Chapter 753: The Opening Chords
Chapter 753: The Opening Chords
The anticipation in the air was electric.
More than 20 thousand people had packed themselves into Mafra Q Hall, filling every corner of the venue. Rows upon rows of fans stood shoulder to shoulder, their faces lit by the faint glow of phones and neon wristbands. For most, this was the night they had dreamed of for months-the night they would see Moonlight live, the enigmatic artist who had taken the world by storm. As the minutes ticked closer to the start of the concert, the excitement was palpable, vibrating through the crowd like an uncontainable energy.
The stage was completely dark. Not a single spotlight flickered on, and the vastness of the space felt like a void, only adding to the growing tension. The entire venue was swallowed by darkness, save for the scattered lights from fans' phones as they snapped selfies, exchanged last-minute texts, or waved their screens in unison, creating a sea of glowing dots. But even through the buzz of activity, an eerie silence began to settle over the crowd as they waited. Everyone knew the show was set to start at any moment. They could feel it.
Sol, Jade, and Lily stood somewhere near the center of the mass of people, their hearts racing with excitement. Sol had her phone out, recording every second of the atmosphere around her. Jade was bouncing on her toes, craning her neck to get a better view of the stage, though it was still completely shrouded in darkness. Lily clutched her concert ticket, the edges already crinkled from how many times she had fidgeted with it in her pocket.
"I can't believe we're really here," Sol whispered, her voice barely audible over the low hum of conversations and distant shouts from other fans. "It feels so surreal."
Jade nodded, her eyes wide with anticipation. "I know, right? I've been replaying his album in my head all day, and now... we're actually going to hear it live. I'm so ready."
Lily, who was typically the most reserved of the three, couldn't help but smile. Her hands were shaking slightly, not from nerves, but from the sheer exhilaration of what was about to happen. "I wonder what he'll open with," she murmured. "Do you think it'll be 'Perfect'? Or maybe 'The Scientist'?"
"I don't care what song he starts with," Jade said, grinning. "As long as it's Moonlight."
Around them, similar conversations buzzed through the crowd. People speculated, whispered, and waited with bated breath. There was something magical about the unknown -the fact that no one had any idea what the setlist would be or what the stage might look like. All they knew was that Moonlight had a reputation for delivering performances that left fans breathless, and tonight would be no exception.
The minutes dragged on, each one stretching longer than the last, but still, the stage remained dark. A few impatient shouts echoed through the hall, playful chants of "Moonlight! Moonlight!" rippling through the crowd, only to fade into nervous laughter. The tension was building, almost unbearably so, as if the collective heartbeat of the audience was syncing up, growing louder with every passing second.
And then, as if on cue, the massive screens flanking the stage flickered to life.
The first thing the crowd saw was a vast, breathtaking image of the moon-huge, pale, and radiant, hanging in a pitch-black sky. Its soft, silvery light bathed the screens in an ethereal glow, casting long shadows across the floor of the venue. The moon was so realistic that it seemed to pulse, almost alive, as if it had been plucked straight from the night sky and brought to life for this moment. A hushed gasp swept through the audience, every pair of eyes locked on the moon as it slowly rose across the screens, inching toward its zenith.
The stage, still shrouded in darkness, began to reveal the faintest outlines of its set. There were delicate silver structures-arches that resembled crescent moons, and hanging orbs that looked like glowing stars. The theme of the night was clear: everything was centered around the moon, the celestial body that represented not just Moonlight's name, but the mystery and allure that surrounded him as an artist. It was as if the entire concert was unfolding beneath the moon's watchful gaze.
In the crowd, Sol couldn't help but whisper, "It's beautiful..."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Jade, wide-eyed and barely breathing, nodded. "It's like we're on the moon with him." As the image of the moon reached the center of the screen, something shifted. The soft glow from the screens intensified, and the moonlight seemed to bleed into the stage itself. Dim, silvery beams illuminated the edges of the platform, casting an otherworldly glow across the set. The lights were cool, pale, and soft-just like the moonlight they mimicked. Slowly, the glow began to grow stronger, spreading across the stage, illuminating the arches and structures, making them shimmer like stardust.
The audience was silent now. No one dared to make a sound, as if the magic of the moment had stolen their breath.
And then, the first note of music pierced the silence.
It was soft at first-a gentle strum of an acoustic guitar that seemed to float on the air. Familiar to every single person in the venue, it was the opening chord of "Say You Won't Let Go." The sound was delicate and vulnerable, a perfect start to the night. It sent chills down the spines of those who recognized it instantly.
A wave of emotion surged through the crowd as they realized what was happening. Moonlight was about to start his performance. This was it-the moment they had all been waiting for. The soft strumming grew louder, more defined, and suddenly, as if on cue, the entire stage lit up in a burst of silvery light. The crowd erupted into cheers, screams, and applause, their excitement boiling over in an explosion of sound. The moon-themed lights bathed the stage in brilliance, transforming it from a shadowy mystery into a dreamscape of light and sound. The arches glittered, the stars above twinkled, and the entire venue seemed to come alive with energy.
The intro to "Say You Won't Let Go" continued to play, and the crowd began to sing along, their voices rising in unison, a choir of thousands. The emotion in the room was overwhelming, a wave of pure joy and excitement that reverberated through the walls. People were jumping and shouting, their hands raised high in the air as they celebrated the start of what would undoubtedly be an unforgettable night.
Sol, Jade, and Lily were caught in the frenzy, their voices lost in the chorus of fans around them. Sol's heart was racing, her body tingling with excitement as she looked at the stage, her eyes wide with wonder. Jade was grinning from ear to ear, her arms waving above her head as she sang along with the intro. Lily, normally quiet and composed, had her hands clasped to her chest, her eyes shining with emotion.
"This is it!" Sol shouted over the noise, her voice barely audible in the chaos. "It's really happening!"
And it was. The night had begun. Moonlight was about to take them on a journey, and from the very first note, the crowd was ready to follow him to the ends of the earth-or, more fittingly, to the moon and back.
As the opening song enveloped the venue, the audience was lost in the music, swept away by the magic of the moment. They had waited for this night for so long, and now that it had begun, it was even more extraordinary than they could have ever imagined.
The moon had risen, and so had their hearts. The concert of a lifetime had officially begun.