Epics of Noche 2, DeathTech

EON CH 10

ANTIDOTE.

1774, NOVEMBER 27th, SUNDAY 9:45 pm.

Noche awoke to a high pitch screech and blinding light. Air rushed into her lungs as her eyes shot open. She had lost consciousness for a moment – Baxter was approaching. Noche struggled to sit up, her arms were weak beyond compare; she wasn't sure if she could lift her sword.

Her abbs felt like torn strands of meat – strings that could snap at any moment as she sat up. She summoned the Omni-oar to her hand and used it as a cane as she rose between breaths. She wasn't fully on her feet until Baxter stood before her.

Noche spun the sword in her right hand and swung – Baxter dodged with minimal effort. She prepared to switch the blade to her left when her eyes went wide. Her left arm was completely numb – she couldn't move it.

Baxter's sword slammed into Noche's stomach; her feet were lifted off the ground. He pivoted and Noche was spun in the air – she was launched far away from the castle. When she hit the ground a trail of dirt was dug up from her momentum.

Noche laid in the mud for a moment, staring at the sky. Her head turned to her left arm; it still wouldn't move.

"I can't fail... I refuse to fail," she thought. "Why am I so weak?"

Exhaustion flooded her body and it took every ounce of willpower to stand up again. She was sluggish and frail – her body felt like it was falling apart like shattered glass. In the distance, Baxter stood waiting by the castle. A guard protecting the door to her past; to her revenge.

It took her a few seconds, but Noche raised her good arm up. She had to still her panting breath and calm the trembling in her arm. The blonde aimed the Omni-oar straight at Baxter; she used Instant Riptide.

The bear-man spun to the side and the ebony blade stretched on by – it changed into its ultra-greatsword more and sliced Baxter's arm. He dropped his sword as his other paw went to the wound.

With what little strength she had left Noche ran towards her foe. She shrunk the Omni-oar into a short sword, threw the weapon, and enlarged it in mid-air. A massive sword was sent spinning in Baxter's direction like a shuriken as Noche bent down and grabbed the bear's weapon.

Veins popped out all over Noche's arm as her biceps swelled up to the thickness of a neck. Her left arm began to crumble into sand. The limb faded away as that desert surrounded her. She didn't have time to be waste – fooling around with some sword.

Baxter had recovered from dodging the Omni-Oar, but he stopped in his tracks and his jaw dropped as Noche lifted up the 2,000-pound weapon with one arm. 

"TAAAAAKE THIS!"

Noche swung the weapon at the bear-man. Baxter was hit in the torso, the swing pushed him a few feet back, and he unwrapped his claws around the blade. He took some damage but caught the swing before it gained too much momentum. Baxter kicked Noche in the chest and she was sent flying back with his sword.

Prismatic energy surrounded the blonde and a wavering dome of rainbow energy had her trapped. The colors became stone and Noche was surrounded by rock. She grit her teeth and attempted to lift Baxter's sword, but the weight was too much; her arms failed her.

Her legs were full of molten lead and each step felt like gravity had doubled. Yet she marched forward one foot at a time until she was at the edge of the dome. Her legs buckled and her head slammed against the rock – she suppressed the pain as blood trailed over her eyes.