist that brought the back of his fist up in a swift arc aimed at Trevellian's head. 

It was a mistake. 

Trevellian wasn't where Bastian expected him to be, and for a split second he hesitated. 

Trevellian's knife slipped around Bastian's defences and sliced down across his torso from his chest to his hip. Blood spurted from the wound and poured down his chest. Bastian stood for a second, frozen in shock, before his legs folded up and he fell to his knees. Trevellian looked down at him appraisingly then kicked him in the shoulder, sending him sprawling onto the ground. 

'If you try to fight like that, someone's liable to end you,' he said. 'Now lie there and stay put like a good boy.' 

Bastian looked up at the rain and felt hot tears rising as Trevellian turned away from him. The frustration burned in his chest like a coal, not just with Trevellian, but with his own inability to do anything. The infiltrator had pushed him aside as easily as tissue paper. He didn't even rate as an enemy, just another distraction. 

Bastian's fingernails scraped across the rough metal surface of the deck. 

'I can still be useful.' 

Trevellian looked back at him quizically. 'Excuse me?' 

Bastian rolled onto his stomach and slowly pushed himself back to his knees. He sucked in a gulp of air and let it hiss out between his teeth. The sharp pain of the wound on his torso seared through him as the movement pulled the cut in his flesh open. He placed a foot under himself and laboriously began to rise. 

Trevellian sighed. 'I have limited sympathy for bravado. My next knife is going through your head.' 

Bastian raised his hands into a fighting stance. His legs felt like they were going to collapse at any moment, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself focused. He readied himself to attack and tried to hold himself stable. He was about to step forward when a he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He looked across in surprise. Regan was next to him, looking at Trevellian with a stare that could have burned holes in steel. 

'You're done, amateur,' she said. 'I've got his measure now.' 

'Are you sure you can still fight?' 

'If I thought I needed your concern, I'd kill myself.' 

Trevellian laughed. 'There's no need to conceal your injuries, Regan. We're all friends here.' 

Bastian felt Regan's fingers dig into the flesh of his shoulder, but her expression remained impassive. 

'Your sword arm is shaking,' said Trevellian. 'Your face doesn't reveal anything, but I know you're in pain.' 

'It doesn't matter how injured I am. I've got more than enough strength left to send you on a trip to eternity.' 

'Even now, your arrogance remains unchanged. It would be infuriating if it wasn't so pathetic.' 

'While I'm still standing this fight isn't over.' 

'It is over, you just don't realise it,' Trevellian sniffed. 'I'm going to show you just how far you are from victory.' 

Regan let go of Bastian's shoulder and raised her sword to strike. 

Trevellian stepped back into the shadows and vanished.