The Legacy: A Custodes Noctis Book

by Muffy Morrigan

  In a ghastly mockery of the healing, darkness, rather than light, began flowing down from the touch of the thing. Oily black light slid through Galen’s body, cold, filling him with darkness, pulling the last bit of Galen Emrys away, into Itself. Moments later, It pulled Its hands away. “It is accomplished!” he heard It shout. Screams of joy filled the clearing as the thing raised Its huge wings and pushed Itself into the sky. The creatures pinning him to the stone rose aloft with It, dancing in the air in a flitting ballet.

  “Galen!” A trembling hand was laid on his arm. “Galen?” He turned nearly unseeing eyes towards the owner of the voice. He knew he should recognize him, but the face, the voice, were meaningless. “Can you hear me?” Even though he heard the words, he shook his head, somehow knowing the man would understand. He heard him, but the words made very little sense.

  “Gods,” the man said, looking down at the ruin of his chest. “Galen…” The man closed his eyes. “I understand why now. I hope what you left with me was enough to bring you back.” A warm hand came to rest on his forehead, the man still had his eyes closed, his lips were moving in a soundless whisper. Warmth flowed out of his hands. Slowly, bright white light began to fill him, pushing the dark cold away. A spark of something slid into him, running through his body with an electrical shock.

  He could feel the trembling hands on his head and chest, he opened his eyes and looked at his brother. “Rob,” Galen said softly, laying a hand over his brother’s.

  “Galen?” Rob opened his eyes.

  “It worked,” Galen said, smiling.

  “Good.” Rob scrubbed a shaking hand across his face. “Good.”

  “Can you get my sword? Before It realizes what’s happened?”

  “Yeah,” Rob said, bending to pick the sword up from where Galen had dropped it. He handed Galen the sword. “Galen, your chest…”

  “Let’s finish this first, Rob. Help me up.” Rob slid a hand behind his back and help him sit up. Galen took a deep breath, trying to focus healing into himself. The pain backed off a tiny bit. He swung his legs off the altar.

  Movement caught his eye again. He glanced towards the forest beyond the small building and saw a flash of light in the dark. Galen nudged Rob, his brother looked over as well. The flash again, this time Galen realized what it was. “Rhiannon. She’s waiting for a signal.” Rob nodded.

  “We’re waiting too, Galen,” his father said. Galen saw a shimmer of silver light beside him.

  “Rob and I have to kill the Old One, the others will have to take care of everything else,” Galen said.

  “We understand,” his father said.

  Galen looked at Rob. “Ready?” His brother nodded. Galen raised his sword. The Old One caught the movement and turned in the sky, diving down towards them, the dark creatures flowing down behind It chattering and shrieking as they descended. The thing slammed into the ground with enough force to topple some of the stones lining the clearing, the creatures dropped down beside It. Galen took a deep breath, “Now!” he shouted.

  The clearing suddenly shimmered, silver light began pouring into the dark circle of stones. The people surrounding them stopped chanting. One of them screamed as Rhiannon burst from behind a tree, sword in hand. The woman who had led the ritual turned towards her. She dove towards Rhiannon, pulling a knife from her belt as she ran. Rhiannon stopped, looked at the woman, held her sword in front of her and waited. Galen could hear her counting as the woman plunged towards her. Rhiannon looked over at him with a grin, pulled out a gun and calmly shot the woman.

  The Old One screamed with rage. The dark creatures were fighting for their lives as the shimmering figures moved between them. Galen recognized his father and uncle, and the man from his vision, the first Emrys. Dark and light swirled around him, the sounds of screams, of shrieks, of death flowed over him.

  His entire focus was taken up by the thing as It approached them.

  Rob put his hand on Galen’s arm. “I’ll move to the rear,” Rob’s voice played in his head.

  “Okay, be careful,” he thought back. Rob nodded and slipped to the side. One of the silver figures moved in front of Rob, blocking his brother from view. The thing struck out at the shimmering form. Galen heard a scream of pain and the light was abruptly gone.

  “Yes, My Emrys, yes, I can kill them, my children can kill them,” It said, dark laughter bubbling out of It.

  Galen looked around, the battle was raging, bright light blending with darkness, disappearing as one or the other was killed. The air was full of human screams, defiant battle cries and the shrieking of the dark creatures as they died. Galen’s focus wavered for an instant when he realized a figure curled on its side was Flash.

  The thing acted in that moment, swiping at him with a huge hand, claws like steel catching him and lifting him away. He felt himself move through the air and then slam down against a stone. A silver figure bent to help him up, the hands holding him were no more than a whisper of warm air. He met the sparkling emerald eyes and smiled his thanks. A gentle breeze wrapped around him, he felt a tiny shiver of energy radiate out from the touch. “Thank you,” he said, the figure dipped his head in acknowledgement and turned to slice through one of the dark creatures in an easy swing.

  Galen forced himself back towards the Old One. It was waiting by the altar, watching the battle around it, occasionally reaching out to cut through a fleeing human. “Fools, abandon me now and die,” It roared.

  Rob had edged around behind It. He looked over and caught Galen’s eye. “Wait for me, Rob,” he thought, hoping it would reach his brother. Rob smiled and nodded.

  “Right, you wait for me, too,” Rob answered.

  “Yeah, we need to kill it together. Our swords have to pierce It at the same time.”

  “That’s not in the sagas.”

  “Yeah, well, fuck the sagas.” Galen saw his brother blink at the unaccustomed profanity. Galen grinned, then grimaced as his legs dropped out from under him. He tried to force himself up, knowing he was very nearly at the end of his ability to keep going. One of the dark creatures landed on him, tearing at him. “Galen!” his father shouted, he realized he heard the shout audibly. Galen felt flesh tear before the creature was cut in two. Hands pulled him upright. “Galen, can you go on?” Parry asked.

  “Yeah, can you and Bobby try and keep them off Rob and me while we finish this?” The shimmering form of his father nodded.

  Galen walked slowly back towards the altar. The thing watched his halting progress, he felt Its amusement ripple through him, the black tendrils were pushing at him again. When Rob brought me back, there must have been some of that thing left in me. Galen took a deep breath.

  “What do you mean? Some of It is still in you?” Rob demanded, his voice a shout in Galen’s head.

  “I can feel It, still in me. I might not have as much time as I hoped.”

  “We will finish this, Galen,” his brother said firmly. Galen caught the edges of his brother’s fear, pain and determination to go on. Galen nodded.

  As Galen approached, the thing reached out again, tearing at him with Its claws. Galen fell to his knees, but forced himself up again. He saw the shine of Rob’s blade on the other side of the Old One. Rob was moving slowly towards It. His progress was stopped when one of the dark creatures drove him to the ground. Galen started to move towards his brother when Bobby descended on the creature. Rob stood. “I’m okay, Galen, just a scratch.”

  Galen was aware of his father sliding along behind him. He drew strength from the fact his family was together. The thing saw Parry as well. Galen felt anger swell through him as the Old One recognized his father. Galen fought the connection with the thing, fought the urge to draw his father closer to the thing so It could kill Parry.

  “You can’t kill me, my Emrys.”

  “I can.” Galen said, stopping before It. “Get ready, Rob.” It thrust Its hand towards him and grabbed him in Its claws. The sharp points drove into Galen’s body like blades of dry
-ice, so cold they burned as they punctured his body. He heard his voice scream in pain, but stayed focused on It, hearing Its laughter in his head. Silver shimmered beside the altar, many feet below where the thing held Galen. His father and uncle were protecting Rob.

  “I have your power, I own your life,” It said, pulling him closer. The black light was flowing into him again, ripping away pieces of himself. He swallowed, trying to focus.

  “No,” he said quietly. “This ends now.”

  “Yes, yes it does, my Emrys,” It threw Its head back and laughed.

  “Now!” Galen shouted. He thrust forward with his sword, driving it into the Old One’s chest, impaling Its heart. Darkness flowed up the sword, burning him, the thing was screaming. Galen felt Rob’s sword impact the thing, felt the blade slide through his body. It shrieked a horrifying sound. Clawing at the sword in Its chest, It looked at Galen, anger seething in Its eyes. Galen twisted the sword, driving the blade into Its body with the same motion that It had ground against his heart.

  He was falling.

  The thing dropped him as It fell, toppling down, black blood pouring from the sword wounds. Galen saw his brother perched on Its back, his hand still on the hilt of his sword. The thing screamed and reached for Galen, tearing flesh away from his throat.

  The dark creatures suddenly stopped, their shrieks growing in intensity as they flitted towards the fallen Old One. They landed on Its body, hundreds upon hundreds of them, landing like a swarm of beetles, their wings rustling as they perched on Its body. They patted It with clawed hands, a keening shriek rising through the clearing.

  With a final scream, still defiant, It died. The dark creatures rose as one, tearing pieces of the thing’s body with them. As they popped out of existence, Galen realized they had dismembered the Old One. All that was left was a pool of black liquid, slowly congealing on the ground.

  “Flash!” Galen forced himself onto all fours and crawled towards Flash. He turned his friend over, the creatures had done a lot of damage before Rob had driven them away.

  “Hurts, Galen,” Flash whimpered.

  “I bet,” Galen said softly. “I’m sorry.” He laid his hands on Flash, letting the light flow. Flash sighed and closed his eyes, Galen tried to stay focused on the healing, consciousness was rapidly fading, flowing away from him like the blood dripping on the ground in front of him. The last of the light slid out of him. Flash’s wounds were already healing, the pain gone from his friend’s body.

  “Galen! What the hell are you doing?” Rob pulled him away from Flash. “Gods, Galen.”

  “Too late for me, Rob,” he whispered, “had to save Flash.”

  “Galen!” Mike’s voice was rough with emotion. Galen felt a hand pressed against the wound in his chest. He cried out in pain.

  “No, no, that won’t help,” Rob snapped.

  “He’s bleeding out, Rob. I have no idea how he lasted this long!” Mike was shouting.

  “Honey, honey, hang on,” Rhiannon said quietly. Galen felt her take his hand in hers.

  He was gently lifted, propped against his brother, a warm hand was placed on his head. Rob was focusing the healing into him, he could feel Rob’s lungs taking some of the effort of breathing from his own. Rob put a hand on his chest. He felt the light begin to flow out of his brother. The darkness left in Galen by the thing blocked the light. “Can you help me?” Rob asked, tears in his voice.

  Galen opened his eyes. “No, sorry. Rob…”

  “No, Galen, no. Not again. Not this time.” Rob looked around the clearing. “Dad!”

  Parry appeared beside them. “Galen, no.”

  “Heal him, Dad.”

  “I can’t, Rob. I can help, like I did during the ritual, but I can’t heal by myself.” Parry’s shimmering form glittered with tears. “Can you help, Galen?”

  “Nothing left, Dad.” Galen drew a shallow breath, the healing that had been blocking his body from pain, from keeping him from going into shock, from bleeding to death, was gone. “Sorry,” he said again. How many times is that? “Rob…”

  “Help me,” Rob said, his voice harsh.

  “We need a healer, Rob,” Parry said as two more shimmering figured knelt beside Galen. One was his uncle, the other was the man from his vision, the first Emrys. Galen nodded to the man.

  “I can heal. Help me, Dad,” Rob said. Parry put shimmering hand over Rob’s, Galen closed his eyes as he felt the light flow into him, warming him. The dark still blocked the healing. He knew that he only had moments left, he tried to fight back towards his family. “Rob, I’m sorry. I…”

  “Shut up, Galen,” his brother growled.

  The healing suddenly changed, strengthened. Power slid into his body, driving the dark away, shutting it off in a small place. The world was fading, drifting away on the bright light, sparkling like a thousand twinkling stars against the dark night. “It can’t be completely removed. I’m sorry,” a deep voice whispered. “I never learned how. My brother—it took him completely before I could stop it. I never thought to pull part of him into myself as you did during the ritual. It saved you, that spark you left with your brother. Rest, Galen Emrys. Rest.”

  “Galen?” Rob said desperately.

  “Galen?” his father’s anxious voice joined his brother’s.

  “Rest, Galen. Rest until you are needed,” the deep voice whispered. “Rest.”

  “Galen?” A drop of water fell on Galen’s face.

  “Rob,” he said to his brother. “We got to serve as Keepers. We finally got to serve together as Keepers.”

  The light flowed into him and he finally let it carry him away.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  A nightmare pursued him through the velvety darkness. Claws glittering with blood pulled at him, pain shot through his body with each assault. Galen cried out, his voice muffled. Warmth and healing light would drift through him after he called, a gentle voice spoke soothingly to him. Rob. Once the light left him, the nightmare would begin again, over and over. The dark creatures perched on his chest, holding him immobile as the thing slowly took away everything he was, pain pushed him closer to the light, to sounds—but he couldn’t breech the darkness.

  “He needs to be in the hospital,” Mike’s voice drifted down through the dark.

  “Why?” Rob’s voice was harsh, exhausted.

  “Why? Oh, I don’t know. Those wounds? Coma? None of that seems like a reason to get medical care?”

  “He’s getting medical care, you’re here.”

  “He needs…”

  “What? What does he need, Mike?” Rob shouted. Galen could hear desperation in his brother’s voice.

  “A vent would help…Take some of the stress off his body, the lungs…”

  “Mike?” Rob’s voice was suddenly quiet. Mike kept talking. “Mike?” The doctor kept talking. “Mike!”

  “What?”

  “He doesn’t need a vent.”

  “It would help him heal…He needs…”

  “I’ve been breathing for him since the ritual,” Rob said softly. Galen let himself drift through the dark sea. He could feel the air moving in and out of his body, and knew what Rob said was true. He’s assisting my heart, too. The dark was tugging at him again, the nightmare images washing through him, threatening to push him into the abyss.

  “You’re what?” The shock in Mike’s voice caused a ripple of amusement through the dark waters holding Galen captive.

  “Breathing for him. The hospital can’t help this, Mike,” Rob said gently. “His wounds are healing, you know that. It’s what happened during the ritual.” Rob sighed. “I can help heal the physical damage, and some of the psychic injury, but even with Dad’s help it’s not enough. We need Galen.” Dad? He’s still here?

  “Rob…”

  “Don’t start, Mike,” Rob snapped. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay, but Rob, Galen is…”

  “We just need to bring him back far enough to help us. If he’d just come back a l
ittle further, he could put himself in a healer’s trance.”

  “Can’t you do that?”

  “No, I can heal a little, with Dad’s help a little more, but neither of us has the power Galen does. We need his help.” Galen heard a moan, it took a moment for it to register that it was his own voice. “Galen? Hang on.” A warm hand was placed on Galen’s forehead, light and warmth flowed out, the dark was pushed away.

  The nightmare began again. The Old One was talking, pulling Galen with It as It moved across the earth, leaving pieces of Galen behind as It moved, filling him with Itself. Slivers of memory moved through him, his own blending with remnants of the thing. He tried to focus, tried to move through the dark sea. Rob’s words flitted across his mind. The weariness in the tone caused concern to bubble through the inky night. Galen fought his way free. Light touched his eyelids. Pain flowed through him, part nightmare, part real. Something warm was resting on his arm. “Rob?” No answer. Galen tried to draw a breath. “Rob?” he heard his voice that time, a dry rasp in the quiet room.

  The warmth tightened on his arm. “Galen?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Galen?”

  “Yeah,” he repeated. He tried to open his eyes, they felt glued closed.

  “Hey.” Rob’s voice was soft.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Rob said. “I’m okay, you’re not.”

  “I know.”

  “Can you…” Rob stopped. Galen heard his brother clear his throat. “Can you heal?”

  “I…”

  “The healer’s trance? The sagas say…”

  “I’ve never used it before, Rob. No one has used the healer’s trance in centuries. I’m not even sure I know how to…”

  “Try,” Rob whispered. “You have to at least try.”

  Galen tried to focus the light, tried to pull it into himself, it hovered just out of his reach. “Can you help?” he asked quietly.