Despair beckons

But a risk appears

And hope begins to gleam.

"There’s nothing left to do but, fight."

"You can still fuse."

At that surprising statement, the fighters whirled around to stare at Kyloa. "What do you mean, we can still fuse?" asked Dende.

Haltingly, Kyloa explained. "In an emergency, a Shizen can take a Chi’s place temporarily in a fusion. I . . . I can take Goku’s place."

"Why do I feel like there’s something you’re not telling us?" asked Gohan.

Kyloa clasped her hands together tightly to keep them from trembling nervously. "Without having been trained for it, the power could overwhelm me and I could die."

"You should have told us of this option so you could have trained for it, in case we needed you," said Sixteen.

"I was hoping that I would not have to fight, that you would not need me."

"Well, we need you but I’m not about to let you risk your life when you know almost nothing about fighting," snarled Piccolo.

"You have no choice in the matter. Either I participate in the fusion or we all die!" yelled Kyloa. She blinked, surprised at her own outburst. The others blinked too, having never heard Kyloa raise her voice before.

Piccolo glanced at the fight in the air. Vegeta, Eighteen, and Krillin wouldn’t be able to last much longer. If they were going to fuse, they would have to do it now. He glanced back at the others. Gohan stepped towards him. "We have to do something, Piccolo."

Piccolo narrowed his eyes. "Fine! We will fuse. But we must finish this fight quickly, that way there will be less of a chance of Kyloa’s energy being depleted during the fusion."

Everyone nodded, while Kyloa just gave Piccolo one of her unreadable looks. The five silently stepped forward and made a circle. As the lead Chi now, Piccolo held out his hand first. "Mighty Earth, help us now in our dire need. Lend us the power we need to complete this task. Help us defeat Queen Frozena."

Piccolo felt a peculiar energy begin to build up around his hand. Gohan placed his hand atop of Piccolo’s. "Mighty Earth, help us in our need."

Gohan began to feel the power as well as Sixteen placed his hand next on theirs. "Mighty Earth, lend us your power."

The power grew stronger and they were able to see its aura now when Kyloa placed her hand atop of theirs. "Mighty Earth, help us defeat our enemy, the evil Queen Frozena."

Dende placed his hand last on the pile. "Let us become one. Let the Earth make this so."

They began moving in a circle, chanting Dende’s words over and over. Faster and faster they went, the power building up around their hands ‘til it spread, streaming along their arms and engulfing their bodies. There was a great flash of light and then a great backwash of air, knocking Queen Frozena, Vegeta, Eighteen and Krillin out of the air and hard onto the ground several yards away.

"What the hell?" yelled Vegeta, picking himself up off the ground.

Krillin was the first person to see them. "They-they-they’ve fused!" he stammered, pointing. Vegeta and Eighteen whirled to see what he was looking at, gasping at what their eyes were seeing.

Where once stood three Chi warriors, the guardian of Earth, and a Shizen now stood one person. The most unusual looking person they had ever seen. He stood well over seven feet, his spiked hair a mottle of black, orange, and green. His skin was whiter than snow, giving him an otherworldly look. The strangest of all was his eyes. At first look, his pupils seemed to be the earth, as it was seen from space. Then he blinked and his eyes became blacker than space itself. The clothes he wore were in the Shizen style of tunic and body suit with no fancy trims or accessories and in the plain colors of green, blue, and black. On his black belt was a most unusual white swirly symbol that could make one dizzy if they stared at it too long. If Kyloa hadn’t been otherwise occupied, she could have told them it was the Earth’s own personal symbol, which no outsiders have ever seen except the Shizen.

His aura glowed a mix of blue and red, the brightness of it making Krillin’s eyes see spots. The power radiating from them was unbelievable, as well as overwhelming. He stepped forward, his stride long, and confident. All Queen Frozena could do was stare, openmouthed at him and the power level he broadcasted. "Who . . . what the hell are you?!"

The powerful being stopped and the look he gave the evil queen made even Eighteen cringe. When he spoke, he seemed to be speaking quietly but the undertone of the voice roared, as though as wild as nature itself and it rang in their ears. It also echoed, as though five different voices were all speaking at once. If he spoke any louder, they would all go deaf.

I am the Sabikan."

Queen Frozena smirked and crouched into a fighting stance. "Meant to destroy me? We’ll see about that."

The Sabikan took a fighting stance as well. "So be it."