CHAPTER 18: SYMPHONY OF THE SKELETON (HELL HOUNDS)

MAFISTO’S NOT QUITE SAFE HOUSE, DOWNTOWN, NEXERIA

“I believe our Master of Messes has struck again.” Black Duchess says, walking around the destroyed safe house. Her eyebrows raise while noticing the holes, debris, bones, and blood around the place.

“Look, he even left a painting here with his blood. Such a romantic.” She says with a smile, looking down at a splatter of blood on the ground.

“That's our lad for ya, leaving a trail of his guts for us.” Deadhead replies, giving the room a once over himself. The giant bones in the wall grab his attention the most. He grabs the bone with his hand and activates his powers, making both the hand and bone glow with polychromatic omnius energy. The bone emits a somber sound that sends rhythmic waves bouncing through the energy.

“You know, I’m still surprised at how you do that. Listening to the music of bones; it’s such a wonderful event to witness.” Duchess spoke cheerfully, with a smile on her face, to her comrade.

“That it is, lass, and we have to be quiet though. Don’t want to disrupt the bones.” Deadhead says while his hand stays steady on the bones in the wall.

Black Duchess nods her head and gives him a thumbs up.

The sound waves move back and forth through his hand, sending signals into his mind. He sees images of events that have passed before. Deadhead takes his hand off the bones, ending the omnius energy connection between them.

“You’re not wrong, lassie; the bones are some of the last remains, and they have a story to tell. I just provide the tune for them, and they sing the beautiful song to me. Quite the wonderful occurrence.” Deadhead closes his hand, absorbing the message of the music he heard.

“That is quite marvelous how you describe it. I can only imagine the music Zombato’s bones have. So what did the music say to you?” Duchess smiles at him while crossing her arms.

“It sang to me, lass, it sang to me that Zombato had a fierce battle with two opponents that were impaled by the bones. However, the two opponents were moved. The spell used to move them was arcanus in nature; however, the bones were protected against it. Thankfully, the lad’s body isn’t mageus in nature.” Deadhead replies, taking another look around the area.

“It seems whoever was here didn’t want any evidence of themselves around.”

“If arcanus was involved, I can track whoever used it, and that’ll get us to Zombato. Who is hopefully still in one piece.” Duchess spoke about her teammate that she has put back together on more than one occasion.

The Black Duchess points her hands forward and starts chanting in a low voice. Her hands glow with a faint light. The area around the bone glows brighter and brighter till it explodes, sending out a giant flash of light engulfing the area.

“Arrgh...my skrukin’ eye holes, lass! Even the bones scream a rhapsody of pain from that.” Deadhead says, covering his eye holes in pain.

“This was a powerful counterspell; I was not prepared for this.” Duchess rubs her eyes from the blinding light.

“I don’t like this Duchess; we need to find Zombato and see if he knows anything about this craziness that could counter your mageus.” Deadhead says with concern.

“You’re right, Jonny. This is a serious threat to both Zombato and the city of Nexeria itself.” She responds.

“Let’s find him.”