Epics of Noche 2, DeathTech

EON CH 29

TAK'S FIGHT. 

1774, NOVEMBER 28th, MONDAY 12:43 am.

Bullets fell out of Tak's torso and clattered on the ground like a handful of coins. The Anglerfish soldier stood before the elevator and stared at the ice. It turned towards Tak and approached. The immortal rose from his knees, adjusted his shoulders, and squared his stance. He was prepared for a fight.

"I can do this. I can be a hero — I can be like Noche," he thought. "If I'm tough like her, then she'll like me."

His eyes narrowed as the Anglerfish soldier broke out in a run towards him. Tak prepared to throw a punch when something latched onto his ankle. It was a snake made of dough-like flesh — which threw him into the air and slammed his back into the ceiling.

Blood spluttered out of Tak's mouth from the impact. His eyes opened to the Anglerfish soldier melting into the main drain in the center of the room. Its Gatling gun almost disassembled as it sank into the pipes.

"No! NO!" Tak shouted. "You're not getting away that—"

Tak was launched into the floor with enough force to break all his ribs. His mind rattled from the impact as the Anglerfish soldier melted into the drain. He cursed as blood gushed out of his chest.

It was the most blood Tak ever lost.

It was colored orange.

Tak's eyes widened. Blood was supposed to be red. Why was his orange? His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden yank — leaving a trail of orange blood ahead of him. The flesh-snake had fused to Tak's ankle. It was pulling him towards Vulture.

"I can regenerate any wound... But if I'm fully assimilated, if no pieces of me remain, will I die?" Tak thought.

A grimace emerged on his face. Prismatic energy surrounded his hand — he created a blade of ice as long as his arm and as sharp as a scalpel. He swung down and cut the doughy tentacle. Tak rolled to a stop and stood up.

"Consume, CONSUME!"

The immortal grit his teeth as wounds began to heal. As long as he stayed away from Vulture, he wouldn't have to worry about being absor—Tak vomited a bucket of blood. His eyes fell down to his ankle.

Remnants of the tentacle were squirming under his skin. It writhed up his entire leg and deeper into his body. Tak's eyes went white and foam leaked out of his mouth. He fell to the floor and convulsed.

"S-Shit," he thought. "Not like this."

His skin melted; his hand became bone and then liquid.

"It's not connected to Vulture, but he still controls it," he thought. "All it takes is one touch."

Thoughts began to blur as the brain shut down. Sentences became words, which became emotions, which became silence. The final activity in his head involved feelings for Noche... Then there was nothing.

He dissolved into a puddle of flesh; Vulture fell to its knees and the gargantuan tongue slurped up immortal goo.

Tak de Leon was gone.

Not a trace of his body remained behind. Vulture absorbed the last bit of liquid matter that used to be Tak. It was impossible to regenerate now — not a cell of him existed. All that was left was his clothes, a scarf, and two nails.