Chapter 4: Crying Out Loud

The lights of the arena dimmed as the holy trumpets sounded off. The thrill of each and every audience member was blanketed by the comforting noise of the powerful yet soothing instruments being played by the band.

Siren anxiously tugged on the ends of her robe as the other choir members began to harmonize behind her. Waiting for the song to begin, she looked around and assessed the situation before her. All eyes were on her as she stood timidly center stage. Her family was watching from several sections away from the stage off to the right. She could hardly miss them considering her father’s constant cheers could be heard all the way down on Earth. The Symphonies, however, were the biggest concern. Putting on her bravest face, Siren forced an inviting smile as she scanned their royal faces sitting in the front row. Tuloc and Montiria looked unimpressed with the production thus far, while Donnera was playing with the tips of her nails.

“Another year, another brilliant performance,” Donnera whispered sarcastically to her siblings.

Montiria turned her attention away from the stage and looked over at her sister. “Ugh how I’ve grown tired of doing the same routine every year.”

“What kind of Goddess of Youth are you to grow tired of something?” Tuloc chimed in.

“Oh brother don’t fret at Montiria,” Donnera lectured Tuloc. “She’s just not fond of productions such as these because they aren’t as grand as what we once had on the Mother Globe.”

“In other words, they bore me to tears. Every year we try to recreate the exhilarating parades we used to throw across every continent with these cheap concerts,” Montiria continued her ranting. “Shouldn’t you be assisting with making these insulting theater pieces much richer, Tuloc?” she teased her brother, the God of Riches.

Tired of her siblings’ bickering, Wintara shushed their teasing of each other and chastised them. “Oh will you children hush your mouths already. The angels put a lot of work into this and we should allow them to fulfill their lost passions without your unjustified criticisms.”

“So in other words, y’all, let’s sh*t on whatever we’re about to watch after we get home,” Meusor said as the rest of the Symphonies ceased their bickering and quietly laughed to themselves.

Siren took a deep breath as the music continued to play in the background. She looked over to her left and watched conductor Willona guiding the band during their solo off stage. With the screaming trumpets, slamming drums, and screeching violins hitting their climax, Willona spun around and pointed at the choir as a spotlight shined over the angels singing in unison.

‘We are the children of the Sym-pho-nies.

Manifested through grace, peace, and my-ste-ry.

With the purpose to right all wrongs.

We shall keep Anthemella strong.

And bring harmony to all.

Serving the masters of the Heavens.

Rebuking the sins of the seven.

We shall bring… we shall bring… we shall bring Harmony to all!’

As the choir wrapped up their prideful solo, it was time for Siren to begin her verse. She gulped as the spotlight shot on her. With its steaming light bouncing directly off of her skin and her stomach churning, beads of sweat began to form on her skin. Soon enough, her music began to play and she started to sing into the microphone.

‘I must say I lost thy way.

For my soul has suffered a constant decay.

Lightyears apart from the world I once knew.

And in these darkest times, my Lords, I turn to you.’

Quietly starting her song off, Siren darted her eyes around in several different directions. Her family seemed pleased with her stage presence thus far while the other angels remained indifferent. Glancing over at Willona to gain a sense of how she was doing, she noticed the sour look on the conductor’s face. Her pressed lips. Her furrowed brows. Her cold demeanor. It all began to burn into the conserved persona the young angel was trying to maintain and sparked her ire.

‘When shall I ever be?

Living inside the vision you sought for me?

Deliver meeeeee from this anguish

As I come to you with just one wish!’

A fire began to ignite inside Siren as her vocals grew more powerful through each spoken lyric. Something was coming over her that caused her angelic voice to echo across all of the Cosmos. It wasn’t her family’s support, the other angels cheering, or even the Symphonies sitting right in front of her that were providing Siren with the will to deliver each and every note with elegance and strength. The disapproving look on Willona’s face is what was pushing her to her limit.

“She’s a natural,” Siren’s mother said with tears in her eyes.

“Yeah and she’s got them all in the palm of her hands,” Siren’s father uttered while noticing all of the other angels on their feet.

Her grandmother, however, wasn’t paying attention to her granddaughter’s blessed vocal abilities. Worriedly, her attention was on the volume of it. “Uh huh, but I think the child is getting a little too loud…”

‘Take this weight off of me.

For it is you that I will always neeeeeeeed.

I call to you, hear my desperate pleaaaaaaaaaaa.

Please, oh please, release me, set me freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.’

It was that final note that did it. As magnificent as it was, its power was more than all of Anthemella anticipated.

Unlike the other angels, Siren had not developed to a point where she possessed a halo or could sport her wings in the skies. Instead, she had a secret. She was not the average holy servant in the heavens. She was a weapon of carnage!

Losing control of herself, Siren sucked in all the air around her to deliver the final note to the song. And once she unleashed it, an orchestra of sonic waves launched from her throat and across the entire arena. The screeching, sound barrier breaking noise blew all of the angels to the ground, caused the ears of many to bleed, shattered several screens, and completely shook the entire arena.

Once the overwhelming roar finally escaped from her lungs, Siren immediately shut her mouth and saw the catastrophic damage she had caused. The band’s instruments were scattered everywhere around Willona’s wounded body on the ground. The other angels were in the crowd either crying or screaming from the pain that they have endured. She could hear the choir behind her gasping in shock at the sight of what she has caused.

“Oh… Oh no…” she whispered to herself as a tear rolled down her face. Instinctively, she looked down at the Symphonies, who thankfully remained unharmed. It was then she came met eyes with the God of Life himself, Meusor, as he stood in front of the stage in disbelief. The look his face said it all. What she had just done completely stripped her of her angelic status. Instead, it was the this moment that would cement her legacy as a demon.