Thank you so much for your continuing support, I've had so many positive reviews and it really makes it worthwhile when I get complements on my writing and how the story is progressing, so thank you for that and please keep doing it because your lovely reviews only make me want to write more! I've been writing for years but not much fanfiction so it really surprises me and boosts my confidence when you say such lovely things! So heres another chapter for you all to enjoy (hopefully). I am so excited by this story and it's characters and I cannot WAIT for Gohan to get back to Earth. It will be entertaining I promise ;) I really hope you enjoy chapter 6 as much as the other chapters! I had a blast writing it. And Kudos for those who guess what scene from what film I had inspo from. I just couldn't resist ;) ES x
Chapter Six
The Z-Sword
xxxx
Gohan couldn't sleep. It had been the fourth sleepless night he had had ever since he had read about the supposed hero Perses, and yet despite being back to training as normal and being exhausted twenty-four seven, he just couldn't seem to switch off his brain.
Whis had been right in the fact that rest would do him some good, and the young saiyan had never felt so strong. He was certainly more powerful than before he had died, and there was a part of him that could feel another level of strength deep within him, just begging to be unleashed. Though at this rate, with the amount of sleep he was sorely lacking, he wasn't going to reach the next level any time soon.
He sighed begrudgingly, kicking off his blankets, pulling on his trainers and exiting the boys sleeping quarters without another moments hesitation. Makhai's snores followed him all the way to the common room, which to his disappointment was empty. Recently when he couldn't sleep, he would come down to find Alala still awake, and the pair of them would spend hours discussing the mysterious Perses and make up elaborate stories as to how he could have met his end.
Yet despite the funny jests they had, something about the old junior destroyer had irked him. How could someone just disappear out of the history books like that? More importantly, why would someone want to cover it up? Even though it must have been hard for Whis, he didn't think that he was the type of person to cover his tracks. The Angel didn't seem to have a deceitful bone in his body, and was always harping on about how 'one learns best from their mistakes'. So why would he erase one of his own? It's not like it was Whis' fault that Perses had gone rogue from what he could tell. He just wished that he knew what had happened in the rest of the book.
Gohan sighed again, it was all his mother's fault. The ox-princess had always taught him to strive for knowledge, and that value, coupled with the halfling's ever growing curiosity had ingrained itself so deeply within him that it really bothered him when he didn't know something. It was like he was missing part of a puzzle. Alala had made a joke about him being obsessed with the history of Perses, and had rightly pointed out that it didn't matter. Perses was gone and they were the next candidates in line to become the God of Destruction. But for some reason, that just wasn't enough closure for Gohan.
Without paying too much attention to where he was going, the young saiyan headed out of the common room and down the cavernous corridors. Before he knew it, he was walking around the ancient courtyard, the light from the sparkling galaxies above illuminating the stone pathways in a soft silvery glow. Mind whirring, his thoughts carried him deeper into the maze of bushes, that became wilder and less maintained as he went. Deep red roses protruded from the greenery, their sharp thorns lining the path that was steadily becoming overgrown with weeds and broken pieces of rotten bark.
Gohan looked up finally, realising that he had been walking for quite some time, and wasn't entirely certain just where he was. He had never ventured this far into the ancient gardens, as he had never felt the urge to do so. Though something told him to keep going, and he relented, his eyes squinting though the darkness. At last, the path came to a head, and the young saiyan was forced to stop due to something blocking his way. His vision settled on another statue, though he hadn't seen any more on his journey through the overgrowth save for the ones back at the entrance to the camp.
He frowned, realising that the stone depiction was broken and laden with cobwebs. It certainly hadn't been as well kept as the others. Though despite it's sorry state, Gohan could make out the figure of a young man, humanoid and tall with lean muscles. His stone hair was straight and long, falling to his waist, pulled back by a cloth band that rested on his forehead. The statue had handsome features, and a cheeky grin so wide that it was a wonder it didn't split the stone in two. The statue's arms rested by his side in a strong stance, and he was wearing a ceremonial garb not too dissimilar form Lord Beerus'.
And as the light from the twinkling stars shone, Gohan's eyes widened, the plaque at the statue's feet becoming all too clear.
Perses
321 B.A -
Why was Perses' statue all the way out here? He thought, frowning. Someone was definitely hiding something. And furthermore, why did the statue have a birth date and no date of death?
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Gohan yelped at the sudden voice, whirling around so fast that he toppled over a fallen tree behind him. He crashed unceremoniously onto his backside, wincing as he did so, before his eyes found the source of the voice.
"Looks like I predicted right," the blue fish giggled, "The new recruit is certainly clumsy, then again, I'm never wrong."
"I'm not clumsy!" He protested, clambering quickly to his feet and narrowing his eyes at the strange creature, "You just startled me was all, you shouldn't sneak up on people, it's rude you know."
"Didn't your father teach you that you should always be aware of your surroundings?" she mused knowingly.
"H-how did you-?" Gohan gaped, finally taking note of the little blue fish who was half hanging out of a familiar looking fish bowl, her little fins resting upon the edge. The whole thing was suspended in midair by a golden staff that allowed her to hover closer towards him.
There was no denying that he was all too familiar with that fish bowl, he and Makhai had spent way too many hours cleaning them out when Kratos had gotten fed up with their jokes and ordered them on maid duty. The pre-teen was finally able to close his mouth as he spoke, "Y-you're the Oracle Fish?"
"Hm," the oracle observed, "You're not as primitive as you look, Saiyan."
"What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked, he had never seen the mysterious Seer before, even though he knew that she resided on Lord Beerus' planet.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, recruit?" she said, eyeing him, "Although I already know the reason why. You can't sleep, and you are troubled. I only came out here to tell you to shut up because your thoughts were so loud that they disturbed my own slumber."
"Oh," Gohan mustered sheepishly, "Sorry."
"Fear not young one," she sighed, waving a fin in the air, "It's not like I haven't been in this situation before. Often I find deities or Gods to be wondering around the sacred garden of souls forgotten, many harbour great burdens or struggle to come to terms with their destiny. It has been many years since anyone has ventured this far though, you must have a lot on your mind."
The young saiyan sighed for a moment, the great statue of Perses encompassing his own shadow. "Can you tell me more about Perses?" he asked, inclining his head to the stone depiction, "I found a book about him, one that Master Zuno wrote. But half of the pages were missing."
"You're a curious one," said the oracle fish, "Why do you want to know of a God in training that was long before your time?"
"I'm just curious is all," Gohan shrugged, "And I find it odd that Whis hasn't mentioned him, yet according to the book he thought of Perses as a son."
"It is not wise to make assumptions of that which you are not certain of," she spoke firmly, "But know this young saiyan, some things are not spoken of in order to protect, not harm. You should not take Whis' reluctance as a sign of mistrust. Though for someone that was killed by a product of revenge, deception and evil, I can see why you think that."
The pre-teen let her words sink in carefully, "It's not that I think Whis is untrustworthy, far from it. I just want to know what happened is all, and why someone would want to cover it up."
"We all have a past we wish we could hide Son Gohan, even the Gods," the Seer replied, watching him thoughtfully, "I see that you have already compared yourself to Perses, it is only natural, considering how similar your backstories are."
Gohan's shoulders slumped, the oracle fish could see right through him, like most people. He needed to get better at hiding his feelings, even though Alala had said it was a good thing. Still, he didn't like it that people were able to read his mind so easily.
Sitting on the tree trunk with his chin in his hands, the Seer surveyed him, before she stated, "Perses was mad Gohan."
He looked up, listening intently as the little blue fish sighed, hovering towards him, "I'm afraid to say that what you saw in that book was true. In the beginning, Perses was one of the greatest men I ever knew. He was a clever young man, and saved the universe from imbalance on numerous occasions. Whis had formed a strong bond with him, Lord Beerus too, and Perses treated Whis as the father he had lost due to his negligence long ago. But despite these loving relationships he had found in this realm, he could not ignore the grief that still plagued his heart. Slowly, that grief turned into something darker, something all-consuming. Whis had noticed, of course, but how could he deny Perses the greatness of becoming the next God of Destruction like he had promised? The boy who he had nurtured and trained over a few centuries, treated like his own kin? But alas as the years crept by, so did Perses hatred for the way the universe worked. As Gods, he felt as though they were superior to mortals, and should be able to punish them accordingly when wars struck up all over the galaxies. Why should there be so much destruction? When Perses had the power to purge them all and start anew?"
Gohan could hardly believe his ears, "B-but that's crazy! He had no right to-!"
"Exactly Gohan," said the oracle, "It is not within a Gods jurisdiction to do such a thing. But Perses wasn't satisfied with this, and from there festered a hatred for the Gods themselves, only made worse when he found out that he was half Kai, and that his mother, the Supreme Kai of the Western province had abandoned both him and his father."
"So Gods aren't meant to have kids with mortals?" he asked, frowning, causing the fish to scoff.
"Of course not! Are you crazy?" she tutted, "How do you think Perses became so powerful? It's dangerous and can cause such a mess. The rules are even stricter now what with everything that went on, but I digress. Perses felt such anger towards the Gods, but relished in the knowledge that not only had he mastered the energy of destruction, he was also capable of creation because of his bloodline."
"Perses created a creature so foul, so inhumane that even The Supreme Kai today fears to utter it's name," she said solemnly, as the cogs in Gohan's head clicked into space.
"Makhai mentioned that there's only one Supreme Kai and his attendant left in our universe now," he said in realisation, "He said that a monster wiped the rest out, surely you're not saying-"
"That's correct young one," the oracle fish sighed solemnly, "Perses set the creature upon the Kai's, wiping all of them out except the East Kai who managed to escape. Perses slaughtered his own mother without a second thought."
"He sounds like the monster," said Gohan.
"Indeed," she replied, "Though Perses had become a master of deception at this time, so Whis and Lord Beerus had no idea that it was him who had unleashed the beast upon the universe. Perses recruited an evil wizard do his dirty work for him, controlling that beast so that he didn't have to, and everyone was none the wiser."
"But they found out right?"
"Of course," said the Seer, "Eventually. For you see, there was a prohecy, a prohecy that I foretold. It predicted Perses' downfall by a mortal warrior, who could rival him. We are not permitted to reveal the future to mortals unless they had achieved full divinity, but Perses was so charming, so quietly unassuming that when he asked me what his future was I did not deny him. Unfortunately this fuelled Perses' hatred towards mortals even more, for no mortal power should be able to rival a Gods in his opinion. He chose not to heed my warning should he continue down this path of loathing, and instead set his zero mortals plan into motion."
"Zero mortals?" Gohan gasped, "Was he scared that much of the prophecy coming true?"
"Oh yes," she nodded, "and he was blinded by his goal of ending all mortal life, as well as this, he wanted to destroy the Gods so that only he remained. Whis and Lord Beerus soon found out about his plan, though he managed to slaughter thousands before they were able to stop him. For you see, the worrying thing was that he had grown almost as strong as Lord Beerus himself."
"So how did they stop him?" he asked, hanging onto every word.
"It wasn't easy," the oracle sighed, "Mostly due to the fact he had fled Lord Beerus' planet and was capable of inter-universal travel. Not only was he a threat to this universe, he was a threat to everything that had ever existed. Though Perses began to grow weak, mentally I mean. He had heard of the ancient sword of legend that resided in this universe, and he believed it to be the only thing that would help him take down the Gods and rule over the multiverse once and for all."
"I read about that sword," said Gohan, "The pages were ripped out before the secret of the sword was explained!"
"Not surprising," she observed, "The secret of the Z-Sword is not to be taken lightly. I have no doubt that it was taken out before any other destroyer in training sort it before their time, it would be unwise to allow it to fall into the wrong hands."
"But what does it do?" he frowned, "Is it really that powerful?"
The blue fish sighed, glancing around her, "Without giving too much away, the Z-Sword is a very powerful object, a weapon of the Gods. It is said that the one who is able to wield it has access to the greatest power in the universe, the two become one weapon, capable of cutting down the tightest of foes."
"Woah, wicked," the pre-teen gaped in awe.
"As soon as Perses entered universe seven in search of the Z-Sword were they upon him, and Lord Beerus finally defeated Perses in an epic battle that literally rocked the cosmos, it was lucky that he couldn't even make the sword move an inch in it's prison, or things would have ended very badly," the Seer told him. "They were worried that he may kill the last remaining Supreme Kai, for the Kai's and Destroyers are life linked. If one dies, so will the other."
"I-I didn't know that," said Gohan, enthralled by the revelation, "But despite everything he'd done, it must have been hard for Whis and Lord Beerus to kill Perses."
"Kill him?" the fish scoffed disbelievingly, "Perses is not dead Gohan, did you notice that his date of death is not etched in stone?!"
"Well I did," he blinked, "But I just thought that no one would have bothered to commemorate someone who nearly wiped out the universe. You're telling me he's still alive?!"
"Barely," she snorted, "Though if he were dead then his death date would automatically appear upon the statue. He may not have been an official God of Destruction, but he was as good as. Which is why he is remembered in stone, and these statues cannot be destroyed."
"So where is he now?" asked the young saiyan, his eyes glancing towards the statue of the wayward deity.
"The Void," said the Seer, a dark look in her eyes, "a realm of it's own creation, no one knows where it ends or where it begins, only that it is devoid of any life. It's so dark that no light can penetrate through it. Nothing can escape, and it is unusual for anything to live within it, Perses is so strong that not even The Void can kill him instantly. He has been trapped for over a thousand years, and yet he still lives."
"So Lord Beerus couldn't kill him?" he gaped.
The oracle fish shrugged, "It's not easy to kill a God Gohan, especially one of destruction."
"Don't worry," she continued, catching onto the worried look on his face, "It's impossible for Perses to escape The Void."
The oracle studied him further, as the halfling became lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't expecting the story to have been so downtrodden, and the fact that Perses was out there somewhere didn't sit right with him at all. Something else was bugging him though, something that the ever perceptive fish caught onto right away.
"Are you worried that if you continue down this path that you will end up like Perses?"
His eyes widened, her stare was penetrating as he swallowed thickly.
"It's just hard to imagine what I'll become," he sighed finally, "I've always had my father and Piccolo to guide me, and now-"
"You're not alone dear boy," she said wisely, "Even though it might feel that way sometimes. The values your family and friends have instilled within you will stay with you forever, if you let them. Here, in this world, you are bound to duty but can create your own path, enjoy yourself, make friends, get stronger."
The blue fish sighed, casting her gaze over to the broken statue of Perses, it's shadow had moved, thanks to the circling planet, bathing them both in a silver glow, "The most important thing to remember Gohan, is to never loose sight of yourself."
Planet Sagor, The Galaxy of Lost Souls, Age 770 - Three years after The Cell Games
"I really don't know how I ended up in this situation if I'm quite honest with you," An adolescent voice rang out over the cave.
The cave ran deep underneath a dying world, a world that was ravaged by fire. Dying embers provided the only light within the darkness, casting eerie shadows through the humid smoke that filled the rocky cavern. It wasn't a planet that one would choose to visit, and why should they? It seemingly had no life upon it. Well, apart from one teenage hybrid, who was currently suspended in midair by a cage that protruded from the rock in the ceiling. He was wrapped in chunky metal chains, made of the hardest metal in the universe, katchin. Supposedly impossible to break out of.
Though the teenager did not look scared, or worried. No, he blew his ebony hair out of his face in a bored manner, the spikey mane now reaching his shoulders. The blue tracksuit he was wearing was dirt laden and tattered, though he looked otherwise unharmed. Well, apart from the fact that he was dead, the shining halo bouncing above his head too obvious to miss.
"Though I suppose sometimes you've got to get captured if you want a straight answer off of someone," He sighed, his onyx eyes beholding the skeleton in front of him, "So what about you? What's your story?"
The dusty skeleton lay motionless, as the embers crackled in the distance.
"Well I won't bore you with mine," said Gohan, folding his arms across his chest as he lay on his back, his one foot resting on the rungs of the cage, "It's a bit of a long story. See the thing is I'm in a bit of a competition with a group of misfit warriors to become the next God of Destruction. Throw in an Angel that likes to amuse himself by sending us on suicide missions and hey presto! You end up loosing a game of rock, paper, scissors and get stuck in a prison on a dead planet with a skeleton whose personality is nearly as bad as Kratos'."
He paused, frowning to himself, "And I still think Makhai cheated."
Suddenly, and without warning, the cage sprang open from beneath him, sending Gohan and the skeleton crashing down to the dusty floor below. The young saiyan yelped as his chains unraveled, though stopped just before he hit the ground, suspending him just above the fiery embers where he came face to face with the very being that was the cause of his capture.
"Well, well, well," the brute spoke in an amused tone, "What do we have here? A Saiyan brat all alone on my world. I must say I'm flattered, it's unusual to have guests. Especially one that bares the symbol of the Gods."
Gohan smirked, as the enemy's deep charcoal eyes surveyed the symbol on his uniform, "Well maybe you'd have more guests if you made the place look prettier. Bit off putting what with all the fire and skeletons. Might I suggest a flower garden?"
"Silence!" he growled, his voice echoing menacingly off the cave walls. He straightened himself up to full height, the glow of the embers lighting up the jagged stone throne he was sat upon.
The beast resembled some sort of devil, his enormous body made of coal and fire. His eyes were nothing but deep sockets of emptiness, and Gohan could see the glowing flames behind them. He was at least thirty feet tall, though the horns on his head made him appear even larger. His charcoaled skin burned with amber light, as he leered towards the chained halfling.
"You would do well not to test me boy," the devilish monster glowered, "I am Scurge, the ruler of the Galaxy of Lost Souls. The epitome of evil, the embodiment of death, all will bow down before-!"
"I know who you are," Gohan cut across him, causing the brute to blink, he obviously wasn't used to being interrupted, "You've been making a right mess of the surrounding galaxies recently, what with you sending out your 'lost souls' to purge other planets. Causes a lot of destruction."
"Aha!" Scurge exclaimed, "So you have seen the beginning of the end, the end of everything! Once the lost souls lay waste to this galaxy, they will take over the next and the next, the universe will spiral into a deep cycle of death and destruction, and I Scurge will-!"
"Oh spare me the evil monologue," the teen saiyan drawled in exasperation, "Blah blah blah death, blah blah take over the universe. Been there, done that. You bad guys are all the same…"
"SILENCE!" Scurge roared, his long fingernails digging into his throne and causing the stone to crack, "Insolent brat! You won't be so cocky once everything you meddling Gods hold dear will be burnt to ashes!"
"What so you're going to take over the universe by just setting it on fire?" he snorted, "Sounds pretty predictable if you ask me."
"Laugh all you want," the smouldering being chuckled darkly, "For once my crown is reunited with the flame of eternity I will be restored to my full might! My strength will be unrivalled, I will burn for all eternity and the universe will -!"
"So let me get this straight," said Gohan, interrupting again and causing the brute to growl, "You're going to stick your crown on the flame of eternity so that you effectively become immortal and set everything on fire?"
"A little simple, but yes that's the gist," Scurge spat, narrowing his fiery eyes.
"The same flame of eternity that is locked away in the temple of The Supreme Kai's?"
"The Kai's are no match for me!" the beastly brute exclaimed, "And it seems that I have already captured a most powerful candidate for the next God of Destruction. Once I have slaughtered the rest, no one will be able to stop me!"
The young saiyan sighed, "So tell me Scurge, where is this crown of yours?"
"This is my crown," he smirked triumphantly, tapping a claw-like finger to the horns on his head, "The source of my power."
"That's a crown?" Gohan blinked, "I thought it was a big eyebrow."
"IT'S A CROWN!" Scurge cried angrily, as the halfling shrugged.
"Anyway," said the teen, "It sounds like all I have to do to stop you is to knock that thing off of your head."
Scurge laughed with mirth, pulling himself up from his throne and approaching him in a wave of smoke and fire, "You cannot stop me child, I am the universe's doom! All will suffer, all will burn!"
"You know," Gohan smirked, "As tempting as it is to watch those pretty fireworks of yours, I'm going to have to go with plan B where I bust out of these chains, knock that tiara off your head and stash it away deep in the Kai's temple where no one can find it."
"Oh really now?" the evil being chortled, his long fingers grasping onto the chain suspending the young saiyan, "You and what army?"
The teenager's smirk grew even wider, "This one."
Scurge frowned, as nothing happened, the only sound that of the smouldering embers. Seconds passed, causing Gohan to roll his eyes in despair before shouting to the heavens, "Oh come on!"
The beast roared with laughter, "As I suspected, no one is coming to help you brat, not even your precious Gods."
"Fine," the teen saiyan huffed, "Plan C it is!"
Without another word, did Gohan's golden aura spring to life. His muscles bulged, causing the chains of katchin to shatter, sending the heavy fragments crashing to the ground in a heap. His hair flashed a brilliant gold, spiking upwards in an unruly fashion as his onyx eyes glowed a vibrant emerald green. The whole planet was shaking, shockwaves dispersing over the cave and causing debris to fall from above. An enormous swell of power radiated from the halfling, as his body was engulfed in the epicentre of the brilliant golden light that erupted from his entire being. His aura was electrifying, lightening bolts snapping and crackling at the air as is power grew. His spikey golden hair quivered, flashing rapidly with even more concentrated golden energy.
The halfling couldn't stop himself from screaming, the bellow erupting from his chest as he pushed further and further into the depths of his energy. The hurricane-like winds swept through the cavern as his spikey mane began to grow, reaching his ankles and leaving a stubborn bang waving over his forehead. His eyebrows seemed to have disappeared altogether, his stare hardened and penetrating Scurge who had to cover himself with his ams for protection.
As the light died down, the beast gaped, "W-What is this power?!"
"Oh this?" Gohan grinned wickedly, gesturing to himself, "It's a little trick I've learned recently that I like to call Super Saiyan Three. It's also part of plan C, which is where I kick your arse to kingdom come."
"S-Super Saiyan?" the beastly brute stammered, before coming to his senses. He stood, towering over the golden-haired boy, pure rage coursing through him, "Your power may have increased substantially, but it still won't be enough! GET RID OF THIS BRAT!"
A bone quaking roar reached his ears, as by Scurge's command did hundreds upon hundreds of demon souls spring from the shadows, bursting out of the smouldering ground and making a beeline for the young saiyan. Though Gohan was ready, slipping into a flawless stance as the coal-encrusted souls hurtled towards him.
BOOM!
His fist connected with the first one's jaw, breaking it apart instantly in a shower of ash and cinders. The body of the demon was propelled backwards, crashing into over a dozen more souls that disintegrated as soon as they were hit.
Though to Gohan's distain, it didn't stop them from coming. BOOM! THWACK! CRASH! One by one they disappeared in a cloud of ash, but it wasn't enough. He was surrounded by Scurge's minions, whose incessant screeching was starting to grate on his nerves. Throwing another smouldering body into a unsuspecting group of souls, the teenager kicked off from the ground and with an abrupt shout unleashed an explosive wave so powerful that the rest of the underlings vanished in an instant with nothing but embers remaining.
Gohan smirked up at the enraged Scurge, who wasted no time in unleashing rapid fire upon the halfling. Smoking boulders flung towards him with malicious intent, though the young super saiyan three batted them away effortlessly, the remains falling to the ground in the same manner as Scurge's minions.
Scurge howled with fury, a torrent of flames erupting from his jaws, causing the halfling to jump swiftly out of range. Powering up even further, Gohan careened towards the giant at break neck speed, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick straight to his skull. A sonic boom ricocheted over the dark cavern from the force of the teenager's attack. Scurge's crown flew clean off his head, and with a final scream of anguish did the brute disintegrate, the metallic crown toppling to the ground with a loud CLANG.
Gohan breathed a sigh of relief as he levitated himself back down, picking up the crown that was as big as his torso and inspecting it curiously. His ears suddenly perked up, as an almighty crash sounded and six figures broke through the ceiling, sending a great amount dust and debris flying through the cave.
He coughed, as he glared at his comrades, who were bathed in the light emitting from the hole they had just created from the planets surface, "What the bloody hell took you so long?!"
"We ran into a lot of Scurge's minions up top," said Alala, dusting off an arrow that was covered in ash, "And anyway, it was your idea to have someone get captured so that we could infiltrate Scurge's lair, so don't get mad at us."
The teenager rolled his eyes, "It wasn't my idea to be the damsel in distress! Why do I have to be the bait all the time?"
"Well, no one expects the shortest to be so strong!" Makhai winked, throwing an arm over his shoulder as Gohan shot him a glare, even though he had had a growth spurt recently, he was still only a bit shorter than Alala, "Where is Scurge anyway?"
The young saiyan held up the crown in his palms, "Dead. No thanks to you lot."
Kratos snorted, eyeing the smoking cavern, "At least you didn't make too much of a mess this time, good work I suppose, even if it took longer than expected."
"Aw Kratos, don't look so glum," Makhai spouted cheekily before Gohan could retort, "So what if Sparky killed the main baddie this time round? There's always next time. The important thing to remember is that you tried your best!"
"That's enough of your lip Makhai," the older teen growled as the others chuckled, "The only thing that matters is that Scurge and his army of lost souls are dead, we completed our mission."
"That's the spirit," Bia smiled, her yellow eyes surveying him, "You've come a long way Kratos, even if you are still jealous of Gohan."
"I am not!"
"He is too," whispered Makhai, nudging Gohan in the ribs, "By the way mate, do me a favour and power down would you? The whole no eyebrows thing gives me the wobbles."
The halfling growled, feeling rather exposed, "It's not like I can help it!"
"I'm just saying that it's not a good look on you," the boy shrugged.
"I'm not trying to win a beauty competition Makhai," he retorted haughtily, as the others snorted with laughter around him.
"It's a good job too," he jested, "You wouldn't be winning any medals any time soon, even with the hair extensions."
"Oi!"
"Well I think Gohan's transformations look cool," said Alala, sticking up for him, "I think the long hair really suits him."
Kratos scoffed, folding his arms across his chest.
"Ugh enough of this rubbish, we can talk about Gohan's hair problems later," said Deimos scathingly, "Can we get off this hell hole of a planet before you all start snogging each other?"
Eris sighed almost longingly, watching the fires burn around her, "I don't know, I think this place is rather beautiful. It reminds me of my home planet on the day that I took it over."
"So, before Miss galactic overlord decides to relive her glory days and do us all in," Makhai spouted as the others stared blankly at her, "Shall we get the HFIL out of here?"
"Allow me," Kratos said with a triumphant smirk, placing his hand on Bia's shoulder, "I've been perfecting my teleportation technique. Grab on to me and I'll have us out of here in no time."
As they moved towards him, a tremendous, earth quaking growl reached their ears.
"Better make it quick," Makhai laughed, "Judging by that sound, I don't think Gohan's stomach can last much longer."
"Er Makhai," Gohan said wearily, "That wasn't me."
"Eh? Then what the bloody hell was -?"
BOOM!
The recruits ducked, covering their heads with their arms as a gigantic snake-like creature burst through the cave floor below them. It roared again, the force of it's lungs causing their heads to spin. It growled menacingly, towering high above the seven competitors with a fiery glow in it's eyes. It's red scaled skin seemed to shine in the dark cave, the embers reflecting off the bottom of it's long belly.
"OUT OF EVERYTHING, YOU LEFT THAT ONE ALIVE?!" Kratos roared at Gohan.
"I didn't know it was here!" He protested hotly.
"What were you too busy brushing your long flowing locks to notice?!" Deimos snapped.
"Shut up!"
"Let's go!" Bia bellowed, kicking off from the ground and leading the way out of the cave through the gap in the ceiling.
They sped over the desolate planet, through the steamy clouds, dodging volcanic eruptions that spewed from every corner of Sagor. Gohan's super saiyan three speed was unrivalled, though the gigantic serpent was still hot on their tail. He could hear the shouts of his comrades over the roar of flames that engulfed the planet, the creature's jaws snapping at their heels.
Then, just like that, a shining white beacon of light appeared up ahead.
"The Warp!" Kratos cried, "Hurry!"
They made it just in time, clinging onto each other desperately as they shot up into the atmosphere through the shaft of light with supersonic speeds. The recruits touched down with a thud back on Lord Beerus' planet, the amber skies and dark grass greeting them, along with Whis, who stood before them with a curious stare. The light from The Warp began to fade, but not before the severed head of the great serpent shot out of the beacon, landing before them with a sickening squelch, spewing forth a tidal wave of sticky purple blood that drenched all seven recruits, though miraculously missed Whis by less than an inch.
At once, six of the seven teens looked towards the guilty half-saiyan, who quickly evaporated the golden Ki blade from his palm, powering out of his transformation immediately.
"Heh heh," Gohan mustered meekly, "Sorry, my bad."
"I take back what I said about you not creating a mess," Kratos scowled, flinging the alien snake blood from his hands.
"Now now recruits," Whis chuckled, as the head slowly came to a stop in front of him, "There's no use crying over spilt milk, or a severed Echidna head for that matter."
With a tap of his staff, the recruits were as pristine as when they had first left for their mission, the Echindna's head nowhere in sight.
"Ah," the Angel smiled, eyeing the crown in Gohan's hand, "I see you have successfully retrieved the crown of Scurge. Excellent work everyone."
"It was nothing!" Makhai grinned, brushing his now dry hair out of his eyes, "No seriously, we did nothing, it was all thanks to Gohan here!"
"Speak for yourself," Kratos growled, as Deimos and Eris scoffed, "Were it not for us then he would have been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of lost souls that Scurge had in his entourage!"
"It's true," the young saiyan offered, "We all worked together Master Whis."
"Humble as you are Gohan, it would be nice to see you have faith in your victories once in a while," Whis said wisely, causing the young teen to blush, "As it stands, the defeat of Scurge has come at a perfect timing."
"How so Master?" asked Eris with a frown.
"Ah you see, I was planning a little trip to The Sacred Realm of The Kai's anyway," he said, a glint in his violet eyes, "We can deposit the crown of Scurge in the temple's vault whilst we are there."
"We?" Deimos quirked, the recruits had never been permitted to go to the Kai's sacred realm before, "You're taking us?"
"But of course," said Whis, smiling widely, "How else do you expect me to choose a suitable successor if you all aren't present for the final task? It would be rather unfair don't you think?"
Their eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"F-final task?" Alala whispered, "Master Whis, surely you don't mean-?!"
"I know it may seem a little premature," the blue-skinned deity spoke, "But with the heights of power you have all obtained from your time here, I think it would be foolish to delay choosing our new junior destroyer for much longer. At the end of today, I'm hoping that one of you will be selected so that we can begin your destroyer training quite swiftly. I'm sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but if this test doesn't work then I will have to find another method to make my decision final."
"Test?" Gohan frowned, he couldn't help but notice that Whis' gaze lingered on him when he was speaking about the amount of power they had achieved, "What kind of test?"
"It's not an easy one I'm afraid," said Whis, ignoring Makhai's comment of "Figures", "Granted, many warriors and even some Gods have attempted it, but none have been successful thus far."
"Then what makes you think that we can do it Master?" asked Bia.
The Angel chuckled, "Oh dear girl, I'm not expecting any of you to retrieve the Z-Sword. Though creaking it in place from where it is wedged in stone would be substantial enough."
Gohan blinked, the Z-Sword? The same Z-Sword that the wicked Perses had tried to get his hands on over a thousand years ago? The same one that he had killed millions for? Including his own mother? He gulped and looked around him, it seemed that he was the only one who even knew what it was, and just how epic it would be to weild as the others merely bore looks of confusion.
"The Z-Sword?" Kratos repeated, causing Whis to smile.
"The Z-Sword is a very powerful relic, forged in the heart of a dying star and buried in rock deep within the Kai's realm for millions of years," the deity explained, "It is said that only someone pure of heart can wield it, though from experience we know that the sword is much pickier than that, for many pure warriors have tried to retrieve the it from stone with no avail. It is said that it's power has no equal, and can be used as a tool to destroy or to build. Once it has chosen it's master, the two become one weapon, capable of cutting down the mightiest of foes. A fitting companion for a destroyer God, don't you agree?"
Makhai whistled, "Sounds sharp."
"Indeed," said Whis, the light from The Warp encompassing them once more, "Shall we?"
Gohan didn't know what to think, or feel. This was it, the moment he had been training for all this time. The time when he would find out if all of his sleepless nights, suicide missions and gruelling training sessions had been worth it. He was so much stronger than when he had first appeared on Lord Beerus' planet, he had grown into a warrior he thought his father would be proud of. Learned things about the universe that his mother would no doubt praise him for if she knew. He had achieved a new level of super saiyan that he hoped Vegeta would marvel at, and he had learned battle smarts that he hoped Piccolo would be bowled over by. He had gained a confidence that he never had as a child, a confidence that had ignited a bravery within that he wished the rest of the Z-Fighters could see. For all he had ever wanted was to protect his friends, and he bet Krillin, Yamcha and Tien would be in awe at his growth. But despite all the things he had achieved; the power, the book smarts, the heart, would it all be worth it if he didn't complete the task Whis had set for them?
Would he feel disappointed if he failed? He shook his head, of course he would! He had trained so hard. But still, would he be allowed back home if he failed? He sighed, it wouldn't do well to get his hopes up either way. He didn't want to disappoint Whis, but similarly he didn't want to disappoint his family and friends. How would they react if he suddenly was able to contact them from The Otherworld? How would he even begin to explain where he had been?
He gulped, just how many years had passed anyway?
His eyes were suddenly blinded, as the light from The Warp intensified, and when it disappeared altogether did he blink, his vision coming to focus on a vast purple sky. It reminded him of Beerus' world in a way, as he made out many other planets dotted around the upper atmosphere. There was no breeze at all and fields of emerald grass seemed to stretch for miles. A colourful array of flowers grew by a sparkling clear spring, and what looked like an ancient temple stood proudly overlooking the planet amongst a midst of rolling hills.
"Welcome to The Sacred Realm of The Kai's," said Whis, as the recruits looked around them in awe.
And Gohan could see why it was just that, it was simply breathtaking.
"Ah, and here comes The Supreme Kai and his attendant."
The young saiyan followed his mentor's gaze across the meadow, where two figures were making their way towards them, both looking a little apprehensive. They were dressed in similar ceremonial garbs, that were wrapped in a kimono-like fashion around their middle. One, was tall with long white hair and blood red skin. He walked a ways behind the other man, who was much shorter. He had large pointed ears with earrings dangling from each lobe, whereas the shorter one had light purple skin and his white hair was styled into a mohawk atop his head.
He got a strange feeling from them, just like the time he had first met Lord Beerus, though the pressure wasn't as intense. He still felt a little intimidated though, they were Gods after all. The very beings that had created him.
"Good afternoon Supreme Kai," Whis said kindly as they came to a halt in front of them, "I trust you are well?"
"Greetings Whis," the purple-skinned deity spoke pleasantly, "It is a blessed day to have you and your hopefuls here."
"Quite," he smiled, before addressing the teenagers, "Students, may I introduce The Supreme Kai."
Gohan quickly copied the others as they bowed their heads in respect.
"And this is his assistant Kibito," said Whis, gesturing to the taller red-skinned deity, who bowed back.
"Marvellous," the Angel grinned, clapping his hands together in excitement, "Oh before I forget, Gohan, will you please pass the crown of Scurge to Kibito for safe keeping?"
The halfling did as he was told, and handed the crown over to the Kai's assistant, who looked rather flabbergasted.
"Ah," The Supreme Kai observed, his dark eyes twinkling, "So you managed to defeat Scurge?"
"Barely broke a sweat Supreme Kai Sir!" Makhai exclaimed, "He was a right push over!"
The Kai chuckled, turning to Whis, "I can see why you have high hopes for these recruits."
"Indeed," he nodded knowingly, "Though I have already informed them of their chances in regards to retrieving the Z-Sword."
"Wisely done I'm assured," said Supreme Kai, "I wouldn't want them to be disheartened should they fail."
He paused for a moment, looking around him. And Gohan could have sworn a beat of sweat just trickled from his brow as he asked, "Is Lord Beerus not accompanying you?"
"Oh heavens no," said Whis, "He would be frightfully upset if I woke him up for nothing."
"Right, of course," he replied, as Kibito let out a breath he had been holding for quite sometime, "Let's get started then shall we?"
Gohan frowned, did Lord Beerus really scare them that much? He thought Makhai had been exaggerating.
He kicked off from the ground along with the rest of the group, following The Supreme Kai and Kibito through the skies. The view of the Kai's world was even more spectacular from above, with neat forests, bold mountains and vast lakes that glistened in the light of the distant suns, holding reflections of times lost long ago. Finally, they started to slow in their flight, and the young saiyan noticed a tall winding cliff face that protruded out from one of the lakes. Something glinted in the sunlight up ahead, the glimmering golden hilt of the Z-Sword sticking out of the ancient rock. Gohan gulped as they landed, standing in a semicircle surrounding the legendary relic.
It was the moment of truth.
He didn't know what he was expecting really. It just looked like an ordinary sword to him. He had envisioned it to be bigger in all honesty, encrusted with extravagant jewels or guarded by some kind of impenetrable force, especially with the history it had behind it of people trying to steal it. But here it was for the taking, sitting out in broad daylight for all to see. Though the rock it was embedded in didn't seem to be scuffed or broken one bit, as though the sword had been recently placed there, not having warriors and Gods alike trying to force it out of it's prison for thousands of years.
"So, who wants to go first?" Whis asked happily, his eyes surveying them.
"I'll go," Kratos said unsurprisingly, starting forwards boldly before anyone else could muster a word.
"Very well Kratos," The Supreme Kai spoke kindly, "And good luck to you, young warrior."
He bowed to the God of Creation, before clearing his throat, placing both of his hands on the hilt of the sword. His eyes closed in concentration, he breathed deeply - and pulled.
Gohan sucked in a breath, watching intently as the older teen's biceps began to strain, a vein protruding from his temple as he pulled with all his might. Kratos growled, his heels digging into the rock and forming cracks around his feet, yet the mighty Z-Sword did not so much as creak in place.
"Damn it!" the warrior spat, his arms trembling, but he didn't let go just yet. His crimson aura burst to life around his frame as he brought his Ki to the surface, the veins in his arms and neck even more prominent than before.
The halfling was certain that he had it this time, as his energy output grew to ridiculous heights, so much so that the roaring winds he was creating almost knocked Kibito off of the cliff. Gohan's mid-length ebony hair blew back from his face, though he couldn't take his eyes off Kratos and the fierce determination he was emitting. His teeth were gritted together so much so that the teen was worried that they might snap in to, the sweat was pouring from his brow unforgivingly so. And it was then did he realise, that for the first time, Kratos was actually struggling.
"Argh!" he cried out, as his aura suddenly dispersed, his energy spent as he let go of the hilt, his sweat laden hands slipping and causing him to fall onto his backside with an audible thud.
Kratos looked just as shocked as the rest of the recruits felt. This was Kratos the Great after all, no doubt still the strongest out of them. Even with Gohan's next level super saiyan did their matches never end with a clear winner, for they would both tire before it's end.
A loud crack broke the young saiyan out of his thoughts, as Kratos slammed his fist to the ground, causing a sizeable fracture in the cliff. He breathed angrily, his chest heaving as his hardened gaze settled once again on the Z-Sword.
"Not all is lost Kratos," said Whis, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, "Just because you haven't been able to move it doesn't mean that you have failed. The other recruits have not yet had their turn. If none of you are able to creak the sword in place then I have other methods for choosing Lord Beerus' successor."
"Y-yes Master," Kratos breathed steadily, attempting to calm himself down, "My apologies."
"No matter my boy," the Angel said warmly as he stood, "Now why don't you let the others have their turn?"
"Of course," the teen replied, shuffling away quietly and sitting himself down from everyone else.
Makhai snorted beside Gohan, acting out the gesture of playing the world's smallest violin and pretending to sob.
"Makhai, you're next," Whis said firmly, causing the ginger-haired teen to jump.
"Alright!" He beamed, bounding towards the centre of the rock and giving Kibito a wink, "You ready for a spectacle big guy?"
Kibito's eye twitched in annoyance, as the fanged boy grinned, placing his hands on the hilt and giving one almighty tug.
SLAM!
Gohan face-palmed, as Makhai pulled a bit too enthusiastically, his grip slipping almost immediately, causing him to topple over backwards and hit the ground face first.
"Oh my," gasped The Supreme Kai as the recruits snorted with laughter, "are you alright Makhai?"
"Owww," the boy groaned, a big red mark on his forehead from the impact, "That baby's really wedged in there huh?"
"But of course," stated Kibito, "It is not easy for Gods, much less mere mortals."
Makhai scowled, "Can I have another go?"
"Certainly not!" the red-skinned deity spluttered, "You've had your chance!"
"But that was just a practice run!"
"I'm sorry Makhai but Kibito is right," said Whis, "It's just one turn each I'm afraid."
"Fine, whatever," Makhai said haughtily, picking himself up from the ground and moving to sit with Gohan, "Suit yourselves. You can't handle my comedic value anyway."
The Supreme Kai sighed, "Next?"
Gohan watched carefully, as one by one his peers failed to pull the sword from the stone. They had all powered up to their maximum, yet all landed on their backsides in a similar state to Kratos and Makhai.
Finally, after what seemed like an age, The Supreme Kai turned his gaze to him, "And Son Gohan? You're last I believe."
The teenager swallowed thickly, he had wondered just how the Kai knew all of their names, though he reasoned that as a God of Creation he would know all about them. He could feel Whis' expectant eyes burning into him as he stood, but in all honesty he was sceptical. Not a single one of the recruits had managed to even creak the sword in place, yet Whis had insisted that they continue. Maybe it was another one of his master's tests? It just had to be, he didn't think that anyone could move that sword. No one had managed to do so in thousands of years. Whoever had put it there must have been ridiculously strong or put a curse on it or something surely.
So why now? How were they, seemingly novice mortal warriors, supposed to pull it out after all of this time? It didn't make any sense why Whis would even set it as a final task. And yet…
And yet as Gohan stood, making his way to the Z-Sword just as the rest had done before him, did the young saiyan feel a weird pull towards it.
He frowned, goosebumps appearing on his arms as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something strange coiled at the pit of his stomach, a bundle of nerves, adrenaline and a burst of excitement that he couldn't shake. What did this mean? His mind suddenly drifted to the story of Perses, the one whose power rivalled Beerus. Not even he could release the Z-Sword according to the Oracle Fish. But Whis had said that only someone truly pure of heart could be chosen in the first place. Did the sword have a mind of it's own or something?
No sooner did the thought cross his mind, did a whisper of a voice reach his ears, "Believe."
Gohan jumped, "D-did you hear that?"
"Hear what Gohan?" Whis asked, a knowing glint in his eye, "Is there something you wish to share?"
"No, sorry," he replied, shaking his head, "I'm just a bit nervous I suppose."
"It's only natural Gohan," The Supreme Kai said kindly, "But do not worry, I'm sure you'll do your best."
"Thanks," the teenager replied bluntly, wow the Gods really had no faith in them did they?
Sighing to himself, and trying to shake the strange feeling of foreboding away, he placed his palms around the hilt of the Z-Sword. No sooner had he touched it, did a bolt of electricity jolt between his fingertips. His eyes widened, and he was forced to take a deep shuddering breath as he felt as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs at once. He felt dizzy, and his head was swimming as though he had been dunked in water. What was happening to him? Had Surge hit him without him noticing or something? Was it some kind of late onset concussion he was experiencing?
"Oi Gohan!" Makhai's bored voice called, breaking through the surface, "Hurry it up will you? My arse is going numb sat here."
The teen saiyan mentally slapped himself, he could feel the Gods watching him intently. He gritted his teeth, no matter what weird concussion he was experiencing, he just needed to get this humiliation over with.
"Just turn into one of those super saiyans, and believe."
His mouth opened in shock, the voice was back! But where on earth was it coming from? He was going mental, he was sure of it. But for the life of him, he couldn't tear is hands away from the hilt of the sword, as if his fingers were stuck to it with some kind of insanely strong superglue. The voice didn't return, though something was telling him to just give in and follow what it said. To HFIL with it, Gohan thought, if it wanted a super saiyan, he was sure as hell going to give it one.
It was with a painful realisation did he realise that he was having an argument with an imaginary voice in his head.
With a low growl, the young saiyan transformed, his golden aura rippling with electricity as he burst immediately into the second level of super saiyan. Dark storm clouds encircled above him, as lightening bolts connected with his growing aura, his golden hair expanding towards his ankles and his eyebrows disappearing completely. The entire world shook with an agonising force, causing the cliff to tremble beneath his feet. The Supreme Kai, Kibito, Whis and the others had frantically took to the air, as Gohan's great influx of power threatened to engulf them all.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DOES HE THINK HE'S DOING?!" Makhai shrieked over the windstorm.
"Tch, show off," Deimos snorted, folding his arms across his chest.
"Extraordinary," Supreme Kai blinked, as Kibito practically trembled beside him, "For someone so young, how can he have all that power?"
"Master?" Alala asked, looking towards the Angel who had not uttered a word since Gohan had stood, he was smiling.
Grasping the hilt of the Z-Sword tight, Gohan gritted his teeth, and with his aura blazing, lighting up the now dark sky, he pulled. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, as where he was expecting to feel some kind of resistance - was there none.
The ancient relic slid easily out of the rock that it had been trapped within for thousands of years. It withdrew with such ease, that the teenager wrenched it free in one fluid motion. The cliff face splintered and crumpled, the debris falling through the air and plummeting into the lake with an enormous splash. The disturbed water exploded into the sky before falling once more, now intermingled with dust left over from the cliff's demise.
And there, dangling in the air with the Z-Sword held tightly within his palm, was a very shocked half-saiyan. He still in the third form of super saiyan, too flabbergasted by what he had just achieved to even move. Then slowly, he turned towards the group hovering across from him in the sky, their jaws hitting the floor simultaneously.
The Z-Sword was free.
"Well well," Whis chuckled, a bright smile upon his lips, "I do believe we've found our new junior destroyer."
11th June, 2018.
Also for those interested, here's a bit of background on Perses:
Name meaning: Perses (titan of destruction) His name is derived from the Ancient Greek word "to sack", "to ravage", "to destroy". the fact of which may have given the impression that Perses was the Titan god of destruction
Age: 21
Years Active: 321 years before Age - 300 years before Age (before the New Age)
Years Dead: 1, 220 years (in Age 770)
Residence: (currently) The Void
Home Planet: Unknown
Occupation: Warrior/ Ex-Junior Destroyer
And on a side note, B.A stands for Before Age
Reviews:
Lightningblade49: Thanks so much for your review! I was going to have Gohan's super saiyan 3 transformation be some big extravaganza, but I decided that because he will have bigger transformations (yaaaaas) later on in the story that I want to leave it to the readers imagination on this one. I also wanted him to mimic Goku in the fact that he may have achieved it through training, and also I wanted the time skip to happen so I wasn't lingering around the beginning, and as you can so Gohan is more more confident in this chapter because of it :)
Thanasi: Fair enough, but I just think it makes good story telling this way. To me it wouldn't make sense if Gohan just turned up as the God of Destruction and was immensely powerful for no reason and suddenly there was an enemy that just rocked up with no backstory! I write how I would like to read :)
Aaron Leach : thanks mate!
X3runner : haha thanks for your review, your last one makes sense now. Gohan wasn't super saiyan 3 in the last chapter, but as you can see from this one, he was getting there!
NinjaFang1331: Hellz yeah!
Toorafc: Thank you!
victor0606: Thanks :)
noise95: aw yay Im glad you like Alala as much as I do! As for what will happen to the recruits next, you'll find out in the next chapter ;) I'm a bit up in arms with Gohan's tail at the moment. Its not essential to the story right now, so at the moment probably not. But we'll see that might change!