The Songstresses’ Song

Though the Dissonance had been soothed, the Great Harmony Shard was still silent. The barrier hexes still hung in the sky, which was still full of explosions and burning airships. Azag’s legs buckled and he fell to his knees. Sayane caught him and felt his black blood coat her arms.

“You’re hurt!” Sayane pleaded.

“I’ll survive,” he choked.

He still hid his face in shame, but his hand took hers for comfort. A massive artillery carrier crashed into a tower nearby, raining debris down around them.

“Sayane, the Shard. You have to finish this.”

Behind them, almost unnoticed, the Shard and the Dissonance machina were drifting backwards, towards the ledge of the great platform they were all suspended upon. Sayane felt their movement and turned to see them pulling away. It was slow and vulnerable, like a shamed, injured animal seeking comfort or hiding.

On the other side of the platform, hundreds had fled or heeded Echo’s offer to escape. Even now, Azag could see ships moving to the designated rescue zones. He knew the pilots of the craft would save as many as they could, per his order. Echo’s bloodless body laid limp nearby, and Azag crawled to him to collect his remains. Only the hateful remained nearby. Though the Psephos were standing like a barrier between them and the crowd, Azag sensed they were still in danger.

Sayane was only focused on the Shard and the Dissonance machina. None of the myriad mouths sang anymore. Though the red energy was all but gone, she could still hear hisses rising from their midsts like a warning to stay away. The Shard and machina reached the edge of the platform and drifted out into the open air, where they floated untouched.

Sayane steadily followed them until she reached the edge. She dared not step out into the abyss, so she resigned herself to stand along the perimeter.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. All of you,” she whispered.

The hiss rose.

Sayane felt a rush of lamentation course through her body, but she couldn’t tell if it was the Shard, the songstresses, or both.

Her hand reached out to them, but they only pulled away even further.

“I know what it’s like to be used and controlled. To have your voice taken and packaged and used in ways you never meant. To lose your love for the thing you dedicated your life and purpose to…”

Azag turned to watch her speaking to the sacred objects.

Tears ran down Sayane’s cheeks and she wiped blood from her temple.

“But this world. This place. It helped heal me. It helped me regain everything I lost. Let me release you. So that you can find peace. So that you can help me heal this world in thanks for everything it did for me and so many others. Please…”

Whispers of mourning danced on the wind and the Shard pulled further away. But the Dissonance machina stayed still. Thrusters choked and fired awake. A great metallic lurch sounded nearby, and Esca crawled forward on one arm and one leg. Azag was in the pilot seat once more, awkwardly guiding her forward. Sayane turned to see Esca lifting her one remaining arm with the hand outstretched.

“I can help you. I’ll let you reach them,” Azag said softly.

Sayane nodded as shells struck the towers and braces around them. The ravenous crowd of hate screamed in rage nearby, but Sayane stayed focused as she climbed into Esca’s palm.

To her relief, the Dissonance machina no longer retreated. The hundreds of glass containers reflected light back to her as the mouths sneered, trembled, and gently parted in waiting. Esca’s arm extended fully, and Sayane was able to reach them. Her hand reached out softly and she began to sing.

“I waaaaaaaaatched all my dreams buuuuuuuuurrn out” she sang.

The Dissonant red sputtered and retreated as the mouths all exhaled in sorrow and peace.

“Then I hit rock bottom and the bottom dropped out.

Broken down and broke

All those words we never spoke.”

Her voice was airy, soft, and maternal. The effect seemed to work on the Dissonance, which sniffled then began to dissipate. Cracks appeared on the glass vials as the multitude of voices matched and supported Sayane’s pitch.

“The hopes almost faded out but they never faded away.

I never found peace but I found a way.”

A massive concussion shell struck the area where the Psephos were standing, ripping them to pieces and throwing stone remains across the walls. The horde of hate was unleashed. They let out a scream of wrath and bolted forward towards Esca. Sayane closed her eyes in prayer and continued on. Azag did not speak and dared to trust in things beyond his understanding for once.

“In theeeeeeeee end, nothing remained except for meeeeeeeeeee

Aaaaaaandddd IIIIIIIIIIII’MMMMMM STIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLL HEEEEEEEERRRRRREEEE!!!!”

The voices rose to match Sayane’s until the entirety of the Dissonance machina rattled in its metal cases. The cracks of the glass canisters spread and strained then shattered. A tidal wave of harmony surged out into the world as the songstresses’ voices were finally freed.

The wave struck the ground in front of the hateful mob that was by now close to Esca. There was a creaking maw, then the plate beneath the mob snapped just before they reached Esca and Azag. Hundreds upon hundreds of hateful, malicious, irredeemable bodies plunged through the chasm and fell screaming into the sky below.

After the crowd was gone, Azag and Sayane were alone on the ledge, high in the sky. Remnant pieces of the Dissonance device fell away to the world far below.

But the Shard still did not wake. Its light and life were still buried too far down. Sayane looked out at it as it hovered silently before her. The waves of the songstress voices swirled around her in appreciation then paused.

“Thank you,” Sayane whispered.

“I’d like to sing with you, before you go. If you’d like…” Sayane offered.

The warm wave paused then rose and poured itself into Sayane’s throat. As the voices moved through her, Sayane felt the strength and gratitude of hundreds who had gone before her.

“Well, if you’re going to sing, you might as well have some instruments!” Attis’s voice called out over a speaker.

Sayane’s eyes opened to see Attis, Can-Mo, Saxum, and Anahita approaching on a carrier craft that was loaded down with all of the sacred instruments.

“Attis!!” Sayane called out with a clap.

“We thought you two could use a hand!” Can-Mo shouted as the instruments rose in readiness.

In seconds, dozens of sacred instruments had surrounded Sayane. The voices hummed in her throat and the last Great Harmony Shard flickered with signs of life. Above them, the hex barrier quietly glitched. Down below, thousands stopped fighting to watch the songstress’s performance.

Sayane inhaled and reveled in the warmth that was coursing through her veins. It was time to sing her last song.