Upon losing consciousness Idris had awoken to a strange white room. In front of him was a reflection of himself, he slightly twisted his head looking at the reflection, and was shocked when it spoke.
[TRANSLATION PROGRAM-OFFLINE-MODE-LOADING 100%] The duplicate opened its mouth and spoke with a mechanic voice.
Idris instantly remembered the plug that the small warthog-man had attached to his neck, was this it? Considering how damaged he had been by the battle he was surprised to see that the device was still operational.
[2% LANGUAGE ATTAINED WHILST ONLINE] the mechanical voice continued [BEGINNING OFFLINE LEARNING GALACTIC STANDARD LANGUAGE]. So it began a series of strange images flickering and all sorts of words, sounds, alphabets and so on. At some point Idris realised that he must've been there for more than a week, it was clear that like dreams an immense amount of time could pass in an unconscious state.
[HOST IS AWAKENING 45.89% DONE] the mechanical voice rang out, Idris agreed, he could understand this strange language very well now, but his speaking ability was certainly limited. The fact that he wasn't dead was comforting, but he really had no clue as to what would be awaiting him upon awakening.
. . . .
What met his face upon when he opened his eyes could only be described as an angel, beautiful and serene was the woman whom was staring at him with a mocking face, well that expression certainly wasn't serene he thought to himself annoyed.
He found himself lying at 60 degrees on a comfortable slab. The lady in front of him had a halo and a pair of semi-transparent wings. He knew for a fact that he wasn't in heaven, there was only one place for a person like him he thought regretfully.
"We saw that you had a translator installed, somehow, can I assume that you understand me primitive one?" she asked lyrically.
"Yes, but speak little only" he replied in broken Galactic Standard Language. He was quite confused as to what had happened since last, the surroundings were very different than previously, everything was smooth and aesthetic, he saw several other people in what he assumed was a medical bay, everyone else looked beautiful, the majority didn't have any halo or wings, but some did.
"Good, this shortens matters then, I already have a feeling that we are being pulled along by the Devishian, but nothing in our tests make you appear more than Terran" she mused somewhat annoyed "but a bet is a bet, you see the Devishian from the prison ship challenged our guard, but not personally, you see she mentioned that you could do it" she laughed with crossed arms, a few of the nearby people chuckled too.
Idris' mind quickly began piecing things together "I strong, we fight" he replied.
"Good good, we will have the match now then, get dressed and come along" Idris picked up a pair of dark grey pants and black shoes that closed around his feet, and a black skin-tight long-sleeve t-shirt. As he stepped off the slab, he realised that the woman in front of him was just slightly short than him, and that everyone around him was either his height or taller.
. . . .
The hallways were bright and spacious as he followed along, more than once a passer-by would chuckle or sneer at him, or comment in a foreign language, or even just in Galactic Standard, it was clear that he was deeply looked down on by this species and he didn't care for it one bit.
They finally appeared at a large circular room with sitting space covering the sides, one side was full of these ivory beautiful people, and on the other side sat the red devil-looking woman and the warthog-man. The floor was dark golden, almost black. Standing in front of him, and the woman leading him, was a man with a halo, who looked strikingly similar to the woman who was pulling him along, and a man without a halo who was slightly more muscular, yet still thin compared to himself.
"Let the bet..." The lady spoke as she walked over to the other man's side.
"Commence!" he finished for her.
The more muscular man walked forward facing Idris, he looked very angry, he stared at Idris like one would a maggot. Idris carefully observed the man moving towards him, normally he would be on the offense, but after having faced the green alien, he was unsure, he afforded himself a quick glance at the red lady and the warthog, if they made this bet, then they must believe that he could succeed. When the woman had appeared, she had mentioned that he was Terran, yes, his wolf-form was not detectable by science, before transforming his DNA was human.
The ivory man attacked him with a quick thrust, any normal human would have died from a punch like that. Idris reacted defensively, a long life of mastering martial arts, in order to master the wolf had afforded him many skills.
He slid back on his left foot, grabbed the arm and threw the tall man high and far. He slammed into the edge of the arena with a dull thump, unfortunately for Idris he had spun in mid-air and his feet took the impact. Nonetheless this first exchange surprised the people watching, already Idris had proven stronger than any Terran should be, which had also been evident from the gravity aboard being twice that as seen on Terra.
Idris had felt the terrifying power but felt that it was less than that of the green alien. He watched with a titled head as the man approached, and then he moved. Using the Falling Leaf's disorienting foot-technique he moved in strange fast and slow patterns, and appeared at a blind angle of the man, his right palm coming from beneath thrusting upwards, yet in the last moment the man moved his body, allowing his arm to block the blow.
With a quick twist he released a powerful low-moving blow, Barandir moved his left elbow into a blocking position, and slammed his right and left palm together, absorbing the punch. A cracking sound could be heard as the ivory man's knuckles cracked, whilst Idris was send sliding several meters away. His left arm dropped down; the elbow definitely had several cracks on it.
The alien in front of him was faster and stronger, of course he could change into the first wolf-form and he would be able to defeat this man, but it wasn't often that he got a chance to challenge himself. He smiled widely, much to the chagrin of the audience of angel-like people.
He focused his right hand into a sword hand and stabbed at several accu-points, releasing the blood-flow that had been clogged after the block. He lifted his left arm again, it was healing and moveable, and just in time too. The ivory man came forward with high speed, and ended up in a low spinning backhand attack, it was quite a direct and strange martial art. Idris jumped over him and released a hard upside down double palm thrust, the man blocked it with a bend arm, but Idris palm technique this time was significantly stronger, the first one he had unleashed was without any internal energy. This time he used the Heaven's Stamp technique.
An almost invisible golden aura was pressed down on the ivory alien, and he collapsed to his knees, spitting blood. Idris saltoed off the man. Whereas the green alien absorbed blunt attacks and was impossibly strong, this man was like a very strong and fast human, making him bleed, was not difficult at all.
. . . .
Silence reigned as Markeith collapsed, a faint hissing revealed that he was somehow still alive. Idris backed away as the two twins approached, emotionless as they looked they still called over a mechanical floating slab, they then carefully lifted the man onto the slab, and he was soon escorted away. They then proceeded to approach Idris, they carefully circled him.
"He used a.." Began the male with a taut face.
"Strange power" finished the lady while looking at Idris completely up close, no more than an inch from him. She then backed away "We will keep our end of the bargain, the Terran prisoners can be returned home, and we will drop of you and the revolting Grafigraan off at the nearest space-port.."
"But we are keeping this one" continued the man with a smile "If even a lowly Terran can gain such strength, would it then be possible for us too?.."
"Unless of course it is Terran sorcery? Well, is it?" asked the lady.
Idris was confused, happy and pissed off, it was good that his fellow humans could return home, but they wanted to keep him? And sorcery? He knew of sorcery of course, but he didn't expect a space faring race to mention it, perhaps he should lie here? So he gambled "Yes, sorcery, enchantment it is" he spoke brokenly.
The lady looked into his eyes with an intense stare "Too bad, she spoke shaking her perfect head, regardless you'll work well as a present to one of the admirals".
Anger was boiling in Idris' veins, a present, like some commodity, but he shut up, this was not the time to argue.
. . . .
Not long afterwards he found himself in a room with the warthog and the red woman, whom he found out were called Azreth and Brulok. Upon winning the bet they had been granted a separate cell for more high-value prisoners, it was circular and smooth only four beds were present, each with a separate small room and bathroom. In the middle there was a simple table.
He was quietly staring at them after they had relayed what had happened, he was not at all happy with Azreth for her decision, and she had yet to even reveal what it was that these Angelukians had taken. He took a deep breath, focusing on what could have been would only lead to irrational decisions and regretful words, he thought for a while before he spoke up "Help me".