CHAPTER 3: THE ZURONS LAND

The Gem Guardians were tense as they awaited the landing of the two spacecraft that were beginning their descent on Earth.

“What do you think they want?” Takeshi asked his sister, “The Gemspheres?”

“I’m not sure,” Akane replied, “but I doubt it’s anything friendly. It seems that they are in a rush. Perhaps they’re impatient, perhaps there are other motives. Still, I don’t really want to think about it right now.”

They waited in silence for what seemed like an eternity while the world paid no attention to what might possibly occur. All over the planet, the media was everywhere. It mostly talked about nonsense – what the latest scoop was with Hollywood, who broke up with who, who was seen with who, what the latest fad is, and much more. Little did the planet of earth know that a lethal threat approached. And little did they know that their fate rested in the hands of two people.

The time was 3:00, a time that seemed to last an infinite period to the Gem Guardians. Akane broke the pristine silence with three words.

“Here they come.”

Two spaceships appeared on the horizon. They seemed to be in the shape of a tetrahedron, and its silver color shone from the sun’s rays. Touchdown with Earth eventually occurred, as it could now be estimated that each were about 10 feet tall. A door slid open, and the two aliens stepped out and showed their true forms. This, however, shocked the Guardians.

“Oh, God,” Akane muttered, “They don’t even look like aliens!”

“You’re right! You could easily mistake them for human beings!”

A six-foot tall figure stepped forward. He, like his partner, was truly developed like a human, as there were only minor differences between the two and the Guardians. This one, however, was rather muscular and had long, spiky, black hair. His fire-red eyes showed no sign of friendliness; they seemed to hold a sense of confidence and malice deep within them.

“Heh,” he spoke, “What a dump. So this is what Earth has become? I expected something more suitable.”

Takeshi took a stand, “Who are you, and why have you come to Earth?”

“You’re right,” the blood-eyed lifeform retorted, “How foolish of me. I come and land on your beloved planet with you here waiting for me to greet me, and I don’t even introduce myself. Therefore, my name is Kazuya. I am a prince from the planet Zuron. I am here with my brother, Hayashi.”

Kazuya motioned to his brother, a sandy-brown haired figure. He was slightly taller than Kazuya, but not by much, and he was noticeably skinnier. His forest-green eyes were calmer than those of his brother’s, but there was one thing that was significantly different about Hayashi. Over his left eye, he wore a blue-tinted eyepiece. Neither Takeshi nor Akane knew what the purpose of it was, but they didn’t want to make any guesses either.

“You didn’t answer my second question,” Takeshi remained firm, “Why are you-?”

“Come now,” Kazuya interrupted, “Why don’t you tell us who you are?”

“I’m Takeshi, and this is my sister, Akane. Now that introductions are complete, answer the damn question already, Kazuya!”

“Right, right. Thanks,” Kazuya replied as red ki began to form in the palms of both hands.

“Now that you’ve told me who you are,” Kazuya chuckled, “I’ll know the names of the first two humans I kill on this pathetic planet!”

Kazuya extended his arms out and then brought them together, sending a beam of red ki towards Takeshi, who merely smirked.

“Goodbye, Takeshi!”

“I don’t THINK so, Kazuya!”

Takeshi’s left palm extended towards the Zuron, as gold ki erupted out from Takeshi. The two attacks converged between the two, creating an explosion. It was a draw.

“Kazuya!” Hayashi exclaimed, “This is no ordinary human! His ki levels are abnormally high, don’t underestimate him!”

“Feh,” Kazuya muttered as he ascended into the sky, “So maybe you have a couple flashy tricks, but you’re still just a human. There’s no way you can match me in wielding ki the way a Zuron can!”

Takeshi followed suit through ascension, “Maybe I’m not like you, but you’ve shown me nothing. I think I can take you, Kazuya. But you’re here for the Gemspheres, aren’t you? Everyone looks for them these days, yet nobody has gathered them ever since their creation. There’s a reason for this. Akane and I, the Gem Guardians, have protected them, and no one will ever get their hands on all four, especially not you!”

“Shut it! You’re just a human! A damn human!”

With this exclamation, a burst of red ki exploded from Kazuya as he clenched his fists. After five seconds, however, this burst faded and shocked the two Zurons.

Hayashi reasoned with his brother, “Kazuya, since we traveled here from Zuron, we’re both exhausted. You’re only at about 25% power!”

“Shit...” Akane told herself, “only 25%? That burst of power...it was immense!”

“Well, Gem Guardians,” Kazuya sneered, “We’re leaving. I’ll deal with you sometime soon, when I heal. But you better keep your eyes on those Gemspheres, for when I gather them, I will wish to destroy every human being on this planet! That way, this planet will be ours!”

With that, the two Zurons flew off in the blink of an eye. Akane stared after them, and then looked at Takeshi, who just gazed in the distance.

“Aren’t you going to follow them, Takeshi?”

Takeshi didn’t respond. He was like a tree in the breeze; only his clothes billowed in the wind the way leaves would.

“Hello?”

“I heard you.”

“And?”

“I’m not. There’s something inside me telling me not to. And I believe it. Just like it wouldn’t be fair to kill a sleeping beast, it wouldn’t be fair to eliminate those two when they’re exhausted.”

“That something in you is insane.”

“It’s fighter ethics. Maybe it is, but that’s the way things are. However, I do know that soon, not one, but two of those beasts will awaken...we’re not ready, Akane.”

“God, I know. Kazuya was pouring out massive amounts of ki, and it was nothing, according to Hayashi. Unless we train, we’re screwed.”

“Agreed. We need to head to the training chamber back at our base. We cannot waste time!”

The Guardians raced back to their home once again, now knowing the enemy they were up against. They had to prepare to fight with everything they had.

However, back at the base, another signal of yet another incoming spaceship had sounded. This ship, however, landed thirty minutes after Kazuya’s and Hayashi’s. But this time, it was only 100 miles from the Guardians’ base. The frightening fact was that it was yet another Zuron ship that had landed.

NEXT: NOT FULLY HUMAN