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

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"If you wish me dead, you will have to do it yourSHUT UP!" Sasheem mocked. "Of course Sasheem will have to kill you! It's not like anyone else is up to the task!" Sasheem then leaned in and glared at the Oni. "However you managed to get that boost in power, Sasheem will figure out how it happened. Don't underestimate the Greater Annihilator when it comes to gaining the means and the know-how to wipe your blue jabrOni ass off their face of our or any other universe."

Ishtar's fangs revealed themselves in a bemused smile.

"I did not have to absorb another being, for starters. Though I look forward to seeing you struggle. Especially after the last time ... perhaps I shall seal you in a trashcan again."

"Listen to the clown," Sarada mocked. "All talk with nothing to show for it." She laughed mockingly at the pompous Majin. "The only thing you annihilate is someone's interest in whatever pointless crap spews out of your mouth!"

"All he has is words. He knows he will never be what he wishes to. Not so long as I am alive ..." Ishtar replied with a knowing smirk, at Sasheem. The way the Oni spoke now was a shift however, though perhaps one more fitting of the look she now had ... and yet it almost seemed as if she was playing with her food.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"I know I should be able to handle fear, but I can't survive against the strong like you can. Not yet, anyways. Pain's a different matter. Doc Flan raised me, and I trained under Tasure. Dealing with it is second nature at this point."

There was confidence in Chuan's voice and expression now, even as his friend spoke of the consequences. It seemed like even he could find his spine every once in a while.

"I figured that it'd be the case, but I'm using my techniques in a different way. All I need to do is induce focus so that the effects will be less noticeable to us. The blood will flow untainted all the same. Trust me, Ishtar. We could handle it without aid, but this is an act of courtesy. No need to feel guilty about hurting us!"

Ishtar blinked.

"You are not allowed to alter the vessels at all, Chuan. You will handle it without aid if you mean to contribute."

[Eternal Torment]

Ishtar blinked.

"You are not allowed to alter the vessels at all, Chuan. You will handle it without aid if you mean to contribute."

"Oh. Well, I must've misheard a few parts. Gosh, I was getting all excited to show off, too." Chuan laughed it off, embarrassed but still resolute. "Still a cinch. If nothing else, I can sit there and take it like a champ. You can count on that, at least!"

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Zaofan offers a friendly smile of affirmation to Chuan and Totoma. "Let's do it. And now to try to find the kitchen."

He then bows respectfully to Chuan and motions to Totoma towards the door. "After you, my young friend."

Totoma nods and exits. He looked around for... likely places the kitchen could be. Logically, it would be near the mess hall or... cafeteria or whatever they called the room they were just in. Though, with a place this advanced, they might have done away with such things. Or perhaps repurposed it.

"So... guess we just try every door we can until we find what we're looking for?" His tail wagged idly behind him. "...heh, ya know, this is off-topic, but I wonder how pissed Kari's gonna be that I... sort of left her out of the loop when it came to Jagam."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The small kitchen is connected to the commissary. It’s easy enough to find. Fairly spartan though.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar nodded. Vaguely familiar from a book on myths, was better than they had at the moment.

"By chance, would you happen to have, or know, where this information might be ?"

He gestures to a room back the way they came.

“Storage probably. Took it from a ruined library. Put it in storage as a relic.”

He leads them out of the cryo-Room and storage the room Parsley is in.

“Here, we can look.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Parsley immediately moved to look through one of the data pads. Perhaps it had some kind of useful information about this world, or this building in particular.

The art was nice to look at. It wasn't something she had particular interest in, but she could at least appreciate how someone like this man would want to keep it around as momentos or keepsakes to remind himself of what he lost.

In a way, it seemed like a punishment. It was a constant reminder that he would forever be the only person left on this damned world.

The data pads are similar but different to the ones she was used to using. After a while, just as Wilhelm and Ishtar (and anyone else who followed) walk in she figures out how to open it.

The first pad is a schematic for the long rifle that Wilhelm used. Something called a Maelstrom Longarm that fires special anti-magic and anti-ki beams.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The data pads are similar but different to the ones she was used to using. After a while, just as Wilhelm and Ishtar (and anyone else who followed) walk in she figures out how to open it.

The first pad is a schematic for the long rifle that Wilhelm used. Something called a Maelstrom Longarm that fires special anti-magic and anti-ki beams.

Just as the man walks in with Ishtar, Parsley figured out how to turn the pad on. It wasn't entirely different from the ones she was used to, but different enough for her to have some trouble.

The one she was holding was a set of plans for something called the Maelstrom Longarm, which fired anti-magic and anti-ki bullets. Clearly the weapon he used to kill several of those creatures earlier. "I'd like these schematics, if that's ok. We can always use something similar on my world," she said to Wilhelm.

She closed that one and set it down close to her, then looked at another one.

[grampagen]

Because of this, he sees the great wounded city is large, easily as large as Capital City back hiome. Almost the entire city is rust and ruin, but a faint glimmer on the other side shows a lake and some few living trees. A portion over there seems less ruined than the others too, and Ochazuke sees the biker angling his way towards it.

Some small speck of life remains, it seems.

Set apart from the rust-red there was a small verdant space. Life perseveres, though to what extent? Their benefactor had brought them into their fold, what was the reason?

The stars beyond the blood-red sky turned as they ever would, and Ochazuke could only grit his teeth with a terse exhale.

It would be spellcraft. The method of sorcery he knew only the shape of, the course of magic twist around and through the natural world. Yet one who would fall to Earth and proclaim their superiority only to seize upon these forces to upend and bind them to their will spoke to him only as sheer desperation.

Jagam wrought this spell and sent us here.

Their banishment to this place brought his mind to a harrowing thought; that perhaps, this dead world was one the Threshlings knew well.

Scanning the horizon for threats, once satisfied Ochazuke returned to join the others. Perhaps the mysterious sniper could shed some light upon this matter, but for the silence of that peripheral one in their midst.

[Yun Lao]

They were on another world (again), although this one was far bleaker. Charco chose to do nothing, taking a seat and observing the others for the time being as they fiddled, prodded, and asked their poor host every question that came to mind, clearly ignoring the fact that the guy had been nervous just letting them inside. A habitual glance of his communicator was given, despite knowing that nothing would be displayed other than its offline capabilities.

"So what's the plan? Get a ship like last time?" Unaware of just where they were at, he inwardly groaned at the thought of another long trip back to Earth.

---

Meanwhile, Quila chose to remain outside during this time, surveying various things such as soil composition, changes of wind direction (if there were any) and whatever data he could find on the local flora and fauna. So far, what information he gleaned from this planet was that it was old, extremely old. Older than most of the planets he has encountered put together.

Aged magic was a dangerous thing, and with what conversations he could hear from inside, the situation was dire for the local inhabitants of this world. Should he manage to get in contact with the Tavern Star in time, Quila would put in a request to aid this planet next. Unfortunately, his connection to home base was non-existent currently.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

He gestures to a room back the way they came.

“Storage probably. Took it from a ruined library. Put it in storage as a relic.”

He leads them out of the cryo-Room and storage the room Parsley is in.

“Here, we can look.”

"It is appreciated. Anything on the old magic of this world is worthwhile as well." Ishtar comments as she follows Wilhelm into the room ...

Only to find Parsley fishing through things.

"Hello Parsley," the Oni comments before slipping past her.

"Find anything of worth ?"

[MrSandman]

"No, ignorance is merely a lack of information or understanding. Stubbornness is more what you are speaking to." Ishtar replied with a humorless stare. "You will have time, regardless. I must first understand the magic contained with the wards. It is as old as I am, and certainly powerful."

"Stubborn, honestly I can't argue with that." Etrina managed to chuckle at that. "But in this case it'll be my stubbornness versus the universes....so perhaps I have a fighting chance."

Ishtar stared at Jack, and Chuan a moment before nodding slowly.

"... I see no reason to deny you. You must know however, the price." The Oni stated, before nodding once more. "As stated, the blood must be fresh, untainted. So you must bleed as I draw the sigil, no sooner. Beyond this ... the wounds cannot be healed, in full, until the spell has been completed. The blood is important, as is its source; and stopping the flow will lessen the effects." The Oni said trailing off to consider something a moment, before looking to Chuan.

"You must bleed. It will hurt. Is this understood ?"

"....How vexing...." Etrina listened in while pondering the implications. "Then I assume simply time freezing blood post extraction is useless.....freshness isn't enough, it requires a concurrent flow of blood, which means something is present with the blood that is only there as long as the wound is fresh and the blood is flowing. Something that keeps the wound open while being utilized....and outward flow of energy......"

Etrina began walking back and forth, eyes closed and ears open. "Perhaps by invoking blood magic through a flow of blood....it is using the blood as a medium to also move about source of energy, perhaps life energy or ki.....when the wound closes, it can no longer conduct energy from the caster. Hypothetically speaking then....if I were to create a makeshift link through vitalmancy and enrich a canister of extracted blood with a steam of life energy and THEN find a way to contain that energy without allowing dissipation..........the cairne system was able to absorb and contain live energy......perhaps if I.....then maybe....."

Trailing off, Etrina founds the closest flat surface, whipped out her notes and began somethings down.

"All he has is words. He knows he will never be what he wishes to. Not so long as I am alive ..." Ishtar replied with a knowing smirk, at Sasheem. The way the Oni spoke now was a shift however, though perhaps one more fitting of the look she now had ... and yet it almost seemed as if she was playing with her food.

"Honestly...I think he'd have an easier time staying her and becoming the God of Destruction.....I'm sure this dead world could use a garbage incinerator." Etrina commented offhand.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"It is appreciated. Anything on the old magic of this world is worthwhile as well." Ishtar comments as she follows Wilhelm into the room ...

Only to find Parsley fishing through things.

"Hello Parsley," the Oni comments before slipping past her.

"Find anything of worth ?"

"Yes, actually," Parsley answered. "The schematics needed to build that rifle of his. Something like that, or even something similar can be of great use to the Saiyans."

It would be no trouble at all for Turrip to emulate. Once they did, no one would be able to use any annoying spells to stifle their dominance. In fact, she may use one herself.

Of course, this was all assuming Sarada and every other Saiyan like her could get over their ego and recognize the value of such technology.

[grampagen]

“The Cairn Yard is old, thousands of years, and one of several around the world. Ancient legends of Terra, young and new, being the battleground of people from the Heavens. The losers lay buried, kept down by old Ward Stones. That’s what the Legends said.”

“As to the rest, how we ended, simple: worn down. Five hundred years ago, a Saiyan came to Terra and rained hell upon it. Golden haired, green eyed, impossibly strong. But Terra prevailed, beat him and his men, used the old Cairn Yard across the continent to drain him, make him weak and then let it devour him while we took his power. That was a mistake, as the old ward stones couldn’t be activated again easily. Still, even in defeat, Terra was known now by the universe. Others came to conquer, Icejin, Threshling, First Race remnants. Again and again, Terra threw them back and again and again we lost some of ourselves. It was like a plague or sickness filled their minds, such was their want for this world. Hundreds of years of driving different invaders away, until only we remained here alongside our weapons and war machines we had made to defend us. And then some became consumed by that same sickness and turned on the rest of us. Atomic and arcane fire rained down, Terra warred with itself, and when the last fight was fought.....only I remained. Last man standing in a dead world. Two hundred years ago.”

Hearing Wilhelm's recollection of what hell had transpired, it brought some comfort that this Earth would surrender no less than their own; a sentiment that grew increasingly bitter as the tale lengthened and the truth was unveiled.

From one world to the next, it never changes.

On and on it went, those with power lashed out to subjugate those they could, their power validated only in shed blood and fallen bodies of others. One world resists, and another seeks to prove their mettle through casting them down as if that was the summit of their meaning. One proud people after another extinguished, throwing themselves to their doom.

So the power of this planet drawn through the Cairn Yard took as much from this planet as it did the invaders. Ochazuke's folded arms shuddered briefly as he felt the scars running through his heart burn.

"My condolences," he said simply. Fear, as ever, is the death of pride. "The hunger of irrational, diseased minds swallow all else in its wake, and the many shall always suffer for it."

Surely there was more to it than that savage impulse?

"The First Race? That is a bold title. What can you tell us about them?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Another data-pad had a long history of the Royal Arms he was part of, a military that protected the King and Queen.