Introduction
First addition to Mortis Custos for 2023! 
The last part of the story is here: Mortis Custos Part 81 by
To start at the beginning of the story please see the links provided at the end of this post!
Viewer discretion is advised due to gory violence! Undead! Swords! Death! Beware!
Part 82
Magna's breath caught in her throat.
The revenant took her bloodied hand in his and seemed to be looking at the slightly oozing wound. Is he goind to bite into my wrist? I had meant for him to use the blood that was already there.
She was certain of his loyalty and intent, even though he was horrifying to look at, she had grown accustomed to it. Yet, she also knew that Mortis was capable of going into a maddened berserk state. He could shred into her, he could drain her unto death. He could...
Something was happening.
Magic was diffusing from Mortis' palm and he touched his face. Holding his face close to the cut on her palm, blood came out of the cut in a stream that seemed to float right into the revenant's open mouth.
Mortis did not swallow the liquid, he merely knelt there for a while, blood flowing thinly from Magna into his mouth and beyond.
As this happened, the power around the revenant was building. She could not see it, but she could feel it. It built up, he was storing it up. He was going away and she was sad that he would be going.
To ease the curse on the land... what ever that meant.
Lucien spun through the air and over the axe sung as it chopped at him, missing him by a hair. The creature actually thought that the blow had connected and had not followed up with another attack.
His sabre licked out and cut down at the joints in his enemies' armor, but it moved and the line his blade needed to make was blocked. This time the attack was redoubled. A hammer blow forced Lucien to jump back but he was pursued, the axe cutting upwards into the air in a reverse grip. The hammer was still on the ground behind the creature. Then it spun.
Lucien was so focussed in that split second on the hammer's trajectory that he did not see the low kick that thrust into his midriff. Lucien was launched off his feet and his back hit the wall, his head cracking against the flagstones and his eyes going unfocussed.
He would not lose consciousness, but the blow had stunned him.
The Fallen One had leapt into the air over Lucien, its axe and hammer above its head. It would crush him.
Who would have thought I would join Stefan so soon?
Talons gripped his shoulders, slicing into his left side as he was dragged out of the way of those heavy weapons. They crunched into the ground where Lucien had lain.
He was swept upwards as the crossbow bolts rained down on the Fallen One and it was speared multiple times. There was no steel wire on these bolts, but the damage was spectacular.
"Sorry for that claw!" Came the female voice above him and Lucien looked up at the harpy that was holding him in her talons. She was level with the wall now and set him down.
The one talon that had pierced him came out and Lucien winced at the sound more than the feeling. "Thank you. Better a talon in the shoulder than those weapons destroying me."
They both peered down and the Fallen One who had somehow leapt up halfway on the wall and was running up, covered in bolts. Another volley struck down and he was cast off the wall and fell on his back.
Another volley or something heavy would kill it.
It is a shame I was not able to reclaim this lost one. He thought to himself.
The air around the Fallen One seemed to shudder and something large draped itself over it, appearing out of nowhere. There was a suggestion of many limbs.
As another volley of bolts rained down it was gone.
"What the hell was that?" The Harpy asked.
"I have no idea." Lucien answered. "Hold line! Bolas wire and fire!" He ordered, then more softly he spoke to the Harpy. "I know someone who would be able to tell me more."
"Yeah?"
"Millmor. The one that leads the Ghouls. I should go speak with him."
"Right. I will give you a lift handsome!" The harpy said with a smile and before Lucien had a chance to protest, she struck out with her legs and grasped him. This time it was far more gentle and he was lifted off the battlements and into the air.
"Now that you know what is coming, it is time that we join your mother on the battlements. She will need our help."
"Our mother, you mean." Adrian asked his older self.
"Let's not make this too complicated." The bearded mage said in return. "She both is and isn't my mother, she could be my mother, but she most definately YOUR mother."
"This is giving me a headache." Magna groaned.
"Right. These details matter little." Adrian said. "Let's go."
Wrapup
And that's it. My part is in!
Enjoy Lex!
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