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

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Haden frowns.

“How many of the dragonballs are in your possession? Each was taken by a Palatine and hidden away, and even though most have passed on now for sure, the spheres should have been too well hidden.”

He shakes his head.

“I will help as I can. What help that will be, I cannot say. I am not as powerful as I was.”

"Enough to know they're not as well hidden as you assumed," Inanna said again, carefully. "As several were not found in shrines, but in the possession of others." Circling back around to something of a hanging thread however; the Oni was quick to ask.

"What happened to Durga, and the other five ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Enough to know they're not as well hidden as you assumed," Inanna said again, carefully. "As several were not found in shrines, but in the possession of others." Circling back around to something of a hanging thread however; the Oni was quick to ask.

"What happened to Durga, and the other five ?"

“After what happened, we went home. Some stayed in lose contact.”

He sighs.

“Zxu’ro continued his search for something. A form or power he saw in a vision. One he said his chosen disciples would one day need to know. He vanished after that. Banespell went back to the Darkling homeworld. They are a private race, and he had little wish to remain off planet.”

“Vocado went home and was King of the Saiyans. Cleos went home and passed not long after that. She had been old when she joined our cause, and the strain of what we did ended up being too much. She was a wonderful soul, more our mother than some of our real ones. Kyuubi, like Banespell, went home and never had contact again. From what I understand, she’s more myth than history to her people. As to Durga.....he stayed here a time, then went to a hidden place to guard his dragonball. I and I alone know it’s location. Other than Zxu’ro possibly, he’s the only other Palatine I know is still alive for sure.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

After patching Leon up, Zaofan started to vigorously rub his hands together until a Warm Glowing, Warming Glow fell over his palms. Pressing them into the Shrine Guardian's side, he began to work at the edges of the major wound with Shiatsu Seiten. Supplementing his own ki along with reworking the surface of his exposed flesh, shortly after the bleeding stopped and the healing process got quite a kick.

"A hah! There," he laughed, "Give it a little time and you should be alright." Patting his hands clean, he helped him to his feet.

"A man came here? You must mean Simon Battersea." Though the memory was fresh, a mischievous, thin smile spread across Zaofan's face. "Interesting

As Leon spoke, Ochazuke listened intently. "His chosen disciples?" He repeated the words, but even as they left his lips, something about it beggared belief.

"Hardly. What once was complete has become fractured. That which should have protected this world has instead left it vulnerable," he said. "We were not chosen, no more than my...the Tiger Master."

A low grunt pressed through him as if Ochazuke had been dealt a sharp blow.

"We only seek what was lost. And yet, you speak as if Zxu'ro is somehow still alive."



Returning from cleaning his hands in the stream that ran through the Shrine grounds, Zaofan dabbed his hands dry, and wrung the drying cloth with such vigour, that thick droplets hit the stone.

"Would it kill you to show a little respect? I thought you came hear to learn, but you keep going on like you have it all figured out." Holding the corners taut, he spun the little white rag into a thin, damp spindle. "I'm starting to think the only reason you keep tagging along is because you have literally no other place to go."

With a gentle tug, the towel stopped dead. "And that's really sad, man."

"If they've made their base at the ruins, then doubtless the Red Raiders are already working to decipher the Master's last message," Ochazuke considered. "We may be too late already."

The legacy of the ages was nearly within grasp, but now that they came so close to reaching the end of this to at last realize the truth of the teachings of the Ten Schools, the life he had left behind caught up with him. With a low seethe, he drew his left hand up, laid to rest on the hidden scars over his heart.

The dream of the past cut short a future lost. The reconciliation of the present diverted by the rupture set in the heart of the history of this world. The thoughts ran through his head as he unfurled the scroll.

When Alakazah set his sight upon this world, there were those who refused to forget what they had lost. Hadn't this been what this quest was meant to achieve? And yet between him and Kenshiko, what exactly had been the difference in their pursuit as heirs of the Master's legacy?

It was then that he remembered the first hint they had discovered that set them on the first steps towards mending the wounds left by two-thousand years of war and hatred.



"My comrades and I, our master, we have trained hard. If there is a fight to fall upon our heads, we will stand to oppose it," he said. "But in this battle for the soul of the Earth, fresh blood will not wash away the old."

By Leon's own words, the desire for strength had plagued the craven, the fearful, and power had given them purpose. Those who had sought to affirm their strength had failed to cultivate the qualities with which to wield it, and in the end had found themselves lacking. That was not the sole purpose of this path they walked.

"With Two of the Five Hidden Hands, they may not decipher the Master's message so easily, otherwise, why would they have any need to pursue you and Cinder?" he said. "But there is one place yet that they have not discovered."

He turned to Leon then. Zaofan stood by the Shrine's guardian and Samson Balon, his arms folded.

"Where is the Place of Birth?"

“I speak of him being alive because he is.” Leon says.

The scroll reveals that Charlie Base is located in a hidden mountain valley far away. It is protected from the outside world by impossible to navigate or climb peaks, with only a few hidden paths in and out.

Samson says that the location, if he’s reading it right, is only a half hour at most from their current location.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

At GP HQ Earl hands over the USB drive contain video files, he copied from the Black Diamond's security computer. " That saiyan Sarada and Marasito did a number on the Black Diamond. Nearly jeopardize my entire investigation. I was lucky that the ship's security computer was still working," Earl said.

Meanwhile, on Vumpu, Joe is hugging his grandson." Razz, I'm glad you're alright. " Joe said.

" Yeah This frog girl, a Saiyan and Mister Marasito saved me," Razz said.

Marasito is standing behind Razz," Please call me father," Marasito said.

" I'm never going to call you that, you're not my real father," Razz said.

Razz runs off, and Joe looks at Marasito. " Still refuses to call you his father, huh? Don't, worry the boy will come on eventually. " Joe said.

Marasito sighs." Joe an encountered a Toadian girl onboard the Black Diamond. It had Gold color skin and was wearing a tiara imbued with Iridium diamonds," Marasito said.

" That would be Qaztoh. She was the one who gave a Iridium Diamond to me. The one that was used for Razz's operation." Joe said.

" So I have that Toadian girl to thank for saving my son Razz's life. Razz was suffering from a faulty power cell. If not for that Toadian girl's action. My son wouldn't be here," Marasito said.

" For saving my son's life, she has my gratitude. " Marasito said.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Later Qaztoh is in a GP Cruiser handcuff and on her way to GP HQ. With her is Nadila, who is on her cellphone." Hey, listen, old man. I know I haven't contact you and I ran away from home, but please listen. " Nadila said.

"I need you to do a favor for me. I need you to represent a friend I met three years ago in court. Her name is Qaztoh Zoark, and she's a minor like me. Do this favor for me please, and In exchange, I promise to return home," Nadila said.

" Nadila, I'm going to confessed everything. The physical abuse I, you and the other children received from Sonata, and Von's psychological abuse on us. We both were victims just like the rest of the children that bastard Sonata abducted," Qaztoh said.

OT: For Cleric.

[MrSandman]

Oh yes, of course. That's why we're here. Zaofan mused. Just how long did that vutter lay him out? Whelp, Erosa wouldn't have roped me into this if it wasn't truly important.

Continuing on Shochu's statement, Ochazuke spoke once more. "There is something out there that threatens the world. He may not be one of your Eld Dragons, but he is no less a threat."

The ethereal flame of Karura no Kaen spread invisibly from Ochazuke, the force of the spiritual fire coursing across the four walls and those gathered, until they fell over Morgan herself. "Against the darkness that encroaches upon your Avalon, nothing will be accomplished if we only hide from it."

The emenation of his will seized upon the projected image, seeking to undo the shelter rendered upon them; Through immolation of the lie, purge the impediment to the truth.

"If you do not take us to the Mountain to see to this matter, then what happened here may fall upon the rest of the world as well."

"What.....what happened here?" Morgan stepped back as cold fire consumed the interior of the house. "....You keep saying something happened....but your wrong. Nothing happened!"

The flames spread to along the floors, the walls, the ceiling. "Avalon is still here....Nothing happened."

Furniture, until that point solid, began to lose their forms and crumble to scattering dust. Morgan swatted at he form as the fire converged upon her. "Why.....Why are you doing this. You don't understand....your a stranger. This isn't your land! How could you know anything about this!"

Morgan dropped to her knees as the flames consumed her. "This is my land, this is my entire world. *sob* S..Stop saying it isn't real.....Stop it! StopitStopitStopit! This is everything I have! THIS IS EVERYTHING I HAVE!"

As quickly as it had begun, the fire died. In its wake....the cold biting wind slowly blew down upon them. The ruins stood, much as they had when they first arrived.....barren and broken, the dark sky now visible once more.

On the ground, Morgan lay trembling. Her head tucked firmly between her legs, eyes to the floor unable to bring her gaze up.....tears flowing down her exposed cheeks as she sobbed quietly. The fire had done more then expose the environment, the multihue'd aura that had encompassed her form seemed to have burned away with it.

Now all that remained was Morgan the familiar.



".......*sob*......w...why...." The girl brought her hand up to try and recast the conjuration spell, but couldn't spark the magic necessary to do so. ".....monster.....bully......look what you did....Now its all in a mess a...ag...*sobs*....."

Pushing herself slowly up off the ground, she levels a red eyed, tear stained glare at Ochazuke. "You want to go the mountain. Fine....I'll take you to the mountain. Do...w..whatever you like and then le....leave me alone.....I...I don't care..."

The familiar walked towards the now ruined doorway, clutching at her sides as if she was feeling the cold for the first in in a very long time.....she certainly didn't seemed dressed for it now that they all had a good look at her.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT: For Cleric.

Her father pauses for a long time before answering.

“What are the charges, daughter?”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Her father pauses for a long time before answering.

“What are the charges, daughter?”

"She's charged with aiding and being part of the pirate crew Stratovarius Buccaneers who have been going around abducted children. I was also part of that crew as well, and I regret it," Nadila said in a sincere tone.

"At first, I thought this Sonata guy was a cool dude, but the more I got to know him. The more I realize that he was a monster. I remember him beating Qaztoh, me, and the other children when he didn't obey him. I remember a Bambiluridae name Von messing with my head , Qaztoh, and the other children's heads, " Nadila said in a sincere tone.

" Qaztoh and I are victims in all of this. " Nadila said in a sincere tone. Nadila gives a long pause." She's been attempted to redeem herself," Nadila said.

" She helped save a bunch of the other children that Sonata's crew abducted that were on his ship the Black Diamond. She even gave a GP officer intel on Sonata's hideout," Nadila said in a sincere tone.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"She's charged with aiding and being part of the pirate crew Stratovarius Buccaneers who have been going around abducted children. I was also part of that crew as well, and I regret it," Nadila said in a sincere tone.

"At first, I thought this Sonata guy was a cool dude, but the more I got to know him. The more I realize that he was a monster. I remember him beating Qaztoh, me, and the other children when he didn't obey him. I remember a Bambiluridae name Von messing with my head , Qaztoh, and the other children's heads, " Nadila said in a sincere tone.

" Qaztoh and I are victims in all of this. " Nadila said in a sincere tone. Nadila gives a long pause." She's been attempted to redeem herself," Nadila said.

" She helped save a bunch of the other children that Sonata's crew abducted that were on his ship the Black Diamond. She even gave a GP officer intel on Sonata's hideout," Nadila said in a sincere tone.

He remains silent.

“You worked for a pirate, but claim it was under mind control. That is not an easy defense to prove. I will....attempt to help as best I can, but you might end up reaping what you’ve sown, Daughter.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Meanwhile, on the dead planet, Apox is a lonely tower. On the tower is a plaque that reads Halcyon Tower Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Inside this tower are empty cells and the stench of death. However, below the tower is an underground base.

Where children range from the ages of 12 and 17 are being kept in holding cells. In a war room is Sonata, the real Sonata. Sonata is looking at a map when Pyrrhos walks into the room." Sonata, we have a problem," Pyrrhos said.

" The Black Diamond has been compromised. All children aboard the ship have been free. It's only a matter of time before the Galaxy Police find this place," Pyrrhos said.

Sonata crosses his arms." I see, and since you're the only one here, that means Fang, Von, and Bongo are dead. **** without Von's expertise in psychology," Sonata said.

"I can't condition the children here to obey me or keep control of the ones already under my command," Sonata said.

Pyrrhos places his right hand on Sonata's left shoulder." Captain, options?" Pyrrhos said.

Sonata lowers his head." If this is to be my last stand. I will go down fighting," Sonata said as he turns on the base's defense and weapon systems.

[Yun Lao]

"hurrg.....Your foresight knows no bounds, my lord." Engrevain answered, slightly out of breath. His body didn't particularly care for being dangled like a fish on the hook....but it would take more then that to end him, not with all that was required of him.

"What our paltry camp can offer is yours, should you wish it......With you are our lead, I suspect we'll no longer need to fear what lay in opposition. Morgan." Engrevain turned to his female assistant. "Gather the others....and relay the message to the guide. We move as soon as we are able. I'll not keep our host in waiting."

Engrevain turned his chair to face the distant mountains. "My brethren have ignored the call of history for far too long....today, we'll witness it as it should be, as it was always meant to be"

Inside his pocket, Engrevain momentarily caressed an amulet....stained with age and dry blood. A cold, grey rose. A feeling of comfort washed over him......it would all be over soon.

~~~

As the expedition prepared to follow in Rexs wake, some facts soon became apparent. With the exception of Engrevain himself, and the so called guide whom was waiting somewhere ahead for them....the entirely of the expedition, from the soldiers to the workers to the pack carriers, were all identical. With the majority gathered without their survival equipment on, it was like someone had copy and pasted the same body over and over again.

They collectively referred to themselves as Morgan...a situation that in any other context would lead to mass confusion, and yet when each passed orders to the others or received orders from Engrevain it seemed they immediately understood who was being referred to.

Then again....Engrevain had a habit of always giving his orders to one Morgan specifically that then relayed them. Perhaps there was something underlying to this arrangement.

If such a thing even mattered to Rex.

An expeditionary force had been prepared and was ready to move out. Engrevain directed Rex attention to the entrance to a cave system that lay to the north at the base of the mountains....from which his advance guide had informed him several of the creatures had exited from.

The sun was already close to setting now...

....underground, something was beginning to stir.

He noticed the discrepancy in the humans, or rather the consistency in them. The laborers were identical, their names were identical and aside from the one among their numbers, the old man had chosen to relay his orders to, they lived and breathed to serve the elder. The whole thing reeked of magic, but who else other than magicians would be foolish enough to trek to these dead lands?

Then again, these lands weren't as dead as he originally thought. Rex couldn't explain it, other than his predatory senses, but he could feel something in the earth. Whether it was dormant or resting was unknown, but he had a feeling that might change after sunset. From what the old man had told him, these warped raptors had a nest at the base of the mountain and with evening approaching, he had no doubts that he would eat well tonight.

"How many of your Morgans have you lost to the attacks so far?" Rex asked of Engrevain, curious to know of the survivability of the puppet humans.

[KingofPie]

Returning from cleaning his hands in the stream that ran through the Shrine grounds, Zaofan dabbed his hands dry, and wrung the drying cloth with such vigour, that thick droplets hit the stone.

"Would it kill you to show a little respect? I thought you came hear to learn, but you keep going on like you have it all figured out." Holding the corners taut, he spun the little white rag into a thin, damp spindle. "I'm starting to think the only reason you keep tagging along is because you have literally no other place to go."

With a gentle tug, the towel stopped dead. "And that's really sad, man."

"Sasheem could've easily chosen not to tag along and continue his training, but he decided to be here instead," Sasheem shrugged. "Don't get all preachy just because he's focused on the task at hand."

"But....!" Sasheem added. "You are right about one thing. Sasheem really doesn't have anywhere to go, 'sides loafing at the Lookout. That'll all change once the Snake School's revived," he folded his arms and smiled smugly.

"If they've made their base at the ruins, then doubtless the Red Raiders are already working to decipher the Master's last message," Ochazuke considered. "We may be too late already."

"Heh...those Raiders better hope not for their sake," The Majin laughed. "Sasheem owes 'em some payback. He didn't really get his fill last time," he said, thinking back to his battle at the Red Raider base so long ago.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

He remains silent.

“You worked for a pirate, but claim it was under mind control. That is not an easy defense to prove. I will....attempt to help as best I can, but you might end up reaping what you’ve sown, Daughter.”

I'm prepared for that. Just do your best old man. Don't let me down, like you did mom," Nadila said.

" She could have been saved, We could have found a cure for the zombification virus, but you just had to take her life I was eight years old at the time, and I will never forgive you for that," Nadila said.

Later Nadila's father gets contact by Lieutenant Stratovarius." This is Lieutenant Stratovarius of the GP. If you're the lawyer representing the minor Qaztoh Zorak," Earl said over the phone.

"Then I have video evidence. That can help with your defense. However, I have to warn you that the videos are quite disturbing. Earl said over the phone.

[KingofPie]

Seeing his chance, Copy Durive gripped his pistol.....and threw it at the Durive.

He missed, bounced it off the side of Shochu's head and hit himself with it.

Durive rolled around, continued to hold his head before suddenly stopping. He sat up quickly, reminding himself he had unfinished business. The imposter...he slowly stepped towards his opponent until...

Furniture, until that point solid, began to lose their forms and crumble to scattering dust. Morgan swatted at he form as the fire converged upon her. "Why.....Why are you doing this. You don't understand....your a stranger. This isn't your land! How could you know anything about this!"

Morgan dropped to her knees as the flames consumed her. "This is my land, this is my entire world. *sob* S..Stop saying it isn't real.....Stop it! StopitStopitStopit! This is everything I have! THIS IS EVERYTHING I HAVE!"

As quickly as it had begun, the fire died. In its wake....the cold biting wind slowly blew down upon them. The ruins stood, much as they had when they first arrived.....barren and broken, the dark sky now visible once more.

On the ground, Morgan lay trembling. Her head tucked firmly between her legs, eyes to the floor unable to bring her gaze up.....tears flowing down her exposed cheeks as she sobbed quietly. The fire had done more then expose the environment, the multihue'd aura that had encompassed her form seemed to have burned away with it.

Now all that remained was Morgan the familiar.



".......*sob*......w...why...." The girl brought her hand up to try and recast the conjuration spell, but couldn't spark the magic necessary to do so. ".....monster.....bully......look what you did....Now its all in a mess a...ag...*sobs*....."

Pushing herself slowly up off the ground, she levels a red eyed, tear stained glare at Ochazuke. "You want to go the mountain. Fine....I'll take you to the mountain. Do...w..whatever you like and then le....leave me alone.....I...I don't care..."

The familiar walked towards the now ruined doorway, clutching at her sides as if she was feeling the cold for the first in in a very long time.....she certainly didn't seemed dressed for it now that they all had a good look at her.

The GP Chief began to stare for a second...before quickly offering a solution. He drew out a piece of paper and a marker....and to his best ability attempted to draw draw a perfect recreation of the room the weary travelers had once found themselves in.

It....well....it wasn't and perfect recreation but he did his best and thus presented the the illustration to Morgana.

[grampagen]

"What.....what happened here?" Morgan stepped back as cold fire consumed the interior of the house. "....You keep saying something happened....but your wrong. Nothing happened!"

The flames spread to along the floors, the walls, the ceiling. "Avalon is still here....Nothing happened."

Furniture, until that point solid, began to lose their forms and crumble to scattering dust. Morgan swatted at he form as the fire converged upon her. "Why.....Why are you doing this. You don't understand....your a stranger. This isn't your land! How could you know anything about this!"

Morgan dropped to her knees as the flames consumed her. "This is my land, this is my entire world. *sob* S..Stop saying it isn't real.....Stop it! StopitStopitStopit! This is everything I have! THIS IS EVERYTHING I HAVE!"

As quickly as it had begun, the fire died. In its wake....the cold biting wind slowly blew down upon them. The ruins stood, much as they had when they first arrived.....barren and broken, the dark sky now visible once more.

On the ground, Morgan lay trembling. Her head tucked firmly between her legs, eyes to the floor unable to bring her gaze up.....tears flowing down her exposed cheeks as she sobbed quietly. The fire had done more then expose the environment, the multihue'd aura that had encompassed her form seemed to have burned away with it.

Now all that remained was Morgan the familiar.



".......*sob*......w...why...." The girl brought her hand up to try and recast the conjuration spell, but couldn't spark the magic necessary to do so. ".....monster.....bully......look what you did....Now its all in a mess a...ag...*sobs*....."

Pushing herself slowly up off the ground, she levels a red eyed, tear stained glare at Ochazuke. "You want to go the mountain. Fine....I'll take you to the mountain. Do...w..whatever you like and then le....leave me alone.....I...I don't care..."

The familiar walked towards the now ruined doorway, clutching at her sides as if she was feeling the cold for the first in in a very long time.....she certainly didn't seemed dressed for it now that they all had a good look at her.

BGM - Warrior of Light

Slowly the conjured place thawed, and from the warm hearth of this sheltered dream they were returned to the cold ruin they had been pulled from.

And as the cold winds resumed their hoary howl blowing ice between the ruins, Ochazuke's footsteps fell over the snow where he stood over their diminished hostess.

"Nothing happened? Look around you." As the gales would through the derelict, their passage seemed to carry to his ears a hollow requiem.

"Avalon would continue to stand apart from this mundane world," he said. Snow and dust lay trodden below his boots as he moved past her. "Yet here Avalon rests."

The creeping shadow within the sleeping Earth brushed against the field of his sense-awareness once more, and as he reached his senses to the lonely peak in the distance, there were signs of life gilded in that ravenous aura.

"A lie will not change that this is all that remains."

As Ochazuke forged ahead, Zaofan approached the familiar from behind. Though the chef had only his weathered kitchen garb, he unbuttoned the white jacket and laid it about Morgan's shoulders. His breath still fogged from the warmth of the tea, and his body was sustained by the training of his spirit, and in spite of the ever present winter, where he laid his hands over her, a small bit of warmth spread.

"...for what it's worth I'm sorry," he said, "you've lost a great deal. I can't imagine what that's like...but believe it or not, he does."

For the better part of two years, they'd been finding figments of the Earth's past, a common thread that wound through the ages. What once had brought people together had been used to sow division through the world, but in his salad days as a journeyman chef, Zaofan had seen that there was something fundamental to the peoples of Earth, for all their frailties, that endured through upheaval and hardships.

It was at that time he remembered he was touching a ghost, and the chef chuckled. "But you know, the kingdom isn't entirely gone. You've shown us you have quite the keen memory!"

Rolling up his sleeves nervously, he offered Morgan a hand up. "Perhaps if you show us around, we can figure out how to restore what you've lost."