Alfheim Seoul

by Chris Coleman

  “Might be dangerous,” he said, and the box disappeared into one of his many pockets. I was a bit disappointed he wouldn’t let me hold the box, but inside I was beaming. I just found magic rings! I could have done a happy dance right there, but we were almost to the portal zone.

  “Pay close attention,” Iverog said, as Grandpa Dan moved into position to open the portal. “Look up. Now feel around with whatever you use to detect magic. You should be able to see a ley line overhead,” he explained. I looked up but didn’t see anything. I tried squinting, but nothing changed. I took a few deep breaths and let my eyes go out of focus. Suddenly there it was, clearly visible, and now I could feel it too. The force of the magic threw me off balance, and I almost fell over. How had I not felt this before? It was intense. Maybe I’d always known they were there but had blocked them out somehow.

  The ley line appeared to be about the thickness of a basketball in diameter and looked a lot like a water pipe. It buzzed and crackled with blue plasma-like energy and almost seemed to pulse, like an artery in some magical circulatory system. When Grandpa Dan tapped into the line, a small portion of the flow diverted to where he was casting the spell. It was beautiful, but a bit overwhelming.

  The portal popped into existence, its silvery surface bathing the dimly lit alleyway in a soft glow. Grandpa Dan stepped through without looking back, and I scrambled to get moving, my overloaded senses still reeling. The greenscapes of Tal-Oknal glowed faintly in the darkness. The serene atmosphere of the forest city was a welcome reprieve from the magic overload I’d just experienced. We quietly walked the short distance through the Alfheim city.

  “This time, when the portal opens, try to remember the feeling of Alfheim,” Iverog said, as we approached the portal zone. “The better you can recognize how each realm feels, the easier it will be for you to open a portal when it’s your turn.”

  I watched Grandpa Dan open the portal, this time trying to feel how he did it. I noticed him shaping magic power, pushing it into a circle with his hands, forming the shape that would become the portal. For lack of a better description, the magic felt like him. Then a massive surge of energy poured out of the ley line and filled his spell with power. The silvery portal popped into existence again, but this time I felt like much of the mystery had been dispelled. I’d peeked behind the scenes at the mysteries of portal travel, and it didn’t seem so daunting.

  My life was so different compared to how I felt a couple of days ago. Things had been normal and boring. Predictable. I’d spent most of my time studying and hanging out with friends. Now I had Iverog as my permanent roommate and still didn’t know how I felt about it.

  I stepped through the portal, and Grandpa Dan emerged right after me. We were back in his shop, the same place we had left from. I felt a huge wave of fatigue wash over me.

  “I need a nap,” I said. It had been a long day. Between my regular day at school and then this trip through Alfheim, I was more tired than usual. I put the package of centipede scales on the counter.

  “Mind if I use the spare room?” I said.

  “Don’t sleep late,” he said, and handed me a key from one of his pockets.

  “Thanks,” I said, and headed up the stairs. The shop had one room Grandpa Dan furnished for guests. It was on the second floor of his shop and out of the way of any customers. It might not look like much, but I thought it was cool. I locked the door behind me, flopped on the twin bed and slept.

  CHAPTER 9

  I woke up to a phone ringing in the room. It was Mom.

  “Yes. I’m fine,” I said. “I helped Grandpa Dan on his errands, and then I took a nap.” I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t tell her where we had gone because I couldn’t talk to my mom about magic. “Yeah, I know it’s late, I’ll be home soon.”

  I heard a crash downstairs. Something had fallen off one of the shelves and broke.

  “I have to go, Mom. Grandpa Dan needs my help.”

  I ran to the top of the stairs and looked down into the shop area.

  “Grandpa Dan? You OK?” There was no answer.

  The stairs creaked as I walked down them. The loud crash I heard earlier had me on edge, so I went down slower than usual. I didn’t have anything handy to use as a weapon, but figured my martial art skills would be enough.

  I was halfway across the room when Grandpa Dan came walking out of his office like nothing was wrong. I felt kind of silly because I had been creeping around like there was a burglar, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  “Oh. Hi, Alecia,” he said. “How was your nap? Did you rest well?”

  “Just fine,” I said, a bit taken back. Something seemed different. He looked like Grandpa Dan. His voice was normal, his accent the same, but something wasn’t right. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  “The shop is closed,” he said. “So you should run along home.” He wanted me to leave? I hadn’t even cleaned the place up yet. The trash cans hadn’t been emptied, and none of the displays had been straightened. He was pretty strict about it.

  “Um, OK,” I said, without thinking. It was late, and I needed to leave, but his sudden improvement in English was just confusing. I needed a minute to think, so I obediently walked outside. The bell on the door jingled as I pushed through it.

  “Iverog, are you there?” I whispered, wondering if it would be enough for him to hear me. I didn’t know how this worked. He seemed to show up when he wanted to.

  “What do you need?” He slid into view, as though he was stepping out from behind something.

  “Something is wrong with Grandpa Dan. He doesn’t seem like himself.”

  “Is he unwell? Should you notify a healer?”

  “No, I mean—”

  “Oh, it’s worse? Do we need to notify next of kin?”

  “I am next of kin, you idiot!” I said. “Something is wrong. He’s not himself. I’m worried it’s magic. He’s not Grandpa Dan.”

  Iverog looked at me thoughtfully. “If you are confident he is not your Mr. Dan, magic could very well be involved.”

  “And if it is magic?”

  “Then you have four possible causes: possession, mind control, a doppelganger, or an illusion. In the first two cases, you need to be careful and not hurt him. In the other situations, it does not matter because he has been replaced.”

  “How do I tell the difference?”

  “Try touching him, if he is an illusion, your hand will pass right through him. For mind control, you should look for a magical item on his person. I saw how you detected those magical rings, you should be able to use those skills here. I have insufficient experience with doppelgangers or possession. However, exposing them as a fake might be enough to make them reveal themselves.”

  “Oh, wow. I didn’t realize it could be so complicated.” I said.

  “These are just general categories things can fall into. In practice, it can be infinitely more complicated.”

  “Oh great,” I said. “I think I need to go back and confront him now.”

  “Do you think that’s wise? You don’t know what he is capable of under someone else’s control.”

  “Leaving him under their control isn’t safe either. I have to do something.” I took a deep breath and tried not to think about what might have happened to Grandpa Dan. Part of me wanted to believe there was nothing wrong. He looked and sounded exactly like Grandpa Dan, but it wasn’t him. I opened the door and walked back inside. Grandpa Dan was standing behind his counter rummaging through some papers.

  “Alecia, what are you still doing here? I thought I sent you home already,” he said. Every word out of his mouth felt so awkward. There was no question. Something was wrong. I didn’t say anything, but went behind the counter and put my hand on his shoulder. It was solid, but I felt something. Magic!

  “Hey! What’s going on here?” he said.

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

  “I told you to go home. You need to leave now.” He seemed to be g
etting angry. I looked him over, trying to determine the source of the magic. He was solid, so not an illusion. If it was mind control, I hoped removing the object would release him.

  “Alecia, don’t make me call your mother,” he said, the anger rising in his voice. I almost laughed. Mom was always threatening to call Grandpa Dan if I didn’t obey. It didn’t work the other way around.

  “Go ahead,” I said. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at me. I just smiled back at him.

  “You!” he said, and pointed his finger at me.

  “Wait a minute!” I said, and grabbed his wrist. “You’ve got one of my rings on.” With his hand near my face, I could clearly see one of the rings we brought back from Seoul this morning on his finger. It was subtle, but it hummed with magic. It had to be the source of the mind control. I reached with my other hand to try and take the ring off his finger, he jerked his arm free, knocking me to the ground. I tucked and rolled back to a standing position.

  “Get your hands off me! What’s wrong with you?” he yelled at me.

  “Just let me get the ring off you and things can go back to normal,” I said, and lunged at him, trying to grab at his body, but he moved out of the way with surprising speed.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Iverog said. “If it’s mind control, he is still a frail old man.”

  “This is your last warning young lady!” He was practically screaming now.

  “I’m so sorry Grandpa,” I said. “You are absolutely right. I’ll be going now.” He stopped and gave me a weird look, then smoothed out his shirt in an attempt to regain his composure.

  “Yes, you should be sorry. Now run along.”

  “Thank you, Grandpa. Come here and give me a hug,” I said, and held my arms out.

  He seemed uncomfortable but put his arms up to receive the hug. When he did, I snatched at the ring and pulled it right off his finger.

  “I got it!” I screamed.

  “That’s a goblin!” Iverog said.

  I turned to see a grotesque creature standing where Grandpa Dan used to be. Greenish-black skin covered most of his body. Large, pointed ears stuck out from the sides of his head and jagged teeth lined his mouth.

  He was shorter than Grandpa Dan had been but considerably more muscular. His arms looked too long for his body. He started scampering toward the exit, almost gorilla-like.

  “You might want to catch the goblin,” Iverog said, in an unconcerned tone. “He is the only link you have to Mr. Dan.”

  I took off running after him. I’ve been training in Taekwondo for the last six years, and Grandpa Dan was a big believer in sprints. The goblin was fast, but I was faster. I hit him with a jump kick to the back. The impact was jarring, I hadn’t expected him to be so solid. It barely even made him stumble.

  He turned to face me, anger showed in his bulbous eyes and his nostrils flared menacingly. He was significantly shorter than me, but with those long arms and teeth, he was more dangerous. I rushed forward and front kicked his chest, but he knocked me aside with one swipe of his arm, throwing me into the other room. I tumbled into a display table, scattering the merchandise everywhere. Four antique-looking porcelain figurines lying in pieces next to me, smashed beyond repair.

  I got to my feet as he rushed me and the back of his fist hit my shoulder, flinging me across the room. This time I was able to tuck and roll back up to my feet. He rushed towards me again, but I was ready for him.

  I kicked him in the head with a roundhouse kick, putting everything I had into it. I felt my foot connect and he staggered under the blow. I took a step back to get in a better position. My shoulder ached, my head hurt, and I could feel blood oozing from somewhere.

  “Tell me where Grandpa Dan is!” I yelled. The goblin screamed something incomprehensible back at me, his voice guttural and raspy.

  “He called you an obscene name,” Iverog said.

  “You speak Goblin?” I said, as quietly as I could manage.

  “Yes, I speak most of the faerie languages.”

  “Then ask him where Grandpa Dan is,” I said.

  “He can’t hear me. That’s the whole point of you hiding me.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry.”

  The goblin came running at me. He seemed a bit less sure of himself, but he was agile. I feinted to the right as though I was going to punch, but hit him in the head from the left with a back whip kick. The heel of my shoe hit him squarely on the ear, and he toppled to the ground. I jumped on his back with both feet, stomping as hard as I could. Something crunched, and I heard a loud pop. I kicked him in the head.

  “Where is my Grandpa Dan?” I yelled, kicking him again for emphasis. “Where is he? Tell me, or I swear, I will make you wish you were dead.”

  “Are you sure you wish to kill him? I don’t see how you will find Mr. Dan without him,” Iverog said. I stepped back from the goblin. He lay there gasping for air, a wet gurgling sound accompanying each breath. I felt the same thrill I normally get when I win a sparring match, and realized I’d just kicked a goblin’s butt. However, the feeling didn’t last long, Grandpa Dan was still out there, and he needed me.

  “Where is Grandpa Dan?” I said, again. The goblin grunted but didn’t say anything I could make out.

  “I don’t think he understands you,” Iverog said.

  “He was speaking English a minute ago,” I said.

  “Without the magic ring, I think the ability to understand your language has been lost.”

  “Well, I’m not giving it back to him. How will we find Grandpa Dan?”

  “Try this, say ‘daagaan an maan?’”

  “What?” It sounded like he was gargling rocks.

  “It’s goblin for ‘where is he?’” Iverog said.

  “How can you expect me to say that?”

  “Just do it!” Iverog said. “Daagaan an maan?” He said it slowly, stressing each syllable.

  I repeated what Iverog told me, trying to get my voice to mimic the raspy tones Iverog had used. There was no response from the goblin, just a scrunchy-faced look of confusion.

  “Drag out the vowels,” Iverog said. “And try coughing during the ‘G’ sounds.”

  “Daagaan an maan?” I said as loudly as possible to the goblin while hacking up phlegm on as many consonant sounds as I could.

  This time the goblin reacted. I could see the understanding in his eyes, but he said nothing. I positioned my foot over his neck and started pressing down.

  “Daagaan an maan!” I shouted, rage fueling my words as I slowly increased the pressure on his neck. He knew where my Grandpa Dan was and I was going to make him tell me.

  Dark fluid sprayed from his mouth as he tried to talk. I took my foot off his neck, and let him speak. The words still sounded like gibberish to me, except for ‘Tal-Oknal.’ I recognized the name of the Alfheim city we traveled to this morning.

  “I know where to go,” Iverog said, when he finished. I felt a huge wave of relief flood over me. I was shaking a bit as the adrenaline rush subsided. It was the same way I felt after a big Taekwondo tournament, except instead of worrying about my rank in the tournament, I was worried about Grandpa Dan.

  “What do we do with him?” I asked, pointing to the goblin on the floor.

  “Leave him?”

  “No! I can’t let a goblin run around loose. What if he uh . . . eats someone?”

  “Kill him?”

  “I can’t do that either,” I said. I’d never killed anything, but I might have killed him a few minutes ago if it meant saving Grandpa Dan. Now that we didn’t need anything from the goblin, killing it didn’t seem like the right thing to do.

  “You looked ready to kill him a few minutes ago,” Iverog said. I gave him a dirty look. I knew it, but I didn’t need anyone else rubbing it in.

  “Forget it, I’m just going to tie him up. I don’t think he can go anywhere, but we can’t risk him warning someone we are coming.”

  “Whatever you think is best. I do not claim to understand this realm.”


  “Is Grandpa Dan in Tal-Oknal?”

  “Yes. There is a path you can use in the other room.”

  “I don’t know how to open a portal, yet,” I said.

  “Then it’s time you learn.”

  “Wait a minute though, I thought you said if I found a magical item on him, it would be possession and Grandpa Dan would still be inside,” I said, as I tied up the goblin. “So where did this goblin come from?”

  “I believe those rings you found this morning are doppelganger rings,” Iverog said. He paced back and forth across the storeroom where I had dragged the goblin, though it didn’t look like his feet actually touched the ground.

  “Doppelganger rings? You mean Grandpa Dan is stuck on the other end looking and talking like a goblin?” The thought made me cringe.

  “Good assumption. I’ve heard of some criminal organizations using similar devices to kidnap people. By the time they discover the person has been replaced, the criminals are long gone,” he said. I shuddered.

  “You think Grandpa Dan has been kidnapped?”

  “Yes. The goblin gave a believable location. You were very persuasive,” he said, looking directly at me. I looked away. I’d never had to use my Taekwondo to defend myself. I was embarrassed.

  “So, why did they take Grandpa Dan? What were they after?”

  “I don’t think they were after Grandpa Dan. I think they were trying to get their rings back.”

  “What?”

  “Those rings were heavily disguised this morning and out in the open in a regular shop in Seoul. I think someone else was supposed to come in and buy them, but you noticed them first. So after Grandpa Dan bought them for you, the real owners tracked him down and took the rings back.”

  “So why did the guy sell it to us if he knew we weren’t the right buyers?”

  “The shop probably wasn’t in on it. Someone dropped off the rings for sale and arranged for a buyer to pick them up immediately. These anonymous transactions keep the buyer from learning the identity of the seller.”

  “So it’s my fault Grandpa Dan was kidnapped.”