8 (Chapter 8) Invasion of Velaris IV
As our spacecraft descended gracefully toward the extremely large planet of Velaris IV, I gazed out of the viewport and marveled at the lush greenery that awaited us. The dense forest seemed to stretch endlessly, ancient trees reaching toward the heavens as if trying to touch the stars themselves. My heart pounded in my chest, could I really do it? Kill someone?
"Prepare yourselves," I ordered "This might be our first mission but there's no way we will fail."
Tato and Hanasia nodded, their eyes gleaming with excitement. They knew what was at stake, and they had no fear. We had trained for this moment, hell most of the information about killing was fed to us in our pods as babies. Now, it was time to put everything we had learned into practice.
The ship touched down in a small clearing as it was on autopilot, the leaves rustling like whispers in the wind as the engines powered down. As We disembarked from the back entrance, our boots sank into the soft earth beneath us, the scent of rich soil and damp moss filling our nostrils.
"Let's not waste any more time," Hanasia said, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed our surroundings. And tapped her scouter "Our targets are close. their energy markings are a bit higher than mine and Tato but it shouldn't be a problem."
"Stay sharp," Tato warned, his fists clenched tighter than ever before. "We don't know what they're capable of."
Inwardly, I agreed with him. The Velari are a primitive race, but they were not to be underestimated. As I touched my scouter I could sense their power, pulsating just beyond the trees But it would change ever so often, maybe a gathering of them was nearby. The stakes were higher, If there were a lot of them this might be a problem.
"Remember," I said, steeling myself for what was to come, "You both fight together. Just as you have been, went training with me, keep each other alive.
"Got it," Hanasia affirmed, her voice laced with determination.
"Understood," Tato echoed, his eyes locked on mine.
With that, we flew into the jungle, it was a bit of a flight to the closest place the scouters were picking up on.
As we emerged from the shadows of the dense jungle, I gazed upon the Velari settlement for the first time. It was an awe-inspiring sight, the ancient trees reaching for the heavens above, their thick branches intertwined with the vibrant green foliage that shrouded the homes and dwellings of the Velari people. A cacophony of sounds filled the air, the rustling leaves and melodious of what I thought were bird calls creating a symphony of life all around us.
"There seems to be a lot of them," Hanasia said, her voice barely audible over the hum of activity around us. "Should we transform first?"
"Id hold off on that, No one ever taught us how to use that form" Tato interjected, his gaze scanning the landscape before us. "We didn't come here to admire their world."
"True," I murmured, my attention focused on the Velari inhabitants as they went about their daily routines, their movements fluid. They were completely unaware of the danger lurking just beyond the jungle line. The thought made me uneasy, but I pushed it aside. We were Saiyans, and this was universe 7 not 6. This was our purpose for now.
"Let's move closer," I suggested, leading the way as we skirted the edge of the settlement. "We need to find the best point of attack."
"Agreed," Tato said, his senses heightened as he kept a watchful eye on our surroundings. "Don't let your guard down. They may be peaceful now, but that could change in an instant."
"Right," Hanasia whispered, her expression hardening as she prepared herself for the fight ahead.
I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of Velaris IV, the vibrant colors of the flora contrasting sharply with the earth beneath our feet. The air was rich with the scents of exotic flowers and ripe fruit, and I found myself momentarily distracted by the tantalizing aromas. This world was unlike any we had encountered before, and the realization that our mission would bring it to ruin weighed heavily on my conscience.
"Stay focused," I reminded myself, shaking off my hesitation as I continued to analyze the settlement before us. "Let's start off with a surprise attack," I said which seemed to annoy them.
"Look," Hanasia whispered, her eyes narrowing as she pointed toward the heart of the settlement. "That structure there... it seems important. Perhaps it's their leader's dwelling?"
"Could be," Tato agreed, his gaze following hers. "It's well-guarded, and it stands out among the rest."
"Then that's our target," I declared, steeling my resolve as I prepared to lead my team into battle once more. Tapping my scouter I could see the power level of the person inside that place was 1500 so yeah that had to be their leader. Moving to one of the higher branches I landed and began to gather ki. Overcharging my Breaker shot as I sent in crashing into their leader's place. With a loud explosion, I destroyed anyone nearby and in the house. While shouting Breaker Shot!
The moment the explosion happened, the Velari inhabitants paused in their tracks, their expressive eyes widening in shock and fear. As I charged at them, I couldn't help but notice their insect-like bodies with what seemed to be plant life growing off of them, as if they were an extension of the vibrant flora itself.
"Defend your homes!" a deep Chitinese voice roared, cutting through the panic that had begun to spread. A tall Velari warrior emerged from the crowd, his emerald feather-like hair flowing behind him. His amber eyes burned with Hatred, and his muscular chitin arms bore the marks of a seasoned fighter. "Show these invaders that we will not be killed without a fight!"
"Let's see how tough you really are," Tato sneered, launching himself at the warrior with a fierce battle cry. The Velari responded with impressive speed, meeting Tato's attack head-on and parrying each strike with practiced ease.
"Help with the others!" Hanasia shouted, her voice filled with urgency as she engaged a group of Velari who had taken up arms to protect their families. "Don't let them surround us!"
"Right!" I replied, gritting my teeth as I leaped into action. Despite the Velari's apparent lack of advanced weaponry, their agility and strength were formidable or it would be if I was around their level of power. Every blow I landed I would end up punching a hole through their chest and killing them at least the weaker ones. I could feel the sticky green insect blood on my hand as I moved around and slaughtered them. I forced my emotions to the back of my mind as I focused on the battle.
"Is this all you've got?" I taunted, dodging a kick aimed at my head and retaliating with a punch that sent my opponent sprawling as green blood left its mouth. But even as he fell, another took his place, driven by the same unwavering resolve to protect their home.
"Behind you, Celera!" Hanasia cried out, and I barely managed to duck beneath a deadly swipe from a Velari wielding a staff tipped with sharpened bone. Turning to shoot a ki blast and killing it. I grimaced, realizing that their numbers were beginning to overwhelm us.
"Remember our mission!" I barked, focusing my energy as I pushed back the encroaching Velari warriors. "We cannot be defeated!"
"Kill them all!" Tato roared, his voice filled with a fierce warrior pride that sent a shiver down my spine. As our battle raged on, it became clear that the Velari would not yield easily. They fought with courage and tenacity that I couldn't help but admire, even as I sought to bring about their destruction.
"Are you so desperate to die?" I demanded, ducking beneath a blow from a Velari armed with a bone-tipped spear. "You can't possibly stand against us!"
"Better to die on our feet than live on our knees," the Velari warrior retorted, his eyes ablaze with defiance. "Our people's strength runs deeper than you know, invader."
"Then show me," I challenged, my blood boiling with anticipation as we clashed once more. In that moment, I was reminded of the thrill of battle, the exhilaration of facing an opponent who refused to back down. Even though he was far weaker than I, I couldn't deny that the Velari had earned my respect. Before I Killed him off with a breaker Shot.
The pungent scent of Velari blood filled my nostrils as I lunged forward, the fierce battle unfolding before me. Our Saiyan team had launched a brutal assault on the Velari settlement, and their warriors did their best to fight us off. I was focusing on the stronger ones, I didn't need them to kill one of my team members.
"Your homes will burn!" Tato shouted, his eyes ablaze with rage as he tore through Velari after Velari, their pitiful attempts to defend themselves proving no match for his raw power. He even killed the young ones.
"Your people will perish!" Hanasia roared, her fists connecting with a sickening crunch against the resilient skin of a Velari warrior who dared to challenge her.
Their words echoed through the heat of battle, and I couldn't help but feel disgusted with myself. They fought with everything they had, refusing to back down despite the overwhelming odds. As I parried the blow of an emerald-skinned fighter, I found myself questioning our mission. Was this truly what it meant to be a Saiyan, to destroy everything? No Goku wasn't like that and the only reason the Saiyans were was thanks to King Vegeta and the Freeza Empire.
"Is this all you have?!" I taunted, my voice dripping with disdain as I dodged another swing from my opponent. "Your warriors claimed your people were strong!"
"Strength is not measured solely by physical might," the Velari retorted, his gold-flecked eyes narrowing with defiance. "Our spirit cannot be broken, even in the face of death."
"Then let me Send you off this mortal plain!" I snarled, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts that pierced through him, killing him.
As I stood amidst the carnage, my heart raced with a mixture of exhilaration and doubt. The battle raged on around me, the cries of the dying echoing through the vibrant forest. The once-peaceful settlement was now nothing more than a battleground, its inhabitants transformed into warriors by necessity.
"Behind you, Celera!" Hanasia's voice rang out, pulling me from my thoughts just in time to react. I was too late deflecting the assault of yet another Velari fighter. His amber eyes were filled with a Hatred that sent a shiver down my spine, as his fist slammed into my face but didn't even move it.
"Your people fight bravely," I admitted taking another of his hits to my face. "But it will not save you."
"Perhaps not," he replied, his voice steady despite the chaos around us. "But we will die fighting, defending our home and our loved ones until our last breath."
"Then so be it," I whispered, clenching my jaw as I as I killed it. The Velari's valor was undeniable, their courage in the face of certain Death was both inspiring and heartbreaking. With every clash of my fists, I felt the weight of the destruction we wrought grow ever heavier on my shoulders.
"Fight for your lives, Velari!" I shouted, my voice cracking with unbidden emotion as I charged back into the fray. "Show us the strength of your spirit!"
And so we fought, the once-tranquil forest now echoing with the sounds of battle. As the bodies of fallen Velari piled up around us, I couldn't but hate and love the feeling I was getting.
"Stand your ground!" Tato bellowed, ducking under a Velari spear before delivering a devastating punch to the warrior's chest.
"Stay close," Hanasia grunted, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the battlefield for any opportunity to press an advantage. "We're being overwhelmed."
I gritted my teeth and sent a ki blast toward an advancing group of Velari warriors, scattering them like leaves in a storm. They were everywhere, their numbers seemingly endless. Their hatred was evident in every swing of their weapons, every battle cry that echoed through the forest.
"Where do they keep coming from?" I breathed. Beginning to get annoyed.
"Does it matter?" Hanasia snapped, her voice tense with frustration. "We can't keep this up forever. We need to end this now."
"Agreed," Tato growled, his muscles beginning to quiver with fatigue. "But how?"
Desperation clawed at my insides as I searched for a solution, the others were not like me, they would get tired, and if I couldn't think of something they would die.
"Look!" I shouted suddenly, pointing skyward. "The moon!"
Up above, through the thick canopy of leaves, one of Velaris IV's three moons hung full and luminous, casting a pale glow over the battlefield. My heart pounded in my chest as I felt myself being overcome by its influence. Slowly my eyes turned red as I felt a strong Beating in my chest. Growling out in pain.
Hanasia's eyes locked on the glowing orb as well.
"Shit here goes nothing," Tato replied grimly, his gaze shifting to the moon and our encroaching enemies.
We stood shoulder to shoulder, our eyes locked on the ethereal light above us. The transformation was quick, a tidal wave of power that crashed over us, drowning out reason and restraint. Our bodies grew in size, our muscles swelling to monstrous proportions as we towered over the battlefield.
As the primal instincts threatened to overtake me, I clung to the memories of my comrades and our mission. The battlefield blurred around me as my senses heightened, and I saw the Velari warriors falter at the sight of our monstrous forms.
I couldn't stop the primal instincts of the Great Ape from taking over, my thoughts consumed by the desire to destroy everything in my path. My vision blurred, blood-red, and tinged with rage, as I let loose a deafening roar that echoed through the forest.
The scent of crushed leaves and ruptured tree bark filled my nostrils as the hulking forms of Tato and Hanasia tore through the forest, their gargantuan limbs smashing everything in their path. My previously coordinated comrades had been consumed by a mindless frenzy, and I couldn't help but feel the same overwhelming rage deep within myself. The once-organized battle had dissolved into chaos, and the Velari settlement faced annihilation.
Sometime later
The acrid scent of smoke filled my nostrils as the haze of the Great Ape transformation began to lift. My body shrank, muscles retracting and bones realigning in a series of painful spasms. The once all-encompassing rage that had consumed me faded like an ebbing tide, leaving me gasping for breath on the forest floor.
Slowly, I pushed myself up onto shaky limbs, taking in the devastation that lay before me. Where there had once been a thriving Velari settlement, now only smoldering ruins remained. The towering trees that had surrounded it were reduced to charred trunks, their leaves nothing more than blackened ash. Hundreds of bodies lay smashed to bites around me.
"Look at what I've done," I whispered, my voice hoarse with the weight of grief. Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced them back, unwilling to let Tato or Hanasia see my weakness.
"Isn't it glorious?" Tato said, his laughter harsh and cruel. He reveled in the destruction, taking pleasure in the pain he had caused. Hanasia stood beside him, a fierce grin on her face as she surveyed the carnage.
"There is no Glory in this," I retorted, disgusted by their lack of remorse. "There is no honor in causing suffering."
This seemed to cause them both to pause and seem a bit lost. Maybe I could save them, and change them before they end up like Nappa and Vegeta.
"Are you going to stand there all day?" Tato's voice cut through the silence, his impatience evident in every syllable. "We have more settlements to destroy."
"Let's get moving," Hanasia said briskly, clearly eager to press on. "Before the Velari have time to regroup."
"Fine." The word emerged as a choked whisper, my throat tight with the effort of holding back the torrent of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Determined not to let them see my inner turmoil, I followed them deeper into the alien world, the shadows of the devastated forest swallowing us whole.
As we moved from one settlement to the next, the cries of the Velari rang out like a haunting chorus, their pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears. With each passing moment, the weight of my actions grew heavier upon my shoulders, until it felt as though I would be crushed beneath the burden of my own guilt. This is not what I thought being a Saiyan would mean.
[ Hello everyone Writer here, sorry for not uploading in a bit as i was homeless for a while but finally got a place. So ill get back to writing more chapters for you guys.]
