The days slipped into an icy winter with an unexpected ferocity. A strange phenomena of the two Suns caused the regularly dusty and tropical planet to freeze over in a matter of weeks. Snow poured from the skies constantly, burying several small dwellings, leaving young Sedu locked inside their tiny cottage with his cantankerous father and secluded brother. He did not sense the mounting tension between them, for he was only a child, inexperienced in understanding the more complex saiyan emotions. On the occasion he mustered up the courage to ask why Zakri and Caush weren't speaking as much, he was snapped at and warned to keep quiet.

Very rarely did anyone dare venture from the hovel. Zakri's wounds had healed somewhat, but pain still inflicted his legs and arms to a crippling extent, leaving him unable to force his way through the mountain of snow and ice. Without his medication, he could barely walk upright. It was well past the three weeks that he had planned for training, but secretly he was relieved. It was taking his body much longer than initially thought to get into a fighting form.

Caush, however, was very able. He had taken advantage of the snow early on, carving out a narrow tunnel that extended from his bedroom window which allowed him to escape the stuffy confines. He trained in the blizzard conditions, embracing the heavy, thick ice that built up on his limbs as a means of resistance. However, before long the conditions became too fierce for even him to withstand, and he quickly retreated back into the house.

Two months after his injury, Zakri finally faced facts: despite his best hopes, he will never regain his former glory. Weakened in a way no wound could, he sat alone in his small and cramped house and submitted himself to his own self-hate.

Their only link to the outside world was their small radio unit. It was designated for military use only, but Zakri modified it to pick up open signals. Despite the thick snow that coated the world, some transmissions were still able to get through. After a fair bit of pinpointing, Zakri discovered a few frequencies that broadcast the information he needed. The technology was still fairly new, and not many had taken to it yet, so options were limited. But what was available turned out to be very helpful in his vague plans that grew ever more complex.

The little radio also doubled as a two-way link between himself and Dok. He had not used that link for many, many years. But now was the time. The glimmer of sunlight that was creeping over the planet and through the tiny, ice-encrusted window seemed to act as a beacon of recklessness.

“Signal 7246 requesting connection signal 365, over,” Zakri recited into the mouthpiece. A small hiss seemed to fill the cramped room for a moment, but ceased as a sharp voice barked out of the speaker.

“Zakri, I'm here. What's the matter?” Concern was evident in his friend's voice. Perhaps the superiors had noticed his absence and alerted him? No, that concern was an attempt to get in his head, to make him care again. But he wouldn't let that happen. He held down the switch that allowed him to transmit his message, but nothing came for several seconds. Finally he spoke.

“Dok, I need some more 'supplies'.” He tried not to sound too demanding, despite his pain urging him to beg, to do whatever it takes to get relief. Silence from Dok's end. When he spoke, the concern had morphed into irritation.

“I can't do that, you know there is barely any Barba-”

“DON'T SAY THE NAME!” shouted Zakri, his eyes raking over the door as though expecting shock troopers to burst through it. “We don't know who's listening, do we?”

“No, I suppose not. But Zakri...” He sounded very stern. “There isn't much I can do for you. All I have is some extract that was taken from a chemical lab that was raided. From what I tested, its incredibly powerful, overwhelmingly so-”

Dok's further explanation was drowned out by Zakri's subconscious. A monster, nestled in the pit of his bowels, grew restless. Stronger Barban? That would be perfect. It would finally be fed to satisfaction...

“-caused abrupt insanity!” finished Dok.

“That's great. Send it over right away!” he ordered briskly, not having absorbed a word of Dok's warnings.

A pause.

“All right, it'll be at the rendezvous in two hours.” Dok sounded very tired.

Zakri switched off the radio and felt a new power building inside him. The monster in his belly seemed to be giving him some of it's great strength. In three strides Zakri crossed the room to the door, pressed his full bodyweight against it and heaved with all the power he could muster. His tattered muscles swelled, his veins popped and his bones creaked as the door opened inch by inch. Through the wood he could hear the crunching of the thick snow, and felt it gave way. The momentum carried him through the open doorway and into the winter wasteland, where he slid on some ice and fell face forward in a pile of snow.

Now that he was outside he didn't feel so mighty. His miraculous strength had vanished as quickly as it came, and wave after wave of pain crashed over him. Spitting bitterly into the frost, he carefully pushed himself to his feet and glanced around, squinting slightly as the slowly rising sun passed through the thick clouds. Nobody had seen him. He expected this, as it was far too cold for the softies that lived in the area to train. Be that as it may, it still added a micron of comfort to his ego that nobody was present to witness his frailty.

Despite the earliness of the hour, Caush lay wide awake in bed, petrified. He could have sworn he heard a distant scream, a howl of madness in the nearby forest. Fear trickled slowly through the frozen river of his conscience. His blossoming instincts, planted by the academy and watered by desperation, called for action, but his youthful fear of the unknown wilted them. Deciding it best to roll over and try to recall sleep and ignore the outside, Caush hesitantly turned and closed his eyes. No sooner had they shut then another wail rang out. It was louder, stronger and seemed closer. Clenching his eyelids so tightly they may have reduced glass to sand, the boy fought hard to block out the sounds of the morning.

It was not normal for Caush to act like this. The expansive woods behind their house was home to many strange and dangerous creatures, many of whom were blessed with terrible voices of their own. But odd things were happening, an eerie presence had cast itself among the family homestead recently, and these strange cries seemed inexplicitly linked to what his brother had dubbed 'ill-spirits'. The cries seemed to be those of great beasts, yet glimmered with a saiyan's emotions. Rampaging Oozaru made similar sounds, but there was to be no moon for months.

A third, must closer howl, and Caush wrapped himself tightly in his thin blanket; any lingering ounce of warrior in him was drained immediately.

He shook violently when he heard the entrance to the house crash open, felt the powerful footfalls of this approaching monster. Despite urging every fibre in his body to stay still, he still quivered as the bedroom door flew wide open, and his father reached Sedu's bed.

“Son ... son wake up!” His voice was hushed and subdued, but his excitement shone through. Caush could feel a distinct aura around him, one that scared him even more than howls in the night. “Get your clothes on, get ready!”

“Why?” Caush heard Sedu mumble, his voice thick and tired. A small yawn was stifled.

“Because its time to start your training!”

Sedu fell silent immediately. Caush's ears were burning, blood rushing through his brain.

“What?” he whispered softly, inaudible to the others.

“Now, come on son. Meet me outside in five minutes. Be prepared: This will be Hell.”