Iris started off the song, playing a dark opening melody with the lead guitar. The Pandemonium fans got excited because it sounded exactly the same as how Eros usually played it.
The bass guitar added texture a few sequences later, followed by the slow yet penetrating rhythm of the drums.
Then Blaze began singing in a whispering voice. Pandemonium fans thought it was very sexy. His voice gradually sounded solid as the melody and rhythm became thicker and heavier.
“Here it comes
The nightmare starts
Once we close our eyes
In the dead of the night
The ghosts come out, the demons prowl
If you’re not careful
They’re gonna get you! Get you! Get you!
Pull you, drag you
Until your soul is all swallowed up”
The beat changed. It became faster and heavier, making the audience jump up and down, pumping their hands up and banging their heads in the air. This was also the time that Iris began to slightly change the way she played the guitar. The expert guitarists watching the live performance narrowed their eyes and began to observe her more closely. However, the other band members didn’t seem to notice anything different.
Blaze’s singing became stronger, almost shouting out the lyrics but still remained captivating to the ears.
“The haunting starts
Get ready now
Don’t lose your way
Or you’ll never see the light of day
Just hold my hand and follow me
Together we’ll jump down the dark abyss”
Iris began to provide the second voice. Unlike the usual seductive singing of Eros, Iris sang in a haunting manner that the audience couldn’t help but feel chills down their spines while listening. They shivered, feeling as if a goddess of death was singing close to their ears. But still they felt thrilled by the eerie yet exhilarating experience.
“Let the ghosts come out!
Let the demons prowl!
I’m not afraid ‘cuz you’re here with me!
Let’s run, run, run
Don’t ever stop, don’t look back
Or you’ll get all swallowed up!”
The melody and the rhythm went into overdrive. The expert guitarists watching the live performance in the audience, backstage and at home, finally noticed what sounded different in Iris’ playing. At the beginning, she was just playing like how Eros usually played the guitar. She followed and coordinated with the rest of the members, but somewhere along the way, she began to take over the lead until the other band members were following her pace instead.
Blaze was already sweating as he sang with all his might. He held the mic and used his natural stage presence to make the screaming fans go even crazier.
“Let the blood-red moon be our guide
Blend in the shadows
Avoid the traps
Who’s a friend? Who’s a foe?
We don’t know, oh no we don’t
The sky can fall
The world can end
I don’t care as long as you’re with me
You’re all I need
So just follow me
Together we’ll jump down the dark abyss”
Iris walked forward to the front of the stage beside the euphoric Blaze. Then her guitar solo began. She stepped one of her foot forward, letting her long smooth leg out of her dress’ thigh-high slit. Her high heels were like cold and shining daggers, matching the dangerous yet bewitching aura she was currently emitting.
The electrifying solo guitar riff instantly made the fans go wild. They shrieked like they were going insane. Both the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans screamed Iris’ name over and over again.
Blaze, Night and Thunder finally noticed the difference in quality between Iris and their band mate Eros’ playing. Their eyes widened in amazement, especially after discovering that they were also playing better together with her. She used her advanced techniques to control the band’s chaos, elevating the song’s overall musicality to another level.
To show the extent of his amazement and to add excitement to the performance, Blaze fell down on one knee facing Iris while holding his chest.
Backstage, a certain man wearing a mask and shades unleashed a malevolent aura as he stood watching the performance live on the monitor. Jiang Ying Yue paled and moved a few steps away from the man, while Dom squawked, turned tail and ran far away. The masked man was able to control himself quickly, focusing instead on his amazing baby girl, completely erasing from his mind the existence of the three pests performing on the stage with her.
On the stage, Iris’ hands and fingers began to blur as they moved swiftly on the guitar strings. She changed up the melody, adding more punch and dimension to it than the original. Her version was cleaner, crisper, more complicated and intense.
Then she ended the guitar solo with a flourish, bending her back low and kicking her exposed leg. Some audience members passed out from too much excitement.
Blaze sang with even more gusto after such an electrifying guitar solo. Sweat spritzed out from him as he jumped up and down and rocked all around while singing the last parts of the song.
“It’s almost here
The dawn is near
I know you’re tired but stay with me
Just keep on running, don’t look back
Or else this nightmare will never stop
We’ll soon see the light of day
Just hold my hand and follow me!
Let’s run, run, run
Until our breaths run out
Open your eyes
Look wide and see
Now we’re out of the nightmare
Oh yes we’re out!
Oh yeah!”
All the band members, including Iris, jumped to end the song in a jarring last beat. As soon as their feet touched the floor again, the entire studio was filled with a deafening noise.
The audience all stood up. Their thunderous applause and roaring cheers drowned the hosts’ voice who were now trying to talk to Pandemonium and Iris.
“Iris! No, Boss Iris! You’re so cool! Please stay with Pandemonium forever and ever! I’ll become a Black Star just for you!”
“Sh*t! Is it just me or she’s way cooler than Eros? Sorry, Eros my love. I love you, but Iris is just on another level!”
“Oh damn! I’m straight and have dedicated myself to my four Pandemonium husbands but I think Iris just bent me to swing the other way!”
“Hah! Look at how awesome our Boss Iris is! You were all insulting her earlier but now look at you!”
“I’m a Black Star but I think Pandemonium is cool too!”
“Pandemonium fans welcome the Black Stars!”
Many Pandemonium fans became Black Stars, and some Black Stars also became Pandemonium fans at the same time. This development wasn’t just a mere alliance but a sort of merging between the two fandoms.
Finally, the audience started to settle down. The interview began.
Male host: “Wow! That was so amazing! Impressive! My heart is still beating so fast!”
Female host: “Exactly! Look, I’m sweating.”
The band members and Iris thanked them. The hosts asked most of the questions to Iris at first. However, she redirected the focus back to Pandemonium.
“I’m just a substitute for Eros tonight and this is Pandemonium’s performance,” she said. “I played this performance as part of Pandemonium.”
Fortunately, the hosts understood her intention and began asking the other band members. Because of Iris’ presence and their awesome performance, their interview went on longer than what was usually done with new acts.
“Yeah!” Thunder agreed.
Night nodded.
Male host: “What do you say, Iris?”
“Sure,” she replied.
Her affirmative answer made the Black Stars and Pandemonium fans cheer in excitement and anticipation.
The hosts finished the interview and announced a short break for the commercials. As Iris and the band members waved at their fans and the audience before returning backstage, the female host couldn’t stop herself from staring at the diamond ring on Iris’ finger.
“What is it?” The male host asked his partner.
The female host shook her head. “Nothing. Maybe I’m just thinking too much.”
