So sorry for the long wait. I've been very busy with school. I've had finals and I had to study.
The two bands had brought Laney to one of the dressing rooms in the auditorium. They laid her down on the bed they were using for the play. The group looked at her sadly as they stood around, trying to figure out what to do next. Corey sat by Laney's bedside with his head face down on the sheets. "Oh Lanes, I'm so sorry." Corey choked out. He was convinced that it was entirely his own fault that Laney was cursed.
"Riffin..." He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked behind him to see Carrie. "You can either keep crying and blame yourself, or you can find that spirit that did this and make him wake her up!" she told him. Corey wiped a tear away and stared at her in surprise. "Wha?"
The others came over and formed a circle around him "Laney is our friend too, and we are not just going to sit here and let her stay under this curse." Kon resolved, with Kin nodding in agreement.
"Our rivalry aside, I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I'm in too." Larry added, recalling how supportive the other bassist had been to him when they were fused together. The rest of the Newman's stood by Larry. They were going to help Grojband for once.
Corey wiped the tears from his eyes "Thanks, all of you." He said sincerely, before becoming serious again, "Ok, if we are gonna save Lanes, we probably have to defeat that evil spirit. Any new info?" He looked at Kin and Kim.
The two keyboardists held out a small gold box "While you were moving Laney in here, I went and got the box where the mist came from." Kin explained, showing them the empty container. Carrie looked at the writing on the top "What does this writing mean?" She asked. "It's a prophecy." Kin answered.
Kon grabbed the box and read it out loud. "'Poison sleeps within a casket, a golden seal around to mask it, upon its awakening from its slumber, it seeks for one to put under, as darkness surrounds the cursed one, only with the gift of heart shall it be undone.' Wow, you know it's for real when it rhymes!"
Konnie tilted her head in confusion "Kim, translate?" "I think it means that an evil is sealed inside and if it's released, then it will go after someone. But I don't know what the gift of heart is." Kim translated.
Corey looked thoughtful for a moment, then he felt an idea lightbulb go off in his head. "I've got it! Music comes from the heart! That must be it!" everybody looked unsure "I don't think that's it, Corey." Larry pointed out. "Look, every time we've faced a problem, music has always solved it! So naturally it will save Lanes too!" Corey reasoned.
"It wouldn't hurt to give it a shot." Konnie shrugged. Coming in between Kon and Konnie, Corey wrapped his arms around them "That's the spirit! Now let's go put an end to that spirit!" He encouraged everyone. "Yeah!" They all fist pumped enthusiastically and ran out of the room. Larry didn't join them and instead stayed where he was. "Three, two, one." He counted. Everyone came back in. Corey spoke up sheepishly "First we should find out HOW to end that spirit."
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT DETAIL
The gang brought Mina up to speed on what had happened; she agreed to watch over Laney while the group went back to the library. Kin and Kim each sat at a computer while the others crowded around them, except for Corey, who paced back and forth impatiently, "Find anything yet?"
Kim turned around "Surprisingly, yes. We looked up the legend we read earlier and found out a little more. The black mist thing was born long ago from the fires of witches. It has been named 'Hex' because of its nature of putting curses on others. It loved causing discord and despair and caused a lot of suffering. It traveled the world until it ended up in Peaceville a couple hundred years ago. There was a beautiful maiden protecting Peaceville named Arietta. Look at her portrait." Kim brought up a painting for the others to see. "She looks just like Laney!" Larry commented.
Kim continued the story "She was in love with a boy named Mavis and they were very much in love. One day, Hex arrived in Peaceville and tormented the townsfolk. Mavis tried to stand up to Hex but was cruelly killed by him." "How did he die?" Carrie asked. Kim looked at the words on the screen and winced "Well lets just say it wasn't a family friendly death."
Kin continued from where she left off "Arietta saw her lover's demise and was completely enraged. She battled Hex head on with her own magic. But no matter how strong she was, the heartbreak of losing Mavis weakened her powers and she could not destroy Hex. All she could do was use her powers to seal him in a casket of gold she created. Hex was imprisoned, but Arietta knew that one day he would be set free by some unsuspecting idiot-HEY! She also saw that Hex bore a grudge against her and wanted revenge. She knew he would seek someone who reminded him of her and curse her in Arietta's place. So she used the last of her magic to cast a prophecy that would end Hex, and save the one who is cursed instead of her."
"Did she die after that?" Kon wondered, Kin responded "No, she just couldn't use magic anymore. She lived to be 86 and became a nun."
"So the writing on the box is the prophecy. Does it say anything about what the gift of heart is?" Larry asked, but the keyboardists shook their heads. "Don't worry, I'm sure that music is the gift, we just need lyrics." Corey assured them.
Konnie raised an eyebrow "Well why don't you write some?" Corey, Kin and Kon looked away nervously "I think Corey just needs a little 'inspiration' before he can write." Kim covered for the boys, slyly winking to Kin, who winked back as a way of saying 'thanks'.
"Ok, me and Kon will get-I mean think of lyrics. The rest of you hunt down that wicked ghost and trap him so we can rock out and save Lanes!" Corey declared. "We better hurry though. We only have 22 hours to wake Laney up, and the play is tomorrow night." Kin reminded him. "Then let's do this!" Corey put his hand out, and the others put their hands on top of his. 'Laney, I promise I will save you.'