The Horse with No Name


Chapter Ten

Non-Fiction


Age 775

The Realm of the Almighty

Gohan stares at the hard drink being pushed in front of him. Rixas, on the other side of the table, has a devious look about him. The drink is pink in colour with a fizz of bubbles and golden sparkles. It looks like something a kid might ask for, something overloaded with so much sugar that cavities will carve themselves out. A faint scent of cherries can be smelled.

"It looks like a dessert," Gohan tells his grinning spectator.

Eyebrows waggle. "A special dessert. I think you'll like it."

"I don't." The teenager pushes the drink wayside, and gives the blonde the usual speech about pressuring him into becoming a drunkard like him. "Also, I'm underage."

"Eh. Such a buzz kill."

Gohan watches as Rixas snatches the flowery drink and halves the contents in seconds. "Eugh, disgusting."

"My sweetie-pious," the god says, slamming the glass down. A cherry-flavoured burp passes between them. "How far-eth ye shall fall."


'Upon the condition that the people of the Almighty never question the dominion of the kais, they were left to live in isolated peace. However, following the decades after the Great War, there was a violent bout of attacks on the people from an unconfirmed source. Information today suggests it to be those in connection with the kais of the past, and whilst no official incarcerations of these attackers were issued, it became the catalyst of distrust still observed between the remaining people of the Almighty and the kais today.'

The Almighty and its Children

Page 92


Fingers detach from the glass and return to the curling pages of his book.

Gohan lowers it and swallows a sound of indignation. This is the third book he's read on the subject. Kais hate the people of the Almighty, the people of the Almighty once hated the kais (once hated if only because those that did are now all dead). There are only a few servants of the Almighty remaining -and he's one of them. But Gohan doesn't hate kais, he doesn't hate anyone really. This is all still new to him. Books about wars, ki, magic, history and everything in between lines the shelves in his room, yet he still finds himself unable to connect to any of it.

He frowns. Why Mori has so much non-fiction is beyond him. His library, whilst once impressive, now bores Gohan. The year he's been here has been filled with so much reading that he's surprised that his eyes still work, that and that the space in between them hasn't ruptured. The book is tossed aside with the others.

It's foggy around the estate today. Gohan watches as it pools around green hills in the background with their pillow-like essence. Unable to see just where the sky begins and the fog ends, clouds hanging ominously low. It blurs together. No longer can he see the truth of the landscape.

He hums, brushing his fingers over the glass of the window. To the touch, it's cold, and he recalls hearing that the weather would be taking a turn. The season is changing. Like last year, he'll see the snow.

It's a beautiful visage. Thickly, the snowfall will descend upon the estate and transform the cluster of buildings into an impossibly festive expression of winter. Whilst the estate is admittedly very pretty on its own, Gohan acknowledges how much the powdery cold makes it seem to shine. Sheets of white will blanket the area so serenely that Gohan actually finds himself looking forward to it.

There is little else for him to look forward to these days.

A knock at his door follows.

"Come in," he sighs. He already knows who it is.

The door nearly overturns on the hinges, screeching as Gohan cringes in anticipation. Then she appears, hands on hips. "You're still here? Why are you still here?"

His shoulders droop. "Good afternoon, Myra..."

"You're late, my lord! You're very, very late!"

Gohan makes no effort to rectify this. In fact, he helps himself to another terrible book.

"Just what are you doing?" Myra badgers, eyes most likely frantic and bulging as they usually do when she's reprimanding him. "You need to go! Why aren't you dressed yet? Oh my god, you're not dressed yet. I-I need to go get your robes!"

He meanders in the general direction of his bed and attempts to crawl back under the covers, book in hand. She grabs his foot before he's even halfway to his pillow. For someone so small she's oddly strong.

"You're wearing your formal greys for the meeting," she tells him fiercely. The cloak hangs over her shoulder as she tugs at his ankle. "You're going to get dressed." Flat like a starfish, his face grinds against the covers as she drags him further. "And you're going to apologize to Lord Quell for turning up to his summoning half an hour late."

Gohan allows her to pull him because fighting is never worth the hassle. When she's done he's left bent over the base of his bed, half-sprawled with the cloak deposited onto him.

"What's the point?" he drawls, "He's just going to shout at me for fifteen minutes like he always does every other week."

Honestly, Gohan could present Quell with the man's hopes and dreams on a silver platter and the guy would still find a way to suffocate Gohan with his pressure. He'd snipe and glare and make the teenager feel rotten in only the special way Quell can. One time, Gohan must have disgruntled Quell so much because the very next day he'd been very rudely awoken by his newly rehired assistant, one Myra of the Clear Sky Planet.

She's perky, Gohan had first thought. She'd come across friendly enough those couple months ago, but it had been a trick, for the girl is demanding and very much loyal to Quell despite her insistence that she works only for him. Gohan's dubious on whether or not Mori ever had an assistant in the first place despite what any of the others say, although Gohan does remember the strange caller at his door on his first night at the Estate.

"Maybe if you make an effort then he'll look upon you more kindly," she insists lightly in that very Myra way. She drops his foot. "My goodness, my lord, when did you last shower?"

"Last night," he grumbles into his duvet. "Rixas dragged me out for a run this morning…"

"No…" She groans and he can practically see her life flash before her eyes. "Oh really, we must hurry. Get up! Get up!"

Lethargically, he does so just so she doesn't pop on the spot. Myra's usually a well presented young lady; always tidy in her robes, her cobalt hair regularly pulled neatly into a cute hairstyle. But today, she looks like she's managed to age forty years in his company alone. Her robes are askew and her hair is wiry, indecisive in which way it wants to stick out.

Blue skin burns purple as she pushes him on track for his bathroom. "Hurry!"

He doesn't.

As he showers he hears her grouse to herself in a language all of her own. Good, he's glad she's frustrated. Gohan's frustrated too. He doesn't want to be thrown into Quell's company, he doesn't want to have to feel like rubbish for the next unforeseeable couple of days, and he most certainly doesn't want to be chaperoned by some irrational assistant he doesn't want.

"Lord Mori," she complains from the other side of the door.

It's gotten to the point where Gohan almost enjoys hearing her tones of peril.

He emerges from the haze of steam, still fastening his cloak, grumpy as he thumbs the finicky things with mounting irritation. She charges forward to connect the remaining clasps. "Okay, okay, we're only forty-seven minutes late. That's fine. Absolutely fine. Lord Quell is a reasonable man." She ignores the scoff. "His assistant won't be pleased but he never is, really, is he? Oh, it'll go swimmingly. I-I'm sure. Yes, that's right. Swimmingly."

She's the only participant in the conversation but Gohan has a feeling the words aren't meant for him anyway.

A further few minutes later and after being deemed worthy, Gohan's snatched from his sanctuary and marched down the halls of marble. The rapping of boots against floor echoes eternally.

"He's just returned from a meeting with the kais," Myra informs as she pats down his cloak from the back, jogging to keep up.

"So he's in a bad mood then…"

"Mm… Er…"

"So that's a yes."

"Er… Maybe it's best that you don't mention the situation with Lord Rixas."

"Which one? The one where he blew a hole in the East Pavilion or the one where he accidently set Choir Forest ablaze?"

"No, the other one. Although it's best to keep them quiet too."

Gohan stops to think and she ushers him forward once more. "When he returned completely drunk and threw up on the visiting angel?"

"No. The oth-"

"Myra, you've got to be more specific."

"The thing," she hisses in a whisper, "you know, the thing with those… girls."

He stops again. His cheeks warm up and he remembers. Oh yes, does he remember. "I'm not going to tell Quell," he whispers back furiously, "I'm not going to tell anyone ever."

"G-Good."

They reach the entrance to the conservatory Quell likes to call him to. If not for the daunting atmosphere of dread attached to the place then Gohan wouldn't mind it so much. It's bright and you can see so much of the grounds from here that it would make a lovely spot to lose yourself in, especially with a book. Actually, one of those non-fiction books he can never get a hold of would be great.

It's strange if only because these meetings are a relatively new thing. Perhaps a handful of months ago, Quell had spontaneously summoned him and demanded an hour of his time. It'd been a heck of a shock considering the last time he'd seen Gohan he'd told him that he'd wanted him to denounce his mortality –whatever that meant.

Unbeknownst to Gohan at this point, the topic is not to die.

He goes to dismiss Myra but she's long gone. Her duty is done. He's here as Quell (her true master) had requested, so she needn't see the carnage.

Gohan gingerly enters the space. Remembering to keep his head high (as Quell hates it when he slouches) he curves around the side of the room as though a rat would. Tickling vines snag his cloak as he draws ever closer to where Quell sits in the centre of the room. Even with the weather against them, the lighting in the conservatory makes Quell glow oh so angelically. A framing of foliage, green on gold, circles him impressively. The god always looks so ethereal, Gohan thinks. He suits his position; he suits it in ways only Rixas and Gohan could dream of.

To add to the scene, there's a delicate china cup between Quell's thumb and fingers as he considers a book of his own. He doesn't even look up when Gohan sits at the other side of the table.

Gohan breathes hard. "I'm sor-"

Quell raises a finger and Gohan silences. It stretches out and the teenager watches as the god's eyes follow the print of the page. Time draws on and Gohan feels the prickle of sweat. Finally, upon completing the section of text, Quell delicately pulls down the bookmark and places the book atop the table. A sip of his beverage is taken.

And then; "You're late."

"I'm s-sorry."

Quell hums and places the cup beside his book.

"I feared that I'd be drinking my tea alone. Do help yourself. Just don't drop it this time."

It's more of an order than a request and so Gohan reaches for the teapot and pours himself his own cup. Last time, he'd dropped the entire thing, smashing it and causing the tea to drench his cloak a murky brown. Quell had not been impressed. This time, he makes sure to settle it down on the table with steady hands.

He sips it under Quell's piercing gaze.

"It's… sweet," Gohan eventually offers.

This seems to be enough for Quell. His nose raises high in the air, twitching like a rabbit's would. "Of course it is. It's a blend from Rosemary-Green Village."

Gohan nods even though he has no idea where that is.

"Mori," Quells begins, tone aloof. "Doctor Hezk tells me that your sessions with her are stagnating. You've not recovered anything of value for weeks now. Do we need to increase the number of sessions back to daily?"

Gohan coughs awkwardly. "N-No. Once a week is more than enough."

Quells hums. The teenager feels the god's pressure kissing at the conservatory like the sea meeting the shore.

"I read all the time," Gohan next says with haste. "I'm learning a lot. I, uh, read a really interesting book about the Great Mass Extinction Ki-Explosion of Era 39… or was it 49? A lot of people died—" He coughs, awkward. "But yeah, I'm learning."

"But not remembering."

"I remembered something with Rixas last week," he tries, panicking just a little. The idea of more memory sessions makes his insides bubble anxiously. "He was showing me how to block and-"

"How terrible," Quell interrupts, "you don't fight, Mori. What a senseless waste of time for the two of you."

"I remembered something about Rixas," Gohan continues anyway. He's heard Quell's spiel about his training several times before. Rixas just tells him to ignore him –which are big words considering even Rixas rarely defies his brother. Oddly enough, it'd been this very conversation which had rebirthed the memory in the first place.

They'd been training in the courtyard along with Roarg, and Gohan had been complaining as usual about Quell's meddling via Myra. Of course the teenager hadn't been giving it his full attention and the brute had managed a nasty swing to the back of Gohan's head. In the mud, he'd had a flashback of sorts. It'd been like watching a film but only instead of watching it from the perspective of a typical viewer, it'd been from the main character's point of view.

He'd felt disconnected to the body he'd been wearing. There'd been no emotions there, only a swarm of recollections about the situation, as though they'd been slapping sense into him.

In this memory, Gohan, or rather Mori, had been sat inside Rixas' chambers. They'd been drinking something Gohan believes to be alcoholic if the burning sensation upon his tongue was anything to go by. It'd been sweet, however, sweeter than the tea he's sipping at right now. Over the drinks, Mori and Rixas had spoken about menial things such as training tactics and ki before discussing matters about the estate.

Considering it had been Gohan's first taste at reliving Mori's memories it'd been a little disappointing in its own way. It'd been so strangely… domestic.

Gohan does recall being surprised at the discussion topics for a second reason, mainly so the fighting as Mori had not been a fighter in any capacity other than being a ki-wielder. Later, as Rixas slathers him in salve, he's told that Mori had always been curious and eager to learn. Mori had been a "big brains" as Rixas had not so eloquently put it. Apparently, the guy would close himself off for weeks with his books and research.

And even more dollops of salve later, Gohan learns that Mori may have always been interested in fighting –he had quite possibly wanted to learn himself.

Yet Gohan doesn't tell Quell this. He gives the god a diet version, giving more details about the affairs of the estate and what Rixas' chambers had looked like during whatever time period he'd seen.

Quell seems mollified enough. The pressure eases. "I suppose we can see how it goes for a short time. Myra at least seems to be keeping you to a schedule."

His cheeks tinge in embarrassment. And so, Gohan lowers his head -only for it to bounce back up when Quell clicks his fingers in rapid succession.

"Stop that," he snipes, "you're a god, for heaven's sake. Keep your head held high."

"R-Right."

"Really…" Quell clicks his tongue. "After living here for some time I would have thought you would be more assimilated with the customs expected of you, of the regal nature we should exude. Whilst Rixas remains defiant I expect more of you. I don't want to see such displays of withering self-esteem or weak character."

"O-Okay."

"I expect compliance."

"Right."

"Tch, honestly… It's unbefitting to stare at your toes as much as you do."

"Yes," Gohan quietly agrees, forcing his chin up, forcing his golden stare into the direct path of Quell's.

Quell takes another sip of his drink, and so Gohan stiffly does the same. The tension thickens and the lingering threat of the pressure hangs forebodingly in the background. One wrong move and Gohan knows it'll come down on him like a ton of bricks.

"Also, I can't say that I'm a fan of your current style," he next jabs. It takes Gohan a second to realize what the god is talking about, with Quell's line of sight confirming it. "Your hair used to be so well-kept, and so wonderfully long. Traditional, just as mine is."

"When I was a kid I used to h-"

"Now you resemble a hedgehog."

Gohan touches his spikes. "It… uh… it runs in the family."

"It doesn't run in this family, although I do suppose Rixas has the appearance of being dragged through a hedge backwards. Oh, don't look so self-conscious. It's nothing a glamour can't fix. Perhaps the elixir will help when the time comes…"

Elixir?

The god snaps, "Chin up."

"Y-Yes."

"Oh, this might be of interest to you," Quell then says conversationally, surprisingly bright. It changes his face and for a second Gohan forgets that he's sitting before a predator. He actually pours Gohan a fresh cup of tea, and then himself one. "I spoke with this Supreme Kai of yours, the one Doctor Jivel mentioned to me."

Gohan feels excitement and anxiety all at once. His stomach flips. "You did?"

"I did. He'd been out of sorts though, unfortunately. Was hardly good conversation. Apparently he'd just unfused from his underling. Foul business, Mori. How you manage to mingle yourself with these lessers I'll never understand."

"What did he say? Did he mention me? Did he ask?"

Quell appears confused. "Why would he? No, he was just attending the meeting."

Gohan closes his mouth with a sad, "oh."

"But he did tell me this," Quell begins, stirring his tea. He taps the spoon against the china with unrivalled grace. "He'd been doing what he referred to as 'damage control' on some backwater planet in the Northern Quadrant, the one where Majin magic had been running rampant. Naturally, anything Majin draws my curiousity and so I pried as so often I do. The Majin magic is long gone now unfortunately but he did tell me of the residing saiyans there."

"Earth," Gohan breathes.

"Now, now, Mori. I had no idea that you'd been a part of the Majin Buu fiasco." He sips his tea. "No matter. It's of little importance now. So, I'd asked what had become of the planet after the magic's disappearance. He'd revealed little, but he did tell me that the warriors there were in mourning."

Dread.

Gohan feels dread. It's cold like ice, creeping up into his chest.

He knows before he asks. "In mourning?"

Quell surveys him and places his teacup back down on the table. "Apparently, one of the younger saiyans had been found dead of natural causes one morning."

His head drops, mouth opening. Gohan thinks his heart might fall out of it.

"Did… did he say-?"

"That it was you?" Quell finishes, and then clicks his tongue. "Stop looking at your feet, Mori. No, he needn't say. But I believe the story tells itself. You shed your mortal body in order to return home." His stare becomes intense. "The news relieved me."

It doesn't relieve Gohan. "I… died. I died to come here." The shock only seems to grow, seems to spiral and give him heartache and headache so bad he doesn't know which is worse. His voice rises. "I died!"

"Sit down," Quell hisses.

Gohan doesn't know when he stood but he refuses to budge. His fists clench at his side. He-he wants to hit something.

"I died to come here!" he tells Quell, furious. "My family must be devastated. They think I'm dead. No wonder my dad hasn't found me! He wouldn't know where to look –where I've gone –been taken. I –I… I've got to go back!"

Then the pressure slams Gohan to the ground. The ocean of ki ripples over his body, and he can't move an inch either side.

"The news was supposed to relieve you too, you foolish little retard."

Gohan grits his teeth, pushing feverishly against the pressure. It's for nought. He can't even lift his head, never mind his legs. His mouth, however, does move.

"They think I'm dead!" he growls, cheek against marble, "My mother –she-!" His voice becomes weak. "Quell, I have a brother..."

"Yes, you do," he agrees. He stands, looming over Gohan with a waterfall of blonde locks. "You have two brothers, and I am one of them. This is my gift to you, little brother. I could have withheld this information but I wanted to do you a kindness."

"How is this kind?" he snarls. Tears threaten. "You're taunting me!"

"I'm pitying you!" he snaps just as severely, "I tell you this so you can let go. This –this mortal life of yours- has come to an end and it is time for you to accept that. You left a corpse on that nowhere planet of yours, and so the people you think of as," his sneer becomes so ugly that no flattering light can help, "family have something to mourn. They can have their closure, and so can you."

"I could go back-"

"This character of yours is dead, Mori. I refuse to say the name. Enough games have been played and it's time for you to move on. Accept it, as those from your planet will eventually come to." Quell kneels down, and Gohan feels the brush of hair against his neck. "You were there one moment, and you are gone the next. That is the way of mortality."

With that, Quell retreats out of the conservatory and Gohan's left to deflate on the floor, feeling very little.


The anger follows later.

Rixas is out of the realm today just to spite him. The guy is always gone when Gohan needs him most, most certainly gallivanting in taverns and interesting lands whilst Gohan remains landlocked. Whatever the guy gets up to must only lead to trouble. Sometimes he returns intoxicated and bangs on Gohan's door at incomprehensible hours, demanding his attention loudly. The first few occasions had Gohan humouring him, had Gohan feeling too guilty to turn him away –but Gohan's learning now. He won't let the knuckle-head walk all over him. The guilt has long since receded and Gohan is more than happy to slam a door in the guy's face.

How he always seems to be so chipper, Gohan has no idea.

He's probably always drunk…

His stupid laughing face makes the teenager want to punch something.

Grumbling, he brings the duvet over his head.

Gohan has long since crawled back under the covers of his bed. It's warm and comfortable, and he gets to lie there and stew in his own frustrations until Myra gets bored enough to hunt him down.

She's worse than his mother…

The moment stills.

Mother… She thinks I'm…

Well, I am…

His chest aches, and so he reclines into the plush of feathery pillows. The flustered pink of his cheeks press against silk and he waits -he waits for the surge of sadness to pass. He waits for the melancholy to follow.

In fact, he waits so long that he falls asleep.


'Ancient relics belonging to the Golden Rising period of history are still in high demand despite the bonded magic being dissolved. The Gods of Revelations' campaign against magically crafted creations proved successful some time during the Fifty-Fourth Era, yet it wasn't until the Fifty-Fifth Era that magic quality throughout the universe decreased. The magic seen today is but a fraction of what used to be wielded by mortals on a usual basis, and it is in thanks to the last generation of Gods of Revelation that mortals' control over magic is now monitored and controlled.

The new generation of Gods of Revelation have yet to distinguish themselves from prior generations. They are of few gods actually born instead of created. With this, their purposes are always being redefined, and their actions; pungently scrutinized. This unidentified aim of the collective, undoubtedly, is a contributing factor in the kai's disconcerting relationship with the Almighty and their servants.'

The Almighty and its Children

Page 107


"Nose in a book. Standard Mori." Rixas says by way of greeting.

Gohan hums and feels little need to spare a glance, folding his body into the crook of the armchair. The welcoming fabric seems tempted to engulf him entirely. In the backdrop, fire crackles, snapping wood as white crawls up along the window panes.

His brother advances. "Are you being moody with me again?"

A yellowed page is turned. "No," Gohan replies. But really, it sounds flat even to him.

"Very convincing."

"I'm just reading… you know, like 'standard Mori'."

"Pft, there's definitely a bee in your bonnet." Gohan's head is forcibly shifted when Rixas takes a pew on the armrest. A torrent of breath streams through the overgrown puppy's nose. "Whatcha' reading this time?"

"A book…" Gohan replies with budding despondence.

"Is it a romance? Smut-book?"

Gohan almost drops the thing, spluttering. "N-No, it's not a romance. It's non-fiction."

"Sounds boring."

He flicks a page over a bit too forcibly with the aim that Rixas might just get the message. A moment passes with the firm weight of Rixas still beside him. Gohan can't even find it within himself to be surprised.

"Wanna' come with me to the Spire central zone? I'm thinking a beer might change that mood of yours. I'm sick of seeing you feeling sorry for yourself."

"I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm reading."

"You're moping; that's what you're doing. What is it? What's up? Has Myra the Terrible been hassling you to kiss Quell's toes?"

Gohan slams the book shut and tosses it to the floor. It's apparent no reading can be completed with this hovering gnat about. He snaps, "What do you want, Rixas?"

"Eh, so tetchy… I'm just trying to cheer you up."

The teenager pauses, groans and then scrapes his hair back with tensed fingers. "I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's just, I'm still annoyed about last week with Quell, and…" A sigh leaves him. "Sorry. I know you're not trying to annoy me on purpose."

Rixas barks a laugh. "You're sorry that 'I'm not trying to annoy you on purpose'?"

Gohan breaks into a smile, a small one. "I'm sorry."

With the point of his shoe, Rixas gestures to the hulk of a book lying dormant on the floor. "Those things won't help, ya know."

"You mean books? I'm learning about history, er, our history. I thought you'd be hap-"

"I mean, they're super depressing. Learning is great and all but you're just gonna' stress yourself out with it all if you do it in one go."

"I guess…"

Rixas throws an arm around the back of the chair, leaning into it. "Our history is so long and convoluted that you'll be here all day unpacking it, little brother. Why not do something more productive with your time?"

Gohan's smile stretches. "Like train?"

Rixas' own nefarious smile becomes dangerous. "If you're offering."

"Heh, I'm not."

"Spoilsport."

"Is every other day not good enough? I think you've got a problem."

Rixas appears appalled, hand to heart. "It's never enough. I'm your precious teacher, sweetie-pie. You're finally getting better with your footwork after my excellent lessons. Don't you appreciate the fruits of my labour?"

Gohan manages a laugh. "Yes, I do. I actually like keeping my shins intact."

"That's the spirit." He slaps at Gohan's shoulder. "If you come now then I'll promise not to drag you out of bed tomorrow bright and early. Instead, we can spoon the morning away. We can even talk about our dreams and aspirations."

Gohan shuffles away, but he's still amused. "The only aspiration I have right now is to finish this book in peace. I'm reading about the relics. I thought the previous Gods of Revelation had a point. They were super dangerous."

"Oh boo. How gloomy. Ki's dangerous, brother. Should we get rid of that?" Rixas offers a long raspberry. "Here's a spoiler; the last God of Revelation before us got executed millions years back. The kais got uber pissy about the purging of magical relic-things and then poof, the guy got beheaded or whatever and then Quell was born. The new cycle of gods was set in motion. The end."

"I think there's a bit more to it than that."

"I mean, sure, if you want to read the boring nitty-gritty melodrama and politics of it. The only important thing for us to remember is that the kais throw an absolute fit if we so much as sneeze in the wrong direction."

"Because they're worried we're going to incite some kind of rebellion against them? Why would we? They're doing fine, right?"

Rixas shrugs. "No idea. I think you're talking to the wrong brother about this kinda' stuff. I just beat up whoever Quell commands me to." Gohan feels a tugging at his hair. "You could just ask him, ya know."

Gohan brings his knees up, rapping his fingers against the fine material until it bunches. "I… don't think that that's a good idea."

"Yeah, he's all cranky with you right now, isn't he? You properly pissed him off well and truly."

"Mm…"

Rixas pulls another at another lock of hair. "Hey, Mori."

The tone isn't welcome. "What?"

"You know what would cheer you up?"

"What?"

"Coming to the Spire and getting a beer with me."

Gohan stands and the lug falls against the chair before dropping into Gohan's evacuated spot gracelessly. Without looking at the collection of spindly limbs, the teenager raises a hand and bats a lazy wave. "Goodbye, Rixas."


'The fallout following the purge of magical relics can still be felt amongst not only the kais but also by the figureheads overseeing godly jurisdiction. Division between reining gods has caused friction over the millennia over the involvement of kais in godly affairs. With the inclusion of angels and destroyers, however, the sway of bias leans in their favour, and control over the affairs of balance primarily is situated with them. In contrast to the World of the Kais, the Spire exists to home a majority of gods still active.

Primarily, the Spire remains home to the children of the Almighty, and only those chosen may enter should they not be born there. Mortal and non-mortals alike share the realm, yet it is most famous for the Estate of Revelation which sits north of the bustling centre.

These ancient grounds still house the infamous branch of gods known as Gods of Revelation. Many a generation of Gods of Revelation have lived there, with the current generation being survived by three of the four brothers. They reside at the Estate to this day.'

Kais and Deities – A Turbulent Foundation

Page 54


"Lord Mori, I beg of you, please come back inside."

Myra's head looks very little when viewing it from the bushes under his bedroom window. It's angrily bobbing, possibly even steaming, all the way back up in his bedroom. Meanwhile, he plucks at the individual twigs from his robes. It hadn't been his most graceful escape.

"You're scheduled with Doctor Hezk. Please, my lord. You need to go –WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! Don't walk away!"

Icy grass crunches underfoot as he ploughs through the restriction of shrubbery. Not even ensnaring vines can stop him.

"Lord Moriiii…" she sobs in the distance.

He feels a bit bad, actually. It's the second session skipped with Hezk, and the fifth or sixth time Gohan's managed a great escape from his overbearing assistant. It's madness to Gohan, absolute madness how much of a tight schedule she has him on. He can't have a meal these days without her breathing down his neck –really, it's a surprise she hasn't coordinated a routine for him to chew his dinner.

It's not that Myra's a bad person… but Gohan does find it a little too easy to dislike her. Had her job been anything other than acting as the thorn in his side then maybe they could have been frie—acquaintances. Acquaintances. The girl is far too neurotic.

After breaking free of the garden, Gohan finds himself drudging through mounds of snow. There's a wind too, one which chills him to the bone and has him retiring to a derelict building resembling a barn somewhere north of his ward.

A mismatch of wood and stone work divides the build, some of it being coated in the frosty ice of the wild. Vines hang, dead, as the victims of the season, and hand-hold around the barn as morbid decoration. Gohan passes large sections of it and he follows the tangles up onto the next floor.

It's here that he ki-blasts a fire into life. Straw is a fine material to burn, what with its dry nature and copious amounts of it surrounding him. He's lucky in that regard, Gohan supposes.

The glow of orange on cool greys flickers, and he enjoys the static-like shadows fizzing against the wood. The teenager sits back and watches, curling his toes against his boots.

Anything is better than being suffocated at the estate. Gohan just needs… a break, and maybe one of his books. He should have brought a book.

For some reason, the instance reminds Gohan of one of the few times he'd taken Goten camping. The weather had been abysmal then too, and Gohan had made them a fire just a few feet beyond their tent. Whilst the plan had been to fish it hadn't worked out that way. But still, Gohan recalls upon it fondly. Goten had brought a pack of cards, and so Gohan taught him how to play a couple of games Krillin'd taught him back when he was a kid. They both had managed to catch some game that night too, and roasted it together over the campfire with a selection of herbs. Gohan remembers the meat being tough –and maybe just a bit spicy in its own way, only tasting as good as it did because they'd both been so hungry for it.

He smiles, but it hurts –and not just because of the cold.

Gohan really misses his baby brother.

He misses all of them.

For hours, he sits there with his only company being his little swirls of frosty breath. It's only when Myra somehow tracks him down, looking far bluer than normal and in a coat thrice her size, does Gohan awkwardly follow her back.


'Roles of the Gods of Revelation are divided as follows: Conquest, Famine, War and Death. Respectfully, each representative reins with divinity of an appropriate calibre. Of this generation, the eldest of the four siblings, Lord Quell of Revelation, famously utilizes a method to contort the pressure of his own energy. He extends this power upon his audience even when not in battle. Feeling it in person is compared to one having their lungs crushed under immeasurable weight.

Whilst the identities of the other brothers remain mysterious (in likelihood because of Lord Famis of Revelation's questionable death), Lord Quell remains a usual mouthpiece for the Almighty at Meetings of the Deities, consultations with kais and other assemblies which require presence. Neither the God of War nor the God of Death have been formally introduced or even identified. Only those residing in the Realm of the Almighty have been known to interact with them, yet despite this, it has not come to public attention of their identities.

Though they're not without public appearances as, famously, the Gods of Revelation are easily recognizable by the masks they wear.'

Knowing YOUR Gods

Page 12


Spring is little different at the estate as it is on Earth. Flecks of colour peek behind stubborn evergreen, and the promise of warmer weather can be felt in the air. Even the greys and browns of the estate seem more hopeful, what with how the sun casts sleek rays of light to slide down the walls. The building glimmers.

Gohan, on the other hand, does not. He feels as if winter still has him in its eternal grasp. The sunny façade of outside is just that. That's why he stays inside with the books.

And it has little to do with how Quell looks at him like he's dog muck, or how he's on permanent lockdown, or even how Myra bosses him around whenever he stands still for longer than five minutes. No, he keeps telling Rixas, and even Raorg.

He's not depressed.

He's fine.

They want him to remember, don't they? That's what he's doing. He's burning through Mori's entire library to try and learn about this stupid place. He's swallowed book after book, and still, there's barely anything about what kind of life Mori himself had led. The sessions with Hezk barely do anything these days, and even Doctor Jivel isn't much help. He just tells Gohan to smell the flowers more, to try and enjoy himself –to try and live.

How can Gohan live when so recently he'd died?

Gohan doesn't want to be happy here, live here… be here.

The only thing he wants is his family… He misses them.

His book is discarded onto his bedside table. From the window, Gohan watches as spring comes to the estate. Time passes, and he watches as it leaves too.


Unless you are of noble birth, it is just bad manners to exercise energy in the Realm of the Almighty. One should walk, preferably several steps behind reining deities. Valued traditions include but are not limited to; reserving ki to an absolute minimum, referring to those above you strictly by their title, presenting weapons for inspection upon entry to the highest order, and not eating fish on every third day of the month.

The Realm of the Almighty: Know Nots and Know Hows

Page 44


Gohan turns to Roarg, extending his hands out and trying to playfully grasp at her sword. "According to this book, you're supposed to give me your weapon for inspection."

She appears horrified, and pinches his book right from his hands. It's positioned right between his eyes in heavy threat. "You touch Steeled Kiss and I am afraid I will have to send you back to the infirmary. Also, we don't follow at least half of these outdated rules any longer."

"Pft… 'Steeled Kiss'?"

"Steeled Kiss is a fine name..."

Rixas laughs, approaching with two wooden swords of his own. "You're a romantic at heart really, aren't you, Captain?"

Roarg scoffs. "I don't think that's accurate."

Neither does Gohan. The woman terrifies him, much more than Videl ever had.

Rixas leans over and throws something. "Here, Mori. Catch." He does. It's one of the wooden swords. "I wanna' see what you can remember. You used to have a sword back in the before time."

The teenager stares down at the splinter-hazard and then back up at his brother. "I've trained with swords –back on Earth and in the World of the Kais. I think I'm good to work with something a bit more… er, less wooden."

"This'll be fine for now."

"Bu-"

"Trust me." Rixas grins and saunters over to the centre of the courtyard's allocated training space. "It's not about doing damage or anything. I just wanna' see that lovely form of yours."

Gohan follows, cringing. "Why do you have to sound so creepy about it?" He falls into the practiced position Rixas has been so keen on teaching him, but he's unsure what to do with his right arm now that there's a 'sword' in it.

"I'm admiring my work. Very lovely. Have you seen this, Roarg? Lord Mori of Tragic Footwork finally has a stance to be proud of."

"Oh, yes. Very nice," she says dryly, but she's not looking. She's now got Gohan's book open in her lap.

Gohan only half-turns. His feet remain cemented to the ground. "Roarg, don't you lose my bookmark! And, Rixas, my form was fine before."

Rixas snorts, mouth hanging open in amusement. Just as Gohan thinks he's about to say something, the guy brings a rapid knee forward. His foot extends and just as it's about to make contact with Gohan's shin, the teenager swerves backwards onto the other leg. He captures Rixas' ankle on the retreat and lunges him forward. He slips back, falls, and lands at Gohan's boots.

"That was satisfying," Gohan then tells him.

"Oh, I bet," Rixas laughs, lifting his arm. Gohan dutifully pulls him and Rixas gushes with pride. "I taught you that."

The teenager scratches at the back of his head, smiling. "I suppose…"

"Did you see that, Roarg? I taught him that!"

"Yes, very nice. Quite excellent."

Rixas slaps him hard on the back. "I don't care what you say. Had I tried that a year ago then your shin would now be snapped into two halves. Times are a changing, little brother! We should drink to celebrate!"

"Stop pestering him, my lord…"

"Eh… c'mon, Mori."

Things really are changing…

Gohan looks down at the wooden sword, suddenly not feeling so good about his achievement.


'Quell's watching from the Winter Pavilion. It's only time.'

Unidentified note written by Lord Mori of Revelation


And this is where it went from bad to worse for Gohan.

It'd been months since Gohan's last visit so he has no reason to be surprised. Myra had barged into his room as she always does and screamed her throat hoarse until Gohan made his way into the conservatory. He's not late this time, yet Quell appears the exact same as always –as if he'd been waiting all day long for him.

He looks up from his book and gestures Gohan to sit in his usual spot. Tea goes without saying and the teenager takes a long sip to appease the god.

"You have been spotted devouring the library of its collection," Quell says not without amusement. "Myra tells me that you enjoy reading anything you can get your hands on. This is reassuringly like my brother of old."

Gohan hums. Even after all this time, he's still angry at the god. How dare he call him his brother? Gohan's brother is called Goten Son, and he's the only person who gets to think of Gohan as such. Even when Rixas' stupid face comes to mind, his stomach continues to twist with stubborn fury.

Quell, undeterred, tucks stray hair behind his ear. It's pulled into an elegant hairstyle of plaits and weaved design. It's rather girlish, surprising Gohan just a bit. Actually, now that the teenager thinks about it, he looks exceedingly put together today.

"I've just come back from a journey westward," he says after a sip of tea. "When I returned to my chamber I found messages from Doctor Jivel referencing missed sessions with Doctor Hezk. We have not spoken in many, many weeks, Mori, as I have been busy and thought you would value the space, but I have been mistaken. Or perhaps, it is because you have suddenly come to remember yourself? Remember everything of who you are? Remember me –which I doubt because, yet again, I need to tell you to look at me and not at the blasted floor!"

Gohan rotates his eyes up.

"Look at me, Mori."

He does, and he hates what he sees. This man is ruining his life. Still, he holds his tongue. The familiar sway of Quell's pressure threatens from the background, but Gohan refuses to fold to it. It could break his spine and Gohan wouldn't care.

"You still train with Rixas despite my requests for you not to; you avoid your memory sessions in opposition to my requests for you to attend more. Really, Mori, one might think you'd be doing this out of spite."

"It's not like that."

"Oh? I believe otherwise, but that's most likely because I can see through your paper-thin front. You're acting spiteful. You're still angry about your mortal life, aren't you?"

Gohan says nothing. He fumes. He grabs at his cup when his hands require something, anything to do.

"Your obstinate alter-ego display might have been endearing for a while, to some. But it's time for you to hurry this along. Do tell me, brother, has Doctor Hezk or Jivel at least mentioned the essence yet? My patience can only be spread so thin after all."

The anger cracks only long enough for his curiousity to rear. "…What?"

Quell's eyes narrow and he brushes his fingertips through long, blonde hair. The act makes Gohan shuffle in his chair, now feeling akin to prey. His fists ball beside him, however.

But instead of the usual harsh words, Quell somehow finds it in himself to explain cordially. "The Essence of the Almighty. It's the elixir crafted from the spirit of the Almighty itself; a sacred potion kept here at the estate and within my care."

"No… they have not… spoken about this," Gohan manages, mouth dry.

"Pity," Quell responds, pouring himself some more tea. "I would have thought they'd have brought this up by now. Care for a top-up?"

Gohan shakes his head, numb. "What does this elixir do?"

Over the rim of his china, Quell surveys him, and then says; "Kill you, of course."

"Wh-What?"

"Well, in a manner of speaking," he continues, smacking his lips after a sip. "It actually destroys you –or, at least, the unimportant fragments of what is foully polluting your soul."

"I don't und-"

"It will strip you of your disgusting mortal nature," he quickly spits with revulsion. "It will forever cleanse the filth stopping you from soulfully connecting to your roots as God of Revelation. Forever you shall live. Your godly body won't rot with time, and you will remember your higher existence. You will taste true godhood as it should be savoured."

The cup slides from Gohan's fingers and shatters when it hits the ground. Neither acknowledges it. "Immortal… I wouldn't be… able to die?"

"Perish. You wouldn't be able to perish. Death can come should someone be able to take your life, but I dare them to try it. I will rip the heart from any creature foolish enough to harm the collective." Gohan swallows as Quell grows ever more intense. "You will exist as a perfect being, like all true gods of the Almighty should. You will become divine.

But right now, as disgusting as it is, you're living a half-life, one which screams of the bastardized wrongs which need to be righted. Whilst you most likely won't age much more in your current form, your soul still harbours the impurities associated with your old mortal life… The only way to right that is for you to consume the essence."

Blood rushes to Gohan's ears and before he knows it he's on his feet.

"I'm not giving up my humanity! I'm a mortal!"

"How ghastly," Quell chokes. "Don't say such things!"

"I'm not drinking any essence or elixir. No way. I… I may have been Mori but now I'm Gohan Son. I refuse to abandon my identity."

"By the gods, Mori, can you hear yourself? Of course you're going to take the essence! Your soul must remain perfect. Any fractures can cause… who knows what?"

"You speak like mortals are some sort of… of plague or—I don't know! But how are they any different? What are the differences? I don't feel any different."

"You have yet to become whole! Only then will you understand, you fool! To compare gods and mortals is a ludicrous joke gone too far! For you to not understand your place –your ranking- is abhorrent enough but to question the system… Mori…" Quell stands, his own tea forgotten, and stares over the bridge of his nose down at Gohan. "You will drink the essence."

The pressure, like waves battering at the sea wall, becomes unruly.

Gohan winces, his chest compressing. "I r-refuse."

Quell's nostrils flare. "It is not a request. You WILL drink it, and you will take your place beside your brothers. Even if I have to decimate half of the universe for you to see sense then I will."

The teenager's breath hitches but he has nothing to say.

Quell breaks the silence. "Don't you dare test me."

Still, Gohan holds the god's stare. It hurts to do so. The pressure mounts, stealing the oxygen. Proudly so, he still manages to stand with a straight back. "I-I'm a mortal," he proclaims, "like my d-dad, like my family and l-like my friends. I won't throw that away."

Quell's lips upturn into a nasty snarl. "Your form disgusts me, Mori. It's unsightly. Until you see sense… I have no interest in speaking with you again."

He walks towards the exit and regards Gohan as though he's filth. "Do as you wish. See how far you sink until you beg for my help, brother."

The door slams, and Gohan breathes furiously. Despite wanting the god off of his back for a while now, he can't help but feel like this isn't the last he's going to hear of this. And so, instead of relief, he's swept by both the hurricane of rage and the current of Quell's lingering pressure.

His fists pound down against the flooring and he screams. He's just so sick of it, he shouts and hollers until a flurry of words he shouldn't know come spiralling out. Gohan's heated skin presses against cool tiles, and it's at that moment where he accepts this change.

He accepts how much his life has turned to… well, to shit.


Gohan catches Rixas only moments before he's due to leave the realm. He snags on his brother's shoulder just as he reaches the edge of the estate grounds.

"Hey, Mor—Eh, what's up? Have you been crying?"

"Take me with you."

Rixas jostles. "I, uh, I don't think you'll like where I'm going."

"I don't care," Gohan tells him, "I just can't stay here. I can't be in this stupid place any longer –even if that means going and drinking myself stupid with you. That's fine. You know, I actually don't hate the idea of it anymore."

"Mori…?"

"Rixas," Gohan says lowly, squeezing his brother's arm. "I'm finally taking you up on that drink you want to buy me."

The god, dim in the evening light, turns to give Gohan his entire attention. Ugly concern which makes Gohan angry radiates in droves. Gohan doesn't want concern –he wants –he wants…

"I want to go with you."

"Was it something Quell said?"

"Does it matter if it was?" he snaps, "You're not going to challenge him, are you? You're supposedly some ridiculously strong god, yet you can't stand up to Big Brother even when he's being an evil bastard."

Rixas grabs his arm. "Stop it."

He snatches himself free. "No, I won't. And I'm not sorry, either. I'm sick of apologizing. I'm –I'm sick of it all. I just want to forget about it just for one night. Are you really going to be so cruel, brother? Take me with you."

Thickly, the air grows heavier between them. Gohan's breathing hard. Whilst his eyes are steel, Rixas still can't manage to meet them. They wobble in alarm. Around them, the evening songbirds are singing lullabies, and the chirp of insects act like the ticking of a clock. Rixas must know that he's only got so long before Gohan feels the sting of rejection.

He swallows, looking oddly numb and subdued. "Alright then. Yeah, alright."

Gohan can't quite believe his luck. His breathing evens out. He nods. "O-Okay."

They stare at each other, both probably feeling as equally lost. Rixas clearly has no idea what to do here, but he's definitely the more social-savvy of the two and so he moves forward.

Gohan accepts the arm around his shoulder, and accepts being pulled away from the estate and all the way to some bar in the middle of nowhere. It's here where Rixas silently presents Gohan with the same pink tangy-smelling drink he had ordered him once upon a time ago, and it's here where Gohan proceeds to make his brother proud by downing the entire thing in ten-seconds flat.

It burns all the way down, tasting very little of cherries after all. Rixas proudly smacks him on the back, and Gohan actually laughs when the other patrons cheer for him.

In fact, they order him another one, and then another, and then another.


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It's a bit different, this chapter. I wanted to show a sequence of events spread out over time and how Gohan's been existing through it all. We also got a cheeky bit of lore too. A massive thanks to KagariAsuha on this one for her usual betaing and also for her input. Also a big thank you to all the reviewers and those who drop me PMs. Hearing your opinions really does add fuel to our tanks. It encourages us to write faster, write more and just, uh, write in general. So yeah, big thank yee.

I enjoyed writing this chapter, particularly scenes involing Quell because he's a bit of a bastard. I'm hoping to start getting chapters out faster because Chinese New Year is on the approach and that means no work for me! Huzzar! I hope you enjoyed this one. See you on the next installment~