Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Free My Soul ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from Dragon Ball Z.

A/N: OMG! I have never written so much dialogue EVER.

Free My Soul

Chapter Six

The man hit the floor, bounced once and lay lifeless. Vegeta stepped by him, conscious of the hard snip of Lyedra's heels behind him. As always the valley between his shoulder blades twitched. He proceeded into to the room, his dark eyes scanning the occupants. Boys dressed in white robes hid in the shadows, cowering and afraid. Two men stood ready near a wide throne where a huge man sat with skin the color of moss.

Vegeta stopped in the center of the room, grim and unafraid as he surveyed the Namekian leader. The soldiers were of no consequence to him. They were nothing more than powerless gnats. He sneered at them, satisfied when they shuddered where they stood. Guru laughed, a deep rich sound that was oddly soothing. Vegeta's gaze shot to him, silently questioning his humor.

“You are more terrifying than rumors portray.”

Vegeta smiled, a sharp, predatory grin that warned the weak away.

“I'm here for the Dragon Ball.”

“Of course you are.”

“Hand it over.” Vegeta's patience was thin. His argument with Bulma made him more dangerous than usual. Even his own men were shirking away from him.

Guru grunted. He thrust his weight forward, waddling out of his chair one bulbous butt cheek at a time. Vegeta watched with thinly veiled disgust.

“Yes, yes. It's this way.” Guru motioned for Vegeta to follow as he ponderously crossed the room towards a wide archway.

“Milord, it could be a trap.” Lyedra's sweet voice crawled down his spine. She was so close he could feel her breath on his neck. He held his ground though he wanted to shrug her away.

“Probably.”

“Shall I come with you?” She shifted closer.

Vegeta wrenched around to look at her, his eyes blazing and his teeth snapping.

“And do what? There is nothing here that can harm me. And if he does lead me to a beast that can devour me, I surely wouldn't expect any help from a weakling like you.”

Lyedra's cheeks flamed red, and her green eyes snapped with fire. Vegeta glared her down before turning on his heel to stomp over to Guru.

“Are you sure you up for a walk, old man?”

“Don't be impudent.”

Vegeta would have snapped a scathing retort, but there was something soothing about the old man that made him want to laugh instead. Guru's mannerisms were peace itself. Liquid and flowing, there was nothing sly about the way he moved. His eyes were kind and his tone was fatherly. Fatherly in a way Vegeta could barely comprehend. Guru motioned to him, leading him to a wide winding staircase that dove down into the pillar of land where his small squat home was perched.

“Do you know much of the history of your home, Vegeta?”

“Some.”

“A leader should know how he came into being.”

“My father fucked my mother.”

Guru snorted, and shook his head.

“Shall I tell you of how the Nameks came to be?

Vegeta sighed. After this he still had one last ball to collect. He didn't care to listen to a tall tale, yet, oddly he found himself in not much of a hurry to finish his duty. He liked it here on Namek. The pace was slow, the morals of the people were solid, and no one in particular was trying to kill him.

“Just produce the ball, old man, and I'll be on my way. I don't want to have to hurt you.”

“Of course not. It hasn't escaped our noticed that not one Namek has perished since your arrival. That is monumental.”

Vegeta gave the old man a sideways glance. One of his antennae was drooping over his eye, and sweat was beading on his brow. They certainly weren't rushing down the seemingly endless stairs, but it was clear that the Namek was easily winded.

“How so?”

“Throughout time, many have come for the Dragon Balls, slaughtering our people until our blood enriched the land.”

“If so many have had their wishes granted, how is it that I haven't heard of this magic before now?”

Guru chuckled, shaking his head ruefully. “I didn't say they had their wishes granted.”

Vegeta stiffened, pausing on the stairs. He looked at his surroundings suspiciously. The vaulted ceiling of the home had disappeared, replaced by natural white limestone. The steps were carved out of the mountain itself, and the walls had the divots of worked stone. Glowing blue gems were mounted on the walls every few steps, clearing away the shadows just enough to watch your footing. Vegeta squinted his eyes, using his night vision to see further, but beyond the light was only more darkness leading further into the mountain. Guru continued for a few steps before realizing his companioned wasn't beside him.

“Where are you taking me?” Vegeta demanded with a voice as cold as glacial winds.

Guru smiled. “To the Dragon Ball.”

“Which is guarded by what?”

“Nothing, my son. There is no trickery here. And like you said, you are far too powerful to be overtaken by anything here.”

“By anything I've seen so far.”

Guru shrugged and proceeded down the stairs. “Follow me, rush ahead, flee to your ship. All those choices are yours.”

Vegeta stared at Guru's wide back.

“My choices aren't so broad as that.” Vegeta drew even with his escort.

“I think they are more varied than you believe, but I digress. I have a tale to tell.”

“Excellent. Namekian mythology. Just what I needed.”

“So impudent. Now listen to what I say. In the beginning there was only Hahaoya. Her thick green vines encircled the world, protecting it, loving it, but with only her budding flowers to keep her company she was lonely.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes. The further they descended the cooler the air became, smelling of moist dirt and cool water.

“So inside her pods she grew two brothers. They ripened inside her, feeding from the land and drinking from the suns. The first brother was born under the gold sun. He was strong, perfectly formed and happy. But the second pod brother struggled inside his cocoon. The first brother stayed beside the pod, whispering words of encouragement to his brother, but soon the golden sun sunk beneath the horizon and the red sun rose. Beneath the thin skin of the pod, the second brother writhed furiously, agonizing screams muffled inside the womb as if he was being burned by the sun's bright rays. Finally, the blue sun rose, casting shadows. The second brother burst the seams of the pod and slithered free, but he was weak, sickly formed and pained by even the blue sun's muted brightness. Afraid for his brother's life, the First whisked the Second away, and ensconced him deep within the womb of Namek.”

“Old man. I have no interest in your creation tales.”

“You should.”

“And why is that?”

“You'll see. Now don't be rude. The Second couldn't bear to be in the sunlight, but every soul needs light to survive. So the First, after soaking in his fill of the suns would see to his brother's needs. They loved each other fiercely, but the second was jealous, angry and bitter. He couldn't venture into the light, and he resented his reliance on his brother. So he was cruel to the only one who loved him. He spurned his brother, and eventually in a rage he killed him.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yes. It is better to destroy your weakness that to live with it.”

“Perhaps, but without the light, the second brother became a withered, heartless shadow of himself. Souless and angry, he burrows his way through the innards of Namek, feeding on worms and drinking her hot blood. He is forever damned to his prison of darkness, unable to escape, unable to find the love he once knew.

The stairs emptied out into a huge cavern. The white limestone walls were bathed in flickering blue lights, and in the distance Vegeta could hear the trickle of water. In the center of the room, a monolithic ivory statue stood, one arm outstretched as it grasped a golden orb in its palm.

“In the grief of his loss, the Second erected a statue of his brother. In moments of clarity, when madness ceases its raking of its claws across his brain, he ventures here and prays for forgiveness at his brother's feet.”

“Forgiveness is a weakling's word.”

Vegeta levitated off the ground until he drew even with the Dragon Ball in the statue's hand. He examined it carefully, looking for hidden traps or trip wires. Satisfied he lifted the ball from its stand, and returned to his guide.

“That's it?”

Guru shrugged. “Should there be more?”

Vegeta glanced around the room again, expecting some beast to leap out at him. Seeing nothing, he turned towards the stairs to begin the long hike to the top. Guru fell into step next to him. Vegeta wondered how far the old man would get before he collapsed from heart failure.

“What will you do with your prize?”

“I will wish for power so I can defeat my enemies and rule as I was meant to.”

“That's an awful lot of ambition for just one fella.”

“It's not ambition. It's destiny.”

“Well now, that's a pretty powerful word you're using.”

“It is what it is.”

“Seems to me people get the idea of destiny all tangled up with things such as ambition, pride, and duty.”

“What do you know of it, old man?”

“I know destiny isn't decided by us mere mortals. In fact, only the Gods know our true destiny. Most of the time our future is completely unexpected.”

“My life isn't flippant decisions made by fickly, unknowable gods. It's what I make of it.”

“Oh, I see.”

“You see what?”

“So being homeless, parentless and friendless are choices made by you?”

“What do you know of my life?”

“The past is rarely ambiguous if you take the time to look. It's the future that is unknowable to us all.”

“Whatever, old man. My past may have been out of my control, but my future is not.”

“You put a lot of stock in being in control don't you, Vegeta?”

“There's nothing wrong with that.”

“No. It's quite good. As long as you exert your control in the right way.”

“You and your riddles. What do you care?”

“Besides the obvious? You are in control here. You haven't killed one of my people yet you have gained everything you wanted.”

Vegeta frowned. He hadn't gained everything. He was as sure as he was breathing that Bulma wouldn't be waiting for him when he returned. She would be gone, and he couldn't quite decide how he felt about that. He picked at it. Like a scab over a poorly healed wound. It hurt, but he couldn't stop either.

“So what are you going to do with all this control?”

“You mean power?”

“One in the same, aren't they?”

“I suppose.” Vegeta paused, his brow furrowed in thought as he imagined his future. “I will be Emperor. I will rule the universe and crush my enemies.”

“So you've said. What does all that entail exactly?”

“Complete obedience from all.”

“I see. Millions bowing at your feet?” Vegeta nodded. “Riches and glory?” He nodded again. “Harems of women?”

Vegeta was silent as he looked stonily ahead, counting the steps to the top of the stairs.

“All this bowing and scraping. Lazy luxury and wanton women. Tell me what does she think of this?”

Guru plucked a blue hair from Vegeta sleeve, holding it to the light before blowing it away into nothingness. Vegeta frowned at its departure.

“She is of no concern.”

“Her opinion doesn't matter to you?”

“She has no opinion to give. She isn't staying.”

“I see.”

“You see a lot, old man.”

Guru chuckled as he tucked his hands behind his back. Though the climb was harder than the descent he seemed no worse for wear. “Well, I am a seer.”

“Pompous gas bag more likely.”

“Perhaps, I did have lichen moss water for lunch.” Guru smiled and rubbed his round belly. “But tell me who will be there?”

“What do you mean?”

“Millions to rule over. Legislation and decrees to issue. All that power and wealth and so many people fawning for their share. Who will be there by your side? Who will you trust with your secrets?”

The image of Lyedra's slyly seductive face intruded on Vegeta. She would make a fearsome queen. A ruthless consort for a merciless warlord.

“I need no one.”

“Like you needed no one as a child?”

“As a child I had no choice to my fate.”

“It sounds to me that as a man you have no choice either.”

“I control my fate.”
“If that's so then why are you living for another's expectation?”

“My father—“

“Is dead.” Guru turned to face Vegeta so he might see the truth of his words. Vegeta returned his kind gaze with a deep fierceness.

“You are just trying to twist my mind so you can steal what is rightfully mine. I will rule. I will rule well.”

“I believe you would make a fine ruler, Vegeta. One of the best the universe has seen I suspect.”

“But?”

“Without light you will never be happy. Despair and loneliness will eventually consume you.”

Vegeta shrugged the old man off, clearing the last few steps to the top.

“What is happiness anyway?”

“Why, Vegeta. It's what makes our souls shine.”

“Well it's a good thing I'm a soulless bastard, isn't it?”

Without a backward glance, he exited the room to collect his soldiers. Guru watched him go, sadness infinite in his kind eyes.

If only that were true, my son.”