Chapter 535: House of Haggard

Plucking the highest string at around the twelve frets gave a chilling and crisp tone. For the way it looked and aged, the pick-ups were unnaturally nice, the front gave a warm tone melting into the ears whilst the back pick-up gave a rough crispy tone. 

"He only picked one string and the room's drawn," voiced the younger musician, "-how's he done that?"

"Lacks in sustain," said Igna, "-however, makes up in this unique tone. I'm buying it," said he.

"Mister, Mister," voiced the younger folk, "-please, play us something."

"Sure," barred chords embellished by little maneuvers only a master or a hard-trained rookie could perform. Switching from chords to then solo over said chords, all in one flexible and smooth motion had the room in awe. Reaching for the last fret, the note bent out of tune almost screeching in pain. 

"Satisfied?" wondered he resting the guitar.

"Holy shit," exclaimed the attendant, "-I don't believe it," quick to pull a video, "-can you try and replay this?"

"Why?" asked he noticing the manager enter. 

"A test of some sort," said the well-built man, "-that song there is Viper's lair, one of the hardest songs composed by Xius. Sugar's hailed as one of the best guitarists. How do you compare to him?" 

'Considering I might have influenced his growth,' a silent pat on the back followed to, "-how about a deal?"

"What deal?" 

"I assume everyone who purchases a guitar has to attempt the hardest song, isn't that right?" an educated guess from the way the boys giddied in excitement.

"How do you figure," they stood an arm's length away. Celina and Alicia waited in the main area to the point of boredom. 

"Let's go in the hypermarket." 

"But…" her eyes hung on a particular bass-guitar.

"Come on, let's go," ordered she, "-I'm hungry. How about I get you snacks?"

"O-ok," her confidence broke, not before Igna catch a glimpse.

The tension grew, "-what deal?" wondered the manager.

"How many people have actually recreated the song until now?"

"The lucky can barely play the opening riff, the solo at the end is where most of the people falter. It's a test of endurance and skill, keeping up the tempo and going faster at the end. I nearly killed my fingers."

"Forgot to warm-up," added the attendant.

"Whatever," turning to Igna, "-what deal?"

"If I manage the play the song, what's in it for me?"

"A discount of 25% on everything you purchase."

"25%?"

"Manager!" exclaimed the attendant. 

The face all but read, '-don't worry, it's impossible,' a half-smile escaped. 

"Ok, do you sell cameras and other components?"

"At the sister shop next," he threw a thumb to the left, "-my twin brothers in charge of there. I'm sure I can make some arrangement."

"Then it's on," said he, "-bring the dirtiest sounding amp and effect pedals."

The shop shifted from selling to providing for a challenge. The way they moved and hastily gathered the necessary gear proved he wasn't the first to accept the challenge. In the greater scheme of things, tis nothing more than bragging rights. 

"Bring a camera as well," said Igna, "-we'll live stream it. If I fail, it'll stay on the Arcanum forever."

"Why that?" wondered the manager.

"A challenge is meant for both parties to put something of value on the line."

"I respect a man with convicting," stomping to the doorway, "-I'll get the necessary items. Warm-up."

"Igna, what are you planning?" interjected Éclair. 

"Starting a career in music," said he, "-I've decided to get into the high ranks to understand what happened to Aceline. We've dug all around the place to no avail. Besides, I was once part of the shadows. I want to experience the light for once."

"What about cooking?"

"Who said one can't multitask?"

"Honestly," an audible facepalm echoed out the earrings, "-how eccentric can you be?"

"Don't worry about it." Meanwhile, a live performance of the song in question played at twice the speed. The notes were obvious and so were the chord's shapes. The challenge came to tapping, Sugar did so at a tempo of 170. 

"Can you update my Hwan profile? Remove the full-name and use Kinless instead."

"Alright," the follower count read 10,400. 

Then and there, the excitement of altering and messing with gear had the whole shop bustling in activity. The younger musicians went as far as to run down to bring in their parents. The commotion brought attention; customers entered to be stunned at the beauty of the small set. The camera behind which stood twins. A well-dressed noble in a suit sat with legs cross. The guitar buzzed a little, effect pedals lined to give the proper tone of the song. 

'A crowd?' staring up gave images of Cle.

"Alright," said the manager, "-start playing a few songs; we'll get the backing track readied."

"Ok," a thumbs-up launched into a slow and nice progression. 

'I've memorized the song by heart. It's happening; I'll launch myself into the world of music. The end goal is finding information about Aceline; I suspect Cimier's involved. Let's see the intricacies of this city, Odgawoan, here I come.'

The video went live, light dimed. Murmurs dropped to silence. The well-known tune played through the backing-track. The guitar came in after the intro. The live stream garnered a few hundred viewers.

"Igna's playing guitar?"

"Isn't he a chef, what's this about?"

"Don't know, just watch."

Comments built-in momentum, the small yet prominent fanbase shared it about to the point of tagging the members of Xius. The title read, '-Kinless covers Viper's Lair.' 

"Here we go," right on the beat, the guitar, old as it might have looked, screamed into tune. Power chords interlocked in the run of notes. 

'He's doing it,' thought the manager. 

"How the hell?" wondered the younger musician, "-it's a hard song, the start took me a few months to learn, what the fuck. He makes it look so easy. Look at his hands, there's no shred of doubt – such confidence."

'Don't get it wrong,' thought Igna, '-it's damned hard. If not for the vampiric blood and natural body enhancement, there's no way I'd be able to play it.'

One minute, two minutes, three, four, six, seven, the end shone over yonder, '-alright,' breathing deep, the backing track halted in prelude of what was to come. Moment of truth, breaths choked in anticipation, the momentum built, the volume increased, "NOW!" slamming the pedal, fingers darted up the fretboard to rattle the amps. Sweat ran and fell down the forehead, the untidy hair stuck to the cheeks, notes after note, he reached the last note, an upward bend which broke the strings in time as the drums closed the song. 

Thunder and lightning shattered the mystified listeners. 

"He's done it," applause filled the room. 

'Tired,' big inhaled left the fingers and arms shaking, '-it hurts!' 

"I don't believe it," said the manager, "-you covered the song and went faster than what Sugar ever did."

"Did I?"

"Yes, look," flipping the laptop,"-see?"

"Oh," he gulped, "-I got lost in the song, didn't realize I went too fast."

"No, it matches the track perfectly," they agreed, "-from A4's Music, I'd like you to have a 50% discount."

"Why, aren't you going to suffer a loss then?"

"No," he signaled to the front, "-the customers are filling the stores as we speak. Yohan, take care of the lord, I'll tend to the others."

"Congratulations," said Yohan, "-I'm impressed, didn't think anyone could recreate it to such precision."

"Neither did I," mumbled he.

"What?"

"Nothing. Can you ready the payment?"

"Sure, you'll be taking that guitar I suppose?"

"Yes. Bring me the warmest sounding amp, and those pedals as well as that bass-guitar over there."

"Alright," one after the other, the items were laid at the counter. Two guitars in hard-cases, a vintage amp kept inside a metal case. "Total's 3500 Exa."

"Done." 

'Too much stuff to carry,' scanning the crowd, "-Celina, over here!"

"Hello, what's happened here?" she ambled inside, leaving Alicia out.

"Where did you leave too?"

"Went grocery shopping with Alicia."

"No matter, hold on to this for me."

"Two guitars?" wondered she.

"Yeah, I got the bass you wanted," he patted her head, "-let's go home now."

More and more people approached the music shop. 

"Igna," a baffled exhale brought a frown, "-you played so loudly I heard it all the way inside the market."

"My bad," he shrugged, "-They did the set-up, not me."

"How was it?"

"Fun," said he, "-they streamed it all. Anyway, shall we head home?"

"Fine by me."

The weather worsened in the afternoon. They left as soon as a Class 2 warning was issued. The streets deadened and the mist fogged to a meager few meters of sight. The ride back happened in complete silence. Celina sat on the edge as the backseats were full of items. 

A few days passed, the charming prince of Arda arrived at Rosespire. Prominent figures of the Federation stood about the throne-room. Queen Gallienne had yet to make an appearance. 'What's going on here?' 

"Hello Prince Julius," said a lady dressed lavishly bearing down the long green-hair with arms locked to another dazzling figure of a man. Tall and handsome, the exuded charm rivaled his, Princess Eira as well as Lizzie stood at their side. The latter chose to escape her mother's presence and hide at the prince's legs.

"Good afternoon, lady mother. I hope the travel wasn't troubling. Considering the…" he locked onto her full belly. 

"Oh please," said she bearing red-lipstick, "-please come around to the palace. I miss you tremendously." 

"I rather not," said he with a fake smile, "-I've vowed to stay and keep watch over the heritage left by my father."

"Good ambition," said the charming man, "-I admire that about you."

"The feeling is not likewise, I do apologize."

"Julius," voiced Eira, "-tis no way to speak to mother's fiancé."

"I speak how I wish, sister. Hidros is a free country, unlike the recent developments in Arda."

"Julius," a presence escaped detection to give a warm peck, "-how's it been, nephew?"

"Aunt Courtney," he returned with a peck of his own, "-it's been very good. Now that you're here, I feel much better. How's cousin Igna doing?"

"The boy's gotten stronger," said she, "-he's making progress in Alphia."

"Sister Courtney," said Queen Shanna.

"Hello," she nodded, "-didn't notice you, I apologize. How's the coming engagement? I hope Arda's ready for their new king," an underlying tone of discontent had the queen shudder. 

"It's coming along very nicely," said the charming man, "-I hope to see the Haggard family at the feast."

"Oh yes," said she, "-as the head of the Haggard family," the eyes laid on Eira and Lizzie, "-after the marriage is set and done, Lizzie and Julius will remain in the Haggard Dynasty. Princess Eira's chosen her alliance to stay with the royal family."

"This is the first I've heard of it," cried Shanna, "-son, daughter, are you leaving?"

"Yes mother," they nodded, "-we'll abdicate claims to the throne. May you and the Lord be happy ever and after."

"But-"

"-But of course, the house of Haggard might lose ties to nobility, though I think it's best for the sake of the future. Long are the days where my brother's dream of peace breathed. Discord is bound to sprawl, thus, as the head of the Haggard's, I shall be taking the heirs to his heritage." 

"Please," added a lady unrivaled in beauty and strength, "-is it wise to have such a discussion now?" 

"Serene," exclaimed Courtney, "-it's been a while," they exchanged kisses. 

"Yes, my lady, longer than I'd hoped."

"Why are you here?" frowned the charming man, "-what of the duties as the secretary of her majesty?"

"What duties," she snickered, "-I'm fulfilling the command given by my old master. To protect and serve the Haggards. As I see it now, Lady Courtney is the head of the family."

"Is this a coup?" glared Eira.

"Keep thy aura in check," said Courtney, "Mana-cancelation," *Snap,* "-Librarian of Nexsolium."

"Her Majesty Queen Gallienne is in attendance." The scattered guests grouped at the feet of the throne. 

'Tis time.'