Origins- Protectors

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Return to the Origin

The hot Bali sun beat down upon the two fighters as they crash landed onto a large beach. The teleporter was gripped tightly in both Adams' hands, neither willing to give the other control over the device. Zavant pummelled Noctum, who was doing all he could to stem the blood flow from the bullet wound. Coarse sand grated against their hands as the punches missed their marks, staining the pure white sand a dangerous scarlet. Some locals had gathered around to watch the two fight, but were quickly dispersing as they realised the true violence of the battle. Every time that Noctum's remaining strength would give him an edge, Zavant would blast him with electricity to weaken him again. It was a gruelling battle of willpower, and Noctum had the strongest will of all,

"Stop, police!" a man yelled, firing a shot into the ground between the two fighters,  

"You know not what you are meddling in!" Zavant roared, shooting his clamp through the police officer and killing him instantly,

"Stop killing!" Adam shouted, and so did Zavant, the power of their rage amplifying their bond,

Zavant tried to attack Noctum, but the vigilante avoided every punch, landing a clean uppercut to Prime's jaw. Zavant responded by head butting Noctum just as he pulled away, the strong arch of his forehead shattering the vigilante's nose. Noctum took advantage of this second of weakness to pull Zavant into another choke-hold, but he knew that he would not be able to win like this. The loss of blood was too great for Noctum. Zavant arched his back, pulling Noctum off the ground, then tossed him aside like a sack of grain,

"You just aren't enough," Zavant panted, advancing on the fallen vigilante, "you will never be enough to defeat me,"

Noctum lay still, the only part of his body moving was his mouth, which replied,

"Check your teleporter,"

Zavant looked straight down to see the coordinates that Noctum had plugged into the device,

"Noooooooo!" Zavant roared, his voice growing deeper as he was pulled into another place,

Noctum lay calmly on the beach, soft waves tickling his arm, pulling his blood into the ocean. He felt that he didn't have much time left to live, but was not afraid of the darkness that teased his weary eyes. Then he remembered Zavant, hell bent on killing everyone he had left. With a herculean feat of strength, Noctum rose onto the dunes, his legs shaking from the effort of holding his body up,

"Are you a superhero?" a child asked, running across the beach to Noctum,

"I guess I am," Adam replied, "is there anywhere nearby to wash up?"

"Yes, just along there," the boy gestured along an alleyway that gave Noctum deja vu, "my name's Agambir, by the way,"

"Thanks, Agam," Adam replied, "what's the place called?"

"It's not got a name, but people go there to wash sometimes," Agambir replied,

Noctum walked through the alleyway, enjoying the sun which baked his blood onto his skin. His powers were beginning to return, and he had gouged the bullet from his shoulder using his superhuman strength, just before his skin and bone became unbreakable again. The alleyway began to swim before his eyes as he strode, shimmering with a kind of emotional terror that was sealed deeply in his mind,

"I know this place," Noctum whispered, stepping towards the very house where he had been tortured for two years, 

It had been converted to a public bath, there for all to use. Despite the blood that stained his skin, Noctum headed inside, confident that nobody could stop him if they wanted to. The interior was not spacious, a cramped, musky area with residual smoke from the people who travelled through. A single chair sat at the entrance, presumably for the person who greeted the visitors. Noctum walked through to the showers, just to find that there were several green tiled rooms,