Eddies head pounded like a jackhammer, his skull feeling like it would split open at the slightest sound, the vile taste of metal in his mouth and a fire in his throat.
Jolting to consciousness he turned on his side, propping himself up on his arm and spluttered sharp breaths into his aching lungs, his chest jerking with the uneven, rapid breaths before he steadied himself.
Sitting up Eddie was surprised, then confused, the last thing he remembered was that guitar, then something about some awesome sounding cords, he wheezed a chuckle, it had almost sounded like how his dad used to play.
Suddenly a thought crossed his mind, if the last thing he remembered was falling, then where was he now, and what happened to him.
Now somewhat more alert, Eddie found he had either landed or had been placed on some kind of stone alter, lit candles around his head and feet, black flowers blooming around its base.
Shakily rising to his feet Eddie lifted himself from the alter to discover he was on some kind of stone stage, the ground scattered with skulls and other bones embedded in the rock, large steel scaffolding lining the edges of the stage, bridging together over head, dotted with spotlights and strobe lights.
“If I wasn’t freaking the fuck out right now I’d say this is bad ass as hell” Eddie awed, looking around before looking back at the alter, finding it was covered overhead by a large stone statue of some kind of creature, its clawed feet either side of the stage, with large horns and fangs on its face, red fog bleeding from its eyes, nose and mouth
“Screw it, freaked or no this is AWSOME!” Eddie cheered.
His awe was halted however as the sound of metal scraping stone filled his ears, not aiding his already splitting headache.
Turning to the sounds source, Eddie was met by seven cloaked figures, all head to toe in red, each clutching a twisted sword in both hands, their blades pounder to the ground as they waded forward in perfect synchronisation.
But it was the tall eighth figure in the back that caught his attention.
“Dude that guitar looks like pure evil and it is SICK!” Eddie exclaimed, throwing up a devil horn sign as he did.
The guitar in questing looked like it were forged in hell itself, the body looking like a large cyclops skull, the bottom jaw missing, the neck and strings of the guitar having been threaded through the skulls eye socket and each string fastened to the beasts teeth, two horns jutted out from the top of the skull, twisted like screws as they curved inward, and then there was the head of the guitar, the head being a skeletal hand posed in a ‘flip the bird’ gesture, the keys all composed of small skull in various states of breakage.
“Yooooouuuu…..hhhhuuuuummmaannn!” The tall one groaned, extending his arm out to point his guitar at Eddie.
He looked around confused, almost making sure this dude was talking to him or not
“Uuuuuh, yeah bro, what else would I be?”
Big mistake, the tall red robe reached a thin gloved hand up, grasping his hood firmly before yanking it back, exposing his face, or lack there of a face, in place of a head is what looked like some sort of engine, its motor humming as the whole thing shook, now free of the hood its exhaust let out jets of fire with every breath the creature took.
“Dam, takes being a gear head to a whole new extreme” Eddie nervously chuckled, reaching his arm back as he tentatively inched backwards, his hand eventually reaching the edge of the stone alter.
“Uuuuuuusssseeeee…….wwwweeeeaaapppooonnnnn” the engine growled, looping its guitar strap onto its shoulder before playing its strings with unnatural speed, hammering down the last cord as the instrument spewed fire at Eddie.
Quick thinking was never his strong suit, however Eddie quickly found himself vaulting over the stone alter, ducking behind it as the unholy flames roared all around him.
“Dudes, don’t know if you noticed, but does it look like I have a weapon?” He called from his hiding spot, only for something large and metallic to slam down next to him, looking over in shock to see a guitar, the same guitar that appeared at the show, the same one that most likely brought him here.
Strapping the instrument over his shoulder Eddie leaped out from his cover, Chronivac in hand, before making its strings scream, holding its notes as he played before a familiar heat began to flood his fingertips, but nothing happened
“Shit” he whispered, running back to cover as the engine head began playing again, more fire spewing from his guitar.
“Cmon how is this fair?” Eddie yelled, gripping the neck of the guitar shaking it, quickly letting go as a jolt of energy shocked his hands away
“Ok look, I can’t believe I’m talking to a guitar right now, but if you can hear me, I kinda need you to work with me here, I don’t know what’s going on but if I end up dead from this guy, there’s a good chance your gonna end up as firewood”
That clearly achieved something as he swore he felt the guitar shudder before it began playing itself just like before, its rhythm and speed getting Eddie into the beat.
“Yeah now we’re talking!” he yelled, sliding out from cover once again as he held the Chronivac’s note, this time a pillar of fire erupted at the guys feet, engulfing him in flames, flinging him back off the stage.
The seven cloaked figures looked back and forth between each other and the engine head, but none of them moving, clearly intending to stay out of it.
“Perfect, one on one rock battle” Eddie grinned, playing once again as he began to get up, jacking the hammer on each note until he let loose a screaming power chord.
This time as he held the note, a voice filled his mind, a whisper almost.
“Picture……what you want……music….metal…..is power”
with that Eddie stared at the engine head, and only one thing came to mind, he almost chuckled as the image formed in his head, what better use for such an engine.
Shockwaves of energy erupted from his guitar, charging at alarming speed at his target, slamming the engine headed man into the ground as he began to violently shake, his limbs contorting as his transformation took hold……