Nulla looks at the phone in his hand, watching, bemused as his journey is mapped out on the screen in real time.

The driver up front isn’t paying him any mind, chatting away on a call, his Turkish fast and efficient against the quietened sound of the voice reporting the news on the radio.

As expected, there have been a lot of changes. Nulla is used to waking up in completely different landscapes and to different customs. It had thrown him the first time around but now he knows to sit back and observe, let the new reality he exists in soak in.

Easier though when he’s had some time and some guidance to orient himself.

This awakening has been the most disconcerting since his first one.

The city has changed as it always does, from its cars to the shop fronts and to people’s ways of dressing. A lot of the architecture has remained the same, but there are a lot of new buildings, all reflective glass and steel, shooting up into the sky and glittering off in the distance.

There’s more light.

He recalls the city being darker. An easy safe haven for the murkier side of London.

Before he’d left, Hope had managed to give him some heads up, though to be fair, she hadn’t had time to do more than that.

He’d been at the door and ready to leave when she’d caught up to him.

‘Wait, wait.’

His hand on the door handle, he’d stopped and waited for her as she approached him with something in her hand.

‘Ignácio prepared all these for you in case you woke up while he wasn’t here, he said to make sure to explain how everything works but…’ she’d sighed, the sound loaded and given him a wry look, ‘the evening turned kind of hectic.’

She handed over a slim rectangle the size of her palm and its reflective black surface had lit up, displaying the hour for a brief second before going black again.

‘What is this?’ he’d asked, turning the device over on his hand. It lit up again.

‘It’s a mobile phone,’ she’d peered at him, curious, ‘they didn’t have these at all before you went to sleep? Wasn’t it the 80’s?’

That tiny thing was a mobile phone? ‘They existed but they didn’t look like this. It was a block and had an antenna.’

Hope blinked and then squinted at him. ‘Sorry. It’s not that I didn’t realise like, how far back you go, but somehow this feels like it’s putting it into perspective a little bit.’

She’d then proceeded to show him the basics and called for a taxi—which apparently is called Uber—and told him she’d teach him about oyster cards when he got back.

He tucks it into one of the thigh pockets of his combat trousers. He’s glad for the hoodie that falls past his hips. Even before he went to sleep forty years ago walking around with his weapons strapped to his thigh, or anywhere visible, hadn’t really been an option. He doesn’t think that’s changed which means he’s having to step out with only his daggers. His sword isn’t practical for walking around the city.

That thought always makes him feel a quiet sense of loss for the sword that been an extension of his soul as a celestial, one that he could always rely on when he needed it most with its ability to manifest on command.

The taxi—uber—is winding its way towards the East End of London and Tower Bridge. St Katharine Docks has been around for a long time; it was a commercial dock up until the late 1960’s. In the 1970’s they had redeveloped it and the warehouses were replaced by modern apartments, offices and the marina.

But not everything had changed. One of the warehouses remained, facing directly out into the Thames. That’s where the Night Market took place every night from sundown to sunup. It’s one thing that stayed the same no matter how many times Nulla went to sleep and woke up again.

The Night Market is a gathering place of sorts, for those who have a connection beyond the human realm. It first started out with just a handful of mediators and became a central part of their community. On occasion you might even find a demon or a celestial inside. Humans, unaware that they have the blood of a demon or a celestial in them, sometimes find their way inside too.

It sells all sorts of things, food, items, animals. Some of these things would be different to their human equivalent, some of them spelled, others crafted from a mediator’s power for a specific purpose. Sometimes even things smuggled out of the Fade can be found. But the Night Market’s biggest seller has always been information. It has it in abundance. All the other things you can buy with money. But information is a tricky purchase, especially depending on who its being bought from. The price is never straightforward.

The uber driver stops on the other side of St Katharine’s Way, on the road right next to Tower Bridge. Nulla thanks him, still bemused by this whole uber experience. He nods when the driver asks him to give him a good review. He’ll have to ask Hope about that later.

The road is busy; people packed in tightly on both sides of the street and cars trying to navigate the narrow and busy road.

But even though there are different storefronts, it’s recognisable enough and he heads for the stairs leading down to the marina.

He towers over most of the people he passes and that alone draws a lot of attention. The hood over his head has the unexpected effect of making them give him a wider berth.

It’s nearing nine in the evening and although the night is still young, not every seller stays until the first rays of light.

The marina comes into view. He looks around as he walks, noting the busy restaurants surrounding the body of water with its docked boats.

So this is what it’s turned into, he thinks.

He covers the distance fast and heads towards the old timber-framed warehouse. It’s made up of four levels, the basement, the ground floor and two upper floors. The upper floors have painted white balconies and along the bottom they’re decorated with plants and sparkling lights. It stands out in the cloudless night, its lights sparkling gently in the water.

To any passersby, it presents itself as a beautiful historic inn.

Some of the patrons linger outside, sitting on the picturesque benches and outdoor seating, eating and chatting.

The giant woman at the door who is only an inch smaller than him but just as built, peers over the frames of her sunglasses. ‘Nulla?’ she says, her thin eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

That gets a few more glances his way, but these are different. Recognition and curiosity. The relaxed conversations die down and are replaced by murmurs. All of which he can hear perfectly well. Inwardly, he sighs. Some things don’t change.

‘How are you, Delores?’ he asks, with a small smile.

He likes Delores. She’s been standing guard for the Night Market for almost a century and she’s very good at her job. Most people assume the threat she poses comes from her strength, and while they’re not entirely wrong, the real threat comes from her ability to stun someone by simply meeting their eyes.

‘I’m well!’ She steps forward to give him a tight hug. ‘It’s good to see you! Ignácio said you might stop by, but I thought he was just having me on. I thought you’d be away a little longer.’

Aside from the sanctuary’s guardian, no one else knew of Nulla’s sleep, only that he goes away from time to time.

‘I had to return a little early,’ he says and looks around, ‘it’s busier than the last time I was here.’

Delores adjusts the glasses on her nose with the tip of her finger. ‘Yes. You know about the situation with the demons and the celestials? Has everyone on edge so they’re all coming more often. You remember Una, the old witch always tucked in the back? She’s sold out of her protection charms for the third night in a row. She’s raking it in, the old hag.’

So the issue with the demons and the celestials is known to the community. Seems like it has everyone on edge.

‘I know,’ he says, no need to tell her he’s here to get more information, ‘Ignácio was trying to find out more but he hasn’t come back. I’m assuming you haven’t seen him?’

She shakes her head. ‘I haven’t,’ she claps his shoulder, ‘but it’s good to have you here. This generation of celestials are useless. Need someone proper who actually knows how to get the job done.’

Nulla chuckles and shakes his head. ‘I’ll head in. Need to catch Poe before he packs up.’

‘Better hurry, you know he hates putting in long hours. Soon as he makes enough money he’s out of here.’ She shakes her head and takes up her stance by the door again.

He tells her he’ll see her later and heads in.