Chapter 36

McGregor Castle

It was near the end for Moira. All the boys were home, Merlin even went through the new portal to Lanenia to retrieve Angus. Now they all stood by Moira’s bedside. The girls crying in the corner.

The twin bairns asleep in their cradles, with Bradana watching over them in their room. Merlin had told Ian everything going on in Wesladus. He could barely refrain anymore from going back.

He was a mess, no sleep, barely eating, he couldn’t think straight. Standing here now looking at his dying mother he did some soul searching. He should have protected his father and brother. Damn, it was his responsibility. His responsibility? “Remember who you are,” came the voice stronger than before.

“Who am I really?” he asked himself. “Do you really want to know?” came the voice from within. “It will interrupt your peace.” “Please,” begged Ian. “I need to, I can no longer live like this. I need to know who I am.” He glanced at his mother again, and at the ones he loved sobbing, even Merlin had tears. “Please,” he thought. “I need tae make this right somehow, it’s just all wrong. It shouldn’t be this way.”

Suddenly the God of light appeared. Ian stood up from kneeling at his mother’s bedside. “You heard my thoughts.”

“Yes, Ian I did. You have made a decision to know, what you do with it will be up to you. I will grant you your memories, all of them, then you choose.”

The God of Light touched him. Suddenly his lives came back to him. In each one he was a warrior. In each one he had a family. He had Elspeth and he was happy, but most of all he had purpose and he knew what that purpose was.

Maybe he didn’t always live in peace, but he tried hard to keep the peace. He protected his family, he didn’t sit back and wait for someone else to do it. He relived those lives and knew he had been genuinely happy.

Then he saw the beginning, where he first broke off from the One Great God. He was called The Peacekeeper by his Father and was sent forth to protect those he could. He understood who he was. He had to maintain peace, he had to go back. He had to be himself. The light died away.

“Do you understand now Ian? What is your choice, Peacekeeper?”

“Peacekeeper?” asked Merlin.

A hush went around the room. The brothers in shock all asked, “Peacekeeper, Ian?”

“Och!” said Cameron. “Our brother…is The Peacekeeper? The one we have been looking for? Theee Peacekeeper? The one to wield the Godslayer?”

“Yes,” said The God of Light. “The only Peacekeeper. Now you understand why I could not tell you. Ian wanted peace for his family and he deserved to have what he wanted. It was granted. He just forgot he was the one providing it for them. Now he remembers and he’s made the right decision.”

“I have made a promise tae my Mither and wife, but I canna do what I have promised them. I am a warrior. It’s who I am. I have tae go back to being the leader of my troops. I have tae fight Juppar Heiwynn. I canna let evil go free, but my promise, my word tae my family?”

Elspeth ran into his arms surprising him. “I’m so happy we are going back. Finally, Ian, I’ve watched you mope for months. I ken you needed tae go, but you needed tae ken it too. I can also be the healer I ken I am. Life has no guarantees but together we can fight tae keep our family safe. I love you Ian. The man I ken you tae be. I’m so happy.”

“My promise tae Mither. Who will take care of the castle, and the girls?”

“We knew this time would come Ian, your mother and father don’t remember, but before their life they set up this sacrifice so you would remember when the time came. Their suffering was to complete this one goal. Everyone in your family, before this life, knew they would all make this sacrifice for you.”

“What? I doona deserve that. Why them. This should have never happened.”

“You were getting tired of the fight, Ian. Even before this fight. You were forgetting who you are. They all banded together to help you in this life, return you to the roots of who you are. So, for your parents? I think something can be arranged,” said the God of Light. He pointed toward the wall where a bright light appeared and an opening from a beautiful place came in to view. Then Lachlan appeared. “Come ahead Lachlan,” said the God of Light. “You couldn’t come with Eoghan because this needed to happen for Ian to find himself. He needed to remember his way. Now you may return.” Lachlan stepped through and everyone shouted and ran to hug him.

He looked to the God of Light. “Mither?”

The God of Light looked lovingly at Moira. “She suffered the most.” He touched her forehead, and Moira was once again young. She opened her eyes and looked around, when she saw Lachlan she screamed his name and they embraced. Then she embraced all her children, sobbing tears of happiness.

He looked at the God of Light. “Thank you,” he said.

The God of Light shrugged his shoulders. “Someone has to take care of these girls. Moira couldn’t bear leaving them and she fought the law of death between mates, when one dies, the other shall go. A remarkable woman, your mother. All is as it should be.” And he disappeared.

He didn’t have time to register all the God of Light told him about his family, when Bradana came running in. “The bairns!” she screamed. “They’re gone! The devil took them. I couldn’t stop him. He froze me. Ian, the bairns!”

His heart dropped. “What do you mean, Bradana, the bairns?”

“They’re gone! A man with flames in his eyes. He froze me. I couldn’t move. I watched him grab the bairns and he didn’t even use a portal. He just disappeared with them.”

“To Wesladus!” shouted Merlin. “Ian grab the bairns clothes. I’ll do a locator spell. Boys we must go. Ian, you need the sword. First your blood. Let’s let the love birds reunite, and the girls see their mother and father. Come we have a job to do. Bullocks!”

****

Wesladus, Pendragon Castle

“My bairns!” shouted Ian, pacing with his hands on his head. “I’ll kill him with my bare hands!”

“Stop, Ian I have to concentrate on the locator spell,” said Merlin.

The room became quiet and they waited.

Finally, Merlin stopped. “I can’t locate them. He has them hidden and hidden well. I could breach a cloaking spell, but this is something more. I think…”

A light appeared in the room and they all startled. A holographic image of Juppar Heiwynn appeared. He immediately attacked it, falling through, Juppar laughed. “Peacekeeper! I have your babies. They are cute, but when they started crying, well I had to put a sleep spell on them. Had to shut the rats up.”

He saw red. “If you’ve harmed them, I’ll tear oot your intestines and feed them tae you. Let me see them! Awake.”

“As you wish.” The vision melded to the two infants. Juppar snapped his fingers and they awoke, crying. He snapped his fingers again, and they went back to sleep.

“You bastard! You will not live when I get my hands on you!”

“You, Ian McGregor, Peacekeeper, will come to me. Alone. This is between us and will be handled by us alone. No men. You will come to Wardhurst Castle in the Stygian Mountains. The faster you come the more alive the infants will be. Tally and they will fade, until dead.” The vision faded.

He was breathing hard, his eyes wild, he smashed his fist through the wall. “Where is this place? Merlin, can you open a portal?”

Merlin frowned, “This isn’t good. It’s located in the Cimmerian Veil.”

“I’ve read about it,” said Cameron. “It’s Hell’s Veil. You’ll die going through that veil, Ian. It’s treacherous, dangerous, and all sorts of hell’s demons live there.”

Elspeth sat sobbing, then cried out. “Ian, I can’t lose you, or the bairns. You must take your army! Merlin, go with him! Please for goddesses’ sake, help him! Bring back our bairns!”

He went and put his arms around her. “It’s me he wants. I willna take a chance with our bairns life. I will take the Godslayer with me.”

With unabashed determination, he picked up the lightly glowing forged sword, not thinking about holding it with bare hands. He merely picked it up like any sword and sliced his hand open, putting his blood to the blade. It instantly drank in his blood then the sword melted like a flowing frosting up and over his hand and traveled up his arm, infusing itself with him, when it spread over his body as far as it could go, causing him to radiate a white glow, it then retracted back to a sword, then left his hands and rose up in the air, hovering in front of him glowing white.

It spun in front of him, emitted a cloud of sparks, spun again, then stopped in midair, the white glow dissipating, it landed at his feet emitting a pure golden glow. He picked it up and felt a warm tingle travel from it through his body. It changed, reshaping itself and weight to fit his hand.

He stood with a light glow about him, leaned over and picked up his scabbard and attached it around himself and sheathed the sword. Then he heard Ator’s voice, as the glow dissipated.

“I’m taking you, Ian. No arguments. I heard all and I came as quick as I could. I’m outside Pendragon waiting for you. Come now, we must hurry.”

“You canna, Ator, I willna let you. You could die. I have tae go alone.”

“I will follow you. I will not take no for an answer. He did not say no dragons, just men. I’m taking you. That’s final.”

He thought about it. “Okay, Ator. Merlin, can you get us inside Wardhurst Castle?”

“No, too well warded. I can get you through Cimmerian Veil and possibly on the Stygian Mountains, but that’s as close as I can get. It will take an invocation. There are no portals for obvious reasons. We must get started. I’ll meet you down with Ator.”

He held the sobbing Elspeth, stroking her hair. “I’ll get them back, if it’s the last thing I do. I will kill the bastard. I promise. Brothers, please take care of my wife while I’m gone. Take her tae Mither.”

“Nae Ian!” she said, hysterically. “I’m waiting right here until I hear from you. I will not leave. Just bring our bairns home alive.”

He looked at his brothers, and with silent understanding they all nodded. They would watch over Elspeth. Then he turned back to her, “I will, Els. Now I must go.”

He met Ator at the meadow behind the castle. “Ator are you sure about this?”

“More than. We can do this Ian.”

“Yes, you can,” said Merlin, walking up to them. “Ator and Ian, I need some blood to make this work. You will feel a tremendous pulling sensation while you traverse through the veil. It will cease after a few seconds of reaching your destination.

“You will feel disoriented, get used to that as it won’t go away. It’s hot there, a lot of fire and lava, be careful the tubes. The demons there are devils. You will have to fight. Ator try and keep him in the air. You will get winded, so you must land at intervals to rest, the heat can hurt even a dragon.”

“It sounds like you’ve been there, Merlin.”

“Unfortunately, a few times. You will become acclimated, but it will take willpower. Hallucinations can happen, be strong and realize what they are. You ready?”

“Yes, get on with it.” He settled on Ator’s back, and they waited while Merlin said the incantation. Then a cloud surrounded them and they were pulled through the void.

He felt as if his face was being pulled off and Ator was flung dizzily around in circles. When they landed, it was on the mountain, on a path. The air was hot and heavy and everything had a red tinge to it. Ian fell off Ator and threw up.

He retched for several seconds. Ator shook his head and neck as if trying to get his bearings. Several large creatures flew overhead screeching loudly. Devil demons rushed them. The one in front tall, lithe, with crazy lizard yellow eyes. “Ahhh, fressshhh meeeat.” It drawled, its long pointy tongue flickering in and out. It lunged for Ian.

“Not today.” He drew his sword. The creature and its followers laughed.

His sword warmed in his hand and sent tingles through his body. He raised the glowing white sword in his hands and started for them.

The one in front backed away. Fear etched the creatures faces. “The Goooodslaaaaayer,” said the one in front. “Run!”

Ator shook his head again. “I don’t think they liked that sword of yours.”

He stared at the sword and smiled. “I think this is a very handy tool.”

“Come, mount up we must go.”

Once in the air a fire tornado headed straight for them. “Is this a hallucination?” he asked Ator.

“I don’t think so,” and the dragon quickly ascended over the top of it.

Creatures with red dragon like bodies, pointed tails, and dinosaur jaws came toward them. He lifted the sword to strike and it once again glowed. The creatures screeched and turned around.

“I like this sword. It seems tae have a mind of its own. I hope it does that to Juppar. We should hurry. Head to the top of the mountain.”

As Ator flew up, he saw all his dead dragon friends heading for them, distorted faces, and snarls.

His bond allowed him to see the same vision, he quickly reminded him, “Ator, it’s a hallucination. Fly through them. He was suddenly assaulted with the faces of the people he had killed came in to view flashing in front of him, large, with iniquitous laughter.

“Go, Ator, keep going up!” He closed his eyes and when he opened them the aberrations were gone. They landed not far from the top for a brief respite, as Merlin had warned them to do.

As they stared toward the top, he could see the castle, appearing very small. They had a way to go yet. He leaned back closing his eyes for a moment, sweat pouring off him. The ground started to shake and rumble beneath them. “Hurry,” said Ator, “lava tubes!”

Ator soared up as the lava tubes erupted a hundred feet in the air. They continued to climb high in the air until they reached the top. They landed near the castle. After letting him down, the dragon said, “I can go in from here, but not without breaking down the walls, and I don’t know where the babies are located. I’ll wait right here for you. If you need anything let me know.”

“Thanks, Ator, now I’m goin’ tae kill the bastard.” He went through the big double doors and shouted, “Juppar Heiwynn! You have my bairns. Show them tae me, now!” He continued searching until he came to what appeared to be a library. There he found the bairns tucked against a corner on the floor. He picked his still son up and kissed him then did the same to his daughter. Then he heard the clapping.

“How touching. Now I have you where I want you. You can watch the infants die, then I’m going to kill you. You will no longer be the Peacekeeper. I’m going to send you back to the one who made you.”

“I think not, Juppar,” he said as he pulled his sword. He expected the same warmth and light he’d been accustomed to with the sword, but it didn’t appear. He didn’t have the time to wonder why. No matter, he would wield it just the same.

He charged Juppar. Juppar flung out his hand and a force threw him backward against a wall and he crumbled, sliding down the wall. Shaking his head, he jumped up and charged him again. This time Juppar threw out his hand and froze him, then laughed.

“I tire of your games, you can’t win. Now watch as I eat these infants for lunch. You know their blood is very sweet at this age.”

He was enraged. His anger was so intense he began to glow green. Frozen to the spot in mid step, sword held up, he tried to move, and couldn’t. He called to the power of the sword.

He felt the sword trying to show him something. Something important that he needed to know or do. As Juppar walked toward his children he tried to calm his mind. He pictured himself and the sword as one.

He felt the energy travel from the sword to his hand and up his arm.

Slowly the sword heated all of him, he felt as if he were melting, when in reality, he was becoming unfrozen. He understood then, the sword had secrets, special secrets. It seemed to have a mind of its own, showing him things in increments. He knew this time it was using more power, sending more energy through him. It didn’t happen at first because too much energy could have killed him. It was feeding him and he was learning to take more. He felt the energy in his blood, he felt invincible, truly alive, more than ever before in his life. He was ready, he was filled, he had power, deadly power, power enough to kill a Devil God. He spoke in a dead calm. “Now you die.”

Juppar looked around at him. “Ah you think the Godslayer will stop me? Yes, I know about it. I didn’t know you had it, but no bother, by the time you reach me one of your infants will be dead. Now let’s see which one first? The girl or the boy?”

Ian started for him. “You will kill neither. You never threaten this mon, you never threaten my wife, you never threaten peace, but most of all you never threaten a mon’s bairns!”

He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but instinct took over and he threw the sword in the air with one command. “Heart!” In an instantaneous blur, the sword shot across the room and in through the back of Juppar as he reached for the sleeping infant. It pierced his heart dead on. He said, “return,” and it flew back to his hand. He sheathed it and ran toward the twins. Juppar’s body went up in flames. He picked up his sleeping children, not knowing how he was going to wake them.

“Excellent!” came a booming voice as the God of Light appeared next to Ian. “I hate coming here. The God of Dark will know. We don’t normally visit each other’s realms. It’ll make him angry and he will just create another son. You won’t see the last of things like this. But for now, the infants need to wake and you all need to go back to Wesladus, Ator included. I will send you back. Come Ator awaits.”

“Why dinna you just stop this afore Juppar took the bairns? Why do you wait for someone less strong than you tae do the dirty work?”

“I’m already in trouble from the One True God. I could get demoted. He says I interfere too much in the great dance of life, especially after bringing your father and brother back to life. Besides this was for you. You had to see it, feel it, know it. You had to become you again.

“I don’t know what will happen to me for all of my interference, but the balance was too far in the dark sides favor, I felt the need to help, and to warn you of more to come. You may not see me for a while, but I help when I can. I push when I can. Now let’s get you all out of here.”

****

Wesladus at Pendragon Castle

In front of the fireplace in the sitting area off the great room at Pendragon Castle all the McGregors gathered. They had finished one of the best dinners Ian had ever eaten. Conversation and laughter arose all around. Merlin and Arthur argued over who was going to hold Domnall. Merlin being the winner, was bouncing him up and down, while Arthur leaned over him making faces. Lachlan and Moira laughed over Donella’s antics. He chuckled watching his family, while his arm hung loosely around his wife.

He was home, where he needed to be. He was happy and he knew Elspeth was too. His life wasn’t so bad, in fact it was quite wonderful. He’d face the coming evil head on with his sword blazing. When it reared its ugly head, he would have no compunction about dealing with it all. He and Elspeth had moved back into Pendragon in the Wesladus Veil, and he picked up where he left off. It was as if he’d never left.

****

The God of Light hung in the air above them, invisibly. He smiled to himself, watching the happy family. The whole happy family. He did love a good ending. Well to this part anyway. The McGregors weren’t finished by a long shot. He had faith in them, and he’d watch over them. He’d help when necessary. He sighed. “Everything is as it should be,” then disappeared.

Elspeth smiled up at Ian and whispered in his ear, “Do you think we can trust these people tae watch the bairns?”

“Why, what are you thinkin’, Elspeth?”

“I think it’s later, later,” she huskily whispered, grinning.

He looked in her eyes and grinned wide. “I ken it’s later, later,” he said picking her off her feet. He carried the squealing Elspeth through the great room and up the stairs and didn’t let go until he dropped her on their bed, where he showed her just how happy he was with his life, with her, with his family, and to finally, be home.