𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐥 ✦ 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥

𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖤𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍

Caelus thought he'd be okay when Svarog dropped him, but another giant mechanical hand matched into him right afterwards.

All of them progressively tightened their grip, intending to crush them once and for all.

'Oh 💩, this might actually be it-' Caelus realized as the mechanical hand restricted his breathing more and more, applying increasing amounts of unyielding pressure to that his skeleton wouldn't be able to withstand for much longer, 'Getting crushed by a robot. What a sucky way to die.'

"Oh, come on!" March complained as she wiggled in the mechanical hand's grasp, a frustrated look on her face as she encased it in ice to at least hinder its functions long enough to keep herself alive.

She took a look at Caelus who didn't seem to be able to free himself, same with Seele and Bronya who were quickly running out of time and air with how they were being squeezed together, and Dan Heng who's arms were locked at his sides and Cloud-Piercer laying on the ground a couple feet away.

March looked to Svarog next, and of course found no hesitation or pity in the robot's single eye.

'Of course not, it's a 🚚ing robot!' March thought angrily and gasped when the ice holding off the mechanical hand began to crack and fall away, '💩! I don't have much time! Come on, I need to do something-!'

Dan Heng probably had it the worst out of them, the mechanical hand which had grabbed into him keeping its hold tight and only getting tighter.

The pressure against his bones was becoming too much, and breathing caused pain. The lack of oxygen began to cause the young man's vision to waver, but he was fighting the inevitable loss of consciousness.

'Not now...' he zeroed in on Cloud-Piercer, so close yet so far, 'I can't pass out now—! Not yet!'

No matter how much the trailblazers, Seele, or Bronya struggled, they couldn't free themselves, and that was that. They'd die right there and then, crushed to death by—

Oh, maybe not.

Caelus didn't see what hit Svarog but he felt how it caused the whole robot's body to vibrate as it exploded way too close for the walking hydrogen bomb's comfort.

Either way, he was released and dropped to the ground while the automaton stumbled back. Everyone else was free as well, all on the ground coughing and trying to get air flowing back into their lungs.

"Hm, how could you all expect to put up a good fight without a doctor on the battlefield?" all eyes turned to Natasha as she carefully reloaded the big 🍑 rocket launcher of a gun which she'd used to shoot Svarog.

"Nat!" Caelus exclaimed, "You're here!"

"Just stay focused," she instructed as Sampo joined her, giving the group a little smile and a bow *what a cutie pie I love him sm*, "I'm right behind you."

"But Nat, how did you-?" Seele began.

"Guess you guys had a bad talk, huh? Luckily, good 'ol Sampo's got your back!" Sampo exclaimed.

"Sampo! I knew you'd be involved somehow!" Seele actually seems genuinely happy, though the same couldn't be said about March.

"Y'know, if he wasn't the reason y/n disappeared, I'd actually be happy right now." March huffed.

"Base breached. Armed Wildfire personnel detected. Assessing..." oh no, not again, "All subjects are high-risk individuals. Commencing complete annihilation."

The group faced off against Svarog again, preparing to attack once more. Everyone was still a little hesitant, considering the dude nearly jsut took all of them out at once, but Caelus's self-preservation skills went out the window.