Post by Tomoka on Nov 19, 2017 16:43:54 GMT
-|The Cavern of Enlightenment|-
Thread PL: 83,570
Thread PL: 83,570
Once again, the boy had begun walking. It went on for days, and while he could simply fly to save time, he didn’t want to lose his current traveling partner, or have to carry an old man atop his back.
“We will be there soon, I can tell.” The old ogre croaked, the boy, in his draped rags, nodding back in a basic, wordless reply. They had discussed their plans in detail, and while they hadn’t timed it, it felt as if they had been yammering on for hours. Their goals had become clear, and their plans were going to become reality…
Soon, they would find themselves before a cavern. “Old as hell itself… what we do here will free you, forever.” the ogre would say, before turning, continuing to walk with the boy. “Yadaran… what will I see?” he would ask, before the old ogre would turn back to him.
“At this point, your strength, compared to the average man, is great. But, compared to the great emperors, monarchs and military rulers that wage war in your living realm… you couldn’t possibly hope to compare.” He had said, Tomoka listening, and nodding.
“That I know. I know that I’m no Zuccetta, or Xylo, but I’m no grunt either, and I’m certainly above average…” he would say, trying not to sound to proud of himself. It wasn’t hard, as the seeds of doubt still remained within his mind. The ogre wouldn’t seem bothered, and would merely nod back at the Saiyan.
“You have power. But the power you have cannot be enough, and it will never be enough. As long as you submit to remain at your current strength, you CANNOT become stronger.” he would say, Tomoka quickly replying back.
“But I haven’t submitted. I haven’t given into fear, I haven’t given into my doubts. I have pulled myself to heights that, years ago, would’ve made me the strongest man alive. If I had just been born earlier, I could’ve taken the empire by the throat, and forced it to change…” he said, eyes closing for a moment, imagining it. The broadcast he had seen on that day all those years ago, the woman walking in, proclaiming her new status before the aristocratic bastards who had turned the empire as a weapon for their own means.
If it had been him in that room…
“This empire relies on one thing, and one thing alone: the huddled, pathetic masses it builds itself upon buying the fact that if they simply train hard enough, they’ll be something more than a tool. Something more than just another tiny cog in this broken machine that only exists for your benefit.” he would’ve said, standing in the middle of that room, every Saiyan alive watching. “The people watching now, they know deep down that, even though they’re Saiyans, the most powerful race this universe has ever known, that they are still slaves. Slaves, born into bondage, into servitude.”
He would still do it. He and his lord, together. They would strike down the queen, destroy her palace, and free the galaxy, once and for all. They would spread their empire, and when Xylo fell, it would be him who would take his place…
“Not yet.” he would suddenly hear, the voice unknown, across space, time. His eyes would suddenly open, and turn. Before him…
“You.” he would reply, the familiar form that had haunted his dreams returning. She stood there, arms crossed, daggers in her eyes.
It took a few seconds, both of them circling each other, sizing the other up. Both wore the same battle suit, both had similar builds. But nothing deterred them, and in moments, the fight would begin.
They would begin throwing punches, kicks, and curses. Each and every blow connected between the two of them, both taking massive amounts of damage with every single attack. Every punch led to broken bones, every kick led to a wave of agony, every blast of ki led to charred, burned flesh. This was what Tomoka had been waiting for...
But as quickly as it had come, as quickly it was taken away.
“No…” he would croak, turning, searching for his foe. He wouldn't lose like this again, he wouldn't lose her. But the landscape had changed, and the foe had as well. In front of him, the Namekian landscape extended forward, and an energy blast flew forward. “NO!!!!!” He would scream, before the impact would send him flying back words, tearing off his armor in the process. Bones would crack, and flesh would burn. He would look up, as he had done, seeing the Namek off in the distance. “I…” he rasped, the words he had said one to many times returning to his lips… words he wouldn’t allow himself to utter again. Suddenly, the strength he had would return, and he would stand, eyes full of deep, hateful rage. “I will FUCKING KILL YOU!” He would scream, and within seconds, his fist would fly forward, punching into the Namek’s chest.
Pulling his fist out, Tabu would slump to the ground, and Tomoka would turn to the one man left standing, besides him. “... This needs to happen.” he stated, pointing his hand forward, forming the shape of a gun. “Pew-” he would whisper, but all at once, a sharp pain would be felt in his chest. Looking forward, he would see Mammon, but the scenery around them would change… castle Mazoku.
Looking down, he would see the face of the blue man that had taken his dignity on that day, and he would find himself spitting in it. But, before he could be thrown off… he did the only thing he could. Pulling himself forward, he would grab hold of the alien, and, with all his might, sink his teeth into his neck, and pull back. Flesh came with it, and within a minute, both he and the thief fell to the floor… dead.
And than, it ended.
The cavern returned, Tomoka standing where he was when he entered. Before him, Yadaran stood, unchanged.
“...what just happened? I’ve seen that before… I’ve seen what I could’ve done… if I had only been stronger.”
“You saw the most alien thing that you’ve never known: victory. The difference is, you know now what you need to do to get it…” Yadaran would say, trailing off. Tomoka would right himself, standing not knowing where to proceed. “What happens now?” he asked, an amused expression appearing on Yadaran’s face.
“We train.” he would say, before turning around, walking back to the entrance of the cavern.
The first lesson is complete.
The objective is near.
Victory has grown a step closer.
Taking PL for this one, with some nice AL bonuses as well.