What was Marius doing? The question grew more tantalising with every step, as the sounds coming from the other side of the throne room were interesting. Getting around the podium, I found something that made my jaw drop.

  There was Marius, surrounded by ghosts, all neatly arranged in a circle. At the centre was himself, bright smile, hand in hand with a spectre performing a flawless waltz, or the Grimgard equivalent. It wasn't exactly the same, more additional flourishes of the hands and feet. Like they were trying to slap away enemy suitors.

  Dumbstruck, all I could do was stand there gawking. Did that for a full two minutes before I realised I looked stupid and quickly shifted to a nonchalant coolness type demeanour. Hands behind my back, smirk on my face and the look of a man who knows many secrets.

  Marius caught my spectating after a twirl put me in his line of sight. I also got a good look at the woman. She wore a translucent ball gown, something straight out of a noble court function. I wondered who she was and how her ghost got here.

  "Joey, my boy, have you completed your work?" He said while dipping his ghostly companion.

  She beamed with a happy, giddy grin of pure joy. Well, at least a dead girl can have fun; it's not just a horrible eternity as a disembodied spirit. You could dance with a mysterious stranger and show off your skills to a crowd of cheering dead people. What an unlife to live.

  "Yeah, I just tried it with a few new skills." I couldn't help but respond before turning to the matter at hand. "Made new friends?"

  Giving his partner another twirl before flawlessly sliding into a dip. The Necrochanter was a picture of grace and poise. Damn, he could move well, and his ghostly partner was no slouch. She kept up with him and pulled off moves that would make a ballerina green with envy.

  "Oh yes, these gentlemen and ladies are all the souls haunting the Lich. We are celebrating his demise with a lovely dance." He explained, twirling his partner way more than humanly possible.

  Undead bodies were the best when dancing; they could literally dance the night away. I would be jealous, but I could eat food. Actually, could they eat food? The ghosts definitely not, but a revenant has the required physical body.

  The thoughts that came next about digestion and then a brief Segway into reproduction made that line of thinking too weird to continue. I mean, could the undead reproduce beyond stabbing someone and going boom, your my zombie kid?

  Letting that rabbit hole go, I turned my attention back to the court function. They weren't nobles as far as I could tell. Some had decent tunics before death, but why would lords and ladies be stuck in this place?

  Nobles died in their beds with hashtag no regrets for all the oppression they had done. I knew this was generalising and stereotyping, but this was a medieval world, no matter how advanced magically.

  "Is this part of your quest?" I wondered.

  "It is indeed, the system turned it into a chain quest to aid the many souls I encountered." He explained before smiling at his companion, which seemed to make her beam even more.

  Damn, this dude was smooth; his nonexistent coolness attribute must be through the roof. I tilted my head, wondering if I could make one. I would first have to define what being cool was and then develop all the system augmentation features. Perhaps something to boost confidence, physical attraction and some enhancements to dexterity.

  I would add it to the to-do list, but that seemed like a low-priority thing. Still, I had Jenny add a note that I will probably never get to. Stuck in my head, I returned to the world and concluded something important. Something that was lacking in this dull and sad world.

  Marius' dance party was a start, but the world craved more. And I, a benevolent adventurer, will provide. I accessed my skill list and selected an ability. Configuring it down to an acceptable volume, and quickly perused my list of options. So many choices, so little time.

  "Take it away, Lana." I whispered before activating my skill and targeting everyone.

  A soft piano played, and everyone dead turned to listen to its siren song. Each key lingered long enough to echo into the distance. It had only been a moment, and even I felt myself carried away. A low and velvety voice took centre stage, singing a song of intimacy, holding the deceased in rapt attention.

  I noticed Marius giving me a nod as they swayed in time with the music. Despite my attempt at playing cool, I couldn't help but grin like a teenager. Swaying from side to side, caught up in the music's flow. The concert playing in the background was a delicate touch, and soon the crowd had joined in.

  Myself, I didn't join; my two left feet were not for dancing. Still, I swayed in time with the music and got into the groove until Jeremy leapt into my arms. Even though it looked super cringey, I danced with a cat while Marius was with a ball-gowned ghost. Hey, I never said I was cool, but that guy was dripping coolness.

  The music slowly ended, but there were still quite a few ghosts left dancing, so I shook things up. I was now the DJ of the Crypt, and this graveyard is going to be rocking. Reaching into my bag, I withdrew the strongest booze I had looted from the office. Pure-grade Premo Elvish wine, the good stuff.

  "Shut up and dance with me!" I announced before switching the song.

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  The final lingering piano note faded and made way for an upbeat guitar riff. Music that shattered the melancholy and brought vibrancy to this dreary world. I doubt any of them really got rocked this much. Pop music wasn't a thing and, despite the translation program, this would be a novel experience for all these dead people.

  Despite all that, Marius took to the music like he was born to it. Their steps exploded into a playful spinning, lifting his partner in dizzying twirls, in complete violation of corporeal rules. None of that mattered since I had booze in hand and dancers all around.

  Getting into the groove, I downed a long draught of the wine, ignoring the sudden dizziness when it hit me hard. I swear this stuff can loosen up the most tightly wound person. Shoulders went up and down without my permission, and I was the weird cat guy in the corner, chugging booze and dancing like no one was watching.

  We had fun, and even the other ghosts surrounded me for a bit. Trying to copy my sick dance moves. Picture a bunch of medieval soldiers and peasants trying to pop and lock. This was truly priceless and one hell of a fun night. But eventually it had to end as the music faded.

  We danced, laughed and watched as several ghosts faded, along with Marius' partner. I didn't hear what she said, but they bowed, and he kissed her hand. The moment his lips touched her hand, she unfolded into motes of iridescent light. In the end, she smiled and vanished.

  When the last ghost faded to whatever afterlife there was. I approached Marius unsteadily and plopped a white bottle in his hand. Grinning from ear to ear, face flushed and trying to keep my balance.

  "Try this good stuff."

  He nodded; his grin was wild even before he tipped the booze down like a champ. Casually, I wondered where all that would go and if the undead could even urinate. Of course, that was a line of thinking I shouldn't go down.

  "So what was all that?" I gestured to the now-vacant throne room.

  "They were the lingering spirits that haunted this realm. I just gave them a little taste of bliss before they went on their journey." He explained before eyeing me. "How did you make such music?"

  Choking on my booze, I tapped my chest a few times. The damn stuff went down the wrong hole. Shaking my head to get all the spots out of my vision. I wondered what I should tell him. The truth was probably a bad idea, so bending it seemed correct.

  "It's an illusion skill I have. I can play songs I have heard and cast them to other people." I explained, leaving several things out.

  He nodded, accepting the explanation with no sign of suspicion. Which made sense, he has amnesia, but likely basic knowledge of this world. Since he can use his character sheet and abilities. But then again, it's a pretty intuitive system.

  "Well, we should do this again. Listening to such music gives inspiration to my class."

  Locking on to that, I took a sip and quickly pondered those words. His class is a Necrochanter, which is basically a cross between a necromancer and a bard. Esoteric are sometimes mixes of basic class types to produce something wholly unique. In his case, he gains power through resonance. Did that mean the more he resonant with a concept, the more power he gained?

  The possibilities were staggering, and so someone needed to do the testing. Including myself and him, I selected a song that closely related to his whole vibe. But leaning more towards something combat related. Not sure if that was even a thing, but why not try it.

  Leaning back against the wall to look cool and not because my head was swimming. I raised a hand, chuckled like a villain and snapped my fingers. The sound echoed throughout the throne room. Proceeded the sudden and ruthless drumbeat. Every time someone struck the instrument, another lyric came in like the clash of a sword.

  The music spoke of the enemy to be fought. A dragon proclaimed a victim of its wrath, imagining the destruction it would reap. No sympathy, no mercy, only the enemy to be fought and crushed.

  Marius, I could see it on his face the moment his eyes closed. While the rest of the world was blind, I could see it all. Every moment that passed, every lyric sung, every beat of the drum. The pulse of his aura increased with every turn of the wheel. The system coalesced around him, dragging the world to his feet.

  To see an esoteric class when someone lifted the veil went beyond words and sight. Marius swayed with the music, feeling every note as something descended from the heavens to settle upon his shoulder. A dark and swirling vortex of indiscernible power.

  Just as the song ended, his eyes opened, his face stern and unmoving. Glistening with a state of pure enlightenment, he finally spoke. Not in words but a melody from a heart that no longer beat. He weaved a tale of passion and hate, perhaps born of his own soul or the souls of the dead.

  "A throne of graves at the centre of a hall. Fallen spectres, with a rage I will call. Your bloodied hands, and their demands. Vengeance I'll unleash at my command."

  The swift and upbeat tune was in stark contrast to the tone. It spoke of revenge unquenched, a vendetta from the grave set upon the aggressor by the victim. And as he sang, a spectre rose from the earth, familiar and angry.

  "What the?" I said, awed at the sight of the death knight, returned from the grave.

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