Disclaimer, I don't own Honkai Star Rail or Warhammer, Mihoyo and Games Workshop does nor any other franchises with their respective owners, I only own my OCs and my ideas. Reviews, suggestions, and critiques are welcome but flames are to be extinguished.
Chapter 7: In Chains
Wandering the high plateaus of the northern Desh'elika Mountains. Caelus had no idea what the hell had just happened. Just one moment he was off the Astral Express with the others. Now he's all alone wandering the wilderness, having nothing but the blessing of the Trailblaze to protect him from the biting cold. The reception of his phone being non-existent.
'Some help you are,' Thought Caelus as he shivered, his outfit a poor match even with the blessing. That daemon in him said nothing the whole time. He didn't know if this is some game or some other nonsense. Daemon biology is not his forte.
So high up, vast mountain ranges the eye can see. Snow was so deep, he tripped several times already and rolled down slopes. He didn't dare try to get close to the ledge. Belobog was cold, but at least there he had friends. Here? Nothing but nature to return his thoughts.
Pssssssshhhhh
Looking up to see a bright flash of light, nearly blinding. Caelus covered his face but still followed its direction when it crashed somewhere nearby, the only thing around him to follow. If it was a meteor or a crashed ship, he hoped that it contained survivors or attracted the planet's locals to check it out.
Trekking into the snow of the ridge of Desh'elika, the Trailblazer could only stumble as the snow grew even deeper before his ears perked up. Hearing the sounds of battle become even clearer as he moved in its direction. Sounds of a clearly human scream and foreign, almost or even alien, cursing as the sounds of exotic weaponry were being fired. He quickly tried his phone again before putting it away with a groan.
'Never reliable when I need it…'
A sleek, dark armored hand plucked him out of nowhere, easily overpowering him. Dragging him into the trees, not giving a damn about him getting whacked by the branches as it leaped from one rock to the other to a hidden overlook. A dark anti-gravity skimmer parked atop the side of a cave he was cruelly dumped.
"A single filthy Mon-keigh? These primitives must be even more pitiful to send a single one of their own up here in response~" Caelus grunted as a boot kept him down by stomping on his back, his head turning to see a scantily clad pointy eared female lick her knife before stabbing a screaming local human, enjoying her suffering before letting her body slide out the raider and into the pile of tortured Nucerians that they picked off before this very hour.
"Hah, look at this one's clothing. It's clearly not one from this backwater, Athara!" The Kabalite Warrior chuckled at the Wych, doing an exaggerated backflip onto the metallic floor beside Caelus before sliding her spiked heel across his face. Cutting deep cuts across his face, making him hiss in pain as she raised her foot to her lips in an impossibly flexible manner before biting the blade off to reveal a small vial that she bit the cork off before splattering it all over him.
HISS
Aeons, it stung all over. Even without the boot keeping him down, Caelus struggled to do anything more than twitch and prepare himself as these now clearly alien pointy eared beings surround him with knives. Spiked and edged, cutting him up like a turkey as they enjoyed his screams that resonated with the rest of the tortured humans in the cave.
"Ghkk!" The liquid, whatever it was, made him feel like being burnt alive, as these foul creatures enjoyed treating this subeldar being like filth. His jacket, pants, and shirt were now a ripped mockery caked in his own blood. Laughter left the lips of his torturers as they made sure he survived every cut.
One of them revealed an agonizing device befitting its name before lashing the Agoniser to the back of his head. Frying his senses, his vision blurring as his nerves burnt out with bioelectrical overload before a green glow regenerated all their efforts, much to their amusement.
"Ah, a regenerator~ What a long-lasting plaything!" Spending their time with their captives, the Kabalite rested against the ledge of the cave. Face peering down to see projectiles being fired at a distance, chuckling at the sight of his Corsair cousins running around the snowy wilderness with the Asuryani.
"Didn't think our cousins share our preferences~" whispered one of the Wychs, finishing off her human after growing tired of her gurgling. The mission was supposed to be over in seconds, finishing off an infant Mon-Keigh god prince fresh from his Birth Pod. An easy mercenary job for some Craftworld Farseer, doom-mongering about some bloody future or what have you.
He barely paid attention to anything more but future plans of tormenting more victims to ward off She Who Thirsts.
Now it was stretching to seven minutes. He thought those Asuryani were always so boring and uptight. Here they were toying with their prey, the very idea of a Mon-keigh baby putting up an actual fight so hilarious it would make the King of Commoragh himself laugh uproariously.
The Wych stared at her brethren enjoying this regeneration-blessed prisoner or in this curse to their heart's content. The scent of suffering in this cave is intoxicating. Breathing in the scent with a smirk, seeing more and more Corsairs emerge from their camp down there.
"Barely an offering to Khaela Mensha Khaine. Why do they even bother?" Four or five dozen of their kind were overkill, split between most of their walks of life. It should've been one. A mere Mandrake of the shadow-submerged realm of Aelindrach would've sufficed. What can one of them even hope to do against their kind that existed for more than sixty million years, and ruled entire galaxies for much of it even?
Caelus crawled away from one of the Wyches the second he could feel the toxin wear off, the Drukhari gladiator giggling as Athara and her fellow Dark Eldar watched him crawl away with a groan. Coughing blood as his body healed, rolling out of the skimmer and into the corpse pile below. His eyes recoiled in horror at the sight of their broken wracked bodies.
He'd be next if he doesn't think of something. Fighting back wasn't an option, or he'd be back on his arse getting tortured like there's no tomorrow. It really seems there was no other option. He's alone, with no one to rely on. None except one thing.
'Fine, I reconsider my old words. Save me from this hell and I'll at least hear you out from now on.'
'I thought you would never ask~' replied a daemonic voice in his Stellaron that struggled not to laugh, his fell arm coming out of his heart to claw into the dead Nucerians. Drawing its sorcerous fingers across the drugged blood and guts of the tortured civilians.
"Look at that pathetic little creature struggle!" Athara cackled wickedly, crouching over the Raider's edge to see Caelus trying to crawl out of the pile of dead bodies before dropping several daggers on his fleeing form. The razor-sharp blades and poisons stuck in them, cutting themselves on his skin upon a simple touch.
"What in Vect's name?!" The Kabalite jumped to his feet as he heard screams come closer, small objects flying through the air and splattering themselves on the mountainside. One rounded piece rolled into view of the Drukhari as they finally saw it.
It was one of their cousins. A Howling Banshee in fact, her face open in a frozen scream as teeth marks dotted what remains of her decapitated neck. Her aspect helmet which is the Banshee Mask, ripped open to reveal her mangled head, the pristine white covered with a reddish mane stained with her own blood.
Athara and her fellow raiders turned around to see what the commotion was. All of them felt an unpleasant tingle and a sinking feeling within their rotten souls. No, it was impossible. They were only in real space for a few hours and extended their time with the torture of humanity.
"Ah~ The sweet taste of Aeldari souls~ Oh how I longed to savour its succulence once more!" Whispered a horrific being emerged into reality, crawling out of the drugged blood of the Nucerians and slitting the throats of two unaware Drukhari in quick succession. Sending their souls straight to She Who Thirsts.
Caelus looked up to see his would-be savior while trying to pull out the daggers to let his regenerative abilities do their thing. A horrific being, a hermaphroditic creature with a body with both male and female body parts. Clawed feet and deadly pincers primed for the kill, pointy ears not unlike his tormentors, and a pallid face that's both disgusting yet alluring at the same time.
"S-sai'lanthresh…. N-NO!" screamed out the unarmed Athara as the daemon was upon her in an instant, sinking her crustacean pincer arms into her heart. The other clamping around her throat to behead her Aeon's favorite prey with a single motion.
As the daemon caressed her own body as the sensation of the slain Drukhari tickled her very essence, she licked her lips as she recalled how exactly she came to be. The very same thing she did to these beings, a transformation of the soul through the whims of great Slaanesh through spiritual consumption.
Caelus cowered amidst the dead as Drukhari after Drukhari were slain, most of them unable to arm themselves in time in combat-ready weapons, as their minds were utterly distracted with the torment of lesser humanity.
He saw the Kaballite Warrior looking for his Splinter Rifle and the Wych get picked off one by one; the latter fighting a losing battle before her choice of blade failed as she was disemboweled with ease. The Trailblazer crawled towards the cave overlook as the lesser daemon scraped her pincers against the walls and approached the other sections of the caves. The Seeker of Decadence relished the hunt, whispering as she spared the Trailblazer a slight glance.
"The Dark Prince expects great things from you, mortal~"
Caelus grunted as he dragged himself over the overlook and onto the piled-up snow, cushioning his fall. Ignoring the splattered remains of Aeldari as he dragged himself anywhere away from here. The sounds of combat still ringing across the ridge.
A lone infant dressed in rags ran across the snow on all fours like a beast. His first experience upon emerging from his gestation tube, was one of blood. Carnage and death. Spindly beings laughed and howled before he instinctually retaliated as they merely surrounded him with mockery of his existence.
"You don't have to be able to predict the future, to know how easy it is to kill a little Mon-keigh." These were the words of an Aeldari Fire Dragon, words filled with arrogance as he beat the boy around with his Fusion Gun the second he emerged from the pod, only to find him a far more dangerous prey. The folly of telling his squad of Aspect Warriors to watch him single-handedly stop the prophecy of their Craftworld's Farseers. One where this God Prince will become the Blood God's Son in time.
Neither of the kill team took this mission seriously, the idea of bringing along any actual ground or aerial vehicles to put down a primitive so below their noble existence a mockery of their military might. That the child could provide a threat so vast to necessitate heavy weaponry is the very height of folly.
One by one, the Monkeigh massacred them, using superhuman might to bash their armored skulls in with rocks and hands. Their squads were ripped apart, and their ranks split across the mountain tops in separate camps. More wary, even slightly, for the local Nucerians were not the target of their mission. Not by much, however, as the prophecy spoke nothing about this planet's capability.
The genetic masterpiece, a result of a dark pact made by Man and Aeon, rampaged through their scattered forces. Their bodies staining the snow red all over the mountain as their retreat failed, the bloodthirsty child they failed to assassinate butchered his way across both Corsair and Aeldari alike. The remaining ones quickly decide to make one last ditch attempt to fell the boy with the lesser weaponry they've arrogantly chosen to bring to bear.
Caelus crawled through the snow as the sounds of battle started to die down, mind scarred by the not-so-gentle hands of their darker cousins. Seeing a Craftworld Guardian stumble through the cold before falling to his knees, an Aeldari Power Sword jammed in his spine before letting out his last breath.
"A-a kid?" coughed the Trailblazer, confused as each grab on the snow left a red trail all the way from the cave overlook he tumbled from. The boy panted, exhausted, adrenaline finally running out as his heartbeat steadied after pumping nonstop. Ragged body stained with the blood and innards of the slain Aeldari, dropped the broken power weapon in his hand as he saw the first person that didn't try to kill him on sight. Red-hazed vision finally clearing.
Caelus coughed, somehow finding the presence of the boy a soothing one. Already feeling himself relaxing and feeling pleasant for the first time since arriving in this awful world.
Plunk
Plunk
Firing tranquilizer after tranquilizer and tasers, electrifying the net as the boy screamed out in pain. Too weak and exhausted to put up much of a fight as the Nucerians bludgeoned him to unconsciousness. Using his weakened state to his full advantage.
"Hah…we're going to be rich!" were the last words Caelus heard before joining the boy in the world of slumber. The slave-mongering traders cheering at the catch of the millennia, an unusually large kid and some other foreigner. The entire valley on the mountain was filled with dozens upon dozens of Xenos corpses. The nobility will pay a fortune for fighters like these. Not to mention all the Xenos tech that they can haul back after reporting their findings.
"I knew following that falling star was a good idea!" laughed one of the slavers, making sure both of their new prisoners are truly out cold by giving them a good bash with their rifles. Few showed fear of taking anyone captive that was capable of it, but greed soon overrode any doubt as they tossed them both in cages, collaring them with shocking restraints.
Wheeling them off the northern Desh'elika Mountains down to more grassy plains and warmer climates, joking about which High Rider that ruled the planet should they be sold off to for maximum profit. More than a few of their company stayed behind at the mountain to loot the Xenos to get first dibs on the exotic tech, free for the taking.
Caelus woke up, his early struggles to end up with his collar electrifying him and the cage. His screams make no difference to the plans of the slavers. "You're better off not struggling if you know what's good for you, boy."
He didn't understand his foreign language but learned quickly enough to be as pliant and obedient as possible unless he wanted another shock. His experience with the Drukhari weakened him physically and mentally plenty enough. The blood loss not helping in the slightest.
The guest in his Stellaron provided nothing to Caelus, at least which was what he first thought as he was answered with silence until he could feel himself slowly understanding more and more of what the Nucerians were saying as the hours continued, his attention put on the heavily sedated slave in the other cage until the great walls of the world's capital slowly came in view as their wheeled transport brought them across vast open valleys. Huge plains filled with settlements of an unusual technological level.
Many of it looked feudal, yet the tech the inhabitants had ranged from rudimentary firearms all the way to highly advanced objects that made what he saw on Herta's Space Station look outdated. He stayed silent and kept his head down, taking naps whenever he could until his cage passed the front gates of the capital of Nuceria. The mighty city-state of Desh'ea, House of the ruling clan of House Thal'kr.
High towers, red banners and eagle statuettes dominated the skylines. The city, a sight of cold stone. Much of the city consisting of slums housing the bulk of the population, kept out of sight of the obviously more developed districts of the wealthy elite. Flinching as the cracked roads bumped the cage, gritting his teeth as he was shocked by the movement as he tried to get away from the electrified cages.
'Gladiators, lots and lots of gladiators.' Thought Caelus as he spied posters on the wall, a clear favorite pastime of the locals, both rich and poor, as he saw people of all ages excitedly check out upcoming flights from wherever they could.
He kept quiet as the slavers wheeled them both into the wealthier districts, watching fine-robed individuals wearing clothing that looked more archaic than any in Belobog. Moving through polished roads, unlike the more cracked cobblestone in the poorer parts of the capital. Finally stopping before the Palace Praxica, the seat of the Reksium Throne of the powerful Nucerian city-state of Desh'ea.
Caelus saw the traders talk to the guards, explaining their purpose before an older member of the house showed up. He could hear the names of Septimus, Paulus, and Gallerius being thrown around. No doubt members of the nobility or government.
"Yes…The large one does seem to be of exceptional physical stock, the other one, however…. Seems to be less impressive at first glance." Said the elderly nobleman, eyes staring at Caelus' own. Feeling a strange feeling coming from him before waving them off.
"Send them to the colosseum. You're lucky we've got a bout starting momentarily. We can see how much worth they have, and then only then. Will we discuss payment?" The slavemongers looked at each other greedily, rubbing their hands together. Already hoping for a high price as both their cages were transported to a large structure that drew in massive crowds.
Poor and rich alike gambled on their fighters, the less fortunate in life wagering what little they have in the hopes of striking big while the others bet on their favorite combatants in the pit fights. When the cage was unlocked, he didn't have the fight in him to resist or flee, as he simply let them slap shackle after shackle on him to restrict his movements before having him get prodded into the tunnels of the massive structure.
'Poor guy…' Sympathizing at the sight of the large child suffering the same fate, prods electrocuted as they both were forced into the colosseum together. Subjected to a unpleasant change of clothing before being shoved right onto the fighting pits with no more word or explanation given.
Praying to Akavili to get his friends to bail him out as soon as possible, gulping with a fear he didn't think he had as the shaking boy beside him was introduced to their new life of gladiator combat. Confused and afraid, he struggled against his metallic restraints that were far heavier and more numerous than the ones on the Trailblazer. Shocking him when he tried to exert more of his strength.
When they were trotted out to the sight of colossal roaring crowds, the people here easily outnumbered Belobog's entire population as Nucerians cheered their world's greatest sport. The duo were separated and made to step onto a massive pyramid-shaped platform, a veritable ziggurat in the middle of the arena.
A hundred more slaves on it, the crowds letting out thunderous roars and insults at the wretched crowd. Caelus can only look at himself in what could be described in rags. He's going to miss his jacket and everything else.
Maggot's Eyes, metallic spheres hovered the arena. A strange sight compared to the mostly stone architecture within the city. Emitting smooth voices that challenged the idea of the warriors surviving the Devil's Tears.
"Place your wagers, people of Nuceria. For you only have one minute left to make any last bets!" Caelus could hear the gasps of everyone on the pyramid. Vast circular doors all around the pit walls opened to reveal a vile liquid being pooled into the bottom of the arena. Foul smelling and bubbly. Maggot's Eyes buzzed around the air like bees as the slaves panicked and those at the very bottom were being melted alive upon contact with the acid.
The Trailblazer could see the child on the other side of the ziggurat, confused amongst the panicking slaves, until a much older man helped him up to the higher steps. He tried to find steady ground as he felt something buzzing within his Path-granted inventory, hoping beyond hope that his friends managed to connect to him. A Hope that died as soon as it appeared.
Caelus was suddenly shoved aside by scrambling slaves as they pushed each other to secure themselves a free spot, the phone in his hand being knocked off his grip until it broke upon each step. Falling into the acid with a plop before it was completely melted into goop.
"Aaah!" Feeling the viscous dark substance splash onto his hand when he tried to reach for it, he retreated his limb in pain and struggled away from the rising acid levels. Dodging falling Nucerian unfortunates as they tumbled from the steps as those above him brawled for safety, few deciding to work together. Their screams stopped as their bodies were submerged, flesh melting into bone as Caelus grimaced. It almost felt like something laughing with the push sound of the bodies falling into the acid.
PSSSSHHHHH
"Guh!" A foot collided with his face, knocking him back down several steps. Keeping his grip on the flailing man, desperation in his eyes as a pile of unfortunates scrambled to get any higher. Muttering his apologies as he yanked him down and hid under a clear spot beside the steps. Assuming a fetal position as burly slaves lobbed their brethren down the stone steps, having made their alliances and securing their own safety.
Sending a dozen more Nucerians down screaming into the rising acid levels, Caelus saw the ones still there shove their way upwards. Taking any chance he could get to get up as the side of the pyramid he was on was embroiled in conflict.
"I can't stay here…" Taking his chance, he leaped upwards and imbued his fingers with Destruction to force holes into the stone, shackles clacking against the wall. Long enough for him to get over across the curved sections of the structure. Dodging a kick from the people hiding there and trying to climb their way up, falling onto a clearer path upwards.
"There's no room! Get off!" Slaves from the side he came from punched each other, a woman letting out an ear-piercing scream as she slipped on the blood from broken noses. Making the Trailblazer flinch and plug his ears, looking away just in time for her to break her neck on the steps right before falling into the dark acid.
He didn't dare summon his bat or lance here if any of the others saw a weapon in his hand. They'd likely try to steal it from him and end up killing more people than he wants on his conscience.
Getting up higher and higher as even more of the pyramid was submerged until there was only less than a third of it remaining. Alliances started to fracture as desperation set in as those below fought those barely any steps higher for safety.
The boy he saw who fought the Aeldari was incredible. Maneuvering across platforms, unwilling to take any innocent lives. Dodging fearful slaves that tried to shove him, seeing the child as the most dangerous of the people here. Making themselves fall into the steadily rising liquid agent of death. Protecting the people who were passive and only seeking to survive, using his Emanator-like strength only for defense to send the aggressors away from those who cowered behind him.
"What an incredible sight, fully grown adults being overpowered by a young boy! It seems we have someone with potential over here!" The spheres above the sinking pyramid taunted and jeered the survivors, agitating the survivors that brawled amongst themselves, only the highest levels of the pyramid proving any true safety.
"Madness! What are you even made out of?!" screamed out the largest man amongst those that remained, his blows being taken by the youth who refused to punch back no matter face or chest. The slaves he was protecting kept from being thrown off the stone platform as the original hundred was being reduced to barely over a dozen.
Caelus inched up onto just below the top of the platform, kicking aside the more conniving slaves that managed to betray their prior allies and sent them tumbling into the rising, watery darkness. Ignoring insults and later pleas when one of the people he betrayed managed to rise behind him, shoving his betrayer into his doom with a glare.
If he hadn't guaranteed himself nightmares, the sight of the Nucerian reaching out towards him as his body melted from the waist down. His choking screams echoed in his ears as his meat was reduced to bone, his hand falling apart as the acid levels kept going up higher and higher.
"People of Desh'ea, it seems like we have our victors!" Caelus laid flat just below the platform and kept his head down, the brutish slave being slowly pushed back by the kid as his blows became more and more desperate before losing his footing and falling to his demise. The poor and rich alike all over the colosseum cheering in Elation at the idea of their pockets becoming heavier.
'Just what can of planet did I just volunteer myself into setting foot on?' Thought Caelus bitterly as he saw the poverty-stricken and nobles alike erupt into a cheer when the acid level finally stopped. The hovering eyes circled around the quiet boy, slowly understanding more and more of the Nucerian language that he heard from the moment he got forced into the arena, yet still unable to fully develop the ability to speak. Annoying the announcer who tried to get a name for the obvious champion of the Devil's Tears.
"Quiet one, eh? Then we shall name our new Champion ourselves. Angron Thal'kr, Child of the Mountain!" Caelus' eyes bulged out of his sockets, the name ringing a bell as he poked his head up to see the red-haired boy stare harshly at the Maggot's Eyes buzzing in front and above him, face stained with the blood of the man who forced his hand.
Just what in the Universe happened to transform such a kind soul that only fought in self-defense into the monster in the news he heard on the Astral Express? Was this time travel or something else? Is it even possible to stop him from becoming the Red Angel?
The next days for Caelus were less than pleasant, now forced to live in cells that felt like a prison. Hearing slaves and gladiators alike go in and out of the slave pens as well as the adjacent rooms. The sounds of lashing and laughing ended moments of silence throughout the days. Seeing people enter their cells and leave, often never to be seen again.
He bemoaned the fate of his phone and that his early attempts of trying to bust himself out by summoning his weapons earned him nothing but beatings, lashings, and an upgrade to his shackles that would suppress his Pathstrider powers outside of the arena. Foolhardy courage, screwing him over in an already terrible situation.
The worst part is that he heard no news of the Astral Express crew anywhere or any sight, showing up heroically to bust him out. His Stellaron guest said nothing, but he knew that the daemon was still here because of the Aeonforsaken scratching noises that kept him out at night, leaving marks all over his cell walls but with no physical body to show up.
He still had Hope that the others would show up one way or another, but the possibility that it could be time travel or still the present ate him from the inside. The worst-case scenario was that Welt and the others already dealt with the Stellaron here, leaving him here to rot if they even bothered to search for him at all. Making the plan of waiting for them a pointless exercise.
Caelus had no idea where Angron was moved to but understood enough that he was now one of the main attractions here on this world.
Drip
Drop
Drip
Eyes open, bloodshot after trying to sleep again tonight. Droplets of water suddenly hit him in the face from the ceiling while every other cell here was dry as a desert. Growing more and more agitated he gave up on trying to sleep and instead to just sit and listen, anything to pass the time as the groaning and coughing of other slaves occasionally broke the silence.
Caelus didn't dare to try and backtalk the guards anymore, not wanting to incur their wrath and earn another lash or pummelling. It really didn't help that they found out he could regenerate so they didn't bother holding back with their punishments.
"Wakey wakey, guess who's going to get their first fight today~" He stared at the guard who twirled the keys to the cell around his finger, whistling as he opened his cell. Relishing the fact that the grey-haired prisoner wasn't happy in the slightest.
Not a problem, as long as he took it easy on his opponent. He might be spared of the blood on his own hands. Unfortunately for the Trailblazer, the jailer yanked him by the chain and stuck a needle in his neck. Red hissing liquid entered his bloodstream, all the while the Nucerian yanked him over to the exit of the slave pens.
Metal barred gate opening at the end of the tunnel opening with a creak before he was given a firm kick into the arena after deactivating his Path limiters, agitation increasing by the second as the light felt blinding and the sparse cheers from the few contestants for this match goaded on by the announcer's drones sound like absolutely gibberish. The slightest sounds amplified in his ears as his veins bulged, covering his eyes as voices echoed in his ears like screeching.
Completely unaware of his opponent until a loud stomp was heard, making him turn towards the opposite direction to see a being encased in a large humanoid battlesuit of sorts. Green glass protected the creature's head and torso area as it pounded its suit and basked in the cheers of the crowd.
It wasn't an unwilling prisoner, whatever it was. Was willing to be here and fight for glory and money in the colosseums a gladiator. Gritting his teeth as he rolled away as it got close enough to stomp at him with its large armored battlesuit, and hand cannon at the ready as it tried for an easy and bloody win to please the crowd.
"I don't think I can try to reason with it…" Muttered Caelus as he held onto his rationality and decency, slowly losing control of himself as he ran around the planks of wood and scrap metal scattered around the arena. The tall ziggurat from several days ago nowhere to be seen.
Weapons of varying technological levels were scattered all across the field, any attempt of him trying to reach for one stopped as it blasted green plasma at him. Amused gurgling can be heard as the creature within the suit laughs at his pathetic nature.
An explosion on his iron cover, sent him flying into a spiked palisade. Impaling half his body as he dangled at its side, spikes piercing into his rags. Spilling blood as his vision reddens, pushing himself away from the spikes as his body regenerates with his body glowing green from within.
He didn't want to kill other sentient beings as anything he ever slew was either completely unreasonable or monstrous in nature. Dying was the last thing he wanted to do before knowing for sure if his friends had abandoned him or had yet to show up due to reasons outside their control.
WHAM!
"Guh!" Tricking the Trailblazer with a feigned shoulder charge, it managed to catch him in the open as it quickly moved to slam its left mechanical hand right into his face. Breaking his nose and fracturing his skull, his body bounced on a wooden platform as it rolled.
"Hrrrrghh…I'm not dying here." Tasting his own blood as it dripped down his face, Lance of Preservation appeared in hand as he rushed it after protecting himself with a shield. Leaping into the air to stab its suit with the blazing lance, its environmental suit easily shrugged of the flames as It scraped the side of its glass torso when it moved to evade.
Plasma cannon quickly moved to fire plasma blasts right into his shield. Battering it before driving its left fist into his back. Sending the Trailblazer rolling into the stony sand with a cough. Launching an acid bomb onto his downed form, eating through his shield before it splashed onto his skin. Acid burning his back, screams paid little attention to by the onlookers. The Maggot's Eyes quipped about his acid-burned body, adding more fuel to the fire.
"Now that's one burn our Xenos mercenary is happy to dish out for free!" Exposed bones covered by regenerating flesh, Caelus bit into his arm to stop his own screams. Hearing the alien load another payload of acid from the contents of its own suit. An entertained whisper suggesting he use a blunt weapon instead when he ran around the arena behind cover that did not last long. Metallic bulk busting through scrap metal and wood with ease.
"Never say the Change has done nothing for you in this sorry state of yours~" Laughing as he could sense barely restrained fury being directed at him, the Golden Horror leaped out of his body. Its form was invisible to all but the Trailblazer, sinking into the ground so it could move right below the approaching hulking being.
Glowing hands Changing the very ground it walked on until it turned brittle, cracking under the Xenos' own weight as it began to sink as sand started to come out of the ground. Making the gladiator sink into the dirt in surprise as it had believed the whole arena was solid ground just a second ago.
The Trailblazer clapped his hands and extended a bat out of nowhere that was imbued with the power of Destruction. Unleashing several RIP Home Runs into the glass-domed part of its environmental suit, Caelus roared and smashed his bat onto its battlesuit. Practically unhindered as its one mechanical hand struggled to pull itself out of the sinking sand as its cannon was completely submerged.
Caelus only stopped his physical assault on the dome when it cracked, spraying its acid contents onto him. The alien mercenary panicked, barely managing to grip solid ground as the strength of the environmental suit slowly forced itself back up, the Trailblazer recoiled as green liquid spurted into his face.
Melting his face partially as Caelus raised his burnt arm to take it before climbing onto its back, grabbing onto its battlesuit's bolts as he kept his grip on his bat no matter how stinging it felt. Smashing the cracks with the power of Destruction, the creature began to scream, the acidic substance acting like water to it quickly pouring out of its suit as he smashed the dome open with a furious Stardust Ace.
"One more and you're out!" Yelled out the Trailblazer, getting away from the suit as the grey creature within choked as it breathed in oxygen toxic to its species. The pinkish-grey alien suffocated in exposure to the planet's atmosphere before it became motionless after its flailing.
"Oooh, it seems our little human regenerator over here managed to turn the tables with a little environmental luck. Unfortunately for him, Levine our resident Andromedon mercenary here still has one more surprise to give to the audience."
Taking advantage of Caelus' look of horror, the battlesuit itself came alive and used the opportunity to drag itself out of the sandy pit.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Cried out Caelus when it knocked the bat out of his hand before kicking it into the sand as he scrambled for whatever weapon he could get from the ground, medieval assortments of clubs and spears utterly worthless.
BOOM
Throwing bundles of grenades as the suit kept on going, its pilot now dead as it advanced with a mission without being slowed down at all. The lesser daemon chuckled as it lay on the sand pit on its side, feeling uncharitable at the moment.
Throwing Drukhari blades, freshly looted from his torturers from days ago at the thing. The venom-coated weapons had no effect on its environmentally resistant hull, panic clear on his face. Fear overtook anger as he scrambled for firearms on the dirt. Bullets ricocheted back into his arm after spraying at the slowly advancing Xenos suit.
"No! No! No!" Caelus screamed as he grabbed an Aeldari Fusion Gun, trying to use the targeter linked to its handle only to find out that it wasn't responding. Smacking it with no other weapon in reach, getting no reaction due to him being neither Eldar nor Psychic. Having no choice but to give Aurum pleading looks that finally stirred the monster.
"One…two…three!" Waiting tauntingly long with a smirk as its fell form waited right until the Andromedon battlesuit was right on top of him before raising its daemonic hands onto the weapon. Triggering its resonant wraithbone construction with psychic influence as it lit up and blasted the bodysuit with a superheated melta-like lance.
Punching a massive hole straight through it with the ferocity of an Asuryani Fire Dragon Aspect Warrior as the battlesuit was reduced to slag by the weapon meant for heavily armored targets and vehicles. Grabbing his bat in a dive before beating the heated slag until he was completely sure it was not getting up again.
CAELUS
CAELUS
CAELUS
With that, the Trailblazer fell back to the sand. The adrenaline rush finally ended as the crowd went wild, the voice out of those metal spheres calling his victory as he looked back to see Aurum walking towards him in a carefree manner. Gloating and smug with every step.
"Remember who you have to thank for living through this. It is not your precious Trailblaze~" Aurum chortled as its body melted back into the Stellaron, laughter echoing in his mind even as soldiers dragged him back to his cells and shoved him back in with nothing good to say about his first win after disposing of the bullets that had ricocheted into his body.
"You've really lucked one out, newcomer. Getting Xenotech to work without being one of those Psykers."
"A what now?" Caelus stared at one of the other slaves who had survived his day's bout, lying against the wall of his neighborly cell. Wounds were cleaned and treated by the guards just to make sure he'd die at the arenas instead of inside his own cell, an act not extended to the Trailblazer with his regenerative capabilities.
"Witches, hedge wizards, and any with a touch of magick. You don't seem to be one, else they'd get you collared and held somewhere else." Caelus nodded as he grabbed the bars of his cell, Pathstriders with more exterior showings of elemental power he assumed. Individuals that are surrounded by superstitions.
"Have you seen a child around here, this tall but stronger than those his age?" Raising his hand in a way to indicate Angron's height only for the old man to nod.
"The Thal'kr boy? The planetary nobility's plenty interested in the poor lad. House Thal'kr's parading the poor fellow amongst the noble houses of Nuceria." Face falling as he absorbed the information, one way or another he had to try and shield him from the worst of this planet, to try and stop his fall into whatever creature he heard off on the Astral Express. It might be pointless, it might be wasted effort but he still had to try.
"Greetings, Lord Septimus. What brings you here to this lowly den of slaves and criminals in my charge?" Caelus turned his head and saw a distant decorated figure speak to the guards here, an aged and distinguished figure in gold and purple finery.
"The regeneration boy, is he held here?"
"Indeed he is, milord. Surprisingly obedient and tame for our stock of unusuals." Keeping his head down as he watched the Nucerian noble walk by and observe him. It was the very same man that he witnessed on the way here.
"Wh-geaaaarghhh!"
SWISH!
Opening his mouth and muttering a word halfway, Caelus was immediately whipped when with a barbed lacerating instrument. Spilling his blood that stained the cell and bars as the older slave shook his head and mouthed him to not test them.
"Don't speak unless spoken to, whelp." Stated the guard, lashing Caelus down several more times before the noble raised his hand after the tenth whipping. Watching in fascination as the youth's wounds healed up.
"It seems that this one has potential after all. Send him to House Pontine in the western swamps of Nuceria, have this one tested alongside the Pontine's bestiarii gladiators." No longer having the courage to ask about Angron directly to the highborn who left the area without further word.
'S-swamps? In a planet like this, Akavili spare me….' Lying in a pool of his own blood as the guard snorted with whip in hand before leaving to make several arrangements. Caelus pulled himself up to the bloody metal bars and queried the older slave who looked on in pity, an attempt to spare himself unneeded trepidation.
"Terrible place it is, wild beasts and hellish humidity. Some of the gladiatrixes that were transferred here said they rather freeze to death in the northern mountains than to come back to Pontine lands." Lashed hands sliding weakly down the bars in dismay with red lines slowly getting healed up, Caelus could only sigh as he accepted his fate.
The elderly fighter not helping in the least by telling him that the gladiatrixes were ripped apart by Berserkers of the savage Muton Xenos variety that might be in the cards of his future if he survived long enough to come back here in one piece. Sliding back into the dirt with outstretched hands as he groaned at the ceiling.
"Oh…Welt Yang and you guys…where are you?"
Author's Note: Similar to how the polls for my Genshin fanfic work, there will eventually be polls put up soon to decide which characters will become Caelus' harem members and possibly join the Astral Express crew. Some are already guaranteed like Serval and Cocolia, others would need a miracle and some like the children will not be considered.