Freeza, King Cold and respective character don't belong to me. Or anything in the Dragonball series. This is a headcanon-based fanfiction, so don't worry.

Evil exists. And since time immemorial, there's always been a point of reference for it. Millions ago, it was Majin Buu. Millennia ago, it was Bojack. Centuries ago, it was the dread Super Nameks. And now, it was in the form of Freeza. In forty years, Freeza's public image had shifted from the mere brat of the tyrant Cold into a devil who had enslaved an entire quadrant under his palm.

But that was then. It has been over a month since Freeza's men no longer heard his voice. Freeza's top men were all dead. Freeza himself lay dying. For the first time in his life, Freeza knows true pain, true humiliation. Can he even comprehend it? With his body torn and maimed, Freeza has nothing left to contemplate what seemed impossible.

Ruins of Old Namek, January 28, Age 763

(Freeza P.O.V)

Pain. Agony. How…how long have I been out? It doesn't matter. I want to look at myself, at what that Saiyan beast has done. How could he do this? HOW?! I know of the Saiyan legend, of the Super Saiyans. I remember the old Vegeta yammering on to his traitorous son about it, the glory of the Super Saiyan, of how he would lead the Saiyans to total victory. Heh…what unwarranted pride in his barbaric people. Oh, it would've been so easy to just ignore his ramblings. But you can't be too careful.

I look back at the past. Of that cocksure prince, having long since overcome the death of his family with confidence of his might.

Vegeta: "Mark my words Freeza, one day I will become a Super Saiyan. It is my destiny."

"Don't get too full of yourself. You are my prodigy, not my successor."

It couldn't be him. It couldn't be Vegeta who gained that regal power. No, it had to be some random, low-class garbage! Some sanctimonious, soft-hearted buffoon who's own filthy monkey kin probably left him to die! A cruel joke by the gods above that the Saiyan's "messiah" was some unaccounted idiot. Because, as horrifying as I'd imagine Vegeta's vengeance would be were there any chance of it, at least it'd be more dignifying than this.

I can't even hope that Goku is dead. I know he had to survive. The Ginyu ships were still on that rock. I bet he's warm under a fire, with his insipid family and that horrid smirk. I bet he thinks I'm dead. And soon…it won't matter. Even I can't survive forever on oxygen storage and fat reserves alone. Is this it? Should I…should I have ignored his goading, and left? Was I wrong?

NO!

I will not yield! I can never yield! One breath away from death is still life! And I will never let Goku get to me! I am the Emperor of the Universe, I decide who lives and who dies! Even if I suffer like this for a thousand years, I will never let him win! Heh…I should stop worrying. That idiot thinks I'm dead. But what he doesn't know is that even I have people who want to see me live on. And they're coming for me. I should stay calm. I should sleep and wake up home.

King Cold's Personal Spaceship, 12 February 763

"Freeza, we need to talk."

In my forty-one years of power, I have almost never heard those words. My father always expected the best of me, and I always delivered like any son should. Of course, Coola always thought I'd screw up. That I was some petulant child…but look at the size of our empires. Coola's isn't even a quarter my own. Coola has always used the excuse of "quality over quantity", but it is my face which has become the definition of terror. It is my will alone that commands a quadrillion slaves. I have done more for the dynasty in ten years than Coola has in his lifetime.

And yet, from father's tone, I know this isn't something like "Damnit Freeza, you spilt my brandy!" I don't want to be reminded of any failing. Especially not from papa. Thankfully, I have my health as an excuse. And of course, my doctor can attest to that. My body was reconstructed only an hour ago, I need to know the Saiyan robbed me of bodily joys.

Malaka: "So, I assume you want to know more about your cyborg body?"

"Yes. Asides from my bisection, I never did figure out how severe my injuries were."

Malaka: "Your injuries caused some brain damage. Nothing personality or memory based, thank God, but we lost your sight and sense of balance. That's why your skull plate has the big "wedge"

"I've not been fed anything, just given water. I'm very hungry."

Malaka: "My apologies, but you've lost your intestinal tract and second stomach. Right now, we have to manually inject nutrients. Don't worry, in a few weeks the synthetic organs will allow you to feast."

"I expected much better from you."

Malaka: "I know, it's just…do you know how rare it is for one of your species to get butchered like this? Your people are tough, I've not had much experience with your biology."

"What's this device on my breast?"

Malaka: "Something you'll need. The left button sends a distress beacon. The right one initiates emergency life support. The middle one allows you to see. Also, it's there to fix your gliver."

"Tell me, how strong am I right now?"

Malaka: "It'll take you over a year to reach full strength. Right now, I'd say your power level is 240,000."

It would be easy to crush Malaka's skull. Oh, how fun that would be! Use the very hand he gave me tosqueeze his head, forcing him to suffer the most agonizing of headaches before his brain matter oozes on my fingers. CRUSH HIM LIKE GOKU! But…I can't. He has what kept Vegeta from being another grunt, or better yet, dead: courage. Genuine courage. There is no pride in my doctor, he knows even the weakest of my soldiers could reduce him to atoms. Yet he doesn't fear me. For such an important, intimate soldier, that's an incredible asset. Besides, until I'm all better I need him. *shudder* I will make sure Goku still breathes when I turn his skin into a pelt!

Still, it's good to have confirmation that even in this maimed state, I'm stronger than any of my soldiers. As long as I live, I will be on top. But to no longer be broken, Goku must be shattered beyond repair.

King Cold's Personal Spaceship, 13 February 763

"It's time we deal with your time on Namek. More importantly, what you need to clean up."

Father almost never speaks down to me. He has always recognized me as the greatest son a father one could have. The royal court often speaks of me, usually very quietly and very rudely. I've tortured a few, but it's never felt satisfying; not when I can watch the spectacle of their complaining being utterly impotent to stop me. And when my father visits? They are utterly silent. His is a power even I cannot ignore.

King Cold: "Freeza, this has nothing to do with your maiming. You already have an heir, it is nothing to worry about. Instead, this is about your team. Tell me, how many Stellar Units are you in charge of?"

"Six."

King Cold: "And three of those units are without a leader or their highest-class soldiers. There is not a single soldier left in those groups who's power level is in the five-digit range. Also, we lost the Ginyu Force. Tell me, did you do anything to prevent their deaths? Or did you just sit on your ass and let the enemy get stronger?"

I hate to see my father be so condescending towards me. Coola loves to be so, but I can always fight him over it. Not with father. I don't need to answer him, he already knows. I keep quiet, but he decides to bore me with an obituary of my minions.

King Cold: "Zarbon of Citria. Dodoria of Pungentia. Cui of Porifia. All surpassing 15,000, all dead. Banan and Sui, Zarbon's Elite: presumed dead. Appule, certainly dead. Dodoria's Elite, Napple and Rasperry: dead. Guldo of Bas, Jeice and Burter of Brench, Recoome of Outer Kabocha. Even Ginyu: all dead. These were some of the strongest beings in the Northern Quadrant. Some the strongest their race has ever produced. You never intervened."

"Their combined power is less than my most suppressed state. They aren't needed."

King Cold: "Even we can't rule solely by ourselves. No excuses Freeza."

"Can we please get this over with; the Saiyan still breathes."

King Cold: "The moment our subjects see you, they will know you are mortal. It will give them hope. Increase the power of your army. Have them be almost as feared as you are. Coola knows this, you should too."

"And yet it is my face that embodies living terror across the cosmos."

King Cold: "That is a crutch. Also, remember that while your cybernetics enhance your body, the body still needs to recover. Use this opportunity to develop your army."

I can't believe he keeps talking down to me! I told him I was going to Namek to obtain the Dragonballs, to grant any wish. I should be immortal! But here I am, getting scolded. And eventually Coola is going to find out, and I'll never live it down. One last victory from that simian bastard, one he'll always have. It doesn't matter what I do to him, I'll bear these scars."

King Cold: "You have a year and a half until your body heals and we can attack. Use it wisely."

Welcome to my fanfiction, "Freeza Burns." This story is here to expand the impact of what happens to Freeza' Empire from Freeza's near-death on Namek and onwards, which was partly explored in Yo Son Goku and Resurrection F. Though it is set mainly in the main timeline, we will see some of Trunks' timeline(for example, the Goku vs Mecha Freeza fight). It is in the same continuity as the "Legacy of Trunks" timelines.