Throttle of Metal: Another Brutal Legend ~ Prologue: Where It All Begins pt. 2
Just like the old black and white movies, the memory faded to black.
Ooh yea! That was the best day ever. I think I actually brought it with me today. Why would I even do that when I'm a roadie…? Well, assistant roadie. Lucas thought as he was wiping tears from his eyes again, but not tears of anger but tears of happiness and pure joy. Until he heard that unknown yet familiar voice again:
Yes, my child, I too feel the same as you with this memory.
"You…YOU! What the fuck do you want from me?" Lucas screamed at the abyss around him. "TELL ME WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!" Even though he did expect an answer, but felt that the voice was getting angrier, not just because he yelled, but because he didn't know who or what the voice is:
I want you to remember. To remember that one moment, the moment that you felt so much sorrow and despair that it KILLED you. You NEED to remember.
"What are you- Oh no. Not that. I do NOT want to remember that!" Lucas said with so much pain and fear, which began the memory to form around him, rather he wants to or not. As the world of the abyss slowing, becoming light, Lucas was spinning so fast that everything was in blur. When the memory finally settled in, Lucas began to slow down until a full stop. His head was spinning but he still knew where he was. In his most powerful memory he has ever had in his entire life, he was standing in a hospital room with a single bed and have practically every life-sustaining machines around the bed. This is when he knew his life was beginning to fall apart. Lucas was staring at his grandfather, his GrandD. He was at his grandfather's deathbed.
Don't just stand there; I thought to myself, as I stand there next to the hospital bed, watching my grandfather, MY GrandD dying Do something, anything! Just don't stand there!
"It's ok, son. It's just my time to go..." He coughs twice and began to wheeze when beginning to breath. "It is the nature of life. We are born, we live, and then we die until reborn again." He coughs again, but this time he spat a little blood on the napkin he held up to cover his cough.
"It's NOT ok, old man, it's just not ok. I love you like any son loves his father."
"I know that, boy. Don't you think I know that? I'm just happy that I got to raise you like I did you own father and that I am not dying of that stupid cancer shit. I know, I'm like any other man who can't resist a good cigar every once in a while, but at least I didn't do it 24/7, ya know?"
"I know bu-"
He cut me off right be for I said "but". He always had- I mean -has great timing when someone was about to say that.
"NO BUTS!" He yelled, when he took a deep breath, wheezing all the time. "It is how it is no matter what. And there is nothing you can do but comfort me as I leave this world. I don't want to spend my last breath arguing with you on this."
He slowly grabbed the bag where they had his stuff when he came to the hospital, and pulled a folded envelope with "Malcom" written on it and handed it to me.
"I wanted to give you this before-"He gestured by waving he's hands all over the bed. "- all this happened. This is the letter that your mother had on your basket when I found you on my doorstep."
I opened the envelope, pulled out the letter out and began to read what he had read 19 years ago.
"This letter drove me through every aliment, every down moment we had together…" As I was reading the letter, I was fingering the envelope and felt something that was still in there. I pulled it out as I felt a warm wetness running down my cheeks. It was a photo of me siting on GrandD while playing my mother's violin. "…and with that, I knew that we were going to be alright."
"Remember what I said about that violin?"
"Yea, you said that it was not made for this world."
"Do you believe me?"
"Of course I do, grandpa."
"Grandpa, now it?" *sighs* "I have never thought of you calling me that ever since you gave me the nickname 'GrandD' when you were five."
"Do you remember what the 'D' stand for, you old man?" Tears began to form in my eyes and began to blur my vision.
"I...I don't remember. What was it?"
"'D' was for 'Daddy'. The first word you ever taught me." This time I see him wheezing, not because of the breathing, but because he was crying too. To think, the old man, my grandfather crying. I thought I would never see that view.
"Anyways…" Clearing up the tears with his napkin. Go figure, sigh. "What I meant about that was your father told me that when he went missing that he visited a place for metal."
"What do you mean 'a place for metal.'?"
"I asked him that same question, but all I got from him that the place seemed to be in the past but in another world. He said that violin was made in that place and only with that violin can take anyone else back. So, I took that violin and played every song I knew for the violin. From Bach to Therion, but nothing happened. Then, the dumbass finally tells me that it can only work for the one chosen to go."
"Well, crap." It sounded so cool to go to, but alas Underland was only a dream.
"But you listen here; Never give up, no matter what obstacles are in your way, whether it be musical or not. Never. Give. Up. Did you bring what I asked you to bring?" He asked as the wheezing and coughing got worse. I don't know how much time he has left.
With a faint smile, I said, "Yes, I got it right here."
As I turn around, I grasped the handle of the all-too-familiar case that held my mother's violin, DeS'tiny. When I opened the cast, just lying there waiting to be played was my mother's all Raven-Black violin with Deep Purple metallic flames around the chinrest that has signs of use. At the top of the violin, in the middle of the scroll, is a gem. GrandD said it was my birth stone, but I didn't believe him. I did research on the gem and found out it was a black diamond, the rarest one named 'The Eye of Abyss'. When he called me saying he was dying, and asked me if I could play for him before he passes on.
"Good. I feel like listening to something slow but forceful. Just play whatever comes into your head."
"Alright, here goes nothing." Then, just as sudden as a flu- I know bad time for a bad pun –I felt the music flowing through me as I began to play "Unforgiven".
Just as slow as I was playing, GrandD did something I have never heard him do ever. He began to sing:
"What I've felt, what I've known
Bleep Bleep Blop
Never shined through in what I've shown
Bleep…Bleep…Blop
Never free, never me
Bleep…..Bleep….Blop
So I dub thee unforgiven…"
BBBBBLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP ….
As the last of the lyrics escaped from his parted lips, he moved on.
"How did you like that, grandpa? ...Grandpa? ...Grandpa!" I just help the one person I had left passed on.
You still got me.
I collapsed, head on his dead knees crying until the nurses started rushing in. Me, 19 years old, just let the only person I have known slip between my fingers.
It's alright, son. Everyone can only live for so long.
I know that but… Hold the phone. Who is that?
The one who has been and will continue to be with you.
What are you talking abou- Now look at me I'm talking to a disembodied voice in my head.
Well, I do have a body technically. You just set me down over there.
Now I'm confused. There is nobody in here except the rushing nurses.
*Sigh* It just sighed at me. What the hell is this? Front.
Ok? Door.
Right.
Chair, with my mother's violi-… You mean to tell me that you are the violin?
Yep. Well, technically I'm what am left of your mother's soul IN the violin.
….WHAT THE HELL? You are just now telling me this? Look, lady, you have the worst timing and the worst sense of humor ever.
Do I look like I'm joking to you? Wait, don't answer that! And what your 'GrandD' said about me is true. I am from the past. Your father and mother both used me. But, for right now we just need to live life until the right time has come.
Wait, what do you mean until the right time?
Hello?
Hello…
Well, that's just great. The violin hanged up on me. The one time I can get a girl to talk to me and she turns out to be a violin and she STILLS hangs up on me. My luck stinks.
Just a month after the passing of my grandpa, I began to look for jobs, mainly anything with music. First interview I had was for me to be a backup opening act for a music theatre, until they found out that I only played the violin …so they laughed. Ok… So, the second interview was to be a Monday to Wednesday singer for a biker bar… until they found out that it was illegal to hire anyone less than 21 years of age to work for a bar.
Ok, now my life officially sinks. Then I got called by the manger for a band 'Kabbage HeaD'. Never heard of them, but ok. So, I meet up with the guy, he's name was Kevin (with a 'K') Cline (with a 'C'). He always hated that guy because people would want the other guy, not him. Unfortunately, he look like a cross between a short clown and an 80's lawyer, with a pale yellow pinstriped suit and his hair made him looking like he had two little devil's horns on his head.
So we had the interview, as follows:
"Did you ever do any drugs, weed, or alcohol?"
"No."
"Really? Not even to experiment with any of the mentioned?"
"Really, really."
"Ok, then! You are hired!"
"You are going to be an assistant roadie for Riggs over there. Be here tomorrow by nine, we'll be having one last concert here before leaving on tour. Not here by ten, then you can kiss your job goodbye! Deal?"
Say yes.
"You can count on me!"
"By the way feel free to bring any instruments you want to take, and maybe you'll be able to play with the band."
I was so excited that I went back to my apparent and started packing.
The time is almost upon us.
What? Never mind to the weird voice coming from my mother's violin that is ignoring me. And that's when I got the package. As I was packing, I heard knocking at my door. I thought it the nosy landlord. When you talk about opportunists, he is the captain crazy of them. But whoever was at the door didn't stop until I began to open the door. Looked left… Looked right… No one was there. Nothing …but a package that was dropped off way past delivery time on my door step. So, I picked up the package and looked for a return address or something, and all I found was my address and envelope with 'Lucas Stamen' on it. Looking rather odd standing in the doorway of my apartment staring at the mysterious package in my hand, I take it inside since all I have left to pack is my Xbox 360.
Just like any 10 year old boy at Christmas, I tear off the envelope and begin to open the package, when I had the sudden urge to open the envelope first. So, I did and read the letter with in, it wasn't much of a letter but I still read it:
Lucas Stamen,
I think it would be in your best nature to play this game
Jeschum
Well, that's not spooky at all. But, they did say there was a game in here and what single man can resist a free video game. Let's just hope it is for the right system. Low and behold, it was. Some game called "Brutal Legend".
*Insert girly fandom face here* Not only this is the bestselling game of this time, but you have to reserve one months in advance to even DEMO the blasted thing. Well, what do you think I did? I started to play the sucker. Pop it right in the Xbox and started to play it.
Love the intro. This better not be a demo.
Finally, gets play for a few minutes, find out who your character is… Eddie Roads- um no that's not right Iggs or something like that, when the worst of my luck finally hit me… I fell asleep. What do you expect when I rushed to do everything?
The time is almost upon us to return home, my child. It is time to wake up.
Hun, what? Oh. I finally wake up when my alarm clock. I find my stuff has been moved. My TV is off, Xbox packed up, and my stuff sitting neatly, waiting for me… either there is a team of ninja maids or I did this… I didn't give it much thought because I just check the time… 8:55am. Aw, crap. So I took off like a bat out of hell to the theater, where the band was playing at.
Finally, pulled up to the theater… Maximum Throttle Theater. Wow, sounds like when a biker gang goes out to buy an opera. Anyways, made it… With 5 minutes to spar! Dam I'm good. So, I got my violin case and my duffle bag out of the back of the car. I noticed on the play board said that some band named 'Kabbage Boy' was playing. Huh, must be one of the band members could not make it today. Sad, really sad. Walked into the building and what do you know, it was an opera theater… I hate it when I am right. Well, at least half-right.
Then, here he comes. Kevin Cline comes walking, more like waddling on the count of him and his 'short' stature, and says, "Well, look who's finally shown up! Look, kid. We got some last minute changes happening tonight."
"Yes, sir. I saw the board out front and it says some band named 'Kabbage Boy' will be playing tonight."
"Yea, that's the main change right now. Look, in this business, we don't have time for formal mumble-jumble. Just call me Kevin or Mr. C, k?"
Well, talk about first impressions. "Yea, ok."
"Well, the only change right now you have to worry about is the name from 'Kabbage HeaD' to 'Kabbage Boy'. Riggs over there will help you for now. What you have to worry about now if he needs help. Got it?"
'Kabbage Boy', where have I heard that name before? "You got it."
"Good." As he waddles back over to the bouncers, I make my way to this Riggs person. Seriously, where in the world have I heard that name before? When I went to the place where Mr. C told me where Riggs is, some scruffy guy with a shirt that had the band 'Black Sabbath' written on it was standing there. Well, this must be the guy. So I asked him. "Me, Riggs? Ha, I'm not him," As he points his thumb above us, and there he is. With black mirrored goggles on, while using a blowtorch, shaping the metal to form a shoulder piece for an all-metal statue. He stops to hear the person beside me yelling, "Yo, Riggs! Get down here, there's someone here to meet you!"
"Ok be down in a minute!" As soon as the last syllable escaped his mouth, he came jumping from the shadows to the right of us. As I took a good look at the guy, mullet; mutton-chops; rugged stature and clothes; big guy, I could go on, he stood before me. Eddie Riggs, not a man but a master.
And there he is, the son of Succoria.
Again, what? "Whoa, how did you do that?"
"What? That? Roadie's trade secret. And you must be the roadie-in-trading Mr. C told me about. The name's Eddie. Eddie Riggs."
And, there is it again. I know I've heard that somewhere. But, where? "Yea, name's Lucas Stamen."
"I see you got a case. What instrument do you play?"
"Not something too flashy. A violin."
"Ooh, never met a violin rocker before. Well, I'm almost done with this prop. So, you're pretty much free the rest of the night and training starts tomorrow. Ok?"
"You got it." Man, to come here, almost late, and find out I have nothing to do today. Well, the only thing to do is practice.
So, I sat down in a room, not too far away in case they needed help and not too much close that I will be in the way, and began to play. Slowly at first, just to tune the strings, then started to play my favorite songs. Slowly, one by one at first, people began to fill the room just to hear my music. I knew I was doing great, conformation was from Eddie, as he stood in the doorway, saw all the people, and gave me thumbs up while I was playing. When I finished, everyone started clapping. This has definitely been my best job ever.
After a couple of minutes of more violin plays, the actual band finally shows up. 'Kabbage Boy'. I kind of expected them to be these long haired, head banging, metal heroes that played like gods. Nope, I was wrong.
They were practically the same age as me, not much older. Like teenagers that just got out of college, greasy hair, bad cologne, always texting someone about something. I'm glad I have never turned into something like that.
A few seconds before show time, I found I nice spot where I can practice with my violin some more while still able to see the crowd who came to see the band play. I noticed the band walking past Eddie – Ok I swear I know him from something – and the guy I was talking to earlier. They were talking about something, something the upset Eddie, but he pfht it to the side and ignored them. And so, as the concert opens and the music beginning to play, it started to sound alright, maybe…just maybe…
"Girlfriend!" and the rap start to happen… oh shit.
When I was about to leave, I saw Eddie started to curse something- unfortunately, the concert was too loud to hear what he said –and saw what he was cursing about. The bass guitarist, being the dumbass he is, start to dance on top of the metal behemoth Eddie built just a few hours ago. Just as this fool start to play, he slips and is now dangling from one of the attached pieces, just hanging by his fingers. Eddie started to dash toward the hanging fool. I was about to follow when the guy who was with Eddie, held me back and said, "Just watch." As the fool watched, Eddie signaled him to drop the guitar. When he did, Eddie caught it just a few seconds short before it smashed on the ground. And just like any other cliffhanger, the bassist loses his grip. He began to fall with such fluidity; right up until the big, rugged man caught him.
It was then that I knew Eddie is the best roadie ever… up until the rest of the metal crushed Eddie flat.
Just as the entire theater stopped in horror over the calamity, up from the debris, came a magnificent roar of a mighty beast. As a metal behemoth came rising from the ground, a smaller version of the monument behind it, with a fiery red glow out of its mouth, nose, and eyes, it start to go on a rampage inside the theater. The beast knocked the debris off of Eddie's dead body, and took a closer exam, then saw the band. As the band frightened as hell, I noticed a golden glow from the back of my violin, there was something beginning to be engraved underneath the first:
DeS'tiny, the one who plays the strings of Fate…
But never temps her twice.
I looked up just in time to see the colossus roar at the rest of the band, and melted their faces off. At least I'm not the one who has to clean this up. After it had its fun with the band it cleared a spot to lay down Eddie's body, it turned its anger toward the crowd. As the dumbass that started this whole fiasco ran past me, and tell me to help the others. So I did the bravest thing I could think of… I took a piece of debris and threw it at its face. What? I said I did the bravest, not the smartest thing. As the colossal metal hand of the band's giant statue that is a fusion of a heavy metal icon and a boar's worst day ever, a light hit the hand in a way that I began to see what my life was before this whole fiasco happened, and just in a nick of time, reality focused back in. It punched me so hard it was like I got hit with a big rig. As I flew from the force of the punch, my mother's violin began to speak again:
Do not worry, my son. You are not dead. You have been transported back to our home. The beast that was released is called The Eternal Fire Beast, Ormagöden. I knew it would sense me, for I am Jeschum; Demon Temptress of Fate of the Tainted Coil and I am your mother.
As the speed of my 'flight' began to slow down, I felt a soft thud. I started to move around, feeling the mucky ground I lay upon… Wait, mucky?
I wake up to find myself, not in a human-sized crater in the parking lot near by, but in a cold, dark place where I see mountains of bones and metal growing out of the ground. It's just like if I were in the album of one of my metal records… Awesome!
Welcome, my son, to your home. The Age of Metal!