Zelgadis' jaw dropped as the lights went up, two small columns of stage fire erupting on either side of Lina, and then dying down. She was dressed in a black tank top and black fatigue pants with combat boots, the entire ensemble speckled with gold glitter, including the black lead guitar strapped to her back. Even her hair had metallic-gold highlights, the lights granting an almost supernatural shimmer about her. His attention was drawn away by the band's sudden explosion of sound, and he recognized each member as his eyes darted from instrument to instrument.

            Behind and to the right of Lina were the keyboard and synthesizer, played by Zangulus, a student who had graduated when Zelgadis was freshman. His long, black hair was pulled back, all except for one bang that hung over his right eye. He also wore black fatigue pants and combat boots with a black t-shirt with the word CHAOS written across it in bold, blood red letters.

            His eyes progressed to the drummer; a speedy, diminutive fox figure whose ears were wrapped in a black bandana and that rocked back and forth quickly as his drumsticks moved deftly over the drum set. It was Jiras, the foreign exchange high school student who, upon receiving his citizenship, dropped out. Though Zelgadis could remember that Jiras had once been friends with Valgarv, it was well known the two of them had fallen apart as friends after a fight that landed Jiras in the hospital for three days, claiming his left eye. Jiras was a known genius with explosive substances and pyrotechnics, and it was a true wonder as to how he had never lost any fingers. The eye patch was there, his t-shirt black with blood red seams and sleeves and black fatigues ending in what appeared to be spray-painted black sneakers.

            To Lina's left was a stone-faced figure all too familiar, playing his bass guitar with stoic proficiency. Vrumugun, another student who graduated with Zangulus, he knew little about. He was dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt and black fatigue pants.

            Now Lina approached the microphone, her expression turning seductive as she gripped the stand and pulled it against her body, and Zelgadis felt his stomach jump. He knew she was attractive, but this was something he'd never expect to see from her.

            "She's looking good tonight, eh Zel?" Xellos looked to Zelgadis, who paid him no attention. When he realized why, his smile enlarged, and resumed watching the performance.

            "Darkness from twilight, crimson from the blood that flows, I find it buried in the flow of time, where the power grows."

            An interval of music, hard rock mixed with techno, and Lina set herself swaying, hips snapping to the hard beats of the band, an assault on the microphone before she lunged forward, pulling the stand against herself again.

            "In thy great name I pledge myself, pledge myself unto the darkness, deep within the sea of chaos you grant me power you possess."

            Zelgadis was frozen. This was Lina, the girl who was willing to thrash a freshman in detention hall, the shrew that no one could stand. On the stage though she seemed transformed, an aggressive goddess whose energy was charged with angst and sexuality. He knew talent well enough from the bands he had watched on television, but Lina was on a level he had never seen before. His stomach jumped again, and he shifted in order to calm himself.

            Whipping the lead guitar around, Lina attacked the strings with aggression, making the notes shout to the audience in rapid, angry succession.

            "Source of all power, gather in my hand and grant your darkness. Power burning beyond crimson, source of all that I desire."

            Her fingers flew deftly over the lead guitar, Zelgadis could see that easily. She didn't play the guitar, the guitar played for her, like a symbiotic partner in a perfectly timed duet. He knew he was good, maybe as good as her, but he doubted he could have that edge, that closeness of instrument to soul.

            "She must sleep with it."

            "What Zelgadis?"

            But Zelgadis didn't respond, his attention completely absorbed by Lina's performance. He watched her rotate the guitar to her back and fall back, using the microphone stand as a stationary point to curve herself sensually back toward it. Once her face was close to the microphone, she continued, eyeing the darkened audience with dark allure.

            "With nothing but the darkness round us hold me in your cold embrace, let me feel the chaos through you, see destruction in your face.

            "Source of all power grant your darkness. Those simple fools who stand against us, let them all be destroyed by the power you and I possess!"

            The band had worked to its climax, all instruments echoing across the room, drums rolling faster and faster. Lina spun the guitar round to her front letting forth a powerful chord, and then rolling the notes down to a soft reprise of the original theme, followed immediately by the band.

            "Master of Darkness, master of me, I am your Dragon Slave."

             Jiras concluded with a drum solo, finished with a group unison chord. The crowd was on its feet and screaming, and Zelgadis could do little more than stare stupidly as the band bowed off the stage, drowned by tremendous applause and shouts.

            Zelgadis felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked to see Xellos grinning toward him.

            "Come on, we have to go meet with them. Oh, by the way, here." Xellos handed Zelgadis a handkerchief, turned, and began walking farther backstage.

            Zelgadis stared at the handkerchief for a moment, then followed Xellos, "What's this for Xellos?" and, after realizing, stuffed it into his hip pocket "You jerk, I wasn't even close to…"

            "Judging from the look on your face, I think you were ready to."

            "Xellos!"

            Xellos only smiled wider, and then began to run as Zelgadis chased him to the other side of the stage, until Zelgadis realized how stupid he looked. Quietly cursing Xellos, he stopped and walked after him.

            Spotting Xellos just ahead, he quickened his pace to catch up, and was surprised to see Lina standing opposite him.

            "So, it looks like you made it. Did you get to see the performance," she asked Xellos as Zelgadis came up beside him.

            "Oh yes, I saw perfectly from the wings. I will admit, I am impressed by your abilities. Someone else was too," he motioned to Zelgadis, who immediately lowered his eyes.

            "Hey Zelgadis," she said between breaths, "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Wasn't expecting you tonight, though, only Xellos." She noticed the handkerchief hanging out of his pocket and shot her hand into the pocket to retrieve it, "Thanks Zelgadis, don't mind if I do." she used it to wipe the sweat from her face and stuffed it into her own hip pocket.

            Zelgadis immediately turned red, making the scars even more prominent than before, and his eyes dropped to his feet.

            "So Lina, are you guys done tonight?" Xellos motioned over his shoulder to Zelgadis, "I know we got here later than expected, but that couldn't be helped with downtown traffic."

            "Sadly, that was our last song for the night. Too bad too; you could've heard some more of our best stuff.

            "Say, I'm hungry. Xellos, do you mind if we get something to eat, your treat?"

            Zelgadis looked up, giving a look of surprise to Xellos. How could she simply invite herself to dinner at his expense?

            "No problem. In fact, why don't you bring the entire band, I'm sure they're equally famished? How about Troll Burger?"

            "Yuck! Not only are they cheap, but their food takes a supernatural constitution to handle."

            Xellos thought about it for a moment, "You know, you're right. How about Calvert's? They're food is good, and their desserts enough to blow you mind."

            Zelgadis' head was swimming. Calvert's! It cost thirty dollars a head average just for dinner, desserts not included.

            "Xellos, I think you may have talked me into it."

            "Good, we'll see you there then."

            Calvert's was a restaurant with world-renowned food and an outstanding customer satisfaction record. It was a lavish establishment, with gentle mood lighting, a live strings quartet, tuxedoed waiters, and art pieces more valuable than a year's worth of earning for several students combined.

            Now Zelgadis found himself with five other people waiting for soup to arrive, dressed in rags compared to most of the other restaurant's patrons, being watched carefully by several tables of people.

            "Xellos, how did you manage to talk your way into here?"

            "As you know, my family is…well off, and very influential. It was easy to negotiate with the maitre d'." Xellos said as he lifted his wineglass filled with water, "Anyway, here's to an awesome performance by Lord of Nightmares."

            There was a general group agreement, and Lina smiled, " Thank you Xellos. What did you think, Zelgadis?"

            Zelgadis looked up, mostly surprised by Lina's voice, "Uh, what?"

            "The performance: what did you think?"

            "Well, to be perfectly honest…very neatly done. Everyone has good technique, and the stage presentation was well setup. Overall, a good performance." He knew he was lying somewhat: Lina's style was excellent, but their performance was far from the best they could be, a pool of untapped potential.

            "Hey Lina, Vrumugun and I have to go run a quick errand. We'll be back in a few minutes," Zangulus said as the two of them rose.

            "Should we wait for you to eat?" Xellos asked.

            "I won't," Lina smiled, "They know me well enough."

            "That is true. Just have them keep it warm for us."

            "Okay," Xellos replied cheerfully, "Now Lina, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

            "Talk about? Oh yeah. Xellos, it seems that our band is lacking something. You sing, right?"

            "Yes, I have a decent voice."

            "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to be a secondary vocalist for the group, become the fifth member of Lord of Nightmares?"

            Zelgadis could almost feel his jaw dropping. Xellos in Lord of Nightmares? Did the cheerful, eternally optimistic Xellos have the attitude needed to deal with that kind of dark music?

            "Well, I never really thought about it much, but I think it could be fun. Did you know Zelgadis could play guitar?"

            "No I didn't," Lina sounded surprised, "Zel, you never told me you were musically inclined."

            "My skills are mediocre, nothing like what you have."

            There was a moment of silence, and Lina looked to the floor quietly, and then looked to Zelgadis with a confident smirk, "Of course I'm good, I have talent."

            Jiras' face contorted for a moment, and he wrapped his hand around his muzzle, "Too many, too many." He sprung from his seat and dashed across the restaurant, looking for the bathroom. The three left at the table looked at one another for a moment, and then Xellos rose,

            "I'll take care of him. You two go ahead and talk, better to pass the time with."

            After Xellos disappeared from view, the two stared at one another while trying to avoid eye contact and come up with ideas on what to talk about.

            "So, I hear you and Valgarv almost got in a fight yesterday."

            "Yeah."

            "What about, if you don't mind me asking?"

            "The same thing I've always been teased about by him: my scars. He just doesn't know when to leave good enough alone."

            "Do they still hurt? I know it's been years, but do they still hurt?"

            Zelgadis unhooked his thumb from the sleeve and rolled it back, revealing several long scars, "In their own way."

            Her expression softened, "I'm sorry to hear it. Another question: What did you really think of the performance?" She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm and her elbow on the table, her face becoming angled slyly, almost seductively.

            "Like I said…"

            "I know what you told them, and I know what you said is bullshit to be nice. Tell me the truth. I have an older sister who can see right through me, so I got good at noticing these things myself. Out with it."

            Zelgadis took a deep breath, "Well, for one, your own techniques are excellent. Your energy and drive are what keeps the band glued together."

            "Okay."

            "No one in the band is without talent, there is no doubting that. However, I think that there is so much more they can do.

            "Jiras is wicked with the those drums, but I think he needs to let go more often, give in to urge to abuse the damn things, particularly if your music is mostly like what I heard tonight.

            "Secondly, Zangulus is a great player of the synth and keys, but he can't expect to wow the crowd using his current routine. It's just plain stiff.

            "And lastly, mostly for Vrumugun, but this goes to all the guys as well. They need to let go, go crazy while still staying dark. It works for Chimera, it should for Lord of Nightmares."

            Lina only smiled, "Thank you Zelgadis. I knew you were holding back, and when I want something, I don't stop until I get it."

            Zelgadis felt a twinge in his gut. Why was he reacting like this?

            "Lina, Zelgadis?" a cheerful voice sounded across the restaurant. Zelgadis looked to the source, and watched as a bouncy girl, dressed in the latest fashionable dress, bounded over to them, her purple hair catching the light as she came to halt at the table.

            "Wow, I haven't seen either of you for a long time. How are things?" She was so positive and cheerful it made Zelgadis' spine tingle. It was no doubt she was the school counselor's daughter, what with her openly optimistic nature and incredible moral drive.

            "Hello, Amelia," Zelgadis answered, trying his best to sound very cheerful. Her father Philionel was the school's head counselor, an odd occupation for a man with so much money, Zelgadis thought. However, he never failed to deliver his message of positive thinking and hard dedication to doing the right thing to the school populous most of which simply ignored him or disregarded his advice.

            "Things are well," Lina added, quickly moving to the soup to give an adequate excuse for not talking anymore.

            "That's good. Mr. Zelgadis, did you get into a fight with Valgarv?" Amelia asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

            "Almost Amelia."

            "You two need to work out your differences. I know that the two of you can do it." She wasn't looking at either of them, rather looking off into the distance with the gleam of positive energy in her eyes, "We can all live together in peace as long as…"

            "Long as there are no secrets," Zelgadis completed her father's saying, "And as long as you keep working at bringing peace there will be men and women who will oppose you. Amelia, I don't think I'm in the mood for…"

            "A 'Mood Booster'?"

            Zelgadis flinched. This was going to be embarrassing, not to mention annoying.

            Amelia flashed an energetic grin, took a deep breath, and began her speech, "Behold, those of you who suffer from low self-esteem! Even the worst of storms soon fade and disappear, as long as you have faith that positive thinking will always triumph over the worst of defeats. As a true champion of doing the right thing and thinking positively, I will dedicate myself to defeating the worst of situations! Don't worry Zelgadis, it only gets better after it gets worse."

            With that said, Amelia bounded off back toward her table, tripped over her own feet, and sprawled on the floor in front of a waiter. Since he didn't see her, he tripped and flew several feet, a plate of expensive looking seafood crashing to the floor.

            "I'm okay. Sir, are you okay?"

            Though Zelgadis felt sorry for Amelia and the waiter, he was forced to hold back a chuckle. Looking across the table to Lina, he could see the same restraint on her face.

            Letting some of it come out as a soft snort, Zelgadis was able to push the rest down and ignoring the pain in his jaw from a tightening smile. Lina just let out a soft chuckle, and the two of them looked at one another again.

            "That was good," Lina finally said, lifting her soup bowl to drink the last of it. Zelgadis grabbed a piece of bread from the center basket and dipped into his own soup with it.

            "I agree."

            A waiter approached the table with several more plates, the meal's next course, and he watched the gleam in Lina's eyes flash intensely, an almost frightening combination of love, determination, and ravenous hunger, her lips spread in a wide smile.

            "Alright, keep it rolling, only four more courses to go plus dessert!"

            "Where do you put it Lina?"

            Lina narrowed her eyes, "What is that supposed to mean?"

            Zelgadis backed away, "Nothing."