Death is like a creeping shadow
It slithers like a snake
Leaving silence in its wake.

Madness of the Moon
CHAPTER FOUR:

~ You can never take it with you. ~

~ I have sinned. In the eyes of my father, my family and my people. ~

~ Death is the only answer. ~

~ Merciful death, sweep me away and cure this sickness that has invaded my soul. ~

~ You must cleanse your spirit. ~

~ Ahi , I have come for forgiveness. ~

~ You can never take her with you. ~

~ I deserve all of her wrath. ~

~ She belongs with us now…you belong to them. ~

~ I beg of you! Let me have one more chance! ~

~ You are never to see him. ~

~ Just once…I beg of you…~

~ Like the valleys of death, so shall you burn like the unending fires. ~

~ Please…~

~ Your judgment has been passed. There is no need to beg anymore. ~

~ Will I ever see him again? ~

~ You are not on the same plane…you are one of them…he is one of us. ~

~ No…no, oh Za’ani ! Have mercy on me….Don’t leave me here to burn!! I beg of you!!! ~

~*~*~*~*~

“Argh!”

Wild eyes darted around the darkened cave in panic. The well-toned body glistened with sweat and shaky hands ran down the handsome visage. He was trembling like a leaf and it had nothing to do with the chill that emanated from the outside. Drawing his knees up to his chest, he wrapped his arms around them and rocked himself back and forth.

He was dead.

This was all an illusion. One big illusion, conjured up for him to go insane. He had stood in front of the Wise Ones and had listened to his judgment. Banished. To the fires of the valley for all eternity. He hitched in a harsh sob and swiped his hands across his face to wipe the stray tears that had fallen from his eyes. He would never see Fumiko. He would never see his father. He would never get a chance to at least seek his revenge on that bastard, Turles.
He grit his teeth as thoughts of his step-uncle fell through. He had been so stupid. So gullible. So willing to believe anything and he had in succeeded in destroying his life in the process. Everything he had ever worked for, gone…

~ Like the wind…Saida…~

He jerked around sharply. It took several moments for him but he was finally able to adjust his eyes to the darkness and make out the still figure amongst the cold rocks.

~ Za’ani …Saida! ~

He crawled/stumbled on his hands and knees towards his mate, hoping and praying that he wasn’t too late. But he could hear it. He could hear the cold, mocking laughter of the older Saiyan. He had used them…used her to her limits. He froze in shock at the current state of the body before him. The once firm, beautiful body of a female that could have been an excellent wa’zua was rottening away. The strong smell of decay and death struck his senses, and he found himself unwillingly cringing away. She lay spread-eagled on her back, her sightless eyes filled with a look of pure terror, her mouth forever opened in a soundless scream. Her once lustrous and shining black locks were now a sickly gray color. Some had even fallen out, and there were now some bald patches on it. Her usual creamy complexion had gone into a diseased brownish color as bits of skin were showing signs of decay.

“Oh, Za’ani … what did he do to you?” He whispered in horror. “What have I done to you? To us?”

And with a howl of pain that rang throughout the walls of the cave, he fell on top of the dead female. Tears of sorrow, hurt and anger fell out of his eyes as he grieved. Uncaring of the stench and the way the skin kept falling off, he cradled Saida to his body and rocked them both, all the while whispering terms of endearment that she would never hear.

“I will kill him.” He muttered harshly, his lips caressing her ears. “I will kill him for both of us. You mark my words, Saida.”

And for the next few hours, only the sounds of the flying birds interrupted the lifeless silence.

~*~*~*~*~*~

General Nappa stood in front of the long line of wa’zuai and smirked in satisfaction.

~ Ahi , these should do. ~

“General Nappa, Lieutenant Gradun!”

Nappa spun around at the guard’s announcement and could barely contain his smirk at the sight of the lanky wa’zua . “Come to see if I have screwed up again, Gradun?”

Gradun huffed and dusted off an imaginary bug on his gleaming armor. He was so shiny and well groomed that Nappa finally gave up the fight and burst out in hearty laughter.

“You should laugh, you big oaf!” Gradun spat out in irritation. “Now shut up and listen!!”

“Za’ani …you Lieutenants make me laugh sometimes, forgive me.” Nappa said, not really sounding sorry at all.

Gradun snorted in derision and turned his sharp gaze upon the line of fighters. “Do you recall the entire plan? Or do I have to go through them again?”

“I remember everything.” Nappa replied curtly. Good grief, sometimes Gradun could act like an overgrown baby.

“Good.” the Lieutenant replied, a cold sneer lighting up his face. “Remember we only want the boy…and if he refuses to cooperate…”

“Kill him…I know, I know…but I would have liked to have some fun with him first.” Nappa began saying before he found himself staggering back from a painful blow to his cheek. Holding the now reddened flesh in disbelief, he stared at the livid man in front of him.

“For once, Nappa, try to stop thinking with that little thing between your legs!” The Lieutenant muttered harshly. “We are not there to have fun. We are there to save our people! Do I make myself clear?”

Nappa grunted in reply and spun away, gripping his hands tightly to prevent himself from punching the smaller man.

“You have twenty four hours to find him.” Gradun continued, straightening his cloak and staring back across the large courtyards. “By tomorrow morning I expect him to be in the dungeons, understand?”

“Ahi , Lieutenant Gradun. He will be here.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Fly. Fly like the wind. Never stopping till your deed is done.

And he flew. His hair whipping wildly about him. Landscape and scenery whizzing by as if in non-existence. He couldn’t fly fast enough. The ki was fading fast. He was exhausted, no thanks to his exertions earlier in the day, but he was close, however, the ki was still fading away. He was not going to make it.

Sharp eyes took in the terrain below him as he slowed his pace down. He could already see the destruction that had taken place. It looked like an earthquake or a meteorite had visited the peaceful countryside. Lakes, rivers, mountainsides and plant life had been taken away from their respective places and had been tossed by the way side like things that were not necessary for existence.

~ Za’ani , what power! ~

He landed onto the remodeled earth and began to run. His breath hitched painfully against his chest. Strong legs and arms propelled an already weakened body into motion, pushing him way beyond his limits. He could easily go Super Saiyan, but why add more pain? He climbed or rather jumped over a pile of rocks and stopped short, his entire body heaving as he tried to catch his breath back. He darted frantic eyes on the empty land before him…where was he? Where were they?

~ There! ~

He dashed towards another pile of rocks and with every fiber of his being; he began to push them off in frantic movements. He never noticed the way the sharp stones tore at his palms, causing them to bleed in slow rivulets. He never noticed the scratches and gashes that appeared on his naked form as he tossed the heavy rocks away. He never noticed the sweat that drenched his skin. Never noticed the tears that mingled with them to cloud his vision. He growled. His back protested each movement. His calves burned with all the energy he had thrown into his flight. His arms ached. His mouth was dry. He could almost taste the blood and bile that threatened to spill out of his mouth.

~ Oh, no! Pa’un… ~

He fell to his knees, the wind now completely knocked out of him. His entire being trembled with a grief that no one could or would have been able to comprehend. The sight before him was too much for his young mind to decipher. Too horrible for him to explain.

It was the sight of death and he was a witness to its awful power.

~*~*~*~*~

“Look ta’hi ma’un ! Look what I found!”

She stared blindly at the lizard Fumiko had caught, nodding absentmindedly in consent. Wrapping the shawl around her tightly, she focused her attention back to the distant mountains.

~ They are coming. ~

In a flash, she dashed for Fumiko and seized his arm in a death grip. “Come, Fumiko! We have to leave!”

“Ow…you are hurting me!”

Laetha ignored the soft pleas from the little boy. She had to get away from her home before they got to her. She knew they would hurt her, and she might even lose her life, and she had no intention of letting them do that.

~*~*~*~*~

Nappa spat out in disgust at the carnage that his wa’zuai had created.  They were now at the outskirts of Tarun and the small village they had destroyed had yielded fruitless results. He kicked, absentmindedly, at one dead body and stepped over several others. His eyes took in the still smoking buildings that had been blasted as he strolled non-chalantly down the narrow streets.

“General Nappa! General Nappa!”

“What is it?!” He bellowed in irritation, as he grabbed the now quivering guard in a chokehold.

“W’ani nu ta’hi Nappa.” The guard pleaded, his voice shaky with fear. “I think we know the exact location of where the boy lives. We found a survivor that told us that.”

“Is that right? Show him to me!”

The guard was dropped unceremoniously to the ground and staggering to his feet, he bowed feverishly before darting towards a group of waiting fighters. The men parted a way for Nappa and there crouched on the floor, whimpering in fear, was a very bloody and badly beaten Pakaru.

“Hmm…so tell me boy, where can we find this…Kakkarrot?”

Pakaru tried to speak through bruised and swollen lips, but could only mutter out a weak gasp, as more blood spilled out of his mouth. Nappa growled impatiently and kicking Pakaru’s ribs, he bellowed angrily.

“Speak up, you useless creature!! Where is Kakkarrot?!”

Pakaru had nearly passed out from the overwhelming pain and he could only clutch his ribs.

“Well then…since you will not speak…I guess my men can finish you off. Kill him!” Nappa ordered, spinning around in dismissal.

“W…wait…” Pakaru whispered harshly. “I wi…will…te…tell…y...y...you.”

Nappa froze in his steps; his back still turned and replied softly. “Go on…we are waiting…”

Pakaru swallowed tightly and ended up coughing out even more of the thick liquid. “He…he…li….lives…”

~*~*~*~*~*~

He had not moved from his position beside the dead body. The tears had stopped flowing and all that was left was an empty shell that stared blankly at the horizon. There was nothing to do here. Nothing more to do…except to find his ‘uncle’. He shut his eyes and tried desperately to locate the evasive ki. Nothing. It was like Turles had vanished. He sniffed the air. The stench of death.

His father’s death.

He swallowed tightly and dared to look at the remains of what used to be the most vibrant Saiyan in all of the Eastern Quadrant. He had been…ripped apart…literally. He knew about the ruthlessness of several executions, but this was beyond his imagination. His father’s arms and legs had been pulled away from their sockets, leaving gaping holes that still bled to this moment. Thankfully, his eyes were closed or Kakkarrot would have gone insane.

~ What a dishonorable way to die. To be treated like nothing more than a common criminal. You deserved a much better death, Pa’un . ~

Leaning forward, he gingerly raised his father’s head, searching for the knot that kept the headband securely in place. He finally removed the red cloth, gripping it tightly in his blood-caked hands. Squeezing his eyes shut as a well of emotion threatened to consume him again, he slowly began to wrap it around his own head.

~ I will kill him for you, Pa’un . I swear it! ~

And lifting the remains of the renegade, he began the slow trek to the Sacred Mountains.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Vegeta paced up and down the throne room, his mind in a whirl of conflicts that threatened to snap his sanity. He had felt a bit of Kakkarrot’s anguish and it had nearly caused him to collapse in a dead faint. He never knew that anyone could experience such pain in his life and he cursed himself for adding to it. Bardock was dead…that much he knew. Kakkarrot had been unable to keep that particular thought away. He shivered slightly as he stared out of the large ornate windows.

~ Nu ra’hi.  A’ki p’ai tu ka’nara nu s’huni ta’i. P’ai nu el’a m’iru n’u? ~ (My love. Words cannot explain my sympathy for you. Can you ever forgive me?) ~

A slight cough caused him to spin around in faint alarm. “Gradun! What in Za’ani’s name do you think you are doing?!”

Gradun bowed lowly in respect. “My sincere apologies, my Liege. I did not mean to startle you.”

Vegeta scowled and stalked to his chair. Sitting on it, he stared at the smiling elite fighter in disdain. Something about the wa’zua set his teeth on edge and he did not like it one bit. “Well, what do you want?” He spat out coldly.

Gradun broadened his smile and bowed again. “I was just going to ask if my Liege was feeling quite well after the effects of the moon last night?”

Vegeta arched a well-shaped brow in disbelief. “Since when did my moonlight activities concern you, Lieutenant?”

“Oh, but my Liege, as your personal assistant, it is my duty to…”

“Mind your own business and stay out of my private affairs!” Vegeta snapped back in growing anger. “Where is Nappa? I need to speak with him!”

Gradun bit back a grumble and plastered another grin to his face. “I am afraid General Nappa is indisposed at the moment, my Liege. He had…umm…other affairs to take care of.”

“Other affairs? I am supposed to know all of his affairs! Send someone to fetch him! In fact…TANZAR!! GET OVER HERE NOW!!”

Gradun tried hard not to show his panic and with a rushed voice he cajoled the furious Ha’j . “My Liege, please do not worry yourself with him at the moment. I will personally seek for him myself. I promise to find him and send him to you.”

Vegeta locked cold obsidian depths with the shifty pale ones of his assistant. “Do not push your status in my kingdom, Gradun.” He spoke softly, his voice filled with an underlying tone of violence. “Remember that you are still under my power and I can dismiss you or eliminate your existence with one word. Do I make myself clear?”

Gradun grit his teeth and forced his smile to remain on his face. “I understand, nu Ha’j . Permission to take my leave.”

Vegeta waved his hands in dismissal and turned his attention to the papers in front of him. He had more important things to deal with at the moment.

Gradun stepped out of the throne room and with all his frustration evident, he knocked down several guards for no reason at all.

~ I will make you pay for that little stunt, my dear King. After you see the little surprise I have in store for your precious mate. ~

~*~*~*~*~*~

Makaru raised his eyes from the parchment in front of him. His senses kicked in sharply and he immediately knew that something was not right. Getting to his feet, nearly knocking down his reading table in his haste, he dashed for his mother’s room.

“Ma’un ! Wake up! You have to get to the underground rooms immediately!”

The small female stared at her frantic looking son in confusion. “What in Za’ani’s name are you talk….arrrrgggghhhhh!!”

Both Saiyans fell to the floor as the first blasts were fired next to their small home. Struggling weakly to his feet, he tried to look for his mother through the thickening cloud of gray smoke that had now filled the room.

“Ma’un !” he screamed out, his throat beginning to ache from all the smoke he was forced to inhale. “Ma’un ! Where are you?! Answer me!”

“Not another move, boy or your mother gets killed.”

Makaru froze at the cold words and spun around to stare with ever widening eyes at the huge bald haired Saiyan that had his mother dangling by her hair. His tail bristled at the sight, and he growled in a mixture of anger and fear. “Let her go! What do you want?!”

Nappa grinned widely. “Ah…I thought you would never ask. According to my sources, you are quite friendly with the son of Bardock, right?”

“I am not telling you anything!!” Makaru bellowed, before wincing at the sharp cry of pain that was emitted from his mother’s mouth. “Stop it! Or I will….I will…”

“You will what? Fight me? You Ba’an really are pathetic. I have a pretty good mind to destroy you all right here and now…but unfortunately, you are the key to my prey.”

“Don’t say anything, Makaru!! Do not betray Kakkarrot!”

“You insolent witch!!” Nappa growled, before flinging her against the solid brick wall.

Makaru howled out in anguish at the splatter of blood, coupled with the sickening thud of body smashing against stone, as his mother sank to the floor limply. He clenched his fists tightly and snarled at the mocking look on the General’s face.

“You would have to kill me first.” He muttered harshly, bracing himself for a fight. “I would rather die than betray my best friend. So do your worst, I am ready to die for him.”

For several moments, Nappa was floored at the sincerity and loyalty that emanated from the young man. Whoever this Kakkarrot fellow was, he was definitely well loved.

“All right, Saiyan. I will make this quick. I don’t wish to waste my time on small irrelevant beings like you. Let’s go!”

~*~*~*~*~

Kakkarrot froze in midstride as he noticed the other figure approaching.

~ It couldn’t be…~

“Radditsu?” he whispered softly, his heart now thudding painfully against his chest. He had not seen his kin in over five years, and now here they were face to face. He wasn’t sure of what to make of his brother now. Should he hate him or love him? Welcome him back or ignore him?

~ His blood runs through me. I cannot…~

He eventually noticed that Radditsu was carrying something across his arms as well.

~ Saida…Za’ani …. What is going on here? ~

Both brothers stopped and stared at each other across the large expanse of space between them. The wind whipped sharply across, blowing dark locks along with it. Well-built bodies streaked with blood and the heavy stench of death heaved with their respective burdens. Eyes blazed with conflicting emotions that ranged from need to hate. Unwillingly, both Saiyans gripped their burdens tighter against their bodies.

And in the silent afternoon air only one word was finally uttered out.

“Brother.”