BLADESTORM

14. RUST

And now, 94.7, the River Knife radio DJ announcement— During a mission to uncover information about the Ice Machine, Windy drops his beloved Music Guild songbook. Consequently, he gets more than he bargained for when he vows to recover the songbook before it can do any harm. Windy sets out with the Banned, a group of outlawed musicians on an epic quest to find the book and bring harmony to J5EL.

We're outside on the streets of J5EL in the nighttime and...

A hum of uncertainty hung in the air with the haunting melody, swirling through the deserted streets of J5EL. The once-vibrant city had fallen into silence, a casualty of the global epidemic that had ravaged humanity. Windy—fair weathered, handsome natured, moved with a sense of self admiration through the shadows of his melancholic landscape. The Banned followed slowly behind.

His whistle, a rough yet soulful instrument, echoed through the empty streets as he blew a melody softly to himself. Phoenix catches the melody and joins Windy. "Well, we rust in desire for the OG sound." Spring Launcher picked up on the song and piped in, "The discord in the world can only be mended by the power of the original sound." Drago rolled his eyes butted in, "Preserved by the Guild, outlawed by the Fardels." Tiger kept the melody going, "Everyone's after what we already found."

"Handmade songbooks filled with secret recipes." Windy sighed. "I had one...once." He carried his mistake on his sleeve. He knew that his songbook held the power to heal, but he also knew what danger lies ahead in the city's dark corners if his book fell into the wrong hands. "If the sound is meant to strike you have to choose the right piece." Spring Launcher interjected, "But If the right person plays the wrong piece of music, the result will be catastrophic, of course." "That was pinning the tail on the donkey," Phoenix added. Dropping his songbook, Drago reflected and nodded his head in disbelief. He whispered to Tiger, "like dropping a gun in public."

Phoenix waved off Windy's mistake gesturing his hand, "Drop it and relax."

They continued their journey, their footsteps echoing in the quiet night until thunder struck in the distance and the Banned smelled petrichor in the air. Spring Launcher looked puzzled. "Was rain in the forecast, today?"

They came upon two teenagers seeking shelter in an abandoned Winnebago permanently parked lop sided on the side of the road. One of the boys spots Windy's sword, and recognizing a real pitch from the Music Guild, his eyes lit up with excitement. "We know a Pitch from the Guild when we see one!" They yelled out to catch the Banned's attention: "You don't mess around to keep the discord down!" Phoenix waved his hand and gestured to follow them."Pitch pipes in our pockets beside swords at our side."

Spring Launcher egged them on, "So, join in the procession, Our troop fits like a shoe." He put his arms around their shoulders and brought them in close as they walked together. "Get after the rhythm of the Music Guild Clues."

Drago snuck up behind and nudged them forward. "Go On, now. Get you some," he encouraged.

The hint of a Music Guild fix lingered in the air...they might already be too late to recover his lost songbook. Windy followed the trail of his music that led him to the edge of a dimly lit forest along the edge of the highway where he discovered a storm front chasing a Fuel-Injected Dodge Lancer racing down the highway.

He signaled to the Banned. "Stay together! Stay off the road."

Windy zoomed in to look closer and realized that it was Paris Shoes huddled in her car trying to outdrive a storm front. She was the one at the Fardels and if Windy didn't know any better, the sound of his music was coming from her car!

The River Knife plays 'em, the Underground preserves 'em, this radio DJ announces—Something's gone wrong: Paris found a leak in Aplot's plan. Once the public discovers, he will be destroyed. THIS SUMMER...he won't let that happen. What Paris knows earns her a one way ticket to the Ice Machine. She was the hottest cube in the freezer. Now she's out, behind the wheel, on the run for her life. Sounds like Paris could use a FIX! Stay tuned for the 9th most popular song this week. Its been around for twelve weeks its Panic on the Road by Water Mystereo.

The Fardel's had stolen the voices of countless souls, filling the Ice Machine and leaving behind a world devoid of music. But Paris would not become one of them, Windy would make sure of that.

There was only one song in his book that could help him now. They were the only lyrics he could ever remember. "Warm air over the land rises, cool breeze rushes in. Air in motion carry my potion. Only I land on soft cushions!" A Horizontal whistle projected him forward. He slowly approached her car with caution. Windy pulled up beside her and extended a hand to Paris to sing to her, "So, you conjured up a storm and don't know what to do." Paris Shoes, her eyes reflecting a glimmer of hope, placed her trembling hand in his. "Yield into me and I yield into you," he sang. Together as they traveled side by side through the desolate street Windy spotted the resilience of the human spirit in the twinkle of her eye just as Bladestorm attacked her car.

When the future of the Ice Machine is at stake and you have Aplot Fardel to please, producing a fix from Music Guild Songbook is no easy task But Jason still managed to knock out a banger! Who are we kidding? He can go all night!

Coming in at #13, its been around for twelve weeks, is Panic on the Road!