Post by Emperor Ninjin Hattori on May 21, 2014 8:44:23 GMT -5
“Again Ninjin Hattori.” Gen-Fu croaked out. The prince begrudgingly pushed the knife into his palm until a red line of blood appeared, and with it came the usual sting. The castle courtyard they were in was baked with sunlight as was the rest of the valley plains they were situated in. Farms could be seen from the area even though they were miles away. The shadow of Ninjin’s castle poured shadows here and there, but the sun was high in the sky and it’s pleasant heat added a much needed calmness to the day, though the prince felt like he was baking in his weighted armor.
How long had he been in Neapness now? Four years? Something close to that. When he had first arrived Gen-Fu had said that he was stuck here. That had proved to be more true than the price would have liked. His first entire year had been spent trying to find a way home. A way out of this realm and back to the one that housed New Vegeta and those he cared about. He roamed all over the land of Neapness, but his search had come up dry. Despite many promising leads, they all led to dead ends. The year had been long and had taken them to all corners of this strange land. Despite this Gen-Fu had remained by his side the entire time.
At first he was an unwelcomed presence. The prince found himself getting annoyed and frustrated with the small green man. Gen-Fu was an interesting character to say the least. The small frog man said very little, and when he did speak it sounded as if it was in riddles. Still after a while he proved himself a loyal and stalwart companion and it wasn’t long before the prince found himself growing fond of him. Over time and through their training sessions together the crown prince grew to view the anthropomorph as a sensei like figure. And over the four years they had grown ever closer. Four years was a long time to spend with someone, and the duo whilst fighting on their quests grew to fight as one unit rather than two separate beings.
Bubebolos grew as well. After six months the egg hatched and a small green dragon appeared. It looked nothing like the toad dragon from before. He was small and lithe and looked like what Ninjin thought a dragon would naturally look like. He didn’t stop growing from there. His curiosity grew as well. He seemed to remember very little of his past lives, and Ninjin wondered if he would ever regain those memories. The crown prince hoped not. Though Bubebolos had helped him in the end, the toad dragon clearly had not been a good being. The fact that he helped Ninjin in the first place had been out of a desire for revenge against Aon, when that was up would they still be friends? It made the prince hope that the memories never returned.
Over the next year, year two, the trio explored the vast lands of Neapness. They met various rulers of various kingdoms and did various tasks from them, becoming rather well known around the world and earning fame. The prince was seen as a hero, one of mythical proportions, doing tasks that many would think was impossible. Though he did these gladly, and welcomed the new found fame gladly, Ninjin had not given up his search for a way to get home. It was in the back of his mind, and he longed for home. He missed his family. He missed Lillianna. He missed his friends.
During year three Ninjin was granted land and the title of lord by a local king named Annerbannerpal. They had built him a castle as well. There were many theories why the king had granted Ninjin this land and title, but the best guess anyone could come up with was the fact that Ninjin was strong and the king wanted his protection. It was fine with Ninjin and he was ready to settle down. He and Gen-Fu resided in the castle, building up their strength and training. Gen-Fu seemed to insist that the Prince be in top form at all times, and the Prince was glad for the company and instruction, it felt like being back at the academy.
The homesickness was the worst in years one and two. Especially whilst looking for a way home. It would have been inaccurate to say that Ninjin gave up getting home. He had just learned to accept his fate. Gen-Fu told him that was a wise decision. Those that came through the portal had never returned to their original locations. It was impossible. Ninjin Hattori was stuck in Neapness.
“Now” Gen-Fu croaked out again and Ninjin launched a spear of blood at the elderly frog man. Gen-Fu had proven time and time again that just because he was small and old didn’t mean he was weak. There was a hidden strength and lightning quickness to him. Expertly the frog leapt up in the air, hooked the spear in his knotted staff, and flung it back at the prince.
“Wait.” Gen-Fu cried out. Ninjin’s raised his hand and just as the tip of the spear touched his hand he turned it back into liquid blood. The point where it had touched his palm beaded with blood.
“Good.” The frog man said happily. Scars lined the prince’s calloused hands. The two had trained for years together in a similar fashion. Gen-Fu knew a surprising amount about blood magic and ki usage, and so what he knew he passed on to the prince.
Bub grew to about the size of an Earth bus, and was fiercely loyal to both Ninjin and Gen-Fu. Gone was the toad part of the dragon, instead Bub was a glorious emerald dragon. The prince often wondered what caused the change. Bubebolos had thought he would be reincarnated in his cursed toad form, but instead he was in his original form. Had it been the selfless act of giving himself to Ninjin to help the prince against Aon that had broken the curse? It seemed to be the only explanation he could come up with. He was stretched out lazily in the sun as the other two trained, lazily inspecting a pile of coins he had gathered in front of him. They looked like ants moving through molasses to him, but he supposed that came with being a dragon.
Suddenly a messenger arrived on horseback. They hadn’t seen him coming due to being engrossed in their training. His face was pale and he was breathing hard, as if he had been the one running and not the horse. Ninjin and Gen-Fu ceased their training and both began walking over towards him to see what it was he wanted so urgently. Before his horse had even stopped he slumped from the saddle and landed with a thunk on the ground, his helmet falling off of him and rolled away. Something was clearly wrong. Ninjin and Gen-Fu rushed forward towards him. That is when they noticed the long twisted black arrow sticking from his back. It was a brutal and cruel looking thing that seemed to be smoking black mist, as if it was leaking shadow. The horseman groaned and attempted to sit up, but his wounds were far too great. Thick black blood trickled from his mouth and his skin seeemed to be growing paler as the seconds ticked away.
“Dow… scroll of seven seals… taken… so many… so so many…” His voice caught and his breath rattled in his throat. Then he was still. Gone from this world. The three stood in stoic silence for a long moment. Gen-Fu shook his head, upset about something. Ninjin was about to ask him about it but Bub for the first time that morning spoke.
“I foresee death.” He said looking from Ninjin to Gen-Fu and back. “And journey.”
Gen-Fu looked saddened and clutched his knotted staff tightly to his small chest.
“Honest with you, I have not entirely been.” He said to Ninjin. The prince looked puzzled and cocked his head. “A prophecy, there is.”
Bub looked up alert.
“From the nether he will come” Bub began, much to the surprise of both other men. His eyes were glowing green. “Armed with blood, and the sun. Blood will run in dreggs and droves. All to gain two different thrones. The scroll will come to test he who proves deserves it best. Does the Sun deserve the prize. Or will Dow take all our lives.” Gen-Fu nodded solemnly as Bub finished and lowered his head back onto the backs of his claws. That was the prophecy as he had heard it as well.
“And you think that I’m this he?” Ninjin asked feeling bewildered. In their four years together he had never felt he should divulge this infrormation? Gen-Fu nodded.
“From the nether, you come. Armed with blood, you are. Two thrones, you seek. Fits you, the prophecy does.”
The prince stood there dumbstruck. He had to admit he couldn’t really argue with that logic. The shoe fit so to speak. Bub too was convinced.
“Okay, say I am this ‘messiah’ figure. Where do I start?”
“Arm you with the sun, we must.” What the hell did that mean?
~~~
They were to go to the capital and speak with King Annerbannerpal. At least thats what Gen-Fu suggested they do, and Ninjin wasn’t going to argue. The Frog knew much more than he did about this prophecy. They had walked most of the way to the castle by the time night had fallen, and Bub was going to fly them in the rest of the way in the morning. Gen-Fu had insisted they walk because of Ninjin’s heavy weighted armor. And so they sat around a fire whilst Gen-Fu told the prince the story of the Scroll of Seven Seals, the thing they were seeking. Was it the scroll of leadership that Ninjin was suppose to retrieve for the crown of Iblis? That seemed to be logical. The fire danced off the face of the elderly toad man. His pattern of speech dropped, and the voice seemed to be coming from deep within him, as if he was in a trance.
“It began Eons ago…
Neapness was a peaceful land. Few wars were ever fought. The battles that were fought were generally with the various bands of monsters that roamed the land, but the two species generally kept to themselves and when they had fought few were ever killed on either side. Then through the portal somehow evil came into our world, and it called itself Dow.
We have never known such horrors as he, before or since. Like a god he wandered the battlefield and laid waste to any who stood before him. A desperate call went out to all corners of the world and all of their kingdoms for their heroes. Seven would be the eventual number that came to the court of King Annerbannermal, the current kings ancestor.
Merith Mars, jewel of Alestra, was the first to arrive. Alestrans are called the people of the stars and he shone like the sun when he walked in. Covered in the traditional armor of the Alestran kingdom, the solar lash at his side. It was as if all of our problems were over, so glorious was he. Despite having seen Dow personally Merith just seemed divine. Tales of his prowess stretched through all corners of Neapness. The Alestran’s had not had to bear the wrath of Dow yet, but they sent their best, a showing of kinship towards the people of Annerbannermal’s kingdom, and an understanding of the nature of evil.
Minster Crane, lord of Mylira, came next. Powerful are the sunkissed Mylirian’s in the arts of magic and Minster Crane more so than most. Tall and lithe was he, with a long flowing white beard and pulled pointed facial features. Dozens of attendants in fine silks came with him, Minster himself wrapped in swaths of blue. Powerful was the old wizard, and surely with his magics and Merith’s martial prowess Dow was as good as defeated. Or so we thought.
Cyboreas and Taur came next, and words could not explain the shock of those in the courtroom. Here were two monsters whom mankind and it’s allies had been fighting for eons. But they too knew and had tasted of the fury and destruction that Dow brings with him. Strong were the monsters, and now we could not fail. Cyboreas was one of the most physically imposing frost cyclops humanity and it’s allies has ever known. Standing at eleven feet tall, skin shifting blue and white like iceberg snow. His club was the size of the average man and it had taken the lives of hundreds. For that reason it too had a name. Manbane. Taur was a minitaur and every bit as imposing as Cyboreas, though three feet shorter, he still dwarfed most of us. His strenght was legendary even among the monsters, and looking at him it was not hard to imagine. His horns were dipped in metal and then serations were carved into them. A battleaxe hung at his back and two smaller ones at his sides. Alone their strength was legendary, together... How could we fail?
Perhaps even more surprising was the one to come next. Diana, queen of The kingdom of Uliria, this kingdom, wife of Annerbannermal, volunteered. She however would not be going without her two most trusted aids. Gen-Fu and Bayaz.” Ninjin looked up from the fire suddenly as Gen-Fu said his own name. The elderly frog-creature seemed lost to the tale, but it left the prince thinking. Was he really one of those involved with the Scroll of Seven Seals? This tale began eons ago… It seemed highly unlikely but then again anything seemed possible in this land. The prince let his friend continue, not that he had ever stopped in the first place.
“I was advisor to King Annerbannermal, and to the queen as well. I had held my position since i was a child, as my wisdom was renowned throughout the anthropomorphs even at a young age.Bayaz was the queen's brother and another advisor to the royals. Bayaz was middle aged but appeared to be in the prime of his life. He was known for his honeyed words and manipulations. At first the king protested the Queen’s involvement, but between she and Bayaz their honeyed words together convinced him. And so the seven were chosen..
We still didn’t know what we were going to do. We had had the might, now we needed the way. In Minster Crane’s studies over the next few days he came across a spell that had the power to bind something to it, forcing it from this world and sealing it forever within the scroll. It would require the blood of the seven in the chosen, and then, should they all perish, the scroll would release Dow. It would however make them unable to die from natural causes. We debated long and hard about what to do. Not everyone wishes to be immortal. I had was old and my wife had passed, I was looking forwards to one day joining her in the beyond. Alas…
Somehow word got to Dow of our plan. It would not be allowed. Somehow he would change the spell, change it and make it so that he himself was immortal. He set to work figuring out all the details. During that time we trained and prepared ourselves. Dow needed to be in the room for the spell to work. Dow was the last to arrive at the palace.
As our armies fought Dow’s undead legion outside in the city, we seven awaited in the throne room, waiting for Dow’s inevitable arrival. We heard the sounds of combat outside and wished we could join our armies but the more important task had to be done. With Dow gone his armies would crumble and Neapness would once again know peace. The door began to pound as if some terrible creature was bashing itself against it. Then it blew out of its frame like a leaf in the wind. Then he walked in.
He was death incarnate. His dark armor smoked with shadow, and his pale skin shone like the moon. His fangs caught the light like ivory. He sauntered in like he had already had us defeated.”
Fangs? Pale skin? Was it possible…? Dow was an Iblisian! He had come here eons ago… Was he the Iblisian king that had started the trails? No that wasn’t possible was it… Then… How?
“Dow strode up to the king without fear of any of us gathered. We were too stunned to act. It was as if he had appeared from the very shadow itself. All of us but Merith. The jewel of Alestra Like the crack of thunder his sun’s lash whipped Dow across the face. The tyrant barely turned from the force. A deep blistering sear grew upon his face, though no anger was evident. From even where I was standing you could smell the charred flesh.
Had we pressed the attack there we might have stood a chance, but we were all too stunned. A shaking hand rose to touch the blistered wound. The king had escaped and the only ones left in the room were the seven, and Dow. Dow’s blood spear pierced Merith through the chest before anyone else knew what was going on. That was enough to rouse us. We shook the shock from us and joined the battle.
Lightning cracked all around us as Minster unleashed the storms fury. Diana slung knives like an established circus professonal then went over to Merith to attempt to save him. Bayaz began to chant something that none of the rest of us seemed to understand. My small fists bounced from Dow’s armor like raindrops on a castle roof. Cyboreas and Taur both charged the man, but they were thrown away like flies with a flick of his wrist. Merith stirred as Diana tried to heal him, but there was no doubt in any of our minds. We were going to lose. He seemed completely unaffected by anything we managed to hit him with, and that wasn’t much.
And so we did the one thing that we could think of, we did what we had so hotly debated. It was unanimous. From within his cloak Minster withdrew the scroll. Minstir cut his hand and placed the blood upon the scroll, and as he did Dow took a step back, pain on his pale face. He was staring at the scroll though as if he knew what it was. He advanced towards Minster, but Cyboreas and Taur had recovered. They tackled him as I placed my blood on the scroll as Minster instructed me to. After only a moment I knew there would be ramifications to what I had just done.
Cyboreas and Taur somehow managed to get their blood on the scroll as well despite the fact that they never seemed to stop fighting Dow, and Dow began to look weaker and weaker. More of our blows seemed to have more of an effect, and it seemed like the tide of the battle was turning. It was not hard to get Merith’s blood on the scroll, but it was for naught. He was dead by the time we accomplished it, succombed to the wounds Dow gave him at the start of the battle. There was no time to mourn however.
Diana cut her hand and placed her blood upon it, and we thought the battle was won as Dow fell to a knee. Then the unthinkable happened. From within his cloak Bayaz withdrew a knife and rammed it into the queen’s side. She turned and fell, shock evident on her face. From the floor Bayaz picked the scroll and cut his own hand, his blood falling drop by drop onto it. Dow rose, seemingly empowered. He then placed his own blood on the scroll. Those of us conscious stared at the scroll in stunned silence. That was not what we had been planning on. Did that mean that Dow was now… Immortal as well?
The magics interacted interestingly with Dow’s blood. One moment he, Bayaz, and the Scroll were there, the next minute they were not. What happened to them we know not. We were understandably cautious, but years paced with no sight of any of the three. Diana died from her wounds, we were immortal but not invincible, and the king went into mourning. He placed the blame on the seven gathered and persecuted the ones that lived. Annerbannerpal only recently forgave us. Peace then lasted for a thousand years after. Until the scroll showed up sitting on the king’s throne. Dow came quickly after that, and after ten years of terror he vanished once more. The cycle continues to this day.” So the year had come that Dow returned. It just so happened to be whilst Ninjin was there as well. Gen-Fu had given the prince much to think about. How was he supposed to combat this Dow figure when the very strength of the sun was not enough to halt his advance.
It would not be a restful sleep.
~~~
Flying on the back of a dragon would be exhilarating for most, but Ninjin had been flying since he was a child, and though Bub was much faster than he was, the experience seemed to be much more of the same. Ninin had not slept well, visions of Dow and the events dancing in his head. The story had done much to inform the prince of the events that were occuring and of the danger, but did not tell him how strong Dow was in comparison to him. Was he really the one to be able to break the cycle that had so long been established in the land of Neapness? He wasn’t so sure. Still he was stuck here, and if breaking the cycle could get him one step closer to home, that was something he was willing to risk.
They landed at the castle to much hoopla. It seemed that the guards were on high-alert because of Dow, and as soon as the dragon got in range bolts and arrows began to fling themselves upwards towards the trio. Steel arrows bounced harmlessly off of the prince’s skin and the dragon’s hide. Ninjin jumped from the back of Bub and fell to the round, landing in a three point stance. The guards stopped firing once they saw whom it was, but they kept their weapons ready all the same.
Annerbannerpal had certainly been expecting them. A bevy of beautiful women were standing in a line next to the throne, and the older dark-skinned man smiled as the trio entered the room. It was impressive that the king’s throne room could fit Bub within it but the room was expansive. The elaborately dressed man waved them over, his turquoise robes flapping in the pleasant breeze that came in through the many windows.
“Ah Ninjin. Just the man I was hoping to see. I have a proposal for you!” The girls and he giggled as he said the word proposal, as if it was some sort of inside joke. Ninjin cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. They all were staring at the prince as if he was a piece of meat.
“These beautiful young women are my daughters! I would like you to marry one and become my son!” It said it as if it were the most joyous news one could ever hear. Though Ninjin had to admit that the women standing in front of him were very exotic beauties, his heart lay back home. He had enough trouble there with women, he didn’t need another one to confuse him further. Gracefully Gen-Fu interrupted.
“Not why were here, that is.” Gen-Fu said it sternly and with enough seriousness that the king returned to his throne and dismissed the women with a flick of his hand. The king looked dissapointed, but his face turned towards one of concern. His line had always been empathic and compassionate rulers who would do anything for their people.
“My friends whatever is the matter?” The man said looking puzzled back and forth between Ninjin and Gen-Fu. His eyes never came to rest on Bub. Being a man in neapness, one had to be cautious of monsters, even if there had been a long lasting truce the hard feelings remained.
“Stolen, the scroll has been.” Gen-Fu said it somberly and suddenly he had the king’s undivided attention.
“When?!” There was more than a hint of panic in his voice. Ninjin could understand that after everything he had heard about Dow.
“Yesterday. Come to collect the sun, we have.”
“The sun… whatever for?” He looked puzzled and then his eyes fell once more upon Ninjin “You can’t mean… well i suppose it does make sense…” The king considered the prince further and further. The duo could see belief creep into his eyes and then nodded. The king walked over to a podium and opened the glass case that covered it. Inside was a small bell. He rang it, but it gave off no sound. At least not one that Ninjin heard.
In a moment a massive hound came leaping from hallway leading into the throne room. It was the largest dog the prince had ever seen, it’s height at the shoulders just above his head.Gen-Fu looked from the king to the dog, the king could only shrug. Ninjin had no idea what was going on, but the two others seemed to be in on it. Bub remained silent and observing.
“You have to admit it made an excellent hiding place.” Annerbannerpal removed the collar from the dog and threw it to Ninjin, who caught it deftly from the air. It didn’t feel like much in his hands, only like a whip. Then it vanished into powder. The powder covered his arm, completely coating his hand and forearm. Ninjin’s eyes grew wider than they ever had been. With panic he looked from Gen-Fu to the king and then even to the dog. The dog was the only one that appeared as surprised as he was. Gen-Fu chuckled.
“Chosen you, it has. Armed with the sun, you are now. Correct about the prophecy, we were.” Ninjin’s eyebrow couldn’t go any further up. He was now armed with the sun? Did that mean?
Turning he threw his ki into his arm and attempted to make the solar lash appear, but it did not. Ninjin looked down at his arm. A glowing tattoo of the solar lash appeared there momentarily, then vanished.
“Armed you are yes, but master not. Appear it will, when you need it.” The two elderly men laughed. The trio thanked Annerbannerpal profusely and then left. He wished them the best of luck. As they were leaving the king could be heard shouting for Ninjin to consider his offer of marriage to one of his daughters. It made the prince smile. After everything there was hope.
“Where to now?” The prince asked once they were back on Bub and in the air.
“Allies you will need. To the land of monsters we go.”
“land of monsters… sounds great”
~~~
The land of monsters was actually quite pleasant despite the name. The first thing Ninjin noticed after they crossed the border from Annerbannerpal’s kingdom into the land of monsters was the climate change. Where Annerbannerpal’s kingdom had been temperate plains, the land of monsters didn’t seem to have a set climate, but seemed to shift even as the minutes ticked by. Snowy skies would turn to sunlight, the ground would be covered with ice one minute and lava the next. Still it was the architecture that dotted the landscape that impressed the prince most.
Instead of the caves and caverns one normally pictures monsters dwelling in, the landscape of Neapness’ land of monsters was covered with elaborate castles and homes. There were even a couple of rather tall buildings here and there. They landed in front of a large mansion.
“This is how monsters live in Neapness?” Ninjin asked, feeling very confused.
“Better at building, monsters are.” Was the only answer that Gen-Fu offered, and Ninjin shrugged. That was probably the best answer he was going to get. They walked up to the door and knocked. Ninjin felt very awkward knocking on this monster’s very large door to a home that would not have been out of place in some of the nicer cities on Earth.
After a few minutes an anthropomorphic black ant answered the door. He was dressed very well in a lovely tuxedo. He bowed low and introduced himself as Cornelius, and that this was the homes of masters Cyboreas and Taur. Ninjin turned and looked in surprised at Gen-Fu, but the old man merely entered the house as instructed by Cornelius. Bub agreed to wait outside. Their house was lavish and furnished with things that would be out of place anywhere else. Cornelius led them quietly into the den. Cyboreas sat by a bonfire and had a very large tome clutched in both of his hands. Taur was somewhere out of the den. The cyclops shifted his monocle to look up at them.
“Gen-Fu my old comrade. What an absolute mirthful, though quite unexpected, occurrence. To what do we owe the pleasure?” He closed the massive tome and placed it upon a side table that would be a regular table to most. When the monster stood from his massive arm-chair the cyclops easily dwarfed those gathered in the room. Ninjin usually didn’t meet people this massive without fighting them, and so he was a bit on edge. Still the cyclops’ smile did much to put the prince at ease.
Then a minotuar whom Ninjin could only assume was Taur clomped into the room, a look of frustration on his face. Cyboreas seemed upset by this.
“What is wrong?” The icey blue giant asked, his one eye full of worry. Taur seemed to not notice anyone else in the room, aside from he and the cyclops.
“Another one. Damn Dow...” He said it through gritted teeth.
“Why we’re here, that is.” Gen-Fu said from his position so far below the giants. Taur turned in surprise and looked down. His eyes lit up with pleasure when they found the frog man.
“Well if it isn’t Gen-Fu. Oh and you’ve brought a man… lovely…” The last bit was said as sarcastically as any words Ninjin had ever heard. Evidently Taur was not overly fond of humans. From what he had heard though, the prince couldn’t blame him.
“My old friends, my new friend this is. Ninjin Hattori.” The duo certainly looked uncomfortable, that was until Taur’s eyes fell upon the prince’s “belt”.
“That is a very unusual belt… It’s almost as if--” But Ninjin cut him off.
“That’s not a belt, that’s my tail.” Ninjin unwrapped the tail from around his body and showed it to them. Instantly it was as if everything had changed. Their darting looks of suspicion and confusion turned to that of newfound excitement, like when one makes a new friend.
“What a surprise! Though you appear at first inspection to be man, you are in fact monster.” Though the word at the end was said with pride and happiness, Ninjin wasn’t too sure he liked being called that. Then again that might just be a prejudice of his own. He let the thought slip and smiled at the two.
“I am neither, my race is called Saiyan. It is a pleasure to meet both of you, Gen-Fu has told me quite a bit about you both.” The prince bowed a traditional Saiyan bow to them both, though he did not fall to his knees.
After all the introductions were made, and Gen-Fu explained the reasons they were there, Cyboreas brought them further into the mansion, into what appeared to be the center of it. As Ninjin walked into the room his breath nearly left him. It was a war room, and a damn impressive one at that. Monsters of all various sizes and skittered and sauntered here and there, each looking very busy. Machines hummed as they worked, each one looking very technologically advance to the prince, especially for what he had been living in, near medieval conditions for the past four years.
The monsters walked them into the center of the room, where a war-table lay. A large map of Neapness, the only one Ninjin had ever seen, was sprawling out on the table before them. A large knife was jammed into a point in the map. Some towns that Ninjin saw were crossed out with large red x’s, and some notes were scribbled under some like “So sad, 16000.” or, “How was this possible? 140000”
Were these the numbers of those that had been killed? There were so many… was Dow really this powerful? His army... was it really this powerful? Was it because he had aquired the scroll? Was he really this intent on destroying all of Neapness. How in the world was Ninjin supposed to stop him then?
“This is our current situation, as we are aware of it.” Cyboreas said. Others in the room stopped what they were doing to listen to the Ice Cyclops’ commanding voice.
“Dow has already conquered much of the Eastern half of Neapness, the defenses we had installed there in the past thousand years failed. We had expected casualties, but no where near on this scale. Alestra has fallen.” A gasp went out throughout the room. Alestra was on the border to the western half of Neapness. Dow had never before reached as far. Alestra was one of the grandest and strongest cities they had. To have lost it… was all hope gone?
“All hope is not lost however.” Cyboreas said, and his voice reflected it.
“To those gathered, we have come into some interesting information. This being here, Ninjin Hattori, is the one from the prophecy. There is no more doubt.” A gasp went out, and confused eyes stared holes into the crown prince of new vegeta. Excited whispers began to fill the room. One monster stood up. A ballon-like begin it’s entire form was a single orb like body with a face on it. It hung in the air in the exact way it shouldn’t. A mouth full of jagged teeth opened to speak.
“How do we know he’s the one from the prophecy?” It seemed to be a fair question. Why should they simply trust that Ninjin was the one they spoke of if they had no proof. Creatures here didn’t seem to be able to read power levels. Taur and Cyboreas were both very strong, though Ninjin was still the strongest in the room by far.
“Fit it, he does. Two thrones, he seeks. Come from the nether, he has. Armed with the sun, he is.” Gen-Fu spoke and the monsters turned in confusion to see where the voice was coming from. Taur stepped out of the way and their eyes lit up.
“Do you really come from the nether” A small mousy monster nearby asked him. Ninjin nodded. The monster’s eyes grew wide and she scurried away in retreat.
“Is he really armed with the sun?” A disbelieving voice called out from one of the gathered. Ninjin looked to Gen-Fu for guidance, and the frog-man nodded. He needed it. Without the monsters the war was as good as over, everyone as good as dead. Channeling his power into his arm, he focused intently. At first nothing happened, and though he continued to channel his energy the prince began to feel foolish. The his arm began to glow. It started slightly at first, a small candle’s emittance would have been brighter. Ninjin focused his mind. Soon his hand and forearm were glowing brightly. He aimed towards a target on the wall and the force cut the target in half, along with some of the wall behind it. Ninjin’s arm quickly faded.
“So evidently he is our guy.” Taur said deadpan. It did much to lighten the mood and there was even a slight chuckle around from those gathered.
“That point punctuates why we have the pleasure of their presence. Wars cannot be fought with intellect alone. We need strength of arms as well. Unequivocally we have fought Dow for eons. We will not let this be the time he defeats us. No the time for this to end has come. Monsters, we are now mobilized for war. Humans will fall without us. Despite tensions between us, and hostilities before that, Dow is an evil we cannot allow. We march for war.”
The next few days were spent getting the monster army ready for war. A call went out, and quickly hundreds of thousands of monsters from around the Land of Monsters gathered, all different shapes and sizes and types. It was an awesome spectacle for the crown-prince to behold. Even the saiyan army when assembled, though overall stronger, was no where near as impressive in size or number.
“I feel like I’m on the right side of this war.” Ninjin said as he sat on Bub’s back and looked down at the gathered mass. Despite everything he had been told about their chances there was a smile on his face. They were certainly an intimidating group when gathered. How in the world had humanity and its allies stood against this at all? The humans in Neapness must be tougher than Ninjin had thought.
“Then underestimate Dow, you do.” Gen-Fu chided from behind him. Gen-Fu said it so seriously that it sobered Ninjin almost instantly. The army had quickly gathered to its full force. Those that weren’t there weren’t coming it was decided, and if they did show up it would be too late.
The army marched east and after a few short days found themselves in the kingdom of man, and the kingdom of Annerbannerpal. The armies of man had gathered there as well in the plains around the castle.The terrain perfectly suited warfare. They were more numerous than the armies of monsters, but it was a less impressive sight. Immediately there was tension between the two armies. They had fought each other for eons. Annerbannerpal was at the head of the army astride his massive hound. Bub landed next to him, and Cyboreas and Taur quickly met them.
“Well I hope this isn’t too awkward for you guys.” Ninjin said to try and break the ice. He was met with glares. They were not amused. The prince supposed that was something that one probably shouldn’t joke about. Annerbannerpal looked over the monsters and his mustachioed frown twitched slightly.
“ It’s good to see you’ve kept your strength up.” He said to Cyboreas and Taur, and the duo chuckled slightly. The tensions seemed to cease there, and the talk of battle strategy began. Dow’s army was set to arrive that day at the castle, but the plan was not to fortify it. There would be no surviving a siege by Dow. The only choice was a counter attack whilst Ninjin got to Dow. They were placing quite a bit of their hope on him.
Ninjin hoped he could live up to that. Still he had taken on challenges before! This one did seem to be the steepest however. If Dow was all he was cracked up to be, then Ninjin was in for the challenge of his life.
A horn that sounding like the wailing of a thousand souls filled the air. It set the entire army on edge. Some of the human’s began looking around as if there was somewhere to run to, but the generals did their job and held the line, cantering back and forth on their impressive war horses. Dow’s army had arrived. Though they were still miles away, they became visible. Millions of smaller skeletons led massive undead creatures. At the head of the army glowed Dow.
“Form ranks! Form ranks!” Annebannerpal yelled out, and the human army began to form its ranks. Cyboreas ordered the monstrous army to form ranks as well. This was to be the battle to end it all. This cycle of death would end. It would end once and for all.
It wasn’t long before the armies drew close to one another. Dow’s army was terrifying, everything undead. Rotting corpses and skeletal figures, corpse colossi and undead dragons. They were legion, for they were many.
“So how’s everyone feeling about our chances?” Ninjin asked lightly to those around him. Gen-Fu chided him once agian.
“Time for jokes, it is not.” the frog-man said seriously. Ninjin nodded. There was a very real possibility that they would all die. Though they had been holding Dow back for years, this was the strongest he had ever been because of the theft of the scroll. If Dow could kill Gen-Fu, Cyboreas, Taur, Annerbannerpal and Ninjin then the scroll’s effects would be neutralized as the donors of the blood would be dead, as would the only one who could defeat him be.
“RELEASE!” Cyboreas cried out the order to his monsters. The arrows and bolts and even some massive stones that the monstrous army had been readying were released. Hunks of phlegm and orbs of magic were flung as well. Any ranged weapon the monsters had was released. The human’s quickly followed suit and released hundreds of thousands of arrows and bolts. Zombies and other organic undead fell in droves.
“Spears!” The human’s dropped their spears in the front five ranks and brought their shields to bear. Ninjin did not envy anything that decided to run face first into that wall, regardless of whatever size the creature was. It was then the monsters armies turn. Spears the size of tree-trunks and the size of needles were leveled at the undead. The two armies crashed in a grandeur that Ninjin had never seen before, despite his years of being a general. Ninjin was high-general in the Saiyan army but they generally fought smaller scale battles. This was the largest confrontation he had ever been apart of though, as there must have been millions of creatures swarming around in the combat.
It was clear that the armies against Dow would be no match for his armies might. Quickly the front human line fell. They would have been crushed entirely right there but for the interference of the massive creatures on the monster’s side. Humans and monsters alike poured around the fighting colossi and yelled with hope and bloodlust. They would only have to hold til Ninjin got to the monster known as Dow though. He turned to Gen-Fu for guidance.
“Time, it is. Go, you must.” The prince nodded and jumped off Bub, who had been flying around the battlefield fighting undead dragons.
Then he was engaged.
It was not like a normal fight where one could concentrate on one or even a handful of foes. Danger lurked on all sides, and the prince was thankful for his reflexes. His training had kicked in in a way that was not hard to follow. The military academy had prepared him for this. Focused hands caught martial weapons and returned them into their owners. Fists glowing with ki smashed skeletal bodies as if they were made from balsa wood. The poisons that the zombies and other undead carried didn’t affect the prince, and he was once again thankful for the training Boglach had given him.
It was not hard to find Dow in the midst of the combat. Though his body gave off shadow it seemed to glow. His face was hidden behind his helmet, a thing made from twisted obsidian. Ninjin approached him.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Ninjin Hattori?”
Ninjin looked up in surprise. That voice. That voice was so familiar. So haunting. It was one he hadn’t heard in years, and one that he certainly wasn’t expecting to hear here. Maugh. Barren Maugh. How was Barren Maugh... Dow? It didn’t make any sense. Unless… Unless the portal did weird things to time. Unless Neapness ran on a timeline that was completely different than the rest of the world. That was the only possibility that made any sense to Ninjin. But it still didn’t make sense to him.
“Maugh…?” Ninjin asked bewildered, the realization and horror dawning on his face. Dow removed his helmet, and sure enough it was the Iblisian Ninjin had arrived with on that jungle all those years ago. He was so much more powerful though.
“That’s right.” He laughed a deep and guttural laugh. Softly he landed on the ground, those around them stopped fighting and gathered around them forming a shield wall. Dow’s men began to chant and bash their weapons against their own shields. Quickly Ninjin’s men and monsters began to bash their own weapons into their own shields.
“Looks like we're back where we started Ninjin. How ironic. Those eons ago when I first faced you. You made a fool of me. You beat me to near death, despite my superior position... but I didn’t give up. Oh no. Far from it. I crawled my way after you, following the trail you left. I found my way to the portal but you had already gone through it. I crawled through it and found myself here. In Neapness. Yet my injuries were still severe. I looked around but you had gone. And yet there was a voice there that spoke to me. It wasn’t Aon like I had originally thought, but a demon, named Dow. He offered me life. He offered me power. After an internal struggle I left the grace of Aon and embraced Dow. And oh what power he gave me. Everything he promised and more. More than Aon had ever done for me. For eons I have lived. For eons I have murdered. I had all but forgotten you until I saw your face just now, and it all came back. For your actions against me in another life, I will kill you.”
From his back Dow withdrew his massive war axe. Ninjin fell into a fighting stance and motioned for Maugh to “bring-it-on”. It was time for this to end. The time for talk was over and they both knew it. As they rushed at each other the roar of those gathered to watch nearly drowned out the millions fighting all around them.
Maugh threw his weight and his momentum behind his axe swing, and Ninjin barely had time to duck under the cut. The shockwave it sent out cut into the shield wall and sent men from both sides flying dead in different directions. Ninjin landed blow after blow to the midsection of the Iblisian but they seemed to do little. The armor that Maugh had acquired was heavy and protected him well. Maugh kicked Ninjin in the chest and backhanded him with a thick gauntleted hand. It knocked the taste from the prince’s mouth and sent him rolling backwards. His back hit the shields of two of Maugh’s men and with force they threw him back towards their leader.
Maugh caught the prince by the throat and raised him high into the air. Ninjin struggled against his grip but it was iron-clad. Over the eons he had clearly grown into a god-like figure. No wonder they feared him so much. No wonder Gen-Fu had thought that the prince was underestimating him.
“How arrogant you were. You thought you could come into our world, my world, and take my throne from me? Not just once, but twice. This world is mine. Iblis is mine. It is time for you to die. Not for Aon. Not for the church. Not even for myself. You die simply because I couldn’t be bothered to let you live.” His grip on Ninjin’s throat tightened like a vice, cutting off the prince’s air. Ninjin’s fists rained down on Maugh’s hand and face as best as he could, but the vampire’s grip held. The blows became softer and softer. Desperately the prince began clawing at the Iblsians’ gauntlets. Darkness lined the edges of his vision.
Then suddenly a green blur filled his sight. Gen-Fu on the back of Bub. Bub unleashed a torrent of green fire on Dow’s side of the shield wall, and in the distraction Gen-Fu landed and rolled and came up, landing a powerful backhand on Dow that spread cracks throughout the front of Dow’s armor. Startled, Dow dropped the prince, who gasped and brought his hands to his throat.
Dow turned to Gen-Fu. Gen-Fu looked to Ninjin and nodded.
“Ah one of my old friends. No doubt the rest of the gang is in tow. Perfect.” With an evil smile he hefted his axe and brought it around in a circle. The axe cut through Gen-Fu and his cloak as if it were nothing.
“NOOOO!!!!” Ninjin yelled out. Gen-Fu was gone. The prince was left with no time to mourn however as Dow brought out the scroll. With a grimace the Iblisian grew in power, as if the pain was pleasure.
“One by one the flies they fall to the spider, and the spider grows stronger for it.” [/color] Maugh stood above Ninjin, lording his victory over the fallen prince. It was enough for the prince. Ninjin’s True Power activated and his power doubled. Quickly he regained his footing. The shield wall had reformed, and all that remained of Gen-Fu was a pile of robes.
“You have been allowed to continue for far too long. Your reign of terror comes to an end now Maugh, Dow, whatever you are.” Ninjin spoke with severity. Maugh seemed unimpressed with his newfound power.
“You still lack the power to defeat me.” Maugh rushed forwards, as if he was made from moving smoke. He moved to grab Ninjin around the throat, but the prince deflected his strike and slammed a glowing fist into Maugh’s armor. It cracked and splintered away as if it had been made from paper mache. The surprised vampire stumbled backwards as he stared down at his newly exposed chest. Ninjin’s fists continued to glow. Maugh gritted his teeth and came forwards once more, his axe clenched in his hand.
With more speed than the prince would think possible Maugh swung his axe in various arcs. Ninjin weaved in and out and landed blow after blow on the vampire. They didn’t seem to hurt the man as much as the prince would have wanted, but they did seem to have some effect. Ninjin finished the combo up with a double punch to the abdomen. Maugh staggered back and coughed for air.
Ninjin brought his hands to his sides, and swept his front leg out in front of him. This would end now.
“Shirishiri-Canon!” The prince yelled as his golden full powered energy wave rocketed forwards towards the pale tyrant. Maugh roared in defiance as the wave crashed over him. Ninjin was sure that that was enough to finish him off, but the fighting continued all around them. After the waves dissipation, Maugh still stood there, though he was stark naked aside from his pants, though they had been burned to shorts.
“Nice try.” Maugh said with a wicked smile. His hair and clothes had all burned away, but otherwise he seemed fine. The Saiyan prince nearly kicked himself. No way should that not have worked. Maugh should be dead, and with him this whole damn ordeal. But… but what if the scroll was keeping him as immortal as it was keeping the others. How would Ninjin ever beat him if that were the case? The scroll… could the prince somehow destroy it?
“Now where were we?” The duo charged each other with teeth bared. As they collided a shockwave was sent out through the field of battle. Those gathered around were knocked violently off their feet. Ninjin and Maugh were the only two ones left standing, and they were going blow for blow like gods among men. They moved faster than most gathered’s eyes could keep up with, appearing suddenly and then disappearing just as quick, only to reappear somewhere else many feet away. Maugh suddenly then became cloaked in shadow. Ninjin’s fists met air and he stumbled. The vampire appeared behind him and kicked him in the back of the head.
Ninjin staggered forwards from the momentum and the pain. He turned but his face only met the pommel of Maugh’s axe. His jaw cracked and blood filled his mouth. Dirt caked his hands as he fell to his knees. An evil laugh filled the air.
“There is no way you can beat me. I’m simply better.” A massive club smacked into Maugh and sent him flying away in an arc from the field as two arms thick as small trees picked the prince up under the armpits and set him on his feet.
It was Taur, and the one with the club had been Cyboreas. They had saved him. Just as Gen-Fu had only moments ago. Maugh was only gettting stronger over the course of their fight. If any of the others who had signed the scroll in blood died… but then they needed to didn’t they? Cyboreas looked over at him as if reading his thoughts.
“We’ve been waiting eons for this. The scroll can only be gone if we are.” He said with a smile and then took a deep breath in through his nose, as if smelling roses instead of a battlefield littered with corpses.
“You have no idea what an eternity of fighting does to you. You lose your soul after a while. I have slain hundreds of thousands of these things, only to have to do the same thing a thousands years later. Never dying. Never ceasing. The thousand years of peace… feels like seconds after millions of years.”
Suddenly an axe thunked into the back of his head, splitting it. A smile formed on his face, and he fell to the dirt. Taur was dead and Maugh was stronger for it. Despite his deathwish Cyboreas roared in fury and charged. Maugh picked the axe from Taur’s head with a thickening wet sound and swung it in a circle in a blur before burying it into Cyboreas’ chest.
Despite the glaring wound in his chest the cyclops also smiled as he collapsed. The cycle was over for them, but despite their release Maugh’s power had only increased. Their hopes all lay with Ninjin Hattori. The pressure on him was rising. The only two left powering the scroll were he and Annerbannerpal. And then sure enough as if by summoned by the Prince’s thoughts he appeared on the back of his massive hound, sword raised high in the air as if rallying his troops.
Dow’s eyes lit up when he saw the man. Ninjin raced to intercept but was knocked away as if he were a fly. There was no time to intervene. The axe lopped the king’s head from his shoulders like a hot knife through butter. Dow turned to face the prince once more. He was the only one left to stand in Dow’s way, and he was at the peak of his power.
“Do you give up now Hattori?! The might of a god stands before you.” [/color] Dow said it with boisterous pride. Ninjin never gave up. Ever. No matter the odds, he had never quit anything in his life, much less a fight. The fight had already taken a lot out of him though. How much more could he give? He simply shook his head, and Dow came forwards once again.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as the iblisian advanced. Ninjin looked at the ground beneath his hands, and then he shoved himself to his feet though he felt like he was moving through thick molasses. He was surprised to find Bub standing behind Dow.
You are not yet alone Ninjin Hattori. The words came into the prince’s mind much as they had when Bub had been in an egg. It comforted him. The dragon unleashed a torrent of green fire on the Iblisian, who quickly disappeared within the cone of flames. Soon as they came the fires receded and the pale figure was left standing there looking very unhappy. Mercifully his shorts had remained unburned. Dow turned and threw his axe at the dragon in a spinning arc. It crashed into Bub and sent him sprawling. It was the opening that Ninjin needed.
If there was ever a time that Ninjin needed the Sun’s lash it was now. With everything that he had left he channeled his energy into his arm. It glowed with a fiery intensity. He threw his arm forwards and the whip of energy cracked hitting its target dead on. The scroll that had been tied to Dow’s armor at the waist had been exposed when he turned to fight Bub. It shattered with a ripple of kinetic force that knocked down the men around them. Only Ninjin and Dow remained on their feet. Dow seemed to not know what had occurred at first, and stalked forwards, though he moved as if on drunken legs. Then he began to scream and writhe as if wracked by waves of immense pain.
Ninjin raced forwards channeling his energy into the lash once more. He didn’t fire the lash, no he kept it charging in his hand as he walked over to Dow, who had fallen onto his knees due to the pain.
“Help me Ninjin!!!” He screamed suddenly and much to the surprise of the prince. Ninjin was taken aback momentairly. Dow/Maugh was asking for his help? Why?
“Oh gods it hurts!” Maugh cried out desperately. A black shadowy substance began to pool out of him, waterfalling from his eyes, nose, and mouth. It slowly made its way towards Ninjin. Maugh collapsed. The shadow rose and formed into a humanoid shape. Those gathered that had risen to their feet had been silent since the scrolls destruction, now it seemed like the entire war had stopped. The undead seemed to just stand there, as if replaced by wax copies of themselves in the poses they had been in when the kinetic blast went out.
“Ninjin Hattori. Once again you have proven yourself more powerful than this Iblisian. He and I went undefeated for Eons. I am Dow. Together you and I could rule the entire universe. Yours and my strengths together could level armies and topple planets. Bind yourself to me and we shall never be defeated. Forget being merely a king, with me you would be a god!” The demon’s offer was tempting. All of that power? How could the prince refuse? In his mind he thought of all those who had given themselves to decide these next few moments. He thought of New Vegeta. He thought of home. He was no demon, and he certainly didn’t want one attached to his soul.
The fist that had been glowing the entire conversation rose and was pulled back all in one motion. There was just enough time for shock to register on the shadow demon’s face before the power of the sun was driven into it. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as the sun illuminated through the demon’s body. Then suddenly he was no more, gone as if he had never been there in the first place. Ninjin felt like collapsing, but the undead army around them beat him to it. One by one the massive skeletal and zombie creatures fell shaking the very earth as their colossal frames smashed into the ground. By the dozens and in waves the smaller undead around them did the same and as the humans and monsters began to realize what was happening, cheers began to rise. Then they truly understood what was occurring and they began cheering in earnest, some even openly began weeping, unembarrassed and unashamed at the raw emotion that was pouring out of them. Eons of the cycle was broken. Never again would Dow’s armies threaten the land. Never again would their cities fall to the droves of the undead. In a thousand years, all that would occur would be whatever the future held, not something to be predetermined by a cycle of endless death. They were free.
Ninjin fell to his knees, he too overcome with emotion and all in all just tired. He had earned a moments rest. Hot breath poured over his shoulder, and he was elated when he looked up to see Bub standing there.
“It would take more than a mere toss of an axe to kill me Nin.” The dragon said as if the saiyan should be embarrassed for even thinking such a thing. It elicited a chuckle from the prince. Bub had saved his life, had saved all of their lives.
Maugh had stopped twitching some time ago and the lights had faded from his eyes. Ninjin felt sorry for him more than anything, manipulated by the church and then manipulated by a demon. It had not been a pleasant ride for Maugh.
Suddenly from the spot where the scroll had been destroyed a buzzing could be heard. In grew from a near silent thing into the drone of a thousand bees nests. Ninjin and Bub looked over alert, and an obsidian gate appeared as if pulled there from elsewhere. The duo looked at each other confused, and so walked over to approach. Through the gate the entrance to a room could be seen, and that room looked very familiar.
“Home?” The prince almost choked on the words they made him so emotional. Then he looked around at all the humans and monsters who had walked over to gather around him. Their leaders had died in the battle, and now they were looking to him, the one who had destroyed Dow, for guidance. He was the last semblance of order here left in Neapness, and the only one who knew how to rule effectively. Could he really abandon these people?
“It is a tough choice you must now make Ninjin Hattori.” The voice of Bub filled his mind. It seemed the dragon had somewhere along the line picked up some of the old wisdom it had once had. Ninjin could tell just by talking with the dragon within his own mind that his power had been restored. Was the scroll somehow dampening Bub’s development within Neapness? Whatever it was the dragon was more powerful than anything Ninjin had ever sensed.
“Home, to your two thrones, or stay here to rule neapness and it’s unguided people?” Those around him began to cheer his name. It felt good, but staring at the obsidian gate he knew his answer. He had to go home.
“You’re staying aren’t you?” He asked the dragon, but he already knew the answer.
“That is correct. I can do more good in this realm than I can in ours. Who knows if I step over that line if i’ll be cursed back into my toad dragon form and my loathsome old self. No if it’s all the same I’ll stay here.” He smiled at Ninjin.
“Then I entrust the care of the people of Neapness into your hands. I’m sure it’s what Gen-Fu would have wanted.” The prince rose up and hugged the dragon around the neck. Bub returned the hug as best he could.
“I am honored Ninjin. I will not let you down.” Ninjin walked forwards and through the portal. At first he was terrified, because when he walked through the gate Neapness was still stretched out before him. Then he turned around. It was the gateway room in the back of Bubebolos’ cavern. Quickly the prince navigated the way back and out to the mouth of the cavern. What he saw when he got there shocked him.
Hundreds of Iblisians’ stood in the swamp, separated by family and defined by banners. It was certainly not the sight he had been expecting to see. Boglach stood off to the side and his eyes shifted between families, they relaxed when they came to rest on the prince. Ninjin’s jaw dropped, and Lillianna ran up, embracing him as soon as she got close enough.
“You did it!” She said elatedly. Ninjin returned the hug as best he could, though his surprise was hard to measure. It was also a shock to see her so soon after he had come from the other realm. There would be no adjustment period for the prince it seemed. No matter, that would just be another challenge.
“What’s all this?” He asked dumbfounded. It’s as if over the course of the journey he had just been on he had forgotten the entire reason he stepped foot on the journey in the first place. Lillianna smiled and looked at him as if she was judging something about him.
“Are you serious? This is your welcoming party! Your royal highness.” She added the last part with extra emphasis, though Ninjin missed that at first too. He was used to people calling him that what with having him been born crown-prince of New Vegeta. Lilliana slapped her forehead as if trying to think of a way to get through to the prince. Ninjin burst out laughing.
The gathered families began to laugh as well, as if they were trying to be in on the joke that no one else had heard. The sudden choir of laughter knocked Ninjin out of his brief mania and back into reality. These people were here because he was now their king.
“Oh. Right.” It was a thought that sobered him quickly. The new king made his way over to Boglach.
“Would you mind picking me up buddy?” He asked his old friend, who more than happily obliged him. Once he could see the entire camp in the swap he began to shout.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of Iblis. I am Ninjin Hattori, crown-prince to the throne of New Vegeta, and now King of Iblis. I have completed the tasks and have retrieved the scroll of leadership.” Cheers began to cry out among the camps, as well as disbelieving looks among the Maugh clan. Ninjin would have to tell them some stories later, or perhaps he would keep that particular information to himself. One nasty looking child from the Maugh clan then called out.
“Where is it?”
Ninjin had not been expecting that. Ninjin was not prepared for that. All eyes turned towards him and stared. Where was the scroll?
“Show them the scroll Ninjin.” Lillianna said, her voice and her eyes both questioning him. The prince gulped and looked around, then he began to pat his armor as if looking for the scroll. Then he hand brushed something in his armor. It was a scroll. Slowly he picked it up. Attached to the scroll was a ribbon, and attached to the ribbon was a note.
“Ninjin- works differently, time in our lands does. Four years to us, four days to you. A good pupil, you have been. Proud of you, I am. Gen-Fu” Tears formed in Ninjin’s eyes. Then he held up the scroll. That was enough proof for those gathered and a resounding cheer went up from every camp but the Maugh’s, who looked on in glaring silence. Then the celebration began. Hours of his new people coming up to him and being introduced to all of the families and all the important people within them. Lillianna went over with him the various protocols but the prince listened with half an ear. Though Ninjin celebrated with his new people his heart was not truly in it. Yes he was king, and that was something he wasn’t going to take for granted, but he still missed his home. He missed New Vegeta.
“Your highness.” His thoughts were roused from home by Lillianna, who was looking at him and saying it as though she had said it multiple times. The prince smiled and nodded for her to continue.
“Your highness you’ve been acting very strange since you came out of that cavern. Is everything alright?” She asked it with genuine concern, and Ninjin remembered why. Four years ago they had been in a budding romance, and were quickly falling in love… Now… now how did he feel? It had been four years to him. Four days to her. Still seeing her did bring out a spark of something he once felt. There was still a clear attraction there, why couldn’t it be relit into something more?
Ninjin smiled and nodded. Everything would be alright once he set foot home on New Vegeta, something he did two days later.
As Ninjin’s boots hit the surface of the royal space-port on New Vegeta his smile could not have been any wider. He was home. After everything he had been through he was home. To the people of New Vegeta the crown-prince had been somewhere relaxing for a few weeks. How he wished that were true. He was now king of a people, savior of another, and no one in his family would ever know about any of it. It was a secret the prince would have to keep close to his heart. Who knew how his family would react if they found out he was king of another people. No doubt his father would demand to take it over instead of him, adding it to the saiyan empire instead of leaving it a separate entity. Who knows how Akassa or his mother or Leke would feel either. It was not something he was going to openly share with them, or with anyone.
Lillianna stood on the ramp of the ship that had dropped him off. It was designed to look like a merchant vessel from Omega, and Ninjin had transmitted his passcodes to land so that nothing looked suspicious. They kissed briefly before Ninjin had descended down the ramp.
“You cannot be a stranger Ninjin. You have responsibilities to both of your peoples now.” With those words of advice she left him.
Ninjin Hattori was home. After everything. He was home. His epic adventure was over.
How long had he been in Neapness now? Four years? Something close to that. When he had first arrived Gen-Fu had said that he was stuck here. That had proved to be more true than the price would have liked. His first entire year had been spent trying to find a way home. A way out of this realm and back to the one that housed New Vegeta and those he cared about. He roamed all over the land of Neapness, but his search had come up dry. Despite many promising leads, they all led to dead ends. The year had been long and had taken them to all corners of this strange land. Despite this Gen-Fu had remained by his side the entire time.
At first he was an unwelcomed presence. The prince found himself getting annoyed and frustrated with the small green man. Gen-Fu was an interesting character to say the least. The small frog man said very little, and when he did speak it sounded as if it was in riddles. Still after a while he proved himself a loyal and stalwart companion and it wasn’t long before the prince found himself growing fond of him. Over time and through their training sessions together the crown prince grew to view the anthropomorph as a sensei like figure. And over the four years they had grown ever closer. Four years was a long time to spend with someone, and the duo whilst fighting on their quests grew to fight as one unit rather than two separate beings.
Bubebolos grew as well. After six months the egg hatched and a small green dragon appeared. It looked nothing like the toad dragon from before. He was small and lithe and looked like what Ninjin thought a dragon would naturally look like. He didn’t stop growing from there. His curiosity grew as well. He seemed to remember very little of his past lives, and Ninjin wondered if he would ever regain those memories. The crown prince hoped not. Though Bubebolos had helped him in the end, the toad dragon clearly had not been a good being. The fact that he helped Ninjin in the first place had been out of a desire for revenge against Aon, when that was up would they still be friends? It made the prince hope that the memories never returned.
Over the next year, year two, the trio explored the vast lands of Neapness. They met various rulers of various kingdoms and did various tasks from them, becoming rather well known around the world and earning fame. The prince was seen as a hero, one of mythical proportions, doing tasks that many would think was impossible. Though he did these gladly, and welcomed the new found fame gladly, Ninjin had not given up his search for a way to get home. It was in the back of his mind, and he longed for home. He missed his family. He missed Lillianna. He missed his friends.
During year three Ninjin was granted land and the title of lord by a local king named Annerbannerpal. They had built him a castle as well. There were many theories why the king had granted Ninjin this land and title, but the best guess anyone could come up with was the fact that Ninjin was strong and the king wanted his protection. It was fine with Ninjin and he was ready to settle down. He and Gen-Fu resided in the castle, building up their strength and training. Gen-Fu seemed to insist that the Prince be in top form at all times, and the Prince was glad for the company and instruction, it felt like being back at the academy.
The homesickness was the worst in years one and two. Especially whilst looking for a way home. It would have been inaccurate to say that Ninjin gave up getting home. He had just learned to accept his fate. Gen-Fu told him that was a wise decision. Those that came through the portal had never returned to their original locations. It was impossible. Ninjin Hattori was stuck in Neapness.
“Now” Gen-Fu croaked out again and Ninjin launched a spear of blood at the elderly frog man. Gen-Fu had proven time and time again that just because he was small and old didn’t mean he was weak. There was a hidden strength and lightning quickness to him. Expertly the frog leapt up in the air, hooked the spear in his knotted staff, and flung it back at the prince.
“Wait.” Gen-Fu cried out. Ninjin’s raised his hand and just as the tip of the spear touched his hand he turned it back into liquid blood. The point where it had touched his palm beaded with blood.
“Good.” The frog man said happily. Scars lined the prince’s calloused hands. The two had trained for years together in a similar fashion. Gen-Fu knew a surprising amount about blood magic and ki usage, and so what he knew he passed on to the prince.
Bub grew to about the size of an Earth bus, and was fiercely loyal to both Ninjin and Gen-Fu. Gone was the toad part of the dragon, instead Bub was a glorious emerald dragon. The prince often wondered what caused the change. Bubebolos had thought he would be reincarnated in his cursed toad form, but instead he was in his original form. Had it been the selfless act of giving himself to Ninjin to help the prince against Aon that had broken the curse? It seemed to be the only explanation he could come up with. He was stretched out lazily in the sun as the other two trained, lazily inspecting a pile of coins he had gathered in front of him. They looked like ants moving through molasses to him, but he supposed that came with being a dragon.
Suddenly a messenger arrived on horseback. They hadn’t seen him coming due to being engrossed in their training. His face was pale and he was breathing hard, as if he had been the one running and not the horse. Ninjin and Gen-Fu ceased their training and both began walking over towards him to see what it was he wanted so urgently. Before his horse had even stopped he slumped from the saddle and landed with a thunk on the ground, his helmet falling off of him and rolled away. Something was clearly wrong. Ninjin and Gen-Fu rushed forward towards him. That is when they noticed the long twisted black arrow sticking from his back. It was a brutal and cruel looking thing that seemed to be smoking black mist, as if it was leaking shadow. The horseman groaned and attempted to sit up, but his wounds were far too great. Thick black blood trickled from his mouth and his skin seeemed to be growing paler as the seconds ticked away.
“Dow… scroll of seven seals… taken… so many… so so many…” His voice caught and his breath rattled in his throat. Then he was still. Gone from this world. The three stood in stoic silence for a long moment. Gen-Fu shook his head, upset about something. Ninjin was about to ask him about it but Bub for the first time that morning spoke.
“I foresee death.” He said looking from Ninjin to Gen-Fu and back. “And journey.”
Gen-Fu looked saddened and clutched his knotted staff tightly to his small chest.
“Honest with you, I have not entirely been.” He said to Ninjin. The prince looked puzzled and cocked his head. “A prophecy, there is.”
Bub looked up alert.
“From the nether he will come” Bub began, much to the surprise of both other men. His eyes were glowing green. “Armed with blood, and the sun. Blood will run in dreggs and droves. All to gain two different thrones. The scroll will come to test he who proves deserves it best. Does the Sun deserve the prize. Or will Dow take all our lives.” Gen-Fu nodded solemnly as Bub finished and lowered his head back onto the backs of his claws. That was the prophecy as he had heard it as well.
“And you think that I’m this he?” Ninjin asked feeling bewildered. In their four years together he had never felt he should divulge this infrormation? Gen-Fu nodded.
“From the nether, you come. Armed with blood, you are. Two thrones, you seek. Fits you, the prophecy does.”
The prince stood there dumbstruck. He had to admit he couldn’t really argue with that logic. The shoe fit so to speak. Bub too was convinced.
“Okay, say I am this ‘messiah’ figure. Where do I start?”
“Arm you with the sun, we must.” What the hell did that mean?
~~~
They were to go to the capital and speak with King Annerbannerpal. At least thats what Gen-Fu suggested they do, and Ninjin wasn’t going to argue. The Frog knew much more than he did about this prophecy. They had walked most of the way to the castle by the time night had fallen, and Bub was going to fly them in the rest of the way in the morning. Gen-Fu had insisted they walk because of Ninjin’s heavy weighted armor. And so they sat around a fire whilst Gen-Fu told the prince the story of the Scroll of Seven Seals, the thing they were seeking. Was it the scroll of leadership that Ninjin was suppose to retrieve for the crown of Iblis? That seemed to be logical. The fire danced off the face of the elderly toad man. His pattern of speech dropped, and the voice seemed to be coming from deep within him, as if he was in a trance.
“It began Eons ago…
Neapness was a peaceful land. Few wars were ever fought. The battles that were fought were generally with the various bands of monsters that roamed the land, but the two species generally kept to themselves and when they had fought few were ever killed on either side. Then through the portal somehow evil came into our world, and it called itself Dow.
We have never known such horrors as he, before or since. Like a god he wandered the battlefield and laid waste to any who stood before him. A desperate call went out to all corners of the world and all of their kingdoms for their heroes. Seven would be the eventual number that came to the court of King Annerbannermal, the current kings ancestor.
Merith Mars, jewel of Alestra, was the first to arrive. Alestrans are called the people of the stars and he shone like the sun when he walked in. Covered in the traditional armor of the Alestran kingdom, the solar lash at his side. It was as if all of our problems were over, so glorious was he. Despite having seen Dow personally Merith just seemed divine. Tales of his prowess stretched through all corners of Neapness. The Alestran’s had not had to bear the wrath of Dow yet, but they sent their best, a showing of kinship towards the people of Annerbannermal’s kingdom, and an understanding of the nature of evil.
Minster Crane, lord of Mylira, came next. Powerful are the sunkissed Mylirian’s in the arts of magic and Minster Crane more so than most. Tall and lithe was he, with a long flowing white beard and pulled pointed facial features. Dozens of attendants in fine silks came with him, Minster himself wrapped in swaths of blue. Powerful was the old wizard, and surely with his magics and Merith’s martial prowess Dow was as good as defeated. Or so we thought.
Cyboreas and Taur came next, and words could not explain the shock of those in the courtroom. Here were two monsters whom mankind and it’s allies had been fighting for eons. But they too knew and had tasted of the fury and destruction that Dow brings with him. Strong were the monsters, and now we could not fail. Cyboreas was one of the most physically imposing frost cyclops humanity and it’s allies has ever known. Standing at eleven feet tall, skin shifting blue and white like iceberg snow. His club was the size of the average man and it had taken the lives of hundreds. For that reason it too had a name. Manbane. Taur was a minitaur and every bit as imposing as Cyboreas, though three feet shorter, he still dwarfed most of us. His strenght was legendary even among the monsters, and looking at him it was not hard to imagine. His horns were dipped in metal and then serations were carved into them. A battleaxe hung at his back and two smaller ones at his sides. Alone their strength was legendary, together... How could we fail?
Perhaps even more surprising was the one to come next. Diana, queen of The kingdom of Uliria, this kingdom, wife of Annerbannermal, volunteered. She however would not be going without her two most trusted aids. Gen-Fu and Bayaz.” Ninjin looked up from the fire suddenly as Gen-Fu said his own name. The elderly frog-creature seemed lost to the tale, but it left the prince thinking. Was he really one of those involved with the Scroll of Seven Seals? This tale began eons ago… It seemed highly unlikely but then again anything seemed possible in this land. The prince let his friend continue, not that he had ever stopped in the first place.
“I was advisor to King Annerbannermal, and to the queen as well. I had held my position since i was a child, as my wisdom was renowned throughout the anthropomorphs even at a young age.Bayaz was the queen's brother and another advisor to the royals. Bayaz was middle aged but appeared to be in the prime of his life. He was known for his honeyed words and manipulations. At first the king protested the Queen’s involvement, but between she and Bayaz their honeyed words together convinced him. And so the seven were chosen..
We still didn’t know what we were going to do. We had had the might, now we needed the way. In Minster Crane’s studies over the next few days he came across a spell that had the power to bind something to it, forcing it from this world and sealing it forever within the scroll. It would require the blood of the seven in the chosen, and then, should they all perish, the scroll would release Dow. It would however make them unable to die from natural causes. We debated long and hard about what to do. Not everyone wishes to be immortal. I had was old and my wife had passed, I was looking forwards to one day joining her in the beyond. Alas…
Somehow word got to Dow of our plan. It would not be allowed. Somehow he would change the spell, change it and make it so that he himself was immortal. He set to work figuring out all the details. During that time we trained and prepared ourselves. Dow needed to be in the room for the spell to work. Dow was the last to arrive at the palace.
As our armies fought Dow’s undead legion outside in the city, we seven awaited in the throne room, waiting for Dow’s inevitable arrival. We heard the sounds of combat outside and wished we could join our armies but the more important task had to be done. With Dow gone his armies would crumble and Neapness would once again know peace. The door began to pound as if some terrible creature was bashing itself against it. Then it blew out of its frame like a leaf in the wind. Then he walked in.
He was death incarnate. His dark armor smoked with shadow, and his pale skin shone like the moon. His fangs caught the light like ivory. He sauntered in like he had already had us defeated.”
Fangs? Pale skin? Was it possible…? Dow was an Iblisian! He had come here eons ago… Was he the Iblisian king that had started the trails? No that wasn’t possible was it… Then… How?
“Dow strode up to the king without fear of any of us gathered. We were too stunned to act. It was as if he had appeared from the very shadow itself. All of us but Merith. The jewel of Alestra Like the crack of thunder his sun’s lash whipped Dow across the face. The tyrant barely turned from the force. A deep blistering sear grew upon his face, though no anger was evident. From even where I was standing you could smell the charred flesh.
Had we pressed the attack there we might have stood a chance, but we were all too stunned. A shaking hand rose to touch the blistered wound. The king had escaped and the only ones left in the room were the seven, and Dow. Dow’s blood spear pierced Merith through the chest before anyone else knew what was going on. That was enough to rouse us. We shook the shock from us and joined the battle.
Lightning cracked all around us as Minster unleashed the storms fury. Diana slung knives like an established circus professonal then went over to Merith to attempt to save him. Bayaz began to chant something that none of the rest of us seemed to understand. My small fists bounced from Dow’s armor like raindrops on a castle roof. Cyboreas and Taur both charged the man, but they were thrown away like flies with a flick of his wrist. Merith stirred as Diana tried to heal him, but there was no doubt in any of our minds. We were going to lose. He seemed completely unaffected by anything we managed to hit him with, and that wasn’t much.
And so we did the one thing that we could think of, we did what we had so hotly debated. It was unanimous. From within his cloak Minster withdrew the scroll. Minstir cut his hand and placed the blood upon the scroll, and as he did Dow took a step back, pain on his pale face. He was staring at the scroll though as if he knew what it was. He advanced towards Minster, but Cyboreas and Taur had recovered. They tackled him as I placed my blood on the scroll as Minster instructed me to. After only a moment I knew there would be ramifications to what I had just done.
Cyboreas and Taur somehow managed to get their blood on the scroll as well despite the fact that they never seemed to stop fighting Dow, and Dow began to look weaker and weaker. More of our blows seemed to have more of an effect, and it seemed like the tide of the battle was turning. It was not hard to get Merith’s blood on the scroll, but it was for naught. He was dead by the time we accomplished it, succombed to the wounds Dow gave him at the start of the battle. There was no time to mourn however.
Diana cut her hand and placed her blood upon it, and we thought the battle was won as Dow fell to a knee. Then the unthinkable happened. From within his cloak Bayaz withdrew a knife and rammed it into the queen’s side. She turned and fell, shock evident on her face. From the floor Bayaz picked the scroll and cut his own hand, his blood falling drop by drop onto it. Dow rose, seemingly empowered. He then placed his own blood on the scroll. Those of us conscious stared at the scroll in stunned silence. That was not what we had been planning on. Did that mean that Dow was now… Immortal as well?
The magics interacted interestingly with Dow’s blood. One moment he, Bayaz, and the Scroll were there, the next minute they were not. What happened to them we know not. We were understandably cautious, but years paced with no sight of any of the three. Diana died from her wounds, we were immortal but not invincible, and the king went into mourning. He placed the blame on the seven gathered and persecuted the ones that lived. Annerbannerpal only recently forgave us. Peace then lasted for a thousand years after. Until the scroll showed up sitting on the king’s throne. Dow came quickly after that, and after ten years of terror he vanished once more. The cycle continues to this day.” So the year had come that Dow returned. It just so happened to be whilst Ninjin was there as well. Gen-Fu had given the prince much to think about. How was he supposed to combat this Dow figure when the very strength of the sun was not enough to halt his advance.
It would not be a restful sleep.
~~~
Flying on the back of a dragon would be exhilarating for most, but Ninjin had been flying since he was a child, and though Bub was much faster than he was, the experience seemed to be much more of the same. Ninin had not slept well, visions of Dow and the events dancing in his head. The story had done much to inform the prince of the events that were occuring and of the danger, but did not tell him how strong Dow was in comparison to him. Was he really the one to be able to break the cycle that had so long been established in the land of Neapness? He wasn’t so sure. Still he was stuck here, and if breaking the cycle could get him one step closer to home, that was something he was willing to risk.
They landed at the castle to much hoopla. It seemed that the guards were on high-alert because of Dow, and as soon as the dragon got in range bolts and arrows began to fling themselves upwards towards the trio. Steel arrows bounced harmlessly off of the prince’s skin and the dragon’s hide. Ninjin jumped from the back of Bub and fell to the round, landing in a three point stance. The guards stopped firing once they saw whom it was, but they kept their weapons ready all the same.
Annerbannerpal had certainly been expecting them. A bevy of beautiful women were standing in a line next to the throne, and the older dark-skinned man smiled as the trio entered the room. It was impressive that the king’s throne room could fit Bub within it but the room was expansive. The elaborately dressed man waved them over, his turquoise robes flapping in the pleasant breeze that came in through the many windows.
“Ah Ninjin. Just the man I was hoping to see. I have a proposal for you!” The girls and he giggled as he said the word proposal, as if it was some sort of inside joke. Ninjin cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. They all were staring at the prince as if he was a piece of meat.
“These beautiful young women are my daughters! I would like you to marry one and become my son!” It said it as if it were the most joyous news one could ever hear. Though Ninjin had to admit that the women standing in front of him were very exotic beauties, his heart lay back home. He had enough trouble there with women, he didn’t need another one to confuse him further. Gracefully Gen-Fu interrupted.
“Not why were here, that is.” Gen-Fu said it sternly and with enough seriousness that the king returned to his throne and dismissed the women with a flick of his hand. The king looked dissapointed, but his face turned towards one of concern. His line had always been empathic and compassionate rulers who would do anything for their people.
“My friends whatever is the matter?” The man said looking puzzled back and forth between Ninjin and Gen-Fu. His eyes never came to rest on Bub. Being a man in neapness, one had to be cautious of monsters, even if there had been a long lasting truce the hard feelings remained.
“Stolen, the scroll has been.” Gen-Fu said it somberly and suddenly he had the king’s undivided attention.
“When?!” There was more than a hint of panic in his voice. Ninjin could understand that after everything he had heard about Dow.
“Yesterday. Come to collect the sun, we have.”
“The sun… whatever for?” He looked puzzled and then his eyes fell once more upon Ninjin “You can’t mean… well i suppose it does make sense…” The king considered the prince further and further. The duo could see belief creep into his eyes and then nodded. The king walked over to a podium and opened the glass case that covered it. Inside was a small bell. He rang it, but it gave off no sound. At least not one that Ninjin heard.
In a moment a massive hound came leaping from hallway leading into the throne room. It was the largest dog the prince had ever seen, it’s height at the shoulders just above his head.Gen-Fu looked from the king to the dog, the king could only shrug. Ninjin had no idea what was going on, but the two others seemed to be in on it. Bub remained silent and observing.
“You have to admit it made an excellent hiding place.” Annerbannerpal removed the collar from the dog and threw it to Ninjin, who caught it deftly from the air. It didn’t feel like much in his hands, only like a whip. Then it vanished into powder. The powder covered his arm, completely coating his hand and forearm. Ninjin’s eyes grew wider than they ever had been. With panic he looked from Gen-Fu to the king and then even to the dog. The dog was the only one that appeared as surprised as he was. Gen-Fu chuckled.
“Chosen you, it has. Armed with the sun, you are now. Correct about the prophecy, we were.” Ninjin’s eyebrow couldn’t go any further up. He was now armed with the sun? Did that mean?
Turning he threw his ki into his arm and attempted to make the solar lash appear, but it did not. Ninjin looked down at his arm. A glowing tattoo of the solar lash appeared there momentarily, then vanished.
“Armed you are yes, but master not. Appear it will, when you need it.” The two elderly men laughed. The trio thanked Annerbannerpal profusely and then left. He wished them the best of luck. As they were leaving the king could be heard shouting for Ninjin to consider his offer of marriage to one of his daughters. It made the prince smile. After everything there was hope.
“Where to now?” The prince asked once they were back on Bub and in the air.
“Allies you will need. To the land of monsters we go.”
“land of monsters… sounds great”
~~~
The land of monsters was actually quite pleasant despite the name. The first thing Ninjin noticed after they crossed the border from Annerbannerpal’s kingdom into the land of monsters was the climate change. Where Annerbannerpal’s kingdom had been temperate plains, the land of monsters didn’t seem to have a set climate, but seemed to shift even as the minutes ticked by. Snowy skies would turn to sunlight, the ground would be covered with ice one minute and lava the next. Still it was the architecture that dotted the landscape that impressed the prince most.
Instead of the caves and caverns one normally pictures monsters dwelling in, the landscape of Neapness’ land of monsters was covered with elaborate castles and homes. There were even a couple of rather tall buildings here and there. They landed in front of a large mansion.
“This is how monsters live in Neapness?” Ninjin asked, feeling very confused.
“Better at building, monsters are.” Was the only answer that Gen-Fu offered, and Ninjin shrugged. That was probably the best answer he was going to get. They walked up to the door and knocked. Ninjin felt very awkward knocking on this monster’s very large door to a home that would not have been out of place in some of the nicer cities on Earth.
After a few minutes an anthropomorphic black ant answered the door. He was dressed very well in a lovely tuxedo. He bowed low and introduced himself as Cornelius, and that this was the homes of masters Cyboreas and Taur. Ninjin turned and looked in surprised at Gen-Fu, but the old man merely entered the house as instructed by Cornelius. Bub agreed to wait outside. Their house was lavish and furnished with things that would be out of place anywhere else. Cornelius led them quietly into the den. Cyboreas sat by a bonfire and had a very large tome clutched in both of his hands. Taur was somewhere out of the den. The cyclops shifted his monocle to look up at them.
“Gen-Fu my old comrade. What an absolute mirthful, though quite unexpected, occurrence. To what do we owe the pleasure?” He closed the massive tome and placed it upon a side table that would be a regular table to most. When the monster stood from his massive arm-chair the cyclops easily dwarfed those gathered in the room. Ninjin usually didn’t meet people this massive without fighting them, and so he was a bit on edge. Still the cyclops’ smile did much to put the prince at ease.
Then a minotuar whom Ninjin could only assume was Taur clomped into the room, a look of frustration on his face. Cyboreas seemed upset by this.
“What is wrong?” The icey blue giant asked, his one eye full of worry. Taur seemed to not notice anyone else in the room, aside from he and the cyclops.
“Another one. Damn Dow...” He said it through gritted teeth.
“Why we’re here, that is.” Gen-Fu said from his position so far below the giants. Taur turned in surprise and looked down. His eyes lit up with pleasure when they found the frog man.
“Well if it isn’t Gen-Fu. Oh and you’ve brought a man… lovely…” The last bit was said as sarcastically as any words Ninjin had ever heard. Evidently Taur was not overly fond of humans. From what he had heard though, the prince couldn’t blame him.
“My old friends, my new friend this is. Ninjin Hattori.” The duo certainly looked uncomfortable, that was until Taur’s eyes fell upon the prince’s “belt”.
“That is a very unusual belt… It’s almost as if--” But Ninjin cut him off.
“That’s not a belt, that’s my tail.” Ninjin unwrapped the tail from around his body and showed it to them. Instantly it was as if everything had changed. Their darting looks of suspicion and confusion turned to that of newfound excitement, like when one makes a new friend.
“What a surprise! Though you appear at first inspection to be man, you are in fact monster.” Though the word at the end was said with pride and happiness, Ninjin wasn’t too sure he liked being called that. Then again that might just be a prejudice of his own. He let the thought slip and smiled at the two.
“I am neither, my race is called Saiyan. It is a pleasure to meet both of you, Gen-Fu has told me quite a bit about you both.” The prince bowed a traditional Saiyan bow to them both, though he did not fall to his knees.
After all the introductions were made, and Gen-Fu explained the reasons they were there, Cyboreas brought them further into the mansion, into what appeared to be the center of it. As Ninjin walked into the room his breath nearly left him. It was a war room, and a damn impressive one at that. Monsters of all various sizes and skittered and sauntered here and there, each looking very busy. Machines hummed as they worked, each one looking very technologically advance to the prince, especially for what he had been living in, near medieval conditions for the past four years.
The monsters walked them into the center of the room, where a war-table lay. A large map of Neapness, the only one Ninjin had ever seen, was sprawling out on the table before them. A large knife was jammed into a point in the map. Some towns that Ninjin saw were crossed out with large red x’s, and some notes were scribbled under some like “So sad, 16000.” or, “How was this possible? 140000”
Were these the numbers of those that had been killed? There were so many… was Dow really this powerful? His army... was it really this powerful? Was it because he had aquired the scroll? Was he really this intent on destroying all of Neapness. How in the world was Ninjin supposed to stop him then?
“This is our current situation, as we are aware of it.” Cyboreas said. Others in the room stopped what they were doing to listen to the Ice Cyclops’ commanding voice.
“Dow has already conquered much of the Eastern half of Neapness, the defenses we had installed there in the past thousand years failed. We had expected casualties, but no where near on this scale. Alestra has fallen.” A gasp went out throughout the room. Alestra was on the border to the western half of Neapness. Dow had never before reached as far. Alestra was one of the grandest and strongest cities they had. To have lost it… was all hope gone?
“All hope is not lost however.” Cyboreas said, and his voice reflected it.
“To those gathered, we have come into some interesting information. This being here, Ninjin Hattori, is the one from the prophecy. There is no more doubt.” A gasp went out, and confused eyes stared holes into the crown prince of new vegeta. Excited whispers began to fill the room. One monster stood up. A ballon-like begin it’s entire form was a single orb like body with a face on it. It hung in the air in the exact way it shouldn’t. A mouth full of jagged teeth opened to speak.
“How do we know he’s the one from the prophecy?” It seemed to be a fair question. Why should they simply trust that Ninjin was the one they spoke of if they had no proof. Creatures here didn’t seem to be able to read power levels. Taur and Cyboreas were both very strong, though Ninjin was still the strongest in the room by far.
“Fit it, he does. Two thrones, he seeks. Come from the nether, he has. Armed with the sun, he is.” Gen-Fu spoke and the monsters turned in confusion to see where the voice was coming from. Taur stepped out of the way and their eyes lit up.
“Do you really come from the nether” A small mousy monster nearby asked him. Ninjin nodded. The monster’s eyes grew wide and she scurried away in retreat.
“Is he really armed with the sun?” A disbelieving voice called out from one of the gathered. Ninjin looked to Gen-Fu for guidance, and the frog-man nodded. He needed it. Without the monsters the war was as good as over, everyone as good as dead. Channeling his power into his arm, he focused intently. At first nothing happened, and though he continued to channel his energy the prince began to feel foolish. The his arm began to glow. It started slightly at first, a small candle’s emittance would have been brighter. Ninjin focused his mind. Soon his hand and forearm were glowing brightly. He aimed towards a target on the wall and the force cut the target in half, along with some of the wall behind it. Ninjin’s arm quickly faded.
“So evidently he is our guy.” Taur said deadpan. It did much to lighten the mood and there was even a slight chuckle around from those gathered.
“That point punctuates why we have the pleasure of their presence. Wars cannot be fought with intellect alone. We need strength of arms as well. Unequivocally we have fought Dow for eons. We will not let this be the time he defeats us. No the time for this to end has come. Monsters, we are now mobilized for war. Humans will fall without us. Despite tensions between us, and hostilities before that, Dow is an evil we cannot allow. We march for war.”
The next few days were spent getting the monster army ready for war. A call went out, and quickly hundreds of thousands of monsters from around the Land of Monsters gathered, all different shapes and sizes and types. It was an awesome spectacle for the crown-prince to behold. Even the saiyan army when assembled, though overall stronger, was no where near as impressive in size or number.
“I feel like I’m on the right side of this war.” Ninjin said as he sat on Bub’s back and looked down at the gathered mass. Despite everything he had been told about their chances there was a smile on his face. They were certainly an intimidating group when gathered. How in the world had humanity and its allies stood against this at all? The humans in Neapness must be tougher than Ninjin had thought.
“Then underestimate Dow, you do.” Gen-Fu chided from behind him. Gen-Fu said it so seriously that it sobered Ninjin almost instantly. The army had quickly gathered to its full force. Those that weren’t there weren’t coming it was decided, and if they did show up it would be too late.
The army marched east and after a few short days found themselves in the kingdom of man, and the kingdom of Annerbannerpal. The armies of man had gathered there as well in the plains around the castle.The terrain perfectly suited warfare. They were more numerous than the armies of monsters, but it was a less impressive sight. Immediately there was tension between the two armies. They had fought each other for eons. Annerbannerpal was at the head of the army astride his massive hound. Bub landed next to him, and Cyboreas and Taur quickly met them.
“Well I hope this isn’t too awkward for you guys.” Ninjin said to try and break the ice. He was met with glares. They were not amused. The prince supposed that was something that one probably shouldn’t joke about. Annerbannerpal looked over the monsters and his mustachioed frown twitched slightly.
“ It’s good to see you’ve kept your strength up.” He said to Cyboreas and Taur, and the duo chuckled slightly. The tensions seemed to cease there, and the talk of battle strategy began. Dow’s army was set to arrive that day at the castle, but the plan was not to fortify it. There would be no surviving a siege by Dow. The only choice was a counter attack whilst Ninjin got to Dow. They were placing quite a bit of their hope on him.
Ninjin hoped he could live up to that. Still he had taken on challenges before! This one did seem to be the steepest however. If Dow was all he was cracked up to be, then Ninjin was in for the challenge of his life.
A horn that sounding like the wailing of a thousand souls filled the air. It set the entire army on edge. Some of the human’s began looking around as if there was somewhere to run to, but the generals did their job and held the line, cantering back and forth on their impressive war horses. Dow’s army had arrived. Though they were still miles away, they became visible. Millions of smaller skeletons led massive undead creatures. At the head of the army glowed Dow.
“Form ranks! Form ranks!” Annebannerpal yelled out, and the human army began to form its ranks. Cyboreas ordered the monstrous army to form ranks as well. This was to be the battle to end it all. This cycle of death would end. It would end once and for all.
It wasn’t long before the armies drew close to one another. Dow’s army was terrifying, everything undead. Rotting corpses and skeletal figures, corpse colossi and undead dragons. They were legion, for they were many.
“So how’s everyone feeling about our chances?” Ninjin asked lightly to those around him. Gen-Fu chided him once agian.
“Time for jokes, it is not.” the frog-man said seriously. Ninjin nodded. There was a very real possibility that they would all die. Though they had been holding Dow back for years, this was the strongest he had ever been because of the theft of the scroll. If Dow could kill Gen-Fu, Cyboreas, Taur, Annerbannerpal and Ninjin then the scroll’s effects would be neutralized as the donors of the blood would be dead, as would the only one who could defeat him be.
“RELEASE!” Cyboreas cried out the order to his monsters. The arrows and bolts and even some massive stones that the monstrous army had been readying were released. Hunks of phlegm and orbs of magic were flung as well. Any ranged weapon the monsters had was released. The human’s quickly followed suit and released hundreds of thousands of arrows and bolts. Zombies and other organic undead fell in droves.
“Spears!” The human’s dropped their spears in the front five ranks and brought their shields to bear. Ninjin did not envy anything that decided to run face first into that wall, regardless of whatever size the creature was. It was then the monsters armies turn. Spears the size of tree-trunks and the size of needles were leveled at the undead. The two armies crashed in a grandeur that Ninjin had never seen before, despite his years of being a general. Ninjin was high-general in the Saiyan army but they generally fought smaller scale battles. This was the largest confrontation he had ever been apart of though, as there must have been millions of creatures swarming around in the combat.
It was clear that the armies against Dow would be no match for his armies might. Quickly the front human line fell. They would have been crushed entirely right there but for the interference of the massive creatures on the monster’s side. Humans and monsters alike poured around the fighting colossi and yelled with hope and bloodlust. They would only have to hold til Ninjin got to the monster known as Dow though. He turned to Gen-Fu for guidance.
“Time, it is. Go, you must.” The prince nodded and jumped off Bub, who had been flying around the battlefield fighting undead dragons.
Then he was engaged.
It was not like a normal fight where one could concentrate on one or even a handful of foes. Danger lurked on all sides, and the prince was thankful for his reflexes. His training had kicked in in a way that was not hard to follow. The military academy had prepared him for this. Focused hands caught martial weapons and returned them into their owners. Fists glowing with ki smashed skeletal bodies as if they were made from balsa wood. The poisons that the zombies and other undead carried didn’t affect the prince, and he was once again thankful for the training Boglach had given him.
It was not hard to find Dow in the midst of the combat. Though his body gave off shadow it seemed to glow. His face was hidden behind his helmet, a thing made from twisted obsidian. Ninjin approached him.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Ninjin Hattori?”
Ninjin looked up in surprise. That voice. That voice was so familiar. So haunting. It was one he hadn’t heard in years, and one that he certainly wasn’t expecting to hear here. Maugh. Barren Maugh. How was Barren Maugh... Dow? It didn’t make any sense. Unless… Unless the portal did weird things to time. Unless Neapness ran on a timeline that was completely different than the rest of the world. That was the only possibility that made any sense to Ninjin. But it still didn’t make sense to him.
“Maugh…?” Ninjin asked bewildered, the realization and horror dawning on his face. Dow removed his helmet, and sure enough it was the Iblisian Ninjin had arrived with on that jungle all those years ago. He was so much more powerful though.
“That’s right.” He laughed a deep and guttural laugh. Softly he landed on the ground, those around them stopped fighting and gathered around them forming a shield wall. Dow’s men began to chant and bash their weapons against their own shields. Quickly Ninjin’s men and monsters began to bash their own weapons into their own shields.
“Looks like we're back where we started Ninjin. How ironic. Those eons ago when I first faced you. You made a fool of me. You beat me to near death, despite my superior position... but I didn’t give up. Oh no. Far from it. I crawled my way after you, following the trail you left. I found my way to the portal but you had already gone through it. I crawled through it and found myself here. In Neapness. Yet my injuries were still severe. I looked around but you had gone. And yet there was a voice there that spoke to me. It wasn’t Aon like I had originally thought, but a demon, named Dow. He offered me life. He offered me power. After an internal struggle I left the grace of Aon and embraced Dow. And oh what power he gave me. Everything he promised and more. More than Aon had ever done for me. For eons I have lived. For eons I have murdered. I had all but forgotten you until I saw your face just now, and it all came back. For your actions against me in another life, I will kill you.”
From his back Dow withdrew his massive war axe. Ninjin fell into a fighting stance and motioned for Maugh to “bring-it-on”. It was time for this to end. The time for talk was over and they both knew it. As they rushed at each other the roar of those gathered to watch nearly drowned out the millions fighting all around them.
Maugh threw his weight and his momentum behind his axe swing, and Ninjin barely had time to duck under the cut. The shockwave it sent out cut into the shield wall and sent men from both sides flying dead in different directions. Ninjin landed blow after blow to the midsection of the Iblisian but they seemed to do little. The armor that Maugh had acquired was heavy and protected him well. Maugh kicked Ninjin in the chest and backhanded him with a thick gauntleted hand. It knocked the taste from the prince’s mouth and sent him rolling backwards. His back hit the shields of two of Maugh’s men and with force they threw him back towards their leader.
Maugh caught the prince by the throat and raised him high into the air. Ninjin struggled against his grip but it was iron-clad. Over the eons he had clearly grown into a god-like figure. No wonder they feared him so much. No wonder Gen-Fu had thought that the prince was underestimating him.
“How arrogant you were. You thought you could come into our world, my world, and take my throne from me? Not just once, but twice. This world is mine. Iblis is mine. It is time for you to die. Not for Aon. Not for the church. Not even for myself. You die simply because I couldn’t be bothered to let you live.” His grip on Ninjin’s throat tightened like a vice, cutting off the prince’s air. Ninjin’s fists rained down on Maugh’s hand and face as best as he could, but the vampire’s grip held. The blows became softer and softer. Desperately the prince began clawing at the Iblsians’ gauntlets. Darkness lined the edges of his vision.
Then suddenly a green blur filled his sight. Gen-Fu on the back of Bub. Bub unleashed a torrent of green fire on Dow’s side of the shield wall, and in the distraction Gen-Fu landed and rolled and came up, landing a powerful backhand on Dow that spread cracks throughout the front of Dow’s armor. Startled, Dow dropped the prince, who gasped and brought his hands to his throat.
Dow turned to Gen-Fu. Gen-Fu looked to Ninjin and nodded.
“Ah one of my old friends. No doubt the rest of the gang is in tow. Perfect.” With an evil smile he hefted his axe and brought it around in a circle. The axe cut through Gen-Fu and his cloak as if it were nothing.
“NOOOO!!!!” Ninjin yelled out. Gen-Fu was gone. The prince was left with no time to mourn however as Dow brought out the scroll. With a grimace the Iblisian grew in power, as if the pain was pleasure.
“One by one the flies they fall to the spider, and the spider grows stronger for it.” [/color] Maugh stood above Ninjin, lording his victory over the fallen prince. It was enough for the prince. Ninjin’s True Power activated and his power doubled. Quickly he regained his footing. The shield wall had reformed, and all that remained of Gen-Fu was a pile of robes.
“You have been allowed to continue for far too long. Your reign of terror comes to an end now Maugh, Dow, whatever you are.” Ninjin spoke with severity. Maugh seemed unimpressed with his newfound power.
“You still lack the power to defeat me.” Maugh rushed forwards, as if he was made from moving smoke. He moved to grab Ninjin around the throat, but the prince deflected his strike and slammed a glowing fist into Maugh’s armor. It cracked and splintered away as if it had been made from paper mache. The surprised vampire stumbled backwards as he stared down at his newly exposed chest. Ninjin’s fists continued to glow. Maugh gritted his teeth and came forwards once more, his axe clenched in his hand.
With more speed than the prince would think possible Maugh swung his axe in various arcs. Ninjin weaved in and out and landed blow after blow on the vampire. They didn’t seem to hurt the man as much as the prince would have wanted, but they did seem to have some effect. Ninjin finished the combo up with a double punch to the abdomen. Maugh staggered back and coughed for air.
Ninjin brought his hands to his sides, and swept his front leg out in front of him. This would end now.
“Shirishiri-Canon!” The prince yelled as his golden full powered energy wave rocketed forwards towards the pale tyrant. Maugh roared in defiance as the wave crashed over him. Ninjin was sure that that was enough to finish him off, but the fighting continued all around them. After the waves dissipation, Maugh still stood there, though he was stark naked aside from his pants, though they had been burned to shorts.
“Nice try.” Maugh said with a wicked smile. His hair and clothes had all burned away, but otherwise he seemed fine. The Saiyan prince nearly kicked himself. No way should that not have worked. Maugh should be dead, and with him this whole damn ordeal. But… but what if the scroll was keeping him as immortal as it was keeping the others. How would Ninjin ever beat him if that were the case? The scroll… could the prince somehow destroy it?
“Now where were we?” The duo charged each other with teeth bared. As they collided a shockwave was sent out through the field of battle. Those gathered around were knocked violently off their feet. Ninjin and Maugh were the only two ones left standing, and they were going blow for blow like gods among men. They moved faster than most gathered’s eyes could keep up with, appearing suddenly and then disappearing just as quick, only to reappear somewhere else many feet away. Maugh suddenly then became cloaked in shadow. Ninjin’s fists met air and he stumbled. The vampire appeared behind him and kicked him in the back of the head.
Ninjin staggered forwards from the momentum and the pain. He turned but his face only met the pommel of Maugh’s axe. His jaw cracked and blood filled his mouth. Dirt caked his hands as he fell to his knees. An evil laugh filled the air.
“There is no way you can beat me. I’m simply better.” A massive club smacked into Maugh and sent him flying away in an arc from the field as two arms thick as small trees picked the prince up under the armpits and set him on his feet.
It was Taur, and the one with the club had been Cyboreas. They had saved him. Just as Gen-Fu had only moments ago. Maugh was only gettting stronger over the course of their fight. If any of the others who had signed the scroll in blood died… but then they needed to didn’t they? Cyboreas looked over at him as if reading his thoughts.
“We’ve been waiting eons for this. The scroll can only be gone if we are.” He said with a smile and then took a deep breath in through his nose, as if smelling roses instead of a battlefield littered with corpses.
“You have no idea what an eternity of fighting does to you. You lose your soul after a while. I have slain hundreds of thousands of these things, only to have to do the same thing a thousands years later. Never dying. Never ceasing. The thousand years of peace… feels like seconds after millions of years.”
Suddenly an axe thunked into the back of his head, splitting it. A smile formed on his face, and he fell to the dirt. Taur was dead and Maugh was stronger for it. Despite his deathwish Cyboreas roared in fury and charged. Maugh picked the axe from Taur’s head with a thickening wet sound and swung it in a circle in a blur before burying it into Cyboreas’ chest.
Despite the glaring wound in his chest the cyclops also smiled as he collapsed. The cycle was over for them, but despite their release Maugh’s power had only increased. Their hopes all lay with Ninjin Hattori. The pressure on him was rising. The only two left powering the scroll were he and Annerbannerpal. And then sure enough as if by summoned by the Prince’s thoughts he appeared on the back of his massive hound, sword raised high in the air as if rallying his troops.
Dow’s eyes lit up when he saw the man. Ninjin raced to intercept but was knocked away as if he were a fly. There was no time to intervene. The axe lopped the king’s head from his shoulders like a hot knife through butter. Dow turned to face the prince once more. He was the only one left to stand in Dow’s way, and he was at the peak of his power.
“Do you give up now Hattori?! The might of a god stands before you.” [/color] Dow said it with boisterous pride. Ninjin never gave up. Ever. No matter the odds, he had never quit anything in his life, much less a fight. The fight had already taken a lot out of him though. How much more could he give? He simply shook his head, and Dow came forwards once again.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as the iblisian advanced. Ninjin looked at the ground beneath his hands, and then he shoved himself to his feet though he felt like he was moving through thick molasses. He was surprised to find Bub standing behind Dow.
You are not yet alone Ninjin Hattori. The words came into the prince’s mind much as they had when Bub had been in an egg. It comforted him. The dragon unleashed a torrent of green fire on the Iblisian, who quickly disappeared within the cone of flames. Soon as they came the fires receded and the pale figure was left standing there looking very unhappy. Mercifully his shorts had remained unburned. Dow turned and threw his axe at the dragon in a spinning arc. It crashed into Bub and sent him sprawling. It was the opening that Ninjin needed.
If there was ever a time that Ninjin needed the Sun’s lash it was now. With everything that he had left he channeled his energy into his arm. It glowed with a fiery intensity. He threw his arm forwards and the whip of energy cracked hitting its target dead on. The scroll that had been tied to Dow’s armor at the waist had been exposed when he turned to fight Bub. It shattered with a ripple of kinetic force that knocked down the men around them. Only Ninjin and Dow remained on their feet. Dow seemed to not know what had occurred at first, and stalked forwards, though he moved as if on drunken legs. Then he began to scream and writhe as if wracked by waves of immense pain.
Ninjin raced forwards channeling his energy into the lash once more. He didn’t fire the lash, no he kept it charging in his hand as he walked over to Dow, who had fallen onto his knees due to the pain.
“Help me Ninjin!!!” He screamed suddenly and much to the surprise of the prince. Ninjin was taken aback momentairly. Dow/Maugh was asking for his help? Why?
“Oh gods it hurts!” Maugh cried out desperately. A black shadowy substance began to pool out of him, waterfalling from his eyes, nose, and mouth. It slowly made its way towards Ninjin. Maugh collapsed. The shadow rose and formed into a humanoid shape. Those gathered that had risen to their feet had been silent since the scrolls destruction, now it seemed like the entire war had stopped. The undead seemed to just stand there, as if replaced by wax copies of themselves in the poses they had been in when the kinetic blast went out.
“Ninjin Hattori. Once again you have proven yourself more powerful than this Iblisian. He and I went undefeated for Eons. I am Dow. Together you and I could rule the entire universe. Yours and my strengths together could level armies and topple planets. Bind yourself to me and we shall never be defeated. Forget being merely a king, with me you would be a god!” The demon’s offer was tempting. All of that power? How could the prince refuse? In his mind he thought of all those who had given themselves to decide these next few moments. He thought of New Vegeta. He thought of home. He was no demon, and he certainly didn’t want one attached to his soul.
The fist that had been glowing the entire conversation rose and was pulled back all in one motion. There was just enough time for shock to register on the shadow demon’s face before the power of the sun was driven into it. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as the sun illuminated through the demon’s body. Then suddenly he was no more, gone as if he had never been there in the first place. Ninjin felt like collapsing, but the undead army around them beat him to it. One by one the massive skeletal and zombie creatures fell shaking the very earth as their colossal frames smashed into the ground. By the dozens and in waves the smaller undead around them did the same and as the humans and monsters began to realize what was happening, cheers began to rise. Then they truly understood what was occurring and they began cheering in earnest, some even openly began weeping, unembarrassed and unashamed at the raw emotion that was pouring out of them. Eons of the cycle was broken. Never again would Dow’s armies threaten the land. Never again would their cities fall to the droves of the undead. In a thousand years, all that would occur would be whatever the future held, not something to be predetermined by a cycle of endless death. They were free.
Ninjin fell to his knees, he too overcome with emotion and all in all just tired. He had earned a moments rest. Hot breath poured over his shoulder, and he was elated when he looked up to see Bub standing there.
“It would take more than a mere toss of an axe to kill me Nin.” The dragon said as if the saiyan should be embarrassed for even thinking such a thing. It elicited a chuckle from the prince. Bub had saved his life, had saved all of their lives.
Maugh had stopped twitching some time ago and the lights had faded from his eyes. Ninjin felt sorry for him more than anything, manipulated by the church and then manipulated by a demon. It had not been a pleasant ride for Maugh.
Suddenly from the spot where the scroll had been destroyed a buzzing could be heard. In grew from a near silent thing into the drone of a thousand bees nests. Ninjin and Bub looked over alert, and an obsidian gate appeared as if pulled there from elsewhere. The duo looked at each other confused, and so walked over to approach. Through the gate the entrance to a room could be seen, and that room looked very familiar.
“Home?” The prince almost choked on the words they made him so emotional. Then he looked around at all the humans and monsters who had walked over to gather around him. Their leaders had died in the battle, and now they were looking to him, the one who had destroyed Dow, for guidance. He was the last semblance of order here left in Neapness, and the only one who knew how to rule effectively. Could he really abandon these people?
“It is a tough choice you must now make Ninjin Hattori.” The voice of Bub filled his mind. It seemed the dragon had somewhere along the line picked up some of the old wisdom it had once had. Ninjin could tell just by talking with the dragon within his own mind that his power had been restored. Was the scroll somehow dampening Bub’s development within Neapness? Whatever it was the dragon was more powerful than anything Ninjin had ever sensed.
“Home, to your two thrones, or stay here to rule neapness and it’s unguided people?” Those around him began to cheer his name. It felt good, but staring at the obsidian gate he knew his answer. He had to go home.
“You’re staying aren’t you?” He asked the dragon, but he already knew the answer.
“That is correct. I can do more good in this realm than I can in ours. Who knows if I step over that line if i’ll be cursed back into my toad dragon form and my loathsome old self. No if it’s all the same I’ll stay here.” He smiled at Ninjin.
“Then I entrust the care of the people of Neapness into your hands. I’m sure it’s what Gen-Fu would have wanted.” The prince rose up and hugged the dragon around the neck. Bub returned the hug as best he could.
“I am honored Ninjin. I will not let you down.” Ninjin walked forwards and through the portal. At first he was terrified, because when he walked through the gate Neapness was still stretched out before him. Then he turned around. It was the gateway room in the back of Bubebolos’ cavern. Quickly the prince navigated the way back and out to the mouth of the cavern. What he saw when he got there shocked him.
Hundreds of Iblisians’ stood in the swamp, separated by family and defined by banners. It was certainly not the sight he had been expecting to see. Boglach stood off to the side and his eyes shifted between families, they relaxed when they came to rest on the prince. Ninjin’s jaw dropped, and Lillianna ran up, embracing him as soon as she got close enough.
“You did it!” She said elatedly. Ninjin returned the hug as best he could, though his surprise was hard to measure. It was also a shock to see her so soon after he had come from the other realm. There would be no adjustment period for the prince it seemed. No matter, that would just be another challenge.
“What’s all this?” He asked dumbfounded. It’s as if over the course of the journey he had just been on he had forgotten the entire reason he stepped foot on the journey in the first place. Lillianna smiled and looked at him as if she was judging something about him.
“Are you serious? This is your welcoming party! Your royal highness.” She added the last part with extra emphasis, though Ninjin missed that at first too. He was used to people calling him that what with having him been born crown-prince of New Vegeta. Lilliana slapped her forehead as if trying to think of a way to get through to the prince. Ninjin burst out laughing.
The gathered families began to laugh as well, as if they were trying to be in on the joke that no one else had heard. The sudden choir of laughter knocked Ninjin out of his brief mania and back into reality. These people were here because he was now their king.
“Oh. Right.” It was a thought that sobered him quickly. The new king made his way over to Boglach.
“Would you mind picking me up buddy?” He asked his old friend, who more than happily obliged him. Once he could see the entire camp in the swap he began to shout.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of Iblis. I am Ninjin Hattori, crown-prince to the throne of New Vegeta, and now King of Iblis. I have completed the tasks and have retrieved the scroll of leadership.” Cheers began to cry out among the camps, as well as disbelieving looks among the Maugh clan. Ninjin would have to tell them some stories later, or perhaps he would keep that particular information to himself. One nasty looking child from the Maugh clan then called out.
“Where is it?”
Ninjin had not been expecting that. Ninjin was not prepared for that. All eyes turned towards him and stared. Where was the scroll?
“Show them the scroll Ninjin.” Lillianna said, her voice and her eyes both questioning him. The prince gulped and looked around, then he began to pat his armor as if looking for the scroll. Then he hand brushed something in his armor. It was a scroll. Slowly he picked it up. Attached to the scroll was a ribbon, and attached to the ribbon was a note.
“Ninjin- works differently, time in our lands does. Four years to us, four days to you. A good pupil, you have been. Proud of you, I am. Gen-Fu” Tears formed in Ninjin’s eyes. Then he held up the scroll. That was enough proof for those gathered and a resounding cheer went up from every camp but the Maugh’s, who looked on in glaring silence. Then the celebration began. Hours of his new people coming up to him and being introduced to all of the families and all the important people within them. Lillianna went over with him the various protocols but the prince listened with half an ear. Though Ninjin celebrated with his new people his heart was not truly in it. Yes he was king, and that was something he wasn’t going to take for granted, but he still missed his home. He missed New Vegeta.
“Your highness.” His thoughts were roused from home by Lillianna, who was looking at him and saying it as though she had said it multiple times. The prince smiled and nodded for her to continue.
“Your highness you’ve been acting very strange since you came out of that cavern. Is everything alright?” She asked it with genuine concern, and Ninjin remembered why. Four years ago they had been in a budding romance, and were quickly falling in love… Now… now how did he feel? It had been four years to him. Four days to her. Still seeing her did bring out a spark of something he once felt. There was still a clear attraction there, why couldn’t it be relit into something more?
Ninjin smiled and nodded. Everything would be alright once he set foot home on New Vegeta, something he did two days later.
As Ninjin’s boots hit the surface of the royal space-port on New Vegeta his smile could not have been any wider. He was home. After everything he had been through he was home. To the people of New Vegeta the crown-prince had been somewhere relaxing for a few weeks. How he wished that were true. He was now king of a people, savior of another, and no one in his family would ever know about any of it. It was a secret the prince would have to keep close to his heart. Who knew how his family would react if they found out he was king of another people. No doubt his father would demand to take it over instead of him, adding it to the saiyan empire instead of leaving it a separate entity. Who knows how Akassa or his mother or Leke would feel either. It was not something he was going to openly share with them, or with anyone.
Lillianna stood on the ramp of the ship that had dropped him off. It was designed to look like a merchant vessel from Omega, and Ninjin had transmitted his passcodes to land so that nothing looked suspicious. They kissed briefly before Ninjin had descended down the ramp.
“You cannot be a stranger Ninjin. You have responsibilities to both of your peoples now.” With those words of advice she left him.
Ninjin Hattori was home. After everything. He was home. His epic adventure was over.