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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Totoma offered her a means of exacting precise vengeance against the deplorable curs, and Parsley took it immediately. Her electric aura flared, pushing the peerless power of Super Saiyan 2 to its new and unknown limits.

She cupped her hands and pooled as much energy as she possibly could. Yet, instead of pooling in between her hands, it concentrated into ten hyper fine blasts centered around each finger. A technique she witnessed during Sarada's fight with the alternate version of Samson Balon, a true master of masters, or as close to it as any person could have gotten. While she wasn't anywhere close to his skill, she was good at mimicry.

Perfect Intuition: KamehaDodon Rays

The beams fired from her fingers and entered the void tunnel, crossing the distance of light years and the shadowy veil of outer space. She could see them scattering like roaches, yet there was no escape from he rcold judgement.

Perfect Intuition: Hunter/Prey

They had all been marked for death. For their hand in the deaths of Held and Guardian Evangeline, for their attack on her sister and the pending attempt on ruining what happiness she had manage to carve out for herself, they had been marked guilty. There would be no escape. The beams curled through the air, zeroing in on the present Ulthan like sharks in the water.

Yet, that wasn't where her vengeance ended. She outer more power into the center of her hands, a more familiar attack to her, one she had spent years perfecting both the form and formation of. "SPIRAL FLASH!" The two-tone, dual energy blast erupted forward, entering Totoma's Void Tunnel and barreling downward toward the ground, seeking the very planet's destruction. If innocent lives were lost, well, that was just too bad. They would have their own lord to blame for their permanent stay in Otherworld.

For her part, she merely had one thing to say. "I hope you lot suffer in hell."

The Wolf Lord is surrounded by a reddish-black aura, his form easily tanking multiple KamehaDodon Rays as any that get within ten feet of him simply vanish as his Nullify Aura kicks in. They didn’t even seem to make him flinch. His aura alone nullifies three of the attacks.

Oddly enough, the reddish aura gives no energy sense.

The Beast God roars and his form shifts, God Ki (sensible only by Ochazuke and Totoma at the moment since they are linked) weaving around him as he one hand bats the Spiral Flash into the atmosphere like one would an insect.

The Last Daughter also roars, a Containment Sphere appearing around her and the smaller Fae creature, three of the Rays bouncing off harmlessly.

Two beams strike Lord Forger, his form shattering like porcelain as the attacks strike.

The last two strike down on The Judge, who vanishes under the onslaught.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sarada and Maiz both felt Parsley's power skyrocket before they saw a bright flashes of light high above them. "What's going on?!"

Maiz squinted, then nodded once. "An addendum to Inanna's plan, I suppose. Or Parsley's own." She stepped back, her work on Sarada's damaged hair complete. Not that she got a chance to look over what she had done before she immediately transformed and blasted into the air.

Sarada's power flared, fueled by the rage, pain, sadness, and overwhelming thirst for revenge that she had felt earlier. She wanted to personally jump through that Void Tunnel and carve their heads from their bodies, bit that probably wasn't a good idea. She would have to make do with this.

Her hands cupped by her side as she closed in, violet energy pooling around them. This is Jack...! more power, ...and Nunlil...! more power, ...and Kai...! more power than she had ever used in a Galick Gun, ...and Held...!

Sarada quickly flashed by Parsley and thrust her hands forward, unleashing the culmination of all her rage and grief. Grief at watching a woman she respected more than most die for no other reason than for the duties she shoulder to keep her planet safe. "FOR EVA!! GALICK DESTROYER!!!"

Ruination Goddess Ishtar powers up, orange and black energy appearing in her hand as she simply...blocks the attack. After a moment, her combined Hakai and Ruination energy simply eats the attack Sarada fired

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Sarada and Parsley watched, dumbfounded, as their attacks were tanked with completely impunity.

"N-no...that's not possible," Sarada stammered quietly.

"We had the upper hand," Parsley said. "They were scattering like roaches. If they are this powerful, why run away?" She licked her lips and glanced at Ochazuke and Totoma, hoping they had seen or heard something that would give insight into what the hell was going.

"Just who the hell are these people?"

[MrSandman]

“In the house, help yourself.”

"Thank you.....and for the record I'm claiming all the tea you have, consider it compensation for my misfortune." Etrina trudged off towards the house, casually flicking her wrist in a hand wavey gesture. "Have fun deciding who has revenge on who....bicker about it forever for all I care."

She shot Inanna a knowing glance, as if to indicate something, but said nothing. Then calmly closed the door behind her as she went inside.....

~~~

The moment she was out of sight, Etrina nearly trampled over whatever furniture lay between her and the nearest table....and proceeded to take stock of whatever she had on hand. All thought of tea had evaporated, replaced only with the immediate turning of every mental cog she had.

A trap....a trap specifically created for Inanna, using that smirking dragons wish.....on its own a portent of vast implications, but nothing she could worry about on the inside of a magic snowglobe.

A sphere of magic, true magic to be precise(the name itself was really a slap to the face of any mage studying to art) acting as a barrier....a bubble. Inside space was wrong.....

As Etrina spread what equipment she had, she allowed her senses to take a more accurate image of the surroundings. Any information she could gather on the makeup of this space they were in could potentially yield something of vaule...also the forgers house itself may have something interesting.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sarada and Parsley watched, dumbfounded, as their attacks were tanked with completely impunity.

"N-no...that's not possible," Sarada stammered quietly.

"We had the upper hand," Parsley said. "They were scattering like roaches. If they are this powerful, why run away?" She licked her lips and glanced at Ochazuke and Totoma, hoping they had seen or heard something that would give insight into what the hell was going.

"Just who the hell are these people?"

Ochazuke and Totoma do see something. A thin web of lines connecting each Ulthan.

From their rings.

They, like Totoma’s Kizuna ability, can apparently connect to and use each other’s energy.

Or in this case, Lady Binder’s reaction to sensing the Void Lends in time to react.

It’s not completely like Kizuna, but potent enough it let all react quick enough save Lord Forger and The Judge.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Held, you ‘awaken’ to voices, one male and one female, talking about you.

“I must say this is most bizarre, ********. What’s a soul doing here of all places?”

The female voice responds.

“I don’t know Whis, but he’s waking up aren’t you dear?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Thank you.....and for the record I'm claiming all the tea you have, consider it compensation for my misfortune." Etrina trudged off towards the house, casually flicking her wrist in a hand wavey gesture. "Have fun deciding who has revenge on who....bicker about it forever for all I care."

She shot Inanna a knowing glance, as if to indicate something, but said nothing. Then calmly closed the door behind her as she went inside.....

~~~

The moment she was out of sight, Etrina nearly trampled over whatever furniture lay between her and the nearest table....and proceeded to take stock of whatever she had on hand. All thought of tea had evaporated, replaced only with the immediate turning of every mental cog she had.

A trap....a trap specifically created for Inanna, using that smirking dragons wish.....on its own a portent of vast implications, but nothing she could worry about on the inside of a magic snowglobe.

A sphere of magic, true magic to be precise(the name itself was really a slap to the face of any mage studying to art) acting as a barrier....a bubble. Inside space was wrong.....

As Etrina spread what equipment she had, she allowed her senses to take a more accurate image of the surroundings. Any information she could gather on the makeup of this space they were in could potentially yield something of vaule...also the forgers house itself may have something interesting.

Anything potent or magical is gone from the house, obvious this false one would not have his magical forge or items. Only mundane things here.

Just faintly, like a slight breeze or hum, Etrina can feel......its not magic she’s familiar with but once, the explosion of energy Grinthorn let out to scare those mages away.

True Magic.

But she can’t seem to grasp it.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

He smiles sadly at her.

“Of course it is. It’s what made this prison you're in now.”

At that moment Inanna realizes something....isn’t right.

“You know, killing you doesn’t exactly make sense you know? Your mother is the Goddess of Death, you move freely between worlds like an eel in water, and eventually someone will bring you back with some form of dragonballs. An inevitability. No, killing you was simply never an option, and even I’m not sure the Judge could have anyways. He’s quite talented, but even he can only pack so much oomph in that gun of his. No, for you, Ishtar was right: a trap was a better option. A prison. A cage.”

He waves his hand at the surroundings.

“You’ll find this Darkle is not filled with any sapient live save our own, not any hidden leylines or magic means to aid you, not even my real Forge. Nor is there anything beyond its skies, not that you can leave them. Like a snow globe, if you will, crafted by True Magic by a source more powerful than any of us. More powerful than even your Hakai.”

He gives her a pointed look, and dawning realization hits Inanna.

“Eldfen. Alakazah. Grinthorn. Couldn’t use his dragonaballs, of course that would free him completely and besides you all have done a good job keeping them hidden. But he still has True Magic to use: a wish from a peer can still be achieved, and if one Inanna was a peer, why not an Ishtar and Goddess in her own right? He was grateful, and while I hate that he’s one step closer to freedom again, he can be contained. You? I’m not so sure.”

“This place is your prison. A perfect prison made from a Wish from the most powerful entity in this Universe. Inescapable. Unbreakable. Immortal. Once you enter, you can never leave. You cannot teleport out, no one can teleport in. No telepathic communication in or out, nothing. An eternal cage. We three are here, and we can never leave.”

Inanna seemed... entirely unperturbed.

"You are, by far, even dumber than Jagam was." She said somewhat idly. "I hadn't thought that was possible. Truly, I learn something new every day."

It was a lot of work, keeping one's composure, when the realization that the one thing you feared was perhaps to be your tomb. And yet...

"There's no way you can't be. You just said, out of that dumb little face of yours, that you helped the most powerful entity in the Universe get one step toward freedom; but you think he's easier to contain than me." The leap in logic, it was almost fatal, and for a moment that seemed to be the case... Inanna keeling over on the spot, clutching at her chest.

"Why was I ever concerned." Inanna said, as she stepped over her rapidly dissipating clone. "You're not even intelligent enough to realize you've given me what I wanted." Inanna said simply. "Somewhere safe, and time to think." The woman sat, and chuckled before producing that sphere Lampton had given her.

"Suppose I should figure out if I can get some training done... Cleos, you there?"

[MrSandman]

Anything potent or magical is gone from the house, obvious this false one would not have his magical forge or items. Only mundane things here.

Just faintly, like a slight breeze or hum, Etrina can feel......its not magic she’s familiar with but once, the explosion of energy Grinthorn let out to scare those mages away.

True Magic.

But she can’t seem to grasp it.

There is was....metaphorically laughing in her face, yet just beyond her current reach. The lingering aether in the air that belonged to that magic wielded by the dragons and coveted by mages and...seemingly oni alike.

If only she had the time....she could study it and perhaps get out of this damn place before....

...time to study.....and they were in a pocket dimension. One with a clear rule on exit and entry....but nothing about the fundamental laws within it.

And interesting though...perhaps she did have time to study it afterall. Time was more malleable in a close space, the variables less....confining. With the right adjustments....

Putting the idea on the backburner, Etrina popped a capsule and spread her tools out on the table....things she had taken with her from what she had salvaged in the matrons chamber. Five of the Mana battery crystals...full and empty, the translator ring and sideways pendant, the anti magic dagger and the tomes on eldrich magic.

Anything could prove useful, but first things first.....a sample.

Taking one of the empty mana batteries, Etrina made an attempt to capture some of the latent true magic in the aetheric background, or at least determine if containing it within one of the batteries was possible.

[Miburo]

Held, you ‘awaken’ to voices, one male and one female, talking about you.

“I must say this is most bizarre, ********. What’s a soul doing here of all places?”

The female voice responds.

“I don’t know Whis, but he’s waking up aren’t you dear?”

"....Murgh....?"

It was like awakening from a deep, deep slumber, and attempting to rise up and be coherent.

"Eh?"

The Nevadian slowly began to gain focus as he became aware of two voices, speaking around him. It took an additional moment to realize that one of them--a woman--had begun speaking to him. Instantly the Nevadian realized something about him felt...odd. Different. Although he couldn't quite place it.

Presumably, this was a side effect of---

"....Don't tell me I went on a bender again." Held mumbled to himself as he took in his surroundings.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna seemed... entirely unperturbed.

"You are, by far, even dumber than Jagam was." She said somewhat idly. "I hadn't thought that was possible. Truly, I learn something new every day."

It was a lot of work, keeping one's composure, when the realization that the one thing you feared was perhaps to be your tomb. And yet...

"There's no way you can't be. You just said, out of that dumb little face of yours, that you helped the most powerful entity in the Universe get one step toward freedom; but you think he's easier to contain than me." The leap in logic, it was almost fatal, and for a moment that seemed to be the case... Inanna keeling over on the spot, clutching at her chest.

"Why was I ever concerned." Inanna said, as she stepped over her rapidly dissipating clone. "You're not even intelligent enough to realize you've given me what I wanted." Inanna said simply. "Somewhere safe, and time to think." The woman sat, and chuckled before producing that sphere Lampton had given her.

"Suppose I should figure out if I can get some training done... Cleos, you there?"

“Closer, but he can’t ever be free. Not truly. Besides, I have leverage against him now. A way to end him if needs be.”

Cleos doesn’t answer.

“No contact, Inanna. Nothing in or out after the trap was sprung.”

He begins walking towards the house.

“This place is your cage. You should learn to accept that.”

He leaves her and we gets the house.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

There is was....metaphorically laughing in her face, yet just beyond her current reach. The lingering aether in the air that belonged to that magic wielded by the dragons and coveted by mages and...seemingly oni alike.

If only she had the time....she could study it and perhaps get out of this damn place before....

...time to study.....and they were in a pocket dimension. One with a clear rule on exit and entry....but nothing about the fundamental laws within it.

And interesting though...perhaps she did have time to study it afterall. Time was more malleable in a close space, the variables less....confining. With the right adjustments....

Putting the idea on the backburner, Etrina popped a capsule and spread her tools out on the table....things she had taken with her from what she had salvaged in the matrons chamber. Five of the Mana battery crystals...full and empty, the translator ring and sideways pendant, the anti magic dagger and the tomes on eldrich magic.

Anything could prove useful, but first things first.....a sample.

Taking one of the empty mana batteries, Etrina made an attempt to capture some of the latent true magic in the aetheric background, or at least determine if containing it within one of the batteries was possible.

It is not capable.

Banespell enters and nods.

“Tea hmm?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"....Murgh....?"

It was like awakening from a deep, deep slumber, and attempting to rise up and be coherent.

"Eh?"

The Nevadian slowly began to gain focus as he became aware of two voices, speaking around him. It took an additional moment to realize that one of them--a woman--had begun speaking to him. Instantly the Nevadian realized something about him felt...odd. Different. Although he couldn't quite place it.

Presumably, this was a side effect of---

"....Don't tell me I went on a bender again." Held mumbled to himself as he took in his surroundings.

He sits on a large fluffy bed in a white room. Two tall, blue skinned and white haired people look down on you. From your brief remembrance of what Stine and Sakin are supposed to look like, you believe these step to be Angels.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“Closer, but he can’t ever be free. Not truly. Besides, I have leverage against him now. A way to end him if needs be.”

Cleos doesn’t answer.

“No contact, Inanna. Nothing in or out after the trap was sprung.”

He begins walking towards the house.

“This place is your cage. You should learn to accept that.”

He leaves her and we gets the house.

"Worth a shot," Inanna said with a shrug, before watching as Banespell waddled off. "A safe place to tinker... and a safe place to tempt fate." The woman cackled, and after the man departed withdrew her 'weapon', that twisted mix of Hakai, Creation, and Reality Deteriorating Poison... bound within a sheaf of compressed time... and the severed arm of an Angel.

"True Magic, the blending of Hakai... Creation. Here sits me, with both halves."

The important thing though, was assessing the 'value' of the arm. How much Creation did she have to work with?

[Miburo]

He sits on a large fluffy bed in a white room. Two tall, blue skinned and white haired people look down on you. From your brief remembrance of what Stine and Sakin are supposed to look like, you believe these step to be Angels.

A chill entered the Nevadian's being as the two parties mutually examined each other. Held certainly had never met two beings before---and why he was apparently just waking up in their house...Wait, their bedroom?... was another question altogether--but they held a very strong resemblance to.....

Who was it again? He knew he should know this. He was quite sure that Isht--Innanna, or Asha'Rah, or someone had made explicit mention of it. It was important enough that he took note of it, but not quite enough that he put down his drink at the time.....

Tall....Blue.....White Hair......I should remember this....

It was clearly about something that had worried them on some level......They explicitly noted it as probably not an ally....Held even made a note of it in his journal.

He went silent for several moments, before giving up, realizing it to be a miracle if he could---

Miracle.

Oh....Something about divine energy and--"

The parts clicked into place.

"--Oh. Oh. Oh. Shit.

"....I really must be out of my mind right now if I'm hallucinating Angels..."