Now, I told you I was posting two chapters at once! Although this one and the last one were boring to write, I actually think these turned out ok, despite being a little rushed. Well, at any rate, after this chapter things get interesting. It's going to be different, that's for sure. I just hope they turn out alright...well, anyway, I shall bother you no longer (with the exception of my stupid disclaimer).
Disclaimer: Right...if I owned DBZ, do you think I would be writing this? HELL NO! I would be making this into its own series, for crying out loud! Sheesh...
--------Judgment of the Heavens--------
Saloman smiled at the shock of the young man in front of him.
"Yes, Son Gohan, it is I. And, no, I am not here to punish you. I'm actually rather relieved you made it here. The series of events that have taken place this night have pleased me greatly." Gohan looked at Saloman with an analyzing look on his face, trying to figure out his reason for being there.
"Were you the one who gave me the key to this room?" Gohan asked, surprised once again as Saloman nodded.
"Yes, I am," Saloman said curtly.
"But…why?" Gohan asked, confused, "Why did you do this to me after the way you've treated me? Why didn't you reveal yourself to me?" Saloman shook his head sadly.
"Because I could not. I couldn't reveal myself to you without risking that someone else might find out. I am the Queen's right hand. If she knew I was conspiring so seriously behind her back, she'd order my death without a second thought to my power and position. She doesn't stand for insubordination very easily. Extreme secrecy was crucial until it was time to reveal myself to you. Now, it is time to talk about the reason why I asked you here. There's something I have to tell you and it's something you may not like, but it's your destiny," Saloman said. King Vegeta watched as a steeled look of determination flashed onto Gohan's face, settling there.
What is going on? King Vegeta wondered, deciding to stay silent and let the two in front of him converse without interruption.
"What is it?" Gohan asked ready to hear whatever Saloman had to say, but not entirely trusting him.
"Gohan, you are the only one who can save this planet from Queen Milena's evil rule," Saloman said, "You are destined to go through something called the Judgment of the Heavens. It will be your chance to gain, according to what I've read, 'the power of the immortals'. With it, you will be able to defeat Queen Milena and anything that she might throw at you," Saloman said.
"How do you know it's me who's supposed to do it?" Gohan asked. Saloman smiled cryptically and explained the readings that he had done, especially the prophecy that he had read in "Dakaran's Journal". (AN: yes that was Saloman in the prologue! All of the parts where there was a nameless person doing stuff was Saloman). After explaining briefly, Gohan began to understand what was going on.
"Who are the aides of strength and wisdom?" Gohan asked, needing some more explanations.
"The aide of wisdom would be myself and the aide of strength would be King Vegeta standing behind you. We were all destined to meet under these circumstances, Gohan. King Vegeta and I are supposed to help you prepare for the Judgment of the Heavens. Unfortunately, I do not know what you will face under the Judgment. I think that is for you to find out when you take it," Saloman said, watching as King Vegeta's face took on a contemplative look, thinking about his part in saving the universe. Gohan also wore a contemplative look on his face.
"Why are you helping me?" Gohan asked suddenly, "Don't you have enough power to do something yourself?" Saloman shook his head sadly.
"I am helping you because I know what Queen Milena intends to do with her powers is wrong. I have seen and lived through peace for the last 5000 years and I am not about to let that end. I know as well as anyone on this planet that if Queen Milena is allowed to continue with her sacrifice, that it will be the doom of the universe," Saloman said, "But, although I may be against Queen Milena and her intentions for the powers she expects to receive, I can't do anything about it directly, nor can the High Priests.
"When becoming High Priests, we all took oaths in the form of a spell that prevents us from directly acting against Queen Milena. That is why I have to help you as I am. This way, I am not doing anything directly against her, but I am still doing something. And, my influence with the Queen will prevent us from getting caught." Saloman sighed and sat down at the table in the middle of the room, resting his head in his hands. Gohan could suddenly see how weary Saloman was. He couldn't imagine what it must be like for the Head High Priest, having to pretend to support a cause he seemed to be so strongly against. Saloman picked up his head and looked at Gohan once again.
"Please," Saloman said, a begging tone in his voice, "You have to help us. You are the only one who has a chance of beating Queen Milena. If you don't agree to go through the Judgment of the Heavens, the universe is doomed." Gohan thought about it, thinking about the plausibility of Saloman's story. After a couple of moments, Gohan decided that he believed Saloman, though he still distrusted the man.
"Alright," Gohan said, "I'll help you. But, on one condition."
"What is it?" Saloman asked, feeling the slightest glimmer of hope after months of despair.
"That you take off the Ring of Hanoi," Gohan said. Saloman sighed with what sounded like resignation.
"I would like to, Gohan, but I can only do it in this room. If I take it off outside of this room, one of your friends from Earth would sense you and they would come after you. The risks of having them come here are too great to allow you to walk around without the collar on. If you were discovered without the collar on, Queen Milena would immediately be alerted of such and would find out that I was against her, seeing as how I am the only one who can remove it. I would be killed for my treason and you would never be able to stop her. Do you understand?" Saloman asked. Gohan nodded, knowing the reasons why Saloman couldn't remove the collar to be true and sound.
"Yeah, I understand," Gohan said.
"But," Saloman continued, "I can take it off in this room, if you'd like. No one besides me ever comes in here and no one would be able to sense you. There are strong magical barriers surrounding this room, protecting the books inside, and your power won't be detectable beyond through the barrier."
"Yes," Gohan said, "I would like the Ring to come off." Saloman stood gracefully and walked over to Gohan, his hands going around Gohan's neck, unclasping the Ring of Hanoi and pulling it away from Gohan. Gohan's power came back to him with a rush and he felt like his old self again. King Vegeta's eyes widened as he sensed the power coming from Gohan. It was incredible!
What power this boy possesses! He is stronger than I imagined, King Vegeta thought with awe.
"How do you feel, Gohan?" Saloman asked.
"Like new," Gohan sighed.
"Of course you do," King Vegeta spoke up for the first time in several minutes, "Any Saiya-jin hates being cut off from their power. To feel weak is the worst sensation that a Saiya-jin can ever experience."
"Truer words were never spoken," Gohan said, a small smile on his face as he spoke the words, "This feels incredible." Saloman smiled.
"Well, if you're ready, we can begin preparing you for the trials that await you. There are many holes in your knowledge that need to be filled as quickly as possible. We haven't long until the day of the sacrifice. We're going to need every minute we can get. It's going to be a busy time for you, Gohan." Gohan nodded with understanding.
"Don't worry. I've been through situations like this before," Gohan said, thinking about the preparation that he went through for the fight against Cell. Saloman's face broke into a satisfied smirk.
"Good, let the lessons begin," he said. Gohan swallowed, determined to stay strong. This was his chance, the one he had been waiting for. He wasn't going to blow it.
***
For the next week, Gohan worked extensively with Saloman and King Vegeta, massive amounts of knowledge and technique being crammed into his brain. With Saloman, Gohan studied about the magic that Queen Milena possessed and how to block her magic, as most Saiya-jins already knew how to do. He and Saloman also tried to speculate about what would be included in the Judgment of the Heavens, not getting very far with their talks.
With King Vegeta, Gohan learned what he thought to be more valuable. King Vegeta filled him in on every detail of ancient Saiya-jin society, including the language, Saiya-go, and the long-lost secrets of the Super Saiya-jin transformation, along with powerful fighting techniques that he and King Vegeta could only talk about because of the lack of a sufficient fighting space.
They all felt the pressure of time, thinking that they weren't going to make it, but hoping they would be able to be sufficiently prepared when the time came. But, one figure elsewhere in the universe knew that, at their present pace, Gohan wouldn't be prepared for his fight to come.
"He'll never be ready in time," the figure said, his calm voice reaching the ears of his companion.
"No, he won't. Unfortunately, it looks like the odds are against him," the companion said. The first figure smiled his usual cryptic smile.
"I think I will give them a helping hand," he said. His companion looked at him with surprise and protestation.
"But, Kaio-shin, you can't! It's against the laws of the universe for you to get involved with Cresilian affairs." Kaio-shin looked over at his companion, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Oh, Kibito, I'm not getting directly involved. That's what the laws of the universe say. This isn't getting directly involved. It's simply helping out a young man in his pursuit of knowledge," Kaio-shin said. Kibito grumbled.
"Call it what ever you want, Kaio-shin, I still think you're meddling in things you shouldn't be." Kaio-shin smiled, knowing that his companion had given way to his superior's wishes.
"And I think you need to loosen up a bit, Kibito. You're too stressed most of the time. Do not worry; everything will work out for the best. You'll see." Kaio-shin chuckled at Kibito's next, almost inaudible, words.
"I sure hope so," Kibito grumbled.
"I know so," Kaio-shin said, "Now, let's bring our guests here."
***
Currently, Gohan was working with Saloman at blocking magic while King Vegeta was watching, trying to learn something for himself, something that might be useful. With the upcoming battle that approached closer and closer as the days went by, everyone was going to need to be as ready as possible. At the moment, Gohan was learning how to block a paralysis spell and was currently fighting against it.
"Good!" Saloman shouted, keeping the spell attacking him, "Yes, concentrate your energy outward. Repel the spell." With a large burst of power, Gohan threw the spell away, causing Saloman to cease his actions.
"Very good," Saloman said, "You've come along nicely in the last week." Gohan shrugged.
"Yeah, but not well enough. We don't have much time before Milena starts the sacrifice," Gohan said with a dejected tone of voice.
"Well, I-" Saloman started, but got cut off as a bright, yet gentle light surrounded them. King Vegeta was quite perturbed over what was happening.
"What the hell?" King Vegeta exclaimed as the light grew in intensity. There was a sudden, blinding pulse and then the light faded. The trio gasped as they noticed their surroundings had changed. Gone was the small room with its scant light and numerous books. They were now outside, looking up at a pinkish-orange sky. The landscape was sparsely populated, a few trees dotting the horizon underneath fluffy white clouds. Grass extended for as far as the eye could see; there seemed to be no civilization on this planet. Where were they?
"I'm so relieved to see you've made it here. You're probably wondering where you are right now," a voice from behind said. The three turned around and saw a short purple man with a white Mohawk walking slightly in front of a hulking creature with light pink skin. Both were dressed similarly in what looked like a traditional manner of dress. Gohan stepped forward, assuming the role of the protector for the two behind him in the case that the two unknown creatures might be harmful.
"Who are you?" Gohan demanded to know, getting tired of having his life manipulated for him without his consent. The shorter purple man smiled cryptically. (AN: didn't you notice that Kaio-shin always does that?)
"The man standing next to me is my assistant, Kibito. And I am Kaio-shin, the supreme ruler of the universe." Gohan's eyes widened in surprise and reverence.
"Kaio-shin?" he whispered, hearing the gasps of the other two behind him.
"Yes," Kaio-shin said, his voice strangely calming, "You are in the Otherworld. I brought you here so you could undergo the Judgment of the Heavens." Saloman took that opportunity to speak.
"But, he's not ready yet!" Saloman said, "We need more time to prepare him!" Kaio-shin nodded his head.
"And so you shall have more time to make him ready," Kaio-shin said, inwardly enjoying the confused looks he was getting from his guests.
"But there is no time," Saloman continued, shaking off his confusion, "Queen Milena's sacrifice is to happen in about 4 or 5 days. We'll never make it in time." Kaio-shin shook his head.
"That's where you're wrong. Follow me and I'll show you what I mean." Kaio-shin and Kibito turned around and began walking away, expecting the others to follow. Saloman and Gohan looked at each other with slight uncertainty. Only King Vegeta was certain about his feelings.
"Well, let's follow him and see if he's telling the truth," King Vegeta said, walking off in the direction of Kaio-shin and Kibito, forcing Saloman and Gohan to follow behind. The walk lasted only about 5 minutes until they reached a small temple. There appeared to be only one door leading in and out of the small temple and it was almost completely unadorned, almost as if the architect had no imagination or no time to be imaginative.
"This is where you'll train Gohan," Kaio-shin said, waving his hand in the direction of the building, "I created this right before your arrival. With my powers, I have created a time warp inside of the building. It's much like the Room of Spirit and Time from your planet, Gohan. Except that time passes much quicker inside this edifice than it does in the Room of Spirit and Time. A year in there is equivalent to about a minute out here and you will not age during the time you spend in there.
"I know that seems a little extreme, but you have little time to prepare. The Judgment of the Heavens will take you about 3 days to complete, leaving you little time to stop your enemy. You may enter the temple whenever you like." Gohan, Saloman, and King Vegeta looked at each other with hopeful, satisfied expressions, knowing now that they had the time they needed in order to prepare properly. Gohan looked over at Kaio-shin.
"Thank you for your help," Gohan said respectfully.
"It is the least I can do for what you've done for this universe, Son Gohan. You are the best hope this universe has of surviving. I'm not about to let it get destroyed. I will help you in anyway that I can," Kaio-shin said before waving off the subject, "Now, hurry and get into the room. Kibito and I will be waiting right here for you three to come out."
"Ok," Gohan said, "Let's go." Saloman and King Vegeta nodded their agreement and the three of them walked over to the door, opening it and entering the temple, the door shutting behind them.
"Good luck," Kaio-shin whispered, hoping that Gohan would be sufficiently prepared by the time he came out.
***
Saloman, Gohan, and King Vegeta looked around in slight awe at their surroundings. Though the place they were in appeared to be a temple on the outside, inside was more like a large, one story manor. The three of them explored the place that would be their living environment for who knew how long and were pleased with what they found. Very simple, yet elegant, in its design, it allowed for each of them to have their own bedroom. The house was complete with a very large kitchen (in order to feed to Saiya-jins, it would have to be), a small living room type area, and a large gym for where Gohan was to prepare for the test of his life.
"Well," Saloman said, "Since there's nothing for us to settle in, shall we get to work? I would like to minimize the amount of time spent in here." The other two nodded and got to work at once. Since there hadn't been much opportunity for Gohan to work with King Vegeta because of lack of a sufficient training area, Gohan and King Vegeta decided to practice some of the fighting techniques that Gohan had been told about.
During his time with King Vegeta and Saloman, Gohan learned more about the Super Saiya-jin transformation than he ever thought possible. He learned many things from King Vegeta, such as being able to automatically go from his normal state to the third Super Saiya-jin transformation. Gohan found his time there invaluable, including the time he spent with Saloman learning about magic, especially on how to block it, starting with the easy spells and working up to the most difficult ones. Gohan, once again, proved to be a quick learner and it only took the three of them 5 months in the temple to sufficiently prepare Gohan for what awaited him. After five months, Gohan decided that it was time for them to leave.
"Are you sure?" King Vegeta asked. Gohan nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure. You both have told me yourselves that you have nothing left to teach me. There is nothing left for us to do in here. We cannot put off the inevitable." Saloman and King Vegeta look at each other and nodded, knowing Gohan to be right.
"So, are we ready to go?" Gohan asked.
"Yes," Saloman answered, "I think we are."
"Good," Gohan declared, "Let's get out of here." With Gohan's final words, the trio walked over to the entrance of the temple. Gohan reached the door first and, with a resolved motion, opened the door and strode out into the Otherworld beyond, King Vegeta and Saloman following behind him. Once out of the door, they were greeted by Kaio-shin and Kibito, the former who was smirking at them, mirth held in his eyes.
"That was fast," Kaio-shin joked.
"Maybe to you," Gohan said, chuckling slightly at Kaio-shin's words, "That was probably all of 30 seconds to you. It was about 5 months to us." Gohan's companions looked at him with shock. Was their young protégé actually joking around with the supreme ruler of the universe? Apparently so. When it appeared that Kaio-shin wasn't repulsed by Gohan's lack of respect for the god, Saloman and King Vegeta relaxed, relief visible in their features. Kaio-shin then immediately sobered up, looking at Gohan with serious eyes.
"Are you ready to face the Judgment of the Heavens, Son Gohan? Keep in mind that once you answer, you will not be asked this question again," Kaio-shin said, watching as a thoughtful look overtook Gohan's features.
Am I ready? Gohan pondered, thinking about all of the time he spent preparing for this moment. Yes, Gohan thought, his guts steeled (AN: stole that little description from "Trigun"), I am ready to face anything that the Kaio-shin gives me. Gohan looked at the guardian of the universe.
"Yes, I am ready. It's now or never," Gohan said, a slight quiver in his voice that was almost imperceptible to those around him, betraying the fact that a small part of him feared what he was about to face. Kaio-shin nodded curtly.
"Very well. I will now describe the Judgment of the Heavens to you. There will be three tests that you shall have to pass: the test of determination, the test of will power, and the test of strength. You will take them in that order. I cannot tell you what is contained within the tests. That is for fate to decide," Kaio-shin explained.
"Um," Gohan said, nervous at his interruption, "But aren't determination and will power the same thing?" Kaio-shin smiled at Gohan's observation.
"Almost," Kaio-shin answered, "But not quite. You will see the differences for yourself when you take the test." The Kaio-shin paused in his words, an apprehensive look on his face.
"No one has ever taken this test and passed before," Kaio-shin said softly, "I certainly hope you will be the one to pass it, Gohan." Gohan smiled slightly.
"I hope so too," Gohan agreed. Kaio-shin sighed.
"Well, I suppose it is time for you to start the test. The test of determination is the first," Kaio-shin said, waving his hand in the air, a portal appearing about 5 feet in front of Gohan and the others. Gohan looked at what the portal showed him in confusion. The scene in the portal was that of an unknown civilization. Buildings were cramped together, cobbled streets between them. People wandered down the streets, all of them going about their own business. The sky was gray with clouds and it looked like it was bordering on raining. The scene changed again, to a country estate, a magnificent looking building surrounded by meadows and greenery.
"Ah, how interesting," Kaio-shin said, smirking. Gohan looked over at Kaio-shin.
"You know what this is?" Gohan asked.
"Yes," Kaio-shin said, "I do. It's Earth, but not Earth as you know it. This is a place called England at around the 18th century, about 3,000 years before the Rebirth of Earth. You see, a sudden plague of natural disasters struck Earth about 7,000 years ago, wiping out almost all life on Earth. Very few beings were left alive and those that survived didn't have a chance of surviving much longer.
"The Kami of Earth at the time was greatly pained at what had happened to her planet and gave her life to restore life on Earth. The humans that survived recorded all of the history and culture of the Earth." Kaio-shin smiled up at Gohan before continuing. "Why do you think you have languages like Japanese and English when the languages' native countries don't exist anymore?" Gohan looked shocked. He had no idea that's what happened to his world 10,000 years ago.
"Wow," Gohan breathed, shocked at Kaio-shin's words, "So is that a portal to that time?"
"Apparently," Kaio-shin said, "That's where you're test is supposed to take place. I don't know what your test consists of, but it looks like it will be interesting. In order to begin the test, all you have to do is step into the portal." Gohan nodded at Kaio-shin's words, gulping at the portal in front of him. He had no idea what was in store for him after he stepped through the portal. Gohan wasn't even sure he would remember who he was while taking the test.
I probably won't. I mean, the whole point of this test is to see if my character will naturally pass these tests by myself. If I knew I was in the middle of a test, my actions would be forced instead of natural. I wonder what will happen to me while taking the test? Gohan wondered, looking at the portal with a mix of awe, curiosity, and fear. He turned and looked over at Saloman and King Vegeta, who gave him reassuring looks.
"Good luck," Saloman said. King Vegeta merely smirked.
"You'll be fine, boy. You're a Saiya-jin. You'll get through whatever this test throws at you." Gohan chuckled nervously.
"Thanks, King Vegeta, but I have a feeling that what I will go through in this test will be something that my Saiya-jin side can't help me in." Sending one last look at Saloman and King Vegeta, Gohan readied himself and stepped into the portal, prepared to brave whatever trials awaited him.
------------------
Well, now what do you think? This is the part I've been waiting to get to. The last two chapters were sooooooo boring to write, that's why they took me so long. These next several chapters is the part I've been waiting to write! It's going to be so cool! Hopefully I'll have it up soon!
Disclaimer: Right...if I owned DBZ, do you think I would be writing this? HELL NO! I would be making this into its own series, for crying out loud! Sheesh...
--------Judgment of the Heavens--------
Saloman smiled at the shock of the young man in front of him.
"Yes, Son Gohan, it is I. And, no, I am not here to punish you. I'm actually rather relieved you made it here. The series of events that have taken place this night have pleased me greatly." Gohan looked at Saloman with an analyzing look on his face, trying to figure out his reason for being there.
"Were you the one who gave me the key to this room?" Gohan asked, surprised once again as Saloman nodded.
"Yes, I am," Saloman said curtly.
"But…why?" Gohan asked, confused, "Why did you do this to me after the way you've treated me? Why didn't you reveal yourself to me?" Saloman shook his head sadly.
"Because I could not. I couldn't reveal myself to you without risking that someone else might find out. I am the Queen's right hand. If she knew I was conspiring so seriously behind her back, she'd order my death without a second thought to my power and position. She doesn't stand for insubordination very easily. Extreme secrecy was crucial until it was time to reveal myself to you. Now, it is time to talk about the reason why I asked you here. There's something I have to tell you and it's something you may not like, but it's your destiny," Saloman said. King Vegeta watched as a steeled look of determination flashed onto Gohan's face, settling there.
What is going on? King Vegeta wondered, deciding to stay silent and let the two in front of him converse without interruption.
"What is it?" Gohan asked ready to hear whatever Saloman had to say, but not entirely trusting him.
"Gohan, you are the only one who can save this planet from Queen Milena's evil rule," Saloman said, "You are destined to go through something called the Judgment of the Heavens. It will be your chance to gain, according to what I've read, 'the power of the immortals'. With it, you will be able to defeat Queen Milena and anything that she might throw at you," Saloman said.
"How do you know it's me who's supposed to do it?" Gohan asked. Saloman smiled cryptically and explained the readings that he had done, especially the prophecy that he had read in "Dakaran's Journal". (AN: yes that was Saloman in the prologue! All of the parts where there was a nameless person doing stuff was Saloman). After explaining briefly, Gohan began to understand what was going on.
"Who are the aides of strength and wisdom?" Gohan asked, needing some more explanations.
"The aide of wisdom would be myself and the aide of strength would be King Vegeta standing behind you. We were all destined to meet under these circumstances, Gohan. King Vegeta and I are supposed to help you prepare for the Judgment of the Heavens. Unfortunately, I do not know what you will face under the Judgment. I think that is for you to find out when you take it," Saloman said, watching as King Vegeta's face took on a contemplative look, thinking about his part in saving the universe. Gohan also wore a contemplative look on his face.
"Why are you helping me?" Gohan asked suddenly, "Don't you have enough power to do something yourself?" Saloman shook his head sadly.
"I am helping you because I know what Queen Milena intends to do with her powers is wrong. I have seen and lived through peace for the last 5000 years and I am not about to let that end. I know as well as anyone on this planet that if Queen Milena is allowed to continue with her sacrifice, that it will be the doom of the universe," Saloman said, "But, although I may be against Queen Milena and her intentions for the powers she expects to receive, I can't do anything about it directly, nor can the High Priests.
"When becoming High Priests, we all took oaths in the form of a spell that prevents us from directly acting against Queen Milena. That is why I have to help you as I am. This way, I am not doing anything directly against her, but I am still doing something. And, my influence with the Queen will prevent us from getting caught." Saloman sighed and sat down at the table in the middle of the room, resting his head in his hands. Gohan could suddenly see how weary Saloman was. He couldn't imagine what it must be like for the Head High Priest, having to pretend to support a cause he seemed to be so strongly against. Saloman picked up his head and looked at Gohan once again.
"Please," Saloman said, a begging tone in his voice, "You have to help us. You are the only one who has a chance of beating Queen Milena. If you don't agree to go through the Judgment of the Heavens, the universe is doomed." Gohan thought about it, thinking about the plausibility of Saloman's story. After a couple of moments, Gohan decided that he believed Saloman, though he still distrusted the man.
"Alright," Gohan said, "I'll help you. But, on one condition."
"What is it?" Saloman asked, feeling the slightest glimmer of hope after months of despair.
"That you take off the Ring of Hanoi," Gohan said. Saloman sighed with what sounded like resignation.
"I would like to, Gohan, but I can only do it in this room. If I take it off outside of this room, one of your friends from Earth would sense you and they would come after you. The risks of having them come here are too great to allow you to walk around without the collar on. If you were discovered without the collar on, Queen Milena would immediately be alerted of such and would find out that I was against her, seeing as how I am the only one who can remove it. I would be killed for my treason and you would never be able to stop her. Do you understand?" Saloman asked. Gohan nodded, knowing the reasons why Saloman couldn't remove the collar to be true and sound.
"Yeah, I understand," Gohan said.
"But," Saloman continued, "I can take it off in this room, if you'd like. No one besides me ever comes in here and no one would be able to sense you. There are strong magical barriers surrounding this room, protecting the books inside, and your power won't be detectable beyond through the barrier."
"Yes," Gohan said, "I would like the Ring to come off." Saloman stood gracefully and walked over to Gohan, his hands going around Gohan's neck, unclasping the Ring of Hanoi and pulling it away from Gohan. Gohan's power came back to him with a rush and he felt like his old self again. King Vegeta's eyes widened as he sensed the power coming from Gohan. It was incredible!
What power this boy possesses! He is stronger than I imagined, King Vegeta thought with awe.
"How do you feel, Gohan?" Saloman asked.
"Like new," Gohan sighed.
"Of course you do," King Vegeta spoke up for the first time in several minutes, "Any Saiya-jin hates being cut off from their power. To feel weak is the worst sensation that a Saiya-jin can ever experience."
"Truer words were never spoken," Gohan said, a small smile on his face as he spoke the words, "This feels incredible." Saloman smiled.
"Well, if you're ready, we can begin preparing you for the trials that await you. There are many holes in your knowledge that need to be filled as quickly as possible. We haven't long until the day of the sacrifice. We're going to need every minute we can get. It's going to be a busy time for you, Gohan." Gohan nodded with understanding.
"Don't worry. I've been through situations like this before," Gohan said, thinking about the preparation that he went through for the fight against Cell. Saloman's face broke into a satisfied smirk.
"Good, let the lessons begin," he said. Gohan swallowed, determined to stay strong. This was his chance, the one he had been waiting for. He wasn't going to blow it.
***
For the next week, Gohan worked extensively with Saloman and King Vegeta, massive amounts of knowledge and technique being crammed into his brain. With Saloman, Gohan studied about the magic that Queen Milena possessed and how to block her magic, as most Saiya-jins already knew how to do. He and Saloman also tried to speculate about what would be included in the Judgment of the Heavens, not getting very far with their talks.
With King Vegeta, Gohan learned what he thought to be more valuable. King Vegeta filled him in on every detail of ancient Saiya-jin society, including the language, Saiya-go, and the long-lost secrets of the Super Saiya-jin transformation, along with powerful fighting techniques that he and King Vegeta could only talk about because of the lack of a sufficient fighting space.
They all felt the pressure of time, thinking that they weren't going to make it, but hoping they would be able to be sufficiently prepared when the time came. But, one figure elsewhere in the universe knew that, at their present pace, Gohan wouldn't be prepared for his fight to come.
"He'll never be ready in time," the figure said, his calm voice reaching the ears of his companion.
"No, he won't. Unfortunately, it looks like the odds are against him," the companion said. The first figure smiled his usual cryptic smile.
"I think I will give them a helping hand," he said. His companion looked at him with surprise and protestation.
"But, Kaio-shin, you can't! It's against the laws of the universe for you to get involved with Cresilian affairs." Kaio-shin looked over at his companion, rolling his eyes slightly.
"Oh, Kibito, I'm not getting directly involved. That's what the laws of the universe say. This isn't getting directly involved. It's simply helping out a young man in his pursuit of knowledge," Kaio-shin said. Kibito grumbled.
"Call it what ever you want, Kaio-shin, I still think you're meddling in things you shouldn't be." Kaio-shin smiled, knowing that his companion had given way to his superior's wishes.
"And I think you need to loosen up a bit, Kibito. You're too stressed most of the time. Do not worry; everything will work out for the best. You'll see." Kaio-shin chuckled at Kibito's next, almost inaudible, words.
"I sure hope so," Kibito grumbled.
"I know so," Kaio-shin said, "Now, let's bring our guests here."
***
Currently, Gohan was working with Saloman at blocking magic while King Vegeta was watching, trying to learn something for himself, something that might be useful. With the upcoming battle that approached closer and closer as the days went by, everyone was going to need to be as ready as possible. At the moment, Gohan was learning how to block a paralysis spell and was currently fighting against it.
"Good!" Saloman shouted, keeping the spell attacking him, "Yes, concentrate your energy outward. Repel the spell." With a large burst of power, Gohan threw the spell away, causing Saloman to cease his actions.
"Very good," Saloman said, "You've come along nicely in the last week." Gohan shrugged.
"Yeah, but not well enough. We don't have much time before Milena starts the sacrifice," Gohan said with a dejected tone of voice.
"Well, I-" Saloman started, but got cut off as a bright, yet gentle light surrounded them. King Vegeta was quite perturbed over what was happening.
"What the hell?" King Vegeta exclaimed as the light grew in intensity. There was a sudden, blinding pulse and then the light faded. The trio gasped as they noticed their surroundings had changed. Gone was the small room with its scant light and numerous books. They were now outside, looking up at a pinkish-orange sky. The landscape was sparsely populated, a few trees dotting the horizon underneath fluffy white clouds. Grass extended for as far as the eye could see; there seemed to be no civilization on this planet. Where were they?
"I'm so relieved to see you've made it here. You're probably wondering where you are right now," a voice from behind said. The three turned around and saw a short purple man with a white Mohawk walking slightly in front of a hulking creature with light pink skin. Both were dressed similarly in what looked like a traditional manner of dress. Gohan stepped forward, assuming the role of the protector for the two behind him in the case that the two unknown creatures might be harmful.
"Who are you?" Gohan demanded to know, getting tired of having his life manipulated for him without his consent. The shorter purple man smiled cryptically. (AN: didn't you notice that Kaio-shin always does that?)
"The man standing next to me is my assistant, Kibito. And I am Kaio-shin, the supreme ruler of the universe." Gohan's eyes widened in surprise and reverence.
"Kaio-shin?" he whispered, hearing the gasps of the other two behind him.
"Yes," Kaio-shin said, his voice strangely calming, "You are in the Otherworld. I brought you here so you could undergo the Judgment of the Heavens." Saloman took that opportunity to speak.
"But, he's not ready yet!" Saloman said, "We need more time to prepare him!" Kaio-shin nodded his head.
"And so you shall have more time to make him ready," Kaio-shin said, inwardly enjoying the confused looks he was getting from his guests.
"But there is no time," Saloman continued, shaking off his confusion, "Queen Milena's sacrifice is to happen in about 4 or 5 days. We'll never make it in time." Kaio-shin shook his head.
"That's where you're wrong. Follow me and I'll show you what I mean." Kaio-shin and Kibito turned around and began walking away, expecting the others to follow. Saloman and Gohan looked at each other with slight uncertainty. Only King Vegeta was certain about his feelings.
"Well, let's follow him and see if he's telling the truth," King Vegeta said, walking off in the direction of Kaio-shin and Kibito, forcing Saloman and Gohan to follow behind. The walk lasted only about 5 minutes until they reached a small temple. There appeared to be only one door leading in and out of the small temple and it was almost completely unadorned, almost as if the architect had no imagination or no time to be imaginative.
"This is where you'll train Gohan," Kaio-shin said, waving his hand in the direction of the building, "I created this right before your arrival. With my powers, I have created a time warp inside of the building. It's much like the Room of Spirit and Time from your planet, Gohan. Except that time passes much quicker inside this edifice than it does in the Room of Spirit and Time. A year in there is equivalent to about a minute out here and you will not age during the time you spend in there.
"I know that seems a little extreme, but you have little time to prepare. The Judgment of the Heavens will take you about 3 days to complete, leaving you little time to stop your enemy. You may enter the temple whenever you like." Gohan, Saloman, and King Vegeta looked at each other with hopeful, satisfied expressions, knowing now that they had the time they needed in order to prepare properly. Gohan looked over at Kaio-shin.
"Thank you for your help," Gohan said respectfully.
"It is the least I can do for what you've done for this universe, Son Gohan. You are the best hope this universe has of surviving. I'm not about to let it get destroyed. I will help you in anyway that I can," Kaio-shin said before waving off the subject, "Now, hurry and get into the room. Kibito and I will be waiting right here for you three to come out."
"Ok," Gohan said, "Let's go." Saloman and King Vegeta nodded their agreement and the three of them walked over to the door, opening it and entering the temple, the door shutting behind them.
"Good luck," Kaio-shin whispered, hoping that Gohan would be sufficiently prepared by the time he came out.
***
Saloman, Gohan, and King Vegeta looked around in slight awe at their surroundings. Though the place they were in appeared to be a temple on the outside, inside was more like a large, one story manor. The three of them explored the place that would be their living environment for who knew how long and were pleased with what they found. Very simple, yet elegant, in its design, it allowed for each of them to have their own bedroom. The house was complete with a very large kitchen (in order to feed to Saiya-jins, it would have to be), a small living room type area, and a large gym for where Gohan was to prepare for the test of his life.
"Well," Saloman said, "Since there's nothing for us to settle in, shall we get to work? I would like to minimize the amount of time spent in here." The other two nodded and got to work at once. Since there hadn't been much opportunity for Gohan to work with King Vegeta because of lack of a sufficient training area, Gohan and King Vegeta decided to practice some of the fighting techniques that Gohan had been told about.
During his time with King Vegeta and Saloman, Gohan learned more about the Super Saiya-jin transformation than he ever thought possible. He learned many things from King Vegeta, such as being able to automatically go from his normal state to the third Super Saiya-jin transformation. Gohan found his time there invaluable, including the time he spent with Saloman learning about magic, especially on how to block it, starting with the easy spells and working up to the most difficult ones. Gohan, once again, proved to be a quick learner and it only took the three of them 5 months in the temple to sufficiently prepare Gohan for what awaited him. After five months, Gohan decided that it was time for them to leave.
"Are you sure?" King Vegeta asked. Gohan nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure. You both have told me yourselves that you have nothing left to teach me. There is nothing left for us to do in here. We cannot put off the inevitable." Saloman and King Vegeta look at each other and nodded, knowing Gohan to be right.
"So, are we ready to go?" Gohan asked.
"Yes," Saloman answered, "I think we are."
"Good," Gohan declared, "Let's get out of here." With Gohan's final words, the trio walked over to the entrance of the temple. Gohan reached the door first and, with a resolved motion, opened the door and strode out into the Otherworld beyond, King Vegeta and Saloman following behind him. Once out of the door, they were greeted by Kaio-shin and Kibito, the former who was smirking at them, mirth held in his eyes.
"That was fast," Kaio-shin joked.
"Maybe to you," Gohan said, chuckling slightly at Kaio-shin's words, "That was probably all of 30 seconds to you. It was about 5 months to us." Gohan's companions looked at him with shock. Was their young protégé actually joking around with the supreme ruler of the universe? Apparently so. When it appeared that Kaio-shin wasn't repulsed by Gohan's lack of respect for the god, Saloman and King Vegeta relaxed, relief visible in their features. Kaio-shin then immediately sobered up, looking at Gohan with serious eyes.
"Are you ready to face the Judgment of the Heavens, Son Gohan? Keep in mind that once you answer, you will not be asked this question again," Kaio-shin said, watching as a thoughtful look overtook Gohan's features.
Am I ready? Gohan pondered, thinking about all of the time he spent preparing for this moment. Yes, Gohan thought, his guts steeled (AN: stole that little description from "Trigun"), I am ready to face anything that the Kaio-shin gives me. Gohan looked at the guardian of the universe.
"Yes, I am ready. It's now or never," Gohan said, a slight quiver in his voice that was almost imperceptible to those around him, betraying the fact that a small part of him feared what he was about to face. Kaio-shin nodded curtly.
"Very well. I will now describe the Judgment of the Heavens to you. There will be three tests that you shall have to pass: the test of determination, the test of will power, and the test of strength. You will take them in that order. I cannot tell you what is contained within the tests. That is for fate to decide," Kaio-shin explained.
"Um," Gohan said, nervous at his interruption, "But aren't determination and will power the same thing?" Kaio-shin smiled at Gohan's observation.
"Almost," Kaio-shin answered, "But not quite. You will see the differences for yourself when you take the test." The Kaio-shin paused in his words, an apprehensive look on his face.
"No one has ever taken this test and passed before," Kaio-shin said softly, "I certainly hope you will be the one to pass it, Gohan." Gohan smiled slightly.
"I hope so too," Gohan agreed. Kaio-shin sighed.
"Well, I suppose it is time for you to start the test. The test of determination is the first," Kaio-shin said, waving his hand in the air, a portal appearing about 5 feet in front of Gohan and the others. Gohan looked at what the portal showed him in confusion. The scene in the portal was that of an unknown civilization. Buildings were cramped together, cobbled streets between them. People wandered down the streets, all of them going about their own business. The sky was gray with clouds and it looked like it was bordering on raining. The scene changed again, to a country estate, a magnificent looking building surrounded by meadows and greenery.
"Ah, how interesting," Kaio-shin said, smirking. Gohan looked over at Kaio-shin.
"You know what this is?" Gohan asked.
"Yes," Kaio-shin said, "I do. It's Earth, but not Earth as you know it. This is a place called England at around the 18th century, about 3,000 years before the Rebirth of Earth. You see, a sudden plague of natural disasters struck Earth about 7,000 years ago, wiping out almost all life on Earth. Very few beings were left alive and those that survived didn't have a chance of surviving much longer.
"The Kami of Earth at the time was greatly pained at what had happened to her planet and gave her life to restore life on Earth. The humans that survived recorded all of the history and culture of the Earth." Kaio-shin smiled up at Gohan before continuing. "Why do you think you have languages like Japanese and English when the languages' native countries don't exist anymore?" Gohan looked shocked. He had no idea that's what happened to his world 10,000 years ago.
"Wow," Gohan breathed, shocked at Kaio-shin's words, "So is that a portal to that time?"
"Apparently," Kaio-shin said, "That's where you're test is supposed to take place. I don't know what your test consists of, but it looks like it will be interesting. In order to begin the test, all you have to do is step into the portal." Gohan nodded at Kaio-shin's words, gulping at the portal in front of him. He had no idea what was in store for him after he stepped through the portal. Gohan wasn't even sure he would remember who he was while taking the test.
I probably won't. I mean, the whole point of this test is to see if my character will naturally pass these tests by myself. If I knew I was in the middle of a test, my actions would be forced instead of natural. I wonder what will happen to me while taking the test? Gohan wondered, looking at the portal with a mix of awe, curiosity, and fear. He turned and looked over at Saloman and King Vegeta, who gave him reassuring looks.
"Good luck," Saloman said. King Vegeta merely smirked.
"You'll be fine, boy. You're a Saiya-jin. You'll get through whatever this test throws at you." Gohan chuckled nervously.
"Thanks, King Vegeta, but I have a feeling that what I will go through in this test will be something that my Saiya-jin side can't help me in." Sending one last look at Saloman and King Vegeta, Gohan readied himself and stepped into the portal, prepared to brave whatever trials awaited him.
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Well, now what do you think? This is the part I've been waiting to get to. The last two chapters were sooooooo boring to write, that's why they took me so long. These next several chapters is the part I've been waiting to write! It's going to be so cool! Hopefully I'll have it up soon!