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When Konzen had awoken he found himself in a daze and it was unclear how long he laid on the frigid ground. In fact it was a little too cold. The man quickly realized he was naked when he felt the wind along his thigh. Konzen forced himself into a seated position to grab his arms, rubbing them in an attempt to warm up. He stared up at a door in front of him as his vision began to clear.
There was no doubt in the God’s mind that this was the door to the Dimension Gate that he and Goku had been running towards, the one that closed in on him and ultimately killed him. Konzen winced as his body seemed to ache at the memory of the doors crushing him slowly. His chest had been pulverized, his ribs shattered, his insides ruptured. However now the gate was rusted, vines creeping along the seal. Not only that but, he was on the opposite side of the gate, in the world below.
Konzen suddenly remembered everything and panic rose within him as he tried to get up.
The lanky man found himself stumbling and falling back down to the ground, landing on his elbows and then onto his side. Cringing from discomfort, Konzen wondered why he felt so stiff. His body ached and his throat was dry. As he laid there several glints caught his eye. Konzen found several golden pieces of a certain heretic’s crown. His worry heightened. He attempted to call out to his charge, but found it hard to speak. The words sounded like an old gate creaking and the blond held his throat as he tried to find his voice. Where was Goku?
The sound of footsteps caused him to turn around quickly, thinking the guards were back. Instead he looked up into the eyes of his aunt, holding a wrapped package in hir hands. Kanzeon smirked, looking as smug as ever.
“Don’t strain yourself. It must be hard on your vocal cords after not speaking for over 400 years.”
“Wha-…” Konzen’s voice came out gruff and deeper than he was used to, surprising him. Four hundred years?
“Tenpou and Kenren have been resurrected much longer,” Kanzeon continued “About a hundred years at least. As always, you’re a late bloomer.”
Konzen stared at the merciful goddess unsure what to make of all this. Why was he revived? Realizing he was still quite in the buff, the blond blushed slightly before pulling himself into a seated position and giving his aunt a slight glare for being so vague. “Go…ku?”
Before Konzen can say any more, Kanzeon tossed the parcel towards her nephew and barely giving him time to react. Despite the lack of warning Konzen managed to catch the package, muttering under his breath. The smirk never left Kanzeon’s face. “It’s been rather boring the last few centuries, nephew. Even though I requested for you and your criminal friends to be resurrected, you are still banished from Heaven.”
The younger God could feel anxiety in his heart. Kanzeon kept talking about him, Kenren and Tenpou, beings that could be revived. Goku was a heretic. Could they be revived? If he had been regenerating for over 400 years, what had become of the boy?
“After a few centuries had passed, we’ve realized that there are some…tasks… in the lower world that need to be taken care of.” The Bodhisattva continued to remain obscure in the amount of information given to hir nephew. “Tenpou and Kenren have already found each other, but they have yet to start on their duties. Too busy enjoying the freedom of the world below, I suppose.”
“Tasks?” Konzen managed to groan out.
“In the lower world there are holy places you can reside in that have a way to communicate with Heaven. Temples, as humans call them. It’s where priests can speak with the Sanbutsushin. They will be the ones to communicate the tasks you need to do, to justify your resurrection.” Kanzeon had seen The Three Aspects deliver messages in the past. Like most Gods, they had never set foot on the lower world before, preferring the use of their powers to convey messages to mortals. The merciful goddess had been in the lower world several times now, speaking with Kenren and Tenpou. They had both agreed to change their names, deciding they were starting a new life.
“They’ve asked about you, the marshal and the general. Wondered when you’d show your bored looking face around the lower world. Tenpou was resurrected about 140 years ago, Kenren was nearly 125 years ago. I guess it takes longer for a God’s body to repair when all that’s left of their remains is dust.”
It’s better than having half your body lying across the gate, the Bodhisattva thought, daring not to speak these words out loud. It would have been even more traumatic on the young heretic to have been left with the remains of his ‘sun’ as he despaired in the lower world.
Konzen still wasn’t sure what to think. His aunt was known to play tricks on him, but even this would be too cruel even for hir. He stared at the package before Kanzeon speaks again.
“He cries out for you every day, that boy.”
The God’s heart stopped for a moment, eyes widening as he clutched the parcel. “Goku’s… alive?”
Kanzeon pulled out a carton of cigarettes. Jiroushin usually fretted over hir when the goddess smoked, and while there was nothing he could say to make hir stop, Kanzeon found it easier to have a cigarette when he wasn’t around. Taking a long drag, Kanzeon wondered how much more she should tell her nephew. There were conditions that came with their resurrections, one being that they would have shorter life spans, however still longer than a normal human’s. They were susceptible to lower world diseases, and youkai would be able to sense the remnants of their godly powers. Kenren and Tenpou had already dealt with that issue on several occasions.
“Rumors have spread about a great beast that has resided in Mount Gogyo for hundreds of years. Humans dare not go near it. They fear the golden eyed monster that lives on the mountain that defies the laws of time. They say they can hear cries at night, even from far below.”
Goku was alive. Despite the ambiguous comment, Kanzeon had confirmed that the heretic had lived, had managed to escape heaven’s army. Konzen had managed to do something for him after all. The man struggled with his feelings at the moment, part of him relieved at Goku being okay, but the other part distressed that the boy had been imprisoned, crying for them. Trembling slightly, the blond tightened his grip momentarily on the parcel, the paper tearing from his nails and revealing white robes inside.
Kanzeon takes another drag of hir cigarette before tossing the remainder of the carton to hir still naked nephew. “You may start to enjoy these. They are quite calming for the nerves.”
Konzen catches the carton, looking at it with disapproval, but he shoved it inside the package. That’s when he realized there was something cold inside. The man gripped the foreign object and pulled it out, revealing to his surprise, a small gun. He almost dropped it in surprise. Why would his aunt include a weapon? Clothes he understood, but a gun?
The merciful goddess held back a snort of amusement, knowing the younger god had never held a weapon before. “The lower world is much different from heaven, dear nephew. You’re going to have to learn how to protect yourself, at least until you find your companions again. Are you ready for this?”
It was a lot for Konzen to take in. He was still trying to get over the fact that he was alive. He stared at the small gun for a moment, liking the fact that it felt light in his hold. Finally, after being silent for a few moments, he looked up at the Bodhisattva with an irritated expression. Konzen forced his voice to come out, deep and somewhat aggressive sounding.
“Get out of here so I can change.”
Kanzeon wasn’t surprised at her nephew’s disgruntled response, but was a bit impressed that the man didn’t try to question hir further. It seemed he had all he needed to know. Hir smirk widened, and she turned to leave him. “You better appreciate your second chance, nephew.” With the door out of commission, the merciful goddess had to rely on her own powers to leave the man and return to heaven.
Konzen sat there for a few more moments, collecting his thoughts, before finally stretching out his legs. He needed to get used to moving again. Before long, the god began to pull the rest of the contents out of the package, some jeans, sandals, the white robes, and some kind of scripture. Frowning, Konzen turned the sutra over in hand, recalling an old story Tenpou once told him about several holy scrolls used to keep balance in the lower world.
Why would she entrust this to me, the man thought, but shook his head. If he found the field marshal, Konzen would question him more about it. That was not his priority though. Slipping into the clothing, he found it to be heavier than what he was used to wearing. Konzen was grateful for the leather undershirt, because he would not be wearing these robes all the time that was for certain.
The lanky male was still unsteady when he was on his feet, and he walked around the cavern for a few minutes. Gravity felt different here too. Once he felt more stable, in control of his resurrected body, the man began to walk towards the exit. Immediately, Konzen was met with blinding sunlight and he held up his gloved arm to block the rays until his eyes adjusted. While the cave had been cold, the sun was warm, inviting. He began to relax once he could see and began to take in everything.
His senses were all greeted with the sounds of wild life and smells of fresh flowers. This was nothing like his home before.
Konzen took a moment to appreciate the view. He would have plenty of time to enjoy everything in the lower world, but he would not waste precious seconds that would go towards finding his charge. As he thought of the boy, Konzen could have sworn he heard a voice. It was soft, sad sounding, but there was no mistaking it. This was Goku calling for him.
“I hear you, I hear you.” The man murmurs to himself, looking towards the sky. “Just hang on a little longer. I’ll find you, Goku.”