Bleeding out

Ulin pressed in again, not even giving Garth time to raise a circle of protection. Garth rolled again, Ulin’s blade slicing his shoulder open, and the sight of the blood caused the cheering to become even louder.

Barely able to see, Garth sensed another blow coming in hard and he raised his left arm to ward of the blow. The dagger sliced his wrist open, the icy pain of the hit stunning him.

Ulin pulled back and then dived in again. Garth ducked under the blow, coming in low and sweeping out with his legs. He caught Ulin just below the left knee and the fighter went over. Recovering, Ulin leaped upon Garth, struggling to pin him to the ground. The two rolled in the dust and Ulin moved to drive his dagger into Garth’s eye. Garth jerked his head aside as the blow came down, the dagger slicing open his cheek.

Howling with delight, Ulin yanked his dagger free from the sand and raised it for a killing blow.

Just as the blow started to descend Garth managed to wrench his right hand free from Ulin’s grasp and drove the blade upward. The dagger slipped in just below Ulin’s chin, piercing through the roof of his mouth and up into his brain.

Ulin’s downward strike faltered, going wide. Garth let go of his own blade as Ulin, with a near-supernatural strength, somehow staggered back to his feet, Garth’s dagger driven up to the hilt into the bottom of his jaw.

A gasp of amazement went up from the mob at the sight of the man staggering about and then, ever so slowly, his legs crumpled and he collapsed to the ground. Garth, panting for breath, came up on his knees, the screaming of the mob thundering around him, deafening him so that he wanted to cover his ears and shut the sound out.

He felt hands grasping him around his shoulder.

“Heal yourself, heal yourself, you’re bleeding to death!”

Wide-eyed, Garth looked over at Hammen and then back at Ulin.

“You don’t have time for him, damn it, heal yourself now!”

Garth, gasping for breath, nodded and concentrated upon his mana. The power came slowly as he felt himself weakening. At last the power was there and Garth slowly extended his hands. The blood pouring out of his wrist, arm, and face stilled, the skin drawing back over upon itself even as he felt his strength return.

***

Arena, Chapter 12