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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Way Between Worlds... when she started reading his words, Parsley would have sworn he was merely speaking about traveling through the pitch blackness of space. He was, but Auroc sought another, better way. He found it in the Cosmic Leylines. By means of an apparatus of his design, he gained access to these Leylines.

The best way for her to describe to herself in order to understand was likening these Leylines to dark alleyways nestled between buildings, offshoots of established roads that got a person to their destination quicker, at a price. These shortcuts were rife with dangers both known and unseen.

It was an imperfect comparison. These Leylines sounded so much more dangerous, and exciting. The talk that only those with a strong will could travel through them elicited an eye roll. Auroc had proven himself of weak will and weaker constitution. If he could travel through them just barely, the likes of herself and the other M Fighters should have little trouble. Still, her will would be reinforced as best as she could manage before she even attempted to traverse.

"Night..." That name again. Auroc fought him, possibly on his world. She was reminded of the bargain she made and what she needed to do in order to free herself from it. She stood to lose a lot, but had plenty of time. The other names were catalogued in her memory: the Honzu civilization, the Cabal of Stone and Thorn, and the Dreadnaught of Mala. "I'll see about visiting each of these to see what I can discover." Perhaps going alone was out of the question. She was stronger than Auroc, but she dared not overestimate herself. Still, if he survived, so could she.

The red ball came from the Cabal. Returning it to them was a priority. Plus having a means of reaching Night herself was a great help.

She flipped to Section 7 to read about his apparatus. If it still existed, it would also be hers.

The apparatus is the metal and crystal device you already found, that can travel through seals and barriers. It’s just far more powerful than you thought.

There is also way more math involved to calculate the right angles and power into each crystal than Parsley first realized (especially to open a sealed door to the cosmic leylines, which Auroc has notes for on page 4). There are over two dozen pages of complicated mathematical theorem Auroc created so as to work the Apparatus. At full size it can unfold into something over seven feet by seven feet, at its smallest it’s barely over a foot. For regular travel between planets it’s easier, apparently, but things like planetary spin and rotation need to be taken into account, alongside other factors.

Apparently, despite his arrogance, Auroc was quite a brilliant mathematician.

[MrSandman]

The Battle had been won, though the actual defeat of Auroc had been largely outside her efforts....Etrina felt at least some amount of pride in her actions. Unfortunately pride wasn't a effective substitute for energy, and her actions with the array had knocked her into a weakened state for far longer then she had hoped. Thankfully none of the Saiyans or Inanna had found her, so busy with beating auroc and the aftermath....she would never hear the end of it.

By the time things were concluded, she was at least in a a state she could move around...and was quietly making her way out of the ruins, keeping an eye out for anything interesting but otherwise treating it as a leisurely post victory stroll.

[Tami]

“Yes, I am the Queen, and yes, little Neva will be alright. She is exhausted.”

She nods to Dash.

“If you can, would you perhaps go into the throne room and search around the back of the throne. I believe Auroc left something there that belongs to me.”

"Sure thing, your majesty. Ah'll be back soon." Dash gave her a slight smile, a quick bow, then headed back into the Castle.

Once inside, she had to navigate over the rubble and past the holes on the floors, being careful not to knock anything over.

Soon she was back by the Throne room, searching carefully. Going behind the throne, she looked for what it was that the Queen was interested in.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Yes there is.

OT: And how much time is left for Inanna's transcendental state?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT: And how much time is left for Inanna's transcendental state?

Hmm......not much. 30 seconds maybe to a minute maybe?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Sure thing, your majesty. Ah'll be back soon." Dash gave her a slight smile, a quick bow, then headed back into the Castle.

Once inside, she had to navigate over the rubble and past the holes on the floors, being careful not to knock anything over.

Soon she was back by the Throne room, searching carefully. Going behind the throne, she looked for what it was that the Queen was interested in.

A simple silver crown and amulet are found in a stone box hidden behind and partially under the throne. Symbols of her reign no doubt.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Battle had been won, though the actual defeat of Auroc had been largely outside her efforts....Etrina felt at least some amount of pride in her actions. Unfortunately pride wasn't a effective substitute for energy, and her actions with the array had knocked her into a weakened state for far longer then she had hoped. Thankfully none of the Saiyans or Inanna had found her, so busy with beating auroc and the aftermath....she would never hear the end of it.

By the time things were concluded, she was at least in a a state she could move around...and was quietly making her way out of the ruins, keeping an eye out for anything interesting but otherwise treating it as a leisurely post victory stroll.

You see Dash getting something from behind the throne, and all the various other Threshlings going about helping others. You see the Queen not too far away outside, beside Neva and a small boy.

[Tami]

A simple silver crown and amulet are found in a stone box hidden behind and partially under the throne. Symbols of her reign no doubt.

Pulling the box out from under the throne, Dash looked at them for a moment, then lifted off the ground. Hovering above the debris and holes, she floated towards the exit.

Once outside, she made a bee-line back tot he Queen.

Holding the box out for her, "Ah gather this is what you are lookin for?"

[MrSandman]

You see Dash getting something from behind the throne, and all the various other Threshlings going about helping others. You see the Queen not too far away outside, beside Neva and a small boy.

Following at her own pace behind Dash, Etrina made her way out to the queen and the others.

"Well...Everything seems to be in order up here at least." Etrina cracked a bit of a smile, then weakly brushed her hair aside. "Pity I could only offer so much to the effort....but we seem to have made it through the other side relatively...well...." Etrina glanced around at the ruin around her. "...well....better then it could have been...."

[Miburo]

" I'm 29, and I can't drink Alcoholic beverages, not because of any age limit, but because it makes me sick. I tried some alcoholic before, and it made me threw up my stomach. I'm not joking when my kind ingestion something our bodies don't agree with, we throw our entire stomachs up and then clean them off. However, I could use a bite to eat after the hard battle Dash, and I had," Praxat said.

" As for other beverages, basically, the only thing I can actually drink is water," Praxat said.

The Nevadian sighed in sympathy at Praxat's tale. "That's.....Well, not my idea of the good life, but I suppose there are other ways to find our fun, eh?"

Sefiroth watched his new 'friend' depart. An interesting fellow, that Held, as were the others.

Interesting, but fools. They had played right into his hands.

'His' body trembled and bubbled, psychic energy emitting from 'Sefiroth', until at long last the body dissolved into a slurry of what had once been a threshling.

The Nevadian blinked oddly, before rubbing his eyes to make sure his mind had not played tricks on him. The floating bubbles of Sefiroth served as a slight confirmation of what once existed.

Or, perhaps....

"Dear Kami, what do the Threshlings put in their drinks?" He muttered to himself. He turned back to Praxat.

"On second thought, perhaps this is a sign that drinking is indeed an activity best tempered by moderation..."


What on earth was that? Was that a teleportation technique? No....It's like he ceased to be...An illusion of some sort? Maybe, but... For a moment, I thought I sensed something vaguely familiar.....

A lot of Threshlings milling about, helping the wounded, looking for survivors, and helping move the dead to organized rows outside. Several of the Threshlings you recognize are standing guard over a group of Auroc’s faithful who had been willingly serving him.

The Queen is currently sitting and speaking to a young boy, holding him close, while holding a sleeping Neva’s hand beside her, Seri nearby.

Much of the capital city below seems if not destroyed, than at least partially cracked or broken, and you can see thousands of Threshlings exiting buildings, looking either stunned or confused as Knights and Priestesses loyal to Neva and the Queen move among them, helping as they can.

The Nevadian grimaced slightly as he overlooked the devastation. It was likely a lot to take in for the locals. The experience of being held captive by Auroc's power and the tainted leylines alone was likely a shocking experience, making them prisoners within their own being...

To be freed, only to witness such chaos....It must have been like waking up to a new reality.

He paused as he came upon the Queen and Neva, the former comforting the comatose latter. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude on such a delicate moment. Alas, duty prevailed, and simply overlooking the totality of the situation was out of the question.

"I'm sorry to intrude, your Majesty." Held intoned politely, nodding his head at her "But I wished to meet with you in regards to how my fleet would best be of assistance to you, if at all."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Hmm......not much. 30 seconds maybe to a minute maybe?

OC: Something to work with.

IC:

Inanna was aware her 'gift' had all but run its course; and though she lay prone with a near severed leg in a pool of her own transcendent blood.

The woman grinned.

"Time for something... benevolent."

But first things first.

Inanna reached down, to her ruined leg- it would mend in moments, when she'd recovered her energy- and felt the strange, orange energy that smouldered there. The woman whispered, and the energy was swiftly massersted by Hakai, for consideration, appraisal... but the more important task?

Inanna scratched a few runes into the blood puddle; and before doing as she'd done to bind Genesis... but with a twist. The item given by Hilda was drawn, and swiftly shattered. The Hozon within draining and dripping into Inanna's ascendant ichor.

"I am Inanna, the Unchained. Not some whelp bound to serve a sundered Firmament... not enough to simply destroy." Inanna stood shakily too her feet.

"May my first judgment, be this..." By the powers both given, and taken, the spell was cast; and a broken world found new life flood swiftly into it.

Reshlan would find itself gifted the same energy that had been used to preserve the wayward Tyrannosaurus. Divine Intervention, but on a global scale. And though the buildings would remain rubble, and the scars of battle might never heal to as they were before... and yet Reshlan would not suffer from its years under Auroc's yoke. It had not been by the race's own hands, that they found themselves here... and this was something Inanna simply couldn't overlook.

Using the last vestiges of her ascension... Inanna, the Unbound, had passed judgment on Reshlan and its people.

One of mercy. Hope.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The apparatus is the metal and crystal device you already found, that can travel through seals and barriers. It’s just far more powerful than you thought.

There is also way more math involved to calculate the right angles and power into each crystal than Parsley first realized (especially to open a sealed door to the cosmic leylines, which Auroc has notes for on page 4). There are over two dozen pages of complicated mathematical theorem Auroc created so as to work the Apparatus. At full size it can unfold into something over seven feet by seven feet, at its smallest it’s barely over a foot. For regular travel between planets it’s easier, apparently, but things like planetary spin and rotation need to be taken into account, alongside other factors.

Apparently, despite his arrogance, Auroc was quite a brilliant mathematician.

She was in luck. The Apparatus was already on her person. Even better, Auroc left details notes, algorithms and theorems detailing how to use it. Sadly, math wasn't her forte. But, she knew who could understand it easily.

I'll be sure to pay Pants a visit so he can help me understand how to use this thing.

After all, it took brilliant mind to understand the nonsensical ramblings of an equally brilliant mind. It was sad; with his intellect and untold wisdom gained throughout the eons, Auroc could have done so much good. Instead, he squandered all of it with delusions of grandeur and petty dreams of deification.

The fool.

She moved on the section about Universe 18. If she recalled correctly, that was the very first universe created. It was also where they first encountered knowledge about the First Race, which Auroc used to created the Threshling. Let's see what you found out.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Pulling the box out from under the throne, Dash looked at them for a moment, then lifted off the ground. Hovering above the debris and holes, she floated towards the exit.

Once outside, she made a bee-line back tot he Queen.

Holding the box out for her, "Ah gather this is what you are lookin for?"

She nods her thanks.

She takes the crown and places it gently on her head, then slips the amulet on Neva’s.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Following at her own pace behind Dash, Etrina made her way out to the queen and the others.

"Well...Everything seems to be in order up here at least." Etrina cracked a bit of a smile, then weakly brushed her hair aside. "Pity I could only offer so much to the effort....but we seem to have made it through the other side relatively...well...." Etrina glanced around at the ruin around her. "...well....better then it could have been...."

“Your mage craft is superb, mi’lady. You have Reshlan’s thanks for your service.” The Queen says.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Nevadian sighed in sympathy at Praxat's tale. "That's.....Well, not my idea of the good life, but I suppose there are other ways to find our fun, eh?"




The Nevadian blinked oddly, before rubbing his eyes to make sure his mind had not played tricks on him. The floating bubbles of Sefiroth served as a slight confirmation of what once existed.

Or, perhaps....

"Dear Kami, what do the Threshlings put in their drinks?" He muttered to himself. He turned back to Praxat.

"On second thought, perhaps this is a sign that drinking is indeed an activity best tempered by moderation..."


What on earth was that? Was that a teleportation technique? No....It's like he ceased to be...An illusion of some sort? Maybe, but... For a moment, I thought I sensed something vaguely familiar.....




The Nevadian grimaced slightly as he overlooked the devastation. It was likely a lot to take in for the locals. The experience of being held captive by Auroc's power and the tainted leylines alone was likely a shocking experience, making them prisoners within their own being...

To be freed, only to witness such chaos....It must have been like waking up to a new reality.

He paused as he came upon the Queen and Neva, the former comforting the comatose latter. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude on such a delicate moment. Alas, duty prevailed, and simply overlooking the totality of the situation was out of the question.

"I'm sorry to intrude, your Majesty." Held intoned politely, nodding his head at her "But I wished to meet with you in regards to how my fleet would best be of assistance to you, if at all."

She looks at him and smiles.

“Commodore Held Debon, yes? We owe a debt to you. If it’s at all possible, if your fleet is capable, medical supplies and foodstuffs would be appreciated. We’re.....a bit less advanced than we should be.”