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

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

"A layered ward, hm?" Magical defenses of this caliber were only devised for the most dangerous of beings. She supposed Etrina Alter fit into that category.

Brute force obviously wouldn't work. Anti-magic seemed the way to go. A small, localized point should have opened a doorway big enough for them to all slip through. Since it wasn't Etrina's magic, but rather some other party's, she shouldn't detect them when they enter. That was unless she had some kind of surveillance spells up and running.

She cracked her knuckles and gently placed her hands on the dome. "Focus here," she said to Nevanlinna. The next moment, Muda Phase Two began to drain a 5 ft. x 5 ft. area in order to open a doorway for them to enter.

Nevanlinna nodded and focused her Null Magic on the area Parsley had designated. Since this was not a battle situation, she could take the time to 'weave' the Null Magic so that it did not... potentially conflict with Parsley's efforts, or... potentially cause the entire barrier to catastrophically fail, though she doubted that even she had the raw power to do that.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Since the Oni could not lie, Parsley took her at her word when she said she understood. It was more than simply witnessing the deaths of countless civilizations at their own hand, she reckoned. She nodded, then thought it over.

While she just wanted this all to be over and done with already, she knew that it wouldn't happen over night. There was a lot going on that she needed to work through before she was finally resembling the person she was before. At least as far as confidence and the ability to sleep without worry went. "If you can help me get a few hours of rest, then that would be acceptable," she eventually said. "What do you propose?"

Ishtar offered a small smile, when Parsley expressed interest; and after considering what options she had to offer settled on one she had used at least once before.

Tonight, at least, I can quiet your mind by 'sharing' in your pain." The Oni explained. "It will allow you to sleep dreamlessly. From there I should think it would be up to you whether or not you would wish to do it tomorrow night, and the night after ..." etc. "But for the short-term it will suffice."

Ishtar pasued, as she considered something else ... a room she'd largely forgotten since the one and only time she'd used it, but one that might prove beneficial for Parsley.

"Starting tomorrow I would also recommend using the White-Gold Room, the Pendulum Room, I think it is called. Though that can wait until you have slept some, yes ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Dash gave her a skewed looked, "Don'tca' mean the mages did good work? Or are we gettin' a little boy crazy in our old age?"

Alt Dash grins.

“Bit of both.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Totoma floated near the barrier, waiting for Parsley and Nevanlinna to do their work. Alternate Ochazuke explained the various means he and, uh, ALTotoma had used to try to pierce the barrier. Brute force didn't work, neither did striking at weak points, teleportation... heh, well, he didn't know much about magic, but it seemed like a pretty solid defense. Though, something seemed... off?

"Okay, uh, so... this is a magical barrier meant to keep things out... or in, right? Pretty much Etrina proof. But, uh... I would assume her monsters are magical in nature, so how in the heck is she getting them through the barrier, and why doesn't she just use whatever that method is to get herself out?"

“Because the spells keep ‘her’ inside. Doesn’t say anything about creatures she summons or creates.” Alt Dash says.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

“Because the spells keep ‘her’ inside. Doesn’t say anything about creatures she summons or creates.” Alt Dash says.

"I see," said Totoma, glancing at the barrier. He hoped the mages erected this thing in haste, because that loophole is a doozy. Really should've seen it coming. Of course, the idea of just... letting this fester was...

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head. Seriously, if he was still around when his alternate counterpart returned, he was going to hit him again... and again... and again... and again for not nipping this in the bud, one way or another.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"I see," said Totoma, glancing at the barrier. He hoped the mages erected this thing in haste, because that loophole is a doozy. Really should've seen it coming. Of course, the idea of just... letting this fester was...

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head. Seriously, if he was still around when his alternate counterpart returned, he was going to hit him again... and again... and again... and again for not nipping this in the bud, one way or another.

Garnish speaks up.

“Just to point out that Uncle tried. He did try to get through the wards to no avail. Kind of another reason to get Slak here and dragon balls again.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

With a wave Grinthorn starts to disappear.

“If you change your mind, Ishtar, you know how to get ahold of me. Until then.”

And he’s gone.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

With a wave Grinthorn starts to disappear.

“If you change your mind, Ishtar, you know how to get ahold of me. Until then.”

And he’s gone.

Pinach sighed with relief. "He's finally gone. Good! And it's a good thing he decided not to cause any trouble, or else we'd have to get him the business! Right, Rutaba?"

"Right!"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

With a wave Grinthorn starts to disappear.

“If you change your mind, Ishtar, you know how to get ahold of me. Until then.”

And he’s gone.

When Alakazah disappeared, Ishtar turned to Zurvan.

"The number of times this has happened in recent months is far too high, Zurvan, these entities who were once hidden deciding now is the time to reawaken ... Is the plan between Sihn and yourself to simply hope for the best that I -- and everyone else -- are not simply killed outright ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

When Alakazah disappeared, Ishtar turned to Zurvan.

"The number of times this has happened in recent months is far too high, Zurvan, these entities who were once hidden deciding now is the time to reawaken ... Is the plan between Sihn and yourself to simply hope for the best that I -- and everyone else -- are not simply killed outright ?"

Zurvan shakes his head.

“Most of this was not foreseen. I believe Sakin has been....nudging things to provoke incidents in order to hamper us. Before all this your path was much easier, I assure you.”

[Tami]

Zurvan shakes his head.

“Most of this was not foreseen. I believe Sakin has been....nudging things to provoke incidents in order to hamper us. Before all this your path was much easier, I assure you.”

Meagan looks to Jinzi, "I can see why Grinthorn is dangerous. Are you alright?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Meagan looks to Jinzi, "I can see why Grinthorn is dangerous. Are you alright?"

“What are you talking about?”

It dawnw on the Guardains, Zurvan, Reimi, and Ishtar that everyone else doesn’t recall what just happened. Their memories unable to hold onto Gribthorn’s true identity. Their minds blank if you bring it up.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Zurvan shakes his head.

“Most of this was not foreseen. I believe Sakin has been....nudging things to provoke incidents in order to hamper us. Before all this your path was much easier, I assure you.”

"Well as it goes now," Ishtar replied, "we will be dead before what you hope for comes to pass." The Oni glanced at the others, a moment before mumbling.

"And you know as well as I do, for you taught it to me after all; that this path I am on is hardly easy. The Universe has been decaying for one-hundred thousand years. How many more beings like Alakazah, Auroc, Nergal, and Sakin will there be yet to root out ? To to say nothing of those like Koorimaru ..." the Oni trailed off, with a sigh.

"Tell me, do you know what it was he found ?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Ishtar offered a small smile, when Parsley expressed interest; and after considering what options she had to offer settled on one she had used at least once before.

Tonight, at least, I can quiet your mind by 'sharing' in your pain." The Oni explained. "It will allow you to sleep dreamlessly. From there I should think it would be up to you whether or not you would wish to do it tomorrow night, and the night after ..." etc. "But for the short-term it will suffice."

Ishtar pasued, as she considered something else ... a room she'd largely forgotten since the one and only time she'd used it, but one that might prove beneficial for Parsley.

"Starting tomorrow I would also recommend using the White-Gold Room, the Pendulum Room, I think it is called. Though that can wait until you have slept some, yes ?"

This was the first Parsley had heard of this Pendulum Room. Questions abounded; mainly concerning what it was, how it worked, and how it could help her. Those would have to wait. She wasn't up for much thinking at the moment. Her head bobbed up and down. "Share my pain. With you." She sighed. "Fine. I don't have any other ideas. What do I have to do?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well as it goes now," Ishtar replied, "we will be dead before what you hope for comes to pass." The Oni glanced at the others, a moment before mumbling.

"And you know as well as I do, for you taught it to me after all; that this path I am on is hardly easy. The Universe has been decaying for one-hundred thousand years. How many more beings like Alakazah, Auroc, Nergal, and Sakin will there be yet to root out ? To to say nothing of those like Koorimaru ..." the Oni trailed off, with a sigh.

"Tell me, do you know what it was he found ?"

“And need I remind you that none, save Auroc technically, are your responsibility. Sakin, Alakazah are mine and Sihn’s, while Nergal should have been ours.”

“As to what he found...the amulet. The last of the hunted who changed into artifacts to hide. The Amulet of Bitter Mourning.”