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

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

As good as Nevalinna was, she could not make progress against the hidden Grand Maven.

———

Seri, the attack misses as Auroc speeds up and away, sending a dozen black spikes at you from his arm.

——-

The Knight falls, cleansed, unconscious but alive at the Nevadians feet.

Voyavoda picks up the knight and leaps to the group of knights guarding Nevanlinna, putting them down within the safe confines of the group.

Neva, brow furrowed and covered in sweat due to her struggle against the Maven, gave the Nevadian a sidelong glance. "...impressive, you felled a gold on your lonesome. And it seems you... how did you clear Auroc's taint?"

The old soldier chuckled, scratching his beard. "Why, I punched it out, of course."

"..." The princess was dumbstruck. How had he punched it out of this knight? That was simply absurd! And yet, the knight was, while unconscious, certainly free of Auroc's corruption, so she had no choice but to believe the man. Perhaps he could be of use. "...I see. Well then, you Nevadians have some 'special eye', as I recall... perception exceeding the standards of other species, yes?"

"Affirmative, your highness."

Well, at least this one knew proper protocol. "I am currently engaged in a stalemate with a spellcaster of considerable power, who has hidden herself. If you would be so kind, please locate her and... oh, I care little what happens to her. Give her to Inanna to strangle the life out of, for all I care."

"Not on good terms, I see. But... very well..." He took a deep breath and began scanning the battlefield with his Shingan, tracing the flows of magical energy struggling against the princesses'. Things did not simply pop into existence, without some cause they flowed forth from. Energy, quite literally, flowed, like a river. Ki, magic, psionic energy... it mattered not. Move against that flow and one would eventually arrive at its source.

'Where are you, witch...'

[5 posts]

------------------

She'd missed! But he was distracted, so ho--

Oh crap, he'd counter-attacked with some... spike thingies!

Seri positioned herself to minimize her profile, going "prone" towards the spikes. Reaching out her hand, she shaped her ki into an energy shield, and then compressed it. Again and again until it was focused entirely in front of her. No protection from the sides or back, just in front. Between the concentrated energy shield and her small profile, she hoped that most would pass her by and anything that hit would be stopped by the hyper-focused... Adamantine Shield!

Yeah, even in a pinch, she was great with coming up with cool names.

[KingofPie]

The mist doesn’t seem to do anything as Auroc launches a dozen black spikes at Sasheem from his arm.

Sasheem regains his Katchin Mode quickly, allowing the spikes to bounce off his metallic flesh.

Auroc floats up, eying the attack above his city.

He summons dark oozing ki and hurls it at Rex’s awaiting attack.

Sasheem, hiding his presence with the Spider's Blessing, tosses a small portion of his ki at Auroc, hoping it will be undetected. He then loops around and appears in front of the elder Majin.

"You ain't done with me yet, ya jabbering turd!" Sasheem insulted tossing a volley of ki blasts at Auroc.

[Tami]

He twists and just barely avoids it, on his way towards Rex.

Tuning out some of the chaos around her, Dash raises her hand and the stone spear alters course, returning to her. Still in the air, she scans the area for Auroc, intending to take another shot at him.

She could see him, engaging in combat with Rex and Sasheem. Frowning, she knew this would complicate what she had planned, but that didn't stop her. Flying in that direction, she once again used the power of the Earth Armor to seek out the crystal within Auroc. In doing so, seeking his location.

Finding a landing place within sight of his fight, she prepared herself to launch another attack once the moment is right.


OOC: 40/100

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Praxat, hopping around you hearing catches the sound of two Threshlings chanting from behind a pillar. They appear to be casting the fire against you.

———

Held, while charging, you see two people coming from each direction (left and right) rapidly at you. You can see they are Nobles if the Threshling race, and they appear intent to stop you.

———

Parsley, Kakarot nods and let’s go, his body breaking down into dust, a faint look over her shoulder her only warning.

“How foolish.”

A blade from behind pierces Parsley through the stomache, as a tall Threshling noble who had been invisible stabs her from behind.

———

Rex, your Ghost Hakai twists towards Auroc, who’s form bends around them rather. However, Sasheem’s sudden surprise attack and then blasts knock him off course and two of the Ghost Hakai shots slam into and eat away his left arm and left leg, black I hit dripping where they once were.

Auroc flies back, grimacing. He powers up and opens his mouth, dozens of black ki beams streaming down towards Rex and Sasheem.

Dash, now might be the time.

———

Voyavoda, Nevalinna, looking and sensing, it almost seems like The Maven has....dissipated her form to hide her strikes.

Indeed, you start to think she has somehow become ethereal.

———

Seri, your shield barely stops the spikes.

———

Inanna, as you absorb magic, a figure appears before you. A tall, thin male Threshling with a circlet upon his brow and a staff in his hand.

———

Zaofan, the deflected blast is true and the tether holding the Queen breaks. With a near defeating roar, she surges up and uses her power to shatter the other tether, freeing herself. She slumps, exhausted but free.

The Knight spins and kicks you, moving more rapidly, and a blade nicks your shoulder.

———

Ochazuke, the silver knight grunts but answers.

“My...lords...Grand Design. You...can never have...Reshlan, foreign trash.”

He starts laughing.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Inanna, as you absorb magic, a figure appears before you. A tall, thin male Threshling with a circlet upon his brow and a staff in his hand.

Inanna tilts her head but remains undeterred. "Awfully nice amount of shiny things. Would be a shame if I strangled you and took 'em. So move along, mm?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Parsley, Kakarot nods and let’s go, his body breaking down into dust, a faint look over her shoulder her only warning.

“How foolish.”

A blade from behind pierces Parsley through the stomache, as a tall Threshling noble who had been invisible stabs her from behind.

Parsley nodded in response and watched Kakarot's body reduce itself to dust. The long tormented warrior could finally rest in peace. For her part, Parsley felt satisfied. As much as her Saiyan blood wanted to battle someone that powerful, her common sense and sense of self-preservation tempered her battle-lust. She picked battles she could win or make a reasonable close contest out of. Even though she had no idea how powerful Kakarot at the outset, her cautious nature proved right once again.

The battle with Auroc is still underway, she thought. I should be able to get some-

Suddenly, a blade ripped through her torso, stabbing her through. She tried to speak, yell, something, but blood bubbles out of her mouth. "Cowardly...bastard," she gurgled before falling face first to the ground.

Her aura fizzled out like a flame struck by a stiff breeze before her hair returned to its natural brown hue.

Blood, sweet precious blood, pooled under her, staining the mountain side crimson.

[Tami]

Rex, your Ghost Hakai twists towards Auroc, who’s form bends around them rather. However, Sasheem’s sudden surprise attack and then blasts knock him off course and two of the Ghost Hakai shots slam into and eat away his left arm and left leg, black I hit dripping where they once were.

Auroc flies back, grimacing. He powers up and opens his mouth, dozens of black ki beams streaming down towards Rex and Sasheem.

Dash, now might be the time.

Seeing her opening, Dash takes aim, draws back her arm, and once again send the stone spear flying hard and fast straight at Auroc, aiming at the location where she sensed the crystal within him.

OOC: 50/100

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat, hopping around you hearing catches the sound of two Threshlings chanting from behind a pillar. They appear to be casting the fire against you.

Praxat rushes towards the pillar, the two Threshlings are behind and fires off a Ki Blast at it. To make the two Threshlings focus on it.

OT: Cleric quick question. were the pikes that the Threshlings knights were swing at Praxat before. Compose of a ferrous metal?

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Praxat, hopping around you hearing catches the sound of two Threshlings chanting from behind a pillar. They appear to be casting the fire against you.

———

Held, while charging, you see two people coming from each direction (left and right) rapidly at you. You can see they are Nobles if the Threshling race, and they appear intent to stop you.

———

Parsley, Kakarot nods and let’s go, his body breaking down into dust, a faint look over her shoulder her only warning.

“How foolish.”

A blade from behind pierces Parsley through the stomache, as a tall Threshling noble who had been invisible stabs her from behind.

———

Rex, your Ghost Hakai twists towards Auroc, who’s form bends around them rather. However, Sasheem’s sudden surprise attack and then blasts knock him off course and two of the Ghost Hakai shots slam into and eat away his left arm and left leg, black I hit dripping where they once were.

Auroc flies back, grimacing. He powers up and opens his mouth, dozens of black ki beams streaming down towards Rex and Sasheem.

Dash, now might be the time.

———

Voyavoda, Nevalinna, looking and sensing, it almost seems like The Maven has....dissipated her form to hide her strikes.

Indeed, you start to think she has somehow become ethereal.

———

Seri, your shield barely stops the spikes.

———

Inanna, as you absorb magic, a figure appears before you. A tall, thin male Threshling with a circlet upon his brow and a staff in his hand.

———

Zaofan, the deflected blast is true and the tether holding the Queen breaks. With a near defeating roar, she surges up and uses her power to shatter the other tether, freeing herself. She slumps, exhausted but free.

The Knight spins and kicks you, moving more rapidly, and a blade nicks your shoulder.

———

Ochazuke, the silver knight grunts but answers.

“My...lords...Grand Design. You...can never have...Reshlan, foreign trash.”

He starts laughing.

"How odd. She seems... dispersed. My guess would be that she has made herself ethereal or otherwise one with the environs, while still retaining her capability to act. Clever, and troublesome. I have no way to directly attack her, but I would venture a guess that maintaining that state requires a significant amount of concentration and energy. And she is obviously expending more combating your attempts to free your fellows..."

Nevanlinna grimaced. Well then, now what? She couldn't break away from this, and she couldn't think of a way off-hand to force the Maven out of that state... damn it. So it was a battle of attrition, then? Even with Hozon, she wasn't sure she could win such a conflict...

"Hm, shall we compound her troubles, then?" Voyavoda cracked his neck.

Fires of Collapse

Flames of the Golden Ruler-Technique Synthesis ~Aura Magetta's Cleansing Flames~

Suddenly, the Nuova Phoenix Armor he had been maintaining for quite some time exploded outward, covering the battlefield--and beyond--in a roaring inferno.


However, curiously, these flames did not burn--using his mastery of his ki and refined techniques, Voyavoda wove together Aura Magetta and Cleansing Flame, amplified by (incomplete, at this juncture, sadly) the Nuova Phoenix Armor he had just "expended" to create a wide-ranging inferno that would aid the princess' efforts to free this group of knights. He had proven the theory that this corruption could be cleared by Cleansing Flame against that Golden Knight... so surely this would force that witch to expend even more energy to counteract his efforts and the princess'. If nothing else, it would tip a battle of attrition in their favor... or maybe even force her to appear in one place.

And, as a cherry on top of all of this, Voyavoda waded into the group of knights, to apply even more Cleansing Flames the same way he had against that knight--focused through the Phoenix Eye Fist.

Heh, he was quite enjoying himself. It had been a good idea to offer to come here in Toto's stead, and it was proving to be quite the ample distraction from thoughts of his wife's... passing.

[Flames of the Golden Ruler-Technique Synthesis ~Aura Magetta's Cleansing Flames~ is improved by +3 tiers above Voya's normal level of capability. Counter reset and Nuova Phoenix armor and Aura Magetta are unusuable until technique is ended.]

[grampagen]

Zaofan, the deflected blast is true and the tether holding the Queen breaks. With a near defeating roar, she surges up and uses her power to shatter the other tether, freeing herself. She slumps, exhausted but free.

The Knight spins and kicks you, moving more rapidly, and a blade nicks your shoulder.

With the queen's shout of power, Zaofan grinned to himself as she'd freed herself when he caught a heel to the gut.

"OOF--!"

It seemed the Gold Knight had suddenly picked up the pace now that Nevanlinna's mother was on the verge of breaking out. He'd hardly been able to guard the last few strikes as he closed the gap and landed a swipe on him.

Well, Zaofan had been caught off guard for a moment, but right, now his eyes were wide open for a point blank Optic Blast!

ZARK

Hey, hello. I've encountered a bit of a situation down here, he spoke over the psychic connection, just confirming for everyone, though, that the Queen is safe!

Ochazuke, the silver knight grunts but answers.

“My...lords...Grand Design. You...can never have...Reshlan, foreign trash.”

He starts laughing.

As he examined the seal further, its makeup and how its energies intertwined with the world, Ochazuke said nothing as the hall echoed with the sound of the knight's laughter. Silently, he lay his heavy fingers over one of his pauldrons and studied the silver suit that was this soldier's pride and rank.

Broad-set, heavy protection, yet it was more like a second skin than a carapace, allowing a maximum level of articulation.

The plates buckled in an instant as Ochazuke's grip tightened, and he pulled the shoulder inward against the winged scapula; Where he held the joint lock on the Silver Knight, he'd decoupled the entire joint.

"How vainglorious." He kicked out the knee of the Silver knight. "You presume I want anything to do with Reshlan, but for the matter of your Master's wandering eye."

Swiftly, he bound his other arm behind his back. Pliable anatomy or not, they still had bones.

"So talk. How will Auroc's grand design serve your people?"

One way or another, he would unravel the true nature of the seal...and would determine very swiftly if this pawn was lying.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna tilts her head but remains undeterred. "Awfully nice amount of shiny things. Would be a shame if I strangled you and took 'em. So move along, mm?"

The man chuckles and leans against the staff.

“Come now, you can do better than that, yes? I’m old, Miss, and have survived Auroc’s tyranny. Strangling to death would be a mercy compared to his threats.”

His staff glows.

“Be Stone, young miss. Be stone.”

From her feet up, Inanna’s feet start turning into stone.

[Miburo]

Held, while charging, you see two people coming from each direction (left and right) rapidly at you. You can see they are Nobles if the Threshling race, and they appear intent to stop you.

The Nevadian scowled slightly at the interlopers--Well, the interlopers to his interloping--swift appearance. He figured someone would get suspicious of the rapidly climbing energy signature and investigate, but he didn't imagine it would be so soon. Perhaps it could not be helped. The majority of the battles were some distance away from his location, making it more difficult to mask his activities.

His grip on his spears tightened as he focused his attack. It would be far too difficult to properly charge energy for the attack while fending off two competent attackers. It could be done, to a certain extent--Rudimentary blocks and counters, and some evasives--but attacking with the whole of his body, his inventory of skills, was entirely out of the question.

Thankfully, the Shingan provided options that a more mundane warrior might have lacked.

Turning his gaze westward, the energy manifested within the Shingan, as it's deep scarlet grew deeper still.

His eyes widened in effort as he stared into the visage of his opponent from his left.

SHINGAN: OVERTAKER!

Unseen energy burst from the Nevadians gaze, threatening to invade the body of his opponent, Helds ki intermingling with his own, poised to override the Threshlings control of his own body. The Nevadian had not the luxury for finely tuned control over the noble, were he successful.

He simply would have forced the noble to accelerate into his comrade at a breakneck pace, before making his own Ki erupt from the various orifices of the poor puppet, enveloping them both in a most unpleasant explosion of energy.

OT: Two Posts until charged complete

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Parsley nodded in response and watched Kakarot's body reduce itself to dust. The long tormented warrior could finally rest in peace. For her part, Parsley felt satisfied. As much as her Saiyan blood wanted to battle someone that powerful, her common sense and sense of self-preservation tempered her battle-lust. She picked battles she could win or make a reasonable close contest out of. Even though she had no idea how powerful Kakarot at the outset, her cautious nature proved right once again.

The battle with Auroc is still underway, she thought. I should be able to get some-

Suddenly, a blade ripped through her torso, stabbing her through. She tried to speak, yell, something, but blood bubbles out of her mouth. "Cowardly...bastard," she gurgled before falling face first to the ground.

Her aura fizzled out like a flame struck by a stiff breeze before her hair returned to its natural brown hue.

Blood, sweet precious blood, pooled under her, staining the mountain side crimson.

The noble walks away, not before kicking Parsley though.


After a few moments, Parsley, your vision whites and suddenly, you find yourself seemingly floating over your body.

“Wow, that sucked. Not much for fair fights huh?”

A male voice nearby speaks out, oddly cheery.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Seeing her opening, Dash takes aim, draws back her arm, and once again send the stone spear flying hard and fast straight at Auroc, aiming at the location where she sensed the crystal within him.

OOC: 50/100

The blow lands true, and the spear, and the crystal (impales upon it) fly away.

Auroc screams in rage as he suddenly unleashed a torrent of his Gift, sheets of black transformative vomit and bloody raining down all around.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Praxat rushes towards the pillar, the two Threshlings are behind and fires off a Ki Blast at it. To make the two Threshlings focus on it.

OT: Cleric quick question. were the pikes that the Threshlings knights were swing at Praxat before. Compose of a ferrous metal?

OT: An alien metal. They are magically crafted too, but you can try magnetism on them.

IC:

One shields against the attack and the other spins around and lashes out with a fire whip, encircling Praxat’s neck.