A/N Uploading early since this chapter was prewritten. This chapter is long, but very powerful. A lot transpires and I didn't want it to end on a cliffhanger. The religious theme is very blatant in this chapter, and unpassable. There is mention of God, the Holy Bible, as well as prayer dialog. But among the religious theme, lies a universal theme: The struggle between self and mental illness. It's very realistic, and relatable.

I want people to understand that there is more than seeking a higher power for help. There is physical help. There are people to help you, friends to support you, and medications you can try! I know the problem of affording medication, the trial and error of the right kind of medication, and the brutal time of allowing medication to kick in when you start it. But PLEASE, find something. Something WILL work for you.

For me, my religion allows me to put ALL my troubles into a higher being. Having faith that I WILL see the light at the end of the tunnel. Believing in faith ultimately means believing in yourself. Also as a non religious aid, I've started using Lions Mane mushroom powder. I mix it in my coffee in the mornings since it is a stimulant. It's great for clarity, focus, and has really balanced my emotions. I recommend that as well.

Please be careful reading this chapter. There are many triggers.

Happy reading.

! ! TRIGGER WARNING ! !

***Use of slurs, explicit violence, strong religious themes/references, & character death. Please read at your own risk***

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

1 Peter 5:6-7

When Sunday came, Dende and Gohan met in the Worship Center like always. Since their recent discovery of their past lives written in the Book of Kami, they had been working to decipher the characters of the book and how they were applied to the people in their lives. As Dende wrote in his journal, he overheard Gohan at the altar. It had been slightly different than his normal prayer. He asked for the exhaustion to be removed from his body, and allow his focus to return for the week so he would be successful in midterms. Dende wrote in his journal,

This week is the start of midterms. Starting Tuesday, the week will be blocked for exam testing. The following week, University will be closed for mid semester break. Fortunately, I only have three exams to take. I've studied relentlessly over the past few weeks to guarantee success, but I will still continue to review until the time comes for testing. I ask Kami for endurance to ensure success.

Gohan returned from the altar and sat next to Dende. "Are you done journaling?"

"I still have more to write. May I have a moment please?"

"Take your time."

Dende continued writing.

I look forward to the upcoming break. I'm excited to return home to see my family and all the members of the temple. Four months in University has made me rather homesick. I need time to meditate in a familiar space. I need to laugh with my brother. I need advice from Mr. Popo. I need to spend time with Korin and Yajirobe. I miss home.

Before midterms begin, tomorrow, the Gardening Club will be tending to the off campus garden. Instead of a weekend farmers market opening, we will be opening the market for Friday. This way students will not miss the opportunity for fresh fruit and vegetables before leaving for break. However, the farmers market is dependent on what is harvested. I hope there is enough to harvest for a market opening, it will give me a reason to bring home fresh watermelon and cucumbers as a rewarding and tasty snack for completing midterms.

Once he was done Dende closed his journal and picked up his Book of Kami. "Thank you for the time. I–Gohan?" He called, noticing he was asleep. No wonder he prayed to remove his exhaustion. Dende tapped Gohan gently, and after a few taps, Gohan jolted violently out of his sleep. He sighed before speaking. "Sorry, I didn't know I was asleep. I've been like this all week. I think I'm fatigued, any amount of sleep just isn't enough. I'll probably sleep my entire mid term break." He muttered.

"You didn't have to come today, Gohan. I would have understood. Maybe you should go back to your dorm to get some rest."

"I still want you."

"Excuse me?" Dende spoke in surprise as a lavender blush spread across his face.

Gohan shook his head. Even talking was getting tiring. "I'm sorry. My brain's all scrambled; I'm speaking short. I meant, I still want to spend this time with you. It's our last Sunday together before Midterms and break start, and we won't see each other for a while. Tired or not, I don't want to leave."

"Would you like to rest while you're here? I can just read while you catch up on sleep. I don't mind."

"You're perfect—I mean, that's perfect, thank you." He moved down the pew to pull his legs up. Before he could lay his head down, he looked over at Dende. "Do you mind if I…lay on you? You can say no if it's too intrusive, I just—"

Dende cut him off by gently guiding his head on his lap. Gohan settled against his body, snuggling into his altar robe. Soon his body was lax, and he was fast asleep.

…

Gohan slept peacefully as Dende read. He would absentmindedly stroke his cheek or hair whenever he started to stir, coaxing him back to sleep. Gohan managed to drape an arm over his lap, effectively holding him in place while he slept. It had been slightly uncomfortable holding his book up to read rather than having his lap as a placeholder, but Dende didn't want to complain. It allowed him to steal glances of his sleeping form, and his angelic face.

Hours passed, and Gohan's eyes managed to flutter open. He looked around for a moment, trying to remember where he was. Gohan looked up, finding himself draped over Dende's lap. Now he remembered. He was still in the Worship Center with his friend. His sleep was good, the best he's gotten in a while. Gohan wished he could sleep more, but felt too guilty from keeping Dende here. Even though he hadn't complained, and allowed him to wake up on his own, they should probably leave. "How long have I been asleep?" He muttered, sitting up.

Dende closed his book. "A couple of hours. Do you feel any better?"

Gohan looked at the time on his watch, surprised at how late in the afternoon it already was. "You let me sleep for four hours? That's not a couple of hours, that's a few hours." He spoke and stretched. "I'm sorry I kept you here for so long."

"You didn't hear me complain. I thought you needed the rest, so I just let you sleep until you woke yourself up." Dende stood and stretched his back. At least he could finally stretch, his legs were growing numb.

Gohan stood as well, collecting his things. "Well I appreciate you letting me sleep. It helped, but I'm still tired."

"You can finish your nap back at the dorm. We should go."

…

Dende led Gohan back to the dorm with their arms looped together. They walked slowly, as Gohan had been too tired to walk at a more normal pace. "You have no idea how good of a friend you are, Dende. I can't thank you enough for just giving me time to sleep."

"It was no problem; though I will be sending you my chiropractor bill."

Gohan chuckled. "Fair enough. You know, Videl tells me that I give good massages, I wouldn't mind repaying you with one."

As much as he loved the idea of one of his fantasies coming into fruition, he shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline. Please save your special massages for your girlfriend."

"Okay, but don't say I didn't offer." He said, smiling.

They began approaching their dorm building, passing by a fellow student. Sundays were rather empty on campus, but a few would shuffle around from time to time, going to the library or picking up something for dinner. The student they were passing couldn't seem to take their eyes off of them, Gohan hoped it wasn't a problem. He wasn't in the mood for a problem.

As they crossed paths with the student, they both could hear him utter a slur under his breath.

"Faggots."

The pair stopped in their tracks. As offensive as it was, Dende didn't want to cause a problem. Some students could be very mean on campus, and he's been called worse. However, it seemed Gohan wasn't going to let it go. He slipped away from Dende's hold, and turned around to the student. "What did you say?"

The student turned around, a smirk on his face. "Are your ears filled with cum? I called you and your boyfriend fa—" Was all the student could manage before a fist went cracking against his face. The student stumbled in confusion, only to fall to his knees and flat on his face.

"Gohan—!" Dende shouted in surprise as he started his way over to the injured student. The look in Gohan's eyes stopped him.

"Don't touch him."

His commanding voice made him take a step back, and forced him to watch the scene unfold. It was so sudden. He had no idea the insult would be so triggering to Gohan. It made his entire demeanor change. His eyes, normally docile and soft, had an intense and sharp look to them. His voice became cold and calculating. Dende didn't know what to do but watch.

Gohan crouched down to the student holding his broken, bloody nose. "Your mistake was attempting to repeat what you said, when your next words should have been an apology."

"You broke my nose, you asshole!"

"Oh, did I? Sorry. You caught me at a bad time, but it serves you right. I could tell you had a problem from a mile away, you just picked the wrong person to fix it." Gohan grabbed him by his hair, and pulled his head up. "And I believe you still owe my friend an apology."

Dende shook his head. "I don't need an apology." He said, but he was not heard over the students screaming, and Gohan's threats.

"It was a joke! Would you just relax?"

Gohan slammed the student's head against the concrete. He pulled his head back up, watching the blood run down his forehead. "Wrong answer. If your next words aren't 'I'm sorry Dende,' you'll be waking up in the health center, rather than taking yourself."

"Gohan stop it—"

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

Gohan gripped his hair tighter. "Say his name—"

"Gohan that's enough!"

Dende's screaming made him turn around to his friend. "I can't keep watching this. Please, I just want to go." He said, his voice starting to crack.

The intensity in Gohan's eyes softened when he looked at Dende, and he nodded slightly before turning back to his victim. Instantly, the visceral hate returned. "You're lucky. I better not find an assault complaint made out to me. After all, it was just a joke." He released his head, and watched it fall limply against the ground.

Gohan stood to his full height once more, looking down at bug that crawled at his feet. "Don't make the mistake of pissing me off again. I suggest crawling back into whatever hole you came out of, and praying I don't walk over it." With that he turned back to Dende and grabbed his hand, leading him back to the dorm.

Dende wordlessly followed.

Back inside the dorm, Gohan stopped them in front of his door. "I'm sorry I made you watch that. I don't know what came over me. I couldn't stop myself from doing and saying those things. I just snapped."

Dende looked away from him. "It's fine, just get some rest Gohan." He said taking his leave.

Gohan grabbed his hand again to keep him from leaving. "I'm serious Dende, I am truly sorry." He said before whispering, "Please don't be afraid of me."

Dende finally looked at him. The regret on his face was overwhelming. If he was anything like his comparable counterpart One in the Book of Kami, then he knew what he was capable of. Today he showed that he was more than capable, and emotionally driven to violence, just like One. He wrapped himself around Gohan in a tight hug. "I'm not afraid of you Gohan. I just don't want you to get in trouble, or cause any problems because of me."

Gohan hugged his friend back just as tightly. "But I'd…" He trailed off on his words. Dende didn't have the slightest idea. He didn't understand his embedded need to protect him, he didn't understand that he'd do anything for him. He didn't understand how much he…Gohan stopped himself from his thoughts, the emotions under his buried feelings were starting to rise. They were meant to stay buried. If they ever rose to the surface, he'd lose too much.

"Okay."

Dende pulled away from him, meeting his eyes once for a moment. They were back to the calm, soft eyes he was familiar with. "Please try to have a good week, and good luck with midterms. I'll see you after the break." With that he dismissed himself and left to go up the stairs to his own room.

After yesterday's events, Dende wanted to have a good day, a normal day. Yesterday was foreign and intense, today he just wanted a clean slate. He entered the green house in the early morning. Surrounding himself with plants and flowers was such a positive way to start his day. It was a lot to look forward to as well. Their visit to the off campus garden was happening today. The club would water and harvest all they could today to prepare for Friday's farmers market. He was still hoping for watermelon and cucumbers, the craving seemed to grow overnight.

Dende had been so engrossed in his own thoughts he hadn't noticed Angela muttering scriptures to herself. He approached the workbench to greet her. She seemed busy with drawing, or rather scribbling, in the book in front of her. "Good morning Angela. Are you sketching something?" He asked curiously. Dende looked down at the book, catching the scratchy, spindle-like creature she was drawing before she slammed the book closed.

"It's nothing. Just drawing what was on my mind." She said before looking back at him.

Considering that she was drawing a shadowy figure or entity to represent what was 'on her mind' was concerning. The look in her eyes didn't help either. They had a hyper look to them, frenzied even. He accessed her further. Her hair was slightly unkempt, and she was hunched over the table as well. Something was wrong. "Are you okay Angela? You don't seem well."

A smirk appeared on her face. "Dende, I've never been better."

Honestly Angela was scaring him a bit, but he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. It was very early in the morning, and perhaps she had been stressed from studying for midterms. Compared to Gohan's sudden trigger and fatigue from yesterday, he thought that the week was affecting everyone differently. Midterms could make anyone crazy. He even realized his own descent into madness when he found himself falling asleep reciting vocabulary terms last night. "I was just checking. I've noticed the insanity midterms have. I'm just looking forward to the week being over."

"If you think that's madness, there's also a full moon tonight. Crazy things happen when the moon is full and the sky is dark. Just as it affects the tides in the ocean, it affects the emotions of people as well."

Her words resonated with him. Could Gohan's emotional outburst be in correlation with the moon? He wasn't sure, but he didn't want to count the thought out. "I heard it was also a harvest moon tonight. I am hoping today's harvest is affected by the moon's power. It should bring healthy vegetables and rather sweet fruit.

"How could I forget? The harvest moon is so powerful. It represents abundance, and the cycle of life. Death and rebirth." She stood from the bench, walking to turn on the irrigation switch. "Have you prayed today, Dende? Surely you will need a blessing from God on a day like this."

Her words were cryptic, as if she knew something he didn't. "Yes, I've prayed today. I ask Kami for guidance and protection everyday." He informed her.

Angela hummed in reply. "Kami, is that the God you serve?" She shook her head. "He who has a dream should tell their dream, but he who knows His word shall speak honestly. Your Kami is a mere straw compared to the wheat that is my God."

Dende paused at her words. Had she just claimed that his belief in Kami was false? Had she denounced his God? He shook his head. "What does grain have to do with straw? Kami is anything but. He is omnipresent and omniscient, and as all Gods, he is wheat. Wheat from the same field that your God comes from."

"Well I hope your 'Kami' can ensure your survival. It's going to be a long week, Dende." Angela flipped the switch for the irrigation system, and the sprinklers above the plants sprung to life; trickling down like rain.

The day continued on, and soon it was time for the club to tend to the garden. Clouds covered the sky, shielding the club members from its harsh rays of light. The clouded sun made for easier work, and less strain. Dende worked quietly as Chiaotzu chatted about while they worked together to harvest cherry tomatoes.

"If I knew it was going to be cloudy today I wouldn't have worn this sun hat. I feel a little silly." Chiaotzu said plucking tomatoes.

Dende cut the vines from the tomatoes. "You look fine."

Chiaotzu frowned. He was tired of his roommate's dry replies. Dende seemed excited about harvest day this morning, but since his classes his mood had changed. Chiaotzu knew that his incident with Gohan made him upset on Sunday, but now he had something else on his mind. He grabbed a tomato to snack on. "Why do you keep thinking about Angela? Something happened this morning?"

Dende paused his cutting to look at his roommate. "Have you noticed anything strange about her lately? Like in class, club, or campus?"

Chiaotzu spoke between his chewing. "I'm going to be honest with you Dende, I have not noticed her since we switched seats in class."

Dende shook his head. "And you say I should be more aware."

"You should be happy I'm not copying your notes anymore." Chiaotzu grabbed another tomato. "So she's been acting weird? Weird how?"

"Well, there were just things I noticed while watering the plants with her. When I got there, she was scribbling sketches in a book, and they looked…scary. She had a very manic look in her eyes, and her overall appearance was unkempt."

"Funny way of saying someone looked crazy and messy, but go on."

"She also kept speaking very cryptically. She talked about the harvest moon, and how strange things happen when the moon is full. She asked if I prayed today. She even denounced my belief in Kami by calling me a false prophet and comparing Kami to straw. It was extremely off putting and rude. I hadn't expected her to speak like that. She's actually never spoken like that out of all the mornings we've spent together. Normally we have some conversation about religion and the things we've learned in our mutual class, but she's never shown signs of religious supremacy."

Chiaotzu ate another tomato. "I'm no religious buff, but to call you a false prophet is kinda asinine. You healed her , and she's calling you a false prophet? You're more of a prophet than she'll ever be."

Dende smirked slightly. "I'm glad we're on the same page, I thought I was crazy."

"What's with the straw comment though? What's that about?"

"It's in reference to The Holy Bible. It's used to compare false prophets to God's word. God's word is wheat, and the false prophets words are straw."

Chiaotzu nodded in understanding. "Well, maybe she's just being weird because of midterms. Everyone's been a little crazy I think. I know you told me about Gohan smashing some guy's face in because he called you a bad word, and now Angela's on a religious bender." He said before grabbing another tomato. "Even I feel crazy. Last night I had a dream that Mifan was under martial law." He shuddered at the thought. "Talk about nightmares."

Dende shook his head. "I thought the same thing. I'm hoping it is just some 'midterm phenomena.' Honestly the effect should be studied." He said before going back to clipping vines. "And would you stop eating the tomatoes? They're for the farmer's market."

Chiaotzu rolled his eyes. "Like someone's gonna miss a few cherry tomatoes." He said before looking beyond his roommate to see an approaching, familiar face. "I thought you said she looked crazy and messy. She looks fine to me."

Dende looked behind him, seeing Angela back to her normal appearance. Her hair was in its usual glossy and curled look, though pulled back in a ponytail.

"Good afternoon Chiaotzu, Dende." Angela greeted politely.

"Good afternoon." They both greeted her simultaneously.

"Um, Dende? I just wanted to apologize about this morning. I wasn't quite myself, which still doesn't excuse my actions. It was very rude of me to denounce your beliefs, and I shouldn't have done it. I hope you can forgive me."

Dende looked up at her, nodding at her words. "I accept your apology, water under the bridge." He spoke with a smile.

Angela smiled as well. "Thank you, your forgiveness is noteworthy. Would you mind if we spent some time studying in the library? Our world religion exam is tomorrow, and it would be nice to have a study partner. Plus, I'd love to hear more about the religion you follow."

His smile grew. "Of course, that sounds wonderful. I love spreading the message of Kami, and I'm happy to share with all that are interested."

"Fantastic, I'll see you later this evening." With that she dismissed herself to check on other groups of club members.

Chiaotzu watched as she walked away. "See? All better, nothing to worry about. Maybe she was just jealous that you had a different belief than her."

Dende shrugged in response. "Jealousy does come in many forms, I hope I can change her mind about my beliefs."

In the early evening, Dende and Angela met in the library for a study session. The conversation was light, seeing that their main focus was studying. It was nice studying with someone for a change. All of his studying he's done for his midterms have been by himself. Angela was very knowledgeable about the class, and even helped him study for another class he was taking that she took her first year. She was also well prepared with flash cards, highlighted notes, and self made study guides. Dende was more than impressed.

After a couple of hours of studying, Dende and Angela began wrapping up their session. Dende thought he would do okay on his exam by himself, but after studying with Angela, he thought he'd do great now. He felt like he had nothing to worry about.

"Thanks for studying with me Dende, you're a good study partner."

"I should be thanking you. You're an amazing tutor, I appreciate the help for my scriptures class as well."

Angela smiled. "No problem. That class was tough my first year, but I eventually got the hang of it. I'm sure you will too." She said putting away her study material. "So Theology, huh? No wonder you're so knowledgeable about different Gods and Goddesses."

"I've always been interested in the topic. Some of the members of my home temple taught me about mythology, creation stories, and other religious fables that have always piqued my interest. Even learning from the Book of Kami inspired me to study Theology to minister for my home temple one day."

"How interesting. You make me miss my home church. Early mornings in the Worship Center aren't always satisfying."

"Do you attend King's Castle?"

Angela shook her head. "No, I attend Eternal Grace Congregational Church. It's in Gingertown."

Dende nodded in understanding. He remembered learning about congregational churches in class, but couldn't recall the specifics. He knew that congregational churches were very old, and traditional. "I see. It's different from what I've heard of. A lot of colleagues I know attend King's Castle, so I had to ask."

"What's the name of your home church?"

"Dragon's Temple. It's in Yunzabit Heights."

Angela blinked. "Wow, Yunzabit Heights? I didn't know people actually lived there."

Dende chuckled slightly. "The inhabitants are very small. We rarely see anyone there. Even our temple is family based. My uncle is the minister. My father, brother, and I are members. There are only three other members of the temple that are not related to us, but they are like family."

"So close knit. It's very similar to my home church." She said before glancing at the clock. "Do we still have time for you to teach me about your religion? I know we've spent a lot of our time studying, but I was looking forward to learning a little about it."

Dende glanced at the time as well. It was getting late, and he was sure the sun was set by now. However, after this morning's events, he wanted to at least help her understand his religion better. She seemed eager to know. "It's a lot to go into, so we can begin with the basics and I'll go more in depth this week." He said looking into his messenger bag for his Book of Kami. Strange, he didn't feel his book inside of his backpack. Dende opened his bag and dumped all of its contents onto the table. Papers, pencils, and even his journal came falling out, but not his Book of Kami. "My book's gone." He spoke in disbelief.

"Did you leave it back in your dorm?"

He shook his head. "No, I've been carrying it with me all day. I had it this morning, during harvest, I didn't even take it out when I stopped in my room today." His book was lost and he didn't even know where to start looking for it.

Angela frowned. "I'm sorry Dende. Maybe you lost it during harvest? There were a lot of backpacks stacked on top of each other, it could have fallen out or something."

"I hope someone's found it and returned it to the lost and found, it's the only copy I have." Dende could feel the anxiety building up from the loss. He didn't want to lose his Book of Kami. It meant the world to him. He couldn't believe he was so careless as to not check his bag before leaving the garden.

"Well the University Office is closed for the evening, so you'll have to check the lost and found tomorrow. Do you want to check the garden? It could still be there."

Dende shook his head. "It's already late. I'd have to walk you back to your dorm, and get Chiaotzu to walk with me all the way back to the garden. I can hear him complaining already." He said standing.

Angela stood as well. "I'll go with you. It's going to rain overnight. If your book is still in the garden, it will be soaked if you wait until morning or spend time getting Chiaotzu to walk you."

As much as he didn't want to do it, she made a good point. He didn't want his book water damaged, it was already worn from age already. He was better off going to the garden now than spending time contemplating the idea. Dende started his way out of the library. "I would appreciate it if you went back with me. I will surely repay you for your efforts."

Angela followed him out. "You don't have to repay me, I'm happy to help a friend."

.

.

.

The walk back to the garden was short, with the silence being filled with Angela's humming. Dende had been too deep in thought to speak. His only concern had been about finding his book. His fingertips pressed against each other anxiously as they walked, hoping the trip would be worth it. It was already so late, and the sun had been replaced with the full harvest moon. Even if his book was still by the garden, he hoped the moonlight would be enough illumination to find it. Some of its light had been blocked by heavy clouds. Finding it on a night like this would truly be a miracle.

Once they made it back to the garden; Angela pushed the fence gate open, allowing Dende to walk in and begin his search. He went over to where his messenger bag sat earlier that day, but his book was not present. Dende searched diligently for his Book of Kami, glancing at Angela every now and again to see if maybe she found it. From the looks of it, her searching had seemed lackadaisical. She seemed to be enjoying strolling through the garden under the moonlight rather than searching for his book.

That's when he noticed her muttering scriptures to herself.

"Blood, hail, and fire will rain down on the earth, mountains will crumble into the sea, and the Wormwood will fall, poisoning the rivers. The other stars will follow, and strike out light from the sun and sky. The last falling star will release the locusts to torment the non-believers. The four angels will release the horsemen, by the millions. A third will fall by plague of fire, smoke, and sulfur from their mouths."

He once dabbled into the Holy Bible, using it as references for a paper once, but he never finished it. However, he knew of the final book, and the disturbing imagery the final chapters told. It was a strange book to quote scriptures from, yet it poured from Angela's mouth like poison.

Dende cautiously approached her in the middle of the field. Even from behind, he could see her body trembling. He slowly made his way in front of her, finding her holding his Book of Kami. "Thank you for finding my book..may I have it back please?" He asked gingerly.

Angela looked up at him, and he saw the manic look in her eye once more. She smirked. "That depends, are you ready to meet your creator?"

A mix of emotions passed him quickly. Confusion, fear, but anger stayed with him. "Angela, give me back my book." He demanded.

The smile on her face was wicked, and she held his Book of Kami out to him. "Here, take it. It will be the last time you hold it."

Dende had been too riddled with fear to consider anger anymore. Her words made his heart sink, and he snatched the book before running back towards the garden gate.

"You can't run from your fate! All evil will meet an end in the name of the Lord!" She screamed after him.

Dende could hear her running after him, cackling madly as he continued to hear her heavy footfall. He could not outrun her, and soon he was pinned to the ground with her on top of him. His book flew from his hand, and he struggled to push her off of him. He screamed in mercy, but was soon silenced from the sharp blow to his head, and the overcoming darkness.

.

.

.

Dende woke to the sickening smell of sulfur and lamp oil. The smell was so strong it made him gag. It was hard to breathe, but not from the mix of smells, rather constriction. His head still hurt from earlier, indicating that his body had not fully healed itself, but he couldn't gauge how long he was out. He looked down and all around. He could vaguely see the garden beyond the thick tree line. His body had been bound by rope, and from the leaves above his head, he had to have been tied to a tree. He could smell the dripping lamp oil on the tree, and the circle of sulfur on the ground. Dende naturally struggled, but he would not budge.

"Grand rising, witch."

Dende looked up, finding Angela draped in a long black cloak. "What did you call me?"

Angela pulled the hood off of her head. "You heard me, witch, or are you still pretending to hide your true form?"

Dende shook his head. "I'm not a witch."

"You cannot deceive me any longer! I know the truth!" She screamed before pacing back and forth. "I was a fool to believe you were an Angel from Heaven. I believed your touch healed my body of all illnesses. I had finally freed myself from the medication that poisoned my body. It was your touch that made me believe that God finally answered my prayers, but when the voices returned…When the true voice of God returned to me, He unveiled the truth. That I was deceived by a witch, and the only way for me to seek salvation is to rid the sorcerer from this world." She stopped and looked at him. "I cannot permit you to live as a sorcerer. I must rid the world of evil, by performing the task asked of me."

Suddenly everything clicked in his head. The images she drew in the book, muttering to herself, the extreme range of emotions. Angela was beyond physical healing, she needed mental healing. Even her congregational church made sense now. He recalled his teachings, she had to have been of the Puritan religion, seeking her own witch trial to perform.

Dende began to hyperventilate at the overflow of knowledge that came to him, but he could feel himself becoming faint again. He steadied his breathing. If he passed out again he'd be as good as dead. "Angela, please don't do this. I healed you, yes, but I'm not a witch. I'm sorry I made you believe that you were healed inside and out. I can only heal physical wounds, not natural occurrences in the body. I can't heal cancers, bodily disorders, mental illnesses, I can't even heal the common cold. This is just a misunderstanding. Please, just let me go."

Angela threw her head back cracking loudly. "You expect me to be fooled by you again?" She shook her head. "Not this time. You will die under the full harvest moon, as a sacrifice to the God I serve."

Dende couldn't contain his fear any longer. He began screaming for help, hoping someone would hear his echoes of terror.

Angela smirked. "Scream all you want, no one will come to save you." She pulled the matches from her cloak. "Besides, who would want to save a witch?"

He began to cry, feeling as though there was nothing else to do. 'Chiaotzu, why did you have to be right? Healing the wrong person is going to get me killed. I'm sorry.' He thought before he began screaming for help again. He screamed and screamed, finally screaming for the only person that would save him.

"Gohan!"

It was late, too late for Dende to be out. Chiaotzu searched all around campus for his roommate. The library, the dining hall, the Student Center, even the Worship Center. He was nowhere to be found, and nowhere on campus. He had such a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong, horribly wrong. Then, he heard the chime of his friend's voice echo in his head.

Instantly, he ran back to the dorms.

Meanwhile, back in the dorms, Gohan and Sahir sat at their respective desks while Videl laid above Gohan in his bed, asleep.

Sahir looked back at the clock on the wall. "You think Erasa's done with her meditation?" Since it was both a full moon and a harvest moon, Erasa asked for time alone to meditate and 'spiritually recharge.' Sahir was more than willing to give her the time, but he was beginning to miss her company.

"Videl said that she'd text her and let her know, so you would know. Since she's still asleep, I don't think she's done yet." Gohan said before pulling off his reading glasses. "But I know what would make the time pass faster."

"A snack from the convenient store?"

Gohan grinned. "I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking it."

Sahir rolled his eyes. "You were the only one thinking it, I just said it."

Before he could stand from his desk, he saw 100 zeni in Videl's hand hanging over the side of the bed. "Bring me back something too." She spoke from above in the bed.

Gohan took the money from her hand. "Fine, but I'm keeping the change for convenience."

"Whatever, just make sure it's something sweet." She advised before rolling back over to continue her rest.

Sahir finished slipping on his shoes. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah I just need my—" He stopped his sentence short, twitching when he felt an electric shock run up the back of his neck. He saw a brief image of Dende flash in his head, screaming his name. Something wasn't right.

"You okay?"

The sound of his roommate's voice pulled him out of his trance. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just gonna check on Dende really quick before we go." He said and stood from his desk, slipping on his shoes and grabbing his jacket before going to the door. He pulled it open, and Chiaotzu stood on the other side of it. It seemed like his suspicions were confirmed. "Chiaotzu, what's wrong? Where's Dende?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, that's why I was coming to see you. I've looked everywhere on campus, and I can't find him. He'd never be out this late, I think he's in trouble." He said, tears filling his eyes. "Please, you have to find him, Gohan. Please." He begged.

"I'm going to find him, I promise." Gohan stated. "Stay here with Videl, come on Sahir, change of plans."

Videl began pulling off the covers and sitting up. "If Dende's in trouble, then I'm coming too."

Gohan looked back at his girlfriend. "You've been asleep all day, I can't let you go that exhausted."

She waved him off. "I'm fine—"

"Videl he's right, you shouldn't go. Please, will you just stay with me until they come back?" Chiaotzu asked. Seeing that he was one of the only people that knew of her current condition, he felt an obligation to keep her safe. Which meant keeping her out of unknown dangers.

Videl sighed. She felt like she owed Dende help for helping her with so much. But knowing Dende, he'd most likely tell her to pray for strength or victory over the situation. "Please be safe."

Gohan nodded at her words before leaving out of the room with Sahir following behind. They ran out of the dorm, and stopped over at the bike rack to grab Gohan's Nimbus.

"How are we going to find him? If he's not on campus, where do we even start looking?" Sahir asked as he climbed on the back of the bike.

Gohan released the kickstand, and adjusted his bike speed to five. "I know where he is." He announced before pedaling off as fast as Nimbus would go.

Angela prayed over the lamp oil and matches. "Give me strength to perform the duties asked of me. May the sacrifice given be the salvation to save my soul. It is your way, and your will."

Dende continued to scream in fear. "I don't want to die! I'm too young! I've never experienced my first love, I haven't had my first kiss! I haven't fulfilled my life's purpose yet! Please, I'm begging you! Spare me, let me live!"

Angela began dousing him in the anointed lamp oil. "If you call that begging, you will have to beg better than that. You can't escape this, and I have to do this."

Dende closed his eyes, trying to shake away the thick oil, spitting out what seeped into his mouth. "Angela! You're a child of God, you have to know that this is wrong! I am not the sacrifice you need to make. You will burn down the surrounding trees and cause a forest fire. You're sacrificing more than you think."

"I told you I have to do this. I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do!"

"No, I don't!" She screamed before looking away. "You think this is what I want? You think this is my choice? I was chosen to do this. It's what they asked me to do, what He asked me to do." Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I don't want to depend on medication anymore, I want to live…The voices told me they would stop if I offered them a great sacrifice. The sacrifice is you, they want you , Dende. I need to be free, and this is the only way, I'm sorry."

Even bound to a tree, and being prepared to be burned as a sacrifice, he pitied her. Many believe that mental illness, sickness, and disease are all acts of a higher power forsaking them, but he knew the truth. No higher being wishes to senselessly torment those that believe in them. Dende knew that these were just tests of strength, tests of faith. They produce endurance, build character, and are never without purpose.

Mental illness brought out the worst in some of the best people.

"God will never put more on you than you can bear. You're stronger than this, and you can still do the right thing. We can find the help you need. There is no shame in taking medications that help. They can offer mental clarity to help you experience God better. To help you live a better life. Please, choose the right path. I want to help you. Let me help you Angela."

Angela looked up at him, tears still flowing from his words. "I…" She trailed off before she began hitting her head repeatedly. "No, no, no! Get out of my head!" She screamed as her hands gripped her ginger hair. "You're trying to trick me again! They're calling you a deceiver, and that your words are a part of your sorcery. You won't convince me again, you cannot stop your sacrifice." She said and moved away from him to grab something hidden away in the darkness.

Dende's eyes widened when she returned under the moonlight, holding his Book of Kami. "Let go of my book! It has nothing to do with your sacrifice!"

Angela began drizzling the oil over the pages. "Oh, but it does, Dende. This manifesto is a part of your power. I cannot allow others to find this book of sorcery, it must burn with its owner."

"Angela, if you burn my book I will never forgive you! I mean it!" He screamed.

Angela struck a match. "I don't need the forgiveness of a witch." She threw the match on the book, setting it ablaze, watching as the flame began at the top of the book.

Dende screamed in agony as he watched his Book of Kami burn helplessly.

Angela grabbed the bottom of the burning book, holding it out, she began her final prayer. "The Lord is my light and salvation, of whom should I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? When my enemies and foes come to eat up my flesh, they stumble and they fall."

His life flashed before his eyes. It was such a short existence. He couldn't believe this would be the end of him. To spend his years of life in love, patience, and virtue, his end was met with hate, confusion, and judgment. His final testament will be made here tonight.

"Kami, forgive her, for she knows not what she does. I thank you for my years on this earth, I thank you for the strength to endure my end. Please watch over my friends and loved ones, and comfort them in their grief." He prayed.

"Though a host shall encamp against me, yet in this will I be comforted. One thing that I have desired of the Lord, and that I will seek after," Angela continued.

Dende continued as well, "May my path to the Otherworld be clear, and allow my body to rest so that my spirit may be in peace in Heaven,"

"Is that I may dwell in the House of the Lord, forever."

"Amen." They spoke.

Angela wound the burning book back, and Dende closed his eyes, awaiting immolation.

But it never came.

He opened his eyes again, finding Gohan on top of her, and Sahir extinguishing the burning book.

"What are you doing?! Get off of me! You're ruining my sacrifice ritual!" She screamed as she thrashed around to free herself.

Gohan grabbed her by her throat. "Dende is the next guardian of this planet, and as his warrior and sole protector, I will not allow you to sacrifice him." He began to tighten his hand. "Leave now with your pitiful life, or I will take it."

Angela struggled against his hold and she reached into her cloak, pulling out a long dagger. "My sacrifice will be done tonight, in the name of the Lord." She spoke breathlessly before she drove it towards her attacker.

Before the dagger could strike, Sahir kicked it from her hand, and the weapon went flying into the dark forest.

"No!" She screamed, and used all of her strength to throw a startled Gohan off of her. She ran into the forest, towards her dagger to find it.

Sahir took Gohan's hand and pulled him to his feet. "We need to get Dende free before she finds that dagger."

Gohan and Sahir ran over to the tree. Sahir went to the back to begin uniting the knots while Gohan stood in front of Dende to comfort him.

It all happened so fast to Dende, he still couldn't believe his friend was standing before him. "How did you find me?" He asked.

Gohan pulled out his handkerchief and began wiping away the lamp oil from his face. "You called me, and I heard you."

Tears filled his eyes. He didn't want to be the cause of his death. From him defending him yesterday, to nearly being killed by Angela tonight. He continued to cause one situation after another, and he felt awful. "I didn't mean this. I'm sorry to have caused you this trouble." He spoke.

Gohan grabbed his face and pressed his head against his. "You are worth the trouble." He whispered. "It is my duty to serve you, and my purpose to protect you. I will do both of those things for as long as I live. I promise." He swore to him.

His promise filled his heart, and gave him chills. His sole protector. His faithful warrior. He saved him, and he promised to always save him. It was then and only then he knew that he could not live without Son Gohan, despite causing him so much trouble. He needed him more than he would ever know. Dende could feel the bind of the ropes loosen, and he was able to lean into his touch more, their noses now touching. The only gap that needed to be filled was between their lips, and Gohan moved to close it.

"Forgive me Father of the sin I am about to commit."

Dende looked beyond his beloved warrior, finding Angela with her dagger pressed against her throat. "Angela no, don't!" He screamed.

"May the sacrifice I make free me from the darkness of my mind. Amen." With her final words, she slid the dagger across her throat, and collapsed on the ground.

"No!" Dende wailed painfully. Soon the grip of the ropes released him, and he scrambled out of their hold to run to Angela.

Gohan grabbed him by his waist to stop him. "Dende stop!" He yelled.

Dende struggled against him. "Let me go! I have to save her!"

"Dende you can't heal her! She's gone!"

"B-But I…" His words failed him, and he collapsed into Gohan's chest to weep.

Gohan wrapped himself around him. "I'm sorry. I know, I'm so sorry." He comforted as he rocked him back and forth.

Sahir came from around the tree, pausing at the sight. "Oh no." He spoke mournfully. He couldn't imagine being a witness to what Dende saw. The darkness suddenly became unsettling, and he turned his head to spit. He could hear his father scolding him over the gesture, but it was the quickest way to ward off any evil. He'd ask Erasa to make him a khamsa bracelet later.

He went over to the charred book, and brought it back over to the pair. "I'm very sorry about your loss…To God we belong and to Him we shall return." He spoke over them. It was a saying used in his village to express condolences, he thought it would help. "Here is your book, I didn't know if you wanted it back."

Dende looked up at Sahir. "Angela sacrificed herself over my book, and I'm still alive. It should stay with her." He spoke quietly.

With a nod, he placed the book back down, back by her body. "We should go. UPD has to be notified, and it's going to rain soon."

Gohan moved to stand, but Dende wouldn't release him. His hand still clutched tightly onto his shirt and jacket. "Can you take my Nimbus bike back, Sahir? I have to carry Dende."

Sahir nodded in reply, and led the trek back to campus.

Gohan moved to stand again, this time grabbing Dende with him. Dende managed to move closer to him to bury his head in his jacket. He could hear his calm heartbeat, which brought him comfort. Gohan followed Sahir to begin their journey back.

Chiaotzu watched the rain pelt against the window. He had been nervous ever since Gohan and Sahir left, but Videl was quiet, and calm. He looked up at her, still laying in Gohan's bed. "You're not worried about them? They've been gone for almost an hour now."

Videl sat up and shook her head. "No, I'm not. Gohan will keep Dende safe, and Sahir will keep Gohan safe. They should be back soon, have some faith, Chiaotzu."

"Easy for you to say, your roommate isn't the one in danger." He spoke spitefully.

"I know you're worried, but please, just trust me. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." She had been praying for protection ever since Gohan and Sahir left and she had faith it would work. She wouldn't even have this faith if it wasn't for Dende, she owed it to him to believe and pray for a safe return.

The quote made Chiaotzu smile slightly. "That sounds like something Dende would say."

She smiled back at him. "It's a scripture from the Bible."

Before Chiaotzu could say anything else, the door pushed open, and Gohan held the door open for Dende to come in.

Tears filled his eyes at the sight of his roommate. "Dende!" He greeted happily as he jumped into his arms.

Dende laughed slightly, catching his roommate for a warm hug. He kneeled to begin prying him off. "Chiaotzu I'm covered in lamp oil and I smell like sulfur, I'm going to make your clothes dirty."

Chiaotzu refused to be pried away, he held Dende tighter. "I don't care! You're more important than clean clothes. I was worried sick about you. What were you thinking being out that late? I could have lost you." He said through tears.

His roommate's words were too heartwarming to not cry again. Dende held him close as tears began to fall from his eyes. "I'm sorry I worried you, I won't ever do it again." He spoke, rubbing his back soothingly. "Do you ever think we were this close in our past life?" Dende asked quietly.

Chiaotzu pulled away to answer. He rubbed his eyes, laughing slightly at his answer. "Honestly, probably not."

Dende smiled at his honestly, and sniffled before saying, "Well, I'm glad we're close in this one."

Chiaotzu hugged him again. Dende was the greatest friend an Emperor could ask for.

"Me too."

A/N This is the chapter I've had in mind for a long time. It was the chapter that made me say, 'how do we get to this?' A lot has led up to the moment. Gohan beating up someone over a trigger was always planned but I didn't expect it to be back to back chapters with Videl being violent with Mai. It makes them both look a lil crazy lmao.

I'm sorry about the slur at top of the chapter, I was uncomfortable writing it myself, but I wanted to make the situation believable. Homophobia is real, and still rampant on University campuses. As well as racism, xenophobia, and religious supremacy. I ask that you please spread love, not hate. Hate is a disease that needs to be eradicated with love, equality, and respect for one another. And if someone is expressing hate to you, beat their ass :)

Angela's diagnosis was treatment resistant schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Clozapine is for treatment resistant schizophrenia, and Priadel is just Lithium but I thought it would be too obvious of a name so I used a name brand for it. Lithium is an older medication used to treat bipolar disorder. I thought about Abilify but it's too popular of a drug and thought people would catch on to it faster. Given her diagnosis it made Angela a higher risk for suicide, and making her dangerous when left unmedicated.

I thought about adding Videl to the rescue team, but ultimately decided against it since she would take away from the Gohan/Dende moment. Sahir had been added to the story for this exact reason. He is physically capable of protecting/helping Gohan, and is also privately aware of the emotional connection Gohan and Dende have, so he would allow them to have their moment without telling a soul. He his able to give quiet condolences, offer Dende his book despite it being destroyed because he knows the importance of it, and quietly remind everyone of the next steps to take after the tragedy. Since he was raised by the pure hearted character Nam, it is often exemplified through him. I enjoy him as an OC for that reason. Also, the Khamsa bracelet Sahir mentioned is an evil eye bracelet, commonly worn as protection against evil. It's popular in the spiritual world.

Of course the chapter had to end with Chiaotzu and Dende loving on each other, and realizing how close they actually are. I've been waiting for this moment as well. To realize that they may not have been close in the past before, but were afforded an opportunity to become close in another life is the mark of true friendship. Chiaotzu and Dende had become more than roommates at this moment, they had become friends. Life long friends. I love them so much, and have enjoyed writing them together. I have a few more plans with them in their friendship for later chapters. But in the meantime, this note must come to an end, it's hella long.

Thank you for reading this chapter. Reviews are appreciated.

Until the next chapter everyone.