Aldred and all the survived members of the mercenaries entered the commercial side of the planet to spend their Galactic Credits.
Cleome brought them to some kind of pub and they ordered their meals and drinks.
"Okay, let's talk about what happened today," Cleome started. "Your power. It's not normal. I have never seen anything like it before."
Aldred put down his jug and wiped the stain off his mouth. "I actually have more power within me, but ever since I came upon this galaxy, my power is sealed."
"How did you get here again?"
"A powerful being teleported me here. I am not exactly sure who he is."
"A powerful being on your planet can teleport you to this galaxy. That means they know about the existence of this galaxy and the life in it," Shinari said.
Salamander swallowed his food. "Perhaps the people on your planet is much more intelligence than I thought. Maybe no technologically, but maybe they can use their super abilities to learn things beyond their world."
"I can agree with that statement." Aldred nodded. "Actually, my planet seems to be much larger than normal. It housed some very massive continent, and these continents could be bigger in size than some planets I saw in this galaxy."
Cleome frowned. "To hold continents of that size… the diameter of your planet must be humongous. But, it is very rare for a planet to go pass a certain diameters. But it's not impossible."
Salamander said: "I've read some information about planets with abnormal mass and diameters. Their gravity would be 100 times more powerful than what the humans used to most of the time. Even if we ignore gravity for a second, the extremely dense atmospheric pressure will kill any human that set foot on it."
Chomping on his food, Salamander continued. "However, a standard spacesuits will let you safely set foot on it. Still, without special technologies like geo-tech to manipulate the gravity and the atmosphere a bit, you will face harsh challenges traversing around the planet."
"You forgot to mention something else, Salamander," Cleome said. "The type of planets you mention usually produced high amount of exotic materials. The planet's extreme gravity and dense atmosphere created materials with amazing properties. Stuff like Metallic Hydrogen, Superionic Ice, Bose Condensates, High-Pressure Polymorph and so much more."
Salamander smiled. "How could I forgot about those. I just don't want to bore you guys with facts. Anyway, If I have to add something. The materials you mention influenced the advancement of humanity's technology to a whole another level."
The group talked about planets and exotic materials for a few more minutes until Aldred recalled their main priorities.
"Guys, let's stop talking about this. Aren't we just talking about how to get back on my planet?"
"Right, I completely forgot about that," Salamander said.
"Well, with our current resources, we definitely cannot fight against Lord Malgorth head on," Cleome said.
"First, we have to increase our strength."
"Oh yeah, I've been wondering about that. How do supers like you guys improve your strength?" Aldred asked.
"Well, humanity have studied supers for thousands of years and concocted multiple ways to train supers. Some of it includes special training room, pills, potions, acupuncture, and specialized meditation techniques. These, however, are quite expensive."
"So, first thing first then. We need money," Aldred said in serious tone. "Lots of it."
He had experienced the power of money could bring. Back on his planet, he had so much funds, resources, and manpower he was like a god. In mere days he could conquer, topple, and rebuild cities with a single command.
"By the way, how much Galactic Credits did we get from helping the Galactic Sentinel?"
"We got 10,000 Galactic Credits."
"What? So many?"
"Each."
"Huh?"
"We got 10,000 Galactic Credits for each of us," Salamander replied. "In total, we got 40,000 Galactic Credits."
"That's enough to pay off the loan for the Galactic Rover!" Aldred exclaimed. "I thought earning money was hard. Is it normal for mercenaries to earn this kind of money?"
"It's not normal. And it is hard," Salamander said. "The battle earlier was a Solar-sized cosmic battle. The entire Solar System was invaded and tens of thousands of spacecraft with hundreds of thousands of crews died."
"We're just the lucky few that survived. Also, because we manage to destroy one Destroyer-Class battleship, we received a lot of bonus. If you ask me, they pay us much less than we deserved. I want to file a complaint but they said that the external kit that they provided is expensive to make. Which is actually true, so I have no supporting arguments."
"Still, 40,000 Galactic Credits is a lot. Can we get any missions with the same pay again?"
"Are you crazy? Those kinds of mission have incredibly high risk. We will need special equipment just to survive. Don't count your luck, Aldred. We're lucky just to be alive."
"Dang it. Why do you become a coward all of a sudden? Didn't you want to kill demons?"
"I wanted to, but I am not in the mood to die right now."
"Then what about getting more money? More money means you can buy better spaceship, and possibly better technology for your mechanical armor. Heck, you can buy anything you want to upgrade your armor."
Salamander's eyes lit up. "That does sounds enticing."
Aldred was glad that Salamander agreed with him. "Anyway, what happened to your arms?"
"Oh this?" Salamander moved his fingers. "I actually lost my arm long ago. These are mechanicals fitted with realistic human skin."
"Really? Because I am pretty sure I remember seeing you bleed."
"That was intentional for comical effects. Nothing beats seeing the face of your friends when they saw your hands got cut off." Salamander laughed.
Aldred rolled his eyes.
…
Amidst the boundless expanse of the cosmos, an Elf Voidship glided gracefully through the starlit void near a fantasy-like asteroid belt. Crafted with the artistry of the Elf, the ship was a marvel of wraithbone technology, its slender form adorned with intricate patterns that shimmered like constellations against the darkness of space. The ship's surface pulsed softly with a gentle, bioluminescent glow, casting an iridescent aura around it as it traveled.
The asteroid belt that surrounded the Voidship was a surreal dreamscape of colossal rocks, each adorned with precious gemstones and vibrant, luminescent flora. The asteroids, some as large as continents, were veiled in prismatic mist, giving the impression of floating islands in a sea of cosmic hues. Ephemeral nebulae, their colors ever-shifting, wove between the rocks, creating an otherworldly tapestry of light and shadow.
The Voidship's advanced anti-gravitic engines hummed with a harmonious resonance, propelling the vessel forward with unparalleled grace.
Within the ships, tall and slender human-like creatures worked in coordination.
the atmosphere was one of serene focus and purpose. Elves crew members, their eyes aglow with the intensity of the stars, monitored the ship's sophisticated arrays and consoles.
"Elralya," a female elf called. She seemed to be the captain of the voidship. "Are you sure this is the right location?"
Elralya, the young elf, slowly and softly nodded. She possessed an air of wisdom that belied her youthful appearance, however, one could sense pure and naivety within her.
"Yes," Elralya replied, her voice as melodic as a celestial hymn. "The cosmic currents resonate strongly here. Our path aligns with the threads of fate, and I am certain that we have arrived at the correct location."
Cellaeth, the female captain of the voidship, replied: "Good. As soon as we can find that stone, we will be able to ask our ancestors for guidance. The Elvan Empire will dominate this galaxy."
Elralya meekly nodded.
"It won't be long before we eliminate the humans and the demo—"
Boom!
The resounding boom echoed through the void, followed by a blinding flash of chaotic energy. The once serene scene of the Elvan Voidship traversing the asteroid belt was shattered by the surprise attack of the Demonic forces. Distorted and twisted spacecraft, adorned with the symbols of dark gods, materialized from the warp, their weapons blazing with unnatural fury.
"Battle stations! Brace for impact!" Cellaeth's command cut through the air as alarms blared, and the crew swiftly moved into combat positions. Elralya, her eyes wide with fear, clung to a railing as the ship trembled under the impact of enemy fire.
The Eldar, renowned for their agility and precision, maneuvered their Voidship with unmatched finesse, evading the Chaos onslaught. But the Chaos forces were relentless, their attacks tearing through the wraithbone hull like paper, causing explosions and fires to erupt within the ship.
"We are outnumbered. We must retreat. Provide cover fire!"
Desperate to escape, Cellaeth ordered a retreat. The Voidship, damaged and trailing flames, executed a series of evasive maneuvers, attempting to distance itself from the Demonic onslaught. The battle raged on in the void, a dance of destruction between the forces of order and the forces of demons.
In a final, daring maneuver, the Eldar Voidship unleashed a volley of devastating energy blasts, disabling one of the Chaos vessels. However, victory was short-lived as reinforcements poured in, overwhelming the Eldar's defenses.
Elralya hold on to a table for stability. "The spirit is telling us to run away as soon as possible."
"We cannot. Using a Warp during this time will risk destroying the voidship."
"There is no time!" Elralya shouted.
Realizing the dire situation, Cellaeth made a difficult decision. With a heavy heart, she ordered an emergency Warp jump, aiming to escape the Demon forces. The ship's engines roared to life, and the Voidship plunged into the shifting currents of the immaterium.
