Seed Of Speed

The group stepped out through the portal and into the bone maze. The full moon was persistent in this world of eternal night, just as the purple miasma. Everyone stood on the edge of the azure mist as they discussed their plan.

"Brother Stormblade, just how confident are you in this team?" Diego asked with a mischievous grin on his face.

"I am familiar with Tovao's current strength, and I can sense you are stronger than me, so that would depend on this young miss's abilities, if I may ask," Stromblade replied.

"I specialize in healing and holy water spells," Rainshower replied with a proud smile.

"You are a member of Healing Hall? Why are you bothering with the catacombs at all?" Stormblade said with shock.

"Because junior apprentice-brother Brightmelody asked…" she said quietly while blushing profusely.

"Oh, I see," Stormblade chuckled while elbowing Diego teasingly.

"Well then? What do you think?" Diego asked.

"Just what are you planning Brightmelody?"

"I want to draw in a large group, the larger, the better, and test this new spell. If it works properly, it will neutralize the entire force while everyone destroys!" Diego replied.

"Heh, heh, I get it… Okay, we should move to one of the courtyards then. They are focus points and always have hordes nearby. Follow me!"

Stormblade drew his silver longsword and charged forward at a jog. Tovao rested his glaive on his shoulder while he showed off his new evasion skill that left a fiery trail as he moved. Kang wore a pair of heavy metal gauntlets and moved forward like a gust of wind. Rainshower simply had a crystal blue vase filled with water hanging from her waist as she gave one last glance at Diego while noting the ki'ta in his hands was the one she had given him before she followed after the others with her own water-based movement technique. Although Diego could not use [White Lightning Array] while also channeling his bardic abilities, [Shimmering Steps] could still be used, allowing him to support everyone as he used {War Song}, playing Stevie Wonder's "Superstition".

"Don't bother with these little guys, just disable and move on. Once they rebuild, they will add to the horde Brightmelody wants," Stormblade said as his used his sword to break the legs of the first skeleton they crossed.

"Hey, we don't want to get overrun if this spell doesn't work!" Tovao said.

"Relax, if the spell does fail, I have a few special talismans that could clear enough for us to escape, but Brightmelody will be reimbursing me if that's the case."

"Of course, but I'm fairly confident," Diego replied while he thought, (With Katalina's help, I think its impossible for it not to work.)

So like that, the group of five made quick progress through the maze as they drew closer to one of the courtyards where numerous pathways joined together. The massive courtyard had a number of shallow graves marked with a small tombstone and, in the very center, four stone coffins were arranged in the cardinal directions around a large stone statue of a giant gargoyle. There were some skeletons shuffling in the distance that turned their direction upon their entry.

"Alright, Brightmelody, do your thing," Stormblade said.

Diego chuckled and changed his song to "I Put A Spell On You" by Creedence Clearwater Revival as he used {Siren's Call}. He had learned over time that his power reacted to suit his needs and the clearer he could make the d.e.s.i.r.ed effect play out within his mind, the stronger it would manifest. An invisible wave of energies rippled through the air everywhere his voice passed as it echoed down the corridors. Every skeleton that heard the music could not help but turn their heads and begin to march towards them.

"Spread out. Tovao, take the southeast, Kang, southwest is yours," Stormblade directed.

The two moved to their position while Stormblade moved to the north. Rainshower stood next to Diego, in the center of the triangle formation. Slowly, the number of skeletons began to grow. Fifteen… thirty… seventy… When the horde within the courtyard grew to nearly a hundred strong, Stormblade finally reached his limit.

"Any time now, Brightmelody!" he yelled as he fought back six skeletons at once.

Suddenly, Diego's tempo changed as he activated his new Song-Spell, {Thriller of the Night}. The dreary courtyard changed to a haunting forest graveyard and a howl in the distance broke the strange 'silence' the group found themselves in. The skeletons that had been close were teleport back a few meters so that their bodies were engulfed in the gray mist. The three defenders lowered their weapons slightly with the loss of their enemies which allowed them to take in their 'new' surroundings.

Although it may have seemed like a waste of energy to create the illusion that had no effect on their enemies, Diego had truly begun to understand his bardic power and knew that the image was just another way to give the spell more power. He was pulling straight from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video scene where the zombies first rise from the ground. Two more Diegos appeared as he used his [Speed Clones], one carrying a drum while the other began to sing.

"It's close to midnight and something evil's lurkin' in the dark

Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it

You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes,

You're paralyzed

'Cause this is thriller, thriller night

And no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike

You know it's thriller, thriller night

You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight…"

The movements of skeletons shuffling towards them became rigid as they fought against the power of the spell, but no mere mortal, or skeleton, could resist the evil of the thriller. One by one, the skeletons fell into rhythm with the music as they executed Michael Jackson's classic Thriller dance. He had more difficulty resisting the urge to laugh than worry about the rate of consumption brought by the Song-Spell. It was actually a very weak spell against humans, with anyone above the fourth stage of the Mortal Body could break through it with their chi, but that was because it was designed specifically for undead creatures.

Katalina had taught him about the different effect magic could have on elemental-based creatures. The undead were tied directly into the Shadow element, through their death affinity, and while Diego lacked a true holy affinity, his perfect Light affinity made him a natural counter for these creatures. By using Light runes to create the entire spell, he could easily dominate the minds of these skeletons. To ease the burden of commanding so many at once, he made them execute the dance to further strengthen the bardic power of the Song-Spell.

"By the Heavens and Hells," Tovao breathed as he watched the skeletons dance around, no longer seeking to attack them.

Stormblade just laughed while Kang looked around thoughtfully.

"Allow me to help as well," Rainshower said as she took a step forward.

She raised a hand and a few drops of mana-water, with its natural soft blue glow, rose out of the jug she carried at her waist. The three droplets zoomed around her hand before she flicked her fingers and they shot out in different directions, striking the other three. A silvery-blue energy engulfed them and covered their entire bodies and even weapons. She used a holy-water buff spell that would strengthen their bodies while also increasing their damage against undead creatures.

Stormblade understood they could not waste this boost given to them and charged into the biggest grouping of dancing skeletons. The skeletons did not even react to his presence as they were forced to continue their dance with one that would have crashed into him if he did not chop it down with his sword. The unique property of Rainshower's buff was that his sword easily sliced through the bone as if it were flesh, and the pieces damaged by his blade would begin to char the bone and spread slowly.

Kang was just a step behind Stormblade, charging into his own group of skeletons. His metal fists struck out heavily against the first skeleton he approached, and it exploded as the c.h.e.s.t completely disintegrated while the arms, legs, and skull were thrown far into the distance. Even he seemed shocked by the power he displayed, nearly allowing a skeleton to stumble into him, but he subconsciously dodged to the side. He grinned as a wine sack appeared in his hand and he took a quick swig then put it away. As if he was instantly drunk, he stumbled forward and rolled forward on the ground. While rolling, he kicked out with a leg and a wave of skeletons were destroyed as if something had hit them all at the waists, breaking them in half at the spines.

Tovao snapped back to reality with the other two engaging their enemies, but with the first two snagging the big groups, he was left with the stragglers. Fire erupted from his feet as he dashed around, sweeping his glaive back and forth. With each way of his glaive, a stream of silvery-blue fire erupted and consumed whatever poor skeleton that had been in its path. Normally, the fire would be red and orange flames, but the buff gave them a purifying effect, making it the surprisingly strongest attack among the group. He was easily able to clear away the stragglers before moving on to help the other two with their groups. Before Diego had even finished the song, the three attackers had destroyed all of the skeletons, leaving behind a mountain of likely-charred bones for them to collect. He released the Song-Spell and the world returned to the courtyard within the bone maze.

Stormblade looked around the bones and picked up a few before saying, "They have all been slightly purified which will lower the return, but the sheer volume is ridiculous. How many more times can you use that spell?"

"About ten times back to back, but with supporting us through the miasma, I should keep it under eight, or we will need to head back. I don't really have a way to restore the energy for my Soul-Singer powers," Diego replied.

"If it was just mana or chi, I could help you, but I don't think those items will work."

"No, unfortunately. Grand Master Petaltear is working on something, but its slow-going since its from scratch," Diego replied.

In truth, she had a recipe that his 'deceased master' had left him, but all of the ingredients were rare in the desert, leaving him emptyhanded for now. Everyone started collecting their spoils when there was a shriek like nails on a chalkboard, followed by four consecutive ground shaking thuds. Diego cursed himself as he looked over his shoulder to see four hands rise out of the stone coffins, with their lids fallen off to the sides.