Born of the Cell Games

An eye opened within an infinite abyss.

"Where am I? What am I? It hurts... What's going on? Why can't I remember anything? Why can't I move?"

For seven long years, Mael drifted in the void, lost in a maze of endless questions. No memories, no face, no name only the disorienting, oppressive emptiness of his existence. His body felt foreign, almost as if it didn't belong to him. His limbs were stiff, his senses numb, and his mind was a tangled mess. But through it all, there was a constant, an undeniable pull, a hum of energy that beckoned him from beyond the dark.

Time passed, stretching into what felt like eternity. And yet, nothing changed until now.

A shift. A pressure. Energy.

It surged through him like a flood, igniting every fiber of his being. A wave of power filled the hollow spaces inside him, overwhelming his senses and breaking the barriers of his slumber. His eyes snapped open, the void vanishing as harsh, blinding light replaced the dark abyss.

Mael's body jerked, stiff and unfamiliar as he pushed himself upright. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to his surroundings.

Where am I? he thought, confusion clouding his mind.

He stood in what appeared to be an arena a vast, broken structure littered with rubble, the air thick with the remnants of something long gone. A battle? He couldn't be sure. The power that had awoken him now burned in his veins, unfamiliar yet strangely right. It felt wrong and yet… almost natural.

"What is this place?" His voice was hoarse, an echo in the stillness.

The air seemed to hum with a deep, unspoken history. The arena was a scar, marred by some great calamity, as though something massive had taken place here long ago. As he focused, he could almost sense the echoes of it an explosion of energy, a violent struggle. His mind flickered with flashes of images faces, unfamiliar names, battles he couldn't recall. Yet there was one name that broke through the haze.

"Goku..." The name echoed in his mind, important, yet he couldn't grasp why.

The energy inside him surged again, pulling at the edges of his consciousness, making him feel powerful but lost. Was this my purpose?

But still, something felt off. Something was missing.

He stepped forward, feeling the ground beneath his feet, the cool wind brushing against his skin. His body was strong, but he didn't understand why. What was he? What had he become?

Elsewhere…

Vegeta stood on the balcony of his training room, the air still, yet his instincts were screaming. There was a presence a power he had never felt before. It was so vast, so foreign, that it made his blood run cold.

His sharp Saiyan senses tingled, and he gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes.

"What the…?" he muttered, his voice low. "Kakarot? Is he back? No, that's impossible…"

Vegeta's brow furrowed as he focused on the strange energy. It was nothing like Goku's, nothing like any power he had felt before. The intensity of it sent a strange unease crawling up his spine. It reminded him of something he wasn't ready to confront something old.

He clenched his fists, his mind working at full speed. The power was familiar, but so different. There was a growing sense of danger, an undeniable feeling that he had to act, to understand what this power was before it became a threat.

Without another word, he launched himself into the air, his body shooting toward the source of the power, his mind clouded with questions. But one thing was clear: whoever or whatever this was, Vegeta had to find them.

Back at the Arena…

Mael was still moving, his senses slowly adapting to the new world around him. He could feel the wind against his skin, the earth beneath his feet. He felt stronger with each step, more in control of the power surging inside him, yet it remained elusive. As he walked, fragments of memories continued to flicker in his mind images of faces he didn't know, flashes of battles that didn't belong to him, strange words he couldn't understand.

And then there was the name again. "Goku." It felt... significant. But why?

Before he could even attempt to sort through the mess in his mind, the air around him shifted. He felt it another power. The energy was sharp, cutting through the atmosphere like a blade. He turned instinctively, eyes scanning the horizon.

A flash of light. A figure.

The presence that approached was unmistakable Vegeta.

Mael's heart skipped a beat. The energy radiating off this person was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was intense, focused, and powerful. This was someone who knew how to fight. But why do I feel like I'm supposed to face him?

Vegeta landed with a thundering crash, his eyes locked on Mael. For a moment, the two stood in silence, sizing each other up. The tension in the air was palpable. It was clear a battle was imminent.

Vegeta didn't wait long. He clenched his fists, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Who are you? What do you want with Earth?" His tone was sharp, demanding.

Mael blinked, confused, his mind racing for answers he didn't have.

"I don't know..." he muttered, the words leaving his lips with an air of uncertainty. He wasn't even sure if he was capable of giving an answer.

Vegeta's patience snapped. "Either you give me a straight answer, or I'll rip it out of you!" he snarled, his body coiling with tension, ready to strike.

Mael's mind flashed in the briefest moment of panic. His body reacted instinctively, a sudden surge of energy coursing through his veins. Without thinking, he fell into a fighting stance, the raw power inside him guiding his movements.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "You're not like anyone I've ever fought," he said, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Let's see what you're made of."

And just like that, the fight began.