The Fall Of A Hero

Rolling through the air like an enormous wrecking ball, the dark ki force demolished all life in its path. The forest rumbled as large chunks of earth tore away from the ground, billowing up into the wind. Dirt and debri filled the air and hung like mist swirling around the lone figure clad in long, white gloves and blue spandex. Day turned into night as the mass of negative energy sped forward and grew larger, enveloping the horizon.

Muscles hard as stone, Vegeta planted his feet firmly into the ground, bending his knees into a strong defensive stance and crossed his arms above his face to ward off the enormous black monstrosity before him. Somehow this gigantic ki blast managed to defy all reason. It was like nothing the saiya-jin prince had ever encountered.

From the moment the blast was created, Vegeta had not been able to sense its creation or from where it had come. He had little time to react, and no time to wonder how such an amazing feat was possible. Under normal circumstances, a ki force of lesser magnitude could be sensed from kilometers away by any reasonably skilled fighter. This one could not be sensed at all by Vegeta, who fancied himself without undue reason to be the most skilled fighter in the galaxy, second to none. Kakarotto may have cornered the market on spirit, compassion, and perhaps even power, but he, the Saiya no Ouji, was a fighting genius without equal.

“Kusoouuu!” He would not surrender to some unknown enemy, no matter how stealthy or strong. The fact that this attack relied on the element of surprise proves that this foe is a coward, without honor. Though at times Vegeta can be ruthless, he has always faced challenges head-on, believing that battles should be fought honestly. Well, the game was not over yet… this foe would pay.

Vegeta fueled with rage, he gathered his own power from within and let it loose against the on-coming force. It was a glorious display of gold light, illuminating brightly against the darkness. As he added more strength to his blast, Vegeta quickly transformed, transcending the bounds of the mortal flesh to the realm of divine power. His hair shone yellow-gold, growing in length, and his eyes turned from coal black to a cool blue-green. His heals dug deep into the ground below as he pushed hard, throwing his full self into the attack.

Vegeta could not give in. Sneaky as he may be, this new foe was indeed formidable and the saiya-jin prince had a family to protect now. He had to stop this new menace before it could cause them harm. Vegeta found that his years on earth had not made him soft, dependent on others. Instead, he acknowledged that his wife and son were a newfound source of infinite strength. He had finally begun to learn and understand one of the many reasons why Kakarotto has always been able to stay one step ahead of him. Kakarotto always had a family to defend. They lessened his fears and lent him strength. He was not fighting for himself. Kakarotto would forever beat all odds because he could not allow himself lose. The costs were just to great.

Vegeta fought on, fueling his counter-attack with more and more of his own inner being. To his dismay, no matter how hard he pushed, the negative energy before him would not give. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the force collided with his body. The golden light of his ki dimmed with fatigue as he battled against the darkness. Try as he might, the strength of the blast appeared to grow with each passing moment. He found it harder and harder to press on, to resist the on-coming force.

As the blackness of the gigantic ki globe swallowed his body, he felt a deep anger rise within his soul. Engulfed within the dark inferno, he could feel his skin burn into hot ash. Though he knew this very well could be the end, still, he pushed on. He was not sure if the pain he felt was due to injuries to his body, pride, or to the anger he felt for not being able to protect his family. The last conscious thoughts he had were of hope that they would not fail, as he just might.

Trunks… Bulma…