Chapter 32: Celestial Penitentiary
The AeroVan hummed as it ascended, the city of Astraeus unfolding beneath them like a glittering treasure land. Xavier pressed his face against the reinforced glass, his breath fogging the surface as he took in the view.
The city sprawled beneath him, a labyrinth of neon and steel, its towering spires piercing the clouds. Hovercars darted between buildings like fireflies, their ion trails painting temporary constellations in the sky. The Celestial Haven floated in the distance, its massive form casting a shadow over the city like a silent guardian.
The AeroVan banked sharply, its engines roaring as it approached the Celestial Penitentiary. The prison loomed ahead, a jagged asteroid of reinforced steel and glowing force fields. Its surface was pockmarked with docking bays, each one pulsing with energy as ships came and went.
The AeroVan descended, its engines whining as it maneuvered into a docking bay. The doors hissed open, and Xavier was hauled out, his boots clanging against the metal grating.
The guards marched him through a series of airlocks, each one sealing shut behind him with a hiss. He was stripped of his belongings, his clothes replaced with a standard-issue prison jumpsuit. A scanner hummed as it mapped his biometrics, its red laser tracing the contours of his face.
A guard barked orders, his voice echoing in the sterile processing chamber. "Hands on the wall. Legs spread."
Xavier complied, his fingers pressing against the cold metal as the guard patted him down. A neural inhibitor was clamped around his wrist, its blue light pulsing softly.
"Welcome to the Celestial Penitentiary," the guard sneered. "You’re gonna love it here."
"Oh, I am sure," Xavier replied with a smug look on his face.