Arrival on Frieza?

"Welcome aboard the Star Striker," Tork'thal spoke, shouldering his way inside of the cramped ship. His wide frame could barely fit in the actual ship, and it caused the teen to frown. She followed him after a brief moment of hesitation, wrinkling her nose. She felt almost obligated to make a complaint. Or a protest. Or just both.

"Why can't we just jump to our destination?" the Saiyan asked, following the behemoth of muscle inside as he led the way to the ship's controls.

"We'll be using this ship as a base of operations. That's the plan, at least," came the unsatisfying response. The Vessel of Earth opened a door by placing a massive hand against a panel. Shoving his form in the small space, he sat down at the controls, jabbing a thumb to the seat beside him.

Heaving a sigh, the girl joined him, albeit a bit unwillingly. She had never liked traveling in ships. Perhaps she was too accustomed to her instant transmission. She watched with amethyst eyes as Tork'thal flipped switches and pushed buttons. The muscle-laden humanoid seemed content with the silence as he worked, his beady eyes traveling across the complex controls.

Gosai wasn't going to be taking part in the mission. Alexstrasza was still healing him. He had been damned near close to death after foolishly trying to fight Vengeance, a Voracious Eater almost four times his power. At the last possible moment, Blackfire had managed to find the trigger to ascend into the realm of legend. The Super Saiyan.

It was a dangerous form. A form of rage. Skoll had told her that it could be a 'quiet rage'. It would be something that the girl would work on. Tork'thal had recovered from the fight quickly enough; Komand'r suspected that the Host of Earth hadn't even needed healing from the battle. He was quite the monster on the battlefield: a melee combatant that the new Vessel would not pass by as an ally.

"So, where are we going?" Blackfire decided to break the silence even though the ship's engines were roaring to life.

"Valhalla." The response was curt enough. The Host of Earth seemed... tense. "We've been tipped that there are some Voracious Eaters there. Perhaps a small camp of them, at that."

"Ohhhh," the teen said, blinking a couple of times as the name of the planet sank in. Her eyes snapped open and she sat erect in her seat. "Wait, Valhalla? That's a Saiyan military base! I can't go there!"

"Don't worry about it. The Saiyans will have nothing to do with this. In fact, we won't even run into them. The report was filed by the native inhabitants. Erm, the slaves, I mean."

The teen wasn't convinced, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she braced herself as the ship left whatever planet they were on. Tork'thal had mentioned the name of it, but in the bustle of preparing for the trip, the Saiyan had forgotten. It wasn't long before the two Vessels were in space. Pressing several buttons, Tork'thal punched in some coordinates, then relaxed back in his chair. A creaking noise from the seat showed just how heavy the behemoth of muscle was.

This time, it was him who spoke. "What do you know about Planet Valhalla? I've never been there."

Komand'r narrowed her eyes as she struggled to remember the details. She had never stepped foot on the Colony planet either, but she did learn about it in the Saiyan Academy.

"Well, I know that it's run by Overlord Luther," she began. "King Vegeta visits it fairly often though, to make sure everything is running smoothly. For our sakes, I hope he's not there."

"It won't matter either way," Tork'thal asserted with an accompanying snort for good measure. "The Saiyans won't even know we're there. If we are quiet enough, neither will the slaves. Hopefully, we can track down the Voracious Eaters without their assistance."

Somehow, Komand'r didn't share his confidence. But perhaps she should have. After all, Tork'thal was what? Almost six hundred years old, according to Alexstrasza. He would have known what he was doing. More than likely, he had a lot of covert operations under his experience belt. The Conclave of Elements was still only a legend. And an almost unknown one at that.

"It's a Planet used primarily as a secondary training grounds for Lower-class Saiyans. I'm fairly certain that there was another race of aliens there at one point... But that's all speculation."

"So, a Saiyan military training grounds, eh?" Tork'thal mused, stroking his chin. "How strong is their sensors?"

"I don't have the faintest idea," Blackfire huffed. "I've never been there."

Tork'thal eyed her coolly through beady eyes before turning back to the monitor.

Two days. Space travel was hell. At least to the Saiyan. She had her own quarters, but Tork'thal's was right across from hers. His snores were about as massive as his form, keeping the girl up in many sleepless nights. But she bared with it. Sneaking naps from time to time while the Host of Earth did his rounds on the ship.

"Oh boy..." At the Vessel's worried voice, Komand'r opened her eyes, lifting her head from her shoulder. The behemoth was frowning heavily over the controls. Something was flashing red. Although the teen was hardly well versed with space ships, she knew enough to know that red meant something wasn't working.

"What is it?" she asked, stiffing a yawn. There hadn't been much to stem the boredom on the small ship. Not even a graviton to assist in training. Luckily, the girl had stowed away her gem of telepathy to do something on the journey.

"Our main power supply is overheating. I have no idea how. But we're going to have to stop so I can take a look and repair it."

Blackfire was hardly bummed. She wanted to stretch her legs anyway. "Are there any planets nearby?" she wondered aloud.

Tork'thal shook his head. "We're smack in the middle of two solar systems. There's not even a star near us right now. I'm locked on a planet that's out of orbit, but it'll be cold. Can you handle that?"

Blackfire shrugged. Just how cold would a planet be without orbiting a star? She was about to find out. "I'll cope," she asserted, nodding.

Tork'thal nodded, pressing another series of buttons. A small control popped out of the console, looking suspiciously like a steering wheel. The teen couldn't help but smirk. As powerful as the Host of Earth was, he didn't have much to call a ship. Leaning back in her seat, the Saiyan could only wish that she still had her Saiyan War Ship. There was no doubt in her mind that it would have handled the journey. If she ever got a hold of one again and was forced to live with Tork'thal for a bit while they journeyed... Well, Tork'thal would have a room far far away from the Saiyan. His beast-like snores were not welcomed.


The girl had regretted agreeing to land on the planet with no orbit. Many times. And that was only in the first two minutes. Surprisingly, there was an atmosphere here, albeit a thin one. With oxygen. But the lack of both heat and light from no nearby star left a lot to be desired. Truth be told, there was neither of each.

It left Blackfire wondering just why Tork'thal called the frozen wasteland of a rock a 'planet'. They were outside of the ship. As soon as Tork'thal had cut the engines, the heat had almost been instantly sapped from the ship. There wasn't a lack of heat on this rock. There simply was none.

"H-how long is t-this going to take?" Blackfire's voice was almost inaudible from the noise of her chattering teeth. Her body shook violently from shivering. Her body was desperately trying to produce to heat, and those efforts were producing little effect. She wouldn't have been able to see Tork'thal's form before her, hunched over some part of the ship near the back if it hadn't been for her amethyst aura.

The girl was producing it for two reasons: heat and light.

It was cold.

It was dark.

Tork'thal didn't even seemed bothered by the harsh conditions. Somehow, his beady eyes were piercing the darkness just fine, even without the help of Blackfire's soft and amethyst light.

"Hmmm. I'd say a day if we're lucky." His fingers scraped furiously across the machinery as he tried to repair it while keeping ice from forming on the area he was working.

"A DAY?" The teen's screech was good evidence on just how much she enjoyed Tork'thal's estimation. She shut her mouth though, just from opening it, the inside of her mouth felt frozen. She decided to rely on her telepathy instead. Tork'thal, I said I could handle the cold, but this is ridiculous! There's not a scrap of heat on this rock!

"Why don't you go explore?" the behemoth of muscle offered, sounding indifferent to the Saiyan's protests. "It should warm you up a bit."

And what is there to explore, exactly? she wondered briefly to herself. But complaining would get the Saiyan nowhere, so she left the Vessel of Earth behind.

At the sound of the sudden and quiet voice, the girl whipped around, pivoting on a single heel. A puff of dust was kicked up as she turned and her ponytail arced at the twist. One crisp movement that was finished by extending her right arm, holding an open palm to the sound of the voice.

But the person in front of her hardly seemed threatening. In fact, it was only a little girl who looked to be about five at the oldest. Still, the teen held the pose. She could hardly feel any life emitting from this girl. Perhaps that was why she hadn't initially sensed her. Blackfire took the time to get a good look at the girl.

She had long, red, and flowing hair that stopped at her knees. Her eyes were a brilliant red color that perfectly matched her hair. Two yellow ribbons were placed on either side of her head, and she seemed to be dressed in her Sunday finest: a long dress accompanied by white stockings, and black shoes that were so clean, the Saiyan could see her reflection in them.

Finally, the Saiyan lowered her arm, but did not loosen her tensed body. Something seemed painfully off the scale of normal. The little girl only blinked at the Saiyan before greeting her in a cheerful manner.

"Hi!"

"Hi..." Blackfire decided to respond cautiously. The girl before her didn't even seem to pick up on the hesitation as she began to skip around the Saiyan, looking her up and down with brilliant crimson eyes.

"You finally came!"

Blackfire was about to ask what the little girl meant, but something in her mind told her not to. Instead, she decided to play along. "Yes, that's right. Of course I came."

"I'm Sarah! The Broodmother told me to wait for you here so you can help us with the Spawning Grounds."

Without giving the Saiyan a chance to respond, the child lunged forward, grasping Blackfire's hand with her own. Her touch was surprisingly cold; the teen could feel no warmth in Sarah's skin. Yet her grasp was incredibly strong. The Saiyan doubted she could just disengage with the girl easily. It would take effort to break a grip like that.

With a small giggle, the girl began to tug on Blackfire's arm, pulling the Saiyan across the cavern and into one of the many passages snaking through the frozen rock. As soon as she left the lit cave, the girl could feel the air becoming thick with coldness once more. For whatever reason, the temperatures were fluctuating like crazy.

Her head was spinning with confusion. Spawning Grounds? Broodmother? It was all foreign to the Saiyan's ears. A dim azure light pierced the darkness ahead. Soon, Sarah had led the Saiyan to another chamber; this one was much smaller than the one previous. And a sickening sight greeted the Vessel.

Along the walls in this place were rows and rows of slimy and transparent egg sacks. Each one was filled with a blue liquid that glowed with an eerie luminescence. But that wasn't the most shocking thing. Not at all. Inside each was what looked to be a humanoid fetus. They varied in age; some where still a tiny fetus that swam around in the azure embryonic fluid and others were of children, both boys and girls of different ages.

Blackfire watched one: the body of a boy who appeared to be only two years old at the oldest. He squirmed around uncomfortably, pressing his tiny hands against the egg sac's wall as he turned. His face relaxed as he settled in the new position, but only for a moment as he opened his green eyes wide, staring at the Saiyan eerily.

Despite herself, the teen found her backing up. Attempting to, at least; the girl who called herself Sarah still had a firm grip. She looked up at her, pausing briefly in her doe-like skip. "What's the matter?"

"Wh-what the hell is this place?" Blackfire managed to choke out, tearing her eyes away from the grisly scene.

Sarah tilted her head to the side, allowing her beautiful red hair to shift from the pivot. Her eyes were quizzical. "The Spawning Grounds, of course!"

She sounded so... cheerful. Especially for the disgusting scene that went on around the two girls. An occasional sloshing sound would ring across the room as an embryo shifted in it's conic-like state. Sarah started to turn around, but not before her crimson eyes widened in amazement. "Oh wow! One's about to hatch!"

Giving Blackfire zero time to protest, the tiny girl dragged the Saiyan over to an egg sack plastered on the right wall. A female resided in this one and she was writhing violently within the sac in an attempt to break free. Sarah's eyes were widened with wonder as she squatted down to a more comfortable position, forcing the Saiyan teen down with her.

Blackfire hardly wanted to watch, but a part of her had a strange fascination about what was transpiring. So with wide amethyst eyes, the new Vessel watched as the naked female squirmed to the edge of the egg sack's slimy wall. And then, silence. The little bundle had stopped moving.

"Oh no!" Sarah let out an anguished wail and finally released her vice-like grip on Blackfire, dashing to the cocoon. She placed her palms against the slimy material and closed her eyes. At first, nothing happened. But then a wave of blue energy radiated from the girl's palms, washing over the egg sack like a ripple of water. The egg began to glow even fiercer than it's azure and liquified contents had been previously.

Several seconds trickled by as the glow died down. The once lifeless bundle suddenly let out a fierce jerk, tearing through its prison and falling heavily to the ground below. Sarah's eyes lit up. "I did it!" she cried out gleefully, bending over the coughing and naked girl who had hatched. The newborn's ebony hair was plastered against its skinny frame as it writhed, coughing and trying to find her footing. But before it could, the body started to sink into the ground, giving off a disgusting sucking noise as it did so.

Sarah sighed and got up from her position, glancing at Blackfire with a proud look in her eyes. "I'm training to be a Brood Mother!" she boasted, her crimson eyes glowing with joy.

Part of Blackfire wanted to throw up after witnessing the scene that had just ended. The blue and slimy contains of the egg sack were still pooled on the ground, and boy, did it smell. Strangely enough, the ground where the girl had been sucked in was undisturbed.

The teen cupped a palm over her mouth and nose, trying desperately to push what she had seen away. Where? Anywhere was good at this point; the girl would of rather watched a live birth than... this. Yet it was etched on her mind, and only a fierce tugging on her sleeve could separate her stare from the empty and ruined egg sack.

"What's the matter?" Sarah sounded uncertain, and perhaps a bit hurt. "Didn't I do good?"

Komand'r finally managed to snap out of her horrid trance and drag her amethyst eyes to the crimson eyes of Sarah. She wanted nothing but to flee away from these strange hatching grounds. Flee back to the surface of the planet and get back to Tork'thal, even if it meant freezing to death while the Vessel tinkered with the pile of junk that he called a ship.

No, she told herself, desperately trying to calm her racing heart. There's something wrong here. And I need to get to the bottom of it! Even if it means...

The teen took a deep breath, once again wincing at the disgusting smell left behind from the azure embryonic fluid. "You did good. I couldn't have done any better!" The Saiyan Vessel was certain that the little girl would detect her thick and heavy voice. It was obvious that Blackfire was forcing the praise.

Sarah's eyes lit up and she lunged forward, wrapping her cold arms around Blackfire's waist. Taken by surprise, Komand'r felt her feet slip and she crashed to the ground with her back pressed up against the wall. Sarah seemed content to press the side of her face against Blackfire's chest.

"You're so warm," she sighed, wriggling closer. Blackfire shifted uncomfortably. She was so... sentimental. Sarah let out a content sigh and after only a few seconds, her breathing deepened. With a bolt of realization, Blackfire could tell that the little girl had fallen asleep.

The Saiyan teen frowned as she looked at the girl pressed against her. Sarah's face was smashed against the teen's breasts and she would squirm every now and then to press up even closer. Her bright crimson hair was splayed around her in a mess. Unsure what to do at this point, Blackfire looked around.

The young Vessel regretted it instantly as she came face to face with the boy embryo who had stared her down earlier. He was still staring at her eerily, causing the teen to flinch away. She was sure that the sound of her heart thudding painfully against her chest would be enough to wake Sarah, yet the young girl hardly stirred.

Reaching up tentatively, Blackfire rested her hand against the girls head. her hair was surprisingly soft to the touch. Her crimson eyes flickered open and she looked up at Blackfire, her pupils deep pools of an untold emotion.

"I'm glad you came!" she chirped happily, scampering up from her nap as if nothing had happened. Her face, once beaming, suddenly became somber as she looked down towards the ground. "I hate being alone... You won't leave me alone, will you?"

Her words sent a wave of foreboding down the Saiyan's spine. Every aching detail of the frail girl reminded Blackfire of her own childhood. She had never know the gentle touch of her mother. Her entire childhood was spent in a dark, stinky, filthy, and cramped space. She didn't even have a bed; only a sheet that the girl could sleep on was splayed in the corner of the hellish living quarters. A hole in the ground served as her toilet.

"Momma?"

A tear rolled down Blackfire's cheek. She hadn't even been aware of it. Somehow, the young Vessel had begun to remember what her childhood really was. Another tear rolled down. An audible splash could be heard as it dropped off her cheek, landing on the cold ground below.

Sarah threw herself at the Saiyan, wrapping her skinny arms around Komand'r's waist once more in a tight grip, burring her face into the teen's abdomen.

"Don't cry, Momma!" Sarah was sobbing almost uncontrollably.

Even with Sarah's crushing grip on her hips, the teen could scarcely feel it. Visions of her own chaotic past ran through her mind like a slide show. Finally, she manged to tear her mind away from it with some effort, looking down at the sobbing child clinging to her desperately.

"Don't cry... I'm sorry... Don't cry!" Sarah continued her pleas, her body shaking with each wracking sob.

The teen felt the strength leave her legs as she fell down, crashing to her knees, wrapping her own arms around the tiny girl.

"Momma... Momma...."

It seemed that Sarah had attached to the Saiyan. Blackfire had no idea why she was considering the Vessel her mother, but it didn't matter. In her heart, she could feel the pain of her childhood resurfacing. Sarah seemed so much like her... It was as if she was a manifestation of Blackfire's loneliness. A manifestation of her pain and fears. A mirror to her own heart.

"I'm fine," she managed to choke out, gripping the crimson-haired girl with her arms and hugging her tightly. "Don't worry about me..."

Several moments passed. Sarah seemed content to just press up against the Saiyan. Finally, the embrace ended, and Sarah grasped the teen's right hand with her own, entwining her fingers with the Vessel's.

"I have to take you to the Brood mother," she declared.

"Sarah?" Blackfire spoke carefully as the girl led her past the room of egg sacks into another hallway, this one as cold as the last. "Where are we?"

"The Spawning Grounds," Sarah replied instantly, not even taking her crimson eyes off of the passageway. "This is where they are birthed."

"Who?" A sinking feeling settled in her gut. Komand'r wasn't even sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"V-" The girl suddenly stopped. When Blackfire looked up, she realized why.

"Sarah. What have you brought here?"

The air was thick here. Fog rolled around the teen's heels, causing her boots to become damp. But that was hardly the least of her worries. Sarah seemed surprised by the melancholy voice that had greeted her. So much so, that she didn't even respond until the question was repeated.

"Sarah, what have you brought here?"

"Brood Mother!" Sarah greeted the... creature before her with a bow. Creature was only one adjective that Blackfire could have tagged onto this 'Brood Mother'. It was a rather large creature. The teen guessed that it was a female judging by its face. Yet its eyes were shut tight; it was unknown if this monster could open them or just chose to keep them closed. The face was plastered on a snake-like ebony neck that was riddled with tentacles that also inhabited the creature's body and spiny wing-like protrusions.

The young Vessel could see no arms or legs on the creature, leaving the Saiyan wondering on just how this thing moved. At least this thing had something humanish. A chest. That was the second part that pointed to the creature being a female. (The third being the name of 'Brood Mother', but that should be obvious) Blackfire could see no nipples on the creature, a sure sign that they didn't reproduce the same way that a Saiyan or Human would. (Again, the Egg Sacks would have pointed to this small fact as well)

"She is the Vora that you sent for, Brood Mother!" Sarah's response was quick and to the point. It also sent a chill down Blackfire's neck. Her blood seemed to freeze in their veins. Voras? This thing was... a Voracious Eater? The Saiyan turned her gaze to the red-haired girl. She too.... was one of them? The Brood Mother didn't reply for several long seconds.

When she spoke once more, it was only one word.

"Leave."

Sarah looked hurt, grabbing at Blackfire's hand and squishing herself against the Saiyan as if she would die from separation. "But..."

"Leave," the Brood Mother repeated. Her voice lacked emotion, warmth, coldness, everything. One command. A melancholy voice. Blackfire could only guess that this Vora did not speak unnecessarily. Sarah looked at the Vora with pleading eyes, yet the Brood Mother did not even meet her gaze. Well, it didn't even open its eyes at that.

Sarah seemed to be unable to defy the creature's order. Her hand slipped away from Blackfire's and she turned heel, plodding away slowly. Anguish rolled off of the girl's frame in waves. Blackfire found herself wanting to follow, yet she could not. Her entire body was paralyzed by an outside force.

The word entire would have been an exaggeration. The teen could still move her head and work her mouth. But she could find no words. The entire ordeal had left the Saiyan speechless. The only thing she could do was stare at the Brood Mother. Bleakly, the Saiyan knew that she was in mortal danger. Even if she couldn't feel the Voracious Eater's power, there was an aura of power that radiated from the Brood Mother, smothering the lone Saiyan in it's clutches. Whatever the force was that kept the Saiyan frozen was strong; the Vessel's struggles were all in vain.

The Brood Mother said nothing, only reaching out with a single tentacle. This time, Blackfire did gasp as the cold and slimy appendage stroked her cheek, sending shivers down her incapacitated body. Sarah was gone; the girl's footsteps had faded away into the darkness long ago.

There was only Blackfire and the Brood Mother. The single tentacle moved from the teen's cheek to her face, causing Blackfire's eyes to water from the horrid stench that it was emitting. It ran over her facial features before wrapping around her neck next.

Again, the Saiyan struggled desperately to break free of her invisible binds. And again, there was no fruit to show for her labor. Blackfire was stuck as stuck could be. After feeling her neck, the slimy appendage started to work its way down once more, feeling her chest, her shoulders, her arms, abdomen and back shortly thereafter. It left behind a trail of a slimy mucus-like material as it traveled around her body. It wrapped around her waist, moving down even further to run roughly over her thighs, buttocks and legs. Finally, the touch ceased, leaving the Saiyan's heart pounding with terror.

Seemingly content with it's feel, the Brood Mother withdrew the cold tentacle and uttered another question.

"Where is your tail, Saiyan?"

The girl's breath was coming out in gasps. It was a wonder that she didn't choke over the thick and freezing air. With each heaving breath, a puff of condensed air exited her mouth. She was on the verge of panic. Only a single nagging voice kept her on the edge. Even in the face of this monster who could have ended her life at any moment it chose, the girl managed to respond.

"I lost it... in a fight..."

"...I see."

Was that it? Once more, Komand'r tried to move, yet it was quite obvious that she would be going nowhere. The teen gulped down a wad of saliva as she fought back her fear. She was a Saiyan! Why was this creature effecting her so heavily?

The Saiyan's heart was thudding painfully and almost erratically against her chest. Something in the air was effecting her mind. It was the only thing that Blackfire could think of. She had faced much more fearsome things than this Brood Mother, and they hadn't effected her like this. Hell, there were fewer things scarier than an enraged Seta in Super Saiyan.

Wait a minute, that was it!

Before she could act on her brilliant thought, the Brood Mother moved forward, craning her neck so that the Vora's face came close to Blackfire's. Moving around to her neck, the Voracious Eater opened it's mouth, revealing rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. A searing pain lanced in Blackfire's neck as the creature bit down. It wasn't a deep bite, but it was enough to sever her flesh, releasing a stream of blood that ran down her neck and torso. Running down her arm like a river, it dripped from her fingers to the rocky ground below.

Komand'r let out a gasp of pain, closing her eyes as tears threatened to well up. With a small pull, the Brood Mother removed a sizable portion of flesh, chewing on it thoughtfully. It left behind a jagged wound that dripped freely with blood. The Saiyan's world spun around her. She needed to get the bleeding under control, and quickly. Only a few seconds had passed, and the loss of blood was already effecting her entire body.

"You will make fine food for the Broodlings..."

As if!

She squirmed unsuccessfully against her bonds. Damn it! This wasn't working! Soon, she would pass out and her life would be over.

Calm down, damn it! Fear was threatening to consume her whole. Her breathing was in rapid gasps and she forced them to come out slower. The Saiyan closed her eyes, trying to slow her racing heart. She had to calm down! It was the only way to ascend. A few seconds trickled by. It seemed like hours as her blood continued to drain out from her neck.

Find the trigger... Find the trigger... Find the trigger... The thought ran over and over in Blackfire's mind. Her entire body stilled as she concentrated on the single spark within her.

"Farewell..." The Brood Mother lifted a single tentacle, coiling it in the same manner that a snake would to prepare for a bite.

There! When the Saiyan opened her eyes, they were a brilliant green instead of their normal amethyst base. The tentacle rushed forward in a blur, aiming straight for her heart. It passed through her, slamming into a rocky wall and shattering it, kicking up dust. But the Saiyan was gone.

"What?" The Brood Mother actually opened her eyes. They were cat-like, blazing with red energies with a slit serving as a pupil. Her head was dipping, but not from the Brood Mother's will. A blur had passed her serpentine-like neck severing her head from the rest of her body. Black blood sprayed everywhere from the terrible wound. A thud echoed around the foggy cavern as the head fell to the ground. Blackfire's form flickered into existence beside the fallen head. The teen was panting heavily. The wound on her neck was still there, but not bleeding. Her yellow aura had cauterized it.

To the Super Saiyan's amazement, the Brood Mother was still alive. The body had toppled over in a mess of tentacles, yet the head shifted around looking at the girl with those emotion voided eyes.

"You are one of them, aren't you?" The Super Saiyan wasn't exactly sure what the Brood Mother was referring to. It could have been her current state of legend: the Super Saiyan. Or it could have been that the Brood Mother had figured out who she really was: A Vessel. either way, it didn't matter to the transformed girl.

She raised her blade. It glowed with a brilliant azure presence. Electricity danced around the lithe blade as she brought it down in quick slashes. More black blood splattered around as she sliced through the Brood Mother's head, chopping it up into jagged pieces.

"I don't know what you are talking about..."

The Super Saiyan's statement went without a response. This time, the Brood Mother was truly dead.

The stench of the Brood Mother's thick blood swam around the air, causing the girl to lean over, gagging. A shudder passed through her body as she vomited. Her head was still spinning. From what she saw. From her injury. From the smell. Even in her transformed state, Blackfire was unsure if she could survive.

Her green eyes flickered around. Which tunnel did she come from? She needed to get out of this place! Pain made her stumble, pressing a hand against the wall to steady herself. But it wasn't a wall. Another egg sack! Her arm simply broke through the egg's wall. The Saiyan let out a screech as her arm plunged into the warm contains. Azure embryonic fluid washed over her forearm and her hand brushed against the fetus inside. It was another male, looking no older than a year in age. With a heave, the Saiyan pulled her arm out and a tidal wave of blue fluid gushed out of the hole, soaking her already blood-soaked shirt. The broken egg sack fell to the ground, releasing the child who seemed to be dead from his premature birth.

Another wave of nausea washed over the Super Saiyan, and her golden hair flickered uncertainty as if Komand'r was barely keeping the transformation up. She dashed away from the sickening sight, bumping into walls as she blindly tried to escape from the scene. The sleeves of Blackfire's shirt ripped as they struck rock, revealing bloody skin beneath. The rock cut into her flesh, releasing even more crimson blood. The girl could hardly feel the numbing pain anymore. Her mind was too weak. She stumbled into another room, filled with countless glowing egg sacks.

"Nononoo..." she moaned, glancing around. every single of the embryos here were writhing violently within their slimy cocoons. Rips appeared over the eggs' walls, spilling more blue, sticky, and rancid fluid. The burst as one, sending a shower of the vile liquid on the Saiyan. It clung in her golden hair, pooled around her feet, and seared her neck wound as it seeped into her raw wound. She gagged once more as some of the rancid fluid splashed into her mouth, sending her senses reeling. She spat it out, watching with green eyes as the bodies of the infant Voras fell out of their eggs.

The naked bodies of the female and male fetuses were littered around the teen. At first, she dismissed them as dead. How they hatched, she would have no idea. But it certainly was premature. But before her green eyes, they began to move. Squirm. Plastered with blue liquid, they pushed themselves off the ground.

"Play with us."

"Hi! What's your name?"

"Are you my mother?"

"I'm hungry!"

The teen gasped out with a choking cry, backing up. Her back scraped against rock. There was no escape! The children padded forward. Most were unsteady on their skinny feet. Some were too young to even walk and crawled instead. Their mouths were filled with razor-like teeth, yet their bodies were too human! One female was in the front. Her black hair was plastered around her naked body as she reached forward, snarling.

The Saiyan decided to go on the attack first. Banishing her blade away, she struck the child in the face, sending her head snapping back with an audible crack. She fell, but two more children leaped forward in her place. For every one that the Saiyan teen struck down, two more would appear.

The Saiyan began to strike out randomly, blinded by fear and exhaustion. There was no end to the tide of children advancing on her. Fingers ripped at her yellow hair, dug into her skin, ripped at her clothes.

One of the female specimens bit down on the teen's right shoulder, sending out a spay of blood. Blackfire smashed her fist into the girl's face, feeling bone crunch under the blow. Silently, the Saiyan berated herself. She didn't want to use deadly force. Her blows would soften. Another bite sent a twinge of pain to her leg. She kicked away the boy who had been biting down. They continued to gnaw at her and tug her down until the Saiyan couldn't even fight back their combined strength. She fell to her knees as more of the Voras climbed over her. The girl's clothes were in tatters as they continued to bite and tear at her.

Damn it all...

The Saiyan began to strike out randomly, blinded by fear and exhaustion. There was no end to the tide of children advancing on her. Fingers ripped at her yellow hair, dug into her skin, ripped at her clothes.

One of the female specimens bit down on the teen's right shoulder, sending out a spay of blood. Blackfire smashed her fist into the girl's face, feeling bone crunch under the blow. Silently, the Saiyan berated herself. She didn't want to use deadly force. Her blows would soften. Another bite sent a twinge of pain to her leg. She kicked away the boy who had been biting down. They continued to gnaw at her and tug her down until the Saiyan couldn't even fight back their combined strength. She fell to her knees as more of the Voras climbed over her. The girl's clothes were in tatters as they continued to bite and tear at her.

Focus! Skoll's roar was almost lost to the Super Saiyan who was rapidly losing focus. Strength was draining from her body at a startling pace. Soon, she wouldn't even have enough power to fuel her Super Saiyan transformation. And if that happened... Komand'r knew that the end would come swiftly. Don't give up here, damn it!

The Saiyan screwed her green eyes shut, trying to focus. She had to make something happen, and make it quick. I need more power!

You have the power! Skoll answered her back. So use it! These aren't children, stop holding back!

Finally, a yellow aura exploded around the crumpled teen. She could feel the Voras' grip loosening as if they were being pushed back. Then with a loud roar, she let her power explode, sending her assailants flying off of her. The teen didn't have much time; already, the infants were scrambling up to their feet.

The heads, Komand'r! You have to destroy their heads! They'll just keep getting up regardless. Blackfire narrowed her green eyes as her opponents began to advanced once more.

"Damn it.." the Vessel muttered to herself, producing her weapon out of thin air. Materializing into her grip, the cobalt blade leaped to life at the girl's touch, producing an electric aura that crackled around the blade like a storm.

"Play with us..."

"Feed me!"

The Voras' plaintive cries continued to bombard the Saiyan's ears. Mocking her. Tormenting her. They simply wouldn't stop. She gripped her blade tighter, green eyes darting from foe to foe as she pinpointed a target. There! The nearest one was advancing, his blood soaked fingers were reaching forward to her right arm.

"Get away from me!" Blackfire snarled, leaping forward to slash across the boy's chest with her sword. Despite her grievous injuries, the Super Saiyan was still in enough health to fight. The tip of her blade sunk into the Vora; the boy's face became one of pain as he stumbled backwards from the blow. His chest was cut open, revealing bone beneath, yet another sign that the Super Saiyan had held back on the blow. It would have been a small feat to simply cleave the Vora in half.

The head, Komandr, the head! Skoll's roar resounded from the necklace once more as the god of lightning chided his host. And he was right to do so; the wounded boy looked at his chest before glaring at the Saiyan, hatred blowing up within his cold eyes. He opened his mouth, revealing sharp teeth. A terrifying screech emitted from his maw, causing the Vessel to flinch away.

Finally, the Saiyan lunged forward. Her sword cut a clean path through the boy's head, and when she swung away, the crown of his head had separated from the rest of his body. The severed bone hit the ground with a dull thud, rolling off into the shadows while leaving a trail of black blood. The Vora crumpled like a sack of potatoes. Yet two more had swiftly taken his place. Like an torrent of never ending water, the Voras swarmed around the lone Saiyan.

Each slash from the Vessel brought death to her foes. The disgusting smell from the Vora's blood filled the air as she hacked away. Severed limbs fell like rainwater. The Saiyan didn't even have time to aim her strikes anymore, the infant Voras were simply too numerous.

Enough of this! Skoll sounded furious. Brace yourself! I'm using your body as a conduct!

A what? Blackfire wondered, pausing only momentarily. A terrible jolting sensation lanced over her body; azure electricity sparkled from her lithe body as Skoll's element began to manifest into a deadly storm around her skin. And then, a terrible dome of powerful electricity erupted from her core, lancing across the dim-lit breeding grounds. The dying screeches of Vora was mixed with defiant roars of others who were lucky enough to not be instantly incinerated from Skoll's attack. But the god of lightning had thinned their numbers quite substantially. Such an advantage was going to be abused maliciously by the wounded Saiyan.

With a flurry of attacks, the Saiyan struck out in a blind rage. When the deed was finally finished, the lone Saiyan was left on her knees.


Everything was dark. The Saiyan was so exhausted that she couldn't even see straight; standing up at this point seemed to be an impossible task. So she was content to stay hunched over in a vain attempt to catch her breath. Even though the floor was covered in blood. Even though it was covered in leaked embryonic fluid, the Saiyan rested.

Skoll's voice broke out roughly. Get up! You need to get out of here before more of them hatch. The Brood Mother is dead; the rest of these eggs are erratic and uncontrolled. They could hatch at any moment!

Then why aren't the rest of these eggs hatching? Blackfire wondered, gazing around at the other egg sacks that were plastered to the walls around her. About half of them were already ruptured; the bodies of the premature Voras were littered about the Saiyan in a grisly scene.

I don't know, Skoll admitted. In a rougher voice, he swept on. And I don't want to stick around to find out! Now get up!

The girl sighed. She wasn't doing any good sitting here. And the disgusting liquid strewn carelessly around her form was starting to affect her senses. Clumsily, the Saiyan picked herself, stumbling slightly as the world spun around her. She hadn't the faintest clue on how to get out of the labyrinth. There were several tunnels from this room, headed in directions that even Alexstrasza didn't know.

Finally, the girl picked the middle tunnel. She could feel a faint breeze ruffling her hair from it. And on the breeze, carried no scent of the tainted Voracious Eaters. Surely, it had to lead to freedom!

Another room.

The Saiyan groaned. This one was filled with as many egg sacks as the last. These weren't hatching, yet that didn't stop the Saiyan from looking around warily. Even Skoll had taken on a hushed silence; the lupine was ready for seemingly anything. Something was off. Just a minute ago, the eggs were hatching prematurely. Now they were silent. Aside from the gentle churning as a fetus would settle in a new position, everything was silent.

I don't like this... Skoll's voice was a growl.

It was then when Blackfire felt a tap on her shoulder. She was under attack again? The girl's eyes widened as she swung around, cleaving a path through the air with her blade. When her eyes locked with her opponent's, the Saiyan nearly dropped her blade. She would have, if it wasn't for her entire body in mid-swing. Even the Saiyan could not divert her committed attack as she slashed through her target's throat.

Sarah! Skoll sounded shocked. And shocked was a very light term to describe what the Saiyan felt. She had sliced a clean yet deep gash through the girl's throat. The tiny figure stumbled back, grasping at her throat with one slender hand. A shocked look was in her red hair. Even her hair seemed to have a jolt that traversed through it. The red locks rippled from Blackfire's blow.

"Oh no..." Blackfire choked out, feeling sick.

A world of hurt seemed to blaze in Sarah's eyes. Komand'r could hear Skoll growling angrily. What are you waiting for? Finish her off!

"Mamma..." the girl sobbed, clutching her throat. Black blood seeped sluggishly from her wound. There was no way to stop a wound like that; it would be only a matter of time before the creature dropped dead from blood loss. "Mamma..." she repeated, tears welling up within her brilliant eyes. "It hurts!"

She stumbled forward, grasping at the teen with a clammy hand. Kill it, damn it! But the Saiyan couldn't. Even though the blade was in her hand. Even knowing that this child was a Voracious Eater, and a Brood Mother, at that. Even knowing that she was a Vessel. The teen couldn't bring herself to strike twice. Skoll was furious; Blackfire could feel his anger and fury brewing. It was only a matter of time before the god of lightning took out the Vora himself.

"Somebody killed the Brood Mother," Sara gasped, her eyes starting to roll. Death was closing over the child like a curtain. "Somebody killed her. I managed to stop the births, but...." Her voice trailed off, and her form slumped over, falling into the Saiyan's arms. Blackfire dipped slightly from the Vora's tiny frame before falling to her knees.

"I can't do this," she whispered. Tears were forming in the corners of the Saiyan's eyes. She had seen death before. She had dealt death to her enemies. But even she had a limit. Sarah's death had struck her heart too harshly.

Do what? The lupine god sounded wary.

"I can't do this anymore!" Blackfire screeched aloud. And just like that, the eggs around her started to shake violently.

Oh no... Even Skoll knew what was transpiring. With Sarah dead as well, there was no power holding the eggs together. Swiftly, they would erupt, spilling out more Voracious Eaters that would bore down upon the Saiyan in a frenzy. Get up! Get up! Get up! Skoll's voice was urgent. However, with Sarah's deathly cold body in her arms, the teen couldn't focus enough to get up much less fight back on any assailants that would soon swarm her.

”I don't want to do this anymore...” The whisper that left the Saiyan's mouth was ragged and worn. The horrors she had seen in the breeding grounds was too much. There was too much blood. Too much death. Too much everything. Her mind was being lost in a fuzzy haze. Even the bloody scene before her was melting away like butter.

Move, you fool! It was quite obvious that Skoll's angry snarls and growls were not working. His voice was not reaching the shocked teen. So that only left him with one thing to do. Blackfire's eyes widened with shock as a powerful current of electricity coursed through her body, sending all of her senses on fire. Her hair stood on end, her heart seemed to skip a beat, and her fingers curled in pain as the elemental god jolted his own host. The powerful electricity was enough to snap Blackfire out of her delirious state.

Softly laying down Sarah's corpse, the teen forced herself to wobbly legs, allowing her green eyes to desperately search for an exit. Around her, egg sacs were popping like water balloons, showering the lone Super Saiyan in the slimy embryonic fluid. The thick mucus-like substance fell on her shoulders and pooled around her boots. The stench was enough to gag her. The dull plops of falling Voras as they stumbled from their slumbering cocoons echoed throughout the dim caverns. It wasn't long before they found their feet, stumbling towards the Super Saiyan like a horde of mindless zombies.

“Hi there!”

“Who are you?”

“What do you taste like?”

Their cheerful voices, misleading on their true intent yet sinister in their own way, brought a cold shiver of dread down Blackfire's spine. It was a cold feeling that gripped the Saiyan's body, and she could feel the little amount of confidence and hope she had slip away, vanishing like the sunlight within an eclipse. She propped her blade before her, backing up as she tried to escape. She didn't want to fight them. She didn't care that they were monsters. They didn't look like monsters. But the fact of the matter became clear as her back slammed into the rocky wall. Every escape in this cavern was blocked off by a sea of Voras. There was no escape. There was no hope. Unless she could muster up the nerve and willpower to cut her own escape path through her opponents, they would cut her down.

They've killed millions, Komand'r. Entire galaxies have fallen to these monsters. Every single Vessel preceding you have given their lives to try and combat this endless threat. Are you really going to bow down and let them win? What kind of Saiyan are you? The god's final words were a roar in Blackfire's ear. The lupine entity was desperately trying to talk sense to his host. Open her eyes to the truth. These were not children deserving pity or remorse. They were monsters. Evil and ruthless to the core.

The teen found her weapon hand shaking. Was it fear? Exhaustion? The teen didn't know. She attempted to steady her blade with the other hand, only to find that it was shaking just as violently. The Voras hadn't attacked yet, but their eyes were bright and eager as they closed in like a pack of rabid rats. They formed a rough semi-circle around the exhausted Saiyan, but none seemed ready to break rank. Perhaps they were waiting for the Saiyan to make a move. The sight of her blade covered in ebony blood from the previous attack kept them wary of a blind assault. But it would only last for so long.

The sounds of the Voracious Eaters' child-like voices continued to bombard Blackfire's ears like a hail storm. But there was another noise that seemed to drown out their cries and pleas. The resounding crack of shattering rock.

That's... Skoll had no time to voice his realization as the ceiling above the Saiyan shattered, allowing a massive form to crash to the cavern's floor with a heavy thud. A muscular figure, wide shoulders, and a very distinct pig-like snout below beady black eyes.

"Tork'thal?" Komand'r gasped out, feeling a wave of relief cascade over her shoulders. The Vessel of Earth didn't even acknoledge her with so much as a nod. He simply stared at the numerous Voras before him with a cold glare. His skinless fists were balled up so tight, that the Saiyan was sure he would damage himself from the crushing force.

The Voras had been shocked into an eerie silence. They exchanged baffled looks with each other, mouths agape in a mixture of uncertainty and fear. Several of them broke rank, scurrying back into the tunnels like cornered rats. Tork'thal took in a deep breath, his massive chest puffing out as the fighter drew in the cold air. And when he exhaled, a brilliant yellow wave of energy had exited his maw, searing across the room like a river of death.

The Voras who were hit simply melted away; their deaths were swift as the powerful explosion engulfed them, breaking up their bodies on a molecular scale. Others were hit with the resulting flames that had erupted as Tork'thal's attack struck the opposite wall. A shock wave of heated air and discharged energy crushed them against each other and threw them away like rag dolls.

One single attack. And the entire room had been cleared as a result. Such was the power of the six hundred year old fighter. He turned to Komand'r, his beady eyes showing concern at her ragged form. Her now amethyst eyes blank with exhaustion was the sign that the girl was done. Her yellow hair vanished, the energy from her transformation evaporating as she began to fall to the ground. Her blurry vision showed Tork'thal attempting to catch her as the final sliver of consciousness left her body.

And then, the teen knew nothing.

"To think that you actually..." The shocked voice trailed off into silence.

"Yes. I was surprised as well. I wasn't able to go to Valhalla, unfortunately. As soon as I retrieved Komand'r, I took her back here."

"I'm glad you did. She could have died."

The voices seemed to pound on the slumbering Saiyan's consciousness, jarring her to the waking realm once more. As she opened her eyes slowly, she could only see jumbled shapes and colors. It took several moments for her surroundings to be made clear. Her entire body ached with a dull pain, but she wasn't hurting like before. No, it appeared that she was healed. But by who?

"Welcome back. You had a close call there. I exhausted most of my energy to bring you back." Blackfire turned her head slightly to find the source of the voice. She was laying on a bed; white blankets covered her lithe form, swaddling her tightly. Other than the clean linens guarding her skin, the girl was naked. Part of her was fine with that; her torn clothes drenched in blood and embryonic juices was not a good fashion statement.

Her vision finally cleared enough to see that two chairs had been pulled up to her bedside. Tork'thal sat in one, his wide form folding comically over the small chair. On the other, sat Alexstrasza.

"Where am I?" The girl found her voice after several seconds. She was groggy, and her thick, heavy voice was proof of the Saiyan's exhaustion.

"Eden's Realm," the life-binder responded promptly with a nod. She reached forward with a gauntlet, passing her fingers through Blackfire's dark violet hair in a soothing manner. "How do you feel?"

"I've been better," the teen admitted, still unwilling to move. Her limbs felt heavy, and her heart was even heavier. Already, memories of her previous strife had started to seep back into her mind. It wasn't just a dream. It was a nightmare. And not one that somebody would get from sleeping. The events had happened. Blackfire had almost died.

Alexstrasza's knowing gaze seemed to pierce Blackfire's heart. She turned to Tork'thal. "You did well, Tork'thal. I would like to speak to Komand'r alone, please." Tork'thal got up after a brief hesitation. As he made his way to the door, the behemoth turned back.

"I'm sorry, Komand'r. I had no idea that we landed on a Breeding Ground, child. This is my fault, and I own that. Please forgive me." His voice was somber.

"It's not your fault, Tork'thal," Alexstrasza reassured him with a gentle gaze. The host of earth sighed, his voice ragged, then exited the room. The arcane goddess turned back to the Saiyan. "You've been through a lot. We need to talk about it. If you dwell on it, you will only bring forth more pain and heartache."