Chapter LXII

Mother

In the years following her initial encounter with Kabbalistic Centers, Adriaas had developed an appetite for delving into the past. Malkuthian history was a complex tapestry, with every significant action documented through quantum memory and Birthclouds since the records began, capturing both the virtuous and the tainted. When Annevan, her father, revealed his true age, he never anticipated that Adriaas would join his opposition.

She grew estranged from him, grappling with his questionable conduct and choices. Adriaas transformed into a defiant figure, a stark departure from the closeness they once shared. Despite his words, her father’s actions revealed that his children were far from a priority. Annevan always prioritized Malkuth and the Edictum Vitae above everything else, leaving little room for a meaningful connection with his children among the multitude of individuals in his life.

Ironically, Zeban, Adriaas’ brother, drew closer to their father. After turning seventeen, he received an invitation to join the ranks of the Binaitah, the training to become a member of the Third Sephirot, The Binah. Although he was born for such an honor, Adriaas felt that his status as Annevan’s son propelled him toward his goals at a faster pace compared to most Malkuthians.

One weekend, after enduring a tedious time with Annevan in Epeculum, Adriaas overheard her mother’s voice downstairs. Her relationship with Ginebra had flourished, built on unwavering trust. The mere presence of her mother could transform her mood. Just as Adriaas prepared to descend and greet her, their voices escalated into a heated exchange.

Intrigued, Adriaas crept closer to her bedroom door, intent on capturing every word.

“...to another one!” her mother seethed with anger. “You’re sick, Annevan. You and your family are like a disease, spreading it throughout the world under the guise of salvation!”

“Why must you always overreact?” Annevan tried to maintain calmness.

Adriaas shook her head in disapproval from her secluded vantage point. Despite the years of acquaintance, it seemed Annevan had never truly understood her mother’s essence.

“In the past, you would have been labeled a pedophile, Annevan!” Her mother’s tone grew even more acerbic. “You were one hundred and fifty-seven years older than me when we met, and you conveniently neglected to mention it!”

“It’s a good thing we don’t live in the past, don’t you think?” Annevan retorted, elevating his tone. “You were already a hundred years old then, and if my memory serves me right, you didn’t look a day over thirty, the same as you do today!”

“You manipulate people, you manipulate the world!” Adriaas’ mother erupted with exasperation. “How old is this one?”

“Eighty-three,” his response provoked her laughter.

“Unbelievable—”

“Ginebra!” Annevan interrupted. “Please, just let me—”

“Don’t you dare interrupt me!” Her mother’s voice resonated with frustration. “You have a problem, and it infuriates me that you won’t be held accountable for it because of your influences.”

“My family’s worth stands on its own,” his tone was laced with menacing seriousness. “I have forged my own accomplishments. Do not besmirch my name.”

“Or what?” Ginebra was beside herself. “Will you run off to one of your girlfriends and cry about it?”

Sensing the argument spiraling into futility, Adriaas intervened. She approached the escalating scene after stepping out of her room.

“Ma, are you okay?” she descended the levitator in a hurry.

As expected, her mother attempted to downplay the situation, feigning composure.

“As well as can be, kiddo. Are you ready?” The redness in her eyes pleaded with her daughter. “We have a couple of stops before heading home.”

“Yes, just give me a moment to gather my things and...” Adriaas glanced at her Kabbalah, Ion, charging with Vis energy in her room. “You can wait for me outside.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Her offer was met with an air of awkwardness.

“I can handle myself around your father for a few more minutes, darling,” her mother replied using a calming tone. "We'll be here. It's okay."

Adriaas the living room, shooting a withering glare at her father, who disregarded her, having grown accustomed to such gestures. His dismissive eye-roll only further fueled her fury, which manifested in the rapid speed at which she ascended the levitator upon her return. With haste, she collected her belongings and activated her companion. Not a minute later, she exited the apartment alongside her mother, ignoring her father’s attempts at apology and farewell.

Once they were soaring through the skies in a fishtank, leaving Epeculum behind, they felt compelled to speak.

"Sorry, I let him get under my skin," her mother confessed, her voice tinged with regret. "I apologize for you having to hear that."

"I’m not a child, Mom," Adriaas' annoyance was palpable. "My perspective on Dad changed long ago. You don’t need to worry about my thoughts concerning him."

Ginebra regarded her daughter with newfound understanding.

"You’ll always be my baby, even if you’re a hundred years old," she said, her voice brimming with tenderness. "But you make me feel like we can have these conversations."

"You better, cause you’re the one I trust the most,” Adriaas stated, making her mother smile.

"The feeling is mutual, don’t ever doubt that.” She said caressing her hair “Exa, we need a porter," Ginebra instructed her red Kabbalah to guide their vehicle in the right direction. As the skies behind them transitioned from pink to purple, the interior of the vehicle adapted to their body heat. Serene music wafted through the air, inducing a calmness that allowed them to relax. Snacks were offered, and the ravenous anger that had gripped Adriaas compelled her to reach for a bag of beet chips.

Her mother gazed out the window as they soared through the skies at great speed.

"Have you spoken to Zeban?"

"As if," Adriaas mocked her question. "The Binaitah are not prohibited from communicating with their families, unlike other Sephirot. However, he is adopting the same practice, at least with me." Melancholy tinged her voice. Zeban had been her pillar of support during the darkest times, and his absence had made everything that much more difficult.

“I haven’t spoken to him either,” her mother tried to assuage the concern that it was not just Adriaas who experienced the lack of communication. “He’s likely still settling in and will call when we least expect it.”

“Maybe,” Adriaas replied, though she harbored doubts. Six months had passed since Zeban left. Seeking to shift the focus, she asked, “How’s Ykenas?”

Ykenas, her mother’s current partner, was tolerable at best in Adriaas’s view, despite his lackluster personality.

“We spent the day in Lodanette; it was quite romantic,” her mother began, diverting the conversation. “He took me to Massive Ben, where we had breakfast, and then we rented a boat on the suspended Trafalgar River...”

Adriaas redirected her thoughts away from the men in their family—or what remained of it. Ever since Zeban’s departure, it had felt like two factions locked in a power struggle. Instead, she endured a twelve-minute, detailed narration of her mother’s date with Ykenas. The monologue concluded as they arrived at their first destination: a Porterum she had never visited.

The stagnum was an amalgamation of blue and purple stones, emitting an otherworldly sheen.

“We’re going to the seventeenth level; let’s grab a levitator,” her mother instructed, gesturing for Adriaas to follow. “First stop: Lbind Mall in Tambacounda, Senegal. We need to restock on moisturizers and shampoo.”

Adriaas recalled her fondness for the hanging mall with a smile. Specializing in the nurturing of the body, Lbind was one of her favorite places, a haven for anyone seeking to maintain healthy skin.

“Can we also get Pastel and Fataya?” she asked, her mouthwatering at the thought of the savory pastries.

“Why do you even have to ask?” her mother chuckled.

They navigated a labyrinthine network of yellow and green crystal levels, hallways, and staircases that connected the expanse of Malkuth. Her mother had taken her on explorations of fascinating locales across Malkuth, and Lbind held a special place in Adriaas’ heart.

They reached a passageway adorned with colorful doors labeled with the names of cities in Africa. Standing before the entrance marked “Senegal” and carved with cultural symbols, they entered the queue. Only three others awaited their turn for the Porter, which would be ready within minutes. As the group stepped into the vehicle, a rectangular entrance materialized as the red, green, and yellow wall melted away.

The interior of the room gleamed with yellow quartz, sculpted into a perfect half-sphere that merged with its exterior form. As they stepped inside, the room awakened, bathed in a gentle, bioluminescent glow that emanated from its walls. Like clockwork, the room rotated on its axis, making them levitate. Adriaas was no stranger to this sensation. Traveling via porter had become a familiar experience, as she traversed the world because of her parents’ separation and Annevan’s job.

Adriaas transformed from something to nothing and then from nothing to something in an instant, thanks to the marvels of porter technology. She held great respect for these machines ever since her first encounter with them. As her father had explained, a porter served as a bridge between two predetermined points in time and space. It connected the energies of both locations by utilizing the dark matter that bridged the gap. The journey through a porter was instantaneous, regardless of distance. It granted access to any location connected by two devices.

A hundred years prior, during the initial stages of testing, porters could transport individuals from one room to an adjacent one. However, with time, the technology evolved, enabling Homo Synthesicus to venture across the galaxy and become an interplanetary civilization. It was hailed as one of the greatest achievement of the past three centuries, and Adriaas agreed wholeheartedly.

Darkness enveloped them before their bodies reappeared in Senegal, suspended within the same porter. After a brief tumble and rumble, the room ceased its rotation, and they landed on the yellow quartz floor. The group of five departed through an entrance opposite to their point of entry, entering a different hallway adorned in pink hues. The sight of the resplendent rose crystal walls covered by intricate vines quickened their heartbeats.