Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young woman who loved music. When she reached the age of sixteen, she discovered that when she listened to music that had a strong, rhythmic beat, something odd happened to her body. She began to feel tingly, and warm, and strangely restless. She asked the local wisewoman what these feelings meant. The woman told her that this type of music was magical, and was stirring evil humors in her blood, which could only be released by the love of a man who could control the magic. The young woman asked where she was to find such a man, and the wisewoman told her of a land many days' journey away, where she would find the answers to her questions.
     Eager to find a cure for the disturbing sensations she had been experiencing, the young woman set off, taking with her trunks of fine silks and a group of minstrels who were trained to play the type of music she could no longer live without. After many weary days of travel, the party came to the crest of a hill, and there below them lay the city known as Bahston. It was a golden city, surrounded by high walls that could not quite contain the music that filled the air. As the travelers approached the city gates, several very large, burly men blocked their way. On seeing the youthful beauty of the lady approaching, their leader called over his shoulder to his commander, who came to view the visitor. After some discussion, she was given an all-access pass, and allowed to enter the gates with her trunks, but the group of minstrels were forced to remain behind.
     Once inside, the commander of the guard carefully checked through her luggage, but finding only the finest of silken fabrics (which he knew would please his masters greatly), he led her through the streets to the town square. As they approached, the music grew louder. The young woman began to feel again those oddly exciting, yet disquieting, sensations as she neared the source of the glorious music. The air was filled with the tortured screams of several stringed instruments, and the very earth trembled from the pounding beat of the drums. And then she heard a voice, a voice that mimicked the wail of the instruments and went beyond, expressing pure emotion in a form that caused her already overheated blood to nearly burst from her veins. The voice, the music, and the beat of the drums, left her with a feeling of frustration, as if the evil humors were gathering themselves, ready to burst forth from her body, if only she could find the means to release them.
     She and her escort rounded a corner, and she saw before her a group of men standing on a raised platform, using instruments she had never seen before to create the sounds that so disturbed her. At her appearance, they ceased making music, and waited in silence for her to come closer. All five of the men appeared to be in the prime of their lives, with uniformly long hair and colorful clothing that showed their fine figures to best advantage. One seemed to be a giant of a man, with straight blond hair, massive shoulders, and a genial expression. Beside him was another blond man, but shorter, with the eyes of a mournful puppy. Behind them sat a third man, with his hair pulled back in a ponytail; he was quite solidly built, very muscular, and watched her approach with an air of cautious interest. To his left stood a very dark, forbidding looking gentleman. His body appeared to have been sculpted by the gods, yet his face was more striking than handsome, and he smirked cynically when he saw the young woman. It was the fifth man, however, who held her attention. He possessed a fluid grace that seemed an extension of his wailing voice. His eyes, when they met hers, seemed to have hypnotic powers. Every nerve in her body leapt to attention as she moved forward, her gaze held by the sheer magnetism of the man at the center of the platform.
     When she was within a few feet of him, she forced her eyes to look away and break the spell. Gazing about her with wide-eyed innocence, she concluded that although these men looked much like the men of her own land, they each wore an aura of power that was almost magical. They appeared to be almost god-like, towering over her on the platform, waiting with complete self-assurance for her to explain her presence. She began to feel nervous, not only because of their silent perusal, but also because that disturbing tingling sensation was once again at work in her body, even though the music had ceased several minutes before. Unconsciously she licked her dry lips, eliciting a wicked grin from the man in the middle.
     The blond giant chose this moment to step forward with a friendly smile. "Hey, baby," he said kindly, "is there something we can do for you?"
     She looked again at the man with the hypnotic eyes, and her mind went blank. "I .. I ... the music..." she faltered.
     "Another lost fan," sneered the man who stood alone to the side. "Give her the usual: a backstage pass, a front row seat, and an autograph. Then maybe we can get back to the new song."
     The first things he mentioned meant nothing to her, but his tone of voice made her think she was being insulted. She swallowed hard against her fear of these mythic creatures, and the words poured from her mouth. "For many weeks, whenever I hear music such as you make, I have experienced the strangest sensations. It is as if there are spirits inside me that seek to be released. Parts of me feel very cold, and other parts feel very warm. I want to dance, though I do not know how. I want to scream, but no words will come. I feel there is something I should be doing, and I have no idea what it is. I have come many miles to this town, because I was told that here I could find the answers to my questions, and perhaps also find the man who can give me peace from the evil spirits that possess me. When I entered the town, I heard your music and the feelings began again, stronger than ever before. Please, sirs, can you explain to me why this happens, and teach me how to free myself of these feelings?"
     The two dark-haired men exchanged a wickedly meaningful glance, but were kept from answering when the man with the puppy eyes came forward and crouched at the edge of the platform. He smiled reassuringly at the girl. "You say you have had a long journey, so you must be tired. Would you like to wash up, eat something, and then rest for a while? We are working right now, but tonight - as every night - there will be a concert, which you must attend. Perhaps later we will have time to listen to your story and answer your questions. Perhaps the concert will save us the trouble - many people over the years have found their answers and their true selves in our music."
     Although she did not know the word concert, she was relieved by his gentle tone and agreed to his suggestion. When he began to order a nearby servant to see to her baggage, she cried, "Oh, no, those are gifts - I suppose they must be for all of you. They were meant to be given to whoever would assist me in my quest."
     She looked back at the singer, and trembled at the intensity of his gaze. "I think I would like to rest, if it is convenient. I . . . I feel very confused right now . . ."
     Orders were given, and in a very short time the young woman was led away to a room in the palace inhabited by the men and their favorites. When she was out of hearing, the other men congratulated their partner.
     "Way to go, man! When did you learn to seduce innocent maidens? Lull her suspicions by acting gentle and kind, get her comfortable, give her a few nights of music and let those "evil spirits" get her all juiced up, then be all sympathy and understanding, and you are in!"
     "Quite a tasty little morsel, but do you think she is really as innocent as she seems? All the female fans who have shown up in the past have had only one thing on their minds - not that I am complaining or anything."
     "I don't think she is the usual type of fan who finds their way to us. She doesn't know the music, only the effect it has on her. It would, of course, be a pleasure to help her release some of that tension ..."
     "What do you think is in the trunks?" asked the drummer, and of course their attention was immediately diverted. They were all used to receiving gifts, but never in such large quantities. There was a mass movement to the stack of trunks, and they were all extremely pleased with the fine fabrics they found inside. Seamstresses were called, and orders given for various garments to be made, and the blond giant even suggested that an exquisite length of delicate pink silk be made into a dress for the girl. The rest was sent off to be stored, with no one the wiser about the magic that was already beginning to work on them - for the old wisewoman had cast a spell over all of the cloth before it was packed.

     The young woman was taken to a lovely room at the top of a nine story tower, which overlooked the square where the men were working. Servants were sent to attend her, and in a short while she was clean, had eaten, and was ready to lie down on the massive carved bed in the center of the room. She fell asleep almost immediately, but through her window came the sound of the music, the scream of the strings and the earthy beat of the drums. The sounds invaded her sleep without awakening her, causing her to toss restlessly on the bed. When she awoke, she was more confused than ever, for her body now seemed to be yearning for something that she could not identify. Meanwhile, her mind was in a chaotic state, trying to sort out all the new experiences that had occurred on her journey, and to figure out the meanings of all the new words she had heard today.
     A servant came to escort her to the "concert", but she would not leave the room until he had explained that this was a large gathering of people who came to hear the band play their music. He told her there were thousands of them, some living near the town, and some who simply found their way to the city whenever they could to attend the daily concerts. As they walked through the twilight toward the town square, he answered some of her more mundane questions. She learned that a backstage pass was an admittance to the presence of the band - the men she had seen at their "rehearsal" - before the concert began, and that their stringed instruments were called guitars, and the black boxes lining the stage were amplifiers, which increased the volume of the music so that everyone could hear.
     When they reached the town square, she stopped in shock and fear. Never before had she seen so many people in one place - it was as if the entire contents of every village she had seen on her journey were gathered in one place. Her escort continued forward, and the crowd opened a path for them, but something seemed wrong. No one appeared to notice her or the servant; it was as if an invisible shield protected and hid them, parting the crowd and then letting them close in behind again without actually disturbing them. She was led to the front row of seats, right in front of the singer's place, and left alone. There were people all around her, but no one seemed to see her. And then she began to look more closely at them. They wore clothing from a different time or place, almost a uniform of sorts, consisting of trousers made of a heavy, blue fabric, and shirts with strange words and pictures on them. Most of the men and boys wore their hair long, while most of the women and girls wore their hair in short, outlandish styles. Some of them had pictures painted on their skin. Many of them had a glazed, distant look in their eyes, while others carried on loud, aggressive conversations and drank an amber-colored liquid from clear cups. Understanding of the final difference between herself and these other people crept slowly into her mind. They weren't quite there. Not mentally "not there", as one man from her village had been described, but physically incomplete. Those close to her seemed only slightly faded, and those farther away became almost ethereal looking. It was as if she were the only solid flesh-and-blood being in a room full of ghosts.
     Then she glanced toward the stage, and laughed at her fanciful notions. The men running around up there were just as solid as she was. They scurried to and fro, moving things and adjusting equipment, before disappearing to the sides at a nod from their commander. The setting sun had just dipped below the horizon, and the crowd fell into an expectant hush as darkness fell over them. Then, out of nowhere, came the scream of a tortured soul, a heavy pounding beat, and blinding white light.
     There was an answering scream from the crowd, and then the band appeared before them, launching into music that was louder and wilder than any she had ever heard before. She stood still, awestruck, while all around her the crowd was going berserk. They pounded their fists in the air, slammed their heads back and forth, gyrated their bodies in time to the music, and screamed and whistled and clapped their hands to the beat. The music continued to flow over them, song after song, growing louder and denser with each key or tempo change. She rocked on her feet ever so slightly, not knowing what else to do as the beat of the drums thrummed upwards from her feet to her spine. Then suddenly it seemed that a wall of sound was slamming into her, invading every pore of her skin, making her heart pound, and sending the blood rushing through her body. She moved with the music, her hips pumping to the rhythm, her hands clapping together, her head rocking on her neck. Her body had escaped the confines of her mind, and moved as if the music were a skillful puppeteer and she just a puppet.
     When the music finally ended and the band walked off the stage, she was exhausted physically, yet her brain was in overdrive. Those strange feelings had come to her again, stronger than ever, and far more demanding. The drumbeat had vibrated through every part of her body, sending her blood pounding into places that she had not known existed before. She was left feeling tired, and yet strangely restless, as if she had been led in a dream to a strange and wondrous place, only to awaken before the final thrill of reaching her destination. The only thing she knew for certain was that she wanted to go back to that place, and somehow attain the final ecstasy it promised. Perhaps, if the band sent for her tonight, they could help her with this dilemma.

     But the men did not send for her that night, nor for two more days, although she attended the concerts each night, escorted through the unearthly crowd by the same servant. During the days she was attended by a small child, who brought her meals and followed her when she ventured out to explore the town.
     The town itself seemed vastly under-populated to have produced such a large crowd at the concerts. By day the streets were sparsely filled with villagers going about their business, seemingly oblivious to the sounds of the band rehearsal in the square. As dusk approached, however, they all hurried to their homes and shut their families up inside behind locked doors and shuttered windows. Then the crowds would suddenly fill the streets, streaming toward the stage. Yet the townspeople that she spoke to were always polite, sometimes friendly, and in the bright light of daytime, there was no question that they were as solid and real as she.
     On the third day since her arrival, she met a wizened old man who was the keeper of the town's lore. He told her a legend that was incomprehensible, yet answered many of the questions that plagued her about the town. It was a tale that had been passed down through generations, taking on characteristics of mythic proportions with each successive retelling.

     "Many lifetimes ago, before the Days of Doom, a great civilization inhabited the earth. The people of this far-off time possessed great intelligence and lived a life of wealth and ease, but quarreled amongst themselves at every turn. They practiced a variety of strange and incomprehensible religions; but although the most popular and far-reaching religion had never been acknowledged as such, it was the driving force in the lives of most of the so-called common people. This religion was called Rock'n'Roll.
     "Even within this great religion, there were many sects, some more powerful than others. These groups frequently called themselves after their prophets, giving rise to such names as Beatlemania, Stoners, Wannabes, Durannies, and Deadheads. But the most popularly revered of all the high priests of Rock'n'Roll was a group of five men known collectively as "the Arrow". For many generations they had traveled the earth, spreading The Word through their music. Their god had tested them strenuously; tempting them with forbidden fruits, giving them power and then taking it away, bringing them low in an attempt to break their spirits. Yet each time they appeared to have been crushed, their music brought them back from the ashes to even greater heights of popularity. Their legions of followers, called "Arrowfans", came to worship these priests in the place of the music god they served. Their supporters gave freely to the cause, and turned out in huge numbers for all of their services, which were also known as concerts. Many followed the Arrow across the country at great personal expense, their greatest desire being to enter the presence of their leaders. Their detractors claimed they had sold their souls to the devil for such power, but the devil was in no hurry to claim his property.
     "Then came the Days of Doom, that time of worldwide death and destruction that led to the collapse of the once glorious civilization. Few survived, and those who did found themselves thrown back to a dark age of fear and superstition. For several generations the struggle to survive far outweighed such considerations as religion and music. During these years, nothing was heard of the Arrow, and those few who remembered mourned their loss.
     “Two generations ago, seemingly out of nowhere, the five men suddenly appeared in this place with their servants, whom they called a "road crew"; and with a platoon of soldiers, who were called "bodyguards". They set out to rebuild this beautiful city with the help of local residents, and named it Bahston after the town in that other world which they had called home. With them came enormous creatures, larger than most homes, which moved on wheels and were guided by men who sat in a cavity behind each creature's left eye. The hollow bellies of these unearthly beings contained all manner of black boxes of all sizes and shapes. There was a period of great activity following the arrival of the Arrow, as first their palace was built, then the covered stage in the town square, then row after row of seats in front of the stage, and finally the massive structures that produced sound and light during each concert. Any townsman who wished was offered employment during the construction; when the palace was finished, the townswomen were offered jobs making luxurious furnishings, cooking elaborate meals, and sewing outlandish garments from fine silks and tanned skins. Some of the most beautiful women were also offered other forms of employment, and each was treated generously when her term of service was complete
.      "When the construction was done, the five priests began their daily program of making music. At first the townspeople were frightened by the loud, unnatural sounds, but in time they grew used to the music and it became an accepted part of their lives. Their town, after all, had been chosen to be the home of a powerful god, and his priests were benevolent masters. No longer were there deadly raids by neighboring villages. No longer was there fear of wild animals that roamed the countryside, for sturdy walls now protected the town and its people. Even the elements of Nature were controlled by the new god, and the harvests were routinely plentiful. The people were grateful for their good fortune, adopted the god as their own, and enjoyed their new-found prosperity.
     "There was, however, a price to be paid for this prosperity. Not long after the Arrow began their daily rehearsals, the first fans began to show up. At first they came in a trickle, one or two each day, and then for a short period they were arriving in packs of a dozen or more every few hours. These fans frightened the townspeople. They wore bizarre clothing, carried weapons as part of their ornamentation, drank a strange brew that often made them belligerent, chased the children and scared the elderly. The most frightening thing about them, however, was the fact that they were not real. The consequences of their actions were real, but the fans themselves could not be considered either real or spectral. They came from a different plane of reality, for although they had lived corporeal lives in the time before the Days of Doom, their spirits had never gone to rest when the bodies disintegrated. Because they had devoted their lives to their idols, they now roamed the earth, doomed to spend eternity seeking one last concert rush. And when the Arrow began their rehearsals, the vibrations had gone out through this world of the un-dead, and they had begun to make their way to the town of Bahston, soon filling its streets each night in their quest for unattainable peace.
     "Soon the local populace demanded that something be done. The village headman sought an audience with the five priests and explained what was happening in the town. The band were sympathetic, for they understood the differences between their neighbors and their fans. But the band had a driving need to perform their music, and to do so they needed an audience. Finally a compromise was reached: the living would inhabit the town freely during the hours of daylight, and then hide themselves away with the onset of dusk, when the fans would arrive to attend the evening's concert. Where the audience went during the day no one knew, and few cared. It was a workable solution, and for two generations now the two populations have existed side by side but completely separate."

Part 2