by Jamie L. Word
"The Semi-Finals Begin"
Koji and Varkon were out on the battlefield awaiting the start of their match. Koji merely stood there in supreme confidence, his piercing gaze penetrating the Arlian's beady eyes. Varkon seemed quite nervous about the prospect of fighting the Saiyan.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer shouted into his microphone again. "Welcome to the semi-final round of our first ever tournament! Let's begin with our first semi-final round match-up! First, we have the carnivorous Arlian named Varkon!"
The crowd cheered politely as the concerned Arlian looked around with nervous anticipation of the upcoming fight.
"His opponent is the undefeated royal elite Saiyan warrior Koji!" the announcer proclaimed, prompting the crowd to roar in excitement. "This fight is now officially underway! Let's see some action!"
Varkon swallowed hard as he turned his attention back to Koji, and Koji simply stood and glared menacingly at him. Beads of sweat formed on Varkon's head as he trembled under Koji's penetrating gaze. Koji was relaxed, and he waited on the Arlian to make his move.
"Well?" Koji inquired of his intimidated opponent, seemingly aggitated about something. "What are you waiting for, you big cockroach? Don't tell me you're afraid? And here I thought you were supposed to be a great warrior. What a rip! You're nothing but a pathetic joke!"
"Uhhh! Could we just talk things over just a little bit?" Varkon nervously inquired of Koji. "I mean, we don't have to fight to the death, you know! We could just go easy on each other!"
"You're a disgrace," Koji growled in disgust before he spit to the side. "You're not worthy to stand in the same arena with me. This isn't even worth my time. I guess I'll be merciful."
"Ahhh! That's good!" the timid Arlian sighed with a hint of relief in both his demeanor and his voice. "Thanks a lot!"
Without a word, Koji moved so fast he seemed to disappear from the place he was standing and then seemed to reappear right in front of Varkon! Before Varkon could respond, Koji placed a hand in his chest and released an incredible power blast into Varkon's chest, blowing the Arlian into oblivion! As the smoke cleared to reveal that Varkon was completely destroyed, Koji smiled at his handiwork!
"Oh, I'm sorry," Koji chuckled as he revelled in the moment. "I meant I'd make this mercifully quick, coward."
"Wow! How do you like that?!?" the announcer shouted in amazement as Koji turned and walked off of the battlefield. "It looks like Koji's the winner! He's still undefeated, and we'll be able to move on to our next match because there was no damage to the arena from this battle!"
The crowd cheered Koji as he made his way from the battlefield without hesitation. Koji didn't acknowledge the cheering audience at this time.
Minutes later, Tao and Xarlok took to the battlefield, but Xarlok was no longer wearing his hooded cloak. Underneath the hooded cloak, Xarlok was wearing a suit of Saiyan battle armor consisting of a chest protector, shoulderpads, and waist padding flaps. Xarlok wasn't wearing a scouter.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer shouted once more as he announced the last semi-final match. "He is a mighty warrior who has proven himself with a strong showing in a number of matches! Let's give it up for the green-skinned gladiator Tao!"
The crowd cheered greatly for the green-skinned warrior, and he stood locked in an intense staredown with Xarlok.
"His opponent is a powerful warrior as well, a Changeling no less!" the announcer said once again. "He has been incredibly impressive in competition in our arena! Let's hear it for Xarlok!"
The crowd roared its approval for the diminutive Changeling, but Xarlok was still locked in that staredown with Tao.
"Let the fight begin!" the announcer shouted in enthusiasm, announcing the commencement of the fight.
"You're a powerful fighter!" Tao declared as he continued his staredown with Xarlok. "I can feel your energy, and it's impressive!"
"You must be eccentric," Xarlok replied without concern. "I don't believe you can sense power levels without a scouter. Anyway, you probably took note of my fight against the Kanassian. It doesn't matter though. You won't survive this fight!"
Tao assumed a fighting stance, and Xarlok responded by widening his stance, but he had yet to position his upper body for the fight. Xarlok seemed to be a bit relaxed at this point, but Tao seemed to be serious about this fight. This initial stand-off lasted for several seconds.
Suddenly, Tao flew at Xarlok, and the two warriors erupted in a furious exchange of fighting techniques, an extended rapid-fire flurry of hand-to-hand combat maneuvers! The exchange seemed to be evenly matched in this initial exchange! Neither fighter seemed to be able to land an attack against the other at this point! After several moments, the two fighters disengaged and separated some distance from each other!
"You're good," Xarlok complimented Tao as he regarded his skilled foe with a heightened sense of respect. "I must commend you on your skill!"
"Thank you," Tao replied, a slight smile escaping his lips as he remained poised for battle. "You're not too bad yourself! I'm going to enjoy this! I just hope my fight with Koji in the finals is as exciting and challenging!"
"If I were you, I wouldn't worry about that wretched monkey Koji," Xarlok said with a sinister smile. "You won't make it through this fight!"
"We'll see about that, Changeling!" Tao cried out as he flew towards Xarlok to renew their battle.
The two fighter clashed fiercely once again, and Tao seemed to be driving Xarlok backwards even though neither fighter had hit the other yet! Xarlok and Tao seemed to be fighting at a more intense level than in their first exchange! Tao finally began landing punches and kicks every once in a while, not quite overwhelmingly but periodically!
"While studying his fighting techniques, I have noticed that his power and skills are less than mine!" Tao thought to himself as he pressed his advantage over Xarlok. "It looks like I'm going to win this fight!"
Suddenly, Xarlok quickly backed away, prompting Tao to stop his assault and allow the break in the action! Xarlok looked a little bruised from the battle thus far, and his visage displayed his frustration and anger! Tao merely smiled at his handiwork!
"Looks like you're outmatched, Changeling!" Tao declared with proud confidence in his advantage.
"I wouldn't bet on it if I were you," Xarlok replied with a controlled smile to mask his frustration and anger. "You see, we Changelings are noted for our ability to transform into higher forms with higher power levels. This is just my first form. Behold and marvel at this wondrous transformation!"
With that said, Xarlok widened his stance and began grimacing and yelling as his transformation began! He immediately began glowing, and then small rocks began to rise from the ground as the ground began to tremble slightly while the sky darkened slightly! Within moments, the ground began shaking more violently, and strong winds blew out from Xarlok in all directions, pushing against everything around him!
At first, Xarlok's armor exploded off of him, and then his arms and legs began transforming before the rest of his body, first stretching longer and then thickening into more massively muscled limbs! Xarlok's tail and torso followed suit, and finally his head began its transformation! His horns stretched out, curved at the end, and formed into bull-style horns pointing straight up! In a matter of moments, the transformation was complete, and the side effects of the transformation gradually subsided as everyone observed the gigantic new form of the vile and sinister Changeling! Only Koji was not horrified to see Xarlok's transformation into his second form! Xarlok smiled evilly as Tao looked on incredulously at the sight before him!
"Not so confident now, are we?" Xarlok taunted as he looked at the now-smaller green-skinned fighter in his arrogance. "What's the matter? Don't you want to play anymore?"
"Don't worry, Xarlok!" Tao replied in resolved confidence as he resumed his fighting stance. "I can sense that your power level has increased greatly, but I'm still stronger that you!"
"I think you should know that my power level in this form is over a million!" Xarlok boasted with a broad smile!"
"Don't think you'll intimidate me with your bravado, Xarlok!" Tao retorted, still full of confidence and resolve. "I'm still quite a bit more powerful than you are!"
"Don't think I'm not enjoying the conversation, my friend," Xarlok replied in his arrogance, "but I think it's time to continue our fight!"
With that said, Xarlok flew at Tao, and the two gladiators erupted into another extended flurry of hand-to-hand combat techniques! Tao was taken by surprise by the enhanced skill and ferocity of Xarlok's attacks, and, thus, he found himself being driven backwards! Xarlok continued to press his advantage, now hammering Tao periodically like Tao had hammered him earlier! Tao finally managed to duck under a kick attempt and put some distance between himself and Xarlok! Xarlok smiled as he looked at Tao, who was now bruised a bit and staring at him incredulously!
"What's the matter?" the gloating Changeling taunted his opponent with utter cockiness. "Green with envy?"
"Don't get too cocky, friend!" Tao responded with a slight smile on his face. "I have a surprise for you!"
Tao unfastened his belt and removed it, confusing everyone. He then removed his bulky overtunic, and he also took off his turban. He wadded them all into a ball and tossed them aside. The weighted garments slammed to the ground with a tremendous thud, prompting Xarlok to smile.
"So, you were fighting with weighted clothing on," Xarlok noted, quite impressed with his foe. "Very good. This should be interesting."
"Let's go, Xarlok!" Tao exclaimed with near impatience as he assumed a fighting stance before the Changeling.
After a short chuckle, Xarlok assumed a fighting stance, and then both fighters closed the distance and began fighting like before! This time, Tao was holding his own against Xarlok, even though the fighting was even more intense than before! Without his weighted clothing to weigh him down, Tao was free to use his full strength and speed unhindered!
After several moments of this intense battle, Tao finally landed a solid punch to the face, turning the Changeling's head and splitting his lip! Tao then hit Xarlok with a powerful kick to the torso, knocking Xarlok across the arena and into the far wall and making a crater in it! As Xarlok pulled himself from the damaged arena wall, Tao charged up a powerful energy blast and launched it at Xarlok! Xarlok swatted the blast away from him, and it exploded harmlessly in the sky! As Xarlok turned his attention back towards Tao, Tao drove a diving side kick into Xarlok's midsection, knocking him back across the battlefield in the other direction! Xarlok skidded across the ground for quite a distance before he used the momentum of his slide to perform a backwards tumblesault and land back on his feet, stopping his movement! Tao assumed his fighting stance once more as Xarlok looked angry and frustrated once more!
"Very good!" Xarlok snarled at Tao as he looked ready to fight once again. "Now, I have another surprise for you!"
As Xarlok uttered what seemed to be a power-up yell, he began to glow once again! The stones began to rise from the now strongly shaking ground as the sky darkened slightly again, and the strong winds blew out of him once more! His natural shoulder protection opened up like a flap as his head lengthened and stretched back! His horns turned white and curved back towards the back of his head! His nose disappeared, and his face took on a more reptilian appearance like that of a turtle! Again, only Koji was not surprised by this second transformation, having seen it once before, and the special effects of his transformation gradually subsided as his transformation concluded several moments later!
"Now, you die!" Xarlok yelled in arrogant resolve to permanently finish off Tao in this fight, causing Tao to shudder as he sensed Xarlok's power.
"I-impossible!" Tao thought to himself in utter disbelief. "His power is much bigger than mine now! I've got to do my best to win, but I'm not certain if I can defeat him in his new transformed state!"
Xarlok laughed sinisterly as he prepared to clash with Tao once again. Tao regarded Xarlok with disbelief and grave concern. Even Koji was incredulous for a few moments by what he sensed, and then he seemed aggravated by it.
"Where did Xarlok get this much power?" Koji thought to himself as he watched from the fighters' rest area with Kien. "He's even stronger than I am now! Tao is just as strong as I am, but Xarlok is stronger still! There's got to be a way to beat him though! I've got to find a way!"