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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

A black scythe appears in SWS’s hand, a replica of Sarada’s.

“No lie. Sakin and I are old friends, godling. When he wins, I get the entire Demon Realm as my own. He rules this realm, I rule that realm. I help him here, he helps me there. Simple.”

The Demon Realm? The name was self-explanatory, even if Sarada had never heard of it before. “When, huh? Pretty confident in a snake, aren’t you?” She eyed the scythe briefly. Her feet shuffled to the side as she slowly began to circle around the god. Every muscle in her body was taut and tense, poised to spring into action at any second.

“In case you don’t already know, I sent Cancer running with her tail tucked between her legs just an hour or so ago,” she said, a small smirk growing on her lips. “What makes you think you’ll fare any better?” The god was powerful, and with power came arrogance. She would know more than most. If she could keep her talking and give herself an air of false confidence that SWS could see through, then that would lull her into a false sense of security. If she thought she was only facing a cocky godling, that was to Sarada’s advantage.

Sarada may not have been able to tangle with a GoD one on one, but she didn’t have to fight alone. Her friends were on the way and together, they could handle business the M Fighter way. And she knew exactly how to even the odds just a little more to give them the edge.

“Because let me tell you, you’re in the presence of the first Saiyan God since Indar’en. You feel honored, I know.” She slammed her scythe into the ground. The earth buckled as dozens of blood red blades erupted upward, seeking to cut into SWS.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

They arrive amidst a planetary storm.

And a sense of dread.

Parsley decided to keep her ship docked at the Orbital Ring for safe-keeping. If nothing else, she would know exactly where it was while she was gone. With that squared away, she stepped through the doorway and closed it behind her.

It had been a year since she last stepped foot on Reshlan. The previous twelve months had been busy with both personal affairs and "business", so she never got the chance to see how the planet and the Threshling had been faring ever since they rid them of Auroc's influence. The current landscape would give her no insight in that regard. When they arrived, there was nothing but destruction as far as the eye could see. Not a single building remained standing. Amidst the immense debris, jagged shards of glass stuck up out of the ground like translucent spikes.

The air was heavy. An overwhelming sense of foreboding lingered like a fog, choking away any feeling of hope or optimism. The skies above were colored red and covered from one end of the horizon to the other in a thick blanket of clouds. Actually, those clouds covered the entire planet. Parsley’s eyes narrowed. She had never seen anything like it before, but knew it wasn’t good. She also knew who was at the root of it. She couldn’t sense the energy, but just knew it.

“This looks really bad,” Avoca muttered. “What’s causing this?”

“She Who Stalks. Be on guard.” She quickly transformed to Super Saiyan 2 and summoned her ax. She had told Avoca the story before, but at that time, it needed to be reiterated so both she and Blizzar could fully grasp the situation they were in. “On Khoolis, Inanna and I faced a shade of her true self. That alone nearly killed us with her Hakai.” With that said, she lifted a touch off the ground. In the distance, she could feel Nevanlinna, Queen Nevan, and Totoma’s powers, as well as dozens upon dozens of Threshling knights. In addition, she could feel two immense pressures. Those, she knew, were Sarada and SWS.

“I don’t have much experience with that stuff,” Avoca said quietly, “but I do know that if we want to beat her or stall her until the others arrive, that has to be dealt with first.” She powered up to Super Saiyan 2, as well, then continued, “When Tasure and I were fused, the fusion managed to eat some Hakai. Nearly killed her and unfused her immediately. Needless to say, I can’t do that as I am now.”

That meant her and Parsley fusing and doing the same was out of the question. Though, them fusing was a good idea. She was thankful they had the forethought to spend their final six months on Ilargi practicing the ritual until it was second nature. Parsley sighed and rubbed her forehead. “We’ll figure something out when we get there.” Not ideal, but going in blind forced flexibility. She and Avoca were nothing if not extremely flexible.

As they flew toward the battlefield, Parsley turned her attention upward toward the expansive cloud cover.

Observational Focus

What can she detect?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

As the perpetual dark and gloom continued to linger over the Tomb of Persephone, Ochazuke leaned his head away from the raw metal patchwork on the blemished surface of the Gotengo and looked toward Morgan, his dark eyes narrowed in silence at her remark for a moment.

"Diamonds into pig iron. It's fitting, I suppose," he said, "The one who previously owned this hammer, in another time he could have been considered a master worker. The thing in itself is a testament to his craft, and in this respect I may never be the Forgemaster's equal."

Pushing off to flight, he opened the airlock door, turning around to glance once moor at the broken remains of the Mage Kingdom of Amdapour; a haven risen from the snow, shattered, arisen again, and fallen where the ice spread over the dark dwelling of its sleeping ancients.

"But more often than not, Morgan, we do not choose our circumstances, only do what we can to flourish in spite of them. This, among us, you may have knowledge that is rooted the most deeply. Suppose your gods had not chanced upon your Queen's desperate prayer, how fewer the ages of Old Avalon might have been for the people beset on all sides by hardship? Or how perfect, indeed it would be, to dwell within the endless dream...yet even if it is not so, as it so often is, it is through pressing forward, through enduring the cruelties of this life and letting them pass over and through us that we find strength; not in ourselves, but in each other."

When the systems of the starship powered on, the instruments on the bridge began reading and analyzing the grafted alloy, and the moment the Big Ghetti Nanites integrated their unique circuitry mingling within the pieces of the ancient mechanism, the whole of the Gotengo's eighty-eight thousand tonne bulk shook as it rose effortlessly from the snow, for flowing into the Super Katchin capacitors of the Wave Motion Engine was greater than ever.

Fastening the helm of the Zero System, Ochazuke felt it brimming against the field of his meditation, more than the light that seemed to lift them skyward, drawing in energy had suddenly become less arduous than even the previous calibration had granted them. Yet though he felt the material power and the potential of the magical alloy, having glimpsed past the veil into the darkness beyond to where such devices had seeped their tendrils, there was less strength there in this vessel than a disembodied, icy chill.

For what they all had to do, he would carry this in silence.

"We make for the Lookout. We have appointments to keep, but you Familiars might yet have words with a mage."

__

Swift as a thought, so it was that the Gotengo squared its 300 meter length over the Lookout plaza. Yet despite the broadness of the craft, its bow-drill perpetually gleaming as if in warning against any that would threaten this world, the inertial dampeners silenced it where it hovered. Ochazuke landed silently, guiding a procession of floater drones carrying the dozens of crewmen who remained in a psionic coma from the backlash in the aftermath of their battle with the Dreadnought.

"Bring them to the healing tanks if the Ronin cannot spare a moment," he said, "our lot will be sufficient for the crew, and we must be swift to Reshlan."

Ronin Kai steps away, nodding as he goes about slowly attending to each wounded person’s psyche. Some are put into the tanks (those more in need of long term mental healing) but for now the wounded are attended too.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Galloping continued on it's merry way, dancing upon the sky itself. It would not back down from this game of accidental chicken with Charco.




Held himself was unaware of Charco, his attention focused entirely upon Frogspierre.

Or so it was.

Until he felt a presence. One he had not felt since....




Her.

The words that flowed from Frogspierres lips fell upon death ears. There was no sound. No ship. No lookout.

Only a black abyss where two beings existed in unison.

The Nevadian.

And her.

As The Galloping continued on it's course, narrowly missing the Toadian, Held's gaze met where her gaze would have been, were she not blindfolded.

In the very recesses of his mind, the Nevadian had questions about that.

But not now.

Even as the shipped sailed by Praxat, Helds gaze never wavered, never looked away from the symbol of his suffering.

You...

Attachment 116238

Charco deploys a strange aura shroud of golden sunlight energy that catches the ship and, to the amazement of the crew, bleeds off the excess momentum and gently sets it to land near the Gotengo.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Zaofan's train of thought was thrown asunder by the sudden arrival of the spaceship at the Lookout's edge.

"...hey! They're back! They're okay! ...well, the fighters are..."

Looking at the wounds at the head and the heart of the vampire, he remembered himself. Casting a wave to Ochazuke as he approached - and stopped the instant he came within striking distance to Koorimaru - Zaofan addressed the huddle session with Evangeline and Grav.

"Now, I'm no psychic, but I've been on the receiving end of more than a few projected thoughts before, forceful or otherwise. The connection's faint from this noggin because there's, well, nothing living in there, right? But if we were somehow to...bring this guy back..."

Zaofan cleared his throat, "...well, no, that would be dumb, bring him back but not really, do you think you can follow the psychic trail back and figure out how many others there are and where Cancer is?"

He looked over to Tasure, who seemed to be within the bounds of her temper - a sign of worry for her loved ones, and a warning for anyone else.

"It's risky, for all we know they can see through his eyes," he said, swiftly embedding his fingers into the creature's temples with Shiatsu Seiten, coercing a heaviness of its eyelids, and striking other pressure points to steal the strength from its limbs, "but if you can find out where he took Karine, Bekon, and the kids, it's worth a shot."

Exhaling he stood back up and looked to Grav.

"But for that...we'll need to give a pulse to a creature that has no heart. This is your wheelhouse, can it be done?"

Grav nods slowly.

“It’s not true Necromancy…but yes, I can use Vitalmancy to restore a semblance of life to this…thing.”

He gestures and draws out a bit of vital energy from those nearby, holding it over the Vampire Arcosian.

“On your word, it shall be done.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Demon Realm? The name was self-explanatory, even if Sarada had never heard of it before. “When, huh? Pretty confident in a snake, aren’t you?” She eyed the scythe briefly. Her feet shuffled to the side as she slowly began to circle around the god. Every muscle in her body was taut and tense, poised to spring into action at any second.

“In case you don’t already know, I sent Cancer running with her tail tucked between her legs just an hour or so ago,” she said, a small smirk growing on her lips. “What makes you think you’ll fare any better?” The god was powerful, and with power came arrogance. She would know more than most. If she could keep her talking and give herself an air of false confidence that SWS could see through, then that would lull her into a false sense of security. If she thought she was only facing a cocky godling, that was to Sarada’s advantage.

Sarada may not have been able to tangle with a GoD one on one, but she didn’t have to fight alone. Her friends were on the way and together, they could handle business the M Fighter way. And she knew exactly how to even the odds just a little more to give them the edge.

“Because let me tell you, you’re in the presence of the first Saiyan God since Indar’en. You feel honored, I know.” She slammed her scythe into the ground. The earth buckled as dozens of blood red blades erupted upward, seeking to cut into SWS.

“Cancer is powerful, but ultimately she has been more concerned with her brood than gaining power like…….”

She stops as dozens of blood red blades erupt from the ground and pierce her body. A bit of blood dribbles down her chin, but her unerring smile remains.

“……myself. Trapped as I was I spent many long years teaching myself all sorts of tricks.”

Unconcerned with the blades in her body, she raises her scythe and power gathers at its tip.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Parsley decided to keep her ship docked at the Orbital Ring for safe-keeping. If nothing else, she would know exactly where it was while she was gone. With that squared away, she stepped through the doorway and closed it behind her.

It had been a year since she last stepped foot on Reshlan. The previous twelve months had been busy with both personal affairs and "business", so she never got the chance to see how the planet and the Threshling had been faring ever since they rid them of Auroc's influence. The current landscape would give her no insight in that regard. When they arrived, there was nothing but destruction as far as the eye could see. Not a single building remained standing. Amidst the immense debris, jagged shards of glass stuck up out of the ground like translucent spikes.

The air was heavy. An overwhelming sense of foreboding lingered like a fog, choking away any feeling of hope or optimism. The skies above were colored red and covered from one end of the horizon to the other in a thick blanket of clouds. Actually, those clouds covered the entire planet. Parsley’s eyes narrowed. She had never seen anything like it before, but knew it wasn’t good. She also knew who was at the root of it. She couldn’t sense the energy, but just knew it.

“This looks really bad,” Avoca muttered. “What’s causing this?”

“She Who Stalks. Be on guard.” She quickly transformed to Super Saiyan 2 and summoned her ax. She had told Avoca the story before, but at that time, it needed to be reiterated so both she and Blizzar could fully grasp the situation they were in. “On Khoolis, Inanna and I faced a shade of her true self. That alone nearly killed us with her Hakai.” With that said, she lifted a touch off the ground. In the distance, she could feel Nevanlinna, Queen Nevan, and Totoma’s powers, as well as dozens upon dozens of Threshling knights. In addition, she could feel two immense pressures. Those, she knew, were Sarada and SWS.

“I don’t have much experience with that stuff,” Avoca said quietly, “but I do know that if we want to beat her or stall her until the others arrive, that has to be dealt with first.” She powered up to Super Saiyan 2, as well, then continued, “When Tasure and I were fused, the fusion managed to eat some Hakai. Nearly killed her and unfused her immediately. Needless to say, I can’t do that as I am now.”

That meant her and Parsley fusing and doing the same was out of the question. Though, them fusing was a good idea. She was thankful they had the forethought to spend their final six months on Ilargi practicing the ritual until it was second nature. Parsley sighed and rubbed her forehead. “We’ll figure something out when we get there.” Not ideal, but going in blind forced flexibility. She and Avoca were nothing if not extremely flexible.

As they flew toward the battlefield, Parsley turned her attention upward toward the expansive cloud cover.

Observational Focus

What can she detect?

The air is saturated with a demonic energy that is fueling the planet wise storm, which also acts as portals for SHW’s minions to come through.

The defenders of Reshlan are easily holding the line against the demonic invaders, but that foreboding sense has to be where SWS is currently being engaged in the capital. You can sense Totoma and others there, but not SWS or Sarada.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Koorimaru slowly approaches Ochazuke, keeping a distance between them but close enough to speak. He keeps his hands in clear eyeline, his posture non-aggressive.

“Ochazuke. So good of you to join us.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Charco deploys a strange aura shroud of golden sunlight energy that catches the ship and, to the amazement of the crew, bleeds off the excess momentum and gently sets it to land near the Gotengo.

Praxat lands on the Lookout." Dash, nevermind," Praxat said, relieved that Dash didn't get hit by the Galloping. Praxat senses the Gotengo. (Wait, there's another ship and, it's massive,) Praxat thought.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The air is saturated with a demonic energy that is fueling the planet wise storm, which also acts as portals for SHW’s minions to come through.

The defenders of Reshlan are easily holding the line against the demonic invaders, but that foreboding sense has to be where SWS is currently being engaged in the capital. You can sense Totoma and others there, but not SWS or Sarada.

The demonic energy that was thrumming in the air felt wrong. There was no way for Parsley to properly describe it. Perhaps evil; not that it mattered. Regardless of how she managed to put it into words, the fact was that it was fueling the storm clouds. The clouds served as portals to funnel a constant stream of demonic minions to Reshlan. The Knights were doing a well enough job in defending their home from that horde, so she didn't see the need for trying to close the portals; at least not yet. It was sure to be time consuming; time they didn't have to waste.

"That energy you undoubtedly feel is demonic. It's fueling the storm, which is serving as a portal for these demons to come through," she said to Avoca and Blizzar.

"Can you close it?" Avoca asked.

"I don't know. Any attempt I make is sure to be time consuming and I'm not very keen on standing around." As they neared the site of the battle, she began to feel a heavy sense of foreboding. That undoubtedly was She Who Stalk's doing. The battle ahead was going to be a difficult one. The most difficult she had undergone in her life. SWS was a lofty obstacle, but that was all she was: an obstacle. Obstacles were meant to be surpassed or bypassed. Either way, only one side was going to be left standing at the end of it, and she was going to make sure it was theirs. "We'll have to play support this time," she said. "Pick your spots and make your hits count for something. Anything is a positive at this point."

"...Right."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Cancer is powerful, but ultimately she has been more concerned with her brood than gaining power like…….”

She stops as dozens of blood red blades erupt from the ground and pierce her body. A bit of blood dribbles down her chin, but her unerring smile remains.

“……myself. Trapped as I was I spent many long years teaching myself all sorts of tricks.”

Unconcerned with the blades in her body, she raises her scythe and power gathers at its tip.

"Weird," Sarada said dismissively. "Cancer seemed more scared." She shrugged.

Outwardly, she was calm and cool, but inwardly, she was deeply worried. Those blades did nothing of note at all. Not that she was expecting them to eviscerate the goddess, but a drop of blood fell well short of the intended result, whatever that may have been.

In the distance, she felt Parsley, Blizzar, and Avoca appear out of nowhere and close in on her position. Perfect. The more help, the better. Esoteric abilities seemed to have a better chance than her more straightforward attacks. When they got there and jumped in, she would focus more on keeping them alive. Until then, she had to hold down the fort. She eyed the black scythe in her opponent's hand, and especially the power building up inside.

That was when she got an idea. Got it.

Her hand shot forward and fired a yellow beam. The beam struck, not SWS, but one of the blades that was protruding out of her. Like a serum through a needle, it traveled through the blade an into her. Unending Suffering exploded into a swarm of tendrils that traveled through the goddess' body, seeking the pain receptors to latch onto.

[grampagen]

Ronin Kai steps away, nodding as he goes about slowly attending to each wounded person’s psyche. Some are put into the tanks (those more in need of long term mental healing) but for now the wounded are attended too.

He walked away, his eyes lingering on them for a moment before he turned his view away from him. They had gone with him, knowing this could be their last flight aboard the starship even as they closed their eyes; but by their sacrifice, the world still turned. For a moment as the Ronin tended to the last of their number thrown into a dream, Ochazuke allowed his thoughts to drift with them.

To lay at rest, knowing they had done all they could...let the Dreadnought be the worst they see of it, for our work is not yet concluded.

For their sake and all those that depended on them, he continued to move forward.

Koorimaru slowly approaches Ochazuke, keeping a distance between them but close enough to speak. He keeps his hands in clear eyeline, his posture non-aggressive.

“Ochazuke. So good of you to join us.”

Forward, that is, until a lingering remnant from the past caught up with him. Standing across from Koorimaru where Zaofan and Grav prepared their work in between, Ochazuke kept his hands at his sides.

"I could sense you the moment my ship began its descent, and yet you have kept idle despite both your portals and your pressing business." He lift his gaze, a sharp, small motion concealing the threat as he spoke. "This is poor form, especially for you with nowhere left to turn. Now talk."

[grampagen]

Grav nods slowly.

“It’s not true Necromancy…but yes, I can use Vitalmancy to restore a semblance of life to this…thing.”

He gestures and draws out a bit of vital energy from those nearby, holding it over the Vampire Arcosian.

“On your word, it shall be done.”

Zaofan smiled nervously, a thin layer of sheen gathering upon his forehead.

"Not a worry, I've done this twice before," he chuckled, "All the same, I've gotta prioritize the fight ahead, so instead of the full on Phoenix Flame a bit of a downy feather will have to do. That's where you come in, I'll need your support on this."

Whirling his hands around, he began to gather the inital spark for Hoou Sosei before turning his attention to Evangeline.

"Unfortunately, I can't stick around, so I'll need you to take care of the rest. The Gotengo is made up of some of the same stuff your Halo is, so using the communication band should enable you to reach us...I think. And don't worry! Aleka, Hops, Midori, Shiro, Chou and Jack are here in case things get out of hand!"

Whisps of the golden fires of resurrection crept over Zaofan's hands. The sparks collected at his fingertips, and then he plunged them deep into the fallen vampire about the hole in its chest.

"Find those kids, and we'll get them back. Tracking down monsters like this, that's a specialty of the Sons of Zxu'ro!"

And with any luck, we'll keep that prophecy from coming true...

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Weird," Sarada said dismissively. "Cancer seemed more scared." She shrugged.

Outwardly, she was calm and cool, but inwardly, she was deeply worried. Those blades did nothing of note at all. Not that she was expecting them to eviscerate the goddess, but a drop of blood fell well short of the intended result, whatever that may have been.

In the distance, she felt Parsley, Blizzar, and Avoca appear out of nowhere and close in on her position. Perfect. The more help, the better. Esoteric abilities seemed to have a better chance than her more straightforward attacks. When they got there and jumped in, she would focus more on keeping them alive. Until then, she had to hold down the fort. She eyed the black scythe in her opponent's hand, and especially the power building up inside.

That was when she got an idea. Got it.

Her hand shot forward and fired a yellow beam. The beam struck, not SWS, but one of the blades that was protruding out of her. Like a serum through a needle, it traveled through the blade an into her. Unending Suffering exploded into a swarm of tendrils that traveled through the goddess' body, seeking the pain receptors to latch onto.

Instead of screaming in pain, Sarada discovered quickly that SWS likes the feeling. A euphoric smile rips across her body, a slight shudder of pleasure.

“Ohh, that was lovely. I haven’t felt that good in some time. Let me…return the favor.”

The scythe cuts out and down, a wall of black cutting energy appears. Only a millimeter thick but miles long and twenty feet tall, it strikes at Sarada in an attempt to bisect her in half. Mountains, ruins, the ocean, all sundered before the wicked scythe blow.

“Sundering Strike!”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

He walked away, his eyes lingering on them for a moment before he turned his view away from him. They had gone with him, knowing this could be their last flight aboard the starship even as they closed their eyes; but by their sacrifice, the world still turned. For a moment as the Ronin tended to the last of their number thrown into a dream, Ochazuke allowed his thoughts to drift with them.

To lay at rest, knowing they had done all they could...let the Dreadnought be the worst they see of it, for our work is not yet concluded.

For their sake and all those that depended on them, he continued to move forward.



Forward, that is, until a lingering remnant from the past caught up with him. Standing across from Koorimaru where Zaofan and Grav prepared their work in between, Ochazuke kept his hands at his sides.

"I could sense you the moment my ship began its descent, and yet you have kept idle despite both your portals and your pressing business." He lift his gaze, a sharp, small motion concealing the threat as he spoke. "This is poor form, especially for you with nowhere left to turn. Now talk."

He grins his teeth, but nods.

He explains what he explained to the group already. About Asha’rah’s three forms, his resurrection and imprisonment by Remnant. His escape with Asha’rah’s body and his desire to seek their alliance and help.

And his fear. Ochazuke gets a large undercurrent of Koorimaru’s fear of Remnant and Sakin.