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I may have let my dark side out of her cage in this chapter. I'm leaving a domestic violence and suicidal language warning here. This story is beginning to take a dismal turn for a few chapters. Things have to get worse before they get better, after all!
From the moment the Omni Kings set foot in Universe One, they could tell something wasn't right. Zeni noticed the Universe sounded deafeningly quiet. Normally, the planets that are teeming with life, with a thriving environment have a certain ring to them. Zeni could barely hear anything from the several planets around them. Looking towards his partner. "I'm not hearing anything."
"Yeah," Zeno agreed. "And it smells bad."
Zeni's partner took a big whiff of the Universe. While there was no 'air', a scent was permeating everything Zeno could see. It was a bitter smell that was very off putting to the Omni King.
Whis looked at the two beings in bewilderment. The Grand Minister's senses weren't picking up on anything Zeni and Zeno's were. "Sires, may I ask what you're speaking of?"
Zeno was the first to speak. "I'm picking up a bad smell. It smells bitter and almost like metal."
"When Planets are healthy, I can hear a buzz coming from them." Zeni explained. "I'm not really hearing anything from these ones."
Maybe this was a worthwhile trip. Whis pondered. If Goku and Vegeta were right, we're going to be saving a lot of lives. "Where would you like to start, my Lords?"
"Hmmm…" Zeno thought.
"We could start with the Supreme Kai's?" Zeni mentioned. "See if they've noticed anything weird going on."
"That's a wonderful idea!" The Grand Minister told the Omni King. He specifically remembered a document he skimmed before he left. The First Universe's Kai's had noticed something obscure about their territory they watch over. 'Several planets. Very few have life. No matter how many attempts at starting a civilization, they seem to fall before our next visit.'
It was something the Grand Minister thought was out of the ordinary. It was normal for a species to occasionally eradicate itself. However, with several attempts to get a new civilization on the planets, at least one should have taken root. Whis needed to get down to the bottom of this problem. The trio moved at lightspeed, zooming through the Universe in efforts to get this done as quickly as possible.
"STOP!" Zeni and Zeno ordered.
The Grand Minister raised a brow, but complied with the request. "Is there something the matter?"
"That planet…" Zeni pointed to his right at a teal looking planet. "It's bad."
"Bad? What do you mean sir?" Whis asked.
"I agree." Zeno nodded to his partner. "This is one of the worst smelling planets in the Universe."
"What Planet is this, Grand Minister?" Zeni had an uncomfortable look on his features. To them, the area around the trio was completely devoid of sound, almost as if the Planet were sucking it inward.
The Grand Minister took a look through his staff, his eyes widening slightly. "It looks like this is Planet Sadala, the original Saiyan world of Universe One."
"Can we visit here first?"
"Please, Grand Minister?"
Not being one to displease the Omni Kings, Whis nodded in approval. "Of course sires. I would also like to see what this Planet looks like." The three quickly break into the atmosphere of Planet Sadala, gazing upon a dreary sight to say the least.
While it was winter on this side of the Planet, The Grand Minister observed the area; It felt even more desolate than it should. Saiyan's have no problem surviving in harsh conditions such as these. Where in the world are all of them?
"Over there!" Zeno pointed to the East, noticing smoke coming from that direction.
"Good eye." Whis smiled at the small deity next to him. The three quickly move towards the smoke, hoping to find some semblance of a tribe or even civilization. The Grand Minister took the hands of the Omni Kings as he landed a few miles away from the smoke cloud. "I want you two to be careful alright?"
Zeni and Zeno nod as they stay close to the Grand Minister.
The trio walked through the forest carefully. They could tell it was teeming with life, however it was from plants and animals. There were few signs of sentient lifeforms. They could feel a couple energy signatures up ahead. Whis was the first to notice the clearing. He could see a makeshift fort in the distance.
"Look at that, Grand Minister." Zeno pointed to the structure.
"I wonder if there's any people in that fort." Zeni wondered.
"There's only one way to find out." The Grand Minister pulled the Omni Kings closer to them. The three make their way towards a cave on the south side of the clearing. Whis could hear sounds from the cave, he wasn't sure if the energies would be very civilized.
"You have no reason to be here!" A large Saiyan man exited the cave with a battle axe in his hand. "Get off this land and don't return!"
Whis quickly raised both of his hands, observing as the Omni Kings did the same."We come in peace. I actually came to this land to ask a few questions."
"I'll speak to no one! Only the Gods can save us now." The older Saiyan appeared to have a very tired look. As The Grand Minister stood closer, he could feel at least ten other aura's inside the cave.
"Well that's perfect!" Zeni exclaimed happily.
"We're just the people you wanna talk to!" Zeno nodded. "What is your name, dear Saiyan?"
"My-My name is Sadala." The older man replies, falling to his knees in front of the Deities. The trio stepped closer, noticing tears in the man's eyes. "My once healthy world has been overrun by an evil force that takes my children in the night. Our Kingdom once held nearly millions of Saiyans. Now, we've been reduced to hiding. Anything we can do to get away from the monster that terrorizes our Planet"
"Could we have a minute to talk about this monster you speak of? It is in the interest of my colleagues and myself that this problem gets solved." The Grand Minister gently spoke.
"No other Deity has come to save us, why do you start now?" Sadala questioned. The hurt and malice was clear in his voice.
"Unfortunately, Deities have a way of overlooking problems." Whis looked at the warrior apologetically. "The dear Kai's of this Universe have been distracted by other things going on. I recently found out about this issue. Unfortunately, this isn't the only Planet that is suffering losses. However, this was the first place we wanted to start. My colleagues, the Omni Kings, noticed this planet was especially desolate. We want to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. Will you please help us, Sadala?"
The Warrior's eyes widened the moment he heard the Omni Kings were in his presence. "Please, come in. We'll tell you everything we know."
The trio followed Sadala inside the cave. Once inside, The Grand minister noticed there was a small group of Saiyan's towards the back of the cave. They also had a small fire going.
Sadala walks far enough into the cave, wanting his guests to be out of the wind. "I'm sorry about the accommodations, Sires." The warrior mentioned quietly. "Our family has been dwindling for some time now."
"It's really not a problem." Whis tried his best to make the Saiyan feel more comfortable. "Can you tell me how long this has been going on?"
"As long as I can remember sire." Sadala answered honestly. "I would hear rumors of Aoi Shi from my grandfather. As children, we were encouraged never to go outside at night. That was when Aoi Shi would attack. Until I became older, I never put much clout into the bedtime stories I would hear as a child. But when my own daughter was taken from her bed while she was sleeping, I knew the stories were true."
"The last ten years have been the worst that I've seen. Multiple children, women, and even men will go missing in a night." Tears began to fill Sadala's eyes. "At first, I thought there was a rogue group of Saiyan's out there. When the protectors of my villages began coming to me, saying their people were fearing being taken in the night, I did everything I could to stop it. But how can you fight a monster that never reveals himself?"
Bourba stared blankly at the small stack of paperwork in front of her. The Supreme Kai's were beginning to grow weary of Haile as a Destroyer. The Deities were beginning to notice the quality and quantity of life on most planets has dropped significantly. After centuries of not doing their routine check-ups to planets, The Kai's finally decided to do their jobs. The reports that are beginning to come across Bourba's desk are becoming more concerning.
They're willing to involve the Grand Minister?! Why didn't they consult me first? The Attendant continued to read the report. Her heart was beating franticay as she continued to skim the papers on her desk. This isn't good! I'm going to be in so much trouble!
From the moment Bourba came to Universe One, she knew she'd bitten off more than she could chew. The first night the Attendant was with her Destroyer, she explained how she likes to run a tight ship.
"I've been a part of tight ships before." Bourba gleamed towards the Destroyer. The two decided to have their first meeting in the dining room. Normally, Attendant's and Destroyer's go over these things in the presence of the Grand Minister. With Bourba being placed in Universe One on such short notice, there wasn't any time for that. "I like to run things that way myself."
Haile's left side of her lip curled into a half-smile. "I think you'll see I run tighter ships than most." The Destroyer stated simply. "Since you're going to be home most of the day busy with your paperwork, there won't be much time to do anything other than cook and clean. I never want to see a speck of dirt in my Palace. I also expect my dinner to be done promptly when I return home from Destroying. Any questions so far?"
"I am to accompany you on all excursions, my Lord." Bourba interjected politely. "The Grand Minister insists on it. I'm afraid it's something I am not comfortable budging on. That particular situation is something I want to avoid at all costs."
"I see." Haile says curtly as she stands from her seat at the dining room table. She walks at a slow pace towards her Attendant. "I'm gonna be honest, the last Attendant I was assigned had a similar issue. I'm afraid we had a little disagreement." The Destroyer began to transform in front of Bourba's eyes. Haile began to take on a more human-like form. One of her many traits she's gathered over the years to lower people's guards, is to transform into a form they are more comfortable with.
After doing extensive research on her new Destroyer, Haile figured out Bourba has a weakness for red-haired women. The creature dawned a beautiful set of red ringlet curls. Haile's icy blue eyes changed to an emerald green color. Her curves became more defined as she took a seat on the table, next to Bourba. Haile was so close, her right leg was grazing the Attendant's thigh. The black skirt she was wearing barely covered her.
Haile gripped her chin gently, forcing Bourba to look in her eyes. "I don't want to disagree with such a beautiful creature. Please."
Gazing into the Destroyer's eyes, Bourba fell into a trance-like state. The Attendant let her guard down as she leaned closer to the intoxicating creature in front of her. Haile began giving off a scent that was exhilarating to the young Deity. Her nostrils flared from the aroma while she continued to take in the Destroyer's features.
Haile smiled as her fingers moved along Bourba's skin, caressing her cheek instead of holding her chin. The Destroyer's fingers pulled the Attendant closer to her. Bourba's head was nearly on top of Haile's enlarged chest.
Bourba's eyes widened as a heat rose to her cheeks. "I want to obey every wish, My Lord. However, I feel we can come to a compromise. I don't have to be directly by your side, just in the vicinity is all I ask."
The Destroyer gripped Bourba's neck with her left hand, digging her sharp nails into the sides as she began to lift up. "Sweetie, are we going to have a problem?"
Bourba screamed in pain, her hand reaching out for her staff.
The Destroyer wasn't going to allow it. Haile took a hold of Bourba's arm, bending it painfully behind her back. "Looks like we've got a fiesty one.'' The miscreant shoved her arm forward, thrusting Bourba's head further. A loud crash could be heard across the dining room as her forehead collided with the solid wood table, splitting the wood and the Attendant's head.
Bourba was unable to see from the pain coursing through her. Black spots had quickly filled her vision as she cried. Unable to reach her staff, the young deity was unsure what to do. If she could get to it, she could call for help. Without it, poor Bourba was practically useless. She could use her powers of healing to treat her wounds, however Bourba knew the second she attempted Haile would only make it worse.
"Here's how this is going to fucking work." Haile leapt from the table, her voice lowering as she got closer to her Attendant's face. "You are either going to do as I say, or your time with me will be very short lived. I will make sure every moment in this palace is as dismal and unpleasant as the last. If you choose to obey me, like the good girl I know you can be, you will be treated like my Queen. Do we understand each other?" The Destroyer tightened her grip on Bourba's neck, causing it to bleed also.
"Y-yes, my Lord." The Attendant managed to choke out. She could feel Haile's aura beginning to crush her like a bug. Thankfully, the Destroyer let go relatively quickly after she voiced her compliance.
"Good!" Haile's voice changed completely. Her once sinister tone shifted to a much happier one. The Destroyer walked out of the dining room, leaving the deity to clean herself up. " I'd hate to see such a beautiful creature suddenly disappear. I'm going out for a little bit. Have our dinner ready at Seven please, Bourba. Wear something nice for me." Haile turned and winked at her Attendant before she snapped her fingers, turning to some servants.
"Get her to a healing chamber before that mark decides to scar her pretty face." The Destroyer barked the order before leaving the room quickly.
It's a shame the chamber only takes the physical pain. As Bourba thought back to that moment, she wondered if her luck would've changed if Whiskay got involved. Being her older brother, he could have offered some type of advice. At the least, Whiskay doesn't take abuse in the family lightly, especially if it's his younger sister. Is it too late to get Whiskay involved? Is he strong enough to defeat Haile?
A soft tap on the door startled the Attendant. "Come in."
All but slamming through the door, Universe One's Oracle Fish began yelling frantically. "THE GRAND MINISTER IS ON HIS WAY! THEY COME TO SEE HAILE! THE OMNI KINGS ARE COMING TO UNIVERSE ONE!"
Bourba's eyes widened, a cold void taking over her body as the anxiety started to usurp her mind. "Where is Lord Haile?"
"She's off planet! I don't think we'll be able to reach her." The Oracle paced in his bowl frantically.
"Like hell we won't." The Attendant stood from her desk. Bourba quickly walked over to the second desk of papers, shuffling through it until she found a black and red button. She quickly presses it, a hologrammed scene appearing in front of them.
"Wow." Haile said from the other end, brow raised. "This must be important if you decided to use this beacon, correct Bourba?"
"Yes, My Lord. I called with Urgent news. I am currently getting every staff member to clean the entire property. I got a visit from the Oracle Fish, who informed me that The Grand Minister and Omni Kings are on their way."
"Why does this concern me?" Haile stated flatly, sounding irritated by the disturbance.
"The Oracle stated they wanted to speak with you, my Lord. I merely need you to come home long enough to appease the Omni Kings. I will do everything I can to make the visit as short as possible." Bourba could feel her knees shaking, wanting to buckle beneath her.
"Is that a promise?" The Destroyer questioned.
"Yes, my Lord." Bourba confirmed.
"I have some business to finish up here." Haile sighed, completely exasperated. "I will return as soon as I am finished. You may have to stall for a few moments Bourba."
"That won't be a problem." The Attendant did her best to seem as happy and worry-free as possible.
"It'd better not be a problem. If it becomes one, you're the first one I'm lookin' at sweetie."
The last word made the Attendant's blood run cold. There have only been a handful of times Haile's called Bourba by that pet name. None of the instances turned out well for the Attendant. "There isn't going to be a problem, my Lord. Everything's going to go seamlessly." Bourba smiled, hoping her Destroyer would believe it as well.
"That's what I like to hear, Bourba." Haile said cheerfully. "I'll be home soon."
The moment the call ended, The Attendant's knees couldn't hold her weight any longer. The young Deity felt as if her world were beginning to crash down on her. The life she had tried so hard to maintain was crumbling in her hands.
But is this life truly worth living? The Deities' mind began to ponder, spiraling downwards faster than she could control. Tears ran down her cheeks while Bourba looked at her shaking hands. I could be free from her reign of terror… I have the tools to do so.
"Bourba?" The Oracle Fish waived her fin in front of the Attendant's face. "Bourba! You've gotta snap out of it!"
"Huh?" The young Deity jumped, clearly startled by The Oracle's voice.
"There's a lot of clean up in the basement that needs done, as well as around the grounds. Are you sure we have enough manpower to accomplish it?"
"We're going to find out, aren't we Oracle?" The Attendant stated flatly as she quickly grabbed her staff, disappearing from the room entirely.