Chapter 26

13 years old, and he hasn't grown an inch sense he was 6, Tarden was doing his normal routine f training with Xiox, Handicapped Grand elder watched as Tarden struggled once again attempting to compress the energy of the spirit armor in ball form, and after 3 months after Tarden started attempting to master the technique that was filed away in the books of previous Grand Elders. Xiox watched in amazement when Tarden managed to get the energy into a ball like shape, even if it was still warping oddly. Even though Tarden was failing at the techniques description, Xiox was impressed because the Grand Elders who came up with the technique never managed to compete it, not only that but the Technique was thought up by his own predecessor Grand Elder Wax.

The orb pulsated and immediately Tarden quickly threw the ball away the explosions shaking the ruins of the old temple, "Damn it!" Tarden said frustrated at another failed attempt. The young boy sat down frustrated, "How the hell am I supposed to control Life energy without using my body as a conduit!"

"Grand elder Wax believed it possible but he himself was never able to manifest the energy into a physical form. Even I felt your frustration the year I became Grand Elder. I picked up from where he left off, but only discovered how to hold the energy instead of let it flow through me. I didn't get to try master the technique further due to almost destroying the temple on several occasions. I'm actually impressed you have succeeded where I and our late master couldn't." Xiox said trying to comfort the Boy who will succeed him as Grand Elder.

"So why do I have to Learn this technique, and not the others?" Tarden questioned.

"The others have been abandoned and forbidden by the previous grand Elders, obviously their techniques have some high risks." Xiox said raising his arms putting emphasis with the metallic attachments that now grant him mobility.

"Maybe they are incomplete as well, like the one you are making me practice now. Will this technique really be worth it, I thought the Judgment call move was the most powerful attack I could muster with Life energy?" Tarden said getting up to look walk out of the room, Xiox following.

"It's true, but Wax believed that by compressing the attack into a condensed form, possibly even making the impact more lethal." Xiox said hearing Tarden suddenly let out a short snort of laughter.

"speaking about lethal I heard you can fight again. Tell me how have you managed to use Ki when your body can't manifest it." Xiox laughed.

"I figured people would find out, look here." Xiox said raising his hand to Tarden's face. The arm was covered with an exoskeleton. "They have drilled and connected the metal into my bones and connected my weak and dying nerves to corresponding electrical wires. Our body naturally produces electricity therefore they managed to make me arms work with science."

"So I head you say before."

"Indeed, now this," Xiox said as a small circle opened on his palm to reveal a red orb a small as a coin. "This is experimental technology; my body is still capable of producing Ki but the channels that they naturally flow through are destroyed. This red orb you see allows me to absorb and channel Ki, but it comes at a cost. I can only absorb so much energy before it over loads, and should that happen, well. I would die, so I'm afraid I can only fight someone around my strength, I'm afraid."

"Well then that means becoming Grand elder is not much of a challenge now." Tarden said leaving the unspoken challenge in the air. Xiox himself laughed as he understood the challenge.

"The Scientist tell me, the enhancements are experimental, and I should practice caution…" Xiox said watching Tarden sigh, "But my doctors suggest I get some exercise, and I could use a sparring partner." Xiox watched as Tarden slowly started to smile, the same look of excitement the boy gets when fighting someone different. "Guess I'll go fine Karax or Lucis, after all I'm not trying to overwork myself. I Shouldn't make the doctors mad." Xiox said knowing he just crushed the Boy's excitement.

Tarden watched annoyed that Xiox denied him a fight as the Grand elder went to spar with others. "Well that's just cruel how can you tell all this new exciting stuff and not show me how it works" Tarden mumbled to himself before deciding to go and find a proper sparring partner.

In space

Salza's ship approached the planet named LLabnogard. Salza raised his hand giving his crew the command to stop the approach. "I will take my men to the surface using the pods, we will detain the Saiyans quickly before they notice we are here, once we secure the Saiyans for Lord Cooler, we will let our newest we can then decide who will destroy the planet and its people." The Blue skinned alien said. As he got up from his seat and made his way to the space pods where four other aliens waited for him.

"Locate the Saiyans quickly, I don't care if cooler won't be here for another 2 months, I want this done as quickly as possible. We are looking for the traitors who left us years ago, chances are they are a lot stronger than we last saw them. Don't engage in combat, use the tranquilizer rifles, they won't be able to sense the dart coming, once they are drugged we will move in to secure them, if they resist we will beat them down. Any questions?"

"No Captain Salza, sir!" All four of the aliens said.

"Excellent, Cooler's armored squadron out!" Salza said entering his pod as the others entered their own pods before shortly all five pods where dispersed out of their ship, making a bee line to their destination to LLabnogard.

At the temple

Tarden watched along with the rest of the Elders as Grand Elder Xiox announced the Tournament of Masters, the tournament of masters is where the apprentices can compete against each other and the victors or those who impress an elder can earn the right to become a master.

"There are plenty of young apprentices participating." Tarde said.

"I believe the majority of those participating are beneath the age of 18." Gear said watching over all of the hopefuls around his age. Out of the 100 participating 10 where above the age of 20, and one above the age of 25.

"Not just that more girls too." Ginny mentioned her brothers nodding. The three siblings heard laughter coming from the other elders as Karax spoke up.

"Ever since the three of you became Elders the younger elders ever, the current generation took their training seriously. Many look up to you three as heroes, role models even. Our Era has come to an end, and a few Generation has come to bring in a new Era…You are witnessing history my children." Karax said.

"Your Generations still offers great wisdom and experience Karax. There is still a place for us all." Gear said

"You would think after spending a few years as an elder would grant me enough patience to watch the apprentices fight…but instead I grow excited to see them perform their best." Tarden said leaning forward as Xiox announced the brackets. "Say when this is done can I fight the Winner?"

"You fought the victor last year, it's Ginny's turn." Karax said making Tarden pout and the rest of the elders to laugh. Tarden proceeded to ignore them as he watched two contestants bow, a young man of 15 and a girl of 14. Both of them taller than he was making Tarden glace at Ginny, as he was reminded how short he was.

"Fine Ginny will fight them… then she will fight me." Tarden said leaning back and paying attention to the fight, missing the glance Ginny sent his way. Ginny leaned towards Gear and whispered.

"I think he is still upset about me."

"Who can blame him, he has been that height since he was 6, and now his little sister surpassed him. He feels like he has to prove something." Gear said but Ginny still felt guilty, despite how pointless it was to feel that way she couldn't help but feel like she hurt him.

Tarden saw the look on his sisters face from the corner of his eye, while he never stopped looking at the fight Tarden was aware of his sister's reaction. "It would be fun to see how much you grown Ginny, it's been to long since we sparred… I miss it." Tarden said still looking at the fight while his sister looked at him before smiling.

"I guess you're right." Ginny said while relieved he just wants a new training partner. She smiled feeling her own blood heat up in anticipation, "It has been too long, I miss it too."

With Turles.

Turles was several miles away from the temple when he sat cooking a fresh kill he made himself, while not much of a cook sometimes nothing beats the taste of afresh kill roasted by a campfire. Turles had six sticks of meat roasting in the fire. The Saiyan stared into the fire as he watched them cook, seeming entranced by the flames. The wind came in like a gentle breeze and Turles closed his eyes as he breathed in the air enjoying the tranquility he felt. Then with the reflexes of lightning, Turles reached behind him and caught the dart that would have caught him.

"two years ago this tactic would have worked… but I'm not the same man. I stronger, faster, and better." Turles said standing up turning behind him as he walked next to his fire. "I knew you were her the moment you broke the atmosphere, come let's be civilized before we fight. I made enough for all of us." Turles said while pointing to the 6 sticks he had cooking.

Only four aliens came out of hiding, four that Turles recognized to be the Elite Armored squadron of the Cooler corps. The Large green alien spoke up "Well It's a shame Salza isn't here, he chose to collect Yami. You know he always loved being alone with her." The other Aliens laughed.

"Well then more for me, come eat." Turles said as he turned his back on them, this angered the other green alien who had similar looks but shorter hair.

"Don't turn you back on me Saiyan!" The Alien said charging forward.

"Wait brother!" The alien who spoke first said when the angered alien through a punch only for Turles to grab the punch, his free hand eating one of the roasts. Chewing his food then swallowing Turles spoke.

"A lot has happened these past few years… I'm no longer the weak saiyan you can easily bully." With that said Turles squeezed the hand of his attacker to the point where the green man screamed in pain. "Even I can easily kill you now Core, you should have listen to your brother Dore." Turles released his hand. "Now eat, before I decide to roast you next."

Dore went up to his brother and stared at Turles menacingly, "Just because your strong enough to fight Core doesn't mean much, he was the weakest of our squad, every one of us here is easily 5 times stronger than him, and Salza is stronger than all of us combined."

"Do you have to say it like that brother." Core said

"Shut up, you may look like me but you don't share my power, that's why you wait until we all attack."

"So what will it be boys, do we kill each other now, or eat." Turles said taking another bite. Dore looked at his men and they all gathered "Elite armored squadron attack!" The four warriors quickly did a pose together before rushing Turles, while Turles did nothing until they blitz passed him to eat their share.

"Excellent we can fight to death later."

With Yami

Yami was taking a nap in a remote part of the planet, it was several moments when Yami spoke out, "Since you're here I imagine He is on his way?" Sure enough Salza stood a respectful distance away from Yami. The Blue skinned alien and Leader of the Elite armored squad sat down before mirroring Yami's relaxed position. "

"Yes, He will arrive shortly in two months." Salza said.

"He has come to kill us?" Yami asked.

"He will want to fight you both, to see what power a saiyan can have before he hunts the Super Saiyan who killed his brother. Cooler doesn't like Rivals." Salza sighed.

"And the planet?" Yami said opening a single eye to look at Salza relaxing.

"Mine to do with as I wish." Salza replied smugly.

"Figures, what do you plan." Yami said as she closed her eye again.

"Do you need to ask, you know me." Salza said smugly

"And you know me…You know why we left." She said already knowing the answer.

"Of course I would have done the same in your position." Salza responded a hint of pity.

"And now Your Lord sent you to die." Yami challenged.

"How many times have you said that and failed." Salza smirked

"Plenty of times but this time. I grow more powerful than you would expect." Yami said gaining her predatory smile, and in a quick flash of speed both fighter collided fist, rapidly trading punches left and right the power rising thundering around the clearing Yami selected to be her battle ground. The two suddenly Clashed one last time The looks one each other's face completely different from each other. Yami was having fun and enjoying the look of shock with her opponents face. Meanwhile Salza eyes opened in shock as she matched his strength.

"If this surprises you just wait to see what I can really do!" and with a sudden Increase to her power she landed a Powerful punch in Salza's stomach. Salza retaliated by throwing another punch, one that Yami took without much guard and then she winced. Jumping away Yami reached her side when Salza punched and took out the dart that hit her side.

"Unlike you I don't enjoy fighting, and since you gotten a lot stronger I rather see how your strength fails against Emperor Cooler."

"Coward, you drugged me." Yami said already feeling her eyes get heavy.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't be here if I was a man of Honor." Salza said Before he suddenly found himself struggling to Keep up and even took some deadly punches and kicks before she started to slow down and then Collapse. Salza looked at her in amazement before he spat out some blood from the punch he took from her. "I have the Saiyan traitor Yami, how goes detaining Turles." Salza said speaking into a communicator.

"It took longer than we like but we managed to tranquilize him, the rest of us taking a beaten Core and Falter are unconscious Neiz and I managed to drug him." Dore answered.

"You mean to tell me Turles gave all of you trouble, last we fought him he was weaker than Core." Salza said in shock.

"He was stronger than all of us, if he didn't manage to drug him we all would have died." Neiz spoke up.

"Your telling me they both became stronger than us after all this time… Cooler is right to kill them before they grow even stronger. Who knows how strong a Super Saiyan could be." Salza said amazed. "Let's meet back on the ship, we will heal our wounds then Have some fun killing this planets warriors and then we can determine who blows it up after."

"Yes sir Captain Salza sir!" Dore and Neiz said.

"Luckily there is only two Saiyans here, Llabs aren't all that powerful." Salza said picking up Yami.

With Tarden

Tarden was glad the tournament was down to the semifinals, the fan favorites already determined but Tarden found his mind wandering. The boy had felt Yami and Turles Power levels along with 5 unknown energies fairly stronger than most of the elders. Tarden wanted to go see what happened but, Lucis told him he shouldn't leave the tournament, that instead he and Karax will take the other Elders. Something about the young masters to be needing to be motivated by those closet to their age. This Left only Xiox, Tarden, Gear, Ginny, and 3 other Elders. That meant 5 Elders will go to go check on the disturbance.

"Man I wish I could go, instead my blood is boiling for a good fight, those unknown signatures felt strong." Tarden said. Watching two hopefuls end the fight a woman of 20 stood over her opponent another female of 18.

"You should Trust them, besides its fun watching people make progress." Ginny said

"And if they run into trouble Yami and Turles are out and about, they probably handled the situation already." Gear said

"I guess you're right, the chances of fighting someone as strong as Garlic Jr would make things more fun than training and sparring." Tarden Sighed

"Hopefully no one that strong appears any time soon." Ginny said.

"If they do show up though let's hope he doesn't hide behind an army, probably best if we had the numbers. Maybe we could protect the temple better." Gear said as the siblings clapped for the winner.

With Karax

It didn't take long for the Elders to arrive at the first location of the disturbance, needless to say the clearing where they felt Yami's presence look calm, it was when Karax and the others found Turles's camp site that they all got on edge. There were several man-sized craters and chunks of earth missing from obvious use of Ki Blast. Signs of an obvious fight happened here but the problem was, where were the fighters, where was Turles.

"I don't like the looks of this." Karax said.

"Hopefully Turles vaporized his attackers and went off to do whatever." Lucis said inspecting the campfire.

"Karax Lucis You want to check this out!" One of the other Elders said as the rest gathered to see blood. "there definitely was a scuffle. Whoever attack Turles wasn't some stranger either, he knew them."

"What makes you say this Orin," Lucis said.

"There were 6 sticks near the campfire, they looked to be used to cook whatever was cooked. Considering how Turles like to go camping it's no surprise to see him make a campfire and hunt. But he never used other sticks to share…"

"Who would Turles share food with other than those closest to him?" Karax asked.

"Either someone who served him… or someone her served," Lucis said as they all shared a worried look. They all know that Turles started his own pirate gang but they were all killed by the invasion a couple years back. So that left the time Turles and Yami served Cooler.

"I think This emperor cooler has found us, and considering how we didn't feel a power level stronger than the Saiyans, it must be some of his Hench man. An elite squad of powerful warriors if they took down Turles and Yami." Karax spoke.

"If that's true and these elite members took down our strongest warriors…" Orin said as everyone's face darkened.

"They might be our only hope." Lucis said as they all thought about Tarden and his siblings. "Hopefully they are ready."