Ghost Notes-Chapter 88: The Glow of Mistvale
Chapter 88 - The Glow of Mistvale
Chapter 88: The Glow of Mistvale
Kael stood backstage at The Glow, a misty, open-roofed venue in Mistvale, its wooden beams draped with ivy and twinkling string lights, the air damp with the scent of fog and cedar. The crowd's hum pulsed through a beaded curtain, a soft glow ready to flare. His guitar hung from the leather strap, its stars catching the light's shimmer, a tether to his mom's pride. The Ember's blaze still roared—Shatterpoint at sixty-eight thousand listens, Flicker nearing fifty-seven thousand, Road Beyond climbing with The Ember stream at thirty thousand views—but tonight's set, the second stop of their seven-city tour, was a new spark. Fire That Stays and Road Beyond burned fierce, and their love—named and radiant—pulsed like a shared heartbeat, though Mira's parents, absent tonight, cast a shadow with a new college voicemail left that morning.
Mira stood beside him, her borrowed guitar slung low, her scarf tucked into her jacket, her eyes a blend of fire and quiet strength. Her sketchpad was in her bag, but Kael saw the campfire with fireflies in her gaze, a symbol of their love. "They didn't come," she said, her voice low, clutching her phone. "My parents. They left a voicemail—'we're so proud'—but it ended with another college nudge. It's like they're cheering, but still waiting for me to 'be practical.'" Her hand found his, fingers lacing tightly, their love flaring softly, grounding her.
Kael's chest warmed, her touch anchoring their shared flame. At twenty-one, he carried his father Elias's Blue Shift tape in his pocket, its chords a bridge from loss to love. He squeezed her hand, his voice low but fierce. "You're practical in your truth, Mira. Fireflies, Road Beyond—that's your fire, not their voicemails. You'll light Mistvale tonight, and they'll feel it from afar." Their love burned steady, a rhythm that felt like home. "Ready to glow with me, love?"
Mira's breath caught, her eyes glistening at the word, but her grin was radiant, unguarded. "Born to shine," she said, her voice a vow, stepping closer, their shoulders brushing. "I'm twenty, Kael, and with you, this tour's our glow—our music, our fire, our love." Her gaze held his, fireflies dancing in her eyes, her parents' expectations fading against their shared light.
The room shrank to their shared warmth, the city's hum—mist, neon, a distant busker's riff—fading. Kael thought of Veyl's Broken Signal, its call to hold truth, and Juno's text from this morning: "Mistvale's your glow. Light it." His mom's faith, Juno's pride, their love burned bright. "Mira," he said, his voice soft, "we're not just playing tonight. We're building our light—together."
Mira's laugh was soft, her eyes wet with joy. "Together," she said, her hand tightening in his, their love bright and sure. "No choking." ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"No choking," Kael echoed, kissing her forehead, their connection a fire that burned without doubt.
The stage manager, a wiry man with a ponytail, signaled. "You're up. Crowd's alive." Kael's mom had sent a text, a lifeline: "Ember was magic. You're my glow, Kael." A SoundSphere comment on The Ember stream flashed: "You're our fire, our spark. Mistvale's waiting." Anonymous, maybe Veyl, maybe the city.
They stepped through the curtain onto the stage, hands clasped, the crowd a vibrant sea under twinkling lights—locals, wanderers, dreamers, phones up, eyes hungry. Kael leaned into the mic, its metal warm. "We're Kael and Mira. This is Road Beyond." He strummed, the chord raw and soaring, painting gold and crimson in his mind. His voice followed, rough but alive:
"On the road beyond, we'll carve our name / Holding tight to love, to the flame..."
Mira's harmony wove in, tender but fierce, their voices tangling like city rain, carrying their love. The crowd swayed, some closing their eyes, others filming, caught in the song's pulse. Kael leaned into the flaws—his voice cracking, the strings buzzing—each imperfection a spark.
They flowed into Flicker, Mira's melody a quiet fire, her vocals aching, defying her parents' distant leash. Kael's chords were soft, a heartbeat beneath her voice. The crowd was rapt, a few wiping eyes, and Kael felt Mira's strength, her truth glowing without their presence.
Fireflies followed, Mira leading, her voice unyielding:
"Fireflies in the dark, we're chasing light / Holding on through the weight of night..."
Kael's harmony joined, their voices a vow against doubt, against strings, their love a steady pulse. The crowd cheered, phones flashing like fireflies, the lights pulsing like a storm.
Shatterpoint came next, its raw edge soaring, the crowd roaring, hands raised. Kael paused, meeting Mira's gaze, her eyes blazing with triumph. "Last one," she whispered, her grin wide. "Fire That Stays."
Kael nodded, leaning into the mic. "This is for love, for us, for you." He strummed, the chord jagged and soaring, painting gold and crimson in his mind, a neon road stretching far. His voice rang out:
"We're the fire that stays, burning through the dark / Holding tight to the truth, to the spark..."
Mira's harmony soared, tender but fierce, their voices a storm, a promise, carrying their love. The crowd leaned in, some swaying, others chanting, feeling their defiance. In Kael's mind, the stage was fireflies and neon roads, a journey forged in love. The final note hung, raw and electric, and the crowd erupted, chanting their names, lights buzzing like a heartbeat.
They stepped back, hands clasped, their love a live wire. Mira's laugh was shaky, her eyes wet with triumph. "We glowed," she whispered, her voice thick. Kael pulled her close, kissing her softly, his heart full, the stage theirs, fault lines fading under Mistvale's radiant glow.
To be continued...
