Post by Lute on Dec 11, 2016 13:43:13 GMT -5
New Salda
Radia's boot heels clicked on the ramp of her ship as she descended. The humid jungle air clung to her and immediately droplets of sweat began to gather on her brow and at the nape of her neck. It had been nearly a decade since she visited New Salda last. It wasn't the sort of place that most Saiyans came back to willingly. Many called it the graveyard. The Saiyans that lived here were past their fighting days, waiting to die essentially. Or, they had been wounded to the point that they couldn't fight any longer.
They were the discarded and the venerable. But, she didn't feel bad for them. Many had been tireless during their heyday, proving themselves as true Saiyan warriors. She didn't look down upon that at all. She always felt they should be venerated more than they were. The scoff and scorn for New Salda was misplaced. It could serve as a bastion of wisdom. She had parked her ship on a stony rise outside of the settlement. It was a crude place. Most of the structures were run down modular style buildings, the type the Frieza Force used for their colonies. She even saw a few older Capsule Corp style portable houses. Saiyans were never builders. They were warriors.
Dozens of graying and solemn faced Saiyans stared at her. They emerged from their huts and looked on edge, ready for a fight. She kept a stern face as she walked past them. She couldn't smile or be friendly. Soon, they would be her subjects.
The Great Hall sat atop a mud laden hill. It was the biggest structure on the entire planet. The support beams and pylons were composed out of the rib bones of some dead beast, one that had been clearly skyscraper size. Between the arched ribs was a patchwork canvas of scaled hides sewn together. Wisps of smoke snaked their way into the sky from the ventilation port in the center.
She had been on Earth and Arcose. Planets that had cities that marveled and awed those that gazed upon them. Here were her people, the rightful strongest in the entire universe, living like savages. It made her sick to her stomach. Where was the pride?
There were two guards at the entrance to the hut. One was a younger Saiyan warrior, who appeared to be missing his right arm. He was still well muscled and she could feel a substantial power level from him. The other was an old man, one she recognized immediately. He had a long beard and a stout appearance, his body more a mass of untamed muscle. Someone may have mistaken him for being fat, but she could tell that he was just burly. She had fought along side him in her youth.
His power level was tucked away. She knew from experience it exceeded the one armed fighter beside him.
"Radia?" the old man said. "Why are you here?"
"Onyon. You're looking old. Let me enter the Great Hall. I am here to claim the empty throne inside.."
Onyon furrowed his thick brow at her. "You must be kidding."
The younger one-armed Saiyan moved to impose himself. "Get the fuck out of here."
Onyon sighed. "Settle down Bete. Anyways, Radia I thought you were one to respect traditions. There is a reason we don't have a monarch. It was decreed that only those who have ascended beyond a normal Saiyan can do as such. There has not been a Super Saiyan in over five hundred year."
Radia raised her thumb pointing it at her chest. "You're looking at one. I will be your Queen. Now, let me take my rightful seat."
"That's it!" Bete shouted.
He didn't hesitate. Radia liked that. Bright yellow ki surged from his fist in a massive destructive blast. Half of the hill the Great Hall stood on was annihilated in an instant. A burning pillar of smoke and dust rolled over the jungle in its wake.
When it cleared, Radia floated there, arms crossed. "You want to fight me? Come try it. I'll take that other arm and leave you a useless wretch."
Bete didn't attack again, he stood there gawking at her. No doubt he was alarmed at the fact that she wasn't even scratched.
Onyon floated up, opposite of her. She wasn't afraid of him, but knew better than to underestimate him just because of his age. Onyon had been one of the most feared Saiyans during her youth. They called him Black Lightning and he had wrecked havoc in hundreds of wars, working for the highest bidder. He had been her inspiration when she became a mercenary. She had fought alongside him for awhile and in part, she owed him a debt of gratitude. She would repay that later, once she was wearing her crown.
"If you're a Super Saiyan, show me."
Radia laughed. "Come now Onyon. Why should I show you for no reason? Make me have to use that power, if you want to see it so bad."
"Fine. I may be old Radia, but there was a reason they called me Black Lightning."
The old warrior clapped his hands together and then drew them apart. Black and purple bolts unfurled from the center of his palms and down the length of his forearms, dancing across his elbows. She had seen this technique before and didn't really want to be at the receiving end of it, ever.
She flew backwards, laughing as he chased her. They cruised over the jungle. It wasn't long until he caught up and swung at her face. Her body flickered from sight. Onyon kept going, and was engulfed by the jungle canopy. A moment later the entire area exploded, ropes of black lightning curling out across the sky. Hundreds of trees in the radius were reduced to loose splinters and ash. The ground split and cracked, forming a massive canyon that spread out for ten or fifteen miles.
The destructive power of that technique couldn't be questioned. A few years ago, it may have even killed her.
Onyon pulled himself out of the rubble and flew up after her. This time he split, creating a dozen or more after images, surrounding her on all sides. She bunched her knees to her chest and gathered a suitable amount ki. The she spread her limbs out in all directions, unleashing it in a massive expanding sphere. Onyon was caught by it and sent hurtling back, riding along against his will. This time he plummeted into a nearby lake. The water had just started emptying into his newly formed canyon.
He emerged covered in scorch marks. "You're strong. I'll give you that."
Radia snickered. "Are you ready to bend the knee, old man?"
"Hah. If you think that's all I got. You're wrong kiddo."
Onyon swung both his huge arms into the air, above his head. More black and purple surged out of his finger tips, forming a sphere. It grew until it was twice the size of his body. She could see it buzzing and thrumming, it was quite volatile. She ahd to be careful, even with her current power.
He arched his back and swung it forward with both hands. The mass filled her vision. There was enough power within it to destroy the entire planet, if it Onyon had been targeting it.
She gathering ki into her own palm to fire a counter-blast. Except, his blast never made it into range. It exploded hundreds of feet in front of her, breaking into smaller and tinier spheres that spread out like a cloud.
A trick!
Now she was trapped, thousands of tiny volatile ki pellets surrounding her. One wrong move and they would explode in a chain. The full destructive power of his attack still remained in this form, yet there was no dodging it.
Black electricity sparked and flashed between the pellets.
She was about to make a snarky comment when he clapped his hands and ignited them all. The subsequent explosion was so large it blotted out the sun. The Saiyans in the village nearby were forced to brace themselves as the subsequent blast-wave tore over the area shredding trees and destroying many of the weaker hovels on the outskirts.
***
Onyon gasped for air, his arms hanging limp. He had poured everything into that attack. He waited until the smoke cleared. He didn't want to kill Radia, but she had insulted the pride of all the Saiyans by thinking she could be their queen. She wasn't a Super Saiyan. He was sure of that.
Regardless he was surprised just how strong she had grown to be. She was probably the strongest warrior he had seen in decades. To dodge his Black Lighting Fist. The power behind her explosive wave--there was no denying what he felt.
The last lingering bits in the cloud drifted away, and she was still there. For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a cloak of gold around her. But, maybe he had been hallucinating?
Onyon felt a lump rise in his throat. If she survived that--
"My queen," were the only words he could utter. Her fist slammed into his gut and everything went black.