2005 Ravenback City Awards: The Pre-Show Continues

The lights dimmed and all was cast in total darkness. BONG! BONG!
BONG! The sound of a massive bell reverberated throughout the
building. Then the bone crunching sounds of drums combined with
violins, cellos, and various other orchestral instruments split the
air. A massive explosion of fire and light ruptured the room. Melkya
stood shirtless in front of a massive band, his custom blue electric
guitar screaming defiantly into the crowd. Precursor sat on a short
platform behind a drum set. His long brown hair flew wildly into the
air, as his head bobbed violently up and down as he hit the drums. And
behind him, the largest orchestra ever assembled. A blue dragon stood
to the left of melkya, playing a silver guitar. The massive, scarred,
green creature to the right of melkya played a bass guitar. On they
played, the raw energy of their instruments echoing off the walls.
Then melkya opened his mouth and began to sing.

"Make his fight on the hill in the early day
Constant chill deep inside
shouting gun, on they run through the endless grey
on the fight, for they are right, yes, by who's to say?
For a hill men would kill, why? They do not know
Suffered wounds test there their pride"
melkya stilled his guitar to hold up his hand," Men of five, still
alive through the raging glow
gone insane from the pain that they surely know"

Melkya grabbed the mic from the stand and held it out over crowd as
both he and they shouted out," For whom the bell tolls! Time marches
on! For whom the bell tolls!"
He pumped the fist holding the mic, each time, a bigger explosion of
colored sparks and flame rained down onto his head.

Melkya slammed the mic back into the long stand and began to play his
guitar. The notes rocketed out with face melting force. Both of his
hands barely visible even to the vampire eye. Seamlessly he quieted
his instrument as Risi took over, her claws moving with greater
dexterity than most human players. Her notes and chords combined into
a ferocious cry of rage and power. Suddenly she let a fierce roar and
spewed a fountain of fire over the heads of all in attendance.
Melkya's guitar caught up to her own and was soon followed by his voice.

"Take a look to the sky just before you die
It is the last time you will
Blackened roar massive roar fills the crumbling sky
Shattered goal fills his soul with a ruthless cry
Stranger now, are his eyes, to this mystery
He hears the silence so loud
Crack of dawn, all is gone except the will to be
Now they will see what will be, blinded eyes to see"

Again with the aid of the crowd he shouted out, "For whom the bell
tolls! Time marches on! For whom the bell tolls! For whom the bell
tolls! Time marches on! For whom the bell tolls!" suddenly as he was
playing, melkya stepped forward and threw both hands out to the side.
As twin towers of flame erupted on either side of him, melkya's pants
were suddenly torn off. Before anyone could see a thing, the guitar
dropped down just below his waist

Lights began to dim down as though the show was over, but the music
did not end there. The world went blue as the flashing multi colored
bulbs turned into black lighting. Those in white glowed. All
attention turned to precursor as he slammed the drums with lightening
speed and ferocity. Each strike of the drums, each touch of the
symbols sent a spray of glowing neon paint. Waves of blue, yellow,
red, green, and many other colors flew through the air. Precursor's
hair flew about as wildly as his paint. After several gut busting
minutes, Precursor slammed his drums one last violent time. An
enormous explosion, bigger than any others before occurred. When the
light and smoked died down, the band was gone. All that was left was a
ringing in everyone's ears.