Eus and Galen himself were the first two recipients of the Munro Scholarship.  Galen, with the guidance of Issa, set up three separate yearly scholarships, for the citizens of Trent’s How and for the Daere and Pla of Apple River.  For several years most of them were awarded to the Daere and the Pla; for a long time humans refused to apply.  Galen also set up a separate scholarship for veterans, and after beating himself over the head with it for a few weeks, decided to call it the Boot-Arm Veteran’s Fellowship.  It became known as the Saint Boot Free Ride. 

            Galen used his scholarship to go back to school, to learn the magic of healing, all the while studying and doing research in Dr. Nkiju’s lab.  Nkiju encouraged him to take a double track, and he was studying xenopathology and hoped to try for boards a year after he graduated from phase two of medical school. 

            In his third semester of phase two, Galen learned how to call back the dead. 

            It wasn’t reviving them, or anything like that – that was an entirely different thing and a bit too advanced for the track he was on.  What Galen learned to do was call back a spirit, a shadow of the soul of the dead person.  His one questions in class was, Does this work on all types of sentients?

            It did.  Galen searched for another three weeks before he felt he had a proper place to cast the spell, though.  Finally he sat on a high cliff just inside the Silas refuge port, away from the road, facing a brilliant sunset.  The stone about him was dotted with dim blue wizard lights of his own castinng.  He held John’s fang in both hands, and softly chanted the words. 

            With a rush of faint light, and a swirl of cold, John appeared.  Galen caught his breath.  John looked as alive as could be.  He gazed at Galen, a kind twinkle in his eye, then moved around to enjoy the sunset.  Galen was frightened and exhilirated, joyful to see John, and painfully sorrowful that he was dead, and not really back to stay. 

            “Hi, John,” he said.  “God, I’ve missed you.”

            John did not reply.   Then, “Lovely sunset, Galen.  Thank you.”

            “I thought you’d like one more.  Can I ask you a question or two, John?”

            “That’s why you called me here, is it not, old friend?”

            “Oh, aye,” said Galen, and he smiled to hear himself slip back into his old accent.  “Who killed you, John?”

            John laughed, a short huff.  “If I recall, Galen, it was you.  And I thank you for it.” 

            “Who made you kill, John?  Who made it so I had to kill you?”

            John turned his head to Galen, and gazed at him.  “I don’t know, Galen.  I wish I did, but I do not know.  I do not know why that happened to me.  I’m very sorry it did.  I’m sorry I did those terrible things.  It was not me, not me at all.  I am glad you were able to release me from it.”

            Well, crap.  There went his main reason for calling John back.  He had hoped beyond hope that he would know who, and why. 

            “No idea why?  Or who?”

            John thought, watching the colors slowly shift into darkness.  Galen hoped he’d hurry up, the spell only lasted until the sun was gone.  “There were some surveyors on my land, a couple weeks before that thing seized my mind.  I ran them off.  I did not know them.  They were high in the mountains, back in the vale, taking core samples, I believe.  I sent them away.  I complained at the next town meeting.  The mayor assured me they were there only for geological purposes.  I believe I told him to stuff their geological purposes in a deep dark hole, or something equally prosaic.  That is all I can think of, Galen.  The only other person mad at me was Ederyn, because I had whipped his sorry butt at dacni four times in a row, and you can tell him that I was going to whip him a fifth time, too.”  John grinned, a fangy mouthful. 

            “Ederyn was crushed after you died, John.  He was so sorry – he helped kill you too, John.”

            “I know.  I knew I could count on him.  He was a true friend.  And please tell him I thank him, too, for everything he did, everything.” 

            “You’ll fade with the sun, John.  Anything else you want to pass on to people?”

            “Ah, fade with the sun.  How appropriate, how very kind of you.  Galen, when I was alive, I told you often how I loved the sky, in all her variant glory, the sun, the moons, the stars.  Dawn, twilight, clouds, the endlessly variable ways light, simple light, could shine through and make the darkest day suddenly… alive.  I loved being close to the sky, loved flying into the light, dancing in the clouds, heading towards the sun, always chasing the sunset, wanting it, wanting it.” 

            Galen nodded.  “Aye, you told me.  You made me want it myself.”

            The rim of the sun edged towards darkness.  “Galen, let me tell you a secret.  Tell whomever pleases you, in turn.  Perhaps you will find someone to share this secret with, someday, perhaps not.” 

            “Yes?”

            “Galen…I no longer chase the light…”

            John’s last whisper hung on the air with Galen.  The sun was gone, but the vibrant magenta and violet rays shone off the darkening clouds, fading finally to deep purple, then black.  Galen quenched his wizard lights and watched the stars come out, each one speaking that final little whisper to him.

            “Galen, I no longer chase the light…you helped me catch it, and I have joined it.”