Chapter 126

The girls grinned at each other, feeling a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment wash over them.

They had worked hard to get to where they were, and it was all worth it for moments like this, this is why they started playing music.

As they walked out of the concert hall, the girls looked up at the stars twinkling in the night sky, feeling like they were part of something bigger than themselves.

They knew that there would be many, many more performances to come, but this one would always hold a special place in their hearts.

The girls were unaware at that point in time but they would be one of K/da's biggest music rivals...but thats a story for the future.

//////////////////////////////////////////

{Location: Yakusa high's concert hall.}

{1:30 hours later}

After the short break things at the show quickly picked up with all sorts of talents being shown on stage.

A lot of the clubs at the school showed off what they could do, and their tactics seemed to have paid off as a lot of the students previously without club associations had thoughts of joining them.

Almost three hours into the talent show and it was finally coming to the last three performers of the night.

On the stage, at the current moment, a magician from the magic club was performing and doing tricks with the audience.

After him, it would be Kaori's turn to perform." Has anyone seen Kaori-San anywhere, she's due to perform in 5 minutes." A backstage manager asked around but all they got for a response was a shoulder shrug.

Ekko who had been backstage this whole time helping out, frowned before putting down the equipment he was holding.

////////////////////////////////////////////////

Kaori the one everyone was looking for was currently sitting in a bathroom stall trying to calm her nerves.

While simultaneously doing everything in her power to try and bring back the feeling she was missing from her numb hands.

" There's no other option, I guess I'll just have to go out like this." Kaori lamented while looking at her hands.

She was going to perform a solo of a song she had written herself but because of her illness, she was struggling with whether she should continue.

She was to be the second to last performer, and she was determined to make it one of her best yet.

But as she tuned her violin, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Her disease had been worsening lately, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to finish the piece.

Just then, a familiar voice spoke up from outside the girl's bathroom. "Hey, Kaori, you there?"

" Huh!! Ekko, hold on a second..." Kaori quickly scrambled up her things before walking out of the bathroom.

That was the moment Ekko saw what Kaori was going to wear for the first time. Ekko was actually left speechless at how beautiful she looked at that moment.

{Pic}

Ekko couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty. Her wavy, blonde hair flowed down her back in loose waves, framing her delicate features.

She wore a flowing white dress that billowed out around her as she moved, the fabric seemingly weightless.

The dress was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline that accentuated her collarbone and elegant neck.

And she wore a pair of see-through flats that matched her white strapless dress perfectly.

" You look amazing Kaori." Ekko genuinely complimented.

Kaori blushed, a bit embarrassed by his staring but thanked him nevertheless. She was kinda happy that Ekko had liked the dress.

" Umm, did you need something Ekko?" Kaori asked curiously.

" Ye, the crew were looking for you, your on in around three minutes," Ekko said surprising Kaori, as she looked at her phone and finally noticed what time it was.

Thank god Ekko had found her when he did, otherwise, she probably would have missed her slot.

" Thank you Ekko, I completely lost track of time." Kaori responded while making her way backstage.

Ekko followed along while staring at her back." Hey, Kaori, how are you holding up?" Ekko suddenly asked out of the blue.

Kaori turned to Ekko, standing behind her. She smiled weakly. "I'm... I'm okay. Just nervous, I guess." She responded while rolling her wrists, an action Ekko took notice of straight away.

Ekko nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine. But you've got this. You're one of the best violinists I've ever heard."

Kaori chuckled. "Thanks, Ekko. That means a lot to me." She said truthfully, it really did mean a lot to her.

They both fell into a comfortable silence as Kaori finished tuning her violin on their walk.

" There you are, your on in one minute, everything's been cleared for you, here's the microphone." One of the backstage helpers said as he assisted Kaori in putting on the mic.

{ What an amazing performance by the magic club. I'm still wondering how he managed to pull those three rabbits out of his hat.

Now, ladies and gentlemen our second to last performer of the night is no stranger to you all. She's a two-time violinists champion and a nominated greatest musical Prodigy of Japan.

Her music is beautiful as it is unconventional.

Would you please put your hands together for Class 2-B's Kaori Miyazono? She will be performing a solo with her own original song.}

Biggus Dickus gave a wonderful introduction to Kaori as he slowly left the stage.

Behind the curtains, Kaori was taking in deep calming breaths. Her wrists were still numb but theres no way she would give up now that she was already here.

Just before she stepped out, however, Ekko had stopped her and spun her around." Ekko, I need to go..."

{Slap}

Everyone backstage looked at the two in confusion as they thought they had just seen Ekko slap Kaori.

But that wasn't the case, instead, he had slapped her wrists together." Ow!! Hey that hurt you, idiot, what the hell was that for." Kaori glared at Ekko before her eyes suddenly widened.

' Wait...that hurt, but my hands are still... they're not numb anymore!!" Kaori came to a quick realisation that her hands were no longer feeling numb, but how?

Before she could even think any further, Ekko spun her back around and gave her an encouraging push forward.

She looked back at him, and then at her hands before smiling.

She took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage, the bright lights of the theatre blinding her momentarily.

She could feel the eyes of the audience on her, and her heart began to race.

' You can do this Kaori.' She gave herself some encouragement before she brought her violin to her neck.

The audience erupted into applause as she took her place, the spotlight illuminating her like a goddess.

Kaori closed her eyes, focusing on the music in her head.

As she began to play, she forgot about her nerves, about her illness, about everything except the violin in her hands. The notes flowed out of her effortlessly, filling the concert hall with their beauty.

Ekko watched from behind the curtains, his heart swelling with pride. He had always known Kaori was an amazing musician, but seeing her perform like this was something else entirely.

As he watched her play, he couldn't help but think about all the times they had spent together, all the memories they had made.

As she played, her body swayed to the rhythm of the music, the skirt of the dress swirling around her legs like a cloud.

The hem of the dress was adorned with a delicate lace trim, giving the ensemble a touch of femininity and elegance.

Her delicate hands moved gracefully over the violin, the notes pouring out with ease as if the instrument was an extension of her own body.

Her fingers were long and slender, the nails perfectly manicured, dancing over the strings with a gentle touch that brought the instrument to life.

The audience was entranced by her performance and her sound.

As the song reached its climax, Kaori's heart was pounding in her chest. She knew this was it, the moment of truth.

Her hands started to shake with vigour, and she could feel the sweat dripping down her neck. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to see her friend, Ekko standing beside her.

"You can do this," her friend said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Just let the music take you."

Kaori nodded, and as the next set of notes began, she closed her eyes and let herself be consumed by the music.

She poured all her emotions into the music, and it seemed to fill the room with a warmth that touched everyone's heart.

As the last notes of the song faded away, the audience erupted into a standing ovation.

Kaori opened her eyes to see the sea of faces, all looking up at her with tears in their eyes. She had done it. She had given a performance she could be proud of.

She looked around before bowing to the audience.

As she left the stage, Ekko was there to greet her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and they walked towards the dressing room." You were amazing out there Kaori."

Kaori was still shaking, but this time it was from the sheer joy and relief of having pulled off the performance.

Kaori smiled, feeling the warmth of her friend's embrace.

For the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was going to be okay. She had done what she set out to do, and she had given everything she had to give.

As they emerged from backstage they were greeted by a crowd of well-wishers, all eager to congratulate Kaori on her performance.

"That was beautiful Kaori, I never knew you could play like that." Aya the lead singer of 'The Stary nights' commented as she gave Kaori a hug and congratulations.

She smiled, feeling the love and support of those around her.

At that moment, she knew that she had left a mark on the students, and she was excited for her stage to grow.

She didn't just want to play for the school, but for the whole world too, she hoped she could see that day.

Ekko who has stood back smiled before leaving the scene.

His friends were probably still wondering why he hadn't returned yet.

/////////////////////////////////////////.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

{Haaaa!! haaaa!!!}

The sound of someone breathing heavily could be heard in a forest close to Yakushi.

The shadow of that figure could be seen desperately running through the forest.

Masane didn't remember how long she had been running, but she knew she had to get away from the inn as quickly as she could.

After getting back from their night out Masane had decided to take a small nap in her room.

But that was when it started...at first, she thought it was just the voices of the other girls in the Inn.

But soon those voices started to become more and more prevalent. They weren't the voices of the girls...they were voices inside her own head.

That's when it happened...the pain, the anger, the bloodlust...she felt it all in her very soul. The pain was excruciating.

She had no idea what was wrong with her, she layed on the floor of her room, gasping for air...She tried calling out to the girls but her voice just wouldn't come out.

And that's when she saw it, a woman in her mirror that looked just like her but also wasn't.

She had her face but her hair was the colour of bloody crimson. Her eyes had changed into the colour of a neon citrine, and her body was covered in otherworldly armour.

Masane instinctively knew that, that was her...but at the same time wasn't.

She didn't understand what was going on with her, but she knew she had to get away from the inn as soon as possible...otherwise, something bad would happen.

/////////////////////////////////////////

Masane found herself lost in the depths of a dense forest. She had no idea how she had ended up there, or why she was even there in the first place.

As she wandered aimlessly through the trees, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was following her.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling in the bushes ahead of her. Instinctively, she took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. But as she watched, a strange, shimmering light began to emerge from the bushes.

As the light grew brighter, Masane realized that it was coming from within her, or more specifically, her body.

She felt a sudden surge of power, and her eyes changed from their usual brown colour to an eerie yellow.

A feeling of overwhelming strength suddenly coursed through her body, and she knew that something inside her had awakened, or was trying to awaken...it felt...alive.

She had no idea what it was, but she felt a sense of familiarity with it as if it had been a part of her for a long time...

Suddenly her whole body shined with a deathly red glow.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

As Masane re-opened her eyes she stood there, in her Witchblade form.

She exuded a bewitching beauty that was both alluring and intimidating. Her body was covered in a form-fitting armour that shimmered with an otherworldly energy, highlighting her lithe curves and toned muscles.

Her eyes, now a piercing shade of yellow, seemed to glow with an otherworldly power, reflecting the raw energy that coursed through her body.

Her hair, usually a soft shade of brown, now seemed to blaze with a fiery intensity, flowing behind her like a wild, untamed flame.

As she moved, her armour emitted a soft, pulsating light, casting a spellbinding aura around her. Her every movement was fluid and graceful as if she were dancing in the midst of a powerful storm.

But despite her beauty, there was something undeniably dangerous about her. Her power was raw and unbridled, and those who looked upon her knew that she was not to be trifled with.

And yet, despite the danger that surrounded her, there was a magnetism to her that was impossible to resist.

She was a creature of raw power and alluring beauty, and those who dared to approach her knew that they were in the presence of something truly extraordinary.

' This...I look like that woman...that woman was me.' Masane had come to that realisation while looking at herself.

Just then, she heard the sound of something approaching. Her pulsing yellow eyes turned behind her, only to see the bushes moving before they started to wither away and decay.

What came beyond the dead foliage could only be described as something straight from the pits of hell itself.

It was a creature unlike anything she had ever seen before - a giant, snarling beast with razor-sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.

{Pic}

Masane was terrified, but something deep inside her told her to fight back, to take down the creature that looked at her as if she was its prey.

The creature let out a disturbing echo of clicks and whistles that reverberated throughout the entire forest.

Then it let out a demonic roar, a roar that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard it. It was a guttural, primal sound that seems to emanate from the depths of the underworld itself.

The air trembled... The roar was a

inhuman sound, filled with rage and fury, and a guarantee of death.

The roar began as a low, rumbling growl, like the distant thunder of an approaching storm.

But as the creature opened its massive jaws, the sound grew in intensity, rising to a deafening crescendo that shook the ground beneath their feet.

As the roar reached its apex, the air around them seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and the rotting trees themselves began to sway and snap in the wind.

The sound was so powerful that it seemed to drown out all other noise, leaving nothing but the beast's terrible voice ringing in their ears.

The roar was not a singular sound, but a series of overlapping, discordant notes that grated against the very fabric of reality.

It was a sound that seemed to twist and warp the air around them, as if reality itself were being torn apart by the force of the beast's fury.

After the roar had stopped, it was dead silent afterwards, no birds could be heard nor the cricks and clicks of the cicadas.

The creature suddenly lunged at her with its sharp-bladed hands, Amane raised her hands, and the power within her surged outwards, forming a glowing, ethereal blade.

The two forces finally met.

{CLAAAAAAAAANG!?!?!}