Una: Thank you for that accurate and timely explanation! That's pretty much what I thought, but I wanted to get a second opinion. Thank you very much!
Sholio: You're right! I forgot about that. I'll have to do a minor rewrite of Chapter 25.
On to the story!
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"We're gathered here this morning because we have reason to believe that something very evil, and very, very powerful is about to attack the mortal dimension." The Supreme Kai said.
"Very powerful? Did you feel the ki we were putting out at Super Saiyan five yesterday?" Vegeta asked.
"I'm afraid that the ki that I sensed was higher still Vegeta." The Supreme Kai returned. "In addition to the ki, I felt a vast aura of black magic. Whoever this is, he has entwined his ki abilities, and a great dark force. I have reason to believe that he can control demons and other manner of dark creatures."
"How do we fight against something like that?" Bardock asked.
"Well, I've called in a couple of experts on magic. They should be here in a little while." Kaioshin smiled.
Vegeta snuck a look at Roger. "He looks like he had a rough time of it last night." Vegeta thought noticing the fresh bite wound at the apex of his neck and shoulder, and the bruises on his arms. "I guess I should have warned him that the initial mating to cement the bond can sometimes get quite… energetic. Hehehehe! Oh well, be careful what you wish for…. Roger's just extremely lucky that this planet doesn't have a moon. Traditionally, the initial mating is done under a full moon. If the participants didn't kill each other in their ape form, they were bonded. Of course, even without a full moon, nature finds a way."
Yambia's own neck sported the same wound. Both Yambia and Bulma woke up this morning happy and chattering like birds. They left and talked for a half an hour in private. Neither Vegeta nor Roger wanted to know what they talked about.
"Supreme Kai?" Goku started.
"Yes Goku?" Kaioshin acknowledged.
"Well, we have a problem with my family members, Nappa, Piccolo and Kirillin. See, they're already dead and all, so if they fight and are 'killed' again, they will disappear from both dimensions. I really don't feel right about asking them to fight under those conditions." Goku petitioned.
Vegeta looked over at Kirillin and discovered that he looked sort of out of it this morning as well. "Poor guy was the unfortunate soul that had the room directly between Bulma and I, and Roger and Yambia. Poor guy probably didn't get a wink of sleep most of the night." Vegeta smiled.
"I thought about that earlier. I can restore their lives. I'm really not supposed to interfere so directly with the mortal world, but this power will destroy both dimensions if something isn't done." Kaioshin said.
"Whoa! Wait a minute Supreme Kai. I don't want my life restored. I have a job that I really enjoy in hell, and I will return there when this is over. I'm just here because Goku wanted me to help train these people. I wouldn't be of any help in the battle any ways." It grated on Piccolo's nerves to have to admit that, but it was true nonetheless. "Besides, if you restore my life, the Black Star Dragonballs will also be restored. I think you'll all agree that we've got enough problems without some asshole finding those."
Everyone that remembered the Black Star Dragonballs and the havoc they brought to their lives readily agreed.
"Okay Piccolo, anyone else?" The Supreme Kai said.
"I think I'll keep my halo on as well." Kirillin said. "As much as I would love to spend another lifetime with Number 18 and Maron, the last five years of my life was pure torture. I can't live through that again. And like Piccolo, I wouldn't make a single bit of difference in a fight of this magnitude anyways."
Vegeta understood completely. No one should have to live like that.
"Ok, well that leaves you three. Any objections if I restore your lives?" Kaioshin asked.
"No objections!" They echoed.
"We never got to live out our full measure of life. "Bardock observed. "This will give us a chance to do something good with the time we have."
"Okay then, stand over here." Kaioshin ordered. The Supreme Kai pointed his palm at the three Saiyans and started chanting words in an unknown language.
"Umm… this isn't going to hurt is it?" Nappa complained.
Nappa, Raditz, and Bardock started to softly glow. Next their Halos disappeared.
"It's done!" The Supreme Kai proclaimed.
"This great!" Bardock exclaimed. "I feel much stronger too!"
"You should all be stronger." Vegeta smirked. "Saiyans always get stronger when they recover from mortal wounds. You don't get much more mortal than being dead."
Raditz was looking at, and flexing his hands. "Thank you Supreme Kai!"
"Here we are, Supreme Kai! What is it you wanted?" Came a mysterious voice from behind.
Everyone turned to face Baba on her ever-present crystal ball. She was floating some six feet off the ground. Next to her was a spirit with no feet that a number of them recognized almost immediately.
"Dabura!" Gohan exclaimed. "What is he doing here?
"It's okay Gohan, Dabura turned over a new leaf, and he's here to help." Kaioshin explained.
"Yeah, well I'm keeping my eye on this guy, just in case." Gohan said with a glare at Dabura.
"Ok, what can you tell us Dabura?" Kaioshin asked.
"Let me start out by explaining how things work. As you know, there are an almost unlimited number of dimensions. Most of these dimensions are offshoots of other dimensions and contain living, mortal people. Then there is this dimension that is commonly called the next dimension or the other world dimension which contains the Kais, heaven, hell, and all manner of immortal beings and souls, except for you guys who are here by invitation of the Supreme Kai. When a person from a mortal dimension, such as yours, dies they come before King Emma to be judged and sent to either Heaven, if they are judged good, or Hell, if they are judged evil depending on the balance of the works of their lives. If a person goes to Hell they are given a specific length of time, or term. At the end of that term they are reviewed and can become eligible for redemption. The usual term for the average person is 50 years. However, at the end of that term if you show no signs of regret and are not willing to change then you are passed on to the next lowest pit of Hell. This process continues until Hell finally gives up on you and you are spit into the Dark Dimension, or as some call it, The Demon Realm. There your body is returned if you don't have it, and it is warped beyond all recognition to a demon form. I was once the master of the Dark Dimension, the King of the Demons." Dabura explained.
"This is all fine, but how does it help us against this enemy?" Piccolo asked.
"I don't know that it will." Dabura shook his head sadly. "But this information is important."
"Go on then." Vegeta ordered.
"Yes, where was I?" Dabura started again. "Oh yes. There are many classes of demons in the Dark Dimension, some more powerful than others. Some with special gifts like the ability to turn invisible, or to take other shapes, and some are very, very powerful. There exists a group of about 180 Demons that not even I could control. They were the Orkrans. These Demons are rumored to have existed in the Dark Dimension since it's creation. Very ancient, very powerful. Several hundred times more powerful than I was when I had a body. Fortunately, for whatever reason, they never took much interest in taking over the dimension and kept pretty much to themselves. It was an Orkran that Bibidi transmuted into what he named Buu. But neither Bibidi, nor Babidi could control or enslave an Orkran for very long. Anyways, about 150 or so years ago, I got word that somebody had entered the Demon Realm by means other than being processed through hell. And began to subjugate my demons to his will. Some of my more loyal demons were broadcasting the information to me telepathically but there was nothing I could do because of having been enslaved by Babidi. I lost contact with the dimension altogether about 100 years ago."
"Do you think that the enemy we are preparing for is the same one that took over the Demon Realm?" Bardock asked.
"I'm certain of it." Dabura stated plainly. "And if he has taken over, and now controls the demons of that realm, then he has an army of untold hundreds of millions. If he has also managed to enslave the Orkran Demons, then I don't see how he can be stopped.
Goku and Vegeta looked at each other with a smirk. It had been years since either of them had a real challenge. Their Saiyan blood fighting their instinct to battle, with their instinct to keep their families and loved ones from harm. Sure, both of them wish that such an enemy did not exist, but deep down both wanted this battle with a passion!
Roger was also fighting his emotions. Being an ex-human he had no idea where this sudden Saiyan battle lust was leading him. He only knew that he couldn't wait to get there, danger or no. He was also fighting the desire to keep Yambia safe and sound.
"You need not worry about me lover." Yambia's voice sounded in his head. "I'm a Saiyan warrior, from a long and proud line of Saiyan warriors. I will fight beside you and die beside you if necessary. My staying where it's safe will only prolong the inevitable if we loose this battle anyways."
"I will not try to stop you if that's what you want. You cannot stop me from worrying about you though." Roger smiled.
"I wouldn't dream of stopping you, just try not to get too many gray hairs over it, okay?" Yambia smiled back. "I love you Roger."
Like most Saiyans, those three words were hard to come by for Yambia. But even though Roger was changed into a Saiyan, most of his basic personality traits remained intact. Roger was far more affectionate and loving than the average Saiyan male. He used the word love with abandon where a woman would practically have to crowbar the word out of a normal Saiyan Male's mouth. Yambia is still a bit grieved over the loss of the sky-blue eyes that Roger had before his transformation though, but the onyx-black Saiyan eyes he now sported were also very compelling.
"I love you too Yambia." Roger returned.
"Dear Dende they're making eyes at each other again!" Kirillin quietly lamented. "I'm definitely requesting a room change for tonight!!"
"Do you have anything else of importance to tell us Dabura?" Trucks asked.
"Two things. The first has to do with the barrier between The Dark Dimension and the Mortal Dimension. In exactly one Earth year and three Earth months, the seven great galaxies will align on the universal axis. This will cause the barrier between The Dark Dimension and the Moral Dimension will thin considerably. The conjunction will only be perfect for three Earth days, but in that time the denizens of The Dark Dimension will be able to pass into the Mortal Dimension with little effort." Dabura explained.
"And just how do you know all of that?" Pan asked
"Well…" Dabura started a bit embarrassed. "Before Babidi enslaved me, that's when I had planned on leading my demon army in such an attack. If I had been successful, I could have opened a permanent conduit between the two dimensions, spreading The Dark Dimensions evil and turning everyone there into my demon slaves, poised to attack this dimension."
"What's the second thing?" Vegeta demanded.
"The very last mental transmission I received from one of my Lieutenants was that they were being attacked by Emperor Cordell." Dabura finished.
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Cordell paced a floor just as cold and stony as his own heart. "Why is the Supreme Kai suddenly roaming around the mortal realm? It doesn't make sense unless he has somehow sensed or been foretold of my coming. But how? And where are all the high ki readings gone? There were numerous such levels on Earth, and a few others scattered here and there. They seem to have all disappeared. Could they have gone with the Supreme Kai? I dare not tear a hole into the other dimension, I would be detected in a heartbeat, especially if they are expecting me. I may have to risk it if I want to know what is happening though.
"Master!" A small troll like being ran into the room.
"Yes Charnaick, this better be good." Cordell threatened.
"We have maintained a psychic link to Dabura, just as you requested. A little while ago, he moved out of heaven." Charnaick said.
"Can we tap into what he is seeing and hearing without him knowing it?" Cordell ask.
"I believe we can sire." Charnaich answered.
"Good! Channel it to me then!" Cordell exclaimed.
Cordell began to receive everything Dabura saw and heard. Cordell heard the entire story. But far more, oh yes, far, far more. He began to assess the ki levels of the Z-Warriors. "Interesting. Some very high ki levels indeed, but nothing the Orkran and I cannot easily handle." Several medium level ki levels, and a few ki levels so low that they barely registered on Cordell's senses.
"So, they know I am coming then." Cordell chuckled. "Well, it won't do them any good. This place has given me more power than they can comprehend, and I've enslaved the Orkran. If they think they can stop me their quite mad."
Still, Cordell was uneasy. Something about one of the people he was observing was familiar. Cordell tried to probe the mind of the one they call Roger. "Is that him then? Is that Rogalle? It looks like him in the face." Cordell pushed his mind forward and tried to get a glimpse of who that was when he suddenly found himself pulled too far in.
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The second Roger heard the name "Cordell" his body went rigid. No one noticed at first because they were still listening to Dabura and Kaioshin. However, while Roger's body was still next to his mate, his mind was elsewhere.
Roger stood on the plain of his own mind. Facing him was a tall, imposing warrior. Roger knew that his body, or that mental image that currently was his body, wasn't his to command. Like his dream when he transformed into a Saiyan, he was just a passenger.
"So Cordell, it is you then. Over 300 years and you haven't changed a bit!" Roger heard himself say.
"H-how did you do that??" Cordell seemed surprised that he had been detected, and his mental essence had been so easily pulled into Rogalle's consciousness."
"Hehehe.. You know I was always better at mental techniques than you were Cordell." Rogalle snickered.
Cordell quickly regained his composure. "True. But you cannot imagine the power I have now Rogalle. You cannot possibly consider challenging me now."
"You're not leaving us a whole lot of choice Cordell. The people that I'm teamed up with here will not allow you to destroy their home dimension, or this one either. They will fight you to the death, and beyond if necessary." Rogalle said. "You'll be fighting the strongest and most stubborn people in the Omniverse."
"Well, I've seen the ki levels of the people you're with, and I'm not really worried about it." Cordell sneered. Even if they are hiding some of it, it's still nothing compared to mine. Also, I won't be coming alone."
"So, you've enslaved the entire Demon Realm then?" Rogalle was trying to pump some information from Cordell.
"Something like that." Cordell smiled evilly.
"Why are you doing this Cordell? You were one of us! We took you in when you had nobody. Why are you turning on every principal that the Turtle Masters stood for?" Rogalle wanted to know.
"Hahahaaha! You were always a gullible fool Rogalle! I was a plant sent in by The Dragon Elite. I was sent to spy on you and tell them your strengths and weaknesses. Their leader was my father! My mission was changed however when I seen that you had the Four Star Dragonball. You see, I had learned of the Legend of the Dragonballs some years earlier and kept that information from my father and the other Dragon Elite, and had already collected three of them when I met you. My needs were simple, I needed your Dragonball and I needed to be free, so when I learned that your strengths were equal to that of The Dragon Elite, I told them that they could easily best you. It worked better than I expected. You basically destroyed one another while I walked off with the Dragonball, and the ability to freely move around and find the last three. Something I could not have done had my father survived. It took me 30 years to find and obtain the last three Dragonballs, but it was well worth the wait." Cordell explained.
"I see, so you never had any real loyalty to anyone." Rogalle said.
"Loyalty is for fools!" Cordell answered.
"So, why are you doing this?" Rogalle asked.
"My father's scope was far too limited. Ruling one planet is nice, but to rule the Omniverse, now that's ambition!" Cordell raved.
"So, it's all about the power?" Rogalle asked.
"Of course. What else is there?" Cordell answered. "Well, while I've enjoyed our little chat a lot, I really have plans to make, demons to train, that sort of thing, so I gotta be on my way."
Cordell suddenly got an evil grin.
Back in the physical world both Roger suddenly screamed and dropped over and remained deathly still as Cordell ripped himself out of Rogalle's mind.