Welcome Home

Gata led them through the dark streets, down abandoned alleys and beneath shadowed underpasses. They further they travelled, the less signs of life appeared. They turned a corner, coming to face a square of houses. A fountain stagnated in the middle of the square, green moss growing through a large chip knocked out of one side. Lights flared within the windows as they approached the front door. Gata reached forward to pound his fist on the door.

Mira opened the door before he could touch it, still wearing the same clothes she had been in the grave. “Flicka told me what happened.” She said, her eyes boring into Zero. He looked at his feet. “I’m surprised Gurd didn’t turn you to pulp.”

“He tried.” Gata said unamused, walking into the receiving hall. Zero and Cloak followed him in.

Mira touched Cloak on the shoulder lightly as she passed. “You come with me.” Mira said, “You aren’t the first to have had difficulties reviving. Trick is here somewhere, we’ll get you all fixed up.” Mira smiled, her teeth were yellowed, black spots showing on several them. Her rough skin crinkled the wrong way, exemplifying her crow’s feet. She took Cloak up a set of stairs that ran parallel to the hall.

Directionless, Zero continued to follow Gata. They wound through the house, finding it far deeper than Zero had anticipated. Gata pounded on a door marked “Gray”, though the ‘r’ had been burned out. A belt hung looped around the doorhandle. When no response came, Gata pounded on it again, hard enough to rattle the hinges.

“I’m coming. I can’t afford another one. Hold on.” A voice called from inside. Chains slid and a deadbolt was drawn. A single spectacled eye appeared on through the fraction the door opened. “Yes, Captain?”

“Tour duty.” Gata said, throwing a thumb at Zero.

“I can’t I’m… otherwise engaged.” Gray said, placing as much emphasis on the words as he could. Gata waved as he walked away.

“All of you can do it.” He called.

Gray threw a dirty look after the retreating Captain. He pressed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. “Are you going to let him in?” Twin female voices said.

“Cover yourselves first.” Gray said, his face disappearing from the crack. Blankets and bedsheets fell as the door closed. The chain lock lid from its place behind as Gray opened the door wide. The room was small and dark. A candelabra sputtered low on the desktop, a double bed holding two women warmly beside it. At the foot of the bed was large wooden trunk. Gray pulled a stool from beneath the desk, sitting on it, his lower half wrapped in a blanket. Behind him was a large window, open to the cool night air.

“I’m Gray,” He yawned. “The twins are Lilith and Eishe.” He pointed to each in turn. Zero doubted he’d ever be able to tell them apart. They were the spitting image of each other. “Lilith is the prettier one, Eishe is the hotter one.” Gray continued. The Twins giggled to each other, Zero hazarded a guess at some private joke. A long, thin tail that sharpened to an arrowhead slunk from beneath the covers, draping itself over Gray’s shoulder.

“Zero.” Zero said, giving a small bow. The women smiled at him. He felt the hot flush creep up his cheeks.

“We’re hungry.” The leftmost twin said, trailing a sharp nail down Gray’s skin, drawing a line of red from shoulder to elbow.

Gray nodded, “I know,” He said, “You heard the Captain though. He’ll know if I skip. He always does. Let me give the newbie the tour. I’ll be back soon enough.”

“Promise?” The left twin said, licking Gray’s blood from her nail.

“No. You’ll have to take my word for it.” Gray replied. He moved to the foot of the bed, dropping the blanket on the floor. Zero turned to face the door, giving him privacy. The trunk clunked open and wheezed as Gray lifted the lid. Clothes fell to the floor in a messy pile as he dug. “Where’s my…”

“Still in our room.” The rightmost twin said.

“And my…” He continued.

“The roof. Last night’s excursion?” The left twin said.

“Ah. Purple silk it is.” Gray said, pulling on a dyed nightshirt. He walked back to the desk, taking a stained amber glass. He skulled the contents then threw the remainder through the open window. Taking a candle from the candelabra, he squished it into the now empty cup. “A little while, my queens.” He bowed, then kissed each on the centre of the forehead. They blushed, pulling the sheets over their faces.

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Gray motioned for Zero to leave the room. Stepping out into the hall, he found it surprisingly well lit. The floor beneath his feet was carpeted from wall to wall, the walls themselves painted with old and faded murals, separated by supporting columns. The wall opposite Gray’s door depicted a duel. A demon with elegant antlers wielded a pure white blade. Its body was strong, muscles taught and sculpted. The light of the blade shone through the demon’s large bat-like wings, illuminating the outlines and colours of bones and veins in the wing membrane. The demon’s face had been chipped out. Why? It’s all so… familiar.

Zero’s blood boiled unbidden when he looked at the demon’s foe. A human man, handsome and strong, held a blade of shadows, meeting the demon with a head on charge. Contrasting to the demon’s nakedness he wore a suit of silver armour, a blue cloak flapped behind him. Emblazoned on the cloak was a strange sigil, startlingly familiar.

The door closed behind Zero. “These paintings are the few that remain in Graveguard. When the king was slain, the people went into a rage. Destroyed almost everything remotely human they could get their hands on. They came to the courtyard and were unlucky that Gata answered the door. Took a while to get the stains out of the carpet.” Gray reminisced.

“Who is that?” Zero said, pointing at the demon.

“A calamity. We think he was the first. Hard to tell with the face missing. That though,” Gray said, pointing at the human knight, “Is the founder of our order. The first Captain of the Night Lantern corps, Marvolio.” Zero turned to look at Gray, the sigil on the knight’s cloak emblazoned on the left of his nightshirt. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this. Bear with me.” He looked up and down the hallway. “I suppose we start with the kitchens. Then the bathroom. Best to warn you, anyone invites you back to their room? Don’t go.”

And with that, he led Zero down the hallway. They turned left, “The houses in this square were made into one. The walls were knocked down when Gata arrived. Made us all one big happy family.” He said. They rounded a corner, where he pointed out the kitchens. “Sprites make the food any time we need. Don’t stay too long though, they eat our thoughts as much as we drink their wine. Ever had sprite wine?”

Zero shook his head.

“You’re missing out. There’s some in my room. Drop by sometime, unless I’ve got my belt on the door.” Gray winked. Further down the hall was the male bathroom. It was barely more than a hole over a pit that was routinely collected by a person Gray referred to as ‘Kevin’. He also pointed out the women’s, stressing the point to never go in there. Walking back up the way they came, Gray showed him to the second floor. “Library is on the other side, but Davomir is up to his studies again. Don’t disturb him. He’s a little on the odd side, even for us.”

Gray led Zero up a flight of stairs to the second floor. As they approached the landing, Gray looked startled and backpedalled. “Gray!” A girl in her late teens approached, hair aflame. “The Twins had better not be in your bed again.”

“They aren’t.” Gray lied, hands placating, “Haven’t seen them all night.” Flame leaked from the corner of the girl’s eyes.

“Is that why you burn like them?” She said.

“Burn?” Gray ducked, barely avoiding a ball of flame that sailed over his head. He pointed at it, a storm cloud materialising in mid-air, absorbing the fire and dissolving into mist. “No powers in the house.” Gray reprimanded.

“You use yours all the time.” The girl complained.

“Mine won’t burn the house down.” Gray continued, watching her ready another bout of flame in her palm. “Fi, put the fire away. No need for magic. Besides, how could I have been with the Twins if I’ve been showing the newbie around?”

The girl paused at this, turning to Zero. “I’m Fi.” She said, extending a flaming hand. Zero looked at it cautiously. She shook it in the air, extinguishing the flames, and stuck it towards him again. He shook it.

“Zero.” He said, though she had already turned back to Gray. “I don’t believe you. Where have you taken him so far?”

“Kitchens, bathroom, library, lounge, Guard den, Watchpost, actually, the library is a lie. Davomir was there. Didn’t want to disturb him.” Gray lied.

Fi huffed and stalked away. “Mira is taking the new girl around now. Careful if you run into her, if you decide to visit anywhere a second time.”

“Will do.” Gray said. “Thanks, Sparkles.”

“You’re welcome, Puff.” She snarled before rounding the corner.

“I’ll finish the tour with you tomorrow.” Gray whispered, “I’ll take you to your room now. Got to get the Twins out of mine before Mira sees. ‘Unbecoming of a Lantern’ she says. Lousy hag just never gets any.” They walked at a brisk pace down the hall, following a labyrinthian path until they came before another door. Each name down its wooden face had been scratched through. Some a simple, neat line. Others had been completely gouged from the surface, rid from history.

“This is your room from now on. I’ve got to fly, so see ya.” Gray said, turning on his heel and sprinting away.

Zero tried the door handle. It was stuck. He jiggled the handle, finding it locked. Damn. He cursed. The hinges for the door were on the inside, he couldn’t jack them if he tried. Half-crouching, he looked through the keyhole in the door. The inside of his room was dark. Zero looked up and down the corridor, listening for any signs of life. After hearing none, he shoulder-charged the door. It crunched open with a loud bang. The inner handle left a dent in the wall, the door hung loosely on its hinges.

The inside of the room was plainer than Gray’s, merely a thin woollen mattress on the floor. He crossed the room, drawing back the curtains that covered the window. Three moons shone in the sky, white, violet, and red. Zero opened them to the night air. He smelt the pyre burning in the city. He walked over to the door, only to find the lock broken. He closed it as firmly as he could, then laid on the mattress.

Somewhere far away, Mira’s muffled voice shouted “GRAY!”. He tried to listen to the conversation that followed, only to find that sleep had already seized him.