Chapter 31 – One More to Close With a Golden Key
While Razan was still singing "Set It All Free", with Loona shredding on the guitar, he had no idea that everything was being broadcast LIVE to the entire Hell through the phone of a girl named Diana. The stage lights flickered in vibrant colors, reflecting off the glassy surfaces of the arena, and Razan's half-dragon form glowed faintly under the spotlight. His voice resonated with power, carrying effortlessly across the venue, and even the tiniest details of his presence—the subtle flare of his wings, the gleam in his eyes—were captured by the magical phone.
Hell phones, unlike mortal technology, ran on demonic magic, not human signal. That's why no wards or blocks Razan had set up could prevent the transmission. The phone's enchantments amplified everything, broadcasting not just images but the raw energy and excitement of the performance.
Diana, completely thrilled, held the phone steady and turned the camera toward her own beaming face. Her hair shimmered with an unnatural red glow under the infernal lighting, and her eyes sparkled with excitement:
— Hi guys! Diana here and you will NOT BELIEVE what's happening! The Sovereign of the Healing City is having his birthday and look at what he decided to do!
Immediately, the livestream chat exploded with thousands of glowing, floating runes that acted as text:
SHOW IT ALREADY
STOP STALLING
I WANT TO SEE THE DRAGON
Diana, barely able to contain herself, slowly rotated the camera toward the stage. The crowd below Razan was a sea of waving hands and glowing lights. Screams, applause, and sparks from magical fireworks filled the arena.
— LOOK AT OUR SOVEREIGN PUTTING ON A SHOW!
She could barely hold back her own excitement and shouted at the top of her lungs:
— MR. DRAGON, I LOVE YOU!!!
Far above, in the V Tower, Velvette saw the livestream appear on her magical crystal screen. Her eyes widened, and she squealed involuntarily:
— Vox, you NEED to see this right now!
Vox, lounging on grabbed the phone. His sharp eyes scanned the screen and he barked:
— What the hell is this?!
Velvette leaned closer, her smirk curling with wicked amusement:
— Looks like someone way more charismatic and handsome than you is making the whole Hell go wild.
— Fuck off. Vox replied, irritation barely hiding his shock.
Valentino, entering the room in his usual dramatic fashion, frowned at the commotion:
— What's the meltdown this time?
Velvette, with a glint of amusement in her eyes, answered:
— Nothing. Just Vox having his daily crisis because he's not the center of attention.
Meanwhile, in the castle, Lucifer was about to turn off his enchanted phone, muttering about disturbances in his otherwise perfect evening. But then, in the blink of an eye, his sharp gaze caught Charlie performing on stage. His normally composed posture gave way to sudden excitement. Within seconds, he had swapped his clothes for a huge, oversized T-shirt that boldly read "CHARLIE'S #1 FAN", and he even conjured a glowing sign that lit up the dark hall.
He screamed her name along with the crowd, pumping his fists in enthusiasm. His usual cool and detached demeanor melted away, replaced by pure fan energy.
Beelzebub, meanwhile, sat in a crowded, smoke-filled bar. The walls vibrated slightly from the magic of the livestream, and his claws held a colossal drink. She chuckled, finally amused after what felt like an eternity of monotony:
— Finally, some fun people in this boring place!
At the same time, Carmilla Carmine watched quietly from the shadows. Her eyes followed Razan, standing protectively behind Loona on stage, his dragon wings slightly extended and shimmering in the ambient light. A small, bittersweet smile curled on her lips. She whispered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else:
— How did an idiot like you end up in a place like this?
Back on stage, Razan's voice soared, merging with Loona's guitar riffs and Charlie's harmonies. Every note seemed to electrify the air, making sparks dance across the crowd. Even the tiniest details—the flick of a tail, the flex of dragon claws, the flutter of Loona's wings—were magnified by the magical transmission.
The energy was infectious. Every demon, angel, and creature watching from all corners of Hell felt it, drawn into the spectacle of sound and motion. Razan's eyes, reflecting both determination and joy, met Charlie's and Loona's, and in that silent moment, they all knew this song
The final note of "Set It All Free" was still ringing out when the entire universe roared in unison:
"ONE MORE! ONE MORE!"
Razan raised his hands, trying to calm the crowd.
"Guys, that was already an insane show—"
"ONE MORE! ONE MORE!"
Charlie popped up beside him, eyes sparkling.
"Come on, Razan! Just one more!"
Loona folded her arms, but the corner of her mouth was already curling upward.
"You already dragged me on stage once today. One more won't kill me."
Razan glanced at the two of them, then at the crowd that refused to stop chanting. Suddenly, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
"Remember that movie we watched last week?"
Charlie's eyes went wide.
"No way… you're not seriously thinking of—"
Razan snapped his dragon wings open with a mighty WHOOSH, flapped once, and shot two meters into the air.
"I've got a wild urge to fly right now."
Charlie let out an excited squeal.
"THEN DO IT!"
Loona rolled her eyes, but she was already laughing.
"Fine, you lunatics. Let's finish this."
Razan landed dead center on the stage, clapped twice, and shouted to the audience:
"Alright, alright! Last one of the night! This one's ours!"
The beat dropped. Pure Rio carnival energy.
Razan stepped forward, pointed to the sky, and hollered:
"Aí, DJ! Everybody jump for the happy couple!
Clap those hands! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Wing-claps! A-ah! A-ah!"
He flapped his wings in perfect rhythm, sending colorful gusts of wind that made the entire crowd clap along.
Charlie flew straight into the middle of the stage, spinning in mid-air, mic in hand:
"Party in Ipanema, my love!
I want a party!
I want samba!
I want a party!
I want samba!
I want a party!
Live like this!
I want a party!
And fly!"
Razan shot up beside her:
"I'm gonna fly like a bird!"
Loona yelled from the back, deadpan:
"You're a dragon, dude!"
Razan burst out laughing:
"Right! Then I'll fly like a rocket!"
Loona did a backflip and landed with the guitar slung over her shoulder:
"Cool!"
Charlie glided down, twirling like she was samba-dancing in the sky:
"It's so high, I'm coming down
To get some air in my lungs
Hey, it's too late now, baby
Ain't nobody holding me back!"
The three lined up shoulder-to-shoulder and sang together, jumping in perfect sync:
"Hey, I just wanna live making parties!
Hey, freedom and a whole lotta dancing, that's what matters!"
Razan threw his fist in the air:
"Cool!"
Charlie spun and pointed at the crowd:
"I've traveled the world and I'm gonna live my life
In Rio, in Rio
'Cause Rio showed me how…"
Then the chorus hit. The three of them exploded, flying in wide circles above the stage, wings and arms spread wide:
"I want a party!
I want samba!
I want a party!
And fly!"
Loona stepped forward, guitar blazing, singing with pure attitude:
"I'm samba and I'm the best
The best, the best, the best, the best!
Turn the sound up and come follow me
Follow, follow, follow, follow, yeah!
You guys dance pretty good…
But I dance better!"
She did a backflip and landed pointing the guitar neck at the crowd like a challenge.
Final chorus. The three grabbed hands, formed a flying triangle high above the stage, and belted it louder than ever:
"I want a party!
I want samba!
I want a party!
I want samba!
I want a party!
Live like this!
I want a party!
And fly!"
The entire audience erupted into "Hey! Hey! Hey!" while Charlie spun through the air singing "la-iá, la-iá," Razan flapped his wings creating waves of rainbow light, and Loona shredded a blazing guitar solo that set the sky on fire.
On the final line, the three locked eyes, let out a battle cry, and dove straight down together, landing perfectly synced on the last beat.
Half a second of silence.
Then the universe absolutely lost its mind: applause, screams, whistles.
Razan, Charlie, and Loona crashed into a sweaty, breathless group hug in the middle of the stage, grinning like three complete idiots who'd just had the time of their lives.
Razan raised the mic one last time:
"Thank you for everything, everybody. That one was for you."
As magical fireworks exploded across the sky, he looked at the two girls beside him and thought:
Best birthday of my entire life.