John Helldiver

Artwork by Nick Acuna

From the heavens he falls, a comet in gold and cobalt,

Cape snapping like a war-banner against the black,

John Helldiver, apostle of Managed Democracy,

Voice steady on the vox: “For Super Earth. For Liberty.”

Hellpod screaming, stratosphere fire bleeding,

He punches through cloud and chitin alike,

Boots hit soil already soaked in bug blood and bot oil,

Beacon aloft in the smoke, no cowardice in his toil.

Stratagem beacon raised high—no hesitation, no fear nigh.
Automatons march in perfect, soulless rows—

He answers with orbital barrages hellos.

Terminids surge, a living tide of claws beneath the sun—

He laughs, reloads the Liberator, and calls in another Eagle run.

When the extraction shuttle burns and the mission timer bleeds red,

When traitors whisper of peace and the squad lies broken,

John Helldiver stands alone on the hill of corpses,
Cape torn, armor scorched, still roaring defiance across the losses.

Magazines empty, heart full, screaming the only truth he knows:

“Democracy is non-negotiable!”

And somewhere above, in the cold calculus of command,

A fresh pod is loaded, a new diver will salute and stand.

The war never ends.

The dive never ends.

Liberty never ends.

John Helldiver through fire and void he descends,

Bringer of hellfire and freedom,
A blue star falling to martyrdom.

Forever diving,

Forever free.

Media source: Artstation