Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Blind Nightmare

'That's a cute trick,' said Regan. 'Stolen, I assume.' 

'You like it? I took it from a spineless little man who allowed it to go to waste on burglary.' 

'It suits your personality.' 

'I choose to take that as a compliment.' 

'You shouldn't.' 

'Now you're just trying to hurt my feelings for no reason at all,' Trevellian's voice drifted on the wind. 

Regan peered into the gloom where Trevellian had disappeared. Bastian looked at the area she was searching, trying to find any sign of movement. 

'Where are you looking?' said Trevellian beside him. 

Bastian lashed out with a fist, but he couldn't match Tevellian's speed. He retreated backward and closely avoided a knife aimed at his chest. Trevellian took advantage of the momentary opening and slipped a kick under Bastian's guard. It hit him in the ribs with a sharp crack that forced the air out of his lungs. As he doubled over, Trevellian kicked him in the stomach and sent him hurtling backwards. Bastian's lower back slammed into the safety railing at the edge of the landing. He felt a wash of panic flood through him as he lost his balance and began to fall backwards. He threw out a hand and grabbed the railing to stop himself from toppling over the edge. He looked up in time to see a knife fly from the darkness and hit Regan with enough force to spin her around. Her blue hair fluttered around her face as she collapsed to the ground. 

'Regan!' 

Bastian ran to where Regan lay at the centre of the helipad, crumpled in a heap like an actress playing out a scene under a giant spotlight. As he reached her, she shifted and pushed herself to her knees. She was holding the knife. 

Bastian let out an explosive breath. 

She had caught the knife short. He could see the blood on her chest where it had wounded her. Regan slowly forced herself to her feet and threw it aside. 

'I thought you were dead.' 

'Your enemy should be your only concern, spike-boy. Focus on anything else and you're going to end up a corpse.' 

Trevellian chuckled from the darkness. 'How long until one of my knives touches a vital spot? You see the vast chasm that exists between us now?' 

Bastian felt the anger rise in him like a tide. It spilled over, overwhelming him with frustrated rage. 

'You won't face us like a real fighter,' he yelled. 'You're nothing but a coward!' 

'I suppose that's a matter of perspective. Where did you pick this one up, Regan?' 

'He came as part of a set.' 

Regan twisted to the side as a knife whipped past her with a snip noise of cutting air. It struck a spark from the deck and ricochetted away into the void. Another flicked past. Then another. They came from the circle of shadows surrounding the helipad like angry metal wasps. 

Bastian and Regan came together at the centre of the helipad, facing outwards towards the impenetrable darkness. 

'You can avoid one at a time, but how about two or three? What if I turn the air into a swarm of flying daggers?' 

'He's just going to sit in the dark throwing knives at us until we miss one,' said Bastian bitterly. 

Regan moved away from the centre of the helipad and walked closer to the shadows until she was on the border between light and darkness.