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

[Tami]

This world is my home, and I want to protect it. So, of course, I'll accept your offer. Even though Araxat and I are old friends," Killrog said sluggishly.

" She has to stop. Not just for this planet but for possibly dozens upon dozens of galaxies. It won't be wise to face her right off the bat. Araxat is a highly respected member of the Kingdom of Swampa," Killrog said sluggishly.

" As long as The Toadians living in Lisia are on Araxat side, Araxat's insane goal that will result in many deaths across possibly dozens of galaxies will succeed. They have to know the truth, and the truth is hidden within Araxat's mobile laboratory," Killrog said sluggishly.

With that, Cyanna teleports Killrog and her self back to where Praxat is, reappearing as she does.

"Praxat, he says he'll help."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Trudging steps had brought the bandaged being to Dusk City, their raincoat draped over their hunched frame like a mourning veil, painted with mud, dust, and blood. Hung low, the stranger's head rose as it intercepted the fragrant scent of coffee. The potent brew emanated from the mug held by the ascended oni, Inanna, whose weariness must have been great as she allowed the shambling drifter to stumble into the cruiser.

Like a drunkard, the weathered enigma plopped into a seat chosen only by the closest availability, where they would remain quiet, almost as if they had died on the spot.

No words were offered between the mum ... my, and Inanna; but as the individual slipped into one of the seats, a mug of Coffeeception™ materialized in front of it on a katchin platter.

"Ugh.....Do you really need to mention that." Etrina let out a groan as she arrived, before giving the ship a look over. ".......Not that this thought hasn't crossed your mind yet, but this is either the worst attempt at a trap or I need to keep a lower profile before I start getting invites to all the major planets in need."

The mage squinted at Inanna for a moment. "You have something done with your hair? Giving off a whole new vib...."

"FEAST!" Erosa bowled Etrina over, hopping up in wrapping around Inanna like a sloth. "Feast Gao!"

"......and now you see what I've been dealing with the entire trip here..." Etrina complained from the ground.

"Ah, there you two are ..." Inanna muttered, as both Etrina and Erosa arrived. "Also yes, I did change my hair up. So glad you've noticed~"

After a sip of coffee, the woman then said simply.

"Now get your ass in th-"

The Mine....THE MINE! The Mine filled with riches! But...given who wrote the letter?? Why would Durive help him? He probably had no care for what was in the mine. And if he were working with Ishtar at all to actively ensure he would never get it well...even the chief would have a difficult time stopping him. Short of throwing a stick of dynamite within it's caverns and burying the treasure within the depths of the Earth.

...

Blizzar had to hurry.

***

Dusk City. Home of the MINE. But where was it.....He...he had no idea honestly. Perhaps..wait. Several power levels had cropped up. A few of them familiar. Then...perhaps...

Blizzar tumbled through the doors of Ishtar's house. Quickly ignoring the others standing before him, he honed in on....Ishtar? Hmm. Something seemed different. New haircut, perhaps? Either way, Blizzar soon realized...that this was probably the quickest he had ever traveled in his entire life. In the process of rushing to Ishtar's abode, he felt quite out of breath. "Ish-Ishtar...?" Blizzar panted. "Where's...mine?"

"Mine ?" Inanna managed, after being cut off mid sentence by the winded Icer. "It's over there," she said with a point. "Though I'm guessing you're here because of the Phantasmagoria thing yea ?" Though one had to wonder if the Arcosian was even paying attention, so close as he was to the Dusk City Mine and what secrets lay hidden within.

While Etrina seemed somewhat confused by the whole affair, Erosa was suddenly rather quiet....it seemed gears were suddenly spinning in her head as she picked up on something not being right around the time Sarada came out talking like Parsley and Parsley responding(and been talking for the last couple minutes in fact) like a Sarada.

"Gao.....wait......which one is suppose to be sarada again." Erosa glanced around confused, and seemed to get an idea. "Oh wait....easy enough to tell."

Erosa reached down and gave Inanna boob a squeeze.

"Now now, my titty isn't for you~" Inanna said playfully. "There's a very angr-" she started to say before Sarada displayed what would've otherwise been stated. Threatening to murder the Id without so much as a second thought.

Which meant ... well. Was about time to get this trip over with, before someone ended up dead that wasn't ... whatever was waiting for them on Phantasmagoria.

Sarada took one shaky breath, then another steadier breath to calm herself.

"You'll have to excuse her," Parsley said as she placed a hand on Sarada's shoulder. "We Saiyans are violently possessive with our mates. Anyone who presents themselves as a rivals tend to be eliminated rather thoroughly."

"Hmph." Sarada hurled the ax at Erosa. The handle conked the Id in the head before returning to Sarada's hand.

"The enchantment works quite nicely, though."

Avoca sighed and stepped down the gangplank. She looked at Erosa, Etrina, and the out-of-breath Blizzar and shook her head. "What's the hold up? I'm starving."

"Ah!" Parsley wrapped her arm around her wife's waist and pulled her into the spotlight. "This is my wife, Avoca. Avoca, these are... my friends? Yes, friends."

"..." She sighed. "...hi."

"Oh good !" Inanna beamed the pinnacle of a good (annoyed) host, "introductions done. Asses on ship get." She said swiftly, before all but dragging Sarada onboard.

... and once everyone was settled and strapped in, they'd be on their way.

[MrSandman]

Zaofan felt a pressure under his collar as his face darkened.

"...n-NO!' Wait a second. Erosa'd touched on something he'd entirely missed. "I-I mean, not that our host isn't gracious, certainly, but you know, there's quite literally magic in the air."

Granted, he'd hardly had an affinity for sorting the who's and whats behinds sorcery and familiars, but they say experience is the greatest of all teachers. Steeling his thoughts with dedication, twin trails of steam shot from his nostrils and fogged the dry, wintry air.

"I think we might agree that, surely, if Ms. Morgan's a familiar like yourself, it must mean whosoever charged her to her task of granting shelter and refuge means she, too, serves a noble mistress."



"This Vortigern..." Zaofan paused, looking to the mural for a moment as if his words would've done something as well, before continuing, "sounds like he was quite a pestilence on the land. It's fortunate that the Queen happened to discover the tenants of Magic."

The carved shapes, a mural of violence rent from tooth and claw, arms and armour, seemed uncannily lifelike - especially keen for an aesthetic hundreds of thousands of years old.

"Yours is not the only world to contend with the threat of a Saurian menace." Ochazuke had hardly uttered a word since he'd torn Morgan's hamlet asunder. Even now, his objective remained on the looming peak that gradually came nearer. His eyes narrowed at the sight of that Elder Dragon King standing astride the cold, stony field of scaled figures rendered in permanent frost.



Ochazuke rest his right hand on the monument, and aided by Arthur's Ring began to survey the deeper matter within the rock, pressing his sensory field into the very environs that bore the inscriptions. The language of magic is more than sigils and brands, its syntax speaks a language meant to wake something within this world. From Etrina's spellcraft, to the metalwork of the First Race welded with Marduk's, and indeed the Guardians' own signature, while the exact methods eluded him, by now his extensive examinations had allowed him to understand its logic.

After a lengthy examination, he suddenly drew his left hand up. The others might have thought it some indication that he'd found something poignant as he stretched out a thumb.

Till the burning red of a Dodonpa struck out behind him, intent on lethally taking their party's stalker.

With a thunderous blast, Ochazukes dodonpa hits the snow some distance behind them, electing a surprised yelp from Morgan as it throws up a cloud of powered snow and dirt.

Silence falls with the newly falling snows......At least until Morgan smashes it with a audible huff. "Honestly! If you wanted me to move faster you could have just asked! No need to put holes in the road." With a exaggerated sigh, the girl turned to continue, seemingly oblivious to Ochazukes motives.

As Ochazuke stared at the settling blast, a shadow stepped forward....or more accurately, lurched. A sickening aura of power was suddenly palpable to the point the others present, even the less magically inclined, felt their stomachs twist. Morgan herself shivered and spun around. ".......Ahhh....."

There was a look of realization in her eyes, That led immediately to fear. "...Oh....Oh no....."

Closer now, darkness gave way to a monstrous visage, its body visible exuding power of a nightmarish sort.



"....no...nooo....." Morgan slips backwards on the ground, clutching at her head as she pushes herself into the corner between the wall segments, hiding and cowering. "....run.....stay away.....it'll kill you...."

Unconcerned with the child, the monster beady eyes focus on Ochazuke. It raises a deformed hand and a booming voice reverberates in his skull. "Ah'legeth! ah'mglw'nafh!" Dark magic gathers at the tip of his finger.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“I am willing to help. Peace we may seek, but I would hate to see the universe fall into oblivion after working to not let that happen. If you ever have need of me, I can be reached.”

He hands her a small black stone.

“A summoning oath stone. Banespell made them for us all. Break it, and I shall be summoned to your aid. As to Druga.......if you wo t meet him in person, I can show you a way to connect via dreams if you wish, a trait we First Race have. If only so he can know you are well and hale. He spoke of you often when we were together.”

“As for Auroc, be careful. Unlike modern majin he cannot transmute, however he is just as hard to kill and crafty to boot. And he is a master of binding Magic’s.”

“Banespell, If still alive, would be on the Darkling homeworld. As to other facilities....only one other. The Workshop. If that still exists.....then most likely Auroc may have access to it if he was able to be there at the Forge.”

"Well, it's well on its way ... due to a variety of things that can be chalked up to 'management practices'." Inanna replied, as she stored the summoning stone in a safe place. When the conversation circled back around to communicating with Durga, and Auroc, she nodded.

"Hm ... I have nothing against speaking with him via dreams," she replied. "So long as it keeps at least one location of Alakazah's Dragonballs safe. So I'd be more than happy to learn this skill, before departing. Nor will I forget what you've offered me regarding Auroc."

Which left only two matters for her to follow up on.

"Knowing the Darkling for what they are, a secret species ... is there a means of traveling to their world safely ? It wouldn't do, to die before meeting Banespell; to say nothing of what my mate would do." And then there was one.

"And this Workshop ... show me where it is."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Oh good !" Inanna beamed the pinnacle of a good (annoyed) host, "introductions done. Asses on ship get." She said swiftly, before all but dragging Sarada onboard.

... and once everyone was settled and strapped in, they'd be on their way.

As Sarada stewed in her seat, Avoca cradled her head in her hands. She was a simple woman. She just wanted to fight and eat, yet had gotten a headache before the fun had even begun.

It'll be fine, Avoca. Just get through today and you'll never see these people again. An encouraging thought, except for the small fact that her best friend was right in the middle of all the bullshit. Well, their time together was limited.

It really did seem that she, Parsley, and Etrina were the only sane people on this little field trip to the planet none of them except one had ever heard of before. Even that Frost Demon seemed like he had a few screws loose, as he had been muttering something about a mine ever since coming aboard the ship.

She eyed him warily.

"The fights and food had better be worth it," she muttered.

[KingofPie]

"Mine ?" Inanna managed, after being cut off mid sentence by the winded Icer. "It's over there," she said with a point. "Though I'm guessing you're here because of the Phantasmagoria thing yea ?" Though one had to wonder if the Arcosian was even paying attention, so close as he was to the Dusk City Mine and what secrets lay hidden within.

Blizzar merely nodded in response to the Oni revealing the location fo the mine. From there he promptly dashed out....through a window smashing it in the process as he sped towards the cavern of hidden riches that had eluded him for si long.

[KingofPie]

Samson arrives and studies the door, fascinated.

“This is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It appears to be solid stone behind it, but something.....thrums...when I place my hands on it.”

"Huh? Really?" Sasheem questioned, reaching over and placing his hand on the stone wall as well, seeing if he felt a similar reaction. "Guess if this thing can open up or something, whatever' happening is probably the key."

[KingofPie]

"....no...nooo....." Morgan slips backwards on the ground, clutching at her head as she pushes herself into the corner between the wall segments, hiding and cowering. "....run.....stay away.....it'll kill you...."

Unconcerned with the child, the monster beady eyes focus on Ochazuke. It raises a deformed hand and a booming voice reverberates in his skull. "Ah'legeth! ah'mglw'nafh!" Dark magic gathers at the tip of his finger.

Durive glared at the creature, soy sauce at the ready.

[Yun Lao]

Inwardly, Engrevain cursed. It seemed increasingly apparent that unless they started posing a direct threat to the lizard or maybe himself, Rex wasn't going to lift a finger in assistance. Very well....there were other ways to resolve the most pressing issue. They weren't going to need the return path anyways.

With a nod, Engrevain motioned to the Morgan standing next to him, and was given a nod of confirmation before the maid....vanished. At least to the sense of your average human.

Why this particular Morgan was important soon became more obvious to Rex, as it seemed Engrevain had kept his best closest to him the entire time. At speed only his eye could track, the Maid reached the rear line and vaulted into the air....unleashing a cloud of canisters in a almost choreographed spin and burst of magic. The canisters rained down on the incoming horde, and detonated in a mix of flashbang, White Phosphorous and Napalm. The tunnel was lit in a blinding flash as the screams of thousands of monsters erupted in an ear bleeding song. Landing swiftly among the rear, who parted and fell back as soon as she was in the air, an inferno now lay before her....acting as a temporary wall that she intended to make more permanent. Again, magic was summoned into her.....and two should mounted launchers materialized, primed and ready, in both arms.

A barrage of explosives followed, striking the roof and sides of the cave they had entered through and brought down tons of rock to smother the flames and what remained of the beasts at the head, while the rest now had to contend with a rocky barrier.

Morgan let both spent launchers drop, wiped her hands clean, turned turned to walk back to her master.

"Hmm...You wanted proof. I hope your satisfied, we did not survive this long on hope alone." Engrevain nodded. "Though now I fear there will be no escape for us save after the infestation is settled....and she has not the magic the replenish our forces and pull off such shows forever. We'll be depending upon your assistance in the near future...there is no doubt."

Engrevain turned and attempted a smile.

A roar from deeper within the hive quickly removed what little pleasantness the old man had build up.

But for Rex, it was more then just a roar. He felt something old...splitting into his mind like a axe. Then a low, deep, chuckling.

"....huhu....rrrrhhh.....Rex........breaking bone with the monkeys." The voice in his head sounded reptilian, deep and dripping with inhuman hunger. ".....why do they still live....have you lost your taste for their meat....are you still the rex I remember, or a shadow."

The puppet had proven to be adequate, but as the old man would soon admit, her "power" was nothing more than being loaded down with magic munitions. Rex could imagine the same results could have been achieved if the old man had pushed a shopping trolley full of magical explosions into the crowd. In the end, a puppet was nothing more than a puppet.

"Satisfaction... satisfaction is an excuse weaklings use to justify quitting. The Strongest always seeks more," Studying the gory remains of the ambushing horde, Rex dismissed it as he turned back to the path at hand, "It was amusing enough to warrant your life for a few more moments." A few steps were taken before he felt a presence in his skull. It had brute-forced its way in, its unpolished edges sharp enough to erode weaker minds. Fortunately, Rex's mind was, as everything about him, the Strongest.

The voice was familiar... not so much as he recognized the speaker, as he had eaten most of those worth being remembered, but rather he knew it to be one of his own. This was not one of his weakened and cowed descendants, nor one of the pathetic Gris-gris. No, one could say this one might have been his equal had he not been the Strongest.

How pitiful it must be to find mere insects appealing, Came his projected thoughts, mocking the mental intruder, On the other hand, it has been such a long time since I have tasted the blood of my lessers, especially a pretender who sits on a rotted throne.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The slaughter of the planet's population proved to be a fine training exercise for Letchee's new body. Its power exceeded his previous shell by endless magnitudes. Raw power was greater, but the scope of that power was what startled him every time he unleashed it. It was unlike anything he had ever come across before. He could create out of nothing things that would have otherwise remained trapped in his imagination. Nothing too grandiose, but more than anyone else could. He could peer into the minds of those around him with little effort, and could hear their thoughts and inner most feelings. He could feel the fear they felt in their hearts as he closed in for the kill. His awareness was greater than it ever had been before.

Those that attempted to plead for their lives called him "Udrich". He didn't know what that meant at first, but peering into their heads gave him a single word. Guardian.

Interesting. He had heard of these so-called Guardians. They protected their planet from outside dangers, such as he himself. Hmph. So much for that as far as this world was concerned. Regardless, he had a clue as to the mysterious nature of this being's powers.

It was rumored that these Guardians had powers bestowed upon them by the Gods themselves. He didn't put much stock in fairy tales, but there were few other explanations to explain it.

With power like this, it was far too easy to abscond it, he pondered to himself as he stood among the countless fallen bodies of the race his body's previous owner once protected. This power I feel must be significant. I can't feel it elsewhere but here! It seemed he had chosen wisely.

He decided to leave after spending a day repairing his ship. He communicated with Daroga to determine where Lord Tundra was, then calculated the best place to rendezvous with them. Once his destination was in mind and programmed into the ships navigation, he departed. He had with him a single survivor, the lone... whatever this thing was left out of millions. His reason for sparing it was simple: he needed a mind to practice his telepathy on. In a matter of days, he concocted countless nightmare scenarios that were so realistic, the captive nearly died of fright on more than one occasion.

Ha! I wish I had found this place sooner! The Saiyans don't stand a chance!!

The energy with which he could create was called creation energy, a brilliantly creative name if he had never heard one. It was, according to the former Guardian's notes, was something unique to Guardians. It was a small portion of the power of the Gods, giving credence to the rumors he heard some time ago. Hm, interesting. Perhaps I can use this unique energy to track down the worlds in possession of Guardians. Surely, Lord Tundra would be interested in wielding this power himself.

The only troubling part was finding the worlds. He was sure there was some sort of connection that linked these people together, a network if you will; all he had to do was find it. When he did, that would open up countless avenues of profit for him, and would secure Lord Tundra's place as most powerful in the universe. He couldn't even imagine how much galactic coin a literal god -- regardless of how insignificant they were in the grand scheme of things -- would fetch on the black market.

He could hardly wait to find out.

But, sadly, it would have to. The business with the Saiyans and their growing list of allies needed to be dealt with. Which, oddly, included the likes of the Galaxy Police and some place called Earth. It was that blue planet they passed by on their way to Vocado some years ago.

Interesting. Perhaps worth paying a visit to once the Saiyans had been wiped out.

Hmph. What an interesting galaxy that one is.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well, it's well on its way ... due to a variety of things that can be chalked up to 'management practices'." Inanna replied, as she stored the summoning stone in a safe place. When the conversation circled back around to communicating with Durga, and Auroc, she nodded.

"Hm ... I have nothing against speaking with him via dreams," she replied. "So long as it keeps at least one location of Alakazah's Dragonballs safe. So I'd be more than happy to learn this skill, before departing. Nor will I forget what you've offered me regarding Auroc."

Which left only two matters for her to follow up on.

"Knowing the Darkling for what they are, a secret species ... is there a means of traveling to their world safely ? It wouldn't do, to die before meeting Banespell; to say nothing of what my mate would do." And then there was one.

"And this Workshop ... show me where it is."

He nods.

“Auroc also has a......corrupting....influence. Be wary.”

“I believe traveling to Darkle, their homeworld, can be obtained through their Guardian. I believe the Earth one should be able to contact the one on Darkle. That would be the easiest means.”

“The Workshop.....where the Dreadnaughts, the Behemoths, and the Shattered where created. It was a mobile space station, situated near the Star Forge. If Auroc has obtained it, then it might not be there anymore. I can give you the location where it was, though.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Huh? Really?" Sasheem questioned, reaching over and placing his hand on the stone wall as well, seeing if he felt a similar reaction. "Guess if this thing can open up or something, whatever' happening is probably the key."

He does.

A thrumming resonates within him, and he almost hears a hiss?

Samson meanwhile backs up, face set. He holds his hand spit, breathes in, out, then widens his stance and opens his mouth.

“Dragon’s Breathe!”

A gout of ki flame roars from his mouth and strikes the Dragon sigil. After a moment, the fire cuts off and the sigil glows, as if activated.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

She returned the smile. "Yeah. It'll be a private ceremony, though. One of the benefits of not being too into pomp and circumstance."

That lessened the chance of Jinzi being burned at a stake for his shenanigans years ago. Then again, no one knew what he looked like, only his name.

"I'll get in touch with everyone else to see if they want to come too. Thanks again, Jinzi, for everything."

Turning on her heels, she departed from Capsule Corp and headed for Grinthorn's island. 'Inanna, I have great news!'

He nods and waves as she leaves.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Something of a stalemate then. Though that's better than our odds by any measure." Inanna said in amusement. "As for what I want ?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"The answer to a handful of questions. Nothing more."

She looked at Alakazah, Elfden ... the Great Old Wyrm.

"See, I had a lot of time to think, after I killed myself. Considered what I'd seen in the hundred thousand years I've been around, and why it was such an absolute mess."

The woman smiled.

"I'll admit I've given some thought to accepting your offer and unsealing you to further my own goals. After all, what's one more 'God' to kill, when you're already planning to kill several." Inanna chuckled again, more at the realization of what all she had to do, before even considering dealing with Genesis.

"So I want to know. What would you do, if you were freed ? ... and more importantly, why you grew more interested when you saw my ... 'Divine Ki', let's call it ?"

“I was intrigued because it’s not.....something most mortals acquire. I can think of only a handful, and to sense it again is.....startling. And perhaps a good sign. You are defiantly more my peer now then before.”

He pauses before answering the first question.

“What would I do? Probably gloat, first. Find my dragonballs to access my full power. After that.....pay a visit to some old friends and settle a few debts. Afterwards......it depends. I won’t destroy Earth if that’s your concern. As I’ve said I’m rather fond of this place. Beyond that it depends on circumstance and situation. Freed I would be able to do all sorts of things. Even break the seal on the universes.”

He shrugs.

“Understand that I’m not evil. I’m not particularly noble or good either. I’ve done what some would call evil. I’ve killed innocents. I’ve oppressed and subjugated this planet after a fashion. Or at least I had until recently. I’ve enforced my will, spied, lied, intimidated and broken those who oppose me. Once, long ago, I even tried to take the universe over. I was opposed and stopped. I’ve also done good. I’ve stopped crime, homelessness, hunger. I’ve brokered a peace and allies that will protect my mudball here. I’ve saved lives and brought justice to those who needed it.”

He chuckles.

“Maybe I’ll pay Father and the Grand Priest a visit. Show them I’m free. Won’t that surprise them?”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

With that, Cyanna teleports Killrog and her self back to where Praxat is, reappearing as she does.

"Praxat, he says he'll help."

" That's great now the first thing we need to do is head back to Araxat's laboratory. Killrog about what you said about my grandmother, changing the trajectory of a planet-size asteroid with her mind a long time ago. Did you see her do it?" Praxat said.

Killrog lowers his head." Well, no, she just claimed to have done it. " Killrog said.

" Well, in that case, it's most likely a bogus exaggeration," Praxat said.