*(Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, or Dragon Ball GT. All characters and places associated with the Dragon Ball series belong to their own respected creators and I have not used them to make a profit in any shape or form)
Jason9000: Hey everyone, hope you're doing well. Been a busy couple of months for me. I'm getting ready to move to another country in a month so I've had a busy time getting ready. It's been a whooper for Dragon Ball. Next movie is for Broly. Fourth time's the charm I guess. I'll still watch it when it comes out. Maybe Akira Toriyama can make Broly more interesting than his past incarnation. Now I believe I have kept you all waiting long enough, here is the next chapter.*
Pan followed her family as they flew back to the Saiyan camps. They flew lower than when they arrived as Bardock didn't want to waste any time by flying far above as he wasn't quite sure where to go. The only thing he could get out of Raditz was to meet Nappa in front of King Vegeta's tent again and he would lead them to the meeting. Bardock had never been there before. The only ones allowed were King Vegeta, Nappa, and two other Saiyans from their camp. Each leader of the the camps took three body guards with them. Many of the Saiyan population in King Vegeta's camp joked that it was so each group had enough soldiers to take each other on. Even though King Vegeta himself would mop the floor against any of his ancestors from the other camps. However, Bardock suspected that it was so they could keep a better watch for any Demon scouts that were trying to find them and kill them before they reported back to their master.
The group landed in front of Nappa who stood, leaning against King Vegeta's camp with his eyes closed as if resting. His ears picked up the sound of them landing and he pushed off the tent to look at them.
"Good you're on time. I was hoping you'd be late so I'd get a chance to smash Raditz around again," Nappa said smirking.
Raidtz glared. "I'm no longer the weakling you can order around Nappa! Do I need to remind you of the match we had but a short while ago!" the younger Saiyan snapped.
Nappa rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah stop acting all high and mighty. You still can't beat me in a fight. Although to give you credit you could probably beat the entire Ginyu Force and Armored Squadron without breaking a sweat!" Nappa chortled.
Raditz clenched his fist and took a step forward, only for Bardock to step between the two of them. "Do you two seriously have to fight now? It's like your entire after-life revolves around pissing the other off. We don't have time for this!"
"Geez, calm down Bardock. We're just messing around right Raditz!" Nappa said peering around the scared Saiyan.
Raditz only humphed in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah let's get this over with. I'd rather not have my sentence for this mad quest of father's put off any longer."
Nappa grinned, patting both men on the back roughly. "That's the spirit! Come on, I can't wait to see what King Vegeta has in store for you, what with wasting his time on this girl and your visions," the general said before turning around.
The others followed him around King Vegeta's tent as they walked to a rocky wall with a small crevice opening. "Hope none of you are claustrophobic. It gets a little tight in here," Nappa called over his shoulder before turning sideways and shuffling himself through.
Radtiz stared at the crevice with annoyance. "I get that King Vegeta and the others want to try and hide their 'meetings', but picking a small cave where almost nobody can fit into certainly won't help anyone. I'm surprised no one's lost an eye from the shoulder guards alone," the Saiyan grumbled as he followed Nappa through.
"Be quiet Raditz! I won't have you disrespect King Vegeta! I don't care how strong you've gotten over the years. No one disrespects the king!" Nappa snapped.
Bardock rolled his eyes and followed through. Unlike her elders, Pan was small enough to walk through just fine. How they could fit in there with their wide armor on she'd never figure out. The older men shuffled along for a good minute till it opened up. Nappa stood the side as he watched the others come through, nodding his head as each member came through.
Pan went to stand beside Bardock and looked around. The crevice had opened up to a massive gap in the rocks. There was a small circle of rocks in the center where two people could stand side by side. Ahead were three massive thrones, carved into the very rocks itself where three figures sat looking down at them.
In the center sat King Vegeta, garbed in his royal armor staring down at them. He looked better rested than when Pan saw him a short while ago. His eyes were more alert as his gaze pierced through the three of them. No doubt already calculating what his next move would be, before they even spoke. On his left stood a Saiyan woman wearing high ranking armor with the royal crest on her left breast plate. She had red hair that went down to her lower back. She looked...familiar to Pan and could tell by King Vegeta leaning closer to her, that she was important to him.
On King Vegeta's left sat a Saiyan ruler that looked much more like a simian than Pan realized. The Saiyan was only a foot taller than she was. His forehead stuck out from his head, forming a ridge across his brow. Black fur covered most of his body. He only wore a simple tunic and looked...uncomfortable in it. His tail unwrapped from his waist and flicked irritably across the armrest of his chair. His brown eyes shifting constantly around Pan's group. His two body guards were of similar stature, but looked more annoyed at being here. Their eyes never leaving King Vegeta and the Saiyan group further down.
To the right of King Vegeta sat another Saiyan. This one looked much kinder than either of his fellows. Unlike the more primitive Saiyan, he lacked the ridge on his forehead and his body was covered in much less hair. Like King Vegeta, he wore armor. But his looked smaller. There were no shoulder guards and only covered his chest and stomach. His pants looked more like they were made from animal furs of some kind to keep him warm. From what Pan could tell his tail was missing as she could not discern it from his pants. His brown eyes welcomed her as he smiled down at her. His guards rolling their eyes at their king's welcoming response as if they were used to his...kinder actions.
Nappa bowed to the three of them. "I have brought the Saiyans Bardock, and Raditz. Along with the...quarter-Saiyan girl as requested my King."
Bardock opened his mouth to berate Nappa for pretending to forget his great-granddaughter's name before his son's voice cut across. "Pan, my lords. Her name is Pan," he said tersely while looking at his old comrade with annoyance.
Pan stared at Raditz in wonder for a moment. She thought that the other Saiyan found her to be annoying at best. His comments on how he thought Bardock's quest would end in only pain for the both of them never ceased and he seemed to ignore Pan's presence.
Suddenly the smallest of the three leaders stood up, eyes blazing at Pan. He roared before shouting, charging at her. Pan blinked in surprise and raised her left arm, blocking the punch sent at her. The small ruler roared in her face, teeth gnashing at her. Pan took a step back before sending a powerful Kiai pushing him back to his throne. The Saiyan put his hand on the ground, slowing his movement. He looked up in frustration as he went to charge again at her. Pan took a deep breath and raised her hands to fight. Pan could easily read his movements as her opponent aimed a kick to her head; which she blocked with her own kick. Pan disappeared from his sight and reappeared behind him. She kicked him in the side of the head knocking him to the ground.
Behind her, two of his guards appeared bringing their fists down to her skill. Pan merely raised her open hands and caught the attacks. She pushed them off and up into the sky. She sighed as she eyed all three of her opponents.
"Look I get that we're a 'warrior race' and all. But, if you're going to waste precious time attacking me instead of deciding on stopping these Demons then I'm going to leave! I don't have time to prove myself to you!" Pan said exasperated.
Suddenly there was clapping. The other leader had stood up and looked down at the group. King Vegeta rolled his eyes and the woman next to him had to stifle a chuckle at this action.
"Well said young one!" his voice less rough than Pan expected. His voice was soft and welcoming like his eyes. Pan couldn't help, but smile at his charisma. "It is great to meet another Saiyan that rather wants to get into the heart of the matter than waste time with pointless fighting. Had our race carried more of that characteristic; I believe we wouldn't be on the edge of extinction." the man continued. He walked before he and held his hand out for her to shake. Slowly Pan took it and shook his hand. His grip firm with a friendly smile.
"I am King Rhubarb, King Vegeta's grandfather, last King of the Wandering Saiyans. On the ground is my twenty-fourth times grandfather King Chard, king of the Primal Saiyans. Forgive him, his instinctual drive sometimes overrides his thought process," King Rhubarb said helping his ancestor off the ground.
His ancestor swatted his hand away motioning for his guards to stand down, he glared at his descendant for a moment before turning back to Pan. His voice rough as he slowly spoke to her. "I was testing her. Seeing if she...she... is...worthy," the small king said before walking back to his throne. Pan blinked in surprise that he could understand what was being said.
King Vegeta sat with his palm over his eyes, visibly annoyed by the scuffle. "That's enough both of you! I want to reach an agreement on this quickly. The only reason both of you are here is so we don't have to waste time with translators!" he thundered.
"Get a grip grandson, don't think you're too young for me put over my knee and discipline you," King Rhubarb said wagging his finger at him smiling.
Pan put both her hands to her mouth to stop herself from laughing hysterically, Raditz eyes became saucers as he watched the exchange, Nappa and the other female Saiyan began laughing at King Vegeta, while Bardock concentrated on staring at the sky praying to whatever deity that he keep his focus on the sky and not make a fool of himself.
Veins appeared on King Vegeta's forehead at the remark. His brown eyes boring down at his grandfather. "Interesting how a disgraced and weakling of a king thinks he can say what he wants without consequence. I'd rather not beat you into a pulp and then have to explain to the Wanders why you failed at another task!" King Vegeta spat back.
King Rhubarb only shrugged his shoulders and took his seat. His guards still chuckling at their king's remark. King Rhubarb turned his eyes to Bardock. "As petulant as my grandson is, he is correct. Let us hear what we came here for."
King Vegeta huffed and looked down at Bardock waving him forehead. Bardock lowered himself to one knee, bowing to three of them for a minute before rising. He was silent for minute as he gathered his thoughts and began.
"King Vegeta, thank you for allowing me to stand before you and organizing this meeting. King Rhubarb, King Chard thank you as well for coming and listening to a low class warrior like myself," Bardock began tersely, hating the formality.
King Chard nodded at him, Raditz noticed that he seemed to be more of a traditionalist as his eyes changed watching Bardock. No doubt his coated words having an effect on him. He kept that at the back of his mind if he needed to speak.
"Years ago I was granted with the...gift of foresight by the last of a planet's inhabitants. Since that day I have received flashes of the future. Many of the visions are possibilities of what could happen. However, the visions are brief and only last a few seconds. I have spent years down here in Hell, trying to hone my acquired ability. But, I can only try to piece together what I see based on past and present events," Bardock began slowly.
King Vegeta merely sighed in annoyance. He had heard Bardock say this many times and it bored him to sleep. He leaned on his right arm and closed his eyes. His grandfather looked greatly interested, while King Chard was wary of this statement.
"Over the years I have received glimpses of major events concerning my son and his friends. However, I will admit there are outside factors that may negate my visions. For example, King Vegeta's grandson from the altered timeline, coming to the past and changing how Frieza and his father met their end on planet Earth. Before his arrival, my visions showed my son killing them both on Namek and then succumbing to a fatal heart virus that ravished his planet's inhabitants. After that all I saw were two twins destroying planet Earth," Bardock said turning to King Chard.
Pan was confused why her grandfather turned to address the oldest of the three kings. She thought it would be best to look at the three of them individually while addressing them. While her grandfather continued on, Raditz leaned down to her. "He needs to convince at least two of them. King Chard is the traditionalist between the three. Father will have to sweeten his words to gain his approval," Raditz murmured.
Pan blinked in surprise as she noticed Bardock's eyes didn't quite reach King Chard's. From what she could tell, he was looking at Chard's chin while addressing him. King Vegeta and King Rhubarb watched the proceedings, King Vegeta looking more disgruntled with each word while King Rhubarb looked more interested with each passing word.
"Does this mean he's the one that'll be the most difficult to convince?" Pan whispered back.
Raditz nodded slightly before standing up straight again watching his father continue his story about his visions.
"Before the newly crowned Demon King revived most of the dead, I had a vision of our race being enslaved again. This time not by Frieza, but by someone far worse. I saw our race being tortured by the very one that would promise us life again. How he would only grant us life, only to send his children after us to satiate their sick desires. I would not stand idly by as we suffered more than under Frieza's thumb or the eternal boredom of Hell. I expressed my concern to King Vegeta and he held a council meeting with you over eight months ago to discreetly move us away from our usual space to here," Bardock told him.
King Chard stood up in anger as he turned to King Vegeta. "He is the reason we moved to this terrible rocky terrain?" his slow voice resonated around them. "You told us that it was your idea to 'strategically' move us...so as to avoid that Demon King's scouts and report our doings to their dark master! That by moving us we would still be independent and the only reason we were not wished back... was because our entire race...was too far away to get to the magical dragons! You agreed with the words of...of a crazed commoner?!" King Chard asked his descendant.
Bardock's eyes widened in a sudden panic. He had assumed King Vegeta had told the three of them of his gift of foresight beforehand and urged them to move on to a new place. This may have just sunk his entire plan!
King Vegeta's grip on his make-shift throne tightened as his gaze bore down his ancestor. "Need I remind you, that unlike Frieza and his family; none of us were originally summoned to the castle! The Demon King has no real use for us! Especially, when he has all of Frieza's family, that accursed scientist, his creations, and those mad wizards at his side! Maybe I should have left you weak Primals, to rot instead of warning your group of the impending slavery the Demon King had in mind for us!" he spat back.
King Chard stood up in his chair as he growled at King Vegeta. His teeth gnashing at him. He took a step toward him as King Vegeta slowly stood up and stared at him with a smirk. "Oh please go ahead. I'll be happy to send you into the dirt again. It's amazing how after so many beatings you forget that I am far superior to you in strength ancestor."
King Chard roared as he jumped at his descendant. Kicking King Vegeta in the face. King Vegeta stumbled back a few steps spitting blood out of his mouth. His black eyes lighting up with a dark smile. "Well, well, looks like you've got stronger since the last meeting! Good, it's pathetic to think someone as weak as you once ruled our race!"
Both Kings began powering up, white auras lighting up the area as both rulers pushed their power out. Both kings aiming a kick at each other's head. Followed by a knife hand strike to the shoulder. Each attack getting faster and faster. Behind them King Rhubarb started conversing with the female Saiyan that was standing next to King Vegeta.
Pan looked on in shock. How were they supposed to help Otherworld and the Kais if they were going to waste time by pointless fighting? Wasn't this supposed to be a secret, quick council to determine the fate of the Universe? "This is madness..." the young girl said in shock.
"This is politics," Raditz said nonchalantly behind Pan looking at his fingers bored.
"Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down against us," Pan muttered out loud to her grandfather. The scared Saiyan only shook his head in annoyance at the fighting rulers ahead of him.
"If they're not here already," Bardock responded looking up into the sky searching for anyone.
The Demon King again ordered his guards to leave him alone as he entered his throne room. A small crystal ball sat on a pedestal on his throne. He had the wizards make it for him to monitor the fights and his forces. He stared at the empty ball. For the first time since he died, Daimaō was unsure of how to proceed. He had prided his tactical mind of being able to plan ahead with many contingencies. In his first conquest he had his children take out the world's military installations first, then the martial artists. He had not accounted for Human ingenuity to come up with a technique to lock him away for centuries. Then his his second campaign he sent Tambourine to find a way to track the world's martial artists and strike them down discreetly in case they knew the Evil Containment Wave. Then when Goku faced him he had thought his heart had stopped and left his body to rot, not blasting him to ashes. Had he done so, the child would not have returned more powerful than before. While he had created a contingency plan to avenge him...Junior had backfired on him so spectacularly that he sometimes questioned why he birthed him in the first place.
However, he grudgingly admitted to himself that Goku killing him was the best thing to happen to him in the long run. He had learned that the Earth was barely a speck in the grand scheme of things. Over the years of scouting and taking over various parts of Hell he had amassed strength and knowledge he couldn't even dream of back on Earth. Trying to find the actual Demon Realm in Hell was difficult enough. Most of the general population were wispy clouds unaware they were in Hell in the first place. The ogres refused to talk to him or his kind as they trusted nobody, but their own. The other denizens that were 'evil' enough to retain their bodies had no clue where it was. Not even his children that were down here for centuries from his first campaign had any clue of where it was.
Hell was so vast that one could spend an eternity flying in the wrong direction to find the Demon Realm itself. The Demons of old had hidden it's true location from the King Yemma and the Kais to hide their dealings. After being locked away from the Universe and trapped in Hell, the Demons had used their most powerful magics to hide it. For fifteen years Daimaō had gained followers from Demons he never knew existed. Finally realizing that he and his children were not the only Demons to exist, he began to recruit others from outside his own clan. It wasn't until Frieza had arrived in Hell that he learned he and Kami were from the Planet Namek. Vegeta's fight against Goku and the others had not been broadcasted as it wasn't important enough to be seen on the massive crystal ball. It had infuriated him that he wasn't a 'true' Demon according to the Demon population down here. He had gone on a killing spree when word got out and many Demons challenged his growing power; thinking he was a weak pretender. Daimaō then restyled himself to show he was a Demon based on his ruthlessness and power alone. He had proved to many challengers that he was evil incarnate when he broke their bodies and used them as examples.
Now he had a bigger problem to deal with. Those Demons he had found in various corners practically brain dead and in a coma like state were waking up. Some of them for the first time in millennia. Most of them were some of the soldiers that fought in the Demon-Kai War from those millions of years ago. He hadn't even been aware that you could fuse a soul together till he stumbled upon an old magic user that was hiding in a cave. He began thinking back to that experience trying to recall if there was something he easily missed...
'I swear if Tambourine was wrong I am going to rip his wings off and stuff them down his throat if he lied to me...' The green Demon thought to himself. He had been walking through this part of Hell for what felt like five hours. It was difficult to tell time as it didn't exist here in Hell. One never knew unless they approached an ogre guard and they always ran off at the sight of him these days. He had to be careful, he didn't want to attract the attention of King Yemma. He had mentioned when he sentenced him that he had a bunch of goody-two-shoes at his disposal that would knock him senseless. He knew he wasn't strong enough to face them. If he kept his body, then the warriors 'upstairs' probably had strength and a variety of techniques he could not begin to fathom. The upcoming Demon needed to quietly gather more power before he start announcing himself to Hell. He paused as he took in his surroundings.
It was an endless desert in every direction. Tambourine had mentioned that the person he was looking for had set up defenses to keep everyone out. When his scouts had flown over here they returned half-deranged. Some of them clamoring on about drowning in an endless ocean showing symptoms of near drowning, others fighting a fire giant hundreds of feet tall coming back badly burned, and a few said there was just a vast desert where the winds would separate them from the other scouts losing their voices unable to speak again from the sands getting into the mouth from the sand storm and destroying their throats.
This had caught their master's attention and after sending the more competent Tambourine on another scouting trip, his son returned two weeks later. He reported that the landscape would change if you entered the area the magician was hiding and came back a long time later. Tambourine hadn't attempted to look for the magician as he had seen what happened to his squad and his father cautioned him not to far into the magician's domain. He had found that the magician's abode was a circumference of four hundred miles. He had shared his memory of findings with his father and Daimaō immediately left with instructions of his forces hunkering down and holding their positions till he returned with his prize.
The green Demon required this magician as he heard whispers that he had the power to increase a Demon's strength. He currently was engaging a local warlord that refused to side with him in his grand plan. So he was forced to fight and take his territory. Nobody would pay attention as both their territories were small, insignificant, and were on the farthest corners of Hell. Daimaō had to smart small with his campaign. He realized that going into the center of Hell and challenge everyone was suicide. He had no clue who was down here and what powers they had. If he was going to be the true Demon King. He needed to start small and work his way up the food chain. Even if it took him an eternity, he would rule over Hell itself and no one would be able to stop him from accomplishing his goal.
The winds were starting up again indicating another sandstorm was going to start. He had been lucky in the past. He had stayed on the perimeter circling around for a day. From the reports the storms would appear more often the closer he got to his target. He had timed the storms and found that East End of the this accursed circle had the higher amount of storms. He had weathered the last one and began walking to the center. He found that flying would cause the storms to kick up the moment he took to the air. He had to find shelter soon. If the storm hit him he could lose his way and accidentally start walking in the wrong direction.
On the horizon dead ahead was a hut that he didn't see before. He had to be careful, he knew that this magician had placed many traps here and this could be another one. But, with the sand storm coming in behind him, he had choice than to forge on. The green demon quickly walked forward trying to gain more distance. The storm was arriving faster than he anticipated. He could hear the winds coming faster and could feel some of the sand begin to brush his clothes. Almost breaking into a run he reached for the handle of the door when it began to fade away from his grasp.
"NO!" he cried out in panic as he put more pressure on the handle. The hut seemed to flicker as if his grip was keeping the hut in place. The house fought him as he put his other hand on the handle. He began pulling on the door. The door shuttering from his touch as it refused to yield to him. The storm finally catching up to him as he felt the sands bashing into him. He kept his mouth closed, but the sand found itself in his lungs. The Demon's eyes stung as he kept them open and the sands hit him in the eyes over and over. Despite wanting to close his eyes, he knew he should keep his sight on the hut in case the magic made it disappear if his eyes were not kept on it.
The Demon roared in anger and pain as he pushed his shoulder in the door. It barely budged. He pushed again and again, but still the door would not yield. The harder he pushed against it the more difficult it came to keep his hand on the handle. The storm getting worse with each push.
"Curse you and your magic! Just open damn it!"
The door stood there as if mocking him for thinking he had any power of it. The Demon's eyesight was getting worse as he felt the sand start to tear into his eyes. He couldn't last much longer. His lungs heaving from the pressure of the storm as he felt each breath getting heavier.
In a last desperate act he pushed against the door, but as he pulled back his hand slipped as he pulled on the handle and the door opened allowing him inside. He stood there dumbfounded at how the door was built to resist manner of forcing entry in by pushing against the door. Something anyone would do during a sand storm. Not many would think to pull the door in. He snapped out of his shock and quickly took steps inside before the hut disappeared.
Immediately the door shut behind him. The Demon couldn't see or feel the winds of the sandstorm behind him. He figured the house was magically protected by some magic. This magician was proving to be quite the sneaky talent. One he would be glad to add to his forces. Whether the magician came willingly or by force did not matter to him.
He looked around and saw that it was only one room, dimly lit. The place was covered in dust as he guessed no one had come in here in years. The windows were covered by old curtains, yet none of the storm came in. The Demon mentally noted NOT to try and open the curtain. He detested magic and wasn't going to tempt fate. However, he required the mystic arts as his rivals used it, some more so than fighting prowess. There was a small table lit by a burning candle with some paper on the desk. A wooden chair was pushed back from the desk. He slowly walked forward as rushing in may trigger some traps. The Demon slowly peered down onto the table trying to discern what the contents of the paper said. Slowly the writing shifted as a riddle appeared.
Always wax, yet always wane: I melt, succumbéd to the flame.
Lighting darkness, with fate unblest, I soon devolve to shapeless mess.
The Demon inwardly cursed to himself. He knew better than to say anything out loud, lest he would void the riddle and be back in the storm. Why magicians wanted to do everything in riddles irked him to no end. He heavily sighed to calm himself as he collected his thoughts. He wished he brought Piano right now. The young analyst would spend time doing riddles when he had no duties to attend to. He claimed it was to keep his mind sharp and alert. His father decided that he would perhaps try to learn more of riddle work as he would no doubt that he would encounter more magicians in the future that would use them for their traps.
The green giant looked around the room for any clues. He didn't think there was a time limit for this. He didn't feel anything shift around him as he stood there thinking. However, he realized that he wouldn't have all of eternity to solve this riddle. Although perhaps the magician would be happy to torment someone for eternity at trying to solve his riddle. He couldn't see anything on the walls. One of the few things he was graced was a keen eyesight. His eyes couldn't see anything on the dark wood walls. He didn't bother to light the room up with a Ki orb as he figured it would trigger some sort of trap.
He slowly turned his head back to the door, but he couldn't see anything besides the old handle on the wooden door. There was nothing that stood out in the hut. Just the desk, chair, paper, and candle. He knew the clue was in here and doubted the riddle was talking about the sandstorm outside. As the landscape shifted every so often.
The green Demon looked at the paper again mulling it over. Wax and wane? Perhaps a moon? He knew a moon could be lit off of the rays of a star as it would be succumb to the sun's rays. It also did wax and wane base on it phases as it rotated on its axis while revolving around a planet. It did light up the night sky when it waxed, but it didn't devolve into a shapeless mess when it waned. Unless hit by a massive space rock or fall into a planet's gravitational pull, a moon wouldn't become a shapeless mess. He was tempted to say moon, but there was no moon seen in Hell. Only those stupid yellow clouds that made Hell be stuck in a permanent day mode. He gnashed his teeth in anger as he thought more about it.
A table didn't wax as it only stood there to hold an object, nor did a chair wane unless it burned to ash. However, neither a chair nor table could light up the darkness. The door behind him may wax the light into the room when they opened it up and waned the light in the room when it closed. But it wasn't on fire as this part of Hell wasn't on fire. While he didn't doubt that the area outside could light up in intense fire, the landscape kept changing to fast.
He also knew it wasn't paper as that would be to philosophical and the riddle seemed to look for a physical object in the room. He took a deep breath as there was only one thing left in the room. If he answered wrongly though, he didn't know what would happen to him. He took a deep breath and spoke the answer loudly and clearly.
"Candle."
Suddenly the room got brighter as the candle glowed. He heard a thump as he saw something appear behind the table. He angled his head as he saw a latch slowly materialize on the floor. The room lit up and he saw the walls covered in dried blood. Mysterious writings on the wall written in a language he couldn't understand. Scratch marks on the walls with arrows pointing to the latch. He sighed again, steadying himself as he prepared for the next test.
Slowly the Demon walked around the table and knelt down to examine the trap door. He didn't feel any energy from the hatch and his excellent hearing didn't pick up and noise. He slowly put his hand on the latch. It was neither hot nor cold to the touch. So he slowly opened the door. Beneath was a rope ladder that was lit up by more torches leading down onto the hole.
His eyes peered down into the darkness as he looked for any danger. No traps were seen as he slowly lowered himself down into the door. As he climbed down he noticed that more blood writing was on the walls around him. This time with two individuals drawn as stick figures. Both standing close to each other as he noticed a story was being told. Each step down would lit up another torch and tell the blood story on the walls. One figure got closer and placed a hand on the other's chest. Then they both lit up in a blazing aura. One of them dissolving into the other. The remaining figure grew bigger as he went out battling his opponents. However, over time he saw the figure grasping his head kneeling down as if in pain. Suddenly a second head burst from his neck. His arms wrapping itself around his neck as each head tried to strangle and kill the other.
The Demon reached the bottom of the ladder and saw a mural of the figure driven mad from having two heads as he did everything to destroy himself, but the mural showed him coming back from the grave only to try and kill himself again.
"What could this mean?" The Demon murmured to himself as he looked at the mural at the bottom of the ladder.
He felt a hand grab his shoulder as he was roughly turned around. Behind him stood a blue figure. His skin peeling off his body. Nails grown out into sharp, black, claws. A blood red loin cloth covering their body. It's yellow teeth gnashed at him and screamed in pain.
The green giant immediately powered up as he pushed the creature back. It grunted in pain as he hit the wall behind him. The creature let out a loud shriek that caused the Demon to cover his ears from its pitch. His ears writhing in pain. The creature pushed him to the ground, his face smashing into the floor. The creature stood over him as the Demon turned his body around. Ready to attack when he heard the creature speak.
"You will not take him! I defy you mural!" The creature's deep voice said as it pushed himself and his visitor back. The green giant looked confused as he looked past the creature.
The mural was moving at it came to life. The creature that was dying and coming back to life came out of the wall. Its stones forming a monster as it turned to the both of them.
The green Demon stood up as he powered up. He held one hand out with the other steadying his grip, taking aim at the figure, he launched his attack. "Explosive Demon Wave!"
The golden Ki beam slammed into the stones as it fell to pieces. Coating the area around them in dust. The creature ran behind him in shock as the mural fell to pieces. Behind the wall was a tapestry of a green giant Demon sitting on a throne with armies of figures striking out from him. The tapestry showed the figure standing with the background showing a place in flames, stars, and a golden sun lighting up a green field. The creature slowly walked forward mesmerized by it.
"The tapestry...I can...I can see it..." the creature said in reverence. Slowly he touched the tapestry, but drew his hand back. Testing to see if was real. His hand gliding over the tapestry. The creature seemed to laugh not noticing the green giant behind him.
"Who are you? What is going on?" the green giant asked him. The blue creature turned to look at the giant. His eyes lighting up in recognition. He immediately bowed to him in reverence.
"Daimaō. The prophesied Daimaō has come at last!"
The green giant snarled in anger. "Do not call me that! I am no Demon King. I refuse to be called that until I take over Hell!" he snarled.
The blue creature shrunk back in fear. "But, you are! You are the true Daimaō that had been foretold in ages past to lead us to victory!"
The other Demon rolled his eyes. "Spare me your rambling. Where is the magician that is hiding here! I have need of his service to defeat my enemies!"
The blue creature trembled as he responded. "Forgive me great one, but there is no magician here. I was trapped here countless eons ago by a magician that promptly had his soul destroyed by his peers once I was locked up. The current Demon King of the time feared me of my knowledge of some...arcane rituals," the creature said.
The green Demon's eyes lit up in anger as he cursed to himself. All of this traveling and time wasted on a pathetic prisoner. He'd be better off beating him onto a bloody pulp and getting out of here. Least he'd have some enjoyment in hitting something. He lit up a red orb in his palm as he held it out in front of him.
The blue creature cried out in panic. "Wait my lord! Please at least here me out then do as you wish. I have valuable information on two techniques that many Demons do not know of. Grant me this request and I swear you will be satisfied!"
The green Demon's face didn't change as he looked at the creature before him. He had been stuck here for who knows how long and wasn't driven insane? Most Demons he met that were found locked up in caves with no form of contact to anyone were brainless, screeching, annoyances. The fact that this one seemed to be perfectly coherent surprised him. Against his baser desires to beat him, he powered down the red orb as he stared at the blue demon. "Fine, your response to my questions will determine your fate. First who are you and how did you come here?" he asked the blue demon.
The blue demon licked his lips. "My name is Abraxas and I am the last of my order. My order was gifted with prophetic visions from the use of our magic. However, I am merely an apprentice as the order was hunted down by the Demon King of the time, Demon King Gaki. For the grand master of our order had received a vision concerning the Demon Realm. It was of the tapestry you see behind you. A outsider from the royal Demon line would supplant Demon King Gaki's descendants from the throne and usher a darkness not seen since the Demon-Kai War. The outsider would be a tall green monster cast off from a lower guardian of an insignificant planet," Abraxas said.
The green Demon's eyes narrowed. How would this Demon locked up by this amount of magic know that he was the other half of a planet's guardian? He knew he hadn't been let out in a long time based on his appearance and frankly the smell. He had become aware of seers down here, but didn't think any of them were real as the population was dead and could no longer influence the living Universe at large. The story intrigued him.
"Demon King Gaki grew scared at the prospect of his line being over throne as it had held the throne ever since our banishment down here. He would not risk his family losing power so he rounded up all the members of our order and killed them. As I was a lowly apprentice I was tortured for years before another tribe of magicians locked me down here with the tapestry I made as torment of a reminder of our order's act of 'treason'. The blood on the walls you saw upstairs and here was mine. They used it to hide the tapestry that I made it that it could not be destroyed; except for a counter spell I made. The mural was placed over it to try and make me forget what was behind the wall after being alone for so many years," Abraxas told him.
"So your order issued a prophecy that your ruler didn't like and killed everyone off? I guess that idiot didn't think of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The figure on your tapestry may look like me, but that means nothing. It could be any other green Demon down here," the tall Demon said.
"There is more to the tapestry. This is the middle of it. Destroy most of the wall around it and you will see more details of your own birth and accession as ruler of the Demon Realm!" Abraxas told him.
The green giant huffed as he fired golden Ki blasts past Abraxas ears to destroy the three sections of the wall. The stones crumbling to the ground as the green giant turned to look behind him where Abraxas pointed to the tapestry's beginning and studied it.
He saw what looked like Kami casting him out from his body. He lowered his vision as he saw his first conquest of Earth and then being imprisoned in a rice cookie jar. A small blue imp releasing him from his prison as he looked older on the tapestry. A dragon circling itself around him as his youth was restored to him. Finally his own defeat by what looked like a small gorilla child. His fists shaking at the image of Goku killing him. The final part was him sending his final egg out into distance as he exploded.
He turned the next wall and saw him facing a giant red ogre, most likely King Yemma and being sentenced to Hell despite his struggles. His own image gathering an army of his children as he fought across the landscape conquering the different parts of Hell. However, he began to notice little figures hovering besides his head with each conquest.
The next wall showed a giant battle in a courtyard as he fought a pink Demon with half a crown on its head. It shifting to him holding the head up high with his legions bowing to him. He turned back to where Abraxas was standing and saw himself sitting on the throne, that he noticed was more grandeur than the one he fashioned for himself on Earth. Underneath the throne he noticed the writing that said 'Piccolo Daimaō' in fancy writing. Around him were the legions of Demons leaving for conquest.
He turned to the final corner and saw the stars bowing to him as he sat on his throne. The figures that were above his head were gone as he looked whole. Demons were terrorizing random people in the far corners as he ruled the very stars themselves with an iron fist. The mural caused him to smile for a moment till he began laughing. Abraxas took a step back as he was unsure what would happen to him.
"So you think showing me a pretty tapestry is going to change my mind? I'm still going to beat you senseless. You offered a nice story, but I don't believe in fairy tales. I'll make you wish I could destroy your soul," the giant green Demon said.
Abraxas merely sighed despondently. "Go ahead, you think I haven't tried to kill myself or the group that locked me down here didn't try to kill me before they left me here? I've been trying to end my existence in every way. Blowing myself up, redirecting an energy wave to hit me from any point in my body, throwing my body against the wall, anything I can think of and I'm trapped."
"What's to stop me from dragging you upstairs to the hut? If I drag you out of this cellar, I'm sure I could kill you then," the green giant grinned at him. The blue demon promptly felt himself be grabbed and thrown up into the air to the open latch.
Only to hit an invisible wall with a resounding thunk and landing back down on the cellar floor. Abraxas was dazed from the impact and lied on the floor. His would be killer scowled in annoyance.
"Well I suppose you're right. You are stuck down here. No matter, you've merely wasted my time as you are not the one I seek," Abraxas' tormentor said cracking his knuckles.
"Wait please I may not be the one you were seeking, but besides the prophecy I know of two techniques that may help you in the future like I said before!" Abraxas cried.
The tall Demon huffed as he had forgotten that he agreed to learn of these two techniques he spoke about. He would humor him for now. Usually imps such as this Abraxas had almost nothing to offer.
"The first is a forbidden technique that almost none of our kind know. It was stamped out when the royal family realized that it could be used against them. My order was one of the last few to openly know about it, besides the few soldiers that survived the Demon-Kai War. He merely used this as another reason to destroy us. It can help you become far stronger than you can imagine," Abraxas paused licking his lips as he scrunched up his face trying to recall the specifics. "Are you aware of a process known as fusion?"
The giant Demon nodded. Some of the newer recruits had mentioned to his children whom had passed it on to their father. He had entered the minds of his new followers and watched the process of two individual beings becoming a new warrior far powerful than either could be on their own. Usually the effects were temporary as no one down here had figured out a way to make it permanent.
"Well this is a much more...difficult technique. This type of fusion allows to souls to merge permanently. Not many know that the Supreme Kais can fuse together using some powerful magic. My ancestors studied the technique and made a dangerous variation of it. One Demon is used as the 'host' body and the other fused their soul into the other, becoming subservient to the host. While it grants power beyond anything the host could do on its own there are complications..." Abraxas said trailing off.
"What kind of complications?" The green Demon asked slowly.
Abraxas shuffled his feet and lowered his eyes. "While one body may be the 'host'. The other will remain buried deep in their subconscious and after a while may start to want control of the body when they realize how much stronger they've become. Thus, they start a fight within the mind to take back control. I've heard of alien races where their fusion causes the subservient one to fade away, but ours is more of a prison. The one locked away is always aware and alert. After a while they begin to see everything through your eyes and go insane unable to interact and only watch. Eventually it causes the mind to shatter and the fused being goes insane. Some tried to kill themselves to be free of the pain, but most of them would just end up back near the beginnings of Hell. It got to the point where the Supreme Kais had to erase the souls of these Demons permanently as they were rampaging and causing too much trouble down here in Hell."
The green Demon mulled this over. He had the concept of what fusion was even before he was killed. His counterpart had cast him out over three centuries ago and it had grazed his mind he could reverse the process and fuse back together. But, he didn't want to have his good counterpart influencing his thoughts as he did before Kami cast him out. This new fusion technique sounded exactly what he was trying to avoid. While gaining power would help his short-term aims. He wanted to remain in control of his body, mind, and soul for the long-term and this sounded like this wouldn't help him.
"However, my order discovered something about this technique that was overlooked. If someone were to say fuse with a brain-dead Demon. Then the host wouldn't have any problems. As there wouldn't be a battle of wills in the host's subconsciousness, the host would have total control without fear of losing their sanity," Abraxas told him.
"Brain-dead Demons? How would that even work? Most of the 'lost' Demons I run into are babbling animals, constantly screeching, yelling, and crying at the top of their lungs. If any Demons are this affected their soul is taken back to the entrance of Hell or if the ogre guard find them they're brought to King Yemma, and he forcibly reincarnates them," The Demon told him.
Abraxas shrugged. "Some may be magically enchanted like I am or are in remote corners of Hell that they escape the notice of anyone, including those ogre guards. As for the second technique I can teach you how to completely erase souls, so they never regenerate at the entrance of Hell," Abraxas said.
This actually piqued his visitor's interest. He had grown quiet annoyed when he would blast a Demon to ashes, only to find out that they reform at the beginning of Hell. His new recruits had explained that only the Kais and Yemma could erase a soul from existence. Hell was built so that nobody could kill anyone and thus further aggravate most of the damned as nearly all of them had killed someone in their life time.
For what felt like an hour Abraxas had explained how to properly deconstruct and destroy a soul. It had required a small, but precise understanding of the magic arts. He could already use some basic magic to materialize objects from thin air. Bending small fabrics of the Universe to what he desired was not very strenuous. However, he used it for small objects that he needed at the time. Abraxas informed him he merely had to do the opposite. Instead of creating an object, he was destroying it. But, the process of doing it to a soul would take a lot of time and practice. The soul was the most confusing thing in the Universe and traversing through it took a lot of time and patience. With time he would be able to incorporate it into his own Ki blast attacks and it would become natural for him.
Finally the green Demon rose and began climbing up the ladder. This trip wasn't a total loss and while he didn't have the magician to help him destroy his rivals. He could use this new technique on how to erase souls to help him. It would certainly turn the tide of battle if he suddenly erased a local warlord in the middle of the battle, thus further cementing his power. However, he realized he would need to practice this for a long time before he could even think of using it in a battle as getting it wrong could erase himself instead.
"If I ever have need of your obscure knowledge I'll be sure to go through that damn desert and answer another riddle to see you," The green Demon said sarcastically heading up.
Abraxas looked up as his visitor left the trap door open so he would be tormented by the knowledge that freedom would always escape him. With the spell mostly broken his body would no longer be magically sustained and he knew it would only be a matter of time before he finally lost his sanity.
The green Demon cautiously walked outside and noticed that the desert was gone. Before him was the usual rocky landscape of Hell, finally freed of the accursed magic that plagued the hut for so long. The Demon flew back to his camp. Defeating his rivals would take even longer than anticipated. He landed back in the center of his camp where his son Cymbal ran to him bowing.
"My Lord, you have returned! Was your search successful?"
His father only snarled at his son and smacked him across the face sending him to the ground. "Do I have anyone with me you idiot? What is with you asking stupid questions?"
Cymbal merely cowered at his father and apologized. His father merely rolled his eyes and noticed some of his soldiers were bringing in prisoners to interrogate. Most of them were a ranting about their impending death and he doubted he would gain any information about his rivals. One of them however; was being dragged by a rope around his neck. The restrained Demon only stared at the ground unresponsive and seemed...lost. They kept bumping into their fellow prisoners and he never noticed when they yelled at him.
"The one with the rope around his neck. Why is he so quiet? Every prisoner we've captured has been obnoxiously loud," The Demon patriarch asked his son.
Cymbal turned to look at him. "The wretch sire? He was a magic user that tried to help his unit. However, when it became apparent that we were going to win, he decided to erase his mind than be pried of any information," his son told him.
His father's eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. "Bring him to my quarters. I need something to torture since my mission was a failure," he spat at Cymbal before departing. His son merely bowed and went over to rely the orders to the guards. The guards immediately gave the rope to Cymbal and he led the Demon to his father's quarters. Since they had only started their campaign his father had little to no land and was stuck in a dark cave as his own quarters while his sons stayed outside. No one was allowed in unless they were summoned and their father had spent days alone in there. Many had heard the screams of the victims he tortured in there, nobody questioned when this mute captive went in and was never seen again.
Their leader had spent four days in there alone with the prisoner. Strangely no screams of anguish, of release, of mercy were heard from the prisoner. This surprised many as their lord was known to make his captives scream to the heavens for hours before blasting them away. Only for them to reform at the beginning of Hell where they would be captured and taken again before the ogres noticed what was going on.
Suddenly a white light was seen coming from the cave as they heard their leader roar in pain. His guards ran in thinking, someone had slipped by and was trying to assassinate him. The two guards were heard screaming as the cave shook from explosions. The camp on full alert as more rushed in to stop what was going on. Suddenly one of the guard's arm was thrown back out the cave's entrance. The camp was on full alert as they approached the cave.
Only to see their leader come out holding the decapitated heads of his guards and squashing them to bits in his hands. His power soared as pushed it out for his followers to see. None of them noticing that their leader was stronger than before...
"Let this be a lesson to all of you! If any of you do not pay attention and properly interrogate prisoners then I will slaughter the lot of you myself!" he roared frightening many of his followers. "The imp of a Demon I had brought in here tried to assassinate me by enduring my torture and getting me when my back is down! Check and make sure that they're properly brain dead you worthless imps!"
The camp broke into a frenzy trying to figure out who brought the last group in with Cymbal swearing to beat the group responsible for the assassination attempt on their father. Nobody noticed the smile on their leader's face as he stared at his palms with a new plan forming. His conquest would now be much quicker.
*TWENTY YEARS LATER*
The newly crowned Demon King had entered a nearly destroyed hut and looked at the floor. The hatch was no longer there, but he can still see the rope ladder. He knew the magic that held sway of this area had long since passed. He walked down the decaying rope ladder to the cellar.
The torches once again lit up like they did all those years ago. The tapestry around him was still in kept. No doubt the only bit of magic left in this place. He reached the bottom and turned to the prisoner.
Abraxas looked older than ever before. His eyes glossy as he stared at the wall behind the new Demon King. His skin was cracked and his nails dirtier than before. The magic that purposely kept him sane had broken years ago. Being stuck in solitude unable to leave, talk to anyone, or even die had broken his mind. The Demon King waved his hands in front of his glossy eyes, screamed in his ears, and even kicked him in the side of the head sending him into the wall. Abraxas made no sound as he hit the wall and didn't bother to get up. The Demon King smiled at this and probed his mind. He found nothing. Not a thought or a sound was found. Abraxas was long gone and the only thing left was an empty husk, just perfect for the Demon King's goals.
He put a hand on Abraxas head as he further entered his mind. "Looks like you were right Abraxas. I am the prophesied Demon King. Too bad no one will ever know of what you told me. I can't have any loose ends and besides...now you'll finally be free of your torment." The Demon King gleefully informed him.
A bright light engulfed the cellar as Abraxas disappeared and the Demon King felt his power and knowledge of the mystic arts increase. More details of the prophecy flooded his mind as he knew what to do now that he was finally in control of the Demon Realm. Big changes were coming within the next decade. He had to move slow and conceal his movements though. He waited twenty years for his revenge. He could wait another decade if need be.
He looked around at the tapestry around him and made up his mind. He grabbed a torch and held it to each corner as the wall lit up in flames. He laughed climbing up the ladder. He flew out of the hut and gathered up a portion of his strength and blew it up, erasing its contents forever. No one would know who or what was locked away down there. And if someone had found there way down there in the past twenty years he didn't care. He was in charge of everyone now. Soon all of the Universe and Otherworld would be his...
Daimaō snapped out of his thoughts as he saw the crystal ball light up in front of him. One of the fights had just finished, but he paid no attention to it. He didn't care who won. He had more important things to worry about. His trip to see the previous owner of this throne did nothing to waylay his fears. He could already feel it happening. The lower Demons he merged with were waking up. None of them really stuck out in his mind. He was surprised he didn't feel Abraxas, but since he was one of the last, he may take longer to become aware of what's happening.
The Demon King sighed heavily. He had hoped that it would never come to this. He was so assure of his superiority that he once again let his pride get ahead of him. He had such high plans for his son. He was going to have him lead his armies all over the cosmos as he took control the rest of the Universe. Even combining the territories of Bojack and the Cold Empires at their height, they had nothing compared to what hid out there. Aliens and warriors with unique abilities that he couldn't begin to fathom. Junior would have been perfect. His calm intelligent and fighting prowess would have been a boon to the front lines as most of his generals and captains were a bunch of hotheads. It irritated him to no end that the Demon race had a bad habit of getting so caught in its blood lust it would lose sight of the battlefield. Even he admitted that when it came to fighting he would get caught up in trying to physically break his opponent by any means that he wouldn't take a step back and try a more practical approach to combat.
While Junior was supposed to be his crown fighter, his role was still nothing compared to his father. He did not spend all of this time fighting for the throne of the Demon Realm just to become a dribbling loon. No, his destiny was to rule everything and sometimes sacrifices must be made. It was regrettable, but Daimaō's will was absolute. Nothing could come between him and his destiny. Not even his own flesh and blood.
With another weary sigh, the Demon King began to meditate. He would need his mind clear to fuse with his son. He could not risk any of those other Demons taking over during the delicate process. He would stand over the corpses of his enemies with or without his son standing by his side.
Bardock finally had enough, both of them had been fighting for five minutes. King Chard had a cut lip and King Vegeta had a black eye. He stood up and fired a Ki blast in between King Vegeta and King Chard's. Both of them wildly turning to Bardock in rage.
"This is exactly why Frieza and his family were able to enslave us for so long! You two keep bickering over the dumbest things and do not focus on the task at hand! Our arrogance cost us our lives, do NOT let it cost us our souls as well!" Bardock barked at them. King Chard took a step toward Bardock, barring his teeth at him in a rage that a mere commoner would dare attack one of royal blood. Bardock eyed the approaching monarch with a huff. "As much as I would like to leave you all to rot, I will not make the same mistake I did before Frieza killed us all. You WILL hear what I have to say whether you like it or not!"
A sharp whistle was heard behind them, King Rhubarb had walked away from his conversation with King Vegeta's female companion and stood before the three of them. "Come now, King Chard, King Vegeta let us dispel this pointless squabble and reconvene our meeting. I believe we can at least agree that we do not have a lot of time," the middle monarch said.
Both of the leaders huffed in annoyance as they made their way back to their thrones. King Vegeta took a slow deep breath before turning his gaze back to Bardock motioning his head to continue.
The scared Saiyan took a moment gathering his thoughts before beginning again. "As I stated earlier I receive visions of important events. After we relocated to this part of Hell, I received another one regarding Pan, daughter of Gohan. She is my great-granddaughter and I saw her as the key to stopping the Demon King. I requested to be put on the outlying patrols as I saw her getting lost in Hell. I had hoped that I would find her and take her in before a stray Demon found her."
"Well the odds of that must have been small," King Rhubarb said chuckling. "Again I applaud your abilities. From what you've said you can only see the background. Since most of the landscape around Hell is the same that is astounding."
Bardock nodded at him and continued. "She is the key, because of that sword," the scared Saiyan said pointing to the weapon Raditz was holding onto. Raditz merely held it up high for the others to see. "From what she's informed my son and I that sword has some powerful magic on it. The Kais themselves enchanted it to let one pure of heart perform an exorcism. And who better than a young child on peaceful Earth to use it?" Bardock asked.
The Saiyan was met with silence as the three royals looked from the sword to the child. "So...you want child...to stab Demon King?" King Chard asked incredulously. King Vegeta massaged his head in frustration as King Rhubarb started to smirk at the young girl. A friendly gleam in his eye. "Why don't we listen to the girl. If this council meeting is about her. Why don't we let her talk?"
Bardock turned to Pan and moved out of the way, bowing to the three of them. Pan slowly stepped forward. All three kings staring down at her. She felt small, like a gazelle caught between three lions stalking around her. Waiting to pounce the moment she slipped up. She took a deep breath to steady herself before looking up into King Vegeta's eyes.
"My name is Pan, daughter of Gohan. I'm not going to go into a long tale of my life. Or try to explain that it's the right thing to help the armies of Heaven. I see that words won't persuade you so it may take a bit of action," She said grabbing the sword from Raditz. She lifted it up as high as she could. Looking directly into the blade and seeing the reflection of the three kings. King Chard looking annoyed, King Rhubarb smiling, and King Vegeta's indifference glare. "Purgo!" Pan shouted in a loud voice.
Immediately the sword lit up in flames, blinding all present. Everyone shielding their eyes from the bright light. Pan stood motionless as she looked into the sword. Wanting to bring it closer as the heat from the weapon felt pure. She felt her body ignite with power as she smiled at it. The rest of the Saiyans around her tried to shrink away from the light as it's heat was burning them. Pan noticed this and panicked. She didn't know how to stop the spell! The last time this happened her grandfather dropped it and the sword stopped working. "STOP!"
On command the flames vanished, Pan felt the heat dissipate and looked around. The Saiyans walked forward slowly. Most of them rubbing their eyes in trying to ease the pain. Bardock, whom was the closest, was rubbing his arms in discomfort. As if trying to cool them down. Pan lowered the sword and looked at King Vegeta.
"Make your decision quickly. We are running out of time! The armies of Heaven will not be able to hold out for much longer! You have the chance to rise up and show the Universe that even Death cannot stop the mighty Saiyan race! Are we a race of warriors? Or are we rats that hide in the dark?" She asked the monarchs before them.
King Vegeta's eyes changed. They no longer held the cold contempt, but rather an understanding. Behind his gloves Pan couldn't see him smile.
"Well then..." King Rhubarb said slowly. "I call for a vote."
*Jason9000: That'll be it for this chapter. This one was even longer than the last. While this was more of an exposition chapter, I believe it was for the best. More information on how the Demon King became so strong and finally Bardock enacted his plan to try and convince the Saiyans to go to war. We'll find out later if his plan works out.