Seed Of Speed

Diego ran the whole way to Shadowbolt's tower and only stopped when she met him in the hallway of the Shadow floor. Although she tried to keep her face neutral, those who knew her well could see the amus.e.m.e.nt in her eyes as she looked at her panting disciple. There was no doubt in her mind as to why he had skipped his first classes and ran over here as fast as he could. He had taken the longest time to craft his first custom spell throughout the entire sect's history, but she was not upset because she knew her requirements were strict and there was no other Soul Singers in the sect that could help him.

"I imagine that you have good reason to here instead of your Fundamentals of Fire class and why you missed your Fundamentals of Light class altogether," Shadowbolt said in a monotone voice.

"Yes!... I finished… my spell!" he said between gaps for air.

No longer able to contain her amus.e.m.e.nt, Shadowbolt let out a small chuckle while shaking her head. "Catch your breath first. We will go to the back to test out this new spell of yours."

Diego nodded as he steadied his breathing and followed Shadowbolt back outside. She led him around the tower where a stone sparring ring was placed. As he had used it a few times with Moonfall, he knew there were a number of formations set around it to ensure that no magic would accidently slip past and damage anything.

"As I said, I wanted the illusion spell to strength your allies while confusing your enemies. I will play the part of both, so that I can see the effect from both sides," Shadowbolt said with a wave of her hand.

Eleven lumps of sand started to rise out of the sand and stopped when they were the same height as Shadowbolt. Each of them shook like a dog trying to remove from its fur and twelve identical Grand Master Shadowbolts stood in front of him. They moved as a unit into the ring where they split, half and half, and all looked at him.

"Are you ready?" the Shadowbolts asked in unison.

(Will this even work like this?) Diego asked silently.

::Unless her cloning magic is far more advance than what I've guessed, it will be fine. She only asked in unison because all twelve have a separate, yet identical mind. Now, blow her mind with the true power of a Bardic Elemental Mage::

(Thanks, Kat!) Diego thought with a grin before replying aloud, "Yes!"

Diego used his [Speed Clone] ability, a second body seemingly to split off from his original, and he passed it the ki'ta while he pulled out a leather drum Shadowbolt had gifted him after he told her about the {Harmonizing Technique}. Tucking the drum under his arm, he walked into the ring and pick a side without much thought.

He took a deep breath as he closed both sets of eyes. This was his first time casting the spell outside of his mental plane, but he knew this would work, this would become his path. He strummed the E chord and he also kept tempo with the leather drum as he focused on the entire Spell Sigil for the song. To everyone covered by the effect of the spell, day became night and the rain began to fall.

"Standing in the rain, with his head hung low,

Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show,

Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene…"

The scene that everyone was seeming changed again, as those who were on the opposing side lit up as if a spot light was on them in the eyes of his 'allies'. To the 'enemies', they now found themselves seemingly isolated within a white, light void.

"Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream,

He heard one guitar, just blew him away,

He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day…"

Suddenly, a dozen more Diego appeared, all carrying a ki'ta, and together, they struck the chord as he sang "He heard one guitar" and a roar of wind slammed into the six Shadowbolt's standing opposite of him that would have forced someone of the same level as him to retreat a step. The six Shadowbolts standing at his side could feel their blood pumping and their expended energy quickly refilling itself.

"Bought a beat up six-string, in a secondhand store,

Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure,

That one guitar, felt good in his hands…"

Again, a group of Diego's appeared with the line, "That one guitar," and sent another blast of wind at the 'enemies' that would have made someone his level stagger back several steps this time. One of the Shadowbolts moved forward, so that she was next to an opposing one, but not even hair on her head moved in the breeze that moved around her like water flowing around a stone.

"Didn't take long, to understand

Just one guitar, slung way down low

Was a one-way ticket, only one way to go

So he started rockin', ain't never gonna stop

Gotta keep on rockin', someday gonna make it to the top…"

This time, only three Diego appeared, but instead of an instrument in their hands, one holding his black spear, another with his old golden spear, and the final one created an ice spear as he had no other weapons in his storage space. Unlike the dozen or so that appeared to create the winds, these were more solid and charged at his 'enemies' to put his skill with the spear on display.

"And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes,

He's a juke box hero,

He took one guitar (juke box hero, stars in his eyes)

Juke box hero, (stars in his eyes) he'll come alive tonight…"

The clones attacking only lasted through the chorus, but they threw back their spears before they vanished in smoke. Of course, they did not really attack Shadowbolt and just demonstrated that he could.

"In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour,

Thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door

Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain

And that one guitar, made his whole life change

Now he needs to keep on rockin', he just can't stop

Gotta keep on rockin', that boy has got to stay on top…"

With the return of the rain, his 'enemies' saw shadow figures, wearing his face, strike out with spears from odd angles. One of the Shadowbolts moved to block the first attack, but her hand just passed through the intangible shadow. Then, as he returned to the main chorus, the three Diego's returned and charged with their spears raised.

"And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes

He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes

Yeah, juke box hero, got starts in his eyes

With that one guitar (stars in his eyes)

He'll come alive, come alive tonight, woah…"

The three Diego's attacked in a flurry of motion around the Shadowbolts while the shadow figures continued their fake attacks, so that only the clones she kept at the elder rank and above could tell true from false.

"Yeah, he gotta keep on rockin', just can't stop

Gotta keep on rockin', that boy has got to stay on top…"

Now, the dozen of Diego's with ki'tas reappeared, bringing the winds had again and at full force. Now, only the clones at the elder rank and above were able to resist strength of the winds and remain unmoved. The attacking Diego's were moving faster and faster the closer he grew to the end.

"And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes

He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes

(Just one guitar) juke box hero, got stars in his eyes

Now he's just a juke box her, aah aah aah

Juke box (stars) hero, (stars, stars) juke box hero, (stars, stars)

He's got stars in his eyes, stars in his eyes"

When the sound of the music faded, the illusion came to an end and all of the Diego's except for his [Speed Clone] vanished, but to not cause too much surprise, his clone handed the ki'ta back to his true body and vanished as well. He let out a deep breath as the strain of the spell hit him since it cost nearly half of his mana to preform it. He stored away his instruments and looked up at Shadowbolt with a smile.

Shadowbolt dismissed her clones, allowing them to return to sand. Her true body was actually standing next to him, so the Shadowbolt he had been looking at it when it fell apart, but he turned to face the real her a moment later. She had a genuine look of surprise on her face as she looked back at him. Although she could tell he had depleted a majority of his mana, there were plenty of custom spells that were like that, but the sheer level of insight he showed in the field of illusion, cloning, and even martial skill was shocking. Typically, a shaman that focused on illusion would be forced into a supportive ranged role in battle, but his martial skill seemed at par for recruited martial students.

Of course, all the true praise for the crafting of the spell belonged to Katalina as she had done the most difficult part, but that was her intention all along. No matter what 'Seed' Diego had been given, the sheer wealth of knowledge she had with magic would make him a mage of great value to whatever powers would exist on his new world. She had wanted to ensure that her 'brother-in-law' would have every chance possible to see his sister again.

"What is the name of your spell?" Shadowbolt asked after a moment.

"{Bright Melody of the Hero}," Diego replied, still smiling.