AN: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I had a bit of writer's block on how I wanted to continue the Kabuto world. Thankfully, this story is an anthology. I'll get back to it when I can. In the meantime, here's a one-shot that's been on my mind.
If you have time, please leave a review.
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock
Universe 20051108
USA
It started so simply. Johnny was on drums. Scruffy ran the Bass. Eddie did Vocals. Unfortunately, their band wasn't complete without the lead guitarist. They were lucky when someone answered their ad in the paper. When he came to audition at their garage, they showed talent, earning their approval. Their first gig started off easy with a Backyard Bash. The grass is sparsely populated with partiers, but it grew as the night went on. On their encore, even the police came to rock out.
As it would turn out, the band got spotted by a talent scout who wanted them to play at Mitch's Moose Lounge for a rock concert opening act. After rocking out with a battle, they again drew attention. A girl in each arm, the owner of the club, Lou, offered them a record deal promising money and fame. All they had to do was sign a contract. Perhaps that's when it all went wrong for the band.
Johnny suggested that they do a Video Shoot. Once they were at the shoot, though, he scratched his head, wondering what they were doing there. The set was on a Pontiac rig before a chroma-key screen, in which the projected images give off the illusion that the rig is "going" through multiple places. Not thinking about it too much, the band did what they did best and played.
Like magic, their video was booming worldwide, inciting them to go on an English tour. All throughout the country, they spread their music and fame. Their final tour venue: Ye Olde Royal Odeon in London in the U.K. Their stage featured a giant fire-breathing, robotic dragon, which a giant robotic knight slays between the normal songs and the encore. The drums sat in a castle-like setting. The room also has red-striped banners that feature a simple dragon drawing. It got pretty wild near the end. During the encore, a malfunction caused one of the knights to swing his axe too far, and the dragon was decapitated. Its head fell to the floor and nearly crushed Eddie and the new guy, stepping to the side at the last second.
Following the tour, they might have gotten a little carried away with the money and fame. The media was accusing them of selling out. They were unsure of what to do until Johnny came to the group with a letter from an inmate who loved their music. It would be a good way to give back to their fans. When they pitched performing at the prison to their label, they didn't like it. He wanted the band to go on Wednesday Night Life with Klay Beacon as the musical guest. To the band, their choice was clear.
With everything prepped, they traveled to Shanker's Island. Hundreds of prisoners stood in a rectangular pit fenced off and guarded by prison officers surrounded by two stories of cells on either side. Some prisoners cheered on the upper stories along with officers. It seemed to be a recurring thing. They didn't know how or why, but Slash from Guns and Roses was there. When they played "Welcome to the Jungle" with Slash, someone announced a lockdown, making things even wilder. Smoke grenades are thrown from the second floor. Despite this, the Prisoners and guards keep cheering.
The band's popularity skyrocketed when news of their guitar showdown with Slash hit the news. Their band would be headlining the Desert Rock Tour. They set the stage on the side of a large mesa. The stage had many flashing lights, including a large alien structure.
While the night went well, their manager Lou was getting on their nerves. Sensing this, he offered them a chance to tour Japan at the Kaiju Megadome. Much like before, the performance went off without a hitch, but Lou kept pushing for more cookie-cutter appearances as time passed. Being told to star in Celebrity Has-Been Dance Off seemed to be the last straw for Eddie and Scruffy, and he wanted Lou fired as their label.
To their surprise, Lou was unfazed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out their contract and pointed at a single line.
Your soul is mine.
Johnny and Scruffy stared at the words before glaring at Eddie. He really should have read the fine print before signing. Before they could say anything else, the ground shook. A fissure formed beneath their feet, unleashing a crimson light. The cracks grew larger until the entire band was dragged to a new location: Lou's Inferno in the Rock Underworld.
They were in a huge room with Thick Izzy sitting on a throne behind. On the opposite side of the stage is a large fire. In front of the stage, a large crowd of people who had died and been sentenced to Hell and the souls of people collected by Lou gathered to watch the show.
Lou re-introduced himself as Lucifer, appearing to them in his proper form. His body resembled that of a goat. Hooves and horns decorated his features. After one more hurdle, the band would be forced to play under him for the rest of their lives.
Per the rules of the God of Rock, before a soul can be permanently locked into the underworld, Lucifer needed to defeat them in the guitar battles of old. Just as trickster spirits like the Grecian Pan and Celtic fairies chose flutes and drums, the devil gravitated toward the fiddle as his musical weapon of choice. By the 1960s and '70s, it was time for the devil to update his image by laying down the fiddle and picking up the electric guitar. From the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" to Black Sabbath's album We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll, the groups' overt emphasis on Satan was unmistakable. Lou spent his time gathering souls in exchange for musical prowess. Meet him at the crossroads, leave your nerves on the porch, or prepare to spend eternity tuning his guitars.
The band stared at him cautiously as he told them the details of the final duel. Their eyes drifted to their lead guitarist. They never consulted him on band matters since he just went with the flow. Now, the fate of their souls was in his hands.
Lucifer held out a hand, a Chesire smile on his face. "May the better musician win? Let's shake on it."
The new guy slowly reached forward and entered his grip.
Like a bear trap, the devil's hand snapped shut. Superhuman force started crushing the hand as it shook, bringing the lead guitarist to his knees in pain.
When he was free, the new guy held the appendage in pain. Claw marks dug into his skin.
Eddie shoved the devil. "What the hell, asshole!"
"That's got to be cheating!" accused Scruffy.
Lucifer just smirked. "Oh, dear. It seems I don't know my strength." Truthfully, he had seen the musical skills of the stranger throughout the band's career, and he was apprehensive. Call this little act of his insurance. A sinister chuckle escaped his lips.
As if sensing the musical sin, the eyes of the Thick Izzy animatronic at the rear of the stage began to glow a divine white. The winds within the room picked up.
The humans were confused, but the devil grimaced. He had hoped his trickery would go unnoticed. It would seem that the gods looked at these humans more closely than he thought.
From the realm of Asgard beyond time and space, Billie the goat pulled a hotrod chariot across the rainbow bridge. Billie and his passenger then descended onto the mortal plane.
From the heavens, a voice bellowed. "Beware the Viking God of Rock! For with the power of my Mighty Axe... I RULE!" From a bolt of lightning, Valhallen, the Norse God of Rock, appeared. The god had long blonde hair that obscured his eyes and a gray sweatband around his head with wings that mimicked the helmet of his cousin Thor. He wore a black, ripped, sleeveless shirt and black tights held up by a black belt with metal spikes. He also has knee-high golden boots. He carries around a pink Flying V electric guitar that is the source of his superpowers. "Who dares taint the sacred traditions of Rock?" Valhallen spoke in a stern but calm tone. His eyes scanned over the mortals before landing on the demon. "Oh, it's you, Lucifer. I should have known."
Steeling his nerves, Johnny spoke to the god. "That rat bastard challenged us to a rock battle before breaking my bro's hand!"
The god seemed to growl from hearing about the act. He could feel the wayward souls in the room relating to the humans. "How long has this been going on?"
Lucifer sneered. "It's too late now. The transactions have been paid. You know the rules, Valhallen. You can't stop the deal."
Valhallen "I can't, but I can balance the scales. For this transgression, I must balance the scales with a replacement."
"You can't just heal his hand?" asked Scruffy.
The blond shook his head. "It's not my domain, but don't worry. You're allowed a substitute. Good news: I know a guy who would want to help free of charge."
The band members looked at each other before shrugging. If the god of rock was recommending someone, who were they to turn it down?
Lucifer huffed in contentment. "Call forth anyone. It matters not." He was already familiar with the other Asgardians who followed Valhallen. They should be no trouble to him. From the ground below, his guitar, called the Obliviaxe, rose to his hands. It looked like a skeleton corpse with the headstock a horned skull, the fretboard a spine, and the body a rib cage.
"Time to make the call." Valhallen pulled out his gold pick and took a ready stance. Instantly, his fingers danced along the neck with his pick across the bridge. The people nearby recognized it as the Raining Blood by Slayer. The roof above them darkened and filled with clouds. As the notes got faster and more complex, multicolored stage lights shone from the heavens. Not long after, mystical lightning from his cousin crackled before striking his Flying V like a Lightning Rod. Magic coursed through his body, channeling a call for a worthy opponent for Lucifer. With the climax of the chorus, an ethereal serpent erupted from his being, passing through the limits of space and time and into the beyond. As the god approached the outro, his power simmered to a calm stillness. "Let's see if he picks up."
Not long after, a blue portal appeared. An armored green figure and a flying white and blue drone stepped out. Eddie and the other blinked at the new arrival. He looked more like a soldier than a rockstar.
Valhallen walked to his friend nonchalantly, a high five at the ready. "Yo! Sup, Slayer!"
The head of Vega's drone dipped. "Greeting again, Sir Valhallen."
An amused eye roll later, the Doom Slayer returned the high five.
Val gestured to Lou. "I know you might be busy, but I figured this guy was up your alley. Guy thought it would be fine to just cheat in our duels, damning untold souls." He held up his pink axe of power. "It's time that we correct this. You know how we settle things here. Show e'm what you got."
The Slayer responded in kind, a smirk under his visor. Val was one of the few gods in the omniverse with whom he was on friendly terms.
Valhallen raised a fist to his chest. "Rock on, brah!"
The Doom Slayer glared at Lucifer, analyzing Obliviaxe. It looked very similar to his Hell Guitar. His hand reached into the air, and the Slayer Tech Flying V materialized. The guitar was designed in the same style as his armor. This was the one he practiced most with.
The humans and Valhallen looked in amazement at the new instrument of rock. They could feel the sheer passion and emotion emanating from its strings.
A hollow feeling grew in the demon's stomach upon looking at the substitute. The stranger's glare seemed to pierce his being. Bottling up his emotions, he followed the Doom Slayer to the front of the stage, and the other band members got into position. The former guitarist stood on the sidelines, guitar in hand, his glare never leaving Lucifer. "I'll allow you to start the first round."
In the same way the current god of rock was chosen, the auras of the Doom Slayer and Lucifer linked along with their instruments of choice. The souls of the damned gathered. It was time to settle this.
The drone that arrived with the Slayer positioned itself at the head of the stage, opening a hatch for two holographic projectors and connecting to the soundboards. A robotic voice spoke to the band. Follow the Slayer's lead. I have no doubt you will be able to follow.
The Doom Slayer selected a song to set the tone. Let this asshole demon know who he's messing with.
THE MARK (BFG Division Lyric Video) | VocalButcher Cover | DOOM
The Slayer started off with a few notes, Scruffy, Johnny, and Lucifer matching his tempo. From the speaker, a strange demonic voice gave the intro lyrics. Vega added electronic beats and sound effects to the live instruments.
The black star rises awakening those that dwell deep below
the bellows of beasts that seek to break and control
laying claim to the blood of trillions of lost souls
the culling of a universe, a hunger uncontrolled
The screen above depicted a black star rising above an ancient yet advanced city. Strange creatures advanced from the horizon.
From the hologram, Eddie felt it. He didn't just read the lyrics. It felt like they resonated within and roared out.
still there is one that they find
forged in their fires he hunts as they hide
breaking upon them, a wave of their blood
ripping and tearing until it is
DONE
A series of demonic symbols flashed across the screen over a desolate landscape.
The Doom Slayer and Lucifer crescendoed the chorus beats, neither letting the other get an early lead. Valhallen held his guitar, bobbing his head and mimicking the notes. He knew the Slayer was coming up with now songs, and this one did not disappoint.
how was it the blood of humanity travelled so far
they awakened a power, a judge, an immortal
they bleed through the stars
A 64-Bit rendering showed a lone warrior traveling across a complex in an orange landscape.
sent to a kingdom of dark and damnation
the will of a prophet, the force of a nation
divided they hide from the one who survived
the betrayal that night
The scene shifted to that of a large-scale battlefield between demons and white knights.
The Devil's guitar thrummed. An arc of godly energy feedback hit the Slayer. His vision flashed and the guitar in his hand vibrated, making notes harder to strum the right note. The Marine was not going to take it lying down. With an iron will, he focused on the feeling of his guitar bridge and the beat of the song.
sentinel sent there to die
fury will make him survive
brutality will be all he can see ever knowing the longer they fight
timeless he wanders the wastes where they dwell
nowhere to run, their own personal hell
as they cower in fear, knowing when he is near
that the reaper of sin will appear
When it seemed that the Knights were about to lose, a figure in green armor, much like the one playing guitar, appeared.
hearing his footsteps they flee
from the ground where he treads
once was a man
now a wraith of wrath
brought on their heads
With the wrath of a god, he laid waste to the enemy.
scores of millions
GENOCIDE
THEY WILL DIE
Feeling the power surging in his strings, the Slayer whipped the bridge at the demon. Like a wave, the feedback crackled and snapped the strings on Obliviaxe. Having already missed a few notes, the crowd's reaction to his performance was evident. Lucifer focused. He channeled his demonic energy to mend the strings to their appropriate tuning.
time never ends for the garden
but night will descend
light of the blackened star bringing them chaos instead
all they ever dare to fear is you
an eternal recokoning bearing the violent harvest
of everything they had CONSUMED
Led by the Green Warrior King, the Kights pushed back the oncoming threat.
(ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)
Rage consuming
fires are looming
maker light
my wrathful might
revenge in sight
Time seemed to flash forward with many more threats appearing: Giants larger than buildings, Angels of light, and Cybernetic beasts
Justice I will find
in their genocide
titans I will fight
end their reign tonight
they cannot repent
I will not relent
they cannot defend
I WILL NEVER END
When the Slayer strummed the next note, he immediately noticed it was off. Damn, asshole flipped his strings. Minimizing losses, he rotated the guitar bridge to his right hand. He wasn't much of a left, but he could make do until the effects reverse.
Still alive
going deeper I fight
endless hordes of despair
how I silence their cries
murder, atrocity all that ill ever be wary of all that I can
never will stop all the fury, the rage of the one who was once a man
The animation continued to show the lone man singlehandedly fight wave after wave of demons.
Down in darkness I hunt where they hide
in dark desolation their suffering, my pride
taking and breaking the sins of their making
mistaking the source of my violence, quaking
the heavens crying, dying, never satisfy
the tidal wave of blood and bone as you deny that
I will break down your walls
a rampaging flood
the whole universe
I have painted with your
BLOOD
all they ever dare to fear is you
eternity of blood and violent
harbinger, judge, I come bearing the mark of their
doom
As soon as the song ended, there was a feeling of relief. Johnny and Scruffy felt awe and inspiration from the soldier. Those thick armored fingers of his had the dexterity of a master.
Eddie felt the adrenaline from the lyrics wash over him. "Dude, that was sick!"
Valhallen stood before the crowd. As lost souls, they could only react to the music, not the musician. It was an unbiased determination of quality. Gauging their reaction to both parties. By a sizable margin, the Slayer had taken the first round. The band cheered in excitement. They were so close to freedom.
As the competition was best, two out of three, Lucifer needed to pull out all the stops on his end. He glared at the armored warrior. "Who are you?" Throughout the song, he could feel the lyrics flashing images in his mind, and it scared him. It wasn't just a song. It was an autobiography.
DragonForce - Through the Fire and Flames
The two opposing forces got to a strong start. Right out of the gate, the brief guitar solo showed that they weren't playing around.
On a cold winter morning, in the time before the light
In flames of death's eternal reign, we ride towards the fight
When the darkness has fallen down, and the times are tough all right
The sound of evil laughter falls around the world tonight
Fighting hard, fighting on for the steel, through the wastelands evermore
The scattered souls will feel the hell, bodies wasted on the shores
On the blackest plains in hell's domain, we watch them as they go
In fire and pain, now once again, we know
So now we fly ever free
We're free before the thunderstorm
On towards the wilderness, our quest carries on
Far beyond the sundown, far beyond the moonlight
Deep inside our hearts and all our souls
So far away, we wait for the day
For the lives all so wasted and gone
We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days
Through the fire and the flames, we carry on
Just as the Slayer was about to cut the demon's strings again, he felt the power sap from him. Lucifer had used his opportunity to steal. Now, he unleashed the attack back at the Slayer. Unlike the demon, the Dlayer couldn't fix his strings instantaneously. Fine movements of his fingers rethreaded and tuned strings, but the damage was already done. Lucifer seemed to pull the crowd back to his side by a slim margin.
As the red day is dawning
And the lightning cracks the sky
They'll raise their hands to the heavens above
With resentment in their eyes
Running back through the mid-morning light
There's a burning in my heart
We're banished from a time in a fallen land
To a life beyond the stars
In your darkest dreams see to believe
Our destiny this time
And endlessly we'll all be free tonight
And on the wings of a dream, so far beyond reality
All alone in desperation, now the time has gone
Lost inside, you'll never find, lost within my own mind
Day after day this misery must go on
So far away, we wait for the day
For the lives all so wasted and gone
We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days
Through the fire and the flames, we carry on
In retaliation, Doom Slayer saved up his energy and attacked the goat man twice in a row. Not only was his bridge flipped, but his guitar was also hammered. Having to deal with twice the problems slowed his progress immensely, allowing the Doom Slayer to catch up.
The Slayer and the Devil's fingers danced across their instruments at inhuman speed. Complex notes and melodies from one side were mimicked and one-upped by the other.
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
This was the final chance, during the last solo course, the two went all out. Notes amplified. Bodies electrocuted. Strings broke. Amplifiers exploded. Bridges flipped. Whammy bars broke.
It was the last-inning stretch. The auras of both ignited in an electric blue, gaining more and more cheer from the crowd. Just as Argent energy hummed in the Slayer Tech V, so did the hellish vitriol in Obliviaxe
Now here we stand with their blood on our hands
We fought so hard, now can we understand?
I'll break the seal of this curse if I possibly can
For freedom of every man
So far away, we wait for the day
For the lives all so wasted and gone
We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days
Through the fire and the flames, we carry on
When the smoke machine finally cleared, Lucifer was down on now knees, exhausted. He hadn't been pushed this far ever. This musician's skill was inhuman. Godly even.
Valhallen once again took the stage. The lost souls voiced their cheers. To the human ear, support from both sides sounded eerily similar. It was up to the god to make the final count. "Alright, guys. By the slimmest margin I've ever seen, the winner of this duel is... The Doom Slayer!"
The human band jumped in euphoria, all running to the Slayer in thanks.
Meanwhile, Lucifer's entire world shattered. Years of effort down the drain. "No! No! This can't be happening!" Heavy footsteps sounded behind him. Looking up, the hateful glare of the Slayer towered over him. Below Lucifer, the ground started to crack.
Valhallen leaned against the wall, unsurprised. "Well, Lucy. It's time for you to pay your end of the bargain."
Much like what he did to the band before, Lucifer fell into a more bottomless pit below, lost souls chasing after him. When the Devil reached the Earth's magma, the Slayer could feel the thread of the demon's energy feed into his suit.
After seeing the devil gone, the band looked around for an exit to the underworld. "So, how do we get outta here," asked Eddie.
The god of Rock smirked. "With these." After a strum of his axe, winged motorcycles similar in style to his chariot appeared. "Consider it a gift for all your troubles."
Johnny's eyes beamed at the sight. "Sick!" Each of them hopped onto their new rides. The drummer bumped fists with the Doom Slayer before hopping on. Revving their engines, the mortal flew upward, past a forming soulnado back to the overworld.
Back in the Underworld, Valhallen and the Doom Slayer stared at all the souls preparing to leave after confirming the downfall of Lucifer.
The blonde crossed his arms. "You know, the offer is still on the table."
Vega flew toward the pair. "While the offer to be the next god of Rock is pleasing, the Slayer still has obligations to fulfill before he can make any decisions."
The god shrugged. "That's fair. Still, if you ever want to take up the mantle, you will have to earn it." He smiled. "I've seen how well you did today, but know I still have some tricks up my sleeve. You better not underestimate me the next time you want to challenge me."
With an amused head shake, the Doom Slayer gave the blonde god his signature fist bump before leaving through the familiar blue portal. Little did the Slayer know that his little stunt caused a massive growth in his favorite genre of music. After all, it wasn't cold iron that cut down the devil, but Heavy Metal.
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