Lord of Entertainment C19 Maxwell

As the day of the concert drew near, I found myself in the midst of intense preparations. The elves had proven to be quick learners, their natural affinity for music making my job easier. I was teaching them to form a choir, introducing them to a piece from my previous life - Lacrimosa.

The ethereal sound of their voices filled the theatre as they practiced:

Their harmony was nearly perfect, the haunting melody sending shivers down my spine. It was in the middle of this rehearsal that I saw Rocky approaching, his face a storm of emotions.

"What in the name of Solarus have you done?" he demanded, his usually refined voice tinged with distress. He thrust one of my posters in front of me. "Why are you proclaiming that a demon will perform in my theatre? And is this visage meant to represent you?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. "It's just a publicity stunt to attract an audience," I explained, trying to sound reassuring.

Rocky's frown deepened, his concern evident in every line of his face. "If the patrons do not witness an actual demon, they shall be most furious, Arthur. Have you considered the consequences of such deception?"

I smiled, maintaining my composure. "Don't worry about it. They will indeed see a demon." And they would - I am a demon, after all. I planned to alter my appearance to look demonic, while maintaining a human aura. The more powerful or sensitive individuals might notice the discrepancy, but to most, I'd appear as a human in convincing demon costume.

"I sincerely hope you comprehend the gravity of your actions, Arthur," Rocky said, his tone a mixture of warning and concern.

I nodded, trying to project confidence. "I've got it under control, Rocky. Trust me."

As Rocky walked away, still looking troubled, I turned back to the elves. Their curious eyes were on me, having overheard the exchange.

"Alright, everyone," I said, clapping my hands to regain their attention. "Let's take it from the top."

We resumed our rehearsal.

The haunting melody of Lacrimosa filled the air once more, and I lost myself in the music.

***

As the days flew by, I found myself not just teaching, but conducting. In addition to the elven choir, I had assembled a band to provide the necessary instrumental backing for our performance. The combination of ethereal elven voices and the rich tones of the instruments was truly something to behold.

Before I knew it, a week had passed in the blink of an eye. The elves and the band had made remarkable progress, their performances growing more polished with each rehearsal. The Lacrimosa, which I had chosen as my entrance piece, was sounding hauntingly beautiful.

On the morning of the concert, I arrived at the theatre at 7:00 AM, a full two hours before the performance was set to begin. To my surprise, there was already a crowd gathering outside.

As I made my way through the growing crowd, snippets of conversation caught my attention. The air was thick with anticipation and speculation.

"Is there really a demon that'll perform here?" a young man asked his friend, his voice a mix of excitement and disbelief.

His companion shrugged, skepticism evident in his tone. "Who knows? It could be just the owner going desperate to attract an audience for his classy theatre. But I've heard from my father that the owner of this place wouldn't resort to that because of his pride."

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at that. Rocky's reputation was on the line here too, and he had no idea of the full extent of my deception.

Another group nearby was discussing the uniqueness of the event. "Having elves perform is nothing new, but a demon? That's definitely something I hope to see. I wonder if a demon can really perform?"

Then the conversation took a turn that made my blood boil.

"Haha, the kingdom of those demons is so backward," one man laughed. "I heard they still use horse and carriages for travel."

His friend chimed in, "That's true. My cousin who went there a month ago said the demon kingdom looked like it's still in the medieval era. Cars are still unaffordable for many, they wear classy clothes and don't even wear underwear."

"Yuck," someone else chimed in.

I shook my head as I walked past, biting my tongue to keep from responding. Their ignorance and prejudice were infuriating, but I couldn't risk blowing my cover.

As I made my way through the theatre, a disturbing realization began to dawn on me. The reason for the massive turnout wasn't just curiosity about a potentially scary demon performance. No, it was something far more insidious.

Many in the audience had come because they viewed demons as inferior, as having a "slave" status in society. To them, this wasn't a concert - it was a spectacle. They were here to see what they considered a lower being perform for their amusement.

The comparison that came to mind made my stomach churn. It was like people going to see a monkey perform in a circus. No, that wasn't quite right. It was more akin to a tiger performing tricks - something wild and potentially dangerous, tamed for their entertainment.

As I entered the backstage area, I saw the elves, the band, and the conductor who would guide the entire orchestra. Their excited faces were a stark contrast to the turmoil in my mind.

***

My name is Cain Maxwell, and for the past two years, I've served as a priest in the city of Saint Angeles. My duties have been manifold - blessing noble children with the {Holy Magic} of the great Solarus, maintaining order, and, when necessary, dealing with disobedient demons.

Saint Angeles has proven to be a challenging post. The frequency of demonic insubordination here is higher than in many other cities I've served. Each case requires careful handling.

So when news reached me of a demon planning to hold a concert in our fair city, I knew I had to investigate personally. Such a brazen act could only be seen as a provocation, a clear sign of disobedience that couldn't go unchecked.

As we stood outside the Rockwell Theatre, I could feel the tension radiating from my subordinates. Deacon Ivan, in particular, was chomping at the bit to take action.

"Priest Maxwell, we should go ahead inside the theatre and quickly eliminate this disobedient demon," he urged, his voice tight with barely contained zeal.

I raised a hand, gesturing for calm. "Patience, Deacon Ivan. We don't yet know if there's truly a demon involved. And even if there is, we haven't received any reports from its master. We need the master's approval before we can take any action."

Ivan's face twisted in a sneer. "If it is a demon, its very presence here is an affront to us." He cast a glance at the theatre entrance. "We should go inside and take a look."

Again, I called for restraint. "Patience, Deacon Ivan. We will wait and observe the performance when it begins."

Ivan nodded reluctantly, clearly unhappy with my decision but unwilling to disobey a direct order.

For two hours, we waited, watching the excited crowd file into the theatre. The mix of anticipation and morbid curiosity on their faces was troubling. Did they not understand the danger a demon could pose?

Finally, it was time. We joined the line, our clerical robes parting the crowd as we made our way inside. The air was thick with excitement and an undercurrent of tension that I'm sure only we truly understood.

As we took our seats, I couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Whatever was about to unfold on that stage, I knew it could have far-reaching consequences. And as a servant of Solarus, it was my duty to ensure those consequences aligned with the divine will.

The lights began to dim, and a hush fell over the audience. My hand instinctively moving to the holy symbol at my chest. Whatever came next, I would be ready.

Let the demon show itself, I thought. And may Solarus guide our actions in response.