Chapter 18:

Sayane the Songstress

I Died As a JPop Idol and Now I'm a Revolutionary Songstress

Opening the door revealed hundreds of anxiously awaiting bodies. A chill of wondrous intimidation ran along Sayane’s body as she looked out at the packed house. Lights were dimmed, with a simple spotlight shining on the center point of the atrium. Occasional glowing eyes dotted the crowd, but for the most part, Sayane could barely make out any individual form or figure. All she could see was an excited shuffling audience that leaned forward in silent unison as she, Azag, and Attis entered the room.

Attis jumped down from her arms then looked back at her with one more smile and nod. Azag grunted and began to limp across the hall towards the kneeling behemoth that was Esca. Azag’s tapping canes were the only thing echoing in the space as Attis hopped down into the spotlight and cleared his throat.

“F-friends. FRIENDS!” Attis called in his powerful baritone.

The shift in tone and power still impressed Sayane even though she was expecting it. All eyes shifted from Sayane to Attis.

“Friends, long lost comrades. New companions. We are honored to be with you here tonight. Please thank this tavern’s owner for allowing such an event. To Azag, the Silent Rabal!” Attis said as he motioned behind him to Azag.

The direct recognition moved Sayane. It was not something she had even considered. But knowing the complicated relationship Azag’s kind had with the rest of society, this was a touching inclusion by her companion. Azag himself seemed surprised and stopped in his tracks. His glowing eyes darted to Attis, who bowed. No one spoke at first, until Can-Mo stood in the back.

“Honor to Azag!” he called.

Others stood and repeated the call.

“Honor to Azag!”

“Honor to Azag!!”

Soon, all were standing and speaking the call to their host.

“Honor to Azag!!!” Sayane cheered last.

Azag’s gaze moved to her and he paused then bowed to her and the audience.

“You are all welcome here,” he replied in a nervous voice as he reached for the familiar comfort of Esca’s metal bracings.

Sayane felt a rush of emotion sweep through the room and she knew it was not just hers. For everyone there, this felt like the beginning of something new. Attis’s wisdom forced them to confront their prejudice against Azag, hinting it would have to be abandoned. Now, the crowd began to murmur. All around them, the glowing streaks in the stone walls began to pulse and expand. It was subtle at first, but by now Sayane was catching on to the effect. Even her own clothing’s decorative lining started to glow.

Attis cleared his throat once more.

“Long has it been since the sacred sounds were heard. Yet on this night, you stand in the presence of a new songstress!!”

Everyone let out a cheer and stomped their feet. Roars were heard. Chests were beaten. The walls pulsed with even more intensity. The noise and raw emotion stirred even more creativity in Sayane’s mind and she formulated a new expansion of her idea on the spot.

“Welcome, Sayane the Songstress!!!!” Attis boomed as he leapt into the air and held out his hands towards Sayane’s direction.

Now the screams and cheers were ecstatic. Release and optimism flooded the room and every light began to shine brighter. Once more, every color suddenly seemed clearer and more vibrant. The echo in Sayane’s ear faded, and all she could hear was the cacophonic energy that was welcoming her as she stepped down into the atrium to catch Attis.

He landed in her hands with a smile.

“How was that?” he whispered.

Sayane, overwhelmed, squeezed him to her chest in a kind embrace.

“You were perfect!!” she whispered.

His small paw rested on her arm in gratitude.

“Go and sing now,” he said as he hopped down from her arms and into the darkness.

Now she was alone in the atrium. The cheers died down into near silence as everyone sat forward to hear her speak.

Sayane looked out at the room around her and let the wonder of the moment burn into her memory. Every darkened corner and dingy light. Every unusual creature and being that seemed from her dreams. Every scent. Every tingling goosebump on her skin and every fluttering breath that left her chest. Defeat was gone from her mind as she stood before these people with uncertain resolution. Her voice was ready.

“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining me. My name is Sayane. I am honored to sing for you. I will do my best for you,” Sayane said with a deep bow.

Still no word was uttered. Sayane felt like she was on display in a museum. Every eye that was visible seemed like it was looking to her for understanding of the universe. She didn’t let it intimate her, and continued on.

“I, I want your help in this. I would like you to sing with me,” she explained.

There were dozens of audible gasps.

“Songstress. Is that not taboo?” asked an unseen voice.

Sayane felt a rush of nerves but stuck to her plan.

“It isn’t for me. Did the songstresses before me not have you sing with them?” she asked the audience.

Numerous “no’s” were quietly spoken. This surprised Sayane.

“Well, I would like you to. Music is for all. And every being has a song to sing. If you are nervous, know that I will be singing with you, and I will keep us in harmony,” Sayane said with rising confidence.

More flutters of excitement moved through her body as the audience began to shift in curiousity.

“Please, join me in this.”

“I will do my best,” said a voice from the left.

Sayane looked over and saw it was the blinded cat-like creature from before. Sayane couldn’t contain herself and clapped in excitement as she skipped to the nervous creature.

“It is lovely to have you here again, friend!” Sayane said as she knelt and took the unseeing creature’s paw, who gasped in pleasant surprise.

Around them, others gasped.

“I will do my best as well,” said Attis.

“Aye!”

“Aye!!”

“AYE!!!”

The entire room agreed.

Sayane stood in joy.

“Now, those who were just pounding your chests and stomping, I would like you to do that again, to this beat. Boom. Boom-boom. B-boom. Boom,” Sayane explained as she sounded out the pacing.

Dozens of feet stomped and hands pounded to match her cadence. Now the lights flickered in growing intensity. Every pounding noise sent waves of energy coursing along the walls of the room, creating a strobing effect that synced with the sounds. Numerous members gasped in joy.

“Perfect! Thank you all! I will hold up my right hand when I would like you to do that. Follow my hand for timing!” cheered Sayane.

“Now, for everyone, I would like you to sing this sound: Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh. Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh. Sing with me!” Sayane called.

“Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh!”

Energy spun across the room now as the light faded into a single wave that circled around them in rapturous vibrance.

“GOOD! KEEP GOING!!” Sayane clapped.

“Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh. OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH. OOOOOOOH OH OHHHHH. WHOOOOAAAAA OH OH OHHHHHHH!!!”

Specks of glowing light appeared in the air around them and lifted to the ceiling. Sayane watched in shock. The glowing orbs seemed to rise from the chests of the very audience. It was as though the orbs were the dormant spirits of sorrow that had coated the audience for all these years, and now, with a simple harmony, they were lifting. Sayane let out a cheer and clap as she closed her eyes and shimmied in excitement.

“Well done everyone! I will use my left hand to tell you when to sing! You are all wonderful! Now, we are ready!!!”

“We are ready!!!” called the audience.

Sayane’s hands fell to her side and she closed her eyes and breathed in. It was time.

“I speeeeeeeeenttttttttt yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrrrrrsssss waiting for a better world!!!” she belted out at the top of her lungs.

Every light in the room went dark as the pulses of energy burst across the space towards Sayane’s feet. Now she was the only thing illuminated. Her voice was powerful, deeper than her previous stage presence, tinged with sorrow, yet beautiful and stable.

“But those better days never came.

Every time I awoke I found my life was still the same.

Days became weeks that became years.

My cheeks stayed raw from neverending tears.

I tried to find a new way forward and now I’m lost.

I started anew, but it came at too much of a cost!”

Her right hand waved and the sounding thuds began.

“Nooooooowwww I’m onnnnnn a strange path, and the dark is coming!

All alone, so I’ve gotta stay running!!

Death felt close

Sorrow felt true

That was before I ran into you.”

More glowing specks rose into the air and began to swirl towards Sayane, whose eyes were still closed in focus. She lowered her hand and the thuds stopped.

“I lost myself somewhere along the way

I was still waiting for those better days

I wound up alone and in the dirt

Broke down, beaten and hurt

Sorrow snuck into my mind and fed me lies

It said no one was going to come and rescue me

And it was time to give up on my melody”

Once more she raised her right hand. Now, more of the audience was joining in on the thuds. All around them, concussions of light streaked through the glowing orbs. All of the light that was gathered at Sayane’s feet was now pulsing in harmony with her every word.

“Nooooooowwww I’m onnnnnn a strange path, and the dark is coming!

All alone, so I’ve gotta stay running!!

Death felt close

Sorrow felt true

But then the other day I ran into yoooooooouuuuuu.”

Sayane finally opened her eyes to stare in wonder at the sight before her. Every being in the room was standing as the tiny incandescent orbs drifted from their bodies and swirled to Sayane, who was engulfed in a whirlwind of glowing specks. She lowered her right hand and the silence returned.

She began to sway side to side and hum out a bridging tune.

“Death felt close

Sorrow felt true

But then the other day I ran into you.

And for the first time, I felt something new.

All that time hoping for a world that was better,

Even if it never came,

We could be alone together.”

Her left hand rose, and the harmonies began.

“Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh. Oooooooh oh ohhhhh. Whooooaaaaa oh oh ohhhhhhh. Oooooooooohhhhhh.”

Then her right hand rose and the pounding thuds returned.

Boom. Boom-boom. B-boom. Boom

Through it all, Sayane stomped in unison with them and sang her harmony.

“OOOOOOOH OH OHHHHH. WHOOOOAAAAA OH OH OHHHHHHH. OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH. OOOOOOOH OH OHHHHH. WHOOOOAAAAA OH OH OHHHHHHH. OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH.”

BOOM. BOOM-BOOM. B-BOOM. BOOM

Everything began to glow. No more glowing orbs appeared. Rushes of sorrow and grief and despair flowed through Sayane like invisible currents, yet she continued on. Tears ran down her face and the faces of dozens of unseen members around her.

“OOOOOOOH OH OHHHHH. WHOOOOAAAAA OH OH OHHHHHHH. OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH. OOOOOOOH OH OHHHHH. WHOOOOAAAAA OH OH OHHHHHHH. OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH.”

BOOM. BOOM-BOOM. B-BOOM. BOOM

“It took time but eventually I came to see

I’ll be there for you

And you’ll be there for me

Dawn is breaking through this everlasting night

Silence’s end is finally in sight

I’ll be there with you

And you’ll be there with me

So take my hand on the journey to find our meloooooooddddddddyyyyyy”

As her final note carried across the room, a new light burst out from her chest like a single ripple that waved upwards and down in sync with her voice. The ripple moved through every audience member, who gasped out in peaceful tranquility.

Then it was over. Every light dimmed and faded. Darkness seized the room. Then small, faint glows returned. One by one, the candles and torches relit themselves. Now, the flames were purple. Everything that glowed had turned purple. Sayane opened her eyes.

No one moved or dared to speak. She felt her tears running down her face and wiped them away with a nervous smile. Then someone in the audience sniffled and let out a sob of release.

More sobs followed as agony made way for hope and peace.

“Sayane! Sayane the Songstress!!!” came a tearful voice.

“Sayane!!! Sayane the Songstress!!!”

The crowd began to cheer through their tears and roaring applause. Sayane let herself submit to her tears of overwhelmed joy, and bowed low in gratitude. For whatever strange reason, after a life of failure and never finding success as a singer, this one single song had given her more peace and satisfaction, and had been more impactful to her audience than ever before. Through tears, Sayane whispered thanks to her voice and the audience.

She may have died as a failed idol, but standing there in that atrium, she had finally found herself as a songstress.