AS22: yeah! My goddesses are here! Don't worry, I tell you who they are before you 'meet' them.

Katrin: yeah, in paragraphs after paragraphs…

Vegeta: well, no fighting, but you see the weaker gods.

AS22: (whacks Vegeta with frying pan)

Vegeta: …(out cold)

Katie: I think he meant cause they weren't warrior gods but more like protectors.

AS22: oh, I know what he meant. Sexist pig-monkey-man…

Chapter 32: Mirean's and Syreena's Trial

Trial of the Gods part 1

The path led right to a cave mouth, and then it faded. There was only black starry sky now.

"Alright, here we go Biress." I said, patting my Ayokii on the neck as we started walking into the cave.

If you're wondering why they're called the caves of light, that's an easy one. The walls were covered in stones that were luminescent. They were different colored bands, starting with white, then yellow, green, blue, and then pink. These bands were only a few centimeters wide a piece, so the glow appeared like white light, like the rainbows you made in science class. I couldn't help but stare at the wall.

This is nice… it's so pretty… so shiny too… wait, Cell said something about this… what did he say?

XxX

"There are many dangers when going to visit the gods."

"I guess that's why so few go?" I asked, smirking.

"This is serious, Katie." Cell said.

"Yeah, sorry Cell. Now, what were you saying?" I asked.

"First, many creatures guard the path. If they do exist, it could get messy, so you have to keep your eyes open."

"Eyes open, got it."

A lot of good that did.

"The next one is the cave itself. The colors mess with your mind and distract even the most mature, intelligent people, so you have to keep focused on your path. I don't think you will have much trouble with that.

"Next is the gods. Don't make eye contact until they allow it, don't call out to them, let them come to you, and introduce yourself in the proper manner. Do you know how to do that?"

"My name, my father's name, and then my grandfather's name, right?"

XxX

I have to keep focused or I'll stray off course and never save Codie.

I looked straight ahead and didn't look back.

So many times in my life peace has begotten war, beauty turned to ugliness, and love to hate. But at the same time, I have seen the opposite. Despair has turned to hope, hate into admiration, and evil into good. I've seen strong warriors fall, and I've seen enemies sacrifice themselves for friends. This instance was no different. The beauty of the caves would be my downfall if I let it, and I wouldn't let it.

The end of the tunnel came into view, the mouth black, almost refreshing compared to the bright colors. Biress P'reel stepped out of the cave and into a large hot chamber, filled with the scent of flowers. The scent was almost overpowering due to the intensity.

The chamber grew bright once more, hot and windy. This all made perfect sense, Mirean is the goddess of summer, light, wind, and nature, among other things.

Then there was a flash of bright light, and I had to close my eyes due to the intensity. Biress P'reel reared back, nearly throwing me off. If I hadn't grabbed on around her neck, I would have hit the floor. When I opened my eyes the chamber was gone, and a large field took its place.

The field was covered in flowers, and the sky was bright red as it is at noon on Planet Vegeta. The flowers were all shades of colors, even colors unknown to the human eye, such as shades of yellow and blue that didn't make green, but something else completely different.

Then, as I was expecting, there was a large black and silver Mirna running across the field. Biress P'reel snorted and ducked her head down, as though acknowledging the presence of the higher being. Mirean takes the form of the Mirna, which were created in her image.

The goddess trotted toward me, and stopped when she got a few meters away. I kept my eyes down as she circled me.

"Who are you, mortal?" she asked.

"I am Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar." I replied, keeping my gaze to the flowers.

"What is your clan?"

"My clan…?"

"You do not know?" she asked.

"No… I don't."

"You are from the Biress Mirna clan. Your clan was under my guard."

"I didn't know about clans…"

"What is it you seek from the gods, child?"

"I seek my lost power, the powers of the Angel."

"You are from a far off world, a world like ours. You had our gift, but you gave it back. Why did you give it back if you needed it?"

"Good question. I didn't think I'd need it anymore, and I was frightened of what may have happened if another powerful creature came to take my powers and hurt my friends."

"Hurt? And death lingers on your mind. As a being of immortality, I cannot comprehend death and pain. That is why we gave to you the Angel power. Tell me of death? What is it?"

"Death is… inevitable. It is the end of life, the gift you gave to the Sayjins, great Mirean."

"Come down off that beast and stand tall." I did, and she continued to stare at my Ayokii, "Pitiful beast, you've lost your pride." She walked closer and touched her horn to Biress P'reel's head. She stomped, and she started to glow. When the glow was gone, she was a white and silver Mirna.

"Wow, Biress P'reel… you're a Mirna."

"Her new name is Yael P'reel." Mirean said.

(Silver Moon)

"Great Mirean, please, I need the Angel powers again, even if it's just for a little while."

"What is your quest? Why do you need the powers of a god? Isn't Tiom Gha Ore enough?"

(SSJ4)

"No, I'm afraid it isn't. I have to battle my counterpart in this world. She has the Angel Powers as well." I said, looking down. The flowers around my feet were dying, "I'm killing your flowers." I stepped back, but those died as well.

"I can fix them, make them live again. Child, why do you wish to battle our Angel?"

"She has my son."

"There is more."

"She has... she is ruining the universe. Only defeating her in battle will let her see what she has done."

"Your armor is love… your sword is hope… your shield is your heart. You must speak to my mother next, she will decide if your quest is worthy to seek out my father and brother."

"What will happen if I am not worthy?"

"My mother will let you leave. My father and brother would end your life. Especially my brother."

"I understand. I wish to continue."

"As you wish, so shall it be…"

The flowers started to fade, as did the sun and the scent of the flowers. Last to fade was Mirean.

"Thank you, great goddess." I called.

"Good luck, child."

XxX

Syreena is the mother of the Sayjins, and her form is that like a Sayjin. She is the goddess of Ki, the moon, the sea, love, peace, and the protector of women and children. Her element is water and her season is spring. Of all the Vegetian gods, I could consider myself the safest around her. But then again, I could be wrong.

I continued through the tunnel in which we had been previously traveling. And I must add, riding a Mirna is much different than riding an Ayokii. She was much calmer and tamer, as though she knew she could be rid of me easily if she wanted to. She had pride again, as Mirean had said.

As it had when I met Mirean, the tunnel began to change. It became warm, but not hot, and the room slowly filled with water. The tunnel disappeared, leaving me floating in deep water. Yael P'reel was able to swim to the sandy beach to my left, but I couldn't seem to move at all as I fought against the water.

"Good girl, P'reel, stay on the beach." I called. She howled in response as I was pulled under by the tide.

I swam back toward the surface, taking in air, but I was pulled under again.

This time I looked around. The water was clear and still, which didn't help me in my understanding of why I was being pulled down. There were no other creatures or plants, only water. I couldn't see the bottom, either, only darkness.

I fought against the water, back toward the top, but I couldn't move. I was grabbing at the surface, kicking toward the bottom, but it didn't help. At last my lungs couldn't take it, and I inhaled.

But it wasn't water that I swallowed, it wasn't air either. I was breathing underwater.

Makes sense, enchanted water, the goddess Syreena must be near.

And as if my thoughts were cues, a form appeared right in front of me, as though she had teleported. A goddess could do more than teleport, of course.

Syreena was much taller than any being I had ever met, a good couple of feet taller than me, perhaps a few yards even.

Her hair was golden, not like SSJ, but actual gold. Her clothes and eyes were shades of blue, as the water. Designed on her gown was the moon, which was going through its cycle as I watched. I kept my eyes down as she moved around me, floating though the water, not even showing any effort as she moved. I had to move my hair out of my face as it flowed with the water. I held my hair with one hand as she came to my front.

"Look at my face, child. Who are you?"

"Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar." I replied as I looked up. She was beautiful.

"That is your title, I asked who are you?"

"I do not know any better way to tell you, great Syreena."

"You were born in my element cycle; water is part of who you are."

"This I know…"

"You're troubled? You need the help of the gods."

"My son was taken from me, and I need the Angel power once more."

"Oh, that's who you are." She said.

"Excuse me?"

"You are Katrin the Angel. You have the armor of love, the sword of hope, and the shield of the heart."

"I am more than that, great Syreena."

"Then tell me, who are you?" she asked, moving closer.

"I… I am a mother… a wife… a warrior… and a mortal."

"Your quest is to save your son, but that's not all. You plan on trying to save this world as you would your own. But this isn't your world."

"I have to try."

"Why?"

"I…"

"Why!" she roared, causing the water to shake.

"Because it is my duty!" I cried.

"Your duty? Your duty doesn't concern us."

"I need the Angel Powers, but I don't want to keep them. Please, I just need them for a little while. I beseech you, great goddess."

"It isn't it my place to decide. You must speak with my mate. But if he deems you unworthy, you will wish to have fought your counterpart without the Angel powers."

"I understand. Thank you, great Syreena."

I kicked toward the surface and swam to the beach. Once I was on Yael P'reel's back the beach and surf changed back to the tunnel.

"Well, so far so good. Two down, two to go."

But I fear these next gods will be more fearsome than their predecessors.

AS22: well, Vegeta is still out. But I'm calmed down. How was it?

Katie: R&R, or Vegeta's fate will be yours…