Chapter 42

The version of the song we played was quicker and heavier than the original, but the crowd seemed to love it. Whenever I had a small opening as the song slowed in certain parts, I conjured flames to spew out of my hand in large cones into the air. I was a human pyrotechnic for this concert. Well, not entirely human. Tsuki was going hard on the drums, her pink twin tails flailing back and forth as she hammered the drums. I got a glimpse of her face and while she was smiling, it was rather scary due to her sharp teeth making her look like a villainess. We finally reached the end of the song, and the crowd was enraptured by us. The size of it more than doubled than when we first started, and everyone was cheering. We had expected some rowdy upset civilians, but even with us blocking off and entire intersection, no one seemed to mind. However, we also knew that the police would be here soon. I jogged on over to Ichiro and spoke into his ear so he could hear me over the crowd.

“Are you ready if law enforcement shows up?

“I am. I just don’t know how long it will last, though.”

“Hopefully we won’t need long.” I said, jogging back to the other side of the stage.

“Okay, that song is good, but it’s not heavy enough. Am I right? Scream if I’m right!” Marie shouted to the crowd, putting her hand around her ear. The crowd screamed and cheered and Marie just smiled. “That’s what I thought! Okay you motherfuckers! Get ready for this because this is the real show. If you aren’t believing in magic, you will now.”

Hearing Marie use western curses was definitely something I never expected to witness, but I can’t deny that it excited me a little. Seeing this side of her that she hid so well just made her that much more perfect in my eyes.

“Hey, lover boy, get your head in the game. You’re up next.” Tsuki said teasingly to me. She was covered in sweat but the smile on her face showed how much fun she was having.

Ichiro led us in again, with Tsuki following soon after with a slow rhythm. The song started slow and I joined in soon after, keeping the rhythm slow but increasing in pace. Eventually we hit an intense speed, and the crowd was cheering. When we hit a peak speed, all three of us stopped playing in an instant. A brief silence choked the concert before I slammed my hand across my guitar, starting off a solo. My hands flew across the guitar, strumming it intricately and precisely with blistering speed. This was the big moment we planned for. As I played, I started to ignite the air around me. My eyes became surrounded in fire. Then flames enveloped my shoulders. Then my arms. Then my back started to shoot flames out to the sides. I took center stage as my solo reached a climax and the flames from my back formed into wings and a flaming skull of a dragon crowned my head. The crowd cheered and screamed in awe at the show we were putting on. Again people were shouting out questions on how we were doing this. As I played, Tsuki and Ichiro joined back in and we returned to the flow of the song. I then took it to the next step and leapt into the air, but I didn’t come down. I was in the air, hovering above everyone as I played. Everyone was dumbfounded and could do nothing but stare with their mouths gaping or screaming in amazement.

“How are they doing this?! Seriously!”

“Yeah, what the hell?!”

“This has to be some kind of effect, right?”

“How do you explain it though? He’s above the stage, there’s no way it’s strings or something.”

Marie stepped back up the mic and took a deep breath before screaming out in a low metal growl. “MAGIC~!”

The crowd cheered as Marie finally joined in on the song and started to sing. It was a heavy song with almost entirely scream vocals. I would never believe that Marie not only listened to this but could also perform the same talents. I saw from down the street several police cars were heading this way. I shouted down to Ichiro, who just nodded as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. The paper was a little bigger than the usual spell sheet and he threw it on the ground. As the car got closer, Ichiro slammed his foot on the paper, causing a ring of light to surround the base of the stage. Then, after a brief moment, as if to time it with the song, multiple lines of light shot up out of the ground and into the sky. The lights shifted and formed a series of words in the air, which were perfectly legible despite it being the middle of the day. But no one needed to read it anyway as the next lyric in the song was what the words said. Amazing how it lined up like that, now that I think of it.

“We stop for no police, we stop for no laws, we stop for no order, we stop for no Apostles!” Marie sang out. “The Secular is who we’re after! Burn it, burn it, burn it all down!”

We ended the song with that line, and I stayed floating above everyone. Tsuki and Marie were breathing heavily. Ichiro was scanning the area, just as I was, trying to see if the Secular would attack us. I peered down at Ichiro, who was looking up at me, and we both knew what the other was thinking.

Are they not coming?

The police got out of their cars and tried to force their way to the stage, but the moment they hit the circle of light, they acted like they walked into a wall. One officer placed his hand on the invisible wall and started to shout at us, but he got drowned out by the crowd demanding another song. Marie looked up at me and shrugged, as if asking what to do.

“I guess we play another son-”

A loud explosion interrupted me as the sky where the words were being projected erupted in a puff of smoke. The explosion was more violent than the firework orbs I had created and the crowd started to scream in terror. I looked around and saw on one of the walkways connecting two buildings was a man dressed in a sleeveless shirt and baggy pants that were taped around his waist and ankles. He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest and he shouted out, loud enough for us to hear without any kind of device.

“Sorry, Dragon Riders, but I’m not a fan of metal. More of a blues fan.”

He raised his hand and a swirl of green light formed in it. He then launched the green bolt of energy, smashing it into the barrier we created and shattering it, causing the lights to fade. The crowd screamed, and Marie and Ichiro instantly took action, both blending in with the crowd and guiding them to safety. Tsuki blew her drumkit away and conjured her manifestations. I conjured my own and aimed it at the man. At the same time, several crests formed on the ground and an army of Apostles and magi teleported in.

“Looks like they aren’t fans either.” The man shouted.