Adelfried

Ying lay in the hospital bed, motionless. Plastic tubes ran from her arms to clear plastic bags hanging beside her. Jim stood between her and the Colonel, whose head didn’t even reach the top of Jim’s shoulder. She didn’t flinch as Jim stared her down, rifle in one hand and shield in the other. She no doubt had magic and would know Jim didn’t. Even still, an angry and determined Jim armed to the teeth was intimidating, with or without magic. With one quick smash of the shield or a pull of the trigger he could take Karen out cold before she could react, not that he would do that. Right?

Jim spoke slowly, his words soaked with anger, “I’ll say it again, that’s not good enough.”

Jim was right. Adelfried had also had enough. The games. The delays. The conditions. The lies. The tricks. The crackle of magic rushed through him. He raised his hand, it flickered the darkest blue, like a late-night sky before a storm, the magic ready to flood out. “We are done with your conditions. No more. I—”

A hand rested on his shoulder. It was warm and heavy, but not menacing. Adelfried turned and found Federico smiling. His dark, slicked back hair was now loose and curly, his beard trimmed but still long. His round face formed a warm smile. “Friend. It’s okay. We will work this out.” Adelfried believed him, but he didn’t know why. Perhaps because he had met some version of this man before in the chaos of Sahir’s mind, perhaps because of the journey they had shared, but either way Adlefried lowered his hand, the anger and rage fading.

Federico turned to the small wrinkly woman. “Colonel, could you put in a request with Mistress Kreeg that she come to discuss these matters with her father? I would suggest you convey to her the need for urgency to avoid conflict. Surely, this can be hashed out in a civilized manner.”

The Colonel narrowed her eyes. “Not that this is any of your business, but she is currently indisposed until an uncertain time. It could be hours, or days, or even weeks. All I can say is that this is already a priority for her. Just not the most pressing one.”

Federico maintained his conciliatory tone. “Certainly. I would not suggest to know a wizard’s business. And surely Mistress Kreeg would not object to her own father, and Ying’s husband visiting with her as she lay incapacitated. Correct?”

The Colonel put her hands on her hips. “No. That is not correct. I don’t know who you think you are or what business this is of yours, but they are not allowed to be anywhere near her.”

"I see.” Federico removed his hand from Adelfried’s shoulder and gave Adelfried a slight nod before leaning in close to Karen. He lowered his voice like he had a secret. “We both know you couldn’t really stop them, could you? Adelfried is a wizard, perhaps not as skilled as others, but if push came to shove, we both know he could level this place. I would suggest that perhaps allowing them to simply sit in the same room as Ying is better than the alternative. Wouldn’t you?”

The Colonel didn’t respond.

Federico folded his hands behind his back and walked around Ying’s bed like a lawyer from one of her shows might do in a courtroom. “Perhaps said another way, you could try to remove them, but it’s not worth risking the destruction of the Wrecht Order’s headquarters, is it?

The Colonel’s face wrinkled harder than before. “No,” she said like it was the most painful thing she had ever said.

“Wonderful,” Federico said with cheer in his voice. “Then it is decided. Everyone can stay, no one gets hurt, and nothing gets destroyed. See, we are all one big happy family now.” Federico gestured to Jim. “It’s Jim, correct? Perhaps you’d be more comfortable if you set the gun and riot shield down and pulled up a chair next to Ying.”

Jim's eyes went to Federico and back to Karen but didn't respond.

Federico stepped beside Jim. "There is always time for action if need be, but perhaps now we...continue to try towards a peaceful solution. And you.” He pointed at the nurse. “Can you bring us refreshments? Surely the Wrecht Order can show a little hospitality to these wonderful people who have time and time again thwarted the Sovereign Sect.”

The nurse turned to the Colonel who let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. But Adelfried is not allowed within arm's reach of Ying, and she stays cuffed to the bed.”

Jim's entire body stiffened, but before he could say anything Federico wrapped an arm around him. “Don’t worry, she’s sleeping and probably doesn’t even notice them. Plus, if it bothers her, I am sure we could come to another arrangement.”

“She won’t ever wake up if she’s doped on this.” Jim clutched the clear plastic bag hanging beside the bed.

“Yes, yes, I see...” Federico examined the bag closely then nodded. “Yes, this will keep her fast asleep. But perhaps she needs the rest after the...incident. Maybe a little rest is good, no?”

This version of Federico was not what Adelfried had expected at all. He had navigated the situation with the utmost polish and deescalated a tense situation. Perhaps he could be trusted? Well trusted more than the Wreckies, to be sure.

Jim said, “I want her off this stuff. It’s keeping her asleep, isn’t it?

“Are you out of your mind?” Karen barked. “You didn’t see what she did. She is a threat. The only reason she is still...asleep is because she’s...important.”

It all came into focus. The Wreckies did not care about anything except keeping the peace, regardless of who got hurt or what the cost was. Peace through tyranny. But even well-meaning tyranny, was tyranny. They were no different than the Romans who had fallen just before Adelfried’s own time. Only the Wreckies were more insidious, hiding their near absolute control. Adelfried shook his head or perhaps it was an involuntary shudder. “I think what you are saying is the only reason she is still alive is because she has information about the Sovs. Is that correct?”

The Colonel tilted her head, her face devoid of emotion or empathy. “If you don’t like it, talk to your daughter. But yes, this room is rigged with precautions. If she gets out of that bed, she’s dead.”

Karen spun on her heel and left, her hard-soled shoes slamming on the floor of the empty hall, slowly fading away until a sinister silence smothered the room. The same emptiness that Adelfried experienced the day he was thrown here swallowed him again. Only this time, it was his daughter causing this. His sweet innocent daughter that wasn’t anymore. Back then she was sweet, but innocent? She had dunked bad dolls in the water, like her uncle, to ensure they had paid for their wrongdoings. Even then, she focused on justice. And justice had turned into vengeance or maybe malevolence. If only he had been there, maybe he could have saved her from this.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Jim, Addy, could you join me in my room?” Federico gave a courteous smile to the nurse who sat back down at her desk. “I would like to give you both a proper thank you for your help and I don’t want to keep the nurse her on edge by standing so close to the dangerous Ying.”

Jim was heated, his voice loud. “She’s not dangerous.” He rose from his chair. “She’s—”

“Please.” Federico bowed. “I meant no insult but come” He waved them to follow as he left the room. “Come, and how about we order some food, yes, we can have a nice meal in my room. The food here is actually not too bad.”

After Adelfried and Jim followed Federico to his room, beside Ying’s room, he closed the door behind him. It was all too much. Adelfried was sick of being in the dark. Sick of not knowing what the hell was going on. He needed answers. Perhaps Federico had some, but either way he was going to try to find out. “Jim.” Adelfried grabbed his shoulder. “Before we left for the JSC, Evan said, ‘she’s lying.’”

Jim furrowed his eyebrows. “Who is she?”

Federico held a finger to his mouth and glanced about the room. Of course, even here, they would be listening.

Adelfried shrugged and mouthed the words. “I don’t know.”

Jim shook his head and looked down at the ground. He didn’t know either.

Federico pulled a pen and paper from the cabinet against the wall. “Thank you so very much for rescuing me from the Sovs at the club.” Federico started writing as he spoke. “And while I am sad my Chad didn’t make it; I will be forever grateful for what you have done.” He kept scribbling furiously. “And your sweet son, oh that precious boy pulled just enough of Sahir’s curse out of me that between that and the Wreckies surprisingly sophisticated ESH medical technology, they were able to free me.” Federico stopped writing and dragged both Adelfried and Jim into a group hug, even with Jim still holding his riot shield and assault rifle.

Federico wiped a tear back from the corner of his eye. “A thousand thank yous for bringing me here and saving me.”

“Yeah, no worries,” Jim said with a tight smile on his face. “It’s what any decent human would have done.”

Those words stung. Perhaps Jim didn’t remember but Adelfried did all too well that he had originally been in favor of letting Federico fend for himself. The weight of guilt pulled Adelfried’s head down. How quick he was to judge others when he himself was so selfish. “You shouldn’t thank me, Federico. I was against taking you—”

“Now you just shush yourself right there. I will not hear any of that.” Federico continued to write on the paper. “You kept me and this family alive. So, I will not hear any more of that. It takes a village, you know? Consensus, democracy, all that. Humans, with or without magic, are better as a group than an individual. We save each other from our faults. Trust me I know, I have studied wizards and even the ones with the best intentions, like Mistress Kreeg, can’t see past their own noses. So don’t ever forget we are stronger together, not divided.” Federico handed the paper to Adelfried. “Now, if there is ever anything I can do to repay you.” He nodded towards the paper. “Just let me know.”

Red

“Just a little more,” Reggie replied.

Red kept his eyes closed. If he couldn’t see the giant chasm of death below him, it wasn’t there. He focused on his hand staying exactly as it was to maintain this current pace when something tore into his shoulder.

He screamed. Pinchers as long as his arm chewed into his shoulder with jagged teeth piercing his flimsy foil suit and flesh, like two searing hot knives tearing into steak. It was a humongous dirt-brown centipede-like creature. It hung from a nearby crystal that jutted out from the top of the room he had entered. It let go of the crystal flopping its colossal body onto Red while maintaining its pinchers deep in his shoulder. The wrenching of skin and muscle was like tearing wet carpet. The pain was too much. Red lost his grip on his belay line. They dropped.

Red's safety line attached to Reggie jerked tight. Red and the massive centipede bounced, weightless for a moment. More pain as the creature flopped around but it maintained its hold on his shoulder. Red flailed as he and the monster spun in the air. The centipede’s legs grabbed onto him covering his sword and preventing him from pulling it.

“No matter what you do don’t use ESH!” Reggie’s stupid voice bellowed in the speakers in his helmet.

Fuck.

With his good hand he hammered a fist down on the hard exoskeleton of the beast. It screeched but maintained its bite. Again, he smashed it with a fist. And again. The tough monster continued to cry out, but it refused to let go. This wasn’t working. Its exoskeleton was too tough.

“A little help? Ideas?” Red barked. As the creature continued to work its mandibles deeper into his flesh.

“Eyes and legs.”

The oversized bug twisted its head. The sickly sound of its pinchers rubbing on bone reverberated through his chest. The pain was intense. The world around him spun. Everything was light, weightless. Red started to feel faint.

No. He couldn’t pass out.

He wasn’t dying by this fucking bug in this fucking cave with fucking Reggie. Reggie of all fucking people!

He grabbed a leg and pulled upward with every bit of strength he had. The leg snapped like a fresh tree branch. Purple viscous blood covered Red’s face shield. The creature howled.

Alright you fucker. Let’s see how many of these you need. Red felt around finding another. Again, he jerked it upward and was rewarded with a satisfying crunch. Even through his gloved hands he could feel the slick of the creature's blood. He reached for a third, but it wised up and skittered instinctively to the side of his bad hand making it harder get a good grip on a leg.

But he could reach his sword.

Red wiped the purple goo from his face shield with the back of his hand. His fingers found their familiar place on the grip of his sword. Its magic hummed through him. He swiped it upward out of its sheath severing the centipede’s head from its body with a clean strike. The pressure from the pinchers released, its legs wiggled erratically. He swiped down the length of the body severing every grabby leg from its body segment. The body fell away, bouncing against the light dangling below him.

The light swung back and forth further illuminating the massive cave room walls covered in crystals and swarms of these gargantuan centipedes.

“Incoming,” Reggie yelled.

Red looked up through his purple stained visor as another massive centipede longer than he was tall, fell. He slashed upwards at the last instant cutting its head diagonally. Luckily the blood splattered against his body and not on his visor.

Another centipede positioned itself on the crystal above him, probably timing its jump as Reggie and Red swayed back and forth on the rope. It jumped, missing Reggie of course. But this time Red was ready. A clean slash split it in two easily. Purple covered his visor.

He frantically wiped his face shield with the back of his good arm. “Okay Reggie, now what?”

The heat from the holes in his suit was starting to build. Sweat covered his face and back. His shoulder burned, probably more from the bite than the actual heat, but he had no way of healing without using ESH.

Red still hung from the safety line connected to Reggie. They started to descend. Reggie said, “I’m taking us down, the top is swarming with creepy crawlies. Our only choice is to tie another line to the bottom of this one. But you have to do it. I’ll lower us to the end of the line, and you tie a new rope from the haul bag to the end.”

Another centipede snapped its mandibles as it clung to the same outcropped crystal like it was a damn centipede diving board. It jumped, but its timing was wrong, and it shot past without making contact.

Another one replaced it on the diving board crystal but it didn’t jump. Either the distance they dropped, or the last centipede’s miss and fall made it think twice.

“No can do.” Red sheathed his sword and covered the tear in his suit with his good hand, slowing the heat buildup. “I can barely use my right arm. You’re going to have to do it.”

A flustered Reggie responded, “Fine. But honestly Red, where would you be without me?”

“Not bleeding out in a damn cave, dangling from a rope, surrounded by murderous millipedes! That’s where!”

“Technically they're called Leviathan Crystal Centipedes, but I think murderous millipede has a certain ring to it. I think the haul bag is stuck; I can’t pull it up. I am guessing in all the struggle it got twisted up. Can you free it?”

Red found the line extending below Reggie, it had tangled in with Red during the struggle. After untwisting it with the safety line and the line holding the light below Red realized there was no weight to the line. He found the end of it; it had been cut in the fight. Shit.