Goku and Vegeta hovered over the dead landscape below. Both Saiyans were in the form of the silver Super Saiyan Five. No words had been spoken since Vegeta had saved his friend from darkness and despair. It was Goku who broke that silence.
"We still have one king left to defeat Vegeta." Goku said.
"He will be a challenge. Are you sure your ready Kakorot?" Vegeta asked with a slight smile.
"I'm no weakling myself. Since our first battle I've gotten much stronger. I'm absolutely certain that my power level is way over nine thousand." Goku said
Vegeta laughed
"You remember that?" Vegeta asked.
"How could I forget? You yelled its over nine-thousand all dramatically and then broke that scouter." Goku said.
Vegeta laughed again even as five figures approached. The rest of the group had arrived, sensing the battle between Vegeta and Goku had ended.
"Is everyone alright? Father?" Goten asked.
"I'm much better..thanks to Vegeta." Goku said quietly.
"Bardock, Pikkon..where is Kohryu?" Vegeta asked suddenly.
"He went off to confront Azrael himself. He said there was something he needed to know." Bardock said.
In the distance the dark canyons and valleys made way for a great valley covered in countless bones. It was hear where Azrael's throne was located..and it was here that Kohryu walked silently threw the valley towards death itself.
Kohryu stared ahead at the figure before him. Azrael stood up from his throne of bone, staring at Kohryu with dark eyes.
Azrael's face was a fascade of white, pale as the bones he surrounded himself with. His black robes were darker than the blackest night. The scythe he carried, a weapon that had slain countless millions, had been mended and was restored and whole.
"Azrael..I am here to ask you to stop this foolishness. I don't know what has happened to you..but none of this is you." Kohryu asked, his golden wings and white clothing contrasting sharply with the darkness surrounding him.
Kohryu's face looked like that of an older male human, with worry lines and a white mustache that gave him the appearence of wisdom.
"Stop? Death cannot be stopped..merely delayed. You and the mortals you surround yourself with cannot stop what is occurring anymore than a rock can stop a tsunami." Azrael said.
In the distance seven powers approached.
"You were never like this before. What is it that makes you do this? What is the purpose of your actions." Kohryu asked.
"I am going to end the eternal struggle between good and evil. In so doing I will bring the peace that so many sentient beings have longed for since time began." Azrael said as dull clouds formed in the sky.
"You cannot end that struggle..you know as well as anyone what must occur." Kohryu said, clutching his hands into fists.
Goku, Vegeta and the rest of the Z-gang landed behind Kohryu.
"Kohryu what is going on?" Ultimo asked
Ultimo was a shining figure of gold amid the blackness of the surrounding terrain, a beacon of light in a world of darkness.
"I was trying to talk sense into someone who was an admirable figure...but I am sad to say it just is not possible." Kohryu said sadly.
"It is not I who is misguided or mistaken in my path. It is you. All of you know nothing..understand..nothing of the true nature of existence." Azrael said, pausing before speaking again even as the sound of thunder was heard in the sky.
"I however know all to well. The moment life comes into existence..it seeks to destroy other life, even as that life is swirling by nature of its own existence towards death itself. All life..all of you..what you truly desire is this cycle to end..for life itself..to end. Only in death can one find true peace." Azrael said
"That is nonsense. You claim death is the only absolute...that nothing matters..yet you fail to recognize the things that matter to countless lifeforms. To live..to love..to experience creation..all of that matters." Kohryu said with passion in his voice.
"We always fought to protect the Earth because we knew that there were plenty of people, with plenty of reasons to live..worth fighting for. Death is not all that matters." Goten said, stepping forward, his foot making a crunching sound as he stepped on a skull.
"Our passions..that which interests us..those may not matter to you Azrael..but to me..and to all that cherish such things..those things matter." Trunks said.
"I have learned there is value in mortal existence..even if you fail to understand that..I understand it." Ultimo said.
"I've killed many in my day..many who had hopes and dreams just as much as I. I have learned that life is not something to be thrown away. Life is a gift, and it is how one lives that matters..more than how one dies." Bardock said as he stood beside his son and grandson.
"Life...it is a hard thing at times. But all those simple moments..looking at a waterfall in the middle of a desert, gazing up at the stars..it is moments like that that make life worth living. If you desire to take all that away..then I have a problem with that." Pikkon said as he placed his right fist into his left hand and cracked his neck to the side.
"I appreciate everyone's desire to help..but Kakorot and I must fight him alone." Vegeta said
Goku nodded.
"You can't be serious father?" Trunks protested.
"Get a safe distance." Vegeta said flatly.
In seconds the other Z-Fighters flew off, landing what was assumed to be a safe distance from the upcoming battle.
Azrael stood proudly over the valley of death that was his domain. His pale white face displayed no emotion, only a cold stony gaze, his eyes full of malice and hate, nothing showed any kind of emotion on the angel of death.
Azrael's black robes fluttered in the breeze which suddenly swept threw the bone covered valley. Overhead the sky was covered in sick looking dull grey clouds. Not a single ray of light penetrated to give the ground relief from the darkness. Like a heart black as night, Azrael's six shriveled black wings hardly moved behind the tenth king, hinting at his former existence as a Seraph.
Goku clutched his fists. Grief and rage built up inside him.
"From the moment I stepped into demon world you have been attacking my mind, my character. You truly have no honor. But that ends now. I am going to bury you Azrael, bury you alongside all the bones here in this valley." Goku said.
Azrael laughed briefly.
"You think you can defeat me? I who haunt your nightmares? I who am the personification of your worst fears?" Azrael said with a grin.
"What is the point for all this death and destruction? Why do you believe what you do." Goku said with a voice full of sorrow.
"Your wasting your time Kakorot. Think of him as an enemy..nothing more." Vegeta said flatly.
Azrael clutched his scythe tightly before answering.
"Because it is who I am. From the very beginning of creation I was the one who supplied mortals with the means to wage war, to kill." Azrael said coldly, his voice sounding hollow and his very presence feeling like the chill of the grave.
"For what purpose?" Goku asked.
"Because I could. Because I wanted to prove to the source of all, the creator, that death was the natural preference of creation. I wanted to prove the futility of life, an existence you mortals only experience in an insignificant moment in time." Azrael said
"Our lives may be short..but they have meaning. From the largest monument to the smallest letter..people have value." Vegeta said calmly.
"Mortals destroy much more than they build. It has always been easier for you mortals to destroy than it is to create. Even the things you build are destined to one day crumble to dust, for as everything comes from dust..so to must it return to dust." Azrael said.
"No your wrong Azrael. There is a point to life. Even if we build something, if it brings happiness and helps others..no matter how temporary..it is worth it." Goku said
Overhead the crash of thunder was heard, a brief flash of lightning pierced the darkness of the valley and illuminated the millions of bones, if only for an instant.
Rain began to pore from the sky, drenching the valley in water.
"You have made yourself a champion of life Goku, yet why do you defend life when you know life's only true purpose is to die? You mortals are nothing..less than nothing in the grand scheme of things." Azrael said
"Enough!" Vegeta roared.
Azrael and Goku both turned towards the Saiyan prince.
"I have had it with your nihilism. You claim the only point of existence is pointlessness, but what makes you the judge of what and what does not matter? I once thought only my own personal power mattered, yet I learned what it was to love and to truly live. So what if my life is temporary? Who cares if I will one day breathe my last? What matters is how I spend the time I have. It is not the destination, but the journey that matters. So don't you dare claim that our lives are meaningless!" Vegeta said with passion.
Azrael pointed his scythe at the valley.
"You see the bones without number that line this valley? All of them were mortal heroes such as you two. All of them champions of life who thought they had the answers. They all thought they could challenge me and emerge victorious." Azrael said, his face briefly flashing a cruel grin.
"Is that supposed to scare us?" Vegeta asked
"Whether you feel fear or not matters little. The point is...millions like yourselves have stood where you stand now. They all fought for justice...but the only thing they received was the justice of the grave." Azrael said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Well I have news for you Azrael. This moment in time will be a turning point in the destiny of the universe. Today..here and now you will face the same fate you brought on so many others. You will face the justice of the grave you have brought upon so many others!" Vegeta said, his aura becoming brighter, taking on a white radiance.
Goku narrowed his eyes at Azrael and spoke, his silver Super Saiyan Five body wet from the rain.
"Vegeta is right. For eons you have spread death and destruction. Everyone you have ever killed, all the innocent blood you have spilled, will be avenged!" Goku said with passion, his aura increasing in intensity as well.
"The only thing the two of you will accomplish is adding yet two more dead bodies for my collection." Azrael said, readying his scythe for combat.
"Bring it on!" Goku yelled.
Azrael pointed his free hand up towards the sky, and pointed to the heavens.
A enormous bolt of lightning descended down towards the battlefield, Goku and Vegeta barely managed to avoid the attack.
"The only absolute in this battle...as with all things..is death." Azrael said gesturing with his free hand at the surrounding valley.
The ground violently shook as millions of skeletal remains stood up. In moments Goku and Vegeta were surrounded by an army of undead. Millions of mindless skeletons gazed without eyes at the two saiyan heroes.
"Now you gaze into the abyss heroes. Did you honestly believe you could kill death itself?" Azrael yelled with a booming voice.
Goku smiled even as he readied himself for the incoming onslaught of undead.
"If the only absolute is death..then even death can die." Goku said.
With those words the onslaught began. Skeletons rushed towards the Saiyan duo. Vegeta punched a skeleton into dust with his right fist, then brought his left fist forward and delivered to another the same fate.
Goku's arms glowed as he brought his double dragon fist down upon a hundred incoming skeletons, destroying them all in an instant.
Vegeta placed his hands together and fired his Hyper Nova attack, which burnt another hundred to a crisp.
"If this keeps up we will be out of energy Kakorot." Vegeta yelled.
"Switch to normal attacks." Goku said as he kicked an incoming skeleton into dust.
Azrael hovered over the valley, scythe in hand.
"Do you not see that you are a part of the very thing you claim to oppose? You oppose destruction..yet even now you destroy these remains which assault you." Azrael yelled.
"I'd pay good money if he'd shut up." Vegeta said as he brought his right knee up and into an attacking skeleton.
"I think we are playing right into his hands by fighting these." Goku said as he blocked an attack from a skeleton, causing it to crumble on impact.
"I see what your saying." Vegeta said
"Lets take the fight to him." Goku suggested.
As one the two Super Saiyan Fives flew into the sky towards Azrael.
"Not even the two of you together are a match for my power." Azrael said as he moved his scythe ever so slightly.
Vegeta caught Azrael's scythe before he could unleash his deadly attack on them, while Goku swung his left leg around and slammed his foot into Azrael's head.
Azrael went flying downwards, creating a crater and destroying hundreds of skeletons in the process.
"I WARNED YOU FOOLS...NOW YOU SHALL PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR FOOLISHNESS." Azrael spat..
Suddenly, two massive red lasers erupted from Azrael's eyes towards Goku and Vegeta.
Quickly, the two Saiyans flew over the ray. Instead of striking his opponents, Azrael struck a cliffside in the distance, cleaving it in two and causing a huge explosion, the remaining pieces of the cliffside falling as debris to the ground.
"You choose to oppose death..and death is all that will await you." Azrael said
Goku and Vegeta flew forwards at Azrael. In seconds Azrael was forced onto the defensive as he blocked literally hundreds of punches from the Saiyan duo.
Azrael spun his scythe around suddenly, an act which forced both his opponents backwards.
Azrael extended his left hand towards his opponents...and suddenly, a ball of green fire was launched from it. Both Goku and Vegeta placed their arms in front of them in an attempt at lessening the damage, but even at their maximum both were forced backwards.
Both Goku and Vegeta were forced upwards into the air. Azrael quickly took flight on his shriveled black wings and slammed his right foot into Goku's chest, sending the saiyan champion crashing into the ground below.
"Kakorot!" Vegeta yelled in concern.
"You should worry about yourself." Azrael said as he flew directly over the Saiyan Prince and fired another blast of green energy which slammed into Vegeta and sent the prince crashing to the ground below.
Azrael walked over to his fallen opponents, each one of his footsteps shaking the ground from the intensity of his power.
"You thought to oppose death itself and survive?" Azrael said as he pointed one hand towards Goku and the other towards Vegeta.
Both Saiyans however, got back onto their feet in time to deflect Azrael's attacks with well-timed attacks of their own.
"Kakorot lets give him an attack he won't forget." Vegeta said with his trademark smirk.
As one both Saiyans advanced at Azrael. Goku's fists glowed with a golden energy, while Vegeta's right fist glowed with a silver light.
"Double Dragon Fist!" Goku yelled as he slammed both fists into Azrael's chest, causing two golden dragons which greatly resembled Shenron to appear around the incarnation of death.
"Oozaru Fist!" Vegeta yelled as he slammed his right fist into Azrael's back, the image of a giant silver great ape around him as he did so.
Azrael roared, sending a wave of energy outwards which forced both his opponents away from him.
"All you succeed at doing is annoying me." Azrael said
Azrael grinned as Goku walked forward, fearlessly advancing towards him.
"Don't you see it? You advance eagerly towards death..even as you claim otherwise." Azrael said.
"Number one demon, don't ever assume..." Goku said, charging forwards and punching Azrael in the chest with his right fist before he could react.
Goku followed his attack up with a swift tornado kick, which sent Azrael flying backwards into a mountain in the distance.
Azrael gazed at Goku angrily and fired two red beams from his eyes at the saiyan. Goku however, blocked Azrael's attack with his left arm.
"Number two: It is not wise to anger someone who is presently far stronger then you." Goku said, then charged forward and slammed Azrael in the chest a second time before he could get back up off the ground. The impact of Goku's attack created a crater behind Azrael that changed the surface of the entire mountain, scaring it with the force of his attack.
Azrael flapped his wings and took to the air. After he had reached a certain altitude, he extended his left hand at Goku, and fired a ball of red energy.
"That won't defeat me." Goku said, soaring into the air and cutting the energy ball into nothingness with his right arm. Goku soared towards Azrael intend on attacking him again, but this time Azrael blocked Goku's fist with his left hand.
In a series of quick motions, Azrael brought his scythe around and attempted to slash Goku, but Goku was saved when Vegeta flew forward and held Azrael's weapon with his right hand.
"Did you forget about me?" Vegeta asked as he released Azrael's weapon as he and Goku flew a short distance from their opponent.
The three combatants rushed towards each other, then traded a series of lightning-fast attacks. Azrael slashed at both Goku and Vegeta, paused, and then launched another series of attacks before both fighters flew away from each other and landed on the ground.
Azrael then fired a series of laser blasts at Goku and Vegeta, who both flew into the air to avoid them.
"There is more than one way to effect you in combat." Azrael said with a grin.
An explosion shook the ground and blocked both Goku and Vegeta's line of sight long enough for Azrael to fly forward and attempt to strike Goku with his scythe.
Goku then narrowed his eyes at Azrael.
Goku then charged forward at Azrael, but the creature seemed to know exactly how Goku was going to attack, and quickly slammed Goku with the blunt end of his weapon before Goku could strike him with any kind of attack. Azrael then brought his right knee up and slammed it into Goku's chest, causing Goku to cry out in pain as he landed on the ground.
Azrael smiled as he held his weapon over his right shoulder.
"Goku you want to know why I targeted you? Why I attacked your mind using your doubts and fears? It is because you pose the greatest threat to me. It is said the greatest general is the one who wins without fighting. I attempted to eliminate you as an opponent. Pity it did not work. I suppose I have you to thank for that..Vegeta." Azrael said.
"Your welcome." Vegeta said with his trademark smirk.
Goku suddenly began glowing with a red aura surrounding his Super Saiyan Five body.
"Kakorot you know that technique's risk outweighs whatever benefits in may have." Vegeta warned as he narrowed his eyes while looking at his friend.
"Super Kaioken!" Goku yelled, ignoring Vegeta as he flew upwards, then dived down towards Azrael. Azrael easily blocked Goku's attack with his scythe, using just a small bit of his power to force Goku backwards.
Goku breathed heavily, his last attack had drained much of his energy, and he didn't have much left to spare, but ironically, that was the least of his worries..
Azrael stepped forward, then extended his right hand.
Grinning sinisterly, Azrael released a ball of crackling red electricity at Goku.
"Kakorot look out you fool!" Vegeta yelled as he attempted to fly into Goku and knock him out of the way.
The crash of thunder could be heard in the sky as the rain storm intensified.
"If I can't get rid of you non-violently..resorting to violence really isn't a problem either." Azrael said with a smirk on his pale white face.
Goku attempted to block Azrael's attack with his right arm, but Azrael wasn't about to let Goku off the hook that easily.
Azrael extended his left hand, allowing his scythe to dissappear as he did so, and then fired another energy ball.
While Goku easily took the first of Azrael's attacks with stride, his second sent him flying backwards from the impact into a mountain of bones in the distance.
Azrael flapped his wings and flew towards Goku, a sadistic gleam in his eye..
Goku struggled to get up out of the rubble of the mountain of bone, but he had barely moved when Azrael was upon him.
Laughing manically, Azrael brought his fists down upon Goku, slamming the protector of the universe relentlessly over and over with both his right and left fists.
Goku screamed in pain, which seemed to please Azrael, who ceased his attack.
"I am not entirely without mercy..cease fighting me now and I will grant you the release of death you so crave." Azrael said, then lifted Goku up by the neck and took to the air.
"How does it feel...to live threw so many battles...yet have all your hopes and dreams end in a single moment?" Azrael said with a sadistic grin on his face.
"It won't come crashing down monster...as long as I have life left." Goku said defiantly, bringing his hands together and catching Azrael off-guard as he yelled "Grand Kamehameha!".
Azrael let go of Goku as he was forced backwards from the power of Goku's violet-hued beam attack. Flying into the air, Azrael thought of his next move.
"Not back Goku..but I can do better!" Azrael boasted as he pointed both hands at Goku below.
Before Azrael could launch any kind of attack Vegeta arrived and slammed Azrael in his left side with a well-placed right kick.
"You forget that you have two opponents in this fight..not just one." Vegeta said
"I'll just destroy you both at once then." Azrael said, then extended both his right and left hands towards both Goku and Vegeta, who braced themselves..
Suddenly, hundreds of orbs of red energy streaked out from Azrael's hands towards the two Saiyan warriors, enveloping them in the resulting explosion which lit the valley brighter than even a bolt of lightning.
Smiling, Azrael then lifted his right hand high into the air, and formed the largest red energy ball he could, and threw it in Goku and Vegeta's direction.
As the smoke from Azrael's earlier attack cleared, Goku and Vegeta's eyes widened in horror as they saw Azrael's new attack coming towards them.
With determination on his face, Goku flew towards Azrael's attack, and used his own body to prevent the enormous ball of energy from colliding with his friend.
"Kakorot you damn fool!" Vegeta yelled.
"You saved me..now it is my turn to save you!" Goku yelled as he fought with all his might to stop Azrael's attack.
"You don't have to always be the hero. That burden is not yours alone." Vegeta said as he flew alongside Goku and placed his hands on Azrael's attack.
Together the two Saiyans were able to deflect the attack into the sky where it exploded harmlessly.
"Why do you continue to fight? Why do you go on?" Azrael asked as he flew opposite his opponents.
Azrael sighed.
"Did you really think it would be that easy Azrael?" Vegeta asked with his trademark smirk.
"On the contrary Vegeta." Azrael said, then flew forward with his left fist extended at Goku.
Swiftly, Goku flew into the air and then downwards, slamming his right leg into Azrael's back with a powerful kick which sent the incarnation of death falling downwards like a stone.
Goku intended fully on following up on his attack, and dived downwards until he was below the falling Azrael, swiftly bringing his right knee upwards and slamming it into Azrael's gut.
Goku then allowed Azrael to fall to the ground, where the angel of death lay motionless, as if he was unconscious.
Goku knew better however, and landed beside Azrael, then kicked him in the side with his left foot.
"Get Up!" Goku said, then brought his foot forward again for another kick.
However, Azrael grabbed ahold of Goku's foot before it could land.
Goku's eyes narrowed, and swiftly the protector of the universe brought his right foot forward and slammed it into Azrael's face, forcing Azrael to release his leg.
Azrael then swiftly leapt back onto his feet.
"You do realize that you cannot defeat me in your current form do you not?" Azrael asked with a smile on his pale face even as the sound of thunder could be heard echoing threw the canyon around them.
"You are quite confident for someone who is losing this fight." Goku said with confidence in his voice.
"You had us at a disadvantage coming into Demon World, but now it seems the tables have turned." Vegeta said with his trademark smirk.
Azrael ignored Vegeta, his eyes closed as if in deep thought.
"Its over Azrael." Goku said calmly, then rushed forward, his fists glowing with golden energy.
"Is it?" Azrael said with a smile, and then released two red energy beams from his suddenly open eyes point-blank into Goku's chest when he got close.
Goku staggered backwards, clutching his chest in pain with his right hand.
"Kakorot!" Vegeta yelled in concern.
"Turn about is, as they say, fair play." Azrael said, stepping towards Goku like a predator advancing on his next meal..
Goku meanwhile, moved back a step each time Azrael moved forward.
"It is as we feared. The limitations of the Super Saiyan Five transformation have been made readily apparent. Even its amazing power is no match for Azrael. Every blow against us is one step toward our defeat..while he doesn't seem to be tiring nor running out of energy." Vegeta thought as Goku flew backwards to avoid an uppercut from Azrael.
"We knew this would be the cause coming here..yet like fools we forgot this horrible truth. Are we fated to suffer the fate of all those that came before us? Are all the battles we have had over the years simply leading us to this one moment? No...I refuse to believe that. There must be a way." Vegeta thought.
"In the first form..I found rage. In the second form...I found agony...in the third form..I found truth...in the fourth form..I found myself..In the fifth form I found faith."
"In the sixth...I found life."
Suddenly everyone Vegeta had ever met flashed before his eyes.
Suddenly he was in the palace..back on Planet Vegeta. He knew not why he was in a place that had been gone for many years..only that he was here now.
"I'm proud of you my son."
Vegeta's eyes widened
On the throne was seated Vegeta's long dead father..King Vegeta. He looked the same as the last time he laid eyes on him.
The king smiled at his son, his beard, mustache, lighter hair color and royal saiyan armor with a red cape the only differences between the two saiyans.
"Father?" Vegeta asked.
"It is I." The King said.
"Why are you here?" Vegeta asked, a million questions running threw his mind.
The King ignored his sons question and spoke.
"We both have committed many sins in our lives. Countless millions we have killed. We have no excuse that could justify so much death. Yet my son...you desire an even greater power than that which you already possess. So I ask you this question. Why?" King Vegeta asked as he stood up.
"So I can protect those close to me..those I care about." Vegeta said.
"Is that your real reason?" King Vegeta asked, narrowing his eyes at his son.
"No. I want not only to protect those I care about...but everyone's loved ones. I want to stand between the darkest of evils...and everyone who can't defend themselves. Even if my greatest wish is for those people to not need a hero..I understand now that sometimes, no..we all need a savior." Vegeta said calmly.
"Is this feeling there because you wish to overcome the sins of your past?" King Vegeta asked
"Nothing can overcome what I have done. I can only going forward living the right way..and hope that is enough." Vegeta said.
"Then go my son..." King Vegeta said.
Suddenly King Vegeta vanished, and a powerful being stood before Vegeta, who widened his eyes in surprise.
"You aren't my father...who are you?" Vegeta asked in awe.
"I'm everyone's father." The being said as Vegeta was returned to the normal world.
"In the first form..I found rage. In the second form...I found agony...in the third form..I found truth...in the fourth form..I found myself..In the fifth form I found faith."
"In the sixth...I found life."
Vegeta yelled as power flowed from him. Azrael and Goku covered their eyes as Vegeta's body lit up brighter than the sun, a column of blue light ascended to the heavens, parting the eternal cloud cover and darkness like a knife.
Trunks, Goten, Ultimo, Kohryu, Bardock and Pikkon all saw the column, looking on with awe as they sensed Vegeta's power rise so high they could barely sense it.
"What is happening to my father?" Trunks asked
"He has transcended." Kohryu said.
As the light dimmed, Vegeta emerged a changed being. No longer did he have silver fur covering his arms. Instead, Vegeta's skin had become a blue metallic substance. Vegeta's hair was still waist-length, but now was a luminous blue-white in color, otherworldly in appearance.
Surrounding Vegeta was an aura of blue flame, with tendrils of white-blue energy trailing behind him, almost like wings. Vegeta's clothing had changed as well. He now wore blue pants which had a glowing violet alien script from some unknown ancient culture.
Vegeta looked at Azrael with eyes made of energy.
"Vegeta?" Goku asked
"Azrael...you think your the biggest game in town. What you fail to understand is that death can never conquer true life. If it is death that gives you your power...than you have already lost." Vegeta said, his arms crossed over his metallic blue chest.