Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or really any other property. Thank you.

The Long Road

Chapter 77: The Cult of Personality

Gea:

This galaxy was so lost. That was what Gea realized when they'd first come here from the West. It'd been as the great prophet and oracle had described. Billions of stars hanging in the void, lost to the light of life and divinity. The cold rule of tyrants and monsters had sucked away all that made this place worth living in. Even the warriors here lacked the strength to defend such a backwards and empty system. The mongrels of the Planet Trade, a disgusting company which killed and slaughtered for its own gain to sell fertile worlds to the highest bidder, had barely been able to hold them back a few hours.

They were all so blind to the majesty of Heaven. They had never seen a miracle; they had never felt the mind of the sacred one. They were lesser beings, if only due to their distance from truth. It was always difficult fighting them, not from their fighting power, certainly not. They were difficult to fight because it meant harming the ignorant. Sometimes it was necessary, no matter the situation, to harm those who should be saved, in order to save more. Gea had herself, always realized that this would mean the destruction of thousands of lives. But it was always in her heart to save as many as she could.

Her black undersuit and plated armour concealed much of her appearance, save for her crimson skin around her face. They were no races here. There were no divides between sentient organisms. There was no judgement of one another on appearance or virtue, the only thing that existed was the faith they could all sense in one another, the dedication to the all-mother of them all. Gea had been only a child when she'd first set her eyes upon the source of salvation for all. Soon, every sentient organism would receive the opportunity to look upon the one who could save them. Salvation from fear, pain, and selfishness was at the core of what they understood.

A violet sky tinted the horizon of this world, dryly named Planet Frieza 115, a world owned by the creature known as Cooler, or at least by its organization. They knew little of this monster, save for his cruelty and unwillingness to admit defeat. The mother had sensed him killing worlds, and knew he needed to be stopped. The violation of life, and the destruction of the good could only be met with one fate. Her desire to see this Cooler creature achieve salvation, was as great as any. It was now the order to keep as many of their enemies alive. Including Cooler himself, should he ever be defeated and alive, he too would be given the chance to become one with them. No being was beyond redemption, even the criminals amongst them.

They all had their sins. The mother knew all of them, she knew best how to help them and cease their sinful activities. Gea's great sin was one which she kept to herself, one which she was eternally grateful for being forgiven for.

Laying against a ruin, a single soldier looked up at her, fear and anger spread across his features. His armour was cracked and his face was bloody. Puffy lips and round ears adorned his features, along with scaly skin. But truthfully, she only saw a being whom was self destructive, harming themselves, a wounded lost soul. Her steps were bold as her cape blew in the wind behind her, dust billowing past her from the destruction all around them. This world would heal, and it would come to have a new name. The mother tapped into every world and found their true names, each one at their core had a soul as much as any person. On the wind she could hear the pain of this world, a world subdued and wounded for the exploits of others. It too, would find freedom and salvation.

The look in the alien's eyes was one of hatred and resentment towards her.

"You. You killed my men," he rasped, his breathing heavy. "You don't know what you're doing. Lord Cooler…"

"Is not important now, what's important is you… Grap," she said, her voice firm, but soft, like a disciplining parent. "We aren't going to harm you anymore. The battle is over."

There was a moment surprise on the creature's features as she reached out a hand, much as she felt the all-mother had reached out to her so long ago. The warrior just glared back at her, leaving her to level her purple eyes on him, not saying a word before the miracle that would save this world appeared above them.

In the sky there was a light, as pure as the stars were bright. Even for Gea, it felt like rebirth, seeing the heavens opened once more as the Gift, the name of the grand cruiser which carried the most important of passengers, began to make its entry through the atmosphere. The friction of re-entry was brushed aside, ironically burnt away by the intensity of the light coming from within the spherical craft.

She heard what she knew was Grap, gasping in aw. The world itself seemed to slow as the light unfolded, almost like wings spreading across the expanse of the sky. It was as inviting to the world, as the world was to them. As it gently glided through the sky despite its immensity, the perfect pearl of a vessel gently set down on the planet below, huge landing gears emerging only at the last moment, like roots of a great ivory tree digging into the ground. The aura the shift generated disappeared, leaving only the perfect, smooth white glass surface of the ship. The local star reflected off its surface, illuminating all who could see it.

"Wh… what… what is…" Grap murmured.

"This is the vessel of rebirth, of life, and of illumination. It is the home for the All-Mother," Gea uttered, her own voice held in respect for what she knew was the most important moments in this world's history.

When the great vessel slowly opened, the light from within emerged, brighter than the sun, seemingly, but the warm light from within didn't burn. As soon as she felt it, she felt her connection embrace the eternity of the union they all entered in. Her spirit opened up. It was apart of her training not to simply fall to her knees out of instinct. The Angels needed to withstand her embrace, for they were her protectors and the emissaries of her will. There was a soft sobbing coming from the prone figure behind her as for the first time in his life, he was no longer alone. To be touched by the light of the heavenly being was to be saved in those moments. It was to feel the evil expunged from one's heart, and to accept her in its place.

A single form emerged from the light; her frame covered entirely. The habitation mask was required, but one need not look upon the All-Mother's true face to feel her connection. It was to merely be in her presence, that was enough. Her gloved hands and armoured form gently glided above the surface of this world, as the legion of the faithful marched in the light in her wake, bearing her will with them.

The figure stopped above them as the remaining warriors from the base all looked up on her. Some fell to the knees, begging for forgiveness, others just sobbed, while a few just fell to their knees. The survivors now understood what it was they were looking upon.

The light arrived in front of her, as Gea watched as the figure emerged in front of her. A hand reached out, taking her shoulder. The warmth she felt in that moment could never be eclipsed, even as one of the chosen Angels. To feel gratitude from the All-Mother, to be in her presence, it was always the peak of her life from moment to moment. She served the mother of all life, the true way and the light of the world.

Behind her, the ever present Kenor stood beside their mother, the Angel who minded her most of all. His blue skin and bone armour glinted for several moments.

"You have done well, Gea. You have prepared this world for my arrival. You have saved all those who can be saved," Kenor's stated from beside Gaia before their mother stepped forward, looking upon the last warrior to challenge them on this world. "The mother wishes we'd never had to fight these people."

Reaching down, Gaia's hand wasn't rejected as hers had been. Grap, almost unconsciously, reached out as the All-Mother rewarded him with a moment of touch. The alien was alien no more, she knew, as the once disbeliever, the one-time sinner, understood what it was he'd tried to stop.

"You," he managed. "You… you are…"

"She is Gaia," Kenor's voice responded, her tone far gentler than hers had ever been.

The newest believer started to cry, as almost all did when they felt the warmth of the Goddess herself. He nodded his head as tears slipped from his eyes. His chest breathed raggedly as it was all let out. All the years of suffering, and pain were at an end. She was not just saving his body, that was of no relevance, she was saving his soul, she was saving the only life that truly mattered.

Today was the day that Gaia set foot upon the world of Delne. She would set foot only on a few worlds in her passage throughout the galaxy. But every world in this place would be saved, as this planet was. Every soul would be saved. Every life would come into unison, and they would together find solace and harmony in the light.

Gaia the All-Mother need not say a word, as Gea herself began her journey back towards the vessel, the vanguard action was completed. Her role here being done, she looked forward to slumber and prayer, followed by meditation. She would cleanse the brutality of her arrival on this world from her mind, so that she could rejoin the chorus in harmony.

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Atlan:

A three fingered hand outstretched as the highest of the Angels traced his hand over the control panel on the Gift. Solid black eyes reflected back off the glass control panel as he looked at himself, seeing the reflection of a shell which served the soul within. A deep yellow tint to his skin left him in contrast with his black undersuit. Broad shoulders pushed against the plates on his armour as he remained in place, like a statue. The species which he had descended from, had no hair, no lashes, and no 'nose' in any traditional sense. Only nostrils sat in the midst of his facial features. He was the first his kind, and the last of his kind. The first Kosi to turn to the light, and the last of their blood to remain in the universe.

But their legacy now spanned the stars, as the first of the species to accept the Light. In his decades since, he had seen such magnificence, seeing stars collide and worlds flourish. He had seen places which seemed to whither and die, returned to vibrance. He had been given a mission to spread life and virtue across the whole of the universe, all in the name of a Goddess who was real, who they all felt in their hearts. His eyes focused on the room around him without moving, the lens within being almost all encompassing as several attendants rose to him, nodding in his direction.

"The All-Mother Gaia, her light shine upon me, has arrived on world," one technician confirmed. "We are beginning the resupply process. Three of the Archangels have descended as well. Gea, beloved third Angel of the Legion, lead the attack."

Good.

As time had gone on, he was less the frontline commander, and evermore the man behind the shroud. His fingers were upon every world, but his feet were not always. An honoured position amongst the others, the All-Mother had told him a truth he almost didn't want to hear, that she valued him too much to see he, and his people, vanish into the void, to take their long sleep for an eternity. Even if all within her light were one people, the All-Mother had sympathy for the person he had been, and the species that he had come from. It was sentimental of her, but it left him feeling hollow. He was the strongest of all of her disciples. His purpose was to stand as the vanguard of the chosen.

He was the spear of the wrath of the heavens.

And he was here, at the bridge of the vessel. Gond was her wrath now, and that was something which ate away at him. Gond had been a great follower himself; never would he doubt that… but Gond wasn't as experienced, and treated every situation as just something to be handled with force.

Communications alerts began to chime in as his black eyes scanned the bridge for several seconds before he pressed the response panel. The familiar face of Kenor appeared. The near brooding appearance left some to be desired, but it was what was within that mattered most. His natural bone armour encompassing his head, his red eyes staring through him, and his blue colouration were made more vibrant by the tint of the light from where he was on the surface of the world.

"The All-Mother has begun her communion with the remnants of this world, she believes it will take five days. Gea is protecting her directly at this time. Ava and Gond are with the expeditionary fleet in the next system, and Sahul is making way towards the next strong point. It is the wish of Gaia, may her light shine upon me, that we end the conflict with these creatures as soon as possible. The quickest way to the light, is tofind and defeat the one known as Cooler. Once he is defeated, the rest of the galaxy will fall in line."

Nodding to Kenor, Atlan ceased the display before walking towards the exit from the bridge. They would need to utilize the Far Light detection system to try and discover where this Cooler was. A tyrant of unimaginable strength, at least for the creatures of the North Galaxy. Few ever fought battles against superior foes to such high levels of casualties, without fear that their deaths would be worse at the hands of their masters.

Masters, that was a word never spoken in the West. They had no master, not truly. To see these creatures in such poverty of freedom was painful. To see their liberation was joyous. To be sheltered away within the walls of this ship in almost every liberation was… hard for him. A sharp pain began to throb on the edge of his mind as he felt something distressing unfolding in real time thousands of lightyears away.

Another world was dying, he could feel it. But there was more to this one's death than before. It was enough to make him almost tremble as he realized what was occurring. Life was being expunged, and not simply destroyed. It was as if someone had just finished sucking the last drop of blood out of a world. It was enough to make him cringe. This had been happening across this Galaxy much faster than anywhere else. Worlds were being blotted out, and none of them understood why.

The All-Mother said nothing of it, she only expressed her sorrow. A sorrow they all felt when they felt each light go out across the night of the universe.

Life finds a way.

The doors hissed open to the Far Light station aboard the Gift. Striding to the seat at the centre of the room, he engaged the interface as the entire room moved around him, showing the lights around the universe, narrowing his scope and search, Atlan began tracing where this light had just gone out.

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Gaia:

None of the people here offered much. Admittedly, that was never the overall goal of any arrival. The Cooler-Force clad creatures they'd met on several worlds were left staring at her in disbelief before they came to connect with them, before she tapped into the very centre of the world and graced it with her power. This planet would thrive once more, unsullied by creatures who would exploit it and destroy it. It would regenerate into a new bloom, and those who resided on its surface would find a new peace beyond the horizon of this sanctuary.

When her helm turned up, her eyes looked past the tinted glass of her helm, seeing the array of vessels which spanned the system above her. Great arks of her flock. Those who embraced the light, and became one with life itself. Their lives were rich, filled with happiness, belonging, and the ever-present struggle to take the light ever forward. Every new world was apart of this great leap forward.

She was their mother, the mother of all of them. She knew what was best for all of them, she was apart of ever family, and they in turn, had become part of one greater family. Her care extended to them as it did to herself. The greater whole was always her greatest concern however.

The Legion had amassed the crowds of inhabitants from this world. This desecrated rock that had been so savaged by the facilities here. Even now as she stood on the hardened rocks of this injured world, her power loomed over all of them as she walked across its surface, communing with the once dying planet.

The beings before her looked on in aw and with the same reverence as any would. They saw their salvation through her, and through the warmth she emanated. She only embraced one, placing her gloved hand over their cheek. The sobs she heard from the creature, her child, was enough for her to smile from behind her mask. She spoke no words however, they didn't need this moment sullied by her voice, they could sense her intentions, her love, through her aura alone. They would follow her past this world into the stars, just as the others did. New blood to pump through the veins of the great arteries of the ark. The destroys would become the saviours.

Even now she could feel this galaxy weeping. It was filled with so much ignorance, hatred, and weakness. The weakness was born of pettiness and violence, there was no flourishing, only pruning. A garden needed to be maintained, and grown. Dead leaves and branches were only trimmed to help the garden grow into what it was designed to be. The North, of all the galaxies, was just a strip-mine. Brutes and monsters dwelled behind every corner. Had they a responsible steward, perhaps her arrival here would have been met with much stronger resistance…

There was a pain in her forehead as she felt her breath sharpen for a moment. Turning to look out over the flock, she knew the newcomers wouldn't sense it, but she could see Gea and Kenor looking back at her, Gea placing her hand over her mouth as she was left in complete shock. The family had suffered something she never thought imaginable. In her five thousand years of travels, she'd… she'd never seen this occur. Even as her garden had grown, her curators, her legion, rarely suffered a defeat. But her Angels… her chosen children, the ones who rose above the others, the flowers which had grown with her express care most of all… they never failed in their duty to the family.

But Sahul, she felt as Sahul's life force was cut short. It was like feeling her arm be torn off as the last moments of pain and desperation fed back into her in the final seconds of her life. Looking through her eyes, Gaia saw the last moment before her life was extinguished. A single figure stood there amongst ruin, behind him a gigantic, warped tree huge in the air. The figure's tail was to one side, with white bone armour and purple skin. Its red eyes were locked onto Sahul's as its finger was pointed forward, a scarlet energy dripping from it as it prepared to fire. This was the monster that had destroyed her Sahul.

She had raised what would become Sahul, over five generations. Sahul's mothers could be traced all the way back to the planet of Atell. She had been so fierce, so willing to do anything she could to strive forward for their idea. Sahul had been the first one to step forward any time something needed to be done, to take charge, to fly into the teeth of danger as reconnaissance. They had not yet met a creature in this galaxy that could hope to match even the Legion, let alone an Angel. But this creature staring down the eyes of Sahul in her last moments looked neither bothered, nor strained. The eyes on this creature wreaked of the death that this place had become apart of. It had the stance of a Master… just like the masters they had destroyed across her own galaxy.

This, she knew, was Cooler.

The light resonating from her form slowly died, revealing her to be as she was, her form left standing in her ceremonial armour and robes, the wind of this new world, Delne, flowing through her attire as she was left with the nightmare of Sahul's death. Her last thoughts were hers now, something to keep. Her hand wanted to reach out to sooth the passing of Sahul, but it was too late. Her daughter had died, alone, on a dead world far away at the hands of a monster.

I am sorry, Sahul. I will not allow this to happen again. I will bring that beast to the light, or I will bring it to justice, in your name.

Gesturing to Gea and Kenor, the two were quick to arrive by her side.

"Mother," Kenor said, his voice tight with rage. "I will depart immediately to find Sahul's killer and bring him back to you, alive, for whatever you wish."

"We don't know how strong this creature was," Gea responded. "Surely he cannot be as strong as it appears. But perhaps we should be cautious? Less expeditionary fleets, more Angels to lead each one. No more going off alone."

Raising her hand gently, Gaia waited for silence. She need only wait a fraction of a moment as her children ceased, standing at attention. She could feel their thoughts, their willingness to listen to her being the only motivation they could imagine. Even the newcomers remained stationary, all of them looking at her, waiting on her every word.

Approaching Grap, Gaia spoke for the first time.

"Grap," her voice whispered over the silence, vibrating from the helm's vocalizer. "Your former master, the one you called Cooler. How powerful is he?"

"He can destroy a world by simply glancing at it, should he wish," Grap responded, sounding almost euphoric from having received such a direct attention so soon into his… arrival, to the family.

Turning her head towards her chosen, Gaia shook her head.

"We will move as one," she said, her tone definitive. "From world to world, until we find and stop this Cooler. It is not worth the risk. There are other monsters lurking in the shadows of this galaxy as well. Perhaps the weakness here is not as pervasive as we believed."

Gliding above the air, Gaia's frame returned to where she'd first met Delne, her feet planting once more on the ground as she knelt down a moment later, beginning her meditation. Around her, slowly, grass began to grow from the once death earth below. Sprouts appearing at the edges near here… as life began anew.

This garden has more spiders in it than I first imagined.

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Author's Notes:

Well, where to begin? I'll start with the name etymology for most of the names of Gaia and her Chosen. Things related to them, I wanted to have very much related to either religion, or ancient titles. So, her chosen warriors are called Angels, her followers are the Saved, ect. But for naming of characters and places, I've got with things relating to Geology or ancient continents.

Gaia: also known as Terra, also known as the Mother Earth, ect.

Atlan: Named for Atlantica, an ancient continent from around 2 billion years ago.

Gea: The second half of Pangea.

Kenor: Named for Kenorland. One of the earliest known supercontinents.

Sahul: A prehistoric continent.

Gond: Named for Gondwana, another ancient super continent.

Ava: Named for Avalonia, a micro continent.

And of course, next Chapter is going to be named Reminded, and will bring us back to Cooler. After that, we're back to the main cast on Earth for a while. Tons of fun is on its way, I promise, lol.

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Reviewers:

KagariAsuha: Right now moving the story forward is my big objective. We've got a lot of things on the burner atm. It'll come out alright :P

Thomas-The-TMC: Poor Piccolo. He doesn't deserve that :P

Perfect Carnage: I almost put Perfect Carmage, lol. Who's gonna switch with whom? I don't know what your talking about. :P

Hek'UnnSkipper: I find it amusing that Whis just had zero real stakes in anything. Poor Gohan's fightin' for his existence and his very identity, and Whis is just like "yep, that's great. Well, here you go. Oh, by the way, this may be a disaster. But that's your problem" lol

Blades of Fury: Trunks went back in time to save Son Goku.

Sigmakleim: It's moving forward still, I promise :P

Maydae010401: Yea, poor Gohan. Nothing ever works out for him. #Gohanstilldeservesit.

DBZfan the first: Thanks!

Navarone2013: Nope. I just thought it worked :)

Super Mystic Gohan: If this story was just cripplingly depressing, I'd have run from it by now, lol. The Long Road's fun to write because there is ironic, and uncaring humour in it, as well as the bad stuff, lol.

Guest1: Yea, Gohan's not going to be pleased about his Piccolo problems. On top of that, we've got a few baddies left, including Cell Junior and Cooler, but I don't want to spoil too much. And even if they're not the immediate badguys right now, the next Saga just got lined up this chapter :)

Guest2: Probably not. It's beyond control now, the timelines are multiplying faster than math could be thought of at this point. The trio literally ruined time. Lol

Iikd: Garlic will never forget Gohan (or Goku for that matter), because it's his fixation. Garlic would also be stronger than Gohan at the moment, he just didn't see the attack coming… Hell's also different than before. Garlic, unfortunately for him, is very much trapped unless someone lets him out.

RoxaShadow: Sorry dude, the chapters gotta be this way if people want updates under any kind of frequency, lol.

Luke: That'd be way, way too much for me to write, lol.

Narelclollie: Thanks!

0: … maybe.

Lil dynamic: Welcome the new crazy adventure (eventually) lol

G: He probably doesn't. But he will get to meet with Pan and Videl relatively soon.