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

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“A group? Any ideas who’s in it?”

"Oh my, yes." Inanna replied.

"One part of the many list of things I need doing, as a matter of fact, is following up on this particular lead. See.." Inanna explains, before pausing to glance at Parsley. She'd not told a soul of this until now, after all.

"I've spoken with their leader, and one other. The 'Lord Forger' a Darkling... and a pixie of some kind. I've never seen nor heard of them before. Which is... troubling."

There was a pause.

"Some form of Beast God, among others is in their ranks; and thanks to Auroc I've learned that Ishtar, Goddess of Ruination is among them."

The woman cackled.

"And I keep being reminded of my failures." To kill things, mostly. "As you can see, I need a lot of help. It's why Parsley is here. It's why, ultimately, I'm here."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The various deities look, but it is Ms. Landinghorn that has an idea.

“Try the Kai’s. They might know.”

Sihn nods, picks up a strange green crystal orb, and starts talking in a strange language into it. After about ten minutes, he finally nods once.

“Well ****.”

He sips another drink before responding further.

“From Universe 17 apparently. Nasty cybernetics. Got several planet kills and genocides under his belt, all in the name of ‘judging’ a planet or people. Apparently he his longest snipe is half a galaxy away. And he doesn’t miss. Ever.”

He sips his drink and sighs.

“My Kai in 17 says the guy went missing about two years ago. Just vanished off everyone’s radar.”

"Judges people does he?" Inanna asked, eyebrow raised. "I'm going to feed him his robo- kidneys."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The various deities look, but it is Ms. Landinghorn that has an idea.

“Try the Kai’s. They might know.”

Sihn nods, picks up a strange green crystal orb, and starts talking in a strange language into it. After about ten minutes, he finally nods once.

“Well ****.”

He sips another drink before responding further.

“From Universe 17 apparently. Nasty cybernetics. Got several planet kills and genocides under his belt, all in the name of ‘judging’ a planet or people. Apparently he his longest snipe is half a galaxy away. And he doesn’t miss. Ever.”

He sips his drink and sighs.

“My Kai in 17 says the guy went missing about two years ago. Just vanished off everyone’s radar.”

An immigrant from Universe 17. A being who likened itself not only judge, but also jury and executioner. Entire planets, whole races were wiped out because of his judgements. Clearly, he came to Universe 15 to fill the void left by Indar'en. Another fault that laid directly at the feet of the Fool, Asha'rah.

"I see. Quite the dangerous individual. Do these Kais have a name for him, and a possible reason he would come to 15? Other than to do a job not assigned to him, I mean."

"Oh my, yes." Inanna replied.

"One part of the many list of things I need doing, as a matter of fact, is following up on this particular lead. See.." Inanna explains, before pausing to glance at Parsley. She'd not told a soul of this until now, after all.

"I've spoken with their leader, and one other. The 'Lord Forger' a Darkling... and a pixie of some kind. I've never seen nor heard of them before. Which is... troubling."

There was a pause.

"Some form of Beast God, among others is in their ranks; and thanks to Auroc I've learned that Ishtar, Goddess of Ruination is among them."

The woman cackled.

"And I keep being reminded of my failures." To kill things, mostly. "As you can see, I need a lot of help. It's why Parsley is here. It's why, ultimately, I'm here."

Parsley frowned. She hadn't heard of this before. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't very aware of much of anything Inanna dmhad done in the last few years during her excursions. Sarada always chalked it up to her going off to train with someone more on her level and left it at that. That was good enough for Parsley at the time, but now...

While Inanna brought the gods up to speed on the Ulthan, Parsley remained silent. Only at the end did she pull out Auroc's journal and add, "Three of these beings have ascended beyond the limits of their race, whatever that means. Auroc has them named the Wolf God of Universe 18, the Last Daughter, and the Beast God."

She stopped short as her eyes fell on the list again.

Third: Cybernetic. Universe 17, perhaps?

"The Judge of this Ulthan group is a cybernetic being from Universe 17. Perhaps that is the name of Koorimaru's assassin." It would make sense. If his range was half a galaxy, then that would more than justify him having a spot on a team with three ascended gods.

"What do you think?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sihn pauses. Pales.


“The Gallows Lord. The Wolf God. Shabador un Balac, The Banner of the Crimson Moon, known as Shab to his foes.”

He pauses and swirls his drink.

“My oldest enemy. He wants my head because I beat him long, long ago. Buried and burned him, left him and his followers shattered and broken on his planet Balac. Wiped his entire scourge out of existence.”

He chuckles humorously.

“I was lawman at the time. Kind of like a Galactic Cop. He and his kind murdered and transformed dozens of worlds, and it was left to me and a few others to hold them back. I’m the only one who walked away from that final fight. Took up position as Supreme Kai shortly thereafter.”

He looks at Inanna.

“If he’s back and alive, I doubt I can beat him again. I doubt very mich anyone could at this point save Sakin or Lampton.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ms. Landinghorn gently takes the green crystal away and keeps speaking into it. After a moment, she puts it away and answers.

“The Judge. Sev’er the Judge, that is his name. Apparently, he vanished two years ago. Why he’s here we don’t know, but I’m betting if we look we’ll find more than a few assassinations that match Koorimaru’s.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sheki’hinah looks worried.

“The Ruination Goddess......Inanna, she has to be here for you. The fact this group has her in their ranks must mean you are definitely on their list of targets.

[KingofPie]

Sihn pauses. Pales.


“The Gallows Lord. The Wolf God. Shabador un Balac, The Banner of the Crimson Moon, known as Shab to his foes.”

He pauses and swirls his drink.

“My oldest enemy. He wants my head because I beat him long, long ago. Buried and burned him, left him and his followers shattered and broken on his planet Balac. Wiped his entire scourge out of existence.”

He chuckles humorously.

“I was lawman at the time. Kind of like a Galactic Cop. He and his kind murdered and transformed dozens of worlds, and it was left to me and a few others to hold them back. I’m the only one who walked away from that final fight. Took up position as Supreme Kai shortly thereafter.”

He looks at Inanna.

“If he’s back and alive, I doubt I can beat him again. I doubt very mich anyone could at this point save Sakin or Lampton.”

"AHAHAHA!" Sasheem laughed loudly, . "Sorry, Sasheem just thought that was a pretty funny joke. Considering the amount of people that were supposedly unbeatable that he's seen beaten. Intergalactic, universal, multiversal, you name it, they'll be slapped down. Just the way these things tend to go with us. But you should know that already, eh Signny-boy?" the Majin asked, punching Sihn on the shoulder. "Bein' the supremest of kais and all."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Sihn pauses. Pales.


“The Gallows Lord. The Wolf God. Shabador un Balac, The Banner of the Crimson Moon, known as Shab to his foes.”

He pauses and swirls his drink.

“My oldest enemy. He wants my head because I beat him long, long ago. Buried and burned him, left him and his followers shattered and broken on his planet Balac. Wiped his entire scourge out of existence.”

He chuckles humorously.

“I was lawman at the time. Kind of like a Galactic Cop. He and his kind murdered and transformed dozens of worlds, and it was left to me and a few others to hold them back. I’m the only one who walked away from that final fight. Took up position as Supreme Kai shortly thereafter.”

He looks at Inanna.

“If he’s back and alive, I doubt I can beat him again. I doubt very mich anyone could at this point save Sakin or Lampton.”

"You should likely retire before the job kills you. Nearly did today," Inanna said after processing the information.

"Of more importance to me than these known factors however, is the Pixie. Is anyone here even passingly familiar?" The woman turned toward the magic God. "Caliban? It is a being of magic, I know that much. Anything familiar?"

An immigrant from Universe 17. A being who likened itself not only judge, but also jury and executioner. Entire planets, whole races were wiped out because of his judgements. Clearly, he came to Universe 15 to fill the void left by Indar'en. Another fault that laid directly at the feet of the Fool, Asha'rah.

"I see. Quite the dangerous individual. Do these Kais have a name for him, and a possible reason he would come to 15? Other than to do a job not assigned to him, I mean."

Parsley frowned. She hadn't heard of this before. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't very aware of much of anything Inanna dmhad done in the last few years during her excursions. Sarada always chalked it up to her going off to train with someone more on her level and left it at that. That was good enough for Parsley at the time, but now...

While Inanna brought the gods up to speed on the Ulthan, Parsley remained silent. Only at the end did she pull out Auroc's journal and add, "Three of these beings have ascended beyond the limits of their race, whatever that means. Auroc has them named the Wolf God of Universe 18, the Last Daughter, and the Beast God."

She stopped short as her eyes fell on the list again.

"The Judge of this Ulthan group is a cybernetic being from Universe 17. Perhaps that is the name of Koorimaru's assassin." It would make sense. If his range was half a galaxy, then that would more than justify him having a spot on a team with three ascended gods.

"What do you think?"

"It fits." Inanna said dryly.

Sheki’hinah looks worried.

“The Ruination Goddess......Inanna, she has to be here for you. The fact this group has her in their ranks must mean you are definitely on their list of targets.

"Oh I know she is, they are." Inanna replied.

"They're hunting Genesis, an aberration, and their methods are as Banespell explained, far and away different than my own. We are at odds from the outset. I suspect they'll try to kill me sooner, rather than later." Inanna mused aloud.

"Exciting, don't you think? The sealed multiverse considers me a threat to the old regime. Clearly I'm on the right path."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Shabador un Balac, the Banner of the Crimson Moon.

Sev'er the Judge.

Parsley added these names to Auroc's journal and ponders what she'd learned. The Judge had been there for two years. How many people were dead because of what unknown measurement of what was and was not worthy of life?

However, as unnerved as Sev'er made her, The Gallows Lord had a power the likes of which she couldn't imagine. Had her tail not been wrapped around her waist, it would have been wagging with excitement. A being that not even an Angel, albeit weakened, and an transcended Angel could defeat. It was extraordinary!

"How exciting! Fighting him should be fun!" After the uncharacteristic, but very Saiyan-like outburst, she cleared her throat and reigned in her excitement. "With that said, I echo what Inanna said. We need to get stronger. I need to get stronger. Not only for these, but Genenis will be back and I won't let a chance to fight that one slip through my fingers again. Any training you know of will do."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"I'd been hunting Auroc down, finding the path to his homeworld over the last half year, but as far as I know, she's safe, taking refuge on Earth according to Parsley," he replied, "Immediate retribution aside, if she's not with us right now, then our Guardian is likely helping her to prepare her counter-attack,"

Of course, what he left unsaid was something quite harrowing. Suppose she'd taken the measure of one enemy after the other?

If Sarada was safe, Maiz could breath easily. However, no matter how much she hated knowing it was true, as long as Tundra was out there, Sarada wasn't safe. He had made two different attempts on her life, that she knew of. As long as he was a threat to the Saiyans, she was going to confront him. And she was going to confront him alone.

She touched her forehead. "Then I ask that I accompany you to Earth. I need to speak with her, and let her know I'm alright. At least that will be one less thing on her mind." She had enough to worry about as it was. Not worrying about Maiz's well-being was a much unneeded load off her shoulders.

Silently he poured a second cup and slid it over to the GP Lieutenant, considering his every word as he outlined the scope of this spacefaring faction.

"So this has been a conflict in the making for some time...to say the least" he said, moving his gaze from Blizzar to Maiz as she recounted her story

"Two thousand years in the making," Maiz said. "His great-grandfather, Glacier, enslaved our race. Vocado rose up and challenged him, and killed him. I suspect that it where the blood feud between our races began." She chuckled bitterly. "The offender has been long dead, but we still can't let go"

"It seems Tundra and his proxies waited for Auroc to move in first before assaulting your capital directly. Why is that? Perhaps despite the strength of his forces, their numbers are fewer than they let on. Hence the subterfuge."

She could only shrug. "Coincidence? I highly doubt someone dead set on killing Sarada and came all that way to do it would let someone else have the 'honor' if he knew about this first invasion."

"Something all cruel men covet, and that is power." Of course, this was a story he'd only heard half of, and the rest withheld for reasons he could not fathom at this time.

"In the absence of the God of Creation, many peoples across the universe have only the Guardians as a source of some divine guidance. Whatever vision there was at the beginning has been carried on and reinterpreted in as many ways as there are fragments of a fallen goddess' soul."

This was hardly new information, they knew it well - especially one affixed with a spark of the Creation itself. Having stood there when the Creator herself flit her barbs at the incoming Destroyer, however, Ochazuke was all too aware of the lingering rot that continued to fester; only now, he had a clearer picture of just exactly what had been left unattended all this time.

" Asha'rah plucked the power of Destruction in some desperate plot to protect her creation as she'd seen it, and took Inda'ren's power into himself."

Lifting the teapot, Ochazuke found it empty. He filled it to steep once again.

"Yet as much as she had forgotten, he never did, and as she balanced her power with his own, so does the old Destroyer's power remain. A Remnant, as he calls himself. In exchange for incredible power, he possessed the body of one foolish enough to seize his amulet, and sought to remake himself through Koorimaru. By consuming the piece of Creation that lingers in certain Guardians, he would open a gated passage between realms to where the remainder of his power lingers, seemingly unable to pass on."

Quite a scheme, indeed. And then there was the matter of Asha'rah's own disappearance.

"Parsley and Inanna went to see to this matter, but if Koorimaru wasn't killed by them, there is yet another lurking faction out there."

Maiz poured herself a second cup of tea as she listened to the previously unknown tale of gods and heavenly wars. She knew a small bit about the Creation Gods. How could she not? It was a portion of their power that empowered her and allowed her to better help her race. What she didn't know was the greater story of this Asha'rah. Waging a losing battle for a good cause and killing her contemporary for the power needed to wage her war. Had she won, perhaps it would have all been worth it.

But, she lost. And the universe had been plunged in darkness ever since.

Maiz knew the role of the God of Destruction. Without one, those Asha'rah wanted to do away with rose to power with impunity.

What a waste.

"I see. I was almost a pawn on a cosmic ghost's chess board." She chuckled bitterly again. "I'm assuming his plan must have fallen apart if I'm here and not... wherever this Remnant needs me to be. How many other Guardians did he need to use?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"AHAHAHA!" Sasheem laughed loudly, . "Sorry, Sasheem just thought that was a pretty funny joke. Considering the amount of people that were supposedly unbeatable that he's seen beaten. Intergalactic, universal, multiversal, you name it, they'll be slapped down. Just the way these things tend to go with us. But you should know that already, eh Signny-boy?" the Majin asked, punching Sihn on the shoulder. "Bein' the supremest of kais and all."

Sihn pauses and nods slightly.

“You actually aren’t wrong. Still.......a daunting thing to know he’s back on my trail. And when we’re so close to finishes my list off.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"You should likely retire before the job kills you. Nearly did today," Inanna said after processing the information.

"Of more importance to me than these known factors however, is the Pixie. Is anyone here even passingly familiar?" The woman turned toward the magic God. "Caliban? It is a being of magic, I know that much. Anything familiar?"



"It fits." Inanna said dryly.



"Oh I know she is, they are." Inanna replied.

"They're hunting Genesis, an aberration, and their methods are as Banespell explained, far and away different than my own. We are at odds from the outset. I suspect they'll try to kill me sooner, rather than later." Inanna mused aloud.

"Exciting, don't you think? The sealed multiverse considers me a threat to the old regime. Clearly I'm on the right path."

Sihn nods.

“Once Sakin is gone, I do plan on retiring. Oh, and the Beast God? Ask the GP on him. If it’s the same fellow, he was involved with the Meridian Crisis some years back. Was on their most wan tree d list for a long time. They might know more.”

Caliban pauses and then nods.

“A pixie? Pale blue grey skin? Is so you’re dealing with a Fae from the planet Tuath Dé, from Universe 16, which is where I hail from. We very careful, their magic is.......unparalleled. Oaths, Pacts, dangerous things. Often if broken, death swiftly follows.”


Sheki’hinah meanwhile still looks displeased at Inanna’s cavalier attitude.

“The correct path is fine, but I’d rather you make it to the end of said path in somewhat good condition, daughter. You are notorious for.....bad injuries. Nevertheless, perhaps this group can be reasoned with: if they are going after Genesis as well, a threat you’ve said is quite large, they can’t be all bad can they?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Voyavoda, as you spool up the engines, a figure suddenly floats down about three hundred meters away from the ship, right in line with your view screen.

It is the Arcosian, Koorimaru. He moves his hands up to his mask, slowly taking it off.

Ochazuke, you detect that slight flicker of strange energy again as you speak with Maiz.

[Miburo]

Praxat looks at Held as her right arm slowly heals." Dash never stopped me from pushing myself to use more than 40% of my elastic energy. When she sparred together, she always wanted me to go all out. She never critic me because we were friends," Praxat said.

" I don't have things figured out about how to pursue my goal. You're the mentor I need Held, one that won't give me any special treatment," Praxat said.

( Dammit, what I was thinking blurting out I have a healing factor to Held like it's something to brag about. It isn't something to brag about. My healing factor is limited to my eyes and limbs. Plus, it's slow,) Praxat thought.

( A shattered limb would take me 2 days to heal, however I didn't shatter my right arm though, I only bruised it. So it won't take that long to heal,) Praxat thought

( Still, it's most likely going to take my right arm hours to heal,) Praxat thought.

Praxat then slowly moves her right arm and opens and closes her right hand, and then stops. ( ****, that hurts. From what I know about bruises. They're a rupture of underlying blood vessels caused by trauma) Praxat thought.

" Held, only using 50 and 60% of my elastic energy in just advantageous situations is not what I'm looking for. I want to be able to use 50 % and 60% of my elastic, or possibly more, without damaging my body. My goal isn't just swordsmanship. It's also to master my own physiology," Praxat said.

"Then let's get started in earnest, eh?" Held replied simply, "Money is time, as the humans like to say."

He raised his hands over his head, stretching lightly.

"I'm glad your plan is to push your body beyond it's limits. This makes it much simpler."

His knuckles cracked and his palm collided with a closed hand.

"We'll just have to find the threshold that's your breaking point, and you'll either falter at that plateau, or go beyond it."

It would have taken a lot longer to teach the finer points of swordsmanship, but depending on how she responds to this, this could go easily enough...or be a waste of time. Then again, It's a good chance to work on some new ideas with my techniques...So, it's a win either way, I suppose.

"...Admittedly, the quickest and most effective way for you on our time table is through sheer physical effort, with a side of psychosomatic trauma..."

He laughed nervously, before stretching his left hand outwards, gesturing for his Toadian Apprentice to face him in battle.

"Shall we?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Shabador un Balac, the Banner of the Crimson Moon.

Sev'er the Judge.

Parsley added these names to Auroc's journal and ponders what she'd learned. The Judge had been there for two years. How many people were dead because of what unknown measurement of what was and was not worthy of life?

However, as unnerved as Sev'er made her, The Gallows Lord had a power the likes of which she couldn't imagine. Had her tail not been wrapped around her waist, it would have been wagging with excitement. A being that not even an Angel, albeit weakened, and an transcended Angel could defeat. It was extraordinary!

"How exciting! Fighting him should be fun!" After the uncharacteristic, but very Saiyan-like outburst, she cleared her throat and reigned in her excitement. "With that said, I echo what Inanna said. We need to get stronger. I need to get stronger. Not only for these, but Genenis will be back and I won't let a chance to fight that one slip through my fingers again. Any training you know of will do."

“I’ve not trained with Saiyans before. I’m more a gunfighter than fist’o cuffs, myself.”
Sihn says, patting his revolver.

Sheki’hinah also shakes her head.

“Despite my power I’m honestly not much of a fighter. I can punch and kick, but that’s about it. Asha’rah was the warrior. Any actual technique won’t be learned from me, sorry.”

The two look at Caliban, who groans and than sits down, puffing on a pipe.

“Fine! I can train Missy and a few others, but it’ll be in magic only. Low blow aside, punching people doesn’t tend to work fer me.”