Adelfried

Leyna brushed the side of Adelfried’s head as he lay in bend. She leaned over to kiss him gently on his forehead. Her freckled face filled him with a familiar warmth and joy, but it was hollow. She wasn’t real. She was gone. Gone for how long?

“Addy, why are you sad? I have missed you these so many years.”

What a horrible yet wonderful dream. “I have missed you too, my sweet. But this is all a fantasy. It’s not real.” Adelfried sat up. White walls reflected bright sunlight streaming in through sheer curtains. A wrought iron chandelier hung over the four-poster bed he was on.

Leyna wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. “I know. I wish this were real, too. I miss you so much.”

Adelfried brushed his fingers along her slender wrist as she held him. “Is it true? Did Harold...kill you?”

“Not according to Harold,” Jim said standing at the foot of his bed.

And in an instant Leyna was gone, but Adelfried was still in the same room. What cruel trick his brain had played on him. Her tender touch, her warmth all given and taken away so quickly. He rubbed the crust from his eyes. “Sorry, I was...” It all had been so real.

Jim nodded. “You, okay?”

“I... dreamt it was Leyna, holding me.” What Jim had just said started to sink through fog of his freshly awoken consciousness. “You are saying Harold denied killing Minna?”

“Yeah.”

“Of course, he would...he would say anything that...that...” Adelfried rubbed his eyes. It was all so frustrating. Their whole predicament.

“Sorry to wake you, I thought you were up already when I heard you talking, so I came in.” Jim took a step back and headed for the door. “I just wanted you to know I’m up and there’s coffee if you want some. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

Adelfried threw the covers off. “How did I get even get here?”

“Federico is the real deal. He floated you into bed and everything.” Jim cracked a smile. “More importantly, the coffee he’s brewing smells amazing.”

Coffee did sound amazing.

After journeying through wide, brightly lit white hallways adorned with colorful paintings that made absolutely no sense, they found Federico standing behind a wide slate topped bar. Behind him was a stove top and backsplash of hand painted tiles. He nodded while holding a cell phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Finally out of his hospital gown, he wore a pink button-down shirt showing extra chest hair. He’d get along well with Baba. His hair was again pulled back and he smiled as they arrived.

Federico motioned to the iron stools in front of the counter. “Look, just get me those visas as fast as you can...I don’t care how much. Just make it happen. I gotta go now, love you doll. You’re the best...and yes, it is so good to be back.” Federico put his phone down. “Well good morning my sleeping beauties. Everyone rested?”

“Yes, thank you.” Adelfried sat at the bar stool as Jim did.

Federico poured them both cups of coffee. “So that was my girl Friday. She’ll have those visas lickety split.”

Jim took a sip from his cup. “Oh, that’s a good cup of coffee right there. And the visas are to where?”

Federico set his cup down and grabbed some oven mitts. “To the Cuāuhtli Empire, where Kae and Evan are. I actually know the emperor, Tonatiuh.” Federico removed a pan from the oven. On it were six golden brown pinwheels of baked goodness that gave off a rich buttery aroma. “And don’t let him fool you, he’s not really a wizard, but he likes to act like one. A very powerful mage at most. Unlike Adelfried here.”

Jim leaned close to the pan now sitting on the counter. “Damn Federico, that smells amazing.”

Federico covered his chest with his hands. “Thank you. Baking is my other form of magic. These are called ensaïmadas, but you have to wait for it to cool.”

Jim set his coffee down. “So Adelfried, your brother really wants to talk to you. In fact,...” Jim shook his head with a wry smile. “...he’s the one who called me an Uber.”

Federico’s mouth gawped open. “Are you saying, the Warlock of Stonehenge called you an Uber? Like did he use the phone himself?”

“I don’t know, I... he probably had one of his mindless drones do it for all I know. But he introduced himself as Harold and it was kind of odd because, you know, he revived me after Minna knocked me out. And I was expecting some you know... crazed killer or something, but he struck me more like some businessman or something. He seemed genuinely hurt about how everything went down. Now I’m not saying I’m some expert of body language and reading people, but I have spent a fair amount of time dealing with people. I believe him when he says he doesn’t want violence. I was too out of it to really push back on the whole Ying brainwashing thing, but he apologized profusely about that and said to ask her about it all. Of course I have no idea what that means.” Jim paused for another sip of coffee.

Talking to Jim and Federico in the kitchen was like a bizarre scene from a movie that was happening to Adelfried that he wasn’t a part of. His brother didn’t want violence? He let Jim go? He felt bad about how things went? None of this made sense. No, it did. He was manipulating everything, as always. Jim was just the latest piece in his game. “This is the same game he has played his whole life. Lies and manipulation. I don’t believe him.”

Jim cocked his head. “Yeah, I’m sure he’s leaving a lot unsaid, but you might want to hear him out. He did release all the NASA people that Minna didn’t kill and left with only with the Sovs already dressed in grey. Look I know it all sounds pretty convenient and I’m not saying I’d trust him to be president, but I’d trust him enough to give him a call. Not much risk in that.”

Federico sprinkled powdered sugar over the top of the ensaïmadas. “Let’s call him. There’s nothing to lose with a conversation.”

Adelfried stroked his beard. “Didn't the Colonel and Minna say that he would be after us and that he could still capture me for my ESH? Isn’t that a risk?"

Jim reached for an ensaïmada but his hand ran into an invisible barrier. Federico raised a disapproving finger. “Just wait. They’re still too hot. At the moment, yes, but as soon as we are done with breakfast, we will begin some proper training. Watching you work, no offense, was a bit painful. You have so much ESH but you’re not using it efficiently. Oh yes, that reminds me. I’ll be right back.” Federico left the kitchen and paused before turning back around. “Don't touch the ensaïmadas”

Adelfried chuckled before taking another sip of coffee. It was definitely one of the best drinks of this time. “Jim, I am sorry that I have involved you and your family in my...mess.”

Jim rose to his feet and turned to look out of the expansive windows streaming light into the kitchen. “You don’t need to say it. I know you didn’t wish this on us and you’re going to help make it all better. Don’t sweat it, let’s just make sure to stick together in all this. Okay?” Jim rubbed his eyes and sighed. “Hey, we have a guide now. If you think about it, we’re much better off than we were in Egypt. Ying is safe...I guess. We don’t have a cult or the magic police after us. All we have to do is journey to the underworld to find the kids.” Jim huffed and shook his head. “To be honest this shit is starting to not phase me anymore.”

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This was a new side to Jim to be sure. “You’re not worried?”

“Oh, I’m terrified, but I’m done worrying. Everyone seems to think they’re alive, so we’ll find them. We’re no longer in the dark and I can fight back for once. You don’t know what it feels like to be in a war unarmed. Well, I’m armed now.”

“Actually,” Federico said returning to the kitchen with a small grey metal box with dials on it. “Customs won’t let you in with a MEARs. You’ll have to leave that here I’m afraid.”

“Of fucking course.” Jim threw his hands and the air and returned to the bar. “Can I at least eat one of these now?”

Federico nodded. “Fine. Alright, now let’s see what we are dealing with.” He handed the box to Adelfried. “Can you hold that with both your hands?”

Adelfried did as instructed. Three gauges on the device spun around to the right. Federico’s eyes widened. “Oh this...this is, wow.”

“What does this measure?” Adelfried turned the device over, looking for a sensor but didn’t find anything.

“This is an ESH sensor.” Federico took the device from Adelfried. “It measures the ESH field being emitted by your body and the frequency of your ESH, which as you may have noticed is represented by the color your ESH manifests itself as. For instance, Adelfried’s is always a pretty sky blue. Ying’s was purple and Mistress Kreeg’s was that mint green.” Federico took the device and held it with both hands. “See, when I hold it, it reaches six and a half which isn’t quite a mage. But when I became incapacitated, Chad took all my diamonds so they wouldn’t get lost, but before that I was a nine, a full-blown top tier mage. But now that I am wearing my diamonds again.” Federico opened his shirt exposing a diamond necklace on his bed of thick black chest hair. “I’ll be back to a mage before long. My body just needs to absorb more ESH.”

Federico handed the device to Jim. The needle barely moved past one, but it moved to Adelfried’s surprise. “Jim, you have magic?”

“Yeah, remember?” Jim said putting the device down. “Minna gave me a little jolt so I could read the labels on the MEAR in the car.” He chortled. “I bet she’s regretting that now.”

Federico wagged his head side to side. “I would still consider it an honor to receive a blessing from Mistress Kreeg in that manner.”

Jim guffawed. “Ha! Are we talking about the same woman?”

Federico looked down. “Yes, her behavior has always been, and I guess still is, erratic. But she has done a lot of good for this world.”

Jim rolled his eyes but said nothing.

Adelfried grabbed a pastry off his plate. “So where does Minna rate on this thing?” He took a bite. Delicious.

“Oh, believe me I’d love to get her reading, but wizards don’t usually talk to us common folk.”

Jim said with his mouth full waving his arms around, “Common folk? Are you kidding me? How much is this place worth?”

Federico nodded. “Fair enough. Common among the ESH community...okay, upper middle class of the ESH community, but not top one percent like Adelfried here.”

Jim reached for a second ensaïmada. “Yeah, well, fat lot of good it has done us so far.” I feel like we’re everyone’s bitch, always being pushed around.”

“Yes, well, that changes now. Finish your food and meet me on the back lawn. Training begins after breakfast. We should have our visas later today, and tomorrow we are off to the Cuāuhtli Empire, by way of Rochechouart.”

Adelfried and Jim gave Federico curious looks almost in unison.

“Rochechouart, France, famous for the Rochechouart meteor. No? Never heard of it?”

Jim said, “Remember, we’re still new to this world.”

Federico laughed. “Yes of course. So Rochechouart is a small city state with good ties with all the Spader Societies. Think of it like the Switzerland of the underworld. We enter a portal there, once our visa is finalized and gain entry to Cuāuhtli Empire. With any luck, we’ll be deep below Texas this time tomorrow. And hopefully close to finding your kids.”

As Jim swallowed his bite his face hardened; Federico’s words must have hit a nerve. “So, what should we expect of this underworld?”

Federico clasped his hands together. “It’s kind of like our world but everything is kind of different, you know?”

Jim narrowed his eyes. “What, like England? Everything is just small and compact?

Federico smiled. “You’ll see. Now eat up. I need to prepare for the training session.”

“One more question,” Adelfried said still trying to make sense of their crazy last few days. “At the hospital, you called me Addy. Do you remember?”

Federico scrunched his lips. “Hmm, maybe? Did I?”

Adelfried’s voice became heated. “Yes. Why did you call me that?”

Jim held up his coffee cup. “Yeah, don’t call him Addy, he gets all testy.”

“Oh, I am terribly sorry. I meant no offense.” Federico replied as if hurt by what he had done.

Adelfried waved his hand. “No. My question is why did you call me that? Addy. Why would you say that name specifically?”

“I uh...I don’t know, I guess. It... I just did.”

Was it just a coincidence? Ying had called him Addy; it was a natural shortening of Adelfried. “When you were enthralled with Sahir and what I can only assume was Harold. What do you remember?”

Federico’s demeanor changed instantly; his eyebrows knitted, lips tightened. “I...it was...fear. Mourning. Total loss of self. I don’t know how to describe it. I was aware of everything around me but had no means of doing what I wanted, but could barely act, except for the simple things like walking or eating, like automatic maintenance things. I was crushed by the two personalities in my head. There was total despair. Utter heart wrenching pain...I only remember it was Sahir because I remember where I was before all of this. I only assume it is the Wizard of Stonehenge because of his mind control powers, but I didn’t gain any real knowledge of the personalities like Ying who could remember things. Sahir was trying to save me, I know that, but that is pretty much it.”

Federico took a deep breath. “I have had some minor flashbacks since being cured, but not much else. Oh, and some wild dreams, but that is to be expected considering what I went through.”

After breakfast Adelfried met Federico on the back lawn, an expansive field of the greenest grass. With the house behind them, tall trees on either side framed an impressive view of a city stretching out below as if they were up on a mountainside. A narrow rectangular pool ran along the edge of the cliff to the city below. Adelfried’s mind immediately went to how the pool could edge right up to the cliff, with nothing but glass keeping all that water in. But then again, this was all modern materials, of course this would be easy for an engineer of this world to do. Even after an entire summer spent learning this world, he still knew so little. “You have a beautiful home,” is all he said.

“Chad had it built actually, it was a gift.” Federico wiped the corner of his eyes. “But no more being sad, I have had enough sadness to last a lifetime. Now we begin.”

Jim came up behind them. “Can you teach me too?”

Seriously? Jim wants to learn magic? “I thought you were completely against magic?”

“Let’s see.” Jim held his hand up and started to count. “My wife already has magic. She became a brainwashed Sov. But then, she was cured. She almost killed the most powerful wizard in the world. My daughter trained with you all summer, and my son is some kind of magical sink.” He put a hand on Adelfried’s shoulder. “You tried to tell me so long ago and I wouldn’t listen, but you were right. The magic is coming one way or actually, it is already here. It is better that I can control it or at least understand it. So here I am.”

Federico nodded, pulling a small black felt box from his pocket. “I expected as much.” He handed the box to Jim. “But you’ll need to put these on if you’re going to be of any real use.”

Jim opened the box exposing two diamonds on black felt. “Earrings, really? Can I just put them in my pocket or something?”

Federico plucked one from the box. “Since your ESH levels are so low, you’re going to need them as close to you as possible. Trust me.”

Jim grunted. “Fine!” He turned his ear towards Federico.

“Oh, it is always so exciting popping someone’s ESH cherry.”

Jim shook his head. “Okay, just put it on.”

“First I need sanitize it.” A tiny spark from Federico’s finger connected with the tip of the earring. Federico leaned in close. “Are you ready for me to enter you?”

“Okay, but without all the innuendo, please.”

Federico laughed. “Sorry. So I guess you and Ying do not have an open relationship then, do you?”

“What? No.”

Federico stabbed the earring into Jim’s ear, he grimaced but didn’t say anything. “Sorry I kid. I kid.” A sheepish smile crossed Federico’s face. “Now get ready for the second prick.”

Jim grinned. “Oh? Did you already put the first one in? It was so small I didn’t even feel it.”

Federico giggled. “Oh, so Jim can make a joke. Who would have thought.” Federico put the second earring in and after fitting the clasps to both he gave his handiwork one last inspection. “Alright, I think we are ready to start training.”

A bright light flashed. A loud clap of thunder rang out. Adelfried rubbed his eyes from the blinding flash. When he opened them, Harold stood alone on the lawn only a few paces away. His face was clean shaved, his hair short. He wore a blue business suit and a huge smile. He stretched his arms out as if ready for a hug. “Addy!”