A large auditorium styled stage can be seen flicker onto the bulky television in front. Thick marble pillars decorated in twisting gold vines framed the stage while supporting the tall ceiling of the oblong shaped building. Rows of seats can be seen stacked one on top of the other, encompassing almost a full circle to where the performance was about to be held.
Already on the stage stood a strong woman with skin of marble with spindles of obsidian creeping through the firm surface of her body. Her hair was a bright fiery red color that was large in volume despite being braided and woven in intricate patterns. The gold and teal hues of her toga brought out the contrast in her hair and the rubies that were hidden in the intricate patterns. Her presence was nothing short from godly and yet it was softened with a friendly and welcoming smile.
Entering the camera's perspective was a younger girl who looked familiar. The shimmering stars in the traces of blue and purple were just barely caught by the aged quality of the recorded picture show. In comparison to the first, Lumine’s stature and body was much more fragile in comparison. She neither had bulk or strength to protect her porcelain makeup but in eloquence, her own toga complimented her features rather well.
Lights flared illuminating the entire stadium, while the seats were empty, the choir was not. Behind the stage was a large mosaic of a vast landscape of rolling hills, Greek temples, cobblestone pathways and decorated marble fountains. Along the bottom edge of the mural sat 6 performers, unified by a simple pale rose toga, black corsets, and a black veil that covered their hair that was kept in a tidy updo. Besides that, each held a different instrument to play, the next noticeable difference were their masks. All their masts seemed to be made out of a various amount of different metal ores that were melted together into their molds. They all looked asleep, eyes closed, but the faces were contorted as if affected by different kinds of dreams. The first one was pleasant and calm, the second one looked to be twisted in agony, the third was plain but sorrowful, the 4th looked rather theatrical, the 5th was regal even in slumber, and the 6th final one was severely cracked but an unmistakably fake, painted on, smile.
As both the women approached from either side of the stage, they turned to greet a black opera viewing box with a respectable bow and curtsey. The curtains stayed drawn closed and for a moment, nothing happened, nothing was said but the two artists turned to face each other after a single moment. The woman with the red hair put on her mask that completely covered her face in many designs displaying black figures of different stories written across the ruby face. “Lumine” put on a small simple mask that rested just around the eyes, designed like the marble columns without much more detail. They greeted each other quickly and simply before the music played and the performance began.
"Heracless" was the red-haired woman's name, clearly more comfortable on the stage so she began to move first. boisterous in movement and grandeur but sturdy in foothold. They both began the duet of their performance, Heracless taking a dangerous lead in a more contemporary performing style. Her gestures were open with broad sweeping movements mixed with great agility to climb and jump through the changing environment of the stage. Her impacts were strong, viciously so, enough to shatter the surrounding marble as though it was sand by the ocean.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
While it was no surprise to the club members who put in the tape to watch, for those not from this place would find that the impacts were not limited to just where she struck but also what she could see just by reaching out. Marble pillars crumbled as though her hand truly extended, held on and crushed them from where they stood, making it harder for Lumine to keep pace with the music, the tempo, holding the notes of the song as well as retaliate. None of the terrain was ever permanently compromised by the crushing forces, as just the same of being able to crush the world around her, Hera was able to easily mend it back into place without batting an eye.
Lumine hardly had nothing but her voice to call her own when this recording was made and it was painfully obvious by the unfair power dynamic. While she performed well under the pressure and circumstances, she’s only kept herself barely out of harm’s way.
The mosaic on the wall behind the musicians and performers warped and changed, matching the changing field, helping weave together the combat on stage into a narrative story. A large mask could be seen at the top of the stage, sitting upright in a jovial theatrical smile. While the battle between the two commenced, the later into the fight did the mask slowly turn upside down, ticking like a clock. As Lumine grew more and more desperate, despite that her own defenses and spell casting grew stronger, the mast truly never turned fully upside down; even rotating right side up to its smile while the tides shifted.
The song was a mere couple minutes long, but the stage of strife felt like it went on much longer when it came to an unexpectedly swift end.
The musicians remained at the back of the stage, only moved out the way from where they performed by a black thread that wasn’t noticeable before until they were in the line of danger. That thread quickly pulled up the musicians, who continued to play, suspended out the way until it was safe to set foot back on stage, like a puppet on a string. As Heracless rushed forwards, crumbling a pillar next to Lumine, it gave her very few options to go. She could either retreat and step off the stage, move to either side and be crushed by the pillar or take the impact of her opponent’s blow straight on. In the last moment she chose none of those easily perceivable options.
Instead Lumine moved just enough to not take the direct blow but fall with the rubble of the stage, going on point in a grand pose. As the stage crumbled, she stayed on point, held her note and swept her elevated leg across as Heracless tried to get up. That moment of hesitation brought it so both Lumine’s leg and Heracless’s arm were mended into the stage before either can move out of the stage's body. The pillar above was still on the collapse and the last thing the camera caught; Lumine dropping her free leg down quickly and Hera reaching out towards the pillar, both appearing too late.
When the smoke cleared, Lumine was standing behind the rubble of the pillar and the crushed stage. In her eyes there was bewildered panic and fear still rushing through her while the six instruments harmonized in a revelrous ending. Her balance was severely off and once all the dust finally settled; it was clear in the last moments she had sacrifice shattering her leg in order to move out the way. Their biggest difference, her body was much more fragile than Heracless. Turning back to the black box, she made a weak curtsey before the recording cut off.