Bringer of Death

Cell Saga - Part 6: Trust and Blood

Cell Saga - Part 6: Trust and Blood 

Heat. Searing, burning, heat. 

Krillin forced his aura to its maximum extent, but it still only barely insulated him from the roaring inferno. It felt as if he was roasting alive. As he continued to release all his energy, pushing himself higher in an attempt to escape the raging firestorm, he could hear screams of terror all around. A sick feeling grew in his chest as he felt the faint ki signatures of the helpless humans around him disappearing, their anguish cutting like a knife as they were turned to ash in mere moments. 

How...what...who? He was still operating on instinct, not yet capable of reacting rationally. All he knew was that suddenly, instantly, the island around him had been engulfed in a devastating firestorm. As he continued fighting for his own life, the breath in his lungs burning as he continued ascending through the flames, he focused his mind just enough to try and sense who could have done such a monstrous thing. 

Cell. 

He finally breached the surface of the fiery maelstrom, fully aware of the sickening feeling. The underlying evil in the amalgamation of so many energy signatures was completely clear now. 

No time to wonder how the monster could have returned. He had to act quickly and decisively. If Cell was there, it could only be for one reason: he had followed Krillin's energy hoping it would lead him to 18. The warrior had to find her immediately; surely she was still close by. 

'How was I so careless?!' Finally opening his eyes and gasping for air, he scanned his surroundings. The firestorm below had subsided, revealing ground and trees and buildings still ablaze for as far around him as he could see through the thick smoke. 'My energy was suppressed...but I stopped thinking about it after I felt Goku kill Cell. This is my fault.' 

Suddenly, above him, he saw a shadow in the grey haze. "18, is that y-" 

SMACK! 

Cell's tail slashed across Krillin's face, opening an angry gash. Before the bald monk could react, the tail coiled around his neck, cutting off even the meager air he had been able to restore to his aching lungs. 

"Why, hello there, Krillin. So good to see you," Cell mocked. "Would you be so kind as to direct me to Number 18? I'm sure you wouldn't let her get far, seeing how you seem so taken with her." 

Poor Krillin could do nothing at all. With the coils of Cell's thick tail tightly squeezing the life out of him, he felt like he might suffocate before the monster would even allow him to answer. Of course, he would rather die than turn over 18 to this abomination. He hoped she had gotten away already. She had a chance: she had no energy signature Cell could detect. But would there be any place left for her to hide? 

Clearly, Cell must have planned for this. By igniting the entire island in one fiery yet relatively low-energy blast, he had aimed to force one or both of them to the air, where he could pick them off at his leisure. Krillin's vision began swimming; he couldn't hold his breath much longer. 

"Oh, that's right, you must not be able to speak," Cell laughed, finally relaxing his tail slightly. Krillin gasped for air, his throat nearly crushed. Even without the pressure on his windpipe, the oxygen in the soot-filled air was scarce. 

He felt like there wasn't even enough strength in his body to lift a finger, as if he had suddenly had it all squeezed completely out of him. He was absolutely exhausted and his brain just couldn't take it much longer-he knew he would lose consciousness soon. But Krillin was strong-willed, defiant to the end. 

"Leave her...alone, you...monster!" Each word sapped more of his strength. His arms had already been crushed by Cell's tail, shoulder bones snapping like twigs. Though the pressure around his neck had let up, he could also feel his ribs being crushed, bending under the constriction-if they broke now they might puncture something important.