The Spirits Animals Cult Story Remastered

The Performance

Shadow stood silently behind the stage. Everyone was there. Everyone, from Olvan to Dawson, no one had missed the chance to see her perform. She looked at Worthy and Jolt, who stood, slightly scared, on the stage.

"You two both okay to do this?" she asked, going up to them and putting an arm around each of them.

"Yes, of course," said Worthy. Jolt looked a little less sure but still nodded.

"If this is how to help you, then I'll do it. I like to be here for my friends," he said with a smile.

"Raisha will be watching, so don't mess up," Shadow warned him seriously. He stared at her, and she could practically hear him saying, "GURL, THAT'S ONLY GONNA MAKE ME MORE STRESSED AND WORRIED!"

"I- I won't," he said shakily.

"Good," she smiled. "Okay, you two are on." She gave Jolt a half-edging pat on the back and half-shoved him onto the stage. She quickly hugged Worthy before pushing him after Jolt. The two boys stumbled onto the stage. The crowd cheered as a crowd always did when the band came on. Especially Dawson, Raisha, and Tasha seemed to be trying a little too hard to seem more excited about her future brother-in-law for Dawson. Shadow leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, and then strolled onto the stage, crossing it quickly and stopping in the center.

"Hi! I'm Shadow," she spoke out. "And this is a song called Lucky to help me get over... get over my fears." The crowd clapped. She caught a few of her friends' eyes. They were all giving her encouraging smiles. She sang. 

After the song, Shadow stopped and soaked in the crowd's applause.

"Jolt, that was amazing!" She heard Raisha yell from somewhere in the crowd.

"Well done, Devin!" called Dawson.

"Great job Shad- whoops!" cried Tasha, accidentally knocking over her whole row of chairs and sending several people toppling onto the floor.

Backstage, all of her friends had already rushed to congratulate them.

"So, do you feel better now?" asked Meilin, hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"Yeah, did it work?" Katalin asked, right behind her.

"And even if it didn't, that was so amazing!" added Abeke warmly.

"Oh, it wasn't," Shadow said, blushing.

"It was!" Conor nodded enthusiastically.

"We now have an official singer for the Redcloaks," Teased Shane. Shadow smiled at them all. Even Halawir and Song stayed and enjoyed the performance.

Perhaps... just maybe... Xanthe had heard her. Perhaps, just maybe... she was right under her feet, listening to every word she said. A shiver ran down Shadow's spine.

"So, did it work or not?!" demanded Meilin, getting impatient.

"It did." Shadow straightened.

"Wyrm," Said Rollan. She didn't feel a thing. Well, except for a small amount of sadness and fear.

"It did work!!" Worthy ran over to her and grabbed her hand. "Oh my Tellun, Shadow... Thank you, thank you, thank you! I don't know how I could have lived with the fear of your nightmares again!!"

She smiled at him. "Thanks for looking after me," She said, turning to Jolt. "And thanks to both of you for helping me." She hugged them both and immediately regretted it as a snake hissed near her foot. She jumped out of the way before Gerathon bit her and glanced at Raisha.

"Sorry!" she said. "Gerathon, what was that for?" But no matter how hard she hid it, Shadow knew Raisha had sent Gerathon to get Shadow off her boyfriend. She would have done the same, she knew, if someone was hugging Worthy and acting like they kind of liked him.

"You're cured, Shadow!" said Worthy. "You are finally cured."

She hugged him. "I am."

He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so, so glad," he said with a smile.