Zelle laughs, the sound echoing in the small space of our living quarters. She's always had a way of lightening the mood, even when we're about to walk into a potential slaughterhouse. "A Super Saiyan?" she says, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'd pay to see that."
We board the pod, the cold metal walls seeming to close in around us as the engines roar to life. The pod's cockpit is cramped, but it's nothing we haven't dealt with before. We're used to being packed in tight, fighting side by side, our bodies moving in harmony despite the lack of personal space.
The pod shoots through the vacuum of space, the stars streaking by like cosmic paint on a black canvas. The anticipation builds in the air as we approach Planet X-23, our destination a wasteland rumored to be the breeding ground for some of the most dangerous creatures in the galaxy. The mission briefing had been sparse—find the Xolarian leader, assess the threat, and eliminate it. Simple enough, but the devil's always in the details.
Zelle leans against the pod's metal wall, her tail flicking idly. She notices my tense posture and raises an eyebrow. "You're still wound up," she says, her voice a purr of amusement. "What gives?"
I take a deep breath, the weight of my words pressing down on me. "It's our superior," I admit, keeping my gaze fixed on the rapidly approaching planet. "There's something off about him. I can feel it."
Zelle's smile fades, and she sits up straighter, her tail coming to a rest. "What do you mean?"
"It's just a hunch," I reply, shrugging it off. "But look at it from my perspective. He's always had it in for us. Ever since I started showing signs of becoming a threat to his position, he's thrown us into the most dangerous missions. It's like he's trying to weed out the competition."
Before she can respond, the pod jolts violently, the force slamming us both into our seats. The cockpit's display flashes red as alarms blare, the pod's AI system screeching about an incoming asteroid field. I curse under my breath, my grip tightening on the controls. "Looks like we're going in hotter than expected," I say through gritted teeth, trying to navigate the asteroid maze.
"High energy readings detected," the AI chimes in, adding to the cacophony. I glance at my scouter, the numbers spiking wildly. "But there's nothing on the radar," I murmur, confusion knitting my brows.
Zelle draws her weapon, her Saiyan instincts already sensing danger. The pod jolts again, and she's up, her body poised for combat. "We've got company," she says, her eyes narrowed.
We break through the asteroid field, and the pod descends into the planet's thick, murky atmosphere. The ground comes into view, a landscape of jagged cliffs and barren plains. A tremor shakes the pod, and I see a flicker of unease in Zelle's eyes. "It's not the Xolarians," I murmur, my gaze fixed on the horizon.
The pod touches down with a thud, and we jump out, our boots crunching against the rocky terrain. The tremors increase in intensity, and we exchange a look—something is definitely off. My scouter beeps erratically, the readings spiking into the red. A bead of sweat trickles down my forehead as I stare at the digital display. The power level it's showing is impossible.
The sky darkens as a colossal shadow descends upon us. Zelle's eyes widen, and she yells, "Cody, look out!" I whip my head around just in time to see the monstrous creature, its roar echoing through the canyons like the end of the universe. It's a creature unlike anything I've ever seen—a hulking behemoth with scales that look like black diamonds and eyes that burn with the fury of a thousand suns.
My heart hammers in my chest as the beast lands with a thud that sends shockwaves through the ground. Its sheer size is dizzying, and for a moment, all I can do is stand there, frozen with fear. Then, the survival instincts honed from countless battles kick in, and I remember my training. "We need to find cover," I shout over the creature's thunderous roars, my voice barely audible.
We sprint towards the nearest cliff, the creature's footsteps pounding like the drums of war. Zelle's power flares up as she charges ahead, her aura a beacon of hope amidst the looming dread. She's so fast—faster than I've ever seen her—but it's not enough. The creature is closing in, its jaws wide open, ready to swallow us whole.
My mind races, trying to calculate our chances of survival. We're no match for this beast—not yet. But I can't let fear dictate our fate. I draw my sword, my hand steady despite the tremors in my arms. "Zelle, get behind me," I yell, my voice firm with determination.
Her eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, the world seems to stop. The creature's roar fades into the background, and all I see is her fiery gaze. She nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. We stand back to back, two soldiers ready to face the unspeakable.
The creature lunges, its maw gaping wide, and we leap aside, barely avoiding its razor-sharp teeth. We roll and come up in a crouch, our backs still to the cliff. The creature snarls, its hot breath washing over us like the heat from a volcanic eruption.
I feel something stirring deep within me, a power that's been dormant for too long. My body starts to tingle, and I know that this is it—my moment to prove myself. "Hold it off," I murmur to Zelle, my voice strained with effort. "I've got a plan."
With a steely resolve, I channel my energy, focusing it into my core. The world around us seems to slow down, and for a brief moment, time stands still. The creature looms, a creature of nightmares made flesh, and I know that I can't fail. With a roar of my own, I push off the cliff, my body a blur as I ascend into the sky.