Nyadusara POV
The Space Wolf Astartes witnessed Hydralisk evolution.
"Evolution. Complete."
Chrysalis rupture. Revealed: a seven-limbed, arachnid-like Zerg. Seven limbs, yes. Two pairs of lateral appendages. Anterior burrowing claws. An additional ventral limb for bodily support. Morphology: significantly enlarged relative to Hydralisk baseline. Burrowing claws: considerably sharpened.
[Designation: Lurker]
[Body Length: 5–6 meters]
[Role: Burrow-defense, siege unit]
[Armament: Burrowed Spine]
[Description: Lurkers evolve directly from living Hydralisks. Their threat manifests as sudden, subterranean spine eruptions. This strain is among the rare Zerg capable of burrow-attack synchronization. Lurkers are primarily deployed for Swarm defense, supply line interdiction, and ambush within confined passages and chokepoints.]
This Lurker: larger than Hydralisk baseline. Height: somewhat reduced.
"Excavate wall!"
Commorragh arena walls: formidable. Lurker burrowing claws: superior. Claws sank into masonry. Excavated a clean breach. Drone impact completed the aperture.
"Now. Evacuate to open terrain. Hatchery incubation required!"
The Drone emerged onto Commorragh's thoroughfares. Immediate Dark Eldar attention.
No attack. Instead: expressions of amusement, curiosity. These bizarre organisms, escaped from the arena.
"The arena lost its slaves?"
"Heh. Entertainment imminent."
Drones and Zerglings: unmolested. Some Dark Eldar, perceiving obstruction, deliberately ceded right-of-way. Wariness—but no assault.
Very Dark Eldar.
The Zerg vanished from sight. The Space Wolf blinked.
"What WERE those organisms?"
The Zerg's discipline and adaptability astonished this Space Wolf. Fenris hosted formidable megafauna. Yet instinct suggested: Fenris's apex predators would fall before those "beasts."
Not individual prowess. Discipline.
"The beasts escaped!"
"What?! How did they breach the cages?! Damn it—where did they obtain acid of that concentration?!"
Arena wardens had inspected these organisms. Zerglings, Hydralisks, Drones: no significant acid reservoirs. Only Hydralisks possessed minor acid secretions.
One warden touched acid-etched metal. His palm instantly corroded.
Seconds: skeletal hand. The Dark Eldar merely frowned. "Damn! This corrosive capacity—our cages can't withstand this. Are slave handlers imbeciles?!"
Acid corrosion caused pain. Dark Eldar experienced pain. They simply disregarded it.
For them, acid erosion was elementary amusement.
"You failed to pre-emptively excise acid-secreting organs. Warehouse overseers—are you seeking execution?!"
"But they possessed NO acid organs!" the warehouse overseer protested.
"Enough."
Someone terminated the dispute.
"Pursue. These are the Archon's valuable property! One loss—we forfeit our lives!!!"
Arena wardens pursued through the breached wall. Recovery mission. Unnoticed: acid-etched cage fragments, casually discarded, landed adjacent to other cages.
An Ork stretched toward the acid-etched fragment. Insufficient reach.
Ork met Ork gaze. Contemplation. Epiphany.
Larger Orks promptly detached a smaller Ork's limb. Utilizing this improvised extension, they acquired the acid-etched fragment. Applied to cage lock.
Acid corrosion of Ork flesh: irrelevant. ~Ten minutes: lock dissolved. Orks kicked open the cage.
"WAAAGH!!!"
The Space Wolf Astartes had no desire to ally with xenos. Yet during Ork evacuation, an acid-etched fragment fortuitously landed at his feet.
"...Well. The Emperor provides."
He retrieved the fragment. Residual acid: minimal. Sufficient for lock dissolution.
Perhaps the Emperor did provide.
"If my Betcher's gland were intact, I wouldn't require this."
Betcher's gland: an implanted organ, adjacent to salivary glands. Permits Astartes corrosive venom expulsion. Minutes to dissolve reinforced chains. Essential Astartes escape mechanism.
Dark Eldar were not fools. Captive Space Wolves would have Betcher's glands excised.
Most Space Wolf armaments had been removed. Dark Eldar desired arena entertainment. Not a cage-breaching, throat-ripping beast.
The Space Wolf, liberated, did not immediately flee. He retrieved a cutting torch from the warehouse corner. Systematically destroyed cages containing various megafauna.
Grox. Catachan Barking Toads. Tyranid Raveners. Countless unidentified specimens. All released.
The arena warehouse erupted in pandemonium.
Wardens, pursuing Zerg, had depleted arena security. Substantial disruption imminent.
Warden pursuit: problematic. Tracking traces into a conduit—a Baneling dropped from above. Dark Eldar reflexes: exceptional. Blade intercepted.
No anticipated flesh-resistance. Acid explosion. Blossomed among Dark Eldar ranks.
Acid instantly corroded helmets. Some Dark Eldar, swift, tore off headgear. Others, slower: acid penetrated helmets, contacted flesh.
"AAAARGH—!"
Even pain-craving Dark Eldar screamed.
Helmet-shedding Dark Eldar: extensive armor corrosion. Forced armor removal to prevent flesh contact.
"Where did this acid originate?!"
A Dark Eldar examined Baneling debris.
"This wasn't among our slaves' inventory!"