My mentor warned me to get out of the city almost a year before the epidemic started. I, being the rash young man I was, thinking I was invincible just because I had a little magic, ignored her. I was sure I could protect myself, and then work on healing the sick, all in addition to my singing. Gods, was I wrong.

I was one of the first to catch it. Turned out it was drawn to magic. I fought it every step, chanting spells until I was hoarse, and even after that. After my voice went I switched to symbolic magic and continued to fight. My fans were devastated to find out I could sing for them, but fighting the sickness was more important at the time.

I was the first to survive the disease, which by that time was being called a plague. I had conquered the killer, and since I had blood that had survived I could carry out my plans to heal people. I did that for free, and when a few other healers joined me we managed to beat it, finally.

It ravaged the city for a year and a half. I had lost my voice three month in, and it stayed away the whole time. I figured it was just recuperating, and I didn't worry that much. After all, I couldn't expect it to come back right after the abuse and sickness it had gone through.

And then my mentor came back to the city to see if I was okay. She knew I wasn't perfect, since news had spread through the country that I wasn't singing. The others were waiting for me, but we still weren't performing. She came, examined me to make sure the plague was really all gone, and then announced that it would take more magic than she had to even make me talk again, let alone let me sing once more.

The plague, which had been almost intelligent in its targets on people, had permanently robbed me of my voice. It hadn't been the abusive chanting. I was going to be out of a job, not to mention unable to ever again do that while I loved. It was all I could do not to cry.

We announced it on live tv a week later. The rest of the guys were there with me, mostly for support, and since it was an announcement that affected the whole band. Jay was there too, even though he wasn't part of the band. He held my right hand as I wrote on the little screen that would be displayed behind me. I wanted to tell everyone myself, even if I had to write it.

"I'm sure most of you have heard the rumors about me catching the plague," I wrote. There was a murmur of assent from the crowd. "It's true. I helped heal it after I got better. That's why I haven't been able to perform."

"I was examined recently by a certified healer, my teacher and mentor," I continued. "She said my voice is gone, unsalvageable."

The entire audience gasped, and I heard the whispering start. I tried to smile and go on cheerfully, the way I normally was. When the first tear hit the screen and was mirrored up behind us, I knew I couldn't do it.

Jay held me while I cried, and the guys joined in after a few moments. I cried on national tv, and most of the audience did as well. It was something for the tabloids to gossip about.

I finally stopped when a girl not too much younger than I was pushed her way through the crowd. She exuded power, which was why I had the guards let her through; she was a healer, like me. She touched my shoulder gently, and I felt the magic fixing and healing.

"Would you like one last song?" she asked. "I can give you back your voice that long..." I nodded, and the tears almost threatened to choke me again. She worked more of her magic, and the nodded.

And I sang. There were no microphones, no instruments, no fancy lights. It was just me, and my song. It wasn't a song that anyone had heard before, but one I'd been working on, possibly for the next cd we put out. It was a song of goodbye, and I san it shakily, both from being at the edge of tears, and from the fifteen months of disuse my voice had seen. It was both my beast and my worst performance ever. My worst because I truly did not sound good. My best because it held the kind of emotion I strived to put into every performance.

As the song ended, I could feel the girl's magic starting to run out. I knew I'd be silent again soon. So I took the last few moments to do two things I'd regret not doing. First, I gave Jay a big hug and whispered, "Love you," before letting go. Second I walked over to the girl and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," I said, and the magic faded completely with those last two words.

"It was the least I could do," she said thickly. "You deserved a chance to say goodbye."

And then I broke into tears for the second time that night. I collapsed against Jay, sobbing. He picked me up like a baby and carried me off the stage, the guys following behind us.