Chapter Thirty-Three
The Battle of Olympus: Part Two
A violent noise cracked into the startled air, raw power threatening to split the entire planet apart. Rip-roaring blasts of Ki spilled fire and smoke into the darkening sky, the acrid smell of the aftermath filled the air and caused the onlookers to cough and splutter as it invaded their lungs.
Crimson dust swirled around the crown of the colossal mountain range, the force of the Almighty skirmish causing deep cracks to appear in the rock. Sharp, thick and imposing; several weaker structures crumbled.
Flashes of fuchsia and purple shot purposefully across the sky whilst jagged bolts of lightning prompted the thick clouds above to shudder in anticipation. Sonic booms ripped the sound barrier apart, clashing like discordant rhythms of thunder in amongst an unholy storm.
Which was Present, and which was Future was difficult to determine just by sensing their sheer energy alone, especially due to the Divine heights the two warring sides had now reached. They moved so fast that it was nigh on impossible to see from the sidelines.
"I don't get it," said Makhai, a deep frown marring his features, "It feels like Gohan, but not like Gohan."
"I know what you mean," agreed Alala, her eyes following another jet of light that tore through the clouds above, "I've never sensed anything quite like this before; it doesn't make any shred of sense!"
Just then, a feral blast of energy barrelled towards them. Draped in darkness, it screamed through the air so fast that the pair was caught completely off guard.
Luckily, a bulky figure appeared in front of them at the last possible moment; a brilliant golden shield protecting them from the calamitous explosion that followed. They'd barely had a second to recover, when their saviour turned furiously towards them.
"What the HELL is going on here?!" Kratos demanded, his fierce blue eyes glaring down at them.
"Well," Makhai tried, "Funny story actually -."
"WHAT HO!" Came a brazen shout, as none other than the Pride Troopers, as well as the rest of the Supreme Guard finally joined them in the sky.
"We heard an explosion!" Top called, he and his team appeared rather perplexed, "What in the name of the ancient Gods is going on up there - ?! And is that Zamasu?!"
He spluttered in disbelief, his large moustache bristling frantically over his top lip as he set eyes on the wicked Kai hovering in place across the vast abyss of Olympus.
Although it appeared that Zamasu seemed to be paying them no mind, instead his gaze was fixed firmly on the belligerent atmosphere above. His irises darted back and forth in tandem with the fight at hand, a maniacal grin plastered shamelessly upon his lips.
"Oh yeah," Makhai shrugged, "Found him ages ago. Oh, and there's an evil Gohan now."
They stared, dumfounded.
"Excuse me, what?!" Deimos blundered, prompting his fellow Guardian to hum in thought, resting his chin in his hand.
"Yeah, we haven't quite worked that one out yet," Makhai admitted, "Basically, what we know so far is that he's from twenty years in the future and somehow teamed up with ol' Zamasu along the way. Apparently he Destroyed the seventh universe and killed all the Gods in existence in his timeline before rocking up in this one and attacking us."
"T-Twenty years?" Dypso repeated, "How is that even possible?"
"Oh it's possible alright," said Alala, "But now that I think about it, the other Gohan does look a little older."
"Ah, those youthful Saiyan genetics," Makhai nodded, "I'm glad that I decided to stop ageing when I died, else that middle-aged Gohan would be showing me up right about now. Handsome bastard."
"Can we focus!" Kratos snarled, "I refuse to believe it. That level of Divine power is far too advanced, there's absolutely no way that's Gohan."
"Oh, use your senses, Kratos," Eris said with a roll of her eyes, "Our Gohan is matching the other. They appear pretty damned equal in strength to me. Although, that form he's using is certainly one I haven't seen before, is it… pink?"
"Most definitely, but Whis and Gohan call it Rosé," Makhai mocked, with way too much emphasis on the 'Ro', "Seriously, don't ask."
"It's amazing," said Bia, the mighty power washing over her, "But an evil Gohan? It's inconceivable. Could he have been controlled? Like with Majin magic?"
"Despite it being Zamasu's forte I'd have to say no," Deimos interjected. Together, they watched as the 'evil' Junior Destroyer was launched backwards across the sky by a well-aimed strike - giving them a much clearer view of the menace, "There's no mark on his forehead for a start, and he seems to be well in control of his actions."
"So he really has sided with Zamasu," observed Makhai, squinting up at the unhinged version of his best friend, "I dunno though, apart from the dark clothes and the freaky laughter he doesn't look so evil to me. He doesn't even have a moustache."
Top rounded on him, "What on earth do you mean by THAT?!"
KA-BOOM!
Distracted, they failed to notice the figure hurtling towards the ground before it was too late. A cataclysmic boom shook the planet to its very core, as Gohan landed only a small distance below them, just off the edge of the crater.
His painful landing had bore a hole so big that he had nearly become buried under the sharp rocks that exploded upwards. He coughed, a violent swear tumbling from his bloodied lips as he wrenched himself out of the disturbed earth, glaring heatedly at his attacker high above.
"Oi, Gohan!" Makhai called, "Question for you. If you had facial hair, do you think it would be the same colour as your hair when you transformed?"
Gohan coughed up another lungful of umber dust, clambering to his feet and staring up at him in bewilderment, "What?"
"Just trying to imagine something is all!" He grinned wickedly, "I mean, surely the curtains match the drapes when you transform, right?"
The rest of the Guard face-palmed, as Gohan positively squawked.
"What?! I don't KNOW!"
Makhai gave him an incredulous stare, "You mean, you've never looked?"
"Of course not!"
"Well, drop your kegs then. Let's have a gander."
He gaped, "I'm a little BUSY right now, Makhai!"
"It's a simple question," he scoffed in annoyance, folding his arms over his chest, "There's no need to get all uppity."
"I'm in the middle of a battle!"
"And I'm in the middle of a conundrum," he shot back, "So do they match or not?!"
Gohan blushed furiously, "Do YOURS?!"
"Don't be stupid, I don't have any."
"… Pardon?"
"It's called 'manscaping'," said Makhai pointedly, "You should try it sometime. Very flattering."
Gohan spluttered, words beyond reach as Deimos heaved a heavy sigh and clapped the troublemaker on the shoulder.
"Makhai, you are the prime example of why some species eat their young."
"Oh look! It appears that our battle has attracted an audience!" An amused shout cut through the air as the dust settled, revealing the warped reflection of Gohan before them, "Forgive me for not noticing sooner but your collective power is so insignificant that I thought you were mere insects."
"That bastard," Kratos glowered, feet itching forward. But Gohan quickly shot up to greet the fiend, his arms outstretched in order to protect his friends.
"This is between you and me," he warned, "Leave everyone else out of it."
"Nonsense!" Top boldly stated, "It is our duty as Pride Troopers to rise up in the face of evil! We will not stand aside and allow such villainy to continue! And for those who turn their back on the Gods - we offer zero leniency!"
"That's right!" Kahseral bellowed.
Zoire cheered. "You tell him, Leader!"
Kratos' rage simmered into secondhand embarrassment. "Oh give me a break," he muttered, though the Troopers appeared not to have heard him.
"The Junior Destroyer of Universe Eleven," the imposter chuckled darkly, steel grey eyes giving the leader a once over, "Oh yes, I think I remember slaughtering you. Such fun. I'd be happy to do it again."
"Impossible!" Dypso spat, "There's no way that you managed to kill the great Top!"
"Oh but I did," the wicked grin gave way to the madness within, "And he begged me for mercy until his dying breath."
"LIAR!" Cocotte shrieked. It'd been enough to make her act; her aura blasting around her frame as she launched herself towards the fiendish half-saiyan.
"Right behind you!" Kahseral called, surging forth with an unrestrained bellow, his fist raised in a ruinous attack.
"Wait, DON'T - !" Gohan roared, sensing his copy's divine Ki spark with something vicious - !
"Hakai!"
Their bodies erupted in a shower of purple particles before anyone could move. The destructive energy blew past them in a mighty wave of pressure, leaving nothing but a mournful breath of wind behind it.
His heart plummeted, hitting his stomach like a stone. The remnants of their souls filtered into nothingness as it became all too clear - Cocotte and Kahseral were no more.
"N-No…" Dypso faintly whispered, recoiling in horror, "H-He didn't…"
"How could you?!" Gohan demanded. His nightmarish depiction lowered his outstretched palm - and smirked, so alive in the face of Gohan's venomous fury, "They were innocent!"
"Oh, Gohan," He calmly observed, "You and I both know that there is no such thing."
Much to everyone's alarm, the mirror-image took aim once more with a vibrant ball of Destruction energy building beneath his fingertips. But this time, Gohan was ready.
He countered the deadly Hakai with his own, meeting the blast head on and sending a fierce burst of divine power clattering across the sky. A massive shockwave erupted, the ground splintered and upheaved below them, sending rock and dirt spilling into the enormous crater of the nearby volcano.
The world turned white for a split second, as a calamity of pressure and heat exploded from the force of impact. As Gohan's vision came back into focus did he realise that his copycat was still standing.
His comrades on the other hand weren't so lucky.
"You could have at least WARNED us first!" Makhai fumed, coughing up a hefty mouthful of crimson dirt.
The blast had sent them flying, the Supreme Guard and remaining Pride Troopers landing several hundred metres away. They dragged themselves painfully out of the debris moments later, although it appeared that the fight between Gohan and his wicked counterpart had already resumed.
The destructive duo had disappeared completely from view, yet the ruinous clash of their divine skirmish continued to cause New Mars to quiver from the unrelenting collision.
"How helpless you all look without your leader," a smooth voice cut through the dusty air, followed by a sinister chuckle, "You are but lost children, searching for salvation. Allow me to help you towards the light."
"Watch out!" Dypso roared, knocking Bia out of the way of a deadly energy blast that came screaming towards them. "Do you want to get killed, girl?!"
It flew off into the distant mountain range, where it exploded as soon as it hit one of the towering peaks behind them. The ground shook as the blinding light faded, and they were all but greeted by the smirking face of Zamasu hovering before them.
"You…" Kratos glowered, balling his hands up into fists. They shook with anticipation to strike.
"I must say that your persistence is admirable, if not misplaced," said Zamasu, "You continue to stand and challenge me despite the odds."
"Listen up, Zamasu, and heed my words!" Top bellowed suddenly, expanding out his large chest like an angered puffer fish, "As long as we Pride Troopers stand guard, the brilliant light of freedom and hope will never be extinguished!"
The corrupted deity scoffed, "You are already two of your so called 'freedom-fighters' down, Destroyer. What possible hope could you have?"
"Hope is the last thing that is ever lost," Top returned, bold and fast, as the rest of his crew gathered around him, "A mortal quality that you could never understand."
There was a beat of heavy silence as the clouds clattered and shuddered with force high above them. A dissonant roll of thunder clamoured overhead as Zamasu's smirk slowly descended into a snarl.
"You are foolish to think that mere 'hope' will save you, save them," he spat, "Mortals are but an ugly stain on the majesty of the cosmos. By eliminating all mortal creatures, as well as the supposed 'Gods' that you call Destroyers born from them, the original splendour can be restored. The perfect creation shall be reclaimed; reborn! And there is nothing that you and your pathetic entourage can do about it."
Top was enraged, his dark eyes flashing a mysterious shade of violet for all but a split second.
A loud snort cut across them.
"You know, Zamasu," Makhai interjected, "As much as we'd love to see things from your point of view, we'd then just be looking at the inside of your arse."
"Jest all you want," Zamasu sneered, his eye twitching from the irritation, "You have no idea what's coming."
"Just so you know, we're not a group all too fond of surprises," he retorted, "So why don't you stop pissing around and either surrender or fight?"
"Agreed," Deimos voiced, eyes lingering over in the direction of the twin fighters, "And whilst you're at it, you can tell us what in the God's name you've done to Gohan. It's not any spell that I've seen before."
"Spell?" He chuckled darkly, "I think you'll find that I am innocent in that regard, for Gohan is merely fulfilling his destiny of his own accord. He is the product of what can happen when freed of the sordid chains of corruption that your pitiful Gods have imposed upon him. From the actions of his future he is redeemed, and now he has embraced the glory of the new world. He is truth. And he answers only to me."
"Liar!" Alala yelled, "Our Gohan would never side with you - !"
"Wait, wait, wait," interrupted Makhai, breaking the tension, "I'm getting confused. Are we talking about OUR Gohan or the OTHER Gohan?"
Kratos rolled his eyes, "Our Gohan, idiot."
"But I thought he was talking about the future Gohan," he replied, pointing towards Zamasu who looked increasingly annoyed.
"The future Gohan IS your Gohan," Dypso informed, irate.
"No, that's not right either," said Eris, "Our Gohan is present, and the other is future, surely. He's talking about the future Gohan."
"Ow, my head," Makhai whined, rubbing at his temples, "The other dude is going to need a nickname. That's the only way to settle things."
"Don't you think that there are more important things to deal with right now?!" Top spouted hotly, as the others muttered amongst themselves.
"Actually, Makhai has a point," said Bia, "It'll get too confusing in battle if we just keep calling them both 'Gohan', we might end up attacking the wrong one in the crossfire. It might be best if we refer to the future one as something else."
"OH. MY. GODS. I have SO many ideas!" Makhai squealed, spinning on the spot with glee. "'Evil Gohan' – nah, too cliché, 'Dark Gohan' - too similar, 'Nahog' - creative but sounds like something you would say whilst being sick. Then there's 'Emo Gohan', 'Nasty Man', 'Big Bad Monkey Boy', 'Sparky Unleashed', 'Rebel Gohan', 'ChadHan', 'Gohan the Terrible' –"
"JUST HURRY UP AND PICK ONE!" Everyone roared, causing Makhai to stop in his tracks.
"I've got it!" He gasped, eyes widening, "How about - Gohan Black!"
Eris coughed. "… Are you sure about that one chief?"
"Yep!" He grinned, "It's dark and mysterious, but not too obvious! We can just call him Black for short; he is wearing a black gi after all."
"I would say that it's a bit too simple," said Deimos, "But I suppose that it's the best we can expect from you, Makhai."
"Naw, thanks!"
"ENOUGH!" Top's angered shout boomed around them, finally drawing silence, "You may give him a flashy name all you want, but the fact is that menace up there no longer the Gohan you know so you would be wrong to underestimate him. He is Zamasu's puppet and he just wiped two of our best warriors from existence!"
"He's right, you know," Zamasu leered, "You would be foolish to underestimate him."
Top snapped his head around at the sound of his voice, fiercely pointing towards him, "Such a crime will NOT go unpunished whether it is you or Black who delivered the finishing blow! Justice shall be had!"
"See," Makhai whispered to his comrades, "It's catching on already."
"By all means, Destroyer, try to deliver your so called punishment. It will be the biggest mistake you've made yet," Zamasu goaded, "Here, allow me to help you repent of your arrogance!"
BOOM!
At once, they scattered, as a rip-roaring energy blast exploded from Zamasu's right palm. The searing heat cut through the air like a knife before splitting apart, sparking outwards in all directions.
Alala skidded, making tracks in the earth as she drew her bow and arrow and aimed fire.
Engulfed with white, hot Ki, they soared towards Zamasu's head yet were disintegrated by his deadly aura before they could even get within a few feet of him. Luckily, Dypso was quick, his speed mirroring Makhai's as they both charged towards the menace, unleashing a barrage of fast strikes that had Zamasu on the ropes.
"That's it! Keep pushing!" Kratos yelled, the ground splitting apart beneath his feet.
Long jagged ropes of twisted rock burst out of the planet's surface, twisting and turning before wrapping around Zamasu's body. Limbs pinned to his side; the wicked Kai couldn't move a muscle. Makai even got in an extra punch to Zamasu's face before the latter was swallowed up by Kratos' attack.
"Nice!" Alala cheered, all too soon, as a racing, cataclysmic ball of Ki careened towards them out of nowhere.
Fortunately, Top managed to deflect it before it made contact. An eruption of smoke and fire blew them back a few feet as it exploded, followed by the emergence of a familiar figure - except it wasn't as it appeared; the laughter which followed was all too cruel.
"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Black sneered, "Fools."
Raising a hand in the air, sparks of diabolical Ki started to jump about his fingertips, readying another devastating attack.
"GET BACK HERE!" Gohan bellowed. He jetted through the skies at that moment, upper-cutting his future counterpart in the chin and sending him flying upwards into the atmosphere.
Bright red blood poured from a gash just above Gohan's hairline, giving his comrades the grim impression that Black must have knocked him out - or had a good go trying to - before he made headway for their group.
Distracted by the appearance of the two Gohans, they only noticed Zamasu's rocky prison glowing before it was too late.
A brilliant green hue sprang from the cracks in the stone before it exploded; a fountain of debris raining down upon them. The disgraced Kai had cuts marring his clothes and skin, but otherwise appeared unharmed.
"Damn it!" Deimos spat, glaring at the newly smirking Zamasu, who was beginning to charge another blast in his palm, "We almost had him!"
"Someone has to help Gohan," Bia observed wisely, "I fear that as soon as we get too close to capturing Zamasu then Black will find a way to assist him!"
"Shit, you're right," said Eris, stretching out her arms and gathering a counter for Zamasu's impending attack, "But that's easier said than done!"
Beams of fire and lightening erupted all around them, the ground shaking with an unforgiving force as an all-out Ki battle had begun; Zamasu, somehow taking the upper hand despite the amount of opponents he was up against.
"This doesn't any make sense!" Kratos roared over the flames that shot from his hands and towards the corrupted menace, who all but encased himself in a shield before firing back his own blistering heat, "He wasn't this powerful when we last faced him! It's like he's not even trying!"
"Well he didn't spend his time in the future sitting in friendship circles singing 'Kumbaya' now did he, Kratos?!" Makhai yelled back sarcastically, ducking out of the way of a searing explosion of energy that narrowly missed his hair, "Wild guess here, but he was probably focusing on getting stronger so that he could come back and SLAUGHTER us all!"
"Give it a rest, Makhai!" Alala snapped, firing off several arrows at once, "Arguing isn't helping any!"
"Yeah?! Well neither is Captain Fucking Obvious over here!"
"SHUT IT - !"
CLAP!
Great net-working forks of lightening penetrated the air all at once; the sudden clap was so loud that it was almost deafening. The darkness of the planet was illuminated in a fierce glow of golden bolts carried by the electrifying winds crackling through the air.
It felt as though the entire planet jolted, threatening to split apart as a series of ruinous clashes ignited the upper atmosphere.
Their attacks against Zamasu were quickly extinguished, as hot, pressurised shockwaves rushed towards the ground; one after another, rippling in rapid succession, crumbling large stone structures to nothing but dust around them.
Tremors coursed through their bones, almost making their legs buckle underneath them - even Zamasu was knocked back through the air a few feet. He looked towards the nexus; the source of the crippling power that washed over them wave after wave.
It appeared to be coming from right above their battle - another surge of pressure escaping the collision of Gohan and Black.
"And so," Zamasu mustered, almost calmly, his gaze cast towards the sky, "It begins."
"Oi, Zamasu!" Makhai hollered, bracing himself against the howling winds, "If you're praying to the ancient Gods for forgiveness, it's a little too late for that!"
Another booming exclamation of pressure and light crackled over the atmosphere, and it was unclear as to whether the wicked deity had heard him or not.
"Seriously! What the hell are those two doing up there?!" Dypso cried, rubbing roughly at his temples and shaking his head. It was as though the building pressure had suddenly grabbed their senses in a choke hold.
A tense bead of sweat ran down Top's forehead, beady black eyes shifting between Zamasu and the wild brawl going on above them.
"My friends," he said, the group of warriors forming a huddle as he spoke, "I believe that we may have no choice but to end Zamasu here and now."
Makhai rolled his eyes, "No shit."
"I fear that Black may be the bigger threat here," Top continued gruffly, ignoring him, "We simply cannot fight both he and Zamasu at once, and we have to end this quickly."
"It's Gohan, isn't it?" Deimos concurred, "Whis once said that when two Gods of Destruction fight that it can tear apart whole universes, dimensions and all. I doubt there's much difference in two Junior Destroyers of the same level going at it either."
"Exactly," nodded Top, "The pressure is building quicker than even I expected, and I can feel the fabric of this reality beginning to strain already."
"I'm trying to call for reinforcements, Leader," Zoire piped up, tapping at the strange device nestled in his ear - no doubt some kind of communicator, "But no signal is getting through. It's just static!"
"There's no way that our communications are down on the other side," said Dypso defiantly, "I'd wager nothin' can get in or outta this place - no signal, no teleportation, no instant transmission, no Warp - nothin'."
"You're right," said Kratos, a dark look about him, "The divine power is escaping Gohan and his counterpart the more they fight. It wouldn't be unusual for that amount of pressure to start to effect everything on and surrounding this planet."
As if on cue, a torrential downpour escaped the dark clouds above. It came down in bucket loads, throttling the ground in rapid succession.
"Ah great," Makhai whined, his clothes sticking to his skin already, "Now I'm all soggy."
Dypso shouted over the battering sound of rain, spitting dusty water. "Well, seeing as we can't call in for back up, we ain't got no choice but to end this ourselves! What do ya think, Top? Should we keep trying?"
"Back up?" Deimos scoffed angrily, "There's no point! The planet will split apart, much less the galaxy before more of your guys get here! Not to mention that two of your best fighters have already met the arse end of oblivion, what makes you think any more of them would make a difference?"
"Watch your tongue, you—!" Zoire glowered, but was interrupted by Top.
"Let us focus on Zamasu," he said, more sternly this time, "I don't like it, but I'm starting to think that it would be better to Destroy him before this battle got too much for us to deal with alone."
"Oh, so now you listen to Gohan," Eris scoffed, her wild hair completely soaked and flat against her skull. "There's no room for pride here, Top. Hurry up and do what you have to do so that we can put an end to this before the solar system explodes."
Makhai snapped his fingers in a gliding movement across his face. "You tell him, girlfriend!"
"Makhai, this is neither the time nor the place!"
"Jus' trying to relieve the tension."
Top bristled in annoyance, though indeed swallowed his previous inhibitions and turned to face the dastardly Kai, who was patiently awaiting their next attack.
Zamasu's head was tilted upwards, his eyes closed as the rain washed over him, the vibrant glare of Ki blasts against the pouring heavens above cast shadows upon his features. It was as though he was relishing in the chaos that continued to ravage New Mars; deep crevices starting to form in the earth and crack apart the planets' surface.
"In the meantime, we should do some damage control," said Alala.
Another shockwave erupted from the battle of the Gohans; the sudden explosion of Divine energy carrying off out into space, completely disintegrating the two moons of New Mars - if the ensuing meteor shower hurtling towards them was any indication.
"I'm on it!" Eris cried, charging her energy around her and leaping into the skies.
A gravity-pulling twister engulfed her, sucking in the moon debris that sped rapidly towards the planet. The now hurricane-like winds roared and waned as the tornado spun in deadly motion, further grinding the meteors into nothing but dust.
"I'll try to dispel the pressure!" Deimos shouted, "It's so dense that at this rate it won't just be meteors headed our way, it'll start drawing in everything around it."
"I'll go and help Eris and Deimos," said Bia, "I doubt Gohan would forgive us if we suddenly got hit with Earth. Who knows what effect this fight is having on the rest of the galaxy?"
"I'd be more worried about Uranus," Alala said to Makhai, as Bia sped off after them, "That thing is way bigger than Earth."
"How dare you!" He guffawed, offended, "Speak for yourself!"
"We'd better make this quick, Top," Kratos informed Top, "Those three are powerful, but Deimos' magical capabilities won't be able to take the brunt of this pressure for long."
"Right you are," Top nodded, "But you had better stand back once I release the Hakai. I wouldn't want to be responsible for any more unnecessary deaths."
With that in mind, the remaining fighters kicked off from the ground and made a beeline towards Zamasu.
He was ready, waiting, and conjuring a brilliant golden shield that absorbed the rampaging Ki blasts that shot towards him. The collision detonated, a fresh plume of smoke filling the air. Kratos and Dypso engaged immediately, attempting to overwhelm Zamasu with their combined strength and speed.
Makhai, Zoire and Alala took aim once more, with flashes of amber, blue and purple garish against the storm of wind and rain. The putrid smell of burning ash lifted into the air; explosions searing the very atoms apart around them.
A coil of crimson Ki, thick and winding, finally caught hold of one of Zamasu's wrists as he blocked a fast spinning kick from Dypso. His dark eyes positively glowed with anger from the feint attack, as the white hot rope burned through his garb, welding the fabric to the skin on his forearm.
It sizzled and burned, as Zamasu sneered at his captor - Kratos, but was unable to cut himself free before the small and stealthy Zoire appeared behind his head. The tiny Pride Trooper let out a battle cry, wrapping his thighs around the evil Kai's neck and squeezing tight, sat firmly atop his shoulders; little arms clutching at his white mohawk and forcing his head skywards.
Makhai grabbed ahold of Zamasu's other arm, twisting the appendage behind his back and prompting Zamasu to let out a cry of pain as the bones groaned, straining not to snap completely in two.
One, two, three arrows struck Zamasu in the kneecaps. He buckled, purple blood spewing from the fresh wounds as Alala landed before him, firing off a fourth for good measure. The point of the arrow sliced into his navel, nearly out the other side. Zamasu coughed, choking on the blood as it spurted from his lips.
The thick, sticky residue marred his teeth, becoming so much darker in the sudden light that illuminated the area.
But it was not a beacon, nor light of hope. It was a stark, imposing violet that crackled through the air. It cast dark shadows across the reddish ground, and the pressure in the air intensified. A large figure approached the disgraced and pitiful apprentice; an all-encompassing feeling of dread gnawing away at every person present.
Smirking through the pain, he goaded, "Are you going to deliver justice unto me, Destroyer?"
Top's gaze was still for a moment as he beheld the Kai, a violet fire surging around his muscular frame. His muscles bulged with the power of a Destroyer, so much so that it had torn great holes in his uniform - though he appeared not to have noticed, nor cared. Eyes grew wider, swirling with purple reflections of Zamasu's image.
This time, he was serious.
"'Tis not justice as I see it," he glowered, his voice booming and sonorous across the planes, battering against the roar of the rain and coming out on top, "A cowering God who appeases evil, who creates and manipulates abominations such as Black - can never be redeemed. That is not justice, it is hopeless, which is why you must be Destroyed."
"Great Top, you are just like the rest - sheep without a shepherd - ," Zamasu chuckled sinisterly, before another shout of pain tore from his throat.
"Shut the fuck up!" Makhai snarled, bending his arm into a near unrecognisable shape, "Top, hurry up and do it! Deimos and the others won't be able to hold on much longer!"
As if hearing his words, the heavens screamed.
It was as though the stars themselves had been pushed apart, making way for a colossal giant - well, dwarf - as it hurtled rapidly towards Mars.
"DWARF PLANET! DWARF PLANET!" Zoire yelled in terror, close to losing his grip on Zamasu. The thundering mass of rock and ice indeed dared to condemn them all into oblivion.
"DO IT NOW!" Kratos bellowed at Top, who was rooted to the spot in sheer horror.
Thankfully, he came to his senses. Swiftly raising his right palm, thumb inwards, fingers pointing towards the sky.
"Do your worst," Zamasu sneered.
The solar system trembled.
Top stiffened, nostrils flaring, "Hakai."
A blinding, ensuring force hit Zamasu in a dazzling spectacle of violet light. A shockwave of pressure - though fleeting - suffocated the particles in the air. The warriors let go of Zamasu just before the collision, though the crushing impact still managed to knock them back a few feet.
The Hakai eclipsed the corrupt Kai in a circular tomb, flashes of purple particles threatening to rip him apart by the seams. His soul would be torn from his body and cast out into oblivion, leaving nothing left of his existence.
Distracted, they turned, the atmosphere bending at the will of the dwarf planet. Deimos, Eris and Bia were all put specks in the sky, attempting to slow down its path when -
KA-BOOM!
A flash of fuchsia shot through the dark, electrifying clouds; the tangle of limbs unmistakable as Gohan and Black. It was with a shout of un-caged ferocity did Gohan - distinguishably more bloody than they had last seen him appear - slam Black into the centre of the planet.
A rush of marbled rock and ice flung apart as Black became buried deeper and deeper, until he burst through the other side - way up high between the edge of space and New Mars - with Gohan's fist still melded brutally to his cheek.
"D-Did he…?" Dypso mustered in astonishment, "Did he just punch him through a PLANET?!"
Kratos scoffed bitterly, "It's only a dwarf planet."
But no one responded, as the young saiyan in question wrenched back his fist, and took up a familiar pose, violet flames coursing over his hands and arms.
"HAKAI!"
Unleashed, a massive orb of Destruction catapulted towards the dwarf planet before it could hit the surface. It surged with pure heat, evaporating the rock and ice, swallowing up every particle before nothing remained.
It disintegrated without climax, no detention or explosion of light, it just - wasn't.
WHAM!
Black gave Gohan no time to recover, ploughing into his side out of no-where like some sort of saiyan-sized sledge hammer.
There was no interlude to their battle, as they soon sped back over the sky, gaining momentum. The subsequent ripple of sonic booms a telltale sign that their fight had resumed just as savagely as it had been before.
Back on the ground, something was wrong.
Top's destructive aura whirred around him still, pulsating over them all in waves. Yet his eyes were wide with fear, the rain thrashing downwards even harder.
"N-No," he gasped, taking a step backwards, "Impossible."
For where the Hakai surrounding Zamasu should have dwindled by now, taking the Kai with it in a shower of purple particles - did it begin to pulsate; rapidly, alarmingly. It shuddered and waned over the storm and Zamasu's screams began to howl from within.
But it wasn't shrieks of pain, nor cries for mercy. No. They were shrieks of laughter.
With an enormous WHOOOOOOOOOSH, the orb snuffed out. The hurricane-like winds blew wild and shameless past their ears, as if the storm itself had just blown out the Hakai as easy as a birthday candle.
Zamasu's lips curled into a maddening smile. Oddly, he was fully healed from his afflictions. His garb was torn and he was muddy, but free of wounds and the blood that had oozed from them. He held out his arms in a gratuitous stance, palms facing towards the upper sky as his smile threatened to split his face in two.
"That wasn't a bad try for such inferior beings," he told them, relishing in their horror-struck faces before he set his sights on Top, "You may be a mortal that has gained the power of divinity, but you are nothing before absolute strength."
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Makai demanded hotly, whirling around the face the shaken Junior Destroyer, "How is he still HERE?!"
Top swallowed hard, unable to tear his eyes away from Zamasu, "I-I don't understand. It should have worked… b-but his wounds… unless -."
"Unless WHAT?!" Kratos was upon him now, red faced and spit-flying.
"Hey! Don't speak to our great Leader like that you little louts - !" Dypso snarled, although his panic was evident.
"Aw, I'm sowwy," Makhai feigned sweetness, batting his eyelashes, "Does the ickle bitty Destroyer man have performance isshewws?! WHY was your Hakai a DUD?!"
"BE QUIET!" Top finally yelled, "Destruction energy won't work against a stronger foe! Either that or he's…"
He tailed off, and Makhai was about to lose it.
"OR HE'S WHAT?!"
"Immortal," He breathed, his voice low and dangerous, "The Hakai won't work on an immortal stronger than the Destroyer who wields it, and considering the fact that he is now free from injury…"
"That motherf - !"
"So NOW do you yield, oh Destroyer of Worlds?!" Zamasu cried, trickles of rainwater cascading down his manic features, "Now that you know your quest is hopeless?! For what can you do against a true immortal soul, against a pure and indestructible God with a half Saiyan Destroyer as his pet?!"
Top's rage was sharp and cutting in the darkness, "I shall never yield against the likes of YOU Zamasu! You think that you can compete with a Destroyers resolve?! Immortal or not - it makes no odds to me! You shall perish all the same!"
With a devastating clash of fists, Top and Zamasu engaged. Power snapped at the air, craters forming beneath their feet as they kicked off from the ground and zoomed towards each other. They were fast, with might, yet it was more than evident that Zamasu had the upper hand.
"Top, it's too much!" Dypso yelled, staggering from another shockwave that crippled the skies, "There's too much Destruction energy bein' tossed all over! The planet can't take it!"
As if on cue, New Mars quaked, groaning audibly as deep jarring crevices began to appear in the crimson dirt, snaking towards them and up the humungous mountain of Olympus Mons.
"I've had enough of this," Makhai said suddenly, "I'm going to help Gohan!"
Flabbergasted eyes looked towards him as Alala squawked.
"Have you gone mad?!" She blundered, "Are you really going to get in the middle of a fight between two Super Saiyan Rosé's?!"
"Super Saiyan hot pink," he corrected, "And I'm not stupid enough to get in the middle of those monsters."
"Could have fooled me," snorted Kratos.
"I'm going to go and distract Black," he continued with determination, "Hopefully it'll buy you guys and Top some more time to capture Zamasu before Gohan and his cheap knock-off obliterate the solar system."
"Can we hasten?!" Deimos spouted from several feet above, teeth grit in pain. "Unless, I don't know, you geniuses have any BETTER ideas?!"
Incantations wrapped around his arms in wefts of green and gold. Bolts of black jarred towards him in random succession, sizzling and imploding against the magic that attempted to suck out the pressure in the air. Eris and Bia were up front, still trying to dispel the space debris that careened towards the planet.
"You heard the scary wizard," said Makhai, launching into the sky and towards Gohan, "Toodles!"
His bones groaned as his flying fist was met with another fist. A knee, an elbow, another series of deadly blows - all collided, blocked and parried.
The electrical discharge of power rang in his ears, bursts of sounds and light overwhelming his senses. It was difficult to see as it was, what with the relentless cyclone of rain and falling debris that continued to shower the fighters in unforgiving waves.
Fresh rage ignited his veins, as he was struck across the jaw. His head snapped back painfully, before he managed to regain his balance and drive a powerful spinning kick to the copy-cats ribs. But to his frustration, it didn't even make a mark.
The intoxifying potency of his Super Saiyan Rosé form swelled. The deep fuchsia aura rippling with destructive might as he charged at Black once more.
Glaring flashes of silver poured from their fists as they clashed in midair, evaporating the horde of meteors that threatened to breach the clouds. The stars wailed in anguish, shockwaves of pressure discharging over every inch of the planet, rushing outwards into space.
This was bad. This was really, really bad.
In hindsight, he should have gotten Lord Beerus to teach him how to cancel out the buildup of Divine energy, for Gohan could only neutralise it for so long.
But no. What time he could have spent learning the technique was taken up by him spring cleaning the guts of HFIL in a dress!
Well, that and perfecting the level beyond a Super Saiyan God. But what bloody use was it now against his apparent future self?!
It didn't make sense. For as the battle wore on, this villainous version of himself seemed to be getting stronger. He was getting faster, his hits having a lot more welly behind them than when they had first engaged.
It was as though he was learning as he went.
Gohan coughed, a vicious strike to the gut leaving him winded.
"You cannot win by sheer will alone," his counterpart smirked, "You are forgetting that I am superior to you in every way."
Gohan snarled, bringing up his knee and smashing it into the brutes chin. He fell back, as Gohan panted hard, hurriedly charging a high-power Masenko above his head when -
"Gohan!" Makhai cried, springing from the depths of the nightmarish storm, "Heads up!"
"Makhai DON'T - !" He warned, as a rampaging Ki blast erupted from his friend's palm.
It didn't land. Instead, the wicked junior Destroyer disappeared, before phasing in front of the ginger-haired Guardian and knocking him out of the air - swatting him away like a fly.
Gohan lunged angrily, driving a vicious kick into his sternum, sending him flying back across the sky. He sped after Makhai, where he found him already wrenching himself out of a rather deep crater.
"Eugh…" Makhai, groggy, looked up through the dust and at his attacker, "Dick."
"Makhai, are you alright?!" Gohan asked worriedly, grasping his friend by the hand and helping him to his feet. "What the hell are you doing over here?! You have to get away before - !"
"Oh, shut your cake-hole," he said, dusting himself off, "I've come to help you, you stubborn git."
"But - !"
"Look, we can all play whose got the bigger Hakai later," said Makhai, "But right now we're up shit creek, and if you three baby Destroyers keep throwing your Divine dicks around anymore, we're going to end up going over the shitty waterfall and explode. So let me help for the Gods sake!"
"It's not that simple, Makhai," Gohan's fuchsia aura crackled, his features serious and unwavering despite his jests, "This future me just keeps getting stronger, I don't know how -."
"Black."
"What?" He frowned.
"Oh yeah, you weren't there," Makhai snapped his fingers and laughed, "We're calling him Gohan Black - Black for short."
Gohan stared.
"We are not calling him that," he deadpanned.
"Too late. It's already stuck," he told him, "You should have been there."
Gohan fumed, "I was a little busy fighting the stupid prick!"
"Yeah, I suppose," he hummed, gingerly nursing his bloodied cheek, "Ooof. Tell you what, mate, he doesn't half punch like you."
"No kidding," Gohan scoffed, grey eyes darting to where he had last seen 'Black' fall out of the air. "He'll be back soon so you had better help the others capture Zamasu… What the hell is taking Top so long by the way?!"
"Oh, about that," said Makhai, "Zamasu is immortal now."
"He's fucking what?!"
"Yep," he sighed, clapping him on the shoulder, "Told ya we were in the shit."
"Damn it, Makhai, you're about as useful an elephant in a minefield!"
"I'll have you know—"
Hot Ki rained down from the sky in sharp spikes, scorching the earth underneath their feet. Gohan and Makhai jumped up out of harms away, as Black continued to unleash rapid fire upon them, hidden from within the thick smog that surrounded the planet-sized battle field.
Gohan's aura burned bright, chasing away the shadows and exposing his evil counterpart in the middle of the haze. A glow of fuchsia and another flash of silver assaulted their vision. The air now even denser, making it harder and harder to breathe.
"You caught me off guard for a moment there, Gohan," Black's booming voice suddenly came forth, dominating the shattering sounds of planetary dismantlement, "Strange that as soon as I hurt your friend here, your power suddenly surged. It is raw anger which fuels your strength. How primal. You cannot thrive on a tactic so unrefined."
Their eyes widened as Black swiped his right arm through the darkness, revealing himself fully; a deep fuchsia Ki blade engulfing his arm in a rush of flames. It then warped, glowing bright and growing into a different shape altogether.
The Ki blade curved, forming a great arch of pinkish energy overhead. It was enormous, shining brilliantly against the backdrop of the falling sky. Heavy and vibrating with a life itself, it rippled with a sinister and downright deadly energy; the shape now recognisable as Black grasped onto the large hilt of the scythe and pointed it towards them.
"Now behold what I can do when I channel my anger into power!"
Makhai gulped, "Er, Gohan? I-I didn't know that you could do that."
"Me neither," the halfling replied, attempting to blink the harsh glare of the Ki-scythe out of his eyes. "We'd better watch out. That thing is full of Destruction energy – it hits us and we're gone for good."
It was unbelievably frustrating. The Z-sword would be more than enough to contend with Black's scythe - he was certain of it. Then again, it could just be a ploy to get Gohan to use it. Mind games. How he hated mind games.
He couldn't risk it. Who knew what else Zamasu and Black had up their sleeve?
"We'll take him on together," Makhai said boldly, a grin forming on his lips, "I say let's hit him with a Ca - ca - ca - COMBOOOO!"
"Alright," he offered a wry grin back, equipped with borrowed confidence, "Which one?"
"Combo Sixty-Nine?" He suggested, "Always a crowd pleasure - I mean pleaser."
Gohan sighed, "We've really got to start coming up with names instead of numbers for our combination techniques."
"Oh come off it," Makhai scoffed, "Just because you don't know what a Sixty-Nine really is."
"Do too."
"Go on then, enlighten me."
"It's eight point three squared."
Makhai laughed, as Gohan shot him a less than innocent smile, "Tease."
BOOM!
There was an eruption of negative power and vibrant light from over the other side of the peak of Olympus. The planet let out another cry of despair; rubble and ash exploding all around them as the rain poured harder still - threatening to rip their skin right off of them.
The distant glare of a colossal bird hung over the mountainous planes - one all too familiar to both Gohan and Makhai.
"Oh great, the immortal crazy is on one again," Makhai said dryly, recognising Zamasu's ultimate attack, "I refuse to be vaporised by that giant fucking pigeon!"
"Then let's not waste any more time!" Gohan yelled, bringing even more of his super saiyan strength forth, fuchsia hair whipping in the breeze that his billowing aura created, "Combo Sixty-Nine! Let's go!"
Makhai followed suit, gearing up an enormous blast that shot towards Black with impressive gusto. Black dodged, the attack detonating somewhere off in the distance as Gohan was in hot pursuit, not giving their opponent chance to counter.
A sickening crack echoed around them as Gohan's knee collided with Black's jaw. He jumped swiftly above his head as the deadly swipe of the scythe flew under his legs. Pressing his palms together, Gohan brought down fury upon Black's skull in the form of a rampaging hammer fist, sending the fiend corkscrewing to the ground.
Makhai met the menace below with violent kick to the spine before he could hit the deck, sending him sky high once more - just in time for Gohan to unleash a Super Kamehameha.
Blue flames of light burst forth, rushing towards Black in glorious waves of heat. Yet, to their dismay, the fallen deity all but sliced the beam in two, the scythe cutting it apart as easily as a knife through butter. The energy forked, speeding past Black's dark form and out into the atmosphere.
WHAM!
Gohan wheezed as Black's fist imbedded itself in his abdomen. He cried out, attempting to fight him off as he narrowly missed another swipe of the deadly blade. The scythe soared over his head, as he managed to duck and kick the brute away - that was, before he was awarded a crippling head butt, followed by another punch to the nose.
Fresh, warm blood spewed from his nostrils; the thick fluid trickling down the back of his throat. He choked, his ears popping as Black brought another hard fist down atop his skull.
Now it was Gohan's turn to kiss the ground, and he did so rather unceremoniously, landing in a painful heap of rocks; a puddle of rainwater and blood quickly forming around his limbs as they sank into the dirt.
"GOHAN!" A frantic voice cut through the air, "GOHAN, SPEAK TO ME!"
A rough tug of his garb - or what was left of it - pulled him upright. His head was spinning as he struggled to come around, and whoever was slapping his cheeks wasn't helping in the slightest.
"Gohan, come on, come on!" Makhai squawked, prising open his eyelids, "It's me, your best bud! Quick, how many fingers am I holding up?!"
"Oh… h-hey Makhai," he mustered woozily, "I didn't know you had a twin. Is he from the future too?"
"Well that's not a good sign," he cringed, lowering his fingers, "Come on Sparky, snap out of it! We've got some company here that I'd love for you to obliterate!"
A splash of muddy crater water hit him in the face, and oddly it seemed to work.
Gohan shook his head, his features caked in blood and dirt. Ignoring Makhai's breath of relief, he wiped his sore and broken nose and winced, glaring up at Black whose manic grin looked even more eerie against the glow of his scythe.
He was still a little dazed, yet undeterred, accepting the hand that pulled him to his feet.
A blur of vibrant Ki forced its way through the fog. The hand grasping Gohan's suddenly grew limp and a pained scream filled the air. The horrific cry wrenched him out of his stupor, just in time to see the reaper's blade sink into Makhai's shoulder.
Blood flashed before his eyes in a startling crimson, oozing down his forearm. He hissed as agony burned through him and the scythe halted in its fatal path. Looking down, his heart sank. A sickly coil of dread pooled in his stomach as he realised that neither he nor Makhai had come out unscathed.
Makhai's shoulder had been ripped apart, the colour draining from his face as his shock reflected his own. The massive Ki blade had torn through his skin, muscle and bone, inching its way through his chest cavity before stopping just before it had hit his heart.
Gohan's hand was in tatters - literally. He had moved before he had time to think, and had grappled the scythe before it had chance to slice his best friend in half.
Even though his destructive energy had protected him somewhat from the attack, Black's had broken the surface, and now a gaping wound was in place of where his hand should be whole. His fingers dangled uselessly either side of the blade, two either side of the sharp point and the tendons barely holding it together.
The flesh was mangled and pale as it rapidly became devoid of blood. It burned horrifically, stinging as his crippled bones were exposed to the harsh elements. He was lucky that he had managed to stop it before it had reached his wrist and severed an artery, although, comparatively, Makhai was in a much more dire state.
Pain radiated throughout his entire limb as Gohan snarled. He lunged, forcing the scythe upwards as Black attempted to follow through in his strike.
Makhai yelped weakly, fading. Eyes rolled back in his head as more red spewed forth, splattering across Gohan's tattered garb.
"N-No, y-you don't!" He growled viciously, muscles bulging with power and finally thrusting the blade away.
The vivid arch sang through the air, breaking away from them with Black still grasping hold of the hilt.
Gohan wasn't sure if what happened next was due to the sheer force of the scythe raking across the sky, or what Black had truly intended. But the phenomena had appeared before any of them could comprehend it.
The long blade pierced the dark, cloud-filled sky, shredding the atoms apart and revealing a vast and ominous tear in midair. It coursed with a baneful energy, framed by electrifying bolts of red and purple.
A desperate shout tore from his throat as Makhai was flung backwards with the momentum of the scythe. Amber eyes wide, with one side of his body mutilated and drenched in blood - it was the last thing Gohan saw of his friend before he fell through the mysterious abyss that then closed up behind him.
He was still shouting, calling after Makhai into the empty sky as dread and fury flooded every part of him. It scorched the back of his throat, his cries coming up hoarse and unrecognisable.
Black's sinister laughter barely registered as Gohan's rage burned.
It quickly escalated into an inferno, his destructive aura exploding outwards in waves of crippling heat and pressure. It was too much for him to contain as he shot towards Black like a speeding bullet, the scythe exploding in a shower of fuchsia rain as he plunged his boot straight through the handle.
Surprised grey eyes met his own, ones that were hard and unfeeling like solid silver, as Gohan followed up in his vicious assault.
His right arm spasmed, his hand twitching painfully as blood continued to drain from the useless limb. Damn it, he doubted he would be this handicapped if he had used the Z-Sword.
But Gohan didn't care if he was one arm down. Anger fuelled him; hatred numbed the pain and quieted the alarm bells rushing through his nervous system. He didn't know if Makhai, butchered as he was, was trapped and bleeding or truly gone. All he knew was that Black was going to suffer.
An explosion sounded somewhere downfield just as he smashed a sharp knee into Black's face. It was difficult to tell where one battle ended and another began as they waged war upon the Gods and the stars themselves.
New Mars let out a mournful sigh, giving in to the devastating clash of fists that rang out in a discordant lullaby. Ripples of chaos lapped at the planet's surface, as it lay dormant and bludgeoned into submission.
The remaining Guard and Pride Troopers were too occupied by Zamasu's Absolute Lightening to realise what had unfolded over with Black. That was, until they sensed Gohan's power flip into overdrive.
"Shit!" Kratos cursed, the crackle of energy potent in the air, "What is he - ?!"
A stray yet purposeful jet of lightening hit the ground in front of him, cutting him off. The diabolical bird unleashed wave after wave of divine wrath upon them.
"He's gone berserk on Black!" Alala shouted, engulfing them in a golden shield and protecting them from another thunderbolt. "We have to finish this NOW!"
"I can't sense Makhai," Eris stated, pale.
She had only joined them moments ago, for they needed another frontline fighter. Their numbers were dwindling, and it was now clear that Zamasu and Black may end them before the collapse of the solar system would. Deimos and Bia were still going strong, counteracting the gravitational pull and pressure as best they could, but they too were running out of steam.
"Why can't I sense Makhai?!"
Her feverish demands were ignored, as Kratos rounded on Top.
"YOU!" He roared, sweat pouring from his brow, "GO AND HELP THAT IDIOT UP THERE!"
Top's hands smouldered from where he had just unleashed rapid fire upon Zamasu. He looked aghast, "What?! Have you gone mad?! I cannot leave this fight - !"
"You can and you WILL!" Kratos bellowed, "We need to regroup! We won't win this divided!"
"I see! Their plan was to separate us all along! " Top gasped. Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks. "A coward's path to victory. But they won't win - not whilst I still have air in my lungs!"
A giant jet of curling light fired from his palm in which the explosion of smoke and crimson dirt obscured Zamasu's vision momentarily; the small distraction allowing Top to disappear into the roaring tempest after Gohan.
"You have gone mad!" Zoire chastised, the demonic bird charging up another attack, "We need our leader here!"
"Top knows what he's doing!" Dypso assured, although the uncertainty in his eyes was evident, "We have to trust that he has a plan, the best we can do is hold Zamasu off until he and the other Destroyer kid return!"
On the other side of the crumbling Olympus, said Destroyer was pummelling his counterpart into the mud. There was an intensity born of wrath in his eyes - just as grey and stormy as the clouds; wretchedness behind every punch he flung at Black's face.
His own blood painted Black, glinting back at him as the air ignited with gold and purple electricity. It was as though the particles themselves were live. Sparks and sizzling pops and bangs echoed all around him.
Wisps of divine energy could not be contained, growing bigger, denser and darker like an unchanging aurora. The planet wailed; the swan song of battle nearing its finale.
Smashing one another across the jaw, Gohan and Black met blow for blow. Each strike hummed with anticipation, quivered with rage and power. Gohan was determined to win, his boiling temper giving way to raw power that he gladly hurled the reaper's way.
If he could make Black just as furious, just as desperate, he might be able to bring forth that scythe again. It was risky, but if he managed to rip another gateway to whatever dimension Makai had succumbed to - he might be able to save him (praying he had survived) and trap Black if he was smart about it.
It might have worked. It could have worked. Yet Gohan senses suddenly tingled with another power. The familiar crushing weight of Destruction barrelled into him, as Black smirked, a giant orb of deep purple matter hanging above their heads.
He gaped. It was more than enough to Destroy New Mars, and those on it included.
Before he could contemplate just how Black had unleashed it without him knowing - although it was much too similar to his latent Ki technique - Top appeared out of nowhere.
"Top, WAIT - !" Gohan cried, as his follow Junior Destroyer let loose his own Hakai.
Damn it, it's too much! He snarled, rushing towards the two opposing orbs as they headed for collision. He pushed his dark Ki, the negative energy from within forth, his violet aura shuddering to break through his restraints.
He had hit the ceiling, he knew that. Exhaustion and injuries were now literally tearing him apart. But still, Gohan leapt in the middle of the orbs, hands outstretched as best he could what with one threatening to fall off.
"HAKAI!" He bellowed, his sonorous tone breaching the atmosphere as two massive waves of Destruction erupted from his palms.
It hit Top's and Black's spheres head on, pushing them back before the force of so much negative pressure gave way. His vision went white as the explosion detonated with a devastating shockwave that nearly flattered the planet's surface.
A colossal plume of purple particles rolled into space, as the blast knocked the three Destroyers flying.
Gohan's back hit a bed of fallen rock, sharp edges sticking painfully into his spine. He panted heavily, chest heaving as his eyes slowly adjusted back to the grim red light of the battlefield. He grimaced, tearing off a piece of his tattered garb and wrapping it around his butchered hand.
He nearly screamed as he applied pressure. It was still bleeding; stark red already oozing through the fabric. The spots floating in his vision told him that he may have lost quite a lot of blood.
He could still sense Top - and Black much to his chagrin. But their Ki were dull and distant, and he surmised that they both must be knocked out somewhere. He wasn't much far off.
CRACKKKKKKKK
Gohan looked up at that moment; a sinister chill running up his spine as though someone had just caressed him with long, cold fingers. His heart caught in his throat, his insides froze solid as the clouds quite literally cracked apart.
A jagged, unfurling spider-web of violet light cut crevices in the atmosphere, and for one fleeting moment of ill-placed hope, Gohan thought that it might have been Makhai returning safely to them.
But it certainly didn't feel like his best friend. The power was haunting. Freezing. Like someone was driving sharp shards of ice into his brain.
The crevices meshed and moulded together until they came upon the point where the last Hakai had manifested. The devastating combination of three powers of destruction was all that was needed for the sky to fall.
The space between dimensions crumbled, as the rest of the world stopped.
Something birthed from the deep abyss that hung bleak and unseeing in the air. The calm surrender of the elements was sudden. As soon as the figure lowered themselves onto the dusty ground all else withered.
The hurricane stopped, the divine Ki neutralised and the gravity returned to normal. A soft pitter patter of raindrops was all that remained of the storm as the sky lightened, illuminating the newcomer in a serene glow.
Perses was free.
Despite the fact that his power was unlike anything he had ever sensed, the demigod looked… normal.
The first thing that Gohan noticed was how young he was. Perses had died at the age of twenty-one, so technically they were almost the same physical age. He was tall in stature, muscular and broad, with pale grey skin. There were strange ancient markings on his chest that Gohan wasn't sure were tattoos or natural pigments.
Long black hair framed a fairly boyish face; were it not for those cold calculating silver eyes and the one eye socket, which had been marred and made pinkish by some kind of old affliction. He could see the small pointed flesh of his ears semi-hiding behind his hair, a solid gold earring on one side.
It matched the golden wristbands on his forearms. They were much like Gohan's, although Perses' were scuffed and damaged - even worse than Gohan's were right now.
A ragged brown cloth hung loosely over his hips, accompanied by matching boots. Chains contained him conservatively, coiling around his arms and legs like a dying silver viper; long and trailing. One could hear their ghoulish rattling in the wind. They didn't last long, however, as the metallic clang of Kachi-Katchin hit the ground, his rusted restrainers now unwrapped and allowed him to make full use of his hands.
Not unlike Piccolo's aptly named Clothes Beam, Perses' body became engulfed in a shower of white light. His tattered garments were swiftly replaced by a regal robe that Gohan didn't recognise a rank for.
Gray, with a deep sweeping black cloak; the garb had a vibrant gold lining and hem, standing out brilliantly against the white boots upon his feet. His greasy, matted hair was now smooth and sleek, tied back in a neat pony tail that spread down his back.
The constricting hold of Perses' diabolical Ki caught the attention of the other fighters. Zamasu's Absolute Lightening had thankfully dissipated, and now Deimos and Bia had joined in the fray against the wicked Kai.
They had stopped, as soon as the sky had sensed the Void ripping apart. Their faces marred with shock and terror, as Zamasu all but smiled in manic delight.
"You," Perses looked towards him, his voice barely above a whisper, "Where is the relic?"
Gohan swallowed. The demigod's sharp eyes threatened to penetrate his soul. He shivered. He couldn't answer; the raw might of Perses' strength appeared to have drawn all the oxygen from his throat.
"Give it up, Perses," Alala said bravely, appearing at his side and aiming her bow and arrow towards him, "You're surrounded."
Perses smiled with eerie warmth as he looked around the group of warriors that had formed a circle around him. It was unnerving.
"All that I am surrounded by is fear and dead men."
A gust of wind tapered by.
"How the HELL did this happen?!" Kratos snarled at Gohan, "You knew that there was too much divine energy flying around and you just -?!"
"Hey, if Top hadn't of intervened then Black would be obliterated not just unconscious!" He snapped back angrily, "I told you that I had Black - and you didn't listen! Why don't you trust me?! You and Top could have easily - !"
"You were wasting time so I had no choice but to send Top - !"
"Oh well, great fucking plan there Kratos! Really, top notch!"
"BOYS PLEASE!" Bia intervened, a wave of serenity washing over them as she stepped in between the two and turned to him first. "We must regain our senses. The gravity is no longer a threat, I think that we could contact Whis and - !"
Yet the comforting blanket of her power was yanked away from them as soon as it had appeared. Bia's eyes flew open, bulging out of her head.
Something warm and wet splattered across Gohan's face, sticking at the corner of his eye as Bia's colour drained. Her snow white skin turned a ghostly pale as she choked, dark blood escaping her mouth and dripping onto the shining silver spear that had pierced straight through her heart.
Bia's empty eyes bore straight into his, the frozen depiction of terror on her features one that he would never forget in all of his afterlife. And then, after what felt like an eternity, it was over. Bia's lifeless form slumped over, her body collapsing into dust much like grains in a sand-timer.
The wind blew again, wafting the dust away. She was gone.
"Don't make me ask a third time, child," Perses glowered, arm outstretched, conjuring another identical spear out of thin air. "Where is the relic?"
Gohan opened his mouth, but the tang of metallic blood filled his tongue before his words could form. He spat to the floor, finding that the spear had not only gone through Bia's chest but had lodged into his sternum. The sharp point nestled somewhere amongst his organs.
He faintly heard Alala scream as he dropped to his knees.
There is no way for us to win this… he thought, fighting to quell the sorrow and anger that came with losing his friend. But he'd be damned if he lost control now and fell for another one of their traps.
Kratos, on the other hand, was on the warpath. His fist clenched, staring deeply at the end bloodied pike sticking out of Gohan. His stare darkened with blind fury. His brilliant red aura shot out in all directions like an untamed flame, he hurtled towards Perses without looking back.
"K-KRATOS!" Gohan wetly yelled, straining to his knees.
Bloody moron is going to get himself wiped from existence!
Brushing off Eris and Alala who tried and failed to force him back, he shot after Kratos like a missile.
The deadly spear slashed at Gohan's insides as he moved, but if he took it out now there was a good chance he would bleed out completely.
"KRATOS DON'T!" He roared again as the burly Guardian neared Perses in a violent attack - yet was batted away before he could even get close.
WHAM!
This time, Gohan screamed.
Kratos barrelled into Gohan, forcing the weapon in further as they collided in the sky. The pain was excruciating as they cannonballed through the air, levelling a range of mountains that had managed to escape the battle.
Thankfully, before he could suffocate under a mass of rockery, Kratos managed to haul him to his feet. Gohan coughed up another mouthful of blood onto the dusty earth, expelling a viscous handful of clots whilst he was at it.
Kratos wrinkled his nose in disgust, though his eyes were full of concern and panic. He knew it too; Gohan was in no condition to fight.
"You have to go," he stated, turning back towards the battlefield, his garb hanging off one shoulder and a nasty burn marring his already scarred flesh.
"W-What?!" Gohan spluttered. His aura was stuttering in and out of existence, flashing intermittently from violet to gold and back again. "Don't be stupid - ."
"I'm not arguing!" Kratos shouted hotly, as a shower of Ki blasts suddenly ignited the air, "You HAVE to survive this!"
He shook his head frantically, alarmed as his comrade held out a hand in preparation, "Kratos, don't do it! You'll fucking die!"
"If i can at least get you out of here, then Bia's death won't be in vain," he said, sorrow in his tone.
"WAIT, DON'T - !"
A horrific squeeze of his insides and the familiar feeling of being stuffed into a tube overcame him before he could protest any further. The crimson backdrop of New Mars warped and faded into the distance.
His body tensed and wracked with agony as he was shoved out the other side. His vision was blurry now, his transformation struggling to hold any longer. He felt sweet oxygen fill his chest as he entered another atmosphere. The great world below him wrapped with oceans and mountains - though the raging storm clouds blasted him with a cold and forceful wind as he fell.
The ground was coming closer, closer; white and fluffy like marshmallows, though he doubted it would feel that way when he hit it. He was unable to find the strength to bring out his Ki.
When he did land he was numb almost instantly; the freezing snow forming a hypothermic blanket over his broken body. His ears continued to twinge with the desperate shouts of his friends. Bia's empty eyes and Makhai's shocked expression burning into his mind.
He bet his father wouldn't have failed like this.
His dad would have… won…
He would have…
Dad…
"D-Dad… I-I'm sor -," he gasped, more blood spewing forth, melting the snow away.
He saw a brilliant golden light – he reached out to it – fingers grasping its heat. He felt the pull, the end, the warmth, before then fading into the dark.
9th January 2022
A/N: Dear readers,
Thank you to those who have supported this story so far, and waited SO PATIENTLY for nearly a year! I had a very busy year what with the covid situation over here - oh and I decided to have a baby in the middle of it all so there's that!
So after an unofficial stint of maternity leave, you can safely assume that I am back and the story continues. FINALLY. And I hope to have come back with a bang.
On a more sensitive note, I genuinely have been a bit gutted by some of the comments I have received over the last few months. I am aware that this has become a popular story, which is grand. But I have to be honest that a lot of the more recent comments have put me off continuing. I really do not want it to come to that, especially seen as I have had some wonderful messages in contrast and I really want to thank those of you who have reached out - it really does mean a lot.
I have also started to upload SGTD onto AO3, some with more up to date character names like the Destroyers, as when I wrote it some of the translations were off. I will aim to do the same here at some point.
Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this comeback chapter, and once again thank you for your patience. Now I had better start on the next chapter before Bonism threatens to chain my hands to my laptop again. (Thanks for the encouragement and threats gal).