Dragonball M, Chapter 2: Lighthouse! Across the Shores of Shattered Time!

[KingofPie]

The minature Majin's that had reverted to slime all began to converge upon eachother, rapidly reforming the whole Sasheem, who had to shook his head in annoyance at the sheer amount of pain this guy could take. What the hell was his power level anyway?!

Ishtar’s blow sends Luop flying through a nearby rock face, embedding into it. Ochazuke’s strike had nearly knocked the glaive free, but by sheer luck Ishtar’s blow had caused Luop to instinctively clutch just a bit harder as he held onto the weapon.

The rock face shatters as the Knight stands again, barely winded, though the rest of the chest armor is gone. The glaive glimmers, and a haze falls over all who can see it.

“Lamentation of the Grave.”

To each person, visions of lost loved ones appear. These visions, all so real, assault their psyches with pain and grief and loss, taunting and distracting them as Luop’s glaive shimmers as energy pours into it.

Sasheem raised an eyebrow as Luop gave out this fancy sounding attack name...and absolutely nothing happened. Was it some kind of bluff? Sasheem didn't get it.

"Are all these fanciful names suppose to impress us?" He questioned the invader. "You're gonna have to try harder than that, Threshling!"

“Judgement.”

A massive ki blade (essentially a massive keinzan) slices outward in all directions from where Luop slashes his glaive. Distracted by the first move, the cutting blade will prove fatal or crippling if it strikes.

As Luop waves his glave, creating a massive slash, Sasheem uses his Bear's Claw's technique to....slice himself in half, separating his chest from his torso, allowing the slice to simply pass through him.

Allowing his upper half to simply fall back to his torso and reaatach, Sasheem then began to sprout additional limbs. "Naga Palm!" He shouted as his seven arms sprung forth, each sporting Bear's claws. "Venom Mist!" He shouted as the mist emerged from his pores to coat the claws in poison. And lastly, "Katchin Mode!" he stated, armoring himself up for extra protection as his limbs lashed forth, snaking their way towards Luop to deliver a poisoned jab to his sides.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

for Kingofpie

AT GP Earth HQ Lieutenant Stratovarius is writing down notes going of the news about the Kingdom Zerxes , the Mural , the Kingdom Omestris and the likely hood of 3 beings share the same name Nyarlathotep " saying hmm now how do all these things connect with each other?" "let's see in the original fable about Kingdom Zerxes , Zerxes gain immortally after sacrifice his entire Kingdom." " in the fable he was told the secret of immortality and given power by ancient evil being. " " this ancient evil being was obviously the original Nyarlathotep the first being to bear that name."

" so that much mean that the second Nyarlathotep the one who mention in a bunch of fables include the one about the fall of the Kingdom of Omestris ." " is really the King Zerxes !" "which means that third Nyarlathotep the one who froze that ancient Toadian Althena 2,000 years go was the homunculus that King Zerxes sacrifice the kingdom of Omestris to make." " yes I figure out how it all connects!" Lieutenant Stratovarius then takes his notes and shows them to Blizzar saying " Blizzar I been ponding about the Mural , the Kingdom of Zerxes , the Kingdom of Omestris and the 3 beings name Nyarlathotep ."

" I figure out how they all connecting in theory !" " the original Nyarlathotep is the one mention in the mural and the one who grant King Zerxes the secret of immortality and power." " the Nyarlathotep in the fable about the fall of Omestris and a bunch of other fables is actually King Zerxes ." " he's the second Nyarlathotep !"

" finally the Nyarlathotep who froze that ancient Toadian Althena 2,000 years ago was the homunculus create by Zerxes as mention in the fall of Omestris. " " it's the third Nyarlathotep and the one that's still walking around. " "so there's ancient evil being name Nyarlathotep , ancient King turn into twisted demonic entity by this being who took on the being's name who was sealed away by a bunch of holy magic knights, and homunculus that bears the same name !"

[grampagen]

Ishtar’s blow sends Luop flying through a nearby rock face, embedding into it. Ochazuke’s strike had nearly knocked the glaive free, but by sheer luck Ishtar’s blow had caused Luop to instinctively clutch just a bit harder as he held onto the weapon.

The rock face shatters as the Knight stands again, barely winded, though the rest of the chest armor is gone. The glaive glimmers, and a haze falls over all who can see it.

“Lamentation of the Grave.”

To each person, visions of lost loved ones appear. These visions, all so real, assault their psyches with pain and grief and loss, taunting and distracting them as Luop’s glaive shimmers as energy pours into it.

“Judgement.”

A massive ki blade (essentially a massive keinzan) slices outward in all directions from where Luop slashes his glaive. Distracted by the first move, the cutting blade will prove fatal or crippling if it strikes.

Perhaps it was the increased insight of his senses, or the deeper examination available to be behold, but as Luop's haze wrought itself and billowed toward him, when it fell upon him Ochazuke froze in the air.

“What fresh hell is this?”

___

“Mm-hmm...ever since you -hic- arrived, you've always been the one the one sis keeps talking about.”

“No...Arjan...?”

Despite the impossibility of the sight, he found himself powerless against the vision. as everyone who and succumbed to the torment within his memories.

“So you want to learn to be a Nak Muay, yeh?” her slips spread into that thin, childish smile. “Take a big swig of this, heh, that'll bring out the Tiger in you”

The scent of that fatal summer, the vanilla and tamarind spirits plashed before his nose and lips. Hot, bitter, as the Tiger Master Kaibyo's eyes narrowed laughingly. He reached out to her and held her face as it bowed. She was cold to the touch and listless, and the world suddenly burned blue-hot as his heart shocked with heat and blood.

Darkness filled his view. The creak of cedar planks twist behind him and he saw his students, Inari, Natto and Edamame. Each moved in sequence through the Thirteen Hands kata, the way he had shown them every day. Their roughness had been honed through their efforts to perfect timing and precision, and with confidence they closed with a final bow. They fell backwards, and he realized each young Crane seized in their hands one of the Tiger Master's limbs as they too were consumed by the hollow feeling flowing through his chest. There within the waking torment, the shadow of Grand Master Chahan spread his wings in triumph, his bleeding hands sculpt to that deathly triangle. By the light of Kikojutsu, the darkness shrank for a moment to reveal Aiko, standing above him her hands held in the same fashion. The cold, blue fire crept up her hands, carving a blazing path through her slight frame and burned her countenance to ash.

“You abandoned your promise to them. You killed her.” Blood flecked from the corner of Kenshiko's mouth as she list his sins. Ochazuke ran toward her, and became aware of an acute sensation of falling as every step in his pursuit failed to gain ground and she fell away from him.

“You promised you would come back for me,” her pristine past visage, so unlike the Raider she had become in life, was out of his reach. “...it's okay Zosui. All I wanted was for you to try your best.”

He opened his mouth to scream and only a deaf ringing silence filled his head. Weakly, he started to fall, in the throes of the illusion he desperately reached a hand out, the memory echo far more real to him than unreal. His hand passed through that of the sallow-skinned hermit.

“What good'll th'struggle getcha? It'll crush y'kid,” Kamesennin Kuki shrugged. “Th'taller th'ambition, th'longer th'shadow cast.”

The Old Turtle sat with his single arm brought to rest before him, and the light burned out of his hollow eyes. One ancient animal lost to time soon joined by others. Mara stalked into the wintry tundra alone. Tao'ro crawled into a dark corner to expire. Barlon Bedlam fell his axe into a slump and hung his head to a long sleep, never to waken again. The Dragon coiled its claws around Samson and Marron, disappeared in a gout of fire that reached out and washed over him as it slowly consumed the fabric of the illusion.

“Y'gotta learn t'let it go, n'decide f'yerself who y'truly are.”

___

Only this figment, this shallow memory of his life's dedication gave him a tether to grasp on. Ochazuke opened his bleary eyes. It was then he became aware of a sensation of falling, he keeled to one side on a swift descent from the air. His eyes snapped open in a panic. When the slashes carved through the air came toward him, he desperately twist his head backward and felt hot blood flood his flesh as red filled his vision.

Judgment fell upon him, and the blade struck true as it sliced open his brow, cut through his ear and gouged his temple to the bone. The tatters of his headband fell to the wind as Ochazuke twist and fell backward consumed with a hollow feeling as a gout of blood left him. As he breathed in the chilled air, blood-hot tears streamed down his face, melting the iced droplets of cold sweat as his breath fogged the air as he parted his lips, his shoulders sagging in half-sobs as he shakily collected himself.

I won't let him use you to..., shuddering fingers dug into the earth, wordless under heaving breaths. I can't let you all...

Blood melted the snow, and as he regained feeling he felt the weight of the obligations he had sworn. The Wolf's Prowl. The Bear's Strength.

No...I let you all... In the genius loci of the tundra, there was a hollowed presence there upon the Woven Path. He raised his bare head and gazed toward the arbiter. Reverbing through the earth all else was stripped from his awareness.

Then what...

Though the burning tears and streaming blood mottled his vision, for all the departed he held fast the foundation of Banjakuza and his mind screamed for him to act. To find vengeance.

WHAT WAS IT ALL FOR?!

The permafrost split where Ochazuke pressed off his hands and kicked off his feet, carving a mudded scar in the ground behind him as he sped towards the Bronze Knight. His savage utterance was little more than a chimeric growl, divest of everything entirely but Luop, the source of the Threshling spell that had brought all of the sins of his past upon his head. Little else existed but the target, and his conscience flooded with all but three things.

Shoshin. Mushin. Zanshin.

The weight of his heart crumbled away within the voided, broken being Luop made of Ochazuke, consumed entirely by a heightened state of concentration to see the goal before him; To deal death, or in striving to do the deed, seek it without distinction or distraction. With a gutteral, inhuman sound, he loosed a horrifying energy within himself, his life split asunder and sacrificed on the altar of all those who came before; he would carve their memory into his enemy's flesh.

Whether from friend or this violating foe, Ochazuke's way forward was not impeded as he began dodging through the salvo of attacks with preternatural affinity. As soon he was upon Luop he swerved to his right before smashing his shin directly into his liver, and the iron wind of Zanshin Touki struck a second time to pin his position. The Knight's freshly exposed torso present an array of vital targets to tear apart. Kikojutsu stormed into his limbs, picking up greater speed and power as they fell in compact, instincutally precise combination shots, a malestrom twisting in their wake as they continued to cut into his body even as his fists left them.

* Speed and Strength have Tripled
* Through Banjakuza Ochazuke now possesses heightened awareness of Luop's magical presence
* Kikojutsu has charged; Danko Sosai Ken has added 25% and will slowly increase
* Kei'i-Ken has activated; Ochazuke's evasion and critical hit rate has increased
*PL 375 000 x 3.25 = 1,218,750; striking twice = 2,437,500

[Miburo]

"An Arcosian named Blizz enabled the few remaining Tuffles to enact their revenge against us," one of the guards answered. "It started by them wiping out nearly the entire 10M population of Turrip. Of those, only five remained. Her Highness sent Princess Parsley to rescue them, but she ended up being captured." He stopped just short of telling Held what happened to Parsley, deciding that those details were best left only to those who knew.

"We Saiyans and Arcosians have been at each others' throats for thousands of years. They want to wipe us out; no better place to start than the top. Blizz sent some kind of mechanical assassin to attack her a few days ago. She didn't trip any security measure, even though she had been entering the palace for weeks to keep tabs on her."

They came across the hall that Tasure and Maiz were talking. The latter noticed the guards escorting Held and raised an eyebrow. "A visitor?"

"He claims he can do something to help Her Majesty."

"I see." Maiz appraised Held briefly. "You believe you can help, boy? How?"

Held arched an eyebrow slightly at the Saiyan. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, albeit in passing. Perhaps he had met this woman before? It wasn't out of the question, but it did not matter at the moment.

He glanced at Crazy Horn, and once again at Maiz. It occurred to him that, as Unicorns were normally legends--and as far as he knew, only on Earth and Nevada--it was understandable that she might not see the immediate relevance.

"If I were to be conservative in my assessment, I would say that while I have no doubt your medics and healers are quite skilled, and your technology capable of understanding whatever seems to be afflicting the queen.." Held replied, choosing his words, "I would still question if they would be the equal of the Eyes of Nevada, or the skills which I have acquired which have--"

"Enough, Held." Crazy Horn let out a sigh of irritation, a puff of steam emitting from his nostrils. "As always, you speak in riddles and half measures. I am content to normally allow this, but not when I am forced to endure it."

The Unicorn met the Saiyans gaze with his own, raising his voice so that all nearby might here.

"I have turned poisons that held only the promise of death, into pure water that cleansed the children that ran amongst the sunlit fields. I have turned the most toxic of venom into the freshest wine,and have personally drank without fear. I have seen wounds that festered and boiled, resisting all treatment, and through my power, they healed."

It was clear enough that this was no mere boasting by the beast, regal in its bearing, and an enemy of lies.

"I am Crazy Horn, Lord of The Sunlit Planes of Nevada." It said simply, allowing its voice to taper down "I have no interest in your queen, but as my student has pleaded on her behalf so earnestly, I shall indulge him. If we are unable to save the life of your princess, than perhaps her fate simply was written by a force beyond your understanding."

Held said nothing, exhaling slightly out of his mouth.

".....Not how I would have chosen to explain the situation, but...Indeed. Even if you think this the ranting of a madman and his pe--"

Crazy Horn glared murderously at Held, daring him to finish his next word.

"...Even if you think I am a madman, I would point out that, as far as I can tell, nothing else seems to be working, is it? While I won't claim Sarada would speak about me in the most glowing terms, I would feel confident that The Queen and...."

...What the hell was the title Ishtar held again? Jeez.

"And Ishtar, would both take me at my word, knowing that I would not volunteer my services, unless I thought they would be of some use, as minor as that might be."

[KingofPie]

for Kingofpie

AT GP Earth HQ Lieutenant Stratovarius is writing down notes going of the news about the Kingdom Zerxes , the Mural , the Kingdom Omestris and the likely hood of 3 beings share the same name Nyarlathotep " saying hmm now how do all these things connect with each other?" "let's see in the original fable about Kingdom Zerxes , Zerxes gain immortally after sacrifice his entire Kingdom." " in the fable he was told the secret of immortality and given power by ancient evil being. " " this ancient evil being was obviously the original Nyarlathotep the first being to bear that name."

" so that much mean that the second Nyarlathotep the one who mention in a bunch of fables include the one about the fall of the Kingdom of Omestris ." " is really the King Zerxes !" "which means that third Nyarlathotep the one who froze that ancient Toadian Althena 2,000 years go was the homunculus that King Zerxes sacrifice the kingdom of Omestris to make." " yes I figure out how it all connects!" Lieutenant Stratovarius then takes his notes and shows them to Blizzar saying " Blizzar I been ponding about the Mural , the Kingdom of Zerxes , the Kingdom of Omestris and the 3 beings name Nyarlathotep ."

" I figure out how they all connecting in theory !" " the original Nyarlathotep is the one mention in the mural and the one who grant King Zerxes the secret of immortality and power." " the Nyarlathotep in the fable about the fall of Omestris and a bunch of other fables is actually King Zerxes ." " he's the second Nyarlathotep !"

" finally the Nyarlathotep who froze that ancient Toadian Althena 2,000 years ago was the homunculus create by Zerxes as mention in the fall of Omestris. " " it's the third Nyarlathotep and the one that's still walking around. " "so there's ancient evil being name Nyarlathotep , ancient King turn into twisted demonic entity by this being who took on the being's name who was sealed away by a bunch of holy magic knights, and homunculus that bears the same name !"

Blizzar nodded.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Luop fights on, eventually knocking away Asha’rah spheres and his wound slowly healing.

Under more physical assaults he persists, either tanking or avoiding as power is drawn into the glaive once more.

Until Ochazuke goes crazy.

A blow to the liver shatters something because blood splatters from his mouth. Blow after blow lands, and the Threshling is hard put to block them all. When the barrage ends a she finally gains the enough room to knock Ochazuke away somewhat, the Knight super speeds to a hill top nearby. His armor is cracked all over, almost all gone. With a grunt he powers up an aura and the rest of the body armor shatters or falls off, exposing a bloodied body. He reachs up and takes the helmet off before letting it fall to the ground.

He is startling young, barely more than a boy, and his frame more willowy than expected. Clearly the armor was also part power suit too, as he is a foot shorter and not as broad.

Kneeling, body slowly healing, he seems to be almost in prayer.

“Have mercy on me, my Queen. I am consumed by grief, my bones are vexed.”

Power gathers into him and the glaive.

“Deliver my soul. Put them in fear, my Queen, that these defenders may know themselves to be but men before thee. In the beginning was you Word, my Queen. You brought my soul out of darkness. She cuts off mine enemies and destroys all those that would corrupt my soul. In the name of that truth and loyalty, I shall strike them down.”

The glaive pulses as he powers up to full, now able to be sensed, and the world trembles.

He slams the glaive into the ground and a massive surge of energy goes into it as the ground erupts and blow apart for miles around, blowing everyone back and away if not up.

[Tami]

Luop fights on, eventually knocking away Asha’rah spheres and his wound slowly healing.

Under more physical assaults he persists, either tanking or avoiding as power is drawn into the glaive once more.

Until Ochazuke goes crazy.

A blow to the liver shatters something because blood splatters from his mouth. Blow after blow lands, and the Threshling is hard put to block them all. When the barrage ends a she finally gains the enough room to knock Ochazuke away somewhat, the Knight super speeds to a hill top nearby. His armor is cracked all over, almost all gone. With a grunt he powers up an aura and the rest of the body armor shatters or falls off, exposing a bloodied body. He reachs up and takes the helmet off before letting it fall to the ground.

He is startling young, barely more than a boy, and his frame more willowy than expected. Clearly the armor was also part power suit too, as he is a foot shorter and not as broad.

Kneeling, body slowly healing, he seems to be almost in prayer.

“Have mercy on me, my Queen. I am consumed by grief, my bones are vexed.”

Power gathers into him and the glaive.

“Deliver my soul. Put them in fear, my Queen, that these defenders may know themselves to be but men before thee. In the beginning was you Word, my Queen. You brought my soul out of darkness. She cuts off mine enemies and destroys all those that would corrupt my soul. In the name of that truth and loyalty, I shall strike them down.”

The glaive pulses as he powers up to full, now able to be sensed, and the world trembles.

He slams the glaive into the ground and a massive surge of energy goes into it as the ground erupts and blow apart for miles around, blowing everyone back and away if not up.

Dash, still in the air, feels the shock-wave fo energy and it sends her flying backwards and upwards like an uppercut to the chin. Her armor offers her soem protection, but she is hard put t o keep herself from tumbling through the air like a leaf in a tornado.

Once the wave had passed, she landed on the damaged ground, breathless and in pain. She could see no visible injuries, but something didn't feel right. Her body, of its' own accord, activates Bear’s Endurance, gathering energy from outside herself and drawing it in to replenish herself. As the energy is drawn in, the Ki begins healing her injuries. She'll be aching, but she'll live to fight.

It was then that she assessed her opponent, "He's just a kid with a magic sword. One darn powerful magic sword. He's crazy to take on all of us at once. Ah gotta to get that sword from him, or he's gonna get himself killed. " As she gave her body more time to heal, "Shasheem shoulda been able to get that thing from him." She then looks around to see where everyone else was.

[KingofPie]

Luop fights on, eventually knocking away Asha’rah spheres and his wound slowly healing.

Under more physical assaults he persists, either tanking or avoiding as power is drawn into the glaive once more.

Until Ochazuke goes crazy.

A blow to the liver shatters something because blood splatters from his mouth. Blow after blow lands, and the Threshling is hard put to block them all. When the barrage ends a she finally gains the enough room to knock Ochazuke away somewhat, the Knight super speeds to a hill top nearby. His armor is cracked all over, almost all gone. With a grunt he powers up an aura and the rest of the body armor shatters or falls off, exposing a bloodied body. He reachs up and takes the helmet off before letting it fall to the ground.

He is startling young, barely more than a boy, and his frame more willowy than expected. Clearly the armor was also part power suit too, as he is a foot shorter and not as broad.

Kneeling, body slowly healing, he seems to be almost in prayer.

Sasheem was startled at first that this Threshling appeared to be nothing more than a child. As he retracted his arms, he didn't lower his guard. He knew better than anyone than to underestimate the power of one so small in stature. Still...if this warrior was a adolescent then how powerful were the adult Threshlings?!

“Have mercy on me, my Queen. I am consumed by grief, my bones are vexed.”

Power gathers into him and the glaive.

“Deliver my soul. Put them in fear, my Queen, that these defenders may know themselves to be but men before thee. In the beginning was you Word, my Queen. You brought my soul out of darkness. She cuts off mine enemies and destroys all those that would corrupt my soul. In the name of that truth and loyalty, I shall strike them down.”

The glaive pulses as he powers up to full, now able to be sensed, and the world trembles.

He slams the glaive into the ground and a massive surge of energy goes into it as the ground erupts and blow apart for miles around, blowing everyone back and away if not up.

Sasheem, unsure if even his Katchin mode could withstand the pressure from such a blast attempts to sink through the ground, far below the surface to avoid the blast, but he isn't fast enough and is able to see the blinding light of the energy surge as the ground tears asunder before him. Still the earth still provided some cover. The Majin wasn't sure how he would've fared if he had taken the blast head on but as of now...he was ripped into pieces and flung across the landscape...although one of the pieces of him was armored in Katchin, protected more than the others.

Ripped apart and scatted, the pieces of Sasheem, one by one sunk into the ground to avoid further damage once the blast subsides, to quickly reform into the Majin. Sasheem could barely think as he felt his flesh sizzle and sting, still feeling the effects of the attack. The pain wasn't an issue, however. It just made him more angry. No way was he going to allow himself to be put to death by a some child, no matter how strong he was.

The Spider's Blessing

Fragments of Sasheem's ki were scattered in the air, rendering The Majin invisible to ki sensing as he sped back up towards Luop, using his Mamba Boost to speed himself up as he 'swam' beneath the ground. Once he nears Luop he sends one of the ki fragments toward's the kid.

"Cobra's Curse" The Majin uttered mentally as he stealthily placed a single ki fragment onto Luop, binding it to him with his Majin magic.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sasheem was startled at first that this Threshling appeared to be nothing more than a child. As he retracted his arms, he didn't lower his guard. He knew better than anyone than to underestimate the power of one so small in stature. Still...if this warrior was a adolescent then how powerful were the adult Threshlings?!



Sasheem, unsure if even his Katchin mode could withstand the pressure from such a blast attempts to sink through the ground, far below the surface to avoid the blast, but he isn't fast enough and is able to see the blinding light of the energy surge as the ground tears asunder before him. Still the earth still provided some cover. The Majin wasn't sure how he would've fared if he had taken the blast head on but as of now...he was ripped into pieces and flung across the landscape...although one of the pieces of him was armored in Katchin, protected more than the others.

Ripped apart and scatted, the pieces of Sasheem, one by one sunk into the ground to avoid further damage once the blast subsides, to quickly reform into the Majin. Sasheem could barely think as he felt his flesh sizzle and sting, still feeling the effects of the attack. The pain wasn't an issue, however. It just made him more angry. No way was he going to allow himself to be put to death by a some child, no matter how strong he was.

The Spider's Blessing

Fragments of Sasheem's ki were scattered in the air, rendering The Majin invisible to ki sensing as he sped back up towards Luop, using his Mamba Boost to speed himself up as he 'swam' beneath the ground. Once he nears Luop he sends one of the ki fragments toward's the kid.

"Cobra's Curse" The Majin uttered mentally as he stealthily placed a single ki fragment onto Luop, binding it to him with his Majin magic.

Only to find it to be an afterimage. It fades and another Luop appears to be floating high in the sky, more energy gathering in the glaive’s tip.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Lamentation of the Grave."

To each person, visions of lost loved ones appear. These visions, all so real, assault their psyches with pain and grief and loss, taunting and distracting them as Luop’s glaive shimmers as energy pours into it.

“Judgement.”

"... What ?"

Caught off guard by the mental assault, Ishtar finds herself for a moment, face to face with Sekhmet. Though there was something ... wrong.

"No ..."

Already pained as she was, the battered, and bloody specter that appeared before her then -- a cross-guard flush against her tanned skin, the grip beneath jutting from where the dagger had slipped between her ribs a final flourish -- should not have been. A year before, she had spoken with her long-gone love, had come to terms and had finally let go. Both for her sake, and Sekhmet's own; and yet ...

"You were too slow in the end, too ignorant to the truth of what you had seen so many times before ..." The ghost whispered, the truth in its accusation striking deep. "You failed ... Little Love, like so many others ..."

Ishtar took a step towards 'Sehkmet', as the put to rest memories of pain, and grief, bubbling up to intermix with the pain from the Spəntā Aēšma, and the constant suffering she experienced from Sarada's own suffering; and those familiar feelings of helplessness, and failure to protect the one she loved. And standing there this specter, a creation of Ishtar's own mind given form by Luop, knew that.

"Just like you have failed ... with Sarada." The knife in 'Sekhmet's' chest, seemed to twist, in sick parody of reality.

Ishtar's eyes widened, slightly.

"Enough ..."

"You were too slow. Too ignorant ... complacent. You left her vulnerable, and someone took advantage of it ... like before." The ghost continued, mockingly. For in the end, all she was doing, was parroting what Ishtar had felt since the day Sarada had been struck down.

"Shut up ..." Ishtar stopped short of 'Sekhmet' then, eyes set on the rubble between the ghost's feet. In the end she was right. Of course she was. Ishtar had failed, not once, but twice; to keep that which she cared for most, safe ... and that there was little she could do but wait, and hope ?

The knife twisted, again, blood spilling from the imagined wound ...

A massive ki blade (essentially a massive keinzan) slices outward in all directions from where Luop slashes his glaive. Distracted by the first move, the cutting blade will prove fatal or crippling if it strikes.

And so wrapped up in her pain, and the distraction provided by Luop's Lamentation of the Grave, the blade of Ki that was then fired toward her, was all but completely missed. Yet when it passed through 'Sekhmet', dispelling the illusion and killing her; there was barely time enough to activate Gravimetric Chronomancy, and slow the blade enough to stave off a felling blow.

Though ... not unscathed.

Instead of bisceting her as it would have, she darts out of the way, the attack instead catching her in the side and cutting deep. A wound that would cripple most however, Ishtar simply picked herself up; blue-black blood spilling from the wound, as she made her way toward Sir Luop ...

And whether the boy understood it or not ... He had made a mistake.

OT: Stage 2, one post.

Kneeling, body slowly healing, he seems to be almost in prayer.

“Have mercy on me, my Queen. I am consumed by grief, my bones are vexed.”

Power gathers into him and the glaive.

“Deliver my soul. Put them in fear, my Queen, that these defenders may know themselves to be but men before thee. In the beginning was you Word, my Queen. You brought my soul out of darkness. She cuts off mine enemies and destroys all those that would corrupt my soul. In the name of that truth and loyalty, I shall strike them down.”

The glaive pulses as he powers up to full, now able to be sensed, and the world trembles.

He slams the glaive into the ground and a massive surge of energy goes into it as the ground erupts and blow apart for miles around, blowing everyone back and away if not up.

Ishtar heard him chanting, badly damaged, upon the far away hill, asking for mercy, and how he found himself wracked with grief ... and recalling what was done to her but a moment before, the golden-eyed Oni felt nothing but rage.

Such that, when the destructive wave of energy cascaded down the hill and set itself to knocking those around her away ... Ishtar simply blinked out of existence a moment before the wave of energy struck, only to reappear on the other side with eyes set and power waxing.

Only to find it to be an afterimage. It fades and another Luop appears to be floating high in the sky, more energy gathering in the glaive’s tip.

And materializing Rasãstâtô, Ishtar turned her eyes toward the heavens, and shifted it into a short spear. Ensuring her aim would be true, then, Ishtar hurled the spear at Sir Luop. Before the spear had managed to complete its arc however, Ishtar launched herself up it.

OT: Stage 2, now active. Stage 3 [Locked], in five posts.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"... What ?"

Caught off guard by the mental assault, Ishtar finds herself for a moment, face to face with Sekhmet. Though there was something ... wrong.

"No ..."

Already pained as she was, the battered, and bloody specter that appeared before her then -- a cross-guard flush against her tanned skin, the grip beneath jutting from where the dagger had slipped between her ribs a final flourish -- should not have been. A year before, she had spoken with her long-gone love, had come to terms and had finally let go. Both for her sake, and Sekhmet's own; and yet ...

"You were too slow in the end, too ignorant to the truth of what you had seen so many times before ..." The ghost whispered, the truth in its accusation striking deep. "You failed ... Little Love, like so many others ..."

Ishtar took a step towards 'Sehkmet', as the put to rest memories of pain, and grief, bubbling up to intermix with the pain from the Spəntā Aēšma, and the constant suffering she experienced from Sarada's own suffering; and those familiar feelings of helplessness, and failure to protect the one she loved. And standing there this specter, a creation of Ishtar's own mind given form by Luop, knew that.

"Just like you have failed ... with Sarada." The knife in 'Sekhmet's' chest, seemed to twist, in sick parody of reality.

Ishtar's eyes widened, slightly.

"Enough ..."

"You were too slow. Too ignorant ... complacent. You left her vulnerable, and someone took advantage of it ... like before." The ghost continued, mockingly. For in the end, all she was doing, was parroting what Ishtar had felt since the day Sarada had been struck down.

"Shut up ..." Ishtar stopped short of 'Sekhmet' then, eyes set on the rubble between the ghost's feet. In the end she was right. Of course she was. Ishtar had failed, not once, but twice; to keep that which she cared for most, safe ... and that there was little she could do but wait, and hope ?

The knife twisted, again, blood spilling from the imagined wound ...



And so wrapped up in her pain, and the distraction provided by Luop's Lamentation of the Grave, the blade of Ki that was then fired toward her, was all but completely missed. Yet when it passed through 'Sekhmet', dispelling the illusion and killing her; there was barely time enough to activate Gravimetric Chronomancy, and slow the blade enough to stave off a felling blow.

Though ... not unscathed.

Instead of bisceting her as it would have, she darts out of the way, the attack instead catching her in the side and cutting deep. A wound that would cripple most however, Ishtar simply picked herself up; blue-black blood spilling from the wound, as she made her way toward Sir Luop ...

And whether the boy understood it or not ... He had made a mistake.

OT: Stage 2, one post.



Ishtar heard him chanting, badly damaged, upon the far away hill, asking for mercy, and how he found himself wracked with grief ... and recalling what was done to her but a moment before, the golden-eyed Oni felt nothing but rage.

Such that, when the destructive wave of energy cascaded down the hill and set itself to knocking those around her away ... Ishtar simply blinked out of existence a moment before the wave of energy struck, only to reappear on the other side with eyes set and power waxing.



And materializing Rasãstâtô, Ishtar turned her eyes toward the heavens, and shifted it into a short spear. Ensuring her aim would be true, then, Ishtar hurled the spear at Sir Luop. Before the spear had managed to complete its arc however, Ishtar launched herself up it.

OT: Stage 2, now active. Stage 3 [Locked], in five posts.

The spear, if it reaches Luop, passes right through another afterimage.

Ishtar is in mid flight when the glaive slams into her stomache and slams her back into the ground, a butterfly pinned to the earth.

Luop was higher up still, absorbing power and healing. He had thrown the glaive like a jab in and nailed her to the ground.

[KingofPie]

Blizzar had observed enough of the confrontation between the defenders of Earth and Luop to know Galaxy Police next move. Grabbing his data pad, he began to initiate the Drone Override Protocol, which allowed members of the GP with proper access to give direct orders to the drones making up the Planetary Defense Grid. He entered a pair of coordinates onto his datapad, setting the drone's targeting systems to lock onto Luop.

Next, he picked up a communicator and relayed the following, "GP Defense Combatoids Units one through twelve: Prepare to Launch." The order was given to finally unleash the second half of the Planetary Defense Systems, the Combatoids, to their trial by fire. The best engineering and rune crafting across the cosmos went into these machines. It was time to see if that hard work payed off.

Currently holed in the Capsule Corp Hangar, twelve Combatoids awoke the second they received Blizzar's orders and marched towards the hangar doors in perfect unison. As soon as the doors were open, they rocketed forth into the skies, making a bee line for Luop...

Only to find it to be an afterimage. It fades and another Luop appears to be floating high in the sky, more energy gathering in the glaive’s tip.

The spear, if it reaches Luop, passes right through another afterimage.

Ishtar is in mid flight when the glaive slams into her stomache and slams her back into the ground, a butterfly pinned to the earth.

Luop was higher up still, absorbing power and healing. He had thrown the glaive like a jab in and nailed her to the ground.

"Damn there's gotta be a way to tag him..." Sasheem grimaced. It appeared that he had to make himself visible. Sasheem used Mamba Boost to rocket towards Luop. Activating Katchin mode and taking the traditional stance of the Snake School, he struck.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Luop fights on, eventually knocking away Asha’rah spheres and his wound slowly healing.

Under more physical assaults he persists, either tanking or avoiding as power is drawn into the glaive once more.

Until Ochazuke goes crazy.

A blow to the liver shatters something because blood splatters from his mouth. Blow after blow lands, and the Threshling is hard put to block them all. When the barrage ends a she finally gains the enough room to knock Ochazuke away somewhat, the Knight super speeds to a hill top nearby. His armor is cracked all over, almost all gone. With a grunt he powers up an aura and the rest of the body armor shatters or falls off, exposing a bloodied body. He reachs up and takes the helmet off before letting it fall to the ground.

He is startling young, barely more than a boy, and his frame more willowy than expected. Clearly the armor was also part power suit too, as he is a foot shorter and not as broad.

Kneeling, body slowly healing, he seems to be almost in prayer.

“Have mercy on me, my Queen. I am consumed by grief, my bones are vexed.”

Power gathers into him and the glaive.

“Deliver my soul. Put them in fear, my Queen, that these defenders may know themselves to be but men before thee. In the beginning was you Word, my Queen. You brought my soul out of darkness. She cuts off mine enemies and destroys all those that would corrupt my soul. In the name of that truth and loyalty, I shall strike them down.”

The glaive pulses as he powers up to full, now able to be sensed, and the world trembles.

He slams the glaive into the ground and a massive surge of energy goes into it as the ground erupts and blow apart for miles around, blowing everyone back and away if not up.

A Razorback flashed into existence just as the attack hit Totoma, the green energy shield taking the brunt of the attack... and shattering... as he was launched high into the air. He came tumbling down onto the now-even-more barren landscape, even more injured then before.

Today just wasn't his day. The Razorback had allowed him to survive, but..

Totoma stood up, then immediately fell to one knee. Haurvatat was doing its work restoring his body, stamina, and energy, but it really wasn't an ability suited for healing anything else except minor wounds mid-battle. It could keep him going, but... yeah, he was getting worn down.

Ahh, if only he had the power he'd displayed against chill... damn it!

Sure, skill was great, and he had become considerably more skilled, but skill without the power to back it up was useless! Like he was now, he couldn't even see this bastard move, let alone actually fight him.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Held arched an eyebrow slightly at the Saiyan. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, albeit in passing. Perhaps he had met this woman before? It wasn't out of the question, but it did not matter at the moment.

He glanced at Crazy Horn, and once again at Maiz. It occurred to him that, as Unicorns were normally legends--and as far as he knew, only on Earth and Nevada--it was understandable that she might not see the immediate relevance.

"If I were to be conservative in my assessment, I would say that while I have no doubt your medics and healers are quite skilled, and your technology capable of understanding whatever seems to be afflicting the queen.." Held replied, choosing his words, "I would still question if they would be the equal of the Eyes of Nevada, or the skills which I have acquired which have--"

"Enough, Held." Crazy Horn let out a sigh of irritation, a puff of steam emitting from his nostrils. "As always, you speak in riddles and half measures. I am content to normally allow this, but not when I am forced to endure it."

The Unicorn met the Saiyans gaze with his own, raising his voice so that all nearby might here.

"I have turned poisons that held only the promise of death, into pure water that cleansed the children that ran amongst the sunlit fields. I have turned the most toxic of venom into the freshest wine,and have personally drank without fear. I have seen wounds that festered and boiled, resisting all treatment, and through my power, they healed."

It was clear enough that this was no mere boasting by the beast, regal in its bearing, and an enemy of lies.

"I am Crazy Horn, Lord of The Sunlit Planes of Nevada." It said simply, allowing its voice to taper down "I have no interest in your queen, but as my student has pleaded on her behalf so earnestly, I shall indulge him. If we are unable to save the life of your princess, than perhaps her fate simply was written by a force beyond your understanding."

Held said nothing, exhaling slightly out of his mouth.

".....Not how I would have chosen to explain the situation, but...Indeed. Even if you think this the ranting of a madman and his pe--"

Crazy Horn glared murderously at Held, daring him to finish his next word.

"...Even if you think I am a madman, I would point out that, as far as I can tell, nothing else seems to be working, is it? While I won't claim Sarada would speak about me in the most glowing terms, I would feel confident that The Queen and...."

...What the hell was the title Ishtar held again? Jeez.

"And Ishtar, would both take me at my word, knowing that I would not volunteer my services, unless I thought they would be of some use, as minor as that might be."

Maiz blinked once, then nodded. If she hadn't seen a unicorn before, she would have been speechless at Crazy Horn's appearance. Instead, she was only startled that it could speak. "Fine."

She stepped inside the room first, then moved to the side to allow Held and Crazy Horn enter also. They would Sarada floating inside a state-of-the-art healing pod, a facemask covering her nose and mouth. The display on the side of the pod showed that her heart rate was strong and steady, as was her breathing.

"We just managed to stabilize her a few minutes ago," Maiz stated. "She was in much worse shape until Totoma's father showed up." She gestured toward the sleeping man off to the side. "Whatever you need, just let us know."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Blizzar, on the computer screen you notice a massive spatial disturbance open up in Earth’s solar system. Moments later a golden energy gate appears. And then, through that gate, hundreds of unknown ships begin pouring through, headed towards Earth. Some were fighter jet sized and some were capital ship sizes.

But all were unknown.