AN: Sorry for the long hiatus. In this chapter I hope to explain a bit of how Stormbolt's powers work. Plus the appearance of a couple of guests. They belong to Shadowknight 1121. There is also a mention of another guest character, which belongs to Tonycakes. As always, please read, review, and enjoy.
Chapter 9: Captive
Ethan Louis' apartment. Chinatown, Coast City 9:16 a.m.
An alarm clock rung inside Ethan's room as the elemental set it on snooze, only for the clock itself to be zapped by electricity. The clock started to burn, with a small smoke was carried out as Ethan froze the smoking clock in ice. Before he could get up and throw the clock away, he heard knocking on his door. Ethan got out of bed and picked up the ice covered broken alarm clock as he walked down, and tossed it in the trash. He walked up the door annoyed as it kept on banging, making Ethan frustrated in its constant knocking.
"Look, whoever you are..." Ethan started as he opened the door. "Could you please stop knocking on my-" he stopped to notice a certain person standing by the open door, as his face was frozen. "Hi."
the person standing back the door was Barbara and his sister Izzy was behind her as well. "Hi. Can we come in?" she asked
"Yeah, sure." Ethan replied as he let them in his apartment, getting a embracing hug from his sister
He was surprised to see Barbara come and visit, which left him quite stunned that she came by with his sister. She was wearing a black t-shirt, grey skirt and black shoes on her feet. She sat down on his couch with her hands on her hips, as Ethan closed the door and locked it. Izzy was wearing a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans, with white sneakers on her feet. Ethan got visits from Hector, Kara, and even his foster parents. But for Barbara and Izzy to come see him, this was an unexpected surprise as Ethan stared at the former Batgirl now Oracle and his sister. He went to close the door, but two more people came inside his apartment as Ethan knew who they were. One was a brown haired with one eye blue and the other eye green wearing a $5,000 suit. The other was a woman with shoulder length red hair and blue eyes, as she wore a purple jacket with a blue shirt underneath and jeans. They were Jayden and Ally Warney.
"I... I wasn't expecting to see you." Ethan said breaking the silence as he looked at Jayden and Ally. "Especially you two." he glanced at his sister. "I didn't know how long you would be in Themsycira."
"Just came back to visit you today." Izzy stated. "I already went to see mom and dad this morning."
"I came to check on you." Ally started. "We came to check up on you. I heard you've been in your apartment for almost an entire week."
Ethan sighed as his hand was on his forehead. "I'm fine, Barb."
Jayden sighed as he suddenly pinch the bridge of his nose. "No you're not, Ethan. Everyone is worried about you. Ever since that mess with D'Void and that whole Uni-Bracelet crisis, you've been quiet. You've been inactive in the League without any explanation as to why you took a leave of absence. For me, I always have my issues with the-" he continue to notice Ethan remained quiet as he looked away. "Ethan, what is going on with you?"
"If you found out you had a chance to save your mom in the past, would you do it if you somehow failed?" Ethan asked her
Barbara eyed him suspiciously. "Does this has something to do with what happened with D'Void?"
Ethan sighed with his hand on his head. "It does." he admitted
"Ethan, what happened when you were in the past?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me, Ethan. I can tell when you're lying or not." Ethan remained quiet, as Barbara stood up reading to leave. "Fine, then. If you won't tell us what-"
"This stays with you guys and only you. That goes for you too." Ethan said to Barbara. "I mean it, Barb. Don't tell anyone. Not even Hector and Batman."
"That's not going to happen." Jayden said. "This is Batman we're talking about. He always knows. It's what he's good at."
"Jayden..." Ally trailed off
"Hey, it's true." he stated. "Besides you met the man."
"You have our word." Barbara said to Ethan
"This is how it happened."
Flashback.
Ethan's family apartment, Bludhaven 10:00 p.m.
He was in a tough spot in the burning building of his childhood home, with his mother's life hanging in the balance of D'Void himself. Thoughts were going inside his head. Should he give off the Uni-bracelet in order to free his mother? Or should he toss the bracelet to D'Void just so he could use an electric duplicate to stun him the villain? However, he most sudden thought that kept going through his mind over and over again was the death of his mother.
"Tell me, Man of Thunder?" D'Void held Ethan's mother by the neck. "What will be it? The Uni-Bracelet or this woman's life?"
Ethan closed his eyes and balled his fist, pulling out the Uni-Bracelet from behind his back pocket. "Here." he said tossing the Uni-Bracelet. "Now... let her go."
"Hmm." D'Void eyed the woman he held in his hand, then stared at Stormbolt as he caught the Uni-Bracelet in his grasp. "I am curious. Why does she matter to you?"
"She's someone I don't want to see get hurt." Stormbolt replied, as a duplicate was closely behind D'Void. "Just like anyone else in danger."
"I do not believe you." the part science villain said tossing Ethan's mother aside. "This woman is important to you than you say."
A duplicate of electricity stunned D'Void behind, as Stormbolt fired out a concentrated bolt of electricity straight into his chest leaving him to drop the Uni-Bracelet. Before Stormbolt could get his mother out of the way, a stasis field hit him as D'Void grasped the neck of Ethan's mother. His eyes were widened with sudden fear and horror as D'Void's hand glowed in energy bringing it closer to his mother. D'Void pressed his hand on her face, as it began to slowly disintegrate her into nothing but dust.
"No!"
"As this has been a continuing stalemate and thorn in my side for too long, I prefer to take what is rightfully mine." D'Void aimed his hand at Stormbolt. "I will be taking the Uni-Bracelet. Now."
Stormbolt slide the Uni-Bracelet on his wrist as he glared directly at D'Void. "You want it so damn badly, then take it!" he roared charging at D'Void as he sent a strong fist toward his chest in strange energy
"Fool. You have no idea what you are doing!" D'Void boasted feeling power course within him from the Uni-Bracelet. "You are basically feeding me the power of Uni-Bracelet. I am practically becoming- wait! Something's wrong..." D'Void heavily winced in agony. "To much power! STOP!" he screamed
Stormbolt only ignored D'Void as two beings step out of the portal, both wearing cloaks and hoods over their heads. One was a blonde haired woman with human like features with green eyes, wearing a pink bodysuit with a purple diamond hugging the middle section of her chest. The other was the size of a action figure, being 10 inches. His appearance struck off as a toad like humanoid with blue eyes and black eyes. Grey skin with three fingers and a thumb on each other, along with three toes on each feet. He wore a light blue robe as he removed his hood, seeing the Uni-Bracelet itself being used.
"Human! Do not use the full power of the Uni-Bracelet!" the 10 inch alien warned. "You could dampen-"
Ethan's fist pressed harder as he let out a roaring yell, with the shocked expression of the two arrivals. His eyes sparked with electricity, as the Uni-Bracelet began to glow between blue and orange energy. Sounds of thunder crackling were heard outside as a lightning bolt struck D'Void, screaming out with thunder striking down his body. D'Void faded away in hyperkinetic and electrical energy, leaving a smoldering smoke where he stood as Stormbolt faded into unconsciousness.
Flashback end.
Ethan Louis' apartment. Chinatown, Coast City 9:27 a.m.
"Zeldara and Yadio told the others what the Uni-Bracelet was. An ancient and powerful item to strong for any being to ever have. Even speak with those Guardians of the universe people who Hal and John speak to." Ethan stated as he looked down. "As soon as I saw her die in front of me, I... I lost it. I took a break from the Justice League the next day."
"Ethan." Izzy gasped at the revelation her brother told
"I saw my own mother die. And that lightning strike that hit the burning apartment when I was eight, that was me."
"I know what you're thinking, and I'm telling you don't. Don't do that to yourself." Barbara said to Ethan. "You weren't the cause of it. This was D'Void. All of it. He exploit your weakness and he knew it would make you break."
"People like that want to do one thing to you... they want you to suffer." Jayden said. "My point is it's not your fault. You're here and he's not. End of story."
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, well... I don't what happen to him. From what Yadio said, I either sent him in time or somewhere in space." he explained. "I was using the power of two lords of the universe. The one of time and the one of space."
Izzy gave her foster brother a confused look. "Lords of the universe?"
"There were six lords of the universe." Ethan stated. "The lord of time, Timex. The lady of space, Spacara. The lady of soul, Sula. The lady of reality, Relixa. The lord of mind, Mindu. And the lord of power, Paralos. A race of nomadic warriors known as the Immortals. Their last battle was in 1400 A.D. with the Draco, a creature or being from a deep dimension."
"Sounds serious. Like cosmic level serious." Ally replied. "What happened to them?"
"They sacrifice themselves and performed one last transmutation on each other to create the Uni-Bracelet." Ethan stated. "After a champion use the Uni-Bracelet to defeat the Draco, he was sent to space. He was never seen again." he concluded
"That's deep." Izzy said bluntly
"It is. Or was." Ethan replied in a sigh as he walked to the kitchen. "Now, the Uni-Bracelet is kept hidden and guarded at all times." he finished taking. "One of the reasons why Yadio has it stashed away to a planet only he knows."
Izzy looked at the time in her watch as she stood out of the couch. "I have to go. It's almost time for me to be back in Themsycira for my send off ceremony. I invited mom because of the whole women-are-allow thing." she made her way to the door, but stopped as she glanced at her brother. "You and dad will see me back in eight days."
Ethan nodded his head at his little sister and replied. "I'll be here with dad when you come back."
"We should leave." Jayden and Ally walk toward the door. "Me and Ally have to get back to the kids."
"Bye."
"Bye." they both said as the door closed, leaving only Ethan and Barbara. "I'm starving. Do you want something to eat?"
"Yes, I do." Barbara replied. "What do you say after breakfast, we go to the beach? The four of us." she suggested seeing the puzzled expression on Ethan's face. "Me, you, Hector, and Kara."
"It's Coast city." Ethan stated. "Everyone goes to the bus, especially tourists. They're always packed when they come here."
Barbara tossed a flirting smile. "Well too bad for you, I am a tourist."
"That's the good thing. You're a hot tourist. Well, you, Kara, and Donna. Plus, you three have been here before." Ethan replied with a grin on his face. "But you're going to need a bathing suit."
"Then I better get started" Barbara replied giving him a wink. "Besides, I can get it while I'm here."
Unknown star system.
Outside a dry rock planet that looked like a barren wasteland, a Nertoi ship landed near a rocky platform as the ship itself powered down. The planet itself was filled with volcanic ash and rocks, with no sign of any advanced civilization or technology being detected all across the uncharted world. Jinvor and a dozen of Nertoi soldiers stand by while they settled, as they scan for vital life signs. The infrared heat signatures on the scanners showed only low-level creatures, highly vermin insects on the planets. Larius and the steward of Imperius watched the monitors as a Nertoi soldier approached.
"Lord Larius." Jinvor and Larius turn their attention to the soldier. "No sign of life on this planet. Only vermin rats. It appears that the inhabitats died in the eruption of a volcanic storm." the soldier
"Have we been detected by Bliskon sensors?"
"No, your lordship. They are not in this sector." the soldier answered. "We can proceed whenever you wish."
"Good. You may leave us." the soldier bowed and walked away from the two as Jinvor turned his glance at Larius. "If you have something on your mind, speak it."
"You know as well as I do that we cannot take members of this Justice League." Jinvor reminded in a urgent tone. "Their numbers have grown since the Thangarians invaded their planet."
"All we need is a suitable being from their group." Larius assured. "Only one will be taken and sent to Nartax. We can sell the rest."
"What if one of these league profligates is a Green Lantern?" Jinvor inquired. "If we mistakenly take-"
"We will avoid that transition and take only one of them. One that is suitable and a prime candidate to fight in the arena." Larius stated. "As for a Green Lantern, we will send them to the Red Lantern or Sinestro corp."
"Very well." Jinvor replied. "Shall I begin springing the trap or should I allow you to have more time to gather your plan?"
"Activate the beacon." Larius ordered as Jinvor bowed in respect. "Let the prey come to us."
Dropaway beach, Coast City 11:03 a.m.
"I have to admit, it is good seeing you on your feet." Hector said, as him and Ethan watch Kara and Barbara laid on beach blankets wearing bikinis and sunglasses. "I was starting to worry about you."
"Don't chick flick this for me, man." Ethan said, enjoying the view of Barbara wearing a purple bikini and Kara sporting a blue bikini
Hector hit Ethan on the shoulder playfully. "Me? Chick flik? How dare you." he replied in a chuckle. "Do I have to recall the fling you had with a particular person when I wasn't in the apartment six weeks ago?"
"What fling?" Ethan inquired with a quirked eyebrow on his face. "I have no idea who you're talking about."
"When I had came back, I saw her boots near your bedroom door." Hector easily stated to Ethan. "And if we had company in the pad, you would have slept on the couch. However, you didn't. My point is you and her were in the room."
Ethan cocked his head as he glanced at Hector and queried. "Then would you explain to me why I saw a few feathers in your bed when I needed to borrow the basketball real quick?"
Hector put both of his arms behind his head as he laid back. "Probably from your pillow." he said in near hesitation
"No it wasn't." Ethan shook his head not believing him. "Admit it."
Hector gave a confused look and asked. "Admit what?"
"Admit that you-know-who was in that bedroom, and so were you." Ethan replied. "I know that because the covers smelled like that mellow colone of yours. Your room smelled like that for three years that I had to turn the fan on."
"You don't have proof." Hector said
"Neither do you about you-know-who was with me." Ethan replied with a sly grin. "So what was it? Fling? Booty call? Stress relief?"
"I don't kiss and tell. Besides, nothing happened. I had offered her a place to stay for the night, after that mess with Grundy since she didn't trust herself to stay in the Watchtower." Hector stated. "I would check out Donna, but her and Dick are on a mission with Cyborg."
"You asked her out yet?" Ethan asked taking a sip of soda
"No. it's not that I'm afraid or anything, but..." Hector trailed off slightly looking away and staring into the ocean
"You're scared of Wonder woman." Ethan said. "It's okay, man. She's the protective big sister. That's how it always is. Plus she's an amazon capable of kicking your ass."
"No. I mean look at it. She's been on an island of women who isolate themselves from the outside world." Hector stated. "Many of them don't trust us for something that happened a long time ago none but them would only remember."
Ethan shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, that call the rest of the world just well... Man's world. Or Man's earth."
"It's Man's world." Hector corrected. "I want to know her as a friend first before I could start asking her out."
"Friend's zone." Ethan said in a fake cough
Hector raised a quirked eyebrow. "Oh, really? Have you even thought of asking Barbara out on a date yet?" his face suddenly formed a small grin. "Or how about Kara?" Hector got his answer when Ethan started coughing out his drink
"Barbara?" Ethan looked away. "She... is only a friend. And...so is Kara."
Hector has a sly grin on his face. "In other words that's your way of saying: I'm scared of dating Dick's ex and Superman's cousin?"
"Shut up. I mean it's not like I'm afraid to talk to both of them." Ethan replied. "Her and Dick broke up for some reason for some and I don't know what it was about."
"Yet you're afraid you will get caught by Superman if you're with Kara. And with Barbara, you're afraid to bother asking." Hector teased. "I would you figure that you would rise to the-"
"Hey. Only I can troll somebody." Ethan remarked taking a chug of soda. "I'm the master troller. So first of all, remember that. Second of all, I'm not scaed to talk to either one of them. They both have beautiful blue eyes, pretty smile, and-" he stopped himself before continuing
Hector glanced at his best friend. "What?"
Ethan had his eyes staring at Kara who was talking to Barbara and said. "I just remembered Kara has super hearing."
"Think she heard you?" Hector asked before his communicator flicked. "I'm here, J'onn. Huh. Hmm. Blockbuster, Silver Banshee, and Talisman spotted in the South American jungle? Who do you have besides me? Captain Marvel and Stargirl? Alright, on my way." Hector said flicking his communicator off and leaving. "Think you'll be alright on your own?"
"I'll be alright." Ethan replied as he saw Barbara get up and walk out after Hector did. "Barb? Where you headed?"
"I'm heading back to Gotham." she said. "I promised I trained Sarina today. She's been talking about me getting a costume if I ever go out."
"That would be interesting to see. The super hacker superhero continue to fight crime on the streets and on the web." Ethan nodded and said. "See you later."
"You too." Barbara stopped and took a glance at Ethan. "By the way, could you take Kara around town? Maybe you two can go on a date?"
Ethan raised a quirked eyebrow as he stared at Barbara and said. "You want me and Kara to go on a date?"
"Nothing big. Just as friends." she replied. "You're not afraid of a little date, are you?"
"Me? No, no." Ethan said. "I'm not afraid. I would like to show her around Coast city. I'll even take her shopping." Barbara's smile grew. "Wait, that's not what I-"
"Good." Barbara looked to where Kara was and said. "Kara! He said yes!" she finished, as she left taking her beach blanket and leaving the beach
"Wait a minute... what did you two-" Ethan was cut off by Kara wrapping him into a bear hug embrace. "Kara... can't breathe..."
"Sorry." she apologized. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Did you think that girl from the store thought we were a couple?"
Ethan coughed up his soda at the response. "W-w- what?"
"That girl clerk in the store where me and Barb were getting bathing suits." Kara stated. "She thought you and I were together. You didn't notice that?"
"It never crossed my mind."
"Can I ask you something?" Kara asked as Ethan nodded in reply. "I've notice you flirting with almost every women in the league when me and Barbara came to check on you." Kara recalled with the event of the Dark Heart. "Why not the three of us?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow at Kara's question. "Three of you?" he inquired
"Yeah. Me, Barb, and Donna." she stated
Ethan chuckled. "What can I say? I'm a shameless flirt. There's a time when I flirt with you three." he said. "Besides... I don't flirt with almost all the women in the league. I didn't flirt with Canary, Vixen, and some of the others. I flirted with Zatanna once. I did with Huntress until she quit."
Kara leaned on his shoulder giving him a flirty smirk. "How much flirting?"
"I flirted with her like half of the time." Ethan said modestly
Kara scoffed hitting his arm playfully. "Please. I've seen you flirt with her whenever you see her whenever I was there."
"Probably."
"Now, come on!" Kara exclaimed taking Ethan's arm. "Barbara said you'd show me around the city."
"What else did she say?"
"That you would take me shopping." she answered
'This has to be payback for something I did. They probably heard me and Hector talking.' Ethan thought. "Kara about the shopping part..."
"Too late." she said still dragging him by his arm
"There's got to be something." Ethan pleaded as Kara let go of his arm and had stopped walking. "Something that I can do to change your mind."
Kara tapped her chin and said. "Either you can take me shopping. Or... you could tell me how your powers work."
"You want to know how my powers?"
"Yeah."
Ethan took her hand and said. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
Ethan smiled at her, as both of them felt the water covering their waist stated. "For a little swim. I can explain on how my powers while we're doing this." he and Kara as they in the water, moving through with each stroke. "You know I can control elements like water, wind, ice, and lightning. What you don't know is how."
"Are you going to tell me?"
Ethan stopped as he stared back at Kara and explained. "I can generate the electric and thermal energy in my body. I can generate that kind of electricity to summon a lightning storm and combine it with wind to create a vortex. If I can absorb the water like where you and me are, I can choose to freeze it almost instantly or use it heal myself from a fatal injury." Ethan looked ahead of Kara to see themselves away from the area of the beach. "I can hold my breathe underwater. And so can Izzy, especially since she has my powers."
"How long can you hold your breath?" Kara asked as Ethan handed his watch
"As soon as it hits twelve, time it for fifteen minutes." he instructed to Kara as she nodded her head. "Ready?"
"Ready."
Ethan swam down in the ocean, while he swiftly moved his arms and legs slowly to stay underwater as he stared at Kara. She smiled and nodded letting Ethan know she was timing him as he nodded back, tapping his knee while he waited until his time was up. Whenever sharks were getting close, all Ethan had to do was wash them away in a bubble of water and freeze them until he leaved the area. Minutes had past since being underwater as Ethan patiently stayed his time ended, seeing Kara wave him off. Taking it as a sign that his time was off, Ethan swam back up heading to the surface as he heard a giggle come from Kara's mouth.
Ethan wiped the water off his face and asked. "How long?"
"Fifteen minutes." Kara answered
"Ready to head back to the beach?"
"Whenever you are." Kara replied
Ethan's apartment. Chinatown, Coast city 8:00 a.m.
Ethan's communicator flicked on. "Great." he muttered as he put the communicator on his ear. "It's me. Go ahead."
"Ethan, it's Hal. I need you to come with me and Adam Strange on an SOS in the Mordu system. Sector 2903. Cremortira. It's a class M planet. Highly dangerous. Every 24 hours, a solar eruption engulfs the entire planet."
"Why not call someone else for this?"
"Everyone's occupied including John. Plus you're the only league member with no experience out in space. I figure it would be good for you to get the use of it. I wouldn't call you if I was sure."
Ethan sighed. "Fine. I'll meet you in the Watchtower."
"We'll be in the hangar bay. Javelin 42."
Ethan got up from the bed while getting dressed. "I have to go." he said putting his pants on
the mysterious woman walked up to him. "Maybe next time?" she asked wrapping his arms around his neck
"Next time." he replied kissing her on the lips
Mordu system. Cremortira 7:30 p.m.
The javelin dived down into the planet's atmosphere, as it landed down near two miles to the SOS signal. Hal, Adam Strange, and Stormbolt exit out of the javelin as they follow the distress beacon through the uncharted and dangerous world. Green Lantern trace the signal using his lantern as he flew to the destination, with Stormbolt and Adam Strange behind him to follow the SOS. The location of the distress signal came from an ancient and nearby ruin as all three heroes went inside the abandoned.
"Something's not right." Adam said. "This place must have been abandoned thousands of years before this eruption started. There's no way someone alive could this be in this deathtrap."
"I don't get it. There's no one here." Stormbolt glanced at Hal. "Are you sure the SOS beacon is coming from here?"
"It has to be. My ring is picking up the signal." Hal stated as he glanced at Stormbolt and Adam Strange. "Be ready in case this goes south."
Adam Strange pulled out his ray gun and replied. "Noted. This is Bliskon territory, and we have to tread carefully."
"Bliskon territory?"
"The Bliskon and Nartax Imperium are at war with each other." Hal stated. "A treaty was made that no green lantern would intervene in the war."
"The Nertoi are an alien race of slavers. They live to tell captives from other planets and force them into slave labors." Adam Strange added. "The Bliskon are known to force alien races to join them whether they want to or not."
Stormbolt sparked two bolts to cast the entire temple area in light and said. "Sounds serious. How long have these guys been at war?"
Adam looked back at Stormbolt and answered. "Two hundred years."
"Damn."
"You don't have to tell me, kid." Hal replied as he stared at Stormbolt and Adam. "There are three entrances. I'll take left. Adam, you got middle. And Stormbolt, you have right."
Ethan looked at the three entrances inside the temple and said. "Not so sure splitting up isn't the good idea there, GL."
"Neither am I, but we're out of options." Hal stated. "We got two hours left before the solar eruption comes. We need to spread out fast and look for survivors." he shined a light at them for a second. "You have the signal. Get whoever is left and head for the javelin, ASAP."
"Let's be quick about this."
"Agreed."
The three leaguers went inside the ancient alien temple, as they separated themselves into pairs of one. Green Lantern went left while Adam Strange and Stormbolt went middle and right, as the headed to look for survivors from the SOS beacon. Green Lantern look left and right with the light of his power ring as he checked corridor-to-corridor to find no one inside. As soon as he went to check the last room, Green Lantern grunted in pain when red energy shot him from behind. Meanwhile with Adam Strange, he was flying through the temple in his jet pack as he picked up the signal of the SOS. A shadowy figure leaped left and right avoiding the spaceman's detection as a beam shot out, stunning Adam Strange as he fell to the floor.
Stormbolt continued the trail to the distress signal as the signal came closer and closer on his HUD lenses. The signal grew immensely as it stopped near a catacomb, getting a reading of a escape pod. Just before he approached it, a blast shot out to incapacitate him as a couple of Nertoi soldiers stood out of the shadows. A bolt of electricity shot them as they fell unconscious, with Stormbolt behind them. He wrapped one in ice, while he kept the other one still in water.
"Who are you?"
Then all of a sudden, a blast shot Stormbolt from the back as he fell unconscious. Larius appeared behind him along with Jinvor.
"This one will do." Larius said with a smug grin on his face. "Take him to the grand arena with the others."
"What about the other two?"
"Give the Green Lantern to the Red lanterns." Larius declared. "As for the one called Adam Strange, send him to the Gordanians. Both will pay us handsomely."
Unknown location
Stormbolt slowly opened his eyes as he took a look at his surroundings, reminding him of a roman colosseum but with more of a alien effect to it. He found out he was in chains with a small disk on the left side of his chest, as Stormbolt realized he was not alone in the colosseum cell. There were mole-like humanoids, wearing only rags below their waist. A couple of red skinned humaniod with a chakra on their chin and forehead. One was a bald male wearing padded light armor in blue and yellow. The other was female with over the shoulders black hair wearing a dark blue sleeveless bodysuit.
There was a yellow skinned woman with butterfly antennas and pointy ears, wearing a sky blue battle dress exposing her arms and legs. She had long magenta hair and green eyes as she stroked her hair with her hand. A 4 foot tall grey alien wearing a black jumpsuit with red markings, showing black eyes with grey pupil-like dots and a glowing cranium. An 8 foot tall white yeti-like alien with blue animalistic eyes, and small horns on his forehead wearing only a harness on his chest. The third was a green skinned muscular alien tribal haired and yellow eyed alien, bottom fanged teeth showing white tribal marks on his chest all over his body. he wore red armored pants with wide black stripes, as he was standing near a wall with his arms folded. Lastly, there was a purple skinned humanoid woman wearing a white light armored suit exposing her fingers and her hood down.
"Dixel cannot fight! Dixel is coward!"
"Cowering ain't going to help ya, pal."
"Silence! Enough of your weak prattle."
"You both are annoying me."
"I don't see you finding a way out of here, princess."
"Where the hell am I?" Stormbolt muttered loudly, as he caught the attention of the captives with him. "Hi."
the moloid alien walked up to Stormbolt. "You! You could free Dixel. You must!" he pleaded with the red skinned armored alien touched his shoulder
"That's enough, Dixel. We cannot bother the human now since he has woken up from his slumber." he said. "I am Savin Lim. And you are?"
"Stormbolt."
"Odd name."
"Just something to conceal my secret identity." they looked at him confused. "It's just a motto we have on Earth. Where I'm from."
"I see." Savin motioned his hand to the captives as he pointed to the bottom fanged alien tribal. "This is Dourge." pointed at the yellow skinned female in the battle dress. "Mandira." Savin set his finger at the white light armored and purple skinned female alien. "Xenli." lastly, he pointed to the yeti and 4 foot tall alien. "Hroar and Klato. My wife, Eloine and I were taken captive a couple of days."
"How long have I been here?"
"Four days."
"Four days?! I've been here for four days!?" Stormbolt shouted
"Calm down, Stormbolt."
"I can't calm down. I got a little sister that's probably worried about me!" Stormbolt exclaimed
"I am afraid that is not possible." Savin replied regretfully
"What do you mean not possible?"
Savin glanced from the gated cell to the door leading outside and stated. "We are to be sent off into the games."
"Games?"
"I do not suppose you have a plan?" Dourge inquired
Savin glanced at Dourge. "I do, Dourge. It's going to take your strength and durability. Yours and Hroar."
"Wait a minute. Time out!" Stormbolt said in exclamation with his hands in the air for a quick second. "What games?"
Eloine glanced at Stormbolt and said. "We are on route to the arena where our deaths are today's entertainment. And since we are in Nartax, we are heading to the grand colosseum."
"Nartax? Wait, do you mean..."
"We are in the heart of the Nertoi Imperium."
"Welcome to the big games, human." the grey alien said
