Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Once the infighting ceased(if one could call it that) it was back to the thick of things. The whole place set Aleka on edge when she got there but she wasn't sure what in particular besides the obvious of being in enemy turf. She couldn't guess what they would face inside once it came time, their foe was already clever enough to create all matter of things and here they were closer then ever.

She tried to touch some of the material here, to see if she picked up anything remotely useful.



If was nothing else, the scene almost reminded her of the horror movies where people split up and were horribly butchered. Ochazuke was suggesting a split reminded her of that but she couldn't fault the logic behind it in this case. It sounded like there was someone here that needed help, but what? A prisoner? Something else. Time was of the essence which made it more annoying, time was a luxury they didn't have ample amount of.

"I agree. It's frustrating we're so in the dark however.." She grunted, crossing her arms. "The question is how do we split of who be more effective of facing the doctor versus checking out this disturbance. Did you feel anything else by the one with sorrow?"

A flash as she touches the surface. Of living entities taken, some against their will, towards the path filled with anguish. A feeling some might still live down that path.

[grampagen]

Once the infighting ceased(if one could call it that) it was back to the thick of things. The whole place set Aleka on edge when she got there but she wasn't sure what in particular besides the obvious of being in enemy turf. She couldn't guess what they would face inside once it came time, their foe was already clever enough to create all matter of things and here they were closer then ever.

She tried to touch some of the material here, to see if she picked up anything remotely useful.



If was nothing else, the scene almost reminded her of the horror movies where people split up and were horribly butchered. Ochazuke was suggesting a split reminded her of that but she couldn't fault the logic behind it in this case. It sounded like there was someone here that needed help, but what? A prisoner? Something else. Time was of the essence which made it more annoying, time was a luxury they didn't have ample amount of.

"I agree. It's frustrating we're so in the dark however.." She grunted, crossing her arms. "The question is how do we split of who be more effective of facing the doctor versus checking out this disturbance. Did you feel anything else by the one with sorrow?"

Ochazuke shook his head. "That is a matter we may not be able to determine until we face it directly," he said. "Truthfully, we have little more of an idea of what the Doctor can do than the nature of this creature. But there's no sense dwelling upon it. "

His eyes narrowed. Disdainfully, he thumbed his nose before casting his gaze over the forked path. "We are here, now, and must face it for what it is. If we do not, nobody else will."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Etrina let out a sigh, rubbed her fingers against her forehead and then chuckled, and for a moment only Ishtar could feel something happen. A small, inconsequential change....but one none the less.

"Trying to call dibs with a time mage....too bad, I'll always call it first." Etrina chuckled to herself. ".....Don't worry, I'll keep you two in mind when I sell it, top on the list too...." She gave Held a wink and Jinzi a pat on the back before moving on to the mission.

Ishtar bristled when the timeline rippled, the distortion but remained in place long enough to confirm it was nothing more than the actions of a child, and not The Doctor's opening move; and once she was sure.

Etrina heard it clear as day. "Child, now is not the place."

They enter into this darkened room, the door sealing behind them as the Coldlight retracts the docking tube and takes off back into space.

Parsley, Ochazuke, your various means of observation seem...dulled. Parsley, you only get a few fuzzy images of the Doctor, some weaponized machines, and one Arcosian looking creature.

Ochazuke, your senses can only see that there are two ways to go. Left seems to go downwards, and you get a sense of despair and sorrow and pain from there. Right leads towards the Doctor, according to the Namekian Artifact.

How curious. The atmosphere of these corridors was decisively oppressive, a phenomenon he had not encountered in the greater nebula that housed the Doctor's Lair. An effect of the alloys smelted by the shipyard's forge, perhaps? Or was this by a particular design?

"There are two paths," Ochazuke relaid, his tone particularly grim. "I can lead the way to the Doctor...though it has become quite clear that he is not alone. There is something else here, deeper in the heart of the facility. A presence filled with...anguish and despair."

Ochazuke drew in a long, slow breath, and as he did, he reached out his field of sense-awareness yet again. Trying to glean answers from these halls is fruitless. But Ishtar had said this was the nursery of stars. Silently, he sunk back on his heels, searching for a certain resonance within the stellar matter with Muhen Seikai Keihatsu*. These nascent energies, could it be called living presence in this place? Might they yet form some subliminal will?

Returning to the more immediate matter, he spoke to it directly.

"We'll need two teams," he said flatly, before asking "Parsley, have you found any other information?"

*Muhen Seikai Keihatsu interfaces with the living will of a planet; would a cosmic body also have a genius loci of sorts?

A few moments or silence, so Ochazuke and Parsley might better appraise their situation; and her 'brother' spoke first: two paths, two teams.

Determining who might go where however, was certainly problematic ... and given what they knew of the Doctor and his allies, choosing wrong in this moment might seal the fate of this -- and several other -- universe. So after a moment, the golden-eyed Oni offered her own input.

"I would confirm if my ... kin, are here." And without saying names, they all would know who. The Goddess of Ruination, and the Cannibal, Marduk. So with that, she turned and cast her own net. Opening her mind, and extending her senses to catch what the others might have missed. Though her search was ... not as pointed, the glowing-horn Oni hoping to touch her mind to anyone or anything that might offer insight into which path might be best for whom.

To say nothing of locating the fetid stink of ancient black magics.

OT: Ishtar's using TP/Magical senses, nothing more.

[KingofPie]

How curious. The atmosphere of these corridors was decisively oppressive, a phenomenon he had not encountered in the greater nebula that housed the Doctor's Lair. An effect of the alloys smelted by the shipyard's forge, perhaps? Or was this by a particular design?

"There are two paths," Ochazuke relaid, his tone particularly grim. "I can lead the way to the Doctor...though it has become quite clear that he is not alone. There is something else here, deeper in the heart of the facility. A presence filled with...anguish and despair."

Ochazuke drew in a long, slow breath, and as he did, he reached out his field of sense-awareness yet again. Trying to glean answers from these halls is fruitless. But Ishtar had said this was the nursery of stars. Silently, he sunk back on his heels, searching for a certain resonance within the stellar matter with Muhen Seikai Keihatsu*. These nascent energies, could it be called living presence in this place? Might they yet form some subliminal will?

Returning to the more immediate matter, he spoke to it directly.

"We'll need two teams," he said flatly, before asking "Parsley, have you found any other information?"

*Muhen Seikai Keihatsu interfaces with the living will of a planet; would a cosmic body also have a genius loci of sorts?

"Anguish and despair..." Blizzar snorted. "Certainly sounds like sort of place to kill an old friend," he wagered.

A few moments or silence, so Ochazuke and Parsley might better appraise their situation; and her 'brother' spoke first: two paths, two teams.

Determining who might go where however, was certainly problematic ... and given what they knew of the Doctor and his allies, choosing wrong in this moment might seal the fate of this -- and several other -- universe. So after a moment, the golden-eyed Oni offered her own input.

"I would confirm if my ... kin, are here." And without saying names, they all would know who. The Goddess of Ruination, and the Cannibal, Marduk. So with that, she turned and cast her own net. Opening her mind, and extending her senses to catch what the others might have missed. Though her search was ... not as pointed, the glowing-horn Oni hoping to touch her mind to anyone or anything that might offer insight into which path might be best for whom.

To say nothing of locating the fetid stink of ancient black magics.

"Little jabrONI looks for the big jabrONI? Sounds like a plan," the Majin smirked at Ishtar, cranking his arm to and fro in excitement. "Sasheem's not gonna sit on his ass this time and let you have all the fun hitting yourself. And if we gotta stomp an old **** into the dirt along the way,that's fine by him!"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

" I'll take the second path," Althena said.

( Man, why couldn't The Doctor's lair be tidy and clean. This place makes me feel like I'm in one of Mirua's graphic novels,) Praxat thought.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar bristled when the timeline rippled, the distortion but remained in place long enough to confirm it was nothing more than the actions of a child, and not The Doctor's opening move; and once she was sure.

Etrina heard it clear as day. "Child, now is not the place."





A few moments or silence, so Ochazuke and Parsley might better appraise their situation; and her 'brother' spoke first: two paths, two teams.

Determining who might go where however, was certainly problematic ... and given what they knew of the Doctor and his allies, choosing wrong in this moment might seal the fate of this -- and several other -- universe. So after a moment, the golden-eyed Oni offered her own input.

"I would confirm if my ... kin, are here." And without saying names, they all would know who. The Goddess of Ruination, and the Cannibal, Marduk. So with that, she turned and cast her own net. Opening her mind, and extending her senses to catch what the others might have missed. Though her search was ... not as pointed, the glowing-horn Oni hoping to touch her mind to anyone or anything that might offer insight into which path might be best for whom.

To say nothing of locating the fetid stink of ancient black magics.

OT: Ishtar's using TP/Magical senses, nothing more.

‘Ishtar’

‘Ishtar’

‘Ishtar’

A thousand whispers of her name, almost enough to drive her mad.

Over and over again her name whispers in her mind, drawing her mental search hither and yaw, until she finds her mental self standing within a ruined workshop. In the middle sits a familiar black armed Oni, surrounded by a circle of ill lit runes. Resting open before him within the circle is a tome of spells.

He looks up.

“Ishtar.”

And smiles. From behind him steps another Oni, though this one looks different than the norm.



Ishtar knows him. Teshub, one who watched over the worst of the worst souls in HFIL. One who long ago betrayed his position.

He nods to her.

“Ishtar.”

At his side is Bloodwrath, the Cursed Blade, an ancient artifact stolen from HFIL by Teshub when he fled. Of demon make, it glows with the taint of blood magic.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

They enter into this darkened room, the door sealing behind them as the Coldlight retracts the docking tube and takes off back into space.

Parsley, Ochazuke, your various means of observation seem...dulled. Parsley, you only get a few fuzzy images of the Doctor, some weaponized machines, and one Arcosian looking creature.

Ochazuke, your senses can only see that there are two ways to go. Left seems to go downwards, and you get a sense of despair and sorrow and pain from there. Right leads towards the Doctor, according to the Namekian Artifact.

The images Parsley divined were far more fuzzy and unclear than she would have liked, but she was still able to glean useful information. She witnessed The Doctor with some kind of weaponized machines. Preparation for the final battle, perhaps? With him was a creature of some sort. She was unable to discern exactly what it was, but it appeared Arcosian in nature.

Another hybrid abomination without doubt.

She continued her images and attempted to clear her focus. What did these machines and this creature look like?

"We'll need two teams," he said flatly, before asking "Parsley, have you found any other information?"

*Muhen Seikai Keihatsu interfaces with the living will of a planet; would a cosmic body also have a genius loci of sorts?

Ochazuke's voice pierced her focus, and with it came a question and suggestion. First, the question. "I see The Doctor," she responded, sounding distracted and distant as she continued to peer. "He has machines of war with him... and a Frost Demon..."

As for the suggestion, she had no answer as of yet. Two teams was a sound idea. They could cover more ground and solve more problems that way.

[Tami]

The images Parsley divined were far more fuzzy and unclear than she would have liked, but she was still able to glean useful information. She witnessed The Doctor with some kind of weaponized machines. Preparation for the final battle, perhaps? With him was a creature of some sort. She was unable to discern exactly what it was, but it appeared Arcosian in nature.

Another hybrid abomination without doubt.

She continued her images and attempted to clear her focus. What did these machines and this creature look like?



Ochazuke's voice pierced her focus, and with it came a question and suggestion. First, the question. "I see The Doctor," she responded, sounding distracted and distant as she continued to peer. "He has machines of war with him... and a Frost Demon..."

As for the suggestion, she had no answer as of yet. Two teams was a sound idea. They could cover more ground and solve more problems that way.

Dash was impatient to get going, they were already visible to the enemy, standing out in the open as they were. She was on the verge of taking off on her own, but she held back and waited. She expected the Saiyan sisters to split up, each lead a team. If they took off, she would follow.

[Sion Reaver]

A flash as she touches the surface. Of living entities taken, some against their will, towards the path filled with anguish. A feeling some might still live down that path.

Ochazuke shook his head. "That is a matter we may not be able to determine until we face it directly," he said. "Truthfully, we have little more of an idea of what the Doctor can do than the nature of this creature. But there's no sense dwelling upon it. "

His eyes narrowed. Disdainfully, he thumbed his nose before casting his gaze over the forked path. "We are here, now, and must face it for what it is. If we do not, nobody else will."

Aleka had to agree and she didn't have too much to add to what the man had already said, there wasn't much of a need to. However, she did feel she needed to give some two cents of something she had felt which coincided with what he did. "When I used my ability, I also saw..flashes. It seems some were taken against there will there. If I had to make a educated guess, maybe some of those in despair are still here. More then that..maybe they were taken because they be useful for some of their..projects."

The last part was said with disgust, but it made logical sense.

Karine that news who was silent for the most part seemed pensive. "...I can imagine a great many of things on that front but all of them are increasingly unpleasant scenarios."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Dash, coming up behind Sarada, spoke softly, "Anyone in favor of moving in fast an hitting em hard? Or are we gonna take the slow an cautious path?"

"We have one chance to get this right, Dash," Sarada intoned. "We should at least wait until Parsley and Ochazuke learn everything they can about this place." It was like standing still while a million itches were irritating her body. She wanted to scratch them, but knew that going in blind and on partial information was going to get her killed. Her position wouldn't allow that. She had too many people waiting on her to return to even consider it. "Just wait."

[Tami]

"We have one chance to get this right, Dash," Sarada intoned. "We should at least wait until Parsley and Ochazuke learn everything they can about this place." It was like standing still while a million itches were irritating her body. She wanted to scratch them, but knew that going in blind and on partial information was going to get her killed. Her position wouldn't allow that. She had too many people waiting on her to return to even consider it. "Just wait."

Dash's body movements went still as she willed herself to be patient. It would be clear that Dash was following Sarada's lead.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

‘Ishtar’

‘Ishtar’

‘Ishtar’

A thousand whispers of her name, almost enough to drive her mad.

Over and over again her name whispers in her mind, drawing her mental search hither and yaw, until she finds her mental self standing within a ruined workshop. In the middle sits a familiar black armed Oni, surrounded by a circle of ill lit runes. Resting open before him within the circle is a tome of spells.

He looks up.

“Ishtar.”

And smiles. From behind him steps another Oni, though this one looks different than the norm.



Ishtar knows him. Teshub, one who watched over the worst of the worst souls in HFIL. One who long ago betrayed his position.

He nods to her.

“Ishtar.”

At his side is Bloodwrath, the Cursed Blade, an ancient artifact stolen from HFIL by Teshub when he fled. Of demon make, it glows with the taint of blood magic.

It caught her off guard in the moment, the whispering of the damned, all chanting her name.

Ishtar.

Yet the time for madness had come and gone some days ago, when her world and the view she had fashioned of it came crashing down when lies -- many, and intricate -- had the light of truth shown on them. So she grit her teeth, and followed the whispers; paying no mind to the whispered chants, Ishtar, Ishtar until she at last found what she had set out in search of: Marduk, the Cannibal.

And he was not alone.

Teshub.

Of more worry than the Oathbreaker however, was the weapon he carried. Bloodwrarh, the Demon Blade. An artifact she knew well given its reputation; to say nothing of its desire to consume the blood of any and all. And in seeing the three of them ... Ishtar's golden-eyes seemed to darken. 'Marduk. Teshub. I will see you shortly.'

As for the suggestion, she had no answer as of yet. Two teams was a sound idea. They could cover more ground and solve more problems that way.

Still connected with Marduk, and Teshub -- in order to pinpoint their location -- Ishtar turned towards the others (even Sasheem) and spoke quickly.

"Parsley, Sasheem, Etrina. With me." Ishtar said, adding yet another team (?) to the mix. "Marduk is here, and he is not alone. Another Oni, Teshub and a cursed weapon stand with him." She explained, quickly. "As confident as I am he could be handled alone ... I will need your help."

[KingofPie]

"If either one of you could assist me in pinpointing the whereabouts of Kenbo, I'd be most grateful," Blizzar inquired. Due to his cyborg nature, the Arcosian figured searching for his energy signature was a pointless endeavor.

Still connected with Marduk, and Teshub -- in order to pinpoint their location -- Ishtar turned towards the others (even Sasheem) and spoke quickly.

"Parsley, Sasheem, Etrina. With me." Ishtar said, adding yet another team (?) to the mix. "Marduk is here, and he is not alone. Another Oni, Teshub and a cursed weapon stand with him." She explained, quickly. "As confident as I am he could be handled alone ... I will need your help."

"Tch..." Sasheem grunted placing his hands in his pockets. "First off! You don't give me orders!" he snarled...and then grinned after a moment. "But since Sasheem is such a nice guy, he'll help you out. Y'know. Considering you already know you'll probably be dead without him," he sighed with a smug shrug.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Blizzar, an old trick pings on your comm system. Several rapid beeps, then silence.

Kenbo signaling you, like in the old times.

Telling you to head towards the path with the anguish.

[grampagen]

Deep, as if something stirred from a great rest, Ochazuke gets a faint stirring of....something. Old, ancient, long past itÂ’s time but lingering still. A sense of millions of hours forging, creating, birthing an endless stream of ships, machines, and other things fills his mind. Of creation for creations sake, not for malice or greed or love, but for the pure purpose of creation.

Though his initial pursuit granted only a cursory appraisal of the ancient shipyard, Ochazuke, reaching his sublime sense into the ancient alloys that made up this place. There was something in the makeup of this sequestered forge. Like the whispers of the Earth, this place too had an unspoken voice, a lingering spirit from long ago.

He saw it clearly then, spiraling forward to some purpose yet undecided. Unrefined, propelling to a destination yet unfixed. Filtered from the Nebula's swelling of formative energies, written within the very matter of the Doctor's lair was an affect of raw, inexhaustible potential.

Like a

"Anguish and despair..." Blizzar snorted. "Certainly sounds like sort of place to kill an old friend," he wagered."

At Blizzar's statement, he visibly stirred, and his head briefly tilt forward, and his hands bundled into fists as he shuddered.

"So it is."

A few moments or silence, so Ochazuke and Parsley might better appraise their situation; and her 'brother' spoke first: two paths, two teams.

Determining who might go where however, was certainly problematic ... and given what they knew of the Doctor and his allies, choosing wrong in this moment might seal the fate of this -- and several other -- universe. So after a moment, the golden-eyed Oni offered her own input.

"I would confirm if my ... kin, are here." And without saying names, they all would know who. The Goddess of Ruination, and the Cannibal, Marduk. So with that, she turned and cast her own net. Opening her mind, and extending her senses to catch what the others might have missed. Though her search was ... not as pointed, the glowing-horn Oni hoping to touch her mind to anyone or anything that might offer insight into which path might be best for whom.

To say nothing of locating the fetid stink of ancient black magics.

OT: Ishtar's using TP/Magical senses, nothing more.

In that instant, the atmosphere of dark hopelessness started to take a familiar shape.

"There would be interested parties of the hellish sort, wouldn't there," he muttered. "It appears the Doctor's preparation has not come without a sardonic sense of humour."

He who drew from all of time and sought to master the destiny of all, his preparations verged on the prescient. He looked over to Ishtar and Blizzar with a small chuckle. "Perhaps he is bound and determined to set a course for us all, and come calling for you in particular."

The images Parsley divined were far more fuzzy and unclear than she would have liked, but she was still able to glean useful information. She witnessed The Doctor with some kind of weaponized machines. Preparation for the final battle, perhaps? With him was a creature of some sort. She was unable to discern exactly what it was, but it appeared Arcosian in nature.

Another hybrid abomination without doubt.

She continued her images and attempted to clear her focus. What did these machines and this creature look like?



Ochazuke's voice pierced her focus, and with it came a question and suggestion. First, the question. "I see The Doctor," she responded, sounding distracted and distant as she continued to peer. "He has machines of war with him... and a Frost Demon..."

As for the suggestion, she had no answer as of yet. Two teams was a sound idea. They could cover more ground and solve more problems that way.

Arcosian. "Of course he would, cheh," he spat. "He seems fond of allies who purport to be inexhaustible."

Of course, they had already encountered three of his children, and the results spoke for themselves: Glacia, Haru and Koolard were dead, and they were now at his doorstep.

"Of course, the Doctor's idea of perfection is questionable, wouldn't you say? Perhaps he would prefer to take stock of our rebuttal in person."

Aleka had to agree and she didn't have too much to add to what the man had already said, there wasn't much of a need to. However, she did feel she needed to give some two cents of something she had felt which coincided with what he did. "When I used my ability, I also saw..flashes. It seems some were taken against there will there. If I had to make a educated guess, maybe some of those in despair are still here. More then that..maybe they were taken because they be useful for some of their..projects."

The last part was said with disgust, but it made logical sense.

"Only one way to find out," Ochazuke replied to the Acorian. It seems misery breeds company, doubtless the Doctor is trying to turn that to his advantage somehow. Just like the company of invaders that fell over Capital City and the Sheriff, it may not just be the Doctor's allies and creations they had to worry about. "If they can be saved, it may be worth the attempt. Otherwise..."

He stopped short of stating the redudnant, for in the end they all knew what they had to do

Karine that news who was silent for the most part seemed pensive. "...I can imagine a great many of things on that front but all of them are increasingly unpleasant scenarios."

"So it is. Now, what are you going to do about it?" With that Ochazuke turned toward the corridor leading to the Doctor, but not without first casting a look over his shoulder at Karine. "Whatever the case, we've come to fight, and you are a warrior, are you not?"

Beyond the veil of space and time, and headed to the unknown, there remained a consummate maxim in the travels of this company. The only way forward through these odds had become quite clear:

Adapt, or die.