(This is it. The grand finale. Thanks for bearing with me. By the way, I'm sorry if I spelled Xeron's big attack wrong. Thanks for your reviews and keep them coming.)
A look of wonder mixed with terror filled Xeron's eyes. Standing with his mouth gaping open, he stared at the extraordinary sight. Kly was encircled by a golden aura. No signs of harm were visible on his body, though the previous battle was a ferocious and gruesome one. Kly returned Xeron's look, as he gave a smug smile.
"H...how? How is this even possible? I won. I had you beaten." Kly remained silent, still smiling. "Just like your father." Anger began to build in Xeron's eyes. The memories of frustration and jealousy welled up inside him. "Why do you torment me!!?" He screamed as he charged. Xeron landed a crushing blow and Kly's cheek. The young warrior's head turned to the side, but his body didn't move an inch. Slowly, he began to crane his neck back around and stared Xeron in the eye, his smile never fading.
"My turn." Kly's fist moved in a swift, deft blow, sending Xeron hurtling through the air. Kly brought his hand back to his side instantly, almost as if he had never thrown the punch at all.
Xeron stopped himself in mid-air. The side of his face was stinging with pain. "This can't be happening." He muttered to himself. The radiant gold vanished, as Kly reappeared directly in front of Xeron. "Ahhh!" The imperial leader let out a frightened yell as he backed up.
"What's wrong, Xeron? Am I too much for you?" Xeron's pride overcame his fear, as he shot forward with a burst of kicks. Kly ducked his head and twisted his waist, dodging each attack with ease. Xeron began punching and chopping as well, but couldn't land a single hit. Kly grapped Xeron's wrist while he attempted a chop, and darted behind him. Locking Xeron's arm behind him, Kly tightened his hold. "You're finished. You can't compare with me."
"Quiet!!!" Xeron spun around and elbowed with his other arm. His attack only hit air, as Kly seemed to be no where in sight. "What? Where did he.." Xeron looked down, only to see Kly's heel crash into his face. Again, Xeron's sturdy body was sent soaring through the air. Kly followed after.
Xeron brought himself to a halt, as Kly stopped a few feet away. The two now hovered far above the city. "Come on, Xeron. You were doing so well earlier. Look, I'll even make it easier on you. I won't use my hands," he said, putting them behind his back, "or my feet." Kly boasted as he put his feet together, making him look somewhat taller. Gritting his teeth, Xeron violently struck out with a swarm of attacks. He unleashed fist after fist, kick after kick, none of which found their mark. Kly hovered from side to side and backed away, turning his body about to evade the attacks. Xeron grew angrier, and his focus began to lessen. Throwing a heavy blow, he watched as Kly ducked out of the way. Xeron locked his hands together, ready to crush Kly's bent frame. Kly, however, drove forward with a brutal headbutt.
"Uuuuhhhhh!!!" Xeron let out a gasping cry as Kly's golden locks ripped past the black armor. Xeron, wide eyed and extremely short of breath, watched as pieces of his body armor fell toward the ground. He, too, began to fall, no longer capable of hovering in the air. Kly watched as Xeron clutched his stomach during the fall, and finally crashed into the ground. Taking his time, he started for the ground as well.
Standing a few feet off, Kly watched as Xeron pulled himself up. The once mighty warrior was now a pitiful sight. His armor was chipped, with a large hole in the stomach. His black and red cape was torn. Even his face, the one Kly had once thought of as stern and disciplined, was now scratched and gasping for air. His purple eyes, once full of strength, were changed to those of a sniveling coward, shining brightly with fear.
"You...you freak." Xeron got out in between long, deep breaths.
"Now, now, Xeron, that isn't very nice. I think your pride was hurt more than anything else."
"Errr....Silence!" Xeron bent over and held his stomach. "Ha..hahahaha..." He rose up again, laughing now. "Hahahaha! You fool! Did you really think I was scared? No. Merely surprised. I now understand why your father had always been a thorn in my side. Saiyans. I thought they had all died in a war some years ago. Looks like a few managed to escape, though I don't know how many. At best, I'd say you're only half-Saiyan." Xeron gripped his armor by the broken edges and ripped the rest off of his body. "There. Less to weigh me down." He unhooked his shoulder pads and threw them off as well, letting his tattered cape fall to the ground. "I must admit, I never expected this." Xeron spread his feet apart and clenched his fists. A dark, crimson energy began to surround his body. "But, I'm very happy it turned out this way." The energy field began to grow, now flarring up with black lightning. "Now I can finally have the challenge I've desired! AHHHHH!!!!!" Xeron yelled out, as the energy formed a sphere. The sphere began to grow, ripping up the pavement and pushing aside cars. Kly braced himself, as growing power rushed past him.
"Amazing." Kly thought. "I can't believe he was holding back all this power." Kly held his ground as Xeron continued to power up. The diabolic fighter's yells grew louder and louder, until the energy erupted in a pillar of red light. Xeron shot forward through the light, and drove his fist into Kly's face. The young Super Saiyan was knocked back, flying down the street.
"That's more like it!" Xeron followed after, ready to pounce again, when Kly flew back, returning the punch. Xeron was knocked backward as well, but stopped suddenly, landing on the broken street.
"Not this time. You won't overwhelm me."
"Of course not. I expect a hard fought, yet glorious victory!" Xeron powered up again, cracking the buildings on either side of him. Kly met his challenge, and powered up also. The crimson and golden energies met each other with equal force. Both warriors gathered up strength, pushing themselves higher and higher. Both were determined to beat the other one. The buildings started to crumble, as Kly began to hear something. Faintly, he could hear people screaming from far behind him.
I'm not gonna stand here and wait.
"NO! Enough!" Kly burst forward and attacked Xeron head on. Throwing a barrage of punches, he pummeled him in the stomach. Xeron tryed to counter, but Kly rose overhead, then slammed down with his forearm. Xeron toppled to the ground. Kly stretched his foot straight up, then came down with a crushing heel drop onto Xeron's head. He followed up with a kick, sliding his foot along the ground, and nailing Xeron in face, sending him flying once again. Kly chased after him, wanting to get as far from the people as he could. Xeron then retaliated, throwing some harsh punches that forced Kly back. Kly launched a roundhouse, but Xeron ducked. He flipped back, landing on his palms, and pushed off, delivering a flying kick directly at Kly. Speeding after, Xeron flew up into the air like Kly. Both suddenly stopped, each throwing a mighty punch which collided with one another, creating a brilliant flash of light.
The wind blew in silence, as the two eyed each other from high above the city. Some distance away, the crowds of people had grown still, as they watched the two figures float there.
"What are they doing?" Someone asked.
"I dunno." Another answered.
"Which one's Kly?"
"The gold lookin' one." There was a thunderous boom as the fight resumed. A hush came upon the people again. They watched intently, though they couldn't keep up with the super fast warriors. All they could make out was a tangled mass of arms and legs that seemed to be spinning around as the two circled each other. Every so often, it would stop, as Kly landed a punch or kick to Xeron. And each time, the crowd let out a brief cheer.
"Come on, Kly. Come on."
"What about what the other guy said? About the murder and stuff?"
"Who cares?"
"Yeah. I don't trust him."
"Who? Kly?"
"No way! The other guy. Kly's a hero!" They continued on in much the same way, until Kly scored another blow. It had appeared to be a spinning back kick that caught Xeron on his neck. Kly then attacked with an onslaught of punches. The blur of fists pounded Xeron, and it was obvious that Kly had the upper hand.
Kly fired a beam energy. Xeron covered up, trying to block. The blast pushed him back. Xeron drew up his strength, then threw his arms open, shattering the blast. The backlash of his outburst blew like winds of a raging storm. The people below struggled to hold their ground, as dust and debris went flying about.
"No." Xeron thought. "He's still stronger than me. If I could just..." Xeron sensed the people and looked down. "Hmmm...Perhaps if I...yes, yes....it'll work." Xeron crossed his arms over his chest and began to focus. Energy built up in his body, and he began to glow with a strange, purple color.
"What's he trying?" Kly said to himself as he flew over. He came at Xeron with a chop, but Xeron jerked back suddenly, barely evading. The flowing fiend then struck out at Kly, slashing with his nails in a cross-cutting pattern. Kly crossed his arms to block, and Xeron released his stored energy, throwing Kly high into the air with waves of energy.
"Got him! Now, to finish the job." Xeron stretched his arms out, and two purple energy blasts formed in them. He raised his hands over his head, combining the blasts into one ball. Then, Xeron brought his behind him, turning to the side, letting the ball hover between his hands. The energy ball began to grow.
Kly exerted as much energy as he could to stop himself. He now hovered some ways above Xeron, only at an angle. "Err...what's he thinking, just throwing me off like that?" Kly now sensed the growing attack. Xeron's power level was rising substantially. It was quickly nearing seventy million. "He was trying to buy time for his attack. This must be the one he said would rival the Kamehameha Wave." Kly began to gather up his energy. "Alright, Xeron!" He yelled to him. "If it's a duel you want, that's what you'll get!" A ball of blue light formed in Kly's hands as he brought them to his side. "Ka...Me...Ha....Me....."
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles.
"You're too late! Gallet Gun!!!" Xeron unleashed a monsterous energy beam that tore through the air, sending the winds whipping downward. Many of the people were knocked back, as others struggled to hold their place.
"HA!!!" Kly's attack now exploded, unleashing a shock of the same magnitude. Somewhere in between the two warriors, the energy beams met. The blue of Kly's and the purple of Xeron's clashed in the air, holding each other at bay. For the moment, both fighters were equal, displaying power levels around eighty million.
"Yes! Yes, you idiot! You've fallen right into my trap!"
"Sorry, Xeron!" Kly returned. The Kamehameha began to struggle forward, forcing back Xeron's blast. "I'm more powerful than you! I will win!" Kly continued to raise the level of his attack, reaching deep inside for every bit of power he could gather. Xeron's hands began to tremble as he tried to hold off Kly's attack. However, the Gallet Gun's beam was being forced back, as Kly's power level inched closer and closer to eighty five million.
"Hahahaha!!! You're blinded by your own strength! You inherited that power too quickly, and had no time to tame it! You can't compete with a veteran like me!"
"What do you mean!?"
"Just look below me, if you can see past the beams. Look at the target I've set up for you." Kly couldn't see anything but the massive light he was creating with his attack. He tried to sense what Xeron meant, then picked up a tiny energy signal. Then another. And another. There were hundreds of powers below Xeron's position. It was the townspeople.
Watch as we all fly away.
"No. No. What have I done? What am I doing?" Thoughts raced through Kly's head as his eyes widened and his face took an unfocused expression. "I..I.." Xeron's blast had regained its spot, and was now forcing back Kly's.
"Hahahaha!!!! Insolent, worthless fool! There is nothing you can do!!" Kly snapped out of his daze and pumped more energy into his attack. He tried began to take the advantage back. "Think about it Kly! If you defeat me, you'll destroy them!" Kly froze again, and Xeron pushed harder. "You'll do it all over again! You'll slaughter the people you care about the most! It's your destiny, Kly! By your hands, will all your loved ones fall!!!" Xeron attacked all out.
"NO!!!" Kly returned the fire, and both were at a stalemate again.
"You can't win, Kly! I've outsmarted you! Strength's not the only thing that makes a warrior. It takes a mind. It takes cunning." Xeron began to gain the upper hand. Kly wanted to obliterate him, but knew the consequences. "Give it up, Kly! The only way to save them is to sacrifice yourself!!"
And they're watching us.
"Kly! Kly! Kly! Kly!" A chant began to rise up from below Xeron. He glanced over his shoulder, to see the people gathered together, cheering Kly on.
"WHAT!!? You morons! What are you doing!? He'll kill you!!"
They're watching us.
"Kly! Kly! Kly! Kly!" The people continued their cry.
"Stop! He's a murderer!! Call him what he is!!" The people grew silent.
As we all fly away.
"He's right!" A voice rang out. "Let's call him what he is! Hero! Hero!" At first, it was a single voice, then a few. Within seconds, the entire city was chanting for Kly. "Hero! Hero! Hero!"
"Ahhhh!!! What's wrong with you people!?" Xeron redirected his attention to Kly, who seemed to be getting a second wind. "You don't know what it means to be a hero, boy!!"
"You're wrong, Xeron!" Kly's body straightened, and he attacked with renewed vigor. The people's love had given him new strength. "A hero doesn't run from his problems! A hero never backs down, regardless of how much the odds are against him. A hero keeps hope, no matter what!" With each word, Kly's blast seemed to grow, and Xeron's to shrink. "I am a hero!!!" Kly's blast began to engulf the other. Xeron grit his teeth, and his face tightened. His body began to fold as the Gallet Gun's purple light crept within feet of Xeron's hands, followed by the immense Kamehameha Wave. Worry began to grip him.
"Stop, Kly! You fool! You'll kill them!"
And they're watching us.
Kly's attack suddenly stopped. Xeron saw his chance, and attacked with everything he had left. The Gallet Gun swelled up to gargantuan size, engulfing all of Xeron's view, and there was nothing but a dark light.
They're watching us.
"Yes. Yes, Kly. You finally understand." Sweat poured down Xeron's face, as he bent over, trying to catch is breath. Looking up slightly, the sky before him was clear. "You can't save them. You're not a hero. People don't need a hero." He brought himself back up. "They need a ruler! Hahaha!! I've won!" Xeron, tired as he was, began to celebrate. Suddenly, he felt something. Behind him, he could sense a growing power.
As we all fly away.
Xeron spun around, and there Kly hovered. His hands were at his side, with a ball of blue energy forming in them. His brown and red hair returned to gold in a flash, and his power level shot back up to an incredible high. "Kamehame.....
And they're watching us.
A thought shot through Xeron's mind in an instant. "He tricked me. He went back to his normal, Saiyan form so I wouldn't sense his movement."
"...HA!!!" Xeron lunged forward, trying to attack. His body was weary, and the last attack had left him drained. Kly's beam slammed into his stomach. The focused attack ripped a hole straight through Xeron, as the Super Saiyan continued his yell.
They're watching us.
"NOOOO!!!!" Xeron screamed out in agony.
"HAAA!!!" Kly increased his power, changing the attack from a focused beam to an expanding blast. The blue light ingulfed Xeron, tearing at his flesh, burning him up and down.
"AHHHH!!!!" The imperial leader screamed as he flew through the air, surrounded by the Kamehameha's energy. The scream died away, as Xeron fading into nothing.
Kly looked up, watching his attack fly off into the sky. Like a shooting star, it disappeared in the distance. With a sigh, he began lowering down. His head hung down, weary from the grueling battle. The gold went back to brown, as the white streaks darkened to red again. Kly felt his feet hit the ground, and he looked up. The crowds of people weren't chanting "hero" anymore. They were now cheering and racing towards him. He smiled, finally ready to accept their love; finally able to forgive himself. A tear began to roll down his face as he embraced his new role. Hero.
As we all fly away.