Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Ball: Chaotic Future ❯ Chapter 27: Reunion ( Chapter 27 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I DO NOT OWN DRAGON BALL Z OR ANY RACES, PLANETS, OR CHARACTERS RELATED TO IT. GALDRIA, HEVA, TIRIS, IQUELA, MIURA, ZELLIS, SETH, CLEF, HANZO, TWILIGHT AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS, RACES, OR PLANETS WERE ALL CREATED BY ME.
 
 
Dragon Ball:
Chaotic Future
 
CHAPTER 27
 
Mad God Saga, Part XVI
“Reunion.”
 
 
 
Kalen smirked.
 
The green-and-black-clad Genjin floated confidently back to the ground, where he maintained his offensive stance, prepared to lash out at the mad god once again if need be. He grey-green eyes sparkled with barely contained amusement as he watched Tempest, who lay—yes, actually lay!—unmoving on the ground several yards away, the only indication that he still lived the rapid rise and fall of his chest as he gasped for breath. Upon seeing the shocked and defeated state of his divine adversary, Kalen allowed his posture to relax, just a little. He took a brief moment to look back behind him, over his shoulder, to where his stunned and silent allies stood rooted to the ground like statues.
 
That's right, Kalen thought with a rush of satisfaction. My strength is far beyond any of yours, so I'll be calling the shots from now on. You've all done your part in luring Tempest into a false sense of security, and I'm almost grateful for that… But now, it's time for his wake up call. The dark-haired warrior from Genji returned his attention to Tempest, who was finally now struggling to his feet. I may not be able to kill you, Kalen thought as he readied himself for another assault, but then again, I may not have to. Even now the exiled Genjin could feel his own power increasing in response to the mysterious approaching forces that he had encountered all those weeks ago. Someone, or perhaps more than one, had entered this universe through the rift on Galdria, and they had been steadily making their way toward the Earth ever since. Not much longer now, maybe a few hours at most, Kalen reminded himself. And once they arrive, we'll be able to end this once and for all.
 
As Tempest finally regained his footing, Kalen attacked, lashing out at the massive god with a blurring combination of strikes meant to keep him off balance. Tempest, still dazed from his embarrassment at Kalen's hands only moments ago, found himself unable at first to defend, but eventually his sense returned, and Kalen found himself locked in a life or death battle against this terribly powerful being who was thought to be a god.
 
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Clef could sense the constant rise of Kalen's power.
 
Where's all of that strength coming from?! he thought in disbelief. Even back on Tiris, when he fought Trunks and Hanzo, he wasn't this strong! Clef made his way to where Gabriel had fallen and knelt down next to the unconscious young man. After a quick inspection, Clef decided that it would probably be okay to move him, much to his relief. This kid's lucky… That hit would've probably killed anyone else.
 
The Namekian hoisted the still form of Gabriel up onto his shoulder, taking the young warrior's energy saber as well and tucking it safely within his Saiyan armor. Dorian's son was still unconscious, but Clef was relieved to discover that the damage inflicted by Tempest was surprisingly minimal. It must've been that Power of his, the black-and-white-armored Namek realized. At the last minute, the Heaven's Wrath must've erected some kind of shield to take the brunt of the strike. Thank God for small favors…
 
The weary Namekian, with Gabriel over his shoulder, rejoined his companions, skirting along the edge of the battlefield so as not to interfere with Kalen's nonstop assault. After setting Dorian's son gently on the ground, Clef returned his attention to the frantic battle being fought in the sky above the city. Trunks and Hanzo were also engrossed in watching as Kalen went all out against Tempest, who seemed unable to mount any kind of counteroffensive. This, of course, was the Genjin's plan, for he knew that by keeping Tempest off guard and confused, he had the best chance of dealing as much damage as possible.
 
All I have to do is stall him, Kalen reminded himself for what must've been the thousandth time. If the oncoming powers that I feel truly are Genjin, then together we can finish this for good! The dark-haired warrior grinned maliciously to himself as he gathered a tremendous amount of power into his right fist. This should ring his bell! With a shout of exertion, Kalen threw a roundhouse kick that connected solidly with Tempest's head, knocking the evil divinity downward toward the ground and apparently stunning him. As Tempest fell, Kalen thrust his glowing right hand forward and fired a bolt of concentrated, pure Genjin energy, which engulfed the mad god and illuminated the surrounding ruins of Sea Wind City. A sound like thunder shattered the relative stillness of the afternoon, echoing violently throughout the ravaged city. As the blast struck the ground, an explosion of power tore through the air, and the onlookers were forced to cover their eyes and struggle to remain on their feet. After what seemed like forever, the atmosphere settled again, and Kalen remained floating high above Sea Wind.
 
“Looks like… I got… him,” the Genjin said, gasping for breath after having used so much energy in that last attack. As the smoke cleared below him, Kalen narrowed his eyes and used his incredible gift of sight to search the impact zone for any sign of Tempest. There was none.
 
“Looking for something, Genjin?” an all-too-familiar, pain-inducing voice taunted from behind Kalen. Before the bearded warrior could even turn around, Tempest struck. The mad god brought both hands up above his head and gripped them together in a movement so fast that it couldn't even be seen, and a split second later, the blow descended down upon Kalen's skull with the force of a meteor. The fugitive from Genji cried out in agony as he fell to the ground, Tempest not far behind, ready to strike again at any moment.
 
“I've let you play around for long enough,” the mad god sneered as he flew downward after Kalen. “You've put on quite a show for your friends down there, but enough is enough!” Suddenly, multicolored light began to gather into Tempest's now-outstretched hands, and the air became thick with energy. “You've lived long enough, Genjin scum!” With a movement so fast that it defied logic, the dark deity stopped in midair and shot his gathered blast of power downward toward Kalen, who had just struck the unyielding ground below.
 
As Tempest's blast coursed through the air toward its intended target, three more discharges of ki exploded upward from the ruins of the city. The three attacks, two golden-yellow and laced with blue lightning and one looking like nothing so much as blue and white fire, collided with Tempest's own rainbow-colored beam, slowing it down before it had a chance to strike Kalen. Unfortunately, slowing it down was all they could do, for the mad god's power was so great that even three powerful counterattacks such as these were unable to stop it.
 
Clef, Trunks, and Hanzo poured as much strength into their desperate attack as they could, but they could feel their power draining quickly all the while. As they did their best to hold Tempest's energy blast at bay, Android 16 dashed forward, seemingly unconcerned with the raging display of power above him. 16 reached the still form of Kalen and lifted him over his shoulder before barely escaping the oncoming force of Tempest's power, for just as the two of them reached safety, the three defenders' attacks were overwhelmed.
 
Tempest's blast, now completely unhindered, crashed fully into the ground with a detonation of blinding, multihued light and a deafening roar of wind and power. Violent shockwaves spread outward from the impact site to instantly destroy what few structures remained standing in Sea Wind, leveling the entire city for tens of miles around before finally dissipating. Tremors and deep, ragged cracks extended out from the crater created by Tempest's maddeningly powerful blast, and the entire planet seemed to quake slightly.
 
Trunks, Clef, and Hanzo, all exhausted from their failed attempt to stop the mad god's vicious attack, barely made it into the air when the blast hit, and they could feel the disconcerting, slightly painful sensations that Tempest's energy gave off all around them. 16, now carrying both Kalen and Gabriel, immediately shot upward as well, lest he be swallowed by the fissures that now claimed most of the decimated city. As the aftershock from the blast finally died down, the android floated cautiously toward his three weary allies, and they were all silent in the face of this monstrous display of power that was wielded by their godlike opponent.
 
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Storm clouds blotted out the late afternoon sun.
 
The powerful, sudden sea breezes that gave the city it's name began to blow in a savage storm from somewhere out in the ocean, filling the battlefield with howling, hurricane-strength wind and pelting the warriors with an unending torrent of heavy rain and hail. Lightning, both natural and unnatural, split the darkening sky, illuminating the ravaged city as the battle raged on. Though it was barely evening, darkness engulfed Sea Wind, an ill omen to those fighters who were determined to win this struggle once and for all.
 
Clef, Hanzo, Android 16, and Trunks all fought beside Kalen now, praying that their combined strength might be just enough to tip the scale in their favor. Gabriel remained oblivious to the conflict that seethed around him, still unconscious after Tempest's startling counterattack. As the combat continued, it was obvious to everyone that Tempest was gaining the upper hand, and that his uncanny strength was still on the rise. After one particularly brutal and disastrous face-off, Trunks and the others fell back, gasping for breath and soaked to the skin with sweat and rain.
 
“This is too much,” Trunks managed to say between panting breaths. “I had no idea… No idea that he was this strong!” He shook his head, droplets of rain cascading down from his yellow-golden hair. “Well,” he said again after finally catching his breath, “anyone have any bright ideas?” He smirked slightly, a mirror image of his father.
“We stand and fight,” Kalen said through clenched teeth. “To the death, if need be.” Just a little longer, he thought with a barely concealed smile. Once those two powers arrive, Tempest will be done for, I know it! He looked sidelong at his allies, feeling slightly chagrined that they had been forced to step in to rescue him. Can they not feel the energy signatures that are approaching? he silently wondered. No, obviously they can't, or else they'd have mentioned it. The Genjin turned his attention now to Tempest, who floated just above the ground several yards away. I don't believe this! He doesn't sense them either! They must be shielding their power signatures from everyone. I can feel them because of our common blood, but the others have no idea whatsoever!
 
“Kalen's right,” Hanzo responded, breaking Kalen's train of thought. “We decided before leaving the bunker that his would be our last battle.” He narrowed his cold, shining green eyes as he took a moment to study each of his comrades, one at a time. “No retreat. It's him or us, this time.”
 
Clef nodded agreement, but remained silent, never taking his attention away from his massive, godlike adversary. Hanzo and Kalen are both right, he thought grimly. We vowed to make this the final stand, no matter what. His attention shifted momentarily to Kalen before returning to Tempest, who floated calmly, arms crossed, across the battlefield. It will be a battle to the death, as Kalen said. But… Something seems strange about him lately, like he's on edge for some reason; I noticed it before we left the bunker. Damn Genjin, so secretive…
 
Like Clef, 16 said nothing, only watched Tempest with an intensity that startled his exhausted companions. There were several advantages to being an android, like the ability to fight for protracted periods of time without suffering fatigue. And right now all of 16's allies, Kalen included, found themselves envious of that particular advantage. Suddenly, the android's incredibly sensitive energy detection sensors picked up on something, and he started with amazement. “Two powers are approaching,” he stated flatly, though from the reactions of his companions, such an announcement was unnecessary.
 
The damp, energy saturated atmosphere around Sea Wind City suddenly became thick with power. Cries of surprise and fear escaped from Clef, Trunks, and Hanzo as their skin began to crawl and their bodies were flooded with sensations ranging from mind-numbing pain to a feeling like bugs moving beneath their skin. The air became hard to breath, and the rain seemed to be burning off before it even fell all the way to the muddy, broken earth below. Only 16 and Kalen were immune to the effects of sudden exposure to such a large, unshielded amount of raw Genjin power.
 
“They're here,” Kalen said softly, overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the oncoming powers. As if his words were some kind of summons, the two newcomers suddenly appeared with a burst of radiant energy, forcing Tempest to jump back slightly and shield his eyes. A small sonic boom accompanied their arrival, and the gathered warriors found themselves falling to their knees and covering their ears as the ground shook beneath them. Then, almost as quickly as it had begun, it was over.
 
Trunks, Clef, Hanzo, 16, and Kalen stood up on legs that shook so much it was a miracle that they were able to stand at all. Hanzo and Trunks, whose Super Saiyan 2 power had abandoned them during the sudden appearance of these two new fighters, looked badly shaken, having never before been caught in such a concentrated amount of Genjin energy. Clef seemed a little better, thanks to his hereditary ability to recover quickly from injury and shocks such as this. Android 16 and Kalen were fairing the best, though it was obvious that the artificial human's power sensors had been severely overloaded. As the assembled warriors regained their bearings, their attentions were immediately drawn to the center of the devastated city, and the two energy-radiating beings that stood between themselves and Tempest.
 
Both of the newly-arrived, obviously Genjin, warriors were of average height, standing just an inch or so shorter than Hanzo or Trunks. A staggering amount of energy crackled in the air around the two Genjins, who were clad from head to toe in long, black, hooded cloaks that matched Kalen's exactly. No physical details could be determined, other than the fact that one of the mysterious fighters was slightly smaller in stature than the other, hinting at the possibility of a female. As the last traces of power finally dissipated, the smaller of the two reached up and pulled back the black hood of her over-cloak.
 
Clef gasped in a mixture of shock and relief, for here, standing before him, was the once person he had never expected to see again: Kirien! She turned her head to look directly at the gathered combatants at her back, golden eyes alight and lips pursed in a slight smile. Clef felt himself relax instantly when met with that sweet, confident expression, but his attention was suddenly drawn to Kalen, who stepped forward, face a mask of obvious disbelief. Before the exiled Genjin could say anything, however, an icy glare from Kirien made him stop in place, holding him as if he were paralyzed. Clef felt uneasy all of a sudden, for it seemed as if some silent communication had passed between the two Genjins. Neither of them moved for a moment or two, until finally Kirien pointed an accusing finger at the dumbstruck Kalen.
 
“You, Kalen Malum,” she said, her clear, almost musical voice carrying easily across the distance that separated them. “For years my people have been searching for you, for your crimes against the Tribunal are many.” At this she stopped for a moment and laid a single hand on her companion's shoulder, indicating with a nod that she wished him to keep his attention on Tempest, who had not made even a single move since their arrival. Kalen was silent as Kirien continued.
 
“We have come to rid this universe of the being known as Tempest. You will assist us in this time of need, if you ever hope to return to your own universe as a free man.” She turned to fully face the Genjin criminal, who had gone pale at her scathing words. “The secret of the Sealing Blast has been passed down through your bloodline and your bloodline alone for the last ten millennia. You will comply with the orders of the Tribunal by sharing the knowledge of that most ancient of abilities. Understood?” Kalen was about to respond, when a sudden burst of energy sprang up around Tempest, and the mad god dashed forward in an attempt to catch his opponents off guard. “Take him, now!” Kirien shouted to her black-hooded companion, voice barely audible over the roaring of the oncoming storm.
 
The stranger's reaction was immediate, and he materialized before the charging Tempest in the blink of an eye, his long, all-concealing cloak blowing wildly about him as he was surrounded by a sudden aura of Genjin power. The evil deity, surprised to find himself faced with an opponent so soon, came to a screeching halt, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. The mysterious Genjin warrior wasted no time, and he leapt forward and struck Tempest hard with a kick charged with flickering silver energy. The blow snapped Tempest's head back, causing the grey-clad monstrosity to stagger back as a second strike quickly followed the first. This time the mad god was engulfed in a searing blast of pure Genjin power, and he screamed in a mixture of pain and rage as he was forced back even further.
 
Seeing that Tempest was on the defensive, Kirien tore her attention away from the speechless Kalen and jumped into the fray, fighting side by side with her companion as they continued to beat Tempest back. The two Genjins fought like a single person, watching each other's backs and linking their separate strikes together into flawless, combination assaults that kept Tempest guessing the entire time. But, as had been the case for all of the mad god's adversaries since his awakening, their luck was about to run out.
 
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Tempest suddenly unleashed his full fury upon his enemies.
 
The explosion of rage and power that emanated from the godlike warrior seemed to shake the entire planet, and all of his opponents found themselves pushed back by a wall of solid energy that shot out from Tempest like a wave. Only Kirien's unnamed ally stood his ground, as if Tempest's ferocity had no effect on him whatsoever. The mysterious Genjin stood calmly in place as what was left of Sea Wind City disintegrated around him, and Tempest was filled with wrath.
 
“For your insolence, you will die first!” he shouted, rushing toward the black-cloaked fighter as his body continued to emanate multihued power. “None can stand against me, not even you, Genjin!” More and more energy tore outward from Tempest as he tried with all his might to force Kirien's ally back, and he succeeded, but only slightly. The unnatural bursts of wind and power that continued to flow steadily from the dark god increased in fury, and the Genjin defender was slowly pushed back, though he fought it every inch.
 
“No more of this!” Kirien shouted over the howling wind that tore through the air around her. With a grunt of exertion, an aura of blinding yellow Genjin power engulfed the bronze-skinned woman, and she planted her feet more firmly on the ground, struggling against Tempest's monstrous discharge. Enough of this, she thought, staring with narrowed eyes at her black-cloaked companion, who stood several yards ahead of her, refusing to back down anymore. I know what he's worried about, but this is ridiculous! “No more of this!” she shouted toward her ally. “You have to stop this! Take him down, Miura!”
 
Clef, who was standing nearer Kirien than any of his comrades were, gasped in disbelief at the Genjin ambassador's words. What did she just say? he thought in amazement. A quick look over his shoulder proved to the Namekian that none of his allies had overheard Kirien's speech, and if his own hearing weren't quite so sharp, Clef probably wouldn't have heard either. How is that even possible?! But as the green-skinned fighter pondered this strange turn of events, the mysterious Genjin grabbed the front of his long black cloak and pulled it off in one fluid movement, tossing the garment to the side without taking his attention away from Tempest. What Clef saw, even at this distance, made his blood run cold.
 
The warrior whom Kirien had called “Miura” did, in fact, bear a startling resemblance to the former Emperor of Galdria, though there were enough differences to make Clef study the stranger more closely. The most obvious thing that Kirien's companion had in common with Miura were his eyes, which were the same piercing amethyst, and at this moment, those eyes were narrowed to a fearsome glare which was directed entirely at Tempest. If the eyes were the biggest similarity between the two, then the hair was different enough to balance that resemblance, for it was long and straight and hung nearly to his shoulders, or would have if it weren't being blown around sporadically by Tempest's frightening display of power. The stranger stood the same height as Miura, but he seemed to be slightly smaller in stature, lacking the distinctly “Saiyan” muscular structure. It was obvious that this strange Genjin possessed immense strength, but that strength was equally tempered with speed and mobility.
 
The Genjin warrior assumed a sudden offensive stance, the light from Tempest's continuing assault casting strange shadows upon his black and green armor, the same type worn by Kalen. Without a sound, an explosion of silver and gold power burst up from the ground around the supposed “Miura,” forcing Clef and the others to shield their eyes. Waves of this new power collided with the multihued energy of Tempest, and whenever the two met, the Genjin's shimmering ki seemed to cancel out the negative power of the mad god. Then, all at once, both energies simply vanished, leaving the battlefield visible once again.
 
Tempest remained in the exact position he'd held while powering up, and the expression of wrath upon his disturbingly-perfect features seemed powerful enough to peel the skin from whomever he glanced at. An aura of strikingly bright, multicolored energy burned steadily around the mad god, filling the air with a slight feeling of despair. His soulless, jet-black eyes flickered momentarily with something that may have been fear, for the opponent that stood opposite him had undergone a startling transformation.
 
A nimbus of silver energy, with an occasional flash of golden lighting, burned around the Genjin warrior, appearing to be almost solid, but transparent enough to make out the amazing changes that had occurred to the mysterious fighter's physique. The once long, straight black hair was now spiked up startlingly similar to what occurred during the Super Saiyan transformation, though it was a shining silver in color, rather than the golden-yellow of the Saiyans' ancestral technique. The eyes, which were so similar to Miura's own purple, were now icy blue, and glowing brightly. The power that flowed out from Kirien's companion was unmistakable to one who had experienced it before, and it left no more doubt in Clef's mind.
 
Somehow, beyond all hope, Miura had indeed come back to them; and this time, his amazing power seemed to be stable, for there was no indication that the former Emperor's life force was affected at all.
 
We actually have a chance now! Clef realized, feeling suddenly renewed. I don't understand how this is possible, but right now, I couldn't care less!
 
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Hanzo looked on in undisguised shock.
 
“My… My brother,” he said softly, eyes wide and shining with unshed tears of disbelief. “But, how?” He looked to his left, to where Trunks stood in a state of shock equal to Hanzo's own. “Trunks, what the hell is going on here?”
 
“I don't know,” Bulma's son replied, voice filled with awe. “I mean, you don't suppose that, somehow, they have a set of Dragon Balls in the Genjin universe, do you?” A spark of hope flashed in Trunks' teal eyes as he spun around to face Hanzo, his expression one of beaming optimism. “Well?”
 
“Am… I seeing what… I think I'm seeing?” a weak, pain-filled voice asked from behind them. Hanzo and Trunks turned around to see Gabriel, pale and unsteady, being held up by Android 16. “That's Miura, isn't it?” The two Saiyans nodded once, returning their attention forward.
 
Clef stood a few feet ahead of them, with Kirien slightly in front of him, still glowing brightly with her own aura of Genjin power. Between them and Tempest, Miura remained motionless, maintaining his offensive stance and prepared to strike at any moment. Then, as if at some silent signal, both Miura and Kirien dashed forward, carving a path into the earth as they tore through the air toward Tempest. The mad god stood his ground and waited for his opponents to make contact, and when they did, the battle was on.
 
The three combatants soared high into the air, trading blows that caused the entire planet to tremble. As the battle raged on, the power levels of all three fighters continued to increase, until those on the ground could feel the atmosphere shift slightly due to the enormous pressure. Yet still, despite the possibly disastrous effects of fighting under such severe conditions, Kirien, Miura, and Tempest fought on.
 
“Tempest's power continues to rise,” 16 observed, shifting a little to make Gabriel more comfortable. “But…” The android remained silent after that last statement, narrowing his eyes as he gazed upward, following the battle by monitoring the fluctuations in the three combatants' power levels. Finally, after several tense moments, 16 continued. “But the powers of Kirien and Miura are at their maximum. If Tempest continues to gain strength at this rate, he will overwhelm them.”
 
As if his words were prophetic, Kirien came shooting down from the sky above, her aura dissipating as she struck the unyielding ground with an audible crash. She lay motionless for several moments, until Clef, followed soon after by Hanzo and Trunks, rushed to her side. The Namek gently helped the stunned Genjin woman to her feet as she brushed a few strands of rich brown hair out from her beautiful face, which still seemed to glow despite her disheveled condition.
 
“Are you alright?” Clef asked, genuine concern showing in his voice. When the golden-eyed young woman nodded once and stood on her own, the Namek and his companions were filled with relief. “Good. Trunks, Hanzo,” he said, looking to his left and right to find the two Saiyan warriors waiting beside him. “Miura needs our help, so let's show him how much stronger we've gotten since the last time. Got it?” he asked, pleased to see both warriors transform into their incredible Super Saiyan 2 state. “Kirien, jump back in when you're ready, but not until then.” Without another word, Clef powered up to his maximum level and took to the air, Hanzo and Trunks trailing behind him like streaks of golden light.
 
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Miura could sense the steady increase of Tempest's power.
 
The powerful young warrior, harnessing this ancient Genjin energy, continued to fight blow for blow against his divine adversary despite that fact, though, knowing that battles were won with more than strength alone. He desperately wanted to drop down to the ground and make sure that Kirien was alright, but he had no chance, for Tempest had suddenly went on the offensive, obviously having tired of allowing his weaker opponents to keep the upper hand.
 
With a speed that was unbelievable for a fighter of his immense size, Tempest lashed out lightning quick with a devastating backhand, taking Miura solidly in the jaw and stunning him for a moment. Taking advantage of his opponent's condition, the mad god followed through with a second attack, this one a sudden burst of energy fired out from his right hand. The blast collided with Miura's flaring aura of silver-gold, causing an explosion of light that momentarily blinded both fighters.
 
Luckily Miura had been trained to fight without using his eyes, and he shut them tightly to block out the flashing whiteness that had overcome his vision. With his eyes closed, Miura relied on his acute senses to take the fight to Tempest, rushing toward the sinister divinity and lashing out with a flurry of blows that managed to force the blinded god back. As he pressed his slight advantage, Miura was suddenly aware of three more energy signatures approaching rapidly from below. The half-breed warrior gladly disengaged from Tempest, choosing to wait for his vision to return as Clef, Hanzo, and Trunks took his place, and the evil god found himself outnumbered.
 
They've gotten immensely stronger! Miura thought with a rush of pride. All this time, they've been struggling against Tempest, refusing to give up. Amazing… As his sight finally returned to him, the Genjin-armored warrior flew forward to join his friends as they fought valiantly against Tempest, showing a level of endurance and resolve that bordered on the supernatural.
 
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Kalen watched from the shadows.
 
The sudden arrival of Kirien and Miura had managed to take all the attention away from the bearded Genjin, and he had taken the opportunity to remove himself from the current battle. The fight in the air was heating up, and Kalen found himself feeling slightly ashamed for not helping the warriors who struggled in vain against Tempest.
 
Just when he had made up his mind to enter the battle, an ear-shattering detonation from above tore through the air, accompanied by a sudden burst of energy and a gust of violent wind. Amidst this outburst of chaos, Tempest fell to the ground, colliding with a fierce explosion of power and terrain. Shortly after the mad god's descent, Miura, Clef, Trunks, and Hanzo landed lightly upon the ground, mere yards away from where Kalen huddled in the shadows. Barely a second later, Tempest erupted out from a pile of rubble with a burst of energy. He stood trembling with rage as he faced off against his now-confident enemies.
 
“Why do you continue to oppose me, knowing what fate is in store for those who do so?!” Tempest bellowed, his voice rising to a fevered pitch that was painful to listen to. Power welled up around the mad god, a shimmering curtain of red, blue, yellow, pink, and a thousand other colors. “For your insolence, you will suffer before I finally tire of you! I will visit upon you agonies untold, and you will beg me for release before long, but your pleas will fall upon deaf ears!” More energy poured out from Tempest's hulking body, fueled by his rage and hatred for these insects that had dared to face him.
 
Clef readied himself for another attack when a thought suddenly came to him. Reaching inside his vest of Saiyan armor, the Namekian warrior withdrew the Galdrian energy saber that Gabriel had been wielding. If Miura can manage to deal another critical blow with this, we might have time for him, Kirien, and Kalen to attempt that Sealing Blast! “Miura, take this!” he shouted as he threw the saber toward his miraculously-resurrected friend with as much force as he could muster.
 
Miura, without taking his attention away from Tempest, merely thrust his hand out to the side and caught the saber without a single look. The blade flared to life, its blade glowing purple as it tapped in to Miura's unique Galdrian energy source. The amethyst saber cast an eerie light upon the former Hunter's serious features, reflecting brightly from his silver hair and icy blue eyes.
 
“Right,” he said simply as he held Gabriel's weapon out before him, focusing an incredible amount of power into the flaring purple blade. Without any warning whatsoever, a wave of pure energy, a strange combination of Genjin and Galdrian, emanated outward from Miura, causing his allies to stagger slightly as they struggled to maintain their footing. Without a sound, not even the slightest exclamation or murmur of exertion, Miura stepped forward and swung the saber with a backhanded slash, from the lower left and moving upward at an angle toward the right.
 
“What?” Tempest managed to gasp, night-black eyes widening with shock. A searing beam of white-hot light shot forward from Gabriel's saber, covering the distance between Miura and Tempest in less than a second. The sudden discharge of energy cut effortlessly through the rainbow-colored barrier that the mad god had hastily erected upon seeing the attack racing toward him, and it struck the evil deity square in the chest, eliciting a harsh cry of pain and anger as he was sent reeling backward. Tempest was suddenly engulfed in a startling explosion of power as he crashed through one of Sea Wind's last remaining buildings, filling the air with dust and debris.
 
“Got him,” Miura said, almost in a whisper as he lowered the Galdrian energy saber. A long, straight trench had been gouged into the ground as the slicing blast had coursed toward Tempest, and it seemed to go down into the blackness of the Earth for miles. The ground shook slightly as the building tumbled down upon Tempest, burying him under several tons of rubble and debris. “That won't keep him down for long, though. And when he gets himself out of all that, he'll only be more dangerous than before.” He looked back over his shoulder, glowing blue eyes begging for a plan as he stared intently at Clef.
 
“Miura's right,” Hanzo declared, walking forward to stand beside his brother. “We have to think of some—” Before the Super Saiyan 2 warrior could finish his statement, Tempest burst up from the ruins of the building. A long, deep gash could be seen across the supposed god's chest, and thick, red-brown blood ran freely from the wound, dripping to the ground below as Tempest ascended higher and higher into the air.
 
“Get ready for it,” Trunks warned, crouching down and assuming a ready defensive fighting stance. “This could be it…” Miura, Hanzo, and Clef nodded agreement, following the half-Saiyan's example by preparing for Tempest's next strike themselves. Kalen emerged from the shadows and joined his allies, ready this time for anything that Tempest may throw at them.
 
Several tense, silent moments passed before, to everyone's dumbstruck amazement, the impossible happened. After rising high into the darkening sky of twilight, Tempest turned his back to the battlefield and, with a burst of light, tore off through the air, leaving Miura and the others to ponder the importance of this unthinkable occurrence. It was, of course, the only outcome of the battle that none of the Earth's defenders had planned on.
 
The mad god had retreated. For the moment, they had won.
 
To be continued…
 
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In the next chapter:
 
The miraculously restored Miura is reunited with his allies and his Princess as Kalen agrees to teach the secrets of the Sealing Blast to the other two Genjin warriors. The thrill of defeating Tempest dies down, and the final battle is about to begin…
 
 
 
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