"And now, we present."
The words of the emcee rang into the theater created inside the black market. The rows of people sitting on their lavish chairs with eyes fixed on the stage watched with bated breaths as the announcer spoke at the beginning of the main event.
The time, was 7:05
"The person that has overturned the landscape of music all along. For your continued and as a way of showing our immense gratitude, we have prepared a show like none other that has ever been had in this world."
The audience cheered.
The lights went off.
A single spot lit up on the emcee.
"Please welcome," he said. "The one we have come to know as Blank, here to perform an original piece and a medley that has never been heard before!"
The claps of the audience intensified like never before.
The spotlight went off, and I climbed up on the stage.
The emcee slowly exited and the spot lit up once more.
Time was…
7:09
"Ahem," I coughed.
My gaze shifted toward the audience, the golden eyes I held were enough to captivate everyone.
I adjusted the chair. The spotlight fell on me.
A deep breath.
My hands loomed over the keys.
7:10
The first note rang.
"I have stationed 1100 elite soldiers," Seri Al's whispers rang in my ears.
Clumsy, slow, the notes continued.
Like a child tapping at the piano.
Most were confused and tilted their head.
"Mary has reached the realm of Soul Ki."
7:10:10
The chords followed, but the song still seemed like that of a child.
Slow and calm, almost unfitting of the prestigious stage that was hosted
"Alexander is on the cusp of reaching the level of an Aether mage."
7:10:19
The song entered a lull.
The sustain ended.
The slow notes… stopped.
"Whoever comes, will be crushed."
7:10:23
A storm began.
***
The houses of a dozen nobles were stormed into at once. The three counts of the west, forming the DraKalMo union were all at the same place, and all of their doors were barged in.
"What is—Ahh!"
"Sto—"
Heads flew one after another as the Marquis' and Margraves, led by the Hall.
Where the chief of the union, the dog of Fonias lay, entered the Marquis Ban Ket.
"Why, Marquis Ban!?"
"Nothing much, you just picked the wrong side."
The west of Schwarz was cleaned.
Time.
7:10:39
***
The Margrave of Mirxa and the Duke of South stormed through two ends.
The Southern nobles.
And the Imperial Castle in the center.
The moon light was covered by the clouds as the setting sun died the skies the color of blood, all the splashes merging into its canvas.
"M-Mirxa!? Do you even know who this is!? This is the queen's family—"
"The family of the dogs that have sold their country?"
"The king won't forgive this—"
"Then he'll go too. His daughter is more than competent."
"You can't! This—"
"Justify this to the gods. All your fellows in this land will follow.
The south and the center were cleared.
Time.
7:11:04
***
The house of the Fonias was invaded by a cackling gang.
Knights and guards died left and right as the candles lighting up the passages all died.
With Lethe in the lead, the group in the north began a massacre.
Every single of the Fonias left in the mansion was killed right away.
"M-my… god…"
"Wrong person, old hag. Your god is me, and I am fresh out of mercy."
The North of the Kingdom was sterilized.
Time.
7:11:22
***
The soldiers on guard in the forest outside the black market waited vigilantly.
Their only view, the enemy of their lord.
"Hey, do you smell that?"
"Smell what?"
As they turned around, from all ends of the forest.
Raged an inferno like none other. Flames spewed and the people ran, but before they could move their trees would break apart and fall.
"It's a fire storm!"
7:11:47
Hope was not lost.
[Water Magic: Flood]
A simple chant brought about a raging flood from the skies and doused the fire.
Soldiers died many, but many were saved.
"Our enemies are here," Mary's voice rang out loud as she raised her weapon.
The soldiers of Fonias and their two leaders moved through the forest in search of their battlers. Blasts and charges of Ki came crashing their way and shot back out.
The grand wizard and the grand knight crushed it all.
7:12:07
"Go, rage, [Trinity Series, Creation Attribute: Sentries of the night sky]!"
"Analyze."
A sound boomed through the forest.
"Cancel."
The spell was cut mid way. Alexander Fonias stopped in his tracks.
"W-what!? WHAT!? Who dared! Who fucking dared do this—Bwah!"
"Shut the fuck up."
Albert and Luka had stepped in front of the wizard.
Every spell he breathed was canceled. Every move he made was read.
"I-impossible! I am a mage on the cusp of the strongest! How can anyone do this!?"
"Just a bit of studying," Albert shrugged. "Luka, about time we end this."
Death. Was imminent.
A different strike came tumbling down at the knight Mary Fonias.
"[Azure Soul Dragon Fall]"
Dragons of azure tumbled down the skies all at once.
She swung her sword and intercepted the strike.
"[Athenus Family secret arts: Strike of Valor]"
A gash appeared on her sides.
Rio and Keith had appeared in front of Mary Fonias.
"You're the scum aiming for our family?"
"Speak less. Die more."
Strike after strike rained down on the knight as the two masters made her their target.
Then suddenly, Keith yawned.
"Alright, enough. I wanna check in on the young master."
The play ended.
Every other soldier couldn't be saved from the wrath of Noa and Irina
Time
7:12:55
***
I played the crescendo.
A shocking storm, a breathless tempest.
The notes slowed.
7:13:15
The crescendo hit again.
The chilling breeze swept past everyone.
A turbulent, changing breeze that cut through all.
My hands raised, my sweat fell.
The music reached its most silent.
A build-up began
7:13:37
The turbulent winter breeze began its final blow.
The note merged and bounced creating a cacophony of discomfort.
And then.
The keys swept.
And it all stopped.
My breaths fell on the piano, my chest heaved.
The piece had ended, the audience couldn't move.
Gently, I placed my hand on my mask.
And dropped it away.
"Y…"
Only one person had the guts to speak as I turned my eyes toward him.
"EUGENE HALLL!!!!!"
***
[A/N: The most ambitious chapter I have undertaken yet. The song sampled is, of course, the titular Winter Wind by the great Chopin.
Here's the kicker, every single word from the beginning of the performance at 7:10 to the end of the outside view at 7:12:55 is in sync with the most popular rendition of the song. While reading speed varies for everyone, the standard assumes it as 275 words a minute. With that formula and accounting for the pause the commas and full stops bring, for the average reader, every line, the music, and the time stamps since the beginning of the performance will line up. The dialogue at every low, and the scene change at every crescendo of the song.
I will highly recommend the song as it is beautiful. I hope you enjoyed this little... whatever I did here god kill me it took so damn long and for what? idek!]
[A-A/N: in case y'all are planning to do this, fast readers can pace it with the Rosseau/Cateen version on YT but that one has missed most pauses so I dislike it a lot despite its epicness. Otherwise most version should do the trick.]
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)