Soon enough, Gohan and Diana had returned to the Destroyer's world. Circe was perched on a rock, watching Bardock and Raditz spar.
"If anything, they can fight," she muttered to herself. As Gohan and Diana approached from behind, she immediately jumped up and turned to them, bowing slightly.
"Welcome back, Lord Gohan," she started. Gohan just stared at her.
"You know, I still don't really know who you are," Gohan said.
"My name is Circe. I am a sorceress assisting Sir Vermont with locating Enchantress," she explained. Gohan nodded.
"You don't do anything for free, Circe. I found it curious that you arrived with Master Vermont. You must be connected to this situation in some way. My instincts rarely fail me. Choose your words wisely," Diana warned, her words carrying unmistakable weight as she narrowed her eyes.
Circe did what she does best: talk. "You're right; I don't do anything for free. But you could say I owe Angel Vermont a favor, and assisting him now is my way of doing it, Princess," Circe replied, her eyes cautiously skimming over Gohan, who was listening in.
"At the very least, I am not stupid enough to even try going against a Destroyer God. There are enough ancient tomes explaining why it's a bad idea that I would feel incompetent even to try," Circe finished. 'There, hopefully, that does the trick...'
Diana continued glaring at Circe before Vermont approached. "Ah yes, Lady Circe, shall we be on our way?" Vermont asked as he took out the god radar.
Gohan curiously looked at the device. "Did you find something?"
Vermont smiled and nodded. "Indeed, with Lady Circe's assistance, we were able to create a means of chasing down Enchantress. Apparently, they hate each other," Vermont added before smiling at Circe, who just averted her gaze.
'Why is he helping me?' she thought as she bit her lower lip.
Gohan watched the interaction. 'Well, I know I can trust Vermont, so if he says she's okay, then I shouldn't worry. I'll just keep an eye on her for now,' he thought.
Taking a look at the god radar, Vermont frowned. Circe looked at the radar but just rubbed her eyes. "This seems peculiar. If I am to assume this is correct, then they aren't in this realm. This elongated signal can only come from one space: the Time Nest."
Circe rubbed her eyes again. "How do you read that? It just looks like the energy is sporadically moving back and forth while being in the middle?" she finished as Diana also took a look at the god radar.
"Truthfully, I do not understand what I am looking at," Diana explained. How Circe and Vermont saw all those movements were a mystery to her.
"This device harnesses both magical and divine elements, enabling phenomena that transcend logical possibilities. To utilize it, immense magical knowledge, wisdom, and power are required. However, you lack the necessary divine power to wield it fully. Lady Diana, being a demi-goddess, possesses divinity but no magical abilities, which limits her understanding. Though she has made great strides, she still has much to master," Vermont explained.
"The device's oscillation signifies the flow of time moving backward and forward, with the present represented in the middle. Other aspects of the device may appear differently depending on the observer, with some elements shifting and changing once observed," Vermont concluded.
Circe and Diana nodded. "So she is in the Time Nest?" Circe concluded. "How would she achieve that? That place is so ancient, there aren't many safe methods to access it, if any," Circe asked.
"Hold on. I do not understand what a Time Nest is," Diana interrupted.
"It is the space that governs all of time throughout reality," Vermont explained. "Guarded by the most powerful individuals, some even surpass my own abilities by great leagues," he explained. "But you are right. That space should be impossible for her to locate and infiltrate without being caught," Vermont finished. "This Enchantress is quite the cunning sorceress," he admitted. She wasn't an ordinary sorceress, that's for sure.
"Let's visit the Time Nest," Gohan joined in. "If we can catch her, then we only need to focus on Merno."
Vermont nodded. "I concur. Shall we take our leave?" he asked. Gohan nodded.
"Everyone ready?" Gohan asked. "Summon Strix," Vermont nodded and tapped his staff on the ground. Strix immediately appeared.
"Stay close, everyone," Vermont reminded.
Immediately, a bright flash of light briefly illuminated the area as they all took off.
As Gohan, Vermont, Strix, Diana, and Circe arrived in the Time Nest, they were greeted by a sight both awe-inspiring and otherworldly. The central hub of all temporal activities radiated a blend of ancient mysticism and advanced celestial architecture.
They stepped through a shimmering portal, emerging at the entrance of the Time Nest. The gateway was framed by intricate carvings depicting various historical and future events, showcasing the flow of time in all its complexity. The air around the portal shimmered with a golden hue, hinting at the divine and magical energies that sustained this place.
A grand pathway stretched out before them, lined with towering statues of the Kais and other deities associated with time and space. These statues seemed almost alive, their eyes following the group's movements as they progressed. The path itself was paved with luminescent stones that pulsed gently underfoot, each step producing a soft, melodic chime.
On either side of the pathway, gardens flourished with plants and trees that seemed to exist outside normal temporal constraints. Some plants bloomed and wilted within moments, cycling through their entire lifespan in mere seconds, while others remained perpetually in full bloom. Ethereal creatures, like translucent birds and shimmering butterflies, flitted about, leaving trails of light in their wake.
Above and around the pathway, small floating islands drifted lazily, each holding a different scene from various points in history and potential futures. These islands acted as living dioramas, providing glimpses into significant events and alternate timelines. Occasionally, a soft, echoing whisper could be heard as snippets of conversations and historical dialogues drifted down from these floating scenes.
"Incredible..." Diana muttered as she stared at the scene. She could see different versions of herself talking and battling all sorts of beings, young and old.
The pathway led to a vast open courtyard, the heart of the Time Nest. The courtyard was surrounded by grand pillars that reached up into the endless sky, each adorned with timekeeping devices from different eras and cultures. At the center of the courtyard stood a massive hourglass, its sands flowing upward, defying gravity. The hourglass symbolized the fluidity and malleability of time.
Circe was taking in everything she could see. 'This is most likely one of the oldest structures in existence...' her excitement from her early days of sorcery surfacing a little.
Beyond the courtyard lay the Hall of Time, an imposing structure that resembled a blend of a celestial palace and an ancient library. Its walls were adorned with intricate murals depicting the creation and maintenance of the multiverse's timelines. The Hall was bathed in a soft, radiant light, giving it an ethereal glow.
The group approached a grand set of doors at the end of the hall, intricately carved with symbols representing different epochs and dimensions. As they drew near, the doors swung open silently, revealing Chronoa's chamber.
The Supreme Kai of Time, Chronoa, awaited them. She stood on a raised dais, surrounded by scrolls and artifacts that hovered around her, each one a piece of the intricate puzzle of time.
The chamber itself was a nexus of temporal energy, with clocks and hourglasses of all shapes and sizes ticking in harmony, their rhythms creating a soothing, almost hypnotic symphony. The atmosphere in the Time Nest was one of profound importance and solemnity. The very air seemed to hum with the weight of countless timelines converging at this focal point.
As they reached Chronoa, the group felt a sense of awe and respect. They were aware that they stood in the heart of time itself, ready to discuss the urgent matters that had brought them here.
"Lord Gohan, pleased to finally meet you," Chronoa's voice spoke out from behind the scrolls and artifacts.