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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat looks at the others while fighting the bunch of skeletons that surround her thinking to herself ( I could cover them with dirt , however dry dirt won't conduct electricity, but moist soil will. one thing about being a Toadian is that my skin is always moist takes to a layer of mucus that covers it. so I have to do is loosen up some dirt so I can pick it up and use my mucus to make it moist. then cover the skeletons with it . )

( Ishtar is in trouble , but if my plan works than we'll be done with the skeletons. I just hope my plan works.)

Praxat jumps into the air and uses her energy stomp tech hoping that the shockwave would loose up dry soil.

[Cyke]

"Willing to give me most of your blood ? No ? Then do what I require and cease your prattling."

Zaofan, still desperately trying to yank the giant's grip off of Ishtar, responds through gritted teeth: "Unf! Don't you think I'm TRYING?!"

Surrounded by literal manifestations of death, sarcasm and levity were among Zaofan's last weapons against despair. After all, very little else in his arsenal seemed to work.

Lifeforce, Ki, and even what remained of her blood being drained, the transformed Oni struggled against the vice like grip, the Katchin enveloping her right arm exploding forth in tendrils of wire-thin cutting edges set on severing the fingers of the creature's left hand.

If she did not break free soon, the spell failing would be the least of her concerns.

The thing steps back, Sarada missing her grab. One of its hands explodes under Ishtar’s katchin attack, the effect causing it to jerk aside just enough that Meagan’s sword only severs half it’s neck.

It’s other hand grips Ishtar still, and the Oni feels the blood magic spell fall away and apart as more power is drained from her while in its grip.

And then the grip slackens as another massive unnatural sound cracks the air as the rifleman fires again, exploding the other half of its neck off that Meagan missed, effectively helping her decapitate it.

The two giants are down, but more dead rise up each passing second.

The combination of Ishtar's Katchin attack, the strength of Meagan's sword strike, and finally the shaking of its death is enough to knock Zaofan off its fingers, sending him flying into an arc. "AARRGH!"

In the air, he manages to get himself right-side-up, and on his quick descent, he kicks two creatures in the head on his way down, followed by a forward punch, an elbow thrown behind, bending his waist left and right to hit his surrounding foes, and finally swinging Bojack wildly to create some distance. Regaining his bearings while looking around, he sees that he's landed somewhere between Held and Meagan.

"Not to be 'that' guy" Held began, the stench beginning to be more painful to his senses than the battle itself ever was, "But either we should go back home, or go in a direction where we're not getting dog-pilled."

What the hell is with this planet? Is this Jagam's doing? Or is there just something with this world?

"Not to pressure you, Ishtar. You have your hands full enough as it is."

"Ugh! Hai! WHA! YA-TAAA!" Holding off the monsters at bay, Zaofan's fists, kicks, and bo staff become blurs as he blocks and hits every enemy in sight.

"Held, old friend! Hhhwut! I'm sure Ishtar is doing her best -- kiiyaaa! -- to get us out of here! -- Optic Blast! -- But any direction we go -- WAAI-HIYYYAA! -- will lead us to get dogpiled!"

Fighting off a few more of the legions, he adds, "May I suggest we do this like in the old days? That we fight side by side to make a path?"

"Isthar, there may be safer ground outside of this graveyard. We should retreat and try to recreate the spell elsewhere." Meagan spoke as she readied her sword to attack another approaching creature.

Overhearing Meagan's suggestion, Zaofan speaks in between attacks: "Did you know...! -- Heeee! -- A graveyard is merely burial ground -- Wa-chi-KIYYAAA -- that's part of a church? -- Wa-taaah! -- A cemetery is simply burial ground -- OPTIC BLAST! -- that is secular or independent of a church! -- ut-see-AIIYAAHH!"

Taking the shortest of breaks to regain his breath, Zaofan tips his head to the side and motions his hands as if he were in a presentation. "That's why there are churchyards AND graveyards! To denote different areas of church proper-WOOOP!" And, thankfully, he is interrupted by the attacks of a larger, stronger creature, as he uses Bojack to block a weapon mere inches from his face and returns to battle.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Attempts to extricate herself successful, thanks to the assistance of Sarada, Meagan, and the mystery gunman; Ishtar drops to the ground in a spray of blue-black blood, and near frantic attempts to regain control of the spell.

It was decaying rapidly however, and with the horde of dead continuing to surge the Oni wasn't sure if saving it was possible at this point.

No no no no no ... More power ? More blood ?

OT: It salvageable, Cleric ?

Not right now.

However, Ishtar has seen the spell work from the groundwork up. She now has access to Threshling magic on a small scale. She can cast the spell again, but here and now it’s impossible. With a magical focus, somewhere not here, she could do it all her own.

You have learned the spell Blood Sigil of Auroc - Gate.

[MrSandman]

"Hang in there Ishtar" Etrina transferred a little of her own life force into the weakening Ishtar. It wouldn't make up for the loss of blood, but at least it was something. ".........Hmm........Fighting a battle is pointless.....but perhaps I can buy you more time...."

Stepping forward, Etrina shouted to the others. "Everyone! I'm going to use my Vitalmancy to borrow life energy from those here who can offer it. If I can surround something with enough of it I might be able to draw their attention like a beacon....hopefully away from us."

[Miburo]

Zaofan, still desperately trying to yank the giant's grip off of Ishtar, responds through gritted teeth: "Unf! Don't you think I'm TRYING?!"

Surrounded by literal manifestations of death, sarcasm and levity were among Zaofan's last weapons against despair. After all, very little else in his arsenal seemed to work.





The combination of Ishtar's Katchin attack, the strength of Meagan's sword strike, and finally the shaking of its death is enough to knock Zaofan off its fingers, sending him flying into an arc. "AARRGH!"

In the air, he manages to get himself right-side-up, and on his quick descent, he kicks two creatures in the head on his way down, followed by a forward punch, an elbow thrown behind, bending his waist left and right to hit his surrounding foes, and finally swinging Bojack wildly to create some distance. Regaining his bearings while looking around, he sees that he's landed somewhere between Held and Meagan.



"Ugh! Hai! WHA! YA-TAAA!" Holding off the monsters at bay, Zaofan's fists, kicks, and bo staff become blurs as he blocks and hits every enemy in sight.

"Held, old friend! Hhhwut! I'm sure Ishtar is doing her best -- kiiyaaa! -- to get us out of here! -- Optic Blast! -- But any direction we go -- WAAI-HIYYYAA! -- will lead us to get dogpiled!"

Fighting off a few more of the legions, he adds, "May I suggest we do this like in the old days? That we fight side by side to make a path?"



Overhearing Meagan's suggestion, Zaofan speaks in between attacks: "Did you know...! -- Heeee! -- A graveyard is merely burial ground -- Wa-chi-KIYYAAA -- that's part of a church? -- Wa-taaah! -- A cemetery is simply burial ground -- OPTIC BLAST! -- that is secular or independent of a church! -- ut-see-AIIYAAHH!"

Taking the shortest of breaks to regain his breath, Zaofan tips his head to the side and motions his hands as if he were in a presentation. "That's why there are churchyards AND graveyards! To denote different areas of church proper-WOOOP!" And, thankfully, he is interrupted by the attacks of a larger, stronger creature, as he uses Bojack to block a weapon mere inches from his face and returns to battle.

"Make a path? At this point the only path I'm thinking about making is from my stomach to the floor" Held replied to his friend, still using his sleeve as a makeshift mask, "I was hoping this would be quick enough that we wouldn't have to spend too much time....I'm worried my weapon will catch a horrible stench if I touch these things."

He sighed.

"Still, I guess I can't just sit around groaning while you do all the heavy lifting, can I?"

[Cyke]

"Make a path? At this point the only path I'm thinking about making is from my stomach to the floor" Held replied to his friend, still using his sleeve as a makeshift mask, "I was hoping this would be quick enough that we wouldn't have to spend too much time....I'm worried my weapon will catch a horrible stench if I touch these things."

He sighed.

"Still, I guess I can't just sit around groaning while you do all the heavy lifting, can I?"

The larger monster that earlier took a swing at Zaofan is instead on the receiving end of a Pressure Kick, infusing it with destructive ki while hurling it much further back and deeper into its armies, where it explodes and takes out a countless number of skeletons and weaker undead.



Still, the endless numbers keep coming.

Zaofan simply shrugs at Held.



"Oh come now, you have the power of stallions! Lifting is good for you!"

Zaofan fires another Optic Blast across the battlefield to create a trench, buying a few more moments of time. "Besides, I'm sure we could clean your spears with a dip in salt water! Hey! remember when we were stranded in the ocean after fighting Willa Rautt and the Red Raiders? Good times!"

[Miburo]

The larger monster that earlier took a swing at Zaofan is instead on the receiving end of a Pressure Kick, infusing it with destructive ki while hurling it much further back and deeper into its armies, where it explodes and takes out a countless number of skeletons and weaker undead.



Still, the endless numbers keep coming.

Zaofan simply shrugs at Held.



"Oh come now, you have the power of stallions! Lifting is good for you!"

Zaofan fires another Optic Blast across the battlefield to create a trench, buying a few more moments of time. "Besides, I'm sure we could clean your spears with a dip in salt water! Hey! remember when we were stranded in the ocean after fighting Willa Rautt and the Red Raiders? Good times!"

"Heh, to think I'd long for the day when the Red Raiders and finding land were the bulk of my problems."

Compared to Battersea, Fife, Jagam, and whatever fresh hell they found themselves on now, the days upon the capsule of the world were positively quaint, almost tinged in nostalgia of much less putrid times.

"Still, I'm not letting those things touch my spears. Salt or not, I'm not risking finding out these things have some sort of er...Super stench, or something. I can already feel it permeating into my very cells, and I haven't even touched anything!"

Twirling his spear, he pointed the tip of the blade towards the earth, plunging it in deeply, ki flowing from his body into stone below.

Piercing Horn Forest!

Almost immediately, jagged spikes of energy erupted from the ground below, haphazardly in all directions, skewering several of the remnants upon their mighty spikes, and trapping even more of them from fully exiting their tombs.

Quickly, the Nevadian placed his sleeve back over his mouth.

"...Happy now? Can I go throw up now, Zao?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Not right now.

However, Ishtar has seen the spell work from the groundwork up. She now has access to Threshling magic on a small scale. She can cast the spell again, but here and now it’s impossible. With a magical focus, somewhere not here, she could do it all her own.

You have learned the spell Blood Sigil of Auroc - Gate.

BGM: The End Complete I: The Fall of House Atlantic - Coheed and Cambria

"No."

Ishtar's eyes widened, transfixed at the blood sigil beneath her even as Held, Meagan, and the others cautioned against tarrying any longer ... In the moment, that she retained the information she had gleaned mattered little. It had only taken a few seconds, yet all the work that had been done, all the blood she'd offered ... it amounted to a waste of time, and blood, and pain.

"I failed ..."

When Etrina used Vitalmancy to infuse Ishtar with life enough to finish the spell, the Oni barely noticed. Fists clenched, and forced into a decision she knew would strip her of what energy she had remaining, all she felt was rage.

And after a moment, the others felt it too.

Weak as she was from her bloodletting, drained as she had been from the Skeletal Abomination, the Ishtar that was with them for the moment was still an echo of what she would be fully, in time.

"My hand is forced, then."

The Oni muttered as she raised up slightly, as Held, and Zaofan continued to carve a path through the throng of undead ... then she brought her fist down, gently -- and the dead world shook as the ground in front of Ishtar split wide like a ravenous jaw, swallowing up a portion of the Undead Horde. And as those skeletal monstrosities were pitched back into the ground they spawned from, Ishtar offered up what energy she had to give to rekindle those ancient wards and silence the dead.

Ishtar turned away from her work then, woozy from blood loss and sapped of strength, and as she slowly ambled away from the ruination she had caused in the wake of her failed, she muttered loud enough for those close to hear her.

"I do not know if the old wards I used will stop them entire, nor am I sure for how long they will hold. We must leave this place before they fail."

[Cyke]

"Heh, to think I'd long for the day when the Red Raiders and finding land were the bulk of my problems."

Compared to Battersea, Fife, Jagam, and whatever fresh hell they found themselves on now, the days upon the capsule of the world were positively quaint, almost tinged in nostalgia of much less putrid times.

"Still, I'm not letting those things touch my spears. Salt or not, I'm not risking finding out these things have some sort of er...Super stench, or something. I can already feel it permeating into my very cells, and I haven't even touched anything!"

Twirling his spear, he pointed the tip of the blade towards the earth, plunging it in deeply, ki flowing from his body into stone below.

Piercing Horn Forest!

Almost immediately, jagged spikes of energy erupted from the ground below, haphazardly in all directions, skewering several of the remnants upon their mighty spikes, and trapping even more of them from fully exiting their tombs.

Quickly, the Nevadian placed his sleeve back over his mouth.

"...Happy now? Can I go throw up now, Zao?"

Zaofan's face is a sequence of astonishment, relief, and then a bit of cringing.



>hyuck<
>hiyick<
>hyoooolk<

Zaofan violently shakes off his disgust. "Yeah... ye-*urp*-ah. You go do that. But when you're done, we should maybe make a beeline to that stranger over there with the fancy gun!"

The vagabond chef -- who will no doubt lose some weight after this -- points towards the horizon at the figure that had saved Ishtar.



"OPTIC BLAST!" He fires a regular beam, but sweeping it from left to right, then back to center and turning it into a wide angle blast to clear a path through the horde and towards the figure. Slapping Held on the arm, he yells, "Come ON!"

[Tami]

BGM: The End Complete I: The Fall of House Atlantic - Coheed and Cambria

"No."

Ishtar's eyes widened, transfixed at the blood sigil beneath her even as Held, Meagan, and the others cautioned against tarrying any longer ... In the moment, that she retained the information she had gleaned mattered little. It had only taken a few seconds, yet all the work that had been done, all the blood she'd offered ... it amounted to a waste of time, and blood, and pain.

"I failed ..."

When Etrina used Vitalmancy to infuse Ishtar with life enough to finish the spell, the Oni barely noticed. Fists clenched, and forced into a decision she knew would strip her of what energy she had remaining, all she felt was rage.

And after a moment, the others felt it too.

Weak as she was from her bloodletting, drained as she had been from the Skeletal Abomination, the Ishtar that was with them for the moment was still an echo of what she would be fully, in time.

"My hand is forced, then."

The Oni muttered as she raised up slightly, as Held, and Zaofan continued to carve a path through the throng of undead ... then she brought her fist down, gently -- and the dead world shook as the ground in front of Ishtar split wide like a ravenous jaw, swallowing up a portion of the Undead Horde. And as those skeletal monstrosities were pitched back into the ground they spawned from, Ishtar offered up what energy she had to give to rekindle those ancient wards and silence the dead.

Ishtar turned away from her work then, woozy from blood loss and sapped of strength, and as she slowly ambled away from the ruination she had caused in the wake of her failed, she muttered loud enough for those close to hear her.

"I do not know if the old wards I used will stop them entire, nor am I sure for how long they will hold. We must leave this place before they fail."

Meagan goes to her, "You did your best. Let me help you." As she helps Istahr into the air, she then called to everyone, "Retreat! Now!"

[Cyke]

BGM: The End Complete I: The Fall of House Atlantic - Coheed and Cambria

"No."

Ishtar's eyes widened, transfixed at the blood sigil beneath her even as Held, Meagan, and the others cautioned against tarrying any longer ... In the moment, that she retained the information she had gleaned mattered little. It had only taken a few seconds, yet all the work that had been done, all the blood she'd offered ... it amounted to a waste of time, and blood, and pain.

"I failed ..."

When Etrina used Vitalmancy to infuse Ishtar with life enough to finish the spell, the Oni barely noticed. Fists clenched, and forced into a decision she knew would strip her of what energy she had remaining, all she felt was rage.

And after a moment, the others felt it too.

Weak as she was from her bloodletting, drained as she had been from the Skeletal Abomination, the Ishtar that was with them for the moment was still an echo of what she would be fully, in time.

"My hand is forced, then."

The Oni muttered as she raised up slightly, as Held, and Zaofan continued to carve a path through the throng of undead ... then she brought her fist down, gently -- and the dead world shook as the ground in front of Ishtar split wide like a ravenous jaw, swallowing up a portion of the Undead Horde. And as those skeletal monstrosities were pitched back into the ground they spawned from, Ishtar offered up what energy she had to give to rekindle those ancient wards and silence the dead.

Ishtar turned away from her work then, woozy from blood loss and sapped of strength, and as she slowly ambled away from the ruination she had caused in the wake of her failed, she muttered loud enough for those close to hear her.

"I do not know if the old wards I used will stop them entire, nor am I sure for how long they will hold. We must leave this place before they fail."

Zaofan waves at Meagan, Ishtar, and Etrina, yelling from some distance. "Great job, Ishtar! But you're right! We gotta jet, and fast!"

Meagan goes to her, "You did your best. Let me help you." As she helps Istahr into the air, she then called to everyone, "Retreat! Now!"

Zaofan then scoops up Etrina. "Copy that! Might I suggest we head towards that strange figure with the nice gun? As fast as we can?"

[Yun Lao]

Ishtar turned away from her work then, woozy from blood loss and sapped of strength, and as she slowly ambled away from the ruination she had caused in the wake of her failed, she muttered loud enough for those close to hear her.

"I do not know if the old wards I used will stop them entire, nor am I sure for how long they will hold. We must leave this place before they fail."

Like an IV in the vein, Ishtar would suddenly feel a constant stream of energy injected into her wearied form. A small ripple nearby preceded Quila's cloak vanishing and the child-like machine mutant appearing into view, the source of the infinite replenishing energy supplied to her. The boy raised his hand, summoning several pearl-like orbs of energy that dispersed and made their way to those injured or in need of healing.

"Indeed. A strategical retreat is a wise suggestion considering the unknown variables of the situation. Perhaps we should make contact with the sniper from earlier?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ancient Magic’s flare as the old wards reactivate, green and blue light pulsing as the dead still, then stop, then slowly sink back into the earth.

Silence falls across the battlefield. Two of seven old ward stones now flare with power, their life rekindled, their purpose accomplished once more.

The sniper from afar stands and slings the gun over their shoulder. With a single gesture, they beckon the group towards them as they slowly climb down from their perch.

[Ptrvc]

Ancient Magic’s flare as the old wards reactivate, green and blue light pulsing as the dead still, then stop, then slowly sink back into the earth.

Silence falls across the battlefield. Two of seven old ward stones now flare with power, their life rekindled, their purpose accomplished once more.

The sniper from afar stands and slings the gun over their shoulder. With a single gesture, they beckon the group towards them as they slowly climb down from their perch.

Jack gave the quick salute to the group's mysterious savior.

"Thanks for the save...and let me be the first to say...that get up is sweeeeet!"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Parsley had been having a hell of a time ripping those skeletal abominations apart. While Ishtar worked to either get them back to their home universe or send these creatures back to where they came from - she wasn't sure which at this point - Parsley worked to keep them from getting within range of the Oni. A few managed to slip by her, resulting in the entire thing going to hell.

She sighed at this annoying development, then scoffed as the others called for a retreat. "How irritating." Her tactical mind knew a retreat was the most practical maneuver they could pull at this point.

On the other hand, there was something
.. therapeutic about taking something apart with her bare hands. It exorcised a great deal of anger and frustration.

"Fine. If we must." She floated into the air and awaited for someone to give her a direction to leave in. Someone suggested they rendezvous with that mysterious person from earlier.

As good a suggestion as any. Without waiting for the other - mainly so she couldn't be tempted to remain behind - and headed for the person up ahead.