Protectors- Wrath of The Stranger

Chapter Eight: The Fall of Noctum

Noctum's eyes flared as he put the most powerful beatdown on Kinetic that he had ever achieved. Sensing the anger that Noctum was showing, the other Protectors tried to step in, tried to stop Noctum from destroying the city in his fit of rage, but the sheer power of the black and red Auras mixing blew them all back. Kinetic zipped away, the power he had gained by killing Jones, allowing him to reach Mach 3, gathering more speed by the second. Noctum was just faster, however, but Kinetic knew how to use his speed better than Noctum. The two clashed in the streets, firing lightining-fast punches off before dashing away, clashing in a different location,

"Can't keep up with my experience, can you, Noctum?" Kinetic gloated, gaining more speed as he slashed down a bystander with Samantha's blade, "you really don't understand how powerful I am!"

Noctum hurtled a car at Kinetic, but it missed, killing a man nearby. His partner's screams filled the air as the two clashed through the city streets, their Aura's and abilities contradicting each other,

"I remember you," Noctum spoke, but his memory was of a Kinetic long ago, one he beat through teamwork and the power of thought, "you are Kinetic, the killer,"

"I am more than that!" Kinetic laughed with mirth, "I am the God of Speed! I am the strongest being on the planet!"

Noctum struck at Kinetic, but to no avail. His foe was immune to blunt force and Aura damage fully. Nothing he could possibly do could defeat Kinetic. The Chrysalis forced itself even further from his chest as he fought, never noticing the sheer size of the orb as it grew ever further from him. He had no awareness that they had ever left the city, but there they were, almost an hour later, fighting over open ocean. They had moved over three thousand kilometres from where they had begun, and the brutality of their fight would have been unmatched if one had any chance of damaging the other,

"I have a surprise for you, Noctum," Kinetic panted, the effort of the battle catching up with him, "and I don't think that you're going to like it, not at all,"

"I won't let you get that far,"
Noctum made to grapple Kinetic into the water, but the heat of his Aura evaporated the liquid before he could grow close enough to it,

Another hour passed, and Noctum had only grown closer to his absolute limit, Kinetic's taunts and his terrible hallucinations bringing his blood to the literal boil. They had reached a cold place, covered entirely with snow and ice, so it was a wonder when Noctum spotted a cabin, just a few hundred meters ahead. He stopped still, the foreboding feeling in his mind freezing him as he stood there, motionless, absolutely shaking with fear. He felt a presence, one he had not felt in over a decade, one that occurred only in his most horrific visions,

"He's here," Noctum croaked, the Chrysalis' spell over him breaking, "Riley, why?"

"He will grant me the infinite velocity I seek," Johnathan Stone smiled, "and I seem to have brought him exactly what he wants,"

He lunged at Noctum with a punch, but the vigilante caught Kinetic's fist, holding it still. He did not notice the knife, swinging upward, slicing the protruding Chrysalis from his chest. Noctum roared in agony and relief as the orb clattered to the ground. All the pain, the madness, it had been lifted, but it was as if he'd lost a part of himself in that moment,

"He had one message for you before you die," Kinetic recited, "an essence of a God is difficult to destroy. It takes a great deal of power, used in the right way. You ignored my warning, and now you'll pay the price for ignoring it,"

Kinetic tore Noctum's bandanna from his face, revealing the unshaven face of Adam Oughton. He wrapped the Chrysalis in the cloth and began to walk towards the house, towards his destiny. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder,

"We gotta get you outta here, kid," Helmut Grayson said, tucking the teleporter away, "Zavant has a chance, but nothing more,"

Noctum was already passed out, though, ten years of sleepless nights catching up to him.

The Protectors witnessed Grayson appear, carrying Adam's limp body in his arms,

"He's alive," Shaine said pointedly, "and back to normal,"

A trickle of blood ran from where a frozen branch had scratched Noctum's arm. Spirit healed him of all his wounds, causing Adam Oughton to awake from his slumber,

"He's coming," Adam rasped, "Kinetic will bring him back,"

"Who's back?" Zachary asked, "Is the Chrysalis still messing with your brain?"

"No," Noctum replied shakily, "Apis is back. The Stranger is back!"

Kinetic dropped the Chysalis into the Cryo-Chamber, and the entire country was rended still for a moment. It was almost as if the entire world had stopped for this moment. Crimson, cold light flooded the entirety of Mongolia, and the corpse rose from the grave,

"You awoke me, Kinetic," Apis boomed, his body even more powerful than before, the Chrysalis embedded in his forehead, "now I shall grant your wish,"

He tapped Kinetic, and the Speed God gasped, the power overflowing, overpowering him,

"You have lost your endurance," Apis explained, "but your speed has been increased to what you humans would refer to as 'Mach 20',"

"Thank you, Lord Apis," Kinetic bowed, hands clasped over his head, as was custom for BlackHeart members,

"Oh?" Apis suddenly became interested in something, "I sense a great power growing. It shall be the perfect chance to test my new abilities,"

Zavant felt the Artificial Chrysalis embed itself in his chest armour but instantly fell unconscious, powerful visions coming to the man, just as they had when he first held the Chrysalis. He saw Apis winning once again, this time due to his own power, not because of his opponents lacking in comparison,

"Not this time." Zavant mumbled, "this time will be different."

THANK YOU FOR READING!