Rolling aside in bed Vincent’s eyes opened for the fourth time that morning. It was very early, he knew that much just from a hunch. Weird sleep schedules were no stranger to him but even in this moment, he couldn’t get comfortable even with Alison home. A fourth failure told him it was time to get out of bed.
Swinging his legs over the side and walking he dressed slowly. It was still cold, the deserts sun not yet having warmed the city. Getting used to feeling this was going to take him some time. Hopefully, it didn’t stay this way. Brushing his hand through his hair he finally dressed in a pair of pants and a shirt. As he put on his boots he stared at his sword.
He almost left it there but something told him that things were dangerous. He picked the weapon up and strapped it to his waist. The weight of the weapon didn’t comfort him but he at the very least knew that if something happened, he wouldn’t get caught off guard. Not again.
As he opened the front flap the bed rustled and Alison said, “Where are you going?”
He looked over at her and forced a smile, “Just going for a walk. Don’t worry.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Go back to sleep.”
She stared at him her eyes half open and she rubbed her face. “No. We can come with. Just give us a second.”
He sighed letting the flap close, “I’m serious Alison. It’s fine.”
“No. It’s not. We know that it isn’t,” she said and this time her eyes were fully open and focused on him. “Give us a few seconds. You can wait outside if you want.”
He tried not to scowl but he finally lowered his head and stepped outside giving her some time. He stared at the dark sky, seeing the darkness be chased away by the coming sun. But the sun wasn’t there just yet so the dawn was just bleeding away into the night. For a second, he was tempted to start walking now but he knew that if he did that Alison would find him and kill him.
The flap opened finally and Alison came out. She rubbed her eyes again and then looked at him. He frowned but they started walking together again going toward the proving grounds. He had decided on going in this direction before he even put on his pants. He wanted to talk to the old man.
Alison walked beside him but didn’t try to talk to him. Even though he’d been his normal self last night at dinner, once they had gone back to their tent he’d gone back to being much quieter. He didn’t rebuff or ignore her but he was more reserved. Not talking or trying to initiate conversation.
Alison slowed and Vincent kept going deep in his own thoughts. She had liked Lionel as well. The man had taken her and her brother in to teach them all the ropes. Helped them understand how to raid, how to be a rogue and then what it meant to live in the Free City.
But more than that he acted like a parent for them when they didn’t have one. It reminded Alison of her grandmothers and that made the transition to the city that much easier. Knowing that he was gone, that he was really dead was a hard pill to swallow. Catching up to Vincent she reached out and took his hand.
“We don’t know exactly how you feel,” she began. “But your pain is also ours. We miss them too. You don’t have to shoulder this on your own.”
He looked at her and smiled that smile that didn’t reach his eyes. A smile that hurt to see but she couldn’t tell him to stop. After that first time since she came back, he hadn’t expressed his emotions or shown his sadness and she wondered why he felt the need to hide it from her.
“He’s scared,” Penny said.
“Of what?”
“Of losing us as well,”
“He won’t”
“He thought that about Lionel and Boss too.”
She didn’t have a good response to that. She actually hated when Penny was correct in that way. Nothing was ever guaranteed. You could be the queen of a secret kingdom and the direct child of a God and still lose what you swore to protect.
She shuddered, lowering her head, and when she raised it Penny had taken control. They looked at Vincent and even his lack of magical sensitivity knew that something had changed. But he didn’t look back over his shoulder. “Morning Penny,” he said softly.
“Morning Vincent,” they said softly. “Death is a strange thing for my kind.”
“Can demons die?”
“Yes. But only when we are here. In our own plane of existence, death isn’t the same. We fade into the fabric of that realm and then reform. Sometimes we maintain our essence. Other times we become entirely different beings.”
“Well that’s not strange and hard to process at all,” he grumbled.
“It means we treasure the time we have alive,” they said slowly. “We know our lives are fleeting and we may fade away. So the now and our memories. We savor those.”
Vincent stopped and looked at them then and they met his gaze. “So what? I should just get over it?”
“That is not what we’re saying,” Penny searched his face for answers that they lacked but instead of finding them they felt Alison’s presence and for a moment she helped him understand. “We are saying that mourn their passing but do not forget to remember and enjoy their lives. Don’t let yourself die along with them.”
Vincent started to say something but he made himself wait. Made himself pause and finally, he nodded closing his eyes, “Sounds like something the old man would say.”
They continued their walk, Vincent walking slower this time. They felt the difference in him. He wasn’t rushing to get there.
They walked through the proving grounds, the area mostly empty. They saw someone doing laps around the circle a few times and another swinging their sword and doing drills. But they walked past it going toward the graves. Vincent knew exactly where Lionel and Boss’s graves were at this point.
Neither expected that just past the graves, near the cremation pit was Ryza. She stood there her arms at her side and head down, staring into the pit. Shriek was at her shoulder and against her hip was a mask. Penny remembered it to be the one that the jester had worn.
Vincent went to the graves but Penny kept going, walking toward the necromancer. They approached and first the rat turned to face them and immediately spooked diving into her clothes. Maybe rats could sense beings that didn’t belong in this world better than humans could. Penny wondered if Blaze knew the moment that she and Alison had begun their contract.
Penny stood beside Ryza and she didn’t show any sign that she knew that she had arrived. Penny stared into the scorched black square of a pit and they could smell the char. Smell the chemicals thrown in the pit to both make the fire burn stronger but also to prevent it from smelling of cooked meat. Most flesh when burned began to smell like food. A distinction many weren’t comfortable making.
They wondered how many had been burned here, friends and foes. Family and enemies. How many people had chosen to be burned rather than buried. If the number of mounds in the graveyard was any indication it was very few or just as many. Just looking at the ground and how worn away it had been by constant traffic that others came here often as well.
“You two are interesting creatures,” Ryza said turning to face them slowly. “I’ve never met a body housing two souls.”
They looked at her and saw her silver eye faintly glowing. The same way her brother’s did. Whatever blessing or curse had been bestowed on them allowed them to glimpse a world that should have been hidden to regular humans.
“We could say the same for you,” Penny replied staring at her eye. “How does a human come to have something like that?”
“Oh this? A memento from my mother. She wanted her children to have a leg up on things,” she touched her eye lightly and chuckled. “It’s come in handy in many situations. I doubt mother ever thought I’d use it to see a demon inhabiting a human’s body.”
“It’s more common than you’d think here,” they said. “Alison’s master brought us together but Alison is not a traditional mage. She chose a different path than our master intended.”
“So what does that make you? An experiment?”
“More than that,” they said and one of their eyes shifted again as Alison’s voice flitted through their mind. “A conversation? Is that what you’d like to call us? Or rather something along those lines. You are truly strange Alison.”
Ryza watched them talk to themselves and her face was torn between confusion and deep interest. She wiggled her fingers and approached them, “I’d love to examine the two of you.”
“We’d rather you didn’t,” they said taking a step back and holding their hand out to bar her approach. She looked at their hand, at them, and back and made a face.
Ryza pouted folding her arms. “Fine fine. I’ll have to find another one that I can investigate and experiment with.”
“Mm. Good luck,” they said but looked over their shoulder and stared at Vincent. He was crouched in front of the grave and they could see him talking but she wasn’t sure what he was saying. They couldn’t hear his voice but the facial expression was one twisted in its own frustration.
They reached toward him and then let their hand dropdown. Ryza followed their gaze and looked toward the grave. “I wonder. I wonder if I can help him.”
“How could you help him?” they asked defensively. They blocked her gaze and narrowed their eyes. “You’re not going to pull your necromancer bullshit.”
Ryza looked at them and her face fell but she regained her composure, “It won’t be. At least not the kind that you’re thinking of. I think. I think he needs this.”
They narrowed their eyes and fought the scowl on their face. Looking over their shoulder toward Vincent, they resigned themselves. “Fine.”
Vincent raised his head as the pair approached, first looking at Penny and then at Ryza. He scowled at her. Forcing himself back up to his feet he focused on them, “What do you want?” he asked of Ryza.
“That’s not a polite way to ask someone who is willing to offer you her talents,” she said a confident smirk forming on her lips.
“No one was asking you for your help,” he said glaring at her. Penny walked over to him and he stood to greet them with a forehead kiss. “Why are you even here? Enjoying being around the dead or something?”
“That’s a rude assumption even if it may be true,” she shrugged.
“Just say what you’re doing Ryza,” Penny said sharply their patience starting to empty.
“You lost a friend. And you’re grieving. I can give you a chance to say goodbye,” she glanced at the ground beneath her feet and could feel her magic wanting to go to those long since buried but she held it in check. She had a sense of time and place.
“Say goodbye?” he repeated and paused. “What are you talking about? You’re going to bring him back as a zombie or something? Thanks, but no thanks.”
She actually scoffed at him then, “Your knowledge of necromancy is criminally misunderstood. The dead come in many different forms. Zombies and skeletons are just the easiest to manipulate. Any garden variety novice can raise those.”
“Then what are you suggesting,” Penny asked.
“The spirit. The soul. It lingers. Especially this close after their murder. But the spirit fades away eventually. What made that person a person will be gone forever,” she said. “If you want to say your proper goodbyes. This is your chance.”
Vincent pressed a hand against his forehead grunting at her. It was like dangling the chance of a lifetime in front of him. It made him wonder if this was some kind of elaborate trick to make him hand over his soul or something else.
“This isn’t a trick,” Ryza scowled. “This is a genuine offer of helping.”
Vincent looked at Penny as if to ask them what thought. They looked back at Ryza and then at him before nodding their head slowly. He nodded back. “What do I have to do?”
“Nothing. Just let him talk to you,” she motioned for him to take a step back. She walked toward his tombstone and read the markings on it. Next she closed one eye and let the silver one began to glow. She reached deep with her magic going deep into the grave and then into the sky as well.
As she pulled her hands together, dragging one from the earth and the other from the air she laced her fingers together. The silver energy manifested from the grave and came up like smoke. It billowed up slowly and then something solidified, changing until it became real.
Vincent stared at the smoke watching it come together and he shuddered because he saw it before it was complete. Watched it swirl around and suddenly where the smoke had been, where it had just been a shapeless mass, was now a shape and a form that he’d known for years.
Lionel blinked quickly and looked back and forth trying to get his bearings. He blinked slowly and finally looked at Vincent. Vincent stared at him his mouth partially open, eyes wide. Lionel’s face went from shock, to confusion, and finally to a smile. “Hey kid.”
“Lionel. That’s really you?” he asked reaching toward him slowly.
He looked down at his see-through hands and laughed, “Yeah. It’s me kid. Minus all the aches.”
Vincent laughed suddenly, a snort that caught him off guard. “That’s what happens old man. When you hang around past your prime.”
“Hey I could still do it better than you,” he pointed at him and they both broke into a shared laugh, one that had evolved over years.
Vincent looked at him and stepped forward, trying to reach out and touch him but his hand went through his body. Lionel stared at the same spot and made a sound, “That’s odd but. So is this.”
“You’re dead Lionel,” he said softly and just saying that made his throat tighten. He forced himself to breathe. “You died old man.”
“Oh is that what this is?” he said spreading his arms. “The afterlife is a strange place. Rogues and Bandits from stories that are older than you kid. It’s a rowdy place but there’s some order. A hierarchy. Boss fits in just fine though that’s for sure.”
“You and Boss. You both died because of me,” he said looking at the ground. “I put the city in danger.”
“No. You didn’t. What happened to the city isn’t your fault kid,”
“I brought those bastards here. I got caught. I got the Free Lady kidnapped!”
Lionel reached out putting his hand on his shoulder and despite the physical difficulties Vincent felt the squeeze. “You did everything you could kid. You defended the city. You helped its people. And most importantly you’ve done me proud. I taught and trained you as much as I could. And don’t let it go to your head but you’ve done that and more. I’m proud of you Vincent. Truly.”
Vincent stared at him and he couldn’t hold it back any longer. He shut his eyes as his tears finally fell again. But he didn’t sob. The tears were slow, the pain was raw and it was hard for him to stay on his feet but he did. He stepped forward not sure if it would work but he hugged him and this time he was solid enough that he could feel him there.
They managed to hug for a few long moments and slowly Vincent felt himself begin to slip through him. He stepped back before he fell and Lionel shrugged, “Looks like my time here is ending. That little lady is getting to the end of her rope.”
Vincent looked past him and stared at Ryza who had her head down and was breathing harder than before. Vincent frowned, guilty to ask this of her and wishing he could ask for more time. But he nodded and looked back at Lionel.
“I know you ain’t the leader type so I won’t ask you to take over the Rogues. But watch over them. Someone’s gonna take over that spot. They’re going to need a good right hand. And a better map maker.”
Vincent wiped his eyes and nodded quickly, “You can count on me.”
“Always could.” He looked past Vincent and stared at Penny who had been watching silently. “You’ve been with him for a while. He’s trouble this kid. But good. Take care of him. Cause we both know he can’t do it himself. Don’t want him joining me up there any time soon.”
Penny smiled and lowered their head, “We will. Always.”
Lionel smiled one more time and closed his eyes. He took a slow breath and then he faded more and more. His shape disappeared into the smoke, some returning to the ground and some going back up to the sky. Vincent watched as much of it go as he could and finally collapsed down onto his knees. But he looked at Ryza who was drawing herself back up. Her eye was dulled and breathing harsh. Shriek was at her shoulder rubbing against her face.
“Don’t worry little one. I just need a moment to rest,” she said laughing and going into a fit of dry coughs. Vincent started to move but she held her hand out. “I’m fine. Don’t you worry.”
Vincent nodded slowly and then bowed his head, “Thank you Ryza. For giving me that.”
She smirked leaning backward and staring at the sky as the sun finally started to break through the clouds. “No problem at all.”
The Harlequin Library 