Epics of Noche 5, Reflection

EON CH 28

LOTS OF CLONES.

1777, APRIL 10th, SUNDAY5:24 pm.

Noche stepped out of the portal and found Galloway standing there, waiting for her. He looked past her to the portal behind her.

"Not bad," he paused. "Still we have a ways to go. Peer over that ledge there."

"You're not gonna do some silly bullshit like kick me while I'm leaning over. Are you?"

"Do I look like the kind of person to act silly?"

"I distinctly remember you making it rain limbo sticks for a gag."

"Fair point. You have my word, I won't push you."

Noche crossed her arms and grumbled, but looked over the ledge regardless. Not so far down was a collection of people climbing up the mountain. They were close enough that she could almost make them out.

"Galloway... Who are these people?"

"Your clones."

She snapped her head in his direction. "My what now?"

"A thousand reflections of you. All identical in every way except in two regards. One, they can't use Limbo. Two, they all are my puppets."

Noche's mouth hung wide open. "H-How!"

"Like Creeps, I too can manipulate reality. Turn the real surreal," he said. "I'm just weaker at it."

"Are you sure about that!"

"Very."

"Fuck man."

"Bit of advice, use up all your drive if you can," he said. "When you resurrect in a new body, it regains all its drive. So if you use it all up, die, and resurrect with it full again..."

"I could increase my augment drastically – like when I was in the asylum."

"Exactly. It won't make a big difference, but it'd be nice to have you at General level if possible."

"Not make a big difference he says."

"Well, you better get going. Those clones of yours are going to catch up soon."

"Please, with how intense the gravity is, it'll take them hours."

"About that, I was manipulating the concentration of gravity on you."

"What? WHAT!"

"The purpose of this training is to have you master limbo. Of course I'd make sure you were forced to use it," he said. "Unfortunately for you, your reflections will have no such limitations."

"You –"

"I wonder... If one kills you, would it be considered suicide?" Galloway bent over. "Hurry up everyone. Step right up and beat the blonde!"

Noche flipped him off and darted towards the mountain.

"Run Noche – run before you tear yourself to shreds."

If only he knew. She was already torn to pieces. It was a miracle she was still holding herself together. The thought made her chuckle.

Fast as she could Noche made a portal and dived into it. She teleported a few hundred feet up the mountain in a flash. Though the increase in gravity strained her and she almost slipped. Searching for the next spot to go to she could find no ledge.