The Man Who Wasn’t There – Part 44

Brian hopes that he can get in touch with his ancestor, Luminous Cayce, in his dreams. With the help of Claude and Dr. Meru, he goes to bed with that in mind. Jordan also stays with him, to provide protection.

“I at least want pulse and blood pressure monitors.”

She agreed to that much. Once they were settled, Claude dimmed the lights, leaving only a candle in a pierced tin holder in the far corner. He muttered a short blessing before hypnotizing Brian. He wanted him in a relaxed state, but able to communicate. Once he thought Brian was at the right level, he continued.

“Cast out, Brian. Search for Luminous Cayce. Find him in the ether, Brian. Your long dead ancestor.”

Brian was marginally aware of Jordan’s head on his shoulder. He could feel her breath on his skin. He felt the presence of Claude and Meru. His body was light, like it was floating on a cloud—weightless. Comfortable and warm, he felt safely cocooned. Claude’s voice guided him into the dream world and he cast about, searching for Luminous. It took less time to find him than he’d anticipated.

In answer to his summons, a bright light appeared, glittering far away. It was a tiny, golden spot on the horizon. As Claude talked, the spot grew nearer, so quickly, Brian could hardly follow its movement. When it got opposite Brian, about three feet away, it stopped. Vaguely man shaped, it shimmered with a golden orange aura. Inside, the figure was so bright, Brian couldn’t focus on it.

“Are you Luminous Cayce?”

“In life I was known by that name. It is one of many this soul has carried.”

“My name is Brian Casey. I am a descendant of Olivander, your youngest child with Opal.”

Luminous said nothing, waiting.

“I am the Dreamer from my generation. We’re facing great danger,” Brian continued. “Tomorrow night is the three hundredth anniversary of the Peddler’s appearance, the night Opal died.”

“When the town went mad,” Luminous replied. “The night everything changed.”

Brian waited, respectfully silent.

“And you fear the Evil will return.”

“We had problems with the Evil last year. He came against us. We believe he was testing our strength. One of us has already been killed. Clifford Finley….”

“The Guardian is dead? That’s bodes ill. Has someone from his clan stepped forward as new Guardian?”

“No. We didn’t know that was necessary.”

“There is still time, however, I strongly urge you to find his replacement with all speed. Who is the member for your generation?”

“His only son, Chase.”

“One from Clifford’s siblings would be better. His sister,” Luminous declared. “She is strong and would make a propitious Guardian.”

“I’ll ask her.” Brian waited for more, but Luminous said nothing. “What do we do? Can you help us? We don’t know what to expect. There are few records of this time. What we’ve found doesn’t tell us much. Cliff was our historian.”

Luminous growled slightly. “That is a doubly great loss. You realize, of course, that his knowledge is what killed him. Our strongest members were attacked one by one, brought down and murdered. Their deaths—were—horrendous.” The golden aura shivered.

“How did you survive? The records tell us nothing of the part you played.”

“They would not,” Luminous said. “For I wrote many of the accounts. I could not put my cowardice, my calumny into words. To reveal to anyone how craven I was…. I betrayed them.”

“What? How? You fought! You pushed back the Evil!”

“He possessed me!” Luminous shouted. “The Evil one used me to kill, to condemn, to lie about my friends and family members. He made me do horrible things. He forced me to murder—!” He sobbed, faltering.

The light around him dimmed and Brian saw a man for the first time. In basic features, he resembled Miles Casey, though his hair was blond like Brian’s, pulled back in a ribbon at the base of his neck. His clothing was simple, a pair of britches, tucked into knee boots and a shirt with full sleeves. His blue eyes held deep, abiding torment.

“That wasn’t your fault,” Brian said. “If you’re not expecting him, he can do a lot. He managed to get into the house and had my mother and two of her friends under his spell before we even knew he was there. He almost killed me. If it hadn’t been for my friends and family, he would have. How do we fight him? How do we win?”

“Fight him with every skill you possess. Remember, his major weapons are ice and fire, though he is greatly vulnerable to both. He can make the earth do his bidding, but he is weakest in air. If you stand in unity, he will crumble and fall.”

© 2017 Dellani Oakes

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