Thor's blood boiled as he turned to face Nox, his eyes blazing with fury. The searing pain in his back only fueled his rage.
"HAAAAA!!!"
With a roar that echoed through the frozen wasteland he raised Mjolnir high. Lightning crackled in the stormy skies above, answering his call. Then he unleashed a torrent of thunder directly at his assailant.
But something was wrong.
The bolt of lightning that should have obliterated Nox in a single strike faltered, its power dwindling to a fraction of what Thor had summoned. Instead of the blinding flash of destruction only a weak burst of energy flickered from Mjolnir, barely enough to scorch the ground where Nox had stood.
Thor's eyes widened in shock and confusion as he stared at his own hand, struggling to comprehend the sudden loss of power. This had never happened before.
A low, mocking laugh echoed through the icy air, drawing Thor's gaze back to the figure in black. Nox stood few meters from him. Thor could sense the amusement radiating from him. The dark robed figure tilted his head slightly, the glint of the black shortsword still visible in the dim light.
"Surprised, God of Thunder?" Nox said mockingly. "That little stab was more than just a mere wound. It's enough to reduce even a god's power. Just like it did with Freya."
Thor's heart pounded in his chest as Nox's words sunk in. The rage that had already been burning inside him now exploded more. So this is how he able to take Freya, by draining her power.
"Where are you hiding her?" Thor demanded.
"She's at the top of the hill," Nox replied, nodding his head upward. "You can meet her, of course, after I cut off all your limbs."
A moment after hearing his words Thor charged at Nox without saying anything. He arrived in front of him in the blink of an eye, but as he swung his hammer with all his remaining strength, Nox sidestepped the attack with ease, leaving Thor to strike nothing but air. The ground beneath Thor cracked and splintered from the force of the blow.
Thor snarled, spinning around to launch another attack, but again Nox dodged. Each time Thor tried to land a hit, Nox was already gone. And with every failed strike, Thor could feel his power slipping further away, the strength that had once been his birthright dwindling to a dangerous low.
A few seconds later Thor panting. Whoever this black-robed figure was, he was no ordinary foe. He have the power to weakened him and that give Thor a glimpse about what he is capable of doing.
"Who are you?" Thor asked with a growl. But Nox only gave another chuckle, offering no answer, only more silence and more taunting evasion.
Thor's frustration boiled over as Nox remained silent. The god of thunder's grip tightened around Mjolnir. His mind raced, searching for a way to turn the tide of the battle.
If this mysterious figure was going to continue to underestimate him, then Thor would use that arrogance against him. He would feign another reckless attack, drawing Nox into a false sense of security. And when the moment came, Thor would strike with all the power he had left.
He charged again, Mjolnir arcing toward Nox in what appeared to be another wild and desperate attack. But this time Thor was ready. His eyes never left his opponent, watching, waiting for that fleeting moment of overconfidence.
But Nox was no fool.
Just as Thor closed in, Nox's posture shifted. The dark figure didn't flinch or evade as before. Instead, he moved with sudden and deadly precision, his black shortsword flashing. Before Thor could react Nox unleashed a strong slash that cut through his flesh.
The blow landed with devastating force. Thor felt the blade tear through his side and give him a searing pain that radiated through his entire body.
He gasped, blood spilling from the wound as he staggered back, his vision blurring from the shock.
Nox didn't stop and pressed the attack. Another strike, and then another, each one driving Thor further back, each one opening new wounds. Thor could barely keep up, his strength rapidly waning as he struggled to defend himself.
With a final swing, Nox sent Thor crashing to the ground, Mjolnir slipping from his grasp and clattering against the jagged rocks. Thor tried to rise but his body betrayed him, his limbs heavy and unresponsive. He had received too much wound from that mysterious black blade.
He looked up at Nox, who stood over him, the shortsword glinting ominously in the dim light.
"You think you can kill me now, god of Thunder?" Nox's voice was a low, dangerous hiss, devoid of the earlier amusement. "You're not the only one who can play games. And I'm not going to take any chances again."
"After what I've been experiencing with those human kids!" Nox added angrily in his heart.
Before Thor could respond Nox raised his free hand, a swirling vortex of dark energy forming at his fingertips. With a sharp gesture he unleashed the energy and tearing open a portal in the fabric of reality.
Nox stepped closer, his gaze locked onto Thor's.
With a brutal kick, Nox sent Thor hurtling into the portal. The force of the blow drove Thor through the vortex, his world spinning as he was torn away from that place.
A moment later Thor crashed onto the cold ground of a barre and desolate landscape. The wind howled around him. He tried to rise, but the pain from his wounds was overwhelming, forcing him to lie still as his vision faded in and out.
Thor's mind seethed with fury and frustration when he realized that he doesn't see Mjolnir anywhere.
For now, though, Thor could only lie there, wounded and weary, the cold darkness of the remote place closing in around him.
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