Purely Koraz

Chapter 3: Glo Lantern' Halloween Fun

Glo Lantern was a creature like few had seen, crafted by a wizard who did poorly in spellwork but miraculously when creating life.

His head was a pumpkin, carved eyes and mouth moving and blinking as easily as any. His arms were two vines, leaves for hands. Two more vines still twisted to form his thin torso and long legs. A brown stem leaned to left on his head, in a parody of hair or maybe a hat.

His two twin brothers were different only in the exact carve of their faces and tilt of their stems. In their fire song, even when their flames were doused, he saw joy and wonder. They rarely shared his guilt or shame.

The Lanterns had been mischievous as younger ones, playing tricks that were not quite cruel but nearly so. They had never sought another's harm, but nor did they think to ensure against it. They had changed their ways, the few pranks they still played harmless, their thoughts turned always to helping another. But still his guilt remained.

Every year, a week after the anniversary of what passed for his birth, his guilt found reason to grow. All Hallows Eve, known as the Day Of Nights amongst magic kind, was the day he had been made for. A day he'd taken joy in ruining for his first handful of years.

And his poor father, wandering amongst his many other children, yet still a child himself. He never should've had to put up with such trouble, but he'd never had a hateful word nor an unkind touch for his wayward sons. He had gently guided them away from destruction, even as others whispered he'd set them towards it.

One day, Glo decided he would do something to soothe his memories of a worse time. He would atone for his sins on the very night he represented. His brothers and sisters, all with leaves and roots and blooms, agreed to help him. The other two Lanterns did not share his guilt, but they heard it in his fire song, so stood by his side.

As the moon lowered and guests gathered in mask and disguise, a rumbling shook the ground. Magic folk are much too used to battle, and weapons were drawn, only to be lowered at the wizard's pleas.

Under moonlight, his children gathered, their power spreading through the land. Those that truly knew the wizard smiled before the spell was done, those that didn't looked in wonder or confusion, and those that had heard of his creations' troubles prepared for battle once more.

But their spell brought blossoms and fires, decorations that writhed with their own life, voices screeching from branches and roots. On the Day Of Nights, pumpkins screamed and danced, thorn bushes lit the ground with blossoms of flame, moss-covered beasts roamed the earth.

Glo took his father's hand, hoping his face could convey what his wordless song could not, waiting quietly for praise or rebuke. The wizard laughed and ran with his creations, surprised yet delighted at their presence, his own soul song joining theirs.

It was a long Halloween, but it was a glorious one. At its end, all agreed -- whether they thought him wicked or witty, gentle or cruel -- the wizard and his creations had made the night better.

As the sun climbed and the pumpkins settled back into their patch for rest, Glo felt his creator's hand on his head. His smile filled his dreams as his carved eyes fell shut, his flames flickering out in sleep. His father and his father's creations would never have a good reputation, but his guilt was still eased.

And if he felt joy the next morning popping up with a screech to spook those that walked along the garden path, well... As it's been said, his guilt was long eased. ;)