Chapter LI

Kabbalistic Center

From the depths of her memory, Adriaas had always lived under the overshadowing presence of her last name. It was a burden laden with expectations, hopes, and dreams, all thrust upon her by virtue of being a member of the Ancaris family. Her lineage stretched back centuries, epitomized by her father and uncle, Annevan and Ennazil Ancaris, the patriarchs of their clan.

Both brothers had dazzled society with their accomplishments through their long lifespans. Annevan, the elder, had mastered various branches of kabbalistic emanations but none so important as his contributions as superior member of The Binah, The Second Sephirot. Ennazil, the younger, wielded a similar yet not equal influence over the Netzach, the Seventh Sephirot.

By the time Adriaas was five and began to grasp the concept of age, she was shocked to discover her father had celebrated fourteen decades of life. To her, he appeared youthful. Her kabbalah, Ion, had shown her holorenders of people from other centuries who, having reached a similar age, were full of wrinkles and struggled to walk. These pre-synthesis beings, such as Homo Sapiens, exhibited these sort aging symptoms, opposite to Synthesicus.

Yet, Annevan's age was not extraordinary compared to the oldest humans on their planet, Malkuth, where extended lifespans brimming with achievements and opportunities had become the norm, partly due to Aequiteism—the social system they lived under, hailed as the pinnacle of human thought.

For years, Adriaas believed that Zeban, her brother, was her only sibling until the day she uncovered the true extent of her father’s multiple relationships over the decades. Until she was seven, her parents had insisted that the many adults frequenting their home were aunts and uncles. The shocking truth was when finding out they had close to a hundred half-brothers and sisters scattered across Malkuth and its colonies.

Zeban and Adriaas childhood was spent in the company of their kabbalah, a malkuthian’s source of knowledge, with little exposure to young relatives. Annevan, distrustful, had forbidden them from forming lasting connections or spending time outside their restrictive circles, citing security needs. Adriaas, with the passing of years, found her father’s paranoia excessive and suspected some underlying dementia.

Life under such strict rules was exasperating. To provide some semblance of normalcy, Adriaas' parents and their closest friends organized a gathering for their children at a Kabbalistic Center—a place for cultural exploration, interactive learning, and group training and challenges.

Despite its distance from their home in Treinta y Tres, Uruguay, they reached the center in less than half an hour. Early in the morning, Adriaas and Zeban were dropped off by their parents at their city’s Porterum, a transportation hub. Once they reached the right Porter, a dark matter bridge, they were transported thousands of kilometers in mere seconds.

Upon arrival, they boarded a fishtank, also known as MIV (Multidirectional Ingravitas Vehicle), a crystal vehicle shaped like an electro punk leaf, a design chosen by the Ancaris children. While the youngest was nervous, the elder was eager to leave home.

"Why are you so quiet?" Zeban asked, puzzled by his sister’s silence. "Regular kids do this often, you know? This is where the fun begins!"

"What am I supposed to talk about?" Adriaas voiced her deep-seated fear. "What if they don’t like me?"

"Just try not to be annoying, Adi," Zeban used a nickname he only used. "Be ready for the questions."

Adriaas understood, yet the full impact of the situation didn’t hit her until she experienced it.

The Kabbalistic Center was a stunning construction, a stagnum suspended in the sky, spanning kilometers. It featured spectacular green areas enclosing buildings made of peridot, surrounded by forests, rivers, and a small mountain range.

As they approached the stagnum, Adriaas marveled at the multitude of attractions waiting for them. The center’s minimalist design invited an abundance of natural light. Emerging from the fishtank as they landed and stepping onto the crystacrete floor, curious.

Melodic strains of RetroK-pop filled the air when a familiar voice called out, slicing through the music. "Zeban!" a young woman shouted from behind them. "My mom said you’d be here!"

"Mariposa!" Zeban’s excitement matched hers as they hugged, appearing to reunite after years apart. Adriaas felt a twinge of confusion, causing her to adopt a defensive stance toward the girl, who seemed closer to her brother than to herself.

"Hi, you must be Zeban’s sister!" the young woman greeted Adriaas warmly.

"Adriaas," she replied, her tone drier than intended. "How do you two know each other?"

Catching his sister’s discomfort, Zeban interjected with a hint of annoyance. "We’ve met a few times before. If you went on Dad’s tours, you’d know her too. Mariposa’s parents are some of his closest advisors; they’ve been friends for more than half a century."

Feeling guilty, Adriaas knew she had shunned such encounters after her parents' separation. Her relationship with her father, Annevan, had grown strained, tightening her bond with her mother, Ginebra.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you," Adriaas said, her politeness matching the girl's. "I’m shy, and I won’t apologize for that."

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"That’s okay," Mariposa offered a gentle smile. "I consider myself an introvert, too."

"Really?" Adriaas was intrigued.

"Do you find it awkward to converse with people you don’t know?" the girl inquired. "And do you enjoy organizing parties and gatherings?"

Adriaas hesitated before confessing, "Not really. Most of the time, I hang out with Ion, my kabbalah. We weren’t allowed to come here before today, out of safety." The girl looked at her with an understanding stare.

Her words eased Zeban’s concern, understanding her plight. "Mariposa, could you give us a tour?"

"Are you kidding?" Mariposa's surprise was genuine. "You’ve never been to a Kabbalistic Center?"

Adriaas and Zeban exchanged puzzled looks. "Nope."

"This is our first time," Zeban clarified.

"Mom didn’t warn me! Furk yeah!" Mariposa's excitement was palpable. "I'd be honored to show you around, Ancaris."

"Language!" a voice chimed in from behind Mariposa, her kabbalah. "You know better."

Though irritated by the interruption, Mariposa responded with calm. "This is exciting for me. It reminds me of my first visit here. How long will you be staying?"

"Mom said at least five hours. We need to find something to do," Zeban replied in an overdramatic tone.

"I have a plan." Mariposa's eyes gleamed with anticipation. Turning to Adriaas, she asked, "Tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" Adriaas felt nervous, believing she had nothing interesting to share. "I'm about to turn eight. I enjoy dancing, have a cat and my parents are no longer together."

"What kind of dance do you like?" Mariposa inquired, focusing her attention on Adriaas as if Zeban were irrelevant. Her light brown eyes sparkled with curiosity. "There’s something captivating about expressionist dance, don’t you think?"

"Yes! It’s so magnetic, right?" Adriaas' eyes lit up, thrilled to find a kindred spirit. In her household, no one shared her passion for dance, at least not with her. "I enjoy contemporary synthesian dance."

"Wait, you can dance in synergy with your kabbalah?" Mariposa was impressed. "There're hundred-year-olds who struggle with it!"

"I’ve had ample time to synchronize my kabbalah and naadi." Adriaas was modest, unaccustomed to receiving praise. "Are there many enthusiasts like you?"

"Are you kidding? It’s the latest trend in my town. You should come sometime."

"Thank you," Adriaas responded with politeness, though uncertain if she would be granted permission to attend such invitation. "Maybe, if father allows it. Are there any virtualis rooms around here?"

"Rooms?" Mariposa thought it was a joke. "You mean courts."

"Virtualis courts?" It had never crossed Adriaas's mind. "Are they that big?"

"You’re pulling my leg, right?" Mariposa asked, and they both denied it with a head gesture, which made her believe their sincerity. "Feeez, your dad must be a total fur—"

"My dad can be strict sometimes," Zeban chimed in. "Any experiences we missed, he made up for them with his teachings."

The blind love he had for Annevan made Adriaas nauseous with little effort.

"He is overprotective," she said. "But dad always has our best interests at heart."

"Let’s hope today is the first of many," Mariposa led them on a walk. As they strolled, she shared her insights about the Kabbalistic Center. It was introduced to the siblings as the best teaching tool in Malkuth, second only to the kabbalahs themselves.

Their first stop was the Galaxarium, a room designed to provide the ultimate space exploration learning experience for any Malkuthian child.

"What’s the shape of this room, Ion?" Adriaas asked her kabbalah, noticing its structure. It resembled a circle but had corners and many prisms. Its walls were adorned with beautiful cosmic imagery, depicting their galaxy as a mere particle among a hundred thousand others.

"It’s called a dodecahedronal court, but most people just call them dodecarooms. They’re large virtualis rooms like the ones we have at home, but much better. There are hundreds of thousands of similar rooms scattered throughout Malkuth, each with a variety of purposes."

As they entered the space, the exterior lights were absorbed by darkness. Once their eyes adjusted, they were captivated by the celestial chamber that lay before them.

Mariposa observed their reactions with a smile. "Go ahead, use your kabbalahs."

Following her suggestion, both siblings activated a link to their companions—Zeban with Yvi and Adriaas with Ion. A ripple effect occurred, and in the blink of an eye, they floated in space, far enough from a nebula to witness the entirety of its splendor.

"How?" Adriaas was taken aback by the sudden sensation of weightlessness.

"You’ll see," Mariposa kept her answer vague.

"It’s ingravitas?" Zeban imagined the possibilities.

"It’s more than just anti-gravity. It’s a sensorial experience. If you’re talented enough, you could even train for Silidan and join a team without leaving this room." Mariposa soared into the void. "Where do you want to go?"

"Mars?" Adriaas’ brother didn’t mind showing himself too eager.

"You’re so predictable, Zeb. But sure, let’s go to Mars."

In an instant, the dodecaroom transitioned. Even the temperature dropped, mimicking the coldness of outer space. Immersed in the virtual experience, each child ventured on their own path. Adriaas was drawn to Mars, observing its atmosphere from above—a breathtaking sight of deep orange, green and blue hues blending in harmony.

"How does it feel?" Ion observed her reaction.

"It’s an incredible sensation!" Adriaas controlled her gravity with the mind, linked to the room through her synthesis. "What can we do here, Ion?"

"Here on Mars or somewhere else?"

"Anywhere. What are the possibilities in these rooms?" Her curiosity was piqued by the limitless potential of this technology.

"As a general rule, you can’t have food or engage in fire. Weapons are allowed for training, and violent physical contact is prohibited unless you want to get banned. Trust me, you don’t want that. But apart from those restrictions, the possibilities are vast," Ion explained. "For instance, we can replicate the surface of Jupiter and give you an accurate sense of what it might feel like, within safety parameters. We can explore any environment, but the focus is to learn in coordination with your kabbalah, like any pedagogic Virtualis."

Processing this information, Adriaas decided and formulated a request. "Ion, take me to the Sagittarius constellation," she said, intrigued by the scope of that level of exploration.

In a second, she floated in front of the constellation that witnessed her birth. It was a line of holographic stars outlining the arched centaur, pointing towards the heart of the Milky Way, a magical sight.

Immersed in a galactic exploration, Adriaas traversed the cosmos and uncovered facts about nearby star systems. She delved into Ynuliantar, a planet within the second generation of colonies of Malkuth. Its original name was Kepler-186f and was discovered five hundred years before her birth.

"I was looking for you!" Mariposa interjected, startling Adriaas. The eight year old reacted as if a demon had emerged from the darkness of space, shattering her immersion in the virtual experience. "Sorry, I should’ve warned you. I forgot it was your first time in K.C."

"It’s incredible," Adriaas was awestruck with the experience, recovering from the scare.

"And it’s just the beginning," Mariposa said. "Come, follow me."

*****

That's it for Chapter II of Volume 2!

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