Author's note: This month was rough.
Not going to dwell on anything, but I do want to recognize how lucky I am to have something fun and creative I can return to when things aren't going great for me. Thank you all for making this possible.
Quickly moving on, if you were hoping for another monster chapter, I am sorry to disappoint. This one is more in line with my usual length but there are a few elements that make it special.
For one, we are going to pivot from the canon in a way I don't think many of you are expecting. We'll have some good old-fashioned character development and we'll be expanding on some of the established lore from previous chapters.
Between the buildup and that last chapter, this has been a long time coming, but thank you for being patient and for reading. Please, enjoy.
His head was ringing from the blasts, his legs were weak from the quakes, and his breathing was strained from dragging his fellow soldier. Yet Soi marched on.
The problem was that every time the sergeant thought he was making progress away from the battlefield; it moved. He could hear shouts followed by a terrifying rumble emanating behind him, only for the mountains surrounding him to split apart as the fighting moved to his side. Having to change his direction time after time left Soi lost and confused, unsure how to escape with his life or save his fellow soldier.
"Come on, we're almost out," Soi lied to his comrade-in-arms as he heaved him through the wasteland.
If the man was responding, Soi couldn't hear him, the ringing in his head drowning out nearly all sound. He felt the ground shake again and his eyes went up to see if any rocks that remained had the potential to fall on them.
His focus on the mountains above made him miss the crack in his path. Tripping on the uneven bit of Earth had both Soi and his soldier fall on their sides with a heavy thud.
"S-sorry soldier," Soi gasped. "Just… just need to catch my breath for a second."
Again, the soldier didn't hear an answer, and when Soi finally had the strength to stand; he found out why. During the long march, the soldier Soi had been carrying died from his injuries. He did not know when, but the dried blood marking his uniform had Soi thinking it was near the start.
It was the last rational thought the sergeant had before he screamed.
His shouts were nothing compared to the rumbling of the battlefield or the crackling of dense energy as it sped across the sky. Holding his head in his hands, Soi let his terror grab hold, finally allowing the cracks in his confidence to break.
Still, he was a soldier at heart. His outburst lasted for a few moments before his training kicked in. Stuffing down his emotions as best he could, the brief release of fear had him focused once more. Hearing a quick buzz he recognized as field radio emanating from a fallen soldier gave Soi a purpose. Reaching into the dead man's equipment, the sergeant answered the call trying to keep his voice steady.
"This… this is Soi."
"Soi! This is General Bara! What is going on down there? We haven't had an update in-"
"The mission is a failure," Soi said, keeping his breathing in check the best he could. "The rest of the squad has been killed. I'm… the last one alive."
"What!? How!?"
"The fighting, it's beyond… I don't know how to describe it. We were miles away, but we still got caught in it. Everyone was… vaporized by a light…I, I don't know what we can do against power like that….it's creating earthquakes and knocking over mountains like they're nothing… they killed everyone and I'm not sure they even noticed."
"Keep your focus, soldier. We'll figure out something, just get home. You know the pickup point just keep moving and we'll get you safe."
"U-understood General," Soi said, feeling a sliver of hope well up within. "It's hell out here but I ca-"
The rumbling returned and a heavy gust of wind knocked Soi off his feet and shot him back several feet. He bounced off a rock and slid down his head and back, throbbing with pain. Slowly, he opened his eyes and beheld a fresh horror.
A massive sphere of light rose into the sky, its power significant enough to shake the Earth without touching it. The sphere grew larger and larger as Soi tried to comprehend what was happening. The little tug of hope withered as tears burned at the edges of his eyes.
"I'm going to die. We're all going to die."
"What!? Sergeant, what's happening!?"
The sergeant didn't answer his horror absolutely and pushed him to flee in whatever way possible. With his very life on the line, Soi ignored his pain and dashed through the mountains. Heaving in the air, he needed to pump his legs faster. Running faster than he ever had before, Soi nearly missed the outline of a familiar body pushed up against a knocked-over mountain. A body he recognized.
For one agonizing moment, Soi paused, trying to decide to continue his mad dash for safety or to try and save another life. In that long, painful moment, Soi was still a soldier at heart. Rushing over to the body, Soi knelt and started shaking the purple-haired teen he had seen fighting the invaders.
"Hey! Wake up!"
No movement.
"I said wake UP!" This time Soi added a slap to his plea but again nothing.
"WAKE UP!" the sergeant screamed, looking over to the sphere in the sky, blood draining from his face as he realized it was even bigger than before. "WAKE UP OR YOU" LL DIE!"
The lack of reaction sent the sergeant into a further pit of despair, but he would not let it consume him. Summoning more strength than he thought he had, Soi pulled the teen's arm over his shoulder and rose to his feet.
"I'm getting out of here, and you're coming with me," Soi told himself with a gasp as he began lugging the mystery man away from the fighting.
He was over seven steps away when an unfamiliar sound blared out behind him. A green twister erupted from the ground and wrestled with the giant nova. The struggle rattled the ground beneath Soi's feet, even with the distance. He could only watch as the two forces battled against each rupturing the area and scattering the very foundation of the mountains. At a point, it looked like the nova was about to break free, but a surge of pure power consumed the sphere and brought it down low. Unable to understand what this meant, Soi reached for the field radio once more.
"G-General."
"Sergeant! Report!" Soi could hear the worry in his general voice as he continued marching.
"I… I don't know. I have no idea what is happening anymore, but there is someone who might make sense of this. I'm bringing him with me."
"Who sergeant?"
"Someone who can… fly. He was involved with the fighting, but I don't know more than that. He's unconscious and if left alone, he could die before we get any answers."
"…. all right, get him here and we'll see if we can get anything out of him. Keep moving, soldier."
"Y-yes ma'am."
What… what is this feeling?
The small thought floated through Cooler's mind as the unified scream of the human and namekian stood tall against him.
This… pause.
He watched as the defenders of Earth merged their energy as Piccolo grew to the size of a titan.
This… hesitation.
He only stared as Krillin landed on the giant's shoulder and coated him in dense electricity.
This… sense of helplessness. Is this…
He looked on as their unified scream rattled the battlefield and they leaped up into the air, ready to continue the fight.
… Is this… fear?
Piccolo struck out, his enormous body glowing with ki and lightning. The winds bent away as he swung, his massive fist larger than Cooler's entire body. Had the blow connected cleanly, it would have knocked the alien out of the sky. Instead, Cooler smiled as his eyes lit up with barely contained joy. He let out a shout of his own as he met the attack head-on.
"IT IS!"
Cooler leaned into a kick that sent a ripple through the sky as it collided with Piccolo's swing.
"THIS IS FEAR!" Cooler laughed as the electricity flowed from Piccolo's arm into his.
Lightning licked the alien from head to toe, stiffening his body, but not enough to stop him. With a second wind and a new emotion filling him, Cooler burst through the current's hold and pushed away from the punch with just the power of his leg.
"THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT!"
The giant attacked again, opening its jaws wide and unleashing a torrent of ki that consumed Cooler. The point-blank blast pushed the invader back toward the ground, burning a new crater into the Earth. Still laughing to himself, Cooler picked himself up onto his feet. Only to be slammed back down into the dirt as a foot bigger than himself laid him flat.
Piccolo's landing kicked up a wave of dust, a heavy rumble, and a cascade of voltage seeping into his body. Yet most importantly, the stomp pinned the invader down, so Krillin could focus his energy. Cooler felt the monk's gaze fall on him, the pressure it exuded almost more encompassing than the foot crushing his body. Expecting an attack, the alien was unprepared for a soft song to pierce his ears.
"Go to sleep, little boy, go to sleep. Go to sleep, little boy, go to sleep. You are a good boy, little boy. Now go to sleep."
The lulling nature of the human's words took immediate effect as Cooler felt a wave of exhaustion overtake him. His eyes struggled to stay open but glimpsed Krillin forming another disc of ki in his hands.
"NO!"
An explosion of energy flared up and out from Cooler, tossing back the massive Piccolo and Krillin both.
"If this is to be my final battle, If you are to be the ones to kill me! THEN I SHALL DIE WITH EYES OPEN!"
The namekian and human landed with a crash as Cooler once again rose into the sky, arm outstretched above his head. Krillin could feel the air shift as Cooler once again gathered his energy in his palm. The sun-like sphere took shape once again.
Piccolo leaped to his feet, shaking the ground, and fired another blast out of his open mouth. Cooler's eyes blazed forth with power and shot out, piercing through the wall of ki and dispersing it. The beams lodged themselves into the giant's body, forcing the titan to take a knee.
"Yes! Don't give in! Keep fighting!" Cooler screamed, his voice louder than the swirl of energy he was amassing.
Piccolo grunted and tried pushing himself back to his feet, but was stopped as a voice slid through his mind.
"Hold on, I need you here."
The giant turned to look at Krillin in confusion.
"What? What are you-"
"I have a plan, but I can't do it while you're moving."
"If I don't move, we're dead!"
"He'll buy us some time."
"He? Who are-"
Piccolo's eyes grew wide as his senses picked up on the approaching ki signature. Understanding what his leader meant, he slowly shrunk down to normal size as he did his best to heal. Cooler looked at this in disbelief, his sphere growing even larger.
"Have you given up warriors of Earth!?" He spat, his anger getting the better of him. "If you stop now, everything will vanish! Everything you fought for! Your lives! This planet! Everything will-"
"WOLF."
The blow struck hard and fast. Cooler felt his chest buckle under the weight of the strike. It cut through his torso and cracked open two ribs. Heaving another lungful of blood, the alien lost his concentration, and the sphere he held in his hand faded. He turned toward his attacker and locked eyes with Yamcha.
Without his eyepatch, Yamcha's gaze held a ferocity to it that reinforced Cooler's newfound feeling of fear. He still held his injuries from diverting the blast away from the small mountain town, yet he had returned. The kaio-ken pumping through him had carried him across the sea, as his senses told him the battle was still ongoing. With nothing but his will, spirit, and hope holding him up, Yamcha continued the fight.
"FANG."
The second strike reverberated deep within the alien, snapping off even more bits of bone. Despite his struggles to breathe through a throat filling up with fluid, Cooler counterattacked with his only arm. The wolf smacked it away his teeth ground against each other as his ki ignited into an inferno of energy. His hands emitted a vicious heat as he dived back into Cooler's space.
"WAVE!"
The detonation of ki from Yamcha's hands flared across the sky, shooting Cooler out of the sky and deep into the Earth. As soon as the alien was out of sight, Yamcha's aura disappeared, leaving him gasping for air.
"Yamcha." The wolf heard Krillin's voice in his head and turned to look at his friend. "I have a plan, but we need you to keep him busy."
"H-how long?"
"Two minutes. Maybe more… I'm sorry."
Yamcha withered for a moment as if Krillin had asked to give him the world, but the feeling only lasted for a moment.
"… alright, I can do it."
"I know you can," Krillin said, his confidence easy to hear.
With a single vigorous nod, Yamcha's aura returned. Taking flight, the wolf began his hunt.
"I'm still not as ready as I'd like," Krillin said, turning to Piccolo. "But we don't have any choice."
"What do I need to do?"
"Empty your energy as much as you can. When the time comes, I'll be injecting you with ki, but I won't have a lot of control over it. Don't hold on to it; you'll have to use it immediately. Sit here," Krillin said, pointing to a spot in the rubble. "I need time to concentrate and connect your energy."
"I don't understand," Piccolo said but still following the direction. "You barely have any ki to spare. How are you-"
The namkeian stopped as he put the pieces together. He offered a look at Krillin, whose face was devoid of the confidence he had held onto during the fight.
"I'm sorry," the monk said softly as he held a hand above his friend's head. "This… this may kill you."
Kami stood on the lookout's edge, the grip on his staff threatening to break the wood into pieces. Beads of sweat had been trailing down his face since the fighting started forcing him to blink rapidly so he could maintain his concentration. So focused on the battle, the Guardian of Earth nearly missed his student joining him at his side.
"You should be resting; you're still not fully recovered from crafting your first dragonball."
"We're out of time and options, Kami. This fight wasn't supposed to drag out this long," Krillin, said, his beard grey and his eyes weary. "… I have a plan, but I need to ask for your help."
"There is nothing we can do from here, Krillin," Kami snapped, his nerves overriding his manners. "You cannot leave the lookout least you break your connection with the planet. If that happens, then the dragonball you worked so hard to form would fade. Your years of training would have been for nothing."
"If we do nothing, then there it won't matter how many dragonballs I've made. Earth must survive this."
"Then what do you propose?"
"My bond with Earth is stronger since I made my first dragonball. I can feel its energy better than before, but I can't use it freely. There's so much of it that the part of me that's fighting would be destroyed if I tried to access even the small part I can, but I might be able to give it to someone else."
It only took a moment for the Guardian to realize what his student intended. "Piccolo?" Kami asked in surprise. "That won't work, Krillin. You'll have to pick someone else."
"There is no one else," the old monk fired back. "Tien is down, Yamcha is barely standing, Yajirobi would have no chance, and Gohan, even if he was awake, can't fully control his power. Even if they were at their best, the risk of the energy destroying them is high. Piccolo can regenerate to a point, and he used the senzu recently. He's the only option we have."
"He is a namekian like me. He has no connection to the planet," Kami said firmly. "I doubt he'll be able to hear any of Earth's sound much less use the energy. Nothing is attaching him to Earth."
"He is a namekian, just like you and King Piccolo," Krillin nodded. "But he was born here, on Earth. That is his connection, and it could make all the difference."
Kami paused before returning his gaze to the mountains below. "That much ki energy-"
"It could kill him," Krillin answered, his words heavy. "Yes, which, in turn, would take you as well."
"… do you think he could do it?" Kami asked, letting his eyes close. "You know him better than I do."
"He can," the old monk answered. "I believe in him."
"Should the worst come to pass, I shall have to grant you the title of Guardian in full before I fade. Are you prepared for that?"
"… I have to be."
Cooler shook his head as he dug himself out of the mountain he had crashed into. Touching his chest where the three attacks had been focused, he was pleased to feel a dull pain. The pain would force him to improve.
Yamcha landed in front of him, his feet denting the ground. Flowing into a hard fighting stance, the human let out a low growl as his single eye gleamed with determination. The pang of fear in Cooler's heart grew a little more.
"To survive a blast like that is no easy feat, human," the invader said, taking a stance of his own. "I'm curious if you were able to stop it before-"
"I was," Yamcha said, silencing his enemy. "I stopped you."
"… I believe it," Cooler said smiling. "Tell me, what is it about this planet that drives you and your companions? I have decimated worlds before, but never have I faced such opposition. I must know, what makes Earth so special?"
"It's the only home we've got," The Wolf said, his aura pulsing with power. "And we will not let you take it from us!"
Yamcha leaned heavily into an attack and then another, giving the invader no time to react. He had taken advantage of catching the alien off guard but had no time to rest. He had to stall for two minutes or else the world would follow the same fate as Namek. Despite his bravado, Cooler had taken damage. The long fight had stripped him of a lot of his strength and speed. As long as the Wolf kept up the pressure, this battle could be won, could be finished.
He couldn't stop.
The ground split open as they collided again. Cooler reared back, leading his fist deep into Yamcha's chest. The Wolf took the blow in stride and gave two of his own, his knuckles starting to bruise as they smashed against the tough hide of the invader. Blow for blow, the human and alien hurled themselves, hoping to gain an advantage. The landscape, reduced to a flat plain, once again exploded with activity as the battle raged on.
Landing a kick that gained him some space, Yamcha quickly generated two orbs of energy and threw them at Cooler. Two blasts burst out of Cooler's eyes, taking out one but the other weaved by and slammed against his head, stunning him.
"WOLF."
Again he doused his arms with ki sharping them into fangs as he moved into Cooler's space. He went low again, focusing his strike into Cooler's knee, ripping apart his stance and balance.
"FANG."
He moved upward, clawing at the alien's stomach with sharpened energy. A clear mark cut across Cooler's torso as his body started to weak because of the unending number of attacks against him. Yet this was not enough to stop the invader.
"FIS-"
A firm hand grabbed Yamcha by the throat, covering his mouth and stopping his cry. Smashing him deep into the ground, Cooler held the warrior down with just one arm.
The wolf gurgled; his one eye rolled into his head as he gasped for breath, but he couldn't stop.
His arms reignited with ki and latched onto Cooler's arm. The incredible heat began to sizzle, peeling the skin off the alien's limb, and his own. His energy melted into the stone he was pressed against, and steam rose from his body. Feeling his blood boil Cooler was forced to let go and back away, his only arm marked with burns. He looked at the human with a wide grin.
"A fantastic display."
Deaf to the compliment and rising onto his feet, Yamcha gagged once before gritting his teeth and charging once more.
"Yamcha."
Bulma's voice stiffened his movements for a fraction of a second, but he pushed through, delivering another burning kick against Cooler's skull.
"You can't keep this up."
Cooler shrugged off the blow and opened his mouth to congratulate the man on his devotion to battle. To admire his strength, yet instead, he gave the Wolf another opportunity to smash his fist into his solar plexus.
"Your body can't handle this amount of energy, Yamcha. Your vitals are spiking and at this rate-"
Her voice cut out as a heavy punch collided against his head, shattering his vision and balance, but he couldn't stop.
Digging in his heels and ignoring the steading stream of blood cascading from his open wound, Yamcha's eye refocused. They gained a new depth as he slid back into a fighting stance, his spirit pushing him forward.
Again and again, he threw himself at his enemy, who was happy to accept the challenge. Their clash decimated the area and Yamcha's aura burned brighter. Cooler was laughing as their fight continued, but Yamcha's sense of sound had dulled. His eye glazed over, and his breathing came out labored. His arms felt sluggish, and his legs rebelled against any more movement. Yet his mind remained clear on his mission. There was no hesitation on what he had to do. No hesitation, until.
"You'll die."
He knew she was right. Knocking that blast away had drained him to the point of exhaustion and this fight now was driving him even further. He didn't know how much time had passed or how much time he still needed to give but any more could take everything from him.
"If I do," Yamcha wheezed, his hands shaking as he lifted them back up again. "Then I'm glad we could be friends again."
She cried something, but he couldn't hear her or anything else. His aura doubled in size and intensity as he burned more and more of his strength. The kaio-ken eating through his mind and body. This would be his last stand. He would put his life on the line for his friends, for his world. He couldn't stop. He couldn't sto-
"Enough of this."
A swift chop to the back of his neck stripped the Wolf of all his power and balance. His red aura faded as his limbs fell to their side and he to the ground. Barely able to hold his eyes open, Yamcha tilted his head with a groan, trying to get a sense of what had happened. The blow had come from behind him, but as his attacker stepped in front of the fallen human, Yamcha felt a deep sense of frustration.
"V-Vegeta?"
The saiyan ignored his name as he crossed his arms, not even bothering to look at the exhausted human.
"What are y-you-"
"I'm doing what you can't," the prince answered. "Your pitiful display was boring me."
"N-no I can-"
"Don't kill yourself for nothing human. This fight is mine. Stay out of my way."
"Y...you as-" Yamcha groaned before passing out.
Vegeta scoffed before refocusing onto Cooler, who had been patiently waiting. "The prince returns."
"Did you doubt me? I said I'd turn you into ash, didn't I?"
"You did. Let us see if you can."
Vegeta scowled as he charged and set the pace of the conflict. His body, fully healed by the senzu he had used, had enhanced his power as it always has. This became immediately obvious to Cooler as the saiyan attacked him with a greater speed than before. Weaving his way out of a series of punches left him open to a vicious kick that collided with the side of his head. This time, the impact nearly knocked Cooler clean off his feet, but he was able to reduce it to just a stumble.
Cooler bounced back with a knee strike that could split a mountain in half. Vegeta countered with his own and sneered as he felt the alien's leg snap backward.
"Ugh!" Cooler cried as his bone gave out.
Forced to float to keep pressure off his broken kneecap, Cooler ripped out bits off the ground and threw them at the saiyan. Keeping up the pressure, Vegeta rushed him down, tearing through the stone as if it were nothing. His rush held two punches that hit deep into Cooler's stomach, bubbling up fresh blood out of the alien's mouth.
Still backing up, Cooler fired a dense energy blast at the prince, who slapped it away as if it were a mere nuisance. The beam left burn marks on the ground before it landed, spraying out bits of rock and a plump of smoke.
Letting out a single laugh, Vegeta discharged his burst of ki laying waste to rock in its path. Curling up what little defense he could, Cooler had no choice but to take the blast head-on. Gritting his teeth, the outpouring of energy left his body sizzling as his purple skin started to lose its color.
"You're slowing down, Cooler!" Vegeta shouted. "Has your fight with the earthlings taken this much out of you!? I thought you were stronger than this!"
"Forgive me for disappointing you, prince," Cooler chuckled, his confidence still unshaken. "Your companions have done their job well; you are in good company."
"Humph, you overstep Cooler," the saiyan spat. "The earthlings are no companions of mine."
"So you have said, shall we put that to the test?"
Reaching out with one hand, Cooler summoned his strength and pushed out a wave of telekinesis. Almost instantly Vegeta felt a firm pressure crash down onto him, trying to lay him flat. His feet cracked into the ground as the force behind the push began to increase. Yet, his stance did not break.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Vegeta laughed, taking a step forward. "This won't stop me!"
"I'm not looking to stop you, prince," Cooler grinned. "I'm simply presenting you with a choice."
A low groan from behind him caught Vegeta's attention. Looking back, the saiyan saw that Yamcha's body was being crushed into the ground, his already strained bones beginning to crack.
"It's simple really," Cooler said slyly. "Break free and continue our fight if you wish, but the human will die. However, move far enough away and I'll drop my hold. Perhaps you'll return quickly enough that you'll be able to see the moment I destroy this world."
"Why would I care abou-"
"You can lie to yourself all you want," Cooler said, his hold on both increasing. "But indulge me for a moment. You were quite firm in declaring that you fought alone. And yet, your wounds are healed just as the others were. One could say that you stopped this human from fighting to save his life, and you were even saved by one of the earthlings. Where is that warrior I'm wondering, perhaps safe from the fighting? That would be your doing, wouldn't it, prince? Curious indeed."
Vegeta growled low and loud as he offered another quick glance at Yamcha. The Wolf wouldn't last long enough to break free and close the gap, but that didn't matter. Cooler was right in front of him, the last member of the Cold family. His last chance at vengeance, his greatest purpose in life. He would have his revenge no matter-
"Be careful."
The woman's voice snaked in his ear, her sound stalling his movements.
"I mean it, okay, I need all of you to come home. You'll win. I know you will, but… that won't matter as much if not all of you…"
"We'll be okay Bulma," He recalled Yamcha saying, laying a hand on her shoulder.
He seethed as the memory played in his mind, trying to ignore her voice. Why was he remembering this now? And why was it making him so angry? A vein pulsed across his forehead as Vegeta started to shake out in rage. His revenge was within his grasp, and yet something was compelling him to throw that away. An overwhelming feeling demanded that he put someone else's interests above his own.
"DAMMIT!"
With that loud shout, he broke free of Cooler's telekinesis and turned away from the invader. Grabbing Yamcha, Vegeta took flight and left the battlefield.
"Truly surprising," Cooler said, keeping to his word as he tracked Vegeta in the sky. "It seems this planet has conquered the prince as well."
Once again Cooler rose into the sky, his hand rising above his head. Wasting no time, he summoned the power to generate another sphere of energy; the task leaving him winded and panting for breath.
To be pushed this far that I had to resort to trickery. Cooler thought to himself. Perhaps I am more like my family than I care to admit. But I cannot fall here. Salza believed in my power, and I must answer his faith in kind.
Almost saddened to bring the fight to an end, Cooler threw down his arm and watched his nova descend onto the Earth. Only to smile as he spied the namekian grow into his giant form and shove himself against the nova in midair. The sphere of energy ate away at Piccolo's skin as he did his best to push it back.
"Struggling to the last, as true warriors do," Cooler smiled. "But to underestimate you again would be a grave mistake."
Clenching his fist and summoning the last of energy, Cooler casually tossed out a small ball of energy towards his nova. The sphere ate up the ball and doubled in size and density, forcing Piccolo onto the ground, his landing crafting an intense gust of wind and rock. The heat from the sphere charred the skin from his palms as he struggled to keep the sphere away from the Earth's crust.
It was then he felt Krillin place his hand on the back of his leg and hear his voice in his head.
"This is going to be a lot! Don't try to hold it in, use everything and push back as much as you-."
"Stop explaining and do it!" Piccolo snapped, his arms weighed down by the force of the nova.
Krillin nodded and reached out to the part of him that lay seated on the edge of the lookout, with Kami overlooking him. The grizzled older monk that held in him a greater portion of his strength reached out from the lookout and into the wider world. The monk did his best to try to keep the energy measured. Too much would be lethal. As carefully as he could, he amassed the power of Earth.
In.
The rumbles of the ground as the nova approached, the gigantic waves of the sea off the coast of the mountains as they fluctuated from the chaos, the fierce winds that roared across the shattered stones.
He heard it all and weaved them all into one dense beat.
Thump
Earth's strength, its power, it's sound. On his exhale, he passed on that overwhelming strength into Piccolo.
Out.
In that instant, Earth encompassed every part of Piccolo. The sensation stunned him for a moment as the sheer force of the planet took his breath away. It was so loud it deafened everything else around him. The fight, the stakes, even his pain. Everything felt muted and distant. At that instant, Piccolo felt weak. He felt small. Then the sound came again.
Thump
A beam of the purest ki erupted around Piccolo's massive body. Ki leaked out of his eyes as, despite Krillin's warnings, the namekian was unprepared for the weight crashing through him. Earth brought him a deluge of energy that far surpassed anything he could produce. The sizzling agony from Cooler's nova felt distant as the unrelenting energy filling his every inch boiled and burn.
"Concentrate!"
Through the storm of ki Piccolo could still pick up Krillin's voice in his mind.
"I know it hurts, but if you don't get a hold of yourself, you will die! We will all die! So concentrate and FINISH THIS!"
Within the sea of energy, Piccolo drowned in the monk's words, anchored him, then strengthen him.
With a guttural scream, Piccolo grabbed hold of the strength he could handle and immersed himself in it. His body shifted, steeled, then grew beyond anything he had attempted before. The acceleration in size ripped open his shirt, unable to contain his growing form. Rips and tears seeped through his skin as the growth was too sudden for his body to handle.
With the mountains eradicated, it was easy to see the new monstrous form of the namekian even miles away. His feet cracked into the ground, unable to support his mass any longer as Piccolo unleashed a roar from the depths of himself. His size and strength now surpassing the nova he defended against Cooler's eyes went wide as the namekian grabbed hold of his sphere with one hand.
His back had been facing the fighting as he marched on desperately pleading to anyone who listen that they would survive this. Trunk's weight had slowed him down, but Soi trudged on his breathing shorted to gasps as his devotion to duty drove him on. It wasn't until Piccolo's scream echoed through the destroyed landscape did Soi feel the need to turn around one last time to get another look at the hell he was trying to escape.
That… can't be.
Despite the distance, the soldier's look became a stare as his blood ran cold. A pillar of light rose from the ruins of the North Mountains. He saw the outline of a monstrosity growing more and more than it seemed to absorb that terrifying light. The ground had been shaking, but for the first time, Soi could feel it tremble as a horrible scream cut through his ears. As the light started to dim a little Soi's eyes quivered as he began to make sense of what he was seeing. He knew who that was.
Still holding onto the purple-haired teen, his hands went back to his field radio.
"G-general Bara! Are you there!?"
"Soi! What's wrong!?"
"I can see him! He's a giant and holding a light that destroyed the mountains! Or…or I don't know what, but I see him!"
"Who Soi!?"
"The Demon King!" Soi screamed as he continued dragging Trunks and himself away towards safety. "He's here! He's still alive!"
"… what?" Cooler said, unable to process the transformation before him.
The Earth's boundless power splitting him from the inside out. Piccolo leaned back with the nova pulsing in his hand and slammed it against Cooler, laying him flat.
The collision sent a shock wave rippling through the sky, the vibration nearly deafening Krillin on the ground.
Giant gobs of purple blood rushed out from Piccolo's mouth as he roared again and pushed upward. The namkian used his momentum and thrust the sphere and Cooler up and out of the mountains. His arm stretched further and further as it carried both the alien and the nova deep into the sky.
"What power! What strength! To think you've been holding this back the entire time!" Cooler cackled as he tried pushing back against his own attack. "This is superb! As soon as I break free we shall-"
He was silenced as his back rammed into something he could not see. Pain flooded Cooler's senses as the impact pushed more of his nova into his body. The searing heat started to melt his body as his massive sphere consumed his only arm.
What is!?... That barrier from earlier! It's still here!?
His body began to break down as Cooler was crushed in from both sides. His nova ate away at his shoulder while bits and pieces of his back disintegrated. There was no escape.
"…. so, this is my end."
The invader could do nothing but watch as his sphere moved up his body, enveloping him completely. Piccolo's push on the energy sphere devoured him from head to toe, the energy lapping up every bit of his body.
"Then I die with no regrets!" Cooler screamed. "This was a fight for the ages!"
As his entire bottom half was reduced to dust, Cooler laughed one final time.
"Hear me, warriors of Earth! THIS BATTLE IS YOUR VICTORY!"
The nova detonated, sending a blast across the barrier and smashing it wide open. Cracks appeared across SPHERE before breaking apart completely. Its energy was finally depleted. The ki that had been used to keep it stable rained down onto Earth as if it was shattered glass. Yet eventually those too faded and where there was once a tyrant capable of destroying worlds now deep silence fell in his absence.
Krillin watched Piccolo fall onto his back. As his arm returned to its normal length, he no longer had the strength to stand. His collapse scattered dust and rock across the area as his giant form still held. Yet as the seconds ticked by, the namekian began to shrink, allowing the monk to rush to his side. His friend's form sizzled as the excess ki flowed out of him.
"Piccolo!"
Without an immediate response, Krillin began to panic, but a hard cough told him that there was no need for despair. His friend was still alive.
"That… that hurt."
"I tried to tell you," Krillin said with a smile. "Don't try to move. Your body is pretty banged up now."
"Couldn't if I wanted to," Piccolo wheezed. "… feel like death."
"You look it too."
"Q-quiet," The namekian coughed. "… that power… that-"
"That was Earth," Krillin nodded. "I've been getting used to handling it, but I still have a way to go."
"I'll say," Piccolo coughed again. "So… are we done?"
"… yes."
"Good… I'm going to sleep now. Don't let me die human."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
A wisp of a smile filled Piccolo's face before he let himself pass out. Wasting no more time, Krillin reached out with his senses, quickly locating every member of the team. To his great relief, he was able to feel each one of their ki signatures, dimmed after the long battle but alive. Getting to his feet, the monk let out a long breath, feeling the weight of the conflict roll off of him.
Everyone made it. This time, everyone made it.
Casting his eyes upward into the wide blue sky, Krillin smiled, wide and full.
We won.
A tap of someone landing next to him shifted his attention. He wasn't surprised to see Vegeta walking toward him wearing a deep scowl.
"… you've done it again, human."
"Not without help," Krillin answered. "Thank you… for saving Yamcha."
"I didn't do it for you or him," Vegeta spat. "The weakling cost me my revenge."
"…. I am sorry about that," the monk said softly. "I know how important that was to you."
"No, you don't."
"Yeah, is Yajirobi-"
"The fat man is fine. His insistent wining got me to use the woman's machine. He's passed out somewhere out there."
"Then it looks like I have another reason to thank you."
"Save it," the prince snapped before looking over to Piccolo. "… that power the namekian used. That didn't feel like his energy but it put him on the level of Kakarot's brat. Were you aware he could do that?"
"He's full of surprises."
"That energy didn't feel like his
Vegeta said nothing as he studied the monk and let his scowl deepen.
Krillin ignored the stare and put a finger up to his communicator. "Bulma, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I can… is it over?"
"Can't sense him at all. We're good. We're going to need a pickup to get everyone home, though."
"I'm sending Launch there now; she'll have an airship that can carry everyone back to capsule corp. But Krillin that last blast destroyed SPHERE and I have nothing in reserve to get it back up. Cold's army is still out there."
"Don't worry," Krillin said, looking over to Vegeta. "We're handling that now."
"Commander, we're received confirmation that the barrier protecting Earth is down!"
The 2nd in command of the Frieza force nodded to the soldier who had given their report with a salute before returning to the screen in the center of the bridge. This was the first bit of news they had been able to gain since the force's flagship had gone down to the Earth's surface.
"Excellent, then it won't be long before we receive word from the King. On his order we shall move in and decimate this world," the commander said, studying all the soldiers under his command. "For Lord Frieza!"
"For Lord Frieza!" The ship's personnel answered with a shout.
Still, it is not like the King to take this long. The commander thought to themselves. The flagship has gone silent since it landed and there has been sizable activity in that area…. what if… No, put it out of your head. You are a member of the Frieza Force, the most powerful military in the universe. There is nothing to-
"C-commander!"
A shout from one of the soldiers seated by a console took him out of his head.
"What is it? Report."
"T-the cameras have picked up two individuals on the cusp of the planet's atmosphere!"
"On screen."
The screen in the center of the bridge that had been showcasing Earth zoomed into focus, highlighting the two individuals. One was a smaller man with no hair adorning his head. His clothes seemed to have been torn as if he had just seen intense fighting. While the other was easily recognizable.
"Commander, I believe that's the saiyan Vegeta!"
"What!?"
Vegeta was floating at the planet's edge, with Krillin standing next to him. Almost gleefully, the prince raised his hand as it gripped an object tightly proudly displaying it for all the army to see. That object sent a wave of horror and confusion through the armada.
The 2nd in command of the Frieza Force did not move to the cries of his soldiers. He did not hear the panic in their voices nor the breakdown of his ship's order. He could only behold what the screen showed him. The prince of all saiyans holding the head of King Cold.
Confusion ran through him as the screen showed off the saiyan's smirk. Horror enveloped him as the prince casually tossed the head into space. Nausea boiled in his stomach as Vegeta let loose a single blast of energy, destroying the King's skull completely.
The sight quieted the chaos as Vegeta lowered back his arm and remained at attention glaring out at the vast army before him.
"C-commander," a voice by one of his soldiers broke through the commander's hard stare. "W-what are your orders?"
"We… we kill them, of course!" The 2nd in command said struggling to breathe. "The-their barrier is down and surely Lord Cooler is still fighting, so we must do the same!"
The soldier slowly nodded and returned to their post, but they moved as if they were hollow. Looking around his ship, the commander began to realize the deep effect the loss of their King has had on his crew.
"S-soldiers!" the commander cried, trying to keep his voice steady. "We must not lose ourselves now! Victory is within our grasp! We are part of the strongest fleet in the universe. This is just one planet! We shall fight and win for Lord Frieza and our King!"
A few murmurs were his only response.
"You!" the commander snapped at one of his personnel. "I must make a message to the entire fleet. Open a channel to every captain-"
"Commander, ship 4 has broken away."
The report chilled the commander's blood as he turned to one of the windows. Already he could see one of the ships turning around to fly away from the Earth.
"Hail them now!" The commander spat. "Deserters and traitors will be destroyed immed-"
"Commander, ship 9 has left."
"Commander, ship 12 is leaving."
"Commander, ship 244 is gone."
"Commander, ship 145-"
The 2nd in command could do nothing but listen as his personnel listed off all the ships who began to drift away from their posts. He could only watch as more and more of the fleet disappeared into the darkness of space. Eventually, his ship was the last to remain.
"… commander, what are your orders?"
The question brought the commander to his knees, his face slacked with sweat. They were alone. It was done.
"… we're leaving," the commander said, his voice breaking as he spoke.
"Where… where will we go?"
"… I don't know… and it does not matter."
Slowly, the commander rose back to his feet. His head hung low, and his body shrank as he manually turned off the screen.
"The Frieza Force is dead."