Nail's tiny feet scamper behind the group of kids leaving him behind. With the field work for the day behind them, they rush to the training grounds for the prospective champions hoping to join the ranks of the legends before them.

They slap themselves against a short wall dividing the training grounds from the rest of the village. Nail finds himself on the far end away from the popular boys who chat in the middle.

"My man is totally going to crush the competition today," one says.

"No way. Have you seen the muscles on my guy? He's huge," says another.

"You're both wrong. It's all about energy control. My favorite is going to be champion for sure," says a third.

Nail sees Slug walk across the field where his rivals stretch and warm up. He finds a place isolated from the rest of them and does his own preparations.

"Well one thing we all can agree on," says the first boy, "is that loser Slug has no chance. I can't wait to see him get crushed."

He and the others laugh. Nail frowns at the boys and returns his attention to Slug.

You should shut them all up by beating their idols, he thinks. But of course that's asking too much.

The champions in training run themselves through a gauntlet of feats for strength and agility. They throw around huge boulders to see who can move the most the farthest. They race through rings of energy created by the observing elders to see how many they can get with each one appearing a greater distance than the last and disappearing sooner.

Lord Guru sloshes around the arena with his hands clasped behind his back. Despite all the kids' cheers when they see something amazing, Guru's expression never changes as he observes the activities.

Nail watches Slug with great interest. Slug starts the boulder toss with the same vigor the rest of his compatriots did before him. Each throw of the dense, white rock measures up with the distance of the others. However, he seems to be breathing harder and moving slower than the others did after each one.

After a dozen throws, it is obvious he cannot match their endurance. The twentieth one falls short of the minimum toss distance, and his run ends.

"Jeez, he couldn't even get to thirty," says one of the boys. "What a wimp."

"Yeah, but my boy with the muscles is holding the lead at forty-three!"

A smug expression lifts his face.

Slug moves into the ring race. He stumbles during the running take off, and he wobbles with every change of direction for the next ring. The boys laugh harder and harder each time he hits a check mark and spins out to get to the next one.

Slug's antennae poke through the threshold of a ring as he flies as fast and aerodynamically as he can. His head swivels with erratic haste to locate the next one. He adjusts his height and jets for it. He stretches an arm to reach his fingertips into the ring as he approaches it, but it vanishes before he can get there. The run is over.

The boys beside Nail cry with laughter.

"I thought that was just going to be sad to watch, but it was actually really funny," says one.

"Yeah, maybe he can keep up the morale of our champions by being a jester."

Nail's cheeks burn with embarrassment for Slug at the comments. He huffs and walks away. His head hangs low as he traces the perimeter of the wall.

Why did I think he could do it? Why did I get my hopes up?

A hearty laugh stops Nail. It is the deep voice of Slug. He comes in for a landing beside Guru.

"Well it wasn't very pretty," he says, "but it's my best performance yet."

He flexes his thin arm.

"I'm getting closer."

"You've done well," says Guru in the loud yet mumbling speech of his. "Your father would be proud."

Slug smiles wide.

"Thank you Lord Guru. I'm going to rest up for the sparring matches. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it."

He laughs.

"You've got something better than luck."

Guru pats him on the chest.

"You've got a strong heart."

They share the moment. Guru's hand drops, and Slug jogs off. Guru's gaze falls upon Nail.

Nail straightens instantly and bows.

"Lord Guru. It is an honor."

"The pleasure is mine. I don't get to spend as much time with our children as I want. I believe our future is bright with your group."

Nail nods, but his eyes remain fixed on the ground.

"What seems to be troubling you my son?"

Nail hesitates as he searches for the words to express his feelings.

"I guess I'm confused about why you encourage Slug. All the other boys make fun of him, and it's obvious he can't keep up with his peers."

"Ah, I see. You mean why don't I guide him down a path I think is more suitable for him so he doesn't waste his time or, uh, social grace so to speak."

Nail nods.

"You may not understand this yet, but listen carefully and remember these words for when they will make sense to you. Slug has the right kind of confidence to enjoy his passion while still having a realistic expectation of what he can accomplish.

"Though he does have a goal in mind, the satisfaction he gets is not from achieving the goal. It comes from the process of working towards it. Wanting something you do not have will only lead to despair and harsh personal judgments about not being good enough without it. Instead, he enjoys what he has, works to advance that position to reasonable means, and then takes time to enjoy the slightly improved situation that inevitable change leads to."

Nails eyes glaze over from the speech.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't bore you. Go watch Slug in the sparring matches and don't worry about him winning or losing. Enjoy the small triumphs of each struggle."

"Uh, okay Lord Guru. I'll try to do that."

"Good. Run along then. They will be starting soon."

###

Nail pinches the bridge of his nose as his daydream ends and his focus returns.

"Are we there yet?" he says.

He flies behind the four natives while the rest of his team flies behind him. Bulma skims along the surface on her hovering moped.

"Just over the next ridge," says Zeeun.

They fly over a high rising plateau. Krillin breaks from the group to join Bulma as she travels around the wide base.

"Thanks for not leaving me unguarded," she says.

"Sure thing. I've noticed some scary power levels here and there, but none as strong as these guys and whoever that Slug was. There's quite a few little powers on the other side though."

"Are you thinking it's an ambush?"

"Hmm. Don't know, but I'm on my guard."

As Krillin and Bulma come around the last quarter of the small mountain, they see the markings of a tiny village. Closer inspection reveals each of the dwellings are simple tents meant to be easily taken down and reassembled. No other permanent fixtures exist. They meet up where Goku, Gohan, Nail, and Namekuji have landed with the natives.

"Look upon our people," says Zeeun. "Are these the faces of the ones your grudge is against?"

Nail surveys the villagers who show various features of the four they arrived with. They stare back at him with meek and curious eyes. Their fearful auras fail to match the burning ferociousness that haunts his nightmares.

"Are they!"

Zeeun's voice echoes off the mountain side. Nail crosses his arms.

"No they're not."

"I thought so. The demons you speak of still roam these lands. We have few warriors to fend them off. So we live a nomadic life completely at their mercy."

"As long as our scouts keep us one step ahead of them, we are safe," says Angira.

"But One-Eye is another story," says Dorodabo. "He and his clones roam far and wide to destroy everything on this planet. He can't seem to differentiate those monsters from us."

"Did you say clones?" says Goku.

"That's right," says Medamatcha. "The thing you all struggled so hard against was merely a shadow of One-Eye's true self. A small fraction of his terrible strength at best."

"Are you serious," says Gohan. "Then why did you bother trying to kill it?"

"My current theory is that his power works like mine, and he must divide a portion of his energy to multiply. If that's the case, our only chance to defeat him is to pick off the weaker clones. So when one was distracted by all of you, we thought it might be a golden opportunity to strike."

"Makes sense," says Goku.

"That's all well and good," says Nail, "but he has fought off far worse than the likes of you. You'll never be able to beat him."

"We're aware," says Zeeun. "There's another reason I brought you here. The ranks of our warriors and hunters dwindle with every season that passes. And without them, our village will cease to exist.

"Our only chance is to make a last stand against One-Eye, but we lack the strength. I realize this request falls on deaf ears, but I humbly ask that you lend your strength to ours. Help us defeat this menace so we may live in peace."

Zeeun bows his head and drops to one knee.

Nail's eyes open in surprise. The other three close their eyes and kneel as well.

"Will you help us?" says Zeeun.

Nail looks around at the rest of his group. Goku smiles and nods. Namekuji shrugs his shoulders. Nail sighs.

"We'll help. But we're not going to kill Slug. There's another way."

"No way," says Angira, rising to his feet. "That's not part of the plan. We can't risk our lives on something that might not even be possible."

"Yeah," says Dorodabo. "It's him or us."

"Enough!"

Zeeun stands up and the others bow their heads and step back.

"Do you have any evidence that an alternative to killing Slug exists?"

"The Dragon Idol. It was left behind when my people fled this planet. If we can get that, our grand elder can purify Slug of whatever darkness possesses him. We could even restore Planet Namek to its former glory. This wasteland would be rich with life again."

Angira shoots Dorodabo and Medamatcha an anxious look. Their eyes reflect the same disquiet.

"And you think such a thing has survived all this time?" says Zeeun.

"I do. It would be in a great structure built long before any of you showed up."

Medamatcha laughs and rolls his bulging eyes. He wipes a tear from one and speaks.

"Only one such structure exists, and One-Eye makes it his home. He protects that place from us and the roaming hordes of demons. No one has ever been any closer than catching a glimpse of it on the horizon. We'll never get in."

Nail rubs his chin.

"Maybe if we all swarm it from several directions we can. How many clones does he have?"

"Never counted before," says Dorodabo, "but we should have more people than he leaves standing guard."

"Hold on," says Zeeun. "What happens if this relic of yours can't be found? What then?"

Nail closes his eyes and inhales. They open.

"Then the only means of putting Slug's soul to rest will be death. So are you in or out?"

Zeeun and the others step away and mutter amongst themselves. Nail's keen hearing picks up every word. Zeeun works hard to convince the other three who argue Nail and his comrades cannot be trusted.

Come on, he thinks. Help me save Slug. It's the least your kind can do in return for living on our planet.

The conversation ends, and they return. Nail already knows the answer. Desperation forces them towards cooperation.

"We accept your terms," says Zeeun. "I truly hope we can be rid of his terror once and for all."

Zeeun leads the Dragon Team to the edge of the village. He and his crew leave them there and disperse amongst the village to share news of what is to come.

Bulma throws a capsule that poofs up a small housing unit.

"Okay, everyone inside," she says. "We can refill our oxygen tanks and prepare for whatever is to come next."

Something tugs at the leggings of her suit. She looks down to find a small child with yellow skin and pointy ears. Like the rest of Zeeun's crew, the child has small horns instead of the drooping antennae the Namekians do. Her thin body struggles against a heavy gust of wind. A small doll made of pale grasses rests in the crook of her arm.

Bulma smiles and kneels beside the child.

"What can I do for you little one?"

A squeaky wheeze passes between the child's sunken cheeks as she prepares to speak.

"Are you really going to help us stop One-Eye?"

"We're going to do our best to help. Hopefully you won't have to worry about him much longer."

The child's chapped lips form a smile.

"What's that thing you made appear? Is it magic?"

"No. It's kind of like the tents you have only more advanced. We can take them down and set them up anywhere we want."

"Wow! Do you think we will ever be able to have amazing things like that? I'd like to not have to carry all our heavy stuff around all the time."

"Maybe one day. Let's focus on this problem first and then we'll see where we can get from there."

The girl gives a cheerful nod. She runs off with a few hops in her step. Joy fills Bulma as she follows the others into the small building.

She takes off her helmet and shakes her head. Sweat flies off the tips of her bangs.

"Whew, let's take a much earned break."

They hook up their air tanks to refilling ports and sit around the single large room to await Zeeun and his comrades.

Almost half an hour passes before the first explosion.

A tremor rattles their Capsule house. Goku and Nail fly to their feet while Krillin and Gohan stumble around to get to theirs.

They scramble to put their suits on. Red flames stream crimson light through the thin oval windows.

Goku burst out the door followed by the rest. Screams fill their ears as the villagers sprint about. A ki blast vaporizes a hut in a plume of smoke and fire. The explosion sends people reeling.

Nail hears a hideous sound drowned out to the others in the chaos. His eyes scan for its source and find Slug high above charging two more orbs of energy. His chest heaves with laughter. The reds and oranges of the burning village cascade his face with savage shadows. His white eye somehow sees the carnage below.

Nail's heart sinks. His happiest memories of Slug clash with the violence of the current scene. The sight of his beloved hero taking satisfaction from each explosion destroys his hope. Slug is truly lost.

Nail sees Angira, Dorodabo, and Medamatcha fly straight for Slug. He hears Zeeun shout.

"Wait, It's a trap!"

Zeeun dashes away from his comrades along the ground and skims up the surface of the mountain beside their village.

Goku's eyes trace the path Zeeun travels and finds a clone pointing a finger at the three distracted fighters.

An eerie glow grows from the tip.

Goku expands the scope of his senses and feels out for any more ki signals. Another approaches from the direction of the shore the village rests on, yet he cannot see anyone.

"Gohan, Krillin. Come with me. One of them is hiding in the water."

An aura bursts around him as he shoots off, his teammates right behind him. Goku zooms out over the water. A sensation of growing ki tells him an attack is coming. He rushes to meet the force.

###

Zeeun reaches out a hand as the building ki attack from the clone on the mountain crescendos. His fingers grab the enemy's wrist and push it skyward. The shot fires off harmlessly, missing his allies. He roars and uppercuts Slug.

Slug's head snaps backward. The neck stretches and rips as the head sags behind the shoulders. A series of cracks accompanies the neck as it slithers around the side of Slug's upper arm. The face pushes into view and smiles with hideous amusement. Sharp fangs unsheathe themselves from behind the lips. The snakish neck strikes like a viper. The fangs sink into Zeeun's neck.

Zeeun cries in pain. Angira looks over his shoulder as Dorodabo charges their foe and Medamatcha prepares his clones. The sight of their commander in agony forces him to hesitate between the two fights at hand.

Do I go to Zeeun now or try to end this fight so we all can? he thinks.

His arms stretch as he turns his attention to the clone before him.

Hold on Zeeun. We'll be there soon.

His arms race past Dorodabo who grows a fist to three times its size. Angira's hands grab Slug's forearms and pull them down to his sides. Dorodabo slams Slug's exposed torso with his giant fist. The limp body flies off, but Angira retracts his arms to reel it back in. Dorodabo takes another swing and crushes Slug's helpless form. This time the force rips the body from Angira's grasp as it plummets to the ground.

"Now my babies," says Medamatcha. "Feed!"

His four clones zoom after the adversary and attach themselves, two on the shoulders and two on the hips. A purple aura forms around them as energy moves out of Slug's body and into their own.

###

A geyser of water erupts from the ocean before Goku. He senses Krillin's ki flare up, so he darts aside and cups his hands at his waist while chanting. The Slug clone gives chase.

"Kienzan!"

A paper thin saucer whirls towards them. It cuts Slug clean in two from one armpit to the other. Blood forces its way out of his mouth as he is left to watch his abdomen and legs fall away.

"Kaioken times two."

The one eyed face looks up as a red aura engulfs Goku. Slug tries to dodge the attack telegraphed by the thrusting of Goku's hands, but the blue beam swallows him instantly.

Goku watches the upper torso evaporate before letting up on his ki wave. He breathes a sigh before danger sets off his adrenaline. He tries to pinpoint the threat. A chilled gust blows over the back of his vulnerable neck. He spins knowing a strike awaits him in the blind spot.

Gohan drives a heel deep into the side of Slug's skull. Goku watches Slug's eyes stretch out of their sockets as the head deforms from the blow. A limp arm set to puncture his chest cavity droops away before the blow can be dealt.

Slug careens off as Gohan drops beside his father and strikes a fighting pose.

"Thanks son. I didn't sense another one."

"There wasn't," says Gohan. "The bottom half regenerated for a surprise attack."

"Yikes, I didn't realize Nameks can do that without a head."

"Apparently this one can."

Krillin joins their ranks, and they square off for another round.

###

Zeeun grapples atop the plateau with his foe. He still grips the forearm that tried to snipe his comrades above his head. Another drop of energy sizzles into existence at the tip of the deadly finger.

The wrist Zeeun holds aloft presses against his left palm. His bicep bulges as it strains to hold back the immense weight. Their free arms battle each other to create an advantage. Their feet shuffle about in an attempt to trip the other while avoiding the same fate.

Veins and tendons rise from Zeeun's arm as he loses the struggle to keep the lethal shot above him one centimeter at a time. The fingertip descends to point at the outside of one of his horns. Its heat burns his skin and conjures up beads of sweat.

A crooked smile breaks across Slug's face. His arm lowers at a steady pace across Zeeun's cheek, merely slowed but never stopped.

"You really are a demon," says Zeeun.

A smile of his own forms.

"I'll be sure to see you in hell then."

Zeeun's right arm knocks aside Slug's free one and thrusts at Slug's abdomen.

The mighty muscles of Zeeun's left arm fail to fatigue and drop to his side for relief. Slug's finger takes aim at his chest and fires the bullet.

The small sphere rips through his heart and blows out of his back. The air around it displaces creating shock waves as it hums toward the ocean. The tiny pellet makes a disproportionate splash the size of a giant hill upon exploding.

Ocean water rains down over the village and the combatants.

Angira, Dorodabo, and Medamatcha all feel a sudden chill in their hearts as the warm life force of Zeeun blows out. They turn to see their comrade falling away from the Slug clone he fought.

One of his arms pulls free of a cavity it punctured in the enemy's torso. When Zeeun's hand clears the gaping hole, a tumorous, pulsating mass rests in his palm. The grotesque organ beats between his fingers.

Slug reaches for the missing piece. Zeeun flexes the arm and clenches his fingers. The organ crushes in his palm and splatters out of the tight fist.

Slug croaks out a death rattle as his body transmutes into a soft stone-like material. The substance spreads forth from the hole until his entire body becomes the ash colored material. Cracks splinter from the cavity. Chunks of his body break free as the fissures deepen and widen. He crumbles to the ground as a pile of dust.

Zeeun's falls backward and topples from the cliff. He bounces several times off the rock wall as he does.

Nail cannot stop himself from flying up to catch him. The huge body slams against his chest. He gets his forearms beneath Zeeun's shoulders and brings him to the ground. He lies him across the dry soil as soon as Zeeun's feet touch the barren field.

Angira and Dorodabo appear at his sides instantly. They each place a hand on their comrade, but Zeeun is gone.

Medamatcha watches from afar. The Slug clone he was fighting rips off his doppelgangers and casts them aside. It then flies over to the one Goku has been fighting. It flicks its head back as it passes them.

The clone before Goku and the others smirks and follows after its duplicate.

Goku, Gohan, and Krillin return to the village. They find the villagers forming a crowd around their fallen ally.

Thunder booms in the sky above. The vibration breaks loose the water of the clouds as a heavy rain pours down. The droplets hiss with an acidic quality as they fall upon the suit Goku wears.

It burns the skin of those exposed to it, but they are either used to the pain or do not care. They lift Zeeun's body over their heads and carry him back to the destroyed village.

Nail watches them as Goku, Gohan, and Krillin drop in beside him.

"I fear Slug is truly gone," says Nail. "I don't know what to do."

Goku places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes. They catch up with Bulma, and Namekuji outside the Capsule building.

They go inside while they let the village mourn the loss of their friend. They sit in silence as the unrelenting rain pelts the roofs.

"So if this Slug guy is our enemy?" says Krillin. "What can you tell us about him so we're ready to face him next time?"

"To know Slug," says Nail, "I must tell you the story of one of Namek's darkest days."