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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

One by one, slowly, carefully, after the first few you find a good method and pace and start working them open. By the end of it, you’ll get all two dozen out but you’ll be exhausted.

( Okay, I managed to free all of them, but I'm exhausted,) Praxat said. Praxat then sits down with her tongue still wrapped around the human male.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Nothing. Everything was destroyed, so Parsley could glean nothing from her observations. However, she knew from the Icer that there were two more fortresses aside from the remains of the one she was standing in. Meaning there were two more ritual rooms for her to examine. With that in mind, she turned to the drone that had been lingering in the ritual room the entire time. "I'm going to check out one of the other ritual rooms. If there's a weakness for the vampire goddess, I'll report back."

She flew out of the ritual room and quickly made her way out of the fortress. "What in the...," she muttered. The fleshy and blood-ridden moon was somehow... surrounded by a golden ring. No, not a ring. A... hoop?

Lantro.

Thanks to him, she learned far more whatever the hell "basketball" was than she would ever have any practical use for. However, his ridiculous abilities had their uses. The light from the hoop illuminated the moon, showering the landscape in a majestic golden glow. With illumination came shadows. She grinned and gathered the shadows for future spells, then extended her hand toward the second fortress. "God Bomb." A bright teal sphere of God Ki formed in her hand and was immediately fired on the fortress.

The top portion of the fortress is blown off.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"No... this is the result of a comedy of cosmic errors spanning one-hundred thousand years." Efrideet replied.

Not bothering to wait for her opponent to power up, several runes illuminated the backdrop of stars as several shards of ice coalesced and shot toward Ruination Ishtar. "If it is of any consolation, you and Inanna both were never meant to be."

Ishtar’s aura burns the shards away as Ruination sheathes her body.

“Never meant to be? Never meant to be!?”

Ishtar holds her hand and an unfamiliar sword appears there, covered in starlight and reflecting an edge sharper than any seen.

“Sword of Damocles, by your name forsake what foe stands before me. Cut! All. Ties!

The blade shimmers and Ishtar charges at you.

Remnant still remains hidden.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

To sense their presence on the spiritual level, each individual, sapient will passed over and through him.

In time, they will reach us to know the way.

Where he reached out and felt in the space before him, a battle of gods raged outside.

The Binder means to make us victim or spectator. Cheh.

In the interplay of the residual energies, he felt her presence, brushed in a figment upon the Gotengo and the EDF escort vessel where Kenshiko and Pantaloon joined them. The blood was her own, and traces of her unique presence caused this interference.

Invoking Satori, he would have to undo this subtle matter by attacking the very matter of the sublime.





It began as a faint itch at first, then perhaps a feeling of panic and urgency.

Then, a burning need to speak with all haste, as if the opportunity to craft a proper query would pass.

Targeting Lady Binder's very spiritual presence, Ochazuke sought to immolate her influence by binding the spectral flame of Karura no Kaen upon her very soul.

He himself had no words, nor the desire to participate in her paltry game, and yet she claimed their vessels for her own; eventually, only the truth would remain, and the rest, he left to Durive...

"I can't toss anything in space, it'd just drift away," Durive answered with a shrug. "Surely there must be some solution to this?'

Lady Binder stumbles over there words, head cocked slightly as the compunction to speak with haste overcomes her.

“Very well, show it to me. You will be quick, yes?”

She bends down toward him.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Really...by my count, that's only two of your Saiyalings rescued," the disembodied voice cackled back, "Suppose that will have to do. My, whatever shall you tell Totoma, that his lower-born children required the same royal disposition as his brother-"

The light and force of the God Bomb exploding the second of the three fortresses elicit only laughter from Koorimaru once he beheld it.

"No, I suppose it matters not. Perhaps you've finally decided to do what is necessary."

Regardless, Koorimaru pressed on, flying in formation with the other five drones, tracing the path down to the sequestered basement and surveying its makeup.

Yes...I remember taking this path once before...retrace the steps...

Finding the second ritual room takes no time. Apparently, the denizens of the second fortress all charged out towards Totoma and Held.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

( Okay, I managed to free all of them, but I'm exhausted,) Praxat said. Praxat then sits down with her tongue still wrapped around the human male.

She knows she has a communicator on and can call in the fact she has prisoners she has rescued. Maybe someone can come and help her with them.

[KingofPie]

Lady Binder stumbles over there words, head cocked slightly as the compunction to speak with haste overcomes her.

“Very well, show it to me. You will be quick, yes?”

She bends down toward him.

Durive looks pensive for a moment, glancing nervously over his shoulder before finally deciding to let her have a good look at the ring.



...Via jamming it violently into her eye as he just barely was able to contain his uproarious laughter.

The ring did have the codes written down in a near-microscopic font, for what it was worth. Durive was never going to break the rules of the game. Bend them...perhaps, but break them? Never...

[bruceleegreyhulk]

She knows she has a communicator on and can call in the fact she has prisoners she has rescued. Maybe someone can come and help her with them.

Praxat touches her GP communicator on her chest. ( Hmm, I wonder if I can get any reception here? It won't hurt to try,) Praxat thought.

Praxat uses her GP communicator using her Bio-Electromagnokinesis via Electronic Communication. ( If this call is getting through, then This is Officer Praxat,The DXCIII ( 593rd). I have just rescued two dozen captives, and I'm requesting assistance. ) Praxat said electricpathically.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Really...by my count, that's only two of your Saiyalings rescued," the disembodied voice cackled back, "Suppose that will have to do. My, whatever shall you tell Totoma, that his lower-born children required the same royal disposition as his brother-"

The light and force of the God Bomb exploding the second of the three fortresses elicit only laughter from Koorimaru once he beheld it.

"No, I suppose it matters not. Perhaps you've finally decided to do what is necessary."

Regardless, Koorimaru pressed on, flying in formation with the other five drones, tracing the path down to the sequestered basement and surveying its makeup.

Yes...I remember taking this path once before...retrace the steps...

“I don’t know,” Parsley responded coolly. “Maybe the same thing I told him when I cut his head off.” Context was, of course, needed, but she felt that was all the response he should get.

The top portion of the fortress is blown off.

Finding the second ritual room takes no time. Apparently, the denizens of the second fortress all charged out towards Totoma and Held.

With the top few floors of the fortress destroyed, reaching the ritual room was simple. It seemed that whatever forces Cancer had stationed inside had either been destroyed or were otherwise preoccupied. She noticed Held and a returned Totoma fighting some cloaked figures, so she assumed those were the ones that had previously been inside.

She quickly made her way down to the ritual room. As with the one in the first fortress, she examined every inch of it to determine if it held any secrets about Cancer and any potential weaknesses.


Observational Focus

[Miburo]

The other two enemies fell via Held's other two spears, with the Nevadian himself arriving much the same as he had--surfing on a spear. Funny how he hadn't noticed that earlier, but his attentions had been focused elsewhere. Silence reigned while Totoma waited, tense and prepared, for any other enemies to show themselves... but there was no one else. Just him, Held, and Karine held aloft in that weird sphere.


Totoma focused on Held. "...sorry to drop in unannounced. I... felt Karine from all the way on Earth, so I made my way here, with Eva's help." That little spirit journey of his was a stupid idea, in retrospect--all he'd learned is that he was completely bonkers... apparently. Well, whatever, save Karine now, cure the crazy later.

Hmm... a Nevadian. How nostalgic.

Oh god, just shut up.

I think not. Now then, I think I shall take... ah...

"Honestly, I'm just glad you're not an hallucination. " Held replied rubbing his temples as he disembarked from the makeshift missile, "There was some brain stuff going on before you got here and I thought you were the fever dream of a dying mind."

He sighed before turning his attention to Karine.

"In any case, I'm glad to see you. This should make retriving Karine a bit easier, I imagine. It's unlikely I'm going to find someone more motivated than you in that regard in the Galaxy."

Knowledge of the Justice Bind slipped from his mind. Damn it! Not a huge loss, but it was a useful technique--and one of his originals, too! Bast--

Suddenly, he lost his Super Saiyan 3 form, dropping to Super Saiyan 2... and then that, reverting to a basic Super Saiyan. He blinked, and tried to transform, finding himself... unable. Wait, had...

Oh yes. It shall be ever so amusing to watch you try and save your pet with the power you so define yourself by diminished to such an extent.

Totoma shifted his weight, then sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Ha ha, I seem to be having some, uh... power issues. I..."

The Just Saiyan paused for a moment, mentally swallowing his pride. Now, he wasn't the most prideful saiyan out there, but he had developed (or rediscovered?) a pretty fierce amount of pride... perhaps, lately, too fierce. It was hard for him to ask for help. Offer help? Sure. Fight alongside others? You betcha? But swallow his pride and ask for help? Yeah, that had become... difficult.

"...can't do this alone. Will you help me, Held?"

Oh? You could have asked him to help in regards to me, yet...

Karine was more important now. And if he tried to blab, he'd probably just be rewarded with his memories of the Dark King being swiped, woudn't he?

Ah, so you can think ahead. Perhaps you're not as hopeless as you appear.

"In return, I can treat you to some Huangjiu or some Baijiu, if you prefer the harder stuff," he said, holding out his hand. Of course, those words would sound like gobbledygook to an alien, but it would be clear that he was talking about alcohol, of course. Probably the best thing to repay a Nevadian with, when it came to personal favors.

The Nevadian blinked for a moment, his eyes detecting the barest hints of --something--as Totoma struggled in vain to pull forth some dregs of a power hidden too deep to access. Between the attempt to crush his mind, and the stress of the day, Held almost wondered if it was a figment of his imagination. Had it not flickered in and out time and time again, he likely would have dismissed it entirely.

Still. As interesting as whatever that may have been was, it was hardly the time dwell on such things.

Held blinked for a moment, Totoma's request finally permeating through His mind belatedly.

"While I'll never turn down a good drink, I'd have done it for free." Held replied, meeting the halfbreed's hand with his own, "You couldn't seriously think I would leave either of you in a situation like this..."

One of the other fortresses (not the one the others infiltrated) suddenly booms open as dozens and dozens of robbed figures and vampire Arcosians fly out to meet Totoma and Held. In the darkness they are hard to see, but you can certainly sense them.

"....Although. I suppose it gets more tempting by the moment."

Good grief...Are they this upset about the guys Totoma dispatched? Or are they worried about the threat we present? No....That is unlikely, especially with the others not too far from here.

Held glanced at Karine as he recalled the appraisal of the situation afforded to him by Zaofan. That, combined with whatever ritual they had going on before hand....

I guess Zao was right. Karine really is the definition of high value at the moment.

The Nevadian turned slightly towards the enemies rushing to meet them, as energy began to manifest in his hand, creating dozens of 'seeds' of Ki.

Thrusting his hand outwards, he tossed the seeds forward and they landed upon any surface they could, sinking--slightly burrowing--beneath.

"Either way, I'll do what I can."

[grampagen]

“I don’t know,” Parsley responded coolly. “Maybe the same thing I told him when I cut his head off.” Context was, of course, needed, but she felt that was all the response he should get.

"Is that so? Had I known that was your true preference, I could have saved time with that dalliance in the pit, kuh-kuh-kuh..."

In response to the swarm of bats, Sasheem broke a chunk of himself apart splitting into miniature Majins that went after each bat, specifically aiming at their backs to....ride upon. Though as much as each Mini-Sasheem would enjoy steering them haplessly into walls or impale them on some rebar...they had a goal in mind as they attempted to locate and guide what was left of the swarm back towards Koorimaru.

With the conversation with Parsley concluded, from the lower and upper chambers of the first destroyed fortress, two of Koorimaru's Capsule Drones moved to side of the Sasheems riding the shadow bats.

"I'll be keeping an eye on the situation as you move forward. You won't hold back, that I am sure of, but I will loan support where I am able."

Finding the second ritual room takes no time. Apparently, the denizens of the second fortress all charged out towards Totoma and Held.

Elsewhere, Koorimaru floating to the emptied fortress. The remaining four drones fanned out about him, remote eyes surveying the environs in the dark illuminated by the net Lantro had cast earlier.

They've drawn their attention, it seems. He smiled to himself, watching the vampire throng streaming out like fish moving upriver. That will make this ever so much easier.

He closed in to the foundations, following the trails of diminished Hakai that had been severed from this chamber. Yet he still found something had safeguarded this deepest chamber. Impressive, this had managed to withstand my attack. Which means...

Reaching out towards the chamber with his hands, he focused the powers of his mind, and began to pry at it with his telekinesis in an effort to force the chamber open.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Ishtar’s aura burns the shards away as Ruination sheathes her body.

“Never meant to be? Never meant to be!?”

Ishtar holds her hand and an unfamiliar sword appears there, covered in starlight and reflecting an edge sharper than any seen.

“Sword of Damocles, by your name forsake what foe stands before me. Cut! All. Ties!

The blade shimmers and Ishtar charges at you.

Remnant still remains hidden.

"You, and Inanna both were little more than failed experiments; the playthings of a would be God... same as the one you serve now." Efrideet continued, eyeing the blade curiously. More glyphs sparking into being around her runic arm, Efrideet manifested a shield of True Magic to test the Sword of Damocles, mindful that Remnant remained an unseen threat.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"You, and Inanna both were little more than failed experiments; the playthings of a would be God... same as the one you serve now." Efrideet continued, eyeing the blade curiously. More glyphs sparking into being around her runic arm, Efrideet manifested a shield of True Magic to test the Sword of Damocles, mindful that Remnant remained an unseen threat.

To her surprise, the sword cuts through the shield of True Magic like it wasn’t even there.

Ishtar bull rushes in after the shield is cut through and shoulder checks Efrideet backwards, where Remnant appears and kicks Efrideet downwards.

Around Remnant is a crackling blue aura instead of super Saiyan, and his aura has grown larger.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The second Fortress, where Koorimaru and Parsley have gone, is empty. The second ritual room is forced open by Koorimaru, the complete Sigil inside resists being moved or effected for a moment before Koorimaru manages to start tracing the lines of Hakai to a new conclusion.

Following the lines of power, he can see that they go deep into the moon.


Parsley, your Observational Focus find much of what you expected. The Sigil connects to Cancer, allowing her to feed through the sacrifice of others upon the Sigil.

Theoretically, if she remained connected to the Sigil, one could force feed poison or something into it to poison her, but that would require her being connected.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Sasheem, the shadow bats suddenly all break apart into puddles of shadowy blood and dissipate.

Cancer has fled elsewhere for the moment.