Foreword
It has been a long time. Okay, not just a very long time, but six months. I must apologise that it has taken so long for this piece to be aired but due to unforseen circumstances (as in not having a computer for the last two months as well as preparing for a knock-out school certificate performance), I just could not find the time, or place, to write.
As usual, I will warn my readers that this story is rather long, this particular section taking 20 A4 pages when I typed it out. This piece may not be as breathtaking as the last section that I wrote, but I thought it was pretty interesting nonetheless. I will warn though, a slightly mushy (but nowhere near lemony) part in the middle. It's just that I think Alura needs to get in touch with her personal feelings, that's all.
Also, I would like to thank the people who have constantly reviewed my work, like Scott Riddle (he has some pieces on this site as well that may be worth looking at if you like Harry Potter). All of you that have sent me reviews, no matter if they are sceptic or not, have pushed me that little bit further and allowed my writing to come along a little bit faster. I'm begging you, if you like anything in this story or would like to see something changed, please review this work. It's really the only reason I post this work and getting feedback really inspires me to think of new and exciting adventures.
I'd also like to say that I'm considering making a web page dedicated to the adventures of Goyan and his mates. However, as I'm not a genius when it comes to web design, any body that can help assist me in the presentation of the page would greatly be appreciated. I'm also on the lookout for any gifted artists out there who may wish to contribute some fanart to accompany this story. If you think you can help anywhere, please, please, please give me a shout at jailester@hotmail.com. If there is not enough support for the website I may just not bother at all.
Thanks and Happy Reading,
The Pen
A Dragons calling part 4- Eyes of Deceit
Goyan, Jeisen and Alura travel west to the oceans of Barima. They are greeted by a warm stranger who wishes to join them. Will the trio be assisted by their new friend or does the coal-black beaches of Kasokien bay hide something more sinister?
Chapter 8
The Cyclops monster began to attack again. It's remaining arm lunged forward, venomous claws dripping with acid. Goyan stood still, letting the monster get as close as possible. Behind him on a ledge stood Jeisen, one hand above his head. A huge disk of sizzling energy rotated above him palm.
"Now Jeisen," Goyan said calmly as the monster lunged the final few metres towards him. The Super Saiyan rolled out of the way, letting the Cyclops land on the ground in front of Jeisen.
"DESTRUCTO DISK GO!!" the teen shouted as he hurled the blade towards the beast's head. It managed to get its one eye out of the dirt just before the shaft of energy sliced it's head cleanly off the rest of the body. There was a soft thud as the lifeless thing crashed into the ground.
"Damn, that's the third one in two days," said Alura. The female warrior stepped out from behind the tree she was hiding behind, readying herself as backup just in case. She prodded the corpse with the end of her staff. After a few slight pushes the heap began to evaporate into a green, smelly gas.
"Whoever wants us dead is starting to become impatient," murmured Jeisen. Alura nodded solemnly before turning towards Goyan. He was already packing his pouches into his belt.
"We had better be moving then. I don't particularly want to be sticking around for an encore with these beasts." With that the trio continued moving through the rocky footpath.
"He's growing stronger."
"I know that master." The dark figure paced the marble floors of his chamber. To the side of him, near the huge doorway, stood his monstrous servant. Despite the urgency and fear that filled the room both seemed perfectly calm. In fact, the servant seemed to grin as dark shards of light bounced off his bald head. He wanted to drag this thing out for a while. He wanted to enjoy a good fight when the time came. Unlike Radditz, he knew that revenge seemed sweeter the longer resentment burned. For now, he couldn't care less about the Super Saiyan threatening his master's plans.
"When are you going to do something about our situation?" the dark shadow said, breaking the silence that had sent his servant into daydreaming.
"Let him come a bit closer sir, there may be a chance we can salvage him instead of destroying him. Trust me, if worst comes to worst, I'll finish him off." The dark figure nodded through his shadowy hood.
"Very well, just as long as you don't stuff up like that idiot Radditz. I trust your opinion and your strength. I do not trust Goyan. That is all." The servant nodded and turned towards the doorway. Before he left he could hear his master's voice bellowing behind him.
"Remember what I said well…Nappa."
"What did you say this place is called again?" Jeisen asked.
"Kasokien Bay, it's where my family purchased coal from. For some strange reason the beaches of the bay are made out of pure coal. Of course, that was before the darkness hit. Now I don't know what to expect."
"We'll know what to expect when we get there," huffed Goyan. "We should be able to see the ocean after we climb this last hill." Sure enough, as the trio pulled themselves up the last ledge a great plane of water seemed to surround them. The sight left Jeisen and Alura standing in awe while Goyan looked on calmly.
"The Barima Ocean" whispered Alura, "the biggest body of water on the face of the earth. Look, you can see the black bands of coal down there. That's Kasokien Bay. What do you say Goyan, do we… Goyan?"
"There's no stopping him," sighed Jeisen, pointing to the jagged rocks at their feet. The two looked down to see the Super Saiyan soaring down the cliff face, using each ragged edge as a jumping stone. Both followed in suit, separate energy colours glowing around their bodies as they lunged over the deep crevasse below them.
Who were these strange people coming towards her? New friends? One of them looked extremely handsome. Maybe he had come to save her. After all the years she had waited, somebody was here to take her away. There were others with him, a young teenager and a blue haired girl. Maybe they were friends as well.
What was she waiting for? Quickly she cleaned herself up and ran out to visit her new friends…the friends who were going to save her from this blasted place.
"Can you smell the fresh sea air?" asked Alura. She breathed in deeply, letting the salty air flow up her nostrils. Jeisen looked at her with a slightly bemused look.
"Come off it Alura, I've never seen the ocean before but I don't go carrying on about it like you do. It's as if you were born here or something." The girl turned towards him and gave him a menacing look.
"Listen here you little brat, I'll…"
"Be quiet the both of you," Goyan hissed. He paced up and down the black sand beneath his feet, all the time looking out towards the ocean. Alura and Jeisen instantly obeyed his wish, sensing a slight wariness in his last request. Slowly they picked up the problem as well, a small amount of ki energy surging through the ground. It wasn't staying small either; the energy was building up by the minute.
"What the hell is this?" called Jeisen. A black, scaly hand ripped out of the coal and fixed itself to his feet, trying to drag him into the ground. Quickly he drew his katana and slashed, using enough momentum to hurl the scaly hand into the sky. Goyan followed, letting a small bolt of blue energy crush the hand in mid-air. Sandy coal floated back to the earth. As soon as the last granule crashed into the ground came a huge, thunderous noise. The beach seemed to move as large, black, faceless monsters began to crawl out of the ground. Their bodies seemed to crawl as the charcoal sand compressed into hard, shiny scales.
"I don't like this one little bit," murmured Alura as she drew her staff. Jeisen and Goyan flipped through the air to land beside her, one redrawing his katana while the other crouched into a fighting position. The 'things' were surrounding them now and more were crawling up from under the ground.
"Everybody keep together," whispered Goyan. One of the black beasts lunged towards him, it's black claws extending through the leap. The Super Saiyan swerved, letting Jeisen slice through the monsters head. He only managed to get out of the way as Alura swung her staff under another one's jaw.
"Stuff staying together, I'm having enough problems as it is!" she said, at the same time using her staff to hurdle over another wave of black, scaly monsters. As soon as she landed she was up in the air again as hands ripped out of the sand. One managed to grab her ankle as she began to jump, sucking her into the black oceanfront. Only when her head was under the ground did she feel a firm grip form around her wrist. When she opened her eyes she saw Goyan, pulling her up with every muscle in his arm. As he pulled her back onto the surface, his free arm and leg were punching and kicking away the sand beasts.
"This is why I said stay together," the Saiyan huffed, blowing away four more of the things away with a single ki blast. Alura snorted lightly before going back on the attack, sending reel after reel of spinning kicks back and forth. Three times she managed to make a good contact with a sand monster's head, decapitating it and hurling it into the sky. As soon as they landed they were absorbed back into the sand.
"This is hopeless, these guys just keep rejuvenating themselves," called out Jeisen. He had given up with his katana and now was fighting the enemy away with his bare hands. A sharp claw ripped through his green gi, narrowly missing the skin around his ribs. Furiously the little warrior spun around and blasted the culprit into tiny bits, his hand still smoking as it knocked away another monster. As with the rest of the black creatures it reformed itself in the coal sand and attacked once more. He heard a slight whoosh behind his head, noticing one of the monsters being struck in the head by Alura's long staff. Moments later the young woman back flipped into view, sending little black monsters clutching at barren sand.
"How are you keeping up kid?" she asked, huffing and puffing as she held of the swarm of monsters.
"Obviously better then you are, you look totally stuffed."
"Yeah, being sucked under the ground can do that to you." They turned around to see how Goyan was holding off. To their shock the Saiyan was being tied back by a large swarm of black monsters while others were taking turns in punching him up. Jeisen drew his katana and prepared to charge but something caught his eye. In a split moment the two monsters holding Goyan's legs were knocked back into the ground. To the green-haired boy's amazement the Super Saiyan seemed to belt away another two monsters without touching them. Then, at the same time Alura seemed to notice, Jeisen caught sight of what was doing the damage. The long brown tail that was normally wrapped underneath Goyan's navy blue gi was now out in the open and being swung around at high speeds. The two watched as once again the tail smashed into the chest of a sand-creature, breaking it into two pieces. Almost immediately the tail went up again, this time decapitating two unwary sand-beasts. Slowly yet surely the numbers began to drop off him, letting his arm go free to cause more damage. Finally the last beast lost it's grip on his leg.
"How close do you want to come to death?" grinned Jeisen as he ran over to his friend. Alura followed, a look of panic and fear spread all over her face.
"Oh Goyan, are you o.k?" she asked, searching the Saiyan for any external damage. Jeisen chuckled lightly to himself while Goyan stood still, face cast in its normal frown. The monsters seemed to have disappeared into nowhere. However, their ki levels had not totally disappeared. Instead, they seemed to be building under the surface, building into one big energy level.
"Get ready guys, our little black friends will be back any moment now, and it looks like they have a surprise install for us."
"I feel it too," said Jeisen, "one huge power level building up under the sand."
"Right, we need to be on our ball for this time. Ready Alura…Alura?" Goyan twisted around to see Alura kneeling on the ground, folds of her magenta gi heaving from her heavy breath. Jeisen now noticed her as well, running up to her and holding her up.
"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. The girl tried to stand up but fell back to the ground in a coughing fit.
"When I went underground…must have poisoned me." Before she could say anymore the blue-haired warrior fainted. Jeisen quickly scooped her limp body up and flew her away from the power source. He returned seconds later.
"She's still alive, but her breathing's harsh. We've got to beat this guy and get her help quick." A roaring wind caused the teenager finish his last few words quickly. Only metres in front of the two fighters erupted a twister of black sand. As it began to subside they noticed what the wind concealed.
"Holy Baka!!" murmured Jeisen as he looked up to the huge black sand-monster. The creature stood higher than the cliff behind it, with four clawed arms and a featureless, pitch black face. It let out a deafening roar before it's whip-like tail swung towards Goyan. He jumped harmlessly out of the way, powering up as he did a triple somersault in the air. His student immediately followed, conjuring up a green aura around his body.
"Remember the lessons Jeisen," Goyan called out whilst dodging huge black claws. His student, who himself was flying around his own obstacles, gave a thumbs up to his teacher.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," the boy grinned. With that final chuckle he began to fire out rounds of energy bolts at the monster. Goyan followed suit with a continuous stream of rippling power. The blasts pounded into the beasts skin, ripping off chunks of sandy flesh. However, to the fighter's dismay the pieces just absorbed into the sand while the monster rejuvenated it's body parts.
"This thing's harder to kill then a Saiearthian with a headache," groaned Jeisen as he dodged another swipe of the monster's tail. Goyan acknowledged his comment before diving under another swinging claw. As he dived, he noticed a small figure on the ground. As he flew nearer to it, the Saiyan noticed that it was a young woman. Raven-black hair spread down the back of her head while her eyes gleamed a golden-brown. She was waving him down, as if she wanted to say something to him. Finally he got within screaming range of the mysterious woman.
"FIRE…IT HATES FIRE" she roared at him. Goyan nodded before flying back towards the monster. Jeisen had also noticed the woman and had managed to distract the monster as his teacher found out what she had to say. Now he could see him coming back, both hands alight with a bright orange flame. In a last quick movement, the young warrior dressed in green let rip a bolt of energy at the creature's head. The beast turned and parried the blast, giving the Saiyan enough time to perform his attack.
"PYRO FISTS!!" roared Goyan as he sped up slightly and brought the small flame around his knuckles up to a crackling fire that surrounding his arms. As the beast turned around the Saiyan brought himself to an abrupt halt, letting the energy around his arms burst forward into a sizzling flamethrower. The beast screamed in pain as the red-hot flames surged through it's body, causing the coal based body to erupt into flames. Jeisen and Goyan dived for cover with the woman then watched silently as the beast crumpled into nothingness.
"Thanks for the help," Jeisen and Goyan said simultaneously. The girl blushed slightly.
"That's o.k. I know a bit about this place, I've lived here long enough. By the way, my name is Talisa."
"I'm Jeisen and my sombre friend here is Goyan," was the cheeky reply. The girl looked the Saiyan up and down slowly, her breathing becoming slightly shallow.
"Nice to meet you Goyan. May I say you are a very talented fighter." Goyan nodded politely and quickly got back out on the beach.
"I've got to get Alura. She's very sick and needs our help." Jeisen quickly got up to follow his friend. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Talisa's expression. It was one of anger and…jealousy?
"I've already looked after your friend. The coal poison can be dangerous, but I gave her an antidote and she should be all right. Follow me and I will take you to her." The two warriors glanced at each other for a moment then slowly followed her down the coal-black beach.
The fire crackled softly under the clear night. The four people surrounded it chatted away continuously, always finding something new to talk about. Alura, who had woken up from the antidote with a migraine, now talked about what life was like in Shayiokenia, her hometown. When she finished Jeisen broke into another story about himself and Melena, his girlfriend that he had left behind to fight with Goyan. The Super Saiyan sat silently, quietly munching on his bowl of rice. Opposite to him sat Talisa, who seemed to never lift her eyes of him. She randomly butted into the two other's stories to ask the blonde-haired warrior a question, sometimes to personal for Alura's liking.
"So Goyan, is it true that you're a real Saiyan? Not just one of those stupid Saiearthians that run around pretending they're the real thing?" The Saiyan would nod his head, bringing his eyes level with Talisa for a moment, than drop back down to his bowl of rice. Talisa didn't stop, asking questions about his past and almost totally ignoring the others. Jeisen didn't mind himself, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed Alura growing silently furious. The green-haired boy couldn't help but chuckle to himself, the girl might have gotten over her immediate crush on Goyan, but deep down she still held a very strong interest in him.
"That's so interesting Goyan. You mean, you're some kind of royalty from another planet?" Talisa was almost dripping with seductive tone, while all the time running her hands through her long, shiny, raven-black hair. Only when she slightly fluttered her eyebrows did Alura snap, something that Jeisen had seen coming for a long time. However, instead of ripping Talisa's head off in one foul swoop, the 'purple warrior' competed for Goyan's attention.
"Hey Goyan, tell Talisa about that giant desert beast we fought about a month ago. That was a pretty big challenge."
"There's nothing that big about it," Goyan said, "it was probably just another monster that was created by the darkness." Alura looked at him with a surprised look, one that Jeisen immediately counted as false.
"Nothing big about it? I think it's pretty big when you manage to drag greenie here and myself out of the thing's hands by yourself. That thing was fourteen times bigger then you were but you matched his strength as if it was a snail." Talisa threw her head back, letting her perfect black hair glide over her body.
"I don't think it's anything big. Looking at Goyan here…" she eyed the Saiyan mischievously, "I don't think that there's anything that he can't defeat." Alura scowled.
"Probably not, but sometimes it takes all three of us to defeat a monster." Jeisen could not believe his ears. A bitch fight was just around the corner here, and it was over Goyan. He looked over to his friend, who was still silently eating his rice, although now he was going through his meal grain by grain. The poor guy must feel totally embarrassed, although it was pretty hard for him to show it. Finally the green-haired warrior decided to bring a stop to this once and for all.
"I think that we better get a good night's rest. We've got to be off early tomorrow and I haven't had a decent spare with Goyan for a while. I was hoping to do that before we leave tomorrow." The Super Saiyan looked up from his bowl, looking at his student with a hint of suspicion. Jeisen winked and the blonde-haired warrior gave a small nod, indicating that he understood. The two females also looked at him strangely, especially the blue-haired one, who threw eye daggers at him for a good minute.
"We need to be out of here as soon as possible, preferably at the crack of dawn," interrupted Goyan. All three looked at him with different reactions, Talisa's horrified, Alura's happy and Jeisen's relieved. Talisa lead the field with shocked expressions, almost looking as if she was about to break out crying.
"You can't leave just yet, it's too dangerous. Mars is directly in line with the Barima Ocean at the moment. That will bring the…"
"What will it bring?" asked the Super Saiyan, his full attention now on what Talisa had to say. The woman shuddered and turned her dark brown eyes to the sea.
"When the red nights of Mars compete with the deadly seas of Barima the darkness will live in the ocean," the girl whispered softly. "The travellers who dare the waters will meet their fate with the dragon who consumes the soul. It is what the prophecy spoke of…"
"There's that prophecy crap again," Jeisen murmured. "These rumours can cause more harm then good."
"They are NOT RUMOURS," Talisa screamed at him. The teenager jumped back, shocked at the reaction to what he said. The woman looked absolutely terrified. "The prophecy is the words spoken from the eternal dragon himself, they are not just rumours. Please trust me, the Mars lights started last night and should finish in eight days. After that, you may leave as fast as you wish."
"It's settled then," Goyan said quietly. "We have eight days to rest and train here. Anyway, I think that you should rest after being poisoned Alura. I don't want you hurting yourself in the middle of battle."
"WHY YOU…" the girl cut herself off there. She knew better then to argue with the Saiyan. Besides, she did still feel slightly sick.
"Fine then, eight days." Talisa beamed at the final decision. Alura slumped away grumpily, looking for the bedroom she had woken up in. Jeisen followed. The Saiyan looked up to the sky. Eight days was a lot of time to waste, but if their newfound friend was telling the truth, it was the only way.
The night was definitely beautiful. The sky was clear and the sounds of the beach were soothing. For some reason though, Alura felt disturbed. Her father had taught her when she was young to find the source for her disturbance. However, every time she looked the beautiful, dark Talisa popped up into her head. The girl had done nothing short of saving her life, but why was she so threatening? The blue-haired warrior quietly slipped out of the sheets and went to the window. It was as if moonlight shimmered down onto the land, but that was impossible, as the moon had been destroyed for many years. Alura's final conclusion was that it was the light from Mars, the light that Talisa had been speaking of. The girl sighed and turned back to her bed but something caught her eye. She parted the curtains to get a better look and recognized what it was immediately. Goyan stood on the beach. He had removed the top part of his gi, leaving a white undershirt on. His long, brown tail swung from side to side behind him. She watched, mesmerised, as the Saiyan went through his martial arts form. Smoothly, as if gliding on the air, the blonde hero let out a stream of kicks and punches. He rolled quickly along the ground before performing a dance consisting of sharp elbows and fluid attack manoeuvres.
"Damn he makes it look good," a voice behind Alura said. It was Jeisen, looking over her shoulder. He had taken the top part of his green gi off, leaving a tight red t-shirt that revealed his muscular frame. His spiky green hair was messed up, sticking every which way.
"He does look good," she admitted. The boy grinned and flopped back onto his bed.
"Alura, if you really want him I suggest that you start work now." Blue eyes darted from the window straight at the teenager.
"What the hell are you going on about? Tell me or I will turn you into sushi!"
"Come off it woman, stop making idle threats. You know exactly what I'm talking about. It's impossible to spend seven months with someone and not understand what they are feeling. And I know what your thinking." Alura looked at him menacingly, one eyebrow raised.
"Really, enlighten me on what I feel then, Mr I-Know-All." Jeisen chuckled at the remark, sitting up and looking straight at the female opposite him.
"It's simple. When we first met you at Shayiokenia you were totally obsessed with the sight of Goyan. During that meal we had with your family you didn't take your eyes of him. Now that you've been with us for more than half a year and the basic smitten has wore off. However, you are attracted to Goyan, there's no point denying it. Hell, before I met him every girl that saw me asked me out. Although it made Melena slightly upset, it gave my ego a good boost. Now, since I've been hanging out with big G all the girls shun me off and go straight for him."
"So what?" was the reply. "I couldn't really care if other girls look at Goyan. He's not my boyfriend, hell, he's the one that's supposed to save us from disaster."
"Ahh, but you could give a damn what other girls think of our Super Saiyan. You know quite well it's going to take something special to crack his emotional shell. I've tried all my jokes and I've never managed to make the guy smile, and that's something. But I bet that if somebody can crack him, it's either you or someone else in our midst."
"As in," Alura said, now rather interested.
"Talisa," he said softly, watching the girl's eyes flare a dangerous blue. He knew this would get her going. What he didn't expect was the intensity of the stare that she gave him now.
"What do you mean Talisa? We only met her today and we will be saying goodbye to her in a little over a week. What makes you think that she can have a go at Goyan?"
"Simple deduction. I watched all three of you at dinner tonight, especially big G. I knew that Talisa had an interest in him since we first met. As soon as she tried to make conversation with Goyan I thought that she was in for a rude shock. Man, I was surprised when he started answering her as if he was interested in conversation. Then again, that girl does have an attractive personality…"
"Shut up, I've heard enough of your pestering," she hissed, throwing daggers at the teenager through her eyes. Jeisen shrugged his shoulders and lay back on his bed, face pointing towards the roof.
"Alright Alura, have it your way. Just don't complain to me if we end up taking Talisa with us due to certain reasons." With that he turned over and promptly fell asleep. Alura sighed as she continued to watch the Saiyan from her window. Was the little prat telling the truth? Was she really infatuated with the man outside her window? As her mind pondered the questions that she had given herself her eyes picked up something that made her shiver. Talisa was walking out of the cabin and over to Goyan. The 'purple warrior' watched on as the Super Saiyan stopped training and began to engage a conversation with the raven-like girl. She felt hot tears build up at the back of her eyes. She had to get away from the window now before it was too late. Sniffling quietly to herself, she jumped onto her bed and threw a pillow over her head, trying to forget the image that burnt through her head.
Goyan also noticed the strange woman as he worked through his martial arts practice. His normal blue energy glow had now been replaced by a sizzling yellow aura, the same aura that surrounded him when he came across a strong enemy or something that bothered him. At the moment he wasn't quite sure what was bothering him. All he knew was that being stranded on Kasokien Bay for eight days was not doing his cause any good. Talisa was also a thorn in his side. No matter how much he tried to avoid her she just kept coming back, asking him more and more questions. She was, indeed, very attractive, but Goyan felt something else about her. She was hiding something from them and he could not figure out what it was.
"Hey there buddy, nice dance." Talisa had walked up beside him whilst he had been concentrating on other matters. He did not stop practicing his form, just slowed it down to a set of kicks.
"Hello Talisa," he said without even looking at her, "how can I help you?" The girl just chuckled and seated herself on a stone embedded into the sand. Although she did not show it, Goyan sensed a slight hint of restraint in her laughter, as though she was hiding her true feelings.
"I just wanted to share this glorious night with you. It's not right that you spend so much time by yourself you know."
"I don't spend half the amount of time alone as I would like," the Saiyan muttered under his breath. Since he had started on his quest it had been hard to find time for private training along with the time of training Jeisen. He knew personal space was not allowed, that was, until he destroyed the darkness.
"You know Goyan, I know that you think that it is your duty to defeat these 'forces' that have affected our home, but personally I think that it is out of your reach."
"Really," he replied, sounding very uninterested on what she had to say. Talisa waited for a reaction but when she didn't get one she continued.
"Yeah, tough guy, I mean really. Those forces are just way to strong and when you finally find them they will be probably stronger. I know that you think that you're one really tough Saiyan but really, look at the big picture." Goyan now stopped training and turned towards the raven-haired woman. Her deep brown eyes showed a hint of golden brown against the moonlight, and her mouth was turned upwards to show a slightly mischievous grin.
"You say that my journey means nothing," the Super Saiyan replied calmly, yet sternly "but yet you have not given me any other option. I have no family and only the fewest of friends. Are you trying to say that I should not get revenge for all those that I loved that perished?"
"It is a worthless fight," Talisa retorted, "besides, there are more realistic goals that you can achieve and still live a content life."
"As in?" Goyan questioned, his face as featureless as ever.
"As in staying here. If you stayed we could create our own world. We wouldn't have to worry about the rest of the planet, if they want to die then let everybody else die. You, Jeisen and I could create a safe haven against anybody who ever tried to attack us." As Talisa quoted the last few names Goyan spun and looked at her with his eyes burning very quietly.
"You forgot to mention Alura, was that intentional?" he asked with rising suspicion in his voice. Talisa just stared back at him with a newly formed look of innocence upon her face.
"No, not intentional. It's just that Alura is the mayor's daughter back in Shayiokenia. I thought that she would be wanted back there to protect her people. After all, the only reason she stays with you two is because her father ordered her to. I personally think that you would be better off without her." Although the woman was not prone enough to Goyan's minute display of emotion, even she could sense the feeling of burning fury that swept across the Super Saiyan at that brief moment. His deep blue eyes burnt like the dying embers from hell's fire itself.
"What do you suggest Talisa, Take you with us instead?"
"Not take me with you, just stay here with me. We could make our own home, just you and I." Goyan turned his back on her and began to walk back to the secluded cabin.
"I thankyou for your offer, but I have my reasons for going on as well as Jeisen and Alura." With that he disappeared, running so fast with his zanzoken. technique that even Talisa could not see him go. She just stood there for a brief moment, a look of stunned amazement cursed upon her lips. Then, every so slyly, she lifted her head up and looked at the huge red moon that floated above in the sky. Her brown-golden eyes glowed a strange aura, then as the same colour as the moon itself.
"I will win my lord", she said quietly, "I will win."
Chapter 9
Before Jeisen could even blink, five days had shot past. Nothing really special happened, it was just that he wasn't used to having life so easy. In time that he would be normally be fighting some evil, disfigured monster he was actually lounging around on the coal-black shores of Kasokien Bay, soaking up the warm summer sun that eloped him. Alura looked as if she had almost fully recovered from the rock poisoning and even Goyan looked as if he was stronger from the rest. Talisa acted nice enough towards himself and the big G, but still looked always for the argument against their female comrade. However, this didn't seem to strange to him, remembering his little sisters and how they used to fight all the time about anything that they could think of. Thinking of his family was the only thing that could make feel glum during his time of rest, knowing that his father and mother would have absolutely adored the warm sun on this unnatural looking oceanfront.
The only thing that did interest him was at night, when the moon had rose to its fullest. He found it strange that Mars could be so clear in one place, while the night before arriving at Kasokien the trio had seen nothing that looked anything like a blood-red moon. Once again, he passed the notion on as just peculiar, and was left to enjoy the days of relaxation that had been missing from his life for such a long time.
It was the afternoon of the fifth day, only three more days before Mars left the orbit and the ocean would be safe to cross. Although Jeisen had enjoyed his time lying in the sun, he was also looking forward to moving on in his mission, seeking revenge for the family he had lost so long ago. As he continued to contemplate the journey ahead of him, Talisa appeared from the cabin. She was indeed beautiful, with long black hair and deep brown eyes. For a moment her beauty reminded Jeisen of his girlfriend back home, Melena. Strangely though, the young warrior could sense something about her, a strange power that she was trying to keep hidden.
"Jeisen, do you know where I can find Goyan?"
"He took off for the mountains to the north. It's something like high altitude training," the green haired boy replied with a grin. The girl smirked at his remark before turning towards the ocean. For a brief moment she stared at the brilliantly blue swell of the sea before turning back to continue her conversation.
"Well, I might just go after him. I need to talk to him about something very important. While I'm gone, make sure that Alura takes her anti-poisoning medication. She knows where it is." Talisa turned towards the cabin and headed back, returning only a few moments later with a fully equipped backpack. The two of them exchanged brief goodbyes and moments later she was out of view. The green-haired boy decided to find Alura but remembered that she was resting under a tree nearby, so he thought he would take the medication to her.
Quietly he strolled to the cabin and entered the herbs room. He had not been in this room before and the odd aroma's surrounding him felt oddly familiar. His eyes scrolled the room to where the potion lay, a bottle filled with vibrantly green fluid. As Jeisen stooped to pick it up he noticed something very peculiar, something that made his blood boil.
"So what is it that can't wait Talisa?" Goyan asked calmly. He had been in the middle of a very intense training session and it was obvious that he was not impressed with the interruption, despite retaining his normal posture. Talisa now had to bow her head as she felt that his deep green eyes were burning straight through her.
"I can't begin to explain, I'm so sorry Goyan."
"Sorry about what?"
"Remember how I told you that when the red nights of Mars compete with the oceans of Barima the darkness will live in the ocean? " Goyan's full attention was now turned towards the strange woman in front of him.
"Yes, I remember you saying that. You said that it would only last for eight days and then we could be on our way."
"Yes, I did say that but now things have changed. Mars should be dying off now, but instead it seems to be growing stronger. Until it passes it is not safe for you to cross the ocean." Goyan stared at the girl for a brief moment, then turned to the cliff face. It was now nearing enough to evening, and the sky already showed a tint of the unearthly red that was being emitted by Mars. He was now in a dilemma. He knew that he could not stay here for much longer but he also knew that if Talisa was telling the truth he might be putting Alura and Jeisen's lives on the line.
"What are you thinking about Goyan?" Talisa said, interrupting his train of thought. The Super Saiyan looked at the woman in front of him and merely shrugged his shoulders. This was the first time he could remember when he was not absolutely positive about how he could, or should, move on in his quest.
"GOYAN, GET AWAY FROM TALISA, SHE'S A FRAUD!!" The warrior swung around to see Alura soaring towards him, ki energy radiating all around her. She landed on a nearby cliff face, both hands radiating balls of energy ready to be blasted towards Talisa. The raven-haired girl look stunned, her eyes wide open.
"Goyan, don't worry about her, it's a common after effect from the poison." The look of shock left her face and a wry smile replaced it. "Well I guess it's safe to say that she isn't totally over the effects of the poison yet."
"The only reason I was poisoned in the first place is because of you," Alura hissed. The two balls of energy in her hands were growing stronger by the moment. Still, Goyan did not budge. His eyes swayed from Alura and then back to Talisa.
"Is it true what she says Talisa?" he asked calmly. All the woman did was shake her head, as if the entire situation was just a big joke to her. The deep purple aura that surrounded Alura burst into a magnificent magenta.
"You are nothing but a sly old witch Talisa and I will see to it that you suffer for what you have put me through…" suddenly her voice began to quaver. Goyan shot over to Alura just before she hit the ground. After making sure that she was alive and breathing well, the Super Saiyan stood up and faced the raven-haired girl in front of him. A slight grin had emerged on her face and her brown eyes were glowing a golden hue.
"She tried to use to much energy while she was under the effects of the poison. Hopefully she will come around soon." Goyan did not budge, his hands clasped into fists. When Talisa saw this a look of panic swept her face.
"You don't believe her do you Goyan? I mean, she was delusional. Besides, even if I was poisoning her, how could I quickly drain the energy from her body at that particular moment? There is no possible drug in the known world that could do that."
"There is one," a voice in the shadows said quietly. Talisa jumped in fright while Goyan stood still, arms now calmly folded at his waist. Jeisen came out of the shadow part of face cliff where he had been waiting, his eyes boring holes through Talisa's. "The potion I talk of is called Pyfroxin's Bane, and is a very rare potion indeed. You see its main ingredient is a pint of Dragon blood. Anybody who has control of a dragon can use this potion to manipulate the drinker's strength and vitality."
"Really", Talisa said, unimpressed, "and how why do you think that I would have a strong magical creature such as a Dragon under my control." The boy merely swiped a confident glance at her before producing a bottle of orange liquid. Even with the lid on, the smell coming from the formula was so profuse that it could be smelt quite a few metres away. Goyan glimpsed at the woman standing near him. She was trying to keep her calm, but he could sense the anger teething in her.
"This is a little concoction I brewed myself, although I must ask your forgiveness for using your materials. This potion may smell extremely poor, but inside it is a cure for many different ailments, Pyfroxin' Bane being one of them. So, it's my belief that if Alura isn't really suffering the effects of the poison, no harm will be done. Any objections Talisa?" The woman simply gave the boy a scornful look, before throwing her long black hair back over her shoulder.
"If you think that it will help you, be my guest", she said coldly. Goyan nodded his consent. As slow as possible, Jeisen walked towards the slumped body of Alura. In the corner of his eye he could see the raven-haired woman becoming more and more agitated. Every four steps he would turn and look at his Super Saiyan comrade, who stood calmly between the two parties. Finally he reached the slumped body of the woman he had been something of an older sister for him during the last few months. He bent down, untying the lid of the decanter and placing it at her lips…
"AHHHH", Talisa screamed. Before even Goyan had a chance to react the woman released an enormous bolt of ki energy from her hand. The decanter shattered in Jeisen's hands just moments before he drained the contents into his friend's mouth. After making sure that Alura was all right, the green-haired warrior jumped up to the side of Goyan who was already powering up. As he looked over to Talisa he was shocked at the change that had affected her. Her deep brown eyes now shone a bright, blood red. Her body was encased with a burning crimson energy. The feminine voice that she had first used to greet the warriors was now replaced by a deep, hacking laugh.
"You just couldn't take a hint, could you?" the deep voice echoed over the mountaintop. Jeisen dropped into a fighting stance whilst all Goyan did was to move backwards and raise one of his fists.
"Who are you really?" he asked calmly as the Talisa-thing floated towards them. As it advanced the sky gradually darkened, the red moon of Mars becoming more apparent with every passing second.
"I am everything but nothing," the being roared. "I am the bottomless pit of the ocean Barima. All the darkness and hatred that ever encased the sea has taking solidity in me. I am…" the Talisa thing paused, looking up at the blood red moon in the sky, "the Kasokien Dragon."
"So" Goyan said, still with a calmness in his voice, "for five days you have been waiting to attack us. Why do such a thing?" The being laughed before looking out at the sea.
"I was obeying a contract," it said. "Many years ago, before the darkness, a young orphan girl took shelter at this very cliff face. She had no family and no friends. The only thing that she took refuge in was the deep waters of Kasokien bay. She loved the water so much that she even talked the ocean, even talked to me. When the darkness engulfed the shores I took form as a dark thunderstorm. I knew that she would be the only way I could surface on the shore, so I made a deal with her. I would let her inhabit these shores up until the time she met somebody and gained a companion. All she had to do was to let me share her body and live off her ability to live on the land. Naturally she accepted and we waited for many years under Mars, waiting for you three to come along. The rest is history."
"You mean to say that because we caught you out that you are simply going to destroy her," Jeisen replied angrily. The Dragon thing laughed, a deep, evil laugh.
"When we made the agreement Talisa and I fused into one being. The poor little girl couldn't even believe that she had been outsmarted by water itself." Goyan, who had been standing in a neutral position, dropped into a horse stance and powered up, his normal blue aura showing flecks of gold.
"You destroyed an innocent being using her only weakness, loneliness. It will be a mistake that you will regret for the rest of eternity."
"Oh really", the Talisa-being growled, "know this Goyan, you share Talisa's weakness. The loneliness you have felt though your entire childhood has caused you to be this state. You should have followed the poor girl and joined the darkness." The Super Saiyan held his ground, gazing up at the beast that taunted him.
"Go to hell."
"Not likely Saiyan." With a deafening roar, the beast flung its arms into the air. The blood red colour of Mars seemed to drain down from the sky and into the ocean below. Huge waves crashed upon the bottom of the mountain. Suddenly, in the darkness Jeisen spotted a monstrous figure clamber out of the sea. Goyan quickly cottoned on and together they watched as the gigantic dragon emerged from the sea, eyes glowing a fiery orange and white teeth and claws tainted red from the sky. Slowly the Talisa-creature floated towards the gigantic monster, finally coming to rest directly in front of its chest. Every move made by the young woman was immediately imitated by the enormous beast, whose head now towered above the peak of the mountain.
"Now pathetic creatures, taste the true power of the darkness", the roaring voice said. Jeisen and Goyan swung a glimpse at each other before taking off into the sky, Goyan sweeping the collapsed Alura into his arms just moments before a monstrous arm crushed the mountain range in two. After depositing her safely on the beach he rushed back to Jeisen, who was already having difficulty keeping away from the gigantic tail that had also arisen from the now drained ocean.
"How the hell do we defeat something like this?" the green-haired teenager shouted to his partner. Goyan scooted past a flying claw before soaring into the air. After using numerous zanzoken techniques he finally saw an opening at the head.
"KAMEHAMEHA!!" he roared, letting his trademark ki attack stream through the sky like a blue comet. The beam made a direct hit straight between the eyes, causing the head to reel back for a brief moment. Jeisen immediately flew in, letting numerous energy bolts fly in different directions. All made a connection but did not seem to have any effect. Even Goyan's blast had not left any permanent damage on the dragon's head, which was now streaming large breaths of white-hot fire in almost every direction. In a brief moment Jeisen caught a brief glimpse of the original Talisa, floating directly in front of the dragon. Its glowing red eyes met his and a grotesque smile spread across its face.
"Give up fool, you know that you cannot defeat something as strong as me."
"Hey, this is play time. Goyan eats ugly dudes like you for breakfast, isn't that right big G?" The Talisa-thing turned her head just in time to see the Super Saiyan stream back towards the heart of the dragon. A deafening roar rose into the air as once again a swishing claw caused the warriors to scatter. After a few moments the roar changed back into a deep laugh.
"Very clever of you two to try and divert my attention. However, you must do much more then that to defeat me!!" The two fighters now floated together side by side, Goyan speaking to Jeisen in hushed words.
"If its attention works through the woman's body then maybe the answer is actually attacking her." Jeisen nodded, too puffed out to give a verbal response. Almost immediately the two split off in different directions, the giant's claws swinging violently after them. The younger warrior shot towards the head of the dragon, darting back and forth while trying to land heavy kicks and punches directly in the eye sockets. Immediately the green –haired teenager knew the plan was working, as he noticed Goyan on the other side of the Dragon, powering up for his ultimate ki attack. Another brief glance told Jeisen that the Talisa-creature had its total attention towards him.
Goyan knew that he only had once chance to defeat this creature. If he failed then the beast would then know their plan of attack and the battle would be prolonged for too much time. He looked up at his young student, who was still holding out nicely. For another few minutes he just floated in the air, focusing all of his ki energy into his body. Finally his power sense kicked in and Goyan knew that he had achieved enough power. Now all he had to do was get a good enough shot. He lifted his head to the young teenager who darted across the skies. Within moments they locked eyes and Jeisen darted backwards, preparing to finish the compound attack. He fired himself towards the giant beast that stood before him, sending a large beam of energy directly for the snout. Almost blindly, the monster parried the attack, drawing its attention just long enough…
"Kame…Hame…Kame…Hame…Ha…CHOU KAMEHAMEHA!!" roared Goyan as he let the gigantic beam of energy fly from his hands. The beam spread out high and wide, almost consuming the area of the cabin they had rested in for the last week. Blue light flashed through the sky like a massive strike of lightning. Jeisen watched in awe as the huge beam seemed to engulf Goyan and the air around him. The beam inched closer and closer to it's target unsuspecting target. Then, in what seemed a split second, the teenager watched in horror as the Dragon-beast turned it's attention to the beam. With what seemed as a mere swipe of a claw the beam was directed back at a nearby mountain range. A deafening screech spread through the air as the tower of hard granite was transformed into a mile-deep crater. The horrors continued as the young warrior witnessed his master get smashed into the ground by a sweeping tail.
"Goyan!" he cried, plummeting down to the earth at breath-taking speed. To his relief he noticed the Super Saiyan slowly get to his feet. A large gash was drawn down the side of his left arm, slowly seeping arm down to his fingers. "Damn, big G that looks bad," he continued. The Saiyan was now standing at his full height, the blue of his eyes glowing ice cold. The gash on his arm didn't seem to bother him as his full attention was switched to the monstrous being towering only metres away from him, it's small yet equally devilish counterpart hovering miles above from where they now stood.
"That's it Jeisen, they now know our plan. There's no way to defeat it now," Goyan said calmly without moving his eyes away. Instead of looking shocked, Jeisen just nodded and faced the Dragon beside him. Both of them powered themselves up to the max, Jeisen glowing a livid green while the Super Saiyan beside him emitted a brilliant blue. They had only finished achieving such strength the monster thrust down with a mighty swipe with its tail. The two warriors merely leaped out of the way, immediately counterattacking with a barrage of ki and physical attacks to numerous parts of the body. None of them made any difference, but at least they were not standing like sitting ducks, or so Jeisen thought. The blood was now sweeping more openly from Goyan's injury but still he did not seem to notice it.
"Jeisen, this our last option and it's a bit of a kamikaze attack. We're going to fly straight down the centre, full speed and guns a blazing. You understand kid?"
"Yeah, I understand," he said calmly, pumping any excess power he had left in his body through his veins. This was it, do or die. Flying at full pace with all the strength they could possibly muster. The wind cracked sharply around their ears as they plummeted straight through the sharp claws and tail that were fiercely defending the small feminine body beyond. In a brief moment Goyan swiped a glance at the young teenager beside him. Jeisen nodded and it was on.
"KAMEHAMEHA!!"
"GALICK-HO!!" the two beams split straight down the middle, ruthlessly seeking out their target. The Talisa-creature merely grinned as it directed the Dragon's tail to block off the beam. Jeisen thought that this was the end when, out the corner of his eye he noticed that the energy colour surrounding the Super Saiyan changed colour. The hints of gold began to dominate as Goyan seemed to draw the possible power he could from his Super Saiyan form. His kamehameha seemed to grow even stronger as the Dragon's tail began to buckle under the increased strain. The green-haired boy noted in wonder that, even at that moment, Goyan's face remained calm, not even showing the slightest hint of pain or effort. Instead, he turned his attention away from the dragon to look at his partner.
"Push it through Jeisen. Don't be afraid of it, just push your power through." The boy didn't know how, but he understood what the Saiyan next to him meant. He drew power from his body that he didn't think he had left. The beam emerging from his hands began to quaver as small boosts of energy waved through it. Amazingly large scaly tail protecting the Talisa-creature from harm seemed to be retreating, pushing closer to the monster's body by every step. However, just as the two fighters thought that they had the advantage, the beast seemed to regain its composure.
"Just a bit more Jeisen", Goyan murmured. Somewhere in the darkness the deep, hacking voice called out to them.
"Fools, you can never win against me. My strength is too superior for all of you."
"Don't bet on that, bitch!" a voice screamed out from above. Jeisen and Goyan's heads jerked upwards to see Alura, alive and well, floating above them. Once again her body was encased with a magenta energy. However, this time the light emitting from her seemed to be brighter then ever. One hand was raised above her head, a disk of violet power rotating menacingly above her open palm. The Talisa-thing looked up and screamed, the deep voice now replaced with the girlish sounding one that the three had become familiar to over the last week.
"How could you?" it screeched. "I destroyed the decanter of Pyfroxin's Bane before that pesky brat could even feed you a teaspoon!"
"I suppose a drop of the stuff must have landed on my lips," she said mockingly. Almost immediately the Talisa-creature flung her hand forwards, sending a giant claw spiralling towards the "purple warrior". With a cry of effort, the magenta-clad warrior hurled the disk of energy at the same time. Both attacks met directly in the middle, the disk of energy seeming to disappear for a brief moment. Seconds later though, it appeared again, this time on the other side of the claw. Still holding the tail back with their beams of energy, Goyan and Jeisen watched as the Dragon's hand seem to just fall off, making a dull thud as it landed on the ground miles underneath them. A roar of pain erupted through the air once again.
"Alura, aim for Talisa! She is the weakness!" Goyan yelled up to his female partner. The blue-haired woman nodded briefly before bringing both of her hands behind her head.
"MASENKO BLAST!" The beam of energy thundered down through the sky, the violet beam creating a shrill whistling noise as it penetrated through the scaly tail and then the once human body of Talisa. The blast that followed sent the three fighters sprawling backwards through the air, all of them crashing into the ground below. The huge Dragon like creature screamed one last scream then began to crumble. Hard black scale began to turn into dirt as what was once the Barima Ocean quickly turned into a long, endless looking desert. Up in the air the three warriors could see the petite body of what was once Talisa. Instead of being through, the figure floated through the air towards them, her feet planting themselves only metres away from them. Jeisen and Alura looked shocked, the girl standing in front of them looked exactly like the girl they had befriended during the past days, but there was something different about her. The smile that she gave was warm and caring and her deep brown eyes showed a spark of adventure that had not been there before.
"Thankyou, thankyou so much," she began, "you have freed me from the darkness I was trapped in."
"You, you are the real Talisa?" Alura said, astonished. The girl let out a small laugh.
"No, not exactly. I am the shadow of the Talisa that lived before being absorbed by the darkness. Now that you have destroyed the Dragon, I have been given the right to the first human contact I have had since the beginning of my life. Unfortunately it will probably be a short occurrence, but I think that I can help you in your situation." She turned to Goyan. "It is your destiny to fight the darkness that has plagued our world, and it will be your leadership and strength that will destroy the most powerful hatred that every existed. Seek the hatred and destroy it, because only then will you be able to fight the darkness inside of yourself. I know the pain that you feel Goyan, but only when you accomplish the ability to love again will you have the strength to become the greatest fighter in the world." The Super Saiyan looked at her for a few moments as if puzzled by what she had said, then merely nodded in her direction. Alura turned her head and stared at the endless waste that lay before her.
"But the Barima Ocean, it's destroyed." Talisa walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No, it is not destroyed, but only sleeping. The water that you saw when you first arrived here was not the true Ocean, but pure liquefied evil. Now that you have destroyed that evil the water may live again, but there is still much more to be done." Talisa smiled at Alura one more time before beginning to walk backwards towards the wasteland. "Thankyou you three, now I know what it feels like to have true friends." With every step she took her body became more and more faint, eventually disappearing into a wisp of smoke.
The cloaked figure strode around his dark room once again. It was now clear in his mind that he could not play around with the Super Saiyan anymore. It was time for drastic action. Once again he clutched the small blue ball that was strung around his neck. After mumbling a few words the ball began to glow wildly.
"No more mistakes, I will destroy you Goyan," he whispered/
"That was weird," Jeisen muttered. Alura nodded. A slight wind had picked up, sending spirals of sand across the wastelands. Goyan had found some nearby branches and leaves and had made a rough sling for his badly cut arm. After ransacking the old cabin they had stayed in for the last few days all of them emerged with a much larger bunch of food rations, all of which were minimised in Goyan's transport capsules. Finally, they were ready to leave. The three fighters, dressed in navy blue, green and magenta gi's, stood silently beside each other, looking ahead of the wastelands.
"We need to leave," Goyan whispered. The other two nodded, Jeisen taking a few steps towards the wastelands.
"I think we just got a taste of what we're really up against," he said quietly. Goyan and Alura moved up next to him again. The Super Saiyan looked at the other two, his face remaining emotionless as always.
"No Jeisen, that was nothing like what we're going to be facing." With that the three warriors powered up and began to fly away into the wastelands, heading into a darkness unknown.
Coming soon:
A Dragon's calling part 5: The Voyage of the Spirit
A dreadful injury causes Goyan to be trapped in a strange place known only as the nigh zone. Before he can get out he must recognize his true heritage and accept help from the people of his forgotten past, including the only person capable of matching Goyan's every move, the mighty Goku.
Meanwhile, Jeisen and Alura must protect the physical body of their leader while taking on danger that they themselves have never faced alone…
Join our heroes once again as they learn more about the evil that plagues their land, and the powerful strength that binds it in the so-called 'prophecy'. Can they succeed or will they fall foul to the evil that confronts them?