The Alliance - A Songbird's Cry: Major K-Pop

She settled in to her routine activities for the evening at the club, seeing the usual scum scattered about the establishment. The place itself was actually quite nice, pretty high level clientele often stopping in to mingle with the common rabble. What they came for though, wasn't the booze or the atmosphere, it was to hear the live music. Many an astounding voice had graced the walls with their beautiful tones. It just so happened that this night was amateur's night, and @topkpop always sang on amateur's night.

The club was called 'The Songbird' and was owned by a shifty Dred-Pirate named @goldenarms. He had offered to sign her as a permanent spotlight feature performer, but she really enjoyed the humility of helping others and just being one of the hired hands. She had also declined several contracts already from 'less reputable' record labels and even passed on some fairly prestigious ones. 'K-Pop' (as the locals began calling her) really wasn't interested in the money. She owned amateur's night because she loved to sing. It was her release, her passion, her...secret gift.

When she was young, she sang everywhere she went, like Snow White skipping through the forest and tuning into nature's voice. Her grandmother noticed she had a gift for singing and encouraged her often to express herself through song. Her grandmother was the famous 'Diva Divine' and was very seldom in town to see @topkpop, but when she was, the time spent was cherished. There were no cameras, no people begging for autographs, just her and grandma. When she was 10 years old, her grandmother presented her with a special necklace that had been passed down for generations since before even Diva Divine could remember.

The necklace was all she had left now. When the Hadish came and started tearing the major cities apart, her grandmother was caught in the crossfire of an assault and murdered in the fiery streets. At the moment of her death, the necklace got real warm around her neck and the sensation tickled its way throughout her entire body. She knew something had happened. The news had gotten to the young lady K-Pop about a week later and she cried for several days, not sleeping. It was also the last time she ever cried, as a coldness enveloped her heart.

People were really starting to pour into The Songbird now. K-Pop actually had quite a few loyal fans, despite her reluctance to go mainstream or be a headliner. But, she was anyway, and each Wednesday night, it was apparent that word had spread yet even farther of her magnificent voice. She really was a diva in her own right, a true diva. One that sang for the love of song and nothing more. She didn't accept tips or envelopes of money, she simply enjoyed singing. Her voice could lull even the rowdiest of crowds, and tonight surely was a rambunctious set of odds and ends about the tables, bar-stools and floor.

But, there was something off about tonight, something...elusive. It gave her a queezy feeling as she took the stage and began her piece. Everyone was hushed from the lovely aria she filled the air with. During each pause for breath, you could hear a mouse squeak in the basement as the silent anticipation of the crowd offered its respect. As she was finishing, a storm began to brew and the gentle rain was heard on the rooftop... ... ...

X40L1N looked outside and said "It's time to go, an ally needs our assistance." He arose from his meditation and set out the door of the ancient temple grounds.

"In this storm, are you crazy?" mocked @michaeldavid.

The leer cast back at The Docta spoke loudly. What was contained within X40L1N's eyes immediately fetched the seriousness of the situation. @tattoodjay and @michaeldavid followed. X40L1N could see, and they knew it.

As they jogged toward town, the Juyo paused briefly and said to the General, "Are you familiar with The Songbird?"

"I am mate, I hear there is voice there everyone should listen to." Then JJ added, "I think her name is K-Pop, my friend @saffisara told me about her a few months back. Wait, that's @goldenarm's spot right?"

"Indeed it is, and that's the voice we are after." A grim countenance came across his face, "JJ, I need you to gather a small force, roughly a dozen trusted warriors, and meet us there."

"Yes, yes, I will meet you there in an hour." And with that, the General set forth to his part of the city while X40L1N and The Docta made a beeline to the club... ...

The weather was becoming rather menacing after her performance, the wind whipping over the roof and rain pelting the windows. After the grand standing ovation, the only thing that could really be heard were the thunderous claps from the heavens. A few more lightning strikes causing a strobe effect throughout the building and...the power went out. Some people began to panic as all the backup generator lit was the small lights around the bar and a few red blinking emergency lights. You can only imagine the chaos of a crowded room of mostly drunken pompous louts. Guns began firing left and right, swords were drawn and it became quite the spectacle resembling a laser light show, but of death and destruction.

K-Pop was no stranger to a battle however, and she soon joined in the skirmish to seek a way out. She ruthlessly cut down multiple thugs and bandits on her way to the back door. As she exited the violent club, seeming to have done it a thousand times before, her necklace began to warm around her neck and almost glow. She looked up pausing to see X40L1N and The Docta standing but a few paces away at the end of the ally.

"You boys are a little late for a rescue, not that I really needed your - "

X40L1N cut her off, "Actually, we're just in time!"

No sooner than he said that, K-Pop could feel the evil emanating from behind her. She knew what was coming. The Hadish. "Well you boys just gonna stand there or...?"