Friendly faces were few and far between, so I tried to not push them away or break them when they did eventually show. I had always been a magnet for the oddities, my roster packed with people that couldn’t be any more different from each other. Yet they seemed to gel and fit in as if it was meant to be.

David pursed his lips, as though he had repeated the start of this meeting a dozen times in his head, but forgotten everything as soon as it had started. Not that I blamed him for it. Last time I had to speak in front of a crowd, it didn’t go too well.

Wight looked content enough to wait and see what the young man had to say without being prompted. His previous interaction with Church personnel ended up ruining the carpet. Pearl had wanted me to kill Isaac, but David was probably safe. Although, in saying that…

“David, forgive the interruption,” I let the phrase hang for a second, everyone already aware that nothing was being said at present. “Do you have any divine artefacts on your person that we should be aware of?”

More the fool me if he was packing some kind of angelic death ray and redecorated our very pleasant lounge with my internal parts.

He shook his head. “No, I didn’t think it was necessary. Plus, the Church wouldn’t really lend out that kind of thing for… well, for me.”

“Made some enemies when you got picked for the winning side?” The exorcist had told me he’d be creating a group to specifically handle me. I was a big deal, my ego reminded me.

“Something like that,” he grimaced. “There are still plenty in the Church who see you as someone that needs… offering up to the heavens.”

[Sounds very archaic when you put it that way.]

Any irony there? Maybe, but my brain wasn’t exactly in full force this morning. I’d not even had breakfast or coffee. Oh, that was a point. I was supposed to be the host.

“Fancy a coffee, David?"

He tilted his head. “Ah, I only drink water—if that’s okay?”

“Of course,” I said, nodding my head, totally disgusted on the inside but playing it cool.

Rodney shuffled and got up. “I’ll go get it. Wight, you want anything? Oh, and there are some pastries I’ll bring out if you guys are hungry.”

[A coffee please, the Rodney.]

I nodded to him and he went off toward the kitchen. Nice of him to offer. As pleasant as he was, he wasn’t usually this proactive. My eyes went back to David as he watched the Blank leave. “You’ve come here with good news, I hope?”

His eyes switched back to me. “Ah? Well, that’s quite a hefty burden you are putting on me there, Eric. I think the best place to start would be what you both know about the prophecy of the Last Lantern?”

It looked as though he had caught hold of his train of thought, and I wondered if that had anything to do with Rodney’s absence. The Blank had divine energy, of course. Maybe he was picking up on that.

“Not… a lot, if I’m honest.” I furrowed my brow at Wight for backup, and he gave me a shrug. “I’m meant to save the world or something, and I’m a mix of all sorts of powers.”

David nodded slowly. “I mean, that is it, condensed down to the basics, I suppose. Apparently, this sort of thing happens every dozen generations. Something messes with the balance and a chosen one is born-“

“Ugh.” I held up my hand. “Let’s not use that phrase ever again, please.” I loved a cliche, but that just made me nauseous. The insinuation that I had been chosen by some greater force to endure all this pain and shark-jumping was just beyond the pale. “Just call me the ‘unfortunate one’ instead.”

[Eric is a miserable person.]

I pulled a face, but shrugged. It’s not like I could deny that. Most people would be a lot worse than ‘miserable’ if they were summoned to the deepest part of Hell and lost their eyes and hands—even if temporarily. Perhaps I should be worried about how dissociated I was from personal injury.

“He has certainly been through a lot, even with the fight against Cinereous. He said that you blew yourself to pieces before the divine energy fixed you.”

“Just a normal Tuesday for me,” I bragged, totally unsure as to what any day of the week actually was. “Although I did get some time off work, which means it was pretty bad.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

David smiled. “I’m sure the Org aren’t too compassionate.”

“Eh, the first Church person I met tried to kidnap me—at least the Org leaves me alone if I’m not any current use to them.” As much as they put me in deep shit on the regular, if they actually wanted me dead, then they had much worse they could put me through.

[That isn’t true. We met the first Church person in Misery.]

I tilted my head from side to side. The old father, lost and left to subsist without escape. “True. Say, David—what divine powers do you have?”

"Uh, I’m not meant to say.”

“Corruption resistance, at the least?” I nodded, encouraging him to give up some information.

“Of course.” He pulled a face, falling into my goading. “Nothing exciting, though. There is a reason I’m mostly a junior. Basically, a clerk. Power comes through a lot slower these days.”

[Because of the broken connection?]

David nodded, and his then his eyes went up to Rodney as the Blank moved back into the room.

“Here we go. Coffee for you two, and water for our guest.” He didn’t make eye contact with any of us as he passed around the drinks. “The pastries had all been eaten, actually, sorry.”

I narrowed my eyes at Wight, and the demon just stared impassively back. He didn’t even need to eat, technically, and yet I had caught him gorging on things on occasion. Maybe just to spite me.

“I’m sure I’ll survive without food for a little longer,” I said with a sigh. Didn’t eat on the job really, anyway. I had suffered much worse than a missed meal—although I never got to enjoy the full process of the burger I had half-eaten the night previously.

David took a slow sip of water before continuing. “So, to circle back to the top…” he sucked at his teeth. “Our offshoot group is working on finding a clear path for your destiny—find the way to facilitate your fate and fix the Heavens.”

“We have an idea already, right?” I raised an eyebrow at Wight, who nodded in response. “Some demons in the Mids are trying to bring about the return of an old god underneath the city.”

“This city?” David pulled out a pad and pen and began scribbling notes.

[That was our assumption, but you know what they say about when you assume.]

He nodded slowly back at the demon.

[You miss your chance and the old god murder-fucks your plane of existence into ashes.]

“My destiny could be to stop that?” I offered, if only to draw his concerned attention away from Wight. “These sorts of things usually don’t succeed, but if it did…”

“Bad news for everyone.” David nodded again as he made further notes. “Thwarting that wouldn’t necessarily bring the Heavens back, though. We feel that-“

“That the Org is the culprit?”

He looked up at me. “Not something I insinuate easily, even if I have colleagues who are pretty… set on that being the thorn that needs plucking.”

First, everyone was telling me to kill all demons, now everyone was telling me to destroy the Org. It was nice to have some guidance in life, but there was a point where I grew tired of dancing to the tune of others. Of course, I wanted to kill all demons and destroy the Org, so I shouldn’t be complaining. It was just less fun when it wasn’t a unique thought.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” I said earnestly. “Do we even know where the headquarters are located physically?” I looked between them all and received nothing but shaking heads.

[The Church artefact that they acquired to build the premises prevents me from leaving the main structure.]

“We know of some of their smaller offices, but not where everything is joined.” David wrinkled up his face.

Rodney drummed his fingers at the side of his mug. “There’s a way we might be able to find out, but it’s convoluted.”

I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. “Do tell?”

“Ahh, let me think on it, okay? I might be getting ahead of myself.”

His reluctance to give up the idea might be due to our current guest, either not wanting the Church guy to know about some of the Org workings, or my skills, although he could just be feeling awkward in revealing something that might not work.

“We’ll put a pin in that and circle back,” I said like a parrot, the old sayings of office-bound Eric coming back to the surface. Man, I needed to go and shoot some demons.

David tapped his pen on the paper, his gaze going off toward the horizon in thought. “We’ll see what we can find out about this old god plan. Unfortunately, the Church's power is rather dim these days and we can’t offer you much more than information at present. The Exorcist is figuratively bending the ear of a local sect in hopes of getting something more… physically helpful for you—but don’t hold your breath.”

I shrugged. “You know, it’s just nice to have someone on my side for once. Despite all that is against us, I have a knack for bring the good eggs amongst the bad together. Now I need an omelet.” Sorry, I said that part out loud. “Oops, again.”

Rodney and Wight exchanged glances.

The Blank forced a wide grin. “It’s been a pleasure, but if that’s all, I think Eric needs to go back to bed. Rough night.”

David looked a little confused, but nodded. “Of course, you time has been really useful. I’ll be staying locally, so if anything comes up.”

[We will be able to find you.]

“Ah… yeah, sure.” He grimaced and stood. Rodney joined him to show him out.

I clicked my tongue as they walked into the hall. “Get his number too, Rods. So we can contact him directly.” With a grin, I gave Wight a knowing nod. He didn’t seem to pick up on the implication, however.

[You seem a little out of sorts, Eric.]

“Yeah.” I slunk down into the soft couch further as I heard the front door close and latch. “Ripples of corruption, no doubt. I saw the citadel.”

[I am somewhat envious.]

“One day, pal. I’ll take you there.” Maybe even pack some spare eyeballs, just in case.

Rodney came back into the lounge and sat back down beside me.

Before I had a chance to prompt him for any thoughts, my phone went off. “Wow, that was quick,” I said with a wide grin. “Misses us already.”

Into my hand, the phone illuminated to show me the truth. Something that immediately wiped any humor from my face.

[Is it time?]

“Yeah.” I sighed, flipping the phone over to show the Blank, before I filled them in. “Org is calling me in for the ‘testing’.”