YOU'RE A FADED MEMORY.
1774, OCTOBER 29th SATURDAY 3:20 am.
An explosion of electricity forced Boots off of Noche – she shot up as her body crackled. Arms tightened to her chest before launching outwards and expanding lightning into a dome. This orb of static filled the air like a strobe ball; it struck nearby objects like a shock turret.
"I can't fail. I won't fail!" Noche muttered. "Failure leads to that desert... I will never fail again!"
Noche raised both arms and massive arcs of lightning shot from the dome. Boots ran on steps made of air – he was practically flying. Bolts chased after him, but he was faster and outran the electricity. He ran up the factory wall, jumped above Noche, and used a wind ceiling to launch himself downwards like a missile. The lightning dome exploded.
A sliver of blood escaped Noche's cheek as she dodged at the last second. Boot's mirage faded as a cloud of dust made a trail towards the town's edge, did a sharp U-turn, and raced towards her.
Noche prepared to block – a powerful blow sent her flying as the dust cloud flew past her. Boots reached the opposite side of town, did another sharp turn, and impacted against Noche's back before she touched the ground.
Blood splattered onto the ground as Noche coughed. The dust cloud made its way to the town's edge again – it was already on her again. Another cement truck hit her; Noche's vision blurred.
"H-He's too fast. He's fuck you up fast," she wiped the blood from her mouth. "How can I keep up with him when he's faster than lightning!"
Boots appeared before Noche, she created her oar, and swung – it went through his torso, the mirage faded, and the afterimage exploded into a typhoon. Noche slammed into a brick wall as a nearby tree was ripped out, roots and all.
Noche fell to her knees, Boots stood before her.
"I'm too fast... By the time you swing, you're only hitting air," he said. "Faded memory. That's all that remains of me... And yourself."
Cuts and bruises covered Noche's face.
"Counter-attacks suck," she groaned.
"Please Noche... Give up."
"Siren suffocation!"
A small girl of wind with shark teeth shot from Noche's left palm. Boot's kicked Noche and the siren exploded from the shockwave. Gritting her teeth, she punched him in the head, her fist went through, and the afterimage exploded. The tornado flung her across the town – she bounced on cobblestones.
Noche slammed her oar into the ground as Boots rushed closer. He stopped before her, Noche flinched and swung – she managed to stop the swing at the last moment. The afterimage faded away; winds unraveled like string on a twine doll, until Boots disappeared into a faint breeze.
She sighed with relief. "They only blow up when I hit them."
A metal shoe hit her face.
Noche crashed into a tree, opened her eyes to Boots standing before her, and resisted the urge to attack such an obvious illusion. Another kick planted deep into her chest, snapped the tree in half, and sent her bouncing on the ground.
"Not – An – Illusion!" She thought.
She spat out another mouthful of blood and ran her tongue along her mouth.
YOU ARE READING
Epics of Noche 1, Anchor
ActionHow far would you go to NEVER fail again? This question will push Noche L. Grim to the test as she attempts to join the Cross Military. With their resources she intends to find DeathTech and recover her memories. However, when she lives on a conti...
