[M] Retribution IV: Rebirth

[Trixie]

Blood and spittle coated the wall near Trixie’s cell as a slave pen guard struck her in the jaw with a tonfa. The warm taste of her own blood filled her mouth; spitting out the crimson liquid onto the floor she grimaced in pain as the guard struck her square between the shoulders, knocking the woman into her cell. The heavy obsidian carved door screeched shut and with a click it was locked. Through the tiny portcullis that was embedded in the arch of the door the pit fighter guard took one last look at his quarry before sliding the rusted cover shut. The room was damp, dark, and depressing. A bedroll lay in one corner of the room while a lone chamber pot lay in the next. Noticing a silver cigar case on the floor in the center of the room Trixie moved to pick it up. She winced as she knelt down to pick it up. The surrounding muscle and flesh had become swollen around the arrow shaft in her shoulder. Gripping the blood caked wood she ripped the projectile from her person with a soft cry. Fresh blood began to flow from the wound and down her chest. Opening the cigar case Trixie recognized what it was. A syringe containing the Nephilim Serum fit snugly inside the felt mold. Taking the glass device, she positioned it between two fingers, with her thumb on the plunger. Flicking the needled she sighed and jabbed it directly into her heart, pushing the liquid into her bloodstream. The mistress’ pupils dilated immediately; she could feel her wounds closing and her newly broken jaw mending itself. The Sith’s mind was racing wildly as the low dose of serum repaired the damage from the fight. Now that the imperfections had been fixed within Trixie by the mysterious woman wielding a bow she could take the serum normally and it would heal her. As quickly as the rush of energy came, it went; Beatrix passed out on the stone floor of her cell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Trixie awoke with a short gasp as a bucket of ice cold water splashed her in the face. Coughing through the cold liquid she lifted herself up the now soaked bed roll that had been her bed. Wiping her soaked hair from her eyes, the red-head saw that the guard from last night had brought her a meal.

“Eat, slave. You have five minutes before you’re required to be in the armory getting ready for your next bout.” The human looking demon eyed her with contempt before taking his post outside her cell door, leaving the door ajar.

Trixie crawled over to the metal tray on the floor by the cracked obsidian door. It had a sealed demonic energy bar, a leg of mutton, a flagon of what looked like table wine, and a couple of tablets that looked like vitamins.

They were forcing their fighters to be healthy. Which made sense. A healthy soldier, was a functioning soldier.

Beatrix found herself wondering if they had medication for those who weren’t accustomed to battle, but were still profitable enough not to be fed to the demons themselves. Sending the thought to the back of her mind she took the leg of lamb and bit down onto the cooked meat. It was surprisingly delicious; the meat practically fell off the bone. Taking the flagon up in her hand she took a swig of wine and popped the pills in her mouth. Swallowing them she took another bite of the mutton with gusto; Trixie had not realized she was this hungry. The roasted flesh was a pleasant reminder of something she couldn’t quite place. Perhaps of being a normal soldier back in the Empire? Her service had been short with Nova and she found herself wondering if the blond would even remember her or want her back in the unit. Taking another drink from the cup she pushed those thoughts from her head. One thing was for sure; she had changed. Her time spent in this Hell had changed her irrevocably. Dropping the cleaned bone onto the tray and downed the last of the wine from the flagon. Taking the energy bar she carefully pushed the cell door open and headed out into the hall. The guard eyed her with suspicion, but quickly reached behind his back and removed a pair of shackles. Fastening them to her wrists he nudged her down the hall, pressing the shield he was carrying to her back.

They came to a room, Trixie pressed her hands to the door and pushed the heavy metal fixture open. A rush of warm air came at her; she had forgotten how cold it was in the slave pens. The bright light from the arena outside was coming through the various windows carved into the stone walls. She was in a different armory than before. Before she could even ask the guard where they were he had unclasped her shackles and was headed for the door.

“Choose your weapons carefully, slave. I’m afraid today the deck is stacked against you.”

With that he was gone, the door locking behind him. Before her was a very different array of weapons. They looked ancient in design, but foreign in nature. Approaching a table of what looked like firearms Trixie lifted a rifle looking weapon up and snapped open it’s chamber.

“Single shot.” She said aloud to herself.

Putting the weapon down she moved across the table, her fingers running along the various choices in front of her. She stopped in front of a weapon kit that almost spoke to her. A black leather weapon harness was hanging above an array of weapons that were neatly laid out as if they it was a matching set. Two matching pistols, two knives, and a large magazine fed weapon with a giant liquid cooled barrel.

“Incorrect. That barrel is forged from Demon Iron. It is surrounded by enchanted magma gathered from the Ocean of Fire. The housing keeps the barrel hot so the ammunition it uses doesn’t freeze. Underverse Ammunition is extremely explosive, but also extremely cold. The heat is needed to make it fire normally. You’re looking at a weapon used primarily by Diablo’s forces during the war.” Spoke the voice that had inhabited Trixie’s mind on the mountain.

Without even acknowledging the foreign voice in her mind Trixie strapped on the weapon harness and sheathed both knives in their proper places. One across the small of her back and one at her left collarbone. The pistols looked like standard regenerating Imperial blasters. Holstering each one she took hold of the carbine weapon Fiona had described. Despite the barrel housing being filled to the brim with molten rock it was cool to the touch. She pulled back on the bolt and examined the breech.

“Looks like I’m going to have to learn to cycle bolt action weapons all over again.” Beatrix said to herself with a grin.

Grabbing a black ammo case, she dragged it across the dusty wooden table and pried it open. It was filled with loaded clips for the weapon she had slung across her back. Taking the weapon up she slid a loaded magazine into the bottom of it and pulled the bolt back, pushing a new slug into the breech. Closing it she took a moment to examine the ammunition she was using. The slug was black as the darkest night you could possibly think of and the casing was clear as glass, filled with a sparkling material that showered purple, blue, and red sparks. The round was cold to the touch. The mistress could see the condensation begin to freeze around the clip she had inserted into the weapon. With a smile she took a handful of shells and slid them into the loops on the harness designed for such a thing.

Turning around she took stock of everything else in the armory and went over to the classical weapons table. Taking a sheathed gladius from the pile of rusty and dusty weapons she fastened it around her waist. A smaller Trojan style shield lay on the floor. Clasping the weapon around her left arm she picked her carbine off the table and headed towards the armory exit to the arena. A pair of guards had been dispatched to come get her, but they surprised to see her armed and ready. Taking her by the arms they nearly dragged her to the starting area and shoved her out into the blinding light of the open arena and to her opponent.

Oh...Shit.

* * *

Towering above the red-headed Sith Lord was a demon of immense size. The crowd roared with the arrival of Trixie. Clearly Jorgan had convinced Belial to kill her off, because this was absolutely insane. Standing nearly thirty feet off the ground was the Siege Breaker Assault Beast; covered head to toe in thick iron armor. A quadruped, the monstrous demon stood on four muscular legs. Its hands had been forged into long serrated blades that dripped with what looked like a naturally occurring venom that literally secreted itself from the steel itself. An earth shattering roar signaled to Trixie that the beast had spotted her and within seconds it was charging across the arena, shaking the very ground she stood on as it clambered its way over to rip her limb from limb.

Beatrix didn’t waste a second. Using the lip of her shield she lined up a shot and with an explosive burst of purple, blue, and red sparks a bolt of molten demon iron hit the beast straight in the chest, denting the armor it was wearing.

“Well...fuck,” She cursed softly, cycling the weapon and ejecting the empty casing.

The giant siege beast leapt into the air and came crashing down in front of Trixie, unleashing a bellowing roar of dominance. The redheaded ARC Trooper wasted no time; she pushed with every ounce of power she could muster into her legs and took off sprinting left along the wall. A bladed hand of the best came down and blocked her path. Dropping to the ground she slid on her ass to a halt, placing both boots to the blade. Kicking off Trixie slid on her back as the Siege Beasts’ second blade came down right where she had been moments earlier. Lining a shot up as she slid the mistress unleashed another blaze of purple, red, and blue that propelled her further and blew through the demon’s armor on its arm. The stench of burning greater demon flesh filled her nostrils as she retracted the bolt on her weapon and ejected the clear casing onto the ground. Pushing the bolt back into the weapon she raised it again as the Siege breaker bellowed in detest at his new scrape of an injury. Squeezing the trigger, the force of her shot blew her hair back and before the round even struck the helmet of the beast Trixie had retracted the bolt, a clear casing flying past her face trailing its smoky residue.

The moment when the red-headed combatant went to line up her next shot is when she noticed the frost buildup around the breach of the weapon.

“Fire too often and the enchanted magma can’t keep the barrel hot enough to counter act the cold nature of the Underverse Ammunition. The weapon will begin to freeze and if it gets cold enough it won’t fire.” Fiona instructed without Beatrix paying her any mind.

Biting her lip, Trixie leapt over a clumsy swipe from the Siege Breaker Assault Beast and slung the rifle across her back for late. She had to remember that she had two more shots remaining in that clip; it was important. Taking a pistol from its holster and simultaneously drawing a knife the Sith ARC Trooper rolled under another swipe, letting loose a few stray shots at the dented armor on the beasts’ chest. With a deafening roar the Siege breaker charged the retreating red-head and caught her shoulder with the flat part of its blade. The ground disappeared as the immense power of the siege demon threw the mistress off her feet. She had only seconds to right herself, but it wasn’t without a cost. The weapon on her back broke, rupturing the remaining two shells left in the clip. The resulting explosion ripped across Trixie’s left side and tore through the Siege Demon’s right blade, breaking it in half.

The Sith Warrior was thrown against the chest plate of the very demon she was fighting. Dropping onto her butt the mistress could barely keep herself from coughing blood onto the ground. The enchanted leather she wore had done its job, but now it was gone leaving the seared left half of her torso exposed to the elements. The military issue sports bra she had gotten from Nova was the only thing keeping her bosom from being seen, though it had melted into her flesh. Blood seeped from the scorched skin as she scrambled to her feet, sliding herself to the rear end of the demon as it roared and examined its ruined sword arm. The explosive ammunition had broken every rib on the left side of her chest, had burned most of Trixie’s left side to a near crisp leaving her left arm usable, but just barely.

Turning to face its prey, now furious at the loss of its blade, the Siege breaker thrusted its good blade, point first, at Trixie in an attempt to skewer her. Throwing up her right hand at the last second with a cry of pain a shield formed and kept the monster at bay. Smashing its feet on the ground in protest the Siege breaker pushed all of its strength into the blow, forcing the female Sith to her knees as the close quarters shield drained everything she had left.

Divert the flow.

Dashing to her right the mistress let the siege demon fly past her, but for its size the thing was quick. Spinning on its four legs it caught her left thigh with its blade and cut down to the bone, shattering the femur. Fresh blood sprayed from the wound as the force of the blow slid the red-head across the arena floor, ripping and tearing at her flesh. As the kicked up dust began to settle she coughed and sputtered, blood spraying from her mouth. The ground beneath her shook with each step of the demon behind her. It was toying with her. Here she was on death’s doorstep, her body in shambles, and it wasn’t even trying. That pissed her off. Lifting herself up with her right arm she stared at the trembling ground beneath her as the demon approached. She could barely feel her broken leg; the burns were effectively cancelling out any pain the shattered femur was causing. Rolling onto her back Trixie felt herself gasp, her gaze met by the Siege breaker who was poised to kill her.

Raising her right arm, she opened her palm and tried to form a shield, but found that nothing happened. The siege demon slammed a foot down onto Trixie’s feet, crushing her bones.

Big mistake.

With a battle cry, Trixie’s eyes lit up red and an orb of Omnilium began to form in her palm.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.

Trixie was screaming now, her voice becoming distorted and banshee like.

Through passion, I gain strength.

Her eyes had begun to glow red like her previous bout.

Through strength, I gain power.

A dark black miasma began seeping from her body and floating towards the Siege Breaker Assault Beast.

Through power, I gain victory.

Dark lightning sparked from the orb, a red miasma now seeping from hey eyes.

Through victory, my chains are broken.

Slamming her palm against the leg of the siege demon Trixie unleashed her Essence Purge upon the Assault Beast and watched with fading vision as it reeled back, it’s very existence being torn away from it. With a burst of rainbow light the huge demonic siege engine burst into a fine mist of rainbow Omnilium and ceased to exist. The crowd exploded into applause and cheering. As Trixie’s vision faded she could see a pair of Royal Guard Medics rush over to aid her, a syringe of Nephilim Serum in their hands.

Everything went black.

The Force shall free me.