Chapter Four: Milan
Sunrise was so long ago. I watched the sunrise in the sky as the moon left the sky. The stars disappeared as the light from the sun took over the sky. Today is going to be a great day, mostly because the second competition of the band battle is today. It's been a couple of months since then and it is now October. The reason for that being that there was a large storm that ravaged across Italy and destroyed some buildings in Milan. It took Milan a long time to rebuild the stage and clean up, but now they are finally going to host the Battle of the Bands. My band decided to make a name change over the months along with me changing my name. I changed my name to Cordelia Marino. I like my new name much more than my old one. My band changed the band name to The Relentless from Rose and Ashes. Jesse, our rhythm guitarist, wanted to change it simply because he believes that the band has gone through a rebirth. I know I have and my bandmates, have gone through one too; it only makes sense that the band itself does too.
I'm getting off-topic. Today is the competition and yes, I've told my mates. They are only letting me go because they want to go too. Part of me is scared that they will not like the kind of music my band makes, but another part of me is excited to play a song and have my mates watch my band and I play. However, the Battle of the Bands won't be the only thing happening today. Milan is hosting a large art festival and at the end of the night, will be the semi-finals for the Band Battle.
According to Jesse, we will have to perform two songs, but I will only have to sing one of them. As per the band's rebirth, Jesse has begun to write songs and sing them for the band, as well as the other members. Jesse has asked to sing a song as the second song we are performing, to which I told him to go for it. He still hasn't told me which of the songs he's written are going to be sung on that stage.
"Delia, may I come in?" A voice asks from the other side of my door.
"Yes." I tell the voice. My door opens and closes to reveal Alana with a sack in her hand. She smiles and walks over to me.
"Here, these are the necklaces I told you about. When the vampires put them on, an illusion will be cast on them, making them look a little more human. Their eyes will be the color they were when they were all human and they will not sparkle in the sunlight." She tells me and sets the sack on my bed.
"I don't know what to wear today." I tell her.
"I can help with that." She tells me and walks over to my closet. She opens the doors and walks inside. I'm sitting on my bed with my hair in a towel and my body wrapped in a fluffy black towel. I had just gotten out of the bath before she got here.
"OOH!" I hear. I laugh as Alana comes out of my closet with an outfit. She puts it all on my bed and grabs a bra and some panties from one of the dresser drawers. She then tosses them at me.
"You go ahead and put those clothes on. I'll get your make up together. Meet me in the bathroom when you're done." Alana tells me. I put on the bra and panties. Then I take the towel off my hair and I put my shirt and pants on. I grab some black socks and I put those on. I put my shoes on last and I look at myself in the mirror. This outfit makes me feel and look badass. I walk into the bathroom and Alana sits me down at the mirror. She begins to put on eye shadow, mascara, and eyeliner on my eyes. She doesn't put any blush or lipstick on me, but she does put some chapstick on my lips.
"There, now you're ready." She tells me. She and I leave the bathroom. I put on my leather jacket and I brush out my hair. Alana hands me my sunglasses and places a necklace around my neck. I grab the sack of enchanted necklaces and we leave the room to go meet the Kings and the rest of the Volturi and my family in Milan.
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Milan is such a busy place. I knew there was a festival going on, but even without the festival, I believe Milan will still be this crowded. According to the city police, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to show up today. I've never played in front of that many people before! I'm so nervous and I bet that everyone else performing tonight is too. Not to mention there will be another band playing tonight. This other band is actually a signed band and very famous, but no one knows who it is, just that the band is from Finland.
"My Queen, does this outfit look normal?" Jane asks me. Alana made the Volturi go shopping for clothes that would make them fit in more. Jane is wearing a long black dress and her brother is wearing a black suit. All of the men of the Volturi are wearing black suits apparently.
"Yes, you look beautiful Jane." I tell her. She smiles and looks down at the ruby necklace I gave her. The ruby necklace is one of the enchanted necklaces.
"There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you, Delia!" Jesse runs up to me and hugs me.
"Jane, go enjoy the festival, I'll be with my band." I tell her. She nods and she and Alec turn away. Jesse takes my hand and drags me through the festival and to the backstage area. That's when I see him; Ville fucking Valo.
"That's Ville Valo from HIM. Is HIM the band performing?" I ask Jesse.
"Yes." He tells me. Ville looks over to me and winks at me. I blush so hard and so much that I have to fan myself. Why is he so damn sexy? He is so damn gorgeous and he would even make a straight man go gay for him.
"Hey, so remember when I told you I wanted to sing?" Jesse asks me.
"Yes." I tell him.
"Well, I figured out the song. The song is called Save A Prayer and the band wants to play it." He tells me.
"Alright, will I need to switch with you?" I ask him.
"Yes and no. Tony will play my parts on guitar, so you will play lead guitar." He explains to me. I nod and when I turn back to look backstage, I see my other band members, but Ville Valo is gone. Perhaps he's gone to enjoy the festival before the concert.
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As the sun sets, HIM begins to play. They start off with Join Me In Death and once Ville starts singing, I do too. I mean everyone does. Ville is so hot and his beautiful, melodic voice is just too much for me. By the chorus, the entire band, and the ones we are competing against and jumping and screaming the lyrics out.
"When I turn 18, I'm getting a heartagram between my boobs!" Rhea yells over the music.
"Is it wrong I want it on one of my boobs?" I yell back. All she does laugh and shake her head. As the song comes to a close, I make eye contact with Ville. That's when Sweet Pandemonium begins to play. Ville begins to sing again, but this time, I notice my mates staring deeply at me and then back to Ville. Alana comes up behind them and winks at Ville.
"Ville is in the family. He's an immortal. His mother was Aradia while his father was an Incubus. That's why Ville looks like a sex god." Alana explains to me. I nod at what she says. Damn, this family has some good genes. I begin to hear a familiar piano opening.
"THE SACRAMENT!" I yell and jump into the air. Rhea and I hold hands as we sing all the words. Everyone in the crowd begins to jump and sing to the lyrics as well. This song will always be my favorite HIM song and nothing will ever change that.
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"Alright, we're going on first. Ville is going to be one of the judges. I think instead of doing Going Under, we should do My Immortal." Rhea tells the band.
"A change like that? Have you already signed us up with the other?" Jesse asks.
"No, I had them change it because I knew you would all agree, just knowing how all of you are." Rhea explains to him. All of my bandmates; Jesse, Alex, Tony, Rhea, and Rachel; all look to me.
"Let's do it. But which version should we do?" I ask Rhea.
"The band version. Start off with the piano and then end off with the other instruments. Then, after you sing, we'll move onto our second song with Jesse singing." Rhea tells me.
"Actually, I can't." Jesse whispers.
"Jess blew out his vocal cords screaming to HIM." Alex laughs.
"Well, shit, what are we going to do?" I ask them.
"Why don't we do Call Me When You're Sober?" Rhea asks. I look over to Rachel, for she and Rhea normally harmonize with me to sing this song.
"Done." Rachel says.
"Alright, let's get on that stage and show everyone that we are The Relentless." I tell my bandmates. We all walk onstage. Everyone begins to cheer and the lights dim. Rhea begins to play on the piano while the entire band just stands still with their instruments. There are a few cheers in the crowd, but even still, there is silence.
My Immortal-
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I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time can not erase
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now, I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face still haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice, it chased away all the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There is just too much that time can not erase
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all these years
But you still have all of me
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me, I've been alone all along
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you screamed, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all these years
You still have all of me
The song ends and the crowd cheers. Ville looks quite impressed, but it's hard to tell with the thousands of people between me and him. I look to everyone else and Rhea begins to play on the keyboards.
Call Me When You're Sober-
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Don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Should I let you fall, lose it all
So maybe you can remember yourself
Can't keep believing
We're only deceiving ourselves
And I'm sick of the lie
And you're too late
Don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
You want me, come find me
Make up your mind
Couldn't take the blame
Sick with shame
Must be exhausting to lose your own game
Selfishly hated
No wonder you're jaded
You can't play the victim this time
And you're too late
Don't lie to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
If you want me, come find me
Make up your mind
You never call me when you're sober
You only want it because it's over, it's over
How could I have burned paradise?
How could I?
You were never mine
So don't cry to me, if you loved me
You would be here with me
Don't lie to me, just get your things
I've made up your mind
The song ends and the crowd cheers so loud. I've never heard a crowd cheer that loud for my band. I never in one million years thought that I'd love to hear that, but here I am. The surprise is so heartbreaking, that tears begin to stream down my face. My bandmates and I take a bow as crew members work to get the next band's set together. As we exit the stage, I am met with Alana and my father. Both smile widely and seem very proud of me. I hope I can do this again, seeing as though we may not win the Semi-finals. It's the judges' choice for who moves on and who doesn't. I just hope we move on.
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"The judges are coming up onstage." Jesse points out. Ville and some of the other judges walk up on the stage, causing the crowd to go wild. My bandmates and I hold hands and close our eyes. Other bands do the same to pray to be picked.
"We have come to a conclusion. The bands moving on to the finals are Live, My Love, Make Me, and The Relentless!" Ville says into the mic. My band and I hug each other in celebration. Honestly, this is the best news ever. We are moving onto the finals and then winning isn't so far away. We will win because we don't give up. We will be the best because we are relentless.
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Songs Used In This Chapter:
Sweet Pandemonium by HIM
The Sacrament By HIM
My Immortal(Band Version) by Evanescence
Call Me When You're Sober by Evanescence