They took their places, one sibling at one point of a star that had been the backdrop for their tempestuous reunion. It mimicked the leylines of power that connected the matrix of the Aria to Althanas. They were buried beneath the skeletal remains of Brandybuck Castle, covered up by centuries of war and widowing and obsession with the Tap. With vengeance. With regret.

“I can’t promise this isn’t going to hurt…it’s been a long time since we sang the song with a full choir. Even when there were three of us, it took weeks for me to able to move.” He remembered that day in his nightmares. “We all know the words. Let’s just…thank you everyone.” He smiled. It was a genuine, unabashed, unselfish smile. Duffy couldn’t remember the last time he had asked for help from his family without an agenda. They were all in this together.

They held out their hands, cleared their throats, and embraced one another.

“Wainwright played and he knew the words…” The first line came from Ruby, and then Lilith sang along in harmony. “He saw the heavens in the crowds.”

“The stage taught me to out speak someone who outdrew you.” As one, the baritone and harmony mixed and the tower shook. The etchings in the tower’s base glowed, and the orrerry brought to life the images of the first time the troupe used the song. Five hundred and forty-nine years ago.

“The minor lines and the major quips! The jittery leading man composing new lines.” Ruby’s hair set alight. The tanto about Lilith’s waist glowed umbra shades as the Oni within roiled in pain.

“Our faith was strong but we needed proof, we watched him writing on the roof, his talent, and his smile oh it threw you!” Duffy seemed to lose weight. Arden’s eye glinted, and his sight began to return. With every line, a scar or heartache fell away, and wreaths of flame and blue ribbons began to knot about the tower top as energy and passion and magic unbound by the Tap’s sycophancy came to life.

“He tied you down in line and love, he broke your dreams and built them up, then from your pen he drew hallelujah!”

The fires and lights gathered, swamping the troupe and splitting them apart. The castle began to crumble, stained glass raining down and the lake that disappeared over an infinite cliff boiled away.

“Brothers, we’ve been here before, we’ve seen this dread and we’ve walked this score, we were all alone before we knew you.”

Everything turned mercury silver. Bodies vanished. Centuries of stagnation faded away. When the lights faded a single wooden jetty formed. It stood at the heart of a mercury sea as endless as the eyes could see and a million leagues beyond. A red headed belle stood at one end, heart racing, youth returned. A red headed mute clutched a blade forged with blood, home at last. A tall, dishevelled man with bird feathers and top hat began to feel whole again. A young, stub nosed thief with a heart of hold bounced from foot to foot, and a woman with a trapper hat and cog bejewelled glove gave life to the union between tradition and debauchery. For the first time in centuries, the Tantalus troupe were themselves.

They slowly turned to look one another in the eye, the arguments and hatreds forgotten. They raised their hands to their hearts, and saluted in unison.

“It’s good to be home,” Duffy smiled.