Seed Of Speed

There was no real difference between night and day in this world as the clouds blocked all sunlight. Occasionally, bolts of crimson lightning would streak through the clouds, and the world was cast in an ever-present, red glow.

Katalina, through use of Diego's body, worked for hours on end to set up formations all throughout the valley and the mountain passes, utilizing the power of the 'Seed' to a degree that left him speechless. She used the six bodies to work in perfect concert to layout thousands of bloody runes that vanished the moment a formation was complete. The elemental crystals were all buried a meter under the ground and shielded with the formation to limit the energy signatures until they were activated. It was impossible to completely hide them, but Katalina's skill with magic would allow her to fool experts.

::Don't forget to interrogate the imps before you wipe their memories. Learning about the region would not be a bad idea::

(Thanks, I will,) Diego replied mentally as he regained control of his body.

Celita had spent her time studying a few simple formations that Katalina had prepared for her. She would be able to use her own blood as a catalyst which would give her a natural advantage with controlling the formation, but she was quite a way away from creating any of them since she had just began learning.

"You need a rest?" Celita asked as she looked up from her papers.

"Nah, my body never really tires, only my mind. She did everything while I rested," Diego explained. "Kat did make a good point though, that the imps could give us some information about the area."

"You can speak demon, too?"

"That, or the Mind magic removes language... I'm not really sure how it works with the System in my head."

::Both are correct ȧssumptions::

Diego sighed, shaking his head and turned to the five imps. They all wore the same leather jerkin with a black, two-headed snake on the front, so it clearly meant something.

"What does the symbol on your shirt mean?" Diego asked the imps.

"Master's mark!" one of the imps replied.

"Who is your Master?"

"Fire-Acid Demon Snake, Tulaji," another said.

"Why does he have you watching the valley?"

"Beastmen escape through here. It's been quite for years, but Master orders us to watch."

"Why does he care so much about the beastmen?"

"Good slaves, always a demand."

"At least, that's expected," Diego sighed. "Is there anything major to the northwest? Towns, danger zones, and such?" Diego asked next.

"The Noz'jow Sea, very dangerous. Poison waters and strange beasts."

"Any cities, or large gatherings of your kind that way?"

"Seruim'bo, home of Master, is to the northeast, overlooking the Timpia Expanse."

"Any other powers like your Master near here?"

"Bloodhand is to south-west. Shadow Stalker is to the east."

"Alright, move back to your positions," Diego ordered the imps. "Does the Noz'jow Sea mean anything to you?" Diego asked, turning his attention to Celita.

"That should be where Horsin is hiding out. Danger zones are the only 'safe' places sometimes," Celita replied, understanding just how dangerous the place was.

"How about the Timpia Expanse to the northeast?"

Celita nodded, "I don't know the names they have for it, but I'm confident that you are referring to a large, festering marsh that we will have to venture through to reach the sea. The waters are highly acidic and there are fire spouts riddled throughout the entire area which then releases toxic fumes that even I am not fully immune to."

"Well, to add on to the fun of that region, their master, a Fire-Acid Demon Snake, is watching over. We might be able to slip past them with just the two of us, but with the refugees..." Diego said, his voice trailing off.

"Yes, I had expected we would end up facing a few Greater Demons. We actually have a much better chance since we did not kill the sentries, so we would likely only have to face one force rather than a few."

"How about we check it out first? Know your enemy and yourself, and victory is ȧssured," Diego suggested, but after Celita gave him a weird look, he chuckled and explained, "It's a saying from my old world basically meaning the more we know, the better our chances."

"I understand the concept, it's just strange for you to be so thoughtful," she replied with a small chuckle, turning to the north.

"Are you calling me dumb?" Diego asked.

Celita gave a real laugh as she continued to walk on and replied, "Not that you have given me any grand display of wisdom, but I was more referring to the fact you typically charge in head first without thinking during your training on the jungle floor."

"Was I ever truly in danger? I got a little overwhelmed a few times, but you never had to step in, and even if I didn't handle it, you would have saved," Diego retorted, following after her.

"So confident?" she chuckled.

"Although you wanted to kill me the moment we met, once you found out I could help Zedava, I've never again felt true killing-intent from you. You are a woman of principles, so I've trusted that you would protect me, at least until I have served my purpose."

Celita just chuckled in response since that had been the truth for the first few months. Watching him day after day for six months, she had grown to understand his character and knew that, despite the carefree attitude he normally wore, he carried the heavy weight of betrayal. That was what truly made her lower her guard around him because she saw how he went to great lengths to please Zedava and the other kids because she believed that he would not have the heart to cause them the same pain.

"The imps said that their master's home is overlooking the marsh," Diego said when they reached the northeast mountain pass.

"Then they are likely on that peak. It's the tallest mountain in the area and we'll have to circle around it through the marsh to get to the sea," Celita said, pointing at a black mountain that pierced the clouds.

"Couldn't we just fly over it?"

"I don't have wings, and even if I did, that lightning isn't something you can just shrug off."

(Kat, what chances do I have at handling the lightning?) Diego asked silently.

::You would be able to deflect what came at the two of you as long as you both are close::

"I'll handle the lightning and flying, but if you are worried about it, that means they will be too and won't be expecting us to approach from that way. It will make scouting the peak a lot easier," Diego explained.

"You're crazy."

"What, don't trust me?" Diego asked with an outstretched hand.

"I sure hope that expert in your head knows what she's doing," Celita sighed, taking his hand.

Diego pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waist, as his [Six Silver Wings] appeared on his back and he leapt into the air. He combined the skill with his {Wings of Wind} spell and they zoomed into the clouds.

The clouds seemed to believe alive as they reacted to their present and summoned up bolts of crimson lightning. Diego casted six layers of {Electric Net} around Celita and himself, so that their bodies were wrapped in violet lightning. Since he was the controller of the spell, it did not restrict his movements, but when the crimson bolt hit them, it just dyed the spell red before passing on to the ground, completely harmless to them.

The sky was angry with their presence, but with Diego constantly supplying the spell with mana, the electricity would just arch off their bodies and back into the clouds. Celita could only shake her head at this new feat he had accomplished without seemingly much effort. She had been ready to activate her battle-form, but the need did not come. She could only relax while she was carried off through the sky.