Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
By Feraligreater328
Chapter 16: The Unknown Grave
Over with Vegeta and Zarbon...
Zarbon was hard on the defensive as Vegeta rendered him able to do little more than retreat and block hits. The Saiyan Prince, having ambushed Zarbon out of nowhere, was much more ferocious that Zarbon had remembered. A heavy fist smashed into Zarbon's face and made the lieutenant stumble. Vegeta took advantage of this and delivered a massive kick to Zarbon's ribs.
Zarbon snarled and tossed a punch back, but Vegeta caught it and whipped Zarbon through the air and into the ground. Vegeta was having the time of his life as he manhandled Frieza's other, main henchman. Zarbon was definitely a better fighter than Dodoria. At least he was able to defend himself. But, Vegeta was still stronger than the narcissist at base. Zarbon tried to get up and defend himself, but Vegeta responded with a simple punch to the jaw and a hefty kick that sent Zarbon tumbling into a nearby rock.
Murder filled Vegeta's eyes as he outstretched his index and middle fingers. He launched a Dirty Fireworks blast at Zarbon, but the teal alien quickly rolled out of the way. The rock behind him instead was reduced to rubble. He charged at Vegeta and managed to land his Bloody Counter on the Prince. Vegeta easily blocked most of the moves, but an errant kick caught the Prince by surprise and busted the right side of his lip.
Vegeta leapt back, as did Zarbon, and the Saiyan Prince chuckled. He wiped his mouth and spoke to his opponent. "You know...I've always hated busted lips. A can take all sorts of more grave injuries, but these are always so annoying. The sting and they make it a pain in the ass to eat..."
A vein popped out of Zarbon's head and he snarled at Vegeta. "Do you think this is a game, you pathetic monkey?! Do you realize how serious a crime it is in the Frieza Force to strike a superior officer?!"
Vegeta snickered. "Well, at least you're taking it on the chin. Dodoria had tears streaming down his sweaty, chubby cheeks when I killed him off."
Zarbon flinched. "Y-you killed Dodoria?!"
Vegeta laughed out loud. "Damn right I did. You should have heard him! Blubbering and sobbing like the pathetic beached whale he was. 'Lord Frieza help!'...such a pathetic bastard..."
Zarbon quickly recomposed himself and had a hearty chuckle. "You know, I must thank you in spite of all of this Vegeta. That thought will carry me to a peaceful slumber for many, many nights to come!"
Vegeta smirked. "You only have one more sleep coming your way. The Big Sleep!"
The Prince held up a hand and began to count with his fingers. "Cui is dead. Dodoria is dead. You're about to die..."
Vegeta chuckled. "And then, after you, Bardock is next. And then Frieza will follow shortly after!"
Zarbon reacted in confusion. "How deluded are you?! Not only do you think that Lord Frieza is anywhere close to threatened by you, but now you speak of murdering ghosts?!"
Zarbon shook his head. "Perhaps you will be able to fight Bardock, but only after Lord Frieza or myself sends you straight to Hell where you belong!"
Vegeta had a smarmy smile on his face. He thought back to the overconfident Bardock expressing that he did care if anyone knew he was alive. So, Vegeta decided that he might as well run his mouth. "Oh, trust me Zarbon, Bardock is alive! Apparently, when Frieza destroys a planet, he does a lousy job of it!"
Zarbon flinched. "Y-you know that Lord Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta?!"
Vegeta wickedly smirked. "I had my suspicions before, but you've basically just confirmed them."
Zarbon flinched. Mentally, the posh lieutenant kicked himself for allowing key knowledge to slip. As Vegeta stood across the field, rambling on, Zarbon mentally quantified all of this new information. "Vegeta knows the truth, Vegeta has betrayed us completely, Bardock is apparently still very much alive, and he is on this planet!"
Zarbon's mouth was dry. If he knew one thing about Lord Frieza it was that, even if the Lord never personally admitted it, Bardock had stuck in his mind. And, even if Zarbon didn't exactly know why, he knew it related back to a certain story that Lord Frieza often spoke of. The legend of the Fall of Lord Chilled.
Zarbon sighed and lowered his head. This situation just went from annoying to serious. The posh lieutenant took a deep breath. On the other side of the field, Vegeta charged a Final Crash and prepared to end things. "Any last words, Zarbon?"
Zarbon glared at Vegeta. "Lord Frieza's race isn't the only one that can transform!"
Vegeta flinched. "Frieza can transform?!"
Zarbon roared and, with a massive boost in power, he turned into his Monster Form. The lieutenant charged at Vegeta like a freight train. Spooked, Vegeta launched his Final Crash. Zarbon, however, powered through the weaker blast like it was nothing and grabbed Vegeta by the face. He dragged the Saiyan Prince's head through the ground and tossed him into a nearby mountain. Vegeta struggled to sit up, but Zarbon was already on top of him. With a roar, the monstrous mound of muscle smashed Vegeta further into the ground and instantly turned the tides of the battle.
Meanwhile, with Bardock's Group...
Dende slowly puttered ahead, fearfully scanning each shadow that he saw, praying that it wasn't another one of Frieza's men lurking and waiting to kill. Following closely behind the young Namekian was Bardock, Gohan, and Krillin. Bardock seemed a bit annoyed at how slowly they were moving, but he elected not to start yelling at their terrified escort. He flew up next to Gohan and whispered to his grandson. "This is taking forever..."
Gohan whispered back. "Y-yeah. Dende is still pretty scared of what happened at his village. I mean, I would be too...so..."
Bardock nodded. "I get that. But, we're not making any progress going this slow. Why don't you and Krillin talk to the kid, see if you can get his mind off of the murders and onto the mission."
Gohan cocked his head. "Do you really think that would work?"
Bardock shrugged. "Worth a shot. Right?"
Gohan nodded. "Right!"
Bardock watched as Gohan flew up to Krillin. After a bit of whispering, the two of them flew up to Dende. Gohan smiled gently and asked the young Namekian. "So, what is Grand Elder Guru like?"
Dende flinched and turned to face Gohan, Krillin, and Bardock. After a moment, he smiled a small smile and spoke. "Grand Elder Guru is kind. He's the progenitor of everyone currently living on Planet Namek. He's a source of love and peace and wisdom..."
Dende's smile grew. "He's the only one who was alive before the cataclysm. He remembers the old ways and the old festivals and all of the history that we lost during all of it. Before his age caught up with him, he used to come down to the Ajisa fields and tell us all sorts of stories about the olden days!"
Krillin smiled. "He sounds like a kind, old man. I can't wait to meet him!"
Gohan chuckled. "I'd love to hear some old Namekian stories!"
As the three kids laughed and joked and chatted to one another, Bardock flew a bit behind them. The older Saiyan was bitter and stern as he mumbled to himself. "We don't have time for love and peace. And we especially don't have time for some goddamned Namekian fables..."
Gohan turned and saw his grandfather mumbling to himself. "Grandpa Bardock! Is something wrong?"
Bardock flinched and glared up at his grandson. "I... uh...I just want to get there and hear more about the Dragon Balls. That's all I was saying. We need to get the Dragon Balls and clear out as quickly as possible!"
Dende frowned at Bardock's gruff attitude, but Gohan and Krillin were quick to reassure him. Dende whispered to Krillin. "Why is he so angry? Have I done something to upset him?"
Krillin shook his head. "No Dende..."
Krillin leaned in and whispered. "Bardock isn't a bad guy. At least...not completely..."
Gohan smiled. "Y-yeah. He's just old. And worn down. And cranky! Just like a normal old man!"
Flying behind the others, Bardock's face was glowing red and a vein was popped out of his head. The older Saiyan thought to himself as the three ahead of him talked. "I can hear you, you little bastards..."
But rather than voice his complaints, Bardock simply rolled his eyes and allowed the kids to talk and bond. At least Dende was flying faster now.
A few hours pass...
Finally, after hours of flying in silence while his younger companions talked, Bardock opened his eyes and glared at the spire a few hundred feet in front of him. "That mountain looks pretty tall! Is that the highest point that we're looking for?"
Dende turned to Bardock and nodded. "Y-yes. We will fly up and Grand Elder Guru's house is atop that peak."
Bardock sighed. "Finally..."
The four of them approached the mountain and then immediately began to fly upwards. It took a few minutes, but the eventually reached the top of the spire. The four of them landed and Gohan, Bardock, and Krillin all took in their surroundings. Each of them noticed something different.
Bardock glared at the house that seemingly contained the Grand Elder. "So, this is the place huh...?"
Gohan, meanwhile, stared out over the horizon. "W-wow...this is even higher up than the mountain that I was on top of during Mr. Piccolo's training..."
Krillin, on the other hand, walked up to a large mound next to the Grand Elder's home. This mound was demarked be a large, mossy rock on top. Krillin swallowed hard, he didn't need to be told that he was standing in front of a grave. As a show of respect, Krillin placed his hand on top of the rock and began to pray, but he was snapped out of it mid-prayer. "Do not touch the stone!"
Krillin flinched and Gohan quickly turned. They were both immediately met by a shocking sight, a Namekian that was a dead ringer for Piccolo emerging from the Grand Elder's house. Krillin stammered at the intimidating Namekian walked up to him. "A-a-are you-"
The green man was blunt. "I am known as Nail. What brings you all to the Grand Elder Guru's home?"
Excited, Dende immediately ran up to Nail and grabbed his older sibling's leg. "Nail! Big brother!"
Nail's serious façade slightly cracked. He turned to Dende and smiled, patting his little sibling on the head. He knelt down to Dende and spoke in their native tongue. Dende spoke back and, after a moment, Nail nodded. He opened the door to Grand Elder Guru's home and ushered Dende in. However, when Gohan attempted to follow, Nail stopped him from entering. "You may not enter without Grand Elder Guru's blessing. You will be waiting out here until Dende returns."
Gohan stepped back, a nervous frown on his face. He stared at the stern expression on Nail's face and eventually walked back over to Bardock and Krillin.
Time passed as they waited for Dende to return outside. In that time, Gohan and Krillin both surveyed the area around the Grand Elder's home. The only two things on the plateau were the house itself and the grave that Nail was standing directly next to. As the two of them wordlessly examined the grave, Bardock suddenly spoke up. "So, big guy..."
Nail turned his attention to Bardock. "Yes?"
Bardock grunted. "Are you aware of what's going on down there?!"
Nail sighed and nodded. "Indeed. The situation that haunts our home has pained the Grand Elder greatly. At his advanced age, he does not need this type of stress on his soul..."
Nail glared at Gohan. "However..."
Gohan tensed up, but Nail's face softened. "His mood has been lifted by the intervention of you kind visitors. You, boy, were very brave to step in and save Dende's life."
Nail turned his attention back to Bardock. "And your pragmatism in saving the entirety of the Four-Star Village has been noted as well. Personally, pending the Grand Elder's approval, I sincerely hope that we are able to become allies in this fight against the scourge that is attacking Namek."
Bardock snorted at Nail, but before he could say anything in response, his attention was suddenly taken by a raging battle going on over the horizon. "Holy shit...how long has that been going on?!"
Nail stared out over the horizon as well. "It has been raging for a sizeable portion of the day. Both fighters have wicked intent in their hearts, but one is clearly more resilient than the other..."
Nail stepped away from the door and stood next to Bardock. "However,...the resilient one does not have much more left to defend himself with."
Over with Vegeta and Zarbon...
Vegeta coughed up a puddle of blood as he ran. Tailing him closely behind was the new, more brutish Zarbon. Vegeta was sputtering and limping as he ran, his advantage over Zarbon well and truly gone. Behind him, Vegeta heard Zarbon laughing over the little game of cat and mouse they were playing. Vegeta sneered and tucked and rolled, allowing Zarbon to fly over him. The brute turned and Vegeta immediately tossed a fistful of dirt into the monster's eyes. Zarbon snarled in frustration and Vegeta immediately unloaded a flurry of ki blasts onto him. Vegeta finished this flurry with a massive energy bomb.
Once that exploded, Vegeta fell onto his ass and began to heave for breath. He was tired and beaten harshly, but he was sure that he had at least managed to injure Zarbon. This was quickly proven wrong by Zarbon immediately charging from the smoking crater Vegeta had made and punching the Prince in the jaw. Vegeta went tumbling and Zarbon followed up with a Possibility Cannon.
The entire mountain range behind Vegeta was obliterated and Zarbon stood strong. The brutish monster waited for the smoke to clear and laughed at the horribly beaten Vegeta shaking to stand in front of him. "So, Vegeta, are you still feeling so smug?"
Vegeta shakily raised his fist to Zarbon and snarled. "I...I will kill...all of you..."
Zarbon sneered at the barely conscious Prince before vanishing from sight. Vegeta flinched and began to sluggishly look around for his foe. With blinding speed, Zarbon appeared behind Vegeta and plucked him up from the ground. Vegeta braced himself for a terrible blow, but even he couldn't accurately prepare himself for what Zarbon would do next. The monster raised him high into the air, and then he slammed Vegeta's back hard onto his knee. Vegeta screamed, but Zarbon clamped his hand over the Prince's mouth. He slammed Vegeta onto his knee again and again until he heard the Prince's back soundly snap.
Zarbon took a deep breath and then sighed, dropping Vegeta's limp body onto the ground. After a moment, he released his Monster Form and then examined his singed and torn clothes. Zarbon snarled at Vegeta and extended a hand forward, charging a blast. "I should kill you for all of the trouble you've caused me..."
Zarbon sighed and fired the blast into the air. He reached down and grabbed Vegeta by the hair. "But I'm going to take you to Lord Frieza instead. I'm sure he would be quite interested in interrogating you over this whole 'Bardock' affair..."
Zarbon took off, heading back to the ship, with a broken Vegeta in tow. The Saiyan Prince was now a prisoner of the Frieza Force.
Back at Grand Elder Guru's House...
Bardock sighed. "Welp, I guess that's it for Vegeta..."
Krillin looked nervous. "Y-yeah. Whoever that was wrecked him hard. W-was that Frieza?!"
Bardock shook his head. "Way too weak to be Frieza. If I had to guess, I'd say it was Zarbon. Didn't know that Pretty Boy had that much strength in him, good to know for the future."
Nail was unmoved. "A strong presence to be sure, but no sort of threat. The only one that is any sort of threat to Planet Namek itself is that wicked Frieza creature..."
Nail turned and walked back to his spot, next to the door. Bardock glared at the Namekian. "Pretty sure of yourself, huh?"
Nail emotionlessly glared at Bardock. "Exceedingly."
Bardock didn't respond, but he didn't have to. Nail was assured, but for a good reason. He could easily handle Zarbon if the situation came to it. As a matter of fact, Bardock was pretty much positive that, bar Frieza, Nail was the most powerful person on the planet.
The older Saiyan made sure to make note of this power in his mind. He was sure that he could find a use for Nail somewhere down the line. Soon enough, this train of thought was broken by Dende emerging from the Grand Elder Guru's home. The little Namekian had a smile on his face and something seemed...different about him. Quickly, the boy pointed to Gohan and Krillin. "The Grand Elder would like to speak to you two about a certain power he feels within you. He has invited you to come into his home and seek his guidance!"
Gohan and Krillin both smiled as they stood up. Whatever power the Grand Elder saw within them, they were excited to see what it was. Bardock stood as well, following the boys towards the house. Gohan and Krillin both stepped in, but Dende held his hand up for Bardock to stop. "Th-the Grand Elder told me that he wished to speak with you as well...but he made it clear that he wanted to speak with you last."
Bardock adopted a surly frown. "What?!"
A bolt ran up Dende's spine. "I-I'm sorry, I-"
Nail stopped him. "Do not apologize for carrying out the Grand Elder's wishes, Dende. Our guest would be happy to wait for Grand Elder Guru's wisdom just as his two younger compatriots have..."
Nail glared at Bardock. "Correct?"
Bardock sneered at Nail, but he did back down. Nail nodded to Dende and Dende smiled and nodded back. Gohan called out to Bardock as the door closed. "Don't worry Grandpa! We'll see you in a bit!"
More time passed as Bardock waited outside with Nail. The impatient, older Saiyan paced back and forth across the Grand Elder Guru's lawn while Nail placid stood and observed. Eventually, spoiling for something to hold his attention, Bardock turned his focus to the grave.
Bardock walked up to the grave and began to nudge the stone atop it with his foot. "So, you Namekians are the burying type, huh?"
Nail growled under his breath. "Cease that at once."
Bardock sighed. "Just curious is all. We Saiyans are more the 'rest where we fall' type. Never really been the grave-digging types."
Nail was sternly silent. Bardock continued. "And, if I'm being real, the lack of marked graves on this planet tells me that you people really aren't either. So, this grave right here seems kind of out of place to me. So, what's up with it?"
Nail sighed. "Remove your foot from the stone and I'll tell you."
Bardock complied and Nail walked up to the stone, staring down at it. "You are correct. Storing the body of a deceased Namekian within a demarked grave is very much against Namekian tradition. The normal ceremony for the deceased is to forego a physical marking and, in exchange, to remember the life of our fallen brother be celebrating them and celebrating nature itself..."
Bardock nodded. "Uh-huh...so, what's up with this?"
Nail spoke. "This grave holds a significance to Grand Elder Guru. That is why it is right next to his home. Even though his declining health has rendered him stuck to his chair, this grave will always be near enough for him to observe it..."
Bardock cocked his head. "Why is this particular Namekian so important to the all-loving old bastard?"
Nail grunted at Bardock's rude tone. "I do not know. The only thing I know of this grave is the name inscribed onto it."
Nail knelt down next to the grave and carefully rubbed his hand over the surface of the stone. The built-up moss on the rock slowly fell to the ground below, revealing a hidden name written in Namekian script. Bardock sighed. "I can't really read scribbles, ya know?"
Nail sighed. "Your impudent attitude is slowly wearing on me."
Bardock sneered. "Just tell me what the damned name says! Jeez..."
Nail stood back up and glared at Bardock. "Katas. The name on the grave is Katas."
Bardock opened his mouth to remark on the name, but then a sudden spike in power erupted from the Grand Elder's home. Gohan and Krillin were suddenly a lot stronger than they were moments ago. Bardock turned and stared wide-eyed at the building. "What the Hell?!"
The door to the home opened and Dende stepped back out. "Grand Elder Guru has requested that you and Nail both come inside now..."
Bardock was still in shock. Wordlessly, with Nail on his tail, the older Saiyan entered the house. And then, once they were all inside, the door closed behind them.
Proofreading: StevenBodner
