Dragonball M, Chapter 5: Clarion’s Call! The Signal! The Fate of the Universes!

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Once you step outside, Sasheem splatters against the Coldlight.

( Hmm, there's pink goop all over the Coldlight. Wait, Pink goop must be Sasheem. I'll wait for him to regenerate shouldn't take him long,) Praxat thought.

( Wait, something's strange, why isn't he regenerate? I guess the only thing I can do is wipe him off the Coldlight. Hmmm, maybe I can fix him?) Praxat thought.

( Maybe I can reconstruct him with my Bio Electromagnokinesis? Now let's see if there's anything I can work with here? Let's see if he's composed of any electrons and protons ) Praxat thought.

[grampagen]

She nods.

She staggers out of her seat, Gheti nanites flowing around her like a halo, and she looks at Ochazuke.

“Let us end this.”


The Coldlight comms then, Miras Thane reporting all alive, but the ship is toast.

"Well met, Miras. We're currently within a hundred feet of Sakin, send your personnel to our position."

The lack of response from the Coldlight put him on edge for a moment, but the mechanical impression set upon the communicators, while affording the plainest advantage across an electrical wavelength, was not the truest indicator of things as they were.

"Parsley's on the move already," Zaofan said, "Held...he's, he's there. Lantro, Avoca, Praxat...Blizzar..." his eyes widened as he finished taking count.

Just then, Sakin's curse fell upon the planet, and though they were not in earshot enough to know its effect as stated, there was a tangible change in the air of the Forsworn World.

"Sasheem," Ochazuke said, "and Sarada have already set forth, likely from the moment we touched down."

Nodding once Zaofan affixed the Circlet of Zxu'ro over his brow. Rolling up his sleeves, he also pulled to his side something that looked like a leather-bound booklet. Affixed with a thin strip, it was old, weathered, far too heavy and thin for reading.

"Look at you," Jack chuckled, "I'd just get in the way out there. But I'll keep out Kami safe."

"Then it's settled," Zaofan said. A part of himself he thought lost since the aftermath in Reshlan filled his face with a more familiar glow. Balling his left hand to a fist, he set his fingers upon the ring he exchanged with Etrina, and felt the last of the weight lift from him. "So long as the Heka turns and some of the the Genki remains, we know can take the fight to Sakin-"

Without waiting for his martial brother to finish, Ochazuke started heading off the bridge.

"We have one Guardian with us, a score less than a hundred in near orbit. Our foe had preyed on Creation, twisted it to his ends," he said, "The capacity to undermine his control of this world and shape the battlefield lies elsewhere."

"Pfft. Yeah? Where else could you be going?"

Opening a nearby emergency hatch, Ochazuke turned to face Zaofan, his voice steadfast.

"To confiscate a cigar."

With that, he set off to flight, Zaofan hurriedly chasing after him.

Alone on the bridge with Evangeline, Jack looked over to her and shrugged.

"Hell of a time for him to finally pick his poison," He lift his sword to guard, examined its edge when the realization hit him. "...wait, Ocha-!!"

He nods.

“Than peace it will be. I will not aid Sakin, and once this is settled…….I will hand myself over to the Earthlings.”

He breathes out a smoke cloud and tips his hat to her.

“Looks like we are in for the final show.”

He gestures at the continued struggle.

BGM: Hokuto no Ken - Heart of Madness

The enormity of his presence might have been concealed by the smoke, his power subdued by the shape of a man. Yet the Hiers of Zxu'ro had been deftly studying the handiwork he'd scarred the Earth with.

A moment shortly after Efrideet had departed to see to Genesis, Ochazuke and Zaofan landed directly before the Elder Dragon. The tension under the Forsworn World had been abnormal, where the sublime energies of the divine intersected with the physical space of familiar trappings had altered its nature already. Beholding Eldfen's manifestation, True Magic in the flesh, bound to nothing among this place governed by Angelic ruling was uncanny.

Yet he was there.

"You still bear the uniform of your office, yet none of the weight of it." His voice was steady, and Ochazuke spoke his name without fear, "To do nothing in the face of evil, is this your covenant of peace, Grinthorn?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well met, Miras. We're currently within a hundred feet of Sakin, send your personnel to our position."

The lack of response from the Coldlight put him on edge for a moment, but the mechanical impression set upon the communicators, while affording the plainest advantage across an electrical wavelength, was not the truest indicator of things as they were.

"Parsley's on the move already," Zaofan said, "Held...he's, he's there. Lantro, Avoca, Praxat...Blizzar..." his eyes widened as he finished taking count.

Just then, Sakin's curse fell upon the planet, and though they were not in earshot enough to know its effect as stated, there was a tangible change in the air of the Forsworn World.

"Sasheem," Ochazuke said, "and Sarada have already set forth, likely from the moment we touched down."

Nodding once Zaofan affixed the Circlet of Zxu'ro over his brow. Rolling up his sleeves, he also pulled to his side something that looked like a leather-bound booklet. Affixed with a thin strip, it was old, weathered, far too heavy and thin for reading.

"Look at you," Jack chuckled, "I'd just get in the way out there. But I'll keep out Kami safe."

"Then it's settled," Zaofan said. A part of himself he thought lost since the aftermath in Reshlan filled his face with a more familiar glow. Balling his left hand to a fist, he set his fingers upon the ring he exchanged with Etrina, and felt the last of the weight lift from him. "So long as the Heka turns and some of the the Genki remains, we know can take the fight to Sakin-"

Without waiting for his martial brother to finish, Ochazuke started heading off the bridge.

"We have one Guardian with us, a score less than a hundred in near orbit. Our foe had preyed on Creation, twisted it to his ends," he said, "The capacity to undermine his control of this world and shape the battlefield lies elsewhere."

"Pfft. Yeah? Where else could you be going?"

Opening a nearby emergency hatch, Ochazuke turned to face Zaofan, his voice steadfast.

"To confiscate a cigar."

With that, he set off to flight, Zaofan hurriedly chasing after him.

Alone on the bridge with Evangeline, Jack looked over to her and shrugged.

"Hell of a time for him to finally pick his poison," He lift his sword to guard, examined its edge when the realization hit him. "...wait, Ocha-!!"

BGM: Hokuto no Ken - Heart of Madness

The enormity of his presence might have been concealed by the smoke, his power subdued by the shape of a man. Yet the Hiers of Zxu'ro had been deftly studying the handiwork he'd scarred the Earth with.

A moment shortly after Efrideet had departed to see to Genesis, Ochazuke and Zaofan landed directly before the Elder Dragon. The tension under the Forsworn World had been abnormal, where the sublime energies of the divine intersected with the physical space of familiar trappings had altered its nature already. Beholding Eldfen's manifestation, True Magic in the flesh, bound to nothing among this place governed by Angelic ruling was uncanny.

Yet he was there.

"You still bear the uniform of your office, yet none of the weight of it." His voice was steady, and Ochazuke spoke his name without fear, "To do nothing in the face of evil, is this your covenant of peace, Grinthorn?"

Grinthorn sighed, smoke curling at the corners of his mouth, and eyes Ochazuke and Zaofan.

“Well, that didn’t take long.”

He looks at them with his glowing eyes and then tilts his head.

“Ochazuke. Zaofan. What, exactly, would you have me do?”

He gestures.

“I cannot harm Sakin. I, literally, cannot attack him.”

He cocks his head.

“Of course, we’re I free………”

But then he shakes his head.

“But that won’t happen, will it? No….I must come to terms with that, I suppose. So tell me, then, good fellows how may I assist and bring our peace to an accord?”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

as Praxat ponders rather or not she can help Sasheem using her Bio Electromagnokinesis. She gets to work repairing the outside of the Coldlight.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Seal: Teleport.”

“Blood Seal: Regeneration.”

“Seal: Healing.”

Parsley felt the spells being cast as she hurriedly made her way to the battlefield. The assortment of potent energies that powered the Gotengo's drill struck a devastating blow against Sakin but the fallen Angel was still more than formidable enough. The spells were seals, that much she could tell right away. Teleportation and healing at the very least. If allowed the time and given the motivation, he could literally seal them to the point that there would be very little, if anything, they could do to stop him, even in his horribly injured state.

She focused in on the three spells with Toki Yo Tomare to determine the strength of the spells and how exactly to undo each one. As she did, she prepared an anti-magic counterspell.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Parsley felt the spells being cast as she hurriedly made her way to the battlefield. The assortment of potent energies that powered the Gotengo's drill struck a devastating blow against Sakin but the fallen Angel was still more than formidable enough. The spells were seals, that much she could tell right away. Teleportation and healing at the very least. If allowed the time and given the motivation, he could literally seal them to the point that there would be very little, if anything, they could do to stop him, even in his horribly injured state.

She focused in on the three spells with Toki Yo Tomare to determine the strength of the spells and how exactly to undo each one. As she did, she prepared an anti-magic counterspell.

She finds, to her surprise, that are not traditionally magic in nature. Instead, the planet being made by Sakin (the rock, the plants, the atmosphere, everything) he can control what is and isn’t allowed to a certain extent.

Thus, while his blood drips and he can concentrate on it, he can seal things away.

A type of reality bending and magic in a way, if you will. You are unsure your anti-magic means will work completely, but you can try. At the very least they may prove to break his concentration!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

as Praxat ponders rather or not she can help Sasheem using her Bio Electromagnokinesis. She gets to work repairing the outside of the Coldlight.

He is a creature of magic. You are unsure he has real protons and electrons.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

He is a creature of magic. You are unsure he has real protons and electrons.

( I don't think I'll be able to help Sasheem. I focus on repairing the Coldlight,) Praxat thought.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

She finds, to her surprise, that are not traditionally magic in nature. Instead, the planet being made by Sakin (the rock, the plants, the atmosphere, everything) he can control what is and isn’t allowed to a certain extent.

Thus, while his blood drips and he can concentrate on it, he can seal things away.

A type of reality bending and magic in a way, if you will. You are unsure your anti-magic means will work completely, but you can try. At the very least they may prove to break his concentration!

"Reality warping?" Parsley said with a frown.

How annoying.

Much like Night, Sakin was in control over every aspect of his world; to the point that he could seal away anything he wished with merely a few drops of blood and his attention. How much attention he needed to devote toward the three seals wasn't clear. She could only imagine not much, considering how he managed to set three into place with enemies all around. There was a chance he didn't know she was inbound and what she intended on doing. Her counterspell was ready; perhaps casting it regardless of how effective it wound up being would be enough to distract him.

The battlefield came into the view moments later, allowing her the chance to observe what was happening. Efrideet wielded Ishtar's sword while holding an unconscious Genesis. Sasheem had been decapitated, but still felt alive; his "corpse" reeked of one of the seals, most likely one that prevented him from regenerating. Ochazuke and Zaofan faced off with Grinthorn a short distance away.

Then there was Sakin. An arm gone, an eye missing, the Angel truly looked like he had seen better days. Yet, despite losing the initial salvo in the final war between gods and man, he stood tall and controlled the board. For now, that was.

Parsley shot downward and slammed her anti-magic counterspell into the ground, causing it to spread across the entire battlefield. Any seals active in the area were bombarded by the anti-magic energy, including Sakin himself.

Muda!

Whether it worked as intended or not didn't matter. All that did was that she got his attention and broke even a portion of his concentration enough for one of them to dissipate.

[Miburo]

The overwhelming firepower unleashed by the three ships rendered the trio of apparatuses nonexistent. Yet, Sakin's near immediate counter left them in a bad position. All three ships were caught in the wave of adulterated creation energy and all but the Gotengo were hurtling out of control. By her quick examination, the ship's controls had been left inert. She cursed under her breath and cupped her hands together.

The ambient shadows hidden within the Galloping’s interior flickered to life and flowed in between her hands like ethereal streaks of ink. She muttered something under her breath, a spell to give them life and purpose.

At Held’s command, her tail slithered out and pushed the blue button. At the same time, she activated her spell. The shadows passed through the front window and attached to each side the hull. They coalesced into an opaque cloud meant to gradually absorb the ship’s momentum to not only make the landing gentler, but also for her to use later.

As the Coldlight crash lands, and the Galloping manages to land without real damage, the Gotengo pushes on. Compelled by Koorimaru and the Genki-Dama channeled behind Excalibur, the ship moves toward Sakin.

The Nevadian said nothing as The Galloping landed. Staring blankly into space, his mind was a conflagration of thought and image.

"This is Sakin's world," Parsley muttered as her immense senses scanned the perverted world created by the Fallen Angel. What she found was a realm so twisted that her senses couldn't fully grasp what she was looking at. She frowned and looked away. "No traps that I can sense, magic that is," she announced to Held. While that was a relief and one less thing to worry about for the time being, she couldn't help but feel nervous. Not having a proper lay of the land due to the makeup of the planet they were standing on had her feeling more ill-prepared than she already was.

She rose to her feet and flicked her wrist. Her ax, Piecemaker, appeared in her hand. "Let's head out there." Her senses couldn't give her a proper read on anything. When that failed, there was only one way to ascertain what Sakin was made of. Her fist clenched tightly as she began dumping God Ki into her ax. Fusing with my sister so many times was a mistake. She's rubbing off on me.

Several moments had passed--perhaps an eternity.

"They said it couldn't be done!" He announced triumphantly to all who would listen, his voice dripping with sarcasm and mockery, "Hmmph. 'Held, your ships keep blowing up, maybe you should retire' they say. 'Held, maybe the universe is trying to tell you something!' they claim. 'If you didn't have such good snacks, your ship would be in one piece' they inform me. 'Maybe that explosion really did curse him'. They mumble."

He laughed maniacally, uproariously.

"I just needed a good co-pilot!" He informed himself, turning around to thank---

....No one.

Where did Parsely go? She was there one moment and---

Wait.

That didn't matter now. The roaring ki flairs and energy signals told him all he needed to know.

The Nevadian bounded out of his chair, sprinting towards the area where the battle had begun in earnest.

[grampagen]

Grinthorn sighed, smoke curling at the corners of his mouth, and eyes Ochazuke and Zaofan.

“Well, that didn’t take long.”

He looks at them with his glowing eyes and then tilts his head.

“Ochazuke. Zaofan. What, exactly, would you have me do?”

He gestures.

“I cannot harm Sakin. I, literally, cannot attack him.”

He cocks his head.

“Of course, we’re I free………”

But then he shakes his head.

“But that won’t happen, will it? No….I must come to terms with that, I suppose. So tell me, then, good fellows how may I assist and bring our peace to an accord?”

While Ochazuke's disdain had been no secret, it was Zaofan that replied first.

"'I can do no harm?' You said the same thing about the Earth, Mr. Former President, as you farmed humanity through the ages. Your so-called love for our world went as far as you could keep your boot on it."

The energy held within the both of them was subtle. In particular, the Chef's eyes were quite relaxed despite his accusatory tone.

"But that's the thing about True Magic, isn't it? Creation and Destruction, its limits are constrained by very little." No aura cast about either, yet the affect of Efrideet's Divine Intervention remained upon them both.

"Besides, who said anything about attacking? I've seen what you did when things threatened your interests. Even when you weren't supposed to, you found a way to force things onto a track of your choosing. You did your work when invaders fell through displaced time. The moment Jinzi Pantaloon told us about his open rebellion to the Guardian, you came and threatened Evangeline and stole away with the memory of what happened. And when you sniffed out Caladash Banespell's contract, you were across the universe in an instant. I'm sure you can figure it out...unless..."

Without missing a beat, Ochazuke followed this course of inquiry, and remained unimpressed and on guard.

"...you have chosen to do nothing, but speak out of both sides of your split face with that forked tongue," he said. "I know you see that with every drop of blood shed and an enchanted word, Sakin bends this ethereal nature of this world to his whims. And where he must draw blood to do it, you, on the other hand..."

The disgust weighed in his speech so heavily it had trailed off. Semantics and sophistry! A waste of time.

"Though you will do what you must to survive, I find your waiting for an emergent victor ill-fitting such a claim if peace is your goal. Furthermore, knowing your eyes are upon backs while we fight for the life of this reality cannot be left unchecked."

In an instant, the Forger's Hammer unfolded in his hand, and Zaofan turned Etrina's Ring round twice and summoned his katchin staff, Bojack, now enchanted with her temporal magic as it was restored to its past state.

"If you wish to live as part of this Universe, one way or another, we all know you will draw out the Dragon. Use that serpentine wit to slither around your contract just as you've done for a hundred thousand years on Earth...or for everything you'd wrought through the ages, we will absolve you of your promises right now along with your life."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

While Ochazuke's disdain had been no secret, it was Zaofan that replied first.

"'I can do no harm?' You said the same thing about the Earth, Mr. Former President, as you farmed humanity through the ages. Your so-called love for our world went as far as you could keep your boot on it."

The energy held within the both of them was subtle. In particular, the Chef's eyes were quite relaxed despite his accusatory tone.

"But that's the thing about True Magic, isn't it? Creation and Destruction, its limits are constrained by very little." No aura cast about either, yet the affect of Efrideet's Divine Intervention remained upon them both.

"Besides, who said anything about attacking? I've seen what you did when things threatened your interests. Even when you weren't supposed to, you found a way to force things onto a track of your choosing. You did your work when invaders fell through displaced time. The moment Jinzi Pantaloon told us about his open rebellion to the Guardian, you came and threatened Evangeline and stole away with the memory of what happened. And when you sniffed out Caladash Banespell's contract, you were across the universe in an instant. I'm sure you can figure it out...unless..."

Without missing a beat, Ochazuke followed this course of inquiry, and remained unimpressed and on guard.

"...you have chosen to do nothing, but speak out of both sides of your split face with that forked tongue," he said. "I know you see that with every drop of blood shed and an enchanted word, Sakin bends this ethereal nature of this world to his whims. And where he must draw blood to do it, you, on the other hand..."

The disgust weighed in his speech so heavily it had trailed off. Semantics and sophistry! A waste of time.

"Though you will do what you must to survive, I find your waiting for an emergent victor ill-fitting such a claim if peace is your goal. Furthermore, knowing your eyes are upon backs while we fight for the life of this reality cannot be left unchecked."

In an instant, the Forger's Hammer unfolded in his hand, and Zaofan turned Etrina's Ring round twice and summoned his katchin staff, Bojack, now enchanted with her temporal magic as it was restored to its past state.

"If you wish to live as part of this Universe, one way or another, we all know you will draw out the Dragon. Use that serpentine wit to slither around your contract just as you've done for a hundred thousand years on Earth...or for everything you'd wrought through the ages, we will absolve you of your promises right now along with your life."

Grinthorn’s eyes stay on the hammer as he listens. The only thing to have actually harmed him, housed within one of his own dragon balls, he seems almost enchanted for a moment looking at it before his golden gaze snaps back to them.

“Well, when you put it like that…….”

Smoke curls around his fingers and mouth, cigar vanishing as a pulse of True Magic surrounds him.

“Recall I AM still limited from my true abilities, though more free than I was thanks to dear Banespell…….but yes, even here I am capable of…..many things. I am also bound somewhat by my previous agreement with Sakin to aid him, but……..”

His eyes gleam and a smoke curls around his lips. For a moment, the dragon he is can be seen overplayed the Grinthorn form.

“I suppose I never said I wouldn’t help you either….”

His gaze turns to Parsley, far away, and grins.

"Reality warping?" Parsley said with a frown.

How annoying.

Much like Night, Sakin was in control over every aspect of his world; to the point that he could seal away anything he wished with merely a few drops of blood and his attention. How much attention he needed to devote toward the three seals wasn't clear. She could only imagine not much, considering how he managed to set three into place with enemies all around. There was a chance he didn't know she was inbound and what she intended on doing. Her counterspell was ready; perhaps casting it regardless of how effective it wound up being would be enough to distract him.

The battlefield came into the view moments later, allowing her the chance to observe what was happening. Efrideet wielded Ishtar's sword while holding an unconscious Genesis. Sasheem had been decapitated, but still felt alive; his "corpse" reeked of one of the seals, most likely one that prevented him from regenerating. Ochazuke and Zaofan faced off with Grinthorn a short distance away.

Then there was Sakin. An arm gone, an eye missing, the Angel truly looked like he had seen better days. Yet, despite losing the initial salvo in the final war between gods and man, he stood tall and controlled the board. For now, that was.

Parsley shot downward and slammed her anti-magic counterspell into the ground, causing it to spread across the entire battlefield. Any seals active in the area were bombarded by the anti-magic energy, including Sakin himself.

Muda!

Whether it worked as intended or not didn't matter. All that did was that she got his attention and broke even a portion of his concentration enough for one of them to dissipate.

Parsley, a little voice and the smell of smoke fills your mind and nose as Grinthorn speaks to you.

‘Not bad, allow me to help.’

Your Muda, having little effect at first, suddenly surges and washes over the local area and you feel the Blood Seal on Sasheem shatter and the Seal of Healing as well. Sakin staggers mid-air, frowning as his gaze whips around to you and Held who comes up from behind you.

You both have his attention now.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

( I don't think I'll be able to help Sasheem. I focus on repairing the Coldlight,) Praxat thought.

The Coldlight, while intact, won’t be able to be properly repaired without a ship-yard.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Nevadian said nothing as The Galloping landed. Staring blankly into space, his mind was a conflagration of thought and image.




Several moments had passed--perhaps an eternity.

"They said it couldn't be done!" He announced triumphantly to all who would listen, his voice dripping with sarcasm and mockery, "Hmmph. 'Held, your ships keep blowing up, maybe you should retire' they say. 'Held, maybe the universe is trying to tell you something!' they claim. 'If you didn't have such good snacks, your ship would be in one piece' they inform me. 'Maybe that explosion really did curse him'. They mumble."

He laughed maniacally, uproariously.

"I just needed a good co-pilot!" He informed himself, turning around to thank---

....No one.

Where did Parsely go? She was there one moment and---

Wait.

That didn't matter now. The roaring ki flairs and energy signals told him all he needed to know.

The Nevadian bounded out of his chair, sprinting towards the area where the battle had begun in earnest.

You see Parsley attempt her anti-magic strike against Sakin’s effects. You see, with your new gaze, the effect not quite work until a shroud of smoke (to your gaze, nothing actually appears in the material world), in the form of Grinthorn press close to her and amplify her effect. With that, two of his Seals shatter and his gaze turns squarely to you and Parsley believing you both to be the culprits.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sasheem, you can regenerate now.