Chapter 20 - And so they clashed. A battle that lasted nearly three hundred years, yet on the Boundary of Other-World it seemed much longer. Here time twisted and contorted, shifted and stretched onward. The sheer force of their might was what was causing time itself to distort, Aidius knew. But this was about more than just survival now. This was personal. And the war waged, year after year. Planet after planet was laid to waste in the struggle. And still they hadn't even dropped to half power yet. Thirty times or so, they Summoned their Gaidin. And that was when the universe truly trembled. Even the Dark Lord was overawed. This was not just of survival indeed.

"YYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Gohan cried out. The last of Starfire's might slammed into Bahamut. The King of Dragons of was hammered hard, forced back what seemed like light-years at a time as their battle tore through space. Bahamut charged another blast and launched it. Starfire reverted to her light-form and shifted around the attack like water. The Dark-Prince Eidolon watched as yet another star imploded as the strike hit home. And it continued until both Gaidin finally died their final death, and went even beyond that.

They did not rest. They did not stop. They would not submit to the other. Eidolon in his pride, with the stubbornness of the Dragons he ruled. Gohan with his honor, in his need to protect what little remained of what he held dear. What little of the universe itself remained. Aidius followed the greatest warriors ever to have lived. He watched and waited, seeking his chance. Yet even now, with both the titans barely at half strength, he was far too weak. Aidius snorted at the thought. No one else could call him weak save these two. But it was not always the strongest who one. Sometimes it was the smartest. The mind was the real weapon, not the body. Not even energy or magic or Darkness.

Millennia more passed before the battle concluded. Upon the last planet in the known Mortal Cosmos, Gohan collapsed. The last of the Saiyans dropped his head to the dirt and surrendered. He had nothing left, this Mystic hero. He used it all. His ki, his magic, his Darkness, his Gaidin… Everything. And yet it was not to be enough. Eidolon stood before his once-friend, a look of dark reckoning upon his face. Eidolon was weak now as well. He was little stronger than Aidius at his fullest power. He watched as Gohan cried out again and again as the Storm of Torment, the last and greatest of the Dark-Prince's powers, took him.

"You've forsaken everything! Nothing remains here save this slab of rock! What next, Eidolon? Lunarah? Or maybe every other universe in the Multiverse? With Aidius weak and Ultima gone nothing stands in your way. What will you do?" Gohan demanded, accused. Eidolon threw back his head and laughed more darkly than Gohan ever remembered.

"You still think this is because of some personal vendetta I've set against the universe? No, my Gohan. This is for all the lives I've taken. All the freedoms I've forsaken. Look at me, my hero. I am the Deepest Darkness. I am Torment's Touch. I cannot heal, sooth, or save. Only hurt, erase, and destroy. This is not for me. But for the universe that in turn has forsaken me. The greatest irony of all. You will understand in time, my Gohan. Take this message to Ultima in your Passing. Tell him he needs to keep the Gate open for only a moment longer. Tell him he must sustain or everything will die!" Eidolon said. And with that Gohan died. Eidolon gave Gohan the greatest honor any Crystallite could ever receive. He took the Mystic's body and buried under the largest mountain he could raise. Not even the Kings and Queens of Terra received such honor. It was not an honor of rank. Only the greatest heroes received this.

"So the deed is done," Aidius said at long last. Yeah he survived Gohan. Another great irony.

"And so it is," Eidolon agreed. Then he turned to face the focus point of his hatred. "You said you knew of a way to translate to Holy state. Tell me."

"So you've finally decided to come around?" Aidius laughed. He cocked his head to the side with a smirk attacking his lips.

"I SAID TELL ME!" Eidolon raged. His shockwave sent Aidius crashing through another mountain. The Dark Lord unearthed himself and rose high. He glared at his foe.

"And what have I to gain from this, simple fool?" he demanded.

"For one there's your life. And second, you may become the god you've always wanted to become," Eidolon spat. Aidius thought on this for what seemed like centuries.

"We must become truly immortal before anything can happen. Or we'll simply be eradicated in the attempt," he replied at long last.

"I can make us immortal. That much is easy. The rest is where the difficulty lies," Eidolon replied. His voice was cold and empty. His soul was cold and empty. And why not? What passion can Torment's Touch, the Deepest Darkness, be allowed to have?

And so Eidolon went with the darkest tyrant ever to live. To the far edges of Lunarah where they both became truly immortal as none before them save the Holy Ones has ever been able to do. And then to the Gate of Despair that tunneled through the Veil itself, slipping them between the very threads of time. The very fabric holding the universe together. Eidolon stepped through this portal, stepping unto ground no Mortal has ever laid foot upon before him. The Dark Lord himself followed, cautiously. He still suspected betrayal. Though most thoughts such as these were muted due to the obvious fact he was immortal now. Nothing, not even this child with powers that by far outstretched his own could kill him now. He thought he had nothing to fear. He was never more wrong in his life, Eidolon knew.

A great and majestic castle rose before them. On this planet that was not a planet. This place that did not exist. It was an entire Realm outside of time and space itself. The very bridge connecting all of the known universes, Other-World, and even Lunarah as well. Eidolon stepped forward, crossing ancient boundaries. He entered the inner courtroom where a beautiful jewel-encrusted throne rose upward before him. It was engraved with dragons more ancient than even those he ruled. That brought a smile to his lips.

"I little too well lit for my taste," Aidius spoke. Eidolon snarled. The fool had no idea what was in store for him. Eidolon and the Dark One went lower, taking long stairwells downward to the bottom level of the castle proper. And that was where he saw it, sensed it. A massive floodgate barely holding back what seemed an endless supply of power. This was not Darkness, was not magic, was not ki. This was the Holy Power, a type all unto itself with out rival. Eidolon reached forth and took hold of the sphere where this energy was entrapped.

A flood of agony ripped through him like none ever before. For millions of years on end it seemed, he rot in pain everlasting. Summoning his Gaidin did not even compare to this. Nothing did as nothing could. After what seemed like eternity, Eidolon thought he would go insane. But just as suddenly, the agony stopped. The energy that was within the sphere was gone. Then he felt it. A massive rush of raw might crashing to the surface. It did not feel as other power did. This was pure. This was beauty in purest form. Eidolon reached out with this power and ensnared the Dark Lord. He tore open the Void, one of three Four-Hells the Holy Ones sealed away at the Moment of Creation. Into the Void the Dark One went, struggling for all he was worth. Eidolon was a god now, nothing was stronger.

He sealed the Void and reached out again. He searched out and found all the powers he had long become accustomed to. It was funny how weak they seemed from his new vantage point. Everything seemed weak. Yet with this new might came limitless understanding. He wove a great and impossible pattern with his God-Might, his Holy Power. Everyone who ever died from the Army, the Saiyans, Buu, Frieza, and every other great force of evil was restored to life as well as every world that was destroyed. The Saiyans, the Crystallites, and many more races all restored. All his friends and allies, everyone. The warriors from the future were revived and sent back to their own world where the threat there was ended as well. And so Eidolon labored, righting everything that had been made wrong. Then he placed the Mortalbind, restricting how powerful future Mortals could become. And as his last act, he sealed away the Holy Power. Fed it to the Void itself until nothing was left. And with this last act, the Dark-Prince of Terra closed his eyes forever…

This was all Eidolon's plan. This was wrought from his fears, his hopes, and even his dreams. This was what the Kai Line would later come to name the Call for Salvation. The death of one almighty to save all the rest. This was hope...

A Letter From Eidolon

Gohan,

I took this path I had long knew would lead to my death. All the way back to reading the Kai Histories. Their Prophecies no one before me could put a Meaning to. Not even Ultima knew though I think he suspected. I have no regrets. But I intend to change a good many things this time. I die the Final Death, not even my soul will survive. I simply will cease to exist. I have come to understand a good many things, my Gohan. 'Potential must be passed on even if for a while it rests in the hands of the wicked.' This is the deepest truth that exists. This is what drives me now. Though by time you read this, my Gohan, you will be powerless to change a thing.
I could rewrite everything, I suppose. A god could do that. But I could never give life to what once was. At least not the life it was supposed to have. I understand now why Ultima chose not to live forever. I also understand why the Holy Ones relinquished their ancient power. No one was ever meant to control such power. Even the power Aidius and Ultima Kai had. Worry no more about Aidius, the Dark Lord, my Gohan. Though my fate may seem dire, his is by far worse than the Final Death. I envy him not at all. He would most likely prefer my fate than his own. But that was my final act of vengeance. With this I seal the Holy Power away for good. And I place in my stead the Mortalbind. It will seem cruel, limiting how powerful Mortals can become. But it must be so. I leave only enough room for ones to rise when an even darker time will fall upon the universe. You need not worry of this, my Gohan. It will be long after your lifetime. Also, your power, as you may know already, remains the same. I will not limit your might or the might of any who fought on my side. You all have the proper judgment needed to guide such power. But know now it shall never happen again.
But things must be this way. I had the eyes and power of a god, but only living as a Mortal taught me so. This was the only advantage I had over the ancient Holy Ones. They lacked this knowledge. Please tell my brother and my sister I love them. Tell my mother I love her. And tell my newly awakened people I have never Forsaken them. They will know what this means. Give my final farewell to all my friends, your daughter, and Shia as well. I regret things could not be different. This is my final goodbye, my Gohan. Please use the light and judgment I never had to keep the Mortal Cosmos safe.
--Eidolon