Dancing Princess spun on the water surface. She laughed as some of the smaller knee height elementals tried copying her motions. She was careful not to accidentally shock the cute blobs. As she danced, she plucked the strange flowers on the water's surface. It wasn't easy and it took time but it was fun.
After she had gathered 10 of the flowers, the small elementals made a sort of waterfall sound. They pushed the water around to create a platform beneath the dancer's feet. It seemed like they were trying to tell her 'dance more!'
The elementals joined her as she danced. Soon a notification was heard by her. [You have taught 12 lesser water elementals how to dance. These elementals have learned the skill line dancing. These water elementals wish to dance with you again in the future. You have gained the skill line Summoning. You have learned the cross skill Summon Background dancers. Current dancers that can be summoned: Lesser water elementals. You can currently summon 2. You can summon more background dancers at a higher proficiency. While active the effects of your dancing will improve. With the water elementals present; performances on, with, around, or about water will have amplified effects. Background dancers will dance to the best of their ability to synchronize with your own. Background dancers can be taught specific dance routines however unless a method of communication is formed complex commands may be difficult to explain. Summoned dancers have felt your desire to not use dancing for combat. They will not actively engage in fighting.]
[Background dancers: Lesser water elementals have gained the skill, Aqua stage. They can create and manipulate a dancing stage using water. You must have water walk to take advantage of this ability. There must be water nearby to create the stage with.]
Princess squealed in delight. "These lesser water elementals are so cute! And now they can dance with me whenever?" She continued her dancing and gathering herbs. The new skill and her new friends made her smile even brighter.
***
Shiarra slashed down at the animated zebra corpse in front of a foul smelling cavern. "These things are everywhere!" She exclaimed to the lack of people around her. She looted the corpse and walked into the cave.
"Skree! Humenz!" A bunch of undead small humanoids of varying appearances shouted and charged.
"Zombie Kobolds," the warrior spat. Her claymore, imbued with the power of water, cut down the small hostile creatures. After slaying, looting, and other common in-game practices, she headed further into the cave leaving a trail of twice dead corpses behind.
"Trespasser, why do you interrupt me? I, Bartok the Undying, am in the middle of important research!" A cloaked figure shouted as the woman reached the depths of the cave.
"Are you the one corrupting the water elementals nearby?" She asked back.
Bartok laughed. "Indeed, I seek the answers to immortality. Most necromancers are only obsessed with un-death. They are too dumb to see that there are other immortal paths. Do you also seek the path of immortality?"
Shiarra looked over and saw a bright cerulean orb tainted with black spider web like patterns. "That's probably the orb I'm supposed to find." She sighed.
"Ah, I see you noticed it. This is a special elemental core that I am using for my research. You see, the elementals are also immortal. When they die, they are reborn soon after with their memories intact. It is brilliant! I wonder why I am the only necromancer to ever think about this. I am a genius! … He continued rambling on.
"Typical." The warrior rolled her eyes, brandished her water covered claymore and charged at the monologing necromancer.
***
Jericho took a deep breath. The other Jericho also took a deep breath. They smiled. ""Excellent"" they both said at the same time. The first pulled out the shrunken grand piano and started to carry it. The other pulled out the ocarina. The two Jerichos walked calmly in the direction of the southern shore of the lake.
Black water elementals sloshed around in the distance, killing the living things in the area. The corpses rose and joined the elementals in their slaughter. When there were no enemies to face, the corpses and elementals wandered aimlessly.
Jericho and his clone frowned at the sight. They prepared their instruments, started to perform. The Jericho at the piano added his voice to the depth of the serenade. The other Jericho lifted the ocarina and played.
The sound of the piano playing part 3, the ocarina playing part 1 and the voice singing part 2 caught the attention of the corrupted elementals and the zombie creatures. As they approached the music hit them. They froze and black mist escaped their bodies.
The two bards finished their combined composition and a notification appeared before the original. [Serenade for the Soothing of the Soul is not unlocked. Proficiency in parts 1,2 and 3 have increased. Due to the effects of Soul Music, corruption has left the undead and elementals. Undead have returned to rest.]
The bard and his clone were pleased. This was something beyond what Jericho had expected. He shrunk his piano back down and the two copies continued on their way to purify as many elementals as they could.
The hour was almost up when Jericho and his clone cleansed the 13th batch of undead and elementals. There was only one last group in sight. He had leveled up the lesser parts of the song of healing a few times in the process.
A notification popped up as soon as the 13th song finished. [Song of Healing part 3 has leveled up to 10 and had changed from Beginner 10/10 to Adept 0/10. Due to the rank up of a healing skill, Healing has reached rank 2. Serenade for the Soothing of the soul has been unlocked.]
Jericho and his soon to be gone clone rushed forward to heal one last group of water elementals before the timer ran out. As they played, the elementals seemed to grow stronger. The undead creatures released a white light that drifted off to the sky. The Serenade concluded and a peaceful feeling permeated the area.
"We did it!" The two Jerichos shouted disrupting the mood. They were about to high five when the clone sucked back into the bard's body.
[Split had been deactivated. Split has been removed from the list of known skills. The spirit of the water elementals has been removed.]
The man sighed. "This ability… I want it…" He muttered to himself before glancing at the time.
Jericho sent a direct message to Princess. [It's homework and dinner time. Log off, let's get some food. We can continue the quest after a good meal and your homework.]
Princess replied back. […Fine. I can't dance on the water anymore anyways.]
The bard laughed at his sister's reluctance before typing a message to the warrior. [It's time for us to eat dinner and get princess's school work done. We will log back in later to turn in the quests. See you in a few hours.]
The system sent back a message. [The person you are trying to reach is in combat. They will be alerted to your message after combat has finished.]
The man logged off.
***
Shiarra was frustrated. She was not a novice to playing games like these. Bartok calling himself the undying wasn't just for show. She had slain him 3 times already and her stamina wasn't holding. The timer on the water elemental ability was up.
[Aqua slash has been removed.]
"Hahahaha!" Bartok mocked. "You have gotten weaker! I dare you to try and push out more of that former strength of yours. Do you really think you can take me down without it?"
A thought suddenly flashed through the warrior's mind. "He is trying to get me to use the water elemental's power?" She slashed again. "No!" She screamed inwardly. "The reason he has been reviving this whole time is because I have been using water to kill him?!"
As if to answer her inquiry a few dozen swings later, the necromancer collapsed from the fatal blow she dealt. The darkness faded from the orb giving it a crystalline shine. [You have slain the Aqua-Necromancer Bartok…]
The warrior looted the corpse, searched the room, and took the clear cerulean orb. Finally her quest was ready to turn in.
[You have a message from Jericho the Bard: "It's time for us to eat dinner and get princess's school work done. We will log back in later to turn in the quests. See you in a few hours." (Sent 5 minutes ago. Jericho the Bard is currently offline.)]
Shiarra let out a sigh. "At least he let me know. Dinner doesn't sound too bad right now. I may as well log out to eat since I have to wait for them to get back anyways." She logged out of the game to eat an actual dinner rather than just some snacks for the first time since the game was released.
© J Eranoth