Striking The Heart
Fall To My Knees
Silence echoed from their mouths at the arrival of their enemy. They couldn't utter out a word or phrase, a gasp or a growl. Shock was all that could be felt. Shock…and fear.
He smirked coldly, his evil features ugly and frightening as he scanned over the Z Warriors. Vegeta created a deep snarl at their rival and only got a chuckle in reply.
"What's the matter Vegeta, surprised to see me?" Wilhem spoke.
"What are you doing here?" he gruffly asked. What was he doing here? He possessed the power that he wanted and the fact that Goku was going to die. Surely that was more than enough? What more did he want?
"I thought I'd come and pay you all a nice little visit" he said, his three dark followers motionlessly watching.
"You've visited long enough" Vegeta grumbled back. Wilhem chuckled once more.
"You don't seem to understand that I am the one who makes the rules here. You don't have a say in the matter. If I want to come and visit, I come and visit. If I want to rip out your heart, then I'll do it. It's as simple as that and I'm not going to stop until I've rid the universe of you Saiyans"
"Don't you think you've destroyed enough?" asked a brave Krillin. 18 swallowed nervously.
"No" he muttered, taking his attention to the young woman holding a child. He smiled thoughtfully, fully aware of the situation.
"My, my, she's grown" Chichi backed away at his stare, little Gosha squirming unhappily in her mother's arms. Tien soon stood in front of Chichi.
"Don't even think about it!" he yelled, ready to protect Chichi at all costs. Wilhem continued to stare, frightening Chichi.
"I am not thinking anything. I am just simply stating that she has grown. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Yes" came a small, tired voice. Everyone turned around to see Goku standing there. He looked weak, barely able to move but his menacing battle stare was somehow etched upon his face.
"Goku, it was so nice of you to join us" Wilhem said, "Come closer, we want you to join our little reunion"
"What do you want?" Goku demanded with great effort, his breathing as if he had run a thousand marathons. Wilhem laughed.
"Isn't it obvious?" Goku became nervous at Wilhem's hesitation. What did he want? But most of all, who did he want this time? Goku panicked, knowing he probably couldn't defend Chichi and Gosha, let alone his sons. What would he do if Wilhem attacked one of them, or all of them?
"I've come to watch you die" Wilhem spoke deeply. Goku tensed, remembering his state. He couldn't understand why he was still alive. Bulma had predicted 3 days, maybe 4. Sure, it was the fourth day, but he was still hanging on. How and why? Was it hope? Was it the fact that Wilhem was here and Kami knew Goku needed to protect his family? But he couldn't watch over them, so why was he still living?
"You're more twisted than I thought" Vegeta uttered, "You disgust me"
"Really? I'm glad" Wilhem said with a snigger.
"Wilhem, I'm going to die anyway, whether you watch or not. But please, leave my family out of this" Goku begged with as much force as he could conjure up. Wilhem sniggered uncontrollably, his henchman still stood unmoving like the ground itself.
"Please Goku, even if I promised to such a request, do you really think I'd keep to it?" Goku snarled.
"Besides, I cannot let your brats live. They'll grow up just like you, powerful and innocent at heart. Especially you're eldest. I cannot risk having another one of you around!"
"You monster! THEY'RE CHILDREN!" Goku spoke outraged.
"I don't think I care" He spoke casually. He turned and looked back at Chichi, her horrified glance still there. He smirked.
"There, there my lady, who said I'm going to kill you? You would make a lovely slave. Maybe make something more" he said suggestively. She gasped in disgust.
Goku became irritated and angry and advanced a few steps closer where he stood next to his wife.
"I won't let you"
"Please Goku, you can hardly breathe, let alone walk. What makes you think I'm afraid of you right now? What makes you think you can stop me?" Wilhem asked the rhetorical question. Goku swallowed at Wilhem's comment. It was true. He couldn't do anything right now, not in the position he was in.
Wilhem casually walked up to Goku, the smirk never leaving as his black alien like form walked. Goku became nervous at the close encounter and backed off a little, his frightened wife and few month old baby behind him.
Goku clenched his fists, the contraction of his muscles hurting a lot more than he thought. Sweat droplets cascaded down his forehead and his breathing was ragged from fear.
Fear was something he didn't encounter often. Usually he wasn't afraid in battle even up against an enemy who was stronger than himself. But when his family became involved, that was a different matter all together. That's what frightened him…that's what terrorised his mind. The thought of them getting hurt or killed was what destroyed him internally…not some man made poison…
Wilhem had reached him and was only a few centimetres away. Goku could feel his power, his aura of energy. He didn't stand a chance.
"I know I've said it many times, but I've been dreaming of this day for fifty years"
"He needs a hobby" Krillin muttered. 18 Smacked him across the head, warning him if Wilhem didn't pound him she would.
"You don't know how amazing this moment is to me. Seeing you like this brings joy to my heart"
"I didn't think you had one" Goku spat.
"Ha-ha-ha. That's one thing we'll soon both have in common" he spat back, "But you needn't worry about being alone when you die because I'll make sure your family and your pathetic friends join you. Well, except for your darling wife of course. She'll make the perfect slave to me"
"You animal" Goku told him angrily.
"Not only will you be without her but she'll be without you. It's amazing how much you two are attached to one another. Its almost heart lifting when I see the anguish you two produce"
"Stop it!"
"What's the matter Goku? Can't you take the pain like a man? You are a coward Goku. A weakling…nothing to me and you always will be nothing. And I'll make sure you die remembering that" He moved closer to Goku, his fist balling up into a fist in the process.
"But don't worry Goku, it'll be slow and PAINFULL!" He shouted, punching Goku hard in the gut. Goku fell to the ground, clutching his excruciating abdomen, whimpering from the pain. Chichi screamed his name and fell to the ground next to him, baby Gosha crying against her fast rising chest.
Goku bit his lip and rose to his knees, soon pushing himself back up and onto his feet. He held his gut, the flesh and insides throbbing insanely. Wilhem laughed.
"Chichi, get inside" he panted, his one eye half shut.
"But Goku-"
"-CHICHI PLEASE! It's…too dangerous, please…get inside with the baby! I don't want…you getting hurt!" he said in between worn out breaths. She nodded and was about to run inside when the three cloaked figures arrived in front of her. She gasped loudly, holding Gosha to her tightly as she cried.
"NO!" Goku called. Chichi backed away from them and ended up next to Tien who put his hand on her shoulder.
"You stay away!" he told them.
Goku was stunned when Wilhem suddenly surprised him with a kick to his side. He flew across the lookout, skidding along the hard tiles of the floor, some of them ripping out at the hard contact. He grunted in pain as he held his battered arm that bled intensively from the skid. He breathed heavily, barely seeing through his blurred eyes as Wilhem approached him. But Gohan stood in his way.
"You leave my father alone" he spoke heroically. Wilhem burst out laughing and continued to advance on him.
"Move boy or you will suffer the same fate…quicker" he dangerously whispered, his vicious frown and evil smirk never disappearing. Gohan stood his ground, but that was all threw aside literally when Wilhem amazingly threw Gohan across the lookout, crashing into the palace itself. Videl screamed at the collision and worriedly ran over to find him in the pile of rubble.
Goku sat up, his head spinning, his vision blurry. He felt so weak…
Wilhem ceased him by his shirt and pulled him up to meet his eyes.
"Now you see. I don't play games Goku. So your pathetic displays are over" he whispered. Goku struggled under his grasp, soon dropped to the ground when Piccolo and Yamcha landed.
"Goku!" Yamcha called three dragon balls in his grasp.
"What is this?" asked a confused Wilhem. Goku smiled slightly.
"I knew you guys would make it!" Krillin shouted as he ran over to them. Chichi sighed in relief, Wilhem still perplexed, his followers still non-moving.
"Alright Dende" Piccolo began to the young Namek, "Call out the Eternal Dragon" Dende nodded and extended his arms in front of him.
Wilhem watched as the young Namek chanted some sort of password and suddenly the sky became dark.
"What's going on?" he demanded. Lightening lit up the dark sky, the lookout suddenly shaking as a large dark figure emerged from the golden spheres. The form took a shape, arms and a head spreading from the shape. It roared, turning into colours, soon startling Wilhem at its gigantic size.
"A Dragon?" he questioned himself, "What on Earth is this? I've not heard of this?"
"You obviously haven't been doing your homework Wilhem. I'm disappointed" Vegeta mocked him.
Shenron appeared above them, his large self hovering with authority.
"Speak your wish" he bellowed deeply. Piccolo smirked and nodded down at Dende.
"Shenron, my wish is for-"
…But he stopped, suddenly so mesmerised in something else…
The others followed his eyes, all not believing what they saw…
The pain was strong now. There was no doubt about that, but it was getting stronger…taking over him…concurring his soul…He gasped, his hand clutching his aching muscled breast, his heart beating at a phenomenal rate. He couldn't breathe properly…he couldn't focus…everything was spinning out of control…
He fell to his knees, his world turning too fast to follow. The pain pumped out of him like blood from a wound. He winced, the cries from his friends not heard. Every beat felt like a ripping knife…every hard breath felt like it was the last…
…that's when he hit the ground…
Whether it was the darkness from the dragon's appearance or the darkness from his blurred vision…he couldn't see the light. It was all so frightening…yet so…familiar…
He barely heard a woman's cry and he felt something circle around his cold body. He tried to see her…he tried to feel her…but he couldn't. She stopped crying…suddenly aware she could hear his beating heart…
The lookout was quiet. The wind had stopped and so had everyone's breathe…his heart beat echoed around the silent atmosphere, painfully clear to them it was slowing down...
…'Beat beat'…'beat beat'…'beat beat'…'beat'…'beat'…'beat'…'beat'…...