The Gray Garden: A Nightmarish Return

[Wind Rider]

Prologue

A Grave Festival

The world around him was hazy, dark, unfamiliar, Kcalb couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on around him. "... You used to be so much more..." A familiar, eerie voice echoed around him, a voice that has haunted him for years now. "... You were the Devil that everyone feared... Evil, sadistic, terrifying... And now look at you... A mere shell of what you once were..." The voice's laughter seemed to echo in Kcalb's head. "You don't know me... My past... My past is none of your business!"

"Your past... Is history... And history can be learned... Especially through another's own thoughts..." Sweat dripped from Kcalb's forehead. "W-wha... What are you talking about?" Kcalb flinched as he felt something grab his throat. "In do time... Old friend..." The voice laughed maniacally.

"I always wondered... She is the only thing keeping you sane at this point... What would happen... If she were to vanish, would you lose yourself in your madness? Beg for an end to your suffering, an end that won't. Ever. Come!?!" Images flashed in Kcalb's mind, images of blood, destruction, death. Those he cared for laid at his feet, murdered in cold blood. His arms held the one he cared for the most, dead eyes staring at the monster that murdered her.

"ETIIIHHHWWWW!!!"

Kcalb woke up in a panic, sweat dripped from his face as he tried to get a sense of his surroundings. He was in his bed, sun shined through the window, lighting up the greyed out room. "Was it... Was it just a... A nightmare?" Still shaken from the terrifying dream, Kcalb got out from his bed and looked out through the window of his room. The village below was small, but it was clear that it was full of activity. Kcalb sighed and went to get ready, for the Grey Festival was today.

Grey Village buzzed with activity, angels and demons hurried around, setting up stalls and fixing up decorations for the festival tonight. Some stalls were already set up and had assortments of items, treats, and trinkets on display for passers-by. The sweet aroma of apples wafted through the air, the smell originated from a nice little stall in the center of the village. A young demon girl in a maid's outfit was cleaning the counter of the stall as a little angel in a blue robe carried a basket of apples over to her. "Thank you, Chelan... That should be enough apples for tonight." The girl said as she looked back at the dozen more baskets behind the stall, Chelan hummed happily as she set the last basket down.

On the western side of the village, two young looking demons were attending to what appeared to be a large, black portal. "Say, Ater... How many people do you think will attend the festival?" The black-haired one spoke. "I don't know, Arbus... We sent invitations to just about every world including ours, it's hard to say." The white-haired one spoke. "Well, you know what they say... The more the merrier!" They said at the same time.

To the east of the village, a stage overlooking a large field of flowers was being set up. A young angel in a green sweater was busy carrying things around and seemed to be in distress. "Oooohhh... I wish Rawberry was here to help... Or anybody really..." She set some tools down and went back to building up a part of the stage.

[spoiler=Ooc]Alrighty, time to get this show on the road! For any characters based outside of the Grey Garden world, you will be entering through the portal that Ater and Arbus are by. I hope you'll find something to do till the festival begins.

[radio414]

Rogee had a pocket watch in one hand, his knapsack strap in the other, his flute to his back, and a song in his heart. These were the only things he deemed necessary for a successful trip, and as soon as he was scheduled to leave he would step into that abyssal maw and make the jump between worlds.

 

The hole was in front of him, the rest of The Magic World was behind him. Nothing else, not the various wizards and witches milling around the area, not the perpetually-lavender sky above him or its significantly darkened clouds, mattered at the moment. This would not be the first time he had travelled outside of his world, but it was the first time going to Etihw’s and Kcalb’s Gray Garden. A small part of him was nervous about that, the butterflies in his stomach fluttered in anticipation of performing in a new area, learning new music, and maybe, just maybe, finding…

 

No, that was not going to happen. That was not to say Rogee had given up hope, just that he, well, it had been how many years now? All he remembered was their back anyway. If he did see them again, would he even know?

 

He could not think like that. He would know. He had to know.

 

Rogee checked his pocket watch and whispered a curse. He was at least a minute late, and all this ruminating was just making things worse. As the seconds ticked away, those damn butterflies just got worse. How much work had he put into today’s schedule? How much was he losing just by --

 

He did not waste any more time. He took a few steps back, readied himself, and charged into the hole.

 

~~ ♫ ♫ ♫ ~~

“Welcome to The Gray Garden!”

 

“You are welcomed!”

 

Rogee never really got used to the feeling of jumping worlds. It left him breathless, like a punch to the gut. If he were in any other occupation, he’d probably never leave home. This particular jump was even worse than normal to him. He found himself doubled over, clutching his stomach, just trying to get a decent breath. His vision was doubling a little too, which just made the accompanying nausea just a little bit worse.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

“Are you well?”

 

Rogee felt two hands, one on each shoulder, as they gently guided him up from his bent-over state. He let his vision clear and finally he was able to see The Gray Garden with his own eyes.

 

Rogee’s first impression was how bright this world was. Being from a world of perpetual twilight really messed with one’s eyes, and the sudden shift from nigh-darkness to early afternoon nearly blinded him. His second impression was that, for a name like “The Gray Garden,” it sure was colorful. It was not like he did not understand why Etihw and Kcalb chose the name, but it seemed like an aesthetic misstep. It was no matter, though. Every world had its quirks, but as long as its music sounded the same, or at least was still pleasing to the ear, he would get over whatever other problems he might have had.

 

“Please, forgive me for being such trouble,” Rogee said to the pair who had helped him. “I assume the village is this way?” He saw their nods and added, “I would stay and help, but I am already behind schedule.”

 

~~ ♫ ♫ ♫ ~~

For the second time in less than an hour, Rogee cursed. He must have mistimed something, whether in not accounting for some time difference between the two worlds or simply by making an oversight. He had arrived early for the festival, and so instead of being behind schedule as he had originally thought, now he had full minutes -- perhaps even hours -- of free time! Not that this was an unpleasant situation at present, but as he frequently told the bands he conducted, a small mistake could easily spiral out of control if made at the wrong moment. Rogee quickly started going through the possible ramifications of this small mistake, hoping it would not come back to hinder him in a moment of weakness.

 

Rogee also wandered about Gray Village, taking in as much as he could of the goings-on as everyone made their last-minute preparations for the festival. Some of them were already open and tried to tempt Rogee with baubles and memorabilia. He almost bought a small silver trumpet charm to adorn his knapsack but decided to wait until the festival began proper.

 

Eventually, he exhausted his options. He wasn’t particularly willing to aid further in preparation, and he still had practically all the time in the world. He found a small bench in the southwest corner of the village, took out his flute, and began to play.

[Asriel Dreemurr]

For one Angel in particular, the day had begun quite early indeed. With the Gray Festival set to begin soon, there was a great deal to do. In fact he had been up before the sun, as he needed to be in order to handle his morning routine. He bathed, dressed in his preferred attire, and ate his morning meal in short order before heading about his business. There was not much for him to do in Blancblack Castle, as it had been for centuries. Even so, he still made his rounds as he had every morning since his first within that building. He had long since become accustomed to the quiet, peaceful mornings where there were so few up and about. Even so, a certain nostalgia was about him more strongly on this morning than others as he went along his way. The memories of armored Angels moving about, saluting him if they saw him and then moving on. Imagined sounds of sparring and weapons being sharpened, and of course the encounters with those that were long dead. Though he had business in the village, he decided that he would take the time to visit the graveyard when time allowed.

 

His rounds completed, nothing to report as usual, the Angel turned to leave the castle. He had been told to "keep an eye out for trouble" in the village today, and that was exactly what he intended to do. Even so, with the sun only just beginning to creep up over the horizon, he found himself without much reason to hurry. So instead of spreading his wings to fly, he took the time to walk from the castle to the village in no particular rush. Thus it was that he arrived on the scene of the many preparations being undergone, in the midst of Angels and Demons alike rushing about making themselves ready for the festival.

 

He certainly stuck out from the others around him. The robes and armor he wore had fallen out of style hundreds of years ago, as had the practice of carrying weapons. The pair of swords, one gray and one gold, at his hip, the bow slung across his back, and the Gray spear held in his right hand were not exactly common these days. Even so, the residents of the Gray World likely paid him little attention on account of all that. Nor did the four golden wings, presently neatly folded against his back. Indeed, Abaddon was a well known fixture of this world. Neither Demon nor Angel who knew him were likely to think anything of what he was doing, aside from the occasional question about when he was going to be opening his Tea Shoppe. Questions he answered with a noncommittal "soon enough" before moving on. Truth be told, he was not certain he would have time to open it at all.

 

All the same, his rounds through the village carried him here and there as he looked about for any potential sources of trouble. Eventually, his rounds brought him to the East of the village where a certain young Angel was left setting up a stage entirely on her own.

 

"Macarona." He said, projecting his voice but not shouting, "did somebody really leave you to handle all of this on your own?" Abaddon planted his spear in the ground nearby, stood straight up with nothing to lean against. "That just will not do. Let me help you so you might finish before sunset."

[The Frost King]

The Hellfire name was something to fear during the war that had happened hundreds of years ago. Not only were members of the Hellfire family excellent fighters, they also knew how to create a deadly explosive red flame that they named after themselves. The Hellfire Flame. However after the war was over, they went to live normal lives in Flame World. Over the years, they helped the people there and became very respected and liked. However even after all these years, people are still wary around the Hellfires.  Even so, some of the Hellfire family decides to go the Grey Festival.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

At the portal, six people emerged from it. In front was Malro Hellfire, accompanied by his wife, Cally Hellfire. Behind them was Jaclyn, their eldest daughter, with her personal maid following behind in perfect step. Lastly there was Valci, the youngest daughter, riding on the shoulder of her towering butler, Halord. They certainly were an interesting sight to see.

 

“Welcome to The Gray Garden!” Two demons waiting at the portal said almost perfectly in sync, catching the attention of the Hellfires. At first sight, a big smile bloomed on Cally’s face. “Oh aren’t you two just adorable?” She said happily, placing on hand on both of their shoulders. “I could just eat you two up.”

 

“Hey honey. I think you might be making them uncomfortable,” Malro said calmly, causing his wife to blush slightly. “Well, I’m sorry,” She kindly apologized as she quickly removed her hands from their shoulders. “I’m just so excited about the festival.” Seeing his wife’s excitement brought a smile to his face. “I know you are. I am too, so why don’t we head into town now?”

 

“Alright honey,” She said as she joined her husband’s side, looking back at the demon girls for a brief moment. “You two have a wonderful day!” As they made their way into town, Valci spoke for the first time during the trip. “Mother, father. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go off with Halord and have a look around.”

 

Both parents looked at each other before Malro replied. “But of course. You haven’t seen the Grey Village before, so I understand why you would want to have a look around. Plus with the festival happening, I’m sure there are many fun things to do.”

 

That was all the Valci needed to hear. With a snap of her fingers, she pointed in a direction. At once Halord obediently began to walk towards were she had pointed, which just happened to be in the direction of the stage that was being constructed. She didn't know this, as all she cared about at the moment was getting away. Not from her parents, but from her sister. Even though her sister was nice at times, she also enjoyed to make fun of her height.  And currently Valci was wanting to enjoy the festival, not burn it down while trying to kill Jaclyn. So to make sure nothing would ruin it for her, she had to get away from her sister.

[Htamret]

Well, this "Grey Garden Festival" seemed like it was going to be interesting, but for the person standing in front of the portal, a decision presented itself: to go or not to go. As they stood there, someone bumping into them made the decision for them. As they stumbled and fell into the portal, a rush of fear, dread, and excitement swept through them. There was no telling what lay ahead, but the answer would soon be very clear...

 

 

"Gah!" as was often the case, Koviax's exit from the portal ended in a spectacularly pitiful fall straight on their face.

 

"Welcome to Grey Garden!" the voice of two demons brought the hybrid looking up and quickly getting to their feet.

 

"Thanks, my little dirt nap here sure helped the feeling of being welcomed. So I am late to this thing or what?" They spat back, then snapped up like someone suddenly paying attention after daydreaming.

 

"Um, sorry for that. Portals and I don't normally mix you see..." Koviax said, looking at their feet.

[Wind Rider]

"So... Things seem pretty busy around here don't they?" Etihw said as both her and Kcalb walked down to the courtyard. "I'd say that this year's festival will be the biggest yet, especially with the amount of invitations Ater and Arbus sent..." she added with a smile. Kcalb said nothing on the subject, his expression seemed gloomier than usually.

 

"Hmm... You know, I heard that they're gonna light up some fireworks at midnight... Bet that'll be something to see... It would make quite the romantic scene..." Etihw said, she even leaned closer to Kcalb in an attempt to get him flustered. But he still remained silent, not even a slight blush. "Alright... What's going on? You've been like this all morning."

 

"...It's nothing..." Kcalb answered in a rather quiet tone. "Really? Cuz to me, it looks like a whole lot of something... What's going on?" Etihw asked in a slightly concerned tone. Kcalb was silent again, a few seconds passed before he answered. "Do you... Ever have dreams? Nightmares?"

---

 

A cool breeze blew across the village, the flowers of the meadow danced in the wind creating a beautiful cascade of colors, as if a rainbow had descended to the earth itself. Macarona let out a quiet sigh, the breeze was a welcome relief. "Macarona."

 

"H-huh?" her heart seemed to skip a beat, the voice didn't sound hostile but it was loud enough to break the silence of the meadow and surprise her. She turned in attention, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh... Hello, Mr. Abaddon." Macarona said as she bowed politely to the aged angel.

 

"Did somebody really leave you to handle all of this on your own?" Abaddon planted his spear in the ground nearby, stood straight up with nothing to lean against. "That just will not do. Let me help you so you might finish before sunset." Abaddon's help was appreciated. With Rawberry gone somewhere, (most likely trying to sneak a "sample" from Dialo's apple pie stand) Macarona needed as much help as she could get.

 

"T-thank you, Mr. Abaddon... But, don't you need to open your Tea Shoppe? I don't want to feel like I'm distracting you..." she said in a very nervous tone.

---

 

"Hm?"[Ater]

 

"Hmmm..."[Arbus]

 

Ater and Arbus both gave Koviax intriguing looks, honestly it was hard to tell what the two were even thinking about. The staring went on for a moment or so before the two demons looked at eachother.

 

"Quite an interesting one..."[Ater]

 

"Indeed, bipolar perhaps?"[Arbus]

 

"Maybe multiple personalities?"[Ater]

 

"No, it's something else..."[Arbus]

 

The two girls chattered to themselves for a moment longer before turning back to Koviax.

 

"Apology accepted."[Ater]

 

"Indeed, travel via portal can be rough. We should know."[Arbus]

 

"Well then..."[Ater]

 

"Well then..."[Arbus]

 

"Enjoy the festival!" the both of them said before going back to attend to more guests exiting the portal.

---

 

Back in the village, Dialo was faced with a big problem, a problem name Rawberry. "No, Rawberry... I already told you, you're not allowed any "samples"..." Dialo said in a stern but dull tone. "Awww... C'mon, just a basket... You got plenty..." Rawberry begged. "I need as many as I can get for the festival, so no."

 

"C'mon... What if some of those apples have worms in them? Yummy... Squirmy worms..." Rawberry said drooling at the thought. "The apples are fine, Chelan and I checked them." Dialo said as Chelan hummed in agreement.

 

"Oh please... Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty please?"

 

The villagers around the stands rolled their eyes as if this was a common occurrence and went back to setting everything up. Most of the stands were finished at this time, the festival would soon begin.

[Kōsuke Ueki]

To the demons who were greeting those who entered the portal, it wouldn't be that much of a surprise if they assumed that a Wizard with special armor and an oddly unique sword at his side coming through wouldn't be invited as a means of extra security, among other things.

 

"Welcome to the Gray Gar--" the two said happily before noticing the appearance of such a Wizard.

 

Kalt noted their sudden silence from trying to greet him. While he isn't surprised that his appearance would lead to some confusion, he was a bit concerned how much of a tonal shift came about when he made his presence known to the two demons. "Is something the matter...?" he asked the two curiously.

 

"Perhaps they're afraid of you. You do look as though you are prepared for a fight, darling." said a sultry female voice. That was the voice of Blitz, an electric eel familiar sealed within Kalt's sword.

 

Kalt merely ignored her words. Though, she wasn't wrong. Had he came with a cloak of some kind to hide his armor, things would look less suspicious for him. But, nothing can be done now. "Apologies if my appearance startled you. This is my first time leaving the Magic World."

[radio414]

Singing while playing the flute was a trick generally reserved for ventriloquists and idiots, but there were ways around that without being either. Flutes were relatively simple instruments anyway. All they needed was a current of wind as an input, a simple enough spell that left the performer’s mouth free for whatever vocals they wished. The only other challenge was picking a song to sing.

 

If someone were to ask Rogee to sing a song, he’d probably waffle in between a few different choices, ending up in some off-key mess of an improvisation that embarrassed everyone involved. Without being forced to make an impromptu decision, though, the music came naturally to him, and the lyrics followed shortly after:

 

As long as we can live our days

In peace and harmony,

As long as our gentle moon

Can pull the tranquil sea,

 

The sun and all the other stars

That brighten up our day

Should brighten even further still

When all their people say:

 

O, dearest Sun and mother Moon

As long as we’re alive

Could you just keep us in your hearts

And help our village thrive?

 

And sister Moon and father Sun,

Should this world break apart

Through war or else a lack of will,

We know life will restart.

 

So like this song we know must end,

We too must end someday.

Please, take us past that tow’ring hill

Where skies cannot be gray!

Rogee frowned. He wasn’t inherently spiritual, yet it seemed that his intuition had come up with a hymn. He hadn’t been singing to anyone in particular, but the wind had picked up and even though it was only mildly more intense than a gentle breeze, it still carried his voice further than he’d intended. He half-expected everyone to turn and look, but then he wondered why he even cared. Despite perhaps the unintended subject matter, he still played it satisfactorily.

 

Rogee got up from the bench. Nobody had requested an encore, but Rogee wasn’t in the mood to obligate Nobody’s request. Besides, everything looked to be almost ready. Once the festival started he would be back on schedule and everything would be right and good and just. He went back to the center of the village and browsed the newly opened huts. He even feigned interest in the silver trumpet again, though the shopkeep’s attempts to haggle him down turned the fake interest into real interest, and the real interest meant that when Rogee left the stall he was plus a trinket of an ornament, and minus a not-insignificant amount of money.

 

Rogee was furious with himself for letting himself be coerced like that, but there was a small part of him -- the part that he didn’t like to think about -- that liked how the trumpet shone in the afternoon sun, that liked how it gave a small bit of prominence to his otherwise bland knapsack.

 

Then he remembered his promise. He had told the two demons by the portal that he would have helped them welcome visitors, if he wasn’t “already behind schedule”. It may have seemed like an offhand remark, but Rogee remembered it as a verbal contract, something he was obligated to fulfill.

 

It was with this determination that Rogee set out back towards the portal.

[Asriel Dreemurr]

"T-thank you, Mr. Abaddon... But, don't you need to open your Tea Shoppe? I don't want to feel like I'm distracting you..." Macarona's reaction to his offer of assistance brought a rare smile to the old Angel's face. A small one, but it was there all the same as he stepped forward to join the girl by the mostly completed stage.

 

"I had the forethought to do most of my preparations last night, all I need to do is go and open the shoppe." He at this point stooped down to gather up the tools that he would need to assist in getting the structure completed. "Besides, I do not think that anyone will be too upset if I open up a little late. At least not as upset as they would be if the stage was not finished on time. So, where do you want me to start?"

 

Once he had made it apparent that he was indeed not going anywhere, Abaddon was more than able to help Macarona with finishing constructing the stage in time for the beginning of the festival. Perhaps he was not the most handy when it came to putting things together, as the number of times he smashed one of his hands with a hammer or got one of his wings caught in something accidentally could attest, but he was enough of a help to make sure things got done in time. Once they were finished he put back the tools from where he had taken them and set about brushing himself off.

"Was that not much easier than trying to do all of that alone?" He asked, shaking out his left hand and flexing his fingers to make sure he had not broken anything.

[The Frost King]

The grey festival certainly seemed like it was going to be a fun time. Up on Halord's shoulder, Valci spotted various stalls selling an assortment of things. From delicious pastries to unique trinkets, there were many things that would certainly attract customers. In fact, Valci was wanting to stop and buy some stuff right then and there. But it would have to wait. She wanted to see everything the Grey Village had to offer first. So she continued on, looking at anything that caught her eye. When they arrived at the east side of the village, Valci spotted a sort of stage setup beside a large field of flowers. From what she could see, the stage had just been setup and on it stood two people. Two angels; one young, the other seeming much older. Surely they didn’t build the stage by themselves? If they did, it must’ve taken them far longer than it would have with more people. ‘I wonder what that stage will be used for?’ She thought, her curiosity piqued. ‘Perhaps for a band? Or maybe an entertainment show of some kind?’  Wanting to find out right then and there, she pointed to the stage. With a simple nod Halord headed that way, making sure not to step on any flowers as he went. “What shall this stage be used for?” Valci asked as soon as they arrived, her eyes showing slight curiosity.

[Wind Rider]

"The same nightmare for several days now? Well no wonder you've been grumpier than usual." Etihw said as the two deities stopped just outside the village.

 

"..." silent as ever, Kcalb just looked on as the villagers finished decorating the village.

 

"Are you not even gonna tell me what happens in this nightmare?" Etihw asked him. The silence told her everything. "Ok then... You know it's not gonna get better unless you talk about it with someone." she stated. Kcalb glanced at her for a second before looking back at the meadow of flowers in front of them.

 

"Crow... I keep seeing him in my nightmare..." Kcalb said in a quiet voice.

 

"Crow? But... That's impossible... You and me both know that he is no longer a threat... He practically doesn't exist anymore..." Etihw said in a more serious tone.

 

"This recurring nightmare... It has me worried, Etihw..."

---

Ater and Arbus were beside themselves as to what to think about the Wizard in front of them.

 

"He's so armored..." [Ater]

 

"And armed, don't forget armed..." [Arbus]

 

"Apologies if my appearance startled you. This is my first time leaving the Magic World." he seemed nice enough, despite looking ready for war.

 

"Understandable... Our world is much different than yours..." [Ater]

 

"Just mind yourself and everything will be fine." [Arbus]

 

Moving to the side, the two demons continued to look after the portal, until the next few guests caught their attention.

 

"Oh dear... Didn't expect them..." [Ater]

 

"Should I tell someone?" [Arbus]

 

"Yes please, Mr. Abaddon should be around." [Ater]

 

Arbus quickly flew off to get Abaddon while Ater stood at the portal to keep watch on the newcomers.

---

"Was that not much easier than trying to do all of that alone?"

 

Macarona nodded in agreement, the stage was built in no time thanks to Abaddon's assistance. "Thank you, Mr. Abaddon... You're always so nice..." she said dusting herself off.

 

“What shall this stage be used for?”

 

Macarona turned to face a towering demon with a girl on his shoulder. "U-uhh... The stage will uh..." she took a deep breath and tried to not act so intimidated. She cleared her throat and looked up at the girl. "The stage will be used for all manners of things... Acting, music, talent... You name it..." she explained as best she could.

 

While Macarona spoke with the girl, Arbus tugged on Abaddon's arm. "Mr. Abaddon... Trouble at the portal... Suspicious guests have shown up from the Flame World..." she said flapping her wings in a hasty manner.

[radio414]

Sunglasses were an odd aesthetic choice in Rogee’s opinion. Some of that bias was because of where he was from; in a world of cooler colors and lower visibility, sunglasses were impractical at best and impossible at worst. Even here, in a world of sunshine and happiness, it still meant that people couldn’t see your eyes. It still meant that, no matter how friendly you were, people couldn’t know your true motivations.

 

The demons towered over Rogee, or at least it felt like they did. They demanded that much presence from the environment around them and made Rogee feel unnoticeable just by being near them. They were probably only a few inches taller than he was, and honestly, who wasn’t? They smelled of brimstone, but that was probably fine. There were enough worlds that smelled of brimstone as a matter of course that some of that stench was bound to make its way to the Garden eventually. Rogee was surprised he hadn’t actually encountered any earlier.

 

He stepped out of the way of one of the cat demons rushing off, and continued to size up the new arrivals. He noticed that they weren’t particularly subtle in their movements; in fact, their movements seemed to be as un-subtle as possible. They marched in unison, their boots trampling over anything in their path, their stomping drowning out any attempt at whispered conversation.

 

He almost shouted, “Welcome to the Gray Garden!” but he had a feeling these demons already knew why they were there, and where they were going.

[Asriel Dreemurr]

"What shall this stage be used for?" Abaddon had been about to take his leave and see to opening his tea shoppe for the festival, when his attention was brought to a new arrival. A pair of what were obviously demons, one quite large with the smaller one upon his back, from the Flame World. For a moment he considered that they might have hostile intentions, but as he looked them up and down it became quite apparent that if they did mean to start something violent they were woefully under prepared for it. Too relaxed, no weapons or armor about them. Perhaps they intended to do harm with magic, but that was something he was quite prepared to deal with if they did mean to start something. So it was that he too allowed himself to relax, even if only slightly, as Macarona finished her explanation.

"It is as she said." He spoke up, and was about to add more when he noticed someone tugging at his arm. A quick look towards the source revealed that it was the young, black-haired demon Arbus...who was supposed to be watching the portal.

 

"Mr. Abaddon... Trouble at the portal... Suspicious guests have shown up from the flame world." Well that explained the reason for leaving it. She was supposed to be making sure things remained peaceful here in the village. He simply nodded to the demon, and held out his open hand. The spear he had left planted in the ground sprung from where it had been resting and flew to him, where it was caught neatly in his grip. Shortly thereafter, he flared his quartet of golden wings in preparation to take off.

"Macarona," he began, a faint smile on his face as he looked to her, "get yourself some rest. You have earned it. Arbus, go inform Wodahs as well. If these 'guests' mean trouble, a swift and forceful response will be the best. As for you two," his gaze turned to the pair of Valci and Hallord, "enjoy the festivities." From there, a single beat of his faintly luminous wings launched him into the air at great speed, so that it was only moments before he came down upon the path leading away from the entry portal. His knees bent as his legs absorbed the impact, and his wings beat downward again to slow him and reduce the impacts force. As he stood straight, the wings spread to their full extent behind him, a showy display as opposed to preparation for combat- more meant to intimidate and impress than anything else, and he planted the base of his spear with a heavy thud. His gaze narrowed, and the corners of his lips turned ever so slightly downward.

 

"Welcome to the Gray Garden," he said matter-of-factly. "Your reputation precedes you. I trust mine does me. Why are you here?"

[The Frost King]

"The stage will be used for all manners of things... Acting, music, talent... You name it..." the young angel girl explained.

 

“Well then,” Valci said, a slight smile sprouting on her face. “I shall certainly enjoy watching these shows when it’s time for them to begin.”

 

"It is as she said," the older angel said before one of the demon girls from the portal gate came flying up and tugged on his arm. Although the demon girl wasn’t speaking that loudly, Valci could still hear what she was saying.

 

"Mr. Abaddon... Trouble at the portal... Suspicious guests have shown up from the Flame World..."

 

Abaddon. So that was his name. Interesting. Valci impulsively turned her head to the right just in time to see a flying spear come whizzing past, coming to a stop in the hand of Abaddon. Flaring his golden wings wide, he looked over at the young angel. "Macarona," he began, a faint smile on his face as he spoke, "get yourself some rest. You have earned it. Arbus, go inform Wodahs as well. If these 'guests' mean trouble, a swift and forceful response will be the best. As for you two," his gaze turned towards Valci and Halord, "enjoy the festivities." And with a flap of his wings, he was gone.

 

“Will do,” Valci said, placing a hand on her chin as if deep in thought. A short silence passed before her eyes wandered onto Macarona. “Well then, I guess we should go now. Don’t you agree, Halord?” Valci snapped her fingers loudly.

 

“But of course, madam.” The humble giant replied, nodding his head slightly before heading away from stage and back into town.

 

As Halord slowly navigated through the ever-growing crowds of people, Valci sat silently in thought. ‘So Abaddon is going to confront some trouble makers at the portal gate? A fight might break out. If so, I wonder what Abaddon’s powers are. He certainly seems very strong, plus he seems far older than he appears.’

 

“You’ve been rather quiet, madam,” Halord said out of the blue, catching Valci slightly off guard. “Are you perhaps thinking about spectating what will happen at the portal?”

 

“I am actually. How did you know that?” She asked, her curiosity piqued.

 

“After serving the Hellfire family for years, I’ve learned how to figure out what’s on people’s minds.”

 

“Fair enough. Now, I think I will go to portal and observe what’s happening.” Valci’s wings slowly spread outwards as they awoke from their rest. “I’ll fly there. It’ll be much faster than you moving through the crowd. Meet me there as soon as possible.”

 

“Understood.”

 

With a couple flaps of her wings, Valci got airborne and headed upwards. As soon as she was higher than the houses, she headed straight for the portal. Once there, she landed on the roof of a rather nice brick house and watched what happened at the portal from afar.