Mel Carter had long dreamed of this audition. Sitting in front of the conservatory piano, the auditorium was expectantly silent, broken only by the occasional murmur of accompanists. Terrance, her only friend and confidant, stood in the back row, his expression full of support and hope. The old piano on the stage seemed to wait patiently. Mel adjusted her position on the bench and, with a deep breath to calm her nerves, let her fingers rest on the keys. The piece she was to perform was a mournful, romantic melody, perfected with the help of her father. Tom Carter, a talented musician in his youth, had given up professional music due to arthritis problems. Although her father had become a less enthusiastic mentor, Mel knew how much it had cost her to get here. As Mel played, the notes filled the room with a deep, emotional resonance. The melody, charged with a melancholic sadness and a haunting beauty, flowed with an elegance that reflected Mel's passion and effort. Each chord told a story, a tribute to her father and her own aspirations. Tom used to tell her that when she was born, his cry was the most beautiful melody in the world, and she had always felt a special connection to music because of him. Finally, the piece ended. Mel looked up from the keyboard, exhausted but satisfied. A middle-aged woman, one of the conservatory’s evaluators, stood up and congratulated her. With a professional smile, she told Mel that she had been accepted into the Tune Academy, which would allow her to audition for Juilliard University. “Thank you so much!” Mel exclaimed, her voice shaking with excitement. “Congratulations,” the woman said, “We’re excited about what you’ll be able to accomplish. The academy will be a great step for your career.” Mel, beaming, turned to Terrance, who hugged her enthusiastically. “You did great, Mel! I’m so happy for you,” he said. “Thank you, Terrance,” Mel replied, “I couldn’t have done it without your support.”

To celebrate, Mel and Terrance decided to attend a concert by Mozart, Mel’s favorite composer. Although she was wearing jeans and an orange blouse, and Terrance didn’t share her enthusiasm for classical music, he had bought the tickets in the hopes that the audition would go well. At the theater, the atmosphere was elegant and opulent. The red curtains and golden chandeliers contrasted with the casualness of Mel’s attire. Despite this, she was completely absorbed in the music, enjoying every moment of the concert. Suddenly, as the conductor began to introduce one of the pieces, Mel noticed something disturbing in one of the theater’s beams. A pale gray figure, with glowing yellow eyes, was moving slowly through the shadows. The creature looked like a cross between a giant insect and a human being, with sharp claws and membranous wings that moved weakly. Before she could react, the figure leaped with surprising agility onto the conductor. She sank a sharp fang into its throat, and the man began to choke, his face distorted in a grimace of terror. The theater erupted into a chaos of screams, but most of the audience seemed paralyzed, frozen as if they were trapped by an invisible force. Mel screamed, but the sound was lost in the tumult. At that instant, a young man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes appeared on the stage. With unusual speed and precision, he unsheathed a shiny dagger and, with a sure-fire movement, plunged it into the creature’s neck. The monster’s head fell to the ground, and its body collapsed, disintegrating into ash in a matter of seconds. As the monstrous figure disintegrated in a whirlwind of ash, the blond boy turned to Mel. His blue eyes reflected shock and concern as he watched her. Without a word, the young man leapt nimbly onto the beam from which the creature had jumped and then disappeared into the scaffolding overhead, moving with almost supernatural speed and dexterity. Mel, still in shock, ran backstage, trying to find the young man. Her search proved fruitless; the back halls of the theater were empty and in disarray, with no sign of the mysterious savior. Desperate, Mel returned to the main auditorium. When Terrance reached her, he saw Mel looking around, clearly scared and confused. “Mel? What’s wrong?” Terrance asked, noticing the panicked expression on her face. “There was a boy here! And the creature… I saw it!” Mel exclaimed, trying to explain what had happened. Terrance frowned and looked around. “I haven’t seen anyone else, Mel. It seems there’s no one left in the theater anymore. Maybe you got scared and the coffee you drank before the audition affected you.” You might have fallen asleep for a moment.” Mel looked at him with....