BLADESTORM

15. Panic on the Road

Paris sped down the road and drove too much like a taxi driver, ignoring the signals as she headed straight for home. The wind whipped through her hair as she cranked her music to distortion, she didn't give a damn...all four windows down—a defiant gesture that announced her determination to break free from Aplot's grip. Paris discovered a leak in his carefully orchestrated scheme and once the public discovers the extent of his deception, his empire will crumble, leaving him with nothing. Paris was determined not to be silenced. But there will be no survivors if she doesn't turn it down. Aplot made sure of it.

In her rearview mirror, Blades of Steel were hot on her heels and shadowed any hope. Aplot's plan had been set in motion—The musical fix that Jason borrowed from Windy's songbook was never intended to help Paris recover. Aplot knew that Jason would be unable to control the outcome of his music. He lacked the power to control the magic of a Music Guild Recipe, it was a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands—a sinister scheme to safeguard Aplot's position and silence the threat Paris posed.

An eerie sensation washed over her as the soothing nostalgic music progressed, a foreboding mist appeared in the air. The clear blue skies darkened, and thunder rumbled ominously. Suddenly, distortion contorted her world, had she passed through a gateway into another dimension? The road ahead turned treacherous, with rain pouring down in torrents and lightning streaking across the sky illuminating the malevolent force that the music awakened in the natural world. Terrifying gusts of wind swept debris through the air, crashing into her car as the highway turned to war with paranormal activity. The elements attacked her. Jason's musical fix had created a major weather storm that chased Paris down the road destroying everything in its path.

Sing! sing! sing! sing! sing! sing! sing!—seven knives pierced a row across her bumper. Her voice whispered in the chaos, "Silver blades are chopping through the forest, and a shotgun won't do me no good."

People abandoned their cars and fled into the woods. Scavengers rummaged through empty cars left behind, paying the ultimate price as they died at traffic lights.

"Chills creep down my spine, signs of danger—those are swords forming over my head!" Even the Flora and Fauna didn't make it out alive. "But I can feel the pounding of my heartbeat. Reality shatters, but my heart is beating still."

Spring Launcher plodded along in his usual deliberate, unhurried fashion, matching the tempo of slowness itself. But within his composed tortoise shell, he slowed his roll and propelled himself to the Music Guild in the far distance in the blink of an eye. His velocity was a deceptive marvel. Like an airplane on a cloudless day, it was impossible to discern his extraordinary speed. To Windy and the Banned, Spring still appeared to be with them on the Highway battling Bladestorm but he was on his portal board, half way to the Guild, calling for Lean Heavy's help.

Ext. Music Guild. Daytime

Do ya see the Music Guild, up there? Tucked away in the mountains? And are you, uh—tell me this, are you able to make out the teacher at the front door, with the broom in his hand? That's Lean Heavy. He leans heavy on the broom that sweeps the red dust. Spring Launcher spots him from the farmer's field in the valley, sweeping dust out the front doors. Sweeping and forgetting, that is his recommendation.

"Teacher, come quick! Trouble's on the way."

Well, after all, you know he's just an ordinary teacher who desires nothing more than to want nothing at all. Spring Launcher got closer with each cry for help.

"Teacher! Quick, now—we gotta' go." To sweep exactly as a broom sweeps. Do nothing, don't quarrel. Pure stillness void nothing. "Sifu, you've gotta do something. Danger is on the way! Someone needs help." Lean Heavy, just an average teacher with no outstanding bill. Sweeping whatever the broom thinks best for him. Just an ordinary sweep. But you let a student into your life. Your debt free balance is through. Spring Launcher arrived.