Dragonball M, Chapter 4: Kidnapping! Invasion! A new Threat Strikes First!

[Yun Lao]

Eva stands on the she, looking up into the heavens as he approaches.

"It's been a while," He said, a weird wash of emotions pouring through his mind as he now saw the goddess through several different perspectives. There was a comfort, however, in her presence. A sense of familiarity among his more recent aspects, no doubt.

[grampagen]

He nods and tenses a bit.

“Do it.”

"Do what?"

The moment Jinzi spoke the words and opened his eyes again, they were already in the Geofront elevator, punched in and going down.

"Got in without so much as turning a single head," Zaofan grinned, "uh, there might be a few scuffmarks on the ceiling, but that's my bad."

On the long ride down, Zaofan did his best to fill in Jinzi about everything that happened over the last little bit. They all knew about Auroc, but the Ulthan that came after them and the way they killed Evangeline and Held so callously, to say nothing of Jack, Nunlil, Kai, and the Namekian Elder - or so he heard - made it adamantly clear that this was something they needed to deal with.

"After that fight broke out, we managed to talk some sense into their leader, Lord Forger, but by then the damage had long since been done," he said, "But they didn't walk out of this without a scratch, because they did not count on us being able to find them. before Parsley and Totoma took out their heaviest hitter, our guy the Just Saiyan found the guy who took the shot and pulled him to pieces."

Zaofan folded his arms and felt around his pockets for the capsules. They were in here somewhere.

"He's...a robot of some sort, I think? I scooped up what was left of him, the torso and his gun, but I have no idea what to look for. I was hoping you or Wilhelm might have a better idea."

[MrSandman]

Lady Binder nods.

“Very well! To mother we go!”

She flits around Etrina, and slowly magical dust begins to fall upon her.

“Just hold on! We have to adjust your size for a moment......”

Etrina, you begin shrinking.

"Hold on....Forger never mentioned anything about shrinking. I like my size the way it is!" Etrinas protested as she shrunk, her former commanding stature melting away as she grew more and more Annoyed with what she could only guess was going to look utterly ridiculous....given her already pixie features and now what was likely the size to match.

"Ugh...Fine....but let a word of this leave here and all the magic and shrubberies in the universe won't keep my foot from your skull......" Etrinas voice came out in a pitch to match her new size and she immediately frowned in frustration. "...I hate this so much..."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"It's been a while," He said, a weird wash of emotions pouring through his mind as he now saw the goddess through several different perspectives. There was a comfort, however, in her presence. A sense of familiarity among his more recent aspects, no doubt.

She smiles and holds a hand out.

“Hello old friend. Come, stand here with me. Look up and see if you can see what I see.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Hold on....Forger never mentioned anything about shrinking. I like my size the way it is!" Etrinas protested as she shrunk, her former commanding stature melting away as she grew more and more Annoyed with what she could only guess was going to look utterly ridiculous....given her already pixie features and now what was likely the size to match.

"Ugh...Fine....but let a word of this leave here and all the magic and shrubberies in the universe won't keep my foot from your skull......" Etrinas voice came out in a pitch to match her new size and she immediately frowned in frustration. "...I hate this so much..."

Shrinking down to about a foot in size, Lady Binder than chants and a pathway opens up in the massive eldritch forest before them. Filtered sunlight and faint music hangs in the air as she leads Tiny Etrina to her home.


Eventually, the open path comes to a massive tree, easily the biggest one Etrina had ever seen. It’s trunk was so wide she couldn’t even see where the curve began, and it’s limbs and branches seemed as thick as starships. Lady Binder calls out in a melodic language, and suddenly hundreds of Fae appear all around from the branches. They all stare and chatter towards Etrina, until with a groaning sound a doorway opens in the tree and out flies........

A very small, about Etrina’s size, regal looking Fae.



Lady Binder bows.

“Mother, our guest has arrived.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Do what?"

The moment Jinzi spoke the words and opened his eyes again, they were already in the Geofront elevator, punched in and going down.

"Got in without so much as turning a single head," Zaofan grinned, "uh, there might be a few scuffmarks on the ceiling, but that's my bad."

On the long ride down, Zaofan did his best to fill in Jinzi about everything that happened over the last little bit. They all knew about Auroc, but the Ulthan that came after them and the way they killed Evangeline and Held so callously, to say nothing of Jack, Nunlil, Kai, and the Namekian Elder - or so he heard - made it adamantly clear that this was something they needed to deal with.

"After that fight broke out, we managed to talk some sense into their leader, Lord Forger, but by then the damage had long since been done," he said, "But they didn't walk out of this without a scratch, because they did not count on us being able to find them. before Parsley and Totoma took out their heaviest hitter, our guy the Just Saiyan found the guy who took the shot and pulled him to pieces."

Zaofan folded his arms and felt around his pockets for the capsules. They were in here somewhere.

"He's...a robot of some sort, I think? I scooped up what was left of him, the torso and his gun, but I have no idea what to look for. I was hoping you or Wilhelm might have a better idea."

Jinzi grimaces.

“Meagan heard about what happened, she’s actually in talks with the Namekian’s and helping them right now. Still, all that in such a short period of time.......”

He nods and then walks out into the rebuilt Geofront once more.

“Wilhelm’s been moved down here with Karis’ pod. Once Ochazuke is available we had planned on opening it, Wilhelm insisted since he helped solve the problem of its kicking g mechanism. Anyways, he’s been doing research for me down here and trust me, we both want to see what you brought us.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

To the normal eye, what Etrina just did would have seemed to be nothing more than a drunken flub. To Parsley's hyper perception, though, she saw it for what it really was: shadow magic. A spell that weaponized Etrina's own shadow and used it to absorb the creature's, and then the creature itself. Quite impressive, made even more so by the fact that Etrina was intoxicated to the point of slurring her words. It only gave credence and justification for the praise Parsley gave to her when they first arrived.



"Yes, very well done." She stepped forward until she was between Caliban and Etrina. "Now that you're done, we can move on to the real training."

Caliban nods.

“Indeed. Now, just so ya know, I ain’t going to go easy. And I ain’t teaching you certain Magic’s either. Some are too dangerous.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Caliban nods.

“Indeed. Now, just so ya know, I ain’t going to go easy. And I ain’t teaching you certain Magic’s either. Some are too dangerous.”

Parsley came there to learn Soul Magic. Hearing that he wouldn't teach certain "dangerous" types of magic was disappointing. She could only assume that Soul was on that list.

"No point in arguing, I suppose. What kind of magics are you willing to teach?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Parsley came there to learn Soul Magic. Hearing that he wouldn't teach certain "dangerous" types of magic was disappointing. She could only assume that Soul was on that list.

"No point in arguing, I suppose. What kind of magics are you willing to teach?"

“Ehh, ya wanting Soul Magic? Well, Soul Magic is enslaven things. Can teach ya to defend against it, but won’t teach how ta do it.”

He spits on the ground.

“Not a lot of time so I’ll show you two how to defend against getting soul got, than we’ll move on to some special Caliban only spells. That good to ya?”

[MrSandman]

Caliban nods.

“Indeed. Now, just so ya know, I ain’t going to go easy. And I ain’t teaching you certain Magic’s either. Some are too dangerous.”

Parsley came there to learn Soul Magic. Hearing that he wouldn't teach certain "dangerous" types of magic was disappointing. She could only assume that Soul was on that list.

"No point in arguing, I suppose. What kind of magics are you willing to teach?"

“Ehh, ya wanting Soul Magic? Well, Soul Magic is enslaven things. Can teach ya to defend against it, but won’t teach how ta do it.”

He spits on the ground.

“Not a lot of time so I’ll show you two how to defend against getting soul got, than we’ll move on to some special Caliban only spells. That good to ya?”

"......" For a moment Etrina could only stand there with a neutral look as she absorbed his statement. Slowly her mouth curved, as if something extremely foul had fallen into view.

"Ugh....you sound like every magic tutor I ever had. I didn't come here to learn parlor tricks and cantrips, nor to have you decide what is too dangerous for me....practical defense does not begin with ignorance." The Mage took a moment to glance away and direct some of her glare on the nearest shadow. "....and what spells do you deem to dangerous for us hmm? Or more dangerous then what we already know?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"......" For a moment Etrina could only stand there with a neutral look as she absorbed his statement. Slowly her mouth curved, as if something extremely foul had fallen into view.

"Ugh....you sound like every magic tutor I ever had. I didn't come here to learn parlor tricks and cantrips, nor to have you decide what is too dangerous for me....practical defense does not begin with ignorance." The Mage took a moment to glance away and direct some of her glare on the nearest shadow. "....and what spells do you deem to dangerous for us hmm? Or more dangerous then what we already know?"

He quirks an eyebrow.

“Like I said, Soul Magic’s a no-go from me. I can teach it’s defense just fine, but too many have used it to hurt others. Ya both have the best of intentions, no doubt, but I still ain’t comfortable teaching it. I’ve been on the receiving end, and I still got spiritual scars. As to others weak cantrips and tricks.........”

He spins a small more of dark energy on his finger tip all of a sudden. A faint sucking feeling and light starts to blur and bend around the small pea sized orb.

“Caliban’s Black Maw is a favorite. Though I suppose weaponized black holes ain’t cool to ya?”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Ehh, ya wanting Soul Magic? Well, Soul Magic is enslaven things. Can teach ya to defend against it, but won’t teach how ta do it.”

He spits on the ground.

“Not a lot of time so I’ll show you two how to defend against getting soul got, than we’ll move on to some special Caliban only spells. That good to ya?”

The training wasn't going to be what she thought, and that was thoroughly disappointing. Worse, Soul Magic wasn't what she thought it was. She knew it could enslave people, but she thought she would also be able to gather souls for power, soul drain, summon dead souls from Otherworld, and so on. It seemed she was horribly mistaken; either that or he was holding out on her. I suppose I could always learn on my own, if I really want to, she thought.

A thing to consider later.

"That's fine. The shadow-walking spell came in handy a few times."

Still, it was free and he was gracious enough to take time out of his day to help them.

[MrSandman]

He quirks an eyebrow.

“Like I said, Soul Magic’s a no-go from me. I can teach it’s defense just fine, but too many have used it to hurt others. Ya both have the best of intentions, no doubt, but I still ain’t comfortable teaching it. I’ve been on the receiving end, and I still got spiritual scars. As to others weak cantrips and tricks.........”

He spins a small more of dark energy on his finger tip all of a sudden. A faint sucking feeling and light starts to blur and bend around the small pea sized orb.

“Caliban’s Black Maw is a favorite. Though I suppose weaponized black holes ain’t cool to ya?”

Etrina mused as she exampled the small dot. "You named it after yourself....not a particularly good sign for ones ego."

Quietly contemplating a moment, the mage finally shrugged. "Sure, why not...I suppose I've come this far. If nothing else I don't think you'd object to offering some insights on magic we already know either?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"......" For a moment Etrina could only stand there with a neutral look as she absorbed his statement. Slowly her mouth curved, as if something extremely foul had fallen into view.

"Ugh....you sound like every magic tutor I ever had. I didn't come here to learn parlor tricks and cantrips, nor to have you decide what is too dangerous for me....practical defense does not begin with ignorance." The Mage took a moment to glance away and direct some of her glare on the nearest shadow. "....and what spells do you deem to dangerous for us hmm? Or more dangerous then what we already know?"

He quirks an eyebrow.

“Like I said, Soul Magic’s a no-go from me. I can teach it’s defense just fine, but too many have used it to hurt others. Ya both have the best of intentions, no doubt, but I still ain’t comfortable teaching it. I’ve been on the receiving end, and I still got spiritual scars. As to others weak cantrips and tricks.........”

He spins a small more of dark energy on his finger tip all of a sudden. A faint sucking feeling and light starts to blur and bend around the small pea sized orb.

“Caliban’s Black Maw is a favorite. Though I suppose weaponized black holes ain’t cool to ya?”

"An extreme gravity spell, hm?" Not quite what she had in mind, but she supposed that would be useful. It sounded, though, like Etrina was looking for something more... powerful? Parsley was, too. "What else do you have?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

He banishes the black hole.

“Well, let’s start this way: what are ya both looking fer in particular? A particular type of magic or spell?”