Chapter Forty-Six
The Council
Grand Zeno's Palace. Far Above the Multiverse.
High rise dark concrete stretched far beyond what the eye could see. Shining black marble rose up from the ground to meet the abyss above like tall looming gravestones. Nestled within the marble walls, sat slabs of thrones which held the members of the Council. Rows of watchful eyes followed as he walked down the centre of what felt like a never-ending walkway. His path was illuminated by brackets of blue fire that lined the walls, casting long eerie shadows that threatened to engulf his own.
His boots echoed over the cold tension which seemed to eclipse every inch of the chamber. The slow tap of Whis' staff trailed dutifully behind him.
The atmosphere was a complete contrast to when Gohan had last been to Grand Zeno's palace. He had been welcomed by goblets of wine and a plush throne to rest upon in one of the grand meeting rooms. Yet, the court chamber sat even deeper within the bowels of the palace. It was cold, and uncomfortable. Though he reasoned that a trial was not meant to make him feel welcome.
So much had happened. Whis had cleaned him up and restored his robes but his ears were still ringing from the onslaught of battle. He hadn't had time to process… anything and now suddenly his actions were under scrutiny.
He wasn't naïve. Perses had even alluded to it himself. Afterall, destroying a divine artifact was a punishable offence. Although it was more broken beyond repair than actually Destroyed, it still would not go down particularly well.
He couldn't get much out of Whis, only that the Divine Council would be made up of a handful of pre-selected Gods from across the multiverse. Yet it appeared that every divine being were in attendance - Kais and Destroyers from every universe, their Angels and attendants, even the lower Kais, and a few others he didn't recognise.
He recognised Top in the pews to his right. He was sat loyally at the side of Lord Belmod of Universe Eleven. He caught his eye, and Top afforded him a slight tip of the head as he passed.
The intense pressure in the air was almost suffocating, since all the Gods were gathered in once place. He had felt it as soon as he and Whis had arrived outside the palace, and he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was off.
He came to a halt before the Council benches, where a beautiful mosaic was etched into the marble beneath his feet, depicting long strokes of blue and gold tiles – the only colour that dared to penetrate the room. Ancient markings came together in a circle with him at the centre. Whis had lingered two steps behind.
A glint of something shiny caught his eye next, and he noticed the set of tipping scales that sat on a stone pedestal to the side. They whirred and groaned as they now emitted a dark purple – almost black - smoke, the left plate having dropped completely on one side.
Unbalanced.
His reflection was amplified in the tarnished gold, depicting the look of a startled animal that had been caught in a trap. Quickly, he fixed his face, straightening his back as what felt like a hundred stares continued to burn into him.
Yet his mask soon slipped, as at once the floor beneath him began to glow. Blue and gold rose up like a brilliant beacon, fingers of light erupted from each tile and shot high into the abyss hanging above. It encased him, trapped him as it took on shape. More light spewed forth and shot out towards him like bolts of lightening. They wrapped around his wrists, ankles and neck – near choking him.
What – What is happening?!
He gasped, filled with a quickening fear as he felt his power drain. The sudden weakness made him feel dizzy, his knees knocking together as he managed to catch himself before he collapsed to the ground.
"I-Is this really necessary?!" A desperate shout came from his right. The voice was muffled, almost distorted beyond the cylinder prison.
Supreme Kai.
He was surprised to see him here. He looked as though it had taken him all his remaining might to stand, let alone speak. He was being held up by Kibito, shallow eyes framed by dark circles and his skin deathly pale. He looked awful, pain marred his features as he wobbled in place – his ghastly appearance no doubt a result of his and Lord Beerus' life link.
Lord Beerus was dying, and soon, the Supreme Kai would follow.
"Lord Gohan is under trail," a pink-skinned Kai - whom Gohan recognised as the Supreme Kai from the first universe - informed him from the centre throne up high, "Therefore he must be subdued."
"H-He is still a G-God, not a c-criminal!" Shin spluttered hotly, "H-He p-poses no threat h-here!"
"That remains to be seen," his lips pursed, "Although you are not on today's panel, Supreme Kai of the Seventh. I advise you to remind yourself of your place."
"I-I -," he started, he was looking even paler by the second as he locked eyes with Gohan, "M-My apologises, C-Councillor Anato."
Still shaking, he sat back down.
"Now, those who are not already accustomed to the rules of the chamber – may I remind you that are under the obligation of Divine Law, and therefore should act accordingly," Anato's dark eyes swept the length of the room, "Should you choose to present unfavourably, you will find yourself evicted from court."
"You are to speak only when permitted, which includes the ah… defendant," he continued, "Witnesses may be called if deemed necessary to contribute to the evidence presented. I will be the Chair of the Council for today, joining me are Destroyers Lord Giin, Lord Liiqour and Lady Heles from Universes Twelve, Eight and Two respectively, along with Supreme Kai Ogma, Roh and Khai from Universes Five, Nine and Eleven respectively. As usual, the Council has been chosen randomly to eliminate bias for this trial."
Gohan wasn't so certain about that, as he remembered the Supreme Kai Roh's reproachfulness towards their universe all too well.
"Let us begin the formal tribunal forthwith," Anato spoke in the Divine tongue, and his stomach twisted.
"Lord Gohan, Destroyer of Universe Seven," he addressed him in the universal language, "You stand trial on this day, pertaining to your participation in recent events that have befallen the seventh universe, and thus brings in to question your ability to uphold the universal balance that protects us all from destruction."
Gohan opened his mouth, but worriedly no words came forth – as though the restraints themselves had his vocal cords in a chokehold. He tried again out of frustration, but… nothing.
"Before we go over the list of offences, we must first address a most pressing matter."
There's a list?
"Where is the Super Dragonball?"
"Quite safe," Whis' distant voice revealed, "The Supreme Guard and their mortal allies were successful in retrieving the remaining wishing orb."
"Yes, that's all very good, but where is it?" Roh of the Ninth demanded. "Don't tell me that the mortals have it -!"
"Now that would be rather inappropriate, Supreme Kai," Whis said smoothly, "I assure you that the Super Dragonball remains hidden, guarded from those who wish to abuse its power."
"Guarded by who exactly -?!"
"May I remind Councillor Roh that Whis is not the one who is on trial here," Anato cut across him sharply, before turning to Whis, "Do we have the word of the Angels that the divine orb will not fall into Perses' hands?"
"Undoubtably."
"Very well," he nodded, "Then we shall move onto the offences. Councillor Ogma – the record, if you please."
The Supreme Kai of the Fifth stood, unravelling a long scroll within her pudgy fingers and cleared her throat so harshly that her breath clattered around the chamber.
The ensuing silence was deafening.
"Lord Gohan the Destroyer, this Council has gathered once before to deliberate your devotion to Divine Law and your conduct whilst carrying out your duties as a Junior Destroyer -."
Her eyes never left the page as she spoke.
"In light of recent events pertaining to your previous indiscretion, the Council have no choice but to add this breach of the Divine Code to the list of charges -."
"By what standards?!" Shin was on his feet again. "The c-case was c-closed – L-Lord G-Gohan has already been dealt p-punishment -!"
"I will not tell you again Supreme Kai of the Seventh," Anato stated firmly, "Please do take your seat."
"Master," Kibito pleaded. "You must rest!"
"Lord Gohan may have been 'punished' for his role in the unholy conception of a demigod," he continued, "Yet that punishment is now redundant. The Destruction of the seventh's Hell by Perses' hand has seen to that. Lord Gohan cannot tend to a realm that no longer exists."
Shin grew silent, as whispered mutterings broke out in the pews.
"So, it's true – he really did sire a demigod!"
"Disgraceful -!"
"The seventh's Hell has been Destroyed? No wonder the balance is shot -!"
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Marble upon marble brought them back to attention, as Anato placed the gavel back down beside him.
"Ah yes," Ogma continued, clearing her throat again and returning to the scroll. "You are also charged with the desecration of a Divine artefact – the legendary Z-Sword."
A sharp gasp erupted around the chamber.
"How do you plead?"
His throat was hoarse, as his voice was quickly returned to him.
"I-I had to -."
"Had to?" Lord Giin, the merman Destroyer scoffed from his own throne, "Such arrogance. You may have freed the relic, but it gives you no right to make that decision -!"
"I didn't have a choice," Gohan gritted his teeth, trying not to let his anger show. Just as Whis had warned him.
He felt the guilt gnaw away at him. He and Z had been together for so long. They had fought together, laughed together, faced enemy after enemy and emerged victorious. He had come to view the strange voice within the sword as a friend, as odd as it sounded. On more than one occasion, the relic had been the only thing that kept him sane on those dark and lonely nights on Lord Beerus' world, someone he could confide in other than his mentor.
And now, he was gone.
"If I hadn't of destroyed it," he said, finding his words, "Then Perses' would have had a fighting chance in murdering the Omni-King."
A startled noise reached his ears, along with an exclamation of disbelieving laughter.
"It's true!" Gohan spouted hotly, "Whis, tell them -."
"We have already consulted the Angels on the matter," Anato interrupted, although he looked perturbed, "What Lord Gohan says is sound in its truth. Knowledge too disturbing for even the Gods ears, the Z-Sword's true purpose – a weapon intended to slay our great and benevolent Grand Zeno."
It was like several volcanos erupted at once. The chamber was in chaos, the revelation sending the Gods reeling. An outcry ensued – shock, horror, disbelief rattled the courtroom in a mess of angered voices.
"Preposterous -! Nothing can kill the Omni-King -!"
"If that's true, how was he able to free it -?!"
"Lies!"
"I say ask him, Councillor! He hid his affair with a mortal! What else is he hiding?!"
"Why is this the first I'm hearing about this - ?!"
"Angels should not have secrets – their duty is to serve -!"
"Perhaps Lord Gohan is just as dangerous as Perses!"
"I always said I liked that Kratos fellow better -."
BANG. BANG. BANG.
"Order!" Anato used his gavel again, "I say, ORDER in the court!"
It was no use, none of them were listening. Even the Council had begun shouting amongst themselves.
"That's quite enough."
A strong voice swept the chamber all too suddenly. It was familiar, cool and firm.
The Grand Priest stood before them, surveying them with an unearthly patience. Gohan hadn't even seen him appear.
"My good Lords and Kai, let us collect ourselves," he said calmly, yet his stare was damning, "Allow me to relieve you of any doubts. The Z-Sword's true nature was decided long before I even bore my children, something the primordial deities put into place as a counter measure when the cosmos was new. There is not, and never has been any intention to overthrow the Omni-King since the sword was placed in stone."
"E-Excuse me, Grand Priest Sir," Gohan spoke, breaking the harrowing silence that followed, "I just want to know, why is it that I was able to free the sword? I mean, I never had any intention of hurting Grand Zeno. If that's what the Z-Sword was created for then why - ?!"
"I think the Council would like to know as well," Roh snarled, catching the Grand Priest's attention, "I-I mean, if that's alright with you, S-Sire."
"That's right, he wasn't even a Junior Destroyer at the time he freed it," came a whisper from the pews.
"Ridiculous that a half-Saiyan child could even manage it," said another.
Gohan ignored them, his eyes locking with the Grand Priest's unsettling gaze. He held his breath.
"The Z-Sword is now in pieces and therefore the reasons for its acquisition no longer relevant," he stated finally, "Counsellor Anato, do continue with the tribunal."
What?
"But -!" Gohan started, but a purposeful cough from Whis cut him off.
His mentor shook his head as he turned to face him as best he could, seen as he was tethered. He didn't understand. Something didn't feel right.
"O-Of course, certainly Sire," Anato quickly swiped the scroll from Ogma, and straightened himself, "Lord Gohan, you are thusly charged with three counts of breaking Divine Law. Firstly, for your relations with the mortal Videl Satan of Earth -."
"It is not a crime to indulge in the pleasantries of mortal flesh, Anato," Lord Liiqour interrupted with a wry smirk, "Else I'd think the majority of us could also be held to account."
A few Gods chuckled, which only flustered the Kai, his cheeks glowing crimson.
"Desire is different to love, Councillor Liiqour," Lady Heles mused, eyes twinkling as she gazed upon Gohan. "You know as well as I do that love between a deity and a mortal is strictly forbidden."
Lord Liiqour scoffed.
"Tell the court, my Lord. Did you love this mortal?" She cooed.
He set his jaw in defiance. They were mocking him, the whispers and stifled laughter grating on his every nerve.
"Yes." He answered finally, glaring right back up at them. What was the point in lying? It was obvious they were going to punish him anyway.
Lady Heles smiled, "Then that settles it. Do continue, Councillor."
Anato cleared his throat, "Thank you for reaffirming the first charge, Councillor Heles. The second charge is as already mentioned. Your multiple unions with the mortal girl led to the conception and ultimately birth of a demigod. The third, the obliteration of a Divine artifact most sacred. How is it that you plead?"
Gohan did not answer straight away. He could feel the fury begin to bubble underneath his skin.
"I already told you. I didn't have a -."
"How is it that you plead, Lord Gohan?"
"My Lord," said Whis, "Answer the Councillor."
"What even is this?!" He snapped, ignoring the pointed look his mentor gave him, "Does any of this really matter when Perses is still out there?!"
"And whose fault is that?" Lord Giin reprimanded, "Time and time again you have failed to protect the balance of your universe."
"That's not -!"
"Just how many of your Supreme Guardians have perished on your watch? How many Divine wishing orbs did Zamasu snatch from right under your nose? How many times have you faced Perses and lost? Not to mention the pitiful state of Lord Beerus. Tell me, where were you during that battle?!"
He opened his mouth in a furious retort, but Anato had already cut across him.
"M.I.A, searching for an ancient Diamas crystal once belonging to Perses," he read from the scroll, "Interesting, and did you find such a crystal?"
"I did."
"I see, and where is it now?"
"I…," Gohan thought carefully, but the last thing he remembered was his father ripping it clean off him. It could have been obliterated along with Hell for all he knew. "I don't know."
"Useless!"
"God of Destruction? Ha! More like God of Disaster!"
"You know, I didn't much care for Lord Beerus, but at least he wasn't this much of a disappointment."
Lord Giin sneered over the rabble, "You may have power, but you are too young and inexperienced – as the record clearly shows."
"Hn, he's right," Lord Liiqour hummed in thought, "He could have an army of bastards running around that we don't know about."
"And what have YOU done?!" Gohan finally unleashed, "Lord Beerus and I are the only ones who have even bothered to face Perses. You were all ready to abandon the Seventh and leave us to all hang!"
"How dare he!"
"Such disrespect -!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"ORDER! ORDER!" Anato bellowed once more, his white mohawk matted with sweat, "Please my Lords, I do not wish to delay the matter any further! I will dismiss the entire chamber if that is what must be done!"
That got the crowds attention, as they promptly settled down, with some uttering apologies towards the irate Kai.
"Now Lord Gohan, the trials and tribulations of the seventh universe -."
"Are yours as well!" Gohan yelled, "Are you this delusional?! Have I gone completely mad?! Perses is on a whole other level – we need to work together! Even without the Z-Sword, he still could -!"
His voice died. His words shrivelled up like a prune and retreated down his throat. He gasped, trying to shout, to curse, to speak but no sound drew from his lips.
"I will not condone your blasphemous rant in this chamber," Anato chastised, frustratingly unaffected by the murderous glare Gohan sent his way. "I urge you to calm down before that infamous temper of yours runs away with you, and so that all matters can be dealt with in a civilised manner."
He licked the tip of his thumb and ran it down the edge of the scroll.
"Hm, the beginning of your Godhood was something to be admired," he observed, "A child at the time you became a Destroyers apprentice, and a Junior Destroyer not long after that. Despite Councillor Giin's comments, you had served your universe well up until recently. I wonder, could it be… corruption?"
A part of Gohan was glad they had silenced him for now, as he was pretty sure he would be unable to control his tongue.
"Councillor, if I may," Whis interjected gently, "I do not think it is helpful to make those kinds of assumptions. This is a trial, not a character assassination. It is true that Lord Gohan has served his duty well… albeit with some slight hiccups along the way -."
"I do not think that the siring of a demigod can be compared to a 'slight hiccup' Whis -!"
"Ah yes, but he did kill her."
Gohan sucked in a breath, as his stomach lurched. The air became unbearably still.
"Indirectly, I suppose," said Whis, "And it was the future version of the child - time travel is terribly confusing, you see. The fact of the matter is, that Lord Gohan chose the universe over saving her, and ultimately became successful in Destroying Zamasu in the process."
There was a frantic rustling of papers.
"Ah yes," stated the Supreme Kai of the Eleventh, peering over another scroll, "It's all here."
"Let me see Councillor Khai," Anato fumed, snatching it from his grasp and skimming the page, "Ah… yes, well…"
"What an ultimatum," Lady Heles shook her head, peering over his shoulder. "Such a mess."
"A mess indeed," he agreed, still reading.
"So, what if he was responsible for her death?" Lord Giin spat, "Do not forget he was the one responsible for her existence in the first place!"
"He also put an end to Zamasu – an immortal -."
"He also destroyed the Z-Sword!"
"A demigod is a dangerous creature -!"
"We are all aware, Councillor Giin," Lord Liiqour drawled, "Are you suggesting we overturn the previous ruling and have the child Destroyed?"
NO!
Gohan's heart caught in his throat. Those wide dark eyes were staring back at him again, hollow and empty with death. He snapped his gaze towards Whis, begging him to step in.
But he wasn't even looking at him.
He shouted silently up at the Council, even though it was no use. The restraints surged, and crackles of ruinous energy sizzled around the cylinder that encased him.
That caught their attention.
"Oh, he appears dreadfully upset," Lady Heles remarked.
"Tch," Lord Liiqour scoffed, "I have seen Gods be brought down through their failure to separate personal indulgences from duty, and it appears this youngling is no different."
"Quite," said Khai, flipping through the pages of a thick dusty rulebook, "That being said, Divine Law stipulates that a Junior Destroyer cannot be held under the same accountability as a fully-fledged God of Destruction. Lord Gohan sired the child before he succeeded Lord Beerus, and to maintain fairness -."
"Fairness?!" Roh spluttered, "Who cares about fairness when the cosmos has been plunged into chaos?!"
"Exactly, Councillor!" Lord Giin barked, "The scales started to tip as soon as that boy arrived on the Destroyers world -!"
Whis hummed, "Is that a factual observation I wonder, Lord Giin?"
"Universe Seven are NOT permitted on today's panel, Whis!"
"Ah, such a pity."
"Then where do we stand?" Khai quirked "Lord Gohan has obviously performed reasonably well under the circumstances, although his lapse in judgement -."
"- has cost the balance -!"
"The balance of the cosmos would be wronged regardless -!"
"And yet Perses remains untouchable," Anato finished with a decisive hum, placing down the scroll in front of him and smoothing out the edges. "This is a problematic case."
"An astute observation, Councillor," the Grand Priest interrupted smoothly, drawing the Gods' awaiting stares once more, "However, we cannot let the values of the past distract us from the realities of the present. The multiverse is set to change rapidly, whether we like it or not, what with the balance now in absolute jeopardy. With that being said, the execution of an infant will not rectify the state of the cosmos."
"But S-Sire -!"
"However, this does not disregard the indiscretions that have occurred under Lord Gohan's jurisdiction," he pressed. "And so, some difficult decisions must be made."
Gohan's breath hitched in his throat; his short-lived relief left him all together. Yet to his surprise, the Grand Priest's dark eyes looked beyond him.
"I have heard enough; the court is adjourned."
A flutter of commotion was heard behind him, accompanied by a blinding flash of light as his audience was abruptly evicted from the Chamber.
What?
"The Divine Council and I will take a short respite to examine the evidence, and deliberate what action should be taken in order to move forward at this most uncertain time," the Grand Priest said, "We cannot have restlessness and animosity between Gods. In times of peril, we must be seen to be united not divided."
And then, "We cannot afford any more mistakes. Isn't that right, Whis?"
He was unnerved, as Whis bowed his head dutifully.
What the hell was going on?!
Unexpectedly, his vision began to rapidly fade away from him.
"Lord Gohan," the Grand Priest addressed him curtly, just before he blacked out, "We shall reconvene in just a moment."
Darkness.
Darkness welcomed him in a cold and otherworldly embrace. He floated there, suspended for what felt like an age. His limbs and chest were dull and heavy, as though someone had dropped an entire planet on top of him.
Where… am I?
"GOHAN! DO IT NOW! WE ALL KNOW YOU HAVE THE POWER! IT'S TIME TO USE IT!"
D-Dad?
That's Dad's voice. What the -?
Voices clamoured around him, battering against his eardrums. He opened his eyes, having only just realised that he had them squeezed so tightly shut that it started to hurt.
He was greeted by a dark ominous mist which honestly wasn't all too surprising. He was still floating, unable to move as shadowy figures moved rapidly across a desecrated ground below him.
Then all too suddenly he was flung forwards, hurtling towards the earth. He cried out and braced himself for impact -!
But it never came.
The next thing he knew, he was on his hands and knees. Deep cracks splintered the ground beneath his balled-up fists. They were covered in blood and dirt, and he could feel something warm and wet sliding down his cheeks.
Was he crying?
"Come on, kiddo. Let's go."
Krillin?
Krillin was beside him, just as battle worn as he. He spoke with a gentle affection, radiating an odd mixture of grief and pride. Bewildered, Gohan allowed him to help him to his feet and found that he was near the same height as him.
Wait.
He remembered this – this was -!
An enormous explosion of power and heat nearly sent him flying. His golden hair blew back in the maelstrom of winds, and his body started to move of his own accord, digging his heels into the dirt.
He braced himself as Cell emerged in all his terrifying glory.
Why am I seeing this?
Cell's laughter was just as cruel as he remembered, but before Gohan could fly off the handle and attack him, did something strange happen.
A vibrant beam of death punched through the dust clouds, it hit Trunks squarely in the chest and blew a hole right through him.
What the hell?!
Vegeta roared with fury and leapt at Cell in a swirl of golden fire. The Earth screamed as his rage and anguish turned into buckets of power. He launched blast after unforgiving blast at the monster. But it was all in vain.
He was struck down in one blow, buried in the rock. Limp and useless.
"… and it's over now!"
NO!
Gohan raced ahead of the blast that careened straight for Vegeta. His world glowed a sickening shade of yellow as it hurtled towards the ground, his small body carrying him towards – the blue-eyed girl with pigtails hiding behind a boulder –
His vision became distorted, as the figure changed rapidly from Vegeta to Videl then back again.
The attack hit. His arm was shredded. He hissed, clambering up off an unconscious Vegeta.
Am I hallucinating? This isn't right!
His ears were ringing. Cell was gloating. Piccolo was yelling. The others looked on in horror.
"I-I'm sorry, Gohan," Vegeta managed to muster through the storm of diabolical Ki. "I am."
But Gohan was frozen. He couldn't move again. Helpless, as the Androids stood before him instead of Cell, their palms sparked with a ruinous charge as he suddenly found himself in the middle of a ruined city.
"This thunderstorm is the perfect backdrop for your demise…" Android Seventeen called menacingly.
Storm? What storm? And why were the Androids -?
It changed again. The air itself wobbled and twisted and brought him back to the wasteland. And Perses was there in Cell's shadow, mimicking one another as they yelled out to the heavens in tandem –
"…that is my destiny – I AM THE UNIVERSES END!"
They grinned madly, blue energy lapped towards him in heavy, pulsating waves, blocking out the desert sun in its entirety.
The Earth trembled as the Kamehameha swelled, obscuring the ground, the sky, the Z-Fighters and even Cell himself. This was the end, and it was all his fault.
"Gohan…" came a faint and distorted whisper.
The voice called to him from a place he couldn't see. It felt familiar, warm. Like a bright moment of still safety in the mist of horror - but he couldn't make it out.
"Gohan…"
It was no use. He was fading again –
"GOHAN -!"
"Lord Gohan?... Lord Gohan!"
Gohan opened his eyes, delirious. His head was swimming. He felt the sting of restraints around his wrists and ankles as he lifted his head and gazed back at the Council, who remained looming over him.
"Ah, glad to see you're back with us."
It had been the Grand Priest who had spoken. He levitated a couple of feet off the ground directly opposite him, with Whis loyally stationed at his side.
"W-What was that -?" Gohan croaked, glad to find that he was no longer silenced, "Where did you send me?"
"I'm afraid that I don't quite know what you mean," he replied cooly, "Your spirit was merely suspended in time for a few dozen takks whilst the Council and I came to an agreement on your sentence."
"M-My sentence?"
He did not offer a response, as Anato took a deep breath. "After much deliberation by the panel, it has been decided that it is in the best interest of the multiverse that Lord Gohan is dismissed of his duties -."
"Dismissed?!" He blundered, "What's that supposed to mean - ?!"
"My Lord, please do not interrupt -."
"I can still FIGHT Whis, and you know it! You can't just -!"
"Your actions have been considered," Anato stated firmly, "And have been identified as a contributory factor in the dire state of affairs that your universe and, by extension, the multiverse currently finds itself in."
"In addition, your… bastard's divine power shall henceforth be bound so that its usage will be limited. This will be monitored closely. Should an issue arise then the matter shall be discussed again in court and an execution order considered. You are to be sterilised and will no longer possess the ability to produce any more offspring."
His throat ran dry, as something unpleasant coiled within him.
"Due to your dismissal, a suitable replacement will have to be found swiftly," he continued, "Your universe is fortunate enough that you have not undertaken the binding ceremony, else this would be much trickier -."
"How is stopping me from fighting supposed to help anyone?! ANY of this?!"
"This is not a negotiation."
"I just want to be heard!" He shouted, "And I won't just bow out! What's the point in -?!"
"Your universe is in chaos," Anato cut across him sharply, "And although it is not certain what tipped the scales, it is apparent that every road leads back to you."
Gohan snapped his mouth shut, as the Grand Priest gave him a hard stare.
"Do not make this more difficult than it has to be, child." He looked to his right, "Whis, I'm afraid that your little experiment must come to an end."
"As you wish, Father."
He stepped forwards, and Gohan recoiled. Experiment?
"Whis, what's going on?"
"My Lord," he spoke softly, his usual cheer absent, "You were never meant to find out this way."
"Find out what?"
"It is time for me to come clean," Whis sighed, "You were never truly meant for this world."
"What the hell are you talking about?!" He spluttered angrily, trying to brush off the panic that unexpectedly rose within him.
"You were never meant to die in the Cell Games, Gohan."
His words rang out like a bell toll. The marble stones suddenly looked taller than before, leering over him like monstrous shadows about to devour their prey.
He let out a strangled noise in response, halfway between a laugh and a choke. "W-what? Of course I died – I'm dead! I'm here, aren't I?!"
Whis' face remained stoic, "You are only here… because it was orchestrated -."
"Cut it out Whis, this really isn't funny -."
"I'm afraid I am not jesting."
"Then what - ?!"
"You are aware by now, that there are many prophecies that exist. Although not always definitive in their prediction, the majority come into fruition and are achieved with little fuss and with no impact on the universal balance," he said, "However, there are some that catch the attention of the Gods – the prophecy regarding the Z-Sword is one of those important ones."
Two become one weapon, capable of cutting down the mightiest of foes.
"Now prophecies can change dependent on a person's true destiny, but that is by the by," he explained, "One prophecy came to light not long after Perses was sealed away in the Void. This prophecy foretold the complete annihilation of the multiverse. The Angels could not ignore this revelation, and neither could they gamble on whether it came to pass or not, and so we were tasked to find a solution to this predicament – should we need it."
"But I don't understand," Gohan implored, "What does this have to do with -?"
"By now, you are well accustomed to the flow of time and the problem with tampering with it – yes?"
He nodded silently.
"It is different for us Angels," said Whis, "We are not bound to the rules of time in the same way that Gods are – we do not need time rings or clever machines. The celestial river, the Astra Eridanus, as you know runs through everything that ever was and will be in the cosmos, which includes the stream of time. It runs through every universe, binds the Destroyer and Supreme Kai of each universe to one another so that they become life linked through its power. Likewise, it also connects each Angel to their own perspective universe, so if that if it is Destroyed then the Angel will become inactive."
Gohan was frustrated, he already knew this. He had spent years studying the constructs of time and its relation to the cosmos. He still didn't understand what Whis was getting at.
"Our connection to the Astra Eridanus is such that we are allowed to dip in and out of the timestream at will, so long as we do not tamper with it," he continued, a sudden heaviness to his tone, "Our usage is usually greatly restricted. However, what I saw within our universe's lifetime was enough to change that."
He sighed again, "Four decades from where we are now, Perses would finally escape and unleash his wrath upon the cosmos. He eliminated all mortal live, every Kai and Destroyer. He would achieve his goal in creating a new multiverse, and everything here would cease to exist."
"H-He won," Gohan croaked disbelievingly, staring wide eyed at his mentor beyond his prison.
"Indeed, quite splendiferously," he hummed, "Yet before I saw everything end, something quite remarkable caught my attention."
"I-It did?"
"Oh yes. You did."
"Me?"
Whis' lips quirked, but he did not smile, "Your father and Vegeta challenged Perses in an epic battle that shook the very foundations of Universe Seven. In the natural flow of time, they had both acquired divine levels of power that boarded on God of Destruction territory. However, they had begun to age – well past their peak in terms of Saiyan biology – and were no match against Perses' might. Even if they were in their prime, I highly doubt it would have been enough to stop him."
Gohan was stunned, a million questions swirling in his chaotic mind.
"Your father was brutally slain just as I was about to return to my own time, and in that moment, I saw you," he told him, a twinkle in his eye, "You were the last one standing. You had been incredibly injured, weak and tossed aside and thusly protected by your father. Yet when he was slaughtered, your power erupted with such ferociousness that you managed to unleash a desperate assault on Perses and severely injure him in the process Unsurprisingly, you met your death shortly afterwards, the fire of your strength dwindled to nothing but embers as Perses began to fight back. Yet despite it all, you had managed to inflict a fair amount of damage - something that no other had managed to achieve. I had never seen anything like it – potential untapped, power yet unleashed. I knew then and there that I had to do something to turn the tide before it was too late for you."
"Too late? What do you -?"
"It is like I said," Whis explained, "Originally, you would not meet your end at the Cell Games. In fact, you lived a relatively peaceful life until the age of sixty years, three months and seventeen days, in which you were subsequently Destroyed by Perses."
He felt as though his entire world had been yanked from under him. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't -!
"You became a scholar, and ultimately distanced yourself from fighting unless there was a particularly major conflict. I daresay it may have had something to do with the fact that your father chose to stay dead for seven years after the battle with Cell."
"S-Seven…?" No. Whis is lying. This is some kind of sick joke. Dad wouldn't just abandon me like that. It isn't in his nature to abandon anyone -!
"Although, he did return after defeating Majin Buu -."
Whis' voice grew small and distant, his head was spinning. He felt sick to his stomach. Was he dreaming? Did the Grand Priest do something whilst he was in suspension?
But that dream… it wasn't a dream, was it?
What did Whis do?
His vision went again. Everything was grey and then suddenly drops of colour illuminated the world in which was lost. He saw it all in fast forward – and whether it was due to some weird time distortion or Whis planting it in his head, he saw it.
It was Vegeta, not him who had leapt at Cell with unbridled fury.
It was Vegeta, not Videl who he had saved from Cell's blast.
It was Trunks, not him who had ended up with a hole in his chest.
He hadn't died.
He hadn't been taken in by Whis and Lord Beerus. He hadn't met Makhai, Alala, Kratos and the rest of the Supreme Guard.
He hadn't pulled the Z-Sword free and took up the mantle of Junior Destroyer.
Instead, he had mourned his father. Gohan's love was not enough to tie him to the Earth. All that remained was a marker over an empty plot in the forest. The flowers would wilt and die and his tears would sink into the dirt to join them.
But he stayed strong for his mother. For Goten. For it was Gohan, not his father who was there to watch Goten take his first steps and say his first words. It was Gohan, not his father who taught Goten how to fly, how to defend himself, how to make sure his mother didn't have to worry about them. It was Gohan, not his father who Goten would crawl into bed with and seek comfort from if he had a nightmare.
He saw snippets, glimpses as they flung through his mind at a rapid speed.
Instead of fighting monsters and demons, Gohan would go to school. He would pour over physics and chemistry late into the evening, instead of studying ancient texts and scrolls and wrapping his aching wounds in bandages every night.
It was Hercule Satan who would take the credit for Cell's defeat. His face would decorate billboards and boxes of cereal instead of a golden haired boy. The world would remain oblivious to their true saviour, and gladly leave Gohan out of the spotlight.
He would instead make is mark in a different way. He would fight crime as a red-caped superhero, taking down robbers and neighbourhood nuisances instead of bringing the promise of oblivion upon billions of souls.
He would fight Majin Buu and lose. Too rusty and out of practise – too unconfident - to fight at his full strength. But his father was there, he was always there to save the day. And finally, he came back to him.
It would be his father, not Gohan, that would become a Super Saiyan God and fight against Lord Beerus on Bulma's ship in the middle of the ocean.
His father, not Gohan, would be granted training with Whis and Lord Beerus. Vegeta too. The two of them bursting through their limits as the years passed by.
He would fall behind in terms of power. But he was happy, and it was peaceful.
Gohan wouldknowwhat true peace felt like.
He would become a scholar. A world renowned one at that. He would make both his mother and father proud.
He would marry his high school sweetheart and would relish in a love with no boundaries. He would have children and grandchildren. He would teach them how to fly just like he had Goten, and he and Piccolo would tell them stories over the crackle of campfire. Stories of planets and stars that winked at them from billions of lightyears away.
Then doom would come for them eventually, just like it always did. This time, his father would not be enough to save them. Nothing would be enough.
But if he had just been stronger, if only he had been enough, then maybe things might have been –!
Realisation slapped him hard in the face, and the colour faded all at found Whis' knowing gaze and felt nothing but betrayal.
"You must believe me when I tell you that at the time, I thought that you may be our best hope in ending this peril," he told him.
"Believe you?!" Gohan guffawed, he felt raw and numb all at the same time, yet his anger won outright, "How can I begin to believe you when you LIED to me for nine years?!"
… you are a part of that lie – the biggest lie of all perhaps. That fails to realise he exists in a world he doesn't belong in…
"Gohan -."
"You took me!" He bellowed, tears of hurt and frustration burned behind his eyes, "You took my LIFE away! You told me that it wasn't your design to interfere! And yet y-you…"
"I did what had to be done," said Whis.
It was all too much.
"Everything I did, what I've done –," he choked, horrified, "Oh Gods – this doesn't feel real – I don't even understand how everything CHANGED -!"
He was hysterical, as he had suddenly felt as though he had lived two lifetimes at once.
He couldn't breathe. His knees went from underneath him, his back slammed against the wall of light as he tried to force air into his lungs.
…Mere pawns in the game of Gods!
Laughter bubbled up from his throat before he could stop it, as Perses' words echoed in his mind, borderline crazed. He didn't care that he was half-hyperventilating half-cackling like he was something deranged in front of the Grand Priest. He didn't know what he should care about.
He had been played, and the revelation did nothing to help his state of breathing. This was ridiculous. Wrong. It was true, but it how could it possibly be?
"A butterfly effect," Whis spoke gently, as if reading his thoughts. "I am prohibited to meddle with time directly, therefore I had to try an indirect approach. I had to choose an important moment in time, one that had multiple paths that could be taken, in case one should fail."
"S-So you chose the Cell Games," he managed, still struggling to calm himself down.
"Precisely," he quipped, "A small change was all it would take, and all it took in the end. When little Videl Satan decided to sneak into the back of her father's limo to watch the fight up close instead of staying home, that is when those ripples would set about a chain reaction of events."
"W-Why her -?!"
"A simple change," said Whis, brushing him off. "Her presence but a vibration that would in turn reshape the outcome of the fight, just as the steady beat of a butterfly's wings can alter the path of a tornado."
It made sense, as much as he hated it.
He had seen it once before, when Trunks came from the future. His mere intrusion into their timeline led to stronger androids, but ones who did not share the same bloodlust as their future counterparts. It brought about the creation of androids Nineteen and Twenty too, and his father's heart virus hit him six months later than it should have done.
"Although I did not foresee it strengthening your connection to the girl," Whis mused thoughtfully, "If I had, I would not have chosen for it to play out in that manner. Moreover, I did not intend for you to die at that point in time, yet it did work out rather swimmingly. You were young enough to mould, impressionable to the point that you would have done anything to save your universe from collapsing in on itself, even giving up your own revival. As expected, you accepted to become a Destroyer's apprentice without much persuasion."
If you do this Gohan, know that you may never return to Earth again…
"You used me."
"Indeed, I did," he sighed, there was a sadness to his tone, but Gohan didn't much care for it. "Of course, other candidates were considered for the mantle should the plan fail, as they needed to become strong enough to face to terror that lay ahead. However, those who became the Supreme Guard did not possess same qualities in such abundance as you – selflessness, nerve, bravery. Incredibly valuable assets which you displayed throughout your time as a recruit. Your friends gave you such challenge and drive, that you threw yourself headlong into every task that you were confronted with. It made you stronger in every sense of the word."
"I sacrificed everything," said Gohan lowly, "I gave up my home, my family, just so that I could be something more -."
"And you achieved that," said Whis, "You became the best version of yourself -."
He scoffed, "In terms of what?! Power?!"
"In a way," he kept his tone light and crisp, which enraged Gohan to no end, "Sadly, it was not enough. And we must now return to explore other options."
So that meant…
He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.
"Did Lord Beerus know?"
"Gohan -."
"Did he KNOW?!" He yelled, the force of which caused his restraints to surge once more.
"No, he did not." He paused, "I am sorry that you had to find out this way -."
"I don't want your damned apology!" Gohan snarled, "I've spent my entire life and afterlife fighting for what was right! I only ever did what you asked of me! I was who you TOLD me to be and trained me to do! So, I did it! And now what?! You're going to just stand there and say nothing whilst they cast me aside like I'm -!"
"That's enough," the Grand Priest cut across him in a sharp sonorous tone.
He fell to one knee, as his restraints near electrocuted him, draining his power even more so. He felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face, straining to look up at him.
"It is only because of your previous exemplary service to your universe that I am recommending against condemning you entirely," he stated, "I will not hesitate to change my mind if you continue to conduct yourself in such a manner."
"Father, if I may," Whis interjected, "His reaction is only natural given the circumstances. It is rather a lot to take in at once."
"Be that as it may, I would rather direct the efforts of the Divine Council elsewhere," he replied sternly, "Time, as you well know is not in abundance to us, and we must consult the Oracle before the Omni-King gets wind of what has transpired out of context. There is only so much that I can do for your universe. Councillor Anato, if you please."
Anato snapped to attention, along with the rest of the Council. It appeared that they had been just as stunned by the Angels' revelation as Gohan had been.
He cleared his throat and read diligently from a golden scroll that materialised out of thin air.
"Lord Gohan, it is the order of this Council that you are no longer to act in any capacity as a representative of the Gods and its laws," his monotone drawl echoed over the Chamber, "You are hereby stripped of your title of authority as acting God of Destruction for Universe Seven effective immediately -."
"N-No – please –," Gohan scrambled, disregarding the way his restraints cut into his arms and hammered his fists against the cylinder. It was too much, and it was all happening so fast. "I can still do something – anything -!"
He had been sure. He had been so certain of his path at the beginning, but now it was crumbling to dust before him.
It's all I've known.
"You are to be banished back to the mortal realm from whence you came. You will hold no title, no honours, no benefits -."
"Y-You're sending me back –?! You can't just -!"
"We will undo what was done."
"What does that even -?!"
"It will be as though you never set foot on the Destroyers world."
"W-Wait -!"
"Farewell, Son Gohan."
"Once you start to pull the thread… everything unravels…"
Darkness, again.
It was always darkness that plagued him. It ate at him. Ruined him. It tried so hard to take root in his soul and now it was all around him.
This time, however, instead of floating within it he found that it confined him – crushed him. There was a pause, a short lag between his brain and his body as he realised that it wasn't an empty blackness trying to suffocate him. It was dirt. Rock. Sand.
Panic roiled inside of him as he screamed at his body to move. Everything hurt, his muscled ached, stiff and useless, as though he hadn't used them in a very long time.
A dull, dissonant thrum seemed to vibrate over his skin. He tried to gasp but found that his mouth was full. It was everywhere. In his eyes, his ears, his nose. He couldn't breathe – oh Gods he couldn't breathe!
He was cold, so cold. But thankfully his limbs began to respond – albeit painfully slower than he needed them too. He uncoiled his fingers and quickly blasted a hole through to the surface.
The dirt retreated, burning away and exploding into an orange and violet sky. Dust and debris rained down in a wave of glittering ash as he fought his way out of the earth. He coughed and spluttered so hard that he vomited, choking out a brown watery mess that now streamed from his eyes and nose.
He heaved, gasping for breath. His chest hurt, so much so that it made his whole torso throb in protest.
He had only got as far as crawling halfway out, when his hearing finally kicked into gear. He could hear shouting, wrought with panic and bewilderment.
Who was -?
Then suddenly, a hand reached towards him, offering to haul him free the rest of the way. Gohan grabbed it without thinking, noticing how it was larger than his own as he was swiftly yanked upwards.
The sudden change in light hit him square in the pupils like a Solar Flare and he stumbled like a newborn fawn – his wobbly legs unable to keep him upright. He just about heard a collective sharp intake of breath, before he was promptly pulled into a strong embrace. He caught the flash of orange, the smell of earth and firewood –
"D-Dad?" Gohan croaked, his voice breaking as his father's arms practically engulfed his whole body.
"Oh Gohan," he whispered, holding him tightly. His watery eyes searched his own when he drew back, and his large hand came to rest on his cheek, "Gohan, what did they do to you?"
"I-I don't – ah -!"
He dropped to one knee as pain shot through his chest once more. His father caught him before he fell back into the grave.
The grave. His grave.
The bronze statue glinted in the soft glow of the setting sun as it began to retreat below the horizon. The wasteland suddenly grew several shades darker.
"Are you okay?" Goku pressed, failing to give way to his astonishment as he stood over him –
Wait. Since when did his father get taller?
"Maybe… maybe we should take him to Dende," came Krillin's concerned tone. "Who knows how long he's been under there." He added, disturbed.
A murmur of agreement followed. He could feel them there. Dad and Krillin and Vegeta and Yamcha and Tien. He really was back on Earth. His stomach sank – he couldn't sense Piccolo.
"W-What's going on -? Where -?" He stopped, stunned. What the hell was wrong with his voice?
He cleared his throat, only to find it scratchy and high pitched. He locked eyes with his father, who, to his horror was undeniably looking over him. He could see the yearning in his gaze, as though he wished nothing more than to gather him up in his arms again.
His chest drummed with that sickening ache again that was starting to become an annoyance. Trying desperately to ignore it, Gohan made the mistake of looking down at himself.
He swallowed with some difficulty, as the remnants of sand and dirt remained glued to his tonsils. He breathed hard, slowly taking in what he had already deciphered.
His body was noticeably smaller, dressed in a replica of Piccolo's gi. The same torn and bloodied attire that Whis had let him keep all those years ago. It was the same gi that he had stashed in the bottom draw in his chambers on Lord Beerus' planet. In the early days, he would run his fingers through the same frayed fabric when he got too homesick.
The shoes were just as wrecked, his toes poking through a hole on one of the soles. He slowly found his hands, a little softer and plumper than he remembered. They were caked in copious amounts of dirt much like the rest of him, sand wedged beneath his fingernails and the pair of singed blue wristbands.
"We will undo what was done." The damning words echoed. "It would be as though you never set foot on the Destroyers world."
His breath hitched, and fury rose within him like a bubbling pot fit to bursting. It roared outwards in hot golden flames before he could stop it, clattering across the sun-scorched earth. Whatever trinkets and flowers surrounded his grave were promptly incinerated, as Gohan could no longer contain the scream of frustration that escaped him.
It was child-like and hoarse, echoing over the desecrated ground as the winds picked up around him.
"GOHAN, STOP!" His father bellowed, fighting through the gale-force as everyone else braced themselves. "Calm down!"
He didn't listen. He didn't care. He was too angry, too hurt. It spilled over and the skies trembled as his hair swiftly turned to gold and his eyes glowed a fierce emerald –
But no sooner had he transformed did it snuff out. That terrible pain shot across his chest and he fell to his knees.
Tears shamefully streaked down his cheeks as he cried out in agony, rage, sadness. He couldn't stop his cries, as his black hair dropped back over his brow. He dipped low to the broken earth, clutching his heart as it continued to burn.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Goku was beside him again, tentatively rubbing his back in soothing circles, trying to act as though he hadn't just been walloped by a sudden storm of Ki. "It's okay. W-We'll figure this out -."
Gohan shook his head, as another rasping sob tumbled from his lips. He didn't know how to tell them, him. He couldn't bring himself admit how he had been stupid enough to abandon everyone in the first place - how it was all for nothing. He couldn't tell him how naive he had been to think he had a real shot at saving a damned thing.
Sat there broken at the foot of his own ruined grave, he felt the regret sting.
He had put them all through so much. He should never have left.
He closed his eyes, remembering the silent prayer he had told himself when he had first accepted Whis' offer.
I may not become the warrior you wanted to take your place Dad, nor the scholar you wished for Mum, but I hope you'll forgive me. This is something I have to do. Not just for myself, but for the universe.
He really was an idiot.
"Easy," said Goku, crouching down, "Take a breath -."
He yelped, as another stab of agony wracked his body. His father near cocooned him with his large arms and blocked out the glare of the dying sun.
"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly, "Where does it hurt?"
"M-My chest," he wheezed, it felt like something was about to burst out of his ribs. A strange, hammering pain that refused to let up –
"Breathe with me," his soothing tone instructed, "Just feel, son. It'll be alright. Just feel."
Gohan looked at him strangely but did as he was told. He sucked in a breath, trying to feel out his smaller body, working his way towards his chest. Finding that the deep pounding sensation was indeed coming from below his ribcage.
He stopped short, meeting his father's knowing gaze once more. Without another word, Goku placed a hand just off the centre of his torso, well-practised by now - and nodded.
And that's when Gohan realised that he could feel it too. His heart... was beating.
AN:
PAIN.
Another Chapter down. Full steam ahead.
FYI I absolutely wanted to turn Gohan back into a kid way before Daima was even a thing.
I don't really have the words for this chapter. It is a huge huge slap in the face, pulled the rug from everyones feet moment - No apologies here because I am totally here for it.
Thanks for all the comments and love! See you next time!