Forbidden Power

Chapter 5- Goodbye, and Thank You

I stood toward the back of the crowd with my hands tucked in my pockets. It feels weird to be back in the suit I wore to my sister's wedding because this is a much different occasion. I'm not celebrating anything. In fact, I'm doing my best not to cry, but I need to be strong. My sister's kids are near me, and they need to see someone being strong.

Liz broke down the moment she got off her plane, and she's been crying ever since. She keeps blaming herself that Adiel is gone. Ashton is doing his best to comfort her, but her tears keep making all the kids upset, and that's keeping his hands full. I moved near to them to help out with the tearful younger two and get my mind off my own grief.

A man from Adiel and Kana's home country of Zambia was here to officiate the funeral. Kana sat up front next to Huallpa dressed in the bright traditional clothes of her village. Even in her grief, Kana looked like a proud and mighty warrior, barely now in her own prime as a witch. She looks so much like Adiel. It breaks my heart to think that I'll never see his smile again. Never hear his voice again. His unique accent calling my name.

I closed my eyes and thought about him, memorizing his voice as best as I could.

"Teddy, my son, you need to stop playing around and channel your energy. It's like the warmth of the sun. You turn toward it. Embrace it. Hold it. And then just as it is becoming too hot for you to handle, you cast your magic. Papa will show you..."

I smiled a bit as I thought about what happened next. The big man electrocuted me and made all my hair stand straight up and then had laughed at me for at least ten minutes.

His laugh echoed in my mind as the honorary litunga of Adiel's tribe began the eulogy. He replaced Adiel as the rightful head of the tribe when Adiel migrated to the United States, but Adiel held the position for fifty years before leaving. His voice wasn't as deep as Adiel's, but the cadence of his speaking comforted me as it sounded like Adiel.

"And upon learning of injustices committed to other living beings, particularly human women, he fearlessly travelled to the most remote jungles of South America and freed them from their captors and returned them safely to their grateful tribes alongside his goddaughter. He united with a lost pure blood tribe of South Americans descended from the Incans, who would still prefer for their whereabouts to remain unknown, and brought prosperity and longevity back to their dying tribe. He fought in the great battle of the races in Canada and twice was seriously injured in wars to protect others. But, alas, his body was broken, and his time was cut short because of his brave and selfless sacrifices for those he loved..."

I tuned out the rest of what the litunga was saying as I mulled over the injuries Adiel sustained during the war in Canada. He only lost his leg when he came to help my mom. It didn't seem like he could die from that injury. But when he freed Liz from her silver prison, he died for a short while before Mwenya and I got to him. We were with him before he left for the prison. I should have gone with him. I could have used my powers to give him enough mana to keep him alive. His death is my fault.

My mind was lost, and I didn't even hear the rest of what the litunga had to say until he caught my attention again.

"And we now lay our brother, our Papa, our great wizard, our King, and our friend to eternal rest. May he be granted a position among the gods for his selfless service to this world..."

A position among the gods? That's possible? Well, then Adiel deserves to be immortalized as a god.

"We thank you, Adiel the Great Wizard, for your wisdom, guidance, protection, and legacy that you have behind. Your many children, both by blood and by love, bear the proof of your greatness. May you live on through them. Through your four sons: Emanuel, married to Katelynn née Thomas, Mwenya, Lukas, married to Miriam née Lungu, and Hassan. Through your daughter, Kunda. Through your children by love who all called you Papa just as your biological children: Elizabeth Jones, married to Ashton Jones, Theodore Fairchilde, Bethany Griswald, married to Grey Griswald, Bianca Fairchilde, Roscoe Fairchilde, and Diana Fairchilde. Your many grandchildren, and, of course, through your chosen bride, whom you always prefaced with the endearment, 'My beloved' Huallpa. If the family of Adiel would please rise at this time," the man gestured to the large crowd, and we all stood to our feet, my parents included, as we all had become the family of one great man.

I looked around at everyone. Eman and Katelynn with their three pups, Mwenya, standing alone and looking haggard and worn, Lukas and Miriam, looking uncomfortably pregnant, with their son and Adiel's namesake, Hassan, Kunda, and Huallpa, who was being supported by Kana. Huallpa had not shed a tear during the funeral. She just looked exhausted, like her life had also been drained from her.

And yet, my heart swelled with pride for the life Adiel had built. He came to America alone to build a successful herbal remedies business, met his one true love, had children, and became a godfather to six more children, and a grandfather to many more. We all call him Papa.

"I would like to speak," I heard myself say. Faces turned toward me, and my cheeks burned in embarrassment. Good thing I have a beard. It's not like me to be outspoken. I shifted uncomfortably, and the litunga motioned to me to continue.

"I am Teddy Fairchilde, godson, no, adopted son of Adiel," my voice was strong and steady despite my nerves. This could only be a blessing from Adiel himself on what I had to say. "We all who are standing here love Adiel. We will always love Adiel. My siblings and I were blessed to be raised by two amazing dads. To me, Adiel will forever be my Papa. He trained me. Even on his deathbed he counseled me. He was an extraordinary man. I just want to say to him, goodbye, and thank you. And...I love you. We all love you, and we all miss you. This world is never going to be the same without the great wizard king from Zambia, but our family will never be the same without our Papa." Liz cried softly near me and nodded her agreement. Bethany wiped her eyes, and stubborn Bianca blinked furiously, but both gave me an affirmative nod. My mom smiled at me and nodded through her tears. Kana beamed at me. Huallpa, well, she wouldn't look at me. That's okay. I know she'll forgive me eventually for not being here. Adiel did.

"And I want to say that even though he is loved and missed, he is not gone. He trained each of us. Poured his life and his dreams into each of us. We are the hope he had for the future of this world, and I personally promise you, Papa. I will not let you down again. I love you, Papa." I placed my hand over my heart and bowed toward his casket. One by one, each of my siblings and Adiel's children echoed the gesture. He died before his time, but he died because he spent his energy fighting for the future he wanted us to have.

Papa, I thought, finally letting my tears spill over, I will find the answers and live the life you paved for me. Thank you, Papa. This isn't goodbye. I'll see your face every time I succeed in life. I'll feel your presence every time I use my power. This, this isn't goodbye. I won't let it be goodbye. I can't let you go. I won't let you go.

My thoughts kept turning in that circle, and I was unaware that the funeral ended. People filtered out. I don't know if any of them talked to me. I wasn't aware of time. All I could think was that I couldn't leave my Papa here alone. I can't leave him again. I have no idea how much time passed before a warm hand slid into mine.

"Mi hijo..." Huallpa's voice broke through the train wreck of my thoughts, finally shattering the bubble I was in. I snapped out of it and looked down at her. Suddenly I realized that the place I was standing was decimated. My chair, the grass under my feet, the backs of the chairs within a foot of me on all sides were all gone, melted plastic on the ground being all that was left of some of the chairs. I blinked. Since when had I done THIS?!

I looked down at Huallpa, and she looked up at me through teary, weary eyes. Now that I was looking at her so closely, I realized how much of a toll these years had taken on her.

"I can see your pain. Your chakras are tangled. He would not want to see you hurting like this. He wouldn't, but I am relieved to see your pain. I thought you had forgotten him. Forgotten Mwenya. I can see I was wrong. I forgive you. Forgive me, too. Mi hijo, come. It is time to leave him to sleep with his fathers," Huallpa squeezed my hand, and I squeezed hers back gently. She looked like she might break if I move too quickly, but I pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Mama. I love you," I told her.

"I know, hijo, I know," she whispered, embracing me back.

"I need to go tell him goodbye," I whispered back.

"Go, then," she released me, and I walked up to the intricate wooden casket, inlaid with precious metals and gems, carved by masters from Adiel's tribe specifically for a litunga.

"Papa, I am not ready to tell you goodbye. I will come back and visit your resting place. I will tell you my adventures this time. I will never forget you. I will never stop loving you. I will never stop being grateful that you adopted me and trained me and treated me like your own son. I hope you don't feel any more pain, Papa. I wanted to help you find the sunshine like you helped me be able to enjoy it, but perhaps now it's time to embrace the night. If there is a moon goddess, I pray she takes special care of you. Rest In Peace, Papa. Rest and do not worry for the living. You and I, we're each on a new journey. Goodbye for now, Papa. For now." I bowed one last time to his casket and painfully turned away from it. For him, I will solve this mystery. For him, I will live a full life. For Adiel, the great wizard king of Zambia.