The Summoning (Custodes Noctis)

by Muffy Morrigan

  * * * *

  He'd been sure it was safe, he'd made sure Rob was settled with his books, and headed down the stairs. The curtain that led into the front of the shop was partially open and Galen could see Flash bend over, sweeping something into a dustpan. Dera was sitting on a stool just inside the door, watching intently. He gave Galen a little shrug, then turned back to his observation of Flash. Sometimes Galen wondered how his friend managed to break something every time he was in the store, but he did, without fail. Of course he always paid for it, and it was usually nothing important, in fact, Flash had an uncanny ability to break replaceable items, which was a relief.

  He was glad he'd called Flash, and not just because he knew the Apothecary was in relatively good hands if he needed to be elsewhere. He'd met Flash when they'd both auditioned for a band, decided they didn't like the other members and set out to form their own. Once they'd found Pete Miles who played drums and his cousin Sean who played keyboard and rhythm guitar, The Urban Werewolves had been born. Over the last few years, they'd been slowly been making their way up the local scene, and playing better venues. The night of the accident, they'd been on the way home from a gig at Hell's Half Acre, one of the most popular spots in town.

  But Flash was more than a bass player, lead vocalist and Galen's closest friend. He'd faced the Old One and nearly died. His face and neck still showed the purple scars left by the minions of the creature, and the year before he had calmly faced the armies of the feorhbealu. Knowing Flash was there relieved some of the tension that was tightening the muscles in Galen's back.

  Whatever was going after his brother was powerful, more powerful than he'd ever dreamed. When he'd called his father the night before, Parry had been unable to come, so Galen had actually performed the Calling, a formal ritual designed to call former Keepers back to serve, and none of them, not even the most powerful, The First Emrys, could get through. It was enough to make Galen begin to panic. If the bond had been functioning, he wouldn't be as worried, he'd have a better grasp of what was going on, and honestly, the muted bond was hard to live with. The energy it took to keep even the small spark there was exhausting and he needed it as much as his brother did.

  “I didn't mean to,” Flash said, spotting him as he walked into the shop.

  “You never do.”

  “The bird made me.”

  “Do you really want to start that?” Dera asked with a laugh.

  “Are you going to tell me what's going on?” Flash asked, setting the broom aside and picking up his coffee.

  “I don't know. Rob's been dreaming... Or he says it's dreams.”

  “But?”

  “But he tried to walk down the stairs, he...” Galen stopped and swallowed. “He was up several times last night, trying to leave, he tripped over the end table once. Didn't wake up. I called Dad, but they couldn't get through at all.”

  “Hence the extra things and piles everywhere.”

  “Hence?” Galen chuckled. “Yes, hence. I spent most of the night Bolting the place. I'm not sure it did any good, though.”

  “Why not?”

  “Just a hunch,” Galen said, carefully arranging the pens by the cash register.

  “Oh, fuck. We are so screwed.”

  “What?”

  “Your hunches. The last one you had was what, about a month ago? And look how well that went.”

  “It wasn't that bad.”

  “It wasn't your favorite motorcycle that was destroyed,” Flash grumbled.

  “We replaced it.”

  “Yeah, good thing too, 'getting chomped by monster' is not covered by my insurance.”

  “You need better insurance.”

  “Uh huh,” Flash said, raising his eyebrows. “And how do I start that conversation. 'Excuse me, do you have the coverage for otherworldly, paranormal or acts of destruction not of this earth?' If they did, the premiums would probably kill me.”

  “Considering the number of speeding tickets you have, I seriously doubt the other would even put a dent in the rest of it.”

  “Oh ha ha.” Flash frowned. “Now, you going to tell me?”

  “I would tell you, Flash. I wish I had something to tell you.” Galen huffed in frustration. “I am at a loss. Rob finally admitted it's been haunting him for days.”

  “Haunting? You mean a plain old ghost?”

  “Flash?”

  “Yeah, right, I know. Sorry. Shutting up. Go on.”

  “He said it felt like the Old One at firs—” Galen started only to be cut off.

  “The Old One?!?” Flash almost shouted. “The Old One? As in the thing that...” He rubbed his neck, where the scars still marred his skin.

  “Yes, that one, but he said not quite. He's researching something right now about a war between the Old Powers. He was muttering about it last night in his sleep. I'm not exactly sure what he was talking about—more than half of it was in a language I didn't understand. When he came out of the dream enough to be steered back to bed, he would talk about the Ancient Ones. It's not much help.”

  “Galen,” his friend said gently. “Rob's been on edge since the wreck. I know the loss of his Gift has hurt him more than he lets on, could this be...?”

  “What? A psychotic episode of some kind?” Galen growled. “I sincerely doubt Rob having a breakdown could stop Dad or the First Emrys from getting here, or that it would send Billy Hernandez into a panic.”

  “Rob's shaman friend?”

  “Yeah. Whatever this is, Flash, it's serious. And Rob has never been one for sleepwalking. He doesn't sleep much, but when he does, he sleeps.”

  “Right.” Flash nodded. “So, I'm here, you can leave the shop in my capable hands, and go figure this out.” He grinned.

  “You make it sound so easy.”

  “And like there is nothing breakable left in the shop,” Dera added.

  “Shut up,” Flash told the raven. Dera cocked his head, obviously considering what to do.

  Galen was just opening his mouth to reply when he felt something slither along the muted bond. He had his connection with Rob as open as possible, so he knew the instant whatever it was made contact. Without really thinking about it, Galen was running towards the back. He had just reached the stairs when the massive plate glass window that overlooked the parking lot shattered, and as he wrenched the back door open, he saw Rob hit the concrete. The sickening thud was followed by the tinkling of glass like the chiming of tiny bells.

  He was beside his brother almost the same instant Rob hit the pavement. Flash was right behind him, swearing profusely. Dor was out the window and Dera landed beside Galen, both of them crying soft encouragement. "Rob, what the hell?" Galen asked, trying to keep his voice calm, all too aware of the pain rolling off his brother in a wave strong enough to make him dizzy.

  "Galen?" Rob opened his eyes, the blue fogged, not just by pain, but by something else.

  Laying a hand on Rob's arm, Galen tried to get an idea of the extent of the injuries his brother had sustained. He swallowed. It was bad enough to be worrying, the drop had done a lot of damage. "I'm going to put you out before I move you," he said softly. Dera leaned against his side, offering support. Galen closed his eyes and was already focusing the healing into his brother as he answered Rob's questions about his fall. The words just flowed around him, it was a struggle to ease his brother into sleep before shock set in, something was fighting back. When Rob went limp, Galen wasn't sure he was completely responsible for it.

  “Help me move him,” Galen said, opening his eyes, surprised at how harsh his voice sounded.

  “Is that smart? Shouldn't we call 911?” Flash asked, even as he gently slid his hands under Rob's legs.

  “Let me see what's going on first, we can always call Mike.” Galen carefully lifted Rob's shoulders and they carried him inside the couch at the back of the shop.

  Once his brother was settled, Galen knelt beside him and laid his hand on Rob's head and chest, calling up the healing light and letting
it flow down his arms. It was like running into a solid wall, it took all he had to keep his hands down and stay focused on what he needed to do. Whatever was there was fighting him, unwilling to let the light heal Rob. Taking a deep breath, Galen changed tactics. While still maintaining the healing, he tried to reach out and identify what was there, without letting on to his presence.

  “Come to me.” The words—or call, maybe they weren't actually words—were there almost immediately. There was something about the voice that sent a shiver of terror through Galen. “Come to me,” it repeated.

  “I can't.” Rob's answer surprised him. “Something's wrong, I hurt. I was coming, but I had to stop.”

  “Come to me.”

  “I can't, there is something wrong,” Rob repeated.

  Galen sensed a change and immediately pulled back, hiding as best he could. The owner of the voice was searching through Rob to see what was going on.

  “Your body is broken. You need to heal. Then come to me.”

  The presence was gone, and suddenly the light flowed easily into Rob. Galen guided it through his brother's body, gently repairing what the two-story fall had done. He could see the spots where the dark tendrils of the thing were beginning to get a foothold in his brother, hiding in the scars left by previous encounters with Darkness. When Galen finally pulled his hands away, dark spots were dancing at the edge of his vision. He walked to the table and sat down, putting his head in his hands.

  Dera gently nipped at his hand. “How bad is it?”

  “Not good, worse than I thought, although I've fixed the physical problems. At least as well as I could. He's going to need time to heal correctly. I am half-tempted to call Mike and get something.” Mike Silva was a close friend and emergency room doctor that had come to their aid on more than one occasion.

  “I think you should just call him,” Flash said, pulling out his phone. “Drug him so he can't go flying out windows.”

  “If I thought it would make a difference, I would.” Galen sighed. The strength of the summons could probably override anything they tried.

  “You don't even think it's worth a shot?”

  “We must do something,” Dor said, his deep voice worried.

  "Galen?" Rob asked softly.

  He looked up and smiled. "Hey, Brat."

  "What happened?" Rob tried to sit up, but collapsed back onto the couch with a groan. "And why am I in the back of the shop?"

  “Because we carried you,” Flash said, walking over to glare at him.

  “What?” Rob looked from Galen to Flash, then noticed the ravens. “What?”

  "What do you remember?" Galen stood and walked over, perching on the couch arm.

  Rob frowned. "It was calling me again, and it showed me where it was. I was walking towards it when..." He blinked. "Did you say I went out the window?"

  "Yeah. Right through the glass,” Galen answered calmly, even as his hands started shaking again.

  "Right through the glass?" Rob raised his eyebrows. "How much will that cost me?" he asked, the sardonic tone he used to cover emotion in his voice.

  "We'll see after I call the glass guy.”

  "Yeah, I bet." Rob blinked. “I really went out the window?”

  “Yes.” Galen stood and paced to the still open door, looking out at the broken glass and blood that marked the spot where his brother had fallen. “Right out the damn window.”

  “But you healed me.”

  "Rob, the healing... I tried, I couldn't at first. There was something there blocking me. It spoke to you, and you answered it.” The last two words snapped out of him with more anger and fear than he planned. His brother, Flash and both ravens stared at him. “You would have died if it hadn't let go.”

  “Which is not good,” Flash added.

  “You think?” Galen rounded on him.

  “Hey, I'm on your side!”

  “Galen, we understand you are upset. This does not solve the problem,” Dor said calmly.

  “You said I was speaking with it?” Rob interjected.

  “Yes, while you were unconscious,” Galen replied, his back to them.

  “It comes when I sleep too.” Rob paused. “And you could hear it?”

  “Yeah?” Galen turned back. “Not a good idea.”

  “What's not?” Flash demanded.

  “He wants me to put him out, and see if it talks to him,” Galen said.

  “You'd be there.”

  “It might be our best chance,” Dor added.

  “Do not encourage him!” Galen paced away again. He knew they were fighting a losing battle, and he didn't even know what he was fighting yet.

  “This is what we do,” Rob said calmly, struggling up. “I need to find out when...” His eyes suddenly unfocused and he took an unsteady step. Galen grabbed his arm and stopped him. Rob tried to pull away, seemingly unaware of his surroundings, but Galen held him in place. Galen carefully opened the bond to get a better idea of what was talking to Rob. The voice was back, the summons so strong, he almost found himself caught up in the call. His brother was answering, the words dissolving quickly into emotion.

  Galen tuned out the soft conversation—or whatever it was—between Rob and the thing and tried to get an idea of what was going on. It was important to know who was calling Rob and how much power it actually had. Hiding his presence as best he could, Galen delved deeper, seeking what was there. The answers that shivered up the connection terrified him. It was ancient, and its power had built over the millennia until the very land around it hummed with its existence. Galen gently tried to ease closer to the connection it had with Rob. It was a mistake.

  It was aware of him.

  Galen felt his brother's panic and desperately tried to pull away, but it was too late. The owner of the voice lashed out at him, reaching him through the connection with Rob. Pain exploded behind his eyes—darkness engulfed him—a darkness smelling of heat, the fires that lurked under the mantle of the earth. In the midst of the smoke and flame surrounding him, the voice was chiding him for trying to find it and stop it. Pain became agony, searing along his skin. The last thing he heard was Rob's voice, in his head and in his ears, begging for his life.

  "Galen?" Rob's voice was harsh. "Galen?"

  "Rob?" Galen tried to speak but his vocal chords wouldn't respond. He felt a shaking hand on his head.

  "Can you heal?" The trembling hand on his forehead didn't move.

  "Let me try," Galen said, focusing the healing and sending it through his body. Whatever had happened was serious. He floated there for a moment, drawing on the light. The creature, whatever it had been, had stripped him bare. "I'm... I'm mostly okay," he said, opening his eyes. He was on the floor, Rob and Flash were kneeling beside him.

  "It knew you were there," Rob said, sitting back on his heels.

  "Yes." Galen pushed himself up and leaned against the couch. He laid a hand on his brother's arm to get a sense of what was going on with Rob. The echo of the thing was still there, a black shadow, hard as stone. The soft buzz of the muted bond was completely gone. Galen felt his heart accelerate in terror, then clamped it down as he eased the connection open.

  "I tried to block it from you," Rob said before he could ask.

  "Block what?"

  "It sensed you and wasn't happy."

  “I think not happy doesn't fucking cover it,” Flash said. “It tried to kill him.”

  “Yes, this is not good,” Dera said, hopping over to sit protectively on Galen's leg. “This is far worse than we have considered. It is an Ancient, and one of the Punished.”

  “The punished, that just sounds so much better,” Flash said.

  “They fought a great war, and some were imprisoned. I was working on that when...” Rob trailed off.

  “You flew out the window,” Flash finished for him.

  “Yeah.” Rob stood. “I need to finish, find out more, and you need to heal, Galen,” his brother said firmly.

  “You do too, Brat.” Galen let
Flash help him to his feet. The Ancient had drained him far more than he had let on, it took everything he had to walk to the stairs without falling. The scar in his chest where the Old One had torn free was throbbing with a new pain, and he was aware of a weakening of his Gift. Rob followed him, and the ravens swept into the apartment ahead of them, Dera landing on the back of the sofa and Dor at the table.

  Galen made it to the oversize chair he preferred and dropped down, exhaustion suddenly dragging him into darkness. As he drifted away, he thought he heard his brother speaking with the ravens, the sound of a door closing and sometime later, the distinctive sound of Rob's Jeep's engine starting. Galen jerked awake and stumbled to the window in time to see his brother pull out of the parking lot.

  Six

  Galen

  It took a full second for Galen's brain to catch up with the significance of the car pulling out of the lot. The next moment, he was racing down the stairs. Reaching the back door, he tried to open it, only to find it jammed closed. Without wasting any effort on trying to force it, he turned and ran towards the shop, only to be stopped by a pained groan from a prone body. “Flash!” Galen flipped on the light and dropped beside his friend. There was a dark bruise marring the side of Flash's face.