Chapter Fourteen

The moment they stepped into the cemetery, the gate slammed shut. From experience, Elysia didn’t bother trying to open them or climb the fence but instead kept her attention on the cemetery, including the ground below them.

Following her example, her family spread their senses out, expecting trouble and trouble came.

The sound of marching reached their ears, drawing their attention toward the road running down the center of the cemetery. Something touched Elysia’s feet, causing her to jump and release a lightning bolt at the ground on instinct. Upon glancing down, she found a limp skeletal hand punched through the pavement.

A frown formed as she didn’t hear a ding in her mind like she should have, but another hand reaching toward her broke her train of thought. Soon dozens of hands grabbing at their ankles met a quick end delivered by whoever they tried to grab, but that didn’t dissuade more from trying.

It almost looked like they were dancing as they dodged hands at the last second, then delivered a blow of their magic, but it was futile. They just kept coming in growing numbers.

Suddenly, a sheen of greenish water rolled over the pavement. Each hand stilled, then went limp as the water touch them. The water continued past the pavement, soaking into the dry and cracked ground surrounding the pavement.

Several core pulses passed, but no more hands reached toward them. Unfortunately, there was no time to celebrate as a literal army of skeletons appeared within sight, marching down the pavement. The front of the troops held tall shields while the next row pointed spears through the shield wall. From their vantage point, they couldn’t see what lay beyond the first two layers, at least until Ione sent images.

The images caused the twins to still then unconsciously take a step back. The shield and spear wall was only the beginning. Thousands upon thousands of skeletons filled the space between the shield wall and the mausoleum, almost to the point they were sardines.

Something wasn’t right here. The Lich seemed all too happy to force her down to his lair last time. What changed? Shouldn’t the dungeon mechanics remain the same? Should they try to circle around? An army of that size couldn’t adjust to their movement, at least if she was dealing with mundane enemies. Still, it was worth a try.

Just in case the Lich was watching them, Elysia sent a series of images to both her twin and Ione directing Sereia to mount Ione. The moment she did, Elysia took off in a sprint, lightning pulsing through her body, propelling her faster than mundanely possible. As she ran, she kept an eye on the skeleton army, easily visible through the dead trees and crumbling headstones.

On a dime, all the skeletons shifted in their direction as one, but as she predicted, they couldn’t follow them easily through the graveyard. However, the moment they reached the next paved path leading to the mausoleum, they found another army of skeletons, though smaller than the main army. Elysia eyed them, tempted to strike them down then make a run for the mausoleum, but without using her divine lightning, she doubted she could kill them all before the main army reinforced them. She wasn’t alone, though.

Upon glancing at Sereia, she found her sister also sizing up the much smaller army, biting her lip as if considering something. A subtle shake of her head seemed to have stalled that thought, only for another to sprout as she spotted something in the distance.

A series of images reached Elysia’s mind, causing her to stare at her sister in wonder. How did she know she used ball bearings to spread out her lightning? Was she spying on her? She shouldn’t be surprised. Her sister spied on her from thousands of kilometers away a few blocks was a cakewalk. Somehow, she even knew about Ione’s ability to direct her lightning.

Feeling like the plan couldn’t hurt, worst case they could retreat into the graveyard again. At least she hoped that was an option. Most likely the Lich planned for that. They were probably better off approaching from the paved roads. Traveling through a graveyard while trying to evade skeletons was just asking for trouble.

Elysia nodded at her sister, who remained mounted on Ione for the second part of the plan. They slowly approached the army of skeletons, mostly consisting of several layers of a shield wall backed by armored skeletons with smaller shields and swords.

Unlike other army which appeared to be the attacking force, it focused this army on defense. Not that the thousand strong army of armored skeletons wouldn’t be a threatening force if they charged.

Even when they reached a handful of meters away from the shield wall, they remained stationary, only making what they had planned easier.

They stopped a couple meters from the skeleton army, yet they didn’t move. To prepare, Elysia withdrew two handfuls of ball bearings and waited for the signal from her sister.

Green water gathered under Ione’s feet, then spread along the pavement toward the army. The army didn’t react as the water did nothing to them other than cover the payment in a few centimeter layer of water.

Sereia’s scrunched brow loosened as Ione began her part, giving support to the mermaid, which signaled Elysia to start.

First, she tossed the bearings as far as she could, causing them to sail over the army. Even that didn’t cause the army to react. Their hollow eye sockets remained locked on them. Unfortunately for them, their fate was already sealed.

Elysia fed two twelve strand lightning bolts down her arms then aim to them at the ball bearings. Instead of trying to control the lightning, she released her control, allowing the dominoes to fall into place.

The moment the lightning reached the first bearings, the water below the skeleton’s feet burst upward, soaking the entire army.

Ione’s ears twitched as her eyes narrowed, mind pounding as she took control of both her mother’s and aunt’s magic to fry the tasty chew toys. If only she would have time to eat them all. Maybe if this worked, she could persuade her family to hunt the rest of the skeletons. It was in their best interest that she grew big and strong after all. She earned a treat after this.

As if finding an irresistible target, the lightning disregarded the few remaining bearings and shot downward, spearing through one skeleton after another, helped by the rusty armor they wore. Some of the soaked skeletons crumbled into a bone heap even before the lightning reached them as the water shifted to a deeper green, melting away whatever gave them unlife.

Within seconds, all that remained of the army was a heap of bones, which disintegrated a few blinks later, along with the rusty gear.

Now with a clear path, they took off in a sprint, though Ione appeared significantly slower than before as she panted. Not that she had any trouble keeping up with her mother. No skeletons blocked their path as the mausoleum came into sight however, a problem presented itself when they reached it.

They sprinted in a full circle but found no entrance, only stonewalls. The sound of marching feet from several directions caused them to freeze, then shoot toward the road they cleared, only to find it once again blocked with just as many skeletons as they killed.

Sereia sent images asking if they should try the same thing, but she received a whimper from Ione, who was still panting from the previous attack.

While her sister and bond conversed, Elysia returned her attention to the mausoleum, trying to remember where the door was. Maybe they could crack it open. Otherwise, they were sitting ducks.

It was suicide to run from an undead army in a cemetery, and even if they broke through the blockade, the skeletons would just create another.

Eventually, the skeletons would wear them down. Especially since she didn’t think she was receiving experience from the kills. At least she wasn’t hearing the dings. That meant she had to ration her charge. It was fishy that they weren’t getting experience, but maybe that was part of the dungeon mechanic. She didn’t kill them the last time she was here either, since they funneled her into the mausoleum.

Elysia’s eyes widened. Maybe they weren’t killing them this time, either. What if the skeletons were just an extension of the dungeon or something? If she was right, then if they continued killing, it would be pointless.

An idea sprouted, causing Elysia to ask Ione if the skeletons were still tasty after they died. There was a momentary pause as Ione froze, tongue still out mid pant before she sent a negative.

That confirmed it. They weren’t killing the skeletons. At least, not any that mattered. Did they want to risk killing more in the hopes some might be real? No, it wasn’t worth it. There had to be a trigger or a source of the power. She didn’t think the Lich was the source either. It probably controlled the skeletons, but the skeletons she saw the Lich summon gave her experience.

Again, she sent a query to Ione, this time asking if she sensed anything beyond the skeletons.

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Ione surveyed her surroundings, head still pounding from controlling her mother’s and aunt’s magic at the same time. Still, her senses were unparalleled and, as such, she found what her mother was looking for. She wasn’t sure how her supreme self missed it before. How dare the dungeon dangle tasty chew toys in front of her, then yank them away!

Wanting to correct the travesty as soon as possible, she shot off into the cemetery, ignoring the skeletons blocking the roads in favor of weaving through the gravesites. Despite her speed, she ensured her aunt remained safely on her back. She also kept a part of her senses trained on her mother following close behind, somehow keeping up.

Pride filled her, seeing her mother improve. Maybe one day they could have a race. As long as she won, she was all for her mother growing faster.

Before the thoughts of how glorious such a race would be distracted her, Ione refocused on the unusual ping in her senses. Unlike the skeletons, who were all grouped together, a singular source of tastiness quite a bit tastier than the skeletons moved about the cemetery.

As if sensing her approach, the source of tastiness vanished, only to reappear several hundred meters away.

Ione let out a growl in frustration, then gently nudged her aunt off her back. She needed to get serious. The source of tastiness could run, but it wouldn’t escape.

Her mother moved to follow her but thought better of it and stayed with her annoying aunt.

Fortunately for the elusive source of tastiness, she didn’t have time to prolong the hunt that meant a quick kill. She couldn’t leave her family alone in the middle of the cemetery filled with delicious chew toys. They were already moving to surround them, though if her mother was right, it wouldn’t matter.

It was faint, but she felt a slight connection between the elusive source of tastiness and the rest of the delicious chew toys. Hopefully, after she killed the elusive source of tastiness, they could hunt down the delicious chew toys.

Refusing to be beaten, Ione blurred forward, imitating a supercharged pinball as she weaved through the graveyard at blindingly fast speeds. Just as she caught sight of her target, an elongated skeleton wearing tattered robes, it sunk into the ground and reemerged a hundred meters to her right.

On a dime, she shot toward the skeleton, reaching it a blink later. This time she pounced the moment it came into sight, reaching it when most of its torso was still aboveground. With a mighty slash with her unparalleled claws, she sliced through the skeleton just below the rib cage. However, after bouncing a few times, the upper half of the skeleton sunk into the ground.

Even before her target emerged, she caught on to its signature and shot off, this time only fifty meters in front of her.

When the annoyingly elusive tasty chew toy emerged, Ione was already airborne, aimed at it with her claws extended, jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth wide open.

Her eyes caught sight of something glowing within its rib cage, causing her to target it. Before it could react, she crossed the rib cage with her claws, then swallowed the glowing crystal whole, almost purring as warmth spread through her.

She directed her attention down at the skeleton, hoping to have a second course, only to find nothing remained.

Annoyed it might’ve escaped her again, she spread her senses only to find nothing pinging her senses other than her family, who were approaching her location.

Her tail drooped as a sense of loss hit her when she realized thousands of meals slipped through her claws.