CH560

Despite being fairly early, the venue was already packed, leaving Ben just a little worried about the fact he was showing up without a ticket, even if he’d been told to do as much by the show’s producer himself.

It looked like Greed had done well for himself, with a line formed of people from all over, each of them talking excitedly about the performance that had taken the world by storm as Ben tried his best to not let his personal history with what was about to go on taint his expression as he worked his way to the front, finding a couple of ushers waiting for the time to let the crowd in.

“Excuse me, I was told as long as I showed my card there’d be someone here to help me,” Ben said to the closer of the workers, the man at first coming across as disinterested until he caught a look at the revealed name, showing exactly who he was and why he was there.

“Of course sir, right this way!”

The instant boost in mood from the employee made it apparent he knew who Ben was and the part he’d play in the coming show, but as Ben and Thera followed him they weren’t taken to any seats, but instead to the back, where a far larger group of performers than Ben had been expecting were preparing before they found themselves in front of a familiar crab.

“Legs!” Greed cheered the second he saw them. “You really showed! I was beginning to think you never would.”

“Ha, I guess I put it off a bit longer than I should have but I was always going to come eventually. It’s good seeing you again buddy, wish you didn’t slip off the last time.”

“Ah, well that’s a whole other thing, I’ll tell you about it over dinner if the two of you are free when this is all done?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Great, we’ll have to save the rest of the chatting for then if you don’t mind, gotta finish up the prep here but I’ll have you led to your seats. Oh, but when the show’s done and the curtain closes, stay there for me, would ya?”

“Sure, will do.”

With their brief greeting done, the two were led to their seats before the doors would be opened for the rest of the crowd, leaving the two in the front row of an empty theater, the curtains closed in preparation for what was to come.

Thera was practically buzzing with excitement beside him, all of the talk they’d heard about it combined with the few bards and performers they’d seen singing those same songs across the world raising expectations through the roof.

Despite any feelings she had about how much trouble the crab seemed to get himself into thanks to his love life, Greed was still a person with an awakened music skill, that made anything he might produce a thrill to see.

That very same enthusiasm made Ben all the more sure he wouldn’t be able to handle whatever was about to come, only having the small mercy that at least the show wasn’t actually that long and did his best to hold onto it as the doors finally opened and people began streaming in to fill every seat as the ushers tried to bring people to a hush for the performance everyone was there for.

It was only when things had quieted down enough and everyone was settled that it looked like the show was about to begin, not with the curtain rising but instead with Greed’s bodyguard carrying him out with a stool to be placed on, front and center of it all, with the speaker Ben had once made him set up as well, letting the crab greet the audience.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Welcome, one and all!” He began, setting the scene of what was to come. “To all of you fine folks here tonight, what you’re about to witness is a tale that’s unbelievably true, one of struggle and triumph as myself and a companion were tossed into hell, given no choice but to take on an impossible challenge, only to overcome in the end. This is no tragedy, but instead the story of us taking on the power of a dead god and coming out on top!”

He paused there, leaving room for cheers to go up as the crowd’s excitement soared, with only Ben’s plummeting as the crab went on.