Chapter 77: Lantern Bearer

The lights dimmed as the curtains drew away. A child in tattered clothes stumbled on stage, holding a small metal lantern by a hook. The ember inside flickered, barely clinging to life. The backdrop was of a projected forest, full of dark trees with twisting branches. Shadows danced as darkness reigned. A voice echoed from all around the audience, setting the scene. It was soft, genderless, and ancient, full of power and grace. "There was a boy. He had no name, no family, and no history. No memories graced his mind, for they had been stolen by a creature unknown. All that it left was his life, and a lantern." The child staggered forward, tears streaming down his face as he nervously glanced around. His limbs were protectively held close to his chest, and a light breeze fluttered his rags. Soon, a woman walked on stage from the opposite side, clutching a wooden doll. Her gray hair was frazzled and unkempt, just like the brown dress she wore, full of rips and tears. Her bare feet caught on something, causing her to trip and fall. Surprised, the child ran forward and helped her up, his lantern still in his hands. The moment she saw him, her eyes went wide. "You! You are a Lantern Bearer! Please, you must take the memories of my son! He passed, and this doll is all I have left of him!" Taking a few steps back in confusion, the child voiced his uncertainty, his frail voice barely audible over the ticking. "I’m sorry, ma’me, I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Growing desperate, she sank to her knees and raised the doll with both hands, her eyes watering as she pleaded with him. "Please just say the words and let him live on! I will pay the price for it, I have made no bargain with any god to guarantee this!" Hesitating, the child glanced around and wiped the tears from his eyes. He leaned down to face the woman directly, his body shaking in the wind. "I don’t know what it is you want, but if you tell me what to do, I’ll do it to ease your burden." A vibrant smile split her face, full of desperation and joy. "Oh thank you Lantern Bearer, thank you! This means everything to me!" Standing, she joined him and grabbed his free hand, guiding it to the doll. "Just hold your hand here and repeat after me: Memories, memories, hear my cry. Take the offering and refuse to die. Let them live on in eternity, never to fade in obscurity. For through the soul there can be no lies." Pausing as if uncertain what to do, the woman pulled him close and asked once more. "Please do this, please!" Charon watched as the child nodded, his lips parting as he recited the chant. "Memories, memories, hear my cry. Take the offering and refuse to die. Let them live on in eternity, never to fade in obscurity. For through the soul there can be no lies." With a flash of blue, the woman collapsed, a small pale orb rising from her chest. It hovered for a moment before shooting into the lantern, the ember growing slightly larger. The boy gasped as he fell to the ground, fresh tears falling from his eyes as he clutched the woman’s dress. "Momma, Momma! I’m here! I’ll never leave you, Momma!" Then, with a sudden apathy, the child rose, walking past the corpse as he continued on his way. The woman’s body vanished, fading into the stage floor. The theatre lights grew brighter as the boy re-entered, this time visibly older. His clothes were more fanciful, and the flame was larger. He walked along for a moment, his free hand swaying as he relished what seemed to be a light summer breeze. Even the trees looked less gnarled, more full of life and vibrant. Despite the apparent cheerfulness, he moved with a bit of a limp, as if there was a weight sitting on his shoulders, threatening to drag him down. Two men joined him, arguing with each other. One of them wore a cloak with patched holes, the replacement fabric clearly being a different color. He had scars on his face and unshaven stubble, with a few knives hanging around his waist. The other was far better dressed, wearing a finely pressed suit. He wore a dozen rings on his fingers, each with a different gemstone. The moment they saw the child, they ran up to him, the rugged man managing the first word. "Lantern Bearer, Lantern Bearer! Me and this noble both want to have our memories saved by the lantern, yet we know you can only take one! You should pick which one of us is spared!" The noble spoke the second the other stopped. "It should be me! I have lived a long life full of important matters! I lowered taxes on my citizens and improved their livelihoods tenfold! If anyone should have their memories passed on, it should be me, not this thief!" The thief spat at the foot of the noble, causing the man to raise a freshly polished shoe and cringe away in disgust. "This leech did nothing but lie to his people! A hundred times we were promised better food, and a hundred times we were fed nothing but gruel! Thousands of prisoners slaved away for years for petty crimes! I was locked up for twenty years, I was!" Stamping his foot, the noble raised his hand to slap the man before glancing at the child and thinking otherwise. Lowering it, he took a deep breath and responded. "This man took it upon himself to steal from the kitchens. An untold number died from his actions, so we jailed him for it. Allowing his memories to pass on would be an injustice to all those he helped murder!" The thief shot back a remark full of venom, the two going back and forth as they tried to justify why they should, or the other shouldn’t, be saved. Looking between them, the child scratched at his head and frowned. It was clear he was uncertain who to believe, and who to help, but eventually came to a decision, his brow furrowing as he raised a hand to stall further argument. "Only one of you can be spared, and I choose the noble. He may not have been perfect, but he did his best to rule. You, on the other hand, chose to break the law and murder. I can not have that pass on." The thief began to hyperventilate, his eyes going wide as he took a few shaky steps away. His fingers wrapped around the handles of his knives as if threatening to draw them. "No, no, no! You can’t do this to me! I need to pass on, I need to!" Not wanting to stall things any further, the boy grabbed the grinning noble by the arm and yanked him closer. With a steady voice, he repeated the expression he had learned before. "Memories, memories, hear my cry. Take the offering and refuse to die. Let them live on in eternity, never to fade in obscurity. For through the soul there can be no lies." The noble collapsed the moment the words finished. A blue orb rose from his chest before streaking for the lantern, slamming into the flame and causing it to roar slightly higher. At the same time, the thief began to writhe and scream, his skin turning a bright red as he flailed about, rolling back and forth and sputtering curses to everyone he could think of. With a loud pop, he vanished, leaving nothing behind. For a moment, a strange look crossed the boy’s eyes, his lips twisting in a satisfied smirk. He marched up to where the thief had disappeared and spat on the ground. "Let’s see how you like it! You knew nothing of what I had to do, and why I had to do it! If you were of better birth, you would have understood, but now you will be forgotten! Forever!" Just like before, his demeanor changed as apathy took hold, his eyes going hollow as he slouched. He sighed deeply, shaking his head at the gruesome display and taking a few shuddering steps forward. He groaned at some unknown ache, clutching the lantern tightly as he continued walking on.